"Genji! What a pleasant surprise!"
Though it was a little hard to believe, Genji and Xin managed to maintain a very…odd friendship. He was still afraid of the woman and she often cashed in on that fear but there was a sprinkle of friendliness there. Her recent status of a parent seemed to help soften her viciousness towards him. And besides, he eventually discovered, she wasn't always a menace. She had a biting sense of humor but she was easier to deal with, far easier than when he first met her and she broke his goddamn kneecap. Which, coincidentally, she had no recollection of. He, she often joked, had no such luxury.
He liked Xin to some degree. She was brutally honest and though sometimes it was harsh, it was necessary. As a former councilman, he understood and even appreciated that. Hell, he even admired her 'take it or leave it' attitude.
"Good afternoon, milady," Genji greeted politely. She was sitting behind her desk, her children absent for once. "Where's Ryuu and Riku?"
"With their father," she replied and motioned for him to take a seat. "I had some healing to tend to. It's easier if he has them, it's not like he does much action."
It was a bit old-fashioned of him but he thought it was best for the wife to stay home once she began having children. It just always made more sense. The women of his family did it and he expected the same from Asuna once they married. She'd done it, retired soon after they married in order to focus on their expanding family.
He didn't say as much, not to Xin. He had a feeling she wouldn't be so amused with that statement, as skewed as her sense of humor could be. After all, she was head of the mental ward and was even shaping up to be the hospital's next Director. "Kazekage-sama doesn't mind?" He found himself asking despite himself. As easy-going as she was, Xin had a quick temperament.
Xin paused, her hand going still. She glanced up at him, her expression carefully drawn. "He doesn't." She watched him a moment longer. "Go ahead, Genji. I'm not going to hurt you." At least, not at that moment.
"He's a Kage, wouldn't he be too busy?"
"For his own kids?" Xin's mouth quirked in amusement but she was looking down at whatever document needed to be filled out. "It's not like they can do much to get in his way. He usually just makes a basket out of his sand and sets them in there. Me, on the other hand, I move around a lot."
"Wouldn't it be easier to just…stay home with them?"
"I don't know, ask Asuna."
"I deserved that."
"Mm," she chuckled, eyes still on the document. "I'm not saying Gaara's work isn't important, because it is. It's very important. But unless someone attacks the village, you don't see him doing a lot of running around, no?"
"I suppose."
"I'm not saying my work is more important than his, it takes a lot to run a village and it's difficult to do so on your own. I play my part and he plays his."
"Your part sounds stressful, milady."
"Some days." She didn't often talk about the broken children she had to put back together or the weakened minds she helped mend. Once upon a time, she'd been doing the breaking. Once upon a time, she'd been broken. "But I have no complaints." Genji made a long noise in his throat. "But you think I should be at home, tending to my children and waiting around for my husband," she grinned but he hardly found any warmth to it. Bemusement this time, not amusement.
"I didn't say that."
"Not with your words," she rolled her eyes. "Bit old-fashioned, aren't you?"
"It's just the way I was raised, milady. I didn't mean to offend you."
"I'd have to think highly of your opinion to be offended," she quipped truthfully. "You're not here to question my parenting skills, Genji. What do you want?" She was nonchalant, resting her cheek against her knuckles.
"I wasn't—" he sputtered.
"The point, Genji, get to it. I need to get moving, I have an appointment to see in about thirty minutes."
He flushed terribly and tapped his foot nervously, a motion that she took notice of. The woman was like a goddamn hawk, she noticed everything. "I've been wondering lately…Asuna…is she…dating?"
Xin's eyebrows shot up her forehead. "I'm sorry, are we…do you expect gossip?"
Genji closed his eyes, embarrassed but Xin only cackled. "Milady.."
"I'm sorry, Genji but that's ridiculous. Asuna and I are friends, I wouldn't gossip about her. If you want to know so badly, why don't you ask her?"
His expression was tight. He could ask Asuna but he just didn't want to. He still loved her and to hear from her own mouth that she moved on, well…he wasn't sure if he could take it. Would it make much of a difference to hear it from someone else? He'd still be broken-hearted. Asking Xin sounded like a good idea at the time but that was a mistake.
"Look, Genji, I understand a divorce is hard—"
"How could you understand?" he suddenly scoffed, affronted by her statement. "You're still married."
Xin only eyed him. "No marriage is perfect, I've learned the hard way." That was hard for him to believe because on the outside looking in, her marriage seemed perfect. But that was, of course, the outside looking in. "It's your own fault but anyway," she waved a fleeting hand. "If it doesn't have anything to do with Momo, it's none of your business."
"It is my business. Momoka is my daughter and if Asuna is dating, I should know about the strange men she brings around."
She made a strange face and this time, as if she were offended. "And what're you gonna do, Genji? Intimidate whoever she dates?" Xin snorted. "Hate to break it to you, buddy." Lie. She was gleeful about it. "But you aren't the intimidating type."
"I know that," he grumbled through clenched teeth. Their friendship was odd but it wasn't perfect. Xin often liked to remind him of his place and he wanted to remind her of the same but that ran the risk of getting his head knocked from his shoulders. "I thought maybe…"
Xin paused and eyed him before snorting incredulously. "You want me to scare her new boyfriend?"
"So she is dating someone."
"And so what if she is?"
"Look, I know I'm asking a lot but you care for Momoka too! She's like a niece to you and she even calls you aunty. I just want to make sure my daughter is safe."
Xin straightened up in her seat and rolled her shoulders. "I'm no fool, Genji. I know what you're trying to do and you would've made a great councilman if you hadn't fucked it up," she rolled her shoulders again almost thoughtlessly. "But I've dealt with people like you, manipulative bastards."
Yoshiko still wouldn't look her in the eye and Mai kept her distance.
"That's not what this is, milady."
"But it is. You're using my relationship with your child in order to get what you want."
"I just want Momo safe."
"This has shit to do with Momoka and everything to do with the fact that Asuna's moving on from you. That's your problem, Genji. You think you know what's best and you don't."
"Milady, please. If it were you, if you and Kazekage-sama weren't together and he was dating another woman, wouldn't you be concerned for your children?"
Xin leveled him with a blank look. "Well, first off, the only way that could even happen is if my ass is buried six feet underground and we all know that won't happen. So I suppose we'll never know."
Of course she basically gave Gaara her blessing in moving on but that was only when she finally kicked the bucket. But that was only when she died, other than that, he was stuck with her. There would be no separation and divorce, not on her goddamn watch. And sure, maybe that sounded obsessive and toxic but their relationship had gone through far too much for them to eventually divorce.
She'd rather die, she'd honestly have to.
Genji sat back in the chair, clearly put out by her resistance. He knew good and well that she wouldn't warm up to his idea but he thought Momoka would be the leverage he would need. Maybe it wasn't right to use his small child but he was doing it for her safety. Xin didn't have a lot of weaknesses but small children seemed to fit into that very small category. Small children only, she clearly didn't have a problem with killing them once they got a little older.
He still thought of Minori. He hadn't witnessed her murder but he'd seen the aftermath of it as Jura dragged him around. He could see the fresh blood gushing from her slit throat. It was hard for him some days because all he could think of were her glassy eyes, wide and unseeing. Sometimes it was really hard to look at Xin and forget that she'd been the one to cause so much death.
It really begged the question of how she could live with herself. Maybe because she couldn't remember things but the guilt still had to gnaw at her bones.
"Genji," she tried in a surprisingly soft tone. "I know it's not easy, relinquishing control and moving on but you have to. For yours and Asuna's sake. You could start dating too."
How could he date anyone other than Asuna? How could there be anyone other than Asuna? Surely Xin could understand his feelings. After all, Yoshiko was very obvious in her feelings towards the Kazekage but now the girl could barely look anyone in the eye. She'd lost much of her brazenness after Xin returned from Konoha. It didn't take a genius to put together the pieces of that confrontation. Clearly Xin had won that one, not that it was a surprise.
"You can talk about these things, you know, these feelings you have. You feel them for a reason."
"Talk about them? To whom? You?"
She smiled innocently and shrugged. "Well, I suppose so. I'm a good listener, I've been told but I've taken some medics aside to train to work specifically in the mental ward. They're good people."
"You're a confusing woman to understand, milady."
"I've been told."
"Cruelty and kindness seem to go hand in hand with you."
"It's a talent, really."
Genji chuckled and for now, their underlying feelings towards one another were put to rest. For the time being. He was a councilman at heart and she absolutely hated his type. There would always be a verbal spar to be had between them.
"I really do want to make sure my daughter is safe," Genji slowly stood, eyes still on Xin. "Whoever this man is, she's safe around him, right?"
"Of course."
"You swear?"
"Every damn day."
"Milady, please."
She chuckled and stood as well, she needed to get a move on if she didn't want to be late for her next appointment. "Just talk to Asuna, Genji. I'm sure she'd tell you whatever you're obsessing about."
Genji smiled but it was empty. He was pretty sure that a conversation like that wouldn't be pleasant. Xin was right, he had nothing to do with Asuna's personal life if it didn't pertain to their child. She, in turn, offered an almost sympathetic smile and patted his shoulder as they headed out.
"The mental ward is open to everyone, Genji," Xin hummed as they walked side by side. He looked down at her but said nothing. He paused at the entrance of the hospital while Xin motioned the way to the ward. "There's no shame in needing help. Talking about it helps."
Genji continued to eye her, still unsure about her advice. "Of course, you don't have to if you don't want to. But if you change your mind, forms are available at the front desk."
"And the things talked about…?"
"Remain confidential unless whatever is talked about directly endangers Suna," she explained simply. He wasn't sure if that was a jab towards him but it felt like one. "That has yet to happen, so far."
"It's kind of you but…it's a little hard to separate you from who you were before versus who you are now."
She shrugged. "Can't argue with that. Well, in any case, the doors always open. Now, if you'll excuse me," she waved goodbye and quickly set off for the ward. Genji watched her go, remaining rooted to place for a moment that almost lasted too long. He tore his gaze away to glance at the young man sitting behind the big front desk.
With a soft frown, he approached the front desk.
Gaara liked to sleep.
It sounded like such a strange statement to say but that was only because he'd gone without sleeping for the majority of his life. He'd grown so used to not sleeping that even when Shukaku no longer posed a threat of actively trying to break free from him, he just didn't see the need to.
Becoming Kazekage after Rasa was a lot of work. There were a lot of policies and regulations that he worked tirelessly to reform. In turn, he developed a high success rate and hardly ever rested. Those around him noticed but he never actually complained about being tired so they never thought to question it.
And then Xin came along and took one look at his unhealthy work habit and decided that enough was enough. He'd been wary of anything she had her twitchy little fingers on but the medicine, though horribly potent, wasn't poisonous.
For the first time in years, he actually slept well. Granted, it was a little odd to share a bed with another person, especially one who you regularly bickered with, but he was able to get used to it. It was nice to come home and wind down and eventually fall asleep. Besides, there was something so wholly intimate and trusting about climbing into bed with her and just sleeping for a couple of hours.
But lately, he'd been having nightmares. They always started out different but the ending was always the same. Xin always ended up dead. Sometimes Ryuu and Riku would perish with her, sometimes it was his entire family but it was always the same.
No matter what he did, how hard he tried to save her, she always ended up gushing blood all over his hands. No matter how hard he pushed on her stomach or her neck or chest, desperate to stop the blood flow, it never stopped. She shook and trembled and choked on her blood, gasped and pleaded with him but it was useless.
He wasn't sure why these nightmares were manifesting, he'd never had them before. Maybe that's because his life was a goddamn nightmare for years and years. Maybe it was the sudden realization that Xin could be quite reckless and even underestimated her opponents.
Were his nightmares a manifestation of what's to come? That was a depressing thought.
"You look tired," Kankuro stated on the walk home. Now that Temari was gone, he'd taken his role more in helping his younger brother seriously these days. Despite the fact that Xin often scathingly called him a moron, he was smart and strategic. He often spent just as much time with Gaara as Asuna did. "Not sleeping much?"
Gaara took a deep breath. If Kankuro was noticing his lack of energy, Xin would tell right away. "Not recently," he grumbled while rubbing his eyes.
"Something bothering you lately?"
"I'm just worried about Xin."
Kankuro glanced at him, eyebrows raised. "What'd she do now? Did she hit someone? I keep telling that woman that she can't keep beating on people, the twins are going to learn that behavior and they're going to be nightmares."
Gaara eyed him, somewhat amused. "You think my children are nightmares?"
"They're not right now but if their mother is beating up on people, what does that tell them?"
"She hasn't been beating up on people, Kankuro," Gaara chuckled, interrupting the tirade. "She hasn't done anything." Gaara paused and took a deep breath. "Have you ever had nightmares?"
Kankuro's brow twitched, that was an unexpected question. "Sure, man. Every now and then. It's normal," he shrugged. "Unless…it's not normal for you?"
"They just started recently."
"I'm guessing the nightmares involve Xin."
He told him all about his nightmares on their walk home. It was hard and he could tell that Kankuro was uncomfortable with the subject matter. Hopefully this wouldn't give him nightmares as well.
Xin came thumping down the stairs just as they arrived home, their conversation momentarily put to rest. "Welcome home," she said around a jaw-cracking yawn. She padded up to them, kissing Gaara and patting Kankuro on the cheek. "Just put the twins down for bed."
Her hair was pulled back, bangs held back by a band. She turned away from them, waving towards the kitchen. "Dinner's waiting on the table. I'll just finish up some work while you eat." She settled down on the couch and focused on whatever had her attention at the moment.
"You should probably talk to her about this," Kankuro suggested quietly over dinner. "You know she'll probably notice eventually how tired you are. The woman's like a damn hound."
Gaara grunted over his food. Tired herself, she would eventually notice that he was starting to burn out. Once that happened, they'd have little luck in getting her to shut up about it.
They finished their dinner and cleaned up. Kankuro retired to bed first, leaning over the back of the couch to kiss Xin on the cheek. "Thanks for dinner, Xin. Good as always."
"You're welcome," she hummed almost distractedly but smiled and leaned into him. "Everything's cleaned up and put away?"
"Of course, those are the rules," he grinned. "Try not to stay up too late, Xin. You're looking a bit tired," he squeezed her shoulder and turned away. She shot him a look and flagged him off with a chuckle.
Gaara joined her moments later, sinking down and stretching out next to her. "Boys give you trouble tonight?"
"Nah, not really. You know Genji stopped by today?"
"Willingly?"
"Oi, we're friends. Sort of. Anyway, he wanted me to tell him who Asuna's been dating."
"Did you?"
"No! He wanted to gossip."
"You gossip, Xin. All of the time," he reached over and tugged her closer, settling his arm around her shoulders. She scoffed but leaned into him, lightly elbowing him in the side but settled anyway. "Did you hurt him?"
"No, no. I suggested he needs to talk to someone though. The man is a control freak. He seemed pretty offended that you were looking after your kids."
"Ah, so now they're just mine. Did he say as much?"
"Didn't have to, I got the vibe just fine."
"And you didn't break something on him?"
Xin snorted and shifted around until she was resting comfortably against him. "No, it's just the way he was raised. You know, that traditional way and all. Can't blame him for that but hopefully he took my words into consideration. He wanted me to strong-arm the new boyfriend."
That got him to laugh. "Strong-arm Kankuro? Well, you certainly could."
"But I won't. He's my goddamn brother and plus, it's not my business in the first place."
"Sure, it's not like you encouraged them to date."
She reached up and pinched at his abdomen. "Anyway, you have something you want to tell me? I heard you and Kankuro in the kitchen."
"You really are a hound," Gaara sighed. "I haven't been sleeping well lately." Better to just admit it, otherwise she'd pester him until he lost his mind.
"Yes, I've noticed. What's going on?" Of course she noticed. There wasn't much that got past her. She was just that goddamn nosy. Still, the fact that she'd notice but hadn't said anything must have meant she was waiting for him to say something.
They were a team, husband and wife, parents and partners. He drilled that into her thick ass skull when she went running to Konoha, pregnant and anxious. They weren't supposed to keep things from one another. That didn't only occur to her, she had every right to know when something was weighing him down.
The problem, really, was that there was no solution to his issue. How could he stop the nightmares? How could he know for sure that she wouldn't recklessly get herself killed? He could force her into retirement, keep her home and well protected with Ryuu and Riku. As Kazekage, he could literally order that of her.
But he'd never do that to her. As much as she loved her children, it just wasn't in her blood to putter around the house 24/7. She'd grow antsy, as she had once before. Maybe it was the Will of Fire or maybe it was just her but casting her into a role like that would drive her nuts.
Besides, that was no way to live. Xin had done everything asked of her from the minute she accepted the marriage arrangement. She was a goddamn menace about it but she still did what was asked of her. All she ever asked of him was to leave her status as a kunoichi alone. It was the least he could do. Sure, they were happy and things worked out in their favor but the fact still remained that this wasn't necessarily what she thought she wanted.
Gaara shifted around her until he was essentially hugging her to him, pulling until she was settled on his lap. She basked greedily in his affectious ways, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. He took the time to tell her all about the nightmares and she listened quietly, nails scraping against his neck encouragingly.
She didn't immediately say anything when he was finished talking, lips pursed in thought instead. "I suppose that is cause for some concern," she said after a short while. Her face pulled because they both knew any reassurance she could think of would be shallow at best. Besides, it was kind of her fault anyway. She was the one with the big ass mouth that planted that sort of seed with her talk of dying first and encouraging him to move on.
What could she tell him? That she wasn't going to die? That would just be a big fat lie because she didn't know what would happen. She wasn't a perfect kunoichi nor was she a Jinchuriki. Besides her freakish iron will, there was nothing that promised she'd survive and survive again. She had no absolute defense, no unlimited supply of Chakra or a demon sealed into her to come to her aide. It was just Xin and she was so wholly human that it made him sick to his stomach.
"You know I can't make empty promises and unfortunately I can't stop those nightmares," Xin said after a long pause. "All I can do is just try my best. I know this sounds shallow but try not to think of the bad. Think of the good and hopefully that'll be enough to chase the nightmares away."
"It sounds simple," he snorted.
"It works for me," she shrugged but she steadily avoided his gaze. "I have nightmares about losing you too. It's the worst, I can never get to you in time and I wake up just ready to cry." He wondered just how long she'd been having her own nightmares to deal with. It was a wonder she could really even function as a human being. "But then I turn over and you're right there and that feeling of relief washes over me and…" she trailed off with a soft sigh. "We didn't pick easy professions but maybe it's best to stop worrying about 'could be' and focus on the 'now'."
It was something surprisingly vulnerable for her to admit, not only out loud but to him as well.
"Sometimes it's easy to forget you're wise beyond your years," Gaara said after another short pause. She rolled her eyes and ignored the jab, opting to press her mouth against his neck in reassuring kisses.
"I wish things were easier for us but they're not," she whispered against the skin of his throat. He sighed and leaned his head back, baring more and more of his neck to her.
"Easy's boring," Gaara decided truthfully, grunting when she nipped sharply at the pulse point in his neck. Maybe the nightmares would never go away, maybe they would but they couldn't stop him from continuing with his life. Not when he was needed. The conversation gradually ended and Gaara gathered her up in his arms, ignoring her cries of protest. She still had so much work to do but he left it all spread out on the table, reassuring her that it would be there in the morning.
He carried her to their bedroom, dropping her in a heap on the bed. She remained seated while he carried out his nightly ritual of washing the day's stress away. She waited patiently as he peeked into the nursery, making sure the wonder twins hadn't woken prematurely. That was the last thing either of them needed.
Eventually he returned to her, kissing along the soft curves of her face and mindlessly tugging her hair free. Her bangs settled back over her forehead and her hair tumbled down her back in dark waves of blue, just the way he liked it.
The nightmares came barreling at him the moment he fell asleep. It played out the same way it always did. Finding her lifeless body among the ruin and rumble of Suna, the sand underneath dyed vibrantly with her blood. He tried to resist going near her, knowing that she was dead but his feet carried him to the crumpled figure. Her eyes were wide open and glassy, still so startlingly beautiful, even in death. But so unnaturally still.
He didn't want to touch her, to fall for the trap his dream was orchestrating. He didn't want to know what it would feel like to hold her truly lifeless body. But he fell to his knees at her body and gathered her up in his arms anyway. Her head rolled back, hanging over his arm. Blood gushed out of her like a broken faucet, staining his arms and legs.
He shook her and called her name and kissed at her cold face but none of it was enough to rouse her. She was gone, so far gone to where he couldn't follow her. But he tried and tried and tried.
Gaara's eyes snapped open with a hard gasp. He felt hot and clammy, irritably rubbing at his face as he sat up. He glanced around and realized that there was no destruction. He was back in his bedroom and it was two in the morning. He grunted and rubbed harshly at his eyes, wondering when these awful ass nightmares would end.
He heard a soft sigh and when he glanced down, Xin was rolling into his side. She muttered incoherently and stretched her arm across his waist, hand settling at his hip. He stared down at her, watching over her as she peacefully slept on. She wasn't cold to the touch nor was she graying. She was her usual self and she was alive.
He almost wanted to wake her up just to be sure that she was alive. There was no blood gushing out of her and she was breathing but he still…he wanted to just make sure.
But Xin was cranky when her sleep was interrupted, especially since she worked tirelessly during the day. He'd only feel guilt if he woke her up right now. Instead he settled back into bed and focused on working his arms around her. He gently pulled her towards him and she rolled easily into his chest.
Xin was a notoriously deep sleeper but maybe she sensed something was wrong because her eyes cracked open. "….okay?" she whispered, voice thick with sleep and unknowingly offering him comfort.
He hugged her tighter, larger body curling around her. "Everything's fine," he decided after a moment, knowing she wouldn't rest until he said so. She hummed softly and pressed her mouth to his chest in reassurance before snuggling into his embrace, gradually falling back asleep.
Everything was okay.
Souji frowned softly. He was only somewhat surprised when Xin returned to the village. Alive. He knew it was a bit of a stretch to have her ambushed but he'd been hoping she'd be overwhelmed by the sneak attack. Clearly that wasn't the case. He assumed she'd been hurt enough to simply die out in the desert but the woman clearly had a problem with dying, which was a frequent rumor he'd heard time and time again. Motherhood hadn't dulled her senses one bit, unfortunately.
Yuma, the little idiot, was going to die if he tried to throw down with the woman. The element of surprise was gone, wasted by his young impatience, ruining a perfectly good chance to ambush the woman when her guard was down. Now she knew they were hunting her and there was no way she'd just roll over and die.
He sighed in irritation. He knew Yuma's goal was a dangerous one, one that he hardly had the chance to achieve. He told him that time and time again but the young man refused to see reason. Hell, he was almost positive Xin would've given him a pass but then he threw that explosive tag at her kids.
He was most certainly going to die.
He pursed his lips in thought. He promised Yuki that he would take care of Yuma but he was beginning to regret that promise now that he proved to be a bit of a troublemaker. Of course he warned him against his plans against Xin. He was far older and an experienced Shinobi in his own right but even knew that the small woman was a force to be reckoned with.
It was foolish but he'd really been banking on the group of Shinobi to take her out. He would have preferred she perished that way instead of taking her head on but she had different plans. He was all out of plans at this point and had to come to terms with the fact that he was probably going to die.
"Yuma," Souji began, rubbing thoughtfully at his chin. "I don't suppose I could talk you out of this dangerous plan, could I?"
The younger, hardly trained Shinobi scowled up at him. "How many times are you going to try that before you realize that there's no changing my mind? Why would you even want to, don't you hate her too?"
That was a hard question to answer. Though Xin had brutally slaughtered Yuki and her family, he understood that it wasn't a random act. He was a Shinobi and they followed orders. Perhaps she could have spared Yuki but Xin was nothing if not efficient. Mercy was something she hadn't been accustomed to. At least not back then.
Honestly, a part of him blamed Yuki for her own death, for marrying a man who was stupidly ambitious. Souji warned her about that, about that man she married but she refused to listen. Look where it led her, straight to her death.
The thing about Yuma was that he wasn't raised as a ninja. He didn't understand that Shinobi operated under the orders of their Kage and Daimyo. Yuma had begun a crash course of Shinobi training after Yuki and her family met their deaths. And it's not like they had any ties to any villages, they were basically nuke-nin. He tried to explain the politics of the Shinobi but Yuma wouldn't hear of it.
He didn't care for anything other than his suicide mission.
"She's going to kill you, you know," Souji said instead of answering. "And me, by association."
"Don't tell me you're afraid of her."
"Anyone who knows that woman is afraid of her. I tried to warn you before that she isn't normal. I doubt even her husband would want to seriously fight her."
"No one is invincible," Yuma stubbornly argued. "I made a promise that day and I'm not going back on it. She'll die for what she did."
Souji didn't bother arguing. No use in arguing with a dead man.
"Xin, I can barely read your penmanship."
"Unn?"
Kankuro watched in silent amusement as Gaara tried in vain to decipher Xin's latest medical records. He told her time and time again to work on her penmanship but it was a loss cause at this point, she was set in her ways.
"Look, it clearly states—" she leaned over his desk, pointing insistently at the documents. She held Riku to her chest with her free arm, almost like he was an extra appendage.
"Clearly?" Gaara repeated dryly. Ryuu was sitting on his lap, anchored to his stomach by his free arm. Kankuro found it a little strange that they weren't being so fussy but maybe it was because both their parents were present. "There's nothing clear about this."
"It is too. See, look."
"It's nonsense."
"You're nonsense."
"You're a literal child. Ryuu and Riku are more mature than you."
Asuna chortled, hand over her mouth. "It's easy to forget that they're feared throughout the lands when they act like this," she commented.
"You think the twins'll bicker like that?" Kankuro intoned blankly.
The leggy blonde continued to chuckle. "Oh, I certainly hope not. We'd never get a moment's peace between the four of them!" Asuna griped, thinking of the would be disaster if the twins inherited their parents' penchant for bickering. She feared her hair would turn gray far sooner than possible if that were the case.
Kankuro huffed a laugh. "Those kids will be a couple of menaces just like their parents. Can you believe they want another child? A daughter."
Asuna sputtered, trying to mask her snickers behind a cough. "Now that's not nice, Kankuro," she chided with a grin. "I don't blame them, she's the only woman in a house full of boys." Really, she would've pitied Xin. Boys were notoriously rambunctious but the small woman could be just as rough. "A daughter might soften her."
Kankuro eyed the bluenette, watching as she viciously scowled at her own husband. "Okay, the one thing I can't do is have perfect penmanship, sue me!"
"The one thing?"
"Are you suggesting there's more than I can't do perfectly?"
"You can't take criticism."
"Who can?!" Xin threw her one empty hand up. Riku squirmed against her chest, face twitching, sensing his mother's agitation. "Great, look what you did."
"You're the one yelling."
"You're making me yell."
The two shared a heated glare but Xin quickly gave up on it (or lost, as Gaara liked to say) to wrap her other arm around Riku. "Oh, Bubs, don't fuss. Daddy's just a fuckin' nuisance sometimes."
"Your mother's a headache."
"You motherfu—"
"Okay!" Asuna clapped her hands loudly, distracting the two before they could go off on a rampage with one another. She found their bickering amusing but it was growing more and more heated, mostly due to Xin's fleeting temper. "Milady, are you alright? You seem…agitated."
"She's always like that," Kankuro snorted.
"I will murder—"
"Milady," Asuna cleared her throat. "I don't mean to overstep but usually you're more…easy-going. Are you okay?" the older blonde asked carefully.
Xin bounced Riku distractedly, ignoring the fact that everyone was waiting for her answer. "I'm fine," she said after a tense moment. "I just don't like being criticized and he knows that," she shot Gaara another scowl. "Look, I'll have Ukyo redo the report and have her drop it off. I should be getting back. Fork over Chubs."
Gaara angled his body away from her, cutting her off before she could untangle Ryuu from him. "Leave them with us."
Xin eyed him for a long time before relenting with a sigh. "Sure, fine. That means you have to bring them home on time, okay? Do not keep my children out later than necessary."
"They're mine too, Xin."
She ignored him and motioned for Ryuu. "Be good for your pain in the ass father, eh Chubs?" she leaned over and planted several kisses against the giggling baby's face. She pulled away with a smile and though she'd spent the last hour bickering with him, kissed Gaara on the cheek as well.
"Same for you, Bubs," Xin spoke into Riku's hair, kissing at his forehead before handing him over to Kankuro. "Be good."
"I'll walk you down," Asuna volunteered, laying a comforting hand against the small of Xin's back. She offered a quick smile to Kankuro and Gaara but turned her focus back to the smaller woman, gently ushering her out before she could find something else to snap her teeth at.
"So, Xin seems…" Kankuro began.
"I think she's stressed out from her workload," Gaara said immediately, never one to beat around the bush. As the days went on, Xin's workload grew and grew. It seemed like she was always busy with something, whether it had something to do with the hospital or mental facility.
"Sounds like she needs a break. When's the last time you two…" Kankuro trailed off with a grimace. He made a strange gesture with his fingers. "You know…"
Gaara squinted at him. "I'm assuming you mean sex?" He, like Xin, found his brother's aversion to the subject amusing but he never said as much. He wasn't sure what was so bad about it but Xin often cited his emotional constipation and maturity level as a factor.
"Yes. That."
"If it makes you uncomfortable, why ask about it?"
"Because she's easily agitated these days."
"So you're worried and you think sex might be a relaxing factor to help her?"
"Gaara, please stop making this weirder than it already is. I'm trying to help here."
And he appreciated it but it was still amusing. "I suppose it's been awhile since the last time," he answered after a short pause. They were both so busy these days anyway and Xin had the added hassle of caring for the twins as well. It wasn't strange for him to come home and find her dozing off on the couch. "But she might even be too tired for that anyway."
Kankuro made a face, he really didn't want to think about the nitty gritty of their sex life. Though to be fair, he asked. "Why don't we try to take some of her workload off?"
That seemed to get Gaara's attention.
"I mean, we're not completely inept at housework and we can make a decent meal between the two of us. If not, takeout is a thing too. It's nice coming home after a long day to a clean house and a warm meal waiting but how often does Xin get that?"
It was true, now that he thought about it. Whether she was dozing or not when he came home, there was always food waiting, the house was cleaned and the twins were quietly tucked away. It had to be annoying to come home from a hectic day only to have to do more work.
"Some of your days could be cut short and we can take the twins and be home first," Kankuro suggested, bouncing Riku on his knee. The toddler laughed, drool coating his chin as he chaotically clapped. "Yeah, storm cloud, it sounds like a good idea."
"That could work," Gaara agreed. He wasn't opposed to the idea of doing housework. He'd shared the housework with his siblings before Xin came along. The thing about Xin was that she was particular about how she wanted her house cleaned and just preferred to do it herself. Still, it might be a nice surprise to come home and not have to worry about that.
It really wouldn't kill either of them to pull their own weight around the house. Maybe they wouldn't necessarily do it her way but it would still get done regardless. Maybe she wouldn't be so high-strung. Though to be honest, her temper tantrum today might guilt her and she may want to apologize later for it.
Yes, it sounded like a good idea.
"We'll start today then," Gaara decided as soon as Asuna stepped back into the room. She wordlessly picked up Ryuu from his lap.
"Start what?" She tucked Ryuu carefully into her chest, happily inhaling that baby smell they were all so fond of.
"We're going home early to help Xin with the housework so she won't have to do it," Kankuro explained, proud of his idea.
"Oh? Is that so? That sounds like a good idea, she's so stressed. Maybe you can talk to her about the mental facility, Kazekage-sama. It's weighing her down, some of the things that's talked about."
"She told you that?"
"Yes. It's confidential, of course but…she sees herself in some of our Shinobi. I suppose it's digging up unpleasant memories for her."
That was something he'd been wary of when she first mentioned her plans for a mental health ward. He hoped it wouldn't drag her back into that dark pocket of her mind but she wouldn't have told him regardless. That just meant he hadn't been paying enough attention to her. Telling her he was having nightmares of her demise probably didn't help either.
"She usually tends to go home around four or five," Asuna helpfully added, dancing in place for Ryuu's sole amusement. It would seem that like their mother, his children had the ability to wrap his Shinobi around their fingers.
"Thank you, Asuna. It's obvious I need to pay more attention to her."
"No need to thank me, I care about her. She does a lot for my family, when she's not beating them up. Though sometimes I admit, they deserve it," Asuna paused to chuckle. "Like I said, if you ever need someone to watch Ryuu and Riku, I'm available." She cemented her point by winking at him.
"Oh, God," Kankuro shuddered in disgust.
Gaara ignored his brother's grievances for the remainder of the afternoon. They had a plan and he was determined to get as much work done as possible before leaving. He knew Xin's mental state was far more fragile than his and if she was too overwhelmed, she'd have a violent meltdown.
It wasn't long before he was deeming the day finished. The twins had their afternoon nap and were awake once more, though Asuna and Kankuro kept them busy for the most part. Baki had even dropped by at one point and held the twins for a while before leaving.
Asuna suggested that they get dinner from one of Xin's favorite restaurants. Comfort food, she had said. It sounded like a good idea and Gaara always appreciated it when Xin made his favorite food without him having to ask. So they stopped on the way home, making sure to get her favorite comfort food.
The twins were put into their playpen with toys and activities as Gaara and Kankuro focused on any house chores that needed to be finished for the day. They periodically checked on the children but Ryuu and Riku were in their own world. Xin arrived home around six, far too tired to take notice of the Chakra signatures. "I'm home," she yawned, though she was used to a quiet home and no one there to welcome her.
Kankuro popped his head out of the kitchen. "Oi, Xin, welcome back."
Her eyes popped open immediately, face twisted. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I…live here?" Kankuro ducked out of the kitchen to properly greet her. "Come inside, you'll get sand in and Gaara just swept," he reached around her to pull her in, shutting the front door behind her.
"He did what?"
"Swept. You know, with a broom? The broom you threaten to hit us with?"
She was surprised to see Ryuu and Riku in their playpen as Kankuro ushered her into the kitchen. She'd been sure that she'd have to physically collect them from Gaara at his office later that night. She was rewarded with her favorite smells from one of her favorite restaurants when she stepped into the kitchen. "Welcome home, Xin," Gaara greeted, kissing her on the forehead.
"Thanks but…uh…what the hell is happening here? Why are you home so early and did you two…did you two actually clean without me telling you to?" Her kitchen was a lot cleaner than she left it this morning. "What the hell did you two do?"
Gaara chuckled but ushered her into the chair. "Are you hungry or not, Xin?"
"Yes but…" she wasn't really sure what to say so she just let Kankuro serve her dinner. It was jarring, she realized, to come home and not have to do anything. Her chores were done and dinner was taken care of. She only needed to bathe the twins and maybe she could actually relax and get a goodnight's sleep.
She was caught off-guard that dinner consisted mostly of her favorite foods. She was beginning to think she stepped into a Genjutsu. "Did the twins give you any trouble?"
"No, they were well-behaved. Especially when Baki came around."
"Well, I suppose everyone's on their best behavior when Baki comes around."
"Even you."
She waved the statement away and though she began to clear the dishes away, she was shooed out of the kitchen. She had no choice but to join her children in the living room, leaning over to scoop Riku out. "Christ, you two are getting heavier. You'll be one soon! What's mommy supposed to do then, eh?"
It was easy to forget about her difficult days when she could come home and cuddle her children. She could hardly imagine her life without Ryuu and Riku now and that often came as a shock to her. She could specifically remember her aversion to a life like this, disgust even. She lived for the danger and thrill, for the bloodshed, once upon a time.
But now she couldn't fathom not seeing her childrens' faces. She'd always been okay with dying, craved it even. But now…well now, dying meant not being able to see them grow up. To never see their gummy smiles or have to wipe drool from their chins…it actually hurt.
She always thought that she was there to ruin lives, to do the dirty work and shoulder the madness that came with it. But that just wasn't true. She was here for Ryuu and Riku. To guide them and love them and it was honestly the best feeling she ever had.
"You okay?" Gaara joined her after the kitchen was cleaned up, reaching into the playpen for Ryuu. It was almost bath time and though the twins were getting older, it was still chaotic.
"M'fine," she mumbled into Riku's hair. He fisted at her own hair but hadn't attempted to rip it from her scalp. "The twins…I just…it's hard to think of the choices our parents made that screwed us up. I'd never want any of that for them."
Gaara grunted in thought. "We have luxuries that our parents didn't have and in turn, they have luxuries we didn't have. It's a cycle."
"Mm," she hummed almost sadly. "So, what's all this been about? Taking care of dinner? Doing the chores? That's not like either of you."
He took a deep breath. "Kankuro and I have an inside joke that though I'm Kazekage, you're far busier than I am. I oversee the going-ons of the village and protect it but it's hard to track you down. You're always doing…something."
She blinked at him but stayed quiet. "You're healing or teaching, you're at the greenhouse, you're trying to bring attention to mental health. You almost always have the twins with you, you come home and cook and clean. You make sure Kankuro and I are taken care of. It's a lot, especially just for one person and I probably don't help when I criticize something as small as your awful penmanship."
"Yet you keep doing it."
He chuckled but said nothing else about it. "You do a lot, Xin. For Suna, us, the twins. You've been stressed lately and we thought it wouldn't kill us to help you more."
She continued to blink at him, thoroughly caught off-guard. Truth be told, she was running herself ragged but didn't see the point in complaining. She was the one who insisted on healing and teaching and working at the greenhouse. She was the one who wouldn't shut the hell up about mental health and decided to carry out a pregnancy.
But she hadn't been forced into doing any of that. She'd done it because she wanted to. Because she needed to. For every bad deed she'd done, whether she remembered it or not, there was a good deed for retribution. She wanted to be remembered for the good she had done, not for the bad. She wanted to be someone her children could be proud of.
"…Are you crying?"
Xin sniffled. "No."
Gaara snorted and shifted Ryuu, freeing one arm to wrap around her shoulder. She tried in vain to stifle her soft sniffling and tears but they kept coming. Kankuro happened to wander in at that moment, still wiping his hands. "What's going on?"
"Your idea to help Xin around the house made her cry."
"What the fuck."
One thing that remained true about Xin over the years was that her senses never dulled. Her instincts were as sharp as ever, maybe even more so these days. Sure, they had their lovely Era of Peace but it wasn't like she could just switch her paranoia and instincts off.
She had a strange feeling as she handed Ryuu and Riku off to Sachiko and Ukyo. She was scheduled for a surgery in fifteen minutes and she needed her hands free for the time being. She kissed them, smiling when they pulled at her hair before sending Sachiko and Ukyo away for a walk.
Things were calm as she focused on her healing but her gut-feeling festered, nearly distracting her. She managed to get through it without making any mistakes but the feeling remained.
And then she realized Sachiko and Ukyo weren't back. She fully trusted the two girls with her children and usually wouldn't fret so much but the two usually returned the same time each day. And well….they weren't back yet. She stopped at the front desk on her way back to her office, smiling cheerfully as she leaned against the desk. "Izaya, did you see if Sachi and Ukyo came back yet?"
The young man frowned. "No ma'am, haven't seen them back yet."
She was nearly offended that he would call her 'ma'am' but she was too focused on the fact the four still weren't back. Again, she reminded herself that Sachiko and Ukyo would never do anything to purposely upset her when it came to her children but she couldn't understand why they still weren't back.
Just as she was turning towards the doors of the hospital, they burst open. Sachiko came storming in, blood rushing down her face from a head wound and down her arms. The healers and workers of the hospital simultaneously jumped from her sudden appearance.
"The fuck—"
"Milady!" Sachiko sobbed wetly, tears mixing in with her blood. Xin rushed towards the other woman, grabbing her by the arms when she swayed on her feet.
She shifted her weight to her feet and steeled her arms, Sachiko was much taller than Xin and all her swaying had her convinced that she would drop at any moment. "Sachi, calm down! What's going on, where's Ukyo?"
And where the fuck were her children?
"They took them!" Sachiko nearly wailed. "I'm sorry, I couldn't fight them off but Ukyo chased after them!" Another medic came rushing towards them, wrapping his arms around her waist to take the strain off of Xin. He eased her down on the floor, hands carefully brushing her hair away to check her head wound.
Xin followed suit, Chakra-infused hands running soothingly over the length of her arms. She stitched her wounds together carefully, surprisingly calm. "They took Ryuu and Riku?"
"Yes, I'm sorry, milady. I tried, I really tried," Sachiko continued to sob.
"Oh, Sachi, it's not your fault," Xin said in a soft tone. Sachiko wasn't a trained Shinobi, she wasn't even a trained medic. She was simply an assistant, it wasn't like she could do anything against a Shinobi. "Thank you for trying. Who took them?" She had a feeling though but she just wanted confirmation.
"Two men," Sachiko said quickly. "One was bald and the other was younger and wore a mask. He had burn scars up his arms."
Yuma and Souji.
"And Ukyo went after them?"
Sachiko nodded wordlessly, face broken up in grief. Xin insisted that it wasn't her fault but the guilt was practically eating her alive. She could barely put up a fight against them, feeling as if she practically handed Riku over to Souji. Ryuu and Riku were in grave danger and she couldn't do anything about it.
Xin stood up, nodding slowly and still deceptively calm. She patted Sachiko carefully on the head, gently sweeping bloodsoaked bangs away from the gushing head wound for the medic. "Thank you, Sachi and don't you worry about a thing." She shrugged out of her medic's coat, handing it off with a casual roll of her shoulders.
Still crouching with Sachiko and healing her head wound, the medic peered up at the pale woman. "Milady?" he pressed carefully, watching her with a soft frown. She was surprisingly calm for someone whose children were just taken.
"Postpone my appointments, yeah?" Xin started talking. "And would someone please alert Kazekage-sama about the situation?" Veins began straining at her eyes, her Byakugan pulsing to life. "I'll be going now." She smiled sweetly and turned, leaving the hospital as if she was leaving on any normal day.
Xin easily followed Sachiko's blood trail throughout the village, following it all the way to the gates of Suna. The gatekeepers scrambled towards her, telling her that Ukyo chased the two men and wailing children out of the village. She worried for Ukyo and her children but kept up a calm disposition, instructing them to wait for Gaara or any Shinobi he might send.
She rushed from the protective fortress, sandals pounding against the sand as she pumped more and more Chakra into her legs and feet. If Ukyo and the kids were hurt, even in the slightest, she was going to murder Yuma and Souji.
For days she considered showing them mercy, considered convincing them to just leave the past in the past and move on with their lives. But now, with Sachiko hurt and Ukyo in pursuit of her kidnapped kids, mercy was almost a foreign concept to her. She couldn't let them go, she wouldn't. Not after this sort of slight.
Ukyo wasn't terribly far from Suna when she managed to thwart their fleeing. Ryuu and Riku were screeching in agitation, in the arms of two strangers unfamiliar to them. She grimaced, feeling for the small children. She had to get them back before the situation escalated.
With the help of a clone, she managed to cut the two nuke-nin off, twin tonfa ready for a confrontation. These days, she preferred to work strictly as a medical ninja but that didn't mean her training was entirely lost. She was positive that she could at least take Yuma out."This doesn't have to end in any more bloodshed," she tried to eliminate having to fight in the first place. "Please, just give them back to me. I'm sure Kazekage-sama and Sensei will be merciful if you just return their children to me. Unharmed."
"Merciful?" Yuma scoffed, holding Ryuu like he was a sack of potatoes. She cringed at the sight. "You think a murderous Jinchuriki and psychotic sociopath will show me mercy!?" He shouted in anger, jerking Ryuu around wildly.
"They won't if you hurt their innocent children!" Ukyo shouted back. "Oh, Ryuu, it's okay!" She tried to soothe the agitated babe but it was useless.
"My siblings were innocent and so was my mother but she still killed them and set them on fire! Why does this child deserve any different?" Yuma continued to jerk Ryuu around callously. Souji remained quiet, cradling Riku as if he wasn't screeching his head off. "She doesn't deserve them, this life! None of it!"
Yuma ripped a kunai from his holster and held it threateningly above Ryuu, tip of the blade pointed straight at the babe's face. Ukyo nearly threw her heart up her throat. "No!" She rushed forward, Chakra pumping in her legs and she crossed the space between them. She managed, only barely, to shove her right tonfa between the kunai and Ryuu's face.
It caught Yuma off guard and using that to her advantage, she bashed the blunt end of her left tonfa into his face. He fell back with a harsh cry. Ukyo managed to grab hold of Ryuu, ripping the babe from his arms as he fell backwards in the sand. She jumped away, putting some distance in between them, cradling Ryuu protectively to her chest.
Relief flooded her but she realized she would have a hard time getting Riku now that the element of surprise was gone. She could hand Ryuu off to a clone while she dealt with Souji but she couldn't trust Yuma not to attack the clone.
Souji sighed and rolled his eyes. "You all right, Yuma?" He tucked Riku under his arm, far more gently than Yuma but still careless of the small child.
"Please," Ukyo turned her blue eyes on Souji. "Please give him back. This doesn't have to go on any longer. Her children shouldn't be held responsible for her actions."
Yuma's eyes were blank as he slowly looked down at Riku. He was wriggling stubbornly in his grip, wailing like a banshee. "She was my sister. Yuma's mother, she was my sister. He's my nephew," he revealed in a surprisingly calm voice.
Ukyo only blinked at the bald man, clearly caught off-guard by the revelation. It certainly explained a lot of open-ended questions. But still, it didn't explain why Yuma was spared.
"I want her to suffer but I know the two of us are no match for her," Souji continued in an almost careless tone. "We can't kill her but we can hurt her like she's hurt us."
Ukyo's stomach sank. An eye for an eye.
Souji callously dropped Riku into the sand, eyes still so blank as he stared down at the squirming baby. Ukyo cringed at the treatment and readied herself to take off when she saw an opening. Souji held up his hands, fingers twisted around four kunai knives in both hands. Eight kunai in total.
"Wait—"
Seemingly recovered, Yuma took off towards Ukyo. She dodged with a surprised squawk, ducking out of the way of his erratic kunai swipes. She held Ryuu tightly to her chest and tried to keep an eye on Riku even as she dodged Yuma's attacks. He was clearly aiming for Ryuu and Ukyo suffered for it, taking the swipes that she couldn't dodge in time.
Souji jumped away and launched the eight kunai knives at Riku. Not only were blades hurtling towards him, explosive tags were attached to the rings. Even if the kunai missed their intended target, the explosions would kill Riku. "No!" she screeched, turning towards the baby only to have a kunai sink right into her upper bicep.
Something blurred by them, speed nearly knocking both Ukyo and Yuma off their feet. "Hakkeshō Kaiten!" A rotating bubble of Chakra appeared right where Riku was squirming on the ground, exploding kunai crashing against it. They exploded against the rotating wall of Chakra. The explosions and the power of the bubble actually managed to knock them all off their feet.
Ukyo hit the ground with a harsh grunt but still curled around Ryuu, ignoring the blood gushing from her wounds. She tucked her head closer to him, shushing the agitated babe.
When the dome of Chakra died down, Xin stood in its place. Her expression was surprisingly blank as she glanced around. She didn't seem the least bit bothered by Souji and Yuma's presence, focusing her attention instead on her sobbing son. "Oh, Riku, I'm sorry." She crouched down into the sand and gathered him in her arms. "Mommy's sorry, she didn't mean to take so long and scare you."
She swayed in a soothing way, familiar to Riku. He began to quiet down though he was still quite irritated. She smiled, cooing softly until his gurgles of discontent died down into moody sniffles. "Ukyo? Are you two okay? Sorry for knocking you over."
Ukyo managed to sit up with a cringe. "I'm fine, Sensei! Ryuu's fine as well! He's just annoyed." She purposely ignored her gushing wounds with a smile. She should suffer for allowing her teacher's children to be swiped away.
"You have a kunai in your arm," Xin pointed out with a blank expression. She approached the younger kunoichi, heedless of Souji and Yuma. It was as if they weren't even on the radar. Even with her arms full, she managed to carefully dislodge the kunai, healing the wound before Ukyo could bleed to death.
"T-Thank you, Sensei. I'm…I'm sorry, I couldn't stop—"
"Oh, no need to be sorry. I'm grateful that you chased after them." She grabbed Ukyo and pulled her to her feet. "Ryuu, honey, I'm here, don't worry." Xin leaned into the babe, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Ukyo felt a whole hell of a lot better now that Xin was here, knowing that she could most definitely kick their asses even with her arms full.
Instead, she held Riku up to Ukyo as well. "Think you can get back—" She was cut off as Souji and Yuma viciously came barreling at them. Ukyo dodged Souji's attack entirely while Xin effortlessly caught Yuma's wrist before he could punch her in the head.
She laughed humorlessly and with one squeeze, broke Yuma's wrist. He screamed in agony but Xin held on, watching as he fell to his knees. They were all so focused on Yuma's screaming that they didn't notice the sand shifting around Souji until it was too late.
The sand burst upwards, coiling around Souji until he was fully encased. It almost looked like a sand coffin. Only Souji's face was visible, slightly panicked. There was no way to fight out of it and Xin found herself watching Souji's panic in rapt fascination. More sand burst upwards but this time, Gaara appeared. Sand rolled down over him, creating a terrifying sight.
Ukyo felt fear roll through her. She had never seen Gaara look so menacing. The smell of blood was ripe in the air and she realized belatedly that it was coming from his sand.
"Look who's on time," Xin joked but her voice was almost flat.
"I've never been late," Gaara replied seriously, stepping out of the waterfall of sand. "Are they hurt?"
"No, just pissed off."
"And Ukyo?"
"I'm fine, Kazekage-sama!" Ukyo squeaked, again ignoring the rest of her wounds. "Don't worry about me! As long as the twins are fine, it's good enough for me!" She was impressed that the two had shown up and quickly incapacitated Souji and Yuma.
Xin turned to look at Yuma. "Your mother didn't want you, did she?" Her tone was relaxed but still held an air of monotone. "I couldn't understand how you were spared but I think I figured it out. You were illegitimate and a family of high-standing couldn't have a bastard child in the mix."
"Fuck you!" Yuma managed to snarl. She was still holding onto his broken wrist, grip grinding the shattered bone into fragments. He cried out in agony but her expression didn't change.
"Her husband made her give you up, didn't he? Gave you to Souji, perhaps to look after? Must not have cut you completely off since you feel so strongly about their deaths. Is that why you weren't there when I set the house on fire?"
"You don't deserve this when you ruined my life," Yuma spat instead, tears filling his eyes. Gaara watched solemnly, fist tightening every now and then. In turn, the sand around Souji would tighten dangerously, strangling him until it gradually relaxed around him.
"Maybe not," Xin mused. "You got those burns trying to save them, right? Unwilling to accept they were already dead?" She wouldn't let go even when he pulled uselessly, her grip never faltering. "I can't say for sure if they really deserved to die, it depends on opinion, really."
"You killed my brother and sisters! And my mother."
"I know." Xin's expression morphed. It wasn't guilt but it was sorrow. "This won't bring them back, you know."
"I don't care about that! You have to suffer!"
"Oh, Yuma, I am suffering. Every day," she shook her head. "I didn't randomly target them. Your family died because of your stepfather's ambitions. Isn't that right, Souji?" She peered up at the bald man, not the least bit concerned that his life depended on a squeeze of Gaara's fist. He glared down at her but stubbornly remained quiet. "The family planned on assassinating the Fire Daimyo. I had no choice."
"There's always another choice!"
"Even if I made another choice, someone else would've been sent to kill your family," she explained calmly.
"Souji…he claims that Yuma's mother was his sister," Ukyo spoke up, glancing in between Souji and Yuma. She was a little surprised with how quickly they lost their bravado. Perhaps the two had gotten too full of themselves. Maybe they really believed that after only a year or two of peace, Xin and Gaara lost their viciousness.
Peace or not, they were still heavily experienced with brutality. Nothing would change that. They may relax, may even give in a little but their senses and viciousness would never dull.
"Ah, Uncle and nephew. Makes sense, I wondered where you factored in. You know, I was going to listen to Gaara and spare you two. This doesn't change the fact that you suffered greatly and I'm the cause of it."
"I don't need your permission or your pity."
"I'd go after anyone who hurt my sisters or parents, beat the shit out of them," Xin continued to say, ignoring Yuma. "Gaara? How should I handle this? Should we spare them?"
Ukyo turned to her Kazekage, wondering what he would say. He was always the more level headed one of the couple. If anyone would show mercy, it would be Suna's Kazekage.
But his expression remained blank as he studied Yuma and Souji. He glanced towards Riku, noted that he wasn't hurt like Xin had said but his clothes were dirty. His attention turned towards Ukyo and Ryuu. Ukyo continued to bleed from wounds sustained from attacks meant for Ryuu.
These men had every intention of killing his children. His children, who weren't even a year old. They hurt both Ukyo and Sachiko, injuring both women who were simply trying to protect his children.
"Ukyo, take Ryuu and Riku back to the village."
Xin blinked at the simple order before realization seemed to wash over her. She nodded, though he hadn't said anything to her, and turned to Ukyo. "Can you manage to get them and yourself back to the village?"
"Um, yes!" Ukyo shot up, ignoring the pain from her wounds. "I might get blood all over them, I'm sorry," she cringed as she hurried to Xin's side. The older woman only smiled and carefully handed Riku over to her.
"That's okay, get back to the hospital and get yourself healed." She leaned over and kissed the twins, hand gently squeezing Ukyo's elbow in reassurance.
"Kankuro and Asuna should be waiting at the gates, Ukyo. They'll see you to the hospital," Gaara told her. "Thank you for protecting my children."
"Of course, Kazekage-sama! Think nothing of it! I'll let Kankuro-sensei and Asuna know that the situation is under control!" She began to turn away. Xin and Gaara watched her leave, glad that their children and Ukyo were safe. Ukyo could still see the sand coffin, hovering in the air as she put more and more distance between herself and them. She was nearly back at the gates when she turned one last time.
The sand coffin tightened, screams reaching her. The desert was quiet and then…
The coffin exploded, blood raining down.
TeeBeMe: Xin isn't the only psychotic menace, she's just upfront about it.