It's so pretty...

[stillpure]

He was dressed up. Where his mother had managed to locate anything to dress him up with on such short notice with he had no idea, but it meant when he took off roaming he was a streak of dark blue and red amid those at the festival as he went here and there, utterly fascinated by the new sights.

He'd been to festivals in Konoha, yes, but those were different. This was -new-.

It also meant he wasn't exactly being the most attentive person ever, and had escaped the people he'd been with. Unintentionally, of course.

Comments

[fire_fox]

"I wonder if there will be big ones," she smiled, head tilted curiously.

She feels the light touch on her hair and flushes a bit herself, and smiles:"I wear it when I can. But usually I have Sakura-chan yelling at me to tie it up because it gets in the way, dattebane."

She didn't dare move. Because then he might move his hand away and she didn't want that. Why? She didn't know and at the moment, didn't care.

[openedthebasket]

She wasn't moving away, so for now, he lets his fingers gently move through the strands, marveling at the bright color against his pale skin and how unexpectedly soft it was.

"It can be a burden," he answers quietly, fingers still gentle with an almost idle curiosity. "But like this, it is..." At the last moment, he changes what he was going to say, replacing beautiful with, "Very bright. Perhaps not ideal for combat, but in a time such as this..."

[fire_fox]

She blinked. "Eh? Too bright? Maybe I should change color then," she never thought about the color of her hair nor that it could get in the way of battle.

But the end of the sentence got her staring at him, not blinking:"Time like this...?" He didn't finish sentence. And she wanted to know. For some reason she felt her cheeks heat up all over again.

[openedthebasket]

His face almost goes pale as he lets his fingers curl around that strand almost possessively. "Nonsense. It is a beautiful color, bright, full of life. You should not change its natural color unless temporarily for espionage."

His cheeks start to darken again, but he keeps his eyes on her and doesn't answer her lead.

[fire_fox]

The color on her cheeks only gets more darker and she is happy that it is night. Blushing too much can be embarrassing. She chuckles lightly:"I don't think I would make a good spy."

She looks at him, curious why did he answer and finish the sentence. She wanted to ask again but it looked stupid to her.

[openedthebasket]

He huffs quietly through his nose in amusement and concedes the point, fingers still stroking the captured strand gently. "Then there is no need to change the color," he answers, regretfully pulling his hand away from her hair lest she think he was being some kind of pervert.

His breath catches when she glances toward him, certain she can see his flush, but he immediately turns his gaze skyward. "You are talented at many things, but perhaps being a spy is not your strongest ability."

[fire_fox]

She giggles:"I guess you are right, dattebane." She runs fingers through her hair, moving several strands to fall on front and over her shoulder.

She grins and leans back on her hands:"Yeah, I am talented at eating the most ramen of all in the village. No one can beat me, dattebane."

[openedthebasket]

...She was doing that on purpose. His eyes move back to her lose hair, fingers almost twitching toward it to brush it back out of the way before stilling, just content to watch her.

Though he can't help but laugh quietly at her assertion, inclining his head to concede the point. "That much is true, yes," he confirms, another small smile tugging at his lips.

Glancing to the sky again, he shifts closer under the pretense of taking the second blanket and unfolding it. "You must be cold," he murmurs, cheeks dark again as he tucks the blanket over her shoulders, trying (and failing) to ignore their proximity.

[fire_fox]

She was in middle of chuckling at the confirmation about ramen when she felt something very soft and warm around her shoulders... and next to her too.

Naruto looked at him, and tilted her head:"What about you? You will be cold now, dattebane," she murmured and shifted closer. "Come! Let's share! I don't want you to get sick," she raised part of blanket to throw over him.

[openedthebasket]

His mouth is open to protest that really, he'll be fine, it isn't that cold out and he'd only put the blanket on her as an excuse to get closer, but-- It's that same excuse that leaves him unable to protest, only huffing through his nose as if annoyed, though it couldn't be further from the truth. "Very well, if only because shared body heat will be beneficial."

...That was the complete opposite of charming, but he steadily keeps his gaze up, even as he shifts himself to comfortably press against her side, light enough that she could move away with ease should she so desire. "Thank you."

[fire_fox]

She didn't scoot away. In fact, she came even closer so she can drape the blanket over him as well, grinning all the time.

"There. Now you won't be cold either, dattebane."

Yes... it was very warm pressed up against him like this. It made her cheeks flush brilliant rosy color and smile all the time.

[openedthebasket]

He wasn't all that concerned about the cold, but more than appreciates the gesture all the same, bringing his other hand up to secure the blanket around his shoulder. His other hand falls rather awkwardly to the ground behind her, not sure if he should try to wrap it around her waist or not. This had rapidly accelerated into looking an awful lot like that thing Itachi was talking about earlier. ...What had they been talking about? It seemed safest to move back to their other topic.

"Have you found any decent ramen in this town, yet?"

[fire_fox]

She was slightly leaned against him, worried that she will tug away the blanket. She tilted her head (which made it lean against his shoulder) as she huffed:"No. I only found cup ramen. No one makes ramen like Ichiraku, dattebane." Yes, that was a pout. Small one. And she subsided another urge to giggle and snuggle in more closely to him. Because... it felt really nice sitting like this...

[openedthebasket]

It might just be his own pride and a desire to prove himself to her, but he murmurs, "I can make ramen, you know. I've taught myself how to cook... a lot of things, since I was a child." There's a long pause, then he finally lets his arm come up, just gently wrapping around her waist in a slight pressure. "It's better than cup ramen, at least."

[fire_fox]

She instantly looked up at him:"Are you serious!? I never learned how to cook ramen! Can you teach me, dattebane?" Yes, those are pleading, puppy eyes. She never had anyone to show her how to do it so yeah...
The hand made her blush a little but she didn't mind it. Nartuo felt so cozy like this that she could sit like this forever and probably fall asleep on Neji.

[openedthebasket]

He's a little taken aback by her fervor. "It's... only noodles and broth and seasoning. And salt," he adds, almost as an afterthought and trying not to let his lips curve in distaste. It's surprisingly easy to keep his light expression when she's pressed in against him like this. "A lot of salt."

He glances to her and freezes at those eyes, his own flush darkening once again. It takes a long moment before he tears those eyes of his away from hers and glances back toward the sky with a 'hmph' through his nose. "I suppose I could, yes."

[fire_fox]

She huffed:"It's easy for you to say. I never cooked dattebane," she mumbled. But when he said he will help her, she cheered softly and leaned back against him, looking at the sky as well.

[openedthebasket]

"I taught myself," he repeats, swallowing hard as he's acutely aware of her leaning in more against him. He can just lightly touch the ends of her hair from here, and he shifts his grip, just enough to lightly stroke a few of those brightly colored strands, and her back in the process. "You must remind me, and some time, I will cook for you."

[fire_fox]

Naruto grinned even more:"You-you will? Really dattebane?" She smiled:"That would be really nice, thank you." It would... just as that hand felt nice against her back. It was so... calming for some reason.

[openedthebasket]

"You think so?" He can't stop another small smile from quirking his lips, his fingers gently tracing a small circle against her back and side. She didn't seem to be moving away just yet, so perhaps something like this was alright. "It would be my honor."

Was this an alright time to ask? It just felt so peaceful between them, even if he was tense from her being so close. "May I ask you something?"

[fire_fox]

She smiled, glancing at the sky briefly, before turning head to look at him:"Hmm? Of course you can ask me dattebane. I don't bite," she grinned, chuckling softly.

[openedthebasket]

His voice is quiet as he glances to her, then looks back to the sky. "...Perhaps it is not important," he says after a pause, his fingers stilling against her back.

[fire_fox]

She frowned and turned head completely to look at him:"Of course it is! Even small things are important dattebane. So ask."

[openedthebasket]

She was far closer than propriety would allow right now, but he couldn't bring himself to pull away, even as he busied himself memorizing each small detail of her face. Then his eyes slide away. "It is foolish. I should not have brought it up," he continues, glancing toward the sky. "I believe the fireworks should be starting shortly."

[fire_fox]

She stares at him for several moments before looking away, sighing. She could try and push him to ask her but then the mood would be ruined, all the cheerfulness and happiness gone. She didn't want that.

She smiled and looked up as well:"Yeah. It should, dattebane."