"You look exhausted," Gaara mentioned at lunch. They had both skipped breakfast and slept in. Temari took over the repairs, taking the added stress of his plate thankfully.

"I'm sorry," Hinata mumbled, sipping her tea. "I had a nightmare."

"May I ask?" He wondered openly.

He felt a chill. What if it was of him? Had Shukaku scared her? Had it been the last straw? Shukaku got the same impression as he felt the new restlessness as she hesitated.

"They're not really something I talk about." She started, he felt his body stiffen. He shouldn't be abrasive about it. If she thought he shouldn't know, then he shouldn't. "It's childish and stupid, really."

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Despite my willingness to face the storms. I'm not a fan of the way they make me feel. I can put the feeling aside when I'm worried about the people we need to protect, but at the end of the day, it still is an irrational fear."

"You're afraid of storms?" He asked, surprised.

"Thunderstorms and tornadoes." She elaborated. "We don't have them here, but it's the wind, the force, and the noise. It makes me uneasy, it can do such damage, and there is no way of stopping it because its nature. Sand storms aren't much better though I have learned to ignore it largely, but it doesn't help the nightmares and shivers when I'm alone."

"You had a nightmare about a sandstorm." He repeated back.

"No, it was a thunderstorm nightmare. Despite my love of water, I always seem to drown in them." She picked at her food. She seemed ashamed of the confession. Had someone told her it was bad? Nightmares could be irrational. They didn't hold that much meaning. Did they in Konoha, or was it just what she thought?

"I wouldn't let you drown." He said, confused at his own mouth.

She blinked at him and started to giggle. "No, I don't think you would."

Hinata looked worse when she flopped on his couch. He set down his work. He was tired too. Shukaku had been jittery all day, and it was distracting. He powered through his work so he could have his talk with her without distraction, but he didn't want to stress her out while she was exhausted.

He got up, joining her on the couch. Shukaku had had an idea he wasn't really fond of, but he dragged his gourd with him giving the beast his permission but just barely.

Hinata noticed the odd behavior and blinked at the gourd.

"We should talk now." He started.

She nodded, rubbing her eyes and blinking away the tiredness curling her legs under her and getting comfortable.

"I'm going to start by saying I don't like this idea." She frowned, confused. "He wants to use the sand to communicate, and I think after what happened, that is not a good idea, however," He puffed. "I'm giving the choice to you."

"I don't think he meant to hurt me, Gaara." She placed her hand on his knee. "If I'm going to talk about it, it is easier to talk to the sand rather than at you but not at you." She explained.

Gaara nodded. It was odd to feel her intentions change as she looked through him rather than at him. He became alert as the demon felt he had permission and moved the sand out of the gourd into a ball.

Hinata smiled then seemed to have an idea. "I don't know what you look like." She told him to see the potential of the sand.

It took the cue and shaped into the tanuki face, Gaara knew.

Hinata clapped excitedly, reaching forward to pet the large head Shukaku had made. Gaara was unsure about her reaction. Was she really that happy about this? Shakaku certainly was.

She retracted her hand and frowned. "That was not okay. I understand you felt the need to protect me, but I am a nin. I have duties, and I can protect myself. If Gaara can understand that, why can't you."

Gaara was surprised as the sand ears flattened to the head. "Don't just look sorry." She pouted. "I won't be persuaded just because you're cute."

Gaara pierced his lips together. Cute? She thought the beast was cute? He wasn't sure if that was funny or not. It seemed funny. It was odd to hear the bloodthirsty madman be scolded and told he was cute in the same swoop.

Shukaku said nothing to him, gladly ignored him as she spoke to the head. "Please understand my place will be in danger sometimes, but I will come back. I'm not going anywhere."

Gaara's shoulders sank. That was never a guarantee. All three of them knew that, but the promise gave the beast a light pet and moved toward her bowing its nose, begging to be shown affection. Was this too low a step for the prideful beast? Had he deemed her so worthy to beg for her touch?

"I forgive you. Please don't do it again and refrain from fighting Gaara. You shared a body. You should be civil in it." She let the head nuzzle her hand. "Do you think that's an agreement?" She asked giddily as she petted the sand. He could feel it too. He tried to ignore the warmth. It wasn't his right now.

"Not sure he hasn't said anything, but he's purring." He mumbled.

"That's adorable." The flash of annoyance would usually be an insult he thought would come, never did. Shukaku knew she meant it as a compliment rather than an insult to his demeanor.

The giant head floated closer, falling to her lap as Hinata pet it. The head shrank, and more sand joined it as it morphed into the full tanuki curling into her lap. Gaara looked slightly uncomfortable, but he also looked heavily confused.

"Not normal for him?" She asked, keeping her hands busy with the shifting sand.

"He is not known for affection, no. He's known for wanting to kill everything in his path." She hoped he was exaggerating, but she doubted it. Gaara didn't understand most exacerbations. She doubted he would try to use one.

"Shukaku-san seems fond of me then." She mumbled down at the head.

"Don't really think he's ever had a human be so kind to him." He responded, drowning in thought more than actually paying attention.

"Well, that's horrible." She pouted at the giant head that looked up at her. "Just have to make up for it then?" She smiled as the head curled into her hands.

Gaara stared at the head, almost blindly. She frowned. What could he be thinking about that hard?

Hinata removed a hand from the tanuki and took hold of Gaara. He blinked at her coming out of his thoughts. She pulled his hand to the top of the back of the sand creature laying out like hers had been. The Shukaku replica and Gaara stared at each other. She could tell she was being left out of whatever conversation was going on. Gaara's non-eyebrows knitted together angrily as they argued.

Hinata frowned, curling her fingers into the sand gently. It responded by shifting under her fingers gently. She noticed Gaara's hand move slightly as he, too, began petting the head before retracting his hand. She blinked at him, his anger was dissipated, the argument seemed over. The head glared at him lightly.

"Shukaku-san..." She mumbled. The head looked up at her giving its attention though she wasn't sure if it could actually see her. "Leave him be. This has been hard on all three of us. I'm sure you scare him when you fight him." The ears flattened as she scolded lightly. "If we want this to work well, then you have to be cooperative too."

The head dug into her lap, burying itself.

Gaara let out a noise of discomfort. "He's whining." He winced, lifting his hand to his temples.

Hinata's heart dropped. "Shukaku-san, stop, you're hurting him." She begged.

Shukaku shrank in her lap.

Gaara let out a huff of relief. Hinata raised her hand to the side of his face.

"Are you okay?" She asked, worried.

"Yeah, though now he's blaming me." He rubbed at his temple.

"What will I do with you two." She sighed and sat back in her spot.

"I'm not telling her that," Gaara answered at the sand.

Hinata giggled.