Hi, it's me again. I got the writing bug, so I came up with this. A
companion piece to my other story, "Haze", but it can stand on its own.
Reviews are appreciated!!!
Nothing but Green
I see nothing but the green
Playing out a graceful scene
I see nothing but the stars
Even as my fingers count the scars
I see nothing but your face
Even in this place
I want to see blue
But all I see is you
Nothing but the green.
***
Every day I walk the same path, from Ino-pig's family's flower store to the Hidden Leaf Hospital, clutching in my hands a single daffodil. I had long ago stopped bringing two, since the other one was never there to receive it, and even if he was, secretly I wondered if he would have cared.
Probably not, the bastard.
Which I mustn't think, because this is Sasuke-kun after all and he is the number one rookie and a genius. He's cold and aloof and talented, which, oddly enough, makes him all the more attractive. Sexy, mysterious, cruel. The more he pushes away the more girls want him.
But to be honest, that only works for so long. Many of the other female shinobi have been too busy to spare him a thought. Those that do see him often enough to swoon over him are becoming bored, or were never interested in the first place. Hinata Hyuuga never saw Sasuke. Her pure white eyes have been for Naruto alone, though Naruto has never noticed. And Ino, my most bitter rival and my most trusted best friend, Sasuke fanatic to the extreme, has been losing focus on the tragic Uchiha. Her gazes turn in towards her own team, watching the shadow Nara child and the powerful Akimichi child, as fascinated as a child over a pair of butterflies.
I've sat and observed all this, watching the bonds growing between the rookie teams and my limited views of the older teams. I see the tides, and push and pull as teammates grow intimate, trusting each other with their lives, and their hearts.
I watch as they grow closer, and I am jealous, because I know my team will never be like all those others. I have little hope that Naruto and Sasuke will get along, and even if they did, Sasuke's lust for revenge and Naruto's dream of being Hokage and acknowledged by the village are not compatible. It would be all or nothing in that case, complete destruction or complete unity. If it were the former, they would become bitter enemies, tearing everything apart in their rivalry. If, however, it comes to the second option, they would be focused only on each other, no room left in their hearts for me.
The weakling. The nuisance.
I know how many steps it is from the door of the Yamanaka flower shop to the hospital reception desk. I know exactly how many steps it is from there to the elevator, how many seconds between each level, which floor I get off on, and precisely how many paces, from the elevator door to Lee-san's bedside.
I am known by sight at the hospital, the pink-haired, green-eyed konouchi who comes every day with a single daffodil. I come every day at the same time, stay for a few hours, and leave, few words ever passing my lips.
The nurses never ask any questions, never bother me at all.
The nurse in charge of Lee-san's room keeps a vase filled with water, just for the fresh daffodil that I bring. She looks in every so often, and smiles kindly and asks if I need anything, and then leaves me alone to watch over Lee-san.
Sometimes I am joined by Lee-san's Sensei, who, despite, being loud and out-going in public, is rather subdued when we sit together in Lee- san's room. He is optimistic, but his favorite pupil's injuries are wearing on the vibrant jounin, so that he comes in with dark circles and slumps bonelessly in his chair.
He told me once, when we were making small-talk to break the awkward silence, that Lee-san had almost died.
I nodded, thinking it was perhaps from his injuries, which were quickly stabilized after he was taken to the emergency room.
Lee-san's sensei was worried most about Lee-san's recovery, and the effect that would have on Lee-san himself.
According to the doctors, he had a crushed right arm and leg from his battle.
According to the doctors, he had many tiny bone fragments scattered throughout his nervous system.
According to the doctors, Lee-san would never become a ninja.
Something inside me had twanged painfully at that. I do not claim to know Lee-san to any extent (I mean, I didn't even know who he really was before the Chunnin exams, and that was only when he had proclaimed he liked me and asked me out!) but I did know, if Sasuke and Naruto were anything to go by, that to lose the ability to be a ninja was devastating.
Only once did I see Lee-san's teammates come in to visit Lee-san. They only stayed a little while, Hyuuga Neji and TenTen. It was obvious from Neji's face he had come only because he had been persuaded, looking out of the window every so often, glancing impatiently at the wall clock. He was eager to leave, thinking this was a big waste of time. TenTen gave me a sympathetic look as I grimaced at the white-eyed boy, wishing for him to leave, or at least show concern for his fellow teammate. When they finally did leave, I was glad.
Before I come in, I peer in, making sure that Lee-san is indeed asleep. He always gets up ridiculously early in the morning, trains until he is exhausted, and sleeps until 3 or 4 in the afternoon. I prefer to come in when he is sleeping, so that I don't have to make conversation with him. I wouldn't know what to say to him anyways. I prefer watching as he slumbers, serene in his dreams.
He doesn't know who brings the flower every day, and the nurses won't say anything. Apparently he has started making guesses and uses those as a part of his training. The beauty of it is, if he didn't work himself so hard, then he might one day be awake and see me come in, bringing the flower. But he doesn't, because he is Rock Lee and is blessed with more strength than common sense, like most boys his age.
The curtains are drawn again, which means that our pal Lee-san is in La-La Land at the moment. I come in softly, just in case he stirs.
Ino once pulled me aside, when I was in her shop, and asked if I liked Lee-san. At that point I did not know, still hung over on Sasuke and filled with anxiety for him ad his curse seal. Ino said that every time I looked at Lee-san I had a strange look on my face. Like I wanted to eat him up.
I don't want to eat Lee-san up, despite rumors to the contrary.
I am possessive, though, like a beast protecting it's mate.
I get jealous easily, which, along with my eyes, was the basis for my nickname, "the Green-Eyed Monster".
Not very original. But it gets the point across. I was jealous of Naruto, for getting Sasuke to focus on him rather than me, despite all my efforts. I was jealous of Ino, first over Sasuke, then because she was smart enough to let go, when I would not. I am jealous now of everyone, for having loving relationships, when all I get left with is smoke.
That's why I come here every day, with a daffodil and sit for 2 or 3 hours in the dark watching Lee-san as he sleeps. I can pretend that we aren't in a hospital, that Lee-san does not have life-threatening injuries, that I am not a weak hindrance.
I can believe I am a prince watching over my sleeping princess, waiting patiently until the day his eyes open and he can smile again.
And when the princess does open his eyes, the prince will kiss the princess and they can live happily ever after.
But that is nothing but a dream.
"Sakura. -san?"
I pause, in the process of putting the flower in the vase. I turn to the bed.
Lee-san is looking at me, surprised, eyes riveted on the flower I have in my hand.
"Lee-san, I am sorry if I disturbed you. Would you like me to leave so you can get some rest?"
Lee-san is ignoring my polite words, which is alright, since they are empty anyways.
"So you are the one who is bringing me flowers everyday."
Despite myself I blush, but it is nothing compared to the two flaming circles on Lee-san's cheeks.
"Why?" Lee-san is shy, embarrassed by his own question, but I see a faint flicker of hope, bringing some light back into his dead eyes.
I sigh, and place the daffodil in the vase, arranging it so that it faces Lee-san. "Well," I begin, seating myself in my regular chair.
Again I pause, because as Lee-san looks at me expectantly, I see in his face complete and utter trust even though I hold the power of crushing him in my hands. For a moment I am overwhelmed. I am startled when Lee-san reaches out and touches my face, wiping away tears I did not know were there. I place my hand over his, and smile at his worried face.
"Because of this," I whisper, grasping his hand tightly.
Maybe, just maybe, this prince can protect his princess, and perhaps we can live happily ever after.
"Sakura-san?" Lee's eyes widen as he watches me lean in, hovering a few inches over his face.
I smile, and kiss his cheek.
He blushes, eyes closed, bliss on his face. His hand tightens around me, and we stay like that all afternoon, not wanting to break this perfect moment.
He is mine, I know now.
No one will ever take him away from me.
Not the doctors in their white coats.
Not that shinobi from the Hidden Village of the Sand whose eyes are like ice.
Not even death.
And I will protect him as he has protected me. After all, didn't Lee himself say, "Konoha's Lotus blooms twice"?
I am dancing among the stars,
Waltzing around the moon and sambaing by Mars.
Swinging with Saturn,
I do a pattern
By Pluto, moving my body all over the place,
With each step I see your face.
I tango with the sun, who is on fire,
And do the foxtrot with Mercury, who never tires.
Jupiter and Venus like to break dance,
But when I am in the groove they don't stand a chance.
Uranus and Neptune like to cut a rug,
But that don't compare to when I do the jitterbug.
But when Earth twirls in her gown,
Nobody else makes a sound.
I just want to say, out of all the stars in the sky,
I'd rather dance with you, my dear, by the by.
Nothing but Green
I see nothing but the green
Playing out a graceful scene
I see nothing but the stars
Even as my fingers count the scars
I see nothing but your face
Even in this place
I want to see blue
But all I see is you
Nothing but the green.
***
Every day I walk the same path, from Ino-pig's family's flower store to the Hidden Leaf Hospital, clutching in my hands a single daffodil. I had long ago stopped bringing two, since the other one was never there to receive it, and even if he was, secretly I wondered if he would have cared.
Probably not, the bastard.
Which I mustn't think, because this is Sasuke-kun after all and he is the number one rookie and a genius. He's cold and aloof and talented, which, oddly enough, makes him all the more attractive. Sexy, mysterious, cruel. The more he pushes away the more girls want him.
But to be honest, that only works for so long. Many of the other female shinobi have been too busy to spare him a thought. Those that do see him often enough to swoon over him are becoming bored, or were never interested in the first place. Hinata Hyuuga never saw Sasuke. Her pure white eyes have been for Naruto alone, though Naruto has never noticed. And Ino, my most bitter rival and my most trusted best friend, Sasuke fanatic to the extreme, has been losing focus on the tragic Uchiha. Her gazes turn in towards her own team, watching the shadow Nara child and the powerful Akimichi child, as fascinated as a child over a pair of butterflies.
I've sat and observed all this, watching the bonds growing between the rookie teams and my limited views of the older teams. I see the tides, and push and pull as teammates grow intimate, trusting each other with their lives, and their hearts.
I watch as they grow closer, and I am jealous, because I know my team will never be like all those others. I have little hope that Naruto and Sasuke will get along, and even if they did, Sasuke's lust for revenge and Naruto's dream of being Hokage and acknowledged by the village are not compatible. It would be all or nothing in that case, complete destruction or complete unity. If it were the former, they would become bitter enemies, tearing everything apart in their rivalry. If, however, it comes to the second option, they would be focused only on each other, no room left in their hearts for me.
The weakling. The nuisance.
I know how many steps it is from the door of the Yamanaka flower shop to the hospital reception desk. I know exactly how many steps it is from there to the elevator, how many seconds between each level, which floor I get off on, and precisely how many paces, from the elevator door to Lee-san's bedside.
I am known by sight at the hospital, the pink-haired, green-eyed konouchi who comes every day with a single daffodil. I come every day at the same time, stay for a few hours, and leave, few words ever passing my lips.
The nurses never ask any questions, never bother me at all.
The nurse in charge of Lee-san's room keeps a vase filled with water, just for the fresh daffodil that I bring. She looks in every so often, and smiles kindly and asks if I need anything, and then leaves me alone to watch over Lee-san.
Sometimes I am joined by Lee-san's Sensei, who, despite, being loud and out-going in public, is rather subdued when we sit together in Lee- san's room. He is optimistic, but his favorite pupil's injuries are wearing on the vibrant jounin, so that he comes in with dark circles and slumps bonelessly in his chair.
He told me once, when we were making small-talk to break the awkward silence, that Lee-san had almost died.
I nodded, thinking it was perhaps from his injuries, which were quickly stabilized after he was taken to the emergency room.
Lee-san's sensei was worried most about Lee-san's recovery, and the effect that would have on Lee-san himself.
According to the doctors, he had a crushed right arm and leg from his battle.
According to the doctors, he had many tiny bone fragments scattered throughout his nervous system.
According to the doctors, Lee-san would never become a ninja.
Something inside me had twanged painfully at that. I do not claim to know Lee-san to any extent (I mean, I didn't even know who he really was before the Chunnin exams, and that was only when he had proclaimed he liked me and asked me out!) but I did know, if Sasuke and Naruto were anything to go by, that to lose the ability to be a ninja was devastating.
Only once did I see Lee-san's teammates come in to visit Lee-san. They only stayed a little while, Hyuuga Neji and TenTen. It was obvious from Neji's face he had come only because he had been persuaded, looking out of the window every so often, glancing impatiently at the wall clock. He was eager to leave, thinking this was a big waste of time. TenTen gave me a sympathetic look as I grimaced at the white-eyed boy, wishing for him to leave, or at least show concern for his fellow teammate. When they finally did leave, I was glad.
Before I come in, I peer in, making sure that Lee-san is indeed asleep. He always gets up ridiculously early in the morning, trains until he is exhausted, and sleeps until 3 or 4 in the afternoon. I prefer to come in when he is sleeping, so that I don't have to make conversation with him. I wouldn't know what to say to him anyways. I prefer watching as he slumbers, serene in his dreams.
He doesn't know who brings the flower every day, and the nurses won't say anything. Apparently he has started making guesses and uses those as a part of his training. The beauty of it is, if he didn't work himself so hard, then he might one day be awake and see me come in, bringing the flower. But he doesn't, because he is Rock Lee and is blessed with more strength than common sense, like most boys his age.
The curtains are drawn again, which means that our pal Lee-san is in La-La Land at the moment. I come in softly, just in case he stirs.
Ino once pulled me aside, when I was in her shop, and asked if I liked Lee-san. At that point I did not know, still hung over on Sasuke and filled with anxiety for him ad his curse seal. Ino said that every time I looked at Lee-san I had a strange look on my face. Like I wanted to eat him up.
I don't want to eat Lee-san up, despite rumors to the contrary.
I am possessive, though, like a beast protecting it's mate.
I get jealous easily, which, along with my eyes, was the basis for my nickname, "the Green-Eyed Monster".
Not very original. But it gets the point across. I was jealous of Naruto, for getting Sasuke to focus on him rather than me, despite all my efforts. I was jealous of Ino, first over Sasuke, then because she was smart enough to let go, when I would not. I am jealous now of everyone, for having loving relationships, when all I get left with is smoke.
That's why I come here every day, with a daffodil and sit for 2 or 3 hours in the dark watching Lee-san as he sleeps. I can pretend that we aren't in a hospital, that Lee-san does not have life-threatening injuries, that I am not a weak hindrance.
I can believe I am a prince watching over my sleeping princess, waiting patiently until the day his eyes open and he can smile again.
And when the princess does open his eyes, the prince will kiss the princess and they can live happily ever after.
But that is nothing but a dream.
"Sakura. -san?"
I pause, in the process of putting the flower in the vase. I turn to the bed.
Lee-san is looking at me, surprised, eyes riveted on the flower I have in my hand.
"Lee-san, I am sorry if I disturbed you. Would you like me to leave so you can get some rest?"
Lee-san is ignoring my polite words, which is alright, since they are empty anyways.
"So you are the one who is bringing me flowers everyday."
Despite myself I blush, but it is nothing compared to the two flaming circles on Lee-san's cheeks.
"Why?" Lee-san is shy, embarrassed by his own question, but I see a faint flicker of hope, bringing some light back into his dead eyes.
I sigh, and place the daffodil in the vase, arranging it so that it faces Lee-san. "Well," I begin, seating myself in my regular chair.
Again I pause, because as Lee-san looks at me expectantly, I see in his face complete and utter trust even though I hold the power of crushing him in my hands. For a moment I am overwhelmed. I am startled when Lee-san reaches out and touches my face, wiping away tears I did not know were there. I place my hand over his, and smile at his worried face.
"Because of this," I whisper, grasping his hand tightly.
Maybe, just maybe, this prince can protect his princess, and perhaps we can live happily ever after.
"Sakura-san?" Lee's eyes widen as he watches me lean in, hovering a few inches over his face.
I smile, and kiss his cheek.
He blushes, eyes closed, bliss on his face. His hand tightens around me, and we stay like that all afternoon, not wanting to break this perfect moment.
He is mine, I know now.
No one will ever take him away from me.
Not the doctors in their white coats.
Not that shinobi from the Hidden Village of the Sand whose eyes are like ice.
Not even death.
And I will protect him as he has protected me. After all, didn't Lee himself say, "Konoha's Lotus blooms twice"?
I am dancing among the stars,
Waltzing around the moon and sambaing by Mars.
Swinging with Saturn,
I do a pattern
By Pluto, moving my body all over the place,
With each step I see your face.
I tango with the sun, who is on fire,
And do the foxtrot with Mercury, who never tires.
Jupiter and Venus like to break dance,
But when I am in the groove they don't stand a chance.
Uranus and Neptune like to cut a rug,
But that don't compare to when I do the jitterbug.
But when Earth twirls in her gown,
Nobody else makes a sound.
I just want to say, out of all the stars in the sky,
I'd rather dance with you, my dear, by the by.