Work Text:
“Lee, you’re knocking my canvas around,” Gaara said, setting his paint brush aside as Lee’s leg continued to bounce up and down.
“What? Oh, sorry!” he replied as Gaara placed his hand on Lee’s thigh. He had one paint brush tucked behind his ear, the white paint on the bristles coating some of the strands on his bowlcut. Gaara plucked the paintbrush from it’s resting place and ran his fingers through Lee’s hair, attempting to get the paint out. Satisfied he had gotten most of it out, he leaned back into his chair, picking up his wine glass. Lee also had a glass, though his was filled with cranberry juice in order to keep the both of them safe from the deadly Drunken Fist.
It was Gaara’s turn to pick the activity for date night, much to Lee’s disappointment. He loved spending time with Gaara, but he always picked activities that required staying still. Activities such as museums, tea houses, and meditating in Suna’s cactus gardens. Lee didn’t really mind the meditating as much, but knowing Gaara was sitting right next to him when they could be doing other activities was rather distracting. Normally he preferred sparring or a simple home cooked meal on the nights he got to pick their date.
But tonight it was Gaara’s turn and he had decided that they would paint. They sat on Suna’s border overlooking the village, the expanse of the city stretching beneath them. They had arrived late that afternoon to sketch out the scenery before the sun started setting, producing the colors they wanted. Gaara began to paint as the flat skyline ahead of him began turning a warm orange with the faintest hint of purple at the edges.
Gaara’s brush soothingly scratched on the surface of his canvas as he began to paint his beloved village. Even though he didn’t paint very often, he loved the quiet peace of the activity and the opportunity to immortalize his home in paint. As he began to dip his brush in yellow, Lee jumped up from his chair.
“I am sorry, Gaara. I cannot concentrate any longer. I was not able to train for the full ten hours today. I still have too much energy,” he said, pacing slightly as he did so.
“From what I remember, you got stuck doing paperwork, correct?” Gaara asked, leaning in closer to his painting as he concentrated on smooth, fluid lines.
“Yes! I do not know how you do it all day, I would go absolutely insane.” Lee dropped to the ground and began doing push ups. His arms pumped faster and faster, his regular speed not driving his energy out fast enough. As he paused to switch to one armed press ups, he suddenly felt a weight on his back. He craned his neck backwards to see Gaara sitting there, legs crossed and sitting on Lee.
“Er, Gaara. What are you doing? The sun is setting and your painting will be ruined,” Lee said, holding his body as stiff as a board in order to not jostle his boyfriend.
“It’s date night. We spend time together. If I need to adjust my preferred activity slightly, then so be it.” Gaara took a sip from his wine glass and folded his arms.
“But what about your paint--“
“I didn’t come out here to paint, Lee, I came out here to watch the sunset with you and unwind. Painting helps me relax and get out my nervous energy, much like training does for you. But if it’s not beneficial for both of us, it’s not worth it. Now,” he said, pausing slightly to look down at Lee, “turn those tears into sweat and get on with it.”
Gaara smirked down at Lee, his tone playful and light. Lee shifted his weight onto one arm and wiped away stray tears. After collecting himself, he restarted his push ups, this time with a precious weight on his back.
After a hundred pushups, and after Gaara had drained his glass, Lee heard an exaggerated sigh from behind him.
“I seem to remember you being better at these…” Gaara crooned. His hand was pressed into Lee’s upper back, pushing in slightly as he smoothed it over his shoulder. His body followed the motion until he was fully stretched out laying on his stomach over Lee. He smiled, breathing deeply. He continued the pushups, even faster than before as the sun continued to set.
“Nine hundred ninety eight… Nine hundred ninety nine… one thousand!” Lee fully straightened his arms one last time and held it there. Gaara, now hanging his head over Lee’s shoulder, kissed his ear.
“Can we paint now?” he asked.
“Yes, I think I will be able to hold still now. But first…” Lee reached behind him, gently tugging Gaara’s arm. He toppled onto the soft sand next to Lee who quickly placed himself over him in the same pushup position. He dipped his arms down, placing a kiss on Gaara’s lips. He bent to do so again, but his arms gave out causing him to fall on top of Gaara.
“Gaara, I am so sorry! It looks like I may have overdone it…” Lee said, scrambling to get off of him. Gaara pulled him back down, wrapping his arms around his back. After holding him for a few moments, he pulled back and kissed Lee on the forehead. Lee laughed and stood up, pulling Gaara with him. The sun was almost fully below the horizon now. They sat and finished painting, this time adding much more purple and blue to the previous brilliant orange. Once finished, they walked hand in hand back to their home. The paintings were left forgotten on the kitchen counter as Gaara pulled Lee away to do his second favorite activity; making out in Gaara’s office.
He hung their paintings in his office the next day. They were sloppy and didn’t even compare to the beauty that was Suna. But Gaara didn’t care because what it really signified was another day spent with Lee.