New Hope
Shinki watched as the black sand surrounded him. His green eyes narrowed at the sand, that was the only thing that had changed. The day his parents looked at him different was the day the sand protected him and Norio. It was the sand that made his parents send him away. His eyes watched as the sand moved faster as he grew angrier.
“So I’m connected to it, it’s my fault they sent me away...”
Shinki’s heart sank into his stomach, he drove his family away, they must have felt his brother would be better without him. His knees hit the sand as he let the tears fall. His baby brother was lost to him now, he broke his promise. Shinki gripped his hair as he let out a loud cry. He ignored the sand around him that began to lash out at the empty desert. The iron sand attacked anything it could reach. He didn’t care, the boy’s only focus was on the loss of his brother. He was too far from the village, he had no idea how to get back to it, not without his parents, not without them looking for him. Shinki’s little brother had quickly become his life, his precious person, and now he lost it all. His parents left him here, he wasn’t going to get home.
“I’m sorry!”
He shouted into the setting sky, he was sorry he let his baby brother down. He felt lost, he wanted to be home, but at the same time he didn’t. He wanted his brother, if those people he called parents could leave him in the desert, what could they do to his baby brother? He didn’t know how to calm down after that thought, his breathing began to come in bursts and his throat burned from his yelling. The sand continued to swirl around him in a rapid black sand storm.
His closed eyes shot open when a sudden presence invaded his space, “Go away!”
His narrowed tearfilled green eyes as he watched the red haired man approach him.
“Hey, it’s ok, I’m not here to harm you.”
Shinki watched as the sand began to lash out at him, trying to push him back, to keep him away. He didn’t want anyone but his brother.
“I said go away!”
The sand continued to lash out against the man provoking his anger, but his anger faded away when the man’s arms wrapped around him. His father had never been one to touch, it was only ever his mother and brother who would. His green eyes blinked in confusion, anger replaced with surprise.
“I will not leave you, not until you calm down.”
Shinki felt himself begin to let the tears fall again, but this time without anger, he felt helpless.
“It will be ok. My name is Gaara, I can help.”
His tearful green eyes met worried teal ones, “I want my brother!”
He watched Gaara tilt his head in confusion before placing his hands on his shoulders, “Where is your brother, perhaps I can help you find him?”
Shinki glanced up at Gaara, meeting his eyes to see if he was being honest, “My parents, I think they left me here. I’m from Sunagakure...I’m lost.”
Gaara nodded, slowly standing, “I was heading back to Sunagakure from a meeting in Konohagakure, I’ll bring you to your home. Maybe your parents are looking for you?”
Shinki hesitantly took hold of Gaara’s extended hand, “I think the sand scared them...They looked at me different when it first happened...”
He didn’t know why he was telling the stranger, but if he was going to bring him to his little brother he’d accept his help.
“I don’t know how it happened, just that it did when I wanted to keep my little brother safe. I have to get back to him.”
Gaara’s eyes took in the small boy, he hadn’t expected anyone outside of his family to be able to manipulate sand, let alone iron sand. He wondered if the boy’s parents had the trait as well, but if that was the case they wouldn’t have abandoned him for it.
“I can teach you how to control it, if you’d like.”
Shinki’s eyes widened as sand surrounded their feet, “It may not be iron, but I can manipulate sand as well.”
“I...I want to learn. I don’t want to hurt my little brother with it.”
A small smile worked its way onto Gaara’s lips as he admired the small boy. He could tell he was hurt, scared, and probably confused but he was determined to see that little brother of his.