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"What are you doing tonight?"
Gaara of the Desert looked up from his udon, quirking a non-existent eyebrow at Rock Lee, who he was eating lunch with.
"I didn't have any special plans. I need to pack for the trip home tomorrow, but that's all," he finished with a shrug, going back to his meal.
Lee was quiet for a moment, then: "I would like to spend the night with you." Gaara looked up again. The bowl-haired boy plowed on, "I even took a nap this afternoon so that I could stay up!"
The Sand-nin paused, processing what Lee had just told him. "You... took time out of your training for a nap, so you could stay up with me tonight?"
The other ninja blanched, looking away. "I know, it was bad. But you are leaving tomorrow, and..."
"And?" Gaara prompted
"I was thinking about the fact that you are alone at night. Everyone else goes to sleep, and you stay up the rest of the night without any company."
The other boy remained slight and thoughtful.
Lee shifted a bit. "I am sorry. I was just thinking--"
"No, it's all right." Gaara stared at the table. "I'm... not used to someone wanting spend time with me."
"Well, I do," said Lee, giving him the same look of determination he had when facing down an opponent.
"I see..." Gaara looked at Lee, examining him carefully. Lee smiled. Gaara didn't exactly smile, but he seemed more at ease, his posture becoming more relaxed.
"So, shall we meet here around 8 o'clock?"
Lee nodded. "All right."
~~~~~
Gaara was sitting outside his hotel, occasionally looking up at the sky. The moon was only about a quarter full, which made Gaara feel better about his... whatever it was he and Lee were having tonight. He always felt more bloodthirsty and less in control close to the full moon.
There was a slight change in the air, and Gaara felt a familiar chakra. He stood, turning in time to see Lee trotting up to him. "Sorry I am late," said the dark-haired boy.
"Don't worry about it," Gaara said with a shake of his head.
Lee smiled. "So, what should we do?"
The red-haired ninja blinked. "I don't know. This was your idea, and you know this village better than I do."
"True." Lee brightened. "Oh! Come on, I know somewhere we can go!"
Gaara followed his fellow ninja along as he made his way through the sparsely populated streets. They got to a small outdoor restaurant. Lee smiled at the proprietress, who smiled back. "Lee! What can I get you?"
"Two dango, please," he replied, holding up two fingers.
"You got it," she said, handing them over.
Lee took a few coins out of the pouch on his hip to pay her. Gaara fished one out of pants pocket. He silently offered it to Lee.
"No," said Lee, holding out a hand. "You are a guest, so I will pay for yours." Gaara looked thoughtful, as if trying to decide whether to argue the point.
"Aren't you two lucky," the food-seller interrupted. "I'm having a two-for-one sale this evening!" With that, she handed Lee back the extra coin he had given her to pay for Gaara's share. Lee look puzzled, but accepted the refund anyway.
"Thank you!"
"Any time, kid," she said, looking back and forth between the two boys, then winking at Lee. This just confused him even more.
Lee finally turned to his friend, who was already chewing on one of dumplings. "Well, shall we go?"
Gaara nodded. He bowed to the kind dango-seller, and headed off after the Leaf-nin.
~~~
"So," Lee spoke up, as he ate his dango, "what do you do when you are up at night?"
The other boy shrugged. "Take walks, read... just... whatever comes to mind. Sometimes I exercise or go running. And..." He smiled ever so slightly.
"What?"
"Sometimes I play pranks on my team mates."
Lee turned to the red-head, surprised. "Really?"
Another shrug. "Boredom and lack of sleep make you do very strange things."
"What sort things do you do?"
Gaara tapped the end of his skewer against his teeth as he thought. "Well, once I switched the labels on Kankuro's toothpaste and liniment tubes. And I sewed up the ends of the sleeves on all of Temari's dresses and shirts."
"That is terrible," said Lee, even as he stifled a laugh. "What did they do?"
The Sand-nin shrugged. "What could they do? They can't hit me, and at the time I didn't care if they yelled at me."
"I suppose not."
They walked in a silence for a bit, finishing their snack and watching the streets get more and more deserted. Lee smirked. "We could do something like that that tonight."
"They would guess it was me," Gaara countered.
"We could do it to someone else."
Gaara seemed more interested all of the sudden. "Like whom?"
Lee grinned. "Naruto?"
"Interesting choice..."
"Come on, then," said Lee, heading in the direction of Uzumaki Naruto's house.
~~~
The two ninja slipped quietly into the window of Naruto's house, sneaking around his bed and heading over to the kitchen. Opening the cupboards, Gaara began to remove their contents, putting them back on other shelves, or even in other cupboards. Smiling, Lee opened the refrigerator and began to rearrange the things in there. As he picked up the milk to move it, he heard an odd sloshing sound. Looking at the carton, Lee squinted to read it in the dark.
"This milk has expired," he observed softly.
"He should pay more attention," Gaara replied as he put a few packets of ramen in what had been Naruto's silverware drawer.
After a short pause, Lee made a decision. "I will return shortly." He closed the refrigerator door and headed out the window again. Gaara watched for a second, then shrugged and went back to his task.
~~~
Lee came back to the house in a few minutes, carrying a carton of milk. Bringing it in, he put it in the fridge, taking the other carton out. He poured the old milk down the sink and tossed the carton in the trash. That done, he turned to Gaara, who was standing next to Naruto's bed, staring down at the sleeping boy. The raven-haired ninja slipped over, standing next to his friend, and was about to ask him what he was doing when Naruto laughed and mumbled, "Oh, Sakura..." He laughed again and rolled over, making a few more incoherent noises.
"He's dreaming," Gaara observed quietly.
"Yes. About Haruno Sakura, it would seem."
There was a pause.
"I'm finished with his cupboards," Gaara told Lee. "Shall we go?"
"All right."
~~~
"Lee?"
"Yes," the boy replied as the walking along a deserted street.
"Do you have dreams?"
"Of course!" Lee stood up straighter. "I wish to become a great taijutsu master and-"
"No, no," interrupted Gaara, shaking his head. "I mean, do you dream? When you sleep?"
"Of course," Lee answered casually. "Everyone do..." The meaning of Gaara's question suddenly hit the boy. He looked at his companion, who was staring back at him curiously. His shoulders fell slightly. "Yes, I do have dreams," he answered.
Gaara nodded. "Kankuro told me a little about them. He says they're like little movies that play in your head when you sleep."
Lee nodded. "That is a good description."
"He also said they're very weird."
"Some of them are, yes," Lee replied. "I once had a dream that leaves were attacking me."
"That doesn't sound too odd...."
"They had eyes and mouths."
Gaara eyes widened a bit.
"Exactly," said Lee. "It was rather creepy.
"On the other hand," the Leaf-nin continued "the day before the first round of the chunin exams, I had a dream in which I flew." Lee smiled. "I found it very... inspiring."
"Dreaming you flew was inspiring?"
"Yes. It was peaceful. It helped me feel much better about my chances on the test." He smiled at the memory.
Gaara stood in silence for a few moments. Lee remained quiet, letting the boy think in peace. Finally, the younger boy said, "It must be nice, being able to look forward to sleeping, knowing you might have dreams like that."
Lee looked at the boy sadly. "Gaara..."
The redhead looked around. "The streets are pretty empty."
"It is late."
Gaara nodded. "In Suna," he explained. "it's so hot in the day, that people stay up later at night to get things done. Even the kids stay out long after dark and play."
"That makes sense."
They walked along in companionable silence for a moment. Finally, Gaara turned to Lee. "What should we do next?"
Lee thought for a moment, then smiled. "Come on, I have an idea." With that, he headed into the woods near the village. Gaara followed.
~~~
Soon, they were moving through the woods; sometimes running along the ground, and occasionally taking to the trees. Lee looked back from time to time to make sure the Sand-nin was still behind him; and always he was, following along like a silent shadow.
"I was thinking," Lee said as they got well into the woods, "that we could have a match out here."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Gaara jumped from the tree he'd been perching on. He looked up at Lee. "No."
"Why not?"
The younger boy shifted uncomfortably. "I'm still not sure I can trust myself in a 'match'..."
Lee nodded. He jumped down to stand in front of his fellow ninja. "Well, what should we do, then?"
Gaara turned his head slightly. "Do I hear water?"
"Yes, we are near the river."
"I want to see," Gaara said.
"All right."
~~~
Gaara knelt next to the river, staring into the water with fascination. Lee supposed he could understand why; after all, the red-head had grown up the desert. "Gaara, can you swim?"
"A little."
"Would you like to go swimming right now? The water here is shallow."
"All right," Gaara replied. Smiling, Lee sat down and begin getting
undressed. Gaara shortly followed suit.
Finally, the dark-haired ninja was down to his boxers, and he headed
towards the water. He turned to Gaara, who was naked. Lee tried focusing on the boy's face, but his eyes kept traveling downward.
"Are you going to go in first, Lee?"
The other boy's eyes snapped up to meet the pale green ones that were
staring at him intently. "Y-yes." He thought for a moment.
Then, with a smile, he pulled off his own underwear. Then he jumped into
the water. He resurfaced with a gasp, shivering a bit. "Come on in,
Gaara."
Gaara stepped forward, dipping his toe in. "It's pretty cold."
"You will get used to it. Just jump in."
The boy from the desert looked skeptical. Nonetheless, after a pause, he jumped into the water. He quickly came back up, eyes wide. "This water is FREEZING!"
"It is not! You are just not used to the cold."
Gaara gave Lee a bit of a glare but didn't argue. However, he ducked back down in the water, so that only his nose and eyes could be seen. Lee smiled and swam around. Gaara turned, keeping his eyes on the other boy.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. I'm watching you. We don't do a lot of swimming in Suna, so I thought I'd watch you to see your technique."
Lee laughed. "It is hardly a 'technique'. I am merely swimming about a little." Gaara nodded in understanding.
Moving back, the Leaf-nin moved his hand, splashing Gaara--or at least that was the plan. But the Sand flew from its gourd, blocking the water from hitting the boy's face. Even Gaara was surprised by this.
"Well," Lee said with a shrug, "so much for that idea."
~~~
"Lee... I'm going to get out now."
"All right," came the reply.
Gaara nodded as he got out of the water and sat next to the river. He shivered a bit, but didn't want to get dressed while he was still so wet. Lee got out and walked over to sit near his clothes.
After sitting in silence for a few moments, Gaara stood up and headed over to where his clothes were. Lee looked up and found himself looking directly at the boy's crotch. Lee quickly looked up at Gaara's face, wondering if he'd noticed where Lee's gaze had landed. The redhead seemed oblivious, though, as he picked up his clothes and got dressed. Lee decided to do the same. Once he was dressed, Gaara sat back down, looking up at the stars. Lee had his unitard on by then, and he walked over and sat next Gaara to put on his weights and leg warmers. Then he picked up one of the rolls of tape and started to wind it around his arm. Gaara had started watching him, his eyes following as the tape covered more and more, down towards the boy's hand. When the Leaf-nin got down to his wrist, Gaara's eyes suddenly widened.
"Lee..."
"What is it?"
Gaara leaned closer, looking down at the other boy's hand. "Your hand is injured."
Lee shrugged and continued binding his hand. "Those are from training. They are nothing, really. I am used to it."
Gaara looked down at his own hands, which were soft and unmarked. He may be a ninja like Lee, but his unusual abilities prevented him from having to deal with the hard work and pain the other boy clearly went through to reach the level they were at. "I see," he said at last. Lee just smiled and finished taping his hand, then did the other.
~~~
"I really enjoyed this," Gaara said. "Next time I come for a visit, we should come here and go swimming again."
"You are planning to visit again?"
"I'd like to."
Lee smiled. "I certainly hope you are able to." He looked thoughtful. "We could go swimming during the day. The water will be warmer." His smile broadened a bit.
Gaara nodded. "True."
Lee slumped. "That was supposed to be a joke..."
"Oh. Sorry. I'm not used to people joking with me."
The Leaf-nin nodded with understanding.
~~~
After a few minutes, Gaara turned to Lee. "I'm hungry. Let's go back to the village." With that, the ninja got to his feet. He picked up his gourd and slung it across his back.
Lee smiled. "All right." He, too, got to his feet. Without really thinking, he grabbed Gaara's hand and turned towards the direction of Konoha. He was stopped short, though when the other boy didn't move. He turned. "What is--" he started. He stopped, however, when he noticed that Gaara was looking down. Following the other boy's gaze, he saw that Gaara was staring at their entwined hands. "Oh! I am sorry..." He started to pull away, but Gaara tightened his grip.
"The Sand..."
"Pardon?"
Gaara looked up, right into Lee's eyes. "The Sand didn't stop you. It... let you touch me."
Lee's eyes widened in shock. "I had not thought of that. Why do you think that is so?"
"I'm not sure." Gaara's brow furrowed.
"Do you want me to let go?" Gaara shook his head. Lee smiled. "All right, then." With that, he turned around, leading them home.
~~~
Lee didn't let go of Gaara's hand until they reached his house and he had to let go to open the front door. The redhead looked down at his hand, which was still warm from Lee grasping it. It was an odd feeling for him; the warmth of another person...
"Gai-sensei is off on assignment," explained Lee, "so there is no one home. We will have to fend for ourselves for dinner. But I am a pretty good cook if I do say so myse--" he turned to see Gaara looking down at his hand. "Gaara...?"
The younger boy looked up.
"Is something wrong," asked Lee.
Gaara shook his head. "I... am not used to being touched. It's... warm."
Lee wasn't quite sure how to reply to that, so he just nodded. Gaara walked up to him, looking down at his hand. Not sure what else to do, Lee held it up. Gaara took hold of it with one hand and ran the fingers of his other hand gently down Lee's fingers, onto his bandaged palm. It was and interesting sensation; those soft fingers moving across Lee's rough, calloused skin. The Leaf-nin wasn't sure why the boy was doing it, but he couldn't say he minded. In fact, he rather liked it. As the younger boy's fingers moved back up Lee's hand, his eyes shifted, moving up to look directly into Lee's. What was he looking for? Permission hardly seemed the issue at this point. Was he looking to see Lee's reaction? All the dark-haired boy could think to do was smile.
Moving one hand away, Gaara continued to hold Lee's hand with the other. He looked at it for a moment, then, pulling it up, he leaned forward. Lee gasped lightly as the Sand-nin rested the palm of Lee's hand against his face. Closing his eyes, Gaara tilted his head slightly, resting it against Lee's hand. Lee could feel his pulse racing, and realized he was barely breathing. Holding hands was one thing, but this... where was Gaara going with this?
"Gaara... perhaps we should go inside?"
The redhead opened his eyes; he now seemed to be studying Lee. "You don't like me touching you?"
"No! I just... feel like we would be more comfortable inside."
"Ok."
They walked into the house, slipping off their sandals in the doorway. Lee debated giving Gaara a tour of the place before they ate, but that was cut short when the other boy asked, "Which way is the kitchen?"
Lee decided a tour could wait. "This way," replied the dark-haired boy, heading off to the left. "You know, it seems rather late for a snack."
Gaara shrugged. "I eat whenever I'm hungry. And since I'm up at night, I get hungry at night."
"I suppose that makes sense."
With that, Gaara went into Lee's kitchen and began looking through his cupboards.
"What are you looking for?"
"I don't know," the Sand-nin replied, "What have you got?"
"How about some ramen," Lee replied, opening up another cupboard and getting some out. Gaara nodded. "All right," said Lee, getting out a pan to boil water Gaara took it from him and started filling it with water. "I will make it," Lee stated.
Gaara shook his head. "You bought the dango, I'll make the ramen."
"I--"
"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer," Gaara interrupted, putting the pan on the stove and turning on the burner.
~~~
The two boys sat at the kitchen table, quietly eating their ramen. Lee found himself sneaking looks at Gaara between bites; he was trying to figure out just what the boy might be thinking. But the other boy's expression never changed, and it was clear he was focused on eating at the moment. Finally, though, he looked up at Lee.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
"I--What are you thinking?" Perhaps the direct route was the best.
"I am thinking about my ramen. And about the fact that you keep looking at me oddly."
"No, I mean..." Lee sighed. "Why did you... do that with my hand?"
"I like the way your hand feels. You said it was all right."
"That is true. I am just... not used to... touching like that."
"Oh," said the other boy, in a tone that suggested that this hadn't occurred to him.
"You usually only touch people like that when you really like them. Well, love them, actually."
Gaara's eyes glazed over. "Love..." he rested his hand on the tattoo on his forehead. "No one's ever loved me."
Considering what he knew about the boy, Lee found himself less surprised than he might have expected to be. "I... am sorry."
The boy looked at him, his brow furrowing, "You let me touch you like that... does that mean you love me?"
Lee hadn't been expecting that. His brain seemed to lock up right as his mouth chose to open, so he sat there like that... and he knew he was doing it, but couldn't get his brain to re-engage.
"Lee...?"
The boy finally got his mouth to work "I... had not thought about it."
"I see. So why did you let me do it?"
"I do not know," Lee replied. Gaara looked at him, puzzled at first, but then he nodded
They sat in silence for a few moments, finishing their meal.
"Gaara?" The Sand-nin looked at Lee quizzically. "Do you like looking at the stars?"
"Yes, I do."
Lee smiled. "I know a good roof to watch them from. It's very high, and there are very few lights around it, so they are easier to see."
Nodding, Gaara got up. Lee put the dishes in the sink, and they headed outside.
They took to the roofs, hopping along as they headed toward the roof Lee had mentioned. "There it is," the dark-haired boy said, pointing as soon as the building in question came into view. They lept over to it, and Lee sat down. Gaara sat down, too, first a ways from Lee, but then he moved a little closer.
Lee smiled. "It is a nice night."
"Yes," Gaara agreed. There was a pause, "When I was little," Gaara continued, his face tilted sky ward, "I would look at the stars at night and make up little stories about them; about what they were, I mean."
"Like what?"
The boy shrugged. "I imagined they were night lights, for people like me, or that they were pieces of quartz glittering in the expanse of black sand that was the sky..."
"I see."
"I was very young, Lee. I didn't really understand what the really were."
"I know. I think it is sweet." Lee looked thoughtful. "Well, and somewhat sad that you found--find--sleep such a..." Lee's brow furrowed, not sure how to express the feelings he got when he thought about what Gaara's life must be like.
"I'm used to it. To you it's sad, but to me it's..." he shrugged. "It's just the way my life is. I don't know anything else." He turned to see Lee looking at him sadly. "I... I appreciate the thought, Lee, but... it is what it is."
Lee gave a resigned nod and turned back to looking at the stars.
~~~
As Lee watched the stars, he found himself zoning out a few times. Despite his nap, he wasn't used to being up so late, and was struggling to stay awake. Finally, without meaning to, he found his head resting on the nearest available head rest, which happened to be Gaara's shoulder.
"Oh!" Lee lifted his head quickly, his cheeks reddening a bit. "Sorry. I--"
"It's all right, Lee, I don't mind."
"No," said Lee, wearing his determined look. "I will not fall asleep."
Realization hit the younger boy. "All right, but I still don't mind if you put your head on my shoulder."
"If I do that, I might fall asleep."
"I won't let you."
Lee considered this. "Well, all right." He leaned back over, resting his head on Gaara's shoulder again.
~~~
"Lee?"
"I am not asleep," the boy said, a bit defensively.
"No," the Sand-nin replied, "I was wondering if I could do something?"
"Sure."
Reaching over, Gaara took ahold of Lee and pulled him down, resting Lee's head on his lap. Lee blinked up at the boy in surprise.
"Is this all right?"
"Yes, it--I like it." And this was true enough; Gaara's lap was quite soft, and in this position he could look up at the stars. Well, except that the other boy had leaned over, so Lee was looking up into his face. The boy turned his head slightly, looking down at Lee curiously. Reaching down, he touched the side of Lee's face. The Leaf-nin smiled. Gaara's fingers traveled up, across Lee's brow, his eyes following. Lee was enjoying the experience; the gentle fingers touching him, the pale green eyes studying his face, the softness of the lap his head was resting on. The fingers continued to explore, moving down Lee's other cheek, to his chin. Gaara looked thoughtful for a moment, then, carefully, he ran a finger across Lee's lips. The older boy trembled, prompting Gaara to do it again.
"Lee?"
"Yes, Gaara?"
"I want you to do this me."
Lee smiled. "All right." He sat up, stretching out his legs. Gaara moved around, and slowly lay back until his head was resting on the Leaf-nin's lap. Still smiling, Lee rested his fingers gently on the boy's cheek. Then he moved them up, along much the same path Gaara had taken on his face. The younger boy had his eye closed, to better focus on the way Lee's touch felt against his skin.
When Lee got to Gaara's forehead, he slid his thumb along the hairless ridges above the boy's eyes where most people have eyebrows. He didn't ask about it, though; he knew how much he hated people commenting on his own eyebrows. He moved over, and, after a moment's debate, touched the tattoo on the left side of the boy's forehead. When he got no objection, he took his finger and gently traced the delicate strokes. "Love," his whispered.
"'I love only myself, and I fight only for myself'," Gaara replied, reciting it like a mantra. "That's what it used to mean."
"What does it mean now?"
"I'm not sure yet." Lee just nodded, even though Gaara couldn't see it with his eyes shut.
Lee moved his hand down, taking a different route this time, gently sliding a finger down Gaara's nose, then resting it on the Sand-nin's lips.
"Lee?"
"Yes?"
Gaara's eyes opened. "We should go back to your place."
Lee smiled. "Sure."
~~~
They made their way down to the street, then walked the rest of the way home through the streets, hand in hand. As they walked, Lee kept glancing at Gaara. He got the odd feeling that the boy had something specific planned for when they got back to his house. He decided, as they got close, to simply ask directly.
"May I ask you a question, Gaara?"
"Sure."
"What do you want to do when we get home? I get the feeling you are thinking of something in particular."
The boy looked thoughtful. When he failed to answer right away, it just made Lee even more curious. "What is it? Come on, Gaara, after asking me... if I love you, I would think there is not much you are afraid to ask."
"You never did give me a straight answer to that question."
"I am... not sure of the answer," Lee admitted. "And you are changing the subject."
Gaara's brow furrowed. "Oh. I didn't do that on purpose." he turned, looking Lee directly in the eyes. "I want you to touch me... everywhere."
It took Lee a second to be sure he'd heard the boy correctly. And even then, he was wondering if he had misunderstood.
"When you say 'everywhere', do you mean... everywhere?"
"What else would I mean?"
"Well... yes, that is a good point..."
"If you don't want to, just say so."
Lee shook his head, "No, it--you do know what you are asking is..."
"Unusual? Perhaps even inappropriate?"
"Yes."
"Yes, I know. I've been told about this sort of thing. I know that there are places people aren't supposed to touch other people without permission, and all of that. I also realize that being attracted to other guys makes most people think I'm even creepier than I already am. But I really don't care." He looked away for a moment, then resumed his almost hypnotic gaze into Lee's eyes. "You like tou--no, we like touching each other. So why shouldn't we?"
Lee stood, stunned. Not only was he not used to Gaara being so verbose, but he realized that the boy was absolutely right. "All right," he said finally, offering Gaara his hand.
~~~
They walked into Lee's house and removed their shoes. "We should go to my bedroom," Lee suggested, pointing the way. As soon as they entered the room, Gaara set his gourd down near the door and looked around. The room was sparse; a bed, a dresser, a chair, and a small wardrobe were the only pieces of furniture. Everything else in the room was exercise-related; a jump rope, some weights, and things of that nature.
"There is not much in here," Lee said, somewhat apologetically. "I don't spend much time in this room."
"I don't spend much time in my bedroom, either," Gaara replied. Lee chuckled. Gaara gave him a bit of a smile.
After a moment, Lee sat down on his bed and took off his leg warmers and weights. Gaara sat next to him and undid the tape on his legs.
Lee looked at Gaara, who was still bent over undoing the wrappings on his legs. Reaching over, the older boy ran his fingers through the other boy's dark red hair. Gaara gave a start, looking at Lee in surprise. The Leaf-nin's first instinct was to apologize, but he decided to go with his second, which was to explain. "You said you wanted me to touch you and, well... I like your hair." Lee said this last part in his declarative voice.
Gaara looked up, as if examining the ends of his short bangs. "Thank you."
Smiling, Lee reached forward, again running his fingers through Gaara's hair.
The Sand-nin closed his eyes as he had on the roof, and his whole body relaxed into a much calmer posture than Lee was used to seeing in the boy. The older boy continued to run his fingers through the soft, red strands, and caught a whiff of a scent. He leaned in a little bit, sniffing lightly.
"You smell like sand," he told the boy, giving him a smile.
Gaara looked thoughtful. "I suppose I do. But you smiled when you said that... so it doesn't bother you?"
Lee shook his head. "It's actually pretty nice."
"Thanks."
Smiling back, Lee reached forward and continued to play with Gaara's hair, until he came to the boy's ear, which he caressed gently. A shudder of delight ran through Gaara's frame, and he let out a light sigh. Lee did it again, getting the same result. Then he moved his hand moved down the boy's cheek. The dark-haired boy ran the back of his fingers across the soft, pale skin, then continued down to Gaara's neck, slipping his fingers under the sash the boy wore so he could feel the bare flesh underneath. Gaara's eyes opened and he pulled back slightly, standing up.
"What's wrong?"
Gaara shook his head. As he removed his sash, he explained, "This will be easier if I take my clothes off."
Lee also stood. "A--all of them?"
"Of course. I'm going to need to take them all off eventually."
"True," said Lee with a nod. "Perhaps I should also undress?"
Gaara shrugged. "That's up to you."
Lee nodded. He considered for a moment. What Gaara had asked Lee to do was intimate enough as it was, if they were both naked, there was no telling how far things might go. He finally decided that he wanted to find out.
Lee began undoing the tape around his arms. Gaara gave Lee a look of curiosity but said nothing. He finished getting undressed, carefully laying the strap for his gourd, shirt, and pants across the back of Lee's chair. Lee blushed a little, and went back to the task at hand to keep his mind off the lovely naked boy standing in front of him. He put the tape on the dresser, then removed his belt, carefully setting in on the dresser as well. Then he reached back to unzip his unitard. He slipped it off and draped it over the back of the chair. He looked down at his hands; they were bruised pretty badly, and a few of his knuckles were raw, with one of them bleeding slightly. He looked up to see Gaara looking at them with concern.
"Like I said before," he said reassuringly, "this is normal; please do not concern yourself." He wasn't being totally honest; he'd worked out a bit harder than usual to make up for his nap and hands had suffered for it. Still, he didn't want Gaara to worry. Gaara nodded. Opening his top drawer, Lee took out a fresh set of bandages. Before he started putting them on, though, a thought occurred to him. "I am sorry... Perhaps I should keep them unwrapped. It is just that there are not in the best shape."
"I don't mind if you wrap them," Gaara said softly. Then he leaned over and looked at Lee's hands. "But you should put ointment on them first," he mused. "Where do you keep it?"
"In the bathroom," Lee replied, headed towards the door. "I will go--"
"No, I'll get them," the Sand-nin replied, turning and heading out of the room.
Lee sat down on the edge of the bed to wait for the other boy's return.
~~~
Gaara came back in a few moments, with a tube of ointment and two cloths, one wet, one dry. "Let me wash then first," he said, taking the wet cloth and gently dabbing at the Leaf-nin's wounds. He then carefully dried them off and applied the ointment.
"You really don't mind doing this?"
Gaara shook his head. "I want to do it." He finished with the last sore. "There, how is that?"
"It's good, thank you." Gaara nodded.
With that, Lee bandaged his arms, working with the speed and precision that came from long practice. Gaara just watched; they had all night, after all, and he really didn't mind the feel of the tape.
When Lee had finished, he looked at Gaara, and found that the other boy was gazing right back at him, his expression unreadable. Lee smiled at him nervously. Gaara's eyes dropped down to look at Lee's boxers. Lee blushed.
"What's wrong," the younger boy asked, "I've seen you naked before, when we went swimming."
"That was different," Lee pointed out, "It was dark, and that was just swimming. This is... more than that." Gaara considered this for a moment, then nodded when he realized what Lee meant.
Lee took a breath, and slipped his boxers off, tossing them onto the chair, which was now covered with clothes. Gaara looked the boy up and down.
"You have no hair," Gaara observed calmly.
"I have hair. What are you--" Gaara pointed down. Lee blushed, looking away for a moment. "Oh! Yes, well... I shave it."
"I see."
Gaara sat down on the end of the bed, looking up at Lee expectantly. The older boy sat next to him, turned so that he was facing him. Taking Lee's hand Gaara rested it on his neck, and Lee realized that it was more or less in the same place he'd had it before they'd gotten undressed. Lee gently rubbed the spot for a moment, then slid his hand down to Gaara's shoulder, his hands caressing the soft, pale skin. He took his other hand and rested it on Lee's other shoulder. Then he slid his hands down Gaara's arms, first down, then slowly back up. After a moment's consideration, the Leaf-nin ran his hands across his friend's chest. His fingers gently traced the boy's collarbone. Gaara trembled, his hands reaching up to rest on Lee's forearms. The dark-haired boy paused, barely touching the edges of his friend's collarbone.
"Don't stop."
Something about Gaara's tone sent a shiver of delight through Lee's body; he was certain the boy felt his fingers quiver against his skin. Yet, he found himself spurred on by the request (command?), his hands continuing their slow journey downwards. His gentle, searching fingers reached light pink nipples; he gently stroked the little nubs, causing them to harden. Gaara let out a gasp, his hands tightening their grip on Lee. The dark-haired boy's eye traveled up to look at Gaara's face; his lips were parted slightly, his eyes half closed and unfocused. Lee found himself staring at the boy's mouth, wondering what those pale pink lips felt like.
Lee's hands moved back up, resting on Gaara's neck. He leaned forward, tilting his head slightly. The Sand-nin's expression suddenly became more alert, and he pulled back. "What are you doing?"
Lee was surprised. Did Gaara really not know? "I was going to kiss you."
The Sand-nin blinked in surprise. "Oh."
"I... is that all right?"
Gaara nodded. Smiling, Lee leaned forward again, nervously kissing the other boy. It felt nice; Gaara's soft lips pressed against his own, his breath against Lee's mouth. He moved back, smiling. Gaara had that puzzled, thoughtful look Lee was getting used to seeing on the boy.
"Gaara?"
"I like the way you taste," the Sand-nin replied softly. Reaching up, he took Lee's face in his hands. The older genin was surprised when he felt the soft, warm wetness of his friend's tongue against his lips as Gaara licked them. "Hmmm..." Gaara did it again, more slowly. Then, shifting slightly, he pressed forward, pushing his tongue roughly against Lee's lips. The dark-haired boy relaxed, letting the other boy push his way into his mouth. Gaara's hands tightened on Lee's face, his tongue assailing the other boy's, his lips moving hungrily. He finally sat back to take a breath. He let go of the older boy's face, again resting his hands on Lee's bandaged forearms.
Lee pulled back, breathless and stunned. "That was..."
"What was it," Gaara wondered. "That was all right, wasn't it? I've seen people do that to each other. They seemed to like it."
"Well, yes," said Lee. "I was just caught off-guard."
Gaara nodded. "May I do it again?"
"Yes," said Lee, leaning in. Then Gaara's lips were on his again, his tongue inside Lee's open, eager mouth. As soon as the boy's tongue touched his, though, Lee realized he was curious about what this felt like. Pushing gently but assertively, he slid his tongue between the Sand-nin's lips. He heard Gaara moan and his hands tighten on Lee's forearms as he explored; running his tongue over smooth teeth, and feeling the top of his mouth, until another tongue met his. The two tongues moved together, pushing and twisting, playfully fighting each other. Lee pulled back finally, breathless. Gaara gasped, falling forward until his forehead rested on Lee's shoulder. Reaching forward, Lee rubbed his fellow genin's shoulders, then let his fingers move up to play in the boy's hair.
Gaara sat back, looking at Lee. The older boy's hands had slid down to the Sand-nin's shoulders, and he proceeded to massage them gently. The boy moved back, out of Lee's grasp. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Gaara replied. He got up and turned around, sitting with his back to his partner. Lee smiled when he realized what Gaara had in mind. Scooting towards him, he reached up and began to rub the boy's shoulders gently. He let his hands slide up the boy's neck, entangling in the soft, dark red locks of Gaara's hair. The boy let out a sigh. Lee moved his hands back down, onto the Sand-nin's shoulders again. Lee loved the softness of the boy's pale skin, and the way his muscles moved as he shifted positions ever so slightly. He traced the boy's shoulder blades with his fingers, then slid a finger down Gaara's spine. The boy quivered and let out a little gasp. He turned around to look at Lee again.
"I am sorry, I thought you liked it."
"I did," Gaara replied. Leaning forward, he kissed Lee softly. He took Lee's hand and stroked it gently like he had earlier tonight. "I like your hands."
"Really?"
Gaara looked up at him, puzzled. "Why would I tell you that if I didn't mean it?"
Lee smiled. "That is a good point. Still, my hands are all rough and calloused. You really like the way they feel?" This comment was greeted with cool green eyes staring into Lee's own obsidian ones. Gaara took the hand he'd been holding and rested it on his thigh. Leaning forward, he rested his lips against Lee's ear.
"Touch me, Lee."
The Leaf-nin felt his face getting hot, and was sure he was blushing furiously. He nervously rubbed the smooth skin of Gaara's thigh, moving inward, towards his penis, though he hesitated before actually touching it. "I--I think this will be easier if you lay down."
Nodding, Gaara turned and lay back on the bed, looking up at Lee with an expectant look. Lee shifted around, as well, until he was lying on his side next to the younger boy, propped up on one elbow. He tentatively began to reach down, but Gaara took his hand and rested it on his chest. "You can work your way down, if you'd like."
"Yes, I would," Lee replied gratefully.
He rubbed Gaara's chest, his fingers moving over to play with one of his lover's hard nipples. Then he caressed the boy's ribs, slowly working down to his abdomen. Looking up, Lee saw that Gaara had closed his eyes, and had a wonderfully content expression on his face. Lee smiled. He stroked the boy's stomach again, then let his hand move down. He slid a finger gently around Gaara's navel. The younger boy sighed with pleasure. Lee caressed Gaara's stomach again, moving down towards the boy's groin. Nervously, he continued, his fingers brushing softly against curly, coarse, dark red hair. A slight smile ghosted across Gaara's face. Finally, taking a breath, he reached down and stroked the boy's penis. "Lee..." Gaara hissed softly.
"Did you like that?"
"Yes. Do it again."
"All right," Lee replied, gently running his hand down along Gaara's shaft. He was encouraged by the moan the other boy made, and he did it a third time. The Sand-nin moaned again, his hips arching slightly as Lee's hand lifted up, as if trying to prolong the contact. Lee had some of an idea of what to do next, but found himself debating whether to ask or just do it and check his partner's reaction. Finally he decided, reaching down and gently wrapping his fingers around Gaara's hardening penis. The boy gasped, his eyes opening to look up at Lee. He moved his hand away, opening his mouth to apologize. But before he could say a word, Gaara grabbed his hand, pulling it back towards his groin.
"Don't stop," he said in a calm yet insistent voice.
"All right," Lee replied. Then a thought occurred to him. "Gaara, I am pretty strong. If I am too rough or I squeeze too hard, or anything like that, let me know."
The redhead nodded. "Don't worry, Lee, I won't let you hurt me."
Nodding in reply, Lee let his eyes travel down to where his hand was gently grasping Gaara's cock. He slid his hand down, from base to tip, then back up. The boy let out a happy sigh, and Lee felt the hand resting on his tremble along with the rest of Gaara's body. He did it again, smiling at the soft moan it produced. He began slowly moving his hand up and down the quickly hardening shaft, using his experience with his own experimentation to guess what Gaara might like. It was clear from the boy's soft cries of pleasure, and the way his hand was tightening on top of his own, that his guess was correct. As he continued to stroke Gaara's cock, he became aware of something unsettling; the whole room was filling with sand. Looking over, he saw that, indeed, the cork on gourd had come off, and the Sand was slowly slithering out.
"Lee?"
The older boy looked down and realized that in his concern over the Sand, he had stopped what he was doing. "Gaara," he said softly, as if afraid of being overheard, "The Sand..."
The Sand-nin's eyes sifted down to look at the gourd. He lifted his free hand, putting his fingers in a jutsu form. The Sand pushed out, away from the bed. It continued to swirl around the room, but stayed a clear distance away from the couple.
"Lee, the Sand does this when I get aroused," he explained calmly. "It won't hurt you."
The older boy nodded, then let his mind go back to business. It took only a few pumps to get Gaara aroused again, then Lee slowed down a bit, savoring the feel of the hardening, twitching erection, and the hand resting on his own, guiding him, urging him on. Lee looked up to see his lover's face reddened and sweaty, his lips parted as he panted, his breath becoming ragged. His free hand was resting on his chest, in the jutsu form that was keeping the sand at bay. Lee looked back down and gave one last firm tug, finally pushing Gaara over the brink. The boy spasmed as he came, his eyes widening almost impossibly as he let out a scream. He lay for a second, shaking, his hand clutching Lee's tightly.
"Gaara...?"
The boy blinked, and turned to look up at Lee. "That was..."
"Yes." Lee smiled down at Gaara. The redhead leaned up, kissing his lover gently. When he pulled back, he had a puzzled expression. He looked down.
"This is getting sticky..." He started to move to get up, but Lee rested a hand on his shoulder.
"I will get something," he offered, getting up and heading to the door.
"Lee," said Gaara. When the boy turned, he saw that Gaara was pointing to the towel he had used earlier to dry Lee's hand when he'd treated him. The older boy nodded, then went over and got the towel.
Sitting down on the bed, Lee used a clean section of the towel to gently wipe the jizz from Gaara's stomach, then he set the towel on the night stand next to him. No sooner had he turned around to face his partner again then the boy pressed his lips to his, pushing the Leaf-nin's lips apart and thrusting his tongue into his mouth. Lee melted against the boy, enjoying the feeling of being ravished like this. Finally Gaara sat back, taking a deep breath. Shifting positions, the red head sat fully up. Taking Lee's arms, he rested them on his shoulders, then he took the older boy's right leg and lifted it over his own, so that Lee ended up straddling him. The Leaf-nin blushed but carefully lowered himself so he was sitting on Gaara's lap, facing him.
Reaching up, Gaara slid his fingers lightly along the boy's collarbone, then down to one of Lee's nipples. He stared at it for a moment, as if he'd never seen one before. Then, leaning forward, he put his lips around it, flicking his tongue out to lick it. Lee's gasp turned into a moan as Gaara sucked gently. "Gaara," he whispered, sliding his hands around Gaara's neck to tangle his finger in the boy's short red hair. The Sand-nin moved over and sucked on the other nipple for a moment. Then he tilted his head up, licking Lee's lips. He sat back, looking up at the dark-haired boy.
"Lee, would you like me to get you off?"
The Leaf-nin blushed brightly. "Y-yes please!"
Gaara seemed amused, a faint smile gracing his lips as he leaned back. His hands slid lightly down Lee's chest, his thumb rubbing hard pink nipples before moving down to the boy's stomach. One hand rested there while the other slid down to the Leaf-nin's shaven groin. He caressed the smooth skin for a minute, his eyes moving up to look at his partner's face. Lee met his eyes, smiling at his lover. Gaara took that as permission, and gently ran his hands down the boy's cock. Then, his other hand slipped down under Lee's penis, and softly stroked his balls. The dark-haired boy let out a shuddering moan, his grip on Gaara's shoulders tightening. Leaning back to give himself a little more room, and relying on Lee to hold him up, the Sand-nin began stroking in earnest. He was aggressive, almost rough, both hands squeezing and rubbing forcefully.
"N-Not so hard," Lee protested, squirming a bit.
"Sorry," came the soft reply. Gaara's hands loosening their grip, but he continued to work his hand up and down Lee's shaft and play with his balls.
"Yes," Lee whispered, "Much better." He looked down, the sight of his lover's pale hands stroking his dick and balls arousing him even more. His legs began trembling, and he gripped the younger boy's shoulders for support. "Oh... Gaara... please... I... unh!"
Lee leaned forward, is head resting on top of Gaara's as he came down from his climax. Then he sat back, smiling at the younger boy. The Sand-nin lifted one hand, and Lee saw that some of his cum had spilled on it. He was about to apologize when the redhead put his finger to his mouth, thoughtfully licking the sticky fluid. He was surprised by this. "Gaara?"
"Yes, Lee?"
"You do not have to do that. I will get the towel and--"
"I don't mind," Gaara interjected. He stuck the whole finger in his mouth, sucking gently.
"Oh... all right." Lee turned and got the towel from the nightstand. He wiped off his own stomach, and saw that some had spilled on Gaara's stomach as well. He looked at the other boy, who looked back at him quizzically. "I need to clean you off."
"Ok."
Lee did so, then tossed the towel back on the nightstand. He got off of Gaara's lap, laying back on the bed. The other boy moved around, first laying next Lee, then leaning over him. Intense, pale green eyes looked deep into black ones. Smiling, the Leaf-nin reached up; he rubbed Gaara's shoulders and neck, then his upper back.
"That feels good," Gaara said softly.
"It feels good for me, as well," Lee replied. "Your skin is very soft." Gaara gave him a faint smile. He closed his eyes, lowering his head until his forehead rested against his lover's. Lee continued caressing him for a few moments when he realized something. "Gaara? Are you falling asleep?"
The Sand-nin sat up quickly. He shook his head and rubbed one darkly-ringed eye. "I... I'm ok."
Lee looks up at his lover sadly. "I am sorry. I would have liked to let you sleep."
"No, it's better this way. Thank you." He furrowed his brow in thought. "Do you have any coffee?"
"I think so," Lee replied, sitting up. "Gai-sensei drinks it sometimes." He stood up. "Would you like me to go make you some?"
Gaara stood up, too. "No. I mean, yes, but I'll come with you."
Lee nodded, going over to his wardrobe and pulled out two robes. Putting one on, he handed the other to Gaara and the two of them headed out into the kitchen.
~~~
Lee found the coffee and began to fill a kettle with enough water for a cup of coffee. As he was about to put it on the stove, Gaara commented, "That's all?"
"Oh, I am sorry, would you like two cups?"
"Yes," Gaara started, "but I thought you might have some, too."
Lee shook his head. "No, I usually do not have coffee. Caffeine is not really good for you, especially when you are young." Gaara gave him a look, and the Leaf-nin found himself a bit flustered. "Well, you are an exception, of course." Smiling, he poured some more water in the kettle and put it on the stove.
Gaara started looking through the cupboards. "What are you looking for," Lee asked.
"Do you have anything salty?"
Lee thought for a moment. "Oh, yes, there should be some potato chips up in that cabinet," he said, pointing to a top corner cabinet. Gaara opened it and
pulled out a nearly-empty bag. "I am sorry there is not more," Lee added apologetically.
"It's ok," said Gaara with a shake of his head. "May I finish it?"
"Yes."
Nodding, Gaara sat down at the kitchen table. Lee poured himself a glass of water and sat across from him. "The water should boil in a few minutes," he told his friend. Gaara nodded. He held the bag out towards Lee.
"Would you like some?"
"No, thank you. I am not hungry."
Gaara nodded and continued eating.
"Lee?"
"Yes, Gaara?"
"I love you."
Lee was very glad Gaara had waited until he wasn't drinking to say that, since he no doubt would have choked. "You... are you sure?"
Gaara nodded. "Temari and I talked about love once, and the things she described fit how I feel about you."
"Oh? What did she say?"
"Well," said the Sand-nin with a thoughtful expression, "She said that loving someone means you like being with them, and you care about what happens to them. She also said you don't like being away from them, and I know I'm really not looking forward to leaving tomorrow, because I'll miss you."
Lee was blushing, and really couldn't find anything to say right away, Fortunately, he was saved by the whistling of the kettle. "I will get that," Lee said, getting up and going over to the stove. He made a cup of coffee, turning to Gaara as he stirred it. "Do you like anything in your coffee? Milk or sugar?"
Gaara shook his head. "I take it black." Lee nodded and brought it over, setting the mug in front of the boy.
"Take care, it is still hot."
"I will," Gaara replied. "Thank you."
"You are welcome," Lee replied as he sat back down.
"Lee," Gaara said as he idly stirred his coffee, "why do you get nervous whenever I bring up love?"
The dark-haired boy fidgeted a bit. "I do not know. It is a very complicated issue. And, as you mentioned earlier, the fact that we are both boys makes it even more... complicated."
"Should I not have mentioned it?"
"No," Lee started. "I mean, no, you should... I mean..." He sighed. "It is fine." Lee looked up at the other boy, who was gazing at him calmly. "Gaara, I... still am not certain how I feel about you. I feel all those things you mentioned earlier, but..." he looked away, not really sure what he could say. He felt bad; here Gaara had told him he loved him, and Lee couldn't tell him the same thing. He honestly wasn't sure whether it as because he didn't feel it, or that he was too nervous to say it.
"It's all right, Lee," Gaara said. "You said you weren't certain about how you felt." The Leaf-nin nodded.
Gaara quietly finished his coffee, then got up to make a second cup. As he stood, Lee did as well. "I will get--"
"No, it's all right," said Gaara. Lee was still standing up when Gaara got to his side of the table, and he stepped towards the older boy. He gave Lee a deep, slow kiss.
"You taste like coffee and chips," he observed with a smile.
~~~
"Gaara," said Lee as the redhead finished his coffee, "The sun will be up soon. Would you like to go to that roof we were on before and watch it?"
The Sand-nin looked thoughtful, even a bit sad, but then he nodded. "Yes, I would."
Smiling, Lee got up and the boys headed for the bedroom to get dressed.
~~~
Lee and Gaara jumped along the roofs until they landed on the same high, unobstructed one they'd used to watch the stars. They sat down, Gaara snuggling close to the older boy and resting a hand on the boy's thigh. Lee rested his head on Gaara's and draped an arm around the boy's shoulder. Even as they been heading over, there had been signs of light purple on the east horizon, and now that purple were getting lighter and turning blue.
"You must watch the sun rise a lot," Lee observed.
"Not really," the insomniac replied. "I stopped watching sunrises and sunsets a long time ago."
"Oh," said Lee. "I am sorry. Perhaps I should not have asked you to come--"
"No," said Gaara, "It's all right. It's nice with you here."
"Thank you," said Lee, resting his hand on top of Gaara's.
They sat quietly watching the ever-brightening sky. A slight wind came up, and Lee shivered despite his long sleeves and pants. Gaara used a jutsu to form the Sand into a half-arc that blocked the wind. After doing this, he turned to his partner.
"Lee?"
"Yes, Gaara?"
"I would like you to come to Suna."
Lee turned to look at the boy. "Well, I do not think that is possible. I have training, and with Gai-sensei gone--"
"No, no," said Gaara. "I don't mean now, just some time in the future. You mentioned me coming back here, and I'd like to do that, but I also would like to have you come visit my village."
Lee smiled. "I would like that a lot." Something occurred to him. "I would like to stay with you, but I do not know where I would sleep. I suppose the floor would not be so bad."
Gaara gave him an amused look. "I have a bed."
"You do?"
Gaara nodded. "I do sleep, occasionally."
"I see. Well, in that case, it is settled. I will come to Suna and stay with you sometime." Smiling, he gave Gaara a gentle kiss.
~~~
"You don't know when Uzumaki Naruto usually gets up do you," asked Gaara as the boys stood up and got ready to head back to the ground.
"No," Lee replied. "But we could go see if he is up yet."
"Ok," said Gaara.
~~~
The two pranksters looked into the large windows of Naruto's house to see that the boy was still in bed. Lee was thinking about what to do when there was a noise. Looking in, he saw that it was the blond boy's alarm. Grumbling, Naruto shut it off and sat up, removing his sleeping hat. Yawning, he got up and headed to the kitchen.
"What the hell?!"
It was all Lee could do to keep from doubling over with laughter. Gaara also smiled a bit.
The poor boy looked through his cabinets, then finally reached the refrigerator. Opening it, he looked at the mixed up contents in there, sighing. "Man... it must have been one weird night last night..."
Lee blushed. "I suppose that is one way to put it," he said, looking at Gaara. The younger boy smiled slightly.
Lee smiled back, then yawned. "Lee," Gaara said softly, resting a hand on his friend's arm. "Would you like to go to bed?"
"I am fine," said Lee, even as his eyes drooped.
"Come on, Lee. I'm used to saying up all night, but you aren't."
"I said I would stay up with you," Lee protested, yawning again.
Pulling the older boy away from the window, Gaara rested his head on his lover's shoulder. "Lee, you stayed up all night to spend time with me. You took me swimming and we looked at the stars and we...
"Lee, you gave me something invaluable last night. No matter what happens, We'll always have that memory."