Just a Simple Bet Chapter 1

Ok, thoughts in italics.

Disclaimer: Goddammit! You people all know I don’t own Naruto, cuz if I did, then this would be an actual episode!

Gawd.    ~Neopuff

Just A Simple Bet

Chapter 1: The Bet

“RIVAL!” Gai Sensei was running up to the copy nin, yelling and jumping around like an idiot. Kakashi just sighed and went back to his book.

My God… leave me alone Gai…

“Rival!” Gai Sensei repeated, this time all up in Kakashi’s face.

He sighed. “What?” Kakashi slightly looked up from his book, seeing Gai’s smiling, yet disturbing face.

Gai took his pointer finger and swung it into Kakashi’s face. “I challenge you to…” Kakashi already got bored and turned back to his book. “Aww… C’mon!” Gai went into a slump. “Can’t you at least hear what the challenge is?!”

Kakashi looked up out of pity. “Fine,” He closed the book and faced the spandex-wearing sensei. “What is your challenge?”

“We both know that there is an interesting couple in each of our groups…” Gai started.

Kakashi shuddered, thinking Gai wanted to see which one of them could get their kunoichi to fall in love with them first.

“I’m talking about yours and my prodigy and kunoichi,” Gai went into his nice-guy pose. “I can tell that they like each other, but are afraid of rejection.” He put his hands over his heart in an over-dramatic pose.

Kakashi sighed, knowing what Gai was about to say.

“So I bet that I can get Tenten and Neji together in 5 days and you can’t get Sakura and Sasuke together in close the amount of time!” Gai put his finger on Kakashi’s, uh, nose, I guess.

“Uh… what?” Kakashi asked pathetically.

“And I said that I bet I can get my prodigy and kunoichi together in 5 days and you can’t!” Gai smiled.

“Hmm…” Kakashi took a look back at his book. “And what do you mean by, together?” He smiled evily.

Gai Sensei twitched. “No!” He scolded Kakashi’s disturbing fantasies. “I mean together by knowing each other’s feelings, not anything in that book of yours!”

“Hn,” Kakashi smirked. “What if they want to…”

“No way!” Gai Sensei twitched at the thought of 12 year olds doing things like that. “We just need to get them to go on an official date! That means that one has to ask the other one out!” Nice-guy pose.

Kakashi smirked again. “Well I’m already halfway done.” He recalled Sakura telling Sasuke she loves him all the time.

“But it’s going to be difficult to get the Uchiha to admit his feelings…” Gai smirked.

Kakashi thought back at Sasuke being such a loner, and really hating when Sakura gets all ‘I love you’ on him. “Oh crap,” Kakashi also thought about Gai’s two students, one which was almost as bad as Sasuke. “Well, ok. This should be interesting,”

“Also,” Gai added in. “Your free student can help!”

Naruto… Kakashi thought about his student’s obsession with Sakura. Helping to get Sasuke and Sakura together..? It was impossible. But, also, it would be fun. “Ok,” He said to Gai. “What are the stakes?”

“If I win,” Gai smiled evily. “Then you have to go around Konoha singing, ‘I lost to Maito Gai! He is greater than me in every way!’ in a ballerina tutu! Bwahaha…”

Kakashi sighed at the evil laughter. “And if I win?”

“You can decide,”

Kakashi pondered for a moment, and then you could almost see him smiling. “If I win, you have to go around Konoha saying, ‘Youth is wasted on the young! I have no youth left and I just steal it from my lover and student, Rock Lee…”

Gai cut him off. “I will not call young Lee my ‘lover,’ as you call it,” Gai pouted. “It is wrong,”

“Fine, ‘Youth is wasted on the young! I have no youth left and I just steal it from my student, Lee! Also I love ponies and if I were one my name would be Peggy!’ in a pony suit,” Kakashi silently laughed and crossed his arms.

“Peggy?” The green spandex-wearing jounin commented. “Ah, whatever. Well, time starts…” He took a look at his watch. Tick, tock, tick, tock, ti… “NOW!!!” Gai Sensei ran over to Lee to discuss his plans.

“Hn,” Kakashi slowly got up. “Wait. What am I doing? I’ve got 5 days,” He reminded himself, and got back to his book.

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“Young Lee!” Gai Sensei shouted to his favorite student.

“Yes Sensei?” Lee came up to his almost identical sensei.

“I need your help with a project,” Gai Sensei told his eager student.

“Yes sensei!” Lee put a hand against his forehead. “What do you need?”

“I need you to help me…” Gai Sensei started. “…get Neji to ask Tenten on a date!”

Lee had a confused look for a second but shook it off. “Why sensei?” He looked up at his sensei strangely.

Gai studdered. “Well…” He started to think of a better reason besides a bet. “Uh… I think they’ll… work better… together… if they go on a date..?”

Lee gleamed. “That makes sense!” He jumped up. “But what about me?”

“Well young Lee,” Gai put a hand on his students shoulder. “You work well enough with everyone!”

Lee smiled. “GAI SENSEI!”

“LEE!”

“GAI SENSEI!”

“LEE!”

Hugs and tears all around.

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“…..” Came from a figure in the bushes. “Me… and…” The figure looked back towards another figure practicing kaiten. “Neji?” She flushed a bit but shook it off.

“Huh?” Neji walked over to his teammate sitting on the ground. “What do you need?”

Tenten just sighed and stood up. “It’s nothing,” She figured if Gai tried anything, she could tell Neji then.

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Kakashi sighed. “Well, I guess I could just get it over with now,” He closed his finished book and started walking over towards team 7’s training ground.

Sasuke was training with Naruto and Sakura.

“Alright, that’s enough training for today, Naruto,” Kakashi walked up to his blonde student, trying to make up an excuse to separate him from the others.

“But I just got here 5 minutes ago…” Naruto started to question but Kakashi quickly covered his mouth and pulled him away.

“Just keep practicing, I need to talk to Naruto alone,” Kakashi told Sakura and Sasuke, who were staring at Naruto trying to bite Kakashi’s hand.

After another 20 seconds, Kakashi figured he had brought Naruto far enough away to explain what he was doing. “Alright Naruto, listen to me,” He started to explain. “You’re not gonna like what I say at first, so just wait until I finish,”

“Ok, so what is it sensei?” Naruto had a confused look on his face.

“I need you to help me…” He sighed in embarrassment, if that’s even possible for Kakashi. “Get, Sasuke, to ask… Sakura… on a…” Sighs. “…date…”

“WHAT!?!?” Naruto screamed and pointed at his sensei. “WHY THE HELL WOULD I DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!!!!???” Why the hell does HE wanna do that?

“I said you should let me finish,” Kakashi was sure his plan would work. “If Sakura finally goes out with Sasuke, she’ll be happy, right?”

“She shouldn’t.”

“…” Kakashi sighed again. “And if Sasuke goes out with her, he’ll be rude and abusive, right?” Or maybe not…

Naruto’s eyes perked up. “Yeah…”

“And then Sakura will realize that she didn’t really like Sasuke at all,” Kakashi hated himself for this. “And she’ll break up with him and come running to you for comfort,” Or just ignore it and go bragging to Ino…

“DATTEBAYO!!!” Naruto jumped up in the air, fist first. “YEAH! I’ll definitely help you, Kakashi-sensei!” He smiled and squealed some more, fantasizing about Sakura obsessing over him instead of Sasuke!

“Perfect,” Kakashi, uh, I don’t know, but I could’ve sworn he smiled!

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“So Sasuke,” Sakura dodged a kunai. “What do you think Kakashi Sensei wanted Naruto for?”

“Hn,” Sasuke thought for a moment. “He probably just got in trouble again,” That idiot…

“Cheah, what a dork!” Sakura smiled and twtched a little. I wonder what he did this time…

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“Alright my youthful student,” Gai Sensei was on one knee with a hand on Lee’s shoulder. “Here’s the plan…”

Gai whispered something into Lee’s ear. (Oh like I’d tell you people now)

“Yosh!” Lee jumped up. “What should I do first?”

“I need you to go find out if I was right,” Gai Sensei told his young student.

“Alright sensei, but there is no need!” Lee put his hand against his forehead. “You are always right!” Then he ran off towards their training ground.

What a kid…

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“NEJI!” Lee screamed towards his teammate. “I HAVE AN IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR YOOOU!!!”

Neji was still sparring with Tenten, and having Lee running towards them was not his idea of a good time. Maybe if I ignore him he’ll go away…

Lee got up to them and saw Tenten was there, too. “Uh, Tenten? Can I borrow Neji for a minute?”

Neji flinched. What can he need to ask me that Tenten can’t hear it?

“Sure,” Tenten smiled and walked away.

After about 10 seconds, Lee went straight up in Neji’s face. “Neji!”

“What…”

“I want to know…” The genin took a dramatic pause. “What. You. Think. About… Tenten!”

“Tenten is a strong kunoichi, a weapons mistress, and she my training parter.” Neji answered quickly and as accurately as he felt possible.

“Yes… but I mean, how do you feeeel about her…?” Lee’s eyes got big and he put as much emphisis as possible.

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Tenten, at Ichiraku Ramen, sneezed.

“Well I hope nobody’s saying anything bad about you,” The ramen dude assured her.

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“Feel?” Neji thought for a second. What does he mean by feel? In just another second, Neji figured out what his teammate was implying, forcing him to turn a light shade of pink.

Noticing this, Lee jumped up and started laughing. “HA! I knew it! You luuurve her!”

“Do… not…” I know I don’t love Tenten. Neji tried to excuse his, uh, pink-ness but Lee interrupted him.

“Neji and Tenten, sitting in a tree!” The ‘Green Beast of Konoha’ taunted. “K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes luuuurve… then come marriage! Then comes Neji Junier in the baby carriage!” He even thought up his own little dance, which, during some parts, you wish you hadn’t seen.

Neji turned even redder, out of embarrassment or anger, I don’t know. But there was some anger, or he probably wouldn’t have grabbed Lee’s shirt and thrown him straight into the air.

“NOT TRUE!” Neji screamed up at the little green and orange he could see.

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Back at Ichiraku, Tenten was just finishing up her ramen when suddenly…

“AAAHHHH!!!” Lee fell out of the sky and behind Tenten. Oww…

“Lee?” Tenten sighed. I guess he’s done talking to Neji… “Are you ok?”

“Yeah…” Lee got up slowly and painfully. “Never better,” He noticed that Tenten was around and Neji wasn’t, so it was time to check with her! “Umm… can you come with me for a minute?”

“Uh.. sure… whoa!” Tenten yelled as Lee pulled her to a secluded area. “What do you want?” She asked Lee angrily.

“I want to know…” Lee did the same as he did with Neji. “What. You. Think. Of. Neji.”

What brought this up? “Uh, well… he’s a strong shinobi, is from the Hyuuga clan, and my training partner. What of it?” Tenten answered him straight.

Geez. Gai Sensei’s right, those two do belong together. “I know that, but I meant how do you feeeel about Neji?” Lee smiled and raised his eyebrows.

Tenten knew what he meant, but she was different from Neji and held back any blushes if necessary, to Lee’s dissapointment. “LIKE I’D TELL YOU SOMETHING LIKE THAT!!!!” She punched him and Lee went straight into the ground. Gawd…

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“Gai sensei?” Lee walked up to his sensei, still rubbing the back of his head.

“Yes my youthful Lee!” Gai sensei greeted Lee with a warm smile. “Did you find out if I was correct or not?”

“Well… kind of…” Lee stammered. “Neji blushed when I mentioned Tenten, so I know he likes her. But Tenten… I have a feeling she’d only talk to a girl about stuff like that!”

“That’s alright, Lee!” Gai sensei assured him. “Just get Ino or Hinata to do it!”

“Why not Sakura?” My beautiful flower… Lee asked excitedly.

“Well… uh…” Lee can’t know about this bet… Gai sensei stuttered. “She and Tenten, aren’t as close as Hinata or Ino and Tenten........?”

“Oh!” Lee perked back up. “Alright sensei, I will go get one of them!” He leaped into the air, obviously forgetting about the big bump on the back of his head.

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“Wait Sensei,” Naruto pointed at Kakashi. “Why do you wanna do this?”

“So…” Aww… crap. I can't tell him it's a bet! He'll never believe my lie from earlier! What’ll he believe? Oh, wait… Kakashi smiled. “So you can get your girl!”

Naruto smiled. “Well, I guess that is a good reason… alright! Now, what’re you gonna do?”

(I’ll give you this one) “We’re gonna set them up in a romantic setting…” Kakashi recalled part of his book where the guy tried to get the girl to fall for him. “And then… uh…” What was it…? Damn… uh…

“Then..?” Naruto asked impatiently. “What?”

“Then…we…” Kakashi came up with the simplest answer possible. “...wait. And if something goes wrong, I’ll have you interfere!”

“…….” Naruto just stared at his seemingly crazy teacher. “Uh… okay… Let’s go get some fancy-looking stuff!” He smiled. Kakashi-sensei is so weird sometimes…

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“Hey, uh, Ino!” Yeah that’s it! Lee ran towards the blonde, waving his hands in the air.

Oh great, him. “Hi, Lee,” Ino cracked a smile. “What’cha need?”

“I need to ask a favor of you,” He was right next to her now. “Can you find out if Tenten likes Neji for me? Pleeeeeeaaaase?!?” He got down on his knees and begged.

Ino twitched. “Why?”

“I don’t really know,” Lee confessed. “Gai Sensei wanted to know,”

“Alright,” Ino shrugged. “Just stay here,”

Ino walked around Konoha until she finally found Tenten. “Tenten! Hi!” She waved.

“Hi,” Oh, crap. What’s her name? I know it begins with an i… aw screw it! Tenten decided. “Uh, sorry, but what’s your name again?”

“It’s Ino,”

“I’m sorry,”

“That’s ok, I guess I’m used to it,” Ino lied through her teeth. “Well, I wanted to just have a girl talk with you!”

“Umm… ok,” Tenten smiled. “What do you wanna talk about?”

“How about a girls' number 1 subject?”

…Dammit… “And what would that be?” The brunette asked.

“Boys!” Ino shouted matter-of-fact—ly.

Tenten flinched. Don’t say what I think you’re gonna say…

“So do you like Neji as much as everyone says you do?” Ino smiled evily.

Tenten eyes widened. “As much as everyone says?” She quoted. “As how much does who say..?”

Ino sighed in confusion. “People think you like Neji,” She looked straight into Tenten’s eyes. “A lot,”

“Well how’d they figure, I mean, why do they say that!?” She knows, I know she knows… dammit dammit dammit… Tenten accidentally admitted.

“I don’t know…” Ino replied sheepishly. “Maybe because it’s obvious…”

Tenten looked up. “Are, are you serious?” She sighed. “Do, do you think he knows?”

“Probably not,” Ino reassured her upset comrade. “Guys never know who you like when you like them… well… unless you go up and tell them…”

Tenten forced a chuckle. “Yeah, right,” She checked back in her memory, just in case. “Nope,” She breathed heavily. “He has no idea,”

End Chapter

Man, at first I wanted this to be a oneshot, but I cannot make oneshots! I hate that!