XI: Like Father Like Student
Gai has a son and his name is Lee. There is nothing more to it.
1. Gai never had children.
He didn't have to, after he had a genin team. In some ways, they all felt like his children. Some more than others.
2. He does not believe in Fate.
It is most Unyouthful to believe that life is predestined, that not even Genius-level Hard Work can bring change. Gai is willing to make an exception this once, though - he doesn't think of Lee as his son because he enjoys teaching him, he enjoys teaching him because he thinks of Lee as his son. For that to be coincidence means that in another life he could have missed it, and that is a very troubling thought.
3. Lee's family is his team.
Like so many before them, Team Gai has become each others' second family - except to those who have no other. Gai is too old to be Lee's brother and too close to be his uncle, so he must be his father. That is simple logic.
4. They share a deep connection.
He and Lee inspire Youthfulness in each other! If that is not a sign, then Gai doesn't know what is.
5. He has gone beyond what a sensei should.
Some of the more astute jounin sometimes ask him about this, but he will just lecture them about the Power of Youth until their eyes glaze over - it is not only a life philosophy, it is a useful way of avoiding Unyouthful questions. It is none of their business to ask, after all.
6. Although, technically, it is their business.
It's a simple but usually effective method of protecting the genin: jounin apart from their sensei will monitor their progress, as a way of disentangling genin from abusive or otherwise dangerous situations before it goes too far. Gai does not value the opinions of the other jounin when it comes to Lee, though. Nobody knows better than a father.
7. A father always makes the right decisions.
He hasn't made the wrong decision with Lee. Not once.
8. He worries, like any father.
It is a good job Gai has such Youthful students to inspire him, because he's sure he would have gone grey by now otherwise...
9. Gai worries about Lee all the time.
He worries that one day Lee's lack of jutsu will prove his undoing, and he can't imagine what he would do if, one day, it happened.
10. But at the same time, he doesn't.
Because he has a father's estimation of his capabilities, and not a sensei's. A sensei can see potential and current skill, but only a father could be so certain that Lee will always pull through.
11. Lee has never tried to find his biological parents.
Gai has. He is glad Lee's "father" was already dead by that point. It would have been his first kill that was not in self-defence or for a mission. And that would be most Unyouthful.
12. Lee doesn't remember the abuse.
This is good. It will be like he had never known it - because Gai would die before he let anybody hurt Lee like that again. But it proves that Gai is his true father, whatever genetics say, because no father could ever let that happen to his son.
13. He has taught him more about Youth than Gai ever taught himself.
But every father learns something from their child, don't they?
14. He is the best kind of father.
All fathers think that, he supposes. But Gai truly believes that he is.
15. Rock Lee has never been a failure.
Gai, however, is the only one who seems to believe that - even Neji and Tenten, in the Full Bloom of Youthfulness though they are, think that only Gai's training saved Lee from this. Only a father could have that kind of biased perception (although that's not to say he thinks he is wrong).
16. As a father, it is his job to be a role model.
It is for this reason and this reason only that Gai avoids using jutsu whenever he can.
17. Gai's dream is to see him succeed.
Because it should be every father's dream to see their son achieve his dreams, shouldn't it?
18. Lee is going to be better than him.
But he's going to be very similar, too... and they do say "like father like son."
19. Lee called him "Father".
It was the first time he had ever said it aloud, but nobody looked surprised. And if that is not confirmation enough, nothing is.
20. Gai doesn't mind if others disagree, though.
It is a poor show of their Youthfulness, but it doesn't matter - he and Lee know, and that is enough.
A/N: The only possible excuse I have for how late this is is that Gai is deceptively difficult to write. (I still don't think I really nailed him, but I was about ready for ragequit so... this will have to do.) I will try my best to get the next one up a lot quicker, but again, I really can't promise anything!
That said, enjoy!