Chapter Text
Lee sat up in bed, butterflies filling his stomach. It had been a year since he had gotten home from his skating trip with Tenten. It had been an amazing time, full of fun adventures and opportunities for Lee to learn more about himself and about his relationships. Adjusting to normal life was difficult at first, but Lee had found comfort in his old routines. And in Gaara, of course.
The last few days of the trip had gone by in a whirlwind. He spent most of the time with Tenten and Gaara, showing him all of the sites they had visited in previous weeks. What felt all too soon, but not soon enough at the same time, they were in the airport for the very last time. When they finally landed back in Lee’s hometown, a flood of relief and memories hit him. That night, he slept next to Gaara in their bed. They were finally able to be in their home together for the first time in months.
Soon after, Lee started work again. It was so nice to get back to his programs and his usual schedule. Even though he had been passionate about his career before he had left, doing what had once been his dream showed him how much that dream had changed. Seeing how much Sai loved the art program, he kept him on as a helper. Eventually, Sai had been able to start working with Lee’s branch, taking over the program entirely. He had never looked happier.
The brand sponsor began working with them immediately, providing new gear for all of the skaters that Lee worked with as part of his program. They also did a campaign with Neji’s shop, bringing in more business and the need for more employees, Naruto being one of them. Lee was happy to see that all of the effort he had put into his trip made a difference in not only his life, but in the lives of everyone he loved as well.
When they had returned from the trip newly engaged, Lee had started planning their wedding almost immediately. Gaara tried to be involved as much as possible, but he allowed Lee to take the reins for most of the decisions. He did have quite a lot to say regarding the flowers, though. Lee was tedious in his planning, making sure to not forget any details. It had been exhausting, but it was finally going to pay off.
Gaara and Lee were getting married today.
Lee stretched in bed, his shoulders and back popping from disuse. He looked around his hotel room sleepily, his mind bobbing back to the memory of staying in different hotels for four months straight. But this time, he was in a hotel out of preference. He was very old-fashioned in some regards, and that included seeing his partner before the marriage ceremony. He had insisted that Gaara stay at the house while he got a hotel room. He also reasoned that they could reserve the room for multiple nights, seeing as they would need somewhere to stay before leaving for their honeymoon.
Gaara had begrudgingly agreed, though he would have much rather slept next to Lee the night before their wedding. Waking up without Gaara next to him almost had Lee feeling the same way. After living with him for a year, he had grown used to the warm weight of Gaara sleeping next to him every night, sleepily kissing him when he woke up the next morning.
Lee sighed, starting to miss Gaara, then grabbed his phone and scrolled through his notifications. He had two texts from him.
Almost Husband
“Good morning, Lee. I hate to break it to you, but after today, I can no longer be your fiancé.”
Lee smiled.
Almost Husband
“That’s because I would much rather be your husband.”
Lee laughed to himself, then typed out a response.
Lee
“I think that I would prefer that, too. I love you, sweetheart. I will see you soon. I already know you will look so handsome.”
Tears filled Lee’s eyes. He wanted to blink them away, but he had opened the floodgate. It would be almost impossible for him to stop crying for the rest of the day. But he couldn’t help it!
He had dreamed of his wedding all throughout his teenage and young adult years. He loved the idea that two people could be so in love that they would commit so strongly to be together. Lee took it very seriously. He knew that he would never be able to back out of something so binding. He was glad that he would never have to. He and Gaara were very in love. The honeymoon phase had never ended in their relationship. He knew that both of them would give their all in their relationship for the rest of their lives.
Lee started to cry harder. He knew he had to get ready for the wedding, but he was suddenly overwhelmed. How do you get ready for the most important day of your entire life?
Before Lee could have a full on meltdown, he heard a knock at the door. He suddenly felt relieved. Not for the first time, Tenten had come to the rescue. She took her maid of honor duties very seriously and had offered to help Lee get ready. He had eagerly accepted, knowing he would be a mess the entire day. Luckily, their wedding was fairly simple. Lots of people had been invited, but the ceremony and reception were relaxed. Lee knew that Gaara wouldn’t enjoy anything extravagant, so he had planned accordingly, making sure that even with the number of guests, the whole thing was very intimate and focused on the two of them.
He stood from the bed, doing his best to wipe the moisture from his eyes though he continued to cry. He opened the door to see Tenten standing there in a long, flowy, maroon dress with a sweetheart neckline. Loose straps hung on the sides of her arms, accentuating her muscles. Gaara had helped her pick it out and had clearly done a great job. At the sight of his sister, Lee started crying harder.
“Lee, you’re already crying?” Tenten said with a sigh, pushing past him into the room. “Where are the tissues?”
“Tenten, I cannot help it. I am getting married today! And you look so beautiful! How else do you expect me to react?”
Tenten laughed lightly. “I know, Lee. Thank you. I’m glad you’re happy, I just want you to be able to enjoy the wedding without getting sick. Have you drank any water yet today?”
Lee sniffed, taking the tissue Tenten handed him and wiping his eyes. “No, I just got up. I will drink some right now.”
Tenten located his sticker-covered water bottle and handed it to him, watching to make sure he drank a substantial amount. After he had finished, he was able to calm down a bit. He drew a shuddery breath, smiling at Tenten.
“I am so glad you are here,” he said, capping his water bottle and setting it down. “I do not even know where to start.”
Tenten smiled at him warmly. “How about you start with a shower?”
Lee’s eyebrows raised in alarm. He held his arm up and sniffed. “Do I smell bad?”
Tenten snorted and began pushing him to the bathroom. “No, but you would smell even better if you bathed.”
“O-oh! Of course.”
Lee stepped into the bathroom, slightly less flustered than he had been before. He stripped of his nighttime clothes, making sure to set them in a neat pile on the sink. He then jumped into the shower, thoroughly scrubbing himself down. He let the conditioner settle in his hair for an extra long amount of time. He wanted his usually shiny hair to be blinding. Once he felt excessively clean, he stepped out of the shower, toweling off and getting into the soft hotel robe, something he now associated with comfort and luxury. Gaara had even bought him one similar for his birthday.
He opened the bathroom door letting all of the accumulated steam out into the room. Tenten was across from him with an iron, running it slowly over his navy blue dress pants. His matching jacket had gotten the same treatment and was now hanging up in the closet, from what Lee could tell.
“Tenten, you did not have to do that! I ironed them last night.”
“I know, Lee, but I want to make sure you look your absolute best!” she said, passing the iron over the expensive fabric again. Lee walked over to her and watched her for a few moments. At the kind gesture, Lee began to tear up again.
“Thank you so much, Tenten. I want to look my best, too. Gaara deserves nothing less than.”
Tenten looked up at Lee and smiled, then frowned when she noticed the tears. She sighed, shaking her head, and unplugged the iron. She hung the pants up in a way that wouldn’t wrinkle them, then walked back over to Lee with another tissue.
“Lee, I know you’re happy, and nervous, and excited, and all that shit, but you really need to try to calm down, okay? It’s going to be hard to see and enjoy this special day if your vision is clouded with tears the whole time. Just breathe.”
At the thought of missing his entire wedding, he teared up more. He took the tissue from Tenten and began dabbing at his eyes.
“I know, Tenten. I am trying.”
She smiled softly and nodded, pulling him into a tight hug.
“I am so, so proud of you, Lee. You’re going to be an amazing husband.”
Lee sniffed and squeezed her. “Thank you, Tenten. I love you.”
She pulled away, grabbing another tissue to help Lee clean up the moisture around his eyes. “I love you, too. Now, let’s get you ready.”
She opened the small closet to reveal Lee’s entire suit ironed and ready to go. It seemed that Lee had been in the shower for longer than he had thought. Tenten stepped out into the hall, only long enough to allow Lee to put on his white dress shirt and slacks. She stepped back in as he was tucking the shirt in, his sleeves and collar a mess.
“Lee, you look so handsome already!” she said, fixing his collar.
He blushed and smiled at her as he continued to tuck. “Really?”
“Yes, of course!” Tenten said with a laugh. “You always look handsome!”
“Thank you, Tenten. Will you help me with my sleeves?” he asked, shaking his arms out.
“Sure. Where are your cufflinks at?” she asked after buttoning the top button on his shirt.
“They are in the front pocket of my suitcase. Gaara and I picked each other’s out.”
Tenten rummaged through Lee’s suitcase until she found a small box. She opened it and gasped.
“What?!” Lee asked excitedly.
“Lee, they’re tiny skateboards!” she said, walking back over to him and holding them out. Lee began to cry. Again.
“That is so perfect,” he said through his tears. “Gaara is so thoughtful, I love him so much.”
Tenten gave Lee a stern look, handing over his water bottle and another tissue. Lee breathed deeply, then took a drink and wiped his eyes.
“What cufflinks did you get for him?” Tenten asked, pinning Lee’s sleeves together with the small skateboards once he had calmed down.
“They are small silver circles with cacti stamped into them. Saguaro cacti, to be exact,” Lee said proudly. He smiled at the memory of when Gaara had proposed to him. The desert garden had been beautiful and was filled with Saguaros. It had become Lee’s favorite type of cactus. Not that he really had one before.
“Oh, that’s so cute, Lee! I’m sure he’s going to love it.” She finished pinning his sleeves, then straightened them out. “Who’s helping Gaara get ready?”
Lee ran his hands down his shirt, checking to make sure everything was smooth and neat. “Kankuro and Temari. Though, I am sure that Temari will be more of a help than anything.” He laughed at the thought of his soon to be in-laws helping Gaara get ready. Lee hoped that it wouldn’t stress him out too much.
Tenten stepped away from Lee, rummaging through his suitcase once more to locate his maroon bow tie. Lee and Gaara had come to an agreement on wedding colors, though Lee felt like there was a disappointing lack of green. They had decided on cream, navy blue, and maroon with subtle accents of green, to make Lee happy. Gaara was happy with it, which meant that Lee was, too. Even though he would have preferred green and orange.
“Here’s your bow tie, Lee. Put that on and I’ll get your vest and jacket out.”
“Thank you, Tenten,” he said, taking the strip of fabric from her and stepping toward the mirror. He flipped his collar up, wrapping it around his neck and tying it into a bow. He had been practicing how to tie one for years in preparation for this day. Lee smiled as he thought of his younger self tying it over and over, dreaming about what his future spouse would be like. He had turned out to be even better than Lee could have ever imagined. Young Lee would have been so happy to have someone like Gaara. He was glad he had finally found him.
Tenten walked over with his vest, navy blue to match the rest of his suit. She put it on for him, fussing over the buttons and making sure it sat smoothly on top of Lee’s shirt. She then readjusted his bow tie a few times, even though Lee knew that he had tied it perfectly. He let her fuss over it anyway. It showed that she cared.
She stepped back, smoothing her hands over Lee’s shoulders one more time. “Okay, Lee, let’s have you get your shoes on and do your hair. Then we can put your jacket on and head over to the venue.” She smiled at him. “We’re making great time. It’s going to be such a fantastic day!”
Lee grinned at her, pulling her into another tight hug. “Thank you so much for your help, Tenten.”
“Of course! Now, where is your brush?”
Lee located his brush for her and began tying on his shoes. He and Gaara had gotten matching maroon Vans, seeing as the shoes had played such a significant part in their relationship. He didn’t know what color suit Gaara was wearing, but he had reassured him that the shoes would match. Gaara always had a much better eye for things like this, so Lee wasn’t too worried about it.
Once his shoes were laced up, Tenten went to work on his hair, brushing it and laying it in his usual style. He had gotten it trimmed before the wedding, even going as far as to let the stylist do some work on his eyebrows. They were thick and slightly bushy and he had always liked them that way. But, he reasoned that whatever he could do to look his best for Gaara was worth it.
Tenten squirt some mousse into her hair, working it through her hands and into Lee’s hair to give him a little bit of texture and form. Lee watched her work in the mirror, smiling as she frowned in concentration. Once she was satisfied, she stepped back, folding her arms and gesturing to the mirror.
“Not to toot my own horn, but you look really great, Lee!”
Lee blushed again. “Thank you, Tenten. You do, too.”
“Thanks!” she replied, walking over to the closet to grab his jacket. She helped him shrug it on, buttoning it, then unbuttoning it. She tugged at it, smoothing it over and stepping back to get a full view. She smiled softly, then began to tear up.
“Tenten, we are not supposed to cry today! Remember?” Lee said, smiling as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Tenten laughed with a sniffle. “You’re not supposed to. But I’m allowed to cry. My best friend is getting married today.”
“Who, Gaara?” Lee said with a grin, passing her a tissue. She looked up, dabbing at her eyes so her makeup didn’t run.
“Well, yes. But also you. You’re my best friend, Lee. I’m so grateful we ended up together.”
He pulled her in close, gently kissing her forehead. “You are my best friend, too. Thank you for everything, Tenten. I am so glad we got to grow up together.”
They hugged, staying in the embrace for much longer than they normally would. Eventually, Tenten pulled back, smiling at Lee.
“Let’s get you married.”
Butterflies filled Lee’s stomach as tears threatened to spill over again. He set his mouth in a firm line and nodded. He was ready.
Tenten helped him gather everything he needed to take with them, then they walked out to Lee’s car. He shook his hands out, attempting to calm his nerves as he sat down. Tenten got into the car with him. Kakashi and Gai had dropped her off before heading to the venue. They had been put in charge of organizing the wedding party. Gai took his role very seriously. Kakashi was mostly just excited to see his husband in a tuxedo. And that Lee was getting married, of course.
Lee hummed along with the radio, his out of tune voice carrying throughout the car. He thought of Gaara and how much they liked to sing with each other while they drove. He also thought about how he was probably on his way to the wedding right now. The butterflies in his stomach thrashed around wildly.
“I do not know why I am so nervous,” Lee said with a tight laugh. “Gaara and I have been together for years. He already said yes to marrying me. This should be no problem.”
“We worry and care about the things that are most important to us, Lee,” Tenten said. “It’s okay to be nervous. Just don’t let it affect your enjoyment of your special day.”
Lee nodded, twisting his hands around the steering wheel. After a short drive, they pulled into the parking lot. There were already groups of people milling around outside. Some of which was Lee’s wedding party.
Neji had agreed to be Lee’s best man, had seemed elated in fact that he was being chosen. Neji had softened up over the years, especially after dating Kankuro and babysitting Shikadai so often. It warmed Lee’s heart to finally see his friend in such a happier place. He and Tenten made up Lee’s wedding party. Temari was Gaara’s maid of honor, and Kankuro was his best man. When Gaara had mentioned that Temari should be a matron of honor, seeing as she was already married, she about punched him in the face. That made her feel too old.
Gaara and Lee had asked Raito to be the flower girl. She had played a significant role in both of their lives, and they had grown close with her parents, too. They were excited when Gaara had asked all three of them at the skate program one night, and Lee and Gaara even took them all out to dinner and shopping so they could pick out her dress. Asahi had come, too. It was an easy decision for Raito’s moms to adopt him once it had been confirmed that he wouldn’t be able to go back with his birth parents. Both Lee and Gaara had cried they day they found out he would be adopted.
The final addition to the wedding party was Shikadai as the ring bearer. Of course, he was a bit too young to actually take on the responsibility, but Gaara had found the cutest outfit for him. Their ceremony wasn’t going to be very traditional, anyway. They would both be walked down the aisle, exchange vows, then be announced as husbands. They didn’t need anything more complicated than that. All they needed was each other.
Lee parked his car, looking around wildly to ensure that Gaara hadn’t arrived yet. He looked everywhere, making sure that his car was not yet in the parking lot. When he confirmed that it wasn’t, he smiled and hopped out of the car. Gaara’s chronic tardiness had come to Lee’s rescue.
Tenten and Lee grabbed everything he needed from the car, then headed inside. Once there, he set his stuff down in a small room reserved for just him and his family. Kakashi and Gai were already in there waiting. Gai, of course, was already crying. Seeing his father in tears, Lee began to cry as well.
“Lee, my son, you look so handsome. I am so happy for you. What a beautiful day of youthful expression and true love,” Gai sobbed, blowing his nose into an ornate handkerchief. He was wearing a handsome black tuxedo with a deep blue bow tie. Kakashi’s suit matched Lee’s in color, though his tie was black, probably to match his husband.
“Gai, calm down. This is a happy celebration,” Kakashi said with a sigh, patting his husband’s back. His expression made Lee think that Gai had been going on about it all morning. He cracked a smile as tears streamed down his face.
“Thank you, Gai. Kakashi. I would not be here today without you two.”
Gai and Lee both began to sob together as he leaned over to hug his dad. Kakashi sighed and rolled his eyes, walking over to Tenten. He gave her a brief hug.
“Hey, kiddo. You look beautiful.” He paused, looking warily over at the two men. “Has he been crying like this all morning?” Kakashi asked, folding his arms and leaning against the wall tiredly.
Tenten sighed. “Yep. I had just gotten him to stop, too. I don’t want him to pass out from dehydration. What about dad?” she asked, jutting her chin out in Gai’s direction.
“Yep.”
They sighed together and laughed. Lee stepped away from Gai, rubbing his eyes.
“Hi, dad,” he said softly, walking up to Kakashi. Kakashi leaned in to give him a hug.
“Hey, Lee. You look so handsome,” he said, rubbing his back. He held him at arm’s length, surveying him, then fixing his bow tie. Lee smiled, scratching the back of his head.
“Thank you. I hope Gaara will think so, too.”
“Of course he will,” they heard from the door. Neji walked in with a scoff. “He thought you were handsome before, why wouldn’t he now?”
“Neji!” Lee cried, running over and squeezing him tightly. “I am so glad you are here. Today would not be the same without you.”
Neji laughed lightly, patting Lee’s back. “Lee, you’re pulling my hair.”
Lee apologized, letting go of Neji and smoothing out his long hair. He had decided to keep one side of his head shaved, trimming it every few months. It was a good look for him. Neji smiled, then adjusted Lee’s bow tie. Lee wasn’t sure why everyone felt the need to do it, but he was grateful that everyone wanted him to look his best.
“I’m glad I’m here, too. Congrats, Lee. Gaara is very lucky.”
Lee smiled, grabbing Neji by his shoulders and squeezing. “Thank you so much, Neji. Though I think that it is me who is lucky. Not just to have Gaara, but to also have wonderful friends like you.”
Neji smiled at him.
“Lee?” they heard from the doorway. Another visitor. Raito stepped hesitantly into the room.
“Raito! Hello! You look so pretty!” Lee said, bending down to greet the girl as she walked further into the room. She stood in a straight, cream lace dress, her hair done in soft curls. She wore a small corsage around her wrist with small red and green succulents on it. That was another one of Gaara’s choices. Succulents instead of flowers. He had even arranged all of them himself. They looked so wonderful that Lee couldn’t help but start crying again.
“Thanks, Lee! You look so pretty, too!” she said with a grin. She reached outside of the door, tugging a slightly disheveled Asahi into view.
“Asahi! You are here, too!” Lee said, crying even harder. Tenten came over, bending down next to him and handing him a tissue.
“Hi, Lee,” he said shyly, hiding behind his sister. “Are you and Gaara getting married?”
Lee smiled, wiping his eyes. “We are! Gaara is going to be my husband!”
Asahi nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his dress pants.
Lee continued to chat with them, until they were met with yet another tiny visitor. Shikadai came tearing down the hall, yelling Lee’s name. He wore navy blue pants and suspenders, complete with a maroon bow tie, similar to Lee’s. He smiled excitedly as he ran, his tiny ponytail bouncing with every step.
“Uncle Lee!” he yelled, pushing through Raito and Asahi to get to him. He threw himself into his arms, wiggling excitedly as Lee picked him up. Tenten turned to Asahi and Raito, telling them that the ceremony would start soon and to go find their moms.
“Hello, Shikadai!” Lee said, poking his tummy. “You look so handsome!”
“Uncle Gaara did my bow tie,” he said matter-of-factly, tugging at it gently. He gasped, noticing that he and Lee had the same ones on. “Did uncle Gaara do yours, too?”
Lee laughed. “No, I have not seen Gaara today!”
Shikadai nodded solemnly. He poked his head around Lee. Seeing Neji, he threw himself out of Lee’s arms.
“Uncle Neji!” he squealed, running over to him and jumping into his arms. Neji smiled, hoisting him up and squeezing him tight. They were so happy together. Neji had recently become one of the favorite uncles, making Lee slightly nervous that he would lose his position as favorite. But, he couldn’t help but be happy that they loved each other. Their family was so happy together. Lee began to cry again. Seeing this, Kakashi walked up to him, clapping him gently on the back and steering his attention away from the scene.
“Lee, we need to put your boutineer on,” he said, bringing him to one of the tables at the back. “Gaara brought these over this morning.”
Lee looked down at them and smiled. He had bunched a few small, green and red succulents together, wrapping the base in cream ribbon. Kakashi grabbed one, holding it up to Lee’s suit lapel.
“May I?” he asked, grabbing one of the pins.
Lee nodded and smiled. Kakashi set it against the fabric, pinning it gently into place. After ensuring that it wouldn’t move, he stepped back, looking Lee over with soft eyes. After a few seconds, a tear fell down his cheek.
“I’m very proud of you, son. You have grown to be an excellent man. I am lucky to be part of that.” Kakashi smiled at him with a hand on his shoulder. As Lee began to shake slightly, Kakashi frowned. “Please don’t cry anymore.”
Lee gasped, and nodded, doing his best to blink away his tears. Kakashi pulled him in for a gentle hug. Once they parted, Lee helped Kakashi pass out the rest of the boutineers. Tenten got a small bouquet of succulents to hold. Gaara had told her that he would help her replant them after, but Lee had a feeling that they wouldn’t last very long if left in her care. Tenten had never been great with plants.
Neji left not too long after with Shikadai. He wanted to see Kankuro before the ceremony. Lee continued to putter around nervously, readjusting his clothes and staring intensely at himself in the mirror. His face kept getting red from crying and from anxiousness, but Tenten had gotten him a cool rag to help him calm it down. The gesture had made Lee cry again, but Tenten stopped him in his tracks with a stern look. He continued to putter around the room until it was time. Tenten instructed him to start walking toward the room where the wedding was taking place.
Finally, after years and years of waiting, it was time for the ceremony.
Lee stood outside of the gathering room with his hands tightly clenching onto Gai’s wheelchair. Kakashi stood next to him, a gentle hand on his shoulder. When they heard of Gaara and Lee’s engagement, Kakashi and Gai had started arguing about who would walk Lee down the aisle. Gai had insisted he should, since he could see better than Kakashi. That had been a low blow. Kakashi insisted that he should be the one to do it since he was the only one who could walk. Yet another low blow. They had continued to argue back and forth until Lee, not knowing they were even arguing about it, asked them both to walk him down. They begrudgingly agreed.
After a few more minutes of waiting, the people inside started to quiet down as a gentle instrumental began to play. Lee breathed deeply. This was it. The moment he had been waiting his entire life for.
Lee had insisted that he go down first, wanting to see Gaara as he walked in. It also meant that he might be able to make it to the front of the room with clear eyes, making it easier to see. As the doors opened and Tenten and Neji walked down the aisle with Raito, Lee’s breath caught in his chest. He was glad that he was the one pushing Gai. He would need the extra support.
Once his wedding party had made it to the front and arranged themselves on the sides of the officiator, Kakashi stepped forward, gently pulling Lee with him. They walked down the aisle as Lee’s vision tunneled. He smiled nervously, glancing from side to side as he looked at the friends and family that had come. All of his coworkers were there. Some of the skate program kids and their foster families had showed up. Tsunade and Naruto were even there. Lee avoided Naruto’s gaze, knowing that he would be doing something stupid. Ever since he had started working in the skate program, Naruto had mastered the skill of both making Lee laugh, and getting under his skin.
After what felt like forever, Lee had managed to successfully get to the front of the room, rolling Gai next to Kakashi’s chair and hugging his dads before stepping up to stand at the front. Tenten stood behind him, followed by Neji and Raito. Just as Lee turned to face the back of the room, the door next to the one he walked through opened.
Temari stepped through in a dress similar to Tenten’s. Her blonde hair floated around her shoulders, unlike her usual tight ponytails. Shikamaru walked next to her. They both held Shikadai’s hand between them as he giggled and smiled. Lee smiled at them, tears beginning to roll down his face as he realized that these people he loved so much were now officially going to be his family. Lee looked past them to finally see him. Gaara.
He walked down the aisle with his arm hooked in Kankuro’s. Though their foster parent would be there, Gaara felt it only made sense to have his big brother walk him down. Kankuro had cried when Gaara had asked, and he was crying now. Lee heard Neji laugh softly behind him. The smudgy purple eyeliner he wore had begun to trickle down his cheeks. But Lee barely noticed. He could only look at the love of his life.
Gaara looked stunning. His hair was its usual bright red. Gaara had even redyed it the week previous. He wore an elegant cream suit with a black belt. His vest had double buttons, making Lee wonder if it would be hard to remove later. His dress shirt had small black polka dots with a matching dotted handkerchief in his front pocket. His tie was the same color as Lee’s. He looked down to see his matching Vans and began to cry even harder.
Here he was. His almost husband. And Lee could never be happier than he was in this moment.
Kankuro stepped up to Lee, sniffing as he looked Lee up and down sternly. After a few moments, he smiled, pulling Lee into a tight hug.
“Please take care of my brother,” he whispered into Lee’s ear.
“I will,” Lee whispered back with a sniffle.
Kankuro stepped back, his hands on Lee’s shoulders. He then joined Temari, pulling her close to him as Gaara stepped up to Lee.
“Hi, Lee,” he whispered, grabbing Lee’s hands. “You look so handsome.”
Lee sniffled, his vision now totally obscured with tears. “How could you say that I look handsome when you look like that?” he asked, squeezing his hands. “I love you so much, Gaara.”
“I love you, too, Lee.”
The officiant began to speak, announcing the purpose for the gathering. After only a few minutes of talking, Lee and Gaara said their vows. They wanted to keep things short and sweet. The vows were the most important part to them.
“Lee,” Gaara started, his voice quivering slightly. “Thank you for marrying me.”
Lee smiled as Gaara continued.
“As you know, I have experienced a lot of heart break in my life. By the time I had met you, I had vowed to dedicate myself to my family and my career only. I didn’t want to let anyone else in. I didn’t want to risk having to be hurt by someone I trusted ever again. But then you came along and I had no choice but to let you in.
“Lee, you are the brightest light. You have shone through every period of darkness I have ever experienced and somehow make the light periods even more radiant. I don’t know what I could have ever done to deserve you, but I would do it over again a million times. Lee, I vow to always be yours. I promise that I will always support you in your dreams, because you’re my dream. I can’t wait to live this life with you, and I guarantee that I will be around forever. I love you, Lee.”
Gaara smiled, squeezing Lee’s hands. Lee continued to cry, doing his best to not outright sob in front of everyone. Gaara’s words meant so much to him. He wished he could replay this moment in his mind forever. He drew a shuddery breath, trying his best to calm down so he could say his own vows. Gaara laughed lightly, letting go of one of Lee’s hands to pull the handkerchief out of his pocket and dab at Lee’s wet eyes.
“I knew this would come in handy,” Gaara said. A small laugh went throughout the crowd. Lee joined them.
“Gaara, I love you, too. And I am so grateful that you love me,” Lee began.
“I have always admired your hard work and dedication to the things that mean the most to you. And I am so glad that I have become one of those things you are dedicated to. You have always gone the extra mile in our relationship. Knowing both of our backgrounds, it is hard for us to trust others. But you were willing to trust me. And that means so much.
“Gaara, I promise that I will always love you. I will always do my best to make you feel better when you are sad, and laugh with you when you are happy. I will be there for every hardship or celebration you experience. I promise to be there far past the golden stage of our youth. There is so much I could say, but I will end by saying that I promise to be your husband. I will dedicate my entire life to you. Thank you for being mine.”
Gaara smiled, dabbing once again at Lee’s still leaking eyes. “Of course,” he whispered.
They turned back to the officiant who smiled at them both. “As far as I am aware, there are no rings to be exchanged.”
Lee smiled, holding up his left hand and wiggling it. They both already had their rings on.
“Well then, I now pronounce you both to be married. You may kiss your husband.”
Lee turned to Gaara excitedly, his cheeks turning bright red at the thought of kissing in front of so many people. But, his embarrassment quickly dissolved as Gaara grabbed his suit, pulling him in for their first kiss as a married couple. Lee could hear Gai burst into sobs as the crowd cheered. He pulled back from Gaara, staring deeply into his eyes as his hand reached up to cup his cheek.
“We’re married,” Gaara said, his breath ghosting over Lee’s lips.
“We are!” Lee replied, grinning at Gaara. He pulled him back in for another deep kiss, breathing in the scent of his husband’s cologne. He pulled back, wrapping his arms around Gaara to give him a hug.
“I love you, Gaara.”
“I love you, too, Lee.”
They looked out at the crowd as they clapped. Lee grabbed Gaara’s hand, holding it up and waving to everyone. They continued to clap as he looked around at all of the people who loved and supported him. He had no idea how he had gotten so lucky.
Lee and Gaara walked back down the aisle, this time together. Tenten walked back down after them, holding Raito’s hand. She was followed by Kankuro and Neji, then Shikamaru, Temari, and Shikadai. Kakashi got up and wheeled Gai out. Finally, Lee and Gaara were able to walk out of the room, hands clasped tightly while smiling at each other. It was time for the reception.
“One second, Lee. I need to go get my things. I’ll meet you at the car,” Gaara said, letting go of Lee’s hand.
“No way,” Lee said, pulling Gaara in by the hips and kissing him on the neck. “I want to spend the entire day with you. I will come, too.”
Gaara laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling him along. “Okay then. Let’s go.”
They walked into a small room, similar to the one Lee had been waiting in. While Gaara grabbed his things, Lee stared into the big mirror on the opposite side. His cheeks were red and his eyes had grown slightly puffy, but he was smiling. Had been for the past few hours. His suit was only slightly rumpled, but everything else was perfect. Gaara walked up next to him, wrapping his arms around his waist and settling his cheek against his chest. He looked into the mirror and smiled.
“We look really great together,” Gaara said.
“We do. And now we are married! Can you believe it?” Lee asked, kissing Gaara on the head.
They stood for a few minutes longer, staring at each other in the mirror. Eventually, Lee pulled back, staring down at Gaara and tucking a hair behind his ear.
“We should probably go now, love. We do not want to be late to the reception.”
Gaara placed a gentle kiss on Lee’s lips. “It’s our wedding. We can arrive whenever we want.”
Lee laughed softly, then nudged Gaara to the door. They walked out hand in hand, making their way slowly to Lee’s car. He had been designated as the driver for the wedding and their honeymoon. Kankuro had been put in charge of Gaara’s car. Gaara was not thrilled about that fact. Everytime Kankuro borrowed the car, he returned it filled with fast food wrappers and energy drinks spilled on the seat. Hopefully that wouldn’t happen this time around.
Lee ran slightly ahead of Gaara, opening his door and gesturing inside excitedly. Once he had sat down, Lee raced to the other side of the car, sliding in and turning it on. Once he had reversed out of the space, he took Gaara’s hand, kissing the back of it over and over again, elated to finally be married. Minutes later, they pulled into the park where the skate program was held. This was where Gaara and Lee had first met. It had been an easy choice to have the reception there.
Lee hopped out of the car, rushing around to Gaara’s side and opening his door. He helped him out, locking the car as they walked to the large pavilion where people were all standing around. As they walked up, everyone clapped. Lee blushed, but smiled, looking back at Gaara who smiled somewhat tightly. The attention was starting to get to him, it seemed.
“Lee! Gaara! Congratulations. What a beautiful expression of youthful love,” Gai said, rolling up to them while Kakashi followed.
“Congrats, kids. We’re happy to have you part of the family, Gaara,” Kakashi said, grabbing Gai’s shoulder.
“Thank you both for allowing me to marry your son,” Gaara responded, squeezing Lee’s hand. Lee squeezed back, tearing up only minutes after he had calmed down. His parents met the world to him. It was a relief that Gaara got along with them so well.
Kakashi hugged them both, then allowed Gai to do the same.
“We’ll leave you kids alone now. Let us know if you need anything.” Gai smiled at them, then turned around. “Come, Kakashi! The dance floor awaits!”
“Gai, please don’t start,” Kakashi grumbled, following after him. Lee and Gaara laughed lightly. After that, they didn’t get a chance to get much further into the pavilion. People began to start crowding in a line behind the couple, eager to get their well wishes in. The first of which was Gaara’s foster dad, Baki. He and Lee had met a few times before, but they had never gotten to know each other very well. From what Gaara had told him, he was stern, but caring. He never opened up too much emotionally, but Gaara knew that he cared for him and his siblings. That was all that mattered in his opinion, especially seeing as his actual father was the exact opposite.
“Congratulations, Gaara. I am glad to see that you are so happy,” he said, his hands stiffly holding a glass of champagne. “Lee, I trust that you will take care of him?”
“Of course, sir. Thank you for coming.”
Baki stared at him for a few moments, then smiled at him tightly. “It was no problem. Though we don’t see each other often, Gaara and his siblings are my family. I am glad to see that they are in good hands.”
Lee smiled at him, then shook his hand. Tenten traipsed over to them, cutting in line with two drinks in her hand.
“Figured you guys would want something to drink while all of this is going on,” she said, gesturing to everyone behind her with one of the drinks. “Here, champagne for Gaara, sparkling punch for Lee.”
They both smiled and thanked her, then turned their attention to Kankuro and Neji who were both standing, slightly offended at being cut off.
“Hey, congrats little man!” Kankuro said, reaching up to rub Gaara’s head. Gaara swatted him away as best as he could with a drink in one hand and Lee’s in his other. “So, you guys bumping uglies tonight or what?”
Lee turned bright red and began chugging the drink Tenten had given him. Neji slapped Kankuro before Gaara could.
“Don’t listen to this idiot. Congratulations, guys. I’m really happy for you.”
“Thank you, Neji,” Lee managed to choke out. Gaara smiled and nodded. They chatted for a few minutes longer, then one of Kankuro’s favorite songs came on.
“C’mon, babe, let’s go dance!” he said, grabbing Neji’s hand and pulling him away. Sai stepped up, holding the hand of a small, blond child.
“Hello, Gaara. Lee.” He smiled tightly at both of them. “Inojin, please say hello.”
“Hello,” Inojin said, looking up at them. Sai had adopted him only months before. They were still getting used to the father and son roles, but from what Gaara and Lee had both heard, Sai was doing an amazing job.
“Congratulations on your marriage. You both deserve each other.”
“Thank you, Sai,” Lee said, pulling him into a tight hug. Sai stiffened. He still hadn’t quite gotten used to physical contact yet. As Sai talked to Gaara, Lee bent down to talk to Inojin.
“Hello, Inojin. How are you?”
“Tired,” he replied, staring blankly at Lee. Lee laughed, ruffling his short hair.
“Thank you for coming! I am so glad to see you here.”
“Sai made me come. But he said there would be cake, so I am happy to be here.” Inojin tugged on Sai’s pants. He stopped his conversation with Gaara and knelt down to his level.
“Yes?”
“Can we go dance? Shikadai is dancing with his parents and it looks like fun.”
Sai looked blankly over to where Temari and Shikamaru were holding Shikadai between them, kissing his cheeks at the same time. He looked back down to Inojin.
“Sure. Let’s go.”
He stood, smiling and nodding at Gaara and Lee before walking over to where Shikadai and his family were dancing. Sai greeted them, then picked Inojin up, dancing stiffly. Inojin didn’t seem to mind, though. He was having a blast.
Lee was torn from the heart warming scene when a sudden flash of pink threw itself at him. He felt strong arms wrap around him. Sakura.
“Lee, congratulations! You look so handsome, I’m so proud of you!” she pulled back, socking him in the arm as she placed her other hand on her hip. “Gaara, you look great, too! Congrats!”
She threw herself around him, overwhelming him slightly as he patted her back with one arm. “Thank you for coming, Sakura.”
As she let go, and Lee’s other coworkers stepped forward, Lee put his arm around Gaara. He was worried that he was getting a little overwhelmed, but wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t want to walk away from everyone in line, but he also wanted to make sure that Gaara was enjoying himself. Luckily, Temari had noticed their little predicament. She walked over, putting herself in front of the next person in line as Lee’s coworkers walked away.
“Guys, I think it’s time to have your first dance. Let’s go.”
She grabbed both of their hands, pulling them toward the dance floor as Lee smiled at the people in line apologetically. She plopped them in a more secluded area.
“I thought we weren’t dancing until later,” Gaara said, leaning into Lee.
“It’s not actually time for your dance yet. I just figured you guys could use a break. Want a drink?”
“Yes please,” Gaara said hurriedly. Temari smirked, then ruffled his hair.
“I haven’t congratulated you yet, have I, squirt?” She pulled him in for a hug. “Well, congrats. I’m glad you have Lee. You already know how proud I am of you, right?”
Gaara nodded into her shoulder, breathing deeply. She let go, then hugged Lee, giving him the same well wishes. She then stepped away to get their drinks.
“Are you okay, Gaara?” Lee asked softly, rubbing his back.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just starting to get a little overwhelmed,” he replied, smiling at Lee.
Lee nodded. “I am sorry. We will sit here for a while. This party is for us, after all. Since we are married now,” he said in a sing-songy voice. He held up his left hand, showing Gaara his ring for the millionth time, a reminder of their relationship. They kissed softly, then Gaara rested his head on Lee’s shoulder. Temari walked up with the same glasses Tenten had brought earlier.
“Here you go, guys. Take a few more minutes, then we’ll do your first dance, okay?”
They mumbled their thank you’s, then slowly sipped on their drinks. A while later, the song changed, playing the soft melody that Gaara had played when he had proposed to Lee. It was time for their dance.
“Are you ready, love? Would you like to wait longer?” Lee asked, his eyebrows scrunched in concern. “If you would like, we could skip it altogether.”
Gaara smiled and shook his head. “I wouldn’t miss our first dance for the world, Lee. Let’s go.”
Lee smiled at Gaara, offering his hand out. Gaara took it, setting his empty glass on the ground next to Lee’s. They walked into the middle of the large area, everyone around them growing quiet as Gaara held Lee’s hips. They swayed together slowly, enjoying each other’s closeness in spite of everyone around them. It was the first time they had slow danced since Gaara had proposed at the cactus garden. It made Lee thankful that Gaara rarely wanted to dance like this. It felt all that more special.
After they had danced, the rest of the night was filled with talking to people and enjoying moments together whenever they could. Hinata had made their wedding cake and they enjoyed it together, taking a few minutes to sit with their family. Lee looked around at all of the people he loved, his heart swelling in gratitude, not for the first time that night, and definitely not the last.
Once the sun had set and people started going home, it was finally time for Lee and Gaara to leave. Lee had wanted to stay to help clean up, but everyone forced them out, ensuring them that they would get their gifts home safely and clean everything. He was almost glad. Gaara was getting sleepy, and the temptation to just hold him in his arms was growing stronger. Lee gave everyone a hug, kissing Shikadai and Tenten on the forehead, then lifted Gaara up, carrying him to his car as he left.
After opening Gaara’s door, Lee walked over to his own, sliding inside and sitting next to his husband. They drove back to the hotel, talking softly as they spent their first night as a married couple. As they slept that night, Gaara lay on Lee’s chest. He cried, so happy to finally be married. He had been so lucky to find Gaara and he couldn’t believe that he was lucky enough to make him his spouse.
They left for the beach the next morning to finally start their honeymoon, renting a small house near the shore. They put puzzles together, made breakfast together, and played in the sand. Lee had saved all of the money he had earned from winning the championship and put it toward their time away. It was relaxing and just what the two needed. Even though Lee loved meeting new people, they kept to themselves. And Lee was fine with that. All he needed was Gaara.
Everything they had been through had turned out to be worth it. And no matter what happened, it would always be okay. Lee had Gaara, and Gaara had Lee. For the rest of their lives, they would be together. Through every challenge, anxiety, celebration, and mundane moment, they had each other.
And nothing could ever change that.
The end.