[OPEN]

[awokentospring]

Who: Rock Lee and anyone who wants to visit him!
When: April 9th (backdated)
Where: Konohagakure Hospital
Notes: After getting heavily injured during a mission a few days before, Lee is finally awake and allowed visitors. He's feeling a little down, mostly because it was his fault things wound up this way.

His chest was wrapped with bandages but the worst of his injuries were hidden under his hospital gown. However, that didn't mean Rock Lee was unaware of his blunder. He had pushed himself too far and this was the result.

Rubbing his forehead, Lee slowly eased himself back against the raised bed. Neji and Tenten were safe, mostly fine. Alive. That was what mattered. It really mattered. And it did! But...

Lee closed his eyes, feeling resigned. He had failed, and that mattered too, to Lee if not to anyone else. He was going to need to fix that.

Comments

[awokentospring]

"That does sound ideal." Perfect for rehab. He would possible consider stopping there first (or maybe second if he still didn't want his wounds to get too wet).

"I was taught some by my parents and some by my sensei, but I do not have too much knowledge. I am best at rice dishes and simple sides." He could get a little fancy if he tried but he preferred simple and heated spiciness over richness. Lee gave Naoki a small smile. "If you ever wanted to learn a little, I could teach you that too."

Generally anything was better than ration bars, so even if all he managed to do was teach proper rice ball technique it would be something.

[withfocus]

"I'd like that. I can make edible meals in the field but they're only tasty if you're hungy." Hunger, as far as Naoki could tell, made anything delicious except ration bars. It was as though medication and field rations had worse taste the better they were for you.

"Your sensei. Gai-san?" Naoki would never forget the very obvious jounin. Konoha was full of strange shinobi, but he was definitely the strangest.

[awokentospring]

"Then that is something we can work on." Lee said, glad he seemed at least someone useful to someone. He sure didn't feel like a top-rate shinobi lately. Just a drag on his team.

Lee nodded. "Gai-sensei, yes. He also knows quite a bit about holistic medicines. If you wanted to know a bit more about that, I would suggest asking him. He is quite the expert."

[withfocus]

"Yes. I look forward to it." It was a useful skill that helped regulate breathing and keep good oxygen flow during long workouts above the waves as well.

The mention of holistic medicines was curious, and Naoki wasn't quite sure what to think about it. "That's... a very good thing for a sensei to know, I think." Now that he was thinking about it, it made sense. Since Konoha jounin-sensei took on students full time. Perhaps he would look into learning the basics of medical ninjutsu if he ever decided to take on an apprentice.

Inflicting the Kiri hospital on a genin when it could be avoided was just cruel.

[awokentospring]

"It will be fun! Do you like spicy food?" Lee was warming up to the idea, especially if it gave him a reason to teach someone else how to make the best kind of spicy curry. Medium spice was the best because most people who could handle at least a little spice could enjoy it together, but that didn't mean Lee couldn't appreciate the high heat either.

He was actually quite proud of his sensei. And it definitely had helped him out in the long-run. "When I was gravely injured during my first chuunin exam run, Sensei made me some special dumplings to help me return to health. It was quite helpful."

They tasted like grass and herbs, but at least he hadn't fallen into muscular entropy during that time. That was what mattered.

[withfocus]

"Some of it, yes," Naoki answered. His dislike of some of the spices was less about the heat and more about the flavor of it. Certain things were just too spicy for him. It took Naoki just a moment to remember that Lee's first chuunin exam had been the same one Naoki was promoted in.

"I remember that. If they helped from that they must really be good." He was glad Gaara- Naoki wouldn't say that Gaara liked him at the start- had an interest in him that didn't involve using his sand to crush Naoki.

[awokentospring]

"I am a big fan of spice, but I know not everyone likes it as much as I do! I would be happy to help you make curry, and we can make it as mild or hot as you can handle!" It was such a comfort food to him. Perhaps that was what he would eat once he got out of the hospital.

"They certainly did! Of course, they could not heal me completely, but they helped to bolster my system during my time on crutches." As for Lee, he no longer held any bad memories from that time. It had been bad, very very bad, but in the end he had gotten a friend out of the deal, even if it pushed back his promotion.