Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Research ❯ Chapter 5

There was no smell sweeter then that first breath of fresh air after a stay at the hospital. Lee paused outside of the double doors and filled his lungs with the clean scent of trees and flowers instead of disinfectants and medicine. Like most shinobi, he hated the hospital and was relieved to be walking away from it.

 

Gai-sensei had dropped off a new green suit for him, and the appropriate weights to go under his legwarmers. After wearing the weights for so long, it was dangerous for him to go around the village unburdened, even if he was injured. These weights were only a quarter of the weight he usually carried, but it was enough to keep his limbs under control while letting his body recover.

 

The sun was shining down on him, slowly sinking to meet the horizon. Civilians were heading home from work, and shinobi were coming in from local missions and training. Lee smiled and waved to those he knew, and some that he didn't who looked like they needed a boost of youthful energy. The odd looks he got in return did not register. When he spotted his teammates, he bounded up to them with a particularly energetic wave.

 

“Lee is running already. What a surprise.” Neiji crossed his arms and glared while Tenten waved back.

 

“Hi, Lee! On your way home?”

 

“Yes, Tenten! Hokage-sama just released me.”

 

“Congratulations. I'm heading home for a quick shower before meeting up with some of the girls.” Tenten gave her other teammate an exasperated look. “Neiji is going to work on his hair and practice sulking.”

 

Neiji ignored his female teammate completely. “When are you cleared to start training again, Lee?”

 

“Tsunade-sama did not mention an exact time, but if I am not ready to rejoin my team in two weeks, I will do 250 one finger pushups on each hand!” Lee struck a pose, the sun glinting off of his teeth.

 

“Might want to rethink that one.” Tenten shook her head. “The Hokage's office has you on `injured-reserved' for the next month. With Tsunade's signature next to it.”

 

“The next month?” Lee's expression faltered. “But it will not take me nearly that long if I use all of my will and determination . . . “

 

Neiji held up a hand to cut the speech off. “I think that's the point. You start up too soon, and they have to put you back together again.”

 

“A whole month.” Lee looked around, lost. “What will I do?”

 

“It's called a vacation, Lee. You've never had one before.” Tenten shrugged. “Relax. Have fun.”

 

“Hm. I am certain that I will find something productive to do.”

 

Neiji started to walk away, waving vaguely at the pair.

 

The young woman glared at her departing teammate. “Jerk. What did I ever see in him? Anyways, I've got to go take that shower. Are you going to be all right walking to your apartment by yourself?”

 

“Definitely! I am enjoying my time outside after my hospital stay.”

 

Tenten grabbed the front of Lee's suit and gave him a gentle shake. “No overdoing it. Got it?”

 

“Of course, my youthful teammate!”

 

“Do the nice guy pose so I know you're serious.”

 

Lee jumped to attention, thumb extended. “I will not overdo it, Tenten!”

 

“Good enough. I'll catch you later.”

 

Lee happily waved after his friend before setting off down the street again. It was a fairly short walk to his apartment. Sakura had insisted that he live close to the emergency medical team. The flight of stairs was a challenge, but nothing he could not handle. When his door came into sight, the first thing he noticed was a note, held in place with a kunai.

 

His heart skipped about as he pulled the weapon loose and unfolded the note. When it was Naruto's messy scrawl that he saw, he could not avoid the surge of disappointment that went with it.

 

Hey! Sakura said they were letting you out today. I'm running an errand for Granny, but it's Friday, so I'll be back tonight. Bar run! Already talked to Kankuro, and he's coming. Supposed to be dragging along the rest of the Sand triplets, so you better be there! Shirley Temples are on me.

 

Naruto, the future Hokage

 

Lee carefully folded the note back up, smiling at his boisterous friend. Friday nights had become a tradition for his generation. He unlocked his door and stepped inside. It was wonderful to be home. His training equipment was waiting for him, and the magazine he had been reading was lying open on his couch. It was as if the week in the hospital had been nothing but a bad dream. He scooped his mail up from the floor and settled on the couch to thumb through it.

 

`I wonder if Gaara will be there tonight. I sent a message to him once I found out I was leaving, but there was no response. I have not seen him in two days. Maybe he will not have time to see me today, either. I will still be glad to see all of my friends tonight. Between missions and injuries, I have not been able to make it for a month! I will need to leave soon, so that I am on time.'

 

Several `Get Well Soon' cards were set aside to be hung up in his kitchen. One wall was nearly covered with brightly colored cards. The bills were opened and checked, but, as usual, he was ahead of schedule on all of them.

 

A soft knock jarred him from reading a circular from the grocery store. `Did Tsunade-sama send Sakura to check on me already?' Lee levered himself off of the couch and swung his door open. “Hello?”

 

“You did not attack me. Knocking worked. Good.” Gaara grabbed Lee by the front of his shirt and dragged him in for a kiss. Strong, insistent hands slid under the flak vest while Lee's mouth was conquered.

 

The jounin reeled, still catching up to the fact that Gaara was at his doorway when the Kazekage pounced. Lee stumbled backwards, his back hitting the wall, as Gaara pressed tightly against him.

 

Lee ripped his mouth away. “Kazekage-sama!”

 

“I am not waiting anymore.”

 

“But Naruto and your siblings will be looking for us!”

 

“They can wait.” Gaara slipped his hand between their bodies, gripping at the rapidly hardening length surrounded by spandex.

 

With a gasp, Lee sagged against the wall. “But . . . “

 

“No excuses.”

 

Lee's thought process and sense of responsibility scattered like leaves in a hurricane. Gaara stroked him, making him tremble. His eyes closed and he pressed against the wall as his legs threatened to give out.

 

Gaara drew back, yanking the zipper of the vest down and ripping it from the older man. The headband soon followed, landing on the couch. The Kazkeage ran his hands over Lee, rubbing against the erect nipples straining at the thin material. “Unless you want this destroyed, tell me how to get it off of you. Now.”

 

Lee forced his eyes open. “It stretches. Just pull the neckline.”

 

Fast as thought, Gaara had the spandex bunched around Lee's waist. While his fingers dragged over the exposed skin, the Kazekage attacked his mouth again. Lee whimpered when his lip was bit hard, but leaned into the contact.

 

There was a thump as the gourd hit the ground. Lee gasped for air while Gaara quickly stripped off his clothing, tossing it aside carelessly. Dressed in just his pants, the redhead pushed his knee between Lee's legs, grinding against him.

 

“Door . . . “ Lee mumbled.

 

The sand hissed as it slammed the door shut, rattling the hinges.

 

Lee wasn't sure how it happened, but his legs were failing him and he slid down the wall so that his weight was pressing against the thigh resting between his legs. His eyes were even with the shorter man, his vision hazy. Gaara pushed his hand inside of the green suit hanging at his waist, grabbing his ass and pulling him up tight so that he could feel a hard length against his hip.

 

Slowly, Gaara drew his leg back, removing the support and letting Lee slip to the floor. On his knees, onyx eyes looked up at the Kage. The eyes above him were intense, hungry. Gaara unfastened his pants, pushing them down to free his length.

 

Rough, bandaged hands grabbed Gaara's hips as Lee ran his tongue over the hot skin. There was pressure, hands tangling in his hair, as Gaara groaned and pushed against his mouth.

 

Lee noticed a difference. Instead of slamming down his throat, Gaara was almost holding still. The grip on his hair was painful, but that was all. Lee took his time, learning every inch of his partner. Flicking his tongue along the tip made the redhead shake, and a gentle drag of teeth made him groan. He pulled half of the length in, his tongue running along the underside. Gaara's hips twitched once, a fine sheen of sweat shining over his entire body.

 

A low, hoarse moan made Lee's body contract.

 

“Lee. . . “

 

Lee pulled back, releasing the wet, swollen cock with a pop. He whispered against the shaking skin, “I am fine. Just let go, Gaara.”

 

Gaara groaned again, slamming forward into Lee's waiting mouth. Fingernails scraped over Lee's scalp as the length was pushed down his throat brutally. There was no time to breathe, or even touch more then hanging on. But he wanted this. He wanted Gaara to lose control with him. His jaw ached and his lungs burned, but he pulled closer to the other man.

 

A feral sound, reminiscent of a snarl, escaped the Kage as he exploded in Lee's mouth, forcing the hot liquid down his throat. The hands in his hair loosened as the softening cock was pulled from Lee's mouth. He sucked in a lungful of air, coughing when he choked on the cum that he had not swallowed yet.

 

Gaara leaned against the wall over top of him, his eyes closed. “Are you hurt? Did you reinjure yourself?”

 

Lee wiped at the sticky liquids running down his face. “No, Gaara-sama. I just need to catch my breath.”

 

The jade eyes opened, staring at the panting man. “That was new.”

 

“It was new for me, as well.”

 

The redhead folded his legs, kneeling in front of his partner. His hand wrapped around the still aching length. “And what did you get out of that? You are still aroused.”

 

Lee hissed at the contact, pushing up into the hand. “I enjoyed it. I enjoyed doing that for you.”

 

“You don't want to orgasm?”

 

“Oh, I really, really want to.” The soft hiss became a deep groan when Gaara stroked him.

 

Gaara pulled the spandex down, letting the length bob free. He wrapped his hand around the aching flesh. The jade eyes were locked on Lee's face, making him flush even hotter. “I want to watch you.”

 

Lee couldn't have argued at that point if Gaara had asked him to fly around the room. His eyes rolled back as every muscle clenched at the delicious friction. He knew this would not take long. Already heat was coiling around him. One hand reached out, searching, until he found Gaara's shoulder. Hanging on as though his life depended on it, he saw stars as he was pushed over the edge, groaning out his partner's name.

 

Slowly, the onyx eyes opened to find an analytical, intrigued expression facing him. Lee blushed when he became aware of what was dripping across his skin, and Gaara's skin as well.

 

Gaara dipped his finger in the viscous liquid and slid it into his mouth. His forehead creased. “I don't think I like the taste.”

 

Lee made another swipe at his chin. “I agree. Maybe it is an acquired taste?”

 

Curious, Gaara sampled his fingers again, his tongue curling around the appendage. “I don't see how I could learn to enjoy it.”

 

Shifting so that he was sitting up instead of collapsing against the wall, Lee took stock of the mess. “We will definitely be late now. I need a shower before I can go out.”

 

“I think I do, too.”

 

`Opportunities like this should not be missed.' The jounin climbed to his feet slowly and offered a hand to his partner. “Then we should save time and have our showers together.”

 

Gaara accepted the hand up after giving it a long look. “Is this a couple thing?”

 

“Yes, as well as being efficient! Two victories at once!” Lee ushered Gaara through his apartment. “After we have showered and I have changed, we can meet everyone for our traditional time to celebrate our power of youth.”

 

Gaara eyeballed the spandex still bunched around Lee's hips. “Wear the same thing you wore to Naruto's party. It's easier access.”

 

Lee stumbled in the doorway to the bathroom. “Um, okay, Kazekage-sama.”

 

----

 

Tenten looked around the bar, mentally counting heads. It was a bit of a habit after being a shinobi this long. She wanted to know where everyone was, and it also gave her a chance to reassure herself that all of her important people were all right. The girls were all at the bar, minus Temari, ordering drinks and flirting outrageously with the adorable bartender. Only one of them was in a serious relationship, and she was the biggest flirt of the bunch.

 

“Oh, come on, just for me?” Ino batted her eyes at the immune bartender.

 

The guys and Temari had commandeered tables close enough to yell at and heckle each other. Chouji was out on a mission, which explained why Ino was being outrageous, but the rest of her generation was in the village. The only other one missing from the gathering was Lee. And Gaara. Tenten took a long pull from her beer.

 

Frustrated and uneasy, Tenten stomped across the bar to steal the seat next to a certain, hyperactive blonde. “Where's Lee?”

 

“Huh?” Naruto swung around, shot glass still in hand. Behind him, Kiba and Kankuro cursed at having to wait to down their drinks.

 

“Where's Lee? I know he's out of the hospital, so why isn't he here? And where's Gaara, anyways?”

 

“Just a sec.” The blonde spun back around to face the next table over. “One, two, three!”

 

Tenten rolled her eyes while the guys downed their shots. Once the little ritual was complete, Naruto turned back to her.

 

“It's still early, don't get too excited yet. For all we know, Lee and Gaara are doing the nasty as we speak.”

Curses rang out from the next table, Kankuro throwing a wadded up napkin at them. “Come on, kid, I can hear you over here! Don't say shit like that!”

 

Groaning, Tenten pinched Naruto. “Did you have to say it that way?”

 

“I didn't have to, but I don't think you want the detailed version of what I think their doing.” Naruto grinned and ducked the following swing. After training with Sakura for so many years, Tenten was just too slow to catch him. “Relax. Give it about half an hour. If they aren't here by then, I'll head up the search party.”

 

“I don't want to find them half dead in a field again, Naruto!”

 

Naruto sobered a bit, his jovial, devil may care attitude slipping. “Me neither. That sucked, and I can't really believe that the two of them went all out like that. Especially Lee, he's not one to hold a grudge. I guess he was really and truly pissed off. But there's no way we would miss another battle royale. Chakra flares like that are impossible to miss.”

 

Tenten finished off her beer and set it aside with a sigh. “I guess. I can't help worrying about him, though. I mean, he's such a softie, and Gaara's just using him.”

 

“Lee's a big boy. He wants to deal with it himself, so I'm gonna let him.” A strong arm was draped over Tenten's shoulders. “But I already told him that I'll kick Gaara's ass up around his ears if he doesn't straighten up, and that's a promise I plan on keeping. And I'll even let you help, if it makes you feel better.”

 

“He'd look great as a pincushion.”

 

“Hey, hey, no killing! He's my friend, even if he's got some wires crossed. Lee's got baggage, too, ya know.” Naruto left his arm around Tenten, using his free hand to wave the waitress down. “I'd love it if those two could get together. They both need someone in their lives. It might get some of those wires uncrossed and baggage dumped.”

 

“Unless they kill each other.” Tenten bit the inside of her cheek, hyper-aware of the arm across her shoulders.

 

“Yeah, that wouldn't help much. Two more beers, and two more shots, please!”

 

“Hey, I'm not doing shots!” An attempt at escape was thwarted when the arm across Tenten's shoulders tightened.

 

“You can do one. I've seen you drink half the guys here under the table.” Naruto kept his grip so she couldn't retreat to the rest of the girls at the bar. “You need to unwind.”

 

Tenten groaned, eyeballing the little glass that seemed to appear by magic on the table. “This is a bad idea.”

 

“I promise, you start dancing on the table, I'll pull you down.”

 

“Gee, thanks.” Glaring at the glass as though she could make it disappear through pure will power, Tenten lifted the drink. “Here's to hoping that two very fucked up shinobi can get it right.”

 

“Here here!”

 

The two shinobi slammed their drinks down, chasing them with the fresh beers. Blinking away the tears in her eyes from the burn, Tenten almost missed the arrival of the two men she had been worrying about. “Hey, they're here! Together.”

 

Naruto waved at the duo that had paused in the doorway. “Told you they'd make it.”

 

Tenten scanned over Lee out of habit, checking for new injuries. Instead she noticed that he was wearing the casual clothing that he usually avoided if at all possible, and his hand was on Gaara's arm, guiding the redhead through the crowd. The gourd was missing. And Gaara was letting Lee pull him along. “Do you see what I see?”

 

“Look at the little lovebirds,” Naruto mumbled before the new couple reached the table.

 

“Naruto! Tenten! It is wonderful to see the both of you!” Lee dragged over a chair for Gaara before sitting in one himself, his eyes shining with delight.

 

“You saw me two hours ago, Lee.” Shaking her head a bit with fond exasperation, Tenten looked over to the silent redhead. “Gaara.”

 

The Kage nodded briefly at the woman before turning his attention to the blonde that still had his arm across her shoulders. He stared at the odd positioning pointedly before looking to the amused blue eyes. “Naruto.”

 

“Hey, Gaara, glad you could make it. I promised bushy brows I'd buy his Shirley Temples for the night, so I guess you'll have to buy my beers for me.” Ignoring the unspoken question, the jinchuuriki raised his hand to call the waitress back over. “Another round, please! With the usual for bushy brows.”

 

Everyone in the village knew better then to give alcohol to Rock Lee.

 

Drinks arrived, and eventually Naruto released Tenten. Once she was free, she bolted back to the other girls that were still seated at the bar. Gaara followed her with his eyes for a second before turning his attention back to the blonde, who was grinning at him. “Do I recognize her?”

 

“Your sister beat the crap out of her years ago.” Naruto snatched the cherry from Lee's drink, despite the drink's owner's protests.

 

“Hm.” Gaara glanced at her, then over to the man next to him. “Lee, was that an example of couple behavior that leads to sex?”

 

Lee choked on his drink, pink liquid splashing on the table, while Naruto spluttered. “Kazekage-sama! Naruto is not sleeping with Tenten! At least . . .” He looked to his friend. “You are not, are you?”

 

“No!” Half of the beer disappeared before Naruto came up for air. “Don't jump to conclusions like that! That's how rumors get started.”

 

“So that wasn't couple behavior.” Gaara crossed his arms, beer forgotten. “There must be a reason for touching. I thought that people touched when they wanted to be close, because they enjoy touching the other person. And it leads to sex.”

 

“Gaara-sama, not all touching leads to sex. Remember? You do touch people that you are not sleeping with.” Lee recovered well, cleaning off the table with a napkin so that it would not be a mess for others to clean up. “Friends sometimes touch, and it does not lead to sex.”

 

“How can you tell the difference?”

 

“Well, kissing is usually something that only couples do, not friends, but friends hug.” Lee scratched at his head. “Naruto, do you want to give this a try?”

 

“What, are you crazy? I've got no idea.” Shrugging, the blonde polished off his beer. “I'm not sleeping with or dating Tenten. We were talking, and she was stressing out, so I was being comforting and crap. That's it.”

 

Gaara leaned over and draped his arm across Lee's shoulders. “Being this close makes me think of sex. You're attracted to women, Naruto. How could you sit like this with a woman and not think about sex?”

 

“Man, this was easier when you just ignored this kind of crap.” Naruto flagged down the waitress again with an air of desperation. “Sure, Tenten's hot, and I'm a normal guy so yeah, I think about that, but that doesn't mean I'm thinking about jumping her just because I'm sitting next to her.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“I'm just not!” There was no sign of the waitress yet, and things were hitting critical mass for Naruto. “I need something a lot stronger if we're really going to talk about which girls I'm thinking about boning.”

 

“Naruto . . . “ Lee groaned and buried his face in his hands.

 

“Dude, he keeps asking!”

 

Gaara slipped from his chair and moved to the one Tenten had vacated. While Naruto looked at him with an expression akin to horror, he slipped his arm across the blonde man's shoulders, looking him in the eye as though he were a complicated math problem.

 

“Lee, he's freaking me out.”

 

Peeking between his fingers, Lee watched as Naruto tried to wiggle loose from the Kage that was hanging on to his shoulders. On one level, he could sympathize with his friend. He knew that look, and Naruto had just been pulled into some sort of experiment. On another level, he had the unexplainable urge to slam his friend's head through the table.

 

“I can see the appeal here.” Gaara used his thumb and forefinger to grab onto the jinchuuriki's chin and tip his head from side to side. “He's very strong and his features are appealing. The passion is interesting.”

 

“Oh my god, where's the waitress with my booze?” Naruto whined as he tried to pull loose without setting the crazy man off.

 

Lee dropped his hands from his face. “So you are attracted to him?”

 

“Almost. It's not the same as what I experience with you, but it's also different then what I experienced with the women. I would have sex with him - ”

 

“Hell no! Don't I get a say?”

 

“ - but he would not be my first choice.” Gaara released his victim, letting Naruto scoot to the opposite side of his chair. He changed back to the chair next to Lee, his hands gravitating to the jounin as soon as they were within reach. “I don't think of sex just because I'm sitting close to him or touching him. That only happens with you.”

 

The waitress came over, smiling brightly. “Do you need another beer?”

 

“Vodka, a lot of it, and keep it coming! Hell, bring the bottle!” Naruto dragged his hands over his face. “I've never been that freaked out in my life. What was that?”

 

“An experiment. Lee asked if I was attracted to you when I asked if I was gay.” Gaara's hands had disappeared out of sight, and a blush was dusting across Lee's features.

 

“He asked what? How'd I come up?”

 

Lee worried his bottom lip and looked distracted, squirming a bit. “I was trying to think of another man that was a friend of Gaara, and you were the first name I thought of.”

 

“Do me a favor, don't think of me anymore.”

 

“Gaara-sama, do you think of any women the same way you do Naruto?”

 

Gaara looked over to the bar, even as his hands continued to rove about the jounin's body. “I'm not sure.” Without another word, he left the table.

 

“Oh, crap. He isn't. Tell me he isn't.” Naruto picked up the shot glass that had just been set in front of him and slammed it down. “He can't do crap like that with a kunoichi, they'll punch him through a wall!”

 

Lee, for his part, looked horrified. “I did not mean for him to just go and see!”

 

The two men watched with equal parts terror and morbid curiosity as Gaara walked up to the group by the bar. He was talking to them, and they were responding. Polite enough. He set a hand on Sakura's shoulder, and nothing happened. After a few more words, he returned to the table unscathed. “I would probably have sex with Sakura, but none of the others. I felt about the same for her as I did for Naruto.”

 

“How the hell'd you pull that off? Sakura should've knocked you right back to Suna!”

 

“I asked if I could touch her shoulder, she said yes, and that was it. She did seem a bit confused.”

 

“Why didn't you ask me before you latched on to me?”

 

A slow, subtle smirk danced across the Kage's features. “Because it was you.”

 

Naruto grabbed his next shot. While he was busy becoming inebriated, Gaara moved behind the still mortified Lee and slid his hand around the jounin's waist. “I want to leave.”

 

Lee's eyes went even wider then usual. “Is something wrong, Gaara-sama? Are you tired? Are your injuries bothering you? I should have been more considerate of your condition! I will run -“

 

“I want to have sex again.”

 

There was a loud groan from across the table as Naruto stared at his shot glass. “I can't possibly get another one down, but I really want to try right now.”

 

“We have not gotten to discretion in public yet.” Lee tried to smile encouragingly at his friend, but was cut off by his partner.

 

With a firm yank, Gaara unseated Lee and started to drag him across the bar. “We went to the gathering, we've seen everyone. Now we're going back to your apartment.”

 

The girls at the bar giggled and waved at the blushing jounin as he was dragged out the door. “Have fun, boys!”

 

Gaara paused as soon as they were outside, wrapping his arm around Lee's waist and pressing a lingering promise against his lips. “We will.”