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Italics are flashbacks and thoughts to oneself
Bold is Demon's talking
Bold Italic is the demon holders talking back to the demons
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Disclaimer: Is Lee getting chased by Seme's that want him as their Uke? No? Then I don't own Naruto.
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Title: Ikiryou
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Lee giggled to himself even though he felt like he was a second from screaming. Slowly, his giggles died down and he just stared at the ceiling with a dead expression.
"Just what did I do in my past life to get this..." Lee muttered, "Maybe it would be better to just end it all..."
Lee hummed and a chillingly dead smile cracked the corners of Lee's lips.
"Would you like that Shinigami-sama~?" He muttered to no one, "You loved the souls I gave you right...? Would you love mine too?"
The giggles began again then abruptly stopped as he heard knocking at his front door. He lolled his head in that direction but made no move to get up. The knock didn't come again but Lee didn't care enough to send out his chakra to see who it had been. Instead, he closed his eyes and wondered.
Unlike Naruto, Lee knew his own healing abilities were low so he knew he would be able to cut enough to kill even if he didn't do it right the first time. Should he leave a note? What would he even say?
'I am sorry for putting your lives in danger'?
Heh, pathetic. He was pathetic...but he didn't want to go back to feeling nothing. Life with fear as the only emotion he truly felt was hell. While he lived it, he hadn't realized how much it had been, but now...
"So should I do it with a kunai or poison...? Which would be faster?" He mumbled then a familiar voice startled him into shooting up.
"For what?" Gaara asked, looking down at Lee's form.
Lee looked up at the Suna ninja and felt his heart jump. His gaze roamed over Gaara's body, taking it all in, including his new outfit, "Gaara...?" Lee whispered, feeling breathless.
Gaara smiled -it was small but still there- down at him, "I sent word that I was coming."
Lee choked on a laugh and nodded, "Yes...yes you did." the leaf nin smiled and got up to hug Gaara. Gaara jerked slightly but quickly pulled Lee closer and pressed his nose against Lee's neck, inhaling deeply. A rumble like a growling purr vibrated Gaara's chest and Lee echoed the sound though his was softer and more like a cats'.
Suddenly a wet heat touched his neck and Lee gasped as Gaara licked his neck. He felt Gaara's arms tighten around him, keeping him there, but didn't struggle. He knew what this was and he did the same to Gaara. Lee slowly licked Gaara's neck where he -if he did live- would leave his mark. He felt Gaara's pulse under his tongue and the sensation calmed him like nothing else. He leaned heavily against the other demon holder and they kept up their animal comfort until they were satisfied. Then Gaara finally moved back, but not enough to let Lee go.
"Your letter..." He said, his voice still that same deep rasp, "Who are your enemies?"
Lee laughed and rested his head against Gaara's shoulder. He slowly rubbed his forehead against the fabric there then whispered, "Oh...there are so many, Gaara..." he inhaled slowly then said,
"First, I must tell you. There is a group called the Akatsuki who are after the Jinchuriki. If you see anyone wearing a black cloak with red clouds on it...be careful and run if you have to."
Gaara's arms tightened around him, "Who are your enemies." he repeated
Lee paused then bit his lip. He tried not to feel so warm at Gaara's words, not wanting to forget. He took in a deep breath and whispered, "I am my own enemy, Gaara..."
Gaara tensed, "What do you mean." his voice slipped back into a demanding tone and it made Lee want to chuckle but he stopped himself and shook his head.
"I want to tell both you and Shikamaru." Lee said, he chewed his lower lip carefully so he wouldn't bite through and said, "Would you mind if I had both you and him here?"
Gaara was quiet for a moment the sand poured out of his gourd. Lee blinked and stared as it shot out of his room from the window. He looked up at Gaara to see one of his eyes closed.
"Gaara...?" Lee murmured
"Wait." Gaara said and Lee closed his mouth, just leaning against him again.
A few minutes later, Shikamaru was suddenly being pulled into the room by sand, an eyeball right behind him. The eyeball dissolved and Lee stared at the Nara in shock. Shikamaru straightened up and his eyes immediately focused on Lee.
"He said you needed us both." Shikamaru said and he made his way to Lee. Uncaring that Gaara was already hugging the other leaf nin, Shikamaru wrapped his arms around Lee from behind, "What's wrong?" He asked
It made Lee's heart jump, to be held by the two at the same time. He shakily exhaled and touched one hand to Shikamaru's arms, "I found out the cause..."
Though Shikamaru's breath hitched, the skin above Gaara's eyes tightened and the red head said, "What are you talking about."
"I have been loosing myself, Gaara. My memories slip through my fingers like sand, and I think it will soon leave only the barest of myself left." Lee murmured and he wanted to laugh at how dramatic he sounded, he shook his head then answered Shikamaru's silent urging, "Emotion is the trigger. Each time it happened, I was experiencing high emotion beforehand."
Lee ducked his head down, smiling bitterly. Then he heard the sound of sand thrashing in Gaara's gourd.
"Why-" Gaara bit out and he sounded angry but not at him, more just angry. Shikamaru sighed and he answered for Lee even as he stroked Lee's collar with his thumb in comfort.
"Do you know about the curse?" Shikamaru asked and judging by Gaara's frown, he knew the boy didn't, "You saw the application. That Snake bastard left a curse on Lee's skin. It's been sealed by the best Fuinjutsu expert alive right now but as Lee said, he's been losing his memories."
Gaara finally moved away, letting Shikamaru be the only one to continue holding Lee. It felt like his skin was crawling and for once, he had the urge to move -it was either that or destroy something but this was Lee's home and he wouldn't do that-. He slowly paced, his arms crossed as he tried to think.
"What else has been done." Gaara said
Shikamaru sighed and answered as he gently lead Lee to the bed. He sat down and Lee took a spot on his lap with no urging. He wrapped his arms around Lee again and it slightly hurt to see Lee curl up into such a small ball, "It's been sealed so believe it or not, the effects have been greatly reduced. Hokage-sama had been monitoring Lee for the last two weeks and they've been trying to figure out how to remove the curse completely. Unfortunately, Jiraiya-sama thinks that only Orochimaru knows the jutsu."
Lee listened to them talk, trying to keep his emotions vague again. It was difficult, because he didn't want to. Being human was painful, yes, but Lee loved being able to feel as fully as a normal person. Then he was only further reminded of the silence in his mind. It made him tremble but he hoped that Mother, however she was, was helping him. He hoped that that was why she'd been so quiet for so long and not because she was sealed as well.
He'd never been lonely when by himself before...
"Gaara, Shika?" Lee whispered, causing the two to stop talking immediately and look at him. He bit his lip then looked at Gaara first, "How...how long can you stay?"
"A few days." Gaara said, "Temari and Kankuro are also on their way. The official purpose for this visit is to talk with your new Hokage and build a new relationship between our villages."
Lee smiled, "Then..." he paused, feeling uncertain, "Team Seven is still on their mission and will not be home for two more days..." he trailed off and Shikamaru was the first to understand.
"I'll stay." Shikamaru said, "Of course I will."
Gaara just nodded and then he was moving closer. He reached out and took Lee's chin, making the leaf-nin look at him. He didn't say anything but instead, leaned down and kissed Lee, pressing his lips firmly against Lee's.
Lee blinked in surprise began to tense. He felt Shikamaru hug him tighter but the boy didn't say anything and instead, he felt Shikamaru press his face against his shoulder. It let something in Lee's chest release and he relaxed into Gaara's kiss. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling until Gaara pulled away first.
"I see your fear." Gaara said, surprising Lee again, "But I will protect you from that as well."
Slowly, Lee smiled and he huffed a slight chuckle, "You still want to be my shield?"
"I will, no matter what."
Lee actually felt a bit shy. He turned his face away but couldn't stop smiling. Then he felt Shikamaru breathe against his neck before the shadow user spoke.
"You have a shield and a shadow that will follow you wherever you go." Shikamaru said, "You don't have to be scared."
Lee felt tears prick at his eyes and closed them. He pressed his cheek against Shikamaru's then lightly kissed him. He pulled back and said, "O-Okay...enough with this talk. I declare that it is time for dinner."
Shikamaru chuckled and let Lee get up, his hands trailing off Lee's body. He stood but then looked at Gaara. He focused on Lee again and said, "You go ahead, I think Gaara and I have a few things to talk about."
Lee blinked in surprise but nodded and slowly left the room. He made his way downstairs, trying to keep down a flare of happiness at the thought of cooking for Shikamaru and Gaara. Now, all he needed where his kittens -and Itachi- then everything would be perfect. He wouldn't even care about his fading memories.
Lee slowly took in a few deep breaths and felt himself relax. A soft warmth filled his heart as he began cooking and he was happy that Shikamaru was going to stay, along with Gaara. Selfishly, he wondered if he could get them to lay down with him at night too. Shikamaru, he knew would, the boy could sleep and they had fallen asleep together a few times before. Gaara on the other hand, didn't sleep at all.
-It was a little amusing that he...he fell in love with two people so different from each other.-
Lee hummed softly to himself but then his thoughts took a dark tone again.
-Was it really right, to drag the two into his problems? Orochimaru was only after him, not them...-
Lee's eyes blurred out as he continued to cook. His body went through the motions, not messing anything up as he had cooked enough in this kitchen to know.
-Would it really be better to end it? His kittens had each other now, even without him to keep them together. Gaara wasn't as bad as he used to be so he knew the demon holder could find someone better than him. Shikamaru could definitely find someone better, of that he had no doubt. Kakashi would understand...well, he hoped he would. As for his angel...-
"We're back." Lee heard Shikamaru say. He turned his head and smiled at the two shinobi.
"Good, just in time too. Food is almost done." Lee said, "What did you two talk about?"
"We just came to an agreement." Shikamaru answered, his lips curling into a crooked smile that never failed to make Lee's heart flutter.
Gaara went to Lee's side and stood close, watching Lee finish up. Shikamaru grabbed plates and utensils, still remembering from that last time he was there. He set up the table and Gaara helped Lee bring the food to the table.
-Itachi would understand too...-
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