Chapter 11: Behind The Mask

The rest of the week was fortunately uneventful. Lee looked forward to Saturday when he would go ice skating with Sakura. He awoke early Saturday morning but decided to lift weights in his room instead of running. It wasn't snowing yet, but the weather was so numbingly cold. He got himself cleaned up and dressed. He still had the cologne Shino gave to him and absentmindedly sprayed himself with it. Realizing his mistake, he changed into a different sweatshirt and had to deal with his only coat being spritzed with the spicy scent. Hopefully, it would wear off and no one would notice. Lee wasn't keen on how cologne worked. He decided to return it to Shino, fearing that he would repeat his mistake if he kept it.

"Keep it. That stuff is an endocrine disruptor." Shino said, scoffing. "My parents gave it to me. They don't even know what I like."

"Only if you are sure." Lee responded. He noticed Shino looked low in spirit. "Are you okay?" Lee asked, concerned.

"No." Shino said bluntly.

"Tell me what is wrong." Lee said. Shino wanted to speak, but he seemed unsure of what to say. He motioned for Lee to follow him.

Lee followed him outside and they walked to the greenhouse in the backyard, near several large trees. Lee tensed as they came near the greenhouse. Shino moves his bee colony in there in the winter to protect the honeybees from the elements. Lee was afraid of being stung until he noticed there seemed to be no sign of life. Inside the greenhouse lay thousands of dead and dying honeybees.

"I suspect it was Nosema. It's a very deadly disease." Shino said, his voice cracking.

"Shino… I am sorry." Lee said, putting his hand on his shoulder. Stray tears rolled down Shino's face and he turned away from Lee and went back inside the house and into his room. Lee wanted to help, but he knew Shino preferred to be left alone if he was ever upset. Lee looked back at the dying bee colony and felt sad. It was a shame those poor honeybees would not live to see the flowers of spring.

Lee left the house and arrived at the skate rink, parking his car, and waiting by the entrance. He was thankful he wore his gloves. It seemed the air got even colder despite being noon. He waited patiently until he saw a familiar car, the same one that picked up Sakura at the dance.

"Is that the same boy from the homecoming dance?" Mrs. Haruno asked Sakura as she pulled up to the curb by the entrance to the ice rink.

"Maybe." Sakura said, feeling uncertain. "I'll see you later." she said as she stepped out of the car. She carried her pair of ice skates with her and adjusted her scarf, trying to stay warm in the freezing temperature. Lee stood up to greet her.

"Good afternoon, Sakura!" Lee beamed. Sakura smiled.

"Hey, Lee. Let's go inside and get you some skates." Sakura said. "I brought my own pair." She said, lifting them and showing Lee. Her skates were white with pink cherry blossoms embroidered on the sides.

"That is so cool!" Lee said. "I am very excited to learn."

Sakura smirked. Lee was so naïve. Sakura recalled the difficulty she had learning to skate. It took tremendous balance and coordination to avoid falling and maintain speed. However, she was thankful she had someone willing to skate with her.

The two went inside and Lee was fitted with a pair of skates. He was fascinated by the shiny blades and watched as experienced skaters glided by, effortlessly skating like they were born for it. He watched as a small child fell and began crying. Sakura put on her skates and the pair made their way onto the ice.

Lee took a bold step forward onto the ice and immediately fell. He got up quickly, looking embarrassed. He noticed Sakura trying to fight back her laughter.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked. "Sorry." She apologized for letting her amused smile break through. Lee laughed.

"I am fine." Lee assured her, also grinning. "I am not sure what I was expecting." Lee said as he was struggling to maintain his balance. Sakura began to worry that he might get discouraged and quit.

"You need to keep your knees slightly bent." Sakura instructed. He obeyed and understood the task. He needed to lower his center of gravity if he was to make it across the rink without falling.

Lee carefully tried to move his feet while bending his knees. He began moving slightly but hadn't figured out how to change direction or increase his speed. He grasped onto the wall and watched as Sakura began skating. She increased her speed and skillfully turned. Lee watched her leg movements and the positioning of her skates. He looked down and decided to try doing what she was doing. Relying on his already expert-level balance, he successfully made his way across the ice. Sakura turned and noticed Lee accelerating towards her. He came close and stopped abruptly, struggling to maintain his balance, and trying to avoid a collision with her. He put his arms out to regain balance and Sakura reached out to aid him, grabbing his arms. Despite her efforts, he still collapsed.

"Oops. Sorry." Lee said, chuckling at himself. Sakura smiled.

"That was very good for a beginner Lee!" Sakura said, encouraging him. "Stopping is the harder part."

Lee carefully got up from the ice and stood close to Sakura. Suddenly, her smile faded. She swore she could smell a very familiar scent. It was the same scent as the jacket she kept in her school bag.

"Are you alright?" Lee asked her, noticing she had spaced out. She awoke from her stupor and smiled at him.

"It's nothing." Sakura said. "Anyways, let's keep going." Sakura said, offering her gloved hand. Lee's face flushed.

"It would be easier to advise you if we stay close." Sakura explained. Lee took her hand and held it gently in his gloved hand.

"Right." Lee nodded and his smile grew.

The pair continued to skate for the next couple of hours. Lee enjoyed watching Sakura show her moves on the ice. She looked like a princess as she skated, gliding across the ice, performing tricks, and spinning in place. Lee managed to skate competently, only falling occasionally as he tried to avoid crashing into other skaters. He knew he needed more practice to skate as well as Sakura, but he was happy just to spend time with her.

"That was so fun. We should do this again sometime." Sakura said, content with the hours she spent with Lee, who was great company for her. She appreciated his willingness to learn and how well he took her instructions. Sasuke had refused to even try skating or rollerblading before. The music in the rink combined with their skating reminded her loosely of the homecoming dance.

"Definitely!" Lee said. "I was having the best time." he smiled. Suddenly, a very audible growl emitted from Lee's stomach. "Sorry. I worked up an appetite." he chuckled.

"I could go for a hot drink." Sakura said, thinking about the potential places they could go. "Want to get some hot chocolate? I know a great place nearby."

"That sounds wonderful." Lee said, happy to spend more time with Sakura.

"Great. Do you mind driving us?" Sakura asked. She felt comfortable enough now to accept a ride from Lee. She could imagine her family would like him.

"Not at all." Lee smiled.

The two went to Lee's car and drove a few blocks away, arriving at a small French café. The place smelled amazing. The aroma of freshly baked bread, pastries, and coffee filled the air. Lee's mouth watered as he looked at the pastries on display. They ordered some hot chocolate, picked out an assortment of treats, and sat at a small table together.

"I'm a bit of a Francophile, in case you can't tell." Sakura said amusedly. "The hot chocolate they make is the best."

Lee examined the cup in front of him. The hot chocolate was thicker than he expected and there was a cup of whipped cream between them. He watched Sakura take a heaping spoonful of the cream and drop it into her hot chocolate. She stirred the two together and sipped the steamy, chocolatey fluid. Lee followed suit and sipped his drink. He was delighted by the rich flavor and the creamy texture. The hot drink warmed him and the sight of Sakura enjoying herself added to his warmth. He decided to remove his gloves to eat his croissant.

"What do you think so far?" Sakura asked, looking up at Lee as he removed his gloves.

"It is great! I cannot wait to try the food." Lee said, eager to take a bite of his croissant. Sakura watched as he took and bite and noticed his dominant hand had some scarring near his index finger and thumb. "Mmmm!" He beamed after taking a bite, now dunking the pastry into his hot chocolate, and savoring the flavor combination.

Sakura was speechless. She recognized the scent and now those hands. Now she was 90% sure that Lee was the guy she danced with. He had been avoiding talking about it throughout the week, assuring Sakura that he had informed the mystery man of her intentions.

"How is everything?" A server with a heavy Southern French accent asked them.

"C'est excellent." (It's excellent) Sakura responded.

"C'est incroyable! Merci beaucoup!" (It's incredible. Thank you very much) Lee beamed.

The server stepped away as Sakura felt her heart sink. Lee froze as he felt his heart sink too. He realized his mistake. He looked at Sakura, mortified. Sakura looked back at him, stunned in silence. She stood suddenly and approached Lee. She covered his eyes with her right hand and looked at his exposed chin. It was unmistakable.

"Rock Lee..." Sakura said as she removed her hand from his face. Lee felt a chill up his spine. Sakura took his hands. Lee looked down at her hands and back at her face, unsure how to react. "It's okay." She assured him. "I'm not angry. I just want to know the truth."

Lee felt relieved, but still his heart pounded in his chest. There was no hiding anymore, he needed to be fully honest now. Sakura sat back down and moved her chair closer to Lee, looking at him expectantly. Lee looked at her and took a deep breath, expanding his lungs with fresh air.

"Sakura. I am sorry. I wanted to ask you out at the homecoming dance, but I could tell you were not ready yet for a new relationship." Lee confessed. "I know you said you were ready to move on, but I did not want to ruin our friendship or burden you."

"Burden me? How?" Sakura asked.

"Tenten told me people had been saying things about you. Awful things. I did not want to add fuel to the fire and make those rumors worse by being around you if it was unwanted." Lee explained, his sadness growing.

"Lee. I am grateful that you are so thoughtful." Sakura said. "You impressed me at the dance, and I have to admit I was swept off my feet that night." she added, blushing. "I had a suspicion it was you, but I have to admit that I dismissed you initially because I just didn't know you enough. It was wrong of me to judge you the way I did because I did not consider what you're like." Sakura explained.

"Sakura. I meant what I said when I told you years ago that you are the most beautiful person I have ever laid my eyes on. You are so smart, talented, and strong." Lee said. Sakura listened carefully, feeling her heart beating fast. "I would be the happiest man alive if you wanted to be with me. I vowed that I would only ask you one more time and I will leave you be if that is what you want. I respect you." Lee added, feeling his heart beating in his ears. He swallowed hard, felt his confidence rise and he looked deep into her eyes. "Sakura, will you go out with me?"

The café was busy, but Lee and Sakura were unaware of their surroundings now. They both focused on each other. Sakura had a feeling this would happen, but even she did not feel prepared for this moment. She broke eye contact and looked down at Lee's scared hands. She reached for them again and he gently held hers. His hands were rough and calloused from their constant use in training, but they were warm, and his grasp was gentle. Memories of the dance flooded her mind. She remembered these same hands holding her at the dance. She recollected the feeling of surrender she felt as they swayed to the romantic rhythm. She felt her beating heart steadily drum as she settled on her answer. Lee waited for her answer, sadly anticipating that she might refuse him once again.

"Do you think we could take things slow?" Sakura asked. "I want to get to know you better." Lee was surprised.

"Yes, of course!" Lee beamed, feeling lightheaded. "I would do anything for you, ma chérie." he said and took her right hand and kissed the back of it.

Sakura felt her face getting warmer. Lee usually seemed content to her, but she could not ever recall seeing him so happy. She felt her face hurt from all the smiling she did on this day. They remained sitting close together and resumed enjoying their drinks, now as a couple.

"So, tell me, how long have you known how to dance?" Sakura asked. Lee smiled.

"I started learning fairly recently. I had the opportunity for personal lessons at the studio next door to the dojo I work at." Lee explained. "I practiced at home, too."

"Wow, you're a fast learner Lee. You picked up on ice skating quickly too." Sakura complimented, impressed by his athletic ability.

"Thanks! I train for mobility, flexibility, and balance often." Lee said, finishing his croissant.

"You got really fit over the years." Sakura commented. Lee's prominent blush intensified. "You look great."

"You are too kind." Lee said, flustered. He was glad she noticed his hard work and progress. He hoped Sakura was recognizing his growth as a man and no longer saw him as a boy.

"You make me want to get back into sports. I used to play tennis. I haven't played in years now." Sakura said, sipping her now cold hot chocolate. "Maybe in the springtime, we could play some together. I need a partner to train with." Lee's smile intensified.

"That sounds wonderful!" Lee beamed, excited that Sakura would suggest doing something so far out in time. She must be taking him seriously.

"Do you mind giving me a ride home?" Sakura asked, noticing the time. "I need to be back before dinner. My dad likes to rest on Saturday, and I don't want to bother him."

"I do not mind at all." Lee said, happy to help his love.

After finishing their pastries, Lee and Sakura walked back to Lee's car. As always, Lee opened the door for her and took his seat in the driver's seat. Just as they sat down, droplets of icy rain quickly began to cover the windshield. Lee turned on the heat setting, hoping it warmed Sakura. He didn't need the heat; he felt warm enough. His big smile was beginning to tire the muscles of his face. His heart skipped happily, finally having Sakura so close and trusting of him. Sakura gave Lee directions to her home and the two continued talking about sports as they traveled across the town. Lee carefully monitored his speed and surroundings, wanting Sakura to feel safe in his car. Sakura looked out the window as she spoke and noticed a small kitten in the road as they passed.

"Lee! I saw a cat in the road." Sakura said, alarmed.

"Where?" Lee asked, starting to search for a place to pull over.

"Back there on the shoulder, by the curb." Sakura gestured behind them. "It was a little black one." Lee pulled the car over safely. Sakura took her seatbelt off.

"Stay here, it is raining hard now." Lee told her. He stepped out of the car. Sakura was anxious about the safety of the distressed animal but stayed in the car. The rain intensified.

In the rain, Lee cautiously made his way toward the cat, spotting the small furry object with some trash by the curb. He was expecting it to be injured or possibly dead but was surprised when the kitten looked up and hissed at him, exposing tiny fangs. The kitten was shivering in the cold rain but was too afraid of the rapidly paced cars passing close by to run away from Lee. He scooped it up and looked around, failing to find any more cats around. He shivered and decided to return to the car with the wet kitten trying to escape his grasp. He sat down in his seat and revealed the kitten to Sakura.

"It does not seem hurt." Lee said, inspecting the scared feline.

"Aww, it's so cute." Sakura said. "I would take him home, but my cat doesn't get along with other animals." Sakura said sadly.

"It probably needs a vet. I can ask Kiba's father. He is a veterinarian." Lee smiled as he stroked the kitten, who was now mewing, cold and hungry.

"I'll hold it while you drive." Sakura said, taking the kitten from Lee and examining it. The kitten stared at Sakura, still frightened. "Shhh… it's okay little one." She cooed at the distressed animal. She unwrapped her scarf from around her neck and wrapped the shaking kitten, trying to dry off and warm him. Lee felt his heart flutter as he watched Sakura trying to soothe the kitten. "I can give you some cat food and litter if you need it."

"Sounds like a plan. Now, let's get you back home." He said to Sakura. His focus returned to driving and they continued their drive with the extra passenger.

Lee pulled into Sakura's driveway. He got out of his seat and ran around the side of the car, removing an umbrella from the backseat and holding it over the front passenger door as he opened it. Sakura stepped out carefully with the kitten, thankful Lee came so prepared. He walked her to the front door.

"Please come inside." Sakura said. Lee folded his umbrella and left it by the front door along with his shoes. "Oh, you don't have to do that." Sakura said, noticing that Lee was now just in his socks.

"I do not want to be rude." He said. It was ingrained in him to always remove shoes before entering someone's home or the floor at the dojo.

"Please make yourself comfortable. I will go grab a box and the supplies for the kitten. I need to make sure Duncan is contained so he won't fight with him either." Sakura said, relieved Lee agreed to take it home. Duncan, her cat did not like sharing attention.

Lee looked around. He could hear the sound of the rain pounding on the roof and the windows. Sakura's home was kept immaculately. The light beige carpets were freshly vacuumed, there wasn't a single speck of dust in sight, and the interior was warm and smelled like vanilla. The walls were decorated with many family portraits, featuring Sakura as a baby and other times in her youth. Lee smiled when he saw one of Sakura and her mother together, at the beach while Sakura must have been about four years old. Her eyes were covered by some oversized red sunglasses and her head was covered with a straw hat.

"Oh, hello. I thought I heard an unfamiliar voice." said a woman with dirty blonde hair and dark green eyes. She smiled at Lee and Lee kept his back straight and shoulders back, adopting his usual serious tone whenever he met an elder.

"Hello. My name is Rock Lee." He introduced himself and bowed.

"I am Mebuki Haruno. It is nice to meet you, Rock." she said, touched and amused by his formality. "Please come in. You look cold." Mrs. Haruno said, inviting Lee into the kitchen. He took a seat while she fixed him a cup of tea.

"Hey, mom." Sakura said as she returned with the kitten. "This is Lee. He gave me a ride home and we found this kitten on our way here."

"Thank you for driving my daughter, Lee. You saved me from driving out in this rain." Mrs. Haruno said, looking out the window over the kitchen sink. "I'm surprised that it isn't hailing. Thank goodness it isn't." she said as she set a cup of tea down in front of Lee and one next to him for Sakura. Sakura sat down next to him, adding honey and sugar to her tea. The kitten was wrapped in a fresh dry towel and was purring in Sakura's lap.

"Thank you, Mrs. Haruno." Lee said as he took a sip of the tea. It was strong, but not too overpowering. "It is wonderful." He beamed as he took another sip. Sakura was relieved his manners were good. Lee was polite, but the athletic type of guys she normally liked did not have the best etiquette in these situations.

"Would you like to join us for dinner tonight, Lee?" Mrs. Haruno asked. Sakura's heart jolted. She knew her father was going to be scrutinizing him and she did not feel prepared yet for that point. She was thankful he had fallen asleep while watching tv in the other room, unaware of Lee's presence.

"I would love to, but I must get the kitten to the vet before they close for the night." Lee explained. Sakura sighed in relief.

"That's alright. We can have you over for dinner some other time." Mrs. Haruno smiled.

"I appreciate it." Lee said, grateful for the offer. Not wanting to overstay his welcome, he finished his tea and took his leave. Sakura walked him to the door and handed him the kitten and supplies. Lee smiled at her, and Sakura's face flushed as she smiled at him. His eyes widened as she planted a delicate kiss on his cheek. It was cute to Lee how she had to stand on her toes to reach him.

"Thank you, Lee." Sakura said. "Today was amazing." He felt his heart rate increase and he felt that same sweet intoxication he felt the first time she kissed him. It felt like the room was spinning.

"You are amazing, Sakura." Lee said, kissing her cheek and sneakily kissing the other one too. Sakura smiled and giggled.

"You're slyer than I thought you'd be." Sakura teased. "Get back safely, Lee."

"I will text you later, my flower." Lee said sweetly. He slipped on his shoes and took one step out the door.

"Wait!" Sakura said, remembering something. "Stay here." She instructed and ran into her house. Seconds later, she re-emerged with a familiar-looking jacket. It was the same one from the homecoming dance. "You look cold." Lee took the dry clothing and placed it over his still-damp sweatshirt and coat.

"Thank you." Lee smiled and bowed. He waved as he turned to leave again, carrying the supplies and his still-closed umbrella through the rain, and loaded everything into his car before taking off. Sakura watched as he left, content with the decision she made to give him a chance.

Lee drove through the rain to the vet clinic, arriving before they locked their doors. Kiba's father, Dr. Inuzuka welcomed Lee and was willing to assess the kitten. After getting the feline's vitals and taking a culture for lab tests, he instructed Lee to give the kitten a flea bath at home and feed it a nutritious diet, as it looked malnourished. Without any injuries or major concerns, he sent Lee and the kitten out with a clean bill of health but warned Lee that he was going to get hypothermia if he remained in his cold, damp clothes for much longer. Lee rushed home, trying to keep his shivering body warm with his car's heat setting. His nose became stuffy, and he sniffled trying to clear his airways. He was glad the kitten was now warm, dry, and properly assessed.

Along his drive, he thought about Sakura. Though she preoccupied his mind so much already, he still had more thoughts about her. He was happy she was willing to give him a chance. Now that she was giving him her time, he did not want to disappoint her. Lee was new to relationships of this kind, but he did not let his inexperience discourage him. He already had an idea of what Sakura likes and anticipated that she must have some high expectations. She dated an Uchiha, after all. Lee was not aware of Sasuke's father being the chief of police until weeks ago, but it certainly explained the status behind the Uchiha, besides his dashing good looks and natural athletic prowess, of course. Sasuke was quite an overachiever even in his grades. Thinking about Sasuke made Lee feel sick to his stomach. Lee didn't have what Sasuke had naturally. He believed he was going to have to put hard work into his new relationship if things were going to work out.

Lee returned home, still cold but ecstatic over the day he had. He noticed Kiba was now home from work and Akamaru was relaxing by the fireplace, trying to keep warm despite his thick fur coat covering him. Shino was absent from the scene. Lee placed the kitten in his bedroom, absentmindedly failing to shut the door properly as he went into the bathroom with a clean set of clothes. Lee took a hot shower and changed into dry clothes. As he emerged, he heard a ruckus downstairs. He noticed his door was cracked open and rushed down the stairs.

"Akamaru! Stop." Kiba scolded the dog as Akamaru growled at the puny kitten. The kitten's fur on his back stood up straight and his tail erect, spitting and hissing at Akamaru, whose tail was wagging. Akamaru barked at the tiny cat and lowered his front end while keeping his back end raised, trying to initiate play with the cat. Lee intervened and scooped up the kitten in his large hands. The kitten continued growling at Akamaru.

"What's going on out here?" Shino asked as he emerged from his room. He seemed irritable and depressed.

"This cat materialized out of nowhere." Kiba said as he took a sip of his soda. He looked at Lee, hoping he had an explanation prepared.

"I am sorry." Lee said, stroking the kitten who was still frazzled. "Sakura and I found this cat and I took it home. She could not keep it." Shino sighed and shook his head.

"Get rid of it. I'm allergic." Shino said coldly.

"Please Shino. Can I keep it until I find it a loving home? I will keep it in my room. You will not even notice him." Lee begged. Shino facepalmed and grasped his forehead, indicating he had a huge headache.

"Fine. You have one week." Shino said.

"Good. I hate cats." Kiba said, his expression conveying his disgust.

Akamaru barked again and wagged his rump, still excited over the kitten. It hissed at Akamaru, swinging a tiny paw at him from Lee's hands. Lee felt a week was short, but given the kitten's age, he knew he would be able to find someone who would love to keep it. Although the kitten was still in rough condition, it would be perfect to go to a loving home after some TLC.

"It better not be like the time you brought that squirrel into the house, Lee." Shino groaned. Kiba chuckled.

"The squirrel was cool. He would eat anything." Kiba laughed, recalling when he offered the squirrel some of his nachos and some cherry pie.

"I promise. I will keep him in my room." Lee swore to his housemates.

Lee went back upstairs and bathed the kitten with dish soap, removing a sickening amount of fleas and dirt from its fur. He carefully dried the exhausted kitten and fed it some food Sakura packed for him. As the kitten ate contently, Lee lay in his bed and checked his phone, sending a message to Sakura to update her about the cat. He was still grinning ear to ear about the day he had. After texting for a couple of hours, the two fell asleep, dreaming about each other.