Readers… I'M SORRY! The site was being evil, and I couldn't access my profile! T.T Here's the update!

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

Maito Gai was happy. Actually, he was usually happy but today he was happier than usual. Why, you might ask? He doesn't quite know.

"Maito-san!"

He turned and grinned blindingly.

"Nadeshiko-san! How wonderful to see you in this beautiful morning of youth! I am here at twelve sharp, just as you have requested of me!"

She gave him that smile again. The one that made his heart beat a little faster and made him feel strangely energetic.

"This way please Maito-san."

They entered the shop that they were standing in front of. Gai looked around and gasped, hand to his heart in wonder. This shop was…

"This is a special shop of mine called Ai. It doubles as a café and… well, I guess you could call it a love shop. We have jewelry that can be hand carved, cards, flowers, books, special things, advice… We get pretty good business, but most of it goes to my other shop which is right next door. " (her yaoi/yuri shop)

She looked at Gai, who had tears streaming down his face.

"You… YOU TRULY CAPTURE ALL THAT IS YOUTHFUL AND PURE! I HAVE NEVER BEFORE SEEN SUCH DEVOTION TO LOVE!"

The smile again, with a slight blush and maybe something more behind the eyes than last time.

"Thank you. There're too many people who find love, but are too afraid to reach out and grab it. I try to make sure they find happiness with the right person. When I succeed, I find happiness also. So, tell me a little about your friend. What's he like? Do you know anything about his boyfriend?"

Gai nodded. Why did he feel so happy…?

Kankuro had woken up still annoyed from last night.

'Gaara, Temari... are you plotting something against me?'

He groaned and was about to go back to sleep when he heard the melodic voice of his beloved older sister calling to him.

"KANKURO! GET YOUR LAZY ASS OUT OF BED AND COME EAT BREAKFAST!"

Somehow he knew that today was not going to be his day…

Neji was sleeping. He was sleeping with a stuffed tiger. He had his face buried in the tiger's fur. Hanabi stared before deciding that no, she was not hallucinating and that her older cousin was practically snuggling with a stuffed tiger. She rubbed her eyes and went to her sister's room. Then she stared some more. Hinata had taken down her Naruto shrine. But in its place…

'…KAWAII!.'

She crept into the room. Just as she was about to rip a photo off the wall, she was caught.

"H-Hanabi c-chan, w-what are you doing?"

"Oneechan, can I have some of these pictures? Please?"

Hinata gave her consent. After all, GaaNaru should be shared right?

"That's a cute blanket. Where did you get it?"

Hanabi noted with interest the way her sister's eyes widened and her entire face turned bright red.

"I-I I… F-friend… C-cold… B-b-blanket…."

The younger Hyuuga decided to leave before her older sister hyperventilated from stress of an unknown cause.

Neji snuggled his face deeper into the pillow. Wait, pillows weren't furry.

'Oh, I went to bed with Kankuro… fuck, I hope no one saw me. Why exactly did I go to bed with a stuffed animal?'

A small voice in the back of his mind answered him.

'Maybe because it's the first time someone's bothered to think that you wanted one.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Remember what he said to you?'

-Flashback-

"Just take it. Anyway, you're the only person in the group who doesn't have a toy or something."

-End flashback-

'Yeah, I remember…'

'And he helped you out. And gave you food. And made you laugh.'

'He insulted me!'

'You started it. Besides, you laughed at it anyway.'

'And what exactly am I trying to prove to myself?'

'You like him.'

'…WHAT?'

'Fine, you're interested in him.'

'Am not.'

'Am too.'

'Nuh uh.'

'Ya huh'

'Shut up!'

'You just told yourself to shut up dumbass.'

'I'm not interested in him!'

'You do know what it means when you name a stuffed animal after someone, don't you?'

'…'

'Ha.'

'I really need to think this out.'

'Fine. I'm always here if you need me.'

Neji opened his eyes and woke up fully.

"…I just had a conversation with myself."

'And I said that I liked Kankuro.'


Iruka was freaking out slightly.

'Ahh, it's almost twelve! …what am I going to do!'

He'd never had much dating experience before. Even though he knew their feelings for each other were mutual… he was still nervous. Very nervous. Suddenly someone burst through the door.

"IRUKA-SENSEI!"

He barley had time to breathe before he was knocked backwards by a blur of yellow and orange.

"…Hello Naruto."

"Hey, why are you all dressed up Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka looked at himself. He was wearing blue jeans with a white tank top and a blue unbuttoned button up shirt on top. His hair was in its usual ponytail but he had a black head band in place of his usual hitae-ate.

"Anou… I'm going on a date with Kakashi at twelve."

"What! He actually asked you out? Whoa, I thought he was too weird to know how to do that."

"You flatter me Naruto."

Teacher and student looked up to see Kakashi lounging in the doorway. He was wearing black jeans and a dark grey turtle neck that covered the bottom half of his face. In place of his hitae-ate was a regular black bandana.

"…Kakashi-sensei… YOU'RE ON TIME!"

Kakashi looked at the clock.

"Hmm, I guess that I am."

'He was on time for Iruka-sensei… I guess Kakashi-sensei really does like him.'

Naruto stood up and put his hands behind his head.

"Anou, have fun! I'm going to go see Gaara. Bye!"

Iruka went to walk his former student to the door. When the teacher wasn't looking Naruto looked back at Kakashi and mouthed something that clearly said, 'hurt him and die.' Kakashi just waved cheerily back.

Hinata folded her precious Pokemon blanket and placed it underneath her pillow. Then she pulled it back out and breathed in its scent. Again. It smelled… like pears. With maybe some cinnamon and sandalwood mixed in. A spicy fruit scent that comforted her like nothing else could.

Neji placed his tiger under the blanket. Then he pulled it back out again and hugged it. It was squishy… and soft. It was comforting.

' I like stuffed animals… I should get some more. No one must ever know though. Hmm, didn't Kankuro say that he had a puppet? I wonder what it looks like…'

Hinata's cell phone rang.

"Moshi-moshi."

"Hina-chan! Its me, T.C.!"

"T-T.C.-chan! W-What is it?"

"Temari-san said that she found this great stuffed animal shop! She wants us to drag all of the boys there. You think you can get Neji to come?"

"H-hai!"

"Great! See you! I sent the address to your phone. Bye!"

"B-Bye!"

Hinata hung up. Now to get Neji to come…

Neji looked up when Hinata entered the room.

"Is there something you want Hinata-sama?"

"N-Neji-niisan, w-will you go s-shopping with me?"

"Hai Hinata-sama. Where are we going?"

"I-It's a stuffed animal p-place."

"…Stuffed animals?"

"H-hai."

"Okay."

'Wow, I thought it was going to be harder to convince him to go…'

'…This is the perfect excuse to get more stuffed animals. I can say they're for Hanabi or something.'


Kankuro eyed the toast warily. It was black. In fact, it looked like a piece of charcoal. The eggs looked like petrified rubber, and the bacon looked like burned beef jerky. He and Gaara eyed each other from across the table and came to a silent agreement. Gaara used his sand to cause one of the pots to fall to the ground. When Temari went to pick it up Gaara's sand devoured all of the food on the table. When she turned around she was rather surprised but pleased that her brothers had eaten for once.

"Okay, now that you guys are done eating I want to tell you that-

"GAARA! "

Gaara found himself fall in the floor as he was glomped by a hyperactive Naruto. Temari snapped a few quick pictures while they were recovering and Kankuro suddnely had a bad feeling in his stomach… Temari put her camera away

"As I was saying, we're all going to a stuffed animal shop today. No exceptions."

"Cool! That sounds fun Temari-chan!"

"…Hn."

"I don't wanna…"

"Kankuro, you are going. You need to make some friends and not hang out with that freaky doll all the time. Go or you will face sisterly wrath."

Kankuro winced; sisterly wrath was not a thing to be underrated.

"Fine. Karasu's not freaky!"

"Whatever. C'mon you guys, lets go!"

"So your friend Hatake Kakashi graduated the ninja academy at five and was an ANBU by the time he was fifteen?"

Gai nodded.

"He also has naturally silver hair, reads porn in public, is always late for everything, and always wears a mask that covers half his face?"

Gai nodded again.

"His boyfriends name is Umino Iruka. He teaches at the ninja academy and is at the rank of chuunin. Nice guy, always polite, constantly wears his hair in a pony tail?"

"Yes, he strives so hard to educate the youth of the village! Indeed someone worthy of my Eternal Rival!"

"…I must say that this is a classic case of 'opposites attract.' It seems that Hatake-san poured most of his life into being the perfect ninja. I daresay that didn't do much for his social skill or emotional development."

"He is always hip and cool but you seem correct in your observation!"

"Hmm, maybe we should observe them some more before deciding on a course of action. Shall we make it a date Maito-san?"

Gai felt elated. His heart was beathing faster, and his cheeks were slightly warmer than they had been.

"H-hai! We will start by finding my Eternal Rival!"

TBC

Tina-chan: The site was evil! The update took so long! I'm ashamed!

Naruto: Aw, its okay! We love you anyway. You'll forgive her, right readers?"

Tina-chan: It was so evil… -sob-

Naruto: There there -hug- Um, could you guys review please? That always makes her feel tons better, and I think she's in withdrawal… please save her soul.