Magic Gone Wrong! Chapter 12
Title: Magic Gone Wrong!
Chapter: 12/18
Previous Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four 1, Four 2, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven
Authors:
lucklessmallory and
chinesethorn
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: LeexGaara
Summary: Tentacles, ftw?! Gaara is a sorcerer outside of the small town where Lee works as a smith. When Lee sits in on one of Gaara's ritual summonings, something starts to go terribly wrong...
~*~*~*~
Lee woke up to a pounding hangover and loud whining in his ear. “Gods above, lemme sleep,” he grumbled, swiping at something tickling his earlobe and sending a small, squeaking body flying across the bed. It was no use to try and go back to sleep as sharp pains shot through his head down to his nose. He groaned in pain, hands reaching up to clasp his pillow only to tighten around soft strands.
One of Lee’s eyes blinked open followed quickly by the other as he stared almost cross-eyed at the tiny gremlin waving its fist at him. His gaze shifted to the background where Gaara’s face was right next to his. With a sharp inhale, he rolled over to the other side and slipped out of bed, banging his knee on the side table and hissing at the echoing pain in his temples. He couldn’t remember anything from last night except coming back to the inn and asking for some tap at the bar while he waited for Gaara to come home. Why was his head hurting so much?
“You’re awake.” Gaara blinked and took a deep breath as Lee’s bumbling woke him. He sat up and yawned, slipping his legs out from under the blankets. He raised a brow at the gremlin, but didn’t comment as he stretched and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “How’s the hang-over?”
Gaara stood and walked over to the small dresser beside the window and dipped a cloth into the bowl of water he’d prepared last night. He wrung out the tepid liquid and held out moist cloth for Lee to wash his face with.
Taking the cloth, Lee pressed his face into it and let the cold water shock him completely awake. He groaned into the cloth as his temples began to throb again, the shift in temperature sending his blood flowing to his head. “Hang-over?” He lowered the cloth enough to stare at Gaara in confusion. “But I do not drink alcohol...wait. Did I break anything last night?”
If what Gaara said was true, then it explained the sour taste in his mouth and the pain in his head. Lee slid the cloth up his forehead until it pushed his bangs away from his face, taking comfort as he held it against his temples.
“Just a table, as far as I know.” Gaara stretched his arms above his head again and hummed at the pleasant pull across his ribs. He went back to his side of the bed, searching the floor for his clothes. He was just in his sleep pants now. “You get incredibly horny when you’re drunk, by the way. Or it may have only been this time. It’s been a while since you were so forward with me.”
Lee’s face erupted in a dark red hue and he yelped in pain at the additional blood flowing to his head and cheeks. “Ugh, I am never touching alcohol again,” he moaned, “I...I did not force you into anything, did I? And I will find a way to pay for the table I broke.” Eyes opening in mere slits, he couldn’t help letting his gaze linger longer on Gaara’s bare back and the curve of his ass when he bent to pick up his clothes. He still wanted the sorcerer despite his decision not to push for intimacy between them. Besides, there was something else he’d wanted to tell Gaara-
He started when he felt something climb up his shoulder, glancing at the gremlin who was rubbing its belly hungrily. Sighing, he stopped lingering about and headed over to their packs. “I must have forgotten to feed you last night too, huh?” he murmured as he finally noticed the singed hair on his chest and the traces of soot left on his body from yesterday.
“You pinned me on the bed, but passed out before we could do anything. I have a potion that would take care of your headache, but you wouldn’t like it.” Gaara glanced over his shoulder at Lee with a malicious smirk as he pulled on and adjusted his shirt. “It’s made from bacon grease, raw salmon eggs, salamander drool, and stool of an unknown origin. Has that nausea kicked in yet, by the way?”
Lee’s face paled at the list of ingredients and he pressed a hand against his mouth. “You can be a real bastard you know?” he said with a muffled voice, brows furrowed as he pulled out a fresh change of clothes and faced the other man. Taking a breath to stifle the urge to vomit, he set the gremlin on the table for a moment as he cleaned his body with the wet cloth and got dressed. “I think I will just get water downstairs.”
Packing away his things, he perked up as he recalled the good news he had yesterday. “I have something to tell you, Master Gaara. I met Master Jordin, the blacksmith, yesterday and he was impressed when I showed him my skills.”
“That’s nice,” Gaara replied vaguely in reply, suddenly distracted as he slipped on his socks and shoes. He gathered his cloak and belt quickly, eyes down as he thought to himself. He knew what Lee was going to say. He didn’t want to hear it right now.
“I’m not surprised. You’re already proficient. Will you be going back today? I still have some things to take care of, then we need to start moving again tomorrow morning. I think I’ve caught a lead in finding him.”
“Not today. But as soon as I can. Master Jordin has offered to let me stay at his home along with an apprenticeship.” Lee glanced out the tiny window. It was still dark outside but the horizon was already tuning light blue in anticipation of sunrise. He stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles. He was feeling better already with every passing moment and the thought of his apprenticeship. “This is great! We will not have to go around in circles to find this Shukaku anymore. If we are able to track him down soon, we may be able to finish this quest earlier than expected.”
“Don’t get cocky.” Gaara’s voice was a tad sharper than he’d intended, and he blinked in surprise at himself. He took a deep breath and turned to face Lee as he spoke. “If this lead proves fruitful, it’ll definitely help us find him faster, but we still need to face him. He’s a dangerous man, Lee. Overconfidence will kill you.”
Gaara checked his pockets briefly, then sighed. He had everything he needed. “I need to get going.”
Lee’s mouth shut in surprise at Gaara’s reprimand. The excited look on his face vanished as his gaze lowered to the floor, thick brows meeting before he exhaled and nodded. He didn’t know what was worse: Gaara’s abrupt dismissal of his good news or the thought that he should have expected this by now. “You are right. I am sorry. I did not intend to belittle the quest we are on.”
He turned around and helped the gremlin back onto his shoulder. Its size would help it duck into the folds of his shirt and avoid discovery in public. “Do you want me to come with you?”
Gaara felt something queasy form in his gut at the look on Lee’s face, but struggled to ignore it. It felt like the harder he tried to keep Lee with him, the farther he pushed the man away. It was getting worse. “If you don’t have anywhere else you’d like to be today, then you are welcome to come with me. I have someone I need to meet soon.”
He started to turn toward the door, then paused and turned back. He stepped up to Lee and pulled him down for a brief kiss. It was simple and dry, and it felt to Gaara that it would have seemed more impressive if he was taller, but there was desire and value there nonetheless.
Lee accepted the kiss but couldn’t hide his half-hearted attempt to return it. His eyes flickered black for a moment before they returned to their normal dark brown. There was still a tightness between his brows and the set of his mouth as he rubbed Gaara’s arms. “Alright. I will come with you. We can get breakfast together after your business is done. I will just get some water downstairs.”
Moving past the sorcerer, he headed out the door to get something to clear his head and ease the tension building in his chest.
It was just after the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon of the city when Lee and Gaara made their way inside Orochimaru’s hideout and met with the old snake. They were in the same room which Gaara had met him the day before, but it was far emptier now. There was a distinct quiet compared to the bustle of voices dealing and trade switching hands that usually took place. It was almost as if the criminal underground had slept in.
“I have the last ingredient.” The sorcerer reached into his cloak and summoned a long, thin blue vial. “Do you have Shukaku’s location?”
Beside him, Lee was trying his damnedest to stay still despite his flesh crawling along his arms. Orochimaru’s pet snake was slithering along the floor freely and was looking right at him. Gaara had instructed him to stay silent, but he was close to running out the door screaming if that snake touched him. Their town’s garden snakes were a fourth of Manda’s size!
“Right here,” Orochimaru replied, holding up a sealed letter. He smirked in amusement at Lee’s pale face before turning his gaze back to Gaara. One of his aides took the letter and drew closer to Gaara, holding it just out of reach. “Before we hold this delightful exchange, who may I ask is your friend? Manda seems to like him very much.”
“Lee, Orochimaru,” Gaara introduced, gesturing between them. He put a hand on Lee’s arm to help calm the smith, and to convey to Orochimaru that he and Lee were close. He was almost amused at the look on Lee’s face when he’d beheld Manda. He’d thought his friend was recklessly brave in the face of anything. “Lee and I are partners of a sort. He’s with me. Don’t worry about the snake, Lee. She shouldn’t touch you.”
The sorcerer levitated the vial like he had done the other, and held out a hand for the letter. There was a tightness to his expression as he waited.
Lee’s lips tugged nervously into a smile, taking comfort from Gaara’s words. He hadn’t liked the look Orochimaru gave Gaara when they entered the room, and the demon was stirring inside him at the dangerous aura he was giving off.
“Lee. A simple name for one who has that much power. You keep interesting friends, little tanuki.” Orochimaru waved his hand, the aide handing Gaara the letter while taking the vial and bringing it to the snake. He fingered the top of the slim container thoughtfully. “I eagerly await what comes out of your reunion with your former master.”
“I’m sure you’ll hear of it, even if I don’t visit you again for some time.” Gaara nodded and slipped the paper securely into his cloak, shivering briefly with the possible implications of finally finding Shukaku. It would mean half the battle.
They left quickly, and Gaara felt something tighten in his chest with anticipation. He could feel the letter in his breast pocket, heavy with power for the future. They made it out of the snake’s hideout and the city’s alleys easily. Gaara was so distracted however, that he didn’t notice someone approaching from behind until they’d already broken through his protective forces and wrapped strong, tan arms around him.
“HolyshitGaara! What the hell are you doing here?! I thought I wouldn’t see you for another three years at least!” Naruto exclaimed. He nearly burst Gaara’s eardrum with his shouting as he pulled the sorcerer against him in a bone grinding hug from behind. “Shit, man, have you gotten shorter or what?”
Before Naruto could get another word out, he was yanked off of Gaara and thrown against the nearest wall. Lee sucked in a breath, freezing once his brain finally caught up to his body’s reflexes. “Y-You know Master Gaara?” He glanced from the blond man to the sorcerer beside him, rapidly realizing he likely just manhandled Gaara’s friend.
“That is what you get for calling me short,” Gaara growled, scowling and crossing his arms as he turned to face his old friend. He was irked that the blond had managed to sneak up on him so easily.
“Ow. What was that for?” Naruto rubbed his lower back as he leaned forward off his backside and winced. Whoever the hell had hit him was a freaking giant! That kind of strength was unnatural! He hadn’t been so easy to throw since he was a child! “What kind of company are you keeping, Gaara? That fucking hurt!”
Lee rubbed the back of his head as he straightened up, though he wasn’t sorry about separating the two men. They were still close to where Orochimaru and the rest of the city’s criminal underground resided, and the blond man could easily have been a murderer or one of Shukaku’s men. “I am sorry for throwing you. Are you alright?” he asked, stepping close to Gaara’s side and offering a friendly smile at Naruto despite the wariness still in his eyes. “This is not the best place to startle someone.”
“What are you, a bodyguard or something?” Naruto pulled himself up and brushed off his dirty clothes, huffing defensively.
“Of course not. I can take care of myself.” Gaara gestured between the men. “Naruto, this is Lee. Lee, this oaf is Naruto.”
“Oi! That’s the worst greeting and introduction I’ve ever had! What the hell, man?”
Gaara’s mouth finally turned up in a smile. It was a different expression than he wore when alone with Lee, but similar in its rare tenderness and approachability. His eyes crinkled and one edge of his mouth pulled higher than the other in a crooked affection. “Hello, Naruto. Satisfied?”
A glance at Gaara had Lee’s breath catching in his throat, but he swallowed it down and held out a hand towards Naruto. “Pleased to meet you! I did not know Master Gaara had close friends in the city. I am the smith from our town and his companion for his travels.”
Naruto narrowed his eyes at Lee’s hand before they curved into slits and he shook Lee’s hand firmly. The spark of magic that passed between them gave way to Naruto’s true nature. “Heh! Well any friend of Gaara’s is a friend of mine just for putting up with his bullshit attitude.” When he pulled his hand back, he raised his brow at Gaara in a silent what-the-fuck at the demonic energy he felt coursing through Lee’s body.
Gaara just shook his head mutely, his mouth tightening a fraction as he conveyed that they would talk about it later. He didn’t want to explain it all right now, and the demon could be a touchy subject lately.
“We were just on our way back to the inn where we’re staying. You should come with. I’d like to talk to you about the latest quest I’ve begun.” Gaara’s eyes burned softly with excitement. He still hadn’t forgotten his letter.
“Sounds great! We can finally catch up.” Naruto stepped up to his friend and wrapped an arm around Gaara’s shoulders, turning down the street.
There was little else to do but follow after the two as they headed back towards the inn. Watching Naruto chatting loudly and jostling Gaara with obvious familiarity, Lee couldn’t shake away the twist in his gut or the cold realization that he wasn’t the only one Gaara allowed close to him.
“You’ve been up to no good and you’re going to tell me all about it.” Naruto prodded Gaara’s chest once they barmaid had served their drinks and they were left alone in the corner of the inn’s bar. He propped one leg over another, boot scraping against the table leg as he took a swig of his beer. “Tastes a hell of a lot better than the piss they have down south," he said, tugging open the red and black robe he wore over a tunic.
The place was quiet at this time of day with only a few people taking an early lunch there. Lee had gone to the stables to check if their horses were ready for travel tomorrow, giving the two men time to talk.
“It’s a long story.” Gaara took a small pull of his beer. He didn’t drink often, but Naruto always seemed able to convince him like no other could. He had to agree that the taste wasn’t bad. “I’ve been living in that town for couple years now. Things were almost... calm, for a while. Comfortable. But I got restless a few months ago and tried to summon a demon I wasn’t prepared for. I was out of practice. Lee was there when it happened.”
Gaara took another pull from his drink, this one deeper than before. He grimaced as he vaguely remembered the dark, manic grin on Lee’s face and the total blackness of his eyes the first time he’d been possessed.
“That’s another thing I’m wondering about. I never took you for someone who’d allow an audience during a summoning.” Naruto gestured towards Gaara with his beer mug. “You only let me in on your spells when it was a joint summoning back when we worked together. What the fuck changed?”
He took a long drink of his beer before holding it up and calling for a refill. “And with that thing inside him, I’m assuming it’s under your control? It damn better be.” He narrowed his eyes at Gaara. Back when they’d first met, Gaara wasn’t the composed, relatively peaceful man he was now. Naruto didn’t doubt that there was still some of that chaotic nature hidden inside his friend.
“I shouldn’t have let him sit in. I was overconfident, and sometimes Lee makes me feel like showing off. He asked if he could be there, and I allowed it.” Gaara sighed and rubbed a temple with regret. “I prepared a simple salt circle for him, but it wasn’t enough. When the demon broke away from me and tried to drag me through the opening, Lee ran to my aide and made himself vulnerable.”
Gaara gulped the last of his drink and held it out as the staff came back with a tall pitcher to refill their drinks. He thanked her briefly. “I discovered the demon’s name, but not before Lee had traded possession of his body for my safety. I’ve been keeping him close ever since, seeing as he’s my responsibility now.”
Naruto drank his beer in silence as he considered what Gaara said. He’d summoned his share of demons, but the one he felt possessing Lee had almost enough power to challenge the Kyuubi. “Showing off, huh? Knowing you, summoning a demon that powerful means you were planning to do something stupid or suicidal. Or both. I’m willing to bet my fucking reputation as a sage that it’s tied to the quest you’re on now. I don’t think you were lingering around that perverted snake’s hideout for nothing.”
Leaning forward, he lowered his voice and looked Gaara in the eye, the lines on his cheeks darkened by shadow and making him look even more fox-like than usual. “Are you going after Shukaku?”
Gaara’s eyes finally lit up with the age old, smoldering excitement. He reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out the sealed letter he’d received. “I’ve been testing the demon’s power, and I think I can finally pull it off. I’ve got his location from the snake, and I’ve been gathering power for a long time. Even on the way into the city, I found one of Shukaku’s cults in ruin. That means he isn’t capable of maintaining all his power sources anymore- his energy is spread too thin.”
The redhead leaned forward over the table, clutching the envelop tighter as his face hovered close to Naruto’s. His voice was emphatic, but also soft so as not to draw attention. He tilted his head at his old friend. “It won’t be easy, but I can finally do this.”
“The snake found his location? I’ll be damned. You’ve finally got a lead on him after all these years.” Naruto eyed the letter in Gaara’s hand before looking at Gaara with renewed intensity. It had been so long since they parted ways, but his friend’s ambitions were still as high as they were long ago. Blue eyes held Gaara’s gaze for a second before the blond sorcerer leaned forward and crushed their lips together in one quick movement. He didn’t pull away completely as he grinned at the redhead. “You haven’t lost that fire I’ve always loved about you.”
While Gaara didn’t pull away, he’d seen the kiss coming. He had let it happen, recognizing the twinge of excitement and passion that had passed between them so many times before. It felt as ancient and familiar as heartbreak, with a fondness that always characterized his bond with Naruto. The corner of Gaara’s mouth pulled up in a half smile, even as he began to shake his head and lean just a bit further into his own seat.
“No more of that, Naruto. I’ve missed you, but I think we’ve both moved on from that.” He finally slipped a finger under the letter’s seal and began to break open the folds. “Besides, I’ve become rather intimate with Lee. I have the feeling he’d be upset by this.”
Naruto held up both hands in mock surrender and pulled away with a laugh. “Alright, alright. It was still worth a shot. But I knew there was something more between you with the way he looks at you like a lost pup.” He stretched his arm against the back of his chair and let it hang as he drunk down his second mug.
“I’m happy for you. Hard enough to find someone when they’re fucking afraid of our magic, even harder when our magic has touched them. How is he taking his possession? Does he know what he’ll go through once you use the demon’s power on Shukaku?” Naruto looked around for the barmaid with a frown before finally shrugging and tapping a finger at the base of his mug. It began to fill with a different liquid- the higher quality drink from the innkeeper’s own cellar. “It’s not like the it will leave him once Shukaku’s dead.”
“I talked to him quite a bit about what to expect when it first happened.” Gaara’s mouth twisted with thought. He pulled out the folded letter and set the envelope on the table. “It’s been... harder to talk to him lately. I’m going to discuss strategies with him before we face Shukaku, but I’m sure the demon will be doing most of the work.”
Gaara finally opened the letter and quickly scanned the contents. He raised a brow and inhaled sharply at what he found. Shukaku was apparently dwelling between mountain valleys at the edge of the Great Desert. There was a brief list of examples of his appearances to travelers or witnesses detailing the last places he’d let himself be known. It wouldn’t be difficult to reach that place- Gaara knew the paths well. He’d passed through that area with his master in the past while training. “This is finally it. I’m going to leave first thing in the morning with Lee toward the Greater Desert.”
“Let me come with you. I’ve gathered enough power of my own to lend a hand,” Naruto proposed. “It’s the least I can do for an old friend.” He glanced up when he caught sight of Lee entering the dining hall, sipping his mug and tilting his head slightly to notify Gaara. “Just consider it. You know how to find me when you decide.”
Catching sight of the two, Lee made his way to their table and sat down next to Gaara with a smile. “The horses are fit for travel and I have also purchased more feed for the journey ahead.” He nodded in greeting at Naruto before blinking in surprise when he saw that they were both drinking beer this early. “Will you be joining us for lunch?” he asked the blond sorcerer.
“Nah, I gotta get going soon. Things to do, places to see.” Naruto met Lee’s smile easily even when he questioned how someone who seemed so cheerful and proper could get along with the redhead. He drank the last of his beer and set it down with a satisfied sigh, getting up and clasping Gaara’s shoulder with mischief in his eyes. “Damn good to see you again, Gaara. Don’t forget me too much okay?”
“I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again, Naruto.” Gaara slipped a hand over his friend’s and squeezed affectionately with a small, familiar smile. He turned in his seat and watched his friend leave, not turning back to Lee until Naruto had stepped out the door.
The sorcerer refolded his letter carefully and tucked it back into the envelope. He levitated it above his palm and focused until it caught fire and burned into ashes. He tossed the mess under the table and wiped his hands together. “Tonight we’ll discuss the next section of our travels. I know where we need to go from here.”
“Alright. I also have something to talk to you about tonight.” Lee clasped his hands together tightly on the table, the furrow between his brows deepening even when Naruto had already left. That look between the two sorcerers almost looked like- but no, he must be seeing things that weren’t really there. Raising a hand to catch the barmaid’s attention, he ignored the churning in his gut and focused instead on having a hot meal with Gaara. For now.
Gaara nodded and took a small swig of his beer. He had a lot to discuss with the smith before they departed.
Chapter: 12/18
Previous Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four 1, Four 2, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven
Authors:
lucklessmallory and
chinesethorn
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: LeexGaara
Summary: Tentacles, ftw?! Gaara is a sorcerer outside of the small town where Lee works as a smith. When Lee sits in on one of Gaara's ritual summonings, something starts to go terribly wrong...
~*~*~*~
Lee woke up to a pounding hangover and loud whining in his ear. “Gods above, lemme sleep,” he grumbled, swiping at something tickling his earlobe and sending a small, squeaking body flying across the bed. It was no use to try and go back to sleep as sharp pains shot through his head down to his nose. He groaned in pain, hands reaching up to clasp his pillow only to tighten around soft strands.
One of Lee’s eyes blinked open followed quickly by the other as he stared almost cross-eyed at the tiny gremlin waving its fist at him. His gaze shifted to the background where Gaara’s face was right next to his. With a sharp inhale, he rolled over to the other side and slipped out of bed, banging his knee on the side table and hissing at the echoing pain in his temples. He couldn’t remember anything from last night except coming back to the inn and asking for some tap at the bar while he waited for Gaara to come home. Why was his head hurting so much?
“You’re awake.” Gaara blinked and took a deep breath as Lee’s bumbling woke him. He sat up and yawned, slipping his legs out from under the blankets. He raised a brow at the gremlin, but didn’t comment as he stretched and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “How’s the hang-over?”
Gaara stood and walked over to the small dresser beside the window and dipped a cloth into the bowl of water he’d prepared last night. He wrung out the tepid liquid and held out moist cloth for Lee to wash his face with.
Taking the cloth, Lee pressed his face into it and let the cold water shock him completely awake. He groaned into the cloth as his temples began to throb again, the shift in temperature sending his blood flowing to his head. “Hang-over?” He lowered the cloth enough to stare at Gaara in confusion. “But I do not drink alcohol...wait. Did I break anything last night?”
If what Gaara said was true, then it explained the sour taste in his mouth and the pain in his head. Lee slid the cloth up his forehead until it pushed his bangs away from his face, taking comfort as he held it against his temples.
“Just a table, as far as I know.” Gaara stretched his arms above his head again and hummed at the pleasant pull across his ribs. He went back to his side of the bed, searching the floor for his clothes. He was just in his sleep pants now. “You get incredibly horny when you’re drunk, by the way. Or it may have only been this time. It’s been a while since you were so forward with me.”
Lee’s face erupted in a dark red hue and he yelped in pain at the additional blood flowing to his head and cheeks. “Ugh, I am never touching alcohol again,” he moaned, “I...I did not force you into anything, did I? And I will find a way to pay for the table I broke.” Eyes opening in mere slits, he couldn’t help letting his gaze linger longer on Gaara’s bare back and the curve of his ass when he bent to pick up his clothes. He still wanted the sorcerer despite his decision not to push for intimacy between them. Besides, there was something else he’d wanted to tell Gaara-
He started when he felt something climb up his shoulder, glancing at the gremlin who was rubbing its belly hungrily. Sighing, he stopped lingering about and headed over to their packs. “I must have forgotten to feed you last night too, huh?” he murmured as he finally noticed the singed hair on his chest and the traces of soot left on his body from yesterday.
“You pinned me on the bed, but passed out before we could do anything. I have a potion that would take care of your headache, but you wouldn’t like it.” Gaara glanced over his shoulder at Lee with a malicious smirk as he pulled on and adjusted his shirt. “It’s made from bacon grease, raw salmon eggs, salamander drool, and stool of an unknown origin. Has that nausea kicked in yet, by the way?”
Lee’s face paled at the list of ingredients and he pressed a hand against his mouth. “You can be a real bastard you know?” he said with a muffled voice, brows furrowed as he pulled out a fresh change of clothes and faced the other man. Taking a breath to stifle the urge to vomit, he set the gremlin on the table for a moment as he cleaned his body with the wet cloth and got dressed. “I think I will just get water downstairs.”
Packing away his things, he perked up as he recalled the good news he had yesterday. “I have something to tell you, Master Gaara. I met Master Jordin, the blacksmith, yesterday and he was impressed when I showed him my skills.”
“That’s nice,” Gaara replied vaguely in reply, suddenly distracted as he slipped on his socks and shoes. He gathered his cloak and belt quickly, eyes down as he thought to himself. He knew what Lee was going to say. He didn’t want to hear it right now.
“I’m not surprised. You’re already proficient. Will you be going back today? I still have some things to take care of, then we need to start moving again tomorrow morning. I think I’ve caught a lead in finding him.”
“Not today. But as soon as I can. Master Jordin has offered to let me stay at his home along with an apprenticeship.” Lee glanced out the tiny window. It was still dark outside but the horizon was already tuning light blue in anticipation of sunrise. He stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles. He was feeling better already with every passing moment and the thought of his apprenticeship. “This is great! We will not have to go around in circles to find this Shukaku anymore. If we are able to track him down soon, we may be able to finish this quest earlier than expected.”
“Don’t get cocky.” Gaara’s voice was a tad sharper than he’d intended, and he blinked in surprise at himself. He took a deep breath and turned to face Lee as he spoke. “If this lead proves fruitful, it’ll definitely help us find him faster, but we still need to face him. He’s a dangerous man, Lee. Overconfidence will kill you.”
Gaara checked his pockets briefly, then sighed. He had everything he needed. “I need to get going.”
Lee’s mouth shut in surprise at Gaara’s reprimand. The excited look on his face vanished as his gaze lowered to the floor, thick brows meeting before he exhaled and nodded. He didn’t know what was worse: Gaara’s abrupt dismissal of his good news or the thought that he should have expected this by now. “You are right. I am sorry. I did not intend to belittle the quest we are on.”
He turned around and helped the gremlin back onto his shoulder. Its size would help it duck into the folds of his shirt and avoid discovery in public. “Do you want me to come with you?”
Gaara felt something queasy form in his gut at the look on Lee’s face, but struggled to ignore it. It felt like the harder he tried to keep Lee with him, the farther he pushed the man away. It was getting worse. “If you don’t have anywhere else you’d like to be today, then you are welcome to come with me. I have someone I need to meet soon.”
He started to turn toward the door, then paused and turned back. He stepped up to Lee and pulled him down for a brief kiss. It was simple and dry, and it felt to Gaara that it would have seemed more impressive if he was taller, but there was desire and value there nonetheless.
Lee accepted the kiss but couldn’t hide his half-hearted attempt to return it. His eyes flickered black for a moment before they returned to their normal dark brown. There was still a tightness between his brows and the set of his mouth as he rubbed Gaara’s arms. “Alright. I will come with you. We can get breakfast together after your business is done. I will just get some water downstairs.”
Moving past the sorcerer, he headed out the door to get something to clear his head and ease the tension building in his chest.
It was just after the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon of the city when Lee and Gaara made their way inside Orochimaru’s hideout and met with the old snake. They were in the same room which Gaara had met him the day before, but it was far emptier now. There was a distinct quiet compared to the bustle of voices dealing and trade switching hands that usually took place. It was almost as if the criminal underground had slept in.
“I have the last ingredient.” The sorcerer reached into his cloak and summoned a long, thin blue vial. “Do you have Shukaku’s location?”
Beside him, Lee was trying his damnedest to stay still despite his flesh crawling along his arms. Orochimaru’s pet snake was slithering along the floor freely and was looking right at him. Gaara had instructed him to stay silent, but he was close to running out the door screaming if that snake touched him. Their town’s garden snakes were a fourth of Manda’s size!
“Right here,” Orochimaru replied, holding up a sealed letter. He smirked in amusement at Lee’s pale face before turning his gaze back to Gaara. One of his aides took the letter and drew closer to Gaara, holding it just out of reach. “Before we hold this delightful exchange, who may I ask is your friend? Manda seems to like him very much.”
“Lee, Orochimaru,” Gaara introduced, gesturing between them. He put a hand on Lee’s arm to help calm the smith, and to convey to Orochimaru that he and Lee were close. He was almost amused at the look on Lee’s face when he’d beheld Manda. He’d thought his friend was recklessly brave in the face of anything. “Lee and I are partners of a sort. He’s with me. Don’t worry about the snake, Lee. She shouldn’t touch you.”
The sorcerer levitated the vial like he had done the other, and held out a hand for the letter. There was a tightness to his expression as he waited.
Lee’s lips tugged nervously into a smile, taking comfort from Gaara’s words. He hadn’t liked the look Orochimaru gave Gaara when they entered the room, and the demon was stirring inside him at the dangerous aura he was giving off.
“Lee. A simple name for one who has that much power. You keep interesting friends, little tanuki.” Orochimaru waved his hand, the aide handing Gaara the letter while taking the vial and bringing it to the snake. He fingered the top of the slim container thoughtfully. “I eagerly await what comes out of your reunion with your former master.”
“I’m sure you’ll hear of it, even if I don’t visit you again for some time.” Gaara nodded and slipped the paper securely into his cloak, shivering briefly with the possible implications of finally finding Shukaku. It would mean half the battle.
They left quickly, and Gaara felt something tighten in his chest with anticipation. He could feel the letter in his breast pocket, heavy with power for the future. They made it out of the snake’s hideout and the city’s alleys easily. Gaara was so distracted however, that he didn’t notice someone approaching from behind until they’d already broken through his protective forces and wrapped strong, tan arms around him.
“HolyshitGaara! What the hell are you doing here?! I thought I wouldn’t see you for another three years at least!” Naruto exclaimed. He nearly burst Gaara’s eardrum with his shouting as he pulled the sorcerer against him in a bone grinding hug from behind. “Shit, man, have you gotten shorter or what?”
Before Naruto could get another word out, he was yanked off of Gaara and thrown against the nearest wall. Lee sucked in a breath, freezing once his brain finally caught up to his body’s reflexes. “Y-You know Master Gaara?” He glanced from the blond man to the sorcerer beside him, rapidly realizing he likely just manhandled Gaara’s friend.
“That is what you get for calling me short,” Gaara growled, scowling and crossing his arms as he turned to face his old friend. He was irked that the blond had managed to sneak up on him so easily.
“Ow. What was that for?” Naruto rubbed his lower back as he leaned forward off his backside and winced. Whoever the hell had hit him was a freaking giant! That kind of strength was unnatural! He hadn’t been so easy to throw since he was a child! “What kind of company are you keeping, Gaara? That fucking hurt!”
Lee rubbed the back of his head as he straightened up, though he wasn’t sorry about separating the two men. They were still close to where Orochimaru and the rest of the city’s criminal underground resided, and the blond man could easily have been a murderer or one of Shukaku’s men. “I am sorry for throwing you. Are you alright?” he asked, stepping close to Gaara’s side and offering a friendly smile at Naruto despite the wariness still in his eyes. “This is not the best place to startle someone.”
“What are you, a bodyguard or something?” Naruto pulled himself up and brushed off his dirty clothes, huffing defensively.
“Of course not. I can take care of myself.” Gaara gestured between the men. “Naruto, this is Lee. Lee, this oaf is Naruto.”
“Oi! That’s the worst greeting and introduction I’ve ever had! What the hell, man?”
Gaara’s mouth finally turned up in a smile. It was a different expression than he wore when alone with Lee, but similar in its rare tenderness and approachability. His eyes crinkled and one edge of his mouth pulled higher than the other in a crooked affection. “Hello, Naruto. Satisfied?”
A glance at Gaara had Lee’s breath catching in his throat, but he swallowed it down and held out a hand towards Naruto. “Pleased to meet you! I did not know Master Gaara had close friends in the city. I am the smith from our town and his companion for his travels.”
Naruto narrowed his eyes at Lee’s hand before they curved into slits and he shook Lee’s hand firmly. The spark of magic that passed between them gave way to Naruto’s true nature. “Heh! Well any friend of Gaara’s is a friend of mine just for putting up with his bullshit attitude.” When he pulled his hand back, he raised his brow at Gaara in a silent what-the-fuck at the demonic energy he felt coursing through Lee’s body.
Gaara just shook his head mutely, his mouth tightening a fraction as he conveyed that they would talk about it later. He didn’t want to explain it all right now, and the demon could be a touchy subject lately.
“We were just on our way back to the inn where we’re staying. You should come with. I’d like to talk to you about the latest quest I’ve begun.” Gaara’s eyes burned softly with excitement. He still hadn’t forgotten his letter.
“Sounds great! We can finally catch up.” Naruto stepped up to his friend and wrapped an arm around Gaara’s shoulders, turning down the street.
There was little else to do but follow after the two as they headed back towards the inn. Watching Naruto chatting loudly and jostling Gaara with obvious familiarity, Lee couldn’t shake away the twist in his gut or the cold realization that he wasn’t the only one Gaara allowed close to him.
“You’ve been up to no good and you’re going to tell me all about it.” Naruto prodded Gaara’s chest once they barmaid had served their drinks and they were left alone in the corner of the inn’s bar. He propped one leg over another, boot scraping against the table leg as he took a swig of his beer. “Tastes a hell of a lot better than the piss they have down south," he said, tugging open the red and black robe he wore over a tunic.
The place was quiet at this time of day with only a few people taking an early lunch there. Lee had gone to the stables to check if their horses were ready for travel tomorrow, giving the two men time to talk.
“It’s a long story.” Gaara took a small pull of his beer. He didn’t drink often, but Naruto always seemed able to convince him like no other could. He had to agree that the taste wasn’t bad. “I’ve been living in that town for couple years now. Things were almost... calm, for a while. Comfortable. But I got restless a few months ago and tried to summon a demon I wasn’t prepared for. I was out of practice. Lee was there when it happened.”
Gaara took another pull from his drink, this one deeper than before. He grimaced as he vaguely remembered the dark, manic grin on Lee’s face and the total blackness of his eyes the first time he’d been possessed.
“That’s another thing I’m wondering about. I never took you for someone who’d allow an audience during a summoning.” Naruto gestured towards Gaara with his beer mug. “You only let me in on your spells when it was a joint summoning back when we worked together. What the fuck changed?”
He took a long drink of his beer before holding it up and calling for a refill. “And with that thing inside him, I’m assuming it’s under your control? It damn better be.” He narrowed his eyes at Gaara. Back when they’d first met, Gaara wasn’t the composed, relatively peaceful man he was now. Naruto didn’t doubt that there was still some of that chaotic nature hidden inside his friend.
“I shouldn’t have let him sit in. I was overconfident, and sometimes Lee makes me feel like showing off. He asked if he could be there, and I allowed it.” Gaara sighed and rubbed a temple with regret. “I prepared a simple salt circle for him, but it wasn’t enough. When the demon broke away from me and tried to drag me through the opening, Lee ran to my aide and made himself vulnerable.”
Gaara gulped the last of his drink and held it out as the staff came back with a tall pitcher to refill their drinks. He thanked her briefly. “I discovered the demon’s name, but not before Lee had traded possession of his body for my safety. I’ve been keeping him close ever since, seeing as he’s my responsibility now.”
Naruto drank his beer in silence as he considered what Gaara said. He’d summoned his share of demons, but the one he felt possessing Lee had almost enough power to challenge the Kyuubi. “Showing off, huh? Knowing you, summoning a demon that powerful means you were planning to do something stupid or suicidal. Or both. I’m willing to bet my fucking reputation as a sage that it’s tied to the quest you’re on now. I don’t think you were lingering around that perverted snake’s hideout for nothing.”
Leaning forward, he lowered his voice and looked Gaara in the eye, the lines on his cheeks darkened by shadow and making him look even more fox-like than usual. “Are you going after Shukaku?”
Gaara’s eyes finally lit up with the age old, smoldering excitement. He reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out the sealed letter he’d received. “I’ve been testing the demon’s power, and I think I can finally pull it off. I’ve got his location from the snake, and I’ve been gathering power for a long time. Even on the way into the city, I found one of Shukaku’s cults in ruin. That means he isn’t capable of maintaining all his power sources anymore- his energy is spread too thin.”
The redhead leaned forward over the table, clutching the envelop tighter as his face hovered close to Naruto’s. His voice was emphatic, but also soft so as not to draw attention. He tilted his head at his old friend. “It won’t be easy, but I can finally do this.”
“The snake found his location? I’ll be damned. You’ve finally got a lead on him after all these years.” Naruto eyed the letter in Gaara’s hand before looking at Gaara with renewed intensity. It had been so long since they parted ways, but his friend’s ambitions were still as high as they were long ago. Blue eyes held Gaara’s gaze for a second before the blond sorcerer leaned forward and crushed their lips together in one quick movement. He didn’t pull away completely as he grinned at the redhead. “You haven’t lost that fire I’ve always loved about you.”
While Gaara didn’t pull away, he’d seen the kiss coming. He had let it happen, recognizing the twinge of excitement and passion that had passed between them so many times before. It felt as ancient and familiar as heartbreak, with a fondness that always characterized his bond with Naruto. The corner of Gaara’s mouth pulled up in a half smile, even as he began to shake his head and lean just a bit further into his own seat.
“No more of that, Naruto. I’ve missed you, but I think we’ve both moved on from that.” He finally slipped a finger under the letter’s seal and began to break open the folds. “Besides, I’ve become rather intimate with Lee. I have the feeling he’d be upset by this.”
Naruto held up both hands in mock surrender and pulled away with a laugh. “Alright, alright. It was still worth a shot. But I knew there was something more between you with the way he looks at you like a lost pup.” He stretched his arm against the back of his chair and let it hang as he drunk down his second mug.
“I’m happy for you. Hard enough to find someone when they’re fucking afraid of our magic, even harder when our magic has touched them. How is he taking his possession? Does he know what he’ll go through once you use the demon’s power on Shukaku?” Naruto looked around for the barmaid with a frown before finally shrugging and tapping a finger at the base of his mug. It began to fill with a different liquid- the higher quality drink from the innkeeper’s own cellar. “It’s not like the it will leave him once Shukaku’s dead.”
“I talked to him quite a bit about what to expect when it first happened.” Gaara’s mouth twisted with thought. He pulled out the folded letter and set the envelope on the table. “It’s been... harder to talk to him lately. I’m going to discuss strategies with him before we face Shukaku, but I’m sure the demon will be doing most of the work.”
Gaara finally opened the letter and quickly scanned the contents. He raised a brow and inhaled sharply at what he found. Shukaku was apparently dwelling between mountain valleys at the edge of the Great Desert. There was a brief list of examples of his appearances to travelers or witnesses detailing the last places he’d let himself be known. It wouldn’t be difficult to reach that place- Gaara knew the paths well. He’d passed through that area with his master in the past while training. “This is finally it. I’m going to leave first thing in the morning with Lee toward the Greater Desert.”
“Let me come with you. I’ve gathered enough power of my own to lend a hand,” Naruto proposed. “It’s the least I can do for an old friend.” He glanced up when he caught sight of Lee entering the dining hall, sipping his mug and tilting his head slightly to notify Gaara. “Just consider it. You know how to find me when you decide.”
Catching sight of the two, Lee made his way to their table and sat down next to Gaara with a smile. “The horses are fit for travel and I have also purchased more feed for the journey ahead.” He nodded in greeting at Naruto before blinking in surprise when he saw that they were both drinking beer this early. “Will you be joining us for lunch?” he asked the blond sorcerer.
“Nah, I gotta get going soon. Things to do, places to see.” Naruto met Lee’s smile easily even when he questioned how someone who seemed so cheerful and proper could get along with the redhead. He drank the last of his beer and set it down with a satisfied sigh, getting up and clasping Gaara’s shoulder with mischief in his eyes. “Damn good to see you again, Gaara. Don’t forget me too much okay?”
“I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again, Naruto.” Gaara slipped a hand over his friend’s and squeezed affectionately with a small, familiar smile. He turned in his seat and watched his friend leave, not turning back to Lee until Naruto had stepped out the door.
The sorcerer refolded his letter carefully and tucked it back into the envelope. He levitated it above his palm and focused until it caught fire and burned into ashes. He tossed the mess under the table and wiped his hands together. “Tonight we’ll discuss the next section of our travels. I know where we need to go from here.”
“Alright. I also have something to talk to you about tonight.” Lee clasped his hands together tightly on the table, the furrow between his brows deepening even when Naruto had already left. That look between the two sorcerers almost looked like- but no, he must be seeing things that weren’t really there. Raising a hand to catch the barmaid’s attention, he ignored the churning in his gut and focused instead on having a hot meal with Gaara. For now.
Gaara nodded and took a small swig of his beer. He had a lot to discuss with the smith before they departed.