AN: Well I finally updated this one! I haven't been feeling this for a while now, I think maybe I bit off more than I can chew with this story so to speak… but I some recent comments, one sent to me through a different site, saying I had to update haha! So I did! I do have a plot and know how it will end so I will try and continue with this. Sometimes I just need a good prod to get on with it!

Chapter 8

"Taaaa daaaaaa! Maito Gai, the graceful green beast, is back!"

Gai burst out of his new room in the green jump suit Naruto had given him. The young Hokage, Sakura and his beloved student Rock Lee were sat on the sofa. They applauded and cheered when Gai paraded around in his customary green spandex. It was good to see him more like himself again. Somehow the civilian clothes just didn't suit him.

Rock Lee's apartment was small but bright. It had an odd mix of things such as the plain brown leather sofa and arm chair that had been covered in crazy bright patch work quilts. Kung fu posters were tacked to the walls alongside traditional Japanese calligraphy scrolls. Of course, having the same discipline as his sensei, everything was neat and in order. Actually it was spotless.

"Alright, Bushier-brow-sensei!" Naruto jumped off the sofa in between Sakura and Lee and air punched. "Let's go strut your stuff in town! Ramen is on me!"

Gai and Lee beamed but Sakura punched Naruto. "Why the hell do YOU get to pick?! We are celebrating Gai-sensei's return! Not yours!"

"Owww Sakura-chan," Naruto whined.

The girl continued growling. Lee said nothing and had an expression which told Gai that he had clearly become used to this sort of thing. Kakashi's students always were rather feisty…

"Sakura-chan," Gai intervened. "It warms my soul that you value my needs so. But I do in fact feel like eating some ramen today." Sakura looked at him, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Honestly!" Well no, not honestly. He actually wanted to go to his favorite family restaurant that did super spicy curry, but chilli ramen would do just fine, and save the Hokage from a painful death in the process.

"See Sakura! Everyone loves ramen!" Naruto yelled triumphantly.

The game fizzled out once Asuma had kissed Kurenai. He'd had his eye on her for a while but hadn't done anything about it, not wanting to potentially ruin a friendship. Kurenai had been their friend since their academy days and she wasn't the sort of girl you'd mess around with. She had grown into a beautiful and intelligent woman: and there was the fact that if you upset her you risked a kick on the balls from Anko. Gai had seen it happen when Raido had upset Anko's friend.

It was already 1am and things were still going strong. The music was loud, the apartment hot from all the shinobi crammed in. Gai hadn't realised Asuma knew so many people, many of them giggling girls. Kakashi was sat with him, Asuma and Kurenai whilst drinking beer. They all sat round a small Japanese table on their knees. Asuma sat next to Kurenai and glanced at her a little too often to be considered casual. Gai smiled; he was always this obvious when he'd been drinking.

Gai on the other side was sat with Kakashi. He must have had a bit too much to drink himself because he noticed Kakashi was slyly edging away from him, trying to put some distance between them as they sat side by side; he hadn't realised he was leaning so close to the other man; their legs had been touching. Gai also didn't fully take in Kakashi's evident discomfort.

"Well I think I'm all out of beer here, I'll just go-"

"No, eternal rival! Do not trouble yourself; I shall go get us some more beverages!" Gai struck a pose but swayed slightly as he did. He was too drunk to summon any sort of dramatic effect. Never the less Gai was determined to be suave and cool, the perfect gentleman, and sweep his rival off his feet.

Kakashi sighed. "OK Gai, you go do that."

Gai jumped up to attention and bolted for the drinks table in his enthusiasm, almost tripping a couple of times. He decided on another round of the strong tasted punch. The more he drank the less awful it tasted somehow and it wouldn't hurt for the stronger drink to loosen up a little. He was always so serious – and as much as he hated to say it, angsty- after Minato-sensei had died and being in ANBU wasn't helping matters.

When he arrived back, with a tray balancing five cups of the punch, he found Kakashi missing from the little group. Before Gai could even ask where he was, Kurenai spoke.

"He's gone home. He has a mission tomorrow- or should I say tonight?"

Gai couldn't stop himself from pouting. Was he being that obvious? This wasn't how the night was supposed to end! He put the drinks down and turned.

"Gai, wait! He doesn't want-"

Too late. With an over enthusiastic drunken bow (which ended with him nearly toppling over) Gai waved his goodbyes and leapt off after Kakashi.

"...you to follow..." Kurenai sighed. Asuma laughed.

"You know, you never would have stopped him. Once that man sets his mind on something not even the kami could stop him. He won't quit until- well, you know heh heh."

Kurenai frowned at him playfully. "Alright you, that's enough of that. The spandex is revealing enough without those sort if mental images."

Asuma leaned forwards. "Well, I suppose I could give you something else to think about..."

Ignoring the rest of the party around them, Kurenai closed the rest of the distance and locked lips with Asuma. It was his best birthday party to date.

"BBQ pork miso ramen please! And keep em' coming!"

"Chicken miso please."

"Sea food for us two."

As everyone ordered their ramen, Gai was gazing towards the district he knew so well. Kakashi's old district, before he moved in with Yamato that is. Gai had no idea where they lived now, whether it was in Yamato's old place or somewhere else entirely.

Gai thought of all the times he had waited outside Kakashi's door when he refused to take care of himself or let Gai in. The times he had heard Kakashi's nightmares as he kneeled on the balcony of his bedroom. All those dark days he had helped Kakashi through after the consecutive deaths of his team. Gai wondered, had Kakashi been like that when he had been pronounced dead? Had Yamato waited outside his apartment, as he had once done?

"Hello! Earth to Bushy-brows!" Naruto punch his shoulder lightly.

"Wha'?"

"Gai-sensei," Sakura said with concern. "Teuchi is waiting for your order..."

Rock Lee was watching his sensei anxiously. He rarely saw Gai out of sorts. He especially wouldn't want to see Gai so down when he had only just returned from the dead. To put his mind at rest Gai struck a nice guy pose.

He folded his arms over his chest and epically ordered. "Give me the spiciest and most manly ramen you've got! I will show you just how hot I can take it!" He smiled a big toothy smile and gave Rock Lee the thumbs up. Lee returned the gesture and looked somewhat relieved.

"Actually, may I change my order to the same as Gai-sensei's? I can also handle the heat!"

"Oh, brother," Sakura face palmed. "You know not everything has to be a competition?"

They were saved answering by Naruto's fist hitting the counter. "Me too, me too, old man! I want the spicy ramen too, don't leave me out!"