((Figured I'd better get this up and into my Flashdrive before my computer goes even kookier. Well, I'm still having difficulty sleeping. I started using Melatonin 1mg tabs. The instructions say to take one 20 minutes before bedtime. Well, that let me doze for about 2 hours after waiting for 2 hours for it to work. But it was that sleep that's so light that you can hear everything. So at 4:30am, I got woken up by my roomies who were partying downstairs all night long. I finally got to real sleep at... 6-ish. And my other roomie ended up calling me at 10:15am to ask if he could have a ride. So that's about 4 hours of uninterrupted slumber right there. I did not go back to bed after I dropped him off at work. Bleeeeeehhhhh! Anyway, enough about my problems. On to the torture!))

Chapter 8: Girl Talk

Mishka had woken that morning to Megumi's screams of rage, unsure of what was going on. Then she felt the warm arms around her thin waist and looked to see a wide-awake Gaara glaring at the door. Her pale cheeks flushed deeply when she realized that he'd really stayed with her as she'd asked, he'd been holding her to him like some kind of treasure for hours. Her wide golden eyes were met with his turquoise when he realized that she was awake. And the orphan found that she was holding a breath that she didn't remember stopping. But for the life of her, she couldn't move her lips to release it, too entranced with his handsome-ness to think properly.

"Good morning..." His voice was like melted chocolate, too deep yet sweet to her ears.

She bit her lip to try to say something, anything. "Y-you stayed...?" But not that! Her red cheeks turned almost plum-colored as she scolded herself. Obviously he had! But why? Normally, someone would stay until the other fell asleep. At least, that's what she would have done.

Gaara smirked at her unintelligent response and gently kissed her. "Of course. You asked me to and though it does seem a little bad, I took advantage of your offer to stay and protect you. By the way, you're very cozy and I find it very easy to sleep next to you." Then he stood up with a sigh. "In fact, I would still be asleep with you in my arms if it wasn't for that blond twit. I'll get rid of her and be right back, okay?"

Mishka was trying to cover her cherry-red face with the comforter as the door opened to reveal Temari and the shrieking Megumi. She heard the door close and looked up to see the smirking elder sand sibling right in front of her. She squeaked in embarrassment and tried to hide again though it was futile.

Temari wasn't going away that easily. "Sooooo... you and Gaara, huh?"

The white-haired female nodded softly. "After that boy with the green jumpsuit was taken to an empty room, I... I asked him to stay with me in case he came back. I didn't know he decided to stay so long."

The blond fan-girl raised an eyebrow before rolling her eyes. "Yeah, right. Only an idiot can't tell that you're his dream girl." At the sight of Mishka's flinch, she figured it out. "You didn't know? Really?" It was unbelievable! What did a guy have to do? Wear a sign that said in bold letters "I wanna have wild monkey sex with you!"? Granted the other girls didn't know but they really were idiots! "... Mishka..."

Said young woman looked away when she heard the distinct tone of pity in Temari's voice. "I didn't plan for him to want me. I've been trying to get kicked out of the competition. Kaya knows that he wants me and he said that he's only going by the committee's rules so they can't go back on their word if I "won" him over."

Temari sighed softly. "Well, you're obliviousness about yourself might be why he likes you, on top of your ability to love him for who he is... do you know what his past is?"

Mishka shook her head.

"He used to kill people. At first, it was just in self defense and loneliness. Kankuro and I were scared of him and avoided him like the plague. The other kids stayed away too... only our uncle would associate with Gaara. Even Father stayed away, choosing to give him dirty looks and send assassins after him. He was created to be a weapon for the village but Shukaku was too strong for him, the demon would come out if he fell asleep and ate away at his personality while he destroyed the village and went on killing sprees. Gaara's insomnia is strictly because of that monster. It made him into a monster after our uncle tried to kill him. He began murder anyone and everyone, he loved only himself and would kill to prove his existence... A ninja from Konoha showed him that loving other people was a great strength and defeated him. Gaara looks up to him even now and wants to find someone to love. This contest is just a ploy from the council to get my brother under their thumbs. But I'm glad he found you."

Mishka listened to everything that was said and immediately disliked the village she was in. How could they do such a thing to such a wonderful young man? She couldn't find one thing that could warrant their treatment towards his person. Now she wished she'd been there sooner, had met him back when he was struggling so. Even if she found him when he was killing people, she could have tried to be with him. "... Thank you for telling me. But that tale doesn't make me love him any less. His past has made him into the man that he is today. I wouldn't trade him for anything. Actually, it makes me want to love him even more so he never falls into that sort of despair again." She smiled at the older woman and found the same smile in return.

"Good. Because as the evil sister of your beloved, I'd have to make your life Hell if he went back to the way he was. I'm not as strong as he is so I wouldn't be able to stop him." Temari's smile turned into a grin. "Soooo... you and Gaara. Did anything, you know, happen?"

"We slept in the same bed..."

"And? I mean, he didn't leave when you fell asleep."

"He kissed me and held me...?"

The blond face-palmed in exasperation. No teenage girl could be that clueless. "So he didn't try anything pervy on you? You know, like getting you hot and bothered?"

Mishka blushed softly and shook her head. "No... he was a perfect gentleman. He didn't take advantage of... oh, wait..."

"Yes?" Temari was eager for the details, desperate for any sort of girl-talk.

"He did say that he took advantage of my willingness for him to stay with me..."

Temari groaned from her current position on the floor. "Damnit! How am I supposed to get cute nieces and nephews out of you if you two are playing the friendly-virgin game? At this rate, I'll have to wait for Kankuro! And he's too big of a yutz to get a cute girl to give him little squirts to play with!"

"T-Temari! That's a long time from now!" Mishka was a cherry once again. "Gaara hasn't talked to me about kids- I don't even know if he wants any! What about you? You're attractive, what about you getting pregnant?"

The blond sighed. "It's not the same. If I have kids, I can't spoil them properly! I wouldn't be able to give them loud toys to annoy their parents with, I can't read them odd books so when they talk, they'd end up knowing words they shouldn't! I wouldn't even be able to teach them colors so they'd think that red was called green and purple was orange... It's no fun, I tell you! No fun at all!"

Mishka had no response, her mouth open in shock. But she knew right then and there... Temari wasn't allowed to be alone with her children... EVER.

((Ahhh, the joys of children... who aren't your children. Lol. I can't say that I haven't have thoughts similar to Temari's. Especially since those are my exact thoughts when it comes to my brother finally knocking up some chick. Let's just hope he has the character to stay with her. Anyway, that's the end of this chapter. Next chapter... it'll either be from Lee's POV or it'll cover Kankuro and Kaya's date with Gaara being dragged along to "take notes". Fun fun... Read and Review, please!))