Name: Ai (love)
Age: 15 (same as Naruto)
Place of Birth: Kiri (village in Mist Country)
Looks: bright red hair that goes just pasts her shoulders, wears a ribbon in her hair, slightly tan skin, sky blue eyes, wears red and white striped tank top with a ribbon at the bottom, pale pink skirt that reaches mid thigh, 158cm or 5'2 (Naruto is 166cm or 5'4")
Personality: bright and cheery, very optimistic, physically weak, mentally strong except when her father is mentioned
Info: Ai was very close to her father until he died when she was 10. Her mother and she moved to Konoha shortly after his death to start over with a new life away from the strong memories of her father. Ai works at Ichiraku Ramen Bar which is where she met Naruto for the first time. She became utterly in love with him, but never showed her feelings because she didn't want to lose her first friend. That and her family is old-fashion, meaning she expects the boy to make the first move.
"Ai, take this to Naruto's, would you?" your boss asked you and held up a box with ramen in it.
"'Kay!" You took the box and left for Naruto's apartment. 'Up the stairs and third to the left I think.' You knocked on the door, hoping that it was the right place.
"Come in!" Naruto yelled through the door. You pushed the door open to reveal a total disaster zone. Picking your way through the mess you made your way into the next room where Naruto was.
"Hey, thanks for…" he began, but stopped when he turned around and saw you. "Ai? What are you doing here?"
"Ramen delivery!" you replied cheerfully holding out the box. "Hey, Na-kun, you might want to put on a shirt, baka." You said teasingly.
Naruto looked down and noticed that he was just wearing his pajama pant and that they were hanging a bit too low for his comfort around a girl. "Agh!" He scrambled around his room looking for a shirt, but fell over and started to cough.
You placed the ramen on a flat space and down next to him. "Hey, are you alright?" you asked in concern.
"I'm fine." Naruto replied and started coughing again.
You pressed a hand to both of your heads. "Naruto!" you said in shock. "You're burning up!"
"It's nothing." Naruto said and pushed your hand away.
"Don't you 'it's nothing me! Come on, let's get you into bed."
"I'm fine Ai-chan." Naruto protested and stumbled.
"No you're not, Naruto-kun. You can barely walk straight. You aren't going to be going to practice later today either. Get into that bed and stay there."
"Ai." Naruto began to complain but you glowered at him.
"Shut up, Naruto-kun. Don't make me go get Tsunade-sama."
"It's just a cold!"
"Well you can die from a cold you know."
"No you can't."
"Yes you can!"
"No you…" Naruto looked up and saw tears in your eyes. "Ai-chan? What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Eat your ramen." You turned your back on him and passed him the ramen.
"Ai-chan, don't 'nothing' me. What's wrong?" You didn't reply. "Ai-chan? Did someone you know die from a cold?"
You turned around to face Naruto and he could see the tears on you cheeks. "Mmhm."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"It's fine." You said with a weak smile. "Come on; eat your ramen before it gets cold. I've got to get back ta work. I'll see you later."
You were heading for the door when you felt a pair of arms circle your waist. "Don't go. How are you supposed to make sure I get better if you leave? And I know you don't really want to be alone.
"I don't." You turned around and wrapped your arms around his neck and cried.
"Shh…" Naruto comforted. "Shh…"
After a few minutes your tears subsided. "You got any cold medicine, Na-kun?"
"Yeah, it's in the top cabinet in the bathroom."
"You get into your bed and I'll get you that medicine. Now scoot." Naruto made his way back to his bed and you made your way into the bathroom. 'My god, this place is a mess. How in the world can he stand it here?' You opened up the cabinet and reached for the top shelf. You pulled down the cold medicine and went back to Naruto.
"Now, it says here that you've got ta take 2 tablespoons of this stuff. What do you recon; this cap about a tablespoon?"
"I guess."
You opened the bottle and poured the sticky blue substance to the brim of the lid. "Here you go. You want any water with this or dry?"
"I'll be fine without any." He took the lid and gulped down the medicine. "Ick! That's nasty!"
"You want that water now?"
"Yuck! Yes please!" Naruto was trying to scrape the foul flavor off his tongue.
You went to get a glass of water and returned, handing it to Naruto. "Here you go." Naruto took the glass eagerly and downed the water in three gulps. As he was doing this you poured another dose of the liquid into the cap. "Last one." You said and offered it to him.
"No way! That stuff is vial!" he said and pushed your hand away.
"It's just one more. Go on, take it."
"I said no!"
"Naruto!"
"Ai!"
"Do it!"
"I won't!"
"Don't make me force you Naruto."
"Like you could."
"You wanna test that?"
"Ha! You're on!"
"Your funeral. Figuratively that is." You sat down on the edge of the bed. You took his hand. "Please Naruto-kun? For me?" you asked sweetly and looked up into his eyes. Naruto simply shook his head. "Please?" You moved farther from the edge so that you were now sitting on Naruto's lap with an arm draped over his shoulders. "Now will you?" you whispered into his ear.
"Nope."
You took the arm that was draped over his shoulders and brought it to his stomach. Your fingers lightly trailed across his bare chest.
Naruto's breath caught in his throat at you touch.
You looked up at him and leaned closer. Your lips brushed you pressed them together. He seemed surprised, but quickly got over his surprise. He licked your lips, asking for entrance and you obliged. You opened you mouth and –
"Mmm!" a muffled sound came from Naruto and he tried to pull away, but couldn't. You had wrapped your arms tightly around his neck and he couldn't get out. Naruto grudgingly swallowed and you pulled away, breaking the kiss. "You cheated!" he accused.
"You never said I couldn't." you replied smugly.
"How was it not cheating to put it in your own mouth, kiss me, and have me take it that way?"
It was true. While you'd had your arm around his neck, just after whispering "Now will you?" you had lapped up the medicine and kept it in your mouth. Naruto had been right. It was vial.
"You liked it though."
"Says who?"
"You."
"Me?"
"You're the one who wanted more of a kiss. Blame yourself. If you hadn't liked it and just kept to my lips, I would have been the one to drink it, you know."
"Can I have another one?"
"Has your fever gone to your head? It tastes nasty."
"Yeah, but you don't." This caused your face to turn bright pink and you looked down embarrassedly. "Well?"
"I suppose." You tiled your head back up and Naruto presses his lips to yours eagerly and you kissed back. After a few minutes the two of you broke your kiss. "Hey Na-kun?"
"Yeah, Ai-chan?"
"You do know you're still not wearing a shirt, right?"
"Agh!" He glanced around his room trying to find a shirt easily reachable.
"It's fine. I prefer you better this way." you leaned in for another kiss and as your lips met you trailed you fingers across his bare chest. 'I much prefer you this way.'
