Sakura had sent Naruto to look for a book on a rare plant. Team Seven had been tasked with replenishing some of the harder-to-find plants for the hospital. And while Sakura knew most of them, a few of the ones that didn't grow in their land or one adjacent eluded her.
The team had found all but one plant, a singular plant that grew only on Hashirama Island, located South West of the Tea Country. So exclusive that nations had to make reservations with the island elders before coming to pick the plant, thus helping it from going extinct. The plant, in its natural state, was also extremely toxic and needed to be dried and ground to a powder to release its medical properties. Hence Naruto's research, the plant had to be dried at a specific temperature and for the right amount of time or it would be rendered useless.
Naruto had found a book on the Land of Tea and one on the island itself. Sakura had suggested finding a book regarding rare plants. She told him the library had exactly one copy of the book he was looking for. When he asked her why she didn't just buy a copy she called him an idiot and asked if she was just made of money to buy rare, old, and expensive books.
So Naruto went, and he looked. Row after row and stack after stack until he reached the back of the library where tables lined the wide windows. Giving people places to sit with the rare books that weren't allowed to leave the library. Naruto sat, resting his head against the cool wood of the table.
"Naruto?" a familiar voice sounded. Naruto looked up to see Kiba
"Oh hey, your team sent you here to find an impossible book too?"
"Nah, Hinata already found the book. She messaged me to come to look at it. It's some weird plant book, she had a question about how an ingredient would affect food pills. My clan makes all their own so she figured I'd know. She's just the next room over"
"What book exactly?" Naruto's interest peaks
"No clue, what are you looking for?" Kiba asks
"A book on rare plants, Sakura had some questions about the last plant we needed to gather for the hospital's medicine store."
"Well come on." Kiba motions for Naruto to follow.
The pair walk to the next room and a handful of shinobi sit reading old text. Hinata at a table in the back. Her hair fell into a pool next to her. A slight wrinkle forms between her eyes as she skims the book's pages. Cute. Naruto thinks watching her trace a finger down the page.
"Hey Hina, look who I found." Kiba stands ahead of Naruto so he doesn't see his wink. "He just happens to be looking for a rare plant book."
"Any chance that book has anything about dancing vines?" Naruto asks, giving her a lazy smile
"I think, maybe, we can check." Hinata blushes but returns his smile
Naruto makes his way around the table, pulling up a chair and scooting close to Hinata as she flips to the glossary.
"Yeah it's right here, you can take the book for a bit if you want." Hinata moves to push the book in Naruto's direction, but he just scoots closer to her.
"Nah this is fine, I only need two different things from it." He leans in, his arm pushed flush into hers. Kiba bets if he looked under the table their legs would be the same. His eyes darted back and forth between the two, Hinata's face growing redder by the second.
"What are you looking for?" Hinata manages, shooting Kiba a disapproving look as he tries to hide a low laugh.
"The temperature to dry it at and for how long. It's toxic if not done right." Naruto mummers, eyes skimming down the page.
"Kiba, did you want to read the book?" Hinata questions, looking like she's about to stand up.
"No, no, you two seem to have it covered. I'll just watch, I mean wait." Kiba chuckles again, Naruto paying no mind, turning the book's page.
Hinata looks up, meeting her teammates' eyes. Mouthing "shut up" at him. Kiba leans forward, hiding a laugh again.
"Hinata?" Naruto questions, "Does that look like a five or a six I can't tell and the texts have kinda been rubbed off, ya know." Naruto points to a spot on the page.
Hinata leans in, brushing her hair behind her ear. Naruto moves his arm so she can get closer, placing it on the back of her chair, resting against her back.
Gods she smells so good. Naruto watches her read the page, losing track of why he was even at the library. Focusing on the way her brow pinched again and her teeth bit slightly into her full bottom lip.
"It's um five." She squeaks, as she feels the pressure of Naruto's arm against her. "Kiba, don't we have dinner with Shino? We should go." Hinata stands, Naruto's arm falling. "Bye Naruto."
Naruto watches the pair leave, Hinata red all over and Kiba laughing.