Hinata fidgeted with the cuff of her jacket as she looked down at her lap. "I don't know…" she sighed. "I just get so nervous. I can't think straight."
"Naruto's a nice guy," Sakura assured her, reaching across the table to touch her hand. "You have nothing to worry about."
"If you're direct," Tenten added. "But that's the problem."
"Nothing a little sake can't help." Ino filled Hinata's saucer, a smirk on her lips. "Liquid courage."
"Please, don't be too loud. They're right there." Hinata nodded to the table across the walkway, where their male companions became increasingly boisterous as the night went on.
"They wouldn't hear us if the world ended," Temari remarked, arching an eyebrow when Kiba stood on the booth.
"She's right." Ino smiled at Hinata. "So let's get our girl talk on. What can we do to help?"
"I don't really know," Hinata admitted.
"Well," Sakura began, "Naruto has a short attention span. You'll have maybe thirty seconds to get him in a conversation. You'll have to get him interested fast."
"Why does she have to be the one to start a conversation?" Temari argued. "I mean, look at her." She gestured to Hinata, who was looking at her with wide eyes.
"Naruto's… a little oblivious." Tenten scratched the back of her head.
"But not gay?" Temari asked.
"Not that we know of," Ino snorted.
Sakura sighed. "Just stupid."
"It doesn't matter if they're an idiot or a genius; a guy's a guy. Show him something he likes, and he's gone." Temari drank from her saucer. "So, you've just gotta make him see it."
Hinata blushed and looked down at her hands. "No, I can't do that…"
"Temari might have a point," Tenten added hesitantly. "I mean, how many years has it been? Conversation clearly isn't working."
"Maybe you do need a new approach," Sakura agreed, turning her attention to Hinata.
"Admit it, Hinata. You're hot." Ino shrugged, and her companions nodded their agreement. "Make that work for you."
"I don't know how." Hinata sighed. Her friends had a point, but she didn't feel like she was in their league. Her personality wasn't nearly as strong as theirs were. "I don't feel comfortable without my hoodie, and I know it's baggy… I prefer to dress like this."
"No one's saying you have to dress differently," Ino interjected. "I don't walk around with my midriff showing for anyone other than myself, you know? I feel confident and comfortable. If you're confident and comfortable dressed the way you are, you don't need to change that."
"Ino's right." Sakura gave Hinata a soft smile. "We just have to work on you showing your confidence a little bit more."
"The first thing you need is a confident walk." Tenten tapped her cheek as she mused aloud. "You know, shoulders back and chin up."
"Swaying your hips never hurts," Temari added, to the agreement of the table.
"Here, watch me." Sakura slid out of the booth and walked to the bar, no differently than she normally would. Hinata studied her movements and decided that it wouldn't be too hard to copy. When Sakura returned with a bottle of sake, Hinata was attempting to mimic her friends' posture by sitting up straight.
"See? You already look so much more confident." Sakura beamed.
"And your boobs look great!" Ino smiled as she held up an index finger. "It's easy once you know what to do!"
"Now, come on. Let's go dance to this song," Tenten suggested. "Hinata, you follow us last. They won't pay any attention to what we're doing unless we catch their eye."
Hinata had to fight against her self-conscious nature, determined to do as she was told. Her friends were trying to help her; she owed it to them to make an attempt. She did her best to mimic the way Sakura had walked earlier as she brought up the rear. When she stepped onto the dance floor, Temari's hand wrapped around her wrist and guided her closer.
"Come on. I'm gonna show you how the kunoichi do it in Suna." Temari grinned her toothy smile. Hinata wasn't her only eager student, and the female ninja began to dance together. Temari placed her hands on Hinata's hips and helped guide her to the beat of the music. The movements were rapid yet smooth, and Ino picked it up before anyone else.
Once Hinata discovered that the movement was in the knees rather than the hips, she caught on rather quickly. Tenten hooted in approval, and Hinata smiled. As shy as she was, it was always easier to be outgoing in a group. She was enjoying herself, and, whether it was the sake or her friends, she had begun to think less and less about Naruto.
Ino, however, never lost sight of their plan. Once she saw that Hinata and Tenten had laced their fingers together in front of themselves, dancing together, she took advantage of the distraction to turn and wave to their male counterparts, beckoning them to join.
Lee joined in with his usual speed, snatching Sakura's hand before she knew what was happening. Good. That removed her as an option. Naruto's childhood fascination with his teammate annoyed everyone but himself, and he would have gone to her side first.
Ino beckoned again, cursing the oddly-introverted group of ninja. They talked amongst themselves for a moment, and Kiba made a rude gesture at his friends before leaving them behind, going to dance with Hinata.
Hinata happily joined in with her teammate, which, to Ino's pleasure, made Naruto huff dejectedly. It wasn't a secret that he was intimidated by Tenten, Ino, and Temari; clearly, he thought he'd missed his chance.
Shikamaru made a prideful show of reluctance, exaggerating his façade to avoid seeming interested or eager. Unexpectedly, Sai followed suit, but with far less dramatics. Ino was surprised when Sai approached her and offered her his hand. She took it with a smile, although she kept an eye on the table.
She saw Shikamaru look back and forth from the floor to the booth, clearly deciding that joining the group was better than being left alone with Naruto. He approached Temari and mumbled a few words, and she responded with what sounded like "Shut up" before placing his hands on her hips, much to his apparent surprise.
Ino drew Sai along with her until she reached Tenten. She whispered something in her ear, and Tenten nodded.
"Can I cut in?" Tenten asked Kiba with a smile. Hinata nodded, letting her friend take her dance partner.
Feeling left out, Naruto had almost resigned himself to leaving when he saw his chance. He tried not to make a big deal out of approaching Hinata.
"Wanna dance?" he asked, and Hinata fought her usual urge to close in upon herself. She nodded, earning a wide grin from her partner.
Ino and Temari reached behind themselves and slapped their palms against the other in a gesture of accomplishment.
"What was that?" Shikamaru asked, suspicion heavy in his voice.
He felt a shiver run down his spine when both blonde kunoichi smiled and chorused "Nothing." Good lord, they'd begun to synchronize.
Sai smiled knowingly down at Ino, and with a start, she realized that, this time, it was genuine. "You're a good friend, beautiful."
"It's nothing she wouldn't do for me," Ino admitted. There was no one out of the five women who wouldn't kill for the others. It was hard enough being a female ninja; they didn't need the pettiness of their childhoods standing in their way. With this thought, she glanced over at Sakura, who'd stopped dancing and had a hand on Lee's shoulder. Clearly, he'd spun her too quickly and made her dizzy. He was apologizing profusely.
The fast pace of the song faded into a more slowly-tempoed instrumental, and Naruto approached the group. "I'm pretty hungry, so Hinata and I are gonna go get some ramen. You guys in?"
Kiba opened his mouth, but Tenten stomped on his foot before he could speak. Naruto's offer forgotten, he barked at his dancing partner. "The hell?!"
"We're good," Ino insisted. "You two have fun."
Naruto shrugged. "Ok, then. Later!" He walked back over to Hinata and gestured to the door, and the pair left the bar.
Sakura raised her eyes skyward, praying, "God, don't let him fuck this up."