Crien slipped through the streets late in the night. Her body as slick and sneaky as a cat. She smirked as she made her way toward Yuuki's home. She quickly climbed the side if the building until she reached one of the many windows in her tiny room, however, her face twisted in confusion when she realized it was empty.

"The girl... left?" She thought outloud. She quickly moved around the building to Kaname's room. He was sitting up, sighing deeply. Crien smirked as she focused her mind on his.

I'm such a bad brother... why did I kick her out I mean... I don't like Red all that much, but if she loves him...ugh... she must hate me now...

"So he kicked out Yuuki, huh?" Crien snickered as she gently jumped to the ground. "Guess I'll have to go and report to Hideki... she must be with Kaito." Crien laughed as she bolted off.

Yuuki gasped as she sat up in bed, running a hand through her hair she tried to calm her breathing. "D-Damn... b-bad dream..." She mumbled to herself as she saw that the sun was starting to rise. Yuuki stepped out of bed and to the single window that was in the room she was borrowing. She sighed deeply as she inhaled the air.

"At least I slept well." She laughed softly to herself. That rest felt like the first one she had, had in weeks. She moved out of the room and across the hall to Red's room. She lightly knocked on the door to see if there was any reply.

Red heard a soft knock at the door as he stirred awake. He sat up, momentarily confused as he rubbed his eyes. Someone was at his door? He looked over at the clock and discovered it was only six am. He finally remembered that there was a guest in the house and he pushed himself to his feet. Yawning, he opened the door and saw Yuuki standing there awkwardly.

Yuuki's face instantly heated up when Red appeared in the doorway... he was shirtles.

"M-Morning..." She greeted nervously.

"You're allowed to sleep in here, you know." Red stated and laughed. "But...morning."

"I-I don't s-sleep in." She murmured awkwardly.

Red stood there for a few moments and shrugged. "Well, we have..." Red glanced back into his room. "Six hours until training..."

"... You're mad I woke you up, aren't you?" Yuuki asked nervously.

"You weren't letting me finish." Red chuckled. "I was going to ask what you wanted to do, seeing as I'm up now..." Red looked down at his apparel. "And mostly dressed..." Red was to tired the night before to slip out of his day wear, but at least manage to pull his shirt off.

Yuuki laughed. "Uh huh... I just woke you up 'cause it'd be weird if I roamed your home alone... I didn't realize how ealier it was..."

"Make this place your house, do what you wish. There isn't much trouble you could get into, really." Red shrugged and laughed. "I'm just going to do a few things and I'll be with you shortly." Red smirked.

Yuuki shrugged. "Okay. I'll go downstairs then..."

"Make yourself familiar with the place..." Red smiled before turning back into his room, not bothering to shut the door as he went to grab a few things.

Yuuki shrugged and walked off downstairs nervously. She still didn't like the idea of being alone, but she figured she'd have to at some point. She ran a hand through her hair as she looked around the livingroom, getting a better look at it than she had the day before. She almost wished Red's Mother was in the room.

"Uh...may I ask your name?" A deeper male's voice came from behind where Yuuki stood.

Yuuki jumped slightly and turned to face the owner of the voice. "Y-You must be Red's dad... I-I'm Yuuki Reilna... n-nice to meet you..." She said nervously.

"Reilna? ...Red?" The man raised his eyebrows. "You're a friend of Kaito's?"

Yuuki nodded. "I'm on his squad..."

The man nodded. "I remember your name now." He stepped closer and held out his hand. "Call me Taro."

Yuuki gave a soft smile as she gave him her hand.

"I see you stayed the night?" Taro laughed as he let go of her hand. "May I ask why?"

Yuuki nodded. "I-I was kinda kicked out of my home... my family hates me." She laughed nervously as she avoided his gaze. "Red and Rin said it'd be okay... but he was still going to ask you..."

Taro raised his eyebrows before turning his head towards the stairs. "Kaito!" He called.

A few moments later Red stood at the top of the stairs. "What?" He asked as he rubbed his hair with the towel in his hands.

Taro nodded to Yuuki with a questioning look. Red in turn sighed and began to descend the stairs. "I suppose you won't let me finish." He rolled his eyes. "This is Yuuki-"

"Skip the introduction, it was already done."

Red paused a moment before continuing. "I need your permission for her to stay in the spare room until further notice. This is as much as I will tell you: I am watching over her, and it's important that she leaves my side as little as possible. Also, her family kicked her out and she had nowhere to stay, and possibly won't."

"Hokage-sama would be able to provide-"

"Did you not hear the whole protecting part?"

"I wasn't giving my answer to whether or not she could stay, Kaito." Taro said with a more firm voice. "You have a guest, be respectful."

"A guest who is in grave danger, Father." Red said back with just as hard of a voice.

"Fine. She stays in the spare room. I don't know how you get into these things but I want nothing happening between you two..."

"She's a team mate..." Red narrowed his eyes.

"Than treat her as one."

Red lowered his head and clenched his jaw. That will not be your decision, Father. My relationships have nothing to do with you...

Taro narrowed his eyes at Red and let out a sigh. "Whatever, Kaito. You're obviously never going to let us in, just do what you have to do. As long as you do your job and protect this girl."

"Was planning on it." Red said and turned to head back up the stairs. "Where are you headed?" Red paused at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hokage-sama wants me to meet up with the Kazekage to exchange a few things. Your Mother already knows, but I will be gone for a few days." Taro replied.

Red's eyes momentarily widened before he looked away. "Be safe." Red murmured before ascending back up the stairs.

Taro turned to Yuuki and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't think that you're not welcomed here." Taro said with an apologizing look. "Maybe you're the next hope of getting Kaito to open up." He sighed before leaving to the front door. He turned back and waved before leaving the house.

Yuuki stared at the door for a moment before running up the stairs. "Red!"

Red finally finished putting on his day's outfits and quickly cleaned his room. He heard his name being hollered as Yuuki advanced his door. "Just come in!" Red called as he smoothed out his blankets.

Yuuki opened the door and smiled slightly. "I like your family... they are really nice."

"Thank you?" Red said and scratched his head.

"I'm jealous, really." She blushed and looked away.

"Don't be." Red laughed. "We're not exactly perfect."

"No, no one ever is. But your mom is kind, and you at least have a father."

"Yeah, I guess." Red glanced at Yuuki's frowning face.

Yuuki noticed his look and forced herself to smile softly. "Sorry... I was just saying..."

Red shook his head. "No, it's alright. It must be hard not having such a supportive family. I wish I could be closer to them, but Hideki..." Red trailed off and sighed. "If only that hadn't happened..."

Yuuki frowned again. "I'm sorry... we can change the subject you know..."

Red let out a small chuckle and finished smoothing his blankets, picking up the dirty clothes off the floor and placing them in the hamper his Mother had placed in his room. "There, I'm ready..."

"I'm not." Yuuki laughed.

Red paused for a second and began to laugh. "Yeah, I guess not. Sorry, my mind is a little bit foggy. I don't usually wake up this early. If you need to shower you know where the towels are..."

Yuuki nodded. "I'm good though." She laughed and walked off to the room she was using and laid down on the bed. "Your Father seems to think I'll be able to help you." She giggled softly.

Red walked across the hall and stood in Yuuki's doorway. "He did, did he?" Red asked questionably.

She nodded. "Guess I kinda already did, though..."

"And how is that?" Red moved to cross his arms.

Yuuki smiled. "'Cause you tell me everything basically... least, I think you do..." She blushed.

"There's a few things you don't know.." Red smirked, and chuckled.

"Well, there's things you don't know 'bout me, either." She smirked in return.

Red shrugged. "I can read you like a book."

"Can not!" She pouted.

"Trust me, you still have a lot to discover with what you can do with that genjutsu we've been practicing."

"What do you mean by that? Did you lie? You can read further than just my thoughts?" She asked nervously.

"We've only been training with the basics of that technique." Red smirked and laughed at Yuuki's shocked face.

"Crap!" She rolled over and buried her face into the pillow. "That's mean!"

"No, it's more interesting then anything."

"Nah uh!" She growled from the pillow.

Red stood there silently, watching Yuuki from the door. He waited a few moments and when Yuuki didn't say anything he said, "Don't worry, I haven't gone into anything indepth with you...I don't plan on going further than what I can - unless I need to."

"Well you don't." She mumbled.

"But it would be fun." Red let his voice trail off as he smirked.

Yuuki sighed and sat up to face him again. "Maybe for you."

"Hey, I'm training you to do the same thing..."

"Oh, really?" She laughed nervously. "I didn't realize that..."

Red's smile faded after a few moments and he diverted his eyes. "You'll be happy my Father is gone for a few days..."

"Huh? Why?" She asked, suddenly confused.

"Who do you think taught all these techniques in the first place to Hideki?" Red sighed

"O-Oh yeah..." She murmured, looking away from Red. "S-Sorry... again..."

"I should probably be the one to apologize; my Father usually gets to knows the people around him by figuring out their whole being. I'm pretty sure he knows everything..." Red ran his hand through his hair. "I should have warned you before, but I wasn't expecting you to meet him by yourself."

Yuuki shrugged. "It's fine, really." She sighed. "I just wish I could get Kaname to believe me..."

Red nodded with understanding and let out a long breath. "Well, you should probably get ready for the day..." Red turned to leave the room but he stopped. "And don't worry about Father knowing, he only reads people so that he knows how to conduct himself around that particular person. Thus the reason not too many people dislike him." Red laughed. "You don't have to hide anything from my family." He looked back over his shoulder and smiled before leaving Yuuki to herself.

Crien strolled down the hall toward Hideki's room with a smirk plastered on her face. When she reached his door, she lightly tapped her knuckles against it before opening the door and letting herself in.

"Morning, Hideki." She smiled.

Hideki sat on the edge of his bed with his head lowered. "Can you not see that I am busy?" Hideki hissed.

Crien shrugged. "You asked me to go and look into information about that girl of Kaito's... I did."

"Could it not have waited a little longer? You know I'm a patient man." Hideki turned his head to look at Crien through his hair.

She shrugged. "You're a patient man, but I'm not a patient woman... besides, I don't think this can wait..."

"You will be patient because I tell you to." Hideki narrowed his eyes.

"Don't boss me around like one of your slaves. You know I never listen to you... Look, Hideki... that girl, she no longer lives in her home... you know what that means, right?"

Hideki lowered his head again and sighed before laying back down. "That idiot."

Crien nodded. "Would you like me to go and steal her from him?"

"If she resides in the house Kaito does, no one enters that house. If she is ever alone, or if there is an opportunity outside of that building to take her, than do so. If Red is in healthy condition to fight, leave it be - but if he's weak, go in for the kill."

Crien nodded. "Shall I wait out in the village for a while then?"

"Go about your normal duties, but remember that your first priority is that girl because that girl gets to him." Hideki said. "Just keep a close watch on her. Since I'm the boss, I'll make sure all your missions reside in the village. That way there you can be in close proximity."

Crien nodded again. "May I ask, Hideki, what exactly your plan is once you have that girl?"

"Why does it matter to you?" Hideki turned his face to look at Crien. "You rarely question my motives."

"I don't normally, however, this time things seem different. Usually you do not make strikes like this at Kaito..."

"He's getting out of hand, and what would make him tick more? My hands on his little girlfriend." Hideki smirked. "What I'm going to do with her, I have not yet decided. I have a few plans, but still can't decide. Shall I kill her, make her my personal slave-"

"No!" Crien hissed, narrowing her eyes. "Killing her would make Kaito go crazy, and a personal slave would anger me... just torture her..."

"Killing her would devestate him, it would crush him and it will probably end in the death of himself. Torturing her, I would admit would be quite fun, and it would torture Kaito's poor soul. But my personal slave, oh the joy that would be! I could do many things, and Kaito will just depise me - probably more so than the other two options."

"I said no to the slave thing!" Crien growled.

"Jealous much?" Hideki raised and eyebrow. "What's it matter to you anyways?"

Crien avoided his gaze. "I just think it would be the most stupid idea..."

Hideki scoffed. "Don't play idiot with me. I know it makes you cringe knowing what I could do to that poor girl, and you'd be jealous."

Crien hissed. "Shut it."

Hideki sat up and motioned for Crien to come closer. She stepped forward without hesitation. "Yes?"

Hideki took her hand in his and placed his lips on the top of her hand. "You're an idiot for thinking that she could possibly steal my attention away from you."

Crien rolled her eyes. "Don't be a suck up.."

Hideki smirked before pulling her arm down and placing his other hand on her cheek. "You know it's what you're thinking." He breathed.

"So what if it is?" She groaned.

Hideki chuckled before placing his lips to hers. "She'd only be my slave, Crien." Hideki murmured against her mouth.

Crien smirked against his lips. "I still don't like it."

"She could be yours too, if you'd like. You know you have a slight temper, and what better way to take out that anger?"

"No, that would be what I would do with torture..." She laughed.

Hideki pulled her closer and forced his lips against hers. "But couldn't you imagine what Kaito would do if he found out the things I would be doing to her?"

Crien nodded. "He'd be easy to kill after that."

"His mind would be fogged, even if I were to do this..." Hideki moved his lips to Crien's neck and smirked.

Crien moaned softly. "As I said, he'd want you dead."

Hideki chuckled. "He would, he would. And that would be much delightful."

Crien sighed. "Fine... if you decide to keep her as a slave, I will not fight you..."

"If you will join me in torturing her; I really do insist, she'd be a very soft target to take your anger out upon."

Crien smiled. "Indeed she would. However, I do not think she will make her capture easy." Crien stated as she moved to look at Hideki again. "You explained how bold she was to you in the imaginative world of Kaito's. Also, if your brother is still training her, she will get smarter as far as the genjutsu works... she'll see through our disguses easier..."

Hideki pulled her down onto the bed and whispered, "Wouldn't her capture be that much more exciting then?" He placed his lips onto hers once more before standing to his feet and stretching.

Crien laughed. "I guess that's a good point."

Hideki smirked. "I can't wait to meet her again once she trains a little more."

"You remember how to enter my mind, correct?" Red asked as he studied Yuuki.

She nodded. "Yep. Are you wanting me to do that now?"

He shook his head. "Not if you remember fully. Today, we are going to try physical training while staying connected mentally." Red explained. "This requires lots of stamina, so we'll have to do a lot of stamina training as well."

Yuuki sighed and ran a hand through he hair. "Alrighty... just tell me what I'm to do..."

Red walked over to stand in front of Yuuki, pausing to take in a breath and breathing out slowly. "You're developing my habit." He laughed before running his hand through his own hair.

"If I can't twirl it. I'm gonna do that instead." She smirked.

Red reached out and took a strand of her hair in his and twirled it slowly. "Does this distract you?"

Yuuki blushed. "When you do it."

Red chuckled. "Exactly."

"But it's not distracting if I do it."

Red moved a bit closer, continuing to twirl the strand of hair. "But it's distracting..." He breathed.

Yuuki smirked and grabbed his wrist to stop him from twirling her hair. "Training or not, Red?" She laughed softly.

Red smirked. "Just proving you a point." He shrugged.

Yuuki released his wrist and smiled. "Okay, whatever. Just tell me what to do now..."

"You know the drill..."

Yuuki nodded and focused on his mind, his thoughts quickly becoming her own.

"Typically, we're sitting when we start, but this time I want you to walk around this area, concentrating on me." Red smiled. "All it is, is just one foot in front of the other..."

Yuuki sighed as she started walking. "That will be easy..." She murmured.

Red chuckled slightly and allowed his head to drop as he began to laugh. "And my shirt isn't even off..."

Yuuki just blushed and avoided eye contact. "Shut up, Red."

"And this exercise will have more focusing on connecting with me more than focusing on my being itself." Red laughed. "Trust me, it'll get harder and will push you more eventually."

Yuuki nodded. "I don't doubt that... just be a teacher rather than being a distraction..."

"Alright, your connection seems to be strong now. I'm going to start to move my arms and head as you walk, and if the connection stays strong, than you will be able to move your limbs without even thinking about it, without even looking at me, and as if it's yourself doing it."

"So in other words, I become like a puppet you control..."

Red tilted his head and nodded. "I like that analogy." He laughed.

Yuuki blushed. "I said to stop that."

Red shrugged. "You said it."

"You didn't have to continue it..."

Red raised his arms above his head and placed his hands on the back of his head. Yuuki was almost shocked when her body reacted on it's own, following the same actions as Red. When Red raised his arm and placed it in front of himself, Yuuki followed. For a few minutes, Red tried a few different things, and Yuuki continued to keep the connection strong. He decided to take it up a step to distract her to see if she could continue despite the distractions.

"You look very nice today." Red said casually.

Yuuki just laughed. "You're trying too hard." She smirked.

Red shrugged and crossed his arms. "Those clothes compliments your figure."

Yuuki sighed. "Stop..."

Red shook his head. "It's all part of the training, my Beautiful."

Yuuki's face instantly turned red as her eyes widened. "That's not even remotely fair!"

"You broke the connection." Red raised and eyebrow and he twirled his arms back and forth, Yuuki's arms staying on her hips.

Yuuki growled. "I know you're trying to do that purposly... but that's honestly not fair." She pouted.

"If you can keep the connection really strong while I compliment you, then you'll have great stability." Red smirked. "That's if you can swallow your butterflies."

Yuuki blushed more and growled. "It's only not fair, 'cause you don't mean any of it..." She mumbled.

Red sighed. "Reconnect."

Yuuki rolled her eyes and connected her mind to Red's again, starting to walk around again.

You know full well that I can't hide the truth when we're connected like this.

Yeah, I do. But you didn't say those things in your head, you said them outloud...

"If you listen to my words, and listen to my heart, there is no dissinence between the two; that is how you know when someone is telling the truth. If you're able to concentrate on everything, you'll eventually feel it yourself. If one lies, the dissinence is like nails on a chalkboard."

Yuuki sighed. "Yeah, okay. I doubt that highly..."

"Tell me, Yuuki, are you starting to fall inlove with me?"

Yuuki's eyes widened, her back to him. "N-no. Course n-not..."

"The dissenence in that lie actually turns my stomach. You feel it physically, and you will feel it eventually yourself. Besides, I knew the answer, between the way you act, the things you think, and the way you talk to me, it's obvious the feeling you have towards me..."

Yuuki allowed herself to smirk as she walked up to Red. "What about you then? You say you care a lot about me, but exactly how much? Are you falling for me as well?"

"You'll eventually find out yourself." Red smirked and ruffled Yuuki's hair.

She stared blankly. "That's even more unfair..."

"Gives you more motivation to learn quicker, and will keep you active in your connection."

She sighed. "You're too tricky sometimes..."

"I'll give you a hint for starters: you're on the right track, but where exactly do I stand?" Red smirked.

Yuuki's face heated slightly. "I don't know... you won't tell me and you haven't taught me yet..."

Red leaned closer and placed his mouth to Yuuki's ear. "Then I guess you'd better connect with me."

Yuuki sighed before smirking as she connected once again. "Done."

"Try not to disconnect this time." Red laughed.

"You're gonna compliment me again... aren't you?"

"Yeah, of course!" Red rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Nice hair."

Yuuki smirked and walked off around the area, fixing her hair. "Shut it. You're the one who messed it up."

Red's hands moved up to his hair as he began to mimick Yuuki's actions to fix her hair. Red smirked and tried to hold his chuckle as he began to ruffle his own hair.

"Red!" Yuuki growled, unable to hide her smirk as she tried to fix her own hair once again.

Red let he chuckle out as he began to attack his hair and mess it completely up, watching as Yuuki started to mess up her own groaned as she gave up trying to fix it.

"You're evil." She said to him, glaring.

"Hey, you're doing very well." Red smiled and flipped his hair to make it fall back into place.

Yuuki's body followed his actions, but it didn't really fix her hair. "Gah!"

Red laughed and smiled softly as he looked at Yuuki for what needed to be fixed and helped her fix her hair.

"Thank you... finally." She smirked.

Red nodded. "Shall we continue?"

"What do you think I've been waiting for?" She laughed.

"Well, we have been training." Red shrugged. "But let's move on. You'll be happy when I say no more verbal distractions.."

"Wait... no more verbal... then what are you gonna do to distract me?" She asked nervously.

Red shrugged. "Something a little more physical."

Don't say that!

"It'll test your ability more so..." Red raised his eyebrow as he looked at Yuuki.

"What are you gonna do, Red?" She asked again, her face red.

Red bent over and let out a loud laugh. "Oh, you are cute!"

Yuuki crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from him. "I hate you sometimes..." She murmured.

"Hey, I had no intentions of that! You were the one thinking it. I was more so referring to sparring."

Yuuki turned back to glare at him. "Then why didn't you just say so?"

"Obviously you weren't focusing on what I had in mind." Red laughed again. He looked at Yuuki's unimpressed expression and cleared his throat. "Yuuki, I would never dare do that...yet."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh I'm aware..."

Red cleared his throat again. "Did you bring anything for sparring?"

"What do you think?" She smirked, pulling out a kunai and twirling it around her finger.

Red smiled. "Connection is good. Then, begin." Red smirked before disappearing from Yuuki's sight.

"Wait, wait, wait! How does this work? Doesn't this mean I'm still like a puppet?" She asked, looking around, confused.

If you concentrate on my movements to make them yours, what I do, you will do. If you focus on my presence and location, you can feel - almost as if you see it - where I am. Focus your chakra into figuring that part out, and the more you train that part of your brain, the eaier it will become for you to constantly know where I'm at, at all times. The purpose of this exercise is to be connected fully to me, but at the same time controlling yourself.

Yuuki sighed as she tried focusing on Red's location. The connection to his whereabouts were foggy, and it didn't help that his exact location seemed to be coming in all directions.

Think of my entire being. Everything about me. My appearance, my clothing, everything you remember about me and grab hold of that vision.

Like that will be difficult...

Exactly. Red smirked and withheld his chuckle.

Yuuki sighed and envisioned Red in her mind. She focused on exactly what he said: his clothing that he wore for training today - a white muscle shirt and black pants; his black shaggy hair with red tips; his long lengthy body and how he stood a foot taller than herself; those light grey eyes that always captivated her whenever they looked into her own; and those soft looking lips which she desperately wanted him to-

Focus, Yuuki.

You said to picture everything about you.

Yes, well, my mind is still connected to yours, you know...

You already said you know, so not much use in hiding it...

You wouldn't dare say what you're thinking to my face, and if I happened to be standing in front of you, I know for a fact that light blush would consume your face.

...Can't you just shut up for once?

Oh, that blush is beginning to darken? Was I correct? Red let out a little innocent gasp.

If I saw you right now, I'd be glaring...

While trying to ignore those annoying little butterflies in your stomach, right?

... Yep, sounds right to me.

Red smirked. Just focus...

I was until you spoke up!

You were starting to- just continue... Red laughed.

Yuuki shook her head and returned to repicturing Red in her head, the same aspects and the same thoughts. The more she focused the stronger the location seemed to stick out, and her body began to walk south towards where Red was kneeling. When she began to close in on him, her vision started to picture in her mind where exactly he was.

You're getting a hang of it! Red smiled before disappearing into another direction once again.

Yuuki let out a unwarned gasp as she felt his prescence suddenly at a distant again. The vision of his whereabouts leaving her mind. "That's unfair!" She looked around before closing her eyes and focusing on him once again. Her body began to lead her to his location once again and she smirked. Whenever Yuuki managed to get closer to Red, he'd disappear again. This went on for a while until her vision of his location began to stay in her mind with stronger stability.

Yuuki had finally grown bored and cut the connection to sit on the ground, then moving to lay on her back. "Are we done yet?" She yawned.

Red sighed. "You're getting a lot better. Your genjutsu is fairly good considering it isn't your strongest. Very fast learner," he said from the bushes.

Yuuki groaned. "Thank you, but I'm seriously bored! I was following your location for like... an hour!"

"It wasn't an hour." Red laughed and then sighed. "And just think, now I'm not the only one doing all the stalking."

Yuuki smirked. "Smartass..."

Red shrugged before sitting down perpendicular to Yuuki's lying body and leaned back to rest his head on her stomach. "On a serious note, you know how it goes - the longer you do one thing, the easier it becomes. After a while, did it not become very easy?"

She blushed faintly and nodded. "Yeah, it did... I just got bored is all."

"I'm sorry about that." Red whispered and closed his eyes.

"No need to apologize." She shrugged.

Red stayed silent and allowed his breathing to regulate softly. Yuuki sighed and closed her own eyes, listening to the sound of his breathing along with the noises of the forest. Red turned his head towards Yuuki's face, and looked to see her chin. Red laughed slightly began smiling and reached up to run his fingers through Yuuki's hair. "It's very soft - I didn't get to tell you the last time I touched it."

Yuuki smiled and opened her eyes. "Thanks then...?"

"I really don't understand you..." Red murmured before withdrawing his hand and closing his eyes again.

She closed her eyes as well and laughed. "I thought you were figuring me out, Red - thought I was like a book?"

Red let out a chuckle before sighing. "I'm not referring to that. Do you understand that you are the first?"

"The first what?" She replied, her voice almost a whisper.

"The first woman to ever make me feel like this."

She blushed and laughed. "No, but I feel special knowing that."

"There has been many females who have tried to get my attention, but not one of them attracted me. I just wasn't interested in anything more than a friendship - mind you, with those certain females I preferred nothing more than acquaintanceship - but that first day we met when we were placed on the same team... you seemed different." Red laughed again. "I guess it's because we're sort of the same?"

Yuuki just laughed. "So then, currently, where do I fall in your... relations?"

Red pushed himself up on his elbow and turned onto his side for a better look at Yuuki's face. He smiled softly and reached over and pushed her bangs aside, his fingers lingering at the side of her cheek. "Someone very dear to me."

Yuuki just laughed. "You purposely did that..."

"Did what?" Red raised an eyebrow.

Yuuki shook her head. "Nevermind, Red." She laughed.

"Please, explain." Red's fingers traced down the side of her face and dropped to her arm, tracing down her arm to her hand. He took her hand in his and kissed it lightly, while watching Yuuki closely.

Yuuki tried to contain her blush as she looked at him. "I-I just meant that... um.. you would say something like friend or... I dunno... y-you just didn't say what I expected." She mumbled, feeling like a blabbering idiot.

Red closed his eyes and turned his hand so that his fingers entwined with hers. "What did you expect me to say?" He asked.

"I-I just said I didn't know." She mumbled again.

"Just say it, Yuuki." Red mumbled.

She looked away from his gaze to their connected hands. "I-I was just hoping th-that after all this pretending, that you would actually... l-love me..."

"Who says I don't?" Red asked and raised his eyes to look into hers.

"I mean more th-than a friend..." She murmured.

"Who says I don't?" Red murmured.

Yuuki lifted her eyes to meet his again. "W-Well, I just assumed y-you didn't..."

"I never act like this around any others, have I been too reserved?"

Yuuki shook her head. "I-I had thought y-you might... I just wasn't sure..."

"I would never lead you on, Yuuki." Red smiled softly. "I'm not that kind of guy."

"W-Well... what about your dad? Didn't he say nothing could be between us?" She asked nervously.

"Do you remember what he said after that?" Red asked.

Yuuki nodded. "Y-Yeah..."

"As I told you, he reads people, but he's been practicing the technique for years on end to the point where reading people becomes natural. He can do it instantly, and he can keep it going for long periods of time. Our family actually jokes about it since you barely have to speak in our house, we all just read each other. But he read me, and I told him he will not have a say in personal relations." Red smiled. "He said whatever because he knows that he will not be able to control that aspect, he cannot change how I feel about you."

"C-Can I ask you something, then?"

"You can ask me anything." Red chuckled.

"Then, if you're family always reads one another, and your father being so good at it, why do they still not know about the stuff you hide?"

Red chuckled again. "While I was with Hideki he taught me how to put up barriers around certain things. Barriers that are extremely difficult to break through - of course, Hideki knows how to move past them unfortunately - but Father hasn't been able to detect those barriers. I don't know why, but all I know is that they work." Red paused for a second. "Besides, it's better for him to think that Hideki is dead rather than..." his voice trailed off and he sighed.

"Is it really better though? He's after me and trying to get you through me..."

Red lowered his head. "I've already thought about that, but Hideki looks different now, and there are a few things that have and have not been said. I want to try something, if that's alright. If you'll let me, I want to put up certain barriers for you - maybe that will confuse him for a bit?"

Yuuki shrugged. "If it's safer that way, then go ahead."

Red moved to Yuuki's feet and pulled her to a sitting position. "Just relax..." Red whispered as he placed his hands on either side of her face and leaned his forehead against hers.

Yuuki inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, trying not to blush from the closeness of his face to hers. With his forehead to Yuuki's, Red inhaled deeply along with her and allowed his mind to escape into hers. His mind raced through her memories until every memory and every thought of Hideki came up, and Red worked to place the barriers around it all. Anything that didn't relate to Hideki, Red left alone until he was finished and broke the connection. He opened his eyes to peer into Yuuki's. "There." He whispered.

She smiled. "You're smart." She laughed.

Red chuckled lightly. "I'm at least hoping it will work."

"That sounds less smart." She smirked.

"My Father is an intelligent man, and it probably won't keep him confuse for long, but hopefully long enough..."

Yuuki just laughed. "Not smart at all now."

Red smiled and continued to stare into Yuuki's eyes. Yuuki's face turned red as she tried to avoid his gaze.

"Must you do that?" She whispered.

Red smirked before kissing the tip of her nose lightly and bringing her into a hug. "You have beautiful eyes as well."

Yuuki burried her face into his shoulder as she hugged him back tightly. "Even when they're red?" She smirked.

"I'm not really concentrating on your eyes inparticular when they turn red, but more on the why your eyes are red. But emerald suits you perfectly." Red said and held her tighter.

She just smiled. "You don't need to do that though, we stopped training." She smirked.

Red pulled back and smiled innocently. "Who says I'm training?" Red laughed before moving closer to place a kiss on her cheek, missing her mouth by an inch.

Yuuki just shook her head with a smirk on her lips. "You're just teasing me now."

Red tried to pull off a pair of puppy dog eyes. "Teasing?"

She laughed at him. "Now who's being cute?"

Red raised an eyebrow and scratched his head. "Me? Cute?" He let out a grunt. "That sounds odd together..."

"I disagree." She whispered.

Red continued to stare at Yuuki without saying another word. Yuuki strared back with a smirk on her lips. Slowly, Red's left eyebrow raised as his tongue slipped out between his lips. Yuuki laughed again, unable to stop herself.

"That seems so out of character for you!"

Finally, unexpectedly, Red placed his hand on the back of Yuuki's head and pulled her in for a kiss on the lips. Her eyes widened as she momentarily was frozen in shock. Red smirked at the reaction before closing his eyes slowly and slipping his hand to the back of her neck. Yuuki seemed to snap from her trance as her eyes fell shut and her arms moved around his neck, melting into his embrace.