A/N: Because I can't get enough, I'm writing a bunch of one-shots. Instead of having 10 random stories to filter my profile, I thought it'd be best to have it all in one. Anyway thanks for reading! Criticism is always welcome.
Premise: You Owe Me never had a happy ending.
It was a night worth remembering.
First from what he could remember, someone had won a mission and a bet. Because his friend Kiba had a slick mouth, he never thought his other friend Sasuke could ever finish that bottle of simple sake. Kiba never thought he had a taste for it. Oh, but did Sasuke prove him wrong. It was a possible stress reliever from so many missions, but when Sasuke took a thirsty gulp for that glass, everyone was shocked. Especially when he took another. And another.
It wasn't long before Sasuke was slouched against the rough chair, a hue of crimson settling onto his pale features. For a drunk, he was a quiet one. Yet, as great as an opportunity it could have been for some serious condescending to come forth, Naruto did not have the heart to do it. He just watched everyone else guzzle down their drinks, smiling as he slung his arm around Sakura. He figured one thing, she had potential to be an obnoxious drunk and the best thing to do was to keep her close in case she decided it was time to do something she would later regret.
He watched as all of his comrades challenged each other in silly drinking games until the pile of bottled sake was now empty forgotten glasses thrown into a pile of trash on the corner of the room. Now that the liquor level was off the charts it was time to watch the words begin to fly out of unreserved state of minds.
Of course, the first one to start was Kiba, because everyone knows that he was the most foolish drunk in Konoha.
"So!!!!" He cried out, stumbling with his steps as he raised his sake in the air. He passed Sasuke, giving his friend a thumb up with his free hand. The latter hand managed not to spill anything on the poor fellow. He spun around, quickly extending his arm out at the people who laughed at him so. "What's so funny?" he said, at least that is what Naruto could only interpret it to be because wuz zo phony? Just plain didn't make any sense.
"You." Shikamaru spoke smoothly as the rest of them chuckled at the show that he was.
As tempting as it was to watch the spectacle unfold itself Naruto felt a sudden need to drink something beside the lousy cheap sake Chouji managed to bring in for this gathering. So he dropped his hold of Sakura, leaning over to kiss her cheek as he mumbled, "don't go too crazy, okay?" but he found his words to be ignored as she burst into bits of inane laughter, the echo of her giggles went unheard of in comparison to the shouts from behind them both.
"You're funny…." A silly smile played upon her lips as she pressed her palms against the side of his face. She shook him from side to side, her eyes crinkling with such blind euphoria he could not help but return her smile.
So he headed on over to the kitchen, surprised to find it much quieter than the other room he was in. Except as soon as he stepped foot into the room, he realized he wasn't alone.
This kitchen was not as brightly lit as the room he was once in. Instead of the actually kitchen light illuminating the room, a stray lamp on the end of the room left an inviting subtle glow. That was when Naruto caught a glimpse of her, her back towards him as she appeared to be leaning over the counter.
First thing that came crashing was his nerves and even though he didn't drink a drop of that sake, he felt his limbs suddenly become rigid with faux fatigue. He frowned, wondering if it was a good idea to turn around and rejoin the group of drunkards that were awaiting him.
He could avoid this all together, right? If he just turned back, he would be alright…
Except that he heard a sigh from her direction and instinctively so, he found himself inching his way over.
It was possibly the aura of drunkenness that he had left behind, but he had to admit that his thoughts were not at all there.
"Hey," he spoke gently, once he finally reached her. He too found himself leaning against the cold counter, peering over the open window. He gazed at the scenery which was nothing less than the darkened clusters of woodland. He frowned, hoping that there was something much more appealing.
"Hi." Ino mumbled flatly, pressing the side of her face lazily onto her palm. Her blue eyes blazed against the moonlight though her inebriation was quite clear. "What are you doing here?" surprisingly so, she was not as drunk as the rest of them, he mused.
"I was thirsty." He snorted, thrusting a thumb behind him. Smiling, he took a breath of her scent and realized that she still smelled the same. Even years later, she still managed to splash that cheap vanilla body crap she loved so much, he thought.
Ino's eyes darted from his empty hands back towards his face. She grunted, turning once again towards the window. "Right" she stated in a matter-a-factly manner.
"What? I can't change my mind?" He quickly defended.
"I never said anything,"
"You didn't have to."
"I only agreed with you," she turned quickly to glare at him, her eyes narrowing.
No words were exchanged, what was left was an awkward silence.
After a pause, he responded. "What are you doing here, sulking?" Grinning, Naruto was content on seeing her flush the way she did.
"Thinking." She answered, tediously; her eyes now met his direction. He tried hard to ignore the lousy twisting in his stomach that had him fidgeting so.
Even when she was drunk and moping, she was beautiful.
"Don't waste your time doing that."
"Oh? Because you think you can control me?" She scoffed, lifting herself off the counter. "Right. What's that? I hear Sakura calling…—"
He didn't know what got to him first, that angry glare she's been giving him since he said a simple hello, or her moping. No, it was that little name dropping she insisted on using. Either way, the next thing that followed was Naruto grabbing onto her wrist, yanking her closer as she turned to face him once more.
"Oh, that's cute," he laughed, darkly. He refused to withdraw his grip as she sent him a look of bitter distaste. "Anything more you got for me, Ino?"
Suddenly, the need to fasten her eyes shut became a considerable request. There lay a faint headache that slowly approached her temples, not to mention the nasty after taste of sake that lay soaked into her tongue. She couldn't pull herself from his grip and she couldn't bring herself to look away. She was frustrated with the sudden fix she found herself in. Instead, she tugged against his grip, pushing herself against the window glass. The sudden cool surface had her suppressing a startled shiver. A frown curved her lips as she fastened her eyes onto the bleak void of darkness in front of her.
Naruto stared at her, wrist in hand. He watched her turn away and felt slightly awkward gripping onto her arm the way he did.
Why? He thought. He was completely sober.
"Are you done, yet?" There was a low whisper in her weak protest. Naruto was surprised by her lack of effort. Regret followed afterwards.
It was steady and unforgiving. Hot coils twisted his insides, entangling in who knows where, down at the midst of his belly. He fought the urge to do something he may regret, like console her, but his internal clashing wasn't very persistent.
"Hey…" He whispered, cringing at how rough his voice echoed into his thoughts. No response. He leaned forward; surprised by the way her body heat ghosted his bare neck and front. In another time, he would have smiled and blurted a sort of playful joke about her height. This time, however, he found himself loosening his grip on her wrist. She turned her head so as to shoot him an angry glare. But before she could react, a warm palm was pressed onto the side of her face as she was forced to look into a pair of dark pupils.
In such haste, Ino felt her mouth suddenly rid itself dry. Too parched for words of protest, she allowed herself to gaze into the hue of blue, eyes squinting.
That was anger, but more than anything, underneath the mound of self defense, was a frail filament of hurt; of tears and confusion, of something he never was able to see.
Naruto fought the ricochet of guilt and instead did the unlikely. "I'm sorry." Eyes were shut tight as he brought himself closer. Because that was simply not enough, he drove himself forward, crushing his lips against hers. Realistically, he should have pulled away. But there was something in the way her mouth hung a few inches when he forced her to look at him, something in the way her eyes dulled and the glow that he found himself so familiar with wilt.
He just couldn't let that happen.
He couldn't tell her, because that was never good enough. He showed her the best possible way he could; by nipping at the bottom of her lip, pressing against parted lips, trying gently to speak with action, rather than words. He brushed along side soft skin, finding himself enticed with the frail but welcoming reaction. Each pulled away before he could have finished his simple gesture, and each was left to stare at one another with wonder.
Still there, he thought strangely. Despite the slight taste of sour sake, it was still there.