He was out again, and though he wasn't fond of the weather, he preferred the quiet, peerless solitude over the mess of gossip and politics that riddled every corner of the workplace.
The night had grown colder, meaner, a blistering wind punting his, albeit limited, exposed skin as he, just like before, passed over the rooftops and canopies of Konohagakure. The village below had waned into a sort of stillness that only fell at the latest hours, and Guy guessed it couldn't have been any earlier than 22:00 now, with how long the meeting took to conclude and the time it took for him to get the address. Speaking of which, the man thought as he raised it up to his face again, reading the characters before adjusting his course, it wouldn't be too much longer now until he had his answer.
He would find out if Lee was home.
He would find out if Lee was okay.
He would find out whether or not Lee had simply become another unfortunate name on that list, the thought making him utterly sick.
'He's fine.' He told himself as he crossed into the Northern Prefecture, swallowing thick spit that had settled beside the frog in his throat, neck tight with anxiety that wouldn't cease until he saw that boy's face.
He had to know.
He...had to.
Just making it into the second district, knowing that the third wouldn't be far from here, he briefly considered what he would say. It wasn't difficult to imagine that having a random ninja appear at your door at this late hour in search of your son with little to no explanation might be a hard sell for cooperation, but he figured it would be best to just...be straight forward. At the very least, the man thought as the third district rolled quickly into his vision, and just like that, he was within it, he could tell this without pretense...in the least creepy way possible.
He just hoped that whoever these folks were, they wouldn't take it that way.
Taking just one last glance at the paper, Guy took note of an impending home, its well manicured lawn and welcoming gate a reminder of what was surely coming. Sighing, the moment was nearing, he knew, but it was well worth the trouble of knowing, the man slowing his pace and descending onto awnings and outcroppings with careful poise that was granted in an effort to not awaken the people who'd turned in for the night.
Landing upon the ground, Guy made sure that his inconspicuous presence remained just that: silent and unknown in the dimly streets of the village. Peering up, the house was just a short walk away, and with a single step, he began to make his way there.
Lee was fine.
He was in-front of the gate now.
This was all probably just for nothing.
He was opening it and walking up the path to their front door.
They would meet tomorrow and play and have a good time.
He was at the door.
They would train.
He lifted his hand to the smooth wood and knocked once.
Lee was safe.
Twice.
He was probably asleep.
Thrice.
Everything was okay. He had to believe that he was.
Taking in a breath, the door opened, and there, on the other side, Guy was greeted by the sleepy eyes of man, dark eyes, matching the quiet set that Lee had, peering back at the ninja with what Guy had expected him to: confusion.
"Huh? What's going on?" He asked first, yawning into his hand and reaching up to give his head a scratch, his single braid resting on mild, if broad shoulders, again, a matching shade to Lee's hair the Guy didn't miss. However, he would have to refocus his attention, granting the man a broad smile as much as he could.
"I'm so sorry for coming to your home at such a late hour; I take it that this is the Lee residence?" The ninja asked, waiting to hear how he would respond. Though, he couldn't help but think...he seemed relaxed? If Lee weren't here, wouldn't be panicking, or even more, wide awake, looking for his son? This guy seemed to have been in a rather deep slumber; it was natural, then, to assume that things were fine...yet he didn't leave. Guy waited as, getting his thoughts together, the man nodded simply, answering the question absent-mindedly as he spoke through the remains of sleep.
"Well, yes. This is the Lee Residence. I'm Daisuke Lee, and my wife's name is Fumiko Lee. Why do you ask?" Daisuke wondered, lowering his arm and eying Guy oddly out of dark eyes. However, the ninja held his hands up placidly, intending to come off as non-threatening.
"Oh, it's no reason at all! I just wanted to know if your son, Rock Lee, had made it back safely?" He started calmly.
However, the man was, at once, anything but calm. In fact, his face seemed to change from placid to absolutely livid in one breath, making short notice of Guy's attempts to placate the situation as the boy's father came to full attention.
"Oh, don't tell me the brat's gotten himself into trouble again! What did he do this time?! I swear, that little - " Guy raised his hands, doing what he could to keep the peace, though the man's automatic assumption that the boy had done something wrong disturbed him.
What would make him think that the first mention of his child would automatically be negative?
He didn't like the impression that gave him.
However, he tried to brush it off, choosing instead to reassert his intentions.
"No, no, of course not! In fact, I would say he is an absolute delight to get to know, and I just wanted to make sure that he got back from the park alright. There have been some...strange occurrences happening lately, and I would hate to find out that something bad happened to him and I didn't know, so..." Despite his praises, however, Daisuke's expression changed, though not to one of relief. If anything, Guy noted with a start, to one of general apathy, grunting at the mention of the boy without another word on the matter.
As if...anything positive about Lee was...irrelevant.
'No, he's probably just still tired, something like that...' Guy tried to reassure himself, though it didn't help his case when a fermenting, awkward silence fell over the two, with neither really saying much to the other. This continued for a few moments before Guy noted the voice of another, a woman's this time as impending, shuffling footsteps called his attention.
And he was taken aback to find that Lee was practically her carbon copy.
Sure, the child and Daisuke shared similar colored eyes and hair, each an inky black that wasn't even penetrated when exposed to light, but his mother, Fumiko, he remembered the man before him mentioning was here name, was his proverbial twin. Or...perhaps he was to her, as she sported the same eyelashes, facial structure...everything.
And it was upon her arrival at the door that, only then, seemed to breathe any life into Daisuke, the man quickly turning around to provide her any aide that he could as she came slowly over. It didn't take Guy very long to figure out why; he eyed her large stomach without a word, only making note of it in hindsight as he gave her a slight smile, despite his growing discomfort with this entire situation.
Something...wasn't right.
Something about how this entire situation was going just...didn't sit right with Guy.
Fumiko yawned, sternly, but gently, reassuring her husband that she didn't need to be doted on, instead redirecting her eyes to the unfamiliar presence of the ninja at their front door; Guy couldn't really pinpoint, though, apart from general interest and a touch of wariness, any indication that she was distressed either.
In fact, she looked more irritated that she was apparently awakened, if anything else.
"Daisuke? What's going on? Who is this man?" She started, running thin, well-kept fingers through her long, dark brown locks, eying Guy up and down as Daisuke answered her.
"Oh, this is just...what was your name? I never got it?" The man requested, placing an almost protective hand at his wife's waist and bringing her slowly over to him so slowly that, if you weren't perceptive, you likely would have missed it happening. However, Guy disregarded the gestures, wishing, if anything, to tell him that he was furthest from interested on could be in her, or really women in general, but that wasn't what he was here for. Grinning, and striking his famed pose, he introduced himself.
"I'm Might Guy, a jōnin of the Hidden Leaf! Pleasure to meet you two! Ma'am, I'm just here to do, how do you say...a wellness check up! On your little boy, Rock Lee. See, he was at the part today and - " He didn't get the chance to finish as, at the mere mention of the boy's name, the woman's carefully manicured façade fell away as her clear disdain for the child came to a head.
"What do you want to know for? What did he did he do this tim - " Quickly, patiently (though he could feel his patience for this habitual assumption that Lee was somehow in the wrong), Guy corrected her on the issue, doing his best to keep his smile.
"Ma'am, I assure you, Lee is wonderful child. As I was just explaining to here, there have been strange occurrences happening in the village as of late, so occasionally, we like to ensure that our youth stay out of harm's way by conducting a simple wellness check. Now...about Little Lee; is he home? Safe?" Guy could feel his shoulders tense in anticipation and strain, trying desperately to keep his face from warping with worry and impatience at the two, each looking at the other with resigned expressions that, by his own admission, made his blood boil.
By the Gods, could they treat the situation with less urgency?!
Don't they give a fuck?!
AT ALL?!
Taking a shaky breath, he knew he had to remain calm...but it was so hard to when just about everyone around you was just as infuriating, but after he made sure that Lee was home, the man reminded himself, he wouldn't have to speak to these two again and he could return to his own apartment, get in pajamas, and just sleep the rest of the night.
Man, his bed sounded really comfortable right now.
But he didn't have time to think about any of that. He was still on a mission, and more than anything, his personal comfort could take a back burner if he could just know if Lee was okay.
And perhaps he would already know if he was...if these people would give even half a shit about him.
Rubbing the back of his head, Daisuke, much to Guy's mounting frustration, only shrugged.
"Huh...we don't know. Never checked, see. But, uh, if it'll make you feel better, I could make sure? I'm sure the little sh - I mean, kid, is around here somewhere...probably." Daisuke bargained listlessly, waiting for Guy's answer, and oh, Guy wanted to answer. He couldn't understand it, how...how did they not check? How could they just...go to sleep without so much as knowing that the child could even get home on his own.
A memory flashed behind his eyes of the moment that he learned of Lee's age.
Sure, tons of kids in the Leaf were somewhat independent...to a degree, yes. But Guy wasn't sure how well it sat with him that someone so small, someone so delicate, could just be left alone and have no one...worry. The thought, the very idea of it...sickened him...scared him.
Scared him how little they cared.
But more than that, as was the case with a lot of things tonight, it seemed, it made him angry, all of which was made worse by the fact that what was truly on his mind...he could say. Not if he wanted to keep his job, and more importantly, just work the answer out of these two.
Even if he couldn't stand speaking to them at all.
Smiling, Guy nodded, appearing thankful though he couldn't be more irritated.
"Would you? I'd hate to be a bother, but if you would, I would appreciate that. Just...want to make sure with...everything that is going on." The ninja agreed, straining to keep his composure as Daisuke simply shrugged again, and with a passing turn, he faced the interior the house, away from Guy, and opening his mouth, the man shouted out, abandoning any pretense of care for the noise that he was making at this hour.
"Lee?! LEE!..." The man called, waiting for a second before sighing, then calling to the boy again once a moment or so had passed in a low effort sort of way that Guy didn't miss.
Fumiko herself shrunk from the man's booming voice, mostly with restrained annoyance she was doing a fairly good job of hiding. However, even after the third call, and with no response, Daisuke stopped, huffing a tired sigh as if all of this was far more trouble than it was worth. But Guy was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to really pay the man any credence in regards to his shitty attitude.
Why wasn't he answering?
Surely...surely he was here, right?
Maybe...maybe he was just a really, really heavy sleeper! He knew that after a full day of play like that at his age, he'd be really tired, too! But...something just wasn't right; even he couldn't fully convince himself of this as Daisuke turned back to face Guy, eyelids low with disinterest.
"Well...who knows where he might be, honestly. He's probably back in the house somewhere, but uh, hey, are we done here? I would like to get some sleep since I have work tomorrow and - " Stopping the man short before he could finish, Guy wasn't done.
No, it wasn't enough to just guess if this child was home.
What the fuck was wrong with these people? Their child doesn't answer, they don't know if he's even there, and the first thing he brings up is work?!
Guy was at a complete loss for words.
"Ah, I...you must misunderstand! He...didn't answer, so...shouldn't you, I don't know, check? That's a fair trade off right?" Guy's hope for the situation was dwindling, taking a proverbial nose dive as his heart began to thrum in his chest.
Lee hadn't answered.
They didn't seem worried.
Despite himself, subconsciously, Guy was beginning to think the worst.
No...no, he couldn't be gone.
He...he was just asleep, he was just fine.
But the suggestion that they just care enough to see for themselves was, it seemed, too much for the man to fathom, and Fumiko, silent thus far, seemed to roll her eyes at the notion, stepping in with her own words.
"Listen, we've already told you that he's probably messing around in the back of the house or something. That should be enough. Now, if you would excuse us - " Guy, spent entirely with his patience, forced a plastered smile to his lips as he stepped forward.
"Oh, well, then I suppose you wouldn't mind then if I came in? It's never good to leave stones unturned!" He insisted, and without so much as waiting for them to respond, forcing his way past them without caution (though he was careful of Fumiko as he had little intention to harm, despite not liking her very much), much to the protest of the couple as they followed him back into their home, and Guy had to say; they were positively livid.
"Excuse me?! You just can't come barging into someone's home uninvited like this! You - " Without so much as turning around to face them, have little remaining energy to argue with the two, Guy sped to the back of the house, Lee's parents in desperate lock-and-step to keep up with the man, though they struggled to, the ninja's unmatched physical aptitude making it difficult for them to keep pace with him. But he wasn't concerned with that; even if he didn't really know the layout of their house, it didn't take much for him to figure out which room was likely Lee's as he took note of the small room just at the end of the hall, thoroughly ignoring their protests as he came a slightly ajar door, leading a dark space within as...no lights were on inside of the room as far as he could tell.
Yet even so...he knew.
Something told him that this was his room...Lee's room.
He didn't know how he knew; he just did.
However, the two behind him were still ranting and raving, though Guy couldn't help but think that they were far more upset at the fact that he'd invited himself into their house than the very real possibility that their child was...potentially...missing.
That baffled him.
Truly, it did.
"Listen, if you don't leave right now, I will be calling your superior and filing a complaint as you do not have the right to just barge into people's homes! What part of that don't you understand?!" Daisuke shouted at Guy's back, infuriated that he was being ignored.
But it was too late for Guy to think about being reported.
Oh, he was certain he was going to be.
But to be entirely honest, he wasn't sure he really cared right now.
At all.
Pushing open the door, he continued to ignore their complaints, and immediately, upon stepping into the stuffy, dark space, he was met with the urge to cough as dust, having rested upon the surfaces of the small bedroom, at the quick gust of air that swept with the movement of the door, they were sent into the air, choking Guy for a moment before he reached along the wall adjacent to the entrance of the room in search of a light switch.
He couldn't hear breathing.
He didn't know any child that would willingly sleep in the dark either.
He could feel no one's presence here, as the sounds around him fell away.
He didn't need to, he understood, even turn on the light to know that he would meet just what his gut was telling him he would all along. Flipping the switch up, Guy's dark eyes were still, minding the empty space with a hitched breath as the reality hadn't really...dawned on him.
Not completely.
'He's...not here.' Guy could barely think, scanning the small, cramped room over and over again as if, by doing so, perhaps, just maybe... the child would just appear. That maybe he'd just missed a corner, that perhaps he was just...missing him, somehow.
But no matter how many times he looked, desperately as he did whilst he was rooted there in place, the reality began to fall upon him...hard, unyielding, like cold water drenching him to his skin as he breathed out at last.
Lee wasn't here.
Lee...didn't make it home.
In the midst of this revelation, the two behind couldn't even be bothered to pretend that this disturbed them in the slightest as, in contrast to his still, unmoved visage, the two were positively electric with what he could only describe as elation.
"The kid's actually gone?! God, I never thought the day would come!' Daisuke started, peering around Guy briefly, as if checking to make sure that it was true. They practically danced to idea, and through the rushing blood in his ears, Guy could pick up what they were saying.
"I thought he would never leave."
"Good riddance."
"Now we can finally start on the toy room! The twins are going to love it."
Bitterly sick at just their presence, Guy's mind reeled, turning back to face the excited couple in his midst with a grimacing smile that fell. He regarded them emptily, unable to fathom that...that two people could care less for someone that they cared for, that they were parents to. It just...didn't compute.
It just...just didn't make sense.
He couldn't understand.
"You...you don't get a single fuck? You really care so little for him that the idea that he's missing...or even...dead...is cause for celebration? Are you serious? Are you actually serious right now?" Guy wasn't even trying to hide his disgust anymore, casting a dower, sullen look to the two of them as they passed off his judgement, waving to him dismissively.
He gritted him teeth.
He was so sick of seeing people do that.
Thoroughly, completely, unequivocally sick.
"Oh, and why do you care so much, hmm? You're a bit invested in the wellbeing of a child you barely even know; the brat probably ran off somewhere, something like that. If anything, having a little waste of space like that was enough of a punishment on its own." Fumiko chastised in a soft, even innocent voice, her words spat in the most artificial, sweet way possible, enough that the implication made his stomach turn.
Why did he care?
Why?
Was that actually a question?
It took everything in him not to scream at them, the tenants of his self-control on a razor's edge as he looked at them, dark eyes raging softly in the dark.
"Isn't it enough to just care about someone? I didn't know him for very long, no, but that boy, Lee...deserves just as much love and care as any child. What part of that...don't you people understand?" Stepping forward, Guy didn't mince his words, coming up to them with spat words as his shoulders blistered warmly with rage.
Pure, unadulterated rage.
At this display, Daisuke backed up, though Guy could tell that he was trying to keep his displayed bravado, standing stock still despite Guy trumping him in height and general physique.
But Guy wasn't finished.
"To think that you even deserve a child as kind and loving as him...you've got to be fucking delusional. That's the onlyexplanation for the fact that you two just...just..." At a loss for words, Guy could feel his composure slipping.
If he stayed here even a minute, even a second, longer...he might just do something he would regret.
Clenching his fists, he started down Daisuke and Fumiko just one last time before brushing roughly past the shorter man, making no effort play up the niceties of his departure as Lee's father chuckled, spitting furious, chiding words at Guy's back during his departure.
"Yeah, right! Look forward to having a nice, long complaint from me come tomorrow morning, you asshole! Come into my house, trying to tell me how to father my piece-of-shit son; who the hell do you think you are?! Fuck you!" The man screamed behind him, throwing insult after insult at the man as he followed him to the front of the home, his wife accompanying him as an instigating presence. Despite this, though, Guy didn't look back, the ninja grasping the knob of the front door as an act to stabilize the rushing heat that was collecting throughout his entire body.
'Just...leave. These two...aren't worth the trouble. You...you got what you wanted, Guy. Leave these pieces of shit alone before you make things worse.' His mind, his conscious, reminded him strictly, and though he had every reason to turn back and punch this guy in the face...Guy was above that.
That's what this asshole wanted him to do.
Even when he dragged Lee's name through the dirt, he wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing him get fired because he couldn't control his temper.
He wasn't worth it.
Neither of them were.
Turning the knob and pulling the door, he didn't even bother looking back, slamming it shut behind him as the raving continued within.
And again, once again, Guy was out, beneath a black sky, winking lights of distant stars peering down at him as he felt his breath hitch. In the silence, in the cold, away from the screaming, the anger, his mind tried to grasp it.
Lee is gone.
Lee is...really gone.
He couldn't move.
And all he could think, even with the knowledge that his parents, if they even had the right to be called that, didn't give a shit about him, one thing was painfully, woefully clear.
He'd been the last to see him.
He should have made sure that he was okay.
This was all his fault.
And because of that, Guy uttered darkly, sullenly, in his mind...Lee would never be seen again.