Title: Can't Say No

Author: AppleL0V3R

Beta-reader: Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

Fandom: Naruto

Pairing: Uchiha, Sasuke and Yamanaka, Ino

Rating: T

Type: One-shot – Complete

Summary: It was a school thing and it wasn't sports, but for one reason or another he just couldn't say no to her.

Theme: Homecoming

Word Count: 1,086

Disclaimer: If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

"So? Who asked you?" Ino probed her best friend. School had only just started no more then a month ago, but it was already homecoming and the two always gossiped about the guys who asked them to such events. No one had asked Ino yet – not the right person at least – but he was going to. She just knew it.

Sakura looked away, she'd been avoiding this question all day, but this was their off hour and she wasn't going to get away. "Come on, Saki! You have to tell me, it's a rule, you know!"

The pink-haired – yes pink – senior quirked a pink eyebrow, "Really? Is it another one of those unwritten best friend codes?"

"Duh! Keep up Forehead Girl!"

She rolled her green eyes, "Whatever you say, Ino, whatever you say."

"I do say, now who asked you?"

"Well,…I was asked by a lot of guys."

Ino pursed her lips, "And who did you say yes to?"

"I said…yes to…" She looked up sheepishly. "Deidara."

Now the blonde's jaw dropped, "Deidara? As in the female looking delinquent who's in a gang?!"

Sakura glared at her. "Sasuke's elder brother is in that same gang and how many times have you fantasized with him?"

"A bit–"

"A bit!"

"–okay a lot, but at least I have enough sense not to get involved with him!"

Sakura folded her arms "Thank you for calling me an idiot."

Ino sighed, "That's not what I meant."

"That's what you were implying."

"Look, I just don't want to see you hurt or something."

Now the rosette sighed, "I know Ino. But I really like him…and besides I've already gotten introduced to the entire gang and I'm pretty sure they'd kick Deidara's ass if he ever hurt me."

Ino snorted, "Just don't get into the wrong stuff."

"And there you go implying I'm an idiot again. Deidara wouldn't be too happy with me if I did."

"So you hang out with gang, are dating with one of its members, but none of them will allow you to get into any of the stuff they do or be hurt?"

Sakura nodded enthusiastically, happy her best friend and practically sister understood her position. "Yep!"

Ino shook her head. "I always said you were crazy."

"Well what about you?"

The blue-eyed girl put a hand to her chest feigning offense, "I am most certainly not crazy."

Her companion rolled her eyes even though they glittered with amusement. "Oh no Ino, not you."

Ino grinned, "I'm so glad you get it."

Pink locks flew as the young Haruno shook her head, "Any way I meant who asked you that you said yes to?"

Ino sighed. "No one. It's faltering how many guys asked me, but the right one hasn't yet."

"You're holding out for Sasuke aren't you?"

"Duh."

..:X0o0xX:..

Ino scanned the halls for the guy she was looking for. She'd already spotted the fan girl crowd of his; she was just trying to find him in it. Typically he was in the center of it. And the center was…ah-ha! There he is. She wasted no time in making her way to him.

"Sasuke! Hey! I need to talk to you." The teen paused, waiting for her to squeeze her way through the crowd to get to his side.

"Hn. What do you need to talk about?" the two had been friends for a few years now, but the blonde had always wanted more even if he'd never showed any signs of wanting such a thing himself. So she'd stuck to being just his friend, thinking that at least she was that and didn't want to ruin it. Hopefully though if she hinted enough, he'd ask her to homecoming with him.

"Well…umm…" She hadn't thought that far ahead, she'd just wanted his attention. "I was wondering if you could help me…"

He paused, eyeing her. "With what?" he was obviously being cautious. The last time he'd helped her he ended up telling her how she looked in at least a few dozen shoes while helping her at her family's flower shop.

"Um, well see. Homecoming is soon and I really like this guy. But we're just friends and I don't know if he likes me as anything more than that. I don't know how to find out so I can get him to ask me…if he does like me of course." Oh nice Ino, why don't you just tell him 'Sasuke, I like you, will you go with me to homecoming?' She couldn't have been anymore obvious.

He stared at her for a few moments. Ino was one of the few girls that didn't fall all over him even though she did like him. He'd been aware of that from the very beginning, which meant a lot to him. She'd valued their friendship more than her like for him just so she could hang around. She'd been what he needed when he needed it without having to ask. Sure he'd been close to Sakura too, that's how he'd met Ino. But Sakura and himself were siblings basically and he was well aware she was already taken. Not that Ino was second best, she'd never be that to him. He's just known Sakura longer.

Honestly, he'd thought he'd made it real damn clear that he liked her too in the sense that she liked him. He'd never said no to her. Not if he could help it. And he'd let her get away with a lot more than anyone else. Piggyback rides, hanging off his arm, hell inside his personal bubble. Only Akatsuki, Naruto, and Sakura had achieved that and most certainly not to the level Ino had obtained.

He smirked and leaned down to the pretty cheerleader, whispering in her ear. "Seven."

She stopped walking staring after him with a confused expression that made her look cute. Then she looked even cuter when she started blushing. Then again she always looked cute, even gorgeous. Not, of course, that he'd ever tell her that.

Smirking triumphantly he kept walking.