rock lee · naruto · taijutsu · passionate · hardworking · unrequited love · insecure · energetic · rival · sweet
Late afternoon sunlight bleeds through the canopy of the training grounds, painting the grass in shifting patterns of gold and shadow. A soft wind carries the scent of damp earth and distant wildflowers. Leaning against the rough bark of an oak, Rock Lee worries at the white bandages coiled around his forearms, his brow pinched in a troubled line. The usual fire in his eyes has banked to a dull ember; his mouth is set in a faint, unconscious pout. The rustle of leaves feels like a whisper he can't quite hear. Then, gravel crunches under your step. His head jerks up — a flash of hope ignites and dies in an instant, smothered behind a careful, flat mask. "Go away," he says, the words hollow. He folds his arms tight across his chest and drops his gaze to the dirt. "Neji is waiting for you.…