Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Voices ❯ Best Friends (part 1) ( Chapter 7 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Gaara got to sleep that night for the first time since the accident but for him it wasn't exactly filled with the pleasent dreams his uncle whispered to him right before his eyes closed. How could he not fall asleep in the safety of the man? He caressed and combed his hair with his fingers so gently and kindly it was all very heady. Gaara wondered if all he needed was a sleeping partner to finally get some rest.

He sees himself walking, he can feel the effects of the walk, his legs lagging a bit from having been doing it for so long but he can't feel himself walking. A breath drawn in, but no sense of pulling the air into his body just the effects of breathing, lungs working stomach filling with air because he doesn't often breathe from his chest. As he walks his frosted green gaze glances left to right then ahead of him and once over his shoulder. He doesn't feel followed or anything he's just taking notice of his surroundings. He knows this road very well because him, Naruto and Shikamaru take it often to get to the hill with the single tree. The difference today is the scenery seems to be altering only after he's passed it. The leaves of trees falling off rapidly, grass browning and shriveling into the ground like winter were hitting the earth with full force. But if it were only winter then why was every person he passed dropping to the ground hard enough to fracture their skulls? It was as if everything he passed by was suddenly dying and yet ahead of him lay an untouched path, unsuspecting of his reign about to come upon it. Head turning slowly left then right, Gaara picks up speed turning his walk into a run, maybe it wasn't him passing things that was making it die, maybe he was being chased after all by time.... by lack of time. His lungs began to work full force now as he dashed by houses and people, cars ceasing to move suddenly, plants and animals, he nearly got nailed on the head from a bird dying suddenly overhead.

Almost falling over he drops down beside the large tree at the top of the hill the dead closing in around him. Back pressed to the large tree, he's on his tip-toes avoiding the black. His eyes begin to close tight but instead re-open in a flash as a different kind of shadow covered the sun.

"Lee!" He calls out but his voice is gone. Grabbing his throat he looks down at the ground. The darkness seemed to stop, back away even. At his sides he sees Naruto and Shikamaru standing there, he tries speaking to them but again his voice is gone. Wondering if the others can talk, he reaches for Lee's shoulder to spin him around but the male turns on his own, a bright smile on his face.

Lee's lips move rapidly as he says something to Gaara that he can't hear. Naruto and Shikamaru seem to be agreeing with Lee, speaking rapidly as well, their hands patting him on the shoulders. Looking around confused and somewhat in a daze he notices the darkness has retreated and the world became alive again. Pushing away from them he walks past a few steps looking out at the sun covered field. Wondering what was going on. He turns around to speak to them again. Eyes wide, he gasps seeing the three of them collapsed in a heap, grey all over; the tree once beautiful and full of life now dead and grey as well. He dropped to the ground touching their backs. Shaking them a bit, he says soundlessly that they should wake up. It isn't funny to trick people like this, but they don't move. It isn't until he notices the grey on his hand that he's panicked again. Standing, Gaara turns and runs back down the bright hill which is dying off behind him. If he could just get to the street he'd be sa-....

Wrong. Barreling down the street at him is a sports car that looked as if it didn't plan on stopping whether it ran the boy down or not. Covering his face with his forearms Gaara awaited the impact but was surprised by the ground shaking beneath him. The car toppled over on a large piece of road that rose up beneath it flipping it over. The tremors are coursing through him and yet he can't feel his body moving. The same push and pull from the start.

Gaaaraaaa!!! A harsh voice cried out below him. Gaara!

Looking down he sees the hole in the street has become a mouth, opening and closing but he can hear this voice unlike his own and the others. Taking off at a run Gaara heard a clap of thunder which made him look up into the sky. He staggered a moment seeing a pair of eyes looking down at him, sad, sleepy eyes. The thunder sounded again, but looking toward the noise he sees that it was two cars smashing into each other, many cars were slamming into each other getting closer and closer to him.

He startled when the grey rose up the right side of his body. He smacks himself like he's on fire but the burn won't go down. Creeping further and further up his body until his eyes are covered in darkness. Body stiff, still now Gaara falls backward to the shaking street. Darkness everywhere, everything covered in black.

Sitting up in bed, panting hard the young boy attemtps to flee but he's grabbed around the waist unable to move. Grabbing onto the thing that has him, Gaara struggles to get free until he hears his uncle's voice telling him to relax.

"Where am I?" He looks around seeing absolutely nothing. Was his dream real? "Why is it so dark?"

"There's been a storm, it knocked all the power out. Are you ok? I heard you screaming." He lays the boy down on the bed, caressing his hair at the line beside his face. "Don't tell me my strong hero is afraid of the dark." He teased.

"I... I dreamt..."

"Hmm?"

"I went to sleep and had a dream."

"That happens to some people, the lucky ones, I think." Snickering a bit, he says. "I've never had a dream my whole life, not a sleeping one anyway."

The opening door caught their attention; a light beams in at them causing squinted eyes.

"Yashamaru, is everything alright?" Asks his father left a little in the darkness behind the beam of light.

"Everything is fine, Gaara and me were just talking about dreams." Says the man casually.

His father seemed to take that making his way down the hall to Temari's bedroom to check on her. A flash of lightning lit the room giving attention to the storm.

"So what about this dream?" Asks Gaara's uncle. "Was it a very bad dream?"

It was just a thunder storm getting my attention from outside, and the darkness was just the power going out. Everyone dying was no doubt because of what Lee said to me earlier. It all makes sense. His fears eased. "No. I was just remembering today."

"You had a friend over, that's good for you."

"Yeah."

"I've never seen him before though, is he a new kid? Seems older than you right? Or maybe just tall."

"He's not new I've just never noticed him until recently.... His name is Lee."

"Hmm. You should invite Lee over for dinner sometime, all your friends can come."

"No. I'm never speaking to any of them ever again."

Cocking his head, he asks. "Why not? Did you have a fight?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"I see. Well, its your choice to do what you like to do so I won't judge you." He scoots down on the bed so that he's laying down beside his nephew rather than sitting. Arms wrapped securely around him, Yashamaru snuggles the boy then says 'goodnight'.

Hugging the man back, he smiles softly in the darkness and whispers. "Goodnight.... Mamma."

But no rest comes to him this time, he just listens to his sleeping uncle eased by the sound of the man.

June 12 2004...

Lee yelped when closing his locker and finding Naruto standing behind it; eyes dewy and sad. "Hey Lee?" He says in a broken voice.

"Naruto, whats wrong?" He looks up then down the hall to make sure no one was eyeing the poor boy who is on the verge of crying in public; it could harm him for life if anyone saw! Taking the boy by the elbow he leads him into the bathroom so they could talk privately. "Did something happen? Do you need my help?" He asks ready to stick up for anyone in troubles light.

"Huh? No. No it's not me its Gaara."

Shocked by this, he repeats. "Gaara? What about him?"

"I don't know how he's been with you but Gaara's been ignoring Shikamaru and me for nearly a month now and its really starting to harsh on my karma- you know what I mean?"

"I think so." A frown on his face he admits sadly. "Gaara hasn't spoken to me in a long time either. I think it might be because of something I said to him about his Mom."

"Whaat!? What'd you bring her up for? You know she's a touchy subject in that house- hell even out of the house!"

Looking like he'd just been popped on the head, Lee says quietly. "I didn't know. I was only asking why no one was getting help for her, that's all. I didn't mean any harm in it."

"Listen, you don't know the whole story behind that but..." He looks around. "His brother once told me that the reason his mother shut down was because of something Gaara had said to her one day."

"Oh."

"I'm not sure what it was, Kankurou said they were the only two in the house and when everyone came back from wherever she was screaming and throwing things at Gaara until he ran off. He was young so he probably forgot all about it and just assumed she shut down for some reason. Having your brother and sister say it was your fault hurt him pretty bad too, and his father has never been the same. His uncle never changed towards him neither did his brother and sister but that is one broken home. So go say you're sorry already so he can stop ignorning us! He's even sitting at a different table at lunch and since no one will sit with him but us I can't take that lonely look!" His eyes well up with tears and he grabs a hold of the older boys crisp white shirt. "How can you take it?"

Tearing up as well, Lee cries out. "I can't! I wanted to sit with him so many times but he'd always flash me this dangerous look. I thought he might wanna be alone to think."

"Thinking's never good! Go fix this now!"

"I will!" He salutes the blond general then dashes off.

The toilet flushes behind a closed stall and out comes Gaara, tired look on his face as he walks over to the sinks.

Naruto watches the boy with muted horror wondering just how much he heard then realizing how could he not have heard he and Lee aren't exactly soft spoken. But what's he gonna do to him with no witnesses? Frozen like a statue, eyes wide and face wrinkled like a little old woman watching a cat eat from her plate but she's too tired to shoo it away-... no that's not it. But boy is he scared. Only to his surprise Gaara finished washing his hands and left without a word. Shrinking down to the floor in relief, he popped back up as another thought entered his head.

"Oh no, Lee!" He hurried from the bathroom to locate the boy before the wrath of Tsuna could come down on him. Dead is a bad way to start summer vacation.

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

"Hhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh -...Hu" Shikamaru coughs with a force after a large bug flew into his open mouth. Once the bug frees itself, he watched its dazed departure with a grumble. "Nature." A sudden laugh caught his ear, turning his head to the sound he blushes a bit seeing the cute boy from school, Hyuuga Neji, was watching him take a nap under the park tree.

After his brief laugh the male went back to his book, cd player blocking out all sounds around him.

Shikamaru couldn't let this opportunity pass him by, its one in a lifetime and this was that one. After a languid and showy stretching session, he finally pulls himself up from the grass then ambles over to the mysterious boy, if only he'd gone sooner he wouldn't have had Naruto smash into him toppling them both over.

"Naruto, what the hell?" He shoves the boy off. This was not how he wanted to spend his summer, stuck under a panting Naruto when he could be stuck under Neji.

"Have you seen Lee come past here?"

"Lee? No."

"We have to find him, there might be a fight!"

Having heard the entire conversation due to song changing, Neji came over to the pile of seventh year student splayed out on the grass to ask. "What about Lee?"

Eyeing him, Naruto cocks a brow then scratches the side of his head. "Who wants to know?"

"One of his best friends; you said someone was going to beat him up?"

"Yeah, yeah maybe." He sits cross-legged and crossed arms, serious look on his face. "I told him something personal about someone else and that someone else heard and next thing I know I'm chasing after no one looking for them."

Making a face of confusion, Neji asks. "Did you understand any of that?"

Standing, Shikamaru gives his shoulder a quick rub to remove the pain of being crushed momentarily then replies. "Yeah, Naruto told Lee something personal about our friend Gaara, and no doubt this personal thing is something really personal which is gonna have Gaara seek Lee out with intent to shut him up."

"What he said? So did you see him?"

"Yes, he said something about the flower shop on East. Its... Hana love."

"Okay, let's go Shika-..." Processing what he just heard he repeats. "Flowers?"

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

There standing outside of 'Flower Love' is Rock Lee; a hand full of money and a determinded look upon his face. He's never picked out flowers before, hell he's never even thought about flowers before but this is really important and he must get them. Stepping stones to cure a lost soul and he will help Gaara, or his name isn't Rock Lee. But how many flowers can you get for twenty bucks?

Pulling the door, it fights back with resistance, giving it another tug he then sees the sign beside it that reads: Push. Laughing at himself for being a bit too determined, he pushes the door open walking inside. The florest is an elderly woman about 60-72 though she doesn't look a day over 50-something, it must be from the cat she's petting; a bright orange, brown eyed fatty of a cat. It still looks to have some spring youth in it though. The elderly woman smiles kindly to the boy, her squinted eyes shaded by the overhead lights reflecting in her glasses.

Going up to the counter Lee sets his money down like a child hoping for a haul of candy. "Excuse me Miss?" He says politely. "Can you tell me how many flowers I can get for a small amount of money?"

"Depends on what kind you'd like youngman."

"Hmm?" Looking over his shoulder at the display of the flowers in the shop, he then turns back to her to say. "I'd like something very cheerful, uplifting, that if you saw them you might just get up and sing!"

A rough laugh comes from the woman, and she waves a hand to the chipper male. "We sell flowers son, but I like your enthusiasm. I believe your special female would like some Marigolds, maybe a nice pepper of Daisy's to finish the look."

"That sounds wonderful! How much would that cost?" Fist raised in a mood to haggle for them if its too much. He supposed he could borrow some money from a passerby and just exchange information so he could pay them back, but would he have time to find someone generous enough if the price were something like 80 or even a 100!

"For someone so passionate, I'll say 32."

"Oh, I only have 20, but I can come back tomorrow-..."

Cutting him off she says. "20 will be fine. I'll give you the nice face discount."

Beaming her a radiant smile, he just about jumps over the counter to hug her in thanks. "Thank you so much, this is going to make her very happy."

The woman laughs again. "So it is a young lady you'd like to please."

Lee shakes his head. "Sort of. I'll help you get them together, he walks over to the pointed flowers to retrieve them so the old woman wouldn't have to stand. She really looks like she doesn't move around too much. He wondered for a second if she'd like an assistant over the summer. It would be a nice job and helpful to someone. Again he shakes his head. Stay focused Lee, this isn't the time to be thinking about that. Bringing the flowers over to the counter the elderly woman makes a beautiful arrangement of them then hands them over to the boy in a box with a lovely yellow bow.

"You have a nice day youngman." The old woman waves as he leaves the store.

"You too," he calls over his shoulder. "And thank you."

"Bye."

Now to get to Gaara's house. He takes off running.

Gaara answered the door after the bell sounded, his face went from placid to anger in a flash. "Why are you here?"

Taken aback by the anger behind that, Lee staggered over his words. "I-... I actually didn't come to see you, so you can remain angry with me if you'd like, but I wanted to give something to your mother. May I?" His large bushy brows raise up in question.

Gaara looked Lee over carefully then stepped aside.

"Thank you." He walks into the home.

Sure enough the woman is sitting on the couch, gaze out the window.

Lee takes a seat beside her on the couch, he carefully sets the box onto her lap smiling sweetly as he does so. "I brought these for you. You get to see all these lovely flowers brought in for other families, I thought you could use some of your own. That way you can have them for as long as you like instead of seeing them come in and out all the time."

Gaara watched this useless scene play out before him. Lee is a fool, his mother hasn't moved or said a word for years. The only time she really does move about is for the bathroom and to lifelessly eat but only because his uncle or father force it on her. What made Lee think he could crack that shell, if her own husband or brother couldn't. But to Gaara's absolute astonishment; Kakura, his broken mother, took the flowers. She not only took the flowers but she acknowledged Lee with a question in her eyes as if to say 'for me?'.

"The woman at the flower shop was certain these would brighten a room, but I think the flowers might have some competition from you." He smiles even brighter.

The woman looked at Lee for a long time and then with a curling of the side of her unpainted lips, she began to laugh. It was a small sound but it was definitely there and it lasted for about 2 seconds but that was all the Rock child needed to laugh as well. Gaara had seen enough. Storming over to the couch he took Lee by the wrist and dragged him from the couch out the front door and down the street.

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

Gaara's gaze lay miserably on the glass of iced tea in front of him on the table of the diner. He brought Lee here and he knew why but he had yet to voice his reasons or means. Lee ordered a ham and swiss sandwich with a side of salad and ate it in patient, silence while Gaara thought over what he wanted to say. Maybe Gaara didn't want to say anything at all and just felt like company. It was hard to read the red head sometimes. Lee was pleased that Mrs. Tsuna liked the flowers though, she even laughed- that's so great!

Looking over at Gaara, Lee moves his plate closer to the male. "Do you want half of my sandwich?"

"Why are you doing this to me?" Asks Gaara suddenly.

"I thought you might like something to eat, you only ordered tea and it smelled like something was cooking at your house I thought I-..."

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about showing up in my life and changing everything like you give a damn." He looks up at the wide-eyed male now. Anger and yet a bit of concern in his eyes. "You barely know me and you wanna act like my superman; I don't need that and I don't need you."

"I see." He pulls the plate back over to him, setting his half of the sandwich back onto the plate. "But Gaara, I'm just being your friend. I.... I wanna be your friend."

"I don't know if you've noticed but all my friend slots have been filled. Go away."

Lee looked as though he's just been slapped in the face with a brick. "Go.... away?"

"And don't ever come back." He shoves his chair out then starts for the door.

"Don't ever-...." Looking up from his teary-eyed deflation, he sees the male attempting to leave. "Gaara wait!" Getting up from the table he hurried to the door, but upon reaching he quickly turned back around dropping some money onto the table praying it was enough since he'd spent the most of his budget on flowers. "Gaara!" He called out looking this way and that through the small herd of people. Dashing up the street after spotting a red dot weaving through the break in the crowd, he's glad that its actually Gaara. Snatching the male by the elbow, he pulls him aside to an ally way.

Gaara looked on the verge of tears and he was shaking a bit, but he didn't fight the grip Lee has on him, or the shove against the shop he received.

"Before, you asked me what I want before I die.... I thought you were being weird again, but when I really thought about it I knew the answer. I wanted to tell you but you were avoiding me, but I can tell you now...." He frowns, his eyes watering as well. "The thing I want is to go without regret; to forgive anyone whose hurt me and be forgiven by anyone that I've hurt." His voice cut like he were crying silently behind his words. "And I can't do that, I can't really say that I have that now that I know you. Your mother is crying to herself and I don't think its fair, I don't know what you said to make her sad like that and I don't care but if she's in there and able to feel better than she should.... you.... you can't stop me from caring about her, or you." He hugs the smaller boy close.

Gaara can feel Lee's warm tears hitting his back. He's crying for him. "You don't.... no one cares about me."

"You're wrong about that." Lee's muffled voice says quietly. "Lots of people do. I care about you."

"Shut up." He sounds frightened, his voice barely a whisper. His hands grip the front of Lee's shirt, but he doesn't shove him off.

Shaking his head, Lee says again. "I care about you."

"Shut up."

He holds him tighter. "I care about you..... I care.....about you."

The way he said it.... there are no tears in his voice... He... wasn't crying to admit that he cared about me; he cried when telling me his wish, like he may be embarrassed to admit wanting something so simple to achieve or maybe he cried because it was a lie... I don't know... but he didn't cry that he cared for me. I can.... die without you. This known, Gaara's arms came up around Lee's back holding him tightly, swaying in that grip while Lee continued to tell him that he cared.