Hey, a quick question...why cherries always pictured in media as 'two to a stem'? It almost never works like that in real life...does it?
Hello there! AProcrastinatingWriter here with my third oneshot! This one is almost short enough to be called a drabble, but not quite. It is short, though, unlike my last ShikamaruTemari oneshot that was more than 14,000 words long (not counting the author's note) and that you can find by going to my profile and clicking on my story called 'Lazy Day'. [/shamelessadvertisement] I wrote this story in a half-hour or so, but I still think it's good. I think.
Anyway, this story really shouldn't be taken that seriously. Not that I don't support the pairing; I do with all my heart, but I don't think what I've written here would actually happen.
...also, the picnic in this story? Yeah, I didn't know what Japanese people might eat on a picnic, so I substituted hot dogs. Sorry. Speaking of 'stuff Americans would eat on a picnic', the word 'ketchup' is not spelled as 'catsup' in this fic. Sorry to the traditionalists, but it looks weird to me.
When does this fic take place in the Naruto timeline? Eh, sometime before Sasuke leaves and after the Chunin exams. I know there isn't time in between those two events to have a picnic or any other similar get-together, but that's the only place this story makes sense. Sorry again.
Anyway, read and enjoy. I hope you enjoy, anyway, I really like this little fic.
It was a bright, sunny day, and Teams Seven and Eight were out for a picnic. Not of their own free will, but that was technically what was happening. All the teams comprised of main characters...er, Kakashi's best friends' teams, I mean...had been asked to come along, but Kurenai Yuhi's was simply the only one that wasn't busy. "Um, Kakashi-sensei..." mumbled Sakura, staring at what he had been packed for desserts and debating whether her waist could afford to let her have one. "Shouldn't we be training or something?"
"This is training," said Kakashi, relaxing in the shade of a tree and reading his book.
"What kind of training?" asked Naruto, suspicious.
"It's a secret," Kakashi responded. Naruto was right in being suspicious, Sakura and Naruto groaned, letting their heads droop. Sasuke simply 'hmph'ed, standing up and preparing to walk back to the village. "You're staying here, Sasuke." Now Sasuke let his droop as well, reluctantly walking back to the seven other picnickers and sitting down.
"Well, it may not be training," said Kiba, "But I know I'm having fun!"
"Indeed," said Shino. "Sometimes it is good to just relax and get to know your comrades a bit better."
"Exactly right, Shino," said Kurenai.
"Right. Just what I was about to say," said Kakashi. Everyone looked at his plate and noticed he'd finished off his sandwich while they weren't looking. So, yeah, today wouldn't be the day they got to see what was under his mask.
Kurenai thought to herself, -In addition to that, it will be good for Hinata to spend some more time with Naruto. It might just help her to get the confidence she needs.-
"Um..." the object of Kurenai's concerns spoke up. "Would somebody please, if it's not too much trouble...um..." she played with her fingers. "Would somebody please pass the ketchup?"
-Doesn't seem to be working so far,- Kurenai thought to herself, sighing. -Poor girl.-
"I'll get it," said Naruto, reaching into the stereotypical picnic basket. "Let's see...where is it?" He stopped shuffling around for a second, thinking for a short time. "You know, Hinata...I haven't heard you talk much today at all..."
"Eh, she never talks," said Kiba. "You get used to it." Hinata blushed.
Naruto thought some more as he went back to searching for the ketchup. "Well, I think you should, Hinata." He looked over to her. "I mean, if you don't talk, how are you gonna be able to stand up for yourself? Or let people know you care about them? Or-"
"Shut up, Naruto," said Sakura through gritted teeth. Naruto cringed slightly, then went back to looking for the ketchup like nothing had happened.
"No, he's right," said Hinata, getting quieter and quieter as she spoke. "I need to be more...confident."
"No, no, you're just fine the way you are!" encouraged Sakura, waving her hand to emphasize her words.
"It's true," said Shino. "You've been invaluable on our missions as of late."
"What he said," said Kiba.
"Bark!" woofed Akamaru encouragingly.
"Yeah, Hinata," said Naruto, reaching the very back of the basket, shoulder and basket's lid touching as he leaned forward, putting his back into the task as if that would help somehow. "You're weird and all," and unnoticed to him, Sakura had her fist raised above Naruto's head now, "But I like you. I just worry about you sometimes, you know?" Hinata blushed as Sakura slowly moved away, deciding that Naruto didn't quite deserve punishment right at that moment.
"Th-thank you..." mumbled Hinata quietly, smiling to herself.
"What's that?" asked Naruto.
"Ah! Nothing. Nothing," said Hinata, blushing some more and shaking her head.
Sasuke sighed. -Naruto...you are such an idiot,- he thought to himself. Out loud. "Hey. Here's the ketchup. I used it on my rice." And he handed it to Naruto.
"Oh, sorry," said Naruto, giggling, drawing his arm out of the basket. It took a couple tugs, but he got it out. He grabbed the bottle from Sasuke. -Who puts ketchup on rice anyway?- thought Naruto, not realizing that was actually a moderately popular dish. -And who eats rice on a picnic?-
-Hmm. They're actually acting civil with one another,- Kakashi thought, technically correct but not being able to read Naruto's mind. He continued to use his book as a cover while he listened in on everyone's conversations to determine exactly what was going on. -Perhaps this 'mission' was a success after all.-
"Hey, Naruto," said Sakura. He turned to her, holding out the bottle of tomato paste to Hinata, but just barely. "I've always wondered...why do you like ramen so much?"
"Oh, that!" said Naruto. "Well, actually, it's because, well..." he thought for a few seconds, trying to think of the best way to phrase his answer. "Well...you see, when I was a kid..."
As he continued, Hinata watched him slowly pull the ketchup bottle back towards him, subconsciously. -He is too busy talking,- she thought. She looked down at her plate, upon which was her third hot dog. Usually she only ate one or two when she had an opportunity to eat them, but today she was extra-hungry for some reason. -I don't like hot dogs without ketchup...but I'm really hungry.- She looked back to her crush, as Kiba and Shino and even Kurenai joined in the conversation, several people gesturing wildly and laughing as the story got more elaborate. -I don't want to bother him...I know it's rude, but we're all friends, right?- She thought, then decided to do what she thought about. Albeit slowly. -I'll just reach over and grab it from him. I won't interrupt his talking with his friends. He loves that.-
"...anyway, so then after my face scrunched up from the lemon," and here he imitated what his face looked like, much to the delight of most of the people having the picnic, "I decided I would-" he suddenly blinked at the ketchup bottle in his hand. "Oh, right!" He turned back to Hinata, leaning toward her and extending his arm with the bottle in it. With his eyes closed. "Here you go, Hina-" he said as he leaned forward. He would have finished, but he was interrupted.
He was interrupted by the fact that the ketchup bottle had been sent past her hand, shoulder, and body, due to his not aiming before closing his eyes and leaning forward with a smile. He was interrupted by the fact that he had absentmindedly leaned into a leaning-in-herself Hinata. He was interrupted by the fact that his lips made contact with hers. In short, he accidentally kissed Hinata.
The two Genin instantly reared back, Naruto dropping the bottle of ketchup on the ground. The rest of the group simply looked at the two, mildly startled by this turn of events and really wanting to see what happened next. -Oh, superb,- thought Team Eight's leader sarcastically. She sighed. -Here we go again.- A few moments of awkward silence passed.
Naruto suddenly turned a red that was much deeper and darker than the contents of the plastic bottle he'd just been holding. "Uuuuh..." he groaned in a wavering, slightly falsetto voice, swooning, wavering, and finally fainting, landing partially on the checked tablecloth and partially on the grass.
"Naruto!" gasped Hinata, not turning red at all. She crawled over to him quickly, grabbing him by the shoulders and slightly lifting him off the ground. "Naruto, are you alright? What's wrong?"
"Hinata..." mumbled Naruto quietly and happily with a goofy grin on his face and a blush which was colored a red that would make traffic lights jealous.
"Naruto!" shouted Hinata, not quite understanding what he said. She turned to the rest of the group. "Quick! I think he needs some water or something! He looks sick!"
Kiba's mouth slowly dropped open, the hot dog in it slowly falling both out of it and out of his hand. Shino blinked behind his sunglasses, grimacing as he observed what was going on. Sakura's mouth was wide open too, and small notes of surprise emanated from it every few seconds. Sasuke's head was tilted to the side, and his eyebrows were creased more than usual. Kurenai had her nose scrunched up and one hand in the air, pointing between Hinata and Naruto with a utterly confused look on her face.
Naruto slowly blinked, blush fading away as he looked up. Hinata noticed. "Naruto!" she yelled enthusiastically, happy that he was alright. "You're awake!"
Naruto, a surprised look on his face, blushed and fell unconscious again. "Ahh...Hinata..." he moaned.
"Huh?" asked Hinata, confused. She blinked, then shook his shoulders gently, but in constantly increasing amounts of intervals. "Naruto...wake up! Come on! Please wake up!
Kakashi blinked once. "Huh," he said, as the other people attempted to return their faces to normal. "Didn't see that coming." And with these words, he nonchalantly turned back to his book.
Nothing big or fancy here, folks. Just a silly little story I happen to like.
...that's about everything I have to say..so, thanks for reading. Check out some of my other fics if you want. Please leave a review. Check out my profile. Other half-serious common quotations at the end of author's notes. Etc. Etc.
Alrighty, then! Have a nice day, and God bless!
