Naruto Tales: The Next Uchiha | SasuSaku, NaruHina, InoShikaTema, NejiTen +

LXV: Be Your Teenage Dream Tonight

QOTC: 

[Drunk]Come on, let's go make some Uchihas. I've waited a century for this.

- Sasuke to Sakura

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Chapter 45: Be Your Teenage Dream Tonight

"Could someone come in here for a sec?" Ino asked, ducking her head out of the dressing room.

Shikamaru, seated lazily on Konoha's Fashion Apparel uncomfortable white chairs, gave a smug look, then winced. "I'll do it."

She looked better than nice. Lantern Festival was tonight, and the girls were allowed to pick whatever dress they wanted. She'd selected a shiny purple coppery silk with partial straps, a highwaist skirt that filled her mid-thighs. Her jewelry was a kosmo clip the Nara boy had given her, and a silver daylight anklet to prevent impures from being sensitive under the sun.

"Zip it up, will you?" Ino asked and Shikamaru did. He exhaled once he'd seen her twirl like a ballerina, her hair loose and straight which was flowing on her right shoulder. To his silent humor, she looked like the other version of Barbie.

"Well what do you think?"

You look beautiful, Shikamaru wanted to say, but he just shrugged. "It's... Nice,"

Ino smirked, as if she was able to read through him. Sadly she could, and Shikamaru had forgotten how a very clever woman she was as she turned back to the mirror. "So what's the glum?"

Shikamaru sat at against the corner of the wall, his arm resting to his knee. "Temari couldn't make it."

Silence. About a few months ago, seeing Ino dressed up as a fine teenager conjured Shikamaru in a mix of feelings: dark ordeal and dull titillation, whether or not he would get the guts to tell her what he truly felt. Now he just felt musing.

It took her a few seconds to respond to his somber news. "Aww, my poor Shika!" Her eyes brightened in sad melancholy, then he offered him her hands to pick him up. "Now that you don't have anyone to dance with, I guess I'll be your date for tonight." She said tightening his necktie. "What about Sai?" Shikamaru asked. "He'll come along,"

The pinapple-headed had thought of Temari again, and couldn't believe how intricate his life had become again. Whenever he stared at Ino he caught himself glaring at Temari. True, he'd rarely seen Temari out of her shorts and tucked-in Suna vests, fierce and dominating. In that way she was the opposite of Ino, who wore dresses and striking heels in inappropriate times. (Though he'd seen her once dispatch a rogue-nin with the use of her ninja boot, he was less worry to inclined of it)The shop bell tinkled, and TenTen came in, followed by Neji. Ino immediately got out, pulling Shikamaru alongside with her. Both were popping gummy bears in their mouths, and TenTen was looking up at Neji, her cheeks pink and eyes twinkling. He remembered what Tsunade said about them being the most impossible couples on earth. He didn't believe her though, as much as how many of the bounds beyond possibility were broken.

"Happy Birthday!" Sakura beamed as she raced to TenTen and hugged her. "We have a lot of surprises for you," the pinkette turned to Sasuke and handed her a rectangular-shaped box. "Open it!"