Coming Home

Chapter Thirteen

    The leaf could distinctly feel the Kazekage freeze under his lips. Had he really expected anything different? No. He pulled away instantly, face contorted with an emotion that couldn't be pinpointed.
   "Gaara-kun, I- I am so sorry," he apologized, pulling himself away from his red headed friend in a rush. 
   Gaara blinked blankly. He knew what a kiss was, he'd seen people who were romantically involved kiss. So why had Lee kissed him? Did he romantically desire him? That didn't quite seem possible. He wasn't sure what to think of that little touch, all he was sure of was that it had felt... Strange. Warm. It had increased his heartbeat drastically and cause the smallest amount of perspiration to gather in his palms. Lee was talking right now, Gaara could see his lips moving but he wasn't listening.
   "Do that again," he commanded sternly, cutting the leaf short of whatever it was he was saying. He needed to experience it again, so that he could understand more. It had nothing to do with the pleasant feeling swarming in his chest.
   "What?!" The jounnin responded, face twisted in the epitome of confusion. Maybe the sand ninja had finally gone back to being completely insane. "Gaara-ku-"
   "I said do it again," he stated stubbornly, aqua eyes burning into Lee who could only open and close his mouth soundlessly.
   He nodded, taking a nervous gulp. Strange that he would be more uneasy doing it the second time. He inched closer to the pale lips, very slowly as he kept his eyes open for a sudden reaction. "Are you sure?" He whispered softly over the excruciatingly close lips, turning his head to allow them to become closer.
   Gaara responded only by shutting his black rimmed eyes, as he had seen others do when they kissed.
   He pressed his tanned lips against the ones before him, eyelids fluttering shut.
   Gaara's lips were soft, he pressed against them gently, doing his best not to overwhelm the Kazekage. To his surprise, the younger man pushed back, uncertainly. It felt nice, hesitant as it was.
   Lee pulled back again, before his one sided desires got the best of him. "Gaara-kun?" He wasn't sure what he expected as a response, or if he expected one at all.
   "Feels nice," the redhead whispered to himself as his eyes slowly opened and his slender fingers came up to grace his lips. He felt warm in his chest, and like ants were crawling through his intestines.
   Lee smiled softly, it felt nice for him too. His heart was beating a million miles a minute. Electricity raged through his veins and his mind was surely not where it should have been. Instead of thinking about how serious a thing he had just done, all he could think about was how soft the pink lips had felt against his.
   The silence rang deafeningly in the leaf's ears, he could see the leaves of trees moving, the wind blowing through them seamlessly. The blowing air probably felt nice and cool against his skin, but he didn't notice it. He could only bite his lip in an unfeeling trance as he waited for the other man to speak once again.
   "I'm going to take a walk- by myself," the redhead added before the green-clad man could invite himself. He had a lot to think about and needed to do it alone. After receiving a somewhat rejected nod in return, he stood swiftly and began to walk the opposite way they had come from.
   Lee watched his friend go sadly. He probably shouldn't have spring all that onto Gaara at once. It was undoubtedly confusing for him, and Lee had shown no self restraint.
   He mentally chided himself as he walked along the paved road in the direction they had been headed. He was pretty angry with himself, but hadn't it been only fair to say how he felt?
   He walked aimlessly through the village, giving a smile or wave as people greeted him. But his mind was elsewhere. Stuck on that sand ninja. He hoped Gaara wasn't too mad, or too stressed out by what he had done. But he hadn't known how else to show him what he meant. Of course he would back off if that's what his friend wanted. He had no intention to crowd or suffocate him with his feelings. He was content to just stay by his side as a good friend. Or so he kept telling himself.
   "Bushy Brows!" A loud yell summoned him from his thoughts, and he looked up to find Naruto running toward him. Even in his current mood he couldn't deny himself the urge to grin at the sight of the blonde.
   "Naruto! Hello!" He cheered happily, as they reached each other. He could see Sasuke coming as well, dragging his feet slowly and carelessly.
   "Hey," he called over in a casual and relaxed voice. His hands were positioned behind his head with his back slouched comfortably. His raven colored hair shone in the Konoha sunlight, which was not nearly as powerful as it was in Suna.
   "Hey there, Sasuke!" He reciprocated with an energetic grin. The Uchiha was so much more laid back than he, and he briefly pondered if he was seen as annoying.  
   "It's good to see you back, man! Where's Gaara?" He moved his body in a way that allowed him to look around the leaf jounnin, as if he were hiding the short man behind himself.
   He paused, wondering what he should say. If he lied then Naruto would certainly know, even if Sasuke didn't bring it to first. Naruto was once of his very good friends, he knew he could trust him. He just didn't know if he wanted to embarrass himself even further for the day.
   "He's... Taking a walk," Lee answered truthfully, avoid both of their gazes.
   Naruto squinted his blue orbs skeptically. He didn't think Lee was lying, but he was definitely keeping something back. He decided to drop it, for now, as Lee didn't typically hide things unnecessarily.
    "Oh really? I haven't seen him yet. I figured he'd be with you since Temari said you guys were attached at the hip," the Hokage replied, putting a hand on Lee's back to guide him on. According to what she had told Shikamaru, the two were practically inseparable. At least for Gaara.
  The leaf practically flinched at the comment as he walked with Naruto, Sasuke following behind lackadaisically.
   "What'd you do?" The black haired man spoke up from the back in a joking tone, "Scare him off?"
   He froze, causing the Uchiha to run into his back. That's exactly what he did. He laughed nervously, "How would I possibly do that?"
   Naruto noticed the change in Lee's behavior. Yup. He was absolutely hiding something. "What happened?" He asked his friend, stopping to look him in the face.
   Lee weakened under the gaze. He couldn't lie because it would never be believable at this point. But what was he supposed to say? He couldn't just flat out tell them he'd kissed the Kazekage without consent. "Well- er-".
    The black haired man was starting to catch on rather quick, where Naruto still seemed lost. This big browed idiot liked Gaara. Gaara of all people. "He's got the hots for the Kazekage," he informed his blonde lover in a bored tone, though he was rather intrigued by the situation.
   Naruto's sky colored eyes widened considerably. "You like Gaara?!" He yelled in genuine surprise. Of all the people in the world that could end up together, he never thought Lee and Gaara to be two of them.
   The jounnin hung his head in guilt. It was true and there was nothing he could say to deny because he'd be untruthful to his friends and himself. "I do like Gaara-kun," he admitted quietly to his friends, waiting for their disapproval and shock.
   "That's great, Lee! Good for you!" The blonde's voice rang through his ears.
    He looked up to see Naruto smiling encouragingly at him, and he had never been more grateful to have such good friends.