A Brief Hospital Stay (pt. 1)
Who: Lee, Gaara, with cameos by Tsunade and Kankurou
When: August 18, evening, a few hours after A Youthful Friendship; A Deadly Match Part One and Part Two
Where: Hospital
Summary: Gaara wakes up in the hospital, slightly confused and not quite remembering all of what happened and how he got there. Lee has just finished being seen, and insists on visiting his injured friend.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None really. Sulking...
Gaara’s eyes snapped open, immediately on the defensive. He didn’t know where he was, or what had happened, and he sat up, instantly regretting the movement. He let out a small gasp, his chest aching terribly. Still, this wasn't the moment to just lie back and rest. He vaguely remembered a fight between himself and Lee, and Lee being injured by him.
A serious frown tugged his lips down as he shifted and swung his legs over the side of the bed, wincing as his feet touched down. Had they made it to the hospital? They must have. Which meant he had to have passed out.
"Damn," he growled, wobbling a little as he moved toward the door. He was supposed to be helping Lee to make up for his crazy outburst and instead Lee must have gotten them there. He'd need to check on the other man and he'd need to contact Kankurou. His brother would not be pleased.
Lee had just finished getting his x-rays, and was waiting to be seen by a doctor. They had arrived several hours earlier, Lee’s leg and wrist throbbing, Gaara on his back, still unconscious, and Lee in a panic over the redhead. The pain in his own leg and wrist had started to become pressing as he carried Gaara to the hospital, even with the meditation techniques, and if he had not been so determined to get Gaara there, he might have passed out. He very nearly did as someone took Gaara from him, but managed to stay awake and upright. Gaara’s injuries were the more pressing ones, and there were plenty of other people who, like Gaara, needed immediate attention, and so Lee, with only a broken wrist and leg had been forced to wait for a time, though the doctors gave him a room right away.
Three hours of waiting had not done anything for Lee. After his x-rays, which he had finally received only after two hours of waiting, he had been forced to sit in a room with his leg and wrist set to keep the bones from moving. But he hated sitting still, especially when he was worried about someone.
“Can I see my friend?” he asked a nurse passing through the hall, but she did not hear him. He pouted, looking out the door, watching as nurses and doctors milled about. This was boring, and useless. He needed to see Gaara to make sure he was all right.
His eyes alighted on a wheelchair just outside his door, and a grin chased his pout away. That would get him to Gaara without causing him to upset his leg and wrist, although, he would have to find what room the redhead was in without asking as he had no idea. Lee had given them a run down of what had happened, and what he thought was wrong with Gaara the moment they arrived, and considering they were both law enforcement, the doctors had been quick to respond to their needs, taking Gaara from Lee, despite his protests and guiding the still green-clad man to another room.
Lee hauled himself out of bed and hobbled to the door. He poked his head around the corner, checking if the coast was clear. There were plenty of people walking around, but none of the staff seemed to notice him, and he quickly hopped towards the discarded wheelchair. He would have to wheel it one handed, but he was sure he could do it, and if he failed, then he would do a hundred one-armed pull-ups in penance!
Gaara paused as he opened the door, having to take several slow breaths. He tried to shake his head a little to clear his vision, but that only made his head hurt a bit more. He needed to figure out where Lee was and make sure he was all right.
Stumbling out into the hallway, the red head swung around to look for the nearest staff member, making his way toward a nurse unsteadily. He was determined to not be forced to go lie back down until he knew for certain things were being taken care of for Lee. He didn’t doubt that he had been taken care of quickly enough. People knew who he was here. It was part of being the son of the head of SIB. But Lee, also a cop, only worked the beat and Gaara was determined to make sure he had gotten the treatment he needed.
The nurse barely noticed Gaara, until he growled, leaning heavily against the counter. She turned, frowned and tsked all at once. “Sabaku-san, you should be in bed. Please, let me help you back to your room.” She reached out toward him, ready to guide him back.
Gaara’s hand lifted instinctively and smacked her hand away. He did not want to be touched or be taken back to his room. “What room is Rock Lee in?” he snapped, eyes narrowed. The frustration was coming back and his chest ached with each breath.
“Your friend is being taken care of. Now please go lie back down,” she said, reaching for him again.
Growling, he turned away, finding his vision had gone a bit blurry, feeling a little dizzy from turning too quickly. He’d go find Lee on his own.
Lee had just barely managed to push the wheelchair into an elevator and up to the floor above his. He had overheard, rather conveniently, a doctor discussing with a nurse about a particular patient the floor above who was not cooperating and staying in bed. Apparently, this patient had a broken rib and concussion. Lee had realised, excitedly that this person had to be Gaara, and quickly and half-hazardlied wheeled himself to the lift. Panting slightly, he waited until the elevator doors opened before attempting to quickly speed out into the corridor so that the doors would not close on him.
Once out in the open corridor, nurses moving around him, Lee instantly spotted said uncooperative redhead and, as best he could, wheeled excitedly towards him. “Sa--Gaara!” he cried happily, catching his slip up before he could upset his friend. “You should be in bed,” he scolded as he neared his friend, noticing the way Gaara’s eyes seemed unfocused. He quickly caught Gaara’s hand in his uninjured one, guiding him away from the frantic nurse as best he could by pushing against the ground with his uninjured leg. “Let us go back to your room. Where is it?” he asked, looking up at Gaara with a soft smile and wide eyes.
Pausing only breifly, Gaara let Lee grab his hand. He blinked down at him a bit dazed, shaking his head a little. Then he frowned, seeming to come to a bit. "Where were you? What happened?" he asked, clearly upset from his tone. "I remember leaving your house but..."
He shook his head, almost instinctively moving back to his room, ignoring the nurse who was watching with mild surprise.
Lee smiled up reassuringly at Gaara. "Do not worry about me. I was just waiting to be seen by a doctor. They just did my x-rays, and all they need is to get casts for me. I was worried about you, so I decided to come looking." He squeezed Gaara's hand, not really paying attention to the informality of the gesture, but wanting to offer up whatever comfort to the redhead he could. "We were walking, and you were doing your utmost best to assist me, but unfortunately you have a concussion--I am very sorry about that--so you passed out.
"But I managed to get us here without too much trouble!" He realised as he went to give a thumbs up with his free hand--the injured one--that he was still holding Gaara's hand and unless he let go would not be able to strike his favourite pose. He blushed slightly, looking down at their clasped hands. "Where is your room, Gaara?" he asked, letting go, reluctantly.
Gaara glanced down briefly when Lee squeezed his hand, expression unreadable, though he didn't pull away. Odd as it was, for some reason Gaara trusted Lee. He thought the other man was truly fascinating, if a bit naive. To have seen that side of Gaara that was hidden away so carefully by the redhead and not run screaming made him feel like maybe Lee could understand.
He shook his head a little as they got back to his room, only vaguely aware that Lee had let go of his hand. He turned his intense gaze on the other man, finding it was easier to focus on something tangible.
"How are your leg and arm?" he asked, sounding a little grouchy as he peered at the splints. "Should you be moving around?"
Lee dropped his gaze guiltily. "Etto, most likely I should have stayed in bed. I am sure the doctor will be concerned, but I was very worried about you, and no one would tell me where you were or how you were doing. But do not worry too much. The break in my leg was a clean break, and the splint helps! And I promise I was only using this hand," he said, raising his uninjured one, "to wheel myself here!" He gave Gaara a thumbs up, but dropped it quickly, looking down sadly.
"How are you? I-I was very worried when you passed out. And the doctors said you had severe head trauma on top of the broken rib. You should not be standing up, Sabaku-san," he finished, the guilt eating at him so much that he forgot he was supposed to be calling Gaara by his given name. "I think you should lie down. I can stay here if you want company. Although, I am sure your family is very worried about you. They will probably be here soon, ne?" He did not want to leave, which was clear by the doleful look he gave Gaara, but he knew that if his family arrived he should--after all, he did not want to intrude.
"I'm fine," he groused, though he did sit on the bed when Lee gave him that pitiful look. Odd how that look made him feel guilty. "Don't feel bad. I was going to kill you." There was no sugar-coating with Gaara.
He looked down at Lee, curious to see his reaction. Surely the man had seen that look in his eyes. That was part of the reason he'd started to fight back so desperately.
Lee smiled, slightly sadly, up at Gaara. “I do not think you would have done so, Gaara. You came back to your senses, and even if you had tried, I would not have let you. You are very strong and quick, but--and I do not mean this disrespectfully--I believe I have more training in martial arts than you do. I would have been fine. You do not have to worry about me.”
His smiled turned reassuring. “And it was a most excellent fight, even if you did lose control. You are very talented, Gaara. And I think that with practise, you could learn to control yourself more. I could teach you some meditation techniques, and we could spar again! I would hate to miss the opportunity to bond with you through challenges such as this.” He gave Gaara another thumbs up, still grinning.
The look Gaara gave Lee was almost suspicious. "I don't think you fully understand the situation." It wasn't that Gaara hadn't tried to gain control over the years, after all. "Some demons aren't so easy to get rid of.
"You are an impressive fighter though. Maybe we will have to spar again sometime."
Lee shook his head, determined to prove to Gaara that he could make things right if he only had faith in Lee. "I will not give up if it is something you want to change. Control is very important, and I am sure that through regular meditation and practise you can fight me without attempting to kill me. I will not force you, of course, but if you could have that faith in me to help you, I would be very happy."
He smiled up at the redhead, blushing slightly at the compliment. "A-arigatougozaimasu, Gaara. I have worked very hard to become a good martial artist, and I am glad that you recognize my abilities. I would be overjoyed if we could spar again--once we have properly healed, of course."
Sighing, he leaned back, looking at Lee with a tilt of his head. Now that he knew the other man wasn’t in dire need of medical attention, he was feeling drained and confused. The only people he usually worried about like this were his siblings. Lee was something of an enigma to Gaara.
“Why do you want to help me?” he asked, gaze on the ceiling, voice quiet as he tried to understand the reasoning Lee would have for being so concerned with someone like him. “I’ve done nothing but hurt you,” he said, the last two words strained as he spoke. It made no sense to him. People didn’t help strangers for no reason. Gaara and Lee barely knew each other, though it was clear Lee wanted to be friends and Gaara was willing to see how that went, as odd as it was for him.
Lee smiled up at Gaara, pushing the right wheel of the chair so he could move closer to the bed. “I am your friend, am I not? It is what friends do, Gaara! I would not want you to be unhappy or unable to do something you wanted, and if there was something I could do to make it better than I would gladly take on the challenge.” He reached out, feeling self-conscious but determined, and placed a caring hand on top of Gaara’s, trying to convey the sincerity of his feelings in the gesture. His cheeks felt slightly warm, a faint blush spreading despite his hope that one would not, and he dropped his gaze, too aware of the contact and how familiar the gesture was to bear looking into Gaara’s intense eyes. “I hope that you can accept this--both my friendship and my help.”
Gaara blinked, turning his head to look at Lee, brows drawing together. It was saying something that he didn’t pull his hand away. And Gaara didn’t know why that was. He wanted to trust Lee, and that was hard for the man to admit, mostly because trust for him usually came with time. Things that would have taken weeks or months seemed to be happening too fast for Gaara to be completely comfortable with.
“I-I’ll try.” He was staring at Lee, noting again the blushing and the fact that Lee wasn’t meeting his gaze. “I don’t like relying on people. It took years to trust my brother and sister.”
Lee bit his lip, not quite wanting to let go of Gaara’s hand just yet, but also worried that the contact was unwelcome. He kept his hand there, feeling more and more unsure as he spoke. “I understand. And I am sorry to be so pushy, Gaara. If you would like I can leave? I--” He broke off, still staring at the floor. He did not want to leave, not in the least, but he would not push Gaara into a friendship he did not want. Although, he hadn’t said no, which was a good sign, Lee still thought Gaara might want some space from him.
“Stop apologizing,” Gaara murmured, tone a bit grouchy, eyes closing as he let out a small huff. “The only reason you would need to leave is if the doctor came looking for you.” The worried look on Lee’s face was confusing Gaara. Had he said something wrong? He’d said he’d try. That was honestly the best he could do while still figuring out the reasons Lee was so different than other people he’d met.
“Until then...” Gaara shrugged, his gaze wandering to the door, as though expecting a doctor to come bursting through at any moment.
Lee smiled, embarrassed, turning to look back at Gaara. “Arigatou,” he said softly. “I-I hope that a doctor does not come soon. It was very boring sitting around in a room waiting to be seen, and I was worried about you. Do you know how long they will keep you here for? With your head injury and broken rib, I am sure they will want to keep you overnight for observation. The doctor said once I had my casts I could go, but if you would like, I can stay. Unless your siblings arrive, and you want to be with them.”
He glanced down at the hand still on top of Gaara’s, his mind traveling away from the moment and moving on to more personal things. It was strange, this new friendship. Gaara was not like most people Lee knew, and though Lee would always take care of his friends, the way it felt with Gaara was new, different. Perhaps it was because he found the redhead so attractive. He hadn’t been attracted to anyone in a long time, so it was almost unfamiliar, but he knew that whenever this sort of thing happened, he was quick to become attached and always wanted to do right by that person.
Without realising it, he had started to rub his thumb over the soft skin of the back of Gaara’s hand, still deep in thought, but also trying to comfort.
Gaara’s hand twitched when Lee suddenly started rubbing it. He started to pull back instinctively, but stopped when he looked at Lee again and noticed the distracted look. Busy movement. He frowned a little.
“You’re thinking about something.” Lee was the kind of person where it became obvious when he was seriously contemplating something. He had gone quiet, and that look... Gaara frowned. He always looked the same, he knew. Which was why it was often hard for others to read him. Maybe something would change, but not anytime soon.
Lee jerked his head up, gaze meeting Gaara’s at the redhead’s words. “Oh. Ha-hai. I was. It is not important, Gaara.” He looked down at their hands, realising that his thumb was moving in slow circles for the first time and he stopped, pulling his hand away, a blush staining his cheeks again. “I am sorry--I mean,” he paused, biting his lip. “I did not mean to say that. I just meant that I am distracted and did not mean to be. Did you want to rest? Or talk? Or something?” He fidgeted with the wheel of his chair, looking for something to occupy his hand, which felt oddly tingly.
Gaara shrugged. “I’m not that tired,” he sighed, watching Lee unblinkingly. He really wanted to know what Lee was thinking, mostly because, with Lee, he had no idea. “Passing out for a bit was more sleep than I’ve gotten in a while.” Undoubtedly, Lee wouldn’t find that as amusing as Gaara did, but maybe he should be thanking the other man for knocking him unconscious for a bit.
Lee frowned, guilty that he had hurt Gaara so badly and also concerned for his well-being. “That is not good. You really should sleep more.” He looked at Gaara’s black ringed eyes, wondering if there was a way to get the redhead to agree to trying the tea he was sure would help. He was sure Gaara’s control would come much more easily if he got more sleep, though he did not expect the redhead to start sleeping the usual eight hours just because of a few cups of tea--especially considering his nightmares. “I wish I could help,” he said, thinking out loud. “I am so--I find it very upsetting that you have such terrible nightmares. Do you not have anything that makes you feel safe enough at night to sleep? Not that you have to tell me, of course!” he quickly amended. “I realise that is a very personal question, and I hope that it was not upsetting for me to ask it!”
There was a long moment of silence as Gaara simply listened to Lee talk. “I don’t know. Normally I’ll just lay around and stare at the ceiling until my eyes close. I’ve tried some meditation techniques, but most don’t help much.” He honestly looked perplexed at that.
“Have you ever been shot?” He asked suddenly, peering carefully at Lee. Maybe if he could find something to compare his past to Lee’s experiences, though it wasn’t likely Lee would understand it all, but it was worth a try.
Lee gave Gaara a perplexed look, nodding slowly. “Ha-hai. Once a couple years ago when I first joined patrol.” He raised his good hand to his left shoulder, near his heart. “I moved out of the way, but not quickly enough. It would have been fatal if I had not, so I am very thankful that it was only in my shoulder.” He looked down, trying to figure out why Gaara would ask that question. “I have had other injuries, as well--one more fatal than that, which I received in a martial arts tournament--but most of the others have been small and not serious. Why do you ask?” He looked up at Gaara, letting his hand drop back to his lap.
“After that shot, did you have trouble sleeping? Ever get paranoid? Maybe someone was after you? Next time you wouldn’t be so lucky?”
Still, Gaara didn’t take his gaze from Lee’s face, eyes flicking to the point of the wound for the briefest moment before they fixed back in place. He vaguely found himself wondering what that scar looked like. For all his brushes with death, he had very few scars, and the ones he did were hardly visible.
Lee shrugged. “It was a bit difficult, yes. But I persevered through it, and the culprit was apprehended. I was not worried too much. I--I did have some nightmares. But whenever I woke up from them I would go to my training room and exercise until I was exhausted. It helped. Eventually I stopped having nightmares, and once I got used to working the beat I was much less paranoid.”
He looked up at Gaara, the concern clear in his eyes. “Is--is that what you feel like when you try to sleep?” Lee’s expression was lost. He could remember that time all too well, and it had not been a fun experience. The thought that his friend went through that on a regular basis made Lee feel incredibly sad.
Nodding slowly, Gaara finally turned his gaze back to the ceiling. “Mostly. Almost my entire life. I used to be much worse. The fact that I get some sleep at all is an improvement. And when I can’t, I walk. Anywhere. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes, it just makes me think more.”
His brows drew together again and he made a slightly annoyed sound in his throat. “You’re doing it again,” he said, absently, not actually upset. If anything, he sounded amused.
Lee nodded slowly. “I-I see. Well if you ever want company, or to come over when you cannot sleep, you are most welcome to come to me! I would gladly help you in whatever way I can! But I think you should definitely try that tea I mentioned to you earlier. It would probably help!”
Lee blinked, confused. “Do-doing what, Gaara?”
“Getting me to talk. I have to be more on guard around you,” he murmured. “I don’t usually talk so much. It’s strange.” He glanced at Lee out of the corner of his eye. Having an actual destination for his walks might have its benefits. “Perhaps I’ll stop by sometime. I don’t usually have company, seeing as everyone else is usually asleep.”
Lee blushed. “Etto... does that, uh, make you uncomfortable? That you talk so much with me? I-I am glad that you do, though. I think it means you trust me and consider me a friend--which I consider you! And I want you to know that if there is anything on your mind that you need to talk about, I will gladly listen!” He gave Gaara the most sincere, earnest look he could muster, trying to convey how much he wanted to help in the look. “And I will always answer my door! Even if I am asleep! I do not mind in the least if it helps you!”
“Not really uncomfortable. I really just don’t understand why. I’m trying to, but things like this don’t make much sense to me.” He sighed and shook his head. “You’re so odd, Lee,” he added after a moment. “I suppose I still don’t know how you could be so forgiving. I don’t think I ever could. At least not right away.”
Gaara shifted uncomfortably, frowning a little. He wanted to go home. Hospital beds were never very good, and even if he wasn’t planning on being in one for long, he didn’t want a crappy bed making his mood, or his pain, worse. Not, of course, that he was planning on telling Lee he was hurting a bit more. It had been so long since he’d simply talked that a few minor aches weren’t going to stop him.
“I like to think that it is because you think of me as a friend. Is--is that difficult for you? To think of me that way?” he asked, unsure, but feeling just a bit hurt. He looked up at Gaara, flushing as the younger man continued speaking. “I-I am sorry? I-I do not mean to be so strange. It is just the way I am. I do my best to be true to myself, and I would not hold a grudge against you for this. We were fighting, after all, and you had warned me before.” He swallowed, nervously. “Then... do you not forgive me for causing your injuries? They--they were much worse than mine, even if you did try to kill me.” He picked at the sheet on Gaara’s bed, staring hard at it to avoid looking at Gaara.
He looked up as Gaara shifted, worried that perhaps the redhead was getting tired, or annoyed by the conversation.
Gaara’s head tilted and he sat up, looking at Lee squarely, though his expression was schooled and unreadable again. “I’ve never had friends. And those who were, or who claimed they loved me, only wanted to use me one way or another. It makes trusting someone difficult.” He winced as he leaned forward, staring at Lee. “I think, even if I don’t understand your reasons, or know why I feel so comfortable around you, that I... like it.
“And if I was angry about any injuries I received, I certainly wouldn’t be talking to you. I do know that this was not something you wanted to do, even though it was your best defense. If your opponent will not listen to reason, incapacitate them.”
Lee’s face was so hot he was sure he could have cooked something on it, though he was smiling through his flustered embarrassment, inexplicably proud that he was Gaara’s first true friend. It was incredibly difficult for him not to smile more broadly, and the more Gaara spoke the more his smile strained to grow bigger. The fact that Gaara liked this new friendship only proved to weaken Lee’s resolve completely, and his smile broke free, brightening his red face. “I am very glad to here it, Gaara! I like it too! And I promise I do not have ulterior or untoward motives in being your friend! I will do my utmost best to be a good friend to you, and I will not lie or do anything to hurt you! I absolutely will not!” He struck the Nice Guy pose, his cheeks starting to hurt from smiling so broadly. “That is a Nice Guy Promise! You can count on me!”
He nodded slowly as Gaara continued, hoping that if he sparred with Gaara again--which he hoped to do--that it would not come down to hurting his friend again. “I understand, and I thank you for not being angry with me--though I still feel very bad about what I did, for I am sure there was a better way of handling the situation!--but in the future, if it happens, I will find a way to get through to you without violence!” He nodded decisively, his mouth turned down in a determined frown and his brows drawn together.
“Hnn...” Gaara was almost going to chuckle, which might have confused Lee more than the comments about Lee being odd. “Nice Guy Promise?” he asked, again sounding vaguely amused. “As far as sparring, well, we’ll see how that goes. Maybe next time I’ll have figured out something for myself as well.”
He was about to say more when a nurse knocked lightly on the closed door and entered the room, a slight scolding frown on her lips. “Rock-san! You were not supposed to leave your room! You could have injured your leg or arm further!” She moved over to him, shaking her head as she grabbed his wheelchair, then turned her matronly scowl on Gaara. “And you should not be sitting up, Sabaku-san. Lie back down and the doctor will be in to see you soon, now that you’re awake.”
She said nothing else as she started to wheel Lee away, certain that Gaara would be out again soon if he didn’t relax.
Lee smiled, happy that Gaara was willing to spar again and willing to take the necessary steps to keep such a loss of control from happening again. He was on the verge of offering his help in finding a way for Gaara to remain in control when the door opened. He flushed, feeling embarrassed and guilty, looking down as the nurse scolded him. “Go-gomenasai. I did not mean to cause you trouble! I was just worried about my friend,” he told her, looking up through his lashes at her. “Please do not scold him, it is my fault he is up!” he added, waving his good hand in the air. “And I promise I did my best not to upset my injuries!”
When she grabbed his chair, he gave Gaara a forlorn look. “I promise to return once I have been seen by the doctor, Gaara. Please get some rest.” He smiled reassuringly as she wheeled him out, looking over his shoulder at the redhead before the door closed and he could not see Gaara anymore. With a heavy sigh, Lee let the nurse wheel him to a separate room, anxious to get back to his friend.
Once Lee left, Gaara stared at the ceiling in silence for a long time, and no doctors or nurses came in to see if he was okay. Everything started to blend together and he lost focus, vaguely wondering if anyone had gotten in contact with his brother or sister, if anyone cared. Shortly after that, Gaara passed out again, although he wasn’t really sure about that. Everything he was seeing was a bit fuzzy, rather like an out-of-body experience, and then a series of memories about what had happened during the fight flashed before his eyes rapidly. Damn, how could Lee forgive him so easily after all of that?
Kankurou found himself walking through a very familiar hallway in a very familiar hospital. Between his own hospital stays and visiting Rin, he had walked and seen a whole lot of these walls in his life time. When he had gotten to his house, after a very long stay in a cabin, he had been allowed to look at his phone only to find that he had a distressed message from a nurse about his little brother.
He walked to the room that he had been told Gaara was in, opening the door to find his brother lying there as if he were a potato, nothing there to respond to. For a moment, Kankurou stood there, not knowing what to say. It had been at least a month since Kankurou had seen Gaara or heard from him, and this was what he was forced to see. He swallowed, and moved up to the bed, trying to act as if nothing was wrong at all.
“It seems that I’m not allowed to leave the mighty Gaara alone, eh? Without his big brother he’s bound to get himself into trouble.” Although he wasn’t sure what had happened, he knew that something big had gone down, and Gaara had gotten the snot beat out of him, and he didn’t like that at all. If he found out who did this--well, it would be bad.
Gaara’s eyes snapped open when Kankurou spoke, head turning to glare at his brother. He’d heard someone come in, but hadn’t been sure if he’d wanted to wake up for the person until he realized it was, in fact, his brother.
“Shut up,” he murmured. “What did you expect to happen? I was stuck here by myself; you weren’t around,” he groused, trying hard to not sound too glad to see his brother. “I thought it was supposed to be a short vacation.” He was moody. Painkillers helped a little to keep him calm, but he had been grouchy for a while about the fact that Kankurou hadn’t bothered to try letting him know what was going on.
Kankurou had seen this one coming. It hadn’t really been his fault, though. “It was. But...” He looked down at his feet. “I got really sick. Rin was supposed to tell everyone what was going on.” It seemed that his father hadn’t told anyone what was going on from the message that Rin had given him.
“Didn’t work too well, now did it?” he grumbled. Gaara didn’t blame Kankurou for his current state. That wasn’t right, or fair. On the other hand, he knew that if Kankurou had been around when all his frustration and tension was building up, that he would have been less likely to lose it like he had. He wasn’t too keen on Kankurou’s new girlfriend stealing him away like that, and Gaara had a phone. She could have found a way to tell him.
“You’re better now?”
Kankurou saw the emotion move through the man before him. Gaara didn’t show emotion like a normal person. It was only because of the fact that he had grown up with him that Kankurou knew how to read his brother. Kankurou knew that Gaara would be upset with him, but that never meant he was prepared for it.
“Much.” He looked down at his feet, feeling ashamed, as though this were his fault. He would not leave his brother like that ever again.
“Hnn. Good then,” Gaara said, frowning as he shifted and sat up. He let out a small groan, and a sigh, tilting his head as he looked at Kankurou. “I’m surprised you’re not mad at me for this,” he murmured. He had expected his brother to be less guilty and more angry. It wasn’t often he got injured. Usually he was smarter than to get injured as badly as he had during this fight. He didn’t want it to happen again anytime soon.
Kankurou shook his head. “It’s my fault, after all.” Kankurou looked back up at the injured body that was his brother, his little brother. As he looked him over, he let out a small growl. “What’s broken?”
“A rib. And I have a concussion,” he said, gripping the edge of the bed a bit tightly. He shouldn’t have sat up, but just laying there made him feel strangely vulnerable. Granted, he doubted, in his current condition, that his brother would actually lash out at him physically. Still, part of him wanted to be prepared, just in case.
Kankurou looked at his brother, not angry at him but at himself. “Who?”
“It was a sparring match that went wrong.” Gaara avoided directly answering Kankurou’s question. For some reason, he found himself worried about what his brother would do to Lee if he thought the man did it on purpose. And seeing as he had already broken Lee’s wrist and leg, he didn’t think his brother needed to contribute to any more injuries.
Kankurou stared at the bed that Gaara was in, sure that the injured man would stay in bed while he went to check on something. “I’ll be back.” He turned on his heel, and headed out of the room. Kankurou made sure that the door was closed before he moved to the nurse’s station just across the hall, and stood there waiting for someone to notice that he was there.
Gaara knew immediately what his brother had planned. And he wasn’t about to let him hurt Lee. After all, it had been his fault, mostly. Taking a slow breath, he got out of bed and walked slowly toward the door after his brother.
“Kankurou,” he said, wobbling only a little this time as he opened the door.
A nurse was just about to ask the taller man what he needed when she saw Gaara, once again, out of bed. Tsking, she moved out from behind the station toward Gaara. “Sabaku-san, you’re supposed to be lying down.”
Kankurou turned around suddenly looking at his brother, who was slowly hobbling towards him. “You need to lie down. This is not your problem, Gaara.”
Gaara’s eyes narrowed and he pushed past the nurse toward Kankurou. “I know what you’re trying to do. And it’s unnecessary,” he snapped. “He had to do it, or I was going to kill him.”
Kankurou shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gaara. Like you said, your head was hit, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kankurou turned and looked at the nurse. “You should do your job, make sure he gets back to bed.” Kankurou turned his back on his brother, and looked at the second nurse standing there.
The nurse moved to grab Gaara’s shoulders and guide him back but the redhead growled, and had to work hard not to shove her hands away as he moved to his brother, glaring. “What are you going to do, then?” he asked.
The second nurse glanced almost nervously between the two before she looked at Kankurou. “What can I help you with, Sabaku-san?” she asked, not sure if she should have spoken or not.
Kankurou ignored his brother, and looked at the nurse who was still looking warily at the advancing Gaara. “I would like to know who was admitted with my brother.” It was his logic that if there had been a fight, both had to be in the hospital, or neither would be.
Gaara growled, grabbing his brother’s arm, fighting back the pain that shot through his side. “Knock it off, Kankurou,” he snarled. If he wanted to fight someone, it wasn’t going to be Lee.
The nurse shifted behind the counter, uncertain about answering the man’s question, considering the way the two were interacting. “Please, both of you, return to Sabaku-san’s room. You’re going to exacerbate his injuries if you keep arguing out here. We don’t want a scene,” she added, voice a bit pleading. There was already a small crowd forming, but clearly the nurses were willing to call in reinforcements if necessary.
Kankurou shook his arm back, trying to remove Gaara’s grip from his arm. “I’m not doing anything.” He shifted to look at his brother, a sharp bite to his words. “You’re the one who needs to rest!”
“Please, Sabaku-san!” The nurse said in a hushed voice. “Let’s go back to your brother’s room.” There was a slight pleading note in her voice, and it was clear that she wanted to avoid any more conflict.
“I would rest if you’d stop being a damn idiot!” Gaara snapped, his grip tightening almost painfully on Kankurou’s arm. It was one of the few times Gaara raised his voice, and it was because he was in pain, annoyed, and actually concerned for Lee’s welfare. And his brother really was being an idiot. His eyes closed suddenly, a wave of light-headedness and dizziness washing over him.
Kankurou found a toothy grin on his face for a moment. He was not paying any attention to the nurse any more. “Gaara, you’re the only one acting irrationally right now. You need to lie down.” Once again, he looked at the nurse closest to them, and put his free hand on her back and pushed her closer to Gaara.
She was starting to nod and grab Gaara, when the smaller man suddenly launched a surprisingly quick punch, aimed directly at Kankurou’s face. Why was it that he always had to punch his brother to get him to see sense? He was actually trying to talk, actually wanting to, and Kankurou was just too damn thick-headed to get it.
He was satisfied when he felt his fist connect (though it wasn’t as forceful as he wanted it to be). The moment was short-lived though as he gasped a bit and fell to a knee, chest heaving as he tried to breathe through the pain that shot through his abdomen.
Kankurou blinked. He was unsure what to do as Gaara collapsed to the ground. He took a step back and watched as the two nurses rushed to his side, and several other medics appeared. “I’m sorry, Gaara.”
Growling in annoyance and pain, Gaara tried to shove the people away, feeling closed in and wanting to go back to his room by himself. “Shut up. You’re not,” he murmured, forcing himself slowly to his feet and turning his back on the other man. He did his best to not be touched by the nurses and the doctor attempting to help him, but it was impossible as he was swarmed. He didn’t want to look at his brother. He’d been wanting to see him, but now? He was being a nuisance.
Lee had been forced to wait for only a few minutes before he was being seen by a doctor and a cast was being fitted to his leg and wrist. The one for his wrist went up to just below his elbow, and the one for his leg covered to just below his knee. The doctor had given him careful instructions on care, and also reminded him not to attempt anything strenuous, like training during the next month or so. His leg had broken cleanly, but his wrist had been shattered in one place and would need more time to heal properly. The doctor guessed that Lee’s leg would be out of a cast before his wrist, and he was grateful for small mercies.
The moment the doctor had left the room, ordering him to stay put, Lee had bolted, heading for Gaara’s room once again, hobbling along on one crutch, feeling much better now that he could move somewhat more easily. He pushed the door open once he had arrived, grinning like a loon. “Gaara! I have returned! How are you feeling? Did you rest--” He stopped speaking abruptly as he took in the scene before him. The man standing next to Gaara’s bed looked slightly familiar, and Lee tilted his head. “Oh, hello. Forgive me, I did not realise there was someone else here. I am Rock Lee!” he explained loudly, bowing slightly. “It is very nice to meet you! Etto, Gaara, did you want me to come back later? I could wait out in the hall--although, the doctors might see me and take me back to my room, they are very persistent about that, after all. I really should not be out of bed,” he added. He spoke quickly, feeling much more upbeat and happy. He realised, after a moment, that the painkillers they had given him had kicked in and instead of making him sleepy as they did with many patients, they had made him hyper.
Gaara turned at Lee’s sudden appearance, blinking. “Lee,” he murmured, frowning as he looked between Kankurou and the other man. “You’re suddenly... happier.” Nothing seemed to get to Lee, though he apparently sensed that something wasn’t quite right in the room. “This is my brother, Kankurou,” he said, not sounding too pleased about that fact at the moment.
“You can stay if you want. I don’t care,” he added.
Kankurou turned almost immediately at the sound of the door, carefully scrutinizing anyone who entered the room. It was surprising to the man that someone injured entered. The name Lee rang a bell in the older brother’s head. For a moment, Kankurou stood thinking of where that name had come up. Then it hit him.
“You’re that kid who’s always applying for a job.” He paused for a moment, and looked at him again, more malice in his voice this time. “Why are you here and what do you want with my brother?”
Lee smiled at Gaara, on the verge of explaining about the medication, when Gaara’s brother spoke and all drug-induced euphoria seeped out of his body. He blinked several times, glancing back and forth between the two, his feelings deeply hurt. Had Gaara mentioned to Kankurou about the first time they met? Why was he being so mean? “Etto,” he murmured, dropping his gaze to the floor. “I-I was just coming to check on him. I was very concerned for his well-being and wanted to keep him company while we waited for the doctors.”
He glanced up at Gaara, unsure what to do, questions in his eyes.
Gaara sighed, rubbing his face with one hand. “This is Lee,” Gaara said, unsteadily turning and moving closer to the other two. “As you can see, I wasn’t the only one injured during our match, Kankurou,” he continued, hoping that might help to dissuade his brother from launching an attack on Lee. As for the other comments, he’d talk to his brother about them later.
Kankurou stood in place, balling his fists as he looked at the other injured man. So this was the man who had hurt his brother. But why did Gaara not seem to be upset by this man’s presence? Kankurou carefully moved closer to Lee, trying to loosen his muscles as to show his brother that he was not trying to harm the other man. However, the look on his face was a little different.
Once Kankurou got to where Lee was standing, he placed a hand on Lee’s right shoulder and leaned in to whisper to him, definitely only loud enough for Lee to hear. “You ever hurt my brother again, and I will not think twice about killing you.” With that, Kankurou moved away from Lee to lean against one of the empty walls near his brother to cross his arms and close his eyes, listening to everything that was going on around him.
Gaara frowned at his brother. He didn’t know exactly what Kankurou had said to Lee (though he was sure it wasn’t nice), but he would explain to Lee later. With the threat of a fight passed, Gaara finally sat down, still breathing a little erratically. “I told you there’s no need to bug him, Kankurou,” he murmured, looking exhausted suddenly. “He brought me here.” He said it as though that should be worth more to Kankurou than the fact that he’d been injured.
Lee tensed, at the harsh words whispered in his ears, his good hand balling into a fist. A flurry of feeling passed over his features: anger, guilt, sadness, confusion. He watched the man as he got comfortable against the wall, swallowing hard. The threat made Lee’s muscles tense, but at the same time he knew where it had come from; he could understand and respect Kankurou’s desire to protect his brother. “I will not hurt him again,” Lee whispered, not because he was afraid, but because it was true. He did not want to hurt Gaara. And a friendly match did not need to involve injury, after all.
He turned his head to look at Gaara, smile forced, but he frowned deeply when he noticed the way Gaara seemed to be in pain. “Gaara,” he said, moving slowly closer. “You need to rest. You should not be out of bed in your condition.” Another pang of guilt made Lee wince as he placed a hand on Gaara’s arm, gently trying to push him to lie down, his attention wholly on Gaara once again.
Gaara watched Lee’s reaction with interest, frowning. He appreciated the fact that Kankurou was sticking up for him, but it was unnecessary. “I’m fine,” he murmured, though he leaned back against the pillows. Nurses, he wouldn’t let coddle him that way. He might let Kankurou or Temari, if he was in enough pain, or tired enough. He peered up at Lee and made a face at the guilt he saw there.
“Stop looking like that,” he huffed, glancing toward Kankurou as well. The comment was ambiguous enough to be aimed at either person currently in the room.
“You are not,” Lee corrected. “If you were fine you would not be breathing so heavily. I am very sorry that it happened, but the fact is you have a broken rib. You should not overexert yourself.” The irony, of course, was that Lee, once he had been released, would most definitely overexert himself. Then again he did not have a concussion or broken rib. Lee flushed, looking down at Gaara’s words. “Looking like what, Gaara?” He kept his eyes firmly on Gaara’s hand.
Kankurou let his eyes flutter open as he listened to the two of them talk. When Gaara looked at him, Kankurou looked him straight in the eyes. His eyes shifted to the place on his brothers shoulder where Lee’s hand rested. Letting out a harsh sigh, Kankurou pushed himself from the wall, and toward the door. “I’m leavin’.”
For most of his life, until recently, he was not allowed to touch his brother. Kankurou was the one who had always been there for him, yet Gaara was letting a total stranger touch him so casually? The older sibling was so careful not to get too close to his brother, too much into his space. It was what he was used to, and it was how he showed respect for Gaara. But this...?
Kankurou made sure that the door behind him slammed shut, as he headed down the hallway towards the elevator. If he wasn’t allowed to hurt Lee, and Gaara was too beat up to take a punch, Kankurou was going to find something to smash.
Lee stared guiltily after Gaara’s brother, sure that the reason the man was so upset was all his fault. Perhaps if he spoke with him they could smooth things over. After all, Lee wanted to be good friends with Gaara, and if Gaara’s brother did not like him, then Lee would feel terrible. And he was sure Gaara would not want his brother to leave when he had not seen him in such a long time. “I think I should speak with him,” Lee murmured. “I shall be right back, Gaara. Please rest until I return.” He squeezed his friend’s shoulder for comfort, though whether it was for Gaara’s or his own, he was not quite sure.
He quickly left the room, closing the door gently behind him, and followed after Kankurou. “Su-sumimasen, Sabaku-san,” he called, limping as fast as he could. He had forgotten his crutch back in Gaara’s room which made it slightly harder to not agitate his leg as he moved quickly down the corridor.
Kankurou stopped dead in his tracks when he heard Lee’s voice behind him. What was it that he didn’t understand about this whole thing? Kankurou wanted nothing to do with him, and if his brother would rather be around someone he’d just met he wasn’t going to stop them. Kankurou was just going to blow off some steam. But this brat was just getting in his way. “What do you want?” he snapped, glaring him down.
“Go back to my brother, it seems that’s all he wants.” There was a low growl to his voice that made him sound far more feral and dangerous than he really was. It always seemed that the more passionately Kankurou felt about something the more he would act on false notions.
Lee came to an abrupt halt in front of Kankurou, flushing. “I-I just wanted to apologize. I feel that there has been a misunderstanding between us, and I just--I wanted to patch things up; explain things. I-” He broke off, looking at the ground. “I am very sorry for hurting Gaara; I truly am! Our match was only supposed to be a friendly match, and things got out of hand. If I could take it back, I would in a heartbeat. He is my friend, after all, and I feel terrible about what happened.”
He bit his lip, glancing back over his shoulder, down the corridor. “I-I know Gaara wants you there. I-I have never been good at reading people, Sabaku-san, but he has mentioned you a few times on both occasions that I have been in his company. I do not think he wants you to leave, and if you would rather, I could leave. I am sure you would like to spend time with him, and I do not want to impose.” He bowed slightly, wobbling a bit as he did so. “I hope that you can forgive me for harming him, and that we can be friends, as well.” He smiled slightly, still unsure but hopeful.
Everything that came out of this man’s mouth irritated him. He didn’t want an apology, he wanted this to all go away. It must have been a horrible dream, it was the only reasoning.
“I don’t want your apologies!” Kankurou said harshly. “I don’t really care for your words, and I’m not sure about you at all. My brother has never had friends. Ever. He’s never needed one. It’s always been just me and him. We don’t need you. He doesn’t need you.”
Kankurou turned once again and started walking towards the elevator. This place was making him feel claustrophobic.
Lee’s lip trembled as he fought back the tears that were welling in his eyes. He closed them tightly, feeling hurt and angry. He did not want things to end this way; what if Gaara never wanted to see him again because of his brother? Lee wanted to stay friends! He would not give up! “Ya-yamatte, onegaishimasu! I-I am very sorry that you feel that way, but--and I do not mean to be rude, so please excuse me, but I must say this--you do not speak for Gaara!” A few tears rolled down Lee’s face, and he sucked in a breath, trying to steady his breathing. “I-I am aware that Gaara has never had a friend before--he told me--and I am honoured that he would choose me to be his friend! Everyone needs friends, Sabaku-san. Family is very important, but so is friendship.
“I do not know what I have done to upset you so badly--other than hurting Gaara, I mean, which I did not want to do--but whatever it is, I will not give up trying to prove myself to you so that I can remain Gaara’s friend.” He was shaking by the time he had finished, his good hand balled into a fist at his side, his cheeks wet from tears, and his eyes closed tightly against his hurt emotions. “Please, I beg you, do not ignore me, and do not misjudge me.” He bowed deeply, still fighting back tears.
Kankurou stopped in place once more, and looked at the man over his shoulder. Once he saw that he was in tears (and starting to gather a crowd around him) Kankurou turned back around once again. “I haven’t misjudged you at all. All I see is a weak, sniveling man who can only get ahead in life by trying to befriend the potential boss’ family to get into the business. If anything, I have all the right in the world to speak for my brother, especially in comparison to someone who doesn’t know the first thing about him.”
Kankurou moved slowly towards Lee, with controlled steps. His own muscles tensing and flexing as he held his rage inside as best he could.
“I was trying so hard before not to lose it on you, and all you can do is push my last nerve. Now for the last time: leave me alone!” Kankurou stopped a foot away from Lee staring him down as best he could. He didn’t want to have anything to do with Lee any more.
Lee gasped, righting his posture, and staring up at Kankurou. How could he think that? Why would he--Lee shook his head, glaring at the other man, though it was not nearly as affective considering he was still crying. “I am deeply offended that you would think such a thing,” he exclaimed. “I would never befriend someone for such petty reasons! My friendship with your brother is real! I am an honourable person, and I would never--” He broke off, taking in a deep breath, and wiping his face with his good hand.
“Whether or not you accept it, I am being a true friend. I care for Gaara, and I think that you are being unfair to me and selfish.” His muscles were tense as he watched Kankurou’s slow approach, noting the anger in his expression, and listening to the threat carefully. “Please do not attack me. I would hate to have to hurt my friend’s brother.” It was a stupid thing to say, but Lee, even with two casts on, knew he could take care of himself. It was more that he felt bad about it because he did not want to fight, especially because this was Gaara’s brother. He thought, if they did fight, surely Gaara would never speak to him again, even if Kankurou were the first one to attack--not that Lee planned on attacking. He would rely solely on defense if the other man decided to fight him.
Kankurou couldn’t help but laugh at Lee when he said those words. He looked him up and down, and shook his head. “You think that you’re a threat to me?” Kankurou shook his head and turned around again. “Ya know what? I don’t think you’re worth my time. Fighting you in this state would just be too easy.” Kankurou relaxed his muscles as he started to move away from the crowd and the low murmurings he heard behind him. Kankurou moved until he saw the elevator opening just (it seemed) for him.
When: August 18, evening, a few hours after A Youthful Friendship; A Deadly Match Part One and Part Two
Where: Hospital
Summary: Gaara wakes up in the hospital, slightly confused and not quite remembering all of what happened and how he got there. Lee has just finished being seen, and insists on visiting his injured friend.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None really. Sulking...
Gaara’s eyes snapped open, immediately on the defensive. He didn’t know where he was, or what had happened, and he sat up, instantly regretting the movement. He let out a small gasp, his chest aching terribly. Still, this wasn't the moment to just lie back and rest. He vaguely remembered a fight between himself and Lee, and Lee being injured by him.
A serious frown tugged his lips down as he shifted and swung his legs over the side of the bed, wincing as his feet touched down. Had they made it to the hospital? They must have. Which meant he had to have passed out.
"Damn," he growled, wobbling a little as he moved toward the door. He was supposed to be helping Lee to make up for his crazy outburst and instead Lee must have gotten them there. He'd need to check on the other man and he'd need to contact Kankurou. His brother would not be pleased.
Lee had just finished getting his x-rays, and was waiting to be seen by a doctor. They had arrived several hours earlier, Lee’s leg and wrist throbbing, Gaara on his back, still unconscious, and Lee in a panic over the redhead. The pain in his own leg and wrist had started to become pressing as he carried Gaara to the hospital, even with the meditation techniques, and if he had not been so determined to get Gaara there, he might have passed out. He very nearly did as someone took Gaara from him, but managed to stay awake and upright. Gaara’s injuries were the more pressing ones, and there were plenty of other people who, like Gaara, needed immediate attention, and so Lee, with only a broken wrist and leg had been forced to wait for a time, though the doctors gave him a room right away.
Three hours of waiting had not done anything for Lee. After his x-rays, which he had finally received only after two hours of waiting, he had been forced to sit in a room with his leg and wrist set to keep the bones from moving. But he hated sitting still, especially when he was worried about someone.
“Can I see my friend?” he asked a nurse passing through the hall, but she did not hear him. He pouted, looking out the door, watching as nurses and doctors milled about. This was boring, and useless. He needed to see Gaara to make sure he was all right.
His eyes alighted on a wheelchair just outside his door, and a grin chased his pout away. That would get him to Gaara without causing him to upset his leg and wrist, although, he would have to find what room the redhead was in without asking as he had no idea. Lee had given them a run down of what had happened, and what he thought was wrong with Gaara the moment they arrived, and considering they were both law enforcement, the doctors had been quick to respond to their needs, taking Gaara from Lee, despite his protests and guiding the still green-clad man to another room.
Lee hauled himself out of bed and hobbled to the door. He poked his head around the corner, checking if the coast was clear. There were plenty of people walking around, but none of the staff seemed to notice him, and he quickly hopped towards the discarded wheelchair. He would have to wheel it one handed, but he was sure he could do it, and if he failed, then he would do a hundred one-armed pull-ups in penance!
Gaara paused as he opened the door, having to take several slow breaths. He tried to shake his head a little to clear his vision, but that only made his head hurt a bit more. He needed to figure out where Lee was and make sure he was all right.
Stumbling out into the hallway, the red head swung around to look for the nearest staff member, making his way toward a nurse unsteadily. He was determined to not be forced to go lie back down until he knew for certain things were being taken care of for Lee. He didn’t doubt that he had been taken care of quickly enough. People knew who he was here. It was part of being the son of the head of SIB. But Lee, also a cop, only worked the beat and Gaara was determined to make sure he had gotten the treatment he needed.
The nurse barely noticed Gaara, until he growled, leaning heavily against the counter. She turned, frowned and tsked all at once. “Sabaku-san, you should be in bed. Please, let me help you back to your room.” She reached out toward him, ready to guide him back.
Gaara’s hand lifted instinctively and smacked her hand away. He did not want to be touched or be taken back to his room. “What room is Rock Lee in?” he snapped, eyes narrowed. The frustration was coming back and his chest ached with each breath.
“Your friend is being taken care of. Now please go lie back down,” she said, reaching for him again.
Growling, he turned away, finding his vision had gone a bit blurry, feeling a little dizzy from turning too quickly. He’d go find Lee on his own.
Lee had just barely managed to push the wheelchair into an elevator and up to the floor above his. He had overheard, rather conveniently, a doctor discussing with a nurse about a particular patient the floor above who was not cooperating and staying in bed. Apparently, this patient had a broken rib and concussion. Lee had realised, excitedly that this person had to be Gaara, and quickly and half-hazardlied wheeled himself to the lift. Panting slightly, he waited until the elevator doors opened before attempting to quickly speed out into the corridor so that the doors would not close on him.
Once out in the open corridor, nurses moving around him, Lee instantly spotted said uncooperative redhead and, as best he could, wheeled excitedly towards him. “Sa--Gaara!” he cried happily, catching his slip up before he could upset his friend. “You should be in bed,” he scolded as he neared his friend, noticing the way Gaara’s eyes seemed unfocused. He quickly caught Gaara’s hand in his uninjured one, guiding him away from the frantic nurse as best he could by pushing against the ground with his uninjured leg. “Let us go back to your room. Where is it?” he asked, looking up at Gaara with a soft smile and wide eyes.
Pausing only breifly, Gaara let Lee grab his hand. He blinked down at him a bit dazed, shaking his head a little. Then he frowned, seeming to come to a bit. "Where were you? What happened?" he asked, clearly upset from his tone. "I remember leaving your house but..."
He shook his head, almost instinctively moving back to his room, ignoring the nurse who was watching with mild surprise.
Lee smiled up reassuringly at Gaara. "Do not worry about me. I was just waiting to be seen by a doctor. They just did my x-rays, and all they need is to get casts for me. I was worried about you, so I decided to come looking." He squeezed Gaara's hand, not really paying attention to the informality of the gesture, but wanting to offer up whatever comfort to the redhead he could. "We were walking, and you were doing your utmost best to assist me, but unfortunately you have a concussion--I am very sorry about that--so you passed out.
"But I managed to get us here without too much trouble!" He realised as he went to give a thumbs up with his free hand--the injured one--that he was still holding Gaara's hand and unless he let go would not be able to strike his favourite pose. He blushed slightly, looking down at their clasped hands. "Where is your room, Gaara?" he asked, letting go, reluctantly.
Gaara glanced down briefly when Lee squeezed his hand, expression unreadable, though he didn't pull away. Odd as it was, for some reason Gaara trusted Lee. He thought the other man was truly fascinating, if a bit naive. To have seen that side of Gaara that was hidden away so carefully by the redhead and not run screaming made him feel like maybe Lee could understand.
He shook his head a little as they got back to his room, only vaguely aware that Lee had let go of his hand. He turned his intense gaze on the other man, finding it was easier to focus on something tangible.
"How are your leg and arm?" he asked, sounding a little grouchy as he peered at the splints. "Should you be moving around?"
Lee dropped his gaze guiltily. "Etto, most likely I should have stayed in bed. I am sure the doctor will be concerned, but I was very worried about you, and no one would tell me where you were or how you were doing. But do not worry too much. The break in my leg was a clean break, and the splint helps! And I promise I was only using this hand," he said, raising his uninjured one, "to wheel myself here!" He gave Gaara a thumbs up, but dropped it quickly, looking down sadly.
"How are you? I-I was very worried when you passed out. And the doctors said you had severe head trauma on top of the broken rib. You should not be standing up, Sabaku-san," he finished, the guilt eating at him so much that he forgot he was supposed to be calling Gaara by his given name. "I think you should lie down. I can stay here if you want company. Although, I am sure your family is very worried about you. They will probably be here soon, ne?" He did not want to leave, which was clear by the doleful look he gave Gaara, but he knew that if his family arrived he should--after all, he did not want to intrude.
"I'm fine," he groused, though he did sit on the bed when Lee gave him that pitiful look. Odd how that look made him feel guilty. "Don't feel bad. I was going to kill you." There was no sugar-coating with Gaara.
He looked down at Lee, curious to see his reaction. Surely the man had seen that look in his eyes. That was part of the reason he'd started to fight back so desperately.
Lee smiled, slightly sadly, up at Gaara. “I do not think you would have done so, Gaara. You came back to your senses, and even if you had tried, I would not have let you. You are very strong and quick, but--and I do not mean this disrespectfully--I believe I have more training in martial arts than you do. I would have been fine. You do not have to worry about me.”
His smiled turned reassuring. “And it was a most excellent fight, even if you did lose control. You are very talented, Gaara. And I think that with practise, you could learn to control yourself more. I could teach you some meditation techniques, and we could spar again! I would hate to miss the opportunity to bond with you through challenges such as this.” He gave Gaara another thumbs up, still grinning.
The look Gaara gave Lee was almost suspicious. "I don't think you fully understand the situation." It wasn't that Gaara hadn't tried to gain control over the years, after all. "Some demons aren't so easy to get rid of.
"You are an impressive fighter though. Maybe we will have to spar again sometime."
Lee shook his head, determined to prove to Gaara that he could make things right if he only had faith in Lee. "I will not give up if it is something you want to change. Control is very important, and I am sure that through regular meditation and practise you can fight me without attempting to kill me. I will not force you, of course, but if you could have that faith in me to help you, I would be very happy."
He smiled up at the redhead, blushing slightly at the compliment. "A-arigatougozaimasu, Gaara. I have worked very hard to become a good martial artist, and I am glad that you recognize my abilities. I would be overjoyed if we could spar again--once we have properly healed, of course."
Sighing, he leaned back, looking at Lee with a tilt of his head. Now that he knew the other man wasn’t in dire need of medical attention, he was feeling drained and confused. The only people he usually worried about like this were his siblings. Lee was something of an enigma to Gaara.
“Why do you want to help me?” he asked, gaze on the ceiling, voice quiet as he tried to understand the reasoning Lee would have for being so concerned with someone like him. “I’ve done nothing but hurt you,” he said, the last two words strained as he spoke. It made no sense to him. People didn’t help strangers for no reason. Gaara and Lee barely knew each other, though it was clear Lee wanted to be friends and Gaara was willing to see how that went, as odd as it was for him.
Lee smiled up at Gaara, pushing the right wheel of the chair so he could move closer to the bed. “I am your friend, am I not? It is what friends do, Gaara! I would not want you to be unhappy or unable to do something you wanted, and if there was something I could do to make it better than I would gladly take on the challenge.” He reached out, feeling self-conscious but determined, and placed a caring hand on top of Gaara’s, trying to convey the sincerity of his feelings in the gesture. His cheeks felt slightly warm, a faint blush spreading despite his hope that one would not, and he dropped his gaze, too aware of the contact and how familiar the gesture was to bear looking into Gaara’s intense eyes. “I hope that you can accept this--both my friendship and my help.”
Gaara blinked, turning his head to look at Lee, brows drawing together. It was saying something that he didn’t pull his hand away. And Gaara didn’t know why that was. He wanted to trust Lee, and that was hard for the man to admit, mostly because trust for him usually came with time. Things that would have taken weeks or months seemed to be happening too fast for Gaara to be completely comfortable with.
“I-I’ll try.” He was staring at Lee, noting again the blushing and the fact that Lee wasn’t meeting his gaze. “I don’t like relying on people. It took years to trust my brother and sister.”
Lee bit his lip, not quite wanting to let go of Gaara’s hand just yet, but also worried that the contact was unwelcome. He kept his hand there, feeling more and more unsure as he spoke. “I understand. And I am sorry to be so pushy, Gaara. If you would like I can leave? I--” He broke off, still staring at the floor. He did not want to leave, not in the least, but he would not push Gaara into a friendship he did not want. Although, he hadn’t said no, which was a good sign, Lee still thought Gaara might want some space from him.
“Stop apologizing,” Gaara murmured, tone a bit grouchy, eyes closing as he let out a small huff. “The only reason you would need to leave is if the doctor came looking for you.” The worried look on Lee’s face was confusing Gaara. Had he said something wrong? He’d said he’d try. That was honestly the best he could do while still figuring out the reasons Lee was so different than other people he’d met.
“Until then...” Gaara shrugged, his gaze wandering to the door, as though expecting a doctor to come bursting through at any moment.
Lee smiled, embarrassed, turning to look back at Gaara. “Arigatou,” he said softly. “I-I hope that a doctor does not come soon. It was very boring sitting around in a room waiting to be seen, and I was worried about you. Do you know how long they will keep you here for? With your head injury and broken rib, I am sure they will want to keep you overnight for observation. The doctor said once I had my casts I could go, but if you would like, I can stay. Unless your siblings arrive, and you want to be with them.”
He glanced down at the hand still on top of Gaara’s, his mind traveling away from the moment and moving on to more personal things. It was strange, this new friendship. Gaara was not like most people Lee knew, and though Lee would always take care of his friends, the way it felt with Gaara was new, different. Perhaps it was because he found the redhead so attractive. He hadn’t been attracted to anyone in a long time, so it was almost unfamiliar, but he knew that whenever this sort of thing happened, he was quick to become attached and always wanted to do right by that person.
Without realising it, he had started to rub his thumb over the soft skin of the back of Gaara’s hand, still deep in thought, but also trying to comfort.
Gaara’s hand twitched when Lee suddenly started rubbing it. He started to pull back instinctively, but stopped when he looked at Lee again and noticed the distracted look. Busy movement. He frowned a little.
“You’re thinking about something.” Lee was the kind of person where it became obvious when he was seriously contemplating something. He had gone quiet, and that look... Gaara frowned. He always looked the same, he knew. Which was why it was often hard for others to read him. Maybe something would change, but not anytime soon.
Lee jerked his head up, gaze meeting Gaara’s at the redhead’s words. “Oh. Ha-hai. I was. It is not important, Gaara.” He looked down at their hands, realising that his thumb was moving in slow circles for the first time and he stopped, pulling his hand away, a blush staining his cheeks again. “I am sorry--I mean,” he paused, biting his lip. “I did not mean to say that. I just meant that I am distracted and did not mean to be. Did you want to rest? Or talk? Or something?” He fidgeted with the wheel of his chair, looking for something to occupy his hand, which felt oddly tingly.
Gaara shrugged. “I’m not that tired,” he sighed, watching Lee unblinkingly. He really wanted to know what Lee was thinking, mostly because, with Lee, he had no idea. “Passing out for a bit was more sleep than I’ve gotten in a while.” Undoubtedly, Lee wouldn’t find that as amusing as Gaara did, but maybe he should be thanking the other man for knocking him unconscious for a bit.
Lee frowned, guilty that he had hurt Gaara so badly and also concerned for his well-being. “That is not good. You really should sleep more.” He looked at Gaara’s black ringed eyes, wondering if there was a way to get the redhead to agree to trying the tea he was sure would help. He was sure Gaara’s control would come much more easily if he got more sleep, though he did not expect the redhead to start sleeping the usual eight hours just because of a few cups of tea--especially considering his nightmares. “I wish I could help,” he said, thinking out loud. “I am so--I find it very upsetting that you have such terrible nightmares. Do you not have anything that makes you feel safe enough at night to sleep? Not that you have to tell me, of course!” he quickly amended. “I realise that is a very personal question, and I hope that it was not upsetting for me to ask it!”
There was a long moment of silence as Gaara simply listened to Lee talk. “I don’t know. Normally I’ll just lay around and stare at the ceiling until my eyes close. I’ve tried some meditation techniques, but most don’t help much.” He honestly looked perplexed at that.
“Have you ever been shot?” He asked suddenly, peering carefully at Lee. Maybe if he could find something to compare his past to Lee’s experiences, though it wasn’t likely Lee would understand it all, but it was worth a try.
Lee gave Gaara a perplexed look, nodding slowly. “Ha-hai. Once a couple years ago when I first joined patrol.” He raised his good hand to his left shoulder, near his heart. “I moved out of the way, but not quickly enough. It would have been fatal if I had not, so I am very thankful that it was only in my shoulder.” He looked down, trying to figure out why Gaara would ask that question. “I have had other injuries, as well--one more fatal than that, which I received in a martial arts tournament--but most of the others have been small and not serious. Why do you ask?” He looked up at Gaara, letting his hand drop back to his lap.
“After that shot, did you have trouble sleeping? Ever get paranoid? Maybe someone was after you? Next time you wouldn’t be so lucky?”
Still, Gaara didn’t take his gaze from Lee’s face, eyes flicking to the point of the wound for the briefest moment before they fixed back in place. He vaguely found himself wondering what that scar looked like. For all his brushes with death, he had very few scars, and the ones he did were hardly visible.
Lee shrugged. “It was a bit difficult, yes. But I persevered through it, and the culprit was apprehended. I was not worried too much. I--I did have some nightmares. But whenever I woke up from them I would go to my training room and exercise until I was exhausted. It helped. Eventually I stopped having nightmares, and once I got used to working the beat I was much less paranoid.”
He looked up at Gaara, the concern clear in his eyes. “Is--is that what you feel like when you try to sleep?” Lee’s expression was lost. He could remember that time all too well, and it had not been a fun experience. The thought that his friend went through that on a regular basis made Lee feel incredibly sad.
Nodding slowly, Gaara finally turned his gaze back to the ceiling. “Mostly. Almost my entire life. I used to be much worse. The fact that I get some sleep at all is an improvement. And when I can’t, I walk. Anywhere. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes, it just makes me think more.”
His brows drew together again and he made a slightly annoyed sound in his throat. “You’re doing it again,” he said, absently, not actually upset. If anything, he sounded amused.
Lee nodded slowly. “I-I see. Well if you ever want company, or to come over when you cannot sleep, you are most welcome to come to me! I would gladly help you in whatever way I can! But I think you should definitely try that tea I mentioned to you earlier. It would probably help!”
Lee blinked, confused. “Do-doing what, Gaara?”
“Getting me to talk. I have to be more on guard around you,” he murmured. “I don’t usually talk so much. It’s strange.” He glanced at Lee out of the corner of his eye. Having an actual destination for his walks might have its benefits. “Perhaps I’ll stop by sometime. I don’t usually have company, seeing as everyone else is usually asleep.”
Lee blushed. “Etto... does that, uh, make you uncomfortable? That you talk so much with me? I-I am glad that you do, though. I think it means you trust me and consider me a friend--which I consider you! And I want you to know that if there is anything on your mind that you need to talk about, I will gladly listen!” He gave Gaara the most sincere, earnest look he could muster, trying to convey how much he wanted to help in the look. “And I will always answer my door! Even if I am asleep! I do not mind in the least if it helps you!”
“Not really uncomfortable. I really just don’t understand why. I’m trying to, but things like this don’t make much sense to me.” He sighed and shook his head. “You’re so odd, Lee,” he added after a moment. “I suppose I still don’t know how you could be so forgiving. I don’t think I ever could. At least not right away.”
Gaara shifted uncomfortably, frowning a little. He wanted to go home. Hospital beds were never very good, and even if he wasn’t planning on being in one for long, he didn’t want a crappy bed making his mood, or his pain, worse. Not, of course, that he was planning on telling Lee he was hurting a bit more. It had been so long since he’d simply talked that a few minor aches weren’t going to stop him.
“I like to think that it is because you think of me as a friend. Is--is that difficult for you? To think of me that way?” he asked, unsure, but feeling just a bit hurt. He looked up at Gaara, flushing as the younger man continued speaking. “I-I am sorry? I-I do not mean to be so strange. It is just the way I am. I do my best to be true to myself, and I would not hold a grudge against you for this. We were fighting, after all, and you had warned me before.” He swallowed, nervously. “Then... do you not forgive me for causing your injuries? They--they were much worse than mine, even if you did try to kill me.” He picked at the sheet on Gaara’s bed, staring hard at it to avoid looking at Gaara.
He looked up as Gaara shifted, worried that perhaps the redhead was getting tired, or annoyed by the conversation.
Gaara’s head tilted and he sat up, looking at Lee squarely, though his expression was schooled and unreadable again. “I’ve never had friends. And those who were, or who claimed they loved me, only wanted to use me one way or another. It makes trusting someone difficult.” He winced as he leaned forward, staring at Lee. “I think, even if I don’t understand your reasons, or know why I feel so comfortable around you, that I... like it.
“And if I was angry about any injuries I received, I certainly wouldn’t be talking to you. I do know that this was not something you wanted to do, even though it was your best defense. If your opponent will not listen to reason, incapacitate them.”
Lee’s face was so hot he was sure he could have cooked something on it, though he was smiling through his flustered embarrassment, inexplicably proud that he was Gaara’s first true friend. It was incredibly difficult for him not to smile more broadly, and the more Gaara spoke the more his smile strained to grow bigger. The fact that Gaara liked this new friendship only proved to weaken Lee’s resolve completely, and his smile broke free, brightening his red face. “I am very glad to here it, Gaara! I like it too! And I promise I do not have ulterior or untoward motives in being your friend! I will do my utmost best to be a good friend to you, and I will not lie or do anything to hurt you! I absolutely will not!” He struck the Nice Guy pose, his cheeks starting to hurt from smiling so broadly. “That is a Nice Guy Promise! You can count on me!”
He nodded slowly as Gaara continued, hoping that if he sparred with Gaara again--which he hoped to do--that it would not come down to hurting his friend again. “I understand, and I thank you for not being angry with me--though I still feel very bad about what I did, for I am sure there was a better way of handling the situation!--but in the future, if it happens, I will find a way to get through to you without violence!” He nodded decisively, his mouth turned down in a determined frown and his brows drawn together.
“Hnn...” Gaara was almost going to chuckle, which might have confused Lee more than the comments about Lee being odd. “Nice Guy Promise?” he asked, again sounding vaguely amused. “As far as sparring, well, we’ll see how that goes. Maybe next time I’ll have figured out something for myself as well.”
He was about to say more when a nurse knocked lightly on the closed door and entered the room, a slight scolding frown on her lips. “Rock-san! You were not supposed to leave your room! You could have injured your leg or arm further!” She moved over to him, shaking her head as she grabbed his wheelchair, then turned her matronly scowl on Gaara. “And you should not be sitting up, Sabaku-san. Lie back down and the doctor will be in to see you soon, now that you’re awake.”
She said nothing else as she started to wheel Lee away, certain that Gaara would be out again soon if he didn’t relax.
Lee smiled, happy that Gaara was willing to spar again and willing to take the necessary steps to keep such a loss of control from happening again. He was on the verge of offering his help in finding a way for Gaara to remain in control when the door opened. He flushed, feeling embarrassed and guilty, looking down as the nurse scolded him. “Go-gomenasai. I did not mean to cause you trouble! I was just worried about my friend,” he told her, looking up through his lashes at her. “Please do not scold him, it is my fault he is up!” he added, waving his good hand in the air. “And I promise I did my best not to upset my injuries!”
When she grabbed his chair, he gave Gaara a forlorn look. “I promise to return once I have been seen by the doctor, Gaara. Please get some rest.” He smiled reassuringly as she wheeled him out, looking over his shoulder at the redhead before the door closed and he could not see Gaara anymore. With a heavy sigh, Lee let the nurse wheel him to a separate room, anxious to get back to his friend.
Once Lee left, Gaara stared at the ceiling in silence for a long time, and no doctors or nurses came in to see if he was okay. Everything started to blend together and he lost focus, vaguely wondering if anyone had gotten in contact with his brother or sister, if anyone cared. Shortly after that, Gaara passed out again, although he wasn’t really sure about that. Everything he was seeing was a bit fuzzy, rather like an out-of-body experience, and then a series of memories about what had happened during the fight flashed before his eyes rapidly. Damn, how could Lee forgive him so easily after all of that?
Kankurou found himself walking through a very familiar hallway in a very familiar hospital. Between his own hospital stays and visiting Rin, he had walked and seen a whole lot of these walls in his life time. When he had gotten to his house, after a very long stay in a cabin, he had been allowed to look at his phone only to find that he had a distressed message from a nurse about his little brother.
He walked to the room that he had been told Gaara was in, opening the door to find his brother lying there as if he were a potato, nothing there to respond to. For a moment, Kankurou stood there, not knowing what to say. It had been at least a month since Kankurou had seen Gaara or heard from him, and this was what he was forced to see. He swallowed, and moved up to the bed, trying to act as if nothing was wrong at all.
“It seems that I’m not allowed to leave the mighty Gaara alone, eh? Without his big brother he’s bound to get himself into trouble.” Although he wasn’t sure what had happened, he knew that something big had gone down, and Gaara had gotten the snot beat out of him, and he didn’t like that at all. If he found out who did this--well, it would be bad.
Gaara’s eyes snapped open when Kankurou spoke, head turning to glare at his brother. He’d heard someone come in, but hadn’t been sure if he’d wanted to wake up for the person until he realized it was, in fact, his brother.
“Shut up,” he murmured. “What did you expect to happen? I was stuck here by myself; you weren’t around,” he groused, trying hard to not sound too glad to see his brother. “I thought it was supposed to be a short vacation.” He was moody. Painkillers helped a little to keep him calm, but he had been grouchy for a while about the fact that Kankurou hadn’t bothered to try letting him know what was going on.
Kankurou had seen this one coming. It hadn’t really been his fault, though. “It was. But...” He looked down at his feet. “I got really sick. Rin was supposed to tell everyone what was going on.” It seemed that his father hadn’t told anyone what was going on from the message that Rin had given him.
“Didn’t work too well, now did it?” he grumbled. Gaara didn’t blame Kankurou for his current state. That wasn’t right, or fair. On the other hand, he knew that if Kankurou had been around when all his frustration and tension was building up, that he would have been less likely to lose it like he had. He wasn’t too keen on Kankurou’s new girlfriend stealing him away like that, and Gaara had a phone. She could have found a way to tell him.
“You’re better now?”
Kankurou saw the emotion move through the man before him. Gaara didn’t show emotion like a normal person. It was only because of the fact that he had grown up with him that Kankurou knew how to read his brother. Kankurou knew that Gaara would be upset with him, but that never meant he was prepared for it.
“Much.” He looked down at his feet, feeling ashamed, as though this were his fault. He would not leave his brother like that ever again.
“Hnn. Good then,” Gaara said, frowning as he shifted and sat up. He let out a small groan, and a sigh, tilting his head as he looked at Kankurou. “I’m surprised you’re not mad at me for this,” he murmured. He had expected his brother to be less guilty and more angry. It wasn’t often he got injured. Usually he was smarter than to get injured as badly as he had during this fight. He didn’t want it to happen again anytime soon.
Kankurou shook his head. “It’s my fault, after all.” Kankurou looked back up at the injured body that was his brother, his little brother. As he looked him over, he let out a small growl. “What’s broken?”
“A rib. And I have a concussion,” he said, gripping the edge of the bed a bit tightly. He shouldn’t have sat up, but just laying there made him feel strangely vulnerable. Granted, he doubted, in his current condition, that his brother would actually lash out at him physically. Still, part of him wanted to be prepared, just in case.
Kankurou looked at his brother, not angry at him but at himself. “Who?”
“It was a sparring match that went wrong.” Gaara avoided directly answering Kankurou’s question. For some reason, he found himself worried about what his brother would do to Lee if he thought the man did it on purpose. And seeing as he had already broken Lee’s wrist and leg, he didn’t think his brother needed to contribute to any more injuries.
Kankurou stared at the bed that Gaara was in, sure that the injured man would stay in bed while he went to check on something. “I’ll be back.” He turned on his heel, and headed out of the room. Kankurou made sure that the door was closed before he moved to the nurse’s station just across the hall, and stood there waiting for someone to notice that he was there.
Gaara knew immediately what his brother had planned. And he wasn’t about to let him hurt Lee. After all, it had been his fault, mostly. Taking a slow breath, he got out of bed and walked slowly toward the door after his brother.
“Kankurou,” he said, wobbling only a little this time as he opened the door.
A nurse was just about to ask the taller man what he needed when she saw Gaara, once again, out of bed. Tsking, she moved out from behind the station toward Gaara. “Sabaku-san, you’re supposed to be lying down.”
Kankurou turned around suddenly looking at his brother, who was slowly hobbling towards him. “You need to lie down. This is not your problem, Gaara.”
Gaara’s eyes narrowed and he pushed past the nurse toward Kankurou. “I know what you’re trying to do. And it’s unnecessary,” he snapped. “He had to do it, or I was going to kill him.”
Kankurou shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gaara. Like you said, your head was hit, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kankurou turned and looked at the nurse. “You should do your job, make sure he gets back to bed.” Kankurou turned his back on his brother, and looked at the second nurse standing there.
The nurse moved to grab Gaara’s shoulders and guide him back but the redhead growled, and had to work hard not to shove her hands away as he moved to his brother, glaring. “What are you going to do, then?” he asked.
The second nurse glanced almost nervously between the two before she looked at Kankurou. “What can I help you with, Sabaku-san?” she asked, not sure if she should have spoken or not.
Kankurou ignored his brother, and looked at the nurse who was still looking warily at the advancing Gaara. “I would like to know who was admitted with my brother.” It was his logic that if there had been a fight, both had to be in the hospital, or neither would be.
Gaara growled, grabbing his brother’s arm, fighting back the pain that shot through his side. “Knock it off, Kankurou,” he snarled. If he wanted to fight someone, it wasn’t going to be Lee.
The nurse shifted behind the counter, uncertain about answering the man’s question, considering the way the two were interacting. “Please, both of you, return to Sabaku-san’s room. You’re going to exacerbate his injuries if you keep arguing out here. We don’t want a scene,” she added, voice a bit pleading. There was already a small crowd forming, but clearly the nurses were willing to call in reinforcements if necessary.
Kankurou shook his arm back, trying to remove Gaara’s grip from his arm. “I’m not doing anything.” He shifted to look at his brother, a sharp bite to his words. “You’re the one who needs to rest!”
“Please, Sabaku-san!” The nurse said in a hushed voice. “Let’s go back to your brother’s room.” There was a slight pleading note in her voice, and it was clear that she wanted to avoid any more conflict.
“I would rest if you’d stop being a damn idiot!” Gaara snapped, his grip tightening almost painfully on Kankurou’s arm. It was one of the few times Gaara raised his voice, and it was because he was in pain, annoyed, and actually concerned for Lee’s welfare. And his brother really was being an idiot. His eyes closed suddenly, a wave of light-headedness and dizziness washing over him.
Kankurou found a toothy grin on his face for a moment. He was not paying any attention to the nurse any more. “Gaara, you’re the only one acting irrationally right now. You need to lie down.” Once again, he looked at the nurse closest to them, and put his free hand on her back and pushed her closer to Gaara.
She was starting to nod and grab Gaara, when the smaller man suddenly launched a surprisingly quick punch, aimed directly at Kankurou’s face. Why was it that he always had to punch his brother to get him to see sense? He was actually trying to talk, actually wanting to, and Kankurou was just too damn thick-headed to get it.
He was satisfied when he felt his fist connect (though it wasn’t as forceful as he wanted it to be). The moment was short-lived though as he gasped a bit and fell to a knee, chest heaving as he tried to breathe through the pain that shot through his abdomen.
Kankurou blinked. He was unsure what to do as Gaara collapsed to the ground. He took a step back and watched as the two nurses rushed to his side, and several other medics appeared. “I’m sorry, Gaara.”
Growling in annoyance and pain, Gaara tried to shove the people away, feeling closed in and wanting to go back to his room by himself. “Shut up. You’re not,” he murmured, forcing himself slowly to his feet and turning his back on the other man. He did his best to not be touched by the nurses and the doctor attempting to help him, but it was impossible as he was swarmed. He didn’t want to look at his brother. He’d been wanting to see him, but now? He was being a nuisance.
Lee had been forced to wait for only a few minutes before he was being seen by a doctor and a cast was being fitted to his leg and wrist. The one for his wrist went up to just below his elbow, and the one for his leg covered to just below his knee. The doctor had given him careful instructions on care, and also reminded him not to attempt anything strenuous, like training during the next month or so. His leg had broken cleanly, but his wrist had been shattered in one place and would need more time to heal properly. The doctor guessed that Lee’s leg would be out of a cast before his wrist, and he was grateful for small mercies.
The moment the doctor had left the room, ordering him to stay put, Lee had bolted, heading for Gaara’s room once again, hobbling along on one crutch, feeling much better now that he could move somewhat more easily. He pushed the door open once he had arrived, grinning like a loon. “Gaara! I have returned! How are you feeling? Did you rest--” He stopped speaking abruptly as he took in the scene before him. The man standing next to Gaara’s bed looked slightly familiar, and Lee tilted his head. “Oh, hello. Forgive me, I did not realise there was someone else here. I am Rock Lee!” he explained loudly, bowing slightly. “It is very nice to meet you! Etto, Gaara, did you want me to come back later? I could wait out in the hall--although, the doctors might see me and take me back to my room, they are very persistent about that, after all. I really should not be out of bed,” he added. He spoke quickly, feeling much more upbeat and happy. He realised, after a moment, that the painkillers they had given him had kicked in and instead of making him sleepy as they did with many patients, they had made him hyper.
Gaara turned at Lee’s sudden appearance, blinking. “Lee,” he murmured, frowning as he looked between Kankurou and the other man. “You’re suddenly... happier.” Nothing seemed to get to Lee, though he apparently sensed that something wasn’t quite right in the room. “This is my brother, Kankurou,” he said, not sounding too pleased about that fact at the moment.
“You can stay if you want. I don’t care,” he added.
Kankurou turned almost immediately at the sound of the door, carefully scrutinizing anyone who entered the room. It was surprising to the man that someone injured entered. The name Lee rang a bell in the older brother’s head. For a moment, Kankurou stood thinking of where that name had come up. Then it hit him.
“You’re that kid who’s always applying for a job.” He paused for a moment, and looked at him again, more malice in his voice this time. “Why are you here and what do you want with my brother?”
Lee smiled at Gaara, on the verge of explaining about the medication, when Gaara’s brother spoke and all drug-induced euphoria seeped out of his body. He blinked several times, glancing back and forth between the two, his feelings deeply hurt. Had Gaara mentioned to Kankurou about the first time they met? Why was he being so mean? “Etto,” he murmured, dropping his gaze to the floor. “I-I was just coming to check on him. I was very concerned for his well-being and wanted to keep him company while we waited for the doctors.”
He glanced up at Gaara, unsure what to do, questions in his eyes.
Gaara sighed, rubbing his face with one hand. “This is Lee,” Gaara said, unsteadily turning and moving closer to the other two. “As you can see, I wasn’t the only one injured during our match, Kankurou,” he continued, hoping that might help to dissuade his brother from launching an attack on Lee. As for the other comments, he’d talk to his brother about them later.
Kankurou stood in place, balling his fists as he looked at the other injured man. So this was the man who had hurt his brother. But why did Gaara not seem to be upset by this man’s presence? Kankurou carefully moved closer to Lee, trying to loosen his muscles as to show his brother that he was not trying to harm the other man. However, the look on his face was a little different.
Once Kankurou got to where Lee was standing, he placed a hand on Lee’s right shoulder and leaned in to whisper to him, definitely only loud enough for Lee to hear. “You ever hurt my brother again, and I will not think twice about killing you.” With that, Kankurou moved away from Lee to lean against one of the empty walls near his brother to cross his arms and close his eyes, listening to everything that was going on around him.
Gaara frowned at his brother. He didn’t know exactly what Kankurou had said to Lee (though he was sure it wasn’t nice), but he would explain to Lee later. With the threat of a fight passed, Gaara finally sat down, still breathing a little erratically. “I told you there’s no need to bug him, Kankurou,” he murmured, looking exhausted suddenly. “He brought me here.” He said it as though that should be worth more to Kankurou than the fact that he’d been injured.
Lee tensed, at the harsh words whispered in his ears, his good hand balling into a fist. A flurry of feeling passed over his features: anger, guilt, sadness, confusion. He watched the man as he got comfortable against the wall, swallowing hard. The threat made Lee’s muscles tense, but at the same time he knew where it had come from; he could understand and respect Kankurou’s desire to protect his brother. “I will not hurt him again,” Lee whispered, not because he was afraid, but because it was true. He did not want to hurt Gaara. And a friendly match did not need to involve injury, after all.
He turned his head to look at Gaara, smile forced, but he frowned deeply when he noticed the way Gaara seemed to be in pain. “Gaara,” he said, moving slowly closer. “You need to rest. You should not be out of bed in your condition.” Another pang of guilt made Lee wince as he placed a hand on Gaara’s arm, gently trying to push him to lie down, his attention wholly on Gaara once again.
Gaara watched Lee’s reaction with interest, frowning. He appreciated the fact that Kankurou was sticking up for him, but it was unnecessary. “I’m fine,” he murmured, though he leaned back against the pillows. Nurses, he wouldn’t let coddle him that way. He might let Kankurou or Temari, if he was in enough pain, or tired enough. He peered up at Lee and made a face at the guilt he saw there.
“Stop looking like that,” he huffed, glancing toward Kankurou as well. The comment was ambiguous enough to be aimed at either person currently in the room.
“You are not,” Lee corrected. “If you were fine you would not be breathing so heavily. I am very sorry that it happened, but the fact is you have a broken rib. You should not overexert yourself.” The irony, of course, was that Lee, once he had been released, would most definitely overexert himself. Then again he did not have a concussion or broken rib. Lee flushed, looking down at Gaara’s words. “Looking like what, Gaara?” He kept his eyes firmly on Gaara’s hand.
Kankurou let his eyes flutter open as he listened to the two of them talk. When Gaara looked at him, Kankurou looked him straight in the eyes. His eyes shifted to the place on his brothers shoulder where Lee’s hand rested. Letting out a harsh sigh, Kankurou pushed himself from the wall, and toward the door. “I’m leavin’.”
For most of his life, until recently, he was not allowed to touch his brother. Kankurou was the one who had always been there for him, yet Gaara was letting a total stranger touch him so casually? The older sibling was so careful not to get too close to his brother, too much into his space. It was what he was used to, and it was how he showed respect for Gaara. But this...?
Kankurou made sure that the door behind him slammed shut, as he headed down the hallway towards the elevator. If he wasn’t allowed to hurt Lee, and Gaara was too beat up to take a punch, Kankurou was going to find something to smash.
Lee stared guiltily after Gaara’s brother, sure that the reason the man was so upset was all his fault. Perhaps if he spoke with him they could smooth things over. After all, Lee wanted to be good friends with Gaara, and if Gaara’s brother did not like him, then Lee would feel terrible. And he was sure Gaara would not want his brother to leave when he had not seen him in such a long time. “I think I should speak with him,” Lee murmured. “I shall be right back, Gaara. Please rest until I return.” He squeezed his friend’s shoulder for comfort, though whether it was for Gaara’s or his own, he was not quite sure.
He quickly left the room, closing the door gently behind him, and followed after Kankurou. “Su-sumimasen, Sabaku-san,” he called, limping as fast as he could. He had forgotten his crutch back in Gaara’s room which made it slightly harder to not agitate his leg as he moved quickly down the corridor.
Kankurou stopped dead in his tracks when he heard Lee’s voice behind him. What was it that he didn’t understand about this whole thing? Kankurou wanted nothing to do with him, and if his brother would rather be around someone he’d just met he wasn’t going to stop them. Kankurou was just going to blow off some steam. But this brat was just getting in his way. “What do you want?” he snapped, glaring him down.
“Go back to my brother, it seems that’s all he wants.” There was a low growl to his voice that made him sound far more feral and dangerous than he really was. It always seemed that the more passionately Kankurou felt about something the more he would act on false notions.
Lee came to an abrupt halt in front of Kankurou, flushing. “I-I just wanted to apologize. I feel that there has been a misunderstanding between us, and I just--I wanted to patch things up; explain things. I-” He broke off, looking at the ground. “I am very sorry for hurting Gaara; I truly am! Our match was only supposed to be a friendly match, and things got out of hand. If I could take it back, I would in a heartbeat. He is my friend, after all, and I feel terrible about what happened.”
He bit his lip, glancing back over his shoulder, down the corridor. “I-I know Gaara wants you there. I-I have never been good at reading people, Sabaku-san, but he has mentioned you a few times on both occasions that I have been in his company. I do not think he wants you to leave, and if you would rather, I could leave. I am sure you would like to spend time with him, and I do not want to impose.” He bowed slightly, wobbling a bit as he did so. “I hope that you can forgive me for harming him, and that we can be friends, as well.” He smiled slightly, still unsure but hopeful.
Everything that came out of this man’s mouth irritated him. He didn’t want an apology, he wanted this to all go away. It must have been a horrible dream, it was the only reasoning.
“I don’t want your apologies!” Kankurou said harshly. “I don’t really care for your words, and I’m not sure about you at all. My brother has never had friends. Ever. He’s never needed one. It’s always been just me and him. We don’t need you. He doesn’t need you.”
Kankurou turned once again and started walking towards the elevator. This place was making him feel claustrophobic.
Lee’s lip trembled as he fought back the tears that were welling in his eyes. He closed them tightly, feeling hurt and angry. He did not want things to end this way; what if Gaara never wanted to see him again because of his brother? Lee wanted to stay friends! He would not give up! “Ya-yamatte, onegaishimasu! I-I am very sorry that you feel that way, but--and I do not mean to be rude, so please excuse me, but I must say this--you do not speak for Gaara!” A few tears rolled down Lee’s face, and he sucked in a breath, trying to steady his breathing. “I-I am aware that Gaara has never had a friend before--he told me--and I am honoured that he would choose me to be his friend! Everyone needs friends, Sabaku-san. Family is very important, but so is friendship.
“I do not know what I have done to upset you so badly--other than hurting Gaara, I mean, which I did not want to do--but whatever it is, I will not give up trying to prove myself to you so that I can remain Gaara’s friend.” He was shaking by the time he had finished, his good hand balled into a fist at his side, his cheeks wet from tears, and his eyes closed tightly against his hurt emotions. “Please, I beg you, do not ignore me, and do not misjudge me.” He bowed deeply, still fighting back tears.
Kankurou stopped in place once more, and looked at the man over his shoulder. Once he saw that he was in tears (and starting to gather a crowd around him) Kankurou turned back around once again. “I haven’t misjudged you at all. All I see is a weak, sniveling man who can only get ahead in life by trying to befriend the potential boss’ family to get into the business. If anything, I have all the right in the world to speak for my brother, especially in comparison to someone who doesn’t know the first thing about him.”
Kankurou moved slowly towards Lee, with controlled steps. His own muscles tensing and flexing as he held his rage inside as best he could.
“I was trying so hard before not to lose it on you, and all you can do is push my last nerve. Now for the last time: leave me alone!” Kankurou stopped a foot away from Lee staring him down as best he could. He didn’t want to have anything to do with Lee any more.
Lee gasped, righting his posture, and staring up at Kankurou. How could he think that? Why would he--Lee shook his head, glaring at the other man, though it was not nearly as affective considering he was still crying. “I am deeply offended that you would think such a thing,” he exclaimed. “I would never befriend someone for such petty reasons! My friendship with your brother is real! I am an honourable person, and I would never--” He broke off, taking in a deep breath, and wiping his face with his good hand.
“Whether or not you accept it, I am being a true friend. I care for Gaara, and I think that you are being unfair to me and selfish.” His muscles were tense as he watched Kankurou’s slow approach, noting the anger in his expression, and listening to the threat carefully. “Please do not attack me. I would hate to have to hurt my friend’s brother.” It was a stupid thing to say, but Lee, even with two casts on, knew he could take care of himself. It was more that he felt bad about it because he did not want to fight, especially because this was Gaara’s brother. He thought, if they did fight, surely Gaara would never speak to him again, even if Kankurou were the first one to attack--not that Lee planned on attacking. He would rely solely on defense if the other man decided to fight him.
Kankurou couldn’t help but laugh at Lee when he said those words. He looked him up and down, and shook his head. “You think that you’re a threat to me?” Kankurou shook his head and turned around again. “Ya know what? I don’t think you’re worth my time. Fighting you in this state would just be too easy.” Kankurou relaxed his muscles as he started to move away from the crowd and the low murmurings he heard behind him. Kankurou moved until he saw the elevator opening just (it seemed) for him.