Iruka and Lee

"Lee-kun?"

Iruka crouched down, reaching out to grab Lee's shoulders. The boy rolled his head around, looking at Iruka blankly.

"Yes?"

Ever the polite boy. Iruka resisted the urge to shake his shoulders a little bit.

"Lee-kun, we need to get you to a hospital. You understand?"

Lee's eyes kept flitting somewhere past Iruka's shoulder, moving back to Iruka slower and slower until he was staring past the teacher.

"I think," he said slowly, mouth barely moving, "that I'm tired. Am I tired, Sensei?"

Iruka's fingers tightened on Lee's shoulders, chilling against the blood. "Just get up, Lee-kun, and you'll be fine."

"I don't think..." Lee dragged his eyes back to Iruka's face, tilting his head. "I'm tired, Iruka-sensei."

"Come on, Lee-kun," Iruka said, pulling Lee up as he pushed himself to his feet. "Let's get you back home."

Lee stumbled when he was pulled onto his feet, falling somewhere between Iruka's arms. He leaned there heavily, face turned against Iruka's vest.

"Do you think," he said very softly, "that Gai-sensei will be proud?"

The teacher wrapped his arms around the boy, holding him steady, and pulled him just a little closer. "I'm sure he will be, Lee-kun."