Sands of Change

Disclaimer: I still don't say I own Naruto.

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It had been a few days since Lee's arrival and he had been greeted heartily by many of the Sand village's citizens. Everybody had stopped him in the streets as he walked by and the leaf nin felt very welcome.

Now if only the Kazekage would stop acting like Lee had contracted the plague and actually stop avoiding him.

"He's not in there. I'm sorry." A guard at the tower's entrance stated, his spear blocking Lee's way.

"If he is not... I'm sure you won't mind me waiting up there for him." Lee said reasonably.

"I'm sorry, sir. But his orders were that no one is allowed up there during his absence."

"Then there's no reason to stop me. I know he's up there." Lee crossed his arms, determination setting his thick brows.

"Please sir," The second guard spoke up, "He's not in the best of moods..."

Lee flashed a tilted grin as he declared, "I'm not afraid."

Gently pushing aside their spears, Lee opened the door and began his trek up the spiraling steps. He was surprised when they didn't further try to subdue him, but not as much as they were surprised someone would even try to confront the Kazekage at a time like this.

Reaching the top, Lee wasn't greeted by the ordinarily closed double doors. One was left slightly open, revealing nothing of the darkness within. Though his eyes could see nothing, his trained ears caught the slightest movement within. Someone was inside the room.

Almost hesitating at the door, Lee hardened his resolve and called out, "Gaara...?"

"Don't be a fool..." A voice was heard from within the room, "I could kill you..."

The voice was so... cold. But it had hints within that yes, this voice did belong to the so-called monster named Gaara. Of course, no one called him a monster anymore. Not since he saved the village. But there were still times when people doubted he was fully sane.

Times when the Kazekage would fall into lapses that brought him closer to the demon within. Closer to madness and the darkness that wished to consume him...

Ignoring the warning, Lee strode boldly into the room, not even waiting to push the door fully open as he slipped inside. Now he, too, was inside the shadows, though his form was outlined by what little light lay back outside the open door.

"Gaara, why have you been avoiding me?" Lee asked.

The first thing the leaf-nin noticed was the pitch darkness of the room. Something heavy must've been covering the windows, for Lee couldn't even see his own hand before his face. There was also a slight shifting. A trickling sound.

Like sand was sliding along every inch of the room.

When there was no reply, Lee stopped in what he believed to be the middle of the room, his arms crossing as he continued, "I know you've been following me."

Lee thought of the times he was out training, his sweat-covered body stripped down to his pants as he strengthened his muscles. He could feel eyes on him the whole time, but whenever he'd turn around, the presence would disappear.

"I know you've been close."

At this, memories of starting awake in his single room emerged. Moments where he'd felt like something had brushed across his chest or even his lips. Like last night.

But no one had been there when he had opened his eyes.

A voice echoed out of the darkness, accusing, "Are you afraid?"

"No." Lee answered easily, his head shaking as if confirming his verbal reply.

"You should be..." Gaara's voice sounded close. Too close.

Like he was right in front of him.

And then all of a sudden Lee couldn't breathe. It took only a moment to register that Gaara wasn't trying to suffocate him. Rather, his rough dry lips hand pressed themselves over Lee's own. At the contact, Lee felt a sudden surge of heat race through him, sparking feelings for the Kazekage that he'd always kept down. Kept beneath the surface. If he stayed like that any longer, the taijutsu master didn't know what he'd do.

Sputtering, Lee backpedaled, his eyes darting around him as he demanded, "What was that for?"

The sand-nin had KISSED him!

Suddenly light spilled into the room as the sand uncovered the windows, temporarily blinding the leaf-nin. Crossing his arms in front of his face, Lee yelped at the intense rays as he blinked, waiting for his vision to come back into focus.

Then Gaara was there, pushing the other against the wall in a reanactment of a few days ago. Lee's back was pinned once more on the wall as Gaara's well-defined body pressed against every inch of the other's. Cloth rustled and Lee held very, very still.

Lee felt an intense gaze scrutinizing him before he even opened his eyes.

"You're... blushing." Gaara stated bluntly, the mere statement bringing a smirk to his normally stoic features.

"Gaara, what are you-"

But hot lips were once again clasped over his. Almost as if afraid Lee would vanish into thin air.

His face still flushed from the first kiss, Lee really started to full out blush as he found himself kissing back.

That's when the Kazekage jerked back, startled, "You're... you're really here..."

Lee, jerking awake himself, realized what he had just done. Pushing the slightly shorter man away during their mutual surprise and shock, Lee stumbled towards the door, "I-I... I'm so sorry for..."

Not even attempting to finish his stuttering sentence, Lee spun around sprinted the few steps back to the doorway. But the door was closed fully by a torrent of sand before the Konoha shinobi could grasp the door's knob.

"Don't leave." The Kazekage's request sounded too much like a command.

Attempting to guard his expression, Lee turned around but was unable to raise his thick brow in beffudlement, "Gaara-"

"Why'd you kiss me back?" Gaara now occupied the center of the room, his arms crossed as his light green eyes held Lee captive.

It felt almost as if those same jade eyes were undressing Lee slowly, and the Konoha Jounin could feel himself growing hot, "Uh... well, that is..."

Poor Lee had his mind whirling for an answer until his eyes followed where Gaara's green gaze went. The Kazekage was staring right. Down. There. He seemed impressed by the sudden bulge that was poorly hidden by Lee's green spandex outfit. That's when words evaporated from Lee's mouth entirely.

He was totally hard and no amount of pleading would make it go down. It didn't help any that Gaara was eyeing him like a predator would its prey. The red-head even dragged a moist tongue slowly over his dry lips. Tremors ran over Lee's solid body, a sort of shiver that ran from his head to his toes. When green eyes finally raised to meet Lee's large black ones, Lee felt as though his throat was as parched as the desert itself.

His motor functions finally kicking in, Lee let out a yelp of embarrasment as he tried to hide his obvious bulge while he turned and fled. He no longer remembered the door was closed and he found he no longer cared. In a matter of seconds, Gaara was left staring at flying splinters (the remains of his door) and a trail of dust down the steps that signaled Lee's abrupt departure.

"So... he wants me as well...?" Gaara inquired aloud.

(It appears that way, brat.)

"I never would have known had he not made it so obvious."

(This will be fun...)

"Indeed..."

-o-o-o-o-o

Lee had a hell of a time avoiding the Kazekage that day. No matter where he went, he always seemed to see a mop of red hair somewhere and then he'd be off. It was truly ironic, considering it had been Gaara that had been doing the avoiding up until then.

In the middle of doing 600 laps around the village, Lee discovered an oasis that he found thankfully empty.

Collapsing near a sparkling pool, his overheated body cooled by the shade of the vegitation, Lee groaned aloud, "What have I done...?"

Had he made a mistake of things by going along with what had happened in the tower? The guards DID warn Lee that their Kazekage had been in some sort of mood. What if he snapped awake and realized what Lee had done and suddenly felt like releasing Shukaku in a killing rage? All because Lee's body had decided it wanted a little action.

These sort of urges were supposed to be controlled through tiring and sweat-producing workouts. Workouts that would divert and drain away the energy produced by these urges. But today... today it just didn't seem like enough.

And what had happened in the tower was not just Lee's body's fault.

Ever since Lee had first met Gaara, he had noticed these... feelings... for the other boy. Feelings Lee had kept very well hidden underneath his desire and need to grow powerful and strong. He had thought his feelings towards Gaara were the same as towards any other powerful shinobi. He had thought it was mere healthy competition. But with what had happened a handful of hours ago proved that theory dead wrong.

And now Lee felt like he was dying from heat stroke and over-exertion.

Eyes trailing over to the pure pond, Lee make a quick decision and stripped as quickly as he could out of his tight outfit. Folding his clothing neatly aside, Lee cannon-balled into the lake. His mind exploded with the cool and comforting contact of the liquid around him, closing his eyes tightly as he dunked his whole head under. A big percentage of body heat escaped through the head, after all. And what faster way to cool off than to dunk one's own head in nice, cool water?

Just as Lee was wondering to himself just how long he'd stay there before resuming training, a voice cut through his serenity like a hot blade.

"I see you found my oasis."

Gasping at the sudden presence that made itself known, the taijutsu master accidentally swallowed water as he spun around to face the other. Coughing in an effort to get the water out of his lungs, Lee raised a hand in greeting, "K-kazekage...-cough- what a -cough- unexpected surprise...-cough-"

Gaara's brow ridge rose in amusement as the suddenly flustered and blushing shinobi tried to compose himself.

Coughing a few more times to get the water fully out, Lee scratched the back of his head nervously as he apologized, "I'm sorry. I did not realize this was your oasis, Kazekage. If you'd spare me a couple moments I could get out and-"

"Are you avoiding me?" Gaara interrupted, his statement blunt and to the point as usual.

Blinking, Lee shook his head as he replied perhaps a little too loudly, "NO!"

"Good, then you won't mind if I join you." Gaara said smugly as he tossed his hat to the ground.

Before Lee could even begin to protest, the Kazekage disappeared from the edges of the pool. A small poof signalled the red-head's reappearance, though it wasn't exactly where Lee would've wished he would be.

Gaara had joined him in the pool. And since he was nowhere in Lee's field of vision, that could only mean one thing.

The Kazekage was behind him.