To Live

It was late afternoon when Lee's Academy teacher approached Gai, seeming slightly worried but for the most part, exasperated.

"Lee was absent from class again, Gai," he sighed, shaking his head, "I know he's not your charge, but... he doesn't talk to us anymore."

"Aa," Gai nodded, mood sobering, "I'll... I'll go find him."

It did not take long. Gai knew Lee, after all. He found the boy sitting against the memorial stone, legs curled up to his chest, thin shoulders trembling with his hiccuping sobs. Inwardly wincing, Gai moved over, gripping Lee reassuringly by the shoulder.

"Lee."

As though by reflex, Lee fell silent and looked up, though his tears continued to fall.

"G-gai-sensei," Lee whispered, voice stunned. There was a moment of stillness before he lost himself again, crying brokenly into his hands,

"Why, Gai-sensei?" he wept, voice pleading, "What does it mean to be a ninja? Why are we asked to die for the village? Why do these things happen, Gai-sensei?"

Gai was silent as he sat down next to the boy, draping a strong arm over his shaking form.

"It's not like that, Lee," Gai began, voice quiet but no less powerful than usual, "Konoha doesn't ask its ninja to die for it. No, because death is too easy. Death is beyond our control. What you're feeling now, what you feel at school..." Gai smiled slowly and pulled Lee's chin up so that their gazes met, then wiped away his tears.

"It's painful, isn't it, Lee?"

There was just the right amount of softness in Gai's tone to make Lee understand that they both understood this pain perfectly and Lee nodded, sniffing bravely as he wiped away the rest of his tears.

"That is the pain of living," Gai explained, giving Lee's shoulder a comforting squeeze, "It is much, much harder to live. And that is what the village asks of its ninja, Lee. That they live for it, no matter how hard it is. And because we are brave, we keep living no matter what, to protect the things and people we love. That is why ninja come back from missions, even without the people they left with at times. Because they know they have to live, for the village and all the people who depend on them."

Lee nodded as he looked back down, eyes full of hurt and little else.

"But Gai-sensei," he mumbled, still trying to swallow his tears, "what if all the people we love keep dying? Who do we keep living for?"

"Aa," Gai was all at once smiling with all of his usual brilliance, "We have it easy. You'll always have me and I'll always have you. Can you do that, Lee? Will you live and fight for me?"

Lee could not help himself. He beamed back, even through the tears that slipped out of the corners of his eyes when he closed them in some distant cousin of bliss.

"H-hai, Gai-sensei!"

"Let's go then, Lee," Gai began to stand, then stopped when he saw Lee linger, "...I'm sure you'll grow up to make them proud." He nodded for emphasis, ruffling Lee's unruly hair. Lee nodded as well, slower, less certain. He traced his fingers over his parents' names.

"I'll do my best, Gai-sensei."