I'm sorry this is so frickin short... I'm going to try to make the next one extra long to make it up to you. Either that or I add onto this chapter later. T.T

yeah, don't own naruto. -yawn-

Kankuro was hiding in a corner of the shop, hoping to Kami that no one saw him in a stuffed animal shop, especially one called, 'Fluffy Cuddles.' The horror. He peeked out behind a display of fluffy kitties to spy on his siblings. Temari was checking out a display of stuffed weasels with Shikamaru. Gaara was being dragged by Naruto to a display of stuffed pandas with a horrified look on his face. Kankuro stored that look later for teasing material. The shop bell rung and he ducked further behind the display, hiding himself from view. To his horror, he heard footsteps move his way.

'Crap'

Someone stopped in front of the display and Kankuro could hear him talking to himself.

"These are too fluffy… I want something like the tiger he gave me, it's soft but not fluffy…"

Kankuro's eyes widened.

'Don't tell me its…'

Suddenly Neji poked his head behind the display and looked straight at him.

'Oh Kami, its Hyuuga. Wait…. Did he just say the word 'fluffy?'

"Oh kuso. What the hell is he doing here! Did he hear me? Kami, help me through this…'

Neji was about to run away when Kankuro spoke, stopping him in his tracks.

"…Did you just say ' fluffy?'"

'Damn.'

'Ha, he heard you.'

'It's you again!'

'Love you too.'

Neji glared (as usual).

"Why would you care if I did?"

"Um, 'cause I'd be the weirdest thing I've ever heard?"

"What's wrong with the word fluffy?"

"Nothing, but hearing a word like that come from you is somewhat disturbing. You seem to like stuffed animals huh?"

'Nooo, he knows!'

'So? He doesn't look like an evil type of person. I don't think he'll tell anyone.'

'Yes he will! Who would keep to themselves the information that Hyuuga Neji likes stuffed animals? I'm never going to live this down!'

"So what if I do like stuffed animals?"

Neji started at him hard, waiting for an answer.

"Well… I guess that's fine for you then. Everyone has something they like; me, I like puppets. This is Karasu."

Kankurou unwrapped his beloved puppet. Neji looked at it as if it was something evil.

"It's ugly!"

"What! It's a magnificent work of art, a battle puppet!"

"That doesn't mean it's not ugly."

"You have no appreciation for art!"

Neji merely shrugged; Kankuro was right, art had never really interested him before.

"I guess not. So what are you doing here besides hiding behind fluffy kitties?"

Kankuro twitched.

"Don't say fluffy… please. It's somehow disturbing. 'Kitties' is pushing it too."

"And what exactly makes this so disturbing?"

"I dunno. Its just… you. Saying fluffy. Weird."

"As weird as your face paint?"

"DON'T DISS MY PAINT!"

'My my, he's amusing when he gets annoyed.'

'Amusing? Ha, I think it looks cute, even with the paint.'

'Well, I don't think that.'

'If I think it that means you think it too.'

'…When will you stop torturing me?'

'When you stop being in denial.'

'I'm not in denial!'

'Liar.'

"Hey Hyuuga! What's wrong with you? Do you usually space out like this?"

Neji blinked and found a hand waving in front of his face. Was he imagining it, or did Kankuro look… slightly concerned?

'Jeez what's wrong with the Hyuuga, he keeps spacing out. Is he sick or something?'

"Hey, are you feeling okay?"

Neji was taken aback by his sudden concern.

"Hai, I'm fine."

Kankuro looked at him again and decided that yes, he seemed okay now. Then he nodded and pointed to another corner of the store.

"If you want something like your tiger, I suggest looking over there. They seem to be made by the same person."

"…Arigato. Anou, are you going to tell anyone about…?"

"Why should I? Not like it's their business. See ya."

Kankuro walked off to ask Temari if they could leave yet when he saw Naruto walking to the cash register with a giant panda plushie, and Gaara…. Blushing?

-flashback-

"Gaaaara, lets look at the pandas!"

'…why do I have a sense of impending doom?'

"…Why the pandas?"

"Just c'mere!"

Gaara found himself being dragged by his boyfriend to a huge display of pandas of every size and shape. He squinted slightly; some of those panda's looked familiar… he took a tag and flipped it over. It read, JadePanda©.

'…The evilness returns!'

Gaara made a mental note to himself to find out who was the head of this company….

"Kawaii! Gaara, I want this one!"

Naruto held up a huge panda. It was red and white, but the rings around its eyes were black. The eyes were green and it had an 'ai' symbol on its forehead…

'No way this is a coincidence…'

"…Why that one?"

"'Cause it looks like you!"

Naruto gave him one of his real smiles.

"I'm gonna name it Gaa-kun! C'mon, lets buy it!"

Gaara once again found himself being dragged, this time to the cash register.

'…Okay, maybe I won't kill the owner of the company….'

-end flashback-

Oh man, this is crap… I'm sorry. T.T I'll definitely have a longer chapter next time. Writers block and lack of sleep... ick. >.