Behind the Camera Lens

Chapter One
Not Exactly as Expected

Behind the camera lens is the work of a true genius—or, I should say, several geniuses that inadvertently worked together to make the gift from god that is a video camera. For behind the camera lens is a maze of mechanics and wires and film and light, all working together to create a work of art that is partly the script writer's, partly the actors', partly the director's, but all thanks to the cameraman. For without the cameraman, the lovely work of art that all those people worked together to make would not exist. For you see, actors can be replaced, director's reselected, and although without the writer the story would not exist, without the right camera man, the movie would not be worthwhile in the first place.

That was why Naruto wanted to be a cameraman.

However, his new job was to be an actor, which was almost as good…but not really. At least he would be part of the work of art…

With this reassurance in mind, Naruto took a deep breath and pushed through the Arumami Studios doors.

The thing that struck him immediately about the place was how empty it was. Shouldn't a big film company be filled with employees? Where were the directors, the actors—the camera men? Hell, where was the secretary? Did he have the right place? Silence seemed to echo through the long white halls, and Naruto fought down a shiver. This place was too much like a hospital for him to be really comfortable being alone.

"Why hello!!" Naruto turned towards the hallway to the right, where an odd looking guy was walking toward him. "You're just as youthful as Sakura said!!" The man had thick, shiny black hair that was styled in a bowl cut and large dark eyes shadowed by his extremely thick eyebrows. He was small, but well-built—Naruto could tell, even through the bright green suit. He was clearly bursting with energy as he looked Naruto up and down with excitement. "Yes, you're perfect! I'm sure Mr. Uchiha will approve. You are Mr. Uzumaki correct?"

"Uhm…yes?"

"Wonderful! Follow me, and I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew." With that said, the strange man spun on his heel and began walking off into a dark hallway. Listening to the sharp sound of the man's shoes, Naruto couldn't help but wonder how he hadn't heard him coming.

Making a small noise of bemusement and straightening his orange trench coat, Naruto hurried after him.

"You never said what your name was," Naruto said as they came to a door with the number 35 painted on it.

"My name is Rock Lee," The green man chirped as they walked through the door. The room was furnished like a bedroom, with a dresser, mirror, and a large bed in the center. There were three other men in the room, and Lee pointed as he told Naruto their name and job. "That's Shino Arumami, owner and camera man." A man in the corner with spiky hair and sunglasses nodded at him. He was wearing an odd jacket that covered his face below his glasses and he was even now fiddling around behind a camera. "That's Gaara." The red head in the khaki suit looked up at him from behind a control desk jammed in the corner opposite of Shino and blinked slowly. His eyes were a cool blue, and he had a kanji tattoo on his forehead. "He does lighting while I do sound." Lee sat down next to Gaara and pointed to the dark-haired man that was stretched out among the pillows. "And the guy lethargically lazing about on the bed is your fellow actor, Sasuke Uchiha." The pale man's eyes fluttered open and Naruto felt his breath catch in his throat as Sasuke smirked.

He was like a moving marble statue of a Greek god, pale and perfectly toned underneath the tight black T-shirt he wore. His leather pants were just as tight as his shirt and Naruto had to wonder how he had managed to get the pants over the heavy leather buckled boots he wore. His hair was spiked in the back and long in the front and both his eyes and his hair were pitch black.

"H-h-hello, everybody." Naruto flushed with embarrassment as Sasuke's smirk widened, presumably at his stuttering. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

"Well," Sasuke said quietly, looking from Naruto to Rock. "He's certainly good uke material, isn't he?"

Naruto frowned, his face quickly flushing. "Excuse me?"

Rock, however, only grinned and flipped a few switches on the desk. "Yes, Sakura said he would be. I hope you're satisfied?"

"I am." Sasuke smiled and sat up so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed. "This one is much better than that Neji person. A bit of a dobe, though."

"Excuse me?" Naruto's face was completely red now, the heat starting to spread to his neck and ears.

"Are you ready for rehearsal?" Sasuke licked his lips and smiled at the blushing blonde. "Or would you like to…try out first?"

The dark Adonis stood and took a step towards Naruto, who took a panicked step back.

"Uh-uhm-uh, I think I was misled about this job," Naruto stammered, not taking his eyes off the Asian angel that was still staring hungrily at him. "Could somebody please tell me what kind of acting job this is?"

For a long moment, everyone was silent. Sasuke's eyes widened and Rock's face blanked. Gaara and Shino's faces were expressionless to begin with, but they stopped moving at Naruto's question.

"You mean," Rock murmured, "You mean you didn't…know?"

"I didn't know what?"

"Pornography." Naruto's gaze jerked to Shino, his eyes almost impossibly wide. "This is a pornography studio. This is a homosexual pornography video. You were supposed to be our pornography actor for the uke position to Sasuke's seme. That is what kind of acting job this is. One in pornography."

Naruto looked down at his shoes and was quiet for a bit, contemplating his situation. Then he looked up at the people staring expectantly at him. "I…I don't think I've ever heard the word 'pornography' said so many times in one go." He gave a weak smile that was returned with expectant stares. "I…I…think I'll just…go now. I didn't realize…pornography…yeah. I have to go." Naruto began backing up towards the door. "Uhm, thank you, Mr. Arumami, for giving me this chance. I'm sorry that…well…erm…I'm sorry. Good bye, nice to meet you all!" Naruto turned and fled, nearly flying down the hallway.

Once again, the room was shrouded in silence.

"Well, what do you know, Sasuke." Gaara stared at the unmoving form, almost smirking. "Someone who wasn't driven away by your personality, but by your job. You might have actually had a chance with that guy, too. Did you see the way he looked at you?"

Sasuke blinked at Gaara for saying such a long speech (for him) and then turned to Shino, silently asking for permission.

Shino shrugged. "Be my guest. See if you can bring him back, though. He really is the ideal uke."

"Yes Mr. Arumami." And then Sasuke was gone, already halfway down the hallway.