I do not own Naruto, or Crazy, Stupid, Love.

All rights go to Masashi Kishimoto, and Dan Fogelman.

Game Changer

"Been to St. Louis?" Asuma asks Kurenai over dinner.

"No, I haven't," she replies as she sends Gai's call straight to voice mail.

"Yeah, well you know, I always had a dream of playing short-stop for the St. Louis Cardinals, actually. But I could never really hit a curve ball...so I did the next best thing."

"Yeah, you became an accountant," she stated as she chuckled.

Asuma smiled. He loved how they could play off of each other. "Right. Exactly. The pay isn't as good, but then again I don't have to travel."

"Mhm. I was going to be a ballerina," Kurenai shared. "I just pictured myself in the ballet, although I've never actually seen a ballet."

"You've never been to the ballet? Wow. I would love to take you to the ballet."

"You'd love to go to the ballet?"

"Noo, I said I would love to take you to the ballet. I'd just drop you off, and then later pick you up and we could go to a ball game."

She let out a breathy laugh. She really wanted things to work out between her and Asuma, especially since this is the man who is responsible for her pending divorce. This was their first "date" and while she did enjoy his company, it was a tad awkward for her.

After their date, Asuma walks her to the door of her house.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," he admitted. "Hey, do you like sushi, because I know this really great sushi place-"

"I don't eat sushi," she interrupted.

"-that we're never going to go to because I hate sushi..." he finished.

She giggled.

Asuma leaned in to kiss her. Kurenai responded. The door opens suddenly, and the two break apart.

"Oh, h-hi, Hinata...uh this is my work friend, Asuma. Asuma is an accountant," she rambled on. Hinata stood in the doorway amused. "Asuma, this is my babysitter. So...spreadsheets."

"Spreadsheets," he acknowledged.

They both nodded at each other, knowing it was time to go, and hopefully they would never have to endure another awkward moment like this again.

"So how was dinner?" Hinata asked after Asuma's car drove away.

"Oh, you know, it was just for work.."

Hinata ignored her comment. "That's a really pretty dress. You know, your kids are the only ones that I babysit for, and they want to stay awake so that they can see their dad when he gets home. They fight with everything they have to keep their eyes open." Kurenai looked at her with searching eyes. "Don't get me wrong, your kids are excited to see you when you get home, but um not compared to when they stay up for their dad."

"What are you trying to say," Kurenai asked confused.

Hinata walked out of the house towards her car, not saying a word.

"What's wrong," Kurenai yelled to Hinata who was now far away.

"I don't want your slutty money!" Hinata exclaimed.

As soon as Hinata gets home, she runs up to her room and immediately grabs her camera. She combs her hair, applies a bit of mascara to her outer lashes, undresses, and adds red lipstick as the final touch.

The camera is set on a self-timer and she poses as seductively as she possibly can. She prints the pictures and puts them in an envelope labeled "Gai" with hearts and sparkles. The envelope is hidden under her clothes in her top drawer.

"Dad, can we go to McDonald's?"

"Uh, no," Gai replies while pushing his cart through the aisles of Home Depot.

In no time the cart becomes heavier and heavier. Paint, plywood, more paint.

"Ooh look, curtains!" Emi exclaims.

"Hey Gai!" Hiashi called out; having not seen his now ex-best friend in quite some time.

"Hey Hiashi."

"Hi, Mr. Hyuuga," Emi said.

"How's it going," Hiashi asked intrigued.

"Good. You know what? I'd love to catch up but I'm kind of in a rush."

Gai's cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Gai."

"Oh my god, it's alive."

"Yeah..I know I kind of dropped off the grid there, pal," Kakashi said apologetically.

"You left me in my hour of need, my friend."

"Yeah, well I'm in a bit of a situation...a pickle, if you will," Kakashi began to explain. "I met a girl. I've been spending all this time with her...and she's a game changer."

"A game changer? No way," Gai teased.

"So much so, I'm going to meet her mother right now. I need some advice."

"You realize you might actually have to answer some personal questions about yourself. You gotta smile a lot, and be charming. Definitely don't be yourself."

"That's what you got for me? Don't be myself? Thanks for nothing," he chuckled. "Do you wanna get a beer next week?"

"You have my number...and don't worry about tonight. You'll be fine. Good for you by the way."

"See ya, buddy," Kakashi closed, ending the call.

Hinata's mother was putting laundry away when she opened Hinata's top drawer. A hint of white paper was sticking up from her underwear. Curious, she pulled the envelope from the drawer and turned in face up. She mouthed the word, "Gai?" She slowly pulled the contents from it. Horrified, she began to cry. "Va-jay-jay.."

Kurenai pulled into the driveway and shut the car off. She looked out the window to her left and saw Lee standing there. He waved to her.

Hinata's mom struggled down the stairs, envelope in her shaky hand. She grabbed Hiashi who was watching the football game on the couch, and handed him the envelope. He was a bit concerned by the look on her face, but figured she was overreacting. Not taking his eyes from the screen, he slid the contents from the envelope. He glanced at the picture, and then realized just what he was looking at. He shuffled through the three pictures and turned the envelope over, reading the word "Gai" in hearts and sparkles.

Hinata looked up from where she was working, and saw her father holding the naked pictures she ha taken of herself. He rose up from the couch hastily and made his way for the door. Hinata jumped up. "Daddy, Daddy, no, no, no." Before she knew it he was out the door starting the car. Hinata ran to her purse and grabbed her car keys. Her mom tried to stop her.

"You are not to ever see that man again!"

"Stay out of it!" Hinata jumped in her car and followed her dad. There was no doubt where he was going.

"Hey, baby. What are you wearing?" Kurenai asked Lee.

"Dad's here. He told me to blindfold you."

"Why? What's he doing?" She asked a bit intrigued.

"You'll see."

Lee led her down their steps to the backyard.

"Is this something I am going to have to clean up later?"

"No, mom. Don't worry about it."

"Honey, I really can't see."

"I got you. Relax, it's dad. Not Al-Qaeda."

"Hi, Kurenai," Gai said sweetly.

"Oh, hey. Can I take this off now please?" She pleaded referring to the blindfold.

"Nope," he said simply. He cleared his throat, and took a deep breath. "May I have your attention, please. Many years ago, in the hallway of Konoha Middle School, Might Gai, saw Kurenai Yuhi for the first time."

Kurenai interrupted. "Gai, are you seriously going to do this in front of the kids?"

Lee chimed in. "If anything goes wrong we're supposed to go upstairs and put the TV on loud."

"Well..." Kurenai paused. "We might as well wait for your daughter."

Gai looked confused. "But Emi's right-"

"No, I mean our other daughter," she corrected.

"Hey guys!"

"Sakura!" Gai exclaimed.

"Hi, sweetheart!" Kurenai, still blindfolded, turned in the direction of Sakura's voice.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked eyeing everything Gai had set up especially for Kurenai.

"Oh, I don't know some game, he won't let me take this dumb blindfold off."

"Gai?" Kakashi stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?!"

Author's Note: I won't attempt to give excuses for my two-year long absence. I can only apologize, and hope it never happens review.