Pickles

blackharu2

Do not own...

This chapter isn't very humorous (TT-TT) but it's really fluffy! EEK! Please enjoy the cuteness!

Edited by -- jakuzabi (three cheers for her! w00t w00t w00t!)

"You hate her because I like her?" Lee asked increduiously.

Gaara sighed, willing the heat on his cheeks to vanish. "Yes."

"Gaara, do you like me?" Lee furrowed his brows, "I mean not like how friends like each other, but like a crush?"

A sand covered arm rose and it's palm rested on his left temple. His fingers pressed firmly into his scalp, a look of pain shadowing his facial features. His eyes were downcast as silence hung in the air.

"I don't know," he finally answered, rising from the couch. "I'm gonna take a walk." He trudged to the front door, hand still applying pressure to his skull. He opened the door and a blonde woman stood on the doormat, one hand holding a scroll the other hanging in the air. Her hand retreated to her mouth where she coughed an "Ahem".

"Hokage-sama," Lee said from his position behind the redhead.

"Gaara-san, I have something for you," the older blonde announced, holding out her hand. "This is the scroll you're here to collect, correct?"

"Gaara-kun, you only came here for the scroll?" Lee asked, confusion evident on his face.

"Yes, I came on business. I am Kazekage," he answered in a monotone.

"Well, Gaara-san, I suggest you get back to the Suna, soon. Tomorrow morning will be fine. It's too dark already." She smiled at them. The Kazekage thanked her for the advice and they bid each other farewell. Instead of closing the door after her though, he stepped outside into the nighttime air.

"Lee-kun, good night" he stated, exiting the household. Lee stared sadly at the closed door in front of him.

"Good night, Gaara-kun," he said sadly, breaking his gaze from the wooden door. His eyes showed hurt, then changed to reveal determination. He turned to the coat hanger and grabbed his nearest jacket. Putting his arms through the sleeves, he made his way out of the house.

He ran after the sand-nin, calling out his name every now and again. He suddenly noticed a head of red hair walking and sprinted up to the person.

"Gaara-kun?" he asked quietly, tapping the person on his shoulder. The said male turned around and charcoal locked with turquoise.

"Gaara-kun, may I join you on your walk?" he asked hopefully. The other nodded. The two walked around in silence, both stealing glances at the other.

"What are you going to do?" Lee questioned

"About what?"

"When I go to sleep."

"I don't know"

"Then I won't go to sleep!" he confirmed, folding his arms over his chest. "C'mon, let's go back home!" he shouted, dragging the Shukaku vessel by the arm.

"Home?" he asked silently, testing the word on his lips. He gave a small smile as he let himself be dragged to his makeshift home.

Quickly, they made it back to the house with Gaara in one piece. The two sat on the couch, the television on once again for entertainment. Lee and Gaara watched cartoons in a silence, each just enjoying the other's company.

The redhead sat on one side of the couch, his elbow on the armrest with his hand supporting his head. Lee was sitting all the way on the other side, looking more tired every second. Soon enough the leaf-nin lay on the couch, head resting on the armrest.

"Gaara?" he called, coming into a sitting position, seemingly restless.

"What?"

"Can I..." He mumbled the end of the question softly. Then with a mustering of courage he repeated his question. "Can I use your leg as a pillow?"

Gaara's eyes widened in surprise and he felt heat once more creep to his cheeks. Did he really just ask that? he asked mentally, still shocked. The taijutsu master was looking at him with a hopeful, yet scared face.

"Sure," he finally answered, the crimson cloud hovering darkly over his nose and cheeks. He felt the area next to him shift in weight, then he felt a foreign object on his thigh. He looked down smiling slightly at the mop of black hair in his lap.

Silence hung in the atmosphere, both content with the quiet. The television murmured continuously, the cartoons playing comical music. The next time Gaara glanced down at the head in his lap, Lee's eyes were closed and the rise and fall of his chest was even.

"Lee?" he whispered, not expecting an answer. When he didn't receive one, a small smile graced his lips and a hand came up to the taller boy's forehead. He pushed the soft locks to the side, creating a better view of Lee's face.

He looks so cute when he sleeps.

And you said you weren't gay!

I don't know, he said cutting off the conversation with the demon, not in the mood to talk with the racoon. Heck, he was never in a mood, but he really didn't want to hear Shukaku's voice now. His private thoughts returned to a certain sleeping shinobi.

Gaara refused to believe he had a crush on the overly hyper ninja. He refused to be gay all together. He had no tolerance for it, he didn't accept it. He never was really fond of the same gender being with each other. Two sexes were made, meaning they were supposed to go together, if they weren't there would have only be one gender.

Still, he couldn't find himself to disagree with the odd sensation in his heart or the tingling in his stomach; the knotts and butterflies. He should want to punch the boy in the jaw, want to see the other male bleed. However, he wouldn't do that. He found their relationship too sensitive. It would only dampen whatever they had.

The redhead decided he couldn't help it. It couldn't be helped. He felt something towards the ebony-haired shinobi. He left what exactly it was undecided, not wanting to go further into the scrutiny right now. He could ponder on it later.

He asked me if I like him... Do I? he asked himself, mindlessly playing with black locks. He thought over the personal question, unsure himself. One second he thought it was obvious, the next he was completely and utterly confused.

"Lee, what if I did like you?"

"The feeling's-" snore, "-mutual," the leaf-nin stated, obviously half-asleep at most. Gaara grinned at the childish male using him as a pillow. If he really did like men at least he would like Lee, that he could handle.

He let the subject pass from his mind and turned his attention to the colorful screen of badly drawn cartoons. Tonight would be rather boring, seeing as he couldn't get up and walk around the town, but he figured it was almost alright if it was Lee making him bored. Besides, he would find a way to keep himself entertained.

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The sunlight shone through the thin window curtains. The light bathed the room in a golden hue, looking almost angelic. Lee woke up slowly, rubbing at his still closed eyes. After ridding the sleep in his eyes and fully awakening, he rose from the couch. He thought about yesterday.

The images brought a wide smile to his face. Who knew Gaara had a soft side? However, when he looked to the sofa, in hopes to find Gaara looking at him with a confused face, his smile vanished. Seeing no misunderstood Gaara faltered his mood. Gaara not even being there saddened him.

He wondered on whether or not the redhead coming to Konoha was just a dream. What if what happened between them and the strengthened friendship was just a figment of his imagination? It seemed so very real.

He tried to think back into the "dream", asking himself if he was ever hurt. Emotionally he was, yet no actually physical pain. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he sighed in sorrow. This whole "visit" was all just a dream. Nothing real happened.

"Gaara, why are we leaving so soon!" he heard a feminine voice shout from outside. His hopes suddenly lifted as he bolted out of the house. Once outside, he smiled at the scene before him. A mad Temari was yelling to a stoic Gaara while Kankurou was holding all their luggage.

"I never even got to see Shika-kun!" she yelled, obviously pouting.

"We need to get home," he replied simply, brushing off her whining.

"Gaara..." Lee said breathlessly, plastering a fake smile on his face. The said male turned and faced him.

"Lee..?" the other siblings looked from the two to each other, then back at the two, then back to each other.

"Did something happen between you guys or somethin'?" Kankurou asked, completely confused. Temari sighed and shrugged at the three boys.

Oh why, oh why was I stuck with them? Gaara's physco, Kankurou's a freak and Lee's an idiot, she stated mentally, waiting for an answer from whoever was supposed to be listening.

"Leaving already?" Lee asked the group, tilting his head in confusion.

"Only Gaara wants to. I told him we should've woken you up, but he didn't wanna. He said we needed to go home, and that it'd be best for you not to know." Kankurou explained, cowering under the intense glare he was receiving from his brother.

"...Gaara?" Lee repeated, eyebrows knitted in small anger, "Okay, I guess I'll see you guys later!" he said, gluing the same artificial smile onto his face.

"No! I wanna see Shika," Temari whined loudly.

"I want to talk to someone too," Kankurou said, blushing.

"No, we need to go," Gaara responded unemotionally, almost bored.

"Well, an hour or two couldn't hurt, right Gaara?" the taijutsu master stated. The Kazekage glared at the leaf-nin slightly, but nodded eventually. Temari squealed, while the puppet master had already disappeared.

Lee watched the two run off and smiled. He turned to the redhead and asked softly, "Why did you want to leave so bad?"

The shorter gave a grunt and sighed. "I didn't," he said quietly.

"Then why were you rushing?"

"I need to go back soon," he replied truthfully.

"You could've at least told me."

"You would've made those puppy eyes..."

"So?"

"I don't like them."

"What, these?" he made the cutest puppy-dog face he could muster and looked at Gaara.

"Yes, those."

"Why?"

"I just do."

"Why?" he drawled out, acting sad, still puppy-dog-ing.

"Because I do," the redhead growled out.

"Sure, Gaara..."

"Lee? Do you want me to leave?"

Lee pondered on the question, a hand coming to rest on chin, the other holding the elbow. "Nope!" he said happily, smiling at the Kazekage.

The redhead's eyes went wide, then shrunk to their normal size, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks," he said softly, the other looking puzzled.

"For what?"

"For being my friend."

"Um... Gaara, I... Well... I," he started, plucking at the collar of his pajamas. A cloud of crimson hung over his nose and cheeks and his eyes looked down. His face showed nervousness, yet was serious.

"What is it, Lee?"

"Gaara, I really like you!"

...:TBC:...

Wow, such a cliffy! Ooh, even I can't wait for the next chapter... Tell me what you thought. Can't wait for your complaints and/or compliments!