Disclaimer: I don't own anyone but Bast, Aya, and Mori. Oh, and Aya's aunt… I also have no claim over the lyrics from 'Ocean Avenue' by YellowCard, Hot Topic, or Taco Bell. Anyway, enjoy the story and please review because opinions are always loved. Speaking of opinions, do you find Gaara as a cupcake or muffin person? Thanks a bunch to Lori-Winchester, darkaquarian96, creativeblogger444, and Kanae Valentine! I dedicate this chapter of fluff and fun to you guys. Hope it was worth the wait!
For the next six and a half weeks, I went to Kohana High and enjoyed every day. Well… Except for the day Kankuro put a plastic spider in my locker… Though it was made better when he apologized profoundly with an on-looking (or really on-glaring) Gaara.
There's a place off Ocean Avenue
Where I used to sit and talk with you
We were both 16 and it felt so right…
I groaned and picked up my phone. Why the hell was Kankuro calling me, anyways? With a shrug, I flipped my phone open.
"Taco Bell, how may I help you?" I asked in a fake-high voice.
"Damn it, Temari! Did you change the numbers in my address book again??" I heard.
"How moronic are you Kankuro?"
"You were messing with me again weren't you?"
"Pshh. No way," I said sarcastically. "Anyways, why did you call me?"
"Oh, yeah. Mori's coming over and we wanted you to join the party. So get your ass over here Aya."
"I'll be there."
For what seemed like the millionth time already, I slipped on my grey low-tops and striped jacket, heading to the siblings' (and Baki's) quaint blue house a couple blocks over. When I reached it, I didn't bother knocking, I just walked in.
Gaara was sitting on the loveseat, watching Temari arrange and re-arrange a set of five vanilla candles. I sat next to him, throwing my jacket over the back of the light grey loveseat with a smile. Hey, Gaara-kun. How's it goin'?"
He gave me a dry look and shrugged.
"One pillow or two?" I asked randomly. A couple weeks ago I'd figured out the best way to get him to talk was by asking random questions that couldn't be answered by a nod or shake of the head. Not only was it productive, it was also funny and incredibly random. Which I thoroughly enjoy.
"Two pillows."
"Mtn. Dew or Dr. Pepper?"
"Mtn. Dew."
"Star Wars or Star Trek?"
"Neither."
I laughed, continuing. "Small and cuddly of large and huggable?"
"Small and cuddly."
"Summer or winter?"
"Summer."
"Blue or purple?"
"Purple."
"Black and white or colored?"
"Unless it's a movie, black and white.
"Walt Disney or Tim Burton?"
"Tim Burton."
"Fluffy or smooth?"
"Smooth."
I now knew what I was getting him for Christmas. "Thank you, Gaara-kun." I skipped off to the kitchen before he could question me and my motives. Kankuro was getting a soda and talking on the phone as I entered the room. Without questioning him, I waited until he got out of the refrigerator.
"No, no. Two large pizzas; one with extra cheese and the other with pineapple. No we do not need peppers or parmesan. I don't want a two-liter of Coke!"
Taking another wattle bottle out the refrigerator door, I rolled my eyes at the (slightly) older boy. "Geek," I muttered before heading back to the living room where Gaara still awaited my return.
"Hey Gaara? What's today's date?"
"The seventeenth of December."
I almost jumped for joy. "we get out for Winter Break tomorrow!!" That meant no school for me until January fourth! Boy was I happy.
Mori walked in as I sat next to Gaara and reclined my seat back. "Hey Aya-chan. What's poppin'?" She took a seat on the couch that was kind-of-diagonal to the loveseat Gaara and I sat upon.
"Kankuro's ordering pizza. Too bad we couldn't have gotten Taco Bell," I said rather loudly as Kankuro walked into the room. Temari laughed whole-heartedly at that while she arranged the candles again. I wondered why she was doing that, but I didn't really want to question the kind-of-scary tenth grader… Sooo I just sat there with my mouth closed.
"What was with the Taco Bell joke?"
"Ya see, Kankuro called to see if I was coming over and I answered the phone pretending to be some random Taco Bell employee. He thought that Temari had changed all of the numbers in his address book in his phone. You totally missed it. That was one of the best jokes I've played since I got here. Second only to putting Neji's face on a naked picture of some chick and slipping it into Tenten's locker. That one was amazing."
Mori laughed. "Oh my God I'm dating an idiot."
The older boy chimed in with, "I'm only an idiot on Fridays."
"It's Thursday…" I said.
"Idiot," Gaara muttered.
I giggled again. I couldn't help but love his sarcastic-slash-sadistic comments. They were just so… Gaara.
"Shut up Aya."
Gaara glared at him. I swatted his arm lightly. "Gaara, if you keep glaring at your brother I'll let Temari cook every Friday too. It will be permanent too. That means forever." He stopped, causing me to giggle again. I was grinning openly with Mori shaking her head sadly at my actions.
"Aw, Aya-chan, don't be mean. Gaara was just being nice. Unlike his brother," Mori said while pretending to glare at Kankuro. After a minute she gave in, laughing at the annoyed/worried look on his face.
He decided to play along. Kankuro smirked and snaked his arm around her waist, puller Mori closer to himself. "I'm so bad."
"You wish," I snorted.
"Oui! Not on the couch!" Temari called to the couple.
Mori and Kankuro had officially started dating on November twenty-first, when he'd asked her to the movies. She had said yes – of course – and rushed to my house three hours before the movie to borrow an outfit of mine. They'd been dating exactly four weeks tomorrow. Mori – for some unknown reason – counted down every day they dated. I think she'd finally found someone she really liked. I was glad – she needed that. I was pretty sure Kankuro felt the same about Mori; he just didn't show it like she did. That was fine though, he was a guy.
Oh, on the very day those two began dating, Baki pleaded that I cook every Wednesday and Friday. They didn't want to die from eating so much fast food… Okay, so Baki didn't so much as plead as he did insist, but I like to think of it that way!
"He was being nice, but he didn't have to glare. I do appreciate it though, Gaara-kun."
For some reason, he'd been more… I'm not sure if protective was the right word… Whatever, it worked. Gaara'd been more protective of me since I defended him and Kankuro against those jerks. Speaking of which, I hadn't heard a single word from them this whole time.
"Hn."
"How many times do I have to tell you that's not a damn word?"
Gaara was silent.
I turned my head and crossed my arms. "Hn. Be that way."
Mori giggled and Gaara glared at the wall.
"No glaring," I fake-coughed. "Sorry, I had a bug in my throat for a second there," I said with another grin.
The couple laughed and I heard Temari try to snicker quietly. She kind of failed at that – like, epically. Gaara turned a dry look on my still-grinning self. "Oh be happy, Gaara-kun. You're alive."
"Hn."
"You're so mean to me."
"I thought I was the mean one?" Kankuro chimed in.
"You're the one who thought it was Friday," I shot back.
"You just let her insult me and tear down my confidence, don't you Mori?" he whined.
She flipped her hair to the side and rolled her eyes, but did so with a playful smile. "You're a big boy," Mori stated.
Again we all laughed, Gaara only looking slightly amused.
A knock came from the doorway and I watched Kankuro start to pick up the check. A grin on my face, I swiped the piece of paper that would pay for our food and skipped towards the door. Ignoring the older boys protests, I opened the front door with a giant grin.
"Woah. I didn't know you lived here."
"I didn't know you delivered pizza," I replied to a kind-of-in-shock Kiba.
"Meh. I get bored and this is a really easy way to make money." Kiba's face held a playful half-smile as he said this, a chuckle soon following.
"Oh, cool. And I don't actually live here. I just came to hang out with Mori and Kankuro, Gaara, and Temari. I am over here all the time though," I rambled. My phone vibrated and 'Ocean Avenue' played from my pocket. I just clicked ignore.
"Hey, I love YellowCard," Kiba said.
I grinned a bit wider. Finally someone who listened to some decent music around here. Naru was stuck on 3OH!3 and Cobra Starship (who were both okay), Mori liked Metrostation (ehh…. I've heard better), Hinata liked Cascada and BOA (pretty good), Tenten and Sakura listened to indescribable bubbly stuff, Kankuro liked Linkin Park (woo!), and I wasn't sure what Gaara, Neji, Temari or Shikamaru listened to. "Me, too. If you haven't already, check out Paper Walls. The song and the album, I mean. It's absolutely freaking amazing and just as great as Ocean Avenue."
"I'll have to look it up. And maybe I could get your number sometime."
My smile was friendly but not promising as I gave him the money for the pizzas. "Maybe sometime."
I handed Kankuro the pizzas and shut the door. He sat them on the table and we all gathered around. Temari fetched Baki, and we all sat. Gaara was very quiet throughout dinner and was much more prone to glaring. I planned to ask him about it later that night when we sat on the rooftop staring at the moon. We did that a lot lately, and he would actually carry on a conversation with me during that time. Gaara was a lot less reserved when we were alone together. I think he trusted me more than any of the other people we hung out with… That small fact made me feel amazingly great. Even though I had no clue why I liked that he liked talking to me so much that he questioned me immediately upon seeing me if I wasn't on the roof the night before. I liked that Gaara enjoyed my company.
After we all ate, Kankuro and Mori decided to go to a movie, joking that maybe I should order some more pizza so Kiba could come with. When I noticed Gaara's very irritated expression, I glared and told Kankuro to shut his face while glaring them both down. Temari announced she was going on a blind date Mori had set her up on (I already knew her date was Shikamaru) and left soon after Kankuro and Mori. Of course, Baki retreated to his top floor. This left Gaara and I alone and surprised. I guessed I'd figure out why he was upset a lot sooner than I had expected.
"What's wrong Gaara-kun?" I asked while sitting next to him once more.
When Gaara remained silent and expressionless I knew it was more than a little irritation at something. He seemed thoroughly upset… I slid closer to the addictive, red-headed boy with swoon-worthy eyes. "Gaara?" I asked again, quietly. Still, I had no answer from my best guy friend.
Then I remembered his reaction to the suggestion about Kiba and I going on a date. "Are you upset about Kiba hitting on me?" His only reply was some near-silent, feral sound that came from his throat. "You are aren't you?"
Finally, he nodded. That was a start.
Again, I slid closer to the boy, my legs tucked under me and Gaara leaning against the arm, slightly diagonal to myself. "Even if I wanted to go out with Kiba, I'd still come over, bug you, talk to you, and hang out. You can't get rid of me. Not even if you and a whole army devoted your life to it." I smiled. "It's one of my most annoying traits. I'm like a retarded puppy that just keeps coming back."
(A/N: Ahahaha. Thanks Emily!)
The red head turned his eyes to mine. He still didn't look as if he believed that I would be his friend if I had another guy (besides taken and should-be-but-happens-to-be-too-stubborn-to-be-taken guys) in my life.
"Gaara-kun, I'm not leaving. How can I show you that?" A thought answered my own question and I hurriedly reached around my neck to unclasp the necklace I always wore but hid in my shirt. The guitar pick-shaped piece of metal glinted in the light, its silver chain having the same effect. Two black letters, 'A.H.,' stood out clearly as I straightened the chain out. I hopped up and ran behind Gaara. Before he could protest I clasped my favorite necklace around his neck and sat back down.
"That's my favorite necklace. My big brother gave it to me the night he left home. It means the world to me," I said with a sad tone. "So now I will never leave you, because you practically have possession of my heart." I smiled happily, despite his odd expression. "Now do you believe me, Gaara-kun?"
After a bit of silence, he spoke. "Yes… I'm…" he said something like 'sorry,' "I got so mad at you."
"It's okay, Gaara." Again, I smiled at him, leaning back into the couch. "Sooo what do you want to do now?"
Of course, he shrugged.
"Oh! I know, we can go Christmas shopping!"
The boy gave me his infamous dry/what-the-hell look. "Do I have to?" he replied in a low, slightly-worried voice.
I nodded and grabbed his coat, tossing it to him. Hen I realized it was freezing outside, the mall was across town, neither of us could drive, and Baki wasn't about to give us a ride, I paused. Snapping my fingers, I called the cab service number I'd installed in my phone for emergencies and got us a ride. After around five minutes of waiting outside, Gaara and I cheered (okay, mainly just myself) and piled into the cab as soon as it arrived. I was so thankful for the heat.
Rubbing my hands together and shivering, I told the scruffy driver where to go. He smiled at me through the review mirror. He had kind eyes and I figured he had grandchildren. With a tired expression, I sat back.
Gaara settled into the seat next to me, looking over at me. Again, I shivered and moved a bit closer to my friend for warmth. The red head gave me a curious look when I continued to shiver. With a couple moments hesitation, the silent boy slid even closer to me, out legs now pressed against the others. Gaara's warmth mingled with mine.
I gave him a warm smile and said, "Thank you," meaningfully. He nodded, a bit of the dryness leaving his face because I looked so happy. This happened a lot lately. Gaara had stopped glaring so much and started speaking more. He'd even stopped seeming to hate the world and everyone/thing it held. I gave a soft, content sigh and rested my head on the shoulder of the (happier) boy.
The taxi driver looked back at us, a kind smile on his face. "So how long has it been?" he asked
"How long?" I asked with a confused note.
"How long have you two been together?"
A blush crept up my face and I shook my head. "Gaara-kun and I are just friends, sir." I was still cold, so I snuggled back into him with a smile. The driver's own smile was one that held knowledge.
"Are you sick, Aya?" he asked with a hint of worry.
"Man do I hope not."
We rode in silence after that, the driver still smiling like he held a secret. I rest my head on the silent boy's shoulder, my arms around one of his. Half way there I warmed up but didn't let go of him. I think he liked having someone near him, not scared or angry, and being comfortable with him. Besides, its not like I didn't not enjoy it, so…
Once we reached the giant building, I paid the taxi driver and left with a warm smile. Gaara of course only said goodbye, but at least he gave an effort. We rushed inside so I wouldn't freeze my balls off. Not in the literal since, because I was a girl… But… You know.
It was cold.
The place was filled with sparkly, glittered, beautiful Christmas decorations. A huge tree stood in the middle, shining and hopeful. It was so pretty I had to stop and just look around for a moment. "It's lovely in here," I murmured to Gaara. The entire place seemed as if it were attacked by Christmas elves and struck by a fairytale.
The red head only looked at me, and nodded slowly.
I took his arm and raced to the first store I saw – a pet store. Still smiling, I all but skipped to the little shop. Thankfully, it didn't take too long to find exactly what I had come for. A tiny, sand-colored kitten sat alone and playing with a catnip mouse in a corner display. The kitten looked at me with big, green eyes and I knew just what I was getting Temari. I demanded to know its name and gender. The stuttering sales clerk told me her name was Ami and that she was very sweet. I bought it on the spot. Gaara followed me out the store rolling his eyes.
"You have to swear you won't tell her," I demanded as we strolled through the mall, kitten in my arms.
His look stated: 'And why the hell would I in the first place?'
I shrugged. "Okay." Then I dragged him around until I saw the perfect advertisement in the window of Hot Topic. A laugh rang out of me and I skipped inside the store, handing Gaara the kitten. He looked confused at what to do with it, but held it nonetheless.
It took me a bit longer to decide exactly what I was getting Gaara's older brother. Finally, I knew what to get him. Because it was getting cold and I hated his taste in jackets, I planned to get Kankuro a jacket. And when I saw the strange symbol in the HT window that I had seen on a poster in his room, I went to find a jacket with exactly that on it. Even though I could have picked out a jacket for anyone I knew in that store, I took a minute to get Kankuro's present. In the end, I got him a hooded jacket with the strange, circular, yellow-and-purple symbol I recognized. Honestly, I had no clue what it meant. I just figured it was some underground band I'd never heard of and left it at that. While in HT, I also spotted Mori's perfect gift.
My best friend loved three things in the world of HT: the bright colors, Gir (from Invader Zim), and how their tees fit. When I saw the bright blue shirt of Gir with a cupcake and the tag that said it was tight-fitting, I knew it was perfect. I bought the two gifts and walked off to find gifts for my aunt, my grandmother, and Baki.
Soon, I found a lovely gypsy skirt for my aunt, a blanket with a willow tree design for my grandmother, and some weird weapon called a kunai I figured Baki would enjoy. The only gift left was Gaara's and that couldn't be bought with him around. So we just walked towards the food court, a comfortable silence filling the air.
Finally, I said something. "I can't get your gift today. It wouldn't be a surprise, so I'll just drag Mori up here one day."
Speak of the Devil… Mori and Kankuro were sitting at a table, laughing and drinking smoothies. An evil grin spread across my face and I sat bags down, motioning for Gaara to stay where he was. Totally silent, I crept up behind Mori. Putting a lip to my fingers to keep Kankuro quiet, I leaned toward my best friend's ear. With a husky, dark voice I whispered, "I know what you did last summer."
Mori screamed and jumped out her chair. Kankuro burst out laughing and trying not to fall out his chair. I giggled uncontrollably and shook my head. With people watching, Mori glared at me with a smile on her face. "You're such a jerk Aya. You know that movie scared me out."
I rolled my eyes playfully. "That's that entire joke."
Finally, Mori began laughing with us and sat down. I walked back to Gaara, who was only slightly amused-looking. "I am so amazing," I said. He handed me the cat and HT bag, following me to the table. "Don't you think I am?"
Gaara merely looked at me.
I sighed. "I guess I still have some work to do with you, huh?" I grinned. "Oh, well." I grabbed his hand and tugged him the rest of the way to meet his brother and my friend.
Mori informed me that they sold Stromboli behind me and I jumped right back up, taking the Hot Topic bag with me to buy my favorite food. It was fucking addictive! I loved it, even though I never really paid attention to what it was made out of. The point is, it was amazing.
After buying Stromboli, I sat next to Gaara-kun and sipped my cola.
"What's with the cat?" Kankuro asked.
"It's a gift."
"Temari's present," Gaara added.
"Damn it, I told you not to tell!"
"You said not to tell Temari."
"Hn."
"That's not a word."
"You use it."
"So?"
"I'm antisocial, you're not."
"That was a very productive conversation, Gaara."
"Hn."
"And it all goes down the drain…" I sighed.
Kankuro and Mori were laughing loudly, finding us incredibly comical. Jerks. Ugh. Oh, well. I had Stromboli to make it better.
When they were done busting a gut, Kankuro asked why I had gotten his sister a cat.
I rolled my eyes. "You're sister is, like, obsessed with Bast. So I got her a cat of her own. Her name is Ami. If you move your hand, she'll attack, so be very careful. This thing is sneaky and fast."
Kankuro looked at me like I was an idiot.
We spent the rest of the time talking about Christmas and finally I got a chance to get Mori alone. Kankuro was talking to someone he knew and Gaara had left to get another soda.
"Mori! Come with me!" I drug her over to the a humungous, castle-shaped store. Before she could question me I had tugged her inside to the stuffed animal department.
"Why the fuck are we in here?!" she asked. I hit her arm, motioning to a pair of children looking wistfully at some toys. Mori covered her mouth with a little squeak and just settled for giving me a weird look.
"I have to get Gaara's present."
"Are you getting him a freaking Care Bear or something??"
"No!" I searched a bit, and pulled a black and white panda bear off the shelf. I squeezed it and rubbed it against my cheek. This one was perfect. "This is what I'm getting him," I answered triumphantly. "A nice, adorable panda. I think he'll love it. What about you, Mori-san?"
She cocked her head to the side. "That may just be the perfect gift, Aya."
We bought the bear, hiding it in the HT bag, and met the boys back at the table. Kankuro said it was pretty much time to go, so we all piled into his car. I fell asleep with my head on Gaara's shoulder and a secret panda in my arms.