A/N - People asked for a chapter 2, so here you go. I'm unsure whether I should continue the story on after this...

Critisizm is very benificial; GIVE ME SOME!!

I still don't own Naruto

'Lee… how many times must I say this? GIVE HER UP!'

'Tenten-san, how many times must I tell you that I can not? She is an angel and I love her.' Lee's head drooped as he pulled his knees up to his chest. Tenten's features softened as she looked at the pitiful boy.

'Honestly Lee, can you not see what she is doing to you? She's been toying with you!'

'She bandaged my injury. Does that not mean she cares?'

'Sorry, but she's a doctor. If she didn't do it there, she'd only be doing it in the hospital later.' Tenten hated having to tell him this, really she did, but it was something he had to hear.

Lee turned his head to face Tenten. His eyes were glassy and his body was shaking slightly. 'I want to give her up. But…I…she…'

Tenten placed a comforting arm around Lee's shoulder, stroking his arm softly with her thumb, silently cursing the girl who continued to break her team mate's heart.

Once again, Sakura had to do all of Lady Tsunade's dirty work. She had to inform Tenten and Neji of a mission they would both be partaking in whilst her Master slept on the mountain of work she was yet to do. 'Fair's fair,' Sakura murmured to herself as she headed up the stairs to the Hyuuga household.

After informing the genius of his mission, Sakura headed out to find the weapons master known as Tenten. Neji had informed her, almost kindly, that Tenten would be training in the forest just outside of the village.

Sakura passed through the gates, along a dirt path, into the forest, into the training grounds. She wandered around, glancing for any sign of the kunoichi. Her eyes traced the worn grass, getting slowly pulled in by a stain of red on a sharp rock. A pang of sheer guilt shattered her heart.

Lee-kun…

Sakura's legs buckled. She collapsed hopelessly to the floor, emerald eyes glued to the blood. Flinching at the sight, she rubbed it in a fetal attempt to get rid of it, as if to cleanse her of any tainted memories or the guilt eating away at her slowly. The blood simply spread to her hand, refusing to let her forget.

Submitting defeat, Sakura pulled her knees under her chin, regulating her breaths. The training ground was almost in silence, broken only by a quiet conversation behind a clump of trees. A female voice seemed to rise, sounding a lot like Tenten. Sakura sighed, pulling herself forcibly to her feet. A mission is a mission after all.

Pulling aside some branches, Sakura walked into the worst sort of situation she could have imagined at this point.

'Oh erm…' She stuttered.

Tenten had her arms around a boy her own age who was shaking violently. The boy - Lee. She raised her head from Lee, glaring daggers at the pink haired kunoichi.

Sakura swallowed, straightening her posture. She wasn't going to show ANY weakness, not now.

'Tenten-san. Lady Tsunade wishes you to report to her; there is a mission she would like you to go on.' Sakura and Tenten looked at each other, eyes locked. In a flash, Sakura found herself pinned to a tree by three kunai and a deadly looking Tenten.

'You stay away,' she growled, pulling her up by her kimono. 'Don't you ever let me catch you near Lee, or I swear…'

'Tenten-san. Please forget about it,' Lee murmured. His voice sounded shaky, as if it was going to crack. She glanced back at Lee, her features softening.

'Hurt him, and I'll kill you,' she hissed, removing the kunai forcibly, leaving deep gorges within the tree. Sakura exhaled as Tenten left the two shinobi alone. Lee remained in his position. Sakura brushed down her kimono nervously.

Silence.

A heavy, unforgiving silence.

Sakura wandered next to Lee, sitting beside him. His forehead rested on his knees. Despite herself, Sakura smiled, laying a hand on Lee's lonely shoulder. His eyes flitted to her, then returned to look down. Her finger traced looping curves on his shoulder as she stared at the shapes she was creating.

Lee scrunched up his eyes. He could feel each movement through his spandex suit – as though it were on his skin itself. It felt so good. And yet.

'Please Sakura-san. Please do not toy with me any more.'

Something shattered within Sakura. Was that what she was doing? Is that why he's upset? She felt broken.

She sharply removed her hand as though it were in fire, tucking it under her arm. The smile was eradicated from her face and replaced with a tearful expression. Lee didn't deserve it. He has always been so kind, so loving towards Sakura and how does she repay him?

Toying with his emotions.

Sakura burst into tears, not even trying to protect her dignity in front of the boy she took it from. Lee gasped in surprise, eyes opening wide. He pulled the girl into a loose hug in an effort to stop her sobbing. Sakura made a futile attempt to push him away, Lee only tightening the embrace, burying his head in her shoulder, murmuring words of comfort, reducing Sakura's hysterics slowly to silent tears.

'Lee-san, I don't deserve it. Don't give me your comfort; it's painful,' Sakura whispered shakily. Even when Lee is upset, he always made an attempt to cheer her up. It was unfair, unjust.

'That is not true Sakura-san,' Lee replied. Sakura turned her head slightly to look at him: he was crying in her shoulder. 'Everyone needs somebody to vent their emotions through and because it was me who made you cry, it is only fitting that I help you to stop.'

That shouldn't be the case, Sakura thought to herself. After all, she made him cry in the first place. That means…

She twisted her body round, pulling him into the warmth of her body. He accepted gratefully, resting his head on her chest. Sakura stroked his hair gently. It was surprisingly soft and silky. She put her head on his, closing her eyes.

'Please forgive me Lee. Nobody deserves to be treat like this,' she breathed. 'Don't worry; I won't toy with you as if you don't mean anything to me, because you do. You mean a lot to me.' More than you could ever believe, she added to herself silently.

Lee looked up, lip quivering adorably. 'I do?' Sakura smiled down at him warmly.

'You do. You are my friend, my protector, my…my…'

My love?

'My Lee-kun.'

'Your Lee-kun,' he repeated apathetically to himself. A wide grin suddenly broke across his face. He sat up suddenly, startling Sakura.

'YES!!' He yelled, punching the air once then falling back on the grass laughing hysterically. Sakura couldn't help but giggle. Previous tears forgotten; Lee was beside himself with joy, rolling around in sheer delight.

Sakura smiled, thinking, 'if that's how he's reacting now, what will he be like when I tell him how much he really means to me?'