Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Photograph ❯ Everything ( Chapter 26 )

#26: if only I could make you mine

 

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Lee tugged at the collar of his formal wear, trying to get in a decent breath. Since he had moved to Suna, it seemed that he constantly had to dress up like this. Around him people laughed and danced. The consensus was that Temari's wedding was incredible, and already other couples were discussing ways to top it. For Lee, it was a chance to finally relax for the first time in months and record some of his lessons learned. While the celebration continued on into the night, he pulled his trusty notebook out. He did not want to forget these lessons.

 

1. Colors are important.

 

Very important. Important enough to fight over, cry over, and occasionally destroy decorations over. He had never known that purple came in so many shades, and that some were simply unacceptable. Cream came in shades as well, but those were usually acceptable. It was purple that would have him yanking awake at night in a cold sweat. Also, when in doubt, ask Ino about colors. She knew more colors then anyone alive. Lavender, lilac, and light purple were all different, distinctive colors. Lee had not known that. It had been a painful lesson.

 

2. When creating a guest list, you suddenly know a lot of people.

 

Right after she got engaged, Temari had commented that it would be a small ceremony. She had almost no one that she wanted to invite, and the Naras were not a huge clan. A scarce month later, they had a guest list of two hundred and fifty and Temari had blown out the dining room wall. Lee was also learning a lot about predicting wind attacks. He made sure to teach his devoted students everything he learned, and they even got to practice one day while helping address invitations. It was a proud moment for him when all three got away with barely a scratch.

 

3. Temari had fabulous taste in clothing.

 

Lee had been dragged across Suna, Konoha, and even across the border into the Land of Waves in the hunt for the perfect dress. With almost no female friends or family, Lee was drafted into the duties that would traditionally fall to best friends. He saw so many different dresses and pored through catalogs and pictures with her. He learned about cuts and materials, all the better to assist Temari in her youthful mission! He would always remember the moment she walked out in `the one'. They had both known that the search was over.

 

4. Never, ever, let Kankuro and Naruto plan a bachelor's party together.

 

Ever. Lee also learned just how much structural damage a building could survive, how much of that damage Gaara could repair with the sand, and how much it cost to bail five shinobi out of jail (including the groom). He also learned about pacts of secrecy. The bride was never, ever to know about large portions of that night. Ever.

 

5. Never, ever let the ladies of Konoha try to show their male counterparts up with a bachelorette party.

 

But it they do, he had to make sure that he was invited along as an honorary member again. It was one of the craziest nights of his life and he had the photos to prove it. The next morning, while holding Temari's hair back, she had declared him her closest friend.

 

6. When push comes to shove, Gaara will do anything for his sister.

 

Gaara had gone up against the council when they protested the marriage. Lee had not known that the title of Kazekage was practically hereditary, and Temari was seen as a princess. For her to go and marry some Konoha shinobi . . . but as far as Gaara was concerned, the discussion was already over. In a battle that had shaken the house to the foundations, the Kazekage and his sister had sorted out exactly how they would handle this. Temari would be a Suna shinobi, but she would take on all of the duties related to Konoha while her Suna duties would be transferred to Lee and Kankuro. She had a guarantee that for at least half of each year she would be assigned to Konoha. After the fight and decision, the Kazekage had disappeared. It had taken Lee several hours to find him, and the entire night to talk him down enough to return to the village. But in the end, the Kazekage let his sister go.

 

7. Have Ino do the flowers.

 

8. Weddings are a family affair.

 

Temari had looked surprisingly adorable sound asleep on the couch with a seating chart on her face. Lee had rescued the seating chart while Gaara took her away to bed. That night, Kankuro, Gaara, and Lee had pulled an all nighter and gone through six pots of coffee. When Temari woke up and saw the finished (and acceptable) chart, she had burst into tears and hugged each of them.

 

9. Kankuro can be a complete gentleman when he wants to be.

 

Despite Temari's protests, the Nara clan had wanted a big wedding, complete with a wedding party. Shikamaru had two younger brothers and Chouji to be his groomsmen. Temari needed three bridesmaids to keep things even, but she didn't have anyone that she felt like she could ask. She couldn't even ask Lee, since Gaara would go ballistic if his boyfriend was being escorted by someone else. She had no one. This had led to the single biggest breakdown of the entire wedding preparation.

 

Lee had sent a frantic note to Shikamaru, who had told Ino. One day, out of the blue, Kankuro had answered the door to find four kunoichi standing there with dress catalogs. Temari now had a full set of bridesmaids, ready and willing to help. She had counted them twice. Sakura, Ino, Ten-ten, Hinata . . . but she only needed three . . .

 

Lee had ducked behind a bookshelf for protection as he explained. He had noticed that Kankuro looked depressed. While Gaara was giving Temari away and Lee was being dragged all over the country shopping, the middle brother was left on the sidelines. It made sense to make him a groomsman, and Shikamaru had agreed, so that meant a fourth bridesmaid. Temari had hugged him so tightly he had heard his ribs creak.

 

At the rehearsal, Kankuro was paired up with Hinata, who had promptly blushed and passed out. To everyone's surprise, he had been a complete gentleman and had stayed with her all night. It had worked, and by the end of the night she was comfortably walking with him and in no danger of fainting.

 

10. Gaara never wanted to get married.

 

Lee sighed a bit after writing the last lesson learned. It still stung. From the beginning, Gaara had been confused with this noisy, chaotic process, and as time went by he began to dislike it. Intensely. So many times he had said `never again' in reference to his sister's wedding. Each time had felt like a new wound. True, Lee had no dreams of a big white wedding like Temari's, but his romantic soul had always dreamed of taking that final step. He had even toyed with proposing to Gaara after he saw how happy Temari was. He had haunted jewelry shops, looking at the bands. Now he avoided them. Loving Gaara had meant letting go of his stereotypical romantic notions, and he never regretted it, but that did not mean that it did not hurt to let the biggest of them go.

 

In an unusually sloppy pose, Lee propped his feet up in another chair. The wedding had gone of without a hitch. `Thank goodness. If I am this tired now, I can only imagine what it would have been like if things had fallen apart.'

 

But it was worth it. Temari was smiling, happy and relaxed, with Shikamaru standing next to her. His hand was on the small of her back, and she had leaned back just a tiny bit so that she was brushing against him. They looked so happy together. He could see Shikamaru running his fingers along his new wedding band, and expression of wonder crossing his face. Lee wanted to echo that movement. He wanted that symbol. He wanted to make Gaara his in the eyes of the world.

 

The party continued on around him. Kankuro was spinning a laughing Hinata on the dance floor. Ino and Chouji were leaning against the wall, sharing a piece of cake. Tsunade was explaining something to Gaara, very loudly, and the Kazekage was ignoring her. Naruto plopped down next to Lee, happily smiling and sipping at his champagne. “Well, genius of hard work, if I ever get married, I'm making you plan it. This was great!”

 

Lee smiled, tucking his notebook away. “So, you have chosen a lucky lady to be your precious person?”

 

“I've got a couple of candidates, but auditions are still open.” Naruto leaned back and propped his feet up on the table. “Besides, I figure you and Gaara are going to get married here pretty soon, and that way you'll have even more practice before you plan for me.”

 

Lee forced his smile to stay in place, even as his fingers trailed around the empty spot on his left hand. “Sure, Naruto-kun.”

 

----

 

Gaara's eyes narrowed, studying Lee and the odd movements his hands were making while watching Temari and Shikamaru.

 

----

 

“Hey, Gaara-kun. Do you have the file on the new genin in here?”

 

The Kazekage nodded, pulling a file out of a pile and sliding it across his desk. Lee scooped it up and headed back towards the door.

 

“Wait. This also arrived today.”

 

Lee turned in time to catch a small box that had been tossed to him. His forehead crinkled as he studied it. “I did not order anything.”

 

“No, I did.” Gaara continued to write.

 

Perplexed, Lee opened the box. The file tucked under his arm fell to the ground, pouring across the floor. “G-Gaara-kun?”

 

Jade green eyes narrowed. “You do not like it?”

 

“No! No, I like it, but, what does it . . . “ Lee trailed off, touching the gold band with his finger.

 

“I did not think you would want a ring like Temari's. It would get snagged on your bandages.” Gaara rose and walked around his desk.

 

“Gaara-kun, are you asking me to . . . to . . . “

 

“You wanted one. I could see it at Temari's wedding. You were touching your left ring finger.”

 

Lee bit his lip. “It was not about the ring, Gaara-kun.”

 

“You want to marry me.”

 

A weak nod was the answer.

 

“That is why I got the ring. That is the first step. Correct?”

 

Lee nodded again.

 

“Then put the ring on so we can be engaged.” Gaara narrowed his eyes. “Unless you have decided that you do not want to be my husband.”

 

“I thought you did not want to marry me.”

 

“Why wouldn't I?”

 

Lee fiddled with the box. “You hated Temari's wedding, and you kept saying `never again'.”

 

“I do not want a wedding.” Gaara snatched the box away and pulled the ring out. He grabbed on to Lee's wrist and unknotted the bandages. The white material fell away to reveal his fingers. “I do want you as my husband. Marriage means that we are together in every way, even legally. That I do want. Even if it requires a wedding.” The gold band was slid into place.

 

Lee stared at his finger and the engraved gold band that now rested against his skin. “Engaged. I am engaged.”

 

“Yes, you are.” Gaara knelt and started to gather up the dropped file. “I assume that this new genin will be integrated into the training program with - oof.”

 

Gaara hit the ground with Lee on top of him, kissing him deeply. After a second, strong arms encircled Lee's waist as the kiss was returned. A soft moan was pulled from the redhead.

 

`I hate his robes.' Lee dragged his hands over Gaara's sides, frustrated at the lack of skin. His mouth dragged down to the pale throat. Doing this always created those addicting little whimpers. Sure enough, the throat vibrated as a soft sound was created. Lee pulled his body far enough away to yank the robes open, ripping any material that refused to get out of his way. Gaara lifted his leg, pressing against the hard bulge that Lee now sported. With a soft moan, Lee trailed his fingers over the mesh shirt he had uncovered. His fiancé was beautiful. `Fiancé.' Gaara pressed against him again, making coherent though nearly impossible.

 

Lee almost missed the knock at the door, but Gaara certainly did not. His face immediately transformed into a scowl, teeth bared, as he yanked Lee down tightly. The next thing the taijutsu master knew, they were in their own bed. “Gaara-kun! Did you have a meeting?”

 

Lee's view changed as he was rolled over and pinned down. “They will wait.”

 

Lee was not in the mood to argue with his fiancé.