-Fayre-

Temari led the way through Suna till we found a store we could agree on. She dragged me to the back and I glared at her the moment I saw dresses and frilly, girly clothes.

"I don't think so Tem."

I said and heard her whine.

"Come on Fayre, I want to see what you'd look like."

She said and I shook my head as I grabbed her hand and pulled her away to the section of the store where I'd actually buy something.

"Maybe if I ever have a reason to wear them, but don't bet on it."

I said and heard her sigh before she helped me pick out some clothes.

Once we bought my clothes we headed out and headed back.

"Thanks for going out with me Temari."

I said and she waved a hand in the air as if it wasn't anything big.

"Don't mention it. I usually never get to go shopping."

She said and I laughed at her as I walked up the stairs and headed for my room. I saw Kankuro waiting outside my room.

'Wonder what he wants?'

I wondered as I walked past him into my room. I started to put my new clothes away when I heard him clear his throat.

"What?"

I asked without turning around. I was almost done anyways.

"I….I wanted to say sorry for walking in on you the first day you were here."

He said and I turned my head to look at him and saw he was looking at his feet, his face a bright pink. I couldn't help but laugh at him. His blush darkened and I walked over to him.

"It's fine man. I was wondering when you'd finally get up the nerve to say something to me."

I said with a smile and he looked up at me in surprise.

"What?"

He asked confused and I laughed.

"I'd forgotten about that already. I was just waiting for you to come and talk to me."

I said and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me."

He said and I shook my head as I slung my arm over his shoulder making him bend down a bit since he was taller than me.

"Now that you finally talked to me, we can be friends."

I said and he just blinked.

"Right after you get out so I can change."

I said and he blushed as I pushed him out the door.

"I…."

He started, but I cut him off.

"Later Kanky!"

I said before shutting the door in his face. I sighed before turning back to my clothes that were still strewn across my bed. I walked over and picked up a pair of black cargo pants and a red off the shoulder halter top. I stripped out of Temari's clothes, pulled on my own ninja mesh undershirt, then pulled on my pants and shirt. Then I put the rest of my clothes away.

I turned towards my bed and found that a nap sounded heavenly. I laid down and closed my eyes, letting sleep claim me.

-Gaara-

I finished my paperwork and headed home. My stomach was growling the entire walk home. I groaned as I closed the door after me. I looked at the clock on the stove in the kitchen, it was 10:30.

'Temari and Kankuro should be asleep by now.'

I thought and my stomach growled again, making me growl with it.

'It's moments like these when I hate the fact that I can't cook.'

I thought to myself before remembering what that girl had said before leaving my office. Temari had said she was living with us and she'd offered to cook me some food if I was hungry when I got home, which I was.

'I wonder if she's already asleep.'

I thought as I silently climbed the steps. I followed her scent to the door down the hall from my own. One of the perks of being a former host, my sense of smell is still sharp.

I stopped in front of her door.

'If she's asleep I don't want to wake her up.'

I thought before my stomach growled again.

'Oh screw it, I'm fuckin starving here!'

I thought before knocking on her door twice like she'd told me. I waited and was about to knock again when I heard sounds from the other side of the door. I heard her curse before the door opened to reveal her standing in the doorway wearing a red off the shoulder halter top, exposing the black ninja mesh shirt underneath. Her black cargo pants hugged her slim waist, but they were crinkled. Her waist length black hair framed her face, but stuck up in random places. I bit my lip to keep from moaning. She looked like a goddess who'd just woken up after a long night in bed.

"Mmyes?"

She asked as she rubbed her eyes sleepily. I snapped out of it and looked her in the eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

I said, but she shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, I didn't like the dream I was having anyway."

She said with a smile and my heart sped up.

'What the hell is wrong with me? She just smiled at me and my heart's going crazy.'

I thought as I mentally shook myself.

"You're hungry right?"

She asked and I looked up at her.

"A li-"

I started, but got cut off by my stomach. She laughed and I blushed.

'She's laughing at me.'

I thought with a frown.

"Come on then."

She said grabbing my hand and pulling me after her down the stairs.

"Let's feed that monster before he decides to eat you from the inside out."

She said as we entered the kitchen.

She let go of my hand and walked over to the fridge. I stared at my hand and noticed instantly how cold it felt now that she wasn't holding it. I shook my head and cleared my mind.

"What to make? What to make?"

She asked herself as she knelt down in front of the fridge and looked inside. I sat down at the island and watched her. She seemed perfectly at ease around me whereas other people were always nervous or scared even though I no longer had Shukaku.

"Ah!"

I jumped when she suddenly shouted, but relaxed when I saw her pull out two steaks, a head of lettuce, and four potatoes. She walked over to the counter and laid everything down. She cut on the stove after pulling out a frying pan.

I watched her as she moved about the kitchen as if she knew exactly what she was doing and I hoped she did. She cut up the lettuce and put it in a bowl on the island in front of me, then she put the potatoes in aluminum foil and put them in the oven before turning to me.

"How do you like your steak?"

She asked and I blinked in surprise at her.

"Hello, anybody home?"

She asked waving a hand in front of my face. On instinct, I grabbed her arm and we both froze. I felt a tingling feeling like being shocked from where my skin touched hers. Her eyes met mine and I found I couldn't look away.

The timer beeped and she tore her gaze from mine. She moved to get the potatoes and I let her go.

'What was that?'

I wondered as I heard her set the potatoes in a bowl on the table.

"I can't cook your steak if you don't tell me how you like it."

She said and I looked up to see her looking at me.

'I eat it rare, but I can't tell her that. She'll think it's gross just like everybody else.'

I thought before answering.

"Well done."

I lied and she made a face.

"What?"

I asked confused.

"I can't stand it cooked like that. There's no flavor left."

She said as she turned back towards the stove. I looked at her back confused.

"Well how do you like your steaks cooked?"

I asked curiously and saw her lips curve up into a smirk.

"Rare."

She said and my eyes widened in shock.

"Why?"

I asked as she started to cook the steaks.

"Because Raj…I just do."

She started to say something, but then changed it.

'What was she going to say?'

I wondered.

"Cook mine rare. I prefer it that way."

I said as I looked down at the table covered in delicious food. I put two potatoes in a bowl, then made a salad and set them down in front of me.

"But you said you liked your steaks well done."

She said and I smirked as I walked over to the fridge and pulled out the ranch, cheese, butter, sour cream, and steak sauce. I set them down on the island and walked over to her.

"I lied."

I said in her ear before walking back to the island and sitting down.

Silence followed and I made my potato and salad the way I liked it. She came over after having cut the stove off and sat across from me.

"Here."

She said handing me a plate. I took it from her and my hand touched hers and that shocking feeling returned. She took her hand back as she started to fix her food. I started to eat, thinking silently to myself until I realized how delicious the food tasted.

"Oh my God!"

I said and she looked up at me.

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

She asked and I shook my head.

"No. It's just I haven't had anything this good since Sakura came over last year for Christmas."

I said and saw her eyes brighten, then darken, but I couldn't understand why.

-Fayre-

I felt so happy when he said he liked the food, until he mentioned that Sakura girl.

'Wait a minute, why am I getting jealous of a girl I don't even know? Better yet, what do I care if he likes her food more than mine? I don't like him.'

I thought, but I couldn't help it. It made me feel bad to hear him talk about another girl. I ate my food in silence and when I finished I put my dishes in the sink and leaned against it facing him. I looked him over as he ate, he seemed oblivious to it so I took the chance I was given. His red hair seemed a bit shaggier than the first time I saw him, but then again that was four days ago and I was kinda in hysterics at the time. He was lean, and I could tell he was no stranger to fighting. He was muscled, but not too much. His eyes were what really caught my attention though, just like they had the first time I'd looked into them. The color was a beautiful teal, but what his eyes told me is what got my attention. They told me that he had a rough upbringing and probably understood my pain better than anyone. Well he would, if I were to ever tell him. He suddenly looked up and his eyes met mine. My face heated up and I heard my heart rate pick up.

'What the hell is wrong with me? Kankuro doesn't have this effect on me and what the hell was that when he touched me? It felt like I was being shocked by something, but it wasn't painful. I actually, liked it.'

I thought before looking away from him.

'No, bad Fayre! You barely know him, and besides. He'd be like every other guy once he learned what I've done.'

I thought, but I couldn't ignore the little voice in the back of my mind that asked 'would he really?'

"Thank you for the meal."

He said and I looked up to see he was done. I walked over to him and gathered up his dishes. I took them to the sink and placed them inside my own. I turned around and sat down at the island opposite him. I honestly didn't feel like going back to sleep.

I looked at my hands, I could feel his eyes on me and felt my face heat up. I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't control my body around him. My heart rate picked up, I blushed, and I could barely resist the urge to look into his eyes.

"So…"

He said and I froze.

"How are you liking Suna so far?"

He asked and I laughed making him look at me weird. He was honestly trying to make small talk with me.

"It's fine."

I said as I got my giggles under control. He narrowed his eyes at me, but I just smiled at him.

"Okay. What about here? Is Temari and Kankuro treating you alright?"

He asked and I nodded.

"Yes. Temari's actually really nice and Kanky. Well, let's just say Kanky got to know me a lot better than I know him."

I said and he looked at me confused.

"What do you-"

"Believe me, you're better off not knowing."

I said and he just nodded. I could see in his eyes that he had several questions he wanted to ask me, but he was holding himself back. After a while of uncomfortable silence I sighed.

"Go ahead and ask me already."

I said and he blinked in surprise before looking at me confused.

"I can tell you want to ask me things, so just go ahead and ask."

I said and he just looked at me, but he did ask me a question.

"What happened to you to make you collapse outside my village?"

He asked and it took me a minute to remember I was talking to the Kazekage.

"It's a long story and I'm sure you'd like to get to bed."

I said and he glared at me.

"I don't sleep."

He said and I sighed.

"You're not going to let this go are you?"

I asked and he just smirked at me.

"Let's just say I was taking care of some….business."

I said and he looked at me curiously.

"What kind of business?"

He asked. I don't know why, but for some reason I felt like I could trust him. I honestly couldn't help it, the words just tumbled out of my mouth and I couldn't stop them.

"Getting my revenge on the bastards that took someone very dear to me away."

I said and his eyes widened a fraction before he asked his next question.

"Who did they take away from you?"

He asked and I sighed as I realized I was about to tell my story to a complete stranger, but what was odd about it was the fact that I didn't care.

"Raja, my inner demon."