Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ He Didn't Mind ❯ Confessions and Misunderstandings ( Chapter 1 )

He didn't mind. Rock Lee didn't mind when his name flashed on the screen for his fight against Gaara in the Chunin preliminaries.

He didn't mind. Rock Lee didn't mind when he almost died, protecting his promises and honor against a formidable foe, one Sabaku no Gaara, or simply, Gaara of the Desert.

He didn't mind. Rock Lee didn't mind when he found out Gaara nearly killed him while he was recovering in the hospital. He didn't mind it all. He did thank Shikamaru and Naruto for defending him though.

He didn't mind. Rock Lee didn't mind helping his fellow Shinobi of Konohagakure help protect their honor and dignity. Rock Lee didn't mind getting beaten to a bloody pulp as Naruto advanced to help a fellow Shinobi, one Uchiha Sasuke.

He didn't mind. Rock Lee didn't mind when the Kazekage of Sunagakure protected him from Kimimaru. Of course, the Kazekage of Sunagakure was none other than Sabaku no Gaara, the one who had previously tried mercilessly to murder him.

He didn't mind. Rock Lee didn't mind pouring his heart out relentlessly to the one he loved most; his most precious person.

He didn't mind. Rock Lee didn't mind when he received no response. He didn't mind when the same pale face did not look in his direction, not even acknowledging his existence. He also didn't mind when Gaara did not answer, merely walking away with a blank look upon his beautiful face.

But, what Rock Lee did mind, most of all, was being mocked.

Many days after his confession to his beloved Gaara, he began to receive cruel glances in his direction, rueful, condescending looks from the people of his home village, Konohagakure.

He looked inquiringly at the people, wondering why they glared at him with such malice and disdain.

He approached the Ramen Shop that Naruto had always enjoyed, to see the aforementioned Shinobi munching on his noodles, slurping slightly every now and then.

“Naruto,” Rock Lee said, waving a bandaged hand in the air.

“Oh! Bushy Brows!,” Naruto greeted with a big grin. “What's new, Lee-san?”

“Naruto, these people are glaring at me for no apparent reason….did I do something that displeased them somehow?,” he wondered, resting his chin on a bandaged hand.

“I don't know Lee-san….maybe you could ask Gai-sensei?,” Naruto replied with another silly, face-encompassing smile.

“Yes! I cannot believe I did not think of that before! Thank you very much Naruto-kun!,” Rock Lee replied, turning the opposite direction and jumping high into the air. Naruto shook his head, then muttered under his breath, “Poor kid, doesn't know what he's in for.”

Several minutes later, Rock Lee was pounding unremittingly on the door of Gai-sensei's home.

“Gai-sensei!,” Rock Lee shouted, pounding harder on the door.

“Hm?,” a voice asked behind him.

“Ah! Kakashi-sensei, do you know where Gai-sensei is?,” Rock Lee questioned, hoping for a positive answer.

“Well, Lee, I think Gai is training at the old training grounds,” Kakashi informed him, a small grin beneath his mask.

Rock Lee began his journey to the training grounds, never once taking a break.

“Gai-sensei!,” Rock Lee shouted with exultation.

“Ah! Lee!,” Gai answered, a goofy grin on his `youthful' face. “What brings you out here, Lee?,” Gai asked, an odd flicker in his normally `youthful' eyes.

“Well, Gai-sensei, the people of the village are looking at me differently. They look at me with mean looks, and I do not know why…Is it something that I have done to upset the village?,” Lee asked expectantly.

Gai sighed; “Come, Lee, we have many things to discuss.”

Rock Lee had a bewildered look on his youthful face, as he followed his Sensei deeper in to the woods.

“Where are we going, Sensei?,” Rock Lee asked after a few minutes of following Gai-sensei.

Gai finally stopped in a shaded place; the river was all but silent as the trees created a canopy of leaves, sheltering the two Shinobi from the rages of the sun.

“Sit down, Lee,” Gai instructed, taking a seat on a large, flat rock.

“What is it, Gai-sensei?,” Rock Lee asked, a concerned look in his eyes.

“You see, Lee, people in the village are looking at you that way because of …..well, the way you are,” Gai said, half-hoping Lee would understand what he meant.

“How….I am?…..I do not understand, Gai-sensei,” Lee replied, a quizzical look in his black eyes.

“Lee, you confessed your love to another man, did you not? The people look down on you now because they do not understand why you love him the way you do….and also because he apparently does not reciprocate the feelings….his siblings - Temari and Kankuro were spreading it around the village earlier today,” Gai further explained.

“I still do not understand, Gai-sensei. Why is my being in love with another man so looked down upon?,” Lee questioned, a small tear in his eye.

“The world does not understand many things, Lee. They look down on everything that they don't understand or don't want to understand. Most people in this world love people of the opposite gender; therefore, you loving another man is very unheard of,” Gai explained.

“Why? Why do people look down on those who are different? It is not fair Gai-sensei!,” Rock Lee exclaimed, a fist raised in the air.

Gai sighed painfully; “I know, Lee….the world is very intolerant in its present state, but that is no reason to give up hope.”

The wind began to pick up as dark clouds began to roll in on the unsuspecting village hidden in the leaves. An electric cling hung in the air, a pregnant silence filling the ears of those perceptive enough to listen.

A few hours later, Rock Lee was shuffling out of the forest onto the main path in Konohagakure. His head was drooped, not paying attention to where he was going, seeing as he already knew the path to his home like the back of his hand.

“Watch it!,” an agitated female voice yelled angrily, as he lifted his head to face whoever it was.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, drooping his head again at the sight of Temari. She “hmphed” before walking away.

Many hours later, Rock Lee sat atop his home, his silhouette accented against the darkened sky and full moon, even though the rain hindered anyone's vision that might have been watching this taijutsu user.

After an hour or so, Rock Lee jumped down to the ground, thoroughly soaked; his eyes held a reddish haze as though he had been crying. He began to run, not heeding the pounding rain or the dampened paths.

His running led him to his training grounds, the grass and mud causing him to lose balance easily.

“Ugh!,” he groaned, punching the side of the wooden post for about the hundredth time that night.

He punched harder, his tears coming out even more hurriedly. His knuckles began to bleed heavily, but he barely acknowledged it as he continued punching.

“I'll just do a thousand more,” he said to himself, taking no heed to the blood now dripping freely from his worn hands.

An hour later a presence began to descend upon Rock Lee; Rock Lee, however, did not notice.

“Lee,” the voice said softly.

“Must…..keep……training…..,” Lee muttered, not hearing the other voice.

“Lee….you must stop,” the voice said reasonably.

“Huh?!,” Lee said suddenly, turning around to look at the new figure. His eyes became even more hazed over with tears. “What do you want?,” Lee asked sadly, a tear falling to his leg.

“I have come to talk to you, Lee,” the voice said firmly.

“I am sorry, but I have no wish to speak to you,” Lee replied respectfully, turning and running back to his home.

“You will not rid of me that easily, especially in your current physical state,” the slate-like voice said, grabbing Lee by the collar of his green jumpsuit. The figure placed Lee gently on the ground, as Lee sobbed a little harder and more freely.

“Why? Why Gaara? What did I ever do to you?,” Lee asked desperately, eyeing the redhead with tear-filled eyes.

Gaara's face showed a bit of confusion for a moment; “I don't know what you mean, Lee-san.”

“Why did you mock me? Why did you tell everyone in the village that what I feel is so wrong?,” Lee cried, suppressed sobs wracking his body.

Gaara knelt down, eyeing Lee warily as he closed his eyes with a sigh.

“Lee, I did not spread those rumors. My brother and sister did not approve of you, and therefore did their best to make you disappear,” Gaara explained.

“Oh? What would you have said, had they not spread those rumors?,” Lee asked, rubbing his eyes with a bloody hand.

Gaara's eyes softened a bit, the rings around his eyes more defined in the darkness. “Lee….,” Gaara's voice trailed off. “I would have said the same thing that I'm about to say right now,” Gaara informed him, dropping to his knees and throwing his arms around the crying taijutsu user. “I didn't mind,” Gaara breathed into his ear, Lee's eyes widening with obvious surprise.

“You….didn't mind?,” Lee reiterated, a look of hope creeping into his despair-ridden eyes.

Gaara actually made a true, small smile, then replied, “Just because Kankuro and Temari don't approve, doesn't mean I don't.”

Before Lee could respond, Gaara had planted his lips on his own. Lee's eyes bugged out to the size on the moon, unable to respond due to lack reaction.

Gaara pulled away, a little sadness seeping into his eyes. “Did you….not mean what you said?,” Gaara asked, an almost invisible pout embellishing his features.

Lee's mouth fell open, then closed it, unable to speak. Before Gaara could move, Lee had grabbed his arm and pulled him back into a fiery and passionate kiss.

They pulled away, a blissful, happy look adorning Lee's face, and a slight blush on Gaara's. They both stood, hands in each other's, and proceeded to the village.

The next morning, after a night of some unmentionable activities, Gaara and Lee walked out onto the path of Konohagakure. Gasps were heard from every direction; Gai and Kakashi both looked at the new couple; Gai looked at Lee's happy face, then smiled to himself.

“Gaara! What the hell do you think you're doing?!,” an angry feminine voice yelled.

“Quiet, Temari. I am the Kazekage, not you. I am able to choose with whom I want to be, so please, butt out,” Gaara reprimanded her,

“Well, it's about time,” an arrogant voice said behind them.

“Uchiha,” Gaara said, almost glaring at him.

“Hn,” he replied with a smirk.

“Hey Bushy Brows! Looks like you got your problems fixed, huh?,” Naruto asked with a large grin.

Lee blushed deeply as Gaara smirked to himself.

“Lord Kazekage,” a sand Shinobi said, saluting respectfully.

“What is it?,” he asked impatiently.

“Sorry, My Lord, but urgent matters back at Sunagakure mandate that you must come back at once,” the sand Shinobi explained.

Gaara's face fell. “Do you require me? Could not one of my siblings take my stead, at least for the moment?,” Gaara questioned, not wanting to leave Konohagakure right after his get-together with Lee.

“The council ordered me to bring back the Kazekage himself; I do not think they would take it well were I to bring one of your siblings instead,” the sand Shinobi said almost cynically.

Gaara sighed heavily; “Fine, then ready my things, I leave tomorrow.”

Lee's eyes fell, his sadness clouding his vision. “I'm sorry, Lee,” Gaara whispered, his face turned away from his new lover.

Gaara released Lee's hand, walking towards his hotel to pack his things and ready himself for the long journey back to his home village of Sunagakure.

“Gaara-kun! Wait!,” Lee called after him. Gaara turned around, disappointment written all over his face.

“What is it, Lee-kun?,” Gaara asked hesitantly.

Undecidedly, Lee walked up to Gaara, took his hand in his own, and kissed him gently on the lips. Gaara's eyes bugged out for a mere moment, before returning the kiss full force.

“Goodbye, Lee-kun,” Gaara whispered into Lee's face.

“No. Not goodbye. I'll see you again, Gaara-kun,” Lee said, releasing Gaara's hand, and letting Gaara go again.