[Closed]
Characters: Maito Gai and Rock Lee, then Maito Gai and Hatake Kakashi.
Location: The park
Rating: PG-13 for Awkwardness
Time: October 30th, after training
Description: Armed with confusing advice and well-meaning intentions, Lee corners his teacher. Then there's the fallout.
( Read more... )
Location: The park
Rating: PG-13 for Awkwardness
Time: October 30th, after training
Description: Armed with confusing advice and well-meaning intentions, Lee corners his teacher. Then there's the fallout.
( Read more... )
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"We train together every day," Lee confirmed. "And Neji and I spar."
He paused for a second at the mention of Kakashi, expression shifting slightly as he remembered his last conversation with Gai about his teacher's Meister... and the awkwardness that had followed. "I will be certain to ask him."
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Gai raised an eyebrow at the little change in Lee's expression. It wasn't much, but... Was Lee still bothered by the teasing from Kakashi? He didn't know what else to say to comfort his student over that. Maybe just being encouraging would work. "He is not all tease. He is a highly regarded ninja for many reasons. The teasing is just one aspect of him, and you do not have to feel uncomfortable around him. My Rival is very capable."
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He hesitated, though, at Gai's reassurances. "It is not that, Gai-sensei," Lee said. Even if maybe it had been that and still was, a bit- Lee wasn't comfortable with the idea still. But the way Gai had reacted bothered him far more. "Gai-sensei? May I ask you something?"
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"Oh." Then what was it? He nodded. Maybe that would clue him in as to what ws going on. "Of course you may, Lee! I am always available for your questions!" Just please, oh please, let this not be about 'unwrapping' or any comment like that. Please. For the sake of Gai's sanity.
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It was Gai. Normally that would've been enough in and of itself... but Gai had avoided the question before. And he might avoid it again now. But most of the people that he'd talked to said that he needed to talk to Gai- and if Gai avoided his questions again, then Lee would find another way to handle the situation.
"Gai-sensei," Lee started- then paused. That was a good start- but there needed to be more words after that, he was pretty sure. "When we talked you said that- um. That Kakashi-sensei... that you were not someone that he would be interested in." Another pause. "But- you did not say that..."
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Oh. Back to that. ...At least it wasn't anything about the Kazekage. That was a relief. No thinking about things like that today. They were just in far more dangerous territory now. Gai knew what Lee was asking, or was pretty sure of it. It wouldn't be fair or kind to try to dodge it again. It wouldn't be right.
He glanced down, frowning. "I did not say that he was not someone I would be interested in. That is what you are asking."
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"It is not-" Lee fumbled, trying to find the right words, then went quiet. He looked at his teacher... who was looking down at his feet, instead of meeting Lee's eyes.
"You seemed sad," he said finally.
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"It is... complicated, Lee. Very complicated. I do care about him. A great deal. But it is not to be." Gai shrugged, trying to make it seem like it wasn't something Lee should be worried about, because it wasn't. "There are some things that are more important than that. Especially where Kakashi is concerned. He is... There is..." He didn't even know how to explain it. It all made perfect sense to him, not pursuing, not pressuring, not hurting, not risking.
Risk. There was the key word. "It would risk too much to even simply say something. We have had our Rivalry for many years; it is close to all he has. A hint that I am interested, and it disrupts the balance. I cannot do that to him."
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Lee suddenly became very engrossed in his own sandals. The patterns that they made where they pressed into the grass. A bit of a stain on the right one that he should probably scrub off when he got home. It was better than thinking about the distinctly-not-a-hint conversation he'd had with Gai's rival.
The rest fit with what people had told him when he'd asked for advice, though. That Gai-sensei was scared of what would happen. Of taking a risk... even as that sounded nothing like the Gai-sensei Lee knew. "But you are not happy like this, Gai-sensei," Lee said. "I know that you are not."
And he felt guilty, that he hadn't seen it before. That he'd never realized there was something more in the way Gai looked at his Rival- but Lee had always seen Gai through the veil of hero worship. It was humbling to see Gai like this... as a man. "What if he did not respond badly?" Lee asked.
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Gai was speaking from the perspective of Kakashi never finding out. But Lee knew better- had talked to Kakashi in depth about Gai and the other man, spurred on by the flash of uncharacteristic sadness he'd seen in Gai's eyes. But the more his teacher spoke the more he saw that Gai was set on this path. And he didn't know what to do.
He couldn't leave his teacher unhappy. It wasn't right for Gai to silently accept something like this. But he couldn't turn back time, either, and take away his conversation with Kakashi. If it'd been anyone else he would've gone to Gai for advice... but he couldn't exactly do that over Gai himself.
"What if he would be happy with you, Gai-sensei?" Lee finally asked- because that was what he couldn't understand. How Gai couldn't see that he would make someone happy.
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Gai said that, but Lee remembered how his teacher's expression had changed... the saddness that had shown through the cracks. But he couldn't say that he wouldn't do the same thing. If he had feelings for a close friend, and was the only person that friend had- if he knew that saying something would endanger their relationship, and treasured their friendship more than the chance of having a relationship.
He could see why Gai had said nothing year after year, even as it seemed unnatural. Because it wasn't about Gai being afraid. It was about Gai loving Kakashi, and Kakashi's happiness being more important than having that affection returned.
"Gai-sensei," Lee said slowly- and looked up, meeting his teacher's eyes. "I think that I may have done something very wrong."
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He frowned for a moment. "I am sorry about dodging, the other day. The line was open and to switch suddenly would have said more than I wanted to." Then he brightened again. "But now we have covered this, and you have asked your questions."
And in theory that meant this was dealt with. Neji wouldn't get worried on this topic, Kakashi wouldn't pick it up when he hadn't for fifteen years, and Lee seemed to understand.
Oh. What if Lee was apologizing for flailing at the thought of Gai and Kakashi together? That was possible too, but Gai was fairly sure that was covered. "You are all right?" Not emotionally damaged at the thought of Gai actually being interested in a pervert, was what Gai meant.
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And it made Lee feel worse, to know that was what Gai's mind went to. That he didn't even think of what Lee had done.
Lee bit his bottom lip and looked down- then walked the few feet over to the tree where he'd shrugged out of his pack. He found the communicator easily, and knelt there, looking at it, for a long moment.
Then he squared his shoulders, stood, and walked back to his teacher. He wasn't looking forward to this, but it had been done, and Gai had the right to know.
"I think that you should see this, Gai-sensei," Lee said quietly. He opened the conversation with Kakashi and handed the communicator to Gai.
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