Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Boy In The Closet ❯ Pillow Talk ( Chapter 12 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

A.N: I know that. But his cruelty is a part of the story. He'll get nicer. ???? This a high school fic? That's new to me. Hahaha. Thanks always for the reviews, enjoy the chapter. Fantasy.


.................


Gaara has been watching Lee sleep for the past several minutes. This boy.... this boy he hated, tried to harm.... he.... shed tears with him. This boy he knows not that much about and is sure knows nothing about him but he.... He held him. Sort of. Reaching up, he concentrates his energy to brush the males bangs aside. The side of the boys, emotionally still, lips move a bit as he guesses that Lee's hair is very soft to the touch. Gaara's never been allowed to touch anyone, it was everyone else that invited theirselves to his person and always harmed him when doing so but not this boy. What kind of angle is he working? Does he know something he doesn't? Has he called a priest and figures he may as well be nice to this little ghostly bastard since this is his last day in his home. That seemed unlikely. Lee has problems of his own, he's heard enough about them from the way that he speaks to Kuma.

Frowning, he moves the blanket back a bit to examine him a bit more. The spirits hand goes up Lee's shirt raising it from his chest. Just as he thought. He can probably break bricks and yet he lets people pick on him. Lowering the shirt to where it once was he sighed. He'd better stop before the boy wakes up and realizes that he's touching him- to whatever degree a ghost can that is. How could he fall asleep, though? Was crying really that strenuous? Just then Lee began to stir, Gaara only blinked as he watched the boy wake from his brief slumber.

Stretching his arms over his head he yawns. "That was refreshing," his voice is cracked and low with sleep drainage having gone down his throat. A quick clearing and he cracked his eyes open, squinting them through the sunlight that was showing through the window. Gaara's eyes widened as he realized what must have happened; with his abilities he tugged the curtains over.

"Thank you- aah." He staggered backward up against the wall, popping his head due to the speed of his avoidance. When his eyes opened spying a young boy in his bed with him that just freaked him out! Gaara was just a black figure to him with his night goggles but to actually see the boy as though he could shove his fingers up his nose it was a little freaky. Is that?! Could that really be!? Initial shock over, Lee can only stare at the boy in disbelief.

Gaara didn't like how surprised Lee was by the sight of him; knowing that someone else was ready to pick on the way he looks he faded out to avoid Lee being able to pinpoint anything in particular.

"No! No, don't go!" Lee reached around for wherever the fading child might be heading. "Please... stay.... I'm sorry, you just surprised me that's all." He felt around into empty space. "Gaara, please, Gaara don't go." He dropped his arms in defeat, eyes tearing up again. "I just.... want someone to talk to. Please come back."

Gaara, still invisible, crawled onto the bed. He's still unsure about Lee since he knows nothing about him as far as status. He could only pretend he's a nice guy but when it gets down to it, he'll call him browless, sandman, just as everyone else at school did. He'll tug at him, hurt him, and pester him every chance he gets just like his siblings. But still... he let him cry with him and he didn't laugh. Appearing right in front of the large eyed boy, he glared bitterly.

"Get it over with."

Trying to hide his shock at the sudden appearance of his, hopefully, new friend he cocked a brow, dumbfounded. "Get what over with?"

"The names. You're planning on calling me something stupid hoping to hurt my feelings." He moves to sit beside Lee now, arms crossed over his chest and legs placed indian style. "Everyone else does."

"Not me. As you can see, I'm not exactly winner of any beauty contest." He laughed. "I've got large set eyes and big bushy brows- most kids pick on the size of my head. But... look at you!" He turns to look at the boy, smile on his face. "You're really handsome for a ten year old."

"I'm thirteen."

"Even better," he waved a hand to his stupid comment. "I'm sorry."

The two of them sat in a silence so thick you could see it, smell it and if you might have opened your mouth, taste it. It's uncomfortable really. Neither of them know what to say to someone since their conversational skills are terribly lacking. Figity, Gaara glances at the other boy who seems to be deep in thought.

"Last night.... You slept downstairs." He turns his head to face him now. "Why?"

"Last night?" Biting his bottom lip, he contemplates. "I guess because of you- and before you say anything," he waved his hands to stop the boy from leaving, he continues. "I only did it because you attacked me. I thought you and I could share this room but you were so upset I wanted to give you your privacy."

Gaara seemed to be thinking that over.

".....Is that why you were slamming the door, you were upset?"

"Yes. " He smirked sinisterly. "You fell right into my trap, though, no one asked you to come upstairs and grab the door knob. Any punishment you received was your own fault."

"I got a talk about disipline but nothing more.... Gaara can you stop menacing me? I'm having enough trouble at school I don't think I can handle it at home too."

"You already have it," he stopped looking at him again, closing his eyes. "I hear your brothers late at night, talking about you, teasing you."

That made Lee frown. He kind of thought so, but he denied it. They've only really known each other for a week, its understandable that you'd have differences at first. But, to just not like him at all. "Ha. I guess I'll have to take your word for it, you can come and go as you please- nobody will know you're there."

"....I could even before I was dead."

It got strangely quiet then, like the air were suddenly magnetized. Lee snuck glances at the shorter boy. Thirteen years old, huh. It's kind of sweet to still look that cute when you're coming into a man. He's gonna be some kind of heart throb when he's older- or at least he would have been. "So you too then." Gaara didn't answer. "But so what, we've got someone now, right?"

"Who?"

"Us." He said with a chipper tone. Holding out his hand, he says. "Hatake 'Rock' Lee." He flashed him a brilliant smile. "And you are."

Gaara still doubted this boys intentions, but he couldn't deny that it felt nice to hear someone say that he has someone. "Sabakan Gaara." He didn't take Lee's offered hand, mostly because he couldn't. Lee didn't seem to mind, he just bounced up and down a bit, excited about his new friend.

"This is kind of surreal; I never thought I'd be talking to a ghost, much less have him be my best friend."

"It's only been twenty minutes and we're already best friends." It was more of a statement than a question.

"In a sense, I've known you for three and a half months." Smiling at him, he says. "Remember when my family first moved in?"

"How could I forget, that was the first day I found out about-...."

Lee's joy lowered to a sad smile. "I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that!" Gaara snapped.

"But I am."

"I don't care! You're not the people who hurt me, so your sympathy is meaningless."

Frowning a bit, Lee shook his head slowly. "I don't care if it is meaningless or not, you're my friend and I have a right to feel your pain."

Gaara began to laugh at that. It sounded like he were coughing or trying not to throw up. His body shook like it were having spasms until Lee finally asked. "What's so funny?"

"Kindness. It makes me laugh."

"Ahahaha, okay." His hightened cheeks sank again. "Gaara?"

"Mm?"

He didn't know how to ask such a personal question but no matter how you lighten it, its gonna come out wrong. So he'd better just be blunt. "....How did you... you know." Giving him some aid, he asks. "Did you have a break in like Sasuke's family? Or maybe a car accident."

"I don't know."

"You don't."

Gaara shook his head. "I just woke up that day and everyone and everything was gone." His frowning face saddened a bit. "I can't even leave the house. I've tried it but, I just end up back in my bedroom closet."

"That's weird.... Do you think maybe you're bound to this house until you get justice for what happened to you?"

"How can I get justice when I don't know what happened, though?"

Laying down on his pillow, legs stretching out. He smiled when Gaara did the same. "I can help you out but... Can I tell you a secret?"

A new friend and a secret between them? Kuma is gonna get an earful tonight.

"I don't really want you to go... I know that sounds selfish but, we just met and- it would suck to be all alone again."

Gaara nodded. Hesitantly, he leaned over onto his side wrapping his arms around Lee's waist. The taller male looked a bit shocked by this, but smiled and did the same. It was tough putting his arms around someone you can't feel but seeing him put the feeling there. He can guess that he's an arm full since his clothes are lose about him. He may be wearing a shirt over a set of coveralls, since the boy jingles when he moves, the collared shirt gives his face a plump look that's too adorible. Gaara, Lee notices, has very dark rings around his eyes and he wondered for a moment if it were make-up. Reaching toward the boys eyes, another thing caught his attention. A scar on the left side of his forehead, it says 'love'. Gaara couldn't have done it because there isn't a mistake on it, which would have tons of error and off knicks had the boy looked in a mirror to cause such demolition to his face.

What's happened to you? He wonders to himself since the boy seems out of sorts to speak. Gaara's been staring blankly into space since he latched onto him. His shirt is even scrunched.

"Kuma."

"Huh?"

"My bears name is Kuma,"

"Bear?"

"Sama."

"Lord Bear?"

The boy nods, green eyes still focused on nothing.

"Okay." Blushing Lee confessed. "I've actually been calling him Heero."

"I know. I could hear you talking to him."

His blush deepened. That means Gaara knows about everything he's told the bear. What he thinks about the kids at school, his new brothers. Everything! Swallowing hard, he changes the subject but Gaara beat him to it.

"What day is it?"

"Um. Saturday, 2007... April."

Gaara frowned hearing this. "...Two years."

"Hm?"

"I've been this way for two years.... I can't remember anything other than waking up back in January."

Doing the quick math Lee says. "Hey, that would make you my age then." He laughed about that. But Gaara seemed even more upset. "What's the matter?"

"I have some things to think about. I'm going."

"But where? Where are you going?" He sits up looking after the boy as he starts fading out. "Are we still friends? Did I say something wrong?"

"We are friends." He said slowly like the sentence was completely new words to him. "I won't menace you, but you have to stop chasing me around with that funny looking thing." With a nod at his night vision goggles to indicate what he was talking about the short boy vanished.

"I promise I won't but, will you at least come back?" He called to the air. Sitting back on his bed, he thinks. A smile cracks the side of his mouth. He has a friend. A real friend! Lee couldn't help but laugh with glee, things are gonna be so different now and with Gaara ceasing his tricks and games, there's no need for him to sound crazy anymore. Things are gonna be so much better now, now that he has a friend.

Things have slowed down from that busy first week and now two weeks have gone by giving everyone a cozy place within their new home. Sasuke's had friends over nearly every day and Neji's been in and out of the house with at least one child or two in tow. Sometimes a quiet boy with sunglasses and other times a thin child with another chubby boy following suit. Lee was the only one who seemed to be without, if Gai only knew though. Lee has a built in friend and he's been having the time of his life with him. Sharing secrets and talking about random things. Gaara mostly listens but Lee never minded. It worried Gai when he heard his most favorite son speaking to no one and when he asked whom he was talking to, Lee said 'just keeping busy'. That didn't even make sense. It was time to take action.

"Kakashi," he taps the man on the back of his hand to alert his attention should his voice not have drawn him away from his papers. "I'm worried about Lee."

"Mmm." The man shakes his head. "I'm worried about our electric bill." Sliding the paper over to Gai, he points. "I don't know how it manages to get this high when we rarely leave anything running."

"Maybe this house has an electrical problem- like gas guzzling cars" he cuts his self off waving his hands dramatically. "How did we get into your discussion, I was talking about Lee."

"Lee?" Glancing in the living room where their first son has been watching tv since this afternoon, Kakashi shrugged. "What about him?"

Leaning forward, whispering so Lee wouldn't over hear, he says. "I think Lee might really be suffering from middle child syndrom." Looking back into the living room then turning to Kakashi again, he cups a hand beside his mouth then says. "He's been talking to himself a lot lately."

"I haven't noticed."

"He has; and when I ask him 'who are you talking to' he doesn't give me a straight answer."

"Ssshh, he's coming."

Lee walked into the kitchen grabbing two glasses from the cabinet, setting them down on the counter, he eyes his parents whom are eyeing him back. Gai, noticing the two glasses nudges his partner with his elbow.

Clearing his throat, Kakashi asks. "Two glasses, Lee?"

Digging in the fridge he says. "I don't wanna make two trips." Closing the refrigerator after selecting milk as his beverage choice, he pours two glasses then returns it. "Is that ok?"

"Sure. Do whatever you want."

With a curt nod, Lee takes his drinks and walks back into the living room with the two mens eyes still on him. The young boy set the glass down, said something to thin air then returned to his place on the couch restoring the volume to the tv once the comercials were over.

"Did you see that." Asks Gai.

Kakashi nodded. It was strange but then again, most people in Lee's situation do tend to imagine friends for theirselves since no one else is around them, though in most cases its with a child of six or seven, never once has he seen this behavior in a 15 year old. Kids like that usually end up in the nut house after so long.

"Maybe we could get the councelor at school to speak with him." He shrugged. "There's a chance they can help. Most of the time kids just want someone to talk to no matter who it is. Then we can take Lee someplace to make friends with kids that don't know anything about him."

Glaring, Gai looks taken aback. "You say it like there's something wrong with my Lee."

"Not at all, I'm just making a statement." He piles the bills to one side of the table then retrieves the check book from the drawer beside the refrigerator. "I think Lee feels uncomfortable around the kids at school because they've already begun to pick on him, so what he needs is a fresh start."

"Oh. You may be right." Looking back at Lee, he watches the boy cup a hand over his mouth to say something to the couch then he broke into a fit of laughter. "This can't go on for much longer. My Lee isn't the type of person who plays on other kids earlobes, or ends up in the closet with his underwear full of teddy bears- not to make fun of anyone who is, but just not on my Lee."

Lee and Gaara are watching the nature channel- on Gaara's request, drinking milk and having some trail mix- on Lee's request, and the two are talking about what happened at school last week. Chouji slipped on a splatter of apple sauce that someone dropped and knocked his entire, uneaten, lunch on himself. It was hillarious, though, he dared not laugh out loud from fear of the other kids hearing him. But with Gaara he could laugh as long as he wanted to. That is until the front door opened and Naruto walked in with Sasuke.

"I'm telling you, I'm gonna try out for baseball this season. I have a good shot."

"It's stupid, though, you'll be wasting time at school with practices and other activities." He nods to Lee who didn't see it, to into the tv. "And where will that leave us?"

"I didn't know there was an us." Flopping down right on Gaara's lap, Naruto snatched up a handful of trail mix slobbed it down his throat then chugged Gaara's glass of milk. "Hey gejimayo! Having a pity party?" He cracked his self up, but he began to cough at the site of Gai walking out of the kitchen. "Oohh, hello Mr. Gai. I was just talking to Lee here." He laughed nervously. "God I hope he didn't hear that..." he muttered awkwardly to his self. "Fine food you have here."

"Shut up, Naruto." Sasuke said, jerking the boy by the arm from the couch then he dragged him upstairs with him.

"He hasn't changed." Says Gaara watching the boys retreat. Lee made a sound of agreement. Not that he knew Naruto as long as Gaara has but he could guess a boy like that is unchanging.

Taking a seat beside the boy, watching out for where he assumed his imaginary friend is seated, Gai grabbed the remote, muting the tv. "Lee, we need to talk."

"About what?"

Gai took one look at his splended son and decided against his words. He is not going to embarrass the boy in any way, which means they're gonna have to go along with Kakashi's idea of outside help, its the only way. Unmuting the tv, Gai instead leans over giving his son a strong hug.

"Nothing." Letting go of the boy, he grinned handsomely at his sons confused face. "You just carry on."

Still a little confused Lee nods. "Okay."

"Okay." Backing out of the living room, he heads into the kitchen intent on helping Kakashi with the bills.

"Your Dad is strange."

"How so?"

"He sings in the shower."

"Lots of people do." He defends him.

Gaara shrugged. "Not with bars of soap."

"I guess that is a little strange." Dismissing it, he gets up from the couch. "You wanna go play cards?"

Without even agreeing, Gaara got up from the couch to follow Lee upstairs. In Sasuke's bedroom, he and Naruto are in the midst of a wrestling match with their tongues, but the plucky blond's hand continues to find its way up Sasuke's shirt. No matter how many times he yanks it down and shoves the boys hand away he just doesn't take the unsaid 'no'.

"Naruto," he whined. "Cut it out."

"Why? I thought we had an us that's what you said."

"Yeah we can kiss but nothing more."

Sitting back with a pout, he huffs. "But that's all the fun stuff."

Sasuke sits up adjusting his clothes. "It doesn't matter either way because my parents are home and they'll hear us."

That caused a perverse grin to spread across the boys soured expression. "Are you really that loud?"

"Stop being dumb!" Wrapping his arms around the boys neck, he says in a hushed tone. "I like kissing you, its nice. But we don't have to rush into anything just because we know about it."

"But why not?" He leans forward stealing a kiss from the bluenet.

"Because I haven't heard anything yet," he was being vague again. Sasuke tends to do this whenever the matter of skin on skin comes up. "And until I do, you can forget it."

"Alright then, alright." He swallowed a lump of dry air, took Sasuke's hands into his own then said in the kindest, sweetest voice he could. "I love you."

Sasuke's entire existance soured with his face but he couldn't help smiling at the grinning goon before him. "You're an idiot." Pulling him down on top of him, he allowed the moron to slip his hand up his shirt just so long as he didn't ask anymore questions as to why they aren't getting any further than attached lip reading while locked away in his bedroom. He can't tell Naruto the real reason he's been put up for adoption, or anything about his brother and the vendetta he has of killing him the moment he finds happiness. Itachi's icy words from that day often play through his mind, the letter he received two weeks after he was placed into foster care like any normal child would be, saying the exact words that were spoken to him over the radio that afternoon will rot away in his treasure box until the day he dies. It whispers to him in the night. It haunts him whenever Naruto turns those blue eyes on him and he offers the cute boy a smile.

Will the police on his Dad's force ever send him that letter saying that they found Itachi and he's now in jail? Have they forgotten about it all together since he hasn't filed anymore complaints. Whatever the reason, they'd better do something quickly, because with the way Naruto is grinding into him he's gonna lose his cool and slip up somewhere along the line.