Title: That Awkward In-Between

Summary: Exactly what constitutes dating? Sakura isn't sure she likes the answer.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Prompt: Her side of the story

Warnings:

Comments: What is dating. Actually, though. This is such a problem irl. Also, Tenten is one of my favorite characters. Hence, she gets the last word.

"Ino's late," Sakura grumbled, as she stirred her drink. "Ino's never late."

"Maa, be patient, Sakura," Tenten said appeasingly. "I'm sure she has a good reason."

"Not good enough. We've been planning this for mooooonths," Sakura wailed.

"Ano, she seemed really excited when I ran into her earlier today," Hinata noted quietly.

"There you go! She's probably met a—"

"HARUNO SAKURA WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME YOU WERE DATING SASUKE-KUN?" Ino bellowed as she flung to door to the restaurant open, scaring most of the other customers.

"You are?" Tenten and Hinata demanded in unison, jaws dropping to the ground.

Sakura blinked. "I am?"

"How can she not know," Tenten bemoaned to herself.

"Yes! I saw the two of you at that fancy sushi bar last night!" Ino gushed, pulling up a chair agitatedly. "And you-you were giggling at something he said, and he was smirking and talking—IT WAS THE MOST ADORABLE THING I'VE EVER SEEN! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?!"

"Oh that? It was just dinner between two friends, Ino," Sakura said nonchalantly.

"LIAR! YOU'RE BLUSHING!"

"WELL OF COURSE I AM WHEN YOU'RE MAKING A HUGE FUSS ABOUT THIS!" Sakura retorted, finally losing patience. The two women glared at each other. Ino was breathing hard; not confronting Sakura immediately was taking its toll on her, and she refused to leave without answers.

"For the last time, I am not dating Sasuke-kun," Sakura said through gritted teeth.

Ino glared for a moment longer before straightening. "Fine. Was it just the two of you?"

"Yes."

"Did he pay?"

"…Yes."

"Did he walk you home?"

"Not right away, we walked around for a bit."

"Then it's a date!" Ino said exasperatedly. "Honestly, I don't understand you sometimes, Sakura."

"No, it's not! We've had one-on-one dinners before that have been just that: dinners! And this last time, the only reason we were alone was because apparently Naruto bailed at the last minute," Sakura said testily.

"That's not true," Hinata asserted. "Naruto-kun came to my house late that night complaining that he couldn't find either of you to go and eat."

There was a brief pause as the information sunk in.

"Uchiha, you sly dog," Tenten muttered.

"Wha-but…"

"There! I was right!" Ino said triumphantly. "Now, admit it baka. It was a date."

"Took you guys long enough," Tenten sighed dramatically. "Does this mean the end of the sexual tension at every reunion?"

"No… Guys stop. This doesn't mean anything," Sakura protested.

"Why not?" Ino demanded. "Everything about this date sounds like a date!"

"It's not a date because he never said it was a date! And I don't want to have my hopes crushed! You don't think I was thinking about how date-like it was the entire time? You don't think it made me smile when he paid for my dinner? I just—" she paused, overcome with emotion, "—I just don't want to get my hopes up."

"Oh Sakura…" Ino began sympathetically. She wrapped an arm around her friend consolingly. "I know it's scary to believe… but for once, it seems the only way you can interpret this is as a date."

"That's not necessarily true," Sakura mumbled. "What if I assume we're dating, and then find him on a date with someone else? Does that make me wrong or him?"

"Mou, you ask too many hard questions!" Ino pouted, dropping her arm in annoyance.

"Exactly why I can't call this a date!"

All four girls sighed, and for a long moment, silence reigned.

Suddenly, Tenten seemed to realize something because she let out a wail of dismay. "Aiyah! This means the sexual tension won't be gone!"