Different kind of Apple Polisher


That counts as a compliment.


Chapter 7

Dancing Ino, Squirming Asuma


"Sooo," Asuma smiles at me as I lean down and sign the register, his eyebrows raised. "What did you do?"

I take my time signing my name, dotting the 'I' with a heart. "I didn't do anything," I reply. "It's this dingus here you should be looking at." I give Naruto an accusatory glare as I move back, allowing him to sign his name.

"Oh Naruto," Asuma shakes his head mournfully. "Have you dropped our poor delightful Ino in it?"

Naruto signs his name messily and then shrugs. "I still don't think I did anything wrong!" He announces before bounding off to a desk, whipping out his Gameboy as he does so.

Asuma and I watch him go and then Asuma looks at me. "What did he do?" He enquires.

I smile teasingly at him. "I think you should guess." I return.

Asuma's eyebrows rise. "You do know this is Naruto we're talking about right? There's a whole plethora of misdemeanours that he could have contributed to."

I giggle. "I know, but I think it'll be quite funny to watch you struggle. Plus you get a cute little scrunch between your brow when you get confused,"

So that was probably not the type of thing you're supposed to say to your teacher, but…I really do not care. Asuma gives me a slightly puzzled/slightly confused look. I point at his brow.

"That's the one."

He colours immediately and I grin down at him.

"So, uh," he coughs. "Naruto," he pauses for a moment, apparently recovers and then looks back up. "Let me guess…Did it involve Miss Senju?"

I gape at him. "How'd you know?"

Asuma chuckles. "I can tell you that literally fifty per cent of all Naruto's crimes are something to do with winding our illustrious Head Mistress up. What did he do?"

"He called her Tsunade to her face," I mutter. "Oh and he was skipping class." I add as an afterthought.

Asuma grins. "Skipping class with you?" He suggests.

"No!" I return indignantly. "I was actually doing a job for Mr. Hatake," I pause for a moment before speaking again. "I like doing jobs for teachers."

Thank you Deidara.

Asuma's eyebrows rise again. "Really?"

"Definitely."

Asuma smiles slightly but then he coughs again, drawing back. He lifts a pencil and sticks it in his mouth.

"Are you ever going to sit down flower power?"

I smirk at him and flip my long hair behind my shoulder before leaning onto the desk again. "Where would you like me to sit?"

"Working hard Ino?"

I turn at the sound of a familiar voice and my face drops as I see Hidan and Deidara enter the room, both of them grinning at me.

"As if," I grumble. "What do you two idiots want?"

"Hey boys," Asuma greets. "Come sign your name and then sit down."

Both Hidan and Deidara move over to sign their names and I draw back, glowering at them fiercely.

"What did you get caught for then?" I question. "Being huge jerks?"

Instead of answering me, Hidan looks up at Asuma and grins, throwing a thumb my way. "Watch this one Mr. Sarutobi, she's trouble."

"I have noticed." Asuma agrees while I stomp my foot.

Hidan nods at the teacher and then he and Deidara drift away, Hidan throwing a smirk my way. I mouth something about murdering him and then turn to look at Asuma, who's watching me with an unreadable expression.

"What?" I question.

"Do Hidan and Deidara bother you?" He asks, suddenly snapping into concerned teacher mode.

I flap my hand at him. "No, no," I reply. "They're just idiots is all."

Asuma and I look over at the pair to see they've stolen Naruto's Gameboy. Hidan punches at the buttons aggressively while Deidara holds back Naruto, laughing wildly.

"Hm." Asuma mutters.

"Are they in here often?" I enquire.

Asuma looks up at me and then smiles. "Not as often as you are-"

"Hey!"

"-but they're in here often enough that I know they probably threatened to punch a teacher or something."

I huff. "They're idiots." I repeat.

"No arguments here," Asuma replies. "And you're still standing up. Planning on sitting down at all this lunch time?"

At the thought of sitting down my stomach growls despondently. "I should be sitting down eating a muffin right now," I mutter, putting a hand on my tummy to soothe it. "But instead Naruto landed me in here."

"Seriously?" Asuma leans forward looking a little concerned. "You don't have lunch?"

I shrug. "No. Eh, it doesn't matter, it's not like I need the carbs anyway."

At this Asuma rolls his eyes. "Please don't tell me you're on a diet Ino."

I place my hands on my hips and shrug again. "And if I am?"

"I'll slap you with another detention for being so stupid," he replies quickly. "Why on earth would you think you needed to diet? You've got a great bod-"

My eyes widen. As do Asuma's. He flinches and then suddenly gets up, the chair nearly tipping over. He looks over my head, apparently intent on never looking me in the face ever again.

"Idate, look after the class while I just pop out will you?" He calls.

A boy with brown hair tied up into a ponytail raises his hand in acknowledgement. Asuma nods and then half sprints from the room, leaving us all alone. I stare after him. Did Asuma just say I have a great body? He did. Asuma just said I have a great body.

Immediately I begin preening.

"Oi!"

I turn and see that Hidan, Deidara, and Naruto are all gazing at me.

"What did you just say to him?" Hidan questioned. "He moved so fast I thought time had been sped up."

"That would be cool." Naruto comments.

Deidara and Hidan give him confused looks.

"What would be cool hm?" Deidara questions.

"If time speeded up." Naruto clarifies.

There's a moment of silence and then Deidara nods. "Yeah, that would be pretty cool un."

Hidan rolls his eyes at them and redirects his attention to me. "So?" He presses. "What did you do? Offer to drop to your knees? Flash him? What?"

I smirk at him. "As if I'm telling you anything."

"She flashed him." Hidan informs Deidara and Naruto.

I shriek. "I'm not a ho like you Hidan!" I roar. "I did not flash him!"

"Worried about me?"

Hidan and I look over to see Asuma has re-entered the room, holding a muffin in one hand and a bottle of water in the other.

"Yeah!" Naruto says. "We thought maybe Ino had hurt you or something."

Asuma laughs, but he keeps his eyes trained on me. "I wouldn't put it past her." He mutters before holding his hands out, offering the water and the muffin to me.

"What are these?" I question as I accept them.

"Wow." Hidan comments.

"Stop perpetuating the idea that blondes are dumb yeah!" Deidara calls aggressively.

Asuma smiles broadly at me. "You need to eat." He says.

As I realise what he's saying I shake my head. "Oh no. No Asuma I couldn't possibly accept-"

"Mr. Sarutobi," he corrects me. "And I want you to have them." his tone turns gentle.

I blush bright red and gaze at him. "I…I don't know where my money is…"

"You don't have to pay me back Ino," Asuma replies. "It's on me."

I wish I was on you.