Downfall (A Rock Lee fanfic)

Last Wishes

Chapter 2: Last Wishes

Rock Lee stood staring at the punching bag hanging before him, fist raised but never meeting the fabric. He stared at it- no, past it, mind in a fog. After a sleepless night where he just laid in bed and stared at the ceiling until the sun rose, you'd think the boy would be drop dead tired.

He wasn't. In fact, he was just numb. Numb everywhere. Physically and mentally.

Lee snapped back to reality suddenly and shook his head, hair shifting. He clenched his raised fist tighter... then dropped it to his side. He felt nothing. No anger, will, strength, or sadness to channel through his arm and to the training equipment. He didn't even feel the usually ever present burning instinct to train tirelessly until his arms and legs just about fell off. Now he just stood, staring blankly at the gently moving bag.

He felt...

Nothing.

A knock at the front door of his dojo snapped him out of his haze again and he turned as the paper covered frame slid open. His eyes met a familiar form with silver-gray hair and a mask covering most of his face.

Kakashi-sensei looked to Lee, then away painfully. Lee frowned. He knew why. Lee was a small clone of Kakashi's now dead best friend. It had to hurt to look at him and be immediately reminded of his friends death. At least now he knew how Lee felt when ever he looked into Hinata-san's eyes and was reminded of his own dead teammate. Lee sighed softly, holding off tears as he looked for an excuse to get his mind off of his two deceased team members. "Hello Kakashi-sensei. Do you need something?" He asked politely, happy to have his attention focused on something instead of letting his mind wander.

Kakashi gently scuffed his shoe against the floorboards, watching his own appendage as he did it. "I just came to check on you... How are you doing?" Lee frowned and looked away, unsure how to answer that question. So instead he just shook his head and deflected Kakashi's question with one of his own. "How is Tenten doing?" He spoke quietly, no longer in a loud, boisterous and enthusiastic tone that was usually acquitted with him.

Kakashi nodded slowly. "She's doing the same as you... I take it neither of you have visited each other?" Lee simply shook his head 'No'. Kakashi sighed. "You used to be so close. Why aren't you consoling each other?" Then he tucked his hands into his pockets and shook his head, keeping a continued watch on the floor. "Never mind. I get it. Sometimes you just need to be alone..."

Lee frowned. "Actually Kakashi-sensei... I would like some company. Perhaps I should go see Tenten..." he spoke quietly, then looked at the Jonin. "Not to sound rude, Kakashi-sensei, but did you really only come here to check on me? You had to find me first, so why go through that trouble just to 'check on me'?" Lee's dojo wasn't exactly easy to find, even if you had been there before. Even Rock Lee himself sometimes missed the small path that led to the quiet training spot.

Kakashi sighed and finally looked up at Lee, making eye contact. "No. There's something I need to tell you." He paused. "It's about Gai."

He had Lee's attention immediately. "Yes, Kakashi-sensei. What is it?" Kakashi sighed again. "Can we sit down?" Lee nodded and led his quest to a small table off to the side. He sat down cross legged on one pillow, Kakashi sitting on the other opposite to him, and waited patiently for Kakashi to speak. The older man took a heavy breath, placing his forehead in his palm before exhaling.

"About three months ago Gai, he started acing... weird. He seemed... cautious, skittish. He even stopped challenging me. He was constantly looking over his shoulder like he was nervous or scared. I don't know... But one day he took me aside to talk to me. I'll tell you, I have never seen him look the way he did that day. The fear and nervousness in his eyes... it scared me." Kakashi shook his head, releasing himself of the distant look that was forming in his eye. "Anyways, he took me aside and held me by the shoulders to look him in the eye. He said, 'Kakashi, I need you to promise me something. If anything happens to me, I need you to tell Lee something. And only him, don't speak a word of it to anyone else!' I remember that very clearly because I had never heard Gai sound so serious in his life..." Kakashi was lost in his own mind for a moment, leaving Rock Lee with his own thoughts.

What could Gai want me and only me to know? Lee thought, waiting for Kakashi to continue, which he did after dragging a gloved hand down his face. "I promised. I promised him I'd tell you and no one else." Kakashi stopped, forcing Lee to urge him on. "What did Gai-sensei say to you?"

Kakashi looked down into Lee's eyes, but he only saw Gai. He only heard Gai's voice as he spoke his message, and in an almost whisper, he repeated his friend's words. "'Tell Lee to go to my house. Tell him that there is something there only he can find. And when he finds it, tell him to read it And most importantly, tell him that absolutely no one else can know. No matter what he has to do, he must make sure that no one else can know about what he finds out... Unless he's fine with them dying.'" Kakashi stopped, coming back to the present suddenly. He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his messy hair. "He wouldn't tell me what he meant, no matter how much I questioned him. So I eventually gave up." He clenched one hand onto a tight fist on the table. "I knew something was wrong... And I can't help but think now... What if I had paid attention... What if I had asked him what was wrong? Maybe I could've helped him... Maybe I could've protected him..." Kakshi drew silent, staring down at the table before him. Lee added to the silence, closing his dark rimmed eyes and turning his head away.

"What if it's my fault?..." Lee's eyes shot open and he swung his head back to stare incredulously at Kakashi. "What if I could have saved him... What if it's my fault that he's dead right now!?" Kakashi's voice rose and he clenched his hands into tight fists on the table. "I understand if you hate me... Your sensei is dead because of m-."

/SLAP/

Kakashi's face was turned to the side and he remained unmoving. Rock Lee was standing, his arm extended from the back-hand he had just preformed. His black bangs shadowed out his eyes. He spoke in a low tone. "I am sorry that I hit you, Kakashi-sensei, but it is no one's fault what happened to Gai-sensei.. Do not try to say it is.. From what you say, Gai-sensei knew what was to befall of him and he chose not to tell you or anyone... It was Gai-sensei's own choice... to die alone..." With that Lee dropped his arm ad walked to the entrance of the dojo.

Kakashi watched after him, holding his stinging cheek. Lee didn't turn when he spoke. "Thank you for relaying sensei's message, Kakashi-sensei." Kakashi stood as Lee slid the paper door open. "Where are you going?"

Lee was silent and unmoving for a moment. Then, "I am going to Gai-sensei's house."

Rock Lee stepped out and shut the door behind him.