Consider this a little experiment. I've never written these particular characters in any AU form and tried to get them to love each other so I'm giving it a shot. Also, this thing isn't edited or beta'd because I'm lazy and won't let anyone read it beforehand. Bare with me.
Disclaimer:: This is for my amusement only. I do not own Naruto at all, in any way or fashion. Ever. Thank you.
Ino Yamanaka was beautiful. She had long blonde hair with bangs that usually concealed one of her amazing blue eyes from the world. Those eyes were pupil-less and considered exotic to most. Her body was thin and flexible. To top everything off, she almost never wore clothes that left much to the imagination. All those things supported her flirtatious personality.
But, if there was one thing Ino Yamanaka wasn't, it's a whore.
No, Ino was very true to her boyfriend. Only, right at the moment where this story shall begin, she's not proving to be the very best person to go through a break up. Standing outside the coffee place where her ex-boyfriend worked, she pulled out a key from her bag and scratched it across the length of Sai's shiny, silver convertible as she walked past, sending loud screeching noises all around the parking lot.
She looked back only once to glare at the stupid car she'd loved riding in with the guy she thought she had also loved. Sighing, she walked down the street, heading for the bus stop where she'd have to wait until the next bus came around. Of that, she had no idea.
Sighing once more, she rubbed her temples before pulling out her cell phone and calling someone. After the phone rang twice, someone picked up, greeting in a confused manner.
"I don't feel like studying today."
-Study Hour-
Chapter 1- Press Start to Begin
Punches flew, making jabs at a face, a stomach. He grunted as a shot was made at his head, but missed completely. He was too fast. He made a precise punch that knocked his blonde opponent square in the jaw. She fell back against the ropes of the ring, but quickly recovered, kicking him on the side of the head.
"Damn," she said under her breath as she realized he'd dodged it without a problem. Suddenly, she was punched in the abdomen, and she fell to her knees in both shock and pain. She wasn't about to give up, but she knew the coach wasn't going to let the match go on any longer.
"Alright! The match is over! Good job, Lee!" The cheerful voice of their instructor Might Gai proved her right as if he'd read her mind. "You too, Temari! Keep working hard, you're still very youthful!"
"Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes and laughed a little, letting Lee help her up. She dusted herself off while telling her partner, "You were faster today than usual. Any idea why, Lee?"
Lee gave her a wide smile. "I am perfectly fine, Temari-chan! Thank you for asking."
"So nothing happened?" She didn't believe him. Unlike most people, she could tell when the boy was troubled. His actions were tense and quick.
"Nothing at all, Temari-chan!" He laughed, picking up the shirt he'd taken off previously before one of their matches. She watched him bend down to gather up all of his things, the fine muscles rippling across his chest and abs. He had a gorgeous body, and she knew it. She guessed that's what endless hours of extreme exercising, weight-lifting, and training for kick boxing did to a person. Yeah, he was gorgeous, but she was so used to it, it didn't bother her in the least.
"Aren't you sure it isn't Sakura?" Temari said almost nonchalantly, picking up her own things, getting ready for a shower. She didn't look at him to know he'd stopped what he was doing to look at her.
"Why would anything have to do with Sakura, Temari-chan?"
The blonde rolled her eyes. He was definitely bothered by something. Knowing Lee, she could easily tell what it was. He never used honorifics with Temari because she'd asked him not to. And he never said her name in every sentence he said to her. Both of which he was doing right now.
"If you don't tell me right now, Lee, I'll kick your ass." She stood up, at least three inches shorter than him, and faced him with a glare.
He was smiling. "I think I have proved that you cannot do that, Temari-chan."
She smirked, cracking her knuckles. "Without Gai-sensei here to stop me, I bet I can beat you near death."
"Bring it, Temari-chan!" He urged her toward him with two fingers. She didn't hesitate to lunge at him, quickly putting him into a headlock that she'd mastered on Kankurou long ago. He fought against her several times but she didn't let go. So he seemed to be stuck.
She chuckled, letting go of Lee. "Kakurou's kicked and punched me so many times in this position, I'm pretty much immune. Now stop trying to distract me by fighting. Tell me what's wrong and I'll help."
Lee sighed, rubbing the back of his neck where she'd had him held. "I am sorry, Temari. It is Sakura. She does not seem to be impressed by my strength even though I lifted the coke machine the other day. I carried all of her books yesterday, and she has so many you would think she was in two semesters of school at once. Then, today I ran all of her errands for her so she could relax before midterms. I had to carry 150 pound speakers from the basement to the auditorium on the top floor. I did all that for her, and she still is not impressed. What must I do?"
Temari laughed out loud. Lee didn't seem bothered because the girl laughed at him all the time. "That's all? That's your problem?"
He nodded, not saying anything more.
"Hasn't Kankurou tried to kick your ass yet?" She asked that, but she knew Kankurou didn't care. Kankurou wasn't worried that Sakura would leave him for Lee. He was so sure of himself, he let Lee try his best to woo Sakura almost every day. Temari didn't have the heart to tell Lee that Sakura was the kind of girl who likes guys like her brother, like Kankurou. Sure Lee had muscles to match her idiot brother Kankurou's, but Lee wasn't a perverted smartass who over-flirted with women. Kankurou was a good guy, but a terrible boyfriend. No, she didn't have the heart to tell him he wasn't a jerk enough.
Lee shook his head. "I feel bad enough trying to impress someone else's girlfriend, but he does not seem bothered at all, and I have to take every chance I get, Temari."
Temari bit her bottom lip, deciding to help her friend out. Even if it wasn't really to help him out, but to get him to worry less. "Sakura is probably a girl who likes smart guys. Maybe you should go to the library and study or something."
At her words, his eyes widened in hope and his face brightened exceptionally. "Amazing idea! Thank you so much, Temari!" He pulled her into a hug that made her lose her breath; he was squeezing her so tight.
"Yeah, whatever," she said, pushing him off. "You're lucky I'm willing to help. I'm not usually one who helps people out or listens to people's problems. Or one who cares, period."
"I am lucky! Thank you again. I must go to the library!" He ran toward the gym doors, but his boxing partner stopped him short.
"You need a shower, dumb ass. You smell like sweat and you aren't wearing a shirt," she told him matter-of-factly.
"You are right!" He grabbed the things he'd dropped earlier and ran to the boys' locker room, saying over his shoulder, "I would not survive without you, Temari!"
She rolled her eyes, gathering her things together. "Damn right you wouldn't."
xXx
He knocked on her door softly, hesitating because he wasn't sure what he was doing. A long pause before he decided he'd knock again. Before he could, the door swung open, revealing a smiling pink haired girl. She grabbed his raised hand and pulled him into the room roughly. She shut the door with her foot, pushing him onto her neatly made bed and straddling him.
"Kankurou, I'm so glad you agreed on short notice, but I had a rough day today. What with, running errands, and-"
"Actually, Sakura I had another reason-"
She continued as if he hadn't spoken. "I swear that stupid librarian hates my guts. She's all hateful. Probably because I'm not a bookworm who wears loser glasses, and reads all day. I totally felt like saying to her: 'I'm sorry, Lady, but-"
"Sakura, I want you to know-"
"-that's just not me. It's not my fault if I actually care about what I look like, unlike you and your weirdo brown-noser followers-"
"-that I don't think we-"
"-who spend their days in the library doing nothing because they don't have lives-"
Kankurou grabbed Sakura around her small waist and lifted her off of him. She stopped abruptly in her talking, giving him a confused look. He set her on her bed and stood up, looking down at her. "Sakura, I want to break up."
"What? Why? Why are you doing this?" She pouted, thoroughly confused by his sudden request.
"Look," he ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "All we do is sleep together, Sakura. It's good, I'll give you that, but I've decided that that isn't enough to make a relationship. I want more than that. You, being a girl, should've realized this before me. But I get the idea that sex is the only thing you want from me."
"It's not!" she said quickly, leaning up on her knees on the bed. "I want... I want to go out with you places and do stuff."
"Oh yeah? What stuff? You won't even meet my friends, Sakura. Their names are Kiba and Sai. Who are your friends? Am I just so much a plaything to you that you don't even introduce them to me? Or do you even have any?"
Sakura's expression went from hurt and confused to angry in a flash. "I do have friends. Fuck you, Kankurou. Oh wait, that's what I've been doing! You know what, I'm glad you're breaking up with me. I was going to sooner or later anyway. I'm tired of having sex with you. Your stupid make up was a total turn off anyway."
He glared hard at her. "I told you last time I wore it that it's kabuki paint! You want to know what's not sexy? Your annoyingly pink hair that you dye every month. I hate pink! That's why I closed my eyes every time we did it. It was like screwing Kerby!"
"Oh, so we're going to name video game characters now? Well, be like pac-man and go eat some balls, Kankurou. I can't believe I ever dated you." She sat down on her bed, obviously deflated, and looked purposefully away from him.
Kankurou didn't move, standing there in the middle of the dorm room she shared with another girl from their private school. Softly, he spoke, "You know that girl you were talking about earlier. The kind who wears glasses and stays in the library, spending all her time reading? That's the kind of girl I want."
She looked up at him, surprised. "You were actually listening to me...?"
He smiled but it was small. "Yeah." He turned around and made his way to the door. "I always listened. Bye, Sakura."
As he walked out the door, Sakura was left to wonder what she'd just lost.
xXx
Neji Hyuuga was smart. In fact, he was the smartest person in his class.
Almost.
Not only was Neji smart, but he was a realist so he acknowledged that fact. He also acknowledged that Shikamaru Nara was a genius, too. His equal, he supposed. The Hyuuga wasn't used to that kind of thing. He hated it. He hated the utter existence of Shikamaru Nara.
But, at the moment, he was having trouble with a question on his paper. It shouldn't be a problem. He was in Advanced Reading. Seriously, how advanced can reading get? But the question was a piece of shit. He glared at it like he'd caught it sleeping with his sister after it'd gotten his other sister pregnant. Which is stupid. He didn't have any sisters.
He knew the only way he'd get this is if he asked Shikamaru for help. One would think that asking the teacher would be beneficial, but Kakashi wasn't exactly the best teacher when it came to helping out on problems. He was a teacher who was at least fifteen minutes late for class every day, who gave the assignment out first thing without question, and sat up at the front of the room, chair tilted back, feet propped up on the desk, and 'romance' novel in hand. He was a one of a kind teacher. Just not Neji's ideal help.
He didn't want Shikamaru's help. He'd eat his own arm before he'd accept Shikamaru's help! He bet Shikamaru was even having trouble with this one. On that thought, he looked over to his right, and a few seats down, Shikamaru was sound asleep at his desk. That made Neji smirk. He knew Nara would give up and just go to sleep. Without realization to what he was really doing, Neji watched Shikamaru sleep. The lazy boy's breathing was even and silent against the desktop. Neji Hyuuga found he didn't want to look away. He was smart, but he wasn't smart enough to notice how he'd stared, stared a bit too long at the guy he hated.
Suddenly, the girl behind Shikamaru smacked him on the back of the head.
"Get up, lazy-ass!" She whispered to him, her pretty blonde hair rubbing against the back of Shikamaru's neck as she leaned forward in her seat.
The Nara sat up with a loud yawn and turned his head slightly, looking directly at Neji. Quickly, Neji looked away. It wasn't something he did, being both a Hyuuga and... well, just Neji. Neji Hyuuga did not get embarrassed. He stood his ground, even if he was caught watching someone. Staring. Oh God, he felt so wrong now. Disgusted at being a sudden embarrassed fool, Neji proudly looked back at Shikamaru, ready to start a staring contest. But Shikamaru wasn't looking at him anymore. He was looking forward with a very sullen look on his face.
The girl behind him, Temari, was whispering something to him. It didn't seem like something good so Neji smirked. Nara was probably being bitched at by his girlfriend for being a lazy bastard again. It was a common occurrence, so not many paid attention to it anymore.
"Troublesome." He heard Shikamaru say in a low voice.
Temari hit him on the head again, and Shikamaru winced.
"Stop being so fucking lazy, you jackass," Temari growled, causing Neji's smirk to grow. She leaned back into her seat, resuming her work. Neji could tell she meant well, but Shikamaru didn't seem to get the hint. At all. Hyuuga couldn't blame him. Women shouldn't overpower men. Ever. That's just what he believed.
"Ah, I forgot." Kakashi caught all of their attention as he set his book down. "There's an essay I want you to do. I'm going away for a few weeks and I probably won't come back until fall break is over so that gives you all nearly a month to do the work because it's due when I return. It will be two people to an essay. Pick a partner quickly or I'll give you one. Once you've teamed up, I'll hand out the assignments and criteria."
Neji looked around. Tenten wasn't here. He remembered she had the flu and was put to bed rest. That didn't seem fair because Tenten was always his partner. He would just have to tell the perverted sensei that he'd do the work with Tenten while she was in bed rest. The flu couldn't last that long, anyways, right? He opened his mouth to speak but heard someone else say:
"Tenten is in the infirmary and I was planning to partner with her. We'd already said we would work together on the next essay you gave us, so you can just give me the assignment and I'll give it to her later."
Appalled, Neji looked over at Temari. She looked almost smug, sitting there behind Shikamaru. Neji couldn't imagine why. Until he remembered Temari always partnered with the Nara. Now that she had taken Tenten away from him that left Shikamaru open just like he was. Quickly, he looked around the room to find a partner. One other than Shikamaru Nara, but everyone seemed to already have one.
As if on queue, Kakashi picked his book back up saying, "Shikamaru, Neji, looks like you two are the chosen ones. Come up here and get your assignment." He held the book with his left hand, extending his right hand out to them with their book and assignment in it. Neji stood up and walked slowly, but made it there before Shikamaru on account the Nara was a complete lazy bastard.
Neji glared at Shikamaru as he grabbed the paper out of Kakashi's hand. Shikamaru had only made it halfway to the teacher's desk before he just turned around to go back since he knew Neji was going to get to the papers first. Neji was certain he hated Shikamaru, but he knew one thing for sure: He absolutely despised this project and Kakashi for making them do it.
xXx
Though he didn't want to, Kankurou believed he had to ask Temari some girl advice. Usually, he would go to Kiba, but the dog-obsessed boy was nowhere to be found. He knocked on his sister's door twice before barging into her room, deciding that knocking was enough warning that he was coming just in case Temari was undressed or something.
Luckily, she was fully dressed. He found her writing something out on a piece of paper but paid no attention to that because he had a lot more important things to worry about.
"Temari, I don't know what to do. I don't want another girl like Sakura," he began. Temari didn't look at him, but he didn't seem to notice and continued. "But I'm used to having a girlfriend so what do I do? While dating Sakura, I didn't see anyone much else but her; I don't really know anyone else. Where the Hell am I supposed to find a girl now?"
"Go to the library or something," She mumbled, still not looking at him.
Suddenly, it was like lightening had hit him and he grinned, thanking her quickly before leaving her room in a flash. Because Kankurou couldn't go without a girlfriend.
xXx
The library smelled of old books and the occasional new copies that were recently put into the system. Lee was greeted with a smile by the librarian as he walked through the double doors and into the large building.
The nameplate on the counter she stood behind read: Kurenai. Being the nice person he was, Lee smiled widely back and gave a thumbs up. Kurenai nodded, going back to whatever it was that librarians did. Lee didn't want to think about what that could be.
Sakura-chan wants smarts, hmm? I'll give her the smartest Rock Lee she's ever seen! She won't be able to resist me! He laughed insanely on the inside, seeing as he was in a library and laughing like that would result in him getting kicked out. He didn't want that to happen. Not when he just got there!
What would impress Sakura-chan the most...? He thought, scanning over random books on a nearby shelf.
The History of Dog Grooming
Lee raised an eyebrow. There's a history of dog grooming?! He looked for one more suitable to his tastes.
What to Expect When Expecting
Without a thought, Lee picked it up. Oh, I'm expecting greatness! He gaped when he opened it up in such eagerness that he was beyond shocked to see the figure of a naked woman with a fetus inside her, clearly developing into a newborn life. Quickly, he put it back where it was and walked a few rows down away from the book. The search was on once again!
Moby Dick
To Kill a Mockingbird
Gone With the Wind
Lee's large brow rose once again as he looked at something that seemed rather promising.
The Guide to Wooing the Female Heart
Yes, it does sound quite promising! He picked it up slowly, not wanting to go through the same process as last time. Flipping through the pages, he made sure there was absolutely NO nudity or fetuses. There weren't any, to his great relief.
Okay now, to check the book out! He thought excitedly as he turned to the front desk where Kurenai was still at. Before he made it there, he heard someone voice his name.
"Lee-san?"
He turned around quickly to see Hinata looking at him over a pile of books that were in front of her on a table.
"Hello, Hinata-chan." He was sure to say it quietly so he wouldn't draw attention.
The Hyuuga girl gave him a friendly smile. "What are you doing in the library?"
"I am studying. Sakura-chan likes smart guys." Lee lifted up the book and showed Hinata the cover. She looked at it curiously before giggling a little. "What are you doing here, Hinata-chan?" Lee asked, eyeing her pile of books.
"I'm studying, too," she whispered, also looking at the books she had just gathered to examine. "You want to study with me? My usual study partner isn't here today."
Giving her his brightest smile, he nodded in agreement before sitting down at the table with her.
xXx
Shikamaru's dorm room was messy. It's always been messy. His roommate, Kiba, didn't seem bothered by it in the least because his half of the room is equally, if not more, distraught. The lazy boy unlocked the door and nearly tripped over something on the floor as he entered the room. He tossed his homework onto his bed and shut the door before picking up a small tan envelope with his name written across the front in handwriting he recognized almost immediately.
Opening the envelope, he slowly sank to the floor and sat, looking at the letter, but not understanding it.
Shikamaru,
We have been together for nearly two years. From the very start I liked you, and you always seemed to feel the same. In the beginning, though, you used to care a lot more than you do now, I believe. I know I'm not the most open person, epically for a girl, but I want you to know that I've been trying to tell you that I loved you. We've never said "I love you" to each other, even after two years. So it's weird for me to be telling you this now because of what I'm about to do.
But I did love you. I would've done anything for you. I get the feeling that you don't feel the same about me that I felt about you. That's why I want to break up. Maybe you can get your things together or something, but I'm not going to wait for you any longer because I don't have the patience to love you anymore.
We can be friends.
Temari
He read it over and over until he had it almost memorized. Somehow, he knew this was bound to happen, and it didn't bother him as much as he would've guessed. He didn't feel angry or even sad, just kind of disappointed in himself for letting her get away. Rubbing a hand across his face, he wadded up the paper and threw it away with a sigh.
When there was a quiet knock at his door only moments later, he looked at the alarm clock on his nightstand. This is when Shikamaru should've scowled because Neji was here to study on their essay assignment together. Instead of giving Neji a grim look when he let the Hyuuga into his room like he would under normal circumstances, he just kept his usual bored face on. He didn't have the effort to make the Hyuuga uncomfortable like usual.
As Neji sat in the chair at the Nara's desk and began to talk about the essay, Shikamaru gradually realized that he put more effort into making Neji angry than he did to making Temari happy. He knew it would probably take him longer than one study session to understand why.
xXx
As he walked into the library, the librarian made Kankurou pull his hood down. It wasn't raining or even cold outside so she thought it disrespectful since no one was allowed to wear hats in the school buildings. He did as she said with only the slightest hint of a mischievous grin and began his journey through the library in search of a new girlfriend.
He was glad he went to Temari for help. What better place to find a new girl than the place where a girl the opposite of Sakura would be? She said so herself, she does not read books or study like "librarian-followers".
"Lee-san, not all girls are the same."
Kankurou paused at the soft voice. It had come out of nowhere. Deliberately, he made his way to the opposite end of the nearest bookcase and looked around the corner of it to see his sister's kickboxing partner and a girl with beautiful long dark hair sitting at a table, talking.
"So you are saying you would not like to be given roses, Hinata-chan?" Temari's kickboxing partner, Lee seemed to be his name, said to the girl.
Kankurou grinned. Her name is Hinata.
"No. I would love to have a boy give me roses, but I think you should try something different since you've already tried that on Sakura," Hinata told Lee.
At hearing their conversation, Kankurou's grin turned into a smirk. They were talking about Sakura. Apparently, Lee still had the hots for her. Good news for you, Lee, Kankurou thought as he walked toward them. They stopped talking and looked at him as he stood next to their table.
"Hey, guys. Enjoying the library? Care if I join you?" Kankurou gave them a smooth smile and sat at the table before they could deny or allow him to.
"Kankurou-san, we are studying," Lee told him with a grin. "Where is Sakura-chan? Is she not with you?" The boy looked around.
"I don't know where she is," Kankurou answered, looking down in a way to make it seem that he was a little discouraged about something. "Sakura and I broke up so I don't see her much anymore."
Despite the happiness this brought Lee, he frowned because he was concerned with Kankurou's obvious unhappiness. "I am sorry to hear that, Kankurou-san. What happened?"
"We kind of had a fight, I guess," Kankurou glanced at Lee with a small smile. "But I'm over it. Got to move on eventually. I'm actually thinking about dating again." He looked directly at Hinata who hadn't spoken once since he had arrived.
"That is great to hear," Lee almost yelled. If it weren't for the random person going "Shh!" every other second, Lee would've probably screamed for joy.
After that, things became awkward and silent. Kankurou kept looking at Hinata and Hinata kept looking at Kankurou while Lee looked between them both before breaking the silence with a, much needed in his opinion, introduction between the two.
"Kankurou-san, this is Hinata-chan." Lee grinned happily and pointed at the shy girl. Point at Kankurou, he said, "Hinata-chan, this is my friend, Kankurou-san."
Kankurou paused, taking a look at Lee. He said "my friend". So I'm his friend, now? I don't know...
"Nice to meet you, Kankurou-san."
Kankurou's head shot back toward Hinata who was still looking at him. She was smiling shyly at him. He couldn't help but think it was adorable.
"The pleasure is mine, Hinata-chan," He replied, saying it in his smoothest, sexiest voice.
He noticed that she turned pink at his strange way of greeting her and smirked. "Lee never told me he had such a gorgeous friend before." She turned a few shades darker. Kankurou wondered how red he could make her. "Would you be willing to go out with me some time, beautiful?"
"Sorry, but I have a boyfriend. It was nice meeting you, though." She blushed deep red and, picking up her books, walked away from the two boys as quickly as she could.
Kankurou looked at Lee with raised eyebrows and Lee explained, "She has a boyfriend. His name is Naruto. But if you really like her, then you should pursue her anyway. It may have been wrong, but I went after Sakura even while you were dating her. I am sorry for that."
The older boy grinned. "It's okay, Lee. You have your chance to get her fair and square now. I think you're right about Hinata, though. What should I do?"
Lee thought for a second before shrugging. "I do not know." Then another grin made its way to his face and he set a book in front of Kankurou. The front cover read: The Guide to Wooing the Female Heart. "This is what I am using to win Sakura over. You should probably ask Hinata's cousin for permission to woo her first. His name is Neji. He is really protective when it comes to her."
"Where can I find him?" Kankurou questioned. Because Kankurou couldn't go without a girlfriend, of course.
To be continued...
Okay, so the first chapter was crappy, so what?
It happens.
I'm not sure how soon I will update, but I'm not busy so I've got a while to write more. Of course reviews make me move faster. Leave a review to tell me what I can improve on?