Deleted Scene Episode 6

Warnings: Very un-edited and has bits missing. Takes place during chapter 13

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"He just reads anything, even if it's stupid. But those library books he finds are so..."
The black haired boy hummed in agreement. "I saw."
"And he always goes to the library late at night these days, so Sakura and me are never there to see what he's picking up," Naruto huffed sounding so indignant. "He's probably doing that on purpose."
"It can't be that bad," the other boy said, sounding almost amused.
"Sai alone in the library is very bad. Trust me, nii-san. It's like... it's just bad."
Jiraiya snorted, huffing when he realised that the boy had snorted at the same time.
"I don't know. It is funny to hear him talk about things he read sometimes. His interpretation is fun."
"Only sometimes!" Naruto said. "I think Sai needs a book specially written for him. That's it! That's what we should do. Write a book and put it in the library for him to get and read."
Jiraiya scoffed and glanced back. "The library attendants check the shelves regularly. If a book doesn't have the library's official seal on it, it'll obviously get removed."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Were you trying to put your porn books on the shelves?"
The black haired boy glanced between the both of them in wary amusement and imediately said, "Maybe you can give it to him as a gift. When is his birthday?"
Naruto frowned and stayed silent for a while.
"Naruto, you don't know Sai's birthday?"
"It's not like that, nii-san," Naruto said almost pleadingly. "It's just, it's odd to give someone a gift on their birthday if they're not family, right?"
"What...ah, right, no birthday parties every year. One-day-for-all festivals and special birthdays only," the boy said, almost to himself.
"Birthday parties every year?" Naruto asked curiously.
Birthday parties every year? Jiriaya repeated mentally and slowed his own steps till he lingered a little closer to the two of them. "
"Oh, um, we... every year, we sort of celebrate making it through to another year."
Jiraiya frowned. Making it through to another year? And who does 'we' refer to? 
"So you've had birthday parties every year?" Naruto said, sounding almost awed.
The boy snorted. "No, it... I just got gifts. And cake."
"Is it a special cake?"
"It's just your favourite flavour with your name written on it."
 "Why?" Naruto asked.
Jiraiya nodded. Exactly! Why? 
"That's for the parties mostly, I think. You know you put candles on it and after everyone sings the song, you blow out the candles and... actually never mind that."
That's not the Why I want an answer to, Jiraiya frowned at how the conversation went further away from any useful explanations.
But Naruto said, "A song? There's a song?"
"Yes," the boy cleared his throat awkwardly. "But it's not all that important really. The cake is the important thing!"
Jiraiya glanced back, unsure of what to feel at the odd conversation about parties, cake and songs. Some part of him- the curious and inquisitive part- wanted to steer the conversation back into something useful.
"But I don't have a favourite flavour," Naruto said thoughtfully.
Jiraiya twitched in annoyance. What does that have to do with finding out more about...
"You have something against strawberry cake?"
"Nii-san!"
To Jiraiya's confusion, they both started laughing. They can't have known each other long enough to have inside jokes. That's not possible! He glanced back again curiously but frowned when he noticed the boy's slowed down pace. "Oi, you two, we're going to stop by a stream in a few minutes."
The boy didn't react to that. Didn't show any relief at getting a break. Didn't show any annoyance.
When they finally stopped by the stream, Jiriaya stretched. Remembering other potential stops on the way to Yugakure, he said, "I could use a snack. What do you you think about getting some dan..."
Naruto jumped towards him with a panicked expression. "Don't!" Naruto whispered frantically, his eyes wide and worried and his words too fast. "He's got... Dango...trigger word..."
Jiraiya winced after finally made sense of Naruto's whispers and noticing the boy's pale expression. Determined not to let the boy get lost in his memories, he said, "I was going to say Daifuku when we reached Yugakure."
He sighed in relief alongside Naruto, when the boy took a deep breath and spoke like nothing odd had occurred. 
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So I read somewhere that the whole concept of birthday parties is more of a western thing. And traditionally in Japan there were more celebrations for certain older ages (60, 80, etc.)  - which was more of a celebration of longevity.

Otherwise birthdays weren't really given much importance. I thought that was rather interesting.

Interesting fanfic finds
1. The World on His Wrist by bendingsignpost (Sherlock BBC story)
Summary: First, he is shot in Afghanistan. Second, he wakes to a phone call in Chelmsford, Essex. Third is pain, fourth is normalcy, fifth is agony and sixth is confusion. By the eighth, he's lost track.

Brilliant story. Like really. The idea is really unique, at least to me and I read the whole story in one sitting and wanted more. It does have sort of Inception vibes- so a sci-fi genre plot- and a bit confusing at the start, but the more you read, the more it grows on you. Go read it and tell me you're not amazed by it.

2- Haunted by explosive_gnome (SupernaturalxHarry Potter)
Summary: Hogwarts gets an infusion of classic rock and the year isn't going well for Snape. He was no good at human company. It was ironic, he supposed, that he was now stuck with the inhuman kind.

With a summary like that, aren't you intrigued by the story? I was, and when I finally read the story I wasn't disappointed. It's rare to find a SPNxHP story that is likeable, but this one is really nice. Even the style of writing is likeable- fun and quirky- which makes the characters likeable too.

Anyway, that's all for now. Happy Thursday to you all,

Polar.