Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Period.
A/N: I got the idea from Ep. 232 (The Girl's Get-Together).
: A big shout out to Kunoichi-Shea for beta-ing. Thank you so much!
The Boys' Get-Together
Pork, beef, and vegetables are almost half cooked, grilling at the center of the table. Lee, Naruto, and Kiba seem to be arguing about something on the other side of the table. It's nothing serious to be worried or bothered about. Shino is silently watching the three, while Neji is drinking his green tea gracefully beside him. Shikamaru has his head by the wall looking at the ceiling as if he's cloud watching, trying to block out the noise. His mouth would twitch whenever one of the three's voices would get too loud. And Sasuke, the prodigal son of Konoha who had just recently been freed by the council, has his eyes closed and arms folded across his chest.
"Now this is a boy's night out!" Choji happily exclaimed, successfully getting the attention of the said boys. "Meats ready so, eat up!"
"Thanks Choji for inviting us. I was really bummed when I found out that I missed the first boys night out," Naruto said while getting food from the grill. He had been forced into hiding back then and had been eating fish for every meal for some time.
"Don't be sad about it Naruto. Sasuke wasn't there either!" Lee said. His eyes brimming with tears, "But now, we're all here! Sasuke's back, the war just ended with our victory, and now we can focus on our Fountain of Youth!"
Almost all of the guys chuckled at the speech of Mighty Guy's apprentice. Neji and Sasuke just barely stretched their lips into almost invisible smiles. Kiba then raised his glass upwards to the center of the table, "Let's drink to that!"
"I feel we're missing something," the insect wielder mentioned after Kiba, Naruto, Lee, Shikamaru and Choji had clanked their glasses together. Everyone looked to Shino then began looking at each other trying to find what is missing. "Or someone?" Shino added.
"We didn't forget you this time buddy. You're here, Shino," Kiba joked. The Ninken master knows from experience that the insect wielder is a little touchy when he feels left out. Well who wouldn't, anyway? So he made sure that Shino is included whenever there's a group gathering. Leaving him from the Sasuke retrieval team a few years ago cost Kiba and Hinata almost a month of a silent treatment from Shino.
"Shit!" Shikamaru exclaimed suddenly, turning to Choji with wide eyes, "Did you forget to invite Sai again?"
As if realizing the terrible thing he had done, the usual happy big-guy stopped lifting his chopstick full of food midway to his mouth, eyes wide open in fear. "She's gonna kill me."
The Hyuga smirked towards at the two from Team Asuma. "Oh yes, she will."
"You're not helping, Neji!" Shikamaru barked. He doesn't usually snap like that but at times like this, he's a bit driven by dread. He doesn't want to know what's going to be their punishment in the end. "Troublesome women," he murmurs.
"Now that you mention it, where is Sai?" Naruto asks, his mouth full of food obviously not fully comprehending that they forgot to invite his teammate.
"Did someone call me?" the man in question asks, his usual smile in place.
Choji and Shikamaru couldn't believe their luck. "Sai!" they happily called. Choji moved closer to Sasuke, who quickly moved to his opposite side not wanting the big-guy to touch him, leaving more space between himself and Neji. He patted to the space between them motioning for the other member of Team 7 to sit down. "Come and join us. Please." The last part sounded more like a plea than a request. Choji could hear Shikamaru ordering another set of plates and drinks for Sai.
"I'm sorry but I'm afraid Sai won't be able to join you tonight," a new voice interrupted.
Choji and Shikamaru gulped as they saw the last member of the Ino-Shika-Cho beside the pale man. She looks nice, except for the fact that she's glaring daggers at them. Choji shrinks much lower into his seat, as much as he can, fully well knowing that the glare means she knows what they did, or for this matter, she knows what they forgot to do. "I'm sorry, Ino. It slip -"
"Choji dear," Ino seethed. "Are you sure you're apologizing to the right person?"
He shook his head quickly. Choji started again, "I'm sorry Sai. I forgot to invite you. But please, join us."
He peered towards Ino, whose features began to lighten up. The person beside her still has his smiling face, albeit a little wider this time. "No need to apologize, Choji. In fact, I want to thank you for forgetting to invite me."
"Why's that?" Now, Choji is sure that Sai's smile is definitely wider this time. Is that a smug smirk he sees?
"Ms. Tenten heard that you didn't invite me so she setup a dinner for me tonight."
Neji choked on his food, coughing. Shino patted his back but the Hyuga was able to compose himself swiftly. "She said she's going out with the girls tonight," he said to Sai, as if challenging him to say that the weapon mistress had lied. Tenten hadn't and wouldn't lie to him.
Ino chuckled, "Don't worry Neji, your little girlfriend didn't lie." She circled her arm around Sai's and leaned her head onto his shoulder. "All of us girls will join Sai for dinner. That still counts as a girl's night out, right?"
"All the girls?" Lee asked, slamming his hands on the table. "Even Sakura?"
"But of course billboard brow will be there," Ino answered with a wink. "We're just here at Yakiniku Q to pick up our dinner then meet Hinata, Hana, Ayame, and Shiho at Tenten's place," she added while she looked at Naruto, Shino, Kiba, then back at Choji, with each mention of the girls' names. Slowly she saw the changes of their emotions in a mixture of shock and distress.
"Lucky!" Naruto whined. "You're gonna be surrounded by all of them! If I were you I would definitely grab every chance when they invite you somewhere!"
"I should really, right, Naruto?" As if the pain is not enough, Sai adds more salt to their wounded egos. One would question his intention, he is either oblivious or just doesn't care. "Ms. Beautiful, I'll send in my request for vacation first thing in the morning, so I can join you and the ladies to Suna next week. Lady Temari mentioned there'll be a pool to cool us off right?"
With the mention of the sand ninja's name, Shikamaru began choking on his food. No one helped the poor guy, since Lee began crying – louder this time. It seems Naruto is moments away from joining in with Lee's howls of sorrow. Kiba has his head down on the table, Shino could be heard cursing something under his breath, Choji had totally abandoned the food in front of him, and Neji was glaring at Sai.
Ino then turned to check the reaction of the person responsible for the all the butterflies in her stomach during her younger years, or possible even until now. His face is screwed up in disgust as he growls, "Who would believe that these pathetic morons were the ones who contained me at war?" Sasuke looks at Ino, eyes darkening. "When did this bunch of morons turn into such rabid hormonal idiots?"
Ino couldn't contain her laughter, or the butterflies she thought she had lost, anymore.
The End