Chapter Ten: Uncovered
Thanks for the reviews, and for the happy birthday! Enjoy Chapter Ten. Sorry it took an absolute age to come out.
Lee woke up with a start, sitting straight up in bed and realising he had no clothes on. He checked the time and found it was nine in the morning, the morning after the night before. Except it was not the night when that had happened…had Lee really slept all this time? All the built up exhaustion from training and travelling here, then Gaara and it was no wonder. A servant must have came in at some point - the room was immaculate and there was a jumpsuit laid out for Lee on the end of the bed. He put it on hurriedly, then made his bed and opened the window. The gentle breeze fluttered in, some sand grains being carried by the wind. Slipping on his orange leg warmers after fastening his newer weights onto his legs and pulling on the first pair of shoes he saw, Lee walked out of his room and down the hallway. He wondered what exactly he was supposed to do today.
Gaara, already in his office, sat writing a letter to the Raikage regarding some important matters. He ran a hand through his messed up hair and rubbed his eyes. Last night he had managed an hour's sleep, which was pretty good considering most nights he just lay awake, the dark rings under his eyes getting worse. There was a cup of coffee on a placemat on his desk, a cactus, the pieces of paper he was writing on and a few folders, that was all. And it was a large desk. There were three knocks on the door and Gaara grunted to let them know they could enter the room.
"Gaara-kun?" It was Lee, and the moment Gaara heard his serious yet sweet voice he walked over and planted a kiss on Lee's chest.
"So you're finally awake." said Gaara, sitting back down again. "I was beginning to wonder just how long a person can be asleep for, normally."
Lee chuckled. "My apologies. I was just wondering what work I was supposed to do today. As the liaison?" He added the last part quickly as Gaara's eyes gleamed.
"Nothing. I see no need for a liaison when the bond between Suna and Konoha is as strong as it is." Gaara shrugged. "You can do what you like. I only chose you for this job so I would be able to see you."
Lee was a little disappointed. He expected lots of hard work so he could more Gai Sensei proud with his accomplishments. There seemed to be nothing to do according to Gaara and now he was at a loss. He wasn't to go back to Konoha for another week. He could go training…Yes! I shall train in Gaara's training grounds so eventually I will be as strong as him!
"I'll see you later." Gaara's tone seemed ominous. He waved Lee away with his right hand. "Don't train too hard, Lee."
How did he -? Lee smiled. He was too easy to read. Of course he'd be going training. "Later, Gaara-kun." He proceeded to dash from the room, almost colliding with Kankuro who was about to knock on the door, and had caught the last snip of the conversation. Don't train too hard? Gaara-kun? Kankuro thought with a puzzled expression. Since when did Lee drop the sama? And since when did Gaara care about Lee's training?
***
Of course, the ANBU hired to guard the Kazekage at all times knew what was going on. They were never more than ten metres away, and always had sight of Gaara, due to one of the four hired having Byakugan. So while Lee and Gaara thought they were keeping their relationship on the quiet, four other people knew, three men and a woman, but as all were trained ANBU they wouldn't just tell everyone of this. It would be kept to themselves.
They were sitting on a tree not far from the Kazekage's bedroom window, the window itself closed but the curtains wide open. So far Gaara had just been sitting on his bed as if waiting for someone.
"Rock Lee-san?" One of the men inquired to the group. He smiled wryly. "I cannot believe the Kazekage-sama has actually…" He gestured wildly to indicate what he meant.
Hyuuga Yaniko frowned in his direction. "It really isn't our business what the Kazekage-sama or Rock Lee-san do, as long as it isn't illegal, or dangerous to the Kazekage-sama." At this point from the window, Lee had walked inside, a little anxiously, and the curtains were swiftly closed after that. She focused her Byakugan for a few seconds to find the two just talking, staring at each other, the distance between slowly being shortened by Gaara.
Another ANBU adjusted his mask slightly. "What are they doing?" He was the most senior, called himself Kazuo while acting as ANBU and like Yaniko, took his work very seriously, unlike the other two men who tried to have some fun every now and then.
"Just talking then when I looked, likely to lead to more." She replied, twirling her red hair with her fingers.
"Watching the Kazekage-sama is not exactly interesting, is it?" The final ANBU commented.
Kazuo looked at him. "It's not supposed to be interesting. It's a job, and an honour, to be chosen to guard someone as important as the Kazekage-sama by the Elders and Advisors. You should respect this."
"It's not like the most powerful person in the village would need protecting is all I'm arguing." The accused shrugged nonchalantly. "Perhaps Rock Lee-san could -"
"Wait!" Yaniko snapped, looking in on the two with Byakugan. Lee and Gaara were undressed on the bed, kissing passionately, but she wasn't interested in that, it was past the wall, Kankuro making his way towards them. "Kankuro-san is on his way to their door, and the Kazekage-sama has not informed his brother of his relationship with Rock Lee-san. We need to prevent something happening."
"I'll go." The ANBU complaining about the disinterest of guarding Gaara stated, then vanished into the darkness, and appeared in the hallway in front of Kankuro, who looked more than surprised.
***
Something is going on here, and I don't think it's what Temari said about Gaara dating Sakura. Unless Lee is acting as a messenger between them? That would make some sense, the guy is always willing to help out with things. Is that what the 'business with Lee' was about yesterday? But they've both disappeared now…it can't be about Temari's idea. The best thing to do, is just to confront my little brother. Kankuro was dealing with his thoughts as he paced down the hall towards Gaara's room, deciding he wouldn't take his sister's sneaky approach but just face him head on. Gaara was never one to avoid an outright question. Perhaps Lee would be there too - he'd be easier to break if Gaara truly was hiding something.
Just as he was about to turn to open the door leading to Gaara's bedroom where he knew his brother was located (he could hear muffled voices and assumed Lee was in there with him) a member of the ANBU appeared in front of him.
"The Kazekage-sama is busy, Kankuro-san." The man told Kankuro, who had leaped back in shock.
"Busy doing what?" Kankuro regained his composure and asked back, defiantly. He was sick of all this secretive stuff. "If you don't tell me, I'll walk in and find out."
"Kankuro-san -" Pushed out of the way by the painted man, the ANBU member couldn't complete his sentence and didn't have the time to stop the door from being pushed open, and the sight in front of him being seen by Kankuro aswell.
Lee and Gaara, naked, with Lee about to lube Gaara up.
***
This is not happening. This was the thought that every single person in the room at that moment thought, aside from Gaara, who was more along the lines of: Finally. Lee dived under the covers to protect his privacy, and quickly put the lid back on the tub of lube and hid it under the covers along with his naked body. Gaara held the quilt around him too but didn't wear the same shocked expression as everyone else. The ANBU quickly departed, leaving the damage done.
Kankuro stood there with his mouth open, trying to speak. Of all the things he thought of…this, was not one of them. In a million years. The business yesterday…were they -?! "YOU TWO?" He eventually shouted in shock. "Gaara - what are you -?"
"Say something negative about Lee and I will not be responsible for my actions." Gaara's voice was cold. He frowned. "Kankuro, do not try to stop this. It won't work. I love him." The words slipped past so easily, as if it were something Gaara had understood his entire life. Lee huddled next to him, his whole body turning crimson.
"I -" The eldest stopped. What was he trying to say? This was probably the biggest surprise he'd received in his entire life. But the easiness of Gaara's love for Lee seemed even more. The blushing Ninja next to his brother meant this much? He was a strong fighter, a loyal friend, but a good lover? Kankuro quickly shook the image from his mind, but found after the initial shock he didn't feel any anger. It was more…relief.
Relief? Kankuro thought, staring at Gaara and Lee. Gaara has finally found someone. No matter who this was, it shouldn't matter. He is happy now, truly happy with Lee. Who am I to dispute this? He managed a shaky grin at the two of them, and said jokily, "I hope this doesn't mean you want to double date with Kiba and I. Oh I wonder what Temari is going to say." He chuckled, remembering his sister's reaction to his confession. Then a question struck him. "How long has this…been going on? Is this a long term thing?"
"Not long," Lee gabbled quickly. His usual confidence was faltering. "Just before I left for Konoha after escorting Gaara-kun back, Kankuro-san. I apologise we did not tell you. I was not sure if I was ready for everyone's reactions." He sat up a little straighter and met Kankuro's gaze. "But this is of course long-term, if not forever. I love Gaara-kun."
Kankuro knew he was serious, and at this, the fact he knew Lee would not abandon Gaara and cause chaos, he could relax, at least for a little while.
"So," he started to back out of the room, his mind beginning to erase the images he saw that horrified him. He didn't want to walk in on that again, that was for sure. "I, er, will leave you to it. Are you going to tell other people now that I know? Temari? What about the village?" Although now in the hall, he hovered outside the door due to his last question. How was the village going to react to this? "But anyway. I really don't want to be in this room any longer than I have to." Kankuro hurriedly closed the door, not waiting for a reply, then strode away.
There was a moment of silence. Then Gaara sighed and grinned. "Now, where were we?"
Lee stared at his lover in amazement. He burst out laughing. Maybe people knowing wouldn't be so bad after all, if things were just going to remain the same as they were.
Still, they were going to have to get a lock on that door.
***
Sakura lay back on her bed with a frown on her face and sighed. There was something just not right. She kept thinking about Lee. He was her friend, one of her best friends, but these were not platonic thoughts. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to think of Naruto's success, but her mind travelled to what a baby of her and Lee would look like. Arghh. What's wrong with me? Sakura exhaled in frustration and stared up at her white ceiling. Am I really missing Lee this much?
She thought of Lee, and got that warm feeling you did when you liked someone. In more than a friendship way.
"Oh, great." Sakura groaned. "I've probably blown my chance with Lee now…"
Catapulting upwards, she ran to check her calendar. Lee was coming back in a week. He wouldn't refuse her, would he? She'd been thinking about Lee a lot lately and it was all adding up to this. Had he been thinking about her at all…?
Of course he had…she was his first 'love'.
***
The servants stared at each other, hardly able to believe what they had just seen. The Kazekage had just walked pass, humming a tinkly sounding tune, a big, smug, smile on his face.
"You saw that right?" One maid asked, blinking.
"What's made him so happy?" Another inquired.
Behind them, Kankuro snorted knowingly.
Author's Note: Okay, I am so sorry this has taken so long but I am suffering from Writer's Block at the moment. Not sure what to make of this chapter. Reviews please!