A/N: This fic is actually a fic I just entered in a contest but I thought I would post it regardless to see how it went down with you guys.
I'm fully aware there are a few typos and things in here but the deadline was five pm and I only JUST emailed it a few seconds before the clock ticked off.
A friend of mine did corrections while I typed up the email as we were on a limited time schedule. Anyway I left them there so you could see it as I entered it. ^_^
Credz to NovaCRYSTALLIS for her help on the story and correction.
The great Ramen challenge
It startled out as a simple observation, really. Nothing more. Nothing less. Or maybe it could be considered a statement of fact, it was difficult to tell.
However it came about wasn't what was important anyway, what was important was the point that was made and the events that followed it.
"You can't last one day without ramen."
Naruto looked up from the instant ramen container he was hunched over, noodles hanging 'elegantly' from his mouth as he stared sleepily at his challenger – a rather disgusted looking Shikamaru.
It could be put on record that Naruto does not like to be told what he can and can't do and what is and isn't capable of, so it was of no surprise, in fact it was predictable, that Naruto would object loudly to this, spraying an innocent Sakura who just happened to be seated next to him with ramen broth.
"Can too!"
An arched black eyebrow conveyed disdain and a small tug at the corner of Sakura's lip looked like a badly suppressed smirk as she worked to wipe the juice off herself.
When no one objected Naruto protested louder.
"What! I can too!"
"Oh please, if you had to go a week without it you'd claw your own eyes out." Sakura snorted.
Naruto's eyebrows knitted together to meet just above the bridge of his nose and his grip on the ramen container tightened considerably, the flickering flames of the fire the team was huddled around bathing his face an eerie shade of red.
"I could if I wanted to. I just don't want to." He countered.
"No." Shikamaru said bluntly. "You couldn't. Not even if you wanted to."
The blond made an odd sound between a moan and a grunt and his already clenching hand tightened into a fist and the loud snap of imploding Styrofoam joined the crackling of the fire as Naruto tossed his half full – but now crushed – ramen cup into the flames to feed the blaze in what could no doubt be considered an act of defiance.
And that was how it came about, the challenge.
It was three days into his week long bet and Naruto was not happy.
He was tired and sore and his mouth was so dry it felt like someone had scraped it with sandpaper and he kept thinking he saw ramen everywhere.
All though he loathed to call them withdrawal symptoms, a wry observation from his friends pinned them as just that.
"Have you eaten anything today?"
"Nng..."
Ino sighed and shook her head, nearly flicking Naruto with her long blonde ponytail. "Honestly, you should take better care of yourself. You're not a child anymore."
Naruto frowned at her and barely resisted the urge to stick his tongue out.
"Three days without ramen and you look like somebody ran over your puppy. Jesus Naruto, it's not that hard to take care of yourself." Ino was still ranting off her monologue and Naruto was paying less and less attention as time went by.
"Well, nothing for it but you'll have to accompany Shikamaru, Choji and I out for BBQ."
Naruto perked up slightly as this. "Really? Are you paying?"
A whack to the head proved indeed just who was paying for who.
"So you've gone three days without ramen, huh Naruto?"
Naruto frowned over at Choji, reached to poke at the piece of beef resting on the grill with his chopsticks. "No need to sound so surprised."
Shikamaru snorted but otherwise didn't make another comment.
"What?" Naruto asked indignantly.
"Che. Don't worry about it. Explaining it to you would just be troublesome."
Naruto opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by a battle cry as Choji dived for Naruto's beef.
"Hey! Hey that was mine!"
"First in first best. Sorry Naruto."
"I didn't want it anyway Fat –."
"Naruto, NO!" Ino clamped a hand firmly over Naruto's mouth as Choji's eyes flickered dangerously.
"What was that?"
"Mrgso!" Naruto's reply was muffled by Ino's hand pressed over his mouth and he swore – at least, it seemed like a cuss – and a moment later Ino's horrified screech filled the restaurant.
"EWW! Gross! He licked me!"
"It's your own fault for interrupting me when I was talking to Fatso!"
"I'M NOT FAT I'M BIG BONED!" Choji roared, pounding one meaty fist into the table causing the dishes to rattle.
"Choji!" Shikamaru grabbed hold of his friends arm and held on tightly as he tried to prevent him throwing himself at Naruto.
"Woah!" Naruto fell backwards off his chair as he tried to avoid the snapping Akimichi. One tan hand flew out to grab hold of the closest thing to prevent his fall. The closest thing happening to be a fistful of Ino's hair.
An inhuman banshee shriek joined the already animalistic sounds pervading the restaurant in unison with a loud resounding crash of breaking dishes.
"Choji! Calm down!"
"YOU THINK I'M FAT, HUH? LET'S SEE HOW YOU FEEL AFTER HUMAN BOULDER!"
"CHOJI! NO!"
There was the sound of crumpling fabric as Choji disappeared into his clothes and Naruto gapped widely at the spinning ball of flesh that was throwing up dust from the floor.
"Cho-Choji… Calm down pal. I-it was a joke." Naruto choked out. He caught a glimpse of what he considered to be flashing red eyes before the boulder lurched from its standstill and he realized he was screwed.
It was five days into his week long bet and Naruto was past saying it wasn't affecting him.
His mouth had gone from feeling dry to overflowing like a flood whenever he saw anything that could be linked back to Ramen. And anything meant anything. For Christ sakes, Kakashi's hair had him positively salivating.
The brawl at the barbeque place had left him covered in bruises varying from dark blue to blotchy red. He had another one added his forehead where Sakura had pounded him one once she finished attending to his already maimed body.
He was content to stare up at the ceiling above his bed, day dreaming about Ichiraku.
A knock on his door startled him out of his reviver and he reluctantly got up to answer it, dragging his feet down the hall.
"Iruka-Sensei?" The blonde in surprised upon opening his door to see a grinning former sensei of his on his doormat.
"Hey Naruto – what happened to your face?"
A hand drifted up to poke purposefully at a bruise blooming across his whiskered cheek and Naruto frowned, rubbing it to soothe the ache.
"Never mind that, did you need something Sensei?"
"Well you've been so irritable lately that I thought I'd call by and offer to take you out for ramen. My treat."
Naruto's jaw dropped. He had assumed everyone in the leaf village had heard about he little gamble by now.
"Ichiraku's having a sale. Eat two bowls and the third free."
Surely it wouldn't hurt if Iruka didn't know about the bet…
" – And I figured that you could use the pickup."
"Grg…" Naruto was hyperventilating now, saliva openly cascading from his mouth causing Iruka to step back, alarmed that he would get his feet wet.
"Is that a yes then?"
Just… Three… Or four… Bowls. It wouldn't hurt…
"Sensei, thank you –."
"After all there are not many ramen pigs this big."
"Eh?" Naruto reached out and grabbed Iruka's shoulders, shaking him. "Sensei, what did you just say?"
"Uh… There's not many ramen sales this big… Naruto are you alright?"
Oh great… Naruto thought despairingly. If it's not bad enough to be suffering through this as it is I'm now hallucinating.
"So, if you wanted to go we better leave soon."
A slamming door was Iruka's answer.
Naruto watched the second hand as if it were god come to deliver him from evil.
Thirty more seconds…
The steady tick, tick, tick which normally grated in his nerves sounded like church bells chiming out the heavenly rhythm.
Twenty…
Naruto's deep breaths seemed to echo loudly in the confines of his home, bouncing off the walls to return to him in a chorus of sighs.
Ten…
Naruto could taste the victory as sure as he could taste the steaming egg noodles and beef broth of his favourite Ramen…
Five…
Four…
Three…
Two…
One…
The sharp chimes of is clock hitting midnights was joined with the victorious shouts of a man proved correct. That ramen was his! And rightfully so!
There was only one thing left to do before feasting on a weeks worth of his missed drug…
Shikamaru cursed softly under his breath as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He hadn't intended to fall asleep in the field but he had and now he would have to face his mothers wrath.
"What time is it?" He muttered to himself as he got to his feet to examine the pitch black sky.
A faint rustle in the long, weedy grass caught his attention and he whipped around to face it.
"Who's there?"
He was answered by a light – albeit, slightly psychotic – laughter and the furrows in his brow deepened.
"I did it Shikamaru…"
"Who is this?" Shikamaru called loudly into the darkness, a hand straying to his kunai pouch.
There was another rustle and a shady figured emerged from the foliage. He frowned. The lithe posture seemed that of a trained ninja and the way the figure lurched from side to side as he approached said something of his mental state.
"Stay away." Shikamaru warned as he spun a kunai in his hand.
It was only when a stray glimmer of silver moonlight escaped the clutches of the dark clouds did Shikamaru realize who it was. The bright orange clothes were a giveaway. He lowered his kunai. He wouldn't be needing it anymore.
"Naruto?" He asked in disbelief.
"I did it…." He croaked. "A week without ramen. Pay up."
Shikamaru stared blankly at him. "Pay up? Pay up what?"
"The bet."
"But we never bet anything…"
"…"
"…"
"Are you saying I went through all of this for NOTHING?"
"Yeah, that's about it."
The moonlight finally escaped the confines of the clouds and Shikamaru caught a good look at Naruto's expression. He tightened his grip on the kunai. It looked like he would be needed it after all.