(A/N: Yup, yup, yup, a one-shot collection! Shocking, a little? I had originally meant to start off with NaruHina — my favorite couple — but I had the best inspiration for this, so I started off with this. The next chapter might be a SakuLee too, unless I convey my other idea in this chapter as well.
Disclaimer:I don't own anything except the twisted thoughts that made this chapter up…)
Who shot that arrow in your throat?
Who missed that crimson apple?
And there's discord in the garden tonight.
The seas wine red,
This is the death of beauty.
The doves have died,
The lovers have lied.
Wine Red by The Hush Sound
"No, no," Lee chanted quietly as he sat in the waiting room, his hands in his hands. "I can not lose the last person precious to me. No."
And now, more than ever, had Sakura been so precious to him. She had been ever so kind to him in all the years they had known each other, and he couldn't find it possible to stop loving her. Not that he would even want to in the first place — she was just incredible, and he never wanted to let her go.
But at the moment, the odds were turning toward that he would have to let go. If things got any worse, he would be forced to let go. Oh, and how he dreaded to have to let her slip through his fingers. Since she was the Hokage's apprentice, everyone was working hard to help her, even Tsunade herself. But there still was a low chance of her surviving. He moaned and cursed the man that she had used to love.
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--
Lee had it all planned out. He had covered their apartment in cherry blossom petals, and lit up aromatic candles and multiple incense sticks, illuminating the place with a soft glow and wonderful smells. She was supposed to be coming home from her mission any moment, and he wanted to comfort her as much as possible.
She had nonstop mission and hospital shifts that week, and he wanted to pamper her for a night and let her relive all her tension and stress. He had tested the water in their bathtub a few minutes ago, and it was a perfect, warm temperature that would put her completely at ease. Lee also planned to give her a massage and a luxurious homemade dinner that comprised of quite expensive sushi and desserts.
He had waited for a while, but it soon became late, and he suspected that the bath water was becoming cold. As he began to question why in his mind, there was a knock on the door. Lee jumped up, thinking it was Sakura and she had forgotten her key in, and answered the door. He was disappointed to find an ANBU waiting at the door.
"Hello, ANBU-san," Lee greeted in slight confusion, bowing respectively to him nonetheless. "Would you by any chance know if Haruno Sakura returned from her mission yet?" The ANBU probably didn't know — why would ANBU bother themselves with knowing that information, anyway? — but Lee could help but ask.
"That is why I am here," the ANBU replied in a monotone voice. "Haruno Sakura has returned from her mission."
"Oh, thank you for informing me, ANBU-san," Lee grinned, but then asked, "but why is that so important that an ANBU would be sent?"
"Haruno Sakura returned to the village in critical condition and is being operated on by Hokaga-sama at this time. There is a forty-three percent chance that she will survive."
And Lee felt as if the wonderful bubble he had built around himself and his friends was collapsing in, once again.
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Lee's eyes and nose were red and puffy from crying — really more sobbing than crying, but no one really thought much of it — and he was falling apart. It had taken him so long to build himself back up again, so long to break back the wall he had built around himself.
Sakura was the one who had broke the wall — all it took was a gentle touch of her smooth fingertips against his cheek, and a melody she hummed for him while he cried on her shoulder for days. And that was how their relationship started — on trust.
And now the thing that had made him feel again might just be disappearing.
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Almost all of the shinobi residents of Konoha stood in front of the memorial, some of them tearing or crying. Mostly, it was just Team Gai and the sensei's that were truly mourning. They had known Gai the closest, and his death hit them the hardest.
TenTen was crying into Neji's shoulder and he comforted her, holding her as she whimpered with sorrow. But Lee was all-out sobbing true, depressed tears for his sensei. Gai was his sensei — he was his father in all terms. He had practically raised Lee; but now Gai was gone, and there was no one Lee could now turn to for advice, to train as much as he did with. Lee had lost a part of his soul, and there was no way he could ever recover from that.
For a long while after the memorial service (his body wasn't recovered), Lee had stayed inside his home for many days. He didn't see anyone, do anything. He didn't train, he didn't eat, he didn't bathe. He barely slept, and even when he did, it was nightmares that played out all the different ways Lee's beloved sensei had been killed.
Needless to say, Lee did not sleep if he could help it.
Lee's comrades soon became worried, as any faithful teammate or friend would. Many knocked on Lee's door and yelled inside, asking if he was alright, but he never answered them. He just stayed huddled in his room on his bed, crying and mourning, and they soon gave up and left.
But then Sakura had come knocking on his door. Lee only slightly inclined his head toward his front door, but did not cease in his crying or get out of the loose fetal position he lay in. Sakura, however, did not give up. She knocked down his door with one chakra enhanced kick, and stalked her way over to Lee's room.
She found Lee as he had been ever since the funeral, and she smiled at him sadly, walking over to him and sitting beside him.
"Oh, Lee," she said to him softly. "Tell me all your sorrows, Lee. Cry on my shoulder. I'll listen to you forever. I swear to you."
And Lee had collapsed onto her and spilled all his secrets, all the torment he had endured throughout his life. And they had fallen asleep together that night, their hands intertwined on his pillow.
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Lee had waited in that damn room for hours. He had memorized it by now. He had the place committed to his memory. The stupid plain white floor and walls, the leather upholstery on the chairs, and the sickly antiseptic smell that mixed with the faint odor of blood. He waited and waited, and the longer he waited, the more hopeful he became that they were slowly, but surely saving her.
Yes, that must be it! he thought to himself. It is taking so long because they are healing all her injuries! Yes, they are saving my Sakura-chan…
After many hours of waiting and hoping, finally, finally, a nurse came out to relay the news of Sakura to Lee.
And now Lee had nothing to go home to except a cold bath, and an engagement ring that would never be put on the slender, porcelain finger of his favorite kunoichi.
(A/N: God, that was so sad to write…. But I finished it within an hour, I had so much inspiration…
This is a request collection, so feel free to request any one-shots for your favorite couples!
Thanks for reading, and please review!
—Midnight Freesia)