Chapter 19 - Madness? This...Is...A...SLUMBER PARTY!

The next day dawned bright and early. Gaara and Kankuro, however, saw none of this; they instead decided they’d sleep in.

Their door creaked open, revealing an ominous shadowed figure. The figure stalked into Sakura’s guest room, silently skipping over piles of clothing that the boys had so carelessly left on the floor. In one hand she held a pack of markers; in the other she held a squeeze bottle of honey. Stealing up to the redhead on the top bunk, she uncapped a pink marker, and began to draw…

~~~~~~~~~~

Gaara and Kankuro were jerked out of their peaceful sleep by the sound of Akara screaming.

“BOTH OF YOU GET YOUR LAZY ASSES UP OR ELSE! I SWEAR I’LL COME IN THERE AND GET YOU UP MYSELF IF YOU DON’T!”

Gaara woke with a jerk, and promptly fell on the floor. Kankuro had banged his head on the top bunk, and was currently rubbing his forehead. Gaara rubbed his hair, and paused.

There was something in his hair.

Something STICKY.

“TEMARI!”

~~~~~~~~~~

“What did you do, Akara-chan?”

Akara giggled into her eggs. “Poured honey in their hair and drew on their faces.”

Gaara and Kankuro burst into the kitchen, both in a foul mood. Gaara had little pink hearts on his face, a red heart where his tattoo usually was, and a green clover on his forehead. The circles around his eyes were darker, and looked a bit smeared. Kankuro, on the other hand, had red, blue, purple, yellow, and green squiggles and curlicues on his face. They both had twin death glares, and their hair was spiked with honey.

Both boys glared at a now-laughing Akara.

“Kami,” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes, “you two look absolutely ridiculous!”

“It was your doing, wasn’t it?”

“Got that right, Gaara-sama.”

“Fix it. Now.”

“No.”

Gaara glared at her again. Normally, people would wither under this look. Not Akara: she just started laughing harder.

“You know,” she said between gales of laughter, “You’re hilarious when you’re trying to be scary. Like a toddler who doesn’t get his way…”

“Excuse me? A toddler? What are you then, a five-year-old?”

“You can’t come up with a better insult, can you?”

Gaara opened his mouth to yell, but found he couldn’t think of a thing to say. Akara smirked.

“You’ve been owned, Kazekage-sama. Owned for the third time. How’s it feel to lose to a girl?”

He turned away, stalking to the bathroom. “Shut up.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Sakura decided to have a slumber party while the Sand Sibs were still there. Pulling out futons and pillows, Akara and Sakura prepared the room while Temari was popping popcorn.

“So, Akara-chan,” she said, “do you argue often with Gaara-kun?”

Akara grinned. “He makes it too easy…it’s funny how riled up he can get…”

“Riled up?”

“Yeah… you know, this is the third time I embarrassed him in front of other people. I did it once on the way to the tower; once again on the day I first visited Konoha, and today. It’s really rather fun.”

“Fun? Oh,” said Temari, walking in with a huge bowl of popcorn in hand, “you mean bugging the hell out of Gaara? That’s entertainment of a sort you can’t find anywhere else on the planet.”

“When are the others arriving,” asked Akara. Sakura looked at her alarm clock.

“About a half hour. I invited Kaori-chan, Kizumi-chan, Hinata-chan, Maria-san, Tenten-chan, and Ino-chan.”
“I don’t believe I’ve met Ino-chan,” said Akara as she pulled out her nightclothes. They all began to get dressed, gossiping over the Jonin and Chuunin guys. Akara wore a red tube top, black silk pants, and her hair up in a loose bun. Temari had let down her hair, and wore purple and off-white silk pajamas. Sakura wore a pink tank top and red shorts, with her hair down. The doorbell rang, and they all ran out giggling.

“Hey,” said Kaori and Kizumi happily as they entered. Kaori wore sky blue cotton sweatpants, a white tank top, and her honey blonde hair in a long braid. Kizumi wore pink and purple pajamas with blue flowers on them and her brown hair in a ponytail.

“Hey, Kaori-chan,” said Akara, letting them in, “did you bring…?”

“Yup,” said Kaori, “Memoirs of a Geisha and House of Flying Daggers. Oh, and Hero if the boys decide to join us.”

“Speaking of which,” said Sakura, “What are the boys going to do?”

“Naruto invited a bunch of them to his house for a guy’s only sleepover,” said Temari.

The bell rang again, and Ino and Tenten entered, Hinata in tow. Ino wore purple short-shorts and a white tank top, hair in its signature ponytail. Hinata had left her hair down, and wore white silk pajamas. Tenten wore red satin pajamas with a gold dragon stitched on it, her hair up in her usual buns.

“Let’s get the party started!”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Man, this party’s boring,” said Kankuro.

Gaara, Kankuro, Shikamaru, Lee, Neji, Choji, Kiba, and Shino were at Naruto’s apartment, and the truth was that the party was going nowhere. Naruto looked over at Kankuro angrily.

“I’d like to see you come up with an idea,” he said irritably. Gaara groaned.

“You’re all a bunch of idiots.”

Neji looked over at Gaara. “Oh, and you have an idea?”

“I do.”

Shikamaru sat up. “What is it?”

Gaara smirked. “First rule of being the youngest: snoop on the elder sister’s party.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Honestly, Hinata-chan,” said Kaori, “You have such pretty hair!”

“I know,” said Ino, “even I’m jealous!”

The girls were all doing each other’s hair, radio on and gossip flowing.

“So Kaori,” said Sakura, braiding Akara’s hair, “you have a thing for Neji, don’t you?”

Kaori choked on her drink. “Are you serious,” she exclaimed, “He’d never like someone like me!”

“A-actually,” said Hinata, piping in as Ino wove white ribbon into Hinata’s dark hair, “Neji-nii-san a-always t-told me he w-wanted a sweet, p-pretty girl. S-someone who was smart, b-but shy...”

“But I’m not pretty in the least!”

“Oh stop being so modest,” said Temari, brushing her sandy blonde hair, “You look very pretty.”

“Tema-chan’s right,” Akara said, mouth full of popcorn, “You’re way prettier than me.”

“Now Akara-chan’s being modest,” said Kizumi. Sakura and Ino laughed.

“Akara, you are a beauty in your own right,” said Sakura, tying a red ribbon onto the end of Akara’s braid, “I’m surprised that Kankuro and Gaara don’t say so every day.”

“Gaara-sama would never…!” began Akara. Temari stopped her.

“Nope. I think he likes you. And from how you just reacted, I’d say you like him too.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Gaara whacked his forehead on a tree branch. Kankuro snorted.

“Smooth move, Kazekage.”

“Shut up, Kankuro,” he said, rubbing his forehead. Neji smirked.

“Why so nervous? Did Temari speak the truth?”

“All of you shut up. They’re talking again.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“I do NOT like Gaara-sama!”

Kaori snorted. “You realize that by making a huge deal out of it, you immediately prove us right, right?”

“Point is, I do not like Gaara-sama,” said Akara, pouting. Temari just shook her head.

“Whatever…let’s do karaoke!”

“Okay!”

SNAP! CRASH! Thud…

“KUSO! KANKURO, YOU IDIOT!”

The girls all looked out the window. Then they burst out laughing.

The branch the boys had been sitting on had apparently crashed to the ground. Kiba and Naruto were sprawled on the ground, Lee sitting on their backs. A disgruntled Neji blew a strand of hair out of his face while Shino got up off Neji’s legs to dust himself off. Shikamaru and Choji were a tangle of limbs, and Gaara had a half-unconcious Kankuro on his back.

“Get off me you fat asshole,” said Gaara as he pushed his brother off of him. Akara and Temari laughed harder.

“Looks like you boys got here just in time for karaoke,” said Sakura.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Who’s up first,” asked Kankuro, flopping down on the couch in his sleep clothes. The boys had deliberated, and decided they would join the girls. Kankuro in question wore black shorts and a gray shirt. No one answered his query.

“How about Akara-san,” said Gaara. Akara whacked him in the head.

“ABOSOLUTELY NOT!”

“You think you can’t do it?”

Akara pouted. “No…I just don’t think I’m that good…”

Kaori and Temari looked at each other, and sprouted twin evil grins.

“Go ahead,” said Temari,” I’ve never heard you sing before…”
“You’ll love it,” said Kaori, “She’s awesome.”

“No, I am NOT good in any sense of the word.”

“Do it,” called out Kankuro. Soon, the entire room was yelling and calling for her to go up. Finally, she relented.

“Alright, fine. But I get to choose my own song.”

She walked up, and flipped through the song list. She paused on one, and selected it.

“I can’t believe I’m about to do this…”

Hey Jude, don’t make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

She began to sway in place, eyes half-shut and voice smooth and soft.

Hey Jude, don’t be afraid.
You were made to go out and get her.
The minute you let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.

She raised her eyes to look at Gaara. He locked eyes with her, and she immediately flicked her eyes away.

And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain,
Don’t carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that it’s a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.

Gaara was dumbstruck. Her voice held all of them spellbound.

Hey Jude, don’t let me down.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

She wandered among them, eyes no longer looking at the screen. Occasionally, she’d pause by one of them, only to continue on to the next person.

So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin,
You’re waiting for someone to perform with.
And don’t you know that its just you, hey Jude, you’ll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.

Kaori and Temari suddenly got up, and joined Akara in the song. Each of them sang beautifully, harmonizing with the others.

Hey Jude, don’t make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her under your skin,
Then you’ll begin to make it
Better better better better better better, oh.

All three walked to the front of the group, and began swaying side to side, smiles on their faces.

Na na na na na ,na na na, hey Jude...
Na na na na na ,na na na, hey Jude...
Na na na na na ,na na na, hey Jude...

“Okay, Gaara-sama! You sing now!”

“Uh…no.”

Temari smirked. “Don’t make me use the Shojo Face again…”

“Alright fine! I’ll do it.”

Gaara got up. He wore a black shirt and a pair of red boxers. Snatching the microphone from Akara, he turned to face the group.

“I want you all to know that you guys suck.”

“We love you too, Gaara,” said Kankuro, “so shut up and sing.”

Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?

His voice was rough, but had a soft quality. He closed eyes and sang low and sweet.

Dear Prudence, open up your eyes
Dear Prudence, see the sunny skies
The wind is low, the birds will sing
That you are part of everything
Dear Prudence, won't you open up your eyes?

He paused, and everyone laughed in an easygoing way. Dear Prudence was Akara’s favorite song, and she joined in.

Look around round
Look around round round
Look around

Gaara grinned, and Akara laughed.

Dear Prudence, let me see you smile
Dear Prudence, like a little child
The clouds will be a daisy chain
So let me see you smile again
Dear Prudence, won't you let me see you smile?

He looked at her when he sang it. She knew he did. It was hard to miss, and since he asked so nicely, she did as he’d asked: she gave him a smile, her real smile, the one he’d only seen on a rooftop in Suna, moonlight shining on her tear-stained face.

Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?

The song ended, and the group all clapped. Kankuro walked up to his brother, and tousled his hair. “Great job, bro! Looks like those singing lessons paid off!”

“I hate singing.”

“Shame…you’re so good at it, too…”

“Anyone else? Or are we going to stop the embarrassment and watch a movie?”

“Two more people need to go, then we’ll watch a movie,” said Tenten, eating some popcorn.

“Get Kaori and Ki-chan to sing,” said Akara and Maria. Both Kaori and Kizumi blanched.

“No way. Not gonna happen.”

“Too bad,” said Akara, throwing them both a microphone.

“But…!”

“Relax, it’s Cascada.”

How, how am I supposed to feel
When everything surrounding me
Is nothing but a fake disguise
I don't know,
I don't know where I belong
It's time for me to carry on
I'll say goodbye

Kaori jumped in first, Kizumi following close behind. They both knew the lyrics by heart, so it was okay that they weren’t looking at the screen.

I can't stop the rain from fallin'
I'm drownin in these tears I cry
Since you left without a warning
I face the dawn with sleepless eyes
No I can't go on
When clouds are pushin' down on me, boy
I can't stop, I can't stop the rain
From fallin

Sakura jumped in with them, followed by Ino. They all began to get louder and louder, and everyone was cat-calling and having a good time.

So, tell me where I went wrong
I'm stuck inside a dream long gone
It's hard to reveal the truth
Your love,
Is nothing but a bitter taste
It's better if I walk away,
Away from you

They jumped up on the coffee table, and they all did their own thing, eerily in-sync.

I can't stop the rain from fallin'
Im drownin in these tears I cry
Since you left without a warning
I face the dawn with sleepless eyes
No I can't go on
When clouds are pushin' down on me, boy
I can't stop, I can't stop the rain
From fallin

“Awesome, Ki-chan,” said Akara, glomping her friend, “You and Kaori both!”

“Thanks, ‘Kara-chan!”

“Now, can we watch a movie?”

Akara looked at Naruto. “Yeah…but you boys won’t like it…”

Gaara smirked at Akara. “Try us.”

“You asked for it…”

~~~~~~~~~~

They all ended up watching Memoirs of a Geisha, much to the boys’ grief. The girls would sigh dreamily whenever someone did something romantic, while the boys just sat there, wallowing in their own boredom. In fact, the only boy who was actually enjoying the movie was Lee.

“Why do you even like this crap,” asked Kankuro as he stared at the screen in boredom. Lee did a Good Guy pose.

“Because this movie shows the wonderous passion of YOUTH!”

“I’d thought it’d be something like that,” said Shikamaru drowsily. Akara and the other girls glared at him.

“At least he’s watching it! Lee’s sensitive, unlike you pig-headed morons,” said Temari.

“Yeah,” said Kizumi.

“Whatever,” said Gaara, “once the movie’s over, anyone headed to Suna needs to get to sleep.”

“Aye aye, cap’n,” said Akara, pulling a mock salute.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Have a safe trip,” said Sakura, waving to Temari and the others.

“You better write to us, Akara,” said Kaori. Akara laughed.

“Pinky promise! I’ll write once I get there.”

“See ya!”

“Bye!”

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