The Apology

Gaara had been watching Lee all that morning as he
did his exercises while debating with himself quietly.
'Why the hell is it so damn hard for me to just go up
to him and-' His thoughts were scattered however when
he heard Lee shout something. Alarmed Gaara peeked
around one of the branch of the oak tree he was
hiding in about 20 yards away from where Lee was and
watched as Lee started kicking the stump with new vigor.
'I came all the this way its far to late to turn go
home now!' Gaara mentally scolded himself.

Gaara was waging the war within until he heard Lee
stop training. Looking down on him again Gaara saw Lee
bring his left arm up to his face with a frown shaking
his head Lee started his exercise again. Guilt washed
over him. Now Gaara was use to anger, loneliness, and
spite but not really guilt, it made him uneasy and it
was a feeling he had been feeling quite a lot lately. As
well as that hurting in his heart as he thought of
what he had done to Lee.

Again lost in thought until he heard Lee stop
again. He was wiping his brow and smiling with
satisfaction. 'He must be finished with his training!'
Gaara thought to himself a bit panicky. 'Its either NOW
or never' Closing his eyes he disappeared from the
tree branch.

"Wha..??" Lee stood dumbfounded as he looked up at
Gaara with astonishment. " Gaara?? What are you doing
here-?" Lee has briefly cut short when he felt Gaara
grab his left forearm, the one he had crushed, and brought
it up to his eyes for inspection. For a split second
Lee thought he might try and harm him but being
curious wanted to see what Gaara was up to first.

Gaara pushed back Lee's shirt sleeve Gaara winced as
the jagged scars came into view. 'I really am a
monster' Gaara thought hating himself at that
moment.. Bringing up his other hand Gaara touched one
of the deepest scars gently running his fingers over
it trying to imagine the pain Lee has went through both
mental and physical.

"Ummm Gaara what are you doing?" Lee asked he was
very flustered by the way Gaara was acting. Gaara
blinked and looked up at Lee as if he had forgotten he
was there. "What about your leg?" Gaara demanded. "Huh?
my leg?" Lee was confused 'Does he mean the one he
crushed? What is he doing?? Why does he care?' Thoughts
were spinning around in Lee's mind. Trying to pull his
arm away from Gaara's vice like grip Lee said
desperately " Gaara I have to be getting back to-" But
Gaara held fast. "Not until I see your leg." Gaara
said firmly. "But why?? What’s the poin-?" Once again cut
off as he felt Gaara kneel and grab his ankle.

Lee nearly lost his balance but caught on to Gaara's
shoulder and managed to not go sprawling. "Gaara I
really have to go..." Lee tried again only to be
ignored. Lifting up his pant leg up Gaara again winced and
took in the sight of the mutilated leg. ' How could I
have done this to him? He was only fighting for his
dream and I almost destroyed it.....I’m disgusting.'
Gaara thought miserably.

Repeating the same ritual as before Gaara ran his
fingers over Lee's leg tracing the scars. The Fifth had
done her best to heal him but still many scars remand.
Deciding to try again Lee started "Gaara I need to-" "I’m sorry"
Gaara said looking away.

"What?" Lee asked. Gaara had said it so quietly he
didn't hear him. "I said I’m sorry" Gaara said louder
this time. 'Why all the sudden? What’s gotten into him??
'Lee was now more confused then he had been in his whole life.
"Why now all of the sudden?" Lee asked repeating that question that
was going through his head.

Gaara just shrugged and stood up his eyes cast
downward like a child who was being scolded for doing something bad.
"Its just something I had to say" After his fight where Naruto
literally knocked some sense into him he had indeed
returned to the Sand Village only to be haunted by
Lee's face as he crushed his arm and leg. That memory
Haunted him everyday. Every time he thought of it
he felt guilt and that hurting in his heart. So he had
to return to try to talk to Lee and see if he was ok.

Lee was still as lost as ever 'Why now of all
times?? What is he doing in Konoha??' Lee repeated
that questions to Gaara. Gaara blinked surprised he
had expected Lee to brush him aside and not
acknowledge him at all. "Because I wanted to visit
all the people I wronged when I was out of control and
try to make amends..." Gaara said . Lee stared at him
trying to see if he was telling the truth. 'Gaara
blood thirsty maniac Gaara wanting to 'make
amends'??????'

"Who all have you visited?" Lee asked "Just you so
far, I still need to visit the people of Konoha and
apologize to them for their loss when Sand Village
attacked." Garra said finally meeting Lee's eyes. "That
wasn’t your fault you were ordered to do that." Lee said
trying to sympathize. "Yes but it was my fault for
enjoying it as it happened." Garra said bitterly more
to himsld then to Lee. Lee felt bad for Gaara he had
heard from Naruto that he had a terrible childhood and
that’s why he was the way he was. "It doesn’t matter who
you once were and what you did in the past. All that
matters is who you are now and what your going to do
in the future." Lee said smiling at Gaara.

Gaara was truly taken back he hadn't expected Lee to
offer words of encouragement let alone tolerate his
existence. Not knowing what to say back Gaara said
indifferently "I.... need to go into Konoha and
meet with the people who suffered." Turning around Gaara
said over his shoulder sadly "I don’t expect you to forgive me I just wanted
you to know that I regret what I did and if I could I
would change it" Gaara started to walk away only to
be caught be the shoulder and turned around.

Lee pulled Gaara down till his lips gently brushed
Gaara's forehead right on the tattoo 'Love' and said
kindly "That’s all in the past Gaara- kun I’m healed.
Its all water under the bridge." Letting Gaara's
shoulders go Lee stepped back and smiled at him "Ill see
ya in town." Lee then walked away headed toward
Konoha.

Gaara just stood there ridged his heart raced as if
he had ran a mile. With a trembling hand he reached up where
Lee had kissed him on his tattoo. He felt his inner demon stir and felt
alien feelings come over him like a shadow. These
feelings screamed at him to run after Lee grab him
and....'NO I don’t have time to figure this out. I need
to finish what I started.' Feeing better as he told
himself this he turned to the direction Lee headed And
started walking toward Konoha.

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Thanks for reading ill write the next chapter soon!

~~R&R!!!