As he walks to the large, red building in the center of the village, he grins to himself, then to his teammates walking behind him, not quite matching his brisk pace.
"What do you think our mission today is, Neji?" He asks. The longhaired brunette groans quietly.
"I don't know, Lee." He says coolly. Lee turns to look at his female companion, oblivious to Neji's irritation.
"How about you, Tenten?"
"Oiiii, Lee! How can you be so energetic this early in the morning?!" Tenten groans. Lee chuckles.
"Tenten! TRY to feel the youth of the dawn! How exhilarating to watch the sun come over the majestic likeliness of our leaders every morning! To watch the light race across our village to start a new day! Just thinking about it fills me with joy!" He says, grinning and punching a fist in the air. She rolls her eyes.
"Whatever." She says as they step into the building. They tread up the steps to the Hokage's office, where Neji knocks.
"Enter!" A fierce voice barks, and they step unto the circular room. The first thing Lee notices is a girl, about 18 like him, with navy blue hair, mocha brown skin, and thick, opaque glasses standing next to the Hokage's desk. She wore wheat colored, extremely baggy pants pulled taut at her waist, bagging around her feet and ankles loosely, with a green hitoe shirt tucked into the pants, bloused and as loose over her chest as her pants. A gold belt held it together, emphasizing her waist, which wasn't very small, but she wasn't fat either. Just... Curvy. She had on plain brown sandals, too, hidden under the folds of her pants. Quickly he turns his attention back to the Hokage, who was explaining the girl's name was Kazuki Shiroshi and she had moved to Konoha from the land of Wheat and Pine, and would be the third squad member from now on, with Neji as the leader. Their mission for today was to guard and deliver a scroll with information on a new organization that was threatening to take over the five great nations from the inside. They accept the mission before starting out. The trip would take days, so Tsunade had equipped them with packs chock full of the things they would need, including soldier pills, water, sleeping bags, other rations and weapons, too. Lee looks through them while they walk to the main gate.
"We have everything, Neji." He says, giving a thumb up and a sparkling smile. Then a quiet titter of a giggle comes from their newest member, but when he looks over, she's straight-faced. She turns quickly to the road.
"Ok, Neji-san, which way do we go?" She asks. Her voice is smooth, like velvet, but has a dry twang to it. Lee momentarily wonders if everyone in the land of Wheat and Pine talked with such an accent, before returning his attention to the mission. Neji motions to the road, leading the team away from the village. The first hour is very quiet, until Tenten trots up to the girl and smiles.
"I'm Tenten! I'd like to welcome you to the team." She says. The girl doesn't respond.
"Kazuki, huh? That's a pretty name." Tenten tries again. Still no response.
"I'm sorry if Lee bothers you at all, he's a bit... Eccentric." Still no response.
"And Neji can be... Well, Neji can be Neji." Tenten tries yet again.
"Uhm." The girl finally says, rather firmly. "I would... Rather... Get the mission done." Tenten halts. Had she just been rejected in sake of the mission?!
"I'm sorry." Kazuki says, trotting to keep up with Neji. Lee smiles sympathetically at Tenten.
"Perhaps she is shy." He whispers. The weapons mistress sighs.
"Yeah. Maybe."
Later, during a water break, Kazuki plops down near a tree and pulls a book and a pencil out of her bag. Opening the book, she starts sketching. Staring intently at the paper, she makes stroke after stroke, sometimes taking a sip of water. When everyone is done and Neji has checked the surrounding area, she tucks it away without showing anyone what she drew. This happens at the next few water, food, and bathroom breaks. Finally Lee comes over and smiles enthusiastically.
"What are you drawing, Shiroshi-san?" He asks. She doesn't answer, so he goes behind her to look himself. It's a picture of a beautiful blonde girl, wearing a white kimono with gold feathers printed at the bottom, fireflies behind her making up illuminated angel wings as she reaches out to touch one. She wears a gold heart locket, as well.
"Wow, Shiroshi-san, you are a very good artist!" He says, and she snaps the book shut before glaring up at him, though he really couldn't tell because he couldn't see her eyes through those glasses, and marching off. He blinks, confusedly.
"Maybe she wasn't finished?"
Night had almost fallen, and it was getting eerie in the lonely, steadily darkening forest. Every twig cracking, every birdcall sounded like an enemy to Lee. He kept his guard up, but also tried to keep his cool. Suddenly Neji stops and goes into a fighting stance.
"Come out." He says, and several ninja body flicker into the clearing.
"So you sensed us? You're good for a few brats. Hand over the scroll and we'll leave you in peace." The leader says. Neji begins to say something, but Kazuki pipes up:
"Over my dead body." Lee turns to look at her, she has the same fierce expression she did when he peeked at her sketch.
"Ahh, Kazuki. I'm not surprised to see you against us yet again. You already betrayed Shizuka. And after what she did for you." The leader says, and Kazuki flinches.
"THAT IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN." She growls.
"Well, you may have defeated her, but I'm not nearly as hesitant." The leader says, and body flickers behind her. Kazuki simply leans to the side to dodge his sword, then turns and draws two machetes from secret pouches in her pants, slicing him and then his torso in half. The ambush then leaps into action. Lee fights several of the ninja off, watching Kazuki work the whole time. She seemed to be a wind nature, using the same chakra blade technique Asuma did. The chakra beaming off the blade swirled red with blood as she hacked heartlessly through the Nin. Once they all lay dead on the ground, she sheathed her blades and moved on, never looking once back at the men she killed. But through that icy exterior, Lee could sense pain. He was certain if he could see her eyes through those glasses they would be dead, and hurt. But he didn't ask. Suddenly she pulls out her machete and cuts through a tree, and a Nin behind it jumps out and runs her through with a sword before running away, straight into Tenten's several kunai. As he drops Lee and Neji run to Kazuki, on her knees in pain. She groans something as they try to help her, but Lee can't make it out.
"Are you hurt badly? Did he hit any organs? Here, let me-" He stops when she slaps him, hard.
"LEAVE ME ALONE." She growls, crawling away and pulling off the hitoe. Her hands glow green as she presses them to the wound, patching it up. "I can do it myself."
"But-" Lee starts, but Neji turns away.
"No internal organs were hit. She's fine." He says, making Lee sigh.
"Whatever you say." The black haired Nin says, watching his teammate. She's only in her pants now, with only bandages covering her breasts. Blushing, he turns to look away when he notices many scars on her back and wrists.
'Was she injured during a fight? No... She is too skilled a fighter... Perhaps she was captured and tortured... I will have to find out...'
Later that night they reach the village.
"Lee, take care of Kazuki while Tenten and I deliver the scroll." Neji instructs, leaving them at an inn.
"Yes sir." Lee says, turning to Kazuki. He smiles at her, but she doesn't return the friendly gesture, leaving to get a room. He follows her, staying silent behind her as she takes the keys from the clerk and heads down the hall.
"Lee, you can stay here. I need to train." She says once they enter the room, which is small with two beds and a window.
"Oh, no, Shiroshi-san, you must stay here and rest." Lee says, pointing to a bed.
"You're not the boss." She says childishly, heading for the door, but he grabs her wrists and pulls her to a bed, gently pinning her on it.
"No, Shiroshi-san, but I AM the senpai. You must listen to me. Stay here." He says firmly, and she blushes, and then looks off at the window.
"Fine." She says, pouting. He smiles and sits up.
"I will be back with something to eat." He says, and heads out. A few minutes later he comes back with some onigiri, and sees her sitting on the bed, in the moonlight, staring off at the moon. She's trembling; gripping a pencil so hard her knuckles were white. He glances at the floor next to him, her sketchbook sat, open and rumpled, on the ground.
'Did she... Throw this?' He thinks, picking it up and looking through it. The girl in the kimono from before was on every page. Nothing else graced her sketchbook.
"Shiroshi-san?" He finally asks, making her snap to look over at him, shoulders tense. When he sees it's him, they relax, but not by much.
"Did you drop this?" He asks, walking over. She chuckles dryly.
"You could say that." She grumbles. He smiles and hands her the rice ball, which she nibbles on irritably. They eat in an awkward silence, until Lee notices she has a few grains of rice stuck to her face and reaches out. She flinches visibly, then blushes and strikes out at him, but he catches her hand and looks at her very seriously.
"Please do not hit me, Kazuki-san." He says, and a single tear rolls down from under her glasses onto her lap.
"Let go of me." She whispers defeatedly.
"Not yet." He says, pushing up her sleeve and revealing the scars on her wrist. They looked bad, and the sight of them makes her flinch yet again.
"What are these from? Why do you draw only one girl? Why do you recoil from my help?" He asks, and she sighs.
"I was beat by my friends. If I disobeyed they tied me up and beat me. So I ran away. For the longest time I didn't let anyone be my friend, but I met a girl who was nice, and kind, and beautiful. She was always gentle, and had an even sadder background then me. Her friends betrayed her and left her to die. So she was my only friend. Then one day it went too far. I let her have my body when I was only 14. She promised to protect me from the villains overrunning our town at the time. But a year passed, and she joined them. She left me alone. Then, a few months later, I was on a mission... And she ambushed my group with them. I..." She stops to choke.
"I had to fight her. As she was 16 and I was 14 she almost killed me. She had the sword at my neck... And hesitated. I killed her," She whispers, more tears rolling down her face. "I loved her and I murdered her. Afterwards I left town, for Konoha. You know the rest." She ends bitterly.
"Kazuki-san..." Lee says, reaching out to touch her face, but she slaps it away.
"Oh, don't try it. I don't need your pity." She says, finishing the rice ball and slipping under the sheets. She turns away and shrugs him off. "Good night, Rock Lee."
As he leaves the room, he looks back at her. She's still turned away as he shuts the door.
'This girl had been through a lot. She has had almost no love in her life. Yes! GUY-SENSEI! I will make sure this young flower blossom is loved!' He thinks, matching away.
When they return, Kazuki heads to an old apartment in the suburbs of Konoha. Opening the door, she enters the dingy apartment. She sighs and collapses on the dirty old couch, quickly falling asleep. It was two in the afternoon when they arrived, and the sunlight was trickling in from outside, but she slept anyway. The mission had been draining, physically and emotionally. She couldn't believe she told that bushy browed freak her story.
...
Ok. That was mean. He wasn't a freak. He was actually caring, and kinda cute... In an innocent little boy way.
WOAH WOAH WOAH. Back up. She couldn't think of him that way. Never again.
Suddenly there's a knock. She groans, and it raps again. Sitting up, glaring at the door, she gets up and jerks it open. On her dusty doormat sits a single orange rose with a tag. She reads it: To Kazuki, from Lee. It immediately goes in the trash next to the door.
She didn't need his pity. No way. She should've never told him that story. Not only did she not want it, she didn't need it. Or him. If she never got another rose it would be too soon.
But she did get another rose. The next day, and the day after, for weeks on end. She started leaving them to die outside next to the doorstep, trying to remind Lee she didn't want him. But after a while he started leaving not only flowers, but also cookies and such. She, of course, left them on the porch for the birds. Finally she caught him dropping a basket off.
"Oh, Kazuki-san! What good timing! Would you like to go to lunch?" He asks brightly, grinning a sparkly grin.
"No. Stop putting stuff on my porch. And leave me alone." She growls, and shuts the door in his face.
"I WILL TRY HARDER NEXT TIME KAZUKI-SAN!" He yells through the door, making her groan. He wouldn't leave her alone! Like a stubborn puppy! The next few weeks passed with him waiting on her door to ask her to lunch, her always declining. He would follow her to training to see if she would train with him, but she would disappear around corners. All this just made him more determined to reach past her shell to the girl he talked to at the inn. What he didn't know was that, even though she would never admit it to anyone or herself, this was the most fun she'd actually had in months. Dodging him, hiding, getting flowers and sweets everyday. It put spice back in her life, but she still pushed it away, until one day...
"No."
"PLEASE, Kazuki-san? You have not met all of the Konoha 11 yet, I BEG you!"
"NO."
"Just ONE hour?"
"I said NO, Lee."
"But I put it together for YOU!"
"GO AWAY." She growls, and he flinches before dropping on his knees outside her door.
"Come ON, Kazuki-san! I will not leave unless you come with me!" He says.
"ROCK LEE." She snaps, pointing at him. "I REFUSE to attend your stupid little picnic!"
"PLEEEEEASE?"
"NO!"
"FINE! YOU LEAVE ME WITH NO CHOICE!" He says, scooping her up and dashing off.
"AUGH! PUT ME DOWN!" She yells, but he just grins at her. Much running later, he arrives at the park, where everyone is gathered around, talking and eating. Kazuki quickly scrambles up a tree.
"Kaaaaaazuki-saaaaaan!" Lee calls up, smiling. "Come down!"
"GO STICK YOUR HEAD UP SOMEONE ELSE'S BUTT." She calls down harshly. He looks hurt.
"That was not very ladylike, Kazu-chan!" He calls. She blinks, and then calls down murderously, "What did you just call me?"
"Kazu-chan!" He says, and is immediately slugged with a branch.
"DON'T EVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN." She hisses, before scrambling higher into the tree. By then the Konoha 11 have gathered around.
"Who's she?" Naruto asks, scratching his blonde head.
"This is Kazuki Shiroshi, she is my new teammate." Lee sighs, rubbing his new bump.
"So what's up with her?" He asks.
"KAZUKI-SANNNN! MAY I TELL NARUTO?" Lee yells. She turns away, looking harshly at the branch she's sitting on.
"I don't care." She says quietly, so he launches into her past, from start to finish. When he finishes Naruto looks up at her.
"You're really gonna run away because of that?" He asks quietly, dangerously quietly. Everyone falls silent as he turns toward the tree and climbs it to her branch. She shrinks back, a bit afraid of the yellow-haired boy approaching her.
"Relationships are precious. You can't go throughout life scared of them." He says.
"What do YOU know?" She hisses.
"I KNOW!" He roars. "I KNOW what you went through, thinking the whole world was out to get you. I HAD NO FRIENDS. You got the pleasure of having one." She flinches as he continues.
"True, I don't know what it's like to kill your own best friend, but I DO know what it's like to lose one. But you don't just shut down because of it. You move on. Friendships can hurt, but that's a risk you have to take TO MAKE THEM. Look at Bushy Brows! He's busting his butt to make YOU happy! Be a little appreciative that he's at least TRYING." He growls. She snarls before jumping out of the tree and running off.
"Naruto! Too far!" Lee reprimands, dashing off to find her. He searches frantically until nightfall, when he stops on top of the Hokage Monument to try and spot her, and finds her huddled against a tree. As he approaches, he sees she's crying silently while watching the stars.
"He's right you know." She says, head turning a bit to glance at him. "I'm a fool."
"You are not a fool, Kazuki-chan." He says, settling next to her. "You were scared. They are completely different." She looks at him surprised, no stupid nickname, but he still called her -chan. Relaxing against his arm, she decides she likes the suffix; it had been too long since she'd heard it. But he stiffens when he feels her soft body against his.
"Thank you Lee-kun." She murmurs, and he stiffens even further upon hearing the friendly suffix.
"O-oh, no, Kazuki-chan, it was Naruto! He is very skilled in helping people with their-" He stops when she falls completely into his lap.
"-Problems?! Kazuki-san, it is too early in our relationship for this!" He sputters, blushing. Suddenly she lets out a small, delicate snore.
'Oh. She is asleep.' He thinks, embarrassed he thought she was making advances towards him. Shakily reaching down, he runs his hands through her blue, coarse hair.
'She's had such a hard life... I am honored to know she's let me in. How could anyone beat her... or leave her... the poor girl. YOSH! GUY-SENSEI! I will make tomorrow the best day of her life! She is my friend!' He thinks, picking her up. As he walk back toward her apartment, he marvels at how soft she was. And she looked so peaceful sleeping... A blush stains his cheeks as he sets her on her bed and sits beside it determinedly. But soon sleep sweeps over the room and he drifts off looking at her, trying to see past those stern, unforgiving glasses.
The next day Kazuki awakes to a delicious scent wafting into the room. She sits up, rubbing her eyes under her glasses, when Lee walks in, in her frilly pink 'Kiss the cook' apron, handkerchief on his head and slippers, holding a pan of eggs.
"Good morning Kazuki-chan!" He says, and her eyebrow twitches, in a desperate attempt to keep herself from laughing.
"What are you WEARING?" She asks shakily, laughter tinting her voice. He twirls.
"I FOUND IT WHILE MAKING BREAKFAST!" He announces. "I cannot soil the jumpsuit my sensei gave me!"
"You made breakfast? WHY ARE YOU EVEN IN MY HOUSE?!" She yells, and he flinches.
'Maybe last night does not change anything...' He thinks, but stops when she covers her mouth and snorts.
"You're crazy, Lee-kun." She says, smiling at him. He gapes, she had such a pretty smile!
"What? My hair a mess?" She asks, messing with her ponytail. He shakes his head.
"Nothing. Let us go eat!" He says, marching back into the kitchen. She follows, shaking her head and smiling.
And while the food was a bit dry and over salted, it really was good.
"Wow, Lee, I didn't know you could cook." She says, eating more rice and egg. He grins.
"Well, I've been living on my own for some time now." He says, laughing.
"Really? Whyzzat?" She asks, taking swallow of milk.
"My parents died protecting the village from the Kyuubi." He says, and she chokes on the drink.
"It's real?" She asks.
"What?"
"The Kyuubi's real?"
"… You thought it was not real?"
"I thought it was a legend."
"It is legendary, but not a legend. As a matter of fact, the great tailed beasts have hosts. Two of my best friends are these hosts."
"Really? Who?"
"The Kazekage and that blonde boy who yelled at you. His name is Naruto, by the way."
"No way."
"Yes. He hosts the Kyuubi, actually."
"Wow. Now I get what he meant. I kinda feel bad." She grins sheepishly. "And you know the Kazekage?"
"Yes. As a matter of fact, when I was younger I had to fight him in the chuunin exams. He completely destroyed my arm and leg, and almost made me give up being a ninja. It was complicated, but we are friends now. He is very strong, I wish for a rematch." He grins widely, and Kazuki touches her lips with her knuckles, looking at him.
"You're a very forgiving person." She murmurs.
"What?" He asks, setting down his chopsticks.
"Nothing." She says, smiling. "So what after this? Wanna train?" Lee beams.
"You want to?!" He asks excitedly.
"Well, sure." She says, and he stands, grabbing her hand and running off towards the door.
"WAIT! LEE! I WASN'T DONE! LEEEEE!"
"Let me get this straight. You can't do ANY ninjutsu? Or genjutsu? Just taijutsu?" Kazuki asks, looking at him flatly. He nods, and she grins.
"Pretty cool." She says, and he gapes.
"Repeat that?" He asks.
"Pretty cool. Considering you're almost jounin and get such awesome missions, you must be beast." She says, giving a crooked smile. He blushes slightly.
"W-well, they CALL me the Beautiful Azure Beast of Konoha, so-" She laughs at this.
"You've even got a stage name. That's awesome." She says, making a fist and holding an open hand out. "Let's see what'cha got."
He runs at her, trying a leaf hurricane, but is blown back. He skids to a stop, and she laughs.
"Doesn't mean I'm not using ninjutsu." She says, and he laughs.
"I would not have it any other way."
They lay, panting, next to each other.
"You… You're… A workout, Lee-kun…" She pants. He grins.
"I… could... say... the same… about you… Kazuki-chan." He says, and she sits up.
"Whew. Can we take a break? We've been at it for hours." She says, and he nods.
"Ok." He says, and she crawls over to her bag and pulls out a new sketchbook.
"What happened to your other one?" He asks, and she scoffs.
"Trashed it." She says, almost sadly. He smiles.
"Well, now you can draw many other things." He says, and she looks sharply at him. He flinches, and she looks back at the book, and then begins sketching.
"What was that about, Kazuki-chan?" He asks, crawling over. She then shows him a half done sketch of his face, looking shocked and surprised.
"I couldn't resist drawing that expression. The eyebrows MAKE it." She laughs, and he sighs.
"You scared me." He says, and she smiles warmly.
"Sorry." She says, and he looks her over. She was so warm and relaxed; he wouldn't have been able to IMAGINE her like this a few weeks prior. He sits up and holds out his hand.
"Eh?" She asks, and he points at her book.
"Will you… teach me?" He asks, and she grins widely.
"You… really?" She asks, and he nods.
"Wow, uh, sure! I'm not a very good teacher, though." She says, ripping out a page to give to him.
"So, you start with a circle for the head…"
She laughs at his half formed creation meant to look like her.
"Lee." She says. He nods.
"Yes?"
"You suck." His face drops visibly, and she punches his shoulder. "But I sucked in the beginning too, so don't get too depressed."
"Really?" He asks. "But you are so good now!" She shakes her head at the sky.
"No. It was awful." She says, grinning. "I've been drawing for YEARS. And I still have a lot to learn."
"I think they are perfect." He says, and she looks at him. "Your drawings are perfect the way they are."
"Thanks, Lee-kun." She says, face softening. It's silent for a while, and then Kazuki looks up at the sky again.
"Whew, it's hot, huh?" She asks, standing. "Need to cool down."
"I know there is a spring somewhere near here." He says, standing with her.
"Great! Lead the way, Azure Beast!" She says, and he trots off, her following. Soon they come to a beautiful, clear pond in the forest, with a waterfall coming off the rock wall it's edged on and a small stream leading away from it, into town. She grins.
"WOW!" She says, laughing. "This-thi-! LEE! You've been holding out! This is gorgeous!"
He grins and sits next to the water, taking off his shoes, weights and legwarmers, then rolling up his pant legs to his knee and wading in. She hesitates though.
"What is it?" He asks.
"You can't laugh." She says, looking around.
"Why would I laugh?" He says.
"…I'm trusting you." She says, pulling off the belt and letting the giant baggy pants drop. Underneath she's wearing spandex short shorts that cut off mid/upper thigh. And she's got legs. Really nice legs. She kicks off her sandals and reties the belt around her shirt, then wades in with him. It's awkward and silent for a moment, then she wades back out.
"Never mind." She says, and he catches her arm. She flinches, and he releases her, remembering.
"Why never mind?" He asks, voice cracking a little.
"Your face is all red, you're trying not to laugh, aren't you?" She pouts, crossing her arms.
"No, no, no no no! You are just-" He starts.
"Just WHAT?" She asks defensively.
"You are very pretty." He admits embarrassedly, and she blushes.
"P-p-p-p-p-" She stutters, then kicks water at him. "PERV!"
"NOW I AM A PERVERT? I SPEAK THE TRUTH!" He says, splashing her back. She laughs and splashes back. They splash back and forth until she tackles him into the water and dunks him. They end up swimming in the deeper part of the pond until Kazuki tires out and crawls up onto the bank.
"Geez, Lee-kun." She says, sitting up. "How do you have so much energy?"
"I AM IN THE SPRINGTIME OF MY YOUTH, KAZUKI-CHAN!" He calls from the water, swimming over. "But I am also hungry! Would you like some lunch?"
"Sure!" She says, taking off her hitoe to wring it out, unaware her now wet white bandages around her chest were letting Lee see a little more then he should've. He turns, quickly, away from her and speeds into the forest, calling back about getting food for them. She watches him leave and wonders if he was really that hungry before putting the damp hitoe back on.
A few minutes later he comes back with some takeout, two blood-soaked napkins shoved up his nose.
"What's up with the nosebleed, Lee-kun? Fall?" She asks, grinning.
"Something like that." He says, looking at the boxes.
They chat while eating, and when they finish, they're dry enough to leave the area without looking too strange.
"What would you like to do next, Kazuki-chan?" He asks. She thinks, and then blushes.
"Do you… have a place for karaoke?" She asks embarrassedly.
"Karaoke?" He asks, raising a thick eyebrow.
"I haven't been in a while." She says, grinning sheepishly.
"Oh, ok! I know a place." He says, trotting into town. She follows, and soon they reach a small place near the hot springs. After going in, they wait for a while, and finally the curiosity gets the better of Lee.
"Why do you like karaoke?" He asks.
"Well. I've always loved singing, and preforming for random people's always been a thrill. When we-" She stops and sighs. "When I discovered it, I used to go to our bar every time they had it, and it was one of my pastimes."
"Oh! I would like to try it!" He says, and she laughs.
"Ok. Watch and learn." She says as her number's called. She goes up to the stage, tells the DJ to play a certain song, and goes to the microphone. A piano starts, and she hums to get the tune, then starts.
"Yeah… yeah… The situation turns around… enough to figure out that someone else has let you down, so many times, I don't know why. But I know we can make it, as long as you say it! So tell me that you love me, yeah! Tell me that I take your breath away! And maybe if you take one more, then I would know for sure, there's nothing left to say, tell me that you love me anyway, tell me that you love me anyway…" Her voice, still low and velvety, has turned from twangy to sweet, and sounds lovely. She sings passionately, eyes closed, into the microphone, and Lee watches in shock. When she finishes, everyone claps, and she comes back down into the table. Using one finger, she closes his mouth.
"Like it?" She asks, and he grins.
"You were amazing!" He yells, and she shushes him.
"SHH! Someone's starting! So what song do you want?" She asks.
"Hmmm. Will you sing with me?" He asks.
"Sure!" She says, and flips through the catalog.
"How about… this one?"
"Uhhh…."
"Wow! What a rush! Even though I messed up a lot..."
"Nonsense! You did great!"
"What was that song called again?"
"Hips Don't Lie."
"Right!"
They leave around sunset, with Lee leading the way. They ordered some food to go at the karaoke bar, and were going to eat it while watching stars on top of the monument. As they settle down the moon has just started rising, and they fall silent. Suddenly a tear falls from Kazuki's cheek onto the ground, and Lee looks at her concernedly.
"Kazuki? Kazuki-chan, what is the matter?" He asks.
"Shizuka. Shizuka's the matter, Lee. She and I would do stuff like this all the time. And I killed her and then I go and have fun with another boy." She sobs.
"Kazuki, you cannot hold onto this forever. You will get sick if it continues!"
"But Lee-kun, she-"
"KAZUKI." He snaps, making her flinch. "She is dead. And I am sure the reason she hesitated in the first place is because she wanted YOU to go on and be happy, not her. That was her decision, and if you do not let her go and move on you will be disgracing her sacrifice. Come here." He says firmly, motioning for her to sit next to him. She scoots over to him, and he pulls her into a warm hug.
"It is ok." He says, and she breaks down, sobbing into his shoulder.
"Thank you... Thank you..." She murmurs between sobs, and he pulls back to take off her glasses and dry them for her.
"Crying does not suit you, Kazuki-cha-" He stops when he sees her eyes for the first time.
They're silver.
They glow a warm, molten silver color, enhanced by the moon reflecting off her tears. They're big, scared, and vulnerable, unsure of the world and everyone in it. It was like reading a book of swirled emotions, looking directly into her heart through two crystal windows, curtained with jet black lashes.
His heart throbs for her.
"...Chan..." He murmurs, entranced. The silver orbs lock with his black ones, and then fall away, to stare at the ground, embarrassed.
"I hate my eyes." She says, shocking him.
"Why?!" He almost yells, startling her.
"They're not normal." She says, looking back up at him. They have insecurity and self doubt written all over them. "That's what Kiku and Momo used to say."
"Who are...?" He asks, then puts it together. "Are they the ones that beat you?" She nods feebly, and he hugs her even tighter.
"They said that because they were jealous." He whispers, and she pulls back.
"What? They were the most popular, prettiest ones in my academy." She says, and he chuckles.
"I guarantee you were much prettier. And they were just jealous. You are gorgeous, Kazuki." He hugs her again, and she reaches up, after a moment of hesitation, to kiss his cheek.
"You're the truest friend I've ever had, Lee. Thank you." She says, making him blush.
"No, thank you, Kazuki." He says as she nods off against his chest. "For letting me in."
He watches the moon with the girl sleeping against his chest, glancing down at her at times.
"I... I will protect you forever, Kazuki-chan."
"KAZUKI-CHAN! KAZUKI-CHAN! KAAAAAAZUKI-CHAAAN!" Kazuki turns to see Lee racing up, panting as he skids to a stop. Kazuki had been apologizing to Naruto, who was currently hanging out with the rest of the Konoha 11 at Ichiraku's. She was also wearing contacts today. The night before has convinced her to start wearing them again.
"Yes, Lee-kun?" She asks, and he whips out a small box, drops on one knee, and opens it to reveal a diamond ring with a silver and gold band.
"Will you marry me?" He asks breathlessly, and everyone's jaws drop open. Everyone except for Kazuki. She stays silent for a good long minute, considering it. Finally she reaches out to the box, takes the ring, slips it on her finger, and beams at him.
"Yes." She says, grinning. He jumps up and twirls her around, whooping.
"SHE SAID YES!" He yells, and she laughs.
"On one condition." She says, and he puts her down.
"Anything." He says.
"I don't care if you lie, cheat, steal, anything. Just never leave me." She says, cuddling her face into his neck.
"I will never lie, cheat, or steal, Kazuki-chan. And I will never, ever, ever leave you."
"Never-ever?" She asks childishly.
"Never-ever." He says, kissing her forehead.
"Woah! WOAH WOAH WOAH! Back up! What just happened?!" Naruto yells, and Lee grins at him.
"I got a fiancée." He says, and Naruto groans.
"You ask Sakura on a date, she turns you down. You ask Kazuki to marry you, and she accepts?! What the crap?"
"I was young when I asked Sakura-chan on a date. It was too abrupt." Lee says matter-of-factly.
"AND THIS ISN'T?!" Naruto yells, and Kazuki laughs.
"I don't think it's abrupt at all." She says, kissing Lee's cheek.
"Kazuki-chan!" Lee says, picking her up. "Come! We must prepare for the wedding!"
"ONWARDS!" Kazuki yells, and Lee dashes off.
"... And there they go..." Tenten comments, and Neji gently rests his forehead in his hand.
"I'll never get it, Tenten. I'll never get it."