Rock Of Sand

Hey...Sorry for the delay but here it is....um, there might be a few mistkes because i did some horribly fast editing do to my lack of sleep. Have a great time though.

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The fourth day in the desert was a scorcher. Gaara had carried-more like dragged- Lee's still unconscious body on and off for the last day, before and he just had no energy left to continue. The trip to Suna would stretch to five days, or if they were lucky very late that night. The village would send a search team if they didn't come back by tomorrow. They were sitting under one of the few shady desert trees- or at least Gaara was sitting- Lee laid on his back with his arms crossed over his chest, under Gaara's watchful eye. The Jounin had tried to get up and walk in his sleep the night before, which was confusing in its all because he shouldn't have been able to move. Gaara took no surprise in this but it stopped him from getting any rest himself for fear that the unconscious Shinobi would walk off when he wasn't looking.

Gaara's eyes were nearly closed as he looked at Lee. 'He loves me still? How could he be so stupid, so stubborn? How could I?' Gaara sighed and looked down at the mess of an escort to his left. 'What was all that back in Konoha merely a year ago? Was he just bluffing when he told me not to come back? Was the rape really insensible? Lee...what has happened to you?' Gaara leaned back on the thin trunk of the tree trying not to drift off. He'd been able to dress his wounds but without the proper sleep there was not going to be a good recovery -even for him.

Lee stirred next to him and like a soaking wet zombie sat up. His back was to Gaara when he sat up and the Kazekage didn't know if he was awake or having another episode. Lee swayed from his left to right then put his hands behind him on the ground in an effort to push himself up.

"Not a good idea." Gaara had intended the words for Lee but was unknowingly speaking to himself as well. He got to his knees and reached for Lee's shoulder to pull him back to the ground. He had done this four times the night before and once already that morning. Lee fell forward at his waist out of Gaara's reach and his body hung as he continued to sway. Forgetting to brace himself-thinking he was going to grab a hold of the Jounin- Gaara's hand fell prey to the hard sand. He clutched his shoulder and winced at the new reopened wound.

"Lee." Gaara had a hint of anger in his voice while his head drooped.

"Have I been causing you much trouble Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara threw his head up not expecting Lee to even be awake. He fell back against the tree and crossed his arms, exhaling and not wanting to answer. So he remained quiet when Lee tried to turn his body around and look at him.

Lee felt pain in his ribs, arms and legs when he moved. His limbs were stiff and tightly wrapped in bandages and gauze. He remembered Gaara hadn't been the best at tending to a damaged body but he was correctly covered in the proper healing material. From his chest to his waist he could feel the rags squeezing him. His right arm fell more limp than the rest of his body but other than that he was able to move. Lee looked down at his broken body. "Arigato." He said with a small smile, putting his hand on the back of his neck.

Gaara didn't answer and Lee half expected so. 'Still not talking to me? I was sure he would have come around by-' Lee looked around him wide eyed. The sun was high, indicating it was about afternoon. How long had he slept without waking? 'Oh no, I have hindered our trip? That must be was he is so upset.' Lee's eyes fell to shame. "How long was I out-"

"Yesterday and most of the morning, 32 hours almost. I couldn't carry you all the way with my insulted shoulder. We haven't moved for about 9 hours now. " Gaara said like he didn't believe a word of it. He tried to move during the night when the heat had faded into a sweet night chill but even that proved to be rough. The sand felt almost frozen and as a result bruised his legs and feet.

"Go on without me, your people are awaiting your safe arrival. I am nothing but a burden to you." Lee turned back around and laid down. He couldn't move-which was odd for him- altogether, his Youthful Spirit had been shot down and dragged off somewhere.

A heavy shadow overpowered the sun beating down on him and Gaara leaned close to his face. Their noses aligned and nearly touched as Gaara struggled on his hands to keep himself up.

"I will do no such thing. Had not this 'Burden' been with me, I would surely be dead now." He maintained his position and watched Lee's eyes close and a smile form. Gaara still stared like he had been doing for the passed day and a half. 'You protected me.' He felt a sear of regret and moved back to his spot under the tree.

What was coming over him? It almost felt as if he was going to forgive the man who'd shown him against his will. Gaara was mentally beating himself up inside for trying to consider a pardon for the events that left him scarred, not only physically but mentally as well. Do to the recent sling of events Gaara wasn't sleeping like he'd grown accustomed to. His body was badly beaten, even torn with horrific memories and he couldn't stand to even close his eyes.

Feeling a little better after having Gaara be so close to him, Lee shot up and stood to his wobbling feet. "Shall we go then? I would not want Temari-san worrying about to you. I know how she can get." Lee tried to hide all his pain behind his trademark smile. He put his hand out to help Gaara up but the Sand Nin looked passed it to Lee's face. The green beast blushed a bit and chuckled lightly.

"You shouldn't be moving around like that. The trip cannot be done this day." Gaara said with his eyes low. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew Lee was going to protest and insist that they not waste time because of him.

Surprisingly Lee pulled his hand back and placed it over his chest. "You are right I should not be moving like this but I have a bad feeling about being out here unarmed for the next two or threes days. Even with your nerve not to admit it, you need rest. You took a lot of damage the other day, I should have been there to help sooner. My priorities were mixed up. Forgive me. The last thing I wanted to see was you getting hurt, again." He slowly dropped to his knees but helplessly smiled when he saw the confused look his accomplice showed.

Gaara had nothing to say, as usual. He just blinked as if he had no idea what Lee was talking about and as if he didn't care too much either. 'What's he thinking anyway? We would have more luck just going back to Konoha at this rate.' Gaara looked away from Lee for the first time in minuets. 'He must feel something is wrong too.' Gaara felt a hand on his knee that was close to his chest. He didn't bother turning to look at Lee. The very touch of him made the Kazekage feel ill.

"Sunrise would be a good time to leave, at best." Then quietly reminded himself that walking at night created more injury.

"Is there something in my eyes that you fear, Gaara." Lee put his hand on the side of the Shinobi's face and Gaara flinched at the feel of their skin colliding. "You seem to be looking right through me these days." Lee tried to find Gaara's eyes but they never turned to match his.

"I can hardly see anything worth looking at these days." Gaara confessed, mocking him and put his hand over Lee's pulling it away from him. He pushed Lee's hand away and then turned to stare firmly at the Jounin. "Don't touch me again." He glared, fully opening his eyes to reveal bloodshot weakness. The whites of his eyes neared a dark red and his morning blue color turned a terrible dark shade.

Lee could feel his insides swarm with nausea and he backed up to fall on his ass in the dirt. Gaara' eyes flashed elsewhere and fell to the previous state of almost being shut. Another heartbreak and unforgivingness fell over Lee's expression and he did everything he had to do to push passed the embarrassment of being turned down.

"How could you be so hateful towards me?" Lee forced himself up to crouch in front of the Ninja.

"The same way you could be so careless. Trust and compassion are no longer things we hold for each other." Gaara's voice held nothing but anger and bitterness. He crossed his arms and looked another way.

"That is because you gave up that right years ago."

Gaara felt like he had been stabbed. Had he deserved that? Had he not pushed Lee away so long ago they would have still be the 'Best' of lovers. Nothing could have torn them apart if he'd given the Leaf Shinobi just a little space, which was now what he wanted.

"Gomen Nasai, I should not have said that to you. It is my fault for all the tension-"

"No. You're right." Gaara stood and turned his back. "But I don't regret it." He looked over to Lee and the Ninja stood up staring back at him. Silence between them, Lee had no idea what to say. It wasn't like Gaara to lie so he said what he was thinking.

Lee finally stood to both his feet. He ignored the entire conversation. "As your escort I suggest you come with me, but if you are going to sulk out here in the desert when you know danger is on the way then that is fine. I will go on to Sunagakure alone and send Temari-san and Kankurou-san to retrieve you." Tightening the bandages around his ribs, Lee leaned over and picked up his backpack.

"You're hardheaded." Gaara said grabbing his backpack and following the limping green beast.

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It was well beyond four in the evening when Lee and Gaara came upon the first of Suna's desert-posts. Lee stopped walking first, noticing that no guard was in the outlook-at least no live one- Gaara walked and stopped just a few feet ahead of him.

"Do you think Makkura got to them first?" Lee pointed to the Shinobi that were hanging off of the top of the tower. Gaara didn't bother answering. He just started walking again knowing that Makkura was no longer a threat but other Ninja were still after him. Lee took a minute to pull the fallen men onto the ground and fold their arms over their chests. He said a quick prayer for them and then hurried to catch up with the Kazekage.

They were about two more hours outside the Hidden Village of the Sand and Gaara knew someone was following them now. Lee kept looking behind him but no one was coming and so he kept his mouth quiet not wanting to alarm the younger Ninja.

Watching Gaara from five or six feet behind Lee stopped and sat down pulling his map out of his backpack. He spread it across the unleveled sand and looked at it closely. The entire day it had felt like they had been going the wrong way and the desert-post they'd passed seemed old and warned down, as if no one had worked there in years-not explaining why there were fresh bodies there.

He looked back across they land they'd come from, finding that they'd drifted off a ways and were heading the wrong way. Lee looked at Gaara who was barely in sight now. 'Does he know we are going the wrong way? Is he trying to get us lost? We only have enough water for the next two days and if we go off course we will not be able to find anymore.' Lee got up and gathered his things.

"Gaara where are you going?!? Suna-"

"Do you think I would lead them to Suna?"

Lee stopped just short of Gaara. 'So he does know.' Lee caught up next to him. "Then where are we going? We cannot afford to get lost." Lee figured he must have said something to offend Gaara because the Sand Shinobi stopped walking and Lee could feel his chakra flare.

"Get lost?" Gaara suppressed a feeling he knew to be a laugh. "These are my sands, or did you forget?" Staring was one of Gaara's trademarks and when he did it, cold was sent through ones entire body. Cold and absolute fear.

Ignoring Lee's half step back Gaara continued onward. He was going to circle Suna and go through the West gate instead of attracting the enemy through the main East gate. It was the perfect plan with just one flaw. It would take another day to reach the other side and Gaara knew they were both tired. In the event that they were attacked, they wouldn't be able to defend themselves. He slightly turned his head and let his eyes fall on Lee who was trying to hide the fact that he was in serious pain. Gaara ignored him and thought about how Lee had saved him the last time. There would be no way for the Leaf Ninja to hold up in battle.

Lee pushed away all urges to wrapped his arm around himself and conceal the pain in his chest. He didn't want Gaara to see that his body wasn't up fro the rest of the trip. He had to be strong and protect the man he loved, even if he didn't love him back. Lee jogged to catch up to Gaara and walked at his side. He knew the Kazekage wasn't going to say anything so he spoke first.

"About yesterday, or the day before." Lee took a long pause and Gaara stared ahead not minding him. "I meant what I said you know?" Lee remembered clearly saying he was going to protect the man he loved. He knew Gaara heard him, now if only he could get Gaara to talk about it. "Do you know what I am talking about?" Lee decided he was going to wait for him to answer this time.

Gaara didn't bother looking over or even trying to acknowledge the Ninja next to him. "Yes." Gaara tried to ignore the question but he knew Lee would pick at him until he did. The Sand Ninja was tired and he was in no mood to begin another argument with the Jounin.

"Do you believe me?" Lee slid in front of him and grabbed his shoulders holding him tight. Gaara snatched away, feeling trapped like he had -that certain night- when he was taken advantage of. Lee only grabbed him again holding him tighter than he had initially.

"Let go of me."

"I deserve an answer Gaara. We are going to be forced to live together and see each other for the next three or four weeks. I will not have us trying to get around each other throughout this, avoiding one another when we can solve this right now. Out here!" Lee threw his arms in the air indicating that no one was around and they could have a safe conversation about what Lee had done to him.

"What am I supposed to say to you?" Gaara glared honestly trying to think of something to say to the man in front of him. "I don't forgive you for anything that's happened." He turned his back to Lee and his hands fell to his side. "Even if you 'do' love me."

'So then he will not forgive me. Was I really that terrible?' Lee touched Gaara's shoulders again.

"We will never make it to Suna by tomorrow if you keep stopping us." Gaara brushed Lee's hands off his shoulders and turned around to walk off. He didn't bother looking into his eyes or at his face. He felt sick, Lee could never get that close to him again, not after-

"DOES IT NOT MATTER TO YOU THAT I LOVE YOU!" Lee cupped his hands together and shouted after Gaara, hoping he would stop, turn around, do something to let Lee know he was aware of his feelings. But Gaara didn't stop he dragged his heavy body through the sand and kept moving without so much as a glance behind him.

Lee fell behind and kept a great distance between the two. This was the first time he had ever been afraid to even talk to Gaara. He pulled his body through the troublesome sand at least twelve or so yards behind his past lover. No need in him getting Gaara all worked up out in the open; best talk to him when they were finally 'Safe' in Suna.


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Night fell hard and Lee was barely able to stand. He was crawling in the sand with one hand and had the other hand around his stomach and waist. He stopped moving, falling even farther behind. Gaara just couldn't be seen now and Lee thought he'd leave him there and go on to Suna not caring. Lee fell, he was crushing his already broken ribs as his arm laid between him and the hard night sand. He breathed in dust and coughed horribly. His eyes were burning and his body didn't want to move anymore. He closed his eyes.

Ten minutes or so later he felt something slimy crawl over the side of his face. Little sticky fingers suction cupped to his face, crawling over his already battered skin. His head shook as he caught a glimpse of the poisonous lizard getting ready lick his face. Lee tried so hard to stop shaking but his body didn't want to die by a lizard.

Opening its mouth the yellow and green sand stricken creature began to release a light blue substance that drooled slowly. Faster then Lee could close his eyes tight, sand wrapped the small reptile up and threw it across the land. Lee gasped and opened his eyes to see a dark figure above him. Straining to lift his head he could barely see Gaara standing in front of him.

"I should have let you die." Gaara crouched down in front of him and rubbed away the bit of poison that was burning away Lee's temple. "Come on." Gaara lifted him from the ground and threw Lee's arm around his shoulder. He dragged the Jounin a few yards and threw him down against a tree. Lee hit the trunk of the tree hard with his head. Gaara saw the grateful look in Lee's eyes and rejected him. He sat down not too far from the Leaf Ninja and brought one knee to his chest while stretching the other.

'I know I should say something, thank him at least but he will not talk to me.' Lee tilted his head to look at Gaara's profile. The bones in his jaw were perfect. He could remember running his hands over those bones and holding Gaara face close to his, kissing him and loving him. Lee could remember in great detail how Gaara's hair felt rough and smelled of water -despite the shortage of it in Suna- Lee wanted to reach out and touch the soft skin on Gaara's face and he most certainly would have if his arm was cooperating, but it wasn't.

Gaara sat extremely still. Lee would have thought he was dead if he hadn't seen those terrifying eyes move to stare at him. For the first time in years Lee couldn't help but look away and blush to himself. Those were the eyes he'd fallen in love with. Not the same terrifying eyes from the Chuunin Exam, but the eyes Gaara held so safe to him when he saved Lee from Kimimaro. Those soft and astounding eyes, more blue than the morning sky, more green than the grass in Konoha; they rarely held any happiness but on occasion Lee thought he could see that Gaara was content.

Lee could feel Gaara's cold eyes lingering on his back and he didn't want to turn around. He wanted to finish the night looking in the opposite direction but the voice in his ears was frail and seemed uncertain.

"Lee-"

The Konoha Ninja slightly turned his head and peered over his shoulder to see a trace of red run through his eyes as Gaara was dangerously close to his face. Gaara lifted a few strands of Lee's hair and the Jounin felt something warm come in contact with the wound that nasty lizard left him. He couldn't see what Gaara was doing but it felt abnormal.

"What is that?" Lee asked trying to touch the spot on his head that felt like it was burning worse now. Gaara smacked his hand away and put a bandage over the small wound that began to bubble.

"Saliva."

Lee shuttered and pulled away at the thought of having his hair soaked in someone else's' slime. He didn't move very far before Gaara forcefully pulled him back and continued to fix him up.

"It will be infected by the morning if it isn't taken care of."

"Yea but did you have to-"

"I had no other choice. It was either that or-" Gaara stopped and thought about the events that might lead up to him using another substance to stop the wound from becoming infectious. Something warm was the only thing that could reverse the effects of the poison and Gaara hated to think about even trying to attempt such methods.

"I could have let you die. So be grateful." He gripped a handful of Lee's hair and held it roughly.

"Why should I be? You will not even acknowledge me. I do not know what is going on in your head but I guarantee you would have not let me die, so stop saying it." Lee broke away from him. "I do not know what has you in such a nasty mood but you seem to be overlooking the fact the I have been apologizing to you for days on end now."

Silence. Lee could have guessed that much was coming. He sighed, taking his time to turn back around and stare into the wasteland.

"What more could you ask of me? Why do you insist on loving me why you know I don't feel the same way?" Gaara looked confused.

"Because you have never loved me, you always said so but you did not mean it. You have no clue what real love even feels like, if you did...you would not be trying to run from it." Lee had been certain through their entire relationship that Gaara had been merely humoring him.

"Don't try and tell me what I have felt for you and what I haven't. You don't know such things. And you brought this upon your own self. I didn't beg for what you did, nor did I ask. In fact I told you to stop but you never hear me when I am talking. If you did, you would have never drank again."

Lee didn't except Gaara to openly talk to him at all, and here he was upset and blaming Lee again. Though in a sense it was his fault.

"Even if I apologize again it will make no difference. I have yet to figure out why you will not forgive me. I am better at not knowing." Lee's voice trailed off into nothing. He wanted to look at Gaara and tell him sorry a thousand times if he had to but there just was no winning with the Kazekage.

Gaara was wordless again. He simply moved back into a comfortable position and closed his eyes. Maybe a little rest was in order, even if he couldn't sleep.


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Desert crickets chirped that night keeping the Sand Shinobi awake with wide eyes. Either that or he just couldn't figure out why he wanted to hate Lee so much. He tried to remember the days when Lee had first come to Suna. It was hard to remember they way they us to hold each other without remembering how Lee had recently held him down. He looked over at Lee as his chest softly rose and fell at a steady pace.

'Did I ever really love him? Love? Why is it such a frustrating emotion? Didn't I ask him once, didn't I ask what love was, what it felt like?'

'You miss him.' A voice inside Gaara's head began to speak.

'Shut up! You don't know anything....wait-'

'Yes I am still here.'

'You've been in hiding?' Gaara face melted and he felt fear cross him again.'

'Had you needed me I would have come to your aid, much like I did the other day. Did you really think those sand attacks were of your own? Foolish human, you still act like a child.'

'Shut up! I don't know where you came from but leave. There is nothing that connects us anymore....Shukaku.'

The demon laughed loudly inside Gaara's head. 'Apart of me is you, I can never completely be gone.'

Gaara fidgeted and tried to shift his body but it felt like it was burning inside and out. 'What are you doing to me?' He began to shake violently before he threw himself on the ground on his back. His arms were locked to the ground and an invisible massive weight kept him from moving. All he could do was twitch.

'Taking back what's mine!' The Demon roared.

The force on Gaara body reminded him so much of what Lee had done, but at least then he knew Lee wasn't intentionally trying to hurt him. This fear he had now was real and he couldn't be sure of what might happen. He looked over at Lee, there was no way he could wake him. The Jounin slept way too hard.

'Lee...' Gaara struggled again and again but his arms felt like they were in chains and trapped to the ground.

'Silly Kazekage, he can't help you. Jut relax this will not take long. Just as soon as I find myself, we can be one again.'

Gaara didn't want that. He remembered how he couldn't control himself when he was younger and how he thirsted for so much blood. What would happen if he was that way again? He feared for his village, for Lee's safety.

"Lee." Gaara turned his head and called him but the Jounin only shifted and rolled over onto his side. 'Dammit! Lee...wake up.' Gaara couldn't get out of his mind. It had taken most of his strength just to call Lee's name.

'I told you he could do you no good. Just think of the damage we could cause him for hurting you. It will be great revenge. Unless...you do sill love him.'

Gaara froze at the words. Did shukaku even know what love was? Could he tell Gaara if that was what he was feeling for the Shinobi. 'Do i love him?' Gaara subconsciously asked the demon trying to reinvade his body.

'Don't you think so? Is it not evident enough to you? Baka ne, the foolish Ninja is in love with you and you him but you deny it so much that you believe its a lie now. I will enjoy taking his life and watching you live a miserable one.'

Gaara exhaled heavily at the thought of using his hands to strangle someone he 'did' love. His eyes widened and shook with something worse than fear. It had been hard enough with Lee living so far away in Konoha, what if he wasn't alive at all. Gaara didn't want that.

"Lee." He called again feeling a large amount of chakra force him into the sand. His body was beginning to break. "Lee!"

The Taijutsu Master forced his eyes open, feeling the chakra and then hearing Gaara's half scream. He didn't turn over just yet. He laid there trying to understand the situation. He felt a familiar presence hoover over his body and a warm hand grabbed him by the neck and lifted him into the air. Lee gripped the arm around his neck and saw the fire in Gaara's eyes. He saw those eyes before, during the Chuunin Exam -with the intent to kill-

"Gaara."

The demon possessed Ninja laughed evilly, but it wasn't him who was holding Lee by the throat. Lee knew he couldn't do anything to protect himself. His body was in shock and hung there limp for the most part. Even if he did have a way to get free, could he really hurt Gaara?

"Gaara put me down, I know you are in there somewhere. Listen to me."

'I can't stop him Lee.' Gaara fought to speak but only his thoughts echoed throughout his head. He couldn't tell Lee anything, Shukaku had taken over. 'Wait!' Gaara thought as he began to piece everything together. 'Was Shukaku the one following us to Suna?' Gaara tried to relax and let himself gain control the way he use to when he was younger. Instead of fighting the urge to be in control he let the Demon take over. It would be safer to trick him this way.

The grip on Lee's throat got tighter and tighter. He moved his legs back and forth trying to reach the earth but it was no good. "This is not you."

"You're smarter than I remember, Rock Lee."

Lee swallowed hard, Shukaku haunted his dreams even still. Now hearing his voice so clearly, it froze the Ninja, midair.

Gaara took a deep breath and proceeded to steal his body back. He gradually started to release his hold on Lee's neck as he fought against himself. It hurt to pull at his body in different ways, but his fingers eventually let go and Lee dropped to the ground in a heap of dust. Gaara dropped to his knees, eyes bloodshot, and hands around his own throat. Lee pushed him down into the ground and straddled him. He pinned Gaara's hands above his head and forced all his weight down.

"If you do not come back....I will have to kill you both." Lee brought his face close to the man he loved. "Please do not make me do that."

Gaara's chakra and Shukaku's chakra mixed and flared around Lee. His hair blew everywhere but he held on tight. The massive power tried to push him off and it felt as if two hands were pushing him in the chest where he'd been injured the most. Lee locked his eyes with Gaara's and begged him to calm down. Gaara never blinked and never took his eyes off Lee. Inside he was fighting as hard as he could to remain the way he had been, to be without Shukaku. Gaara broke free for a second and his eyes were once again those soft blue/green orbs Lee loved to look into.

"Lee...I-" He wanted to look away. "You are forgiven." Gaara barely got the words out before he snapped his eyes shut and opened them to reveal the Demon. Lee couldn't even see straight anymore. His vision was blurred by the tears in his eyes, then the voice scared him.

"He's gone now. Your precious lover cannot come back. This body is mine now!" Shukaku took control over Gaara's entire body and threw Lee off of him.

Lee gasped for air, his lungs were burning and on fire. He clawed at the bandages trying to breathe. He sat up from where he laid and saw Gaara's body moving towards him. There's was nothing he could now but avoid all the attacks. He thought back to the first time they ever fought; back when they were young. The sand had grabbed his arm and leg, this felt no different. He was injured and unable to fight and against a Sand Demon. He had to trust Gaara to regain control, but for now all he could do was run.

Lee was walking the opposite way they had been heading and Gaara's body slowly trailed after him, making all kinds of comments and cursing him. Lee was lucky that Shukaku couldn't walk as fast as he could. Gaara was apparently still trying to hold him back as much as he could.

Lee hadn't got far when his legs gave out and he fell face first into the dirt. He precariously lifted his head and turned around as Gaara's possessed body grabbed him yet again. Lee used what little strength he had and kicked the Demon in the stomach. Shukaku released him and hunched over. Afterall it was still Gaara's body and he was wounded as well. Lee stood weakly and kicked him to the ground but he couldn't do more than that. He couldn't bring himself to beat up Gaara's body even if he was lost inside it. Lee dropped to the ground and straddled Gaara again.

Lee slapped him, hard. "If you let go, I will lose you." He put his hands around Gaara's neck and pushed down firmly. "I will kill you myself before I let him take over."

The oxygen in Gaara's body became scarce and he beat at Lee for just a little air. Lee stared in his eyes waiting for the softness to return. Those darkened irises began to slowly fade off and the sweet color of the sky came into play. Lee softened his grip and then let go.

"Gaara-" Lee leaned down and touched Gaara's lips with his anxious ones. He breathed heavily through his nose and kept his lips steady. He could feel the Kazekage's body shake underneath his so he pulled back and watched something like hope fill his loves' eyes, but it stayed not too long.

Gaara gained a bit of consciousness and narrowed his eyes. "Kill me." He said with an all too weak voice.

"Never!"

"He will come back if you don't. Forget about me, you have a duty to protect Suna now." Gaara moved uncomfortably beneath him. "All is well between us...kill me go before I lose control again. I will hold nothing against you in the afterlife." Gaara grabbed Lee's arm.

"NO! You can ask me anything else but not that!" Lee brought his face close to Gaara's again. "Breathe." Lee kissed him again and could feel his chakra dropping quickly. It was working. Gaara just needed to know Lee was there, that he still wanted him, still loved him.

Gaara tore away. "If you will not kill me then injury me. stab me, Lee do this now." The Shinobi had a serious look in his eyes and Lee almost felt himself reaching into Gaara's kunai holster. He didn't want to do this, couldn't, but had to. He pulled out a kunai and held it in his hand between them just above Gaara's stomach.

"Do it! Stop hesitating!"

'Was that Gaara or Shukaku?' Lee was confused, he didn't know what to do anymore. He didn't know if Gaara had said to stab him or if it had been Shukaku. He grabbed his hair and pulled at it.

"Kami help me!" He took a chance and threw the sharp blade downward. It pierced skin and blood found the air and Lee's spandex suit. Gaara coughed and locked his eyes closed. Lee pushed the blade deeper and his hands shook dangerously as he tried to realize what he had done. His eyes held terrifying shock and he yanked the kunai from the depths of Gaara's abdomen. He threw the sharp Ninja weapon away and put his hands on the sides of Gaara's face. The chakra flare was gone but so was Gaara's movement. All Lee could feel was a life holding on by a mere thread.

"Gaara, Gaara answer me. I know you are not dead. Say something."

"Lee-"

A smiled graced Lee's face and he touched Gaara's forehead with his. "Are you safe now?" He asked in a small voice.

"No, once again the Demon is apart of me, I couldn't rid my body of him...I fear your safety." Gaara turned his head away and felt the sand next to him. He couldn't help but look away as he remembered the smoothness of Lee's kiss. It was too much for his mind to handle. He closed his eyes and Lee kissed his cheek.

"It is okay, at least you are safe...for now."

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I am so sorry this chapter took so long but you don't know how hard it was for me to understand how Gaara would be trying to deal with the situation...plus school recently started and i'm stressed about that....LOL...oh well....this chapter was a crash and burn, i'm sorry if you like the story and think this chapter sucks...i totally agree with you....i'll make it better, rewrite it or make the next chapter a TEN HIT! Review and tell me what you though reguardless.