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]

If Neji even tried to pull away, she would probably ask to do it again. She leaned her head on his shoulder fully and closed her eyes, enjoying the touch of the fingers completely.

[openedthebasket]

His cheeks darken again when she rests against him, but he doesn't try to dislodge her. Instead, he continues to stroke his fingers gently along the back of her neck, half-worried that he might lull her to sleep like this.

...It would be a simple matter to lean down and press his lips to the top of her head, but he couldn't bring himself to do so, not yet. Not when he still couldn't predict how she would respond. A pause, his fingers tracing light circles against the back of her neck, before he murmurs as a quiet question, "...Why did you kiss me, before?"

[fire_fox]

She blinked. Was that what he wanted to ask her before? She couldn't help but smiled as she picked on the blanket.

"Because you were really nice to me. You got me dango, followed me around to get shoes and even followed me home even if you didn't have to. So I thought...it would be... I don't know..." she glances up at him. "I shouldn't have done that, huh?"

[openedthebasket]

His fingers still against her neck as he laughs quietly, almost sliding his eyes away but unwilling to miss even a moment of her reactions in response to his question. "I... didn't mind," he says quietly, his white eyes on her own vibrant blue ones. "It was the least I could do."

It's a slow, cautious gesture as he leans in to just gently brush his lips over her cheek, then pull back, flushing again. "Thank you."

It's from the corner of his eye that he spots the torches below, and he almost curses. "It looks like they're about to light the fireworks."

[fire_fox]

It was so light. That small kiss on her cheek that had her smiling like a idiot they always point out she is. "You don't have to thank for a kiss, Neji," she smiled again broadly.

She blinks and looks over where Neji was watching and nodded:"Yeah, it seems so, dattebane." She looked at him, wondering why was he so displeased about it. "You sound a bit annoyed that they will start," she raises her eyebrows at him.

[openedthebasket]

"Don't be foolish." The words come out a little too quickly as his fingers tighten gently against the back of her neck. "I am hardly annoyed." Except for the part where they had interrupted what he's certain is commonly called a moment, one he doubted he would be able to get back.

Instead, he turns his attention to the torches, then to the sky as the first few are lit.

[fire_fox]

She giggled softly- way to go and confirm what she said Neji. She doesn't believe you one bit. "Of course you aren't, dattebane," she lightly poked his side, still smiling. She didn't know why he was annoyed, but it was so easy to tease him about it.

[openedthebasket]

He only grunts, hardly amused by her giggle, as cute a sound as it was. He almost blanches -- cute, was that a word he would really use to describe her? That sounded like something Hinata-sama would say. "Hush. They're lighting them now," he mutters, fingers lightly curling against her neck as he tilts his head toward the sky with the accompanying hiss and crack of the first fireworks.

[fire_fox]

She nodded once, looking up at the sky as first firework lit it up. "It's beautiful dattebane..." Naruto basically stared at it like in trance, mouth and eyes open wide with large smile.

[openedthebasket]

"Mm." He just nods, keeping his head tilted toward the sky, though his eyes slide toward her again. The way the exploding fireworks reflected off her hair and in those blue eyes was even better than he'd thought it might be, and try as he might, he couldn't return his focus to the bursts above. "It is," he murmurs, fingers stroking gently along the back of her neck again. "I am surprised."

[fire_fox]

She didn't know why he was surprised but he confirmed that it is beautiful, not noticing that he was watching her... yet.
It was that feeling you get when someone's watching you that makes you look away from what you are doing to catch the gaze of the other. And she looked away from colorful fireworks and had her eyes locked on his.

[openedthebasket]

He hadn't expected her to turn, thinking at she would be too distracted by the fireworks. His fingers still against her neck as his breath catches. Damn, he should have been able to see the shift in her face before she moved, but he'd been too distracted by... well... her.

A pause, then he coughs lightly, shifting his hand from the back of her neck to rub his thumb against her cheek. "You had a smudge," he mutters, his own cheeks flushing dark again.

[fire_fox]

Her cheeks burned at the touch, but she couldn't turn away. Or break the gaze she had locked with him at the moment. Her mind registered fireworks blowing up in the background, but his hands were too warm, too distracting and then there was the simple truth- she didn't want to look away from him. "Ah..."

[openedthebasket]

He keeps his hand against her cheek for a long moment, fingertips tracing those distinctive lines along her skin. "You're missing the fireworks," he says quietly after a moment, shifting in just a few more centimeters as he pretended to look for more imaginary dirt.

[fire_fox]

She can see him speak, something obviously related to fireworks. "Right..." but she doesn't moves, because she can see the fireworks. "... I don't think... I am," she murmured silently, eyes falling half-lidded at the gentle tracing of the fingers.

[openedthebasket]

Oh, that look on her face brings another heated flush to his cheeks, but he doesn't let her go or stop watching her, memorizing every detail of her reactions and her body language. "As long as you are pleased by what you see," he answers in a murmur, thumb brushing again over one of the lines on her face.

[fire_fox]

He was close- she could make out every outline of his face- eyes, high cheekbones... especially lips. And after what he said, there was only one good answer to it (at least in her head)- she leaned up just a little to brush their lips ever so lightly. Very, very lightly. But it was warm, making her cheeks burn and send that tingling feeling to the pit of her stomach.

[openedthebasket]

He could read her intent in the subtle movements of her face and eyes, but it doesn't help him prepare any better. His breath catches in his throat as his fingers curl against her cheek to hold her still, then lean in himself, returning the gentle brush of lips with his own, though he refuses to pull back so quickly. Instead, he tilts his head further, a little self-consciously making sure his nose isn't going to bump hers as he leans in further to apply just the slightest bit more pressure.

[fire_fox]

He... he kissed her back! She was little daring there, and even if she would never admit, she was a bit scared of his reaction. But now...
She placed her hand on his cheek, keeping her head tilted and pushed back lightly into kiss, eyes sliding shut. She could hear fireworks going off in background, but she couldn't care less.

[openedthebasket]

His own eyes stay open to measure everything, able to see the excited joy and the willingness that meant he wasn't overstepping any bounds... Which was good, because he didn't think he could pull back all that easily right now. It's still such a surprise how soft and yielding her lips are, nothing like how she speaks, and he leans in to seal their lips tightly together, his free hand planting itself on the blanket so he can turn and face her completely.

[fire_fox]

As the kiss got firmer, she could feel her cheeks go even redder. She was probably red like a tomato right now and she was happy that there was kiss involved because he can't see her face... right?
She shifted only slightly, leaning back on her free hand and returning the kiss eagerly, and maybe... bit clumsily. But it made her thoughts completely blank so she didn't really care.

[openedthebasket]

If there's any clumsiness, he assumes it's on his own part, and he immediately tries to shift his angle to make it better without losing any of that eager intensity. After all, he didn't want her coming away from this with the idea that the genius Hyuuga Neji couldn't kiss, did he?!

As she leans back, he follows, his bangs falling to frame either side of her face as he keeps his gentle grasp on her cheek. The warmth was dizzying, and only belatedly did he realize that he couldn't breath like this, and pulls back to break the kiss, breath coming in small pants through his open mouth. A part of him is hoping that she'll kiss him again, but he wants to ask why...

[fire_fox]

When they broke apart, she exhaled softly, pressing her lips together for a moment, before looking up at him. She... did it, didn't she? She kissed him... and she liked it. A lot in fact. And she wanted to do it again. She didn't move away from him, she could still feel his breath against her lips.

[openedthebasket]

He should ask, he really should ask...

Instead, his fingers just trail around from her cheek to bury themselves in that bright hair of hers, holding the back of her head as he leans in again for another, harder kiss. Talking could come later.

[fire_fox]

There was a little cheer in her head as he went for another kiss. So it wasn't bad that she got a bit gutsy after all...

She wrapped her hands around his neck, closing her eyes and immediately returning the feverish kiss with the same, or even bigger, eagerness than before.