Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Grounded	By : djserani Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 2818 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
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Decisions

Temari was waving frantically as Sakura made her way through the bar to the corner. She’d decided at the last minute to actually dress instead of wearing her usual uniform. Ino would be proud. The dress she wore was one that almost never saw the light of day. The single strap looped around her neck and held up the front. The skirt flared at the end and came to just above her knees. She still wore her ninja sandals, though. The only dress pair she had were too small. She didn’t remember growing out of them, but then again, the last time she wore them was a very long time ago. She’d even managed to comb her hair and dig up a small tube of lip gloss.
Temari had changed her yukata and her small pigtails were still damp, so she’d managed, somehow, to shower and change and still beat everyone there. Sakura shook her head. She never took long to get ready. With a sigh, she slid into the booth. “How do you manage to get down here so fast?”
Temari grinned. “I didn’t waste time with fancy clothes or lip gloss.” She winked at Sakura, who blushed. “I was more interested in the alcohol.”
Sakura smiled as the waitress came to the table. “Drink?”
“Oh, yes. Sake.” The waitress nodded and started to walk away, but Ino appeared at her side at that moment.
“Make that two.”
“Three!” Tenten announced.
Temari laughed. “Might just want to bring a whole tray.” The waitress nodded again and made her escape.
A moment later, Hinata, clad in a summer dress similar in style to Sakura’s, but in purple, pulled a chair up to the end of the table. Ino had poured herself into one of her slim dresses, the slit going all the way up the side to her thigh. She had strappy heels on and looked ready to kill, as always. Tenten had the same Chinese style on, but it was also a dress and her hair, for once, was down instead of in its usual buns.
The waitress returned quickly with the sake. Handing the bottles around, she smiled. “Will there be anything else?”
Ino laughed and pulled some money out of her purse. “Keep it coming, sweets. We’re off for a few days. I think we’re ready to enjoy this.”
Sakura quickly pulled money out of her purse, but by the time they finished arguing the waitress was gone. Ino looked up in bewilderment. “Where’d she go?”
Hinata smiled. “I told her who I was. Tonight’s on me. Drink up.” And with that, shy little Hinata downed the first cup of the night.
* * *
Kakashi squatted in front of Pakkun. “Okay, get Bull, Shiba, Urushi and Akino and set them at each of the ladies’ apartments. Guruko, Uuhei and Bisuke can hunt up Shikamaru, Chouji and Lee. Tell them what’s going on and to meet me here.” He paused and reconsidered. “Don’t tell Lee where we are, just find out where he is. When you’re done, come back and wait out here.”
Pakkun sniffed unhappily at the thought of spending the evening in the alley next to the bar. After a long-suffering sigh, he nodded. “Okay, boss.” And he poofed.
Kakashi stood and went inside. Taking up a seat in the opposite corner of the bar, he pulled out his trusty Icha Icha and settled in for an evening of reading. He had no doubt that the girls wouldn’t get into any trouble tonight, but he’d promised Tsunade he’d keep them from doing something stupid.
His good eye travelled over the top of his book and he really looked at them for the first time. All of them except Temari were wearing dresses he’d never seen them in before. It took him a moment to realize who Tenten was with her hair down. Even Hinata wore a dress. His eyes travelled over Ino and rested on Sakura and he sucked in a breath.
He couldn’t put his finger on what was different—besides the neckline of her dress. The front cut low before the one strap wrapped around her neck to hold the whole thing up. Before he could stop it the thought of how easily a strap like that would give way if things got… he shook his head and forcibly turned his attention back to his book. He shifted in his seat to get more comfortable and downed another bit of sake.
“I take it they heard?” Neji’s quiet voice didn’t surprise Kakashi. Neji had purposefully waited a moment for Kakashi to acknowledge him before speaking. He put his book down briefly and took another gulp of his drink, giving a minute nod in answer.
Neji signaled the bartender for his own drink and a moment later the seat on the other side of Kakashi was taken up by the laziest ninja in the village. “So, have they done anything yet? And why do we have to babysit them? This is so troublesome.” His drink appeared and he, too, took a sip.
Kakashi didn’t bother to glance over. “No. But we’re not worried about them while they’re still here.” Looking to his left, he almost didn’t recognize the nearly-skinny ninja who took the seat on the other side of Neji.
“Sorry, I just came from training. I’m starving.” Chouji waved over the bartender and ordered one of everything on their menu, which wasn’t much. It was bar food, after all. When he caught Neji staring at him he just raised his eyebrows.
Neji chuckled. “You might want to stop on the way home, then. This stuff isn’t going to do much for you.” Chouji smiled and his stomach growled in answer.
The four men quietly watched the girls for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts. Neji’s eyes never left Hinata, though Kakashi didn’t know if that was because she was under his protection or for some other reason. The Byakugan made it much more difficult to read them, even with Kakashi’s own sharingan. Kakashi couldn’t tell who Chouji was looking at, but it didn’t last when the food arrived. He dug in and Chouji looked healthier by the bite.
Kakashi didn’t know what bugged him about all of this, but something didn’t feel right in them babysitting the girls, or in women the being grounded. Yes, they’d be going up against some pretty nasty ninja, but all of these women were scary in their own right. He shook his head.
Shikamaru’s affected laziness didn’t fool anyone. They knew exactly where his eyes were trained, as she talked animatedly with her hands about something one of her brothers had done. The table across the bar burst out in laughter and it seemed to break the silence among the guys.
“Now what?” Chouji said around a mouthful of food.
“We wait. Might want to order some more food. We might be here a long while.”
Kakashi picked up his book, down the last sip of his sake and went back to reading, but his mind was still on a particular pink-haired ninja across the bar. Yes, it was going to be a very long night.
* * *
“Okay, we’ve been avoiding it, but I’ve got to ask. Are all of us that…wrapped up in our ninja lives that we should be grounded while those nin are out there?” Temari leveled a look at each of the other girls, in turn.
Tenten blushed, but had obviously had enough sake to loosen her up a bit. “I know I am. Never know when I’m going to have to head out. So, I never really thought much about doing other stuff.” She burped a bit and reached for a fresh bottle.
Sakura snorted. “One word: Tsunade. I don’t have time to sleep. When the hell would I have a social life?”
Ino laughed, and they all turned to her. “You’re the biggest surprise, Pig.”
Ino sobered a bit at that. “Hey! Are you calling me a—,” but Sakura held up one hand.
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Pig. We know you don’t have much time, either. The shop, training, your ninja duties—we’re all in the same boat. But you’re the most outgoing of us. You know…you flirt.” Sakura realized she was digging herself in deeper and her mouth closed with an audible snap.
“Doesn’t anyone wonder about me?” Hinata’s quiet voice was slightly slurred already.
Temari snorted. “Sweets, you’re the shyest of us all. No…I don’t think we need to wonder about you.”
Hinata sat quietly for a moment, considering it, then sighed. “You’re right. Damn.” And she followed that with another long draw straight from the sake bottle. The other girls laughed and followed suit.
Tenten shook her head. “I can’t believe we’re just sitting here getting drunk and doing nothing. Letting the guys take care of it for us.” Her fist clenched on the table. She took a breath and forcibly relaxed it.
“I don’t think any of us are happy about it, but Tsunade has a point.” Temari finished off her bottle and pulled another one toward her. “I don’t think I want my first time like that.”
Sakura and Hinata blushed, but Tenten and Ino nodded. Then Ino’s eyes widened. “What if it wasn’t?”
Hinata looked confused, Sakura sly and Tenten and Temari curious. “What do you mean?” Hinata’s quiet voice sounded everyone’s thought.
“What if it wasn’t? What if we could…” she gulped, “guarantee it wasn’t.” She looked around the table.
“Wait,” Temari held up a hand. “Are you saying we should just go out and…”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Ino grinned.
Sakura and Hinata’s blushes got darker, but Tenten started to smile. “Oh….that’s a good idea. Why didn’t we think of that sooner instead of sitting here and getting drunk?”
The voice of reason piped up again. Temari threw up her hands. “Great idea! Should we just pick up a random ninja off the street?” One eyebrow was raised as she waited for the response.
“I wouldn’t. I think I know someone who would help…” Hinata’s voice trailed off as the others stared at her.
The silence at the table could have been shattered by a pin as they all considered the idea. A ninja’s life was so uncertain. For them, waiting around for a home and family was extremely unlikely, at best. The next mission could be their last. They all knew this every time they left the village. Yet none of them had considered a part of their lives that they were missing.
“Why not?” Tenten’s voice was hushed—the question just a whisper. “Why shouldn’t we? Who knows when we’ll go on our last mission?”
Sakura stared hard at the table. She’d gotten over Sasuke long ago. But Naruto was out on the mission. So…who? Kakashi’s masked face flashed before her eyes, but she banished it as quickly as it appeared. No… but… why not?
* * *
Kakashi recognized the change in mood immediately, though it wasn’t obvious to the casual observer. Neji, too, seemed to notice a difference. Shikamaru’s lazy posture didn’t fool Kakashi, either. He was listening hard. The only one that didn’t seem to notice was Chouji.
“What’s wrong with the girls?” He asked quietly. Kakashi made a note to not underestimate Chouji’s powers of observation again.
“They’re discussing the rogue-nin and why they’re grounded.” Neji answered for him.
“They’re trying to figure out a way to make the whole thing a moot point. But as far as I can see, there really is only one way.” Shikamaru sat up and gave up the pretense of boredom. At this the three other men looked at him. He shrugged. “Well, the reason Tsunade doesn’t want them out there,” he motioned with his head, “is because they’re virgins, right?”
Shikamaru stopped there. Neji was already turned back and staring at Hinata. Chouji blushed, but Kakashi gave the lazy nin a sly look at his assessment.
Always one to think things through, if that was the conclusion Shikamaru came to, then Kakashi was pretty sure that’s what the girls were thinking, too. He turned back and watched as they sipped their drinks in silence.
* * *
“You’re right, Ino.” Sakura’s quiet voice gained in strength. She still had no idea who but she was not going to be grounded because of her gender. Maybe Lee…
Ino nodded and downed the rest of her drink. “You know the guys have been here since shortly after our second tray, right?” She pointed her thumb toward the other corner of the bar, where the guys were sitting.
Temari’s eyes twinkled. “Yup. And I think I have my guy picked out. He won’t know what hit him.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t underestimate him. He’s probably already figured out what we’ve decided.” Ino snorted.
Temari laughed. “Yeah, probably.”
At that, the ladies stood and hugged each other. “Let’s meet at the west gate in the morning. If we’ve managed to do what we’re intending to, I think we ought to go after them. After all, that’s why Tsunade grounded us, isn’t it?” Ino hooked her purse strap over her shoulder as she spoke.
Sakura smiled, Hinata hiccupped but nodded seriously and Tenten all but bounced in her excitement. Temari was too busy looking at the other corner to do more than grin. “Well, I’m off. My choice isn’t here. I better go see if he’s walking miles while on his hands or something.” She giggled and waved and was gone.
There goes that idea. Sakura thought. Ino, Temari and Hinata turned toward the other corner and, with no better idea, Sakura followed them.
Kakashi, Neji, Chouji and Shikamaru watched the women gather their purses and hug Tenten before she ran out the door. They looked at each other and said at the same time, “Lee.”
Temari took long purposeful strides and stopped next to Shikamaru. “Okay, lazy boy, let’s go.” Shikamaru didn’t even bother to say a word. He just shrugged and headed for the door with her.
“Neji-san…” Hinata started, her face beet-red. She cleared her throat and lifted her head in determination. “Would you care to walk home with me?” She looked him straight in the eye and Neji had to swallow and concentrate on breathing.
“I’d be happy to, Hinata-sama.” He motioned for her to precede him and they left, both looking more than a little uncomfortable. Kakashi briefly wondered if they’d drop the honorifics during sex…
He shook his head and turned his attention back to the others. Ino poked Chouji in the side. “Think you could tear yourself away from the food for a while?” Chouji’s mouth dropped open. He gulped a couple of times and looked at Kakashi, as if for help.
Kakashi smiled under his mask and shrugged as if to say, “it’s your choice.” Chouji looked back at Ino and it took him less than thirty seconds to put money on the bar , grab Ino and head for the door. He was blushing furiously, but obviously not foolish enough to pass up this opportunity.
Sakura danced from one foot to the other and Kakashi realized that she was alone. Sasuke was gone and he suspected she’s been over him for some time. Naruto was out with Gai and Genma, looking for the nin. So was Kiba and Shino, though he wasn’t sure if Shino’s clan…he suppressed a shudder and considered the last of their team. No, Sai was certainly in no position to handle something like this.
Sakura was half his age. It was lunacy. Yet, he stared at his team member. She stood before him determined to take care of the one thing that was getting in the way of her job. He cursed the nin for putting her in this position. He cursed Tsunade for not sending them on a bull crap mission in the other direction.
He cursed himself when he realized he wanted her. When had she grown into such a beautiful woman? When had she filled out in just the right amounts in all the right places? When had her eyes matured and her lips become so kissable?
He continued to curse himself and call himself all kinds of a fool as he stood up off the bar stool. Sakura took on step toward him and he took the other that would close the distance. “Are you sure?” Was all he could manage.
She nodded and turned toward the door.
Outside, he paused. “Pakkun.” The dog appeared instantly.
“Yeah boss?”
“Did Tenten find Lee?” Just then, Bisuke appeared.
“Roger that, boss. “ The dog shook his head. “He was shouting something about the power of youth or something like that.”
Kakashi nodded. “Okay, you guys can go home. You’re done for the night.”
He ignored Sakura’s curious look, reached out and took her hand and started walking.
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Grounded