Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

To my knowledge Niko Bento does not exist, but any similarities between the Niko Bento in this story and the other are purely coincidental

No tea was harmed in the making of this FanFic

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A few weeks went by with no big incidents. Hinata and Naruto seemed to be avoiding each other, and the only big change was Neji and Tenten. They were pretty much against PDA but most people could still tell they were a couple now. Ino was particularly thrilled, because, the way she put it, she had been trying to hook the girls up since last year and it's finally succeeded for one of them.

Now the beginning of October was here, which meant Ino was getting ready for her annual Halloween Party. Ino found every holiday as an excuse to throw a party, but the holidays she threw the biggest parties for were Halloween and Christmas. Last year she had gotten help carving 100 pumpkins that she placed all over her roof and front yard and she had filled her hot tub with a drink that looked pretty much like blood. Of course, this year she would half to do better. She was thinking of doing a pagan style party and having a bonfire and using turnips to carve instead of pumpkins. And of course masks.

Ino loved studying cultures so she was going all out for the party. It took a lot of coaxing from Hinata to get Ino's head out of party mode so she wouldn't fail all her classes.

"I just don't know how I am going to do the turnips. I mean it was hard enough getting some people to carve 100 pumpkins, but 500 turnips? This time there's no way I can give them away to people who want jack-o'-lanterns. What am I going to do with 500 carved turnips?" she said. They were at lunch and Ino was trying to figure out how to make the turnip idea work.

"Well…" said Sakura. "Maybe you don't have to light them. You could carve them and then use them to make… stew?"

Ino looked at her. "That might work. I could donate homemade stew…" Ino also had a habit of donating stuff after each party. "But that would be a lot of stew to cook."

"We'll help," Sakura and Hinata said at the same time.

"I'll do it too," said Tenten, and Temari nodded to signal she'd pitch in as well. Ino grinned.

"Thanks girls. Ok, now for the bonfire. I want it big, really big, but I'm going to have to get permission from the fire department and the police station, and how will that go?" Ino asked, poking her salad and yogurt.

Sakura sat her sandwich down and stood up. "I have an idea. I'll be right back," she said.

She walked over to Sasuke. He was eating with a few others, and they all looked up when she came over. "Um… Sasuke, could I ask you a favor?"

"What?"

"Um, in private?" she asked with a nervous smile. He stood and followed her out of the cafeteria.

"Ok, this is going to sound horrible, but you know how your uncle is chief of police?" she asked. He nodded. "Well… Ino is having this big party on Halloween, like she does every year, and she is planning for a bonfire, but since you need permission from the fire department and the police for the size of bonfire she wants, I was thinking…" he held up his hand to stop her.

"You want me to get my uncle to let Ino do her bonfire?" he asked. She nodded.

"It would be out on the beach behind Ino's house, and there would be nothing that could be burned near it, and of course she would supervise and stuff," Sakura said quickly.

Sasuke looked at her. "What do I get from it?"

"Um," said Sakura. "My undying gratitude?"

"How about dinner," Sasuke said. Sakura thought her heart stopped for a second.

"Um, sure," she said. 'Omigosh… is Uchiha Sasuke asking me out?!'

"Ok. Does Saturday work?"

Sakura nodded.

"Ok. Saturday. I'll pick you up at 6:30," he said, before walking back into the cafeteria. Sakura stood there in shock before going back in. She walked over to Ino.

"Ino-your-bonfire-is-a-go-and-Uchiha-Sasuke-just-asked-me-out," she said in one breath. Ino clapped her hands together.

"Two things that make me very happy!" she exclaimed. "Now I only have to worry about getting Hinata and Temari some guys… or girls if you swing that way, but I don't think you do," she said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Sakura shook her head and sat back down.

That evening…

Temari had set up her camera in the park by the lake. She was doing landscape shots and wanted to use the evening light to get some good shadow effects. She focused her camera on the waterfront. 'Looks good…' she thought, and she took the shot. She zoomed in, focused and took another. After she took some more back-up shots she took her camera to go scout out more locations.

She looked at the sky. "I think I can get one more shot," she muttered. She set up her camera to get a shot of some trees. The shadow and sky worked perfectly together. She took a few shots and grinned. Today had obviously been a good day for her. She started to put her camera back in her case when she heard a lazy drawl.

"So you're interested in photography too?" Shikamaru asked. His hands were stuck in his pockets as he watched Temari. Temari nodded and zipped the case up.

"Yes I am. How long were you watching me?"

"I wasn't. Not really anyway. I was heading to Niko Bento for dinner." He shrugged. "Want to join me?"

It took her a fraction of a second to decide. "Sure," she said, sounding more relaxed then she felt. They started walking through the park.

"So what kind of photography do you do?" he asked.

"A lot of different kinds. I like working with shadow and light a lot. Landscape and life pictures are my favorite kind to do," she said, shifting her camera bag over one shoulder.

"Sounds interesting."

"Oh it really is. It's amazing how much shadow or a beam of light can completely change a picture," she gushed, getting excited. "The mood is a huge part of a picture. You can have a picture of a tree, but with different lighting it can completely change from one thing to another."

Shikamaru watched her with an amused look on his face. "What?" Temari snapped.

"Nothing."

Temari rolled her eyes. They got to the Niko's and Temari looked around. "Smells good," she said.

They sat down at a table, and Temari looked over the menu. She put it down after a few minutes and looked at Shikamaru. "Not bothering looking at the menu?" she asked.

"I already know what I'm getting," he said with a shrug.

The waitress walked up. "Oh, hello again Mr. Nara," she said. "What can I get you two?" she asked.

Temari watched Shikamaru while she ordered. "I'll have the pork bento."

"I'll have mackerel," Shikamaru said.

The waitress left and Temari leaned towards Shikamaru. "I see you've been here before," she said with a smirk.

He nodded. "Yep. Now answer me this, is there anything you like other then photography and making snarky comments?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes," she hissed. "I enjoy botany quite a bit…"

He chuckled. "Botany?"

She nodded. "What about you? Being annoying?"

He rolled his eyes and muttered something before responding; "Cloud watching."

"Did you just call me troublesome?" Temari demanded.

He raised an eyebrow and leaned back. "And if I did?"

She glared at him, and then the food arrived. She was horrified to see squid, but the waitress walked away before she could say anything. "Who in their right mind would put squid in with pork?" she muttered.

Shikamaru looked up from his food. "You don't like squid?" he asked, sounding bemused.

She grimaced, and he reached over with his chopsticks and picked up the piece of squid. "Hey!" she exclaimed.

"Did you want to eat it?" he asked. His voice sounded like he was teasing her and she snatched up her chopsticks.

"No."

She started to eat her pork. "Mmmm… thi' i' 'eally good," she said, her mouth bulging with food.

Shikamaru shook his head. "Troublesome."

"Lazyass."

Hyuga Mansion…

Hinata was up in her room when the doorbell rang. She jumped, knocking her tea over. She frowned before going downstairs. Neither Neji nor her father was home, and she didn't think Hanabi was having anyone over. She opened the door to find Naruto there.

"N-Naruto-kun!" she exclaimed.

"Hey Hinata," he said.

"D-did y-you need s-something?" she asked, still shocked.

"Well, I was hoping, if you were still willing, if you could start tutoring me again? I know that Neji might not be so happy if he found out… but I really don't think he will," he said, with an embarrassed shrug.

Hinata nodded and blushed. "O-ok…" she said, stepping to one side to let him in. He walked in and they both started upstairs. "H-Hanabi, could you s-stay downstairs?" Hinata called down.

"Fine," came the response.

Hinata led Naruto into her room and sat down. He looked down at her. "By the way, I just wanted to apologize for what happened last month. I completely blew you off, I just was worried about what might happen to you if I came back over."

Hinata blushed again. "D-don't worry about i-it…"

Naruto looked at her again and felt something strange, but he shook off the feeling and sat down next to her.

"L-lets start with the h-homework…"