Naruto - Run with the Wind 3 Series: Naruto Characters: Gaara, Lee, the rest of their age group Pairing: the Gaara+Lee is growing, brief TemarixShikamaru Type: highschool AU Warnings: Gaara wears eyeliner Spoilers: none Word Count: 620 Etc: Gah, it keeps growing! There's at least one more part after this. Lots of summary but for whatever reason I don't hate it too much.
Two books, three folders, and a pair of socks later, they stop forgetting things at each other’s houses and no longer need the excuse. Gaara’s no longer grounded, but skips Art Club to spend time with Lee anyway, although not every day. The Leaf student does part-time jobs to help his uncle pay rent, mostly manual labor, and goes to track club once his injury heals. He jogs 5 kilometers before school every day once the crutches are gone, cutting down from the normal 10.
When their hands accidentally brush reaching for the same pencil, Lee’s is rough, calloused, and pulls back quickly. He stammers an apology and Gaara doesn’t understand what’s so embarrassing. The same thing happens every time he comes over to the dimly lit, messy apartment that smells like mold. Because of this, Lee is usually the one to come over. Gaara never asks again about the pink-haired girl in pictures all over Lee’s room because his eyes look sad. Lee’s uncle never comes home before midnight but he always makes dinner and hopes anyway. He hasn’t seen to his uncle in weeks, and it’s obvious this bothers him. Gaara knows Lee is lonely, so he asks him to stay longer.
Temari comes home early one day and looks on in horror as Gaara helps Lee with his science homework. The black-haired boy greets her warmly; she stammers a reply and hides in her room with her music too loud. Kankurou doesn’t believe her and he comes home early the next day, staring at Lee as he makes Gaara a snack. Knowing what comes next, Gaara insists on going over to Lee’s for the next two weeks. He doesn’t want his father to see his new friend; he’d never approve and say something cruel to drive Lee away. Kankurou and Temari are punished for lying and glare at Gaara angrily, but act surprised when he apologizes.
He goes to the last track meet of the year and frowns when Lee doesn’t fly like before. Several of the Leaf runners glare at Gaara, as does the blond boy Kankurou talked to. “Your running isn’t as spirited,” he comments after the race. “I’ve been through a lot of trouble because of you,” Lee answers in a way that doesn’t sound like a reprimand at all.
When several Mist boys start to make fun of Lee’s legwarmers, Gaara snarls and they back away, knowing him by reputation. The blond boy doesn’t glare at the back of his head any more, and later introduces himself as Uzumaki Naruto. After that, he often comes over with Lee.
When Gaara’s father finally catches him with people over, Naruto’s glare is so defiant he isn’t able to say anything until they leave. Gaara is grounded again, but this time Lee sneaks over and talks to him from the bedroom window. Kankurou sees, smirks, and says nothing to their father.
Summer rolls around and Gaara lets himself be dragged to amusement parks, movies, festivals, and picnics. His father gives up and stops yelling at him every time. At the movies, Lee puts his arm on the armrest but starts to pull back when he realizes Gaara’s already using it. “It’s fine,” whispers Gaara, though he doesn’t know why. Their pinkies brush as Ino hisses at Chouji to stop hogging all the popcorn and remain that way until the credits roll.
Once Kankuro and Temari drop their elitism, they join the dozen teens from Leaf. Temari constantly fumes at a boy called Shikamaru, but later they’re caught making out behind a concession stand. Gaara eats cotton candy for the first time as his sister tries to deny everything.