"Mother...why do I have to do all this?" Kiku sighed, shifting in her seat while her mother dabbed a clear coat of lip gloss along the girl's bottom lip.
"Because we have important guests coming and you need to look your best to make a good first impression." She said, simply. She stood up and took a step back.
"You look just lovely Kiku." her mother remarked. "The spitting image of me as a child." She smiled, a far off look in her eyes as Kiku assumed she began remembering fond childhood memories, before she looked at her daughter's squirming form and sighed.
"If only you acted more like Kimi...you'd be perfect."
Kiku looked down at her pale blue shoes and frowned. She wished she looked like Kimi. Her sister looked just like their father, with sandy brown hair and golden brown eyes that matched his perfectly. Kimi had something to remember their father everytime she looked in the mirror. All Kiku had were the pots of chrysanthemums he helped her plant each year after her birthday. This would be the first year without them.
Kiku turned in her seat to look in the mirror, looking at the short ringlets gently framing her face,tilting her head down. She didn't want to cry with her mother nearby and she took a deep breath to regain her composure.
Her mother was digging through her drawers so Kiku rubbed her eyes quickly to make sure no tears showed up.
"Here we go!" Her mother said, pulling a golden, blue jeweled headband and walking back towards Kiku to place it on her head. "Now you're perfect!"
The child smiled just slightly, getting down from her seat and standing up so her mother could fluff the skirt of her dress. Kiku was glad she hadn't been yelled at so far. She twirled in a small circle, watching the pale blue skirt flow and she smiled.
"Thank you for the dress mother. It's very pretty. The headband too. " she said, smiling. Her mother smiled back and gently led her child out the door.
"Of course. The birthday girl has to be the center of attention and a new dress is the best way of getting it." her expression turned slightly hostile for a moment. "No punch this year for you though...or any colorful drink for that matter. You can have water...to prevent last years mishap from reoccuring."
Kiku nodded and followed her mother to the formal living room so that she could sit beside Kimi and wait for the guests to arrive.
One by one the highclass families arrived at the Hayama's house, each bringing large bags and boxes full of unnecessary things. Kiku's mother seemed overjoyed at the turnout, commenting on the large pile overtaking the corner of the room. Kiku could have cared less. She'd give most of it to her mother and sister anyway. She always did. She didn't care much for luxurious things.
She knew having a few expensive items was good, but the girl preferred simple things the majority of the time. Just simple things... like flowers. She went to stand by the door to greet any new guests that decided to show up.
Kiku couldn't help but think of Gaara. She wished he could have come to her party. It would have made everything better. She stood, staring at the floor and lost in thought, remembering the fun they both had. She didn't see the people heading to the door until they were there right in front of her.
"Happy Birthday, young one."
Kiku looked up into the face of the Kazekage. Her eyes opened wide and she opened her mouth to speak.
"T-Thank you Kazekage-sama!" she said, trying her best to smile at this intimidating person.
"Kazekage-sama!" Kiku turned to see her mother making her way from the other guests, making a beeline straight towards the new guests, swiftly and elegantly...just like always. "I'm so delighted you could join us...last nights events and all."
He shook his head and leaned closer to Kiku's mother. The small girl barely registered his voice whisper.
"About that, there is something we must discuss later when everyone has left. I have a request of your daughter."
Her mother nodded. "Of course."
Kiku was about to ask what he meant, but he turned to look behind him.
"Temari...Kankuro...don't be rude."
A dark haired boy stepped out from behind the Kazekage to his left and a blonde girl to his right. They looked to be about a year or two older than Kiku...probably around Kimi's age.
"Happy birthday..." they both muttered.
"Thanks." Kiku replied quietly.
Her mother smiled and pushed her daughter farther inside towards the party.
"Why don't you take Temari and Kankuro to play with your sister and the other children. Maybe you'll make some new friends."
Kiku nodded. She knew what her mother really meant. 'You and your sister need to befriend the children of the Kazekage so we can have a better social standing.'
Kiku led them towards the room the other children were all playing in. Her older sister sat in a chair, looking down on the group of girls seated at her feet. Kiku didn't know what story she was telling them but the group was all laughing quite loudly at whatever she had said.
"Oh, speak of the devil." her sister said sarcastically, waving a hand to Kiku. "Kiku-chan! Why don't you come over here to tell everyone about how you played house with that monster. You'd build it all up and he'd destroy it, right? That's how it went didn't it? He just loves to destroy things...your little friend Gaara, right?"
Kiku's hands balled into tight fists and she bit her lip trying not to respond harshly in front of everyone. She couldn't ruin the party again this year, and she had new guests. Kiku couldn't attack her sister in front of the kazekage's children. Her mother would be furious.
Instead she smiled politely and said, "Nothing like that, no. We just talked and played normal games like everyone else."
Kimi let out an exasperated breath. "Oh you're no fun Kiku-chan!"
"Stupid brats need to be smarter." mumbled the boy behind Kiku.
"Kankuro you're being rude." his sister nudged him with her elbow.
"I'm not being rude Temari! It's true. If this kid was smart she would have stayed away from Gaara like everyone else. It's stupid...this party is stupid. I don't want to hang around a bunch of sniveling brats!"
Kiku tried to ignore them and pointed behind her. "Kimi-onee-san, mother said to introduce you to the kazekage's children, Temari and Kankuro."
Kimi looked at them for a moment before jumping off the chair and making her way towards them.
"Hi! I'm Kimi. The older, not stupid sister." She latched herself onto Kankuro's arm and started to drag him towards her friends. "Come sit with me!"
Kankuro cast an annoyed glance at Kiku's sister then one to his own, but followed Kimi when his sister did nothing but smirk and wave.
Kimi spent the next two hours explaining to Kankuro just how perfect she was and how Kankuro would be lucky if he asked her to marry him when they grew older. He ignored her and glared daggers at the wall. Temari stood by trying not to laugh at her brother's misfortune. Kiku wished her sister would marry him...and make his life miserable instead of hers. Her first impression of him was that she didn't like him one bit.
Eventually Kiku settled to sit on the floor against the wall with Temari.
She looked at Kiku for a while and she started to feel uncomfortable.
"I don't get it. How could you like spending time with my brother? Didn't he scare you?" Kiku was going to ask her what she meant, thinking she was talking about Kankuro. However suddenly she realized something. She looked at this girl again and noted her blonde hair and green eyes. She looked a lot like the lady in the picture at Gaara's house.
"Gaara...?" Kiku asked hesitantly, afraid she was wrong and making a mistake.
Temari nodded. "He's a horrible person. How could you want to be around him? Father doesn't even make me and Kankuro see him much."
Kiku shook her head. "He's nice and gentle and sweet. He's not a monster like everyone says."
Temari frowned at the younger girl. "He is...that monster yesterday was the thing that lives inside my brother. They're the same thing...they just look different...but they both hurt people...and kill them."
"He never hurt me..." Kiku whispered.
"Maybe not yet!" Temari snapped, "He didn't harm uncle Yashamaru either...and now he's dead and it's all Gaara's fault!" Temari got up and walked away, Kankuro saw her and escaped Kimi's grasp to follow her.
Kiku didn't move, her mind trying to understand what Temari had just said. Yashamaru was dead? Gaara's fault? Kiku couldn't believe something like that. Gaara cared about Yashamaru more than anything.
Her thoughts ran rapidly through her head...and then the party was over. She didn't even realize it until her mother was calling her, motioning for her to come closer.
"The Kazekage needs to speak to you, dear."
Chapter End Notes:
Writing with a little Temari and Kankuro is kinda hard O.o hopefully they weren't that horrible Dx Also, Kiku doesn't pay much attention to the families in Suna much and didn't really know who Gaara's relatives were (aside from Yashamaru) even though she started to pick up he was related to the kazekage...she just wasn't 100% sure and never bothered to ask. O.o ...but now she knows ^^ Next chapter will be up soon :)