The Candy Cane Game

Team Seven was together at Christmastime for the last time. No one knew that, of course, but sometimes the future is not what we anticipate. There they were in Sakura's house, her parents gone for the week. They had given her permission to have her friends over as long as a responsible adult was present. Well, thought Sakura, Kakashi-sensei may not be responsible, (as he lounges on the couch reading his non PG-rated novels) but at least he's an adult. Right?

"Hey, Sakura. Got any candy around here?" Naruto asked Sakura with an impish grin on his face.

"As if you need more sugar." Sasuke mumbled from the corner.

"Sure, Naruto. I think that I have some candy canes around here somewhere." Sakura lifted an empty gift box from the couch and produced two shrink-wrapped candy canes.

"Yay! Let's play the candy cane game, Sasuke!" Naruto cheered and grabbed a piece of the striped candy.

"The what?" Sasuke asked, coming out of the corner.

"The candy cane game." Naruto explained as he struggled to unwrap the candy cane. "I hold one end in my mouth and you hold the other one in your mouth. Then we each start sucking on it until one of us chickens out and backs off. Winner gets to keep the candy cane."

"Eww."

"Teme…"

"Dobe…"

"Please?"

"Baka."

"Aww."

"Fine."

"Naruto motioned to Sakura as Sasuke removed the shrink wrap from the candy cane. "You and Kakashi-sensei can play too!"

Sakura chuckled nervously and began to turn a light shade of pink. "Um, I don't think that's the best idea, Naruto."

"Why not? Come on, Sakura, have a bit of holiday spirit, will you?" Kakashi said from behind her.

"You realize that this means taking your mask off, right?"

Kakashi just shrugged. "Sure."

"Then let the game… BEGIN, 'TTEBAYO!"

Naruto stuck the bent end of the candy cane in his mouth and Sasuke held on to the other. They inched closer to each other slowly then stopped altogether.

Sakura giggled. "Come on, you sissies."

"Moo whra?" Naruto asked with a mouth full of candy.

Sasuke slowly moved his mouth closer to Naruto's until their lips were nearly touching. Just then, they both pulled away sharply and the candy cane fell to the ground.

"Oops." Naruto said quietly and hastened to pick it up and stick it into his mouth.

Sasuke just turned and looked the other way with a scowl on his face.

"Your turn!" Naruto said brightly as he finished off the last of the treat.

Sakura smiled at Kakashi and sat down opposite from him on the floor. She unwrapped the candy and stuck one end in her mouth. Kakashi pulled down his mask and took the other end between his teeth. Suddenly, all Sakura wanted was to be as close to that face as possible.

Unfortunately for the boys, Kakashi was facing the other way and they had no chance to see his face.

Sakura could see red dye dissolving off of the candy cane as Kakashi's face traveled steadily closer to hers. She took a deep breath through her nose and began inching her face towards his.

Just before they both pulled away, their lips touched for the briefest moment.

That moment was pure bliss.