Sorry this is late. My mom got into a fight with wet grass and lost! Now, she's on crutches.
So what's become of Neji, Hinata, and Sakura? Let's find out!
Neji twirled the umbrella in his drink. "That was terrible," he thought out loud. He sighed and placed his forehead on the bar. "Stupid, stupid, stupid Hyuuga." He thumped his head lightly, punctuating each 'stupid' as if to drive it into his brain.
"Girl trouble?" Neji looked up at the bartender and nodded. "Aw, it can't be that bad. Tell me what's going on and I'll give you free advice. I've seen more than my fair share of relationships, both good and bad." The man refilled Neji's punch and leaned on the bar to listen to his sad tale.
"Well, there's this girl I ...kind of care for... You see she's my teammate and over the last couple of years, I've really gotten to know her." Neji paused to remember some of their missions where he'd would stand guard at night, watching her sleep as he protected them from surprise attacks. "Well, anyway...she asked me something and I used this stupid analogy. You know, 'square peg in a square whole'? Well, I said...round rod in a round whole..like... like..."
"Sexually," the bartender interjected. Neji answered by banging his head against the table. "Yeeeeeep. That was pretty stupid."
"I." Thump. "Am." Wham. "A" Thud. "FREAKING." Whack. "MORON!" Whump. The mark on his forehead was framed in red from smacking his head so much. "WHY IS SHE DOING THIS TO ME!"
The bartender chuckled and tossed some ice into a towel, placing it on Neji's forehead. "Because don't you get it? Women are like drugs. They're appealing, enticing, expensive, addictive, and if you aren't careful... they'll have you breaking your own arm for more. You're hooked and she's just reeling you in like the big dumb carp you are."
Neji blinked. "Then what should I do?"
"Well, if you really like her you should just tell her bluntly and say your prayers that she'll treat you good. Or..." He pulled the ice away and leaned in close to him. "You could forsake women all together and say you'll meet me in the green tea springs tonight at seven. Towels are optional." He winked. Neji blinked again, smiled nervously, and then backed away slowly.
"Sorry. I uh...suddenly and very clearly realized how much I like Ten-ten. Thanks for the advice and uh... ... " He looked behind him to make sure that he had a clear run. Neji gave one final look to the bartender and ran for it. Ten-ten peaked from underneath the bar.
She sighed with relief and slipped the bartender a few coins. "Thanks, pal. I really just wanted to know what he thought but that last bit...WOW!"
He took the coins and grinned. "Like I said, I've seen my fair share and the scared straight bit?" He put an arm around her shoulder. "Works like gold. If he gives you hard time, send him my way. I'll pinch his butt or something."
Ten-ten laughed, almost evilly. "I will. I will. But I think he's suffered enough." Her expression became fierce as she hopped over the bar. "Come to me, Hyuuga Neji. Ten-ten's gonna make it aaaall better." She grinned at her consort in crime and walked off.
Another Hyuuga was feeling rather moronic. Hinata and Naruto sat together on opposite sizes of a beach chair in silence. Her face was still burning red from the embarassment of yelling out her confession of love. The girls apologized profusely for dumping water on her but she couldn't say much and Naruto assured them that she was fine. So there they sat, Hinata petrified and Naruto confused.
"Hmmm, sooo...you...like ... me?" Naruto turned to face her but her back was facing him. Even that seemed red. So he shut up.
Temari was crouched over Shikamaru her hand pushing down into his head as they peaked from between some stacked innertubes. The lazy genius look uninterested and half-asleep, though he would suddenly awake up when Temari would squeeze his head painfully.
"What is that idiot doing?" she complained. "He's just sitting there!"
"So is she," Shikamaru point out. His rewarded for being observant was a painful tug of his hair. "Ow! Woman!"
"Don't woman me, boy! I own your ass now. And I say, poor Hinata! Women are like a delicate flowers and they need to be handled gently. He's breaking her freaking heart!" She growled.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You're not a delicate flower. You're from the desert, so you're more like a cactus. And you do not own my ass. I own my own ass unless we get married and THEN you own my ass..." He stopped and was suddenly reminded of his father's screwed up relationship with his mother. "Oh my god..."
"Shut up. I think they're talking." Temari pushed down on his head again and leaned in closer.
Naruto turned complete around and scooted over to sit beside Hinata. She looked as though she was going cry at any second. "Hey, want to here something funny? Two men walk into a bar... and say 'Ow!' Hahaha! Get it? A bar..like...a..." He could tell it wasn't working. "Uuuhhhh, Sasuke picks his nose in his sleep and eats it. Isn't that gross?" Hinata looked at him, slightly disgusted and surprised. "Yeah, yeah. And Kakashi cleans his ears with pencil erasers. And Iruka-"
"You don't have to do this, Naruto-kun... If you don't feel the same way, then don't feel sorry for me." Hinata stood slowly and stumbled away, like someone just waking from a deep sleep. Naruto watched with a pained expression on his face until he was tackled to the ground.
"Narutoooo!" Temari hand him in the air from the back of his spikey hair. "If you let her get away I'll never forgive you!"
"What am I supposed to say?" He wailed trying to pry her fingers away from his hair. He gulped when he looked into her eyes.
"What?" She cooed sweetly. "What, my dear moron? Why I'll tell you..." She looked over to Shikamaru, who was watching with fear in his eyes. "Shika, go to Hinata and make sure she's all right. I'm going to..." She smiled sweetly as she looked at Naruto as though he were a toddler. "I'm going to train this boy to appreciate a delicate flower."
Shikamaru feared for Naruto. They weren't close but he wouldn't wish Temari's wrath on anyone. "Temari, maybe we should just drop it. I mean, Naruto's an idiot and Hinata is a really nice girl and-" That look, those eyes. What was it his father always saying when his mother gave him that look? "Uh...sorry, dear. Right away." He jogged off after Hinata.
"Now. Naruto, let's chat."
Sakura stared down Sasuke. They had escaped the pools and were at the arcade. He was winning prizes left and right, leaving Sakura to carry a small army of plush dolls. Her plan had backfired. Now he was ignoring her, grinning smugly with himself while she fumed. She abandoned the blind admiration realizing that she would lose face if she didn't win Sasuke over. He wouldn't get away so easily, she thought angrily.
"Sasuke."
"Hmmmm?"
"Sasuke, I'm not letting you get away with stealing my first kiss like that."
"Hm."
"I was supposed to seduce you! And you're just taking this all so lightly it's...it's..." She watched him pluck a plush slug out of the UFO machine. He placed it on her head and went back for more. "It's pissing me off!"
"Hmmmm."
She growled. "Well? Don't you have anything to say?"
He turned and looked at her thoughtfully. "Wow. Sakura..."
She smiled. "Yes?"
"I won all the plushies in this machine." Her jaw dropped in morbid disbelief at his indifference. He shrugged and went over to another machine.
"Sasuke!" He didn't turn around. "Uchiha Sasuke!" Sakura watched him plop a few coins into a fighting simulator. She joined him. "Winner take all. Best two out of three."
He began to choose his character. "You're really no match for me, Sakura."
"Hn."
Temari paced in front of Naruto. Her resolve to carefully and thoroughly reprogram Naruto was reflected on her solemn face. It would be too painful for both her and Hinata if the young Hyuuga's heart was broken. If she didn't at least try to mend this fiasco, she would be a failure as a kunoichi and a woman.
"Naruto!" He snapped to alertness at his name being called. "Who do you feel strongly for?"
"Uh...Sakura. I've liked her ever since-" Temari put her foot up on the chair and leaned down over him, glowering. Naruto swallowed hard.
"I'm tell you right now. She's going after Sasuke with everything she's got." She pinched her fingers so close they almost touched. "You see this? This is how much chance you have with Sakura. Look closely...closer...closer..." Naruto squinted. Temari pinched his nose. "You have no chance! Hinata on the other hand, for whatever reason, adores you to death!"
"I know...I just..."
She waved her finger at him. "Ah-ah. No talking. Look, I'm a reasonable woman. I've raised two lovely younger brothers and I've managed to persuade Shikamaru to see things my way. But, Naruto...if you don't see things my way...I'll kill you."
"What?"
"Oh sorry, bad habit." She put her foot down and put her hands on her hips. "I meant, you should forget Sakura for just long enough to give Hinata a chance. Just try it, you might find that she's a diamond in the rough." She smiled and pinched his cheek gently. Naruto stared at her as though she had two head- One that was nice, and one with fangs, horns, and blew fire.
Shikamaru sat with Hinata outside on the balcony. "Why do you like him so much, Hinata. He's not like you at all. He's loud, goofy, and a Class S attention whore."
"Well," Hinata began sheepishly. "Temari's not like you? She's aggressive, pushy, and always takes the initiative." Shikamaru considered this carefully. She was right.
"Dammit. Love is not blind, it's just psychotic!" He glared at the clouds. "Well, in my opinion, Naruto doesn't know what he likes. Just give him some time...or something. What the hell do I know?" He sighed deeply and smiled at Hinata. "She is pushy, isn't she?"
Hinata giggled and nodded. Naruto sat down beside them and groaned loudly. Shikamaru gave Hinata an encouraging smile before he left her with the object of her affection. Her pale lavender eyes regarded the demon container lovingly. He looked exhausted, worried, and confused all at the same time. She felt sorrry for him.
"Naruto-kun, I-"
"Hinata-chan... You know what? I give up," he moaned. She looked perplexed. "I can't take it anymore."
"What are you talking about?"
He sat up and looked at her pleadingly. "I've decided that violent girls just aren't my type! Sakura's beaten, Temari scares the daylights out of me... But you..." He groaned again and put his head in her lap. "I'm yours...just...keep them away from me!"
She covered her mouth to hide her laughter. Naruto hugged her waste and grumbled about Temari's rough handling. Hinata nodded and put her hands on his shoulder. "I'll protect you, Naruto-kun."
"Quiet girls are definitely my type. You are definitely...my type," he said with a sigh of relief.
Neji looked around for Ten-ten. She had disappeared, no doubt laughing at his incompetence in dealing with his feelings for her. This made him slightly dismayed. Perhaps, it would be better if he said nothing. Why complicate things, he asked himself.
Two hands covered his eyes from behind. "Guess who?" said a girl obviously trying to disguise her voice.
"Ten-ten, this game never works on me," he answered. She laughed and released her hands from his eyes. He quickly grabbed a hand before she withdrew it. "Ten-ten, I have something to say."
She smiled knowingly but feigned ignorance. "Sure. What's up?"
"I... I like you. I mean..." he considered saying more but given his track record, he decided further explanation would just complicate things. "Yes, that's ehat I mean."
"Oh, I know. Hey, let's go eat at that fancy restaurant upstairs." She tried to usher him up to the doors but he stopped her.
"What?"
Ten-ten rolled her eyes. "You like me. I know. You started liking me a few months ago. Took you long enough. Do you like seafood?"
Neji shook his head in disbelief. "You...you knew? Then why did you make me go through all of that?"
"Because... if didn't like me, you wouldn't have made an idiot out of yourself. But sense you did, it means you really do care." She hugged him. Neji still seemed perplexed.
"I don't- Forget it. Yeah, seafood sounds nice." He relented and put his hands on her shoulders as they left the natatorium together.
Sasuke stared at Sakura from across the table. They had expended their cache of game tokens. Sasuke tried his best to defeat her, winning expertly at every first game but only to lose one and then tie the last. She did not have enough in her to win but she had just enough to thwart him. He scowled. She grinned.
"What's the matter? Giving up?"
"I don't give up," he stated firmly. "Pick your game."
Sakura considered his challenge carefully. The next game could decided their battle. She would have to pick something he had a distinct disadvantage in, but one where she would have the upper hand.
"Twister. You and me. Twister. First one on the ground admits defeat." She leaned back in chair as she placed down her bet.
Sasuke also leaned back. What was her game, he wondered. He was just as flexible as she was. Perhaps, she assumed he would balk at such a silly game. He smirked. "You got it. I'll ge the mat. My room, ten minutes. Better warm up."
"I feeling it'll get very heated," she replied. They shook hands and parted ways.
Sasuke purchased the game with the tokens he had won. His mind went through his strategy. There wasn't really much too it he decided, just be limber. He shook his head as he pressed the elevator button. She had made a fatal mistake but what should he ask for if he won. He could humiliate her and make her do something stupid... He considered his options carefully.
The metal doors slid open and he stepped out. Halfway to the room, he searched the zipped pocket of his trunks for his key card. He opened the door and began to set up the mat. He realized the spinning the dial would be a challenge but shrugged. Just as Sasuke was in the middle of stretching, Sakura knocked on the door. He opened it and blink. She was still in her bathing suit but had put on make up and done her hair up, just in that short amount of time.
"A bit much for losing, eh Sakura?"
She simply smirked and stood on the pad. "Janken pon for starters." She put her hand in to a fist. Sasuke mimicked. On the count of three they revealed their calls. Her paper won over his rock. "You go first."
He shrugged and took her place on the mat. Sakura flicked the plastic arrow and called "Right foot, blue." The challenge and begun. From then on, they took turns spinning the dial, sometimes it seemed impossible as their bodies had to balance but they were ninja, they mangaged. It wasn't until the heat of the game that Sakura began her plot to foil the elusive Uchiha Sasuke.
"Left hand...green," he grunted bent over backwards. Sakura ended up being placed right above him.
"Oo, Sasuke. It's that a kunai or are you happy to see me?" she quipped.
Sasuke looked alarmed for a moment. "What? Shut up."
"I don't blame you. I mean our two half naked bodies contorting over and around each other, in this room...all alone. I'd get excited too."
"I'm not excited. Spin!" He was certain that she was lying but nonetheless tried to check himself without compromising his stability.
"Right hand, yellow. Heeeey, I like where that's going. I mean...this...this is going," she giggled. Sasuke moved his foot, suddenly uncomfortable.
"Would you stop that?"
"Does it bother you?"
"No," he lied.
She chuckled and flicked the spinner. "Hey! He's coming out to say hello! Hiii, little fella."
"HE IS NOT!"
"He says, he wants a kiss. Well, pucker up, little-"
Sasuke dropped to his back and scooted away. "SAKURA! CUT IT..."
"Out? Why yes, yes you are," she remarked nodding.She gave him the V sign, "I WIN! You're mine, Sasuke-kun."
He stopped, hand over his crotch and glared at her. "You sneaky little-.You cheated."
"All's fair in love and war," she said sticking out her tongue.