A/N: This chapter was way too long when I finished it, so it will be split into two parts. Warning: Drugs and violence ahead.
The chilly week was now at its end. The final football game of the season concluded the previous night, with Konohagakure as the undefeated victor. Despite Sasuke's injured state, he completed his final game. His efforts during the season were rewarded with the scholarship he slaved away for. Without football taking up his energy and attention now, he set his sights on his love, Sakura Haruno, and his rival, Rock Lee. He watched as the two were walking across the campus. His blood boiled throughout his body as he watched Lee kiss Sakura on the cheek, and she reciprocated.
Sasuke's heart ached for Sakura. She was the only one he could be vulnerable with aside from his older brother, Itachi. Itachi's absence in his home and Sakura's absence in his life greatly contributed to his sorrow. The slap Sakura gave him to his face earlier in the week still stung his skin.
"Sakura doesn't understand what I had to sacrifice, but I know her, she'll understand if I talk to her. She will be back. I just know it." Sasuke thought to himself. "She's mine."
"Still got your eyes on her I see, hm."
Sasuke turned. It was Deidara, wearing his usual devilish smile and accompanied by Sasori. Sasuke frowned as his eyes met Deidara's eyes. Deidara took a deep breath in as he vaped, blowing a smoke ring toward the unamused Uchiha.
"I told you; I don't need it anymore. I got what I wanted." Sasuke said.
"Really now? Because the way I see it, you haven't gotten everything you want." Deidara said, eyeballing Sakura and Lee, who were unaware of being watched.
"Now that the season is over, there's no more testing to worry about." Sasori added. "You have nothing to lose."
"That's right, Sasori my man." Deidara grinned. "Sasuke, we are aware of our original agreement but think about what we are offering you. You can get her back, and nobody is going to be strong enough to stand against you, hm."
"This stuff is tough to obtain, but it's for a good cause." Sasori added, referring to the stash he kept in his bag. Sasuke paused, considering his response.
"This is your problem, my good man. You Uchihas are overthinkers. Trust me, have I ever steered you wrong? I don't think so, hm." Deidara spoke.
"Alright." Sasuke sighed. "You're right, just keep your voices down and mouths shut."
"Of course. We are experts when it comes to being discreet, hm." Deidara responded.
Sasuke handed Deidara a folded wad of cash and the blonde smiled while placing it nonchalantly in his pant pocket. Sasori pulled out what appeared to be a bento box from his bag and handed it to Sasuke, who placed it in his backpack. Sasuke left without another word. Deidara and Sasori leaned against their lockers, watching the lone Uchiha walk away until he was out of their sight.
"Dumbass." Deidara mumbled as he laughed.
"We probably shouldn't sell him anymore." Sasori said as he vaped. "If Itachi finds out, we're dead."
"All that weed you smoke is just making you paranoid, hm." Deidara retorted. "Even if he finds out, I'm not afraid of that self-important asshole." Deidara added. He checked his watch. "Well my good man, let's go. We have a long night ahead of us with the play, hm. I'm looking forward to messing with that himbo's ex-girlfriend."
"Don't boss me around you generic artist." Sasori said as he blew smoke toward Deidara's face.
"My art is not generic, you amateur." Deidara spat. The pair continued to argue while passing students ignored the altercation. It was a common occurrence in this hallway.
"Hello, Sakura." Lee said as he pulled out the chair of her seat. They were now in their shared class together.
"Hey, Lee." Sakura replied as she sat in her chair. Lee sat beside her.
"How has your day been?" Lee asked.
"Not too bad. Most of my classes have been either watching a movie to kill time or just having the period free to do whatever. I love early-release days. How about you?" Sakura asked.
"Likewise. I have been anticipating the play tonight." Lee said. "I know that you are going to take everyone's breath away." Lee said. Sakura smiled but looked uneasy. "What is on your mind, my love?"
"I'm nervous." Sakura said. "And I am ready to get it over with."
"Why do you say that?" Lee asked.
"There's a lot of reasons. I don't want more attention on me, for starters. And Deidara has been making me uncomfortable." Sakura explained.
"Deidara has?" Lee asked. Sakura nodded.
"Yeah. I don't know if he's into me or what, but he has been overbearing during rehearsals." Sakura said. Lee could not hide his frustration.
"I will talk to him." Lee asserted.
"No, that won't be necessary." Sakura said. "He's a weird guy, but I don't think he'll do anything."
"Only if you are sure." Lee said, feeling unsettled still.
"I just hope he doesn't show up." Sakura sighed, referring to Sasuke.
"I will protect you, Sakura." Lee asserted. "I will not let him come near you."
"Thanks, Lee. I don't want you to fight though." Sakura said. "You're very lucky that you weren't caught and punished for fighting on school grounds."
"I know." Lee said. "But I will not hesitate to keep you safe. That's a promise." Lee stated.
"Hello, class." Mrs. Sarutobi said as she rolled her chair to the front of the classroom. "Our time today is short, so you may use this time to do whatever you please." she said before the class erupted in chatter. Lee was pleased he and Sakura could continue talking for the rest of the period.
"I'm glad we got our project done ahead of time. I want to take time studying for my other classes." Sakura said.
"I agree." Lee said. "We make a great team." he said, smiling and giving his trademark nice-guy thumbs up and smile. Sakura found his enthusiastic gestures cute. They had grown on her over the months.
"We do." Sakura said, smiling. Her eyes told another story.
Lee knew she was struggling inside. Knowing that she must still be split between him and Sasuke, wounded Lee. Lee had never been in love before he met Sakura, but now that he understood love, he understood that one's heart doesn't simply forget. Lee wanted to address this, but found the timing was not right.
"Sakura. You have been through a lot in the last few months. I hope that you know that I am patient for you." Lee said.
Sakura looked into his onyx eyes. His eyes reflected her own, mirroring her sadness. In that moment, she knew what he knew. She felt a sharp pain in her heart.
"I'm sorry." Sakura said, feeling guilty.
"Do not apologize." Lee said. "I have not been through what you have been through, but I know that you must be in pain. You do not need to hide it."
Sakura embraced Lee. He smiled as he embraced her, his heart feeling light as she held him close. Sakura's grip was painfully strong, but he did not care, he was happy to have her trust.
"I don't know what happened to Sasuke, but I want to move on." Sakura said. "It's just been hard to do that. I don't really know how."
"I do not know either, I am afraid." Lee said. "In time, you will feel better."
"Time helps, but you have been running through my mind a lot, Lee." Sakura confessed. "You're a really good guy. I think about you a lot." Sakura said, feeling her face get warm.
Lee covering himself had the opposite effect on Sakura. With only his bare arms in her recent memory, her imagination attempted to compensate for his conservatism, wandering toward how he must appear without his clothing on. She recalled the many battle scars on his arms, and she wondered just how many more he concealed. She remembered the gentle pressure his hands applied around her waist as the two danced. Her imagination went wild as she showered, fantasizing Lee pressing his muscular body against hers. After the fight on Monday, Lee took Sasuke's place in her daydreams, emerging as the victor. Lee eased his embrace and faced Sakura.
"In what ways?" Lee asked, his voice hushed. He felt his cheeks become hot.
The two locked eyes. Sakura could see Lee's hunger for her in his obsidian eyes. Her imagination of his anatomy intensified in her mind, making her body feel warm and head feel fuzzy. Lee felt the same way, feeling intoxicated in her gaze. He had not kissed her lips yet, respecting her feelings about taking things slow, but he longed for his lips to meet hers.
"I think you know." Sakura said in a hushed voice, mindful of the class full of students around them. Lee felt his heart flutter.
"Sakura…" Lee whispered, feeling aroused.
He remembered where he was at and slammed his class binder over his lap. Sakura was taken aback at first, looking down at the black binder he held pressed down in his lap over his grey joggers. He looked away from her, facing forward in his seat with his back rigid. His eyes were wide, and his lips narrowed. She realized what was going on, connecting the dots quickly. She looked at Lee, whose face was scarlet.
"Hell yeah! He got hard for me." Sakura's inner voice said.
"What's that you're hiding?" Sakura asked surreptitiously.
"Nothing." Lee squeaked.
Sakura grinned and raised an eyebrow. Lee was adorable when he got flustered. He was usually quite confident in himself, but at times it seemed his brain would overheat. He noticed Sakura looking at him lasciviously. He felt himself starting to sweat.
"Don't be shy. I know that's been a regular occurrence during this class." Sakura whispered.
Lee felt himself dying inside as his body was overheating. He thought Sakura did not notice his fervor in previous classes. She was a much more astute observer than he previously thought. Lee noticed Sakura kept her eyes on his binder.
"The more you look, the harder it is to calm it down." Lee whined.
"That's a shame." Sakura teased. Lee sulked, disappointed in his body's lack of discipline and combating his thoughts of taking Sakura away somewhere where the two of them could be alone.
"You are enjoying this too much." Lee said, feeling his mind become fuzzier as he attempted to think about something boring to calm his raging hormones.
The thought of Sakura's body pressed against his dominated his thoughts. Sakura giggled before moving on to talking about ice skating. She was becoming more excited for the freezing weather as snow was predicted in the forecast and she felt that she had teased Lee enough for one day.
The day passed quickly. Lee had returned home to freshen himself up and get dressed for the play. He wore a green, collared button-down shirt with a black tie, black slacks, and shiny black dress shoes. He wore a black wool coat and green scarf over his outfit, anticipating a colder night. He spritzed his neck with cologne and carefully brushed his glossy hair, taking pride in his handsome looks as he was dressed to impress. Lee smiled at himself in the mirror, his sparkly white teeth glistened like a precious stone.
After a tedious drive, Lee arrived back to campus. The sun was setting, although the grey clouds overhead concealed the view of the sun's departure as they threatened to rain or snow. With flowers in hand for Sakura, he made his way toward the auditorium, scanning his surroundings for danger. There were families in attendance, gathering to watch their children participate in the play or support their child's school. Lee noticed Naruto with Hinata, Shikamaru, and Choji. He approached the four.
"Hey, guys." Lee said.
"Hey, Bushy-Brow!" Naruto said, smiling.
"Hello, Lee." Hinata said, still shy but smiling, her confidence boosted by being with Naruto.
"Yo." Shikamaru greeted. Choji looked sheepish, still feeling guilty about what happened on Monday.
"Oh, there's Gaara!" Lee smiled. "Gaara!" he called. Gaara looked up from his phone and smiled, approaching the group.
"Thank you for coming tonight." Gaara said.
"Whoa, I haven't seen you in a long time, Gaara." Naruto said, astonished. "We got to hang out again, like old times!" Naruto smiled.
"We could play soccer!" Choji said excitedly. "Weather permitting." he said as he looked up, acknowledging the dark clouds above.
"Of course." Gaara said smiling, overjoyed he was reconnecting with his old pals. "I must go. We will be starting soon."
"Break a leg!" Lee chimed, patting Gaara on the back. Gaara turned to look at Shikamaru, smiled at him, and turned away, walking toward the auditorium.
"Wow, Lee. You even brought flowers." Naruto commented. "You must really love Sakura a whole lot."
"I do." Lee smiled. He noticed Shikamaru was carrying flowers too. "Who is the lucky lady?"
Shikamaru blushed. Naruto and Choji laughed at Shikamaru's flustered state.
"He's got his eyes on Gaara's sister." Naruto laughed. Shikamaru groaned.
"Enough." Shikamaru grumbled. "We should get inside. It's freezing out here."
"Right!" Naruto agreed.
The five students stepped inside the warm auditorium and found a row with some empty seats. Lee sat down behind a brunette with long, silky hair. He tapped the man's shoulder. The man turned around.
"Hi, Neji." Lee said, sitting in his seat with his flowers for Sakura.
"Hey, Lee." Neji said. "You better stay out of trouble tonight." he said, irritated.
"When have I ever caused trouble?" Lee asked. Neji frowned, unsure if Lee was serious or being sarcastic.
Lee talked to his friends until the lights dimmed in the auditorium. The room was full, with no empty seats available. The crowd hushed as the lights faded. Lee looked toward the stage, smiling and full of anticipation. Music started to play as the lights on the stage changed.
Deidara appeared as Pierre Gringoire, dressed like a French poet from the late 1400s. His long blonde hair was slicked away from his handsome face, the lengths touching his back and reaching down to his waist. To Lee's surprise, he began singing. He was an amazing singer, catching Lee more off guard. The Akatsuki seemed like an even more mysterious bunch to him as he learned more about the members.
"I didn't know this was a musical." Naruto whispered, seeming somewhat disappointed. Hinata was beaming with happiness, sitting on the edge of her seat already as she watched the play. "What was it called again?"
"The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Now quiet." Shikamaru nudged him.
After the introduction song, the play continued into the next song. Kankuro appeared, playing as Clopin Trouillefou. Lee was impressed by how well done the production appeared thus far. He knew Tenten put her heart and soul into the costumes. He watched her dance across the stage with some more students, playing as background characters as Kankuro sang.
Suddenly, Sakura appeared on the stage as Esmeralda. She was barefoot and wore a long dress with a side slit, exposing her bare leg. She wore a dark colored wig which was longer than her natural hair, but her jade eyes and familiar figure were unmistakable to Lee. She moved across the stage with much grace as Kankuro sang his heart out. Lee couldn't take his eyes off of her.
The play carried on, building suspense in Lee. He was blown away by Sakura's performance. Her voice had an ethereal quality. He felt his soul on fire for her. However, this fire within him grew into anger as he watched the play progress. Esmeralda was in love with a cheating scoundrel, Quasimodo pursued her, Claude Frollo lusted after her, and now she was betrothed to a man who did not love her just to preserve his life. He watched the Romani wedding, Deidara getting surprisingly handsy with Sakura and kissing her. Lee felt his heart break as he watched Sakura try to disguise her disgust.
The play reached a midway point and the curtains closed, granting an intermission for the performers and stagehands to rest. The audience grew in volume, happily talking about the play as some people got up to stretch their legs. Lee stood up and walked toward the back of the auditorium. Neji turned around and was surprised by Lee's absence. He groaned and facepalmed, fearing Lee was about to do something foolish.
Lee walked through the back, his flowers in hand. He crossed into a large room with many chairs, where some of the cast members were resting. He saw Sakura in a corner by a mirror. He approached her.
"Lee!" Sakura beamed. She noticed the flowers. "For me?"
"Yes, my love." Lee said, smiling. He handed the bouquet to her and she accepted them happily, feeling special. "Sakura, you took my breath away."
"Thanks…" Sakura said bashfully. She could not hide her discomfort. "I'm glad you're enjoying the play. I saw you in the audience." Sakura said as she put the flowers down by her belongings. "That whole thing with Deidara was not in the script." Sakura said, feeling her discomfort turn to anger. "He's such a jerk."
"Yeah, he's out of line. Someone ought to put that creep in his place." Temari said. She was standing nearby, fanning herself with a large paper fan. She felt hot from all the work she was doing managing the stage.
"I will speak with him." Lee said boldly.
"No, Lee." Sakura said. "Don't worry about it."
Lee turned to Sakura. Their eyes locked and Sakura could see the look of hurt in Lee's eyes. His eyes were intense, filled with his rage and his sorrow.
"Sakura. I am sorry." Lee said, his voice shaky. "You asked if we could take things slow, but I must know something. It is important." Lee said.
Sakura looked at Lee, caught off guard by his shaky voice and behavior. He curled his fists, but relaxed them, trying to calm his anger.
"I need to know that you are mine." Lee said.
Temari turned back to look at the two, fanning herself still but listening in on the two as if she were listening to some juicy gossip. Tenten appeared from behind a wall cutting through the room but thought better than to interrupt what looked like a serious conversation. She stepped away. Kabuto sat watching the two, snacking on a banana and only mildly interested in what was occurring.
"I know that sounds horrible." Lee said, breaking the silence. "But I need peace of mind. I need to know that you are mine only, Sakura." he said.
"I understand." Sakura said, sighing.
She knew Lee could read her. She knew that she still had some love in her heart for Sasuke Uchiha, but now was a crucial moment in her young adult life. She knew this moment would come when she was going to have to decide. She had considered what love meant to her.
Love is a leap of faith. Love rejoices with the truth and does not count wrongdoings. Love is a precious, immaterial, and fleeting feeling and virtue. Love works its way from within the soul; it is the heart, mind, and spirit combined much like how sunlight, water vapor, and perception create a rainbow in the sky. Love, like light refraction, takes time, but it always perseveres. Love can be seen, but cannot be bought or sold, like patience or kindness. True love is undaunted by the realities of this existence.
"Ten minutes left, everyone!" Kankuro shouted.
"You should use this time to rest. I will go speak to Deidara." Lee said, turning away and leaving the room. Sakura was surprised by his abruptness, but she felt some relief in knowing Lee loved her enough to hold the evildoer accountable. She felt her heart flutter over his thoughtfulness. It was a manly act.
Lee stepped through the hallway and searched for the blonde. As he reached the end of the hall, he encountered a closed door and the smell of something strong and odorous. The odor seemed to be emanating from the locked door. Lee pressed his ear to the door.
"Sasori my man, you're fucking crazy. Put that thing out. You're going to get in trouble for getting high off your supply again, hm." A voice said behind the closed door.
"You're not the boss of me. Now pipe down." A second voice retorted. Lee knocked on the door.
"Get lost. We're taking a break, hm." The first voice said.
Lee scanned the door. It was rather old, unlike the other doors in the hall. It seemed fit for an old broom closet or supply room. Lee took two steps back from the door and kicked it hard. Focusing his strength on one final kick, the door broke down. He stepped into the small room, which was an old storage room full of old costumes and extra stage supplies. Sasori and Deidara were sitting inside, looking dumbfounded at Lee as the unhinged door lay before them. Sasori put out his joint and the two stood up.
"What the hell, man!" Deidara shouted, throwing up his hands to his head. "What is your problem?"
"Deidara. We need to talk." Lee said. Deidara froze and then started laughing. Sasori's eyes were dull and bloodshot, but he joined Deidara in laughter.
"Get a load of this guy!" Deidara said, grinning wildly. "Wait a minute… I know you. You're that weirdo from art class."
"Sakura Haruno is my girlfriend." Lee started. "She told me that what you did was unscripted." he said. Deidara looked at him, confused.
"Oh. I remember now, hm." Deidara said upon realization of what Lee meant. "You're mad that I gave that little whore a kiss, huh?"
In a split second, Deidara crumbled to the floor, flatlined by one of Lee's ferocious uppercuts. Lee's punch was applied to his chin, causing the artist's brain to bounce within his skull like a pinball in an arcade machine. Horrified and paranoid, Sasori flinched and stepped back, pressing his back to the wall behind him. He stared at Lee, feeling helpless like a mouse cornered by a tiger. Lee lifted Deidara off of the floor and threw his unconscious body into a large wardrobe standing in the room. He slammed the two doors shut and stuck a steel curtain rod through the handles, preventing Deidara's escape once he regained consciousness.
"You may let him out once the play is over." Lee said to Sasori, whose heart was pounding in his chest.
Sasori carried a pocketknife, but after witnessing Lee's speed, he dared to not reach for it. He simply nodded at Lee and Lee turned to leave, stepping over the broken door as he exited. Lee walked through the hallway and was stopped by Tenten.
"Lee, I know you're upset, but you need to get ahold of yourself." Tenten said. She looked at Lee, concerned she could not read his expression. It was unlike him to be this unreadable.
"Does Deidara have a replacement?" Lee asked. Tenten blinked at him.
"Why? What happened?" Tenten asked. Lee looked into her eyes, his expression unchanging. "Lee, talk to me." she asserted.
"You know I could not let him get away with what he did." Lee said.
"LEE! Seriously!?" Tenten yelled, feeling ready to strangle him. "You're out of control!"
"Listen, Tenten. If someone did the same to you, Neji would be in my position now, if he loves you." Lee argued.
"The violence needs to end. You're going to get expelled if you keep this up. You're one of my best friends, Lee. Please listen to me." Tenten begged.
"Guy Sensei did not mind that I fought Sasuke." Lee argued.
"That was different, Lee. That was closer to self-defense." Tenten argued. "You're dangerously close to becoming like Sasuke if you continue down this path of violence." she said. "What would Guy Sensei say if he were here right now?"
Tenten felt relief when she watched Lee's anger dissipate. He looked down, ashamed of his actions. Tenten's words had a profound impact on him. Tears formed in his eyes. Tenten stepped up to Lee and hugged him. He hugged her and began sobbing into her shoulder. She smiled as he sobbed. Lee was almost double her weight and stood almost a foot taller than her now, but he was the same inside as he had always been from their childhood.
"I am sorry Tenten." Lee cried. She released him and he released her. He dabbed his face with his coat sleeve, drying his tears.
"Everything will be okay, Lee. At least he is only one of those nasty Akatsuki members." Tenten assured him, feeling that the play losing Deidara wasn't a substantial loss in the end. "However, Deidara will need to be replaced still." she sighed.
"Who will cover for him?" Lee asked. Tenten frowned as she pointed to herself.
"I got to go. I need to get dressed for the part." Tenten complained. "Stay out of trouble. I mean it!"
Tenten power-walked away, rushing to be ready before the play resumed. Lee felt ashamed of himself for letting his anger control him. He hoped that his confrontation with Deidara would be the only one for the night, but he remembered Sasuke's threat to him. As much as Lee wanted to take Tenten's advice, it seemed Lee would need to continue to fight to keep his love. He pledged himself to not become like the contemptible men of the play's story.