Alright, this is a good excuse. my laptop crashed because the freakin' plug/cord/thingie broke. it took me forever to find an opportunity to smuggle my brother steve's plug out and replace it with my broken one. (Shhh...) so about the wait, i was honestly sitting in bed going 'what will my poor, poor readers do? i feel no purpose in life anymore. why should i go on??' and other such melodramatics.
also, for all you who asked about sasukes double dare, keep your snowshoes on! i couldnt just end the chapter with "get some sleep, sakura." that would be so BORING. it had to be a bit more exciting that THAT! and sakura is sometimes a little dense, so she didnt quite figure it out until it was far to late. also, sasuke wasnt really quite serious about the first dare. he just wanted to let sakura know it was getting late and all that jazz. and besides, i just thought that would be something our favorite avenger would do. he's just THAT wicked.
Disclaimer: i would put some quirky little line here where it jokes about my nonexistant ownership of the naruto series, but i recently found out the hard way that lawyers have NO sense of humor WHATSOEVER.
killjoys.
i don't own naruto. oh well, better luck next time.
"Talking."
Thoughts.
Inner Sakura.
Author talking. (That's me!)
Chapter Ten (I think)
Delving into the Fine Art of Romance
Sasuke leaned over to Sakura, nudging her closer to the blonde boy with a wicked grin painted in the corner of his lips. They were walking out of the Inn, thanking the innkeeper for their enjoyable stay.
Sakura glared at Sasuke and tapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Naruto, come here a minute you idiot." Sakura mumbled. Naruto ignored the last comment and cheerfully skipped up to the girl.
"Yes Sakura Cha—mmmmph!" naruto's eyes widened as he felt Sakuras lips press against his for a split second. As quickly as the kiss had come, Sakura shoved Naruto roughly away. Then, turning sharply, she brought the back of her hand up to the Uchiha's cheek with a sharp, resonating SLAP.
Kakashi did a double take. This was new.
Naruto blinked and swayed on the road. He was in too much shock to move. Slowly, both boys brought their hands up to rest on their faces. Sasuke put his hand tenderly on the still-livid mark Sakuras hand had left, and Naruto on his lips where he still tasted Sakura.
Brushing a piece of hair out of her face, Sakura regained her composure and spun curtly on her heel, leaving three shocked men behind her.
-
Inner Sakura gave her outer self a high five. That's what I'm talking about, HELL YEAH! Sakura smiled and kept on walking, unaware that the rest of her team had not yet been able to move. You made me so proud! She grinned and punched the air.
Suddenly she stopped and turned to the three boys rooted to the ground. Sasuke was developing a nice bruise on his cheek, and Naruto looked like he might fall over in a dead faint any minute. Kakashi was simply staring after her and she was sure that under his mask, his jaw was hanging open.
"Come on boys, we don't have all day!" she called and began walking again.
Kakashi shook his head, snapping out of it and skipped a little to catch up to Sakura. Naruto and Sasuke eventually followed, although they walked as if lead weights hung on their feet.
The Uchiha blinked. Alright, I deserved that. He was sure he would have a very nasty, kunoichi shaped bruise the next day. She had slapped him HARD. I mean, I did make her kiss the Dobe. He snickered inwardly as he observed naruto's face out of the corner of his eye. The poor Dobe, I don't think his brain can handle this much excitement. Sasukes sadistic side absently mused that Naruto really needed a girlfriend.
-
Hinata sat at the lunch table, absently clutching the papers in her hand. It was a note from Naruto. She felt the blood rushing to her face, but she scolded herself, vowing not to faint in the middle of the cafeteria. She had no idea what had brought this on…
-
"Sakura," the voice came closer, until she could hear the silent footsteps of her companion. "What the hell?"
That was Sasuke alright. She sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. "You deserved much more than just a slap, Uchiha."
The aforementioned Uchiha scowled. "Why so hard?" he asked, rubbing his cheek. Sakura was sure he wasn't really hurt physically. Sasuke didn't whine about bruises.
Sakuras eyes narrowed. "I had to kiss NARUTO." She said through gritted teeth.
Sasuke held up a hand. "Enough said. I am remorseful."
Sakura grinned wickedly before turning back to the path. "Oh, not yet you aren't. But you will be."
"Wait, what??"
-
Dear Hinata,
Sorry I have to talk like this, but I'm on a mission. You know, it comes with the whole super awesome ninja thing. Anyway, the school dance is coming up in a few weeks! Do you want to go with me? Because I would love to go with you! I suppose you can't exactly write back to me since I'll be on the road and everything, (did I mention that I was on a top secret ninja mission that's probably life threatening?) but you can tell me when you get back. I hope you say yes, I already got a suit!
Yours truly,
The future Hokage, formerly known as Naruto
A small smile crept over Hinata's face. She already knew what her answer was going to be.
-
"And you're sure about this?" Naruto asked uncertainly after he had sent the letter. Sakura had originally told him what to write, but he had added in a few things to make it more spicy.
Sakura grinned. "Trust me. Hinata is definitely going to say yes."
Naruto shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know… what if she says no? what will I do with that ridiculous dress suit I bought?"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "You could try wearing it." She suggested.
Narutos eyes widened. "Gross. No. that things way to weird to actually wear in public!"
"Then why on earth did you decide to wear it to the dance?" sakura was beginning to sound very exasperated.
Naruto looked down suddenly, blushing furiously. He mumbled something incoherent.
"What?" sakura leaned closer, teasing him.
"Because…" Naruto looked up suddenly. "It's hinatas favorite color, ok? Happy?" and stormed off in a blushing tantrum.
Sakura smiled a little bit. Naruto was so sweet it gave her cavities just thinking about it. She glanced over at Sasuke, some out-of-line part of her brain absently wondering if Sasuke would ever wear something he hated just because it was her favorite color. She looked away quickly, engaging in her own little blush-party.
Sasuke casually walked closer to sakura as he contemplated all the different directions the conversation that would inevitably happen could go. He decided to start off.
"So you finally set up the Dobe, hn? The Hyuuga heiress was a good choice."
Sakura nodded. "I hope they get off on the right foot. Naruto can be sort of a loser on first dates."
"As oppose to…?" Sasuke raised his immaculately arched eyebrow slightly.
Sakura couldn't help by grin. "I suppose you have me there."
Sasukes eyebrow returned to its appointed position and his slight smirk fell. "So…" he tried acting casual about the entire façade of nonchalance. "You don't go to dances, huh? Why not?"
Sakura glanced questioningly at him before answering. "I don't like dancing in front of people. And the dress, the hair, the—blah." She shook her head as if trying to rid herself of the memories. Admit it, inner Sakura prodded. You CAN'T dance! Sakura ignored the taunting inner self and continued the conversation. "Why don't you go?" she asked.
Sasuke looked ahead at the blonde bob weaving through the sparse trees along the path, unconsciously keeping tabs on him should he fall into trouble. "Fangirls." He answered simply.
Sakura understood immediately. If he ended up going to a dance, he might get killed by fangirls asking him to save a dance for him. And heaven forbid he should get a girlfriend…!
Sasukes sadistic side was thinking of the cruel irony. The only girl he wanted to go to the dance with was probably the only friggin one in the whole school who wouldn't say yes. "So," he continued awkwardly, "What are you going to do whilst everyone else is off making fools of themselves?"
Sakura thought a minute. "Probably sit at home and think up some incredibly sarcastic comments to snap at them when they get back."
The lower left hand corner of Sasukes mouth twitched upward, dangerously bordering on a laugh. "Well, if that's all you're going to do, why don't we brainstorm together?" he asked. Inwardly, he braced for the impact of her highly probable reaction.
Sakura blinked slightly. "You mean, like us two do something?"
Sasuke shrugged. Hopefully this state of shock would last a few more hours. By then he could sign for a mission to Iwagakure. "Yeah. You know, to keep each other company while everyone else does foolish things at the dance."
Sakura smiled happily. "Well ok!" she said, before skipping ahead to catch up to Naruto.
Sasuke stopped walking for a minute to watch her leave. Hell, if he had known how easy that would have been he would have asked her sooner.
--------------------------------
Sorry, this particular episode dragged a bit. It was mostly just dialogue, and the whole naruhina situation had been bugging me so i just had to throw that one in there. anyway, since i now have a...ahem... "borrowed" outlet plug, i should be updating much sooner. haha sorry. hey by the way, i always see people who write their stories and at the end they say something like "review please! ja ne!" what in the name of Isadora Duncan does ja ne mean????
To my wunnerful reviewers... (Gawrsh there were a lot of you! it's like 11:00 at night right now and i got two hours of sleep last night so if i tried to answer all of you i might just kill myself. sorry. but rest assured, no matter how short, i love reviews. every single one of them.)
... - well, i wouldnt go as far as to say that she's MORE of a fangirl and a biotch than ino, because frankly that isnt true. they're both rather lame like that. but if you read after the timeskip, sakura does a good job of ditching her fangirlistic ways and simply regarding sasuke as a near n' dear friend whom she desperately misses. and anyway, ino wont always be as obnoxious as she is in this story. i mean, in the manga they make up a little, dont they? -gasp- SPOILERS!
justareader - aw, stop it. you're making me blush! haha the jello thing is just...er... it would take to long to explain.
darkmoonphase - (gasp!) i need my trusty fangirl-B-gone spray!!! (grabs metallic can and sprays stuff in your eyes) ooh... sorry about that.
animelove101 - i dont even know how to respond to this, hahaha. sorry about your poor ipod, but remember: we live in a democracy. that jello is innocent until proven guilty.
itasaku29 - (edges away from you and presses the panic button under the desk repeatedly) you frighten me.
forgive me - (blinks in stunned silence) well ok then.
paintpurple - ah, i have found a kindred spirit in a universe of boy crazed fangirls and inosasu shippers. (hugs you) yeah, on some extreme ocassions like me falling down stairs or getting lupus or something, i'll get a crush on a guy. then i want to slap him and hug him all at the same time. geeze. sometimes i just want to send my romantic self on a VERY LONG vacation. but then, who would write all these silly little fluff fics?
alas, i didnt really like the way the whole talking to yourself scene played out. i was braindead at the time. i should watch out for that.
defiant-crayon - oooh, juicy little triangle, eh? well i'll definetly keep it in mind, although i never attempted to write a triangle before. its actually a good idea, if only for a chapter or two. (by the way, you're screen name made me laugh!)
tart sumpter - there's lee flavored jello? uh... thats ...interesting. hahahahaa "gaaras awaiting arms." aah, i love you.
dude you can get stoned on jello? SWEET!!
hahahaa i read this review, and then i went to the zoo with a few friends later that day. and i saw this hyena exhibit (or wild dogs or whatever you call them.) and when they started laughing i was thinking of you. lol you're funny!
sasusakutv - haha every once in a while i'll ship for leeten. but, although it sounds so mean, lee was just always one of those guys who was destined to be a bachelor. sorry! and i'll give neji your phone number, though i doubt he'll call. mainly because, heck i dont know if they have phones in the narutoworld.
(grabs aformentioned can of fangirl-B-gone and sprays you with it) FANGIRL BE GONE!
...actually don't leave, i really want you to read my story. haha
remember to review!
JA NE! (whatever the crap that is.)
don't forget to hug a jello cup today!