Naruto - Crush Series: Naruto Characters: Gaara, Lee Pairing: Gaara+Lee Type: romance, dark Warnings: mildly creepy, bad writing. Spoilers: Sasuke Retrieval arc Word Count: 620 Etc: After hearing this clip from the Naruto radio show, I felt compelled to try to write something. It's very rough and I don't really like it, but nothing is coming as for ways to improve it.
When Lee felt somebody come up behind him on the training grounds as he finished for the night, he wasn’t expecting Gaara. He hadn’t even known the siblings from Sunagakure were in town.
“Gaara-kun, good evening!”
There was no reply. Lee remembered hearing something about Shukaku becoming restless during the full moon and wondered what it was like inside Gaara’s head. According to his siblings, the random killings had stopped, but the insomniac was still overzealous when taking down enemies.
He smiled; the younger man stared, then moved boldly into his personal space. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Gaara this close to anyone. A hand grabbed his wrist, holding hard enough to bruise. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Gaara willingly touch anyone, not even Naruto.
Gaara whispered into his ear, “I love you…to the point of wanting to crush you with my bare hands.”
A sane, sensible person would’ve run away screaming, but Rock Lee and good judgment haven’t been on speaking terms for years. (Guy-sensei’s dynamic entry had made sure of that.) Instead, he stood his ground and wondered why his heart was beating so fast—it didn’t feel like fear, not entirely.
Of all the possibilities of who would ever make a confession to Lee, Gaara hadn’t even been in consideration. They didn’t spend a lot of time together—just occasional visits and dinners with Naruto and long silences (some companionable, some awkward, some ending when Lee nervously chatted about anything and everything.) It was rather sudden, but then again Lee’s crush on Sakura had been at first sight, so he didn’t really have room to talk. What he really couldn’t figure out was why Gaara chose him over Naruto, or chose him at all, but it didn’t seem like the appropriate thing to ask.
He supposed, in a twisted way, it made sense. Gaara wasn’t exactly the touchy-feely type and wanting to do something with his hands—violent or not—was significant. Considering Gaara’s favorite pastime before the fight with Naruto, it wasn’t surprising his affection took such a sadistic turn. Funny, he’d thought a Love Confession would be more romantic and less full of impending bodily harm.
Gaara wrapped his hands around Lee’s neck. Lee stared at black-rimmed eyes, unafraid. They were friends, he trusted Gaara. Gaara started to squeeze, face contorting into something manic. Lee didn’t try to stop him. If Gaara was really in love, it would prevail. As his lungs started to burn and it felt like his windpipe would collapse, it became harder and harder, but he didn’t lose faith. Gaara looked into black eyes and saw trust, and it broke him. Hands fell to his sides. He didn’t cry, but his breathing was ragged, eyes wild and wide, seeing nothing.
Lee gave a small smile—Love conquers all!—and tentatively put his arms around Gaara. He decided he’ll have to ask Ino to heal the bruise on his neck so nobody would ask questions. She needed the practice, anyway, and wouldn’t tell anybody if he asked her not to.
Eventually Gaara came back from wherever his mind had been, and returned the embrace. He still held on too tight.
They remained that way for several minutes.
“Nobody but me is allowed to kill you.”
It was almost sweet, as deranged displays of protectiveness went. It also explained why Gaara had saved him from Kimimaro.
“Do you love me?” The tone was brusque, which would’ve sounded wrong on anybody else.
Lee wasn’t over Sakura yet, though he’d long since accepted she’d never love him. But if he grew to love Gaara—he wouldn’t mind. “Perhaps one day.”
The Sand ninja felt something stir in his chest, and wondered if it was hope.