That's MY Book!

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to a bunch of other people
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"What? Talk about the strawberries?" Iruka was calm now, despite his state a few moments before. At the last word, he rolled his eyes.

"Yes." Kakashi replied simply, crossing his arms.

Iruka was made wary by the tone of the jounin's voice. Looking at the older man curiously, the chuunin raised his brows, waiting. A rush of wind flushed past before Kakashi answered.

"The strawberry shampoo. You gave it to her."

"Strawberry shampoo? Gave it to who?" The pony tailed chuunin frowned in thought. Who in the world was Kakashi...? Then Iruka got it. "You mean Sakura?"

"Yes. The gift last christmas. She always smells like strawberries now."

Iruka could have sworn he heard an accusation in there somewhere, "All riiiiggghht. So she smells like strawberries. What's the big deal?"

The stare Kakashi gave him could have frozen lava over. After a few more stretches of uncomfortable silence, Kakashi turned around and walked off, "If you don't get it, I don't see a point in telling you."

The poor chuunin was left to stand there, frown stuck in place as he wondered what the fuck the shinobi was talking about.

^-^

"Aw man!" Naruto's hearty whine could be heard up in the tree somewhere, "Why'd Kakashi-sensei have to take Iruka-sensei with him? How can I get him to buy me ramen if he's not here?"

Sasuke didn't even make a half-hearted attempt to reply. He was leaning on the trunk beneath the kyuubi container. His black eyes were sort of glazed over, his mind deep in thought. Noticing, for once, something other than himself, Naruto swung upside down on the large branch, "Sasuke... watcha' thinkin' about?"

The Uchiha boy did little else than smirk, his eyes still glancing at something that wasn't there. The blond waited a few more moments before frowning a little, "Fine! Don't say anything. Bastard."

Returning to his perch, Naruto sighed audibly, chin in hand, "Where'd Sakura wander off to, anyway. And why did she hit me so hard when I wanted to come with?"

'I wonder...' Sasuke blinked slowly, 'how much does Sakura want that book back.'

^-^

Now that she had a destination, Sakura made her way quickly. No one would get in her way. Not even those two... bushy... eyebrows???

"Sakura! My love!" Rock Lee started to make a gesture.

If only it were a jutsu...

But the pink haired chuunin knew exactly what it was. Screaming bloody murder, she slugged a fist straight at the rock nin's face.

"Now NOW Lee." She stated. Which was somewhat pointless since the person was currently flying through the air backwards.

Continuing on her warpath, she grumbled under her breath, "And not ever."

That's when she caught the sight of silver spiky hair. She froze mid-step. Kakashi? No, the hair was too large. And even messier than the other jounin's. At least Kakashi swept his to one side. This man's hair was flying everywhere.

'Just like Naruto,' Sakura noted disheartedly, 'I guess sensei and students do share more than fighting techniques.'

Steeling her will, Sakura made her way to the crouched figure, currently peeking through a tiny self made hole in the wall.

"Peeking in the woman's bathhouse again, Ji-rai-ya?" The pink haired girl's teeth could be heard grinding slowly.

"Wha-oh! Sakura. My, hello." The flustered man turned to face her, notepad and pencil in hand.

And to think this same, perverted old man, was S-class in rank. An Elite ninja.

"I was just... doing a-"

"Little research for you next book." Sakura cut him off, rolling her eyes, "Yeah yeah, I've heard it before."

Not deterred one bit, Jiraiya looked up at the chuunin from his comfortable crouch, "What brings you here, Sakura? Is it Naruto?"

"Wha- No." Sakura wondered why he'd even ask a question like that. As if she couldn't take care of Naruto herself should he make himself too bothersome.

"Ah." The Elite ninja sounded enlightened, his smile brightened, "You must be here about my adult novels, then."

Now it was Sakura's turn to smile, glad they could get straight to business. Though she couldn't help but blush lightly at the memory of what was in the book. Everything had been so... detailed. Either he must have peeked a lot, or he was a really good artist. But the chuunin shook her head at the thought. No, knowing Jiraiya, he probably just peeked a lot. Good artist or not.

"You're not?" The old man asked, sounding a bit put down.

"Wha- uh, no. I mean yes. Yes I am." Sakura replied hastily, nodding her head.

'Oh no, what did I want to ask him?' The pink haired chuunin thought to herself, trying to block out the stream of mental images from the book. What was the question she had wanted to ask him? How could she have forgotten!? Inner Sakura gasped defeatedly, 'Argh, no...Too many...' before the flood of menatl images overwhelmed her. Which left the real Sakura to stand there, looking like a fish in need of air. A fish steadily turning red, that is, by all the images that resurfaced.

Jiraiya, in the meantime, had been observing her. Noting Sakura's reluctance to speak, yet adament need to speak with him, he figured they must have tumbled into a situation that made the usually boisterous chuunin shy. He spoke up, "I know what you're here for. Not to worry. Not to worry." He ignored the flabbergasted look on the young lady's face. Nodding his head, hand stroking his chin thoughtfully, he continued, "Yes. You must be here to volunteer yourself to be the subject of my next novel."

Sakura's jaw dropped. How could Jiraiya, an Elite nin whose hobbie included tracking down Orochimaru, make an assumption that was so... utterly.... WRONG. Currently, she was attempting to repair whatever was broken with her voice, while trying to regain regular everyday motor abilities as well. Like her fist. She knew that should be working. She had just used it on Rock Lee a few moments ago.

"Ah, you are speechless. The perfect answer because I accept your gracious application, little Sakura blossom." Jiraiya grinned again, standing as he clasped her hand within his own.

Sakura's eye twitched. Application? Little?...Blossom? Her eyes strayed to the wrinkly old hands her delicate one was suddenly trapped within. The muscles in her eye spasmed again.

"I do believe that's a 'NO' Jiraiya." A voice put in.

The pink haired chuunin could have weeped with joy. Thank goodness someone was there to help. NOT rescue, 'cause Sakura wasn't just any damsel in distress. She was sure her fists would have started working anytime soon. See, there it was, lifting to wave as she turned around to thank... the person... behind her.

Yeeaaahhh.... uh, it was none other than... Kakashi.

As the Copy nin did his utter best to chase Jiraiya off -his best being so good that even I didn't know what he did- Sakura had it in her mind to sneak away. A puny attempt which she knew would fail miserably but tried anyway. She didn't make it as far as a dozen steps.

"Yo," Kakashi greeted, walking slouchingly in step beside her.

'Crash and burn,' Inner Sakura sighed at the escape plan.

"H-hey, Kakashi." Sakura put up a smile as she recalled, "I hope you don't hate strawberries too much. It was the shampoo I got as a present last christmas. And I can't remember who it's from, so I wouldn't be able to throw it away even if I wanted to."

'Hmmm... this might work...' The jounin thought to himself.

"It was from me." Kakashi said, "And you should toss it. I heard, uh, that your hair falls out if you use it for too long."

"N-nani!!?" Sakura exclaimed.

The jounin practically smiled to himself. Sounds like she had bought it.

"Don't do that, Kakashi." An upset little chuunin placed herself in front of the jounin, hands on her hips. Nearly running into her, Kakashi stopped well before they were too close. Which he damned his fast reaction for.

"Don't do what?" Kakashi blinked inquisitively.

"Stop lying all the time." Sakura frowned, her finger pointing close to his face, "If you wanted me to throw away the shampoo, then just say it."

"Don't stop lying?" Kakashi asked, smiling innocently.

"Kakashi, you know what I mean."

They just stood there for a while. Sakura pointing and glaring, Kakashi just staring back. Leaning forward, Kakashi stopped when her finger was against his forehead protector. To Sakura's surprise, his eye closed in a perfectly curved smile, "I know."

After which, they stood there some more. Sakura too shocked to move. And Kakashi just not wanting to move. Scratch that. That was a big fat lie. The jounin wanted to move CLOSER. But knew the chuunin would freak out or something. But he was a patient man.

Usually.

Ducking beneath the still pointing finger, Kakashi stepped well within her comfort zone, their bodies as close as they could get without contact.