Hinata flopped onto his couch, exhausted. Gaara set aside his work. He was tired too. Shukaku was jittery all day, and it was distracting. He powered through his work to talk with her without distraction, but he didn't want to stress her out while she was exhausted.
Gaara joined her on the couch. Shukaku 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 blinked at the gourd.
"We should talk now." Gaara started.
Hinata curled her legs under her, getting comfortable.
"I'm going to start by saying I don't like this idea." Gaara frowned. "He wants to use the sand to communicate, and I think, after what happened, that is not a good idea. However, I'm giving the choice to you."
"I don't think he meant to hurt me, Gaara." Hinata 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."
It was odd to feel her intentions change as she looked through him rather than at him. He became alert as Shukaku felt he had permission and moved the sand out of the gourd into a ball.
"I don't know what you look like," Hinata told him to see the potential of the sand.
It took the cue and shaped into the tanuki face, kinder and more animal-like than the one Gaara knew. Hinata smiled, reaching forward to pet the head Shukaku made. Was she really that happy about this? Shukaku certainly was.
Hinata retracted her hand. "That was not okay. I understand you wanted 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." The sand ears flattened to the head. "Don't just look sorry. I won't be persuaded just because you're cute."
Gaara pierced his lips together. Cute? She thought Shukaku 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 as she spoke to the head. "Understand my place will be in danger sometimes, but I will come back. I'm not going anywhere."
That was never a guarantee. All three of them knew that, but the promise gave Shukaku 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. Just don't do it again." Hinata let the head nuzzle her hand. "Do you think that's an agreement?" She petted the sand.
Gaara 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."
"That's adorable." No flash of annoyance came. Shukaku knew she meant it as a compliment rather than an insult to his demeanor.
The head floated closer, falling to her lap as Hinata petted it. The head shrank, and more sand joined it as it morphed into the full tanuki curling into her lap. Gaara looked uncomfortable but more so confused.
"Not normal for him?" Hinata kept 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." Hinata 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," Hinata commented down at the head.
"Don't really think he's ever had a human be so kind to him," Gaara drowned in his thought more than paying attention.
"Well, that's horrible." Hinata pouted at the 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. 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. Gaara's non-eyebrows knitted together angrily as they argued.
Hinata curled her fingers into the sand gently. It responded by shifting under her fingers gently. Gaara's hand moved as he, too, pet the head before retracting his hand. Hinata blinked at him. His anger was dissipated, and the argument seemed over. The head glared at him lightly.
"Shukaku-san…" 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.
"He's whining." Gaara winced, lifting his hand to his temples.
Hinata's heart dropped. "Shukaku-san, stop. You're hurting him." 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?"
"Yeah, though now he's blaming me." Gaara rubbed at his temple.
"What will I do with you two." Hinata sighed back in her spot.
"I'm not telling her that," Gaara answered the sand.
Hinata giggled.