1. Flirting

Disclaimer: I love me some Naruto characters. But I own none.

There were many things in life that Sakura excelled at. Chakra control. Healing. Studying. Genjutsu.

Controlling her temper was not one of them. But she was getting better. She practiced. Being on the same team as Naruto and Sai gave her very frequent opportunities to practice.

But a girl had to vent every once in a while. So, she didn't feel too badly when she whacked Naruto upside his head a little harder than usual. No one called her "butch" and got away with it. She didn't care if he meant it as a compliment to her strength or not.

"Sakura-chaaaan..." He rubbed his head, wincing. "You're only proving my point here, ya know?"

This time, she wouldn't be surprised if a few of his teeth hit the back of his skull.

"I'm your teammate," he moaned from his prone position on the ground. "You're supposed to love me. And help me. And, you know...not put me in traction."

She didn't bat an eye. "Yeah, well, think before you open your mouth next time." She leaned over to pick up her pack from against the tree where it laid during their practice. "Better yet, just don't open your mouth at all."

As she walked from the training grounds where she and Naruto had been sparring, she tilted her head back to catch the last of the warm, soothing rays of the setting sun on her face.

She heard Naruto catching up from behind her. "So Sakura-chan, what are your plans for tonight?"

She raised an eyebrow, regarding his eager expression dubiously. "I don't have any as of yet...why do you ask?"

His grin grew. "I was hoping you'd say that! You're coming out with me, and I won't take 'no' for an answer!"

She cracked her knuckles and closed her eyes, praying for patience. "Naruto, we've been through this..."

"No, no, no..." he chuckled nervously, eyeing her hands lest they should blindside him again. "I didn't mean 'with me' with me, I just meant...well, with me and a few others. Not a date. Actually..." he trailed off, looking nervous, "Actually, I kind of asked Hinata to go out with me tonight, but I told her it was just a big group thing...you know, so she wouldn't think it was a date or anything."

Sakura smiled at him, excited. "Naruto, you asked her out!? That's great!"

He blushed. "Yeah well, like I said...I tried to. I was going to take her to dinner and everything. But then I remembered how nervous she gets, and how completely oblivious I can be sometimes, and figured one-on-one conversation might not be the best way to go right now. Not until we get a bit more used to eachother anyway."

Sakura felt her eyebrows shoot up. "Wow, Naruto. It actually sounds like you really thought this through. That's a great plan! You have, for once, not been completely socially idiotic."

He chuckled. "Yeah, well, I had some help on that front."

"Oh? From who?"

"Shikamaru."

Sakura was surprised. "Wow. I didn't know he was so knowledgeable about relationships."

Naruto shrugged. "Well, it seemed like a smart idea either way, so..." he looked up at her hopefully. "What do ya say, Sakura-chan? Hinata said she'd invite Kiba, and I made Shikamaru promise that if this all worked he would come too, and I'm sure if you asked Ino she'd show!"

'Wow, he looks so nervous...And there will be other people there, so I'm sure I'll have people to talk to while he gets to know Hinata.' She sighed, "Alright. So long as I'm not out too late. Where and when?"

He threw his arms around her excitedly, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't regret this"

"Argh! Naruto, you're covered in sweat! Get off of me!"

He pulled back, still wringing her hand in gratitude. "Tonight at nine we're meeting for drinks at that little bar down the street from the academy."

She knew the place. Ino had been trying to drag her there for months. It was a shinobi joint that had a tendency to get pretty lively in the evenings. Tension ran high for ninjas, and they always needed a safe, relaxing spot to go and unwind. The Oasis had a wide selection of drinks, music in the evenings, and lots of tables for friends to sit and shoot the breeze.

"Sounds good, Naruto. I'm sure Ino will come too, and maybe we can talk to some others as well."

"Great! I'm going to grab dinner. I'm starving!"

"Naruto!" She called after him. "Wear something decent!"

He was already running down the street. "And don't forget to shower!" she yelled at his retreating form. He waved and grinned to let her know he heard her, and she smiled and shook her head, hurrying to her own apartment to clean up.

"I can't believe you're finally out for an evening!"

Sakura frowned and tugged at her skirt. "And I can't believe I let you talk me into wearing this thing!" She wiggled and pulled the bottom of her blouse down a little further as well, trying to hide any of her midriff that might be showing.

Ino rolled her eyes and swatted her friend's hands away. "Stop fidgeting! You look amazing! You worry too much. Relax! Enjoy being a woman for once."

Sakura arched one delicate eyebrow. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh come on, Forehead. Half the time you're working in the hospital, and when you're not, you're studying, training, on a mission, or hiding away in your apartment. Live a little, will ya? Stop being such a fuddy-duddy."

Sakura snorted. "'Fuddy-duddy?'"

"You know what I mean. You don't know how to get out and have some fun, or flirt, or anything!"

"I know how to have fun! And...and flirt!" she sputtered, swiping at some hair that had fallen from the messy twist that Ino had styled at the back of her head, pulled back with two ornate sticks.

Ino clicked her tongue at her and reached over to swiftly and expertly tuck the strand in with the rest of her shiny pink locks. "Sure you do, Forehead. Sure you do."

They had been walking together through the cool night air from Sakura's apartment, where Ino had arrived almost two hours earlier to help her "fashion-challenged" friend with her wardrobe, make-up, and hair. Just around the corner from the entrance to the bar, Ino pulled Sakura to a halt beside her to give her the once-over.

She tapped her chin thoughtfully, blue eyes traveling from silvery strappy heels clasped around elegant ankles, up smooth shapely legs, to a black skirt that came to mid-thigh, to a light green blouse that hugged Sakura's torso. "Well hell, Sakura...if I was a lesbian, I'd jump you right this second." She grinned cheekily as her best friend scowled at her.

"Ino, I feel ridiculous."

"Please, Sakura...you're just mad that you're not in your typical working gear."

The pink-haired girl frowned and fingered the edge of her blouse again. It was true. Sakura never did feel quite right when she was in any sort of formal attire. She felt useless and out of place. Ino had always been so sure of her looks, she was a natural in anything she wore. But Sakura felt she had always been built more for function than for appearance. Not that she was ugly or anything...she just wasn't the bombshell that Ino was. Sakura supposed that was what made Ino so good at under-cover operations. She was the classic kunoichi - able to use her "womanly" attributes to get whatever she needed. Sakura had no such confidence.

Ino finished reapplying her lipgloss, stuck it back in the little handbag she was carrying and grabbed Sakura's hand. "Let's go. You're going to have some fun if it kills you."

Sakura rolled her eyes, but smiled as her friend pulled her to the door. The muffled music suddenly became clearer as she yanked it open and tugged Sakura in after her.

Once inside, Sakura took deep breaths to calm herself. Ino was right. She didn't get out enough socially. This would be a good learning experience for her. She was going to be with a large group of her friends. These were people she had known since she was a child in academy. She would approach this as she approached any other problem in her life: methodically.

'Alright. I can do this.'

She thought back to what Ino had said. 'Flirting. Ino doesn't know what she's talking about. I can flirt! I've flirted loads of times. With...um...' She was pretty sure decking Naruto and flinging insults back and forth with Sai wouldn't be considered flirting. And if it was, she needed to stop. Immediately.

She shook her head as Ino scanned the crowded building for their friends. 'Who am I kidding? When do I ever get the chance to flirt? Tonight. Tonight I will start. Maybe just with a friend. Yes. I'll practice on someone I know. It will be...educational.' She nodded firmly. 'I just have to find a good male specimen to flirt with.'

"Found them!" She looked to where Ino was suddenly pointing. In the corner nearest the dancing area she saw a table full of what they had all affectionately dubbed "The Rookie Nine" as well as the members of Team Gai. Ino linked arms with Sakura and began making a path in their direction, keeping up a running commentary on the way.

"Ooooh, look at Naruto and Hinata! They look so cute together! And they're both blushing! And Kiba and Shikamaru...can't believe Naruto got that lazy bum to come. He never gets out. I swear, Sakura, he's almost as much of a loser shut-in as you."

Sakura glared at her.

"Oh no...Lee is here. I swear, if he touches one drop of alcohol and ruins our night I'll kick his ass myself. Hmmm...I wonder if that's why Hinata dragged Neji along. He certainly doesn't look happy to be here..."

Closer to the table, her friends spotted them and Naruto yelled out their names in greeting. Hinata waved shyly from her spot next to the blonde, looking lovely in an attractive lavender top and a skirt made of some shimmery silver material. Sakura was pleased to see that Naruto had indeed cleaned up. Ino noticed too, and leaned over to whisper, "If I didn't know he was such a knuckle-head, I might actually find him sexy. He cleans up nice!"

Sakura silently agreed. He kept his tousled blonde locks just a bit longer these days and they fell attractively over his forehead. He was wearing simple khakis and a black shirt left unbuttoned at the top, open just enough to see the pendant Tsunade had given him so long ago laying over his collarbone. The black really let his blue eyes stand out and sparkle, and the cuffs were rolled up enough to see tan muscled forearms. 'Cleans up nice' was an understatement. Naruto looked downright gorgeous.

He looked up at her then to find her practically checking him out, and Sakura cleared her throat and grinned. "I see you showered. Good for you."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Just admit that I look amazing, and I'll buy you your first drink."

Kiba tapped his empty beer bottle on the table. "You're hot as hell, Naruto! Now where's my drink?"

Naruto laughed and threw a coaster from the table at the brunette's head. Kiba ducked, and it struck Shikamaru who was somehow dozing despite the noise, his chair tipped back on two legs. The little wooden coaster bounced off his forehead, causing Shikamaru to startle and lose his balance. The occupants at the table winced as he fell backward and slammed into the floor, chair and all.

Most of the males at the table immediately burst into laughter, but Sakura hurried over and looked down at him. Seeing that he was alright, only a little annoyed, she burst into giggles and reached a hand down. "Ever the alert shinobi, Shikamaru. I can see now why you became a chunin before the rest of us!"

He smirked and grabbed her hand, pulling himself to his feet. "I thought I was coming here to relax. I didn't think there would be any enemy attacks in the bar."

"You never know!" After he and his chair were upright, she took the empty seat next to him at the end of the table and looked over to Naruto. "Alright, good-looking...where's my drink?! It's time to have some fun!"

Two hours later found a very tipsy Sakura holding hands with Kiba in the middle of the table. It was hot. She could feel his hand burning against hers. She winked at the sweating male across from her and took a sip from the drink next to her with her free hand. She wasn't exactly sure whether or not it was actually her drink, but it was wet and within arm's reach. "Come on, Kiba. I thought you were a 'real man.'"

He glared at their linked hands and concentrated harder. Sakura glanced around the table. Hinata, seated between Kiba and Naruto, was grinning at the two of them. Naruto shook his head at Kiba. "Shouldn't mess with Sakura, man. I would know."

On the other side of Kiba sat TenTen, and then Neji. The empty chair beside him on the end had been vacated by Lee, who was currently dancing enthusiastically on the dance floor still, thankfully, sober. Ino was cheering Sakura on from her seat beside Sai. Shikamaru, seated just to Sakura's right, was leaning away from her, trying to give her room as she reached across the table to link hands with Kiba.

"I'm not even trying hard," Sakura teased. "You're not going to get all overcome by a mere female, are you?"

She reached her free hand over and trailed a long, graceful finger down the side of his face and tapped his nose cheekily. "Kiba, darling...I'd love to play with you all night like this but..."

She slammed his hand down on the table, effectively ending their arm-wrestling match and causing the females of the table to break out into cheers, "...I think the ladies would all like their free drinks now. Come on, a bet's a bet! Drinks for me, Hinata, Ino, and TenTen! Get a move on!"

Kiba groaned and banged his forehead against the table, while Shikamaru smirked at him. Sakura saw this and turned to the man next to her. "What? Think you could do better than him?"

"No. I'm not stupid enough to get into an argument with a woman. Men always lose..."

She smiled and sipped her drink. She wasn't sure how many she had consumed throughout the evening, but it was enough to make her feel fuzzy, warm, and very, very adventurous. Their chairs were close enough, that her thigh grazed his when she moved. She could feel the rough material from his tan pants against her bare leg. 'Time to give flirting a shot, I think...' Shikamaru was definitely a good pick to practice on, too. 'He's smart. Non-threatening. I can trust him not to take me too seriously.' She grinned. 'And it doesn't hurt that he's hot!'

She cleared her throat and tried to focus her swimming head on the conversation. "Is that so?"

"That's been my general experience, yes." He tapped his fingers on the table, leaning back in his chair.

"Oh, come on, Shikamaru." She lifted her legs slowly, one at a time, and brought them to rest on his lap, ankles crossed. "You can't expect me to believe that. I thought you were a genius. Surely you know how to..." she wiggled her legs a little in his lap, "win...with a girl."

He looked down at the legs draped over his own and shifted uncomfortably while his cheeks grew distinctly pink.

Ino howled with laughter. "Sakura! You can flirt! You just have to be drunk first!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes at her friend, who had been slowly plying Sai with drinks throughout the course of the evening to see if there was a personality hiding behind his stoic facade. "I am not drunk."

"Not yet, she's not." Kiba slid her next drink down the table to her.

She smiled and took a long slow drink from the glass in her hand. It was something fruity, but definitely packing a solid punch. Her vision swam just for a moment. Shikamaru looked down at the now half-empty drink in her hand. "I think maybe you should slow down a bit, Sakura."

She held his gaze and deliberately finished the rest of the glass before setting it down loudly in front of him.

"You know Shikamaru," She leaned further toward him, hooking her crossed ankles beneath his solid calves, practically in his lap now. "You have very nice eyes. Like chocolate." She reached her hand over and toyed with the collar of his shirt.

The man usually exuded an air of casualness and non-chalance. He was definitely the most laid-back person she'd ever met. So it was quite humorous to see the distinctly uneasy expression on his face.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Uhh...thanks."

"What's wrong, Shikamaru? You're looking a little..." she wiped a bead of sweat from his temple and flicked it away, "hot and bothered."

His grip on the back of his chair tightened, while his other hand scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. He shook his head at her, and gently slid her legs off of his own, setting her feet on the floor.

Still feeling warm, and now even more fuzzy, she leaned against his side, looking over at Naruto asking Hinata if she'd like to dance with him. She smiled sadly as the two made their way to the floor together, both blushing but happy.

"Look how happy they are."

Shikamaru looked at the girl leaning against his side, up at the couple, and back at her again. "Yes, they've liked each other for a long time."

Sakura sighed. "And now they're happy. Together."

"It would seem that way."

She sighed again.

Shikamaru stared at the top of her pink head, shifting uncomfortably, unsure of what to do with the arm she was leaning against, but thankful she had gotten onto a subject that wasn't him. "You don't sound too thrilled about it."

She turned to look up at him and blew out her breath. Shikamaru nearly fell over drunk just from the fumes radiating from her. "Pssssht...don't be ridic...ridiculish."

'Stupid words...' she thought, sluggishly. This wasn't where she wanted the conversation to go. She wanted to be flirting, and having fun. Fifteen minutes, and she had somehow spiraled from being flirty but tipsy Sakura, to drunk and depressed Sakura. She tried to stand up to head out to the dance floor and force herself to have a good time, but her legs didn't seem to want to stay beneather her body.

Shikamaru grabbed her elbow and steadied her. "Perhaps it's time you went home."

"I'm fiiiiine." She waved an airy hand at him. "Soooo... Shishkamaru." She giggled. "I mean...Shikmamaru. Well, damn. You should really get an easier name." She snagged someone's drink from the table and finished it off.

He raised his eyebrows. "You didn't seem to be having a problem with it when you were sober."

"Maybe so...but everyone knows I'm not fun when I'm sober."

The rest of the group had gone back to talking, or to the dance floor, and he and Sakura were relatively alone at their end of the table. He was still standing, holding her on her feet to be sure she didn't hit the floor. "Who told you that, Sakura?"

She frowned up at him. "I don't need to be told. I know I'm not fun like Naruto, or Kiba, or Ino. I don't go out, I have zero social life. Look!" She pointed to Neji at the other end of their table, talking with TenTen. "Even Neji has been out on dates! And Lee is weird, but he knows how to have a good time! And I...I..."

He looked down at her, one brow raised. "You...?"

"I think I need another drink." She tried to head for the bar, but two wobbly steps left her dizzy and falling. She landed against a solid, broad chest.

"Yeah, you're going home."

She pulled her face away from Shikamaru's shirt. "Noooo. I want to have more fun!" She threw her arms drunkenly in the air and spun in place. "Let's dance."

"I don't think so." Apparently deciding it was time he took charge of the situation, Shikamaru leaned down and swiftly hefted Sakura over his shoulder.

"Just don't puke down my back, ok?"

She giggled. "Shikamaru, this is no way to pick up a girl!"

He rolled his eyes, and hooked an arm behind her knees.

"Come on, Shikamaru, put me down!" She pounded against his back. "Right now! I'm here to have fun! I have to prove I'm cabbible..capable of having fun!"

He was already on his way to the door, tossing a wave at a worried-looking Naruto. "I'll get her home," he called out, to which Naruto nodded, looking relieved.

"I don't want to go hooooooome." She pounded against his back drunkenly. "I want to...oooooh."

He stopped dead in his tracks as he felt two hands firmly grasp his backside.

"Shikamaru, your ass is FANTASTIC!" she yelled loudly, just as they were to the door. Shikamaru cringed as half the bar went silent, save for the music still playing.

"Troublesome woman," he muttered, very pink in the face. He shoved the door open and exited to loud laughter from the remaining shinobi in the bar.

Shikamaru leaned back and scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. He was a shinobi, so breaking in really shouldn't have been a problem, but it really it just felt so wrong to bust into a woman's place.

Especially when said woman was standing next to him.

He tilted his head and looked at her.

Ok, well...not standing persay, but...

Alright, she was leaning over the railing of her complex's second floor balcony just outside her apartment being violently ill.

'At least it wasn't on me.'

She started to lean over a bit further, and Shikamaru grabbed her waist before she could tip over. When she'd finished heaving, he helped her stand. Well, lean. Her back was against her front door and her head slumped forward against his chest.

"Sakura?"

She groaned a bit.

"Sakura, where's your key?"

She mumbled something into his chest that sounded like "Ips bround mry mrah."

Now he groaned. 'Please tell me she didn't say what I think she said.' He pulled her away from his chest.

"What was that?"

She sighed, arms hanging limply to her sides, and eyes shut. "It's down my bra."

Alright then. "Um...could you get it?"

Her right arm flopped up and then back down, bouncing against her side. Apparently, this was as close to an attempt at reaching her key as she was going to get. Her head fell forward again.

'Yeah, I'm not going there.' Screw it. He was breaking in.

Her place was neat, simple. It smelled faintly like vanilla bean and lavender - like her hair. He knew exactly what that smelled like, because her pink locks were tickling his lips and chin as she leaned against him, face buried in his shirt.

It was exactly what he would have imagined Sakura's home to be. As she didn't appear to be walking on her own any time soon, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her in. He looked around. Kitchen and dining area on the right, living room on the left, and a short hallway in front of him with three doors.

The first was the bathroom. The next one on the left was a closet, and the last one right next to the bathroom was his destination: her bedroom.

He jostled her softly, and she moaned, turning and furrowing her face into his neck. He could feel another blush coming on, and was thankful no one else was around to witness any of this.

"Sakura?"

"Mmmmm?" She sighed against his skin just beneath his ear.

"Feeling like you're going to vomit again any time soon?"

He felt her shake her head. "Nope," she replied sleepily. "I feel...nice. Fuzzy." She nuzzled his neck again. "And warm."

Someone up there was messing with him. Again. He hurried to pull back her covers and lower her into her bed. When he tried to pull away she clung tightly to his neck. It caught him so off-guard he fell to one knee beside the bed, his cheek pressed against hers and his nose in the pillow.

"Sakura?"

"Mmmmm?"

"I need you to let go." He reached back to pry her hands from his neck.

"Shikamaru?" She whispered into his ear. Her breath was warm, and it tickled. He closed his eyes and thought many other thoughts that didn't involve women whispering breathily in his ear, or beds, or bedrooms, or long slender arms wrapped around his neck.

He swallowed forcefully and was proud of the fact that his voice only sounded slightly hoarse when he answered a weak, "Yeah?"

"You...smell really nice." She took a long breath, her nose brushing his jawline.

"Ehhhh...thanks?"

'Shit, shit, shit.' He frantically filled his mind with very un-sexy things.

She loosened her hold on him, 'FINALLY,' and he pulled away quickly. She reached her hand up and fumbled with the ornamental sticks still holding her hair mostly in place. He pulled them out for her and put them on her nightstand.

"Shikamaru?" She tugged on his hand until he knelt down next to her again.

"Yeah?"

She leaned up and kissed him softly. When she pulled away, he stared at her, wide-eyed. She smiled crookedly. "Stay here with me?"

Some part of his brain exploded in eager male anticipation. However, every other part of him was telling him how absolutely troublesome that would be when she sobered up.

"Um, Sakura, I think you and I have had enough fun for one night."

She blinked sleepily at him. "You had fun? With me?"

He shook his head and pulled himself to his feet. "It probably would have been more fun if you hadn't been completely smashed. And puking."

"Shikamaru?" He paused, looking at her over his shoulder as he turned to leave.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for taking me home. And for letting me practice flirting with you. And for ... for... having a fantastic ass."

He looked down at her in bemusement, but she was already asleep.

He smirked. "Sure thing, Sakura. Any time."

He wondered whether or not she'd remember any of this in the morning. He kind of hoped so, just so that she could be embarrassed for once, rather than he.

Drabble: Not much in this one. Just some set-up and what-not. I currently have no beta. Maybe I'll look into getting one after this gets rolling a bit. Next one will have actual plot, hurrah! This should only be a three chapter story.