A/N: This is a stand-alone that features Team Gai before they were Team Gai. Thank you to those who have taken the time to read and a really big thank to those who took the time to review. Enjoy!

SIX: When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Lee," said a dubious Tenten. The seven year old was sitting outside in the school yard, trying her best to enjoy her lunch. However, her friend's suggestion had nearly made her choke on her sandwich.

Said friend whipped around in his chair from where he was intensely watching the silent figure sitting alone on the other side of the yard. He looked at Tenten with wide, expressive eyes. "It is a brilliant idea! We need but ask…"

"No, I think we should stay right here and leave that guy alone," the girl replied with a serious frown. Usually she didn't mind going along with Lee's crazy schemes because they typically guaranteed fun but this one was beyond crazy; it was insane. "I like my teeth where they are, thank you very much."

Lee sat back in his chair and gave the girl a confused look. "Huh? What are you talking about? I just want to ask the new kid to sit with us at lunch."

Tenten frowned and shook her head firmly.

The young boy arched an impressive eyebrow. "What?"

"Did you forget about this morning at weapons practice?" Tenten demanded with an exasperated look, absently waving her sandwich about to stress her point. "The guy's a freak!"

Lee blinked at the girl's intensity but then smiled knowingly. "Oh, you're just mad because he beat you...Eep!" He cried out in terror when Tenten suddenly reached across the table and grabbed him by the collar, hauling him out of his chair.

"He did not out beat me, Lee," the angry girl growled through clenched teeth. "I got distracted. I didn't expect his eyes to pop out of his head."

"They didn't exactly pop out of his head," Lee choked out reasonably. "I think you're exaggerating just…"

"They POPPED out of his HEAD!" Tenten repeated with emphasis, tightening her grip.

"Ok, they popped out of his head," the boy agreed quickly, deciding he would rather breath than be technically correct at the moment.

His friend released him and then sat back in her chair stewing darkly. Tenten had taken justifiable pride in being the number one student in weapons training but that title quickly vanished with the arrival of the new student and his impressive display. It was as though he had no blind spots and there was no target out of his reach. Lee was awed by the performance but, as his dear friend just shown, Tenten was very sensitive about the matter and the boy immediately realized that he had to be more tactful around the girl's wounded ego.

She cut a glance at the lone figure meticulously eating his lunch. "Hmph, you would think with those white eyes that he was blind or something," she muttered darkly as she took a vicious bite out of her sandwich. "Why do you want him to sit with us anyway?" she demanded around the food in her mouth. "He's not all that nice."

"Someone with that much chakra control can surely help us in developing our own control," Lee reasoned hopefully. After all, chakra control (or more like lack of chakra) was the one thing that appeared beyond his grasp and he was becoming desperate. If it meant approaching the icy new kid for study tips then he wasn't too much above doing just that.

Tenten, however, looked downright appalled. "I don't need help from a guy like that," she exclaimed, mouth still full of food. "You gotta be out of your flippin mind if you think I'm going to ask him for help!"

"Fine, I'll do it," Lee said impatiently, rising out of his chair. He really didn't want to encourage anymore of Tenten's dramatic antics. She could be worse than him at times. "Just wait here."

"You know he's probably going to kill you, right," the girl commented drily after she managed to calm down and swallow her food. "Do you want daises or lilies on your gravesite?"

Lee gave her a look but opted not to say anything, knowing his friend was still raw about being usurped from her position of number one and was therefore acting bratty. "I'll be right back."

He made his way over to the new kid suddenly feeling very anxious. Tenten was right about one thing, the guy didn't seem very nice. Lee had yet to see him smile or laugh or talk to anybody. Despite being the same age as the other students, he struck Lee as being much older in his mannerisms. It was very intimidating but Lee wanted to be a ninja more than anything else and he could not let an opportunity to better himself pass him by.

As he drew closer he realized the kid had finished his meal and now appeared to be meditating. The young boy almost lost his nerve and stood awkwardly for a moment with indecision. However, the choice was soon taken away from him.

"What do you want?" the boy demanded in an annoyed voice not even bothering to open his eyes.

Lee started in surprise before stuttering out some kind of greeting. "H-Hi! I wanted to welcome you to our school. My name is Rock Lee."

He waited expectedly for the boy to offer his name in return but the boy appeared to ignore him.

"Uh," Lee shrugged awkwardly, "What is your name?"

The boy slowly opened his eyes, revealing the white, pupiless orbs that scared the wits out of half the class when he had first arrived. He cut a glance in the waiting boy's direction before closing his eyes again resuming his mediation. "Hyuga Neji."

"Nice to meet you, Hyuga Neji!" Lee said exuberantly offering his hand to shake only to later scratch the back of his head nervously when Neji continued to pointedly ignore him and his offered greeting. "So why are you sitting here by yourself?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want to be alone."

"Well, what do you do when you want company?" Lee asked with genuine curiosity. "You can't be alone all the time."

Neji gave an impatient huff. "Why don't you tell me what you really want so you can leave."

"Would you like to sit with me and my friend, Tenten?"

"No."

"Oh."

"Now go away."

Lee stood there for a moment, not quite ready to give up but still not sure about how to persuade the cold Hyuga to change his mind. He looked behind him to see Tenten frantically waving him back over to their table, looking as though she was afraid for his life. He gave her a calming gesture before turning around to face Neji again. All this time the Hyuga child did not move from his meditation position.

"Perhaps you would like to sit with us tomorrow then."

Neji opened his eyes, his face completely impassive and then suddenly he was on his feet facing a very startled Lee. "Why would I want to sit with losers like you and your friend? I know who you are: a wanna-be ninja with no chakra and a wanna-be weapons expert who lacks discipline. You're both pathetic."

Lee was taken aback by the vicious words but his expression quickly turned to anger. "Who are you calling pathetic! I am not the one being rude to a potential friend!"

"I don't need friends," the Hyuga replied snidely. "Especially, friends like you and that girl. Now leave me alone or I will not be responsible for what happens to you," as he said this, Neji reached out and lightly touched Lee on his left shoulder.

Lee jolted in shock as pain suddenly laced down his arm leaving it numb. He gritted his teeth against the burning pain, staring in disbelief at the smug Hyuga child.

"Humph, loser," the Hyuga said as he walked away, heading back towards the school.

Lee stood frozen, the pain in his arm beyond bearable but he refused to cry out. He could hear Tenten running towards him from behind, huffing slightly when she finally reached him.

"Lee, are you alright? What did he do to you?" She looked frightened as she took in how the color had drained from her friend's face and the unnatural stiffness of his body. "We have to get you to the medic. You don't look good!"

Lee nodded, the pain taking away his ability to speak, as he allowed his friend to carefully guide him to the school medic's office.

0

0

Years later, after spilling blood, sweat and tears together as one of the best teams Konoha ever produced (in addition to a healthy serving of humble pie courtesy of one hyperactive ninja), Lee receives an unexpected vistor at his home.

"Neji!"

Despite being teammates for so long, they've rarely visited each other at their respective homes and considering the hour, Lee didn't quite know what to make of the Hyuga prodigy at his door.

"Lee," the young man greeted solemnly. He averted his gaze to the side momentarily as he took a breath. Then he looked at his teammate squarely. "I wish to apologize…for harming you that day in the school yard. I…was angry, about many things. I took it out on you and that was wrong."

Lee stared at him silently for a moment, blinking his eyes in confusion before a big, wide smile split his face. He pulled the Hyuga into a suffocating hug that very nearly decimated all of Neji's pride. "You are just in time for dinner!" he exclaimed happily, exaggerated tears of joys spilling down his face.

"Lee," Neji gasped out, "I assure you that will—"

But Lee was no longer listening. He turned back into the house and shouted, "Mom! Dad! Set up an extra place at the table. My dearest friend will be joining us!"

He turned back to see Neji staring at him with a stunned expression. Somehow, Lee managed to grin even wider as he ushered the Hyuga inside his welcoming home.

He was glad to have his friend over and hoped it wouldn't be the last time. Whatever Neji was apologizing for, Lee had no idea.