Chapter Text
Ever since her Academy days, Nezumi had always been an early riser. She loved waking up while the light outside was still dim and eating breakfast while the sun crept over the horizon. It was a rare moment of peace in her day, one that she sorely needed between all of the training, classes, and missions. Once she started at the hospital, her mornings became even more critical, because it was the one time of day she was guaranteed a moment of sanity.
This morning was no exception. The clock read 5:32 am, but Nezumi happily sat up and turned off the alarm that would have gone off in half an hour had she somehow slept in. She stretched, then slid out of bed and moved through the motions of her morning routine. Usually, she had breakfast - fish, miso soup, rice, egg, and green tea - which she ate while sitting at the little table by her window. She took a quick shower, then dried and styled her mousy brown hair into her usual pigtails. She made sure her outfit - a pink sleeveless turtleneck, black pants, and a silver mouse necklace - was ironed and stain-free, then dressed before heading to work.
This morning, however, as Nezumi buttoned up her blouse, a firm knock echoed on her door. Her head snapped up, eyes going wide. She rarely got visitors at all, not even to say hi or borrow a cup of sugar. To have one so early in the day was unheard of…unless…
Guessing who was going to be on the other side, she opened the door to find Shikamaru. “Good morning,” she said, idly fiddling with a loose splinter on the doorframe.
“Morning, Nezumi,” Shikamaru said.
“Um…what can I do for you, Shikamaru?” Nezumi asked, her nervous tongue already tripping over itself.
“Lord Kakashi’s requesting you,” Shikamaru said, stifling a yawn. “It’s a drag, but you need to head over to the Hokage’s office immediately.”
Nezumi sighed. “I had a feeling,” she said as she straightened herself. “I have a shift this morning at the hospital. Will you let Sakura know?”
“That was going to be one of my next stops,” Shikamaru replied. “Don’t worry about that, just head on over.” He paused. “The mission is top secret, by the way. Don’t even mention to anyone else that you’re going. Kakashi will fill you in on the rest when you get there.”
Nezumi nodded. That was usually how it was.
She walked down the road towards the Hokage’s office. She looked up at the early morning sky, studying the red streaks painting the clouds as the sun crested the horizon and hoping they weren’t an omen.
Once she arrived, she knocked softly on Kakashi’s door.
“Enter,” he called from inside.
She pushed the door open. “Good morning, Lord Kakashi,” she said. “You wished to see me?”
Then she froze.
Standing in front of Kakashi’s desk was someone she knew all too well. Black bowl cut. Large eyebrows. A standard Konoha flak jacket over a green jumpsuit. Orange leg warmers. Bandages wrapping his hands and wrists.
She supposed the scarlet clouds had been an omen after all.
Rock Lee’s gaze met hers. He gasped, his eyes growing wide. “It is you!”
“H-hello,” she stammered, her eyes lowering as she wrung her hands.
Kakashi looked between them. “Do you two already know each other?”
“N-no, not really,” Nezumi replied. She took a deep breath, then stepped up and offered her hand to Lee. “Nezumi Chisaki.”
His calloused fingers wrapped around hers. “Rock Lee.”
“Very good. Now we can cut to the chase,” Kakashi said.
Grateful for the distraction, Nezumi focused her attention on Kakashi as he set a map on his desk.
“We’ve received intel that Yugakure may be planning an invasion of our village,” Kakashi said, pointing at a spot just on the other side of the border. “However, we haven’t been able to confirm this one way or another. Nezumi, we need you to infiltrate Yugakure and find out anything you can about this supposed invasion. Lee, your role will be to provide Nezumi backup. She’ll explain in more detail once you leave here.”
“Yes, sir,” Lee said with a salute.
Nezumi frowned. “Sir, did I hear you correctly? You said Yugakure was planning this?”
“I did,” Kakashi said.
Nezumi folded her arms. “But, they’ve been a peaceful tourist village since even before the war. What made them change their ways now?”
“We don’t know,” Kakashi replied. “Truth be told, I hope this intel is completely wrong. They’ve never given us any reason before this to doubt them or our alliance. But that’s why we need you, Nezumi. We need you to find out exactly what is going on and why.”
“Ok,” Nezumi said. “I won’t let you down.”
Kakashi looked between them both. “The name of the game for this mission is discretion,” he said. “Neither of you are to discuss the nature or objective of this mission apart from the people currently in this room and Shikamaru. Even if it’s the best case scenario and this intel is false, it could jeopardize our relationship with Yugakure if word got out that we were investigating at all.”
Lee and Nezumi both nodded.
“Do either of you have any questions before you depart?” Kakashi asked.
“No, sir,” Lee said as Nezumi shook her head.
“Then best of luck, and I look forward to seeing you upon your return.”
~
Nezumi waited anxiously at the gate, her fingers fiddling with the straps of her pack. She paced back and forth between the posts, glancing back toward the village.
Of all the ninjas in the village, why had Kakashi chosen Lee to be her partner?
She knew perfectly well who he was. There wasn’t a ninja in the village who hadn’t heard of Konoha’s top taijutsu specialist, and even if she hadn’t, she’d heard enough complaints from Sakura about him over the years. He’d wound up in the hospital a few times from injuries sustained during missions, and Sakura always yelled at him about training instead of resting and letting his body heal.
Nezumi hadn’t encountered him herself until a random day when she happened to pass by the training field nearest to the hospital. He’d been out there skipping rope and loudly counting the number of reps. She hadn’t thought anything of it at first. Then she realized the numbers he was yelling were over 700. She’d stopped and hidden off to the side, watching in awe as he made it to 1000.
Then, without even a moment’s pause, he’d started punching the nearby training post, aiming for 1000 more reps.
She wondered, how on earth was he doing that without hurting himself? Then she became worried that he would hurt himself by pushing himself to such extreme lengths. She thought about asking him if he minded her staying and making sure he was ok. But talking to people had never been her strong suit unless they were her patient. The mere thought of just walking out and starting a conversation with Lee already had her tongue tied in knots, so she stayed concealed off to the side until he finished training.
He hadn’t needed any healing that day, but that didn’t stop Nezumi from thinking about him. Was his training that intense every single day? If it was, that meant he would probably need medical assistance at some point. But would he want it even if she was able to offer it?
She didn’t know, and she was too scared to ask. But she was also too worried to just let it go.
After that day, she started a new routine. Whenever she was off, she returned to the training field to check on him. She continued as she had the first day, making sure he didn’t need any medical assistance before he left, and staying hidden without saying a single word.
Over time, she came to admire him - his strength, his willpower, his enthusiasm. She had treated many of the village’s strongest ninjas at the hospital, but as far as she was concerned, none of them held a candle to Lee, who pushed through rep after rep with a smile on his face.
As days turned into weeks, her fondness for him grew. Whenever she saw him, her heart beat a little faster, her face a little hotter. His kind smile and impressive muscles filled her thoughts during the day and her dreams at night. But she also felt guilty about spying on him, and wished she was brave enough to just talk to him instead of sitting off to the side like a coward.
In the weeks she’d been watching over him, he hadn’t injured himself once. He probably didn’t need her help, and she was just wasting time and intruding on his privacy by being there. But she couldn’t bring herself to just leave - what if she did, and that was the time he did need her help?
Nezumi had managed to keep her surveillance a secret until yesterday, when she’d finally made one mistake. During Lee’s training, he misaimed his kick and his foot bent back at an alarming angle. She’d let out a noise of dismay, worried he’d broken or sprained something.
And then he’d been right in front of her, demanding to know who was there.
Her face burned at the memory. She’d fallen over into a bush, stammering as she tried to explain herself, but all she’d managed to get out was a garbled version of her name and that she was a Konoha shinobi.
To his credit, Lee had taken the intrusion remarkably well once he understood she wasn’t an enemy. He’d even asked her if she was all right after and offered her a hand to help her stand up. But, much to her shame, all she’d managed to do after that was run away. She hid in her apartment for the rest of the day, wondering as she lay on her bed if it would be too much trouble to change her identity and move someplace far away. That way, she’d never have to face him again after such an embarrassing display.
Now, as she watched Lee running up the street towards her, she wondered if it was too late to go back to that plan.
“I am sorry, I did not mean to keep you waiting,” Lee said as he came to a stop.
Nezumi shook her head, feeling the familiar burn returning to her cheeks. “Are you ready?” she managed, looking out at the road.
“I am!” Lee replied. “Lead the way, Miss Chisaki.”
With that, they leapt into the trees.
Nezumi kept her focus ahead, trying to think only about the mission. She ran through what she knew about their destination.
Yugakure, also known as the Village of Hot Water, called itself the “village that has forgotten wars.” As she’d told Kakashi, they had become a peaceful, pacifistic village in recent years, focusing on tourism and trade. They had some of the best tourist attractions in the world, from hotels to onsens to casinos. They still had ninja, but they were used for maintaining security for the tourists rather than fighting battles.
That such a village was plotting to overthrow Konoha made little sense to Nezumi. What did Yugakure have to gain from threatening to overthrow a powerful ally like Konoha? She couldn’t think of any reasonable explanation.
She glanced back at Lee. He easily kept up with her on the branches, though he stayed one step behind, letting her lead. Nezumi’s mind drifted, wondering why he’d been chosen for this mission. Holding affection for him didn’t mean she knew how he operated apart from being skilled with taijutsu. Would he still follow her lead once they arrived? Would he try to take over? Would he be reliable, or unpredictable? Kakashi knew his ninja well and wouldn’t send her with a partner she couldn’t work with, but she still hated uncertainties.
Lee noticed her looking at him. “Miss Chisaki?”
Nezumi blushed and snapped her head forward. “What is it, Lee?”
“Is everything all right?”
“Yes, everything’s fine,” she said. “Just…trying to think through some things.”
“Like what?”
“Like…” she thought quickly. “Our cover when we get to Yugakure.”
“Ah yes, of course,” Lee said. “What did you have in mind?”
“Well, since Yugakure is a tourist village, I think that once we get closer we should approach on foot as if we were also tourists,” Nezumi said. “That way it won’t be a big deal if people see us around the village. We’ll just blend in with all the rest.”
Lee nodded. “That is an excellent strategy. But what about getting the information that Lord Kakashi is seeking?”
“I’ll figure that part out once we get there,” Nezumi replied. “I need to look around and get the lay of the land first.”
“I understand,” Lee said. “What about my role, then? Kakashi said you would explain more after we left.”
Nezumi sighed. “I’m sorry, Lee, but I can’t tell you yet. We have to wait until we’re somewhere where I can guarantee we won’t be overheard.” She attempted to smile. “It’ll make sense when we get there, I promise.”
Lee nodded. “Ok, I understand.”
The conversation stilled. As the miles flew by around them, the silence grew awkward as each of them tried to think of something further to say. Then Lee’s expression grew slightly more serious. “Miss Chisaki,” he said. “If I may ask you something…”
Nezumi tensed.
“Why…were you at the training field yesterday?” Lee asked, his brow furrowed. “I have been trying to make sense of it, and I cannot.”
She let out a nervous squeak as she tried to figure out how to answer. “I…um…”
Lee scratched the back of his head. “I am sorry, you do not have to answer if you do not want, but…”
“N-no,” Nezumi said, swallowing hard. “Y-you’re entitled to an answer…and we need to be able to trust each other on this mission. We can’t do that if you’re wondering about me.” She took a deep breath, her fingers fiddling with the silver mouse hanging around her neck. “I was there because…I was worried about you.”
Lee blinked. “You were worried…about me?”
Nezumi nodded, fighting to keep her voice calm. “That…wasn’t the first time. I noticed a while back how hard you were training and was afraid you were going to hurt yourself. And you were always alone, so I was worried that if you did, there wouldn’t be anyone to help you. So whenever I could, I hung around so I would be there in case you needed it.”
Lee’s expression was genuinely stunned. He stopped on a branch, and Nezumi paused next to him.
Tears flooded his eyes. Nezumi straightened and stepped back with alarm. “Lee?” she asked.
“Miss Chisaki,” he said, sniffling loudly. “That is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me!”
Nezumi stared in bewilderment. “What?”
Lee bowed to her. “You are so kind, Miss Chisaki. I promise, I will repay you!”
“T-that’s not necessary, Lee!” Nezumi said, putting up her hands. “If anything, I should be apologizing. I intruded on your training without permission.”
“It is no trouble at all,” Lee said. “I am truly honored. You do not have to hide, though. Next time, please feel free to join me.”
Nezumi’s cheeks flushed pink. She shook her head and leapt to the next branch. “Come on,” she called. “We need to keep moving.”
Lee gave her a brilliant smile and a thumbs up before following.
They didn’t stop again until they were near the border and the sun was low in the sky. They found a secluded spot near a river and started setting up camp. “Can you start a fire for us while I set up seals?” Nezumi asked, setting her pack down.
“I would be happy to,” Lee assured her, already gathering a few sticks from the base of a tree.
Nezumi made her way around a small perimeter, placing sealing tags on a few trees to suppress their presence. Once the tags were in place, she made another loop to make sure she hadn’t overlooked any spots. Only when she was completely satisfied at their security did she return to their camp.
Lee looked up from the small fire he was nursing and smiled. “Welcome back,” he said. “I trust all is well?”
Nezumi nodded as she pulled a set of scrolls out of her pack. “I’ll make us dinner,” she said. “Do you like curry?”
Lee’s face lit up. “I love curry!”
For the first time since they’d started their mission, Nezumi’s smile was genuine. “Mild or hot?”
“As hot as you can make it!”
Nezumi raised an eyebrow. “You sure that’s what you want?”
Lee nodded eagerly. “There is no curry in this world that is too hot for me. The hotter, the better!”
Nezumi shrugged, then unsealed a pot, a canister of water, dishes, and a container of dehydrated curry. She filled the pot with water and set it over the fire. Once the water was boiling, she carefully funneled it into the curry, filling the air with a spicy scent.
Lee bowed his head as she passed him a steaming bowl. “This looks wonderful, Miss Chisaki. Thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome, Lee,” Nezumi said, grateful that the fading daylight was now hiding her blushes.
Lee took a bite of the curry. His skin flushed a dark pink, and he let out a sound that sounded like steam escaping from a kettle.
Nezumi’s eyes widened. “Are you ok?”
“This…is…so good!” Lee said, his eyes shining. “I cannot remember the last time I had curry this wonderful!”
She watched him wolf down more curry in disbelief. “Really?”
He nodded eagerly.
Nezumi fiddled with her necklace. “Thank you, that’s really nice to hear for once.”
Lee looked at her curiously. “What do you mean, for once?”
“The few times someone’s eaten my curry, they accused me of trying to poison them because of how spicy it is,” Nezumi said.
Lee looked indignant. “How rude of them,” he said. “This is truly the best I have ever had. If someone said that, then they have no taste buds whatsoever!” The wheels turned in his head. “Wait, did you make this curry from scratch, Miss Chisaki?”
Nezumi nodded. “I was never completely happy with the curry I got from the store, so one day I decided to figure out how to make it myself.”
“Remarkable. You truly have a gift,” Lee said.
“T-thank you, Lee,” Nezumi stammered. “That’s…really nice of you to say.”
He beamed at her, and Nezumi busied herself with her own curry.
Once they both finished eating, Lee bowed to her. “Miss Chisaki, thank you so much for a wonderful meal.”
“You’re welcome,” Nezumi said. “I’m glad you liked it.”
Nezumi returned everything to the scroll as Lee extinguished the fire. “You should go ahead and get some rest, Miss Chisaki,” Lee said. “I will take the first watch.”
Nezumi blinked. “Oh, all right,” she said. “I was going to offer, but if you’re sure…”
Lee waved his hand. “I am. Do not worry about a thing. I will not let anything happen to you - and that is a promise!”
A tiny squeak escaped Nezumi’s lips, which she disguised with a small cough. “All right.” She unrolled her bedroll and tried to get comfortable on the hard ground. “Good night, Lee,” she called, not feeling the least bit tired.
From behind her, she heard his warm voice respond. “Sleep well, Miss Chisaki.”