HELLO! Before I begin with the last chapter of this story, which literally took me YEARS to finish, I would like to give my sincerest gratitude to all the people who took the time out of their days to message me and motivate me to finish the story. Honestly, without readers like you, I would not have finished this fanfiction. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Also, my deepest apologies for taking so long to update. School and work are a lot harder now than it was when I first started working, but your guys' patience has known no bounds. Truly, I love you all. **ALSO** I could not find it within myself to finish this story without deepening the bond between Sakura and Lee. While there is no full blown smut on this chapter, the descriptive parts will be highlighted with a "UUUUUU" for those who wish to skip such parts. So without further hesitation…here it is..the final chapter…ENJOY!

Content Conclusion

He carried his corporal hindrance with an almost tangible shred of antipathy and pride for his accomplishment. His father's heavy body bestowed Lee with wide berth from the rest of us as we walked through the dense woods back home. Even Neji, with his exuding injuries and muffled grunts of pain, walked tacitly behind his teammate. It seemed forbidden to talk to Lee at the moment-he was poison, untouchable, unreachable even. Any effort to communicate with the man would be disdained not only by him, but by the team as a whole. Mud clung to his knees and deterred the ninja as the rain continued to pour down his face. The water was lackadaisically welcomed, our bodies far too exhausted to care what landed on our bodies. It moistened my chapped lips, reminding me that I had not drank water for what seemed liked days. I slightly opened my mouth and let a few drops splash against my tongue as the rest washed my clothes of the bloody remnants of the fight.

None of us had talked save for the rare mumbled apology if one of our arms brushed against that of another's (specifically Sai or Tenten's).

I groaned wearily and wondered how much longer we would have to drag our feet before we even saw a glimpse of our beloved village. The behavior of our team's second female was beginning to be a cause for concern. Her skin was starting to feel as though it were attached to mine judging from the proximity we held. Her eyes averted Sai's despite his best efforts to visually communicate with her. It was inevitably vexing me to the point where it was becoming an ordeal having to be sandwiched between them. But I knew I would not move, I could not do that to Tenten. All I could do was continue to be this makeshift middlewoman implying to a clueless Sai to give us privacy.

My friend's hand clutched my arm like a lost sailor at sea clung on to a piece of floating flotsam jettison. She was quite persistent in her refusal to make any sort of contact with Sai. I did not even know why she had bothered to kiss him in the first place.

"Lee…why don't we rest?" The leader of Gai's team calmly spoke up. "It is near nightfall and we have been walking for-"

"No, I wish to rid myself of this as soon as possible." Lee snapped back, never looking behind him to face Neji.

"We will get lost in this darkness and this time my byakugan can't-"

"Then do not use it. The village is only about two or three more hours distance." He interrupted, keeping his pace.

His leader glared at him with his one useful eye, but concluded the fight was unnecessary. "You fool…" he muttered, yet continued to walk.

I frowned at both men, not because of their irrelevant disagreement, but because any form of sound was like getting a brick flung at my head. The unforgiving snow had disappeared from the ground as we continued to walk, fecund dirt had taken its place, and now we were at the mercy of the unrelenting rays of the sun and the scarce shade a few trees provided. We were near the village, that much was certain, but I could not bring myself to take more steps. The soles of my feet seemed to be under attack by the grinding pebbles, I could feel each blade of grass as if it were needles. My breaths turned to spurning releases of prickly air. Pink hair flooded my vision as it stuck to my eyelids and cheeks from perspiration. The jacket I had clung on to for my survival was now being dragged across the ground in a useless fashion as the temperature rose. My skin glowed pink from the sun's harsh treatment even as the rain lapped at our bodies, my lips seemed chapped in layers from the lack of hydration. No matter how much the sputters of rain dropped on my mouth, it still felt like an arid sponge soaking up drops of liquid.

We could not talk. We could not rest. We could only keep walking to put as much distance between us and what had happened in that tundra. My muscles screamed in agony while I focused on moving my feet, my vision becoming exceedingly blurred. It felt as though someone had suddenly placed a hot brick on my head and I was forced to balance my entire body without it falling to the ground. This, of course, proved to be an ordeal as I found myself swaying my entire weight as if I were drunk.

The whole earth seemed to rotate and mock my sense of balance.

The draining effects of the experience still plagued me it seemed.

"SAI!"

Neji had called out my teammate's name.

And yet I could not answer.

Something resembling moss and gritty mud had slammed across my face as someone shoved my weakened body into the ground.

My eyes hesitantly opened to what appeared to be a room. The traumatizing stench of iodine put my sense on edge and the coarse bleached bed sheets ruffled uncomfortably around my legs. Translucent light filtered into the room through curtains slowly wavering as wind blew into them. Sudden alarm from where I was made my body rise automatically from the bed. I cam crashing back down, however, as I winced in pain. An ugly IV needle stuck out from my arm, it's dripping bag mocking my health.

"How you feeling?"

My head shot towards the sound of the soothing voice.

Like a dog loyally waiting for the return of its master, Naruto stood next to room's door, back erect and arms crossed with an air of eerie serenity about him. His arms were crossed and he appeared to be smothered with silent fury.

"I-I'm fine." I tried vainly to wave off his concern as my voice came out raspy and unused. "H…how are you?" I asked back stupidly.

"You've been out a full day you know." He responded, taking confident and wide steps toward me.

"Have I? Where are the oth-"

Naruto's arms encircled my back as the words were embraced out of me. Lips roughly kissed my forehead as his hands rose to run through my hair.

"I was so worried Sakura." He muttered though clenched teeth. "So damn worried."

"I-I'm okay now Naruto." I answered, surprised from this behavior.

I was expecting him to fall on his face as he walked towards me, I was expecting to punch him before he even had a chance to hug me, I was expecting someone as rude as Sasuke to save me from this intimate moment between his teammates, I was expecting something-anything, to interrupt this warm welcoming contact. What followed next, I would not be able to recall without feeling a sense of selfpity, emptiness, and shame.

His wavering lips trailed over my eyes, kissing my cheeks in what I thought was a desperate unanticipated way of greeting a beloved missed friend. Wanting somehow to return the caring soft action, I leaned against his shoulder, a sob escaping my lips. Tears stained his white hokage robe, stained the white fabric until there was nothing left but a damp spot where my cheeks had been. Where crying would be considered a sin in front of other men, it was somehow comforting in the face of Naruto. It was something I could not even bring myself to do with ease even with Lee.

So I cried.

I cried even as Naruto rubbed my back in hopes of providing comfort, I cried even as he wiped the copious amount of tears from my eyes with his hands, I cried even as he kissed my forehead again, and I cried even as he littered my face with his lips, kissing my mouth with as much carelessness as when he kissed my cheeks. I was too caught up in so many hindering emotions crashing into me without allowing me a chance to react properly.

I suppose that is why, without any reaction, without any consideration into future consequences…

I suppose that is why I allowed myself this moment of brief, insane, foolish, gullibility.

His lips tasted of desperation, of salted bitter tears as my eyes continued to weep, of comfort in the midst of confused, deprived, chaos.

"S-STOP!" I cried, my mind finally shocking me back into reality as I turned my head away from him.

Naruto did as he was demanded to do. He kept his distance and tore away from me in the process.

I had no way of knowing if those tears staining Naruto's face were his or my own. Tights fists shook frantically and humiliated blue eyes turned to the side.

"Sak…Sakura, I-I'm…sorry. I-I know that…I should've stopped! I should've known better! I know you're with Lee and I know what I did was wrong! I never meant to take it that far! I-I…I…DAMN IT!" he yelled in frustration. "DAMN IT! I….damn it…"

"Naruto…calm down…" I said, the effects of dehydration and all those superfluous macabre experiences disorienting me. His screaming was not alleviating my drug induced state.

"I-I'm sorry Sakura! Truly…I am…I-I've just…do you have ANY idea how much I've missed you?" he blurted out.

His random question pulled me out of my piercing headache if only momentarily. "Wh…what?" I asked.

The new hokage sat himself next to me, back erect as if supported against a wall, wet eyes widening and closing to mentally prepare himself.

"I'm so sorry Sakura…I-I know…it's my fault. If I could've just restrained myself…especially when you're like this! It was…it was wrong of me to do this when you can barely think straight!"

"It…it was both our faults." I said. "Just…just don't talk about it. Forget it ever happened." I muttered.

"How can I forget?" He suddenly spat out angrily.

The edges of my lips pulled into what felt like a pain filled smile. Facial muscles were bruised and dry with the harsh treatment of the arctic sun and were not much use for smiling. Yet I grinned nonetheless for our silly behavior.

"We've been in the same room for less than a minute and we're already fighting, I never thought I'd see the day when I would be happy because of it." I admitted wearily.

Naruto opened his mouth as if to further hiss out vitriol, yet clamped it shut when he realized I trying to be humorous.

"Was the mission that bad?" he asked, his eyes dropping to my lap in worry.

I shrugged, wanting anything but to recall those morbid memories.

"It doesn't matter…we're here…we're safe and we're alive." I murmured.

"M-hm." Naurto for once opted for a taciturn answer and slouched his back, relieving it of its uncharacteristically former tense posture.

The pitiful amount of movement on my part had enervated my entire body, forcing it through what had felt like hiking a mountain after running a marathon. My own back collapsed back on the crisp sterile sheets of the hospital's bed. The air conditioner was on, its slow hums drowning out what dearth of words Naruto and I had left to say. His hand snaked its way to the covers, raising them to my neck for warmth. I smiled in return, but said nothing, afraid I would obliviously welcome some awkward moment upon us if I did. My teammate's immense hat lay on a nearby chair, leaving him to ruffle up his once captured blonde locks.

"You look…really handsome with that Hokage get up you have on." I complimented without a care in the world as to how Naruto would perceive it.

He smiled back and continued to run both his hands through his messy hair.

"…So you won't tell Lee? Simple as that?" he scoffed, all but throwing my honest compliment to the ground and spitting on it.

"How can I? It was a stupid thing…just…just forget it." I literally waved it off with my hand. "I'm drugged with enough stuff to take out a horse and you're famous for doing stupid things and-"

"It wasn't stupid for me Sakura." He said through gritted teeth. "I take it back…I don't regret doing it to you, in fact I'm glad..since I finally got it off my chest."

I blinked in blatant confusion. "So it was just an itch you were dying to scratch?"

"I never do things because of a whim, Sakura. In fact I would still kiss you if you'd let me." He answered crisply.

"Then you'll have to forgive me if I don't allow you." I snapped back with unnecessary and icy prudency. "Naruto…I'm in love with Lee…"

"No man who truly loves you would put you through that…that hell." He retorted through lividly pursed lips.

"I went through that on my own accord. Don't blame Lee." I assured, "and I would do it again for him."

Naruto was anything but pleased with my haughty answer and apparently decided to further discomfit the situation.

"Sakura…I still love you."

"Naruto, I'm just a woman you have seen since you were a child. We are close, we are like a family, no matter what I might have said in the past, no matter how immature I was with Sasuke and you, no matter what stupidities I may have done…"

"I don't care. Sakura, if anything happens…I will be there for you." My comrade interrupted sternly.

I gave him a blank stare that said nothing.

"Thank you…although I pray that that day never comes." I said, trying not to make it sound like a left-handed remark, but failing horribly in the process.

"Your wounds must not be that serious if you have enough energy to be so mean to me." Naruto said, albeit not in his usually mirthful manner I was so used to hearing from him.

"Speaking of wounds, how's the rest of my team?" I asked, my mind barely grasping the fact that others had been affected.

"Tenten's fine. Neji's complaining about not being allowed to train until his eye heals and Sai…he's holding up."

"And Lee?" I uttered nervously.

"I've put him off duty for the time being. After personally delivering the prisoner to us, which I took great pleasure in taking away, he…" Naruto fidgeted with his hokage hat, "he passed out. I think he's a floor above you, actually."

"Is he all right?" I asked in sudden panic.

Naruto held up his hands in mock defense, "He's an excellent shinobi, it would take more than a second rate scientist to keep him down for long Sakura."

His assurance allayed my worries as I rested back down on my pillows. "When will I be able to get out of here? I hate the smell of everything…it's no wonder patients hate being here."

He chuckled and put his hat in place once more. "Lee said the same thing. I can…I can kind of see why the two of you fit together."

I smiled and pressed my head further into my hard pillows for comfort. "I can't wait to see him…"

Naruto gave me a weak smile and nodded as he walked towards the door. "Yeah…I bet you can't. But first you have to rest okay? Then you can go see him."

If I had not been so drugged I would have stopped him to chat with him longer.

He left immediately anyway, his face admitting no defeat yet momentarily realizing there was no possible room left for him. There was nothing I could do to console him even though I wished there could have been. I could offer no words of encouragement with this adversity he faced; there was none I could give.

The following week produced no signs of Lee, albeit copious visits from Naruto, Sasuke, and the rest of my friends were enough to keep me occupied. It was only when I was bereft of any company that Lee's absence had a significant toll on me. What kind of man did not visit his moribund girlfriend in the hospital? I bit my lip and tried to think of other things that did not prick at my eyes. He was probably in a worse condition than I was and here I was, bickering over visits. The room smelled faintly of the flowers that Naruto had made a habit to send. A myriad of sunflowers, lilacs, and tulips filled my sinuses and threatened to use up every box of tissues in the hospital.

"Such beauty need not be grieving." The somewhat poetic verse stirred me from my melancholic state.

It was as if a divine deity had read my mind and decided to grace me with a favor.

Lee's exhausted and hunched over form could be seen through the darkness in my room. I heard him close the door behind him quietly.

"Lee? You're supposed to be in your bed!" I hissed, although my excitement at seeing him easily pushed away any feelings of resentment toward him.

He balanced himself with a crutch as he limped his way to me, that smirk of his impossible to not be contagious.

"I missed you. Is that not reason enough to get up from bed?" he asked innocently, hiding his pained grunts with each step he took.

"Not when you're supposed to be recuperating!"

"It does not matter to me..I needed to see you.." he replied as he shakily put his crutches to the side of my bed and slowly sat next to me.

"You're going to open up your wounds, you know." I berated, scooting over to make more room for him to rest.

"For you it is worth it." He said while he propped both legs on top of my bed with great and painful sounding effort.

"Idiot." I grumbled, before wrapping my arms around him as tightly as I could without causing any more bodily damage. "I'm glad I finally got to see you though…you have no idea how much I've missed you."

"The feeling is mutual…" he responded, returning the embrace. "I wanted to see you sooner, but I am afraid our dear hokage kept a close watch on me."

I let out a laugh that only seemed to exacerbate the pain on my bruised stomach.

"That sounds like him."

"How are you feeling?" he asked worriedly, noticing my sudden cringing.

"Better now that you're here."

I kissed his forehead before plopping back down on my pillows. It took far too much strength to support my upper body. My hands pulled at him until I felt his body rest next to mine.

"And how are you feeling? Anything broken?" I asked.

Lee's hand wrapped itself around mine. "No, just a sprained ankle that I got from when I passed out."

"And…" I contemplated my next question, but curiosity won me over, "and what happened to…him?" I asked, hoping the mention of his father had not stunted any healing Lee was trying to cultivate about the experience.

The smooth current of conversation froze. I felt Lee move a bit before his hand rested on my stomach.

"My father..." he worded the title with reluctance, "I now realize that I am a much better man than he could ever hope to be. Let us leave it at that."

"Well, I'm glad you finally figured that part out." I said with a smile as I squeezed his hand. "And I'm glad that we all made it out okay…"

"Yes…although I think Neji was too risky for my taste. The fool could have rendered his eye useless."

"I can't judge him. We all did stupid things for our survival." I pointed out softly.

I felt Lee stir next to me again as he sighed. "Yeah…we did. But I suppose Neji did it to save us…and Tenten of course." He said the woman's name as if he was aware of a secret that I was not.

"Why do you say that?" I asked, curiosity egging me on to reveal the secret.

"Neji really does…care for Tenten. I do not know why I have not noticed it before…perhaps because he rarely makes his feelings apparent."

"No, really? I thought he blushed and started stammering like a love struck schoolboy whenever he saw Tenten." I said dryly. "Faints just like Hinata does too whenever she sees Naruto."

My blonde teammate's name escaped my lips rather guiltily.

Lee let out a roar of laughter that left him cringing in pain and clutching his stomach. He stopped laughing instantly.

"Well, I do not recall him doing such a thing, but if it was not obvious before, then I am sure Tenten has noticed by now."

"You think she's really interested in him, don't you?" I asked, wondering what could make Lee assume this much.

"Why would she not be? He is a highly successful man and she is the only female he can stand for an extended amount of time."

"That's real love right there." I joked, trying to hide my amusement from his assumptions. "Tolerance equals love."

"You sound rather pessimistic about this new relationship."

"Maybe because it's not a romantic relationship, not if Sai has anything to say about it."

"Sai?...Sai?" he blurted out incredulously as if he was making sure we were speaking about the same ROOTS member. "What would he have to say about it?"

I played with my blankets nervously. "I think Tenten likes him."

"It does not mean the feeling is mutual." Lee said, albeit with a humorous amount of defense for Neji.

"Maybe not, but I think it is."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I don't know." I blurted out, careful not to turn into the nosy old next door neighbor. "I'll be sure to ask both of them when I see them."

"You will not dare! If they are going out they will tell us themselves!" he said with a warning tone.

"Pipe down. I know, I know." I assured, half joking.

"Plus, I hardly think it would be a smart match."

"Um, who are we to judge? If they're happy then-"

"Neji plans to propose." He divulged me with the gossip like the women who sat in beauty salons all day talking about who was cheating on their spouse or getting fat.

I completely stopped fooling around with my blankets. "He WHAT? When did you hear this!" I exclaimed, taking the juicy verbal bait.

"Today, but do not dare tell Tenten this!-"

"I won't! I won't!-"

"-Neji came to my room earlier today and-"

"What did he look like?"

"Like he had seen better days." He replied fatly, as if that were obvious. "He told me that this past mission had made him realize how short the lives are for people in our profession, so he plans to ask Tenten as soon as they are out of the hospital."

"But her and Sai-"

"Neji noticed it too, but he says he will ask her anyway."

"Is he trying to steal her from Sai?"

"They are not going out Sakura! Get that thought out of your head!" he berated desperately.

"And how do you know? What makes you so sure they are not doing the exact same thing we are?"

"Slipping into each other's rooms?"

"Dating!"

"They're not!"

I groaned in exasperation as I released his hand. "Lee…they're dating…well as far as I can tell."

Lee didn't…or couldn't say anything in return. I thought I had heard him release what had seemed like a surprised gasp, but he kept his reactions at bay.

"How do you know?" he asked stoically.

"They kissed…OH-but don't tell him I said that!" I exclaimed as if Lee would be imprudent enough to expose me.

"They…what? When? I saw no such thing! They do not appear as if they are going out! How can a man like Sai-"

"-What about Sai? Tenten's the one who is choosing, not you Lee." I tried not to use my scolding voice.

"I am fully aware of that, but to a degree this is also Neji's choice. If he chooses to pursue her, I am confident that he can win her over." He responded as if that were possible.

"…That just sounds like a bad idea." I muttered, "I don't think Neji is even her type. He's always so grouchy and serious."

"He is my best friend, I do not expect you know him as I do, but he is a kind man who would treat Tenten as she deserves to be treated."

"With cold shoulders and two word sentences?" I joked.

Lee stiffened, although if it was because of his wounds or my awful crack, I did not know.

"He is not Sasuke. Anyway, he is a good man. I do not think he has anything to worry about."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I do not mean to sound rude, but he and Sai are no competition."

"That's what I first thought about you and Sasuke, but you beat his ass the first time you met him." I quipped, swiftly reminding him that geniuses did not always win simply because they were bred for success.

I could have sworn I felt the lightest flinch from Lee, but he gave no inclination to agreeing with my statement. He cleared his throat to change the subject, almost as if the memory itself was nothing more than an embarrassing relic left over from his childhood.

"That was long ago, and you are clearly mistaken if you think I mean they are no competition simply because Neji is stronger in a fight, which I know he is." He corrected rather smugly. "I mean in other terms."

"Such as?"

"Sakura…Sai is…Sai is a complicated comrade. That is all I am going to say about the matter." He said tersely.

I felt my face flare up in indignation at the mere nuance of a negative opinion of my fourth team member.

"I hardly think you're in any place to talk down on people who are 'complicated'! Sai is a good guy and he could make Tenten happy in ways Neji lacks, so there!" I exclaimed defensively like a mother shielding her young from maltreatment.

Lee chuckled dryly and laid a light kiss on my head.

"Well, we'll let Tenten figure that out for herself. I meant no disrespect, I know you and Sai are good friends." He stated.

There seemed to be room for an apology, but sadly I never received it even though my volatile state needed it at the moment.

Lee had other things on his mind for me instead of apologizing.

"Let us go to sleep." A yawn accompanied his demand.

"What? With you? Here? Now?" I asked incredulously. "Won't the nurse come in the morning and-"

"Yes, with me. Who else is here? Naruto?" He chuckled at his own joke, blissfully unaware at how nerve-racking that joke was for me. He kissed my head once more before turning on his stomach and burying his face in the pillow.

I laughed rather loudly and robotically before pulling the blanket over us.

"Why did you laugh like that?" He managed to ask, his voice disturbed and muffled a bit by the pillow.

Sometimes I wished Lee was too exhausted to ask questions this late at night.

I played with the ends of the blanket, suddenly fascinated by the fabric and texture. My eyes darted across the darkness to where Lee rested not two inches away from me in the narrow hospital bed. I could barely make out his figure, but I could feel his eyes meeting my own as his head turned away from the pillow and slowly focused on me. In my perturbed state I could even make out the slightest of eye blinks…or perhaps that was just my conscience slowly batting away at my sanity. Lee drew a long, tired sigh and seemed to wait for something.

"Lee…I…"

"He spoke to me about it." he stated calmly.

My mind refused to linger on any one thought for long as my heart beat itself out of my ribcage.

I felt my eye widen in panic.

My tongue turned to sand.

And my throat…

My throat was the desert.

"A-a-about….a-about w-what?"

Lee took another long breath and I heard his hand rub the back of his head in contemplation for his next choice of words.

"Sakura…I know that Naruto proposed to you."

While his breathing was lax and enervated, mine was rapid and ragged. I kept blinking, hoping that by doing so, I would be able to make out his facial expressions and see how he took the news. His voice had no meaning, no emotion attached to it. There was nothing to tell me he was angry or offended from this news. I had no way of knowing how he felt and that seemed to exacerbate my panicked state even more.

"A-and?...Do you-…do you know w-what…what my answer was?" I asked, hoping to come across as mature and self-assured, but failing miserably with my broken voice.

My anxiety screeched to a halt as I felt a gentle hand reaching out for mine in the lightless room. Confusion and hurt took the place of dread and alarm.

"He is…he is a good man Sakura, he will not make you miserable and he will take care of you." He said calmly as if he was a tired traveler parting with his favorite belonging.

My teeth clenched.

"But you're going to take care of-"

"-You know…if something should happen to me…"

I shut my eyes at the mere possibility he was implicating. I began to resent his words.

"Nothing is going to happen to you!" I assured, confused at his choice of grim topic.

"I only wish for you to be happy should something-"

"Shut up, SHUT UP! NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU!" I raised my voice as I gathered all my patience to keep from lashing out.

"But if it DOES!" he demanded as he gently took both my shoulders. My eyes had quickly adapted to the night, and his own held no empathy for me, no warmth that welcomed a positive attitude or an optimistic future. "Sakura…promise me you will marry Naruto if something does happen to-"

"NO!" I yelled, pushing his arms away from me.

"PROMISE ME!" he supplicated again.

"I'm going to marry who I want and that person will be you! Now SHUT UP!" I ended the conversation as I threw my blankets over me. "If I would have known you would come here just for this, I would have locked my door."

"Sakura…if I am no longer here.." he started the grim subject again no matter how much he knew it was angering me, "…I only want you to-"

"-you make it sound as if you're dying!" I cried, realizing I was holding back a sob. "You're a terrible person for even bringing up the subject!"

I felt warm hands make a grab for my shoulders again.

"Death is never a welcomed subject, but one that I must cover nonetheless." He said as he pulled the covers away from me and rested his head against my own. "Sakura, I will not die. The only way that would even be possible if it meant saving your life in return for my own. But…I want you to have someone who will care for you and love you as I do now. Please understand that."

"How'd you find out Naruto proposed to me?" I almost whimpered.

"He asked me if he could before I left for my mission, of course." Lee responded as though it were obvious.

"And you said 'yes'?" I asked, insulted from his attitude.

"I wanted both of you to not have any doubts…that is the worst thing one can have when you love someone. I should know." He said.

"That still doesn't mean I'm not angry at you." I retorted and pulled my covers back over my head in an attempt to ignore him.

Lee sighed and kissed the blanket covering my face. "Please do not be upset."

"How can I NOT be upset!" I hissed as I momentarily shot my head out from underneath the covers. "You just agreed to SHARE me with Naruto, you sick minded-!"

"Whoever said a thing about sharing you? It is a backup plan, not polygamy!" he said in a somewhat amused voice. "I would never dream of sharing you with anyone. You are mine as much as I am yours." He assured.

"You still made it sound like you were giving me to Naruto." I grumbled.

"I would beat any man who had that intention, I do not care if it was our Hokage!"

I was still not convinced as I showed him my back and burrowed into the uncomfortable sterile bed for warmth. "I still hate you for even mentioning it."

"Would you still hate me once I made mind-blowing love to you for forgiveness?" he whispered into my now burning ear.

"You mean before or after Naruto made mind-blowing love to me as well?" I scoffed back.

"Sakura, you know I did not mean it like that…" I could sense him pouting in the darkness.

"Well, you sure sounded like you did."

Lee sighed and wrapped one arm around my rigid and livid body.

"Sakura, okay fine. It was foolish of me to choose for you. I just wanted you to know that if for any reason, something happens to me…"

"Lee, we're going to die when we're old and withered and have lived full lives filled with smiles, fattening food, and sex. So shut it." I finished for him.

He laughed and turned me over to face him. "All right…you win. I will die with you once we are old and tired of sex." He said as he chuckled at the last part.

"Damn straight." I muttered. "And trust me, I'll never get tired of that, so you'd better pray I die before you do!"

The following days produced sporadic visits from Lee and my friends and medical checkups from nurses that seemed almost superfluous considering I was healing any small wounds I had with the abundance chakra my body had to offer to me from the hours of rest and food the hospital had provided me. The only positive thing that came of my bedridden state was the lack of paperwork I had to help Lady Tsunade in, which I was sure Shizune was having a field day with me missing in action from the office. The weeks seemed to merge into one long day that only took a break when my eyes close to sleep. This form of existence was taxing on my mind.

"Have you seen Tenten?"

Sai's voice ripped me from my idle thoughts as I saw his head peer into my room.

I stopped in the midst of my ruminations long enough to stare at Sai from his odd question.

"Y-yeah. All the time…she comes by to check on Lee. Why?"

"She has stopped sending me books."

"That's not my problem." I teased. "Why don't you go talk to her?"

"Because I do not want to get yelled at by her." He said somberly.

I cocked an eyebrow at him and motioned for my teammate to enter my room.

"Well…why would she yell at you?"

Sai held a slight limp as he walked into the room and saw down in one of the uncomfortable chairs close to my bed."…With you it's almost expected, but with her…it feels just like the first time Homo looked at me when I met him." He said, alluding to the jerk's terrifying sharingan ability no doubt.

"Am I to assume that you want me to be the middle woman and talk to her?" I asked with a sigh as I finished with the bandages.

"No…I am simply asking about her disappearance."

"She didn't disappear Sai, she probably just got sick and tired of you." I joked heartlessly with a cackle.

My friend failed to see the sarcasm in my words and furrowed his eyebrows at me in worry.

"Did I anger her?"

"No you idiot. Listen, do you want to talk to her or not?"

"Of course."

"Ask her out on a date then."

"A…what?"

"A…you know…DATE. A date. The kind of meeting where you talk to the person, probably eat with them, and find out more about them."

I now knew how bored housewives felt when there was no amusement around for miles. Idle hands made for a bolder tongue and mind and a lack of proper communication between the two of them.

Sai's face relaxed to that of one who finally understood.

"Oh! Is that what it is? We have been on plenty of those then!"

"What?" I asked. Now I was the one who was confused.

"I have asked Naruto something similar since I wanted to learn more about Tenten's knowledge on how to make friends. He would say to take her out to Ichiraku ramen every time, so I did for several months."

"…Oh…" I said, puzzled.

It would be a glorious day when Sai finally realized what an idiot he was.

"I learned plenty about her even after she had nothing else to teach me about making friends. I suppose I kept on asking her out of habit since it became pleasant to have her around me."

"So you like her?"

"I've told you I don't even know what that is. All I know is that it was pleasant to talk to her any chance I could get."

"So…you…like her?" I asked again, Sai's stupid answers were only further confirming his feelings toward her. "Well, look at it this way, do you ask other girls out?"

"What?" He asked as his eyebrows burrowed in worry. "No. I enjoy her company the most and find it bothersome when other girls interrupt our talk because they confuse me with Homo."

"So you LIKE HER!" I practically screamed in delight.

"No. I simply-"

"Shut up Sai." I ordered. The man was forced to obey as he closed his mouth. "That, Sai,…is when you like someone."

"What is?"

"THAT! Th-the whole 'I like being with her, I like learning things about her, I like HER!' kind of thing! You, Sai, like someone."

"Is…is that all right?"

His question was enough to throw me off guard.

"Wait…what? What do you mean 'Is that all right'? What kind of question is that?" I asked as if the mere question was stupid of him to voice.

"I was taught to have no name, to have no emotions, to have no past…to have no future, to only focus entirely on the mission." He said succinctly, his eyebrows furrowing in slight worry.

"Well…you have a name, and whether or not you'd like to admit it to yourself, you DO have emotions. You may not remember much about your past, but you do have a future and a say on what you want to do with your life."

"But…my past…how can I just leave that and expect her to accept it? How can she accept me?" he asked as if I had the answer to such a question.

I sighed and took a seat closer to his bed.

"Listen…Sai, you have to look at where you are now, and forward. If you keep looking back on the past, you can't move forward. You taught me that."

"I did?"

I shrugged as I gave him an earnest look. "I wouldn't lie to you. Now stop being emotional and talk to Tenten the next time you see her to fix that problem up."

She apologized profusely to the boy as he stared stoically above her. Her arms encircled his bare waist adamantly, her face buried in his sluggishly breathing chest. Sai was at a loss, his arms were stiff with discomfiture, his hands confused as to how to react. He struggled to concoct some form of logic from her actions, yet none would come.

"Tenten, I cannot be angry at you even if I wished for such an emotion. I would just like to know why your visits have dwindled in recent days." He said flatly.

"I was embarrassed." She admitted, her cheeks a bloodied flush while Sai held her at arm's length.

"Of what?" he asked, his oblivious expression suddenly rising some lividness out of Tenten.

" 'Of what'? You seriously can't be this clueless!" she exclaimed, her lips stern and unforgiving.

"I am clueless. Is there something wrong I did that made you angry?" he inquired. "Usually when a woman is angry at a man, he unknowingly does something that displeases her."

"It's more like what you didn't do." She muttered under her breath as she sighed in defeat and got off the bed.

"What didn't I do?" Sai pleaded to know with a vexed look. Apparently his keen sense of hearing from countless spying missions left Tenten flustered.

Her feet shifted uncomfortably on the floor, her hands tucked behind her back as if it would help her situation. "Back at the cave…" she grumbled, "you know what happened…why do I need to remind you?"

Sai's eyes widened just a bit in remembrance, easily reverting to their calm almond shape as he patted the spot next to him on the bed with his IV injected arm. Taking it as a sign to sit back down, Tenten sighed again and took her place, albeit a prudent two feet away from the alabaster skinned man. Both lied in silence, their backs erect as Sai thought of his words.

"Are you angered because you were expecting a different result when it happened?" he finally asked.

"…Y-I mean m-maybe, I don't know." She stumbled ungracefully on her reply.

Again, silence penetrated their conversation.

"I'm sorry." He uttered.

"Ah, don't be. I'm the one who kissed you." Tenten responded. "Maybe I'm the one who should be sorry."

"That is not necessarily true."

"What do you mean?"

"When..when you did that…that thing, I could have easily pushed you back in response…I could have easily told you to stop…and I could have easily avoided your contact altogether." He rummaged through his reasoning. "But for one reason or another…I wasn't disgusted or disturbed by it."

"So…what does that mean?" Tenten asked with mild interest.

"Since my initial reaction was not one of rejection, I am led to assume that logically my body was somewhat attracted to the stimuli."

The brown haired woman simply blinked in return, not quite understanding the man in front of her.

"Can you say that in a way that doesn't make you sound like a machine?" she joked with a slanted smirk.

"It means I probably liked it."

"Probably?" she asked in a mock insulted manner.

"More than likely, then." He corrected, unaware of the ever closing distance between them.

"I see."

"What do you want of me? I can't guarantee that I will be as good to you as Lee is to Sakura. I am oblivious to most of your implications, physical affection is hard to reciprocate for me, I wouldn't know what to do in a 'relationship', and I can't even begin to understand why you would-"

His body was mauled back into the bed as Tenten pinned him down with the weight of her body and her lips once again crashing down on his.

"Well, for starters, you can begin by kissing me back." She said with a smile, her mouth leaving his for a moment so as to tantalize him.

"Kiss you back?" he asked, the slightest hues of red staining his skin.

"Or not. It all depends on whether or not your 'attraction theory' holds out." She replied, her voice a mixture of hope and fear of facing rejection.

That fear was thankfully averted as Sai automatically tilted his head upwards to meet her lips again.

"Just do what I do." She consoled, caressing his cheek with her fingertips as her other hand ran through his hair.

Healthier days followed as we were released from the hospital one by one. Those days, Lee was adamant about spending time with my family and his friends. It seemed my parents enjoyed his presence and seemed to enjoy embarrassing me in front of him even more. There were nights when we went out to dinner together, just the four of us. There were days when we went out as a group, much to Naruto's chagrin and Sasuke's initial reluctance. There were even times when we could be found training or relaxing with Tenten and Sai and of course, there were times when Lee would set aside time to spend time with his mentor and best friend. Those days, I would spend my time with Tenten.

Today was not one of those days.

Today would consist of cooking with my mother.

"How is Lee's therapy going, Sakura?" she asked as she nibbled on a rice cracker while I made quick work of some fruit.

"It's better. The psychologist says his mood changes are not as unstable as they once were."

"Is he still taking medication?"

"…Yes mom…"

"How is that working for him?"

"Well…his moods are better…" I said uncomfortably.

"That's good to hear. I am so proud of that boy and all he has done. His resilience is really remarkable."

I did not know what it was about a mother's compliments that made me feel flattered for picking Lee as a boyfriend.

"Thanks…I'm sure he's very happy too."

"Well, how can he not be? He has a very wonderful girlfriend who supports him, right?"

"I guess."

"And I'm sure you two have been getting along well?"

"Yeah…I really like living with him." I confessed with an honest smile.

My mother smiled back and handed me a warm cup of tea as I took a seat next to her on the table. Her eyes quickly darted to meet my own while I drank my tea. A smile played on her lips. A knowing look that implied omnipotence glazed her eyes. She stood up from her seat and promptly turned on the faucet to wash dishes. I smiled nervously at her and stuffed a cracker in my mouth to break our sudden silence.

It was far too quiet for my mom to be in the same room and I began to worry.

"So…how's the sex?"

I nearly spat out my tea. "Erm…what?"

"The sex…you've had sex with Lee right?" she asked as she stopped washing the dishes and turned her head to look at me with a look upon her face that was laced with shock, wonderment and…was that…pity?

"What? NO!"

"You know Sakura, there is nothing wrong with having sex before marriage if you love and respect one another and use protection."

"Mom…get off that topic please."

"I'm serious! You think any of your friends' parents were virgins when they got married? I tell you that Ino's mother was the FIRST one to-"

"OH DEAR GOD, MOM SHUT UP!" I begged as I began to be mentally scarred for the remainder of my life.

"And it's healthy for you Sakura! It lowers bad cholesterol, boosts your immune system, and how does it get you up and running in the mornings!"

At this point I had decided to simply drown my mother's words out as I sipped at my tea.

"Sakura, you are so immature about it! I am sure Lee would be happy to take that next step with you!"

"What step?" asked an innocent voice as the door opened.

Lee had come in through the most opportune time as my life would have it.

"Lee!" my mom's voice suddenly changed to saccharine as she smiled at her favorite person in the room. "How are you? How did your mission go? Are you hungry? Tired?"

He chuckled and hugged the infernal woman tightly. "I am fine, thank you Mother." He responded like a well behaved son. "The mission was finished early and no, I am not hungry or tired, but thank you."

"That's a relief." My mom continued to grin.

"What step were you talking about with Sakura?" he asked as he walked over to me and kissed my forehead. "I have missed you." He whispered in my ear.

"Oh, we were talking about having se-!"

"S-second opinions!"

"On what?"

"On the…" my mind could provide no suitable or believable lie. "About the way you um…train!"

"The way I train?"

"No, we were talking about s-"

"SIT UPS! You know you hardly ever do any of those Lee! You really need to start taking better care of your body! It can't always be weight lifting and cardio!" I chided nervously.

Lee seemed to wonder for a moment before agreeing. "Yes, I suppose I need to build up on the abdominal muscles. I have had so much of your father's delicious cooking that I never stopped to think what it would do to me!" he confessed.

'Only in this family…the men in the house cook and complain about their weight and the women eat and don't give a second thought to packing on the pounds.' I brushed the bizarre thought away and nodded.

"NO! Lee, what I was-!" Lee respectfully turned his head to face my mother as she was ready to protest before I silently cut her off by waving my horizontal hand across my neck.

'SHUT. UP.' I seemed to mouth to her.

She looked dismally at the floor before continuing to wash the dishes (like takeout required any plates).

"I was about to say that even Sakura could use the exercise. She should join you." Her mordant remark nearly made me want to throw a chair at her.

"Good idea. Let's go and do them Lee." I snapped back as I screeched my chair back.

"But I was hoping we could-"

"Let's go." I cut him off as I pulled him by the hand. "BYE MOM." I seethed, hoping to send her on a guilt trip for my sudden departure.

"Bye Sakura! Love you!" she called back sweetly.

I could have sworn I heard Lee whimper as I dragged him outside.

"I feel as though I am neglecting something…" he said carefully, yet followed me nonetheless.

Lee sat uncomfortably in his seat and fumbled with a towel he had used to dry himself after taking a shower. He appeared enervated, but still alert to any words I could give him. He looked as if I was about to scold him.

"Is it safe to assume that your mother was not talking about my recreational eating?" he asked.

I sliced a carrot with all the dexterity of someone who had spent years in precision cutting. Tomatoes, or at least what looked like them, lay in a bundle of mush from so much slicing. Even the peas were not spared from my disturbed state as they lay in pieces next to the plate of tomatoes. It seemed I was doing all I could to keep my mind from wandering to my mother's perturbing words. She was not exactly the sanest woman I had ever met, but her lack of prudency was alarming. My finger narrowly missed getting chopped off as I hacked into a pumpkin I had bought earlier this morning.

"We were talking about sex." I groaned, staring at the vegetables as if they were the source of my problems.

"Oh?" his voice piqued in interest. "And what about it?"

"She blatantly stated her beliefs in there being nothing wrong in sex before marriage."

"But there is nothing wrong with that. Just as there is nothing wrong with waiting until after marriage." He whispered as he wrapped his damp towel around me. "You worry far too much."

He was a rather malleable man, one who would comply to anything I wanted. I laughed as his lips kissed a sensitive area around my neck. His warm chuckles reached my ears as he asked me what the matter was. This man was truly the ideal man I had yearned for, of this I had no doubt as I brought my arms behind him and pressed them against his back.

"Lee…you are bit more affectionate today than usual."

"What do you mean? I can't be intimate with the woman I adore?" he whispered into my ear.

"Yes, but only when you're not acting suspicious." I corrected, trying to keep my focus on chopping the carrots in front of me.

"Women are so complicated." He mumbled before bringing my lips with his fingers towards his.

"And men are so headstrong." I responded as I pulled back.

Something definitely was amiss.

His hands that were once on my face and neck soon began to caress my legs, bringing his fingers across every inch of my skin. He smiled as he began to play with the rim of my shorts.

"Sakura…speaking of your mother's choice of conversation…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember my promise before I left?"

I gulped, wishing for a moment we had forgotten all about it.

"Wh-what about it?" I asked, trying with all my might to remain casual about such a life altering topic.

"Would you like to make love?" he asked as simply as he had asked what I was making for dinner.

"What? Right now?" I almost whined.

His laughter nearly broke my anxiety.

"Of course! You ask that as if you dread the idea Sakura. Are you that nervous or hesitant?" he asked in between his chuckles.

"N-no…I'm actually looking forward to it…it's just…"

"Just what?" he encouraged with a kiss on my nose.

"It…won't change anything…will it?"

"I do not see why it should." He said with a chuckle. "Unless you believe that having sex before marriage will make you uncomfortable….then I am more than willing to wait."

"S-seriously?"

He assured me with a nod as his hand rubbed against my neck and cheek.

"I will do anything you ask of me Sakura. Anything."

"So if I asked for sex…you'd comply?"

"Even if it was four in the morning and I had an ANBU meeting in five minutes."

"…Wow…thanks." I blurted out, apparently flattered from his devotion.

"It just feels very…correct for me to say that I love you."

"Seriously? At FOUR in the A.M.? Even if you were dead tired and sleepy?"

"Especially if I was dead tired and sleepy." He whispered against my ear, "You would give more than enough energy." his implications were not going to waste in my gutter of a mind.

"Tell me what you would do."

"I would begin to kiss you any way you wished…I would allow you take off my clothes in any manner you wished…I would take off your clothes in return and kiss your cheeks, your neck, your collarbone, your shoulders, every inch of your body. Sakura…in essence…I would do everything and anything that you wanted. I adore you that much."

"So…if I told you to make love to me…you'd do that right now?" I asked, baffled over how he could say such a thing without ruining that serious expression of his.

"If you wished." He stated as he began to laugh. "What is it with the precise questions? Are you that frightened?"

"Well, excuse me for being a virgin!" I said in indignation.

"I am not saying I am not new to this. I just find it adorable how you keep interrogating and making it into a science." He teased.

"I just find it priceless how you're not even curious!" I exclaimed, taking a few potatoes and making short work of them.

"Curious?" he repeated, blindly handing me a lettuce for whatever vegetables we were now obliviously cutting.

"You're willing to WAIT for sex? And you're a guy? Somehow those three words don't belong together."

"What do you mean?" he asked, smiling as he leaned in closer to me.

"Lee…even I..even I have.." I gulped like a parent explaining sex for the first time to a child. "..urges…a-and I just find it weird that you look like you've never had them!"

"Who is to say that I have never experienced them? You have simply never bothered to ask!" he corrected as he continued to chuckle.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Have you! Have you ever had…urges?"

"None that I can recall. I am a rarity among men I think." He stated, albeit tonelessly.

"How about dreams?"

"About you or with you?"

"BOTH!" I exclaimed, thinking I had hit the jackpot.

"I cannot recall either. I usually do not dream unless it is a nightmare."

Disappointment.

Utter….disappointment.

"So I guess that makes me the only pervert in this relationship?" I asked flatly, taking a few steps away from Lee as I continued cutting the carrots for dinner.

It was like making an energetic dog get off your lap.

Lee once again wrapped his arms around my stomach and kissed my jaw line, my fingers slightly shaking from the somewhat rough stimuli.

"And who is to say that you are?" he whispered.

"You just said you've never had-"

"Urges? No. Needs? Yes. I have always had needs, just like any other man Sakura. A need to be wanted, a need to be needed in return, a need to be with the one I love…," He answered softly, his hand resting on my navel, "…both emotionally and sexually."

"But you just-!" the knife lay abandoned by the cutting board, my mind was now more in tune to his hands wandering dangerously close to my lower abdomen.

"Ah, but, it all depends on asking the right questions Sakura." He whispered, his hands suddenly stopping.

"Right questions?" I mumbled, my head disoriented from the unexpected contact from Lee. "Like what?"

"Like straightforward questions instead of using pseudonyms or implications." He responded with a smirk as his lips playfully nipped at my neck.

"Fine." I snapped back, turning around and shoving his body against the kitchen table before he had a chance to react. "Have you ever been turned on before?"

"Of course."

"Have you been thinking about making love in the past twenty-four hours?"

"Past three weeks and a half, actually."

"So why the sudden change from a chaste saint to an opened minded man with normal desires?" I asked, almost insulted from being neglected from this information.

"I do not know…it is not as if I have not tried to control it!" he pointed out as he grabbed a cutting board I had been using and placed it between us in mock defense. "You are so confusing at times that I do not know if you wish to wait, or kill me, or make love!"

"You're one to talk! Here you are, practically shoving your hand down my shorts but when I react you hide behind a cutting board!" I exclaimed as I tried to pull said cutting board away from the petrified man.

"See? This is what I mean! I am afraid of being castrated now when just a moment ago you were so kind to me!" he cried back humorously as he shoved the cutting board into my arms and managed to narrowly escape my grasp by ducking underneath the kitchen table.

I threw the board against the sink, kneeling down to try and reach for one of Lee's legs as he crawled frantically out of the table.

"Get back here!" I growled in mock anger.

"No, otherwise I will have to explain my bruises to my teammates and I am running out of excuses!" he exclaimed as he managed to crawl out on all fours and scramble to the next room.

"OH, NO YOU DON'T!" I hollered with a laugh as I gave in to the chase.

It seemed Lee was astute in his escape considering he began to throw various medicine balls I had left in our living room table at me in a feigned attempt to meddle with my pursuit.

"Those took forever to make!" I chided, trying to grab each one before they hit the ground.

"They are all mud balls as far as I am concerned, even Sai says so!" Lee teased with a grin as he bought himself a bit of time and ran to the next room.

"You ASS!" came my retort as I set what little medicine I had managed to catch by the table again and ran into my bedroom.

The idiot was already anticipating my arrival as he began to barricade me with all the pillows I had carefully placed on my bed. His cruelty knew no bounds as he ran out of pillows and frantically grabbed my beloved stuffed animals I had cached throughout my childhood. It was the only guilty and immature pleasure I was allowed with my life, and Lee was throwing them at my face. I rescued my poor toys in a panic lest they hit the floor as well. I kept yelling at him to stop in a voice that did not know whether to cry or laugh at his stupid antics. My so-called sensitive lover was currently laughing at my desperate attempts to catch my childhood toys.

"I hope you know I'm going to kill you for this!" I threatened as Lee began to run out of my beloved animals.

It was only when the last stuffed kitten was caught and I closed my eyes for the most irrelevant of seconds that I realize that his inhuman speed had helped him escape my grasp once more.

"Get your ass over here!" I muttered under my breath.

It was only a matter of deduction to figure out where he was now. I spilled the toys on my bed before I hurriedly made it to the last room in the house where he could possibly hide from me and still manage to throw things at me.

His room.

And as my horrid luck would have it, his damn door was locked.

"You cheating coward!" I sputtered, not quite knowing what else to call him as I angrily rapped at the door.

"In what way did I cheat?" came his chaste question. The slightest notion of fear underlined his voice.

"You used your speed you jerk! Open up!"

"No, if I do then you will surely hit me!" he replied.

"No I won't!"

"Yes you will."

"Well, if I do you'll only have yourself to blame since you started it!" I accused.

There was a moment of silence, as if Lee was thinking of what to say to something that was obvioiusly true.

"…That was fun…" he finally chuckled.

"I will sleep in your bed over the covers if you open up." I bribed cunningly. "And I promise I won't hit you." I added reluctantly.

I had him at sleeping in his bed as he used that same speed to open the door.

He was greeted with the equivalent of a tackle as I used my entire body weight to push him into his back. I was only sorry the bed had all too conveniently broken his fall.

"Well you caught me Sakura." He admitted defeat as I held him against my own body. "Now what?"

"I think I'll make you clean up the apartment from the mess you made." I laughed as I turned to my side.

Lee pouted and squirmed his way out of my arms like a reproached child trying to escape the clutches of their parent.

"Don't think you'll make me clean it all by myself either." I added, my mirth growing to curiosity as Lee rested his back on his bed and extended his arms.

"Come here please."

His courteous request was oddly fulfilled as I dumped myself next to him.

"Hah…so what now?" I asked as we both lied on our backs and stared at the ceiling. "Any particular reason for the sudden change in scenery?"

"Well…I suppose I should start by telling you the odd advice my psychologist gave me."

I quirked an eyebrow at the mention of that antiquated man who was probably reading in the midst of a pool of books as we spoke.

"And what, even though I'm afraid to ask, did he advise?"

"That we should probably start to sleep in the same bed…or at the very least start to take naps together."

"Egh, I'm not much for sharing." I confessed, narrowly missing a pillow chucked at me. "I'm very territorial. I kick. Just ask Tenten!" I continued to make light of the serious tone the conversation was headed to.

"Can we please not talk about your previous relationships?" Lee strung a sensitive chord as I playfully smacked him on the shoulder. "I am your boyfriend, not your late night partner." He decided to add much to my chagrin.

"Okay, so jokes aside…why did he suggest this again?"

Lee shrugged timidly. "I suppose he said it would help us communicate more."

"Communicate? We already do that by talking." I pointed out dryly.

"He said communication is not always verbal…he said it would help relieve stress…" he mumbled as he fidgeted with a blanket.

"Stress?" I asked in a rougher voice than I intended to use.

"Since we are not…" he cleared his throat before finishing, "active."

"We train together. Wouldn't that count?" I inquired, feeling a bit more defensive than the situation called for.

"Yes, but it is not a form of affection…he is talking about intimacy." He responded quietly.

"Ah…so…what…exactly does he want us to do?" I asked, an overwhelming sense of cynicism coming over me.

"Can we please start by just lying down?"

"All right…just lying down though and nothing else." I said suspiciously.

"Lie on your stomach if you want." He offered, smiling as though hiding something.

"Why?" I asked defensively.

"May I please massage you? It is nothing sexual, I assure you. The doctor said even hugging and massaging did wonders for a relationship."

"If it's stress relief you want, then shouldn't you be the one lying on his stomach for a massage?" I inquired, obviously puzzled.

"You do not mind?"

"Of course not, I'm pretty good at massage therapy. I can even help you release tension in your chakra points." I said, finding it difficult not to brag. "Besides…I've always wanted to give you one but didn't know if you're the type to like them."

"I do not mind, I have just never had one before…unless the painful checkups by Lady Tsunade count."

"No." I giggled, helping him turn over as I rose to my knees and folded them under me.

The slight moans of ecstasy and surprise were enough to put me on edge as I continued to rub his lumbar region with dexterous hands. I applied gentle pressure to his scapulas, pressing his tight muscles against my hands and slowly taking away the pressure. His ribcage moved against me uncomfortably before I held it down. Tense neck and cranial nerves relaxed as my fingers slowly rubbed against the skin, feeling the blood circulate and muscles grow lax.

"That feels wonderful." Lee mumbled against his pillow.

I laughed and bent down to his cheek, giving him a peck before returning to my activity.

"I'm glad you like it…you deserve it."

"For what?" he mumbled yet again.

"For always working hard and trying your best in everything. For being a good boyfriend who is patient with me when anyone else would have thrown me out of a window. For lots of things."

"Well, you deserve that kind of treatment. You are," a moan that would have sounded erotic had I not known it was from the massage escaped his lips before he continued, "a very wonderful woman."

"Now you're just brown nosing so I can keep touching you like this." I teased. "Now turn around, I need to massage your chest and stomach too. It's not often I give full body massages you know."

Lee all too easily complied.

"You need to teach me this so I can do it to you as well Sakura. I am afraid I would end up breaking your bones if I tried it." He confessed.

I shook my head and cracked my knuckles in preparation before continuing to rub his pectoral muscles.

"I'm not one for massages, I'm too ticklish." I replied. "But you can rub my hands, they hurt the most after training."

"Because of healing?" he asked guiltily.

I shrugged. "Lots of things."

Lee took hold of my hand and held it against his chest, looking at me intently as if trying to read my thoughts. He gave up as he sat up and captured my lips. Even his kisses were different after the massage. They were less erratic, more confident somehow. I could feel it as he took the lead and deepened the kiss on his own. His hands massaged my own, adding to the euphoria I was already feeling. My body slowly descended into his bed, my back landing on the soft mattress as Lee held the back of my head and ran his fingers through my hair. It seemed I responded well to cranial massages as I felt my head lean against his touch. He smiled against the kiss, allowing me time to get comfortable.

"Take off your clothes." I stated, not quite realizing how wrong it sounded until I said it.

"What?"

"Th-the massage, it works better if there's nothing between my hands and your skin." I corrected his thoughts. "Plus, it sounds…fun."

Lee pondered my words for a moment, weighing them before touching the rim of his shirt.

"I will, but only if you do it as well. I do not feel comfortable being the only half naked person in the room." He said with a chuckle.

Surprisingly, I sat up and pulled my own shirt off with ease before helping him out of his. Lee wasted no time as he pulled me towards him and planted a kiss on my bare shoulder.

"Would you like to proceed with the massage Sakura? There are other things I find more fun at the moment." He said insinuatingly.

It was then that I realized that his bare body against mine felt…almost surreal. It was the first time I was consciously aware that what I was feeling was his naked chest against mine (bra included). Flesh on flesh. Skin on skin. Lips on lips.

He rubbed his hands across my bare arms, my skin awkwardly making contact with his own. I shivered as my chest rose with his, my lips quivered as his heart beat against my ear. His fingers traced soothing circles over my back, his mouth laying light kisses over my shoulder and back. Strong legs were entwined with mine, legs that sensually slipped between my own and caressed my thighs. My arms found themselves wrapped around his waist, enveloping his figure securely while I warmed my cheeks against his neck.

"This is wonderful." Lee whispered in my ear before laying a kiss on it. "I did not think you would be eager to do this."

"Well I wasn't." I corrected. "But you were right…this is a really nice way to get accustomed to each other."

"Your skin is very soft…" he said with a chuckle. "it is much colder than I thought it would be."

"Yours is warm…almost welcoming." I mumbled. "I get chilly easily so it's a nice way to get warmed up."

"Did he say how much clothing we could take off?" I asked almost jokingly.

"He said we could do anything we wanted except sex….so…I suppose we could…also take our pants off for comfort's sake?" he suggested, sounding as if he was pushing his luck.

Again, the thrill of the moment left no room for rational thought as I began to slip off my shorts and throw them across the room. Lee held back laughter as I roughly tugged at his pants before they also joined my shorts on the floor.

"Done." I said proudly as if I had just gotten rid of some hindrance.

"Still…I felt like I needed to ask you before committing such osculation! Such lewd action! Such a-ah!" Needless to say, I had grown weary of his idealistic and selfless words and decided to shut him up. I yanked his hair when I heard his moans of protest and brought him into submission as he melted into my touch.

His hands automatically began to rub themselves on my shoulders and arms, forming soothing circles around my back and face as he tried to show as much affection as he could during our kisses. I smiled against the kiss and tried my best to caress his face with the tips of my fingers every so often. My legs slowly began wrapping themselves around his own before he cleared his throat.

"Sakura…stop." He said between kisses.

"What? No. Why?" I rebelled against his wishes.

His objections merely invited me to deepen the kiss.

It was only once I felt something stiff close to my legs that I nearly jumped back from him.

"…."

"I asked you to stop." He said, embarrassment evident in his face. "I do not wish us to go any further than what you want…"

"What I want?" I asked breathlessly.

Lee cocked an eyebrow in confusion, but waved it off as he slowly began to untangle our legs. The look of consternation on his face was enough to rouse my curiosity.

"Lee…what if…what if I want more?"

At this, he narrowed his eyebrows in a deeper level of puzzlement.

"What? No. Sakura, I apologize for my…state, but it does not mean that you have to humor me…"

"I am NOT humoring you. I am asking you seriously. What if I wanted more?"

Lee seemed utterly lost at my choice of words.

I refused to disentangle my legs to prove my point.

"You do not know what you're-!"

Without fully realizing what I was doing, I found my hands dangerously close to the rim of his undergarments.

"-Can…can I feel it?"

"…What?...Why? I know you will do no such thing!" he exclaimed.

I was taken back.

"Who says I won't?" I challenged.

A kiss to my forehead and a chuckle were my answers.

"You are a very curious girl, Sakura, but I am afraid when it comes to matters of sexuality, it is best you wait."

His reasoning held no logic for me.

"I'm…I'm just very curious."

I continued to stretch my hand down, seeing as how Lee continued to stare at me, but did nothing to stop me. His face possessed an unreadable expression as I used up the last of my audacity to finish the remaining couple of centimeters before the tips of my fingers came across something extremely soft. All the anatomy books in the village could not have prepared me for this. A bit of flaccid skin brushed against my index finger, but I could not picture it in my mind. He was of average to mid-average size (from what the anatomy and sexual education books taught me). Of course I would not be able to call myself a medical expert if I was expecting nine to twelve unrealistic inches, but I found that I was quite satisfied (if not ecstatic) with Lee's size and length. (If anything I would be a bit intimidated once the moment arrived.)

"I…I am sorry." I heard him mutter.

"Wh…what?"

"I am sorry if I am not what you-"

"You're…joking right? Do you have any idea how many guys would kill to be your size! And it's not even…UP!"

"You do not have to-"

"Lee…I'm a doctor…I should know these things." I assured as I planted a kiss on his jaw line.

I felt him stir uncomfortably underneath my touch, skin rubbing against skin as he slowly grew accustomed to the odd contact.

"It feels…"

"Odd?"

"No." I quickly answered as I shut him up with my lips.

"Then what?" he asked, leaning his head closer to my own for another kiss.

"I don't know." I muttered, my fingers running themselves across the length.

"Tell me." He began to plead as his lips dominated my own and his hands began to encircle my waist.

I was unaware of when I began. I was clueless as to how I even knew how to start.

But I began to gently rub my hand around him, wondering just how far he would allow me to go before he interrupted me.

He didn't.

His breathing heightened, his lips began to desperately press against my own, his eyes remained closed as he kissed me, but opened to make contact with my own whenever he could. Hands that were once around my waist were now cupping my face and caressing my neck. A strangled grunt fled from his mouth, yet he quickly silenced it inside my own as I continued my actions.

"It feels…"

"…Y-yes?" he practically choked out.

My whole hand massaged the constantly hardening organ, wanting to feel every vein, every throb, and every slight movement from Lee. His arms encircled me; pulling me closer to him than I thought was possible. I could not stop from giggling as I heard him release a barely audible groan.

"Why do you do this?" he whispered, his voice sounding as though he were under torture.

"I…I don't know." I answered honestly, gasping slightly when I felt it rise further up. "Maybe I want to see…"

"…See…what?" he whined.

"How long…you last."

At this Lee began to chuckle in the midst of his pleasure.

"That all depends…." He said, garnering a smirk before his eyes shut tight and lips parted to release a quiet moan.

"On what?" I asked, somewhat liking his attitude toward this situation.

"On how long you wish me to last."

I contemplated the flattering answer, yet kept my swift moments around him as I continued to slowly run my hand against his now unyielding, rigid organ. Time progressed into a nonexistent hindrance. It was something that I gave little importance to as we kissed and nipped at each other's necks and lips. Lee was far too selfless. A partner's needs were…important…but that did not mean he had to sacrifice his own enjoyment for the sake of mine.

"Sakura…tell me…"

"I'm not going to tell you anything Lee. I will keep on doing this until you wish it, not when I do." I assured with a playful nip to his lower lip.

His chuckles seemed enlaced with pleasure as I said this, but it did nothing to hasten his limit. If anything I began to wonder when he would say something.

"Sakura…" he repeated my name several times against my ear, each time with a different tone in his voice. "Sakura…"

The change in his voice erupted giggles from me.

"…why…do…you…?" he did not even need to finish his question.

"I'm laughing because you're just…you're…" it seems I could find no air to conclude my own as I felt him quiver under my touch.

"Sakura…I…" he possessed my mouth, kissing away whatever words we had left unsaid.

He shuddered again as though he were cold, I could only take it as a sign. I hastened my actions, taking the time to completely pull what I had in my hand out of his boxers.

"It's okay…" I mumbled incoherently between kisses.

"…No…it is not…"

"Yes it is..just..just tell me what you want me to do." I added with a carnal voice that I hardly recognized as my own.

Lee zealously shook his head as if ashamed to voice his thoughts.

"Faster…? Slower? Softer?..Or maybe harder?" I teased, going as far as to demonstrating each of my words with the following action. "Better yet tell me where you like to be touched."

Again, the idiot refused my eager suggestions.

A small groan as I gently squeezed his tip sent excited shivers over my body.

"Relax…I don't know why you're so shy all of a sudden." I said softly, trying to find his face behind his hands.

"It is a new experience…I do not know what to do…" he muttered back, "and I never imagined you…like..this.."

"Like what?" I asked, playfully biting his lip as I continued my actions with the same pressure I had applied in his earlier massage.

The sudden stimuli made him jolt at my touch. Although the situation hardly called for it, I couldn't help but giggle at his reactions. I could feel thick veins actually throbbing against my palm as I intermittently slid my hand down his length. His slippery and smooth tip was difficult to hold with each twitch I received from Lee. My hand was already becoming damp, his breaths labored and bewildered as I changed my movements. His hands blindly caressed my face and lips, eyes still shut as if he were in blissful pain. Lips lowered to catch my own at a particular squeeze I gave him.

"Tell me where…" I whispered in his ear, hoping my voice did not sound as aroused as I felt at that moment.

One of his hands rested on top of my busy one, guiding me over tender veins and skin that elicited greater moans from him.

"That…that feels wonderful…" he said, voice lodged in his throat from the obvious pleasure.

Knowing what he wanted and what he liked was beginning to feel easy to me as long as he kissed me. It seemed whenever my fingers pressed against a preferred section, his kisses would deepen and his arms would rub themselves against me fiercely.

"So this is what a man feels like…" I murmured in amusement, realizing that aside from the usual and often bloody attacks to the thigh in missions, I had never seen a man's erection.

Lee chuckled and continued his assault on my lips, saying nothing, but moaning everything as I ruthlessly massaged his hardened skin.

Several minutes passed by continuing this assault on flesh and lips, with neither obstinate side willing to give in. I was beginning to wonder if his prolonged state of excitement was being taken as an opportunity to impress me.

"Lee…you can…come whenever you want." I said while my hand pressed and gently pulled at his erection. "Don't think that…you need to prove-"

"I am..not." he answered, his delectable tongue barricading my own. "…but I will tell you…that I am close…"

"Do you want to-"

"..No.." he responded, almost as if he knew what I was going to ask.

"It's fine…" I said breathlessly, "I don't mind-"

"I do not…I-" he abruptly pulled away from me before any pinnacle could be reached, being sure to keep me at arm's reach.

"Wh-what's wrong?" I asked coarsely.

"I…no…I do not…I do not want to…" he uttered helplessly as his shaking arm made a grab for a box of tissues by the nightstand.

I managed to grab the tissue before he did, threw it across the room, and placed my hand over him once again.

"I…I do not…want to…Sakura..on your…hand-"

With a shuddering breath, a final weary sigh, and the sound of his body falling back on the pillows, I began to feel something warm begin to seep through my fingers. The small liquid sped past my digits as a few drops trickled down to my hand and began to pool in my palm. It had taken me several moments to take in what had just happened, and wondered if the warmth I felt in my skin was really his own. His breathing slowly grew into long gulps of air, sounding as he often did whenever he had ran an obscene number of laps around the village when we were younger.

"I…I am..so…sorry…Sakura..please…forgive me…" he seemed to supplicate, his head burying itself deeper into his pillows in shame as he covered his forehead with both his palms and tried to calm his heaving chest. "I did not want…that…on your hands…"

Finding the tissues useful now, I groaned from having to leave the warmth of the bed to pick up the box and make use of several of the sheets to wipe off the now congealed white liquid sticking to my skin. I had no clue as to why Lee was so intent on apologizing as I quickly washed the residue off my hands in his bathroom. It was not as if he had done something wrong.

"Sakura…I am…I am…" he continued breathlessly as I came back and rested next to him.

I chuckled as I ran my fingers across his lower lip, smiling when I noticed a red mark from one of my less than playful nips. Small beads of sweat rolled from parts of his forehead not covered by his wrists, his body upon closer inspection littered with the salty water. His chest continued to rise heavily, his gulps of air sounding like desperate gasps, abs contracting whenever I touched them playfully with my nails. I had no way of knowing whether these were the affects of an orgasm or just his perturbed state by what I had done to him.

"I am…sorry…Sakura…" he was practically turning his apologies into a mantra now.

"Lee…you can stop now." I murmured in his ear. "Thank you…for trusting me enough…to do that."

"TRUSTING YOU!" he exploded as his head shot up from the pillows. "Sakura, I have just broken my promise to remain abstinent until I marry you! How can I trust myself now!"

I stared at him as though I had not understood what he was babbling on about. "We're talking about waiting for intercourse Lee…not stuff….like…well this…for example." I corrected as I lifted his boxer briefs the rest of the way up to cover himself.

"I am very sorry if I seemed selfish or rude in any way Sakura! I promise I will-"

"-promise you'll let me do it again?" I asked hopefully, holding back the urge to laugh.

"NO!" he exclaimed, the sudden jerk of his movements sending a trickle of sweat from his chest down to his abs.

'God he'd better stop moving otherwise I will do it over again.' I thought lecherously, biting back my lip lest I bit his.

"Lee, you have to stop being so juvenile about this!"

"I have the most mature mentality here! You are the one who wants the sex!" he accused as he choked out a laugh.

"I don't want the sex…I'm just a very curious girl…" I corrected tacitly as my hand refused to listen to my logic and pulled at his boxers.

"You have the mentality of a thirteen year old!" he nearly yelped in surprise and tugged his underwear back on.

"Does that make you a pedophile?" I asked innocently.

Lee decided to shut me out by smothering his face with a pillow.

"You are so…DIFFICULT!" he exclaimed the last word into the feathers. "You have no idea how bizarre this was for me!"

I only laughed and began to rub his stomach, making sure to massage his chest and neck as he lied on his back in complete shame.

"That was…"

"Horrible?"

"Fun." I admitted quickly as I lifted the pillow off his face. "It was very…sexy."

This only provided another reason for the already fumed taijutsu specialist to edge farther away from me in one angry scoot.

"I do not know why I even allowed you to do such a thing." He complained.

"Because you love me? Plus, you cannot say you've never wondered what that would be like!" I teased.

Lee threw the abandoned pillow at my face, apparently missing as I caught it before it made contact.

"No. Not that way."

I clambered the distance he had futilely traveled away from me on the bed and leaned in to kiss the skin behind his ear.

"So, have you ever wondered about the other way around?" I tried to whisper seductively. "You try that on me?"

I could feel Lee's skin burn against my lips as my comment was left unanswered for several moments. He turned his back to me, his arms enveloping a new pillow he had found.

"Why did you bother turning me on with that 'I'll last as long as you wish me to' talk then?" I joked with a pout, trying even harder to sound sensual as I copied his still fresh promise. "Just to tease me?"

"Sakura…did it really?" he asked demurely.

"Turn me on? Hell yes." I responded with a chuckle. "But I'm just kidding around Lee, we don't have to do anything unless both of us agree to-"

I found myself gasping in delight as I was pushed back towards the mattress and strong lips began to kiss my neck, face, and mouth. My boyfriend's spontaneous change in attitude was one of the many characteristics that I loved about him. One moment he could be castigating me on the values and morals of certain subjects and then break his own beliefs in one swift shove. His hands roamed throughout my body, never stopping completely on my stomach, ribs, or chest. He began to chuckle as I unknowingly began to drift my bare legs further apart so I could feel closer to that…flesh I had just roused.

"Lee…" I giggled as his lips began to tickle my clothed sternum with his intermittent kisses.

"Sakura…please tell me…what you would like for me to do." It was his turn to whisper in my ear before he gave it a playful nip.

I gave no answer, merely surprised groans and gasps.

"Please…tell…me." He begged, softly suckling my neck. "I do not want to fail you as a lover."

"You…haven't failed me…you idiot." I moaned as I felt a hand travel to my lumber region and to my rear.

'This liar doesn't even need my help!' I thought, knowing he was probably experienced enough on his own.

"Sakura…I still feel we should wait to have sex." He said, massaging my legs all the way up to my waist, "But…I agree with you. Couples can still do other things and have satisfying sexual lives."

He kissed my lips as I tried to snake my hand down his boxers. A hand stopped me midway before I could feel that different skin of his once more.

"Sakura…I wish to return the favor…" he whispered in my ear.

"But...I mean-y-you don't have to!" I stammered, my legs intuitively closing to guard myself. "I-I was just k-kidding!"

Lee gave me a look that either told me I was a liar or that he wanted to do it regardless of what I said.

"Sakura…" he leaned his lips against my own, teasing me with his warm breath. "Kiss me."

Like a mere foot soldier obeying his superior officer, I complied with his request and joined lips. One hand remained by my face, caressing my cheeks, neck, and resting cautiously around my ribs. His right hand, however, was nowhere to be seen, it was far too busy rubbing itself across my legs and teasingly touching my inner thighs. My body receiving a completely unwanted reaction, I began to stifle my giggles from the touch. Lee's hand tensed automatically, dazed at what do next.

"I-it just tickles.." I assured, "when you touch my thighs, it's nothing wrong that you're-DO-ING!" my voice nearly blasted itself out of my throat as I felt the touch of a cold hand completely cup the most private part of my body. His fingers rested themselves further in, but could do nothing else since my undergarment was hindering their passage.

"Did that tickle?" he asked mischievously, his increasingly warm hand forming slow circles around me.

"No! That just felt really-CO-LD!" my whole body jumped as that same hand tired of the fabric and pressed harder against them, albeit still barred by my stubbornly crossed legs. The action had caused my arms to wrap around his neck, my lips breathing laboriously against his ear, my covered chest heaving against his own.

"Sorry." He chuckled as he kissed my neck. "They will be warm soon enough."

The implication his last words came with only heightened my breathing, making me realize his fingers were rubbing against the thin cloth. It was only when he managed to rub a certain sensitive part of me that my grasp around him tightened.

"Am I to assume that is your preferred spot?" he whispered playfully in my ear.

I could only nod as he waited for no answer and rubbed adamantly at said spot.

My back arched as he continued his actions, my legs comparable to ice cream at room temperature, and small sounds escaping my lips. Whines, stifled moans, mixed groans, and heavy intakes of air was all the input I could give Lee as he relentlessly used his thumb and index finger to fondle me. His lips found my own and pleaded for an entrance which I so easily acquiesced. Already I could feel the cotton fabric covering me slowly being succumbed by a warm thick liquid, saturating it until it clung to my skin.

"Sakura...may I please continue? Or do you wish to come this way?" Lee's voice sounded so innocent at that moment that I hardly recognized his tone from the rough teasing one he was using seconds before.

"I-it d-doesn't…d-doesn't mat-matter." I groaned, barely able to connect my words together under this torturing bliss.

He gently bit my ear and continued to ravage my mouth.

"Tell me, otherwise I will stop." He practically threatened with that new confident and rough voice I loved.

"NO!" I ordered, my arms bringing him closer to me and grinding against his hand. "A-all I…all I…all I know is that…I-I'm o-okay with it…as long…as long as you're okay…with it." I finally managed to say through choked whines of surprise and pleasure.

It was not just the fact that he was rubbing the counterpart of his preferred spot, or that his middle finger vertically rubbed itself against my clothed lips, it was the fact that he was the one doing this to me that made me love and react so loudly to the arousal of it all.

I could just feel Lee smirk through our kisses as he momentarily stopped his actions (bringing the most undesirable lack of contact in my life), and played with the elastic around my waist. I lifted my abdomen up, tormented from the sudden stop of pleasure, and watched with surprise as he all but ripped my underwear from me, and flung it to the floor.

"They were getting in the way…do you not think so Sakura?" he asked sensually as his hand quickly grabbed me in place once more before I could instinctively cover myself.

"Y-yeah…they were." I moaned a bit at the sensation of feeling his bare skin against my own.

"And you already soaked them did you not?" he asked huskily as his fingers experimentally separated my folds of skin apart from each other.

"Y-yes." I puled, shivering in delight from his thumb rubbing against my increasingly throbbing arousal.

He squandered no time.

I felt a now warm slick middle finger enter me as easily as beads of water enter a dry sponge. I shifted uncomfortably at the odd and new sensation. I did not feel as if "a thousand waves of mind whitening pleasure were crashing into me as I was thrown into the throes of passion and lustful lunacy". If anything it just felt…odd. It was like something that hardly belonged had interrupted the bliss I was experiencing just seconds before. It was as if something of great importance had been paused. I, however, regretted ever squirming under him as soon as I felt the intrusion quickly retreat.

"I am sorry Sakura. Did that not suit you? You seem uncomfortable." He said worriedly with an expression of perfect disillusionment in himself as he took out his soaked hand away from me.

I shook my head in a frantic manner, my mind colliding with my emotions while in my wanton stupor.

"N-no…not at all!" I exclaimed, "I'm not uncomfortable- I..it…it just felt…weird…" I reluctantly admitted. "But…in a good…way…"

Lee cocked his head to the side in that habitual adorably confused fashion, but nodded in comprehension.

"Weird? Can you tell me how I can fix this?" he asked as if I were a piece of machinery that was simply broken.

I shrugged and looked to the side in shame, closing my legs to hide something he had already seen. My hands covered my newly exposed skin as I refused to face him. This had felt excessively awkward and bizarre, my body was pulling me away from the aching sensation between my legs and pushing me back to reality, to realize the extent of our actions.

Had I failed him?

Was he disappointed in me?

Had I…ruined it for him?

"Sakura? Are you all right?" he inquired, leaning closer to me to look me in my eyes.

"Sorry." I muttered, bringing my knees to my chest in an attempt to hide myself.

"Why are you apologizing?" he said as he gently turned my face toward him. "This is new for you. It is all right. What did I do wrong?"

"It's not you…" I mumbled, not quite knowing how to word my sudden feeling of shame, "it's probably because I'm a virgin…I guess I feel guilty about…doing this…" It took all my will to finish.

Lee nodded, his reaction surprising me considering the heightened state he was in.

"If you still do not feel ready then we will stop." He said calmly. "But you should not feel guilty. It is natural to have these feelings and want to act on them…"

His thoughtful reassurance only made my cheeks burn brighter.

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair to Lee to be like this in the middle of things.

Of course this wasn't wrong. Especially if I trusted and loved the person. If I were some hormone driven school girl I'd have waited-but I was a woman damn it. I was too old to feel guilty about doing something like this in the privacy of our own apartment!

I licked my now arid lips and swallowed.

"Can…can we try it again?" I asked shyly, staring down at my feet as I hugged my legs.

"Do you not wish to wait? You look shaken up." He suggested. "I do not want you doing anything you are not going to enjoy."

"I will enjoy it…because I'll be doing it with you." I corrected, looking at his eyes.

Lee appeared incredulous to my words, but sighed and took my hands in his.

"First…tell me where all right?" he pleaded. "Otherwise you make me feel like I am hurting you or doing something wrong."

"I will, I will." I assured, my legs still held tightly together despite my agreement.

"So…" he trailed off, his hands leaving my own as he leaned in for a kiss and began the slow process of relaxing my tense legs. "Please tell me where you find it pleasant when you are alone."

I blinked in confusion, apparently not expecting such a forward question.

"When…I'm alone?" I gulped.

I would have been a hypocrite had I said I had never done it. I would have been a hypocrite had I sputtered out cockily about how "gross" or "improper" the mere thought was. I would have been a hypocrite if I so much as stifled a giggle like an innocent and naïve girl. In my medical trivia books, polls showed that roughly 94% of women my age had already done it (and that seemed like a low number to me). Years of studying under the Fifth Hokage and being bored would make someone know that, I suppose. Lee was of course speaking about masturbation: a physical activity deemed by textbooks and magazines as an "enjoyable, healthy, and safe" form of self pleasure. But just because it was "normal" did not mean I was ready to admit to him.

He seemed anxious for my answer that never came. "You have never done it?"

I swore I had a fever judging from the increased heat creeping to my face.

"NO!"

"So you have?" Lee continued to tease me as the same digit that had been inside me was now caressing my inner thighs.

"N-NO! Shut up! Stop asking me that!" I exclaimed lividly.

"Ah, so you have." He chuckled as his fingers formed small circles around my newly awakened self. "I have a feeling you take more pleasure in rubbing rather than actual penetration…"

By now he was dethroning Sai when it came to saying the most discomfiting sexual things to me.

"Lee…you're not helping…" I grumbled, trying to hide the fact that he was right.

He caught my lips as if asking for forgiveness. "So…here?" he asked for suggestions.

I let out a choked gasp as his fingers brushed against my throbbing nub.

"Judging from the look on your face, have I done the right thing?"

I could only nod my head in return. His strokes were firm and sluggish, allowing me ample time to relish the sensation. Lips pressing against my neck whispered for advice. I gave none, merely nuances of approval or distaste. His fingers once again slowly came to my lips and separated them, but dared not enter me. Impulsively, my legs were driven father apart from the now exhilarating experience. My panicking hands oblivious on how to react plastered themselves to my face, both covering my eyes and mouth to restrain any words I would later regret saying. The small folds of skin that were once dry were now slick with wet sounds as Lee continued.

"Sakura…are you all right?" his concerned voice probed no words out of me.

I could only give him a shaky nod as I bit into my lip. What I was experiencing now was better than eating my favorite food. It was better than drinking a tall glass of icy water after training during the summer. Hell, it was better than soaking in a hot bath after work! I heard Lee chuckle as I now felt a somewhat welcomed intrusion inside me. Two of his fingers slowly massaged my inner folds, making sure to pull themselves out and massage my external swollen skin.

'This…this person is the first to see me like this…' I thought, glad it was someone who loved and respected me above all others.

"Lee…go in deeper…" I persuaded, my hands letting go of my face and firmly pressing themselves against his back..

"Tell me if it-"

"It doesn't feel weird..not anymore. Trust me." I said with a smile.

His slippery middle and index finger went further inside me, so deep I could feel his knuckles pressed firmly against the outside of my saturated lips.

"I've read…I-I mean I've heard that…" it was difficult to lie when I was currently feeling nothing but Lee's fingers venture around my walls, trying ardently to find what made me squirm in delight.

"And what have you read and or heard?" Lee asked with a laugh.

I gulped as I continued to feel his digits reach places I myself could never reach because of my short fingers.

"H-have both…fingers…palm side up…raise them up…a-and pull your fingers…d-do it as if you…w-were calling for…s-someone t-to come to you." I heaved, kissing his forehead.

'Oh God…'

If I loved Lee for having long fingers to stroke my hair before, then by now I worshipped him with what else he could do to me.

"Lee…that feels…" I could find no word to describe what I felt at that moment as his middle finger adamantly searched and rubbed different sides of my soaking walls. I released a squeal of delight as I buried my face against his neck from the sheer unfathomable sensation.

"So this is how a woman feels like." He whispered, smiling as he imitated my same realization while never tiring in his actions.

If what he was doing was not already an overload on my senses, he decided to use his other hand to fondle me from the outside, completely shoving me off the edge of concealing my moans.

I didn't care, I couldn't help but to groan whenever he heightened his speed at rubbing and slowed when he felt my back arch, I couldn't help but yell in surprise whenever Lee decided to add a thrust to his movements, I couldn't help but tell him to keep on going, to keep doing that there, to do it harder, like some immature school girl who had never even heard of sex up until now. That is what I was, I was completely unaware of the concept of sexual stimulation by a male, that was something no amount of medical books could teach me.

"Lee…I…I…" I stammered before instinctively hugging his body closer to me as his wet fingers shoved themselves further in, stretched me repeatedly, and searched adamantly for the most responsive part of me.

"I was selfish before…I needed to prepare you first…" he said huskily in self admonishment, "but you feel extremely wet…and very warm. I wonder if you know how pleasant you feel?"

The combined form of pleasure and flattery erupted a shuddering reaction resembling a climax throughout my body. I did not know what it was, but it made my legs involuntarily spasm for a moment before going numb. My weary arms and hands clenched one final time around his body before falling limply and uselessly by my side.

I was about to sigh in contentment before I realized Lee was still fervently continuing his actions.

"Lee, s-stop! I-AHh!" I groaned, his fingers becoming an uncomfortable sensation with my growing sensitivity.

"I will not. Not until you are done." He replied as if he had not given me an orgasm already.

"L-Lee…I…STOP! I already-AGH-HAVE!" I yelled, feeling the familiar and completely draining side effects of a climax slowly envelop me.

"You…you do not wish to come more than once?" he asked, his face adorably hesitant to stop all at once.

"N-no…I…I think once is more than okay for me…at least for it being my first one with you…" I reassured, my chest rising as a fast as Lee's was just moments ago.

Lee appeared to not be convinced, yet obediently did as he was told.

His fingers finally stopped, leaving me to wonder why even as they pulled out of me, it felt like they needed to be inside again. He lied next to me, yet stared at his soaked fingers quickly drying with the air of the fan above us.

"Sorry…" I mumbled shyly, "I'm a bit more messy than you…"

Lee turned his head over to me and shook it. "That is not a problem at all…" he said, "if anything it turns me on…" he added with a sly smile before turning back in fascination to his hand. "I apologize if I hurt you…"

"You didn't, and if you did you made me too wet to care." It was now my turn to smirk lecherously at him.

He did not seem to catch my facial expression seeing as how he was engrossed with that hand of his.

"Why are you staring at it?" I finally asked, feeling a bit uneasy and self-conscious of the fact that he was staring at something that had come from me.

"Sakura…would you…would you be…offended…if I…" he bit his lip, appearing reluctant to finish his request as he faced me.

"What? What is it? I won't get offended." I answered, although I knew I was paranoid that it might be something he didn't like about this experience.

"Would you be offended…" he cleared his throat before continuing the tortuous question, "would you be offended…if I tasted it?"

"Tasted?" I repeated, apparently puzzled before finally letting the matter sink in.

I was quiet for a moment or so, wondering if he had meant oral sex.

"W-why?" I asked with an uncomfortable laugh, "I-I mean…it's-"

"I am sorry, I should not have said anything." He interrupted before getting off the bed and walking straight to the bathroom. "I will go wash it off and-"

"Now wait a second!" I called out after him as I chased him into the smaller room.

Lee did no such thing. With trembling hands, he turned on the faucet and was about to rid himself of the sticky liquid before I took hold of them.

"Lee…you didn't even let me finish …if you want to taste it then-"

"-You are not comfortable with it, I understand-"

"-No-no! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"-It is all right, let me just wash it off-"

I grew sick of the banter and simply decided to dip one of the recently occupied fingers into those lips which up until recently, only my mouth had touched.

Lee's eyes grew in surprise, but said nothing as I inserted another finger for him to taste.

"See? It's all right." I said diffidently. "I was just a bit confused on how to answer that sort of question…it kind of surprised me…"

He pulled the fingers out of his mouth and swallowed, giving me a timid smile that matched his burning face.

"I…" he couldn't find the words for his next sentence.

"So…how do I taste?" I asked, realizing I was unaware of that answer.

At this Lee simply chuckled, licked his palm in the most erotic way I had ever seen, and kissed me to give a taste.

The force of the kiss tipped me against the wall of the bathroom, bringing my half unclothed body to feel cold wallpaper. His now dry hands made their way back around my uncovered waist, pulling me towards him in a desperate need of contact.

"I love you." He said between our kisses, one hand around my stomach and the other all but inside me again.

I slowly placed my legs apart, allowing him access to my increasingly moist skin. My own hands pulled irately at my bra, wanting by some lustful urge to take it off my skin. Any form of clothing now felt superfluous, a hindering fabric that needed to be pulled away in order to truly relish this experience. My clumsy actions found no end as I failed to unclasp my bra properly as I opted to kiss Lee rather than separate our lips. I smiled at him once our eyes met again. My hair felt like a mess and by the look of the mirror to the side of me I stood corrected. It was unsettling, almost strange seeing myself in such a compromising position. As I stared at the reflection of Lee and I…all the jerking, grinding, kissing, melting, pushing, pulling, shoving motions was more than enough to elicit a moan from me.

"Do you like watching yourself Sakura?" Lee asked in a voice that dripped with excitement as he continued to kiss me.

"No…I like watching the things you do." I corrected with a grin that hardly seemed appropriate for the situation. "Lee…in all our adolescent years…what would have been your reaction if you knew this was going to happen?"

"That what would happen?" he asked, pulling me off the wall and taking me back to the bed. "My feelings being reciprocated? Living together? You standing in front of me with nothing on but a sexy bra?" he joked.

"Everything." I responded, finding that those boxers of his were currently too uncomfortable to be worn indoors.

Lee seemed to be in deep thought for a moment, lying next to me and lending a hand in throwing the last undergarment out of the bed and into the wooden floor. I rested in a fetal position, still amazed at my reluctance to show my chest when I had all too easily shown an even more forbidden territory to him. His hands carefully pulled at my own, forcing them away from my chest as he leaned in to kiss my neck, revealed sternum, and all that remained of my still clothed chest.

"I would have been able to die a happy man." He finally answered, "But I still would not have believed it."

"Why?" I seemed to groan as his fingers rubbed my legs.

I suppose I did have a penchant for massages.

"Could you of seen this in your future?" he asked, kissing my neck and shoulders. "Any of this?"

"No..but I'm glad it happened." I said with a slight grunt as those same fingers stroke my gel-like knees. "Ah…that feels good…"

"And did everything else feel good as well?"

"It felt new. That's all I will say on the matter." I joked, sticking my tongue out at him cruelly.

"I am serious Sakura!" he said, slightly annoyed. "I enjoyed what you did, if you would like me to be honest."

"I'm glad you did…although since it was my first time doing something like…that…I hardly think it was all that great." I admitted sheepishly.

"And that, Sakura, is why we continue to practice." Lee replied as if teaching a lecture. "Every day if we must."

"Sounds like a good plan." I said with a laugh as I attempted to cover myself with blankets.

Lee let out a complaining whine. "You are going to cover yourself already?"

"Yeah, I'm cold." I answered, successfully pulling the sheets over me.

"You are no fun." He teased, but accompanied me under the blanket. "I like seeing you like this."

"The 'I-just-had-sex-look'?" was my natural response.

He placed his hand behind my head and pulled me towards him in a protective embrace. His hands ran through my stomach and legs, as if wanting to repeat what we had just done. I giggled against his neck from the touch, but did not eschew it. Lips once again laid themselves on my shoulders and collarbone, paying special attention as they kissed both my closed eyes before ending on my mouth.

We lay side to side simply enjoying each other's presence, the events of what we had done to each other still fresh in our minds as our perspiring bodies began to cool. Lee's breathing was sluggishly coming back to normal, my own somewhat rapid and content. It had not donned on me that I was still half exposed next to Lee, my body was far too weak and limpid to even have the decency to grab my underwear. He, however, did not seem to let that fact bother him in the least. His eyes slowly met mine and traveled to the rest of my body with a mischievous smile on his face. I brought my legs closer to me, suddenly feeling timid over what I had willingly shown to Lee just minutes before.

He chuckled and brought a hand to my legs, gently separating them and caressing my thighs.

"No, do not be like that…" he pleaded as he pulled me closer to him. "You look beautiful like this."

"It makes me feel self-conscious.." I muttered, my face burning up when his fingers hooked around the back of my bra.

"You shouldn't. It only makes you look more appealing when you try to hide yourself like that." He said, leaning in for another kiss.

"You-you're not tired still?" I asked, my body tingling as he fumbled with the bra hooks.

"No. Are you?" he asked back, "Would you be offended if I took off your bra?" he added as if he were asking to pass the salt at the table.

"I'm not tired anymore…but-" I pushed his fingers away from me, impatient from his hesitancy and taking matters into my own hands. After some fidgeting I expertly unhooked my bra for him and set it across the bed.

I had already shown him half of myself, he might as well have the full experience.

My hands seemed more tentative in removing themselves from my breasts after I had hastily unhooked my bra. I shuddered as the fan's cool air touched the newly exposed sides of my warm chest. Lee's eyes were on mine, but I knew he was as curious to see what lay underneath my hands as I was of what was between his legs. I could hear his shallow breaths as he waited patiently for me to remove those final centimeters of my hands away from me. Slowly, my hands slipped away from me, revealing nothing but the now freezing air of the air conditioning in the room. It felt too chilly, it was like taking a dive in freezing water to me.

"You have goosebumps all over your body." Lee said with a chuckle as he opened his arms and wrapped them around my shivering form. "You do not have to show yourself fully if you do not wish it."

"B-but you showed yourself. It's only fair that-" I found myself being pulled into his warm chest.

"What is fair is waiting for you. I did not mean to press you." He apologized, rubbing his arms vertically across my back to warm me up.

I smiled and brought my hands behind his neck, allowing both our bare chests to touch. Lee stiffened for a moment as he felt the new sensation against his skin, but only chuckled again as he brought his lips to my forehead, kissed my eyes, and began to form a trail down to my neck where he playfully nipped and kissed my jugular and collar bone.

"Sakura…you are a beautiful woman…" he whispered as he littered kisses all over my sternum and the sides of it. "You are soft…warm…comforting…"

I laughed and brought his head back to eye level with me. "I think you're having too much fun down there." I joked.

His face grew red when he did not realize I was merely kidding.

"Well…it is a side of you I have never seen…I wish to see all of you…" he justified his curiosity over my chest.

"What is it about men and breasts?" I joked again with a giggle. "They're so obsessed over them."

"Not so." He corrected quickly. "I am most fond of legs. Yours in particular. It makes me imagine I can get a firm grip while…."

I cocked an eyebrow, somewhat fearful of where this conversation would shift.

"Firm grip on what?" I asked, suddenly wondering if he meant that my legs were fat.

"Firm grip as I lift you up against the wall, for one thing." He admitted, and narrowly missed one of the stuffed pillows I threw at him.

His hands seemed to prove his point as they traveled to the top of my legs and gently rubbed at my skin.

"Jerk." I muttered. "You're going to turn perverted on me."

"Perverted is peeping on women. Is it perverted or wrong to fantasize about the woman I love?"

I shrugged my shoulders, feeling slightly awkward at the subject. "How should I know?"

Lee shrugged back at me and smiled devilishly at me. "Then again, why would I have need to fantasize about you? I have the real woman beside me!"

I batted his hands away and curled up my body even closer in a vain attempt to hide my exposed body. Meanwhile, Lee continued to stare at me as if I was the most fascinating movie in the world. It was not so much that it discomfited me, but that it made me wonder what was going through his often surprising mind.

"…Sakura?"

"Hm?"

"…Thank you."

"You're welcome, but I think we should use lubricant or something next time, maybe we can use-"

"I do not mean that! Sexual time is over, Sakura!" he berated with a laugh. "I meant thank you…for everything else."

"Ah." I replied rather flatly. "You don't need to thank me for anything."

He blinked several times, looking as if he was processing my words for some other meaning or just contemplating the weight of my words.

"Sakura…I am afraid you fail to realize what I mean. What this means. You saved me."

"You saved yourself by getting help…" I corrected matter-of-factly.

"Yes…but I had no one for support…you provided that. You made me believe I was worthwhile."

I tried to eschew the tinge of pain I felt at the mention of his past loneliness.

As much as I wanted to forget about the past, I knew I would always try to repent for not being there for him when he needed me most.

"Because you are my friend. Well apparently now you are more than that, but you understand."

I swallowed and ignored the wad of fleeting shame I felt in my throat.

"…I really do love you…you know that Sakura? I do not think there is anything I would not do for you." He said, once again rubbing soothing circles on my bare legs with his fingers.

"Likewise, you are my 'precious person'." I said, smiling at our own little childhood reference.

The man beside me suddenly stopped his actions, acting as if what I had said had put a damper on his plans with me. I half expected for his hands to pull away from me, half expected for his mood to somehow change as it often times did no matter how well his therapy had gone. Oddly enough, Lee's grasp on me only tightened in a reassuring manner. His eyes looked directly at my own and blinked several times, shifting slightly to the right.

"Sakura…honestly I…forgive me if I sound like a…a bold person….but…what do you want out of this relationship?" he asked with the alacrity of mud.

I felt my teeth click as I opened my mouth and closed it back up. I stared back at him, almost as if giving time to his question would somehow miraculously reveal an answer by itself.

"W-why?" I stuttered. "Do you think this isn't…what you want?...or what?"

My confusion knew no bounds.

"…What I want? What…I want?" He echoed his own inquiry. "Sakura…can you honestly ask me this without already knowing the answer? Why else would I still harbor feelings for you even after over a decade? Why else would I even allow you to put up with me even through my depressed days? Why else would I want you to live with me?" he asked indignantly, as if what I had asked had maimed his ego even though it was the same exact thing he has asked of me.

I lied motionless on the bed, frozen like the inattentive child who was asked a question by a scolding teacher. His hands had left my undergarments, but they had slowly crept further down to my thighs. Warm skin touched legs cooled by the air conditioner in his-our room. My throat tried to swallow an imagery marble that seemed to appear whenever I could give no satisfying answer.

"I…well-how am I supposed to know? I'm not you!" I reprimanded.

"Sakura, if I only wanted to be alone, the feelings between us would never have been mutual. If I still hated you, I would have not wanted see you again. Do you really need a direct answer for something so simple?" he asked incredulously.

"Apparently you do. So I'm ignorant. Enlighten me." I scoffed.

"Sakura…I cannot understand you at times..I really cannot." He confessed with a half laugh that revealed his agitation. "How would you like to stay here…with me?"

My face burned worse than when I drank sake.

"Stay?" I mumbled.

"Stay. As in...'I am yours'…if you will have me." He added the last part rather cautiously, aware of all the possible consequences.

"Are you…p-…" I suddenly reverted back to my preteen years, when saying the word 'like' was as hard as admitting your parents still tucked you in at night until you were eleven years old. My throat needed water, but I would give it no such luxury so long as I was still mature enough to handle the situation. "are you...proposing?"

"No, I am asking if you would like to be my roommate since I get scared at night." He said flatly, with all the sarcasm a gentleman like Lee could conjure.

My burning cheeks were the least of my priorities as I felt my entire body give way to involuntary tiny shaking. Hands that were once so assured were now quaking as they held on to Lee's hands for support. I was expecting to scream in delight, to giggle uncontrollably, to jump into his arms laughing and accept his offer. But that was not something a strong independent girl like me did…

No…

Instead…

I began to cry.

The trickle of tears stung my eyes as they began to flow freely down my face without the slightest care of my embarrassing state. A sob chocked any words I wanted to pull from my throat and threw them into the far recesses of my mind. I was shocked…as my ever dwindling luck would have it.

Lee appeared as if he had said he loathed me, his eyes narrowing in concern and hands instinctively coming up to my hair to run through my strands and scalp.

"Sakura? Sakura, are you all right? I did not think…oh I apologize…I am so sorry. What…are you all right?" he stuttered over his words, his experience with dealing with crying girls nonexistent.

I nodded my head in response, my mouth still arid and answerless.

He looked as if he wanted to chuckle, but refrained from such a risky reaction.

"Was that a nod for 'Yes, I am all right' or….?" He asked, utterly clueless.

I held back the urge to punch him with a chakra fused fist and opted to bury my face in the palm of my hands as if this would convince him I was not weeping any longer.

I felt his lips slowly descend into my clutched hands, kissing my knuckles before trying to pry open my stubbornly closed palms to reclaim my lips.

"Sakura…please tell me. Your silence is worse than any words you could give me." He pleaded as he continued to place kissed on my salty wet lips and cheeks.

I opened my mouth, but a sound resembling an approving whine and sob interrupted my answer. My head simply continued to nod as if that in itself was sufficient for Lee.

"Sakura, please…please have me as your husband…I…it would…" words had deserted him as well.

We were left stranded in an island of silence.

I continued to bawl in front of him like a child who had been punished and pushed into a corner of the room. It was not that I sad-far from it…I was simply…hysterical. He was left helpless and answerless as he continued to hold my face in his hands. I could only nod.

A few moments passed filled with nothing but my incessant crying until Lee smothered a chuckle.

"A-are you…accepting me?" he asked, suppressing laughter in his accentuated word.

I stopped nodding and pulled away from him, my mind now more preoccupied with searching for that box of tissues I often had to throw to the side of the room whenever I was together with Lee.

'Where are you when I need you?' I mentally cursed as I fumbled through the bed trying to find the wretched box.

It seemed Lee had read my mind as he handed me the object of my search. I thankfully accepted it and pulled more tissues than I needed out and wiped my ever running eyes and nose.

"Are you really accepting me?" he did not bother to hold back his amusement with me any longer as he let out a laugh.

"Stop…laughing." I ordered between sniffing and blowing my nose.

At least the worst of the fit had subsided and speech was slowly returning to me.

Lee did not care for my plea as his laughter grew partly out of relief.

"Sakura, are you telling me you would like to have me as your husband?" he asked in disbelief.

"Not if you…keep laughing." I threatened.

This only made him laugh harder as he pulled the tissues away from my face and claimed my lips.

"Then why do you keep crying?"

"Why don't you LET me cry? Damn it, you just proposed, how the in the hell am I SUPPOSED to act!" I barked, somehow taken back by his kiss.

"Please do not do such a thing! This is not meant to be a sad moment…"

"I'll damn do whatever the hell I damn well please whenever a damn guy proposes to me…" I muttered several colorful profanities under my breath before his hands pulled my face against his lips.

His mouth against mine made my body want to revert back to its aroused state before any of this had happened. Confusion, anger, excitement, and bliss slowly meshed and blended to form three simple words.

"I love you."

"You need to say 'yes' though. I mean, I AM glad that you love me, but I would much prefer a simple 'yes' rather than seeing you cry…" Lee managed to poke fun at my state and return my sentiments all while being the clueless and gentle man I had agreed to marry. "…otherwise I would just feel horrible for making you do this."

"You're an idiot…." I pointed out, "but I'll say 'yes' nonetheless."

I was met with the widest smile I had ever seen on Lee since we were children.

"Then…will you please be my wife?"

The foreign word rolled off the tip of my tongue like a strange new flavor that I could not describe.

"Yes…and you'll be my…husband? God...that word sounds so strange!" I exclaimed in shock, covering my mouth with my hand as if to catch the word.

My nervous giggles were soon accompanied by his nervous chuckles as we toyed with the meaning of the words as if we had never heard of them before in our lives. His hands reached for mine and he took it upon himself to drag my body into his arms, much to my surprise.

"My future wife…my other half." He whispered into my ear. "Sakura, I will try my hardest to bring you joy."

"And sex?"

"Correction…you are an insatiable future wife."

I growled at the sudden loud sound of steel slamming itself on the floor. The clank had roused me from my sleep and I was not too pleased with Lee seeing as how he had yet again developed a penchant for using weights for training and waking up an ungodly hours of the day when even the birds were deep in slumber. I lifted my head off my pillow long enough to see my husband picking up his immense leg weights that he dropped every couple of months for the past few years by accident.

"Oh! Sakura! Good morning, I am sorry, my grasp slipped on these heavier weights." He whispered rather contritely as he kissed the top of my head.

"I thought you'd stay a while, instead of going off." I grumbled, apparently not too pleased with his behavior.

"I must go train…but I will be back soon." He added as he sat across from me putting on his leg weights.

I growled sleepily and sat up.

"You woke me up…Lee…let's make love." I grumbled.

"I…I beg your pardon?"

"Let's. Make. Love." I repeated, making sure to enunciate each syllable clearly despite my drowsy state.

"But Sakura, I must go train right now, I am afraid it will have to wait until-"

"Are you breaking your promise Lee?" I challenged with a mock frown. "You swore you'd comply with this request before you left for your mission."

"Well yes but…now?" he asked in a shrinking voice, his face etched with surrender.

"Now." I nearly aggressed relentlessly as I clambered my way toward the edge of the bed where he sat.

The poor man had little time to think as I tackled him to the floor.

Lee would have to make up an excuse to tell his dear sensei for being late.

For today…I would have my way.

What I loved most about our relationship was the honesty within it. There were no lies between us since we had both been stripped bare (symbolically and literally) to show each other the trust between us. Communication was key in whatever new ordeals we were faced with (or so the old man said before he officially stopped giving Lee sessions.) Did we fight? Sporadically. Did we experience break downs? A few. Did we find a reason to give up and waste years of hard work and therapy? We refused to do such a thing.

With Lee, I learned that each relationship was different and anything but perfect (all I had to do was look at Sai and Tenten as the years rolled by to see that much was true). Love was a myriad of things for me. Nothing seemed specific enough to describe it. With him, love did not always mean cuddling and flattering each other. With him…love meant savoring the healthy moments while being strong for the difficult ones. It meant behind held when you felt weak and holding each other when you felt strong. Love meant passing through the different phases of love, past infatuation and lust, past fascination and aimless mawkish daydreaming. It meant finding new reasons to appreciate him and support him even when we knew his depression would never fully leave his life. What Lee had taught me was that people needed love in order to feel accepted and safe. Love with him simply meant…accepting each other for what we were.

Our relationship and marriage was by no means easy, as is the case with all partners.

It was by no means constant joy and endless physical gratification.

It was by no means perfect.

But part of loving Lee involved loving his imperfections and acknowledging mine.

So long as we did that…

It did not matter what kind of days or moods awaited us in the future.

Again, thank you for your kind words of inspiration and motivation that kept me going until I finished this chapter. You beautiful readers, you.