Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it would be considered a shonen ai manga.

Okay, so this is the first time you guys have heard from me in a while, but I have a good excuse. You see, my sister poured coffee all over my Laptop right? So I kinda' had to put off the story for a while, hope you guys don't mind. So, here's the next chapter. The next could be that last, me thinks. Anyhow, enjoy and review!

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

After what seemed like forever, the Raven finally came out from his room.

He had given himself the same mental pep-talk that he had a million times before.

There was no need to feel so horrible over a situation that he had thrown himself into.

The only option he had now was to stop brooding and get back to his priorities.

His mission was by far the most important aspect of his young life at the moment.

Lee opened the door to his room and made his way down the hall.

He had seen Suna's open desert areas.

They were just asking to be trained upon.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

Kankuro made his way up the hospital steps.

He had to remember to breathe while he was in there.

There wasn't anything to be freaked out about anyway.

He stopped climbing and took in a deep gulp of air.

Whatever happened at least he could say he tried to make it better.

He had to try.

Had to.

So why was he walking down the stairs?

The puppeteer glared at his shoes.

The insolent bastards.

In-sole-ent?

Kankuro fought back a chuckle and turned to walk back upstairs.

No time like the present.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

"What are you smiling about?"

"I'm just surprised is all."

Shikamaru stared at the girl awkwardly.

"Surprised?"

She didn't answer him.

He lay back down on the roof and let out a small grunt of disapproval.

"What, you want to know that badly?"

"Pfft, don't flatter yourself. I just wish the clouds would stay out longer."

Temari stared at him for a moment.

"Well, why don't you just stare at the stars?"

The deer remained silent.

The Blonde smirked, "Smart ass"

The Pineapple ignored the comment.

"I wonder if those two will work out their problems."

"I hope so," Shikamaru let out an angry sigh "It would be so troublesome if Gai Sensai blamed me for Lee's lack of…"

"Youthful-ness?"

"Exactly."

They laughed together as the sky was streaked with shades of orange and purple.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

It was sunset in the Suna Hospital.

The Blonde had devised a plan of pure brilliance.

It was so amazing he didn't believe he thought of it.

Knock.

There was no time to be throwing himself a party at the moment.

"Yeah?"

There was an eerie silence at the door.

"Hello? Someone there?"

The Blonde began to fidget uncomfortably.

"If your not gonna come in, I'm not paying you full price!"

That got the attention of whoever was outside.

Unfortunately, Naruto realized afterwards that he didn't want the attention of said person.

"You expecting a whore Whiskers?" The Painted face peeked in through the slight opening in the door way.

"No, just you."

He instantly regretted those words because in the next twelve seconds he found himself pinned to the matress by his neck.

"Wanna' say that again Blondie?"

"Arghakshfdd!"

Kankuro snapped out of his rage and released the boy from his death grip.

Then the older of the two did something that neither expected.

He apologized and pulled out one of the flowers in the vase.

Naruto just gawked at him.

The only logical things playing in the Blonde's head were curses.

The room was silent for quite some time after that.

Kankuro had taken a seat in one of the chairs and proceeded to stare out the window.

Naruto was sneaking glances at him every now and then.

The gears in his head had stopped turning.

"Kankuro…"

"Uhmm…Yeah..?"

"…Is it…umm, Is it possible to kill someone with a flower?"

The sand-nin stared blankly at him.

"What?"

"Jeez, and I thought I was stupid, I said-"

There was a loud smack as Naruto's face hit the floor.

The Blonde looked up to the bed in a shout that never left his throat.

The Puppeteer stared at him with pure hostility.

Naruto would have his question answered.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

In all honesty, he had no idea as to how he was still running.

He had been at it for half an hour at the least.

If there was a chance that he could fix the problem he had created then he would take it.

Whatever the cost.

So if his lungs gave out, if he went into cardiac arrest due to the blood rushing to numb legs, if he just ran himself into the floor, there was that chance that he could fix things.

That was all he needed to continue jumping from roof to roof in pursuit of his love.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

Sweat dripped down his neck, disappearing underneath the green of his vest.

He was working as hard as he could against the small batch of trees.

For Lee, nothing was a better distraction than a good spat of training.

He moved as fast as he could to knock against the trees and over the small lake.

The only way he could peacefully forget about anything.

His vision started to blur once more.

His breaths had become erratic and quick.

He wobbled and fell against the soft shore and into the sweet bliss of unconsciousness.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

The soft sound of a door opening played in the background, completely disregarded by the two figures atop one another on the floor.

The Blonde girl stared at the dark room looking for the origin of the soft whimpering noise.

A small click sounded as the light was flipped on and the scene unraveled itself before her.

She gapped at the image of her brother on the poor Jinchuriki.

The fact Gaara was homosexual was shocking enough in itself, but when Kankuro marched out of the closet as well she honestly did not know how to react.

Now seeing the fruits of her brother's work all over the floor in a sloppy mess, she couldn't help but feel sorry for both boys.

"Kankuro," her voice seemed to snap both boys attention towards herself. " he is a recovering patient, the last thing we want is for him to go back to Konoha in a God-forsaken body bag."

The puppeteer paused in his shoving flowers down the Blonde's throat to stare at his sister.

From what limited medical knowledge she had, she could tell that the Konoha Nin had had at least one other limb and several ribs broken by the pressure Kankuro was forcing down on him.

The boy was choking on the very same rose Kankuro had brought him to make amends with.

The eldest silently laughed at the irony.

"Kankuro. Up. Now."

She watched as he sibling removed himself from the other's body.

The instant relief that played across the Blonde's eyes was amazing.

"Your such an idiot."

She then proceeded to help the Blonde limp back to his bed.

He pulled the flowers from deep within his throat. They were immediately fallowed by drops of blood.

Temari stared at the pieces of flesh attached to the thorns and felt a distinct need to vomit and for some reason, felt like she should be checking up on Lee.

How she could relate Lee to the need to vomit was beyond her however.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

Gaara slumped into a pile of numb muscles under the twilight.

He had searched the village twice.

The Red head gripped the sand in front of him in a desperate attempt to crawl somewhere.

To maybe, by some off chance, find Lee.

He dragged himself towards the small grove of trees.

It wasn't much, but it was some form of protection for the night.

He just needed some rest.

Not sleep.

Just, unconsciousness.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

Kankuro sat in the waiting room listening to his sister's rant.

She had stated to go off about some common sense bullshit.

He honestly did not care.

The boy understood the severity of what he had done.

The feeling of guilt was welling up inside of him like a balloon.

It was sickening.

He had zoned out halfway through the rant so he had no idea of the specifics, but when he was asked if he understood he answered in a way that surprised even him.

"I hurt him" He buried his face into his hands "I bruised him. I left marks on the most beautiful thing I've ever been allowed to touch"

Temari stared.

He didn't see it but he felt it.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

It would take a long time before she would get used to both her brothers being gay.

She stared and twitched.

It was as awkward as the first time he had told her he was attracted to men.

Before long, she snapped back into her 'elder sister' mentality.

"Kankuro…"

"I get it, I don't stand a chance with him. I know. So, why does it hurt to think like that?"

"……Kankuro, there's a difference between understanding and accepting you know."

"Yeah? You're saying I won't accept that I've got no chance?"

"In a nutshell" she placed a hand soothingly on his back.

"Should I apologize?"

Temari turned to him with a look that read 'Are you serious?'.

"I guess not then."

They shared a small chuckle and made they're way out of the hospital.

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

Naruto lay in the bed twitching with pain.

What had he done to deserve that?

He shuddered at the feeling the played across his neck.

It was like Kankuro's hands were still there, ghosting around his pulse.

He shivered and turned his head towards the vase beside his bed.

The pieces of his throat were currently swimming among the bloody water.

He glared.

How morbidly romantic.

Naruto blanched.

Was that Kankuro's goal all along?

To…

No.

That was impossible!

Wasn't it?

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

It was quiet in the room as Shikamaru finally returned.

It was honestly very calming without the loud Blonde or Lee's love problems to worry about.

However, calming wasn't what the Naara wanted at that moment.

He pulled himself off his bed and in front of the door to Lee's room.

Knock.

Knock knock.

He pulled open the paper door to reveal the emptiness.

Where was Lee? It was practically midnight now.

He closed the door and made his way down the hall to the staircase.

Maybe he was at the hospital.

On his way down the staircase, he was confronted by Temari.

"Shika, Have you seen Gaara?"

He stared at her wondering when she'd stop calling him by the stupid abbreviation.

"Not since this evening. Have you seen Lee?"

She only shook her head.

"Maybe they're together?"

"I doubt it. I mean, did you see the way Lee was after what happened?"

"No, I didn't get a chance to…What was he like?"

She contemplated the best answer to his question.

"Broken"

Shikamaru stared at her before sighing and walking down the stairs.

"Is there any place at all that would be the 'perfect place to train'?"

The Blonde grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out the door.

"I think I know where they are"

~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~.x.~

It was dark when the Chunin finally woke up.

He wobbled to his feet before moving towards some of his scattered equipment.

It was surely passed midnight now.

The Leaf ninja took in his surroundings and made his way towards the village.

As he walked past the area he was met with a light but labored breathing.

He turned to find the Kazekage laying in a exhausted pile on the ground.

Lee walked towards the sleeping figure. What was he doing out here? Why was he sleeping out here?

He knelt down to move hair from the boy's face.

What was he doing out here? When it was getting below freezing?

"Gaara?" The boy didn't stir.

Raven began to gently shake his friend into consciousness.

The boy jumped up startled. Lee fell back into a sitting position.

"….Lee?"

His eyes were still adjusting to the light, but he was trilled when the boy answered.

"Gaara-Sama…What are you doing all the way out here? Shouldn't you be inside the village instead of on the outskirts?"

"I…" He pulled himself into a sitting position, looking "Was looking for you."

Lee just stared at him.

Almost nostalgically, his chest began to pain him with a distinct emptiness.

He could only answer him in one way, with one quiet tone of voice.

"Why?"

"Because I love you."