essay: Lee's Incredible Hotness (or not)
It's 3:30 AM! Do you know where your children are?
PROBABLY ESSAYING.
It has occurred to me on several occasions that Lee would have absolutely no idea what to do if someone actually found him attractive. He's very weird about people flirting with him (see: Cher, Emilio) and in the incredibly rare instances when it actually happens, he just sort of flails and panics and makes a general fool of himself until he gets badtouched or they go away.
Why is this? For one, he's not quite used to people actually liking him. It's not that he doesn't think he's worth liking - he doesn't have those sort of confidence issues at all - and it isn't something he angsts about, but... all we ever see of his childhood is him being made fun of by the other kids. His team is functional, but more businesslike than BFFy. And we don't see him with anyone else in his year, but I assume with his incredible dorkiness and the way they treated him when he was younger, he's not exactly a social butterfly. The closest thing he has to a real friend his age is probably either Tenten or Sakura - and that's not saying much.
On the other hand, Gai carries himself as though he is the most amazing thing ever to walk the planet and anyone who doesn't agree simply hasn't yet seen the light. He believes the same of Lee. And of course in Lee's eyes, Gai-sensei can never be wrong, so there must be something to that... right?
And yet three years of trying to woo the girl he loves, and she still thinks he's... “unique-looking.” And even when they were dating she never said anything about liking the way he looks. Which... isn't something he needs, because he has other qualities he's prouder of, things that matter more to him; but it does have an effect on the way he thinks of himself.
So no, unlike Gai, Lee doesn't think he's handsome (say the same of Gai, though, and Lee will rage at you).
But that doesn't matter.
He doesn't really care whether he's good-looking or not. He has no problem with his appearance (beyond occasionally wishing he could be the Perfect Man for Sakura-san, since she deserves it; but he does realize that there are more important things he can offer her, once she finally sees them). There is absolutely 0% emo over his looks! Hooray!
... However, this has the effect of making Lee freak out when people compliment him on his appearance, because he's sure they're either A) making fun of him or B) giving him empty flattery, which bothers him just a little bit because there are other things he would rather be complimented on.
LOL Lee you dork.
PROBABLY ESSAYING.
It has occurred to me on several occasions that Lee would have absolutely no idea what to do if someone actually found him attractive. He's very weird about people flirting with him (see: Cher, Emilio) and in the incredibly rare instances when it actually happens, he just sort of flails and panics and makes a general fool of himself until he gets badtouched or they go away.
Why is this? For one, he's not quite used to people actually liking him. It's not that he doesn't think he's worth liking - he doesn't have those sort of confidence issues at all - and it isn't something he angsts about, but... all we ever see of his childhood is him being made fun of by the other kids. His team is functional, but more businesslike than BFFy. And we don't see him with anyone else in his year, but I assume with his incredible dorkiness and the way they treated him when he was younger, he's not exactly a social butterfly. The closest thing he has to a real friend his age is probably either Tenten or Sakura - and that's not saying much.
On the other hand, Gai carries himself as though he is the most amazing thing ever to walk the planet and anyone who doesn't agree simply hasn't yet seen the light. He believes the same of Lee. And of course in Lee's eyes, Gai-sensei can never be wrong, so there must be something to that... right?
And yet three years of trying to woo the girl he loves, and she still thinks he's... “unique-looking.” And even when they were dating she never said anything about liking the way he looks. Which... isn't something he needs, because he has other qualities he's prouder of, things that matter more to him; but it does have an effect on the way he thinks of himself.
So no, unlike Gai, Lee doesn't think he's handsome (say the same of Gai, though, and Lee will rage at you).
But that doesn't matter.
He doesn't really care whether he's good-looking or not. He has no problem with his appearance (beyond occasionally wishing he could be the Perfect Man for Sakura-san, since she deserves it; but he does realize that there are more important things he can offer her, once she finally sees them). There is absolutely 0% emo over his looks! Hooray!
... However, this has the effect of making Lee freak out when people compliment him on his appearance, because he's sure they're either A) making fun of him or B) giving him empty flattery, which bothers him just a little bit because there are other things he would rather be complimented on.
LOL Lee you dork.