The Legendaries (Revisited): A Naruto Isekai (PART I)

by Rose1991

"Fred? Fred!" someone hissed in Winnifred's ear, poking her harshly in the shoulder. "What?" she grumbled, trying to go back to sleep. "The sun's up. And I don't think we're in Pennsylvania." Five girls from our world arrive on Konoha's doorstep with no clue how to return home. And when five dragons choose them as their masters, they begin to realize something bigger is at play.

13. Chapter 12

*Warning Lemons and Limes. This is your only warning

Chapter Twelve: Three's a Crowd

After training that afternoon, Rox waved off her friends as they began to exit the field, calling out to them, "I've got a question about the shuriken stuff. I'll catch up with ya'll later." Her friends accepted that and continued on. Rox turned to their trainers, seeing Hinata poof off, leaving Shikamaru alone on the field. She held her head high and walked over as confidently as she could. It was a little foreign for her, but the memory of yesterday reminded her he still felt something for her. Something that was worth fighting for. She felt a flirty smile curl on her lips as she said, "So, would you mind helping me with my shuriken throws?"

Shikamaru didn't meet her gaze, just looked at his shoes a little regretfully. "Rox –"

She could hear it in his voice as he said her name. Regret. "What?" she asked. When he only licked his lips and looked away, she said, "I told you I enjoyed it."

"It shouldn't have happened," Shikamaru rebuked, his light brown eyes finally meeting hers. "I'm your jonin team leader. Your teacher. It's not right."

Her courageous smile faltered a little to confusion. "If I were a child, yeah, it would be a problem. But I'm almost nineteen. I'm an adult," she argued. She let out a laugh as she added, "I'm not even a year younger than you. Your birthday's after mine." He looked away at that, but she knew she made a solid point he couldn't deflect. She sighed frustratedly before stated, "There's something here. And I don't want to let it go yet. And from what I gathered yesterday, neither do you."

When she noticed he wasn't looking at her, but at the tree line, she huffed annoyedly. "What are you looking at!?" She turned, seeing Lynne's unmistakable fire-red hair. She had hung back to watch Rox and Shikamaru. It was especially obvious when Lynne tried to duck behind a tree when she saw they had caught her.

Shikamaru pointed towards Lynne as he said, "That's why." He licked his lips before clarifying, "It might not be this way in your world, but a ninja's reputation is the most valuable thing they have. It's what determines what jobs you get and what you can be trusted with." He gave her a hard look as he finished, "Whatever this is between us will destroy both of our reputations." She opened her mouth to refute him, but he cut her off. "What happened yesterday was a mistake. I shouldn't have let it get so far, and I'm sorry."

She didn't know what to say to that. Didn't know how to respond except glower at him.

He sighed as he turned to walk away, adding over his shoulder, "It won't happen again."

She glared at his back, confusion and frustration broiling through her. She spun back to see if Lynne was still there, and anger joined the broiling mixture as she saw the spirit user was still there, watching her like some experiment. Rox exhaled sharply through her nose, and stomped back to the dorms. She didn't want to see her friends right now. She stormed into her dorm, slamming her door behind her before pacing back and forth trying to figure out what happened.

How could she think things would work out between them? It had only been three dates. Sure his kisses made her feel something in herself she'd never felt before. And just talking to him gave her butterflies in her stomach. But this wasn't love. Right?

She paused as her eyes caught the bright red headband of deer antlers laying on her dresser. She picked up the headband, feeling her mixed emotions stirring in her heart as she remembered their last date. Laughing about their families and Shikamaru's first mission. Sharing funnel cake and wiping powdered sugar off his nose and cheek. She felt a tear fall down her cheek, and she held the antlers close to her.

Who was she kidding?

---

Friday afternoon in Suna was eventful. Just after lunch, Matsuri's team returned to Suna. It was honestly surprising for Cordi to see them all together in Gaara's office when she came back from cleaning up their lunches. They looked a little tired and sweaty from having run through the desert. They stood at attention, which was odd to see in Cordelia's opinion.

Gaara gestured to Cordi as she entered his office, stating, "This is my new assistant, Cordelia Turner."

Cordi greeted them with a small, "Hello."

Matsuri's team regarded her with bored, yet curious, interest as the fire user pulled her chair to the side, picking up her paperwork and placing it next to her. She mumbled a small apology as she crossed the team to grab one of the encyclopedias on his bookshelf to give her something hard to write on.

Matsuri watched her movements with the most interest, asking, "Doesn't your assistant have her own desk?"

"It will be delivered and installed in two weeks," Gaara answered blandly.

Again, as Cordi crossed the team back to her chair, she mumbled a small, "Sorry."

Matsuri's current outfit made her look more like a formidable kunoichi than the pink dress Cordi saw her in a few days. Today, she wore a black dress, a standard Suna issue flak jacket, thigh-high ninja boots, with her headband tied around her neck. Plus black fingerless gloves with iron bracers. Her johyo was attached at her hip. She looked oddly intimidating as her cold, yet perceptive, glance cut over to Cordi as she returned to her seat and paperwork. A part of her wondered if that was Gaara's type of woman. Someone who could go to battle for him.

Cordi understood completely that she looked a bit flouncy and girlish by comparison, in her teal form fitting knit dress and her black high-wedge combat boots with socks that went halfway up her calf. Not to mention her silver cross necklace that she'd been wearing more often now. She hadn't packed a lot of jewelry when she went on vacation. Just three necklaces, and the cross was the one that went with everything. But her looks didn't mean she couldn't hold her own. Heck, she beat Gaara in the test. But out of the two of them, Cordi definitely looked more "damsel" than "heroine."

Which was weird for her, if she was to be totally honest. In school, she was always regarded as the "heinous bitch" of her school, a role she stepped into rather easily, when the "slut" rumors started to prove to be false. After the fallout with her ex, most people regarded her with apprehension, knowing she wasn't one to give a damn if she tore their world asunder. Again, she never got physical. She just knew what to say to destroy a person.

Matsuri presented her report to Gaara, stating, "Mai-sensei went to deliver the herbs to the hospital and greenhouse."

"Good," Gaara exhaled, grabbing the report before flicking through it. "Getting those growing as soon as possible will really help Keiko develop the medical breakthrough she's been working on."

"Also," Matsuri started, a little nervously, "I made a note on the final page of the report. I was wondering if that's something I should look into."

Cordi frowned, the kunoichi suspiciously. If she didn't know Matsuri and Gaara were dating, it might have seemed like nothing. But as her gaze shifted to Gaara, she caught something in his eyes that said she had the right idea as he flicked to the final page of the report. He looked at it for a brief moment, then dropped the report as he answered, "That'll be fine."

Matsuri nodded, before she and her team gave a bow and left. As soon as they were out of sight, Gaara ripped the last page of the report out and moved to rip it up when it suddenly burst completely into flames, causing him to drop the paper on the ground. He cursed, moving to step on it, but the flames devoured the page, leaving everything it touched unscathed, except for his now blackened fingertips.

He scowled at Cordi who didn't even look up from her paperwork as she said, "Your welcome."

"You just burned the last page of the report," Gaara huffed annoyedly.

"No. I burned Matsuri's note asking you out," Cordi corrected, flipping her pen between her fingers as she added under her breath, "If she actually put that on actual recorded paperwork, she's dumber than I thought." She noted Gaara looking surprised at her knowledge of their relationship and smirked. "Did you already forget I know you two are a thing?"

He closed his eyes, taking a calming breath as he sat back down, admitting, "Yes. I did."

She let out a small snort as she went back to her paperwork. "Well, you can lay off the charade."

He sighed, scratching his head. "How much do you know?" When she raised an elegant eyebrow at him, he clarified, "About me and Matsuri."

She pursed her lips, looking up to the ceiling in thought before answering, "Just that you two have been secretly dating for a few months. Lynne said she caught it between you being upset my knee was touching yours, Temari thinking of the Council's hypothetical baby peace treaty that caused her and Shikamaru's break-up, and Kankuro thinking you should have just spoken up about being uncomfortable with me."

"Oh," he breathed, almost relieved.

She pursed her lips, then asked, "If you don't mind my prying, whose idea was it to keep your relationship a secret?"

He looked at a far point on the opposite wall, his brow furrowing a little as he thought. "It's been so long, it's a little difficult to remember. But I think it was her." He moved his lips as he brought forward the memories of asking her to date him. "She said something about Temari not being favorable of her. Not to mention the Council would've said …" he paused awkwardly before finishing, "something." He looked at her carefully before asking, "Why?"

She shrugged uncommittedly, stating, "It's just been my experience that secret relationships don't tend to work out."

His gaze on her became more intense as he asked, "Your experience?"

She gave a weird smile as she admitted, "Well, second-hand experience. Through Ronnie."

He narrowed his eyes as he looked away pensively. "If it was actually Ronnie's experience, does that make it actually a secret?"

"Secret to everyone else," Cordi clarified. "She and I never keep anything from each other."

He crossed his arms skeptically as he asked, "And what happened to this secret relationship?"

"Jealousy," Cordi stated bluntly. "He'd flirt with other girls. It would piss her off. They'd fight. And the cycle went like that until it broke them up."

He scoffed. "Well, I'm not one to flirt with other girls."

"Well, she's not the only one I know," Cordi defended. "Take Lynne. One of her boyfriends ended up actually cheating on her when they were supposed to be 'secretly dating.'" She used air quotes for emphasis. "Also Fred, but for her, it just became mentally exhausting to keep up the charade. It made her paranoid because she didn't want to be the leak, but she also didn't want to keep things about her relationship secret. Eventually, she realized there was nothing to the relationship except that it was a secret. All of them said the added stress of the relationship being secret caused problems."

He gave her another doubting look as he asked, "Again, if those relationships were secret, how do you know about them?"

"Because the relationships were over when they told me," she answered quickly. Gaara still looked skeptical, and Cordi countered, "Say you and Matsuri broke up tomorrow, and Kankuro made another glib joke about you having an imaginary girlfriend. You wouldn't correct him and say, 'Actually, it was Matsuri'?" He pursed his lips as she finished, "Once you're broken up, the secrets in a relationship don't mean anything anymore. They're just something that happened."

Gaara nodded acquiescingly. "You have a point. I probably would tell Kankuro." He shrugged as he returned to his paperwork, placing Matsuri's report on the stack that had shrunk significantly since he returned.

Cordi got a weird look as the cogs in her head began to turn. She pursed her lips as she looked away. "So, why don't you?" She knew she was playing with fire, but it would save both the brothers so much heartache. Plus, fire couldn't hurt her anymore.

"'Why don't I' what?" he asked, distractedly as he made his notes on the report he was working on.

"Why don't you tell Kankuro?" Cordi asked. "Do you not trust him?"

Gaara shrugged. "I don't think she's ready to go public in any capacity."

"Kankuro isn't public. It's one person," Cordi argued. "A person you trust with your life."

"She's not ready," Gaara stated. "She barely knows Kankuro. Definitely not enough to trust him."

Cordi looked at him hard, suppressing the laughter bubbling up in her at how wrong he was. How ignorant he was being. Barely knows him. By that he means fucking him on the side. When Gaara looked at her oddly, catching her hard stare, she closed her eyes, and turned back to her work. Gaara didn't press it, going back to his own work.

There was silence between them for a long time before Cordi asked, "When's your date?"

Gaara breathed tiredly as he answered, "Tomorrow afternoon."

The silence lingered again for a moment. "What are ya'll doing?"

"Lunch and a movie," Gaara answered blandly. "Why?"

Cordi shrugged. "Just curious." She let the silence hang between them again before asking, "What movie?"

He dropped his pen as he glared at her, "Why do you need to know?"

"I'm just curious," she defended. "Is it something popular? Is it a rom-com? Is it a horror movie? Just trying to make conversation."

"I don't know. It said she was getting tickets to a movie called Moonlit Desire," he answered annoyedly. "Apparently it's highly rated."

"So, a romantic movie," she clarified. She pursed her lips as she looked at him, and he looked back at her boredly. Then she laughed, going back to her paperwork as she stated, "You're gonna' hate it."

He frowned. "And how would you know?"

She was still laughing. "You are nowhere near the demographic for romance films. Knowing you, you'll probably just find it insipid and unrealistic."

"And what makes you say that?" he asked, sounding actually curious.

She looked him up and down, then asked, "Bluntly?"

He nodded with an easy smile.

"Well, besides the fact that up until you were thirteen, you liked to murder people?" she started. His expression immediately fell from an easy smile to a pursed, forced smile. "You're a guy. A twenty-year old guy, so you're a lot less prone to be interested in girls getting starry eyed over some hunk." She continued with a shrug, "Generally speaking, guys your age, or really from the ages eleven to nineteen, tend to have a vehement hate of things girls find interesting, like chick-lit or rom-coms. Pop music. The color pink. Or purple." She looked at him with a pursed look as she finished, "Honestly, its mostly just guys trying to prove they're masculine enough to be accepted as male. Which is bullshit to begin with, but that's another debate."

He swallowed, looking off to the side as he stated, "So, you're speaking from a generalization rather than knowledge."

She looked at him skeptically as she asked, "Are you saying it's wrong?" He looked back at her challengingly, and she just laughed. "No. Please tell me I'm wrong. It'll totally shift my understanding of you."

He raised a hairless eyebrow at her. "Positively or negatively."

"Sideways," she answered. He frowned, so she clarified, "It won't change positively or negatively. It'll just be eye-opening."

"Well, I don't hate romantic movies," he stated. "In fact, I'd consider Tsundere and Rom to be somewhat of a classic."

"Tsundere and Rom," she repeated. "What's that about?"

"A son and daughter of warring clans during the Feudal Era find each other and fall in love. It's forbidden, but they marry anyway, and try to run away, but ultimately die for betraying their clans," he explained.

She narrowed her eyes as she thought about it. "That sounds an awful lot like Romeo and Juliet."

"You have a story like that in your world?" he asked.

"We have a thousand stories like that. Romeo and Juliet is just the most famous. However, Tristan and Isolde is older," she commented blandly as she finished one report and moved onto the next. "To be honest, Shakespeare wasn't known for his originality. Just his way with words."

"Shakespeare?" Gaara asked, clearly confused by the tidbit.

"William Shakespeare," Cordi clarified. "He wrote Romeo and Juliet in my world. Although, I'd seriously argue Hamlet and Macbeth are by far his better works. I'd even argue his romantic comedies are much better. Twelfth Night especially has some great moments."

Gaara looked up with a frown, then opened a drawer in his desk. "That reminds me," he started as he rifled through it. Finally, he pulled out a sheet of paper as he said, "The Council sent over an estimate for you annual salary, as well as paycheck amount after taxes, costs of housing and feeding your dragon, retirement pay-in, and life insurance is taken out. All standard."

She looked at Gaara weirdly as she asked, "Costs of housing and feeding a dragon are standard?"

He shot her an annoyed scowl as he said, "You know what I meant." She took the paper from him with an eyeroll. "Just sign it so HR can process payroll on Monday."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAA-!?" she shrieked, jumping to a stand as her eyes bugged at the paper. Gaara watched her worriedly as she spun it back to him. "Three thousand dollars!?"

He frowned, even more unsure about her general loudness. Plus, he could have sworn it should have mathed out to more than that. "Your annual salary should be 210,044," he stated, wondering if there was a flaw. His paycheck usually came out to a little over ten thousand, and he was only paid a little over half. The cost of housing a dragon shouldn't be that much. It was understandable if she was upset. Something didn't add up.

"I'm fucking rich!" she laughed. "Holy shit!"

He saw Cordi grab a pen and put it to sign when he threw out his hand, and said, "Hold on. I want to double check something."

"Wh-what?" she asked.

He slipped the paper away from her and read over it carefully. He looked over the salary distribution, and down at the bottom in fine print was a sum of four thousand dollars was paid into the Turner Clan Fund. This made Gaara very wary. It was the only proof he needed to know the Council was up to something, with plans of using Cordi some way. But for what or how, he wasn't sure.

"Can I sign it?" Cordi asked, holding her hand out, sounding and looking very impatient.

Gaara decided to withhold his suspicions. For now. He handed her the sheet back, stating, "It's all accounted for."

Quickly, she signed it and handed it back to him, singing to herself, "Money, money money!" and dancing to her little ditty. Gaara made a mental note to look into the Council's actions with Cordelia's missing money.

---

"Well, she can't stay mad at you forever," Saryu commented, lazing in the field as Lynne brushed his silver mane.

She sighed, her fingers running through his hair after her brush. "You didn't see her face. She was pissed." Rox had purposefully ignored Lynne last night around dinner, and Lynne knew she was really mad. "I don't know, Saryu. My powers have just been getting the better of me. I'm trying to give my friends their privacy. But I worry about them, and reading their minds tells me what's bothering them." Her brushing was becoming rougher the more she talked it out. "And it's not as easy for me to turn it off. I look at someone and have to focus on ignoring their thoughts screaming at me."

"I understand," Saryu commented. "Gryffin tends to have issues with me pointing out how his abrasive personality disturbs Cherokee and Nessie."

"Well, I'm not doing that per say," Lynne stated.

"You're sticking your nose in business because you can hear more than anyone else would be able to, and your instinct is to act on your knowledge," Saryu clarified. "Your compassionate and caring. It's in your nature. But when it comes to letting things resolve on their own, it's difficult for you to not help in some way, which is now seen as an intrusion."

Lynne paused, looking at him carefully. "You know, for a three-week old dragon, you are incredibly insightful."

"It's because we share a mind," Saryu sighed, sounding tired. He laid his head down on the grass as he sighed, "I probably know you better than you know yourself."

Both Gryffin and Cherokee arrived in the clearing, causing Lynne to frown. Oddly, she couldn't read the minds of the other dragons, or any animals to be specific, which was a blessing she guessed. She got the summation of their thoughts through her mental link to Saryu. Fred and Rox were coming.

Lynne was surprised by this, knowing from Gryffin's cutting glance at her that he knew of Rox's anger directed at Lynne. Having a dragon glaring at you was enough to make you realize your own mortality. Saryu let out a defensive growl, telling Gryffin to calm down before an all-out fight started between them. Lynne turned to Cherokee, who seemed to be the natural leader of the dragons, and asked, "Why are ya'll meeting them here?" If they knew of the division in the group, surely they wouldn't want to throw gas on the flames.

"Fred instructed I bring Gryffin to Saryu and you. She wants to resolve this," Cherokee answered.

Lynne sighed, bristling a little at that. She was all for giving Rox some space until the wind user would eventually forgive her. They didn't have to drag the dragons into this. She went back to briskly brushing Saryu's mane, inching down his long body as she went.

Soon enough, they heard voices coming through the trees. Lynne didn't look up, knowing as soon as she did, she'd hear all the rage whirling in Rox's mind directed at her, and she wasn't sure she was ready to hear all that. Although, Rox didn't give her a chance at that. As soon as they broke the tree line, Rox's voice died immediately, before she snapped at Fred, "What's she doing here?"

"I'm staging an intervention," Fred stated bluntly, looking between her two best friends.

Lynne looked up, focusing hard on putting a mental wall up to block their intruding thoughts. Rox's face was enough for Lynne to see that she was still angry at her. Fred looked between them like a disappointed parent.

Fred pointed at Rox, stating, "You've been weird for two days." She was very blunt with the observation. Lynne sighed that she wasn't the only one to pick up on it. "And after yesterday afternoon, it feels like you're projecting your anger on Lynne."

"She shouldn't have been spying," Rox snapped, glaring at Lynne.

Again, Lynne did her best to keep the block up. Sometimes thoughts in the moment didn't resemble long-term feelings. But once Lynne heard them, there was no way she could forget them. It was weird. In so many shows featuring a psychic character, it was always played off as goofy, "People think weird things most of the time," shows, or the character didn't have human feelings. Neither was accurate for Lynne, she'd found as an actual psychic now. People did generally think stupid thoughts, but when they were about her, they also left an impact. And she didn't want to remember any of her friends' thoughts of her when they were angry.

"I'm sorry," Lynne started. "But you were acting weirdly and I was worried."

"Or did you read my mind and assume I couldn't handle things on my own!"

"You know that isn't true."

"Do I?" Rox howled. The wind whirling around the tops of the trees showing Lynne and Fred just how angry she was.

Fred stepped between them, her hands up. "Alright. Everyone cool-off."

Rox shifted her stance, crossing her arms, looking very defensive now.

Fred sighed, dropping her arms as she looked at both of them. "Now, Lynne. You shouldn't have been spying."

"I said I'm sorry," she offered again.

Fred threw up another hand, silencing her. "But, Rox, you have to tell us if something's going on. You're acting weird and we're all worried."

Rox scowled, "Am I not allowed to have secrets anymore?"

"We're all each other has now," Fred clarified. "Cordi's gone. But we don't want to lose you too."

"Well, I don't need you for this. Any of you," Rox snapped back. She looked at Gryffin and huffed, "Let's go," stomping over towards him. He extended a paw to help her up on his shoulders and flying off to another part of the forest.

Fred sighed. Lynne pursed her lips and mumbled, "Well, that went well."

"What is going on with her?" Fred asked, looking at Lynne.

The psychic licked her lips, shaking her head. "I'm trying my hardest not to read ya'll's thoughts. But from what I can tell, something happened with Shikamaru."

Fred's green eyes landed on Lynne's icy blue ones carefully. Lynne shot her a look that told her that it was all she knew. Fred set her jaw, jutting out her chin before huffing, "Brilliant. Boy troubles."

Lynne frowned, looking off towards where Rox took off with Gryffin. "You know, I've been part of the group for almost four years now. And I don't think I've ever seen her dealing with boy troubles."

"That's because she plays things super close to the chest when it comes to real boys," Fred answered. She ran her hand through her dark brown hair as she added, "And the last time she had a boyfriend was freshman year, so before you showed up. And that was because one of our old friends set her up."

Lynne felt dread pit in her stomach. She remembered hearing the story of that friend. It didn't end well because of how Rox's relationship went south. "I … I set her up with Shikamaru," Lynne admitted nervously.

"Well, she likes Shikamaru," Fred stated plainly. "She didn't like Chuck." She placed a comforting hand on Lynne's shoulder. "She'll come around." She then continued onto her dragon, scratching Cherokee under her chin.

Lynne sighed, turning back to Saryu who shot her a look that said he backed Fred's assessment. She went back to brushing his mane, catching up with Fred. "So, when are you going to tell me about what happened with Kankuro?" Lynne asked bluntly.

Fred laughed. "Dear God. It was a one-night stand."

"Yeah," Lynne laughed. "But when have you ever settled for a one-night stand?"

Fred shrugged. "I'm not as prudish as the Turners. I can have a one-night stand and it not mean anything."

"But did it?" Lynne asked, eyeing her friend closely. "I mean that Earthquake had to mean something."

Fred blushed hard. "Are you saying you don't believe me?"

"I'm saying you're being rather defensive for a one-night stand."

"Look. He's hot and was available," Fred argued, only making Lynne laugh. "What?"

"I don't think I know anyone who'd describe Kankuro as 'hot,'" Lynne remarked through her chuckles.

"Then they aren't looking at his ass, which was clearly sculpted by angels," Fred stated matter-of-factly. Lynne laughed harder. "Or his entire torso really. It was a marvel." Lynne let out a squawk at her description, and Fred looked at her annoyed. "He really does look amazing once you take off the clothes."

"And the makeup?" Lynne offered, not suppressing her cheeky smile well at all.

Fred scowled. Lynne laughed harder. "Look, I can't help you if you don't see how attractive he is. Because he really is beautiful," Fred started. Lynne nodded along, trying hard to keep a straight face. "As for the Earthquake … I—" She cut herself off unsure if she should admit this. She gulped back her pride and said, "I'd never had an orgasm before that. He's the first guy who refused to stop until I had one." She blushed, fondly looking back on the memory of the night before the disaster.

Lynne made an impressed face, then nodded. "Well done, Kankuro."

"And it was just a one-night stand," Fred reiterated. "As far as I know, the guy I end up with is currently married and expecting his first kid. At least that's what the video insinuates. I'm not going to be in a serious relationship with this guy for a while, and I don't want to entertain the prospect of another relationship between then and now." She looked at Lynne to gauge how Lynne felt about that explanation, and saw the psychic taking her in with full sympathy. She sighed, "So, a meaningless one-night stand with a really hot guy none of my friends called dibs on … it felt like the right thing to do."

Lynne nodded. "Alright," she breathed. Fred went back to stroking Cherokee, pulling off any stuck shed. Lynne smirked then asked, "So, if Kankuro came back today for another one-night stand—?"

"Oh, definitely," Fred answered immediately. She smiled as she joked, "We'd just have to find somewhere outside the village to conduct our business."

Lynne smiled conspiratorially. "Maybe the hot springs."

"Oh, that would be great!" Fred sighed. "Relaxing spa time and sex?" The shared a look and laughed. As they calmed, Fred added, "Don't … Don't tell Rox and Ronnie. I'll tell them when I'm ready."

Lynne held up her pinky, wiggling it at her as she said, "I promise."

This made Fred visibly relax. "Good."

---

Gaara hadn't gotten all that much sleep when Saturday morning rolled around, and he was awoken by loud music ringing through the penthouse. It was starkly different from the samba music Cordi had been playing last time. It was no doubt that Cordi was the source of this music as well. Again, she was the only person in the penthouse who would dare play music so loudly.

He picked himself up, quickly going through his morning routine, turning on his shower before relieving himself. His shower was quick, and he wrapped his towel around his waist as he brushed his teeth. Once he finished that, he towel dried his hair before getting dressed for his day.

He walked out to the main living space of the penthouse, seeing Temari had beaten him there, and was cutting some berries as Cordi poured some mixture into a pan, then pantomiming her spatula was a mic as she sang along to the music. "Was this over before! Before it ever began! Your kiss. Your clothes. Your crutch. Like the devil's got your hand. This was over before, before it ever began! Your lips. Your lies. Your lust. Like the devil's in your hands!"

"Good morning, Gaara," Temari stated over the music.

"Good morning," he grunted back.

"Oh, Gaara," Cordi smiled, turning around to him. She grabbed a glass of frozen something green with bluish-black flecks and handed it to him. He looked at it with a frown. It looked disgusting. "Can you take that to Kankuro? He's got a hangover."

Gaara continued to frown at the frozen mush. "And what is this?"

"My dad's hangover remedy," Cordi stated. "It tastes better than it looks. Just tell him to drink it slowly. And not to come out until it's done."

Gaara decided to ignore the obvious question of how she learned such a recipe, and just took the concoction to his brother. He found him hanging over the toilet of the bathroom Kankuro shared with Temari and Cordi. He figured quickly that they hadn't gotten to use the bathroom yet, since Kankuro looked as if he'd spent the second half of the night in the toilet, as he was still in the clothes he wore out last night. A black tunic tied with a white sash, and tighter fitting black pants than he wore into a battle. He also didn't usually play with his makeup, except to paint his eyes, on his off-time, so his face was mostly bare and waxy as he groaned into the toilet.

Gaara sighed, "I will never understand why you do this to yourself."

Kankuro spit into the toilet before resting his head on the cool porcelain. Gaara suppressed a grimace at just how unhygienic that was. "Ugh," the older brother grunted, "I'm never drinking again."

"You say that every time you go out with Hiro, and yet, here you are," Gaara commented thoughtfully.

"Shhhh," Kankuro grumbled, waving a weak hand at him. "I don't need your judgement right now. I need silence, and for the floor to stop moving."

Gaara handed him the concoction, stating, "Cordelia made you a hangover remedy." Kankuro grimaced at the questionable looking beverage before reaching out and grabbing it. He winced as he took the first sip greedily, and Gaara warned him, "She said to drink it slowly."

Kankuro gulped down the first sip, before his eyes shot wide. He looked at the drink with wonder. "Holy shit," he laughed before taking another sip. He stood after the second sip. "This is a fucking miracle worker."

Gaara was mildly surprised before warning him, "She did say finish the drink before you come get breakfast." Kankuro nodded his acceptance of the direction. Gaara gestured to his brother's face as he added, "Also wash your face."

Kankuro rolled his eyes as he muttered, "Yes, Dad."

Gaara took that as his queue to return to the kitchen. Had this been the first time Kankuro referred to him as "Dad" when drunk or hungover, he probably would have bristled more. The term still made him uncomfortable and wonder if he was more like their father than he originally thought, but he also understood now it was just a figure of sarcasm Kankuro would use to tell Gaara he was acting too much like Kankuro's caretaker or handler rather than his brother.

Another song had begun to play. "How's he doin'?" Temari asked, looking up from her berries.

"He's standing thanks to Cordelia's remedy," Gaara stated blandly.

Cordelia gestured to the table and said, "Can you set the table?"

Gaara gave a small nod as he moved to grab the plates and utensils. He couldn't help but watch as Cordi went back to singing to the music as she cooked their breakfast. "I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes. I have to turn my head until my darkness goes." He felt a small, appreciative smile appear on his face seeing her dancing around his kitchen with abandon.

She spun to Temari as she sang, "I see a line of cars and they're all painted black. With flowers and my love, both never to come back."

Temari rolled her eyes at the younger woman's antics as Cordelia continued her antics, "I see people turn their heads and quickly look away. Like a newborn baby, it just happens every day!"

"You're burning the pancakes," Temari remarked blandly.

Cordi flipped back to the pan as she laughed, "Oh shit. My bad. This'll be mine."

Temari rolled her eyes as Gaara commented, "You must really like this song."

"I'm surprised you don't," Cordi replied, pulling off the semi-burnt pancake. "Didn't you hear the last line?" She pointed to her music playing device, and he shook his head. "Listen," she directed, before going back to singing, "Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts. It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black." Gaara frowned at the musical device, trying to make sense of the song as he made himself a mug of morning tea. The tempo dropped as just the voice, with Cordi's, rang out, "No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue. I could not foresee this thing happening to you." She used the quiet moment to start on the next round of pancakes, pouring four onto the griddle they usually used for meats.

It picked up again as Cordi's head bobbing increased as she sang out, "If I look hard enough into the setting sun, my love will laugh with me before the morning comes. I see a red door and I want it painted black. No colors anymore. I want them to turn black."

Gaara realized it was repeating now, and shook his head. "I'm not sure why I would like it."

Cordi eyed him as if he'd gone crazy. "Really?" He sipped his tea, looking at her for clarification. "The poetry of the lyrics. It feels a little upbeat, but the words are anything but."

"I see," Gaara remarked, sharing a knowing look at Temari. "Yes. Very deep." He took another small sip, letting it fill him, and warm his body.

Clearly, the fire user heard the sarcastic lilt in his voice. Cordi spun around to him, pointing her spatula very accusatorily as she said, "I don't think you get to comment on poetry, Mr. 'Crimson tears.'"

He frowned as the music played out. "What are you talking about?"

"Your murder poetry about making it rain blood," Cordi clarified as she turned back to flip the new batch.

Inwardly, Gaara blanched, realizing she knew about one of the things he tried frequently to forget about his past. He did his best to hide his embarrassment by sipping his tea. Being a murderer and a bit unpredictable as a ninja was one thing. Reciting his own poetry about it was just cringe-inducing.

"I forgot you did that," Temari remarked.

"Please, continue to forget," Gaara replied into his mug, now very self-conscious. He set a slight glower on Cordi as he said, "That part of my life is well behind me."

Cordi raised an eyebrow challengingly at him as she asked, "So, you don't write poetry anymore?"

He didn't dignify that question with an answer, instead opting to drink his tea.

Another song began to play, which Cordi hummed along to as Kankuro walked out to join them. He pointed at Cordi as he declared, "You are a miracle worker." He dropped the empty glass on the counter dramatically as he asked, "What is in that?"

"Ginger ale, yogurt, blueberries, grapes, spinach, banana, and mint," she answered, before shrugging as she added, "and ice, and crushed ibuprofen." She gestured to the mugs, stating, "Now you need some tea, either ginger or mint, and water to help flush your system, and carb load with some pancakes and eggs." She smiled as she pulled them off the griddle, stating, "And good timing, because the first eight are done … well, twelve if you don't include the four I burned earlier."

She turned to hand the platter full of pancakes and a second platter of scrambled eggs to Gaara, ordering, "Put those on the table. I've got one more batch to do."

Gaara did as directed before taking a seat. Temari followed suit, pointing towards the fridge as she directed Kankuro, "Hey, grab the sweet milk and cinnamon sugar." Kankuro did as directed.

Cordi paused, her batter pouring, looking at the siblings weirdly. "The what?"

"Chocolate syrup too?" Kankuro asked over her as he looked in the fridge.

"Yes," both Gaara and Temari answered.

Cordi watched as Kankuro brought the condiments over, setting them on the table before sitting down as they each began dressing their berries and pancakes with drizzled sweet milk, cinnamon sugar, and then chocolate syrup on top, except Gaara who only dressed his pancakes with berries, sweet milk and cinnamon sugar. Cordi gaped at them as they each put their hands together and said, "Itadakimasu," before digging in.

She finished the last batch, taking it to the table with her plate of burnt and ugly pancakes. She looked at the condiments carefully, unsure what to put on her pancakes

Gaara seemed to notice her hesitation, and asked after a swallow, "Everything alright?"

She pursed her lips, then stated, "I've never put any of this stuff on my pancakes."

Kankuro looked at her weirdly as he scoffed, "What? You eat them dry?"

"No. With butter and syrup."

Gaara stood to grab the butter, but Kankuro held out his hand, stopping his brother. Kankuro smiled deviously as he asked, "What was it you said to me the other day? About that saying from your world. When in … something."

She internally rolled her eyes. "When in Rome," she corrected, "do as the Romans do." She sighed, seeing Gaara sit back down. "Alright. Which condiment should I use?"

"All of them," Kankuro pressured.

She pursed her lips, then stated, "Where I'm from, you don't really mix chocolate and cinnamon. It kind of clashes the flavors."

"Well, here, we do," Kankuro stated.

"Ignore Kankuro," Temari stated, shooting the middle sibling a look, before offering, "Just do the sweet milk and cinnamon, like Gaara. That's kind of the Suna standard for morning pastries."

"Ok," she breathed, reaching for the sweat milk before drizzling it over her ugly pancakes.

"By the way," Kankuro asked, jutting his thumb over his shoulder, "what's with the music?"

Cordi shrugged as she put the sweet milk down. "It's how we used to wake up Saturday mornings. My dad would blast his music while he made pancakes or waffles. Usually we had to help with the waffles."

Gaara blinked at her carefully. "Every Saturday?"

"Every Saturday he was home," she answered. She shook the cinnamon sugar over her pancakes as she added, "He occasionally had business trips that would take him away."

"And he'd play this?"

Cordi looked at Gaara oddly for his interest. "Not this song. This is 'Basket Case' by Green Day, or as I call it, The Uchiha Anthem." They frowned at her as she chuckled at her own joke. "Because it starts with, 'Do you have the time to listen to me whine about nothing and everything all at once?'" She was still giggling, but the siblings just eyed her weirdly. She sobered up and cleared her throat, muttering, "It came out in the nineties, so it's not old enough. But Paint it Black was on his list." Gaara looked curious, and Cordi smiled, "The one I was singing in the kitchen earlier. He plays either classic rock, which is music that was popular when he was a teenager, or Tchaikovsky, a very bombastic classical composer." She laughed to herself as she cut her first piece of pancake as she said, "He has no in-between." That made Gaara give her a small smile.

She looked at her pancakes, and sighed, "Now," before stabbing her cut stack with her fork, "let's see if this is any good." She picked it up before just going ahead and putting it in her mouth. She paused, letting the flavors settle in her mouth as she chewed. She saw all the siblings were looking at her curiously, and she smiled as she swallowed. "Alright. It's pretty good," she stated, cutting a new piece.

Kankuro beamed at that. "Pretty good!" He laughed, clapping a hand on her shoulder as he declared to his siblings, "We'll make a Sand Villager of her yet!"

The conversation devolved as they ate their breakfast, Cordi sharing a few stories from home and Temari and Kankuro sharing a few of their own. Gaara had to note, it was weird how well she seemed to fit with his family.

Around about the time they began clearing the table, each helping with the chores of cleaning, another song began to play with slow-building guitar riffs. Cordi pointed to her device, stating, "Oh my god! The timing!" They each frowned at her as she said, "It's 'Enter Sandman' by Metallica."

"Really?" Kankuro asked, looking at the musical device weirdly. They each remembered the remark of the two songs Cordi's friends equated to the two sand brothers.

Cordi was turning up before any of them could answer. Temari and Kankuro nodded blandly, watching her pantomime dramatically to the guitar. Then she started to sing passionately, "Say your prayers, little one. Don't forget, my son, to include everyone. I tuck you in, warm within. Keep you free from sin. 'Til the Sandman, he comes!" She continued on, even though all three siblings were watching her oddly "Sleep with one eye open! Gripping your pillow tight." Now, she started thrashing her head, throwing her hair about as she continued with the music, "Exit light. Enter night." She threw her hand out to Gaara dramatically as she sang, "Take my hand," before closing it in a fist. "We're off to never-never land."

"What is this song about?" Temari asked.

Cordi shrugged in the interlude as she answered, "Something about kids having nightmares."

"So, not actually about me," Gaara filled in blandly.

Cordi shook her head. "No, this song is way older than the Naruto comics in my world."

"What about the other one?" Kankuro asked.

"Master of Puppets?"

Kankuro nodded.

"It's way older than this one."

"No," Kankuro huffed. "What's it about?"

"Oh," Cordi grumbled before answering blasé, "Drug abuse."

Kankuro blinked, then rolled his eyes muttering a small, "Ri-ight."

They finished their chores as Cordi went back to singing, steadily getting more ridiculous in her theatrics, trying to pull them into it, as the song went on. Especially when the guitar solo hit. "Hush little baby, don't say a word. And never mind that noise you heard. It's just the beasts under your bed. In closet. In your HEAD!"

"Well, that lyric applied to you," Kankuro joked at Gaara, who only cut him an admonishing look.

"Shukaku's a friend, now," Gaara clarified.

"Doesn't mean he wasn't in your head. Hey-oh!" Cordi laughed at her own jab, throwing up a fist to Kankuro, which he bumped back.

Gaara's jaw tightened, seeing how buddy-buddy his siblings were with the fire nuisance. He wasn't sure what it was about Cordi. There were times like five minutes ago when Cordi was a comfortable presence, then moments like now when she was more grating than most. As they finished up, Gaara dismissed himself, stating, "I've got paperwork to catch up on."

His siblings nodded understandingly, but Cordi stopped antics immediately and asked, "Oh, do you need me to work, too?"

Gaara froze, looking at her blankly as he realized his old excuse to use work as a cover story for when he went on his dates would no longer go without question. Should he tell her to join him so his siblings don't suspect anything? Would they suspect something? This was unknown territory, and Gaara did not like unknowns.

"Because I was hoping to check in on Aleera," Cordi started, scratching her temple. "But if you need me to …"

"No," Gaara said, cutting her off, thankful she suggested her own excuse. "You check on your dragon. I'll be fine." He turned, to leave, inwardly sighing with relief that the situation sorted itself out. As he walked through the foyer, he heard Cordi inviting Temari and Kankuro with her to check on Aleera, with Kankuro bowing out as he said he wanted to get some sleep. Gaara made his way to his office, giving himself an hour to do some extra paperwork before he had to prepare for his date.

He worked rather proficiently within the hour, turning out three long reports with just two minutes to spare in the hour. He figured he could get started on another report to help his cover. Once he got through the first few pages, he stood up to lock his office door as he prepared. First step was making a sand clone to sit in his space while he was gone. He went to his desk and grabbed the motion sensor and its beeper that he'd have in his pocket. Being Kazekage meant dealing with drop-ins from ninjas to councilmembers. No one could date normally under such circumstances. Gaara found it was best to be prepared.

He walked over to the built-in wardrobe where his dating disguise hung. No doubt the wardrobe was originally installed for the Kazekage robes, which he remembered his father only wearing when dealing with national dignitaries. He quickly undressed and redressed in his dating costume. To the average person, this might seem like overkill, but with how the news media treated the kages' personal lives like a source of entertainment, it was the only logical way to keep his dating life private. Ever since the peace times started after the Fourth Ninja War, and the recent development of a twenty-four-hour news-cycle, the Kages' lives were easy targets to get viewers. Gaara was not an exception to this rule. In fact, he seemed to be the easiest target because he was young and elusive. He couldn't count how many nothing news stories he'd seen of himself doing menial things, full of speculations about what those menial things meant.

Once he finished dressing himself in the basic black shirt, with short sleeves that hung loosely around his biceps, the golden-brown shawl most people in Suna wore over it, basic black pants, and he lazily fastened an obi somewhere between green and blue, he grabbed one of the most important parts of his disguise. His sandy-blonde wig. He pulled it on, tucking away any stray strands of his natural auburn hair before tugging his wig into place, and moving the blonde strands to the correct position. He usually wasn't so particular with his looks, but with the importance of the façade of a costume made it imperative any and all cracks were addressed. He then moved to another important part of his disguise. His colored contacts. There were parts of his eyes that were complete giveaways to his identity. Seafoam eyes weren't entirely common in Suna, and the dark lines on his eyelids only showed on people who could perform the magnetic release. But Gaara having been born the Shukaku's jinchuriki, his lines were permanent. He popped in his contacts, which changed his eye-color from seafoam to dark violet, and gave him dark pupils, which he didn't naturally have. He grabbed a pallet of pale eye shadow to tone down his rings from the tanuki mark to just shoddily applied eyeliner. Then the final piece, a white bandana tied around his forehead to cover his kanji.

He took a look at himself in the mirror, always mildly hoping to see a flash of Yashamaru or his mother. Ever since Temari mildly remarked how much he looked like their father before his marriage meeting with Hakuto, he had difficulty seeing anyone else in himself. Before, he barely saw a resemblance between himself and any of his family. Maybe a bit similar to Kankuro in their chins and mouths.

He grabbed the smaller canteen of sand he used for this disguise that looked like a regular skin of water, that he attached to a holster on his pants. He then pocketed his beeper and gift he'd bought Matsuri while he was in Konoha. before he finished setting up the motion sensor on his desk inconspicuously in his pen holder. He then opened one of his office windows and climbed out. He knelt on the side of the Kazekage building, sending his sand to unlock and open his door just enough for passersby to not question his presence. He then closed the window, and shunshined down to the sandy ground.

As he made his way towards the restaurant he and Matsuri were meeting at, he was proud to note he was again successful in his disguise. Usually when he walked around town as the Kazekage, he was noticed. Now he just looked like anybody else.

He found her sitting at a table already outside on a tented terrace of the restaurant. She stood as she saw him, and smiled brightly and waved at him, as if he hadn't already found her. She wore a pink sundress with a white crocheted poncho with gold tipped tassels around her shoulders, and brown sandals. He walked over to her as she admonished, "You're late."

He leaned over to her, kissing her cheek as he said, "You should know by now when I say twelve, I mean twelve fifteen."

She grabbed his head and smiled as she said, "I know. It's why I got the movie tickets for two o'clock." She pulled his head back down, meeting his lips with hers. Her tongue poked out a little, licking at his cupid's bow. His lips parted in slight shock again, and she eased her tongue in a bit.

A shot of revulsion went through him, churning painfully in his stomach, and he pulled away, hiding the sensation with a smile as he sat down. He reached in his pocket, grabbing the small black box as he said, "I bought you a gift while I was in Konoha."

She beamed as he put the box on the table before sliding it across. She pulled it towards her, her fingers brushing his as she took the box from him. She undid the gold ribbon and pulled the top off. "Oh, Gaara," she breathed, pulling out the necklace. "It's beautiful." It was a simple gold pendant necklace, but the stone and metalwork on the pendant itself was beautiful.

"It's high quality gold, so it shouldn't fade. The main stone is a polished rose opal," Gaara stated, "and the swirl at the top is inlaid with precisely cut crystals." He looked at her carefully, taking in her awe at the present. "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it," she declared. She held it out to him and asked, "Do you mind?" gesturing to her neck. He nodded, standing up and grabbing the necklace from her, fastening it around her neck. She grabbed the pendant, positioning it under her poncho so it glimmered between the knots. She craned her neck to look at him as she said, "It's perfect."

He smiled. "Good."

He went back to his seat, noticing a slight look of disappointment flit across her features. Only for a second, but he did see it, and it made him wonder if he missed a queue. Lee suggested a gift when they were chatting about their relationships. And he thought he was good from her reaction. But he wondered if there was something else he was missing. He wouldn't voice his worries, because she was smiling now, her hand over his with her thumb running over his. He flipped his hand to hold hers, running his own hand over her knuckles.

"I missed you," she sighed.

He smiled warmly at her, unsure exactly how to respond. Generally speaking, he'd been fine without her, and there was a lot happening in Konoha that he only noticed her absence a few times. But not in a capacity that he felt she needed to be there. Maybe that was callous, but he'd always been pretty solitary in that regard. Carefully considering his response, he replied, "Yes, three weeks is a lot longer than you'd think."

Her thumb slowed a little, and he dreaded for a moment he said something wrong.

"Hello," their waiter greeted, and they pulled their hands apart as she continued, "My name is Ayumi. What can I get you two today?" They made their orders, Gaara letting Matsuri go first. The bubbly waitress left, declaring, "I'll get those right out for you."

The silence hung between them before Gaara admitted, "After the last time we saw each other, I wasn't sure we were in a good place."

Matsuri grimaced, scratching at the place between her eyebrows. "To be honest, I kinda' wish we could just forget that night," she said. She waved off her excuses like a bad odor as she said, "I was drunk …"

"I could tell," Gaara commented blithely.

She winced at that, then added, "I also did some really stupid shit. That whole night is just one big embarrassment." She sighed, putting her arms around her as she said, "I really just wish that night never happened."

"Alright," Gaara said easily. "That night never happened."

"Thank you."

There was silence between them for another few moments before Matsuri asked, "So, what's this thing with Cordelia?"

"Thing?" he asked.

"Yeah. What's her story?" Matsuri asked. Gaara looked away, unsure how to answer, and Matsuri scoffed. "You can't tell me that there isn't a story there. You've been gone three weeks, and all of a sudden you're bringing home this strange, pretty, girl to live with you. And she's also working with you now."

"It's classified," he answered blandly.

"Classified." She sounded skeptical.

"Strictly need to know."

She held her hands out as she laughed, a little bitterly, "But I'm your girlfriend. Surely, you're allowed to tell me something."

"No, I can't," he answered, a sharpness in his tone telling her to drop it.

She pursed her lips, looking away. He inwardly sighed, knowing that from her perspective, it looked sketchy when it was anything but. "You said you thought we weren't in a good place when you left?"

He frowned, unsure of what she was getting at.

His expression was enough of a silent confirmation for her. She mulled her lips together, clearly unsettled by a thought. "D-did you have a fling with her?" Gaara's eyes went wide at the question, but she rushed with another question, "Oh, god. She's not pregnant, is she?"

"Wha-? NO," he blurted.

"Because, I'll forgive you. But I just …"

"Matsuri," he started, grabbing her hand to derail this crazy line of thought, and to make sure he had her full attention. When her eyes connected with his, he said slowly, "It's nothing like that. Cordi's and my relationship is strictly professional." She looked uneasy with his confirmation, so he added, "I promise, as soon as the confidentiality of the situation is lifted, I'll tell you everything."

"You promise?"

"Yes."

This settled her. She sighed, relaxing in her chair.

Gaara couldn't help the small laugh that escaped his nose. "I can't believe you thought there was something like that going on there."

She frowned at him pointedly, arguing, "Well, she's very pretty." She looked down at her own chest as she muttered, "Not to mention she's got certain attributes a lot of men find attractive."

Gaara missed that addition as he said, "She's also loud, vulgar, and rather rude, and therefore, very annoying. Not to mention, kind of self-righteous. It's ludicrous to think we'd be like that in any capacity." He ignored the small reminder one brain cell called out, Yeah, except the whole dreaming those fantasies for five days straight. Gaara ignored it because after working with her a few days, he understood those fantasies were just lust. Lust was just an animalistic urge to procreate. It wasn't love.

Matsuri frowned, letting out a harsh scoff. "I've never heard you so negative about someone before."

"It takes a lot to bother me," Gaara commented. "Yet, she does it so well. It's a gift really." He smiled as he recounted, "She's been my assistant for three days, and has already managed to upend how I work and my schedule. She also incessantly taps her pencil on her knuckles when she's reading. Or humming. And she as a way of saying, 'Sir,' that makes it clearly mean 'asshole.'" He looked back at Matsuri, and he could tell she was uncomfortable with what he said, although he wasn't sure what. Maybe it was the slight admiration in his tone. He did admire Cordi's guts, knowing what she knew about him. "If she wasn't staying with us, I wouldn't attempt to be on good terms with her. She's not someone I can stand to be around for too long."

She shrugged. "If you say so."

He pressed his lips together, noting her unease. "What's gone on with you?" he asked, figuring the best way around it was a change of topic. She seemed to lighten up at that. Their date returned to its usual détente. They ate their food, Gaara paying for it at the end. They had enough time between their meal and their movie to walk through the public part of the Suna Oasis Gardens, which wasn't far from the theater. They held hands on their stroll.

He stopped by the fountain to see the aloe planted along the edges between benches. She used her other hand to grab his arm, hugging his bicep to her, a little too tightly, as she said, "I always loved seeing the statues around this fountain." She pulled him around, away from the cacti as she asked, "Look at this one. It looks like those stacked rocks you see in Zen gardens, but it's falling apart."

Gaara frowned, not exactly seeing that. His first impression was someone carved a stone cactus, but he realized if he said that, Matsuri would complain. Women didn't particularly care about botany or cacti. And he didn't want to annoy her. So, instead he offered a vague nod.

They went onto their movie. He bout Matsuri her candy, himself a small popcorn, and drinks. They sat quietly in the dark theater as the trailers for upcoming movies rolled, and then the movie started. Gaara immediately realized why the movie was rated R-18. It opened with sex scenes. Plural. Introducing the leading man and woman by juxtaposing their sex scenes shot for shot. The man's scene was clumsy and clownish, clearly played for laughs, while the woman opposite him was passionate and sensual. The introduction ended with the couples in bed in post-coital stupors. The leading man's lover tells him she can't be with him anymore, and they break up, with the man clearly being clownishly heartbroken. The leading woman turned out to be a prostitute as she takes her payment and her partner leaves. Gaara was immediately uncomfortable. He could hear Matsuri snickering next to him at the man's oafish bedroom fumbling, so he didn't want to chance her catching his uncomfortable gaze.

From the introduction, the plot was rather straight forward. The man meets the prostitute one night, it sounded like a bachelor's party, and when the man realizes the prostitute is a prostitute, he hires her to train him to being good at sex. Of course, there's a deadline for him. He'll be seeing his ex at his friend's upcoming wedding. In that time, of course the prostitute and the man fall in love, but don't admit it until after the wedding.

About halfway through the movie, his beeper went off, and he couldn't be more relieved. Several people chided at him from the darkness, "They said turn it off before the movie!"

"What is it?" Matsuri asked in a hushed voice.

"Someone's in my office," Gaara murmured.

"Do we need to go?"

"No, I set up for this in mind."

He shot her a winning smile as he silenced his beeper. He put his fingers to his eye as he activated the third eye control of his clone.

He was back in his office, just where he'd left his clone sitting, seeing Cordi waving a hand over his face as she asked, "Gaara? Did you miss your date?"

He inwardly sighed that it wasn't even a real situation. "I'm there right now," Gaara answered.

Cordi yelped and jumped back, then glared at him. "You need to stop scaring me like that. I called your name like five times."

"What are you doing here, Cordi?" he asked.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped back. "You were supposed to be on a date."

He looked at her oddly, because she clearly didn't hear him earlier. "I'm on my date right now," he reiterated.

Cordi's eyes went wide, mortified, then covered her mouth as she asked, "Oh shit. Is she under the desk?"

That made him blush. Not that she could see. His sand clone couldn't blush. He was thankful he was in the darkness of the theater, so Matsuri couldn't gauge his expression either. "No. We're at the theater," he barked.

"Oh," she sighed, clearly relieved. Then she frowned. "But, then how …?"

Gaara frowned. "Did they not cover clones in comics."

She closed her eyes, waving him off. "They did. I'm just being stupid. Ignore me."

"You still haven't answered my question," Gaara stated.

She looked at his clone confused. "What question?"

He scowled. He hated repeating himself. "What are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "Temari and I saw Aleera and hashed things out. Then she went off to meet up with some friends, and I decided to come back to make a dent on the medical reports. Since you were putting in some time here today, I thought I'd do the same. Be a team player."

"Well, if you're staying in here, I have to turn off my sensor," he stated. "Otherwise it'll keep beeping, which will annoy the other people in the theater."

She nodded. "Understood. I'll just go upstairs."

"Alright," he breathed, about to disconnect.

"While I have you," she started, throwing up a hand. He looked at her to show he still had control of the clone. "How's the movie?"

He pursed his lips before answering, "It's something. A bit bawdy for my tastes."

She raised an eyebrow at him as she asked, "What's it about?"

"A man hiring a prostitute to teach him how to have sex, then falling in love with the prostitute," Gaara answered blandly, even though in the theater he was blushing a lot.

She looked at him with excited eyes and a bright smile as she asked, "And are you enjoying it?"

"Not at the moment," he commented blithely, figuring she'd understand his double meaning.

"You said Matsuri picked it out?"

He blinked at her slowly. "Yes. And?"

She made a funny face before she asked, "Well, have you and Matsuri … done it yet?"

"Goodbye, Cordelia."

"I didn't mean –"

He wasn't listening anymore. It wasn't an appropriate conversation to have with his secretary. However, it did mean he had to subject himself to another hour of what he'd deem a porn. He sighed through his nose as he shifted his back to be comfortable.

"Everything alright?" Matsuri leaned over and asked barely above a whisper.

"Yes," he answered, forcing a smile. "Everything's fine."

---

By Thursday the sixteenth, Fred and Lynne were getting annoyed with Rox's cold shoulder. Ronnie hadn't even noticed, curled up in the honeymoon phase of her relationship with Kiba. But Fred and Lynne were done with Rox's skulking. It was time for some tough love, they agreed.

It was past dinner time, and they knew Rox was hiding out in her room after training, as she had every day after training. Dressed in their finest party clothes, with makeup on, Lynne used her telekinesis to unlock the door and force it open. Fred swung and accusatory finger at Rox, who was sitting on her bed holding deer antlers to her chest with wide eyes. "Alright, Ms. Turner. Step away from the antlers!" Fred ordered as if she a police officer telling an armed criminal to drop his gun.

Rox scowled. "What are ya'll—"

"Ah-ah," Fred chided. "This is an intervention. Antlers on the bed, and take two steps towards me."

She rolled her eyes, but did as her friends demanded.

Fred gestured to the drawers, and directed, "Lynne. Find Rox a cute outfit to go out in."

Lynne saluted before continuing to raid Rox's dresser.

"I don't want to go out," Rox stated.

"Tough shit. You are," Fred remarked. "Get undressed." Rox eyed the open door behind them, and Fred used her powers to close it, then gestured at Rox to get undressed. Rox did, taking off the shirt she'd been training in, and then her pants.

Lynne held up a shirt and skirt combo, nodded, then threw them at Rox, ordering, "Put these on."

Rox did as she was told, although her expression was clear that she didn't like being bossed around. As she pulled the clothes on, she huffed, "Where are you planning on taking me?"

"We're going clubbing," Fred answered plainly. "Cut off age is eighteen, so there's no reason we shouldn't indulge."

Rox grimaced. "I'm not much of a clubber."

"Yeah, but you're with us," Fred stated, coming at her now with makeup. "And we're having a girls' night."

Rox stiffened her mouth as she said, "I don't think clubbing is a good idea right now."

"It's the perfect idea," Lynne stated.

"Yeah," Fred said with a hard nod. "See, you're in this mopey gutter because of a guy. And the best way to get out of that gutter, and over him, is to realize how fun life is without him, and maybe getting under another guy."

Rox pouted, a moment Fred seized to apply lipstick. With all this frequent training, Fred was getting quicker at painting on makeup tastefully. "I just don't think that's right."

"But it does work," Fred stated.

"Does it, thought?"

"Stop your nay-saying," Lynne huffed, handing her some shoes, which Rox took begrudgingly. Lynne crossed her arms and continued, "We all know you've been in a funk the past week. Fred took off a day of work for it. So, we're doing this."

Rox sighed. "Fine." She finished getting ready as Lynne and Fred shot victorious grins at each other.

Then they pulled her outside where Ronnie was waiting with Kiba at her said. Ronnie was wearing a sequin dress and black strappy sandals with Kiba opposite her with a leather jacket and tight jeans. He had, for once, left Akamaru at home. "We ready to go?" Ronnie asked, looping her arm with Kiba's.

Fred presented Rox with pride as she said, "She's ready!"

They made their way down to the club, Kiba and Ronnie being annoyingly couple-y as they walked on. Fred and Lynne refused to let Kiba and Ronnie's cherubic splendor put a damper on Rox's mood, laughing and joking with her the whole way. Slowly and steadily, they were getting their Roxanne Turner back from the dark depths she'd been squaloring in.

As they reached the club, Nirvana, in downtown Konoha. Fred remarked glibly, "If we see Kurt Cobain, I'm out." The girls laughed, leaving Kiba confused, with Ronnie promising to explain it later.

Rox grabbed Lynne's hand before they walked in, looking sheepish at the psychic. "I'm sorry," she finally said. "It was a lot easier to be mad at you than it was myself."

Lynne frowned at her confused. "What do you have to be mad at yourself for?"

Rox scoffed, "You must've really stopped reading our minds."

"I told you," Lynne stated. "It's difficult, but I'm trying to let you all have your privacy."

Rox sighed. "I did something stupid. And I thought things would change because of it. But they didn't," she explained. "So, I've just been mad at everything."

Lynne smiled, "Well, why do you think we brought you here?"

Rox eyed her worriedly, and unsure what she was asking.

Lynne grabbed her hand as she dragged her back in with the group. "To dance your demons out. It's the best solution."

They started their night with drinks, which Fred made sure Rox wasn't skimping on. They each had margaritas, since there was a deal going that night on dollar margaritas for women. Ronnie and Kiba hopped on the dance floor before their drinks were done. And once the first round was drunk, Fred and Lynne pulled Rox out on the dance floor, clearing a space for them to start the Cancan before breaking apart into the booty drop. The next song, Fred remarked had a similar beat to Beyonce's 'Single Ladies.' Before long, they were performing the familiar steps they'd learned from their sleepovers the past year.

They went back to their table, howling from the fun they'd had on the floor. Fred lifted her hand to order another round of drinks when a platter of margarita's was immediately delivered to them. Fred frowned her confusion at the waiter who pointed at another table. "The gentleman over there paid for this round."

They looked over to see a man with stark silver hair and light brown eyes holding his own drink up at them in cheers. Lynne breathed airily, "Oh, he's pretty." This earned a laugh from both Fred and Rox. They then grabbed their glasses, holding them aloft to him in cheers, then sipped.

Rox shook her head. "This is crazy. I never do things like this."

"Maybe you should," Fred commented, taking another sip. She put her drink down, then looked at Rox pointedly. "So, are you going to tell us what happened that's got you all in a twist?"

Rox narrowed her eyes at her, then looked at Lynne briefly before answering, "If you answer who helped you cause that Earthquake."

Fred's eyebrows shot up as Lynne chuckled, "Guess you've gotta' tell her."

Rox looked at Lynne surprised. "You know!?"

Lynne shrugged. "I didn't say I was perfect at keeping all ya'll's thoughts out."

Rox looked at Fred offended. "I thought I was your best friend."

"She read my mind," Fred defended.

"Then I demand to know," Rox huffed, crossing her arms. "Who was it?"

Fred rolled her eyes underneath her eyelids. "Kankuro."

"KANKURO!?" Rox yelped.

Lynne howled with laughter. "I know. Right?"

"Hey," Fred snapped at her friends, "he is a lot more attractive than you'd think. And he happens to be amazing in bed."

"Kankuro," Rox more stated clarifyingly than asked. "Mr. Puppet-man who plays with dolls."

"Well, I guess with puppets, he's good with his hands," Lynne offered, still laughing. Rox laughed with her, taking another sip.

"I'm not going to take this shit," Fred huffed, crossing her arms. "He's a perfectly fine man. Decent in bed. Attractive. Considerate. And a good kisser, to boot."

Lynne leaned over conspiratorially to Rox, commenting, "Maybe it's because she doesn't know Kankuro like we know Kankuro."

"Maybe she should," Rox replied, looking at Fred worriedly.

Fred rolled her eyes, knocking back another sip of margarita before pointing at Rox. "Your turn," she demanded. "What's had your panties all twist?"

Rox took a bracing breath, fingering the base of her glass. "Well, your first suggestion about looking sexy worked."

Fred sat straight up. "What?" she chirped.

Rox sighed. "Shuriken practice turned out to be more than shuriken practice."

Both Fred and Lynne leaned in comically. "Go on," they intoned together.

"Well," she started, her eyes having an odd, far-off look, "it took me a while. But after he positioned me correctly, I got the throw right. And we made-out." When her friends still looked at her expectantly, she reiterated, "I mean made-out. Heavy petting. Grinding. If we were naked, it might have been considered sex."

Fred and Lynne shared a look, then the Earth user looked back at Rox and asked, "And then what?"

"Well, I …" Rox blushed as she admitted, "had a moment. It threw things off, and I told him I was a virgin."

Fred and Lynne looked at her with hopeless understanding as they breathed, "Oh."

"Yeah, he didn't take it well," Rox stated, clearly confused as she remembered the details as she continued, "But we left things good. I told him I enjoyed it, at least. Then the next day he was completely cold. Saying he never should have let it get so far. That he was taking advantage of me, and it would ruin our reputations, which is stupid." She scoffed, a little bit of fury returning to her at the thought. "I'd get it if I was like twelve and he was my jonin leader. But we're a little less than a year apart, and I'm an adult. It shouldn't be that big of an issue."

"That is kind of stupid," Lynne agreed.

Fred shrugged. "I guess, since he is kind of our teacher, I can understand it. But I know several people in our class who were dating a couple of our old teachers once they turned eighteen."

"Who?" Lynne gasped.

"Nina and Mr. Schruder from the computer lab," Fred listed, ticking them off. "Jake and the really pretty substitute. The only one really questionable was Sheryl and Mr. Hodges."

"Wasn't Mr. Hodges married?" Rox asked.

Fred nodded, adding, "With two kids in middle school." She waved her hand as she said, "The other two, the age difference was negligible. Within two to four years of us." She frowned, as she pointed out, "You know, just by us talking about them kind of proves Shikamaru's point. People would talk if he was dating a subordinate."

Rox huffed. "I was his girlfriend first."

Lynne sighed. "Sometimes life deals us crappy hands. The best thing we can do is play what we're dealt." Fred and Rox looked at the psychic oddly, unsure what brought about such a proverb. "For example," Lynne started, looking down at her napkin pointedly, "Shikamaru has broken up with you, leaving you single while an attractive man comes over to ask you for a dance."

Rox frowned at her, only to hear a man ask beside them, "Did you like the drinks?"

Fred and Rox turned, surprised to see the silver-haired fox from the other side of the room standing beside them. Up close they could see his face had a regal shape, with high cheekbones and a pointed chin. He had an easy, confident smile with perfect, white teeth.

"They were delicious," Lynne answered for them before slurping on hers.

"I'm glad," he laughed. He had an odd, ancient stately air about him that threw them off with his familiar manner. "I couldn't help but notice you know your way around a dancefloor," he complimented each of them, his gaze settling on Rox. "Would you like to dance?"

Rox was about to shake her head no, but Fred answered for her, "We'd love to. But, first we need a name."

He gave them a small bow as he said, "Akirama Senju at your service."

"Senju?" Lynne gasped with surprise. The comics made it seem like the Senju line would die out with Tsunade.

"And you?"

"I'm Fred," Fred started, gesturing to herself. "That's Rox, and that's Lynne. Alright, let's go." She was already getting out of her seat, grabbing Rox's hand.

"But, Senju?" Lynne asked clarifyingly.

"So what? Let's dance." Fred got them on the dancefloor and dancing again with Akirama going between the girls. But both Lynne and Fred saw he only had eyes for Rox. Against him, Rox felt a little dwarfed in comparison. He was taller than Shikamaru. She only came to Akirama's chin, her eye-level falling somewhere on the north side of his chest.

After a while, his blonde buddy who Lynne would say looked like Legolas without the elf ears came over, saying, "Hey, we're heading out. You coming?"

Akirama shrugged blandly, saying, "I'll catch up with you all later."

His friend left with a larger group. Fred frowned at his friends. "They're not going to wait for you?"

"We're doing a bar crawl," he stated. "They know the next bar isn't my favorite. I'll just catch up with them in thirty minutes at the one after."

"A bar crawl?" Fred asked excitedly. She looked at Lynne and Rox, wondering if they were thinking what she was thinking. Rox looked nervous, but Lynne nodded excitedly. "Can we join ya'll?"

"Sure," he answered. "Do you all want to go to the next bar?"

"What about Ronnie?" Rox tried.

"I'll text her," Fred stated, pulling out her phone. She typed expediently and hit send. "I told her to meet us outside." She turned to Akirama and said, "Show us the way."

The silver fox led them out of the club, telling them, "The next bar is Second Lotus. They have a specialty kombucha that can be a bit headier than normal kombuchas."

Fred's phone beeped, and she paused holding it up to her face. "What did Ronnie say?" Rox asked.

Fred frowned. "Busy. Winkey face. Catch ya'll later."

"Ew," Lynne grumbled, matching Fred's face.

"Is your other friend not joining us?" Akirama asked.

"No," Fred and Lynne answered together. Rox looked dismayed at that. Fred waved it off, saying, "She brought her boyfriend on our girl's night, and it looks like they're hooking up. So, Second Lotus?"

He pointed down the street towards another area rather well-lit with people pouring out of it. The neon of the light showed a Lotus flower losing its petal, casting the street in a pink glow. It was about three blocks down, so they started walking.

"So, Akirama," Fred asked, shooting Rox a coaching look. "What do you do?"

"I'm a Konoha ninja," he answered plainly.

"You said you were a Senju earlier, right?" Lynne asked, looking at him carefully. He nodded vaguely. "Any relation to Lady Tsunade or the first Hokage?"

He sighed. "Distant. I'm descended from the second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. So, the First would be my great great … great uncle?"

"Interesting," Lynne breathed.

"What about you all. I didn't get your clan names, or are you all from a place like Suna?" he asked.

"Oh, we're not part of any well-known clans anywhere," Lynne stated, gesturing to them. "Fred's a Buchanan. Rox is a Turner. And I'm a Belfoco."

He shook his head. "None of those rings a bell."

Fred snorted. "Good pun," she said, shooting a finger gun at him.

He looked confused at first, then realized his wording and laughed. "Sorry," he breathed. "I've been drinking."

"Haven't we all," Lynne sighed, raising her hands to the sky as if pulling the energy of the night into herself through her outstretched hands. She swayed drunkenly, with Fred trying to steady her, but not well. He noted Rox walked along quietly.

"So, none of you are ninja, then?" Akirama asked.

"We're training to be," Lynne answered.

He frowned, looking at them confused as he asked, "Aren't you all a little old to be in the Academy."

"Didn't stop Kakashi enrolling us," Fred chirped. "But, technically, I'm also a bartender down at the Nomu Ki Bar."

"The Nomu Ki?" he asked, wide eyed.

"You know it?"

"Yeah. It's the bar we're going to after this one," he stated.

Fred made a face, then said, "Then I think after this one, we'll have to duck out. If Yuri sees me, she'll expect me to work."

"Then after this one, I'll walk you all home," Akirama offered.

Lynne grinned at him. "Wow. Such a gentleman."

They arrived at the new bar, and Akirama's group of friends welcomed them with open arms, one guy exclaiming, "I thought you wanted to meet us at Nomu Ki." The one with dark hair and smiling, light blue eyes.

"I brought my new friends here," Akirama replied, grabbing his hand and bumping their chests together. "Plus, they can't go to Nomu Ki, so I'll see them home after this."

His friends eyed the new girls, and the one with dark shaggy hair and skeptical gaze asked, "Do your new friends have names?"

"Yes, this is Fred Buchanan, Lynne Belfoco, and Rox Turner," Akirama introduced, pointing each of them out. "Fred, Lynne, Rox, this is Sora Shimura, Hideo Senju," he interrupted himself as he added, "another cousin. And lastly Kobe Yamanaka."

Sora was the skeptical one with shaggy, dark brown hair and russet brown eyes. His face was more an oval shape, in comparison to Akirama's diamond shape, with a wider chin and Romanesque nose. He was the shortest of the group, by only an inch. He wore all black. Black t-shirt, black belt, black pants, black shoes.

Hideo resembled his cousin in the face shape, but that was it. He had light, baby-blue eyes and dark brown hair cut in a similarly shaggy manner as his cousin. He also had an easy, joking smile, whereas Akirama had a cool smoldering look. They were also rather similar in height, with Hideo likely only a half inch to an inch shorter. They dressed similarly too. Hideo wore a white tunic tied with a gray-blue obi and black pants, where Akirama wore a royal blue shirt tucked into a lazily tied black obi at his hips, and black pants with ninja boots.

Finally, Kobe looked incredibly like the beloved wood elf, with silky, long blond hair past his shoulders; deep-set, pale blue-green eyes; fair skin; and an unreadable smile on cupid's bow lips. He was also the tallest of the group, easily being well over six feet. He even wore green and brown like the famed elf. Well, a green jacket over a white t-shirt, and brown pants tucked into ninja boots.

Each of the men gave a bow as they greeted them. Hideo waved them towards the bar, stating, "We started with a round of shots. The first one is called the Black Dahlia." This earned strange looks from Fred, Lynne and Rox as Hideo explained, "Black Rum, Rose Gin, and Dark grape juice. Shaken, with sugar on the rim," pointing at their shots as the bartender finished pouring them. He gestured to the bartender for four more, and the bartender nodded, getting to making the other three.

Rox shot the others a nervous look while Lynne joked to Fred quietly, "Hope it doesn't mean dying brutally under mysterious circumstance."

Their drinks were placed in front of them and the men grabbed theirs holding them up expectantly. Fred grabbed hers first, and held it up towards her friends. Lynne grabbed hers, but Rox looked at it skeptically. Fred waited a moment for Rox to grab hers, but with Rox's minor headshake, Fred sighed loudly, downing her shot, leaving the men wide-eyed as she grabbed Rox's shot and turned to them. "Cheers." Then downed the second. The men followed her suit in wonder. She let out a satisfied, "Ah," once the second was down. Then pointed to the semi-vacant floor, and said, "Time to dance."

Hideo and Sora were quick to follow, shooting each other competitive glares as they joined her on the floor. Lynne finished her shot, then shook her head, saying, "I'm ready to dance." She then joined Fred on the dance floor with both Hideo and Sora moving to make room for her.

Kobe looked at the group on the floor, then at Akirama and Rox, and said a small, awkward, "Whelp…" before joining the group on the floor.

Akirama eyed Rox carefully, then gestured to the bartender, calling out, "Two waters." Rox looked at him wide-eyed, clearly surprised he didn't order her another drink. He stated plainly, "You don't want to be drinking tonight. Do you?"

Rox brushed off the observation, stating, "I don't like getting wasted. It's not my idea of fun."

Akirama gave an understanding nod. "Me neither."

Rox eyed him strangely. "I thought you said you were drunk earlier."

He shrugged. "Two beers and two shots is technically drunk. However, I'm nowhere near as far gone as our friends." He pointed to both Sora and Hideo glaring at each other as they gyrated around Fred, oblivious to it all, with Lynne and Kobe dancing trying to make it more of a circle.

She frowned at him. "Then, why did you invite us along?"

He looked at her, his eyes connecting with hers intensely. "I wanted to talk to you. Get to know you."

"Me?"

He nodded, passing her one of the waters the bartender just handed them. "I saw something when you were dancing. Something familiar." She scoffed at him skeptically. He placed his water down and asked, "Ms. Turner. Have you ever heard the saying, 'The eyes are the windows to the soul?'"

She laughed. "Yeah."

"Well, I've never seen anyone with my exact eye-color," he stated, leaning in closely. "Except you. Brown, but red in some lights." She gulped at that description. He shrugged, stating, "I figured that was worth looking into."

She rolled her eyes, sipping her water. "I could just be related to you," she said glibly. She knew it wasn't true. There was no way in Hell it was. But he didn't know that.

He shook his head. "No, the Senju clan is pretty well know, and documented." She started shaking her head at his statement, and he put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her as he said, "Even our bastards are well documented. Especially with the whole Hashirama cell bullshit started in that last war."

Rox was looking at him wide-eyed, unsure what the Hell he was talking about. Hashirama cells?

He shot her a weird smile as if he read her mind. "What I mean to say is I know you're not a relative. Which means your eyes are particularly curious to me. So, I have to know. Who are you, Rox Turner?"

She smirked, leaning easily on the bar. "Are you trying to insinuate I'm your soulmate?"

He placed his hand over hers as he said, "I think you're someone worth knowing."

Rox briefly looked down at his hand, but he didn't move it. She didn't remove hers either. His hand was soft, and if she was honest, his words would have usually had an effect on her if she wasn't still heartbroken over Shikamaru. Her eyes connected with his, and he stepped towards her, looking at her in a way that would surely melt any other woman. Time seemed to ebb away as he looked at her, so close she could feel his breath puffing on her skin. He was leaning in, so close to sweeping her lips to his. And a part of her brain told her to let him.

There was only one word that could break that moment.

"Shikamaru!"

She looked up in the direction the name was said, seeing Chouji and Naruto sitting in a booth, waving their hands over the face of one shadow ninja whose eyes couldn't leave Rox's form. Rox's gaze connected with his, and she saw one thing in his eyes. Betrayal.

She cleared her throat, saying, "I have to go."

She tried to make a clean getaway, but Akirama was followed her out, saying, "Wait!"

Apparently, Fred and Lynne saw her storm out, and came running out. "Rox!"

Rox just ran. Ran as fast as she could. As fast as her feet could carry her. All the way home.

---

This week had trudged on longer than most, in Cordi's opinion. Gaara had gone on two dates. Cordi was paid extra for staying late to cover for him. She made sure beforehand. So, while Gaara did whatever he did on his dates, Cordi tried hard not to think about it, she was back in his office with his sand clone for company as she did paperwork. She'd begun to build an odd relationship with the sand clone in her head. In her head, whenever she presented an idea, the Gaara clone would call her a queen, and tell her he should delegate all his serious problems to her. Suna would be the much better for it. It was easy, because the Gaara clone didn't backtalk her with facts and logic like, "That's not how Suna works." Personally, she thought it definitely should.

She also called him an ignorant asshole whenever she could. The clone, not actual Gaara. He was less receptive to her suggestions. However, his sand clone was a dead, wide-eyed mannequin, unless the Kazekage was actually in charge of it for the moment. So, she could pretend the conversations went as she imagined.

"Gaara, this medical list is shit. Why isn't Keiko's group compiling the list, then sending it to us?"

"My God, Cordi. You are a genius. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because, running a country requires a different type of brain power."

"I'll reorganize it immediately. Surely, it will save several hours of paperwork."

"Hundreds by my calculations."

"Creative and mathematical? A queen among advisors. I am not worthy of your assistance."

"Don't be silly. I love working with you."

"I love working with you too…"

That's usually where the fantasies stopped, because Cordi knew he was never the type to say that.

At least real Gaara had yet to interrupt her play-acting for his clone. That would be beyond awkward.

She paused, shooting a look at Gaara, wondering if he had similar fantasies in his head about working with her. Was she more submissive? Understanding about how ridiculous some of the steps mandated for his role were? Or was she just as bombastic as usual, just he was able win in his fantasies.

He looked up tiredly, catching her gaze and frowning. "Do you have a question?" he asked.

She covered herself by rubbing her eyes, and stretching her neck before asking, "Yeah, what time is it?"

Gaara looked at his clock on the far wall, and answered, "Seven thirty."

"Jesus," Cordi huffed, rolling her neck to get a good pop out, and throwing her arms out to stretch with groan. "We need to eat dinner," she stated, standing up. "I know you have no problem forgoing your needs. But if I eat the Latin-X foods Suna likes to serve late, then I get heartburn, and it's a whole thing." Temari was out on a basic mission for the next few days, and Kankuro was likely out for another night of debauchery, Cordi figured. After two weeks in Suna, Cordi got a good estimate of the Sand siblings homeward habits. Gaara worked to death. Kankuro partied hard. And Temari tried to be the glue between their schedules.

She walked over to Gaara's desk, opening one of the drawers where she stored the menus for future reference.

There were many things Gaara prided himself on, like his control of his emotions. What he didn't seem to have control of, though, was where his eyes tended to settle when Cordi leaned over his shoulder, just next to him. He'd keep his face straight the whole time, but his eyes seemed to be linked to his basal brain rather than the brains higher functions. He blamed it on being a man.

There were many aspects of Cordi's constant presence that were perpetual nuisances. But the sight of her chest was pleasant and stirring. What was the phrase the Legendary Sannin, Jeriya, used in his books? Heaving bosom. It definitely applied to Cordelia Turner.

As Cordi pulled the menus out, still leaning over his desk, they heard his door open. Gaara tore his gaze away from Cordelia's assets to their new visitor only to see Matsuri with an oddly pursed face. "Matsuri," he said easily with a smile. "What brings you here?" The fact that they hadn't scheduled a date tonight, even though she was leaving for a mission in the Cloud tomorrow wasn't lost on him.

She was dressed casually compared to most of their dates. She wore a teal t-shirt tucked into a black skirt that went half-way down her calf. She looked innocent and comfortable. The opposite of Cordi who looked as if she was most comfortable in form-fitting clothes. And nothing about her looked innocent.

Matsuri shot a look at Cordi, who stood straight next to Gaara, holding the menus awkwardly between her fingers.

"I figured we could chat over take-out like old times," she offered, holding up her bag of food, all looking neatly packed. "Since I'm going to be gone for a few weeks."

"Right," Gaara breathed.

Matsuri gestured to Cordi, sounding a little apologetic as she said, "Sorry, I forgot to account for your assistant."

Gaara narrowed his gaze at her skeptically, realizing she hadn't "forgotten." She was trying to manipulate a secret date. He turned to Cordi wordlessly.

The fire user just looked between them awkwardly, then said, "Oh, it's alright. I'm actually heading out." She bent back over to drop the menus back in their drawer, and Gaara barely contained the quick glance at her chest again, covering it with a smile as she popped back up saying, "Yeah," as she walked towards the door, jutting her thumb over shoulder as she added, "I have some studying to do for that … uh … blood test tomorrow. And it's pretty early, so I gotta' go to bed soon anyway…" She was rambling as she inched around Matsuri. She gave them a two-fingered salute as she said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

As Cordi disappeared from view, Matsuri shot a pursed look at Gaara. "What?" he asked blankly.

She shook her head. "Nothing," she answered, shutting the door behind her as she walked forward. She walked around his desk, and planted a kiss on his lips. He felt her tongue dart forward, but expecting it this time, he pursed his lips. She pulled away with an odd look before plastering on a smile and handing him his meal, then pulled Cordi's chair to where she wanted it, and they began to eat in moderate silence. Only chatting about menial things. Her excitement for her mission to the Cloud. It was an easy mission. Her team was delivering a scroll to the Raikage's office. Her team would be offered a cushy hotel room for a few days, then bring the scroll back to Suna.

Gaara mentioned the current peace times had made things like missions between the five great nations rather simple, but trying to negotiate with several of the smaller nations was still proving to be difficult. The sudden rise of independent ninja had become problematic, and still made things dangerous, which was why only chunin and jonin level ninja were being allowed to travel outside the Wind. He joked about his siblings being a good example, when Kankuro wasn't at Dunescape or whatever club.

From there, their discussion devolved to strategical what ifs. Gaara found playing these scenarios fun. They were good exercise for thinking on one's feet without exerting anything physical.

She gestured to his empty platter, and asked, "Can I clear that away?"

He nodded, gesturing for her to take it.

She put it in her paper bag with her finished platter, then took it to the trashcan in the breakroom. As she walked back in, dusting her hands off. Gaara began to watch her, curiously worried as he noticed her hand hover over the handle as she shut the door, and he heard the unmistakable locking sound.

"Matsuri?"

She turned back to look at him, a nervous smile playing on her face. "Last time one of us went away for two weeks, things between us were unsure. Would you agree?"

"We're fine now," Gaara stated, a little confused.

"Yes," Matsuri chuckled, before chewing her bottom lip. She'd taken several steps closer to him, and was now rounding his desk. He was still seated, and he wasn't sure if he should have stood at some point. The power dynamic seemed to be off. "What I mean is, I don't want there to ever be any more confusion between us."

"Ok."

She was standing over him now as she said, "I want to show you how much you mean to me."

Gaara could feel his heart pounding, because he wasn't sure what this meant between them. Then she knelt before him, and he was even more confused.

She placed a tentative hand on his knee, rubbing the inside of his thigh with her thumb as she asked, "Will you let me show you?"

He stared at her blankly, but nodded, unsure what exactly she was referring to. She smiled, and his heart calmed a little, until her hand inched up his leg, and alarm bells went off again. "Matsuri," he started.

"Sh," she directed, putting a silencing finger to lips as her other hand found his crotch, and felt for his member, which grew under the attention. He watched with wide eyes as her smile curled seductively as the finger on her lip dropped to the fasteners on his pants, making quick work of them. Her fingers dipped into his pants, coaxing his member out, and he gasped at the touch, his hand darting out to grab the desk for stability as her hand pumped him. "Tonight, I take you places you've never dreamed."

He felt an odd chuckle escape his throat, because he had dreamt of these places. Just not her hands on him. Not her lips.

He felt her tongue brush its head, and his head snapped down to look at her as she swirled her tongue around it. His skin felt like it was squirming underneath as his heart pounded and his stomach squeezed. He watched as she put his member in her mouth, easing him in further and further. He couldn't watch her, feeling all of his prior perceptions of his student obliterate as she pulled back, sucking gently with it.

His fingers gripped their rests tightly as he grunted a small, "Damn." He felt her chuckle around his member as she slid him back in. He felt his eyes flutter close at the sensations. It was wet and warm … and pleasant maybe.

With his eyes closed to focus on the sensation, he started feeling the beginning of the climb to release, if only he had a spark to ignite his lust. Almost on cue, his mind's eye conjured the visions of Cordi on her knees, her breasts pressed together as she sucked on his member. Her full lips causing the perfect puckering suction. And her dark eyes full of angry passion. He could grab her hair and pull it, holding her head in the perfect position as he fucked her face. He began panting at the idea, magnified by the feel of lips on his member.

He lifted a hand to press on Not-Cordelia's head to push her down. Wanting to be so far in her he heard her gag.

He stopped himself as he remembered Matsuri was the woman on him now. Not some fantasy he could take his frustrations out on. Not a dream that his sand couldn't hurt. I shouldn't be thinking of another woman right now, he reprimanded himself. He forced his eyes open and looking at the woman who was giving herself to him.

He saw a tear trickle down her cheek, and he realized immediately he didn't want this. His lust for Cordelia would not bolster him into pressuring Matsuri into the punishing lust he needed for release. "Matsuri, stop," he ordered, feeling himself shrinking away.

She did as he said, but her hand still stroked him as she looked at him curiously. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, pulling his member from her grasp and tucking it back away in his pants. He didn't have the words, so he settled for the slow string that came to him. "I'm … not ready … not comfortable … to do that … with you …"

He offered his hand to help her stand up, but she slapped it away. The action hurt, but he realized his rescinding her gift probably also hurt. She wiped her tears away licking her lips angrily before glaring at the floor. "What is it then?" she asked.

"I don't know—"

"Bullshit!" she hissed. "That's bullshit, Gaara."

Gaara pursed his lips, looking away. He couldn't tell her the real reason was residual violent tendencies when his lust was stirred. That would just terrify her. So, he said nothing.

Matsuri scoffed with a knowing nod. "I don't know what I was thinking." She sniffled as she turned to walk out of his office.

He didn't stop her.

Instead, he scratched his head and sighed. He looked around his office, then decided he wanted a shower, then to sleep. He turned off the lights and locked up, then made his way to the penthouse. As he opened the door, he realized Cordi probably thought she had the apartment to herself since Kankuro was out at the club and Temari was on a mission. He heard the music playing, and Cordi's voice singing with the melody mixed with the sound of a running shower. He sighed, realizing he'd have to wait, or run the risk of getting a suddenly cold shower.

As he walked down the hallway, he noticed the bathroom door was wide open, and he realized that she did indeed think she was home alone for a while. He chanced a look inside out of basal curiosity, knowing the glass doors would hide nothing. Her eyes were closed as she washed her hair, filling it with suds that dripped down her body. Her dancing to her music jostled her breasts so wonderfully, Gaara felt himself getting hard again from the momentary glance.

He quickly eschewed himself to his room, her lilting voice following him down the hallway. He shut his door quietly before kicking off his shoes, and getting undressed. He sat on his bed, down to his boxers as he realized he'd have to wait thirty minutes to get a fully warm shower tonight. He leaned back, eyes fluttering closed to the new image filtering his fantasies as he began to stroke his member. He bit his hand to stop himself moaning Cordi's name as he came. He was still hard after, and he realized he had a problem.

---

It was another eventful night at the Dunescape Club in Suna, and Kankuro was in rare form tonight. Both of his siblings were so no nonsense that he had to be just as serious around them, which was ninety percent of the time. But the other ten percent, when he wasn't being a ninja, or council member, or the older brother/guard dog to the Kazekage, he liked to cut loose. And when he cut loose, shit tended to get crazy, which was exactly how he liked it. So far, he'd convinced two women into giving his friends jello shots from their belly buttons, dirty danced with a few other skilled twerkers, and already one girl flashed the entire club for a free drink. So things were going great. He was out with the guys tonight because it was Jello Shot Night, which meant the girls got crazy, which meant the guys were twice as likely to get laid.

One of his friends sucked the jello shot from another girl's belly button, getting another round of cheers when one of his friends gave him a sharp jab to the ribs. "The fuck, Hiro?" Kankuro hissed, rubbing his side.

Hiro pointed to the front door, yelling over the pounding music, "It's your girl, Matsuri."

Kankuro looked up, and sure enough, there was the small ash blonde girl standing by the door, looking sad as her eyes searched the club. He realized she was probably looking for him. She always seemed to know where to find him.

"Here," Hiro offered, holding out a small packaged condom. "I brought extras for tonight just in case, but I had to dig into my older stash, so …" he trailed of, still holding out the package.

Kankuro glared at it, then at him. "I don't think that's why she's here," he growled.

"Didn't you say the past couple times she was sad, and found you in a bar, she spread those pretty legs wide open -?"

"Shut up," Kankuro interrupted, snatching the condom from his friend's fingertips and pocketing it. "And it was just the last two times," Kankuro corrected defensively.

Hiro nodded with a knowing smirk and a shrug. "Yeah. The first time, you just finger-banged her in the bathroom."

Kankuro rolled his eyes, stepping away from his friends, fighting his way through the crowd to get to Matsuri. "Matsuri?" he called out as he stepped out of the foray.

"Kankuro," she breathed, clearly relieved to find him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. But as soon as he asked it, she ran to him, clutching his shirt and crying into his chest. He pulled his arms around her, hugging her close, and he let out a small sigh. "What did he do this time?" She shook her head as she sobbed into his chest. He let out a small, disappointed huff, then grabbed her by the hand. "Come on."

She followed his lead as he asked the bartender for one of the private rooms upstairs, usually reserved for parties. When the bartender shot him an expectant look, Kankuro reached in his pocket, procuring a hundred-dollar bill. The bartender took it, handing him a key with a blue tag on it. "Upstairs, to the left. You're in the Blue Room."

Quickly, he led her to the staircase behind the bar, and up the stairs, then left down the hall, and opened the door with the sign "The Blue Room." The room was nice. It had black carpet, and was lit solely by blue lights lining the walls. It was small, cozy. It had two white leather couches, and a black coffee table with a bucket of ice and a champagne bottle in the center. There was sound proofing along the corners of the walls, so the room only throbbed from the pounding music below, and the noise wasn't nearly as deafening. Kankuro shut the black door behind them, locking it so they weren't interrupted.

"So, what happened," he asked, seeing her step around the room with her arms crossed.

She shook her head. "I think I'm going crazy."

"I doubt it," Kankuro breathed. He stuck his hands in his pockets, one fingering the rubber his friend just handed him downstairs, thinking about what he said. The last time he and Matsuri were alone in a club, she said her boyfriend found her repulsive, and they ended up screwing so he could prove she wasn't. The time before that, she said that she thought he wanted to break up. And the time before that, she was frustrated because he was refusing to kiss her. He didn't know who this guy was, but every time Matsuri came to him crying about this guy, he got the strongest urge to hunt him down, punch him in the balls, and tell him he didn't know what he was screwing up. He'd tell Gaara about the jerk, but with Matsuri being his student, his little brother could get a bit overprotective. "Tell me what happened."

"He's got some hot new … coworker who's all boobs and butt," Matsuri began her rant. "And she dresses like she knows it, the slut. And when I went to go see him this afternoon, I found her practically sitting on his desk, her boobs just right in his face. And sure, they acted all innocent, but when she sashed out with some bullshit excuse, I swear I saw him watching her ass."

"Unbelievable," Kankuro growled, shaking his head. Seriously. He was going to punch this man in the dick.

She sniffled, continuing to pace as she ranted, "I tried to pretend I didn't see it. I tried to kiss him again, but we were back to that not-quite-kissing bullshit."

Kankuro frowned. She'd mentioned it before when she said she thought he found her repulsive, but he still didn't understand what it meant. "What exactly is that?"

She scowled. "It's when he does this," she huffed, stepping over to him and putting her lips to his. She held them there. Kankuro raised his eyebrows when she didn't move for three seconds.

"Uhm," he murmured against her lips.

She pulled away with an annoyed expression. "Awkward, isn't it?" She let out a sigh, then huffed bitterly, "I try to show him how to kiss properly, and he acts like I attacked him and tells me to go home. I bet if it was her, he'd be more than happy to have her tongue down his throat." She closed her eyes tightly, fighting back tears as she put her head in her hands. "What's so wrong with me? Am I not kissable? Am I not fuckable? Is it because I don't have boobs for days, or a super effeminate figure?"

Kankuro stood, placing his hands on her shoulders to calm her down before she flew off completely in a tizzy. He made sure she was looking him in the eyes when he said as clearly as possible, "You are beautiful. It's his loss that he doesn't see that." Her teary gaze searched his, and she knew he was being sincere. He saw her gaze flick to his lips for a second, and he knew what she was craving. A proper kiss. And he'd give it to her.

He leaned down, sweeping her lips into a kiss, as he pulled her to him. He licked her lips for entrance, and she granted it immediately, inviting his tongue into her mouth. He licked and tasted her, and she let out a moan as his tongue massaged hers. As with every one of her kisses, he felt himself beginning to harden, and he guided her back to one of the sofas, pinning her under him as he pressed and sucked on her. His hand traveled down, resting on her hips as he pressed his groin towards hers, teasing her with the friction, and eliciting another moan. He moved his mouth to her jaw, his tongue swirling kisses as he made a trail down her neck. "You are kissable as fuck," he breathed, between each kiss as he trailed down to her collar bone. "You are fuckable as fuck," he growled, grinding into her again, making sure she could feel his hardened dick through her underwear. Her skirt was already pooled at her hips, given her position. His hand snaked up her shirt, until it found that perfect mound of flesh, braless as always. Her breasts were small enough she never had to wear one, which he loved. She moaned as he kneaded one of her boobs, his thumb brushing over her nipple, feeling it perk up under his ministrations. "And big breasts are so overrated."

She ran her fingers through his hair, knocking his hood off his head as he nibbled on her collar bone, and he palmed her breast again. And she shifted her hips. She was ready. His hand trailed down, dipping beneath her underwear as his fingers slid into their favorite little cave. "Kankuro," she gasped, bucking against him. He dipped one finger in, then two, as his other hand pushed her shirt all the way up so he could kiss and suck on her other neglected nipple. He stuck a third finger in her, and she shuddered around him.

"If your boyfriend can't be with you like this," he breathed around mouthfuls of breast, "then he's not worth the heartache."

"Uh-huh," she moaned as his fingers flexed and curled inside her. He smiled, as he felt how her womanhood clenched around his fingers, and he could tell she was going to come soon. He always was good with his fingers.

He pulled them out, and she let out a whimper. His lips smacked as he pulled them off her to hover over her. Her face was twisted in pleasure until her eyes opened. Her black eyes connecting with his. "You should break up with him," Kankuro whispered.

Something flashed in her eyes, and she pushed him to sit up, then she stood in front of him kicking off her shoes and reaching up her skirt to pull off her underwear with impressive speed. Before he could adjust his position, she straddled his legs, grinding her wet essence against his tenting pants. Her expression was dark and sultry as she pulled her shirt off over her head. Kankuro stared with wide-eyed boyish wonder. No matter how many times he'd seen a woman's bare chest, it was always a marvel to see.

She held him to her by his neck, her fingers dipping into the hair at the base of his skull. She planted a soul searing kiss on his lips, then said, "I think you should fuck me."

He smiled. He loved a bossy lady. "Yes ma'am." She captured him in another soul searing kiss, and he positioned her under him again. Quickly, he undressed as best he could, remembering to grab the condom from his pocket. He opened it up, and his heart dropped as he looked at it. Hiro's old stash indeed. This thing was dry and stiff as paper. He squinted, checking the expiration date, and, yup, expired last year. He sighed, starting to unroll the condom onto his stiff member, uncomfortable from the dusty feel of the old lubrication. Even an old condom was better than none at all. As he tried to pull it into place, the condom split on the tip. His heart dropped through his stomach. "Fuck," he breathed.

"Something wrong?" Matsuri asked, propping herself up.

Immediately, he realized if he said he couldn't go through with having sex, she'd be devastated, given the circumstances. It was the whole reason she was here. Her boyfriend may not fuck her, but Kankuro would! "No," he said quickly, pulling off the condom and dropping it. It wasn't useful at all anymore anyway. And it wasn't like either of them could see all that well in this dark blue lighting. He smiled and maneuvered himself into position. "Everything's perfect," he breathed, kissing her deeply as he lined himself up, his tip poking at her entrance.

It's fine, he reasoned, pushing himself into her and listening to her gasp, I can pull out. He'd never gone raw before, with the exception of Winifred Buchanan, and his eyes almost rolled to the back of his head at the sensation as he remembered it. Matsuri was different. Smaller, tighter. And more dangerous. Winifred, while also raw, wasn't nearly as risky as this was. It was almost unbearably exquisite, feeling her so tight around him, and the thought he was risking everything. I know myself well enough, he convinced himself as he began to set his pace.

But pumping into her had never felt this good. Was she always this tight? This silky smooth? There was something intoxicating about breaking the rules. Like the high from riding a risk heightened every feeling, magnifying his pleasure a thousand times over. Like life itself was a gamble, and meant to be lived on the edge. Who knew that pure ecstasy came at the price of treading disaster? He braced his hand on the arm rest above her head, gripping it tightly as he did his best to steer his thoughts away from how amazing she felt. Doing his best to ignore that he was deeper in her than he ever had been, and she was screaming from the ecstasy he was giving her.

She's enjoying this more than usual, he noted, and a smile found its way to his lips and he pounded into her a little harder, deeper, faster. It didn't take long. She was almost there, he could feel it. Just a little further. He could survive that. He pushed her over that cliff, and she clamped onto him as a strangled cry escaped her throat. The sensation was so sudden and so amazing he didn't brace himself properly. He tried to slow, but she ground against him as her walls pulsed and got impossibly tighter. That was it. There was no stopping it. "Fuck," he gasped with a shuddering breath as he came in her, slamming into her deep.

He froze, his mind blank as his dick pumped out the last of his seed deep into her. As he finished, the reality of what happened hit him, and his mind began to panic. Shit. Shitshit.

Matsuri clenched and unclenched around him, breathing in deep heaving gasps. "Wow," she breathed, a silly smile playing on her face.

Wordlessly, he slipped out of her, and quickly moved to get dressed, snatching the old condom and its wrapper off the ground. "Where are you going?" she asked, sounding a little lost at seeing how quickly he threw on his clothes, leaving her half naked on the couch alone.

"I-uh… I have to go toss the condom," he said awkwardly. Meanwhile the back of his mind was screaming chaotically, YOU IDIOT! YOU FUCKING MORON! He scratched at his nose, adding, "I'll come right back. Do you, uhm …" he trailed off. He couldn't believe how awkward he was being right now. "Uhm, do you need me to walk you home?"

Matsuri shook her head, and with a small smile, replied, "No. Yukata, Mikoshi and I set out for a mission in the Land of Clouds." She stood up, a little wobbly, and he knew it was from how hard he went. Usually he had better control of himself. Also, usually he was wearing a condom. He mentally berated himself again for not realizing earlier to accommodate for how different it felt. Matsuri grabbed her shirt, and pulled it on as she continued, "I'm staying at Yukata's house tonight, so we can get an early start."

"How long will you be gone?" Kankuro asked.

She shrugged as she put on her sandals. "It's what, six or seven days travel there, then back is fifteen or sixteen days. The mission itself looks like it's going to take a few days. So two and a half weeks at the earliest." She stood, walking over to him. She smiled bittersweetly at him. "Thank you," she breathed. "You don't know how much I needed that."

Kankuro gave a blank nod, then instinctually leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "You stay safe. Alright?"

She smiled at his earnest gaze. "I'll do my best." Then she left.

Kankuro let out a long breath, his mouth pursed in an "o" then stepped out, snagging the champagne as he did, because he did spend a hundred dollars on the room. He walked over to a large trashcan, and tossed the wasted contraceptive in it. The old condom sat on the top of the pile, laughing at him. I'm fine. I can pull out. What a moron? He looked up, realizing he'd fucked up pretty bad, and now there was nothing left to do except wait. … And maybe …

He shook his head, not sure why he was so afraid. He screwed up, sure. But what were the chances of anything happening on the first time unprotected? One in a million? He was fine. He took a calming breath, returning to the party as he reminded himself, "One slip up won't hurt anybody."

AN: Yeah, this chapter is one of the longest I've ever written. It's 41 pages single-spaced. I probably should have split it up, but there were too many parallels across each scene to break it up. We're roughly about halfway through Part I. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, because this had several scenes I've been excited to write or get to for months.

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