Flowers, tattoos and I love you's

8. ambrosia*

"I can't believe I'm gonna do this," Sasuke muttered under his breath to Gaara. They were seated on the floor, surrounded by their friends in a circle formation, with a round coffee table in the center.

Sasuke found himself positioned between Gaara and Hinata, while Naruto sat across from him. Naruto's bright blue eyes sparkled with the effects of the alcohol he had consumed that night, and as he glanced at Sasuke and the flash of his pearly whites caused the raven to scowl, desperately trying to suppress the blush that threatened to creep up his pale cheeks.

"What are you talking about? This game was your idea," Gaara retorted, his voice tinged with annoyance.

Sasuke took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself down. It was true that he had suggested playing Seven Minutes in Heaven, but he hadn't intended to participate himself. His motive had been to help Gaara, who had been acting foolishly and reluctant to ask Lee out.

Frustrated by Gaara's pride, Sasuke saw this game as the perfect opportunity for his friend. Plus, he couldn't bear to hear any more explicit details about the people Gaara had engaged with to distract himself from his feelings for Lee. Seriously, who talked about crooked dicks and moles on balls?

Though initially resistant, Sasuke found himself blackmailed by Gaara, who threatened to expose Sasuke's wet dreams about Naruto to the blond himself. Unable to deny the truth due to a compromising audio message he had sent to Gaara, the raven reluctantly agreed to participate.

"I was trying to help you."

"Tsk, with friends like these, who needs enemies?" Gaara scowled, his frustration evident.

"Got the bottle!" Sakura entered the room, holding an empty bottle of beer that would serve as the spinning object for the game. She placed it in the middle of the circle, sitting across from Hinata between Lee and Neji. Clearing her throat, Sakura proceeded to introduce the game and explain the rules. "You probably already know how to play, but for those who don't, I'll explain briefly. A player spins the bottle and must spend seven minutes in the closet with the person to whom the bottle points when it stops spinning. Any questions?"

"What are we supposed to do for seven minutes in a closet?" Neji voiced his irritation and Sakura shrugged nonchalantly.

"Whatever you want. Some people talk, do nothing, makeout, give each other blowjobs." She shrugged. "Get creative."

"What if this doesn't work?" Amidst the uncertainty, Gaara whispered nervously to Sasuke, expressing his doubts about the success of the game.

"Then you spend seven minutes standing around in a closet with a random person. Weren't you the one telling me to have fun and get laid? Well, you should follow your own advice because if you don't, no one will." Sasuke, his fingers fidgeting with his own nerves, reassured Gaara, urging him to follow his own advice and have fun, emphasizing that if he didn't take a chance, he would be left with regrets. "Calm down. We'll play until you and Lee get chosen. After that, I'll pretend to be sick, and we'll escape from this hellhole," Sasuke suggested, hoping that they wouldn't be trapped in the game for the entire night.

"Shall we start?" Sakura asked, scanning the circle as if contemplating who would be the first to participate. She initiated the spin, causing the bottle to rotate on the coffee table.

"It's me and...Hinata." Hinata blushed deeply, and Sakura barely concealed her excitement at the pairing.

Without hesitation, both Hinata and Sakura stood up from the floor, and the pink-haired girl led Hinata by the hand as they disappeared into the closet. Lee promptly locked the door behind them, and the seven-minute countdown began.