Void. A Gaara Story.

Eight

Dedicated to @Anjafranzisca. Here's another chapter just for you 💕.

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Gaara pulled the black shirt over his head and torso with a small sigh. He could hardly believe that it had been fifteen years already since his parents' deaths altogether. It sounded fitting that they both died on the same day, but it wasn't surprising with how much they loved each other.

Karura, his mother died six years prior to his father as a result of lung cancer. His father, Rasa's death had been natural, he just slept and never woke up.

The Siblings had not always kept to their parents' death anniversary but they always made it a point to do a remembrance ritual this year. Fifteen years without their parents was something, strangely, worth celebrating. Strange because they were celebrating somebody's life even though they were dead.

Karura and Rasa's funeral pictures were placed on an articulately decorated table that was decorated with white desert lilies and incense sticks were placed on it to be lighted during the ceremony.

Fuu was in the kitchen, helping Murasaki with the food. She was also dressed in black clothes like every other occupant of the house to respect the mourning mood even though she was not related to the deceased.

She heard vague noises coming from outside the kitchen and paused what she was doing to observe. Murasaki also stopped what she was doing and rinsed her hands off. "Temari and Kankuro must have arrived." The woman said with a small smile and made her way out of the kitchen to welcome the rest of her psuedo grandchildren.

Fuu released an anxious gasp under her breath at the mention of two famous peoples' names. She was going to meet the rest of the sand siblings today! She wished that they met under different circumstances though.

Sounds of pleasantries being exchanged reached the dark woman's ears, which got closer and closer until the voices were in the kitchen. "I bought the green apples that mother loved." It was a woman's voice. Fuu figured it was Sabaku no Temari that came into the kitchen with Murasaki and she was suddenly nervous.

"Let me help in preparing... Who is that?" It was then Fuu turned around to face the Temari and she couldn't help but awe at the other woman's beauty. Her shoulder length sandy blond hair looked so soft and silky. She had green eyes like Gaara but hers were a deeper shade that made Fuu feel that she was looking inside a forest.

Sabaku no Temari was a woman Fuu really admired and wanted to be like. She was a renowned activist against human trafficking and had rescued and rehabilitated a lot of broken children and enslaved people. Temari was a confident woman and on top of that, very beautiful and humble. It was a privilege meeting her.

"I am Nanabi Fuu-su. It is a pleasure to meet you, Temari-san!" Fuu greeted enthusiastically.

"She is Gaara's friend and has been staying with us for some time now." Murasaki added and like that, Temari's expression changed into something Fuu found that she was afraid of.

The blonde woman was beside Fuu in a matter of seconds. "A female friend!" She exclaimed happily. "I never thought the day would come when Gaara would have anybody over, talk less a woman! Who knew his type was dark skinned beauties?"

Fuu would be red if her skin was any paler at Temari's bold assumption. She waved her hand that wasn't holding her crutch frantically in flustered denial. "Gaara and I are not like that-su! I am only staying over because I am injured..."

"Aaaww." Temari cooed, pointedly ignoring the dark woman's words and yelled outside the kitchen to her other brother. "Kankuro, come see Gaara's girlfriend!"