A Lotus in Winter: A Rock Lee Love Story

Chapter 29: Home

Kakashi's POV:

Sayuri slept as we made our way back to the leaf village, we were all thankful of this because she needed the rest. Deep down I hoped that she was my younger sister, that would mean my world would become less lonely.

Everything added up. She had an amazing sense of smell, she worked with a hound, she obviously was a genius of jutsu and when her mask came off, she even resembled me. My mother was an Inuzuka who "died/disappeared" under mysterious circumstances and the timeline matched up. To top it all we have the same blood type. I truly hoped she could be my sibling. She would be the connection to the mother I never knew and I would be her link to the father she didn't know. I just had to get her safely home first.

That was when the anbu attacked. They of course had the home advantage and knew the forest better than we did. They unleashed hounds to attack and I returned the favor, along with help from Hitsugi. In the midst of battle I commanded Lee to take Sayuri and continue the mission. I watched as they fled with her in his arms, perhaps to see her for the last time. She reached out her arms behind Lee and screamed for him to go back. It broke my heart to see her cry out for me, but I had to ensure she lived.

I've done many wrong things in my life, my hands are stained with the blood of innumerable people. For once I wanted to do something right. I knew the fight would end if I turned myself in. My final trump card. I am enemy #1 in the land of woods bingo book for the slaughter of the pranja, to them I was more valuable than her. Forgive me Guy, Tenzo, and Sayuri.

I let the enemy I was fighting get the upper hand and reminded him just who I was. All attention was turned on me. Everything was going according to plan, but my comrades were reliable and refused to let this happen. Using the distraction as an opening, Tenzo bound the enemy in his branches and Guy urged me to do what was necessary. I had not expected this outcome, but nevertheless I cast a genjutsu upon them and left it implanted in their minds that Sayuri was dead and their mission a success.

However using my sharingan had taken its toll and Guy had to carry me in order to catch up to Lee. When we made it to him, Sayuri had to be restrained by Lee to keep her from healing me. She always thought of others before herself, I couldn't be more proud of her.

Rock Lee's POV:

I protected Sayuri and went ahead of the rest as ordered. She begged me to go back, she couldn't abandon her comrades. I had to assure her that they would be fine and that in her current state she couldn't help much anyways. She reluctantly agreed, until they caught up with us and she saw how weak Kakashi sensei was. She has such a kind heart, I wish I could possess the key to it.

We made our way back to the village, but short of the gates she asked me to stop. We all did and she looked on at the village nervous.

Sayuri: "I'm nervous, no one has ever seen my face, and I can't go back to being an anbu. I just can't."

Kakashi smiled at her, he reached over and ruffled her hair.

Kakashi: "You'll do fine kiddo, and the hokage will be pleased to have you quit the anbu. You could work at the hospital more, or join my team of ninja."

She smiled her beautiful smile and I agreed with Kakashi sensei. She asked to be set down, she wanted to walk into her home on her own two feet. She was still weak, so I supported her. She thanked me and kissed my cheek. I turned a bright shade of red, and the senseis all chuckled at my reaction.

She walked across the entrance to the village with her head held high despite her injuries and the villagers were in awe of her beauty. On our way to the hokage's office, we came across Kiba and our friends. Kiba howled and urged Akamaru to run over to us.

Kiba: "Hey Lee, who's your hot friend!? Name's Kiba, but you can call me the future hokage."

Sayuri giggled but I was infuriated. She was mine!... I mean hopefully she would be...

Sayuri: "Has that nose of yours stopped working Kiba? Or have you forgotten my scent already?"

Kiba's jaw dropped, everyone in our friend group did too. All at once they said "SAYURI!?!"

She smiled that gorgeous smile and nodded. They all were too shocked to continue talking and we had to talk to the hokage anyways. I thought I heard Kakashi sensei mumble something about thousand years of death and Kiba's lack of respect, but I'm not sure.

We finally made it to the Homage's office and while she and Shizune healed them both the story was told. After that I went to gather our friends, we were going out that night to celebrate. Meanwhile Sayuri and Kakashi went to the hospital with the hokage to run tests and look over the third hokage's files. Guy sensei and I hoped the results would be in their favor...