Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters.

The title is taken from a song of the same name by the band Voxtrot. It's a great song; check it out!

Rating: T for mature themes; may change later.

Warning: This story contains yaoi/shounen-ai.

Please be aware that this fic will be relatively short, likely 3-6 chapters.

Start of Something

Perfect.

Naruto stepped back to observe his masterpiece. The tree, adorned with simple white lights, blueberry candy canes, and possibly every orange ornament ever created, was certainly a sight to behold. It was small, sure, but it was by far the best Christmas tree that he had ever seen.

At eighteen, this was his first Christmas alone. No foster care; no awkward third-wheel moments in family situations. Unlike many of his kind, he had been able to secure a stable job and apartment in no time. He was desperate to care for himself; to be completely independent of others after so many years of being reliant on the kindness of strangers.

Unwrapping an extra candy cane, Naruto had to smile at his achievement. Who would've thought that he would come this far? He had graduated at the top of his class and received a scholarship to a state university to boot. Still, the figures were out of his range and not wanting to spend the rest of his life in debt, Naruto was working hard to save enough money to cover the rest of the tuition.

"No worries," The blonde breathed, having momentarily gotten himself down. "Let's celebrate!"

"Six, seven... ah, a quarter!" Naruto grinned at the shiny piece of metal. "Four bucks and thirty two cents." He tapped his finger against his chin as he walked out of the apartment complex, careful not to slip on the icy steps. "Should be enough to buy some apple cider and chocolate." Adjusting the scarf around his neck, Naruto froze in his ministrations upon hearing a choked cry from the alleyway nearby.

"...raww.." Moving closer, Naruto cupped a hand around his ear for better reception. "Mraw... mreow.."

A cat?

Naruto hurried into the alley, squinting in the dim light. He was quickly able to make out an orange tabby kitten pawing at a black trash bag that had seemed to have fallen off of the overflowing bin.

His heart nearly stopped. "Aww," He whispered, unable to help himself. Crouching down, he held out his gloved hand and clicked his tongue softly. The tabby jumped at the sound, ears flicking back, but it soon grew curious and moved toward the aura of warmth that Naruto exhibited. It sniffed his fuzzy black glove before nuzzling against it insistently, demanding attention.

Laughing, Naruto carefully picked up the kitten and stood. It wore a collar, but the tag appeared to have broken off. The blonde frowned, tucking the kitten into his jacket. It was below freezing outside – there was no way he'd leave a delicate kitten out to turn into an icicle. His apartment did allow animals, but could he really afford it? He thought back to the change in his pocket and frowned. Looked like he would be giving someone else a feast tonight.

Naruto was amazed by how expensive replacement milk cost. There was no way he'd have enough money left over to buy a bottle.. an eye dropper would have to do. He was fairly certain he had one of those... for whatever reason.

Stepping into the checkout line, Naruto repeatedly peered down into his jacket to find the kitten snuggled against his chest. So what if it made him look a little pudgy? Most places didn't appreciate pets inside their stores, especially the ones too young to control their bladders.

"Three dollars and seventy-three cents, please." Fifty-nine cents left.. Naruto silently mourned the loss as he handed over the four singles and waited for his change. When it was given, he muttered his thanks and headed back out to the cold.

***

He decided to go through the park. It was nearly empty, anyway; no one wanted to chill around a bunch of dead trees. He, however, found peace in the way the branches glistened with the iridescent sheen of ice.

"Wahh, it's been such a long time since I walked through here," Naruto stated aloud, shoving his hands into his pockets. Suddenly remembering the old pond, he veered off the walkway and moved towards a clearing in the middle of the woods.

For the second time that day, he was greeted with an unexpected sight. A man – no, boy – about his age, perhaps, stood looming over the edge of the water, naked save for a pair of black socks and similarly colored boxer briefs. Naruto's jaw might as well have been dislocated given how far down it sagged.

What the hell is he doing? Naruto took notice of a pile of abandoned clothes, neatly folded and placed on a snow-free log. Skinny-dipping with weather down in the teens? No way...

In any case, it looked as though the pond had frozen over. Maybe the man intended to glide over the surface or something? Naruto furrowed his brow, watching as the boy tentatively placed a foot over the ice. His heart began to pound loudly in his ears, his muscles begging to move. This wasn't right... yet before he could do anything, the boy's other foot lifted and the ice broke apart, plunging him into the icy depths.

"Shit!" Naruto exclaimed, frozen with shock for no more than a split second. He sprinted closer, stripping clothes in the process. The kitten, jostled awake, meowed loudly and he paused to tuck it carefully into the warmth of his jacket pocket before slipping it off and laying it the snowy ground.

Taking a deep breath, he toed off his shoes and yanked off his t-shirt, now a similar sight to the other boy – minus the socks. Biting his lip, Naruto squeezed his eyes shut and cursed the pale dumbshit whose stupid arse lay beneath the deceiving sheet of ice. On the count of three, he dove in.

Cold. Oh shit, it's cold. Holy fuck. Oh God, Mary, Jesus, and Joseph – it's so fucking cold!

Naruto could think little else as the frigid water attacked his skin with pins and needles. He strained to open his eyes, managing a pathetic squint. He caught sight of the boy quickly, his head down, hair floating. His eyes were closed, with his lips parted just slightly... almost as if he were merely asleep. Naruto snapped out of his admiring daze and grabbed the boy around the waist, kicking hard and effectively propelling them both to the surface.

When the ice broke, Naruto mentally thanked his thick skull and hurriedly clambered out of the water, pulling the brunette in behind him. Shivering uncontrollably, he knelt down and shook the boy's shoulder. "Hey.. wake up." When he received no response, Naruto promptly swore and lowered his ear to the other's mouth. He was breathing, yes, but they were quick, gasping breaths.

Naruto pinched the boy's nose, inhaling deeply before sealing their lips together and expelling the oxygen from his lungs. Pulling back, he observed as the stranger's chest rose before placing his hands over the pale chest and pushing down quickly.

...three, four, five, six, sev -

The boy gagged, and Naruto quickly turned him onto his side as he coughed up the icy water. When it ceased, Naruto turned him back over. "Oi, are you okay?"

A pair of chillingly dark eyes met Naruto's own, and he didn't bother suppressing the subsequent shiver. Instead of answering, the boy closed his eyes and frowned.

Scowling, Naruto prepared to make a witty comment, but abruptly remembered how ridiculously cold he was and quickly moved to redress. After he was warm and cozy, he scolded himself and hurried back to the brunette, whose chapped lips were pale and held a tinge of blue. "Shit, sorry. We need to get you dressed..." He went about removing the socks and... that, surprised he received no objections.

Once they were both bundled up, Naruto brought the boy into a sitting position and hoisted him up, steadying himself against the boy's weight. "Can you walk?"

He received the barest of nods. Guiding the boy nonetheless, it was ten minutes before they reached his apartment. Naruto carefully laid his guest on the surprisingly comfy couch before removing the kitten from his pocket and placing it on a bed of freshly cleaned laundry. He stripped off his jacket as he walked into his bedroom, gathering several blankets and a pillow after tossing his coat, scarf, gloves, and hat onto the bed.

Immediately after walking into the hall, he re-entered the bedroom to grab two pairs of thick socks from a drawer and quickly headed back to the living room.

"You must be freezing, right?" He unrolled the socks, pulling off the brunette's shoes before putting them on. "Your feet have a lot of nerves, y'know." Unfolding the blankets, he layered them over the other boy, making sure to tuck him in. "Good? Need anything?"

"..."

"I'll take that as a no." Sighing, Naruto got up, beginning his search for the eye dropper. After checking the medicine cabinet, the bathroom, and the freezer, he found it in the bottom drawer of his desk. "Ha!" Grinning, he set about cleaning it, making certain that it was sterile enough to use. He proceeded to pour some of the formula into a short glass, picking up the kitten on his way to a large stuffed chair.

As he scratched the kitten under its chin, Naruto became aware that he was being watched. Raising his gaze to his guest, he smiled widely. "Cute, right? I found him in an alley.. his tags are missing. Poor guy, aren't you?" He looked back to the kitten, who ate the offered food without complaint. Naruto had never had the opportunity to care for a pet before, but it certainly felt good.

Kitten – check.

Mysterious boy who won't talk or acknowledge my presence – check.

Pre-morning routine complete, Naruto spent the next twenty minutes getting ready for work. He had already ran back to the store the night before after grabbing some emergency money from under his mattress, buying a small bag of litter. To his surprise, the kitten was already trained, which led him to believe that it was probably on dry food as well. He'd have to stop and pick some up tonight...

"Hey." The guy was out like a rock. "Wake up." He stirred, and his confused eyes made Naruto slightly worried.

"You're not deaf or something are you?"

The boy rolled his eyes, pulling the blankets closer around himself. "No.."

Naruto nearly recoiled in surprise. His voice was surprisingly deep. "O-okay. Well, I have to go to work. The bathroom is down the hall on the left. I think there's some frozen pizza and other crap in the kitchen if you get hungry. D'you think you could feed the kitten every couple of hours? Everything is on the table.. please?"

"Sure." The tone of his voice made Naruto believe that he was only agreeing to make him go away. Comforting..

Naruto tugged on his jacket and other essentials, grabbing a granola bar from a kitchen drawer before thinking to get a glass of water for his guest.

"Here, you're probably really thirsty. Sorry." The boy took the glass, taking a cautious sip. Well, anyone would probably be skeptical of tap water in the city.

"Uh, I'm Naruto, by the way..." The blonde scratched his head awkwardly, feeling like he had effortlessly become the worst host in the history of mankind. "What's your name?"

"...Sasuke." Given the look on his face, it seemed that he had had a lengthy internal debate about whether or not to tell.

"Sasuke," Naruto repeated, enjoying the way the syllables felt on his tongue. Catching the clock's time through the reflection of the glass, he promptly jumped up and grabbed his bag. "Crap, gotta run. See you in a few hours!"

***

As he filled a shopping bag with the customer's various art supplies, Naruto realized that he had made a very grave mistake. He had taken a mysterious suicidal boy into his house! He should have taken him to the hospital, for chrissakes. Naruto suddenly paled. What if the guy was still suicidal? He could be bled dry in Naruto's bathtub by now... hanging from the ceiling fan... electrocuted by the toaster. Naruto quickly finished the order and shut off the light to his line, much to the next patron's dismay.

"Hey, what the-"

"Sorry!" Naruto exclaimed, yanking his apron over his head as he ran into the back room. "Hey, Sai – Sai!" He banged on his manager's office door, turning the handle after receiving a beckoning hand.

"What is it, Naruto?"

"Look, I have to go.. I can't really explain, but I promise I have a good excuse!"

Sai quirked a brow, appearing skeptical. "Does it involve... a friend?"

Naruto nodded rapidly. "Yes, yes, a good friend! He's in a lot of trouble. I swear I'll make it up next week, can I pl-"

"You may go."

The blonde clasped his hands together in glee and bowed awkwardly. "Thank you, thank you!" His manager was rather odd, but he seemed to be lenient with Naruto for some reason. Naruto made a mental note to get the man a present of some sort before he grabbed his things and headed out the door to the bus stop.

Please be alive, please be alive...

Naruto's fingers shook as he turned the key in the lock, running into the apartment and looking around wildly. "Sasuke? Sasuke!!" His heart began to race as he realized both the kitchen and the living room were empty.

Oh God, it's the batht-

"The cat pissed on your bed." There stood the admittedly taller brunette, his expression blank and eyes focused on the kitten that he held out in front of him. Naruto groaned, walking forward to pick up the tabby and determined to stare at it sternly. "That's how you repay me, huh? I should just put you b...ack..." Naruto broke as the kitten began licking his hand, its adorable face careening upwards towards his.

"Damnit.. you're too cute for your own good. Or mine, rather.." Sighing, Naruto placed the ball of fluff at his feet and straightened to face his guest.

"Look, we need to talk."

Sasuke lifted a brow, then scowled and walked past the blonde. "No, we don't."

Naruto caught his arm. "Yes, we do!" He pulled Sasuke toward the kitchen, pushing him into a chair as he drew up another for himself.

"Are you still..." Naruto paused, gulping uneasily. "Um... s-sui.. do you want to hurt yourself?"

Sighing, Sasuke leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. "Not at the moment."

Naruto bit his lower lip, nervously dancing his fingertips along his thighs.

"Do you.. want to.. y'know, talk? About it?" He silently cursed his inability to form a coherent question.

"No."

"Well, that's fine," Naruto stated, feeling somewhat relieved, actually. He thought of his next words rather carefully. "You're welcome to stay if you want, but I can't really afford to take care of three people.." He flushed with embarrassment, then promptly scolded himself for feeling guilty that he couldn't care for some random stranger who didn't even appear to enjoy his company.

Sasuke sat a little straighter in his chair, opening his eyes to trap the blonde with a piercing stare. "You're offering.. shelter?"

Naruto blinked, clearing his throat and tugging at his work nametag nervously. "Uh, yeah.. I guess. I mean, you're not a psycho or something, right?" He mentally berated himself yet again. What kind of psychopath would admit their psychotic behavior?

"I jumped into a half-frozen lake, and you're unsure as to whether I'm a psycho?"

"There's a difference between being depressed and not being able to understand the difference between right and wrong!" Naruto retorted loudly, clearly pouting. "I'm not a total moron, thank you very much."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, though he didn't speak for several seconds. "You don't want to call the police? Send me to the psych ward?"

"Seems to me you've probably already been through that." Naruto met his gaze without fear. "When people want help, they don't try to kill themselves where no one will find them."

To his surprise, Sasuke looked away. The brunette watched the clock on the stove, as if he were timing the amount of seconds that passed before he would speak again. Finally, when four minutes had come and gone, he turned back to his host. "What do you charge?"

Confused, Naruto's lips instinctively pulled into a frown. "What?"

"For rent. Once I find a job.. I'll pay half."

Naruto couldn't help but smile. Sasuke wanted to stay! He wasn't happy because it was Sasuke, seeing as the guy seemed to be a bit of a jerk; rather, he was ecstatic that his guest was willing to find normalcy in an evidently chaotic life.

"Half? My couch is pretty nice, but it's not the same as having a bedroom. Maybe.. a third of the rent. And I can ask my manager if there's any jobs for you, if you'd like."

Sasuke studied Naruto's nametag. "Michaels?"

"Yeah, the art supply store. We sell pretty much everything except for fabric." He reached down to pick up the kitten, which had been pawing at his leg since he had sat down. Rubbing the pads of his fingers over the length of the feline's back, he sighed as he remembered that he'd have to eventually try to find the kitten's owners.

"That would be.. generous." Sasuke said after a moment, seeming to struggle with the words.

Naruto gave a sheepish grin, shrugging his shoulders. Glancing back into the living room, he changed the direction of their conversation with ease. "So, what do you think of my tree?"

Author's Note: That's it for the first installment. Please review and share your thoughts! :)