Long time no...well anything. But here you go, I didn't forget about this story, I promise!

Nothing belong to me but these words

Lee had been completely blindsided by the upbeat teen who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The last thing he had been expecting was for Kiba to come along and literally remove him from the argument that was occurring. However, it was undeniable that Lee was indeed sprinting along behind the other teen, his own tan hand held firmly in the other's. As a result, Lee was experiencing some unbelievable emotional whiplash. On the one hand, he was very upset that he had incensed his friends to the point where they couldn't help but snap at him and that a clean resolution to said argument would be put on hold; But on the other hand, a selfishly large part of Lee was relieved. It was unfair of him to feel relieved when his friends were clearly still in distress, but he didn't know how much more of Neji's yelling he could have handled at that point. He had been on the verge of tears as Neji's fury grew, but the shock of being so suddenly removed from the conflict had his sadness receding. The hurt still lingered, but mostly Lee felt deeply conflicted. Everything had seemed to be going fine between all of them. In fact, Lee had felt that they were all becoming much closer because of his efforts to open up. Slowly he had been shedding his masks, removing his well crafted layers to reveal more fully the person beneath his insecurities. Wasn't that exactly what his friends had wanted? They had seemed more than receptive to his changes, encouraging him every step of the way. So where had he gone wrong? "Don't insult me with your insecurities!" flashed unbridled to the forefront of his thoughts. Lee shook his head sharply, trying to force the more painful parts of the argument out of his mind. How could my own self doubt hurt them? the raven haired teen questioned internally. His train of thought was cut short when Kiba came to a complete stop, forcing Lee to stop himself before he ran into the other teen's back.

Kiba had taken them to a secluded part of the school, further back then most students dared to go for fear of being caught hovering too close to the school's bounds. They were huddled under a large tree with low hanging branches; perfect for shielding most of their bodies from any curious onlookers. The back of Konaha high was surrounded by a dense forrest, which the town had decided to keep intact to preserve the natural landscape Konoha was known for. The fence that ran along the perimeter of the school dipped into the forested area, allowing some of the dense foliage to decorate the school grounds. This made the back of the school a "high risk" area because it was easy for students to skip out thanks to the low visibility. However, most students who did try to skip got caught by the plethora of teachers who patrolled the area, and with the strict curfew Konaha high upheld, the punishment for ditchers was nothing to laugh it. A month of detention plus additional school chores was more than enough to make students weary. That's not to say that students didn't manage to sneak out, because Lee knew that Gaara and Sasuke did skip their classes on occasion, but most students avoided these areas on principle alone. And while Lee and Kiba were likely to be caught by a teacher, they were also completely secluded for the time being, which was ideal for what Kiba wanted to say. The spiky haired male turned to face Lee, his usual mischievous smile lost in the serious set of his jaw. Kiba looked around them, making sure there truly was no other students lingering by the fence looking to ditch, before steeling himself for what he had dubbed "the apology of a lifetime".

"Sorry about the whole dragging ya off thing, but I just really wanted to apologize about the other day without, y'know, spilling your thing to anyone else," Kiba said seriously as he continued to make eye contact with Lee despite his own discomfort. "I really should have kept my mouth shut about the whole thing, I dunno what I was thinking. I should have talked to you about it before just popping off and blabbing everything."

Lee swallowed a few times, pushing his own distress aside to focus on Kiba's words. He cleared his throat quietly before responding.

"Kiba, while I appreciate your apology, it is not your fault. I should not have been so careless as to wear my uniform to work. I am more surprised that it was only you who spotted me," Lee said truthfully, as a shiver ran down his spine. He hadn't given the statement much thought when he said it, but now he realized just how true it was. Anyone could have seen him gallivanting around in his school uniform. Anyone could have seen him enter Paradise. He was truly lucky that Kiba was the only person he knew that saw him that day. At least he hoped. Trying to lighten the serious mood, Lee shook off the thought and continued. "Besides, Kankūro is aware of my job so no real harm has been done."

"But still, that's no excuse. What if I hadn't gone to Kankūro? What if I had blabbed it to any of my other friends?" Kiba cringed at the hypothetical he had suggested. He was damn lucky he had gone to his boyfriend because the alternative would have been messy. "Regardless, It was a shitty thing to do and I shouldn't have acted the way I did. And it's not like I was…well, I mean," Kiba finally broke eye contact, his own shame at his reaction making it hard for him to look the other teen directly in the eyes, "I don't know what Kankūro told you, but I….well let's just say I didn't react very well to the whole thing."

Lee felt himself tense at the admission. He knew realistically that most people would find his job…shameful, but to actually hear it all but confirmed went a long way in validating Lee's own fears. If Kiba, nearly a stranger to him, felt so strongly about his occupation, then what horrible results would come of him telling his own friends? Before his thoughts could spiral further, Neji's words surfaced once more. "Don't insult me with your insecurities!" Lee hadn't fully grasped what Neji had meant in the moment, having been too caught up in the stinging tone to really hear the underlying message. But now, as he thought on it more, perhaps this had been what the brunette was referring to. The moment Kiba had hinted at reacting unfavourably, Lee had automatically jumped to the conclusion that his own friends would do the same. And in that regard, Lee was allowing his own fears and self doubt to cloud his perceptions. Lee had been so focused on coming to terms with his own issues that he hadn't bothered to understand how his own uncertainty was causing him to unintentionally mistrust his friends. Lee couldn't believe he had missed something this big. Perhaps it is I who needs to be more open minded, Lee mused. A gentle hand on his elbow pulled him from his thoughts.

"You good Lee?" Kiba asked, his brown eyes showing his concern.

"Ah, yes, I am so sorry that was very rude of me. Your words just…made me realize something," Lee admitted, his own eyes refocusing on the other teen.

Kiba tilted his head in confusion, but decided against pursuing his curiosity. This was not the time to get off track. Instead he delved back in to his confession.

"I'm going to be honest here, I thought," Kiba looked around once more before continuing in a whisper, "Paradise was a sleazy place, y'know."

Lee brought a hand up to cover the small smile forming on his face. He could indeed relate with Kiba's admission. He recalled his own first impression of Paradise, and how he had assumed it would be nothing more than a seedy hole in the wall. How wrong he had been.

"Which is a totally dumb thing to think considering i've never even been there," Kiba continued, gesticulating passionately, "But I got so caught up in seeing you of all people walking around with Itachi mother fucking Uchiha, that I just jumped to the conclusion that some shady shit was going down."

Lee had completely forgotten that Itachi had been unknowingly drawn into this situation. The older Uchiha already had such a huge stigma thrown on him unfairly, Lee didn't want this moment to cast him further into notoriety. Lee felt compelled to defend his new friend.

"Itachi is not who everyone thinks he is," Lee insisted as he folded his hands together and focused on his interlocked fingers, "I too assumed the worst of him, but he has unfairly been made out to be something he most definitely is not."

"Yeah, that's what Kankūro said too," Kiba confessed before sighing heavily, "Ugh, I really need to stop listening to stupid rumours."

"Thank you, Kiba" Lee smiled gently at the other teen.

"What for?" Kiba asked.

"For being honest with me. I have been so afraid of hearing the truth that I have avoided all conversations about this."

"Well, I can't say that's a bad thing exactly," Kiba admitted as he ran a hand through his spiky hair, looking off to the side. "It's easy for me to talk to you now, after my whole freak out, but it took Kankūro setting me straight to really get why you would be doing what you are. And honestly, I still don't quite understand everything, but i'm not going to look down on you or some shit just 'cause of your job."

"I suppose, it is rather unrealistic to ask for complete acceptance," Lee concluded as he thought back on his own experience at Paradise and all the misconceptions he had held himself. "I think, rather than acceptance, what I am looking for is understanding."

"Hmmm, that' a good way to put it," Kiba agreed as he mulled over Lee's words, "Yeah, I can totally get that. I'd rather have someone be upfront with me so long as they'd be willing to listen to my side as well."

A soft rustling had the pair turning in sync to face the spot the noise was coming from. Lee fully expected an irate teacher to storm into the small clearing and gruffly order them back onto the open field, but instead he spotted a familiar mop of red hair peaking through the foliage.

"Gaara, how is…everyone?" Lee question hesitantly as the pale male made his way over to them.

"I am unsure," Gaara stated cooly, his face devoid of any emotion.

"W-what happened?"

Before Gaara could respond Kiba interjected.

"Uh, I'm gonna head out before, y'know, I get more involved in things that don't really involve me," the brunette said rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, "Cause we all know how well that worked out the first time."

"Oh, of course! Sorry, I did not mean to cut this short," Lee apologized. "It was rude of me to just jump conversations like that."

"Nah, I was the one who dragged you off in the first place and all but forced you to have this chat with me, so no hard feelings. But man, I'm glad I could get all this off my chest, thanks for listening Lee," Kiba waved at the two teens before he turned around and quickly made his way out of the small enclosure.

"Thank you," Lee called after Kiba hoping the tanned male would hear him despite the distance. Turning back to face the redhead, Lee took a deep breath before voicing his inquiry once more. "Gaara, what happened after I left?"

The sound of their loud school bell erupted in the small space, causing Lee to startle. The raven haired teen shook his head at the irony.

"Ah, I suppose this too will have to wa—"

For the second time that morning, Lee felt himself jolt forward as his hand was grabbed and pulled by the shorter teen before him. His legs clumsily found the rhythm of the quick pace Gaara had set, and the pair made their way through a large tear in the school's fence that Lee hadn't noticed before. They flew into the depths of the surrounding forrest, the low hanging branches catching at their uniforms as they continued their impressive pace. A faint shout coming from behind them had Lee turning his head, his breaths puffing as his feet unconsciously picked up their pace. He could just make out the figure of a teacher hovering at the school's fence, his arms waving impatiently. But it was too late, the pair had already cut another corner and the teacher completely disappeared from sight. They continued to run for a minute or two, Gaara expertly weaving them through the thick brush, until they came upon another clearing. Lee wasn't expecting the redhead to stop suddenly, and couldn't control his momentum, resulting in him running smack dab into the redhead's strong back. Gaara barely moved despite the force of the impact, and Lee quickly pushed himself off with a muttered apology. The clearing was silent, save for their collective panting as they attempted to regain their breath. Surprisingly, it was Gaara who spoke first, his voice slightly hoarse from the exertion.

"I went to follow you after Kiba came," The stoic teen began, "But Tenten grabbed my arm before I could leave."

"Did she hurt you?" Lee questioned, hoping the brunette hadn't unintentionally hurt Gaara in her haste. Tenten was deceptively strong and had a tendency to forget that fact, especially when she was emotionally compromised.

"It is of little concern to me, she does not posses great strength," Gaara waved off. "Regardless, her purpose for grabbing me was to demand answers, not to harm."

Lee cringed. He could easily picture Tenten's normally soft voice gone shrill in her own angry confusion as she demanded answers from Gaara. It was not a pleasant thought, but it did give Lee a good idea as to how the remainder of their interaction had went.

"What did she want to know?" Lee queried.

"She wished to know when our relationship began, but I told her nothing. It was not my place to say, and regardless I had no interest in entertaining her petty questions. Shortly after that I pulled my arm from her grasp, and then made my way to you. I didn't bother to take stock of the others."

Lee swallowed thickly, his throat suddenly dry at the information —or rather lack thereof—that he had been given. Nothing had been resolved. It was a selfish thought to hope that the argument had somehow been settled in his absence, regardless of how much he wished it had been, so he didn't dwell on it long. It wasn't Gaara's fault that Lee had told everyone so little. Lee breathed out a heavy sigh before sitting down on the tall grass in the clearing. He looked at his tanned hands clenched in his lap, but soon gave up his rigid pose in favour of laying back on the ground. His large eyes roamed over the dense clouds floating lazily in the still early morning sky. He couldn't help but acknowledge the irony of the situation. Such a horrible argument should not have occurred on such a lovely day.

"I have made quite a mess of everything, have I not?" Lee said, letting the question hang heavily between them.

Lee listened as Gaara walked towards his position, the soft grass crunching slightly under the redhead's step. He startled slightly when Gaara sat down beside him, the younger teen's thigh resting casually against his hip. Despite the tension, the contact was a welcome warmth.

"Nothing you have done is unforgivable," Gaara concluded after a moment of contemplative silence, his deep voice soft.

"And yet I fear that this time… this time my own secrecy has gone too far," Lee thought on his own statement for a moment. It didn't feel right. While the sentiment was correct, the statement was not. He didn't fear the repercussions of his actions so much as he feared his own emotions. Lee ran a hand over his face before covering his eyes. Some truths hurt to admit, and this was one of them. But he voiced it none the less. "No, perhaps what I am truly afraid of is that I enjoy my secrets. I enjoy keeping Paradise as my own secret place. It was easy for me to justify my secrets with fear. And I was truly afraid. I was terrified of what you, of what my friends, would think and say. But that was never really everything. I can see that now. It is like Neji said...my own insecurities cloud my judgment. And knowing that, as I do now, why is it that I still do not want to give this secret up? Mostly, I suppose, I am afraid, and even ashamed, at my own desire to not be truthful. I should want to confide in my friends, should I not? And yet…."

Lee could feel his boyfriend looking at him despite his hand still covering his face. He just knew those cerulean eyes were fixated on him, unwavering in their intensity. He braved a glance to better asses Gaara's emotional state. He was relieved to see that while intense, Gaara's gaze appeared to be more contemplative then judgmental. Eventually, the tanned hand covering his eyes was grabbed gently by pale fingers, and was guided down to rest on his own chest. Gaara's hand readjusted into a loose hold, his thumb rubbing absentmindedly on the back of Lee's. The younger teen shifted so he was hovering over Lee's prone form, his arm resting on the opposite side of the older teen's body.

"Everyone is allowed to have secrets. You are no different, Lee."

The statement was such that it brooked no argument, but Lee still felt insistent on voicing his stance.

"Gaara, I desire to be open. I want my friends to be an undoubtable part of my life. And by keeping secrets, I am hiding myself away," Lee had been avoiding looking at Gaara, but felt it necessary to establish eye contact for what he was to say next. "Besides, my secrets leave me filled with doubts. Harmful doubts. Neji….Neji was quite clear about that."

Gaara's grip on his hand tightened momentarily, before gentling once more.

"But the worst part is," Lee continued, eyes once again lowered, "The worst part is despite everything, I still, selfishly, want to keep Paradise to myself. And I know Neji's words are true. I know my friends will not hate me, or my choices, regardless of how they may initially react. But….but just to hear negativity, just to feel them look down on Paradise, whether it be outright or more subdued…it will taint something so wonderful for me. It will take away something that I fear I may never get back. I do not want to loose my love for everything Paradise has given to me."

"You will not."

Lee's eyes snapped back up at the redhead's matter of fact statement.

"H-how do you know Gaara? How can you be so sure?" Lee's voice was nearly desperate, as he all but begged his boyfriend to convince him otherwise.

"How long have you liked me?"

Lee was taken aback by the abrupt change in conversation, so much so that his brain stuttered as he tried to process what the younger teen had asked.

"I…well…since we were quite young. Probably just months after we met. Did I not…did we not talk about this yesterday?" Lee answered haltingly, unsure where Gaara's questioning could be going.

"And for how long did you suppress these feelings?"

"For…for a very long time—but Gaara, you know this."

"At what point did your feelings change for me?"

"Well…they did not."

"So despite being convinced that your feelings were wrong, you still did not waver in your regard for me," Gaara summarized.

"I….I…." Lee was at a loss for words. "I had…never thought of it that way before."

"If you love Paradise as much as you claim to, then nothing can take take that away," Gaara concluded.

"You are right. I have not…been very mature about handling this."

Lee let his eyes rove over the vivid sky as Gaara's words sunk in. Paradise was only as shameful as he allowed it to be. His friend's could voice as many opinions as they wanted, and yet their words would only taint Paradise if he agreed with their assessment. It never ceased to amaze Lee the clarity that came with simple realizations. He was in control of this, even if he still didn't quite feel like he was.

"There is one other thing," Lee hesitated, thinking carefully on how to word his next sentence. "Talking about Paradise will lead to…unfavourable discussions regarding…fellow employees."

"I do not follow" was Gaara's blunt reply.

Lee bit his lip, weighing his options once more, before he let out a shaky breath. There truly was no delicate way to broach the subject at hand. Far too much history was involved for any discussion around the topic to be clean cut.

"You must promise not to say a word to anyone about this," Lee stated firmly. His large eyebrows were pulled down, turning his soft features serious. He stretched his left arm across his body, and held out his hand with his pinky extended.

Gaara merely raised a non-existent eyebrow in response to the gesture. His face steadfastly neutral.

"Gaara please, we must make this promise official, it is quite serious!" Lee urged as he waved his outstretched arm.

One of the redhead's eyes twitched, but he obligingly interlocked their pinkies.

"Thank you," Lee said gently, shooting Gaara a quick smile before schooling his features. "Now, do remember Itachi?"

"How could I not?"

"Yes, well…well he also works at Paradise," Lee said bluntly.

"I see."

Something in the younger's voice made Lee's hackles rise. It was the same, condescending, judgemental tone that everyone seemed to use when talking about the older Uchiha.

"No, Gaara, I do not believe you do," A flicker of the frustration Lee was feeling coloured his words, leaving them bitter and cold. The thin teen pushed myself into a seated position, dislodging Gaara's hand from its hold. "Itachi is not who we have been told he is!"

Gaara ran the hand Lee had brushed off through his red strands as he forcibly reigned in his own knee jerk response to Lee's agitation.

"Lee, I will listen with an open mind," Gaara promised, "So please do not hold my skepticism in contempt. You once felt the same as I."

"I-I am sorry Gaara, you are right. Forgive me," Lee conceded, his face heating in shame. "It is just…I do not like that I have to defend Itachi to others. However, when I first met Itachi, I admit that I too was wary. All I had ever known was Sasuke's stories. And they are such horrible, horrible things," Lee wrapped his arms around himself as he thought back on all the terrible lies Sasuke had been fed about his own brother. "But…but that was merely one side. Itachi has…he has been hurt, Gaara. We have all been so wrong about him."

"This is far more complicated than I had previously thought," Gaara acknowledged.

"Yes…yes it is," Lee sighed heavily.

"I will have to meet Itachi for myself."

The raven haired male's head snapped up at that. On the one hand, Lee knew his boyfriend well enough to know that once his mind was made up it would not waver. On the other hand, he couldn't abide the redhead's actions.

"Gaara, I do not want Itachi to feel cornered at Paradise! He is safe there, it would be unfair of you to threaten that! My presence has already made him uneasy."

"I merely wish to see him for myself," Gaara clarified, "I have no desire to interact with him."

"What will seeing him accomplish?" Lee cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"There is much to be learned from observing."

Lee was not fully assuaged by his boyfriend's answer, but he opted to drop the subject. Gaara would not intentionally harm Itachi, of that Lee was certain. But there was always the possibility of something going wrong. Lee only hoped that when push came to shove that no one got hurt.

"I will have to tell everyone eventually." Lee began, picking up their previous topic. "No. I do not have to, but I want to. I wish to share this with my friends, regardless of what they think of my choice. However, I think it would be wise to consult my coworkers on the matter. Paradise is not mine alone, at least not anymore."

"That is wise," Gaara agreed. "What of our relationship?"

Lee's smile was tense at best. He knew that their relationship would be another interesting conversation between all of them, but it was necessary, of that Lee was certain. He would not hide this away. Not any longer.

"That…at least we owe an explanation there…do we not?"

Instead of answering, Gaara stood abruptly, extending his hand down to Lee.

"Let's get this over with then," was all Gaara said as he hauled the older teen into a standing position.

It was going to be a long day.

Hey guys, I'm alive! Sorry for...well for complete radio silence. Real life caught up with me, so i've kind of been putting writing and such on the back burner while i've been trying to be an adult. But here you go! Thanks again to everyone who continues to stick with this story, despite my horrendous ability to be regular with it!