Title: Cake
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: R (this chapter rated PG)
Pairings (in this chapter): Iruka/Naruto, Jiraiya/Naruto, Kakashi/Naruto, Naruto/Sasuke, Kakashi/Sasuke, Lee/Gaara, Shikamaru/Neji...many more implied, possibly more with devoted chapters, if I feel like it.
Summary: Naruto knows what he wants. But, as with everything, he ends up taking a little too much. Eventually, he finds himself in a love dodecahedron that engulfs much of the village. SLASH with too many pairings to list. Each pairing will get at least a chapter with IruNaru, KakaNaru, and JirNaru getting at least two or three.
CAKE, a Naruto Fic
Chapter One
Iruka turned over, barely awake. Something felt off. When he opened his eyes, he realized why. Naruto was perched on the edge of the bed, his knees drawn up to his chin.
"Naruto?" he slurred drowsily. "What're you doing here?"
The boy shrugged. "Just...felt like it."
His voice was flat and quiet, his usual growl gone. Something was very, very wrong.
Iruka sat up, slinging an arm around Naruto's shoulders. "Are you okay? What's going on?"
Naruto sniffled pathetically. "Nothing...it's just...okay, it's like if someone baked you a cake for your birthday. And it was huge and awesome and you couldn't wait to eat it. And they put it down in front of you, and you're about to stick your fork in, and they say you can't have any."
Iruka stifled a laugh. "So who did you try to stick your fork in?"
Naruto blushed, burying his face in his hands. "Nobody! It's just an anachronism!"
"You mean an analogy?" Iruka asked coolly, pulling Naruto to his chest anyway.
"Whatever." The kid's tone was angry, but a little scratching behind the ears and he melted into Iruka's arms.
"So who's your cake?" Iruka laughed, kissing the top of Naruto's head, smelling his hair. He smelled sweet, like...
Cake...he thought. That's exactly what it is, isn't it?
"I don't wanna say."
"Well," said Iruka mischievously. "I'll tell you if you tell me."
Naruto's ears perked up. "You have a crush on somebody?" he asked, "No way! Aren't you a little old for that?"
"Naruto, I'm only twenty five."
Naruto giggled. "Oh, yeah. Sorry...Wait a minute!" Suddenly, yelling, Naruto sounded a little more like his usual self. "You have a crush on somebody? Who is it? Tell me! Come on, Iruka Sensei!"
Naruto had climbed Iruka, and was apparently trying to physically squeeze the answer out of him.
"Alright, alright," Iruka laughed, rolling out from under the kid and righting himself. "You first, though."
Naruto paled suddenly, remembering why he had come to Iruka in the first place.
"No way," he said flatly. "I'm not telling, and anyway, you probably don't even know hi--this person."
This time, it was Iruka's ears that perked up. "Naruto..." he said softly, the scar across his face crinkling with concern.
"What?" the boy snapped defensively.
Iruka smiled, rubbing a palm up Naruto's back. "You can tell me anything. I promise I won't judge you, and I won't tell anyone else."
Naruto shrugged. "I just don't wanna tell anybody. Nothing personal."
Iruka sighed sadly and squeezed Naruto's shoulder. "Okay...So are you staying the night, or do you want me to walk you home?"
"I can really stay here? Awesome!" said Naruto, pulling off his jacket and pants and tossing them to the floor. Iruka nearly passed out, but kept his cool as the boy -- now wearing only his t-shirt and boxers -- burrowed under the covers. He scratched his head and turned out the light. He considered going to sleep on the couch, but decided against it. He trusted himself not to take advantage of Naruto, and besides, if he slept on the couch, he couldn't watch Naruto sleep.