Xin was having a relatively good and normal day and that's where she fucked up at. If she'd taken the time to sit there and think about it, when was the last time she had a good, normal day? She wouldn't have been able to remember. A good day? Okay, that was plausible. Maybe. If the stars and planets aligned and the Gods of Old smiled upon her, it was highly plausible. But a normal day? Oh, heavens no. The shit didn't exist for Xin anymore and she was foolish to even think so.
One Autumn evening, after the leaves had fallen and accumulated in front of the bakery, Xin took it upon herself to clean, rake and sweep out front. The task was originally assigned to Ami but she couldn't do shit right so Xin took it upon herself to just do it. Her OCD wouldn't be able to take it if it was left up to Ami. So there she was, outside just minding her business, and living life. She had a great morning shift at Primary Lotus and finished the day with a great evening shift at Mad Batter. She was singing softly to herself, thinking of her day when she felt something…..mischievous wash over her. It didn't feel evil, it felt like a sly little imp was waiting to play a prank on her or something.
Xin chanced a quick glance up and nearly reeled back from the person standing directly in front of her. He was tall and on the lanky side with wildly brushed sandy-blond hair. She silently stared up at him, wondering if he understood the concept of a hair brush. "Uh, sir?" She squinted up at him, feeling an odd energy rolling off of him. It wasn't evil but his energy felt...tainted. Demonic-like. Oh, for the love of fuck. No wonder Gaara gave her shit about her spacey ways. "Can I...help you?"
The last time she tried to help a demon was after she ran him over with her fuckin' car and indirectly threw her life out of whack. Maybe she should stop offering help in the first place.
The demon leaned over her, nearly curving in half to compensate for the lack of height. "You're her, aren't you?"
Xin leaned away, head twitching back on her neck as she kept his stare. "That sounds like a loaded question, sir. Could you back up a bit? You're kind of...invading my personal bubble. Well, actually you popped the shit at this point, we're sharing."
He grinned down at her, completely ignoring her words and shoved his face closer to hers. To her utter dismay and confusion, he inhaled deeply. "Oh, you are her."
Xin's grip on the broom tightened. "Sir," She openly scowled at him. "If you don't back up in the next five seconds, I'm smacking the shit out of you with this broom," She threw caution out of the window, threatening the demon through clenched teeth. She knew it was dumb to lose her temper with a demon but these motherfuckers were going to stop trying to muscle in on her.
Although this particular demon seemed more obsessed with just smelling her. Which was the weirdest thing that's happened to her when it came to these demonic motherfuckers. And that was saying something because she's experienced a lot of weird shit lately.
Heeding her warning, the lanky demon straightened up. His grin remained, thoroughly creeping Xin out. "I found you so easily and with no protection. Makes me wonder if he really does care about you," He mused around his stupid grin. "Although, I'm having a hard time believing you're the girl. You're not really his type, are you?"
Xin could feel herself losing her temper for this man. "Look," She hissed through clenched teeth. "I don't know who the hell you think you are or what you're even talking about—" that was actually a lie since she figured he had something to do with Gaara. "But I don't have the time or patience for it. So if you could exit stage left, that'd be really peachy of you."
He continued to grin down at her, fully creeping her out. "Oh, I like you. You've got spunk, definitely not what he usually goes for but that makes it even better. You'll be more fun, way more fun than Matsuri."
"Oh, here we go," Xin muttered in frustration. "Matsuri and I are two different women. We're not alike at all."
"Except that you both like Gaara."
Xin twisted her grip on the broom, wielding it like a bat. Without any warning, she swung the broom and smacked the leering demon away. He let out a surprised squawk, holding his face in surprise. "Did...did you just hit me with a broom?"
"I told you I would," Xin replied flatly, hand on her hip. "I don't know who sent you or why they sent you," She began to say, expression telling him that she wasn't impressed at all. "But I can tell you that I want no parts of it. If you have something you want to take up with Matsuri or Gaara, go find them. Not me."
The demon pouted, rubbing his face while glaring at her. "The women he picks usually aren't so violent," He practically whined, taking a step back. "You'll learn to regret that, miko. Just know that."
"Oh, yeah?" Xin raised her eyebrows at him, cocking her hip to the side. "I regret a lot of things, to be honest," Xin admitted with a blank face. "I don't think there's much you can do at this point to make me regret anything."
"Xin?"
The small woman was suddenly yanked away, nearly tripping over her feet as she landed against Karin. The demoness pulled back her lip to snarl at the tall demon, arm wrapped protectively around Xin. "Back the fuck off," She tucked Xin into her chest, eyes flashing dangerously.
"Oh, this'll be so much fun. Until next time, miko."
Karin and Xin watched the unfamiliar demon go, both frowning as he vanished into the bustling crowd. The women remained silent long after he was gone, not sure of what to say to one another. Xin had been actively avoiding her friends ever since their argument over dinner. Even when they showed up to the bakery or the gym, she outright ignored them. It was petty and childish but who ever said Xin was mature?
Once Xin realized she was still wrapped up in Karin's arms like a damn burrito, she shrugged the redhead off. Karin only sighed as Xin stubbornly turned away, resuming her task of sweeping. "Come on, Hyuga. Aren't you done with giving us the silent treatment again?"
Xin glanced up at her scowling. "No."
Karin threw her arms up in exasperation. "Listen, you little midget, it's been two days. You're going to talk to me whether you like it or not."
Xin leveled her with a blank stare. "There's nothing to talk about."
"Yes there is. So grow up and come on," Karin reached forward and grabbed the smaller woman to drag her inside the bakery. Xin only huffed and dragged her feet but didn't fight the redhead off. She passed her broom off to Moegi, ignoring the younger girl's weaker smile and dropped down at the table towards the back of the bakery.
"Well?" the miko hissed impatiently, arms folded stubbornly across her chest. "You made a big deal out of talking so go ahead, talk," She demanded hotly, ignoring the nasty look Karin sent her way.
"You don't need to be so rude about it," She snapped back, a little sick of Xin's attitude. "Look, I just….I'm sorry if we made you feel like shit, those weren't our intentions. But, Xin, look at it from my view. You've never been serious about anything and this no different. Don't you give me that look, you're never serious about anything," Karin said quickly once she noticed Xin's offended look. "This is real life, you dweeb, not manga and anime."
Xin's face flushed in annoyance but she took a deep breath to stave off her waning temper. "I know that, you lumberjack."
"Do you?" Karin pressed with a frown. "I don't think you do know that. Jun—"
"Karin," Xin leaned towards the table, scowling. "Listen to me when I say this, okay? I'm not Jun. I never will be Jun and I don't want to be her. She's dead and I'm not," Xin uttered carefully, eyes never breaking the hold she had on Karin. "If you keep on comparing me to that woman, you and I are always going to clash. I can't live up to your expectations based on a dead woman."
Karin had no comeback, allowing Xin to continue. "I know you miss her and want her to live through me but that's not fair to either of us and you know it. The miko sisters had their time."
Karin looked away, taking a deep breath. She needed to gather her whirling thoughts. It was never her intentions to set a high bar that Xin could never reach but her actions and words said otherwise. Jun and Xin were so different yet so alike, it was hard not to constantly compare them. Sometimes the two were so alike she forgot she was even dealing with Xin and not Jun.
It really wasn't fair.
"I...I didn't know that's how you felt. I didn't mean to make you feel any sort of way…" Karin finally managed to say, voice barely above a whisper. She knew Xin had an issue with people and their expectations of her. She could never live up to them. "It's just...I see so much of Jun in you, literally and figuratively and the last time I saw her, she was dead in my arms."
Xin flinched back as Karin's tone became bleak. "Jun and Junko died because we allowed them to blindly place their trust in the hands of a psychopath. I can't let the same happen to you, Xin."
"So what do you want to do, Karin? Wrap us up in bubble wrap and throw us into an attic?" Xin intoned blankly. "We're doing the best we can given the circumstances but it never seems good enough for you guys. God, it's like living with my parents all over again."
"No, Xin, it is good enough," Karin insisted quickly, face flushed with embarrassment. She was never one for these sort of talks, usually leaving them to Hinata or even Suigetsu. She was never the sentimental type and tried at all costs at avoid being so. Xin was pretty much the same, leaving the two women at a standstill. "Naruto told me about the progress you and Hinata have made," the redhead looked away, flushed face rivaling her hair.
"Yeah, well, I bet it's still shit compared to Jun and Junko," Xin replied snidely, a stubborn set to her jaw. A small part of her began to really wonder if Karin only stuck around because of the dead miko rattling around inside of them. Maybe she was under the impression that Jun would actually awaken and...take over. Maybe she was just waiting for Hyuga Xin to cease to exist.
The very thought was nearly enough to bring her to tears. Despite their constant fighting, the name-calling and the snide remarks, Karin was one of best friends. And if she only befriended them because she was waiting on some spiritual hostile takeover, it was going to break Xin's heart.
She abruptly stood, startling Karin. "I have to get back to work," She muttered softly, avoiding Karin's gaze. She was a Hyuga, dammit, and the Hyuga didn't cry. They got angry, they got cold but they didn't shed tears. Xin was more on the infamous side as she often turned her sadness into rage. Unfortunately, she was in the middle of her place of business so it wasn't like she could hulk-out then and there. It wasn't like she could knock Karin upside her head with the napkin dispenser so she had to get the hell up out of there.
Karin only watched her go, knowing that things were somehow worse. Suigetsu warned her to just leave Xin and Hinata alone for the time-being. When they wanted to talk, the two would come around. But when did she ever listen to Suigetsu?
Wonderful.
It was okay to be attracted to Xin.
That much he was sure of. Sure, she was nothing but a dumbass human but that didn't mean she wasn't a pretty dumbass human. There was nothing wrong with appreciating a pretty girl. And okay, she wasn't really his type but that didn't mean she wasn't attractive. Usually he liked his women tall, lean and unemotional. They were easier to deal with and far more sturdy. Xin was the exact opposite being short, soft and highly emotional. It felt like she could just crumble and shatter under his hands.
And unfortunately, the very thought of that excited him.
He was having more and more dreams featuring her. Which, as he said before, was completely okay because Xin was a pretty woman. He spent a lot of time with her and he hadn't had sex in awhile. It had to be normal. Except lately the dreams were less sexual and more...domesticated. For instance….this current dream he was trapped in had him feeling some sort of way…
Xin came bounding towards him, a genuine smile overtaking her mouth. Her entire face light up like a Christmas tree as she approached him. "Gaara!" She beamed like the damn sun as she came to a stop in front of him. She twisted her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heels. "You're finally back," She sighed almost dramatically. "How's Rasa? Still the same?"
Amusement flooded him but he didn't say anything to her. That didn't seem to deter her at all seeing as how she soldiered on almost thoughtlessly. "Dunno why I even asked," She shook her head and shrugged carelessly. "But at least you're finally back."
She caught him off guard when she stretched to the tips of her toes and leaned her weight against him. Her arms slithered around his neck, fingernails pressing against his nape just the way he liked it. Her smile dimmed down, not nearly as bright but still just as happy and genuine. "Sometimes I think you won't even come back at all," She confessed, leaning in far too close.
His arms coiled around her back, hands rubbing circles into her skin. "You say that every time I leave and every time I come back," He murmured quietly, dropping his head down closer to her face.
"You might get bored with hanging around some human girl."
"I wouldn't call 'this' hanging around and I don't think it's possible to be bored around you."
Xin tilted her head back and pulled at his neck, pulling him down to closer. Her mouth met his, smile curving into the kiss and she leaned further into him. He couldn't feel a damn thing but he knew he enjoyed the kiss by the subtle slump of his shoulders. His hands dipped under her shirt, reaching up to pull at the back of her bra.
Xin suddenly pulled back, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Bedroom?"
Gaara's eyes snapped open, sitting up with a hard scowl. Okay, this was getting ridiculous. Having dreams involving sex and Xin was one thing. He'd come to terms with that. He spent too much time with Xin and less time having sex so of course his subconscious would combine the two. Fine, whatever, that was all fine and dandy.
But now he was having innocent dreams about kissing the damn woman. Sex was one thing but kissing? Simple ass kissing? He was losing his shit and he was losing it fast. Just...why did it have to be her of all people? Why couldn't it have at least been a demoness? Of all the women he could have possibly gotten tangled up with, it had to be a young, human, priestess. It could have been anyone else, anyone, and he would have been slightly okay with it. But no, fate had to fuck him over and stick him with that loudmouthed harpy.
And speaking of Xin, since he was already thinking about her, she seemed down after her shift at the bakery. Normally he couldn't get her to shut the hell up for more than five seconds. But today, something had gone down because Xin was as quiet as a church mouse. Hinata had no idea what could have possibly soured her mood, she'd been in classes all afternoon but he did smell Karin all over Xin.
According to Naruto, there'd been yet another fight between the twins and their group of idiotic friends. Gaara had to wonder why none of them thought before they said anything. How hard was it to just shut the hell up? So what if Xin and Hinata weren't Jun and Junko? So what if they weren't as skilled as the dead women?
What was this obsession with Jun and Junko anyway? If anything, shouldn't everyone be pissed at those two? They were the entire reason any of this shit was happening in the first place. All because they wanted to trust some sketchy ass demon in the first place.
And honestly what did anyone really expect out of Xin and Hinata? How were they supposed to be these top-notch miko when they literally just found out about their heritage a couple of months ago? Who learned shit that fast?
And okay, Xin made a pretty dumb decision when she came back to the apartment on her own and encountered Masuyo. That was dumb as all hell but there wasn't any reason to make her feel less of herself. She couldn't help that they were being hunted down by Masuyo. What were they supposed to do? Hide out in the apartment and wait for that woman to pop up?
There was a lot of things that was out of their control. That didn't make any of this their fault, they were more so the victims if anything. Gaara growled, rubbing harshly at his eyes. He was thinking way too hard about this girl and her complicated ass situation. He really had to stop thinking about this damn girl.
Oh, how the mighty fall indeed.
Xin opened the door late one night, peering into the hallway. She blinked up at Gaara, genuinely surprised to see him standing there. "Um," her eyelids fluttered quickly. "Gaara? What's up?"
Gaara shrugged and shouldered by her. "Naruto told me that you're by yourself."
"Oh, well, Hinata has the late shift tonight," Xin eased the door shut, eyeing him carefully as she followed after him. "You didn't have to come if you didn't want to. There's not much going on," She pointed out casually, veering off back towards the kitchen. Gaara only shot her a fleeting glance. "Alright, fine," She conceded with a shrug. "I was just going to watch movies and snack all night long. I made extra cookies today," Xin explained in an attempt to fill the air while Gaara flopped down on the couch. He shifted until his back was pressed to the arm of the couch.
Xin made her way from the kitchen with a plateful of cookies. She plopped down next to him, far too close, with the cookies placed in between them. He stared at her, wanting to kick her to the other side of the couch but relenting. "It's Halloween so we're watching 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' and it's a classic so I don't want to hear any complaining," Xin wagged a finger at him.
He only stared back at her, unimpressed with all her finger wagging. "Start the movie before I leave," He grumbled gruffly, knowing damn well he had no intentions of leaving. Every time this girl was left on her own, bad things tended to happen to her.
Gaara didn't pay the movie any mind as it played, eyes tending to seek out Xin. She was oblivious, singing along to the songs the entire time, somehow not feeling him staring holes into her face. His gaze dropped to her mouth and for a second, he wondered what it would be like to kiss her. He was having all of these stupid ass dreams about kissing her and had no idea how it actually felt. If he was being honest, it was all her damn fault anyway with that half-ass kiss she laid on him weeks ago.
Maybe...just one kiss wouldn't hurt. Just to get it out of his system. Maybe then he would stop having these creepy ass dreams about kissing her. The dreams involving sex didn't disturb him as much as the kissing ones did.
If he'd been listening to that voice in his head, he would have heard loud and clear that the idea currently brewing within his twisted mind was anything but a good idea. Their friendship was fragile and tense and the push in the wrong direction could very well ruin everything.
Perhaps that was a risk he was willing to take because he sat up just a little bit when the movie ended. She was humming to herself, probably one of the songs from that creepy ass movie she just forced him to watch, and had no idea of his plotting. If she'd been paying just a bit of attention, she might have noticed his plotting. But as usual, Xin remained oblivious to the demon's plans.
Her humming immediately ceased when he reached out and snatched her up by her wrist. Her head tilted towards him, a quizzical look twisting her lips up. Gaara said nothing, easily tugging her towards him until she was fully sprawled across his chest. Her legs straddled his waist, knees sinking into the couch cushion. A disgruntled noise sounded off from her throat as she used her free hand to swipe some of her hair out of her face.
"Gaara?" She nearly squawked, lips hovering way too close. She placed her hand on his chest and tried to push herself up, doing so awkwardly with the use of only one hand. "What...are you doing?" She asked slowly as he let go of her wrist. She used it to balance herself, pressing her hands against his chest and pushing away from him. Any thoughts of retreating were dashed when he snaked his arms around her waist.
"You started something weeks ago in the kitchen," Gaara explained shortly, smirking at her inflamed cheeks. "So finish it."
He was sure that if he bothered to reach up to touch her face, he'd burn his hand. Instead he watched, entranced, as she rolled her bottom lip into her mouth, sucking on it before sinking her teeth into it.
He didn't think she would actually listen and kiss him but she suddenly dropped her face closer to his, eyelids slowly lowering. She shifted on top of him, sinking further down on him until she was comfortable. He nearly reared up to initiate the kiss but held off, somewhat eager of her next move. He knew he wanted to kiss her but could the same be said for her?
Evidently, yes, because she reached up to cup his face with her smaller hands. Her thumbs brushed against his cheeks, an almost thoughtful look falling from her half-lidded eyes. He was impatient, arms tightening around her waist, tugging at her.
Just one kiss. He just needed one kiss to satisfy the nasty urges hiding beneath his skin. He just needed to find out if she tasted like moonbeams and honeysuckle. He'd leave her alone after that, he'd leave her be after having just one kiss from her.
"Just...one," Xin uttered softly, lips still hovering over his. One of Gaara's arms slid away from her waist, hand settling possessively at her neck. She leaned down further, body settled so deeply against him that he felt literally every curve she had to offer hidden under her clothes. His body stirred under her, hardening between her legs. He lifted his hips, pressing himself intimately between her legs and eliciting a sharp gasp from her.
Before she could finally press her mouth to his and end his suffering, keys rattled from outside the apartment door. Haze broken, Gaara shot up, nearly knocking Xin off of him. She had yet to hear the keys and was thoroughly confused by his quick actions. He pushed her away, standing up to put some much needed space in between.
Xin blinked dumbly, still unaware of his sudden shift but then she finally heard the front door open. She heard Hinata and Naruto before she saw them, giving her time to shift around until she was sitting innocently on the couch, remote in her hand.
"Xin, you're still awake," Hinata paused once she stepped into the living room. "Oh, and Gaara. I wasn't expecting you," Hinata smiled politely, sliding out of her jacket.
"I told him to drop by to check on Xin, she's a danger-magnet," Naruto confessed, eyeing the two suspiciously. "Didn't think you'd still be here though. What were you two up to?"
Xin shot a quick glance at Gaara, noting his look of indifference. Her face felt hot and she wondered if Naruto and Hinata noticed. "We were watching movies," She said slowly, remembering The Nightmare before Christmas.
"A Halloween classic," Gaara supplied tonelessly. Xin nodded along to his words, motioning to the television.
"Xin, you've got to stop forcing movies and anime onto everyone," Hinata jokingly chided, storing her bag and jacket away. She joined her sister on the couch, vaguely wondering why Gaara was standing so far away. "Tenten dropped by the bakery today."
Xin's shoulders stiffened but she didn't scowl angrily, so that was a good sign. "Oh yeah?"
"Mhm," Hinata nodded, ignoring her sister's tense posture. "It was thoughtful of her, I think. She asked about you."
"I'm sure Karin mentioned something to her," Xin stated thoughtlessly before her face suddenly tightened. "Oh. Shit. I forgot to mention…" She rubbed the back of her neck and looked at Gaara. "Some demon approached me."
Gaara shot her a nasty glare, "you didn't think to mention that earlier?"
"Spare me the lecture, demon," Xin grouched up at him, waving his attitude away. "He didn't say what his name was but he did mention you and Matsuri. I hit him with my broom and he told me I'd regret it."
Gaara neared her, grabbing her chin to force her to directly look into his eyes. "You're a miko, you moron. If you're going to attack demons, purify them. Don't hit them with a broom."
Xin stared up at him with wide eyes, completely silent due to his close proximity. The smell of lavender and honey assaulted his nose, causing him to back off before he did something irrational in front of Naruto and Hinata. "Purify...right…"
"Well, why don't we go looking around the neighborhood?" Naruto suggested slowly, noticing something off in the air. "Just to make sure, yeah? Come on, Gaara. Maybe we can find some poor fool and you can rip his throat out."
The two demons left, wishing the girls a goodnight as they did so. Hinata waited a good five minutes before turning towards her sister. "Did something happen?" she wasted no time, somewhat worried for her sister.
Xin blinked slowly, rubbing at her chin. "No, of course not. We just watched a movie, is all. Sometimes it's just weird to hang out with him."
Hinata only watched her, she and sister were practically on the same wavelength. She knew when her sister was lying and right now, Xin was lying her ass off. Something did happen between Gaara and Xin while they were alone, that much was obvious. Hinata just wasn't sure how she felt about that.
Her friends did have a point in saying that Gaara and Naruto were two dangerous individuals. She was getting better with her spirituality and she could just feel their dangerous aura. There was no denying the danger surrounding them. However, they were still doing what they could to look out for her and her sister. Granted, now Gaara's father had some vendetta against Xin but who could have predicted that?
"Xin, you don't...you don't like Gaara, do you?" Hinata asked slowly, truly confused about the nature of the relationship between her sister and the demon.
"This again, Hina?" Xin rolled her eyes, sighing heavily. "No, I don't like him. I don't like anyone. It's kind of hard to date at the moment, seeing as how we're being hunted."
"Do demons even date?" Hinata asked, completely ignoring her sister's statement. "Naruto said our cultures are different so maybe they don't even understand our concept of dating."
Xin hummed in acknowledgement, considering her words. She had a point, their cultures clashed on everything else, why not dating as well?
"I think dating a demon would be difficult."
"Very."
"So, are we gettin' another week of the silent treatment cuz' of Karin?" Suigetsu asked one windy afternoon. Xin paused in wrapping her hands up, glancing towards the taller demon.
"That depends," She replied calmly. "Are you here with some half-assed apology about me not being Jun?"
Suigetsu sighed heavily and dropped down in front of her, taking the boxing tape to help her. "You know she isn't good at apologizing," He spoke after a long minute of caressing her knuckles with his thumbs.
Xin rolled her eyes, shoulders slumped. "She's a grown ass woman, Sui. A simple ass 'I was wrong for making you feel like shit, I'm sorry' would have sufficed. But as usual, she had to make it about her and those damn miko twins of yours," Xin confessed in one short breath, looking quite frustrated. "I appreciate and value our friendship," She uttered slowly, looking away from Suigetsu. "But I'm not going to continue it if I have to constantly live up to your standards set by dead women. If you guys can't accept that we're not Jun and Junko, then there's no need to continue our friendship."
"Xin, don't ya think that's rash?" Suigetsu's eyes widened at her words. He was so used to having the twins around that he couldn't even picture life without the twins. Their dynamics would go to shit if the twins suddenly weren't around.
"No," Xin looked back towards him but he was too focused on wrapping her hands. "It's not rash at all…"
It was obvious that Xin's mind was made up and Suigetsu knew her well enough that once her mind was set, there was no changing it. The only one who could change her mind was herself and maybe Hinata. But anyone else trying to convince Xin to change her mind would be talking to a brick wall. He decided to leave soon after that, knowing there was no use in sticking around. Normally he would stay and watch Xin but he felt as if his presence was unwanted at this point.
"She's pretty damn stubborn, eh?"
Suigetsu frowned at the sight of Naruto. The blond was sitting at the bench directly across the street from the gym. "We switched girls today," He said with a grin, nodding towards the gym. "Keeps them on their toes, she usually expects Gaara and Moonpie expects me."
"Yer' that close?" Suigetsu tried to stay neutral when it came to Naruto and Gaara. Their involvement with the twins didn't sit well with him but there was denying that they were helping. But even so, their platonic relationship didn't sound so platonic.
"Well, she still wants to be our friend," Naruto shrugged indifferently, smiling innocently. Suigetsu's eyes narrowed but he didn't have a comeback so he simply sat down next to the blond. "I mean, I don't blame her. You guys have been acting ridiculous lately."
Suigetsu rubbed hard at his face. He knew the situation was pretty fucked when Naruto, of all people, decided to lecture him. "Ya don't know the full story, Uzumaki. Watch it."
Naruto glanced at him, still smiling innocently. "I kind of do, Sui. Xin told me all about it. See, that's the thing, you guys don't listen to them. All you do is talk at them and expect them to listen. They're your friends, not your kids.
And if we're being honest, I'd be sick of your shit too. You guys constantly throw it in their faces that they're not Jun and Junko. While we're at it, how come no one is criticizing Jun and Junko for this mess? You're mad at Xin and Hina for not being them and not Jun and Junko for starting this mess?"
Again, Suigetsu didn't have an immediate answer. "We never said anythin' about them not being Jun and Junko."
"Man, you don't have to say it outright. You guys constantly talk about them and then when they're being criticized, you bring them up. You set impossibly high standards and there's no way of reaching them."
Suigetsu took a deep breath, considering Naruto's words. When he looked at Xin and Hinata, he didn't see Jun and Junko. Sure, there were freakish similarities here and there but Hinata and Xin were two completely different women.
And if he was being honest, he preferred the younger Hyuga over their older counterparts. It was easier to be around them, easier to have fun and easier to be himself. While Jun and Junko accepted their friendship, they didn't accept them being demons. They held them at arms-length. It was never like that with Hinata and Xin, even after finding out that they were demons, it didn't matter to them. Even when they were trying to wrap their heads around anything, they never actually treated them any different.
"Closer than I thought if yer' takin' up for them like this," Suigetsu worded his sentence carefully. Again, he was neutral when it came to their friendship. Naruto and Gaara were dangerous but they were good people. Deep down, very deep but it was there nonetheless. They had no reason to actually look after the girls, they gained nothing from it.
"They're good girls," Naruto shrugged a careless shoulder. "Too good for our world and whatever's waiting for them. If you guys quit arguing so much and just focused on what's important, you wouldn't need us around so much."
It was true and the very thought frustrated him. If they could just get it together and band together like they'd been doing for years, Gaara and Naruto wouldn't be necessary. They were sending them straight for the demons.
"Real good girls," Suigetsu agreed after a long moment.
They left that subject alone after that, speaking of other things as Naruto waited for Xin's shift to end. He and Suigetsu always got on well and nothing would change that now. There was no bad blood to have between them and it would stay that way.
Naruto must have had Xin's shift memorized because he got up with no warning. He waved a quick goodbye to Suigetsu and crossed the street, arms resting at the back of his head. He waited patiently outside of Primary Lotus, smiling brightly when Xin stepped outside.
True to his words, she was visibly surprised to see him. Her eyes widened, her eyebrows shot up her forehead and her mouth pinched in surprise. Naruto's arms dropped from his head, only to gather her smaller form up in a hug. It surprised her even more but then her face broke out into a lovely smile. She managed to free one of her arms to sling across his back.
"Easy, big guy," Xin laughed, feet dangling comically. "You're going to crush me."
"You weren't expecting me, were you?" Naruto crooned instead. "Man, I don't know what you see in Gaara when I'm clearly better looking."
"It's the red hair," Xin joked, patting at his back to let her down. He did so, setting her on her feet carefully. "It's more...exciting than blond hair."
"My mom is a redhead," Naruto pointed out, grin still in place. He threw a laxed arm around her shoulders and turned her in the direction of her apartment. Suigetsu watched the interaction the entire time with a soft frown. He felt a jealous pang at his chest, watching the two maneuver through Tokyo's crowded bustle.
He took it back. He was no longer neutral.
Hinata hummed to herself as she stepped out of the bathroom. She was dressed in a comfy robe with her hair wrapped in an equally comfy looking towel. She continued to hum as she rounded the couch, plopping down noisily with a satisfied grin. Xin would be back any second with their takeout and then they could finally get their movie night going.
She was a little disappointed that Tenten and Karin wouldn't be joining them but things were still awkward between them. She was hopeful that they would clear things up soon. She really missed the two of them, the four of them had such different personalities but they managed to fit well together.
It was just too bad that they all had such nasty tempers. Even she, saint that she was, had a frigid temper.
But even so, time heals all wounds. It was just a matter of who could out-stubborn who. If anyone asked her, Xin was the most stubborn out of the four of them. She knew her sister well and her sister had this odd obsession of proving herself in every aspect. Karin would break first, Hinata was sure.
Before she could even get comfortable and pick the first movie out, the front door blew open, hitting the wall with a loud crash. Hinata nearly jumped out of her skin, turning around with wide eyes. Her hands started to glow as she stood up.
Naruto and Gaara came through in a frenzy, wild eyes searching. "What? What's the matter?" Hinata asked quickly, hands sizzling out once she realized there was no danger. Gaara darted by, throwing doors open to peer in only to let out very colorful words.
"Hinata," Naruto sighed her name. "You're okay, that's great," He approached her with a grin. "Where's your sister?"
"Of course I'm okay. I was okay when you two left just two hours ago. What is this about?"
Gaara came storming out of the bathroom, looking frustrated. "Hinata, where's Xin?" He demanded tensely, confusing her even more.
"Xin is right here."
They each turned to the front hall, spotting Xin. She was holding a takeout bag and looked severely confused. "What on Earth is going on?" She blinked at them with wide eyes. "You guys look like you did fifteen lines of coke," She pointed out dryly. Gaara stomped over to her, snatching her up before she could make another snarky comment. Xin's eyes were still wide as he turned her face from side to side to check for any injuries. "Can I help you find something?"
He didn't immediately respond but allowed her to turn her face back into his direction. She frowned up at him, obviously confused by his behavior. "We ran into these demons, see, and they alluded to you two," Naruto finally decided enough was enough and began to explain their panic. "So we rushed here to make sure you two were alright."
"What did they say?" Hinata asked curiously.
"Nothing," Gaara said quickly, realizing he was still holding onto Xin. He marveled at how tiny her wrists were in his grasp.
"Nothing? Didn't seem like 'nothing'," Xin raised an eyebrow. "I could hear you guys all the way down the hall. It's a wonder no one's reported us yet," She joked with a chuckle. Gaara finally let her go, putting some much needed space in between them. "Well, in any case," She held up the bag. "I got food from Dragon's Way. You guys wanna join us for movie night?"
"That depends," Gaara intoned blankly. "Are you going to make me sit through that Halloween shit again?"
"You can't possibly tell me that you didn't enjoy the Nightmare Before Christmas!"
Naruto and Hinata watched as the two walked towards the kitchen, bickering all the while. The food was passed out and Xin plopped down against the arm of the couch, pulling her legs to her chest. Without any directions, Gaara settled down next to her, boxing her in next to him.
About halfway through the first movie, he realized what a mistake it was to sit so close to Xin. He was practically drowning in her scent of honey and lavender, it was driving him up a fuckin' wall. And sure, he probably could have moved but it was far too late to move without rousing everyone's interest.
It got worse during the first twenty minutes of the second movie because Xin began shifting around. Her hips twitched and she suddenly had the nerve, the audacity, to stretch her short legs across his lap.
He wasn't even sure what the third movie was about since he kept sneaking glances at Xin. He watched the twitch of her brows, the curve of her smile into the apples of her cheek and worst of all, her mouth.
Her fuckin' mouth.
He entertained the thought of just leaning over to kiss her. He was thinking too hard about actually kissing her and that's why every chance had been ruined. If he just said 'fuck it'...well, what could possibly stop him?
Naruto, bashing the back of his skull in, for one.
So he didn't end up kissing her, as one could probably figure out. By the end of the night, he was left feeling frustrated, although he was starting to get used to that sort of thing.
To his dismay, Xin ended up falling asleep at the end of the night. "Oh, Gaara, could you take Xin to her room?" Hinata asked gently once she realized her sister was knocked out. She didn't give him a chance to protest, setting off to clean the living room up. With a low grunt, he scooped Xin up, cradling her too easily against his chest.
Her room was freakishly clean, not that he was surprised. He'd only been in her room one other time but he was too distracted back then to even look around. The bed was far bigger than necessary for a small girl like her and it made him wonder who all the extra room was for.
The slumbering miko let out a small groan once he settled her under the blanket. "Gaara?" She let out another groan, lids peeling back slightly. "What happened to the movie?"
"Movie night is over, miko. You fell asleep during the fifth movie."
"Aw, dammit. I like that movie," Xin muttered, sitting up. Gaara nearly cringed away, remembering the last time he helped her to bed. She ended up stripping with him standing right in her damn face. Instead, she twisted around with her back towards him. "Can you do me a favor? Can you unbraid my hair?"
Gaara blinked down at her, momentarily stunned with such a request. "Unbraid your hair," He repeated blankly.
She turned her head towards him, bottom lip poked out into a pout. "Please? You have longer fingers, it'll be faster."
He wanted to slap her damn lip down her throat.
He was a powerful and fearsome demon. Lesser demons quivered in his fuckin' presence. A nasty look could even send some running off for their lives. He had weight to his name. And yet, here he was, babysitting a young girl and playing in her hair.
It was a long fall from the top.
He tugged at the end of her braid, eliciting a soft whine from her. Xin was far too trusting of him and it was beginning to really wear him the fuck down. He leaned closer towards her, fingers threaded into the dark blue locks. He was suffocating as the scent of honey and lavender blasted him in his face but he soldiered on until her hair fell down her back in curly waves.
Xin let out a deep breath, shoulders slumping. "See? Wasn't that easy?" She mused sleepily. Easy? Easy, she says. It'd be easy to grab her by the shoulder, shove her to her stomach and—
Nope. No. He was skirting the edge of dark territory. It was time to back the fuck up and get a grip.
A knock at the door distracted him, pulling his attention away from her tiny shoulders. "Yo, Gaara, put the princess to bed already. We gotta go," Naruto grouched through the door. He probably sounded so irritated because Gaara was taking far too long behind closed doors.
This time Xin laughed tiredly but shifted around until she was hidden under the heavy blankets. It took a lot of willpower not to slip under the comforter next to her.
She seriously had far too much room.
"Get some sleep," Gaara grunted gruffly, turning on an impatient heel. He had to get the hell out of the room before he did some dumb shit.
"Goodnight, Gaara," She called after him, voice laced with sleep. "See you tomorrow," She said through a yawn. He grunted again but offered no reply, hurrying out of the room and away from her.
It was going to hurt like Hell once he finally hit the bottom.
"Interesting that you claim you feel nothing for this girl, yet every time I come across you, she's near."
Gaara was aware of Matsuri's presence before she even spoke up. The brunette settled down next to him on the bench, folding both her arms and her legs. "Is that what you do? Follow her around like a pup? I'm not sure Rasa would approve."
The redhead sighed and leaned back into the bench. He could see through the large windows of Primary Lotus, easily spotting Xin among the other men. She'd been taking a lot of shifts at the gym, seemingly avoiding Mad Batter. Gaara was sure it had something to do with her friends. She hadn't said anything about it and it wasn't like him to pry. If she wanted to tell him about it, she would.
"And what is it that you're doing?" He asked casually, still watching Xin. He had to admit, despite being small and several times weaker, Xin was a pretty adept boxer. She wasn't particularly strong but she was nimble and strategic. She'd make a deadly enemy for demons if she mixed her purity with her fighting.
"As if I enjoy coming to this awful realm," Matsuri sniffed primly. "My reasoning for being here is to talk you out of being here. What's your reason for being here, again?"
"I don't need a reason and even if I did, it's of no concern of you. Go back to Suna."
"I will," she nearly snapped, scowling all the while. "I'm simply waiting for you to see reason and come back already. Gaara, you have no place here. You know it's not wise to mingle with the humans. They're...beneath us, they're primitive," Matsuri tried to sternly argue, wishing he would just come back already.
Perhaps he didn't want to be with her specifically but his place was still in Suna. He had responsibilities that he couldn't keep blowing off. They'd been friends before being lovers and she'd be damned if their friendship crumbled. She wanted to see him succeed, to prove himself of being worthy to Rasa. He couldn't do that if he was following after some human girl who had no sense of danger.
"Gaara," She tried again in a softer tone. "This...whatever it is between you the two of you, it won't work. You're far too different, you're from different realms, what could you possibly have in common?"
An attraction, maybe.
"She's too young. She has no experience with life, don't you think you might be too much for her? I know other people believe that you're unfeeling but you're not," Matsuri leaned into him, turning her face into his neck. "When you feel strongly, you feel too deeply. She's too young to understand you, too shallow," She grabbed onto his arm, bridging the small gap between the two of them.
Whether Gaara wanted to admit to it or not, Matsuri knew him best. She knew Xin wouldn't be able to handle the Volcano that was Gaara. They would clash and they would clash hard. His temper was legendary and Xin had a knack for pressing all of his buttons.
It would be better to end this game before things got too murky, he was already in too deep with her.
"You're too different, Gaara. She'll never understand what's expected of you as a demon. Her morals are different, her lifespan is shorter. You can't end up together, it's just not meant to be."
Gaara rolled the words around in his head. Maybe he wouldn't have been so cranky if they were words coming from Naruto but Matsuri had good points. They were different, in every sense possible, her lifespan was significantly shorter unless he took her as a lifelong mate and she was unaware of all his responsibilities.
But then he thought back to that night in the kitchen, covered in blood. He expected her to flee at the sight, anyone would. But then an odd look of curiosity and excitement flashed in her eyes and they...things began to stir.
"Don't you want to give her a chance for a normal life? She's twenty-one and inexperienced. You can't give her a normal life. She'll die."
She knew he was listening by the tightening of his jaw. She hated to upset him but he had to realize that this relationship was doomed to hell. He had to realize the mistake he was making.
Gaara didn't answer Matsuri, in fact, he didn't say a word the entire time. Instead, he focused on the tiny woman behind the glass windows. She was learning a new move, incorporating UFC moves into her boxing. It was impressive that she was learning it so quickly.
Her shift ended soon after that. A tall man with a ridiculous bowl cut hairstyle and bushy brows politely walked her outside, both chatting about the day. Matsuri seemingly perked up at the sight as the two stood out front of the gym.
"It's pretty late, Xin, I can drive you home if you want," her coworker offered politely. Xin was busily fixing her hair but smiled up at him.
"Thanks for the offer, Lee, but I'm good. Someone's on their way now to walk me home," Xin replied, tilting her smile up to him.
"Is the scary boyfriend coming or the big blond?"
Matsuri and Gaara could literally see Xin's face turning red from across the street. "I'm not dating anyone at the moment, Lee," She replied quickly, making it a point to look away. "The scary boyfriend is just a friend."
"Really? I just assumed…" Lee trailed off sheepishly. "He's just always around you and he hates when other guys look at you. He acts like a boyfriend so I just assumed…"
Xin laughed and shook her head. "Well, no one thinks I can handle anything so most of the men in my life behaves that way around me. Although to be fair, I make awful decisions," She replied while leaning against the front of the building. "He's..he's a really good friend."
"Hear that?" Matsuri nearly crowed in delight. "A really good friend, Gaara. You're a really good friend. Maybe this Lee wants to date her?"
He decided at that moment that he had quite enough of Matsuri's silver words. He pulled roughly away from her, causing her to nearly fall over without his sturdy support. "Go back to Suna, Matsuri. I've got things to do."
Gaara stalked across the street, leaving Matsuri and her words behind. There was no denying that Matsuri's words had some weight to them. He and Xin were perpetually different but he couldn't be bothered to think about that right now.
Lee noticed him first and even though he was told Gaara was just a friend, he took a careful step back. Although he knew perfectly well that Lee had no romantic interest in Xin, his hand found its way to the small of her back as a greeting.
Xin's head tilted back, eyes falling on him. "Oh, speak of the Devil. Hi, Gaara," She offered a pretty smile and he nearly dropped a kiss to her mouth. He could practically feel Matsuri staring holes into his back but he paid it no mind, eyes focused on Xin's smile. "Lee offered me a ride home but I told him I was waiting on your big scary ass."
He finally acknowledged Lee, nodding his head. He could just tell by the look in Lee's eye that he wasn't the least bit interested in Xin. Matsuri was full of shit and he was dumb enough to be jealous of nothing.
"Since you're taken care of, I'll see you later, Xin-san," Lee offered them a smile and turned away, heading for his car. The two watched him go, Xin cheerfully waving as he drove by them.
Gaara's hand didn't move from her body even when they started the walk back to her apartment. He slid his hand up her back and settled his arm around her neck. She was used to this sort of treatment from both Gaara and Naruto and didn't even think to question it. It was comfortably quiet before Gaara decided to speak up. "You think we're good friends?" He asked with almost a leer. Again, Xin's face flushed heavily under his gaze.
"You heard that?"
"I'm a demon, we have super hearing."
"That would've been nice to know. You probably heard me talking shit all those times?"
"I heard some things but I let it go since they were pretty creative. For someone with the face of a baby cherub, you've got the mouth of a demon," Gaara commented casually. He missed the smile that pulled at her lips, feeling bashful that he compared her to a baby angel.
"Well, anyway, yeah I think we're good friends," She cleared her throat once she realized she hadn't said anything. "I mean, we aren't enemies or strangers, right? We got off on the wrong foot but I usually get off on the wrong foot with everyone."
"We're not enemies or strangers," Gaara confirmed quietly, wondering if he was okay with just being friends. Friends didn't kiss each other nor did they lust violently after one another. They didn't want to drag their friends to bed and destroy their body.
Something was seriously wrong with him.
"Which means we're friends," Xin sung cheerfully, seemingly pleased with their friendship. "Who would have thought, huh? We absolutely hated one another when we first met."
"You hit me with your car, I think that was a good enough reason."
"You strangled me more than once."
Gaara shrugged, jostling her little shoulders almost comically. He obviously wasn't satisfied with their relationship as just being friends but he wasn't sure if he actually wanted a relationship with her. He'd been in a relationship with Matsuri for years and was unsatisfied with it. Now comes along this human girl and he couldn't get his shit together.
"Do you ever think that maybe we could—"
Gaara came to a stop, staring ahead at the front of Xin's building. Karin and Tenten were hanging out near the doors, obviously waiting for Xin to return home. Whatever she was about to say died on her tongue, frustrating him to no end. He wanted to know, maybe they could what? Maybe he could drag her up to her room and fuck her until she couldn't see straight. Maybe he could do a lot of things.
Xin deflated under his arm, mirroring his mood. "There goes my night," She grumbled softly, a heavy sigh following suit. "They're the most stubborn people I've ever met…"
Gaara let out a dry chuckle. She had a lot of nerve, complaining about stubbornness. He dropped his mouth down closer to her ear. "You can't avoid them forever."
Xin nearly flinched away, red dusting at her cheeks. "Yeah...yeah, I know. But I can't keep forgiving them for the same thing over and over again. It's getting old," Xin grouched tiredly. Karin sensed them approaching first, red eyes narrowing at the sight of Gaara's arm casually hanging around Xin's shoulders. His arm dropped from her shoulders, settling on the small of her back once more.
"Another time, Xin," Gaara said after a pause, not wanting to leave but knowing his time was up for the night. Xin's mouth twisted, as if she wanted to protest, but thought better of it. Instead, she nodded obediently and stepped away from him.
"Right, another time," Xin agreed softly, feeling his fingertips brush at her back as she walked away. She offered him a quick smile thrown over her shoulder before approaching her friends, casually waving at them. Gaara watched as Karin and Tenten wrapped Xin up in a bubble, Karin glaring back at him the entire time.
Gaara vaguely wondered when that time would present itself.
"Do you ever think that maybe we could—"
Maybe they could what?
"Do…do you w—"
Did he what? Did he want her?
There were far too many questions weighing on his mind and it was driving him up a fuckin' wall. He wanted to strangle Xin and Matsuri for all of the bullshit they were putting in his head lately. The demon rubbed harshly at his face, scowling angrily. Enough was enough.
The portal opened slowly into Xin's living room, leaving Gaara behind after a small pop. He vaguely wondered if Xin managed to sort out her issues with Karin and Tenten, he had no time for interruptions. If one more person stopped him, he was going to have a conniption.
Xin was in the kitchen, dressed in her usual fashion of a twisted tank top and shorts that made him uncomfortable. She turned at the last second, clearly confused to see him. "Gaara? It's midnight, what the hell are you doing here?" She questioned, completely caught off guard. He didn't answer, stalking up to her and standing over her. She turned fully, pressing her back to the counter. "Gaara?" Xin pressed, worry dancing in her eyes as he remained silent.
"This has to end, Xin. It has to end tonight," Gaara finally uttered after a long moment, dark eyes turning her stomach nervously.
"End? What has to end?"
"This," Gaara spat at her. "This thing between us. You're driving me crazy, Xin, and it's ending. Tonight," He continued to snap, watching as she clutched at the counter. "Enough interruptions, enough unanswered questions, enough games. Enough."
"I...I don't understand," She was confused, rightfully so, but not afraid. She didn't move away but she didn't move towards him either. "I'm not playing any games with you, I don't know what you're talking about," Xin said, clutching too tightly at the counter. "You're...you're too close…"
"Maybe we could what, Xin? What were you going to say earlier before Karin and Tenten showed up at your apartment today?" Gaara asked firmly, dropping his head closer to her face. Xin's eyes were the size of dinner plates as she regarded the taller demon.
Xin pulled her hands away from the counter, reaching up to press them against his chest. "I was..I wasn't going to say anything."
He knew right then and there that Tenten and Karin most likely put it back into her head that he was dangerous. That whatever thoughts she was entertaining about him were unsafe and risky. To be honest, whatever was telling her to listen to them was right. He was a danger to her.
"Are you afraid of me?" He asked instead, pretty blue eyes flickering. He could practically taste the fear rolling off from her skin. But as usual, she surprised him as the smell of her fear began to mix and mingle with the smell of excitement.
"I.." her face twisted stubbornly. "A little bit, yes," Xin admitted after a long moment. "You could knock my head off my shoulders at any given moment…" She trailed off, trying to take another step back. The counter pressed tightly against her waist, stopping her from moving all together.
"You think I'll kill you."
"Well, you can easily do it," Xin argued with a soft frown. "But..I don't think you will, I'd hope you wouldn't. Things have changed, haven't they?" She tilted her face back up towards him, big eyes open and trusting. "You look out for me and save me and you spend time with me. You wouldn't want to kill me, would you? After all this time?"
Too much had changed and that was the problem. Of course he wouldn't kill her but he'd end up hurting her. Some way, somehow, he was going to hurt this little miko. But he was a selfish motherfucker and he couldn't be bothered to think about that.
"No, not after all of this time," He confirmed quietly, watching in near dismay as a smile pulled at her plump lips. He reached up, fingers trailing up her tiny body slowly, and cupped her face. Her dark brows pulled at the movement, confusion written all over her face.
His eyes focused on her lips, eyes darkening with desire with once more. She didn't notice, softly calling his name. Her fingers tapped at his chest, seemingly waiting for his next move. His mouth dropped closer to hers. "Enough games," He muttered before finally, finally, swooping down to kiss her. She gasped hard and nearly reeled back, stopping when his hand slid around to cup the back of her head. Her fingers tightened in the material of his shirt as if in thought but she didn't pull back.
He pulled away with a pop, dark eyes watching for her reaction. He was right to assume that any other woman after kissing Xin would be ruined. It was a simple press of the lips but he felt like he was drowning in her mouth. Her lids pulled back halfway, dazed eyes seeking him out. "Oh."
Her hands pulled at his shirt after a long pause, prompting him closer. He didn't need anything else, dropping down to kiss her for the second time. His veins were light on fire the moment she reacted, tilting her head back to return his kiss. Both of his arms dropped to her thin waist, hauling her against him until there was no room left to speak of between them. Xin pulled her hands from his shirt only to wrap them tightly around his neck, nearly on the tips of her toes.
Her head was spinning and her lips were throbbing but she didn't want it to end. Gaara squeezed tighter, threatening to break her in half, when her teeth bit down on his bottom lip. He pulled back with a grunt, a little caught off guard by her boldness. Her eyes popped open wide, nervous that she'd done something wrong. They were walking a thin rope and the smallest mistake could break them.
Gaara's hands fell to her thighs, surprising her even more, when he gripped at the soft flesh. His nails threatened to sink into her skin as he lifted her with ease to deposit her on the counter. She leaned into him as he folded over her, hands dipping under her shirt to press against the skin of her back. Her legs parted for him, slipping around his waist and fitting snugly at his hips.
His next kiss was bruising, unforgiving and hard. She gasped into his mouth, giving him the perfect opportunity to slide his tongue by her parted lips. His tongue twisted, curling around her own and eliciting a muffled groan from her. Xin pressed harder against him, nails digging into the skin of neck. It was his turn to groan into her mouth, causing her to tighten her grip at his neck.
Gaara finally pulled himself away, blood roaring in his ears at the sound of her pained whine. She took a greedy gulp of air while he busied at her jaw, peppering errant kisses from her smooth jaw down to her neck. Her head tilted to the side, hair brushing his cheek as he focused on the pulse strumming beneath her pale skin. Sharp canines brushed against her skin, irritating it but soothing it immediately with a brush of his tongue.
He repeated the process several times, leaving behind kisses that bruised. By tomorrow, her neck and throat would be a macabre patchwork of bruises. The thought of it excited him and he considered dragging her to her bedroom to continue the act along the entire length of her body. He could just smell the arousal dampening her shorts and he was too eager to get in between her legs.
Too soon, he reminded himself to control his urges. She was ready to fall to pieces at any moment and all he'd done was kiss her. She was young and still very inexperienced. He couldn't just rush her into anything, even if he did want to throw her down and fuck her until she couldn't say anything but his name. He waited this long for her, he could wait a little longer to fully have her. And to hell with what anyone had to say, she would be his wholeheartedly.
"Gaara," her soft whisper broke him from his thoughts, causing him to look up into her clouded eyes. She was pouting, full lip poking out and just begging to be swallowed by his mouth once more. "Please…" Xin uttered breathlessly, eyes flickering over his shoulder towards her bedroom. His grip on her back tightened and his stance became heavier.
Too soon.
He chanted the phrase in his head, reminding himself that it would be much sweeter when she was his completely. He had to have her completely to himself before taking her to bed.
Her lips sent a shock to his system when they suddenly pressed against his jawline. She followed his earlier example, trailing kisses down towards the pulse in his neck. "Why'd you stop? Why'd you stop?" She repeated almost desperately, sucking at the pulse obsessively. "Please don't stop. Please? Please touch me," She spoke against his neck, hand coming up to cup his cheek.
She had to stop. They had to stop immediately or irreversible things would happen. Gaara reached up and grabbed at her hand to pull away from his face. He straightened up, trying hard to ignore her frantic protests. The demon caught her other wrist and pulled her wandering hands back to her lap. "Xin, we have to stop. You have to stop."
"But...but why?" She demanded faintly. "You said no more games, right? It has to end tonight," She reminded him, thighs clenching tightly around his waist. She was easily going to be his downfall.
"Because you aren't mine," Gaara uttered quietly. She was different, she wasn't like the women he dealt with in the past. She deserved more than a frenzied fuck in her kitchen because he couldn't control himself. She deserved more than having her virginity violently stolen away. And he couldn't do anything but be violent. She had to understand that if they would ever share themselves with one another.
"I can be," She said quickly, sounding so desperate.
Gaara let out a dry laugh, "you don't know what you're asking for, miko."
A protest bubbled from her throat but she stopped, frowning regretfully. "Do..do you know what you want?" She asked carefully as embarrassment began to settle in. She tried to give herself to him only to be rejected. Jesus Christ, had she lost her mind?
"Yeah," Gaara replied simply, eyes boring into hers. "Yeah, I know what I want. It's just not that easy though. There's too much that...could go wrong," He tried to explain his whirling thoughts to her. He realized he was doing a shit job at it by the look of pure confusion on her face.
After all, he came storming into her kitchen at midnight and stoked an unknown fire within her. He kissed and touched her only to back off the moment she returned the favor. She had every right to be thoroughly confused by his actions. Her legs slowly fell away from his waist, her face burning bright.
"Why...why don't we talk in the morning?" She tried slowly as he took a step away. "I'm...I'm confused but don't run off. Just...sleep on the couch and we can talk after Hinata goes to classes. I won't kiss you or anything, we can talk with clear heads, okay?" Xin slid off of the counter and began fixing her rumpled attire. "Gaara?" She pressed once she realized he hadn't answered. "Please? Please say you'll stay."
He was a fool to deny her anything. He knew this but conceded anyway, nodding silently. She rolled her lips into her mouth, trying to stave off her triumphant smile. She danced around him, backing away from him. "Xin?" He called after her, turning around as she paused at the doorway. "...Do you know what you want?"
She stared at him with nothing but trust in her eyes. "...Yeah, I think I do."
Hinata wasn't surprised at all to see Gaara slumbering on the couch the very next morning. She offered him a smile, completely unaware of what had taken place between him and her sister only hours ago. He cracked an eye open as she breezed by him. "Hinata," He greeted tiredly.
"Good morning, Gaara. Xin is still sleeping. She'll probably sleep for awhile, today's her day off from the bakery and the gym. Feel free to help yourself to the kitchen, okay? I have to get to class," Hinata offered nicely. He wondered if she would be so nice if she saw her sister's neck. He only offered a wave, the best he could do, before she left to start her day.
He left Xin to sleep, briefly leaving the apartment to clean himself up. He was back at her apartment within an hour and she was still sleeping. Still, he left her to bed, knowing today could possibly get messy when she finally got up.
It wasn't until noon that things went to shit. Matsuri showed up in the form of a portal, looking a little upset to find him there. But it was clear that she wasn't shocked at all. She stood over him with her hands propped against her hips. He dully noted that her hips aren't as wide and fleshy as Xin's hips and that bothered him.
"Why am I not surprised to find you here?" She asked in exasperation. "The miko is sleeping and you're just waiting around for her. My, how the mighty fall…"
He was in no mood for Matsuri and her scathing words. "What do you want, Matsuri? Didn't I tell you to return to Suna yesterday?" Gaara slouched into the couch, sifting through his hair.
"I just want to talk to you. I think I deserve that, at least," Matsuri admitted firmly. "We can talk on the roof, that way we'll have some privacy but you won't stray too far from your human," her fists tightened against her hips but she said nothing more, a stubborn set to her jaw.
"Alright," Gaara agreed, knowing that she really did deserve that much. He'd dropped a bomb on her last time, severing any romantic involvement without even asking to talk about it. She devoted years to him and she deserved some sort of closure. He left with her after making sure Xin was actually still asleep.
It was an hour later when Xin finally stirred from sleep. She groaned and rolled over, checking the time. She'd slept in, something that hadn't happened for a long time. She felt refreshed even though she'd gone to bed late last night.
Her face flushed heavily as the events came flooding back. She sat up, running her fingers down her bruised throat. Sighing heavily at her impulsive actions, she got out of bed and prepared herself for the day and the upcoming talk she would have with Gaara.
Her neck was as bad as she assumed, studying the bruised skin in the mirror. God, she'd have to hide that from her friends. Hinata would be a bit more understanding but the others wouldn't approve. She was finally back on speaking terms with Karin and Tenten and now her neck was covered in passion marks from the very demon they warned her about.
She was a glutton for punishment.
Luckily the Autumn weather was beginning to get colder so no one would question the oversized sweater. She adjusted the clothing until one side was pulled down her shoulder. It was enough to hide the bruised size of her neck, satisfying her. She continued to dress, pulling on a pair of black tights. Gaara wasn't in the living room but she wasn't upset about it. She was aware of him being up on the roof, vaguely hearing him talking through her sleep. With nothing left to do, she made her way up to the roof, smiling all the while.
She was still embarrassed by her wanton ways but reminded herself that Gaara came onto her first. He was clearly interested in her and that made her all too happy. She'd been agonizing over her developing crush for weeks on end. She was under the impression that he wasn't interested in her at all despite their almost kisses.
Xin climbed the stairs leading to the roof, still thinking about the turbulent relationship she shared with the demon. She had to wonder what exactly prompted him to stop so suddenly last night. They'd been going at it hard and fast and it was suddenly like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head. Was it something physically that stopped him or was it a mental issue? An emotional problem? Maybe he wasn't as interested as he thought he was? Maybe she wasn't that great a kisser? Maybe she was too...much for him? Was it her being a human? A miko?
Xin paused on the staircase, frowning distastefully. She had far too many questions and no answers. It wouldn't do her any good until she got Gaara to start talking.
The miko opened the door to the roof, eyes calmly sweeping the area only to freeze in her spot. There was Gaara, alright, with his arms full of Matsuri. The brunette was leaning into him, hands fisted in the front of his shirt as they shared an almost desperate kiss. Xin felt like someone poured ice into her veins. They were so wrapped up in one another that neither demon took notice of her. She watched the exchange quietly before deciding that she had quite enough of the intimate embrace.
Turning sharply to storm back down the stairs, she ran face first into a broad chest. Whoever she ran into caught her easily, hands clamping down on her shoulders. "Oh my," a voice tutted cruelly. "Poor girl."
Xin pulled her face away from the chest, paling as she stared up at Masaru.
"Matsuri," Gaara scowled angrily as he finally yanked Matsuri away from his mouth. He was beginning to get so used to easily toting Xin around that he forgot how much strength he really needed. "You said you wanted to talk. That was not talking."
Matsuri frowned sadly up at him, trying hard to mask the guilt in her eyes. "Gaara, I love you, okay? I loved you since I first saw you, just know that. I only did the things I did because I care for you. You're blinded by that human."
He glared down at her, too angry to decipher the guilt hidden in her words. "I thought I told you—"
The door to the roof slammed open, distracting him. "Well!" a familiar voice crowed jovially. Gaara closed his eyes and sighed heavily, not in the mood for Masaru. He was never in the mood for that weird motherfucker but now was certainly not the time. "An interesting turn of events, wouldn't you say?"
He opened his eyes, ready to unleash verbal Hell on Masaru, only to stop at the peculiar sight that greeted him. Masaru was grinning at him from across the rooftop, a small figure slung over his shoulder.
"You know, if we're being honest here, I'm pretty impressed. You're quite the ladies' man, aren't you? You've got Matsuri all over you and she's pretty sexy, isn't she? Tall and lean, you like your women firm, don't you? On the other hand, we've also got this short little vixen. Sure, she's not Matsuri but she's soft and thick. I actually quite like the feel of her," the demon reached up, hand settling perversely over the figure's ass.
A rage began to form in the pit of Gaara's stomach as Masaru continued his mistration. "She might not be sturdy but who says soft isn't fuckable? What's the saying? More cushion for the pushing? I'll take this one off of your hands. You seem so busy with Matsuri anyway, I'm sure Xin understands. She did just witness that heated exchange between the two of you. She's a smart girl, she put two and two together."
Gaara decided right then and there that he would kill Masaru. He always threatened to kill him but now he would definitely kill him. "Matsuri, move."
"Gaara, please—"
"Move."
Matsuri did the opposite, clinging even harder to Gaara. He wouldn't hurt her, that was a given. He was ruthless and cruel but he proved that he would never physically harm her. She was now using that against him. "She's made you weak and has blinded you, Gaara. This is for the best, I promise you. Everything will be alright once she's out of the picture."
A portal opened up behind Masaru and Gaara actually felt himself begin to panic. Masaru only grinned widely at him before turning, allowing a brief glimpse into Xin's unconscious face. He stepped into the portal with a quickness, taking Xin with him. There was a muffled scream but Gaara couldn't tell if it was coming from him or Matsuri.
The portal snapped shut soundly.
TeeBeMe: *whistles the tune of Don't Trust Me*. Hope yall enjoyed!