Status: Done.
Salt in the Wound
Unexpected comfort.
The sand village was beautiful in the setting sun, glistening the way I remember the trees always doing in my village. The roof wasn’t high from my balcony, giving me a good chance to be completely alone and without worry for once. My arms crossed over my legs, hugging them tight to me as I restrained my tears. How had I come so far? To everyone else the death of my people happened ages ago, but to me, it seemed like it was only yesterday. It was sheer luck I had stumbled here when I did, a broken tool. Having Gaara take me under was more than I had ever expected from him, based on our first meeting that is, I was tempted to nearly call this place a home. However, the wounds still cut deep, and I refused to call anything home that wasn’t my own village.
“Ishiko? Are you up here?” I heard a familiar voice call out. I turned to watch Kankuro step carefully over the shingles.
“Right here.” I said softly, both happy and disappointed to be interrupted in my moment. “Why are you up here?”
“I always come up here. I went to see you and saw your balcony doors open, I mean you were either up here or dead on the ground somewhere right?” He sat next to me and closed his eyes, breathing in deep the fresh outside air. His hat was off leaving his unkempt brown hair to move to the rhythm of the wind and his face was, like always, painted and calm.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” He asked, looking over his home.
“It is. You’re lucky Kankuro.” He glanced towards me, his mouth curving upwards.
“How is that?”
“You seem to have everything you could want. A beautiful home, sweet friends, even credibility. What more could someone ask for.” I closed my eyes and smiled sweetly at him, ignoring my own bitterness. He put his head down and made a small noise.
“I don’t have everything Ishiko. I’ve seen a lot of things I could have lived without and I’m not lucky, I’m alone at the end of the day and seemingly, without a reason to wake up the next morning. I don’t know what keeps me going but when I find it, I better thank it.”
“We are a lot alike Kankuro. It’s hard to keep fighting, keep wondering if tomorrow will hold something that will give your meaning life. I don’t know what drives me either anymore but if the day ever comes that I do, I will find you and tell you how to get there.” He laughed lightly and put his arm around me. I stiffened for a second before relaxing. It seemed so long ago I felt comfort like this, it was a foreign feeling but none the less a happy one.
“You’re a good person Ishiko.” My head rested on his shoulder and it reminded me of the summers my father would take me to the water to watch the sunrise. It nearly made me cry feeling so close to home. We sat in comfortable silence until the cool night breeze surrounded us. “You’re looking tired, here, let me take you back inside.” I stood up, smiling as I outstretched my arms.
“I can’t make it on my own?”
“What if you fell? It’s always smart to take extra precautions, now you take my hand.” He held it out and in a joking manner, I took it in my own. “Good girl.” He laughed. We jumped onto my balcony and walked inside the large room. “You know, Gaara gave you a better room than I have.” He furrowed his brow and crossed his arms. “And I’m his big brother. The nerve of the guy, I swear.” I smiled and walked around.
“I’m the favorite.” I shrugged and he turned towards me with an open mouth.
“You? No, you’re much to mean to be a favorite.” He ran over to me and pushed me on the bed gently, remembering my still healing ribs, he smiled triumphantly as he stood taller. “Plus, I’m the strong one. I took you out in record time!” Beaming he sat down next to me. “Favorite or not you need sleep. But,” he smiled even wider, “if you get lonely, I’m only two doors away. Imagine, two doors and an easy choice away from pure bliss.” I crinkled my nose at him and rolled over laughing.
“Well thanks for the warning there big guy.” His smile faltered and he looked defeated.
“Way to crush my confidence, ya big jerk.” A knock on the door sounded and it opened quickly. I blushed deep and turned away from Gaara’s judging eyes. The look on Kankuro’s face was memorable. Mouth open and eyes widening, he laughed nervously and sprang up from the bed. “Gaara-Sama, I was uh- just making sure she was getting to bed.”
“Kankuro, we need to speak immediately.” He didn’t acknowledge me as he waited for Kankuro to come forward, when they reached the doorstep Gaara ushered him towards his office door and walked away. Kankuro turned towards me and pointed the left, “two doors that way.” He whispered loudly before closing my door and sealing me off with a smile.
“Ishiko? Are you up here?” I heard a familiar voice call out. I turned to watch Kankuro step carefully over the shingles.
“Right here.” I said softly, both happy and disappointed to be interrupted in my moment. “Why are you up here?”
“I always come up here. I went to see you and saw your balcony doors open, I mean you were either up here or dead on the ground somewhere right?” He sat next to me and closed his eyes, breathing in deep the fresh outside air. His hat was off leaving his unkempt brown hair to move to the rhythm of the wind and his face was, like always, painted and calm.
“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” He asked, looking over his home.
“It is. You’re lucky Kankuro.” He glanced towards me, his mouth curving upwards.
“How is that?”
“You seem to have everything you could want. A beautiful home, sweet friends, even credibility. What more could someone ask for.” I closed my eyes and smiled sweetly at him, ignoring my own bitterness. He put his head down and made a small noise.
“I don’t have everything Ishiko. I’ve seen a lot of things I could have lived without and I’m not lucky, I’m alone at the end of the day and seemingly, without a reason to wake up the next morning. I don’t know what keeps me going but when I find it, I better thank it.”
“We are a lot alike Kankuro. It’s hard to keep fighting, keep wondering if tomorrow will hold something that will give your meaning life. I don’t know what drives me either anymore but if the day ever comes that I do, I will find you and tell you how to get there.” He laughed lightly and put his arm around me. I stiffened for a second before relaxing. It seemed so long ago I felt comfort like this, it was a foreign feeling but none the less a happy one.
“You’re a good person Ishiko.” My head rested on his shoulder and it reminded me of the summers my father would take me to the water to watch the sunrise. It nearly made me cry feeling so close to home. We sat in comfortable silence until the cool night breeze surrounded us. “You’re looking tired, here, let me take you back inside.” I stood up, smiling as I outstretched my arms.
“I can’t make it on my own?”
“What if you fell? It’s always smart to take extra precautions, now you take my hand.” He held it out and in a joking manner, I took it in my own. “Good girl.” He laughed. We jumped onto my balcony and walked inside the large room. “You know, Gaara gave you a better room than I have.” He furrowed his brow and crossed his arms. “And I’m his big brother. The nerve of the guy, I swear.” I smiled and walked around.
“I’m the favorite.” I shrugged and he turned towards me with an open mouth.
“You? No, you’re much to mean to be a favorite.” He ran over to me and pushed me on the bed gently, remembering my still healing ribs, he smiled triumphantly as he stood taller. “Plus, I’m the strong one. I took you out in record time!” Beaming he sat down next to me. “Favorite or not you need sleep. But,” he smiled even wider, “if you get lonely, I’m only two doors away. Imagine, two doors and an easy choice away from pure bliss.” I crinkled my nose at him and rolled over laughing.
“Well thanks for the warning there big guy.” His smile faltered and he looked defeated.
“Way to crush my confidence, ya big jerk.” A knock on the door sounded and it opened quickly. I blushed deep and turned away from Gaara’s judging eyes. The look on Kankuro’s face was memorable. Mouth open and eyes widening, he laughed nervously and sprang up from the bed. “Gaara-Sama, I was uh- just making sure she was getting to bed.”
“Kankuro, we need to speak immediately.” He didn’t acknowledge me as he waited for Kankuro to come forward, when they reached the doorstep Gaara ushered him towards his office door and walked away. Kankuro turned towards me and pointed the left, “two doors that way.” He whispered loudly before closing my door and sealing me off with a smile.