Okay readers I am going to make this as short and sweet as possible, as stated in the other chapters I realized that this one flowed badly so I came back to fix it. So now it is mostly revamped, it now flows better and has a much better beat. I would prefer little to no flames, though I do love a little constructive criticism. Now if you all would not mind, please read and review, telling me if you like how I revamped it. Thank you all so kindly for waiting on me, also; since I will be out of town for the next week, feel free to think over who the next couple will be, Kiba and Hinata; or Kiba and Shikamaru. Thank all of my dedicated reviewers, followers, favorites, and silent viewers, I love you all.

Moving on, I have permission to remake author (yaoifan4eva)'s fan fiction Masquerade. So that is what I am doing. The only thing is, I am doing it my own way and will be having anyone who wants it to have a major role played in my story. Please participate in any voting that I make available, or message me any ideas you may have. If I think that they will benefit the story they will find there way into it. Thank you for reading this little blurb from me and enjoy.

Much love to all of my future reviewers and fans,

Blackwidow Framer

Ps. If you do recommend another couple please tell me which person's point of view you think it would be better in. I think it makes it more interesting. Thanks for reading my author's exert.

-XOXO-

He's got it down to an art, his half smiles and sad eyes, how he draws you in without knowing it, and how to be a friend. Once you are his friend, you realize that isn't what you want to be at all. - Written by me

-XOXO-

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Original Naruto Characters. Thank you kindly.

Yaoi warning

This will always be in Sasuke's point of view unless it is centered around one of the other couples.

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xoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxooxoxo

Chapter 1:

Fire Hydrants

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I glared down at the paper I found taped to my door this morning. I know they mean no harm by this, plus this will help with clan negotiations, but why do I need to be stuck with doing this. I am not sure I understand it, I understand most things but the reasoning behind this escapes me. I narrowed my eyes to feline like slits at the next thing it said. It is Mandatory to bring a 'guest', well at least they had not said date. Perhaps I can hook, line, and sinker one of my friends into going as a guest on purely friendly terms.

I felt a little bit better, or at least enough to go out and finally get what I originally set out to do done. I grabbed my coin bag and headed out to the grocer, as I had once again ran out of food.

As I skulked passed the many stores lining the main streets I let my mind wander into the past and all those who were apart of it. Naruto brought me back a little over three years ago and since I have spent one hundred percent of my time proving that I won't give out any information to my, now passed on, comrades. They have finally allowed the Anbu to stop following my every move, which I am thankful for. There is nothing like taking a shower or going to the bathroom with eyes on you. Uchiha or not, I couldn't help but give them the middle finger most days.

I went back even farther into our Academy days, team 7 was the best that there was and everyone had envied us. We trained harder than we ever had to, because all of us had something to prove. I was the last of my clan, he was an idiot, she wanted love and in the end we all wanted out from underneath expectations. She was expected to like me, because she was a girl and she had to. He acted completely hyper and had the demon in him, therefor; he is either a monster or an idiot. I am an Uchiha, my brother was a prodigy, therefor; so should I be. We did not like are labels and had to fight to live up to them which made us the best and the strongest, and in the end we were the closest team there is.

Even now after leaving the village and coming back they accepted me with open arms and we just started back up from where we left off. Now I am not sentimental I just like things to stay the same, change is annoying.

"Hey Sasuke, do you have an outfit for the ball yet? If not I know a great tailor that you can go to." Ah, Kiba, for some reason he thinks I am his friend since he is friends with Naruto; he is instantly friends with me. Not the case, isn't it funny how common sense really isn't that common? "Oh, wait for me Hinata, maybe I can catch up with you later and tell you about it." Then he ran off to the girl I was pretty sure Naruto was going to ask. If she gets asked by Kiba first there is no way she would say no to him. And everyone thinks I don't pay attention, though I have been wrong before; after all I am still trying to figure out who Sakura has feelings for. Not that I care or anything, just saying.

A really nice tailor, huh? I guess I can ask around and see what I can find out about this tailor. I have heard of them before, but never used them; so I do not know where they are. Though, I do have my own tailor and it would be horrible to not go in as I usually do.

"I don't want to though, so why should I have to." And I should turn around and go a different direction while I still have a chance.

"Shut your face, you are starting to sound like a idiot, again. Look, you should just give in and let me take you shopping; it will be fun. I can promise you that." The last part of what she said sounded more like a threat of harm than, then a threat of fun. Though, it does explain the reason why I haven't run into either one of them yet on my trek through the village. It also explains some of the reason as to why he doesn't want to go. If he's stuck with her as a shopping partner, I really need to make my exit now before the raving lunatic of a woman decides to Sasuke-nap me like the fan girls started doing all the time once I got back in the village.

I finally turned to leave when his voice stopped me in my tracks, "don't even think about it Uchiha. If I have to be victim of this so do you." Just like that I felt the urge to go back to the ways of the cursed mark.

Then there is of course this part of me that just goes along with them and follows the evil wench and her pet fox. I do it without thinking about it, but once I do, like right now for instance, I wonder where my pride went and why I am not fighting this at all.

" So Sasuke what do you think about this? Why do you think the village elders have suggested this?" At least her question is a valid one and for that I think hard on it hoping to give her the best response I possibly can on it.

"I think it has to do with the clans and how they are interacting with one another at the moment. To be honest, unless you are part of the inner workings of a clan you may not know this; but most of the clans are bordering on collapse. This dance is going to force them to mingle politely and keep them out and moving. As before stated the clans themselves have been locking themselves inside their mansions without so much as a word to one another and they are killing their status' from the inside out. This is one way to fix it. So in a way I see why they are doing it. Naruto before you ask, I believe the reason why you are here is because if you remember right she has recently formally named you her successor." With that I continued to walk I have to get my clothing in place if I have to actually make an appearance, I know why they want me there; they wish for me to continue on my family line. Of which I myself have been holding off, I am not even sure why I am holding off anymore it has just become the normal thing to do.

"I did hear her say that the clans are having problems, but I did not know it was this bad. Wow, that does explain a lot, well let's go shopping and get this over with." She replied after finally getting over her shock, then she started to skip ahead of me. I almost smacked into her when she stopped so abruptly.

" Sorry to interrupt your, um shopping trip I believe Sakura, but Lady Tsunade says it is an emergency at the hospital and that it cannot wait." Shizune left Sakura as down trodden as I have ever seen her, the last time I saw it this bad she found out Naruto was going to be on our team, and I suppose that is pretty laughable that she would get so bent out of shape over that. It is her job and is certainly better than any shopping I have ever done.

"Well, I am sure you two can manage on your own, sorry to leave you like this I was really looking forward to helping you both find awesome clothing to wear." With that she was gone in a swirl of blossoms leaving us to fend for ourselves, I felt the woosh of a sigh come out of Naruto and onto my arm. I nearly jumped three feet when I realized how close he was standing. Then I thought about it, maybe it would be good to ask someone to go with me as a friend, namely Naruto, It would kill two birds with one stone. I would have a date, or a companion I suppose is one way to put it; since it really isn't a date as we will just be going as friends. I did not let myself dwell on the fact that as I thought of date and Naruto together it did not sound nearly as awful as it should have, and my skin did not crawl as it used to. All of which was not worth acknowledging.

"Now that she is gone, I am going to the place I was originally planning on going to, to get fitted into my dresswear for the dance. You can follow me if you want, or you can find your own things." I raised a single eyebrow at him, of course I want him to come with me, because as we are getting fitted I can ask him if we can go together and we can get complimenting attire if he says yes. I shuddered, now that sounds like a date, ugh.

He grinned at me and fell in step as we continued walking. "So, uh, I didn't know you knew that she did that. So, what do you think about it?" He sounded so deflated, and here I thought he would be excited; isn't this what he had been trying to achieve his whole life thus far? I looked curiously at him, he was dragging his feet and his bangs had moved to cover his eyes; his shoulders even slumped. "Oh, nevermind, forget I said anything; I guess I am just nervous!" The grin on his face is completely fake, to the point I had to force myself not to cringe.

" This isn't like you at all!" I howled, completely annoyed at his defeat outlook on it. " The Naruto I always knew would never give up and never cared about what everyone else thought, So what in the hell is your deal?" Yes, I will admit yelling at him is probably the worst thing I could do given that he could actually seriously be a genuinely depressed person. Though, I just can't stand around and let one of my only friends go under blows 'assuming that is what is happening', and let them take it without some words of encouragement.

I at some point during my strong, but brief tongue lashing managed to grab him by the shoulders and stare in his eyes. I just let him go like he was on fire, his only reply was to blink owlishly at me as I started to walk forward, I seriously needed to chill, I know all of this stress is not good for my health and Sakura herself would have said so. He caught up to me rather quickly and laughed in a type of relieved way. " Everyone thinks I am going to fail, and for a while there I thought you did too. I guess I was wrong and the only reason you did not say anything is because you had silently accepted it?"

Though this sounded more like he was wondering to himself out loud, I felt inclined to answer him anyway. " It wasn't like that really, I just figured you had enough pressure from everyone else; I was worried that if I said anything that you would react negatively to it like you usually do. I did not want that so I stayed silent, but really I am proud of what you have accomplished." And with that I ruffled his hair. It helped a lot that I was several inched taller than him.

I turned right once we exited the market area and kept walking he continued walking straight so I ended up missing the blush that he had on his face from my hair ruffling. Eventually he caught up with me again. "So, um where exactly are we going anyways?" He looked completely curious, maybe even fox like.

"We are going to a small place just on the outskirts of the village, it is not too much farther; I go there when I need something to wear for clan and council meetings." I figured that was a fair enough explanation, my throat was starting to get sore from all the talking I had been doing today, silently I wondered if Naruto even noticed my change. Hell, why am I even doing this change?

I stopped walking when I came across the small house and motioned for Naruto to go in first. A poor couple operated this outlet and I loved it, I always overpaid them and came in when I was sure they'd least expect it. "Hello young man, I see it is your first time here, I am sad to say but business has been a bit sparce so material is down." Mau-San talked to Naruto softly as I walked in casually. "Ah, Sasuke-san, a pleasure as always. How may I help you?"

"Mau-san, this is Naruto and him and I are going to a ball and I need to get us both fitted into clothing that will work best." I watched his eye brows shoot up in question, I was assuming he was asking what type of ball. " It is a costume ball, I believe called a Masquerade ball or something?" I heard a plate shatter on the floor and the sound of rushing feet came closer to us.

" Oh my gosh, such a handsome date he has doesn't he, my love." I blushed at how open the two men were about their feelings. Though I could have laughed at the expression on Naruto's face as he was getting poked and prodded by Gonshu-san, as he went ga-ga over him.

" Ha ha, hi I am Naruto, Sasuke's friend." He introduced himself awkwardly, and if I had not been an Uchiha I would have been rolling on the floor laughing.

"I know dear heart I heard from our kitchen, he has never brought anyone to us before; do you want complimenting costumes?" And with that the clothes went flying making Naruto screech, this reminded me of my first time getting fitted by them.

" Only if he is okay with being my companion, to be honest, I hadn't asked him yet, thanks guys." Naruto's eyes got wide and he was speechless so he just nodded, it was all over before I knew it and I was home lying in bed. I couldn't help wondering what was going through Naruto's mind at that moment. I mean, there isn't that many people out there like the two he met today. To be honest I wondered if the way I asked for him to be my companion was weird. I better just forget about it, there is no reason to dwell on things that cannot be changed. At least I do not have to go hunting for some village girl that only wants to get into my pants. The thought of that made me feel sicker than usual and I could not for the life of me figure out why, next prodigy of the Uchiha clan. Yeah right, I can't even sort through my own feelings without becoming more confused.

Somedays you are the dog, and others you are the fire hydrant. Today I am the fire hydrant, and I just got pissed on by karma; all I can hope for is that it doesn't continue over into tomorrow.

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Well that is it for the first chapter, finally, I am such a perfectionist it took forever to do up. So I am getting this show on the road. Okay please review and tell me what you think, also review with which other characters I should follow. I want two other couples. Thanks so much for your patience. I look forward to your reviews and seeing what you think. I love you all.

Peace, love, and war

Blackwidow Framer