An Attack from the Heavens!! Konoha's Blue Beast Returns!!
A fanfiction starring Konoha's beautiful blue beast: Rock Lee! -------------------
831 THWACK, 832 THWACK, 833 THWACK, 834 THWACK. . .
Lee grimaced with each kick. He had been out of the hospital for less than a week now, and he was still incredibly sore. Trying to keep upright on his bad leg was difficult and each time Lee wheeled his body into the kick, he swore he could feel his ankle being crushed again. The rain wasn't making his training any more pleasant either. Years of abuse had worn the surface of the old log in front of him into a smooth marble-like texture. The rain gave the long dead tree a polish that produced a stinging slap every time Lee's shin rammed into the side.
835 THWACK, 836 THWACK, 837 THWACK . . "If I can't complete 850 kicks, I'll have to do 1000 punches.
After forcing himself through 300 one-handed pushups, 400 squats, and 600 backflips (landing on one leg was not easy), Lee's energy was wearing thin. His body couldn't keep up, no matter how badly he wanted it to. Lee stopped, panting. Maybe he'd never be whole again. Isn't that what the doctors said? "I'm not suited to be a ninja anymore." His shoulders sagged. "So much for my way of the ninja." The sky rumbled overhead in reply. Lee turned and leaned backwards against the stump then slowly allowed himself to slide down until he was sitting in the mud. He reminded himself for thousandth time since he learned his fate, that he'd never prove himself a worthy ninja, all his hard work was for nothing, and worst of all: Sakura would never love a useless cripple like him.
The bob-haired head sank like an anchor as the rain washed over him. Lee could barely fight back his tears. "If I can't keep myself from crying, I'll have to do 200 Konoha Senpus," he mumbled halfheartedly. Who cares, he thought. Just then he heard a scream coming from deeper in the woods.
-------------------------
Sakura's heart pounded in her chest as she dashed through the forest. She could still hear the telltale noise of thrashing branches behind her as she fled her pursuers. Konoha village was under attack. The assault seemed to be a complete surprise to everyone, though thinking back, maybe she was one of the few people who didn't really know what was going on. Sakura had been waiting on the bridge for Naruto and Sasuke to show up for the day's lesson when it started to rain. 45 minutes had passed before she decided it wasn't worth standing in the downpour any longer. She wasn't the least bit worried about Kakashi, who never showed up anywhere on time. But Konoha's number one rookie was never late. Her intuition told her something was wrong and the first place she wanted to check was Sasuke's house.
The falling arrows caught her attention first. Great thick waves of them flew through the air like swarms of angry bees, all headed for the heart of the village. It was difficult to see them at first, as they were masked by the torrential downpour. However, these arrows were different. They weren't traveling through normal means. She could sense an aura of chakra around each one. This, she decided, was not good. The second thing to catch her attention, she decided, was also not good. This particular thing was wrapped tightly in black cloth and wielding an especially wicked looking sword. It was a ninja. There were no identifying symbols on the man, so she couldn't be certain of his origins, but the long red tongue and glowing eyes certainly didn't make him seem friendly.
Shouting could be heard from within the town now. The sounds of battle became evident as the Konoha emergency siren began to blow with earnest. Women and children and animals running in all directions as arrows pierced attackers, defenders, and innocent alike. With all of the ruckus it was a small wonder that Sakura was able to hear the gentle rustle to either side of her. The time for shock had passed and the pink-haired girl gathered her wits and a tight grip on her kunai. Two more of the mysterious ninjas had shown up and Sakura was now surrounded. She felt a small measure of comfort in the fact that the new arrivals seemed only barely her height, possibly shorter. They all bore the same grotesque tongues and glowing eyes, however. None of them said a word. Sakura raised her dagger to eye level and took a deep breath.
Ziiiiiiip zip ziiiipp!! Three shuriken came flying towards her at incredible speed. The spinning stars cut through the rain, spraying water in all directions. It made them very difficult to see, but Sakura managed to parry two of them off in a flash. The third glanced her left shoulder, causing her to wince in pain. Almost immediately the tallest ninja was on top of her. The girl's arm nearly broke as the man's sword came down, crashing into her own defending blade. She was consequently unable to react when his tongue came arching across her chest, tearing through her dress like it was paper. Sakura repelled the attack at last and leapt backwards. She was feeling exposed and less than confident about the situation: she needed to get out of here; find more advantageous ground, or risk getting killed.
The man stared at Sakura menacingly, but made no move to strike again. It was the smaller ninjas' turn. They were just as fast as their older counterpart, and their prey didn't stand a chance. In one clean, well rehearsed motion, their whip-like tongues lashed out at Sakura, wrapping around her neck and hoisting her into the air. Then, both figures ran forward and plunged their swords through the girl's torso, cleaving her in two.
The older man's glowing eyes blinked. He cocked his head slightly at the two log halves: one lying on the ground, the other dangling between the entwined tongues of his associates. "Replacement technique?" he questioned with a deep raspy voice. A flash of pink caught his attention. Sakura was running into the forest. The two smaller ninjas spit out the wooden puppet and looked to their master, seeking further instructions. The elder folded his arms. The village would be underwater soon. He would have no need for these two, and his orders were to let no one escape . . . He shrugged. "Go." he said simply, then turned back toward the village. The younger ninjas squealed with delight and headed for the woods.
So, Sakura's current dilemma was how to escape the twins on her back who were now little inclined to mask their presence. The rain was making it increasingly more difficult to keep her footing. The ground didn't seem like it could absorb any more water, and she had to fight to stay upright as she slid through each step. Suddenly a crack of lightning exploded into the trees above her sending tree limbs crashing down like missiles. She slipped trying to avoid the debris and went careening off into a bramble bush. The thorny plant sliced at her skin and clothes and tugged at her hair as she struggled to free herself. A shuriken whizzed by her face just as she managed to tumble out of the unwitting captor's grasp.
Scrambling to her feet, Sakura immediately began running again. Before her collision with the shrub she had at least had an idea of where she was headed. Now she had lost any sense of direction and was simply moving to stay moving. It didn't take long for her to find out her location, however. After sprinting for only a short distance, Sakura broke through a gap in the trees skidded to a stop in front of a rushing river of water. This, she realized, was one of the main tributaries off of the Konoha River. The current was far more violent than usual however, as entire trees were sailing down the river with a minimum of complication. If she followed this back upstream, she realized, she would come around to the far side of the village and perhaps find some help or at least a good place to hide. Turning north, she began running alongside the bank as fast as she could manage.
Moments later, just as the tattered girl was beginning to think that she was home free, a thin silver wire appeared without warning at her feet and Sakura was sent sprawling. Her mind was frantic. Something had her by the leg and was dragging her backwards along the ground! She turned onto her back to look, and to her horror she discovered that she wasn't just being pulled down-river. She was being pulled into the river! The trap wire that was wrapped around her legs was connected to a tree being swept out to sea: and it seemed intent on bringing a friend along with it. Sakura screamed.
---------------------------------
Lee's eyes were wide with determination, his eyebrows furrowed into two great fuzzy bars of courage. His pain, fatigue, and depression fell away as he bounded through the trees searching for the source of the scream. She was the girl he loved and would protect until he died. "Sakura-san! I'm coming!" he shouted. Another shriek, this one more distressed than the first, pierced Lee's soul. Seconds seemed like eternity as he raced in the direction of Sakura's voice.
"Sakura-san!!" Lee blurted out as he spotted the pink rag doll desperately trying to keep her head above the water. She was thrashing wildly in the water and didn't seem to be making any headway in escaping the current.
Sliding down the giant maple that he was perched in, Lee made his way toward the river's edge. Then, out of nowhere two dark figures obstructed his path. Their eyes glowed in the gloom. "Who . . .?" Lee started, but was cut short by a pair of long thick chords flying at his face. He rolled out of the way instinctively, then launched himself back toward his assailants. The ninja closest to Rock was dealt a heavy handed haymaker. Though thrown for a loop, the ninja didn't appear to be injured. His partner immediately jumped into the fray, taking several swipes at Lee with his sword. These were only narrowly avoided.
Lee cursed himself. He was used to wearing weights for his training, but the casts on his arm and his leg were bulky and severely hampered his movement - not to mention the mud which seemed to cover everything. Although he was doing a decent job of avoiding their attacks, Lee couldn't seem to land a shot on either twin since the start of the fight. They operated in perfect unison. Each time he went after one, the other would move in to defend or counterattack. Worst of all, those razor tongues were flailing in all directions, and making it significantly harder to find an opening.
"I'm going to run out of steam at this rate." Lee growled to himself. He glanced toward the water and saw no signs of Sakura. "If only I had a little more speed to work with." he whispered through clenched teeth. The black figures cackled at him.
Exhaling in disgust, Lee straightened up and extended his encased arm. His fingers pointed toward the sky, palm facing himself. "I don't know who you are, but you cannot defeat me. I am Rock Lee. I will fight to protect the one most important to me, no matter what it takes." He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "The first gate should be enough to defeat you.
The two ninjas cowered in surprise as Lee's entire body exploded with power. His skin reddened as his veins were flooded with chakra. Lee was glowing with fury.
In a flash Lee was in front of the twins. "I only need one move. I created this one on my own. Please be watching Gai-sensei!" The ninjas could do nothing but flick their tongues in confusion. "KONOHA SENPU - LOTUS ORIGINAL!!" Lee grabbed a tongue out of the air with either hand and yanked with all his strength. The twins were hurled toward Lee and looked as though they would plow into each other. Then, at the last second, Lee threw his head forward. All three skulls collided in an sickening crack. Luckily, Rock always did have an impressively thick head. The technique wasn't finished there, however. As the two ninjas bounced off of him, he jumped into the air, spinning like a top. At the peak of his ascent, he released the villains, letting them sail further up into the trees. Once he had landed, Lee stood motionless for a few seconds. Then the two ninjas came falling head first to the ground. Before they could touch down, the boy in green threw a whirlwind kick into the first ninja followed by a spinning crossarm to the second. Both attacks used his cast-covered limbs and both attacks sent the ninjas shooting into the river.
Lee looked down at his splintered casts and stifled a scream of his own. There was no time to waste. The water was rising. He shook the pain induced drunkenness from his head and half limped / half ran down the river.
-------------------------------------
She heard the patter of rain from somewhere, but she felt strangely warm. Sakura opened her eyes a crack. A golden haze temporarily blinded her. As her vision slowly returned to normal, she realized that she was looking at a small fire. But where was she? She did a mental analysis of her surroundings. "Let's see . . it's kinda dark in here . . and musty. A cave? I'm covered in . . . blankets." She pulled the covers back some. Green. "This isn't my shirt . . ." The shirt appeared to have been hastily wrapped over her. She pulled it back. "Eeep!!" Her dress was in tatters and leaving little to the imagination. Sakura quickly pulled the blanket over her head and adjusted her atire.
When she poked her head out again, her face was quite red. What had happened to . . Suddenly it all came flooding back to her: the attack on Konoha, the black ninjas, her fall into the river . . . She sat up straight.
"Lee-san?" she called softly, more to herself than to him. A figure sat cross legged near the entrance to the cave, facing outward. Sakura glanced to the opposite wall of the cave and saw a set of green clothes hanging from a line to dry. Upon further inspection of the cave she noticed a supply cupboard and a small mat for eating meals on. Maybe this was where Lee came during his training? Standing up quietly with the blankets wrapped around her shoulders, she moved toward the figure. Lee's head was drooping forward. His hair was damp and disheveled. Drops of water still dripped from his head onto his bare back and down to his spare pair of pants. Sakura had never seen him quite like this. She stood behind him. "Lee-san?
There was no answer, save for Lee's shallow breathing. Sakura knelt down behind him and looked over his shoulder. He was asleep! She gasped in amazement. This boy . . no. This man had saved her life not once, but twice. Even after being crushed in his fight with Gaara, he still managed to continue fighting for her. Not even a week out of the hospital and he had dove into the river to free her from the trap line and pull her to safety. "Even in his sleep he continued to watch over me." Tears welled up in her eyes.
---- Let's go out together! I will protect you until I die! -----
---------------No way . . . You're too "unique" for my tastes.
----Sakura, I love you. You're an angel. . . . When you are in danger, I will appear at any time. ------
"Oh Lee-san!!" Sakura opened the blankets and wrapped her arms around Lee, holding him tightly to her. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder and cried. "Lee-san . . . why do you push yourself so hard? Why do you protect me with your life?" Thunder boomed outside the shelter. Sakura hugged herself to Lee's naked back all the tighter with her arms around his stomach. Her head was swimming with emotions, but embarrassment was not among them.
Lee stirred, his eyes slowly opening. He looked down at the blanket and felt a pair of arms wrapped around him. A pair of sparkling green eyes met his gaze as he turned around. "Sakura-san!" His shoulder felt wet. "Sakura-san? Are you okay?
Sakura smiled and wiped her eyes on the blanket. "Thank you for saving me again, Lee-san.
He wasn't sure how to react. She was so close to him.
Sakura leaned forward and kissed Lee gently.
"I . . " Lee's lower lip quivered.
"I love you too . . Rock Lee," she said.
Lee's heart almost leapt out of his chest. There in the soft glow of the firelight, he moved into Sakura's embrace and returned her kiss.
A fanfiction starring Konoha's beautiful blue beast: Rock Lee! -------------------
831 THWACK, 832 THWACK, 833 THWACK, 834 THWACK. . .
Lee grimaced with each kick. He had been out of the hospital for less than a week now, and he was still incredibly sore. Trying to keep upright on his bad leg was difficult and each time Lee wheeled his body into the kick, he swore he could feel his ankle being crushed again. The rain wasn't making his training any more pleasant either. Years of abuse had worn the surface of the old log in front of him into a smooth marble-like texture. The rain gave the long dead tree a polish that produced a stinging slap every time Lee's shin rammed into the side.
835 THWACK, 836 THWACK, 837 THWACK . . "If I can't complete 850 kicks, I'll have to do 1000 punches.
After forcing himself through 300 one-handed pushups, 400 squats, and 600 backflips (landing on one leg was not easy), Lee's energy was wearing thin. His body couldn't keep up, no matter how badly he wanted it to. Lee stopped, panting. Maybe he'd never be whole again. Isn't that what the doctors said? "I'm not suited to be a ninja anymore." His shoulders sagged. "So much for my way of the ninja." The sky rumbled overhead in reply. Lee turned and leaned backwards against the stump then slowly allowed himself to slide down until he was sitting in the mud. He reminded himself for thousandth time since he learned his fate, that he'd never prove himself a worthy ninja, all his hard work was for nothing, and worst of all: Sakura would never love a useless cripple like him.
The bob-haired head sank like an anchor as the rain washed over him. Lee could barely fight back his tears. "If I can't keep myself from crying, I'll have to do 200 Konoha Senpus," he mumbled halfheartedly. Who cares, he thought. Just then he heard a scream coming from deeper in the woods.
-------------------------
Sakura's heart pounded in her chest as she dashed through the forest. She could still hear the telltale noise of thrashing branches behind her as she fled her pursuers. Konoha village was under attack. The assault seemed to be a complete surprise to everyone, though thinking back, maybe she was one of the few people who didn't really know what was going on. Sakura had been waiting on the bridge for Naruto and Sasuke to show up for the day's lesson when it started to rain. 45 minutes had passed before she decided it wasn't worth standing in the downpour any longer. She wasn't the least bit worried about Kakashi, who never showed up anywhere on time. But Konoha's number one rookie was never late. Her intuition told her something was wrong and the first place she wanted to check was Sasuke's house.
The falling arrows caught her attention first. Great thick waves of them flew through the air like swarms of angry bees, all headed for the heart of the village. It was difficult to see them at first, as they were masked by the torrential downpour. However, these arrows were different. They weren't traveling through normal means. She could sense an aura of chakra around each one. This, she decided, was not good. The second thing to catch her attention, she decided, was also not good. This particular thing was wrapped tightly in black cloth and wielding an especially wicked looking sword. It was a ninja. There were no identifying symbols on the man, so she couldn't be certain of his origins, but the long red tongue and glowing eyes certainly didn't make him seem friendly.
Shouting could be heard from within the town now. The sounds of battle became evident as the Konoha emergency siren began to blow with earnest. Women and children and animals running in all directions as arrows pierced attackers, defenders, and innocent alike. With all of the ruckus it was a small wonder that Sakura was able to hear the gentle rustle to either side of her. The time for shock had passed and the pink-haired girl gathered her wits and a tight grip on her kunai. Two more of the mysterious ninjas had shown up and Sakura was now surrounded. She felt a small measure of comfort in the fact that the new arrivals seemed only barely her height, possibly shorter. They all bore the same grotesque tongues and glowing eyes, however. None of them said a word. Sakura raised her dagger to eye level and took a deep breath.
Ziiiiiiip zip ziiiipp!! Three shuriken came flying towards her at incredible speed. The spinning stars cut through the rain, spraying water in all directions. It made them very difficult to see, but Sakura managed to parry two of them off in a flash. The third glanced her left shoulder, causing her to wince in pain. Almost immediately the tallest ninja was on top of her. The girl's arm nearly broke as the man's sword came down, crashing into her own defending blade. She was consequently unable to react when his tongue came arching across her chest, tearing through her dress like it was paper. Sakura repelled the attack at last and leapt backwards. She was feeling exposed and less than confident about the situation: she needed to get out of here; find more advantageous ground, or risk getting killed.
The man stared at Sakura menacingly, but made no move to strike again. It was the smaller ninjas' turn. They were just as fast as their older counterpart, and their prey didn't stand a chance. In one clean, well rehearsed motion, their whip-like tongues lashed out at Sakura, wrapping around her neck and hoisting her into the air. Then, both figures ran forward and plunged their swords through the girl's torso, cleaving her in two.
The older man's glowing eyes blinked. He cocked his head slightly at the two log halves: one lying on the ground, the other dangling between the entwined tongues of his associates. "Replacement technique?" he questioned with a deep raspy voice. A flash of pink caught his attention. Sakura was running into the forest. The two smaller ninjas spit out the wooden puppet and looked to their master, seeking further instructions. The elder folded his arms. The village would be underwater soon. He would have no need for these two, and his orders were to let no one escape . . . He shrugged. "Go." he said simply, then turned back toward the village. The younger ninjas squealed with delight and headed for the woods.
So, Sakura's current dilemma was how to escape the twins on her back who were now little inclined to mask their presence. The rain was making it increasingly more difficult to keep her footing. The ground didn't seem like it could absorb any more water, and she had to fight to stay upright as she slid through each step. Suddenly a crack of lightning exploded into the trees above her sending tree limbs crashing down like missiles. She slipped trying to avoid the debris and went careening off into a bramble bush. The thorny plant sliced at her skin and clothes and tugged at her hair as she struggled to free herself. A shuriken whizzed by her face just as she managed to tumble out of the unwitting captor's grasp.
Scrambling to her feet, Sakura immediately began running again. Before her collision with the shrub she had at least had an idea of where she was headed. Now she had lost any sense of direction and was simply moving to stay moving. It didn't take long for her to find out her location, however. After sprinting for only a short distance, Sakura broke through a gap in the trees skidded to a stop in front of a rushing river of water. This, she realized, was one of the main tributaries off of the Konoha River. The current was far more violent than usual however, as entire trees were sailing down the river with a minimum of complication. If she followed this back upstream, she realized, she would come around to the far side of the village and perhaps find some help or at least a good place to hide. Turning north, she began running alongside the bank as fast as she could manage.
Moments later, just as the tattered girl was beginning to think that she was home free, a thin silver wire appeared without warning at her feet and Sakura was sent sprawling. Her mind was frantic. Something had her by the leg and was dragging her backwards along the ground! She turned onto her back to look, and to her horror she discovered that she wasn't just being pulled down-river. She was being pulled into the river! The trap wire that was wrapped around her legs was connected to a tree being swept out to sea: and it seemed intent on bringing a friend along with it. Sakura screamed.
---------------------------------
Lee's eyes were wide with determination, his eyebrows furrowed into two great fuzzy bars of courage. His pain, fatigue, and depression fell away as he bounded through the trees searching for the source of the scream. She was the girl he loved and would protect until he died. "Sakura-san! I'm coming!" he shouted. Another shriek, this one more distressed than the first, pierced Lee's soul. Seconds seemed like eternity as he raced in the direction of Sakura's voice.
"Sakura-san!!" Lee blurted out as he spotted the pink rag doll desperately trying to keep her head above the water. She was thrashing wildly in the water and didn't seem to be making any headway in escaping the current.
Sliding down the giant maple that he was perched in, Lee made his way toward the river's edge. Then, out of nowhere two dark figures obstructed his path. Their eyes glowed in the gloom. "Who . . .?" Lee started, but was cut short by a pair of long thick chords flying at his face. He rolled out of the way instinctively, then launched himself back toward his assailants. The ninja closest to Rock was dealt a heavy handed haymaker. Though thrown for a loop, the ninja didn't appear to be injured. His partner immediately jumped into the fray, taking several swipes at Lee with his sword. These were only narrowly avoided.
Lee cursed himself. He was used to wearing weights for his training, but the casts on his arm and his leg were bulky and severely hampered his movement - not to mention the mud which seemed to cover everything. Although he was doing a decent job of avoiding their attacks, Lee couldn't seem to land a shot on either twin since the start of the fight. They operated in perfect unison. Each time he went after one, the other would move in to defend or counterattack. Worst of all, those razor tongues were flailing in all directions, and making it significantly harder to find an opening.
"I'm going to run out of steam at this rate." Lee growled to himself. He glanced toward the water and saw no signs of Sakura. "If only I had a little more speed to work with." he whispered through clenched teeth. The black figures cackled at him.
Exhaling in disgust, Lee straightened up and extended his encased arm. His fingers pointed toward the sky, palm facing himself. "I don't know who you are, but you cannot defeat me. I am Rock Lee. I will fight to protect the one most important to me, no matter what it takes." He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "The first gate should be enough to defeat you.
The two ninjas cowered in surprise as Lee's entire body exploded with power. His skin reddened as his veins were flooded with chakra. Lee was glowing with fury.
In a flash Lee was in front of the twins. "I only need one move. I created this one on my own. Please be watching Gai-sensei!" The ninjas could do nothing but flick their tongues in confusion. "KONOHA SENPU - LOTUS ORIGINAL!!" Lee grabbed a tongue out of the air with either hand and yanked with all his strength. The twins were hurled toward Lee and looked as though they would plow into each other. Then, at the last second, Lee threw his head forward. All three skulls collided in an sickening crack. Luckily, Rock always did have an impressively thick head. The technique wasn't finished there, however. As the two ninjas bounced off of him, he jumped into the air, spinning like a top. At the peak of his ascent, he released the villains, letting them sail further up into the trees. Once he had landed, Lee stood motionless for a few seconds. Then the two ninjas came falling head first to the ground. Before they could touch down, the boy in green threw a whirlwind kick into the first ninja followed by a spinning crossarm to the second. Both attacks used his cast-covered limbs and both attacks sent the ninjas shooting into the river.
Lee looked down at his splintered casts and stifled a scream of his own. There was no time to waste. The water was rising. He shook the pain induced drunkenness from his head and half limped / half ran down the river.
-------------------------------------
She heard the patter of rain from somewhere, but she felt strangely warm. Sakura opened her eyes a crack. A golden haze temporarily blinded her. As her vision slowly returned to normal, she realized that she was looking at a small fire. But where was she? She did a mental analysis of her surroundings. "Let's see . . it's kinda dark in here . . and musty. A cave? I'm covered in . . . blankets." She pulled the covers back some. Green. "This isn't my shirt . . ." The shirt appeared to have been hastily wrapped over her. She pulled it back. "Eeep!!" Her dress was in tatters and leaving little to the imagination. Sakura quickly pulled the blanket over her head and adjusted her atire.
When she poked her head out again, her face was quite red. What had happened to . . Suddenly it all came flooding back to her: the attack on Konoha, the black ninjas, her fall into the river . . . She sat up straight.
"Lee-san?" she called softly, more to herself than to him. A figure sat cross legged near the entrance to the cave, facing outward. Sakura glanced to the opposite wall of the cave and saw a set of green clothes hanging from a line to dry. Upon further inspection of the cave she noticed a supply cupboard and a small mat for eating meals on. Maybe this was where Lee came during his training? Standing up quietly with the blankets wrapped around her shoulders, she moved toward the figure. Lee's head was drooping forward. His hair was damp and disheveled. Drops of water still dripped from his head onto his bare back and down to his spare pair of pants. Sakura had never seen him quite like this. She stood behind him. "Lee-san?
There was no answer, save for Lee's shallow breathing. Sakura knelt down behind him and looked over his shoulder. He was asleep! She gasped in amazement. This boy . . no. This man had saved her life not once, but twice. Even after being crushed in his fight with Gaara, he still managed to continue fighting for her. Not even a week out of the hospital and he had dove into the river to free her from the trap line and pull her to safety. "Even in his sleep he continued to watch over me." Tears welled up in her eyes.
---- Let's go out together! I will protect you until I die! -----
---------------No way . . . You're too "unique" for my tastes.
----Sakura, I love you. You're an angel. . . . When you are in danger, I will appear at any time. ------
"Oh Lee-san!!" Sakura opened the blankets and wrapped her arms around Lee, holding him tightly to her. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder and cried. "Lee-san . . . why do you push yourself so hard? Why do you protect me with your life?" Thunder boomed outside the shelter. Sakura hugged herself to Lee's naked back all the tighter with her arms around his stomach. Her head was swimming with emotions, but embarrassment was not among them.
Lee stirred, his eyes slowly opening. He looked down at the blanket and felt a pair of arms wrapped around him. A pair of sparkling green eyes met his gaze as he turned around. "Sakura-san!" His shoulder felt wet. "Sakura-san? Are you okay?
Sakura smiled and wiped her eyes on the blanket. "Thank you for saving me again, Lee-san.
He wasn't sure how to react. She was so close to him.
Sakura leaned forward and kissed Lee gently.
"I . . " Lee's lower lip quivered.
"I love you too . . Rock Lee," she said.
Lee's heart almost leapt out of his chest. There in the soft glow of the firelight, he moved into Sakura's embrace and returned her kiss.