Salt in the Wound

“Come in.” I said not bothering to look up. I was looking through a stupid book Kankuro had dropped off, as stupid as it was I couldn‘t stop reading the damn thing. I wasn’t surprised to find out it was about women and ways to get in their pants . The door opened and closed and I was forced to tear my eyes away from learning all about the sensitive spots on a woman’s body that gets them hot and bothered. Fascinating.

“Why are you reading that poor excuse for a book?” Gaara said quietly, eyeing the racy cover as I closed it. Shrugging, I set it picture side down on the bedside table.

“It’s not like there is anything better to do. Maybe if I was allowed to have visitors I wouldn’t be reduced to reading Kankuro’s smut.” He sat down, crossing his legs and folding his hands. How proper of him. A small smirk appeared on his face and for some reason a blushed.

“Well then I hope you will like what I’ve come to say. I’ve managed to convince them to let you come back to your old room, bring the hospital to you so to say. You’ll still have to stay in bed but at least you’ll have company.” He made a strange face at me as I tried to sit up, almost concerned.

I smiled brightly and clutched at my gown. “Perfect! When can I go?” When he told me tomorrow I thought I might die. Another night in this forsaken place. “I’m assuming we start working on that tag attack tomorrow as well?” He nodded.

“If you are feeling up to it, that is.”

“Can we make a deal then?” I asked, an idea suddenly springing up. He inclined his head, waiting for me to speak. “If I help you with this whole tag case, will you try sleeping?” Wide eyed and skeptical, he laughed lowly. Hardly at all.

“What kind of deal is that?”

“It’s the deal I want to make. Say yes and you have yourself an assistant.” He sighed dramatically, as if I was asking him to let me be Kazekage for the day. After a moment of waiting he finally spoke, defeated.

“Fine.” He looked away, bitter for finding no other alternative. Silly boy, I would have helped him regardless of what he said. I picked my book up and opened it to the page I was on, my eyes widening.

“Did you know that if you kiss behind a woman’s knee she’ll lose it? Huh. I didn’t even know that.” He screwed up his face and stood up.

“I’m leaving.” Shaking his head, I laughed at his uncomfortable tone of voice. He hurried his way towards the door as I began reading another tidbit of information out loud. When the door closed, I sighed. How was I supposed to put him to sleep, what would tire him out? I blushed fiercely as a dirty thought crossed my mind, that was unnecessary. Closing the book I decided it was the lack of sleep thinking for me, all of which could be fixed with a quick nap.

----

“Where to start?” He dropped a file onto my lap, nodding at me to open it. We sat on my bed, mostly because I told him I wouldn’t sit in his bland and boring office all night and I offered my room to be our new office. He was nice enough to humor me. I opened the folder and sifted through the papers. It was filled with eye witness reports, descriptions, and letters from the Hokage herself. She was truly convinced this had been a vicious attack. “The attack in Konoha produced purple smoke as well?” He nodded.

“I have never seen a tag that powerful.”

“I have.” His eyes widened and he leaned closer to me, curious. “Those tags were designed by my village. Except, only the Jounin of our village knew how to produce one.” My hand flew to my head, confused and scared. “This makes no sense! Our villages secrets died along with it, no one should be able to know how to produce a tag identical to that one.”

“Well, we know for starters that somebody is trying to ignite a war between them and us. Not to mention, the other night, I can’t even begin to understand that.” He leaned back slightly, tipping his head upwards to think.

“That place is empty. Completely. I didn’t sense anything, but somebody knew we were there…we’re missing something. Unless…“ I held my finger up to Gaara, telling him to not interrupt. I shut my eyes and cleared my mind, attempting something I had only tried once. Deeper, fall a little deeper. I opened my eyes and stood in a dark tunnel, the sound of water dripping to the floor echoed throughout it. “I need your help.” I called out, a pair of blazing red eyes opened in the darkness of the tunnel. A white aura surrounded my body, lighting up the face of the dragon as he crawled towards me. “Tell me, were there any survivors that night?” Hitsuchi growled and continued to crawl until he was coiled around me threateningly.

“None.” I turned to look into his face, my silver eyes reflecting his crimson ones. A picture came into view of the burning village and a pair of unfamiliar red orbs. My stomach churned, Hitsuchi wasn’t telling the entire truth. Suddenly, I remembered a name.

“Who is Hihouka?” The earth demon tightened itself around me, hissing.

“My brother.”

“Did he die that night you left him?” Flashes of that confusing dream flashed before my eyes, they had fought for a title, but Hitsuchi left him there to die, or so he thought he did.

“No.” Hitsuchi lowered his head so that I looked down into his eyes. “He found a host who allowed him to use his body.” I arched my back, baring my teeth back at the dragon.

“What haven’t you been telling me Hitsuchi? Show me!” I yelled, my voice echoed off the walls only backing my rage up. He rose, not liking being controlled the way he was. It was the day he agreed to let me borrow his chakra did I come to this same place. Our minds one. Fortunately, when he agreed to let me have his chakra he was also acknowledging my place as his master, since he was in my body. He had no choice but to listen to me. I was suddenly pulled into a distant memory of his, the edges of my vision turning gold.

It had been decided, whoever could kill the other would take the title, leader of the clan. In turn it would be their responsibility to repopulate and protect the demon clan. Out of the other draconian sons and daughters, Hihouka and I were by far the strongest. Evenly matched in wits and strength. After centuries of ruling, our leader would be sacrificed to feed the clan now that he was old and getting weaker by the days, we all knew what it meant.

“Brother, give in, I don’t want to kill you.” I circled him, the others were back at the nest, waiting for the survivor to return and sacrifice the elder.

“Hitsuchi, don’t play those games with me. I won’t hesitate to kill you.” He snapped at me with his first head and I lunged forwards, snapping at his own throat. That was all it took to initiate battle. Not more than twenty minutes I had him pinned to the ground on his back, his wings furiously beating at the ground. His scales burned red and orange, clawing against my own gold and crimson armor. The slit of his red eyes suddenly expanded, and a burst of blood flew from my nearly gutted stomach. The process drew on and on until I towered over him. “Hihouka, from the start I was stronger. You never had a chance, my brother.” I left him there to die, not having the heart to slaughter my own brother for a title.

I was more than concerned when I didn’t sense my brother’s absence after almost a year of waiting. As brothers, we shared a bond that could only be broken when the other died, a bond that was both physical and mental. I cast my eyes to the egg that was wrapped within the coils of my tail, my heir to the throne when I, like our elder, got too weak. As leader, it was my job to feed the clan. I ordered the others to keep the egg warm while I left the nest, in search of food for the others. When life force wasn’t available, demon flesh would suffice. It was the one day I chose to ignore the bristling fear that wafted in the air that I returned to the nest to find my clan slaughtered. My eyes settled on the bloody mess that ran down the floors, a broken shell carelessly tossed aside . The unmistakable scent of Hihouka staining the walls. Blinded by rage, I bounded out into the desert night, following the blood riddled stench of my brother. It wasn’t long before I came into a clearing on the outskirts of a village. Between the village and I stood a man with short hair the color of the deepest ocean. For a mere moment his eyes flashed a familiar red and a sickened smile distorted his facial features. “Hello, brother.” Hihouka’s voice flooded from the mans lips and my teeth pulled back into a threatening snarl.

The man darted off into the gates of the village, and I quickly followed.

My vision slowly drifted back, my mouth parted in stunned horror.

“It was after that I was attacked by your village, and I found you. That night, he intended to kill me. Instead he led me to your village where he expected me to get killed. His plan failed when I sealed myself inside of you, his vengeance unsatisfied.”

“That man…I know him. But how…” I snapped my head into the direction Hitsuchi stood.

“When a host offers his body up to a demon, it turns to an agreement. In order for Hihouka to use his body, Hihouka would have to make him immortal.”