Disclaimer: I no own. Naruto and its characters belong to Kishimoto.

Warning: Slight use of foul language. PG-13

Sakura paused in lacing her sandals. Naruto couldn't have said what she thought he said. She'd just heard him wrong. She raised her head to look at her slightly mental, overly excitable best friend.

He was grinning. That sappy, cheesy, I'm up to no good smile that lit up his boyish face.

'So let me understand,' Sakura eventually replied. 'You told Tsunade that I volunteered to escort the Kazekage to the festival.'

'Yep,' Naruto proudly proclaimed. 'You're Gaara's date.'

Sakura blinked. As Naruto yammered on about the arrival of the Suna delegation, Sakura contemplated what he had done.

This was extremely awkward; she really didn't know Gaara that well. Other than a few obvious incidents involving a rampaging sand spirit, traitorous Uchihas, and some nasty Akatsuki; all they shared was a mutual friendship with Naruto. Socially she wasn't even in the same league as him. As Kazekage he was so far above her own status that if she hadn't been the Hokage's apprentice they would never associate with one another.

Maybe I can beg my way out of it. Inner Sakura snorted at her while she ushered Naruto out of the apartment.

As she turned to secure her door, Sakura pictured how well that confrontation would go over.

After making Sakura wait while she guzzled down three full bottles of Sake, Tsunade would look up at her with her head propped on the desk. Naruto would stand in the background touting the Kazekage's finer points in surround sound. She would curse and plead, then pout, while her mistress drunkenly preached about maintaining good diplomatic relations. Bemoaning her fate, Sakura would finally cave in to the both of them. And, both of them would point out, that she was truly their only acceptable option considering her single status and the unlikelihood of her glomping onto the Kazekage like a leach.

Sakura sighed and stepped away from her door, facing Naruto. He, who was always keen to her changing mood, least he suffer a few broken bones, caught the resignation in her tone. 'Thank you Sakura-chan,' he yelped. 'You won't regret it.'

Her Inner grumbled. I've better not you damn fox or I'll be putting my foot so far up-

'Ne, Ne, Sakura-chan, we still on for tomorrow morning?' Naruto questioned as he was pushed down the apartment stairs ahead of her. Right, she had agreed to help Naruto choose an outfit for the formal. She wasn't about to let him embarrass poor Hinata in front of her clan or the village, plus any of the numerous visiting dignitaries.

'Hai, now you'll make me late for work.' Sakura rushed down the street; Naruto yelling something after her that was lost in her dust.

'Sakura,…..'

'Sakura'

'Saaakurraaaa,'

Sakura sat straight up in bed. 'Clot the blood first, and then retract the bone! Of all the incompetent morons…' Her forehead struck something solid.

Ouchie

Inner Sakura clutched her head. SHIT! WHAT THE .., BLOODY.., SON OF A B…

'Sakura-chan,' whined her rug beneath the bed.

Sakura slowly lowered her right hand to lean over the bed and stare down at Naruto?

'NARUTO!' She gasped in shock. Anger quickly set in.

She'd made it home late last night, having worked an extended shift due to a sick coworker. By the time she stumbled to her apartment, it was the next day. Barely having the energy to wash the blood from her body, she slipped a nightgown on before crashing into bed.

'Naruto,' she growled.

Sakura swung at his skull, miscalculating the force behind her forward momentum. Tumbling from her bed, ass over head, she landed in an undignified heap in Naruto's lap. Kicking her feet to untangle her legs from the blankets that followed her to the floor, Sakura thanked Kami that she had chosen a pair of plain, white, cotton drawers.

'Naruto, you pervert. What are you doing in my bedroom? How did you get in here?'

'Sakura, I was worried when you didn't answer your door. We just wanted to make sure you hadn't been attacked by invading space frogs or stampeding chocobo.'

Invading who? Stampeding what?

Inner Sakura screamed in rage. CHA! He's staring down our top. Pound now. Question later

'Naruto,' Sakura paused, quickly loosing patience. 'You've got five seconds to vacate the premise or I'll evict you myself.'

'Sakura-chan, it's not what you think.' Flailing his arms in a demented version of a windmill, Naruto dodged to avoid any opportunity for chakra laden fists to make contact with his head. After her first several passes missed his skull by inches, Naruto was decidedly distracted by the way her nightie gaped as she swung, unbound breast swaying.

'ACHK..,' Naruto choked as she caught him by the scruff of his collar.

Yanking open her bedroom window, Sakura proceeded to toss him out her sixth story apartment. Slamming the window shut, she turned around to head for her kitchen and an extra strong pot of java, when she froze in mid-step.

There in the doorway of her bedroom stood the Kazekage of Suna, Sabaku no Gaara. Looking immaculate and dignified, and every bit the powerfully shinobi leader he was, clothed in his formal white and blue robes of office.

So that's what Naruto had meant by we, her inner side exclaimed.

By now Sakura was extremely embarrassed. He'd probably been standing there the whole time and more than likely gotten an eyeful of her white cottoned bottom when she leaned out the window after tossing Naruto.

Exposed as she was in her feminine nightgown with its little pink bunnies and capped sleeves, barely brushing the top of her thighs; she couldn't attack the Kazekage. No matter how indecently clothed she was or that he stood uninvited in her apartment.

Inner Sakura urged her to kick his ass, but it wouldn't do for her to instigate a fight with this man. Honestly she didn't stand a chance. That didn't mean she was going to let him stand there staring at her so passively.

'Honorable Kazekage-sama,' Sakura replied as calmly as she could manage; fists at her side, clenched in the hem of her nightgown. 'Would you mind getting your esteemed ass out of my apartment?'

Sakura was glad she picked her most comfortable pair of flat sandals as she speed walked through the village streets, several steps ahead of the two young men trailing behind.

When she'd finally exited her apartment complex, purposely taking longer then necessary (let the peeping bastards wait, her inner had suggested); she decided to ignore the both of them and started for the dress shop. Knowing they followed behind, well Naruto would; Gaara really had no reason to waste his time with them. He could leave if he so chose to.

Probably intrigued by that damn show we put on this morning huffed Inner Sakura.

QUIET. That wasn't my fault. How was I to know he was standing there? Neither of them had any business being in my apartment.

Even though Naruto had been to her apartment many times, he'd even crashed on her couch after several particularly hard missions; she had never been anything but fully clothed.

Knowing who his sensei was Naruto was a dead man if she discovered her ass populating the pages of the next Icha Icha.

You know, Inner Sakura commented. They are probably watching your ass right now. Wearing what you are, prancing in front of them like this.

WHAT! There is nothing wrong with what I'm wearing. The slim, cream colored cargos and short red T was not the least bit alluring…SHIT!They were looking at her ass.

Sakura skid to a halt. Others cursing as they traveled past having to make quick movements to avoid her abrupt stop in the middle of the street. Completely oblivious, Sakura whipped her head around to stare at the two men behind her.

Naruto almost crashed into her, raising his head to grin guiltily at her. She shifted her eyes to his companion. The Kazekage was a blank canvas, a completely emotionless statue that was languidly lifting his line of sight up to her face.

Narrowing her eyes, Sakura growled at both boys. Clearly informing them that she knew what they were doing and they had better watch themselves. She had no qualms beating them over the head in front of the villagers. Well, Naruto anyways. It wouldn't bode well for her, or her mistress, if she publicly attacked the Kazekage.

Damn, Stupid Peace Treaty.

The dress shop was squeezed between a bakery and video mart. What it lacked in space it more than made up for in quality and selection. The owner was flamboyant and hyper but, talented.

As Sakura pushed open the door, Inner Sakura whistled. "Fruit Cake"

He is NOT, Sakura defended.

Inside she was immediately engulfed by the perfume of many scented candles burning on ornate pedestals situated around the shop's interior. A melodious tenor, unusually high pitched for a man in his late 40s exclaimed in delight, 'Cherry Blossom.'

Honey, he's gay-as Sakura was swept into a light hug and air kissed on each of her cheeks.

He's married, you've seen her. He can't be gay, Sakura argued with her inner self.

'Oh Sweet Blossom.' 'Darling will be so sorry she missed you. She worked nonstop on your gown, would not cease until it was magnific,' the dressmaker gushed. 'Ahhh and this must be Naruto,' palm to chest. 'Hai, Hai, you were correct in your choice of colors,' admiring Naruto's blond good looks and blue eyes.

Turning to head toward the back of the shop, 'I will go get your-Blessed Kami above,' the man immediately dropped to his knees, bowing reverently. Naruto gaped in surprise. Rising to his feet, the man rushed toward Gaara. 'Kazekage-sama. It is an honor to have you grace my humble business with your presence,' bowing once again. 'My poor darling will never believe you were here,' the man gushed. 'We had seen you during a trade bazaar in Sunagakure last year and my wife exclaimed what a handsome young man you were.' The dressmaker continued on unabashed, 'That unusual red hair and crimson tattoo, not to mentioned those hypnotic jade orbs; extremely hard to forget such a vibrant, attractive man.'

GAH. Inner Sakura pointed. He's flirting with him- SHUT UP! Sakura told her conscious.

Grabbing hold of a giggling Naruto, 'Awe. . Sakura-chan look, Gaara's blushing,' she dragged him to the rack of finished orders. 'Let's leave these two alone. We'll go find our orders.' After the aggravated look Gaara shot them, Naruto readily agreed.

Easily identifying the packages marked with their names, Sakura opened Naruto's, shoved it in his arms and pushed him into the dressing room. 'I am positive I got your correct measurements but, I want to be sure.' She shut the partition door and turned back to observe the previous proceedings. The dressmaker had ceased ogling Gaara's features and was now complimenting him on the cut and fabric of his clothing.

'Sakura-chan, this isn't what I would have chosen.' Naruto was clothed in a deep blue robe reaching almost to his calves. The straight legged slacks were of a darker blue, midnight, almost black.

'Of course you wouldn't have, that's why I stepped in,' Sakura said as she pulled at his robe measuring the width across his shoulders.

'But Sakura-chaannn,' Naruto cried pulling at the high buttoned collar.

As she squatted to check the pleats of his trousers, Inner Sakura took the time to contemplate their creation. He looks like a dandy, a fop. Squinting her eyes and rubbing at her chin, maybe if we leave the robe open, with a nice dress shirt and sash. Sakura stood. Quickly unbuttoning the robe she had to agree with her inner self. 'Naruto, go change before you ruin it.'

As she waited, Sakura opened her parcel, absentmindedly listening to the conversation between the shop owner and the Kazekage. Apparently they were discussing possible commerce and trade of the light, airy material that the Suna citizens favored.

Once Naruto exited she relieved him of his bundle, carefully wrapping it in its original paper.

'Naruto, I want you to find a nice respectable shirt and a sash long enough to wrap around your waist.' 'No Orange,' Sakura lectured as she prepared to enter the changing room.

'But-

'NO,' and punctuated her answer with a slam of the door.

Removing her sandals then pants, Sakura pulled her shirt over her head before unraveling her outfit.

'Sakura-chan, how about-

A vein pulsed on her forehead, 'Naruto, You will NOT wear any form of the color orange, nothing even remotely resembling a color in the spectrum of the scheme of orange.'

The kimono was a vibrant rose red with a square neckline, tight bodice, diaphanous sleeves, and billowing skirt. There was no way she could wear the type of bra she currently had on with this dress. Thankfully, she had a strapless buried in her bureau, and it was corseted to tuck and lift.

BAM

What the ….?

'Heh, Heh, Heh, Sorry, my fault, my fault…I'll fix it.' Naruto

Damn It. I'm not paying for THAT.

'Naruto,' drawled the Kazekage.

He's under the Kazekage's watch now, any destruction caused herein is his responsibility, Inner Sakura bluntly remarked. She was absolutely correct. Gaara was rich. As Kazekage he could more than afford to pay for Naruto's mess. Feeling confident that her small savings would stay intact Sakura lifted the tank top over her head and tossed it on the bench where her pants and shirt lay.

CRASH

The dressing room exploded outward. Naruto dangled by his jacket from the last standing wall before it too collapsed to the floor at Sakura's feet.

Sakura stood frozen, on display to the entire store, wearing nothing but a tiny pair of black shorts.

AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!

Clasping her arms to cover her naked chest, Sakura raised her heel to chakra spike the ground and catapult the cause of this catastrophe (NARUTO) through the roof.

Sand rushed into her field of vision, rising in sheets to block the view of her audience. Before her makeshift barrier closed, Sakura caught sight of a boggled Naruto being lassoed to the floor while the other patrons were tossed out the windows and door.

So embarrassed, Sakura trembled. Inner Sakura had long since fainted.

She would not cry. Sakura refused to cry over this.

'Haruno'

But, inflicting massive amounts of pain on Naruto would be obligatory.

'Haruno'

Sniffling to hold in the tears, Sakura felt the shift of the sands in front of her. Even in the darkness she could vaguely make out the figure solidifying to form shoulders, a head, face.

'AAAHH! Pervert,' she yelled, swinging a balled fist.

POOF

'Sakura...it can't see you,' calmed the composed voice of Gaara. 'It has no optical nerves,' he insisted. 'The sand clone is merely a marionette.'

Sakura knew that. She studied and researched, and understood the various jutsu. She was just having a little trouble getting her brain to function around the shock, and shame, and fury. She'd just bared herself to a crowd of strangers, and not all of them were inhabitants of Konoha. No one will remember that it was all Naruto's fault, for most were used to his antics; instead the gossip would be about how the Hokage's favored showed everyone exactly what she hid under her ninja uniform.

'Sakura,' again it was Gaara who broke her self depreciation. 'Take all the time you need.'

'Could you...its a little dark...' Sakura mumbled. The sand above receded to open a small beam of light, illuminating the space she occupied. Chakra dampened as he began to step away.

Wait. 'Gaara,' softly she spoke. He hesitated.

'Thank you,' louder this time, her voice clear and sure.

Pause.

Fluctuating ripples within the sand surrounding her. A nod of acknowledgment to her gratitude?

He continued on, moving away to give her more privacy.