The first of the three...
Characters: Kakashi, Sakura, and Lee
Setting: The forest/edge of the rebel camp
Rating: G :D
Warnings: Sakura getting rough with Kakashi, Lee being poetic and protective. None.
Summary: Takes place a few days after this log. During their journey to the camp, Sakura makes a 'request' of Kakashi. Lee meets them and learns of Sakura's situation. Arguing. Accusations. More questions. Crap like that.
Kakashi kept moving, his pace steady as he walked along the hidden trail, his single eye squinted only slightly against the sun that was rising ahead of them. That same eye would flicker occasionally to the ground at his feet, only just catching a stray hole or branch here and there that he would avoid before calling back to Sakura to warn her. He could have easily taken them along the usual path that most travelers used, but like many of the things Kakashi did, taking the road less traveled was habit; it was what he did when he journeyed alone, and he saw no reason to act differently on this particular day. True, the normal path would have been much easier going for Sakura, but if she ever picked up on any of his customs, he wanted to make sure this was one of them.
Besides, he had taken care to treat her a little more kindly than he thought necessary ever since taking her along, something he wouldn't normally do. Perhaps he just wanted to take things at a slower pace given who she was, or maybe he was a little more chivalrous than he thought. Whatever the reason, Kakashi had been too soft for his liking, and he would have to work on toughening her up sooner or later. They had to start somewhere; the two of them had camped outside more than once over the past few days--in the end, Kakashi had decided it best to look after her a bit before taking her to the camp. For her sake, it would hopefully soften any prejudices and doubts against her from the other rebels. Concerning Kakashi, he just wanted to get past the introductions with as little yelling as possible.--but that was nothing compared to some of the things she might face in the future.
But he was looking too far ahead. At least, he hoped he was...there was nothing appealing about the idea of thrusting this woman--this young girl--into the middle of a war simply because she asked him to. Even so, Kakashi's comfort was that he would be looking after her as long as she wanted. Some may not have thought that much, but it was all he could give her at this point.
Sakura trudged behind Kakashi in the dirty breeches and long, cotton shirt she stole from the blond lad, Naruto, back at the orphanage. Her shoes scraped against the dirt, and the gentle breeze flowing against her face, cooling her skin and rippling her pink tresses behind her. Yet no matter how far they walked, the girl didn't notice, taking in her surroundings like a child in a candy store, everything new and appealing to the eye. Being locked up behind cold, stone walls wasn't a way to spend life, thus seeing the colorful landscape around her filled with life made her heart skip a beat.
It had all happened so quickly. Ever since she began her more frequent visits to the slums, no matter how dangerous they may be, she realized the many possibilities life had to offer. Things she could never have imagined or dreamed of while trapped in a courtroom or behind a desk studying. Balls and gatherings were quite often, yet so redundant, that they grew to become quite a bore after the first twenty or so. Extravagant gowns and romance kept her female friends attending, yet no one managed to snag their way into Sakura's heart. At least, not yet anyway. So what was the point?
A sigh escaped from the young woman's lips, perhaps Sakura would never meet the man of her dreams. Or...do I just not know what kind of man I long for? Shaking her head while deciding that information was not important right now, she turned her focus to the older gentleman before her. He was certainly different than anyone else she had ever met before. Then again...so had been Robin, Sai, Haku, Naruto....
Naruto... A frown spread across Sakura's features, thinking of the longing glance that Naruto gave her as she walked away behind the silver-haired man that was almost a complete stranger. Then again, he had saved her life. At least, from what Sakura gathered, which drove her to ask, "Sir Hatake? Where exactly are we headed?"
Without turning or faltering, Kakashi said bluntly, "The rebel camp. That's what you were expecting, right?" He glanced back at her. If he hadn't already trusted her enough to take her along, regardless, he should have all but messed up any sense of direction she had had. Unless she had paid painstakingly accurate attention to how he had been leading her since parting from Naruto, Sakura wouldn't be able to find her way back to Konoha from the camp without any help. Well, it wasn't impossible, but it could take her days on her own if she didn't know the land. So unless she was particularly skilled in tracking, she was stuck with Kakashi for the moment.
"Blunt." She muttered to herself, crossing her arms slightly irritated. Is he treating me like a little kid? Sakura huffed, raising her brow wondering if the whole walk would be like this. Then again, she had only asked him one question, perhaps he only felt the need to speak when spoken to. "So, uhm...how far is it?" They had been walking for quite a while, not like she expected it to be just around the corner or anything, but to know just how much longer the trip would last would be nice.
Kakashi pushed a branch out of his path, pausing only long enough to hold it back for Sakura, and then looked towards the horizon. "If I were going my usual speed, it would probably take about fifteen minutes to get there," he guessed. "At the pace we're going now...I'd say about another hour. Well, that's assuming we took the normal path," he added thoughtfully. "Considering the one we're on, make that about an hour and a half." Not that he minded. He often chose to walk whenever he wasn't in a hurry; it gave him a chance to burn some time.
An hour and a half!? Sakura ran before her savior stopping him in his tracks with her palm. "There is no way I am walking one and a half hours without a break!" Taking a deep breath after whining, she moaned, wanting to pound on the silver-haired man's chest with her fists, "Pleaaaaase?" She glanced up at him with puppy-dog eyes, pleading. It never worked with her mother, but always seemed to work somehow with everyone else. Why not give it a shot?
He met her gaze with a blank stare.
Kakashi wasn't sure what was worse: that this girl had resorted to using such methods, or the fact that it was actually having an effect on him--only a tiny, slight, hardly significant effect, but an effect nonetheless.
He really was being too soft. Maybe all those jokes he had brushed off from the other rebels bore some truth; maybe he was getting past his prime...
He pretended to consider her plea before answering, hoping to reserve some shred of dignity. "A break isn't out of the question. I don't see why we couldn't stop...personally, I'm in no hurry." He shrugged, appearing as unaffected by her begging as was possible for him.
Giving a sigh of relief, Sakura bowed, thankful that he was willing to stop. I suppose that's my secret weapon. Sakura giggled to herself. Too bad her pout didn't work on the Akatsuki, although it was quite amusing to think of all the possibilities if it had.
Taking a seat on the slightly moist grass, Sakura glanced up at the sky. It looked so different out here than under her favorite oak in her backyard. "Sir Hatake..." She wondered if she should drop the formality, it was getting quite repetitive and annoying, but she didn't want to show him any form of disrespect. After all he did save her from Konoha. "Just how big is the rebellion, anyway?" It was one of the many questions that floated around in her head. Perhaps unloading a few of them during their break would allow her to travel more lightly to their destination. Besides, a few hundred people wouldn't cut it for a rebellion, at least in her opinion. That is unless these rebels were just that good. Yeah right, this isn't some kind of fairy tale or anything.
Crossing his arms, Kakashi placed his back against a tree with Sakura on his right. "Well..." Again, that was a piece of information he would rather not give out too soon. At least, not until she was counted among their ranks, if she was. He knew she was probably sick of his vague answers by now, but she had to understand why he was being as cautious as he was. "I wouldn't want to crush your expectations, but neither do I want to get your hopes up. You'll see soon enough."
Mouthing his answer mockingly, Sakura slumped against the tree, closing her eyes. So the old man wouldn't crack, huh? Well, fine! Crossing her arms she grunted, pouting to herself. Realizing she was acting awfully childish, she dropped her hands to her sides, sighing. "Are you always going to evade my questions? Besides, if you don't trust me enough to answer my questions then why did you even agree to bring me along in the first place?"
He turned a narrowed eye on her. "You asked me to take you with me, which I'm doing," he said flatly. "As such, we'll be moving at my pace."
Translation: Be grateful. Don't backtalk.
Kakashi was patient, but he didn't want her getting the wrong idea. He had a heart, yes; her little display a second ago had proved that. But he also had a brain, and they were living in a time when there was no such thing as being too careful.
Even so, he didn't want to leave that tension hanging between the two of them. "I know this isn't easy for you," he said, voice softer, "and I know you have a lot of questions. But be patient a while longer. After all, you may not find everything to be as you've pictured...and you'll discover that waiting is often the only thing you can do." Again, there he was, being perhaps a little too straightforward.
"Wait...what did you just say?" Sakura grew angry, stomping on the ground before him, shoving her palm straight into his chest, hoping to shove him backwards in the process. "Are you calling me a weakling!?" It was one thing that got on Sakura's nerves, and when something got on Sakura's nerves, something inside her swelled up and made her just want to strangle everything around her. Her friends at home would jokingly call her 'Inner Sakura' in this state, but most refrained from saying such a thing when she was switched to 'kill.' "Now listen here you! I don't take to being called weak lightly! I mean, sure you saved me and all, or at least I think you did, but point aside, I am not USELESS!"
She huffed, trying to catch her breath, anger subsiding slowly. It was that voice that tugged inside her once again, calling her 'weak' and 'pathetic' just like the slums the other day with Naruto. Tears jerked her eyes, but she fought to suppress them, knowing that if she did he just may make a stupid comment about how pitiful she looked.
Kakashi allowed her to push him back, arms dropping to his sides as he was shoved against the tree's trunk, and listened to her outburst without interruption. Once she had finished, he waited a few more seconds for any lingering irritation to (hopefully) fade before he spoke, holding her stare.
"I meant nothing of the kind." If he had known his attempt to comfort her would turn out like this, he would have let her go on pouting. "I was speaking in a general term; I meant no offense towards you." The wisest choice would have been to let the matter go then and there--put out an apology, hope she accepted it, and drop the subject. But Kakashi had sensed a motive behind her eruption of emotion, and since he had planned on bringing up the topic eventually anyway, he figured now was the best time. If she was going to throw a tantrum, he might as well see the worst of it all at once.
"And I hope you'll believe me when I say I mean no offense by this, either." He hesitated, thinking of the best way to phrase what he had to say. "I'll never call you weak, but from what I've gathered in watching you, your physical skills have a lot of room for improvement. I've no doubt you have your strong points, but that's hardly enough to compensate for what you're lacking. Again, this is just from what I've seen," he put in, shrugging. "Hardly knowing you, I'm not being entirely fair. But even so, lashing out won't do anything for you."
That last bit wasn't entirely necessary--it was more like a reprimanding tease than anything--but then, it wasn't like Kakashi to take impertinence lightly.
Under these circumstances Sakura would have pouted, but considering she didn't want him to view her as any more childish, she sucked it up and simply glared at him. "Well, then teach me! Help me become stronger! I don't want people to view me as weak anymore..." She mumbled the last part, but was still capable of being heard. It seemed that Sakura would have to stick with this gentleman longer than she anticipated. Well that's just too bad for him, because if he wants to point out that I'm not physically strong, then he'll have to fix it!
With determination burning in the young woman's eyes she confronted her 'teacher' with an 'I'm ready when you are' look. Yes, there was no way he was going to get rid of her now.
Surprised, Kakashi still managed to stifle the expression. A little bit of his reservation slipped away and he made a sound like something between "uh" and "what," but he recovered quickly and replied, "I admire that you're so eager to--" The words "be useful" died on his lips. "...improve," he finished, "but..."
He wanted to say that he hardly thought he was entitled for that position. Aside from being a traveler, he had never had a student before, so who knew how effective his methods were? He had figured she would need training, but he hadn't had himself in mind for that. Rather, he had assumed he would just place her under the leadership of Kurenai or Anko--okay, maybe not Anko--and leave it at that.
Kakashi wasn't reluctant--he would do it if she honestly wanted him to; she was, after all, his responsibility. And she did seem to have calmed down, so agreeing would at least appease her for the time being. If she chose to go a different route later on, fine by him. If not, he saw no harm in overseeing her training. On the plus side, assuming the girl had any talent in magic, she would likely learn more from him than any of the other rebels. As long as she had the capacity, anyway.
His eye curving into a smile, he finished his sentence with, "...just know it won't be easy. If you want to learn anything, you'll have to work hard for it."
"Oh! Thank you!" She practically tackled the poor man in a thankful embrace and pulled back giving him her best smile. If there was one characteristic that could describe Sakura well, it would be 'bi-polar.' Bowing many times in thanks once again, she jumped away with a newfound energy. "So, when do we start?" Her enthusiasm reminded her of another young gentleman she sometimes saw in Konoha. I wonder how Robin's doing anyway?
Kakashi straightened up and rubbed his neck, a little ruffled from both her angry push and her grateful hug and noticing all too well just how swiftly Sakura had swung from one mood to another.
This will be interesting, to say the least...
"Well, for one thing," he proposed, "how about we drop the formalities? With all due respect, 'my lady' tends to get old rather quickly. I imagine it's the same for you." He didn't care much either way, but the titles seemed a bit unnecessary considering the circumstances.
Sakura nodded, "Sakura it is then. And I suppose I shall call you, Kakashi?" She placed a finger on her lip in contemplation as she rested her elbow in the palm of her opposite hand. "Hmm...you are still my superior, I suppose you do recieve some title of sort." Perhaps she was raised in high society for too long. Sakura furrowed her brows, and eventually raised one in confusion. Sir? No, it almost sounds like I'm calling him 'Lordship.' Mister? Nah, too childish. Teacher? Hmm...perhaps? She let out a slight whine combined with a groan. "I don't know. Do you mind me calling you on a first name basis?"
"Kakashi is fine," he assured her. As if to settle the matter, he turned toward the horizon again. "Since you seem to have so much energy, I'll assume that you're rested." He gave her a good-natured smile. "Shall we?"
Nodding, she giggled and walked beside Kakashi once more, her pink hair swishing behind her as she half-skipped along the path to a place unknown.
It was a beautiful day, a wonderful day, a day filled with sunshine and the promise of more to come. The air was still moist and cool with dew, the wind was exhilarating, and Lee felt like running around the treetops again.
Leaping onto a tree near the edge of camp, Lee happily started his morning patrol around the forest. Having lived in the woods since he was six, he knew how to jump and twist so that he made no sound and twitched no leaf while he traveled, even with his weights on.
He was fifteen minutes into his second lap around the camp when he heard a familiar male voice, and an answering female voice. Kakashi, returning from his travels, late as always. Gai-sensei would have a lot to say about that. But since Gai-sensei wasn't around, there was only Lee to chastise him for his tardiness. And what fun it would be to surprise him right in front of a lady-friend!
He changed his targeted branch in mid air, and dove, instead, straight for the tell-tale tuft of gray peeking out from the brown and faded green of winter branches and leaves.
"KAKASHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!"
"Hm?"
Kakashi looked over--processing a second too late who the voice belonged to, from what direction it was coming, and the impossible speed at which it approached--and an instant later was knocked clear off his feet as something incredibly heavy slammed full-force into his blind spot.
He hit the ground face first, his bruised arms pinned to his sides and his remaining breath forced from his lungs as his assailant landed on top of him. Waiting until the dust had settled, Kakashi, now staring at Sakura's right boot, without moving or looking up gave a flat, acknowledging,
"Lee."
One moment Sakura was walking along-side her new teacher and suddenly he was sprawled on the ground, taken down by some unknown, wait... "Robin?" Sakura pointed her finger at the familiar looking boy, confused as to why Kakashi called him, 'Lee.'
Glancing back down at Kakashi she stifled a laughter, allowing a snort or two to escape in the process of trying to supress it. "Uhm...are you alright, Kakashi?" It was then that Sakura realized the boy had shouted Kakashi's name at the top of his lungs. Had they known each other? Or was 'Robin' just concerned about Sakura being away from Konoha and with an older man?
Lee's voice was as loud and clear as a trumpet blare. "Kakashi!" He repeated happily, as he lifted himself off of the older man, "What - "
"Robin?"
Lee froze.
He was kneeling over Kakashi, his knees on either side of Kakashi's legs, his hands on the dirt next to Kakashi's waist, when his entire body went rigid.
He knew that voice.
His neck turned after his eyes did, and even before he fully faced her, he knew.
"L-lady Sakura!"
It was her - light pink hair, sea-green eyes, with an ethereal halo of early morning sunlight framing her face.
What was she doing here?
His eyes slowly swiveled back onto Kakashi's face, but flames from the darkest pits of hell had replaced their usual sunshine.
"Kakashi," he repeated.
"Oh, you know each other?" Kakashi inquired innocently, as if unaware of the fury that had wrapped around his name. Dragging his arms out from under him, he raised his head and shoulders so that he was upright, the only motion he could make with Lee still lingering over him, and rested his jaw along his fist. "Good. That'll save me an introduction."
"What are you - What is she -" Lee sat up, lifting himself away from Kakashi's body, and looked with wide eyes at Lady Sakura - "Why are you-?!" - before turning back to Kakashi, those same eyes narrowed and burning - "What is she doing here?!"
He didn't yell as loudly as he could have; he was reining in his anger for Lady Sakura, but if Kakashi didn't have an excellent explanation for traveling with Lady Sakura alone in the forest (because Kakashi couldn't be taking Lady Sakura to the rebel's camp, absolutely no way, so what was he doing with her, all the way out here, far from her home?), there was no telling if Lee could keep it together...
Although Kakashi had known he would have to do some explaining soon, he hadn't bothered coming up with anything on the way here. He thought he would just wing it, but seeing Lee so worked up hadn't been one of his expectations. It threw him off somewhat; sure, he never thought Lee would go along with the whole idea right away, but...this would definitely make things more difficult. What were the odds that Sakura would know any of the rebels, let alone Lee of all people?
Kakashi stood up, eye scanning the front of his clothes as he dusted himself off and automatically moved to Sakura's side. An angry Lee was a rare thing, but an incensed, if-looks-could-kill Lee was something new entirely. To Kakashi, anyway. That alone was enough temptation to prompt him into denying Lee a satisfactory answer for the moment.
"Sakura?" Kakashi feigned a surprised look, as if the reason for her presence should have been obvious. "Why, we just happened to meet in town the other night and thought we'd stick together for a bit." Acting as though he was puzzled by Lee's temper, he said tentatively, "Surely there's nothing immoral about that?"
Lee got to his feet and straightened up as Kakashi did, unconsciously brushing off the dirt from his hands and clothes as he focused his laser stare on the older man. "You didn't answer my question," he ground out, but he really hadn't been expecting him to; leave it to Kakashi to delay and drag everything out.
"No?" Kakashi's eye wandered from Lee's face to the sky in thought. "You asked why she's here, didn't you? It's the truth." Back to Lee's face. "What kind of answer were you expecting?"
"You met her in town at night and stuck together," Lee recited dully. He took a second to glance at Lady Sakura, and cracked his knuckles without realizing he was doing so. "Fine. So you just decided to take a stroll in the forest for a few days? Because Konoha is a while away." And the rebel camp is very near.
Avoiding the question yet again, Kakashi tilted his head. "Something wrong, Lee? You seem...upset."
"Of course I'm upset!" Lee cried, throwing his arms into the air to illustrate just how upset he was. "Do you have any idea who she is?!"
"Haruno Sakura," he replied lightly, "a noble of Konoha." He considered adding something along the lines of "and my apprentice," but that might be pushing it. One step at a time. "Can I ask how you know her to the point of being entitled to jump so fervently to her defense?" Changing the subject probably wouldn't work for long--if at all--but it was worth a try. Kakashi really wasn't in the mood for an interrogation at the moment, or at least before he had something to eat.
"I - I rescued her purse for her two years ago," Lee said, "But that's besides the point! Why have you brought her here?" Why is she so close to camp? You're not seriously thinking of - "How did her family let you take her all the way here? Without other guards or escorts?"
"Yeeeaaah, about that..." Kakashi pocketed his hands, but remained tense in case Lee decided to act...irrationally for some reason. "I suppose you could kind of say that I'm her escort, in a way...at least, I'm looking after her for the time being."
Lee's questions were getting warmer.
"How did you manage to become her escort, and why have you brought her here?" Lee asked again, with eyes and a tone that had driven off a bear once. He was used to Kakashi's evasive answers, but his tolerance was running a little low right now. However, he did have enough energy to keep asking questions for the entire day.
Kakashi was definitely treading a fine line by now. He sighed. He would rather explain the situation before Sakura did, but then again, Lee would probably prefer a word from her. Looking expectantly at Sakura, Kakashi paused to allow her room to speak.
"Well, gee...finally you acknowledge I'm standing here." She walked closer to the two, irritated, clenching her fist to try and relieve the tension. Taking a deep breath, the young woman calmed down. "Kakashi...why do you keep calling him 'Lee?'" she asked, pointing at the young man who seemed to be chewing out Kakashi for some unknown reason to her. "And Robin, why are you so upset with Kakashi?"
"I - Lady Sakura, I apologize; I never meant to ignore you," Lee began, his fury fizzling out as he looked at her. "I - well -" Lee couldn't tell her he was part of the rebellion - not until he knew exactly how much she knew. He turned his attention back on Kakashi, and his anger flared right back up. "Kakashi, what have you told her?"
Kakashi looked him in the eye, growing more serious as everything playful about his manner was dropped. By the looks of things, this whole matter would ultimately be placed on his shoulders despite whatever was said. He would respect Lee's privacy, but there was no changing what Sakura already knew.
"I told her," he said, voice calm and even, a slight stern edge to it, "that my loyalty belongs to a king other than the one who now rules Konoha. I told her that I would accept her request in taking her along with me, and depending on whether I found her trustworthy, I would take her to the camp..." Kakashi hesitated for only a split second, looking down at Sakura. "...and supervise her training."
Kakashi’s change in tone and stance meant that he was finally getting serious, which prompted Lee to pay close attention to his next words.
When Kakashi was done talking, Lee closed his eyes.
Felt like drinking some water, except there wasn’t any nearby.
Took a deep breath to steady his nerves.
And exploded.
“Kakashi!!! What in the seven hells possibly possessed you to drag Lady Sakura into our operations?!”
Well, that wasn't as bad as it could have been. There was nothing to say it wouldn't get worse, but overall, they weren't off to a bad start. Yet.
"Trust me, Lee, I didn't act without thinking on this. You should know I wouldn't drag anyone into this conflict without a valid reason."
Sakura nodded, not wanting to feel ignored, "And I know what I'm getting myself into. I realize that by coming with him, that I will lose everything I've ever had." She smiled, "But I say, good riddance. It's about time I do something productive instead of complain all the time. And I will not be recognized as a burden either, if that is what you are saying, 'Lee'." She used his name, realizing that he must have been lying this whole time about his alias. And considering he knew Kakashi very well, she figured there was much more he hid from her as well.
It was the first time in the two years they’d known each other that she’d called him by his real name, and Lee felt slightly guilty about it, but he held onto his anger. He had to hold onto it, because he couldn't admit defeat to this - not this. For all of Lady Sakura's talk of revolution, rebellion, and fighting against the Akatsuki, Lee had genuinely wanted to protect her - and here she was, diving headfirst into danger - more danger than she'd ever know. Did she understand? Did she really?
“I trust you, Kakashi, you know that, but how long did it take you to decide to bring her here?” Lee demanded. “How long did you think about it? Did you know that Lady Sakura is a - a councilwoman? That she’s spoken out against the Akatsuki before? That a search party is probably already out for her as we speak, and that, even though the Akatsuki might be glad to be rid of her, they will most probably not let the matter alone?” Lee swallowed; his fists were clenched and his muscles tensed. “The punishment for a councilwoman betraying her king will be infinitely more terrible for her than it will be for us, if she is caught.” That’s why I never told you my name. That’s why I never told you anything.
"Don't blame him, if anything blame me!" She grabbed Lee's arm, forcing him to face her. Sakura would not be ignored any more. "Listen, I know that you must worry for me, but please, understand this..." In a slight pause, Sakura closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. When she lifted her lashes, sea-green orbs stared back emotionally, sending out all kinds of messages of how she felt that very moment. Sadness. Anger. Need. "Lee..." she used his name carefully, not sure if she deserved to call him that way. "My people, they suffer. They have suffered since as long as I could remember. They need a chance. They need hope. I've tried so long and hard to give them that hope, but everything I have done has proven itself worthless in the end."
Easing on her grip of the young gentleman, she continued, "This is why I must take the step. I need to move forward and take action if my words do no good. And though you may see me as weak, and though I may be condemned for treason, I must do this. I must carry out this task." She stood next to Kakashi, indicating to him with a slow swing of her hand, "This man has given me this opportunity. And though you may hate him for such, I appreciate his kindness and understanding. But...do you understand?"
She gave him a look similar to what she had given Naruto not but a day before, a look that meant, 'Please, don't stop me,' and nothing more.
”…my lady…”
For the first time in two years, Lee found himself wanting to avoid her eyes, because if he met them, he felt like he would crumble.
He met them anyway, and his next words were some of the most serious he had ever uttered.
“I have never thought of you as weak.”
A smile twitched the side of his lips. “A bit too trusting and sure of your safety, but never weak.”
It was quiet in the forest now. Lee was completely focused on a friend he held very close to his heart.
“I understand your need to help them. I have it too. And it is not your strength I am concerned about, but your safety. There are things that I had wanted to protect you from forever, not because you are weak, but because I wanted to protect you. I still do.” Lee breathed in shakily, his voice low and even but filled with an emotion that threatened to break forth and shatter if he didn't control it. A river in a glass jar. “But what you’ve gone and done now… associating with Kakashi, running from the Akatsuki, signing your death warrant if you ever meet them again… I can’t.” Lee didn’t know what it was that he couldn’t do - he just knew he couldn’t do it.
A gust of wind hit him like a block of ice, but Lee didn't feel a thing.
“I trust you. I believe in you. You are one of the strongest, kindest women I have ever met. This choice is yours alone.” Lee's eyes traveled slowly to the wrinkled leaves still clinging to their branches, despite the bitter cold and icy breeze. Everything was happening too quickly; he didn't have enough time to understand and process this, and he didn't approve of it in the slightest, but... “As much as I would like to knock you out and take you back to where you belong, it’s too late, and it would not be fair to you. You are with us now, and I can’t change that…”
Her eyes, when he met them again, were as bright as spring, but how long would that last?
…no. He would make sure that that brightness never faded.
“…I can’t change that, but I can do one thing.”
...Yes, I can.
“My lady, this I swear with all my soul.”
The eyes that bore into hers now were as solemn as a sepulcher, as silent as the core of a hurricane.
“I will protect you with my life.”
Shocked by Lee's choice of words, a tear tugged at Sakura's eye but she forced it down. "Lee..." She didn't know what to say. No one cared for her, at least not this much. "Do not waste your life on me." Lifting her hand to place her palm gently against the boy's face, she smiled. "But I thank you so much for caring, and I'm glad that you understand." She closed her eyes, breathing in the air around them as if it held medicinal value for her heart. Opening them once again she nodded, "Do you promise not to hurt my teacher anymore?" Sakura laughed, feeling bad for the incident between him and Lee.
Her laughter was as clear as a stream, and just as cleansing, but Lee was never going to take his words back. He meant every single one.
Her palm was cool and fleeting against his cheek.
"Dying for you would not be a waste, my lady. It would be the farthest thing from a waste one could get, more than you could ever imagine. You should never speak that way.”
Lee turned to finally regard Kakashi, forgotten for all of the eternity he’d spent in pledging his life to Sakura.
“As for not hurting your… ‘teacher,’ I am afraid that all the Akatsuki or danger in the world will never get me to promise that. I’m sorry.”
Other than shooting a sideways glance at Lee, Kakashi gave no sign of having heard the previous conversation. Giving a "hmm" as though in agreement, he turned his face in the direction of the camp that lie ahead.
Lee had just been one person. Kakashi didn't like the prospect of getting ganged up on by a group of people, all with similar opinions, but maybe he and Sakura could sneak into camp before anyone else got up. The only one awake at this hour was usually Lee--occasionally Anko, but only if she was returning from one of her night-based missions. As Kakashi really wasn't sure he could handle an encounter with the latter in the same morning, he decided they should get moving. Now.
He touched Sakura's shoulder briefly and jerked his head, indicating that they should go, before addressing Lee. "This can't be easy for you, but I'm glad you understand. Just know that I've also given my word to protect her." His expression hardened just slightly as he looked away. "That probably doesn't mean much to you. But I'm fully of aware of what being with me means for her, and because of that, I'll make sure she's prepared for what's coming."
Not much comfort after the exchange he had just witnessed, but Kakashi was being earnest. He had taken Sakura in with the full knowledge that he would be responsible for her, and that was why he was suddenly determined to teach her everything he could.
This girl would not die before he did.
"Wow, so that means I have two knights in shining armor." She laughed, trying to cover the sound a bit with her hand. "Although, after Kakashi trains me, I am pretty sure that I can take very good care of myself." Winking, Sakura turned to face the direction they were originally headed. "Well, then let's go!"
Lee was more tired now than he had been after running for two and a half days to Suna with Gai-sensei during his early teens. He would have smiled at her, but he couldn't work up the energy to. Lady Sakura’s cheerfulness buoyed him up, but Lee felt a little uneasy. Lady Sakura was acting a bit too casual about the whole thing, was his view; he just hoped that she really knew what she was doing. “So, you two were headed to the camp, right?” he said, trying to add some enthusiasm into his voice. “Lady Sakura, you can continue in that direction for the meantime; we’ll follow you - I just have a few more things to say to Kakashi.”
Nodding, Sakura made her way along to the camp, but at a slow pace so that she wouldn't get too far ahead and get lost, or with her luck, jumped. She giggled to herself when she replayed the moment where Lee had tackled Kakashi to the ground. This is a wonderful change indeed. Glancing back at her friend and teacher, the pink-haired woman smiled. If only he was here to share these new friends with me.
Kakashi gave Lee a curious look, but didn't object. Once Sakura had gone ahead, he turned to the boy in question, waiting for him to speak.
"Did you think about where she's going to sleep, too?" Lee asked, his previous anger all but collapsed into resignation. He started to walk slowly behind Sakura, keeping her in sight, and tilted his head a little to get Kakashi to follow.
Falling into step with Lee, Kakashi considered the question. "Not really," he said honestly. "It's not like we're very limited on space." A few sarcastic remarks crossed his mind, but he held them back, not wanting to offend Sakura. "She has to learn to camp eventually, anyway. No better time than the present to teach her."
“Yeah, that’s true,” Lee agreed. Lady Sakura was going to be staying here for a long time - as long as it took to destroy the Akatsuki.
He was silent for a few seconds, listening to their boots crunch the frozen ground and leaves. “What is she going to do here? I trust both of you, Kakashi, but I really must protest against her becoming a regular fighter…”
"That will be her decision," Kakashi replied. "And mine, of course, once I determine if she has the talent to learn what I have to teach. I assure you, I'm not about to let her see the battlefield unless I'm absolutely sure of her abilities."
"I wasn't questioning her abilities - she may have talent, after all - but she is - was - a councilwoman, and being captured by the Akatsuki while working or fighting with us..." Lee trailed off. He was worried, and he knew that Kakashi knew what he was getting at.
"I've been thinking the same thing." The possibility of Sakura being recognized and/or caught while in the Rebellion's ranks was dangerously risky; Kakashi could identify, being a wanted man himself, but it was hardly fair to place the two of them on the same level. Restricting her open involvement in the Rebellion's actions would be the safest option, but then she would only think that he was giving her preferential treatment. "We'll just have to take this as it comes," he decided. "See where she stands, what she can do. There's no telling what may happen in the meantime."
"...Yeah." As much as Lee was frustrated by all that had transpired, all he really could do was wait and see what would happen... but he wasn't going to like it. Not for a while.
He breathed in deeply the cold, crisp air, and watched Lady Sakura's hair sway and glint in the dappled sunlight as she walked.
Setting: The forest/edge of the rebel camp
Rating: G :D
Warnings: Sakura getting rough with Kakashi, Lee being poetic and protective. None.
Summary: Takes place a few days after this log. During their journey to the camp, Sakura makes a 'request' of Kakashi. Lee meets them and learns of Sakura's situation. Arguing. Accusations. More questions. Crap like that.
Kakashi kept moving, his pace steady as he walked along the hidden trail, his single eye squinted only slightly against the sun that was rising ahead of them. That same eye would flicker occasionally to the ground at his feet, only just catching a stray hole or branch here and there that he would avoid before calling back to Sakura to warn her. He could have easily taken them along the usual path that most travelers used, but like many of the things Kakashi did, taking the road less traveled was habit; it was what he did when he journeyed alone, and he saw no reason to act differently on this particular day. True, the normal path would have been much easier going for Sakura, but if she ever picked up on any of his customs, he wanted to make sure this was one of them.
Besides, he had taken care to treat her a little more kindly than he thought necessary ever since taking her along, something he wouldn't normally do. Perhaps he just wanted to take things at a slower pace given who she was, or maybe he was a little more chivalrous than he thought. Whatever the reason, Kakashi had been too soft for his liking, and he would have to work on toughening her up sooner or later. They had to start somewhere; the two of them had camped outside more than once over the past few days--in the end, Kakashi had decided it best to look after her a bit before taking her to the camp. For her sake, it would hopefully soften any prejudices and doubts against her from the other rebels. Concerning Kakashi, he just wanted to get past the introductions with as little yelling as possible.--but that was nothing compared to some of the things she might face in the future.
But he was looking too far ahead. At least, he hoped he was...there was nothing appealing about the idea of thrusting this woman--this young girl--into the middle of a war simply because she asked him to. Even so, Kakashi's comfort was that he would be looking after her as long as she wanted. Some may not have thought that much, but it was all he could give her at this point.
Sakura trudged behind Kakashi in the dirty breeches and long, cotton shirt she stole from the blond lad, Naruto, back at the orphanage. Her shoes scraped against the dirt, and the gentle breeze flowing against her face, cooling her skin and rippling her pink tresses behind her. Yet no matter how far they walked, the girl didn't notice, taking in her surroundings like a child in a candy store, everything new and appealing to the eye. Being locked up behind cold, stone walls wasn't a way to spend life, thus seeing the colorful landscape around her filled with life made her heart skip a beat.
It had all happened so quickly. Ever since she began her more frequent visits to the slums, no matter how dangerous they may be, she realized the many possibilities life had to offer. Things she could never have imagined or dreamed of while trapped in a courtroom or behind a desk studying. Balls and gatherings were quite often, yet so redundant, that they grew to become quite a bore after the first twenty or so. Extravagant gowns and romance kept her female friends attending, yet no one managed to snag their way into Sakura's heart. At least, not yet anyway. So what was the point?
A sigh escaped from the young woman's lips, perhaps Sakura would never meet the man of her dreams. Or...do I just not know what kind of man I long for? Shaking her head while deciding that information was not important right now, she turned her focus to the older gentleman before her. He was certainly different than anyone else she had ever met before. Then again...so had been Robin, Sai, Haku, Naruto....
Naruto... A frown spread across Sakura's features, thinking of the longing glance that Naruto gave her as she walked away behind the silver-haired man that was almost a complete stranger. Then again, he had saved her life. At least, from what Sakura gathered, which drove her to ask, "Sir Hatake? Where exactly are we headed?"
Without turning or faltering, Kakashi said bluntly, "The rebel camp. That's what you were expecting, right?" He glanced back at her. If he hadn't already trusted her enough to take her along, regardless, he should have all but messed up any sense of direction she had had. Unless she had paid painstakingly accurate attention to how he had been leading her since parting from Naruto, Sakura wouldn't be able to find her way back to Konoha from the camp without any help. Well, it wasn't impossible, but it could take her days on her own if she didn't know the land. So unless she was particularly skilled in tracking, she was stuck with Kakashi for the moment.
"Blunt." She muttered to herself, crossing her arms slightly irritated. Is he treating me like a little kid? Sakura huffed, raising her brow wondering if the whole walk would be like this. Then again, she had only asked him one question, perhaps he only felt the need to speak when spoken to. "So, uhm...how far is it?" They had been walking for quite a while, not like she expected it to be just around the corner or anything, but to know just how much longer the trip would last would be nice.
Kakashi pushed a branch out of his path, pausing only long enough to hold it back for Sakura, and then looked towards the horizon. "If I were going my usual speed, it would probably take about fifteen minutes to get there," he guessed. "At the pace we're going now...I'd say about another hour. Well, that's assuming we took the normal path," he added thoughtfully. "Considering the one we're on, make that about an hour and a half." Not that he minded. He often chose to walk whenever he wasn't in a hurry; it gave him a chance to burn some time.
An hour and a half!? Sakura ran before her savior stopping him in his tracks with her palm. "There is no way I am walking one and a half hours without a break!" Taking a deep breath after whining, she moaned, wanting to pound on the silver-haired man's chest with her fists, "Pleaaaaase?" She glanced up at him with puppy-dog eyes, pleading. It never worked with her mother, but always seemed to work somehow with everyone else. Why not give it a shot?
He met her gaze with a blank stare.
Kakashi wasn't sure what was worse: that this girl had resorted to using such methods, or the fact that it was actually having an effect on him--only a tiny, slight, hardly significant effect, but an effect nonetheless.
He really was being too soft. Maybe all those jokes he had brushed off from the other rebels bore some truth; maybe he was getting past his prime...
He pretended to consider her plea before answering, hoping to reserve some shred of dignity. "A break isn't out of the question. I don't see why we couldn't stop...personally, I'm in no hurry." He shrugged, appearing as unaffected by her begging as was possible for him.
Giving a sigh of relief, Sakura bowed, thankful that he was willing to stop. I suppose that's my secret weapon. Sakura giggled to herself. Too bad her pout didn't work on the Akatsuki, although it was quite amusing to think of all the possibilities if it had.
Taking a seat on the slightly moist grass, Sakura glanced up at the sky. It looked so different out here than under her favorite oak in her backyard. "Sir Hatake..." She wondered if she should drop the formality, it was getting quite repetitive and annoying, but she didn't want to show him any form of disrespect. After all he did save her from Konoha. "Just how big is the rebellion, anyway?" It was one of the many questions that floated around in her head. Perhaps unloading a few of them during their break would allow her to travel more lightly to their destination. Besides, a few hundred people wouldn't cut it for a rebellion, at least in her opinion. That is unless these rebels were just that good. Yeah right, this isn't some kind of fairy tale or anything.
Crossing his arms, Kakashi placed his back against a tree with Sakura on his right. "Well..." Again, that was a piece of information he would rather not give out too soon. At least, not until she was counted among their ranks, if she was. He knew she was probably sick of his vague answers by now, but she had to understand why he was being as cautious as he was. "I wouldn't want to crush your expectations, but neither do I want to get your hopes up. You'll see soon enough."
Mouthing his answer mockingly, Sakura slumped against the tree, closing her eyes. So the old man wouldn't crack, huh? Well, fine! Crossing her arms she grunted, pouting to herself. Realizing she was acting awfully childish, she dropped her hands to her sides, sighing. "Are you always going to evade my questions? Besides, if you don't trust me enough to answer my questions then why did you even agree to bring me along in the first place?"
He turned a narrowed eye on her. "You asked me to take you with me, which I'm doing," he said flatly. "As such, we'll be moving at my pace."
Translation: Be grateful. Don't backtalk.
Kakashi was patient, but he didn't want her getting the wrong idea. He had a heart, yes; her little display a second ago had proved that. But he also had a brain, and they were living in a time when there was no such thing as being too careful.
Even so, he didn't want to leave that tension hanging between the two of them. "I know this isn't easy for you," he said, voice softer, "and I know you have a lot of questions. But be patient a while longer. After all, you may not find everything to be as you've pictured...and you'll discover that waiting is often the only thing you can do." Again, there he was, being perhaps a little too straightforward.
"Wait...what did you just say?" Sakura grew angry, stomping on the ground before him, shoving her palm straight into his chest, hoping to shove him backwards in the process. "Are you calling me a weakling!?" It was one thing that got on Sakura's nerves, and when something got on Sakura's nerves, something inside her swelled up and made her just want to strangle everything around her. Her friends at home would jokingly call her 'Inner Sakura' in this state, but most refrained from saying such a thing when she was switched to 'kill.' "Now listen here you! I don't take to being called weak lightly! I mean, sure you saved me and all, or at least I think you did, but point aside, I am not USELESS!"
She huffed, trying to catch her breath, anger subsiding slowly. It was that voice that tugged inside her once again, calling her 'weak' and 'pathetic' just like the slums the other day with Naruto. Tears jerked her eyes, but she fought to suppress them, knowing that if she did he just may make a stupid comment about how pitiful she looked.
Kakashi allowed her to push him back, arms dropping to his sides as he was shoved against the tree's trunk, and listened to her outburst without interruption. Once she had finished, he waited a few more seconds for any lingering irritation to (hopefully) fade before he spoke, holding her stare.
"I meant nothing of the kind." If he had known his attempt to comfort her would turn out like this, he would have let her go on pouting. "I was speaking in a general term; I meant no offense towards you." The wisest choice would have been to let the matter go then and there--put out an apology, hope she accepted it, and drop the subject. But Kakashi had sensed a motive behind her eruption of emotion, and since he had planned on bringing up the topic eventually anyway, he figured now was the best time. If she was going to throw a tantrum, he might as well see the worst of it all at once.
"And I hope you'll believe me when I say I mean no offense by this, either." He hesitated, thinking of the best way to phrase what he had to say. "I'll never call you weak, but from what I've gathered in watching you, your physical skills have a lot of room for improvement. I've no doubt you have your strong points, but that's hardly enough to compensate for what you're lacking. Again, this is just from what I've seen," he put in, shrugging. "Hardly knowing you, I'm not being entirely fair. But even so, lashing out won't do anything for you."
That last bit wasn't entirely necessary--it was more like a reprimanding tease than anything--but then, it wasn't like Kakashi to take impertinence lightly.
Under these circumstances Sakura would have pouted, but considering she didn't want him to view her as any more childish, she sucked it up and simply glared at him. "Well, then teach me! Help me become stronger! I don't want people to view me as weak anymore..." She mumbled the last part, but was still capable of being heard. It seemed that Sakura would have to stick with this gentleman longer than she anticipated. Well that's just too bad for him, because if he wants to point out that I'm not physically strong, then he'll have to fix it!
With determination burning in the young woman's eyes she confronted her 'teacher' with an 'I'm ready when you are' look. Yes, there was no way he was going to get rid of her now.
Surprised, Kakashi still managed to stifle the expression. A little bit of his reservation slipped away and he made a sound like something between "uh" and "what," but he recovered quickly and replied, "I admire that you're so eager to--" The words "be useful" died on his lips. "...improve," he finished, "but..."
He wanted to say that he hardly thought he was entitled for that position. Aside from being a traveler, he had never had a student before, so who knew how effective his methods were? He had figured she would need training, but he hadn't had himself in mind for that. Rather, he had assumed he would just place her under the leadership of Kurenai or Anko--okay, maybe not Anko--and leave it at that.
Kakashi wasn't reluctant--he would do it if she honestly wanted him to; she was, after all, his responsibility. And she did seem to have calmed down, so agreeing would at least appease her for the time being. If she chose to go a different route later on, fine by him. If not, he saw no harm in overseeing her training. On the plus side, assuming the girl had any talent in magic, she would likely learn more from him than any of the other rebels. As long as she had the capacity, anyway.
His eye curving into a smile, he finished his sentence with, "...just know it won't be easy. If you want to learn anything, you'll have to work hard for it."
"Oh! Thank you!" She practically tackled the poor man in a thankful embrace and pulled back giving him her best smile. If there was one characteristic that could describe Sakura well, it would be 'bi-polar.' Bowing many times in thanks once again, she jumped away with a newfound energy. "So, when do we start?" Her enthusiasm reminded her of another young gentleman she sometimes saw in Konoha. I wonder how Robin's doing anyway?
Kakashi straightened up and rubbed his neck, a little ruffled from both her angry push and her grateful hug and noticing all too well just how swiftly Sakura had swung from one mood to another.
This will be interesting, to say the least...
"Well, for one thing," he proposed, "how about we drop the formalities? With all due respect, 'my lady' tends to get old rather quickly. I imagine it's the same for you." He didn't care much either way, but the titles seemed a bit unnecessary considering the circumstances.
Sakura nodded, "Sakura it is then. And I suppose I shall call you, Kakashi?" She placed a finger on her lip in contemplation as she rested her elbow in the palm of her opposite hand. "Hmm...you are still my superior, I suppose you do recieve some title of sort." Perhaps she was raised in high society for too long. Sakura furrowed her brows, and eventually raised one in confusion. Sir? No, it almost sounds like I'm calling him 'Lordship.' Mister? Nah, too childish. Teacher? Hmm...perhaps? She let out a slight whine combined with a groan. "I don't know. Do you mind me calling you on a first name basis?"
"Kakashi is fine," he assured her. As if to settle the matter, he turned toward the horizon again. "Since you seem to have so much energy, I'll assume that you're rested." He gave her a good-natured smile. "Shall we?"
Nodding, she giggled and walked beside Kakashi once more, her pink hair swishing behind her as she half-skipped along the path to a place unknown.
It was a beautiful day, a wonderful day, a day filled with sunshine and the promise of more to come. The air was still moist and cool with dew, the wind was exhilarating, and Lee felt like running around the treetops again.
Leaping onto a tree near the edge of camp, Lee happily started his morning patrol around the forest. Having lived in the woods since he was six, he knew how to jump and twist so that he made no sound and twitched no leaf while he traveled, even with his weights on.
He was fifteen minutes into his second lap around the camp when he heard a familiar male voice, and an answering female voice. Kakashi, returning from his travels, late as always. Gai-sensei would have a lot to say about that. But since Gai-sensei wasn't around, there was only Lee to chastise him for his tardiness. And what fun it would be to surprise him right in front of a lady-friend!
He changed his targeted branch in mid air, and dove, instead, straight for the tell-tale tuft of gray peeking out from the brown and faded green of winter branches and leaves.
"KAKASHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!"
"Hm?"
Kakashi looked over--processing a second too late who the voice belonged to, from what direction it was coming, and the impossible speed at which it approached--and an instant later was knocked clear off his feet as something incredibly heavy slammed full-force into his blind spot.
He hit the ground face first, his bruised arms pinned to his sides and his remaining breath forced from his lungs as his assailant landed on top of him. Waiting until the dust had settled, Kakashi, now staring at Sakura's right boot, without moving or looking up gave a flat, acknowledging,
"Lee."
One moment Sakura was walking along-side her new teacher and suddenly he was sprawled on the ground, taken down by some unknown, wait... "Robin?" Sakura pointed her finger at the familiar looking boy, confused as to why Kakashi called him, 'Lee.'
Glancing back down at Kakashi she stifled a laughter, allowing a snort or two to escape in the process of trying to supress it. "Uhm...are you alright, Kakashi?" It was then that Sakura realized the boy had shouted Kakashi's name at the top of his lungs. Had they known each other? Or was 'Robin' just concerned about Sakura being away from Konoha and with an older man?
Lee's voice was as loud and clear as a trumpet blare. "Kakashi!" He repeated happily, as he lifted himself off of the older man, "What - "
"Robin?"
Lee froze.
He was kneeling over Kakashi, his knees on either side of Kakashi's legs, his hands on the dirt next to Kakashi's waist, when his entire body went rigid.
He knew that voice.
His neck turned after his eyes did, and even before he fully faced her, he knew.
"L-lady Sakura!"
It was her - light pink hair, sea-green eyes, with an ethereal halo of early morning sunlight framing her face.
What was she doing here?
His eyes slowly swiveled back onto Kakashi's face, but flames from the darkest pits of hell had replaced their usual sunshine.
"Kakashi," he repeated.
"Oh, you know each other?" Kakashi inquired innocently, as if unaware of the fury that had wrapped around his name. Dragging his arms out from under him, he raised his head and shoulders so that he was upright, the only motion he could make with Lee still lingering over him, and rested his jaw along his fist. "Good. That'll save me an introduction."
"What are you - What is she -" Lee sat up, lifting himself away from Kakashi's body, and looked with wide eyes at Lady Sakura - "Why are you-?!" - before turning back to Kakashi, those same eyes narrowed and burning - "What is she doing here?!"
He didn't yell as loudly as he could have; he was reining in his anger for Lady Sakura, but if Kakashi didn't have an excellent explanation for traveling with Lady Sakura alone in the forest (because Kakashi couldn't be taking Lady Sakura to the rebel's camp, absolutely no way, so what was he doing with her, all the way out here, far from her home?), there was no telling if Lee could keep it together...
Although Kakashi had known he would have to do some explaining soon, he hadn't bothered coming up with anything on the way here. He thought he would just wing it, but seeing Lee so worked up hadn't been one of his expectations. It threw him off somewhat; sure, he never thought Lee would go along with the whole idea right away, but...this would definitely make things more difficult. What were the odds that Sakura would know any of the rebels, let alone Lee of all people?
Kakashi stood up, eye scanning the front of his clothes as he dusted himself off and automatically moved to Sakura's side. An angry Lee was a rare thing, but an incensed, if-looks-could-kill Lee was something new entirely. To Kakashi, anyway. That alone was enough temptation to prompt him into denying Lee a satisfactory answer for the moment.
"Sakura?" Kakashi feigned a surprised look, as if the reason for her presence should have been obvious. "Why, we just happened to meet in town the other night and thought we'd stick together for a bit." Acting as though he was puzzled by Lee's temper, he said tentatively, "Surely there's nothing immoral about that?"
Lee got to his feet and straightened up as Kakashi did, unconsciously brushing off the dirt from his hands and clothes as he focused his laser stare on the older man. "You didn't answer my question," he ground out, but he really hadn't been expecting him to; leave it to Kakashi to delay and drag everything out.
"No?" Kakashi's eye wandered from Lee's face to the sky in thought. "You asked why she's here, didn't you? It's the truth." Back to Lee's face. "What kind of answer were you expecting?"
"You met her in town at night and stuck together," Lee recited dully. He took a second to glance at Lady Sakura, and cracked his knuckles without realizing he was doing so. "Fine. So you just decided to take a stroll in the forest for a few days? Because Konoha is a while away." And the rebel camp is very near.
Avoiding the question yet again, Kakashi tilted his head. "Something wrong, Lee? You seem...upset."
"Of course I'm upset!" Lee cried, throwing his arms into the air to illustrate just how upset he was. "Do you have any idea who she is?!"
"Haruno Sakura," he replied lightly, "a noble of Konoha." He considered adding something along the lines of "and my apprentice," but that might be pushing it. One step at a time. "Can I ask how you know her to the point of being entitled to jump so fervently to her defense?" Changing the subject probably wouldn't work for long--if at all--but it was worth a try. Kakashi really wasn't in the mood for an interrogation at the moment, or at least before he had something to eat.
"I - I rescued her purse for her two years ago," Lee said, "But that's besides the point! Why have you brought her here?" Why is she so close to camp? You're not seriously thinking of - "How did her family let you take her all the way here? Without other guards or escorts?"
"Yeeeaaah, about that..." Kakashi pocketed his hands, but remained tense in case Lee decided to act...irrationally for some reason. "I suppose you could kind of say that I'm her escort, in a way...at least, I'm looking after her for the time being."
Lee's questions were getting warmer.
"How did you manage to become her escort, and why have you brought her here?" Lee asked again, with eyes and a tone that had driven off a bear once. He was used to Kakashi's evasive answers, but his tolerance was running a little low right now. However, he did have enough energy to keep asking questions for the entire day.
Kakashi was definitely treading a fine line by now. He sighed. He would rather explain the situation before Sakura did, but then again, Lee would probably prefer a word from her. Looking expectantly at Sakura, Kakashi paused to allow her room to speak.
"Well, gee...finally you acknowledge I'm standing here." She walked closer to the two, irritated, clenching her fist to try and relieve the tension. Taking a deep breath, the young woman calmed down. "Kakashi...why do you keep calling him 'Lee?'" she asked, pointing at the young man who seemed to be chewing out Kakashi for some unknown reason to her. "And Robin, why are you so upset with Kakashi?"
"I - Lady Sakura, I apologize; I never meant to ignore you," Lee began, his fury fizzling out as he looked at her. "I - well -" Lee couldn't tell her he was part of the rebellion - not until he knew exactly how much she knew. He turned his attention back on Kakashi, and his anger flared right back up. "Kakashi, what have you told her?"
Kakashi looked him in the eye, growing more serious as everything playful about his manner was dropped. By the looks of things, this whole matter would ultimately be placed on his shoulders despite whatever was said. He would respect Lee's privacy, but there was no changing what Sakura already knew.
"I told her," he said, voice calm and even, a slight stern edge to it, "that my loyalty belongs to a king other than the one who now rules Konoha. I told her that I would accept her request in taking her along with me, and depending on whether I found her trustworthy, I would take her to the camp..." Kakashi hesitated for only a split second, looking down at Sakura. "...and supervise her training."
Kakashi’s change in tone and stance meant that he was finally getting serious, which prompted Lee to pay close attention to his next words.
When Kakashi was done talking, Lee closed his eyes.
Felt like drinking some water, except there wasn’t any nearby.
Took a deep breath to steady his nerves.
And exploded.
“Kakashi!!! What in the seven hells possibly possessed you to drag Lady Sakura into our operations?!”
Well, that wasn't as bad as it could have been. There was nothing to say it wouldn't get worse, but overall, they weren't off to a bad start. Yet.
"Trust me, Lee, I didn't act without thinking on this. You should know I wouldn't drag anyone into this conflict without a valid reason."
Sakura nodded, not wanting to feel ignored, "And I know what I'm getting myself into. I realize that by coming with him, that I will lose everything I've ever had." She smiled, "But I say, good riddance. It's about time I do something productive instead of complain all the time. And I will not be recognized as a burden either, if that is what you are saying, 'Lee'." She used his name, realizing that he must have been lying this whole time about his alias. And considering he knew Kakashi very well, she figured there was much more he hid from her as well.
It was the first time in the two years they’d known each other that she’d called him by his real name, and Lee felt slightly guilty about it, but he held onto his anger. He had to hold onto it, because he couldn't admit defeat to this - not this. For all of Lady Sakura's talk of revolution, rebellion, and fighting against the Akatsuki, Lee had genuinely wanted to protect her - and here she was, diving headfirst into danger - more danger than she'd ever know. Did she understand? Did she really?
“I trust you, Kakashi, you know that, but how long did it take you to decide to bring her here?” Lee demanded. “How long did you think about it? Did you know that Lady Sakura is a - a councilwoman? That she’s spoken out against the Akatsuki before? That a search party is probably already out for her as we speak, and that, even though the Akatsuki might be glad to be rid of her, they will most probably not let the matter alone?” Lee swallowed; his fists were clenched and his muscles tensed. “The punishment for a councilwoman betraying her king will be infinitely more terrible for her than it will be for us, if she is caught.” That’s why I never told you my name. That’s why I never told you anything.
"Don't blame him, if anything blame me!" She grabbed Lee's arm, forcing him to face her. Sakura would not be ignored any more. "Listen, I know that you must worry for me, but please, understand this..." In a slight pause, Sakura closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. When she lifted her lashes, sea-green orbs stared back emotionally, sending out all kinds of messages of how she felt that very moment. Sadness. Anger. Need. "Lee..." she used his name carefully, not sure if she deserved to call him that way. "My people, they suffer. They have suffered since as long as I could remember. They need a chance. They need hope. I've tried so long and hard to give them that hope, but everything I have done has proven itself worthless in the end."
Easing on her grip of the young gentleman, she continued, "This is why I must take the step. I need to move forward and take action if my words do no good. And though you may see me as weak, and though I may be condemned for treason, I must do this. I must carry out this task." She stood next to Kakashi, indicating to him with a slow swing of her hand, "This man has given me this opportunity. And though you may hate him for such, I appreciate his kindness and understanding. But...do you understand?"
She gave him a look similar to what she had given Naruto not but a day before, a look that meant, 'Please, don't stop me,' and nothing more.
”…my lady…”
For the first time in two years, Lee found himself wanting to avoid her eyes, because if he met them, he felt like he would crumble.
He met them anyway, and his next words were some of the most serious he had ever uttered.
“I have never thought of you as weak.”
A smile twitched the side of his lips. “A bit too trusting and sure of your safety, but never weak.”
It was quiet in the forest now. Lee was completely focused on a friend he held very close to his heart.
“I understand your need to help them. I have it too. And it is not your strength I am concerned about, but your safety. There are things that I had wanted to protect you from forever, not because you are weak, but because I wanted to protect you. I still do.” Lee breathed in shakily, his voice low and even but filled with an emotion that threatened to break forth and shatter if he didn't control it. A river in a glass jar. “But what you’ve gone and done now… associating with Kakashi, running from the Akatsuki, signing your death warrant if you ever meet them again… I can’t.” Lee didn’t know what it was that he couldn’t do - he just knew he couldn’t do it.
A gust of wind hit him like a block of ice, but Lee didn't feel a thing.
“I trust you. I believe in you. You are one of the strongest, kindest women I have ever met. This choice is yours alone.” Lee's eyes traveled slowly to the wrinkled leaves still clinging to their branches, despite the bitter cold and icy breeze. Everything was happening too quickly; he didn't have enough time to understand and process this, and he didn't approve of it in the slightest, but... “As much as I would like to knock you out and take you back to where you belong, it’s too late, and it would not be fair to you. You are with us now, and I can’t change that…”
Her eyes, when he met them again, were as bright as spring, but how long would that last?
…no. He would make sure that that brightness never faded.
“…I can’t change that, but I can do one thing.”
...Yes, I can.
“My lady, this I swear with all my soul.”
The eyes that bore into hers now were as solemn as a sepulcher, as silent as the core of a hurricane.
“I will protect you with my life.”
Shocked by Lee's choice of words, a tear tugged at Sakura's eye but she forced it down. "Lee..." She didn't know what to say. No one cared for her, at least not this much. "Do not waste your life on me." Lifting her hand to place her palm gently against the boy's face, she smiled. "But I thank you so much for caring, and I'm glad that you understand." She closed her eyes, breathing in the air around them as if it held medicinal value for her heart. Opening them once again she nodded, "Do you promise not to hurt my teacher anymore?" Sakura laughed, feeling bad for the incident between him and Lee.
Her laughter was as clear as a stream, and just as cleansing, but Lee was never going to take his words back. He meant every single one.
Her palm was cool and fleeting against his cheek.
"Dying for you would not be a waste, my lady. It would be the farthest thing from a waste one could get, more than you could ever imagine. You should never speak that way.”
Lee turned to finally regard Kakashi, forgotten for all of the eternity he’d spent in pledging his life to Sakura.
“As for not hurting your… ‘teacher,’ I am afraid that all the Akatsuki or danger in the world will never get me to promise that. I’m sorry.”
Other than shooting a sideways glance at Lee, Kakashi gave no sign of having heard the previous conversation. Giving a "hmm" as though in agreement, he turned his face in the direction of the camp that lie ahead.
Lee had just been one person. Kakashi didn't like the prospect of getting ganged up on by a group of people, all with similar opinions, but maybe he and Sakura could sneak into camp before anyone else got up. The only one awake at this hour was usually Lee--occasionally Anko, but only if she was returning from one of her night-based missions. As Kakashi really wasn't sure he could handle an encounter with the latter in the same morning, he decided they should get moving. Now.
He touched Sakura's shoulder briefly and jerked his head, indicating that they should go, before addressing Lee. "This can't be easy for you, but I'm glad you understand. Just know that I've also given my word to protect her." His expression hardened just slightly as he looked away. "That probably doesn't mean much to you. But I'm fully of aware of what being with me means for her, and because of that, I'll make sure she's prepared for what's coming."
Not much comfort after the exchange he had just witnessed, but Kakashi was being earnest. He had taken Sakura in with the full knowledge that he would be responsible for her, and that was why he was suddenly determined to teach her everything he could.
This girl would not die before he did.
"Wow, so that means I have two knights in shining armor." She laughed, trying to cover the sound a bit with her hand. "Although, after Kakashi trains me, I am pretty sure that I can take very good care of myself." Winking, Sakura turned to face the direction they were originally headed. "Well, then let's go!"
Lee was more tired now than he had been after running for two and a half days to Suna with Gai-sensei during his early teens. He would have smiled at her, but he couldn't work up the energy to. Lady Sakura’s cheerfulness buoyed him up, but Lee felt a little uneasy. Lady Sakura was acting a bit too casual about the whole thing, was his view; he just hoped that she really knew what she was doing. “So, you two were headed to the camp, right?” he said, trying to add some enthusiasm into his voice. “Lady Sakura, you can continue in that direction for the meantime; we’ll follow you - I just have a few more things to say to Kakashi.”
Nodding, Sakura made her way along to the camp, but at a slow pace so that she wouldn't get too far ahead and get lost, or with her luck, jumped. She giggled to herself when she replayed the moment where Lee had tackled Kakashi to the ground. This is a wonderful change indeed. Glancing back at her friend and teacher, the pink-haired woman smiled. If only he was here to share these new friends with me.
Kakashi gave Lee a curious look, but didn't object. Once Sakura had gone ahead, he turned to the boy in question, waiting for him to speak.
"Did you think about where she's going to sleep, too?" Lee asked, his previous anger all but collapsed into resignation. He started to walk slowly behind Sakura, keeping her in sight, and tilted his head a little to get Kakashi to follow.
Falling into step with Lee, Kakashi considered the question. "Not really," he said honestly. "It's not like we're very limited on space." A few sarcastic remarks crossed his mind, but he held them back, not wanting to offend Sakura. "She has to learn to camp eventually, anyway. No better time than the present to teach her."
“Yeah, that’s true,” Lee agreed. Lady Sakura was going to be staying here for a long time - as long as it took to destroy the Akatsuki.
He was silent for a few seconds, listening to their boots crunch the frozen ground and leaves. “What is she going to do here? I trust both of you, Kakashi, but I really must protest against her becoming a regular fighter…”
"That will be her decision," Kakashi replied. "And mine, of course, once I determine if she has the talent to learn what I have to teach. I assure you, I'm not about to let her see the battlefield unless I'm absolutely sure of her abilities."
"I wasn't questioning her abilities - she may have talent, after all - but she is - was - a councilwoman, and being captured by the Akatsuki while working or fighting with us..." Lee trailed off. He was worried, and he knew that Kakashi knew what he was getting at.
"I've been thinking the same thing." The possibility of Sakura being recognized and/or caught while in the Rebellion's ranks was dangerously risky; Kakashi could identify, being a wanted man himself, but it was hardly fair to place the two of them on the same level. Restricting her open involvement in the Rebellion's actions would be the safest option, but then she would only think that he was giving her preferential treatment. "We'll just have to take this as it comes," he decided. "See where she stands, what she can do. There's no telling what may happen in the meantime."
"...Yeah." As much as Lee was frustrated by all that had transpired, all he really could do was wait and see what would happen... but he wasn't going to like it. Not for a while.
He breathed in deeply the cold, crisp air, and watched Lady Sakura's hair sway and glint in the dappled sunlight as she walked.