--
Lee was shaking with fear. But who wouldn't be, upon waking in a white hospital room...to see the person who had almost killed you hovering with an expression of honest curiosity mixing with dark bloodlust He kept telling hmiself he had been dreaming, that Gaara had not been in this room...watching him...or plotting to kill him. As a shinobi he tended to think like that. To find logic and reasoning to explain the redhead being in the very same room. And all that his instincts were telling him was that he was in trouble.
Lee sighed shakily before slipping into unconsciousness again. But he never saw the eyes watching him from outside his window. Two ice blue eyes watching intently; glittering with mixed emotions before disappearing completely. Lee wouldn't even remember seeing Gaara in his room the next morning. All he would remember was that he had been severely wounded during his exam; and the consequences were impossible to bear. His life as a shinobi had been cut short, unless there was a way to heal himself.
Lee didn't care what the others said. What the doctors...his teammates...or even Gai-sensei said. All he knew was he had to get his life back on track. Being a ninja meant everything to him. It was something to strive for, a way he was able to prove that he wasn't the hot-blooded dropout from before. He was in the height of his youth, and he had all the time in the world to remain a splendid shinobi.
He escaped from his hospital room; slipping through the hallways silently until he reached the garden outside. Left alone with his thoughts, he began pacing frustratedly. Pacing led to muttered curses, which eventually led to light training. He was lost in his own world, working hard and forcing foolish rules upon himself. He didn't hear the nurse yelling from his room, didn't hear footsteps approaching...didn't feel the cold stare on him. He wouldn't realize he had a stalker watching his every movements until it was too late.
Lee collapsed on the ground; his lungs burning, and his muscles screaming in agony. It had been a very foolish thing to do; training in his condition. How much could one possibly hope to accomplish with a broken arm and leg? The leaf ninja passed out as dark and depressing thoughts clouded his brain once again. He could feel himself being carried, but was already on his way to a spiraling dark abyss.He went from unconsciouss to a peaceful sleep...and he had pleasant dreams. Dreams of being a shinobi once again...of beating Uchiha Sasuke...of conquering his injured status and being the best!
He didn't hear sand rustling...or the light footsteps in his room.
Watching Lee sleep had become a new and impossible to avoid habit of Gaara's...
He dared to get closer this time. He inspected the apricot face; the slight smile on Lee's lips. Gaara sat on an edge of the hard hospital bed with a slight frown. He wanted to kill him so badly it was hurting. But he couldn't. He couldn't kill the innocent leaf ninja; with the odd green spandex, the insensible legwarmers...with the monstrous legweights. He couldn't kill Lee yet. Not until he figured out why he wanted to, but also didn't want to. The young redhead traced a thumb over Lee's left eyebrow...staring earnestly into the face as he tried to fond a logical answer. He was leaning closer; for what reason he didn't know...but there was a squeak as the doorknob started turning slowly. He spared it a hurried glance before he melted into a pile of sand that quickly slithered out the window.
