Yeah, yeah, my names Shikamaru… So you want the story, huh? Well, I guess Ill just get it over with.
I didn't ever really believe all that "evil emo kid" stuff people said about Gaara. Of course I didn't know him very well, or ever even had a decent conversation with the guy until that day at Sakura's party.
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I was rummaging through the boxes in the corner of the bathroom to find a new shirt for Gaara and myself when I heard him say it.
"Oh my..." He whispered softly, just as I pulled off my shirt. I glanced at him over my shoulder at him, and was surprised to find him gawking at me. I turned around and a heavy blush crept over his face. He stared at me for a second before realizing that he was indeed staring.
"Did you need something?" I asked, trying not to laugh at his embarrassment. Interesting development... I mussed thoughtfully to myself.
"M-my buttons…" he choked, "I c-cant…" he trailed off, looking at everything but me.
"Oh, let me get that for you…" I said, stepping closer to him. I was close enough to smell him… even under the liquor and sick smell, it was strangely intoxicating. I found myself smiling a little as I unbuttoned his shirt slowly, staring at his eyes unblinking. I had never noticed the color of his eyes before… /what a strange blue…/ I thought, vaguely trying to find a name for the color just as he reached up and pulled my hair tie out.
"You look better with your hair down, you know…" he said distantly, running his fingers through my hair. I frowned, thrown off by his child-like honesty. I let him play with my hair without complaint, ignoring the tiny thought that said I only did because I liked the sensation, not because he was clearly enjoying himself.
"You know, Gaara, you're not at all like people say you are…" I said softly, looking deep into his strange blue eyes. There was a strange buzzing feeling that grew in my chest. I felt my face grow warmer, and his hand tightened into a fist in my hair.
"Is that… a good thing?" he murmured, leaning closer towards me. I could feel his hot breath across my face and neck. He pulled my hair softly, sending a shiver down my spine. My skin began to tingle where my hands still rested on the bare skin of his arms.
"Oh, I'd say so… different is interesting…" I whispered hoarsely, leaning closer and closer, itching to taste his lips. Then I smelled the liquor again, and my heart sank as I swallowed past the lump that grew in my throat.
"You're drunk, Gaara…" I whispered, not bothering to keep the disappointment from my voice. /remember what happened last time you kissed someone with alcohol involved../ I reminded myself and set my jaw, determined not to let impulse get the better of me. I pulled away from him, and turned my attention again on the boxes in the corner. I pulled on the skin tight white t-shirt i'd found and ran over the events of the past few minutes again in my head one more time before speaking, to make sure i'd come to the right conclusion. I smiled at him distantly over my shoulder.
"So I didn't know you were Gay..." I said quietly, running a clean rag under the faucet and handing it to him. He frowned and shrugged.
"I'm not...not exactly, anyway..." He said softly and lines appeared on his forehead. He glanced up at me, and I raised my eyebrows and waited for him to continue. "I'm actually bi...Not that I've told many people. Nobody seems interested, really..." he clarified. I frowned thoughtfully and nodded slowly.
"Well I certainly think it's interesting..." I murmured distantly before I could stop myself. I set a light tan shirt on the counter next to him. "Get yourself cleaned up okay? I'll be right outside if you need me..." I said, and paused with my hand on the doorknob, "But… don't take too long, huh?" I said with a sly smile, and winked at him. His eyes widened, and he nodded. I shut the door behind me with a quiet click, and slid to the floor beside it with a heavy sigh.
"Shit, what are you getting yourself into, man…?" I growled, rubbing my eyes and smoothing my hair back. On impulse, I decided not to put it back up for a while. I blatantly ignored the fact that it was only because Gaara had mentioned it... I sighed heavily and leaned my back against the wall, sparking up a cigarette and inhaling deeply, suddenly glad that Sakura didn't mind the smoke in her house. I usually tried not to smoke inside, but sometimes it was just unavoidable...
"you waitin' for the bathroom, or are you just loitering there?" someone asked suddenly, startling me out of my reverie. I cracked open an eye, and closed it when I saw it was just Kankuro.
"Gaara's in there right now. He spewed all over the place, so he's just getting cleaned up. It won't take too long…" I said slowly. He sighed, but stayed to wait. Suddenly there was a loud crash from inside the bathroom, and I jerked in surprise. I beat Kankuro to the door by mere seconds, and slammed it open to see Gaara standing in the middle of the shards of the broken mirror. Sand swirled around him in an angry, dangerous cloud and he stared at the wall where the mirror once stood without an expression on his face. He turned to look at me then, and for a second there I saw through that blank exterior. He looked like he wanted to cry but wasn't sure how…
"Oh, Gaara, not again…" came Kankuro's quiet voice from the doorway, sighing exasperatedly.
"Go get a broom, Kankuro," I said tersely, leaving no room for argument. He growled something under his breath, but left. I smashed the cigarette between my fingers and tossed it into the waste bin, and tentatively reached my hand out to Gaara, trying my best to ignore the stinging burn of his sand hitting my skin when I stepped closer.
"Please let me get you out of here…" I said, reaching to put my arm around him. His face was blank as he cocked his head at me as if he was about to ask me something, but didn't. Then he swept the glass into a pile in the corner with his Sand, and let me lead him out with a guiding hand on the small of his back. I passed Kankuro on the way to the door, and beckoned to him so I could speak with him over the music.
"Tell Sakura I said I'd take care of replacing it okay? I'm going to take him outside for a while… Don't let them lock us out, would you?" I said quietly as I could. He nodded, passing a worried look over Gaara. He sighed and went to the bathroom to clean up the shards.