I have.. over 400 reviews... -shock-

Naruto: -waves hand in front of authoresses face-

Tina-chan: -glazed look-

Gaara: -sweatdrop-

Hinata noticed that T.C. was looking toward the panda section with a happy grin on her face. She looked and saw Naruto carting a large, red stuffed panda and dragging Gaara behind him (as usual). She looked back at T.C.

"N-Naruto-kun seems to l-like the panda."

T.C. beamed at her.

"I knew he'd find it."

Hinata gave her a look that said, 'huh?', but T.C. just shook her head slightly and grabbed her hand. Hinata blushed a deep red.

"What kind of stuffed animals do you like Hina-chan?"

"A-anou… I-I…"

Poor Hinata was so distracted by the warmth of the hand over her own that she forgot how to form coherent sentences. She closed her eyes and started to shake slightly. T.C. looked at her shaking friend, extremely worried about her condition.

'Omg, she looks like she's having a panic attack! Okay, what did auntie say to do in these situations…? Oh!'

Hinata found something large and furry shoved toward her, and she automatically reached out to grab it and hug it against her chest for comfort. It was soft and squishy and… comforting. She opened her eyes and found herself face to face with a Mew (Pokemon©) plushie. It was light pink with blue eyes and was a big version of it. She buried her face in it and took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

'In… out… in… out… I'm okay now.'

At the realization that she had almost had a panic attack inside a store she blushed an even deeper red and slowly opened her eyes to find T.C.'s worried face right in front of her.

"Hina-chan! Are you okay now? You were having some sort of attack… and I was freaking out… then I remembered that stuffed animals help calm people down so I found this one… Are you okay now?"

Hinata nodded, her face down in shame. She had worried her friend so much… it was all her fault. She stiffened slightly when she felt warm arms wrap around her gently, then a bit harder. A voice next to her ear almost made her shiver.

"I'm glad you're okay now."

The welcome warmth receded and left Hinata feeling a bit shell shocked. Before she could completely recover her Mew plushie was yanked out of her arms.

"I'll get this for you; you like it, right? If you ever feel nervous or stressed its always good to hug a stuffed animal…"

T.C.'s voice droned off as she walked to the cash register. Hinata slowly followed, her arms clasped across her chest, as if trying to get back the warmth that had been there previously…

Iruka and Kakashi were walking down the street when Iruka caught sight of his former students in a shop and of course had to go over to say hello. After threatening Kakashi with bodily harm if he took out his Icha Icha, Iruka walked into the store and was greeted with an interesting sight. Naruto was hugging a giant red panda while Gaara glared at it, Neji was rooting around in the Jadepanda© plushie section, Kankuro was once again hiding behind a display, Temari was forcing Shikamaru to wear ferret ears, and Hinata was waiting while T.C. bought the Mew doll. Alerted by some special 'Iruka-sensei in glomping distance' radar, Naruto whirled around and glomped said sensei, while 'Gaa-chan' was suspended with sand in midair next to Gaara. Kakashi could see said sand nin trying to glare the poor panda to death.

'Damn panda… why is Naruto hugging you all the time?'

Gaara needed a hug. Kakashi noticed. He turned to Naruto, who was talking a million words a minute to a winded looking Iruka.

"Maa, Naruto-kun, is there something wrong with Gaara?"

Naruto looked to his boyfriend and immediately noticed that something was amiss. What else was there to do but glomp him right in the middle of the store and nuzzle his face against his neck while asking him what was wrong? (classic uke maneuver). Needless to say, Gaara was now a very happy panda. Um, person. Suddenly, both boys noticed a change in the atmosphere… They slowly looked up to see teary eyed fangirls clutching their hearts (and cameras).

"GAARA-KUN!"

"NARUTO-KUN!"

"LET US HUG YOU!"

"KYAAAAA!"

The rabid fangirls leaped… to find that the boys had already disappeared, leaving bushin in their place.

"NOOO!"

The distraught fangirls left in search of their favorite couple. Once they had all disappeared from the area a blonde head peeked out from behind Iruka and a red head peeked out from behind Kakashi.

"Fangirls… are scary."

"Gaara! That was scaaaary! Waah!"

Gaara found himself with an armful of blonde. He inwardly smirked.

'Scary, but they have their uses.'

Kakashi was idly wondering whether the older kunoichi were into yaoi… and if they were as scary as the teenage variety of fangirls.

"Hey Iruka."

"Hai, Kakashi?"

"If you could pick two female jounin who were most likely to be fangirls, who would you pick?"

"Anko."

Kakashi inwardly shuddered. Yes, Anko probably was into yaoi… he hoped she didn't start stalking them. If she knew they were going out…

"Anyone else?"

"…Kurenai?"

"Hmm… you never know."

"Kakashi! My eternal rival, what brings you to this gloriously youthful establishment on this fantastic day!"

Kakashi looked around, momentarily horrified as a green and orange blur entered the shop (not that he actually looked horrified; it was more of a bored, 'who are you again?' one-eyed, half-lidded stare that lasted for about two seconds before he leaned against the wall, hands in his pocket.).

"…Gai. What are you doing here?"

By this time everyone had bought what they wanted and was staring at Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast. Neji had a bag with an unidentified object, Temari had a ferret doll, Shikamaru had ferret ears, and Kankuro also had a bag. Gai didn't seem the least bit disturbed that everyone was staring at him.

"Why, I was just on a date…"

Everything else that Gai said was lost to Kakashi as he tried to comprehend that one word. Date. Gai, on a date? What person in their right mind would go on a date with Gai? Not to be mean but… It's Gai! The green spandex wearing, freakishly cheerful, self-punishing, enthusiastic Green Beast of Konoha!

"…and we were walking by and just happened to spot a store full of youth, along with you, my eternal rival! So of course I had to come in to say hello!"

"Gai-san? Here you are. I was wondering where you ran off too."

Kakashi turned and saw…someone he wasn't expecting. The women had brown, coffee colored skin, with red dreads that framed a kindly face. She was wearing a long blue peasant skirt that swished with every movement, and a breezy purple blouse. All in all, she was good looking. Not someone you would expect to see with Gai, of all people. There was a general feeling of shock from all that knew Gai. Neji turned slowly.

"Gai sensei, is this your date?"

TBC

Beautiful reviewer people! -uber glomp- you guys... are so kind! I take forever to update, you remind me! I write short chapters that are posted at 3:30 AM, you tell me they're good! I just want to say... you guys really make me feel good as a writer, and i luv u all! Thankies for the reviews!

-hugs panda muse Ling Po-chan- I like pandas... Yeah, this is late 'cause i was sick last weekend. T.T sorry. Once again, luv to all my reviewers (and readers), as long as you keep wanting more, I'll keep writing! Hooray for plushies and fangirsl!

Neji: Oh dear, I think she's hyper again.

Kankuro: Naw, I think she's just basking in the love of her reviewers.

Tina-chan: speaking of which... you two have had a snog request!

Kankuro: ... O.O

Neji: ...

Inner Neji: Yeeesssss! Yay for reviewers!

Neji: shut up!

inner Neji: You know you want to! wipe that paint off his face! -whoot!-

Neji: T.T you scare me.

Tina-chan: I dunno Neji, your inner self sounds pretty sure of himself...

Kankuro: Don't I get any say in this!

Tina-chan: You don't actually. I have ideas in my head for you two... -evil laugh-

Neji: -inches away from crazed authoress-

Inner Neji: Yay for pervy fangirls!

Kankuro: ...T.T

Hee, please review! I luv reviewers...