Lee's gaze strayed over to his teacher for the fifth time that afternoon, but he brought his attention firmly back to the spar. Training was important, and Neji was difficult enough to fight at the best of times, much less when Lee's movements were slowed and dulled as he compensated for the unfamiliar ache in his lower back. The moment of distraction gave opening enough, and before he could recover, he was flat on his back with Neji's sandal planted on his chest.

The position was a familiar one, but the hand the Hyuuga silently extended wouldn't have been when they were Genin. Lee accepted the assistance, and was easily pulled to his feet. He cast another glance over at Gai, then shook his head and slipped back into stance, beckoning to Neji.

As they fought, Lee tried to keep his thoughts from straying to his teacher, but it was hard. They'd eventually showered and had shared a quiet breakfast, but as soon as they had reached the training fields, the quiet intimacy between them had faded. It made Lee feel uncertain. On one level he knew that it was important that they could continue to interact like this, with Gai as his teacher and his superior. But on another the lack of acknowledgment made him uncertain, and he wondered.

They'd never talked about making their relationship public. Lee had been too surprised that Gai was interested in him at all to question anything- too certain that at any moment Gai was going to change his mind- but now that he'd started to accept that Gai was sincere, that omission seemed... strange. He wondered if that was why Gai was carefully treating him exactly the same- if he didn't want Neji and Tenten to know.

Gai had been sparring with Tenten for the past hour or so, but he was not oblivious to Lee's frequent glances. He knew that Lee was probably thinking the same thing he was: after all that had gone on between them, it was strange to go back to just being teacher and student.

At some point, he knew, they'd have to tell Neji and Tenten. But when was the right time? Gai couldn't just casually announce it as if it were of no consequence. He-

A double-edged blade whistled past his face, grazing his cheek, and stuck in the tree behind him. Gai blinked. Blood trickled from the thin cut on his cheekbone.

Tenten stood with her hands on her hips. "All right, what's going on? Either you let me hit you, or you're very distracted today."

Gai cleared his throat. "Well, er..." He glanced over at Lee, who was involved in another sparring match with Neji. Then he shook his head. "It's nothing." He needed to talk about this with Lee before he said anything.

He glanced at the setting sun. "Maybe we'd better wrap up for the day."

"Okay, now I know something's wrong," Tenten said. "Usually you have to be physically dragged off the training field."

Gai forced a smile. "Really, I'm fine! I just thought I'd get to bed early tonight. A good night's sleep is very important. Keeps the reflexes sharp." He glanced at Lee again, and his heartbeat quickened.

He and Lee had never really discussed the question of when they would tell Neji and Tenten. Gai had thought it might be best to wait awhile...but suddenly, he was tired of waiting. Tired of holding back. He and Lee had nothing to hide; he refused to treat their relationship as if it were something to be ashamed of. He'd promised Lee that he wouldn't pull back anymore, he wouldn't let himself pull back. No more fear. No more hesitation.

With his gaze still locked on Lee, Gai strode over to his student and took both his hands firmly.

Lee almost pulled back from the touch out of sheer surprise, but something in the weight of Gai's gaze stopped him. He stared at his teacher for a long moment, then swallowed. The steady support of Gai's calloused hands was familiar, and he looked down at them. When he'd been a child, he'd been amazed at how gentle those big hands could be. Even now, they were larger and broader than his own, covered in dirt and sweat from training. Lee felt very aware of the fact that Neji and Tenten were both there, both watching, and knew that if his hands lingered in Gai's any longer there would be questions.

Uncertainly, he met Gai's gaze again, searching his eyes for hesitancy or some sign that this wasn't what Gai wanted. A small voice inside him whispered. The closer Gai had pulled him, the further each time he'd pushed him away. If Gai took this final step, he didn't know if he'd be able to face what came after.

Gai looked into Lee's eyes, seeing the uncertainty there, and his grip tightened on his student's hands. A wave of giddiness swept over him, and he smiled.

He looked up and saw Neji and Tenten staring at them with puzzled expressions. Then he turned his gaze back to Lee. A tight ball of fear lodged in his stomach, but he ignored it, placed two fingers beneath his student's chin and lifted his face.

He wondered if he'd gone mad. But there was no time for hesitation. No more fear. Gai looked deep into Lee's eyes. Then-as Neji and Tenten looked on-he kissed him. Thoroughly.

Lee initially tensed at the sudden, unexpected kiss, but the warmth of Gai's lips over his was insistent, coaxing forth a response. For a brief moment his world narrowed to the giddy feeling that always bubbled in his chest when Gai kissed him, then slowly, he became aware of his teammates eyes resting on them both. He pulled back from the kiss, eyes fluttering open to regard Gai briefly, and the smile he saw on his teacher's face warmed him from head to toe.

The last of the lingering doubt evaporated. This was real. Gai's fingers on his skin, the taste of his lips, the lingering tingle of warmth- this was his life now. Lee finally let go of the fear that Gai would push him away and twined his arms around his teacher's neck, pulling him down to enthusiastically return the kiss. He was vaguely aware that the warmth on his cheeks was from tears, but it didn't seem to matter. "I love you," he whispered against Gai's lips.

"I love you too, Lee," Gai whispered back. "I love you so much." He wrapped his arms around Lee and held him tight...then framed Lee's face between his hands and kissed him again.

When their lips finally separated, they were both breathless, and Lee was flushed, his eyes heavy-lidded and dazed. Gai looked over at Neji and Tenten. Tenten was staring open-mouthed. Neji looked strangely calm. "So it finally happened," he said.

-The End