For allurement
Pairing: Minato x Sakura
Prompts: pineapple yogurt, curtains
Word count: 1223
Notes: AU, because I couldn't resist. Started ages ago, and finished because of the latest Naruto chapter, which was enough to win back my love for the manga. How do more people not like this pairing?

-x-

Sakura had been ("bestest best BEST, Sakura-chan!") friends with Naruto and Sasuke for years, thirteen to be exact, since the first time they met in the sandbox. Some bully had sprayed sand in Sakura's face, and Naruto jumped him, disregarding the fact that the other boy was about a foot taller (he had been a vertically challenged child). Sasuke had joined in the fray, just because he was an overconfident snot even then, and the trio had been inseparable since.

"Aren't we a little old for sleepovers?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"There is no age limit on friendship," Sakura told him firmly. Sasuke sighed.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." His cell phone rang before Sakura could reply – not that she would, she was trying to decide which t-shirt to pack – and he flipped it open with an annoyed "Hn."

"Who answers the phone with a grunt? When will you learn to be normal?" Even across the room, rooting around in her closet, Sakura could hear Naruto's voice.

"I think you just shattered my eardrums."

"Whatever. When will you guys be here?"

"Sakura's trying to pick a toothbrush."

"…"

"Don't ask."

"Tell her to hurry. Dad's making ramen!"

Sasuke glanced up from where he had been examining the loose threads on Sakura's pale green comforter, and called out to Sakura, who had disappeared, now to her bathroom. "Sakura. Take your time if you don't want Naruto's father's cooking."

Almost immediately, Sakura appeared in the doorway. "Tell him I'm almost ready," she said, then she zipped back inside, and Sasuke could've sworn she was smiling just a bit too wide

He shook his head. Stupid girl thought she was so smooth.

On the other side of the bathroom door, Sakura was running her fingers through her hair and putting on just a touch of lip gloss. She felt like a little girl playing dress-up.

It was true, there were a number of advantages to being best friends with Sasuke and Naruto. Because of Naruto she knew everyone, and because of Sasuke everyone knew her. Bullies thought thrice before so much as approaching her, and she was privy to all sorts of secrets.

But that all paled in comparison to what their friendship had brought her when she was fifteen: namely, her One True Love.

"Hurry up!" Naruto was impatient on the best of days; offer him his favorite food and he was an absolute nightmare. "The ramen will get cold!"

"And what a tragedy that would be," Sasuke deadpanned, locking his car. The moron had come out to the driveway to greet him.

Naruto all but grabbed the bag out of Sakura's hand, before taking her by the hand and dragging her behind him. "Ramen ramen ramennnnn," he sang. Sasuke scoffed. As if Sakura wasn't in as big a hurry as he was. If anything, Sasuke was the slow one.

The smell of ramen was heavy as soon as they entered, and Sasuke inwardly groaned. As if it wasn't bad enough that his best friend worshiped the stuff, his dad couldn't even make anything else. And, since both Sakura and Naruto were fond of these little slumber parties, usually at Naruto's house, he had eaten much more ramen that he had ever wanted to see, let alone digest in the last thirteen years.

"Dinner's ready, kids!" Naruto's father called from the kitchen.

"Yum, food. Hungry. Need. Let's go!" Sakura said – very briefly – racing ahead to the kitchen.

Sasuke wondered at how unsubtle she could be. Who wouldn't realize that—

"I think I'm rubbing off on her. Yay for the powers of ramen!"

Well. Lucky for her that Naruto was stupid.

"You look hungry, Sakura."

Did that mean she looked fat, like she needed food. Or so skinny she looked anorexic, like she needed stuffing?

"What can I say? I, um, love ramen."

Minato, Naruto's father, grinned, clearly not believing her. "Fridge's open to you, you know." He wiped his hands on a dishtowel, and scooped up the steaming bowl, carrying it to the kitchen table, where Naruto and Sasuke were sitting down. The kitchen was small, and Sakura was right by the refrigerator – where Minato passed on his way to his son. Sakura nearly burst into giddy laughter right then.

Instead, she yanked open the fridge door and perused its limited contents. "Milk, broccoli, tomatoes – for Sasuke? – ooh, yum, pineapple yogurt!"

"You like that stuff, right, Sakura?"

"You guys introduced me to it," she replied eagerly, pulling it out. "Do you have a spoon?"

"Sakura-chan," Naruto cut in. "What about the ramen? You said you liked it!"

But ramen was so messy, and – Sakura flicked a glance at Minato, who didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave. He was leaning back against the counter, asking Sasuke about school, and brushing the messy blond hair back from his face.

He was so cool.

"Um, maybe later," she said, settling down at the table with her yogurt and a spoon. She didn't want Minato to think she didn't appreciate his cooking, after all.

"Sakura hates ramen," Sasuke said off-handedly, effectively ruining that plan. She kicked him under the table. "Ow."

"I like ramen," Sakura said quickly. "I'm just – not feeling good right now. And, uh, I'd rather not spew all over your kitchen table." Sakura winced as soon as the words were out of her mouth. What was wrong with her?

"Classy," Sasuke muttered.

"Ramen always makes me feel better," Naruto said. "Especially my dad's. It's heaven in noodle form." He held out a bite to her, noodles dangling and dripping broth from his chopsticks. "Open wide, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura leaned back, eyeing the food warily. "Naruto, that's going to spill."

"Naruto," Minato chided. "Don't force her." Then he turned to Sakura. "So, how's school, Sakura?"

"It's good."

"It's great," Naruto enthused. "Sakura made the cheerleading squad. She wears a skirt," he added with relish.

Sakura made a face. "Way to make it sound totally pathetic." It was actually hard, for her – she wasn't that good. But she did enjoy it, more than she had thought she would.

"I didn't mean it that way," Naruto protested.

"Nothing's wrong with cheerleading," Minato said, straightening and moving towards the stack of files on the table. "Nothing wrong with skirts, either," he added, with a quick grin at his son.

"Ew," Sasuke said. Sakura ignored him, bright, beaming eyes on Minato.

"You should come to a game some time! I get to be on the top of the pyramid!"

"Sure thing," Minato said absently, flipping through his papers. "Naruto will tell me when they are. But I have to get going. Will you kids be okay?"

"Yeah. We're going to have a Super Smash Bros showdown," Naruto said gleefully. "I'm going to beat Sasuke's ass."

"Language, Naruto. I'll be home late, after midnight. Don't wait up."

Sasuke shot Sakura a pointed look. She flipped him off when Minato wasn't looking. Naruto jumped up to see his dad off.

"He's coming to a game, then," Sasuke said.

Of course he would. Minato wasn't like her parents or Sasuke's. He didn't fake interest. If he said he'd come to see Sakura cheer, he would. God, she'd better get a tan.

"You have a reverse-Lolita complex," Sasuke observed. "Please get help."

"He totally wants me," Sakura informed him cheerfully.