Categories > Anime/Manga > Naruto > One of Many
One of Many
Authoress: Skitter160
Disclaimer: I don't need to tell you it's not mine. Because if it were I would be making you pay not handing it out for free.
“Naruto… Can I talk to you?” Lee asked looking over at his blonde friend as they enjoyed ramen the day before his departure.
“Sure what about?” Naruto looked over at the bushy browed ninja. He was dreading this discussion since he had a similar one with Gaara.
Lee blushed and looked away slightly. “Do you want to come over to my place? I don’t really want to talk about it here.”
“Sure.” Naruto inhaled what was left of his ramen and followed Lee to his apartment. He was actually surprised that Gaara hadn’t been around at all that day as they hung out. Though he realized this was Gaara’s way of letting Lee prepare to leave behind almost everyone he knew. “So what is it?” Naruto asked taking his seat on the couch as Lee sat at his desk.
“Well…” Lee looked over at the letter Gaara had sent to him to alert him of this visit. It was one of the few things he had not packed yet, otherwise most of his belongings were in just as many duffel bags as he could carry the rest having been sent ahead to Suna to make Lee’s room livable for his arrival. “Where should I start…?’
“I know you like Gaara.” Naruto spoke up after a few minutes of waiting. “I’m not sure exactly how much but I know you haven’t liked Sakura in years.” The blonde gave him a look asking him to challenge his assessment.
“Your not wrong.” Lee smiled weakly. “I haven’t liked Sakura for quite awhile now…” He paused. “But I don’t know when I started to like Gaara… And I’m not sure what I should do about it either. I mean Gaara doesn’t quite understand the concept of love yet.” He began wringing his hands together in an almost nervous fashion. “I mean how can I be so close all the time and not want to act?”
“I know Lee.” Naruto smiled softly. He had always known Lee was smart but he was also aware that he was too kind as well. “I don’t think now is a good time either, but I don’t think Gaara will never understand. Actually I think your being around him will make him understand a lot faster. You are after all the most caring ninja I’ve ever seen!”
“Thanks Naruto.” Lee smiled brightly. “I’m also worried about Neji… He’s been acting odd lately.” He recalled the way he had looked almost depressed when they ate lunch Neji’s eyes never quite meeting his own.
Naruto mentally thanked TenTen for watching over Neji. “Don’t worry about Neji, you know losing a teammate is a big deal even if it is just a mission.”
“I suppose your right.” Lee frowned as he found himself wanting to discuss Gaara more but berated himself for almost putting Naruto in the middle. Silence seemed to fill the air after Lee spoke.
“I’m okay with you talking about Gaara.” Naruto finally said. ‘It’s almost like trying to pull teeth just to get him to talk sometimes. I guess his stubbornness can be bad as well as good.’
“It’s alright Naruto, your words earlier have told me not to give up hope. I just can’t seem to get him off my mind.” Lee smiled before standing up and fetching one of their favorite past times for while they were there. “Want to play?”
“You know it!” Naruto smiled brightly at the game Lee was fetching.
+++
“Gaara?” Temari tried for the fourth time to get her brother’s attention as he sat on the couch staring into space. It wasn’t an unusual past time or anything but he was starting to mutter things under his breath and she was getting really curious about his thoughts.
“Yes?” Gaara finally answered turning to her with cool eyes.
“You were muttering something… Care to talk about it?” She smiled hopefully but was not expecting him to share as he rarely did.
“I was just thinking about the living arrangements I made for Lee and then what arrangements I should make for you and Shikamaru.” Gaara answered quickly. He did not want to admit that the thought of how close Lee’s room was to his had crossed his mind. He wasn’t even sure why it had if he were honest.
“I see.” She sat down next to him and smiled. “You know Gaara if you ever feel like talking to me about anything I’m always here ok?”
“…” He looked at his sister for the first time and actually realized that she was indeed a good source for advice, maybe even more helpful than Naruto. He had been thinking on what his friend had said to him days ago and it still didn’t make sense. “Temari I have something I want to ask… When I say I like Lee what does it mean?”
Temari blinked rapidly. She had not been expecting that kind of question. “What do you mean?”
“…” He just looked at her without answering as if to say he couldn’t explain further.
“Well…” She looked at her brother thoughtfully. ‘Has he figured it out or is he just trying to understand the concept of ‘like’ again?’ She looked at him seriously a moment before answering. “There are many contexts of the word like Gaara. It really depends on which one you use and what it means to you.” She smiled softly placing a hand on his shoulder. “Knowing you ‘like’ Lee is only the beginning, you also need to discover in which way you like Lee and maybe even why.”
“That may have been what Naruto was trying to say.” He muttered too low for his sister to hear. “I know why I like Lee…” He looked into her eyes and began listing. “He’s strong, good natured and forgiving, he accepts people for themselves, and he’s not bad on the eyes… There are many things about Lee to like.” He said a little off handedly. “But how can you tell in what way you like someone?”
Temari smiled. ‘Yeah he’s slowly figuring out that Lee is different but I don’t think he quite gets what it means.’ “Well that’s different from person to person.” She pulled him into a small hug. “In what way you like Lee is something you’ll have to figure out on your own. I can’t tell you what you feel Gaara I can only advise you once you know.” With that she stood up. “Well I’ll go make dinner anything you want tonight?”
“…” He looked at her and thought a moment a food he didn’t actually didn’t like popping into his mind, a food he knew Lee loved. “Can you teach me to make curry?” He asked standing up to go with her into the kitchen.
“…Sure?” She gave him a dumbfounded look recalling Lee had made curry when he was there. “Do you want to learn to make a curry better than Lee’s?”
“…” Gaara thought about it a moment. “Yes.” He had no idea why he wanted to make curry for Lee. “We can make enough for lunch tomorrow too.” He said absentmindedly.
“Sure.” Temari smiled she knew what he was doing. After all every one knew Lee’s favorite food is curry.
+++
“Are you ready Lee?” Shikamaru asked sitting on the couch in Gaara and Temari’s Konoha lodging.
“Yosh!” Lee made a striking ‘nice guy’ pose with his bags on his back. Gaara and Temari were just grabbing theirs before they headed to the gate where their friends would see them off. Lee didn’t want to admit how much he would miss them.
“Let’s go.” Gaara said entering the room and making sure Lee was following right behind him as they left.
+++
At the gate a lot of the Konoha ninja and a few villagers were there to see them off. Lee of course promised to write all of them as he smiled and wished them all a youthful summer as it was now spring. He had not cried until they were out of sight and that was mainly because he was really going to miss them but none of his traveling companions said anything. Though Gaara traveled closer to him.
“Lee…” Gaara said as they leaped from tree to tree almost side by side. “Don’t cry you will make plenty of friends in Suna.”
“Your right Gaara.” Lee smiled a teary smile and Temari and Shikamaru smiled with him. ‘I think Naruto was right to tell me to give Gaara time.’
It took the full three days of travel to reach Suna and as soon as they arrived Shikamaru and Lee were whisked off to be taught about the culture of this very different village. It would be a few days before they would be allowed to roam freely alone so as to ensure that they learned the customs.
Authoress: Skitter160
Disclaimer: I don't need to tell you it's not mine. Because if it were I would be making you pay not handing it out for free.
“Naruto… Can I talk to you?” Lee asked looking over at his blonde friend as they enjoyed ramen the day before his departure.
“Sure what about?” Naruto looked over at the bushy browed ninja. He was dreading this discussion since he had a similar one with Gaara.
Lee blushed and looked away slightly. “Do you want to come over to my place? I don’t really want to talk about it here.”
“Sure.” Naruto inhaled what was left of his ramen and followed Lee to his apartment. He was actually surprised that Gaara hadn’t been around at all that day as they hung out. Though he realized this was Gaara’s way of letting Lee prepare to leave behind almost everyone he knew. “So what is it?” Naruto asked taking his seat on the couch as Lee sat at his desk.
“Well…” Lee looked over at the letter Gaara had sent to him to alert him of this visit. It was one of the few things he had not packed yet, otherwise most of his belongings were in just as many duffel bags as he could carry the rest having been sent ahead to Suna to make Lee’s room livable for his arrival. “Where should I start…?’
“I know you like Gaara.” Naruto spoke up after a few minutes of waiting. “I’m not sure exactly how much but I know you haven’t liked Sakura in years.” The blonde gave him a look asking him to challenge his assessment.
“Your not wrong.” Lee smiled weakly. “I haven’t liked Sakura for quite awhile now…” He paused. “But I don’t know when I started to like Gaara… And I’m not sure what I should do about it either. I mean Gaara doesn’t quite understand the concept of love yet.” He began wringing his hands together in an almost nervous fashion. “I mean how can I be so close all the time and not want to act?”
“I know Lee.” Naruto smiled softly. He had always known Lee was smart but he was also aware that he was too kind as well. “I don’t think now is a good time either, but I don’t think Gaara will never understand. Actually I think your being around him will make him understand a lot faster. You are after all the most caring ninja I’ve ever seen!”
“Thanks Naruto.” Lee smiled brightly. “I’m also worried about Neji… He’s been acting odd lately.” He recalled the way he had looked almost depressed when they ate lunch Neji’s eyes never quite meeting his own.
Naruto mentally thanked TenTen for watching over Neji. “Don’t worry about Neji, you know losing a teammate is a big deal even if it is just a mission.”
“I suppose your right.” Lee frowned as he found himself wanting to discuss Gaara more but berated himself for almost putting Naruto in the middle. Silence seemed to fill the air after Lee spoke.
“I’m okay with you talking about Gaara.” Naruto finally said. ‘It’s almost like trying to pull teeth just to get him to talk sometimes. I guess his stubbornness can be bad as well as good.’
“It’s alright Naruto, your words earlier have told me not to give up hope. I just can’t seem to get him off my mind.” Lee smiled before standing up and fetching one of their favorite past times for while they were there. “Want to play?”
“You know it!” Naruto smiled brightly at the game Lee was fetching.
+++
“Gaara?” Temari tried for the fourth time to get her brother’s attention as he sat on the couch staring into space. It wasn’t an unusual past time or anything but he was starting to mutter things under his breath and she was getting really curious about his thoughts.
“Yes?” Gaara finally answered turning to her with cool eyes.
“You were muttering something… Care to talk about it?” She smiled hopefully but was not expecting him to share as he rarely did.
“I was just thinking about the living arrangements I made for Lee and then what arrangements I should make for you and Shikamaru.” Gaara answered quickly. He did not want to admit that the thought of how close Lee’s room was to his had crossed his mind. He wasn’t even sure why it had if he were honest.
“I see.” She sat down next to him and smiled. “You know Gaara if you ever feel like talking to me about anything I’m always here ok?”
“…” He looked at his sister for the first time and actually realized that she was indeed a good source for advice, maybe even more helpful than Naruto. He had been thinking on what his friend had said to him days ago and it still didn’t make sense. “Temari I have something I want to ask… When I say I like Lee what does it mean?”
Temari blinked rapidly. She had not been expecting that kind of question. “What do you mean?”
“…” He just looked at her without answering as if to say he couldn’t explain further.
“Well…” She looked at her brother thoughtfully. ‘Has he figured it out or is he just trying to understand the concept of ‘like’ again?’ She looked at him seriously a moment before answering. “There are many contexts of the word like Gaara. It really depends on which one you use and what it means to you.” She smiled softly placing a hand on his shoulder. “Knowing you ‘like’ Lee is only the beginning, you also need to discover in which way you like Lee and maybe even why.”
“That may have been what Naruto was trying to say.” He muttered too low for his sister to hear. “I know why I like Lee…” He looked into her eyes and began listing. “He’s strong, good natured and forgiving, he accepts people for themselves, and he’s not bad on the eyes… There are many things about Lee to like.” He said a little off handedly. “But how can you tell in what way you like someone?”
Temari smiled. ‘Yeah he’s slowly figuring out that Lee is different but I don’t think he quite gets what it means.’ “Well that’s different from person to person.” She pulled him into a small hug. “In what way you like Lee is something you’ll have to figure out on your own. I can’t tell you what you feel Gaara I can only advise you once you know.” With that she stood up. “Well I’ll go make dinner anything you want tonight?”
“…” He looked at her and thought a moment a food he didn’t actually didn’t like popping into his mind, a food he knew Lee loved. “Can you teach me to make curry?” He asked standing up to go with her into the kitchen.
“…Sure?” She gave him a dumbfounded look recalling Lee had made curry when he was there. “Do you want to learn to make a curry better than Lee’s?”
“…” Gaara thought about it a moment. “Yes.” He had no idea why he wanted to make curry for Lee. “We can make enough for lunch tomorrow too.” He said absentmindedly.
“Sure.” Temari smiled she knew what he was doing. After all every one knew Lee’s favorite food is curry.
+++
“Are you ready Lee?” Shikamaru asked sitting on the couch in Gaara and Temari’s Konoha lodging.
“Yosh!” Lee made a striking ‘nice guy’ pose with his bags on his back. Gaara and Temari were just grabbing theirs before they headed to the gate where their friends would see them off. Lee didn’t want to admit how much he would miss them.
“Let’s go.” Gaara said entering the room and making sure Lee was following right behind him as they left.
+++
At the gate a lot of the Konoha ninja and a few villagers were there to see them off. Lee of course promised to write all of them as he smiled and wished them all a youthful summer as it was now spring. He had not cried until they were out of sight and that was mainly because he was really going to miss them but none of his traveling companions said anything. Though Gaara traveled closer to him.
“Lee…” Gaara said as they leaped from tree to tree almost side by side. “Don’t cry you will make plenty of friends in Suna.”
“Your right Gaara.” Lee smiled a teary smile and Temari and Shikamaru smiled with him. ‘I think Naruto was right to tell me to give Gaara time.’
It took the full three days of travel to reach Suna and as soon as they arrived Shikamaru and Lee were whisked off to be taught about the culture of this very different village. It would be a few days before they would be allowed to roam freely alone so as to ensure that they learned the customs.
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