Disclaimer
I don't own any of the characters involved in this story (Gai Lee and Kakashi).
Sensei Under The Fireworks
I looked across the training ground in the dark as my sleepy eyes blinked to try and stay awake although the chances of that were very little.
"Gai Sensei " .
It was Lee of course, I could hear his soft footsteps on the grass behind me and I blinked again as he said my name in a brief whisper, right before he crawled onto the rock next to me. "What are you doing Sensei?" he asked as I turned my head to look into his onyx coloured eyes that were filled with wonder. "Do you ever watch the stars Lee?" I asked, my eyes were unfocused at this point until I heard the sound of the first firework that alerted me to the fact that it was nearly the new year.
"Well yes" he trailed off "But that's not really what I came here to talk to you about" Lee said in a voice that was clearly laced with concern. I shuffled slightly off the rock until my back was facing him but Lee, curious as ever, managed to grab my arm and look at me straight in the eyes. "Look Lee if it's about not attending the fireworks then I have my reasons because I just….". There were tears biting in my eyes and dryness in my throat as I swallowed trying to rid my mouth of a sawdust like feeling, scratching at me like sandpaper whenever I moved me lips.
I didn't know who I was fooling anyway, Lee didn't know anything about me or the reasons why I hate my birthday but still he was there trying to rid me of my sadness even when he'd be missing the new years fireworks. " Gai Sensei. Please tell me what is wrong I've never seen you cry like this and you know I would do anything to help you get your smile back. Just please tell me Gai Sensei". I turned to look at Lee as I did so I looked at a face similar to mine in appearance, one that was cloaked with fear, pain and loss but one that kept smiling regardless. Although his was a real smile.
" Lee sometimes you can be so foolish. Do you think every smile I give is true and just, do you think none are fake and that I mean them all. Well in truth I rarely give a real smile" I paused " In about five minutes time it will be my birthday" I was nearly interrupted by Lee until I gently covered his mouth with my hand. " I've always hated my birthday firstly nobody ever acknowledges it so all I get year after year is a Happy new year without a happy birthday. Then secondly I was destined from birth to be the final survivor of the Maito clan, because on my third birthday my whole clan took their own lives and I never knew why. Since then everybody's just treated me like a loser, or like I don't belong and in the end most of the people I cared about left me. Through death or denial. I suppose the only people truly there for me were my cousins and some of the other chunin with ruined pasts like Kakashi".
My hand drifted slowly down from Lees mouth and as I let it fall Lee grabbed it slowly and genteelly stroked it as if I was a cat or other furry animal. I felt what I thought was drops of rain fall on my hand but they were only tears, merely drops of salty weakness falling against my knuckles. Lee looked up at me and as the clock chimed 12am signalling the new year Lee leaned up to my lips and whispered "Happy birthday" as our lips met.
A/N: Thanks for reading my first story! How bad was it? Please leave a review and I'd be grateful