Lee was having a hard time at school once it started up again. Everything was so awkward. He saw Sakura but she went out of his way to avoid him. He saw Gaara and Gaara acted like he wasn't even there. Sasuke and Gaara were talking more then they normally did and it left a bitter taste in Lee's mouth. Were they talking because Gaara was almost always at Itachi's house? Whatever it was, it made Lee feel... abandoned. He sighed and decided it wasn't the time to feel that way. He needed to be better.

At the same time, he kept remembering Gaara kiss Itachi and the kiss broke his heart and he felt stupid. Gaara had to watch him with Sakura all the time, all he did was see Gaara kiss Itachi once... Was that all? Did Gaara kiss Itachi at piano lessons? Were they even practicing piano. No! Lee grumbled to himself. He needed to focus. It was just so hard. He wanted Gaara to be happy so badly but it sucked when that meant he had to keep a distance. He missed Gaara terribly.

"Lee, you coming man or are you gonna stand there all day?" Naruto asked and Lee shook his head and smiled.

"Sorry Naruto. I must have zoned out! Let us go."


The following weeks, Lee didn't have time to be sad. He decided he was going to throw himself into his hobbies so he didn't have to think of Gaara. It worked, sometimes.

He would go to school, go to track until 4, then go to the dojo and train until 5, then he would teach classes until 8, then go home and do homework, go to bed and do it all over again. It was stressful, it took up his whole day, but for once, Lee didn't feel so bad anymore. He was helping little kids learn discipline and he was teaching older ones to stand up for themselves. Since the fight with Sasuke, the dojo's numbers have raised considerably. Sasuke and Naruto still showed up for their lessons with Kakashi's class and Lee would join just for fun. It was nice having his friends around. He shouldn't have pushed them away in the first place.


Gaara sat at his desk and looked at the calendar on his wall. The dates up to the 17th were crossed off and he frowned, looking at the 19th. Every year on his birthday, he would expect something to happen to make him feel older. It never happened, he always felt the same as he did the day before. What could this birthday bring?

Ino was texting him about going out over the weekend to celebrate his birthday and Gaara didn't know what to do. No one ever celebrated his birthday. It wasn't that Temari or Kankuro didn't care, but Gaara's birthday was never celebrated and they guessed he just preferred it that way. He couldn't prefer it considering he didn't know anything else.

Gaara spun his chair around and sat by his tree, it seemed to grow since he got it and he smiled at it. He gently brushed the branches and his hand touched the clothespin with Kankuro's name on it. Gaara frowned. He felt bad for giving Lee the one with his name. Just because they weren't talking didn't mean he wasn't important in Gaara's life. He would always be important. Even if it was just in memories. Lee was the one who befriended him. Gaara would still be living in the café if it weren't for Lee, and he was grateful.

Gaara pondered in thought for a while. Should he have pushed Lee away so aggressively? Gaara missed him and their talks. He missed when Lee got excitable. Gaara felt strange knowing that yes, he missed Lee, but he didn't feel the love anymore. He thought that would come back when he started to miss Lee, but it didn't. Did he not love Lee anymore? Or was he just too hurt by him still?

Gaara made a mental note to finally sit down and talk to him. It's been nearly a month since they talked. Gaara figured he was calmed down enough where the talk wouldn't end in a screaming match. Not today though, and not tomorrow. He was busy. With a smile he text Itachi.

'Are we still on for tomorrow'

'You bet, kid.'

'Enjoy calling me that for the next 5 hours.'

'I'm trying to get this in as much as I can tbh.'

'You're an asshole.'

'Thank.'


Gaara woke up violently to Guy and Kakashi in his room with confetti.

"IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY, SON!" Guy yelled jovially. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAARA!"

"But why the confetti?" Gaara asked sadly, picking it out of his hair.

"Because it's YOUR BIRTHDAY! YAY!" Guy threw more confetti at him and Gaara pouted. Kakashi laughed and grabbed Guy's hand to lead him out of the room.

"Anyway, get ready! Breakfast!" Gaara nodded and they left his room. He looked up to see clothes neatly folded on his dresser and shook his head with a fond smile, Kakashi needed to stop buying him clothes. A long sleeved, maroon dress shirt, a long sleeved V neck dark gray sweater and a nice pair of jeans. He even bought socks matching the dress shirt. Gaara rolled his eyes. Guy was extra, sure, but Kakashi was just the most.


Sitting at the breakfast table with Kakashi and Guy was nice. They gave Gaara a gift then told him that he had to be home later to get his other ones. Lee walked downstairs a few minutes later and smiled softly at Gaara.

"Happy Birthday." He said gently and handed Gaara a gift.

"Lee, you didn't have to..."

"I know I didn't have to. But I did and Happy Birthday." Lee sat down and started to eat breakfast and Gaara stared at the gift. It was soft and pliable so he could tell it was clothes. Gaara ripped the paper and when he pulled it out, he saw it was a sweater issued from the dojo. It was exactly like the one he used to borrow from Lee. He flipped it around and his name was written on the back. As much as he liked the gift, it felt weird. Was this Lee's way of saying Gaara needed it since he couldn't wear Lee's anymore?

"Thank you, Lee. I love it." Lee smiled warmly at him and it just cemented the fact that yes, Gaara did miss him.


"Alright Gaara! I got everything." Itachi announced and Gaara nodded from the recording room and took off the headphones and walked into the studio.

"When will we do instruments?" He asked and Itachi played with a few knobs.

"Be patient. I have to listen to the songs a few times to figure out what would sound best with your voice. There's a lot that could. Your voice is beautiful." Gaara flushed with embarrassment.

"Thank you..." Itachi smiled and messed with a few keys, Gaara had no idea what he was doing. Itachi grabbed the USB that was plugged in and pocketed it.

"You're very welcome, kid." Gaara glared at him and Itachi just smiled. "I couldn't help myself."

"You're very funny." He said flatly. "I'm not a kid. Let's go."

"But it's just fun to tease you." Itachi said with a smirk and Gaara sighed. "Where would you like to go, birthday boy?" Gaara paused for a moment.

"I don't know." Itachi sat down on the couch and crossed his legs.

"I don't know isn't a destination. I'm sitting here until we have one." Gaara groaned and sat next to him on the couch. "Are you hungry?" No. "Do you want to do something physical like roller skate or some shit?" No. "What about go to the movies?" No. "Get a goddamn smoothie?" No. "Jesus, kid. What do you want to do?"

"I told you I'm not a kid." Gaara growled and Itachi had to admit, he worked up Gaara a lot because the look of anger in his eyes gave him chills. Itachi just smiled.

"Sorry. Old habits die hard." Gaara rolled his eyes and looked away with a pout. This was just too easy. Itachi leaned in, real close to Gaara's ear and whispered "kid." Gaara whipped around and grabbed Itachi by the scruff of his neck and kissed him hard. Why that was his first reaction, he honestly didn't know. He could say though, it was something he's wanted to do all month. Itachi had just been teasing him the entire time and it was frustrating.

Kissing Lee was always so innocent and shy. Kissing Itachi was just... angry and passionate. Gaara couldn't decide which one he liked better. He pulled away from the kiss, still holding Itachi's hair firmly.

"Not. A. Kid." Itachi just slid his hands under Gaara's legs, right where his thighs met the curve of his butt and picked him up and pulled Gaara onto his lap. Gaara stared at him in confusion and Itachi curved his index finger behind Gaara's chin and gently pressed his thumb against it. Itachi didn't do more than that but his eyes were daring.

"I waited 18 days for this? You're going to have to be more persuasive." He purred and Gaara's cheeks turned pink. "No, no. Don't get shy on me now." Gaara glowered at him and Itachi grinned teasingly. "That's better." Swiftly, he grabbed Gaara by the back of the neck and pulled him down.

Itachi toughed Gaara a whole new way to kiss. One that was neater than Lee's and yet it felt... dirtier. Kissing Lee was just like innocently kissing someone to kiss them. Kissing Itachi was like this was the commencement of sex. Gaara liked kissing Itachi, but the passion in the kiss made him uncomfortable. He wasn't ready for that type of kissing. Not with Itachi, anyway. Gaara pulled away and Itachi sucked in air.

"Where are you going?" He whispered against Gaara's lips. Their eyes locked and Gaara was amazed with how much Itachi's eye color reminded him of Lee's.

"I'm demisexual." Gaara whispered back and Itachi smiled softly.

"I'm not going to push you into do anything you aren't comfortable doing, Gaara. I hope you know that." Gaara nodded and frowned. "What?"

"Just... the way you kiss is different." Itachi looked concerned. "No, not in a bad way. A more... mature way I guess."

"And it's scaring you?" Gaara nodded and Itachi hugged him. "I didn't mean to. I apologize. We can stop."

"No. I don't want to." Gaara pulled back from the hug to look Itachi in the eye. "I just wanted you to know." Itachi nodded at him.

"Consider me advised." The look Itachi was giving him sent a tingling feeling down Gaara's back. Gaara wondered if Itachi always looked this seductive. "So what do you want to do?" Gaara just stared at him until he finally covered Itachi's mouth with his own. Itachi made a moan at the contact and it gave Gaara goosebumps. "Whatever you want, birthday boy."

Itachi's hands were on Gaara's hips and they slowly moved up his back, then back down. The light massage felt intimate but in a way that didn't scare Gaara. While they made out on the studio couch, Gaara wondered in the back of his mind, if everyone in his life was there to teach him a lesson, what was Itachi supposed to teach him?


"Hey Ino, I have to talk to you." Gaara said quietly after he got home. Kakashi and Guy were pleasantly surprised that Gaara came home at a reasonable time and decided to order pizza from the place Lee and him went on their not-date a few months back.

"What? Is something wrong?" Ino asked, voice full of concern. Gaara shifted uncomfortably in his bed.

"It would be best if we talked in person. I'm no good over the phone. When can I see you next?"

"I'll be there in 15."

"Thank you, Ino." They hung up the phone and Gaara sat up on his bed and thought about the afternoon that just happened. It seemed like something out of a dream. He was in a recording studio to record his own songs and made out with one of his friend's older brothers. He wasn't sure if he should be ashamed of himself or proud. He walked out of his room and stood at the top of the stairs.

"Hey Kakashi." He called and Kakashi poked his head into view. "Ino is coming over, is that ok?"

"Whatever you want, birthday boy." The words made Gaara turn red instantly and he thanked Kakashi and rushed into his room. He couldn't get Itachi's voice out of his head. He constantly felt Itachi's hands on his back and on his hips.

"Gaara, how are you?" Lee popped in and Gaara jumped and spun around to look at Lee. "I apologize! I did not mean to scare you."

"I-it's fine." Gaara's face was still red from before.

"Are you okay? You look unwell..." Lee scrutinized and Gaara shrunk away from him.

"I'm fine. Just..." He trailed off and after a moment of silence, Lee nodded.

"Yeah, ok. I get it. Well... If you would like to talk, I am here." Lee smiled and left to go to his room. Gaara just stared at the door and never in his life had he been more confused.

He quickly got up and changed into something more comfortable, not wanting to be in his birthday clothes all day. Ino should be here any minute and Gaara was biting his thumb and pacing the entire time. When he heard the doorbell ring, he jolted down the stairs.

"I got it!" Kakashi stepped back, wide eyed.

"Whoa, slow down there, Gaara."

"Sorry." Gaara opened the door and saw Ino. "I will be right back!" He pushed Ino outside and she glared at him.

"Why are you pushing me?" Gaara's lips were pressed together and he pushed Ino into the back seat of her car. "You're going to have to woo me a lot more to get me in the back." She joked and Gaara climbed in after her and slammed the door shut. "Gaara, what's wrong with-"

"I made out with Itachi." Gaara blurred out and his face was bright red. Ino's eyes lit up and she covered her mouth, then bounced excitedly on the seat.

"Oh my god! I can't tell if I'm super excited for you or super jealous! That's amazing. How was he? Did he kiss well? What did he do with his hands? What is everything he said? What position were you in?" Gaara looked at her oddly.

"Do all girls ask for this much detail?" She shrugged and nodded. "Girls are weird..." Gaara mumbled and Ino rolled her eyes at him. "He was... enjoyable. I was straddling him..." Gaara's blush darkened and Ino giggled. "He was rubbing my back. He was asking what I wanted for my birthday-"

"-that dick tho-"

"-and he kept calling me a kid so I don't know. I kissed him. He said he wanted to do that for a while and we made out." Ino narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yes but for how long?" Gaara scoffed at her question, like he timed it all!

"I don't know... Like... Thirty minutes?" Ino's eyes widened.

"You made out for thirty minutes? Did it get... sexual?" Ino winked and Gaara decided now was as good of a time as any.

"No. Ino, I'm not gay, I'm demisexual. I can't have sex with someone if I don't love them." Ino blinked at him, then smirked.

"So we could totally-"

"Not in a million years, no." She laughed.

"I'm just teasing you. Why didn't you tell me before? I thought you were gay and I kept calling you gay. I didn't offend you, did I?" Gaara shook his head.

"I figured it wasn't a big deal because I seem to be drawn to guys so maybe I'm gay, who knows." Gaara's phone suddenly vibrated and he pulled it out of his pocket. Ino knew who it was by the blush on his face.

"Is it-"

"Yes." Gaara read the text message. 'Are you going to have your piano lesson tomorrow? Happy Birthday again.'

'Yes. Unless you were otherwise occupied?' Ino scoffed at the formality and he shoved her.

'I'm always free for you. Can't wait to see you. I hope you had fun today. I did.'

'You definitely made my birthday unforgettable.'

'Hope that's a good thing.'

'You could say that.'


Since the story doesn't get that much traffic here, I will update it when I have time. If it gains more popularity I will update more frequently here