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person4Title: Awaken
Pairing: Rock Lee/Haruno Sakura
Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters, places, and situations found therein belong to Kishimoto Masashi. I'm just playing with them for a little bit.
Author's Note: This chapter contains spoilers through manga chapter 182 or 3ish, but over course of my kisses there'll be spoilers for the whole manga. Fic is manga-centric, so please ignore anything that contradicts something that's anime-only because I haven't seen any of it. Previous chapters found here.
It was the lack of pain that woke him, more than anything else. After so much time, he'd gotten used to the shooting pains running through his arm and leg at all times, and the moment that that his barely waking mind recognized that in it's place there was now just a little soreness he was jolted straight into full consciousness.
He raised his hand into the air, flexing his fist and tensing his muscle, waiting for any pain to return. When, after a minute, there was still nothing more than a slight ache he leapt to his feet, planning on doing a thousand jumping jacks or running around the room two thousand times, or anything just for the joy of being able to move freely, when he was stopped dead at the sight of Sakura curled up in a chair in the corner of the room.
She was sleeping, but, judging by her frown and furrowed brow, it didn't seem like she was have pleasant dreams. He silently crossed the room to kneel beside her, a small part of his mind noting that even that was wonderful after weeks of the thump of his crutch announcing his presence where ever he went, and studied her more closely. She was paler than normal, a little thinner, and he wondered how he hadn't noticed before. She was still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, but frailer looking than she'd been when he'd first met her. He was guiltily sure that some of it was because of him, but he was equally sure that most of it was because of Sasuke. And he hated that, hated that she'd wear herself thin for someone who'd leave her, and hated that he knew he had to find him for her if that was what it took to make her happy again.
He carefully lifted her from the chair, trying not to wake her or jar her hurt leg, and carried her to the bed. He didn't intend to use it again, and couldn't just leave her in her small chair when it was available. "I'll bring him home for you, Sakura-chan," he whispered as he pulled the blanket up around her. "If I don't I'll swim ten thousand laps with my hands tied behind my back." He brushed her hair back from her forehead, and, after a moments hesitation, leaned down to brush a quick kiss across her forehead. "You'll be happy again. I promise."
As he began to pull away, she twitched slightly then slowly opened her eyes. "Lee-kun?" she murmured sleepily, her lips brushing against his chin before he could pull away completely. "What're you doing here."
"Ah, Sakura-chan! I'm sorry for waking you, for doing so I shall--" but before he could come up with a punishment for himself she rolled over, asleep once more. He sighed, and touched her cheek one last time, whispering, "I'll see you again soon, Sakura-chan." Then, pausing only to pick up the bottle on his bedside table when he remembered Tsunade's instructions about taking his medicine, he crossed the room one last time and slipped out the window and took off running for his home, where he could pick up clothing and equipment before leaving Konoha.
He didn't look back as he left.
* * *
It was many hours later that Sakura woken to the sound of Gai crying out over Lee being missing, and Tsunade's noticing her alcohol was gone. She sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, her mind slowly processing what was going on around her. It took her a long moment to put together the significance of what they were saying, then her eyes widened. "Eh? Lee-kun's gone?" she cried out, drawing everyone's attention to her.
Gai looked like he was going to say something, but before she could Tsunade did instead. "He snuck off without anyone seeing him this morning. But, I notice you've changed positions since last night, Sakura-chan. Could you tell us anything about where he went."
She thought back, and remembered, vaguely, the feeling of being in someone's arms, and opening her eyes for a brief moment to see Lee bending over her. And, before that, him saying something, something about...
She threw herself to her feet, eyes wide. "Sasuke! Lee-kun's going for Sasuke!" Her eyes met Gai's, noting that he looked as worried as she felt, and continued, "He's not well enough to go after them yet! We need to-- Please! Tsunade-sama!" she turned to the older woman and bowed low. "Please, may I go try to bring him back?"
"Hn," Tsunade grunted, though Sakura thought she might just see a glint of amusement in her eyes. "I'm beginning to think half the village is going to end up on this chase. Gai-san!" He straightened up when she turned to him. "You and Sakura-chan may go retrieve your student."
As Gai began to thank Tsunade for allowing them to go after his favorite student and swear they'd be back in some ridiculously short amount of time, Sakura let her gaze drift to the window. Lee-kun, she thought, her hands curling into fists, I thought you told me you wouldn't worry me again if the surgery was successful. Did you really think I'd want you to break that promise for him?
Pairing: Rock Lee/Haruno Sakura
Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters, places, and situations found therein belong to Kishimoto Masashi. I'm just playing with them for a little bit.
Author's Note: This chapter contains spoilers through manga chapter 182 or 3ish, but over course of my kisses there'll be spoilers for the whole manga. Fic is manga-centric, so please ignore anything that contradicts something that's anime-only because I haven't seen any of it. Previous chapters found here.
It was the lack of pain that woke him, more than anything else. After so much time, he'd gotten used to the shooting pains running through his arm and leg at all times, and the moment that that his barely waking mind recognized that in it's place there was now just a little soreness he was jolted straight into full consciousness.
He raised his hand into the air, flexing his fist and tensing his muscle, waiting for any pain to return. When, after a minute, there was still nothing more than a slight ache he leapt to his feet, planning on doing a thousand jumping jacks or running around the room two thousand times, or anything just for the joy of being able to move freely, when he was stopped dead at the sight of Sakura curled up in a chair in the corner of the room.
She was sleeping, but, judging by her frown and furrowed brow, it didn't seem like she was have pleasant dreams. He silently crossed the room to kneel beside her, a small part of his mind noting that even that was wonderful after weeks of the thump of his crutch announcing his presence where ever he went, and studied her more closely. She was paler than normal, a little thinner, and he wondered how he hadn't noticed before. She was still the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, but frailer looking than she'd been when he'd first met her. He was guiltily sure that some of it was because of him, but he was equally sure that most of it was because of Sasuke. And he hated that, hated that she'd wear herself thin for someone who'd leave her, and hated that he knew he had to find him for her if that was what it took to make her happy again.
He carefully lifted her from the chair, trying not to wake her or jar her hurt leg, and carried her to the bed. He didn't intend to use it again, and couldn't just leave her in her small chair when it was available. "I'll bring him home for you, Sakura-chan," he whispered as he pulled the blanket up around her. "If I don't I'll swim ten thousand laps with my hands tied behind my back." He brushed her hair back from her forehead, and, after a moments hesitation, leaned down to brush a quick kiss across her forehead. "You'll be happy again. I promise."
As he began to pull away, she twitched slightly then slowly opened her eyes. "Lee-kun?" she murmured sleepily, her lips brushing against his chin before he could pull away completely. "What're you doing here."
"Ah, Sakura-chan! I'm sorry for waking you, for doing so I shall--" but before he could come up with a punishment for himself she rolled over, asleep once more. He sighed, and touched her cheek one last time, whispering, "I'll see you again soon, Sakura-chan." Then, pausing only to pick up the bottle on his bedside table when he remembered Tsunade's instructions about taking his medicine, he crossed the room one last time and slipped out the window and took off running for his home, where he could pick up clothing and equipment before leaving Konoha.
He didn't look back as he left.
It was many hours later that Sakura woken to the sound of Gai crying out over Lee being missing, and Tsunade's noticing her alcohol was gone. She sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, her mind slowly processing what was going on around her. It took her a long moment to put together the significance of what they were saying, then her eyes widened. "Eh? Lee-kun's gone?" she cried out, drawing everyone's attention to her.
Gai looked like he was going to say something, but before she could Tsunade did instead. "He snuck off without anyone seeing him this morning. But, I notice you've changed positions since last night, Sakura-chan. Could you tell us anything about where he went."
She thought back, and remembered, vaguely, the feeling of being in someone's arms, and opening her eyes for a brief moment to see Lee bending over her. And, before that, him saying something, something about...
She threw herself to her feet, eyes wide. "Sasuke! Lee-kun's going for Sasuke!" Her eyes met Gai's, noting that he looked as worried as she felt, and continued, "He's not well enough to go after them yet! We need to-- Please! Tsunade-sama!" she turned to the older woman and bowed low. "Please, may I go try to bring him back?"
"Hn," Tsunade grunted, though Sakura thought she might just see a glint of amusement in her eyes. "I'm beginning to think half the village is going to end up on this chase. Gai-san!" He straightened up when she turned to him. "You and Sakura-chan may go retrieve your student."
As Gai began to thank Tsunade for allowing them to go after his favorite student and swear they'd be back in some ridiculously short amount of time, Sakura let her gaze drift to the window. Lee-kun, she thought, her hands curling into fists, I thought you told me you wouldn't worry me again if the surgery was successful. Did you really think I'd want you to break that promise for him?