I own nothing Naruto is not nor ever will be mine *sigh*. All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto (lucky bastard) who we all will be eternally grateful to.

Losers Like Us

Chapter 1

Creep

The bar was dark and crowded, the air was thick with twisted ribbons of smoke that seemed to wrap around everyone and everything in a strange blue fog. The place was vibrant but strangely comforting at the same time the smell of the smoke was tainted with faint tangs of perfume and sweat. It was almost sweet but bitter at the same time it was the type of odour that would cling to your clothes for the rest of the night and be tasted on the tongue of anyone lucky enough to taste your skin at the end of the night.

The bar was filled with chatter it was like standing near a beehive lots of different conversations that seemed to blur into one loud and incessant buzz. The trip from your seat to the bar was a step into the hive buzz buzz buzz the assault on your senses was almost too much to take. Your ears would scream and the smoke would cling to the back of your throat until you got your drinks and rejoined your friends and you would sink back into the overstuffed leather chair and you would become one of the hive again and the buzzing dies down as only your voice and the ones around you begin to make sense again.

Sure the bar was a dive but it's our dive thought Naruto placing the tray down softly on the table as he began handing drinks out to his favourite group of losers. The only people he needed his friends and his family all gathered in one place to celebrate his birthday, it was October 10th and he was 22 years old and he couldn't believe it.

"Thanks man." said Kiba using one hand to grab his pint and the other to wipe the sweat off his brow as he began gulping the cold beer greedily.

"Slow down, for god sake. I can't take you anywhere." grumbled Sakura accepting her Malibu and coke from Naruto with a smile.

"Shut up pinky." The Inuzuka snapped smirking.

"Guy's both of 'ya shut it." The birthday boy said in a joke threatening voice.

"Sorry, sorry." Kiba said waving his hands his trademark grin flashing his sharper that normal canines.

"You guy's are so troublesome." Shikamaru laughed shaking his head accepting his beer. Naruto laughed to this was shaping up to be a great night he handed a neat Jack Daniels to his red head friend Gaara who nodded in thanks and he passed another Malibu and coke to Hinata who also nodded in thanks a faint blush on her cheeks as she disconnected her hand from Gaara's to accept her drink. They make such a cute couple Naruto thought flopping back down into his seat.

He scanned the people sat round the table in front of him his five best friends in the world, he wasn't jealous that everyone had paired up he wished everyone well but he couldn't help but wonder when his time would come it seemed like absolutely everyone he knew had someone his first love and his oldest friend Sakura had been there from the beginning and when times had been hard they had found one another. At age 16 she had been his first kiss and the first person he had made love to, they had eased each others pain. She was the first person he had told he thought he was gay and the messed up thing was that everything they had done had been so false that she didn't even feel used they weren't the first people to use each other and they weren't the first friends that had crossed a line and had sex. What they had was no doubt love but it wasn't romantic love. As much as you can love a person you can't force yourself to be 'in love' with them. He watched her now having a petty argument with her boyfriend of a year Kiba they were so right for each other it was funny they could take each others crap and give it back just as well but there was a lot of affection between them.

He looked at the other couple at the table they were a strange pair they were both strong silent types from 'good' families the cold Gaara Sabaku and the kind, girlish Hinata Hyuga. Naruto and Hinata had history years ago when they had both been 17 she had confessed to him and she was so devastated when he turned her down they hadn't spoken for weeks and when they were finally brought back together at a friends house party they had both gotten wasted and had ended up sleeping together. The day afterwords Hinata told him she was a virgin and he had told her he was gay and they had both cried and told each other about there pasts. That night had ended with them falling asleep together Hinata curled up in his arms tears in both there eye's and from the day after that they had always turned to each other when times were hard.

Hinata and Gaara had been together about 6 months they met through Naruto, who had been pen pals with Gaara since he was 12 and Gaara was 13 he lived in near by Suna but had moved to Konoha about two years ago. Gaara and Naruto had started off both as awkward kids Naruto was alone he was abandoned from birth and spent most of his time having the shit kicked out of him by older kids at the care home he didn't have a friend in the world until he was about 6 years old and he left just like everyone else did. Gaara's mother had died giving birth to him and he had been ignored by his father hated by his siblings and abused by his uncle. Naruto had been using a computer at a library desperately searching for someone to talk to and Gaara's profile had popped up he seemed so sad 'just like me' had been Narutos first thought. They began swapping messages on the website and then they had swapped home addresses and Gaara's first neatly written letter had dropped through the care home letter box a few days later it was one of the happiest days in Narutos short life he had quickly written a messy reply that was at least 6 double sided sheets of A4 paper he'd had trouble fitting it in the small envelope so he'd sticky taped it closed and he had run to the letter box so quickly his heart had threatened to burst in his chest, he posted his letter and then unsure of what to do he had sat down and crossed his legs waiting impatiently for the post man's red van to come and pick up his letter and then he headed back to the care home.

A few days passed and Naruto began to grow worried he couldn't believe he'd been so stupid Gaara must think I'm a complete idiot he had thought to himself but exactly a week after he received his first letter another neatly written letter had dropped for him and so it continued every week Naruto would receive a letter as sad as it was he finally had something to live for something to look forward to. Naruto and Gaara had finally come face to face when they were both 16 it had been awkward at first but as the day had passed they had opened up to each other and just before Gaara stepped onto his train to leave he had turned to Naruto and hugged him hard whispering words that will always stay with him "Thank you, you saved me." Naruto had watched him leave with tears in his eye's "You saved me to." he had replied his words lost in the roar of the train. When Gaara was 21 and Naruto was 20 he moved to Konoha to be closer to the blonde and he saved Naruto from his grotty little bedsit and had given him a room in his too big too expensive, too empty apartment bought and paid for by Gaara's father.

When Naruto had thrown Gaara a welcome party he and Hinata found they had a lot in common but it took them a while to realise they were right for each other in a romantic sense. That had been funny the normally aloof and stoic Gaara knocking on Naruto's door at 3am one night asking for Naruto's advice and then calling him weeks later at midnight one night the prospect of sex had left him thoroughly rattled he had no clue of what to do and had phoned Naruto for instructions a virgin at 23 years old he'd never felt that he could be close to another person until Hinata had come along. Naruto had healed most of him and Hinata was taking care of the rest.

Gaara's welcome party had also been a good thing for Shikamaru when he had been introduced to Temari, Gaara's older sister they had been seeing each other on and off for a year now. Like most of the women in Shikamaru's life she was loud and dominating he'd never had time for a proper relationship he was happy to have flings here and there but for Temari he made time and for once he felt like the person being played but his superior intellect told him that eventually they would end up together he just had to be patient and wait for her to realise. Until then he was happy to be with her when she wanted because at least then he still had his own space.

Naruto was smiling at the people in front of him while he drank from his pint glass he was thinking about the night ahead it was only around half 7 and there was going to be a band on soon here in his local bar and then they would move on to a near by club where the music was loud and the drinks were cheap and sold in lethal combinations he couldn't wait.

They passed by the next forty or so minutes with several more drinks and idle conversation Kiba cracked joke after joke to a trapped Shikamaru, Sakura and Hinata had huddled off to the side talking about what ever girls talk about and Naruto was busying himself talking to a pale boy with black hair his name was Sai or something Naruto had trouble catching it over the noise in the more crowded bar area the boy seemed shy and awkward it was like he didn't get to talk to people often but hey it was Naruto's birthday and the guy had bought him 2 drinks already it would be rude to ignore him and he wasn't too hard on the eye's he wore a lot of black. A black mesh shirt that showed off his taut stomach and nice abs under a fitted leather jacket on his bottom half he wore black skinny jeans that clung to his ass and made his legs look even longer if that was even possible and black high top converse on his feet he was gorgeous but something about him just made Naruto's heart ache. He was an Art student which was something Naruto could relate to he'd studied art at college and was now getting by selling the odd piece of work every now and again while he worked day's at a local coffee shop. Sai told him that he was looking for work and that he was having his apartment and living expenses covered by a local Art Trust.

"Wow you must be really good." Naruto said.

Sai blushed a pink tinge flying across his normally pale face. It was an odd sight to see. "Well I try my best, would you like to see some of my work?" He pulled out his phone and gave Naruto a hopeful look.

"I'd love to." Naruto leaned closer to Sai who began to fiddle with his phone.

"Ah here we go." Sai whispered as he got the image up on screen he leaned in to meet Naruto and began flicking through his photos giving a brief description of each one. Naruto was stunned after Sai was done all Naruto could do was say wow causing Sai to blush even more. They chatted about this and that for the next half an hour.

"I've really enjoyed talking to you Naruto." Whispered Sai.

"Me to, what's up? Are you leaving?" Naruto replied.

"Yeah I have to but erm I was wondering if you want to come to an exhibition I'm having at the university next week. You don't have to if you don't want to." His speech started out calm and steady but the last few words were rushed and nervous.

"I'd love to." Came Naruto's reply. Sai's smile made Naruto grin despite himself. They swapped numbers and Sai gave Naruto a chaste kiss on the cheek before leaving. Naruto didn't know what to think but his heart fluttered a little and he walked back to join his friends and flopped back into his seat a grin still on his face.

"About time we were fighting people off your chair you know." Kiba yelled snapping Naruto out of his daze.

"Shut up." Sakura yelled at Kiba slapping him on the back of the head. "Anyway Naruto who was that." She said with a sly grin. Everyone at the table was listening in to the conversation with great curiosity.

"This guy called Sai." Naruto replied shyly.

"Ooooh what's he like." Sakura said rubbing her hand's together.

"Well he's an art student like I used to be and he seems really sweet."

"Did you get his number." Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah we swapped digits."

"Ooh When are you gonna meet him." Sakura piped up again.

"Next week I think he has an exhibition. I said I'd go." Naruto mumbled embarrassed of all the attention.

"Oh look there setting up for the band." Hinata exclaimed changing the subject pointing up at the stage where two middle aged guys were dragging amps into place and setting up a drum kit.

Naruto sighed with relief and smiled to Hinata who nodded. "You reckon they'll be any good?" Naruto asked.

"They couldn't be any worse than last week." Kiba said laughing at the memory.

"Oh yeah that guy and his mum or something. That was so shameful." Shikamaru said between laughs. Shikamaru's laughter set of Naruto who set of Kiba and soon everyone on the table except Gaara of course were laughing hard. Kiba was wiping tears from his eye's and Naruto was banging the table with laughter.

In the back ground the owner of the bar had stepped up onto the little stage with a microphone in his left hand he was a middle aged man with long hair and shabby clothes he was clearly a rocker back in the day.

"Ladies and gentlemen especially those who came in tonight specially. I'm sorry for the delay but tonight's band had van trouble anyway I would like to introduce to you..." the owner looked confused and turned to the side and mumbled something to someone off stage "...oh well they don't have a name so I would like to introduce tonight's band."

High pitched squeals and screams irrupted. Back round their little table Naruto and his friends were still laughing only slightly aware of what was happening on stage. Sakura was bent double gripping her sides as she tried to force herself to breathe she slowly raised her self up and placed her hand's on the table she finally raised her head and she was faced directly in front of the stage her mouth dropped open and suddenly she wasn't laughing any more the first to notice was Kiba who stopped laughing and turned to Sakura in concern then Shikamaru and then finally Naruto saw the look on Sakura's face and he twisted his head round to see what was happening.

He was beautiful, but then he'd always been beautiful he was as pale as ever and he was taller now, god he'd always been tall but now he really towered he was at least 6foot 2 maybe even more and he was thin so painfully thin but with him he had never looked ill his slender form had always been graceful rather than sickly he'd always carried himself with a grace that was hard to ignore. Lily white skin and eye's like black diamonds he'd always had eyes that demanded your attention in fact everything about him demanded your attention. Naruto hated him, he hated that his heart beat that little bit faster and his thoughts became that little bit more muddled. That son of a bitch Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto turned back to Sakura she looked like she was going to cry he had no words nothing he could think to say that would take away that little ache in the bottom of her heart that he felt to.

"Is that him? Is that Sasuke?" Came the quiet question from the intense red head.

"Yeah Gaara that's him." Naruto whispered turning back to face the stage he couldn't help himself he'd been 14 the last time he had seen Sasuke and that had been after finding him again after 8 years apart.

They'd met in the care home Naruto had been there all his life and aged six Sasuke had been taken there after his old brother had gone crazy and massacred his family using one his fathers guns. When they'd found them two days later he'd been holding on to Sasuke covered in blood and the police had to knock him unconscious to get him to let go. They were together in the care home for 6 month's and Naruto was the only one Sasuke would talk to and that had taken 4 weeks and then for the time after Sasuke would only sleep curled up in Naruto's arm's and then he'd been adopted no letters no phone calls no nothing. And then when he was aged 14 Sakura had introduced him to her boyfriend and there he was spiked up hair and even more flawless than he'd dared to remember. One awkward afternoon and the day after he had disappeared. Sakura was heart broken she'd given him everything she lost her virginity to him her first kiss, years later she admitted it was a childish love but that didn't take away the sting of betrayal she felt even to this day. The thorn in Naruto's side was the absolute sense of rejection they had been together always and then he had been taken away and then years later the very sight of him had made him run away this time by choice. The rejection and sense of loss was crippling and now there he was another 8 years later.

Naruto watched him mill around on the stage talking to the orange haired drummer while a thin woman with red hair that put Gaara's to shame fiddled around with a bass, he slung his guitar over his shoulder and walked forward to the microphone.

"I'm sorry about the delay." His voice was rich but as always there was a slightly annoying after tone to his voice it was easy to ignore but it was always there he plugged in his guitar with a screech and then with a quick nod to the two others he began playing. The opening chords of Radioheads Creep rang out across the bar it was one of Naruto's favourite songs as sad as it was he'd always felt he could be the person singing it to a crowd of people. Naruto's heart started racing as different emotions swirled around his head he was angry so angry at the way the Uchiha had treated him the way he had rejected him for no reason at all he didn't even have the nerve to say goodbye. Awe, he was always in awe of Sasuke even when they were children and now there he was stood tall on the stage in front of him his hair was longer than it had been when they had last seen each other but it was still spiked up and thick lines of Kohl ringed his eyes he was stunning. Naruto hated him he felt like a scrawny 14 year old again desperate for attention.

He turned back round to face Sakura and she seemed to be in shock.

"So who's doing the ass kicking." Kiba asked glaring at Sasuke so hard it was a wonder he didn't set alight.

"He's not worth it babe." Sakura said placing her hand on Kiba's arm.

"But still you should at least give him a piece of your mind." He argued back.

"And say what? I hate you. I love you. Why did you leave? I want you dead. I want to tap you on the back of the head drag you into the alley and fuck you stupid. What's the use in talking to someone as awful as that?" The small group sat in silence as Gaara finished speaking.

"Wow was not expecting that." Kiba said with a whistle.

"He's right though." Shikamaru agreed.

"And what if I need it." Naruto snapped.

"What the alley fuck?" Kiba scoffed.

"Shut up dog boy."Sakura snarled and Kiba stiffened in surprise.

"What if I need the closure." Naruto said softly dropping his head breaking eye contact with everyone around him.

"Give it up Naruto for both our sakes." Sakura's voice was softer now and her eye's were filled with so much pain Naruto couldn't help but bite his lip and nod his head. Sasuke and his band played four more songs and then they mentioned where they would be playing next the two middle aged roadies came back and began to load the stuff back into the van another 10 minutes and they were gone.

A collective sigh of relief seemed to pass over the group at the table.

"I think we need to get wasted." Kiba said squeezing Sakura's hand.

"Yeah." She agreed.

"You guys should go on without me. I'm in no mood to drink at all now. I'm sorry guy's." Naruto got up and walked away without another word he heard the calls of his name behind him but he quickly left the bar and hopped straight into a parked up taxi outside. His birthday was ruined and he knew he wouldn't get a wink of sleep tonight.

What do you think? I know some of its very stream of conscience but I think it's better than my other story which is still on going. Chapter 7 is about half done. Any way reviews are love.