Chapter 5 - The Unlikely Houseguest

"Mari, what in Kami's name were you thinking?!"

Temari watched in amusement as Kankuro stormed about the living room.

"Honestly, what was going on in that blonde head of yours? It's obvious they hate each other!"

"I was thinking it was high time we had a person in this house who isn't afraid to whack Gaara upside the head and tell him exactly when he's being an idiot," she said, sipping her tea and reading the evening paper. Kankuro stared at his sister with a look of disbelief.

"You're willing to risk your quiet and my sanity to teach him a lesson?" Temari nodded.

"Are you on something?"

"I wish..."

~~~~~~~~~~

Akara stirred and tasted the dish pensievely. She then made a disgusted face.

"Needs more paprika..."

A hand reached out with a spoon, only to be whacked forcefully by the wooden spoon in her hand.

"Ow! What the hell?!"

Akara stirred more paprika in. "You can wait until dinner's finished like everyone else, Kankuro-san."

"But I'm hungry now!!!"

"Patience is a virtue..." She tasted the dish again. "Alright, dinner's ready. Tell Temari-chan to call Gaara-sama."

~~~~~~~~~~

"Dinner's ready! Gaara, get your lazy @$$ downstairs!" Temari poked her head into her baby brother's messy, disorganized room. "Gaara, I've been calling you for like, five minutes now. Wash up and come downstairs for dinner!"

"I'm not eating anything you made. Last time you cooked dinner, Kankuro ened up in the hospital for food poisoning."

Temari scowled. "Oh come on, that was one time! Besides, Akara-chan cooked dinner tonight."

"Akara-chan? When did that happen?!"

"Does it matter? Point is, you better get downstairs, or you won't be eating tonight. Kankuro's already at the table."

~~~~~~~~~~

Gaara was extremely suprised to see Kankuro eating his food slowly, and Akara sitting nearby with her food. Normally, Kankuro would have wolfed down all food within the vicinity of his chair. He sat at his seat at the head of the table, Akara opposite him. He looked down into his bowl.

"Curry? That's unusual..."

Akara smirked. "It's an old family recipe from Kiri. Extra spicy chicken and beef curry, served over rice. Temari-chan told me you liked strong food."

Gaara didn't reinforce the idea, although it was completely true. Instead, he picked up a pair of chopsticks, and bit down on a piece of chicken.

The spices hit him so hard, it was insane. Pepper, curry powder, paprika, and a hint of cinnimon was the taste of the day in this dish, and the chicken and beef carefully nuanced each spice. Leeks, cilantro, miso, coconut milk, carrots, potatoes, and a medley of other ingredients toyed with his senses, and almost made him weak in the knees. Within seconds the bowl before him was empty.

"So I take it you liked it?"

He looked up at the kunoichi smirking before him. She looked pleased with herself, sitting there with her chopsticks in hand, watching his reaction.

"It's amazing. Where did you learn to cook like that?"

He saw her momentarily stiffen, but she snapped herself out of it. "I was the one in charge of cooking when I was younger."

Gaara didn't press the matter any further.

~~~~~~~~~~

Akara was cleaning up when Gaara returned downstairs for his usual cup of coffee before a night of work. He paused in the doorway for a moment, watching her replace the last dish on the shelf. She seemed to not notice he was there, singing a song about a girl.

I hope you know, I hope you know,
That this has nothing to do with you...
It's personal,
Myself and I,
We got some straightening out to do...
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses
Their blanket, but I gotta get a move on
With my life...
It's time to be a big girl now...
And big girls don't cry...

It was a sad song, one that he was suprised to hear coming from such a person as herself. When he cleared his throat, she gasped in suprise.

"How long were you there?"

"Long enough." He grabbed his favorite mug from the shelf, the one with the little raccoon peeking out from the rim. Filling it with coffee, he turned and looked at her.

"So what was with the song?"

She crossed her arms in irritation. "Why, does my singing irritate the almighty Kazekage-sama?"

"No, I'm just curious."

She turned and walked out the door.

"It's none of your business."

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