Ok, now before eveything, I would like to say that I am sorry; this is my first real attempt at a sasunaru, and i know the writting is anything but up to par. Gomen! You see, I wrote this a long time ago and just recently got around to typing it up, and most of it is, but I can really tell it's my old writting style... lol, and I'm way too lazy to rewrite it totally all the way.

Also, I currently don't have a beta tester, so if you would like to help me out, please feel free to tell me! I would love one!

Now that that's all out of the way, please enjoy, and I have to write the few things you alway have to; I do not own the chracters in Naruto, and I am only a bit of a fan, but this story just hit me, so I had to write it. This is a sasunaru, meaning that it is a boyxboy thing. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! please no flames. I thank you for your time!

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The blonde teen sighed as he walked down the street, hands digging further into the pockets of a shabby jacket to find what little warmth was there. Blue eyes kept starring foreword, blinking at the little puffs of steam emitting from his mouth and ignoring the cold looks that occupants of this part of town kept throwing at him.

Yes, they all knew the boy well… more like of the boy.

Naruto Uzemaki.

Son of a murderous, crazy lunatic woman who had managed to kill most of the residents of her apartment complex… Along with most of her family. Luckily those who had been left managed to find the small boy after the chaos had died down; banging on the bathroom door that his mother had committed suicide behind.

Fear floated like a harsh fog around him to these people, which caused all who were near who knew to give him a wide berth. Some even went as far as to walk on the opposite sidewalk to avoid him; luckily it didn't draw too much attention, for he still found himself lost in the small crowd on the sidewalk.

But, it wasn't any of this that truly bothered Naruto… It was the whispers.

Horrible, quiet mummers and low voices followed him everywhere he went. They thought he couldn't hear over the white noise of the crowd; they were always wrong. It was all that he could do to block them all out; the voices as well as the faces. A world of faceless moving bodies was where Naruto lived, a void in the earth where no one knew him or ever even cared.

Another shiver jolted up his spine, reminding the teen of what he had come out of his shabby apartment to do. A job for the winter. With the snow coming and no real proper attire for the season, Naruto know that he needed more money. And more money meant getting some kind of second job.

"Stupid winter… Stupid heating bill…" he murmured to himself, hiking his shoulders up in an attempt to shield his neck from the biting frost.

"Ugh! Why does it have to be so damn cold!!" Naruto shouted as he stopped on the sidewalk, hands flying up to pull at blond spikes.

This outburst of course brought some concerned, confused, and even fearful looks from passerby. It was now that everyone gave the strange boy a wide berth.

Naruto just growled while ignoring the mass of people around him (he had grown good at that) and threw his arms down at his sides, an 'I'm pissed-off' look etched onto his face. Oh yea, this day was really starting off soooo well…

It wasn't until he saw the bright red of a 'Help Wanted' sign that marked his destination that Naruto started to cheer a bit; it had been a simple ad in the paper, asking for kitchen help and said it would pay well. How well Naruto didn't care, for he knew that anything hat added to his graveyard gas station clerk check would help. So, the teen strode right in front of the lightly tinted glass and raised blue eyes to gaze inside.

On the other side was a quaint little food pit that was bustling in activity, the few waitresses running to and fro. There wasn't much to it, either; one room with regular tables and bar you could find at any normal small restaurant, the only difference was that instead of hitting you over the head with bright color around every corner, it was all peaceful earth tones. Yet, for being so simple, it sure was packed inside, the obvious reason for their 'Help Wanted' sign.

With a nod of his head and a determined face, Naruto marched into the restaurant, his arrival being announced by a sharp ring that echoed out of the small bell above the door as it was hit. Little help it did, for the sound was lost in the loud roar of the customers' chatter.

"Hello!" a waitress smiled once she had spotted the teen standing idly by. In a few quick steps she was right in front of him, reaching for a menu.

"Only one? I hope sitting at the counter is-"

"I'm here for a job," the blonde cut her off stiffly, trying his hardest to maintain composure, but only managed to look stiff and a bit constipated.

In an instant the girl's face fell to one of fear.

"Oh…..a job? Oh my…. Um…. Really? Well then, this way please…"

Naruto blunk as he followed the waitress, who was walking as stiffly as he had been at the door by now, to the bar at the back of the restaurant. Sure, he was expecting a bit of a cold welcome, but where people really that afraid of him?

"Sit here, please," the waitress motioned to a bar stool, and as soon as he was seated she walked away, fear still evident in how jello-y her legs were. This just left the blonde even more perplexed than he was from her first reaction. (And no, he was not watching the butt that seemed to barely be covered by her waitress outfit. Not at all…)

She seems… so afraid of me… And I know usually they make you give them some kind of resume first and then maybe an interview…

Uneasiness made its home in Naruto's stomach as he saw the waitress nervously whisper to another; more than likely the veteran waitress to these tables. The other waitress started to show the same kind of unease before disappearing into the kitchen.

Naruto tried to distract himself from the queasy feeling that was starting to grow stronger by looking back the way he came and away from the worried waitresses. Out the window, which covered the whole front of the diner; holiday shoppers scuttled to and fro, unhindered by the cold, their breaths leaving whisking smoke trails behind them.

"Excuse me, sir?" a voice broke though his thoughts and Naruto looked up to see a pink-haired girl looking at him curiously. But, the curiosity was soon replaced with minor horror as she realized who the person sitting in front of her was. Quickly regaining her composure, she tried her best to smile, which only succeeded in annoying Naruto more.

"Um… I'm sorry to tell you, but the only position we currently have is in the back…"

"Yea, so?" the teen frowned, slight confusion hiding in his eyes.

"Well…" the girl sighed and bit her lip, as if trying to pick the words carefully. "You see… our current cook…doesn't really like other people to be in the kitchen with him and-"

"Doesn't like - ? Psh," Naruto cut off his own statement with a shake of the head. To the waitresses total surprise as he quickly pushed up from the table. "I want to talk to this pig-headed chief myself!"

A frown of rage quickly spread across the girl's face, causing her whole demeanor to darken and give off sparks; "No listen here, bub! No one calls chief Sauske names!!" To emphasize her last point, she jabbed the blonde in the chest, "Especially snot-nosed brats like you!"

Totally taken off guard by this, Naruto blank a few times in surprise; was this girl bi-polar or what? It seemed as if her attitude could change in an instant.

"What seems to be the problem here?"

The steely yet gentle voice made the waitress instantly snap to attention and look over to a man with silver, gravity-defying hair. His eyes smiled at them, for his mouth was covered by a sick mask.

"…Are you a doctor?" Naruto blunk at the man, causing the pink-haired girl to sigh… before she grabbed his collar and nearly drug him across the table.

"You idiot! He's sick and doesn't was to contaminate the food!"

"Now Sakura, calm down…" the man sighed, a slight sweatdrop growing on his head. "Another table has come in, who don't you see to them?"

With a slow breath Sakura let go before she straightened up her outfit and let to do as told; face now a cheery picture of sunshine.

This, of course, left Naruto speechless, looking to the chuckling man for some sort of answer.

"Don't worry about Sakura; she may seem a little rough at times, but usually is nice and caring. Now," the man sat on a stool beside the blonde, "I hear you are in search of a job here."

This sentence brought Naruto out of his stupor, "Oh yea! I mean, yes, I was!" yet, as soon as his face lit up, if fell down again as he sat. "but that chick said the cook-"

"You needn't worry about Sauske," the man chuckled, "much like Sakura, he may seem tough but…well…he is tough, I'll admit. Though, I think having someone like you back there with him might just soften him up a bit.."

Naruto blunk again, "You mean I got the job?"

"If you want it."

For the first time in weeks, Naruto's face was lit up with a true smile as he lept over and hugged the strange man as tight as he could, "Thank you so much!"

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Well, there ya go! Hope you enjoyed it a little bit, and I will post the other chapters here pretty soon. Lots of waffles!