Elaborate Seduction
"He's seducing you, you know?" Ino commented to Sakura, as the two sat side by side under an oak tree in Team Gai's training grounds. Their gazes were not on each other, but Neji and Tenten, who were sparing not too far away.
"Oh stop it Ino" Sakura replied. Ino let out an un-ladylike snort and then pushed Sakura over, so that the girl toppled onto her side.
"It's cute though, it's more effort than Shikamaru ever put in"
Sakura scoffed, "Please, you've successfully seduced each other since you were 1 and still having play dates in a sandbox" Ino giggled. She couldn't deny the pinkette's words. Not like the two of them didn't have their own share of bumps and side road detours. Then again, Temari played a pivotal role in getting the two to admit they liked each other, whether the suna-nin wanted to or not. And on the other hand, Shiho – in Ino's highest and most exalted opinion – didn't count for more than a pebble in the scheme of things. So nay, Ino and Shikamaru didn't go through a courting stage, none like what she insisted Sakura was going through at the moment.
"What are you thinking so deeply about?" Sakura questioned, not particularly liking the grin stretching across her friends face.
"Sasuke of course" answered Ino, "and his elaborate plan to seduce you back into his clutches" Sakura's eyebrows creased and she blew a stray strand of hair out of her eyes so that she could glare at Ino uninhibited.
"You're just reading too much into this...Sasuke's just Sasuke"
"Silly girl, don't tell me that he hasn't gotten excessively – for Sasuke – touchy feely lately" Ino dutifully pointed out. Sakura shook her head, "the other day in Naruto's kitchen, when he placed his hand on your hip to get something in the cupboard above your head?"
Sakura blushed, "he was just trying to steady himself, and I'm not exactly a midget you know"
"Are you kidding me, there were so many other ways to have gotten that cup, or "steadied" himself, and if it had been anyone else but you, those would have become his only options"
"She's right you know?" Tenten added as she danced within hearing range of them, expertly evading Neji's attacks. Ino knew she had Sakura's brain spinning the moment the blush sprouted on her pale cheeks, Tenten's added opinion only fuelled it some more.
"Okay so maybe he has been doing some weird things" Sakura trailed off, unable to look Ino in the eye.
Ino gasped, "Spill!" If possible Sakura's face continued to redden, and her face contorted in mild disgust.
"I think he's trying to take over my closest" Sakura answered, Tenten's laugh could be heard from her perch in a tree giving away the kunoichi's position, "honestly, he probably has five full outfits, not to mention boxers, in my house right now"
"That's cute, he's practically your boyfriend, Shikamaru has like half my closest space" said Ino
Sakura rolled her eyes, "Shut up Ino, Shikamaru lives right next to you, why in the hell would he need to put anything in your closet"
"Touché"
"TIME OUT!" Tenten yelled as she zipped her way across the field so that she stood right in front of Sakura, "did you say he's leaving clothes in your house?" Sakura nodded slowly causing Tenten to smile sheepishly, "Oops, sorry" she said.
Sakura's eyes narrowed, "what is that suppose to mean?" Tenten giggled awkwardly.
"Funny story really, Sasuke was over at my house the other day, after a mission and stuff, he needed to borrow a shirt, cause he had one of those monthly meet the councils things, and his shirt was all torn up and bloody, so I leant him one of Neji's shirts" Tenten babbled, waving her hand around absently.
"You leant him my shirt?" Neji all but growled causing Tenten to shrug.
"Odd, that was his reaction too" Tenten joked, "but yeah, he asked why I had such a masculine shirt, and I told him it was Neji's, which prompted him to ask me why Neji left clothing at my house"
"And what, pray tell, was your answer?"
"Neji's my boyfriend dur!"
"So, what you mean to tell me, is that the reason Sasuke is trying to invade my home via clothing is because he wants to be my boyfriend, and you were the one who put that ridiculous idea in his head?"
"Pretty much"
"I think you guys are exaggerating, I mean yeah Sasuke has some clothes at my house, but so does Naruto, granted not as much, but Sasuke doesn't like to be at his own house much so that's excusable" Ino smacked Sakura's arm
"He has a key to your house; do you see Tenten giving anyone but Neji a key to her house?" Ino questioned. Neji glared.
"She better not" Tenten nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.
"My whole team has a key to my house, Naruto, Kaka-sensei, and let's be honest, if I had Lee and Gai-sensei on my team I wouldn't give them keys, lest they change my entire wardrobe while I'm asleep"
"So true" Tenten mused in agreement, "but not the point, wake up Sakura, Sasuke wants to date you, and he's changed so much since he's been back"
"The point is I don't think I'm ready" Sakura replied, "I swear sometimes I still feel his hands around my throat" the girl's hand reached up to massage the area as she spoke.
"You tried to stab him first" Ino dutifully pointed out prompting Sakura to grab the girl by the fabric of her clothes around the neck and waist and throw her across the clearing. With ninja like reflexes, Ino landed on her feet and walked calmly back to her friends.
"That's not fair, I see you guys together a lot, you sure don't act like you're scared around him" Sakura rolled her eyes.
"I'm not scared of him, I'm just not sure I want to be in a relationship with Sasuke yet"
"Yet?" Tenten noted, "Which means that you plan on being in a relationship with him in the future"
"Can we not talk about him, I see him enough as it is, the one day I'm away from him and you two are pestering me about it" Sakura frowned, "if he's not at the hospital, we're on a mission together, he's like EVERYWHERE!"
"You know he's at the hospital on purpose" Neji interjected, voicing his opinion on the matter for the first time, "he lets Naruto get in a good hit before they end the spar, the moron is always talking about it"
"Are you serious?" Sakura cried out in frustration, then settling for a pout, "and here I treated Naruto to an all-you-can-eat at Ichiraku's for getting better and Sasuke is letting him win!"
"Oh god Sakura, even Neji sees it, and he's as dumb as a brick wall when it comes to relationships" argued Tenten.
"Thanks Tenten"
"Stop being such a baby, seriously the only person more oblivious than you is Naruto"
"Amen!" Sakura and Ino yelled out together throwing one fist in the air.
"Just admit it Sak, Sasuke is asking you out...in an odd, round-about, totally unlike, yet kinda like Sasuke sort of way" Ino finalized, patting Sakura on the shoulder as she stood up. She began to walk away with Tenten and Neji, leaving Sakura in the clearing.
"Where are you guys going, I thought we were hanging out today?" Sakura shouted after their retreating backs, only to get a wave over the shoulder from the two girls. Sakura took the hint, getting up she dusted her skirt off and started off towards her team's training grounds, no doubt Sasuke would be there. As she walked, she quietly mused over all the interactions that she and Sasuke had shared lately. Sure his hand brushed hers occasionally when they walked, and he always stood over her right shoulder – she could practically feel his breath ghosting over the top of her head – whenever she was talking to people. And maybe he treated her to ramen most of the time – and by default Naruto too – and was often at her house mooching a meal if neither was on a mission. And more often than not when the team split up on a mission it was default knowledge that Sakura and Sasuke would go together – she assumed it had been because she could help him control his curse seal.
"Why is it that I can anyways?" she mused aloud, stopping as she realized she had arrived at Team 7's training ground. True to the girl's belief, Naruto and Sasuke were sparring on the desolated terrain. The two of them stopped as they saw her approaching. Naruto waved her over.
"What are you doing here Sakura-chan?" he greeted happily, Sasuke grunted in acknowledgement.
Sakura smiled, "actually I'm here to talk to Sasuke" a sly smile found its way across Naruto's face.
"I get it, no problem, I have to go meet Hinata anyways, she's helping me get ready for 'meet daddy night'" Naruto's face went sour at the mention of his impending formal parent meeting. The blonde bounded off. Sasuke turned to her.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked. Sakura blushed and began fidgeting with the edge of her skirt.
"Yeah, umm...I was talking to Tenten and Ino today and they brought up something interesting..." Sakura began, unable to look at Sasuke. Sasuke crossed his arms.
"Well?" he demanded impatiently. Sakura squeaked, jumping out of her silent reverie and then waving her hand around.
"You know what, it's stupid, I'm just going to leave" she began to walk away when Sasuke gripped her wrist.
"Sorry, what were you trying to say?" he questioned softer this time. Sakura yanked her hand back.
"It's just that, and I quote, you're seducing me?" the end of her statement ending up turning into a question as she stared at the boy from underneath her eyelashes. Sasuke blushed, probably the most ever in his life and he started sputtering incoherent responses.
"It's true?" and from Sasuke's nervous behaviour, he didn't need to say anything further.
"Okay, well this is extremely flattering, but I don't think I'm ready...for this" Sakura's voice began to trail off as she looked to an area behind her. The top half of Ino's body protruded from behind a bush, while the blonde made gestures at Sakura. Sasuke's head began to turn and Sakura watched Hinata pop up from beside Ino and stuff the blonde back under the bush before Sasuke could see them.
"That's fine" answered Sasuke, when he finally turned back to Sakura.
She blinked, "you're fine with me rejecting you?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed till he was practically glaring at her.
"No, I'm fine with you not being ready" he clarified in an even tone, "I can wait"
Sakura smiled, "Thank you"
"That's it?" Naruto and Ino yelled from behind the bush, both of them jumping over the cursed hedge and stalking angrily towards the pair. Tenten and Hinata also emerged, sporting looks of disappointment – at both Ino and Naruto, and Sasuke and Sakura.
"That was so lame!" Naruto argued punching Sasuke in the arm, "and YOU!" he continued rounding on Sakura, "cut this bastard some slack he didn't exactly grow up normal and he's really sorry that he tried to kill you" Naruto said shoving Sasuke to his knees and pushing the boys head to the floor so that he was bowing to Sakura. Sasuke smacked Naruto's hand away and kicked the boy a few feet away.
"Yeah Sak, you prick, you tried to kill him, he tried to kill you, it's FINE, just get together for god's sake" elaborated Ino.
"Stop giving me a reason to kill you"
"You can wait?" Ino continued ignoring Sakura completely, "No Sasuke, you can't wait, you've waited 8 years, any longer an you'll have ED, and that's not good cause Sak's not gonna impregnate herself and we all know how much you want to revive the clan!"
"And Sakura-chan you've never dated in all these years, and now that the bastard is finally reciprocating you're not ready! You've been ready since you were 5!"Naruto threw in as the two blondes continued to rage at the pair. Tenten and Hinata helpfully clamped a hand on both their mouths.
"What Naruto and Ino-baka are trying to say is that you two have had a hundred obstacles thrown your way and it's about time you two owned up and got together" Tenten summarized. Sasuke frowned at their insistent behaviour.
"If she's not ready, than she's not ready, what do you want me to do?" he demanded, eyes narrowing at the group. Naruto rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. Grabbing the two by the back of their heads he pushed them together so that their lips met. After a couple seconds he pulled them apart.
"Convinced?" he asked levelly. Sakura smacked him the stomach.
"Naruto" she admonished, sighing again, he pushed their heads together, this time the two were more active participants. He pulled them apart again.
"I can do this all day" he told them.
"I get it already, I like Sasuke and he likes me" Sakura huffed out. Naruto turned to the others.
"One more time?" he asked them, ignoring the cries of protest let out by Sakura – however half hearted her attempt was. The others gave the couple a moment of thought before nodding their heads. Sasuke and Sakura were forced to kiss once more. Sasuke yanked at Sakura's hips so that she was pulled flush against him.
"Alright enough already" Naruto said exasperatedly pulling them apart once more, "I think they get the point" he said releasing his hold on their heads.
"So are you going to move the rest of your clothes in or what?" Sakura asked, a genuine smile playing across her lips. He mimicked her.
"So you noticed"
"Sasuke, flowers and a date would have been a nice way to get this relationship started" Sakura reminded him, poking him affectionately in the chest. He shrugged.
"I don't do flowers"
"You apparently don't do touching either, but as Ino so likes to recall, that's not very true" she prodded.
"I'm a guy Sakura"
"Ew" Ino summarized and Tenten couldn't help but agree, "Alright let's keep all snakes in their cages and all cherries whole" Sakura's face burned crimson.
"But more importantly" Naruto began, though Sakura could not fathom what could possibly be more important right now, "I win" the boy declared.
"Hey, me too!' Ino joined in happily as she and Tenten started dancing around like lunatics.
"If Kiba and Tsunade-sama knew what you guys were doing than that would be considered cheating" Hinata reminded.
"But Hinata-chan, I win, which means I get to be next Hokage, which means your dad HAS to approve which means HELL YES!" the Kyuubi container stated in his insane logic, ending with a sentiment that didn't even make sense. Hinata frowned.
"As much as I like to approve, you guys didn't let it happen naturally" the heiress countered.
"Silly Hinata, if we let everything in the world happen naturally nothing would ever get done" replied Ino, patting the girl degradingly on the head, which the girl swatted away with mild irritation.
"Like with Naruto, you didn't think we had anything to do with his actions?" Tenten added.
"I'm not stupid" answered Hinata, "but that is beside the point" Sakura held up a hand and everyone turned to her.
"What IS the point?" she asked.
"They've been coaching Sasuke into asking you out, and there's a bet going around as to when the two of you would be together, Tsunade-sama was so sure it wouldn't happen within this year that she bet with Naruto-kun her position as Hokage"
"You guys had a pool on my love life?" Sakura cried indignantly. The others nodded as if what she said was a natural occurrence – which among the Konoha Twelve, was.
"Step 1: subtle touches!" Ino declared fist raised high in the air.
"Step 2: closet takeover!" Tenten followed up, flicking the collar of her shirt.
"Step 3: nosey friends!" Naruto continued, pointing at himself, Ino and Tenten.
"Step 4: drastic measures!" the three of them finished together. Sakura's eyes twitched in irritation. If she knew that 4 months later Sasuke would propose – who needed years of dating– and within a year they would be expecting their first child – later discovered to be twins – and that they would live a happy content life, Sakura might not have to punched Naruto clear across town. But she didn't and so Tenten, Ino – left unscathed only because they did not have Kyuubi healing powers – and Hinata had to go collect the poor boy and prepare him for his next trepidation – meeting Hiashi.