#10 – Invitation
Sasuke causally casted his eyes around, nodding heads at some of the resident hostesses as his eyes continued searching along the blue LED hallways.
"Where you looking? Our room's this way," His latest client instructed as he buried that dash of disappointment deep in his chest and strode into their usual suite.
"What's the occasion today, Akio?" Sasuke asked the waitress that just entered the room with their drinks. "It's noisy out there."
Akio bowed in apology and meekly shook her head.
"Please don't worry, Uchiha-san. It's just the usual troublemakers. I'm sure they'll be taken care of in a moment-"
"Sir, you can't enter that room!"
"Leave me alone! I'm going to get back at that bastard for what he's done…"
The door flew apart and a slender blonde wearing a white tuxedo stormed in, his ponytail smacking the protesting waiters behind in fury.
"Uchiha Itachi! I know you're here! Where's Itachi?"
"Why are you looking for my brother?" The man stopped his frantic search and narrowed his eyes at a cross-armed and unimpressed Sasuke.
"Who the hell are you, hm?"
"Didn't you hear the staffs? You're not supposed to be in this room, mister." He turned on the signature Uchiha glare that sent the waitresses and hostesses into shivers and his client second thoughts about declining his proposal. "Now get out before I have to get rough with you."
"So the Uchiha on the room's name list is you?" Deidara slapped his forehead and scowled at the receptionist peeking by the entrance, as though it was her fault for the mix-up. "Hah, and even the conceited way you talk is a carbon copy. You're his brother alright, I'll admit." He leaned against the wall by the door and pointed at his phone.
"Call him, and ask him to come here, hm."
"Why should I?"
"Either you do that, or you and I can have a little overnight camp in this suite, on your tap of course, hm." He flashed a victory grin and proceeded to shoo all the staffs out.
At a certain apartment…
Itachi silently laughed as he snorted into the speaker.
"Your mother said what?"
"She said that if I don't learn to make dumplings by the time I turned thirteen, I'll not be able to make babies when I grow up. And I actually believed that crap!" Sakura carped. "So for the next month, all I've been doing after I got home from school is make dumplings, while my Mother goes about distributing my hard work, claiming she's doing this for my future."
"It might be a little far-fetched, but have your neighbours been treating you better since then?"
"Well, they do drop by with the occasional food that they accidentally made in excess…" Sakura felt an epiphany in that instant. "Looks like Mother's right huh…"
"Not sure about the baby part, but at least your public relations is under control."
"Not that I've had a chance to test that theory either-" There was a prolonged silence on both speakers as they cleared their minds of the implication of Sakura's words.
"...But I do agree mothers tend to force their kids to do things they're reluctant to, it's in their blood."
"What about you, Itachi-san? What did she try to make you do?"
"I think I'm a well-behaved child in general…"
"I don't doubt that. They're also usually the targets of pranks... Alright, alright I'm just joking!"
"Well, the only thing she told me to make was more friends I guess."
"What? Just how anti-social were you? Don't boys at that age usually go out and play soccer?"
"It's hardly fun to play soccer with just two people don't you think?" He replied, reminiscing the times where he and Shisui would snuck out after bedtime to the forest and catch fireflies. "I prefer soothing recreations like hiking through the woods."
"Wow, how old are you again now, sixty?"
Old enough to marry you, but he quickly waved that thought away.
"Sakura, I have an incoming call."
"From your hiking buddy?"
"Nope, my brother," He answered with amusement, imagining her smirk. "I'll talk to you later."
"Hey Itachi-san," Sakura called out as his finger was mid-way to the End Call button.
"Hmm?"
"…Would you like to try my dumplings? I'm making some this weekend for Ino, I could use some helping hand." At the growing silence, Sakura began to regret making such a bold move so soon…
"…Are you asking me out?"
"S-So do you want or not?"
"I would love to." He swore he could hear her sigh of relief. "Alright I better pick up his call before I get a beating down from him."
…
"What took you so long?" Sasuke hissed into his ears before he could spill his pleasantries.
"Sorry, I was on the phone. What's up?"
"Could you drop by the club two streets down your dango store- ITACHI get your ass right here this instant! I have SCORES to settle with you hm- What the, don't snatch the phone from me you idiot- no little brother, YOU don't interrupt our conversation-"
The line cut just before their yelling became unbearable. He really did not feel like seeing Deidara again, especially after what went down between them in high school and the recent kissing escapade.
He was still debating his next move when his home screen lit up.
Sasuke:
You don't have to come anymore. That maniac's friend came to pull him out of the room before he could flip the table and smashed my head. Just what kind of friends are you making in your free time?
Deidara's doomed to be a nutcase no matter which universe he ends up in kekeke... Sorry.