Important information: I have been inspired to write a companion piece to "Into the Flames" by Vampy Kitten. This story is compliant to hers as she never really mentions anything too specific about these characters. It was inspired by chapter two because my inner fangirl could not stay silent. If you haven't read it you should but I can't make you so here is what you need to know:
Naruto and Hinata have left Konoha and have landed in Whirlpool where Naruto was heir to the throne. He is becomes the Uzukage (Kage of Whirlpool) and all of leaf's allies left, re-allied themselves with Naruto forsaking Konoha because they basically kicked him out as well as his (later) wife Hinata. Among those allies is Suna because if Naruto is not there what else ties them to Konoha?
A/N: You must read the above part to get what's going on in the story! This is the story of Gaara, Lee, Shikamaru, and Temari.
Title: Into the Night
Authoress: Skitter160
"Are you sure Gaara?" Temari asked for the third time in the last hour. Kankuro who sat near her to the left fidgeted under the glare she received to her side her husband flinched a little. Temari didn't do more than blink at him with the 'that's-not-an-answer' look on her face, the one that women do best. A hand was rubbing absently in circles over her rounded stomach. She did not want her daughter growing up in hard times.
"I'm quite sure. Naruto was the reason we allied ourselves with Konoha to begin with. And our other allies will not remain so if we do not cut ties with Konoha." Gaara looked at everyone in the room his eyes lingering on his sister's husband, and once leaf jounin. Finally falling on his own lover a shinobi from Konoha. "I don't see any other way to do this."
With a 'troublesome' sighed under his breath Shikamaru gave his insight."It would be the wiser decision." The now sand jounin said sagely while discreetly squeezing his wife's hand. He would miss leaf but not nearly as much as he would miss her and their daughter. "It would be unwise to continue the alliance with Konoha if it will cost us all our other allies."
"I agree." Kankuro nodded slowly taking a sidelong glance at his younger brother's lover. He wasn't sure how he would handle it and he hadn't said a word since the subject had been broached.
"I don't like this but it is the best option set before us." Temari nodded as if to her affirm her decision.
"I will be consulting the council about this shortly." Gaara nodded to his sister. "They should be here in about twenty minutes."
"Is there any word on the whereabouts of Hinata-chan and Naruto?" Lee spoke for the first time during the hour long discussion they had over the events of the supposed kidnapping of Hinata from Konoha by Naruto the holder of he nine tails demon. It wasn't like he believed those lies anyway.
"We have had no official word." Gaara shook his head slowly. "Only rumors that he was last seen heading towards the remains of Whirlpool."
"Whirlpool?" Shikamaru shook his head slowly. "It's just refugees now it would be a good place to lay low." 'I wonder how Naruto would know where it is.'
Lee nodded quietly saying nothing else. 'I will be called back to Konoha...' The usually cheerful shinobi swallowed drily looking at his lover who was facing the door expectantly the chunin who worked as his secretary was standing outside it.
"Kazekage-sama." The chunin's timid voice traveled through the door. "The council is here."
"I'll be with them in a moment." Turning back to his sister and his brother he nodded to them and they left the office to go to the meeting room. 'Lee I will not let you leave.' He thought determinedly as he passed by his lover quietly unable to look at his sad eyes before the meeting.
Lee frowned at that before turning to Shikamaru who was looking at him strangely.
"What will you do?" The shadow user asked eying the green clad shinobi in the chair that sat across from the Kazekage's desk.
"Is there an option?" Lee asking hanging his head. "I just hope Naruto and Hinata-chan are able to find happiness." He sighed softly as he stood. "I had better go pack." He knew he couldn't refuse his Hokage's order without becoming a missing nin and he could not become a Suna shinobi while being in the bingo book. It was in Suna's laws, one of the ones that predated the previous Kazekage. It was an unspoken acknowledgment that 'once a traitor always a traitor'. It was uncommon for an hidden village to take in missing nin. The only well known hidden villages that did take in missing nin were Konoha and Mist. But they only did it occasionally and for good reasons. And did not have the situation that Shikamaru had, of becoming a sand shinobi through ceremony and marriage. It had been established many years ago that Shikamaru would be a Suna nin by their our Hokage in good faith.
"I'm sure Gaara will think of something." Shikamaru called to him as he left the office. Sighing a low 'troublesome' he looked at the box that was hidden in plain sight on Gaara's desk. 'This wouldn't be a big issue if he wasn't waiting for the perfect timing...' He shook the thought away as he got up to go write a letter to Tsunade telling her of his alignment. He would send it with Gaara when he went to Konoha for the last time. It was little more than a formality at this point.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
"So your saying we should dissolve the alliance with Konoha?" One of the Elders on the council asked in the slow way old people do when they see you as five.
"It would be in the best interest of Suna." The Kazekage nodded sagely looking every Elder in the eye before continuing. "Our other allies will not stand with us if we stay allied to Konoha. The main reason we entered the alliance in the first place was because of Naruto, the container of the Kyubi." He ignored their flinch at the mention of the demon and did not mind when they looked away from him. "If Naruto is no longer in the village our allies no longer care about being allied with them nor us if we remain so."
"I see." The same Elder said his head bobbing up and down as he thought.
A few minutes later another. "We should discuss how to go about this."
Temari took over then as the Kazekage took a seat adding when he found it necessary and as things began to fall into place he activated his third eye jutsu tracking his lover. What he saw made his heart stop for just a moment. Lee was in their shared bedroom, the same one they had shared since his second year stationed in Suna, packing his things into a duffel bag. 'I can't act yet.' He reminded himself as he looked around the room his third eye jutsu still trained on Lee. It wasn't until he saw the tear slide down his cheek that he stood leaving the meeting to sputters of protest from the council and his sister. He ignored them as he went to his office grabbing the box that was somewhat hidden on his desk. 'I can't let you leave me Lee.' Gaara thought as he used his sand transportation to land him in his bedroom.
"I can't stay here." The raven haired man said before the red head could even announce his presence. "Suna doesn't take missing nin." He didn't turn around as he shoved another jumpsuit into his bag more tears falling down his cheeks. It had been hard enough not to cry before Gaara had come home unexpectedly.
"Do you want to leave?" The red head asked barely above a whisper.
No one else would have known that he was afraid of the answer but his lover did. He couldn't turn around though he paused in his actions. He heard feet shuffling towards him but he still couldn't bring himself to turn around and face him as his own heart broke.
"Do you want to leave?" Gaara asked wrapping his arms around Lee's waist leaving just enough room for him to turn around.
Turning and burying his head in his lover's shoulder Lee sobbed a little. "No." He whispered his arms snaking around his lover's smaller waist. "I want to stay with you always Gaara."
Gaara frowned. 'This isn't how I planned this.' "Marry me."
The raven haired man stopped crying and pulled out of the embrace to stare at Gaara as if he had two heads. Before him the red head was getting on one knee pulling a box from his robes. "Lee I love you..." He hesitated as he said the words for the first time before continuing. "I won't, no I can't be without you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He opened the box revealing a golden ring with a ruby embedded in it. "Will you marry me?"
Lee stood there speechless his mouth moving to form words as he tried to remember how to breathe. When he still couldn't get the word out after a few seconds he fell to his knees not caring about the ring as he embraced the redhead, kissing him for all he was worth before finding his voice. "Yes, yes, yes." He repeated over and over punctuated by kisses to the pale face, lips, and cheeks.
Holding his now fiance tighter Gaara kissed him back pulling Lee into his lap as they sat on the floor. "I'll have to discuss this with the council but you will become a shinobi of Suna."
"I love you so much." Lee whispered in his ear the ring lay forgotten on the floor as he held on to his fiance kissing him deeply.
"I love you too." Gaara answered burying his hands in his fiance's clothes pulling him closer feeling the tingle of pleasure run down his spine.
"I never thought you would say those words to me." Lee whispered softly into his ear before nipping it playfully. "I'm so happy to hear them." He had always known of the red head's love for him even without the words but it was something he always wanted but thought he'd never hear come from those lips.
Instead of saying anything else Gaara began to devour his beloved from the outside.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"I understand that he was crying Gaara but that was no reason to leave the council meeting to me!" Temari screeched just blowing off steam from having to control the council after he had left. "I realize he's the love of your life but still learn some control please?" She trailed off smiling at him before hugging him. "I'm so happy for you."
"I'm surprised you didn't ask sooner. I've seen the ring on your desk for a few months now." Shikamaru said patting his back.
"I was trying to find the perfect timing." Was all the Kazekage would say to that looking over at his fiance's smile as he told Kankuro and Baki showing off the ring like it was the most precious ring in the world. He couldn't help but smile softly to himself as he saw his brother's speechless face.
"He'll have to register the same way I did." Shikamaru nodded to himself. "I don't think Tsunade will disagree since she liked Naruto anyway and won't let the dissolution of the alliance stop her from agreeing."
"Your probably right." Lee said joining them. "Tsunade likes me well enough too." He let his thoughts slip to Gai-Sensei, Neji, and TenTen and knew they would understand. Gai-Sensei had always told Lee that love was the most important thing besides his village, and if his love took him to another village he would understand. Somehow he thought Gai-Sensei knew that Lee would fall for Gaara after the fight with Kimimaru.
"You'll be leaving for Konoha in a few days." Temari said leaning into her husband. "I won't be able to go with you." She said morosely as she rubbed her stomach. "Shikamaru and Kankuro will accompany you two so that you may both say your goodbyes."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"LEE!" Gai-Sensei boomed embracing his old student for the first time in eight months. They had written but Lee had been unable to leave Suna much due to missions and every time he visited they missed each other.
"GAI-SENSEI!" Lee exclaimed being enveloped into his arms. Behind them an epic sun set over an ocean scene as they cried manly tears. Beside him his fiance ignored this and waited until they were done, Shikamaru just rolled his eyes like the rest of the village waving to his old teammates. It was a few minutes before either one composed themselves enough to talk like decent human beings.
In the meantime Gaara stood by his fiance's side waiting as he invited his old sensei to lunch with them as they had many things to discuss before his boyfriend saw the Hokage. Twenty minutes later found them all sitting down to ramen.
"So what brings you to Konoha together it's quite rare?" Gai asked in his quietest voice.
Lee beamed at him holding up his left hand the ring gleaming in the light. "Gaara my most precious person has asked for my hand in marriage!" Lee exclaimed loudly not caring that everyone in the ramen shop could hear them. "YOSH!"
Gai smiled joyously despite the sadness in his heart. He knew of the ending alliance as he was high enough in rank to be informed of these things. He was saddened for Naruto and Hinata, after all he had trained Naruto with his team for a short time but he could not help him the way he had Lee. "I'm so very happy for you!" He boomed smiling and giving them his good guy pose. Roses erupting behind him in his joy for his pupil's romance. "When is the wedding?"
"It will be a year from now in Suna." 'If all goes according to plan.' Gaara reminded himself while informing his fiance's once sensei.
Gai studied them as he spoke. "I am happy for you though I'm not sure I'll be able to attend considering the state of the alliance."
"You will always be welcomed in Suna." Gaara said to both raven's surprise. "I can not keep Lee from you, but there will be restrictions placed upon you."
The older taijutsu master nodded. 'I suppose this answers the other reason they are here.' "Thank you Kazekage-sama. I will keep this in mind."
Lee just nodded solemnly knowing that his old sensei understood the situation they would be entering into. "We need to be going Gai-Sensei our appointment with the Hokage is drawing near. I'll be back to see you before we leave."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"I'm glad Tsunade agreed to this." Shikamaru said looking over at his brother-in-law. He knew that if she had not agreed he probably would have used force. "It's also good that Gai-sensei is allowed to visit every so often otherwise Lee would probably be very sad." He looked back at the hugging pair with sparkles in their eyes and a dramatic sunset behind them.
"..." Gaara didn't say anything as he waited on Lee to return to his side. He wouldn't let him leave his side for awhile after this. Tsunade had only agreed because she herself was not supporting Konoha's treatment of strong shinobi that had issues, like Lee and Naruto. It was wrong and she would leave if only she was not the Hokage. Gai however had ties to many in Konoha that exceeded the ties that Lee and Tsunade had. He would still visit and if Konoha fell to ruin he would come to Suna where he had promised him a trial of missions to see if he were worthy of being a Suna nin.
"GAARA!" Lee called joyously to his one and only love before running and embracing him their hands interlocking as he placed a kiss on his forehead. "I love you." He whispered lowly so no one else would hear. "I love you more than I have ever loved anyone or anything."
"I love you too Lee." Gaara whispered feeling so cherished he could melt into him. "Let's go home." Lee nodded into his shoulder before turning to leave their hands still locked between them.
. . . . . . Five years later . . . . . .
"NARUTO!" Lee called out to his best friend as he rushed into Whirlpool. "I have missed you so much!"
Behind him Gaara rolled his eyes they were here to show their strong alliance and to visit Naruto who had recently visited them to let them know of his rise to Uzukage. "It has been many months." Was all he said as he stood before his friend who was being crushed in a hug by his husband before he did the same to his wife.
"I am glad to see you my friends." Naruto smiled.
Fom there they forged an alliance as strong as they had had with Konoha.
. . . . . . Fini . . . . .
A/N: It may seemed rushed but I was trying to match the style of Into the Flames. I probably failed miserably but at least I tried. Hope you liked be sure to drop me a review?