Fire style: Burning Love Jutsu

Chapter 26: Know me for me

"Ever since Muku was a baby, her mother would bring her over so that our parents could see her. Aniko was so proud of her baby girl. She knew that she'd one day grow to accomplish great things." Temari began, looking at the crying girl on the color being cradled by Kankuro. "Gaara was never home because he wanted to make friends. Ever since he could walk and speak in full sentences, he began trying to make friends. But word got out about him and his "talent" that he so hatefully holds." She continued. "What's that?" I asked. "Shakaku. The one tailed beast." She said.

"One day, when Aniko brought Muku over, she had wandered off and went exploring outside. That's where she found a group of people huddled around something. Or in this case. Someone." She looked down at her hands and fiddled with a loose string on her dress. "She pushed her way through the crowd to find Gaara being kicked, hit, picked on, and even people throwing rocks at him. As you can imagine, this made her furious." She said, looking at Azamuku again.

"She toughened up to kids up to 5 years older than her. They were scared but played it off as being 'bored of the useless children.' When they were gone, she turned to face Gaara who told her to run and pick on him like everyone else did." She continued. "She refused to even though she knew why the kid was being picked on. Though cautious at first, he warmed up to her over the next few months." She said.

I looked at Azamuku, feeling a tugging at my heart. "But that still doesn't explain why he doesn't care for you two." I said. She gave a heavy sigh. "Gaara cannot sleep because of Shakaku. Should he fall asleep and have nightmares, Shakaku gets released. Knowing this, after the killing of her family, she ran and never looked back until she got here. She lived here under our parents for the next four years." She said, tilting her head back, tears forming in her eyes.

"While here, she willingly stayed by his side knowing that if he didn't wake up in time, she could be killed." Temari said. "Kankuro and I were too terrified of our own brother to even be near him as a child. So neither of us braved it. We still don't know how she did it. But we know that when she left and never came back, he went berserk. Cried himself sick and cried until he was physically and mentally exhausted." She said, a tear falling.

"It was terrifying to watch. Then. The unthinkable happened." She said, pausing. "He fell asleep..." I said. She nodded and wipes her tears away. "He fell asleep and the one time she wasn't there, he had a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. The end result? Gaara had become a vessel for a killing machine." She said. "Is that why your parents aren't around?" I asked, softly. "Yes. Between her running away and him killing our parents, he had snapped and became the heartless person you see now." She said.

"From that day forward, he never considered us siblings. Even told us after they were reunited that if either of us harmed her, he wouldn't hesitate to kill us..." She said, looking down. "As harsh as it is, I can't blame him. We still consider him our brother but even Kankuro doesn't dare test Gaara's patience. It's like sticking your head in a lions mouth. It could snap shut and nearly kill you, or you could make it out alive and unharmed." She said. I sighed softly, having an entire new view point on Azamuku.

"But if she was so bubbly and cute back then, why does she seem so dark?" I asked. "She blames herself. She says they'd still be alive if she had stayed." Temari replied. I waked from the kitchen and over to Kankuro who was cradling her still. "Muku." I said, softly. She peeked up at me and immediately pushed out of Kankuro's arms and into mine. "Temari told me everything. About you and Gaara. I'm so sorry. I understand your bond now..." I said, softly.

"Ever since the day I found out, my entire life had flipped. I had vowed to protect those dearest to me with my life." She said, gripping my shirt tight. "I'd fight till the death. As long as they made it out alive, I didn't care what happened to me." She said. "And that's why you're so strong." Gaara said from the door way. "Big brother!" She said, running to him and hugging him tight. I felt a thought cross my mind that seemed to escape hers.

"Muku..." I said. "Yes?" She replied looking at me. "Do it. You deserve it. And so do they." I said. A smile crossed her face. "Thank you. I didn't know how to ask because I know you don't want me using up all my chakra." She said. Everyone looked at us in confusion. "Big brother. I have 2 requests to ask of you." She said. He looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "Hm? What is it?" He asked. She ran off and pulled a scroll from her back pack. "What's that?" Temari asked.

I smiled as I watched her run back to him. "Temari. Kankuro. I'd like for you two to come here, please." She said, holding the scroll to her chest. Temari walked from the kitchen as Kankuro got up and walked over as well. "Before I came here, I stopped up at Lord Hokage's house to retrieve something. I had only asked one favor of him in return for getting rid of the Akatsuki." She began. She radiated excitement as she spoke.

"I told him 'If there's any way to officially bond the sand siblings to me so that we may be official family, that's all I'd ask for.' He thought long and hard about it then left. When he came back, he handed me this scroll." She said holding it out to them. It had a white banner across the middle with yellow borders. "What is it?" Kankuro asked.

"It's a scroll. That if we all willingly agree to it, we sign with our names and then treat it like any other scroll. Blood must be spread to complete it. Not just one person's. But all of ours." She said. Temari's face lit up as Kankuro backed out. "I refuse." He said. "What? Why?" Azamuku asked. "Because I'm not going to officially bind myself to her by blood. Not with how I view her." He said.