Renamon was laughing. Renamon was laughing at him. Jiraiya stared at her in awe, having not heard her laugh like that before, and not quite registering how his heart warmed at the noise.

"He might still end up going with his team, but he could probably use a distraction for a few minutes--" Jiraiya began to reply, then stopped abruptly.

Wait a minute. Wait just one damn minute. His eyes widened for a moment, and then Jiraiya was grinning.

"Speaking of distractions," he almost purred. "That was one just now, wasn't it?"

Jiraiya's now better mood didn't evaporate, though--it only grew. The only purpose for such a distraction would have been to distract him from worrying about Naruto. And it had worked. He had unconsciously let his guard down around her again, and she had been able to take swift advantage of it. Oh, she was a sneaky one--truly part fox.

It also meant that Renamon cared. Which was something, Jiraiya realized, that he surprisingly needed.

He also didn't need to hear her answer--he already knew it.

"You... are a brat," Jiraiya grinned wider. "I think I like you."