Having fun at genderbending
It was intriguing, how the ticking of the clock matched the rhythm of her heart beats.
Today was hot, and she was glad for the dress the diner's owner had compelled them to wear. It was frilly and pink and barely covered her rear but she was used to all the picking and unabashed flirts sent her way.
Today was odd as well, because the new employee was the type who did not speak unless seen fit and minds no body's business but her own.
Naruto liked that. She liked the ivory skin and the red pig tails. She liked that hardly concealed tattoo on the perpetually creased brow. The new girl was delicate with an edge. Classy with a peculiar wildness about her and in addition, held a charming, superior air like that of one head of the wealthiest households in the whole world.
Her dress did not leave her unscathed, however.
Striding on the narrow space between tables like a cat -with several pairs of eyes following her trail and some even whistling like wolves- the new girl continued serving tables with absolute grace, resembling something so royal and velvety that you can never reach.
The blonde smiled and ruffled the unkempt mess of short hair on top of her head. She was going to make a friend today. That was never hard.
Checking herself in the restroom's mirror, Naruto readjusted her skewed white bra and the ridiculous pink bow around her neck, and then re-clasped the suspenders of her stockings before smoothing down her frilly skirt. The latter didn't help the least, but it was all in preparation for their lunch break.
After buzzing about at the counter with the other girls, the blonde made her way to the lonely redhead at the table precisely under the window, one large glass of strawberry milkshake in one hand and a plate of brownies on the other.
“Hey there cutie.”
The redhead stopped the disinterested poking on the cheesecake in front of her and ever so slowly raised her head to meet Naruto’s eyes. Her lips parted slightly and she asked, with no sound uttered whatsoever, what is it that the other girl wanted.
The pixie blonde grinned prettily and laid the glass on the table before taking a seat across from the new employee. She rested a peachy cheek on her palm and patted her long eyelashes. “I thought we could get to know each other.”
From her face to the milkshake glass, the seafoam green eyes traveled unhurriedly. Lingering at places while skipping others.
She twirled the end of her pig tail, ceasing Naruto up and down like an article of clothing she isn't very certain about.
Naruto hoped she was being compared to a catchy-looking dress because the other girl was definitely a giant lollipop on a shop's front that you aren't permitted to touch.
The redhead took a measured bite of the cheesecake and chewed like a complete mistress, with no sound and no puffy cheeks, all the while staring at Naruto with something akin to a challenge.
“Do you like our cheesecake?” Naruto asked.
She swallowed audibly. “No.”
The blond ushered the large glass towards her. “You'll definitely like this then.”
When the pig-tailed redhead glanced down with a raised eyebrow, Naruto hoped she didn't overdo it with the decoration.
There was a fluffy spiral of whipped cream with a cute hook, blueberries and small, neat slices of a fresh strawberry on top, edible tiny stars as well as a Kitkat finger and the red straw that matched the girl's hair. That's not to mention the things put in the drink.
The other girl wrapped her small lips around the straw and sucked on it, imbibing the dense liquid. She licked her lips, something so small yet amazingly enticing, sitting few butterflies free inside of Naruto's stomach.
She cleared her throat. “It's not bad.”
Naruto took notice of the faint flush on the redhead's cheeks and sniggered. “Look at your cheeks. You liked it, just admit it.”
The other girl snorted, probably to hide her discomfort, simultaneously; Naruto took the Kitkat finger and placed one end in her mouth.
She hummed, inching closer across the table. At the confused expression on the new employee's face, the blond explained.
“Every new employee mugt do that.” She winked, wiggling the chocolate provokingly.
Of course, it wasn't a requirement, but what is Naruto if not naughty and cheeky.
The redhead, rather uncertainly, closed her lips around the other end. In one swift motion, they broke the finger in half.
Naruto inexplicably broke into a fit of giggles while chewing. “Y'know, I think you're really cute.”
The redhead rubbed on an itchy eye, surprisingly not smearing the heavy mascara and eyeliner. “I think you're snoopy.”
“Like Snoopy, the dog from the comic?”
The girl across the table chuckled quietly. Naruto reached with her hand and slid the cheesecake to her side of the table, consequently placing the plate of brownies in the middle.
She smiled cheerfully, eyes curved. “Help yourself.”
“You have quite the appetite.” The redhead mused after a moment of silence, staring at the blond from the corner of her eye, a ghost like smile on her face.
Naruto swallowed a mouthful of dessert. “I need to eat a lot so I can keep my face this beautiful.”
The redhead snorted amusedly, taking a long sip from the glass, leaving the telltale of a white, fluffy mustache behind. Naruto laughed heartily at the sight, and did a motion with her tongue as if licking something above her upper lip.
The other girl seemingly did not catch the drift and peered at Naruto with confusion.
The whiskered blonde smiled kindly, leaning over the table, she swept the whipped cream off the other's face with her thumb, bringing said finger to her mouth and licking the cream with gusto.
The bell rang, alerting everyone and announcing the end of side conversations and the squelching, right to the end of a shared glass of milkshake.
The two girls sighed contentedly, the redhead hiccuping and Naruto trying not to burp.
The blond pointed to the clock on the far end of the diner. “My shift will be over at seven. What about you?”
The other girl pouted adorably, drumming a finger on her lip. “I believe seven is also my cue.”
Naruto let out a happy cry. “We'll leave together then.”
*****
The two girls stood outside the diner, two foreign seeds in a mango fruit. Just like that, the world felt quite tight around them.
The sun was setting, casting the reminiscent warmth for the day on their bodies. Two shadows in a golden aftermath.
“Soooo…” Naruto started, rocking back and forth on her heels and making an honest attempt at not noticing the way the purple corset clung to the other girl's torso. Or how she made the long white stockings and the heelless black shoes everybody wore look so damn good.
“My house is that way.” She pointed west, where the fanciful indigo color was climbing leisurely up the horizon.
The redhead checked the watch on her wrist and met her gaze. “The other way.” She pointed on the opposite direction.
Naruto sighed disappointedly. She wanted them to walk home together.
While she was still tumbling over her next words, the other girl had already turned her back and started walking to wherever hot redheads usually go.
Naruto cried. “Stop! I don't even know your name.”
The redhead turned around, cupping her elbows in what became a permanent move the blond grew accustomed to during the rest of their shift.
“Gaara,”
Naruto's eyes glinted. “That's an odd name.”
“Anything better than fish cake.”
Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.
After a moment, the heel rocking returned and even though the world didn't feel so tight any more, the golden light wasn't there to warm her skin.
The redhead sauntered to her rigid body, closing in on her and tiptoeing, giving the nervous blonde a peck on the cheek.
A genuine smile graced her features before a more composed expression took place. She bowed, which surprised Naruto. “I'll see you tomorrow.”
She pivoted on her heel and returned to her original course.
“Hey, come to think of it, I didn't get to know anything about you.”
Gaara twisted her neck; just enough so Naruto could see her wink playfully. “We can work on that in our next lunch break.”
“Do you want to work on other things as well?” Naruto asked, unable to keep the smile or the mischief tone out of her voice.
Gaara spun around, her pig tails matching the movement perfectly. “A cheesecake?” she replied, walking backwards, looking nothing but a porcelain doll that could crack any moment.
Naruto laughed. “You'll eat your fingers after it. It'll taste so good.”
With a last glimpse of green, the redhead went back to walking normally, giving the other girl her back. “Goodbye, Na-ru-to.”
“Bye!”
“Bye.”
“See you…”
Naruto’s voice got carried away by the wind and her previous smile stretched across her face dangerously. With a deep inhale, she began making a bee line towards her apartment.
Romance for Dummies was waiting.
******
Note: Romance for Dummies is a fictional book which concept I borrowed from a fic I've read long time ago.
I really want this community to go back the way it was because the only reason I bothered to make an account on LJ was to be a part of this. Things seem pretty dead around here which just sucks.
I don't know, I hope I made someone smile with this :)