Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
First, Born
先生 (sensei)
In a way, reflected Tenten, Gai-sensei was the perfect sensei.
He was optimistic.
"Tenten."
Tenten cringed visibly, teeth clenched, bloody fingers squeezing against the hilt of a kunai. She flung the kunai toward the target's center. She missed by a hair's breadth, but it was enough. Her body shook from exhaustion, but she folded in on herself, shuddering, from defeat.
"I apologize, Gai-sensei," she began, smearing a laceration-ridden hand across her face to disguise the traitorous moisture in her eyes. "Yesterday, I caused us to fail the mission." She bent down to pick up a recently-sharpened kunai from the ground next to her, testing its readiness in her aching digits.
She threw.
"Tenten," said Gai, "there is always next time."
Bulls-eye. Tenten's entire form trembled from the exertion, from unanticipated relief, and she collapsed suddenly to one knee. Her eyelids slide shut, lips producing a wan smile for her sensei.
He was indefatigable.
Lee sank to his knees, sweat flowing from every pore. "I...I did it," stuttered from his lips.
"Yes, you did, Lee," remarked Gai in his markedly proud manner. "It only took you 200 hours to master this technique! You are a marvel; indeed, you are a student of mine!" Lee's eyes began to swim in happiness. "Do you know how long it took me to complete this technique, Lee?" he clamored, as if he were giving this heartfelt speech in an auditorium.
"How long, sensei?" cried Lee, biting his lip so hard it was in danger of bleeding.
"110 hours!" roared Gai, his index finger pointed to the sky like a lightening rod or bird bait.
"That is amazing, Gai-sensei!"
Tenten knit her brow in consternation. "How do they even keep track of all that?" she uttered, flustered. Neji merely scowled, rearranging the bandages on his hand to absorb the ooze from his phlebotomized knuckles. Tenten eyed the hasty quick-fix skeptically. "Do you want some help—"
"Tenten, Neji!" declared Gai. "I now await for the rest of my beautiful students to enjoy the sweet satisfaction of mastering this difficult technique! Are you ready to try again?"
Tenten sagged imperceptibly, a wry smile tickling at her lips. Neji looked away, the scowl on his aspect replaced by a decidedly neutral expression.
"Yes, Gai-sensei," they announced.
He loved them.
"You all did well!" proclaimed Gai at an unnecessarily loud volume. "This meal is on me!"
Tenten shot her sensei a dry stare. "Are you sure this time? Can you please check your wallet before you say things like this?"
Gai simply shook his head, grinning to himself as if he had trained a fool for the past two years. "Tenten, your sensei's generosity is bottomless! Ask me for anything—though it must be reasonable—and it will be yours!"
Lee's cry of jubilation masked Tenten's dubious reply. "Gai-sensei, may I order the house special curry pilaf?" He was quick to add: "But, of course, I will consume anything! Any kind of food replenishes the spirit!"
"Order the pilaf, Lee," Gai told him, looking ridiculously serious. Lee whooped, eagerly scanning the restaurant for an idle waiter or waitress.
"Neji, how much are you carrying on you at the moment?" Tenten hazarded to ask, tucking what suspiciously appeared to be her reticule back into her pocket. Her voice lowered mutinously. "I only have 580 yen on me."
Neji closed his eyes and answered "1000" before opening them again. Tenten glanced at the exuberant green twins, more concerned about of the depth of her sensei's wallet rather than the depth of his magnanimosity.
In the end, her bodily concerns trumped her financial ones, for she ordered on her part a whole roast duck and two plates of dumplings.
"The total comes up to 4590 yen." The waitress that had served them was all smiles.
Gai-sensei smiled back, producing his wallet. His smile, considered Tenten, was a little odd. The side of her mouth twitched, and a helpless sense of foreboding pressed down on her.
The four of them spent their evening washing dishes in the establishment's kitchen to pay for the 1200 yen debt. Gai-sensei had apologized laughingly as he dried plates and pans, wearing a silly food-stained apron four sizes too small.
Tenten simpered playfully. He really did love them, she thought, because they were trudging wearily home when once more he offered to treat them to some elaborate dinner next time. And she supposed they really were fools because the three of them—in varying manners and means—took him up on it.
fin.
A/N: I apologize. I was abruptly inspired by Maito Gai's awesomeness. I would probably get really fed-up with his insanity, but still, he'd be an amazing teacher. I can't say that this is necessarily complete; I feel like I could polish it up a little more, but I would rather put it out there than leave it to rot in my computer for a year, as 70% of my writing is fated to do. Maybe I'll revisit this when my concentration is better. Basic senseless title because I really couldn't think of anything truly creative. Thank you for reading.