badfic_manor | Sabaku no Temari | 09

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Sabaku no Temari | 09 | [In Person/Video]

[Sitting out by the lake, Temari is just staring blankly over the water, Gokudera's hoodie doing next to nothing for warmth considering the snow around her. Pulling her almost bare legs closer to her body, a bowl was sitting beside her, the contents not visible to the camera.

This didn't make any sense...

Jutsu's made sense...

Death made sense...

Fortunes...they were just a scam. Right?

But why were things coming up accurate...and more importantly...how was she able to read them? She'd never put much stock in fortune telling, it was just a way to make some quick money off of gullible fools. But that didn't explain how she knew how to read such a ridiculous scam.

Glancing down, she noticed the blackberry was on. Instead of turning it off, she picked it up and peered at the camera. She was lost, she relied so heavily on realistic things, this was more than a little confusing for the poor girl. What threw her off more than that though, she couldn't feel the wind like she usually could. It was always there, whispering to her...but now, it was deadly silent, as though ignoring her and abandoning her like everyone else in her life had.]

...What's happening to me?

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[And the moment he saw the feed he grabbed the present he had for Temari from his closet, and after bundling himself up he went outside to her location... greeting her by hitting her in the head with the box, his usualy irritated scowl on his face.]

You're sittin' out in the friggin' snow and your brain froze, that's what.

[And he unceremoniously dropped the package into her lap and took a seat next to her.]

I was goin' to wait for the holiday to give this to you, but if you're goin' to be a dumbass sitting out in the snow like this, might as well give it to you now.

[Looking back as soon as she felt a box hitting her head, she just stared up at Gokudera. She could hear him moving through the snow, she just didn't feel any urge to move.]

...Gokudera?

[Putting her hands on top of the box as soon as it touched her lap, she was more than a little confused. He got her a present? She knew this whole Christmas thing involved presents, but she wasn't expecting one.]

What is this?

...And, I'm not being a dumbass. [She had her reasons.]

The one and only.

[He huffed a little when she asked what it was. It was OBVIOUSLY a present... and something he... was very unused to giving to people. He hadn't celebrated Christmas since he ran away from home.

And now Temari just had to call him out on being a good person. Dammit all. Well he would respond in his usual sarcasm. Actions were supposed to speak louder than words, right?]

It's a box.

[And being from a rather nice hot climate himself he did not take well to the more extreme winter months. Winter was for rain to him. Not snow. Snow was something that he could tolerate for the Tenth for a little while. All the other times? Not so much.]

Are too. You know they made indoor heat for a reason. I thought someone from a desert would kinda... I dunno... have somethin' against snow?

[god knows he did.]

[Well excuse her, she wasn't used to getting presents, especially wrapped presents.]

I can see it's a box, I'm not stupid.

[Setting about opening the box, the gift never stood a chance. In a matter of moments, the box was open, and she was simply staring at the coat...he got this for her?

Setting the box aside, she was silent as she pulled the coat from the box, running the fabric through her hands. No one had given her anything quite like this before.]

I'm not out here for my health. I was just... I can't explain it properly, but I can't feel the air like I usually can. I was hoping that maybe if I stayed out her long enough...

[He watched her look at the coat... he... couldn't quite read if she liked it or not. This was the first time he really ever gave someone a present... maybe he messed up? He addressed her problem but didn't take his eyes off her trying to figure out if she was happy about the gift or not.]

You too? I've been hearin' that a lot. I haven't found out what I forgot yet... I know it ain't dynamite. [Though the way he had nearly blown himself up earlier you wouldn't have known it.] If I find out who's got your ability I'll let you know... it's only a week after all.

[and then... he couldn't really hold his question in any longer.]

I-if you don't like it... I can get you a different one. I'm not sure what they wear where you're from... so I just got what looked warmest...

[and not stupid.]

Thank you. I already know who's I have...it's not as bad as I thought~. [As much as she detested the person, she wasn't about to let her new abilities go so soon. If anything, she was planning on keeping them because she detested him.]

Perhaps something that you don't use so often? I mean...if you haven't placed it yet, are there any skills that you don't use everyday?

[Smiling a little, she shook her head, slipping the coat on over the hoodie.]

Don't be ridiculous. I love it.

I just...no one has ever given me anything like this before. Thank you.

[She wasn't sure of the proper protocol in a situation like this. Did she hug him or...give him something in return...?] I don't have anything prepared for you though.

[Skills he didn't use every day.... he laughed.]

Maybe I should try cookin'. Might not set the kitchen on fire for once. So who's powers you got?

[And at her reaction a blush appeared on his cheek and a big smile spread across his face. So he didn't fuck it up! He was glad. Though he does rub the back of his neck awkwardly when she worries about getting him something.]

That's alright! You don't need to get me nothin'!

[The fact that she liked what he got her was enough.]

[Grinning to herself, she picked the bowl up and put it in his lap.]

Guess~.

[Snorting softly, he should already know that she would get him something. She just...wasn't sure what. Maybe she could catch him a pet? or...make him something?]

Don't be surprised if you get something. Just...don't expect it to be something as nice as the coat. I've never exactly given anyone a present before.

[The closest thing she ever came to giving someone anything, was giving them a quick death. She just had to think of something better for him.]

W-well... I haven't really gotten a present since I was a kid...

[Really, it had only really been his mother that sent him gifts intermittently. His father was too busy, and the idea of the Famiglia was that the sooner you get them into a weapon the better...

Hence the dynamite at age six...]

I mean I'm happy enough that you like your present!

[And he looked at the bowl utterly dumbfounded for a moment. Not out of stupidity but rather he always associated bowl with food and for a moment got mildly excited that maybe she was going to feed him... but now... just a bowl of water and... some... flower petals...]

R-Ryuutaro?!

[Ooooh fuck he could just... feel the oncoming drama already... he would probably need to go find Ryuutaro after this. He liked Temari a lot... but he didn't trust her not to try and beat Ryuutaro up if she ran into him...]

[Too late buddy~ She already got to mentally beat Ryuutaro. When you find him, he'll either be pissed or completely and totally depressed.

Frowning slightly, she tilted her head at him.]

What's wrong? You say that like it's a bad thing.

[...Waaait a second. There was one way that this would be bad.

Gripping his shoulder, her expression changed from confused to dead serious in a matter of seconds.]

Does he have my abilities?!

[If he did, nothing would save him; she'd kill him slowly and enjoy it.]

[Yeah, that reaction right there is totally why is a bad thing.]

N-no he doesn't! H-he can feel thoughts or somethin' like that, if I knew who had your ability I'd tell ya!

[He waved his hands in front of him defensively]

I-it's just... well I know you don't like him... and... fortune tellin' is something that's real important to him...

[and he's more or less afraid that something would happen like what had already happened...]

[Sitting back after a moment, she nodded in acceptance.]

Good.

[Taking the bowl back, she pushed the petals idly.]

I don't see why. It's a useless ability...[Like him] Why he would put so much effort into a scam like this is beyond me.

I-it's not a scam! H-he's a real fortune teller!

[Oh... do you see those? Those are his nerd-goggles showing...]

I haven't seen him make a wrong prediction! He gets visions and stuff too sometimes!

[Scowling as Gokudera seemed to sing his praises, she set a glare on him. Gift or not, she didn't care about his 'boyfriend' and what he could apparently do. It was a scam and she was keeping to that sentiment.]

There's no such thing as fortunes. The only fortunes we have are the fortunes in surviving another battle.

[Gokudera opens his mouth to argue but then catches sight of that glare, and fearing he had done something wrong decides to promptly drop the subject. And awkward blush spreads across his cheeks and he looks down, scratching the back of his head a bit. He should really know better than bringing up his sexuality like that... in any way... he didn't want to make her more upset at him than she already was.]

.... ah... sorry....

...Not a problem.

[She couldn't stay mad at him for long. Even if he was with the worthless fortune teller, he was still her brother and her only family here. She already thought she lost him before, she couldn't take that again. Without him...she didn't know what she'd do.

Visibly calming down, she buried her hands in her pockets.]

I just...you don't need to mention his name.

[And Gokudera seems to sink a little bit. That... stung a little bit. He knew it shouldn't, he knew when he got into his relationship that there would be people who didn't like it, or would be made uncomfortable by it. Which is part of the reason why he was so hesitant to get into the relationship in the first place. Temari was the first person he actually TOLD about his sexuality... and if SHE acted this way, how would the Tenth act? He knew Ryuutaro already didn't like the Tenth... and he wasn't sure if he could handle the three most important people to him hating each other.]

...'kay. I-I'm really sorry...

[Hayato's cheeks light up and he squirms a bit, feeling almost ashamed of himself. Partially for being the way he was, and then in part for being ashamed about it. Ryuutaro would be upset with him for hiding it so much, or apologizing for their relationship, but if he didn't then Temari would be upset. Sometimes he really wished he could have THEIR strength. Ryuutaro could always hold his head high... even dating a thug like him. It made him kind of proud, and he felt like he was worth something. Then their was Temari, who was always able to speak her feelings and opinions no matter how different they were from everyone else's. There was one thing she had lied to him about though-

She said he was fine just the way he was.]

[Falling silent, she looked back out to the lake. She hated seeing him like this, hurting so badly and knowing that part of it was her fault. She just hated seeing him hurt though..as far as relationships went, she simply couldn't understand the big deal about them. She knew that you didn't need to be married to breed and that was the only decent outcome she could see from such a thing.

Her parents hadn't been happy, she hadn't seen anyone with her uncle, no one that she'd encountered that was in a relationship was truly happy. she just hated to see Gokudera become the same hollow shell she'd seen so many others become.

Sighing to herself, she finally looked over to Gokudera. They needed to talk before she lost him forever, she knew this. Where emotions were concerned though...she knew that she wasn't as open about her feelings as some. They'd almost been beaten out of her...she was a tool with one purpose. Emotions weren't supposed to play a part in anything that was expected of her.]

...Do you understand why I don't like him?

[He had to understand before she lost him forever. Without him...she had no purpose in life anymore. There was no village to protect, no brothers to care for...only him. He was all she had.]

[He squirmed a little bit uncomfortably... h-he was just told not to talk about it... and now...? Well he would answer, she shouldn't get mad, right?]

Well... because he's... because we're...

[This was... harder than he thought. He KNEW the reason... but saying out loud really didn't help in the overwhelming shame department. It was like no matter what he did he just couldn't make everyone happy. If he treated it like it was bad, Ryuutaro was upset, if he was open about it, everyone else would think less of him... which... at this point he sort of wondered if that was possible. Ryuutaro wasn't here though... and this was Temari... and she was already kind of upset with him...

His grip tightened on the fabric of his pants and he kept his gaze focused on the ground. He was tense and worried, and just felt all around pathetic for what he was. He swallowed to lump in his throat before finishing his answer to her properly.]

b-because we're both guys...

[...Dammit, she should have talked with him about this before. Glancing over at him, she watched his reactions closely...he really cared about her opinion. It was touching, but at the same time, he shouldn't put so much stock in what other people thought.]

That's not it...that's so far from the truth...

Hell, if you like guys, I could bring you guys. Guys that I approve of a hell of a lot more than him.

[Someone that could protect him and keep him safe. She couldn't force him to stay in her room, no matter how much she wanted to. He would just come to despise her...that wasn't something that she would survive. She needed him in her life.]

[Gokudera's head snapped up in surprise. "So far from the truth"? Before he had enough time to properly take the sentiment in... she comes at him with the next statement and his cheeks light up. Bring him guys? God, that almost made him feel like some sort of gigolo...

G-guys she approved of?! He really wasn't quite sure what to make of this. At all. He was happy that she was okay with him being... well... the way he was... More than happy even. It was such a relief to know that she still accepted him despite this... but at the same time it was kind of embarrassing to have her trying to look over his friends and weed out the one's she didn't like. He wasn't used to that sort of treatment, no one had ever wanted to do that for him before (because let's face it- he was always that kid mother's warned their children to stay away from).]

W-well i-i-it's more th-than him just being a guy! I-I um... well... it's hard to explain... but...

[But He would try for Temari]

I've known him for a really long time... and he really was my first friend outside of the Vongola. I really don't make friends easily... [He looks away for a moment and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly] I don't really trust people... so when they get too close I sort of freak out and push them away, even in the Vongola... I really don't get too close to anyone but my boss. I've always figured I was better off alone...

[which got him into big trouble with his fight with Gamma. His own hot-headed lone-wolf incompetence almost got both Yamamoto and himself killed just before he came here.]

But a lot of shit has happened here... and he always looked out for me, and wouldn't let me push him away. [He smiles a little bit and chuckles] I can be pretty pathetic too... I don't really let anyone see it but... he knows. He's really seen me at my worst over and over... and he still stays with me.

[He knew Temari had seen bits and pieces of it. She had seen him without a leg... when he had confided in her just how worthless he felt in his drugged state, his break down after he had died, or even just now... exposing just how much he feared others. He didn't feel like he could come to her the way he did with Ryuutaro. She valued strength and being strong, so he didn't feel like he could come to her and just... cry and let himself be weak.

I guess... I dunno, it's just... I feel worth somethin' you know? I have something special I want to protect and... and when I do it sort of feels like maybe my old man and everyone back in Italy messed up throwin' me away like they did... like I'm worth somethin'...

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Sabaku no Temari | 09 | [In Person/Video]

[in person]

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