i do not own Naruto.
Tricky Corners
Sakura flinched, her eyes flickering over to Sasuke and Sai, silently pleading for help. But for once, neither of them did—instead, they silently watched her, like she was about to fly (which wouldn't be the strangest thing that happened to them).
Apparently, Naruto wasn't done being outraged. "How could you do this to us, Sakura-chan?"
"IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL - Was I going to say that? Silly me. What I meant to say was 'I apologize ten times for this inconvenience that has befallen you because I decided to become a vegetarian.'"
"DON'T SAY THAT WORD!"
"Naruto," she murmured quietly, like she was about to snap, "being a vegetarian isn't a bad thing."
"But—but—" he stuttered, "we're nin, Sakura-chan. We need the energy and stuff that comes with meat! And fish! You love—uh—um—food with fish—"
"Sushi," volunteered Sai. "And shrimp tempura."
Both Sasuke and Naruto nodded their heads—the latter pumping while the former solemnly.
"Well," snapped Sakura, irritated that they reminded her of shrimp tempura, "it's done."
Naruto stopped nodding and folded his arms sullenly. "The meat—"
"Don't call animals 'meat.'"
Naruto continued, like he hadn't heard her, "Is really really really really—I forgot what I wanted to s—oh yeah!—treated good. I mean, seriously, Sakura-chan."
Sai gave them that queer little smile. "I read that unlike the past and Wave, the entire world treats cows, ducks, lamb, chickens, pigs—"
"Sai, get to the point before Sakura-chan leaves!"
"—and onwards are all treated with respect. They're never crowded, disturbed, or slaughtered. When a village attacks another they don't hurt the livestock, even if they—"
"Did you just say livestock?"
"—hurt everyone else," finished Sai, still smiling.
"I really don't care. I'm a vegetarian."
Naruto snapped. "I WENT EASY ON YOU SAKURA-CHAN BECAUSE I THOUGHT HINATA-CHAN OR THE EVIL POINTY FRIEND OF YOURS WERE PUTTING IDEAS IN YOUR HEAD AND ALL YOU NEEDED WAS SOME CLARIFICATION BUT APPARENTLY NOT SO YOU BETTER LISTEN UP BECAUSE THIS ISN'T FUNNY! YOU'RE A MEDIC-NIN AND NEED YOUR ENERGY MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE OUT ON THAT FIELD SO YOU'RE GOING TO EAT RAMEN WITH BEEF SLICES AND MORE BEEF SO YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT BEING A VEGETARTIAN ISN'T JUST SAVING THE WORLD AND ALL THAT—"
"Uzumaki Naruto, are you yelling at me?"
"YES, YES I AM!"
"Y—"
"I agree," said Sasuke, frowning.
Sai nodded.
"WE'RE GOING TO THE RAMEN STAND RIGHT NOW—"
While Naruto screamed and Sasuke and Sai nodded, agreeing with him completely, Sakura took the leap that made her shudder and bring up being a vegetarian in the first place.
"I'm dating someone."
For a moment, total silence. And then—
"!#$%^&*?"