An Unforeseen Consequence
oOo
Mere hours after a bloody battle, the likes of which would have left all but the most elite of Konoha's ninja in awe, Uzumaki Naruto found himself faced with a far more daunting challenge: searching for acceptable clothing for the gathering with Team Seven at a fancy restaurant the blond never would have set foot in normally.
Naruto knew enough about the Amaguri that he knew he needed to dress properly. Opting for a simple, vibrantly red Water-country shirt he'd picked up while journeying with Jiraiya, Naruto nervously did up the golden-colored ties which served as the front of the shirt before pulling a pair of loose black slacks from his wardrobe. He tied the pants off at his ankles using the plain black ties, standing up to take in the effect. With the black slippers, it wasn't too bad. In fact... he looked kinda dashing. Like the hero in a martial arts story he'd once read as a kid.
He smiled at the overall effect. Aside from his unruly blond hair, an ever-defiant mass which refused to bend before the tyranny of either comb or brush, he looked every part the gentleman. With a lovely lady at his side he'd even pass for good company. The blond boy fiddled with the stiff cuffs of the shirt, playing with the golden-hued pegs.
Glancing in the mirror a second time, he was tempted to find something a little less refined, now that he thought about it. Perhaps he was over-dressed. He didn't want to look like an idiot if Shikamaru showed up in a chunin vest. Then again, the lazy bastard managed to look cool in the outfit: Naruto dreaded the day he'd wear it.
Naruto's meandering thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his apartment door. The lovely lady who would give the rest of Konoha the illusion that he was socially passable.
"Sorry, Naruto. Sai had something to do and couldn't make it tonight. So I guess it's just going to be the two of us with Team 10 for dinner tonight," Sakura smiled weakly, apologetic. Naruto waved off her concerns, instead focusing on the enchanting effect her refined blue dress had on her figure. It was demure, without making her look old. The blue was even a light enough shade not to clash with the pink of her hair, currently combed and curled out at the ends in a rare defiance of her vow to stop caring for her looks in preference to caring for her ninjutsu.
"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," Naruto said with a smile. He stepped out of his apartment, locking the door behind him with a click. Pocketing his keys, he smiled at the pinkette. "Even if the six is reduced to five, it's fine."
"But, does Ino know you've invited your team with you to dinner?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide. Ino had offered to pay for Naruto, not the rest of his team. Some unconscious part of the green-eyed girl told her that the invitation hadn't been meant for herself or Sai. Some other part yelled defiance at the first, certain coming was a good idea.
"It's my treat tonight, Sakura," Naruto grinned, patting the deep pockets of his black pants. The welcome bulge of Gamachan rested comfortably in the pocket, waiting to be spent. Kakazu had had quite the bounty on his own head. "Dinner tonight for you is my treat. I'm just happy that our two teams can sit down for a nice dinner and relax!"
oOo
Having disposed of Chouji and Shikamaru for the night, Ino made her way to Amaguri with a broad smile on her face. The plan was really simple. By showing up by herself, she could just claim that Shikamaru and Chouji had had other plans. Then she would be left alone with Naruto for the evening and would be able to work her charms on him with ease.
It was the perfect plan.
She couldn't know it, but walking towards Amaguri, both Naruto and Sakura sneezed.
oOo
Ino waited for her meal to arrive, glaring at her rival. The pink-haired girl, dressed in a totally gaudy, unflattering blue dress sat across the small table from her. The way the golden threading of the dress was shaped, it was meant to look classy while drawing attention to the wearer's bust. Why did Naruto have to invite her along? Why the hell would she even come along? She sipped her tea as she considered the evil blue-clad creature, who was giving her a smug look in turn. She knew, of course. The small smile on her face was trying to be coy about it but Sakura's entire posture screamed personal satisfaction.
Sakura sipped her ice-water as she idly tapped her fingers on the table, trying to smother the grin fighting it's way to her face. So that's how it was. While she was pissed off that this blond hussy would try to move in on her teammate under her nose, she was greatly satisfied that she'd been lucky enough to be invited along. She knew the story about Chouji and Shikamaru canceling last minute was a lie. It was the lamest excuse to get him alone! Who did that girl think she was? Especially wearing such a skanky black dress! The low-cut neckline plunged dangerously, loosely covered by translucent silk. The high cut of her dress, mid-thigh, was likewise rendered decent only by the stockings! It was like she wasn't wearing anything at all! A more conservative dress like her own was far classier, the green-eyed girl concluded.
"They sure are taking their time with our food," Naruto commented from his position to Ino's right and Sakura's left, idly looking around the swanky restaurant, oblivious to the silent exchange taking place right in front of him. The focus of his attention was on the gnawing hunger in his belly and the pressure slightly below that.
"Sakura, how was work? You're looking tired tonight," Ino mentioned, smiling at the barb. Subtle enough to pass unnoticed beneath the blond boy's eyes, yet still cut the blue-garbed medic-nin: Sakura's eyes were strained, her lower eyelids ever so slightly dark from too many late nights at the hospital. Completely unlike her own well-rested eyes, unmarred by lack of sleep.
"I'm fine, Ino. Though you like you've seen a little too much sun," Sakura grinned, reveling in her own alabaster skin when compared to Ino's almost orange hue. Working in the hospital like she did, she was able to maintain a nice, pale complexion, allowing her pale hair to complement her pale skin. Ino's own sun-darkened hue clashed with her hair.
"Oh, no... This is just the result of going on too many missions recently. Oh, that's right, Sakura... You're so busy at the hospital you don't really get too many missions these days, do you?" Ino switched tactics, throwing her foe's lack of experience in her face. Naruto still wasn't paying attention, so she knew she could up her game. She paused, almost in thought. "How is your practice going? Have you learned any new jutsu?"
"I've learned plenty, Ino. Afterall... I'm the primary apprentice of the Hokage herself, remember? She's been taking the time to teach me everything she knows," Sakura added with a smirk. Ino wouldn't get her based on that. Being the Hokage's apprentice, she had certain advantages. Like learning ninjutsu tricks so obscure most jounin didn't know as much as she did.
"Hey, I''ll be right back," Naruto stated, standing up and stretching before heading towards the washroom. Both girls watched him briefly, waiting until he was out of hearing before they turned back to openly glare at one another, abandoning the loosely-veiled facade of civility.
"All right Ino, what's the deal?" Sakura demanded, crossing her arms as she stared across the table at her friend. She gestured at Naruto's empty seat. "Why are you dragging him out for a date without even telling him what it is?"
"Jealous?" Ino retorted, leaning back in her chair and sipping her tea. She stopped glaring, her eyes gazing towards Naruto's chair with a fond look which surprised Sakura. The green-eyed girl's hostility wavered. "Look, Sakura... I tried to play a prank on Naruto. It backfired. I know... well, everything."
"Everything?" Sakura asked, taken aback. Not many people their age knew much about Naruto, especially the Kyuubi. She'd only learned about the nine-tailed demon a couple months previously and she was the Hokage's apprentice and the boy's teammate. She paused, searching carefully for the proper words. Maybe the blond girl was bluffing. "So you even know about Naruto's little problem?"
"You mean the Kyuubi?" Ino asked quietly, causing Sakura to gasp. The blond smiled to herself, satisfied that she'd surprised Sakura. The blond leaned forward, lowering her voice to just a whisper: She had to convince the girl that she was sincere, at least. "I tried to use Shintenshin no Jutsu on Naruto yesterday, Sakura. I got trapped in Naruto's mind and that monster inside him nearly killed me."
"What happened-" Sakura began, then stopped, leaning back speculatively. Naruto happened, obviously. Which meant... "What does Naruto think of this?"
"He doesn't know. He thought it was all a dream," Ino replied, waving a hand negligently. She paused, for a moment with a sigh. "Look, Sakura... I'm not messing with him. I'm not going to play with his heart or anything. I know exactly what I'm getting into with him."
"Yeah, but-" Sakura began, stopping as Ino's eyes flickered past her shoulder. Naruto returned to his seat, a wide smile on his face. Ever clueless to his surroundings, the pinkette mused that Naruto wouldn't notice anything if it wasn't trying to kill him, teach him powerful jutsu, or flavoured with ramen.
"Dinner's still not here? Man, they're slow," Naruto crossed his arms as his eyes swept across the restaurant, searching for their server. It had been a whole ten minutes since they'd placed their order!
"Now now, Naruto... It isn't like they're serving Ramen here," Sakura chided, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. Her eyes flickered back to Ino's face, and she was forced to hide her surprise when she saw that her friend's attention was on Naruto. As if they hadn't been talking seriously just a moment ago. Over Ino's shoulder, she saw dinner approaching. "Besides, it looks like it's done."
"Finally!" Naruto cheered, eagerly eyeing the food. As the blond boy dug into his meal, Ino's eyes met Sakura's over the flower arrangement in the center of the table. This wasn't over. Not yet. They turned their attention to their own meals.
oOo
Naruto yawned loudly as he, Ino, and Sakura walked along the side-streets and back alleys of Konoha as they made their way home. While this might sound dangerous to the average person, Konoha had a remarkably low crime rate: Konoha's various ninja residents having a remarkably low tolerance for, and a judiciously high ability to deal with, the occasional back-alley thug who tried to set up shop.
Such men were convinced to move on and forget they'd ever thought of staying in the first place. The spirited points made by the ninja rebuking them even meant that sometimes they were able to move on under their own power instead of being slung across the shoulders of an ANBU ninja.
Sakura and Ino exchanged a look as they walked, evaluating one another as they considered dinner. After the food had arrived, Naruto hadn't left the table, leaving them to spar with nothing more than veiled words and innuendo. They hadn't been able to discuss anything of substance.
Naruto was, of course, oblivious to everything.
They paused in front of the Yamanaka flower shop and Ino hesitated.
"Well, thanks for dinner, Ino-chan!" Naruto stated, smiling as he faced the blond girl. Sakura started at the implied connection in the form of address. Seeing Sakura's reaction, Ino grinned and snagged Naruto in a hug. "Eh, Ino-chan?"
"I just wanted to thank you for coming, Naruto! And thanks for bringing Sakura along, too! It would have been weird with just the two of us!" Ino hauled the grin back to a small smile as she pulled away from the hug, cheering internally at the shell-shocked look on the blond boy's face. She knew she was sending a bit of a mixed message: She knew she had to take it a little slower than normal. The poor boy didn't react well to certain forms of change. If Sakura's story about the mission in Demon Country was true, he was pretty clueless when it came to women.
"Yeah, almost like a date," Sakura edged in, her voice low and even. The green-eyed girl bored twin holes in the blond boy's back. Hint hint, idiot!
"No way, me and Ino-chan?" Naruto chuckled, turning to look at his teammate, and thus missing Ino sticking out her tongue at the pink-haired girl. He shook his head, turning back to the other blond in their trio. "That's just crazy!"
"Yeah, you're right. That is crazy," Sakura said, taking advantage of Naruto's turned back to lash back with a grin of her own at her old friend. The blue-eyed girl's smile barely changed, just a slight tightening of the eyes. "Goodnight, Ino."
"Goodnight, Sakura," Ino replied, entering the flower shop and closing the door behind her. As tempting as it was to follow the pair as Naruto walked Sakura to her house, the blond girl knew she'd already pressed her luck enough for one night.
oOo
"That would have been funny though, eh?" Naruto pondered after a moment, walking in companionable silence with Sakura to her house. While it wasn't on the way, strictly speaking, it wasn't in the opposite direction, either.
"What?" Sakura asked, her train of thought derailed by Naruto's sudden question.
"Ino and me on a date: That would have been funny, right?" Naruto repeated, scratching his chin and glancing up at the stars above. He continued, not noticing the emotionless mask his companion's face was becoming at the sight of his small smile. "I mean, why would a girl like Ino date a guy like me?"
Shit, Sakura thought to herself. She was torn between wanting to compliment him about everything he'd done, everything he'd accomplished... and wanting to smack him one for chasing her all these years if he thought Ino was so unattainable.
Then again, he wanted to be Hokage, too. Now she wanted to smack him for being so unpredictable. Before she could resolve her feelings, she gave Naruto a small smile as his eyes turned to meet hers.
"I guess it would have been sort of funny," she admitted, trying to find a way to ask more. He couldn't be interested in Ino. There was just no way...
The door to her house arrived far too quickly. Resolving not to let Ino upstage her, Sakura hugged her teammate as well, drawing a huge blush and sputtered questions which reaffirmed her belief in his affection.
As the door to her home clicked shut, she didn't bother to smother the scowl as she remembered his small smile as he gazed at the moon.
oOo
Author's Notes:
This revision was a little shorter than it had been previously, though that is mainly related to the pacing: I didn't want to stretch Naruto going to the can too long and didn't want to spend a thousand words having Ino and Sakura trade veiled insults under Naruto's nose while the trio ate. (Though I could have)
I added in the walk home with Sakura to more firmly plant Ino as a rival, establishing that one of Naruto's reasons for laughing off Ino Sakura's mention of the "accidental" date was his disbelief in her interest, not an implied disinterest of his own. While strictly speaking Naruto would have affirmed that Sakura was his one and only, I'm sure Jiraiya spent a fair amount of time trying to tutor Naruto on the opposite sex. We know where the old bastard stands on that point.
The next chapter soonish. I'm not going to promise a day or time because that seems to me to be the quickest way for it to be abandoned. You see it when it's done.