A/N: Oladio to the world and all who inhabit it! I give you not just any chapter. Nay! I give you the most important chapter in my life! Chapter 8! Why is it important? Because it's my favorite number silly!

Kira: Ladies and gentlemen! Today we have a special guest!

Lyn: Yes, very special indeed.

Kira: Readers, I give you –dramatic pause- KELSEY!

Kelsey: …um, hello!

Kira: Kelsey was a princess for Halloween!

Kelsey: I was not!

Lyn: Yeah! She was a fancy prostitute!

Kelsey: Escort! I was an escort!

Kira: …disguised as a princess!

Lyn: I didn't know fancy prostitutes role-played!

Kelsey: Why am I here again?

Kira: Because I thought it'd be fun to poke fun at you.

Lyn: Indeed, your royal sexiness!

Kelsey: …escort… -tugs on hat-

Lyn: …

Kira: …

Kelsey: …what?

Lyn and Kira: YOU'RE SO ADORABLE! –accidently knocks Kelsey over with the sound waves-

Kelsey: -sigh- Can I say it now?

Lyn: Yes!

Kira: That's why you're here!

Kelsey: Okay, let the story begin!

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Naruto opened the door and dropped his books on the table. The blonde was humming happily. He had a non-too subtle smile on his face as he ditched his shoes and went to turn the television on. He nearly jumped out of his own skin when he realized that Sai was waiting quietly on his couch.

"Shit, Sai! You scared me!" the blue eyed boy yelped as he took a seat.

"Your scared face, it's one of my favorites." Sai teased.

Naruto blushed.

Sai had started to become a ghost. Naruto was sure Sai had been to his home as of late but he never caught him. Naruto hadn't really sat down with him since the night he attempted to be a sexual scientist.

"So, Sai, about the other…"

Sai swooped down and gave Naruto a quick peck on the cheek. Naruto would have blushed if his cheeks weren't already red. Sai smiled.

"You're so readable," Sai teased again, "You're almost like a picture book."

Naruto grumbled.

"So you're out then?" Sai asked.

"Out of what?"

"The closet."

"I guess," Naruto surrendered.

"What about Sakumon?"

"Sakura!"

"Yeah. What about her?"

Naruto paused for a moment. Sakura almost seemed to have drifted off from him. Everything had been about Sai or Sasuke lately. He furrowed his brow.

"I never really got a chance with her but she hasn't really been a concern." Naruto shrugged, "It seems like she's dealing with some things of her own."

The two guys spaced for a moment, letting the previous conversation soak in.

"Naruto, how would you like to go on your first date today?" Sai asked.

Obviously taken by surprise, Naruto's mouth fell open and his lids fluttered for a moment.

"Sai, are you asking me out on a date?" Naruto squeaked.

Sai nodded before turning to face the blonde.

"I want to take you out right now."

Naruto paused for a moment before getting up and heading to the bathroom. For a moment, Sai looked blank and then disappointed.

"Then it's a no?" he called out.

Naruto's spiky blonde head peeked out in to the hallway.

"I didn't say no! Unless you want to take out someone who smells like school and sweat, I suggest you let me shower first!"Naruto cried stubbornly.

Sai laughed a bit to himself.

'I'll say yes in my own God damn special way!' Naruto thought as he undressed.

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"Sakura! Tonight, we're going on our first date!" Ino announced over the phone.

Sakura was sitting on her bed in her room. She was brushing her (A/N: freakish!) pink hair after just having come out of the shower. She nearly fell over at Ino's news.

"Tonight!?" Sakura screeched.

"Yes, tonight, unless you have other plans. Or maybe we should just have our own little date in the cafeteria tomorrow!"

"No! Tonight is fine."

Ino laughed.

"I didn't know this would embarrass you so much!"

"You're such a liar, Ino!" Sakura scowled.

"We're not going anywhere fancy; it is a first date after all."

"This is so weird, Ino. Why did I agree to this?"

"Because you got lost in the heat of the moment and if you back out now you lose?"

'And because a part of you wanted to date me.' Ino thought to herself.

Sakura sighed.

"So I should dress casual?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, but don't hesitate on anything short and a little skimpy."

"Why?" Sakura asked, oblivious.

Ino merely laughed in a slightly evil manner.

"Ino!"

But even now, Sakura was eyeing the pink, pleated skirt that hung in her closet. She pulled it off the hanger and slipped it on.

"I'll pick you up later!" Ino chimed.

"Wait! Where are we going?"

"You'll see!"

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"Karaoke?" Naruto questioned.

Sai nodded as he kept one hand pressed to Naruto's back for reassurance.

"I thought since you were already nervous that something with a private room might ease you up a little."

"I'm not nervous." Naruto defended himself.

Sai chuckled as he sat down on the couch in the room, guiding Naruto the whole way.

"Your first step is to accomplish the idea of being around with me. Since no one but you and I are here, you won't be concerned about anyone giving you any looks." Sai smiled.

Naruto became embarrassed.

"How'd you know?"

"Like I told you, you're kind of an open book."

Naruto felt relieved and grateful as he began to slide closer to Sai.

"I don't want to sing." Naruto admitted.

"You don't? What a shame. I was hoping to hear that cute little voice of yours crack a few notes."

"My voice is not cute!" Naruto blushed angrily.

"Everything about you is cute, Naruto. If you weren't cute, we wouldn't be here."

There was another pause as Naruto fidgeted.

"How exactly does a date work with two guys?"Naruto finally asked.

Sai, ever amused by the blonde, laughed.

"We talk, we sing, and then we see what happens." Sai answered.

"Sai, I've been thinking recently and maybe-"

At that moment, a pink blob opened the door.

"Naruto!" Sakura called.

Sakura and Ino flew into the room and occupied the other half of the couch.

"Sakura? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked.

Ino rolled her eyes.

"I was going to get her and me a room but she got nervous, saw you, and here we are." Ino answered.

Sakura hugged Naruto. Perhaps hugged was the wrong word. Hugs convey that the person is happy to see you. Sakura was conveying something more along of the lines of 'we're here and so help me if you make me leave you will perish in flames. Big Ones.' Naruto was desperate to reassure her that she wasn't going to get the boot.

"Sakura, I'm so glad to see you!" the blonde choked out.

The pink haired girl released her victim and took a seat next to him.

'Damn it, I was just about to say something too.' Naruto thought to himself.

Naruto sighed and ran his hand through his blonde spikes.

"Sai, you don't mind us here, right?" Sakura demanded.

'Say no. Or else. Am I going to have to get out here and smack the fuck out of you?' Inner Sakura raged.

"No, of course not." Sai smiled in his secretly fake way.

"Am I that bad?" Ino said aloud.

The sudden awkwardness of the statement floored Sakura and there was a momentary pause before she answered.

"No, of course you're not! It's just that I- I wanted some more company! Karaoke for two isn't exactly as thrilling as four, you know?" Sakura scrambled to explain.

Ino grinned similarly to the way Sai had not more than mere moments ago.

"Of course I understand."

Sakura smiled softly.

"You always do." Sakura mumbled.

Ino beamed at that and seemed satisfied.

Sai grinned at all this and threw an arm around Naruto.

"They're cute aren't they?" Sai whispered quietly.

Naruto nodded.

"Even for a couple of girls." Sai laughed.

The time passed quickly. Naruto seemed really happy. The awkward air that surrounded Sai and him now disappeared in a crowd. He could have fun now and not blush at everything said. Songs were sung and jokes were made. After a while they begun to talk about people from school and although Naruto didn't particularly enjoying interjecting as much as Sakura and Ino did, he certainly liked to listen.

"Kiba and Hinata, like peanut butter and jelly," Sakura summed up.

"Yeah, it's a good thing they realized it too. It took them a while but good things come to those who wait." Ino hinted.

Sai chuckled and Sakura's cheeks tinted pink.

"Who's that one guy who brought you home that day you messed up your ankle, Naruto? Does he go to your school?" Sai asked curiously.

Naruto perked up at this and shook his head.

"Guy? What guy?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, um, well I tripped and Sasuke took me home to help me-"

"Sasuke took you into his house!?" Sakura cried.

Ino rolled her eyes and dug her nails into her seat.

"Well, yeah." Naruto said sheepishly.

"How kind and generous of him. I notice you two have been getting closer, why is that?" Sakura asked, barely managing to keep the poison out of her tone.

Ino glared at the back of Sakura's pink hair.

"Oh, I can't quite say."

"Oh, you have a little secret then?"

"What? No! I just- I'm not sure why that's all." Naruto explained.

"Oh, that's a different story all together." Sakura concluded before taking a sip of her drink.

Ino was annoyed.

"I don't see what's so great about him." The pale blonde commented.

Sakura nearly spewed her drink across the room.

"What!? You used to like him!"

Ino shrugged her shoulders and flipped her long pony tail over her shoulder.

"I also used to like to play dolls. Life changes, right?"

"But Sasuke is amazing! He's almost perfect!" Sakura defended, heading into fan-girl mode.

"Give me five reasons why he's so amazing." Ino growled.

"Five? Okay. For one thing he's intelligent. He's good looking. He- um he's…well he just is!"

"Oh, goody a brain with a hot body, it's such a pity that he's mean, sarcastic, and has the personality of a disgruntled turtle." Ino countered.

There was a pause as Sakura fumed and tried to think of a comeback but Naruto came in much sooner.

"He's not that bad." Naruto said quietly.

"Not that bad my ass! He's a douche bag who thinks everyone is beneath him. He's a big part of why I'm a lesbian!"

"It's not like that! He's not some kind of monster." Naruto argued.

"Oh really? He crushed Sakura's heart like it was nothing so many times and do you honestly think he gives a flying fuck!?" Ino yelled.

Sakura became silent and studied the floor.

"You know what? He said 'no' nicely the first time. And he has a reason for being the way he is. He is NOT a bad person!" Naruto cried.

"Really, if I had asked you that a month ago, would you have said the same?"

"Well, no. I suppose I wouldn't. But that doesn't matter! He has his reasons for being who he is!"

"So he's allowed to be an asshole?" Ino smirked.

"He's not! He's not some kind of demented superiority complex psycho!"

"He sure the fuck isn't Superman!"

There was a pause as Sakura stood up; tears welled up in her eyes.

"No," Sakura said quietly as she begun to leave the room, "I guess he's not."

Ino looked embarrassed. Naruto stared at the door and Sai seemed so out if place. It was such a quite movement but it shocked them all. No one had been paying attention to Sakura in the heat of the argument. The anger subsided between Naruto and Ino but Naruto became frustrated and Ino ashamed of herself.

"I'm sorry but I have to go get her. She doesn't look okay." Ino stated quickly before running after Sakura.

Naruto's whole face was red and his fists were balled.

"You seem so worked up about this," Sai said.

Naruto snapped out of it for a moment and apologized.

"Naruto, do you have feelings for this boy?" Sai asked calmly.

Naruto blinked twice as his jaw fell open.

"I, uh, well it's just that- y'know that is just a silly question and I -"

Sai sighed and covered Naruto's mouth with his hand. Naruto quickly went quiet.

Sai smiled gently and slowly he leaned over to kiss the blonde.

'He smells sweet.' Naruto thought.

Sai leaned closer and his hand slid to Naruto's shoulder.

'And he's so warm.'

Sai was a hair away from his target.

'And…'

Naruto's phone rang loudly and startled him. Embarrassed, Naruto shrugged at Sai and then answered the phone.

"UZUMAKI!" Kira shouted happily over the phone,

Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin from the sheer volume not to mention how it murdered the moment he was having.

"Kira-chan, hello. I'm a bit busy so if I could just-"

"No you're not! Did you forget what today is?"

"Well let's see, it's not anyone's birthday and none of the holidays are here yet so-"

"Today was the last day to pay your bills!"

"What!?"

Naruto recalled that, for the last two weeks, he could not find his rent anywhere. He had set it off somewhere but now it was lost and no matter where he looked he just couldn't find it.

"That's right and if you don't get them paid then we'll have no running water, or electricity, and you know what that means right?" Kira exclaimed.

"We smell and do homework in the dark?"

"No microwaves for ramen!"

"No!"

"The deadline is midnight! So get off that perky little blonde ass of yours and run for it!" Kira said, almost teasingly before she hung up.

How she managed to sound cheery with such grim news was beyond Naruto.

"No ramen…for a month!? Gomen Sai! But ramen is on the line!" Naruto shouted as he stood and bolted through the door.

Sai sat alone in the karaoke room and stirred his drink calmly with his straw before sighing,

"So, ramen is more important than me? …Lyn, you can come down now."

Lyn landed expertly onto the couch. She had been spying on the two dates from above the beams that the workers used to put up decorative bits for holidays.

"You're making things that much harder for Kira and I, not to mention yourself and Naruto."

"You say that because you're getting paid, aren't you? You don't really care for Naruto or any of us here. Neither of you do."

"Assuming makes an ass out you to me. I don't appreciate you evaluating my feelings as no more than work, Kira's either."

"You won't complete this mission. I won't fail in getting Naruto."

Lyn shook her head and then, before Sai realized what she was doing, she hugged him.

"Your poor thing, you already have."

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Kira was content watching Naruto run in his panicked manner. She was down right giddy. She flipped out her phone and dialed Sasuke's number. She lowered her tone to a calmer state. The cool night air was heaven against her skin as she practically flew in Naruto's trail.

"Uchiha, are you were I told you I was going to meet you?" she asked.

"Yes, but I don't understand how this is life and death."

"It's not; apparently I got the wrong news." Kira executed a perfect embarrassed giggled,"I'm sorry, but how would you like to stay for dinner?"

"It almost eleven and I'm not a fan of eating."

"Naruto will be there."

"…fine."

Kira did a victory punch as she hung up and continued to follow the unaware blonde.

'All according to plan.' She thought. But as optimistic as Kira was, she couldn't help but feel like not everything was on the bright side of life tonight.

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Ino walked into the girl's bathroom and there she found Sakura after she had searched everywhere else. Ino could hear her sniffling and saw her pink shoes behind the stall door.

"Sakura?"

"Go away!" she wailed.

"Sakura, I'm coming in."

Sakura didn't argue. The door wasn't even locked. Sakura looked at Ino with sad eyes and a red tinged nose.

"Why are you so glum Rudolph?" Ino teased lovingly.

Sakura wiped her eyes.

"He's not my hero."

"Who isn't?"

"Sasuke isn't my hero."

"Now what do you need a hero for?"

Sakura was nearly dead silent before she spoke. It was so light that Ino strained to hear it.

"To save me from myself." Sakura whispered.

Ino wasn't even a little surprised. She put and arm around the other girl and her lips closed up to Sakura's ear.

"But you're so beautiful." Ino whispered back.

Sakura nearly choked on it and then she began to cry all over again.

"Sakura, you're not a bad person. You can be a little cold sometimes but everyone is and you're too hard on yourself. You don't need saving from anything. You just need to be reminded that you're human and you're…beautiful." Ino said as she closed her arms around Sakura.

Sakura felt her heart beating fast as the realization finally dawned on her. It popped out like a jack-in-the-box and frightened her and made her happy. She had been so blind. Sakura picked up her head form Ino's shoulder and, almost scared to be rejected, kissed Ino.

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"Don't pity me like that!" Sai said, throwing Lyn off of him. "I haven't failed anything and I-"

"Will you just stop it!?" Lyn shouted.

Sai paused. Lyn had never been out right angry before.

"For God's sake, your sake, Naruto's fucking sake, stop it!"

"Lyn, I –"

"No, don't talk because you don't get it. Do you realize what would happen if Sasuke wasn't in the picture?" Lyn didn't pause for an answer, "Naruto would fall in love with you!"

"So, why is this bad?"

"Because like me, Kira, and one billionth of the rest of the planet you are an assassin!"

"I can retire!"

"Kira and I have been trying for years to retire! This is the first job we've gotten where nobody has to die! And you still aren't getting the point!"

Lyn stopped for a dramatic pause and to make sure Sai heard this.

"What if you die? Don't you think he's lost enough? Is putting him through that worth a few moments of happiness?"

Lyn got up to leave Sai to think about that but before going she turned and glared.

"And just for the record, Kira and I aren't taking the money. And what I just told you has nothing to do with any mission. I've lost someone in this field. Naruto doesn't deserve that kind of pain."

And with that, Lyn was gone.

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Kira: Aw that made me sad to write!

Lyn: But the next chapter will be happy right?

Kira: Hopefully! And there's a chance of a lemon!

Lyn: A LEMON!?

Kira: Indeed! A chance is not definite. So if there is no lemon then none of the readers of this story have any right to harm me! Everyone wins!

Lyn: But there should be a lemon!

Kira: I can try.

Lyn: You WILL.

Kira: I will TRY.

Lyn: No, you WILL include a lemon.

Kira: Look Lyn! Chocolate chip cookie!

Lyn: Where? –looks around-

Kira: First you have to say goodbye and then I'll tell you where it is.

Lyn: Ja ne! Wait how am I supposed to get the cookie if I say good –

END