[AN: Will you look at that... I finished something! Sorry for disappearing for almost two months (more, if we're talking just about this story). Between an early spring vacation, three different stories with half-finished chapters (for those of you curious about my other in-progress FF work, I'm hoping to get the next chapter of Secrets polished up and out soonish too), and a suddenly hectic work schedule, I've found myself with much less time than usual to write this March/April. Hopefully, a new chapter somewhat makes up for it! As usual, the content is rated M, and I do not own Naruto.]
"Ah, good morning, Yamanaka-san! Tsunade-sama was hoping you'd get in soon! She asked me to have you report straight to surgery this morning. You're on to cover for Haruno-san today!"
Mari, the blue-haired genin who had started at Konoha General four or five months ago, gave Ino a sunny smile from her seat behind the front reception desk. While her enthusiasm as a novice medic-nin was admirable, it was way too much to handle for quarter past seven on a Monday morning.
With a tired nod of her blonde head, Ino did her best to return the chipper greeting while silently cursing Tenten and her penchant for Sunday night gossip sessions. She was always up for the chitchat part of the equation, of course, but the cheap Chardonnay and late stop time that had accompanied last night's installment weren't exactly doing her any favors. She would presumably survive, although the fact that she'd apparently be subbing for Sakura in her least favorite clinical setting didn't leave her feeling particularly optimistic about her chances. That pink-haired little minx had better have an excellent reason for failing to show up...
Pulling her white coat out of her medic-nin bag, Ino turned towards the staff room door behind the reception desk. "Thanks, Mari-chan. I'll grab some coffee from the break room and head on up. You know how Mondays can be." Or, at least, one day she presumably would. Then, figuring that it couldn't hurt to at least ask, she added, "By the way… did Tsunade-sama say where Forehead - I mean, Sakura-san - is, by any chance? I didn't realize she'd be out today."
The girl proffered a casual shrug, hazel eyes scanning the computer screen before her. "Not really! She is due in later this morning, though. At eleven-thirty, according to her schedule." Pale hands hovered over the keyboard. "Should I have her report to you when she gets in? If so, just let me know, and I can make a note of it!"
"Oh no, that's all right. I'll track her down. Thanks, though!"
The genin positively beamed. "No problem, Yamanaka-san! I hope you have an absolutely wonderful day!"
As Ino headed down the hall with a parting wave in the reception desk's direction, she couldn't help but chuckle. After all, it hadn't been all that long ago that she herself had been in Mari's place, greeting coming and going staff members, welcoming nervous family members and teammates, and triaging patients. She had felt like such an adult at the time, and the more experienced chunin and jounin medic nins had seemed so ancient and wise. Of course, Ino had never been quite so eager to please as this particular genin, but Mari was a dead-ringer for the fourteen-year-old version of the pink-haired kunoichi she'd apparently be covering for for the next four hours.
In the break room, Ino poured herself a large cup of coffee, thankful for the jolt of caffeine and the few moments of blissful peace and quiet. Then, aware that the clock was ticking and that the Hospital Director she'd presumably be relieving in the OR wasn't exactly a patient woman, the kunoichi set off for the fourth floor. It had been at least five or six months since she'd actually done any work in Surgery. While she'd trained in all the medic-nin arts, of course, that department was usually Sakura's, Shizune's, or Emi's domain, with Tsunade covering as the need arose. But with Sakura off doing Kami-knew-what, Shizune on a much-needed vacation in the Land of Hot Water, Emi on maternity leave, and Tsunade in charge the past twelve hours, duty apparently called.
After scrubbing up, Ino entered the unit with a deferential nod at Tsunade-sama's typically combative greeting. "About time, Yamanaka!" she snapped, cutting a swift course for the door. "I don't know what's gotten into your generation lately, but I'm not liking it!"
Despite Ino's lack of enthusiasm for the assignment, the next four hours passed quickly enough. Thanks in large part to the impending Academy graduation and the summer's upcoming chunin exams, spring tended to be a busy time of year around Konoha General. The day proved no exception, leaving Ino and her meager staff of two chunin assistants with barely enough time to keep organized.
Their first patient arrived about five minutes after Tsunade's departure, young Yamanaka Taki, nursing a dislocated shoulder and sobbing about his chunin exam chances being over before they'd even started. Ino patched him up and sent him on his way quickly enough, shaking her head all the while at her little cousin's dramatic tendencies. Where he got it from, she would never know.
Next came a rather apologetic jounin sensei accompanied by her trio of genin, one of whom had apparently gone a bit overboard with a doton jutsu, resulting in a broken femur for the second and a shattered wrist for the third. Oh, the joys of geninhood. Ino and her assistants dealt with the damage quickly and efficiently, sending the squad on its merry way within the hour with, very fortunately, no lasting damage.
Their timing turned out to be perfect, for Choji's mother had a hip replacement surgery scheduled for nine-thirty, and she was characteristically prompt. As Ino's team went through the necessary prep work, the Akimichi matriarch was chatty as ever, bemoaning her son's meager dating prospects. "I had so hoped your old classmate - that cute little kunoichi with the lovely pink hair - might be a good fit for him," she commented to Ino as Chunin Assistant #1 took care of the necessary paperwork and prepped the IV line. "But now I hear she's dating that sulky Uchiha boy. That clan gets all the most talented kunoichi, you know. Other than you, of course, Ino-chan!"
Ino liked her job, but for a part-time hospital employee whose clinical duties usually consisted of once-weekly psychiatric consultations, it was all rather exhausting. And so, when the staff door opened roughly fifteen minutes after her assistants had wheeled Akimichi-san off to the recovery room, she couldn't help but sigh in relief at the sight of Sakura's signature pink locks, despite being more than a little miffed about her late arrival. Not that she'd be letting the woman off easy.
Pushing down her surgical mask and breathing in the odor of the lemon disinfectant she'd been scrubbing across the operating table, Ino fixed her new companion with her best T&I glare. "Well, Forehead, you are certainly a sight for sore eyes. And you'd better have one hell of an excuse for showing up to work four hours late. If it was old loverboy Uchiha fucking up your schedule again, I am going to absolutely destroy him, Sharingan or not."
The new arrival's cheeks turned a rather delicate shade of pink in a seemingly silent confirmation of Ino's suspicions. Since she and Sasuke had officially become an item, Sakura had had even less time than usual for their kunoichi-only outings. Now, Ino would never fault her friend for wanting as much one-on-one time with the handsome bastard as she could wrangle. After all, their relationship was still in the "honeymoon phase," and she herself had been guilty of that same crime more than once. That being said, letting the Uchiha cut into her professional life was a new low, and not something she ever would have predicted. It appeared that a little Yamanaka pep talk was in order.
"Look, Sakura," Ino began, doing her best to keep her tone light but authoritative, channeling the older, wiser, more experienced best friend she so obviously was, "I know Sasuke's hot as fuck. That this is your first serious relationship. That you've been waiting for this moment for more than half your life. That the sex is fantastic and you've got a lot of catching up to do. And that this all might sound a little hypocritical coming from me. But come on, girl! Friday night cocktails are one thing, but you can't go skipping out on your job to get more dick. I pinky promise that I'm not going to say anything this time around, but you know how gossip travels around the hospital. If Shizune or Tsunade-sama find out that you spent Monday morning in bed with Sasuke, you're going to be seriously fucked. And not in the way you'd like to-"
The blonde trailed off, suddenly aware that her friend's pink cheeks had turned positively scarlet with rage and that she might have whisper-shouted her name once or thrice. "INO! Sweet Kami, could you please shut up and listen to me for once before someone hears you!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "That isn't it at all!"
A perfectly sculpted eyebrow shot towards her hairline. "Oh no? You swear you weren't with Sasuke this morning?" Did Forehead seriously think she could lie to her? After everything they'd been through?
Sakura's hands dropped obstinately to her scrub-clad hips as she met Ino's accusatory stare head on. "I took paid time off, you idiot! It was on the master schedule. And yes, it was technically because of Sasuke-kun... but it wasn't what you think! We had... I mean, we were busy... well, that is to say... there was… this thing. An appointment. And it couldn't wait."
Ino wiggled her eyebrows knowingly, prompting emerald eyes to roll. "Don't you dare look at me like that. I'm not in the mood. If you must know… it was with the, um, Uchiha Elders."
An appointment with the Uchiha Elders that couldn't wait. That was… weird. After all, for the past six and change weeks, her friend's modus operandi when it came to Uchiha clan affairs had been to keep as low a profile as possible. Deeply sensitive to the fact that the average Uchiha Elder wasn't exactly a fan of outsiders and held some decidedly archaic notions about appropriate relationship behaviors, Sakura had by-and-large resisted the temptation to flaunt her newfound relationship, keeping the PDA to a relative minimum and her person far away from the Uchiha District (with the obvious exception of those had-to-be-awkward biweekly dinners upon which Uchiha Mikoto apparently insisted).
Now, Sakura's concerns weren't totally unfounded. At the rate his supposedly perfect brother was moving when it came to the all-important matter of procreation, Sasuke might end up being far more integral to the main family's continuation than anyone had anticipated. But there was no need to panic quite yet. Itachi was just thirty, which means that there was still plenty of time for him to be strong-armed into a very probably incestuous marriage. Sure, he was dragging his feet, but he seemed to be a dutiful-enough sucker to eventually go along with it. Besides, as Choji's mother had observed less than an hour ago and Ino had tried to explain multiple times over the past month, Haruno Sakura was actually quite the catch.
That being said, she was also notoriously stubborn. As such, her sudden attendance of an official Uchiha clan meeting was a massive about face. In Ino's mind, it could really only have been prompted by one thing. One big fucking deal of a thing.
Darting around the operating table, the Yamanaka kunoichi took a firm hold of the blue glove on Sakura's left hand. Fully ignoring her friend's shriek that "this is supposed to be a sterile area, Pig! Scrubs are to be worn at all times!" she yanked the latex over her wrist and off, gaze immediately jumping to her victim's left ring finger in heart-pounding anticipation of what she'd find.
Sure enough, perched ever-so-prettily on said digit was an absolutely gorgeous ruby flanked by two sizable diamonds. The center stone had to be at least a couple of carats, and the diamonds were nothing to sneeze at either, shining cheekily in the harsh fluorescent lighting. It appeared that Uchiha Sasuke had put his ANBU earnings to very good use.
Ino couldn't help it. Despite the fact that they were totally standing in the middle of Konoha General's operating room at quarter to twelve on a Monday morning, she let out a positively massive squeal of glee before pulling her somewhat shell-shocked companion in for a crushing hug. "Kami, Forehead! I can't believe it! You actually bagged Uchiha Sasuke. I am so proud of you right now. Like, solo S-class mission-level proud. And, I'll tell you what. I take back everything I ever said about so many fish and moving on to bigger and better things and waiting being for bores and Sasuke being an entitled asshole who doesn't deserve you." That didn't sound quite right. "Well... maybe I don't take back that last part. Because I'm pretty sure he's still an entitled asshole, and he totally doesn't deserve you. Not even for a heartbeat. But you know what I'm trying to say. Right, Sak?"
Sakura laughed weakly, a slow, bashful smile spreading across her round face as she disentangled herself from Ino's embrace. "I think so, Pig. I appreciate the enthusiasm, at least! The Elders were a bit less… ah... gushy."
So, Sasuke popped the question without preemptively asking his clan's permission first. Bad move, politically speaking, but good for him. "I'll bet. That must have been one hell of a conversation."
The pink-haired kunoichi frowned in that "I just went through hell and back" kind of way. "Actually, the discussion was pretty minimal. Remember, this is the Uchiha we're talking about. The tension and the silence that followed after we told them, though, was horrible. I've never seen Sasuke-kun more nervous. He was actually sweating, and I was sure I was going to be sick. But, then, Fugaku-san 'ahed' that he was on board; Ichiro-sama, their oldest member, kind of 'tched' and said 'so be it'; and Sasuke's great aunt 'hned' and muttered something about seeing to the clan shrine. Believe it or not, that was pretty much it!"
She laughed nervously, clearly still in total and complete disbelief. "Kind of crazy, right?"
Ino rolled her eyes, the sense of deja vu almost painful. When would this girl learn? "Not really. It's like I've been trying to tell you for weeks now, Sakura. The Uchiha might be the most old-fashioned clan in the village, but even they're not too far up their own asses to realize how lucky they've got it with you. You're gorgeous, talented, classy, smart, and, most importantly in their eyes, influential. Sure, you might not have a Sharingan, but you're the undisputed heiress to Senju Tsunade's legendary techniques, with perfect chakra control to boot. I mean, seriously, who wouldn't want you having their babies?"
She paused, aware that Sakura was looking distinctly uncomfortable and more than a little queasy. It was probably all the flattery... she'd never been the most confident kunoichi on the training field, after all. So, taking mercy on the woman (and also, admittedly quite curious about some of the more juicy details of what exactly had gone down post-proposal), the blonde switched gears. "Anyway, that's enough Uchiha clan crap for one morning. When did this all happen? What did your parents say? Sasuke spoke with your tou-san first, right?"
For Kizashi-san's sake, Ino dearly hoped so. But Sasuke being Sasuke, that was very probably wishful thinking.
Sure enough, Sakura shook her head in a resounding "no." "We told them last night since my parents were in town for the weekend. Sasuke actually asked me a week before, during our Saturday afternoon training session."
Ino snorted, more than a little amused by the Uchiha's utter and complete lack of imagination. Not that she could really talk. After all, Shikamaru had proposed to her while they were in bed together. "Well, that's certainly… true to form."
"Yes, isn't it perfect?" the kunoichi cooed happily, totally missing the sarcasm. It was kind of adorable in a hopeless, love-struck sort of way. "Kaa-san's over the moon, of course, as is Sasuke-kun's mother. His father didn't really say much, but Sasuke said that was a good sign, and he didn't voice any concerns at this morning's meeting, so he's presumably on board. As for tou-san…"
Sakura broke off with a somewhat pained grimace, hands nervously clasping before her. "You know how he can be. I'm hoping he gets over the initial shock soon. I'm honestly not sure what I'll do if he breaks down during the ceremony…"
Ino laughed somewhat sympathetically at that. Having spent more than a few sleepovers at the Haruno residence back in the day, she was well aware of Kizashi's tendency to forget that his darling Cherry Blossom was no longer a hair bow-wearing six year old. "I'm sure he'll be just fine, Sakura. I mean, you and Sasuke just got engaged! He'll have months and months to get used to the idea."
"Mm… well, more like a handful of weeks."
"I'm sorry… weeks?" Ino repeated, utterly and completely lost. There was no way Uchiha Mikoto would let them elope. Right?
Sakura nodded, as if everything was perfectly fine and normal, although her gaze suddenly dropped to the hospital floor, a surefire sign that something fishy was up. "That's right. We've picked an early summer date. June 2. Which reminds me. If you think your family's flower shop will be able to swing it, could Mikoto-san and I stop by this coming weekend for a consultation? No pressure, of course. I realize the timing's a bit… well… tight..."
Tight was certainly one way of putting it. "As long as you're thinking simple, we should be able to pull that off," Ino agreed slowly. "But, what's the rush, Sakura? Don't you want to enjoy your engagement? Revel in your waning days of single kunoichi-hood? This isn't some crazy Uchiha clan thing, is it? A new, bizarre manifestation of Sasuke's and Naruto's seemingly undying need to constantly one-up one another? A great deal on your dream honeymoon spot? I mean, given that you're Konoha's second-best medic, you're obviously not preg-"
Mari's cheery voice suddenly filtered over the operating room loudspeaker, cutting Ino off mid-sentence. "Reception to OR. An injured chunin platoon is headed your way. T-minus three minutes."
The rosy blush that had come over Sakura's cheeks instantly faded, green gaze snapping upwards in what Ino recognized as medic-nin mode. "Let's move, Pig! Gossip time is over!"
"Roger that!"
Ino snapped her surgical mask back in place, turning away from her friend to collect a fresh set of instruments. Yes, their conversation certainly appeared to be over... for now. But she would get to the bottom of this little shotgun wedding. After all, Sakura had always been a terrible liar, and something funny was most definitely afoot.
Quarter past ten in the morning, the second Saturday in May, found Ino in one of her most familiar Konoha haunts: atop a little rickety stool tucked behind the worn wooden counter of her family's flower shop. While the store technically didn't open to the public until eleven, due to the summer wedding rush, this was actually the third Saturday in a row that Ino was reporting to work early. Usually, this fact would have left her not so quietly grumbling about insane schedules and the importance of beauty rests. But today, given who exactly their 10:30 am client was, she found herself focused, energized, and chomping at the bit to get started.
While Ino had known about Sakura's sudden engagement to Uchiha Sasuke for almost a week now, she was still periodically pinching herself. It was just so surreal. Her best friend had been in love with her new fiance since basically forever. So long that even an admitted romantic like herself had thrown in the towel and advised the pink-haired medic to seek less angsty, more available pastures. But somehow, the stubborn little minx had seemingly pulled off the impossible, ensnaring the notoriously difficult to pin down Uchiha while simultaneously making herself the envy of at least a quarter of Konoha's single kunoichi population (and probably more than a few engaged and married women as well).
Thanks to their brief chat at the hospital back on Monday, she knew the basic, sanitized facts. Unfortunately, given the setting, they hadn't really had much of a chance to go into the more interesting, less safe-for-work bits or start plotting the totally wild bachelorette shindig Ino would obviously be throwing. And, most tragically of all, she was still completely at a loss when it came to the happy couple's lightning-fast engagement. But today, they'd be making up for lost time in grand fashion with a flower appointment followed by a meeting with a caterer followed by a wedding kimono consultation. As Sakura's sworn Best Friend, Sworn Confidante, Chief Advisor on All Things Love, and Maid of Honor, the blonde couldn't wait.
The tinkle of the shop bell had Ino jumping to her feet to dust off her already spotless white apron, a reflexive "Irasshaimase!" on her lips as her ice blue eyes took in the pair of women in the doorway.
The bride-to-be entered first, clad in a rather flowy, sleeveless red top that seemed to be new and a pair of clingy white capris, a slightly nervous grin playing across her face. Close behind was Uchiha Mikoto, stately as ever in a midnight purple dress whose square neckline showed of her enviable collarbones and long, slender neck. While Ino had always thought of the Uchiha matriarch as an imposing, somewhat intimidating woman, she smiled sweetly, returning the greeting with an "ohayou gozaimasu!" of her own and a polite nod.
Bustling out from behind the countertop, Ino ushered the duo over to the little round table towards the back of the shop where she and her mother usually held event consultations. After getting them seated and fetching three steaming mugs of jasmine tea, she took the final seat, cracking open her notebook as she pulled out the pen tucked behind her right ear. "So, Sakura, Uchiha-san. Welcome to Yamanaka's… we are delighted that you've chosen us to help make your big day even brighter! When it comes to flowers, tell me roughly what you're thinking."
In Ino's professional experience, her initial, open-ended question usually prompted the mothers to jump in, and she could see from the glint in Uchiha Mikoto's eye that the woman was sorely tempted. That being said, the older woman kept her thoughts to herself, shifting her gaze to the pink-haired woman to her right. "What do you think, Sakura-chan?"
Sakura's cheeks colored rather sweetly. "Well, the wedding is in June," she began somewhat tentatively, "So I was thinking that we'd keep things seasonal. Nothing too complicated or flashy. You know how Sasuke is. As for colors… it's obviously the Uchiha, so we'll be working with the traditional palette... "
Ino pursed her lips, nodding thoughtfully. While exceedingly tempted to raise the quickie wedding question again, given Uchiha Mikoto's presence, it was time to keep matters professional. "Mm. That all sounds reasonable. As I was saying to you the other day, the date is a bit tight, but we'll definitely be able to make it work! Now, when it comes to blooms, roses are obviously a classic and will just be coming into season. They'll easily give you the reds and whites you're looking for. We can throw some other flora into the mix too, to liven things up a bit. Style and scale wise, we can definitely keep things pretty minimal. Bouquets are obviously a must, as are flowers for the reception. For the ceremony, we could consider a garland and/or some sort of decor around the altar if that would work for the Uchiha Elders. Why don't you and Mikoto-san browse our lookbook and tell me what stands out? It would help to have a sense of your budget too, of course, just to make sure we keep everything on track."
"It's relatively flexible," Mikoto observed evenly as Sakura began flipping through the proffered book, pausing for a few extra moments on a recently added photo of the altar that Ino and her mother had crafted from cherry blossom branches for Naruto's and Hinata's recent wedding. "For the Elders, it's most key to keep things traditional and appropriate. Pretty though it would be, we'll be expected to keep the Naka Shrine unadorned. Although the reception can certainly be a different story."
The older woman smiled indulgently at her future daughter-in-law, and Ino found herself decidedly impressed by just how well the pair seemed to be getting along. Shika's mother had been nothing but kind since their engagement, but one could be jealous of Sakura's and Mikoto's seeming rapport.
They oohed and aahed over the photos for a good fifteen or twenty minutes, Ino taking copious notes on the duo's preferences while asking some additional questions about numbers, shapes, and scale. Then, after putting together a few quick sketches, she shut her notebook with a smile. "Well, I think that should be enough to get us started. The next step will be for me to come up with an itemization list, which I'll make sure to get to you by the end of next week. I obviously know how to reach you, Sakura! Now, I don't know about the two of you, but I'm starving. Shall we head over to the caterer's?"
With a giggle from Sakura and another indulgent smile from Mikoto, they exited the shop onto the sunny street. The caterer's shop was a short walk, just a few streets over, at the edge of one of the village's ritzier neighborhoods. It was a locally famous place, having provided victuals for high-profile events ranging from Naruto's and Hinata's recent wedding, the Yondaime's silver anniversary a couple of years ago, and even the Daimyo's sixtieth birthday party, with legendary quality and prices to match. Of course, given the rumored wealth of the clan Sakura was marrying into, none of this was exactly surprising.
As they entered the clean, cheery space, they were immediately greeted by Akimichi Aina, the owner of the establishment, who also happened to be Choji's second cousin once removed and an old friend of Ino's own mother. The heavy-set woman greeted them with a megawatt smile, blue shirt sleeves rolled up to her elbows, dark hair knotted back in a tight bun, and a crisp, white apron tied around her barrel-like waist. "Ah! Haruno-san, Uchiha-san, Ino-chan. Welcome to Akimichi's! I hope you've brought your appetites!"
Without further ado, she swept them through the front of the shop, past the various prepared foods to go (including an exceedingly tempting display case of desserts that included the best custard pudding Ino had ever eaten), towards a private little alcove in the back, where a rectangular table for three had been set up. Taking a seat to Sakura's left, Ino breathed in the positively delicious aroma drifting from the nearby kitchen door, the scent of some sort of yeasty bread baking leaving her salivating. "It smells just heavenly in here," she gushed to her companions as Akimichi-san ducked momentarily out of sight, presumably to fetch the first of her offerings.
To her great surprise, Sakura responded with a decidedly lackluster hum. While she might not be quite as food oriented as Ino herself, one would think she'd be a bit more enthusiastic about the fact that this whole outing was centered around her own freaking wedding. Could Uchiha Mikoto's presence have her feeling antsy? The duo had seemed to get along exceedingly well back at the flower shop, and Sakura hadn't said anything in the past about the woman being anything other than gracious. Still, she was an Uchiha and her future mother-in-law...
Proving that the Uchiha clan's mighty powers of observation weren't just the purview of their active-duty shinobi, Mikoto turned a friendly yet somewhat inquisitive eye upon the woman seated between them. "Are you feeling all right, Sakura dear? You look a touch pale."
Accidentally knocking her chopsticks off of the table with an ill-timed jerk of her left elbow, the pink-haired kunoichi's cheeks flushed in a surefire sign of nervousness. How strange. "Oh, yes! I mean, I'm perfectly fine! I just need some food. I skipped breakfast, you see… it's a bad habit of mine. But, now that you mention it, Mikoto-san, I have actually been nursing a bit of a nagging cold. Nothing serious… just a postnasal drip. Or it might be spring allergies. It can be hard to tell them apart sometimes, you know!" She let out an exceedingly fake little laugh before ducking under the table to retrieve her cutlery, almost knocking her forehead against the table in her swiftness to take herself out of view.
Ino was in no way, shape, or form convinced by the act. Was Mikoto? Ice blue eyes furtively scanned the pale woman's own even expression, but her poker face was much too good to penetrate without resorting to a Yamanaka jutsu (which was definitely off the table).
"Make sure you're taking care of yourself, Sakura-chan," the Matriarch commented evenly as Sakura's pink head reappeared. "I'm aware of your obligations at the hospital and fully support them. But this is a very special time for you and Sasuke, and we can't have you running yourself too ragged."
Very fortunately for Sakura, their hostess chose that moment to return from the kitchen, bearing a positively massive silver platter laden with at least a dozen different appetizer options: several gem-like pieces of sashimi, a decidedly tempting looking salmon nigiri, four different dumplings, two types of buns, an interesting sort of puff that smelled orgasmically cheesy, two different soups poured into glass shooters, tempura, crudites with dip, and a triangular toast topped with roe and a green spread that looked a bit like avocado. Jackpot!
"Now, then. Here's what I'm thinking for your passed hors d'oeuvres," the Akimichi woman began, setting the platter onto the table. "As you can see, I've included the cream of tomato soup you requested, Uchiha-san, as well as the shrimp tempura for you, Sakura-san. For dumplings, we've got pork, duck, vegetable, and mushroom, and the buns are beef and leek. It's our standard mix… they're always crowd pleasers. I've also thrown in our signature cheese puffs; a split pea shooter that I hope you'll agree is the embodiment of spring; a nice, light toast that can be made vegetarian friendly if preferred; and, since we're heading into the warmer months, several sushi and sashimi preparations. Of course, we're more than happy to adjust the fish selection according to your tastes. I've gone with salmon, fatty tuna, and shrimp here, but we can serve anything our procurer out in Wave Country can provide!"
As she chewed Aina's legendary puff, Ino was fairly sure that her eyes were the size of dinner plates. Kami, had she picked the wrong profession. Screw the medic-nin, T&I, kunoichi, and flower shop crap. It was time to open "Yamanaka's Party Platters" STAT!
Meanwhile, at the far end of the table, Mikoto seemed quite satisfied as well, letting out a delighted sigh as she set down a now-empty glass of tomato bisque. "Goodness, Akimichi-san, This all looks and tastes just wonderful. Sasuke is going to absolutely adore this soup. Don't you think, Sakura-chan?"
"Oh yes, definitely," Sakura replied in a valiant yet somewhat hollow attempt at perkiness, swirling her own shooter, still full of verdant-green liquid. "Arigato, Akimichi-san. This was exactly what we were hoping."
Hm… was it, though? Despite having claimed that she was hungry just a few minutes ago, Sakura didn't actually appear to have touched much of anything, the white plate before her still pristine. Perhaps, she was on some sort of pre-wedding diet? If so, the little pixie definitely didn't need it (not to mention that her self-control was making Ino herself feel more than little piggish). "Have you tried any of the sashimi, Sakura?" she asked enticingly, pushing the leaf-shaped little plate in the bride-to-be's direction. "I know shrimp has always been your favorite."
To Ino's great surprise, Sakura shuddered in what appeared to be a physical expression of distaste. "Oh no. I couldn't," she replied, setting down her chopsticks rather forcefully. "You see, I... had a recent bout of food poisoning. Right after Naruto-kun's wedding. And I think it's actually shrimp the did it."
Akimichi Aina's full lips turned decidedly down at that, burly arms crossing across her formidable chest in a manner that rather resembled Choiji whenever some idiot decided to make a fat comment. Way to insult the caterer, Forehead.
To her credit, Sakura seemed immediately aware of her little faux pas, green eyes widening in horror and pink cheeks growing even rosier than they'd already been. "Not that I don't trust you, of course, Akimichi-san!" she gasped out, shifting into full-on damage-control mode. "I didn't mean that it was at the wedding that I was exposed. The food that day was absolutely wonderful… so fresh! I'm just, uh... a little wary still! The memories, you know. The mere thought of even biting into a piece of raw fish right now…"
"Oh, of course. That's very understandable, Sakura-chan," Mikoto cut in diplomatically, her soothing, motherly smile somewhat mask-like in its opacity. "And, I'm happy to confirm on your behalf that the tuna is to die for." Dark eyes shifted to the woman before them. "Now, Akimichi-san, not to rush you, but perhaps we should move on to discussing the entrees? We have a kimono fitting at 1:30, so unfortunately our schedule is a little tight today."
Suppressing a major case of stink eye, the caterer nodded deferentially, a smooth smile sliding its way back over her face. "Certainly, Uchiha-san! We'll make sure to get you out of here in plenty of time to make your next appointment. So. When it comes to the entrees, I usually recommend having a meat and a fish option. Steak is our usual go to. As for fish... perhaps a nice swordfish teriyaki?"
That all sounded perfectly wonderful and fabulous in Ino's mind, but apparently Little Miss Picky was having other thoughts. "Hm… do you think, maybe, we could change one of those to chicken?" Sakura asked rather slowly, chewing her lower lip. "I'm trying to avoid red meat right now, and I'm kind of... mixed on the swordfish concept. It's just not really, well, doing it for me, you know?"
As the Akimichi woman started running through her assorted poultry preparations - katsu, teriyaki, soba, yakitori, roasted, sauteed, poached, stuffed, braised, broiled, butterflied, stewed, curry - Ino found herself beginning to get a little… peeved. Yes, this was obviously Sakura's wedding. And yes, she deserved to eat whatever she wanted on her big day. Although chicken was one seriously boring request. But since when had she cared so damn much about what she put in her mouth? The Haruno Sakura that Ino knew bought those seriously sketchy frozen meals from the vending machines in the hospital basement, for Kami's sake! Not to mention that much of what Sakura was saying was categorically untrue. They'd gone out for both sushi and barbecue just the other week. And hadn't she happily gobbled up a generous plate of swordfish something or other at Hinata's bachelorette dinner back in April? Tastes could obviously change… but this was a seemingly seismic shift in her palate.
After several minutes of overly complicated negotiations that involved Akimichi-san pushing for this-or-that gourmet addition and an increasingly obstinate Sakura insisting that a plain grilled breast of chicken would really be fine, they settled on broiled lemon chicken with rice and steamed veggies. As Uchiha Mikoto so politely put it: "It's not exactly the most exciting choice in the world, but it's simple, wholesome food that I'm sure everyone will love."
Or, everyone other than Sakura would just order the steak. That was certainly what Ino would be doing, at any rate.
And, then, finally, it was time to talk about what was very possibly the most important part of the wedding meal. One of the big perks of the whole wedding-planning business. The major reason - aside from wanting to be a good, supportive best friend and maid-of-honor, of course - that Ino had agreed to tag along on this whole expedition in the first place. The tasting of the wine pairings and the crafting of the signature cocktail.
Except for one, significant issue.
"Actually, Akimichi-san, I don't think we really need to worry about doing any sampling. I'm sure whatever you pick will be wonderful."
"I'm sorry, Forehead, dear. What did you just say?"
Ino had been doing her best to hold her tongue. To ignore the fact that Sakura was being pretty freaking weird and un-Sakura-like in deference to the assumption that she was probably just a little nervous about going through this whole process with her future mother-in-law breathing - ever so kindly and graciously, of course! - down her neck. Or something. But the idea that Haruno Sakura, the undisputed heiress to Senju Tsunade's legendary taste for liquor, was actually declining free pours of what was pretty much guaranteed to be top-shelf booze, was positively unfathomable.
Shooting Ino a full-on glare that promised an ass-whooping of epic proportions if she stepped one more toe out of line, Sakura nodded forcefully. "That's right. I'm doing a pre-wedding cleanse." Green eyes shifted quickly towards a rather interested-seeming Mikoto, instantly losing their combative edge. "It was something my physician recommended at my last check-up. To give my system a bit of a break post-Hyuuga-Uzumaki wedding, you know!"
The little liar. Even if one ignored the telltale blush, Tsunade-sama would never be so hypocritical. Besides, Sakura, being a twenty-five-year-old medic-nin, obviously knew how to manipulate her own chakra to metabolize away excess alcohol. It was one of the medical ninja's most deeply guarded trade secrets, after all!
That being said, Ino valued her life too much to question the pink-haired kunoichi further. And so, with a toss of her ponytail and a mental note for later, she let the matter slide, bidding Akimichi Aina a good afternoon as she followed her companions out of the shop.
Just like her choice of caterer and florist, the kimono shop that Uchiha Mikoto had selected for her soon to be daughter-in-law was the best Konoha had to offer. Situated right on the Commercial District's main drag, it boasted an impressive amount of storefront acreage whose elaborate display changed monthly. The current scene featured a dark-haired mannequin - more likely than not modeled off of a certain, recently married Hyuuga heiress - clad in an elaborate pink and white bridal kimono and positioned next to a bubbling stone fountain. Behind her stood a massive arbor of pink and white sakura blossoms that Ino knew from personal experience had taken an entire day to set up. Her mother might have grumbled about the amount of labor it had demanded, but the whole effect was decidedly impressive, and the covetous looks of more than a few passersby made clear that their efforts had not gone to waste.
As Ino, Sakura, and Mikoto stepped through the forest-green door and into the light and airy reception area, a little bell tinkled in the distance, quickly summoning the white-haired shop owner. Yamaguchi Otoha was clad in an immaculate violet kimono decorated with dancing cranes that was as much a work of art as a garment. She had to be well into her seventies and stood no taller than Ino's shoulders, but her perfect posture and shrewd black eyes were bright and lively, leaving Ino with the distinct sense that she was a woman who missed very little.
Bowing formally to her guests, Yamaguchi-san's thin lips tilted upwards into a smile that was the epitome of politeness and good breeding. Kaa-san had once said that she had worked as a lady's maid for the Daimyo's mother in her youth. "Uchiha-san. Welcome to my workshop. My staff and I look forward to working with you and Haruno-san. Before we get started, may I offer you anything to drink? Water? Tea?"
Mikoto returned the bow in kind. "Ah, arigato, Yamaguchi-san. I certainly wouldn't say no to some tea after the feast Akimichi-san whipped up for us. What say you, Ino-chan, Sakura-chan?"
"Hm… yes, tea would be lovely," Sakura replied on cue. "I'd take ginger or mint, if you have it."
Yamaguchi-san's lips tightened slightly as she met the young woman's gaze. "We have chamomile. I presume that that will suffice?"
The pink-haired kunoichi nodded, and their hostess signaled to a dark-haired girl seated behind the front desk. "Have a pot and three mugs sent to the fitting area," she instructed, the assistant immediately scampering off to do her bidding. Then, turning her attention back to her clients, Yamaguchi-san turned on her heel, the silk of her robe rustling luxuriously. "This way, please."
Passing by the reception desk, the older woman led them down a short hallway and into a large, sunlight room, positively bursting with racks upon racks of eye-popping kimonos in seemingly every shade of the rainbow. Meticulously organized according to color, style, and size, it was the stuff of fantasies for a confirmed shopaholic, and Ino found her shinobi sandals dragging against the oak floorboards as she struggled to take in everything, quickly falling behind the trio in front of her. Oh, Kami. She would be an absolute vision in that violet number…
Much too swiftly, they continued onward, out of the showroom and into a sitting area featuring several pale-grey poofs; a glass-topped coffee table whose base appeared to be crafted from old vines; a full-length mirror with a silver frame; and, at the far end, a burgundy, velvet curtain that stretched from the cream carpeting to the vaulted ceiling. At their hostess's invitation, they were seated, and the tea arrived scarcely a minute later. With impeccable poise, Yamaguchi-san poured, and they settled down to business.
As had been the case during their chat at the flower shop, when it came to the wedding kimono, the operative word was "traditional." To Ino's great surprise, it was Sakura herself who was most strongly pushing that vision, politely yet forcefully declining Mikoto's observation that they could certainly go with a more fitted, modern style if desired and Yamaguchi-san's on-point comment about the pure-white, form-obscuring kimono of her youth being a bit of a dated look. While her best friend was never quite as adventurous with her wardrobe as Ino herself, her sudden desire to granny herself up was a bit of a head scratcher. Who knew that the girl was such a conservative a heart!
After hashing out the bride-to-be's preferences, Yamaguchi-san ushered her towards the dressing room, tape measure in hand. Was it just her, or did Sakura look surprisingly nervous about what was to come? Grinning widely, Ino proffered a teasing little wave as she disappeared behind the curtain. "Have fun, Girl! Mikoto-san and I can't wait to see how gorgeous you're gonna look!"
They sat silently for a few minutes as Yamaguchi-san's authoritative voice talked Sakura through at least ten or fifteen measurements, reminding her now and then to "stand up straight, please" and "make sure you're holding yourself naturally and comfortably." Then, the velvet rustled and the older woman reappeared on the sitting area side, clipboard in hand. "I'm going to go select a few options for us to start with. Uchiha-san, Yamanaka-san, perhaps you'd like to join me?"
Mikoto rose to her feet with a delighted "of course!" Ino, too, was exceedingly tempted by the prospect of losing herself in rows upon rows of the finest bridal couture Konoha had to offer. That being said, a certain, nagging curiosity kept her rooted on her poof. After all, with Mikoto-san out of the way, she might actually be able to get some insight into whatever bit of weirdness was going on with good old Forehead.
And so, the blonde smiled sweetly at the pair of women standing in the doorway. "That's all right, Yamaguchi-san. You and Mikoto-san go on ahead. I'll stay here with Sakura and see how she's faring." Then, bouncing to her feet, Ino made a beeline for the burgundy curtain. "All right, Sak! We've got at least a few minutes before the adults get back. Let's make this snappy!"
The woman in question was standing before a full-length mirror in the center of the dressing room, clad in a simple black bra and panty set. At Ino's entrance, she let out a little shriek of dismay, her pale arms winding themselves around her torso. "Eek! Ino! Get out! I'm practically naked, for Kami's sake!"
Ino's left eyebrow shot skyward. Even if she lived to be a hundred, she would never understand how a kunoichi and medic-nin of Sakura's stature could be so goddamn prudish about her own nudity. "Oh don't be such a baby. We've gone over this at least a thousand times before. What're a couple of boobs and a butt between besties?" She paused, scanning Sakura's mostly bare form. "Besides, it's not like you've got anything to worry about. Sex with Sasuke-kun certainly seems to agree with you, at any rate!"
Sakura blushed rather adorably. "Ino! I don't know why you always have to be so coarse!"
Cackling with glee, Ino took mercy on the pink-haired kunoichi and tossed her her tunic. While her tone had been teasing, the words behind them were no lie… Sakura was positively glowing. Her hair was lush, her skin was fresh and dewy, and her cute little curves were shapely as ever. Indeed, even those perky little B-cups she tended to bitch about during girl-time at the onsen were looking nice and full today, the balconette cut of her bra seemingly doing wonders. Apparently, someone had finally seen the light when it came to quality undergarments.
But there was no time for distraction. Ino had a Haruno to try and crack, with limited time to operate. And so, as Sakura's somewhat ruffled pink hair reemerged from beneath her top, Ino fixed her reflection with a patented Yamanaka stare. "Now, enough stalling. Spill. What's gotten into you?"
Turning away from her reflection to face Ino directly, Sakura's green eyes flickered with familiar obstinance. "What do you mean, 'spill'? Everything's fine! Just, you know, busy with wedding planning and stuff."
Ino snorted, crossing her arms across her chest. So, someone felt like being difficult. Well, two could certainly play that game. "Right. Sure. Everything's fine. Normal. Business as usual. You're just marrying a guy you started dating not even two months ago in a month."
"If you think about it, it's not that weird, Pig," Sakura responded, nonchalantly smoothing her tunic down over the tops of her thighs. "I mean, it's not like Sasuke-kun and I just met. We're… making up for lost time, so to speak."
Ino pursed her lips, suppressing the dirty joke dancing on the tip of her tongue. "I'd say. Couldn't stand to be the last unwedded kunoichi among the Konoha Twelve, eh? Fine then, Sak, enlighten me. If that's the total and complete truth, what's with the sudden rash of dietary restrictions you displayed this morning at Akimichi-san's? I mean, skipping out on sushi? Turning down free booze? That's so not the Forehead I know and love."
This time, Sakura looked a little less comfortable with Ino's line of questioning. Green eyes suddenly drifting towards the floor, she shrugged her slender shoulders. "Oh, you know... just trying to be a little more conscious about what I put into my body these days. Given that I'm officially in my mid-twenties now, it seems like the right move."
"Hmph, fair enough," Ino conceded, the distinct sense that she was missing something remaining heavy on her mind. "The average champagne cocktail is full of empty calories, after all. Still, wanting to look good walking down the aisle certainly doesn't explain your sudden obsession with wedding couture that was all the rage in the days of the first Hokage. I mean, do you know how triangular those old white bridal kimonos will make you look?"
The pink-haired kunoichi's cheeks turned a rather interesting shade of pink, a surefire sign of nervousness. "Ah, yes. Well... I've always liked slightly more classical looks than you, Pig. And... you know the Uchiha. How traditional they are."
Aha! Despite her seemingly sterling rapport with Uchiha Mikoto, all the expectations surrounding marrying into the main family were getting to the girl. Given Sakura's lack of experience with clan matters and how besotted she'd always been with Sasuke, it wasn't exactly surprising.
Ino cleared her throat, pep talk at the ready. "Look, Forehead. I know the Uchiha are, well, the Uchiha. And that you probably feel pressures coming at you from all directions to be the perfect little clan wife, even if Mikoto-san is seemingly sweet as can be and you're head-over-heels in love with Sasuke. But do try not to lose sight of yourself in all this wedding madness. You're getting married, not wholly consumed body and soul, Snake Sannin style. You're still allowed to live it up a little, you know! Even after the wedding. And I, for one, intend to hold you to that."
Sakura swallowed hard. "Thanks, Ino. I really appreciate the um... support."
Ino frowned, not really convinced from the lackluster reaction that her point had hit its mark. Perhaps, it was time for a change in tactics. "Anytime, Forehead. Now, on that note... we've got some truly serious business to discuss. I know you just said you were trying to do the whole clean eating thing, but no best friend of mine is getting married without a bachelorette of absolutely epic proportions!"
To the blonde's immense surprise, a spasm of what appeared to be utter and complete panic danced across Sakura's face. "Oh, no. That's quite all right, Ino! I mean, well, I'd really prefer it if you didn't," she sputtered, words tumbling their way out of her quivering pink lips in a discombobulated rush. "Not that I don't appreciate the gesture,of course. It's just that I... I just don't need anything too crazy. Maybe, we could do a quiet girls' night in instead? With Tenten and Hinata? Sappy movies? Hours of gossip? Too much ice cream?"
Ice cream and chick flicks? Seriously? Were they twelve again? It was almost sad how fully the Uchiha had apparently sucked the fun out of her. Damn you, Sasuke.
"Ugh. Don't be so boring, Sak," the Yamanaka kunoichi scoffed. "What Sasuke-kun and the Uchiha fogies don't know won't hurt them."
"But... Ino!"
Tempting as it was, that plaintive tone could not be ignored. After all, this was Sakura's party, and if she didn't want strippers, it wasn't particularly politick to force them down her throat. Time for a little rethink. "Hm… how about this, then? I'll meet you halfway. If you'll allow me to throw in a fancy-ass dinner, an hour or two at the Kunai, and some Baileys or Kahlua on top of my sundae, you might just have a deal."
Sakura's frown deepened, brow wrinkling in thought. "I guess that all should be fine. Fun, I mean. Of course. It sounds like -"
A sudden knock on the wall right outside the curtain cut the pink-haired kunoichi off mid-sentence. "Haruno-san? Yamanaka-san? Ready in there?"
The kind-of cool, moderately calm, pseudo-composed mask that Sakura had been wearing all morning slipped immediately back into place. "Oh! Yes, thank you, Yamaguchi-san. Ino-chan and I were just discussing... some, um, minor details regarding the reception. The flowers. Because she'll be working on them, you know." Real smooth, Forehead. "Please, come in."
The older woman entered, almost entirely hidden behind an armful of billowing white fabric, and Ino took her leave with a supportive grin in Sakura's direction. As she settled back onto her seat next to Mikoto, the Uchiha matriarch gave her a friendly nod. "Did you and Sakura-chan have a good conversation?"
To the casual listener, the query would have seemed entirely innocent and benign. But Ino, well-versed in doublespeak thanks to her T&I work, knew immediately that there was something more behind it. As far as she could tell, the Uchiha matriarch was just as out of the loop as Ino herself had been when it came to Sakura's strange behavior. But she was no fool, and Sakura's acting skills could definitely use some work. It seemed that a certain Uchiha matriarch was in the mood for some information gathering...
Fortunately for her friend, Ino had long ago mastered the art of bullshitting. Immediately coming up with the perfect, half-true alibi, she gave her companion a roguish grin. "Oh yes, Mikoto-san! We were just discussing the details for Sakura's bachelorette festivities. As the Maid-of-Honor, I have certain responsibilities to fulfill. Not that you'd be, uh, interested in any of that, of course!"
The Uchiha matriarch's smile widened, a certain twinkle dancing in her dark eyes. "Ah. Well, I don't know about that, Ino-chan. I'm afraid that neither of my sons have ever been the most open about their social lives. And it's always so interesting to hear what your generation is up to. Besides, it might be hard to believe at my age, but I was a bachelorette once too, you know."
Well then. Uchiha Mikoto was apparently a little less sweet than she let on. And every bit as nosy as Shisui claimed her to be.
Very fortunately, Ino was saved right then from having to dig any deeper into her well of lies by the emergence of an exceedingly pink-cheeked Sakura from behind the curtain, clad in a multilayered confection of a kimono. Pure white and expertly tied with a red obi, it was a simple, classic look, yet the splash of color around the kunoichi's slender waist and the fact that the outermost layer of silk was actually embroidered with a complex pattern of white flowers and branches gave it a luxurious, timeless feel.
Ino had to give the bride-to-be some credit. She herself might have gone for a bit of a bolder look, but Sakura wasn't wrong about "traditional' being right in her stylistic wheelhouse.
The Uchiha matriarch was on her feet at once, all thoughts of bachelorette debauchery past and present seemingly driven from her mind. "Oh, Sakura-chan, you look just wonderful!" she breathed, hands clasping together in pleasure. "Yamaguchi-san, you were so right about this one. It's perfect!"
"Yes, isn't it?" the shopkeeper asked with that familiar, "purchase-achieved" smile that Ino recognized from her own hours in her mother's flowershop. "It was made by an artisan out in Tea Country: Tanaka Fu. He's been working in the industry for longer than I've been a part of it. A true master of his craft. You're more than welcome to try more options, Haruno-san - I can pull as many kimonos off the showroom racks as you care to see - but I know my inventory. If this is your preferred style, you truly won't find better."
Ino smirked at that, unable to resist a little snark, even in the face of mixed company. "First time's always a charm for you. Eh, Forehead dear?"
As expected, Sakura retaliated with a threatening glare. But it seemed that not even a suggestive joke in front of her future mother-in-law could keep her pissed for long in a kimono like that. As she stared back at her reflection in the dressing room mirror, her green eyes sparkled happily. "You know… I was originally planning on an all white look. But, well, I think this might just be it!"