Naruto and the guys figure out a way to get Kagome to kiss them.
I don't own the rights to these characters.
Whose Turn Is It?
Shikamaru looked up at the stars, thinking their display was every bit as majestic and magical as the fireworks from a little while ago. He knew he would have to get up and join the others soon. In fact, he was a little surprised none of them had interrupted the peaceful solitude of the grassy hillside where he was currently reclined to nag him into watching the fireworks from the crowded streets in the center of the village. He congratulated himself on successfully sneaking away into the shadows and making his way here alone after the parade had gone by. However, he resigned himself to being jostled about by the throngs of people and having his ears assaulted by loud music and even louder friends for the next several hours. These festivals were always such a drag.
"There you are! I've been looking everywhere! Hurry up, Shikamaru! It's almost your turn, then it will be MY turn again!"
He knew it was too good to last. Still, he was a little surprised that Naruto was the one to seek him out instead of Ino or Chouji. Sighing inwardly, he sat up and adjusted his dark brown yukata. "What are you babbling about? My turn for what?"
"To get kissed by Kagome!"
That caught his interest, and he blinked a few times before reaching up to stick a finger in his left ear to clear it in case he was hearing things. "We're taking turns getting kissed by Kagome? What have you been up to, Naruto?"
Grabbing his arm and pulling him along at a brisk pace, the blond shinobi explained, "Yeah! I came up with this brilliant plan and it's working! I told Kagome that it's a tradition in Konoha for a girl to kiss a guy to say yes when he asks her to dance at the festival," he grinned cheekily. "She's already kissed me, Neji, Kiba, Shino, Sai, and Sasuke, even though that bastard almost ruined everything by trying to drag it out too long. Chouji was getting ready to ask her to dance when I left to find you. Then it's Lee's turn and then yours. After you ask her, then it's MY turn again."
Shikamaru was a little disappointed that Naruto's plan included all of their male friends. For a minute there, he had been envisioning a bizarre scenario involving just the three of them, where Naruto mysteriously disappeared into the shadows before it was "his turn," (never to be seen or heard from again), leaving all of the kissing to the TWO of them. Too good to be true. Still, he had to give Naruto credit. None of the guys had managed to make any headway with Kagome since she had been sent to Konoha five months ago as a representative from the Hidden Moon village. To foster good relations between all of the villages, the shinobi had started an exchange program. So now, Kagome was here and Sakura was at her village.
It hadn't taken long for the pretty kunoichi to catch the eyes of most of the single male population of Konoha. She was warm and friendly and always had a kind word for everyone. She was also completely, hopelessly oblivious to any and all romantic overtures made to her. One by one, most of the male chuunin had tried to ask her for a date only for her to happily agree that yes, it would be fun for all of them to have dinner together or have a picnic or go to a movie or whatever. She never seemed to realize they were asking for a date and not suggesting a group activity. He was beginning to wonder if her brother, who happened to be the daimyo of the Hidden Moon village and a kage-status shinobi-even though their village was outside of the Five Great Nations-had told her that Konohan shinobi had to remain celibate until they reached jounin status, and therefore didn't "date" in the traditional sense. He had met Sesshoumaru once and he wouldn't put it past him to do something like that.
As they made their way through the crowds towards the music, Shikamaru thought of a potential problem with Naruto's plan. "I know Kagome can be kind of oblivious, especially concerning someone expressing interest in her, but she isn't stupid. Why isn't she suspicious that none of the other girls are kissing guys when they ask them to dance?"
"Neji pointed that out when I told the others my plan after the parade was over, so I told her that it was a tradition for girls for their FIRST time attending this festival in Konoha. I told her that way the guys know it's her first Peach Festival here and will be extra nice, like maybe treat her to something sweet or play a game with her after the dance as a way of welcoming her to the village. She thought it was a really sweet tradition. And we told the other girls that the kissing was a tradition in her village, so they won't ask her why she's doing it."
As they came to the edge of the square where the couples were dancing and joined the other guys who were standing around, Shikamaru smiled. "I will admit that was pretty clever of you, Naruto, but your plan still has a flaw." With a tilt of his head, he indicated where Kagome was walking next to Lee as he led her back to where the rest of the chuunin males were all waiting. She was thanking him for the dance and for the matcha ice he had bought her afterward, but before they reached the others, Kagome suddenly stopped and turned. Tapping on her shoulder was none other than Konohamaru. Sure enough, she smiled when he asked her to dance, and leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. Konohamaru looked surprised, but he just grinned widely as Kagome took his arm and followed him out among the dancing couples.
"What the hell?! What does that little bastard think he's doing?" Naruto yelled.
Shikamaru chuckled. "Did you really think that the only guys that would ask Kagome to dance would be the ones from our Rookie group, and Sai?"
Naruto frowned and continued to mutter and grumble under his breath. He saw the other guys were all frowning, too, as they realized their mistake. He thought he had it all planned out perfectly since they had agreed to take turns asking her to dance and to bring her back for whoever was next. He never thought about some bratty little genin getting in the way. He should have run the plan by Shikamaru first. Shaking it off, he said, "Well, I guess it doesn't matter too much if she kissed Konohamaru. That little twerp can just consider himself lucky."
"Uh, Naruto, " Shikamaru touched his shoulder to get his attention again. "I don't think Konohamaru is the problem."
Naruto looked at him quizzically. "What's the problem then?"
"That."
Naruto looked where Shikamaru was pointing. Not even waiting for the music to stop, a tall man wearing his forehead protector as a bandanna had stepped up to Kagome right as her dance with Konahamaru was ending. "No way!" Naruto whispered. Then he shouted, "No fucking way!"
All of the chuunin guys stared in shock as Genma asked Kagome to dance. She looked up at him and smiled. Then she stepped closer and reached up and took the senbon out of his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise, then a calculating gleam appeared as she placed her other hand on his cheek and stood on tiptoe to lightly press her lips to his. In the blink of an eye, they were gone.
"Holy crap! He totally thought she was coming on to him!"
"The best-laid plans of mice and men …"
"Shut up, Shikamaru!"
"It could have been worse."
"How could it possibly be any worse?"
"It could have been Kakashi."
