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Disclaimer: Is Lee getting chased by Seme's that want him as their Uke? No? Then I don't own Naruto.
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Title: Cherry Lotus
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"...Time travel?" Jiraiya repeated, his expression breaking into confusion.
"Yes." Lee said and his heart was pounding but it didn't show. He couldn't let it show. He was still, eerily so, "Imagine, a future so bleak and wrong that the last fight, the last thing anyone could do was trust a jutsu so new that it was still an experiment," Lee didn't let himself shudder. He could still remember the visceral fear that he had felt, the plea to a god he hoped was listening to please let it work, to let him do something to help his friends, "a mere shot in the dark, and send someone back just so they could have a chance."
Jiraiya's expression smoothed out to blankness once again but his eyes were sharp. They focused on him, searching, and Lee knew he was looking for truth, for lie. Unfortunately, this was the honest truth.
"Imagine another Shinobi World War, one that we barely win by the skin of our teeth. It is a moment of joyous relief, we are all still alive...then something else comes and in a blink everything is gone." Lee's arms twitched for a second, filled with the uncommon urge to hit something. He breathed out slowly and clasped his hands in front of himself instead, "A year, two, three, five years later and there is only a handful of us left. Friends and loved ones, gone. You do not know if those who are left will survive either..." Lee paused and had to take a deep breath. For as calm as he looked, his insides were twisting painfully. He didn't want to remember even though it haunted him every time he slept.
-Strange though, he stopped waking with a scream lodged in his throat. Was he becoming...numb?-
He was glad that the others were too far away to hear him. This wasn't something that he wanted them to hear, especially Kakashi. He...he didn't want to remind Kakashi of something so painful, not when he knew that Kakashi was the only one who could...understand just how much he hurt inside.
"You know how it feels. You know the pain."
Jiraiya was silent still, but that was okay. Lee just had to get through it all and quickly. He didn't think Kimimaro would stay out of hearing distance for long.
"Since I came back, I have been trying to divert that future. I think I have been successful...Sasuke-kun did not receive the curse mark-"
"You did instead." Jiraiya suddenly said, making Lee pause. Then Lee nodded.
"Yes, an...unforeseen consequence. But a preferred one. Orochimaru will no longer go after Sasuke-kun and his Sharingan after all. Then there is the fact that the Third Hokage lived."
"And he wasn't meant to."
"No, at least, he didn't last time. He sacrificed himself in his battle with Orochimaru. He succeeded in disabling Orochimaru's arms. But this time both left the battle practically unscathed." Lee refrained from clenching his fists in unease and continued, "While I am happy about that, Tsunade-sama is no longer urgently needed, but we do need her. We need her here, we need her as the Fifth Hokage. That is why I am here, revealing who I am to you...I am in need of your help."
"You want to find her and bring her back to Konoha. A place she has been avoiding all this time."
"Yes. It is an unfortunate need, but believe me when I say that she thrived in being here. She gained more people who love her and did not die before her." he paused, "Well...one did."
"And who was that?"
"...You." Lee confessed, not even sure that he should, "But I will not allow that to happen this time around! I swear it." He said, a flash of fire burning in his eyes. He wouldn't let his Lady Hokage lose another precious person nor would he let Naruto lose his godfather.
Jiraiya went silent again, but just for a moment. Then he asked, "Why do you need her now?"
"We need her to be the Hokage. The Third Hokage is a great leader but she is better. There is also the fact that she will gain a protege and that protege will become even better than she was. With what will be coming, we need the one who thought to make medics mandatory in teams." Lee's chest trembled as he spoke with passion. Then he said, "I want to tell her everything. I want to give us a fighting chance!"
"...One last question then."
"Anything."
"Who are you."
Lee paused then a slightly sad smile crossed his lips. He bowed to the Toad Sannin and formally introduced himself, "Konoha Shinobi Rock Lee, surviving member of Team Gai. Presently, my original body is only fourteen years old but I am twenty-two. I was meant to wake in my own body but...there was a mistake and here I am in Sakura's instead. The reason there are two of us is because the real Sakura is occupying the body of a Shadow Clone." Lee's shoulder's slumped a fraction but he mentally shook away his slight guilt.
"Now for my own question. Will you help me?" Lee asked and like that, he was scared once more.
"...Yeah, I'll help. But on one condition." Jiraiya said, "You tell me everything while we search for her."
Lee blinked, surprise fluttering over his features before he nodded, "Of course."
Jiraiya stared then his serious expression broke as he sighed. He walked over and reached for Lee's shoulder, "Come o-"
"Don't touch My Lady." Kimimaro was suddenly there and Lee's eyes were wide as he found himself held against the man. There was one arm around him but the other was outstretched, a small white bone, like a kunai, in Kimimaro's hand. It was pointed at Jiraiya.
"...Did you forget to tell me something, Lee." Jiraiya said
"No, Kimimaro-kun is new. Orochimaru made a deal with me. Now, if I lose Kimimaro-kun, Orochimaru will come and take me." Lee said, feeling slightly...annoyed, "Another reason that I must find Tsunade-sama quickly. Kimimaru-kun is on Death's doorstep and I believe she may be the only one who can heal him."
"My Lady?" Kimimaro actually sounded surprised and that made Lee confused. He looked up with a questioning hum, "You...wish to heal me?"
"...Yes?" Lee said, "I do not want you to die, Kimimaro-kun."
Kimimaro stared at him and Lee fought the urge to fidget. Then he heard a sigh. He looked and saw that it had been Shikamaru.
"I trust that everything is settled?" Kakashi said, his eye creased into a smile that...was not real. His head was turned towards Jiraiya's direction.
"What deal did you make with Orochimaru?!" Jiraiya said, his voice raising just slightly with incredulity.
At that, Lee looked down. It had been a moment of weakness but he hadn't been able to help himself. That man deserved to die and now...now maybe, maybe Sai could...
-Gods, he wanted to find Sai, to drop everything and find him. Maybe Shin would be alive too? Sai told them all about Shin, and maybe with Danzo gone, that meant that they hadn't fought yet, that Shin was still alive. If he could get Tsunade, maybe she could heal Shin too? Just...he wanted Sai to be happy-
"I will not regret it. I will stand by what I asked." Lee said, "Shimura Danzo deserved to die, no matter how much he loved Konoha. He was a stain that should have been removed much sooner."
Jiraiya stilled but he didn't say anything. He pressed his lips together then changed the subject completely, "You'll need to pack. We'll leave in the morning." he said then he was gone.
Lee stared at the space Jiraiya had occupied then frowned.
So he was going to go with Jiraiya, but last time it was Naruto who did. Naruto still had to, it was for his protection, wasn't it? Plus, Lee honestly didn't know if Tsunade would come back, even with the warning of the future. Maybe she'd just help from afar. She hated Konoha in the beginning, didn't she? It had taken so much from her.
"I wonder how long we'll be away." Kakashi murmured but it was loud enough for Lee to hear and Lee looked at the man. Kakashi looked back and his eye creased into another smile but this one was real and Lee quickly remembered what Kakashi said.
Hah, yeah, it was more funny than cute that he forgot that Kakashi would follow.
"How long are you going to hold onto Lee." Shikamaru said, frowning.
That made Lee realize that Kimimaro was still holding onto him, and Kimimaro too as the man quickly let go then dropped to his knee.
"I apologize, My Lady! I had only wanted to protect you, I did not mean to defile you for-"
"W-wait! Def-?" Lee cut himself off and quickly shook his head instead, "You did nothing wrong, Kimimaro-kun, I promise." he said. He crouched down and tilted his head so he could see Kimimaro's face and so Kimimaro could see him. Then he offered the man a sincere smile, "Thank you for trying to protect me. I appreciate it, Kimimaro-kun."
"My lady..."
"But! I am also a little disappointed! What if Jiraiya-sama attacked you? He is extremely strong, you could have gotten very hurt." Lee said, "I am not saying anything about your strength as I know you are also very strong but once again, Jiraiya-sama is a Sannin. He is on another level."
"I am your shield, My Lady. I will not allow anyone to touch you, even a Sannin."
Lee paused, breath catching in his chest. How was he supposed to feel about that? Kimimaro was so...so loyal to Orochimaru. Even with this, he was willing to follow an order from that man so far. But...
"Did Orochimaru ask you to do that?" Lee said, "Or did he just say to follow me?"
"You are my lady, My Lady."
"But does that mean throwing yourself into harms' way?" Lee asked, now starting to feel a little desperate. He didn't want Kimimaro to do that, especially not with him already so close to death. One hard battle and he will perish under his illness!
"Yes." Kimimaro's answer surprised him and
"Why?" Lee asked. What did being 'his lady' even mean?! What did it entail, what did-. Lee took in a deep breath to calm himself.
"I am your subject, your shinobi, My Lady."
Wait.
Did being his Lady mean-
A hand grasped Lee's shoulder and he was pulled back into familiar arms. He held onto the arm around his waist, pushing his back against Shikamaru's chest as his stomach twisted.
"Lee is still a shinobi of Konoha, Kimimaro-san." Kakashi said, his tone deceptively cheery, "She's not joining Oto any time soon, especially not as a Lady Otokage."
"My Lady will rule us beside My Lord." Kimimaro said, his eye narrowing as he slowly stood. Then those shard green eyes trailed down to the arm around Lee's waist. Knowing that the Nara heir -and the Copy-nin- were under Lee's spell did not make seeing it any easier.
-He didn't know why he didn't like it but he immediately thought that it was because, in his 'understanding', Lee and his Lord belonged together now-
He made himself ignore it. If those two held true affection for his Lady then they would be joining Oto as well.
A clap startled them all and they look at Lee who had made the sound.
"That is enough." Lee said, his tone leaving no room for arguments. He settled his hands back on Shikamaru's arm to give him strength and said, "Kakashi, we need to pack for a long trip if you are coming with me. I do not know how long exactly but pack enough for at least a month, then I have a favor I wish to ask of you." Lee paused then bit his lip before saying, "Actually, maybe we should include all of team seven in this journey..."
"I could put us all under a mission for it and we follow you instead." Kakashi said then asked, "What do you need?"
"...I need you to get into contact with Tenzo." Lee said and his hands would be trembling if he weren't holding onto Shikamaru so tightly. He felt Shikamaru's other hand lightly rub the back of his hip where no one could see and felt himself calm, "I need him to find two people for me. He would be able to find them easier than any other, they were being trained to become Root."
Kakashi blinked, then he put his hands in his pockets as he tilted his head with false relaxation, "Are they good or bad?"
"Good!" Lee said then he felt his cheeks warm at his 'outburst', "They are good. One is a...he will be dear friend of ours."
Kakashi chuckled and reached over, petting Lee's head, unable to help himself. Lee enjoyed it more than he should, "Alright, I'll bring Tenzo over."
"Thank you." Lee said, smiling, and Kakashi gave him a real smile back before waving two fingers then vanishing with a poof of smoke.
Then Lee sighed, leaning back against Shikamaru. His legs felt weak from earlier. He honestly hadn't known if Jiraiya was going to accept what he was saying and not send him to a Yamanaka. It was all starting to hit him and...
Shikamaru shifted and both arms wrapped around him in a comforting hold. "What do you need?" Shikamaru asked, an echo of what Kakashi had said but better.
"...Hold me?" Lee quietly asked, warmth rushing to his cheeks because they were not alone. Kimimaro was still there but the man wasn't speaking anymore, just...staring. Lee tried to ignore it.
"Always." Shikamaru said and he shifted them both until he was sitting on the ground with Lee in his lap. He held Lee closer, encompassing him as much as he could. It wasn't difficult as Lee was small, slender -perfect no matter what-. "Good?"
"Perfect." Lee murmured, tucking his head under Shikamaru's and closing his eyes. He was content to let everything fade away for just a while. As long as Shikamaru kept holding him.
-Even if he could feel Kimimaro's gaze burning his back-
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