A/N: Thanks for all the reviews so far! As for someone who asked about why i chose a silly-sounding term such as ladynin...I have no clue why, it popped in my head and I could come up with nothing better to replace it. So give me a better suggestion, then. xDD
Rhymes of an Hour
chapter 2: One Night
---
"What?" Ino sputtered, flecks of alcohol projecting from her mouth and onto Sakura's face. Sakura winced, and cleaned her face stiffly. It seemed that the day had been full of shock and flying liquids.
"Ladynin missions," Sakura said again. "Like...remember that stuff that we used to hear about, in the olden times before villages were more communicative?"
"You mean that epic-sounding stuff? Yeah, that was part of why I wanted to become a kunoichi in the first place!" Ino declared. "The romance of a forbidden love with a member of an opposing village....yadda yadda...having sex with him, then selling him out. What part of that is NOT attractive?"
Sakura stared at her friend blankly. "Only you, Ino," she said simply.
They were seated at a small table off to the side, in a less noisy corner of the club. Ino was rapidly downing her margaritas, while Sakura shed no worry in catching up, casually sipping at her own. She had squeezed into a black mini-skirt and a lavender halter top with a pair of black ankle boots, whereas Ino had gone all out - gelling her ponytail, wearing a clingy black belly shirt and the tiniest jean-skirt that Sakura had ever seen, which did little to cover up her obvious cherry red thong. Sakura briefly wondered why she and this girl were ever even friends with their clashing views of modesty.
Ino smiled goofily. "Okay, okay. I know. Still, it seems to be a very interesting field anyway. So Tsunade brought it up with you, anddd...?"
"And then she deemed that I wasn't eligible."
Ino snorted. "What?! Why?" She covered her mouth and continued to break into a string of snorty-laughs.
"Pig," Sakura shot. "Because...well...because yeah."
"Because you're not hot enough?"
"No. She was actually very disappointed that I couldn't take on this duty," Sakura sniffed. "It's just that, well."
Ino leaned forward impatiently.
"I'm a virgin," Sakura admitted softly.
Ino's eyes tripled in size, and she leaned back, mouth falling agape. "Say WHAT?" she said. "Oh no...oh no. You can't be..." Her hand flew to her lips.
"I am."
"Oh my god...Sakura, I'm so sorry," she gushed, snatching her hand in her own and stroking it tenderly. "It's okay."
Sakura blinked at her blonde friend, disturbed. "Ino, it's fine. It's just a minor setback. Anywho, she said to come back once I've lost it."
"And when will that be?"
"I...don't know." Sakura hung her head. "I admit, that up until now I've been a bit of a prude when it comes to guys and dating in general. After the whole Sasuke fiasco I couldn't even bear the thought of giving my heart to another guy. Now I know not to even expect to give my heart to anyone. But still... if I were to begin my ladynin training, I could get out of my desk work, I'd be making more money...I could also work on my Medic Jounin certification on the side too, you know."
"The only thing missing is that you've still got your hymen and that virgin mentality," Ino said wistfully.
"Exactly. And I'm wondering if...you know...maybe I'm weighing way too much significance on it. Afterall, it's just sex, right?"
Ino nodded. "I mean, I sorta clung to the first guy I did it with...but after that, it just becomes this everyday thing. Sex. Something two people do when they're really horny and need a fix. Or if you're married."
"So I've just been a prude. I just need to lose that mentality. I mean, what's holding me back?...Aside from my prudish attitude..." Sakura rubbed her arm self-consciously.
"I dunno. I'd say find a decent guy who won't be too much of a jerk when you do it. Unless you're going to try and find a steady boyfriend first."
"I don't know. That's why I'm asking you. I want to get out doing missions again...."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up. Why can't you just do regular missions and hold off on the whole ladynin thing?" Ino asked.
"Because Tsunade's pressuring me to study for my Medic Jounin certification, and until then I've promised to be her full-time assistant. Seeing as she wants me to reach ladynin status, she's pushing for it. Other than that, she wants me around the office to do her bidding."
"That doesn't make much sense," Ino said, shaking her head.
"You think I don't know that?" Sakura groaned. "This seems to be my only way out."
"Well what about just waiting until you get your Medic Jounin license? When's the test?"
"4 months from now."
Ino almost dropped her glass. "4 MONTHS!? What the hell!?"
"It's a big test, Ino..." Sakura said with a sigh. "And I only just made Jounin a little bit ago."
"Ehh, that's true...But still....4 months...Yikes, now I understand where you're coming from." She gulped down more of her drunk, and sighed. "So what, do you want to just try to have me set you up with a guy who will take you home and make it worth your while?"
"Yes....maybe....well, no. I'm picky."
"That's for sure," Ino commented with a scoff. "Are you even cut out for ladynin work? I mean, you'll have to touch boys' penises, Sakura. Hell, you may even have to have lesbian sex from the sounds of it."
"I know that, Ino." Sakura said, turning a bright shade of red. "But Tsunade has a point - I do have a lot of useful skills that would make for a great ladynin. I just have to get over my aversion to sex."
"You say that as if it's an easy feat."
"It could be, if I worked at it. I just...have to find a nice, decent guy who will have sex with me. And be gentle. And not end up wanting anything else out of it," Sakura said.
"That last one should be easy," Ino grumbled. "Men are shirking bastards who hate the word commitment. Seriously. Just breathe anything that sounds like it, and they'll be out of there like there's no tomorrow."
"Just....who?"
The two girls sat in deep thought for a few moments.
"Naruto?" Ino suggested.
Sakura made the most disgusted face she could muster. "...Ew, no! He's like my brother!"
"Sorry, sorry. Umm...Lee?"
Sakura made another disgusted face. "I have standards, Ino!!"
"Neji?"
"He and I have shared maybe like, 3 words in the past 3 years."
"Chouji?"
"...."
"He's nice, Sakura."
"...Keep going."
"Fine. Um. Shikamaru?"
"Isn't he going after that Sand chick?"
"Ah, that's true," Ino said. "What about Kiba?"
"He reminds me too much of Naruto with that whole gung-ho personality."
"Shino?"
"I can't stand bugs."
"Well then, fuck. I don't know!" Ino whined. "Damn, you are picky."
"Well, it's just weird! We've known all these guys since we were at the academy. We've grown up with them. Plus, what makes you think any of them would sleep with me?"
"You're not horrid, Sakura. You're actually quite attractive. If you would freaking open up your span of vision and awareness, you'd see that half the guys here have at least given you the one-over," Ino said, throwing up her hands.
"....No, they haven't," Sakura dismissed quickly.
"See? You need a little confidence first before you can do this. Maybe you're just rushing yourself."
"Yes, but..." She pouted. "I feel like it's something I should do. Besides, I'm 19 years old. How many other 19 year old girls are virgins?"
"I'm sure Hinata is."
"That isn't much of a comfort - just look at her. She's still fawning over Naruto from afar."
"You're right. That's just inhuman devotion."
"Exactly. I don't want that."
"Well, Sakura. You're pretty much on your own," Ino said, draining her glass. "Fuck, I'm out. I mean... You're so picky when it comes to guys, yet you're acting sort of desperate right now. Give it a few weeks. Try going out more and talking to more guys - I'm pretty sure that you'll be surprised. And if you dangle the chance for sex with no strings attached, you'll get even more guys."
"You're right. I just have to have confidence," Sakura said. She took in a deep breath and exhaled it. Then she snatched her drink and gulped it down even faster than Ino.
"I think we need more..." she said sheepishly, cheeks turning pink.
---
The two young women swayed and stumbled their way down the streets, singing feminist-themed songs at the top of their lungs without a care for how painfully off-key they were. Ino nearly tripped over Sakura's leg, and struggled to regain her composure, laughing hysterically.
"O-Oh my god, Sakura..." she squealed. "Tonight was amazing. We should really do this again."
Sakura giggled and let out an involuntary snort, which only caused more crazed giggles to ensue. Ino's eyes widened, and her incessant laughter increased in volume and pitch. Sakura's hand flew up to her mouth, and she attempted to stuff it into her mouth to stifle the infectious laughter.
"We should," Sakura sang airily. "Just not on a night before work. Otherwise...otherwise I'll be SO hungover...."
"That's for sure!" Ino chirped and broke out into more insane cackles. She slumped against the side of a building to steady herself, and Sakura joined her, pressing her back against the frigid surface.
"That feels good," Sakura cooed, rubbing her back up and down slowly. Ino shot her a confused look, and began to do the same.
"Not really."
"Well, it does for me. That's all that counts...."
"Yeah, well that's cause your forehead's the size of the country."
"And you're a pig. Enough said."
The two let out a few more giggles and when everything began to die down, Ino pointed spontaneously at the sky. "Look. It's...it's uhm...what's it called..."
"Orion's Belt?" Sakura offered.
"Yeah, that thing... I can never find the rest of him though. I guess I'm just no good when it comes to finding shapes out of aimless dots in the sky."
"I'm sure it takes a specific amount of talent," Sakura tried to reassure her, clearing her throat absentmindedly after she had finished speaking.
They both stood there kind of awkwardly, until Ino flung herself away from the wall. "Welp, I'm heading home. Do you think you can manage from here?"
"Of course, Ino. I can see my apartment from here."
"Can you really?"
"Yes..."
"Well then fine. You'll be okay. See ya." She waved, and then turned on her heels and walked away.
Sakura lingered there for a few moments, feeling her mind begin to allow logic and reasoning to seep back in. Ah, so she was starting to sober up. That wasn't much fun. She glanced down at her hands, and then raised them up against the night's sky, examining them. Calloused and only vaguely feminine.
She dropped her hands to her sides, and puffed out an indignant sigh. There had to be some way... to just get the whole deflowering ordeal out of the way so she could move on with her life already. But then her heart had a nasty habit of getting that achy 'this doesn't feel right, Sakura' gut feeling.... And then she would wonder if maybe she was just meant to wait and lose it to her future husband.
Ah, but the toils of paperwork...compared to being around Naruto and Kakashi and Sai again... Who cares if she would have to be around creepy guys once in a while now, she was sure that if she got on Tsunade's comfy side by taking up the ladynin training, she'd relent and let her go out on regular team missions again. She was beginning to feel so lonely, after all... And what was virginity, really, except a whole lot of nothing with a whole lot of useless emphasis put on it? It was like finding a delightfully wrapped present, and then opening it up to find nothing inside the package, right?
Sakura slowly eased herself off of the wall, and began to amble down the street lazily, feeling her legs nearly double beneath herself a few times. She paused, taking in a deep breath. Her apartment was right down the street, she could see her little azalea bush pointing out from beyond that 'Welcome!' flag that belonged to her neighbors, the Fukuda's. All she needed to do was push herself to get there.
One step. Two step. Left, right. Right, left....Left...Left...What the hell?
She growled in frustration, and gravitated towards the walled-side of the street, using it to guide herself forward.
"Need a little help?"
It was so unexpected that she could've sworn that she hadn't heard it at all in the first place.
So she acted like she didn't. And she continued to struggle, weighing each step she took carefully while the night sky swirled to her left.
"Sakura."
Somehow, the voice speaking her name got her attention. She flicked her head around, and saw her sensei standing there, looking rather concerned and amused at the same time.
"Oh, Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura said, eyes widening in wonder. "What...What are you doing here? It's like, 2:30AM."
"I'm on my way home," he expressed simply. "What about you?" He cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at her.
"I'm on my way home too," she said sheepishly, a messy grin spreading across her cheeks.
"Well not at this rate, you aren't. It seems like you'll never make it," Kakashi commented with a chuckle. "Let me help you?"
"Psh, no. I have pride, you know." Sakura used the wall as a sort of crutch, walking along with a little more ease. Her plant bobbed closer and closer into view.
Kakashi threw up his arms, and began to follow alongside her. "Then I'll just walk with you."
"Whatever you want, sensei."
"Jeez...it just feels so wrong having you call me that while you're so painfully under the influence of alcohol and all other things grown up." He laughed weakly. "I feel so... old."
"Well maybe you should."
"You've got a merciless tongue when you're drunk, Sakura."
She turned and flashed him a playful smile before briefly sticking her tongue out. "I know, I know. But using it on you is so much fun, after all."
"So I see you were out with Ino," he mused.
"Yep."
"Did you have a fun girl's night out?"
Sakura flashed him a disturbed look. "Yes..."
"That's good." He smiled pleasantly, his silver hair catching in the moonlight and illuminating a pure white.
"Sensei, you have pretty hair," Sakura murmured before she could catch herself.
He blinked at her. "Why thank you. Your hair isn't that bad, either. It could be worse - you could have blown chunks in it."
"Hah. Thank Kami-sama that it's not long enough." She lazily tugged on a pink lock, admiring its cleanliness.
"OOF."
So she had reached her destination. And then tripped over it. Her azalea plant tried to ensnare her within its grasp, and Sakura found herself on her back, staring up at her very amused sensei.
He extended a hand to help her up, and she begrudgingly took it, hoisting herself up.
"On second thought, I'm glad that I followed you home," Kakashi said.
"Wait. What?" Sakura froze while brushing herself off.
"I followed you two home from the club. I was on my way home and saw you two - drunk as sin, and I knew that if I let you two just continue, that something utterly stupid and perhaps fatal would happen. And I was right - look what happened just from me walking next to you." Kakashi gestured around them.
"You....you stalker!" Sakura shot, jabbing her index finger into the gut of his Jounin vest. Kakashi winced, and cleared his throat.
"I was merely trying to look out for the welfare of my favorite student," he said, holding up his arms in defense.
"No, you're just a pervert."
"Or that," he said, shrugging. "Just remind me to never take you to any karaoke competitions when you're drunk. You sound absolutely horrid."
"Thanks," she said, scowling. "If you'll excuse me, I have some sleeping to do to ensure my hangover isn't so brutal."
"Oh, sweetie. It will be very brutal," he said, patting her head affectionately. "I'd suggest keeping a bottle of aspirin at your bedside before you fall asleep."
She grumbled. "Thanks for the tip..."
"Any time." He rocked back and forth casually on his heels, and then gestured to her door. "Are you able to...?"
"Yes!" she snapped, withdrawing her keyring from her pocket. She proceeded to try to jab one of the keys into the door to no avail. "Fuck...fuck..."
Kakashi swooped in from behind and snatched the array of keys, flipping through each until he found her house key, then inserted it and unlocked the door in a few easy motions. He dropped the keyring into her eager palms when he was done.
"Yeah, I'm really glad I followed you," he said.
Sakura tested her front door, pleased to find that it swung open. "Thanks, sensei..." she muttered.
"Anytime. Oh, by the way. I overheard something interesting while you two were walking..."
She blinked up at him, cheeks bright red. Oh shit.... "Y-Yes?" she asked weakly.
"Something about...ladynin missions?"
Sakura stumbled back, worried that she would collapse into a faint. "W-What about them?" she demanded.
He appeared as cool-headed as ever, shrugging. "Nothing... I just wanted to know what they were."
"..." She gaped. "Wait, surely you know..."
"No. I don't."
She blinked at him blankly for a few moments, and then grinned at him broadly. "You mean I know something you don't know!?"
"Rest assured, Sakura - when it comes to the feminine life, there are many things that you know that I could never."
"No, no. I mean like...I know about shinobi stuff that YOU don't know about?"
Kakashi looked vaguely perturbed. "I suppose so. Which is why it piqued my interest."
Sakura puffed out her chest. "Let me savor this..." She took in the deepest breath she could, held it for as long as she could, and then released it leisurely. Kakashi sighed, and rested his hands on his hips, tapping his foot impatiently.
"It's not that big of a deal, Sakura... if you don't want to tell me, I'm sure I could find out from someone else," he informed her, raising an eyebrow at her.
"It's...well..." Sakura pressed her finger to her chin in thought. "It's special kunoichi stuff. You wouldn't understand."
"Ahh. I see. Well then, I guess it just wasn't meant to be my knowledge."
"Exactly. So you should just give up and go home - I'm safe now."
"And that's all that counts," he agreed with a nod.
"So! Maybe if you're lucky, I'll tell you some other time..." Sakura jabbed him in the chest again playfully, a wicked grin playing on her lips.
"We'll see. Unless I ask Anko first."
She pouted. "You're no fun... Well! I'll see you around, Sensei!" She gave him a quick, loose hug, and then disappeared inside of her apartment.
Kakashi waved halfheartedly. "Bye, Sakura. Don't forget the aspirin."
"I won't!" She slammed the door, hearing his chuckles resonate from the other side. Ahh...the thought of knowing something that Kakashi-sensei, the all-knowing know-it-all didn't know... A dazed smile refused to leave her face. It felt so good!
She made sure to retrieve the bottle of aspirin from her cabinet, and felt her way into her bedroom, setting it next to her lamp. In a way, it did surprise her that Kakashi didn't know about ladynin stuff...She pulled her shirt over her head, and began to kick off her shoes. However, in a way it made sense. Even she hadn't dreamed that that stuff would still be around in modern times. She shimmied out of her skirt, and tossed her clothes across the room messily, caring not where they landed.
She layed back across her bed, smiling and trying to imagine herself as a ladynin. An object of desire? Would men really fall for her charms? Sakura touched her breasts self-consciously. Did she have any charms?
Perhaps losing her virginity would prove to her that. She pulled the unmade covers up to her chin, and let out a big yawn.
She just had to get to that point first.
A/n: so i kinda just realized that it seems that in many of my fanfics, alcohol is featured prominently. ehehehe...