Archive of Our Own

“May I have this next dance?”

Gaara sighed, not even looking at the person he could feel standing behind him. He felt exhaustion seep into his bones when his brother snickered. He knew Kankuro was enjoying his misfortune of having to constantly reject person after person that came up to him to ask for a dance. He’s lost track of how many people have asked at this point, it had been a few hours since the party - that was celebrating their victory in the war and the alliance of the villages - started.

Honestly, he didn’t think people would fall in love with just a speech. He was only hoping to bring everyone onto the same page not to have admirers. Yet, here he was: crushing his many admirer’s hopes when they finally gathered the courage to ask him to dance. If he wasn’t so tired from the whirlwind of events that have happened since the end of the war, he would have had more sympathy. But he was tired, so he had no sympathy. 

With another sigh, he thought of a way to politely reject this person. As he did, he narrowed his eyes at Kankuro to get him to stop laughing. Naturally, it didn’t work and Kankuro only laughed harder. He patted Gaara on the shoulder before drawing his eyes to the person behind Gaara. He quickly stopped laughing then, his mouth snapping shut and his eyes widening. Gaara didn’t have the chance to feel confused before Kankuro gripped his shoulders with both hands. 

“Yes,” he quickly announced, spinning Gaara around and shoving him toward the person, “he would love to dance with you.”

Immediately, Gaara opened his mouth to argue…only for him to close it when he made eye contact with familiar black, round eyes. He didn't know what to think when he found Lee standing there, his hand extended toward Gaara. He hadn’t even recognized Lee’s voice. Was he that tired? 

“I…Lee,” he greeted, trying not to reveal how taken aback he was by the sight of Lee. “How great it is to see you.”

“You as well, Gaara-kun,” Lee responded, grinning. “It has been too long.”

“Yes…it has.”

Except, it hadn’t really. 

Gaara last saw Lee a few hours back, at the start of the party. They ran into each other at the entrance and took the time to catch up after not having seen each other for a week since the war. They conversed for half an hour before Lee was whisked away by someone who wanted a dance. Gaara hasn’t been able to talk to Lee since then as Lee became a popular dance partner of the night. He was asked to dance song after song, leaving Gaara no chance to talk to him. 

It made sense, seeing as he was a student of Guy, who was known as a great dancer. Naturally, he passed this on to his team and they earned the same reputation. The trio were always popular dancing partners for any celebration that had music. 

It really did make sense…but that didn’t make Gaara any less happy about not being able to talk to Lee more. They didn’t have a chance to see each other since Gaara had to deal with the aftermath of the war as Kazekage. So, he had planned to use this day to spend as much time with Lee before he couldn’t for an indefinite amount of time. It didn’t help his ever-growing affection for the leaf shinobi but he didn’t care, he liked being around Lee. That meant he wasn’t about to lose his chance. 

With a smile, he placed his hand in Lee’s. It answered Lee’s previous question as well as told the whole party that he was Lee’s chosen partner for this round. He tried not to laugh when he could hear the whispered disappointments of a group of women watching them (Lee) from a few feet away. Instead, he kept silent as he allowed Lee to escort him onto the dance floor. He ignored Kankuro’s teasing look on his back all the while. 

He kept his eyes on Lee as he was brought somewhat to the middle of the dance floor. He stopped when Lee did, turning to him. He barely noticed the couples dancing around him, as a song still played, his attention taken away by the bright smile Lee wore. He smiled back, stepping closer to Lee. He made sure to keep a respectable distance between them, though, since eyes were wandering toward them. He knew they were drawing attention due to his earlier refusals. Everyone was probably surprised the Kazekage had finally decided to dance after hours of saying no to everyone who asked. He was beginning to regret that decision as whispers began to form. He caught words of confusion and questions wondering how important Lee was to him to be able to get him to dance. He ignored all of it, starting a conversation as he waited for the song to end.

“I should warn you,” he began, his smile turning teasing, “I might just break your toes.”

“Oh?” Lee said, laughing. “And why is that?”

“I’m not a great dancer…I don’t think I could even be considered good.”

“I am sure you are good!” Lee laughed again, shaking his head in amusement. “And you cannot be worse than Naruto-kun.”

“Have you seen me dance?”

“Have you seen him dance?”

“That’s…fair.” Gaara laughed when Lee did. “Well, you can decide who’s worse when we’re done.”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

Satisfied with that, Gaara nodded just as the song came to an end. He shook out his free hand, his other still in Lee’s grasp, and forced his body to relax as he prepared to dance. He wasn’t that worried, to be honest. All the songs were upbeat. Technically, anything could be considered dancing as long as you and your partner were in sync. He figured he could follow Lee’s lead as Lee dragged him all over the room to the fast musi-

He froze when a soft, slow melody began to fill the room. 

Quickly, couples all around him held each other close, closer than he was comfortable with. His mouth became dry as he stared at Lee, not sure how to proceed. He had already agreed to dance this song but he didn’t expect it to be a slow one. He had expected it to be fast, something anyone could dance to. All the previous songs had been that way, so why…?

He got his answer when he looked at the band playing in confusion. He nearly sent his sand out for blood when he saw Kankuro standing by them. There was a wide, smug grin on his face as he winked at Gaara. Temari stood beside him, both her hands giving him a thumbs up as she encouragingly smiled. It wasn’t helping the whispers around them that began to multiply at all the circumstances that were way too convenient to be coincidental.

Gaara’s never hated his siblings more than at that moment.

“Do you wish to lead?” Lee asked, raising their combined hands. “Or do you wish for me to?”

“I…you,” Gaara answered, moving his eyes away from his siblings. He stopped glaring when his eyes met Lee. Instead, he hesitantly smiled at Lee. “I’ve never…uh, I’ve never slow danced before…”

“That is alright!” Lee gave Gaara a reassuring look, placing a hand on his waist. “Just follow my lead!”

Gaara nodded, feeling his palms begin to sweet. His smile dropped when Lee stared at him in expectation. He wasn’t sure why. Panicking, he glanced at another couple swinging by to see what he was supposed to be doing. He quickly realized what Lee was waiting for when he saw their positioning. 

He wet his lips as he, tentatively, placed his hand on Lee’s shoulder. His fingers curled into the smooth fabric of the green suit when Lee immediately drew him closer in response. His face was only a few inches from Lee’s, now. His breath hitched when he realized how easily he could lean the rest of the way to press his lips against Lee’s. That’s all he could think about as Lee began to move. Vaguely, he felt his body react as Lee’s hand on his waist guided him along. 

He moved in sync with Lee as they flowed along the dance floor. Some part of him registered the fact that everyone was beginning to clear the floor for them. It was pushed to the back of his mind for him to worry about later, though. He didn’t care to be focused on it, not when Lee was looking at him with such a joyous expression. He could feel a warmth burst from his chest at the look. It spread quickly, engulfing his whole body until he was sure he was back in Suna. He felt like he was under the hot sun and hallucinating from the heat. That must be why he thought they were the only two people in the world, entirely meant to find each other. 

“You are doing good,” Lee said in a soft voice, a small smile on his face, “Gaara-kun.”

Gaara gasped, Lee’s words bringing him back to reality and reminding him to breathe. He hadn’t noticed until then how his lungs began to burn in protest from the lack of air. He ignored Lee’s concerned gaze as he took deep breaths of air. With each breath he took, he felt his senses return to him. No longer was everything hazy, an afterthought in his mind. It all became clear to him and, suddenly, they weren't alone. They never were, it just took him a minute to remember that.

He bit his lip as the eyes on them became prominent, piercing his skin. He couldn’t ignore them now. The pinprick feelings of millions of eyes trying to peer into his head were too obvious. He could feel the gazes cut over his skin as if they were trying to tear him apart to get their answers hidden somewhere in the depths of his heart.

Why are you dancing with him, Gaara, when you denied everyone else? 

He could feel the question be carved into his skin letter by letter with each new set of eyes that fell onto them. 

Why are you letting him dance so intimately with you? 

His grip tightened around Lee’s hand and shoulder, his own shoulders tensing. He felt the rest of his body follow its lead and tense up, making him way too stiff to dance properly.  

You know you wouldn’t let anyone else do the same, not even Naruto.

He faltered, taking the wrong step and accidentally squashing Lee’s foot under his shoe. He winced at the mistake. 

What does that mean…what does he mean to you, Gaara?

Lee didn’t say anything, however. He kept his eyes on Gaara, a frown beginning to form on his face. Not of pain or annoyance or anything of that sort…of worry. He was worried about Gaara, for Gaara.

Lee, he…

Gaara stared into Lee’s eyes, wondering when they became close enough for Lee to easily know what he was feeling. He never noticed before but that always happened. Lee was always able to tell what Gaara felt, if he was nervous or uncomfortable or overjoyed. No matter how much he tried to hide it, Lee could always tell when everyone else would be deceived. 

…he means…

Even more than that, Gaara wondered when he stopped seeing Lee as a friend and started seeing him as so much more. When did he begin to love Lee?

…everything to me.

Was it when Lee forgave him for everything he did as a child, even almost destroying his dream? Was it when they fought against Kimimaro and Lee threw himself in front of Gaara, not hesitating to give his life for someone he barely knew and that was once an enemy? Was it when Lee rushed to help Gaara save his student without any hesitation and promised to always be there if Gaara ever needed help? Was it when Lee sent him a letter to update him on a plant Gaara had given him, which started their frequent letters between each other, talking about anything and everything? Was it when Gaara woke after dying and Lee was the first person he saw after Naruto, holding him tight as he sobbed, “never do that to me again, Gaara-kun?” Was it when they fought together against Madara, not even needing to speak as they kept the other safe? 

Rock Lee means the world to me because I love him. 

Was it any of what he listed or none of it? Was it a single moment or multiple? Had it come out of nowhere or was it a gradual buildup? Had…was… when had admiration for a friend turned into love for the entirety of a single person?

I don’t just like him, it isn’t something as childish as a crush. I really do love him, I would do anything for him, just as I know he’d do for me. 

Gaara didn’t know, couldn’t recall when like turned to love. He had been in love with Lee for way too long to remember a time when he wasn’t. It was an emotion that always felt like it was there…and, perhaps, it always had been. 

I love him, I love him, I love him…and I want to tell him. I want to say, to tell the whole world so everyone knows, “I love you, Rock Lee,”…but I can’t.

He was too scared to.

He never wanted to lose Lee’s friendship, to lose Lee. He couldn't risk admitting his feelings. He knew that the people who knew, such as his siblings and Naruto, supported him and encouraged him to confess but…not everyone was the same way. Especially not the council of Suna. Who knew what they would do when they found out he was in love with Lee, a leaf shinobi and a male. He didn’t want to put Lee in any danger or through any problems that could be avoided if he kept his mouth shut. 

So, he did what he always did when it came to certain matters of his heart. He threw it into a box, closing and locking it before pushing it to the back of his mind. Way past every emotion, every memory, every thought he would ever have. Far enough that he knew it would never be found, not even by himself. That meant this horde of people couldn't dig it out, no matter how hard they tried. Their gazes may have been sharp but they weren’t sharp enough to get past the iron fortress he has long since built around his heart. 

He relaxed, knowing his secret was safe. 

“I’ve told you, Lee,” Gaara quietly said, perfectly flowing with Lee again. He smiled, pretending he had never had a near breakdown over the extent of his love for Lee. “You can just call me, ‘Gaara.’”

“...right,” Lee softly replied, nodding as he relented to Gaara’s unspoken wish of brushing the odd behavior off, “I apologize… Gaara.”

Gaara didn’t even react when he felt his heart jump to his throat at the tender whisper of his name. He was able to easily ignore the feeling, a gentle laugh blowing past his lips. “That’s better.”

“Is it?”

“Yes, we’ve been through so much together…it’s nice to finally hear you drop the honorific.” 

“I suppose.” Lee chuckled, a deep noise that Gaara could feel resound in his chest. “It is just as nice to see you smile.”

“Thank you.” Gaara couldn't even feel the eyes on them anymore as Lee twirled him under his arm. “So, how is my dancing?”

Lee laughed as he brought Gaara close again, even closer than before. “As I thought; better than Naruto-kun!”

Gaara hummed, his eyes falling closed. He didn’t need to see, he trusted Lee enough to guide him. He merely wanted to embrace this moment. He may have hidden his romantic feelings once more but that didn’t mean he had to hide his enjoyment of being around a dear friend. He loved all his friends, he could pretend that was also how he loved Lee. He’s done it for years and had yet to be caught.

“May I ask you something, Gaara?” Lee suddenly asked, his hand sliding to rest along the curve of Gaara’s back.

“You just did,” Gaara teased, ignoring the way his heart raced at the more intimate touch. He opened his eyes when Lee didn’t respond, softly laughing when he saw Lee’s pout. “I’m kidding, Lee…of course, you can.”

“...thank you.” Lee smiled, his eyes wandering somewhere over Gaara’s shoulder. “You’re too kind.”

“Sure.” Gaara inspected Lee, wondering why he suddenly looked nervous. “Now, what did you want to ask?”

“I…”

“Yes?”

“...what…did you dream of?”

“...what?” 

“With the Infinite Tsukuyomi…what did you dream about?”

Gaara tilted his head. “Why…do you want to know?”

“...”

“...Lee?”

“...I am only curious.” Lee shrugged as if he was trying to be casual (which he was failing at). “You do not have to answer if you do not want to.”

“No, I…” Gaara glanced at their combined hands. He didn’t know if Lee realized his grip was becoming tight as if he was scared of something. He wondered what. “It wasn’t anything extravagant…I dreamt of my family.”

“Is that so?”

Gaara nodded. “I was younger and my parents were alive…we were all happy as we talked before there was a knock on our door.”

“A knock?”

“Yes,” Gaara smiled as he remembered a familiar person grinning at him as they held out their hand in invitation, “y- Naruto had come to play with me. I remember having a lot of fun playing house before I woke up.”

“Ah…I see.” Lee's smile widened. It looked forced. “Naruto-kun, huh?”

No…it was you.

But Gaara couldn't say that for the same reason he couldn’t say his true feelings for Lee. So, he tried to move the conversation along, not wanting to go down that train of thought again. He hummed as Lee spun him around again, asking, “what did you dream of?”

He didn’t expect Lee to halt abruptly. He wasn’t prepared either. He crashed into Lee’s chest, the momentum of his spins not having quite diminished for him to be able to stop in time. He took a step back, resting a hand against his nose. It slightly hurt from the harsh collision. He stared up at Lee, beginning to feel worried when he found Lee staring back with an out-of-character expression of cold indifference. 

“Lee?” He called, taking a step forward. He didn't know what to feel when Lee quickly took a step back. “What’s wr-?”

“The song is over,” Lee interrupted, bowing. “Thank you for this dance, Gaara, I had the best time.”

Gaara didn’t even notice when the song finished. “Oh, I…yes, thank you…too...” 

He trailed off since Lee was already walking away. He kept his eyes on Lee’s back, not noticing when his siblings raced up to him with big smirks and thousands of questions about what happened. He barely heard their voices as he watched Lee walk away from him, heading toward the exit. He saw Tenten rush to Lee’s side, looking worried as she placed her hand on his arm. Lee didn’t turn to her, though, he kept walking. 

That was all Gaara saw before another song started and his view of the duo was blocked. The loud, upbeat music broke him out of his trance. He jerked forward, racing after Lee much to his siblings' confusion. He ignored their calls of his name as he weaved between all the couples dancing. 

Just as he broke through the crowd and saw a flash of green, a hand grabbed his, pulling him back into the crowd. Then, he was turned around with such an immense amount of force that he spun multiple times. His vision blurred and he stumbled, not prepared for such a move. 

When his vision cleared and he was stable on his feet, he found himself face-to-face with his best friend. Naruto wore a wide grin, his face flushed from the joy of the party. It was an amazing sight…but not the one that Gaara wanted to see, at the moment. He quickly looked over his shoulder, eyes scanning for that familiar shade of green. He frowned when he couldn’t find it.

“Gaara, dance with me next!”

Gaara looked back at Naruto and forced a smile, trying to push down the worry consuming him for the sake of his best friend’s much-deserved joy.

“Sure, Naruto.”

.

.

.

After another five dances with Naruto, which were more laughing and swinging around each other than dancing - Lee was right about Naruto not being the greatest of dancers - Gaara finally got the chance to chase after Lee. He had asked Tenten and his friends and looked around for nearly an hour before he finally found Lee on the roof of the building. 

Lee sat on the railings of it, staring out into the dark horizon with a dazed expression. Gaara frowned at the sight, knowing that whatever Lee was thinking about wasn’t good thoughts. The tight grip Lee had on the railings said enough.

He sighed, walking over to Lee with a call of his name. His frown deepened when Lee didn’t even twitch, only continued to stare in a trance. He huffed, placing his elbows on the railing and leaning against them. He looked to his left and up at Lee. He inspected Lee, noting the melancholy tint to his eyes. He examined Lee for a few moments, only seeing that, before trying again with a louder more stressed call of his name. 

Lee did flinch that time, his eyes snapping to his right at Gaara. They widened when they caught sight of him before quickly returning to normal size. Lee relaxed, his grip loosening on the railing. He looked much less tense as he forced a laugh, saying, “oh, Gaara-ku- Gaara…I apologize, I did not see you there.”

“Yes,” Gaara replied, giving Lee a pointed look, “I could tell.”

Lee forced another laugh, which sounded more nervous this time, as he looked away. He drew his eyes up, craning his head back to stare at the sky. “What…brings you here?”

“I wanted to know what you were doing.”

“Merely doing some stargazing…it is quite beautiful out here!”

Gaara didn’t take his eyes off Lee, not caring about the stars. “What’s wrong, Lee?”

“Nothing.”

Gaara huffed, placing his hands on the railing. He jumped over it, settling right next to Lee. Once he was sitting comfortably beside Lee, his legs dangling, he moved one foot to nudge Lee’s. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“I...know…”

“Then?”

“I just…”

“...is this about…Neji?”

“...well, yes,” Lee sighed, closing his eyes, “but also no.”

“What does that mean?” Gaara tilted his head, ignoring the warm feeling of his hand pressing right against Lee’s. “How can it be about him but also not be?”

“...there was a lot more that happened that night that affected me as much as his death.”

Gaara felt something click in his mind when he recalled their earlier conversation. “This is about the Infinite Tsukuyomi.” He knew he got it right when Lee’s grip tightened around the railings again. He sighed. “Lee, those were just drea-”

“No…they were our deepest desires.”

“So?” Gaara huffed, nudging his foot against Lee’s again in an (awful) attempt at comfort. “We already know our deepest desires, yourself included…what has affected you so much if that’s the case?” 

“I…my dream has just made me reconsider some things.”

“Such…as?”

“...what my true dream is.” 

“What?” Gaara’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

Lee opened his eyes, the stars reflecting in the black orbs and only amplifying his pensive expression. “All my life, I have wanted to show the world that I could be a powerful shinobi without ninjutsu or genjutsu-”

“Which you have and are.”

“...yes.” Lee smiled, a puff of laughter emitting from him. “Well, that is what I always said my ambition was. I expected my dream to reflect that…and it did. At first.”

“‘At first?’” Gaara leaned closer, curious about how a dream about desires could make someone question themselves so much. “Did your dream change?”

“It…yes, it did.”

“What did you dream of next, then?”

“I dreamt that I was married to…s-someone.” Lee coughed, a red hue appearing on his cheeks. “We…we had a family and I remember being so happy…I did not know that that was my deepest desire.”

“To have a family?”

Lee shook his head. “To be with them.”

Gaara felt his heart stutter in his chest. “I see.”

“I was only so happy because I was with them, yet…”

“‘Yet?’”

“This person…I have never thought of them in such a way before.” Lee brought his hands to his lap, looking down at them. He fiddled with them as his face turned a darker shade of red. “I always saw them as a close friend, not someone I want to spend the rest of my life with…that is why I am so…”

“Confused?”

“...yes.” Lee sighed, shoulders slumping as he stopped playing with his hands. “Not on my emotions, though. I spent the whole week debating on how I feel about them. I tried to see if I truly felt such an attraction to them.”

Gaara held his breath, making an unforgivable prayer in his mind. “And?”

“...I realize, now, my true feelings for them. When I saw them today, I knew…I knew that I do love them.”

“Oh.” Gaara felt his heart drop. “Oh, I…oh.”

“I am confused about what to do next, now that I know.”

Gaara didn’t know how to respond. He was surprised to hear Lee talk so passionately about his romantic feelings for someone. That’s why his thoughts weren’t working properly, so he was at a loss for a response. Even if he did have one, his heart was stuck in his throat and would prevent him from speaking it. 

He couldn’t help the feeling, too unprepared about Lee’s sudden declaration of love to someone that wasn’t him. He felt his heart begin to shatter as he fully processed this. He swallowed, shoving his heart back into its proper place, the broken shards going with it and creating deep, fictitious gashes along his throat on the way. He bit his lip, not wanting any sound wretched from his broken heart to be accidentally heard.

“What…do you think I should do, Gaara?” Lee asked, looking on the verge of tears. “You always know what to do.”

Gaara was on the verge of tears himself. He looked away from Lee, deciding to stare up at the stars now. He couldn’t help but internally laugh when he saw one shoot by. It reminded him of all the times he would look out of his office window on the days when his love for Lee overtook his every thought. He would stare up at the night sky and pray for a shooting star so he could wish upon it that Lee would, one day, return his feelings. But he never got one…of course, when he finally did, it was too late.

He closed his eyes, deeply inhaling. He berated himself for ever following Lee. If he never had, he wouldn’t be in this conversation. He wouldn’t have to tell Lee to go be with someone else. He didn’t want Lee to be with someone else, wouldn’t be able to stand it…but, even more than that, he wouldn’t be able to stand Lee not being happy. He knew he would quickly give up his heart if it meant Lee would forever be happy. That’s why he hated this whole situation and hated himself more for what he was about to do. 

“I think…you should confess,” Gaara whispered, the words hurting as they dragged along his scratched throat when he forced them out with an exhale. “Tell them…tell them you’re…in love with them.”

“...you believe I should?” Lee asked.

“Yes.” Gaara forced a smile, desperately trying to keep his tears at bay. “It’s not good to hide your feelings.”

“I suppose that is true…yes, I should tell them.”

“Good.”

“Thank you, Gaara.”

Gaara nodded, opening his eyes. He looked back down at Lee. He found Lee with a small smile on his face as he stared at his hands. It was the smallest smile Gaara’s ever seen on him but it screamed louder than any of his other smiles. His heart contorted at the knowledge such a fond look was for someone else and would never be for him. He couldn't help but think that was…funny. He almost wanted to laugh when he realized millions of people could try and try to get him to react and he wouldn’t flinch…but Rock Lee didn’t even have to try for him to feel like crying his heart out at the thought of him being in love with someone that wasn’t Gaara.

How funny.

“When will you tell them?” Gaara asked, wanting to know how much time he had to prepare himself for heartache.

“I…do not know,” Lee answered, running a hand through his hair. “I will tell them…but I do not know when since I do not know what their reaction would be.”

“Probably joy.” Gaara knew he would be overwhelmed with delight if Lee ever said he loved him. “They’ll be happy if you confess.”

“...I do not think so.”

“Why not?”

“I…am not anything special.” Lee shrugged, his smile falling. “I do not think they would like someone like me to have such feelings for them.”

“‘Someone like you?’” Gaara scoffed, feeling offended for Lee. He may have lost his chance to confess to Lee but that didn’t mean he still couldn’t express some of what he felt. “You mean someone who is kind, dedicated, strong, hard-working, and an overall wonderful person?” He shuffled over until he sat with his shoulder pressed right against Lee’s. Call him selfish but he wanted to enjoy this moment alone with Lee before Lee would be too busy with his partner for him. “Don’t talk down on yourself, you’re one of the most amazing people I know…anyone would be lucky to be with you, Lee.”

A smile stretched Lee’s mouth. “You are too kind, Gaara.” 

“And you’re too hard on yourself.” Gaara felt his smile become genuine at the sight. “You may think you’re not enough…but I think you’re perfect.”

“...thank you.” Lee laughed, finally looking at Gaara. “That makes me happy.”

“I’m glad.” Gaara reached a hand out to brush Lee’s bangs to the side. A small part of him felt like a hypocrite as he did, upset that he told Lee to reveal his feelings while he stubbornly continued to hide his own. “I like when you’re happy.”

Lee didn’t respond. He stared at Gaara, cocking his head. He moved his gaze to Gaara’s hand, where the tips of his fingers remained resting against his face. He stared for a few beats before he drew his eyes back to Gaara. Soon, another thoughtful expression appeared on his face. 

It was then that Gaara wondered if he crossed a line. He wasn’t the biggest fan of contact but Lee was always an exception. He made sure to have some form of contact with Lee, wanting to feel close to him…but perhaps now it wasn’t welcomed since Lee was thinking about confessing to someone else. 

Ignoring another throb of pain from his heart, he slowly retracted his hand, asking, “is something wron-?” 

“Gaara,” Lee interrupted, grinning.

Gaara glanced at Lee’s hand when it caught his wrist in a firm hold, preventing him from taking it back. “Lee?”

“You are…truly the kindest person in the world.” 

“No, I…”

Gaara trailed off when Lee turned his head to press a kiss against his inner wrist. He rapidly blinked in surprise, his heart beginning to beat faster. Lee’s never done such a thing before. It wasn’t something normally done between friends. It was way too intimate for it to be causally done between friends. 

He could feel his face flood with warmth at the thought. He opened his mouth…rather uselessly, really, since his words got caught in his throat when Lee whispered against his wrist.

“That is only one of the thousands of reasons why I have come to love you, Sabaku no Gaara.”