Don't Desert Me

Don't Desert Me
Chapter1


Rock Lee was not an attractive man. In fact, Gaara found him to be quite... ugly. There was no lightning strike to Gaara’s chest or coil of lust in his loins when he thought of or saw Lee. Thick, messy brows and bulging eyes framed by feminine lashes did nothing to invite desire- or gather any sort of sympathy. Glimpsing the immaculate, ridiculous flip of bowl-shaped hair only brought a brief twinge of annoyance to the forefront of Gaara’s calm.

However.... Something was there. Something... interesting. And, despite all reason, there was a small measure of attraction.

Gaara enjoyed interesting things when it wasn’t necessary to remove them. Naturally, it would have been fun to play with, or break, such things; but somehow, over the years, Gaara had learned to taper those impulses. At least, until he could decide what course of action would benefit him without unfortunate repercussions. Gaara doubted konoha would stand peacefully by if he decided to dismember on of their more well-known ninja.

Watching Lee as the younger man slept, Gaara didn’t come to any immediate decisions. Killing wasn’t an option- not if he wanted to keep the alliance with Leaf-but playing... playing was something to consider. Maybe a little blood wouldn’t hurt. After all, part of the lure of Lee was blood. Gaara hadn’t denied himself a stolen, secret taste or two during the brief clashes he’d shared with the younger ninja. Conflicts that required both Sand and Leaf numbers were far between, but unavoidable, and Gaara had made no small effort to pass through any group, or medic tent, that housed his source of interest.

But that was the problem, wasn’t it? Pale green eyes narrowed, staring resolutely through slivers of open window shades at a slack face, flicking over a pointed upper lip, a stretch of tanned skin over a soft cheekbone.... The rare brush of this man’s life against Gaara’s own wasn’t enough. More was necessary. Needed. Demanded. It didn’t matter that Gaara couldn’t pinpoint exactly where the need for Rock Lee originated.

The Kazekage’s demands were always met.

. . . . .

Of course, Tsunade wouldn’t agree with his reasoning.

“Kazekage...” The blonde woman rubbed a thumb fiercely between her brows, as if she could erase the frustration forming a migraine there. “Gaara. I’m sure you realize why I can’t just give you one of Leaf’s top ninjas-“

“I asked if you needed him.” Gaara stood with his arms crossed in front of the Hokage’s desk, feet spaced apart to carefully balance the weight of his gourd. “You told me he has no tasks planned-“

“So?” Tsunade was looking less pained and more annoyed by the second. “So, what you’re saying is, because he has no plans for the immediate future, I should hand him over to Sand for some unknown reason- which I’m sure you have no intention of explaining.”

“It is very.... important.” Gaara’s lips thinned as he spoke slowly, considering his words carefully before adding. “To me.”

“To you.”

The woman wasn’t cooperating. Gaara stared back into her irritated, uncomprehending stare. “I want him.”

“You.” Tsunade repeated slowly, a light tentatively dawning behind her eyes even as her face went a sick shade of grey. “Want... Him.”

“Yes.”

“Please. Tell me you want him for your village and not....”

“....” Lying to the Hokage would only lead to tensions and suspicion later in their alliance. Though, the truth in this case was best left to be sorted at an individualized pace.

“That.”

No amount of thumb rubbing would ever make anything right again. Tsunade suppressed a shudder as she forced her teeth to unclench enough to speak. “Gaara.... Are you requesting permission to... court... Rock Lee?”

A hairless brow rose at her incredulous tone. Did the Hokage think Gaara dishonest in his advances on Lee...? Or was the woman ridiculing his decision?

Tsunade leant back slowly, hands sliding over the surface of her desk until they reached the edge and her shoulders touched the back of her stiffly padded chair. She met the slight narrowing of Gaara’s eyes with a warning glare of her own, lips thinning as she considered the young leader standing before her. It was a well-known fact, what with Naruto bursting into her office regularly and inevitably boasting his life accomplishments, that Gaara of the Sand, the Kazekage, was no immediate threat to Konoha. He was considered a friend to a small number of Konoha’s ninja and Tsunade actually respected him from their occasional dealings; he was considered an unshakeable ally by unspoken agreement.... but there was no denying that the young Kazekage was on shaky ground when it came to things that weren’t just about diplomacy and peace.

Gaara was asking for a person, for personal reasons, and that left Tsunade in the dangerous place of guessing just how serious the repercussions of refusing would be.

Not that agreeing to the request was an option. Rock Lee was a very important part of Konoha, whether he had missions or not, and giving him away just because Gaara wanted him was supremely unreasonable.. As a part-time teacher and valuable friend... not to mention Gai. Tsunade suppressed a twitch. She didn’t want to think how Gai would react to such a situation, but she was sure it would be full of youthful indignation.

“Yes.” Gaara snapped, voice barely rising from its normal volume, as it became clear that the woman was beginning to sink into silent musings while awaiting his answer. “Courting” was an unsuitable word for what he wanted, as it usually implied a lead into marriage, but for the moment it would have to do- and Gaara had no need to argue over technicalities when he had no rising interests beyond Lee anyways.

Sake. Tsunade moaned silently, eyes still stubbornly locked with Gaara’s as her brow twitched. She needed sake and she needed a lot of it. One bottle for the stress and another for the mental image of Lee in nothing but white wedding garters and the sparkle of his teeth.

“.... Right. Let’s talk, Kazekage- but not before I get a drink.”

________


Author's note:

First of all, in my defense, it's 7:30am and I didn't go to sleep last night... and this is when I'm writing and posting this first chapter. So if there's any weird sentences and if this is all just coming along oddly in general.... I blame the weird fuzzy feeling that's drifting over my brain and prodding me between my eyeballs.

Secondly... yea. I love Gaara. I love Lee even more. But I suuuuck at fanfiction and, whaddayaknow, I decided to write one of the most complicated characters in Naruto while I'm only half conscious. Whooooo... probably not a good idea, but I know as an insomniac that I'll be staying up again and something in my fuzzy brain will trigger the impulse to update this sometime soon. So if you liked this... be happy. *wink and sparkly smile- passes out over keyboard*