Disclaimer: Not mine. Never was and never will be. I make no claims at all so please don't sue. I'd have to take another tour to pay it off and I really, really miss my McDonalds. So please don't sue. Ok?

Warnings: Short.

Notes: Eh, see bottom. Drabble born of utter boredom.

Now I start
by fairady

---

They were talking about him. He could hear it through the door.

Lee stood in the hallway alone. The rest of his class had already gone into the testing room and either passed or failed. Hyuuga had been the last to go in, a fact Lee was thankful for. Hyuuga might think Lee was a loser like the rest, but he at least didn't flaunt it like them.

"I think this warrants an exception to the usual rules."

Iruka-sensei's voice had been the first he'd heard clearly. The discussion the teacher's were having inside the room had started quietly, but had quickly rose in volume. After the first minute it was obvious that this was an old argument. They must've had it at least once everyday for the past week or two.

"His skills are superb in taijutsu, with further training he could become a genius."

Lee understood why they might not want him to pass. What kind of a ninja could only use taijutsu? In battle he would be the weakest link, and easy to take out. No amount of training could protect him from a well woven genjutsu. Of course the teachers wouldn't let a weak ninja pass. A weak ninja was quickly a dead ninja.

"...the perfect teacher and has accepted."

He didn't want to be so weak. He'd trained himself hard and long. He wasn't weak, he was strong. He was second in his class when it came down to it. Only Hyuuga could beat him, but then Hyuuga could beat anyone. No one else with their genjutsu or ninjutsu could ever come close to beating Lee. So what if he couldn't use ninjutsu? He always won no matter what.

"...tactical advantage, no one would suspect he..."

Lee stood outside the testing room and waited. It didn't really matter what he thought, the instructors would make the final decision. If they failed him this year then he'd just have to go through the academy again. He'd take that year and he'd make sure to prove to them that he could do it.

"Lee-kun."

"Iruka-sensei," Lee snapped to attention as his teacher shut the door behind him. Swallowing nervously he asked, "Is it my turn now?"

"No," Iruka smiled down at him. "It has been decided that an exception will be made. The graduation test requires the student to be able to use ninjutsu. The rest of the instructors and I have decided that there will be no test for you."

"W-what am I supposed to do then?" No testing. It sounded as good as it sounded bad, but Iruka-sensei wouldn't be smiling like that if it was bad. Would he?

"You will be put under the instructions of a teacher who specializes in taijutsu. That's all," Iruka-sensei held the new forehead protector out. "Congratulations."

"Y-you...," Lee closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He reached out and took the forehead protector. "Thank you."

---

Yeah I already know what you're saying. "He won't make an exception for Naruto, but he will for Lee?" Well I think the reason he didn't for Naruto is because he knows Naruto can do better than he did. With Lee it's different. It's not that Lee isn't trying his hardest, he simply can't do it no matter how hard he tries. So he does his best in the one area he can. Iruka realizes that and knows the academy no longer has anything to teach him. So that's my explanation.