A/N: Poor Lee...perhaps this is where the "Hinata" rumor got started?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anyone/thing in this story

Chapter: 3

"Lee-kun..." Tenten soothed, patting her teammate's green spandex clad shoulder. "C'mon Lee-kun, this is her first real boyfriend. There's no guarantee that this will lead to marriage. Nakanaide kudasai."

The large black eyes she knew so well were uncharacteristically red and almost swollen shut.

"Really?" He asked.

"Hai," she nodded. "most people don't marry their first boyfriend or girlfriend. Take my mom for instance. She dated several people, and was even engaged once before she met my dad."

The black haired boy gave a great sniff. After a look from Tenten, Neji reluctantly leaned forward and handed Lee a handkerchief. When Lee tried to give it back Neji waved his hands.

"Dame, you keep it." After another look from Tenten, Neji sighed.

"You know Lee, my father's cousin was arranged to marry a girl from the Tea Country, but when the time came, he had already fallen in love with a girl he'd known since childhood."

Lee's lower lip quivered, and he laid his head back down on the counter at Ichiraku. His sobs louder than ever.

"Neji-kun!" Tenten hissed, "exactly what point were you trying to make with that little story?"

The Hyuuga genius shrugged.

"Destiny?"

Before Tenten could react they heard a voice.

"Lee? Is that you?"

"Mattaku..." Tenten muttered as the curtains parted and Maito Guy appeared before his squad. Lee jumped off his stool and stood at attention.

"Hai Sensei," he replied, tears running down his cheeks. "It is me that you heard."

"Doushita no? Did Teuchi-san start chopping onions while you were eating?"

The ramen cook didn't bother to dignify the Jonin's remark with more than an eye roll.

"Dame, sensei," Lee replied still standing at attention, his tears creating small puddles at his feet.

"Guy-sensei," Tenten spoke softly so as to not start Lee wailing again. "Lee-kun just found out that Haruno Sakura is dating Inuzuka Kiba."

"Hai," their sensei nodded. "Kakashi mentioned something about that to me during our challenge yesterday." He paused smiling, "you'll all be happy to know that I beat him again. It's now fifty-two to fifty."

"Sensei, that makes me so happy." Lee began sobbing in earnest, his shoulders shaking.

"Tenten," Maito Guy patted the kunoichi's shoulder. "You've been a good friend and loyal teammate. Neji," he paused looking at the silent Hyuuga. "Anou, I'm sure you tried."

Tenten smirked while Neji scowled.

"I want the two of you to go ahead and start training. Lee and I will be along shortly."

"Hai, Sensei." The two bowed before leaving, grateful that they didn't have to witness anymore semi-hysterics. As they walked to the training grounds, they shot glances at eachother, both wondering how they would react under similar circumstances.

o-o-o

"Lee," Guy touched his distraught student's shoulder. "What have you eaten today?"

"N-n-nothing yet," the boy sobbed sitting back down. "Anou, I had breakfast, but that was early this morning."

Guy clapped his hands together sitting on Tenten's vacated stool.

"No wonder, then." He turned to the ramen cook. "Teuchi-san, two bowls of curry udon!"

Teuchi nodded grimacing. Between that one's sobbing, and this one's shouting he could feel a headache coming on. Where was Ayame? She'd been gone almost an hour, how long was the line at the market?

"Lee, you obviously haven't had any spice today. With all this crying you've been doing, you're in real danger of putting out the flame of your youth! We need to make sure that fire stays lit!"

"Hai Sensei." Lee sniffed willing his tears to stop. The last thing he wanted was to lose his fire.

"Now," Guy continued, "we need to discuss this situation involving your crushed feelings for Haruno Sakura."

Lee bit his lip and closed his eyes. A lone tear traced a path down his cheek.

"Now Lee, Sakura-chan is a nice girl. She's even an attractive girl, I'll give you that. But it's painfully obvious to me that Haruno Sakura is a blind girl." Lee started to protest, but his sensei stopped him.

"Of the current chunnin, there is only one handsome devil, and that's you. Inuzuka Kiba is not a bad person, and he is a loyal Konoha shinobi, so I will not speak ill of him. But when it comes to hardwork and dedication, he can't hold a candle to you." Guy paused as Teuchi placed two steaming bowls of Udon in front of them.

"If Sakura-chan can't see the wonder that is you, then maybe she's not worthy of you. I will never tell you to not pursue a dream, but I can promise you that someone will come along who will appreciate you just as you are. But," he sighed, "if you're completely focused on Sakura-chan you'll miss it." He did an abbreviated version of the Nice Guy Pose due to their close proximity to eachother.

Lee put his chopsticks down, knowing full well that if his sensei used the Nice Guy Pose, then what he said must be true. His puffy, swollen face beamed at his teacher and he gave the thumbs up as well.

"Hai sensei. You are right. There IS someone out there for me. It might not be Sakura-chan," he stopped abruptly, swollen eyes widening to the size of quarters. "Guy-sensei, what if it's Hinata-chan!"

This wasn't quite what Guy had meant.

"Uh, Lee?"

"Hai, Guy-sensei! She would be perfect for me! The handsome devil and the delicate maiden! Oh sensei, why didn't I realize this before? Do you think Neji-kun will approve?"

Maito Guy put his head in his hands while Lee prattled on about the many virtues and attributes of Hyuuga Hinata.

o-o-o

Kiba and Akamaru happened to be passing the ramen bar on their way to Sakura's house when they overheard Lee. Kiba chuckled.

"Anou, what d'you think of that Akamaru? If I tell Sakura that Lee's over her she'll probably be pretty happy. But Hinata on the other hand..."

o-o-oOWARIo-o-o