"Damn it Gin, how long does it take for you to get ready?! You've been in there for almost an hour!"

Sanosuke would bang on the door of their shared bathroom in his room of the Raikage estate. True Gin could have very much easily slept in the room that was prepared for her. But the stubbornness of that woman knew no bounds. She claimed that the bed in Sanosuke's room was much comfortable than the lumpy one that she was given, and demanded that she wouldn't stand for this. It lead to her wanting to sleep in Sanosuke's room while she stayed because she felt like she was getting the wrong end of the stick. In the middle of this argument Gin suggested that he sleep in that room while she got the master bedroom. Of course the silver haired man denied that and that's how the two of them winded up sleeping in the same bed while she was staying with him. Despite the initial argument that the two of them had regarding her sleeping in his bed, there wasn't much disagreement between the two. Should Sanosuke say, he actually felt comfortable with Gin sleeping by his side the past few nights since she came. The smell of chestnuts that rolled off his hair invading his nose and tickling his sense of smell pleasantly was a welcoming sensation first thing in the morning.

True the last time the two of them spent an extended period of time together, not counting his coronation that was about a year ago, was their rescue mission to save the girl's from being political hostages by Sunagakure bounty hunters led by Suna councilman Gendou. It put a strain on whatever they had going on after coming out of the chakra draining tunnel. Despite his efforts to ignore these feelings of longing he had for Gin by burying himself in his office of papers and Raikage responsibilities, Sanosuke couldn't ignore them for any longer. So taking the opportunity of the Chuunin Exams being here, Sanosuke invited her to stay over his estate while they are going on. With the exception of the daily trivial arguments the two of them have, thus far living with each other was rather enjoyable for the both of them; even though Sanosuke knew Gin wouldn't admit it, he knew she was enjoying herself and for once was relaxed in a really long time.

Tonight Sanosuke thought it would be fun to take Gin out to the Golden Horn Casino- the new hot spot in his village where many of his visitors were coming in flocks to come and check out what the casino had to offer. It had been a while since they both went out. The last time being the time Sanosuke took Gin out on the night on the town in the Waterfall village. So far Sanosuke had on his 3 piece suit that he had fine tailored and freshened up for an evening like this. Although his black tie he had on was giving him and extraordinary difficult tie to get down. He had been labeled a master sage for years now, a war hero by Kiri and his own village, a seducer of countless women(he lost track at 26), and a master storyteller. But he couldn't get down tying a tie to save his life. While Gin was taking her time getting on her make up, Sanosuke was all dressed up with jacket and dress shoes on along with everything required of his suit to look complete minus the tie. He had been at this ecursed tie for about an hour now and so far he wasn't any closer to having it on him than when he initially started. His hair was combed, conditioned and held back with other products to give him a clean look. His cologne splashed on his body to give him a pleasant aroma to him, but his tie was still tangled and messy on his rather clean suit.

"I FUCKING HATE TIES!" Sanosuke's shout of frustration could be heard from the bathroom door as Gin was still getting herself ready.

Contrary to what Gin believed, she was the only person invited to stay at the Raikage's estate. Not only that, but her room had been right down the hall from his. In a fit of childish rage, for lack of a better phrase, she stormed into the Raikage's room demanding that she get his bed. She knew she was being petulant, disguising it under her usual layer of nonchalant selfishness. The whole point was to exile him from his comfort zone and get him to feel as uncomfortable as she felt now. Of course, that ended up not as she had expected, but with them sharing a bed every night for the past few days.

Oh well. It hadn't been as bad as Gin thought it would be. It felt oddly... domestic. The former Kazekage didn't really know what to make of it. Some part of her enjoyed the simplicity, the fact that nothing seemed to exist outside of the room they now occupied. She could almost say she was happy. The other part of her was afraid of getting used to the feeling, getting sucked back into a false sense of security only to have it ripped away from her when she least suspected it. No, she couldn't let that happen again, lest she lose yet another part of herself once more. She had gone down that path too many times to think that this time it would end differently.

And yet here she was, in his bathroom, getting ready to make a grand appearance at the casino's opening night, right alongside Sanosuke himself. "Don't get your panties in a twist, I'm almost done," she yelled before going back to concentrating on the task at hand: putting on eyeliner. The reflection of her cerulean eyes stared back at her in the mirror. It required a heave amount of make up to manage to get the metal implant around her left eye to look like human skin. In place of her usual prosthetics - each with varied abilities and mechanisms - was just a normal glass eye that matched her real one. Similarly, her prosthetic arm was also covered in a synthetic layer of make up, set with chakra to hold it in place, that made it look like a real arm made of flesh and blood. It had taken her quite a while to make it look just right, which was why she usually never bothered with such things. But this was a special occasion and Sanosuke had stressed that more than enough.

Keeping that in mind, Gin would dutifully support the new Raikage however she could and would make a special effort to act civil at all times. Diplomats from across the world would no doubt be there, after all. It made Gin wonder why the hell he had chosen her to be his "plus one" out of everyone that was there. After all, it wasn't like she expected it and it wasn't as if her reputation as a known criminal had disappeared overnight. Not only that, but they weren't exactly a couple, either. Sure, she couldn't quite deny that they cared for each other in a way that could very well be romantic and they had slept with each other several times. Nevertheless, they hadn't ever spoken about where they stood in that regard and Gin had no doubt that Sanosuke had slept with several people recently. He wasn't one to just sit still. They were the same in that regard.

The young woman finally stepped out of the bathroom in time to hear Sanosuke complain about his tie. "Give me that," she said with a sigh. She closed the distance between them in a couple of steps, her heels clicking sharply against the wooden floor. Her silver hair was tied into an elaborate yet messy bun that she had fashioned herself. The dress she wore matched her hair color, tightly wrapping around her collar, chest and waist before falling loosely over her legs and leaving her back largely exposed, thus showing the red mark of the Kuroka Clan which had been on her skin since birth. Red gems dotted her chest, giving the simple dress a bit more of appeal. Her Expert hands reached forward to gently grasp at the thin cloth. With a few movements, she was done tying it into a proper knot. "There," she said, smiling in satisfaction and looking into Sanosuke's eyes.

There it was again - that feeling of domesticity that had been bothering her since she arrived in Kumogakure no Sato. She shoved it aside before it could show in any part of her expression or demeanor and chose to remain silent. "It's not too late to change your mind, you know," she said in an uncharacteristically soft voice.  "You could still go with someone else and save yourself the trouble of openly associating with a known criminal. I'm sure Yui or even one of your students wouldn't mind going with you. Besides, people will get ideas and jump to conclusions, you know?" Gin's offer was sincere. They both knew that this would most likely have a negative impact on his image and his village's relations with other countries. This was his last chance to back out and it was her job to remind him. She looked at him sternly.

Gritting his teeth, the task of both tying his tie and dealing with Gin's back talk was driving his patience. Normally he wouldn't be this pissed at the fact he was failing to tie his tie. But for some reason, just thinking about Gin spending so much time to prepare herself for tonight, was making Sanosuke feel antsy and more on edge than he should be. It was like he was going on his first date over 10 years ago. Butterflies were flying in his stomach as he tried his best to make himself presentable for the night he planned out for the two of them. But this ecursed tie was making everything so damn difficult. Countless of times, Sanosuke had prepared himself time and time again for dates with other women. But this time around he was being so stressed out that he couldn't even focus on tying this damn necktie around his neck. Each time his fingers fumbled around the clothing, it caused him to get more agitated. He wanted to be prepared for when Gin was done so they can just get this night on the road. The sooner they were out the sooner they could crawl into bed and he could stop his hands from shaking so much.

Gin had other plans as she walked out of the bathroom much more sooner than he accounted. His eyes were casted down to the ground at Gin's feet so he wouldn't have to look at her directly. But that just left his eyes looking at her oddily elegant, slender legs that fit perfectly in her high heels. His silver orbs slowly climbed up her body like a mountain climber climbing the highest peek of Kumo's largest mountain. It went to her calves, her thighs, her hips, her stomach region where he was admiring her silver dress that matched so perfectly with her silver hair, her neck that was decorated with red jewlery to match her clan symbol that was marked on her back, her face that was masterfully detailed with makeup like a professional painter, and finally her hair tamed into a bun but with a few strands of hair that were left to giver her a fiesty and fiery apperance. But what was left having Sanosuke in a state of unsettledness was her blue eyes that danced with excitement. The light in her eyes were looking at Sanosuke's very own blue eyes; contrasting between the two as her eyes were so much brighter than his own.

The butterflies in his stomach suddenly turned into dragonflies darting around his innards as though they were in heat. She approached Sanosuke, the sounds of her heels bouncing on the wooden floors as she strided towards him. Her hips swayed back and forth as she walked, but his eyes was still dumbfounded at Gin's sudden transformation. He had to say something or he would just look like an idiot babbling similar to a newborn baby finding out it can talk. Taking in a deep breath, Sanosuke exhaled it so he can will himself to speak. "Gin you look...wow." Sanosuke finally breathed out. But his breathing got siginificantly more shallow as she steppped closer and taking his necktie that was in his hand out of it and into her own. Once her arms were around his neck, the butterflies in his stomach calmed down as his body became pretrified. For once he was so uncomfortable with her being this close, and having her presence this angelic that he was at a loss for words. When she was finally done, Sanosuke and Gin exchanged a look. Grunting his thanks, Sanosuke smiled back at her while they stood there looking into each others eyes.

His eyes were always darker than Gin's own. So comparing the two of them as their blue contrasting orbs danced with one another, it was similar to the sea of the ocean dancing with the vast skies. The butterflies were now gently resting as he was finding it very hard to not be entranced by her gaze. These feelings for Gin he had recently had discovered, it left him uneasy. He was conflicted honestly. He definitely couldn't deny his emotions of longing to always have her by his side, but what would she think? She probably wouldn't want anything to do with him; she had kids, he had a village. Just even mentioning it to her, Sanosuke didn't know how she would take it. Sanosuke snapped himself out of his thoughts at Gin's concern about him choosing her to be with him tonight. It was said with such an amount of softness that he didn't know what to make of it. As she spoke, he noticed her right hand was still resting on his own chest after tying his necktie. Her finger making small circles as she spoke out her concern like a small child confessing to her father about breaking his favorite possession.

This was a bit too much for him to handle. Something had to be said to break this silence between him. Giving her a toothy smirk that made him look more charming than he actually intended with his well groomed body for the night, Sanosuke chuckled. "Gin Kuroka, don't tell me you're jealous of Yui and the girls. Criminal or not, I'm not leaving you. So whoever has anything to say to you at the party could shove it. You're my date tonight." Sanosuke spoke to Gin, his words having an odd amount of protection and territorial aura towards the Kuroka before him. The last part of his words left a visible tinge of blushing on his cheeks that caused him to momentarily avert his gaze from the woman so she wouldn't see her reaction to seeing him look so flustered. While not having his eyes locked into hers, Sanosuke realized that he had involuntarily laid his hand ontop of Gin's hand that was still lingering on his chest as he spoke. Noticing this, Sanosuke broke the space between them and took a step back. A thousand of times he chanted to himself to calm himself down from being excited this much.

Once he was calm, Sanosuke would approach Gin and take her along the arm gently; a part of Gin that he would show to the women he would take out to dates, but never before would Gin experience this side of gentleness of Sanosuke. "Come on, let's get going." Sanosuke to managed to smile at Gin before walking them down the stairs and out of the estate to the night road that would lead them to the casino. It was a beautiful night with lights of the village casting a beautiful path for them to follow on their way to the casino. Fireflies danced through the skies to give their path an even more authentic and natural beauty to it. As they walked, Sanosuke couldn't help but remember the other time they went out together at the Waterfall village. There were fireflies in the air as well, much like these ones. It caused Sanosuke to chuckle at the time Gin acted like an excited girl after trying the shaved ice he bought her; strawberry flavor. He remembered her trying to hide her excitement for the frozen treat, but her eyes were a dead give away from her real feelings. Gin was always like that. With poker, feelings, or secrets. All one would have to do was to know what to look for in her eyes and they would them everything.

No doubt Gin would ask Sanosuke what he was laughing about as they walked through the village seeing the lights of all the venues as they walked. There was no way he could bring up his thoughts about their other "outing"(he wouldn't say date, he didn't have it in him to label it as such) or she might damage his prude by bringing up the carnival game that made him look like an idiot. "Just about that letter you sent me a few months ago. Something about you being a guy for some reason." Sanosuke was able to come up with on the spot. That was also something he wanted to know about. It would bring something to talk about on their way to the casino. That would sound like a tale that would be very amusing for him to hear. As they walked and talked, Sanosuke noticed a photographer that was approaching the two of them. "Raikage-sama! Would you like a picture taken with your lovely date? It would be an honor if I can capture this moment. And I'll have it sent to you tomorrow at sundown." he begged. The man looked familiar, most likely one of the nearby venues that received an increase in sales thanks to the Casino being opened up earlier than expected thanks to said kage.

Looking at Gin, Sanosuke gently placed his hand on her back and rubbed it briefly as he spoke. "Hey it's a free picture." Sanosuke coaxed Gin into taking a picture with him as the casino would be right in the background of the picture. He knew she didn't like having pictures taken too many times, especially with her looking so much not of her wearing a dress of all things as well. Honestly Sanosuke wouldn't be surprised if she called him an idiot and proceed to marching off ahead of him...

Gin hadn't anticipated that her appearance would have such an effect on Sanosuke. He was usually so composed that the young woman couldn't deny how much she enjoyed getting this reaction from him. She purposely swayed her hips as she walked just to see what would happen and was more than pleased with the results. Sanosuke ogled her openly, which made her smile. Fixing his tie was no problem at all and hearing his answer to her concerns made her look down and let out a chuckle. "Jealous? With my good looks?" She joked. They both knew that she was as confident as confident could be. It was honestly bordering on conceited at times. She did appreciate, however, that he stood by the decision wholeheartedly. It seemed like he had considered the consequences quite a bit and decided that they simply didn't matter to him.

The silver haired woman shook her head nonetheless, keeping a smirk that matched his own. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Even if you get a couple of declarations of war at the party, I won't let you back out of being my date once we're in there," she said the words lightly, back to her usual teasing tone. She let Sanosuke grab her arm gently and guide her out of the estate and down the street. Gin appreciated that there wasn't any fancy ride to the casino. She had never liked the ostentatious perks that came with being a Kage. She liked walking far better. It was more practical and didn't scream "look at me, I have power." No self-respecting leader of a shinobi village needed something like that to assert themselves.

Besides, the cool air felt nice on her skin. It was a welcome change from the usual muggy weather that drowned Kirigakure more often than not. Of course, Gin had gotten used to it, but the colder and windier weather of the Lightning Country was undeniably nice. She took a deep breath and enjoyed the comfortable silence that lingered between the two of them. She just reveled in the chattering of the gathering crowd and the soft humming of the cicadas in the night.

Gin was finally broken out of her reverie by Sanosuke suddenly laughing. She shot him a questioning look. She didn't even have to utter a single word for him to know what was going through her head. He gave her an answer to her unasked question. "Oh, that," Gin said with an air of distaste at recalling the memory. She suppressed a shudder. It was strange that he would be thinking of such a thing at a time like this, but Gin didn't question it. "Long story short, Dammy and I got some cursed chocolates in the mail from an unhappy guest at the club and wound up as the opposite sex. We found the guy and beat him to a bloody pulp to make him turn us back. Turns out we just had to wait it out," she concluded the story. Who knew there was some sort of jutsu out there that could turn people from male to female and vice-versa? Not Gin, that was for sure. It hadn't been so bad to be a guy, it honestly felt no different from what she normally felt. Except for the sex. That had been mildly horrifying. "Honestly, I don't know how you or anyone puts up with it. Sex as a guy is terrible. I have to say though, I was pretty damn hot," she added as an afterthought.

From the corner of her eye she spotted two familiar looking girls, dressed up for the occasion and holding hands as they walked closely to each other. "Aren't those Kaekio and Nozomi? They look adorable," Gin said, a little tinge of excitement and appreciation at the thought of each of their two students going out on a date with each other. It made Gin smile fondly. She turned to Sanosuke, knowing that he wouldn't be as appreciative as her. He would most likely disapprove, what with the casino's age restrictions. Gin had never really cared for such things. After all, she had started drinking when she was about thirteen a d had become a mother a year later. She hadn't exactly been a shining example of what a teenager should or shouldn't do. Her daughters had turned out similarly, though with a larger tendency towards destruction and vandalism with a mild hint of torture thrown into the mix. Gin shrugged mentally. In her opinion, Chie and Reiko had turned out fine.

The former Kazekage was preparing herself to say no to the photographer that approached the couple, but was dragged into a picture by Sanosuke before she could say a word. She shot him a glare as they moved and arranged themselves for a nice pose. She briefly considered pinching him hard in one of his more sensitive areas so that the photographer would catch a screeching Raikage on camera. However, she decided against it when she saw how happy Sanosuke looked at the thought of them getting their picture taken. Well, if it was just for them to look at and not for the tabloids, Gin saw no harm in it. She smiled as the photographer clicked on the camera a few times, setting off the flash. "You both look wonderful!" He said, sounding quite genuine and honest.

Gin had to agree. Sanosuke looked quite handsome, more so than usual. They made their way down the red carpet that adorned the casino's entrance. Paparazzi were taking picture after picture of the two and yelling out questions in hopes of jotting down a few quick answers to print out the following day in their respective magazines. Some younger people were begging to get the Raikage's autograph, shoving black markers and hastily printed pictures of his facd towards the couple. It made Gin chuckle. What surprised her, though, was that there was a considerable group of younger girls that were yelling out her name and asking for her signature. Without letting go of Sanosuke's arm, she went over and signed a couple of them, mostly because she was taken off guard by the fact that some people still looked up to her despite everything.

"I didn't know I still had fans," she would whisper in quiet bewilderment once they entered the building.

Her abridged story of how her and Dammy(most likely referring to Dameon) ate tampered chakra that had them revert to their opposite sex. Sanosuke had to agree that it was quite the jutsu to do something like that. But there was no way it was going to keep them in such a state for too long. Then again waiting wasn't really Gin's thing so he really did feel for the poor fool who changed Gin; they're most likely eating their meals from a straw. What Gin was talking about next was very amusing as it led to him nudging her playfully as she was complaining about being a man temporarily. "Hey now you know how much work we men put in just to get you off." Sanosuke chuckled again when Gin was talking about how hot she looked. Gin's once more legendary ego being flashed once more. Even in a situation where she was pushed way out of her comfort zone, in this case being turned into a male, she still found some way to place herself on such a high pedestal than the others. As they walked through the crowds of people, Gin pointed out that she could see Nozomi and Kaekio all dressed up to go into the casino as well. Despite his disapproval for them going into a casino when they were underaged, they both looked beautiful.

For Kaekio, Sanosuke had a strong protective instinct over her that he didn't have for others. It was as though she was his own flesh and blood that he felt so overprotective for her. A casino wasn't something a girl like her should be going to. Grunting his disapproval, Sanosuke sped up their pace so they could get there sooner than usual. "She shouldn't be going in there, she's far too young." Sanosuke mumbled. However his mood improved after meeting with the photographer that really  wanted to take their picture. What was more amazing was how Gin was actually willing to take the picture despite the fact that she hated pictures. The face she shot at him had daggers in them for suggesting such an idea, however the glare turned into a look of acceptance as she allowed the picture to be taken. Once they were in a pose that was suitable for the photographer, his arms wrapped around her waist while Gin placed one hand on his chest and the other wrapped around his own, the flash went off capturing the picture.The photographer told them how great they looked and that caused Sanosuke to scratch his head in embarrassment.

"Thank you Raikage-sama. I'll send the copies to you first thing in the morning!"

Waving him off, Sanosuke took Gin's arm once more and the two escorted along the red carpet of the casino. More flashes flagged down the couple as Sanosuke and Gin took their turn to get flashed by the paparazzi asking tons and tons of questions that Sanosuke ignored and only answered the ones that were worth mentioning. Multiple people tried to ask him to take pictures of him, or they would ask him for autographs of pictures of his old Raikage photo he took on his coronation. Some people were a fan of his old dreadlocked look, while a mast majority of them loved his original silver hair that he was born with. Despite the publicity on his side, Sanosuke noticed that Gin was gathering some intention herself. Some of them were crying out asking for Gin for beauty tips, others wanted advice on boys and pictures with the kunoichi. Honestly, Gin looked like she didn't know what to do with this amount of surprise attention. Chuckling, Sanosuke wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closely to him. "Easy ladies, she's mine for the night! Enjoy the rest of the night!" Sanosuke called out to the observers to hype up the crowd. They responded with pictures being shot one last time before Sanosuke took it upon himself to walk Gin into the casino.

"It's hard to forget Gin Kuroka, isn't it?" Sanosuke mused by talking in a quiet voice as well. Together they went inside of the casino where warm lights welcomed them into the scene. There were a wide collection of people here tonight. Political figures, celebrities from across the lands, and other famous figures in the world were here to amuse themselves. Now this was quite the night for to go out. Upon walking in Sanosuke and Gin were welcomed by the guest that identified Sanosuke on the spot. They paid compliments to his accomplishments he made with the village and how much they liked the casino. All of what they said was treated mutually with a smile, a handshake and a polite thank you for their compliments. After what seemed like an eternity of talking just to find somewhere to quiet for the two of them, the overall excitement of Sanosuke and Gin coming into the casino died down and everyone went back to what they were doing previously with only an exception of people nodding out of respect to the Raikage.

A server came by the couple with 2 tall glasses of champagne. Sanosuke took them both from the table and offered it to Gin. "Cheers to finally having a minute where we can just talk without being flagged down by a stupid amount of questions." Sanosuke gasped out playfully before offering his glass to cling with Gin's before drinking out of his own glass. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a boy around the age of 18-19 coming up to Gin and him. He was well groomed with blonde-white hair cut short and wearing an attire that looked more expensive than his estate all together. Around his arm was two escorts decorated with fine jewlery like a christmas tree. Looking carefully, Sanosuke was able to identify the boy. Hiroshi Saiykaiba, the one of the sons of the Thunder Country's Daimyo.

"Ah Raikage-sama, it has been far too long. When will you return to the palace? You were quite the personal guard that still remains to be my favorite guard. Father also misses playing shogi with you as we-" Hiroshi was saying as he approached Sanosuke but was caught off guard at Gin's appearance. Unlike Sanosuke upon seeing Gin in this manner of dress, the son of the Daimyo was rather composed. "Why hello. You are Gin Kuroka aren't you? It's an honor meeting you." The young prince bowed and offered his hand so Gin would take it to allow him to kiss it gently. A custom that everyone was familiar with, and Gin wouldn't dare deny the daimyo's son this one request of a greeting. However Sanosuke couldn't help feel a tightening in his stomach as he watched the boy kiss Gin's hand. What was this feeling? For some reason the butterflies that were once in his stomach turned into dragons roaring angrily just waiting to burst out. Even so, Sanosuke hid this displeasure he was experiencing with a forced smile and a chuckle. "Careful Gin, this young man is quite the swinger. Guarding you when you went out was always fun."

"And we shall again soon my friend. But after Kuroka-san and I get to know each other a bit more." Hiroshi nodded and winked at Gin. Pulling himself closer to him, but within Sanosuke's earshot, he whispered close to her ear. "I've never been with a criminal before."

Sanosuke guarded Gin and put himself between him and the prince before Gin would rip a new one into the prince. Not for his own safety at what Gin would do to him but for something else. His neck bulging as he was trying to hold in whatever he was containing inside of him. Even Hiroshi was taken back. Taking a deep breath, Sanosuke breathed out through his nose. However the bulge in his neck didn't stop pulsing. "Sorry Hiroshi, but she's with me. Unless you want me to tell your father about....Atem" Sanosuke said in a low enough voice for only him and Hiroshi to hear. Immediately Hiroshi's face was red and backed away slowly from the Raikage and his date as though he was struck by them. And like that he took off quickly with his dates while shaking with anger. With the prince gone, Sanosuke let out a sigh as the bulge in his neck died down. Just like that, his stomach unwinded itself as it was just the two of them on their own. Taking another swig of his glass, Sanosuke took one that was slightly larger than his usual consumption. He had just blackmailed the Daimyo's son by threatening to releasing information about his gay lover servant. But for him to go to such an extent at Hiroshi's antics?

Of course Gin must have realized something was up, so he had to change the subject before she would question his spontaneous action. The sound of the ballroom music in the nearby room gave him just what he needed. "Come on, let's dance." Holding out her hand, Sanosuke guided her onto the dance floor. He needed to do something to work out his unsettleness that wasn't related to drinking until he was stupid drunk that would lead to Gin and him having drunken sex. One it wouldn't be proper for him to get shit faced with this much media attention. And two for some reason, he didn't just want to get drunk tonight; he wanted to remember this night with Gin.

At Sanosuke's comment, Gin smiled coyly at him. Yes, it was difficult to forget about the young merchant girl who had entered the Academy at age twelve and become Kazekage only a few years later. Without a doubt, the young woman had managed to make an impression on most people. The fact that it was still a good one was what surprised Gin the most. The Council of Sunagakure had spared no expense to tear down her image, after all. Not only that, but most of what they said was true, even if partially so or taken out of much needed context. Nevertheless, Gin smiled at her current partner, a soft and kind expression that spoke of deep appreciation and affection.

Kumogakure no Sato had spared no expense in building the Golden Horn Casino. Its decoration inside matched the beauty of the building's façade. Crystal chandeliers hung high above the mingling crowds like a shining beacon, reminding them of where they were and what that meant: only the best of the best were gathered here to brush shoulders and establish or break off connections. This wasn't just about having fun and enjoying the night. This was about politics. Gin suddenly realized that now was the time to act on Kirigakure's - and more importantly, Ayakashi's - behalf. She groaned internally. This was one of the parts that she had hated the most when she held office in Sunagakure. Albeit, she had always been good at polite small talk and making an appropriate impression. She put on her most charming smile as the guests came to greet the Raikage and took the opportunity to introduce herself as the Mizukage's personal envoy, giving them her best wishes and regrets for not being able to make it. The silver haired woman even managed to make small talk about several trade agreements with officials from allies of the Hidden Mist, with promises of more benefits to come for all involved.

Sanosuke would without a doubt notice that she was being extraordinarily careful about every single word she said and even the smallest of movements she made. Gin would sigh in relief once they were alone. She sipped slowly on her champagne. "Yeah, cheers," she said, clinking the edge of her glass against Sanosuke's. "It's all part of the great game, isn't it? A smile at the right time can start a war or end one," she said in reference to her previous behavior. "I can't say I miss it or that I envy you and Ayakashi. I'm happy just being a wanderer, looking for fights and adventures when I damn well please, not having to worry about anyone outside my family - it's a good life," she said, looking on at the gathered crowd with some interest. The conversation was cut short by the arrival of a young man in an elaborate and expensive looking traditional clothing.

Without a doubt, this was someone of political importance. Considering his age and appearance as well as the two escorts hanging off of his arms, he was an heir and not someone who currently held office. Even before he spoke, Gin had already guessed who he was. The mention of a palace only confirmed it. Gin put on her most charming smile as his attention was suddenly directed at her. She bowed slightly in reverence as he pressed his lips to her hand. She had consciously offered him the one that still held human warmth in it. She looked up once again. "The pleasure is all mine. We're all lucky to have the royal family in our presence tonight. On behalf of all of Kirigakure, I would like to congratulate you on your recent birthday. Know that Lady Ayakashi has not forgotten the occasion. Your present from the village should be arriving in the coming week," Gin said, her smile widening, but her eyes still retaining an air of mischief that the prince would without a doubt find intriguing and alluring. Then came Sanosuke's comment about the boy being dangerous and a swinger. Before she could say anything teasing in response, the boy spoke again. Gin knew better than to interrupt him.

What came next, however, happened in a blink of an eye. The boy had blatantly called her a criminal. And in the way he said the word, he might as well have called her a prostitute, a common whore who he could claim for a night and brag to his friends. Because who would deny the young prince what he wanted? All these thoughts came to Gin's head in a flash. Before she could think rationally and measure the consequences of her actions, her body tensed to attack.

Teeth gritted and fist clenched, she would have likely fractured every bone in the boy's ribcage if Sanosuke hadn't stepped between the two and intervened. Her carefully crafted composure had been broken. She had reverted to being what she was - a creature of instinct, of reaction rather than considerate thought. But seeing him create a barrier between Gin and her would be victim gave the young woman a chance to think and reconsider. She visibly relaxed and returned her attention to the scene before her to see the boy leaving hastily. Whatever Sanosuke had said, it had served to ward off the young prince for the time being.

Gin let out a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. At Sanosuke's proposal to dance, she nodded. "Dancing sounds great," she said, holding on to his arm and letting him guide her to the middle of the dance floor. Similar to the Raikage, she needed something to take her mind off of what had just happened. She was furious, after all, and with good reason. She let Sanosuke place a hand on her lower back as she placed hers on his shoulder. Their other hands were now intertwined as they began to move, following the gentle beat of the waltz that the orchestra was playing. "Congratulations on preventing the first political incident of the night. I'm sure it won't be the last," she said somewhat jokingly, hoping to ease the tension.

Even while he stormed Gin through the dance floor, Sanosuke was still rather angry about it that he was a lot like a boiling pot that was sizzling off rather slowly. Having the prince no longer in his face showboating his immunitity from all physical harm coming to him angered him so much. True while he guarded Hiroshi it was amusing, but the kid was a brat to no end. Always thought things would just come to him. It angered him greatly that he couldn't think very straight. His mind silently allowed his body to be controlled by Gin's hands and committing its will to put his hand on her lowed back while the gently swayed to the music. The music was at least pleasant. Every few seconds the music's beat would snap Sanosuke out of his stupor temporarily before bringing him back. It caused for his hearing of Gin's words to be shrouded by the only emotion that he could come up with at the time; envy. Why was he jealous? Of that brat? Sanosuke didn't know he was capable of having these feelings for Gin after a stranger would hit on her so rudely. Why was he this territorial for her?

Finally Sanosuke snapped his mind at the end of Gin's sentence. She was looking into his eyes trying to figure out why he was so unresponsive and still sporting a scowl on his face. She was so concerned about him, she must have known something was bothering him by how tense his own body was while it held her. At the face she would give him, Sanosuke would feel his body loosen up and relax on her body. His face was wiped clean as Sanosuke stared back into her blue eyes as well; this time trying very hard not to be sucked into her gaze. In case Gin would ask him what was wrong, he would brush it off with a light smile and a "nothing's wrong, just kage politics" referring to his discussions of partners he met earlier on the night to cover up his attitude he had. Thankfully before Gin could get more serious in the questions, Sanosuke heard the music changed. It was something much more energetic than the gentle waltz.

If she was still talking to get some answers out of Sanosuke all she would see from his face change was a mischievously smirk to mark something was going to happen. She would be interrupted by Sanosuke pulling her surprisingly close to him so that there was little space between them so only the tips of their noses were keeping them from being melded perfectly together. Her hips were mushed ontop of his, her chest was implanted onto his own. Retreating his head, Sanosuke chuckled to himself. "You're not going to slow me down, are you?" Sanosuke mocked as he prepared himself to unleash a style of Modern Jive dancing her merged from his travels onto Gin. She was a skilled dancer as she told him numerous times from her establishment of the Siren's Den, but would it be enough for him to go all out, that would be for Gin to decide.

Using his chest, Sanosuke pushed Gin fluidly off his body in one smooth motion so that she spun around gently away from him thanks to his extended arm to allow him this balance of spinning so easily. His body would gently rise so he was on one toe and balanced on it as much as possible so Gin would spin longer than have to until finally his shoulders were parallel to the ground. At the point of his release, Sanosuke snapped his arm back to reel her in. She would spin closer and closer into his arms. Once she was close enough, Sanosuke would switch his hands from his hips to the middle of her and her bottom lower right thigh. Sanosuke would crane her body close to the ground as possible while having his face just as close her own. Their bodies would fall almost parralel to the ground but not touching. "Hey." Sanosuke smirked before continuing with their dance.

Pulling her up, Sanosuke placed her back directly in front of his front so that his hips were right on her buttocks. Each of his hands holding her own to form a T together as Sanosuke guided the two of them backwards and forwards in a reverse waltz. Never before Sanosuke had missed a count in their routine. If he made one small error, the silver haired man knew very well that Gin would fix it at the last second. So it wasn't as though Sanosuke wasn't doing everything; he was the writer while Gin his own editor. They were a team. Stopping their steps, Sanosuke craned his back along with Gin's so that it was parralel to the ground. Like silk, Sanosuke smoothly slid himself from underneath Gin and at her side. His hands touched her hips and her hand. Sanosuke positioned so that Gin's legs would hook onto his own like a pole as Sanosuke slowly pooled her closely upwards in a tight but slow spinning circle to crane her up to his arms. When they were close again, Sanosuke noticed how close they were once more. Their lips just close to each other but with their noses as a safety guard between the two as a last minute difference.

Chuckling, Sanosuke turned it into a speedy waltz that he allowed Gin to have control as he would make adjustments accordingly on her accord. "Get ready." Sanosuke would only say to her ear. Before she had the chance to say 'for what' Sanosuke would have his hands loosely around her hips to spin her close to the ground in a similar fashion as he done so earlier. But at the last positioned of it, Sanosuke changed it so that he spun around quickly to launch her upwards into the sky with enough strength to have her spinning gracefully in the air if she reacted quick enough to what Sanosuke had in store for her. Leaping himself into the air, Sanosuke reached her in no time. Gasps could be heard from the dance floor as they witnessed the Raikage leap to hold his dance partner into his arms. Sanosuke held Gin close to him as he looked her in the eyes as they were spinning into the air together. She would be calling him stupid for lifting her in the air so suddenly, but Sanosuke couldn't help but laugh. He really needed this. Besides, Sanosuke knew Gin was enjoying herself.

This was the first time they have ever danced together before. It was shocking how insync they were with each other's movements. Using wind chakra to slow their decent, Sanosuke slowly anchored them slowly to the ground. He used a significantly small amount to have Gin join him in using her own fuuton chakra to lower their decent until they gently touched the ground in a spiral motion. Craning their bodies once more slowly, he anchored himself low onto Gin so many times that they've already done in this dance. But this time they were doing so out of a rotation. It caused Sanosuke's face to move slanted to avoid the nose to nose collision and have their lips slowly and gently meet in an embrace of flesh at the end of the song.

Whoops.

Sanosuke was tense. It didn't take a genius or someone with remarkable observation skills to tell. Gin pursed her lips together. Had the brief interaction with the prince really gotten him this riled up? It couldn't possibly be on her behalf that he had gotten so angry. Gin briefly entertained the idea before mentally scoffing. No, Sanosuke was just doing his job, putting the brat in his place. He did it for the sake of Kumo. The young woman didn't turn around to look at Sanosuke, but she was almost certain that there was either a scowl or a frown on his face. She could only hope that dancing would be a quick way to work off both of their frustrations. A quiet waltz in the middle of the dance floor would be a perfect way to start things off. Or so Gin thought. Sanosuke was simply going through the motions, following her lead as if he were little more than a puppet.

What was going through his head?

She looked at him for a moment as they continued dancing. "You know, if you keep thinking so much, you might end up causing permanent damage to that poor brain of yours," she taunted lightly, hoping to get one of Sanosuke's usual reactions - something along the lines of a snappy response. Instead, all she got was a comment about this simply being Kage politics. Gin sighed lightly, continuing to guide Sanosuke through the steps of the dance. She would leave it at that, however, instead of pressing the subject. Fortunately for both of them, the music's tempo began to change. Gin shot her current dance partner a curious glance at his sudden change in attitude, but welcomed it all the same.

Gin was quick to react and match him in every movement and step, despite the little to no warning she had received from the Raikage. He had probably done so on purpose, as a sort of challenge, knowing him. She was sure that he knew her well enough to recognize that that was one of the easiest ways to capture all of Gin's enthusiasm. They were both competitive like that, enjoying the possibility of being outmatched and giving everything that they had to become the victor in the end. But more than a competition, this dance seemed to be a perfectly coordinated set of movements. They knew each other's tells and what the smallest of movements could mean, what they could lead to. Consequently, their minds seemed to be synchronized, almost as if they were a single person, somehow split into two different bodies.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Gin answered him as he pulled her close to him.

Gin spun across the dance floor, still holding Sanosuke's hand in hers as their bodies momentarily drifted apart. Keeping both her balance and a firm grip, she dipped her body backwards so that her back was arched towards the ground and only her left foot was on the ground. Her other leg was extended, forming a perfect split. Her body snapped back into its original position in one swift movement, less than half a second before Sanosuke moved his arm so that she was once again spinning towards his embrace. She followed his lead, letting him place his hands where he needed to as hers wrapped firmly around his neck and back. The silver haired woman simply smirked in response to his playful greeting, obviously amused by this entire ordeal. She corrected any small missteps that he made, her body reacting almost on its own every time.

At his warning, Gin felt a wave of anticipation and excitement in the pit of her stomach. She beamed brightly. She flew several meters into the air. Without wasting a single second, she made her body into a tight ball, wrapping her arms around her knees, which were pressed to her chest. The young woman made her body spin. Once she sensed that she was reaching the top of her altitude, she spread her arms and legs widely, her entire body facing the ground. Soon enough, Sanosuke was with her, wrapping his arms around her now straightened body. "That was smooth of you. I could have done with a few more seconds of warning, though," she chastised him playfully as they began to slowly drift towards the floor below them. Their mastery of wind and chakra aided in their slow descent.

And suddenly, his lips were on hers just as the song ended. Though surprised and taken aback at first, she kissed him back, her lips tenderly on his. She would only break the kiss once they were safely on the ground. At some point, the crowd had erupted into a wild fit of laughter and applause. It made Gin smile quite widely. She held Sanosukes hand in hers and bowed to them as if they were their loyal public in a grand spectacle. She hoped her partner would do the same. "That was quite a show, wasn't it?" she said, unable to hide the sheet joy she felt.

It would be somewhat shot-lived, however. A brown haired woman emerged from the crowd, clapping slowly, a devious smile plastered onto her features. Gin's grip on Sanosuke's hand tightened. She had already put him through enough trouble for one night. She would keep her composure, even if it killed her, even if she was staring at the face of Yutaka, Shinsen - member of the Council of Sunagakure no Sato. "It's been a long time, Gin, my dear,"[/color] she said, bowing curtly as a form of greeting. Gin mimicked her actions.

"I see you haven't changed at all, Shinsen. You're pleasant as ever," Gin said, her voice difficult to read. It was obvious from the choice of her words that thy were meant to be more of an insult than a greeting to an old friend.

Shinsen had the audacity to giggle, innocently placing her hand in front of her lips. "Lord Raikage, it is a pleasure to meet you. Sunagakure thanks you for your kind invitation and we hope to establish good diplomatic relations in the near future, despite... recent events that may have happened before your well-deserved promotion."

Gin eyed Sanosuke out of the corner of her eye. Shinsen's comment was no doubt meant to put a strain on their current mood, alluding to the fact that he was conspiring with Sunagakure behind her back. The silver haired woman wouldn't buy it, she refused to take the obvious bait. If he had indeed invited her or any of the Council Members, it was because his hands were tied, Gin was sure of that.

"He seems to have his own agenda, are you certain he came only to help you?

He would do the same to you if you had the answers he needed.

Get in the way of whatever he is searching and you will no doubt suffer the same fate."

Gendo's words echoed in her mind in a split second. She quickly shoved them aside. They were the words of a dying man aiming to open a rift between the Raikage and herself, nothing more.

Shinsen:

Even though the kiss wasn't at all intentional and Sanosuke had no objections to it he might even have welcomed the kiss, Gin was kissing him gently back. Their lips met in a brief collision that, to them lasted much longer than the two of them actually believed it lasted. Sanosuke kissed Gin back while holding her close into his arms while keeping her body from touching the ground. At the moment to him the room had melted away and there was no one there besides himself and Gin. Gradually the room's audience made itself more known by the amount of applause they were giving to the couple. It got louder and louder until finally their clapping snapped Sanosuke out of the moment. Clapping from all around the room resounded like thunderous rumbling the dance floor as the sounds bounced off the walls to give it a more amplifying sound. It almost caught the Raikage off guard as he just remembered that the other people on the dance floor had stopped whatever they were doing to observe him and his date dance the night away in their own world.

Once the moment was over Sanosuke lifted Gin back up onto her feet so she was standing properly, Gin broke the kiss between them so she would be standing at his side to take a better look at the people cheering for them. Many of them were chanting for an encore, others were pouring down on them countless compliments of praising their ability to dance so well together or how they had such synergy and trust in each other. Neither of their compliments were over-exaggerated. Even in a situation like this, Gin and himself knew way too well what the other was going to do or how to step in their dance together. Even before the other got the chance to make the step inwards, they would have already moved into the correct spot while guiding their future steps. Sanosuke felt Gin's hand slip into his own, and by reflex he clasped it firmly. Lifting their joined hands up in the air, Sanosuke and Gin bowed to call upon another wave of applauds from the crowd of approval of their dancing. Getting back up, Sanosuke was looking at Gin whom couldn't help smiling. He had never seen her smile so brightly and filled with such joy before. Sanosuke smiled back at Gin while chuckling as well.

"I'd say I'm surprised you kept up with me, but that'd be a lie." Sanosuke smiled back at Gin while his hand was still holding onto her hand. His thumb gently stroking the back of his hand as though his body was craving for the moment they shared on the dance floor once more. "You were great." The room began to disappear once more as he once again was catching himself looking into Gin's bright blue eyes allowing the world to melt away so that it was only her before him. The moment was short lived as he was snapped back into focus of their environment. What brought him back into focus was the distinct clapping of a brunette who looked around Gin's age but older. She strod into the scene as soon as the general applause died down. When she approached Gin, the two of them were treating each other as though they were silently ripping each other apart. He could feel Gin hand squeeze his own as she tried to reign in her emotions. She was definitely someone to be wary of. Shinsen Yutaka, apart of the council of Sunagakure no Sato.

Upon her greeting to himself, Sanosuke nodded and greeted her with a smile. Shinsen's next words caught him off guard. They were related to, though indirectly, at her having knowledge of Sanosuke having a hand in the death of deceased councilman Gendo. "I appreciate your gratittude lady Shinsen. I've already told Suna Representative Yui Inuzuka about how Kumo is more than happy to welcome Suna into the family. I'll protect my family from any harm that'll come to it." Sanosuke greeted back. As he spoke he put his arms around Gin's waist to bring her close to him in a subtle protective manner. His eyes betrayed the friendly words he was coming out of his mouth next. Both of those darkened sapphire eyes glinted with fire. "And for anyone who dares to harm my family will regret it dearly." His words carried a simple message to the councilman: If you touch my family again, you're going down like Gendou.

Rubbing Gin's back, Sanosuke stepped away from her and opened both of his arms up. "Now ladies I understand there are some hostility between the two of you. How about we bury the hatchet with a competition with stakes on the line: Gin wins, and you have to stop slandering her name in Suna and protect it like any other past Kazekage. And if you win, I'll leave Gin and accompany you for the night." Sanosuke suggested. It was a fair prize. After all Sanosuke figured that Shinsen, while arriving to the big event tonight without a date due to the fact every man that she found weak as too intimidated by her, must have mistaken Gin's happiness of being the center of attention for her being happy that him and Gin were a couple. Alas he wished it was true and not some terrible misunderstanding. So she would come and interrupt their fun to put her back into her place. Pity really.

The tension was palpable as Shinsen spoke with Sanosuke. Gin did her best to grin and bear it, devising in her mind how she could end this conversation quickly without her seeming weak in front of the older woman. Now more than ever, Gin needed to keep her emotions in check, lest the repercussions affect her long time rival and friend as well as his entire village. Therefore, she stood still, her expressions calm, if a bit stiff. It wasn't until he wrapped his arm around Gin's waist that she let a genuine smile flutter momentarily onto her features. He cared, he really did. And he was right - they were family. Maybe they weren't tied by blood or anything official, but the silver haired woman considered him someone essential in her life, someone she always wanted to be by her side. She trusted him completely, just as he did her. For a moment, her heart skipped a beat as her mind filled with emotions that she hadn't felt in a long time - ones that she couldn't consciously put a name on. Or rather, ones that she was purposely avoiding. After all that had happened to her over the years, no one could really fault the former Kazekage for doing so.

Before she could delve deeper into what she was feeling, Sanosuke drew her attention with the mention of a competition. She stared at Shinsen for a moment and then back at Sanosuke. Her eyes seemed to wonder none too gently what his intentions were with this. In other words, she glared daggers at him for half a second before once again turning her attention to the woman in question, who let out a somewhat condescending laugh at the proposal. "Why, my dear, what sort of competition do you have in mind?" She began before softly shaking her head. "No matter, I believe Gin and I are able to come up with such a thing on our own. That is, if she accepts the challenge. I understand if she doesn't. After all, she would probably much rather spend time with a young man like yourself, as she's been known to do." Her voice was sweet as honey, but her words were covered in little more than poison. Her polite smile never faltered, which was likely what Gin hated the most about the other woman. Somehow, Shinsen had always managed to keep an air about her that made her seem innately superior to everyone else around her. She always knew more, she was always three steps ahead. Other people around her were often little more than children - and without the use of words, she could make them feel as such. Years ago, this had been a quality that Gin had admired.

Gin mirrored her smile perfectly. "There's nothing I would rather do than entertain an old friend. I'll humor you with a competition. Feel free to choose whatever it is you would like to compete in," Gin offered, bowing her head curtly. She knew better than to take the bait and follow Shinsen into an argument that would only make the silver haired woman seem petty. It had happened before on multiple occasions, when Gin was merely starting her tenure as the head of Sunagakure no Sato. Shinsen would goad her and then reprimand her in front of the rest of the council. It had frustrated her younger self to no end. Now she knew that she only had to remain calm and seemingly unaffected by the subtle insults.

Shinsen nodded and looked around the room for a moment before her eyes settled on the orchestra that was still playing on the stage that had been set in the other end of the room. Her smile widened for a moment. Gin already knew what she was thinking. No more words were needed between the two women. "Shall we?" The older woman asked simply. Gin nodded in return. They made their way across the room without speaking a word to each other. It wasn't needed. They each knew what was going through the other's head. They had spent enough time together to be able to read each other.

Once they reached the stage, Gin tapped the conductor's shoulder to get his attention. The man was momentarily confused before the former Kazekage explained the situation. He was about to deny her request. However, it only took a mention of this being the Raikage's idea for him to back off immediately. The music ceased and with it, the dancing in the room. Confused murmurs echoed off the walls in the music's place. "Please, pardon the interruption," Gin began, speaking directly into a nearby microphone. "We have prepared a small show for you tonight, in honor of the Raikage himself," Gin explained. She might as well blame Sanosuke, since this had somewhat been his idea in the first place. The murmurs began to die down, but the confusion remained as people's gazes danced back and forth between the stage and the crowd. No matter, this wasn't really about them, was it?

The sound of Gin's heels clicking against the ground filled the room. She sat on the stool in front of the piano. and placed her fingers above the keys. It had certainly been a while since she had had access to one, but she was confident in her abilities nonetheless. A few feet away from her, Shinsen stood with a violin in hand. "Spring Sonata, yes?" She whispered to Gin, who nodded in response. Moments later, the soft sound of the violin and piano mixed together in the air in what seemed to be perfect timing and coordination between the two women. Gin's face remained impassive as her hands danced on the keys of the piano, drifting from one side to the other, matching every note that Shinsen played without hesitation. However, the peaceful mingling of sounds only lasted for the first few minutes of the song. Slowly but surely, it began to turn into a brawl, with each of them trying to take the spotlight from the other. The volume and rhythm increased dramatically. It had certainly been a while since they had played together like this - five years, at least.

It used to be a habit of theirs. Gin had ever really liked to play the piano - it was much too gentle for her rough personality. Her mother had still made her learn when she was a young girl, in an effort to keep her away from picking up a sword. Evidently, that hadn't worked for too long. However, there was no denying that the silver haired girl had a talent for the instrument from the start. She had always been dexterous and her hearing was impeccable. Therefore, playing came to her as second nature. Maybe the problem had been that it had never held much of a challenge for Gin. However, Shinsen had changed that. They began to play their respective instruments together two years after Gin became a Jounin. The habit had stuck for the ten years in which Gin had held her title. Now, it was almost the same as back then.

Gin's fingers moved efficiently with every progression of notes. Her concentration was unshakable and remained so until the song reached its climax. The room fell silent for a moment before erupting into cheers for the second time that night. However, not a trace of a smile could be found on the young woman's face. She stood up and bowed to the public along with Shinsen, who had set the violin aside. As soon as they left the stage. The older woman turned to her. "That certainly brought up good memories. I hope to see you around soon, my dear," Shinsen said, bowing towards Gin before disappearing into the crowd for the rest of the night.

The former Kazekage said nothing as she stood in place and stared at where Shinsen had been standing a few seconds ago. "I lost," she said as soon as Sanosuke walked up next to her. "I lost and she didn't even want to stick around. Knowing that she won is more than enough for her." Gin felt like punching something. Her expression finally began to show traced of frustration and anger. She looked at her left arm and clenched her first. "It's this stupid... fucking... thing!" She said between clenched teeth. "It isn't calibrated right, the fingers - they move a couple of milliseconds off! Normally it doesn't matter. Normally I'm just holding a sword. But this... god fucking dammit!"

Song:

The exchanges of looks between the two left Sanosuke once more loss at what was going on between the two women's heads. His proposal was denied, but they still wanted to have some sort of challenge in order to put the other in their place. There weren't any stakes, just bragging rights the other had over the other to say they are indeed better than the other. Even if Sanosuke wanted to get between them, Gin would most likely punch a hole in his stomach for attempting of intervening. So he was stuck in the back to watch them do whatever challenge Shinsen was going to propose. Hopefully it wouldn't be too damaging. But alas it was something rather subtle and would bring a rather peaceful atmosphere in the air for the casino. They were to play a song together. Shinsen on the violin and Gin playing on the piano. He personally had no idea that Gin knew how to play an instrument besides instruments of death that she would always have on her. But a piano was something he didn't expect for her to know how to play. She certainly never told him about this talent of hers.

Nevertheless, Sanosuke waved towards the audience that saw him being the reason why this show was being played for. Gin would no doubt be annoyed that she was performing her hidden talent to all of those strangers she had never even met before. Smiling, Sanosuke leaned his back against the wall with his arms crossed and listened to the music as it traveled towards his ears. It was subtle at first and very contained. Pleasant sounds crawled in his mind and let his body feel at ease from the music. Despite Gin's rough nature, Sanosuke had no idea she was capable of having this much of a soft side. True she was a mother and Sanosuke had been there personally to see her exercise her tender side. But seeing her showing off her soft side because of her playing an instrument like a piano was something that Sanosuke didn't expect. Her fingers danced on the pearly white notes as though they were a blur across each of the keys. Her face was painted with concentration as she was trying to hard to do her best that she could do. What was she concentrating so hard for? Did music mean that much for her, was it because of Shinsen, or was it something else that Sanosuke doubted to believe; that she was playing this hard for him.

Before he could think more about this, the music was over and the crowd applauded. Sanosuke realized the song was over so soon. Was he lost in his thoughts for that long that he didn't recognize that they had stopped playing the music? Shinsen walked passed Sanosuke with a playful sneer across her face to go about her night leaving a Gin looking quite frustrated. She was trying so hard to not causing a scene that even Sanosuke wouldn't have dared to tease her. She put so much of her work and energy that it would be insulting of him to mock her hard work. He had to get something for her in order to brighten her mood.

Walking off stage briefly, Sanosuke snatched a rose from a bouquet of flowers that a wealthy aristocrat was offering to another woman before he could get the chance. It was a ruby red rose that was only slightly darker than the redness of the tattoo on Gin's back of her clan. Holding the rose in his one hand, he made his way back on the stage quietly so Gin wouldn't notice him. She seemed to be far too busy beating herself up for not doing as well as she thought she did. When he was close enough, he could hear her now more clearly muttering about how frustrated the silver haired woman was. Gently touching her arm to get her attention, Sanosuke took a deep breath to brace himself for what he was going to do. "I always did have quite the liking to pianos." Sanosuke said quietly while offering the rose for Gin to take in her hands. Its smell was still fragrant and strong enough for anyone close enough to take in its aroma. Hopefully it would be strong enough to take her mind off of Shinsen.

Sanosuke slipped his right hand in Gin's own before clasping it gently in his own. "Come on, I want to take you somewhere." Sanosuke said before he would gently guide Gin slowly off stage. Then he would escort her out of the room and out of the Golden Horn by moving past the crowds of the other patrons of the casino. After getting out of the casino, they would be in the night sky where dusk had settled in rather nicely in his village. The stars, although normally hidden from how cloudy the village is, were shining brightly tonight despite the clouds. Taking his hand away from Gin's, Sanosuke began to take off his coat. Out of it being a gesture and not at all thinking that she was cold, Sanosuke took off his coat and put it around Gin's body so she would be wearing it. "You hold on to it, I gotta get this freaking tie off me. I feel like I'm getting strangled over here." Sanosuke chuckled as he would undo his tie so it would hang loosely around his neck. Pulling him his sleeves, Sanosuke stretched his back as he was much more comfortable in his skin now.

"Now that's handled, shall we continue?" Sanosuke said while offering his hand for Gin to take. They would continue to walk in the same direction towards the estate, however they would make a small detour. Silence as they walked seemed natural as the two of them were both tired from the level of social interaction the two of them had been through together. Even so Sanosuke couldn't help but steal a few glances at Gin as they walked whenever she wasn't noticing. The night sky illuminated her in a soft glow as she trudged on at his pace. He thought about saying something but didn't want to ruin the quietness between the two of them. It was soothing to him.

When reaching his destination, Sanosuke looked that they were at an open field near a cliff  that  revealed it to be a slope of a mountain top they were on. Most people thought the Raikage estate was on an incline, but it was really built on a broken up shallow mountain where the edges made it look as though it was on an incline. The only way to know it wasn't an incline was coming this close to the cliff of the estate to watch the emptiness of the missing ground. "I wanted to show you this. Sanosuke finally said as he sat at the edge of the cliff with his feet dangling off the edge. Patting her a spot for her to join him on the grass, Sanosuke would make room for her tot join him. At first glance it would just be empty space. True it would be quite the spot to look at the clear skies. However that wasn't all he wanted Gin to see. Snapping his fingers, Sanosuke allowed the grass particles and the strong air particles still around to cling onto the senjutsu chakra around them to illuminate the area  around them in an assortment of lights. The lights gently changed randomly like a steady pulse of a heart.

"I found this spot during my training out here on these fields near the estate. This area is soaking with senjutsu chakra and allows me to do things like this easily. Thought I wanted to share it with you because of how awesome the lights are. They change without me even having to do anything to them." Sanosuke explained while getting excited at the last part. After hearing himself get this excited for the lights he created from his senjutsu abilities, he realized it might be a bit too much for her. It caused him to blush as he looked away from Gin and plopped himself on the grassy floor to look at the starry skies above him. Anything to get this feeling of unsettledness out of his stomach. He wasn't used to acting like this towards Gin for too long, but he couldn't stop. Each moment she was with him, Sanosuke wanted her to know more about his world.

Gin allowed Sanosuke to lead her outside of the casino. The fresh air brushed over her shoulders and back, drawing a light shiver. She wasn't cold, however. If anything, she was relieved. it felt like she could finally breathe easily, like she would relax without having to worry about every single little thing around her. Such was the nature of politics. It was something that Gin knew rather well and had been happy to get away from. She let out a sigh, her steel fist still clenched tightly as she began to walk. It was easy to tell that the silver haired woman was angry and frustrated. It wasn't something that would wear off with ease. Nevertheless, she was grateful to be outside and headed back to her temporary home in the Raikage's Estate. Then again, he had said that he wanted to take her somewhere, so she may as well humor him, knowing that he wouldn't guide her towards anywhere she didn't want to go. She let him put his jacket over her shoulders and watched for a moment as he began to take off his tie. She smirked, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She might as well mimic him in her own way and let loose now that they were out of the public eye.

The former Kazekage closed her eyes and sent a controlled pulse of fire chakra down her mechanical arm and the left side of her face, careful not to singe what was probably a very expensive part of the Raikage's suit. The make up she used burnt away instantly so that the mechanical parts of her body now showed plainly. Her arm reached behind her head and pulled at the makings of her bun in order to set her hair loose. Locks of silvery white tumbled down her shoulders. She shook her head slightly to arrange them in a way that wouldn't constantly get in her face. "This is much more like us, isn't it?" She said as she began to follow her partner down the road once again. She let a comfortable silence fall between them, one that neither or them bothered to or wanted to break. The Raikage's Estate soon came into view. Gin cocked an eyebrow for a moment in confusion, knowing that this couldn't possibly be what he wanted to show her. She had lived in the mansion for a couple of weeks already, after all. However, she didn't say anything, letting Sanosuke guide her past the gardens behind the main building, until they reached the edge of a small cliff.

Gin listened to Sanosuke's explanation. The view below was beautiful in and of itself, with a clear sight of the eastern side of the Village Hidden in the Clouds, especially in a clear night like this one. The stars shone brightly overhead, casting a soft light on the ground below. She sat beside Sanosuke and let herself smile, even though the display was far from over. Suddenly, small orbs of colored light began to float in the air around them, like enchanted fireflies drifting across the sky. Her smile widened at the beautiful sight, a soft laugh escaping her lips. Senjutsu chakra, huh? It's... It's beautiful. Thank you for this," she said, the anger from before finally slipping from her. She let silence fill the air once again before speaking.

"That song I played just now... Shinsen was the one who taught me how to play it," Gin said, her voice soft and full of something that could only be described as nostalgia. She breathed a heavy sigh and rested her back against the soft grass. It tickled the bare skin on her back, but she paid no mind to that. She closed her eyes for a moment before letting her eyes set sight upon the starry sky, made even brighter by the lights that Sanosuke had lit around them. She stretched her mechanical arm and let one of the tips of her fingers brush against the small orb, shining a bright pink and slowly transitioning to orange. Gin let out a soft chuckle at that, the light drifting away from her finger after the gentle contact. "She taught me how to play it right after I became Kazekage. We didn't get along much at first, but I always got the feeling that there was something she was trying to teach me. I don't think I ever realized what that was," she said wistfully, a sad smile gracing her features. "I guess it's too late to think about that now, though."

She paused for a moment before continuing. Her eyes were drifting from one light to the next, following their movements absentmindedly. It was a beautiful sight, one that she was grateful for. "They were my friends, once - my mentors. And now we're trying to kill each other. I don't blame them, though. I deserve it for putting the village in danger for trusting... him. I wonder sometimes, where my life would be if I hadn't met him. Maybe I'd still be Kage, complaining about paperwork instead of being stuck in this mess I dug up for myself. Maybe I would've been there to save Sake and we'd be married or something like that," she chuckled humorlessly, realizing that this maybe wasn't something Sanosuke wanted to hear. Then again, she needed to get this off of her chest. "I'd still have my arm, too," she continued. "Then I realize that not going down the path I chose would mean I wouldn't have Shinji or Misao or Ren. I would've never moved to Kiri or joined Aoi Bara. I wouldn't be where I am now - here, with you, Sano-teme" she smiled, finally turning to look at Sanosuke, saying the nickname with love and fondness instead of the usual tone of annoyance. "Then I realize that, if given the choice, I would do it all over again just the same." Her voice had turned into little more than a whisper.

Everything that she said was true. She had lost so much over the years, but she had also gained a lot in return. She had a family that she wouldn't change for the world, a family that she would gladly give her life to protect, a family that she would continue to live for every day until she drew her final breath. "Because I want to be here. Because despite everything, I love the life I have. And I have the people I love to thank for that. I... have you to thank for that."

The lights glimmered from Sanosuke's chakra giving it light as it blinked and radiated throughout the sky with assistance from the lights from the starts out. For some reason the moonlight was shining quietly brightly without being interrupted by the Kumogakure clouds that were famous for blocking the moon and the stars from shining down upon them. Sanosuke watched as the lights would come closer and brighten their immediate area in a warm light that cast Gin in a light that Sanosuke couldn't look away anymore. She had just thanked him for bringing her here. Or was it for the night overall? A combination of the fun they had meeting all sorts of officials that they later made fun of behind their backs, to the fun on the dance floor they had, and finally this. He guessed that this was something that Gin wasn't accustomed to be shown by him of all people. Sanosuke smiled at Gin and scratched the back of his head embarassed of the praise. There was something about her hair down like that, as opposed to her hair being tamed in a messy bun, just made her look that much more beautiful. This was the true form of the Gin Kuroka that was the reason for his conflicting and foreign feelings he was having for the woman before him.

Gin's face no longer was caked up with makeup to the point that she didn't look like a celebrity actress coming to the red carpet of the premier of her star movie but more of a cleaned up and relaxed version of herself. She sat there on the patch of grass close to him as she began to speak. Each of her words carried a strong sense of nostalgia that Sanosuke could tell was from a deep place in her heart that revealed her longing for things to go back to the way things were. As she spoke she played with the lights that Sanosuke had erected with his chakra with her mechanical arm. It vanished at the simple touch of her fingers, causing Gin to lightly laugh at it; if he listened carefully it sounded like a giggle. She took a minute to pause as she was just content at looking at the lights in front of her for a while. Sanosuke would change his focus of his eyes to match her so they were both looking out at the scene around them. The lights colors had began to slowly syngergize to be one color. It was a gentle green coloring as though it was matching Sanosuke's mood. Green for how relaxed and content he was, similar to how an old man would act after having a cup of green tea during a mid spring's day. The silence and the lights left Sanosuke amazed that the world had this many surprises left for him and Gin to find out on their own.

Then Gin began to speak more about her past. She was longing for the life she had before she met with the man she never wanted to speak of for the longest time since Gin and Sanosuke had known each other; Trilby Uzumaki. Before they had met, Sanosuke would agree that she had a much happier life. She was at the top of her village, her people loved her, and a man that she could come home to everyday and shower her with his own love. It left a pang in his heart that someone else could have Gin all to hisself even before Sanosuke got the chance to even meet her. The colors around them shifted to a soft melancholy blue, reflected a soft emptiness as Sanosuke was reminded that Gin had fallen in love with other men that would always hold a spot in her heart. After all the troubles she's went through in her own love life, Sanosuke knew deep down inside that Gin probably didn't feel the same way about him and even if she did it would just be farcry of her feelings for her past lovers. Even so he listened to Gin's words while letting out a soft sigh and continued looking at the sky above them.

But then her words changed. Her gaze even was casted down at his face so Sanosuke would have no choice but direct his eyes towards Gin's own. The tale of the two blue pairs of eyes met in another warm embrace with one another. The colors around them changed to a more gentler version of blue that was less melancholy and more uplifting. A shade of periwinkle slightly brighter than Navi's hue of color. Sitting himself up, Sanosuke wanted to hear more about what Gin had to say if she really had gotten her wish. When he sat up, he realized just how close Gin had sat down to him to the point that they were only a foot between each other. Their hands that were still on the ground touching the grass were close enough for him to grasp of he wished to. She spoke on how much she would've missed out on life if she had stayed in Suna and not went on her emotional journey that led her hear. It was like listening to Gin playing the piano again, but instead of the ivory keys being struck to pull him closer into her personal space like gravity would to a smaller object, the woman was using her words that flew freely from her lips.

Something was under Sanosuke's hand as he noticed it was Gin's own hand. The two were close enough so his thigh was gently brushing up against her own. Despite how close they were, Sanosuke wanted to hear her speak more and more. The lights changed once more into a warm shade of magenta mixed in with auburn red coloring. Any questions that he thought of if she considered him someone she was close as the people she cherished were wiped clean from Sanosuke's mind.  She cared about him. Although it may or may not be romantic, it was enough. Everything he's done for her in her name and to protect that happiness she's found after being hurt for so long, Gin finally showed explicit gratitude to it. It let Sanosuke's heart warm to the point that it was difficult for him to speak. He would try to say thank you but no words would come out. He was still choked up at not knowing what to say. When Gin had said that she wouldn't have changed it for the world, Sanosuke willed himself to say something back. Anything really?

"You'd do it again even for a know-it-all, condescending asshole like myself?"

He would look back at Gin with a small playful smile as he quoted one of the many insults Gin had hammered down onto him since they had known each other. But his eyes yearned for a legitimate answer to the question. Would she really mind him? A small chuckle would escape his lips as he took the time to look into her eyes once more. "You can stay here as long as you want, but if you go anywhere just know I'm going to be right behind you so you stay out of trouble." Sanosuke replied to Gin's last words as a joke as he would slowly use his left hand to brush one of the lights that was coming closer to the Kuroka's face and into her hair. They changed from the color they were before to a golden light color; pure joy and fulfillment. And Gin's figure looked almost angelic in the light as his fingers went through her hair to get the bulb out of her hair. His other hand was gently touching her mechanical hand and wrapped his fingers around each of prosthetic finger as though it was a real hand. Frozen in time, Sanosuke was lost once more into her gaze. It turned his entire world upside down looking into those eyes once more. Instead of seeing the skies when looking into Gin's eyes, Sanosuke felt like he was close to submerging himself into the warm waters of the ocean. It embraced him and shielded him from harm with each lap of its waters.

This time Sanosuke wouldn't fight the pull of the ocean as it came to the shore and invited him each time to join it. This time Sanosuke would accept the invitation. Squeezing Gin's mechanical arm, he prepared himself what he was going to do next. Even though she couldn't possibly feel out of that arm, he wanted something to get to her. Something that would allow her to feel him holding that arm specifically. Senjutsu chakra, demonic energy from his veins, anything that he could do that would let her feel his hand squeezing her own gently as Sanosuke moved gently towards his already close face to Gin's own. His other hand was craning Gin's neck to guide her own face close to his own. Time seemed to slow down as their lips would slowly very slowly make flesh to flesh contact with one another.

When their lips made contact, Sanosuke could feel the lights around them rising in intensity with how much his heart was beating. The lights weren't intense enough to actually interrupt the kiss, but enough for them to feel the lights gently touching their bodies as though they were both wrapped in one giant blanket together. The colors was no a silver light that was close to the complexion of a blank piece of paper because of how pure his heart was feeling right now. The colors gently bled in and around them so it would be a multiple array of colors. As Sanosuke began to kiss her, he would gently stroke her cheek gently while moving his body closer to hers. His hand still clutching onto Gin's prosthetic without an intention of letting it go for a single instant. At this very moment in time, Sanosuke was holding onto Gin so she wouldn't leave him or this field for any reason.

He hadn't realized just how long their kiss lasted between him gently rubbing his hands over her body, Sanosuke found himself on top of Gin with the two of them looking into each others eyes as they laid there in the grass. Time seemed to have escaped him as he noticed that the lights had died out so they were only being shown light because of the moon and the stars above them. "Home?" Sanosuke whispered to Gin as he stole another kiss from her before she could answer. That was the first time he had actually referred to his place as both Gin and Sanosuke's place of residency. It just slipped out of habit, but still Sanosuke wanted her. And not in the same way that he usually wanted her company in the usual drunken stupor between the two of them. It felt more wholesome this time around. So would she allow it he would proceed by picking her up in his arms and carry her to his estate where they would be behind close doors. He wanted more than Gin's body tonight, he wanted something more.

It was Gin's turn to let out a chuckle. "You'll keep me out of trouble?" She laughed. "I am trouble," she said, still keeping the lighthearted humor in her voice. "If you plan on sticking around anyways, though, don't say I didn't warn you." She was silent for a moment, breathing in the surrounding air - fresh and clear. When she spoke again, her voice took more of a serious note. "Chaos follows me wherever I go. It's not a lifestyle most people would want, y'know? The future will always be a mystery. Hell, the present isn't that clear, either," she let out a humorless chuckle. "If you really mean what you say, if you would really follow me wherever I go, we'll be the only things that are certain in each other's lives for as long as we live." Her eyes were locked with his. The intensity of her stare - the raw emotions behind it - were hard to deny. The colors around them shifted and changed. For a moment, Gin thought that they were mirroring her feelings, that Sanosuke had somehow set it up so that the lights were linked to her chakra. Soon, however, she realized that these were something akin to his own emotions being on display. He trusted her with the most vulnerable parts of himself. "So, knowing this, will you still stay with me?" She asked.

From the corner of her eye, Gin saw his hand extend and his fingers wrap around her mechanical hand. She figured it was simply because it was the one lying between them and thought little of it, smiling nevertheless. She let out a gasp, however, when she began to feel what could only be described as warmth. Her eyes widened, quickly shifting her gaze from Sanosuke to their intertwined hands back and forth. "How...?" She began, unable to even begin to phrase the question. She let him bring a hand towards her face and draw them closer to each other. She closed her eyes and let their lips touch slowly, at first. Gin felt her heart skip a beat as Sanosuke's arms wrapped around her. Leaving their hands locked together, she moved her free arm to wrap it around his back. She could feel the need and affection emanating from Sanosuke's every movement.

Gin mirrored his intensity and his desire, making sure that he knew that he wasn't alone in what he felt. She had never been good with words, even as a child. No matter how hard her mother tried, the young Kuroka had learned very little of poetry and literature. Her handwriting was barely passable or legible. The was she spoke was often crass and blunt. She rarely had a need to say anything she didn't fully mean. As a result, putting words to what she felt was a complicated ordeal. All she could do was show them through whatever actions she cold muster and hope that the other person understood what she was trying to say. Right now, there was little doubt in her mind that Sanosuke understood her perfectly.

Once their lips finally separated, Gin smiled gently, looking up at Sanosuke with eyes full of adoration. "Yeah... home," she agreed. Gin supposed that that was what it was - her home. Sure, all she had at the Raikage's estate was a small suitcase full of personal belongings, but that wasn't really what defined a home for her. In other words, she realized that wherever her family was, that was her home. And with Sanosuke as a major part of it... well, there was little more that she could say other than that - she was home. She let out a light laugh when Sanosuke picked her up and carried her bridal style towards the large building. She buried her head in his chest and simply breathed in the comfort of his familiar scent.

She hesitated to say it, even to herself, but Gin was happy.

"You couldn't keep me away even if you tried"

His answer to Gin's rather curious proposal still rung in his ears. It was the only thing he could think of when she asked him. But he was content with his answer that he couldn't help but smile. As he hoisted Gin in his arm he could feel her resting her weight into him to make it so she was giving his entire weight to him to hold. She was also very comfortable with him holding her bridal style in his arms. In fact she got comfortable enough to snuggle her face into his chest like a kitten. Sanosuke craned his neck downwards towards Gin as he walked her closer to the estate. "Hey that tickles, cut it out." He chuckle while pushing his face close to her own so that their noses were touching once more. Sanosuke's nose was playfully messing with her own as he would carry them into his estate sharing laughs as they shared their steps to their destination. Her scent of clung to his nose as his face was rather close to her own without any hesitation in his eyes as the two shades of blue clashed with one another. Smiling at her, Sanosuke couldn't help but get lost in those blue eyes again as he walked up the stairs with her.

He barely was able to open the door to let them both in without having the need to have his way with her right then. Once the doors were closed, Sanosuke would pounce on her as soon as he would let her down from his arms. Kissing her roughly, Sanosuke pushed her body against the wall while bracing his body against her own. His tongue pushing against hers to make it roll back further into her mouth. Sanosuke's body was right up against Gin's so that his chest was planted right on Gin's cleavage. If Gin was paying attention to his body, she could listen to his body chanting 'more' as he began to kiss her. Pictures and portraits that decorated the wall bumped slightly as Sanosuke began to kiss her up the wall and holding Gin in his arms once more. Holding her like this in his arms, Sanosuke began to travel the two of them upstairs into their bedroom. Each step flew from under Sanosuke's feet as he glided up the stairs and into the bedroom with ease.

The door closed sharply, sounds of clothing could be heard being shed from a couple's body and tossed onto the floor, more laughter could be heard as the sounds of the mattress compressing onto the ground from two people landing on it could also be heard from behind the closed door. For the next couple of hours, the vacant halls of the Raikage Estate would be flooded with the sounds of that same bed creaking to its very core and moans from both parties involved.

(fade to black)

It would be several hours later where the rather mature sounds coming from the Raikage's room would cease. Upon looking into the room, one would spot  a trail of clothing leading to the bed that comproised of; Sanosuke's dress shirt and jacket, Gin's heels kicked off to the ground along with Sanosuke's shoes, his pants and Gin's dress was also tossed carelessly on the floor as well. Sanosuke's boxers was the closest to the bed as was Gin's bra and panties. The bed was a complete mess as the once straightened bed sheets that were on the Raikage's bed looked to in such a state of disarray that it looked like a giant beast laid on said bed and ran off. The dressers surrounding the room were in no better shape as the assortment of materials like scrolls, general cosmetics and other belongings of his were knocked on the ground. One could say that the fun the two of them had weren't limited to just in the bed.

Laying on the bed with each other was a sweaty and heaving Sanosuke with an even sweaty Gin wrapped around his right arm. Covers veiled their bodies at the moment so only their waist down would be covered in the blankets. One arm would be resting around Gin's body, the hand resting gently on thighs stroking it up and down while they laid together in the same bed. His other hand rubbed his neck and chuckled out loud. "Hickeys? Geez Gin, didn't think you were a teenage girl again." Sanosuke teased as his right hand would rub the spot on his neck that would leave a rather curious bruise on his neck for all to see thanks to Gin's excessive biting while they had sex in his bed. Thinking about it, this was the first time that they've done it without them being intoxicated or mad at each other. They just did it because of a reason other than those ones. It was out of love that they decided to move the fun into his bedroom, is what Sanosuke thought at first. He wondered if the feelings were mutual, or if Gin did it because she was just horny and just wanted to take advantage of their friends with benefits label they had on each other for years.

And here Sanosuke was thinking there would be time to amend that label he had build on himself. Nudging Gin with his head into her shoulder, Sanosuke playfully got the woman's attention. "Hey did I ever tell you the story of the flute musician?" Of course he hadn't told her so the would start while looking upwards at the ceiling and began tor recite the story. "There was once a boy who had lived off the land bouncing from one militia group to another because his country was at wore with itself. So faction to faction he would survive and play his flute. They loved how it sounded, he could play any song he heard before at least twice. But when the group he would stay with was killed, he'd play a song for his dead comrades before starting back onto his journey to wander. Then he met with this one village that raised him like another child in the village. It made the musician very happy. But then an army militia force invaded the village looking for the musician as he might be a security link. To save the ones he loved, he gave himself up to the army. The village heard the flute played as they dragged him off. Even when the rounds popped off from the firing squad, the very faint sounds of a flute could be heard as the wind carried on his spirit"


"My mom told me that story when I was younger. When I first heard it I cried and said that it was such a terrible story. She'd pat my head and kiss my forehead before saying she thought it was beautiful because it talked about sacrificing yourself to protect the ones you love. She would say that she would be my flute musician in a heartbeat." Sanosuke smiled softly as he held Gin closer to his body. The smile had a hint of sadness as he was thinking of his mother. To her last breath, she wanted him dead because he was a ninja. But Sanosuke still loved her. She was his mother. But reading her favorite tale she told me to Gin gave the Kuroka another piece of himself that he couldn't just get back from her. He found Gin's hand before holding it in his own from under the blankets. "Gin, I....want you to know that I'll always protect you and the kids with my life. Nothing will harm you all so long as I'm breathing." Sanosuke began to say before his nerve got the best of him .

Originally he was planning on see where they stood with each other, like if they should take their relationship to the next level. But his nerves got the best of him and defaulted to that, his eyes were averted from Gin's while she listened to Gin's words. Hopefully she would appreciate his gesture for protecting her kids like their his own. If not then she would probably think of him as some weirdo that left a sour taste in his mouth. Letting out a sigh, Sanosuke plopped his head on Gin's chest so the side of his head rested on her bar breast like a pill. His hair would be there for Gin to play with while he pouted for being tongue tied with Gin once more.

Gin was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Despite her superb level of stamina, she was still somewhat tired. She had to give it to the current Raikage - he had the ability to keep up with her, something that most people lacked. For a short moment, Gin got up from the bed, needing a little bit of space and fresh air to cool off. She tied her long hair into a loose bun so that the skin on her neck and back could breathe as well. She considered scavenging through Sanosuke's closet and stealing one of his shirts, but figured it was best to do that after she showered. Instead, she simply crawled back into the bed and rested comfortably in her partner's embrace. Like this, she felt safe, secure and relaxed. Rays of warm sunlight began to drift into the room, though the curtains and windows, indicating that the night was finally over and the sun was rising in place of the moon. Despite the events of the night before, Gin had to admit that she was quite happy with how everything had turned out. Sure, she would have preferred not to run into Shinsen at all, but if there was anything that the silver haired woman had learned over the years it was that nothing could ever be perfect. People simply needed to learn and accept things as they came and try to see these unforeseen circumstances in the best light.

For instance, had she not lost the brief competition against one of her former partners and mentors, she wouldn't have been angry and upset. Had she not been that way, it was unlikely that Sanosuke would have taken her to the small cliff behind the mansion and shown her the beautiful display of color that she had been lucky enough to see. Consequently, their night would have probably ended with the two of them arguing over who was hogging the sheets and practically pushing the other person off of the bed. The thought made Gin smile. She had grown to find every aspect of her relationship with Sanosuke quite endearing. That's why she chuckled at his comment.

"You didn't seem to mind it last night," she followed that by doing a purposely terrible impression of the things he said only a few hours ago. However, she pretty much nailed exactly what he had said word for word. She yawned and stretched her arms. Sure, her mechanical limb didn't really need the stretch, but she did so anyways. It was a habit, really. She never took the arm off of its socket, finding it more uncomfortable not to have it there. It always felt like something was missing whenever she didn't have it there. Truth be told, she had only spent about three days without an arm before deciding that living that way was impossible. The following day, she already had a blueprint of her first mechanical arm. In under a week, the prototype was up and running almost flawlessly, with only a few improvements and tweaks needed. Now, it was just another part of her - one that just didn't have the same level of warmth than the rest of her. A mischievous smile graced her features before she pressed the cold metal against the bare skin of Sanosuke's lower back. She would let out a chuckle if he jumped at his reaction.

Once they had both settled down again, Gin would feel Sanosuke nudging her shoulder to get her attention. "Hm?" She let out lazily before shaking her head slightly. "No, I don't think you've told me about that," she answered his question. He went on to tell the story. Gin had expected it to be more of a fairy tale than anything else, but was only a little surprised when that wasn't the case. She listened with a sense of curiosity that reflected on her features. The story was short, but tragic nonetheless. She paused for a moment, considering what she would say after Sanosuke mentioned that this was a story that his mother would often tell him. After a few seconds, Gin shook her head. "I don't think that's right," she began. "If you sacrificed yourself for your friends, you'd still make them sad if you died. You could even say it's a little selfish to die like that and leave the ones that love you behind. If anything, you should live for the people you care about," she said, smiling faintly.

Gin had known loss time and time again. In every instance,the pain had been unbearable. She knew better than anyone else that sacrifice - though noble in thought - wasn't always as bittersweet as most people made it out to be. Having been witness to it herself, she could say without a second thought that she would have rather they lived, fight through whatever circumstances they had been caught in by her side. However, she also knew that turning back time was impossible. What was already done was etched into the past like carvings on a stone. There was no use in drowning herself in regrets. She could only face the future. "So if you want to protect me and the kids, just fight and live by my side. That's all there is to it. I'd do the same for you, after all," she concluded, stroking Sanosuke's hair gently with her mechanical hand.

The sensation Gin was giving him as she would proceed to play with his neck with nibbles and kisses, Sanosuke responded with those kisses by holding her sides and rolling with her on the bed as a way to wrestle playfully with each other. In the amidst of the rolling the man would proceed to stealing a kiss from her that would linger for a minute before Sanosuke would let Gin break it off. Chuckling, Sanosuke relaxed his back to spread against the matress while looking at the ceiling being distracted by the morning chirps of the birds coming from outside of the mansion. It was morning already. He had no idea it was morning already. Gin sure did know how to maintain her stamina as there was no evidence of quitting in her throughout their rather fun night. It would seem Gin still wanted to play with him as he could feel the cold metallic touch of her mechanical hand stroking his back. A lone yelp escaped his mouth as he felt his body jolt forward to get away from the sudden coldness. To get back at her, two fingers jutted from his sides and poked at her tender spots that was lined with raiton chakra to give her a pleasant shocking sensation to the sides that will trying not to yelp out loud in shock.

"You know, you're making me think you like having me mess with you." a laugh came out as he continued looking into Gin's eyes while gently stroking her trained and elegant hips. His fingers curling around her thighs as Sanosuke let their feet tangle against one another. Having their bodies so close together left him wanting to stay in this bed for the rest of the day without any hopes of getting out. The two of them would find many ways to entertain themselves for a rather long time. It was just the simple twinkle in Gin's eyes that made him feel this way. Telling Gin about his story his mother told him, Sanosuke took notice of the silence that he created. How could she respond to hearing something that personal about Sanosuke? In hindsight it might have not been the smartest move to tell Gin. But she seemed to appreciate the story as she played with his hair.

"As if I'd let something like that happen to you." Sanosuke mumbled low. It was certainly loud enough for Gin to hear, but he wanted to pretend she didn't hear it as Sanosuke smiled while the woman that was embracing him was playing with his hair. Little tiny circles and tuffs were being created as she continued playing with his hair. With a a flick of his mind, Sanosuke used his chakra from a distance to close the blinds in his room so it was shaded from the sunrays. Wrapping his arms around Gin from behind now so her arse was to him, Sanosuke began stroking her hair this time. "Let's stay like this for a while. There's this diner I want to try whenever we wake up. But give me a few hours." Sanosuke letting out a yawn before feeling his body drift to sleep. As it lulled, he still consciously remembered to kiss Gin's neck playfully in a display that Gin did to him earlier before resting a kiss on the back of his head. With that he let his nose fall in the batch of messy silver hair of Gin Kuroka. Submersing himself in her scent to lull him to sleep. His body relaxed as his arms subconsciously wrapped around Gin to pull her closer into his chest.

It was rather nice.
(Exit Thread)

Gin let out a chuckle as they finally settled down into a calm embrace. Fooling around was fun and had definitely been the highlight of Gin's night, besides their improvised dance routine. This, however - just lying still and caressing each other, enjoying their closeness - was nice too. It was relaxing. At Sanosuke's words, Gin smiled tenderly. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck, thus hiding the small tint of pink on her cheeks. She had heard words like that time and time again and by now, should have grown skeptical of such promises. It would only be natural, considering the amount of times she had been betrayed by people she had come to love and care for deeply. Hearing it from him, however - hearing the bare words and the sincerity in them - Gin couldn't help but hope that this time, everything would end happily for her. She deserved that much. For once, she just wanted to live a happy life with her new found family. She let herself close her eyes and picture it for a moment.

They'd live in a large house - probably in the countryside. Chie and Reiko would still insist on sharing a room, despite their conflicting personalities and the availability of spare ones. Misao would build a small shrine in the surrounding forests and would volunteer at the academy in the area, teaching children how to meditate and grow their chakra. Shinji would go around trying stirring up trouble in the village, breaking hearts and being his carefree self. Ren would insist on going on as many missions as he could and having Gin train spar with him as often as possible. Gin pictured her mom remodeling the house constantly and keeping everything clean and straight while maintaining a strict and watchful eye on all of her grandchildren. Gin wouldn't retire. She couldn't really picture herself doing that. She would grow too bored. Instead, she would dedicate her time to training her children even further and maybe even starting her own academy. She would insist that Sanosuke hep her. Maybe by then, they would have kids of their own... They would all be a big and happy family of strong shinobi.

Really, it was a dream worth pursuing and one that Gin would always hope would happen. The silver haired woman began to shift. Staying still wasn't really something that she was used to, despite how comfortable she was. Sanosuke's arms tightened around her to keep her still and she let out a quiet sigh. She shook her head lightly at his suggestion that they stay that way for a few hours. "You're so lazy. It's a surprise that you made it to Kumo's strongest with that attitude," she teased him lightly. "But fine, I'll stay still for a bit, for your sake," she said, letting out a yawn at the end of her sentence. Despite wanting to get up and shower, she could use a nap. She felt him nuzzle his face into her hair and made herself comfortable in the crook of his shoulder before slowly drifting off to sleep with him.

[Exit Thread]

[Training Reaction Time from S-2 to S-3: 2500/2500]
[Training Speed from A-2 to S: 2850/2850]
[Training Perception from S to S-1: 1750/1750]
[Words Left Over: 1688]