A Rivial

Lee sighed to himself and ran his hand through his hair. What the hell had just happened? The leaf ninja didn't see Gaara for a whole year after that. For some reason he could not get the redhead out of his mind. Sakura had finally become too mean to Lee one day from him asking he out too much so his feelings for her just became a dull numb feeling. Lee had nightmares of the time in the forest with Gaara since his feelings for Sakura had diminished.

One day after the year Lee was sighing still thinking of the redhead. 'Did he really mean that he would leave me alone for this long..?' He thought to himself then blinked when he noticed an orange blur running up to him.

Naruto skidded to a stop in front of Lee and grinned. "Hiii Bushy-brows! Today is a great day huh? Do you mind helping me move a few things into my new apartment I need to get everything ready before he gets here," Naruto said loudly.

"Before who gets here?" Lee asked a bit confused. Naruto only allowed one person to stay in his apartment. But that couldn't possibly be who was coming, could it?

"Gaara! I can't wait for him to get here I haven't seen him in sooo long. Are you gonna help me or not?" The blond whined and grabbed Lee's arms pulling a little trying to get him to move.

Lee stood frozen for a minute. Gaara was really coming to visit. He then nodded to his friend and walked with him to his old apartment. After getting everything from it Lee carried it down the street with Naruto to the larger apartment Naruto could now afford. "So... how is Gaara...?" He hesitantly asked the blond friend.

"Well from his letters he has told me a few things.." Naruto said and glanced at his friend as he pushed a couch over to one of the walls. "Why are you asking?" The blond asked and started to unpack a few boxes with things for the living room.

"Oh uh no reason..." Lee rubbed the back of his neck then moved everything that Naruto wanted him to do so. A smile made it's way onto his lips when he heard a knock on the door. For some reason he really really was looking forward to the redhead coming. He may have hurt his friend, but he missed him a lot. However when he opened the door it was not the young Kazekage who he saw. Instead there was a slightly taller then him male, with sleek black hair and green bangs. "Tch I thought you were blond ..." The tallest man said to Lee.

Kitty:
Naruto raised a eye brow and walked over to the door. "Who are you?" He asked then blinked staring at the male. "Oh Riku.. Gaara's body guard...I thought he was kidding when he said he was bringing you..." The blond said looking confused then stepped around the tall male and grinned waving to the redhead outside who wasn't looking very happy.

"Look I'm just makin' sure this place is safe for Gaara to come in," Riku replied with a small glare to the blond. "Naruto you know me.." His death glare fell onto Lee. "You must be Rock Lee.." He uttered out his voice obviously shooting daggers at the black haired male. Lee tried to avoid the gaze, "I am going to go talk to Gaara.." He said trying to move around Riku but he got caught. "I have permission to put anyone who hurts him into the hospital.." Riku stated before unwillingly letting go of Lee receiving a small glare from Gaara outside. The leaf ninja gulped and ran out to Gaara stopping a foot away from him. "Gaara-kun..." He said softly not able to look the small kazekage in the face though.

Kitty:
Gaara's face became expressionless and he turned starting to walk away. "Oi! Hey Gaara where you going?" Naruto called and tripped bumping into Riku causing the bag he was holding to fall to the ground and everything in it to spill out. "Oops."

Riku blinked down at the stuff on the ground. "oh Heh, oops, it is alright." He then got a smile and knelt down starting to pick everything up with Naruto. Outside Lee flipped, no Gaara wasn't going to run away again. He reached out and grabbed his arm. "Gaara! I.. please.. what happened before.. I am sorry.. I never meant that we cannot still be friends.." He muttered out quietly so only they could hear.

Gaara stood there for a moment then pulled his arm out of Lee's grip and folded his arms as he turned around to look at him. "You want to be friends?" He asked his voice in monotone.

Lee blinked looking at Gaara face to face. 'Huh... he has gotten taller.. and.. his hair is longer..' Lee thought to himself stepping a bit closer to Gaara to inspect further more. 'His eyes... they are so green too.. but why do they look so lost- Why am I noticing these things???' Lee quickly asked himself before awkwardly coughing realizing he hadn't responded to the young kazekage in awhile. "I uh.. yes.. I do want to be friends Gaara-kun.." He said softly stepping back form him once more noticing how close he moved into him.

Gaara had tensed when Lee had gotten closer but when he stepped away he relaxed again, he looked over to where Riku and Naruto were then looked back at Lee. "I guess..." He replied and looked away from him.

"Thank you Gaara-kun," Lee went to hug his friend after that but when he noticed him tense again he just held out his hand. Riku had gotten done with picking everything up and walked over however reaching out and gently tugging on Gaara's vest. "Come on Gaara... you said you wanted to see Naruto before we went to the hotel room.. not Lee..."

Gaara nodded and turned around to walk with Riku. "Goodbye.." He said and closed his eyes. Naruto ran past Lee and glomped his friend startling the redhead. "Wait I didn't get my hug!" The blond whined and hugged the Kazekage tightly. He grinned and helped Gaara up and dusted him off. "Hey come to the training field at lunch time ok? We are all meeting up." Naruto said and the leader gave a small smile and nodded before leaving.

Riku glanced back at the two leaf ninjas then looked at Gaara. "Is that the Lee that hurt you before?" He asked his voice calm yet a bit of anger underneath it.

Gaara nodded and lightly drummed his fingers on his arm as he was thinking. "Yeah.." He said and glanced at the older male. "What are you thinking?" He asked and frowning slightly.

"I think I am going to kick his ass..." Riku murmured out then grinned at Gaara. "I mean if Kazekage-sama will allow me to," He stated simply while pulling the bag up over his shoulder so it was easier to hold.

"No I will not allow it." Gaara said and gave a small glare. "Since when do you call me Kazekage-Sama? Are you going formal on me?" He asked and adjusted his vest.

"I was kiddin geez," Riku replied and walked up to the hotel they were supposed to be staying at. "And why won't you let me kick his ass? I mean.. he did hurt you and that pisses me off.." He added dropping the bag and folded his arms.

Gaara slide the key into the lock unlocking the door and pushing it open. "Just don't.." He said and picked up a few of their bags and walked into the room. He set the bags on a table and sat down on one of the two beds.

Riku blinked then smiled and walked over to Gaara. "Aww.. fine I won't if you say yes.." He said getting in between Gaara's legs on the bed and leaning into him.

Gaara blinked and leaned back, he placed a hand on Riku's chest and pushed him back. "Riku.. what are you doing?" He asked sternly and scooted back on the bed to get more space between them.

Riku pouted a bit and easily pushed the hand off his chest leaning back in. "You know what I am doing Gaara.." He breathed out and let one of his hands rest on the younger boy's thigh. "Come on.. you have been rejecting me since we were kids... you found out Lee doesn't like you you could at least say yes to me for once.." He complained.

"And I will keep rejecting you so no." Gaara said and felt his face heat up at the hand on his thigh and scooted back more almost falling off the bed, his sand moved up between them and formed a small wall. "You should change to something warmer it gets cold here." Gaara said and folded his arms again.

The black haired male murmured out, "A refusé de nouveau..." (Note: refused again ) "I will be fine it is not that cold, you should not worry about someone you refuse so much." Then he backed away from the bed and pulled out a cigarette and lit. "You should hurry up, we are supposed to go to the training place..."

Gaara glared and slide off the bed walking over and grabbing the cigarette out of his body guards mouth. "Not in here I hate when you smoke." He said and opened the window throwing it outside.

"Oi! Those are expensive! Stupin Japonais..." (Note: Stupid Japanese ) Riku then glared at the redhead but didn't argue further then that walking out the door.