[Author's Note]
This was a one-shot I wrote to go along with a picture that my friend drew for me. The title is the title of the picture. Enjoy it; Kishimoto owns the characters.
-I Love You, Gaara

"Gaara, I..."

The redhead slipped just out of reach of the leaf nin's outstretched arm, his messy locks brushing Lee's fingertips in passing. Lee followed him persistently. Lee was letting Gaara have his way at the moment. He knew that running in front of his lover when he was upset was a bad idea. It was better just to chase after him, always staying a bit behind. That way, Gaara could calm down. Everything would work ou–

"Why?" said a pained voice.

Gaara had suddenly turned and stopped, causing Lee to run into him. His dark-rimmed eyes were colder than usual as they looked down at Lee. They were like they were during the Chuunin Exams. Not during the fight...no...like they were when no one was looking. They were filled with hate —no, not hate— doubt.

"Gaa–" Lee started, scrambling to get up. The eyes didn't even blink. "Gaara, I..."

Gaara turned back around as Lee fumbled for words. He closed his eyes tightly and furrowed his brow in frustration.

"Gaara," Lee tried again. "What's wrong..I didn't mean to–"

"Why!" Gaara cried. His hands were balled into fists. Lee's eyebrows raised in confusion and he opened his mouth to ask before being cut off. "Why did you say that!"

Gaara turned to Lee, eyes wide and clutching the kanji on his forehead. His face was anguished, looking in Lee for any sign of hope.

"What did I say, I don't under–"

Lee was cut off by a whoosh of sand that knocked him over and carried his lover out of the forest and back to Konoha.

"He'll be at my house," the leaf thought, and he got up and started running.

_

Back at Lee's house, Gaara had prepared for bed, despite rarely ever sleeping. He'd slipped out of his clothes, washed up (he took the pleasure as often as possible when he visited Konoha), brushed his teeth, and was now laying in the bed they shared, staring at the stippled ceiling. As he gazed, the stipples swirled into pictures.

"Konichi wa, Sakura-chan!" Lee said, slowing his jog. "How are you?"

Gaara watched from afar as the pink-haired girl looked up from her work at the green ninja. She gave a warm smile.

"Hi Lee!" she said, waving. "I'm okay, just helping Ino with her garden. Weeding. Mending broken plants... Stuff has been slow since the war ended."

"Indeed." he commented, his eyes wondering to the clouds. "But I am glad it is over."

"Me too." Sakura said.

Both shinobi seemed to spend a moment lost in thought.

"Say, Lee..." Sakura started, breaking the silence. "You want to go out for lunch? My treat. I turned you down so many times, it's only–"

"No."

Sakura was caught off guard. Somewhere, a faint grin flitted on Gaara's lips.

"What?"

"No."

Sakura still seemed to be at a loss for words as Lee continued to look off into the distance.

"I am over you, Sakura-chan. It would not be youthful to chase after a lost cause."

Sakura frowned, and Gaara knew she was thinking about her chase after Sasuke—another lost cause. After a few moments, she looked back at Lee with a smile.

"Did you find someone?" she asked.

Lee's eyes grew wide and his cheeks turned a cherry red.

"W-What? Ye– Uh no!... N-No!" he stammered, and, to Gaara's horror, hugged the young woman with a nervous grin.

More words were said, but Gaara had stopped listening.

Gaara blinked at the thoughts swimming through his head. Lee had told him that he was his special person, that he was so glad he'd found him... Why didn't he tell Sakura that? Why didn't he say that he'd fallen in love with Gaara? Why did he hug her? Why, why, why? The young Kazekage clawed his hands in his hair, turning his head into a pillow. He needed dark.

THUK

Gaara peered through his fingers at the intruder that had just come through the door.

"Go away." he growled

"Gaara, this is my house." said the intruder.

Gaara moved his hand away to see the tall frame of the taijutsu specialist standing at the end of the bed, unwrapping his bandages and undressing down to his boxers as Gaara had done. The young redhead watched with discerning Lee had finished readying for bed, he slipped under the comforter and slowly moved toward his lover.

"Gaara-koi," he started, brushing his palm over the teen's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Gaara shuddered under his lover's touch.

"Sakura." he whispered, clutching the fabric of the comforter. "What you said."

Lee's eyes saddened as he rubbed the younger boy's skin.

"You were listening."

Gaara only nodded as a tear slid down his cheek.

"Gaara, I do not like Sakura-chan that way." said Lee, his voice soft and consoling. "I was just...caught off guard. I panicked. I love you."

The redhead looked over his shoulder at the raven-haired boy, judging the sincerity of the onyx eyes that looked back at him. He sat up.

"Why did you lie to her?" he whispered slowly, as if he were afraid to ask.

Lee moved so that he was facing Gaara and leaned in close, their noses touching.

"Gaara," he breathed, his fingers caressing his lover's cheek and twisting scarlet curls. "I love you... I couldn't live without you..."

The young shinobi paused to press his lips to the other's.

"But I am afraid...that if we aren't careful...that I might have to."

Gaara's eyes lingered on Lee's for a moment before he turned and leaned into the taijutsu master's sculpted chest, pressing his face into the nook formed by the curve of Lee's neck. He took a moment, just breathing in his lover's scent, before looking back up at those loving onyx eyes.

"I don't want to be careful."

"We might be forbidden from seeing each other."

"Not if my sand has anything to say about it."

"Your people might reject you."

"They've rejected me all my life."

"We mi–"

Lee's protest was cut off by lips crashing into his, his half-spoken words now bait to deepen the kiss. He soon relaxed into the movements of his beloved, his hands trailing all over the other man's flawless skin.

"Lee..." Gaara breathed, breaking the kiss.

"Hmm?"

"You know, all of your warnings included 'might'...they aren't definite, any of them."

Lee rolled his eyes, pressing their lips together again for another passionate kiss. When they pulled apart this time, however, Lee had a sultry look in his eye.

"You know," he whispered huskily in Gaara's ear. "We might be able to have a little fun." Gaara's lips tugged in a sly grin.

"You know, I think we might."