Xing pulled the rest of them into the attic and found Yukina sitting on the ground, having tripped over a trunk. He saw the frown on her face. "Hey, what's up?"

Sakura looked to him."family photos",she said looking at them,sad she was never apart of any of them.

"Ah." Xing said. He saw that Sakura wasn't part of them, and her expression reflected it. He decided to cheer her up. "I'm actually kinda glad I don't have any family photos. Frankly, I really wish I had been sent away when I was a baby; being a Tao is the same as being a serial killer in the minds of a lot of shamans."

Sakura blinked and looked to him."really?"

"Yeah. We're not exactly known for being kindergarten teachers." Xing replied. His eyes took on a distant cast as he remembered some of the things his own parents had done to him...and forced him to do. Unconsciously, he grasped his upper arm. "Usually, the eldest child has been blooded by the time they're in school, if they're not home schooled like we traditionally are."

Sakura stated at him sadly."im sorry"

"Hey, it's nothing to apologize for." Xing said. "You weren't there when I was growing up, and had nothing to do with the torture I had to deal with. Frankly, it's a wonder I'm as stable as I am...."

That only made her feel worse."still , thats horrible, i wish i was there....so i could have helped you",she said and started to go all teary eyes.

Xing blinked, his glasses slipping down his nose. Again. He pushed them up and saw her start to get teary-eyed. "H-hey! You don't need to cry! I got out of there, and there's no way in Xibalba that I'm going back!" He said, trying to get her to stop from crying. "I want to turn the Tao family around, starting with me." He didn't mention what it would take, and pushed that dark and bloody thought to the back of his mind.

It's not like I'll like showing them what they "taught" me.

Sakura still cried and hugged him."im still sorry you had to go throuh all taht Xing"

Lohine blinked watching from a distance."this is....a first"

"Bwagh! You don't need to be sorry about it! I haven't been back to China in nearly two years, anyway." Xing said, falling over when Sakura glomped him.

Sakura looked to him."just hug me back!"

Kohine blinnked tilting his head.

"Uhm...okay...?" Xing asked, blushing as he did so. His face was so red, that he was surprised his glasses weren't fogging up.

Sakura gave a sighed."there you go, thats what you do when you want to cheer someone up"

"I-I know what a hug is!" Xing blurted. "It's just...you kinda caught me off guard!"

Gah! I'm blushing like crazy! WHY do I have to be hopeless around girls?!

Sakura giggeled and poked his cheek."good",she said then sighed and twiched holding the spot where the pirit gun had grazzed her."ow...i foorgot about that"

Koine frowned."its beeling again"

"Ah! Let's get that taken care of. We've got first aid gear in the bathroom." Xing said.

Sakura looked to him and nooded."alright"

Kihone looked to Bason."its nice to see Sakura able to trust someone"

"I take it trust doesn't come easy for Miss Sakura." Bason said.

Kohine shook his head."no it doesn't . About a year ago , someone she reallt trusted , tried to kill her and in the end she ended up killing them"

"No wonder she empathized with Master Xing." Bason said. "They both have dark pasts."

---

"Ah! Here it is!" Xing said, straightening. He kicked the door to the medicine cabinet closed, first-aid kit in hand. "Got it! Now, let's take a look at that graze of yours Sakura...."

Kohine nodded. "Yes. Its sad, but I think it will end up being a good thing"

Sakura was sitting on Xings bed blinked looking to him."alright", she said carefuly lifted her shirt up so he could look.when she did there were older scars all over.

"For the both of our shamans, it seems." Bason said with a nod...and a rare smile.

---

First Xing found himself blushing (again) at Sakura lifting her shirt. Then his jaw dropped when he saw all the scares. "Who...what...how...where did you get all those scars?" He asked.

Sakura looked to him then lookef away."battel scars from being alone and geting ambushed every ither day." She saif sounding too calm about it.

Xing paused. "That's...wow." He said. He wanted to hug her, but....he turned red at the thought. She...she isn't wearing a shirt...AWKWARD!