Sure, let's go on a date?

"Sure, let's go on a date."

Kurenai’s hands pause at the hem of your shirt, her fingers curling into the fabric. She blinks, her predatory confidence faltering for the first time since you entered the room. Her head tilts to the side, her expression is one of a surprise. "When I complimented you about being unpredictable, I don't expect you to pull this off again and again."

"Hey, gotta protect the reputation."

"A date?" Kurenai repeats, the word sounding foreign. "Naruto, I just spent the afternoon telling you how the world sees me. I offered you... this. I'm dressed like this, the room, the bedding... why would you want to go out?"

You shrug, a casual, easy grin spreading across your face. "You said you wanted to have some fun, right? Well, a date is fun. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a good one. So, might as well."

Kurenai lets go of your shirt, crossing her arms over her silk robe as she studies you with a bit of frown. "You know, I was sarcastic when I said that you're on time."

"Oh, I was late?"

"No. What I mean is that most men would have expected to have me on this bed thirty minutes ago."

"I understand their predicament. They can't help finishing early."

Kurenai stares at you, wide-eyed. "Say again?"

"Since they started early, they will finish earl..."

You stop as Kurenai giggle, her melodious laughter a stark difference from her voice moments before. "Really? A 'Dad joke'?"

"I learned from the best," you reply, your thought wandering to Jiraiya.

Kurenai wiped a stray tear off her eyes. "That's horrible. Still, a date?" she repeated.

You lean agains the window frame. "But I spent a lot of time traveling with Pervy Sage. During those trips, I learned a lot about how the world works. Escorts, prostitutes... they’re all providing a service, right? And the golden rule is that the client gets to decide what the 'fun' is." You hold up a hand before Kurenai asks, "Yes, he does pay for it whenever he feels the itch. But, more than half the time, he spent the time dining, drinking, or doing something else with them."

"For what?"

"Intel. While I was 'too young to do it' then, I'm pretty sure there's no law preventing a prostitute going to a dinner with a customer, since there's that time where Jiraiya and an escort went to have a special tea and sasshimi dinner."

"STOP! STOP! Don't give me images!" Kurenai said while holding up her hand. "I'm sure that dinner isn't what you think."

"Okay, but back to my earlier request. I'm your favorite customer, right? I’m choosing how to spend it."

Kurenai lets out a short, breathy laugh again. "You’re using my logic to take me to dinner? That’s... incredibly bold."

You push off the wall and hold out a hand to her. "We can still come back here later. If you really feel like it then, I’m not gonna say no. I already told you, you’re beautiful. But for now... let's go get some food and talk like normal people."

Kurenai looks at your hand, then up at your face. The hard, sultry mask she’d put on earlier cracks, revealing something much warmer underneath. She let out a long breath in exasperation before nodding. "You're a brat," she whispers, though there's no heat in it. "A complete and utter brat. But... alright. Give me ten minutes to change into something approriate. If we're doing this, you're buying the first round of sake."

"Only first one. I don't want a Tsunade in making."

"Brat."