"You're going to talk to Kin?" Ino asked, looking apprehensive. "You're kidding, right?"
"No," Sasuke said. "I'm going to talk to him."
"Just talk?"
"Yes."
"No violence?"
"No violence. Just talking."
"Are you lying to me?"
"No."
"Then why are you sharpening your katana?"
Sasuke looked up at Ino. "No reason. See you later."
It didn't take very long for Sasuke to find Kin. It didn't take very long for him to convince "Loser Face" to fight him. It didn't take very long for Sasuke to reduce Kin's self-esteem into mere shreds floating through the air.
"W-Why aren't you in the ANBU?" Kin gasped, attempting to suck air back into his lungs.
One well-placed kick to the solar plexus and the guy was flopping on the ground like a fish out of water? Sasuke frowned, this guy would never be strong enough to protect Ino.
"The Hokage doesn't trust me."
The weak man managed to sit up. "Why not?"
"I'm a traitor."
"You don't have very good conversation skills, do you?" Kin said, frowning, "I'm trying to get us talking here, and you keep giving me the bare minimum in responses."
"I don't talk to people I don't like."
"So you admit it then, you like Ino."
Kin looked victorious.
"Yes."
"How much do you like her?"
"Probably more than I should."
Kin stood up, "You need to stay away from her."
Sasuke resisted the urge to kick him in the solar plexus again. Instead, he said, "You shouldn't tell me what to do."
"You don't know what's good for her!" Kin shouted.
"And you don't even know her." Sasuke said, a challenging tone to his voice. "Which one is better: not knowing what's good for Ino, or not knowing Ino at all?"
"I know her," he spat. "I've been dating her for six months."
"Four months."
"What?"
"You've been dating her for four months, dumb ass, not six." Sasuke didn't know he could be so disgusted with one human being.
Kin faltered. "W-Well, I still know her!"
"What's her favorite flower?"
"Why should that matter?" Kin snapped.
"Her family owns a flower shop, she's been around flowers for her entire life," Sasuke said, voice calm. "And being as pathetic of an excuse of a human being as you happen to be, you are going to screw up. How are you supposed to win back her graces if you don't even know what her favorite flower is?"
"I won't make mistakes."
"You already have, asshole." Sasuke said. "All I'm doing is waiting for you to make the mistake that pushes her over the edge."
"Who says she'll take you?"
"She probably won't." Sasuke pretended to not let that news affect him. "But at least I'll be able to make sure that she doesn't end up settling for someone like you."
"Someone like me? Wouldn't it be better for her to end up with someone like me rather than someone like you?" Kin was desperate.
"I think I'm going to let Ino decide that," Sasuke said. He frowned. "It isn't my job to have my way, it's my job to be there."
"Be there for who?" Kin shot, "Your wounded ego when she rejects you?"
"No," Sasuke took a deep breath. "I get to be there for Ino."
"Just make sure," Sasuke said, finally. "That you make the right choice when you go on that date with her tonight. And, for once, don't only think about yourself."
"Kin," Ino said randomly, when they were sitting together, in the restaurant. "What would you do if I ran away?"
"I would chase after you," he said, after thinking awhile.
"How long?" She asked.
He shrugged, "Probably for two weeks or so."
Ino frowned. That was romantic.
"Why do you ask?" He asked, grabbing her hand.
"Oh," she gave him a tight smile and grabbed his hand. "No reason."
Clearing her throat she asked, "You ready to order?"
Kin looked at Ino, and his and Sasuke's words rang through his ears.
How much do you like her?
Probably more than I should.
Ino caught him staring and smiled, "What is it?"
You don't even know her.
He smiled back and shook his head, "Nothing. It's nothing."
I think I'm going to let Ino decide.
"I heard you and Sasuke had a talk," she said, smiling a little mischievously. "Please tell me that he wasn't a jerk."
I get to be there for Ino.
"He wasn't," Kin said. "We talked."
He looked at the woman in front of him.
He liked her. He really did.
"Just talked?" She raised her eyebrows.
He could feel her slipping through his hands. She was going to get away from him. He was losing her.
"Just talked," he confirmed, looking away.
