Deal

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Naruto.

Kagome groaned as she sat up. Ouch… what did I do last night? Looking around, she found herself in a room that looked like it was washed with bleach – it was pure white. She was on a bed covered with a sheet. A hospital… now how did I get here?

Reviewing the last things she remembered, she saw the battle with Naraku, somehow beating him, but she was injured and she fell down the well which blazed a deep green. That was different… Sand – lots of sand – and a head of red hair and pale eyes. Who was that?

The miko shook her head and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, wincing at the sight of the wounds littered over them. It looks like someone was practicing calligraphy with a knife or something. Looking over her arms, she saw the same.

Frowning, she concentrated on bringing her ki to the surface, just below her skin. A pale glow radiated from her and the cuts began to close, leaving smooth scars. She was so in tune with her power that she didn't notice the door opening and the blonde with large assets walk in with a shorter, impassive redhead.

How did I get this injured again? Her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to remember and continue healing herself. Oh… the jewel… Upon Shippo, the brave kit, stealing Naraku's half of the jewel in the middle of the battle, Kagome had fitted the pieces together, but instead of fusing as everyone thought would happen, the jewel broke into shards, again. This time, though, they floated around Kagome, forming a sphere around her. She remembered all the fighting just stopping to watch as the shards impaled her, reforming into a marble inside of her body.

That… had really hurt! The glow around her faded, leaving her light-headed. "Whoa…" She caught herself before she fell and let the dizziness subside. She felt someone watching her and turned her head slightly so she would be able to see them through her ebony hair.

The blonde woman was staring at her in awe while the redhead quirked an eyebrow in a manner that reminded her of Sesshomaru… "Uh… hi?"

The woman shook her head quickly and smiled kindly at her. "Hello. I'm the Godaime Hokage of Konoha, Tsunade. This is Sabaku-no-Gaara, Godaime Kazekage – he's the one that found you."

Kagome pushed her hair behind her ear and smiled gratefully. "I'm Higurashi Kagome." Tsunade seemed nice, and Gaara… well, he just reminded her of Sesshomaru… and he was kind of cute. Once she realized what she was thinking, the miko had to fight down the blush currently trying to stain her cheeks. "Anou… do you have some clothes I could change into?"

Now she was blushing as she realized just how much skin could be seen through her hospital gown. Tsunade smiled and nodded before shooing the Kazekage out of the room, all the while ignoring his glare.

Kagome laughed quietly and took the clothes from the Hokage. Well… these are different… "Ne, Tsunade-sama, I might need some help…" The Godaime laughed before looking her in the eye.

"Tell you what, you tell me how you got all those wounds to heal so quickly, and I'll help you with anything for as long as the explanation lasts."

The miko smiled. "Deal."

Over an hour later, Kagome was dressed and headed to the library using Tsunade's directions. There had only been one distraction throughout their conversation, which was a golden blonde boy about her age bursting through the door without knocking. Kagome had been without a shirt, but, luckily, she had bandages across her chest. Tsunade had promptly told him off and thrown him back out the door without listening to what the boy had to say.

Kagome had told the Hokage that she didn't know anything about the shinobi world to which Tsunade had looked serious. "A miko, ne? Those are merely legends, now, so we should keep this quiet. Go to the library and learn as much about our world as you can. I'll come up with a background story that will explain your injuries and why you were in the desert. When you're finished there, go to the ramen stand on the directions and wait for the blonde from earlier if he isn't there already – that boy eats way too much ramen – and he'll take you to an apartment I'll have ready."

Kagome was focusing so much on the direction in her hand that she didn't see the shinobi in front of her until they ran into each other since he had his eyes closed. The miko hit the ground with a small oomph and looked up at the stoic redhead looming over her. She quickly stood up and flashed him a smile. "Gomen nazai, Gaara-sama – I wasn't paying attention." She bowed to him before continuing on her way.

Gaara turned to watch her disappear in the crowds of Konoha, ignoring the confused glances of his siblings. He narrowed his eyes once she was out of sight and turned to walk away, pondering the strange girl. She didn't fear him, and, although the kindness was welcome, it was odd. Also, she calmed the bloodlust he kept hidden. However, his furious reaction to seeing her as beaten as she had been when he found her was… disconcerting.

Kagome shut the history book she had been reading and stretched. She had been at the library a good few hours. I know all about the shinobi that I'll be able to learn tonight. Taking out Tsunade's directions again, she found the directions to 'Ichiraku's Ramen' where she was to meet the boy. Hopefully, their ramen is better than that instant ramen that Inuyasha inhaled.

She set the book back on a shelf and left the library, passing a black-haired boy, a painter by the looks of it, reading about emotions. That's weird.

She followed the directions to the letter, slipping through the crowds easily. Upon arriving at the stand, she saw the boy sitting beside Gaara, talking animatedly while working on his… tenth bowl, was it? Maybe his eleventh bowl of ramen. The miko couldn't help but let her eyes soften at him. Shippo's energy with Inuyasha's appetite – what a scary combination.

She walked up to the counter a seat away from them, not wanting to intrude and ordered a bowl of miso ramen. The waitress smiled at her and gave her order to the chef, leaving her with nothing to do but listen to the conversation beside her.

'Naruto' as she heard, was telling the Kazekage all about his day, skipping over the part where he walked in on her changing, or maybe he just forgot, as if Gaara was his best friend. Watching the redhead from under her lashes, she realized that they were friends, despite the obvious difference in rank – she had read that kages were the leaders of a shinobi village, and Naruto didn't even wear a chuunin nest - Gaara's eyes were less guarded and more at ease around the loud blonde.

When the waitress brought her food to her, Kagome felt the Kazekage's eyes land on her as she pulled her hair into a low ponytail to keep it out of the food and began to eat. Naruto must have noticed his friend's lack of attention because he looked at her as well.

"You!" Kagome swallowed her mouthful of turned to look questioningly at the accusatory finger pointing at her. Naruto's eyes were wide and he kept trying to say something, but he only ended up looking like a fish. Gaara raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged, still watching the blonde.

"You're the girl I saw – " The miko's eyes widened and she quickly covered his mouth, quieting the boy's shout. "Mmph!"

Looking around, she saw that only a few people were staring at them, namely Gaara, the chef and his daughter. Giving a nervous chuckle, she looked back to the blonde. "Um… if you're going to say that, can you please not shout it? That would actually embarrass you more than me."

Naruto nodded and the miko removed her hand. Gaara gazed that the two with narrowed eyes. Turning to Naruto, he pegged the blonde with a scowl that clearly stated 'Explain.'

Naruto laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "I kinda, accidently, didn't mean to, was already punished for… walking-in-on-her-changing." He said the last part so quickly that Gaara took a few seconds to figure out what he said. When he did, his glare increased tenfold. "It was an accident, honest!"

Later, Naruto was leading her to the apartment Tsunade had set up for her with Gaara tagging along. Naruto talked a lot about a girl named Sakura, a teme named Sai, an always late sensei, and he warned her about a self-proclaimed 'super pervert' he called Ero-Sennin. Gaara would scowl whenever Ero-Sennin was brought up, but was quiet. She didn't mind though – his presence was comforting.

"And here's your apartment!" Naruto gave her a grin and put his arms behind his head. "We should do this again sometime – it was fun!" Kagome smiled and bid the two of them goodnight before disappearing into the complex.

Naruto turned to go as well but Gaara's voice stopped him. "Naruto." Said blonde turned around and took a step back from the look on his friend's face. "Let's have a spar…"

The Kyuubi-jinchuuriki showed up to training black and blue the next day.

Gaara stood in front of Kagome, watching her stare at the ground. "So you… really have to leave?" They had spent most of the Kazekage's time in Konoha with each other, Kagome learning more about the shinobi world and Gaara at peace.

"Aa." His month in Konoha had been both stressful and relaxing. He had finished all his business with the Hokage and the council, during which he thought that it would be easier to just kill them all and be done with it, but he had also spent most of his time with the miko. The leftover essence of Shukaku in him was calm then.

He had arranged for Tsunade and Naruto to watch over her, and, if everything went well and she wished, Kagome would be given leave to return with him to Suna after his next business trip to Konoha.

"Well, have a good trip!" The miko tried to put on a cheerful smile, but the tears threatening to fall from her eyes gave away her sadness.

The Kazekage reached out and brushed the water away with his thumb. "I will return for the chuunin exams." His eyes softened and he gave her a small smile. "Take care of Naruto while I'm gone."

Kagome managed a short laugh and leaned into his touch a little. "I will, but you have to promise not to kill anyone because they bring in more paperwork." Her eyes danced with laughter when she saw him frown. She had learned from her two kage friends that they had faced countless enemies, but the one they hated the most was the bane of their existence, paperwork.

"Kazekage-sama, we must depart." He glanced to his escort and gave a short nod.

"Well, you better go." Kagome made to turn away but he caught her wrist and pulled her back. "Gaar-"

Naruto, who had been standing nearby waiting for Kagome, felt his jaw hit the ground and he turned to see everyone else gaping as well – except one Godaime Hokage.

Grumbling, he dug in his pocket and emptied his wallet. He gave the money to a smirking Tsunade. "I thought you were known as the Legendary Sucker! If that's so, how did you win the bet that he would kiss her before he left!?"

Tsunade just watched the two happily. "A deal is a deal, Naruto."

AN: Lol. I like this one! I'm surprised I'm managing this, since my arms hurt like hell from carrying who-know-how-many pounds of cookie dough home from school and it hurts just to type - so I hope you all appreciate this! Anyway, I seriously don't know what's coming up next or when, but nothings been added to the list from last chapter.

Thank you all for reading and please leave me with a review! If you have a request, which I'm strongly encouraging, please state a pairing and a loose plotline that I can work with - it's hard if you just leave the pairing. Thank you all again!