"There you are!" Seiko reached for Xin, catching her by her arm to pull her closer. Her pretty eyes were alight with something, excitement maybe. "Have you heard?" She was grinning but Xin wasn't sure if she could trust that. God, what was it now? Another cart service? If that was the case and the others were trying to nominate her again, she was going to raise absolute hell. There was no way she was going to go in there and cooperate, not this time. "Tanaka-san was arrested for possession of underaged pornography and rape of a minor." She leaned in even closer. "And when they found him, his right hand was smashed to bits. Probably won't be able to use it again."

Xin only blinked at her and then slowly squinted at nothing in particular. That was…strange. Seiko noticed her reaction and nudged her. "What a coincidence," she said after a moment. It wasn't so much the arrest that was strange to her, that wasn't all that surprising. It was the crushed hand.

"I heard some of the higher ups talking about it. He has a wife and daughter, can you believe that?"

How ironic, she thought sardonically. One would think Tanaka would respect women a little more given the fact that he had a daughter, at least but maybe that was just too much to ask.

"Serves him right," Xin said once she realized Seiko was waiting for something, anything. There was a heavy feeling in her gut and the words tasted like ash on her tongue but Seiko seemed satisfied enough.

The redhead grinned and looped their arms together. "Karma works in mysterious ways."

"God works in mysterious ways."

"Well, I'm not a Christian so I wouldn't know."

Xin's odd feeling weighed on her the entire day. The arrest wasn't all that odd to discover, Tanaka was clearly a gross person and he clearly deserved it but…Why was his hand crushed? Who crushed it in the first place? She thought of Tanaka, of his hand sliding over the curve of her ass and across her thigh and digging into her flesh like a goddamn stress ball. He assaulted her, blatantly and in front of a room of men but his hand being crushed seemed almost…excessive.

Xin shook her head. Maybe there wasn't any correlation between her and Tanaka's new disability. It could be a mere coincidence that he ended up with a smashed hand…unable to use it..maybe. Her mind wandered to Gaara. It was completely out of the question that he was behind this strange incident. He didn't even know Tanaka and besides, what the hell would he gain by crippling him? They weren't…well okay, they were friends. She could admit that much.

They were friends but that wouldn't be enough to cripple a man over her. They weren't particularly close, not enough to hurt someone over her. Besides…it was just a squeeze of the ass. That wasn't…

No. It actually was enough. Why should she let some idiotic pervert put his hands all over her? Didn't she deserve more respect than that, didn't she already go through bullshit like this? She shouldn't try to explain away someone's actions at the expense of her dignity. She hadn't liked how Tanaka made her feel, like she was just a pair of tits with a nice ass and no brains. She was a human being and deserved respect. The bare minimum, at least, enough to not be publicly groped. Whatever Tanaka had done to incur someone's wrath to the point where they rendered him crippled, maybe it would teach him to keep his damn hands to himself.

Still, her odd feeling never eased up on her. It followed her around the entire day, clinging to her shoulders and threatening to drag her down. She considered texting Gaara, maybe even calling him on her break but thought better of it. What was she going to do? Accuse him of breaking Tanaka's hand?

"Oi, Hyuga, wanna go out for some ramen after work?" Masaru leaned against the wall at the end of their work day. He grinned at her, completely oblivious to her thoughtful mood, not that he cared much to notice anyway. She glanced up at him and wondered for a moment if Masaru would have the gall to grope her in public. He might've, had it not been for her friendship with Gaara. Before their inevitable meeting, he just might get blatantly handsy with her.

"No, I'm fine but thanks for the invite."

His grin fell and he let out a dramatic sigh. "C'mon, Hyuga. I know that last time wasn't good and you got your Yakuza friend to threaten me and everything—"

"I didn't get him to do anything—"

"But lemme just make it up to you. I promise I'm really not a bad guy. We could be real good friends outside of work. You like food, don't you?"

She squinted up at him and wondered if that was a cheap shot at her weight. He seemed like the sort of idiot who'd comment on a woman's weight. "I'm not here to make friends. I'm okay, really but no thank you."

She turned and left, Masaru at her heels. "Listen, Hyuga," he reached for her just as they stepped outside, hand clamped down hard on her wrist. He spun her back to face him, ignoring her look of surprise. "If you would just give me a chance—"

"I don't have to give you anything," Xin hissed almost immediately, jerking her hand away. "And don't just grab me. I don't like that."

What would it take for him to get the picture? She didn't want to go anywhere with him, she barely even wanted to work with him. Frustration crossed her features because why couldn't 'no' be enough for him? Why did he have to keep pushing and pushing? Besides, did he really think treating her to one meal of ramen or sushi would be enough to get her out of her clothes? Were her standards that low? That didn't seem like such a fair exchange.

"You'd like it if I were that Yakuza friend of yours."

Xin gaped up at him, words failing her. Whether that were true or not, he had no right to use it against her as a weapon. Like it was a crime to be friends with Gaara.

She found herself speaking before she could really stop herself. "You know he was going to break your fingers for that last time." There was something almost unhinged in her tone. "I told him it wasn't necessary, maybe I was wrong?" It was wrong, she knew, to use that against Masaru. He was very clearly intimidated by Gaara and his background but still thought he had some right to her. If her words wouldn't be enough to dissuade him, maybe Gaara's threats would.

Huh. Funny how he threatened to break Masaru's fingers and Tanaka ended up with a broken hand. What a…coincidence.

Masaru jerked back as if she'd be the one to physically assault him. Clearly her efforts alone wouldn't be enough to get him to back the hell off. Typical, fuckin' typical.

"Look, Shibata-san, we're coworkers and that's all. I don't want any unnecessary trouble stirred up so please just drop…this. I don't like it and I don't appreciate it."

There. She said it. Men and their fragile egos uneased her but she learned enough that most of them wouldn't react violently in public. Maybe if they were behind closed doors and alone, his reaction might be different. But here, in broad daylight, on a public street in front of their office building, Masaru could only stare down at her.

Men like Masaru didn't like the word no and even though she hadn't outright said the word no, that's what it was. A resounding no.

No, no date. No, no friendship. No, no fun. Just no.

There was something tight in Masaru's face, something she didn't quite like. Something that reminded her of Kazuya right before he lost his temper. Maybe she was wrong and Masaru was one of those unhinged motherfuckers who didn't care about being in public and would slap the taste out of her mouth.

But then the expression was gone, loosening into something less threatening. "Your ride's here," he said in monotone.

She squinted at him, confused and wary that it was a trap to make her lower her guard but when she glanced over her shoulder, the familiar sports car was parked idly in front of their building. The passenger side window was rolled down and they could see Gaara reclining in the front seat, head tilted in their direction as if he might be watching them. Xin pursed her lips and felt her annoyance bubbling under her loosened lid. She wasn't exactly upset with Gaara, he hadn't done anything. She was more so irritated that Masaru would only seemingly back off if Gaara was around, like her words of rejection simply weren't enough.

"Right," she straightened up and wriggled her wrist out of his grip. "Well, just..listen to what I said, okay? I'll see you later…" It sounded weak to herself and she wasn't sure if Masaru would really listen but he didn't object when she turned away and marched towards the car.

"That looked intense," Gaara said by way of greeting when she slid into the car. It was getting easier and easier to do that, she realized, getting into his car without a second thought. He seemed hardly bothered by it and she wondered if it actually pleased him.

"Yeah, well," she snorted. "I'm surprised you didn't get out and threaten to blow out his kneecaps or something."

Gaara shrugged one languid shoulder. "You looked like you were handling it just fine."

Did she? She couldn't tell but she did stand her ground and that was enough to be proud of, wasn't it? She hadn't done that in a long time and though Gaara didn't seem to mind coming to her aide, she was glad that he thought she could handle herself just fine. Hell, maybe it was even appealing. She ignored that thought, stubbornly beating it to the back of her mind where it could gather cobwebs. Instead she cleared her throat and sat up a little. "Unn…"

"Yes?"

She shuffled nervously, feeling a little embarrassed. "Do you think we could make a stop at Anko's bakery?" She could afford to splurge a little bit, she decided earlier in the day and she deserved it anyway. After putting up with Tanaka and his sexual harassement and then Masaru and his dogged determination, she earned a treat or two. Hell, maybe three. Still, it made her nervous to ask because he was driving her home out of the kindness of his heart, he didn't have to do it. Now, she was asking him to make an extra stop for some desserts. He must have ten thousand other things to do, better things than to hang out with her and chauffeur her ass around.

But when Gaara glanced at her, something bright in his eyes. His eyes were so pretty, she found herself thinking. He smiled at her and with his pretty eyes, it did something to his face that was boyishly handsome instead of his usual intimidating handsomeness.

Xin felt herself blush and smiled back.

Temari wanted to go to another club again.

Xin stared blankly at the blonde, lips pursed. "Do I have a choice?"

Temari grinned back at her and patted the passenger chair. "You don't, now get in. If it makes it any better, I already picked something out for you so we don't have to go to my boutique."

That didn't make it any better, they had completely different tastes and the thought of Temari picking her clothes out without any supervision made her nervous. She relented regardless and slid almost bonelessly into the car. A free ride was a free ride, regardless of having to play dress up for some bored ass criminal turned model turned fashion designer. "Can I take a nap again?"

Temari shrugged a shoulder, casually navigating them through the busy streets of Tokyo. "If you want."

Xin pursed her lips and sat back in the seat. This wasn't much of a surprise, Temari showing up to drag her to yet another club, she'd been texting her since Wednesday afternoon about their plans for Friday night. And sure, Xin tried to politely decline but Temari wasn't having any of that and well, Xin just gave in. So at least this time, she wasn't totally blindsided.

Temari drove them back to the estate, tucking Xin away in her bedroom for her promised nap. It was true that they had more than enough guest rooms to spare but she preferred leaving Xin in her room. It was less likely that someone might disturb her.

"I'm back," she announced while throwing the doors to Gaara's office open. Once upon a time, it was their father's office and Temari could clearly remember playing at Rasa's feet, tucked away under his desk. Times have changed.

"Where did you even go?" Kankuro asked blandly, though he hardly seemed to care either way.

"To get Xin."

Gaara paused, in the middle of reading something and glanced up at her. "Get her for what?"

She sighed in irritation and sat down next to Jura, who'd been the only one to greet her with a smile and a wave. "I told you I was planning on going to another club. That other one we just bought, with that awful name? The Green Light or something? We need to change that."

"….Why?"

"Because it's a terrible name, I just said. The Green Light? It sounds stupid and—"

"Christ, Mar, I mean why are you taking Xin? She doesn't like clubs."

"Oh, please. She's only been to one." Temari waved a dismissive hand. "Besides, that girl needs to get out more anyway. All she does is work."

"Because she's poor."

Temari glared at Kankuro. "Shut up, that isn't her fault. Besides, we're not. A club or two won't hurt her."

"And she agreed?"

"More or less."

Gaara was hardly impressed though he wasn't surprised. They were all kind of pushy when it came to Xin, which was probably a little weird and overwhelming for her. She'd gone from living in her safe little bubble to having a gaggle of Yakuza members infiltrating her life. A small part of him felt guilty for bringing that sort of shit to her doorstep, all she'd been trying to do was get home that late night they met. Still, he relished in the fact that she was letting them in, albeit apprehensively. Maybe that made him selfish but he was a selfish creature by nature.

"Don't get her too drunk," Gaara said after a moment, eyeing his sister apprehensively. She had her mind set on going to this club with Xin and nothing would stop her. Well, maybe if Gaara threatened but it wasn't so serious that he would need to. He agreed somewhat, that Xin needed to get out more anyway, maybe not to another club but she did need to socialize more. "She could've broken Shira's nose."

Temari clucked her tongue dismissively. "Like he's never had his nose broken before."

"Not by a garden gnome with eyes too big for her face," Kankuro snorted. "We have a reputation to uphold and we can't have little girls barely five feet even going around, knocking our lights out."

She rolled her eyes but didn't argue the point. It was a little funny but she could see why that wouldn't bode too well for them. She hadn't seen Xin assaulting Shira but apparently she had a mean right hook. Temari ran her hands down her thighs before slapping them against her knees, standing up. "Well, I've got a few things to take care of. Xin's here. She's sleeping in my room until it's time to get ready. Don't bother her."

"Why the fuck would we—"

But she had quite enough of Kankuro's sourpuss attitude and promptly left in the middle of his talking.

Xin peeled herself from dreamland much like the last time she was in Temari's bed, slowly and groggily. It was a deep sleep, she could tell just by how deep she'd sunk into the mattress. Maybe getting some good rest was worth hanging out in some dark, sweaty club. Temari appeared much like she did last time, as if she knew exactly when Xin would wake up, smug that she found something Xin liked about their wealth.

"You want me to wear..that?"

The fact that Temari already had an outfit picked out for her made her nervous and with good reason too. The blonde held up a short black dress with thin straps. Very plain at first glance but on a body like hers, it would accentuate her curves, the swell of her hips and dipped low enough to show off the round of her breasts. It probably wouldn't fit over her curves anyway, stretched to the absolute limit.

It was too much and not enough.

Temari made a face, shoving it at Xin. "Obviously. You can wear this underneath." She turned away to grab something out of her wardrobe, thrusting that too at Xin. It was a long sleeved fishnet shirt with a thick swath of black material at the chest part to act as a bra.

"Temari…." Xin trailed off, eyeing all the black material.

"If you don't want to wear it, we can find something else," Temari suddenly said, surprising her. "I know I can be a bit…pushy." She made a face, her eyes looking up as if she were thinking hard. "I…can I be honest with you?" Her defenses were still up but her curiosity was piqued. She slowly nodded, still uneasy. Temari sat on the edge of her bed and patted the spot next to her. Xin wordlessly joined her.

"Your ex used to hit you, didn't he?"

Xin choked on her spit, caught completely off guard. It sounded…strange. Because yes, Kazuya used to hit her but no one really knew for sure. Besides one person, at least, she was all the way back home. No one said it out loud.

"Unn."

Temari pursed her lips. "I'm sorry, that was really blunt and invasive," she cleared her throat. "You don't have to confirm or deny it but I know the signs. I'm sorry, for whatever he did to you. Whatever he said to you to make you feel like less of a person, I'm sorry."

There was an odd itching at the corner of her eyes, a burning. She never got a genuine apology from Kazuya, she knew now that she'd never get one.

"That's why you came here, to Tokyo. To get away from him. I bet you think you're a coward or something from running away but I think it's brave of you. To start over fresh and all by yourself. I know he wrecked your trust and your ability to trust others, I don't blame you but I do want to be your friend."

Xin couldn't understand why Temari was saying these things, she didn't seem like the type. She shouldn't care, she was just some random girl who was kind enough to help her brother. She wasn't anything special, she didn't deserve any of this.

"I won't tell anyone but eventually you have to start living again, living for yourself. You've already started, you've done the hardest part. There's nothing wrong with trusting again, with going out with friends and having fun. Not everyone is out to get you and I'm sorry he broke something in you but you can fix it."

Xin blinked, her lashes fluttering as tears threatened to fall. Her throat felt tight and she knew that if she tried to talk, only a sob would come out of her. It felt…well, she wasn't sure how she felt but..Temari seeing her, actually seeing her for what she was and what she'd gone through….

It was…nice, to say the least. Maybe a little empowering.

"We…we're friends. I…I'm going to have my moments but I do appreciate that you're trying." And really, she did. She was still a little wary but Temari hadn't shown her anything other than kindness, in her own way. "But if you want to keep hanging out, can we do other things besides the club?" There had to be more out there than clubs, even if Tokyo's nightlife and impressive and vast.

Temari grinned. "Absolutely! We can do anything you want, just name it."

Xin paused, willing that itching in her eyes to go away. "Unn—I don't..I don't know what I like to do."

Temari's grin faltered but she patted Xin's leg. "That's fine, we'll just have to find out. Now, do you want to wear the dress or should we find something else?"

Xin eyed the dress and the fishnet shirt, considering. It was simple but cute. "Can I wear some pantyhose or something?"

Temari almost snorted, it was so country of her to use the term pantyhose instead of just thigh highs or something. "Sure you can." She got up, their conversation put to rest for the time being. She had a feeling it took a lot of Xin's pride to have that conversation.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Xin had fled from an abusive relationship. Her twitchness, the fact that she didn't trust anything or anyone around her and the strange determination she had to isolate herself. They were all signs and Temari wondered if Gaara had put it all together and maybe that's why he insisted on the strange relationship with Xin. She knew her brother and while he did run an unsavory organization, he was a good person at heart. It was hard to believe with his sort of reputation but it was true. He was no doubt drawn to Xin because of the hurt that she carried, being the natural protector he was.

"Xin?" Temari peered into her mirror, expertly blending the eyeshadow to match her pale purple slip dress. Xin glanced at her through the mirror. "Are you…afraid of my brother?"

Xin made a face and she was no doubt thinking of Kankuro and his stupid threats. "Gaara's been the kindest person I've met in the city, outside of work." Manager Umino had been the first to show her kindness, hiring her even though she had no credentials to stand on.

Temari smiled, "What a relief:"

"Do not assault anyone. Xin."

Xin stared blankly at Kankuro, hand on her hip. She was more so annoyed because she didn't even have a good enough comeback for that. She had, after all, punched Shira in the face. "I said I was sorry," she said instead.

"Sorry won't cut it if someone presses charges." Well, he was right but hell if she would agree with him. Instead, she simply glared up at him but he returned her glare.

"Leave her alone, Kankuro," Gaara shouldered by his brother, effectively moving him away from Xin. He reached for her wrist, fingers closing around her gently to draw her into him. "You look nice, Xin."

Xin blushed, tilting her head up to look him in the eye. She smiled softly and inched even further to him, practically standing chest to chest. "Thank you…you…like the dress?"

He peered down at her, eyes hooded and suddenly dark with something. If she looked hard enough, she could probably figure out what that darkness meant. Instead, she ignored it as best she could and opted to focus her gaze on his bottom lashes. Gaara barely glanced at her dress. "I like it a lot."

Xin pressed her hands together, threading her fingers together but he didn't bothering in letting go of her. It was a plain dress, she thought, there was nothing special about it. Maybe she was the reason it looked nice.

Temari clucked her tongue and appeared at Xin's side, looping their arms together. For a moment, Xin felt trapped between them, both of their hands resting on her. "That's enough of that," she lightly smacked Gaara's hand, forcing him to release his hold. She immediately missed the warmth of his fingers coiled around her wrist. "We have somewhere to be."

Xin managed one more smile before she was being whisked away from the redhead, a smile that he easily returned.

The club, which of course the siblings owned as well, was much like the last one. Dancers in cages hanging above, sweaty bodies dancing below, club music blasting so loud she could hardly hear herself think. Maybe that was the point though. There was also a VIP section but Temari waved it off with a flick of her hand.

Temari managed to force several shots of something truly foul down Xin's throat before she was ready to be dragged out on the dance floor. The alcohol, though bitter and frankly disgusting, did its job in loosening her up. Liquid courage swam through her veins and she didn't even shudder when strangers closed around them, boxing them in with their writhing bodies. She was careless, something she hadn't been for a long time. Maybe it was all the alcohol she was downing or maybe it was the conversation she had with Temari only hours ago but she felt…a little more free. A little more..seen.

It was ridiculous but she couldn't deny the feeling. She felt…maybe the word was…safe? She felt safe with Temari, like she could actually trust the blonde to be a friend. And that…that was nice. Though, really, she hoped their next outing wouldn't turn out to be another club. It was fun but exhausting at the same time. There was sweat gathering at the base of her skull, soaking at her hairline and her dress began to cling to her skin that made her feel like she needed a shower. It felt gross.

Xin ended up next to a handsome man in the VIP section. She couldn't remember his name but even in her slightly drunken state, she noticed the hint of tattoos peeking from beneath his collar. She wasn't exactly sure where Temari had gone off to but the man was pleasant enough. Nothing would come of his flirtation and she didn't bother returning the sentiment but it was nice to talk to someone.

And then, of course, she stupidly took her eyes off of her drink, too busy searching the dark club for Temari. It only took a second for him to lean into her personal space, fingers sprinkling something into her drink without her noticing.

She hadn't noticed anything at first. But then after several minutes of a conversation that was hard to keep track of, her limbs became too heavy. But not..drunk heavy. It was a different sort of feeling, a sort of heaviness that she couldn't fight. Xin blinked. And then she blinked a second time, harder. Her muscles felt relaxed. Too relaxed. Heavily relaxed.

She suddenly stood, her legs feeling so heavy she feared she might tip over right then and there. She didn't topple over and by the grace of God, she managed to make it to the bathroom. How she managed, she couldn't say but her body felt like a ton of bricks by the time she locked herself away and slumped down in a heap. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate, her thoughts racing too fast for her to keep track of. She was moving on autopilot, hardly thinking as she unlocked her phone and pressed the call button next to Gaara's name. It occurred to her, on the first ring, that she should call Temari instead but it was too late. Gaara picked up on the second ring.

"Did you hit someone again?"

Xin struggled to get her mouth to move and she suddenly had the irrational fear that if she opened her mouth, her teeth would fall down into her lap. "How…" she wheezed. "How do you know when you've been roofied?"

"…What the fuck did you just say?"

"How—"

"For fuck sake, Xin. Where the hell are you and where's Temari?"

"I'unno."

"Xin."

"Bathroom." It was getting harder and harder to move her mouth. There was a sudden knock at the door, a heavy pounding at the door that would have startled her but her body simply didn't react to it.

"The fuck was that?"

"Someone…" she slurred. "Door."

"Don't you fucking open that door, Xin. Sit still."

She wasn't sure if he hung up or not but her grip on her phone weakened until it fell to her lap. Her head tipped back, too heavy for her neck and she rested against the door. It was the only thing holding her up, her body feeling as if she'd been submerged in muck. Her eyes were beginning to roll back into her head when she heard the lock of the bathroom clicking. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours later, she couldn't fuckin' tell. The door swung open and she toppled backwards, incapable of supporting her own body weight. She might've heard Temari shouting something but it sounded muffled.

There were hands on her, gripping her under her arms and yanking her to her feet. She hardly felt it, not even when an arm wrapped tightly around her waist. She couldn't pick up her feet but whoever—Temari maybe—was holding her began to drag her away from the bathroom.

Please, God, let it be Temari.

Xin couldn't pick her head up. She couldn't lift her arms. She couldn't open her mouth. She couldn't fight whoever this was, if they decided to drag her away and shove her dress up and—

They started up the stairs, where clubgoers weren't allowed to go. The music died away the further they went, muffled finally behind a door. Xin was gently laid down on something soft, a couch maybe. She couldn't open her eyes all the way. There was a hand cupping her face, a slim hand. Feminine.

"…Mar," Xin's lips barely moved.

"I've got you."

It was Temari, or she convinced herself it was. There was a harsh fog settling over her mind, her eyelids finally too heavy for her to force open. The drug finally won and Xin slipped peacefully into oblivion. She didn't even feel it when another hand cupped her face not long after, though this hand was far more rough and calloused than Temari's had been.

It was probably the end of their friendship, Temari thought somberly. She wouldn't blame Xin if she decided the friendship was over and done with, once she woke up. She felt totally responsible for the entire fiasco and by the way Gaara looked at her, he probably did too. She hadn't even wanted to go to the club in the first place. It was true that Xin was grown and could look after herself but she still wasn't all that savvy to city living. It probably didn't occur to her that someone would really spike her drink, that was the type of shit that happened in movies and books and drama, not real life. At least, not to her, simple little country bumpkin that she was.

She'd taken her eye off of her for what felt like only a second, having run into some girls she knew in her modeling days. In the span of a ten minute conversation, Xin had been roofied and managed to stumble her way to one of the bathrooms. Gaara called her then, chewing her the fuck out for her carelessness. Finding her in that bathroom, boneless with her eyes rolling back into her head and slipping into unconsciousness had been nauseating. Luckily she'd been able to get Xin out of the bathroom before she completely fell out. She held on long enough for Temari to half drag, half carry her into the office upstairs, her iron will finally giving out once they made it to safety.

Gaara was like a giant shadow looming over Xin, his hand gently cradling her face. She was far too pale and her breathing was too deep to be considered normal. He'd come swiftly, throwing the door open only seconds after Xin finally let oblivion drag her into the abyss. He pulled his hand from her face only to scoop her up into his arms. It was odd, Temari thought, how easily Xin fit into his arms. It almost looked too…natural the way he cradled her with ease. Her head rolled almost unnaturally before settling against his shoulder.

They used the back entrance of the club, ducking out without any notice. Kankuro was patiently waiting for them, looking like he might've been on his way to bed before the whole fiasco. He glanced at Xin and frowned. "She alright?"

Gaara kept her cradled to his chest. "She'll live."

Whether she was okay or not was anyone's guess.

The drive back to their estate was spent in silence, no one quite in the mood to talk. Xin didn't budge the entire time, if it hadn't been for her deep breathing, one might think she was dead. This wasn't the first time they'd dealt with a victim of Rufilin, Xin would be knocked out for eight hours at the least. They'd have to monitor her though, to make sure she didn't vomit and choke in her sleep. All she needed was to be safely tucked away to sleep the drug off.

To their shared surprise, Gaara opted to hide Xin away in his own bedroom. Nevermind that they had several rooms to share, she was growing used to being in Temari's room. Despite the strangeness of it, none of them commented on it lest they wanted to be subjected to Gaara's foul temper.

Temari grabbed some clothes from her room, pajamas that were tailored to fit Xin this time. She would probably be weird about it, Temari mused but that was too bad. It wasn't like she would get any use out of pajamas too small for her.

Gaara was like a gargoyle looming over Xin's slumbering form. Temari eased up next to him, gently elbowing him away. "She's okay now. I'm going to get her out of those clothes." She tried not to react physically but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't surprised when he leaned over and cupped her cheek tenderly for the second time. But then he was gone, moving so swiftly away that it nearly knocked Temari over. She thought to chase after him, to demand to know what that sudden display of affection was all about but decided against it. If he wanted to talk about it, he could.

Undressing Xin was a bit of a challenge. It wouldn't have been so bad had she not been dead weight but hell if she'd ask Jura or either of her brothers to help. Still, she managed to get her stockings off and roll her dress up and over her head. Her mesh shirt was next, a nice pile of clothes for her brother to trip over. Satisfied that the pajamas fit, Temari leaned over and cupped the back of Xin's skull. She lifted carefully, sweeping her dark tresses out from underneath her with the intention of braiding her hair. But then her pinky brushed against something odd on the back of Xin's neck.

Temari paused and adjusted her grip, hand fully resting against Xin's neck. There was something wrong with the back of her neck. The skin there was raised in a perfect circle—a scar. A perfectly formed scar in the shape of a circle.

What the fuck?

Scars weren't such a strange thing but why was this one so perfectly formed? And why was it on the back of her neck?

Temari glanced at Xin's head, remembering the long scar that was hidden under the veil of her bangs. She thought of their conversation earlier tonight, of Xin's twitchness, of her dislike of people touching her, the fact that she blindly threw a punch at Shira for grabbing her.

"I….tripped and fell face first into a window."

Her stomach sank as realization dawned on her. She glanced at Xin's face, who despite being drugged into a coma, actually looked peaceful for once. Sadness burst into her chest because Xin looked so young—she was young.

"Oh." It was all she could say because it was much worse than she originally thought. It was more than a domestic violence situation, it was life or death.

"I'm sorry," Gaara said when Temari finally joined them sometime later. Jura and Kankuro were crowding around his desk, peering into his computer screen but he sat away from them, seemingly waiting on Temari so that he could apologize in the first place.

"For what?" Temari blinked. Apologies weren't so uncommon between them, sometimes their tempers got the best of them but she hadn't been expecting any sorrys from him.

"For snapping at you, over the phone. I shouldn't have snapped and I'm sorry."

She frowned at him. He'd been short and snappy when she picked up his call, demanding that she get her shit together and go get Xin out of the bathroom before the worst happened. His anger barely registered to her, far too confused as to why she suddenly had to collect Xin from the bathroom. She'd only been talking for a few minutes but apparently it was long enough for Xin to be drugged. She thought of what could have happened, had someone else happened upon Xin. Her stomach sank at the thought, sick and twisted people walked among them, which was ironic, given their line of work.

"I accept your apology," Temari said, though she hardly felt she deserved one. She was glad to know that her brother was emotionally mature enough to hand out apologies when he thought they were deserved or when he was in the wrong. Karura would be proud. Rasa wouldn't but he was dead anyway.

"I'm sorry too, she probably won't want to be your friend after she wakes up."

He snorted, "No, she probably won't be."

"Aha!" Kankuro suddenly said, leaning into the company screen. It garnered his siblings' attention and they tabled their conversation to join him and Jura. "Think I found the fucker."

It was surveillance of the club, sent to them by the manager after Gaara's order. They could see Xin sitting in the VIP lounge where Temari left her, idly chatting with a man who'd taken up residence in the vacated seat. She seemed charmed enough, smiling and nodding as the man talked into her ear but her eyes darted away every so often. Searching.

Temari's gut tightened.

And then they watched as Xin made the mistake of turning completely away, busily searching the club for the only person she knew. The man next to her leaned into her space, his hand hovering over her drink. Very casually, knowing no one was watching, he sprinkled something into the cup and leaned away.

Xin drank from the cup.

"Who the fuck is that?" Gaara demanded. "Is he one of ours?"

The continued to watch it all play out, Xin stumbling to her feet after several minutes of unknowingly letting a drug make its way through her system. They could pratically see her realizing something was off but not knowing exactly what it was. Jura squinted, studying the man as she scrambled away. Seconds later, he climbed to his feet and very casually followed after her. Gaara thought of the knock he heard over the phone and realized that must have been the asshole, coming to claim his prize.

"Nah, he's…" Jura trailed off, trying to think of the word. "He has no loyalties to anyone. He's one of those random idiots who'll do anything for the right price."

"Fantastic," Gaara said in a casual drawl. That would make things easier, he wouldn't have to worry about pissing another Yakuza family off for what he was about to do. "Find him. Bring him to me."

Kankuro stretched, bending backwards and raising his arms above his head. There was a gleam in his eyes, something feral. "Alive?"

"Alive."

"Doubt he'll come nicely."

Gaara shrugged. "Do what you must, I don't care as long as the fucker is in front of me."

Jura and Kankuro leave soon after that, either to bed or to get started on their task. Temari and Gaara remain, a blanket of silence settling over them. It was several long minutes of silence before Gaara gently but firmly spoke.

"It wasn't your fault."

When Xin woke up the first time, it was to the feeling of bile gurgling up her throat. She scrambled, rolling around in a bed too large and unfamiliar to her. Her fingers closed around the rim of what she blindly assumed was a bucket or a vase or something. She emptied her guts into the bucket, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes from the force alone. When she was done, she managed to lean over the bed to set the bucket down, weakly grimacing at the stench that followed.

It occurred to her that she was in an unfamiliar room, in an unfamiliar bed but the drug wasn't completely out of her system. There was still a heavy fog in her mind and she couldn't quite break through it yet. She did know, however, that she would pay dearly for vomiting. Was it a vase she grabbed? An expensive one? Maybe it was just a bucket but who placed it there in the first place?

What the hell even happened?

Xin couldn't think straight and when exhaustion began to pull at the edges of her mind, she let it. When she came to for the second time, it was slow going. No vomiting but Christ did her head hurt. She blinked hard and rolled over onto her side, mushing her face into the too soft pillow. This was not her bed. Xin sat up abruptly, eyes popping open. This was not her room, hell this wasn't even Temari's room. Was she even back at their estate again or…She blinked again, this time more thoughtfully. Where the fuck was she? And whose pajamas was she wearing?

Panic began to build in her chest. She couldn't remember last night. Did she drink so much that her memory blanked out? Did she go home with someone, a stranger? No, she couldn't have done that.

Did someone…take her home with them?

Before she could spiral out of control, the bedroom door opened. To her surprise and relief, it was Gaara. He came in like he owned the place and then she realized, he fuckin' did. She was in his room, in his bed. Christ and all twelve. He was dressed down, she realized, in sweat pants and a tank top, from working out. She might be exhausted and confused but she still knew an attractive man when she saw one. She slumped down into the bed, trying to focus on anything but his tattooed arms and chest.

He paused once he realized she was awake and then…he looked almost…elated to see her. "Angel."

She smiled crookedly. "…Hi."

He approached the bed, standing at her side. His gaze swept over her and he surprised her when he leaned over and cupped her face. He tilted her head back, blue eyes roving every line that made up her face. "You're looking better."

"…Better?"

He nodded, still staring into her eyes. "You looked…dead."

She blinked. "Oh. What…what happened?"

To her disappointment, he pulled away, the warmth leaving her face. That soft look in his eye was gone too, replaced by something hard. "You blacked out, some asshole roofied you."

"..I..I don't remember."

He nodded slowly. "That's normal."

"Did…something happen to me?"

She couldn't quite read the expression on his face. It was dark but it twisted with something else. He gritted his teeth, a muscle twitching in his jaw. The small motion drew her attention to his jaw and for one moment, she found herself a little too transfixed on it. "Nothing happened," he said, his voice hard. "Temari got to you first."

"And she..carried me here?"

"No, I did."

Again, she blinked. "You did?"

"Yes. You called me, Xin."

"And..you came."

Something dawned on her then, a slow blush creeping up the back of her neck. A smile was next, pulling at her lips almost gingerly. She tried to stop it, rolling her lip into her mouth and sinking her teeth down. It only served to further endear her to him, made obvious when he fondly cuffed her under the chin. It occurred to her immediately that it was all too intimate at the moment and that she had to do something to turn the situation.

"Can I brush my teeth?" To be fair, her mouth tasted like absolute garbage and morning breath wasn't doing her any favors. To her embarrassment, she needed help climbing out of the bed and to the bathroom, the muscles in her legs still too relaxed to stand. She purposely avoided having to look at him, staring down at their feet instead.

Xin managed to salvage some of her dignity by clinging to the bathroom sink to brush her teeth. He left her alone after making sure she didn't fall over and crack her head on the expensive porcelain. In the too large mirror, she studied her haggard appearance. A messy plait of hair over her shoulder, her skin was almost sickly pale and it made the dark circles under her eyes stand out even more.

She still looked quite dead, she thought.

Her legs hadn't loosened up in the slightest but she was able to finish up in the bathroom and returned to find Gaara patiently waiting on the edge of his bed. Too intimate, too intimate. Both of them in his bedroom, dressed down the way they were. It was too much but what the fuck was she supposed to do?

Gaara's head popped up, as if suddenly sensing her presence. He looked troubled, his expression pulled into something looked akin to worry. She wondered what had him so worried that it was obvious he was thinking about it, turning it over and over in his head. Maybe something to do with—could she call it just work? She snorted, still having trouble grasping where she ended up in life.

"...Breakfast?" Xin tried after a long moment of silence.

TeeBeMe: I realize that the laws in Japan regarding child pornography is probably different and that Tanaka probably wouldn't suffer such a harsh repercussion byt for the sake of the fic, we're just gonna say the fucker lost everything because you know, he's a piece of shit and deserves it. Also, I did a little research of how one might react to being roofied but most of the results were obviously hotlines for sexual assault preventions so I did the best I could with the info I could get. Again, for the sake of the fic, just let it ride.