Disclaimer- I, a lowly fan fiction writer, own Naruto in no way and couldn't even get a glass of water from this story.
Story notes: The following series of short stories takes place after the events in my fan-fic "Happy Birthday"….while I think you could read this on its own; the earlier story sets the stage for the events herein. Also, you will notice several OC's that had to be created to advance the passage of time.
This story takes place when Sakura is 38 and Lee is 39…both have been living lonely 'bachelor' lives, that is until Lee finally got the courage to tell Sakura his feelings about her have NOT changed with the passing years.
Anyway, on with the story…
Through The Summer – Ch. 4
Lee's Apartment
Sakura jingled Lee's keys in her hand as she walked to his apartment. What he needed so many for was an absolute mystery, there had to be at least 25. The whole bundle was held together with a well worn leather key ring that looked like it had been made by a child. She felt the 'L' embossed into it with her thumb as she entered his building.
It took several minutes to figure out what key opened his door, and the curiosity was killing her! While Lee had been to her cottage many times (almost always to fix something for her), she had never been to his apartment. Heck, she hadn't known what street he lived on until recently. How did this man live day to day?
When she did manage to get the door open, she learned the answer immediately. Very, VERY cleanly.
He must think I'm an utter slob!
The small apartment practically sparkled. The furniture was modern and completely lint, stain and pet hair free. Precise rows of pictures in matching frames decorated the pale green walls and a neat shelved desk held labeled file boxes.
If Lee saw my desk at work, he'd crap his pants! Hell, I crap MY pants when I look at it!
Sakura quickly spotted the reason Lee had asked her to come over while he was away. A small glass table sat under a window holding three precious bonsai trees, she was to be their 'babysitter'…'treesitter'? Why not something normal, like a fish? She shrugged. Trees were probably a lot harder to kill when you were away with your team at least…or have someone else kill.
A few step down the small hallway was the kitchen (also painfully neat, and a quick look in the cupboards revealed that Lee owned NICE matching dishes). On the counter by the sink Sakura found a tiny watering can and a list of instructions in Lee's perfect handwriting.
On her way back to the living room, Sakura noticed the door in the hallway.
Should I?
She slid it back and poked her head inside.
Lee's bedroom didn't have piles of clothes on the floor (like hers) or blankets heaped and twisted in whatever shape they had made during the night (although she preferred her bed that way). Like the rest of the apartment, that she had seen at least, it was clean and looked almost unlived in. A single mattress sat on a platform in a corner and a large dresser and mirror anchored another wall. The only other thing of interest was what appeared to be a large (closed) closet.
Her interest satisfied for the moment, Sakura went back to her work.
The chore turned out not to be as simple as she had planned. Besides just watering the trees, they had to be rotated in slight increments for even growth and the cedar needed a copper support wire tugged down to what Sakura judged was the width of a human hair.
When she was finished, Sakura gave a large frustrated sigh. That was when she noticed one of the framed photographs near her.
That was when Naruto, Lee and I went on that mission to the Crescent Moon Kingdom…Gods? How MANY years ago was that?
She looked at her younger bikini clad self enjoying taffy from a beach shop as Naruto made a face for the camera (held by Kakashi, as she remembered) and Lee sat shyly, looking out of place in a bathing suit.
Was I really that girl? All I thought life was back then was sparkly lip gloss and hot boys.
She held the watering can and scowled.
Yeah, what do you know at that age? You think you know EVERYTHING, but it's really NOTHING. It never pops into your little mind that the cute boys just might give you a few good jack-booted kicks to the mid-section and the sparkly lip gloss contains some cyanide…
The scowl dropped and she shrugged.
It was at moments like this that she was very glad to be a grown up.
In the Dunes Outside the Sand Village
Gaara had ordered Team Lee to take his son covertly to the outskirts of the village for the night while he gave an obligatory dinner for the visiting diplomats.
Lee wondered how much of the order had been for the boy's safety… and how much of it had been for the child's amusement. Frankly, the child seemed so elated to have company that this was nothing but a 'sleepover' to him. Maybe little Tomi had requested Team Lee specifically to guard him was because it was an excuse to have friends over. The boy was kept under close watch at all times in the village and had never traveled outside of it because of potential assassination attempts.
Lee poked at the little campfire.
He knew the Kazekage meant well, but Tomi was at the age (eight) when he needed friendship and a sense of adventure.
Lee looked at the group of three teenagers and one boy sitting on the edge of a dune just a few meters away, watching the moon rise. Tomi was peppering his Team with questions about what he saw as the extreme excitement of their everyday lives. He was proud to see Gianni, Koto and Iori treating Tomi like he was their own teammate or little brother.
They really are good kids.
He felt the pride well up in him. It was like watching your own kids grow and become fine adults. Lee poked at the fire again. Who knew? Maybe he would have his own kids someday. He'd always thought when he was younger that he'd have settled down by now and have a few of his own. Life had just taken some odd turns on him that he'd never expected.
Never say never. Life could have some more turns in store for you, good ones.
Lee smiled. He knew that to be true since Sakura had come to see him off on his mission a few days ago and had ACTUALLY kissed him on the cheek as he left the village gate.
He was broken off from that happy thought by Tomi's request for some of 'Uncle Lee's' stories of youthful adventure.