Uzumaki Twins

Chapter 6

~Chika's pov~

'Finally,' I say and slump down on the floor against the sink. Temari sat down next to me, breathing heavily.

We had just finished cleaning the kitchen and breakfast was already on. I had cleaned some sides and washed needed pots and sorted out the dinner before we moved onto the rest of the kitchen. Where we worked was clean and tidy beforehand so no contamination will happen. But jeez, I had not expected it to be that messy from just trying to cook one breakfast. I just can't really believe Temari is that messy when she's trying to prepare food.

'You're a life saver,' Temari said between breaths. 'To think you can do this without a hitch.'

'It's called having a brother who has no limits and always being prepared.' I got up and helped her to her feet. 'Can you check the fish and the sauce?'

'Sure,' she said and got to it.

I took down a now clean frying pan, turned on the heat, poured in some sweet sauce I made and heated it up. I poured some of the pancake mixture into the pan and turned it when it browned on the bottom. When the other side was done I set it aside and made some more. Soon there was a plate full of pancakes that can be passed around four times between the six of us. Temari had sorted rice into six bowls, the fish on six plates and the sauce into some smaller bowls. With each set, there was a tray and we took them in the other room.

'Alright!' Naruto yelled in excitement and rushed over. 'Where's the ramen?'

'There isn't any, just a proper breakfast.' I placed the three trays I carried onto the table. 'Now eat, you need to get some strength.' I turned towards the kitchen.

'I can go get the rest,' Temari offered but I shook my head.

'It's okay Temari, you go ahead and eat.' I smiled at her and grabbed the pancakes and placed them in the middle of the table. 'The max is four, no more you hear me?'

'Okay,' they all chorused.

I smiled and took my seat besides Temari and Naruto. Sakura was sitting near Sasuke and he was sitting besides nothing but an empty chair. Kankuro was on Temari's other side. That leaves that spot between Sasuke and Kankuro available for Gaara. As long as he isn't sitting anywhere near me I will be able to deal with it. Well with the way time is ticking by, I doubt he will be having breakfast. But no one, not even that asshole, will be able to avoid eating forever. It didn't take long for me to be proven right. Gaara arrived just as all the boys were on their second pancake and the girl's still on their first. I refused to look at him as he sat down but he still said nothing as he picked up his chopsticks and started eating. The way he handled them masterfully made me jealous. I have always sucked at using the chopsticks so I stick to spoons, forks and knives.

'Chika,' I looked at Temari. 'Do you want me to show you the village?'

'Kuro's fine,' I say with a smile. 'That'll be great. Anyone else want to come?'

Kankuro immediately put up his hand. 'I'll go with you.' Temari shot him a glare. 'I'll behave, I promise.'

'One false move that even embarrasses me, Kankuro and you're dead.'

'Okay, Temari, I got it.'

I was still smiling when I turned to my teammates. 'What about you guys?'

'No thanks,' Sasuke grumbled and continued his last pancake.

'I think I'll skip too,' Sakura stated. Yes! I almost screamed aloud. Well her loss. It's a bonding moment and she's just skipping right out on it. He-he, lucky for me.

'I'm going to go train,' Naruto said with an apologetic smile.

'You could come with us to the training arena,' Temari offered.

'That'll be great,' Naruto said suddenly perking up. He grinned widely at me.

He must have felt bad because he had something else to do. At least now he can hang with us until he reaches the training arena. I don't get to hang with Sakura which I'm super happy about. Sasuke, well he's just skipping because he wants to be cool, dumbass. I get to hang with my bro for a bit and he will be able to go train afterwards, which is getting two birds with one stone. We're both getting what we want and we're able to hang with each other for a bit. Kankuro, well he can hang with some new people and he knows he'll feel accepted with us. Temari, well she's got another girl to talk to and hang with. Gaara, who cares about him really? He's an asshole.

'Gaara, what are you going to do?' Temari asks. There was some concern for her red head brother but other than that, she's afraid of him.

'That's none of your business,' he said without turning away from his food.

I could throw something in his face with how he treats his sister. In fact, I want to kill him with how he treats his sister. I do understand why he doesn't like them, but to be completely rude and harsh. Oh wait, that's his father's fault I gather. I heard that the Kazekage was the biggest sand asshole that ever existed. Well maybe I should just kick his ass instead. But then again he's a Kage and I'm just a genin. I'm under his protection as of now and if I attack him, we will no longer be an alliance but enemies and Gaara won't have any excuse to hold back from killing me. Damn doing one thing can result into something else. Stupid complications. Where's Shikamaru when you need him?

Gaara turned to look at me and I just glared at him before looking elsewhere. I felt his aura spike in the air and I felt the intention to kill. I looked back at him and his grip on his rice bowl had tightened. Oh well, if he's pissed good, let him. His green eyes were filled with hated. His eyes switched to my brother for a single moment and my temper rose so sharply that a growl, not mine, rumbled at the back of my throat. The table went into silence and everyone's eyes were on me. How dare he think to look at my brother with that intention to kill him just so he can get back at me!

'Excuse me,' I said with my voice deep and anger strained.

I stood and scraped back the chair and exited the room. I leaned against the wall near the stairs and tried to calm myself and Juuku down. That failed when Gaara passed through the doorway. I narrowed my eyes at him and he stopped a few metres from me. His killing aura had gone but that didn't mean his thinking of me had changed. I crossed my arms in a guarding stance and never moved my eyes off from him.

'What do you want?' I demanded.

He blinked once. 'What makes you think I want something?'

I gritted my teeth together. So now he's going to play with me? 'Why else would you follow me out here?'

I was ready to attack in case he did. He made the threat and I'm only preparing myself for when and if he does happen to attack me out of nowhere. But with the way he's just standing there, it's almost like he had no intention of talking, least of all to me. Did he come out of here just to see my reaction? Why couldn't he just leave me alone? He's freaking annoying already. I looked away from him and I heard him shift but he didn't come closer. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that he was leaning against the opposite wall, his eyes watching me still. Damn it, can't the others hurry up so I can get out of here?

'Kuro, are you ready?' Temari asked poking her head around the corner.

Relief surged through me. I nodded and walked over to her, completely ignoring him. 'Are you ready?'

She looked behind her and then back to me. 'Yes, the pots are cleared up and the kitchen is clean. I think your brother is ready too.'

Right on cue, Naruto came out of the living room and stood at my side with a big grin. We got our sandals on and waited for Temari and Kankuro who happened to just walk out of the room. He put on his black ninja sandals and smiled at me. I smiled back and Temari just straightened. Naruto was a little impatient and had already opened the door and ran out under the scorching sun. I smiled and shook my head at him. Kankuro walked out next, hands stuffed in his pockets and he began talking to Naruto as if they had been friends for a long time.

'We'll be back later Gaara,' Temari told her little brother and walked with me out of the door. Before she closed it I took one last look at him and saw him watching me, yet again.

We walked through the village with happiness radiating off from us. I had even managed to calm down. Naruto was looking at everything as if he would never be able to see it a second time. Possibly not, after all I did have a feeling that our mission will be coming to an end soon. I mean, how long does replying to a letter really take? Certainly not this long. But I can't rush the Kazekage even if I wanted to. So I have to be a patient little subordinate until it comes to that time I will be able to say something that will give the Kage's a chance to think over it.

We dropped Naruto off at the training arena and he gave me a tight hug before he went to train. Kankuro and Temari were talking as we continued to walk on through the village. They even greeted some of the villagers who had called out to them. They waved at me with smiles on their faces and I responded in kind. It's a strange place but even with everyone welcoming me, I still feel a complete stranger, out of place and in a completely different world. When you come from a vibrant colourful place like Konoha, you can say it is a completely different place altogether.

'Kuro, are you alright?' Temari asks me, snapping me out of my reverie.

'Sorry, spaced,' I answered. 'But I'm fine, just a feel a little alienated here.'

She smiled. 'I guess that's normal when you come from a complete different village. Konoha really must have a different atmosphere to this place if you're feeling alienated.'

'You could say it has a choice of…colour.'

She laughed. 'I suppose it does considering we live in a desert and this village is designed to camouflage with the sand terrain.'

'Temari, Kankuro,' an elder woman called them over.

'We need to take this,' she looked apologetic though. 'Do you want to carry on by yourself?'

I shook my head. 'I'll head back to the house. I remember the way.'

She smiled and apologised just before she went over to the lady. Kankuro was already there talking to her. I looked at the pair sadly. If only those in Konoha could accept my brother and I like that, we would have no problems at all. Well as soon as those two discover I am no different from their brother, they'll become distant as well. I sigh and turn back and allow my feet to take me down the path towards the house. To be accepted, what would it be like just to feel that way? How do those two feel with all the attention of the villagers, the feeling of acceptance? They wouldn't know how we, the outcasts, really feel. They wouldn't be able to understand until it has happened to them.