Apartment 7
Stumbling Blind
The flat area over Hokage Mountain, which is usually bare, excluding a few benches, has transformed into party paradise. A large but temporary fence now lines the cliff edge, most likely to prevent any intoxicated students from falling over. Opposite the fence, a large stage has been set up and a few punky band members begin playing a song with a fast beat. Adjacent to the stage are large kegs as well as a makeshift bar filled with colorful bottles. Over the edge of the mountain, the colorful sunset can be seen. The quickly approaching darkness motivates students to begin setting up their tents.
Sakura practically squeals in excitement as Sasuke makes an unimpressed noise in the back of his throat.
The med student shrugs off her pack and begins pulling out the pieces of the tent that she had been carrying. After pulling out the canvas pack of her temporary home, she begins taking inventory.
In between her counting the number of stakes, Ino runs over, a rosy tint to her cheeks informing Sakura of her slightly intoxicated state. "How about we set up our tent later?" The blonde says as she eyes the band mates. "I want to stand up by the front of the stage in order to check out that sexy bassist."
Sakura nods in agreement, her own head swimming with the mixture of anticipation and alcohol.
"Sexy clothes time!" Ino squeals as she grabs some clothing and shoes from her bag. Sakura does the same, and both girls run off to the tree line in order to change out of their dirty hiking clothes.
When they emerge from the shrubbery, both look suited for a party. Ino now wears a purple tube top and black mini skirt, which shows off her diamond belly button piercing and smooth legs. Shiny, heeled boots complete the ensemble. Sakura throws caution to the wind as she wears a crimson halter top that shows off a fair bit of cleavage. Her skintight black pants show off her round butt and sculpted legs. Needless to say, the girls look hot.
As they walk to the stage, more than a few heads turn and are proceeded by appreciative whistles. Once they squeeze through the small crowd to reach the front, even the singer spares them a wink. This sends Ino into a series of girlish squeals and Sakura feels her heart flutter slightly.
"Jell-O shot?" A man with a shaved head asks as he nudges a plastic cup into Sakura's hands. She smiles and accepts the offer, downing the wiggly goodness in one go. The man smiles and hands her another one.
After accepting numerous shots, beers, and bottles from the various party people around them, Sakura and Ino begin singing along with the band shamelessly, the alcohol drowning out the sound of their own off-tune voices. They even hop up on stage and begin happily grinding against one another. The bassist that Ino had been eyeing comes up behind them and joins in on the fun.
Figuring it is getting a little too crowded for her tastes, Sakura looks over the edge of the stage and into the clearing. By now, multiple colored tents were set up in the distance and a large crowd of students have gathered in front of the stage, their hands outreached and cheering.
This gives the med student an idea. This idea, in hindsight, she finds ridiculous and stupid. Without thinking for another minute, the drunken pinkette closes her eyes and runs full speed ahead before jumping off the edge of the stage.
Had she been sober, Sakura would have been waiting for the impact with the hard ground that is almost inevitable. Alas, she feels herself fall into the drunken arms of the crowd before being set on the ground, albeit a little shakily.
"Wow, you have a set of pipes on ya," a familiar voice says. Once gaining what little of her bearings she has left, Sakura turns around to find a distorted face with dark spikey hair.
"Well hiya!" She says enthusiastically, "Your face is funny, want me to check it out." She begins leaning closer, squinting at the stranger, though his face remains in the frustrating haze. "I'm a doctor," she slurs while leaning in closer. "At least I'm going to be," she adds.
"I think we should take a walk." The blurred man says as he begins pulling the pinkette away from the rowdy crowd.
After moving from the loud music and flashing lights, Sakura's vision begins to clear.
Her mind now only somewhat muddled reminds her to look at person who is currently dragging her into the tree line. Looking up at his face she makes out dark eyes and pointed teeth.
She recognizes him immediately.
"Kiba!" She says excitedly, her voice too loud for a sober person.
"You know, accepting drinks from strangers can be dangerous." He says before leaning close to her.
"I'm being careful. After all, Ino's with me!" Sakura says before gesturing to the area around her. "Oh no! I left Ino. I should go find her."
Before Kiba can even blink, the bright green eyes and pink hair dart away from him back to the crowd of drunken college students.
The intoxicated state of the blonde does nothing to inhibit her scheming mind. Sakura had disappeared with Kiba a little bit ago and since then, Ino had jumped off the stage herself and spotted a certain spikey-haired hunk that is currently over at a keg with some guys.
Pushing her boobs up slightly, the busty blonde begins making her way over to him. Unfortunately, a certain redhead had the same idea.
"Get out of here, Blondie!" Karin snaps as she steps in front of Ino, obstructing her vision of Sasuke.
"Make me, Bitch!" she yells back, her eyes widening in shock we she looks at the human roadblock more closely. "Oh my god! You are not wearing the same outfit as me!" Ino shrieks as she registers the same tube top and skirt on the redhead's body.
"No, you're wearing the same outfit as me!" Karin corrects her before lightly pulling on Ino's skirt.
"Did you just touch me?" the blonde asks rhetorically, practically seeing red in rage.
"What if I did, Barbie?" Karin places her hands on her hips in a predatory manner.
Without saying anything, Ino lets out a furious growl before launching herself at the other girl. In a flurry of red and blonde, both girls begin thrashing out at each other. As Karin pulls on the beautician's hair, Ino snaps one of her heels.
"How dare you break my shoe, you bitch!" Karin screams before ripping the side of Ino's skirt, revealing the black lacey thong beneath. In retribution, Ino pulls down the other girl's tube top.
"I know you had chicken cutlets, you fake ass whore!" the blonde shouts after pulling out a fleshy piece of silicon from Karin's bra.
"Dude, look at this! These two chicks are literally ripping each others' clothes off." A boy yells causing quite a large crowd to gather around the catfight. As the girls roll in the grass in a frenzy, the group of students begins cheering them on.
"Blondie!"
"Redhead!"
"Let's see some boobs!"
"Catfight!"
"Pull her shirt off!"
"Skank! Sasuke's mine!" Ino yells right before her skirt practically falls onto the grass.
"He could never love you!" Karin screams back before examining her freshly broken nail.
"You're both idiots," a familiar voice says causing both girls to immediately back off from what they're doing. Two pairs of eyes, one set bright crimson, the other baby blue, stare up at the law student they had just been fighting over.
After releasing an unamused sound from the back of his throat, Sasuke walks away from the pair of quarrelling girls, ready to call it a night.
"This is all your fault, Karin!" Ino yells before standing up to straighten out her clothes.
"My fault?" the other girl replies in disbelief. "You're the one who tackled me, you psychotic bitch!"
The blonde is just about to start round two when a set of strong arms entraps her from behind. "Ino, quit being so troublesome."
"Shikamaru! Let me go!" Ino cries recognizing the voice of her friend.
"If I let you go, you'll probably end up getting arrested for clawing her eyes out," he exhales in exasperation. "Ino, quit flailing."
Even though his tone sounds bored, Ino knows how bad the situation must be if the pineapple-haired male got involved. After all, his reputation for being one of Konoha's laziest college students is all too true. Reluctantly, the blonde allows herself to be towed away by the boy, but not before ruthlessly bumping Karin with her shoulder.
The redhead, who had lost a boot in the fight, ends up falling right into the unsuspecting arms of one, Hōzuki Suigetsu. Ino spares her wicked grin before walking off with her childhood friend.
"Well, hey there," the silver-haired boy says with a wink, giving her one of his pointy toothed smiles.
"Ew! Let go of me, fish face!" Karin squeaks before slapping the marine biologist multiple times on the shoulder.
"Excuse me for catching you!" he exclaims, throwing his arms in the air in irritation. The action causes Karin to fall to the ground, screeching all the way.
"Why would you just drop me?"
"You told me to let go!" Suigetsu defends himself.
"I didn't mean like that!" the girl responds, crossing her arms in anger.
"Maybe you need to clarify things!"
"Shut up and help me stand." Karin orders.
"Why should I help you up after you just yelled at me like that?" Suigetsu responds with a smirk.
"Just do it, damn you."
"You are so annoying!" the man exclaims before reaching down to help the fallen girl.
"Ino?" Sakura calls into the crowd, but her voice is easily swallowed up by the noise of loud music and drunken students.
Looking up on the stage, she notices that the blonde is no longer dancing up with the bassist, so Sakura wanders around the clearing aimlessly searching for her missing friend. Spying a large crowd gathering, she decides to go the opposite direction and walks towards the kegs.
"Naruto!" she yells enthusiastically upon seeing her blonde roommate. "Have you seen Ino at all?" the pinkette asks before accepting a plastic cup from one of the keg masters.
Naruto notices the glassy sheen of Sakura's eyes and quickly removes the red cup of beer from her hands.
"Sorry, Sakura-chan. I haven't seen her."
"Wait, can I have my cup back?" Sakura asks while reaching out for the alcohol-filled plastic.
"Maybe you should go back to the tents. You look like you've had a little too much." He begins ushering over her to the campsites not trusting her to make it there on her own, but the drunken girl wiggles out of his grip, struck with sudden inspiration.
"The tents!" she exclaims happily. "I didn't even think to check there! Thanks, Naruto!" She yells before planting a kiss on his cheek and wobbly running away towards the large group of tents.
"Ino!" the girl shouts expectantly as she navigates her way through the temporary homes. Only Kami knows how she managed to pass through the multitude of tightened cords and protruding stakes without twisting an ankle or two.
With fumbling fingers, she unzips a red tent, her alcohol muddled brain finding nothing wrong with the action. After opening the flap and sticking her head in, Sakura finds it empty, but refuses to allow herself to get discouraged. Without zipping it back up, she moves onto the next one.
She unzips the purple flap and peaks her head in.
"Hey!" a voice yells in anger.
Sakura focuses her eyes within the darkened room to find two students tangled together in a sloppy make out session. The girl's red hair is mussed from the obvious actions and her crimson eyes glare at Sakura.
"Sorry, sweetheart," the boy reaches over towards the zipper, his purple eyes shining in amusement, "this tent is occupied."
He lightly nudges Sakura's forehead, effectively pushing her out of the doorway. The quick zip proceeded by wet sucking noises notifies her that it's time to move on elsewhere.
After peaking into a few more tents, only to come up with similar results, Sakura becomes disheartened.
Okay, I'll check one more tent. Standing before a small black one, she takes a deep breath and unzips the flap. Inside she is only met with silence, but a lone form huddles under a sleeping bag. Sakura crawls inside, leaving the tent door wide open.
"Ino?" she whispers, shaking the form slightly. A murmur of disapproval comes from the sleeping figure, a noise that is distinctly male. Trying to distinguish forms in the dark, she notices short hair peeking out from the top of the sleeping bag.
"Oh, sorry. I thought you were my friend." She says before moving to exit the tent. A firm grip wraps around her wrists and pulls her down so that she's awkwardly straddling the sleeping bag.
"S-Sakura?" the man says while sitting up so that his bare upper torso comes into view, his voice gravely from sleep.
"Sasuke!" She squeals before wrapping her arms around his neck and snuggling into him. "How are you? I was trying to find Ino, but I think she might be with somebody else. Why are you sleeping already? Are you okay?"
"Sakura," he says, silencing her, "you're drunk."
"Maybe just a little," she says holding up her fingers to emphasis her point. "You don't seem so clear-eyed yourself," she pokes him in the chest, but he traps her hand in his.
"Sasuke," she lets out a small giggle, "you're name's fun to say, S-S-Sasuke," she drags out the s's and begins giggling again.
"Sakura, you're being annoying," he says under his breath before leaning in.
"Ne, Sasuke-kun," the Uchiha twitches at the added suffix, "you're still holding onto both of my arms."
He looks down to find both of his hands wrapped securely around her wrists. "So I am," he deadpans, not showing any sign of moving.
He watches curiously as her cheeks burn red in a mixture of intoxication and embarrassment and her green eyes gaze up at him in wonder. "Sasuke-kun?"
The sound of his name on her rosebud lips causes something to stir within the Uchiha. Maybe it's because of the alcohol, maybe it's because of the way Kiba had comfortably thrown his arm across her shoulder, probably a mixture of both, but Sasuke finds himself nudging Sakura to the ground and pinning her arms over her head. "I should go and find my tent," she squeaks out quietly in response.
"Sakura," he says taking in the sight of her pink locks fanning around her heart-shaped face. "You never set up your tent."