#inoxsasuke

Sakura and TenTen laid together cuddled on what had become their preferred day bed in the backyard.   It had the more comfortable body pillows, which they placed on either side of them as cover from the other Islanders.  

“So, what do you think about Neji?” Sakura asked, reaching up to brush a wayward hair out of her face.  

“I feel really good about him,” TenTen said, grinning.  “It’s only been a couple of days, so I guess I like him as much as I can.  I feel kind of bad though, I think I still want to try and get to know Kiba or one of the other guys.”  Her voice dropped to a whisper.  “And, he chose you first.”  She added.  “I think he might still have a thing for you.”

CONFESSIONAL, TENTEN: Neji is so sweet and, like, the most caring guy ever.  But we’re only a couple of days in, I can’t just commit, can I?

“I don’t think you need to feel bad! I think that’s where Shikamaru and I are too.”  Sakura whispered back.  “Would you be so mad if I said I might have a thing for him back?”  She asked, rolling onto her back.  “Like, I totally respect that you’re coupled up with him.”  She hastily added.  “It’s not like I’m in love.”  TenTen reached out and squeezed Sakura’s arm reassuringly.

“No, I’m not mad.”  TenTen rolled onto her back too, coming shoulder to shoulder with Sakura.  “I don’t like, love it.  But I think that’s what we’re all doing, kind of.”  

CONFESSIONAL, TENTEN: I would rather Neji and Sakura, or anyone else, get to know each other and then Neji choose me, rather than trying to force Neji to only get to know me and always wonder or find out way later on they were better suited.  I don’t love that the “other woman” is one of my closest friends in the house so far, but at least I know he has taste?

“I think we should just both get to know him and see what happens.”   TenTen squeezed Sakura’s hand.  “And you should get to know Shikamaru more, don’t let Temari stop you.”  Sakura giggled.

“Deal.  You have to promise to get to know Kiba more, don’t let Temari stop you either.”  She gave TenTen an oddly-positioned hug as she sat up.  “And we’ll stay friends.”   She smiled and giggled at TenTen as she smoothed down TenTen’s stray hair.  “C’mon, let’s go start flirting.”  Sakura stood up, looking at TenTen expectantly.  TenTen smiled and joined her, strolling over to the group of Islanders occupying the shallow end of the pool.  

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

Right, ladies.  No flirting at all just happened.  Friendship vibes only over here.

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

Ah, Sasuke and Ino.  Even if the others fail, we can count on them to bring the youthful passion to the Villa.  

Sasuke and Ino laid in bed still, her hand running up and down his torso.  

“We’re beautiful together,” she observed.

“Yeah, we are.”  He murmured back.  Ino let herself enjoy the feeling of being wanted.  She leaned forward and kissed him, grabbing him by the collar of the shirt in the process.  He smirked into the kiss and pushed her shirt up so that he could ghost his fingers over her ribs.  

“Will you two shut up?” Temari asked from the next bed over. 

“Go outside if you’re bothered.”  Sasuke snapped over his shoulder.  He pulled Ino closer by her hips, “Ino and I are discussing the little bows on her panties.” 

“I think you discussed those at length last night,” Temari groused, pulling her blanket over her shoulders.  Ino giggled.

“Come on, let’s just cuddle.”  Ino wrapped her arms around Sasuke’s neck, pulling him in for another kiss before nuzzling her face into his neck.

“I don’t want to cuddle,”  Sasuke whispered in Ino’s ear as he pulled her leg over his hip.  

“But I do, Sasuukeeee,” Ino whined into his ear, “Come on, please?”  Ino continued to bear hug him as Sasuke stiffened beneath her, beginning to struggle in her hold.  

“No,” Sasuke responded curtly.  “I’m not much of a cuddle-er, I told you.”  Sasuke complained, pushing Ino’s arm off.

CONFESSIONAL, SASUKE: I’ve told her so many times. I don’t like to cuddle.  I’m so annoyed.

“Come ooonnn!” Ino’s complaining drowned out Sasuke’s, “We’ve been making out and fooling around the last two nights! I just want a little cuddle.”  Ino finished with a pout.   She gave Sasuke her best puppy-dog eyes and stuck her bottom lip out while she tried to rub his shoulders. 

“I don’t like to cuddle.”  Sasuke did not expand on his argument.  He pushed Ino off of him ungracefully and strode out of the room without a look back.  Ino’s face burned.

CONFESSIONAL, SASUKE: I get overheated is all.

It was silent in the bedroom after Sasuke left. Ino checked her nails as a reason to drop her head.

“Temari, I’m coming over and cuddling you.”  Ino announced.  Temari groaned. “Come on! Why does no one want to cuddle me?”  Temari acquiesced by rolling over and holding up the covers for Ino, who happily crawled under and wrapped herself around the other blonde.

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

That was not the passion I was  hoping for. 

Choji was frying eggs when his phone buzzed.  He sighed, ignoring it in favor of perfecting his breakfast.  

“Did you get a text?”  Hinata asked from over by the tea kettle.  “And do you want any tea? I’m making earl grey.”

“Yeah, I did. And yes please.”  Choji replied, still not looking at Hinata or his phone.  Hinata waited for the tea to brew, taking out two mugs and two tea bags.  By the time the tea was done, so were Choji’s eggs.  Hinata handed him a mug and Choji returned the favor with a plate full of eggs, toast, and berries.  He jolted, suddenly remembering to check his phone, and yelled out to notify the Villa.  He groaned loudly before reading it aloud:

Islanders, go grab your breath spray and favorite flavored chapstick because it’s time to test your compatibility - kissing compatibility, that is.  Worst kissers must team up and cook the best kissers lunch.  #AKissADayKeepsTheWrinklesAway #TimeForATongueTango

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

You read it right folks, we’re making sure our Islanders make informed decisions during the next couple ceremony.  Everyone will be kissing each other!  First while the boys are blind folded, and then the gals.  The blindfolded Islanders will rate each of their kisses on a scale of one (never. again.) to ten (I’mNeverLettingYouGoPleaseNeverLeaveMePleasePleasePleasePlease), and the scores will be averaged.  Very scientific, I know.  The best kissers win a lunch together, which will be prepared by the worst kissers.  

The ladies stood in a line across the lawn, each sporting a sleeping mask and a bikini.   The sleeping masks featured variations of printed-on eye makeup, which made them look a little frightening more than one guy mumbled.

“I’m happy with how I rated my kisses, I think.  No weird surprises.”  Kiba whispered to Naruto while examining the chalk board that bore their ratings.  He had rated Temari a perfect ten without even knowing it was her, he noted.

“I’m not,” Naruto groused.  “I can’t believe I rated Sakura a four.  That has to be a fluke.  I could like barely feel her.  Is that why you rated her low?”  Naruto spoke louder and louder with each word, catching Sakura’s attention.

“Naruto, shut the fuck up.”  Sasuke broke up Naruto’s stream of consciousness.    

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

Finally, Sasuke says something helpful.  The gentlemen are up next to be rated after what may be described as a brutal first round of our Blind Kissing Challenge.  Our dear Sakura earned the title of Worst Kisser, while Temari won Best Kisser with no score lower than an eight.  Wow, that must make Sakura feel great about the love triangle forming between her, Temari, and Shikamaru.

Kiba was the first guy to give it a shot.  He was thankful that he had indeed ran and gotten his favorite breath spay and chapstick when prompted by the text.     

CONFESSIONAL, KIBA: The flavors of the spray and the chapstick complement each other.  It’s one of the tips or whatever that I learned from my older sister about dating.  Oh my god, I’ve never admitted that before.  I’m a confident guy and this situation is nerve-wracking.

He took a deep breath and strolled up to the woman closest to him, Ino.  Grabbing her shoulders to let her know he was there, he leaned forward and captured her lips.

CONFESSIONAL, INO: Oh my god, was that really Kiba?? 

Their kiss lasted maybe an inappropriate length of time for the foremost kiss of round two, but neither Kiba nor Ino seemed to mind. 

“Ten.  Yeah, ten out of ten.”  Ino declared, grinning when Kiba pulled away. Kiba whooped, which unintentionally gave him away.  The remainder of Kiba’s kisses went progressively worse, ending with a six from Sakura.  He was elated, regardless.  

CONFESSIONAL, KIBA,  NARUTO, SHIKAMARU, AND CHOJI.  Choji is seated with Shikamaru and Naruto on his lap.  Kiba is balanced on the back of the chair behind them: KIBA: I was involved in not one but TWO perfect ten kisses today! Fuck yeah, I’m going to try and celebrate with Temari tonight. SHIKAMARU: You gave the perfect ten to Temari, Kiba. That one doesn’t say anything about your kissing. KIBA: Perfect ten, baby!!

Sasuke went next.  He walked confidently up to Ino and grabbed her hand, interlocking their fingers.  

CONFESSIONAL, SASUKE: Fucking Temari dropped ice down the back of my shirt and told me I was being a dick to Ino this morning.  I think I was justified. I told her I didn’t like to cuddle before I left.  I don’t want Ino’s feelings to stay hurt though.  If I did hurt them.

Ino tried and failed to use her smirk to cover up her blush.  Sasuke leaned forward and kissed her neck, just like she told him she liked the night prior, before moving to her lips.  She melted into the kiss, which eventually ended due to her smile.  He squeezed her hand and stepped back, making eye contact with the silly eye mask.

“Hm….” Ino tapped her chin and pretended to think.  She gave him a grin, “Maybe a six?”  

CONFESSIONAL, SASUKE: What the whole fuck.  I was actually trying to make that a nice experience.  This is why I’m not nice to people.

If Sasuke was a person who blushed, he would have been red.  Thankfully, he was not.  The rest of the Islanders joined in on Ino’s laughter as Neji wrote the score down on the chalk board.  

Sasuke ripped his hand out of Ino’s and moved on to the next woman in line.  Ino’s heart dropped when she heard him mutter something under his breath.  The vibe in the villa plummeted in a way that could only be prompted by the threat of a tantrum by an adult man.

CONFESSIONAL, INO: It was a joke, damn!  I could tell it was him, obviously.  I like to joke around.  It’s how I show that I’m, like, okay, that I’m not mad.  I don’t know what he said afterwards but he did not seem like he liked my joke.

To the annoyance of the rest of the men, but to the surprise of no one, the rest of the women rated him with flying colors.  Sasuke ended up with an even 8 out of 10 total, beating Kiba out for first place.

Naruto and Choji followed next with only minor emotional distress.  Both men received average scores of just over 7.  To Naruto’s delight, he was able to redeem himself with Sakura, by earning a solid 8 from her.  

CONFESSIONAL, NARUTO: Hah! It was a flop, I tell you a flop! Wait no, a flute? I said the word earlier.  The bad kiss with Sakura was a one-time deal, alright?

Choji had a similar success when Hinata rated his kiss a nine.  

CONFESSIONAL, HINATA, BLUSHING: Yeah, I knew it was him.  I know he just kissed me for the game, but it was such a sweet kiss.  I liked it.

CONFESSIONAL, CHOJI: FUCK YEAH MAN I FEEL AS BEAUTIFUL AS A BUTTERFLY

Neji made quick work of his turn, and not only because he kissed one less woman than the rest.

he only reason the Islanders were not surprised by his low scores was his unenthusiastic performance during the prior portion of the game, when he was blindfolded.  The only kiss more awkward than Neji’s first with Temari was Neji’s second kiss with Temari; which were followed by his kisses with Ino in close third and fourth places.  

CONFESSIONAL, NEJI:  I don’t really care that I got rated the worst kisser out of the guys.  I’m not great at kissing girls with whom I’m not romantically inclined.

It was Shikamaru’s turn last.  

CONFESSIONAL, SHIKAMARU: I actually refrained from smoking before this for these ladies’ benefits.  That’s kindness. 

He got off on the right foot when Temari gave him her highest score of the day.  He also ended on the right foot when he matched Sakura’s highest score of her day.  An apparent dark horse in the competition, Shikamaru seemingly hopped down the line on his right foot as he received an entire scorecard of 8s and 9s.   

CONFESSIONAL, SASUKE: Shikamaru and I got the same score values, except for when Ino rated me low, which was dishonest and doesn’t count.  So, I’m still at least tied for best kisser, if not the best.  

The scores were tallied and divided and finally, TenTen read out the results: “Worst Kissers in the Villa are Neji and Sakura, while Best Kissers are Shikamaru and Temari.  Those four should get ready to make or eat lunch, and everyone is free to dick around as they please!”

Sasuke immediately B-lined for the Villa. 

“Sasuke! Come smoke a cig and talk to me for a second.”  Ino called out, running to catch up with him.  She was met with the sliding glass door before she could cross the threshold behind him.   She heard a feint I’m taking a shower, from the other side of the door before she watched him disappear upstairs to the bathroom.  Ino didn’t follow him, instead turning around and rushing to the smoking area, eyes burning.

CONFESSIONAL, INO: I really didn’t mean to upset him so much. 

“Come on, let’s have a smoke real quick and then I’ll meet you in the kitchen, Neji?”  Sakura said, already following behind her friend.

“I’ll come for a cig too.”  Shikamaru stated.  Choji murmured his agreement and moved to bring up the rear. 

“You have a date to get ready for, and she has a lunch to cook,”  Temari reminded him from her seat at the kitchen bar.

“I’m pregaming with the chef, I promise I won’t be late.”  Shikamaru called out.

CONFESSIONAL, TEMARI: He’s pregaming our date with the other girl he’s interested in, is what he’s doing. 

CONFESSIONAL, SHIKAMARU: Both Sakura and Ino seemed upset.  And I wanted a smoke. 

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

Now that everyone is upset, it’s time to make some lunch.  Let’s see if Neji and Sakura can cook better than they can kiss their friends.  And for the record, we did not take Sasuke’s complaint into account and Shikamaru remains the winner.

Neji smiled at Sakura as he approached her in the kitchen.  She looked downtrodden, with her arms wrapped around her middle and her eyes focused on the floor.

“So, you ready to make some lunch?”  Neji spoke softly.  Sakura jumped, surprised regardless, and spun around. 

“Of course! Uh, any ideas for what we should make them?”  Sakura tried to appear less off-kilter than she was feeling.  

CONFESSIONAL, SAKURA: I have never had a complaint about my kissing before. Never.  I just wasn’t expecting to be last.  This Villa is humbling.

“I’m caught between the urge to mess with them and make something awful, and the fact that I’m hungry and I too would like a three-course lunch.”  If Neji had turned around, the rest of the Villa would have seen the impish look on his face.  He stayed still though, reserving it for Sakura as she snorted with laughter.  

CONFESSIONAL, NEJI: I may have gotten last in the kissing challenge, but Sakura rated me well.  I think that could mean something.  I suspect TenTen rated me as well as she did because she could tell it was me, and she is polite.  

“Maybe we just throw a weird topping or two on their plates.” Sakura giggled as she glanced over to the winning pair, Temari and Shikamaru.  They sat together at the small, cafe-style table that production had placed next to the pool.  Temari looked beautiful in her gold halter top, which coordinated nicely with the green and gold pattern button-up hanging loosely on Shikamaru’s lean frame.  “You know, I can’t even be mad they won.  Now maybe they can flirt in a non-group setting, finally.” 

“Then let’s give them a memorable first date, yeah?” Neji asked, stepping away from Sakura and towards the kitchen counter.  Sakura took a deep breath and thought back to her conversation with TenTen.

“If we make lunch for ourselves too, would this be considered our first date?”  Sakura said to Neji’s back.  His very muscular and broad back, which froze for a moment when Sakura finished her sentence.

“Certainly, if you’d like it to be.”  Neji turned around and gave Sakura a smile that melted her heart.  TenTen was right, a joyous Neji was a beautiful Neji.  “I’d hate to mislead you though.  I’d love to take you on a date, but I am interested in TenTen.  I would hate to hurt either of you, or get in between your friendship.”  Neji took Sakura’s silence as disappointment.  “I’m sorry if that not what you were hoping for.  I just want us to be on the same page.” 

“No, no! Thank you for being so direct.  I appreciate it, really.”  Sakura frantically waived her hands, nearly knocking the salad bowl that Neji had picked up out of his hands.  “I completely understand that you and TenTen are also getting to know each other.  It’s only been a couple of days, I think that’s only fair.  And to be honest with you, I think I am still interested in Shikamaru.  But, I’d like to get to know you too, if that’s alright.”  Sakura’s heart was pounding as Neji smiled at her again.  “I talked about it with TenTen actually.  We both think you’re cute enough to get to know, and we think we can handle the potential weirdness.  We think.”

“That’s more than alright.  I rated your kiss high during the challenge, remember?  Come over here and help me put together a salad.”  Neji grabbed Sakura’s hand and tugged lightly.  “You can mix together whatever salad dressing concoction you’d like to present them with.  But you should tell me about how cute you and TenTen think I am while you do it.”   He added, showing her the variety of vinaigrettes, ranch, mustards, mayos, and other substances he had pulled from the fridge.  Sakura’s blush brought her face to somewhere between the color of her hair and the strawberry jelly.

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

So far, the Worst Kissers in the Villa have served Shikamaru and Temari a first course of rosé and chopped salads topped with croutons, walnuts, and a dressing Temari described as “horrifyingly turquoise;” and chicken piccata with a mashed banana and ketchup side for the main course.  It turns out Neji is the devil on Sakura’s shoulders.

“Do you even want to try the dessert?” Temari asked, pushing the banana mush around her plate.  It was a revolting color.

“Sort of.”  Shikamaru snorted at the disapproving look Termari gave him.  “I’m a curious man.”  Temari’s look intensified.  “And the chicken itself was good.  Don’t be a drag, it’s not like I’m jumping at the chance.”  Shikamaru chuckled while Temari’s scowl somehow intensified to the most severe it had been since they joined the Villa three days prior.

CONFESSIONAL, TEMARI: Shikamaru is always fucking chuckling, it grates on my nerves.  Or, I don’t know, it does something to me.

“Call me a drag one more time and I’m pushing you in the pool, mic pack included.”  Temari sucked down more of her drink; Sakura and Neji had left the rosé untainted, at least.  “You’ll have to redo your hair a day early.  And you’d complain the whole time.”

“Sure, sure.  You know my weakness.  I’m sorry, I’ll be more respectful, Counsel.”  Shikamaru chuckled again at the nickname.  “So, if you were cooking me dinner for a date, what would you make for dessert?”  

“Nothing.  I would not make you dessert.”  Temari’s answer was fast and her tone flat.  Shikamaru snorted.  “What would you make me?”

“That’s fine.  I’m sure we can figure out something else for dessert when we have dinner at your place.”  Shikmaru ignored Termari’s scoff and kept speaking, choosing instead to focus on the blush appearing at her ears.  “But if we were at my place, I would probably order from my favorite bakery.  It’s down the street from me and has great pastries.  You’d like it.  A lot more than anything I could make.”

“Oh.”  Temari didn’t know what to do with Shikamaru’s sudden sincerity.  Thankfully, Sakura’s appearance at the table saved her from having to come up with a more articulate response.  “And what is this you have for us?”  Temari’s tone came out more condescending than she intended, not wanting to seem affected by Shikamaru’s bakery plans. 

CONFESSIONAL, SHIKAMARU: Nothing like having one potential girlfriend wait on you during your date with your other potential girlfriend.  Nothing weird or uncomfortable about that.

“I have brownies with a chocolate sauce.”  Sakura smiled at the couple, seemingly unbothered by the situation.  Neji was at her side, also dawning a small smile.

CONFESSIONAL, SAKURA: They have been such amazing sports at mine and Neji’s nonsense, it makes me like both Shikamaru and Temari more.  I’m not really mad at Shikamaru.  It’s not, like, his fault that he won a date I have to cook for.  And I have Neji with me, which evens out the weird, I guess?   

“The brownies and all their components are normal? Nothing strange going on?”  Temari clarified while Neji took the plates from Sakura and placed them on the table.

“Brownies and all their components are normal.  No kale, extra salt, or drugs.  We promise.”  Neji assured them before he and Sakura retreated, Neji’s hand guiding her back to the kitchen.  Shikamaru’s eyes trailed them until they disappeared behind the kitchen island.  He turned his attention back to Temari, who was scowling at him again.

“What?” He asked, snapping off a piece of brownie.  “Are brownies supposed to snap?”

“So are you and Sakura going to stayed coupled up do you think?”  Temari ignored him at first.  “No, brownies do not snap.”  She sighed as she picked up her own.

“What do you think they put in them to make them smell right and the right color, but the texture so wildly off?”  Shikamaru snapped off another piece, bringing it close to his face to examine.

CONFESSIONAL, NEJI AND SAKURA: NEJI: Yeah, with just a few swaps, our lunch was a lot better than theirs.  We had a chopped salad with a nice dressing mixed by Sakura; then a chicken piccata with capers and a mustard-butter sauce; and dessert was brownies that were not over baked, over mixed, or with too much flour. It was delicious. SAKURA: It really was.  Didn’t taste theirs, but I assume ours was better.  We saved some of ours for TenTen too!

“Didn’t I just ask you a question?”  Temari resisted the urge to kick his shin underneath the table, instead throwing a piece of brownie-rock at him. 

“Ugh, this is so annoying, what a drag. I don’t know—” Shikamaru screamed as Temari kicked his chair legs hard enough to knock him backwards into the pool.  “I could have gotten injured!” Shikamaru shouted when his head popped up above water.  He ripped off his mic pack, which he was sure was ruined.  “And why when I’m wearing jeans? I’m wearing swim trunks like ninety-percent of the time.”

“But you didn’t get injured.  Don’t be such a crybaby, Shikamaru.”  Temari hadn’t looked back to check, but she assumed as such when she only heard him start to complain.  

Shikamaru began to back stroke across the pool, kicking his legs dramatically.  Even with his ears under water, he could hear Naruto, Kiba, and Choji laughing from the Villa balcony. 

CONFESSIONAL, SHIKAMARU: I’m not going to say it went well.  But, no, I don’t think that was the worst it could have gone.

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

You are surprisingly optimistic, Shikamaru.  I respect and appreciate it.