Pairings: GaaIno.
Warnings: Sexual Harassment, androgyny, confession
Author's Notes: OH MY GOD! LOOK! It's me! The author you thought was dead! Oh, I'm not dead! Ohohohoho!
Holy crap, please don't kill me. It's been so long. I missed you guys and I swear I adored every one of your reviews. The problem with this chapter is that I HATED how I wrote it. It's been lying incomplete on my laptop for ages, but nothing seemed right. It was irritating to no end. I kept going back to try and fix or finish it, but it just wasn't working.
What I actually had to do what start another fic to get me in the mood to write this one. In case you haven't read that one, it's called The Diary of Princess Ino. (Shameless plug) But it really worked! Once I started writing Ino again, I could finish this one! I really don't like to leave things unfinished like I thought I was going to have to do since I was so displeased with my writing. Anyway, from now on, the fic will take a more serious tone. It's nearing the end! Really! One or two chapters left.
(The sad thing is I almost forgot what I had written for this fic earlier. I had to go back and read/skim the other chapters to remember. I'm ashamed. But it was kind of fun to read it again! Funny, but I think I did go slightly overboard on the gay stuff. I must have been hung up on GaaNaru from my other fics.)
HO DAMN! I talk to much. Please read. Don't hate me for being late, and stay tuned. I'll try not to take so long for more updates.
Chapter Nine: Price
"That'll be 25 dollars, Miss."
His handsome face inches away from mine, an arousing breath of surprise, his soft pale lips pressed tenderly against mine…
"Miss? …Miss…?"
Oh, Gaara…
A long uncomfortable silence – or at least it was uncomfortable for the clerk because I was having a beautiful daydream – passes as I replay our kiss in my mind over…and over. Finally, someone in the line behind me politely taps my shoulder and asks me to pay attention.
Okay. Actually, this big fat cow of a woman behind me yelled at me and called me various names for holding up the line. Oh, life. If only everything could be as surreal and perfect as a kiss with Gaara.
"OKAY! Geez, you old hag! I was just looking for my wallet!"
Her face turns bright red and she fights the urge to yell at me again, but I pull out my cash and pay quickly. I run out of the store with my precious purchase. This is wonderful!
In my hands is a bag. In the bag are items that are sure to make me look absolutely stunning for this year's Spring Festival. Do I have someone to impress?
Maybe!
I snicker as I walk down the street to my next destination. You can't go to a festival without a dress, so clearly, I must go to a dress shop. On my way there, I see a mass of shopping bags wobbling its way in my direction. My curiosity peeks. I notice a small white dog walking by the feet under the mass of bags. With that dog, is the creature that is always with it.
Of course, I mean Kiba.
"Kiba…?"
"Yo, Ino! What's up? Need me to hit on anyone else today?" he grins widely.
I could swear I hear the mass of shopping bags squeak out a small 'H-Huh…?'
"W-What are you doing here…and what's with all the bags…?" I ask, my curiosity seriously about to make me dig through all of them.
"Oh, that?" he points to the moving heap next to him, "I'm just doing a little shopping with Hinata."
"H-Hi…" the bags answer shyly.
"WHAT?"
Immediately, I drop my own bag and start plucking bags off the shaking heap. Sure enough, Hinata is under them, vainly trying to carry all the heavy bags at once without dropping them.
"Hinata? What are you doing carrying so many bags?"
"U-Umm…u-umm…" the now exposed Hinata stutters and blushes, "W-Well…normally I'd go with Naruto, but I don't want him to see my new dress and things for the festival…because…u-um…s-so…I came with K-Kiba-kun instead…"
I turn to Kiba and he shrugs.
"YOU! Why aren't you helping her with all her bags?"
He just shrugs again and scratches his ear, "She didn't ask."
"OH MY GOD! ARE YOU SERIOUS? YOU'RE WORSE THAN AN ANIMAL! HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF HER FRIEND AND – "
"Ouch…ouch…your yelling hurts my ears – "
"I'M NOT DONE! I COULDN'T EVEN SEE HER WITH ALL THE BAGS SHE'S CARRYING! AND YOU DIDN'T HELP HER AT ALL?"
"Well…I mean…kinda," he lifts up a small, yellow paper bag that must have held something like earrings. He whines, "Hey! Why am I listening to your bitching anyway?"
With a punch in the face and a few strings of curses, I put him in line and make him take the rest of Hinata's bags to her house. After the storm that is my rage passes, quite a few men nearby take a few bags out of their ladies' hands and a few women clap. I smile triumphantly. Damn, I'm so badass.
"A-Arigato…I-Ino-chan…" Hinata bows cutely.
"What? That? It was no problem! Hey…you've still got a bag there," I point to the classy black bag in her hands that I recognize to belongs to a very expensive store. Those Hyuugas; they can afford anything.
She blushes in her characteristic manner and says, "This one has my dress in it…I w-want to carry it…"
I look her blushing face over and laugh, "Fair enough!" she probably picked something extra special out, and I was really itching to see it.
"A-Ano…Ino…have you bought your dress yet?" she asks, lifting her big eyes.
"Nope! That's what I'm doin' right now! Wanna come with?"
"S-Sure!" she beams.
I take her hand like we're little girls going out to pick flowers together and we walk down the strip searching for the store that will have my perfect dress. Out of all of the stores, there is one that just catches my eye. Maybe it's because I'd never seen this store before or maybe it's because it was so flashy, but in any case I just had to go in.
"Wow……" Hinata gapes as she looks at all the dresses in the store.
"They're definitely….interesting…" The dresses were all finely made, but I had to question the…style of a few of them. Everything was leather, lace, or if not, it was a bit, dare I say…naughty? I pick one off the rack and immediately put it back when I notice it had no front. Literally. The dressmaker must have been trying to save material. I didn't think I could wear most of these. Hinata looks a bit confused and I decide I have to get her out of the store before she starts asking questions.
"Hey…I-Ino…these dresses all look…"
"Hey! You know what? I think this is the wrong store for us! Let's go!" I tug at her arm before she finds a dominatrix costume among the racks and burns her innocent little eyes. Someone stops us, of course. Like an eager car salesman, someone comes out to talk to us.
"HELLO!" the entirely too cheerful voice of a woman addresses us. A very tall woman.
"H-Hi…" I lean back and try not to feel like a midget. I had no idea women came in this size. Hinata cowers behind me. Apparently, the loudness of the employee scared her. I don't blame her.
She swooshes her long silver hair over her shoulder and chuckles. I take a moment to notice her dress, which is long and red like a fiery sunset. Phoenix patterns are embroidered all along the front. Her slim figure works well with long design. Her legs must be miles long! She catches me looking and gazes at me…romantically?
"My name is…" Dramatic pause, "Aya! Please, allow me to help you find the dress of your dreams!"
"Okay…that's nice…" I step back yet another step. This woman definitely has an odd, dreamy voice, and she keeps staring at me. "Well…my friend and I were just about to go…T-These dresses aren't really our thing…"
She bends over, unfazed, and places her hands on my shoulders. I really jump back this time. She's freaking me out. "Darling…You beautiful girl…I know the perfect thing for you! You have yet to see the back of the store!"
She hauls me to "the back of the store" and a cry inside to be saved from this shopping nightmare. What could possibly be in the back that would be less modest than the stuff in the front? To my surprise, all the dresses in the back are almost normal. Elegant and beautiful formal wear in a rainbow of colors that takes my breath away. "Oh…oh…wow! Why aren't all these in the front of the store?"
Aya shrugged, "The ones in the front are more popular."
"What? Seriously! But these are beautiful!" I turn around holding one in my hand and nearly fall over when I see the pale face of the woman in front of me. Her look distinctly makes me feel like I'm being groped visually.
"You lovely blonde goddess! I'm saddened that you did not like any of the dresses up front, but I'll find something for you! It's such a shame. Your body is perfect for a Lolita #26! You're like a man's dream come true!"
I blush heavily and lean back. About that moment, I see Hinata far behind Aya gesturing something. It looks like she's holding a business card in her hand. I try to read her lips, while avoiding Aya's groping hands. What the Hell is she doing?
"Ino! Aya is a man! Male!" Suddenly I understand.
"Oooooooooh!" I push Mr. Pretty Aya back. "Mister?"
"Yes?" HE responds.
"…"
"Do you want something?'
"Yes….Please stop touching me."
"I'm taking your measurements."
"Without a tape measure?"
"Darling, I'm a professional."
"And that's why you need your hand on my ass?"
"……yes."
"Okay….I'm gonna have to go now!" I squirm my way out of his hands, letting a dress fall to the floor. I see Hinata had kept her distance. She was being supportive by waving her hands for me to run to her. I try to comply, but the man was practically latched on top me. Hinata's surprised gasp/squeak finally sent me over. "LISTEN PAL! LET GO OF ME! YOU'RE MAJORLY CREEPY AND I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOUR DRESSES! LET ME GO!"
"But you haven't even tried anything on yet – " he started whining and trying to convince me to stay when another man pulled aside a curtain separating the store and the back to come out and join us. He was as tall as the scary guy on top of me, but with short black hair. Clearly a man.
"Aya. What are you doing? Scaring the customers away again?" he groaned and gave the silver haired man a bored expression. He pulled me out of the Aya's perverted grasp and I can't say I wasn't thankful to be in his arms.
"Hi…" I looked up at the tall, dark and handsome man. Cliché, but true. He fit the bill for manly perfection.
Aya crawls on the floor where he had fallen and looks up with eyes that had turned into big, sorrowful saucers. "I was just measuring her! I'm sorry, Ha - !"
But he was kicked in the face before he could continue. Storekeeper # 2 looks down at me and apologizes deeply. He says I can go and he gives Aya another vicious kick. Yet, I couldn't help not wanting to leave. The shop had a mysterious allure and it was true that the dresses in the back were very fine. I notice Hinata had come out next to me. I was surprised when she spoke up.
"She's just looking for something to wear to the Festival. She has someone she has to impress…r-right Ino?"
"Oh?" The dark-haired storekeeper looks up. Finally, he persuades his feminine (yet womanizing) associate to go to the back and out of the way. "I'm really sorry about him. He's a distant cousin of mine…I think he got all the bad genes. He usually is fine with the male customers, but can't keep his hands off the female customers."
"N-No…don't worry. Not a problem. I won't report this store or anything, but you should probably watch out for him better," I say, but then wish I could take back some of my words at the man's embarrassed expression. God, he's cute. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that."
"No worries. We'll find you the perfect gown."
It's late and Hinata and I are walking along the street after spending hours in the shop.
"That guy was n-nice, wasn't he, I-Ino-chan?"
"Yup! And drop dead gorgeous too!" I swing the bag with my purchase cheerfully. Not as gorgeous as my favorite redhead, though. I feel at ease knowing that I don't have to deal with other men. Even if they are attractive, smart, and kind, my heart has already been already given to someone else. It's a freedom I haven't know before - possibly because I feel such hope. I think I could really be with Gaara.
"Hmmm…" Hinata glances over to me. "Maybe not as gorgeous as some."
"Whatever do you mean, Hinata-chan?"
"You know."
"I notice you stopped stuttering. Maybe is that 'shy girl' thing a front? Are you secretly something else? Like an all-knowing genius?"
Hinata giggles. "S-Sorry…I was just curious...because you know…G-Gaara-san."
"Umm-hmm."
"The dress is for him, isn't it?"
"I sure hope not! The day my Gaara dresses in drag will be the day – "
"You know what I mean, I-Ino."
I smile softly. Of course I know. Right now I'm building up my courage to actually have a reason to wear this dress. I can go to the festival all spruced up, but it only makes a difference if I'm with that person.
"Y-You haven't asked him yet, h-have you?" Hinata says quietly.
I stop walking. "No."
It's the day of the festival.
It came quicker than I expected. I'm pacing madly. I just saw Gaara over on the other side of the street, not that I've been stalking him or anything. Since yesterday, since my talk with Hinata, my feet have gotten cold. I feel like he should ask me, but Gaara wouldn't do a thing like that, would he? Does Gaara even know about the festival? What if he doesn't like festivals? What if…
What if's cloud my thought, but in the end I walk to him.
"Gaara!" I give my best smile.
"Ino."
Oh, damn. Why does he have to give me a bored expression now? Why can't he give me that slightly nicer expression?
"I-I wanted to ask you something…" screams inside my head rack my body. Why is it so hard?
It's because I don't just want to ask him to the festival, I want to tell him how I feel. I take a bigh breath.
"Gaarawillgoyoutothefestivalwithme!"
"What?" he cuts in sharply and gives me a puzzling eye.
"No! W-What I meant was…" Ino, the mighty, is trembling. A tear or two wants to leak out and I can't believe this is driving me so crazy. I just need to say it, no matter the cost. No matter what his response is. "I REALLY LIKE YOU!"
"……………" He doesn't even blink.
The silence is ridiculous. Did he not hear me? I kind of SCREAMED it out for him. Finally, I see a hint of regret in his face. I force myself to loosen up. "Gaara. Did you hear?"
He nods.
"You know what I mean…I've gone crazy for you. I really need you to like me back!"
"Oh…" the sound is the only response I get. I know he's not used to this kind of situation, but for the love of God! Can't he say something other than that?
"Gaara? Well…?"
And I wait for the answer. My part is done.
Le gasp. Cliffhanger of death.