The Beauty, The Best, and The Beast
Prologue
Sasuke did not like Sai. In fact if he had to describe the prudent emotionless warrior it would be something so foul that even dogs would understand it and run with their tails between their legs. So it made sense why Sasuke was staring at his mission partner with such a piercing stare. Sai had erupted from his cozy tent and lifted the top so that he could leave it. He glanced around and saw Sasuke's tapping foot first, then his completely dressed outfit then his angry face.
"Hn?" Sai asked pulling a pan out of his backpack that laid carelessly upon a stump of a tree. Sasuke kicked it over in anger.
"Don't you realize we're late?" He said surprisingly without shouting, though his teeth were clenched and his words held venom waiting to spill.
"Hn?" Sai said in question, "For what Sasuke-san?" he asked innocent. Sasuke's eyes lighted in pure rage, but he lowered it to a soft glimmer of fire.
"The inauguration of Prime Minister Joto of Sand." Sasuke said pulling at his clothes to keep his hands occupied so it wouldn't land on Sai's face. Sai looked dumbly at him for a moment before going "Ohh..." and stepping back.
"What did you think we were out here for?" Sasuke said stepping closer, to Sai's luck Naruto stepped between them with his shirt off and his muscles damp from a dive from the lake. He bent over rummaging a backpack for something.
"I owe you one." Sai breathed in relief pushing his head to the side so only Naruto heard.
"Hm?" Naruto said with food in his mouth, Sai realized it was his food that Naruto was eating.
"Never mind." Sai said with a little depletion of relief and happiness in his voice now that he found out he'd have to go hungry.
"Naruto just what are you doing?" Sasuke said ready to lose it. Naruto noticed him finally which made Sai come to realization that Naruto had been oblivious to Sasuke's anger which seemed impossible at the time.
"Eating." Naruto said as if it were obvious. Sasuke had only a hair of coolness in his look, Sai observed his lack of control. Then he figured out it was Neji whom had great control over his body not Sasuke, how could he have made such a possibly lethal mistake?
"Naruto we have an inauguration to attend." Sai informed him in his ear, Sasuke's ears twitched picking up on what Sai had said.
"Don't tell me you forgot as well." Sasuke said trying not to break out into a storm of fury.
"Nah, I didn't forget. It was cancelled upon weather. It's tomorrow not today, they have a hotel ready for us and everything. I picked it out myself." Naruto said proudly. Sasuke sighed in relief, he had a chance to redeem Konoha's image to the Sand village after all.
...
"You picked this place of all places?" Sai said with the most emotion Sasuke had ever seen him. The place wasn't major quality like the place across, but it had a fish tank, which was the obvious reason why Naruto chose such a place. It wasn't dirty or ill-kept. It just was plain and so very bland in comparison from across the street. Which meant Naruto spent the money on the hotel that wouldn't show off Konoha's wealth to anyone. Which made Sasuke boiling mad.
"This has got to be some sort of tom foolery." Sasuke breathed, waiting for Naruto to emerge with a fit of laughter. Naruto pointed at the fish tank wildly. "That's funny," Naruto said laughing at last. "Tom foolery." Naruto joked mimicking Sasuke's voice with a deep tone. He even did a little motion that Sai found hiliarious, but he didn't dare prove it outloud and risk seeing Sasuke's anger.
"Come on! You've got to admit that-" Naruto began, Sasuke's hand was enclosed almost completely around the frontal part of Naruto's throat.
"Tell me you are joking." Sasuke threatened with a dangerous tone seeping through his voice. Naruto choked out a "I'm joking.", Sasuke released him and Naruto was on the floor soon recovering lost oxygen.
"The lady said we could pick which room we wanted this one, or the "Royal Fire" hotel." Naruto said mocking the fancy, yet strong name of the hotel across the street. Sasuke wasted no time packing back up and moving out the door.
"Ahem. There has to be a mistake." Ino said nervously, she was at the door with nothing short of a sincere smile on her face. Sasuke looked tired and almost ready to attack someone due to previous bursts of anger. But, he liked Ino-a lot, and would put up with it as long as it made her happy. Ino wasn't in the mood to flirt with him, with good reason of course. The girls hadn't just gotten back from a stealth mission rank B. Which meant that they had the chances of losing their lives, and the emotional work and physical work almost equaled which was saying something right about now. Still, Ino was going to be polite, after all if they got into a blow-out fight, surely the owner would report it to the village leader. Making Konoha look ultimately bad and unruly. Plus tons of famous people came there every year and Ino had an image to keep. Sasuke stared at the card and then at the door.
"Room 837." Sasuke said in a serious voice. Tenten's face popped from the door and she looked at them for awhile before opening the door wider so that she could slide through Ino and come join their conversation.
"Are you positive?" She asked boldly, taking the card out of Sasuke's hand to double check. Sasuke didn't look in the least bit caring whether it was his room or not any longer. He rid himself of sleep the night before to prepare for the inauguration. He had been played with, agitated, and angered to the point of violence and on top of that he was with two people of whom he disliked more than anyone. He was tired from all sides.
"It says it." Tenten said exhaling. She took another look at the men and let them in.
"Your lucky they have extra futons or we'd be in trouble." Tenten said opening a closet and pulling out a few drawers before finding the ones with extra futons.
"I hope you don't expect me to-" Naruto began, Sasuke cut him off, "Thank you for your hospitality." Sai bowed in respect. Tenten eyed them and continued her work. Ino smiled and was next to Sasuke within moments.
"So, are you here for the inaugaration too?" She asked sweetly. Sasuke got into his futon right away.
"Yes, but only for a mission. After present Konoha's clean and strong image we are to return." Sasuke said, turning away and closing his eyes.
Without Sasuke hearing, Naruto whispered about Sasuke's lack of courtship when it came to the females. Sai nodded in agreement. Tenten added her two cents about most guys not knowing how to. While Sakura went over there to sit next to Sasuke personally, closer than Ino, but Sasuke was asleep and Ino got up and left to go catch up on her sleep as well.
"Sweeet, you guys have a food stand in your room?" Naruto said jumping over a bed to raid their mini-stand. Sai laid back on the bed and let out a big sigh. It would be a long day tomorrow to say the least.
A/N: How do you like it so far? If you can't tell already there's going to be a triangle coming soon. So keep your eyes peeled for next time!