Disclaimer: Okay, it's Hinata's turn this time. Go ahead Hinata!

Hinata: Oh, um … :twiddles fingers:

Lee-kun:… :looks at audience:…We're waiting…

Hinata: Oh! Uhm, L-lee-kun doesn't own Na-Naruto:proceeds to runs away:

Lee-kun:watches Hinata run: Damn, she's got some legs on her…

An Eventful Night: Gaara Shows Compassion!

Lee remained in her position for a good long while. The sunlight slowly diminished and left her apartment dark.

A quiet step brought her attention to the open balcony door. Lee's eyes flickered over to find a pair of sandaled feet. She was about to dismiss them as an ANBU when she realized that Konoha-issue sandals didn't have a thong between the toes.

Looking up, Lee faced the red-haired boy that had appeared on her balcony a few days ago. His green eyes bored into her as he sat down next to her.

Gaara couldn't believe he was doing this. How could he give comfort when he had never received it himself? Nevertheless, he knew people normally would do something, so hopefully being there would be enough.

They sat there for a while in silence, just watching each other. Then Lee made a small sniffle and asked "If you want me to sing, you came at a bad time."

Her blatant rudeness caught Gaara off-guard. This was a very different girl than the one who sang for him before. And it wasn't just her improved speech either. Despite her blank face, her voice dripped with vinegar. He blinked and closed his eyes.

"You looked lonely."

Lee stared at him incredulously, making him squirm.

"Well, normally you're smiling…"

"How do you know- have you been watching me?!" Gaara flinched, ready for the string of curses sure to follow.

Instead, there was a small pause followed by a quiet "Why?"

Gaara blinked.

"Why…" Lee continued "…would you be watching me, of all people in Konoha?" She stared right at him without hate or disgust, merely confusion.

"Because…" Gaara was unsure how to answer. He wasn't sure himself why he had watched her for the last several days.

"Maaa…" Lee imitated Kakashi-sensei without realizing it, while interrupting Gaara's train of thought "It doesn't matter." She turned to him with a small smile. "It's actually kinda cute."

Gaara could feel his composure crack. First she called him a pretty boy, and now she's calling him cute.

Lee suddenly straightened her legs and flattened her back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes were vacant, dwelling on other things.

"I wish I could tell everyone…" she whispered. "I wish I could tell them everything." She shut her eyes tightly. "But it would hurt so many people, they just wouldn't understand…"

"Why care what they feel?"

Lee's gaze returned to the cool eyes.

"Because Tsunade… Naruto… Hinata… they're all precious to me. I don't want to hurt them." Lee sighed, and then smiled in an almost insane manner at him, her eyes wide. "Why did you think I smiled all the time?"

Gaara's mind stalled. She smiled to keep the others peace of mind? If that was the case, what the hell does she keep bottled up? A lot, judging from the look on her face.

Lee ran her hands over her face, up through her hair as she waited for the redhead to process what she'd said. Reaching her rattail, she started twirling it around her finger, watching him.

Gaara didn't know what to do. The only people whom he hadn't killed on sight were his siblings, and now a few Konoha ninjas he barely knew. Never having had a relationship beyond Temari and Kankuro, he didn't know how to react to a person in this kind of emotional state. He fumbled, and finally managed to get out-

"Go-gomennasai."

Lee looked at him, one thick eyebrow arched.

"For what?"

"For bothering you." With that, he got up and turned to leave. He had gotten to the balcony before his bum suddenly reunited with the floor. Flipping around, he discovered Lee and her death-grip on his beige sash. Her face was pensive, and sad.

"Don't… go."

Gaara twitched. Standing up, Lee self-consciously crossed her arms. She didn't meet his eyes.

"I don't want to be alone right now."

She stepped past him and sat on the bench, looking up at the new night sky. She glanced at him, as if to make sure he was still there.

"So, are you going to tell me your name this time?" Gaara could barely see her wry smile.

"Gaara."

Lee started. She whirled her head to face him.

"Gaara? Sabaku no Gaara?"

"Yes."

There was a pause as Lee seemed to digest this information. She looked away for a second, went back to Gaara, then, slowly, to his gourd.

"The gourd…sand?"

In answer, the cork popped open, and sand slid slowly out. In an effort to show he had no killer intentions, he immediately formed it into a clone of Lee, complete to the dumbfounded look on her face. She raised her hand to touch it, and it acted as a mirror, reaching up for her. Flesh meeting sand, she whispered to Gaara.

"It's…amazing…" She flashed him a small grin, "Gaara-san."

Gaara stood there, astounded. She was still here. She hadn't run away, or screamed, or become polite and frightened. She had even complimented the sand.

NO ONE had complimented the sand.

"You know what?" Lee said with a wide grin, breaking him out of his thoughts. "I like you." And with that, leaned over and kissed his forehead, right upon his scar.

This caused Gaara's mind, emotions and hands go flying in different directions, caught completely off-guard. Someone wasn't afraid of him. Someone liked him. Could he have finally found someone to validate his existence…? Someone to become a friend? Like that blonde, Uzumaki Naruto, had. The ones he had protected from Gaara.

Gaara's heart felt like it was in his throat, his hands had become numb. He felt lost. And even though he wouldn't admit it, a little weak.

Shukaku, however, eagerly admitted it, and rose up in an attempt to take over his hosts' body.

Lees post-kiss smile was broken off as Gaara cried out and fell to the floor, the sand clone dispersing in a cloud to settle around the Suna-nin.

"Gaara?!" Lee knelt down to try to find what suddenly ailed her newfound friend. "Gaara! What's wrong?!" she placed her right hand over his heart, her left brushing away his bangs to see into his eyes.

Twitch.

Lee could suddenly feel the blackness inside Gaara; the Shukaku's overwhelming hate for all that lived. It's lust for power, for freedom. And most of all, its desire to devour the body and soul of the weak human who dared hold him at bay.

"Gaara…" weakly, Lee lowered her left hand as another moan turned into a cry of pain. She stiffened, and her eyes found determination. She cupped Gaara's face into her hands and brought his forehead to hers.

Gaara stopped mid-cry.

Shukaku was gone.

Just like that.

Its anger boiled under his subconscious, hissing and angered that it had been denied its prey.

But it was gone.

He looked up at Lee, incredulous. His shock was sort-lived though, as she collapsed into his arms. His surprise savior looked up at him with hazy eyes, a hand raised to her head as if finding a headache starting.

"Luh-Lee! What did you do?! Are you all right?"

"Ye-yeah, what about you?" Lee lifted herself from Gaara, kneeling and leaning heavily on one arm.

"I'm fine. But, how- how did you do that?!"

Lee looked up at him blankly.

"Hn?"

"Force Shukaku away! How'd you do that?!"

"Shu…ka…ku…?"

"Yes! The demon sealed inside me!"

"Hn." Lee frowned, not understanding the word 'sealed'. She placed a finger on her lip, surmising his meaning. "I'm… not sure." She looked up at him. "But it worked, yes?"

Gaara stared at her, a bead of sweat trickling down his cheek. She had just subdued Shukaku, something he, Shukaku's host, had a difficult time doing. If she had somehow come in contact with it, her soul could have been devoured. And here she was, smiling as if it had merely been a run around a track.

Lee blinked as his hand set atop of hers and gripped. Gaara was bent over, his face not visible as he whispered-

"Thank you."

Lee merely patted his head, smiling benignly at him.

Wow, I didn't think The Rainmaker would be so popular! Thank you all, and especially to my reviewers! You know who you are wink

I'm going to be posting The Rainmaker as a fancomic on deviantart. Visit and show your support! http://devianthomunculi.