Chapter One: A Chance Meeting
Gaara stood in front of the tall, stand up mirror bearing his usual scowl as he fidgeted with his blood red tie. He gave himself a quick once over, smoothing out the wrinkles in his silky, black dress shirt before turning sharply on his heals. With a sigh, he yanked his blazer from the arm of his couch and headed out the door. Temari, Kankuro, and his father where already downstairs. Honestly, he could never understand why he was forced to attend these building meetings. He wasn't the one who owned the damn building. His father should be the only one forced to show his face there – being the owner.
But he knew his father – he knew how strict he was – and he wouldn't dare cross him.
Leaning against the wall after pressing the down button on the elevator, Gaara tossed his blazer over his shoulder and held it there lightly as he watched the ceiling in annoyance. All this was pointless.
x
Lee did his best not to fling the bag he carried into the dense bushes beside him and run into his apartment building as fast as he could. But he took a breath – this was for Tenten, this was something she needed. He could brave it out – after all, the hardest part was over and all he had to do was transport the bag from the lobby, to the elevator, and, finally, to the apartment. Simple, right? Yet, he couldn't help but feel beads of sweat form at his hairline and a slight, embarrassed blush cover his cheeks.
His eyes darted from side to side suspiciously as he clicked the button for the elevator repeatedly, clutching the market bag tight to his chest. There was something unnerving about the slow, simple music that played in the lobby. The way the attendant at the desk sat back lazily, reading her newest romance novel. Everything was so quiet – too quiet. Lee didn't like that one bit. For God's sake, he just wanted to be rid of this bag and all the pressure it was putting on him. He wanted to get home.
A small, reassuring ding sounded through his ears, and while keeping an eye on the few people idly loitering around the lobby, he dashed inside.
Relief didn't wash over him until he had jabbed the button for the third floor and leaned against the wall as the doors closed. He would get away with it. He wouldn't get caught. A smile darted around the corners of his lips as his shoulders relaxed. He almost couldn't believe it – but it was true. The elevator came to bumpy stop, as most elevators do, and slowly the doors began to open again. There was nothing to worry about now though. All he needed to do was walk around the corner and into his apartment.
x
The elevator seemed to take a life time, but, finally, that annoying ding sounded through Gaara's ears, and he pushed off the wall. The doors were already half way open as he began to step in, only to be shoved backward immediately, his body colliding with that of another. Had he been anyone else, he might have fallen backwards – but this was Gaara. Nothing could catch him so off guard. So, instead, he staggered back slightly, glaring down at the lanky boy who had stood in his way.
"Watch it, kid," he growled, annoyance more than anger bubbling up in him as he eyes the tall, raven haired boy on the floor. Something seemed oddly – and maybe even eerily –familiar, but with the boy watching the floor, he couldn't tell who it was.
Still, the kid looked so pathetic.
With a sigh, he rolled his eyes and bent over the pick up the bag the boy had dropped, retrieving a small, smashed, rectangular box that had slipped out. Without meaning to, his eyes scanned it, reading the label….
A pregnancy test?
His eyes flickered back to the boy, who was now rubbing the side of his head incoherently.
Why would a boy need a pregnancy test…? For his girlfriend, maybe?
Finally, the raven's head slowly, but surely, rose – his face covered in an unmistakable blush. Though Gaara could already tell, the looked on the boy's face confirmed that he was completely disoriented. His thick eyebrows were slanted upwards and his eyes were slightly larger that they should have been – his light pink lips were parted ever so slightly as he stared up at the red head in confusion.
Suddenly, something unexplainable clicked inside Gaara and he shoved the pregnancy test back into the plastic bag. He knew this boy. It was Rock Lee. One person he would never forget. He took a deep breath, his heart beating curiously slow. Though he never really thought about it – him and Lee had gone to the same school and even lived in the same building, though they hadn't spoken since…since they were both in elementary school – no more then eight years old.
He could never forget those days. …When they had been friends.
….flashback
"Gaara!" Lee smiled as he pulled one hand up and waved, spotting the messy red hair from the crowd. He sat by himself, looking at nothing in particular. After hearing his name – and the voice calling it – his face suddenly brightened. He didn't smile, his eyes didn't widen, yet there was something about him that suddenly seemed happier and he stood to join his friend.
"What?" Gaara asked, approaching the raven with his arms crossed about his chest.
"Let's play," the boy replied, that ever present, bright smile on his face.
Gaara didn't seem too thrilled, a frown even danced around on his lips. "Only if I can pick what we play," he said defiantly.
"Sure!" Lee said, shrugging.
"Okay, let's play Cops and Robbers. I'm the cop. You're the robber."
"Why am I the robber?" Lee asked, a small pout on his face. He wasn't too fond of the idea of breaking the law and being a criminal.
"Because I said so. Do you want to play with me or not?" the red head growled in annoyance, eyes narrowing at the skinny raven.
"Yes, but –"
"Then you're the robber."
They played on the other side of the school building, where it was just the two of them. Though Gaara didn't so much as smile the whole time they had been playing, he wished their recess was longer when it came time to get back to class.
Everyone hurried inside, loud and still hectic from their games. They all took seats on the large, blue carpet on the middle of the classroom floor and the teacher entered not a moment after, a small boy at her side. He seemed a bit shy, clinging to her legs as if he was going to be thrown to a pack of hungry lions. The teacher, however, smiled brightly at him, nudging him along with her hand on his shoulder.
"Ok, class," she addressed everyone and all talking ceased –the kids much more interested in the boy at her heels. "We have a new student today, be nice to him. His name is Sasuke."
She bent down slightly to whisper to the boy – probably something along the lines of 'don't be afraid' or 'sit anywhere you like' – and in return, he let go of her long skirt, nudging through the crowd cautiously.
He found his way to the back, everyone watching him closely – judging his dark clothing and his black hair that was spiked in the back. Taking a seat far in the back, he kept his dark eyes glued to the floor, twitching around nervously under the stares of all the kids in the classroom.
But, to his relief, as the teacher began to talk again, the eyes turned away and he was quickly forgotten. Gaara turned back to their teacher for a minute before he realized that the boy beside him had not. It bugged him, and he wasn't sure why.
"What are you looking at, Lee?" he asked, his voice carrying the same rude tone it always did.
The raven didn't look back as he replied, "I think I'm going to go talk to him. He looks so lonely…"
"No, you're not."
Finally, the onyx eyes turned to meet the red head's gaze innocently. "But why? I just want to be his friend."
"Well you can't," Gaara sneered, crossing his arms across his chest again. "You're my friend aren't you?"
Lee blinked a few times before nodding dumbly.
"Then that's it, now turn around and stop watching him."
With a sigh, the raven complied, turning around to face the teacher, but still wishing he could look again at the new kid.
x
Gaara sat on the stairs leading to the roof of the apartment building, glaring down at Lee. He had on his usual scowl and narrowed eyes.
"I want to be the cop. Just this once, please, Gaara?" Lee asked, his wide eyes pleading.
"No. Stop asking."
"But…"
"No buts, I get to choose who's who," the red head spat, his dominant nature unrelenting.
This time it was Lee's turn to cross his arms against his chest and pout. "But I don't get it. Why do we always have to do what you want to do?"
"Because I said so, that's why." Gaara replied, as if it was second nature for everyone to do what he told them to.
"But—"
This time it wasn't Gaara who interrupted Lee, but a small, similarly raven haired boy at the bottom of the stairs – his wide, dark eyes gazing up at them.
"Hello," Lee said, smiling his friendly smile. Suddenly the argument that had been going on was forgotten.
Sasuke, in turn, lifted up his hand ever so slightly in a small wave.
Gaara jaw clenched as he watched the two, his eyes narrowing into thin slits as the unwelcome newcomer waved at Lee.
"Do you want to play with us?" Lee asked, but before the other could answer, Gaara stood up, his rage evident on his face, yet he couldn't understand what had upset him so.
"No, he can't play with us, Lee."
Sasuke was taken slightly aback and Lee looked up, bewildered. "What? What do you mean, Gaara? Why not?"
"You're my friend, Lee. That's why."
"So? We could all be friends."
Gaara growled, his lip slightly upturning as he turned to his friend. "No. You are my friend, Lee. If you are my friend, you can't be his."
"But, why—"
"Don't you want to be my friend, Lee? Or are you going to leave me for him?"
Lee's eyes suddenly grew wide, darting from the red head to the raven, unsure of how to answer. He wanted to be everyone's friend. Why was Gaara so upset with him? He didn't understand. What did he do wrong? He could feel the tears welling up at the corners of his eyes as he tried to think of what to say, coming up with nothing.
"Fine," Gaara spat, obviously taking the long silence as an affirmative. "I don't care. You were a lousy friend anyways." He turned and stomped past the shaking raven who was no longer his friend, purposely bumping him as he passed.
The gesture, however, was a little harsher than he had meant it to be and Lee stumbled a bit, catching himself after falling about three steps. Gaara had heard the fall, heard Lee yelp in surprise, heard the footsteps of that stupid Sasuke running to Lee, but he didn't turn around. He didn't look back. He turned up the next flight of stair and, without meaning to, caught a glimpse of Sasuke holding a shivering, crying Lee to his chest.
God, how he hated it.
…end
Gaara scowled at the memory, not sure why he had suddenly thought of it – or why it still bothered him after all of this time, after all Sasuke had left a few years later. And it seemed that, just maybe, Lee had been reliving the same memories as he sat on the fool. The bewildered look on his face had faded into recognition mixed with something that pleased Gaara quite a bit – fear.
The raven scrambled to his feet, his eyes never meeting the cold, teal ones that where staring him down.
"S-sorry," he managed to mumble as he finally stepped out of the elevator, a tinge of red still on his face.
The red head said nothing, instead, he let the elevator close and handed Lee his bag.
The raven reached out to it – not even remembering what it contained – but the pale, ice cold hand didn't let go.
"Who's it for?"
Lee's onyx eyes rose from the floor and he looked at his old friend in confusion. His eyes slowly trailed down to his arm and the bag they where both holding. He gulped, realizing. Instinctively, he tugged at the bag, trying to pry it free. But Gaara refused to budge.
"Is it for your girlfriend?" The red head asked.
Heat rose in Lee's face as he shook his head vigorously. Just like Lee, getting all flustered over nothing, Gaara mused, a smile hidden deep. He hasn't changed a bit.
"Right. What am I kidding? What kind of a freak would go for you anyways? So why are you hiding it? Who could it be for?" Gaara smirked slightly, seeing how uncomfortable Lee was. He never knew how much he had missed torturing the kid. He thought about his own question for a minute, knowing Lee would never answer. His mind swiftly ran through all the women Lee probably knew. It seems he was headed home; so is it someone in his family? Click. "Oh, I see. It's for your sister. It is for Tenten, isn't it?"
Judging by the shade of red on Lee's face, he was correct. He gave a haughty grin and the raven cowered slightly.
"You know Lee, if my dad were to find out about this, he'd kick your whole family out for being such a tramp."
Lee's anger boiled up inside him as the red head insulted his little sister. He wanted to punch him, kick him, hurt him – but he knew he couldn't. The weight bared heavy on his shoulders. There was nothing he could do. His family needed to stay. They couldn't afford anything else. If they got kick out…. It was out of the question.
"I think I can let it pass, however, but you'll have to do something for me…." Gaara whispered seductively as he took a few steps forward, Lee backing up as he did so until his back was pressed firmly against the pale lavender walls. "You see, there's only one thing I want from you…" he said, leaning so close to Lee that his lips almost touched the raven's ear as he talked. He moved his hand to Lee's side, squeezing it ever so lightly, teasing him in a way Gaara knew he hated. "Be my slave."
Lee's intake of breath was loud enough to make Gaara smile a triumphant grin as he ran his thumb along the toned curve of the other's body, knowing that there was no way out for the poor boy.
"Lee?" a deep, smooth voice interrupted, causing Gaara to twitch angrily as he ripped himself away from the raven and finally let go of the bag. Both pairs of eyes turned suddenly – Lee's as round and surprised as ever, and Gaara's narrowed into menacing slits, wishing he could shoot boiling lava at the intruder.
A boy stood at the end of the hall, just before it turned. His hands were lazily shoved in his pockets and his black hair shone so dark that it seemed almost blue. Neither Lee nor Gaara would've recognized him had it not been for the tell tale, duck like spikes on the back of his head.
"S-Sasuke?" Lee breathed, not believing his best friend was standing before him after so many years. For some reason, his heart began to pound mercilessly.
Well, what am I doing? I have so many other stories I need to update. What is wrong with me? I deserve to be slapped! Sigh… Anyways, I have this affinity to the mange Hot Gimmick, and I just HAD TO write this. It was like, I'd explode if I didn't. So here it is. If you've never read the mange, it's five million times better than this (this isn't a one-shot, by the way – I feel like I'm making it seem like it is). Just wanted to say the brilliant storyline isn't mine (though I wish). Anyways, please review if you like it! Everyone knows the more reviews an author gets, the more pumped they are to write the next chapter! I'm not really sure if I should even continue it. So please, please, please review!
–Gummi Out