Stuffed Animals
kawaiichiisaikitsune(blackharu2)
Disclaimer: Why do I have to answer this? I don't want to anymore. I mean you should know the answer. 'Cause if I was the creator of Naruto, I wouldn't be writing a fanfiction, I'd be making it reality! MWA HA HA!
Pairing(s): Intended LeeGaa, small YashamaruGaara
Side Note: I'd been having this idea in my head ever since I saw that really kawaii pic of 6 year old Gaara holding onto a store-bought bear... Hope you like it and it isn't too weird...
Special Thanks: To my beta, jakuzabi, and to my Geography teacher for being sooooo boring! --;;
Gaara loved his teddy bear. Its rough, fake coat of fur, badly proportioned body, and ugly, garbage-looking face. He could have kept his other, well-made bear from his once alive father. That stuffed bear was soft and gentle and pleasant for the eyes. Yet, he choose the one that looked like it had been used for cleaning a disgusting, old house.
Even though the teddy bear was grotesque, he could never resent it. It was his only real gift. Sure, he had received gifts from his father, but it never seemed like the gift came directly from the heart. So this old, rotten bear was held dear.
Yashamaru, sweet and kind, was the closest thing Gaara had ever had to a friend. The stuffed animal was given to him by this dear uncle as a token of affection. The redhead figured it probably wasn't even bought. Maybe it had been Yashumaru's when he was a kid or he just taken it out of a rusty, old tin can full of garbage. Whichever the origin, the knowledge would never decrease his love for the ugly bear.
That bear stayed with him as much as it could. It slept in his large bed with him, comforting him in his nights of pain. It came along on important and distant missions, even though it had to be hidden well. It wasn't a very large artificial creature, about seven inches in height. Its brown fur always seemed to direct Gaara's thoughts to the night of Yashamaru's death. Yet it somehow still dispelled his discontent and lighted a flame inside him.
One could say that that ugly, unlovable bear was the only thing the Shukaku's vessel held any passionate feelings for.
Therefore, on days when he would go for a visit to Konohagakure, it would lay in his clothing. It bulged a little and a passerby could occasionally tell something was hidden, if they looked hard enough. However, he being the well-known Gaara of the Sand, no one bothered to ask about the peculiar lump.
Today was the day of his monthly visit to the hidden leaf village. As he walked around the buildings, feet making rythmic beats on the dirt paths, he would observe how different the developing town was from his last visit. Finally, he would stop in a familiar park and sit down nonchalantly on an unoccupied swing.
The irritating squeak of the rusty metal used to annoy him, but by now it had become background noise and rarely effected the stoic boy. Just like all his other visits, a male, taller than himself, would come during the night to visit with him. As he approached, the moon enveloped his thin frame and created a dark silhouette. The jumpsuit clad ninja sat down happily on the nearest swing. He chirped about how good it was to to see the Kazekage again.
"Gaara, I have a question," the ebony-haired shinobi asked suddenly.
"Hn," Gaara answered, signaling the other to continue.
"What's your favorite?"
The redhead wanted to reply, "What do you mean?", but his mind answered abruptly, My teddy bear. Yet, before that thought could escape his thin lips, he quickly covered it up with a typical answer. "Killing."
"You have to like something more than killing, right?" the Gai replica questioned further, his face in a slight pout. His eyes obviously saying he disapproved of the odd answer and hoped there was something more important.
My teddy bear, his mind repeated. "Blood." Gaara watched as the boy's mouth dropped open, but then noticed dimly a fresh glint in the taller male's eyes.
"Do you have a teddy bear?" The wide charcoal colored eyes watched intently, awaiting an honest reply. The question came as a shock to the unemotional boy, making his pools of turqoise widen slightly. However, they shrunk quicky to their normal size.
Yes "No," he lied, with his usual lack of expression.
"Really?" the taijutsu master sounded surprised, yet happy.
No "Yes," he closed his eyes briefly and let out a long sigh. His arms, folded arrogantly across his chest, tightened unnoticeably before loosening. His sandal clad feet brushed across the cold sand, feeling comfort of the small grains inbetween his toes.
"Well, then... " The ebony-haired shinobi reached into his leg pouch and pulled out two small, but cute, stuffed animals. "I want to give you one."
Gaara's normally unemotional face barely showed his shocked or confusion, let alone his ever-growing curiousity. Lee then held out two small stuffed animals, one in each hand, and showed them to the shorter ninja. With an secretive smile and an invisible sweatdrop, Lee pulled back one hand and laughed weakly.
"This one is for me. You probably wouldn't like it." He held the stuffed fabric creature behind his back. However, the broad turquoise orbs clearly saw the creature's form. It was a light brown racoon. He smiled behind his sand exterior.
Gaara stared intently at the mottled green turtle in the taijutsu master's ready and waiting hand. The redhead continued to stare as if it would come to life and snap at him.
"Gaara," the jumpsuit clad boy whined, "Take it, pwease!" he said, puffing out his lower lip to increase his wanted outcome. He was aware that "The Great Gaara" wouldn't fall for such a thing, but he, being his natural, hopeful self, ignored that fact and continued to pout visibly.
Eventually, the Shukaku vessel unfolded his arms and gently cupped the small turtle in his hands. As Gaara leaned forward, Lee could partially see two round brown ears and a black button eyeball peeping out from the Kazekage's outfit. He smiled warmly, understanding reflecting in his eyes.
Holding the soft creature in his hands, Gaara could make out the small mistakes in the stitching and some odd color swirls in the fabric. He noticed that six out of ten fingers on the Konoha shinobi's hands were bandaged lightly in a white material. The smile behind his hardened mask grew at the thoughtfulness of this boy.
Gaara wanted to ask why. Why was he receiving a gift? What made him so special to get a hand-made present? Why was he being presented with such kindness? Why was he thought of as a friend in this peculiar ninja's heart? Why did he feel guilty? What was this swirling feeling in the pit of his stomach? Why did he want to hug this male? Why was he also thinking about Yashamaru?
That last question floated in his mind, unnerving him the most. Surely, he should be concentrating on this ebony-haired man in front of him, yet he was thinking of his long gone uncle.
It wasn't unusual for him to be confused. He grew up with a sand-protection locked unwillingly on his body. He was hated most among the villagers and had no friends and no kindness shown to him. His life was unbearable and he found himself questioning it everyday. However, he never gave outward acknowledgement to his uncertainty. He never let anyone discover his weakness. He never allowed anyone into his deepest thoughts and personal inquiries.
However, now, his green shaded orbs shown brightly with pure confusion. His big question was "Why?", but Lee, as Gaara soon found out, always seemed to know what to say.
"Gaara, I wasn't sure when you're birthday was... And I doubted you would tell me... So I made you something as a Thank you, a Happy Birthday, and an Anniversary."
Gaara's confusion increased, especially, by the last one on the list. Lee noticed. "It's been one year since we met, and since I figured you get presents on the other days, I wanted to pick a special day to give you one from me."
That unseen grin that had faltered during his confused state returned and shined smally on his sand exterior, forming into a true smile. In the next moment, it faded away as he corrected his friend's statement.
"I don't," he said almost inaudibly.
"Huh?"
"I rarely get any presents," his frowned sadly, slowly growing accostomed to expressing his feelings, if only slightly, to the taijistu master.
"Well, then--" Lee smiled widely, showing half of his glimmering white teeth, "--I guess it's more important!"
The redhead's face softened and he gently caressed the soft fabric. "Thanks," he said softly, unlike his normal persona.
"Sure, I wanted to." The ebony-haired boy looked around in the pitch black of night. "It's really late. I need to get going before my parents worry."
"Hn," Gaara agreed with a nod, the happy look dancing in his turquoise orbs, although his smile faded. The Kazekage stood up from the rusty, old swing and continued to lightly caress the green turtle, doing so unnoticed, or so he thought. The leaf ninja stayed behind and watched the redhead slowly become an outline in the darkness. Before the figure was fully out of sight, he saw a small bundle fall from the retreating boy's clothing.
The charcoal colored orbs widened, then tightened into a fake glare. "That liar!" He jumped off the swing and ran, rushing to the fallen object. He barely heard the squeak of the old playground set, but winced slightly from the high pitched noise.
Lee stopped to where the ugly brown bear had fallen and picked it up with the utmost care. He then stared at the thin form of Gaara outlined in the glow of the full moon and smiled mischieviously, clutching the brown bear to his muscular chest.
A feeling of joy washed over him for two important reasons. One being that if Gaara didn't notice his teddy bear fall out of his clothing, he was distracted by something else, hopefully his time with Lee and his new cuddly friend. The second was that if Lee had his bear, Gaara would undoubtedly have to come back. He'd have to come and see Lee again, and the Konoha shinobi grinned in excitement and anticipation.
He would just have to wait a few days before the great "Gaara of the Sand" noticed his missing bear and tracked it to his meeting with the taijutsu master. Lee could wait, if only to see that rare smile on Gaara's face as he returned the loved item. For now, his hand-made turtle would have to do. Then when Gaara returned, Lee would hopefully needle out of him how much the Kazekage really loved his sea-bound cuddly.
Owari (Maybe not)
A sequel will be made if people ask, but if no one really cares TTTT I don't think I'll make one... So tell me if you want a sequel or not...
Well I hope it was a pleasure to read. I think that is actually my best story in the word choice category, heh heh... Well, reviews would be wonderful, and flames don't bother me so it's no use flaming ((I'll just flame ya back XP)) and critism is very nice:)
This is sort of a side story for my reviewers on "Pickles" 'cause I haven't been updating too much and I was hoping this was cute enough to suit your fancy!