Author's Note: I'm sorry that this update took... so long, haha. It's been laying half-written in my drafts for like a month plus and I just, sort of... Lost my motivation somewhere along the way. But I want to actually finish writing something for once in my life, so don't worry! I'm not giving up on finishing this and I hope you'll have faith in me.

It's been an incredible surprise to have so many followers and kind words even after I haven't updated in so long. Seeing the notifications in my e-mail and reading new reviews has touched my heart every time-you're all so kind to me. Thank you so much! I hope you'll continue to follow the story however slowly I work. I've got a decent chunk of the next chapter hashed out, so hopefully I won't take so long, haha...

Lastly, I thought it would be a good idea to make a blog for my content, as well as presenting an easier way to get in touch with me than the messaging system on this site, haha. You'll now be able to follow doodles and news at tsubooki.tumblr.com !

Unsurprisingly, I had been met with hostility upon my return home that night. She had been lying in wait for me and the instant the door had closed behind me, she pounced.

"Where have you been, Tsubaki? Do you know what time it is?" There is a single lamp on, illuminating all the creases that worry had carved into her face.

"...Sumire." My voice rings hollow and I regret having said anything. Her cocked eyebrow tells me all I need to know: she'd seen straight through me.

"You're exhausted. You've never been so reckless, Tsubaki! What were you thinking?" I hesitate to reply knowing full well it will be hard to dissuade her now that I've displayed weakness.

"What was I thinking?" I repeat the question, savoring each syllable as I form it. What had I been thinking? The answer that I arrive at is so foreign to me that I hesitate to vocalize it. "...I'm not a pet, Sumire. I will not live or die like one." My voice cracks on my last syllable and she's on her feet, closing the gap between us before I have time to react.

"Oh, Petal...", her voice is hoarse as she embraces me and I realize with a start that she is crying. "I'm so sorry... you know that's never been my intention." I feel a twinge of guilt at her admission: I could have at least told her where I was going. "I've only ever wanted to protect you, Tsubaki." I exhale softly and wrap my arms tightly around her.

"I know, Sumire. I'm... I'm sorry for worrying you."

I didn't see Lee for a long time after that night. At least I tried not to, but that boy haunted me like he was my own shadow. At the grocery store? Lee. On my morning walks? Lee. Gardening? I could see his ass lurking in the forest.

"You're not that slick, Lee!" I yell in frustration, but I know he doesn't hear me as my anger is contained within the walls of the greenhouse. I wish he could have, though because if he couldn't at least hide somewhat convincingly, what fucking good was he as a ninja? I scowled as I continued tending to my plants, knowing full well he wasn't trying to hide. He wanted me to know he was there and frankly while I knew that stalking me was not his intention: he was and I hated it. Didn't he have things to do other than fret about me? Wasn't he supposed to be a ninja with I don't know, ninja duties?! Whatever.

I would have appreciated some time where his face was far, far, far away from my view, though. It would be nice to have some time to sort out my thoughts when the source of their confusion was not lurking ominously in my periphery. Unfortunately, Lee was not one to give up and his current objective was me. This was only because he was notably too dense to read a goddamn mood! I had thought ignoring him while I was picking up groceries would have made matters clear and been easier than lying to the poor sod but I was woefully mistaken. Instead he managed to interpret my hopefully subtle embarrassment as some sort of sign that I was undergoing some form of major, unspeakable crisis that he had to wrangle from me so that could then considerately lift it from my shoulders.

I didn't even want to think about it: he was so obtuse! I had been aware this was a common trait when it came to boys but I'd stake my probably important and definitely imminent medical career on the fact that he was exceptionally thick. Or maybe instead of that I could just forget I knew him! I'd really like to forget I knew him considering how I took out my own problems on a boy I'd known for less than a month via yelling in his face. Not to mention that I'd started to bawl halfway through that then required to be comforted. How the hell was I supposed to face him after that? I didn't understand how he could just approach me so casually as if nothing had happened!

Not to worry though, I had a plan: if I kept on my current course of pretending he did not exist I was sure he would leave me alone eventually. Except that a) that was as ridiculous a plan as he was and b) I was now painfully aware that conceding was likely not a phrase he was quite familiar with. I would have to face him eventually or he would loom over my shoulder for an eternity. Eventually... but not quite yet. It would be better to talk with him when I had forgotten things like the warmth of his embrace and the tickle of his hair against my-

"Snap out of it, Tsubaki!" I slap my cheeks desperately to ward off that particular train of thought and groan in frustration as my efforts can't drive out the memory of how safe I- "Nope! No! That's it! I'm going to sleep!"

It might have only been the afternoon but as they say, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do and I needed to get as far away from my waking thoughts as possible.

The downside to escaping the unpleasantness of reality by passing out in the afternoon was that inevitable grumpiness that sets in when one rises in the evening and then realizes it is evening and they are not very much tired at all. I stared absently at the ceiling, preferring spacing out to dealing with my problems for the moment. I lay unmoving in between sleep and the waking world for what feels like several hours before restlessness settles into my bones and I reluctantly abandoned the safe haven that is my bed. I slip into leggings and a loose sweater that I pluck from my floor and slink out of the house as stealthily as I can manage. With my languid stumbling and fumbling, what I can manage is not very much at all. I leave without interruption but I don't doubt Sumire has noted my absence. I push the thought from my mind from the moment; it was a problem for future Tsubaki to deal with.

I don't have a particular destination in mind but my feet seem to know where they're headed. The path I stride is a familiar one, though not one I travel often. Before I can reach my destination however I am intercepted by the very boy I sought to avoid.

"Lee." I let the word hang heavily in the air as I glare at him, feeling vaguely annoyed at his appearance. "I know—I know you're concerned but this is venturing into the land of being a little creepy, like, at the least, you know?"

"Tsubaki! I am glad to see you are safe!" He peers over each of my shoulders carefully then nods to himself. "Good! It seems you are not being followed!"

"What?" I have a sinking feeling there's been a greater misunderstanding here than I imagined. "Lee, the only person who's been following me lately is you."

Lee squints and begins suspiciously observing our surroundings. "It is not safe, then. Do not worry, Tsubaki!" He claps a hand onto my shoulder with a wide grin and a thumbs up. "I will protect you!" I feel incredibly tempted to knock him upside the head but settle on slapping away his hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about and frankly, you're really starting to scare me! What's your problem, Lee?!"

I might as well have slapped him from how quickly his confidence crumpled. "What are you talking about, Tsubaki? I have been protecting you!"

I snort. "From what, exactly?"

"From the-" Realization begins to dawn on Rock Lee's face . "You mean you did not—you were not—When you pretended not to know me when I saw you, I had thought..." He trails off and stares at his hands in shock. "...What have I done?"

I want to be mad. I want to be really mad and I would have, had this been anyone else. If I had learned anything from our time together it was that he was far too straightforward to tell a lie. I rub my temples, sigh and shelve my anger for later when I can unpack it into my diary. "Take it easy Lee, just walk me through this, alright? What did you think had happened when I, err, ignored you?"

"I..." He clenched and un-clenched his hands absently as he spoke. "I thought something terrible would have had to happen for you to react in that way. I thought someone had to be monitoring your interactions and naturally concluded that you were being threatened! I..." He trails off and laughs bitterly –a painful sound. "I was a fool."

"Perhaps", I say and place my hands atop his own. "But there are worse ways to be foolish than caring for a friend." His head snaps up from his hands and I can see the tears streaming down his face. I give his hands a gentle squeeze and realize for the first time since I've met him, Rock Lee was entirely dumbstruck. "I mean definitely, definitely do not do that again though, don't get me wrong." I smile in what I hope is a reassuring fashion and wipe a tear from his cheek.

"But I forgive you, Lee."

"This place..."

"I used to come here when there was a lot on my mind". I run my hands absentmindedly through the soft grass and drink in the sights I've sorely missed: the silence of the forest at night, the trees creaking softly under the cool night breeze, how the moonlight seems to dance on the obelisk before us and the stars that shine so brightly above us. The nostalgia puts my mind at ease and I close my eyes, scolding myself quietly for not bringing an offering.

"… The Memorial Stone."

"So you've heard of it." I peer back at him with half lidded eyes and realize why it's been so quiet. The poor boy seems nearly paralyzed, not by fear but implication. It wouldn't be very hard to put together why I had been heading here and his consideration had halted him from all but breathing, just in case. I sigh and pat the grass beside me, inviting him to join me. He hesitates for a long minute but concedes and tentatively takes a seat.

"You come here often?" I grin at my own joke, elbowing Lee gently in an attempt to lighten his mood. He stares back at me in eerie silence and I regret the attempt. It's sweet that he's trying to be so conscious of my feelings, but it's a little awkward when I have to pilot the whole conversation. After all, I can generally count on him to run his mouth about any number of topics when I'm at a loss. I click my tongue and decide to just talk about what comes naturally instead of forcing another joke.

"It's not really as personal as a headstone, but it's the closest thing they have to a grave. You kind of remind me of them, you know?" I thump my chest lightly. "Big heart."

His eyes haven't moved an inch from my face and for once I find I can't read his expression. It's unsettling and I find myself at a loss for words until he finally pipes up, his voice far quieter than I've heard before.

"Who are 'they', Tsubaki?"

The question catches me off guard— I thought I was being rather transparent with him. It takes me a second to find my words. I hadn't expected I would need to be so blunt, but... well, maybe I should have. "...My parents. There was nothing to bury", I explain with a wry smile. "They never came home." It's a reality I've lived with for years. I didn't expect the (not missed) feeling of my stomach dropping. I could feel the sting of tears in my eyes and turn my head away from Lee in shame. What the hell? Why was I—

"Tsubaki!"

My thoughts are cut short by the sudden impact. Lee's arms tighten around me and I can feel a dampness on my shoulder. As soon as I began to wonder what it could be from I register the noisy sobbing in my ear. Lee was... crying? What? What? I turn my head slowly, my eyes wide as I confirm that I am not vividly hallucinating this whole experience. "...Lee?"

It took him a minute for him to compose himself enough to respond. "You are so strong, Tsubaki! You must have weathered such terrible times!" The thought is enough to reduce him back to sobbing, leaving me entirely at a loss for words. Wasn't blubbering senselessly supposed to be my job? I laugh at the absurdity of it all and find once I've started, I can't stop. Lee pulls away from me in surprise, watching me with round eyes his tears silently flow.

I wipe my eyes quickly with the back of my hand, nipping the tears that had threatened to spill earlier at the bud. Lee had cried enough for the both of us and I had not intended to use this opportunity to mourn in the first place. I fight down my laughter but can't wipe the smile off my face, to Lee's blatant confusion. "How do we always end up like this? It feels like we've been rehearsing for a soap opera."

It takes a moment for realization to dawn onto Rock Lee's face. He factors in our current closeness and scoots a little further away with a chuckle and a bashful grin. "It has been... quite unusual indeed." He opens his mouth to say something more but hesitates. I wait patiently as this cycle repeats several times before he is able to find his words. "I—I am sorry for-"

"-No," I cut him off with an emphatic head shake. "There is nothing for you to apologize for." I can see the reluctance in his face and press on wards, unwilling to let him assign himself unnecessary blame. "Minus our recent... 'misunderstanding', I've enjoyed the time we've spent together. It's... nice to have someone to talk to." The admission is surprisingly genuine and I find myself feeling nearly shy. That is, until he opens his mouth.

"Tsubaki, you like me!" I jump at his sudden declaration, my eyes going nearly as round as his. I feel my cheeks warm in a faint blush before dismissing my initial assumption. He had likely chosen his phrasing so I could not deem him my distant acquaintance a second time. Clever boy! I give him a mischievous smile and lean forward, booping his nose with a finger.

"Don't push it."

Our conversation had lulled into a comfortable silence and I contended myself with watching the skies as the dark skies begin to brighten in the coming twilight. Had we really been out here for so long? I had hardly noticed the time escaping us as Lee and I had chatted about the mundane: botany, his training regimen, cooking and the unavoidable topic of his idol/sensei.

It was an entirely mundane exchange by any regular standards but I thought it had been particularly enchanting. That might have something to do with the fact that I hadn't held a meaningful conversation with anyone else in actual years, or that I hadn't been yelling at him this time, but that wasn't quite all. Rock Lee was just... really, really easy to talk to. He was overly enthusiastic, a little loud and a bit of a cry baby but he was also incredibly attentive. I felt like he actually cared about all the small things I had prattled on about, no matter how dull they really were. I could get used to having a friend.

Our friendship wasn't the only recent mystery in my life: since the day I met him, he had surprised me at every turn. That might have been because when it came to ninja, I never expected much at all. I tear a handful of grass from the ground and glance at it before shifting my gaze to Lee. His eyes are closed but I can tell he hasn't fallen asleep on me yet. After all, I had nursed him before. He's a snorer.

"Lee?" He nods silently, not bothering to crack open an eye. While he was still awake as I'd assumed, it was clear that he was still fairly tired. It felt a little unfair to spring this question on him now, but I couldn't stop myself. "You've been on missions before, right?"

"A few," he says with a yawn. "They are not missions you would probably imagine a ninja undergoing, but every mission is important for the village. Even plucking weeds can be a challenge if you set the right parameters!" His eyes snap open and he grins at me, as if energized by the thought of it. "Why do you ask?"

Weeding gardens? He's right—I didn't expect that. Undeterred, I pose my second question warily. "In a mission, what's more important? The safety of your team, or completing your objective?"

"If I recall", he says thoughtfully, "was it not you who said not to talk about 'ninja business?" I blanch, forgetting that I had said that. Of course he remembered. Had I said that his attentiveness was a good trait? I retract that statement. "Tsubaki, is something wrong?"

I shake my head and turn to face the Stone. "No, nothing. Nothing's wrong, which is why I..." I trail off and laugh, puzzling my friend further. "You're just... you're not really what I expected you to be, Rock Lee."

"Is that bad?"

I shake my head again and hear him exhale in relief. "My parents were ninja. Although I suppose that was obvious. Memorial Stone and all." I can feel Lee's gaze in my periphery: I have his attention. "...They never returned from a mission, one day. Whoever was calling the shots decided their lives were a fair price to pay for success." My voice is drenched in vitriol as I recount the abridged version of the tale I was given as a child.

"I learned an important lesson then: the only thing the ninja of this village are protectors of are their own asses. People's lives may as well be a commodity to them. No matter what facade they wear there is a cool, cruel, calculating monster beneath it." I chuckle dryly and turn my body to face Lee. I feel guilty as soon as I notice how scared he looks. His body is rigid and his eyes are locked on to me. He doesn't know where I'm going with this. I try to give him a reassuring smile, but I'm aware I'm a little too angry from my retelling to be convincing.

"But you're different, Lee."