I didn't realize that Konoha had a pretty warm climate all year round so let's just forget about all the stuff I said about it being cold. Thank you for over 100 reviews! I never expected to get so many!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Beta Reader: Ur2tRoUbLeSoMe90

Chapter 8

Sasuke groggily awoke the next morning. He was just about to burrow under the covers when he remembered the mission.

'Damn, there goes my idea of going back to sleep.'

He reluctantly got out of his bed and with one wistful look back, he headed to the shower.

Twenty minutes later, Sasuke walked to his closet. He put on his ANBU outfit and wrapped bandages around his left arm; it went past his elbows so no one would be able to see the needle marks. He wrapped his black strap around that and snapped it shut. (A/N. It's the black strap that he wore with his black outfit during the third part of the Chunin exams.) The last thing he put on was his forehead protector, before he headed downstairs to breakfast.

"Morning." He mumbled, sitting down.

"Good morning sweetie." Mikoto responded.

"What's so good about this morning?" Itachi mumbled.

Sasuke smirked at this and it widened when Fugaku kicked Itachi in the shin.

"Ow! Geez, no need to get violent." Itachi said.

"I'm off." Sasuke said.

He walked out and grabbed his bag. After putting on his ninja shoes, he walked out the door. He quietly walked to the gates, nodding or waving to people who greeted him.

'I don't even remember half these peoples' names!'

He finally arrived at the gates and waited for everyone else to arrive. A couple of minutes later, Sakura dragged herself towards the gate, Hinata and Naruto slowly following behind her.

"Hey Sasuke-teme!"

Sasuke winced at his loud tone.

'Only the usuratonkachi could be this loud, this early in the morning.'

"Quiet down loser!" Sasuke snapped.

Naruto looked angry at that comment but Sasuke didn't care.

"Let's go." Sasuke ordered.

The three fell in step beside him and they all walked out the gates.

"I'm hungry, let's take a break!" Naruto whined.

"You're always hungry dobe."

"ARGH-!"

"We've only started walking a couple of hours ago Naruto. At least wait until noon to eat." Sakura said.

"But that's so far away!"

"You're a shinobi, start acting like one and suck it up!" Sasuke snapped.

"You don't have the right to order me around!"

"Idiot, I'm your captain, of course I do."

Naruto pouted but conceded.

"Usuratonkachi." Sasuke muttered before turning away.

Hinata laid her hand on Naruto's arm to prevent him from responding. He scowled but didn't say anything in response to Sasuke's insult.

"We're stopping for lunch." Sasuke said.

"Finally, I thought I was going to die of starvation!" Naruto dramatically exclaimed.

Sasuke and Sakura rolled their eyes at this.

"Naruto, it's barely noon." Sakura pointed out.

"So? I was still starving and teme here had to be his usual jerk self and deny me food."

"If I let you stop and eat every time you were hungry, we'd never reach the Cloud Village." Sasuke said.

"That's not…" Naruto trailed off when he realized Sasuke was walking away, completely ignoring him.

"Hey, get back here!"

Naruto huffed when he realized Sasuke was still ignoring him. Sakura and Hinata giggled, following Sasuke and Naruto.

The four walked into a restaurant and the hostess gaped at Sasuke before she quickly shut her mouth, furiously blushing. Sasuke caught all of this and was about to flirt when he remembered that Sakura was with him.

'It wouldn't score me any points to flirt with another girl when Sakura's here.'

Sakura fully expecting Sasuke to flirt with the pretty hostess was surprised when he simply requested a table for four. The hostess stared at him for a bit and shook herself out of her daze. She called for a waitress, who led them to their table. The waitress handed them their menus and left them to decide on their meal and drinks.

"Man, I'm starving!" Naruto exclaimed.

"We're well aware of that usuratonkachi. Why don't you actually do something smart and decide on what you want to eat, loser." Sasuke said.

Naruto growled but decided to let the insult pass, since he was so hungry.

A few minutes later, the waitress came back. After taking their order, she took their menus. It didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke that she brushed her hand against his while taking his menu.

Sasuke slightly smirked at this. If Sakura weren't here, he would have taken the waitress somewhere private and screwed her brains out.

'Oh well, no point crying over spilt milk.'

Sasuke looked around to make sure no one at the table was watching as he discreetly watched the waitress seductively sway her hips as she walked away. Sasuke licked his lips as he watched her walk away.

'Damn, would I love to give her what she's so asking for!'

He reluctantly tore his eyes away from her rear before anyone noticed his staring. He looked at Sakura sitting across from him and almost smiled when he saw her with her chin propped in her hand, staring out the window.

Sakura felt someone staring at her and slightly blushed when she realized it was Sasuke. Amusement glittered in his onyx eyes as he smirked at her. This caused her blush to deepen and she quickly tore her gaze away, looking back out the window.

Their food and drinks arrived and everyone began to eat.

"This is so good!" Naruto shouted; bits of food flying out of his mouth.

"Naruto, don't talk with your mouth open!" Sakura scolded and Sasuke slapped him on the head.

"Usuratonkachi." He insulted before resuming eating his meal.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and swallowed before he apologized.

"Sorry."
"Honestly Hinata, I don't know how you put up with him sometimes." Sakura huffed.

"H-he has h-his g-g-good points." Hinata quietly defended her boyfriend.

Sakura quickly smiled at this.

"He'd have to if he managed to snag someone as nice as you." Sakura said.

"Th-thank you." Hinata said, a blush staining her cheeks.

"Hey, you make it sound like I'm practically a hopeless cause!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sasuke and Sakura both simultaneously raised their eyebrow at him before going back to their lunch. Naruto pouted before he followed suit.

Not long after, the waitress brought them their check. Once they were done eating, they paid for their food and left the restaurant. The waitress watched the handsome black haired young man leave, disappointed that nothing happened between them. She watched the blonde wrap his arm around the dark haired girl's waist.

'Maybe the pink haired one is his girlfriend?'

The thought soon left when a customer asked for a refill. She quickly walked over to him, thoughts of the young raven haired man still consuming her.

"We'll walk for a few more hours and then find an inn for the night." Sasuke said.

The other three nodded and the four continued to quietly walk.

"Do you think beef or chicken ramen is better?" Naruto randomly asked everyone.

Everyone turned around and gave him 'what the hell is wrong with you' look. Yes, even Hinata gave him one.

"What kind of a question is that?" Sakura asked.

"A good one."

"More like a stupid one." Sasuke muttered.

"It was too quiet so I decided to start up a conversation! I don't see you trying!" Naruto defended.

"First off, you know I don't like talking. Second off, if I were to start a conversation, it wouldn't be nearly as idiotic as the one you began."

"You seem to be doing a lot of talking for someone who claims to dislike talking." Naruto mumbled.

However Sasuke's keen sense of hearing caught this and he glared at Naruto.

"Don't push your luck dobe, I have no problem pounding your ass into the ground." Sasuke threatened.

"Oh yeah? Bring it on teme!"

"Guys, guys, stop it! We're not here to mess around. We're here to complete a mission!" Sakura reminded.

Sasuke instantly regained his composure and Naruto pouted but stopped going after Sasuke.

"S-sakura-chan, is right." Hinata agreed.

"Sorry." Naruto mumbled.

"Hn." Sasuke said before he resumed walking.

Sakura sighed and shook her head before she followed. Hinata bit her lip and followed as well. Naruto grumbled but reluctantly followed too.

"Let's stop for the night." Sasuke said.

He walked into an inn with his squad following behind him.

"Two rooms." He said, once he got to the counter.

The woman nodded and handed him two keys.

"That'll be a hundred dollars."

The four got out the money and Sasuke handed it to the lady.

"Your rooms are on the second floor, third and fourth door to the right. Have a good night."

"You too." Sakura, Hinata and Naruto said before following Sasuke.

Once they arrived at the rooms Sasuke handed Sakura one of the keys.

"Hinata-chan, why don't I take you out to dinner?" Naruto suggested.

"Ok, that would be nice."

"Great, I'll just set my stuff down and I'll be right there." Naruto said.

Hinata nodded and followed Sakura into their room.

Sakura looked up from the TV when she heard a knock on her door. Figuring Hinata had forgotten her key, she quickly answered the door.

"Did you…" She trailed off when she realized it wasn't Hinata at the door.

"Surprised to see me?"

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?"

"I figured since the dobe and Hinata were going out to dinner that we could go as well. What do you say; care to join me for dinner?"

Sakura bit her lip in thought before she finally nodded her head.

"Let me just leave a note for Hinata."

She left and quickly wrote a note for Hinata before grabbing her small purse and key.

Sasuke stepped out of the door way to allow Sakura through. She locked the door and shoved the key into her purse.

"Where are we going?"

"That's a surprise."

Sakura mock pouted but a smile soon crossed her face.

"I like surprises."

"Then I'm sure you'll love this one."

I know this is short but I wanted to have the dinner start at the next chapter. Don't worry, it won't take me as long to update as it did before. Please review!