Blisters on Her Feet
"You took your earpiece out. They need you!"
"Now? I haven't slept in two days!"
"I'll give you a cookie."
"…It'd better be a big one."
—Eric Matthews, Gracie Hart, Miss Congeniality
This… this was the life. Soft breeze ruffling his hair, bright blue sky overhead, sun beaming down, lying in the shade with two of his best friends, with a belly full of ramen… and best of all, Sakura screaming obscenities a few yards away, at someone that wasn't him.
"Ino, you brainless, bottle-blonde boar, I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!"
"Nice alliteration," Sai observed.
"Less screaming, more sweating! Faster, Sakura, faster!"
Naruto yawned. Oh, yeah. It didn't get much better than this.
"Maybe one of you should step in before Sakura kills her stylist," Kakashi said from behind them, where he was slouched back comfortably against the tree providing them such glorious shade. He didn't even have his book out, was just enjoying the beautiful day with the rest of them.
"INO, STAY STILL SO I CAN BASH YOUR BUBBLEBRAIN OUT!"
Well. Most of the rest of them.
"Naruto," Sasuke said, without opening his eyes. "Manage."
"Speak in full sentences—" Naruto yawned—"Asshole. And no. you do it. she won't beat you up."
"He's got a point," Kakashi said. "Go contain her."
Sasuke opened one eye to stare Kakashi down. He had to admit, even a one-eyed, upside-down glare was pretty intimidating, coming from Sasuke. even when he looked half-asleep. "No."
"What kind of teammate are you?" Naruto said. "First you ditch us for a pedophile who wants your hot body—" Sasuke sputtered; Naruto ignored him—"Then you try to kill us. And now you're trying to keep me from my nap so Sakura-chan can eat me."
"…Eat you?"
"Would you just go?" Naruto demanded, eyes finally snapping open.
Sai rolled over and pretended to be asleep.
Sasuke glared at all of them as he sat up and got to his feet. "Just so we're clear," he began icily, "I'm not doing this because you told me to, or out of any sense of guilt, or—"
"No one's listening to you," Naruto said, and made a shooing gesture with his right hand. "Begone, slave boy."
Sasuke snarled at him and made sure to step on his head as he stomped off, towards the middle of the field. Not like he was going to damage anything, after all.
Naruto's shrieks faded away as Sasuke approached the girls and Sakura's shrieks took their place. Sasuke frowned. Sometimes, he didn't know why he had come back to Konoha. A tiny part of him almost missed travelling with his old-new-teammates.
Sasuke reached out and grabbed Sakura by the collar, just as she was about to leap at her so-called best friend. She whipped her head around, teeth bared. Then she saw him, blinked, and turned from horrific to horrified.
"Oh, Sasuke-kun…" Her cheeks reddened. "Hi."
"Hi."
Ino was doubled over with laughter. Sakura threw her a dirty look, then turned back to Sasuke. "Um… you can let me go, you know."
"No, don't let her go!" Ino said, still giggling. "She's crazy!"
Sasuke cocked an eyebrow at Sakura. She scowled back at him.
"Sasuke," she began, "Seriously. Let – me – go. You're choking me!"
Sasuke let her go, and she dropped a step back, rubbing her neck. Then she flopped down to the ground. "I'm tired," she moaned.
Ino pushed the hair back from her forehead. "Okay, stay here. Five-minute break. I'll get you a drink." She tossed Sasuke a wink he didn't understand, and walked off.
Sasuke crouched beside Sakura, who was now lying down, eyes closed, in the grass.
"What happened to 'I owe it to my team'? I thought you were going to crush your competition."
"I will," she said, without opening her eyes, "After I wake up."
Sasuke smirked and sat down beside her. "The pageant's in five days. How do you feel?"
"Exhausted," she said. "See the things I do for you? You better appreciate it."
The smirk fell away. "I do," Sasuke said carefully. "Thanks, Sakura."
Sasuke pretended to not see her blush.
-x-
"Don't listen to Suigetsu," Jugo said, jogging to keep up with his teammate: "I think you're pretty."
Karin appreciated the compliment, but it didn't help with her humiliation. She hadn't even been able to tell Jugo what was really bothering her. As if Suigetsu could knock down her self-esteem like this. Suigetsu turned into a puddle. He was weird. And stupid. Karin didn't care what stupid people thought of her.
Only problem was that Shikamaru wasn't stupid. And that not-stupid judge now thought Karin was a whore.
She hated her life.
"Karin, watch ou—"
"Oof!"
Karin blinked and looked up. She had been so busy wallowing in her misery, she hadn't been paying attention to where she was going and had bumped into someone. And not even someone cliché like Sasuke, but some girl with a weird haircut. Fantasti—
Wait.
Karin narrowed her eyes. The girl's hair was weird. Dark purple, different lengths on either side – short on one, longer on the other…
Karin shot to her feet at the same the other girl did.
"You…" the other girl started in a low hiss.
""You…" Karin echoed, voice rising.
"You stole my hairdo!"
-x-
"So, what were you guys talking about?"
"Nothing," Sakura said, taking a long gulp of water.
Ino examined the ends of her ponytail for split ends. "You're a terrible liar," she said. "I leave you alone for five minutes with the guy, and when I come back, you're blushing like you're twelve again." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and clucked her tongue. "What am I going to do with you, Sakura?"
Sakura tossed her empty water bottle onto the ground beside her and said, sulkily, "Nothing happened. We just talked a little. Leave me alone, Ino."
Ino sighed, looking across the field to where the rest of Sakura's team stood, stretching after their naps and waiting to leave. The sun hung low in the sky; they had been out here for a while, and everyone was hungry.
"Okay," she said finally. "Training's done for the day. Lunch now, then a mini-fashion show! Sound fun?"
"Not really."
"Exactly! It'll be great!" Ino stood, brushing the dirt off her skirt with one hand and holding the other out to Sakura. "Let's go, Forehead. Time's a-wastin'!"
Sakura groaned.
-x-
"Chouji? Chouji!"
Shikamaru tugged tiredly on his ponytail. He had been standing by Chouji's bed, calling his name for the last fifteen minutes, to no response. What had happened to him?"
Early in the morning, he had been lying in bed, wide-awake and anxious to hear what was happening with his best friend, when a rock came flying through his window and hit him in the gut.
After some time spent curled up in pain, Shikamaru picked up the rock to find a note attached. Of course.
Shikamaru—
Shino and I took Chouji home. He looks a little off, think he's tired. Wait a bit to go see him. And don't forget our deal!
- Kiba
What kind of idiot ninja was Kiba? This was hardly a top-secret mission. He could have knocked on the door. Fool.
Shikamaru sighed and leaned down to shake Chouji, hoping to snap him out of this trance. What was wrong with him? What had Anko done?
"Shikamaru?" Chouza appeared in the doorway, looking concerned. "Any luck?"
Shikamaru shook his head. "Not yet. It's like he can't hear me."
Chouza rubbed the back of his neck. "It was a training accident, you said?"
Shikamaru coughed. "Um… yeah…" He didn't need to know the truth.
"Well, maybe you can get someone to look at him. Think you can ask Sakura?"
"Sure, I'll go look for her now." Chouza nodded and left, and Shikamaru made to follow.
"—hime-sama…"
Shikamaru whirled around. Chouji was still staring straight ahead, expression blank.
"Chouji?" Shikamaru asked carefully, moving closer to the bed.
"—ko-hime-sama…" Chouji shuddered, then his eyes bulged, gaze swiveling to meet Shikamaru's. Shikamaru stepped back, alarmed. "Anko-hime-sama!"
"Chouji, what—"
"ANKO-HIMA-SAMA! GIVE ME BACK ANKO-HIME-SAMA!" Chouji wailed, lurching up and throwing off his comforter. "ANKO-HIME-SAMA!"
Rapid footsteps sounded just outside the room, and then Chouza was beside Shikamaru, staring at his son.
"What happened to him?"
"I don't know! He just started shouting!"
"Get Sakura! Get her now!" Chouza yelled, hurrying to Chouji's side. Shikamaru didn't move. He was staring at Chouji in horror. "Shikamaru!"
Shikamaru snapped out of his daze and nodded. He ran out and raced towards Naruto's apartment, mind running a mile a minute.
No… it couldn't be… could it?
-x-
"You have such nice legs, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, as Sakura twirled around in her new dress. Sasuke hit him upside the head. "Ow!"
"Thank you, Sasuke," Sakura said.
"No problem."
"What did I do?" Naruto asked, rubbing his head pitifully.
"You were being Naruto-ish," Ino said, making a note on her clipboard. "Sakura, you have fat calves."
"I do not. Shut up."
"Next dress," Kakashi said, and Sai handed Sakura a black halter dress. She walked back into Naruto's room to change.
Naruto leaned back in the sofa. "This is boring."
"You know, you're not actually on Sakura's style team," Kakashi reminded him. "You don't have to be here. You can go train."
"…I'm moral support."
"You're not going to see her in a swimsuit today," Ino said, smirking when Naruto's face fell.
"That's not why I'm here!" he sputtered.
"Yeah, and Sasuke's not hot," Ino snorted. Sasuke looked very pleased by this, and she rolled her eyes. "You guys are so annoying. Sakura! Hurry up!"
"I am not wearing this!" Sakura called through the closed door.
"Why not?"
"Um, because I look like a hooker?"
Ino was clearly trying not to laugh. "Oh, come on. Let's see!"
The door slammed open and Sakura came striding out. The skirt of the dress swished around her thighs.
"It's not that short," Ino said. "I don't know why you insist on being difficult."
"It's not that," Sakura said. "It's…" She shot an embarrassed look at her teammates.
"What? Too tight? Is it your cleavage? You're embarrassed to show your teammates your hot body?"
Sasuke and Naruto got up and began circling her.
"You look beautiful, Sakura-chan! You should wear this dress all the time."
Sasuke tossed Naruto a disgusted look. "Where's the back?" he demanded of Sai. "You forgot the back."
"Well, she said she wanted us to look at her back," Sai said. He was smiling, but he looked puzzled. "I assumed this was what she wanted."
"You guys are stupid," Sakura said.
"Now, Sakura," Kakashi said, getting to his feet, "Ino and Naruto are right. You look very nice."
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"Ew," Ino said. "You old pervert, quit looking at her."
Kakashi shot Ino a very dry stare. "Ino, I can and will get you assigned to three months of D-class missions. Don't test me."
"All of you, quit looking at me," Sakura snapped, pushing Sai away from her. "Fine, I'll keep the dress, but now I'm changing!" She turned and stomped back into Naruto's room, slamming the door behind her.
"She pretends she doesn't care, but she likes it when you call her pretty," Ino said. "Isn't she precious?"
The door slammed open again – this time the one to Naruto's apartment, and Shikamaru hurried in.
"Is Sakura here?" he demanded. He was breathing hard.
"Yeah, she's in there, but—"
Shikamaru flung open Naruto's bedroom door before Ino could finish, and she cringed. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sai plugged their ears. Kakashi rolled his lone visible eye and left in a puff of smoke.
Sakura's ensuing shriek was enough to shake the apartment.
-x-
"What was that?" Tenten asked. Neji kicked her in the side. "Ow!"
"Don't let your guard down," he said. "Winners don't get distracted. Losers get distracted." After Tenten had made clear her disinterest in Sasuke as a potential… mate, Neji had relaxed considerably about this competition nonsense. Now he was determined that she win. Tenten was his teammate. No Hyuuga would have a loser for a teammate.
"You know, I was thinking…" Tenten rubbed her side with a grimace. "You didn't need to hit me so hard… Anyway. Shouldn't you be rooting for one of your cousins, instead? Family comes first, you know."
"Hinata-sama has her own teammates," Neji said calmly. "And Hanabi is a demon. She doesn't need my help."
Tenten laughed. "I wish Lee was as sure as you. He's still torn between me and Sakura."
Neji rolled his eyes. Well, Lee was an idiot. Neji never had understood what Lee saw in Sakura…
He thought of Hinata, and he thought of Naruto, and his eyes gleamed. Sakura wouldn't win. Not if he could help it…
"Ow, Neji, not so hard, dammit!"
-x-
"I said I was sorry!" Shikamaru shouted, completely exasperated, "Would you please get off me?"
Naruto folded his arms across his chest and stubbornly didn't move from his seat on Shikamaru's legs. Sasuke helpfully shoved his face down into the hardwood.
Sakura glared at the three of them, pressing a shirt to her chest. "I can't change with you guys still in here," she ground out.
Naruto waved a hand. "Like we haven't seen it all before, Sakura-chan."
"…What."
Sasuke ran a hand warily down his face. Moron. He half-turned on Shikamaru's back to slap his free hand over Naruto's eyes.
"Hey!"
"Put your shirt on," he said to Sakura, turning his head away from her.
She was silent for a moment, then a rustle of cloth signified she was doing as asked. A moment later, she muttered, "I'm done."
Sasuke let go of Naruto and Shikamaru and got to his feet. Then he went and opened Naruto's door, which they had automatically shut and locked behind them to deal with Shikamaru. Naruto hadn't wanted Sai or Kakashi checking out his precious Sakura-chan when she was vulnerable, and Sasuke was just tired of people.
Ino banged through the door as soon as Sasuke opened it, nearly hitting him in the nose as she did.
"Shikamaru, I didn't know you were that kind of guy," she teased. "Naruto, get off him."
Shikamaru glared as Naruto finally rolled off him. "Finally. Naruto, you should lay off the ramen." He rubbed his side and sat up.
"What do you need Sakura for, Shikamaru?" Kakashi asked.
Shikamaru's eyes bugged and he scrambled to his feet. "Right, Sakura – something's wrong with Chouji."
"Chouji?" Ino asked. "What's wrong with Chouji?"
Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck. "Hopefully not what I think it is…" he muttered under his breath.
"Huh?"
"Nothing." He took a step toward Sakura, holding out a hand imploringly. "I'm sorry I walked in on you changing, but Chouji's waiting. Please, come with me."
Sakura nodded, all seriousness. "Let's go." She walked to the door, slapping Shikamaru's hand away as she passed.
The two of them left, Ino following. The Team Seven men were left alone in Naruto's room.
Sasuke sniffed the air. "It smells in here. Like you cooked ramen in sweat."
Naruto glared at him. "Why did you cover my eyes? You suck."
"Naruto," Kakashi said pleasantly, "The sexual harassment was cute when you were twelve. Enough." He paused, taking a deep breath. "And Sasuke's right. Clean your room."
Sai, ignored by everyone (as usual), bent to retrieve the black dress Sakura seemed to have whipped, with monstrous strength, at Shikamaru. There was a tear in it now. He mourned.
Why did he get stuck with the most psychotic team in the history of Konoha?
-x-
"Chouji?" Sakura said, kneeling down beside his bed and taking his face in her hands. "Chouji, can you hear me?"
Chouji stared at her without seeming to see her, and Sakura rocked back on her heels, looking to Chouza and Shikamaru for an explanation.
"He got into a training accident," Chouza said, "And he's been like this since. He keeps yelling for – it sounds like Anko… and Korean barbecue."
Sakura raised an eyebrow and decided not to ask. "What kind of training accident?"
"Tell her, Shikamaru."
Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck and shot Ino a look. She furrowed her eyebrows, not understanding, and he tilted his head, minutely, to Chouza, then flicked his gaze toward the door.
"Um, maybe we should leave Sakura alone with the patient. Shikamaru can handle it," she said to Chouza, smiling sunnily and gesturing toward the door. "Don't worry about a thing! Sakura will fix Chouji right up. you know, my dad's been asking about you…" Ino's voice trailed off as they left the room.
Sakura looked expectantly at Shikamaru. "Training accident?"
Shikamaru sighed and crouched down beside her. "It's a long story."
"I've got time."
"You won't believe me."
"I'm friends with Naruto."
Shikamaru inclined his head towards her. that much was true. "Okay. Well, basically, Tsunade-sama forced me to be the judge of this stupid pageant, Anko entered and tried to blackmail me into helping her win by kidnapping Chouji, so Kiba and Shino somehow found out, and then they went and rescued Chouji from Anko, and then they threw a rock into my room this morning and I came to see Chouji and he's been like this since," Shikamaru took a deep breath, "And now I get the idea that Chouji has Stockholm Syndrome."
Sakura didn't say anything for a long moment, during which she stared thoughtfully at Chouji. Then she cupped her chin in her hand, elbow on her knees, and faced Shikamaru with a wry smile, "I don't think I've ever heard you talk so much."
Shikamaru shot her a very dry look, and she laughed.
"But… really, Shikamaru? You think he's, what, in love with Anko?"
"ANKO-HIME-SAMA!" Chouji suddenly exclaimed, and Sakura, startled, lost her balance and tumbled back onto the floor.
Shikamaru looked from Chouji to Sakura. "You judge for yourself."
Sakura scrambled up onto her knees, eyes wide. "Ohhhhh, dear…" She looked at Shikamaru.
"Yeah." Shikamaru leaned across Sakura to grab the bowl on Chouji's bedside table, leaning against one hand for balance.
"Um, Shikamaru…"
Shikamaru glanced at Sakura. her eyes were cast downward. He followed her gaze.
His hand was on her leg, dangerously close to the hem of her skirt.
Shikamaru snatched his hand away. "Sorry." He sat back. forget the fool. "Uh, he hasn't eaten anything all day."
Sakura nodded, reaching up to check Chouji's pulse and peer into his empty eyes.
"So… what do you want me to do about it?"
"Fix him!"
"…What?"
"Come on, Sakura," Shikamaru said, "Chouji wouldn't get like this over Anko. She must have done something to him."
Sakura blinked. "So… you think Anko did something?"
Shikamaru nodded.
"You don't think Chouji has real feelings for her?"
Shikamaru shook his head.
"And you want me to 'fix' him?"
"Yes, you troublesome woman."
Sakura sighed and stood up. "Shikamaru, you're an idiot." She leaned down toward Chouji and snapped her fingers in his face. no response. She straightened and looked at Shikamaru. "Let him see Anko—"
"ANKO-HIME-SAMA!"
"—And see what he does. You'll have your answer."
Shikamaru rubbed his head. "This is ridiculous."
"Hey, the boy's in love," she said. "It happens to the best of us. What's really ridiculous is that you're judging a beauty pageant."
"And that you're in the beauty pageant," Shikamaru said. "I'm not giving you special treatment for this, you know."
"Who do you think I am? I never cheat."
"Wish more people were like you, then," Shikamaru said. then, under his breath, he added, "Like Karin…"
"Hm? What did Karin do?" Sakura didn't really mind Karin that much. Sure, she was annoying, but so were Sakura's best friends. And sure, she had been a bit creepy about Sasuke, but again, everyone was. It was Suigetsu that she didn't like. He scared her.
"Nothing, nothing…" Shikamaru stood. "Thanks for this."
"And…?"
"And," he said impatiently, "I'm sorry – again – for seeing you half-naked."
Sakura laughed. "I'll see you around, Shikamaru."
"Yeah, sure… hey, Saku—"
"ANKO-HIME-SAMA! ANKO-HIME-SAMAAAAAA!"
Sakura whirled around at Chouji's shrieks, and Shikamaru bumped into her. They tumbled to the floor, hitting various parts of their body against the floor with nearly-simultaneous grunts of pain.
Shikamaru groaned and opened his eyes. On the floor and in pain for the second time that day. Great. At least this time no one was on top of him…
"A-hem."
Shikamaru glanced down – then leapt back, horrified. Sakura sat up, glaring daggers at him, and Shikamaru stared at his traitorous hand. God, when was life going to cut him a break?
Sakura shot to her feet. "Third time, Shikamaru!" she hollered, yanking open the door and storming out.
Shikamaru didn't move from his seat in the middle of the room.
The door slammed downstairs, and he winced, then sighed, rolling his head back to stare at Chouji. He would have to find Anko, apologize – again – to Sakura, and then explain everything to Ino before she got the wrong idea and started spreading unwanted rumors.
"…Dammit."
-x-
"It's so lonely when Sakura-chan's not around," Naruto said glumly, as he and Sasuke walked to the training grounds.
"Hn." He was kind of right. It was so quiet without her. Naruto didn't have quite the same effect when he talked to himself.
Kakashi had disappeared after Sakura left, to go do… whatever it was that Kakashi did when he was alone, and Sai had left soon after, muttering something about dinner. Sasuke didn't really care. That had left the two of them, and Sasuke had been itching to do some training, unleash all the pent-up frustration that came with social interaction. So here they were. So close to the training grounds, Sasuke could almost taste victory from shoving Naruto's head into a tree…
"Hey! Naruto!"
WHAT THE HELL.
Naruto turned, and immediately his face lit up. "Hey, guys! What's up?"
Kiba, grinning, approached them with his teammates. "Nothing much. Pageant preparations," he said, smirking at Shino.
"…You're in the pageant?"
"Oh, yeah, I cant wait 'til you see me in my new heels," Kiba said. "Moron. Hinata's in it."
"Hinata-chan! Really?" Naruto beamed at her. "Good for you! Sakura-chan's in it, too. This loser's the prize."
"Watch who you call a loser, loser." Sasuke glanced at Hinata. No way could she win. She could barely stand up straight under their attention, and they were only four people.
"See, better hope you don't win." Naruto laughed, clapping Sasuke on the back. He shot him a glare. Naruto ignored it. "Anyway, we're going to train. See you later. Good luck, Hinata-chan!"
They left, and Kiba turned to his teammates. Shino was looking at Hinata. Hinata was quivering, face beet-red, but she hadn't fainted.
"You know…" Kiba began, then grinned. "I think I might have a way to work on your stage fright, Hinata."
"O-oh?"
"Yeah," Kiba said. "See, Naruto—"
Hinata dropped to the ground, unconscious. Kiba frowned.
Shino checked his watch. "That was a new record." He leaned down and scooped Hinata up. "You were saying?"
-x-
"So, Chouji's going to be okay, then?"
"Yeah, but he's going to have a lot of explaining to do to his dad." Shikamaru yawned. It had been a long day. "I need a nap…"
"What are you, five?" Ino reached out and grasped Shikamaru's wrist. "Look, the sun's already setting. You can sleep in a few hours. Right now, I need you to do something for me."
Shikamaru tried tugging his arm free. No use; Ino's grip was too strong. "Like what?"
"Don't look so suspicious! It's nothing bad." Ino stared out at the horizon. Pinks, reds, purples and oranges spilled across the sky in a rainbow of color. "How's the judging going for you?"
Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow. "Fine…" That couldn't be all. "Except for this Chouji thing. And the Karin thing."
"Oh, that's why you told me to watch my back?" Ino started, nodding. Then she froze. "Wait. What Karin thing?"
"Uh…"
Ino's eyes gleamed with warning. "Shikamaru…"
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Might as well get this over with. "She tried to seduce me."
Ino's laughter could be heard for miles.
-x-
"Okay, I'm sure I heard something this time!" Tenten exclaimed, spinning around and scanning the road.
"Perhaps the voices are in your head?" Lee suggested cheerfully.
Tenten stared at him. "…Sure, I guess so," she conceded, resuming her stride. On her other side, Neji snorted. "What?"
"Nothing…"
"Whatever. I'm hungry. Let's—" Tenten blinked. "Hey, isn't that the Kazekage?" Neji and Lee looked to where she was pointing and, sure enough, there was the Kazekage, flanked by his siblings, on the other side of the road.
Kankuro raised a hand in greeting when he spotted them, and he and his siblings walked across to meet them.
"Hey, how's it goin'?" Kankurou said cheerfully.
"Hello, Kazekage-sama," Neji said, bowing his head in respect.
"Hello."
"Hey, sorry, we're in a bit of a rush. Do you know where Shikamaru is?" Temari asked eagerly.
"No, sorry," Tenten said. "Why are you looking for him? maybe we can help."
"Actually, only Shikamaru can be of any real help right now," Temari said. there was something about the smirk on her face that Tenten didn't like. "But thanks, anyway. We're gonna go look for him. bye!"
They disappeared. Lee blinked.
"That was… strange."
"Your face is strange," Tenten said automatically. "Let's eat, I'm hungry."
"Only salad!" Neji and Lee said simultaneously.
Tenten groaned.
-x-
"We're going out for dinner. Wear this" was all Sai had said, before shoving a dress at Sakura and shoving her into Naruto's room. Then Ino had done her make-up, her hair, and shoved her feet into a pair of too-tight sandals, ignoring Sakura's questions and failing to hide a devious little smile.
Now Sakura sat with her teammates in a nice restaurant, in a nice red dress, and she had no idea what was happening.
"I have no idea what's happening," she said to Sai. He smiled serenely and didn't say a word.
"Neither do we," Naruto said with a shrug, and turned back to the menu. He had a black eye. Sakura had offered to heal it earlier, but then Sasuke had requested her not to.
"Yeah, but you didn't get all dolled up for it," Sakura pointed out. She smoothed down her hair and glanced around the restaurant, chandelier earrings swinging. "I'm getting kind of nervous…"
"We'll protect you, Sakura-chan!"
"Oh, please." Ino came up behind Sakura and leaned against the back of her chair, eyeing Naruto. "Who's going to attack at a restaurant? The dessert?"
"…She could choke on it," Naruto mumbled.
"Have some faith in me," Sakura said with a roll of her eyes. "Where were you, Ino?"
"Outside, looking for our guest."
"Guest? What guest?" Sakura's pulse sped up. Who was coming to see her? who had she had to get dressed for?
"Wait." Sakura's gaze snapped to Sasuke. his eyes were narrowed at Ino. "You mean—"
Ino nodded, beaming.
"Huh?" Naruto looked from Sasuke to Ino and back, then blinked. "Oh…" He grinned. "Good job. I knew you'd come in handy."
"What?" Sakura looked from one teammate to the other. "Who is it?"
"Wow, Forehead. Even Naruto figured it out. You're getting stupider."
"Shut up. Who's—" Realization dawned, and Sakura looked stricken. "No."
"Finally," Ino muttered, leaping back when Sakura pushed out her chair and shot to her feet.
"You!" she snarled, pointing at the person in the entranceway.
"Me," replied Ami.
"Sasuke-kun!" Karin exclaimed, waving at him. "Hi!"
"Sorry I'm late," Kakashi said pleasantly. "Had to break up a fight." He shook the arms of the two girls he was holding in place to emphasize. "I didn't know where to put them, so I invited them along."
Sakura growled.
"Uh… bad time?"
Kakashi moved out of the entranceway, and Sakura's eyebrows shot up in confusion.
"Shikamaru?" Her face colored. "Shikamaru!"
"Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hi."
"He's the real guest of honor," Ino whispered.
"Well, duh." Sakura grit her teeth. It was only one dinner. Even with Ami, Karin, and Shikamaru… how bad could it be?
As three dark figures stalked ever-closer to the restaurant, a shiver ran down Sakura's spine.
Indeed, how bad could it be?
Words cannot express how sorry I am for the wait. Honestly, I'm a terrible updater sometimes, but I've never been quite this bad. But these last few months have been… trying. I've been terribly busy, had massive writer's block for months, and have just felt very unfunny. Regardless, I'm now giving this story my full (er, kinda) attention, and updates should hopefully be more regular.
But since this update took a while, we'll have to pretend a lot of stuff didn't happen. Like Sasuke's freakout with Sakura and Karin.
This chapter's about 2 000 words longer than usual and, as you can see, quite a bit more insane than usual. It actually went in a totally different direction than I had planned. The dinner was supposed to be the ShikaSaku moment, but… this works out better. The next chapter is going to be a lot of fun. I'm quite excited.
Next chapter: DINNER!
