Here it is! Finally. This chapter did not come easy to me. It probably didn't help that I could find a quiet, dry place to sit down and type this out. Alaska is terrible this time of year. If anyone out there doesn't believe in global warming, they can go for a swim in my basement and see if that changes their minds. Stupid, evil, melting permafrost...
To the fic!
"Temari-san? Are you going somewhere?" Lee asked. He leaned through the doorway to Temari's bedroom and watched her shove her belongings into a backpack. Several mismatched outfits were strewn across her purple bed spread, along with a messy assortments of kunai and shuriken lying everywhere.
"I was just assigned a mission on short notice." Temari growled around a senbon needle sticking out the corner of her mouth. "It's an escort across the god damned ocean to Tea Country! Can you believe this shit?!"
Lee frowned and shifted subtly into a defensive stance. After living under the same roof as the Sand kunoichi, Lee was learning to recognize when she was seriously pissed. He kept one cautious eye on her fan propped up against the wall behind her.
"That does not sound like a difficult job, Temari-san. It will not take more than a couple days to sail that far. Who are you escorting, if you do not mind my asking?" Lee asked politely.
Temari all but snarled at him, sending the senbon needle flying from her mouth and embedding itself with a thud into the door frame inches away from Lee's head. He eyed the needle fearfully, thinking about how close he'd just come to death. He couldn't help but squeak quietly as his gaze darted back to the furious Temari.
"It's just some stupid fuckin' noble. The moron doesn't have any enemies, but he insists that he have a god damn jonin escort him. And of course, because the guy's rich and he pays up front, he gets whatever the hell he damn well pleases. Damn it! Where the hell are all my senbon needles?! God damned outdated piece of useless weaponry…"
Instead of answering what he could only hope to be a rhetorical question, Lee ducked out of there as fast as his crutches could carry him. He quickly made his way down the hall, and then more slowly down the stairs. He was just stepping off the bottom stair and into the kitchen when Kankuro walked in.
"Hello! Good afternoon, Kankuro-san!" Lee greeted enthusiastically. Kankuro nodded lazily in response, shifting the wrapped puppet on his back. Both men flinched as they heard a crash and muffled cursing from upstairs.
"Heh, I heard about Temari's new mission. I figured I'd come over and see if you were still alive." Kankuro said, grinning in amusement.
"I am very alive and youthful! Thank you for checking. We had a close call with a senbon needle a few moments ago, but I managed to escape with my bodily functions intact." Lee said, flashing a sparkling grin. "If you do not mind my asking, why is Temari-san so upset? I am sure she had performed escort missions before. This could be a youthful attempt at displaying Sunagakure's capable ninja's abilities."
"Temari's just pissed because half the trip is going to be on a ship. She gets seriously fuckin' seasick. She turns green in shades you'd have to see to believe." Kankuro snickered, looking up the stairs as if he could see Temari's outrage through the walls.
"Oh." Lee murmured in understanding. "Could she not ask someone else to go? Is there not someone else available?"
"Nope. The guy paid for someone with Temari's rank and capabilities. Her wind techniques are going to help them sail faster. Even if there was someone else, she couldn't object. She was directly assigned the mission by the Kazekage. He usually has good reasons for shit like this." Kankuro explained with a shrug.
"Her brother? But does he not know about her seasickness?"
"Yup. He assigned her anyway. It's best not to question it for now. Believe it or not, Temari's already resigned to her fate, she just wants to vent." Kankuro's words were accompanied by the loudest crash yet, making Lee flinch violently and duck as if someone had thrown something at him. Kankuro smirked and leaned against the table lazily.
"So, now that I see you're surviving this little rampage she's in, I'm gonna take off. I also wanted to let you know you'll be on your own for dinner tonight. Temari's leaving in less than an hour, and I'll be with my girlfriend." Kankuro explained. They both knew that it was unlikely that Gaara would be home in time for dinner. He usually didn't show up until everyone else was in bed. "There's some cash in the jar on the counter if you want to order take out, but there should be enough food in the house, too."
"Thank you very much, Kankuro-san. I will just settle for eating the leftovers in the-" Lee was cut off by what sounded like breaking glass upstairs. And a lot of it.
"Where the fuck are all my hair ties?!?!" Temari hollered.
"Later." Kankuro said quickly with a wave before dashing out the door.
Lee sighed and turned to go back upstairs. If Temari had less than an hour, she would need someone to help her pack. And Lee was just polite enough to help, even if he was risking his own life by doing so.
Gaara scanned the final piece of paperwork with his eyes before signing his name at the bottom. He placed the paper on top of a stack of finished work. The previously huge stack of unfinished and disorganized files was now nonexistent. He'd worked since early morning, and now he'd finally taken care of it all. It was early evening now, and he wanted to go back to the Kazekage residence, soon. He'd taken preemptive measures to ensure that he would have time alone with Lee, without any interruptions from certain blonde sisters.
Gaara almost smirked at the thought. No doubt that Temari was extremely angry right now. But no matter. She'd live, and she'd be better for the opportunity to build a tolerance for seasickness.
Gaara was just standing up to leave when he heard a knock on his door. He frowned, irritated. No doubt someone was delivering a message or some last minute paperwork. He considered sending them away, but quickly reminded himself that he was the Kazekage. That meant that the village came first, including boring and mindless paperwork.
"Enter." He said, sighing softly as he sat back down in his chair. A short brunette shinobi walked in and bowed politely.
"A message for you from Konoha, Kazekage-sama." The man said respectfully. He set the scroll on the Kazekage's desk and left.
Gaara unrolled the scrolled with a raised brow. Were they finally sending someone to get Lee? That would put a damper on his plans. He skimmed the content once before pulling out a spare sheet of paper and properly deciphering the message.
To the Kazekage of Wind Country
Konoha is in a time of need and we are requesting services of your village. We are having extreme difficulty maintaining not only our northern borders, but also the borders of Tea and River Country. Our enforcements are scattered, and we are unable to meet all the missions coming to us.
The Fire village, Tanzaku Gai, has been attacked multiple times in the past few months. The law enforcers of the village are requesting help, but we are unable to come to their aid. We are sending a formal request for your support. Please reply promptly with a list of any and all available ninja you can deploy.
~Hokage of Leaf
Was Konoha really so bad off that they couldn't even send a couple chunin to defend a village from bandits? And there was no mention that they were sending someone to pick up Lee any time soon. Wouldn't they want him back sooner rather than later, so that he could help? It sounded like they needed all the shinobi they could get, amnesiac or no.
Gaara wrote a quick reply, and a message to a few select chunin. They would be assigned, along with one jonin, to aid Tanzaku Gai. Gaara requested at least one ninja from Konoha to meet the Sand team in the village to brief them on the situation.
When he'd finally finished all that, he sent his messages and made his way home, relieved to finally be done for the day.
Lee looked up from his plate in surprise.
"Gaara! You are home early!" Lee grinned at the red head. Gaara stood in the kitchen doorway in his usual black outfit. Gaara nodded and stared silently at Lee.
"Would you like something to eat? I was just having some leftovers, I can get some for you if you would like." Lee said, standing from his chair and reaching for his crutches.
"No." Gaara murmured. "I'll get it. Don't get up."
Lee looked like he wanted to protest for a second, but then sat down with a shrug and a smile. Gaara nodded in approval before fixing himself a plate of rice and other random leftovers from the fridge. He propped the gourd up against a wall. Gaara sat down across from Lee, not bothering to heat up his food before he started eating. Lee asked about Gaara's day, receiving only one worded answers. Lee rambled about his day with Temari and the time he spent training. He was visibly excited to see the Kazekage home in time to share a meal. Lee wouldn't say so out loud, but he was getting lonely often since he'd been saved by the Sand village. The two finished the last dregs of their meal in silence for a while. It was the usual silence for Gaara, but Lee seemed to have something on his mind.
"I- uh… I have something- um… for you." Lee murmured when they'd finished eating. He rubbed the back of his bowl cut nervously as he stood from his chair. There was a light flush of pink across his cheeks and nose. Gaara watched him curiously, as the red head set their dishes in the sink.
Lee balanced himself with one crutch and made his way to the fridge. He hobbled slightly as he limped around the table. He opened the refrigerator door, and pulled out a gold box with a red bow on top. He closed the door quickly, not letting the cold air out. It was shockingly chilly compared to the desert heat. He sat down at the table and gestured for Gaara to take the chair next to him. Gaara sat, examining the box as though it were an interesting specimen of insect.
"After Temari left, I went for a walk and I came across a youthful Valentines shop. They were selling a huge assortment of Valentine themed things. I thought that you might like some of the chocolates, so I got them for you." Lee mumbled with a few hesitations. His wide eyes darted between Gaara's face and the gold box, gauging the Kazekage's reaction. When the red head didn't say anything, but only continued to stare at the box, Lee lifted the lid. He pulled back a piece of plastic wrap and slid the exposed treats in front of Gaara.
Gaara glanced at Lee's expectant face for a second before carefully selecting a round morsel from the little box. He rolled it between his thumb and forefinger for a moment, and then carefully bit it in half. He chewed thoughtfully, and swallowed. Then he popped the other half in his mouth, too.
"Do you like it?" Lee asked, blushing and grinning. His grin stretched even further when Gaara nodded and carefully selected another piece.
"That is great! I am happy that you are pleased with your gift!" Lee leaned over and placed an unexpected kiss on the Kazekage's cheek. Gaara stared at Lee, still chewing. Lee flushed a fierce shade of red and couldn't make himself meet Gaara's gaze.
Gaara swallowed his treat slowly and leaned forward so that he could see Lee's face better.
"What does that mean?" Gaara asked, his tone blunt. Lee met his gaze for a split second before looking away. The blush was reaching the back of his neck and the tips of his ears.
"What does what mean?" Lee asked politely.
"You kissed my cheek. What does that mean?"
"W-well," Lee mumbled. "It can mean any number of things. B-but when I… when I did that, just now, I meant it a-as a way of saying that I-I- I like you, Gaara."
Lee finally looked Gaara in the face, wondering at his blank expression. Did Gaara really not know anything about tokens of affection? He'd seemed to like the chocolates, but he hadn't said anything about them. Did he not know what those meant, either? Probably not, judging by the way he was blinking.
"You like me." Gaara stated, as if it were a phrase in a foreign language that he only vaguely understood.
"Yosh! I like you very much." Lee grinned and posed with an excited fist. Gaara stared into Lee's eyes.
"Not many people like me. Many respect and fear me, but it is rare for someone to like me." Gaara murmured in his usual monotone. For all the change in his expression, he may as well have been talking about the weather.
"I am sure that there are many people who like you!" Lee exclaimed, his eyes shining nearly as brightly as his teeth. "Your brother and sister like you! I like you! I am sure that there are more, but I do not know many people in Suna, and I cannot remember many people from anywhere else."
Gaara stared at Lee for a moment before visibly seeming to dismiss the topic.
"Are we lovers?" Gaara asked, his tone making it more of a statement than a question.
Lee squeaked loudly in shock, and a loud crack was heard. His already huge eyes widened as he looked down at where a piece of his chair had broken off from where he'd been clutching it. The wood was in splinters. Lee dropped the largest chunk in surprise. He hadn't meant to do that.
Gaara stood without a word and opened a cupboard door, pulling out a first aid kit. It wasn't until Gaara had set the small box down in front of Lee that Lee realized his fingers were bleeding from the splinters. Gaara put the lid back on the gold chocolate box before carefully pushing it out of the way. He gripped Lee's wrist and began searching his bandages for the knot.
"Oh! Uh- let me do that." Lee said quickly. He found the knot tucking into his palm and quickly began to unravel the fabric. When the lose bandages unraveled past his wrist, Gaara took his hand and began to pluck out the wooden slivers and drop them unceremoniously on the table. Lee flinched and hissed as Gaara pulled a few of the deeper ones free. Aqua green eyes met his, and Gaara's fingers coaxed out the wood more gently.
"Are we lovers?" Gaara asked, much slower than before, sounding out each word carefully. He acted like his voice was an explosive weapon that had to be handled with care. Lee took a deep breath to calm his nerves before answering.
"No… we are not lovers. But… I would like to become more than just friends with you…" Lee said slowly. He was used to making loud proclamations, but he had a feeling that Gaara wouldn't take that so well.
"Explain." Gaara stated as he reached for the antiseptic. He dabbed at the blood from Lee's fingers gingerly. Lee tried not to flinch from the sting of the medicine. He'd had much worse than this in battle and training, but it was different then. When he was in a fight or completing a challenge, he had adrenaline and an opponent keeping him distracted. He tried to focus on the conversation at hand, instead of thinking about his cuts.
"Well… when two people are 'lovers', that usually means that they… are having a physical relationship."
"You mean sex." Gaara stated. He was looking at Lee's hand and not his face, so he didn't see the look of distress that briefly flashed across his face.
"Uh- y- yes. Th- that is what I mean. We- we have not done… that. Therefore we are not lovers. But I would like to start a very youthful and dedicated relationship with you, Gaara." Lee clasped the hand that wasn't bleeding on Gaara's shoulder, making the red head look up at him. "Kisses and gifts like chocolate are tokens of affection, a way of letting you know that I care… about you."
"You care…" Gaara said slowly. The corners of his mouth twitched down and his nonexistent brows furrowed as if he were concentrating on a difficult jutsu.
"Yes. You are my special person, and that means that I care about you more than anybody." Lee said, smiling happily.
"I am your special person." Gaara said slowly, becoming wide eyed as he stared at the Leaf jonin.
"Yes. That is what I was talking about last night before… before we kissed. I thought you understood what I was saying." Lee's smile seemed to dampen somewhat as he watched Gaara's confused expression.
"You want to start a relationship with me… to form a bond." Gaara murmured, studying the Leaf jonin carefully. Lee nodded agreeably in reply. "Like what Kankuro has with his girlfriend?"
"Yes! Exactly! Except, we would be b- boyfriends. If you like me, too, of course. I would not want to unyouthfully pressure you into something that you do not want." Lee said quickly, glancing to and from Gaara's face nervously. Lee had half expected rejection, though the red head had given no sign so far that he disliked Lee's advances. For some reason, rejection is what he was expecting on a daily basis. But that would not stop him from attempting to remain dedicated to and fulfill his goals, even the goal of winning Gaara's affections.
Gaara stared at Lee thoughtfully, seeming to mull over the idea in his head. Then he slowly lifted Lee's injured hand and kissed his palm. Lee's whole body seemed to tremble excitedly as he spluttered something nonsensical.
"That was a token of affection." Gaara stated, but his tone formed it into more of a question.
"Yosh! Thank you very much! I greatly appreciate it!" Lee exclaimed happily. He pulled his hand out of Gaara's and wrapped his arms around the Kazekage's shoulders. Gaara froze and the gourd across the room twitched and rustled. Slowly, he relaxed in Lee's arms and the sand became silent. He tucked his chin hesitantly on Lee's shoulder and placed his hands on Lee's ribs. Lee was grinning so wide, his cheeks were beginning to ache.
"Are you aware of how two men have sex?" Gaara asked. Lee flinched and started to pulled away, but Gaara tightened his grip on Lee in response.
"I- I- I thought that K- Kankuro-san was going to t-talk to you about th- that." Lee stuttered.
"He gave me a box filled with everything I needed to know. But I asked if you know how two men have sex."
"I- I- I ha- have a g- good idea of the b- basics." Lee stuttered, silently wondering if it were possible for embarrassment to induce spontaneous combustion. He was sure his head was going to explode any second now.
"Come." Gaara said, slowly pulling away from Lee's embrace and standing. "Neither of us should be ignorant to what we're getting ourselves into."
"I- I- I wouldn't want to pr- pressure you into anything, Gaara! We- we don't have to- to do anything like that until we both feel youthfully ready! I- I- I-" Lee waved his hands frantically around his face, his loose bandages waving though the air like a flag.
"You misunderstand." Gaara said, snatching hold of the unraveled bandages and yanking Lee to his feet. "I was going to show you the box that Kankuro gave me. It has everything we would need, and it would inform you to more than just the basics."
Lee began to stutter objections, pulling back against Gaara's hold. Gaara examined him for a few nerve wracking seconds before moving forward and pressing his lips against Lee's. Lee melted immediately, losing all ability to think as the red head's hands wrapped around his back. Lee kissed back, molding his lips to Gaara's softly. Gaara's hand stroked his side and held his jaw possessively. The Kazekage pulled his lips away from Lees and began to press gentle kisses across Lee's face, seeming to mimicking what Lee had done in the sandstorm. Lee flushed in pleasure, loving just how tender the usually curt Kazekage could be. Feeling happy and bold, Lee began to kiss along Gaara's jaw in return, before sweeping his lips down to the red head's neck.
Gaara shuddered at the feeling of Lee's mouth on the sensitive skin beneath his jaw. He gasped and felt a pleasant jolt down his spine when Lee's tongue flicked into the hollow of his throat. Gaara began to run his hands up and down Lee's body, gripping his arms and stroking his hair. This contact was even better than it was during his late night visits to the sleeping jonin's room. Lee moan a deep wonton sound when Gaara's wandering hand ran up the back of his neck and gripped his hair, pressing the Leaf jonin's open mouth against Gaara's collar bone. Gaara shuddered heavily at the sound of Lee's moan.
Lee couldn't help but smile at Gaara's responsiveness. He'd never dreamed he could incite this reaction from the Kazekage! Okay, maybe he had dreamed about it, but never had he thought in real life…
Gaara pulled away quickly, holding Lee at arm's length. The jonin made a sound of objection, and his lip protruded in a pout. Gaara struggled to control his breathing as Lee's wide eyes transfixed his own.
"Not quite yet." He murmured, gripping Lee's shoulders. "But soon."
Lee's eyes widened and he nodded reverently, speechless for once. He placed a consoling hand on Gaara's grip, and smiled softly in understanding. Both men took a deep breath and let go of each other.
"I still think you should look in the box. Neither of us should be taken by surprise." Gaara said firmly, handing Lee his crutches.
"Uh… okay. Alright." Lee said, after a brief flicker of indecision. Then he followed Gaara up the stairs and into the Kazekage's bedroom, red faced and twitching.
Thanks for reading! PLEASE don't forget to review! It's awesome responses like your that keep my fingers on the keys!