Chapter Four

Just As Planned

Naruto had woken up the next day with a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Like butterflys were fluttering around in his gutt and like ants were crawling around all over his insides. He wanted to stomp on them all and kill them, but he knew that was impossible, and he would not be rid of them until the date was completely over. From the moment he dragged himself out of bed he could only anticipate the next time he met the Uchiha, whom he still had yet to ask out to that dinner he was anxious about. Naruto prayed with all his heart that everything worked out, and that Sakura's adive would do him good. The blonde went through his daily rituals, never once being able to take his mind off of what he and Sakura had decided upon being the best way to trick the Uchiha into swallowing his pride and going on a date with him. Finally, he stepped out of his house and began to prowl the streets insearch of his dark haired and very depressed crush.

After several hours of casual searching passed by, it occured to Naruto that he was very hungry. It took him several moments to wonder how he had noticed the steady build of hunger pains because they were now so strong that rocks were looking more and more tastey. The blonde made a straight bee line to Ichiraku's Ramen Bar, licking his lips excitedly the whole way. After all that tiresome searching, he deserved a good bowl of steaming hot ramen all to himself. His stomach growl loudly as he openned the door to the bar and it was amazing that no one heard it. But just as he looked into the bar grinning he froze. Sitting at one of the tables was the person he had been looking for. The bell on the door rang loudly at his entrance and Sasuke looked over towards the sound. Though he was blind it was still instinct to look Naruto supposed. It was a human habit that would be hard, if not impossible to break after so many years of it. Or maybe it was a secret wish that one day he would look to a sound and finally see what had a made it.

Naruto forced his brain back into motion, the pullys and gears screeching in mild protest at moving again. They knew that now was as good a time as ever. It was an hour before the lunch rush and no one was at the bar to hear the proposed date exept Ayame, who had put the idea into his head in the first place. "Konnichi wa, Naruto san," Ayame greeted, this confirmation of who it was sent Sasuke's sightless eyes flickering back to the door. It felt odd seeing Sasuke look at the door for him even thought Naruto had already walked in and was across the floor over by the bar. He hoped that Sasuke was not mad at him or anything. They had left on fairly strange terms last time they had talked, and it would be understandable if Sasuke was frustrated with Naruto's persistance.

"Hello Ayame san, Sasuke kun," Naruto said, greeting both people in turn with his customary grin. He felt those butterflys beginning to flap their wings ever more furiously in his stomach. And he could swear that the ants were starting to bite and nip. The blonde ordered chicken ramen and went over to sit infront of Sasuke, who had yet to say a word or even acknowledge a friend's presance. Naruto felt sickened by that constant sorrow evident in the Uchiha's ebony eyes. The more he had to look at it the more he realized that he would do anything in his power to see those dark eyes glimmer with happyness. Even if Sasuke could never see again he wanted to at least make sure that the Uchiha was forever happy. And with that in mind, he found a new sort of courage inside him.

"How have you been Sasuke? It's been a few days," Naruto started conversation bravely. His tone more confident and merry then he really felt. But he thought it was neccassary. His cheeryness had always seemed to annoy Sasuke, but if he ever acted otherwise then it just was not the Naruto everyone had come to know and love. Sasuke glared daggers at the table at that question. As if asking it was totally unneccassary. Silence reigned over them for several long moments. "Come on Sasuke. Don't be an ass."

"Horrible," the Uchiha answered shortly. Probably with the hope that Naruto would not ask anymore questions.

"Really? Why is that?" Naruto asked, trying to see if the Uchiha could give him a real valid reason as to why it was horrible. Or if he was just saying that because Sasuke was being his regular old whiney self.

"It just was."

"Well there has to be a reason. Did something extra bad happen to make the last few days any worse then the ones before them?" Naruto persisted. He saw Sasuke twitch slightly at this, but as Naruto had always loved irritating the Uchiha it was starting to become a game already.

"No Naruto. It was just horrible. Just like every other day in my god foresaken life," Sasuke snapped, folding his hands together on the table tightly and looking further aggitated.

"Are you even trying to make it better?" Naruto asked, snorting in annoyance with Sasuke's constant negativity. He reminded himself forcefully that he did not want to get on Sasuke's bad side. He wanted to make the raven haired boy happy. And totally pissing him off in the attempt would be redundant and just make things worse then they already were.

"Why should I? It's not going to get any better. Unless you have a cure for blindness," Sasuke snapped, his voice getting harsher by the minute. Naruto realized now would be a key time to try and start putting his and Sakura's plan into action.

"Well, we could still try and make it better," Naruto replied casually. Wondering if the Uchiha would catch the trick to that sentance.

"We? There is no 'we' here, Uzumaki," Sasuke retorted with a snarl. Naruto clapped mentally for Sasuke, proud that the Uchiha had figured it out in seconds and without a double take. Even if the reaction had not been what he had been hoping for. But Sakura had told him it would be no picnic and the first try might even fail so he knew that he had to persist and emprovise. He would do this. He was making it his own personal buisness to be the first person to get Sasuke to date him on the first try.

"Sure there is 'Uchiha'. I am you're friend. Though you do seem to forget that a lot. And friends are here to help each other when they need it. So, there is definatly a 'we' about it," Naruto replied cooly, sounding like he was very happy with himself for his apparent cleverness.

"What can you do that would make me happy, dobe?" Sasuke snarled. Naruto was a little offended that Sasuke did not think it was possible for the blonde to please him in anyway. A bit of his confidence was definatly hurt in the process of that statement. But Naruto contiued on regardless, turning it into a verbal war with the Uchiha as best as he could.

"I bet I could do lots!" Naruto replied, his offense written in his voice and across his face. Ayame dropped the bowl of ramen infront of Naruto without a word as he said this, apparently she did not want to inturrupt them. The blonde instantly began slurping up the noodles that were before him as the bickering of the pair contiued on, it just seemed to be spiralling down hill now.

"Like what?" Sasuke asked, furious. There was a pause, only the sound of Naruto slurrping up noodles in that disgusting way of his was heard. "Would you stop slurping?"

"Nope, I like slurping."

"I bet you only say that because you can't stop slurping you slob!"

"I can so!"

"Prove it!"

"Fine! But you'll have to come to dinner with me."

The pause that followed this proposal was so long that Naruto thought he was going to die. He could not beleive he had said it. Worse yet, it was completely not what he and Sakura had planned and he could feel those damn insects chewing at his insides for his anxiety. He even forgot about his noodles as he waited for the Uchiha's answer, and it seemed like it was never going to come.

"Did you just ask me on a date?" Sasuke asked finally, all the anger was gone and it was accompanied only by bewilderment.

"Uh.. Ye - Yeah I did," Naruto faltered, stuttering around on his sentance. He was trying desperately to figure out if this was good or bad. If this turn of events and Sasuke's reaction meant he had won or lost. Because Naruto had to be honest, he had never seen a look quiet like that on the Uchiha. Even Ayame had held her breath in the background so nothing beyond the two boys could be heard.

"Why would I want to go on a date with you Naruto?" Sasuke asked flatly, his eyes narrowing. Naruto felt his stomach plummeting.

"Because... I am going to prove to you that I can not slurp... And that I can make you happy!" Naruto replied, his tone so uncertian it was clear he was making it up as he went. Sasuke's eyebrows rose. Even though Naruto's tone clearly stated that he was just going with the flow here, it actually was a reasonable reason.

"That's a load of crap."

"No it's not. I am serious!" Naruto responded, once more it was his turn to sound offended. "I've never been more serious actually!"

Sasuke snorted. "You're not joking me, are you? This isn't some stupid trick you're pulling?" Sasuke had to ask, and it was actually sort of annoying.

"No. It's not I am serious. I'll take you out to dinner to a sushi bar. Not only will I show you I can eat politely. But you'll also have a damn good time!" Naruto responded, his voice tone had changed to one of someone accepting a challenge.

"I doubt you can, Uzumaki."

"That sounds like a challenge! And besides, you still haven't answered me!"

"Fine. I'll let you take me out to dinner. But only because I am going to prove you wrong," Sasuke responded cooly. Naruto grinned wickedly, the heavy weight in his gut was gone. He had just passed the biggest milestone. The hardest part. Getting Sasuke to agree to the date in the first place.

"Exellent! Then the date is for tommorow evening. Okay?" Naruto responded, sounding a lot like a girl who had just won over the love of her life, and was on her way to paradise.

"Sure," Sasuke responded.

"I will pick you up!" Naruto said cheerily.

"Whatever Uzumaki," and Uchiha Sasuke got up and made his slow and hesitant decent away from the Ramen Bar. Fingers running along the buildings as Sasuke made his way out and away purely on touch and memory. For a blind guy, Sasuke did very well getting around. It was probably because of being a shinobi, and because of living in Konoha for so long.

The second Sasuke was out of ear shot, Naruto twisted around to look at Ayame, a look of pure glee on his face. "Did you hear that Ayame chan? He actually said yes! I got him to agree!" Naruto jumped up from the table, abandoning his ramen and did a dance right there in the middle of Ichiraku.

Ayame giggled at Naruto's happyness, it was getting more and more clear just how much the blonde truely did feel for his dark haired companion. "Yes, Naruto. That is wonderful. You did an awesome job. Now what are you going to wear?" Ayame asked to partying blonde.

"Wear? What does it matter? He's blind anyways," Naruto replied, blinking at that silly question.

"Oh, Naruto! But you're still going out on a date. Wear something at least a little nice looking. Besides, if it turns out like a date should then Sasuke might find out what you're wearing. Since the best way for a blind person to see is to touch," Ayame replied looking at Naruto like he was a lost cause.

Naruto's face went scarelet at what she said, but he knew it to be true. Before when they had almost faught, Sasuke had touched the headband to identify it as his own. And since the Uchiha had not always been blind he might be curious to such things - though Naruto highly doubted it - as clothing. Ayame giggled at Naruto, trying to cover up for the cuteness of the whole situation.

"Just go talk to Sakura. I am sure she will help you with everything," Ayame suggested to the still speechless Naruto. All the blonde could think of to do was nod in response and scuttle off. Feeling more pleased with himself then he ever thought he had. Everything had not quite gone as planned. No, definatly not. It had gone much, much better then planned. And Naruto was determind to make tommorow night, the best night of Sasuke's life.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can you tell I am feeling guilty for missing all those updates. This is my second update in not even a week. Anyways, now that the introduction chapters are finally over we are just getting into some of the real action and fun.

See you next time at Naruto and Sasuke's date at the sushi bar!