A.N. I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto. Sorry it's been so long, but a lot of stuff has happened in my life and writing really took a back seat. I will be trying to complete all of my works.

Temari was troubled as she thought on her pupil, so strong and yet vulnerable. Glancing at her brother out of the corner of her eye as he came to stand beside her, she frowned. Was Kagome right? Her little brother had never shown interest in anyone…. "How are you feeling, Gaara?"

The redhead looked at his sister thoughtfully. "I am well." He studied her expression with care. "You are displeased."

"What are your intentions with Kagome?" Temari asked suddenly, her emerald eyes running over his impassive features. "What is it you plan on doing with her? She's not from our world, not a nin…. Will you let her leave, offer her a position here?"

"You are feeling protective of her," Gaara stated, looking at her thoughtfully. "I do not know. She is important to me."

"Currently," Temari pressed. "Will she be important to you in… A year?" She eyed him, wondering about his motivations. "Is she important to you or who you are becoming?"

Feeling as if she had slapped him, Gaara looked at Temari with his lips downturned. "You believe I will hurt her, cast her aside. You believe I am a monster."

Eyes widening, Temari shook her head and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I know you're not a monster, Gaara. But I worry." She released him, stepping back. "Kagome is becoming my friend."

"I know." Gaara looked away, frowning in thought. "Naruto believes we should share her."

Temari kicked up an eyebrow at that. "Share? Like…" She snorted at the thought. "You've never been very sharing."

"I want her." Gaara turned to meet her gaze. "Naruto wants her too, but she is not one to enjoy people fighting over her. He thinks that the solution is to make her ours. I think that he wants me too though." The way the blond smelled around him was changing.

Nose wrinkling at the thought of her friend entwined with her little brother and Naruto, Temari looked at him thoughtfully. "What do you want?"

"Her…." he repeated. Seafoam irises flickered to look out the window into the night. "Maybe them…."

x~x~x

Kagome caught Temari's kick and delivered a blow to her thigh before springing back to send three kunai flying, nearly groaning when they simply slid through sand. She let out an 'eep' when she was grabbed from behind and slammed her foot down into the other woman's with as much force as she could muster.

Avoiding the kick with ease, Temari brought her student to the ground and held a blade to her throat. "You're still hesitating too much. You could have used that moment when you had my leg to actually dole out damage, but you backed off." With that, she tucked her kunai away and stood, offering her a hand up.

Having learned this lesson, Kagome rolled away and to her feet, keeping in stance. "Less talking."

Laughing at that, Temari shook her head. "Your opponent won't stop talking cause you say so." She grinned and got ready to pounce when she saw her pupil tense. "Kagome?"

The miko was already running away though, dread in her belly as she made her way to where Naruto's youki was being felt pulsing. When she arrived, she sucked in a breath, looking at the five sand-nin thrown in all different directions as the kitsune stood in the center, eyes red. "Naruto, stop!"

Those crimson eyes slid to her and he gave her a fangy grin. "We were only sparring…." His voice was deeper, bringing to mind the fading entity within him rather than the man Kagome was accustomed to speaking with.

"Well, you've had quite enough fun today. You need to rein yourself in," the dark haired beauty pressed, walking towards him with confidence in her posture.

"Never enough…. Only more with you here," he replied with a smirk, stepping towards her with the air of a predator stalking prey.

Frowning, Kagome raised her hand as if she were backhanding an invisible opponent, the pink light sending the blond flying backwards. "Control yourself, Naruto, or I will have to control you."

Against all logic, Naruto felt aroused by the blow, her power making her all the more desirable. And yet, that thought quelled him and he sat up with blue eyes, watching her kneel and heal all of his opponents. His cheeks heated with embarrassment and he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Gome-chan."

Ignoring him for the moment, Kagome finished the last healing breathlessly before coming to sit before him once they all were on their feet and retreating. "What was going through your head, Naruto?"

Face screwing up in thought, the blond shrugged. "Not much. I wanted to spar, but they were all so weak, and I got mad…. But then I could feel you coming and I got excited."

"So you thought this would impress me?" Kagome sighed, looking irritable.

"No! You don't like people fighting over you cause you're super nice and kind and stuff…. But part of me was happy you could see I was strong. Cause it's instinct. But I'm always excited to see you, instincts or not," he added, leveling her with a more intense stare than many would think him capable of.

Shocking even herself, Kagome felt her heart skip a beat. "Naruto, it's just-"

However, the blue eyed boy had no desire to hear it and he drew her into his lap, cupping her chin and sliding his lips over hers. "I like you. A lot. You're pretty and smart and nice and yeah, it's cool that you can send me flying without touching me…. And I know the difference between want and need. I know I need you right now, but that doesn't make me want you less."

Sand stirred around them and suddenly the Kazekage was beside them, his eyes glued to Kagome's shocked expression. "You do not need to choose."

Looking thunderstruck, Kagome suddenly shook her head and pulled away from them both. "I can't…. I can't…. Just…" And she turned, bolting away.

It took everything in them not to follow.

Observing at a distance, Temari sighed.

x~x~x

The chill of the night air brought Kagome a comfort she hadn't realized possible as she stood on the rooftop of her apartment building. It was the same here…. She let the wind wick away her tears and let out a shaky breath. "What is it, Kankuro-san?"

"You're one weird chick, you know that?" Kankuro complained, sitting beside her. "I've been trying to figure out if you're getting nin habits or if you're thinking of jumping off for like thirty minutes."

Scowling, Kagome plopped down and folded her arms over her knees. "No, I'm not thinking of killing myself." She looked at the moon, swallowing. "I'm just…. It's confusing."

"You've got two guys eating out of the palm of your hand and even willing to let you have them both and you're like an inch from running away. You're confusing." Kankuro sipped his water and followed her gaze up to the sky. "What's your deal?"

For once getting the jump on him, Kagome slapped him hard across the face. "You're a-a…." She pressed her lips together, her fury palpable. "I'm just supposed to lay back and let them have me, is that it? Just let the fact that they want me dictate what I do? I don't get to have thoughts and feelings of my own?" she demanded hotly.

"Jeeze!" Kankuro didn't rub his cheek so he wouldn't smudge his paint, but he was surprised that actually hurt as much as it did. "No one is saying that! Just, don't you like them?"

"I don't know, okay?" Kagome stood, glaring off into the distance. "I didn't just begin here. I have a history, a family, an existence completely apart from this world. Maybe I want that back. Maybe I can't ever have it anyway."

"If you'd talk about it, we'd know about it. Maybe be able to help or something," Kankuro suggested.

Looking at him, Kagome's gaze softened. She owed this man her life. He'd brought her in when she was nothing to him. But she couldn't let him in, let any of them in really... "I can't. It's too much."

"Then make your mind up about here and now and move on," Kankuro bit out before disappearing.

Sighing, the sapphire eyed woman shivered and began climbing down to get into her room once more.

x~x~x

"In and out, Naruto-kun. Don't let the power control you, but control it," Kagome soothed, watching the red youki flit over his skin and then slowly get reabsorbed. Gaara was in a meeting, so it was only them. "Come on, just a little more."

Panting by the end, Naruto slumped, his brow damp with sweat. "Will it always be this hard to control?" he asked, swallowing thickly.

"No, you'll get it, Naruto-kun." Kagome handed him a bottle of water. "You're making progress." She smiled reassuringly at him.

Shifting, the blond appraised her. "I'm sorry."

Brow furrowing, Kagome sat before him. "Why are you sorry? You have had a pretty good day."

"I was watching…" His cheeks heated. "The other night, when you were talking to Kankuro, I was nearby. I just wanted to be close to you. I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to stalk you or anything…. But I've been talking about how much I like you and I haven't asked what you want or like about me or other guys."

At first annoyed he'd been eavesdropping and then irritated with herself for not sensing him, she sighed. "It's not about you or Gaara. It really is me. I just can't get entangled like that."

"Well, now you're treating me different cause I'm a demon," Naruto pointed out suddenly, a streak of inspiration going through his mind.

"And how is that?" Kagome asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, if I were just a human guy, you wouldn't worry as much about entanglement and false feelings and stuff. So, you're treating me different." Naruto nodded, arms crossed over his chest.

"You are different," Kagome pointed out wearily.

"But you've told me I'll still be Naruto. And I want to know if you could like just Naruto…. Could I take you out to lunch?" he asked suddenly, looking hopeful.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Kagome let out a sigh. "I think you're a brat."

"Am I cute at least?" Naruto asked, grinning.

Shaking her head, Kagome simply exited the room, leaving a completely undeterred Naruto in her wake.

x~x~x

"Come in," Gaara called out as he heard a tapping at his office doors. He barely looked up as the miko appeared. "I will finish up shortly."

Kagome nodded and sat across from him. "How are you feeling today?"

"Fine." Gaara stamped a report and frowned. "Suna will be hosting the next Chunin Exams," he suddenly volunteered.

"Ah." Kagome didn't know much about that, but she'd heard bit. "That could prove stressful for you."

"Yes," the redhead agreed. "I am supposed to host the feudal lords as well."

Piecing it together, Kagome nodded. "You're not confident in your social abilities at the moment."

The Kazekage finally nodded. "I could use a…. Hostess to assist." He stared at her pointedly. "Someone to keep me in check."

Frowning, Kagome couldn't help but feel as if he was trying to force her into a roll she did not want. Finally she sighed. "I'll do what I can."

"Thank you," Gaara told her sincerely before going on with his paperwork.