Chapter one. Running away.

Train and train and train. Nothing else could be done with his clumsy body. That's what Rock Lee kept repeating to himself, while he punched the log yet again. That afternoon, Neji had sparred with him, at his loud request, and the result was the same as ever. One hard punch in the guts and an uppercut that sent him flying.
Never Jyûken. He wasn't strong enough for Jyûken.

What did he do wrong? He trained, he exhausted himself to the point of arriving home in all fours. And he saw he was not the only one to do so: his jounin sensei's practice lasted longer than his common team practice. But Gai was strong, even though he never saw him doing flashy ninjutsus or flamboyant genjutsus. He was an all-taijutsu master by choice, which was all the more remarkable. He, Rock Lee, had to be one by force.

He never seems to break in a sweat. He never seems to be tired. How, Gai-sensei, how do you do it?

Yet he ran, away from Gai calling at him, away from TenTen's sympathetic, yet hurtful words, away from the piercing sneer the Hyûga shot at his retreating back. Away from the defeat, yet defeated, away from pain, it seemed, facing even more pain.

It had been an extremely long traning day. Six hours later, Lee was practically on his feet by guts. He skipped lunch and tea, ignored the buzzing in his ears, his grunting stomach, his queasy knees. He even refused to join the special training: that was going to be his first day with Gai as a personal coach, but he ignored his sensei's booming voice calling out for him.
I shall not waste your time, Gai-sensei. You cannot train me if I am still this weak. If I had resisted Neji for just two minutes, it would be different... but I barely lasted for 45 seconds... Forgive me, but you cannot train me while I am like this...

The grass under his feet spinned, his blurred-out pupils tried to grasp reality, but numbness was slowly winning him.

- Mada... mada...
But he couldn't even hear his last word. Or did he pronounce it with his last breath?

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- Nnngh...
Lee came slowly back to his senses. The first sensation, from his worn-out frame, was a sharp sensation of aching all over his body. Eyes still closed, he tried to move his fingers, but they seemed as they were knotted together.
I passed out in the field again... Did my fingers freeze during the night?

With an effort, he pulled his eyes half open. His fingers were bandaged together with such force, that he could not move them. That was odd, and it would get odder as his eyes widened and took in the place he was into.
It seemed definitely familiar... save that the bed was placed in the first floor. His bed was in the second floor... how did it arrive to the living room?
There was a slight odor that he recognized as Miso soup, and those covering him were his very own bed covers... Thus it WAS his bed, and this place...
I am... at home?! B-but how did I arrive here... who...?

Blinking, he noticed a tall figure in the kitchen, dimly lit with a gas torch. There was a bright red swirl in the back of his Chûnin vest, and even as he was showing his back, there was no mistaking the legwarmers, the green jumpsuit or that bowl haircut...

Sensei??!!

Even as Lee thought rather than said the word, Gai turned from the boiling soup to his until then unconscious student, almost automatically. Lee could tell, with a jolt of surprise, that the man had been looking out alternatedly, both at the soup and himself, for a long time.

Not only that, Maito Gai was worried for him, too, there was no mistaking his face. But, as he saw Lee's widened eyes and struggles to sit up, a smile lit his preoccupied features.
- So, you are finally awake... Lee? – his final phrase was crowned with his trademark smiley sparkle AND thumbsup to boot. He turned off the fire and crouched beside Lee.
- Over-enthusiastic as always! But this time around, you went too far... wasting such a lot of your precious chakra on training is not wise... Such a youth! – he sighed contentedly, pushing Lee's nose with his index.

- Uh... I... – Lee tried to explain himself, moved by the concern he could read in Gai's words. He felt foolish, and blamed himself for his sensei's worry... Gai should've been resting, instead of tending to him!
- Well, I thought that... If Sensei trained so much, I would be... able to keep on your tracks if I did some extra training. I do not want to be a nuisance to you... Gai sensei...
- Forcing your current limits will only injure you, take it easy... – Gai took out a big china bowl, polished it and turned to Lee, who was looking at the bandages with a downcast expression.
- Why...
- The bandages? – Gai filled in, as he added salt and spices to the mixture – All the skin in your knuckles was reduced to a pulp. If your chakra hadn't forced you to quit, you would've injured yourself badly, and you've had to quit several days of your training. –

Lee's curly hair shot up, as his face distorted with the terrible statement. SEVERAL DAYS???!!Bu-but I cannot lose a minute, let alone several DAYS!
- So, mind you be watchful in future, Lee! - the grave tone Gai used showed it was no joke.

He looked at the bandages, then at his student, he tilted his head, caressed his chin and looked supremely puzzled.
- Uh, in normal situations, I'd just allow you to take the bandages off. Hmm... but as I took you to the hospital, those are chakra infused. And you won't be able to eat my youthful Miso soup... I can break them, but I can break your fingers too.
Lee looked at his sensei seriously. Was he the foolish seishyun dobe, or the reliable, strong sensei? Was it that hard to note? Of course I cannot use my fingers!

- What to do, what to do... I GOT IT! – Gai's face shone with realization, as he ran to the kitchen, poured the soup in the bowl, picked a small, flat Chinese spoon and returned beside his pupil.
- Here, open up! I WILL FEED YOU!

Lee's hair frizzled up in fear and his jaw dropped. He... cannot be serious!!! I am not a little boy anymore!!
But as his stomach gave a loud growl, and Gai grinned as a happy kid, he knew he had no choice.