Chapter 19

                                    

                                          

The date, much to Ino's surprise – and utter relief – ended surprisingly well. They had picked up a few moments right after sunrise when the horizon was already turning into a beautiful light-orange gradient of colors. It was strange; Ino didn't think she would actually enjoy their first date. Perhaps she wasn't giving Gaara enough credit. Or maybe she was being too prejudiced. It had been fun, mostly filled with comfortable silences and side-long glances while they thought the other wasn't looking. Gaara hadn't left her lap all night and as their fire died down into tiny embers they had settled to stargazing. Ino never thought she was capable of enjoying such a date. She had always thought herself to be above the romance and wooing, and so having the memory of Gaara kissing her cheek goodnight after taking her home making her blush had caught her off-guard.
"Earth to Ino?"
Ino blinked twice, raised her head from her hand and found Sakura watching her worriedly from across the table. They were having an early lunch at the Washoku restaurant, given they were both off-duty. Sakura had been more than surprised when she came home with the Kazekage and his party. Of course, Ino didn't waste time in blaming her about everything that has happened since the Land of Iron. Sakura didn't even try to deny it. In fact, she had the nerve to act all smug about it, saying things like, "Well, it's about time you came to your senses and get a man before you turn old and grey and moldy," or, "Gaara is a decent man. You can thank me later when your sex life starts to pick up," or, "You're just too proud to admit that a part of you is actually flattered to be noticed by such a catch."
Ino scowled at her. "What?"
Sakura pointed at her with her spoon. "Can you just spit it out already?"
"I can't believe you did this to me. You traitor, you." Ino used her chopsticks to bat Sakura's spoon away from her face. "If you hadn't pretended to have the stomach flu – "
"Naruto said it was a matter of life and death." Sakura shrugged. "How was I to know it had anything to with the life or death of the Kazekage?"
"You should have said no, anyway. The mere fact that you didn't know what was going on should have made you suspicious. What if it had put me in danger?"
"Naruto would never allow anything to happen to you, you know that," Sakura said quietly and she dug her spoon into her fried rice. Sighing, she raised her eyes back at Ino. "Look, why don't you just tell me what's really eating you?"
Ino was taken aback, and she swallowed hard, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "What's eating me? Nothing's eating me. I mean... what makes you think something's eating me?"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Oh, let me see. Well, you've been complaining to me ever since we've sat down for lunch about how everyone's schemed behind your back to set you up with Gaara. So far, you've put the blame on Naruto, Kankurou, Temari and myself. Then, when you've finally decided to shut up for about five seconds about us, you complain about bad luck, and then some. Now you tell me what's eating you."
Ino frowned then ducked her head away from her best friend. Had she really been complaining that much? Surely, Sakura was simply exaggerating, right? "I'm sorry. It's just that I'm not sure how to take this in stride. Who would have thought this would happen, right?"
Sakura stared at her sternly for a good three seconds before her expression softened and she leaned forward on the table, pushing her plate aside. "You're doing it again, Ino."
"Doing what?" Ino demanded.
"The thing you always do when a guy shows interest in you: you push them away. And the only thing that's different then and now is that Gaara's persistent enough to ignore, dodge or whatever he's doing to your rebuffs." Sakura gestured at her. "You know what I think? I think the reason why you're so pissed is because you actually like him."