we return to our irregularly scheduled programming (ha)

9 - baby don't hurt me

"Hey, Sai?"

Sai hummed to indicate he was listening as his pencil continued to sketch out Naruto's form. Naruto was lying against a tree trunk, resting after a training session. She fiddled with her fingers and hesitated before speaking, which made Sai put down his sketchbook and look at Naruto directly.

"It's about Hinata," she said finally.

"I see," Sai remarked, resuming his drawing. Sai had heard that Naruto had recently been having closer relations with the Hyuuga heiress, and assumed that this was what he had often heard ensued between close female friends after the onset of a romantic relationship. Perhaps Naruto needed a stand-in for Sakura. "Is this...girl talk?"

Naruto threw Sai a dirty look before shrugging and continuing. "I didn't know who to ask, okay? It's not like Sakura has dated any girls before and I wasn't going to ask the bastard, even though you're not much better."

Sai wondered idly whether that was an insult. "And you thought I'd be the best option? I'm flattered."

"Hey, haven't you read books about this or something? Look, I don't know!" Naruto tugged on a pigtail and huffed. "I'm just a little confused on where Hinata and I stand in this relationship, I guess. She told me she's liked me since we were kids, which obviously made me really really happy to hear, but I don't know exactly what that means?" Naruto shook her head. "I mean we've held hands, and even kissed a few times, but there's no real inclination to do more on. Hinata seems to be happy but I don't know." She laced her fingers together and stared at them.

"Ah," Sai nodded. "Are you asking me about sexual intercourse?"

"Why did I think I could go to you?" Naruto threw up her hands in frustration and rolled over onto her stomach, throwing her face into the grass to stifle her embarrassment.

"I was given to understand that healthy relationships often include a sexual component."

Naruto paused before sputtering and sitting up, grass sticking out of her hair, face bright red. "Oh my god, Kurama!" She then turned to glare at Sai. "And you! Did you read that somewhere too?"

"Senpai's recommended novels, of course. It was made pretty obvious in the first volume of Icha Icha but the trend seems to continue throughout the entirety of the series."

"Oh my god." That was the second time she's said that in a relatively short period. Sai wondered why she was so emotional. "Kakashi-sensei recommended you Icha Icha? I don't know whether I should blame him or Ero-sennin more."

"Perhaps they share equal blame," Sai mused. "But I hear you added to the series recently, so I don't see why you're at all irritated."

Naruto looked mortified. "Added to the series?"

"Senpai was giggling more than normal and reading a cover I hadn't seen before. He mentioned you had written some of it."

"Oh my god!" Naruto shot up, face even redder than before, and stomped away. Huh, that was three times now.

Rustling grass and cracked twigs marked her departure. Sai shrugged and went back to his sketchbook, recounting Naruto's angrily red face and quickly sketching her expression before he heard a shout echo and birds fluttering away from her direction.

"Shut up, Kurama!"

Sai sighed.

notes: gah I have no excuses so I won't give any.

I'm sad I missed this fic's one year anniversary though ;_:

I wish I could promise regular updates but I will promise the next one will come earlier than these last two have (haha...). I'm about to head off to Japan again (this time for an internship) so who knows how much time I'll have, but I'll try to write on the plane.

please do drop a review~