A/N: Set around Chapter 140, a bit before Kakashi insinuates that Asuma and Kurenai are dating.
Women's Intuition
It was a common misconception that Kurenai only dated shinobi for their status. Some women in Konoha (rumored to be jealous of her strength – and beauty) accused her of being elitist - selecting only the highest-ranking Jounin for her next beau. So it came as no surprise to the general population when Kurenai began to eye Asuma as her next target. Asuma, being no stranger to her reputation for selectivity, was unsurprised when Kurenai asked him to join her one afternoon for tea. He said as much, and Kurenai laughed at him all afternoon, playfully accusing him of being easily swayed by small town gossip.
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The real truth was that Kurenai was attracted to insightful shinobi. Typically, ninja that utilized genjutsu were very intelligent (the reason most genjutsu users were women), scored high on IQ tests, and could NOT stand stupid people. If Kurenai went out with only Jounin-rank shinobi, it was because they had enough common sense to keep themselves alive long enough to reach such a position. There was something incredibly sexy about a man who could spar equally with her, as well as provide her with thoughts and opinions worthy of her time and patience. In her Genin days, she had once gone out with a guy for his looks, only to discover that he had nothing between his ears. She broke up with him the first time they sparred, after she had cast a simple genjutsu of a naked woman walking by, distracting him long enough to beat him senseless. It was after that day that she swore never to date an idiot again, partly because she could not abide pointless conversation, and partly because she felt bad for all the nitwits she ultimately ended up sending to the hospital.
In all honesty, she had never even glanced in Asuma's direction, let alone considered him as a possible suitor. She knew he was powerful (that sash around his waist was there for a reason), and that being a Jounin meant he had a brain worth picking, but there was no guarantee that he was bright enough for her liking. Case in point: Gai was a Jounin (god only knew why), and had she chosen to go out with him, she would have been the idiot. She had no desire to go out with a man dumb enough to dress himself in green spandex and still wonder why Kakashi had days when he avoided him like the plague.
But there came a day when Kurenai's attention was drawn to Asuma, and it was based on a comment that was not directed at her. Kurenai had just sent her Genin team home and was walking back from their training grounds when, while walking past Team Ten's training spot, she heard Asuma give one of his students a bit of advice.
"Remember Chouji, you are the strongest Genin on the team. You can't let Ino's snide comments keep you from doing your best. If we're at war and someone says something mean to you, are you going to let yourself fall apart? What if that affects how you fight? What if your lack of confidence gets you killed...or gets your friends killed?" Asuma admonished gently.
"But, Asuma-sensei...Ino's right. I am fat, and I can be slow," Chouji whimpered.
"And Ino is rude...and can be stupid," Asuma answered.
"Stupid?" The thought had never crossed Chouji's mind. How could a person who controlled minds possibly be stupid?
"Any person who chooses to underestimate another person's potential is undeniably stupid," Asuma assured him.
"How so?"
"Take Kurenai-sensei, for example." Kurenai blinked. "She doesn't carry many weapons or scrolls, and on first glance, you'd think she was just another beautiful woman with nothing intelligent to say."
Kurenai's crimson eyes whorled. That little sh--
"But it takes a smart person to realize that she wants you to think that way. Because," Asuma continued, "if you're not careful, she'll cast a genjutsu on you that'll enable her to rip your lungs out your ass so fast, you won't even know you died."
Kurenai willed herself not to blush. No one had ever admired her skills so...fervently.
"And she'll always meet you with that regard. Never doubting you, but never doubting herself either. It's for that reason that I respect her so much."
Kurenai was stunned. She had never known anyone who had formed an opinion of her without the townswomen's help.
"So, if Ino's not careful, one day you may hurt her, in spite of your being 'fat and slow'," Asuma finished.
Chouji grinned, pleased at having been given the benefit of the doubt, despite his weight.
"Although," Asuma added mischievously, "a little humble pie never hurt anyone."
Kurenai continued on her way, her mind turning.
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"So, if I'm gullible, how do I still qualify as insightful?" Asuma asked, taking a sip of tea.
"Because you don't take things – situations, people, missions, et cetera – at face value. You find out what lies beneath and base your judgment on that. That is evidence that you are, at the very least, a smart man," Kurenai informed him.
"You have no proof of that," Asuma countered.
"Of course I do," Kurenai assured him.
"Do tell."
"You accepted my offer to get a cup of tea," Kurenai said sweetly.
Asuma smiled. "That might have been the smartest thing I've done all day."
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FIN
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Author's Note: I really don't know whether or not I wrote these characters too OOC...but I think that that's what makes them (and other underdeveloped characters – like Tenten) so fun to write. There's so much potential bad-assery there (as well as other characteristics), how could you not fill in the blanks?