A/N: In the flash backs, it has only been a few months. I usually state the time each time I write in a flash back so if you are confused about it, just look. It's usually in the first or second paragraph.
Another note! Did anyone notice the new cover!? KakaIru made it for this story! I squealed so hard when I saw it! She is one of the most AWESOMELY WONDERFUL people I know!
Disclaimer: Is Lee getting chased by Seme's that want him as their Uke? No? Then I don't own Naruto.
Title: Save your Sorrow
Lee's heart still stuttered in his chest as he saw his name appear with the one he didn't want. Why oh why did it have to be him, why not someone else, he would have even fought someone from his own village as long as it wasn't him.
Oh gods...
Lee looked down at Gaara who was already waiting in the arena. Lee could barely keep his hands from trembling. Why, why, why?! He did not want to do this, Lee feared how this battle would begin and end.
"Lee!" Gai suddenly exclaimed, causing Lee to turn to him on reflex
"Yes, sir!"
"There is something that not many have noticed" Gai whispered, leaning in as if it were a secret he was about to speak.
"Sir?" Lee whispered back, leaning in as well.
"That gourd is very suspicious"
"A-ah?" Lee made a confused noise before suddenly smiling, "I see!"
With only those words, Lee felt better. Lee even felt, a little excited. Maybe now...maybe now he could prove that he wasn't weak, that Gaara couldn't own him anymore. Maybe...they could finally be equals, be...friends, once more. Lee nodded sharply to himself the looked down towards Gaara again. Who was now staring at him, daring him to come down and fight.
Lee grinned and jumped from the platform. He landed silently on the ground floor and looked up at Gaara. He slowly moved into his favored stance, one foot behind the other, his left arm behind his back, and his right arm up in a come over motion.
Silence permitted the air, all Lee could really hear was the slither of the sand in Gaara's gourd. Suddenly, Lee caught the projectile flying towards him. He let the cork to Gaara's gourd fall to the ground and just smiled.
"That wasn't nice Gaara-kun." He said.
The sound of Gaara's sand grew louder, almost agitated. The air was tense and the battle announcer coughed slightly before finally saying, "Alright then...If you are both ready, begin!" then jumping away. Lee felt his body tense then relax. Then his ears metaphorically perked as Gaara opened his mouth, and Lee found himself wanting to hear him.
"I will break you," Gaara rasped, keeping his frozen stance.
"I do not want to be broken, so no thank you." Lee answered curtly, feeling slightly disappointed. He shifted his own stance just a little so he was slightly crouching.
"I will break you," Gaara repeated, "and you will never be able to run from me again."
Lee's expression turned sad, "Gaara-kun...you make me want to run...yet-" He was cut off by a sudden shout.
Lee gasped and lept back, rolling on the ground then shooting to his feet again. He snapped his attention back to Gaara and shuddered at the...enraged look on his face. Lee swallowed down his sudden fear and quickly ran to Gaara. He kicked and punched but was blocked by the sand each time.
Lee knew he would have to be faster to bypass the sand.
Then, Lee saw Gaara's hand reach out to grab him but quickly jumped over Gaara to the other side then attacked faster. He saw sand coming at him from the side and grabbed his kunai, slashing at it quickly. Sand gathered into a small wave and tried to overtake him but Lee quickly rolled until he was at least ten feet away.
"Stop...Stop running away Lee" Gaara rasped, glaring frighteningly at Lee.
A shudder ran down Lee's spine but he did not reply. He saw more sand rush at him and he tried to jump away. His leg was caught and Lee was swung in the air, back to Gaara but he bent his body, using his kunai to cut the sand that connected him.
He gave a slightly pained grunt as his back hit the unforgiving wall and he fell to the ground. Lee barely had a few seconds to look before sand, once again, came flying at him. He rolled away and quickly got to his feet before running back at Gaara. He threw a punch and jumped back to avoid Gaara's grasp before trying to kick then repeating. The sand still protected Gaara from each move Lee made.
Sand came up from under him and Lee did a series of back flips to get away again. He gasped as he slipped on some of the sand on the ground and fell down. He looked up with wide eyes as sand came down on him. At the last moment, Lee jumped as high as he could and tucked in to keep going. He unraveled himself in time to land on the stone hands in the arena.
Lee grit his teeth as he stared down at Gaara who was staring right back up at him, the irritation clear to Lee.
"Alright Lee, take them off!" Gai's voice broke Lee out of his thoughts and Lee looked at his sensei in surprise.
"A-ah, but Gai-sensei! You said that was only as a last resort, when the lives of very important people were at stake!"
"That's right I did!" Gai grinned, giving Lee a thumbs up, "but this is an exception!"
Lee felt a rush of happiness as he stared, wide eyed, at his teacher. "R-really?", He said then repeated, "Really!?" with a wide grin slowly forming on his face.
Lee sat down on the stone hands and crossed his legs. He grabbed his orange leg warmers and pulled them off, revealing the weights on his legs. He quickly undid the clasps, put his legwarmers back on, then stood, holding the weights in either hand.
"That is better. Now I will be able to move freely!" Lee said in a happy tone, feeling slightly giddy now as he dropped his weights.
He smiled as he heard the loud boom of his weights hitting the ground and waited for the slight earthquake to disappear but then hear his sensei again.
"Alright, now go!" Gai said, giving Lee the signal.
"Yes Sir!" Lee exclaimed then jumped from the stone hands, disappearing from every ones view.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, he threw a punch at Gaara and felt a flash of pride as the sand just barely blocked it. He jumped to the other side just before Gaara could complete his turn to look and aimed a kick. The next few moments were to quick for anyone to see as Lee jumped from place to place, becoming faster with his attacks until he spun in the air and drop kicked Gaara. His heel connecting with Gaara's head.
Lee jumped and slid back, away from Gaara. He looked up to his old friend and grinned in excitement. He heard his teacher exclaim about youth and shouted his youth right back then ran at Gaara. He bypassed the wave of sand and appeared right behind Gaara. He attacked the red head again and again, teasing him by saying, "Over here, no, over here!" each time he disappeared.
Lee stopped at Gaara's side and bypassed the sand again, punching Gaara hard enough that the red head flew off the ground and landed on the ground.
'A direct hit!' Lee thought excitedly, the fight making him almost giddy with energy.
"Lee! Be careful/Watch out!" Kankuro and Temari's voices rang out as Gaara slowly stood.
Lee jolted slightly at hearing them, then actually paid attention to Gaara once more. A sharp shudder ran down his spine again as he could feel Gaara's unstable aura. His eyes widened in fear as Gaara grinned insanely at him, the sand slowly coating his body once more as sand fell from his face.
Lee tried to push back his sudden fear as the sand covered Gaara's insane expression, creating a calm mask once again.
"Well? Give up yet?" Gaara spoke calmly to Lee, "Submit and there will be no further pain..."
Lee glared for a moment then suddenly grinned. He stood up a little more and unwrapped his bandages from his arms, only enough to do what he wished. Then he dashed forward and ran in a circle around Gaara, kicking up dust and hiding himself within it as he did so.
"What are you waiting for Lee...submit." Gaara said, never moving an inch.
'You asked for it!' Lee thought, feeling anger. He would not be looked down upon!
Lee dashed in front of Gaara and kicked his head up so he would fly into the air. He grit his teeth as he suddenly remembered that the sand would make Gaara much heavier. Lee placed his hands on the ground and pushed himself off, continuously kicking Gaara into the air, even as Gaara blocked his kicks with his forearms.
Lee felt a sharp pain run through his body and reflexively closed his eyes for just a moment. He knew he had to do this quickly or else. Lee opened his eyes and wrapped Gaara in his bandages quickly then grabbed Gaara's arms tightly. He spun them around in mid air until they looked like a spinning torpedo heading towards the ground.
'Take this! Primary Lotus!' He thought just before jumping away at the last moment, letting Gaara crash into the ground, head first, alone.
Dust flew from the crater, hiding the damage as Lee landed, crouched and panting, on the ground. He quickly looked into the crater as the dust faded and felt a war inside him. Prideful happiness, and horrified worry. Worry was beginning to win as he stared at Gaara's still open eyes
'Is he...dead? Oh gods...no, no, no!' Lee felt his heart squeeze at the thought.
Then he heard the crumbling of sand and Lee looked back at Gaara in a rush. As he watched the body slowly turn into tan crumbling sand, Lee felt horror rise up within him, the pure happiness he had felt at knowing Gaara was still alive was overtaken by the knowledge that he knew, Lee knew that this fight was the battle he might die in.
He swallowed his saliva harshly as he stared at the damaged replica then felt a sharp prickling on his back, warning him. He heard the sand behind him and turned to see Gaara rising from the said sand. Lee gasped in fear as Gaara's eerie, deep chuckles echoed in his ears. Lee took one look into Gaara's eyes and his fear was confirmed.
'Oh gods...He is awake!' Lee shuddered as Gaara grinned dementedly and bent forward, his hands forming a handsign.
Sand burst behind him, creating a sideways dome-like shape. The the lines of sand shot up into the air before lunging at Lee. He blocked one before the other hit him straight on, causing him to fly to the ground. Lee forced himself to sit up at least, even as his muscles cramped and ached harshly in protest. He forced himself on his knees to face Gaara who was still grinning. Sand burst from under Gaara and formed a enormous wave.
"Run Lee!" Lee could hear Naruto shout as the wave came towards him.
Lee lifted his arms to protect himself the best he could as the wave crashed into him, taking his body like how a real wave would. He felt himself be jerk around before he crashed into the wall with a pained sound. Lee looked up just in time to see two more thick pillars of sand torpedo towards him and held up his arms again. As the sand finally fell away, Lee panted, trying to catch his breath. It hurt, so much, to even protect himself this way. His eyes widened as more sand rushed towards him, and Lee rolled and hopped away, using mostly his arm muscles to help himself.
Lee immediately put his arms up in an 'X' form as Gaara's eye's narrowed in murderous joy, like a cat tormenting a mouse. Sand knocked him completely to the ground once more before more of it crashed into his body, making him cry out in pain. He gasped for air and forced himself to his feet once more. The pain becoming background noise as he ran sideways, away from the pillars of sand trying to crush him.
"Why run Lee...? You can't escape, you can't run from me any more. I won't let you run anymore!" Gaara said as another pillar came and blasted Lee backwards again, even as he tried to protect himself.
Lee flew to the ground but quickly tried to push himself back up, even though his arms were shaking so badly. He got back onto his feet and once again, put his arms up in the 'X' position. He stared at Gaara through the gap between his arms, taking in that, still demented, grin. He heard Gaara chuckled once more.
"What good do you think that will do?" Gaara said, his grin widening just slightly, "One more chance, just submit. I will wait to take you if you do. I won't break you completely..."
Lee's cheeks went red and he was glad that their was to much noise for anyone else to hear that.
"I will never give up." Was his simple answer. He had to prove to Gaara, to everyone, that he wasn't weak, that he deserved to be a chunin. It was his ninja way, to never give up, never give in.
Gaara growled in anger and commanded his sand to hurt Lee, to rip at him, make him give up, to make him submit.
Lee did not know how long he kept trying to protect himself, how long he took the pain until his eyes caught Gai's. He stopped and stared at his sensei, who was looking at him with such pride that Lee could feel tears well up in his eyes.
'Thank you, Gai-sensei' He thought in affection before lowering his arms and smiling.
He took up his usual fighting stance and once again dodged the pillars of sand with supposed ease.
'I will not give in, Gai-sensei. I will make a path and forge ahead! I will make you proud!' Lee sped up just slightly, continuously dodging sand now and getting back into the rhythm of the fight again.
Lee finally stopped and and closed his eyes to concentrate.
'I will..protect and maintain my ninja way!'
The air around Lee became visible and formed a pillar around him.
"I don't know what you think you are planning right now. But this match is over for you." Gaara said slowly, watching Lee
"You are right. It is over, one way or another!" Lee agreed, tensing further, 'I will not be the only one to lose here! Gai-sensei, please let this work! It is now or never!'
Lee's blue chakra became visible on his body, rising like fire. He thrust his arms down, revealing his new brown-red skin and white eyes. His braided hair whipping and rising in the visible 'wind' that was coming from the ground to the ceiling.
'The third gate! Gate of Life, open!'
Lee crouched forward even as his blue chakra swirled around him and his green aura became visible. He force another gate open.
'The fourth gate. Gate of Pain, open!' He thought even as he screamed with the effort, his veins becoming visible from the strain it was taking on his body.
Lee knelt slightly forward, his legs clenched before dashing towards Gaara. The ground beneath him cracking and disconnecting. He kicked Gaara's head up, sending him into the air.
"Your sand will not protect you now!" Lee spoke as he appeared in front of Gaara, kicking him down. He jumped faster than ever, keeping Gaara in the air even as he punched and kicked him, making the sand armor crumble away. Lee forced his arm the form another fist even as his muscles tore, he could barely make his body move.
"One more and we are finished!"
'The fifth gate. Gate of Closing, open!'
He barely saw Gaara try to defend himself and turned his eyes to Neji instead, the one he had been saving this attack for. Then his eyes snapped back to Gaara and he twisted his body. He disappeared for just a moment before reappearing at Gaara's stomach and punching him with all his might. He tied his bandage to Gaara's sash and grabbed it tightly, halting Gaara's quick descent to the ground with only a few feet between them. The sand was struggling to reach Gaara but it was not quick enough.
Lee cried out in pain and determination as he struck Gaara with his foot, calling out the name of his forbidden jutsu.
"HIDDEN LOTUS!"
The attack was so powerful that wind blew from it and no one could see what had exactly happened. Lee gasped and grunted in pain as his right arm and leg seized up in tremendous pain. He did not notice Gaara's gourd turning back into sand. Lee flew off to the side, rolling on the ground the completely laying on his back in pain. Gaara crashed to the ground, dust exploding up once again.
When it cleared, Lee could finally see what had happened. Gaara had cushioned his fall by turning his gourd back into sand. Lee couldn't think from all the pain he was feeling, his body moved on instinct as he saw Gaara's hand rise. He tried to crawl away but stumbled. He looked back and saw the sand form a giant hand.
His heart was beating harshly in his chest, it felt just as painful as his torn muscles. He tried to get up but just fell to his knees again. He closed his eyes in pain for just a moment then looked back once more and saw the sand slithering towards him. His heart squeezed in fear and he mindlessly tried to bat it away. It grabbed his left arm and leg, and Lee knew what was to happen. His eyes caught Gaara's hand as it squeezed into a fist. Then there was consuming pain.
Lee screamed.
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