Five and One Makes Six (A Gaara Love Story)

Chappie Three: Buried Emotions.

***Reminder, we're still in Tsumi's viewpoint!!****

A few days had passed since my little outburst with Kankuro. I hadn't seen him since then, nor did I have any desire to. Instead, I had spent most of the last few days enjoying down time at home with Rei, who, love her though I did, was not very good company.

"You could as least talk to me, Rei!" I whined for the nth time that day. She sighed patiently.

"I don't have anything to say, Tsumika," she said.

"We could talk about your feelings for Gaara?" I suggested. She snarled at me.

"I don't have feelings for Gaara, nor do I know how you got that idea into your head in the first place," she growled. "In fact, I'd be quite happy to beat it out of your head."

I giggled. "Being defensive only proves my point," I told her. "Besides, I see you two together all the time!"

"Because he's the only one that's not afraid of me," she said softly. The amount of uncharacteristic sadness in her voice startled me.

"I'm not afraid of you," I said. She turned away, not looking at me.

"Yes, you are. I can see it in your eyes. You're afraid... just not as afraid."

"Reiitsu, I'm not afraid of you," I said, looking at her. "I'm afraid of the thing that's inside you." I stood up, walking over to her, placing my hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at me. "The Five Tails is sealed inside of you. But you are not the Five Tails. There is a monster inside of you, but you are not that monster."

I don't know how many times I had told her this. Over the years, probably at least a thousand. She never seemed to understand it though. People always treated her like they treated Gaara. I tried to defend her, but... it never stopped. It's not like Reiitsu, bless her soul, helped her own situation. She was cold and reserved, and she always had been. In one night, she had been forced to grow up. We both were. I won't get into our sob stories, but they're not children's reading material. However, when Rei and I were 5, our worlds were flipped upside down, and shattered beyond repair. Rei became cold and reserved, never trusting anyone. I ... don't know what happened to me. Sure, I don't trust easily, but... I don't think I changed too much. Maybe I developed anger issues ?

Anyway, I digress. The point is, Rei is naturally a very prickly person. That, plus being a Jinchuriki... Sometimes, I didn't blame people for being afraid of her. However, that doesn't mean I liked it.

"I wish everyone else thought like you, Tsumika," she said softly. I hugged her, sighing.

"One day they will, Rei... One day, they will."

~~FF to later in the afternoon~~

<Reiitsu's POV>

For the first time in several days, I decided to leave the house. I wasn't afraid of anything outside. I just didn't like leaving if I didn't have to. Tori was perched happily on my shoulder, cooing softly every now and again. I allowed myself a small smile. She was the only breathing creature that wasn't terrified of me. 

Lost in my own thoughts, I didn't notice a small girl cross my path. I stopped when I felt a small tug on my sleeve. I whirled, ready to defend myself against an oncoming attack. Instead, I found myself looking at empty air. Startled and confused, I looked down, and saw the small child staring up at me. 

"Your bird is so beautiful!" she said, her eyes full of wonder. "Can I pet her?" 

I wasn't used to people approaching me, so I didn't know what to say. I stood there, rigid, waiting for something to happen. Was the child a decoy? Swallowing nervously, I nodded. 

"Yes," I said stiffly. Her eyes lit up, and a huge smile spread across her face. I felt something in my own body, something similar to what I feel when Tsumika tells me that she's not afraid of me. The same feeling I get when she says she loves me, and when she defends me. I felt, for a second, happy. Tori cooed happily, fluttering to the ground, rubbing her head against the small girl's hand. I watched, silent, as my faithful companion interacted with the small child. Was this what Tsumika meant when she told me that one day, people would treat me like I was normal ?

Suddenly, I heard a small gasp. I looked around just in time to feel a sharp, stinging pain across my face, causing me to stagger and lose my footing. I fell against a nearby wall, my eyes narrowed. What the hell just happened?

A woman who looked similar to the little girl was standing beside her. Her mother, I was guessing. "Stay away from my daughter, you monster!" she yelled. Tori fluttered away from the small girl and onto my shoulder once again, looking offended. The little girl blinked, confused.

"Mama, I was just petting her--"

The woman shushed her, picking her up and walking away. "Don't go near her, Minami. I don't want you getting hurt."

Any happiness that had been there before vanished in an instant. I was filled with hatred, anger, and, underneath that, bitterness and sadness. I had never done anything to her! I hadn't even laid a hand on that little girl ! I stood up, my fists clenced, my teeth gritted in anger. I stalked home, slammed the door shut behind me, not even bothering to kick off my shoes.

"Rei?" Tsumika asked, startled. I didn't bother to answer her. Unfortunately, Tsumika didn't go for that. She stepped in front of me, grabbing my shoulders. I didn't push her away.

<Tsumika's POV>

As soon as Rei slammed the door, I knew that something was wrong.

"Rei?" I asked, concerned and slightly taken aback. She didn't answer. Instinctively, I got up, blocking her path to her bedroom and grabbing her by the shoulders. The fact that she didn't push me away told me that something bad had happened.

"Reiitsu, look at me."

Slowly, she lifted her head. I noticed a welt on her cheek, but what shocked me more than anything was that my best friend was crying. I was immediately filled with fury. Whoever did this to her would not hear the end of it, that's for sure. I didn't have to ask. I didn't need to. Something had hurt Reiitsu so deeply that it forced her buried emotions to surface. With a choked gasp, she buried her face in my shoulder, her arms around my neck, and cried.

***Wowwww, Okay this chapter  longer than I intended... I had so many ideas at once and I just kind of got carried away !! 0_o . Anyway, I hope you liked it !! ***