Whispers in the Dark

by TeeBeMe

Xin has always had awful luck but she's sure the Gods are just screwing with her for shits and giggles. Out of all the things she could've hit with her car, a demon was the last thing she expected. And he's not happy about it. And he won't leave her alone. Lord give her the strength. AU GaaOC

19. Know what I want

Xin felt...well she didn't feel refreshed but she felt somewhat better when she decided to finally wake up. She vaguely recalled being brought to a house only to find out that Hinata and Naruto were there, seemingly waiting for her return.

And then she passed out.

The room was pitch black with nothing but a bit of moonlight streaming through the window. She groaned loudly, wondering where the fuck anyone was. What was so hard about going home? Why was she the only one who seemed to be in a rush to get back? They could have taken her back even though she was unconscious. Masaru had done it.

Xin rolled and let out a muffled shriek when she rolled off the edge of the bed she'd been dumped in. Hitting the floor, she let out another groan, barely missing the door swinging open.

"Looks like the miko is awake."

She glanced up, squinting in the darkness. The figure approached her, dropping into a squat in front of her. Using the moonlight as her only source of light, she realized she had no idea who this man was in front of her. She did, however, realize he had a somewhat soft resemblance to Gaara.

"Who're you?" she managed to mumble, sitting on her hands and knees. The redhead studied her, blinking quietly.

"The owner of this house," he said after a silent pause.

"Well, that explains so much. You got a name or do I just call you Master of the House?"

"I doubt Gaara would be fond of that. My name is Sasori and I'm assuming you're Xin," he introduced himself. "Unless there's another miko sleeping in my house after getting her ass kicked for three days straight."

Xin's eyes narrowed, a frown twisting her lips. "I literally knocked a demon's jaw off this morning."

"Fascinating," Sasori replied with an arrogant smirk. He reached forward, slipping his hands under Xin to lift her up. "Now get off of the floor and back into bed before the angry little prince returns and thinks I've hurt you."

"Sasori, please put Xin down before I hurt you."

Sasori and Xin peered over his shoulder, eyes falling on Naruto. He stood in the doorway, arms folded and looking entirely unimpressed. Sasori did what was asked of him, roughly dropping Xin back to her feet. He backed away, allowing Naruto to slide within view.

"Jeez, shorty, you got any idea how worried we were?" he asked in exasperation, not caring if Sasori remained in the room or not. Xin didn't answer, tilting her head back to look up at the bigger blond. "We were damn there shitting bricks, thinking you were dead."

Naruto gathered Xin up in his arms, sliding thick arms around her torso and burying his face in her neck. She smelled of Suna's sun and sand, skin still somewhat hot from her time spent out running around. "You and your sister are going to give me gray hair…"

Xin sank into the embrace, relieved to finally be around someone who didn't want to rip her throat out. She threaded her arms around him, fingers grabbing fistfuls of his shirt almost desperately. "I thought I was going to die. Several times," she confessed quietly, not caring if Sasori was present or not.

"Nah, you're far too tough," Naruto reassured her, pulling back to smile down at her. "I can't wait to tell everyone back home about all the shit you did," large hands cupped her face, thumbs stroking her cheeks. "Now come on, let's go show your sister that you're still alive."

"Why is she in this realm to begin with?" Xin asked slowly as he led her from the room. Sasori had vanished, not that she really cared but was something she simply noticed.

"She wanted to come."

"And you let her?"

"She threw herself into the portal and refused to be sent back. She was right though, you were hurt and she needed to heal you. Good thing Gaara caught you before you face planted, you had enough bruises."

"And...where is Gaara?"

"He went back to see Karura. I can't believe that she was cursed this entire time and you healed her. I bet Rasa is furious! Ha, wish I could see his face.."

Hinata suddenly came into view as they stepped into what Xin assumed would be the living room. She was sitting by herself, a tiny ball of spiritual energy rolling between her fingers. When she heard their footsteps, she peeked over her shoulder, her face lighting up almost instantly. The ball of energy flickered away and Hinata threw herself to her feet. "You're okay!" the older twin exclaimed jovially, throwing her arms around her sister's neck. Naruto stepped out of the way, happy to see the twins reunited. "Oh, thank God! You have no idea how worried I've been!"

"I think I can guess," Xin laughed heartily. "You seriously threw yourself through a portal?"

"I had to! You were hurt!"

Naruto watched them with a smile curling at the edges of his mouth. They were talking at the same time, excitable squeals mixing together to create high pitched babbling. All their squealing drew Sasori into the room, scowling as he regarded the two humans. "Naruto, shut your miko twins up," he snapped at the blond, all the squealing was enough to draw anyone's attention. Naruto only glanced at the surly redhead, smile still in place, and raised his middle finger to him.

"Get out of my house."

---

The trio didn't leave despite Sasori's insistence. Despite wanting to go home, Xin made it clear that she didn't want to leave without Gaara. She didn't want to admit it out loud, but a small part of her was scared that Gaara wouldn't follow them to the Human Realm. And if that was the case and he decided to stay put, she at least wanted him to tell her to her face.

She deserved that, at least.

"Moping over the little prince?"

Xin glanced up with a soft frown, eyes falling on Sasori. Apparently he and his grandmother were old friends of Gaara's family and hid Hinata in their house for the stay in Suna.

"I thought you guys didn't have royal titles in this realm," Xin raised her eyebrows, conveniently ignoring his question about moping. She wasn't moping, she was just waiting. Sasori had insisted that it was safe enough for her to sit outside the house as long as she didn't wander from the property. That's how he found her, sitting on the front stoop and pouting.

"We don't," he shrugged lazily. "It pisses him off when I call him that," Sasori admitted, taking a seat next to her. The motion surprised her, as she was sure that Sasori didn't like her much. "Why are you moping over that idiot?"

Xin's face flushed as she turned forward to look down the pathway. "I'm not moping over anyone and...and what do you care?"

"I don't," Sasori replied apathetically. "I just thought the sad look on your face was pretty."

Xin stared at the older redhead, eyes squinting and brows knitted together. "Was that a compliment?" she asked slowly, truly confused. Naruto had warned her that Sasori was a little odd but she wasn't expecting something like that from him.

"It's just an observation."

"...there's something wrong with you, isn't there?"

Sasori leveled her with a look, unimpressed with her question. "You're moping over Gaara, why is that?"

"I'm not mo—oh for fuck's sake," Xin gave up with an eye roll. "I just think that maybe he won't come with me when I leave for my realm."

"Has he claimed you for himself?"

"Claimed me? No? Why would he claim me, I'm not an object."

"Does he plan on it?"

"How could I possibly know that?"

The two shared a staring contest, silence falling over them. "He's got a thing going on with Matsuri. We're just friends anyway. I just...I just always feel completely safe when he's around, I guess…"

Reality crashed over her and Xin realized that once again, she was being selfish. Gaara had succeeded in rescuing her, that's all he had to do. He didn't owe her anything else, he was free to return to his life now that she wasn't facing death courtesy of his father.

Never mind that he, at one point, kissed her until her head spun. And how was that even fair? How could he just kiss her and then kiss Matsuri the very next day? What the hell happened the short couple of hours she'd been sleeping? What suddenly changed and prompted him to go back to Matsuri?

God, she'd been so relieved and exhausted that she completely forgot to punch Gaara straight in his throat. She was not going to play second place or the backup to Matsuri. If he didn't want to pursue something romantically, that was all fine and dandy but he wasn't going to lead her into circles. She was glad that they were at least friends but she didn't deserve to be put on the back burner.

"Speaking of Matsuri, I haven't seen her and that's rare…"

"Oh, my friend is holding her hostage in her basement."

"...any particular reason why?"

"I...I don't actually know…"

"I wouldn't know but I'm pretty sure that's a crime in your realm."

"It's not a crime here?"

"I'd say it's more of an inconvenience."

A smile cracked her mopey facade, followed shortly by a bout of laughter. She drew her knees to her chest and continued to laugh, face buried into her knees. Sasori was a little odd but she didn't think he was so bad. She figured he would leave her to herself but Sasori stayed next to her the entire time she sat out there. They mostly sat in silence but every now and then a casual conversation would erupt between the two.

A figure suddenly appeared, halting the casual conversation they'd be having on her being a miko. Xin subtly leaned into Sasori, wary of whoever was approaching. Not every demon could be trusted, she reminded herself. Maybe she was becoming a bit too comfortable and it was a sure sign that she needed to go home.

Sasori didn't seem alarmed by the fast approaching figure but something told her that Sasori wasn't alarmed by much.

Her anxious mood lifted the moment she realized that the figure was Gaara. She jumped to her feet, skirt tangling at her legs as she hurried to greet him. All negative emotions melted away at the sight of him, replaced by a wave of relief washing over her. "Gaara!" she practically sang his name, rocking forward on the tips of her toes. She slipped her arms around his neck, leaning her weight against him.

Sasori watched, not bothering to hide his surprise when an arm slipped around Xin's waist. He completely expected the grumpy demon to shove Xin away. For as long as he's known Gaara, he's never known him to be affectionate. Hell, he barely allowed Matsuri to show her affection when they weren't alone.

Well, this was interesting.

Gaara's arm tightened at her waist and he leaned down towards her, allowing her to rest on the flats of her feet. He buried his face deep into her neck, taking a long, deep sigh as he did so. He peeked up after a moment, one dark eye on Sasori. The older redhead seemed too amused but he relented, getting up and leaving the two in favor of finding Naruto and Hinata inside.

Xin didn't notice, too busy reeling from Gaara's sudden affection. Her eyes slid shut, humming softly when she felt the press of his mouth against her neck. The innocent press suddenly turned insistent, almost into a frenzy, as he trailed biting kisses up towards her jaw.

Like last time, her head began spinning on her shoulders as he laid more and more kisses across her jaw. The fact that they were standing outside where anyone could happen upon them was lost on her as the kisses became heavier.

Sense slapped into her the moment his kisses neared her mouth. Eyes snapping open wide, she ripped her arms from his neck and took a step backwards. His arm was like a band of iron at her waist, refusing to break even as she pushed against it.

"Y-You can't do that!" she nearly shrieked, slapping her hands against her mouth. She offered nothing else, opting to stare at him like he'd grown a second head. Gaara still was unaware that she'd seen him on the rooftop with Matsuri but that didn't mean he could just kiss her like everything was normal. She was a lot of things but Hyuga Xin was no home wrecker.

"I can't kiss you?" he asked slowly, not following her train of thought. "I've kissed you before…" he trailed off, squinting at her. Had the sun fried her brain earlier?

"Because you...you're Matsuri's, not mine. You can't just kiss me when you're with someone else! It's not right," she reached up, poking a fingernail into his chest as she became more upset.

"Matsuri's...Xin, you've got it wrong. We're not—"

Naruto was suddenly there, looking somewhat amused. Gaara was positive that Naruto and Sasori heard the slight argument between them, not that they could really help it. The blond figured that if they were about to have an argument, they should do it somewhere privately. So, being the good friend that he was, he decided it was time to step in. He knew both of their tempers and if things got out of hand, all of Suna would know what Gaara had been up to recently.

"Yo, we ready to head back to the Human Realm? In case you two forgot, you and Hinata have been missing for three days. Karin and the others are going to have a fit," he reminded them as Hinata stepped outside to join them. She took immediate notice of Gaara's arm keeping her sister in place. Her head tilted at the sight but she didn't say anything.

"We're leaving?" Xin's eyes brightened and she barely noticed when Gaara's arm dropped from her waist. She whirled around, skirt fluttering with her movements. "We're going home? I can take a bath and put some actual clothes on?"

Naruto glanced at Gaara, gouging him for a reaction but finding nothing. Instead his gaze dropped back to Xin, smiling as she started to bounce in place. "Yeah, I think you've terrorized Suna enough, shorty."

"Oh, please," Xin snorted and suddenly hurried away from Gaara, back towards the house. "I have to thank Sasori before we leave. He kind of made me feel a little better while I was out here," she called over her shoulder, vanishing into the house. She missed the dark look crossing Gaara's face at the mention of Sasori making her feel anything.

"It was nice of Sasori letting us stay," Hinata nodded with a smile, turning around to follow after her sister. Naruto watched her go, grin now gone. He almost pointed out that there was nothing nice about Sasori and that it was Chiyo that okayed them staying them but Hinata was already gone.

Xin found Sasori in the kitchen, puttering about almost mindlessly. "Sasori! I'm going home," she nearly sung, approaching him. He stopped whatever it was that had him so preoccupied, turning to the tinier woman. He looked amused, if a little confused, that she felt the need to tell him that she was leaving.

"Isn't that just great?" he asked without an ounce of emotion. It didn't deter Xin in the slightest as she stood before him, smiling up at him. He felt just a bit uncomfortable that she was smiling so prettily at him, like he'd put the damn stars in the sky or something. He almost wanted to shove her back to wherever Gaara was waiting.

"It is," she nodded ethustically, hands behind her back. "I wanna thank you for letting me sleep my exhaustion off up in your room. I hope I didn't stink the place up too bad," she joked with twinkling eyes. He wondered if her lips were glistening or if it was really just a trick of the light. "And for making me feel better when we were outside. You coming out to talk to me really took my mind off of things for a bit."

"It's fine, miko," he hummed quietly, trying to look everywhere but at her.

Xin leaned forward, making sure that she now had his full attention. "'Miko'? Don't call me that. I have a name, y'know? Try calling me Xin, we're friends now. You kind of have no choice, you saw me kneeling on the floor looking dumb. We're friends."

A very small smile curved his lips, "sure, Xin."

The little prince wouldn't be happy about this development.

---

If it hadn't been for Gaara's arm wrapped tightly around her waist, Xin was sure that she would've came tumbling out of the portal. She was positive that she would have preferred if they had taken the portal when she was knocked out. It felt like her entire body had dissolved and slowly built itself back up by the time it spat them all out.

"That's never going to get pleasant, is it?" Hinata groaned, leaning against Naruto. The taller demon seemed too amused, easily supporting her weight. He patiently waited for her to get her bearings, helping her over to the couch.

"Well, hopefully you won't have to do any more portal-hopping," Naruto chuckled, easing her down to the couch. Hinata only blinked at his words, looking somewhat distressed as he sat down next to her, hand resting on the back of her head as she struggled to find her bearings.

"But what about Kushina? She wanted to meet Xin and she told me about your friends. I want to meet them too."

"Who's Kushina?" Xin called from Gaara's side. They still hadn't moved from where the portal spat them out. The room was still spinning and doing all these odd twists and turns. She had her face pressed into his chest, waiting out the odd trip. She was positive that if she moved away, she'd probably throw up.

"My mom. We went to her for clothes to hide Hinata's scent. She seemed really excited to meet you. She really likes Hinata too," Naruto explained, noticing Gaara reach up to soothingly caress the back of Xin's head. It was a sweet motion and if he hadn't been doing the same for Hinata at the moment, he would've pointed it out.

"Oh, she sounds nice. I want to meet her," Xin said, peeling her face from Gaara's chest. She mumbled a thank you before detaching herself completely. She didn't understand what Gaara didn't get but all the affection he was showing her had to stop. She wasn't his girlfriend or whatever term demons used for and it wasn't right. "You should...you should go get Matsuri. I was told she's been held hostage this entire time in Tenten's basement."

"She deserves it," Gaara gruffly answered as Xin startled, looking up at him with horror in her eyes.

"Gaara, I don't think she's that pleasant to begin with but no one really deserves to be held hostage in a basement," the miko argued, hands on her hips. "You...she's your girlfriend, for shit's sake. You can't just treat her like that."

Naruto sighed heavily, at least the were safety behind closed doors and not outside where anyone could just come by and listen. Hopefully they wouldn't start shouting at one another. Next to him, Hinata frowned in worry, carefully watching the conversation unfold.

"She's been treated far better than you have and it's her fault you were kidnapped in the first place," Gaara leaned down closer to Xin, watching as confusion slapped its way onto her features. "Like Naruto said when we were in Konoha, we should have let Hinata purify her."

"Purify her?" Xin shot a look at her sister. "For what? And what do you mean it's her fault? Masaru was the one who knocked me over my head and carried me off to Suna. What does any of that have to do with Matsuri?"

"Matsuri and Masaru planned the kidnapping, Xin."

A fresh batch of guilt washed over Gaara suddenly. Xin's head twitched and her eyes blinked as if she'd been viciously slapped. Her brows drew together as she tried to make sense of his revelation. Slowly, she turned around to look at Hinata and Naruto.

The two nodded in sync. "It's true, Xin," Hinata backed Gaara's claims up, knowing her sister would believe anything she said. "She stood right there and told us that you deserved whatever punishment Rasa thought of…"

Xin slowly turned back to Gaara, looking almost betrayed. Naruto began getting up, reaching for Hinata as he did so. "We're going to...uh...tell everyone that we got you back. We'll let you two sort…..whatever this is turning into out…" he said carefully, practically dragging Hinata out of the apartment. He ignored her shouts of protests, not really caring that she was still dressed in Kushina's clothes.

"You...you let your psycho girlfriend kidnap me?" Xin asked in a quiet tone. She looked him straight in the eye, looking like a kicked puppy. She knew he'd been busy kissing Matsuri when she'd been snatched but the fact that said girlfriend was in on her being snatched….

What the absolute fuck.

"Xin, Matsuri is not my girlfriend. I don't know where you got that from or who put it in your head—"

"You did, you son of a bitch!" she suddenly shouted, cutting him off rather rudely. "Where else would I get it from?" she threw her hands up in frustration. "I saw you kissing her! You were up on the damn roof kissing her while I was busy being smacked upside the head! I was dragged to your goddamn realm and was nearly eaten and raped while you were here making out with your scheming psycho girlfriend."

Gaara's eyes narrowed. No one said anything about a rape. "You were almost raped?"

"Oh, don't act like you care now," Xin spat at him, waving his words away. "You kissed me and made me think that...oh, who cares what I thought! Clearly I was wrong because you had your face attached to that psycho while I was being dragged off like some dumb damsel. You made me a damsel!"

Gaara tried hard to keep his temper in check. Xin had every right to be angry from her standpoint. It was a normal reaction but it didn't stop him from wanting to shut her the hell up, "Xin, you aren't listening—"

"Why the hell should I?"

"Because you don't have all of the facts, you harpy!"

"I have all the facts I need you greedy pig! One girl wasn't enough for you? You had to kiss us within hours of another? I cannot believe that I was dumb enough to think you might have had a thing for me. You were just bored, weren't you?"

Gaara was through listening to her accusations. She had the right to be angry but now she was accusing him of things that simply weren't true. How on earth could anyone ever be bored in the presence of Hyuga Xin? This girl was a true force to be reckoned with. He was almost ashamed to admit that it was a turn on.

He reached forward, seizing her by her biceps to drag her against his chest. She had to tilt her head completely back to continue glaring at him but that didn't stop her. She looked him dead in his eyes, her own eyes narrowed furiously. "Let me talk."

It was quiet between them for several seconds before she relented, "talk."

"This entire debacle was staged. I wasn't kissing Matsuri while you were kidnapped. I was tricked and distracted and I tried to kill Matsuri once I realized what had happened. The only reason why I didn't choke her was because Naruto came."

A tense silence settled over them once more, broken by the angry breathing from both demon and miko. The two stared at one another, neither truly willing to back down first but wanting to. They hadn't argued so hard for such a long time, it almost felt wrong to be angry with one another.

Xin broke first, her emotions suddenly too much for her. Tears suddenly gathered at her eyes, horrifying her and surprising him. "I...I thought you left me there to die…" she confessed in a tiny voice. "I...you were kissing Matsuri and you didn't come and and and….Masaru said that you chose Matsuri and that I would die unless I swore myself to him…" Xin dropped her head as she tearfully babbled her fears to him.

Gaara was not the comforting type, never had been in his life. He tended to send emotional women away to Naruto or just...away in general. He didn't have the emotional capacity to deal with sobbing women. Most of the time he didn't find it in him to really care. Feelings were feeble and if they could be easily hurt, well, it wasn't his business.

But there was no way that he could send Xin off with tears gushing down her cheeks. There was something so heartbreakingly beautiful about the despair in her eyes and he knew he wouldn't live with himself if he didn't do something to stop the crying. Xin was happy, full of life and loud. It was unnatural for her to feel such sadness.

He let go of her and wrapped her body in his arms, hugging her to his chest. He could feel her legs give out, form leaning against him but she barely weighed anything to begin with. Her hands pressed to his back, fingers curling into little fists as she held onto the back of his shirt. Her grip was tight, like she thought he might vanish at any second.

His shirt became damp with his tears as she continued to confess the fear of facing death to him. Xin was ballsy and willing to take ridiculous risks but she was still just a human. She was just a human girl that had been thrown to the feet of monstrous demons whose only purpose were to snuff out her pure little spirit. It was a given that once her adrenaline settled, she would realize just how scared she had been.

Knowing that, Gaara found himself whispering apologies into her hair when her voice came to a hiccuping pause. "I didn't mean to take so long, I'm sorry you were taken in the first place. I should have paid more attention and I should have known. I'll kill anyone you want me to if it'll make you feel better."

It was a dark, twisted, thing to promise her but he meant it. He'd kill Matsuri, if she wished it. If she knew who tried to rape her, he'd kill that motherfucker too. She had to know that she really did mean something to him and a slight against her meant a slight against him. He wasn't just saying it because he wanted to fuck the life out of her, he genuinely cared for her, hard as it was to believe. It was no longer just about kissing her just to see what it felt like. It wasn't about getting her into bed just to scratch at an itch he had.

Hyuga Xin had done the impossible, he realized.

---

Despite Naruto insisting that they go tell Karin and everyone that Xin was safely returned, that's not what the two did. In fact, he veered into the opposite direction of his cousin's place in favor for the townhouse he and Gaara were occupying.

"Naruto?" Hinata blinked at him as he unlocked the front door and ushered her inside. "I thought we were going to see everyone to tell them that we're back," she slid out of her shoes and found her way easily to the living room. With a heavy thump, she threw herself down on the couch.

Naruto watched her with a spark of amusement in his eyes, following her lead. "I don't know about you, Moonpie, but I'm tired as hell and I don't have it in me to deal with all that excitement. Plus, your sister and Gaara are arguing right now and they don't need everyone jumping in. We'll tell them in the morning."

Hinata hummed gently, she supposed that made sense. Besides, it was almost midnight. She was sure that everyone was already settled in for the night anyway. "I hate it when they argue. Was it really a good idea to leave them alone?"

Naruto leaned into the couch, arms stretched across the back and legs spread wide. "If you're worried about your sister, don't be. That girl has Gaara wrapped so tightly around her finger, it's not even funny," he snorted. "Okay, well, maybe it's a little funny."

"Naruto, you can't keep thinking everything that goes wrong in life is funny," Hinata gently admonished the blond, frowning softly. Naruto turned to look at her, a thoughtful look frozen on his face. It made her uncomfortable, causing her to shift around in her seat. "What?"

"D'you see what I meant when I told you that you and your sister are too nice for the shit that's bound to go down? Danger follows Gaara and I wherever we go. What happened to Xin could easily happen to you."

"Do you have an angry ex-girlfriend that's going to conspire to kidnap me so your father can torture me into not being involved with you?"

He was a little surprised by the bite in her words and maybe just a little turned-on. "My dad is dead," he said instead, raising his hands to settle and cradle the back of his head. "You don't have to worry about that but I do have a lot of demonic enemies. If they think we're involved in some sort of way…"

"...Are we?"

Naruto turned to look at her with a sharp look but Hinata was looking straight forward. "Even if you and Gaara aren't around, even if we hadn't met, my sister and I would still be in danger. Did you forget about Masuyo and Kuraim? Rogue demons in general? We're not really safe, now matter how you look at it. But you and Gaara make things a bit easier…

Of course, you guys don't owe it to us to stick around. We….I'm not holding you to anything. If you think it would be less dangerous, I...I'm not forcing you to stay with me. I'd hate to be a burden to you, Naruto."

He was surprised, to say the least. Somehow the conversation had gone from being about the four of them to being just about her and Naruto. It ignited something deep inside him, the thought of actually leaving Hinata on her own. Something he hadn't felt in a very long time. He knew he'd have to be physically forced into leaving the miko at this point.

"Don't be ridiculous," he sat up, reaching for her. She let out a muffled noise when his hand circled her wrist, pulling her to settle against his side. Hinata tilted her head back to look at him, arm settled across his chest to push herself up. "I'm in way too deep to just leave you, Hinata."

She attempted to ask him what he meant by that when she was pleasantly cut off by Naruto's lips slanting over hers. In her short twenty-one years of living, Hinata had actually never been kissed. She hadn't rebelled against her parents in high school and dated like Xin had done. Boys were too afraid to even ask her on a date. No one wanted to risk not only having to deal with Hyuga Hiashi, they also didn't want Xin and Neji coming after them as well.

So when Naruto kissed her, she was completely dumbfounded.

He, of course, noticed immediately. The demon pulled back, pulling his lips from hers. "Hinata..?" he tried carefully. "Is this...not okay?" he asked in that careful tone of his. He didn't want to upset or offend her by kissing her. An apology was ready, sitting on the tip of his tongue when she leaned back closer.

"It's fine...it's just...ah…." her face turned beet red. "Well, I've never actually kissed anyone, so…" she confessed in a soft voice. It was embarrassing to admit, especially to someone like Naruto. He was older, a lot older, and she just knew he had experienced kissing women before her. She was already about to apologize for being a horrible kisser.

"Oh my God," Naruto laughed, breath softly tickling her mouth. "Fuck, I'm your first kiss?"

Slowly, she nodded.

"Fuck yes," he cheered, mouth still hovering over hers. "Well, can I kiss you some more?"

A small smile tugged at her lips, "Yes, please."

Hinata curled into him, head tilted back comfortably when he leaned down for the second time. Again, his mouth slanted gently over hers, lips moving slowly in order to not scare her off. He wasn't used to this sort of kissing, slow and gentle, but he'd do anything to make Hinata comfortable. He couldn't jump at her like he wanted and shove her against the cushions. Not when she didn't have a lick of experience.

He normally wasn't patient enough for this sort of affection but there was no way he would force something on Hinata that she wasn't comfortable with. They had all night for her to get the hang of it. Besides, she was doing fine so far.

She surprised him when gripped his shirt and leaned back into the couch, coaxing him after her. "Hinata," he murmured in warning. He didn't actually stop her, letting her lay back against the couch with his body eclipsing hers completely.

"It's fine," she whispered against his mouth, arms shifting around his neck. "Please?" she breathed softly, nearly gasping when he nipped at her bottom lip. Naruto knelt into the couch, putting some space between their bodies, and raising his hands above her head to grip at the arm of the couch.

There really was no denying her.

He pushed his mouth harder against hers, slurping her lower lip into his mouth. Hinata gasped against the sensation, allowing the demon's tongue to slither right into her mouth. That was something entirely new but certainly not unwanted. She tried to get used to the idea of his tongue searching her mouth, keeping her own tongue completely stationary. Tentatively, her tongue pressed into his, gouging for his reaction.

Naruto groaned in satisfaction, hoping it would encourage her. As she grew more bold with sweeping her tongue over his, her legs parted and allowed him to settle more comfortably on top of her.

It suddenly became too much.

Naruto pulled away first, eyes flashing a vibrant bloodred down at her. He blinked hard, feeling a little baffled that one simple kiss from Hinata was enough to wear at his control. Naruto was one that easily kept himself in check and the fact that an innocent kiss from an equally innocent woman could undo him was a bit unnerving.

"Hinata," he grunted against her mouth when she reared up against him in an attempt to initiate another kiss. His grip on the arm of the couch tightened and he focused on reeling in his wild cravings. "You gotta stop."

He almost groaned when she pulled back, her arms loosening from his neck. "Did ...Did I do something wrong?" she asked carefully. Everything had been just fine, mentally trying to figure out what she might have done to make him pull away.

"No," he laughed breathlessly, wondering how on Earth he ended up having feelings for a human miko. "No, sweetheart, you didn't do anything wrong. You're doing things a little too right, actually."

"Then...what's wrong?"

A whole lot of shit, honestly.

"It's a lot to explain."

"But you'll explain it, right?"

"Course I will. In fact, knowing your sister and Gaara, I should explain things to her too. Gaara is a bit too blunt with explaining things…"

She looked disappointed but she pulled her arms away, allowing him to sit up. She sat up herself, eyeing him with an unreadable look on her face. "Naruto….are we….are we involved?" the miko asked carefully, watching him for any physical reaction in his face. She was not the type to just kiss anyone.

Naruto looked back at her, looking a bit too thoughtful. It probably wasn't a good idea for them to be involved romantically. They both came with baggage that dogged at their heels. They were complete opposites when it came to personalities. And on top of all of that. Naruto was sure her friends would not approve.

But….

"Do you want to be involved, Hinata?"

A slow smile pulled at her lips.

---

Xin took a deep breath, staring into the mirror. After crying all over Gaara for a good five minutes, the miko quickly retreated to the bathroom. She washed and dried her face, scowling in distaste at her reflection. Why in God's name would she cry all over him like that?

She studied her face, noting the slight puffiness and red eyes. She cringed hard at that, she looked awful. How the hell could she go out there and face him when she looked like a crackhead that just spent twenty minutes choking?

Maybe if she just hid in the tub, he'd eventually go away.

"Xin? You've been in there for five minutes."

Maybe not.

With a deep sigh, Xin re-emerged from the bathroom. She followed Gaara back towards the couch, watching as he threw himself down. He sighed just as heavily as she did, slumping into his seat. She didn't follow suit, standing above him with a meek frown plastered on her face.

"Thank you for coming to get me," she uttered in a gentle voice. "And I'm sorry you had to deal with your father, I know you aren't fond of him. And...about yelling at you, that was wrong. I'm sorry."

Gaara leaned his head against the back of the couch, staring up at her with half-lidded eyes. "Are you seriously apologizing?"

"Oh, shut up and just accept it."

"There's nothing to accept because you don't have to apologize. Xin, I let you get kidnapped."

She looked away at that moment, still a bit stung from the circumstances. She wasn't exactly sure what that meant for the two of them. Matsuri kissed him in order to distract him, which was a shitty thing to do to either of them. Did that mean he liked her? He tried to kiss her outside of Sasori's house and he would've if she hadn't pulled away.

Where did that leave them?

"In any case…" she trailed off, stepping closer. She leaned into his personal space, one knee braced against the edge of the couch. Fingers curled around his jaw, tilting his face slightly to the side. He stilled beneath her, not sure what she was doing. "Thank you," she whispered softly, brushing plush lips against the curve of his cheek.

He caught her by the neck before she could pull away, noting the look of surprise in her eyes. "I thought—" he began in a throaty voice that made her blush. "—you said kissing wasn't right."

Her face darkened considerably. "I thought you and Matsuri were a thing when I said that…" she trailed off almost petulantly.

Gaara didn't immediately reply but she felt his claws drawing gentle patterns against the back of her neck. "So I'd kiss you now and it would be fine."

"Well, yes, but I don't see why—"

Oh. That's why.

Xin reached for his shoulders, stopping herself from falling forward on top of him. The kiss pressed against her mouth was bruising, leaving her breathless and with trembling knees. She almost, almost settled into it.

"Gaara," she managed to say against his mouth. "You...ah...stop that."

His pretty blue eyes narrowed up at her as she peeled herself away from him. She took a careful step back, glad that he listened when hearing 'stop'. He was bigger, broader and stronger and could easily carry on pulling kisses from her if he wanted.

"You and Matsuri aren't a thing but that doesn't mean you can just kiss me."

"You just said—"

"Well, now I'm saying this," Xin said quickly, moving to stand on the other side of the coffee. "I don't know what this is—" she waved a hand between the two of them. "—but I am not some rebound you can bounce off of."

Gaara remained quiet as Xin tried to think about her next choice of words. "I…I've never been in a serious relationship before and despite how things are, I value the friendship between us. It took a hell of a lot of effort for you and I to get here and I don't want it to be ruined by a…mistake."

"You think whatever's between us is a mistake?"

Xin looked down, hands pulling at her long skirt to ease her nerves. She still had yet to change out of the skirt and bandeau bra borrowed from Temari. She hadn't noticed and it was a wonder Gaara could take her serious dressed like that.

"No, listen. I don't want a mistake to ruin our friendship. I just...I…"

Gaara stood up, crossing around the coffee table towards Xin. He reached for her, claws brushing against her jawline before pulling his hand away. "You're tired, Xin. Get some rest and we'll talk about...this later."

He almost laughed at his suggestion. This girl had truly turned his life upside down. The fact that he actually wanted to talk about their relationship spoke volumes.

"Promise you won't run off to kiss your ex?" she prompted, only somewhat serious. There was humor in her eyes but he knew she was completely serious.

"Very funny, miko," he rolled his eyes down at her. "I'll be here in the morning. Take a shower and get some sleep. You look like Suna's vagabonds."

Xin flushed but reacted as usual, holding her middle finger up at him as she stomped away. "Goodnight," she called through a laugh, vanishing into the bathroom.

Gaara didn't have a lot of time to think because Hinata and Naruto returned shortly after that. They both looked somewhat flushed, causing Gaara to regard them with a blank look. Naruto only grinned sheepishly but Hinata was busily scanning the apartment, no doubt looking for her missing sister.

"Gaara..?" she trailed off softly, face wrinkled in worry.

"No need to worry, Hinata. She's taking a shower."

The worry drained from her face, replaced with a soft smile. She hurried to her room, looking for a change of clothes when it was time for her own shower. "Naruto, I need to return Kushina's clothes," Hinata reminded the tall blond when she reemerged. "And maybe Xin can return that...odd outfit?"

"My sister has a terrible sense of humor."

"I thought it was pretty funny."

"That's not surprising, Uzumaki."

Xin chose that moment to step out of the bathroom, steam billowing out after her. She looked much better, having finally washed away the sweat and sand packed onto her face. She took a deep breath, smiling all the while.

"No one talk to me for the next nine hours," she said before promptly vanishing into her bedroom.

"Those etiquette lessons on manners were lost on her," Hinata mused while hurrying to take her own shower. It wasn't nearly as long as her sister's shower but then again, she hadn't been tortured and running through Suna. "Now," she smiled at the two demons. "It's time for bed so I'll see you two tomorrow."

Instead of going to her own room, she slipped into Xin's room. Xin had yet to settle in for the night, perched on the edge of the bed. Her eyes were wide as she blankly stared off into space. Her hands clutched tightly at the bed but she didn't move. "...Xin…?" Hinata tilted her head to the side.

Her eyes flickered, light seemingly bouncing off of them in the darkness of the room. Then her body relaxed before falling backwards onto the bed. "Xin?!" Hinata panicked, rushing forward to the prone figure. Alerted to the hysteria in her voice, Naruto and Gaara came hurrying in.

Her eyes were still flickering erratically as they crowded around her. "What is that? What's wrong with her?" Hinata demanded shrilly.

"There isn't any evil energy in her...I don't know what's happening to her," Naruto frowned as Gaara cupped her face, leaning closer.

The flickering suddenly stopped and Xin's eyelids dropped immediately. Panic seized them as Gaara yanked her up into a sitting position. Hinata scrambled forward, shaky fingers trying to locate a pulse. "Xin, fuck, are you dead?" Naruto cried as her head lulled back.

"Naruto, shut the fuck up."

"Whaaat?"

"Why would ask something like that? You're going to give Hinata an aneurysm."

Xin let out a groan, eyelids slowly raising to reveal clouded eyes. The trio stilled, leaning in close in anticipation that her eyes would begin that odd flickering again. But it didn't happen and it left them all staring at her with odd looks on their faces.

Realization dawned on her that she was no longer asleep. "Didn't I just say no one bother me?"

"Xin, oh my God—"

"Are you insane?"

"Wait," Gaara waved Hinata and Naruto's wailing away. "Xin, did you think you were just sleeping right now?"

"I was until you came in here and shook me awake like a frenzied crackhead."

"Xin, you idiot, you just had a damn seizure!" Naruto exclaimed loudly. "What the fuck is wrong with you? How the hell did you think you were sleeping? You're not even under your blankets yet."

Confusion was evident in her face as she studied the three of them. "Seizure? I didn't have a seizure, I was sleeping."

"Your hair isn't even braided all the way," Hinata pointed at the half-braid resting over Xin's shoulder. True to her word, the braid was only half complete and was beginning to unravel. "Do you sleep with your hair only half braided?"

"...No…"

"Then listen when we tell you that you just had a seizure!" Hinata threw her hands up in exasperation. It seemed like Xin was the only thing that could truly rattle Hinata. Her quiet and timid personality crumbled all too easily whenever Xin was involved. It was understandable though, seeing as Xin was...hard to deal with sometimes.

"I don't know what happened. I was fine but I just felt tired, is all."

Hinata leaned over, fingers continuing Xin's unfinished braid. "I just got you back, Xin," she whispered almost sullenly.

"Oh, don't be like that, Hinata. It was probably just...exhaustion," her sister shrugged carelessly. Honestly, she wasn't sure how to ease their minds. She had no idea what had happened. One minute she was braiding her hair and then next she was being shaken awake with them leaning over her. There had been no warning signs of a seizure. She felt completely fine beforehand. She also didn't have a history of seizures so why she'd have one now was beyond her. "Guys, I think I'm okay, really. I just want to go to bed.."

They each seemed reluctant to leave her be, with Hinata stubbornly deciding that she would sleep with Xin for the night. The two demons promised they would be there in the morning and reluctantly left the twins.

The two demons were quiet for a long time, opting to listen to the twins. They hadn't gone straight to bed, instead speaking softly to one another for several minutes. Xin was the first to drift off with a soft sigh. Hinata waited nearly ten minutes before she also finally fell asleep.

"Naruto," Gaara uttered once he was sure that both girls were in a deep slumber. Hooded blue eyes glanced at him, waiting silently. It wasn't often that Gaara actually used his given name, having an odd habit of using his surname. "That wasn't a seizure."

"Yeah," he sighed deeply, "I know."

---

Someone was standing over her and Hinata.

Peeking out from underneath the warm cocoon she and Hinata were wrapped in, her blood ran cold at the sight above her. Masaru stared down at her, looking like a bloodied ghoul from a horror story.

He tilted his head, a loud and disturbing crack emanating from his neck. Xin stopped breathing, eyes wide as they held a staring contest. His face shifted quickly, cracked and oozing lips pulling into an uncomfortably large smile. Blood seeped from behind his teeth, trickling down his chin to stain her sheets.

Masaru broke the silent staring contest first, eyes dropping down to look at the still slumbering Hinata. Xin's cold blood now felt like heavy ice as Masaru continued to stare down at her sister.

Not her sister, motherfucker.

She scrambled up, throwing the blankets back. How Hinata managed to stay asleep was beyond her but she didn't have the time to really think. She had to act. She had to get that crazy motherfucker away from her sister.

Xin sprang forward, hand outstretched. Odd, she could see her energy forming against her palm but she couldn't feel the purity burning like it usually did. But she pushed to the back of her mind, she had to protect Hinata—

"Woah! Hey, easy!"

Xin blinked awake, eyes wide as Suigetsu stood in Masaru's place. He'd caught her by the wrist, purified fingers only inches away from his face. His face was a mix of wariness and surprise, eyes staring at her like she'd lost her mind.

"...Sui?"

"Xin, what the fuck?"

She suddenly crumpled, leaning against him while taking deep breaths. "I...I'm sorry," she managed to pull herself away, sitting in front of Hinata almost protectively. "I..a dream. I was having a dream.." she confessed, trailing off. "What are you doing here?"

"The others don't know that yer' back but Xiurong saw it in her crystal ball and told me. I thought it would be better not to overwhelm ya. Naruto and Gaara said it would be fine if I took a peek in to see if ya two were alright."

She stared up at him, an odd feeling settling over her. It was just a dream, Masaru was dead. Temari had said so. He disobeyed and disrespected Gaara and Rasa and in turn, was killed for his insolence. There was no way in Hell he could do anything more to her.

"Xin?" Suigetsu called her name, wary that she would attack him again if he surprised her. She looked up at him, looking like a scared girl. It was odd that when she sprang up, ready to purify him, she looked entirely like Jun once had. It was something in her eyes that reminded him of the dead miko.

But now? She looked like herself again. Small, fragile human Xin. They hadn't met until later in life but he'd been watching over her long before that. Xin and Hinata meant a lot to him and to see her looking desperate and scared pulled at his heart.

Hinata began shuffling around, groaning with a long stretch. It took her a moment to realize Xin was sitting up with Suigetsu standing over her. She barely had time to react when Suigetsu reached forward, gathering the twins up in a hug. "I'm so glad to see ya two," he breathed against their heads, inhaling their familiar scent.

Xin's odd behavior momentarily forgotten, he continued to crush the girls against his chest. He knew things would go straight to Hell once the others found out they were back. The argument would mostly be about Hinata jumping through the portal even though she'd been told to stay put. And he knew Xin would not let her twin be berated and teamed up on.

They were so divided.

He knew for a fact that above all else, the twins would also side with Naruto and Gaara. It didn't matter that Xin was kidnapped because of her involvement with Gaara. The fact that Naruto and Gaara immediately went after her while protecting Hinata would solidify the argument that they would protect them if need be.

He could just hear the shouting, threats and foul language that was sure to come. It would ruin the reunion and they'd be put back on silent treatment. The whole situation was exhausting and he longed for the days of the twins' ignorance.

"Fuck, I miss you two."

Hinata pulled back first with a soft laugh, "You say that like you never see us, Sui."

Because he never did see them anymore.

"Yeah, imagine that," Suigetsu mumbled as he let them go. "The others are gonna come swarmin' when they realize ya two are back. We've been worried sick," he informed them, watching as they climbed out of bed.

"When don't they swarm?" Xin muttered quietly as Hinata left for her own bedroom. "Sui, I really am sorry for attacking you like that. I don't know what came over me…"

"S'okay, Xin. Ya...ya weren't yerself. No harm, no foul," Suigetsu smiled at her. He wondered if he should mention the look in her eyes as she lunged at him. It wasn't normal, that wasn't Xin lunging at him. There was something too….detached and calm in her eyes as she attacked him.

His stomach churned.

"So, when can we expect everyone?" Xin asked casually as she peered into her closet for a change of clothes. She didn't have any plans to leave her apartment today, Hell, she wasn't sure when she'd leave. Staying home and wrapping herself up in bubble wrap sounded really good right about now. "I know Karin is going to rip my head off for this…"

"Maybe when classes are finished?" Suigetsu shrugged, watching as Xin muttered to herself. She wasn't acting odd, she was being her regular self once more. So what the hell had happened when she woke up? Maybe it was just reflexes after what happened when she was in Suna? Maybe it was just paranoia.

"Great," she mumbled while pulling out a tank top and a pair of dolphin shorts. "Are you hanging around until then?" she asked distractedly, rifling casually through her underwear drawer like he wasn't even there.

"Nah, I gotta head out to work. Just wanted to see ya two before chaos erupts and everythin'," Suigetsu answered again, still keeping track of her movements. Everything about her screamed 'Xin', her mannerisms, the way she walked and talked to herself remained the same. But still, he couldn't shake the feeling that settled over him.

"I can always depend on you to be somewhat thoughtful."

"Somewhat?"

"You're still an asshole, in general."

"Bye, Xin."

When Xin finally emerged from the bathroom, feeling ten times better, Gaara was nowhere in sight. Her stomach sank at that, mind jumping back to the last time he vanished. She wasn't going up to the roof this time, absolutely not.

"Finally," Naruto noticed her standing at the bathroom door. "Come sit down and let's have a chat while he's gone," he grinned widely and patted the couch cushion next to him. Although a grinning Naruto wasn't out of the ordinary, Xin still regarded him suspiciously. But even so, she did as he asked, settling down next to him. Hinata joined them with a plate of toast and a hot cup of coffee for Xin, laughing when Xin squealed at the sight of the mug. "So, Xin," Naruto began as Xin greedily gulped down half the mug. "You like Gaara and—

He watched in amusement as she promptly began choking on her coffee. Hinata didn't seem concerned at all as Xin nearly choked, demurely sipping at her own mug with raised eyebrows. "Those etiquette classes we took as children make a lot of sense right now, don't they?"

When her choking finally subsided, Xin threw a nasty look at her sister and then turned her glare on Naruto. Maybe he would have been somewhat intimidated by it if she wasn't blushing ten different shades of red at once. "Who in the blue fuck said anything about liking Gaara?" she demanded almost shrilly.

"You did, of course."

"I never said anything like that!"

"Maybe not verbally but your actions sure as hell did. The only reason why Masaru got the drop on you in the first place was because you caught Matsuri and Gaara kissing. I'm pretty sure you've seen Karin and Sui kiss but it never shocked you, did it?"

"Ew, of course not."

"Cause you don't like Sui. You like Gaara. Come on, you guys are drawn to one another."

But Xin wouldn't budge, stubbornly looking away. She struggled with her feelings and Naruto trying to lay it out bare had her reacting stubbornly. "You also made sure to wait outside for him to come back when you could've waited inside with us and Sasori. Were you afraid he wouldn't come back?" Naruto pressed, remaining casual. He wasn't surprised that Xin was being so fussy about this but it was important.

"I just...okay. Okay. So what if I might like the bastard?"

Naruto continued to grin, "I like your sister."

He nearly laughed at the shared look of confusion on both of their faces. He understood that they were twins but it was still so odd to see an expression form perfectly in sync on two different faces.

Xin turned to Hinata but she found her lap freakishly interesting. "O...kay?" she trailed off slowly, turning back to Naruto. "I mean, I kind of figured but I didn't think anything would come of it…."

"Cause' I'm a demon?"

Xin didn't immediately answer but Naruto was expecting that. "We have a lot of things that clash, relationships being one of them. For one, it's pretty unheard of to engage into a relationship with a human. They're weak and demons are all about being strong. We're a race of violent individuals, some, more so than others…"

"Meaning you and Gaara?" Xin asked as Naruto paused, he glanced at her with a somber look in his eyes. "Neji said you two start wars and you've ended wars…."

"I did say that I was a warmonger, once upon a time…"

"But now?" Hinata prompted.

Naruto shrugged a shoulder, "There's no one to really start wars with. The countries are united at the moment, uneasy, but united. There's no one to wage war against."

The two weren't sure how to feel about that. "Soo, what? You're telling us that the two of you are dangerous? I kind of figured when Gaara tried to choke me to death," Xin pointed out with raised eyebrows. Hinata sighed, they got along so well that she often forgot about their violent beginnings.

"Not necessarily. I'm not talking about that sort of danger. I'm talking about the dangers of being in a relationship with a demon like Gaara. Or myself. Especially since you two don't have a lot of dating experience to begin with."

"How do you even know Gaara wants a relationship? I don't think he's very fond of them, seeing as how his last one just went up in smoke. He and Matsuri seemed like they had a lot in common. All I manage to do is get on his nerves which results in threats. I don't think he actually wants anything more.." Xin trailed off almost self-consciously. Hinata reached over and patted at her leg, noticing the blush overtaking her sister's face.

"I'm not Gaara so I really can't say but if that's what you think, you're more oblivious than I thought. You two really need to talk and work things out but I'll just to give you a heads up."

"Okay, well, about what?"

"We're violent, possessive and territorial, for one. And you Xin, are the most oblivious woman I have ever met. Never have I ever witnessed a pretty girl being flirted with, ogled at and drooled over by other men only to not notice. But Gaara notices and let me tell you, it drives him up the wall that he can't kill every man who blinks at you too long."

"Excuse me?"

"Xin, you and your sister are very pretty. I see it, Gaara sees it, men see it and women see it. Gaara is possessive and territorial, as a demon should be. He's possessive over you."

"I'm not something you can just own, Naruto."

"Different cultures, Xin. Demons see it differently."

"Okay, great, so if I have a thing with Gaara, he'll bite someone's head off for giving me a compliment. That's awesome. You also said something about violence. Is he going to swing on me? Cause I will definitely stab him with a blessed knife."

Naruto guffawed and rubbed his face. He should've known that a conversation like this would be difficult to have. Hinata hadn't said a word and he wondered if she was rethinking some things.

"Sexually."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm not saying we're rapists. Well, me and Gaara aren't. I'm just saying that demons tend to enjoy sex of the rougher degree so you need to think about that before engaging in anything with Gaara, okay? Don't be afraid to tell him no."

Xin's face had gone back to being ten different shades of red. "Oh my God, Naruto, why are you telling us this?" she groaned into her hands, attempting to hide her face.

"Cause I want your sister."

Xin blinked rapidly and then looked at Hinata. The older twin seemed just as surprised at Naruto's revelation. It was obvious that Naruto always had a crush on Hinata but she hadn't expected him to just blatantly say it like that.

"O...kaaaay," she slapped her hands against her bare thighs. "You know what? I'm just going to go back into my room and...read for a little bit. Why don't you two have a talk of you own? Sounds like a plan? Great!" Xin placed her mug on the coffee table and quickly stood up, only for Naruto to catch her by the wrist.

"Think about what I said, Xin."

She flushed for the third time and quickly retreated to her room. She knew Naruto had good intentions with his advice, she knew he wasn't just trying to get a rile out of her. Being with a demon in the romantic sense, especially a demon like Gaara, had its problems. But still...she couldn't wrap her brain around the things Naruto had told her. She completely understood that demons and humans had differing ways when it came to relationships but one thing she had not considered was sex.

"Oh my God," she whispered to herself once she was safely tucked away into her room. Xin was trying to figure out her relationship with Gaara and now Naruto wanted throw in the more intimate details of a relationship. She still didn't even know if Gaara wanted a damn relationship in the first place! Okay, so he got jealous if someone else complimented her or stared at her too hard. That didn't mean he wanted a relationship with her. It just meant the idiot was possessive over her.

Jesus, her life was getting more and more like a Shoujo-manga with each passing day.

"More like a josei manga..." Xin trailed off while rubbing harshly at her temples. She couldn't take much more of this. What the hell was wrong with Naruto? Who could be so casual with admitting such things? Maybe she should have stayed long enough to witness how Hinata would react to his rather casual declaration of wanting her. She knew she didn't have much experience but Hinata wasn't any better.

How in the fuck was she supposed to deal with this? And where was Gaara anyway? He was the one who insisted that they talk more when she woke up. Well, she was awake and he was nowhere to be found. Naruto hadn't said anything about his lack of presence so Xin was sure he hadn't run off to kiss Matsuri again. And even if he did...well, what could she say to that? Gaara was a grown ass man, capable of making his own choices. If he went back on his word and decided that he wanted to rekindle his relationship with that fruit-loop, who the hell was Xin to stop him?

They didn't have a romantic relationship. He hadn't made any promises to her.

Except to kill someone, if it would make her feel better.

Which, it probably wouldn't, but still. It was a promise.

With a tired groan, Xin fell face-first into her bed and just laid there. This was too much to take in all at once. Yes, she had a thing for Gaara and yes, she was jealous that he insisted on seeing Matsuri. That much she could admit. And she had the right to, that woman had plotted to have her killed. He killed Masaru as well, that also had to count for something. As dark as that was..

Bottom line, yes, she had a thing for Gaara. She was attracted to that redhead nightmare. She liked kissing him, as brief as their kisses had been so far. She liked being near him and watching him. She was mesmerized by his muscles and found herself oddly attracted to the wide width of his shoulders and back. The sight of him covered in demon blood, as horrifying as it should have been, had stirred something carnal deep in her and she wanted to explore that feeling.

"Christ, I'm a freak," she groaned again, face still pressed into the bed. Maybe if she just laid still enough, she would eventually suffocate and die. She could not deal with this. She was twenty-one years old with barely any dating experience and she had a thing for a murderous demon. "Jun is rolling in her grave, oh my God."

Deciding that she'd had enough fun throwing her own pity-party, Xin pushed herself up with a deep sigh. If she was going to die, it wasn't going to be from suffocating herself with her own blankets. Shaking her head, she got up and looked around her room. There was no way she was going back out into the living room while Naruto and Hinata sorted out their own issues. The nerve, this was her damn apartment, and she was confined to her room for the time being.

Realizing she didn't have much to do, she focused on practicing with her spirituality. She had to get better with her powers. If she could fully utilize them, she wouldn't have to worry about demons knocking her upside the head. She wouldn't have to wait around for Gaara and Naruto to come rescue her. She wouldn't have to be afraid of the prospect of being raped or eaten.

Xin was a boxer, she knew how to throw a mean right-hook. She'd done it to that one demon while running around in Suna. She knocked his jaw clean off. She could practice that. If she practiced hard enough, she could learn how to encase her fists with her energy and use her experience as a boxer to defend herself. One thing was for certain, she had to learn how to use the energy without tiring herself out so quickly.

And that's how Gaara found her only two hours later. She had her back to him as he stepped into her room, bouncing on her feet as she threw quick jabs at the air. Her fists were glowing eerily, catching him off guard as she continued to fight an invisible enemy.

"What are you doing?" he asked after a long moment of watching her.

With a short shriek, Xin whipped around. She didn't have anything close enough to throw so she opted in throwing a punch. Instead of catching her fist like he normally would have, Gaara dodged to the left. "Are you going to purify me next, miko?" he asked dryly, eyes staring at her glowing fist.

Horror filled her eyes once she got her wits about her. Her fist flickered out, like a lightbulb, and she quickly pulled back. He noted that she took an extra step backwards. Undeterred, he fully stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "No, I...you scared me. I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to purify you," Xin stuttered, face flushed heavily. "I was just...I need to get better so..."

"You are."

"Mm?"

"You're getting better."

"Oh."

Gaara almost laughed at her blushing face. Xin had never acted this shy before. Something was obviously weighing on her mind and he knew it had something to do with the two of them. "You wanted to have a talk, didn't you?" he asked, stepping more into the room. She took another step back, out of his personal space. Why she was avoiding him was beyond him but he'd rectify that soon enough.

"Erm..well...yes..." she fumbled over her words, looking away. She moved away again, this time to plop down on the edge of her bed. She motioned for him to follow suit, patting the mattress next to her. He followed her lead, sitting down far too close than what she suggested. "Where were you?" she asked first, eyebrow raised.

"I went to see Matsuri locked up in the basement."

"Ah..."

"She and I had a talk about some things. Mostly our relationship and mostly about you. It wasn't a very pleasant conversation and I'm sure Xiurong had to place a silencing enchantment over the basement so that the humans wouldn't hear us."

"I see.."

"Xin..." Gaara sighed, she was hardly acting like herself and he wasn't too keen on that. "Matsuri and I aren't together, you don't have to worry about that."

"Worry?" she nearly squeaked. "Why on earth should I be worried? You're grown, Gaara, hell, you're ancient. You're allowed to do whatever you want with whoever you want. You don't owe me any explanation or anything like that! Who am I, anyway? We're friends. You don't have to report to me."

Gaara stared at her, somewhat confused with all the rambling she was doing. "Are you suggesting that Matsuri and I get back together?" he asked slowly, not really sure what the woman was trying to say.

"No," she huffed petulantly. "I'm just saying that if you did, you wouldn't have to explain things to me. You guys are both demons and you have a shitload of history together. It wouldn't be all that surprising if you did. Sometimes sticking to what you know is just easier."

"Xin, she had you kidnapped."

"I know that."

"You could have been killed and that's what she was hoping for."

"I didn't know that but I'm not shocked."

Gaara turned to her fully, reaching out to grab her by the chin. He pulled until she had no choice but to look at him, having her gaze locked previously on her toes in a bid to avoid looking at him. "Do you honestly think that I would be with a woman who tried to have you killed?"

"Well..."

"Xin."

"I don't know, okay? I don't know what you would do. That's the problem, Gaara. I don't know what goes through your head but you know what, I'm not some rebound. I'm not something you can just play with until you decide that, yeah, you do want to be with that nutcase."

Gaara wasn't really surprised that she suddenly began ranting. He'd been hoping she would get back to acting like her normal, erratic self. An unsure Xin was something he was not used to dealing with. Besides, he liked it when her face was flushed like that.

"I don't want to be with Matsuri, Xin. I'm not treating you like a rebound, even if things seem that way."

Xin suddenly got up, ripping her chin from his fingers. He watched in bemusement as she began pacing the length of her room. "But I am the rebound. You just ended the relationship with Matsuri and you're already kissing me? I mean, c'mon, if that doesn't scream 'rebound', I don't know what does! And let me make myself clear, demon, I'm no rebound. For anyone, so if you think that you might ever want to get back with her, you cannot kiss me at all!"

Gaara frowned at her declaration. He would've pouted too, if he wasn't a grown ass demon. What was he supposed to do to convince her that he didn't see her as a rebound? He wasn't using her as a means to get over Matsuri. As harsh as it sounded, he wasn't that bothered with ending the relationship with Matsuri in the first place. And he didn't end the relationship just so he could jump right into something with Xin. He wasn't happy or content with the relationship and that's why he needed to end it. Matsuri didn't deserve to be in an unfulfilled relationship.

It was pretty much a coincidence that Xin just happened to come along during the end of the relationship. It happened to be a coincidence when he started to feel attracted to her. It wasn't a coincidence that he kissed her, that was done on purpose.

Gaara wanted to keep kissing her.

"Xin, if you were just a rebound, I would've just fucked you already and moved along," Gaara almost snapped at her. He didn't like that she was just shoving words into his mouth. She came to a screeching halt, staring down at him with eyes the size of dinner plates.

Her face flushed heavily, just the way he liked so much, as she struggled for something to say back to him. She hadn't been expecting those blunt words, that much was obvious. She turned her face away, eyes avoiding his again as she tried hard to come up with something to say. "So..what are you saying then?"

God, how dense could this girl be?

"I'm saying that I want you, you dumbass."

Xin's head cocked back on her neck before her eyes landed on him again in indignation. "Dumbass? Me? I'm the dumbass here?" she hissed down at him, clearly offended. Before she could off into another tangent, he snatched her hands up and yanked hard.

Xin landed hard on top of him, leaving her momentarily breathless. He let go of her hands, letting them drop to his thighs to steady herself. Her body folded easily over his, like clockwork, like she'd been made to fit into him.

"I don't think—," Gaara muttered quietly, leaning forward so that their lips were almost pressed together. "—I don't think you quite understand all the nasty things I want to do to you, Xin."

The heat radiating from her face was enough to make him laugh. Half-lidded eyes strayed to the side, trying to focus on anything but her embarrassment. "What do you want, Xin?"

"I think I want you to kiss me."

She settled her hands on his shoulders, shifting until she was sitting comfortably on his lap. Naruto's advice from earlier clogged her ears, reminding her that Gaara would listen if she said stop. She could, despite how ironic it was, trust the demon. She recalled how her head spun when he kissed her in the kitchen and wondered if that was something normal or if it was because of Gaara.

She felt his hands settled on her thighs, nails dully scraping against her skin.

Although she initially feared for their relationship, she optimistically reminded herself that the new development could be a good thing for them. Nothing really had to change drastically. They would still bicker with one another, regardless of the title of their relationship. He would still baselessly threaten her and she would snarl right back into his face. They would also just...share kisses every now and then. Maybe. She wasn't sure.

Xin was positive that her stalling was probably annoying Gaara. Every now and then, she felt his nails press into her thighs, but for the most part, he remained still beneath her. If he really wanted it, he could just roll her over and pin her down. It wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing…

Before she could talk herself out of it, Xin dipped forward and pressed her mouth against his. It almost felt like a relief to kiss him again, the tension in her shoulders releasing almost immediately. She released the grip she had on his shoulders, nails slightly caked in his blood from digging too hard, and slid her arms around his neck.

She seemed nervous, almost self-conscious as she kissed him. This wasn't like the first time they shared, a kiss that was spurred on by frantic emotions. There was more thought to this kiss this time around. Gaara's hands slid up from her thighs, settling against her hips and pulling tight, pulling pulling pulling, until she was pressed snug against his hips.

His fingers brushed reassuringly against her hips, humming and purring in an attempt to help her along. It worked, as she sighed softly into his mouth, tense form melting against him. He let her set the pace, reacting positively when the kiss began to deepen. When she finally parted her lips, he followed suit, groaning when her tongue tumbled right into his mouth. His hands tightened on her hips and he pressed her down to him, firmly grounding her against him.

Xin inhaled sharply and leaned backwards, staring down at him. Gaara paused, meeting her surprised gaze with an impassive look in his eyes. His blood was roaring in his ears and his nails threatened to sink into her skin but he kept still. "Too much?" he asked after a pause, mentally berating himself.

"No…" Xin trailed off, blinking. She didn't fight him off when he pressed his mouth to her neck, lips wrapping around her pulse, and sucking hard. She grunted softly, leaning comfortably into him as he continued the assault on her neck.

The door suddenly swung open and Gaara found himself groaning in agitation. Every time he had the pint sized terror just where he wanted her, someone was always barging in. At this point, he was going to have to kidnap her.

"Oi, Xin, I came back—" Suigetsu came to a screeching halt as Xin pulled backwards, face flushing hard as she glanced over her shoulder. She felt Gaara pull away from the pulse point in her neck, kissing her skin almost thoughtlessly. His fingers flexed against her hips, as if waiting for something to happen.

"Sui, I—" she sounded pathetically breathless and she nearly cringed at the sound of it. She was abruptly cut off when Gaara shoved her to the side, rolling her off of him as Suigetsu barreled into Gaara. She twisted around as vicious snarls blended into some twisted ass chorus that she couldn't understand.

She almost reared backwards off the bed once she got her bearings, blanching at the sight of Suigetsu's arm. It looked like water, the points of his fingers blending together to form a sharp knife-like appearance. Gaara had a hand wrapped around Suigetsu's throat, holding him back from stabbing him in the face.

"Suigetsu, oh my God! Stop it!" Xin shrieked shrilly, throwing herself forward. She reached in between them, trying in vain to separate them. Neither demon paid her any mind, adding to her frustration. Where the hell was Naruto when you needed him?

With a growl, Xin shoved a hand full of glowing light into Suigetsu's face. She didn't come into contact with him but his skin began to burn regardless. Suigetsu lost his concentration, bladed arm regaining its regular form. Gaara took the opportunity, shoving the other demon backwards and giving him enough space to sit up. Naruto was suddenly there, grabbing Suigetsu under his arms to restrain him. "What the fuck is happening in here?" he shouted over them.

"Sui's being an asshole!" Xin growled angrily, glaring at him. Suigetsu glared right back as Naruto gradually let him go, feeling as if he wouldn't attack Gaara again.

"Me?! What the fuck was that, huh? Are ya crazy?! Do you have any idea what this motherfucker is capable of?"

"What was what? What happened?" Naruto looked back and forth between the three of them, waiting for an answer. They each had different degrees of anger on their faces with Suigetsu being the angriest. Xin was stuck somewhere in between being angry and being embarrassed while Gaara seemed mildly annoyed.

"I kissed her," Gaara answered with a nonchalant shrug. Naruto's eyebrows shot up his forehead as he glanced towards Xin. She let out a small groan, avoiding his smug gaze by finding the floor interesting.

"Okay...did she not want to be kissed? Did he force himself on you?" Naruto asked slowly, hand clasped around Suigetsu's shoulder. Gaara went from being mildly annoyed to full on offended. He was an asshole but he didn't go around forcing himself on women. He only put his mouth where it was wanted.

"Force?" Xin squawked indignantly, as if she was just as offended. "No! Of course he didn't force anything on me. I...I told him that I wanted him to kiss me," she confessed in a quiet voice, hand pressed to her eyes. This was not how she thought her afternoon would go.

"Well, there's no issue then if she wasn't forced, right?"

"Fuck off, Uzumaki," Suigetsu slapped Naruto's hand from his shoulder. "Yer' only justifyin' that shit because ya want to get yer' grubby fox paws on Hinata," he snapped angrily. From the safe point of the doorway, Hinata made a strangled noise in her throat. "I've been bitin' my tongue ever since these two relationships happened but this is unacceptable, this is where I draw the line."

"Draw the li—what?" Xin repeated, eyes narrowing. "Who do you think you are, my father? Mind your own business," she hissed at him, waving her hands around spastically.

"Are ya serious right now?" Suigetsu wheeled around, stooping over her with fire burning in his eyes. "Yer' bein' a child right now, Xin. Ya don't know him."

Xin's eyes were burning just as brightly as his. She suddenly remembered watching The Little Mermaid and scoffing when the titular character argued with her father that she loved her Prince even though she didn't know him. Even though they were from different worlds. She liked the movie but she remembered thinking how ridiculous Ariel sounded, stubbornly insistent about a man she knew nothing about.

Well, shit, was she Ariel? Was she the dumbass little mermaid? She wasn't in love with Gaara but she was attracted to him, that much she knew. And Suigetsu had a point in saying that she didn't know the demon but did she really know any of them? And besides, she could just get to know Gaara.

"She's an adult, Sui, she can make her own choices," Gaara commented in an even tone, eyes tracing a trail back to Xin. He looked as if he would reach out for her but Suigetsu beat him to the punch, dragging Xin to his side in a protective grip.

She rolled her eyes but didn't fight out of his hold. "No, see, the thing about this is that yer' not gonna fuck her up like ya did to Matsuri. If that's what yer gonna do, go back to Matsuri. Yer' not turnin' Xin into Matsuri."

Some of the anger oozed from Xin, forcing her back into her corner of self-doubt. Gaara saw it, scowling as she began digging herself into a hole. He'd made damn sure that she knew Matsuri was no longer a factor and here comes Suigetsu, shoving Xin into the deep ass hole of self-doubt.

Great.

"The two of ya need to leave. The others are comin' and I doubt they'd be okay with this," Suigetsu broke Xin out of her hole of self-doubt. She tilted her head back up towards him, scowling once more.

"It's none of their business either, Sui," she hissed angrily again. "I don't have to run every single thing by you guys."

"Ya do when it involves demons."

"Maybe we should take off for awhile and give them time with the girls," Naruto spoke up before Xin could truly unleash Hell on Suigetsu. She really couldn't understand why he was acting so out of sorts, usually Suigetsu was the neutral ground. Was her kissing Gaara really that bad?

"Fine." Gaara easily agreed, standing to his feet. "But I want to talk to Xin alone," he cut his eyes threateningly at Suigetsu. He glared back at Gaara, already on his way to saying no in a firm tone when Xin violently elbowed him in the side.

"That's fine," she agreed quickly, stepping away from her friend. Hand on her hip, she waved Suigetsu away. "It's fine, Sui. He's not going to kill me with you three in the living room. Just give us a second," she insisted with a sigh, fed up with his temper tantrum. He didn't really get to answer as Hinata was suddenly pulling him out of the room with a burst of strength none of them knew she had. Naruto followed like a simpering puppy, smiling all the while.

It was quiet between the two for a long time before Xin sighed heavily. "Look, I'm really sorry about….well...that…" she waved a hand in the direction of the living room. Gaara didn't immediately reply, opting to simply look down at her.

"It's fine, miko. He's concerned for you, he should be," Gaara said after a long minute. He approached her, craning his neck down to be closer to her. "But know this, miko, I tend to get what I want."

For the umpteenth time that day, Xin flushed heavily as he leaned in closer. His breath fanned against her face, tickling her skin and causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up. She nearly stepped back but was stopped when he reached for her. Long fingers curled tightly around her jaw, thumb swiping across her mouth.

"I get what I want," he repeated quietly, voice dropping to a gruff whisper. "I don't care what your friends, my family or even what Masuyo or Kuraim has to say about it. I get what I want and I want you, understand?"

No, goddammit, she didn't understand. She didn't understand a goddamn thing.

Xin didn't have much time to lament her odd circumstances when Gaara tipped forward, brushing his lips against hers. She instantly melted into him, a voice of reason berating her for giving in so easily. But she ignored it for now, tiny fingers curling into the front of his shirt. She rocked forward onto the tips of her toes, kissing him just as hard.

He pulled away then, breathing hard against swollen lips. She dropped to her height, face flushed. "I'll be back, miko," he hummed in quiet tone. The dark implications hidden underneath the surface of his words made her shiver. He ducked down towards her again, lips nearly falling against her mouth once more. "Your friends can't keep me away from you."

Gaara was gone after that, vanishing so suddenly that Xin nearly toppled forward. She took a moment to right herself, reigning in her whirling thoughts. She couldn't help but to feel that she had just done something...dangerous. That she agreed to play a dangerous game without really knowing all the rules.

She could hear the voices of her friends, suddenly, rejoicing at the sight of Hinata.

She'd worry about their game later. Now, she had her group of overprotective morons to deal with.

---

TeeBeMe: The joys of writing two idiots in love.