Coming Home

Chapter Fifteen

    Everyone stayed still and silent, eyes glued to the redhead. Lee's face was burning red before he was even able to realize what had happened.
     Gaara's face was still twisted into that of angry possessiveness. His breath came through his nose in hard pants. Was he really so angry? Of course he was. Why did everyone feel the need to touch this Jounnin so familiarly?
    Naruto's eyes shot from the Kazekage to the leaf ninja a few times before speaking up to cut through the overwhelming tension. "Ah, who cares? Let's eat, I'm hungry," he whined, moving the curtain to the side so that he could take a seat next to the Uchiha.
    Lee gulped and offered and awkward nod to his long haired friend, who followed the blonde's example. "Um, Gaara-kun?" He whispered, attempting to look over as well as he was able.
    "Hn?" He replied, somewhat irritably.
     "I'm sorry, but could you let go of me so I can sit down?" He laughed nervously, not wishing to upset his friend any further.
     He let go hastily, sitting himself down as well. In all honesty, he had forgotten his fingers were still clamped into back of the other ninja's shirt. He sat directly next to the Hyuuga, mostly to keep him from sitting next to Lee. He could keep his eyes on him this way.
     Everyone made simple small talk as they slurped their ramen. And there was no way the black-haired ninja could deny that it felt great to be with everyone again. He'd been in Suna for so long, and though he wouldn't trade his time with Gaara for anything he still missed his friends.
    Apparently Neji was progressing in studies for medical ninjutsu rapidly and loving every second of it. He'd always been more of a fighter, so it seemed like nobody saw this coming. The big browed Jounnin assumed it had much to do with his near death experience, and he probably wanted to give people the second chance he was offered.
    Things were going great for him, and Lee's heart swelled with happiness for him. He and Hinata were even going to be married soon, so he silently prayed he'd be able to make it back for the wedding, and pondered whether he would ever experience such a thing. 
    Naruto was adjusting well to his duties. It was probably a lot of responsibility for such an airhead, but he had faith that the blonde would never slip up now that he'd achieved his greatest dream.
    Gaara wasn't speaking much, only responding when he was directly spoken to. However, the rest of them laughed and reminisced until the sun fell down and the stars began to just barely peak out.
     "I should probably get going," Neji said, offering a half smile, "Hinata would probably start worrying if I was gone too late." He nodded at his friends, throwing a meaningful glance Lee's way in lieu of the hug he'd usually have given him.
     He nodded in response, unable to stop the smile forming on his tan lips. He was happy right now, regardless of how things played out with the redhead next to him he was determined to continue to be a friend to him, like the friends he had now.
    They talked a little longer before Sasuke and Naruto bid their farewells, the Hokage grumbling about getting up early in the morning.
     And then it was just him and Gaara. He bit his lip as he watched the backs of his friends disappear. He definitely had to say something. Soon. Before things could get anymore uncomfortable for the green eyed young man than they were presently.
    A breeze blew through the trees strongly as he let out a deep breath, almost as if he were causing the disturbance in the leaves himself.
     "Gaara-kun..." He was practically whispering, his only indication that his comrade could hear him was the slight change of his gaze. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced my feelings onto you in that way. So let's just forget all about it and go back to being friends," He was grinning, a huge grin that forced down the harsh feeling growing in his chest and climbing up his throat. But he couldn't falter right now, because he had to make things less hard for Gaara. "Okay?" He turned to face the Kazekage, only just about to open his eyes when he felt something pull him forward demandingly.
     And Gaara's lips were... Pressed against his own? His eyes shot open only to find ocean colored eyes staring into him intensely. The sand ninja was holding him by the front of his green suit, smashing pink lips against his own roughly. He couldn't move away, couldn't bring himself to separate himself from this moment.
     He was still staring, wide-eyed, at the younger man when he withdrew. He was still staring holes into him, but he could see out of the bottom of his large eye ball that the small hands were fidgeting ever so slightly. "Gaara-kun?" He didn't know how to form a real question at this point, just a desperate attempt to convey his perplexity.
     "I don't really understand these things," he admitted, his eyes falling to glance upon the lips he'd just attacked with his own. "But I do feel something different toward you, Rock Lee. Something different and confusing and even unpleasant at times."
     He couldn't help but sulk a little at that last part. Unpleasant? He didn't mean to make Gaara feel unpleasant in anyway.
     The Kazekage interrupted him from his thoughts as he continued to talk. "I can not explain it, but I want to touch you. And I don't want others to touch you, and I don't want you to touch them. Only me," his voice was becoming slightly harsh as he continued to the end of this sentence. If he didn't care about Lee at all then this would most assuredly be more of a command than he was making it. He was admittedly trying not to be too rough about it, who could inspire such sincerity out of him but this foolish leaf ninja?
     He was stunned. It wasn't exactly a love confession, but he never though that even 1/100th of his feelings would ever be returned. It was more than he had dared to hope for. He'd have considered himself lucky if his friend had just continued to talk to him after this ordeal. But he wasn't sure if these were actual romantic feelings, or the ginger was just feeling overprotective of his friend.
     He felt a tentative hand on his own, and when he looked up he could've sworn he saw anxiety in the usual stoic face before him. "Gaara-kun," he leaned forward, closing the distance between them slowly. Gaara flinched as his hand found it way onto the slightly flushed cheek, but he could tell it was only out of his nervousness. "Can I?" He whispered softly. They were mere centimeters apart now, and he knew that the shorter man would understand his intentions.
     When he felt the tiniest of nods under his fingertips, he moved forward and pressed his lips against the soft ones he was craving. He kissed gently, trying to make sure Gaara was calm and comfortable. He probably wasn't very good at kissing yet, since he'd never done it before so he was rather surprised when his former? friend encircled his neck with small and hesitant arms. He titled his chin in order to deepen the kiss for a moment before pulling away and resting his forehead against Gaara's.
     "I definitely like you too much," he whispered with a soft chuckle.
     Back rimmed eyes fluttered open slowly to return the gaze. "I think it's the same for me as well."