Apparently Solana and Moon had 'connections' in this neighbourhood making it possible for them to create tunnel systems under the houses with openings in front of a few of the major houses - from the one neighbouring Sakura's to several down the road, imposing structures made from incredible stones and architecturally astounding gargoyles. So using these tunnel systems they transported all available curtains, table cloths and even spare sheets to a back room in Sakura's house -after, of course, vigorously scrubbing them clean and dying them appropriate colours (according to the girls these where black, red, purple and blue).
Using an assortment of thumbtacks, pushpins and screw in hooks they'd managed to hang the fabric from the roof, draping it out to the four walls to create an imitation of the inside of a tent. Cushions in varying sizes, shapes and colours where scattered across the floor around a low circular wooden table. It was what you'd expect in a really morbid turkish inspired restaurant.
Spread out across the pillows where the various members of our friendship group, chatting animatedly about what had just transpired, Kiba pacing briskly at the back of the room.
"I love what you've done with my curtains." I stated, loudly, announcing our entrance to the others, Kiba instantly rounding on me a thousand questions in his clear brown eyes.
"Why thank you, I thought it would make the place that little bit more homey." Moon cackled appearing beside us before waltzing off with Gaara, intent on reclining upon the multiple plush cushions. Kiba briskly taking Gaara's spot and draping his arms around my shoulders, the small black box still clasped securely in his right hand.
"I want to know why Sai just sprinted through the house, bleeding from the nose, and crying like a little girl... Well we all would like to know that actually." He clarified as I smiled guiltily at the group.
"I kind of... sort of... just a little bit... beat him up and threatened him before." I replied, chuckling nervously as Solana rolled her eyes and Moon made a dismissive 'tsking' noise with her tongue. "But I had a very good reason to!" I cried before the lectures could start about respecting others even if you despise them and all of that shebang. "...I just can't remember it at the moment."
"Silly Kuro, you don't need a reason to beat up Sai-Sai! As long as it was a fair fight and you didn't use any weaponry you can do it again if you like!" Lee cheered from his spot beside Hinata, grinning like a mad man. "It is very youthful to release pent up energy in such a way."
"Ah~ thank you Lee... I think." Whatever he'd said sounded supportive for my cause, I just don't know if it was in a good way, or bad. One day there'd be someone normal to support my cause, for now though I'd have to deal with having drug using psychopaths helping me out.
"No problem my youthful friend." Lee cheered waving merrily at me before turning his attention back to Hinata, Kiba regaining my attention with a small whine as he tugged at the loose strands of my hair.
"Hey I'm the one who gets your attention tonight, remember! You're meant to be taking me on a proper date, even if we're at Sakura's birthday." Kiba whined, arms reaching up to tangle in the soft hair at the back of my neck; I couldn't help but smile at his words, leaning down to gently brush a kiss to his soft lips.
"As you wish puppy, I'm yours for the night." I retracted from the dogs grasp to bow low, a flourish of leather and silver chain as I did so, the dog blushing lightly over the display. "But I'm yours all night remember, so why don't we hang with our friends for a little while." Brown eyes closed in thought, fingers distractedly playing with the already mused locks at the back of my nape.
"TRUTH OR DARE!" Shrieked Naruto leaping up from his cushions and startling almost everyone in the room, successfully separating Kiba from me.
"Dobe." Sasuke coughed, crossing his legs and relaxing back into his mountain of cushions; I couldn't agree more with Sasuke at that point. There was never any real challenge in 'Truth or Dare' and unless we where drunk or playing the adult version, it was never any fun.
"Not the boring one then." Stated Solana whipping out her iPod and quickly pressing a few buttons on the touch screen. "We're going to play the our version." Moonshadow burst into shrieking laughter at that point, the maniacal sound resonating around the small space as a grin spread across Solana's usually stoic face; our group giving a single quiver as an evil aura crawled around the room seeping into the crevices with malicious intent. There was the steady 'tick' -'tick' of electronic buttons clicking away as Solana typed our names into the small device. How could something so small and appealing be so very, very evil?
"Alright!" Moon suddenly cheered, eyes sparkling as Solana carefully put forth the iPod so that it was visible by all within the group. The game was a crude version of the original, a black screen with a single white word stared blankly up at them; 'START' blinked a few times as Solana pushed down on it, the game clicking over to a loading screen of a roughly drawn wine bottle spinning in circles a few times before flashing a bright white name across the screen 'Sasuke' blinked twice before minimising into the middle of the title and two other buttons (made of crudely drawn squares coloured green and red) one for 'Dare' and 'Truth'.
"Considering it's the two of you," at this he sent a pointed look between the two girls, "I will choose Truth." Came his logical statement, pressing the button so that the screen filled with a scrappily drawn piece of parchment written on with inky computer script.
'Truth - When was the last time you punched someone? Who? Why?'
There was a hushed, confused, murmur running through the group; this was not the type of question we had been expecting from those two psychopaths, but perhaps this was just one of the more 'innocent' questions.
"Seriously... Naruto, five years ago, because he said a few improper things to me. He's learnt his lesson." Sasuke stated quickly, picking the iPod up and shaking it (as instructed by the small white type at the bottom of the screen). "Lee." The device was tossed across the group, Choji and Ino sneaking carefully out the door, nearly unnoticed and the group moving closer together, filling in the past gaps.
"Dare! Dare! Dare!" Lee cheered, catching the phone mid flight and pressing the button without even looking at the screen.
'Dare - Someone find this guy a can of whipped cream, create a tower and see if he can push up without ending up as a frosted cake.'
"I don't even get what it means." Kiba whispered to me, Lee leaping out of the room, squeezing his hand to softly silence him as two sets of eyes turned to stare them down.
"He's just playing round, they're asking him to do some push ups with a pile of whipped cream under him."
"Why?"
"It's just something people do. It's hard to explain." I replied grimacing slightly as Lee stripped out of his shirt and layered the whipped cream onto a plate, creating a white mountain of aerated foam. "Although I don't think being drunk would be a viable response to the insane requests of these two." Kiba giggled softly at this, before nudging the black box under my nose; beneath the dim lighting the faint dusting of a rosy blush could be seen on his innocent face.
"I-I-Well, they're all distracted. So I thought- yeah, well, um..." Sighing I flicked the box open, within the black leather casing and soft red velvet cushions lay a set of silver dog tags, on one was Kiba's name written in a sloping font with 'phone' and my mobile number on the back; the other was my own name in the same cursive and a single date on the back in the top left corner. The date I'd 'officially' asked Kiba to be my boyfriend.
"I hope they aren't too much." I muttered sweeping a kiss to his temple, removing the jewellery from the box and placing it around his neck. Glittering brown eyes turned to me, the soft trace of a single tear running from the corner of his eye.
"Kankuro... You *sniffle* didn't have to." Slender fingers fiddled with the small silver rectangles, his other hand reaching round to squeeze my other.
"No, I didn't, but I did. I did this so that you'll have something which... connects you to me. So that you know I'll always be there. Here. With you." I stated, wiping away the tears threatening to fall; the rest of the group giving a loud cheer as Lee finished his push ups without a hint of whipped cream ending up on him.
"Love you too Kanky." Smiling softly at the admission I pulled him back onto my lap so that I could bury my nose in his hair, a protective arm draped across his waist. Tenten and Shino side stepping from the room, the music device being passed around the circle to rest in Kiba's hands.
TBC...