"You're quite the guard-dog, aren't you?"

Gaara was less than impressed to see Karin approaching him. It was a frosty night and he found himself patiently waiting inside Mad Batter for the twins to finish their shift up. Xin was hidden away in the back while Hinata dutifully manned the register. Naruto was out with Neji and Tenten, leaving Gaara to look after the twins.

"Something you need, Uzumaki?" Gaara asked in a dry tone, opting to ignore her petty jab. He'd been called much worse than a guard-dog. Besides, it wouldn't do well to feed into her bullshit and start a fight with her at the moment. Xin warned him time and time again not to stir up trouble at the bakery.

Karin eyed him with a harsh squint. It went without saying that the two gingers didn't get along. They never actually got along but these days, the hostility shared between them was at an all time high and Xin was at the center of it all. He supposed he couldn't blame Karin's heightened animosity towards him. She had a fucked up way of showing it but she did care for Xin and his interest in said miko just heightened Karin's protective urges.

"Tenten says you have genuine feelings for Xin," Karin said after a moment of just staring at him. She sat down without an invitation, not that he would bother with extending one in the first place. "But I find that hard to believe."

Gaara leaned his cheek against his knuckles, sighing deeply. "Didn't I already say that I wanted the little idiot? What more do you need?"

Clearly that wasn't enough to satisfy her. "Wanting someone sexually is different than wanting them wholeheartedly." She made a nasty face, one that suggested that she thought he was an idiot. And hell, maybe he was an idiot but he wouldn't say as much to the other irritating redhead.

Gaara closed his eyes in a vain attempt to block her out though it was useless. "What exactly do you want from me, Uzumaki? You want to hear that I want to twist her just to see how far it takes until she breaks?"

Karin continued to glare at him but he kept his eyes closed. "Is that what this is?" she pressed, her pretty mouth twisted into a scowl. "Because if it is, I will—"

"You'll what?" Gaara's eyes popped open but it was only to give her a particular dry look. "Are you threatening me? I'm shaking."

"This isn't a game!" Karin snapped, momentarily garnering Hinata's attention. She blinked at the sight of the two gingers sitting with another. Gaara glanced back towards the bluenette but casually waved her concerns away. The friendship between Gaara and Hinata was just as disturbing as the romantic one he harbored with Xin. The entire dynamics shared between the two miko and demons was disturbing.

Hinata offered a tentative smile before focusing back on her work, further disturbing Karin. She never thought that someone like Gaara would get along well enough with someone like Hinata.

"This isn't a game," Karin repeated in a calmer tone but there was an edge to it that hinted at her frustration. "You can't expect us to take you seriously given your track record."

Okay, he conceded, that was fair. He was wrong for entering into a relationship with Matsuri even though he didn't share her feelings. He was wrong for still sleeping with Matsuri even though they were on a 'break'. Maybe he was even wrong for treating sex as casual liaisons and nothing more. He'd been a bastard before and he could see why anyone would be wary of his intentions with Xin.

It made sense. She was an attractive woman with a quirky personality and interesting bloodline. Anyone would want to crack her open to see her soft bits and he, once upon a time, had been no different.

"Again, Uzumaki, I ask. What do you want from me?" Gaara asked after a long pause.

She scowled, clearly agitated with his casual disposition. "I want you to stay away from her but clearly that's out of the question. So what I want now is for you to tell me that this isn't some perverted game you're playing with her."

Gaara's eyes narrowed, his casual disposition melting away if only for a second. "That's what you think this is? A game? Do you really think I would chase a human girl all over the realms for the sake of a game?" He was pretty sure that he'd never get it through her thick ass skull. Fuckin' Uzumaki.

"I thought I knew what you would do but evidently I don't," she snapped back, unsatisfied. "Xin's a good girl and you're…well…you."

"This isn't a game, I'm not sure how many times I have to tell you that I care for Xin before it sinks in," Gaara said around a deep sigh. He was tired of the same old song and dance but he was as stubborn as Karin. If he had to keep repeating himself then he'd do just that. "I want her."

"So you do have genuine feelings for her," Karin continued to squint at him.

"Yes," Gaara admitted. There was no point in not answering, there was no shame in it. Okay, the age difference was a bit of a stretch between them and the fact that he was a demon and she was a miko was also a factor but honestly, who cared? If it didn't bother him and it didn't bother her, why was it such a bad thing? Why was the status of their relationship anyone else's business?

He eyed Karin casually. "How long until you stop leading Sui on?" he asked after a blessed moment of silence. She reacted much how he thought she would, her face turning red to match her hair. Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she pulled her lip back in a snarl.

"What? How the hell is that any of your business?" she demanded hotly, leaning forward into his personal space. He didn't react to her anger, instead eyeing her as if they were discussing the weather. "It's not any of your business!"

Again, Hinata glanced at them, this time frowning in concern. Some of the other patrons were eyeing them as well but they were used to Gaara's constant presence. None of them seemed all that surprised that he was even there in the first place and he heard two older ladies chuckle about him waiting on his girlfriend. Hinata looked at that door leading to the back, warning them that another outburst would either summon Anko or Xin next.

"It's not?" Gaara asked pointedly.

Karin's fingers drew into fists. "Why the hell would my relationship with Sui be any of your business?"

He leaned against the table with a snide scowl, "Because I care so much about Sui."

"You're full of shit."

He relaxed back into his chair with a languid shrug. "Don't like it when other people pry into your personal life?"

Karin made a face, realizing she walked right into that one. God, she hated the smug motherfucker. "My relationship with Sui is something completely different than whatever nightmare you've got going on with Xin."

Again, he ignored her petty job. Not because he wasn't just as petty but simply because he didn't want to upset Xin or that psychotic boss of hers. But it was mostly Xin that he didn't want to upset. While he liked her anger, he didn't want to disrupt her place of work. Xin loved her quirky little bakery and he didn't want to poison it for her because of his temper.

"Quit it with all the yelling," he snapped irritably. It didn't matter that Karin was the loudmouth, if Xin came storming out to see the two of them, she'd chew both of their asses out. "Call it what you want but it's still none of your business."

Karin's eyes were thin slits and though she was quite ferocious, he wasn't intimidated. Still, it was obvious she cared for Xin. She didn't show it all that well but he truly believed Karin genuinely loved and cared for Xin. Did Jun have something to do with that? He wasn't completely sure but he supposed that wasn't his business either.

"Do you love her?"

That made him choke.

"Or…do you think you could?"

Karin eyed the other redhead critically. Love was somewhat foreign to demons. She wouldn't be surprised if he actually answered no nor would she be really upset. Except, well, he didn't immediately answer. He didn't say anything but she noticed a look of guilt and resignation flitting over his face.

"You..don't love her, right?"

Xin poked her head from out of the back, mouth moving a mile per minute as she asked Hinata about some order for a birthday. She didn't pay either redhead any mind, far too preoccupied with her bakery to even realize that it was an odd occurrence to see Karin and Gaara together.

But Karin noted how his tense jaw seemed to relax and the softening of his gaze. Oh, she realized with a cringe, this was not good.

Not good at all.

Gaara was silent, Xin's slight weight on his back a warm comfort to him. Once their shift ended and everything was cleaned up, she complained about her exhaustion and with a charmingly tired smile, joked that he should carry her home. Color Xin and Hinata surprised when he obliged her, turning and motioning for her to climb on his back. Despite her strange insistence on her 118 pounds, she wasn't heavy. And besides, it gave him the opportunity to grope at her thick thighs so carrying her really wasn't an issue.

Xin and Hinata chattered about their day, oblivious to his inner turmoil. He was naturally a quiet person so his perpetual silence wasn't all that strange to either miko and he was glad for it. He wasn't sure how to properly get his thoughts together enough to even explain them.

It was all Karin's fault. She couldn't leave well enough alone, just like a fuckin' Uzumaki. Leave it to those menaces to always want to dig deeper. What started off as a violent yearning for Xin had morphed into something more possessive and he even took a step further than that. He wanted to be with Xin, he knew that much, he wanted her all to himself.

But…love?

Was he even capable of such an emotion? It wasn't totally impossible for demons to know love. Kushina and Minato were proof of that and hell, even his own parents. Although how Karura could love Rasa was beyond him. Then again, he supposed one might wonder how Xin could stand being with him.

And that just begged the question on whether or not Xin could love him. It was easy to say she accepted him for who he was but she'd only seen small glimpses of him. She hadn't witnessed the full extent of his anger, his sadism and ferocity. She'd seen the aftermath, the bloodshed and though it piqued her interest, she hadn't seen how it had gotten there.

He wouldn't blame her if she changed her mind about the thought of 'them', if she couldn't love him. It would hurt like hell but he wouldn't blame her. After all, she was human and that's why everyone warned her away from him. Which, you know, was fair.

But he was ruined. She ruined everything. He couldn't fathom the thought of feeling so intensely for another woman, he didn't want to feel that way for someone else. If it wasn't the short, screwy miko, he just didn't want it.

And that just terrified him.

The healthy way to deal with this would be to just talk about it but that just wasn't his style. First of all, talk about it to who? None of their friends would have the right advice because half of the fuckers didn't want him within six feet of Xin. There was Naruto and he usually didn't have too much trouble talking to the blond, all his petty ribbing aside. But something told him that Naruto was in a similar boat as him.

He could ask his mother but that just meant having to deal with Rasa. And honestly, he had quite enough of his father for the time being. Too much time spent in the same vicinity was never good for the father and son.

Well, there was one person…

"Oi, oi," Xin brushed her lips against the back of his neck, grinning when she felt him go rigid underneath her. "You're awfully quiet."

He was naturally quiet but apparently he'd been too quiet. So quiet that she inevitably noticed. "M'fine," he grunted while purposely readjusting her against his back. He gripped hard at her thighs, tugging her closer until she was practically molded to his back. She didn't protest, arms shifting comfortably around his neck.

"What were you and Karin talking about?" Hinata asked, genuinely concerned. "She was really agitated."

"Karin's always agitated," Gaara shrugged, jostling Xin. He squeezed her thigh to silently apologize.

"She's a bit of a sour apple, isn't she? Get it? Cuz' her hair and eyes are red."

"Sour apples are green, Xin."

"Shit, that's right. God, I'm tired."

Gaara couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of his throat. "She was agitated for the same reason she's always agitated. The relationship between a demon and miko is—what's the word, Xin?"

"Blasphemous."

Hinata sighed and shook her head. "She's very determined."

"She has a fucked way of showing it but there's no denying that she cares for you two," Gaara replied simply. No, he wasn't all that fond of the other redhead and he thought she was a bit of an asshole but she cared. She wasn't doing a great job per se but she was a bit of a moron.

Xin snorted and pressed her mouth against the back of his neck again. "You mean she cares for Jun and Junko." She sounded bitter, he mutely realized. He knew how the fixation of Jun and Junko bothered Xin but he hadn't realized that it genuinely hurt her feelings.

He took a deep breath and rubbed soothingly at her thighs, trying his best to silently soothe her. "No, I meant what I said. She specifically doesn't want me near you because she doesn't think I'm good enough for you. It has nothing to do with Jun and Junko."

Hinata eyed the demon and her sister. She wished their friends could see the softer interactions between the two. Sure, Gaara was no saint but there was no denying that he cared for her sister. He wasn't waxing poetry but he showed his affection in other ways, such as giving her a piggyback ride home because she was tired.

To be honest, the thought of a relationship between Xin and Gaara initially made her nervous. She didn't know Gaara all that well and he even made her uneasy. But he proved himself time and time again that he was more than some mindless murderer. He had layers and Xin was taking the time to peel them back and get to know him.

And the fact that he openly admitted to her that he wanted to be better for Xin said a lot too.

"For what it's worth," Hinata offered a sweet smile. "I trust you with her and I know you wouldn't purposely hurt her."

Surprisingly, Xin didn't say anything, opting to rest her cheek against his shoulder instead. He, on the other hand, stared down at the older twin, somewhat caught off guard by her honest statement. Gaara released Xin's thigh but she remained rooted to his back, hooking her leg around his waist for the time being. With his free hand, he reached over and affectionately cupped the back of Hinata's head. He dipped his fingers through her hair, spreading the long digits to gently cradle Hinata's skull.

"Thank you, Hinata. That actually means a lot to me."

And it did. It really did.

Xin wasn't one to care much for her appearance. Not to say that she didn't take care of herself because she did. She knew she was conventionally pretty but it wasn't in the vain sort of way. She thought Hinata was pretty and since they were twins, she thought of herself as pretty.

Her face wasn't the current problem.

It was her body.

The thing about Xin was although she was proud of her 118 pounds, most of her body fat was distributed evenly between her chest, hips, ass and thighs. She, along with her sister, had always been considered voluptuous or curvy or thick. She wasn't necessarily thin nor was she fat. She was somewhere in the middle and she never minded it. She'd been lusted after and teased for it.

She hadn't been spending much time at the gym lately, far too tired for it. With everything going on in her personal life, she was far too stressed to balance both jobs and since the bakery was her main income, had sacrificed the gym for the time being.

And it was obvious.

She lost her muscle mass and she supposed her constant snacking at the bakery didn't help much. Usually, it wouldn't really bother her. She wasn't here to impress anyone. The one thing she'd learn was that there would either be someone who thought poorly of her figure or thought highly of it. You can't please them all and she wasn't here to do so.

So she was a little on the heavier side, so she struggled with finding bras and panties that would fit her, so she had stretch marks across her hips and thighs. Who cares? She certainly didn't.

And then Gaara came along.

She was constantly reminded that Gaara had no business liking her, that he shouldn't. Because she was too human, too soft and not his type. The fuck was his type anyway? Matsuri insisted that she was his type so she had to guess that meant he liked tall, lean women? Women with pretty tanned skin and lithe curves. Sturdy, unbreakable.

Which, evidently, she was not as she was kindly reminded time and time again. Soft, short, pliant and pale. And fragile. So very fragile. If that was the case and she really wasn't his type, why did he want her so bad?

Was Matsuri onto something when she insisted this was all about working his way into her bed? Did they think she was some magical fairy with a magical cunt or something? Getting her into bed would be no different than any other woman in bed.

He did like her, though. Her personality, that much she knew, he liked. Maybe their relationship wasn't for the physical benefits. Maybe it was just an emotional connection they shared. Maybe he was just attracted to her personality.

Xin eyed herself in the mirror, feeling quite foolish. She told Matsuri that she wasn't going to fall for her bullshit but she also told her parents that she'd further her schooling. She wasn't above sprinkling white lies here and there.

Besides, she wasn't necessarily insecure (see, another white lie), she was curious. Was he turned off by the size of her breasts or the wide set of her hips? Did her oddly pale pallor turn him off? Would he strip her naked and discover the stretch marks and think they were gross?

Maybe she should ask him. Gaara was terribly blunt and upfront, even more so than she was. If she kept it to herself and agonized over it, it would blow up in her face later on. If she flat out asked him, he'd flat out tell her.

She fixed the strap of her bra and tank top, frowning as the straps dug irritably into her skin. She wiggled her ass into her panties and sweatpants, snapping the waistband on her hips. She wasn't ashamed of her figure, she had no reason to be. There was beauty in all shapes and sizes and if Gaara didn't like it, well, fuck him.

She stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered and on a mission. Gaara was sitting with Hinata and Naruto, though he was hardly paying attention to whatever movie they were so engrossed in. "Oi, Gaara?" She moved towards her bedroom, noticing that the redhead seemingly perked up at her presence. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Naruto managed to tear his gaze away from the tv, a sly grin on his face. "Should we go take a walk or something?"

"It's ten degrees outside, Naruto," Xin snorted and waved his suggestion off. "No, no. I just wanna ask him something."

"Something private, evidently. You know I can still hear you even if you go into your room." She paused and cursed the demons for their freakish hearing. Naruto laughed for her trouble but he was merciful. "It's cold out but we can go get dinner."

"How about from Dragon's Way?" Hinata offered with an easy smile. She'd been planning on suggesting it when Xin got out of the shower anyway.

"Good thinking, moonpie." Naruto was already on his feet and heading towards the closet for Hinata's coat and his jacket. "The usual?"

"Yes, please. You're sure you don't mind?" Xin asked, somewhat guilty, that she was sending them out into the cold just so she could grill Gaara. Naruto helped Hinata into her coat, taking the time to button the front up. It was cute.

"We need dinner anyway and neither of us were planning on cooking tonight. It's fine," Hinata amended. Xin had the sneaking suspicion that she was just grateful to be alone with Naruto as well. "I'll get some extra dumplings for you."

She smiled and thanked her sister, wishing them a safe trip as they made their exit. She glanced at Gaara, who stood towering over her. He was blatantly eyeing her and she was almost sure his gaze had dropped to her cleavage more than once. "What's on your mind, Xin? I thought you were tired."

She smiled and stepped into her bedroom, waving him after her. They didn't have to talk in her bedroom but it was her safe haven, she felt comforted in her room. She wasn't sure what this conversation would lead to but at least she'd be in her sanctuary. "You know what Matsuri said to me?" She plopped down on her bed, drawing her legs up to sit cross-legged.

He joined her with a snort, sitting far too close. "You mean before you attempted to murder her? Can't say that I do since I wasn't there."

"I'm a priestess. I don't murder, I purify. There's a difference," she pointed out with a huff. "And does that mean there's limits to how far you demons can hear?"

"Of course there's limits. Everyone has their limits, we demons just have more room to work with over you humans."

"Well," shs licked her lips. "She said I wasn't your type and I'm assuming that means she's your type. Given the fact that you were in a relationship, you must've found something appealing about her and it couldn't have been that sour ass attitude of hers—"

"Xin."

"We're practically opposites in body types and I was just wondering if this—" she motioned between them. "—is about 'bedding a miko', as she so eloquently put it," Xin said while using air quotations. "Because if it is, let me be the first to tell you that there's nothing special between my legs. I'm the same as every other human woman."

Gaara inhaled and then exhaled deeply. "What else did she say to you?" he asked after a thoughtful pause. She eyed him, fully aware that he hadn't answered her question but repeated her conversation with Matsuri anyway. He was silently glad that she made sure to let Matsuri know that they were together.

He waited until she was done talking and took a moment to think it all over. "So you believe that I only want to fuck you because you're a priestess but that I'm not physically attracted to you at the same time?"

Okay, when he worded it like that, it did sound ridiculous. He'd have to be at least somewhat attracted to her if he wanted to sleep with her.

"Xin," he sighed her name, clearly fed up with the topic of conversation. "I like you for you. A lot, actually. I like you a lot and I like everything about you. This is not about bedding a miko or figuring out if you've got a magical cunt. It's just a man liking a woman."

She flushed but smiled, warmth settling in the pool of her belly. She'd hate it if everyone was right about him.

"Can I be honest about something though?"

"Honesty is the best policy."

He eyed her for a long second before casually confessing, "I do want to fuck you. Badly."

Xin choked on her spit, her eyes wide as she regarded him. "But—ah—I'm not your type?" Her voice tapered off into a high-pitched question.

"Did I ever say that?"

"Well, no—"

"What if you are my type?"

"Since when?"

"Since I decided I want to bend you over your kitchen table."

She gasped hard. "We eat there."

"Fitting since I've already eaten you."

"Shut up."

That got him to laugh. He wasn't sure why humans were so prudish when it came to their primal needs but he enjoyed teasing her about it. He reached over to grab at her thigh, gripping it hard. "Whatever type you are, I like it."

"I have stretch marks." She eyed him with a squint. She wasn't sure what it was with men and stretch marks but they always seemed so surprised that she had them. But her skin had to stretch to accommodate her changing body. What did they expect her to be? A barbie doll?

"Uh-huh?"

"I jiggle."

"I know."

"I'm heavy."

"No, you're actually not."

He was a bit amused that she was trying to dissuade him but it just wouldn't work. He released his grip on her thigh but reached for her shoulder instead, idly plucking at the strap of her tank top and laughed again. It was a little strange that she managed to get him to laugh so much.

Gaara always pegged Xin to be rather oblivious about her attractiveness but maybe that wasn't the case. That just made him wonder if her insistence on wearing those flimsy tank tops with the low cuts or those obnoxiously short shorts was done on purpose. Had she been deliberately testing him?

Well.

That was dangerous.

But then again, she had been bolder with him ever since attending Karura and Rasa's party some odd days ago. She'd been far more confident in flirting with him, both privately and open. Which their friends did not appreciate but she'd even been more upfront with them about it.

He wondered if her aggressive flirtations had something to do with what everyone constantly said about their relationship. If she, in her own human way, had been marking her territory. That lit a fire deep in his belly.

They were both, at this point, playing with fire.

And Christ, they were going to get burned.

Masaru watched in obvious unease as Masuyo's coveted mirror began to tremble. The demoness eyed it apprehensively, her own lips stretched tightly as if she was on edge. He wasn't really sure about Masuyo's goals but it didn't really seem like she wanted to free this Kuraim demon. He knew she hated Xin and her sister but he wasn't really sure why.

What he did know was that they failed to kill the miko twins before this Kuraim demon's arrival and that's what had her on edge.

The mirror jerked violently from Masuyo's grip, hitting the floor with a dull thud. Somehow it didn't shatter but Masaru was too focused on the fact that a blinding light emitted from it. It practically burned his eyeballs out of his head and with that way he was held together, they were more than likely to fall out.

The mirror was gone but a demon stood in his place and Masaru nearly jerked back in repulsion. The distinctive smell of old rot hit him square in the face, an odor so strong it overpowered even his own stench of death. The left side of his face was heavily scarred, pulling his features into an eternal grimace and one of his twisted horns had been torn into a stump.

Somehow he was more of a nightmare than Masaru and that was saying something since he was literally held together by Masuyo's dark magic.

The demon shuffled, twisting his neck until it cracked several times. He grinned though the left side of his mouth barely twisted. "It's been far too long," he grinned around too much teeth, voice suddenly like the screech of a violin.

"Far too long," Masuyo agreed, bowing her head. Her thick hair fell over her shoulders in waves, momentarily obscuring her expression.

"What of my miko twins, Masuyo?"

She stiffened and said nothing for a long time. "What of them, Kuraim?"

"Are they safe?" Kuraim asked, peering down at the woman with an odd expression. Masaru frowned, why would he want them safe? Didn't he hate them and wanted them dead?

"For the time being," Masuyo scowled, irritated that she failed. She should have killed that miko when she had the chance but she wasted her time on trying to turn Rasa against her. "You recall Rasa and Minato, don't you?"

"Yes?"

"Well, their sons have become involved with Jun and Junko's descendants and they're very protective of them."

Kuraim's head twitched on his neck. "Involved?"

She nodded. "They're romantically involved." The cabin was silent as Kuraim blankly stared at Masuyo. She didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable with it, instead she waited almost patiently for his reaction.

"They're involved with demons?"

"Yes."

Masaru shifted away, he wasn't sure what Masuyo was trying to prove but he didn't like it. He was barely held together with her magic, one violent disruption and he could literally fall to pieces. He couldn't have that, not before he enacted his revenge against Xin.

"But Jun said such an act was forbidden."

Masuyo sighed heavily. "I've been trying to tell you, she's Jun's descendant. She's someone completely different than her and has different beliefs."

But Kuraim couldn't be swayed. "She's not her descendant. She's her reincarnation, she's Jun. The girl now…she's just hollow. She means nothing. Show me her."

Masuyo's scowl was harsh but she waved her hands in fast, jerky motions. Thought to be destroyed, her trusty mirror reappeared in her grasp once more. It shuddered violently before showing a clear picture of the miko in question. Kuraim leaned forward, transfixed by her image. He could still picture Jun and though they shared the signature Hyuga features, they were so startlingly different that it was obvious they were two different women.

Though there was something lovely about Xin. Maybe she didn't have the same refined beauty that Jun possessed but that wasn't to say she wasn't beautiful in her own right. He wasn't quite sure what it was specifically about her but it was a stark contrast to Jun.

"I wasn't expecting her to be as lovely as Jun," he mused after a moment of studying the younger miko. "And her sister must be just as lovely." Perhaps he wouldn't kill the new blood as quickly as he planned. It's been so long and he never even got a proper taste of Jun before she sealed him away.

This girl…Xin could make up for that.

"Kuraim, it's no use. She's completely infatuated with Rasa's boy," Masuyo reminded him, almost as if she could read his very thoughts. "And he's just as infatuated with her. Look at what he's done to poor Masaru because of her." She inclined her head to the said demon.

Kuraim eyed him, taking in his mangled appearance. He was wondering why she kept a rag doll for a demon around. Was it a warning to him that he should give up the notion entirely? But Jun had ruined him. Betrayed him. She even went so far as to seal him away.

He needed retribution and since Jun was no longer around to pay for her misdeeds, the task fell to her ancestral daughter. "I know you've always had a certain hatred for priestesses but try to understand, my dear."

But Masuyo only continued to scowl. She couldn't understand why that spiritual nuisance had the attention of so many demon men at her disposal. Gaara, Kuraim, Sasori, though his attentions were less amorous and hell, even Rasa. Though to be fair, Rasa probably wouldn't have known about her if Masuyo had kept her damn mouth shut.

"You'll regret these games, Kuraim." Masuyo's tone was harsh. "You've been freed, given another chance. Why would you want to mix yourself up in Jun's descendant after what she's done to you? It's a waste."

"Because it's what I'm owed!" Power surged forward, forcing Masuyo and Masaru to take a careful step away from the enraged demon. Demonic energy surged underneath his skin, threatening to tear them all to pieces. "Jun has to pay."

"Jun is dead, isn't that enough?"

"No! It'll never be enough, not until I watch the life drain from those phantom eyes of hers!"

Masuyo stilled, wisely remaining quiet. All these years locked away had done nothing for his explosive temper. She almost laughed, Xin's temperament was far more worse than Jun, he was in for a rude awakening if he thought she would just roll over and die.

"As you wish, Kuraim."

Konoha was a bustling hub of pleasant noise when Gaara dropped out of the portal. It was a lively place and though inhabited by demons, was known as a genuinely friendly place. Although he was a grump, Gaara actually enjoyed visiting. Naruto eyed him apprehensively when he told him he'd be visiting their realm but it would be a quick trip. He'd be back by the end of the day. Naruto hadn't asked why he needed to visit, trusting that he would tell him upon his return.

"Gaara?"

He paused in his journey through the village, spotting a familiar demoness. She was tall and exceptionally beautiful with striking pink hair and eyes so green that they gleamed like jewels in the sunlight. She was smiling brightly as she approached, her grin almost mischievous. "If it isn't Sakura," Gaara greeted amicably. He liked Sakura, she was a friendly woman with a surprisingly explosive temper. It was almost something similar to Xin's own personality. "How are you? Where's your shadow?"

"I'm fine," Sakura chuckled and playfully punched him in the arm. "Sasuke hates it when you call him that, you know."

"Exactly why I call him that."

Again, she chuckled but shook her head. Sasuke and Gaara always had a strangely antagonistic relationship, mostly due to their time on opposing sides of the old wars and battles. She was also convinced it had something to do with his friendship with Naruto.

"I've heard something interesting about you," Sakura decided to change the subject, winking mischievously as she did. She fell into step beside him, wondering what he was doing back in Konoha in the first place.

"Interesting?"

She nodded innocently, hands folded behind her back. "That a girl has you wrapped around your finger," she nudged at his arm. "Is that true?"

"Where'd you hear that from?"

"Shikamaru might have mentioned it."

"Which means he heard it from my sister," Gaara commented, not at all impressed with Temari's loose lips. She must have been getting a kick out of this, his subsequent fall from grace.

"Perhaps," Sakura looked up at him with open eyes. She was certainly interested. "Is it true then?"

He sighed heavily, not all that annoyed. Naruto said time and time again that he couldn't wait to share this sort of gossip with his childhood friend. "It's true," he admitted, nonplussed. Xin really did have him wrapped around her finger, unaware of it or not. "She's human."

Sakura's eyebrows shot up her forehead. Maybe Shikamaru hadn't mentioned that tiny aspect. Tiny but greatly significant. "A human girl? Tell me about her."

Gaara paused, thinking about Xin's odd personality. "She's sweet but she has a temper and a weird sense of humor. She's an obsessive neat-freak and likes to bake. She curses like a demon but smiles like an angel."

Sakura watched him carefully, pink lips turning into a slow smile. She hadn't expected Gaara to give in so easily about this girl. It was a known fact among them that he was rather prickly, a grump even and this particular relationship had the potential to make him sound…soft.

But there was no denying it. Whoever this girl was, he was soft for her. She found it almost funny that he hadn't described her physical appearance, far too focused on her actual personality instead.

"Smiles like an angel, huh?" Sakura grinned. "Sounds beautiful."

He nodded, easily agreeing. "She's not what I'm used to and it's been pointed out rather frequently that she's not my type," he admitted, somewhat amused. He was sure that Xin had ignored all of that nonsense but she was still just a girl. It did get to her and while she'd been insecure, he liked to think he'd done a good job at reassuring her.

But, then again, she was a bit neurotic and he wouldn't be surprised if she thought herself into a hole again.

"Does that bother her, that she's not your type? What's your type anyway?"

"I don't think it did at first but she eventually freaked out a little bit about it," he explained, snorting at the memory of her trying to dissuade him because she 'jiggled' or had stretch marks. "I don't know what my type is. From what I've been told, tall and lean demonesses."

"Is that so? I suppose that's not what she is."

"No, she's a short, stumpy little gremlin with a mean right hook."

Sakura nearly choked on her squawk of laughter. "Please don't tell me you said that to her face!"

"Of course not, I'm no fool. I like kissing her."

Sakura held her hand to her mouth and cooed. "Good, this is good. This is good for you, Gaara. I'm glad."

He offered a small smile, one that was hardly big enough for her to notice if she hadn't been looking at him. "Heard anything from Naruto?"

"I haven't, he's okay, right?"

"More than okay. He's in the same boat as me." He was careful, watching Sakura's slow reaction. Though she ultimately chose Sasuke, Gaara was under the impression that Sakura harbored feelings for Naruto as well growing up. She never tried hard at rejecting the blond's affections. Maybe she just liked the attention, Gaara wasn't sure but he definitely caught her strange look.

"He likes a human?"

"Yes. Xin—that's her name, my human—it's her sister. They're actually twin sisters."

Sakura blinked, lashes fluttering quickly. "Is that so?" she asked slowly. "Does…does she like him as well?"

"She does. She likes him a lot, actually. He treats her well." Maybe it was a little cruel of him but Naruto was his best friend and Sakura had led him on. Unintentionally or not, he wasn't sure but it still happened. Naruto liked to joke about his hopeless crush but Gaara knew it was a sore spot for him. It was something he never teased him about because he never found it funny.

Sakura nodded carefully but he couldn't quite describe her expression. "Does…does this mean you two have the same taste in women?"

"How dare you."

The tense atmosphere dissolved quickly. "You said they're twin sisters!"

"They don't like being lumped together as one person just because they're twins. They're both sweet girls but very different from one another. Kushina likes her."

"Naruto's mother met her and likes her?"

"Everyone who meets Hinata likes her."

"Hinata. That's a pretty name. Hinata and Xin. I hope you two will bring them around. I'm sure we'd all like to meet them."

Xin and Hinata had already met their respective families and now the prospect of meeting their friends presented itself. There was something almost…intimate about that.

Gaara and Sakura paused in front of a familiar house. She wondered what he was visiting before but she was positive that she'd snooped into his business quite enough. Besides, Naruto's romantic involvement with a human girl was something she was struggling with.

"I think they'd like that. I think you'd all like them a lot."

Sakura offered her pretty smile and dipped her head in acknowledgment. "It's good to see you, Gaara. Let Naruto know we miss him, okay?"

"Thanks, it was good seeing you too and I'll let him know."

She left him after that, hurrying away and ducking into Konoha's hustle and bustle. He quickly stepped out of the heat, ducking into the house as if he'd done it a million times before. "Kushina? Are you home?"

The redheaded demoness appeared almost immediately, looking a little surprised to see him. "Gaara, isn't this a pleasant surprise. Where's your lovely miko? I was hoping to meet the woman responsible for saving Karura!"

"So, you've heard."

"Of course I heard! I rubbed it right in Rasa's face when I visited," she grinned deviously and waved him into her sitting room. "What brings you here? Karura said you were busy looking after your miko."

He snorted at his mother's gossip but didn't necessarily deny it. He'd done a lot for Suna and he deserved his time away. "I…there's something I want to ask you."

Her grin dimmed into a more subtle smile. She sat down and invited him to join her, violet eyes open and trusting. "Sure." He sat down across from her, eyeing her warily. Naruto inherited his jokester personality from his mother but she was still a kind woman at heart. She was a bit of a chatterbox but he was positive that she'd keep this conversation to herself if he asked her.

"How did you know you loved Minato?"

It was obvious that she hadn't been expecting that sort of question. She stuttered, head twitching before tilting to the side in confusion. Red locks fell over her face, momentarily obscuring her vision. "I certainly wasn't expecting that! Are you in love with your miko?"

"I'm not sure."

Kushina sat back with a deep sigh. "You know love is a hard thing to describe, I'd say it's different for everyone. Demons, especially. But..I was in a lot of trouble once and subsequently kidnapped. It was a trap and I was written off as an expendable casualty, not worth the risk to go after. Minato, however, came rushing to save me. I think it was that night I realized I loved him."

She paused, thoughtful. "Seeing him always made me happy and when he wasn't around, it felt like the loneliest thing in the world. The sound of his laughter could turn a bad day into a good one. When he was happy, I was happy and when he smiled, I smiled."

Her eyes closed and she smiled lovingly. "It felt like the world was ours and then…" she trailed off with a soft sigh. "Our world..it all ended when I lost him. It was like my world of color had dimmed, gone gray and I knew I could never love another as intensely as Minato."

Her eyes popped open but she avoided having to look at Gaara. "Some days it was hard to look at Naruto, they look so similar but I eventually healed. I'll see him again, one day. Minato would've hated it if I gave up."

Gaara didn't say anything, rolling her words around in his head. Every relationship was different of course but Kushina's descriptions were similar to what he felt for the quirky miko.

Every time she was in danger, he'd go straight after her. Seeing her at her bakery after a long day of hunting rogue demons down always did wonders for his shitty moods. Her smile was enough to take his breath away and give it right back. And though he wasn't sure if he loved her, he knew he could never be with someone after her.

It sounded like he was in love with the menace. What was disturbing was the fact that he wasn't upset about it.

Kushina leaned forward and tapped his knee, smiling carefully. "I know love is a weakness in our world but I never believed that. Love gives you strength, it makes you want to do better and be better. Be honest, Gaara, are you in love with her?"

Her could be just about anyone but Xin was the one who immediately popped into his head. From the moment he met her, despite their violent beginnings, it was her. From clipping him with her car, strangling her, stabbing him, they were so intimately intertwined. He never really stood a chance.

"Ah, shit."

And really, his answer was proof enough to Kushina.

Xin eyed the creepy cat clock she and Anko were so fond of with a soft frown. Gaara said he'd be back by the end of the day and though she didn't want to seem needy or clingy, she was wondering what he was up to. She hadn't asked why he suddenly needed to visit his realm but the question nagged at her the entire day.

"Oi, Hyuga!"

Xin blinked out her stupor and peeked up from her spot crouched in front of the glass display case. She eyed the young man for a moment and realized he'd been in some of her classes from college. She couldn't remember his name but she remembered thinking he was an ass. "Ah, welcome," she smiled anyway and stood up.

He approached her with an easy smile but she still couldn't remember his damn name. "Weren't you in my business classes, what are you doing here?"

She stared back at him blankly. She was dressed in an apron with the bakery's logo, her hair was pulled back and her face was streaked with flour. She squinted at him. "I…work here."

"Really?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "But isn't your dad like…a huge businessman? I thought he put you through college to follow in his footsteps. Not to work…here."

Her lips were tight but sighed heavily. "That's what he wanted but this is what I wanted."

"To work….at a bakery?"

She could understand the confusion. She'd been set up for a sure fire way on a path to success thanks to her father. But it just hadn't been what she wanted. She didn't expect anyone to understand her choice, it was her life and her choice. Her happiness.

"Sure," she shrugged with a careless shrug. "I'm a big girl, I'm allowed to control my life."

Xin nodded slowly and though she tried her best, she still couldn't remember his name. They'd been talking too long for her to ask him for it at that point. "Huh," he shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned impishly. "Well, if that's the case…"

He leaned in close but Xin took a careful step back. "I always thought you were cute but your cousin made sure everyone knew not to ask you out." His gaze was more of a leer but she wasn't surprised to hear that about Neji. "But now…maybe you'd like to go out?"

"Go out?" Xin repeated with eyebrows high on her forehead.

"Yeah, like, you know, on a date."

"Ah…oh….thank you but no…"

"Aw, come on, Hyuga. Just one date."

Dammit, what the hell was his name?

"No, no. I mean it."

But he refused to let up, reaching forward to play with her fingers flirtatiously. She laughed nervously, wondering what the hell was up with him. He was far too aggressive for her, especially since she didn't even fuckin' like him.

"Just one date, Hyuga. We could have a lot of fun if you'd give me a chance," he leaned in far too close. "A lot of fun."

Again, she laughed nervously. "I don't think my…boyfriend would like that." Wow, that was strange, referring to Gaara as her boyfriend. Did demons even have titles like that? How did he describe her to others? He probably just called her his human or miko. Demonic bastard.

"Boyfriend?"

"Yup, boyfriend. I don't think he'd like it very much if I went on a date with someone other than him."

"I don't see him around.."

"Seriously?"

"Aww, come on, Hyuga. One little date wouldn't hurt."

Xin had quite enough. She stepped closer towards him, staring up at him from under the veil of her bangs. Her eyes were wide and dangerous, glowing ominously. Spiritual energy sparked from her fingertips, dancing across his skin and burning him.

"I said no."

He paled drastically and ripped his hand away. She smiled up at him, willing her spirituality away. "Please, help yourself to our sweets and come again." She spun on her heel and quickly darted away into the back.

She really wished Gaara would hurry back already.

Her day continued on and on. She was bored at the bakery, as Hinata had classes all day. Naruto was probably out and about with the others, leaving her on her own until her shift ended. She regretted agreeing to that double now.

"Oi, Hyuga," Ami peeked into the back. "There's a guy out here asking for you. It's not your boyfriend though." Xin snorted and waved her coworker away before following her out. Ami motioned to a man sitting in the corner of the bakery. "Make it quick, Hyuga. We just got an order for a birthday cake."

Xin ignored her and headed to the corner of the bakery, smiling politely. "Excuse me, you wanted to see me, sir? Do you know me?" He turned to look at and Xin froze. She knew those awful ice-blue eyes. She'd seen them in her nightmares for months. His eyes sparked something uneasy within her. It was fear, she realized.

Kuraim.

He looked almost human but she could tell right away by his eyes alone. She was positive that Masuyo had something to do with his disguise. She doubted he'd get far with the way he actually looked.

"Xin, was it?" Kuraim grinned up at her and she noted that the left side of his face pulled oddly. "Sit down, darling."

"Don't call me that," she hissed immediately. Energy sparked dangerously in between her fingers again. A warning.

"Now, now, there's no need for that," Kuraim chuckled wryly. "You may be a miko but I'm faster than you. I'll kill everyone in this bakery before you can blink. Sit down, my love."

She scowled, face twisting into a vicious snarl but she sat down. He reached for her face, nails skimming against her cheek lovingly. "You're still as beautiful as the day I killed you."

"I'm not Jun," she snapped almost immediately, reeling backwards. "She's still dead."

He tutted and shook his head. "You can't fool me, miko. She's in there," his eyes were bright. "I know she's there, I can sense her and so can you." He watched as she let his words sink in, her eyes dark with unease. "You are Jun."

"I'm Xin," she snapped.

"Xin is just an empty shell that you've kept warm for Jun," he snapped right back, leaning towards her. She flinched, eyes wide and mouth pinched. "Just accept it, my love."

"There's nothing to accept," Xin said after a pause. "Jun is dead and gone, thanks to you. She's not me, she's my ancestor, a ghost and that's it. Now fuck off, there's nothing for you here."

Despite her scathing remarks, Kuraim continued to grin. Masuyo warned him that Jun's ancestral daughter had a temper far worse. Maybe it had something to do with the different time periods but he liked her bite. He inhaled deeply, basking in the familiar scent of purity. It was mixed with honey, lavender and sugar but he still loved it all the same.

"Cooperate, miko and I'll make this easy for you. You won't have to suffer much. I'll even leave Junko alone. It's just you, it's always been you." He was lying, of course. He would kill Junko regardless but he wanted to lure Jun into a false sense of security.

"Suffer much?" Xin asked.

"You're mine, love. Mind, body and soul. You belong to me and I'll have you in every sense of the way. If you give yourself willingly, no harm shall come to your sister."

Whether she was Jun or Xin, one thing was for certain. She'd do anything to protect her sister. It was admirable, really but foolish as well. He'd take everything he could from her and then he'd kill her sister. Both sisters needed to suffer.

Xin eyed him. "I don't believe you."

"Make a choice. If you come with me now, everyone here and your sister lives. Resist and I'll kill everyone and your sister in front of your very eyes. Again."

Xin was quiet, eyes wide as guilt weighed her shoulders down. She knew that if she went with Kuraim, she'd die. She'd never see any of her friends again and all the work they had done to protect her from Kuraim would be for nothing. She'd never see her sister again or Gaara and Naruto.

But still, if she resisted, everyone else would die. All these innocent bystanders, Moegi and Ami and Anko. Her sister. Her gut roiled terribly. She couldn't live with herself if everyone around her died because she was too stubborn to give in to this demon. She was a priestess, dammit. She should be able to protect those around her but she just knew she didn't have the sort of power to protect them all. But…she could protect herself. Even if….

Her mouth trembled as she stared at Kuraim, realizing that this was very clearly the beginning of the end. Her gaze was hard as she stared across the table at him before slowly nodding.

"Okay."

"Oi!" Naruto grinned widely as he and Hinata spotted Gaara just down the block from Mad Batter. Hinata was heavily bundled up due to the cold weather and Naruto's heavy arm over her shoulders added to the warmth. "Got what ya needed in our realm?"

Gaara turned and greeted them with a nod of his head. "I did, actually. Sakura wanted me to tell you they all miss you."

Naruto blinked at him, unaware that he'd been visiting Konoha. He assumed he would be in Suna for the day."Yeah?" He hardly seemed all that interested, which was a good thing. Sometimes he thought Naruto's childhood friends took advantage of his caring nature.

"I told her about Hinata and Xin. They've been gossiping about us."

"Oh, great."

"Is that a bad thing?" Hinata asked from in between the two demons. She was pretty sure their relationship was pretty taboo. She wasn't all that sure she wanted to meet their friends if it entailed something dangerous.

"Course not, moon pie! Our friends are pretty easy going and besides, I'd never let anyone hurt you," Naruto grinned and curled her towards him, kissing at her temple. Gaara rolled his eyes.

"What should we get for dinner?" Gaara asked as they approached the bakery. "I'm starving and I bet Xin's just been snacking all day instead of eating."

"I heard there's a new ramen shop that opened nearby," Hinata smiled as they stepped into the warmth of the bakery, sighing in appreciation. "We could try that."

"Fuck yeah, me and Xin love ramen," Naruto grinned and began bouncing at the thought of ramen for dinner. He was sure Xin would for some ramen too.

"Hey guys," Moegi noticed them first from her perch behind the register. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here for Xin?" Everyone at the bakery pretty knew that Gaara or Naruto would always come at the end of the day for Xin and Hinata. They hardly even blinked when the two showed up.

Moegi frowned and tilted her head to the side. "Xin? She's not here."

The jovial atmosphere hanging over the three dropped immediately. Gaara nearly stormed up to Moegi but Naruto stopped him, catching him by the shoulder. "What do you mean, she's not here? She knew we were coming to get her."

"Xin left hours ago, actually."

"Hours?" Gaara repeated.

"Um, yeah. She said she had a family emergency and had to go. She said you'd meet her after you finished your classes, Hinata," Moegi explained, looking more and more concerned with each passing second. Hinata stared at her coworker, her face frozen in confusion. There was no family emergency and she hadn't talked to her sister since that morning. Xin lied to leave early but where the hell had she gone?

"Did she leave by herself?" Gaara asked.

"No, she was with a man. An old family friend or something."

"What did he look like?" Naruto demanded, hand still clamped around Gaara's shoulder like a damn vice grip. He was afraid the redhead might actually kill Moegi.

"I didn't see him but Ami did, hold on." She called Ami out and asked her about the man Xin had been talking to before she left.

"That guy? Honestly, he looked sketchy as hell but Xin insisted that she knew him. He was tall and I think the left side of his face was paralyzed or something because it didn't move the same way his right side did. Oh and his eyes. They were blue. Like ice. He was creepy but when I pressed her about it, she shrugged it off."

Kuraim.

Naruto looked down at Hinata, watching as the color drained from her face. Moving quickly before she could freak out in the middle of the store, he wrapped his arm around her waist. With his hand still on Gaara's shoulder, he dragged both of them out the bakery, shouting over his shoulder that they'd go meet Xin now.

The cold air hit Hinata in the face, shocking her out of her stupor. She struggled out of Naruto's hold, dropping to shaky feet. "He's got her, that demon—Kuraim! He's got her! How could this happen? Why would she go with him?"

"Hinata—" Gaara tried but she couldn't hear him, the blood rushing in her ears like drums. She struggled to stay on her feet but her knees gave out and she dropped like a ton of bricks. Gaara caught her just under the arms, stopping her from dropping into the snow. "We'll figure this out. Naruto, take her."

Naruto snatched the woman up, hugging her close as the tears began to track twin journies down her face. "It's fine, Hinata. We'll get her back, let's get home and get everyone there." He was trying to stay calm but his hands shook around her. But unfortunately, none of them had answers. It was like Xin dropped off the face of the Earth.

She was just…gone.

TeeBeMe: Oh, jeez. Just as he realizes he's in love with her, Xin goes and does something dumb like this. Dumbass Xin, kidnapped again.