Score one for the nice guy! Maybe even a few bonus points. Asuma debated if suggesting a bandanna would be pushing his luck, then turned his attention to the waiting server.

He opened his mouth, frowned briefly, and closed it.

Damn, his first non-barracks/non-rations meal in the three years, and he couldn't order a steak. That pretty much sucked in any language you'd care to name--and he could name a few.

"You have a non-meat option?" he asked, leaning his elbows on the table. "Preferably one that's as unhealthy as possible."

"Tempura?" the server suggested, with a look that said he was trying very hard not to raise his eyebrows.

"Think you could fry it extra?" Asuma pulled up his best I'm an awesome guy and don't you want to do this one tiny favour for me? grin.

The server's lips twitched. He made a note on his pad. "One special--" he hesitated, glancing at Kuromaru, who now had his front paws on the table. "Raw. One special, cooked. One order--"

"Extra large."

"One extra large order of tempura. Extra fried. Drinks?"

Tsume ordered beer. Kuromaru wanted beer, but had to be content with water.

Asuma ordered ramune, got a three-way look of disbelief from both Inuzuka and their server, and called himself content. "What? It's the best soda ever." He leaned his head back against the booth with a lazy smile, focusing on good food and interesting people and everything happening right now. "Hey, Kuro, think you could get something shiny on that eyepatch? You'd drive the ladies mad."