Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Photograph ❯ Strategy ( Chapter 7 )

Theme #7: superstar

 

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“So, let's see. We need milk, eggs, bread, more fruit, ninja wire, a new sharpening stone, and some dishwashing soap.” Lee flipped the note over in his hands. “I can't read this part. I think its Kankuro's handwriting. Temari also wanted some lunch meat. I can't remember what kind, though.”

 

“Chicken.”

 

Lee smiled a bit, looking over at his companion. He had planned on doing this shopping trip on his own, but Gaara had invited himself along. Nothing had been said, but when Lee had walked out the door, the Kazekage had walked out with him. “Did she tell you what she wanted?”

 

“She always wants chicken. And Kankuro wants some more alcohol and potato chips.”

 

“Fair enough.” Lee used a pen to scribble `chicken', `potato chips', and `alcohol' onto his list. “Is there anything you want? I'm pretty sure the fruit is for you, but is there anything else?”

 

“We are out of cream.”

 

“Got it.” Lee jotted down another note. Not a surprise, considering the way Gaara took his coffee. Fortunately there were another couple pounds of sugar stashed in the pantry so they should be set for another week or so.

 

It was nice, just walking down the street with Gaara and doing something as mundane as picking up groceries. Like many things in Suna, Temari was the actual power behind this mission. Lee had come downstairs that morning to be presented with a list and orders to make himself useful. Almost in the same breath, she had told Gaara that he needed to get out of his office and do something that didn't involve terrorizing his bodyguards. There had been a loud bang as Kankuro bolted out the door before Temari could say anything more then his name.

 

After the blonde swept out to hunt down her brother, Lee and Gaara had looked at each other blankly. With a shrug, Lee had scooped up his vest and Gaara had pulled off the Kazekage robes. Very few people argued with Temari, and never if it could be avoided.

 

The marketplace of Suna was similar to every other marketplace that Lee had ever visited. People bustled about. Voices were raised on all sides, offering wares or haggling over prices. The products were slightly different, but the noise and colors made him think of home.

 

“Here we go, Gaara-san. We can pick up the ninja wire and sharpening stone here.” Lee stepped into a store that catered to the shinobi, holding the door for his friend.

 

As an elite shinobi, Lee never relaxed completely. Even when he was standing in a store in Suna with the Kazekage, his training insisted that he sweep the area for threats. His sweep revealed no overt threats, but did reveal two sand-nin standing near the counter, watching them closely. And, unless he was very confused, those two young ladies were not scared of their leader. Far from it. He had seen that look before, usually directed at Sasuke. `Uh oh.'

 

If Gaara had spotted the two sand-nin, he did not show any sign. He moved through the store with a blank expression, examining the products put out on display. He picked up a large shuriken and gave it an experimental spin. Giggles erupted by the counter, drawing his gaze over, but he only gave them a quick glance before returning to the shuriken in his hands.

 

Lee hustled through the store, finding the supplies that Temari needed. Somehow he doubted that Gaara would be as patient or kind as Sasuke with fangirls. Considering that Sasuke had, on several occasions, sent whole herds home in tears, it was probably for the best that they conclude their shopping trip and move on to the groceries. The two sand-nin were already nudging each other and gesturing covertly at their target. That body language was like the ticking of a time bomb. From previous experience with both Sasuke and Naruto, Lee knew he had only a few moments before one of the fangirls began her approach.

 

Gaara gave Lee an odd look when he hooked the Kazekage's arm and tugged him out of the shop, a shopping bag swinging wildly. “Off we go, Gaara-san!”

 

The two young women in question giggled again and waved as the Kazekage was hauled out of the store. “Have a nice day, Kazekage-sama!”

 

“Why are we hurrying, Lee?”

 

“Hurrying? We're not hurrying, Gaara-san.” Grinning madly, Lee moved through the crowd smoothly. “I just wanted to make sure that we made it to the produce stands before the best of the fruit was gone.”

 

Off to his right, Lee spotted another one. It was the eyes that always gave them away. This one appeared to be on her own, but he knew that would not last for long. Fangirls traveled in herds. Lee tried to keep moving forward and give away no sign that he had noticed her. `Do not run. It just engages the prey drive.' A quick glance showed that the young lady was trying to discreetly follow after them. And look, she had a friend.

 

Gaara had veered off and stopped at a stand, examining some produce. “Temari knows how to make these.”

 

Lee skidded to a stop. It was a dangerous place to pause, too exposed, but the whole point of coming out was to pick up groceries. “Okay. Should we get some for her?”

 

“Probably.” With practiced fingers, Gaara started to pick out his selection.

 

Still on the alert, Lee watched the two young women casually stop at the next stand over. Their eyes were focused on Gaara, much like wolves waiting to see if they can separate their prey from the herd. Movement made him check to the right, and he found a small group of teenagers blatantly staring at their village's leader. `The word is out. They'll be coming in droves now. This is usually when Naruto beats a hasty retreat and Sasuke starts pulling out kunai.' By contrast, Gaara handed money to the merchant and accepted his purchase. He had still given no sign of noticing the group of females that were slowly but surely closing in on them.

 

One fangirl had broken ranks and was approaching them. Lee moved to block the attack, running interference. “Look, Gaara-san! Those peaches must have just been delivered from Konoha. We should pick some of those up.” Of course, the stand in question was in the opposite direction of the scout that the fangirls had sent out. Gaara moved towards the stand without a word, and Lee followed behind him. The scout had been cut off, and retreated to the herd.

 

As the trip continued, Lee found himself in a paranoid state that was usually reserved for bodyguard missions for helpless diplomats. Everywhere he turned, there seemed to be a girl making goo-goo eyes at the Kazekage. The problem was that sand-nins were notoriously brave, and that seemed to extend to their young women. It was constant work to keep them at bay. He did not want to bring it to his friend's attention, since that would just annoy him. An annoyed Gaara usually led to collateral damage. He continued to keep his guard up, keeping the ravenous creatures at bay. As they were foiled again and again, they started to band together. Strength in numbers. The thought made Lee mentally groan.

 

These fangirls were clever, too. No less then twice they had split into multiple groups to try and get around Gaara's new bodyguard. Both times it had taken quick thinking to head off disaster. On the most recent attempt he had basically hauled Gaara back across the marketplace, announcing that he had found the best price on eggs. After that incident, the fangirls had retreated and consulted with each other. Lee breathed for the first time in an hour.

 

“I think we have all of the items that Temari wanted.” Gaara looked over Lee's arm to check the list.

 

With a sigh of relief, Lee realized that the foray into Sungakure was coming to a close, and no fangirls had been harmed, no stands had been destroyed, and the sand was still happily resting in the gourd. “Yes, Gaara-san. Is there anything else you want before we head back?”

 

Gaara shook his head and turned in the direction of his residence. Lee turned with him, and realized that he had made a fatal error. `Gai-sensei would be so disappointed in me. I relaxed far too soon. I was still in their territory, and I took my eyes off of them. They circled around behind us while my guard was done, and now we've been cut off.'

 

The fangirls were right there in the middle of the road, staring at the two elite shinobi. Gaara swept over them with his eyes, and Lee was quite certain he heard him say something. It sounded rather like `damnit', but he couldn't be sure. There was no movement on either side as the two groups sized each other up. Lee scanned the area, looking for an escape route. The fangirls shifted, and a representative was breaking away from them. Knowing how this was going to go, Lee leaned over to whisper to Gaara, “We're outnumbered. Retreat. I'll distract them.”

 

Gaara gave him a bit of an odd look, but took the rest of the bags from him. His hands clasped together, and with a spin of sand he disappeared.

 

Lee looked back to the fangirls, waiting for them to disperse now that the target was out of reach. When the representative continued to approach, he was so confused that he did nothing to defend himself. He simply stood there as the predator approached.

 

The blonde stopped, looking the green clad jounin over. “I've never seen you before. Where are you from?”

 

“Konoha.”

 

“And how do you know Gaara-sama? You two seem awfully close.”

 

`Temari is going to kill me. Slowly.'

 

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“Enjoying yourself?”

 

Temari snorted, resting her chin against her fan and watching the show below them. “I was starting to think that Lee was going to lose his mind defending you from all of those fangirls. Why did you leave him down there by himself?”

 

“He told me to retreat while he distracted them.”

 

Chuckling, the blonde looked over to her brother. “I didn't mean for you to go shopping with him. I know this nonsense is the reason you started avoiding the marketplace to begin with.”

 

“I wanted to go.” Gaara crossed his arms over his chest, watching from the top of a building as Lee talked to the lead fangirl.

 

“You wanted to go shopping, or you wanted to go with him?”

 

Gaara ignored his sister. Lee was backing up now, his hands up. It looked like the fangirls had refocused their attention on him.

 

“You know, you two are starting to make me wonder, and that's with me ignoring all of the kissing you two have been doing.” Temari snapped her fan open. “You should go save him before they eat him alive. I don't think he's ever been the target before.” With a final chuckle, she dropped onto her fan and floated away.

 

The sand whipped to life, circling about its master. Gaara reappeared on the street, just behind Lee. He snapped one arm around the Leaf shinobi's waist and pulled him close. The sand whipped around both of them and they disappeared, leaving behind a group of stunned fangirls.