Chapter 4
I know you all hate me cause this sot of went on hiatus. I have had so much going on lately that I just haven't had time to write. But I hope to have more to feed all you rabid Shino/Sakura fans soon. Anyways I want you all to give a stunning round of applause to my editor for putting up with my shit and to start reading NOW. ya slaves get to reading
Mako-Chan
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"You guys, slow down! This isn't a race, you know!" Kiba shouted after the two kunoichi ahead of Shino and himself. Naruto, having realized the blasphemous mistake of leaving a half-eaten bowl of ramen on the Ichiraku counter, had hurried ahead of them all.
"Say's who," shouted Sakura. "Says who?" Sakura called back as she upped her speed to pass Ino.
"I bet you can't beat me back to Ichiraku!"
"Oh yeah forehead girl I'll beat your ass I say you don't even get to the edge of the forest first!"
"We'll just see won't we pig," came the taunting reply.
Both girls sped off in the general direction of the end of the forest and the ramen bar. Their male companions, it seemed, were forgotten.
"Girls," sighed Kiba turning to face Shino. His curiosity getting the better of him now that they were alone, he decided to try digging for information. "So, Shino, how long have you and Sakura been going at it?"
Shino remained silent, not even acknowledging that Kiba had spoken to him. Some might get the idea that he hadn't heard, but Kiba had known Shino long enough to know when he was being ignored. Not being the type to put up with such, he decided that a little ribbing might do the trick.
"Come on, Shino, you can tell me," Kiba pressed, allowing a suggestive smirk to surface. "How are- ahem- things?"
Still no reaction from Shino.
"Hey, like you've never pressed me for information," Kiba tried. "Just tell me something, huh?"
"Kiba," Shino said at last, his voice betraying just a touch of irritation, "even if Sakura and I had done anything worth discussing, it would be none of your business.
With that, Shino put on a sudden burst of speed, leaving Kiba to leap and bound on his own.
"Hey!" shouted Kiba indignantly as he watched Shino hurry off ahead of him. "What's got his bugs in a bunch?"
Scowling and grumbling to himself about introverts and the grudge Shino probably still held against him for not disclosing details of the Sasuke Mission from so many years ago, Kiba hurried to catch up with Shino and the girls.
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Shortly after Sakura and Ino arrived at the bar breathless and laughing Shino caught up to them and took his previous seat next to Sakura. Soon after them, Kiba arrived with a scowl fixed on his face. The rest of the group, coming in pairs and threes, showed up within a few minutes.
"Let's finish up and hit the bar," Kiba suggested when everyone was reassembled. "I want to try to get some information out of the happy couple."
"So you should have talked to Shino when you had the chance," Ino said matter-of-factly. "Duh."
"It didn't work!" Kiba protested.
"Oh," Ino said, sharing a quick, almost questioning glance with Sakura.
"There, see?" Kiba demanded of Shino, pointing an accusing finger to Ino and Sakura. "Friends are supposed to tell each other stuff."
As per his character, Shino remained silent.
"Bar sounds good," Tenten jumped in quickly to deter a fight. "We should probably finish our food fist."
"You better," Naruto glared at the suggestion that they might have left their ramen uneaten.
Eye-rolls and snorts followed as everyone who hadn't already finished their food did so. Everything was cleared within a few minutes and everyone- minus Naruto and Kiba he usual moochers-pooled money for the tab. After that it was off to the bar for a few late drinks.
The bar was a decent, fairly clean place that was a favorite hang-out for older shinobi. It was packed almost to capacity with jounin and chunin who were looking for a way to relieve the stress of recent work. Shino and Sakura's group, being so big, almost didn't find a place to sit. After a bit of bargaining, pleading and threatening, two large booths were finally secured.
Shortly after ordering drinks the groups sat back in an almost stifling silence due to the fact that no one could think of a good enough excuse to talk.
When everyone was seated and drinks were ordered, the entire party fell into a thick silence. Most eyes were turned on Shino, some drifting between him and Sakura. While Shino took this in stride and remained as collected as ever, Sakura was trying very hard not to laugh. She had a fairly good idea of what the evening's activities would consist of.
"So Shino……," began Naruto.
"Is it possible to get you drunk or should we give up now?"
"I'm actually quite susceptable to alcohol," Shino admitted stoically.
"Really?" Naruto grinned, leaning further forward.
"Yes. Luckily, my bugs can break it down before the effects set in," finished Shino.
"Really?" Naruto sat back in disappointment. This was accompanied by groans and whines from a few of their other companions.
Shino said nothing, but it was quietly speculated that he was grinning behind his high collar.
"Why drink then?" pouted Kiba as he crossed his arms.
"I enjoyed the taste," Shino responded, actually regarding him,"and I'm not paying."
Kiba took a moment to absorb this information before shouting and indignant, "hey!" Laughter and ribbing followed, everyone who bothered to get into it insisting that Kiba pay since he'd technically invited them. Even Neji, who had come only to look over Hinata, smirked and put in his agreement.
Meanwhile, Tenten and Hinata watched as Sakura and Ino locked firey gazes. A challenge had been issued, and they were apparently going to try to stare each other down until it was set up. Sakura had claimed she could out-drink Ino, the latest champ. Ino, of course, begged to differ.
"Aren't you guys acting a bit childish?" Tenten sighed.
"Trying to get out of the competition while you can?" Ino turned a smirk on Tenten. "Good move on your part."
"Excuse me?" Tenten's eyebrows shot up. "I know you're not suggesting that you could drink me under the table."
"Oh, but that's exactly what she's suggesting," Sakura jumped in. "And so am I."
"Is that so?" smirked Tenten as she pushed up her sleeves. "We'll see about that."
"Okay then," Ino said confidently. Then, turning to Hinata, she question, "Hey, Hinata, you want in on-"
"No!" Neji, Kiba and Tenten cut in at once.
Ino held hr arms akimbo as Sakura giggled at the display. A few moments later the drinks arrived, the girls-sans-Hinata narrowing their eyes at one another. Realizing that there wasn't enough for a proper drink-off, they placed an order for fifteen shots of vodka for each of them.
"I guess you two will be having you drinks after our little competition?" Tenten suggested breezily.
"You guess wrong," declared Ino just before gulping her drink. Not to be outdone, Sakura and Tenten followed suit.
It was only a short while later that their shots arrived, fifteen placed in front of each of them. With one last challenging glare shared between them, the three of them all but pounced on their drinks as most ofthe rest of the group cheered over their own drinks. Tenten, who hadn't considered how strong her original drink had been, was finished byher tenthshot. Ino and Sakura were both more than tipsy and hesitating quite a bit by that time but pressed on. When Sakura was forcing down her fourteenth, Ino was on hre last. Her vision swam as she lifted it, but was detrmined to win. She had just gotten the glass to her lips when her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell flat on her face on the table. Sakura, being a medic, immediately leaned across the table to check on Ino, feeling more than a little dizzy as she did so.
"Sakura-chan, hurry and finish!" Naruto cried.
Jolted back to the task at hand, Sakura sat back heavily and reached out for her last drink. Ignoring the queezy feeling in her stomach, she downed her last shot to loud cheers and held the glass up over her head in triumph.
"Way to go, Sakura!" Kiba cried loudly, already tipsy, as he pounded Sakura on the back in congradulations.
"Uh huh," Sakura slurred, her head buzzing and the pounding not helping her. "I think... I'll excuse my self... to the little girl's room!"
"Do you want me to accompany you, Sakura-san?" Hinata asked, eyeing the flushed, dreary-eyedSakura uncertainly.
"Nah!" Sakura admonished. "I'll be back in a flash!"
With that, Sakura scurried off to the ladies room.
After taking care of all necessary business, Sakura stumbled out of the bathroom. The alcohol was catching up with her and reaking havoc on her eyesight. All she could see was a big, colorful blur. Muttering a curse, she began sloppily forming the hand signs for a system-cleansing jutsu she had recently learned. Before she could manage to perform the technique, her legs gave way and she crashed heavily against a wall.
"I'm okay," she slurred, not caring that there should be no one to hear her. She was just getting to her feet when she felt an arm wrap firmly around her.
"Huh?" mumbled Sakura as she squinted at a dark blur, trying to determine who it was.
The unidentified person- a man, if her inebriated senses were to be trusted- had her up and against a wall before she had the chance to figure it out. Due to the height and what appeared to be dark hair and clothing, Sakura immediately assumed it was Shino who had her. Furthering this theory, the man leaned up against her, ghosting hot breath over her collar bone, following quickly with a pair of warm lips. Sakura let out a mewl of pleasure as he began kissing up her neck.
All at once, the lips were on hers and she didn't hesitate to open her mouth to the man she thought was her husband-to-be. It was within the first seconds of the kiss that Sakura knew something was wrong. Shino's kisses were careful and caressing, every movement even and smooth and tailored to her pleasure. More often than not he relinquished control to her. This man kissed nothing like this. Instead it was demanding and almost burning, but still somehow lacking in passion. Through this kiss, and the firm hands now beingroughly rubbing ather neck, Sakura could feelthe man's attempt at utter dominance.
Calling up all the strength she could in her intoxicated state, Sakura pushing the offending stranger away from her, focussing as well as possible to see him. Upon seeing a near-clear picture of his face, Sakura's stomachdropped. Almost at once she could feel herself beginning to sober.
"Sasuke," Sakura hissed menacingly, trying to push him off of her.
"How observant," smirked Sauke, "but that won't do you any good."
With a growl, Sakura tried again to get Sasuke off of her. Again she failed,still too drunkto summon her precise chakra control to her aid. At the same time, she felt Sasuke's hold tighten around her neck. Against her will, Sakura felt herself begin to panic. Was she really this weak due to a few drinks? How did Sasuke get by everyone? Why hadn't anyone noticed that she'd been gone too long? It was a bar, for crying out loud, didn't anyone else have to use the bathroom? What would Sasuke do to her now that he had hre alone and unable to fight back?
"I could kill you now, Sakura, and end your miserable life," Sasuke whispered into her ear almost silkily, frowning when Sakura managed to control the fear he could feel from her.
Sakura, for her part, struggled but said nothing.
"You've always been so weak," Sasuke went on, looking at her as though she were a roach to be crushed. "But lucky for you, Orochimaru needs you, and so do I. You get to live for now."
Sakura snarled and prepared to shoot back a less than lady-like response, but didn't get the chance to before Sasuke pressed down on just the right nerves in her neck. Spots of bright color appeared before Sakura's eyes just before the world around her faded into darkness.
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Though everyone else was apparently too drunk or uninterested to notice it, Shino could tell something was the matter, could feel it. When Sakura had been gone for all of five minutes, he'd forced himself not to worry about it. By the time ten minutes had passed, however, that sentiment was outdated. There was no reason any woman, let alone Sakura, should take so long in the bathroom if she wasn't with a group. Without saying a word, Shino stood and headed for the bathrooms.
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Two minutes was all Shino needed to determine that Sakura wasn't there. A cold sense of dread flooded his whole body. Sakura wouldn't just leave without telling anyone, and she couldn't have left through the front without him noticing. Something was wrong and Shino was more than certain that Sasuke had something to do with it. There wasn't a second more to spare. Without bothering to alert the others to the situation, Shino took off into the night to find his surely-stolen fiancée
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I am so happy to all you faithful readers now and for eternity. Thanks for reading. I love you all! R&R
Ja-Ne
Mako-Chan