AFTER DARK | naruto

25 | the many sides of a drunken fist

"I'm sure Lady Tsunade's gonna be furious at me..." You mumbled, you and Lee met at the top of the roof, looking down below at the city. Lee was leaning against the railing, not staring at anything in particular.

"I am sure you're right..." Lee responded, he seemed a little melancholy—no, you knew he was. Staring out into the distance with such a relaxed face. Your first assumption was he truly wanted to go on that mission. But that wasn't it, unlike Neji—Lee was pretty easy to read.

"What's wrong?" You asked—the question didn't catch him off guard like it would someone like Neji, he knew he was never good at hiding how he felt, but he never wanted to worry anyway. So he smiled, a soft smile that reached his closed eyes.

"... Nothings wrong." He reassured, a soft tint of pink on his cheeks. "... But," Just like that, he sold that he wasn't okay, "I feel my dream is getting farther and farther from reach. Even though I have been running as far ahead as I can, training each day and night to make sure people know that I am strong... With a few nights of training, I am surpassed." Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, you, all of you were getting so far ahead, and the time he spent in the hospital felt like hell. "How am I supposed to show what I am capable of like that?"

You looked at him, a frown on your face quickly lifting into a smile. What Lee wanted was never pity, it was motivation, which you could always offer for him. "Well... In terms of Taijutsu alone, I think you could beat just about anyone..." You answered honestly, looking away from him.

"If a time ever came where everyone was deprived of their Chakra, and they couldn't use stuff like Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or Dojutsus... Well, I think it's pretty obvious who they call for help, right?"

Lee thought for a second before he answered; "Guy Sensei?"

"No!" Well, him too--"You!"

He was silent, looking at you. In Taijutsu alone, he was the best? Well, he'd seen after a month alone Sasuke had nearly reached him--sensing it hadn't exactly motivated him fully, you kept going. "You're a genius of hard work, you don't need any other Jutsu to keep up, all you need is to believe in yourself, right?"

His eyes widened with a blink, you were right, it's what Guy Sensei would always say, but he'd never heard you be so motivational before. You'd go along with what Lee said, but you were never so touchy-feely yourself. "Besides, when Guy Sensei tried to teach all of us how to open the gates, you were the only one that succeeded. Not even Neji could do it." The eight gates didn't even go with the Hyuga style, but you had a point yet again. Even Neji--the genius in all aspects, wasn't able to succeed at something Lee had.

"Guy Sensei made you his pupil for a reason, because he sees something in you that he can make greater. He didn't see that potential in Neji or me." Yes, Guy Sensei treated you and Neji like his children too, but it was clear who was the favorite.

Lee's posture loosened up, and you looked back at him. The two of you spent so much time together being on a team, that it only made sense you knew him well. He could feel himself smile, genuinely this time. That definitely worked as motivation. "Thank you, [Firstname]! You are like the sun that clears out the rain!"

He paused, thinking back on what he said before he changed it up. "Or... The waterspout that washes the spider away!" That one was even worse.

"You are... A flower that blooms in the sun?" That one was better.

You smiled, but didn't get the chance to respond as a furious voice had before you. "[Firstname]!" You could feel yourself jolt at the ferocity of it, turning around to see Tsunade slam the door to the roof open. You were pretty sure she had left a dent in the wall behind it. "You're in big trouble, young lady!" Shisui appeared from behind her, a look of worry on his face.