I closed my eyes and began to return Callum's kiss. His tongue licked over mine. It was warm and wet, but it didn't make me want to heave. And then my tongue did the same to him. I began to feel a little strange. My heart was beginning to thump in a peculiar, hiccupy way that made me feel like I was racing down a roller-coaster, roaring out of control. Someone was tying knots in my insides…
"What you reading?"
"Ahh!" Sakura gave a yelp of surprise, clasping her book protectively to her chest.
"Heheh… Sorry." Naruto grinned sheepishly at her.
"Whatever. Leave me alone, Naruto." Muttered Sakura. She'd had a long day, and wasn't in the mood for Naruto's constant chatter and terrible jokes.
Naruto's face fell.
"I was just asking…" He said dejectedly.
Sakura sighed, wavering. She was a sucker for the puppy-dog eyes. And Naruto looked so disappointed that she bean to feel sorry for him, and regretted snapping at him. He didn't really do anything to annoy her. Yet. And maybe a little company would be nice.
"It's called 'Noughts and Crosses'" She said eventually.
"You mean like tic tac toe?" Asked Naruto confusedly.
"No." Sakura sighed "It's about a world where black and white are right and wrong."
Naruto answered her with a blank look, tilting his head to one side like a cat.
"It's about racism." Sakura simplified.
"Oh!" Said Naruto, as if he'd just had an amazing revelation "I didn't think it was about that. I thought it was about kissing."
Sakura went pink.
"Naruto! You were reading over my shoulder!" She said accusingly.
"Only a little bit." Naruto admitted "You like that stuff? It's kinda sappy, don't you think?"
"No, it's not! It's romantic and emotional and intelligent!" Said Sakura haughtily, getting to her feet "Now if you'll excuse me."
"A-Ah, Sakura-chan! Don't be like that!" Naruto called after her.
"Just because you have no idea about love doesn't mean we all don't." Sakura sniffed.
"I do so know about it…" Mumbled Naruto defensively.
"Oh, really?" Challenged Sakura. This was the reaction she had been hoping for- at least now she could have a little fun with him!
"Yeah, really!" Naruto could never resist a challenge.
"Well then… How many people have you kissed?" Asked Sakura teasingly. She knew herself that kissing itself had little to do with love. The emotion behind it was what did, however she did not expect Naruto to pick up on this.
"Um…" Naruto's triumphant grin faded from his face, and he said "None."
"None!" Sakura snorted. In truth, she had never kissed anyone either, but this was her revenge for him badmouthing her book!
"Have you?" Naruto asked "Kissed anyone, I mean."
"W-Well… Yes, of course!" Sakura lied feebly, but Naruto drank it all in.
"Oh…" He looked a little disappointed. And a little envious. "Um… How is it done?"
"Done?"
"Yeah!"
Sakura frowned. "How is what done?"
"…Kissing." Said Naruto.
"You don't know?" Exclaimed Sakura, surprised. She had never had a real boyfriend before, to hug and to kiss, but she had seen it on television and read about it in books. She had often practised on the back of her hand when she was younger, lying awake in bed at night.
Naruto glanced to the side and shook his head.
Sakura's initial surprise began to fade. It was understandable that Naruto didn't know how to kiss. He had never known his parents, unlike her, who frequently greeted her mother and father with a kiss when she was little. And he had never had a girlfriend- he was far too busy chasing after her for that.
"…Shall I tell you, then?" Sakura offered.
Naruto nodded, eyes still glued to the floor.
"You'll be asking me where babies come from next!" Sakura sighed in mock exasperation.
"H-Hey!" Naruto frowned and ballooned out his cheeks in annoyance. Sakura guessed he was trying to scowl, but he just looked like he was pouting. The overall effect was endearing in a way, and she giggled.
"Ok, you have to sort of purse your lips, like this see?" Sakura puckered out her own lips as an example.
"O-Ok…" Said Naruto, trying to imitate her- and failing miserably. He just looked like he was biting his lip.
Is he really that clueless?
"No, that's not right…" Sakura shook her head "You need to relax your lips, l-look…"
She reached up so that the tips of her fingers touched Naruto's cheeks- which immediately flushed scarlet. Squeezing his cheeks slightly so that his lips pushed together oh-so slightly, Sakura pulled away, pink-faced.
"There." She said conclusively.
"What now?" Naruto asked. His lips were still pursed and his cheeks still red, giving him the most comical appearance.
"Well, you can practice on the back of your hand, look" Said Sakura, and she kissed the back of her hand.
"O-Ok…" Naruto mimicked her movement, 'kissing' the back of his own hand.
Well, that wasn't exactly right, but close enough…
An awkward silence followed, and continued for a few minutes. Sakura sat fidgeting, biting her thumbnail and twisting a strand of her hair round and round her finger, wondering why she was suddenly so nervous. Naruto meanwhile practised puckering his lips in and out, looking very pleased with himself, and a little scared too.
And then, without warning, Naruto leaned forward and pressed his lips against Sakura's. Sakura's eyes widened, too surprised to even push him away. Naruto pulled away almost immediately, fidgeting with his clothes, head bowed, cheeks flaming.
"Sorry." He mumbled, not looking at the dumbfounded Sakura.
Finding her voice, Sakura cried out "Wh-Wh-What did you do that for!?"
"W-Well, since you offered to teach me and all, a-and you kept holding your head up l-like that… I-I-I thought you wanted me to…" Naruto gabbled incoherently, tapping his forefingers together.
"Wanted you to?!" Cried Sakura, offended, wondering why she was burning up.
"I'm sorry!" Insisted Naruto.
"I should think!" Sakura wasn't quite ready to give in just yet. How dare he steal her first kiss like that! She'd fantasized about what her first kiss would be like as a child, and that was nothing like how she'd imagined. She'd wanted it to be soft, deep and romantic. Instead she had Naruto pressing his hard chapped lips against hers. But what angered her the most was how it had made her feel. The way that unexplainable, tingling sensation had spread through her, the way her heart had began hammering against her ribcage, leaping about in her chest like a trapeze artist, the way her cheeks had heated up, the way Naruto's nervous lips pushed up against hers felt almost… nice.
"Please forgive me!" Begged Naruto, falling to is knees, clasping his hands together in prayer. He looked up at her with wide, apologetic eyes, his eyebrows arcing inwards worriedly. "Please don't hate me!"
Sakura glared down at Naruto, cowering before her, his cobalt eyes pleading, his whiskered cheeks pink, a hopeful trace of a smile dashing across his face. She raised her powerful fist to punch him into the middle of next week- and found herself laughing. A warm, happy, playful laugh.
"Huh?" Naruto looked up at her, wondering why her fist hadn't smashed into his face by now.
Sakura stifled her giggles.
"You're a rubbish kisser!" She chortled.
"Ah…" Naruto smiled embarrassedly and looked away.
"I think… You need practice?" Sakura said shyly, biting her thumbnail.
"Eh?!"
The mixed look of shock, disbelief, hope and delight on Naruto's face was priceless.
"D-Did you just say… I-I mean, d-do you mean…? A-Are we…"
Naruto's incessant babble was stopped by Sakura's lips meeting his, slow and scared. Pulling away, Sakura blushed and gave Naruto one of those smiles she used to reserve only for Sasuke. It filled Naruto's heart with joy.
The two young ninjas looked away from each other, embarrassed. As far as awkward first kisses go, this topped the charts. They both were bright red and grinning from ear to ear, laughing nervously.
"Um, so…" Sakura began "Are we… going out?"
"Um, like dating? L-Like, a relationship?" Naruto stuttered, swallowing.
"I guess… since we just…" Sakura trailed off unsurely, biting her lip.
"Um… Sakura-chan?"
"Y-Yes?"
Naruto gave her a puzzled look.
"Where do babies come from?"
--
Yes, this is a oneshot! Heheh, silly Naruto! You know, I always imagined him being totally clueless on the subject of, um, intercourse.