A/N: I dedicate this to my girlfriend, CrazyMichelle. Though I'm not a big fan of GaaLee…she is. And since she's written my favourite Naruto yaoi pairing (KakaSasu) despite not being a big fan herself, I decided to write this since I got some random inspiration.
I love you, baby. Happy Christmas! -insert less than three here- Rofl.
Warnings
This is yaoi. In other words, MalexMale. Don't like, don't read.
This is AU. In other words, not in the Naruto world.
This is LeeGaa. In other words, Lee as seme.
The title for this fic was inspired by the song Bulletproof by La Roux. Which was also part of the inspiration for this fic in general.
"Haha, look at 'im. Think he's gonna cry?"
"Probably. The nerd's got some nerve saying no to us."
"Oh my god, seriously. And the way he smiles? Um, ewwww."
"Hahaha! He probably won't even pass now!"
Konoha High; The Honours High School Hidden in the Leaves.
A school in the depths of Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu.
Rock Lee stood erect at his desk, eyes glazed as he forced a smile to graze his lips upwards. It's alright. It's not like they physically hurt me or anything…
Though his thoughts were no console.
Staring at the pile of shredded paper made his heart clench. He had worked so hard, even pulled four consecutive all nighters, just to get this project done. He had been working on it for almost three months- senior project. A project that counted for 50% of your grade in English IV. The entire written part of it, the portfolio, the paper, all his logs and sign-offs, and his speech, were all gone now, cut into little tiny bits of white.
The boy choked back a sob as he forced the wretched sound to morph into an uncanny laugh. He couldn't show them how he really felt- they would win that way, wouldn't they?
Rock Lee smiled as he picked his shattered work up and piled it into a folder. On his way out the door, he smiled at the trio in the corner of the classroom, who sneered in return, and waved goodbye as he made his way to his locker. When he got there, both ebony orbs scanned the red graffiti on the door. It was in hiragana, so he couldn't read it, but he knew it couldn't have been anything good. Not bothering to ponder any further, he pulled his outdoor shoes out from it and changed them out with his indoor ones and began his trek home.
It wasn't till he was well down the road to his house and away from school grounds that he let the hot tears burn rivulets down his cheeks and collect at his chin, dripping to the pavement when they got too heavy and staining the musty, beige sidewalk a dark brown.
He paused at his normal spot to pet the stray mutt he had named Sakura, after the girl he liked. This time, instead of stopping to pet and play fetch, the teen slid down to the dirty pavement and laid his head on the dog, hugging it around the neck as it whimpered, wondering what was wrong.
It was the same old routine.
A sigh passed the boy's lips as he looked in the mirror. It was odd to think he'd see something different, something other than himself, in his reflection, though Lee couldn't help but to wish for something neoteric to destroy the habitual happenings of everyday life.
Wake up, brush teeth, get dressed, go to school, get teased, be lonely, pretend everything's okay, be nice to everyone, walk to work, cry, do work, go home, do homework, go to sleep, repeat. Though it's not like that everyday! I don't have work every day…so sometimes I can just go home! And then I get to sleep early. The thought was a fickle one, but optimistic as usual. The only thing it accomplished, though, was making his breath catch in his throat. It was true- there was little to no variation in his life. And it had been that way since he got into middle school and continued through till present day.
For once, he just wished for something. Something new. Something innovative. Something to make life interesting. Something…to make life worth living.
Living day to day was beginning to falter.
Lee pulled his bangs up and raised both brows, pulling his face into a silent smile as he attempted to force himself to look different. As he released his hold on his bangs, the same old image came into view on the mirror. An image he didn't want to see. With a sigh, the boy grabbed his things and walked out the door.
School.
The last place on earth he wanted to be.
"Wha…" Lee's thick brow furrowed above both lashed eyes as he turned his head left and right, scanning the premises for the books he had nonchalantly thrown into his locker the prior day. It was only three books, though, two text-books and one manga.
Malign snickers caught the wind, carrying all the way to Lee's ears and causing him to forfeit his current visual search to pan his gaze to the source of this foreboding laughter.
"Maybe the fountain of youth will give you some knowledge, dumbass." A small, sickeningly jovial voice called from a corner. Lee's eyes narrowed at the perpetrators, swiftly catching their innuendo.
As the pack realized they had been caught, they decided it'd be best to go to class. Lee agreed. It was best they go. It was too early to play Mr. Nice Guy with anyone.
Biting his lower lip, Lee turned and walked back to the front of the school as the first period bell rang. Gazing into the murky water of the school's fountain, the teen knew what he'd find. Staring back below his reflection where three books, all of which belonging to him. He stared at his reflection for a long while, noting his unkempt hair he hadn't bothered to do anything with this morning, his not-so-straight tie around his collared uniform, the lines under his eyes…he felt like Sasuke's brother. He had spent the entirety of last night restarting his senior project that was due now in two days. It felt like days since he had gotten any sleep.
Several underclassmen passed him, whispering and glancing as they went, some laughing, some glaring. Lee ignored them, lips twitching in a smile to every small group that passed before he fished out his things and turned to forge his way through the long, dismal, unvarying day to begin with first block. It was no surprise that when he returned to his locker, the contents of his unwatched backpack were strewn about the bamboo floor.
"Hey, kid, you're gonna be late for class. Hurry it up." The hall patrol didn't bother to help him with his things as he scoffed his snide remark. Lee simply nodded, not sparing the man a smile on his way into the school and up the stairs to first block.
Even his teacher didn't notice him when he walked in the door and made his way to the back of the room in the corner chair- the only chair with no one else beside it. Like usual, he took out his notebook, not bothering to even take notes, but, rather, to doodle. He was too far back and too much a daydreamer to hear the lecture anyways.
It wasn't long into the class that Lee was awoken from his doodling stupor. As the sound of whispers brought his attention span back to life, the teen looked up, eyes widening as he tuned in his selective hearing to the front of the room.
"…and he'll be with us for the rest of the year to finish out his senior year! Please, introduce yourself, they don't bite, I promise, deary." Their teacher spoke excitedly. It was clearly evident the entirety of the classroom was excited as well. Konoha High School never got new students.
When the boy at the front didn't speak, their teacher cleared her throat. "Um, why don't you tell the class your name?"
"Gaara." The teen's voice was thick and apathetic as his pale blue eyes, outlined in a heavy ebony, didn't even bother to the scan the room. Lee took in the atmosphere around the boy. His uniform was untucked, his tie loose, only a black mesh shirt to cover anything below his blazer. His messy fiery red hair looked almost dangerous as it lapped at the teen's eyes and licked at his shoulders in length. A tattoo graced itself above his left eye, giving him a threatening aura. As his eyes traced the boy's legs, he noted the platform buckle knee-high boots he had on. Lee swallowed as his jaw slipped open.
"And you're from?"
"Suna…Suna High in Tokyo."
The class immediately broke out in chatter.
"Did you hear that? He's from Tokyo!"
"Oh my god, city boys are so badass."
"Suna High…damn. Don't fuck with him. I've heard things…"
"Wonder why he moved here in the middle of the semester. Don't you find that a little weird?"
"I can't believe the teachers haven't commented on his uniform yet."
"You think that's a real tattoo? He probably dyes his hair that colour! No way can that be real!"
Lee listened as the chatter escalated before their teacher called them to attention. "Now, then, Gaara-kun, please, if you will, take a seat…hm, ah! Next to Lee-kun over there in the back."
Lee immediately stiffened. Next to me!? Oh, wait…it's the only seat available. But… Suddenly, the entire class was turned in their chairs to watch Gaara make his way to the back of the room and take a seat. The black-haired boy jumped as the teen sat down next to him. Gaara gave a few unhesitant glares to the students around them till he was sure every last one of them was turned and properly facing away. He then looked to Lee, who avoiding eye contact through the fallacy of paying attention.
Gaara turned back to watching what their teacher had to write on the board, not bothering to take out a notebook or to take notes of any kind.
"Um, Gaara, honey…" The teacher called halfway through class. "Have you, um, written anything down?"
"No." There was no formality in his speech at all. A simple to the point response was all that was needed with him. The woman at the front stiffened, shifting noticeably, entirely uncomfortable.
"I don't know how you did things in Tokyo, but, um, here we take notes, alright?"
Gaara didn't reply, simple allowing one hand to drop down to his back pack and pull out a slim lime green notebook. Lee watched subconsciously as he did so till the red-haired teen turned and looked directly at him. Lee immediately sat straight up, eyes wide and body alert.
"Can I borrow a pencil?"
Did he just form a full sentence? Oh my god, what did he just say? It was a full sentence! Oh my god. "Um…" Lee nodded, a half smile causing the corner of his lips to twitch in an uncomfortable looking way. It was true- this was awkward.
The red-haired teen held out a hand. Lee furrowed a brow for a moment before realizing the inquiry that had been summoned upon him.
"Oh! Y-yes, of course!" He gulped, mouth dry as he shakily grabbed a pencil from his bag, dropping it twice before holding it out to the other, who snatched it immediately and looked right back to the front.
Lee sat there sideways for a moment, entire body shaking and in a cold sweat. This kid wasn't normal. He was…scary. And I thought I had to worry about regular bullies… Slowly, Lee twisted his body back to the front and scribbled gibberish down onto his paper to make it seem like he was taking notes.
This is what I get for wishing for something different…
A/N: Please ignore any misspellings and such for now...I wrote this while half asleep. I'll proofread this later. Sorry for my atrocious writing skills. (Or lack thereof...)
As always, review if you want an update.
God, why the hell am I making a new fic...this is gonna kill me. Stupid Atari. Stupid. Bad...gah...kjllaksjflkxzcmjqeksosepti...heh.