Tsume glared at her reflection in the mirror, swatting at Tori's hand when her sister tried to apply more lipstick. "It's fine. I look like a made-up monkey."

"Trust me, you don't look anything like that," Tori said firmly, while in the background Kiba started making monkey noises.

"Mom! He's here!" Hana bellowed from the front. "And he's got a cactus!"

Tsume glanced at Tori. Tori shrugged, mouth drawn down. That alone was worth a grin. Tsume tossed one off, grabbing her ANBU cloak as she headed out of the room.

"Shoes!" Tori snatched up a pair of strappy black heels, dangling them from one finger.

Tsume barked a disbelieving laugh and sat down to pull on black boots.

"You can't wear those!"

She zipped them up and flashed another grin. "I'm wearing a dress, make-up, and watching a partner's back at something he doesn't want to go to. I'm gonna wear my boots."

"It's a date," Tori said.

"It's not a date!" At the knock on the door, Tsume hopped up and grabbed her cloak. "Someone get the--"

Taro stood in the doorway, sizing up Asuma. Her nephew turned and smirked at Tsume. "This is gonna be hilarious."

"Someone hit him," she muttered.

His father grabbed the teenager by the scruff of his neck and pulled him away. "Good to meet you, Asuma-san."

Tsume started to swirl her cloak on over her ridiculous red dress, only to have Tori grab it away and shove a nice black coat at her. "For just one night," Tori hissed, "stop being a ninja!"

"When women piss standing up," Tsume shot back, and glared Taro far enough away that she could get to the door unmolested.

When she got her first look at Asuma, her stomach dropped. Wolf's teeth, why did he have to look good? Everything was rumpled, sure, but he carried it off. All black and white formal wear with blue jeans and heavy boots, short hair and facial scruff defining a strong jaw. He was holding a potted cactus in one hand, lips twisted into a smug smile, broad shoulders relaxed and seemingly broader when framed by a black suit jacket. There were muscles hidden under his dress shirt, pressing against cloth here and there when he shifted his weight. Somehow it made him seem both more powerful and more attractive. She'd gotten used to the revealing ANBU gear, but this hide and seek was temptation itself.

And he smelled spectacular, under the aftershave. It made heat curl in her gut, and spread rapidly through her entire body. He'd been working out, nicotine and smoke mingling with his base scent. She still couldn't catch any whiff of emotion -- the nicotine was too strong -- but she could catch hints of just him, woodsy and leather and--

Tsume turned away from the door and headed back down the hall. "I'm not going."

Tori stopped her, laughing. "Of course you're going. He's all dressed up! It'll be fun." Resolutely, Tori dragged her back to the entry way.