Chapter Seven
Lee chattered quietly with Chouji and Sakura, sitting in eighth period. He had decided to take two gyms, so Monday through Wednesday, he had gym eighth period and Thursday through Friday (today being Thursday because school had started on Wednesday), he had gym fourth period. As it turned out, both Chouji and Sakura both had eighth period study hall as well but for different classes.
He laughed softly at what Chouji had to say about their lazy, perverted teacher who was reading a small porn book at the desk, not even pretending to pay attention to them all. He knew in the back of his mind that that was mean to do, but he could not stop himself. Chouji was a very good impressionist! Even Sakura thought so!
There was an impatient tapping at the small glass window on the door. All three looked over and Naruto was all but slapping himself with how hard he was gesturing for them to 'get up and get out!'.
Lee frowned at Sakura who grimaced at Chouji who swallowed thickly around his chewed chips. Sakura raised a hand. "Mr. Hatake, could we please go to the library?" He took out a piece of paper and scrawled on it without peeking at what he wrote once. When done, he put the pencil down and waved dismissively at them.
Sakura grabbed the note and they all sprinted out of the room. Around the corner near Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Hinata were already waiting. Chouji went to Shikamaru and tapped his nose. The lazy boy opened his mouth and accepted the offered chip and sighed. "Alright, Naruto, we're all here."
"Yeah, what'd you want to talk about?" Kiba balanced his hands on his hips.
"Gaara got in a fight last period with Sasuke! He went Shukaku when Sasuke made him bleed and sent him through a wall and now I can't find Gaara anywhere!" He nearly screamed and two doors opened. Both with grumpy teachers.
"All of you, get to class!" One shouted.
"If you all keep screaming, I'll write you all up." The other shut the door behind herself but the first gave them a nasty glare and kept hers open.
The group shuffled down the hall before stopping again. "How do we split up? He wouldn't have gone far." Sakura looked worried despite that.
"You and Hinata take the music hall and the next building over. Shikamaru and Chouji, check the upstairs! Kiba and I'll get the A and B wing. Fuzzy brows!" He pointed sharply at him. "You check everywhere else!"
"Yosh!" Lee blinked. "What is everthing else?"
"The gyms, the cafeteria, the downstairs, everywhere we're not checking!" He slammed a hand down in front of them all. "Ready?"
"Wait!" Everyone looked at Lee. "What do we do if we find him?"
"Let's meet back up at the roof in ten minutes, whether we have found him or not." Everyone nodded to Sakura.
"Ready?" Everyone put a hand over Naruto's. "Go!" They all ran in the directions assigned to them.
Sakura and Hinata were hopeless in the music hall; what classes weren't in session, a teacher admitted to not having seen Gaara. In the next building over, where other classes are held such as outdoor classes like automobile repair, horticulture, makeup, and classes in nursing were held. Nothing.
Shikamaru and Chouji were worse off. Off way down the hall, a teacher gave them both a pink slip and ordered them to return to the principle's office. Shikamaru had to have an 'intellectual conversation of wits' with him before the teacher was so confused, he forgot about the pink slip he was just about to hand them. That wasted half their time before they were able to check all the rooms through the windows and then get to the roof. Nada.
Kiba and Naruto were both ready to murder each other and everyone else who came along by the time they checked the two wings assigned to them. What classes there were, Gaara was found in none and most of the teachers were damn well certain of the fact that they were skipping for no apparent reason… again. One teacher nearly screamed at them to get back to class or get written up. Despite it all, there was not even a sign that Gaara had ever been there.
Lee was on his way to the auxiliary gym, where all the exercise equipment was kept. He opened the door, squinting his eyes in the dark of the room. Unoccupied.
Or so he thought. Until he heard deep, ragged breathing.
He stared into the darkness, trying to make out a shape aside from the glisten of the equipment and the red of- RED! Gaara! "Gaara!" He ran towards the crouching teen, kneeling down to put himself at eye level with him. He smiled, relieved. "Gaara, we have been looking everywhere for you. Are you alright-"
His head cracked off of the ground and he blinked dazedly as he looked up, his mind not quick enough at the moment to understand the change of events. Gaara glared down at him. No, not Gaara… Gaara did not have golden eyes.
"'Shukaku'…" Golden eyes were cruel on him as were his hands as he squeezed his wrists and pushed them harder to the ground. He smirked down at Lee and his tongue flickered over his upper lip.
"And this fly I have caught in my web shall nurture my thirst for this fly shall die slowly as it feels my utmost desire devour its blood, life, and soul." Lee swallowed hard.
"You may be Shukaku, but I am Lee. And because I am Lee, I am Gaara's friend! I do not want to hurt you, but I will if I have to!" His eyes showed with fierce will.
"I would like to see you try, my captured fly… But I am a hungry spider and you will be smart to be quick." Lee choked as hips pushed against him. His eyes widened and he felt his heart stutter.
Gaara's bipolar personality… was going to rape him? He gritted his teeth. No he was not!
And then 'Shukaku' ducked his head and bit down on Lee's bottom lip, hard enough that Lee felt the skin break and tasted blood. Lee forced his face to the side, growling at him.
He pushed his legs up, focusing on the muscles there until 'Shukaku' was balanced mostly on his body. Stretching his back muscles, he tossed his lower body over his shoulder, thus tossing 'Shukaku' over his body. In the process, he landed on top of 'Shukaku'. He huffed down at the snarling redhead.
"No. You will not use Gaara's body to harm me." He pulled back a hand, fisting it. "Forgive me, Gaara." He stroke.
Not Lee, but 'Shukaku'. Like a cobra. He rose his upper torso faster than Lee could blink, crashing lips together and biting down hard on Lee's tongue. "Fly in my net, you are mine to gorge upon." Lee's fist hit his face that moment too late.
His eyes were wide and he was uncertain to pale or blush. His lip and tongue were bleeding and bruises were forming on his wrists. Gaara looked slowly back to him, teal eyes blinked slowly and it seemed as if he were just waking up.
And then they widened and Lee saw the minute flash of panic in his eyes. "Lee?" He sat up fully now and Lee tilted back in his lap. Teal eyes were focused on Lee's lips. "Lee?" Calmer this time, hidden behind his camouflage of uncaring.
Lee ignored both calls, stealing a napkin from the pocket of his Casting green vest, wiping it over Gaara's temple. That must have been where the blood Naruto had been talking about came from. "There you are, Gaara…" He hugged the redhead. "It is so good to see you again."
There was a long moment where he could honestly say that he saw Gaara shut down. All emotion died and he became nothing more than a still body as Lee held him. "You… are an idiot." Gaara leaned against him. Lee tickled the side of his face with the end of his braid, a habit he had found comforting to his uncle so he assumed it would work on the redhead as well. Clearly, though he hid it now, Gaara was upset by his loss of control. He needed the comfort.
He did not object, so Lee continued on without interruption for two minutes… far too long. Because it had taken eight minutes to find Gaara and it would have taken another three to get to the roof.
Lee snapped back to awareness with this thought. He all but jumped from Gaara's lap, grabbing one of his hands and pulling hard. "Come on, Gaara! We have to get to the roof!"
He charged them down a number of hallways and up a few stairways, never stopping. Never letting go of Gaara.
They made it to the roof in two minutes, Gaara panting slightly as he put his hands to his knees and Lee mostly fine aside from a thundering heart, but that had little to do with the run. A fair number of eyes turned onto them.
And then focused on Lee.
He felt oddly bare beneath their scrutiny. And then horror was turned onto Gaara. "Gaara, what did you do?"
"Gaara, what the hell?"
"Gaara, how far did you get!"
Lee frowned, looking between each of them, the hand he still held, and then Gaara's eyes. He looked back at all of them. "It does not matter, does it? He is back, we are well, and we are all together!" He smiled widely. "True?"
"Lee… Let me clean that for you." Sakura pulled out a pink handkerchief and wiped Lee's lower lip, green eyes narrowed in concern. Lee allowed the attention, eyes warm on her.
"Thankh fou Sakhura." He mumbled around the care.
"Lee… You've brought him back now, you can let go." Sakura whispered close to his ear. Lee blinked and looked down.
He still held Gaara's hand. And Gaara had yet to say anything of it.
He went to let go, almost apologizing, but fingers tightened around his palm and he stopped. "No, Sakura… I do not think I will let go yet." He covered easily for Gaara.
Still, the redhead said and did nothing.
