Disclaimer: No legal claim to Naruto, not making profit through this.
Basics: PG/K plus – PG13/T, General/Humor/Romance/Angst, Canon, 5/100
Warnings: Boy x girl love, boy x boy love (notes: mostly implied)
Word count: 426
Theme: crush (163)

Author's note: 1000!theme challenge from Mint Pizza Queen. Organized into 10 fics, 100 ch each. They're loosely related, held together by an umbrella theme of love and life.

x. crush

The blond Chunin followed the younger teenager's gaze to a certain carrot-haired teammate. Blue eyes widened knowingly, and with mirth. The whiskered-scar face split into a wide knowing Cheshire-cat grin as the Chunin light-heartedly slugged Konohamaru's arm, breaking the fifteen-year-old out of his blush-and-gaze-at-Moegi.

"Naruto-nii-chan! Why did you have to go and do that for?" Konohamaru immediately protested, rubbing his arm, a faint pink still dusted over his cheeks.

Naruto leaned forward and poked Konohamaru in the chest, grinning teasingly. Said Naruto in a sing-song voice, "Because I know that… the little brat has a cruuuush on Moegi-chan!"

Naruto laughed loudly and as the flushed-red Konohamaru reached up to bop that fair blond mop, looking frantically over at the unsuspecting girl to check if she heard Naruto's words.

"I'm not little." Konohamaru grumbled.

Naruto pretended not to hear and the genin made to punch him again, but this time Naruto caught the incoming fist and tipped his head down to slyly smirk at Konohamaru.

"You're gonna hafta do something about this, ne?"

"I don't have a crush on Moegi!" Konohamaru protested, but all the while shoving Naruto towards the deserted training grounds and away from public view.

Naruto was already tapping a finger against his chin thoughtfully. "You know, Konohamaru-brat, I could help you in your get-the-girl escapades!"

"What?!"

"Yes, yes I could." Naruto grinned deviously. "You know, I could casually drop a few hints, set up a blind date, and-"

"NO! Because no offense, nii-chan, but you're as subtle as a brick to the head."

Naruto refused to be put down. "Konohamaru, Konohamaru," he admonished, "You little brat." ("I'm not little!") Naruto waggled his finger at the dark-haired genin. "I was your age once not too long ago! It's not like I don't know what you're going through."

Konohamaru snickered. "Well… that crush you had on Sakura-nee-chan- you didn't get a single date from her." Konohamaru stuck his tongue out at the older teen. "And that's a good reason not to let you help me."

Konohamaru, expecting a retaliation and hearing none, looked up at Naruto's face. The blond shinobi wore an odd expression. "Oh… right. The one I had on Sakura. That one didn't go too well… either." Naruto's voice sounded slightly disconnected and Konohamaru wondered what he had said wrong.

"Naruto-nii-chan?"

"Uh. Never mind Konohamaru. Go for it!" Naruto's cheerfulness was back in full abundance. "She's your teammate, and so you know her and stuff. That'll help." Naruto paused, and said in a lower, cynical voice and Konohamaru suspected that his 'older brother' was talking to himself. "Usually."