Take Me Home
By TheChrysanthemum
Prologue
The loud rap music hurt Naruto's ears, and he squinted against the flashing red lights as Kiba dragged him inside the establishment.
"Come on, Naruto! Don't be shy," Kiba looked back at him with a sly smile. "Everybody is waiting for you there."
"I told you, why bring me at-" Naruto stuttered, not quite getting the word out.
"You're twenty-two years old and you still can't say the word," Kiba laughed. "This is not just your average strip club, ya know. It's Kurama's. Ku-ra-ma."
"Of course, you would know," Naruto rolled his eyes and let himself be tugged by Kiba.
"I finally kidnapped the birthday boy!" Kiba waved at their friends sitting on the table near the stage.
Naruto was surprised Shikamaru was there, holding a glass of scotch, but as usual, he had a bored expression on his face that showed that he would be rather be sleeping than be at the club. Sasuke was no where to be found and Choji was chowing down a bunch of hot wings, not even looking at the dancers on stage. On the other hand, Sai was the only person who was strangely fixated at the women. Neji and Lee looked nervous; their eyes darted back and forth.
"The girls would kill us if they knew we were here," said Lee. "Sakura and Ino would pulverized us!"
"Man up!" shouted Kiba over the music.
Naruto sat down and laughed. "You could have brought me to Ichiraku's and we've call it even."
"And what? Waste the most expensive lap dance I got for you?" said Kiba much to Naruto's shock and chagrin.
"You what!" he replied, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.
Shikamaru sighed, "You called us all here so we could watch a girl hump Naruto?"
"Don't worry, you all get a lap dances too."
"That's it. I'm out of here," Shikamaru gulped down the remaining scotch and stood up. "Happy birthday Naruto. I'll see you later." With a lazy wave to the gang, he walked out of the club.
"What a party pooper," grumbled Kiba. "Anyway, here she comes."
Right on cue, a girl—-though it was more appropriate to say a woman—-sauntered to wide-eyed Naruto.
"Well guys, let's leave him alone to enjoy his present," chuckled Kiba as Sai, Neji, Choji, and Lee eagerly stood up and sent Naruto side glances at his direction.
"Wait! Kiba!"
But they were already gone, leaving him with her…
His mouth dry, he gulped. He unclenched and clenched his hands. The bright lights suddenly dimmed, and he realized that she closed the curtains that surrounded them. He had nowhere to run. Deciding that this wasn't the worse thing that could happen, Naruto remained seated. The first thing that he noticed when he laid his eyes on her was her long hair that fell behind her back. He wondered what it would feel like to run his fingers through the strands.
Would it be soft as it looks? he thought.
As she walked closer to him, he squinted to see behind her black mask. He could make out bits and pieces of her eyes. What color are they?
Naruto was perplexed. "What's your name?" he blurted out.
The woman momentarily stopped and he could smell her mingling scent of faint lavender and musk clinging to her skin. "Typically, when guys ask for a lap dance, names aren't their first priority," she whispered, amused, and he had to lean forward to catch her voice.
Naruto laughed sheepishly, "Err, you see, one of my friends... " He stopped because he didn't know how to continue without profusely blushing. He still couldn't say the word.
"Ah. I see," she said, a faint smile on her lips. "Well, Naruto," she grabbed each end of his chair and leaned forward to his face. "Do you still want your gift?"
"Milk!" He exclaimed, startling her.
She seemed taken back. "Excuse me?"
Naruto grinned bashfully. "The color of your eyes reminded me of milk."
She laughed and his thoughts immediately went to the sound of wind chimes. He found it pleasant. "You're not like the other guys, aren't you."
His hand went behind his head and grinned embarrassingly. "I'm not usually—-I mean I don't actually… er."
"It's refreshing," she replied, taking a seat next to him.
"Y-you don't have to do anything to me," stuttered Naruto. "And I'll just make up a story to tell my friends," he laughed, trying to cover up the shame that was bubbling in the surface. The shame that he was actually in the club, abandoned by his friends in his birthday.
But, maybe, it wasn't such a bad night after all.
A/N: Naruto is so innocent. Don't forget to R&R!