Chapter 1
Apparently your brain stops developing when you turn 25. If people normally live up to 100 than that would be 25 percent of your life developing, the other 75 would be spent waiting for death. Of coarse people die earlier, which makes the percentage go up. This is not a comforting thought for me.
My grandmother, Chiyo, she's 78. She is closer to her death than anyone I know, but she is still working, almost like a 30 year old man. Still you can see the cracks, she's losing her mind slowly. Not a place I want to be at when I grow old. If I grow old.
"Sasori!" Chiyo says with a disapproving voice, breaking me out of my thoughts, "Put away your sketch book, and help me clean this porch."
"It is raining, Grandmother. I doubt it will become less dirty." I say as I watch her mopping, and I can't help but wonder what she thinks to accomplish.
"Yes, but your cousins will be here any minute, and I don't want them to see a messy porch." She says, and I frown at her logic, but knew she wouldn't stop complaining unless I help her. I leave my pencil in my sketchbook, to keep my place with my unfinished sketch. I look at my porch, an old creaky thing, the darkness outside made it look black than the nice shade of chocolate brown it actually was. There was also fog everywhere, which made the pavement and grass hard to see, never mind the lights of our neighbors house, which was already quite a ways away. Sadly I could still tell that the house had tacky pink paint on, luckly it just looked like tacky maroon paint.
In the distance of the fog I could see a faint light coming toward our house.
"Grandmother." I say to get her attention, and when I have it I point to the fogged distance.
"Use your voice boy." She says and squints trying to see what I see. She really needed to carry her glasses with her more often.
"Ah that must be your cousins!" The mechanical glow turns into a car. "Put a smile on your face, and come." Chiyo instructs me as she opens a large umbrella. I go near her under the umbrella but I did not smile, she wouldn't have noticed if I did, nor did I care for forcing a smile.
The car parks, and out comes a man with shoulder length dirty blond hair. The top of his head was covered by bandages, and his left arm was in a cast.
"My, Yashamaru are you alright?" Chiyo asks, and by the look in her eyes she was going to check all of his injuries. She gives Yashimaru the umbrella, letting me get soaked, to my utter annoyance. Since I was being ignored currently I decide to retreat to the saftey of the porch where there is two pillers holding up a roof. (Not that rain still didn't come on me)
"I'm fine, thank you for asking." He says.
"Oh, are those the kids?" Chiyo asks, turning her head toward the people coming out of the car.
Three of them to be precise. The first was a teenage girl, whom looked similar to Yashamaru, only with her hair up in four ponytails. Then came a male younger than the girl, he had short dark brunet hair, and a snot-nosed face. The third surprised me a little. He looked like a miniature version of myself, closer inspection made me notice the difference. His eyes had dark rings around (As if he didn't sleep a lot) and despite his hair being a bright red, the texture fit more his brothers. Very small differences.
"Do you remember me?" Chiyo asks the obvious question. They didn't.
When no answer came, Chiyo laughed, "I'm Gradmother Chiyo, you know I met you guys when you were barley able to walk."
"Grandmother Chiyo, do you even remember their names?" Yashamaru asks.
"Of coarse I do," the old bat says, "There is Temari," She points toward the young girl, "This young man is Kankuro," She looked more proud than she should be for remembering a name, then looks at the last child. "And that ones... That ones name is..." Chiyo looked perplexed.
"His name is Gaara." Yashamaru supplies.
"Ah yes, Gaara! I knew that!" She lies, "Come on in, you all must be exhausted!"
Chiyo made sure the house was perfect.
I knew this because she made sure that I was certain the house was perfect. I was basically her slave. The house may have been tidy but it didn't stop the kids from smelling the old lady odor that I have become so used to.
We were currently at the living room, which also happened to be connected to the kitchen, since there was a large gap in the wall that was supposed to sepereating the two. The walls were a light mossy green, and to help the green aesthetics is the large curtins over the windows which were an emerald colour. There were millions of fake flowers in vases littering the tables. All three of the kids sat down on a floral patterned couch, while Yashamaru sat on a chair. Chiyo, as expected, was searching his wounds while she sat in her favorite computer chair near her 'workdesk'. She liked to pretend her home is an office.
"You don't really have to check, I'm fine, other doctors have told me so."
"Nonsense, I must check. Slave, go make some tea!" Chiyo orders... Alright, she never really said slave in that sentence.
I walk into the kitchen which look well-kept, but I knew it wasn't. The walls were a nice beigh, and for once I could see the black table top. I open up the cupboards to find that the insides were still cluttered, so it took me a while to find some cups, sugar and the tea bags. Well this is great.
As I put the kettle on the stove I can hear Yashamaru explaining to Chiyo how all these injuries appear after falling down stairs. In my fair opinion that excuse was used way too often. I honestly had to wonder how clumsy somebody had to be to injure that much by falling. And Yashamaru did not look like a Clumsy person. None the less Chiyo bought it.
I stood at the edge of the kitchen living room divide, then I noticed the red haired kid, Gaara, sneak off the couch into the hallway. The other boy, Kankuro, looked annoyed and ran after him. Lastly Temari, the older sister, looking worried tip toed after them. It seemed that Temari was the responsible one, Kankuro was the annoying one, and Gaara was the rebellious one. I went to follow the three idiots.
I followed them down the fairly short hallway as I could hear them trying to talk quietly.
"What are you doing, Brat?!" Comes a deep voice.
"Guys, we shouldn't be snooping around here..." Comes a female voice.
"You should be telling him that!" the deep voice comes again, "He's just trying to ruin everything for us again."
"Shut up." Came a very callous, unsteady voice.
I get to Chiyos slightly opened room door, and decided to listen in on their conversation a bit.
"What? You actually feeling guilty for once about hurting another person?!" The deep voice got louder, and now I realized it is Kankuro voice.
"Shut up!" Said Gaara.
"Guys, stop, please." Pleads the female voice which was obviously Temaris.
"Admit that you're the one that pushed uncle down the stairs." The voices were getting louder, and there was no indications for it to stop. So I decided to intervene before a fight happened in Chiyos room.
"What are you kids doing in this room?!" I barged in, giving my best angry face, which was pretty damn scary if it could startle my friend Pein. All three of the kids jumped and turned their heads at me.
"Oh, Ummm we saw something move and we followed it here and-" Temari tried to make an excuse.
"Just go back to the couch." I demand, my finger pointed out the door.
Temari walked off, head held low. Kankuro stomped away, but not with out giving Gaara a glare. But Gaara, he stayed in the room.
"To the couch." I tell him.
"Whats your name?" He asks.
"We can talk when you get to the couch." I tell him again, and he glares at me. Which is kind of funny since he was a kid glaring at a teenager... He left none the less.
"Ohhh, Yashamaru can't you stay a little longer?"
"No I am sorry, I need to get some business done." He says as he walks towards the car. He was probably just getting tired of Chiyos company, I couldn't blame him.
"Could I at least give you some food to go out with?" Chiyo asks.
"Oh Chiyo, you're too kind." Yashamaru says, Chiyo taking that as a yes quickly leaves to the house.
"Okay guys, your uncle is about to leave." He holds out his arms as if expecting a hug from someone. The only one that takes the hug is Temari who says, "Have a safe ride!"
"He will now Gaara is not with him." Kankuro grumbles under his breath. Temari stops hugging her uncle, and, to my surprise, as she walks past Kankuro punchs his arm. I guess I wasn't the only one who heard what he whispered. Kankuro rubs his arm and rolls his eyes.
"Bye Kankuro," Yashamaru gives a hug to him, and he gives a half hug back. Then last, he gives a hopeful gaze at Gaara, and gives a small smile.
"Good bye Gaara."
A long awkward silence comes in, as we wait for a respone from Gaara, I could almost see Yashimaru sweat before he looks down dejectedly. Chiyo, with her usual bad timing, burst into the room, "Alright Yashimaru, heres your share of food. No snacking on the the road, say hello to Rasa."
"Oh thank you Chiyo, and good bye." He says as he shakes her hand, and gets into the car.
By the time his car is not visible we are already inside.
"I'm going to get dinner started, Sasori why don't you show these lovely three around." Chiyo says, and leaves to the kitchen.
Gaara, Kankuro and Temari were noticably less tense with the absence of Yashimaru, which made showing them around easier. The house wasn't really big, there was a basment downstairs, which Chiyo used more as a storage room. Ground floor had a living room, kitchen, bathroom and Chiyos room, then there was the top floor which consisted of three rooms. The bathroom, my room, and a work room that hadn't been touched in years. The work room, Chiyo decided, would be changed into my cousins room.
"And here is where you guys will be staying." I say, walking them into the last room they have not seen.(Aside from my bedroom) In side was three beds, two of them connecting to be a bunkbed, a closet, and serveral boxs that I am supposed to take out when I find room in the basement.
"Thanks." Says Temari as the three walk in. Gaara takes the loner bed, and to my surprise Kankuro and Temari just take the bunk bed. I thought that the brothers would have taken the bunk bed, and the sister taken her own, but I suppose there is a weird dynamic happening between Gaara and his sibilings.
"If you guys need me, I'll be in the room next door." I say, as I turn around.
"You're leaving so soon? Why don't you hang out with us a little longer...?" Temari asks.
Truthfully I just wanted be alone, but I had to pretend I was polite. "I think it will be better if I let you guys get to know your surroundings." with that I exit the room and enter my room.
My room was all messed up with my sketches everywhere, which is annoying since I last left this room clean. I realize I had left my window open once again, would explain why there was a nice cool air in my room. I clear up the papers, and finally get to my work desk, and start to finish off the sketch I was working on this morning. That is until a knock comes at my door.
I swear under my breath. I didn't think they would need me so soon. I open the door to find Gaara.
"Hi... Can I come in...?"
Not wanting to let him in, I ask, "Do you need something?"
"Noo.." He replies, and I wait for him to continue but he doesn't, he just stares.
"Well if you don't need anything, then maybe you should stay with your brother and sister."
"I don't want to be around them," Gaara says, "I want to be with you, can I come in?"
I frown "Are you sure-"
"Yes."
Well, there goes my plan, as I let him in begrudgingly.
"I don't have much in my room to do." I say as he walks in, then makes himself comfortable on my bed. Luckily Gaara seemed like a quite boy, maybe if I gave him some paper and a pencil we'll just draw in silence.
"Do you want to draw?"
He shakes his head, "You don't like Grandmother, do you?"
I pause, "What? Of coarse I do, why would you say that?"
"Cause you always frown when you're around her."
"Well if you know me, then you'd know I always frown."
"And you always roll your eyes when your around her."
I try to think of a retort to that, but then it made me wonder If I actually did do that.
"I'm right." Gaara informed me, and I glare at him.
"Fine, you're right." I roll my eyes.
"Why do you hate her?"
"Hates a strong word." I retort.
"But you hate her strongly." Gaara says so surely, "I can tell."
Getting annoyed of his sort of true predictions of me I say, "You know what, maybe it is better you stay with your sister and brother."
"It's okay. I hate my whole family, so I understand." Gaara says back. I don't really want to deal with him right now so I grab his hand, and try to drag him out the room.
"It probably is better you be with your sibilings." I stat.
"Kids!! Dinners ready!" Chiyos voice echos through the hall into my room, before I even had the chance to pull.
Gaara looks at me and says, "Sorry, I just wanted to know you." and he walks out of the room.
Dinner was actually nice for once.
It reminded me that Chiyo was actually good at cooking, but sadly it meant I had to go through an hour of her rambling about something of the past.
Soon it became bed time, which held me in charge of putting the three kids to bed, while Chiyo went to sleep. Putting kids to sleep was actually quite difficult, as they never really became tired until 12. Especially Gaara who kept getting out of his bed. He only went to bed and stayed in it after 3. Here I was planning on drawing, but finding those plans being thrown away.
I had gotten to my bed and fallen a sleep quickly.
When I had awoken I wasn't sure where I was, but it was obviously somewhere damp as I felt my back slightly soaked. There was a weight on my torso, a weight that stopped me from moving so easily, and I realize that there was a man... no boy on top of me, restricting my movements.
The boy had glowing blonde hair, and vibrant blue eyes. I gaped a little, this has got to be the most beautiful person ever. I could hear a weird yet familiar noise, as I look to his hand I notice that he is playing with my box cutter. He notices my eyes on the blade, brings the blade in front of his face (He smiles, seeing my eyes are following the glint of the blade) and presses it into my skin.
He starts dissecting my chest, and at first I could only sit there and watch, it's only when I see blood that a wave of panic hits me.
Once the incision was big enough, he buries his hand inside the large wound, and starts digging around. I feel sick to my stomach as he finally pulls something out, his hands are weirdly clean and I realize he had taken my heart out. He holds it up for me to see for a while, it was still moving. (still pumping)
He starts moving his face closer to mine, and it's now I realize that his eyes aren't as vibrant as before. His nose is inches from mine and for some reason I realize that I can't feel a breath from him. He's not breathing.
The boy moves his head so his lips are near my ear, and he whispers something. I couldn't hear, the noise of a box cutter was drowning him out. The noise of the blade going in and out.
I suddenly take a deep breath in, as I open my eyes. I realize there is a pillow under my head, and I am in my bed. I look at my wall. The box cutter noise was gone, but I felt someone watching me.
Turning my head I find a pair of eyes staring back at mine.
"How long were you there...?" I ask, a little suspicious but not letting that leak into my voice.
"..." Gaara gave no answer, the moonlight coming from my window illuminated the blade of my box cutter in his hand.
"Why do you need this." He asks, I was tempted to not give him an answer.
"I am an artist. That's what I use to sharpen my pencils."
Gaara gave me a look as if he didn't believe me.
"Are you planning on watching me sleep all night with my utility knife?"
Dispite my nerves I did fall back to sleep, when I awoke the next morning I found Gaara right next to me.