I'm so very proud of myself for updating without taking horrendously long. It was just a month. Which is still kind of long, but meh. :p I was slightly disappointed that I did not receive reviews from many of my former faithful reviewers, but I suppose it's to be expected after such a long absence. I know that the title is cliché, but I'm a story writer, not a title writer. Haha. Anyway, enjoy chapter twenty! n.n
SMILE
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. But Gaara's forehead tattoo makes me lol.
Warnings: Contains: disturbing nightmares/images, bountiful underage drinking, drunk driving, creepy descriptions of Lee, slight one-sided NaruSaku, NejiTen, cursing, mentions of gay butt sex, and actions that could very well lead to gay butt sex and the rating of my story going up.
I put reviews in my pipe and I smoke them.
CHAPTER TWENTY: THE SILENCE BEFORE THE STORM
With the absence of light, that which defines color and allows sight, all converts into a ravenous abyss. Sasuke's room was no exception. The overwhelming darkness of the room seemed to swallow and devour all objects within it until everything became unrecognizable in the prodigious obscurity. The blinds were shut tightly, and the scanty amount of light from the illuminated city streets that managed to pass through them were stymied by the curtains. It was not only dark due to the lack of light; the anguish radiating from the sleeping body within the room contributed significantly to its atmosphere. Whatever light, whatever glimmer of hope, that somehow achieved its journey into the room was immediately annihilated by the negative energy. Sasuke laid in the bed, writhing under the sheets as he dreamt. Evidently, though, this was no simple dream. He sweated as his nightmare only became increasingly vivid and disturbing.
The night had not begun like this, though. It was a typical day in the new life of Sasuke, which starred Naruto as his significant other. It was a day that he enjoyed. When he had initially fallen asleep, he had slept soundly. No tormenting images that he could not free himself from had displayed themselves within his mind. At first, there were no dreams; there was nothing but comforting blackness. Then pictures began to paint themselves, drawing inspiration from his subconscious. Sasuke saw various images of Naruto, and flashes of color. That had all been pleasant, yet things of a congenial nature never seemed to dwell around Sasuke for long.
He heard laughter. He found himself drawn towards it. It was musical and alluring, the latter being mostly because it was carefree in a sense that was reminiscent of a child. Sasuke knew not where he was, but he knew that he had not laughed like that since he was a child himself. He was trying to regain that part of himself lately, and he was gradually succeeding with the help of Naruto. He heard the laugh again, clearer this time. It became apparent that the voice was too mature to be that of a child. Sasuke recognized it as Naruto's laughter. Suddenly he was no longer a consciousness hovering in nothingness; his body took form and the ground sprung up from beneath his feet. Lush grass coated the ground.
The laugh sounded once more. Sasuke looked up, noticing that he was standing in a fantastical field. He saw Naruto standing in the same open expanse, a considerable distance away from Sasuke. Naruto faced away from him. Sasuke began to walk towards Naruto without questioning his presence within this place. As he walked the setting changed, it seemed to do so every few steps that Sasuke took. He looked around himself, observing his surroundings as they pulsated from one place to the next. They consisted of various locations, some of which he had been to only once or never at all, some of which were rather familiar, such as the college campus or Ichiraku Ramen. Once he got within relative proximity to Naruto, the scenery changed for what seemed to be the final time. Sasuke found himself standing by the lake in the Uchiha Grounds.
Naruto was standing at the edge of the dock, looking down into the water. Everything teemed with stillness. Not even a ripple in the lake dared to make itself known. The immobility of Naruto was nearly disturbing, yet his surroundings simultaneously reflected an air of tranquility. Sasuke opened his mouth to call out to Naruto, but it remained silent. His lips moved but his vocal cords would not vibrate. He halted trying to speak and his dark eyes widened slightly. Naruto stepped down from the dock and onto the water as if he was weightless. He was reproduced in the water, but in a manner that was highly unnatural. It seemed as if there was no separation between himself and his reflection. Rather than being an echo it was more like an extension of himself. They were connected at the feet, and the Naruto in the water was as tangible as the one walking across it. Sasuke watched, slightly surprised, taking a few steps forward. He looked into the water ahead of Naruto and noticed something dark lurking there. The dark mass manifested into a man, with long, dark hair and a menacing demeanor. The man stood upside down and beneath the water, as if the only aspect of himself that existed was his reflection. There was nothing but empty space above him. Naruto continued to walk towards this man, looking straight ahead and through him as if he was not present.
Sasuke began to panic slightly as Naruto approached the man. He stood his ground for a moment, tense, before he could move. Immediately after Sasuke took his first few strides in order to chase Naruto, the setting shifted abruptly. He was running towards fire. Sasuke ceased moving even though the heat of the flames surged over his body and engulfed him like a wave. He felt like he was drowning in the blaze. The buildings around him were disintegrating but they were not yet completely unrecognizable. Sasuke was still in the Uchiha Grounds. An agonizing scream pierced through the air and snapped Sasuke out of his daze. His heart rate increased exponentially and his eyes bulged as he heard the scream, which continued incessantly and which remained as tormenting. Never before had he heard something so full of suffering; it was utterly horrible. He needed to find Naruto. In his heart he knew that Naruto was the emitter of the screams, yet he still held a futile hope that that was not actuality. Sasuke did not need to go far in order to find him. Naruto was consumed in the inferno, burning alive.
Without another thought Sasuke ran towards Naruto, plunging himself into the flames. No longer did he feel the heat nor did it burn his skin. They were not as kind to Naruto; they burned his skin mercilessly until it peeled off, revealing the red flesh beneath it. Sasuke stopped in front of Naruto, looking at him with horror. For the first time, he was able to see Naruto's face. He was no longer screaming, as if his nerves had exploded with the tremendous pain and had allowed his body to go numb. Naruto looked at Sasuke, and though his form was ravaged, his eyes remained bright and azure, alight with agony and another emotion that Sasuke could not identify. Sasuke extended his arm out slowly, incredulously, towards Naruto. Before his fingertips could brush against Naruto's skin, the said boy began to melt away. Sasuke did nothing at first but stare at him in shock, his eyes locked with those of Naruto. They seemed to accuse him. Then, Naruto's eyes started to liquefy with the rest of his body and Sasuke frantically tried to reach out to touch him, but the remnants of Naruto merely slipped through his fingers. He stared at his shaking hands with horror.
Immersed in his terror, Sasuke did not detect the presence of the ominous man from earlier. The dark-haired man emerged from the flames and stood behind Sasuke, looming over him. Sasuke continued to look at his hands, but when he discerned that someone was behind him he raised his glance and stared ahead. Slowly, apprehensively, he turned to face the man. Calmly, he glanced down at Sasuke with red eyes from his colossal height. Sasuke felt miniscule and powerless, yet he was filled with rage. He was unable to do anything but yell, finding that his voice had returned.
"You killed him! You killed Naruto!" Sasuke screamed fiercely, over and over. The man continued to regard him coolly, almost with disinterest. Sasuke glared at him furiously, then looked down at himself. His legs were short and his hands were small. Time reversed and he was eight once more.
When Sasuke looked up, the man began to fade away. His blood red eyes engraved their image into little Sasuke's mind. As he disappeared, he chanted hauntingly. "Hate me, hate me." The words filled Sasuke's mind and overwhelmed it; he could see nothing but those words and think nothing but them. The flames encroached upon him and surrounded him. The burn of the fire crawled beneath his skin and flooded his veins. He screamed.
Sasuke's eyes were wide open, as if there had been no transition between slumber and waking. The hellish scene that was before him had seemed to have abruptly changed into the wooden bottom of the bunk-bed above him. Sasuke jerked forward violently with the shock of awakening. Feeling as if he was still being suffocated by the smoke, Sasuke labored to breathe. His shirt was drenched in sweat and it stuck to his skin uncomfortably. He tried to calm himself down; he knew that he was safe within his dorm though it was difficult to see in the pitch darkness. He knew it was nothing more than a nightmare. Sasuke remained sitting up for some time, until his breathing became less erratic. After removing the sheets from his body, he sat over the edge of the bed and cradled his throbbing head in his hands. He could feel the pulsing of his heart beat through his head; it felt like it was about to burst. His eyes burned due to the images he had seen and he kept them closed, even though his eyelids and the black space around him wore the same guise.
Once the throbbing had diminished, Sasuke removed his hands from his face. He reached into the darkness, feeling for his night table. His fingers made contact with a solid object and he moved it so that the display of his digital alarm clock was no longer face down. The room brightened with the red glow of his clock. It read three in the morning. Sasuke exhaled and then peeled off his shirt, having decided that he would shower to rid of the sweat that coated his body. Showering after his nightmares was routine. He stood up precariously, grabbing onto the small ladder that led to the top bunk for support. As soon as he steadied himself and stopped seeing stars, he dragged himself to the bathroom. The lights hurt his eyes when he flicked them on. There was hardly a thought within his mind as he twisted the knob that turned on the water. He set the temperature to freezing, as usual. Sasuke stripped down and stared at his reflection in the mirror. All color was drained from his skin, leaving him translucent, and his face looked horrible, though it was not nearly as horrible as the way it looked after Naruto had made him cry that time over a month ago. Sasuke averted his gaze from the mirror and stepped into the shower.
He stood still and let the water drench him. His raven hair turned a shade darker as it became soaked and it stuck close to his skin. Sasuke bowed his head, regarding the water as it spiraled down the drain. The air surrounding him mimicked his stillness. Silence engulfed the room; it was the only sound to be heard, other than the soft, rhythmic tapping of the water droplets against the base of the shower. The city streets which overflowed with vitality during the day were now dead. It reminded him of the initial silence of his dream, which remained fresh in his mind.
Sasuke looked away from the floor and lifted his head so that the water was directly hitting his face. It was so chilling that it burned him like the fire in his nightmare. Never before had he dreamt of such things; every time it had been the same reoccurring dream of the moment his clan perished, with slight variations. Sasuke wondered what such disturbing images could possibly mean. Deep within himself, he had a feeling of what it could signify, but that feeling did not transform into coherent thoughts. He kept it buried and hidden.
While Sasuke contemplated on the significance of his dream, the emotions he endured throughout his dream returned to him. They overwhelmed him and surged over him like a wave, submerging him until he was drowning in the anguish, weakness, anger, and guilt. They resurfaced with such vehemence that he felt as if he was reliving his nightmare with his eyes open. He was surprised that the dream had affected him so profoundly, not even those dreams of massacre left this much of an impact. The separate nightmares had one thing in common, though; they contained the same villain. Anger dominated Sasuke's other emotions as he envisioned that man. He clenched his fists and his body went from being still to stiff. His blood boiled and his anger grew as he imagined that man in his dream, the one whose face looked so much like his own, standing by as Naruto burned.
Naruto.
He did not want to see that horrid sight once more, the one that felt so palpable, as if Sasuke had witnessed it in reality. When he thought about Naruto, his anger somehow seemed to increase, yet diminish. His emotions mixed until everything became one large contradiction. His anger grew because he wanted to kill that man for what he had done to Naruto in his dream; it lessened because he was reminded of the ardent feelings he had towards Naruto. Sasuke lifted one of his tightened fists and the muscles in his arms tensed as if he was going slam it against the wall. He hesitated for a moment, then relaxed his entire body, allowing his fist to drop and make contact with the wall gently. He unfurled his fingers and stood like that for a moment before taking a step towards the wall and resting his forehead against it. Briefly, Sasuke closed his eyes, then looked down at the drain once more. The water drained from the shower and all of his anger drained from his body.
Sasuke resolved that he was not going to allow that dream to come to fruition. He could not lose Naruto, especially not after he had a taste of what it felt like. He had to remember that his life no longer involved solely himself. There were two different paths that he had to chose from, or learn to balance. The decision of which one to follow became much simpler when he visualized the smiling face of Naruto. The corners of Sasuke's lips curled up in a small smile.
He removed himself from the wall and concluded that it was about time that he actually got to the sanitizing part of the shower. Quickly, he washed his hair and scrubbed his body until he felt cleansed. He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, ignoring the coldness of his skin, then took another look at himself in the mirror. His reflection stared back at him, looking better and almost content, though his obsidian eyes were somewhat troubled. Sasuke exited the bathroom and turned off the light, disappearing into the darkness. He sat in a chair, laid his arms across the arm rests, leaned back, and closed his eyes.
Sakura drove down the street that ran along the city's restaurant row and simultaneously scanned the parking lane for open spaces. As soon as she laid her emerald eyes on one she parallel parked her car in the spot so quickly that it was almost reckless. In an urban area such as Konoha City, it was difficult to find parking and she was not about to allow anyone to take her space. Sakura exited the car and then dug through her large purse for change to put in the parking meter. Once she found some, she put enough in it to last two hours, for safety's sake. When she finished, she looked up and noticed that a passer-by was gawking at her rather openly. Sakura figured that it must have been the overload of pink; her pink corvette, her pink hair, and her pink skirt that protruded from beneath her coat. Being used to such attention, she ignored the onlooker and turned around to glance at her magenta car.
She thought of how this car did not always belong solely to herself. The days in which she had shared it with Ino were not such a long time ago. It had been so much fun for Sakura. They used to be inseparable, which is why they decided that sharing a car would be manageable in the first place. Slowly but surely, they were rekindling their old friendship. They were not yet at the point where they were conjoined once more, but Sakura felt no need for such dependence anymore. Now, she was strong enough to fare well on her own. That was not to say that she wanted to be alone, though. Sakura reminisced upon various enjoyable times with Ino, such as driving around in their car, listening to Ino's heinous hip-hop music. She turned around, observed the restaurant before her, and smiled softly.
Sakura clutched her purse somewhat tightly as she walked into the restaurant, trying to contain the growing excitement within her. Though it had been a few weeks since the former best friends had forgiven one another, this would be the first time that they would spend time together without their other friends present. Her excitement bordered on nervousness; it was not characterized by anxiety, but rather by a fluttering, titillating feeling. Once Sakura had entered the restaurant, a hostess approached her, dressed completely in black.
"Welcome to Il Pontormo," the woman greeted politely, wearing a smile that seemed too amiable to be genuine. "How many?" She asked, though the pink-haired girl was clearly alone. It was merely protocol.
"Table for two, please," Sakura stated courteously, then added with a pleasant expression, "I'm expecting a friend. Her last name is Yamanaka." Her eyes gleamed as she relayed the information to the hostess.
"I'll direct her towards your table when she arrives," she responded as she led Sakura to a booth. It rested against the prodigious windows that served as the front walls of the restaurant and provided a view of the bustling city streets. Sakura sidled into the booth and sat down, placing her purse beside herself. She smiled at the hostess half-heartedly as she placed a menu on the table before taking her leave. Sakura turned her attention towards the glass that separated her from the outside world.
She watched the countless people, their faces entering her mind for an instant before becoming forgotten for eternity. It was almost as if they did not exist; they were merely faceless figures in the background, there to provide a sense that there was something more to this world, but not to take part in her life. They moved and flowed together, meshing into a colorful river until one person became the next. None of them were distinctive, they all murmured the same trivial things and held the same, simplistic, selfish thoughts. They flooded the entire world, so engrossed in their own lives and perspective without taking the time to muse on the lives of a different people across the globe, or even that of those around them. To them, Sakura was nothing but a stranger, someone without a face or a personality that they caught a glimpse of through the glass. Briefly, they shared a moment in each other's lives, yet Sakura would still remain nothing but an emerald-eyed mannequin perched behind a window. To them, her problems did not matter, and she realized that the same applied to her. It was humbling.
Sakura continued to watch the strangers, somewhat pensively, when she noticed an expensive, silver car park in front of the restaurant. Her meditative attitude began to fade as her excitement returned. She was unaware of how much time had passed, a waitress had even placed water on the table without Sakura taking notice of it. Sitting alone and contemplating the world had not helped ward off loneliness. She looked away from the window, not wanting to seem too excited about seeing Ino, and directed her attention to the interior of the bistro. An unsettling middle-aged business man that sat by himself was giving Sakura the eye rather conspicuously. Sakura looked away from him, fairly creeped out, and suddenly remembered a frightening occurrence from several months ago. She had bumped into an ominous, dark-haired man outside of a bar and she had spoken to him insolently. Unbeknownst to her, he had beaten those within the bar. A murderous intent had glinted in his eyes as he regarded her. Sakura became uncomfortable now that the memory was no longer buried.
Her gaze had been burning a hole through the table when she sensed someone's presence. Sakura glanced up, so quickly that her apprehensive mood was evident. She stared at a light blue, cashmere, turtleneck sweater for a few moments, still coming out of her reverie, before lifting her head further to stare at the person's face. Ino stared at her weirdly and then started laughing. The laugh comforted Sakura, making her previous feelings fade away. She giggled self-consciously, somewhat embarrassed that Ino's sudden appearance had startled her so. She had been expecting her, after all.
"Aw did big, bad Ino scare you?" The blonde girl taunted in a childish voice. She giggled at her own joke, threw her bag into the empty side of the booth, and plopped down into the velvet seat. Ino always carried an air of vivaciousness with her wherever she went, and it influenced Sakura.
"As if," she snorted, putting on an arrogant face. "The only way you could ever scare anyone is by showing them what your face looks like without make-up on." Sakura tried to uphold her false supercilious attitude, but a stifled giggle managed to find its way to the surface. She was ecstatic that they were able to insult each other playfully as they did before. It was different when they were with the group, since everyone teased one another anyway, and that prevented Ino and Sakura from interacting more directly.
Ino rolled her eyes and made a face at Sakura, which consisted of sticking out her tongue and pulling down her bottom eyelid. "I can think of other ways to scare people," Ino said with a smirk and a wiggle of her eyebrows, undoubtedly thinking perverted thoughts.
Sakura looked at her friend warily for a few moments, and the two began to laugh. A waiter appeared by their table, noticing them because of their loud laughter in the somewhat hushed restaurant. "What would you two like to drink?" He asked politely, yet assertively enough to interrupt their laughing.
"I'll have a dry martini," Ino said, smiling prettily at the waiter. He stared at her blankly, almost looking unsure, then scribbled on his note pad. He turned to face Sakura and she waited for him to repeat the question in some form, but he did nothing but stare at her. She slowly shook her head and she waited for him to walk away before restarting their conversation.
"Ino, you pig. It's hardly past noon and you're already drinking," Sakura mock-scolded her friend.
"Hey man, my drink isn't even here yet," Ino pointed out defensively. She crossed her arms and pouted for a minute before her face lit up; it seemed as if she had devised a comeback. "And it's not like you're one to talk!" She accused, her voice nearly a whine. "Don't think I forgot those times where I had to drag my ass all over town looking for you when you'd run off to a bar in the middle of the day."
"Yeah? Well…" Sakura started, unable to come up with a clever response. She flushed slightly, not willing to openly admit that Ino was right. "Whatever," she finally said with a dismissive tone. Ino grinned and clapped her hands together with a giggle, celebrating her triumph over Sakura. Their old rivalry would always remain between them to some extent.
The waiter returned with Ino's drink, placed it on the table without saying a word, then proceeded to disappear into another part of the restaurant. Ino daintily picked up the glass, wrapping her long fingers around it, and took a sip. She made sure Sakura was looking at her as she did so, wearing a smug expression. Ino downed the drink, then ordered another. Sakura sighed, looking at her friend with a combination of annoyance and affection.
"You know, Ino," Sakura said, beginning somewhat timidly. Ino looked at her curiously and blinked her large periwinkle eyes. Sakura lifted her gaze to meet Ino's and she regained her confidence from what she saw there. "I'm really glad that we could meet today," she said with a cordial smile.
Ino was somewhat surprised at Sakura's sudden sincerity, but nonetheless she smiled in return. Her smile was less reserved than that of her friend; it was wide and it efficiently expressed her enthusiasm. "I feel the same way," she said. She and Sakura looked at one another for a few moments more, still smiling. Then, Ino let out a short laugh and her eyes formed into gleeful half-circles. "Let's get something to eat already, I'm starving," Ino said, her voice somewhat raucous and unrefined. She reached for the menu as she spoke, and Sakura did the same.
They flipped through the selection absent-mindedly, Ino making little comments to herself about the food that they served and sipping her alcoholic drink all the while. Though she had been in a pleasant mood to begin with, Sakura found herself growing more delighted. The simplicity and normality of the activity contrasted nicely with the still recent dramatic events. She felt a need to express the wonderful feeling.
"I'm happy that everything is finally over," Sakura stated as she continued to inattentively look through the menu. "The problems between you and me, and everyone, that all happened because I used to have a problem with the whole Naruto and Sasuke thing. I'm tired of all the stuff concerning them." As Sakura admitted that, there was a hint of weariness in her voice. It quickly passed, though, and she looked up at Ino with a smile.
Ino halted her idle turning of pages and directed her gaze towards Sakura. At first she wore no expression, but Sakura became wary when a large grin erupted on Ino's face. "I'm not tired of imagining them going at it," Ino giggled hysterically, a blush tingeing her cheeks. Sakura had to resist the urge to slap her friend. She wondered if Ino ever tired of being perverted, because she certainly grew tired of it sometimes.
"Ino Yamanaka…" Sakura mumbled warningly. Ino just laughed in response. The pink-haired girl blushed a bit at the thought of Naruto and Sasuke having sex. She was not entirely sure how sex between the two would work. The waiter came and went, taking their orders as he did so, and when he left Sakura's thoughts remained in the same place. After letting her mind linger there a bit longer, she decided not to think about it anymore, yet it was harder than she had anticipated. Sakura found it strange how the intimate moments she and Naruto had formerly shared would now be something that he shared with Sasuke. Her face became red as she continued to contemplate it, and eventually Ino stopped chugging her drinks and noticed that Sakura was turning into a tomato.
"Are you okay?" Ino asked, staring at her very pink friend oddly.
"Oh, yeah," Sakura said quickly, attempting to compose herself. She was aware of how red her face must have been, since she knew that she had a tendency to blush rather profusely. She tried to think of an explanation as to why her face had gotten so red without outright lying. "I was just thinking about how I haven't gotten any in a while," she blurted. Collecting herself seemed to be a lost effort after she had uttered those words. Embarrassed, her face became as pink as her hair. In an attempt to comfort herself, she thought of how her statement was truthful, at the very least.
Ino stared at her for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Normally she would be tempted to say something perverted, but for some reason it did not seem appropriate for the sudden change in mood. Following Sakura's confession, the atmosphere had become filled with sincerity that demanded a serious response. Ino slowly brought the glass to her pink lips and sipped it, looking at Sakura as she did so. She placed her drink onto the table without shifting her gaze.
"Well, I had sort of guessed that, since for the past few months you had kind of been schizo," Ino said, trying to find the right balance in her tone of voice. She did not want to sound too sober, yet simultaneously she knew that if she spoke with her typical cheer, she would only embarrass Sakura further. Her intuition told her that there was something more than mere discomfiture to Sakura's feelings. "No offense," she continued, "but you would've scared anyone that was interested away." Ino laughed, though not too inconsiderately. "How long has it been?"
Sakura blushed, although her face was not nearly as crimson as it had previously been. She looked at Ino, seeming to be somewhat offended by her comment, regardless of its truth. Her blush receded further and she sighed before speaking. "August," Sakura admitted. It was now mid-December.
Ino blinked, somewhat taken aback. She had not anticipated it being such a long time. A realization dawned to her and she sensed that she had discovered the source of the underlying feelings. "Wait. Weren't you still dating Naruto, then?" Ino asked, sounding dumb despite her efforts against it.
"Yeah, I was," Sakura said. No longer was there a hint of embarrassment in her expression. It had been replaced by a mixture of emotions such as slight anger, nostalgia, and some sadness. She had been looking down, but she lifted her head so that she could look at Ino. "We hadn't had sex during the last month of our relationship. Naruto had just been too disconnected from me." She hesitated for a moment before resuming her speech. "I'm sorry that I never talked to you about it. About all of it."
"It's alright," Ino said with a genuine smile, but she allowed some cheer to be conveyed through her voice. Sakura returned the smile, looking somewhat uncertain. "How do you feel about him?" Ino asked. The volume of her voice had dropped with her slight increase in seriousness, due to the sensitivity of the subject. Nonetheless, she still shied away from making her words sound grave.
Sakura wrapped her hand around her cold glass of water and she took a long sip before speaking. She needed the time to think of what to say, or more so, how to say it. It was not as if she had not thought about that before; it was just that every time she did think on it, she found it difficult to sort out her feelings. She placed the glass back onto the table and sighed once more. Her emerald eyes met the periwinkle ones of Ino.
"Well, I know how I don't feel about him, at the very least. I'm not angry with him anymore. I guess I've forgiven him for what he had done to me, but I also realize that everything was not his fault. We understand each other more, now, and we're friends again. I care about him, of course. It's almost as if through losing him I have learned to value him. When we were together, I don't think I truly appreciated what I had, despite how long we had been together. We were both different people than we are now. We thought we were in love, but we weren't. Loving someone is different than being in love with them." Sakura averted her gaze from Ino's eyes. Ino remained silent, knowing that there was more to come. Sakura had not yet fully answered her question. "So, now…" She slowly began, choosing her words carefully. "I love him. I'm not in love with him, though I do miss him sometimes, but I do love him more sincerely than I did when we were together. It's somewhere in between there. All I know is that I'd like for him to be happy." Sakura finished her monologue and looked back at Ino. The pink-haired girl smiled at her, relieved that she had finally spoken about her feelings concerning him, and content that she was able to share something so personal with Ino.
At first, Ino had been unsure of how to respond to such a long speech. Though Sakura had looked at Ino throughout the majority of it, it seemed as if she had been speaking mostly to herself. The solemnity that had lingered in the air prior to Sakura's words had dissipated and a shared feeling of closeness between the two girls had replaced it. Ino and Sakura took a few moments to look at each other with warm smiles.
"Well, I'm glad that you've got that all sorted out," Ino said amiably. She did not have much to say in response other than that, there was not much that anyone could say. She could only be happy that her friend had finally gathered herself. "You know, Sakura," Ino started, her eyes sparkling brightly. "Maybe it's about time you started playing the field again, you know what I'm saying?" She giggled lightly and pleasantly. "You're gorgeous, and it's just so mean of you to make yourself unavailable to so many guys."
Sakura could not help but laugh at that and she could not help but feel flattered as well. Perhaps she had spent too much time sulking and raging over Naruto when she could have been looking for a new person in her life that would give her happiness. It seemed like a good idea, but it somewhat conflicted with Sakura's emotions. "I don't know if I'm ready for that yet," Sakura admitted.
"I'm not talking about anything serious, of course," Ino said with a short giggle and a swig of her drink. Sakura eyed the alcoholic beverage, wondering how much would become too much. "I'm just saying that maybe you should consider it. Look around, y'know, check out some hot guys." Ino wiggled her eyebrows and grinned.
"I can't think of anyone I'd be interested in," Sakura said. She was speaking honestly, yet at the same time she was trying to deter Ino. Slight apprehension filled her at the thought of stepping out of her comfort zone. For the past few months, only a few people had been a part of her life.
Ino tapped her chin thoughtfully, then jumped in her seat with excitement when she seemed to have come up with something. Sakura looked startled as Ino's arm extended outwards and nearly knocked over her drink. "I know! Lee!" Ino exclaimed it as if she was brilliant. "He, like, worships you."
"Ew, Ino!" Sakura screeched, making a face in disgust. She could never retain her sweet and kind image for long; her inner bitch would always surface at some point. Ino laughed loudly in response to her friend's reaction. "Have you seen his eyebrows? They're like, so creepy and bushy! And his hair cut is just horrible, it's seriously like someone put a bowl on his head, and his creepy bug eyes and his green clothing…" Sakura trailed off and shivered at the thought of it. She was reminded of the brief argument that she and Ino had in which Lee was mentioned. Thankfully, Ino said nothing concerning that, seeming to understand that Sakura was mostly jesting.
"If you guys had babies they would be so ugly," Ino said randomly, her laughter bordering on hysterical. Their waiter glanced at her from across the restaurant, annoyed at the disruption that she was causing. Sakura cringed and she decided that she should change the subject before Ino said anything worse.
"What about you? Is there anyone that you're interested in?" Sakura asked conversationally. Ino halted her laughter and she exchanged the large grin on her face for a contemplative expression.
"I think Gaara is cute," Ino admitted with a giggle. It was not as if everyone had not already known that, considering the rate at which she pestered him. "But he's too short for me," she added, "And I prefer random hook-ups, anyway." Ino had stated that casually, much like she would say anything else. Though everyone was accustomed to that type of behavior concerning Ino, Sakura believed that that did not make it acceptable. She worried about her friend's drinking and promiscuity; through the many years of their friendship, she could not ever recall Ino having a romantic relationship. The others dismissed her wild behavior, since it was so abundant in young females of today's society, but Sakura knew that Ino held more complicated emotions than those that she displayed.
"Ino, I don't know why you do that to yourself," Sakura said, concern evident in her voice.
Now it was Ino's turn to avert her gaze. She sighed, clearly not wanting to speak about this. "Even I'm not too sure, Sakura." Ino gazed at her drink, her expression bordering on solemn for a brief second, before it brightened once more and she took an enthusiastic gulp of her drink. She made a noise of satisfaction and placed her glass back down with a smile. "Don't worry about it, alright? I just like to have some fun!"
Sakura remained unconvinced, but Ino was evidently making an effort to brush the subject aside. She hesitated for a moment, caught in between dropping the topic as Ino wished and delineating her thoughts. Before she could make a decision, the waiter returned with their meal. Sakura and Ino picked up their utensils and they began to eat. The moment for Sakura to speak had been lost. A comfortable silence engulfed them for a few minutes as they enjoyed their meal together. Simultaneously, they looked at each other and smiled ardently.
"I love your huge forehead," Ino said impishly.
As the sun descended towards the horizon, the temperature dropped significantly. It gradually became colder, the nebulous, looming clouds assisting the sky in its transition to darkness. A chill fell upon the city and it pervaded the bodies of the people walking the streets. It touched their core and their bones, reminding them of their life, as well as their mortality. The cold, though, was unable to permeate the walls of the buildings. Removed from the rest of the world, the wintriness did not reach Naruto and Sasuke. Together, they remained within Naruto's dorm, studying for upcoming exams; the blond lay with his stomach to the floor while the brunet sat. The comfortable warmth of the room contributed to the atmosphere of tranquility and contentment. The sound of turning pages was the only noise that disrupted the silence of the room.
Naruto and Sasuke studied intently, not distracted by the presence of each other. It was not as if they did not notice the other, though. They found solace in each other's company. If Naruto unfocused his eyes from the book before him, he could see Sasuke in his peripheral vision. If Sasuke extended his arm slightly, he could reach out and touch Naruto. They preferred to be together as much as possible, though they never spoke much of it. It was a silent agreement between the two, to spend time together whenever they could. They would meet in the mornings after they had awaken; they would meet after classes, walk to their dorms, and enjoy the rest of the day together. Sometimes they would spend the night together, though Sasuke was still not entirely comfortable with that. Most of the worries that he initially held considering their relationship had faded, but one still remained. When he and Naruto lay close, beneath the sheets and in the darkness, his stomach would swirl with a strange mixture of emotions.
He stared at the papers in his hands blankly, realizing that he had been lost in thought for some time, rather than studying. He continued to look at them as the thought of glancing at Naruto crossed his mind. Carefully, Sasuke shifted his gaze to the side, moving only his eyes and not his head. He peered at Naruto through the raven hair that obstructed his view. His golden hair fell into his eyes and hid their startling color from Sasuke. For a brief moment, he longed to see those cerulean eyes, but he halted the thought before it could transform into action. He watched as Naruto shifted slightly, the toned muscles of his back moving visibly beneath his shirt. Sasuke averted his gaze and looked down at his papers.
Sasuke found it difficult to become engrossed in his studies once more. He read the words on the page but they did not register in his brain; they merely remained a combination of letters without meaning. No longer was he inattentive of Naruto's presence. There were no definite thoughts within his mind, yet he felt as if something incomprehensible was there. He could perceive Naruto's bright aura, and suddenly, he could sense those blue eyes on him as well. Sasuke did not look away from his papers. Naruto's gaze relented, but every so often, he would look up at Sasuke.
Eventually, Sasuke could not take the looks any longer. He met Naruto's eyes with his own, his gaze suspicious and harsh. He looked at him as if saying 'Do your work, dobe,' with annoyance palpable in his voice. Conversely, Naruto looked at Sasuke with eyes that were teeming with vitality and glinting with mischievousness. The corners of his lips curled upwards in a small, inviting smile. Sasuke stared at him, unsure of what kind of expression he wore on his face because of the uncertainty of what he felt. He had realized that Naruto was looking at him with bedroom eyes. That look made his heart skip a beat, his stomach churn, and his thoughts halt; it made him want to punch Naruto for being an idiot, for being able to affect him like this with a mere look, and it made him want Naruto all the same. Choosing to ignore him, Sasuke stared at Naruto with what he hoped was indifference before looking away.
Naruto would not look away. His stare bore deep into Sasuke. Due to focusing on disregarding his boyfriend, Sasuke had been reading the same word for about a minute, and he had been on the same page for quite some time. He became aware of this and narrowed his eyes. So much for studying. Sasuke truly had a desire to spend the evening studying, but he should have known that Naruto's mind would wander once he became bored. Naruto's behavior irked him, as well as the fact that he could still feel Naruto's ardent stare on him. It was difficult not to imagine those eyes and his will began to waver. Sasuke wondered what thoughts passed through Naruto's mind, and more specifically, if he was within those thoughts.
Sasuke could no longer ignore Naruto's fervent gaze. Instead of succumbing, which he knew Naruto wanted him to do, he turned towards him and returned the stare. His look was not suggestive or impish like that of Naruto; it was forceful, challenging, and unrelenting. Naruto looked at Sasuke for a moment, his eyes narrowing, his gaze becoming more intense. Abruptly, he sat up, pushed his work aside, and lunged forward.
Sasuke leaned backwards slightly, his arms outstretched for support, surprised by Naruto's sudden movements and apprehensive that Naruto would land on him. Despite the speed with which he had moved, Naruto was able to quickly halt in front of Sasuke, his lips hovering in proximity to those of Sasuke. Naruto kneeled with Sasuke's legs in between his, one hand on the floor, and the other resting on Sasuke's cheek. He stared directly into Sasuke's obsidian eyes, his own eyes flickering with passion. Sasuke returned his gaze, hardly noticing the hand on his face, and a feeling that was unidentifiable to him rolled through his body. He opened his mouth slightly, wanting to speak despite his tangled thoughts, but Naruto pressed his lips against his before he could do so.
Their lips moved softly, the kiss beginning slowly. Naruto's hand traveled from Sasuke's cheek to his chest, his fingers lightly dancing across Sasuke's skin, and he gently pushed Sasuke down so that he was lying on the floor. Naruto pressed his body against Sasuke's, entangling one hand in his raven hair as the other explored his body. Sasuke placed his hands on Naruto's back, gripping his shirt tightly. The kiss became more urgent as Sasuke's lips demanded more from Naruto. He parted them slightly, allowing Naruto's tongue entrance.
The intensity and passion of the kiss continued to increase as the kiss persisted. Naruto and Sasuke's breathing became heavier, pants and slight moans emitting from both boys. Naruto's hands slipped beneath Sasuke's shirt and he ran his fingers over every inch of skin he could reach, playing with certain areas more than others. Naruto sucked lightly on Sasuke's bottom lip before pulling away for a moment, and Sasuke exhaled shakily. He wondered where all of his resistance had gone as he melted at Naruto's touch. His body felt pleasure at all of the things that Naruto did and it wanted more, yet a stubborn part of him disliked the fact that he was being dominated. Sasuke's mind went blank as Naruto pushed up Sasuke's shirt to reveal his pale skin and he covered it with kisses and licks. His hands dug into Naruto's hair and he moaned, an internal battle waging in his mind. He did not want to submit, but his body would not stop saying otherwise.
Naruto drew his lips away from Sasuke's skin so that he could regard the boy beneath him. He is so beautiful. He looked at Sasuke's expression, his face flushed and his lips slightly apart, and his heart fluttered and his body wanted more of Sasuke. It was difficult to restrain himself; his hormones were running wild and his strong feelings for Sasuke encouraged his hormones to do whatever they wished. Naruto just wanted to demonstrate how much he loved him. He had yet to say those three words aloud, and whenever the urge to say them arose, things would always turn out like this. At the same time, he feared frightening Sasuke by moving too quickly, though they had been together for a few weeks now. Naruto ran his hand from Sasuke's chest to his stomach, tracing his belly button with his finger when he reached his destination. Briefly, he hesitated, then he began to play with the trail of hair that led underneath Sasuke's pants.
Suddenly, Sasuke snapped out of his daze and he flipped Naruto over so that he was over him. Nervousness and slight panic flickered across his face, then he kissed Naruto, uncertain of what to do. Naruto remained surprised for a moment, but he quickly relaxed into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Sasuke. He found it thrilling to be on the bottom for once, but his mind whispered to him that it was because he had made Sasuke uncomfortable.
They kissed like that for some time, hands wandering, the passion gradually building. Naruto became frustrated with the restrictions of being on bottom, so he flipped over Sasuke without breaking their kiss. Sasuke did not take well to being dominated once he had finally attained control, so he flipped Naruto over forcefully. They began to fight for supremacy, rolling across the floor as they did so, carelessly crumpling the papers from which they had previously been studying. All throughout their struggle, they continued to lock lips aggressively. After some time, Naruto slammed Sasuke onto the ground, having had enough of their game. He bit Sasuke's bottom lip somewhat harshly and he received an irritated grunt in response.
When he heard that, Naruto smiled against Sasuke's lips, his annoyance abruptly dissipating. Gently, he placed his hands in Sasuke's hair, and kissed him sweetly. Slowly, he pulled away from the other boy, removing his hands from his hair and using them to support himself instead. Naruto did not move other than that; their bodies remained close, still itching with residual desire despite the change in mood. He watched Sasuke as his eyes fluttered open. Naruto's heart skipped a beat and his stomach churned; Sasuke's expression resembled the one that he wore after the kiss that had preceded their substantial argument. For a moment, he was flung into the past as memories of that event overwhelmed his mind.
Sasuke's eyes became focused and he looked at Naruto. He reached up, lightly touching his fingers to Naruto's cheek, brushing them against his whisker tattoos. Naruto glanced at Sasuke's hand, his eyes no longer glazed over, coming back from wherever he had been. Last night's dream entered Sasuke's mind; he imagined Naruto melting and slipping through the fingers that were touching his face. The emotions concomitant to the dream returned and his heart swelled with them. A single thought ran through his mind as he regarded Naruto; I don't want to lose him.
"Hey, Naruto…" Sasuke started, his voice low and reserved. He wanted to tell Naruto that, but he was unsure of how. It was difficult for him to overcome his reticent nature. Naruto inspected Sasuke's face, sensing that something was wrong. He tried to hide the frown that was threatening to appear.
"Sasuke.." Naruto said softly. He looked at him with care evident in his eyes.
Sasuke froze at the sight of those eyes, suddenly changing his mind. He no longer wanted to delineate his feelings; he found himself unable to do that. Any words concerning the subject seemed to be stuck in his throat, regardless of the fact that his every thought centered around it. He did not want to lose Naruto. He could not lose him. His parents' image entered his mind. Sasuke swallowed hard before speaking. "Have you heard anything about Itachi lately?"
Naruto hesitated. He had not been expecting that question, nor was he willing to admit that he had heard about his brother. It had been weeks ago and there had not been any news concerning Itachi since then. Naruto was torn; he did not want to lie to Sasuke, but he wanted to protect him. He knew that he could not erase Sasuke's past, no matter how much happiness he offered him, yet that did not rid of his desire to make Sasuke forget, at least momentarily, about his haunting childhood. Naruto wanted Sasuke to focus on their relationship. He looked at Sasuke, realizing the extent of his fragility. Beneath his veneer of strength lay weakness.
"I haven't heard anything," Naruto lied. He rolled off of Sasuke and they both sat up. For a moment, they sat beside each other in silence. Naruto was not looking at Sasuke.
"We should get back to studying," Sasuke said, observing the mess of papers around himself. He looked at Naruto, awaiting a response.
"Oh, yeah, I totally forgot about that," Naruto said, his voice sounding more animated. He chuckled lightly and turned to look at Sasuke, who was now gathering papers. "I'm sorry, I just can't resist you." Naruto said it jokingly, instead of saying it somewhat seductively as he normally would have. He smiled warmly at Sasuke and began to help him collect the papers.
Sasuke scoffed in response, but nonetheless his lips formed into a small smile. All of the papers had been gathered, though most of them were slightly wrinkled at the least, and Sasuke began to try to return to studying. He attempted to straighten out the page which he was currently reading and he frowned in disapproval of the results of their careless actions. Naruto watched Sasuke as he did that, smiling to himself. He swore to himself that he would protect Sasuke.
Naruto placed his hand over Sasuke's and he entwined their fingers. Sasuke looked up from his work, glanced at their hands, and then his gaze shifted to Naruto's smiling face. "Let's go on a date," he said softly, ardor laced into his words. "A real one."
Sasuke smiled at him; his smile was small, as always, but somehow this one radiated the happiness of a much larger smile. He tightened his hold on Naruto's fingers and looked into his cerulean eyes. "Alright," he said simply, yet it was more than enough,
"It's getting kind of late," Naruto said, his eyes still locked with those of Sasuke. "We had gotten pretty…sidetracked. I know that your room is just a short walk away, but maybe you could still stay the night anyway," Naruto suggested. There was not a hint of anything but chasteness in his voice.
Sasuke merely nodded in response. They continued to look at each other for a few moments. Both could see the love evident in the other's eyes, though neither would say it. Both wanted to be able to vocalize their feelings, but it did not seem necessary; they could feel what was left unsaid. Though Sasuke's dream had been disturbing, it no longer disturbed him. No matter what everything consisted of, everything became alright. At the same moment, they looked down and continued to study, but they did not let go of each other's hands.
Neji stood in front of the prodigious windows of which most of the walls in his foyer were composed. They nearly stretched to the high ceiling, allowing him to see for miles into the mountains and into the endless sky. During the day, the sunlight would illuminate the room, dying it different colors as the day progressed and it went from dawn to dusk. The sun had set early today; the shortest day of the year was quickly approaching. His section of the world had been plunged into darkness for a few hours now, though that did not keep him away from the windows. He enjoyed looking out of the windows, regarding his surroundings with his omniscient white eyes. Regardless of the situation, it always provided him with some solace. He looked at the dark mountains that were barely visible in the distance, a glass of wine in hand.
Neji remained there for some time; he did not know, nor did he care, how much time had passed. His home was engulfed in silence, though he found it peaceful rather than unsettling. The antique analog clock ticked incessantly. He spent most of his time before the windows gazing, though on occasion he would slowly take a sip of his drink. Pensiveness was evident in his demeanor and in his eyes; even the manner in which he sipped his wine indicated contemplation.
He was satisfied with what he had done to assist his friends, and not to mention, a former friend. Though it was not as if Neji had been pulling all of the strings, he felt somewhat responsible for the way that everything had turned out. For a long time, he had been doing everything in his power to help Naruto and Sasuke's relationship, to protect it from Sakura, to help all of his friends, and now, he could relax. Neji smiled so slightly that it was barely visible, but his normally mysterious eyes gave away his happiness.
As he took another sip of his drink, he saw the headlights of a car. He placed his glass of wine on a nearby table within arm's reach and he watched the car with interest as it stopped in front of the massive steps of the Hyuuga Mansion. Briefly, he wondered who it could be, though only a select few were allowed through the gates without the guards notifying an important member of the clan. Neji walked to the center of the foyer, waiting for the knock on his colossal doors that was sure to come. Once he heard the noise that he had been expecting, he sauntered over to the door and opened it. A rush of cold air flooded the room.
"Tenten," Neji acknowledged, though due to his pleasant surprise it almost sounded like a question. He stepped to the side so that he could let her in through the crevice between the door and the wall. Tenten quickly sidled through it and Neji closed the door before more cold air could enter. Then, he turned around to face her. His expression remained mostly unchanged, except for the slight cocking of his eyebrow.
"Goddamn Neji, I don't know what's with you rich people and your unnecessary amount of steps. I didn't come here to exercise!" Tenten said with a laugh. "And they just prolonged the amount of time I spent freezing my ass off out there." She smiled with good humor. Neji scoffed and could not help but smile in response.
"Hello, Tenten. Thank you so much for properly greeting me," Neji said. Despite the polite orientation of his words, they were spoken with slight sarcasm. She laughed openly in response, then her lips formed into a toothy smile.
"Oops. My bad," Tenten said, unabashed. "Good day, Mr. Hyuuga." She mocked the way in which stereotypical, pretentious, and wealthy people spoke. Tenten extended her arm for a hand shake and Neji did the same, taking her hand in his own. Once they had finished shaking hands, Tenten observed her spacious surroundings. "I'm surprised that a butler didn't open the door for me," she said, with her same pleasant tone, evidently joking. Neji was about to express his surprise in seeing her, but for some reason he decided against it.
"They tend to leave me alone. Believe it or not, I can take care of myself," Neji said with a small smile. Tenten laughed again, radiating amiability. Everything about her was genuine and free, and Neji liked that. She did not directly respond to his statement, but her laughs and her expression were enough. Neji could perceive what they were saying. I don't doubt that, but everybody needs somebody to take care of them.
"Listen," she started, "I'm sorry for not calling ahead of time. I hope I'm not being rude." She laughed again, this time somewhat self-consciously.
"It's fine," Neji said, his voice smooth and convincing. It really was fine with him. In reality, appearing on someone's doorstep unannounced at this hour was rude. There was more to it than the mere actions, though, such as the nature of the visit and the person visiting. "May I take your coat?" Neji requested.
"Yeah, sure," Tenten said. She scrambled to take off her long, beige overcoat, revealing her simple clothing once she succeeded in doing so. She handed it over to Neji, nearly dumping it into his arms. As he placed her coat on the coat hanger, Tenten continued to look around. The emptiness of the mansion was somewhat eerie to her, and it remained that way no matter how many times she went there, since she lived in a small, yet cozy one-bedroom apartment. Her gaze stopped once it reached the wine glass that rested on the table. "Oh come on, Neji, wine? Really? You're such a snob," Tenten teased.
"Would you like some?" Neji asked plainly, ignoring her comment to a certain extent.
"Who am I to deny free alcohol?" She stated with a grin.
Neji returned the smile before disappearing into the kitchen to obtain the said alcohol. While he did that, Tenten decided to make herself comfortable, so she sat on the black, leather couch. She heard him shuffling around in the kitchen as she waited for him to return. Neji exited the kitchen, holding a bottle of expensive red wine and a clean glass. He grabbed his own glass, which was still nearly full, from the table on which he had placed it. After he had set down the items, he sat beside Tenten, poured her a glass, and gently handed it to her. She smiled at him, for many reasons; because he was always a gentleman, because she was slightly embarrassed at the way that he was treating her, and perhaps most importantly, because she liked alcohol.
"So, is there a reason for this unexpected visit?" Neji asked Tenten, regarding her as she took a gulp of her wine. His creamy eyes were somewhat intimidating, though she knew that he usually did not intend for them to look that way. Beneath the daunting look that filled his eyes, she saw kindness.
"Actually, there is," Tenten said with humor in her voice. Just then, she noticed how her voice echoed, though it did not perturb her much. Perhaps it was because she was not alone. "How did everything go with Naruto and Sasuke and everyone? I know it's been weeks since all of that happened, but I'm usually pretty busy, and I never see you guys at school. I thought about calling but I'd rather talk in person. Though you and Naruto are my friends, I never get to talk to you guys much," Tenten mused, ending her short ramble.
"We should change that," Neji said with a pleasant smile. "I'm happy to say that Naruto and Sasuke have solved their problems. They've been officially together without any issues for a few weeks now, other than their usual bickering, of course. Sakura has come to her senses. She's friends with Naruto and Ino once more. And Gaara….well, he got a tattoo on his forehead." He said the last part as if it explained everything.
Tenten gawked at him for a moment, then snorted. "What?" She asked through her laughter, sounding incredulous. Her cheeks turned slightly pink as she laughed. She attempted to drink more of her wine, but she found herself unable to do so, fearing that it would squirt out her nose if she did. Neji chuckled at Gaara's forehead tattoo and at Tenten's giggles.
"I know, it's odd. I don't completely understand his actions myself," he said.
"I'm not even going to try to understand," Tenten said. "But I'm glad that everything turned out okay. It would have been a shame if they hadn't gotten together, they just make the cutest couple." She smiled brightly, her cheeks still tinged pink.
"I suppose so," Neji said, though he did not sound convinced.
"Cheers?" Tenten proposed, raising her glass. Neji chuckled, almost rolling his eyes, and clinked glasses with her. It echoed through the deserted halls of the mansion, as their voices did. They brought their glasses to their lips, drinking until they were empty. Neji lifted the bottle and filled their glasses.
The hands on the ancient, analog clock gradually moved as time passed. Outside, the moon steadily rose in the sky, visible through the large windows. Their pleasant conversation filled the empty house, making it seem less vacant, and more like a home. For a while, they talked, laughed, and drank to their heart's content. Tenten had lost track of the time, which is why she was surprised when she glanced at the clock.
"I should get going. It's getting late, and I should leave before I get drunk," Tenten said with a laugh as she placed her glass on the table. Neji nodded in agreement and they stood up from their seats on the couch. Tenten felt somewhat dizzy, coming to the realization that she may have drank a bit too much, though she was only slightly intoxicated.
"I could take you home, if you'd like," Neji offered. Considering the amount of wine that she had consumed, he deduced that she must be slightly drunk, at the least, though it did not show much.
"Nah, it's alright," Tenten insisted. "I live pretty close by, anyway."
She walked away from the couches and over to the door, Neji quickly following suit. He took her overcoat off of the coat hanger and held it for her as she slipped into it. She glanced back at him as she did so, smiling warmly. Once she had her coat on, Neji opened the door for her and she stepped into the space between the warm interior of the mansion and the cold outdoors. A gust of wind blew and Tenten shivered at its sting. Neji and Tenten looked at each other; they knew that it was the moment in which they should say farewell, though neither of them wanted to do that.
"Would you like to go out to dinner sometime?" Neji asked.
"How could I say no to that?" Tenten smiled softly. They exchanged looks for another moment, then she turned around and left.
Everything was just perfect.
(A/n): Okay, so things weren't really that silence-before-the-stormy. At least I don't think they were. Originally I had intended for everything to come out all perfect, but that just isn't realistic, and my story has a mind of its own. Thus, Sasuke's nightmare was very disturbing, Ino and Sakura had moments of slight sadness and inner turmoil, and there is a slight lack of communication between Naruto and Sasuke. At least the last scene turned out all nice. I like Tenten, she's awesome. For the record, this is about as far as I'm going to elaborate on side pairings. They aren't important to the plot, and I hadn't planned for any originally but they kind of just happened. :o I'm going to sleep now, it's 2 am and I stayed up late to finish this chapter. Cause I love you all! :3