Hero

Hey there all! Ok here’s the next chapter I hope you all enjoy! R&R!!!


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“Snow?” Lee looked through his bedroom’s circular window, finding that the white
obstacle was indeed going to hinder his usual day’s routine.

It was promptly 5am and the sun was just rising, banishing the few lingering clouds from the night’s storm. The bright golden light reflected on the pasty blanket causing the numerous ice specks to flash and glitter in response at the sun’s foreplay. Konoha had indeed been covered, as far as the eye could see with the stuff…much to Lee’s displeasure.

‘It looks like its going to snow again later…’ Lee thought pulling on his infamous green jump suit, frowning with distain at that thought. ‘This will defiantly be a challenge to train in but…’ Lee jumped up on his bed and pumped his fist dramatically in the air.

“ROCK LEE SHALL TRAIN NO MATTER WHAT!!!” He jumped back down off his bed tumbling a bit when the bright green sheets caught his feet, before none to gracefully, falling flat on his face.

But as everyone knows nothing could give the obnoxious furry browed nin a bad out look on a new day, so he jumped back up and challenged the green sheet before giving it a satisfactory kick before he headed into his apartments small bathroom for a shower.

“YOSH TODAY SHALL BRING ME ONE MORE STEP TO ACHIEVING MY ULTAMITE DREAMS OF BEING AN EXCELLENT NINJA!!!” Lee growled, stepping gleefully into his shower to begin the promising day.

***

‘Warm…’ The orange legwarmer wearing nin involuntarily thought noticing the fuzzy feeling which surrounded his body. Lee’s eyes tried to open only finding that he was simply too tired to do so. ‘What happened I should be at the training grounds..?’ His head hurt and sense at that moment was ungraspable as to why he was some where warm when he should be still cold and shivering from training in the snow.

“You’re awake.” A stoic and indifferent voice said monotony from his right side; it wasn’t a question but a statement.

Lee’s eyes shot open with the sudden ability to grasp thought as memories of a certain redhead flashed before his mind’s eye. He tried to sit up only to wince from an immense pain in his left arm.

“You hurt yourself during training…” The voice faltered and a hand was placed on his other shoulder, helping him to a sitting position.

Lee finally looked at the owner of the hauntingly familiar voice and couldn’t help but wonder if he was dreaming, he had thought that the last time he had met Gaara… when the sand nin had saved him from a certain death.

The Kazekage was standing at his side, only then did Lee notice he was sitting on a bed that had rich wine colored sheets and was certainly not his own mattress. ‘He brought me to his home…?!’ Lee looked dumbfounded by the sudden realization, gaping like a fish at Gaara. ‘Why?!’

As if reading the turmoil on Lee’s face Gaara explained to Lee that he had passed out from the weather conditions and his over exertion with his training.

“But why would you bother?” Lee hadn’t meant for it to sound rude but to him things didn’t add up. The last time he had asked Gaara why he had aided him he only got a curt reply that he had owed a debt to Konoha, so why did he help him now with no debt to repay?

Gaara was surprised at the question, he hadn’t thought of an answer for his out of character act for this rescue. He thought briefly that perhaps he should tell Lee about…’No’ Gaara mentally shook his head. ‘He would probably run out of here screaming if I told him….that..’

“Gaara-sama? Ano….are you ok?” Lee looked at the Kazekage with worry, he had suddenly got a far away look in his aquamarine eyes. Gaara not responding to a question was normal but not when after a little amount of silent reflection to wince as if Lee had pricked him with a needle.

“Because you would have died.” His mask was back on and his personality back in check. But Lee couldn’t forget the look of pain as he had asked the previous question so he decided to change the subject a bit.

“Why does my arm hurt?” Lee touched his bandaged forearm again taking in a sharp breath as the pain returned. If he had been looking up he would have seen Gaara wince again.

“Because due to your over working it.” Gaara knew very well that was a lie, Lee’s arm hurt because it was still considerably weaker from when he had crushed it all thoughs years ago. ‘His arm must’ve became numb from the cold so he couldn’t feel himself destroying the weaker muscle tissue.’ He though feeling the cruel stab of guilt, knowing Lee wouldn’t be in pain at that moment had it not been for him.

“Oh I see…” Lee sat there awkwardly for a bit looking at his arm, debating on what to do in such and strange position of being on Gaara’s bed. Finally he pushed his legs to the bed’s side and stood up, holding his injured arm gingerly.

Gaara just stared at Lee as he pushed himself to his feet; obviously the green nin was at a loss for words in his intimidating presence.

“Thank you very much Gaara-sama…If it hadn’t been for your youthful help I would defiantly have been a goner.” Lee recovered from the shock quickly and was now back to his normal self smiling stupidly at Gaara before bowing slightly. “I am thankful for you friendship.” He then righted himself and looked expectantly at the redhead.

Gaara was now the one who was at a loss for words…’Friendship…?’ He blinked slowly at Lee.

“As a show of gratitude I shall make you a youthful breakfast!!!” He almost did ‘The Nice Guy Pose’ only to gasp again reminded of the pain in his arm.

But before he could pull it to himself again he felt a different hand tenderly wrap around his wrist gently guiding him forward. Looking up he found Gaara looking down intently at his injury. Gaara tugged a bit on Lee’s bandage material that concealed his arm before finally getting it lose enough to unravel. Slowly and so placidly Gaara pulled off the wrappings, touching the scared skin almost lovingly as a new piece of pale flesh was reveled.

Lee’s breath hitched as he looked up at the Kazekage almost expecting him to recrush his arm but oddly he wasn’t afraid and knew that Gaara wouldn’t do such a thing again. Finally the arm was bear and the wrappings dropped to the wooden floor and forgotten in the moment. Gaara started to trace the scares looking stoic but his eyes told a different story….regret.

After a long while Gaara looked back up but didn’t release Lee’s arm, he held it lightly in his hand. Turning around he said nothing but guided Lee to the far side of the apartment, toward the bathroom. Once there he pulled a small pack of pills from a drawer and handed them to Lee, who intern stared down at them like one would stare at an alien.

“Take two a day and it will keep away the pain until it heals…” Gaara then brushed past him to stand in the door way, watching as he Lee swallowed a few of the pills. Finished he turned and smiled again at Gaara.

“Thank you again Gaara…kun.” Lee nodded as if agreeing with the new more friendly title. “Now breakfast!!!” He dashed past Gaara who looked stunned as the nin brushed enthusiastically past him to make him his idea of breakfast.

Gaara stood in place thinking of what Lee had said ‘Gaara-kun.’ He liked that a lot more then the harsh sounding ‘Gaara-sama.’ He turned around facing Lee and folded his arms expression indifferent but inside he couldn’t help but feel amused as the green suited nin dashed around his small kitchen.

“Alas here is the youthful pan for the- *SPLAT* *SPLAT*..eggs…oops..” Lee looked down at the mess on the floor before giggling stupidly like the eggs had supplied some sort of hilarious joke that only he could hear. “Gomen Gaara-kun I was just so excited about cooking for someone...” He rubbed the back of his neck a sweat drop forming at his temple.

A slight hissing noise made Lee look down in wonder as sand cleaned the mess before returning to the gourd strapped to Gaara’s back.

“Ah ha ha! Thanks.” Lee once again took out more eggs and started to cook, this time successful at not redroping the eggs. When ever he needed a new ingredient Gaara would assist by handing it to him with his sand. If someone were to walk in on the scene they might believe that Gaara was about to harm Lee due to the sand whizzing around him retrieving supplies for the ‘youthful’ breakfast.

“Lee I think it’s probably done…” Gaara started a hint of worry in his usually stoic voice as he had to put out Lee’s hair once more as it caught on fire with his sand. ’How is he able to live alone?’ Gaara mentally shook his head at that dangerous thought before looking back at the nin.

“It’s ready!!!” Lee cheered as he emerged, hair smoldering slightly, with two plates of the stuff he called food. “Lets eat!”


***

Breakfast had actually tasted good though it was a bit awkward eating with the Kazekage but Lee found the company pleasurable and he said his thanks again before leaving, not even noticing the extra clothing he wore.

“Oy fuzzy eye brows nice jacket!” Naruto came running up to him gasping as he recognized the black long jacket. “Oh ho ho ho! This is rich! Why are you wearing Gaara’s jacket?” Naruto gave him a wicked wink.

“Huh?” Lee looked down in shock and indeed found instead of the green suit, there was black leather fabric that was Gaara’s jacket.

***

Gaara had indeed known Lee had left wearing his jacket from when he had dressed him in it the night before for extra warmth. But he couldn’t bring himself to ask for it back, it looked so good on him. In a way he wanted the people of Konoha to know Lee was his and to keep away. He knew that once that Gai person saw the jacket and would back off.

‘Plus’ He thought with a small smirk heading to the Hokage’s office for another meeting. ‘I now have a reason to see him again…’ With that he pictured Lee on his bed wearing his jacket, mentally smiling he opened the Hokage’s office door.


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Ok that’s all for chapter 2!!! Thanks so much for the awesome reviews!!! I’ll write again soon!!!! =^^=