Disclaimer: Nothing is mine but the plot

I'm back with another story and I'm in the mood for something music-centered so I'm going to be putting a lot of song lyrics in this. I really have no definate plot for this, I'm just going to see where it goes, hope you enjoy it. The song lyrics are "Tall As Cliffs" by Margot and the Nuclear So and So's.

--Rising with the Sun—


"I tell tales tall as cliffs
You've got a lisp
Kid, those things are hard to miss"

Naruto sang along to his car's burned-out stereo system, the sound of the rickety engine clunking and thunking downed out by his rather loud voice.

"When you're drunk you just make love, honey please
Like you've got somewhere to be"

He was happy this morning, it would be his first day at his brand-new job. He would be working at the small bookstore, dutifully named USED BOOKS, Dowtown. His good friend Shikamaru runned the place, but the guy was so lazy he couldn't manage it on his own. Naruto chuckled and grinned at the thought of Shikamaru actually contributing any amount of energy to helping a potential customer. No wonder USED BOOKS was barely surviving, Shikimaru was in desperate need of some help, and USED BOOKS could definetly use some Naruto-style TLC.

"And I can't talk to you the way I wanted to
I've been telling lies, but I'll tell you the truth,

Baby I'm tired
I should be leaving, leaving
You know I'm tired
I should be leaving, leaving alright"

The song ended as Naruto pulled into a curbside parking spot a block down from USED BOOKS. He took out the keys, the car's rattling engine silencing with a sputtering jolt, and got out. He practically skipped to the bookstore and pulled the door open, the small bell attached to it ring out loud and cheerful. He looked around the small cluttered store for a glimpse of his spiky-haired friend but couldn't see him.

"Shikamaru?" he called looking behind all the stacks of worn and dusty books, an old radio in the corner was playing a Red Hot Chili Peppers' song quietly, "Shika!?"

"Whfdudh?" came a groan from behind the register, Naruto jogged over and bent over the counter to see a half-asleep Shikamaru laying on the ground surrounded in books, one of those books covering his face. Naruto grabbed the book by it's spine and put it on the counter and laughed.

"Dude, are you kidding me? Wake up!" Naruto chuckled, kicking Shikamaru lightly. Without too much protest Shikamaru peeled himself up from the ground and leaned on the counter heavily looking like he was about ready to pass out.

"Naruto, for your first job as a USED BOOKS employee, I demand that you go next door and get me some coffee", Shikamaru mumbled in a sleepy voice, rubbing his face. Naruto saluted him and with a "Yes Mister Employer!" scrambled out of the store and into the neighboring Coffeehouse.

The smell of dark, rich coffee and semi-sweet pastries asulted him pleasanly as he pulled open the door to Coffeehouse, they had no loud, cheerful bell attached to their door and he frowned. The place was warm and buzzing with the sound of quiet conversations and the slurping of drinks. He got in line behind and guy with black hair cut into a choppy A-line style who was wearing a Margot and the So and So's T-shirt.

Naruto grinned madly at the sight of the shirt and tapped the guy on the shoulder, he turned around and the loud and friendly converstion Naruto had been ready to spring on him died in his throat. His guy was hot. Like way hot. He was pale with dark eyes that matched his dark hair, pale pink lips, thick eyelashes, a long slender neck. . .

Naruto blushed at his own thoughts and the guy glared. "Is there any particular reason you feel the need in invade my personal space?" The guy said with a glare, his voice throaty and sarcastic. Naruto cleared his throat and tried to gather his thoughts. 'Talk to him! Talk to him!' his brain screamed.

Naruto cleared his throat,"You like Margot and the Nuclear So and So's too?" he asked pointing to the guy's shirt. He grinned and the guy's glare eased up a little, his eyes silently appraising Naruto.

"Yes" was the dark-haired boy's simple answer.

"Well, uh. . . what's your favorite song by them?" Naruto asked excitedly, his stomach doing backflips at the fact that this ridiculously good-looking guy was paying him any attention at all.

"'Open Your Eyes'" the guy answered without hesitation. Naruto's eyes widened, 'Open Your Eyes' was a pretty darkly themed song, albeit a beautiful one.

He cleared his throat again, nervous, "That's a great one, my favorite is 'Tall As Cliffs' though"

The black-haired boy smirked, his shoulders trembling slightly in what Naruto guessed was silent laughter, "Yeah, I would have guessed that. The song fits you" Naruto blushed at that and stuck out his hand,

"My name's Naruto" he said with his signature smile, the smile that always made the girls, and the occasional guy, melt.

It must have worked because a second later the other boy shook his hand and smirked again, "Sasuke" he said, his voice still oh-so throaty and sexy, but this time with much less sarcasm.

If Naruto had died then, he would've been happy.

--Rising with the Sun—

A/N: Just in case it's not clear, everyone's going to be about college-age here, their ages so far:

Naruto: 20

Sasuke: 21

Shikamaru: 24

And just warning for the future, there will be boy-on-boy scenes, there will be drug/alcohol use and there will be a good amount of cursing. Just saying.

-Lovely Terror