A/N: I hope everyone still likes this! I have been excited with typing these chapters out and doing research on it. I swear, most of my days were spent, finding and watching these episodes so I could stay close but put my own twist into the canon! Omg!
It was fun though!
It reminded me how much I love Lee and how cute and cool he is!
And then Gaara, *fans self* to hot for words!
I love the psycho's!
P.S. In the flash backs, it has only been a few months. I usually state the time each time I write in a flash back so if you are confused about it, just look. It's usually in the first or second paragraph.
Another note! Did anyone notice the new cover!? KakaIru made it for this story! I squealed so hard when I saw it! She is one of the most AWESOMELY WONDERFUL people I know!
Disclaimer: Is Lee getting chased by Seme's that want him as their Uke? No? Then I don't own Naruto.
Title: Save your Sorrow
Lee continued to stare in horror at the dark mark on his neck. His hand shook as he reached up to touch it. He touched the dots of crusted blood on his skin then suddenly grit his teeth. He curled his fingers and dug his nails into his skin. His breathing was heavy and he tried to claw the mark away.
"No, no, no!" Lee choked out, "Get off, get off! I can not have this! I cannot!"
By the time he stopped, Lee's neck skin was red, raw, and bleeding, but he could still see the slightly darker mark of the 'love bite'. Lee flinched away from the mirror and turned to his shower. He turned it on and and tore off his night wear before jumping in.
Lee scrubbed his body down, everywhere that he remembered Sasuke touching him. An hour later, he removed himself from the shower and slowly dried off, not looking at himself in the mirror. He put on his green spandex and braided his hair tightly. He barely looked at the calendar when he remembered that he was supposed to meet Neji.
Lee nodded to himself and finished getting ready. He needed to do something, he needed to not think about last night.
Another hour later, Lee found himself talking to Neji at the walkway in the center of the village. Lee stared at the tops of the trees around them, with Neji at his side. He had been able to walk up the steps by himself with no problem, and it was a happy victory for him. He had been slightly scared that he would fail, that his body would fail him, even with his training, but he was on his way to being better than before.
"Your bones. They're better?"
Lee smiled at Neji's quiet question of concern, and answered, "Yes, much better."
Neji smiled slightly as he stared at the tops of the trees too, "Good." he said, "When will you join us again?"
"Soon, I hope. The hospital still has not cleared me for any missions, but I think they will soon."
Neji nodded, and repeated, "Good." then Neji looked down and made a slight noise, alerting Lee.
Lee looked down the steps as well and was surprised to see Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba, and Chouji. Neji and Lee walked down the steps together, Neji standing close to Lee, just in case. When they got to the bottom, Shikamaru explained their reason for being there. Sasuke had left.
"I see." Neji said.
"It's a hassle, but the more people the better..." Shikamaru said.
'Sasuke-san left...Is this, what he meant? By saying goodbye?' Lee thought, biting his lip, 'But he said for now...Goodbye, for now...why?'
"Lee...Do what you need to do." Neji's voice pierced his thought's.
Lee looked at Neji in surprise then nodded, smiling, "I will, you know I will."
Neji smirked slightly and nodded.
Then they all made their way to the village entrance. Lee listened in amazement as Shikamaru laid the base of their strategy. He thought of it so quickly and efficiently, even though he only assembled them a little while ago, that Lee felt some awe in Shikamaru. Then was charmed as Shikamaru spoke like a true Konoha ninja, saying he would lay his life on the line for his comrades and that he would look after them. Then they were ready to leave.
"Wait!" A girls voice come from behind them.
Lee turned and looked at Sakura in surprise. Then what Shikamaru said registered in his mind.
'Sakura-chan tried to stop Sasuke-san? Was she the last one to see him...or was I?' Lee felt a rush of anger towards Sasuke but then it fell to pity and sorrow, 'How could he do this...?'
Lee listened to the promise Sakura pulled from Naruto and noticed the slight sadness in Naruto's voice. He remembered that Naruto loved Sakura, and suddenly wished that Sakura would just accept Naruto instead. Lee knew how special love was, and that Naruto's was special indeed. Naruto's loyalty was almost unmatched.
Lee smiled as felt pride and sadness when he watched Naruto's hand shake even as he promised on his life that he would bring Sasuke back.
Then, they were all gone, walking away from them.
Lee looked at there backs then at Sakura crying. He looked back at the men and smiled, saying,
"Naruto struck the pose of a nice guy as he said that...It will be all right now." Lee looked back at Sakura, "I am positive...I am positive that it will all go well!"
Lee kept his smile gentle as Sakura turned her teary eyes to him and gave her a thumbs up.
Lee did exactly what he said he would do. That night, as soon as he was able, he went to the hospital and asked what would be the best method to train without damaging his body again. He was taken in by the medic's to see how his body was healing instead and asked to stay the night. He sighed but agreed as it wouldn't do to put his body back to how it was before. Lee quickly smiled as Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage came to his bed. He lay back and sat completely still as her hands glowed green and she looked over his body.
"Alright, seems you are healing greatly. But to make sure, I want you to take this medicine, alright?" She looked at him sternly.
"Y-Yes ma'am!" Lee said quickly, nodding.
She placed the medicine bottle down then grabbed her own sake bottle to take a drink before she was suddenly being called away. The medic nin explained to her what had happened to Genma and Raido and she set down her sake bottle, quickly running to the next room.
Lee stared in shock 'Naruto-kun's group...I...I need to help them! I need to!'
Lee got up quickly, and in a rush, grabbed his weapon pouch and put the white bottle in there, not noticing that he had grabbed the wrong one. Then quickly used the window to hop out of the hospital.
Lee ran with all his might, needing to help his friends.
Lee found Naruto right as the blond haired boy was about to be stabbed by Kimimaro. He quickly jumped in and kicked the white haired man away.
"...Who are you?" Kimimaro said, slightly glaring at Lee
"The rejuvenated, beautiful green beast of Konoha!" Lee smiled and took his normal fighting stance, "Rock Lee!"
"B-bushy brow?" Naruto said in surprise, then quickly continued, "Bushy Brow, you, what about your body?"
"More importantly, Naruto-kun, go get Sasuke-san." Lee said instead, turning his head just enough to look at Naruto.
"But..you..." Naruto looked at Lee concerned.
Lee looked back at Kimimaro who was staring at him and said to Naruto, "Please, leave this person to me!"
"Be careful Bushy Brow! He uses his own bones to attack."
Lee glanced at the bone sword in Kimimaro's grasp and murmured, "Bones...you say?"
"This guy is crazy strong..." Naruto continued then looked at Lee. He stared in surprise as Lee held out his arm in a good guy pose.
"What are you doing?! Please go, quickly!" Lee said, "Naruto-kun, you promised Sakura-chan with a 'nice-guy pose,' right?!"
"This person...I will beat him! I promise!" Lee added, keeping his nice-guy pose, and never taking his eyes odd Kimimaro.
"Right." Naruto nodded the turned to leave.
"I won't let you." Kimimaro said, suddenly jumping into the air. He brought his bone sword down onto Naruto but Lee jumped in the way at the last moment and caught the hard bone.
"Please, do not ignore me." Lee said, with a slight smile.
Kimimaro smiled down at Lee, seeming impressed, then the smile dropped as his eyes rose to look at Naruto's retreating form.
"You do not have the time to be inattentive!" Lee said, turning the sword to the side and jumped, doing a quick spin before slamming his leg into Kimimaro's revealed shoulder. Kimimaro grunted and Lee smiled again.
Lee jumped away as Kimimaro swung at him then quickly dashed forward once more. He aimed a kick at the man but was quickly blocked. Lee tried again, spinning to put more momentum and kicked out once more only for Kimimaro to move back. Lee followed his kick by front flipping and trying to drop kick the man but Kimimaro jumped into the air, making Lee's foot hit the ground instead.
Lee looked up as Kimimaro came down upon him to attack but quickly thrust his palm out, hitting Kimimaro under the chin, knocking him away.
Kimimaro back flipped and landed on his feet while Lee jumped back slightly and assumed his usual fighting stance but with his right arm clenched into a fist and at his side instead of behind his back.
"Next will be the end." Lee said quietly, determined. Then dashed forward.
"Severe Leaf Hurricane!" Lee dropped down to the ground and swept out his leg.
Kimimaro jumped up but Lee followed him into the air and span again to kick him. He missed and the both fell to the ground. Lee jumped as soon as his foot touched the dirt and tried kick Kimimaro in the head. His body continued to move in mid air, even as Kimimaro ducked down, and Lee grit his teeth. He made his body do a 360 degree turn and drop kicked Kimimaro but he once again jumped backwards, making Lee hit the ground instead.
'He is agile...My kicks do not hit.' Lee thought, now crouching.
"You are flexible to a surprising extent...and you make unique movements, ne?" Lee said to Kimimaro
"You're too...straight forward." Was Kimimaro's only reply.
Lee dashed forward again, pulling his arm back to punch but Kimimaro side stepped it. Lee stumbled slightly then his eyes widened as he suddenly remembered.
"It's over." Kimimaro said as he brought his sword down.
"Please wait!" Lee said quickly, holding his hand out in a stop position.
Kimimaro stopped his attack, looking down at Lee with interest.
"I am sorry. It is about time for my medicine." Lee said, apologizing, "I have to be sure to drink it, so...please excuse me for a moment."
Lee reached into his weapons pouch and grabbed his medicine bottle. Kimimaro waited for Lee to finish, lowering his attack stance.
"I really do not like medicine." Lee said as he stared at the white bottle that he thought was his medicine. He pulled the cork out and slowly placed it to his lips. He closed his eyes and drank it down as fast as he could then pulled the bottle away with a slight shudder.
"Medicine always tasted stran..." Lee trailed off as everything got fuzzy.
He could not make his mind focus and honestly did not remember what he had been doing when the fuzziness finally wore off sharply. Lee gave a slight whimper of pain
"My head...is pounding.." He said to himself, holding his head with one hand then noticed that his cheek hurt. He moved his hand from his head to his cheek and still mumbled to himself
"A wound...?" He pulled his hand away and stared at the blood, "I..I think I was drunk..."
Lee looked with wide eyes at Kimimaro and his protruding bones, "Your appearance!?"
"It seems you've sobered up. This is my Kekkei Genkai" Kimimaro said, motioning to his body.
"Kekkei Genkai..." Lee repeated, slowly standing up
"My Kekkei Genkai freely controls osteoblastic and osteoclastic cells. It even controls the concentration of calcium. It's an ability to form bones. Basically, there are over two hundred bones in the human body, but for me, that's not a set number." As if to prove his point, another rib slowly pushed out of his chest, giving him thirteen instead of the normal twelve.
Lee stared in awe and surprise but then settled to determination.
"But bones are bones, after all!" He said as he began running towards Kimimaro, "If they break, they break!"
Lee stopped right in front of Kimimaro and threw a punch at him. Kimimaro blocked with a bone encased arm that made an odd sound as Lee's fist hit it. Lee back flipped away until he was a few feet away and stood there.
'Wh-what hardness...!' He thought to himself, 'Are these really human bones?'
Lee grit his teeth dashed forward again anyways.
"Even so.." He whispered to himself and disappeared from Kimimaro's sight.
When Lee tried to attack, more bones popped from Kimimaro's skin, stabbing and cutting Lee's skin. He was caught in the bones and could not move away. His body spun as he felt multiple wounds form on his body. Then, one cut his face, the opposite side from his 'awakening' cut and Lee flew to the ground, finally out of reach again.
Lee was knocked out for a few moments but quickly came to as Kimimaro began walking away. Lee forced himself to his knees and spoke
"Please wait!" He stood completely, slightly swaying then stopped, "The real deal...is now!"
'My role is to stall this person as long as possible...' Lee reminded himself, 'So I should avoid a big technique that could be self-defeating, but it seems that this is not an opponent easy enough to be able to beat without using my secret technique.'
Lee slowly unwound the bandages on his arms until just enough was hanging. He went into his fighting stance, determined, and said, "Here I go!" before dashing forward.
'I am not at my best...' he thought as he ran around Kimimaro in a circle, 'but if it would be just opening the first of the Eight Inner Gates, The Gate of Opening, I should somehow..'
Lee ran faster and faster until he was completely hidden by the kicked up dust and dirt.
'The first gate, Gate of Opening...Open!' He threw his gauze around Kimimaro and ran in front of him
"Primary Lotus!" He threw a kick right at Kimimaro's chest just before seeing his ribs come out, blocking his kick.
Lee jerked in surprise as the bones curled around his foot tightly.
'The impact of the kick was suppressed by the bones?!' Lee thought as he tried to get his leg free.
"That was some speed, but it's over now." Kimimaro said, looking straight at Lee then moved to attack, saying, "Die!"
Lee tried to protect himself but could only stare as the bone jutting out of Kimimaro's hand came closer. Then, Lee gasped as the one thing he didn't expect, came.
Sand.
Sand wrapped around the bone, stopping it from plunging into Lee's head and suddenly expanded to blast both away from each other.
Lee flew backwards with a surprised sound and closed his eyes to ready himself for impact to the ground. He heard the familiar sound of slithering sand and quickly opened his eyes, his heart beating a mile a minute. His eyes darted around, noticing that the sand had caught him and he was descending to the ground gently. He looked up even as Kimimaro asked
"Who're you?"
"A Sand Shinobi, ally of the Leaf." Gaara's voice flowed through Lee's ears.
"G-Gaara-kun..." Lee whispered, hardly believing it. His heart filled with happiness as he was once again face to face with his special person.
Lee then looked back down at the sand, absently wondering if he was still drunk. His eyes jerked back to Gaara as Gaara slowly walked in front of him, in a protective manner.
'It is...It is really him. My Gaara-kun...' Lee began to blush but quickly pushed it away. This was not the time!
"Gaara...? Is that who you are?" Kimimaro said as he slowly moved his body and bone started pushing out of his finger tips. Suddenly, he shouted out, "Digital Shrapnel!" and threw out his hands.
The bones in his fingers flew out of the tips, towards Gaara with surprising speed, but Gaara's sand was faster. The sand came up, blocking each one of the bones, slowing their descent until they stopped completely and just fell out of the sand on the opposite side.
'Did he blow his finger tip bones?!' Lee thought then quickly pained attention as Gaara began to speak.
"Impetuous..." Gaara spoke slowly then looked back at Lee, "Lee..."
Lee felt his heart skip a beat, "Y-yes?"
"When you fought me...you had more speed and strength."
Lee slightly laughed, "Easy for you to say." He smiled as he stood up, "I do not hold grudges and I am very thankful that you gave my bones clean breaks, but I have been having trouble since our battle."
"I see..." There was a slight relieved tone that Lee could hear in Gaara's voice, it made Lee smile even more but then, curiosity reared it's head.
"But...why are you here?" Lee began and stared into Gaara's eyes as Gaara looked back at Lee.
"I owe a lot to the leaf..." He said, and for a moment, Lee felt something close to disappointment, but then Gaara continued, "and I will never let you die."
Lee felt his cheek burn and he looked away. The earlier disappointment vanished and instead, Lee felt over the moon. Lee quickly pushed the feeling to the back of his mind, remembering that they were facing an enemy. He took a few steps and stood beside Gaara.
Silence permited the air and Lee took on his usual fighting stance, ignoring the fact that his blood was dripping onto the grass below.
Gaara glanced to the side and saw the blood dripping from Lee's limbs. He was reminded immediately of what he had did, his selfish wish to have Lee no longer run away from him. He remembered what Lee had said, that Gaara made him want to run, and felt like he finally understood.
Pain, that's all he every really gave Lee. Pain hurt, no one wanted to feel pain.
"I'll do it." Gaara spoke. He wanted to protect Lee, instead of causing him pain.
Lee looked at Gaara surprised then smiled, "No, please back me up instead."
He turned and began running towards Kimimaro, but before he could get that far, sand wrapped around his ankle, tripping him. Lee yelped and fell onto the sand that quickly softened his fall.
"I got sand in my mouth..." Lee mumbled, but the sand left as soon as he said it.
"P-Please let me go!" Lee said, indignant as he pushed himself up to look back at Gaara.
Suddenly Lee gasped in pain and slightly curled up. His body was beginning to shout at him for ignoring his pains. His muscles were still suffering from opening all those gates from the Chunin exams, and he was not able to go on this long anymore. Lee panted softly then looked up as Gaara walked past him.
"You wouldn't be able to do anything in your current state. So stay back and let me protect you." Gaara said to Lee.
"P-protect...me..?" Lee blushed again then quickly said, "Please, be careful! That guy's attacks are bones!"
"Like earlier, he does things like shoot bones and extrude bones from inside his body. He controls bones freely!" Lee explained as best and fast as he could, wanting Gaara to have his best chance and not be taken by surprise.
"Gaara of the Desert...You use sand as the name implies, huh?" Kimimaro said expressionlessly.
Lee watched as sand flowed from Gaara's gourd and as the bones retreated into Kimimaro's body. Then, the battle started.
Gaara sent sand at Kimimaro quickly, tearing up the grass and dirt along the way. Kimimaro jumped back and used his digital shrapnel attack again. He kept jumping back further and further, still throwing his finger bones at Gaara then suddenly at Lee.
Lee raised his arms, as if that could protect him but sand raised to his defense, blocking the bones before they could touch him.
Lee stared at Kimimaro's movements in shock and slight awe, 'There is no waste in his movements. Sure enough, he is a considerable taijutsu user.'
Lee couldn't tear his eye's away from the battle.
Suddenly, Kimimaro stopped. He stood and spoke, "Gaara of the Desert, what a dopey nickname. You can't do anything if you don't have sand."
Lee pushed away his anger at hearing that, knowing that it would do no good.
"Sand Shower..." Gaara said his jutsu instead.
Kimimaro looked up at the cloud of sand above him that began to rain sand and said, "How trite..." he went to move but suddenly realized that he couldn't, sand was holding him to the ground.
"As long as I have sand, I can do anything." Gaara spoke, raising his hand and slowly squeezing. "You are the one who's...dopey..."
"It is easy for me to do things like create sand with dirt." Gaara continued.
'Oh, I remember. Gaara can use his sand to grind things like rocks and minerals in dirt and make it into sand' Lee smiled, relieved, 'So he was sending his own sand beneath the ground and adding new sand, ne? Gaara of the Desert, his name is not just for show...my Gaara, always so smart, though you showed it in odd ways.' Lee had to stop the giggle that threatened to rise from his throat.
Lee noticed that Kimimaro was completely covered in sand and could not stop himself from saying, "You did it!", happily.
"Not yet..." Gaara said then squeezed his hand, doing his jutsu, Sand Coffin.
The sand collapsed inward, sure to crush whatever was inside. Then Gaara dropped his hand and said, "I'm reminded of that man when I look at that guy."
"Huh?" Lee looked at Gaara confused.
"Uchiha Sasuke." Gaara answered
Lee flinched slightly at the name, suddenly reminded of something he knew, or hoped, Gaara wouldn't like. Then Gaara continued speaking.
"He has the same eyes as that guy..."
"The same eyes?" Lee questioned
"The want to verify the value of one's own existence" Gaara answered again.
Suddenly, a stripped hand burst out of the sand, followed by an arm that was missing large chunks of flesh, revealing complete bone underneath, like a bode shield. Kimimaro slowly got out of the mound of sand, his entire body missing large chunks of flesh and tattooed with black lines. Even on his face, allowing Lee to see gums and teeth through his missing cheek.
"N-No way..." Lee whispered.
"That's some pressure...I would have been flattened, just like that, had I not made a membrane of bone just below my skin" Kimimaro lifted his head, his teeth moving through his no longer there cheek.
"Bone's...That guy's a monster too" Gaara said quietly.
Lee looked at Gaara for a moment then back at Kimimaro, "It is a troublesome body, is it not?" Lee said in reply.
"I underestimated you" Kimimaro spoke, "But I won't be caught in your sand anymore."
Gaara suddenly widened his stance and went through some rapid hand signs. Sand burst out like an oncoming wave as he did so, surprising Kimimaro. Even Lee was surprised as the sand quickly rose beyond their height.
"Sand Tsunami!" Gaara growled and the sand got higher and higher before crashing into the ground and Kimimaro.
'Amazing, It is beyond the scope of escaping the sand or not getting caught. It is changing the terrain itself!' Lee looked at Gaara when he said "Not yet" quietly.
He watched Gaara crouch and place his hands on the sand, saying, "Giant Sand Burial!"
The quakes that the jutsu gave off had Lee struggling to stay upright. When he finally caught his balance, Lee stared at Gaara in awe.
'He is so strong...Gaara has gotten even stronger than when he fought me.' Then Lee looked out to the newly made desert and thought, 'Surely this time?'
"He's a persistent guy" Gaara said and Lee could hear the disappointment. For a moment, it made Lee think that maybe, Gaara had been showing off to him.
Then a sound distracted him and Lee looked into the short distant to see something dark colored emerged from the sand.
"What is..that?!" He looked at it intently, the thing emerged from the sand completely and Gaara quickly put his hands up to control the sand.
Sand whirled around the dark thing before covering it completely again, Gaara once more, cast Sand Coffin, even as one foot stepped out but that was it. Suddenly, the thing burst from the sand, unharmed and began running towards them.
'That form!?' Lee gasped.
Gaara stood immediately and reach out, clenching his hand into a fist. Sand rose to grab Kimimaro but he bypassed it. Gaara repeated the move, over and over again, trying to catch Kimimaro within the sand but failed each time. Suddenly, Gaara knelt down and put his hand to the sand beneath him. Sand rose up, creating a barrier, but Kimimaro charged through, ramming against Gaara, sending him into the air.
Lee gasped and looked at Kimimaro quickly.
"So that's the extent of the rumored 'Absolute Defense'?" Kimimaro seemed to mock, then continued "How disappointing "
Lee grit his teeth in anger, wishing he could do something, anything, but his body was not up to fighting anymore. No, to hell with it!
Gaara looked back and they could see sand crumbling from his face.
"I see...He was wearing sand, hm?" Lee heard Kimimaro say.
Lee ran and appeared right behind Kimimaro, saying, "Your opponent is not just him! I am here too!" and he launched kick after kick at the changed man. Lee noticed to late, the tail coming from his side and tried to protect himself.
Sand rose to protect him but the tail broke through the sand, hitting Lee and sending him flying through the air. Lee gasped in pain as he landed on the sand but quickly thought
'That attack, it would have been dangerous if Gaara had not protected me...' Lee trembled as he pushed himself into a sitting posistion, 'My body...I am just a hindrance like this! Damn it!'
"Annoying sand..." Kimimaro looked at Lee then to Gaara, "You're first."
Lee watched in disgusted fascination as Kimimaro ripped out his spinal column to use as a weapon.
Kimimaro used his spiked spine as a whip and wrapped it around Gaara. Sand came up and blocked the spine from touching him. Then, the bones on Kimimaro's arm grew, twisting into a drill shape and covering his hand completely. It grew to be longer that his entire arm.
"A bone of the strongest calcification...It will pierce you, sand defense and all." Kimimaro suddenly coughed out a little bit of blood.
Sand rose and began enveloping the spinal column, creating something.
"Ultimate Defense: Shukaku's shield!" Gaara said as the sand finished taking shape, looking like a miniature Shukaku with red markings.
Kimimaro raised his transformed arm and thrust it into the Shukaku shield.
'It is because I have fought him before that I understand this. That sand shield is an absolute defense, no less. And that form...It will be okay. There is no way it will be broken!' And oh how Lee prayed he would be right.
Suddenly, cracks started forming on the bones encasing Kimimaro's arm then it began crumbling off, breaking completely. The relief that rushed through Lee almost had him falling to the ground.
"It's tough.." Kimimaro said in annoyance, staring at the sand defense.
"I gathered minerals with the hardest density from the ground, applied pressure with chakra and mixed them into the sand." Gaara told Kimimaro, then continued, "You...that unusual jutsu. It's the Kekkei Genkai, right?"
"The Kaguya Clan," Kimimaro answered, "the ability which now, only I possess."
"The last one of the clan?" Gaara said, "Then it'll die out here, today."
"Indeed, that might happen. Due to sickness, my body will not last so long...but the clan will not die out." Kimimaro said calmly, "Besides, I'm not alone."
"Not alone?"
"That's right. As an existence shouldering one part of Orochimaru's ambition, I will remain inside Orochimaru-sama's soul for all eternity."
"Orochimaru's brainwashing, huh?" Gaara made a hand sign and said, "You're a pitiful guy."
Kimimaro grunted slightly as his feet sunk into the sand. The Shukaku shield dispersed and wrapped around Kimimaro and Kimimaro's end of the spine whip.
Sand dispersed from around Gaara as well and Kimimaro was sinking further into the sand at his feet. Kimimaro struggled, trying to get away but he could not, already, he couldn't see his legs anymore.
"What an amount of chakra..." Lee whispered
Kimimaro sunk further and further, only saying, "You are strong." as the sand was up to his chin.
"I'll sink and confine you 200 meters into the ground. By the pressure of the sand stuck to your body, you'll soon be unable to move, not even a finger." Gaara informed Kimimaro just before the sand went over his head.
'Did he do it? Did Gaara win?' Lee thought to himself, unsure.
Suddenly, bones started erupting from the ground. So many, that the ground could hardly be seen from where they were coming up. Lee gasped as they began heading for him and for a moment, he though he was truely going to die. He hoped Gaara could get away in time...
Lee almost yelped as the sand underneath him hardened then rose off the ground. Lee looked and saw that Gaara was floating on sand as well.
"T-thank you, Gaara-kun. You always continue to impress." Lee gave a little smile.
"All I did was ride the sand I'm always controlling. You just have to know how to use it." He made it sound easy as he looked at the new bone field around and beneath them. The mounds of hardened sand floating towards each other then connecting.
"He was a persistent guy but this is the end." Gaara said after a little while, looking at Lee, "He won't come out ever again."
"R-right." Lee nodded. Then made a concerned noise as Gaara grunted and slightly fell forward in exhaustion.
"Gaara-kun!?"
"I can't go on." Gaara answered quickly, "We're getting off..."
"It's not brainwashing!" They both heard Kimimaro's anger
Lee quickly looked and saw Kimimaro upper half sticking out of one of the bone pillars. His arm once again encased in the bone drill.
"That person...Orochimaru-sama understands me!" Kimimaro pulled his arm back to strike, "What do you guys know!?" then drove his encased arm towards Gaara.
Lee reacted without thinking and covered Gaara with his body quickly. His heart seemed to stop for just a moment as the both stared at Kimimaro, blood dripping from the mans mouth, and the drill much to close to Lee's body for his liking.
Lee looked and said what he knew Gaara was thinking as well.
"He is dead..."
A little while later, Gaara and Lee were back on land, staring at the bone, tree-like terrain. They sat against tree's right next to each other.
"I would have been completely defeated." Gaara said slowly, "and you killed."
"That is not the case. My sensei said it often, luck is also part of strength."
"That backseat driver?...I don't like him."
"He is no such thing! It is because I was not good enough at that time!...and why not?! He is a great and fantastic sensei! So please, do not talk about him that way!" Lee said quickly, moving just slightly so he could look at Gaara better.
"So you're like that..." Gaara said quietly, then explained what he meant, "When you feel that, the honor of someone that you revere has been hurt, you yourself are hurt badly and become enraged. The more important the person you revere is to you, the greater the feeling...Fighting for the sake of someone important to you..." Gaara trailed off then looked at Lee
"Will I ever become that important to you?" He asked.
Lee stared at Gaara in shock then began to blush brightly. He looked away, rubbing his cheek, as if that would remove the red that he knew was there. When he looked back at Gaara, he saw that Gaara was still staring at him, with an almost sad expression, and Lee smiled.
"Gaara-kun...you are that important to me."
Gaara's eyes widened a fraction then went back to normal, he looked forward and slowly said, as if hesitant, yet guarded, "Tell me Lee...do you...love me?"
Lee's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, then, he slowly began to smile, "Truthfully?...Yes, I do."
Gaara tensed up, he could feel the muscle in his chest doing strange things, and his hands began to feel clammy, "Then...Will you marry me?"
Lee choked on his saliva at the question and once again, stared at Gaara with surprised wide eyes. He could not speak, the question throwing his brain for a loop.
"I don't want to live without you again." Gaara said when the silence went on for to long in his opinion, "I know I can be better if you are there. You have always been the person to stop me when I go to far and...I want us to be bound together."
Finally, Lee forced his lips to move, and words to form, "But Gaara...do you even love me? Or just the memory?" Lee felt a cold sweat break out over his body and he considered Gaara's possible answers.
"Love is still an uncertain emotion for me, but..." Gaara stopped, the skin where eyebrows were meant to be, tensed in thought, "...I want to protect you, touch you freely, and I want the love you give, to be only given to me."
Lee blushed again then suddenly smiled. He crawled over quietly then suddenly kissed Gaara's cheek, making the red head's eyes widen as he turned to look at Lee
"Then yes. I accept." Lee said, smiling cutely at Gaara.
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