02-17 [LOG] Tenten, Sasori [2/2]
Characters: Tenten, Sasori
Status: Relatively open
Location: Streets, China Moon restaurant
Date: February 17th, 2006
Summary: Sasori and Tenten go on a date and there was much lying and assuming of the role of Prince Charming and whatnot.
Warnings: Sasori's dirty lying mouth and evil little thoughts.
"That would make sense..." Tenten tapped her chin thoughtfully. "It's good to know you have a spare though."
"I'll let you borrow them sometime," Sasori said over his string beans and broccoli.
"Thanks, I'm sure they'll come in handy." Picking up her chopsticks again Tenten decided to try some of the broccoli.
"Really, traveling isn't extremely interesting, though. Especially prep. I had to have nearly every vaccination and shot done to me by the time I was four. But it got me used to needles. And I know alot of languages."
"I'm sure you do, and I bet that helps a lot in your line of work. I have to say, although I've never had a problem with needles having to get so many vaccinations would probably get annoying."
"Yeah, most kids I get in who need shots I have to dull down with drugs or something first. Otherwise it's like percussion grenades going off."
Wrinkling her nose Tenten shook her head. "Do you at least have ear plugs for those instances? I have no patience for whiny kids."
"Nope. Not allowed in the office because an emergency could be going on and I need to hear everything."
"Ok yeah, that was a stupid question on my part. Damn Tenten, think before we speak!" She gave him a sheepish look, smiling.
"Not too many people know that." He grinned. "My friend doesn't. I have a spear in my head every night and he still blares the TV at all hours until I kick him away."
"I was just thinking you probably go home and feel like hiding your head under the pillows or something, with all the screaming you get to endure throughout the day."
"No, usually I'm out and about. Being busy all day gets me wired and I usually head out since I turned twenty." Meaning clubs to stalk people with his camera and drink alot of scotch and whiskey.
"That's cool. Do you have certain places you frequent, or just where the mood takes you?" Tenten wasn't really big on clubbing since she had never really had anyone to go with.
"Wherever my feet take me." Sasori grinned. And expertly hid a sigh. He'd already eaten three quarters of his food and had a feeling he'd be fasting tomorrow, he felt so full.
"I think that's the best way to go about it, I mean you can end up someplace awesome sometimes." Tenten smiled, pushing her plate away slightly. "I didn't realize how much food there was!"
"Are you one of those girls who don't eat?" He looked at her with raised eyebrows as he put another piece of broccoli past his lips.
Tenten couldn't stop herself from practically busting a gut laughing. "Are you serious? I usually eat way too much, just I'm a little...nervous. You know."
"Nervous? About what?" Sasori poured them both more tea to heat up the current contents.
"About not making a fool of myself." Tenten quietly thanked him, glancing down as her cheeks pinkened considerably.
If I was worried about you making a fool out of yourself I would have made that phone call twenty minutes ago... "What, like I haven't been making a fool of myself?"
A quick look of shock crossed Tenten's features as she was instantly apologetic. "Of course not! Just...you're kind of sophisticated, and I'm not the most...well-trained, you know?"
"I'm sophisticated?" It was Sasori's turn to laugh. But he wasn't used to real laughing so he kind of over-did it and made people look at them. Then he stopped very quickly after one bout. "You're funny."
"I'm glad you think so!" Tenten smiled warmly, taken aback by his finding her comment so amusing. "You are though, you're well-traveled, smart, and you have excellent manners.
Well-traveled? "My grandmother all but injected manners into me. I used to hate her for it but now I'm respected for it so I guess I'll have to thank her."
Tenten was trying her best not to appear starry-eyed. "My mom and dad did right by me, and made sure I knew the basics, but I'll admit any meal involving multiple forks beyond regular and salad just baffles me."
"My mom made me a special place mat with the forks labeled when I was little so I could remember which to use." Sasori grinned. "Maybe I should dig it up for you?"
"If you think there'd be a need for it, sure." Tenten did her best not to feel silly about what she had admitted, instead finding the humor there. "I can teach you better defense and you can school me in manners. A fair trade."
"Ok. First lesson?" He grinned, tilting his head to the side. "Elbows off the table."
Looking incredibly embarrassed at being caught on something that seemed so simple, Tenten complied with a slight start.
"Don't worry, I'm not my grandmother. She used to flick my elbows when I put them on the table and I have the scars to prove it."
"That sounds really harsh. Flicking your elbows? Did she use anything, or just her fingers?" She rubbed her own elbows in sympathy.
"Her fingers were enough. Her nails were like literal nails. And she had great aim." Sasori paused to roll back one of his sleeves. He'd left the cuffs unbuttoned so this was made easy with his bandaged hand. On his elbow, in a little half-moon shape, was a scar, light even against his pale skin. "I think there's a reason the wolf ate Gramma. They had dinner first."
Tenten peered at the little scar, shaking her head slightly. "Wow, you weren't kidding. That must have made meal-time a real event at your place." She had quite a few scars herself, and decided to mention them. "I have some scars too, but they're either from fighting or me being a klutz. I'd show you them, but this might not be the best place.."
"Any tattoos? Or is this not the best place again?" Sasori grinned.
"I do have one, and it would be...interesting to show you here." Tenten sipped her tea, lightly rubbing the back of her neck.
"I have one too. On my ribcage. But if yours is in a strange place, you don't need to show me. Depending on where it is, it may have to be a second date, third glass of wine discussion. If you're legal, that is."
"Mine is on my back, shoulder blades specifically. I'm not about to lift up my shirt in a restaurant, so if you're that interested you'll have to wait. As for the issue of my legality, last I checked nineteen was almost legal, so..."
"But not entirely..." Sasori shook his finger at her lightly.
Not that he had any room to talk. He fed Suzaku alcohol all the time.
"I fully admit I'm not completely legal." She shrugged, not seeing an issue.
"I'm not the type to go drinking somewhere and do stupid things, though."
"That's reassuring." Sasori grinned. "Then second date, third virgin martini."
"I used to compete in martial arts, so I'm careful about what I put into my body." She realized how that sounded and blushed. "And that sounds fun."
"Same... sometimes. I find it healthy to dabble." Sasori shrugged. "Not something I recommend, just easy for me as a doctor to know what I'm dealing with. It's a practice."
"I suppose from an intellectual standpoint that makes sense, I've just never liked the possibility of losing control and avoid it as much as I can." Tenten knew she sounded straight-laced, and she wouldn't deny that.
"I know what you mean. I had a patient come in on speed, we put him in a room and he ran from one side of the room to the other for six straight hours, top speed. No pun."
"Are you kidding? See, that would turn me off trying random drugs forever. Could he remember anything about it? I mean, can't that stuff speed up your heart or something?"
"No joke, but I didn't find out if he remembered. My nurses sent him home, I went to get some sleep in another of our rooms."
"That must have been kind of interesting while it lasted, although I'd hate to be the one trying to deal with him."
"That's why I left him to my nurses." Sasori smiled, taking a sip of tea.
"I'm sure they appreciated that." Tenten smirked, glad she wasn't a nurse.
"It's good money for them. And I have a tendency of firing people... My standards aren't lax. I have one nurse that's lasted... a month? She's like a champion to them."
"I'm sure you have good reason for firing them, and I doubt being a nurse is easy. Besides, one should never be lax when they have the lives of others in their hands."
"That's what I say." The smile grew until the dimple popped up. "Nothing is more important to me than that."
"It's amazing, what you have the capabilities to do on a daily basis." Tenten wasn't being over-the-top, she really did respect Sasori's chosen profession.
"Careful. By the time to leave I won't be able to get my head through the door."
"Is that such a bad thing...?" Tenten's voice was soft, flirting even although she didn't realize it.
"Yeah, my friend is going to want his dinner." Sasori grinned and sat back, setting his chopsticks aside. A few vegetables remained, but he was pleased with his effort thus far.
"If you get stuck I can drop it off, it's on my way home after all." She joked, finally laying her chopsticks to rest as well. She wouldn't really leave him there, she was having too good a time.
"I'm sure that would bring it down nice and quick." He grinned.
Seeing that they were done, their waiter came over and asked if they wanted any desert.
Sasori thought a moment, then looked to Tenten in question to if she wanted any.
"If it starts to deflate I'm sure i can think of something nice to say." She smiled.
The thought of dessert hadn't crossed her mind, so she politely shook her head.
"I'm fine, unless you'd like some." She didn't want Sasori to think she was in a rush.
Sasori gave a slight shake of his head to the waiter, who nodded and went to his next table.
"I don't like sweets much. Except chocolate." He made a sound of ecstasy. "Caramel and chocolate especially."
Tenten made a soft little noise in the back of her throat, grinning slightly as she thought about favorite treats.
"I like the occasional treat, but chocolate is always welcome. Especially things like chocolate covered pretzels. I could eat those all day."
"Vanilla covered chocolate pretzels." Sasori sighed and sat back, folding his hands over his chest. "I had some of those but we ate them in the first hour."
"I'm good with just chocolate dipped or drizzled on them, although my favorite is soft pretzels dipped in chocolate." Tenten let out a wistful sigh. "My mom taught me to make soft pretzels, so that's my comfort food."
"I can only make Asian," Sasori said with a mildly helpless air. "My mother taught me, as well."
"At least you can cook something. I feel for the people with no kitchen skills." Tenten shrugged. "Making food is so much easier on the wallet."
"It can be unless said cooking burns down the kitchen." Sasori laughed in remembrance. "That was not a happy day."
"Wait...you burnt down your kitchen? That must have been quite the meal!" Tenten laughed along with him, happy she had never done anything like that before.
"No wait, listen." Sasori waved his hands a bit through his laughter. "I was--I was trying to make peking duck the first time and got into watching Hostel and forgot about it. That's why I had to stay with my friend."
"Wow, so your peking duck became crispy duck." Tenten finally stopped laughing, smiling brightly. "See, that's why you put on the movie while you're eating. Those movies can suck you in."
"Yeah I learned that afterward." Sasori grinned and shrugged his shoulders like a kid admitting to a crime that didn't bother him.
It didn't bother him because it hadn't happened. It was an endearing lie, as he called it.
"I'll bet. Well as long as nobody got hurt, that's all that matters." Tenten rested her chin on the palm of her hand, amazed nothing had screwed up the night so far.
As far as she was concerned Sasori was both sweet and charming, and she would be hard-pressed to believe otherwise.
"Oh of course not!" He smiled. "That's a reversal of my work if I do it in my own home. Burns are hard to fix anyway..."
"I'm sure they are, and they're painful too." She remembered one time when she'd burned her arm on the stove and shuddered. "So is that why you're living with a friend?"
"For a day or so more, yeah." Sasori nodded. "I was just picking some stuff up the day I gave you the check."
"It's nice of him to let you stay there." Tenten nodded in return. "I'll bet it can be tough on both of you though."
"Not really. We get along very well." Sasori smiled. "We're very much alike. I didn't watch much movies before I stayed there and he turned me on to Silent Hill video game."
"That's good then. I've never played that game, is it good?" Tenten was more of a fan of fighting games. "Is it like a role playing game, or one of those first person shooter ones?"
"Neither. It's more of a third person perspective. Pretty addictive. It's usually hard for me to get to sleep because I expect to be called in so I play it. Alot." He grinned sheepishly.
"Really? Addictive games always scare me, especially if I could just hook it up at the office and play there. Does the lack of sleep affect your work?" She idly wondered if he ever had zombie moments.
"Occasionally. But there's a Starbucks on the way, so if I go comatose my nurses know where to go first." He grinned. "And I can always sleep on my desk. As is often the case. Do you like video games?"
"Caffeine saving the day? I thought that was only for police officers, but that makes sense." She laughed again. "I'm sure that makes quite the picture, you napping. Video games...well I like fighting games, if that counts."
"My nurse took a picture and sent it to me once." He grinned. "What kind of food do you like other than Chinese? So you don't have to be completely vegan for my sake."
"And she's still working for you? I'm impressed." She tried to look serious, but failed. "Food, huh? Well, I like all sorts, really. I'm a big sushi fan, but one of my favorite things ever is loaded nachos. What about you?"
"I didn't say that, did I?" He grinned, flipping open his phone and going through the galleries. "Mexican, then? I know a place but it's not in walking distance. I have to go on my bike. Look." He held out the phone, showing a picture of himself on the screen. In the picture, he was lying over a bunch of paperwork, cheek rested on his hand, the other hand clutching a pen he was supposed to be signing with.
"That's true, you didn't." She stuck out the tip of her tongue, leaning forward to peek at the picture. "Yes, Mexican. I know of a place in downtown Kyoto that has incredible Mexican." She paused, her expression softening as she took in the details of the small picture. "That's so cute! Seriously, you almost look like a little kid kind of playing at being a doctor."
"Yeah I get that alot." Sasori assumed a quizzical look as he closed the phone and put it back on the tabletop. "Can't imagine why..."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like you don't look professional!" Tenten was able to keep her face from scrunching up with unshed giggled. "At least you weren't drooling?"
"Yeah it would have been bad if I was... but I sleep with my mouth closed." Sasori grinned, then assumed a business-like air. "Now, if I had known you liked Mexican, I would have taken you to that place, but taking you on my bike the first date would be very forward of me, wouldn't it?"
"I have no idea if I sleep with my mouth closed or not...nobody has caught me sleeping and taken a picture to my knowledge." Tenten perked up at the mention of a bike, having missed it the first time. "Possibly, although that depends on the bike. If we're talking riding on your handlebars I'll have to pass."
"No, I'm talking about a Ducati. I haven't had a pedal bike since I was six." Sasori grinned.
"A Ducati? Aren't those the Italian speed demons? I've never been on a motorcycle before, only a Vespa." Tenten was definitely impressed by that.
"I got it from my dad." Sasori shrugged. "But yeah, it's pretty fast. And handy in Tokyo rush hour since I can go around the cars and park anywhere."
"That must have been a fun gift." Tenten smiled quickly, taking a sip of water. "I considered getting a bike of some sort, but for right now I walk to take public transportation."
"I take public transportation when it's too cold to walk. I don't have much tolerance for cold." He smiled, as well.
He also took the light rail or bus to put his digital camera to work. Taking pictures of people that caught his eye.
"I don't either. I usually react to cold by finding all my fleece and burrowing under the blankets." She blushed softly, glancing around the room.
She was already thinking about the possibilities of a second date, mainly because he mentioned it. She hated that she was anticipating a brush off.
"Ohh I can't sleep with fleece. Fleece and flannel. My skin is sensitive so even if it takes a while to warm up, I have silk." He grinned sheepishly at this confession.
There would be a first date. If she accepted. He only had until white day, after all.
"Silk? Isn't that all slippery? I just imagine myself running and throwing myself at the bed like I do sometimes, and sliding off the other side." She bit her lip as she realized how childish that sounded.
He was probably wondering why he asked such a spaz to dinner. Or, he was thinking she was just a ditz. Sometimes, she felt she shouldn't speak.
"Are you kidding? That's the best part!" He clapped his long-fingered hands together. "If I feel creative I pull the blankets back and do that. My goal is to go out the window."
He knew she thought she was a spaz; he knew she was a complete idiot by his standards. But he had his job to do.
Her jaw dropped slightly at his admission, and Tenten started to wonder if he was simply mocking her. The doubt was quickly squashed as she realized he didn't know her that well yet.
"Yeah, it's kind of like sledding, but without getting all wet and cold from the snow!" She laughed at the thought, embarrassed she thought badly for a moment.
"I hate snow." He stuck his tongue out. "Can't stand it. It's too cold and wet and nasty... In Nigeria we didn't get snow at all. The most we got in winter was rain. It's like getting shell shocked when dad got called back in the middle of winter to come here again. Mom and I would physically protest getting onto the plane."
"I can understand." She couldn't think of anything worse than dealing with the cold after living somewhere warm. "The only remotely good thing about snow is once it stops everything looks clean, and it can be fun to shove people into snowbanks or pelt them with snowballs."
"Mm... I don't even like that." He shook his head. "Especially because when the snow is melting in patches it doesn't look nice."
Despite personality flaws, Sasori was a great lover of beauty, and hated seasonal things as a whole.
"It may not look nice when it starts melting but that just means you have to enjoy it while it lasts!" She tilted her head to the side, watching him.
It struck Tenten that Sasori was something of a glass half-empty type, and for some reason that saddened her.
Everything was half empty to him. When he wasn't playing Prince Charming, his pessimism was enough to drive all but Suzaku and occasionally Deidara up the wall. Nothing lasted, nothing was enjoyed, and heaven help him if he bonded with anything that was still alive. Anything that wasn't like him.
"I suppose." He grinned. "I was never much of a playing outside type except in Africa. And even then I got sunburned something fierce."
Being more of a realist than anything else Tenten liked seeing the good and bad in everything. She analyzed everything, usually to the point of overdoing it, but had yet to be in a situation she hadn't learned something worthwhile from. She was proud of her "Cup has liquid" outlook.
"Who knows? Maybe you just haven't gotten a chance to enjoy the snow with someone who made it worthwhile." She shrugged, hoping he knew she wasn't offering. At least not yet.
"Maybe..." He thought a moment, sipping the rest of his tea, trying to remember. His mother had taken him out in the snow before when he was little, but even then he'd hated it... or maybe he hated it because Kakashi had thrown a snowball in his face when he was but two years old?
"Or I could be completely off my nutter. Who knows, eh?" She grinned, trying to diffuse what seemed to be a suddenly tense moment. She hadn't meant to get into a debate with him about the beauty of nature or anything like that, yet here she was, saying something stupid.
"Well you're having dinner with me. I think that qualifies as insane, don't you?" he asked as hot hand towels were given to them, along with fortune cookies and little tiny dishes of serbert.
"Does it? I suppose I don't know you well enough to know if this is the prelude to you enjoying my liver with fava beans and a nice chianti." She winked to show she was joking, her eyes lighting up at the fortune cookies.
"She's onto me!" Sasori leaned away from the table and started talking into his Submariner watch. "Red alert, red alert, the cat is out of the bag!"
Unable to stop herself Tenten began laughing as of that was the best joke she'd heard all night, unmindful of how loud her giggles were. "Can I suggest you go with a Pinor Noir instead of the chianti?"
"...Excellent idea." Sasori nodded, leaning forward again and plucking out a fortune cookie to crack open. "Now, are you familiar with the proper fortune cookie game?"
Raising her eyebrows Tenten picked up a fortune cookie and waited. "Which one, the "In bed" or "In your pants" one? I know people who like both?" To be honest, she saved her fortunes for posterity.
"I usually play the in bed one... I got a whole bag of these once when I was bored and played them when I should have been calculating inventory..." He cracked open the cookie and pulled out the slip of paper. "'You will have a fortuitous windfall in the near future' ....Wow."
"That sounds promising for you, so let's see mine." She cracked open the cookie with almost child-like glee and pulled out the slip of paper. "'Your enthusiasm towards work will soon pay off'...really now? I wonder what that means." She shrugged. "Yours was better."
Sasori grinned, crumbling up his slip and pocketing it. "Would a windfall mean an orgy or just alot of sex with one person, do you think?"
Tenten carefully smoothed her out, pulling out her wallet and sticking it inside. "Oh, I think it could go either way, but it definitely implies some nakie time."
"Yummy." Sasori offered her the pieces of his cookie. "I don't like the cookie, just the fortunes..." He grinned once more, taking a sip of tea.
"You don't like the cookie?" Tenten looked aghast for a moment before nodding at her luck. "Well then, thank you. I usually have to beg for extra cookies."
"I don't like sweets. Chocolate all the way but nothing else." He shrugged his shoulders helplessly before reaching for the hot towel and rubbing it over his hands and pressing it to his face lightly.
"I remember you said that. Well, now I know not to share my aunt's fortune cookie recipe with you, unless I dip them in chocolate first." She grinned, munching on the cookie as she lightly patted her hands.
"If you did that I'd just shove it in my face without opening it and end up with some extra fiber because I ate the slip of paper."
"I'd play it safe and put the fortune on the side, or make it really visible. Maybe I could write really small in the chocolate."
"I don't know if that would help." He laughed, overly loud as usual and quickly ended, though seemingly meant well. "If I see chocolate I have a tendency to stuff my face."
"I'd be afraid of what you'd do to a fondue fountain then." She got a mental image of him sticking his face right in the flow and had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing
"You really don't want to know..." He covered his face with his hand to hide a light blush of embarrassment.
"Would it be scary-funny or scary-tragic, do you think?" She didn't want to press the issue, but now she had to know.
"A little of both... My grandmother made the mistake of putting some out at the last family gathering..." Which meant the two of them alone. They had no family.
"I see...um, if you don't mind me saying it sounds like you do a lot to keep in touch with your family. It's rare to meet someone who still keeps in touch once they move out." She certainly didn't.
"Really?" He smiled again, showing the dimple and a line of white, straight teeth, but somewhere in his large, brown eyes, he was sad. Unhappy about his family. Unhappy bringing them up. The only thing that brought him simple joy was the charade he had put up with her in pretending they were still alive. "Do you?"
"Well, sort of. I call them every week to check in and let them know I'm alive, and we make plans to see each other on important days." She suddenly felt self-conscious, as if talking about family was a little deeper to her than typical date conversation. "Moving away was hard for me because they were supportive, so I've been trying to distance myself."
"I can't understand people who shun their families after they move out... especially when you have good, solid parents who have been supportive. It's like biting the hand that fed and clothed you. Calling is good." Sasori would never had shunned his parents; he had adored them too much, and still did. But then again, if they were still here, things would have ended up a little differently... "Anyway, back to pleasant topics... well, sort of." Sasori pocketed his phone as a Styrofoam container of orange chicken and a tin-foil wrapped egg roll, all in a plastic bag, were set by him and he handed the waiter his credit card.
"I'm only trying to distance myself because this is the first time since before I was born they'll have some alone time. I don't want them to think I can't survive without them." As the waiter walked away Tenten pulled out her wallet and smiled, blinking expectantly. "How much do I owe you?" She looked down at the table for a bill, fully intending to pay for her part of things. She didn't want him to think she expected him to pay, since she worked and definitely had some money.
Sasori blinked a few times and leaned his arm on the table, leaning forward a moment before leaning back and resting a finger over the curve of his upper lip. "Owe me? You don't owe me anything, the interesting conversation would have paid me back even if I had been expecting you to pay your way, which I wasn't."
Tenten blushed brightly as she slid her wallet back into one of her pockets and nodded. "If you say so, this just means if we go out again I'll pay. It's only fair." She wouldn't take no for an answer on that either, since she saw nothing wrong with the idea of trading off paying. "Thank you, the food was excellent."
"Like hell you are." Sasori got up and pulled on his overcoat, then got hers for her and held it out so she could slip it on. "It is an unspoken rule that the guy pays. I don't have very many expenses so this is a good way for me to get rid of the cash on my card before I invest in cigarettes or something."
Tenten slipped her arms inside her coat, quietly amazed at how gentlemanly Sasori was being towards her. She was no lady, and as such felt like a fish out of water being treated like one. "A..are you sure? I mean, I hardly have any expenses either, and I don't see why rules can't be broken from time to time..."
"No, I insist." He carefully took the bill from the waiter and signed, then took his card and slipped it back in his wallet. "Do you work on Thursdays?"
"Alright then." She smiled softly, shock still apparent on her face. "Not unless somebody calls in. I usually go to the dojo for a bit in the morning though."
"Well I work until about one in the afternoon that day and have the rest off, so if it's ok with you and you feel comfortable on the bike, we could ride over and check out that Mexican place?" he asked, going to hold the door to the restaurant open for her.
He was asking her on a second date, or sort of date? Tenten's heart jumped in her chest as she tried to stay cool. "I'd like that, although you'll have to tell me the best way to not fall off your bike." She was feeling giddy, the idea of seeing him again giving her a pleasant feeling.
"Oh that involves some koala-clinging, but I'll give you a full run-down when it's time to go, so you don't forget." He smiled. He could read looks; he had her under his Prince Charming spell.
"I've been told I'm a good grappler, so I'm sure I'll be fine." He had a nice smile, and the more she thought about all the doom she predicted during the night the more chastened she felt.
"Then I guess we're pretty set. So... Thursday? I'll call or post a journal with details?" He slipped his hand through the loop in the plastic bag so he could pocket his hands.
"Thursday is fine for me. I'll look forward to it. You have my number, and I'm sure I'll be online to see if you make a post instead, so whatever easier for you." She slid her hands in her pockets as well, pulling her coat tighter around her.
"Perfect." He grinned, then pointed in either direction on the street. "Want me to walk you home? There's nasty people out and about... but then you'd be better protected than I would, Miss Martial-arts."
Tenten laughed softly, shaking her head. "I shouldn't have gotten to passionate talking about that, huh?" She sighed. "You are welcome to if you like, or I can walk you home. It's on my way."
"No, it was interesting, don't worry about it." Sasori grinned, then assumed a thoughtful air. "Actually, if you find yourself able to take care of yourself, I'm going to stop by my clinic and get some cough mixture for my friend. It's out of your way but in mine."
"I'm glad you found it interesting. Maybe we can talk about it more next time." Tenten nodded at his next statement, keeping a positive attitude. "That's fine, you should definitely go get that for your friend. I'm a big girl, I'll be fine." She paused, unsure of what to do next. "Thanks again."
Sasori paused, face blank, rocking back and for a bit as if unsure to move forward or not. He knew what he had to do, or was supposed to do... but god almighty he was not going to enjoy it. Finally, with a little inward, expertly hidden sigh, he leaned forward, kissed her quickly on the cheek and leaned back. "Bye," he said with an awkward little wave before turning and all but power-walking away. Just because he was Prince Charming didn't mean he had to like kissing.
Tenten was shocked, so shocked that she just stood there watching him leave. He...kissed her. She hadn't actually been in a situation where kissing had come up before, so that was a first. For all her bravado and semi-knowledgeable talk, she was incredibly inexperienced. Finally snapping out of it, she gave a little wave and cheerily called out. "Bye, see you Thursday." before heading in the direction of her place. She noticed how quickly he walked, and blamed it on the cold as she recounted the evening in her head. All in all, a very noteworthy night.
Status: Relatively open
Location: Streets, China Moon restaurant
Date: February 17th, 2006
Summary: Sasori and Tenten go on a date and there was much lying and assuming of the role of Prince Charming and whatnot.
Warnings: Sasori's dirty lying mouth and evil little thoughts.
"That would make sense..." Tenten tapped her chin thoughtfully. "It's good to know you have a spare though."
"I'll let you borrow them sometime," Sasori said over his string beans and broccoli.
"Thanks, I'm sure they'll come in handy." Picking up her chopsticks again Tenten decided to try some of the broccoli.
"Really, traveling isn't extremely interesting, though. Especially prep. I had to have nearly every vaccination and shot done to me by the time I was four. But it got me used to needles. And I know alot of languages."
"I'm sure you do, and I bet that helps a lot in your line of work. I have to say, although I've never had a problem with needles having to get so many vaccinations would probably get annoying."
"Yeah, most kids I get in who need shots I have to dull down with drugs or something first. Otherwise it's like percussion grenades going off."
Wrinkling her nose Tenten shook her head. "Do you at least have ear plugs for those instances? I have no patience for whiny kids."
"Nope. Not allowed in the office because an emergency could be going on and I need to hear everything."
"Ok yeah, that was a stupid question on my part. Damn Tenten, think before we speak!" She gave him a sheepish look, smiling.
"Not too many people know that." He grinned. "My friend doesn't. I have a spear in my head every night and he still blares the TV at all hours until I kick him away."
"I was just thinking you probably go home and feel like hiding your head under the pillows or something, with all the screaming you get to endure throughout the day."
"No, usually I'm out and about. Being busy all day gets me wired and I usually head out since I turned twenty." Meaning clubs to stalk people with his camera and drink alot of scotch and whiskey.
"That's cool. Do you have certain places you frequent, or just where the mood takes you?" Tenten wasn't really big on clubbing since she had never really had anyone to go with.
"Wherever my feet take me." Sasori grinned. And expertly hid a sigh. He'd already eaten three quarters of his food and had a feeling he'd be fasting tomorrow, he felt so full.
"I think that's the best way to go about it, I mean you can end up someplace awesome sometimes." Tenten smiled, pushing her plate away slightly. "I didn't realize how much food there was!"
"Are you one of those girls who don't eat?" He looked at her with raised eyebrows as he put another piece of broccoli past his lips.
Tenten couldn't stop herself from practically busting a gut laughing. "Are you serious? I usually eat way too much, just I'm a little...nervous. You know."
"Nervous? About what?" Sasori poured them both more tea to heat up the current contents.
"About not making a fool of myself." Tenten quietly thanked him, glancing down as her cheeks pinkened considerably.
If I was worried about you making a fool out of yourself I would have made that phone call twenty minutes ago... "What, like I haven't been making a fool of myself?"
A quick look of shock crossed Tenten's features as she was instantly apologetic. "Of course not! Just...you're kind of sophisticated, and I'm not the most...well-trained, you know?"
"I'm sophisticated?" It was Sasori's turn to laugh. But he wasn't used to real laughing so he kind of over-did it and made people look at them. Then he stopped very quickly after one bout. "You're funny."
"I'm glad you think so!" Tenten smiled warmly, taken aback by his finding her comment so amusing. "You are though, you're well-traveled, smart, and you have excellent manners.
Well-traveled? "My grandmother all but injected manners into me. I used to hate her for it but now I'm respected for it so I guess I'll have to thank her."
Tenten was trying her best not to appear starry-eyed. "My mom and dad did right by me, and made sure I knew the basics, but I'll admit any meal involving multiple forks beyond regular and salad just baffles me."
"My mom made me a special place mat with the forks labeled when I was little so I could remember which to use." Sasori grinned. "Maybe I should dig it up for you?"
"If you think there'd be a need for it, sure." Tenten did her best not to feel silly about what she had admitted, instead finding the humor there. "I can teach you better defense and you can school me in manners. A fair trade."
"Ok. First lesson?" He grinned, tilting his head to the side. "Elbows off the table."
Looking incredibly embarrassed at being caught on something that seemed so simple, Tenten complied with a slight start.
"Don't worry, I'm not my grandmother. She used to flick my elbows when I put them on the table and I have the scars to prove it."
"That sounds really harsh. Flicking your elbows? Did she use anything, or just her fingers?" She rubbed her own elbows in sympathy.
"Her fingers were enough. Her nails were like literal nails. And she had great aim." Sasori paused to roll back one of his sleeves. He'd left the cuffs unbuttoned so this was made easy with his bandaged hand. On his elbow, in a little half-moon shape, was a scar, light even against his pale skin. "I think there's a reason the wolf ate Gramma. They had dinner first."
Tenten peered at the little scar, shaking her head slightly. "Wow, you weren't kidding. That must have made meal-time a real event at your place." She had quite a few scars herself, and decided to mention them. "I have some scars too, but they're either from fighting or me being a klutz. I'd show you them, but this might not be the best place.."
"Any tattoos? Or is this not the best place again?" Sasori grinned.
"I do have one, and it would be...interesting to show you here." Tenten sipped her tea, lightly rubbing the back of her neck.
"I have one too. On my ribcage. But if yours is in a strange place, you don't need to show me. Depending on where it is, it may have to be a second date, third glass of wine discussion. If you're legal, that is."
"Mine is on my back, shoulder blades specifically. I'm not about to lift up my shirt in a restaurant, so if you're that interested you'll have to wait. As for the issue of my legality, last I checked nineteen was almost legal, so..."
"But not entirely..." Sasori shook his finger at her lightly.
Not that he had any room to talk. He fed Suzaku alcohol all the time.
"I fully admit I'm not completely legal." She shrugged, not seeing an issue.
"I'm not the type to go drinking somewhere and do stupid things, though."
"That's reassuring." Sasori grinned. "Then second date, third virgin martini."
"I used to compete in martial arts, so I'm careful about what I put into my body." She realized how that sounded and blushed. "And that sounds fun."
"Same... sometimes. I find it healthy to dabble." Sasori shrugged. "Not something I recommend, just easy for me as a doctor to know what I'm dealing with. It's a practice."
"I suppose from an intellectual standpoint that makes sense, I've just never liked the possibility of losing control and avoid it as much as I can." Tenten knew she sounded straight-laced, and she wouldn't deny that.
"I know what you mean. I had a patient come in on speed, we put him in a room and he ran from one side of the room to the other for six straight hours, top speed. No pun."
"Are you kidding? See, that would turn me off trying random drugs forever. Could he remember anything about it? I mean, can't that stuff speed up your heart or something?"
"No joke, but I didn't find out if he remembered. My nurses sent him home, I went to get some sleep in another of our rooms."
"That must have been kind of interesting while it lasted, although I'd hate to be the one trying to deal with him."
"That's why I left him to my nurses." Sasori smiled, taking a sip of tea.
"I'm sure they appreciated that." Tenten smirked, glad she wasn't a nurse.
"It's good money for them. And I have a tendency of firing people... My standards aren't lax. I have one nurse that's lasted... a month? She's like a champion to them."
"I'm sure you have good reason for firing them, and I doubt being a nurse is easy. Besides, one should never be lax when they have the lives of others in their hands."
"That's what I say." The smile grew until the dimple popped up. "Nothing is more important to me than that."
"It's amazing, what you have the capabilities to do on a daily basis." Tenten wasn't being over-the-top, she really did respect Sasori's chosen profession.
"Careful. By the time to leave I won't be able to get my head through the door."
"Is that such a bad thing...?" Tenten's voice was soft, flirting even although she didn't realize it.
"Yeah, my friend is going to want his dinner." Sasori grinned and sat back, setting his chopsticks aside. A few vegetables remained, but he was pleased with his effort thus far.
"If you get stuck I can drop it off, it's on my way home after all." She joked, finally laying her chopsticks to rest as well. She wouldn't really leave him there, she was having too good a time.
"I'm sure that would bring it down nice and quick." He grinned.
Seeing that they were done, their waiter came over and asked if they wanted any desert.
Sasori thought a moment, then looked to Tenten in question to if she wanted any.
"If it starts to deflate I'm sure i can think of something nice to say." She smiled.
The thought of dessert hadn't crossed her mind, so she politely shook her head.
"I'm fine, unless you'd like some." She didn't want Sasori to think she was in a rush.
Sasori gave a slight shake of his head to the waiter, who nodded and went to his next table.
"I don't like sweets much. Except chocolate." He made a sound of ecstasy. "Caramel and chocolate especially."
Tenten made a soft little noise in the back of her throat, grinning slightly as she thought about favorite treats.
"I like the occasional treat, but chocolate is always welcome. Especially things like chocolate covered pretzels. I could eat those all day."
"Vanilla covered chocolate pretzels." Sasori sighed and sat back, folding his hands over his chest. "I had some of those but we ate them in the first hour."
"I'm good with just chocolate dipped or drizzled on them, although my favorite is soft pretzels dipped in chocolate." Tenten let out a wistful sigh. "My mom taught me to make soft pretzels, so that's my comfort food."
"I can only make Asian," Sasori said with a mildly helpless air. "My mother taught me, as well."
"At least you can cook something. I feel for the people with no kitchen skills." Tenten shrugged. "Making food is so much easier on the wallet."
"It can be unless said cooking burns down the kitchen." Sasori laughed in remembrance. "That was not a happy day."
"Wait...you burnt down your kitchen? That must have been quite the meal!" Tenten laughed along with him, happy she had never done anything like that before.
"No wait, listen." Sasori waved his hands a bit through his laughter. "I was--I was trying to make peking duck the first time and got into watching Hostel and forgot about it. That's why I had to stay with my friend."
"Wow, so your peking duck became crispy duck." Tenten finally stopped laughing, smiling brightly. "See, that's why you put on the movie while you're eating. Those movies can suck you in."
"Yeah I learned that afterward." Sasori grinned and shrugged his shoulders like a kid admitting to a crime that didn't bother him.
It didn't bother him because it hadn't happened. It was an endearing lie, as he called it.
"I'll bet. Well as long as nobody got hurt, that's all that matters." Tenten rested her chin on the palm of her hand, amazed nothing had screwed up the night so far.
As far as she was concerned Sasori was both sweet and charming, and she would be hard-pressed to believe otherwise.
"Oh of course not!" He smiled. "That's a reversal of my work if I do it in my own home. Burns are hard to fix anyway..."
"I'm sure they are, and they're painful too." She remembered one time when she'd burned her arm on the stove and shuddered. "So is that why you're living with a friend?"
"For a day or so more, yeah." Sasori nodded. "I was just picking some stuff up the day I gave you the check."
"It's nice of him to let you stay there." Tenten nodded in return. "I'll bet it can be tough on both of you though."
"Not really. We get along very well." Sasori smiled. "We're very much alike. I didn't watch much movies before I stayed there and he turned me on to Silent Hill video game."
"That's good then. I've never played that game, is it good?" Tenten was more of a fan of fighting games. "Is it like a role playing game, or one of those first person shooter ones?"
"Neither. It's more of a third person perspective. Pretty addictive. It's usually hard for me to get to sleep because I expect to be called in so I play it. Alot." He grinned sheepishly.
"Really? Addictive games always scare me, especially if I could just hook it up at the office and play there. Does the lack of sleep affect your work?" She idly wondered if he ever had zombie moments.
"Occasionally. But there's a Starbucks on the way, so if I go comatose my nurses know where to go first." He grinned. "And I can always sleep on my desk. As is often the case. Do you like video games?"
"Caffeine saving the day? I thought that was only for police officers, but that makes sense." She laughed again. "I'm sure that makes quite the picture, you napping. Video games...well I like fighting games, if that counts."
"My nurse took a picture and sent it to me once." He grinned. "What kind of food do you like other than Chinese? So you don't have to be completely vegan for my sake."
"And she's still working for you? I'm impressed." She tried to look serious, but failed. "Food, huh? Well, I like all sorts, really. I'm a big sushi fan, but one of my favorite things ever is loaded nachos. What about you?"
"I didn't say that, did I?" He grinned, flipping open his phone and going through the galleries. "Mexican, then? I know a place but it's not in walking distance. I have to go on my bike. Look." He held out the phone, showing a picture of himself on the screen. In the picture, he was lying over a bunch of paperwork, cheek rested on his hand, the other hand clutching a pen he was supposed to be signing with.
"That's true, you didn't." She stuck out the tip of her tongue, leaning forward to peek at the picture. "Yes, Mexican. I know of a place in downtown Kyoto that has incredible Mexican." She paused, her expression softening as she took in the details of the small picture. "That's so cute! Seriously, you almost look like a little kid kind of playing at being a doctor."
"Yeah I get that alot." Sasori assumed a quizzical look as he closed the phone and put it back on the tabletop. "Can't imagine why..."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like you don't look professional!" Tenten was able to keep her face from scrunching up with unshed giggled. "At least you weren't drooling?"
"Yeah it would have been bad if I was... but I sleep with my mouth closed." Sasori grinned, then assumed a business-like air. "Now, if I had known you liked Mexican, I would have taken you to that place, but taking you on my bike the first date would be very forward of me, wouldn't it?"
"I have no idea if I sleep with my mouth closed or not...nobody has caught me sleeping and taken a picture to my knowledge." Tenten perked up at the mention of a bike, having missed it the first time. "Possibly, although that depends on the bike. If we're talking riding on your handlebars I'll have to pass."
"No, I'm talking about a Ducati. I haven't had a pedal bike since I was six." Sasori grinned.
"A Ducati? Aren't those the Italian speed demons? I've never been on a motorcycle before, only a Vespa." Tenten was definitely impressed by that.
"I got it from my dad." Sasori shrugged. "But yeah, it's pretty fast. And handy in Tokyo rush hour since I can go around the cars and park anywhere."
"That must have been a fun gift." Tenten smiled quickly, taking a sip of water. "I considered getting a bike of some sort, but for right now I walk to take public transportation."
"I take public transportation when it's too cold to walk. I don't have much tolerance for cold." He smiled, as well.
He also took the light rail or bus to put his digital camera to work. Taking pictures of people that caught his eye.
"I don't either. I usually react to cold by finding all my fleece and burrowing under the blankets." She blushed softly, glancing around the room.
She was already thinking about the possibilities of a second date, mainly because he mentioned it. She hated that she was anticipating a brush off.
"Ohh I can't sleep with fleece. Fleece and flannel. My skin is sensitive so even if it takes a while to warm up, I have silk." He grinned sheepishly at this confession.
There would be a first date. If she accepted. He only had until white day, after all.
"Silk? Isn't that all slippery? I just imagine myself running and throwing myself at the bed like I do sometimes, and sliding off the other side." She bit her lip as she realized how childish that sounded.
He was probably wondering why he asked such a spaz to dinner. Or, he was thinking she was just a ditz. Sometimes, she felt she shouldn't speak.
"Are you kidding? That's the best part!" He clapped his long-fingered hands together. "If I feel creative I pull the blankets back and do that. My goal is to go out the window."
He knew she thought she was a spaz; he knew she was a complete idiot by his standards. But he had his job to do.
Her jaw dropped slightly at his admission, and Tenten started to wonder if he was simply mocking her. The doubt was quickly squashed as she realized he didn't know her that well yet.
"Yeah, it's kind of like sledding, but without getting all wet and cold from the snow!" She laughed at the thought, embarrassed she thought badly for a moment.
"I hate snow." He stuck his tongue out. "Can't stand it. It's too cold and wet and nasty... In Nigeria we didn't get snow at all. The most we got in winter was rain. It's like getting shell shocked when dad got called back in the middle of winter to come here again. Mom and I would physically protest getting onto the plane."
"I can understand." She couldn't think of anything worse than dealing with the cold after living somewhere warm. "The only remotely good thing about snow is once it stops everything looks clean, and it can be fun to shove people into snowbanks or pelt them with snowballs."
"Mm... I don't even like that." He shook his head. "Especially because when the snow is melting in patches it doesn't look nice."
Despite personality flaws, Sasori was a great lover of beauty, and hated seasonal things as a whole.
"It may not look nice when it starts melting but that just means you have to enjoy it while it lasts!" She tilted her head to the side, watching him.
It struck Tenten that Sasori was something of a glass half-empty type, and for some reason that saddened her.
Everything was half empty to him. When he wasn't playing Prince Charming, his pessimism was enough to drive all but Suzaku and occasionally Deidara up the wall. Nothing lasted, nothing was enjoyed, and heaven help him if he bonded with anything that was still alive. Anything that wasn't like him.
"I suppose." He grinned. "I was never much of a playing outside type except in Africa. And even then I got sunburned something fierce."
Being more of a realist than anything else Tenten liked seeing the good and bad in everything. She analyzed everything, usually to the point of overdoing it, but had yet to be in a situation she hadn't learned something worthwhile from. She was proud of her "Cup has liquid" outlook.
"Who knows? Maybe you just haven't gotten a chance to enjoy the snow with someone who made it worthwhile." She shrugged, hoping he knew she wasn't offering. At least not yet.
"Maybe..." He thought a moment, sipping the rest of his tea, trying to remember. His mother had taken him out in the snow before when he was little, but even then he'd hated it... or maybe he hated it because Kakashi had thrown a snowball in his face when he was but two years old?
"Or I could be completely off my nutter. Who knows, eh?" She grinned, trying to diffuse what seemed to be a suddenly tense moment. She hadn't meant to get into a debate with him about the beauty of nature or anything like that, yet here she was, saying something stupid.
"Well you're having dinner with me. I think that qualifies as insane, don't you?" he asked as hot hand towels were given to them, along with fortune cookies and little tiny dishes of serbert.
"Does it? I suppose I don't know you well enough to know if this is the prelude to you enjoying my liver with fava beans and a nice chianti." She winked to show she was joking, her eyes lighting up at the fortune cookies.
"She's onto me!" Sasori leaned away from the table and started talking into his Submariner watch. "Red alert, red alert, the cat is out of the bag!"
Unable to stop herself Tenten began laughing as of that was the best joke she'd heard all night, unmindful of how loud her giggles were. "Can I suggest you go with a Pinor Noir instead of the chianti?"
"...Excellent idea." Sasori nodded, leaning forward again and plucking out a fortune cookie to crack open. "Now, are you familiar with the proper fortune cookie game?"
Raising her eyebrows Tenten picked up a fortune cookie and waited. "Which one, the "In bed" or "In your pants" one? I know people who like both?" To be honest, she saved her fortunes for posterity.
"I usually play the in bed one... I got a whole bag of these once when I was bored and played them when I should have been calculating inventory..." He cracked open the cookie and pulled out the slip of paper. "'You will have a fortuitous windfall in the near future' ....Wow."
"That sounds promising for you, so let's see mine." She cracked open the cookie with almost child-like glee and pulled out the slip of paper. "'Your enthusiasm towards work will soon pay off'...really now? I wonder what that means." She shrugged. "Yours was better."
Sasori grinned, crumbling up his slip and pocketing it. "Would a windfall mean an orgy or just alot of sex with one person, do you think?"
Tenten carefully smoothed her out, pulling out her wallet and sticking it inside. "Oh, I think it could go either way, but it definitely implies some nakie time."
"Yummy." Sasori offered her the pieces of his cookie. "I don't like the cookie, just the fortunes..." He grinned once more, taking a sip of tea.
"You don't like the cookie?" Tenten looked aghast for a moment before nodding at her luck. "Well then, thank you. I usually have to beg for extra cookies."
"I don't like sweets. Chocolate all the way but nothing else." He shrugged his shoulders helplessly before reaching for the hot towel and rubbing it over his hands and pressing it to his face lightly.
"I remember you said that. Well, now I know not to share my aunt's fortune cookie recipe with you, unless I dip them in chocolate first." She grinned, munching on the cookie as she lightly patted her hands.
"If you did that I'd just shove it in my face without opening it and end up with some extra fiber because I ate the slip of paper."
"I'd play it safe and put the fortune on the side, or make it really visible. Maybe I could write really small in the chocolate."
"I don't know if that would help." He laughed, overly loud as usual and quickly ended, though seemingly meant well. "If I see chocolate I have a tendency to stuff my face."
"I'd be afraid of what you'd do to a fondue fountain then." She got a mental image of him sticking his face right in the flow and had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing
"You really don't want to know..." He covered his face with his hand to hide a light blush of embarrassment.
"Would it be scary-funny or scary-tragic, do you think?" She didn't want to press the issue, but now she had to know.
"A little of both... My grandmother made the mistake of putting some out at the last family gathering..." Which meant the two of them alone. They had no family.
"I see...um, if you don't mind me saying it sounds like you do a lot to keep in touch with your family. It's rare to meet someone who still keeps in touch once they move out." She certainly didn't.
"Really?" He smiled again, showing the dimple and a line of white, straight teeth, but somewhere in his large, brown eyes, he was sad. Unhappy about his family. Unhappy bringing them up. The only thing that brought him simple joy was the charade he had put up with her in pretending they were still alive. "Do you?"
"Well, sort of. I call them every week to check in and let them know I'm alive, and we make plans to see each other on important days." She suddenly felt self-conscious, as if talking about family was a little deeper to her than typical date conversation. "Moving away was hard for me because they were supportive, so I've been trying to distance myself."
"I can't understand people who shun their families after they move out... especially when you have good, solid parents who have been supportive. It's like biting the hand that fed and clothed you. Calling is good." Sasori would never had shunned his parents; he had adored them too much, and still did. But then again, if they were still here, things would have ended up a little differently... "Anyway, back to pleasant topics... well, sort of." Sasori pocketed his phone as a Styrofoam container of orange chicken and a tin-foil wrapped egg roll, all in a plastic bag, were set by him and he handed the waiter his credit card.
"I'm only trying to distance myself because this is the first time since before I was born they'll have some alone time. I don't want them to think I can't survive without them." As the waiter walked away Tenten pulled out her wallet and smiled, blinking expectantly. "How much do I owe you?" She looked down at the table for a bill, fully intending to pay for her part of things. She didn't want him to think she expected him to pay, since she worked and definitely had some money.
Sasori blinked a few times and leaned his arm on the table, leaning forward a moment before leaning back and resting a finger over the curve of his upper lip. "Owe me? You don't owe me anything, the interesting conversation would have paid me back even if I had been expecting you to pay your way, which I wasn't."
Tenten blushed brightly as she slid her wallet back into one of her pockets and nodded. "If you say so, this just means if we go out again I'll pay. It's only fair." She wouldn't take no for an answer on that either, since she saw nothing wrong with the idea of trading off paying. "Thank you, the food was excellent."
"Like hell you are." Sasori got up and pulled on his overcoat, then got hers for her and held it out so she could slip it on. "It is an unspoken rule that the guy pays. I don't have very many expenses so this is a good way for me to get rid of the cash on my card before I invest in cigarettes or something."
Tenten slipped her arms inside her coat, quietly amazed at how gentlemanly Sasori was being towards her. She was no lady, and as such felt like a fish out of water being treated like one. "A..are you sure? I mean, I hardly have any expenses either, and I don't see why rules can't be broken from time to time..."
"No, I insist." He carefully took the bill from the waiter and signed, then took his card and slipped it back in his wallet. "Do you work on Thursdays?"
"Alright then." She smiled softly, shock still apparent on her face. "Not unless somebody calls in. I usually go to the dojo for a bit in the morning though."
"Well I work until about one in the afternoon that day and have the rest off, so if it's ok with you and you feel comfortable on the bike, we could ride over and check out that Mexican place?" he asked, going to hold the door to the restaurant open for her.
He was asking her on a second date, or sort of date? Tenten's heart jumped in her chest as she tried to stay cool. "I'd like that, although you'll have to tell me the best way to not fall off your bike." She was feeling giddy, the idea of seeing him again giving her a pleasant feeling.
"Oh that involves some koala-clinging, but I'll give you a full run-down when it's time to go, so you don't forget." He smiled. He could read looks; he had her under his Prince Charming spell.
"I've been told I'm a good grappler, so I'm sure I'll be fine." He had a nice smile, and the more she thought about all the doom she predicted during the night the more chastened she felt.
"Then I guess we're pretty set. So... Thursday? I'll call or post a journal with details?" He slipped his hand through the loop in the plastic bag so he could pocket his hands.
"Thursday is fine for me. I'll look forward to it. You have my number, and I'm sure I'll be online to see if you make a post instead, so whatever easier for you." She slid her hands in her pockets as well, pulling her coat tighter around her.
"Perfect." He grinned, then pointed in either direction on the street. "Want me to walk you home? There's nasty people out and about... but then you'd be better protected than I would, Miss Martial-arts."
Tenten laughed softly, shaking her head. "I shouldn't have gotten to passionate talking about that, huh?" She sighed. "You are welcome to if you like, or I can walk you home. It's on my way."
"No, it was interesting, don't worry about it." Sasori grinned, then assumed a thoughtful air. "Actually, if you find yourself able to take care of yourself, I'm going to stop by my clinic and get some cough mixture for my friend. It's out of your way but in mine."
"I'm glad you found it interesting. Maybe we can talk about it more next time." Tenten nodded at his next statement, keeping a positive attitude. "That's fine, you should definitely go get that for your friend. I'm a big girl, I'll be fine." She paused, unsure of what to do next. "Thanks again."
Sasori paused, face blank, rocking back and for a bit as if unsure to move forward or not. He knew what he had to do, or was supposed to do... but god almighty he was not going to enjoy it. Finally, with a little inward, expertly hidden sigh, he leaned forward, kissed her quickly on the cheek and leaned back. "Bye," he said with an awkward little wave before turning and all but power-walking away. Just because he was Prince Charming didn't mean he had to like kissing.
Tenten was shocked, so shocked that she just stood there watching him leave. He...kissed her. She hadn't actually been in a situation where kissing had come up before, so that was a first. For all her bravado and semi-knowledgeable talk, she was incredibly inexperienced. Finally snapping out of it, she gave a little wave and cheerily called out. "Bye, see you Thursday." before heading in the direction of her place. She noticed how quickly he walked, and blamed it on the cold as she recounted the evening in her head. All in all, a very noteworthy night.