Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ He Didn't Mind ❯ Ambiguity ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: Resoan

Part IV

“How is Gaara, Sakura?,” Lee questioned anxiously.

Sakura's head was bowed, her hair falling in front of her eyes.

“I did all I could, Lee,” Sakura started hesitantly. “But I don't know if he'll make it or not. It's up to him, really.”

Lee's mouth lay slightly ajar, not willing to really believe he may lose his Gaara.

“How do you NOT know if he'll be okay or not?!,” Kankuro shouted heatedly.

Sakura breathed in suddenly, as if she had been holding her breath for a minute.

“The jutsu is like nothing I've seen before. Gaara's gotta have the will to live in order for him to survive this jutsu. I've done everything physically that will enable him to survive, but all we can do for now is….wait,” Sakura finished sadly.

Lee shakily drew in a breath he didn't know he needed, then collapsed back onto one of the chairs the hospital provided.

“How long has he been like this?,” Sakura questioned as an afterthought.

“This is the fourth day,” Temari replied glumly.

“Can we go see him, Sakura?,” Lee asked hesitantly.

“It isn't up to me, Lee,” Sakura replied gently.

Lee looked over at Temari and Kankuro, who both nodded in agreement.

“Go see him, Lee,” Kankuro said, his gaze falling to the floor.

Lee plodded apprehensively to Gaara's hospital room, almost afraid of what he might see.

(POV Shift)

Falling. I am falling. But, how did I get here? Here…into this vortex…? His voice faded against the swirling abyss that was now his confine.

Lee……? Temari……? Kankuro…….? Anyone…..? I don't like this place. It reminds me of the Shukaku…..

Gaara's thoughts reverted back to the fear and eventual tolerance he had developed for the Shukaku.

He finally landed on a platform, landing painfully on his knees.

“Hello?,” he questioned quietly, looking in all directions for a sign of life.

“Ugh!,” he groaned suddenly, grasping his head with pain.

“Why?,” he moaned softly, his head exploding with extreme pain. He remembered nothing else as he collapsed from too much pain.

(POV Shift)

Lee was beside Gaara's bedside, staring at those black-rimmed eyes he had grown to adore. He pulled a chair to the side of the bed, taking a seat and grasping Gaara's hand lightly in his own.

“It is all my fault, Gaara….I should never have gone out into that battle,” Lee sobbed heavily, closing his eyes painfully.

Gaara's hand unconsciously tightened to Lee's, a small smile making its way onto his face for a mere moment.

“Huh?,” Lee wondered aloud, glancing at Gaara's face as a few people entered the room.

“I wish he would wake up,” Temari said sadly, closing her eyes for a moment, with Shikamaru grasping her shoulder for comfort.

“I need to leave,” Temari said importantly, leaving the room with Shikamaru at her heels.

“Where did she go?,” Sakura asked Kankuro.

“She has to be in place of Gaara as Kazekage. The village still needs a Kazekage even with Gaara in this current condition,” Kankuro said.

“I think you should leave for a little bit, Lee,” Sakura tried to coax him out of the stuffy hospital room.

“No. I will stay here until Gaara awakens,” Lee said staunchly.

Sakura sighed heavily; “All right, Lee. But please, try to at least sleep,” Sakura said, exiting the room, leaving Kankuro and Lee in the room.

“I also must leave,” Kankuro said, leaving the lovers alone.

Lee sighed, a rogue tear making its way down his face. “I will not leave you, Gaara,” Lee vowed, a fierce determination glowing in his black eyes.

(POV Shift)

“Why did the Akatsuki attack Suna?,” Temari asked aloud, Shikamaru sitting in a chair thinking deeply for once.

“There are several reasons, Temari,” Shikamaru replied, fingers interlocked.

“Oh? Then please, enlighten me,” Temari instructed sarcastically.

Shikamaru smirked to himself; “Certainly the Kazekage of Sunagakure could figure out such trivial matters, ne?”

“Dammit Shikamaru, answer the damn question!,” Temari shouted, rising to her feet. “This isn't one of your mind games! This is the fate and safety of my people!.”

Shikamaru started, an uneasy look crossing his usually lackadaisical mien.

“Temari...I'm sorry,” Shikamaru said, standing and looking at Temari with an odd flicker present in his eye.

Temari sighed heavily, running a hand down her face.

“It's all right, Shikamaru. I shouldn't have shouted,” Temari apologized, giving him an innocent look.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow; “Don't think you can fool me with the look on your face.”

“Awwww, Shikamaru, you're no fun!,” Temari joked, a smile making its way across her face.

“Oh no?,” Shikamaru asked with an evil glint in his eyes.

(POV Shift)

A light suddenly cascaded down around the young man; he raised his face to try to find the source.

“My fault…should have stayed away….so sorry….,” a mysterious voice filtered to Gaara's ears.

“Lee?,” he wondered aloud, standing and trying to see him.

“Please wake up, Gaara,” he heard Lee plead.

“Wake up?,” Gaara asked, baffled.

(POV Shift)

A sleeping Lee now lay with his head on the hospital bed, Gaara's hand placed gently on top of it. Lee was suddenly awakened with the sound of the door opening.

“Ah! Sorry,” a med-ninja apologized, apparently going into the incorrect room.

“Ugh,” Lee groaned ,lifting his head and looking sleepily at the sleeping Gaara.

“You're still asleep I see,” Lee commented to himself with a smile. He played with a strand of Gaara's hair, continuing to run his hand across Gaara's sleeping face.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed his wrist as it passed over Gaara's face.

“Huh?!,” Lee asked, not having sensed anyone enter the room.

He looked, and saw that Gaara's arm had been the one to grasp his wrist.

“Lee,” Gaara muttered, apparently from the effects of his nightmarish sleep.

“Oh..,” Lee said, a look of surprise covering his easily read face.

“I wish you would wake up, Gaara,” Lee sighed, hanging his head.

(POV Shift)

“Hey, Temari,” Kankuro said, his eyes on a document as he entered Temari's temporary office.

“Umph!,” two disgruntled ninjas muttered as they hurriedly rushed apart.

“Temari! What the fuckin hell?!,” Kankuro shouted, noticing his sister's blushed face and disheveled clothing.

“Kankuro! Do you EVER knock?!,” Temari asked angrily, glaring at Kankuro with a fiery passion.

“Hmph. If I hadn't stopped you, you would have done..THAT in Gaara's office!,” Kankuro yelled back, causing Shikamaru to turn an interesting shade of scarlet.

“Get out, Kankuro!,” Temari shrieked, pointing towards the door.

“Fine, Temari. But you better not doing anything in this office!,” Kankuro had the last word.

(POV Shift)

Sakura, Kiba, and Hinata were perusing the streets of Suna, trying to find a decent place for food.

“Man I'm hungry,” Kiba said, rubbing his stomach, Akamaru barking in avid agreement.

“I know, me too,” Sakura groaned, turning to her left as something interesting caught her eye.

“What is it, Sakura-chan?,” Hinata asked timidly, turning to see what Sakura was looking at.

“Look at this,” Sakura pointed to an object in what appeared to be an antique weapon store.

“It's beautiful,” Hinata commented, almost blushing in the process.

“I bet Lee would like those,” Kiba said, eyeing them.

“Yeah, I'm sure he would,” Sakura agreed.

“Too bad we don't have any money for them,” Sakura finished.

“Hey! Look! A ramen stand!,” Kiba said, pointing down the street.

(POV Shift)

“Where are you, Lee?,” Gaara asked, frustrated.

“I wish you would wake up, Gaara,” he heard Lee as if it were distorted.

“Lee….?,” Gaara asked, noticing a certain blinding light coming from an uncertain direction.

He looked at it for only a moment, before decidedly running into it.

(POV Shift)

Tired sea-green eyes opened for the first time in days, squinting from the amount of light in the overly white rooms. He turned to his right side, a head of black hair nearly in his face.

He smiled to himself, placing his hand gently on said ninja's head.

“Ugh,” he heard Lee groan, as Lee lifted his head.

Lee blinked a few times, before he realized that someone else was looking at him.

“Gaara! You're finally awake!,” Lee exclaimed, throwing his arms around Gaara's shoulders.

“I didn't know if you'd ever wake up,” Lee cried into Gaara's shoulder.

“Lee…..if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have woken up,” Gaara finally spoke.

Lee pulled back, unsure of what to do.

“Gaara….I just want you to know that I love you, too,” Lee admitted, blushing a bit.

Before Gaara could respond, Lee was kissing him deeply.

(POV Shift)

“Temari!,” a voice yelled, knocking furiously on the Kazekage's door.

“What is it?!,” Temari asked agitatedly.

“Gaara has woke up,” Kankuro said through the door.

Shuffling could be heard as Temari emerged from the door, hair disheveled and clothes scraggly

“Let's go!,” Temari said excitedly, walking past Kankuro.

(POV Shift)

“Hey! Kiba! Move over!,” they heard Sakura whisper not-so-quietly, as they came across Kiba, Hinata, and Sakura spying in on the room where Gaara was.

“What are you all looking at?,” Temari asked, her fist on her hip.

“We're watching Lee and Gaara make out!,” Sakura said excitedly.

“What?!,” Kankuro yelled.

“Be quiet!,” the three hissed at him.

“Fine, then move over!,” Temari instructed.

“Um…I don't think…,” Hinata began.

“Quiet, Hinata! They'll hear us!,” Kiba hissed.

Just then, the already opened door fell completely open, the people spilling into the room where Gaara and Lee were.

Lee and Gaara pulled away, Lee blushing and Gaara glaring.

“Were you spying?,” Gaara asked icily.

“No! Never, Gaara. What a silly question,” Temari answered unconvincingly.

Gaara gave her a knowing glance, as a couple advanced med-ninjas came into the room.

“Would you please move?,” one of them asked bluntly to Lee, trying to get to Gaara as to perform a few routine tests.

Lee, a bit startled at the rudeness, backed away, Gaara's face less than happy.

Gaara remained stone-faced, almost with an invisible scowl embellishing his features, until the two `intruders' left the room.

“How do you feel, Gaara?,” Temari ventured hesitantly.

“Hmph. I think I should be the one asking you that question. Or is it always proper to go out in public dressed like….that?,” Gaara almost sneered as Temari flushed deep red.

“That was mean Gaara!,” Lee noted disapprovingly, looking at Gaara with almost hurt eyes.

Gaara sighed, closing his eyes.

“How is the village's condition, Temari?,” Gaara asked, reopening his eyes once more.

“The village is fine, Gaara. Of course, there is minimal damage to the northern side, but the Shinobi of that region should have it fixed within the next couple of days,” Temari replied regally.

“Hmm, I see. Thank you. Now, if you don't mind, please leave,” Gaara instructed, pointing to the door with his bandaged index finger.

Everyone's jaw dropped to the floor.

Gaara's nonexistent eyebrow shot into the air; “You find it odd that I wish to spend time with my love right after I return?”

“Um, no…I guess not,” Temari answered, biting her lip.

“Oh, and don't you dare spy on us again. You may not live to do it again,” Gaara warned, an almost evil smile on his face.

At this point, Lee had quite an interesting look upon his countenance; his eyes were bugged out to beyond normal size, and it looked like he was having a rather difficult time breathing.

Sakura, Temari, Kankuro, Kiba, and Shikamaru all exited the hospital room, somewhat down in the mouth from being ordered out by Gaara.

“What a drag…,” Shikamaru commented, Temari nodding in agreement.

Lee and Gaara never emerged from said hospital room, and no one dared venture into the room where the two were.

(POV Shift)

“Why did you flee, Itachi?,” a stoic, but slightly angry voice questioned.

“……Hn,” Itachi replied, a small scowl on his hidden voice.

“When you are given a mission, you are expected to see it to the end. If you fail, you will be shown the end far before your time, do you understand?,” the voice asked eerily calmly.

“Yes,” Itachi answered through his teeth, his face somewhat taut.

The person finally exited the room, an aura of emptiness finally leaving along with him.

“I can't believe you just stood there and took it,” Kisame commented, a sly grin working its way on his bluish face.

“Hmph. He was right. I will finish my mission next time,” Itachi said almost passionately, stalking out of the chamber to locations unknown.