My inspiration for this story is all thanks to Tegan and Sara's wonderful song Nineteen.

Summary: An encounter between two past acquaintances forces them to recount old memories better left forgotten. A bright future that was once hopeful and promising led only to heartbreak and resentment. But life goes on. After all, they had only been Nineteen.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I make any profit from this story. All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto…and I envy him for it every single day.

Warnings: Meh, none really at the moment, but maybe in the near future—this is a yaoi story after all. :) BoyXboy love people, so if it's not your cup of tea then don't get squeamish on me and say I didn't tell you so.

Chapter 1 - Hanafuda Designer Co.

"Naruto, could you please stop idling. You have work to do."

Naruto was currently slouched with elbows resting on the glass counter, the most bored expression on his face. With his back turned to his boss, he didn't hesitate in rolling his eyes and mouthing out in silence, 'blah, blah, blah.'

"Na-ru-to. I can see you in the mirror, baka."

Naruto raised his eyes to look into the mirror in front of him only to see his reflection and that of his gray-haired manager's behind him, who was at the moment sporting a very stern scowl. Naruto let out an uneasy chuckle, his hand moving to the back of his head in a nervous gesture as he turned to face him. "Eh-heh. Sorry, Kakashi. I didn't realize the mirror was there."

Kakashi merely sighed, thinking to himself, Because that certainly makes it alright. Where has all the respect gone?

"Naruto just get to work," the older man mumbled.

Naruto had been hired a year ago as a tailor for one of the most prestigious fashion companies in the country, Hanafuda Designer Co. He would be lying if he said he'd been hired for his wonderful sense of fashion because well…he had none. Seriously, only Naruto would think that orange—the best color in the world—went well with everything. He even went as far as making it known to all of his co-workers that the orange suit that Harry wore in Dumb and Dumber was the greatest fashion design ever created. (Hence, why now the girls made sure to keep their progressing sketches as far away from him as possible.)

So obviously with his creative juices in design thrown—quite literally—out the window, one of the reasons he had been hired was because of his amazingly adept skill of working with his hands. If you gave him a finished sketch he'd have that ensemble finished in record time and in tip-top perfect condition no less. The clients were always immensely satisfied with the work and the finished product, was most often than not, better than the sketch had made it out to be.

And of course his awesomely charming personality was a given. A simple smile could always go a long way.

But if he was to be truly honest, the real reason he got the job was standing right in front of him. His adoptive dad's boyfriend, Kakashi, had recommended him to the higher ups, and with a good resume and an even better interview Naruto had scored the job. (Did I mention how charming the blond could be?)

Naruto owed Kakashi a lot, mostly, because he absolutely loved his job. Not only could he be social with the clients and talk to his heart's content but the benefits of getting to meet famous and influential people was exciting, and—he was a little proud to admit—people were starting to notice him. If he ever aspired for something bigger and better he could get references at the snap of a finger.

Haha, and it didn't hurt that his best friends worked here too.

The blond nearly whined. "But Kashi, what work? There's no one here! The place is like a graveyard and we still have two hours to go before we can close for the night. Plus, Shikamaru is gone for a week to visit his family and my only other source of entertainment is apparently sick with food poisoning." He crossed his arms and pouted childishly. "Stupid Kiba, I told him not to eat those doggy treats, the idiot," he mumbled.

Okay, so he didn't always love his job. But only when the place was so deserted that he expected a tumbleweed to bounce by at any moment. He whistled the western theme of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, to let Kakashi know just how bored he really was.

Kakashi's closed eyelids upturned in amusement. "Well luckily for you we have one last appointment tonight, and considering the importance of this client even you will manage to stay awake through these last two grueling hours."

"Tsk, yea right," the blond mumbled, but Kakashi was able to catch a glimpse of excitement in those blue eyes that Naruto was trying so hard to hide. In the best nonchalant voice Naruto could muster he asked, "So who is it?"

The gray-haired man chuckled lightly before he ruffled Naruto's blond locks. "The very own Haruno Sakura, daughter and heiress to the president of this great company."

Naruto's face brightened with a big grin. "Really? She's a beauty. I've seen pictures of her all over the city on billboards and magazines, but I've never actually seen her in person."

"Now don't go getting any ideas," Kakashi jokingly warned. "After all she's coming in here to get designs done for her wedding dress."

"Pfft, Kashi, you more than anyone know that I'm about as straight as a circle."

"Hah! Naruto, you've never even had a boyfriend." The older man didn't miss the flash of sadness in Naruto's eyes before it was masked again with a cheery smile.

The blond shrugged. "The right guy just hasn't come along, I guess."

Though he'd known Naruto for years now, there was still a lot about the blond that Kakashi didn't know about. Like the year that he'd gone to visit his Godfather, Naruto had left, carefree and cheerful, with a bright light shining through his eyes. But during the year he'd been gone something had happened, and he'd come back, reserved and dejected, with that radiance in his eyes shattered. He remembered the nights Iruka had tried endlessly to coax something out of the blond at the dinner table, but Naruto had merely become a sealed vault on the matter. Iruka had even gone as far as contacting Jiraiya, Naruto's Godfather, but the man said it wasn't up to him to reveal anything. It wasn't until Naruto met Shikamaru and Kiba—now, his partners in crime—that some of that light started to seep back into his eyes again. And then it was like he'd put that part of his past behind him, sealed it away in that vault of his and thrown away the key. And though Naruto was more trouble than not, he'd come to love the kid, and he'd do anything to keep the sorrow from his face away for good.

Kakashi cleared his throat before saying, "Hmm, right. Enough with the chitchat though. Go get everything ready and tell Ino and Hinata to come to the front. They'll be helping Ms. Haruno with the design."

Naruto nodded before he skipped off on his way to the back of the shop.

"Oh, and Naruto?"

Naruto stopped abruptly and turned. "Yes?"

"Her fiancé will be coming with her. You'll be in charge of his tux."

The blond nodded once more before a spark of mischief marked his fox-like face. "Ah, I won't make any promises about not getting any ideas. Is he hot?"

Kakashi growled playfully, "Get moving, Kit!"

Naruto flitted through the door to the back, laughter reaching back to the gray-haired manager.

Kakashi sighed. And they wondered why his hair had turned gray prematurely, Kakashi mused while twirling a silver lock around his finger. Okay, so he'd been born with this uniquely colored hair, but he couldn't displace the thought that his hair had know of the stress he would be put through in the five years that he had known the kid. His body had merely compensated a little early.

Kakashi was brought out of his self-amusing thoughts as the ding of the shop door alerted him to the arrival of his most anticipated client.

The gray-haired man walked to front of the shop greeting the famous Haruno Sakura with a bow. "Ms. Haruno what a pleasure to finally meet you. And may I say it is a great honor that you have chosen my team for the design of your gown."

Sakura, with her long, flowing pink hair, giggled at the obvious ass-kissing she was getting. "Not at all Kakashi, the pleasure is all mine. The talents of Ms. Yamanaka Ino and Ms. Hyuga Hinata are renowned after all. And not to mention the skill of the distinguished Uzumaki Naruto has been greatly talked about through the usual fashion gossips."

Kakashi's eyes widened at the mention of the blond. He had no idea that Naruto was even well-known, much less being talked about.

"I don't know what to say."

"You should be proud, Kakashi."

"Oh there's no doubt that I am, Ms. Haruno." To hear from the very own Haruno Sakura that his team was the best in the company made his chest swell up with pride "Come this way, the ladies will be right with you." Kakashi led the pink-haired girl over to a table and offered her the head chair.

"I uh—was under the impression that your fiancé would be joining us tonight."

Sakura flashed him a smile before she waved her hand dismissively in the air. "He received a call right before we arrived. You know boys, business always comes first. He'll be in shortly."

Ino and Hinata chose that moment to burst through the back door, anticipation written across their faces. Ino squealed while Hinata gasped as they both saw the pink-haired heiress sitting at the table. They swiftly went up to her and bowed, Ino taking the initiative. "Ms. Haruno, it's such a pleasure." The blonde elbowed Hinata.

"Ah-, y-yes a p-pleasure."

"Ladies, please call me Sakura, you too Kakashi. Now, do sit down. We have much work to do." Sakura motioned to the adjoining chairs.

"I'll leave you ladies to it then," Kakashi said. "I'll make sure Naruto hasn't…distracted himself. Ms. Haruno—I mean—Sakura, if you need anything please don't hesitate to ask."

As the three young women slipped easily into the world of fashion, Kakashi made his way to the back doors ready to pull Naruto out by his ears if necessary. "Na-ru-to," called Kakashi in a sing song voice.

Incoherent mumbles and curses could be heard behind a row of shelves making it easy for Kakashi to locate his blond target.

Kakashi sighed. "What are you doing?" He found him sitting cross-legged amidst strewn boxes and materials everywhere.

Naruto was about ready to pout. "I can't find my favorite measuring tape."

"Oi." Kakashi resisted the urge to palm his forehead. "That's what the hold up is about?"

"Well yeah," he scoffed. "I can't very well work on the groom-to-be if I can't even take his measurements," said the blond as if the answer should be obvious to anyone. "Besides, it's not just any measuring tape. It's my favorite orange measuring tape." Naruto smiled innocently.

Kakashi's face drooped in disbelief. "Tell me again why I bother to try and understand what goes through that brain of yours?"

"Because…deep down I'm an intelligent person?"

Kakashi discretely turned his head to the side and rolled his eyes. And that's when a certain inconspicuous object caught his eye. He chuckled. "So tell me, oh wise Naruto, would that happen to be your favorite orange measuring tape wrapped around the mannequin's neck like some kind of scarf?"

Naruto gasped in excitement, "Where?"

The older man pointed lazily to the back of the storage room, where a mannequin was indeed sporting an orange measuring tape wrapped around its neck.

"Haha!" Naruto exclaimed victoriously, holding the much sought for object in raised hands above his head. "You really are a genius Kakashi."

The older man played with the scarf around his nose. "Huh, you don't say. So what does that make you, Na-ru-to?"

The blond glared daggers at his boss. "I resent that."

The gray-haired man laughed with mirth. "What? It was a genuine question," he said, still chuckling behind that infuriating scarf of his.

"Watch what you say Kakashi, or there won't be any sex for you tonight."

Kakashi's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Why Naruto, I had no idea you were so in to me."

The younger man bent down to pick up his supply boxes, one under each arm, and rose back up with a smirk playing around his lips.

"No, but I could always tell Iruka where you keep your secret stash of Icha Icha hidden. You know how he just loves to see you reading those." And by love he really meant hate—with a passion.

It was Kakashi's turn to glare. "You wouldn't dare."

Naruto started to slowly back away from the now hostile manager. You did not threaten Kakashi with exposing his Icha Icha to Iruka unless you were an extreme idiot. Or—in this case—Naruto.

"Oh, I would," Naruto whispered mischievously and then broke into a full out run across the storage room.

"Naru, get back here!"

The blond burst through the doors and into the shop. He craned his neck to look behind him just as Kakashi darted through the doors. He squinted his eyes and stuck out his tongue in victory.

"Naruto, look out."

"Huh?" Too late the blond faced forward only to run into a slender yet solid back. His arms flailed out to keep his balance, the boxes under his arms crashing to the floor in the process.

The body in front of him remained unmoved as if he hadn't just rammed into him.

Naruto immediately stooped to the floor and began to unceremoniously card all the contents that had spilled from the boxes.

"Shit," he cursed at the mess that he'd caused. "I'm sorry about that," he spoke to the figure above him as he kept scrambling to pick everything up.

The person's shoes came into view and he took in their make. Giorgio Brutini black gloss kid Oxfords. Nice. This person had good taste in his opinion. Not expensive yet stylish. A person who was willing to look good without spending a ridiculous amount of money was a person he'd definitely like.

"I apologize, sir. I wasn't watching where I was going. I can be a real klutz sometimes." He reached to grab the last spool of thread on the floor when suddenly a pale hand made to grab it.

Strong, slim fingers plucked it from the floor and offered it to him in an upturned palm.

Naruto outstretched his own hand to take it, when the man suddenly spoke.

"Hn, Dobe."

The blond's hand froze and his breath caught in his throat.

It couldn't…possibly…be…

Naruto's head ever so slowly raised his head, taking in the man's crouched position, his black slacks hitched just slightly above his ankles, a crisp white dress shirt fitted snugly to his upper arms, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. One arm still held the spool out to him, while the other was resting carelessly on his bent knee. Naruto visibly gulped as the man's exposed chest came into view from the couple of buttons left open on his shirt, leading up to a pale slender neck.

He saw those pale pink lips with a hint of a smirk, and he couldn't keep his own from falling open. He saw that thin prominent nose, and he couldn't breath. And finally, finally, he made it to those eyes, those unbearably attractive soot colored eyes that he remembered so well, and his own blue opened wide.

It couldn't possibly be….

But it was…

"S-Sas-uke."

Oh.

Shit.

A/N: First of all, I'd like to thank you for reading my sorry excuse of a first chapter. It is my first story ever posted and I would just absolutely love to hear your opinion. If you love it then that's awesome cuz I'll love you too. If you hate it then…*sniff sniff*…that's fine too I guess… Constructive criticism is totally acceptable and I'll even take flames ^_^ they make me giggle.

I'll try to post weekly, if not bi-weekly. I also apologize for any mistakes, bad grammar or punctuation. My stories are un-beta'd unfortunately :( But if anyone would like to recommend a good beta I would appreciate it :D

And I'm finally done with my A/N so again thank you for reading and please R&R, make a desperate girl happy. :3

Until next time!

-Harmoniously Enigmatic