AN: I'm sorry again if it took me a bit long to update...here's chapter 10 for all of you!
Chapter 10:
Such fruitless thoughts occur to them these days-because they were walking behind Kakashi, following him to a bar he suggested.
"Tell me again why we're following him," Sakura asked Naruto not too softly as she stomped her way behind Kakashi.
"Uh," Naruto scratched his head, "I don't know?"
Sakura sighed. Sasuke shook his head mentally and Sai just smiled. Yamato walked on, an almost anxious expression on his face.
"Here we are," Kakashi announced cheerfully, earning him noncommittal grunts of annoyance from his former team.
Sakura looked meticulously at the sign just above the bars entrance: Eden, followed by a supposedly catchy tagline: welcome to liquor paradise. She raised a brow.
"Now that's lame," Naruto exclaimed as he too read the bar's name. Kakashi shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to walk in, followed by not so amused ninjas. When they have all walked in, they noticed that Kakashi settled for a table at the far end of the bar.
Good, Sasuke thought. He'd be damned if they sat in the middle, where all prospective and current fangirls might see and have easy access to.
In fact, despite the lousy name and catchphrase, the interior wasn't too bad. It had the generic dim lights, slightly loud music and an adequate dance floor. Even the patrons were not so bad- at least more than half are still sober. Plus the bartender seemed nice enough. The only problem was Uchiha Sasuke's always present fan girls.
When they have all settled in their respective seats, the drinks came rolling in. At first, they all tried to control their drinking tendencies but what ninja would resist drowning his/her worries in alcohol when given the chance?
So before long, they were tipsy; too bad for Sasuke who drank the least. He glared across him at Kakashi, who was already asleep.
What brilliant idea, he mentally reprimanded his former sensei.
--
Sakura was most probably in her 8th drink and she wasn't doing so well. In fact, all of them weren't doing so well. Sai was still smiling as usual but his eyes were a little watery. Yamato proceeded to dance and Sasuke had to stop himself from paralyzing Yamato for all the lame moves he was doing. Naruto was talking loudly to himself and Kakashi proudly announced a moment ago (after waking from his slumber-courtesy of Naruto) that he had to go home.
Which left three crazy ninjas, a tipsy kunoichi and one pissed-off Uchiha. It wasn't a pretty sight. And Sasuke predicted that there was going to be a commotion soon if he didn't stop the antics of the idiots around him.
So he tried to stop them. He walked over to NAruto, Yamato and Sai and simultaneously knocked them out. Only one problem left: Sakura. And what a problem she was.
Normally, Sasuke would have passed it off as annoying, stupid at worst, but-he thought with an audible swallow- what the hell is Sakura's business being so…
enticing?
Her cheeks were pink from drinking, her hair artfully messed up, and her skirt was so high up her thighs that he thought it was illegal to be like that in public.
Even drunk, she looked at him straight in the eye.
"What are you looking at Sasuke-kun," she slurred. "Why the hell are you looking at me?!"
She lifted her drink, took one big gulp and slammed it on the table so hard that it broke into smithereens.
"Sakura," he started to say-a bit annoyed, a bit discomfited, "you're drunk."
"So what if I'm drunk," she asked, surprisingly more audible now.
"You're going to destroy the bar," he stated flatly.
"Then pay for it Sasuke-kun. You're rich anyway," she answered him, crossing her legs so her skirt climbed a couple more centimeters up her thigh.
Sasuke was distracted. He has never appreciated Sakura as a woman before. He now wondered why.
"Come on," he finally said after a few seconds, "I'll take you home."
HE walked over to her and started to haul her up when she punched him in the nose- and god, it hurt- and pushed him away.
"You're not my boyfriend Sasuke-kun," she said groggily, "call Neji-kun."
Sasuke didn't know why but he suddenly clenched his fists at this declaration.
"Look Sakura," he started but she was looking at him now and she seemed sober.
"Sasuke-kun," she said softly as if his name was fragile. She closed her eyes and suddenly fell asleep.
Sasuke could only sigh.
--
"It's 1 am," Neji said menacingly to a bewildered Kakashi.
He put up his hands in a motion of surrender. "Hey, good evening to you too. Or is it good morning?"
The Hyuuga just continued to glare at the copy nin. "Where is Sakura?"
"I don't have her," Kakashi answered coolly, "and how did you find me anyway?"
"I have my resources," he replied through gritted teeth, unconsciously activating his Byakugan.
"Last time I heard, she's in the bar."
"Bar?"
Neji's eyes were almost completely white now.
"Drunk…" continued Kakashi.
A murderous aura emanated from Neji.
"with Naruto, Sasuke and Sai," Kakashi finished triumphantly.
Neji was already gone.
"Ah, young love."
--
When Neji arrived at the bar, he was relieved to know that it was still intact, that it was closing and that Sakura was there. He didn't know what he would feel though, seeing Sakura hunched over a table asleep, across Sasuke- who was staring at her in the oddest way.
He walked towards them.
"Uchiha."
"Hyuuga."
They locked eyes for a moment and wordlessly arrived at a temporary truce.
"I'll take it from here," he said sternly. Sasuke just nodded silently.
It was strange though, he looked…defeated. Neji did not have time to process those thoughts as he carried Sakura bridal style and slowly walked out.
Sasuke watched them leave- feeling peculiarly…lonely.
--
Neji sighed. He seemed to be doing a lot of it these days. He looked at Sakura and instead of being annoyed, couldn't help but be endeared at the sight of her pretty face.
His day would've ended right with Sakura right there in his arms, sleeping peacefully and looking for all the world like a lovely princess.
"Sasuke, my Sasuke…"
Neji immediately looked down at Sakura's murmurs and frowned.
Somewhere, he heard glass breaking. Or was it his heart?
AN: please review! they are sure to make my day!