"What's going on between you and Hinata?"

Evening had fallen in Suna, and the four had retreated to their respective guest rooms. Well...that had been until Naruto had bombarded Sasuke, demanding that his friend teach him how to put his kimono on.

Following many slaps, many "pervert!"s, and a few accusations that Sasuke as trying to molest him, the two had somehow managed to get dressed in the formal wear that had been sent to their rooms.

Sasuke wore a full-length onyx kimono with matching hakama pants and haori. He hadn't brought a forehead protector, but there was a small Uchiha fan on the bottom of his sleeve to specify his nationality. Sasuke was surprised that Konoha would want people like him and Naruto representing the village. Yes, they were strong, but their pasts were streaked with stains.

Naruto was wearing a navy kimono, with dark gray hakama. Over it was a matching navy haori, and the clothing was so not him that the blonde had felt it completely necessary to paint his finger and toenails orange. Naruto had taken off his Konoha hitai-ate for a bit of discretion, which allowed his hair to hang attractively in his eyes.

Standing on either side of Sasuke's exterior doorframe, Sasuke was silent, his eyes closed, and arms folded over his chest, while Naruto was partially slumped against the wall, and seemed to be slowly sinking towards the ground. In their positions, they looked as though they had been on guard duty for the past several hours, when in actuality, they were simply stalling, because secretly...neither could dance.

Naruto pouted at his friend. "C'mon, teme, tell me. Since the start of the mission, you've been completely zoned out."

"Zoned...out?" Sasuke opened his eyes.

Naruto's shrugged. "I heard Sakura-chan say it. Ano...like you're dreaming while you're awake."

So it was a fancy way of saying "preoccupied." Sasuke clenched his jaw, but he wasn't going to deny what was true. "If you're still bitching about that toad-"

"What's going on between you and Hinata?" Naruto repeated.

Sasuke didn't know why he was continuing to hide the depth of his and Hinata's relationship from his teammates. It just felt too – singular – to be exposed to Naruto, Sakura, or anyone else.

"I saw you in the woods together."

Sasuke's eyes widened at this.

"You're still training with her, ne?"

Realizing Naruto's ignorance, Sasuke played along. "I decided to continue helping her with taijutsu. So we're still – friends?"

The way he absently questioned the word "friends," as if he was just as confused as Naruto was on the matter. It almost sounded believable.

"But you kissed!"

"Friends can kiss. You and I do it all the time," Sasuke countered humorlessly. He was getting annoyed. "Why are you so interested in Hinata?" And with that, he destroyed what credibility he had built throughout the conversation.

Naruto smiled sadly. "You're up to something." It was true. "You seem happy. I'm happy."

"Shut up, dobe," said Sasuke, grabbing him by the scuff, and shoving him off towards the party.


It was an hour before the party when Sakura ambushed Hinata. The pink-haired kunoichi grabbed the heiress and shoved her into her own closet, before stripping her down and doing other...horrible...things? By the end of the traumatizing ordeal, both were dressed and made up. It was then that Sakura sat down on the bed, patting the spot beside her. She stated that she and Hinata needed to "talk."

About Sasuke.

They needed to talk about Sasuke.

"How are you two doing?" Sakura asked when both were sitting down.

"Ano…" Hinata scratched her cheek. She had never spoken to anyone about her relationship before, and found herself suddenly full of nerves. "R-really good," she managed, blushing and staring at her knees.

"That's sweet," said Sakura. Hinata weakly nodded. "You know…Sasuke doesn't like sweets."

Hinata looked up at her. Sakura's expression was solemn.

"And...sushi makes him nauseous," Sakura continued, a small smile crossing her face.

"Sakura..." said Hinata, beginning to feel overwhelmed. What the other kunoichi was telling her – it was to support her in her relationship with Sasuke. Hinata felt so touched, she could cry.

Sakura clasped Hinata's hands in hers. "He's allergic to pie."

This caused Hinata to blink. "Wh-what kind of pie?" she stammered.

"Just pie," said Sakura, as if this made all the sense in the world.

"Cherry pie? Apple pie?"

Sakura ignored Hinata as she continued, "He doesn't generally like animals, but he sort of likes monkeys."

Ok...that was...sensible...right?

"To eat."

"Oh!"

"And one of his favorite foods is raw putterfish."

"But you said he didn't like sushi!"

"It's an exception, dammit!"

"O-okay!"

"And never put milk in his tea – ever. He will totally freak out."

Hinata was baffled. She tried to make sense of the things Sakura was saying, but her efforts proved to be futile.

"The smell of pickle juice causes him to pass out. I don't know why, it just does."

After Sakura had finished with her extremely long list of Sasuke's "quirks," Hinata wandered off, feeling disturbed. Smirking, Sakura followed. She wasn't quite over Hinata's flub during their last mission together in the Fire Country.


Naruto and Sasuke were late.

The two stood outside two broad oak double doors that would lead them to Gaara's eighteenth birthday party, assuming they ever went inside.

Naruto suddenly released a strange, hysterical giggle, and Sasuke resisted the urge to slap him. Do we have to enter with escorts? he wondered, just as one made her appearance.

"Would one of you mind taking me inside?"

Naruto and Sasuke glanced behind them to spot a beautiful woman, having to blink a few times to recognize her as Temari.

Her hair was tied into an elegant knot, two onyx senbon holding it together. She was dressed in an azure kimono, one that was rather...unconventional. The collar was spread apart and hung off her shoulders, revealing a considerable amount of cleavage above the navy obi encircling her waist. A small, upside down triangle was painted on her chest, drawing eyes toward it, and it worked. The long slits of her skirt went all the way up her bare hips.

Temari smirked as the boys ogled her. "Uchiha?"

"I refuse," said Sasuke, looking away, as Naruto trembled in a silent battle for self-control.

He lost. "Sure." He threw Temari a fox-grin. "Don't tell Shikamaru about this," Naruto joked, as he linked arms with the Sand nin and escorted her inside. As the two entered the double doors, Sasuke was hit with a blast of unpleasant desert music, which really just sounded like an ensemble of dying animals. He caught a glimpse of Ino, wearing little to nothing, and dancing provocatively with Kankuro on the otherwise empty dance floor. He also caught a glimpse of Gaara, who was drowning in a mob of bitching old people and carnivorous fangirls. The redhead took a gulp of sake before the doors closed again behind Naruto and Temari.

Sasuke shuddered. He heard the sound of more clicking footsteps, but didn't bother to turn around, instead wondering if it would be so bad if he got drunk again, when a voice spoke behind him, "Sasuke? Where's Naruto?"

"With Temari," he carelessly responded, finally turning to notice Sakura.

His teammate was dressed in a blood red kimono, the sleeves so long they brushed her ankles. The kimono darkened in color as it reached her feet, a touch of black bleeding into the red beneath a diagonal strip across the bottom of the skirt and the right sleeve. Upon it were threaded outlines of red and white cherry blossoms. A black obi was around her waist, decorated with matching outlines of flowers, and tied into a butterfly bow behind her back. Her side bangs were left hanging loose while the rest of her hair was twisted back in a bun, a small silver butterfly comb securing it in place. Her lips were red and glossy, as were her finger and toenails. Silver chandelier earrings hung from her ears, a silver necklace from her neck, and a silver charm bracelet around her wrist. Sakura held a silk black shawl around her shoulders, her geta sandals shyly shuffling as Sasuke absorbed her appearance. With her combined looks and charm she was sure to be the life of the party, as well as the eye-fuck of every man there.

"With Temari?" Sakura muttered, a frown crossing her face. She glanced at Hinata, who Sasuke suddenly noticed to be hiding behind her. "Will you stop that?" Sakura rolled her emerald eyes. "She wanted to wear a haori over her kimono."

"And you didn't let her?" said Sasuke indifferently.

Sakura huffed. "Just look at her!" She effortlessly grabbed Hinata and pushed her toward Sasuke.

The Uchiha stared.

Hinata was wearing a silk white kimono, the bottom edges of the skirt and sleeves decorated with large lilac flowers. Her sleeves were shorter than Sakura's, but reached her knees. The curve of her bosom was more than evident over the indigo obi around her waist; it was tied at the small of her back, looking very much like a large ribbon in Sasuke's eyes. A small encircled flame at the bottom of her left sleeve declared her nationality, as Sasuke's Uchiha fan did. Her hair was down, the top half tied in a ponytail to fall with the rest, bangs left free to hang in her face. Hinata adorned white golden hoop earrings that were shaped like small curled leaves, with a matching choker around her throat, the leaves resting against her collarbone. Sasuke couldn't see the matching anklet, but maybe he would find it later. Her lips were shining pink, ghost white eyes staring up at him, and Sasuke could not help staring back.

As Hinata stumbled forward from the force of Sakura's shove, Sasuke caught her in his arms, holding her against his chest, where she refused to move.

"Maybe I should have let her wear the zori sandals after all..." said Sakura, throwing Sasuke an amused look.

Hinata looked up from Sasuke's clothes. "I c-can walk in geta, it's just– " She trailed off at noticing how handsome he looked in his kimono. She decided to forgive his picky eating habits as she shy accepted his proffered arm. Sakura joined them, taking his other.

"It looks like you're escorting both of us inside," she said as they pushed through the double doors.


Gaara truly couldn't recall dressing himself before the party. He tentatively reached for his ear and touched one of the small black hoop earrings that some bastard had pierced him with while he was not conscious (he was starting to miss Shukaku). The hours preceding the party were all a haze to him – someone must have drugged his afternoon coffee. Gaara's eyes focused on Kankuro, who was grinding on the Yamanaka girl on the dance floor as some uncoordinated elders wobbled about around them. Temari was dry-humping some fat blonde guy in a corner. How had his siblings managed to get drunk so quickly!? And as usual, they had sought out the nearest available blondes.

Though his eyes shifted to his table, Gaara was not interested in sitting down. The drinks were passing far too swiftly there, and he could barely control himself as it was. He glanced down into his saucer, becoming frustrated as a fangirl refilled it with sake, and had little choice but to gulp it down.

Gaara was dressed in a rust colored kimono and haori, as well as dark gray hakama pants. He didn't know how to walk in geta, so saw it best to stand completely still. And this did little to repel the followers.

"You're eighteen now you know. Have some fun." Gaara thought it was a fangirl who squeezed his ass, but his eyes met with a woman who looked so decrepit, he nearly regurgitated the acorns he had eaten for lunch.

"Pursue a girl," the elder continued.

At hearing this, the bumbling girls around them began to press more closely against Gaara's body.

"The Konoha women are cute. And I hear they're strong," the elder added, despite that her decomposing nose threatened to fall off at any moment. Tipsy as he was, Gaara could barely handle the sight of her, so redirected his gaze to his fangirls, who were all in a tizzy.

"Hyuuga slut," one growled.

"Pink-haired bitch," said another.

The Kage again looked at his table, where The Hyuuga heir seemed to be engaged in a staring contest with the Uchiha. Tsunade's apprentice was babbling to Baki...whose pupils were dilated. Gaara didn't doubt he had helped himself to some of that bad coffee as well.

Why all this over me? Gaara wondered. What kind of sick bastards would want to celebrate the day of his birth? He twitched as a fangirl licked his cheek. "I don't like women," he said, which brought with it a collection of exaggerated gasps. One fangirl fainted. Another sobbed hysterically into his pants.

Ignoring them, Gaara continued to stare at his table and watch as a series of interesting events unfolded. I don't like guys either.


They were seated at Gaara's table, not that the Kage was present at the moment. He was busy drowning in followers.

Kankuro and Ino tipsily arrived to the table together. Ino was in the middle of telling Kankuro a story about when she had locked Shikamaru out of her flower shop dressed only in her clothing. Why the Nara had crammed his naked body into Ino's ultra-mini-skirt was beyond Kankuro's intrigue.

Naruto arrived as well, looking somewhat disheveled from Temari's efforts to have her way with him. He took a seat, acting rather strange and quiet.

Sakura was attempting to engage Baki in a conversation about Suna's latest medical ninjutsu, but Baki was busy vacantly staring as he tried to imagine her naked.

Sasuke and Hinata merely watched each other. They really had nothing to discuss.

Every once in a while, a ninja from another village would stop by the table to introduce him or herself, but the group let Naruto do all of the talking, which would usually have the intruder shuffling away in no time.

Hinata noticed that Sasuke picked at everything on his plate except for the main course: lobster. The Uchiha didn't seem to mind when Naruto snatched the dead creature from his plate and began to use it as a puppet to amuse Ino.

Sasuke merely rested his face against his knuckles and grumbled something about death by starvation. He noticed Hinata's odd look, before explaining, "Naruto took it because he knows that I'm–" He trailed off to stare as Ino leaned in to kiss Naruto, who dropped everything, and scurried away.

It was an hour into the party that Sasuke and Hinata managed to sneak away from their company, taking retreat in a nice shadowy corner behind a big pink cake.

He had wanted to touch her all night long, so settled on wrapping his arms around her waist, feeling Hinata's encircle his neck. She rested her head against his shoulder, and they stood like that for a while, not moving, not dancing, just enjoying the warmth of the embrace.

He sighed in frustration when Hinata pulled back. She reached up to pull his bangs out of his eyes.

"You look…" Sasuke trailed off. "You know how you look." He leaned down, his nose brushing hers, and just before their lips could make contact-

"The sole Uchiha with the Hyuuga heir," someone said, and Sasuke looked up to see one of Suna's elders standing some feet away from them. "Don't you think this is a gamble for Konoha – for the future of the sharingan?"

With a sigh, Sasuke bowed his head to Hinata's shoulder. Why were people so audacious in public? A few seconds passed before he heard the elder walk away. Feeling too annoyed to raise his head, he felt Hinata's fingers twist through his hair. He imagined she was blushing at what the intruder had insinuated – that they would attempt to revive his clan together.

"Let's go," whispered Hinata.

Sasuke was surprised that she was the one to say it first, and was more than willing to comply. As they headed for the exit, many more people approached them in hopes of discussing Konoha's politics, but Sasuke and Hinata brushed them off, barely trying to be polite.

We're not good ambassadors, Sasuke realized, as he and Hinata ascended the stair case, her holding his hand, pulling him along. They got back to his room, where Sasuke impatiently played with a lamp on the dresser, filling the room with a dim white light. Neither cared to turn on another. Both knew why they were there.

Hinata closed their distance, wrapping her arms around his torso, but Sasuke did not return the embrace. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" he asked.

"Un," she consented.

"I'd be touching you...in all the places you told me not to."

"It's okay," Hinata responded, closing her eyes as Sasuke rested his chin on her head, finally wrapping her in his arms.

"And your first time will probably hurt," he said softly.

"I know," Hinata said. "I want you to b-be the one t-to–" She wanted to give him her virginity. And she wanted to have his.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Hinata…"

She looked up at him. "A-are you n-nervous too?"

The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched. "No."

She started to giggle, but Sasuke silenced her with a kiss, her eyes lowering in the bliss of that moment. Within seconds, however, Sasuke abruptly pulled away from her, his eyes questioning and brows furrowing.

It was then that he covered his mouth...and began to cough.