Gaara

It had been hours since Kaji's team members had randomly appeared. The place Saiyo had picked turned out to be a bar and it seemed like my night was going to turn out a lot like Kaji's. Ending with me and Saiyo stumbling drunkenly back to the apartment. Well I guess there is no avoiding it now. I hiccup drunkenly. At least I still have my wits about me.

Kaji

I head for the door, holding my bandages close to my chest, but just as I go to open the door I hear the sound of the sheets pulling off Sai's bed. An odd sound to hear seeing as Sai was still on it. The sound makes me stop and I look over lightly confused, it showing clearly on my face. I didn't have to ask about the noise though, because as soon as I looked at him I knew why. He was sitting up, looking as if he was going to say something, with the sheets stuck to his back. The sight almost made me laugh, but instead I ask

"How did you get attached to the sheets?"

His expression turns into a slightly pained one as he thinks about it, he then responds quite plainly

"You claw in your sleep"

Oh crap... Well that explains the blood on my finger nails. A sympathetic look spreads across my face as I say

"Oh my... sorry about that. It doesn't usually happen, but then I usually sleep alone, but anyways here I'll help you get the sheets off your back"

I sigh and go over to him, to inspect the bondage of skin, blood, and sheets. It was stuck pretty good. Seems I dug down pretty deep, I'm actually surprised he didn't even make a sound. At least then I would have woke up and stopped. I sigh again then say

"Their stuck on there pretty well, I'm gonna have to get some warm water to soak it off. Man... this is going to be hard to do with my arms full of bandages..."

Sai seemed to take an unknown cue from my words, because he straightens up and turns to me.

"I could help you finish wrapping up if you want."

I hesitate for a moment then give in. He's already seen the scars, the worst that could happen now is if he asks how I got them. Without a word I sit down in front of him with my back facing him. I then pass back the bandages and lift my arms so he could reach around. Quickly getting to work he almost expertly wraps the bandages first around my lower torso, to my chest. Then from there down one arm, then the other. I had already done my legs so there was no need for him to go below my waist. Once he finished I turn to him and thank him with a hug, then quickly leave the room. A bit later I come back with a large bowl of warm water, a couple of towels and some bandages for the nail wounds. Without a word I get to work on releasing his back from the fabric of the sheets. Everything is silent for a while as I sponge the water carefully onto the fabric, but it's broken soon by Sai making a 'hmm' noise. He then asks over his shoulder

"Earlier tonight we had a bet didn't we? something to do with secrets or something of that sort? I lost didn't I?"

A small chuckle escapes me as I remember the contest and how badly he had lost.

"Yeah you lost, but the wager was that I'd have to tell a secret no matter what, but since you lost you have to tell one also. So... you want me to start with one? Or do you want to start?"

He relaxes as he thinks for a bit

"hmm... Well the only big secret I can think of right now was that I was an orphan before I was 'recruited' to be an ANBU, but even though I haven't told anyone that it's not that great of a secret."

He frowns at the fact, but is surprised to see me smile instead

" Eh. That'll be good enough, at least it lets me learn something about you. Now rather than just naming off a random secret of mine, why don't I let you choose what I tell you by letting you ask me a question. You can then ask any questions to do with that topic as long as you try not to over step any boundaries."

I give him a questioning look to see if he understood. He nods then thinks about it for a bit. After a moment of silence he speaks up, asking

"How did you get all those scars"

I flinch at this question. It was a sore topic on my behalf, mostly cause it included digging up my past, but also because I still haven't gotten over that experience completely. My hands hesitate a second before continuing with their work, while I think of how to explain. Finally concluding that the only way to explain properly would be to tell the whole story, unfortunately for me we had a lot of time on our hands, seeing as it was only eleven thirty.

Taking in a deep breath I start by saying

" This is going to take a while so I suggest you get comfortable."

He shifts slightly then nudges my knee signaling for me to start. I sigh again then start my story

"Years ago I had a family. It wasn't the best family, I was constantly beat by my father, which was covered up by saying it was 'training'. My mother either ignored me or pushed my buttons with her insults and lack of interest. Needless to say I grew up as a reclusive child, but I was happy with my life, though that all changed quickly the day my uncle came to visit. That was the day I meet Gaara for the first time, and the first time I actually had any fun. With promises of more visits and thoughts of the day I had gone back to my room that night with a high spirit. Until that is my father ripped me from the room by the throat and down the hall, at the end of which I blacked out. When I woke up I was on a operating table in a dark stone room. There were people around me in what at the time looked like suits for testing explosives. They striped me down, shaved me head, incinerated the hair then stuck an IV of purple liquid into my arm. After that it's mostly a blur of pain, but I remember that what they were doing to me was the first step of some sort of crossing process. Most of the scars on my front are from my first year there, including the 'cat' brand on my left arm. The same thing pretty much happened every day that year, the only real break from the pain being the second day when they put that on me." I looked down at my left arm in disdain then continued "My second and third year was focused on strength altering procedures, though they weren't as painful, the pain they caused lasted a lot longer and caused the scars on my arms and back. The ones on my legs are from my forth year which was focused on speed and other related things. Around this time is when the cat ears started to develop. By the end of my forth year they were fully developed and my tail was three quarters of the way to being fully developed. This is when they dumped all the kids that were in the same situation as me in the dessert a long ways from civilization. As one of the only 'stable' experiments I adjusted to the harsh environment. I would have scars from all the sand storms I had to stand through, but I'm lucky in having the ability to heal at an extreme rate. Through the first year I made my position as top predator unquestionable, gaining more scars. They were mostly from the fact I was addicted to the pain and often let the victim make the first move. I was insane, completely insane. Anyways so that's how I got my scars."

By then I had finished peeling the sheet from Sai's back and he had gone silent.

It hadn't taken as long as I thought it would to retell part of my past. I didn't like to but I said I would. After tossing the sheet away I wipe away the blood from his back and inspect the nail wounds. As I clean them Sai finally decides to make a response.

"how did you make your rank known?"

I was a little taken aback. From what I'd heard of people, I had expected him to stay as far away from that subject as possible, maybe even change the subject. Instead he had wanted to know more. This was the most I had ever told to anyone about myself, but for some reason I felt compelled to tell him more. I guess I'd go on and answer his questions, leaving him with the choice of whether or not to reject my past as a blood thirsty killer. I answer his question with the bloody truth.

"I killed them. All of them, and anything else I ran into. I actually spent six years of my life making sure that every single one of them was dead. Fortunately for two people I had calmed down a lot by the second year, so I would only kill the experiments. Though I did almost kill one of them. I mistook her horns, wings, and tail for those of one crossed with a bat. I later found out that she was actually a demon assigned to protect the boy she was with. These two are now my team mates. You'll meet them soon enough."

I grin at my last comment then finish wrapping the bandages around his torso. My grin turns into a smile as I pat his back and say

"In the mean time your all fixed up. Now go back to sleep."

I get up and push him back, pulling the blanket up to his waist. He seems almost shy as he asks, trying to get back up

"were are you going?"

I smirk, holding him down with one hand on his chest and reply playfully

" Wouldn't you like to know. Now rest and heal."

I bend over and kiss the bandages over his chest, feeling his heart rate quicken at my touch, then leave the room. As I close the door I pick up my kimono and head for my room, only acknowledging my team mates' presence by saying

"I'll just get my stuff, then you guys can have my room. I'll sleep on the couch tonight."

I go into my room and grab my bag, then head back out. Giving them a strange look I then say

" Tomorrow you have some explaining to do, and I guess I do to."

I sigh then shoo them off the couch.

Deamona looks a bit worried, she had never seen me look this tired and the worry was apparent on my face as I laid on the couch, curled into a tight ball, then closed my eyes tightly. Eventually I feel her presence leave the room and open my eyes again. The room was silent and I felt oddly alone. Why couldn't I get the feel of his hands on my skin or the the smell of his skin and blood out of my head? Why did I tell him so much? And why did I feel so alone?! I try to sleep but every time I close my eyes I see him and when I just lay there with my eyes open I can't stop moving, never finding a comfortable position. Finally giving up I sigh, get off the couch and cross the space between the couch and Sai's door. I pause for a second then open it, not even bothering to knock. The light was still on and when I look over at the bed I see Sai sitting up. His knees are bent and brought close to his chest, his arms resting on top of them. His head is bowed and he's obviously concentrating hard on something. I silently walk up to his side and lean over putting my mouth close to his ear.

"I thought I told you to rest"

This startles him and he pretty much jumps out of the bed. Instead he lands closer to the edge and tumbles over onto the ground at me feet. I look down at him in amusement as he stares up in shock. After a bit I let out a light chuckle and hoist him back up onto the bed. Suddenly my whole attitude changes to that of a shy little girl. I look at him through the hair that had fallen in front of my eyes and nervously bite my bottom lip. He looks at me confused until I finally say

" I tried to sleep on the couch since I gave up my room, but I couldn't sleep. You think I could stay in here?"

He seems surprised again, but moves over pulling me down onto the bed, and saying under his breath

"your more than welcome"

I hide a smirk as I lay down and curl up again. The sense of being alone has left completely and I soon fall into a deep slumber.