Uzumaki Triangle
Author: Ladelle
Comments: R&Rs appreciated!
First off, I should begin by saying that even though I've always been an extrovert, I do have the ability to act reserved. And trust me, if you were scouting out attractive males at a religious foundation, you would be reserved, too. If I had been back at Harmony, I would have had my flirtatious way with Sasuke right then and there. But I wasn't at Harmony, I was at Konoha Private, feeling the eyes of a very attractive man examine me as I ate my miso. An awkward first encounter, but not nearly as crazy as the second.
Aside from meeting Sasuke, that day had many other notable encounters. I met my closest friend, Shikamaru, and became somewhat initiated into the click known as 'Table Seven'. It sounds like a really lame cult, I know. But that night introduced me to a life I didn't think possible in the hands of wealth.
Chapter 2: The Game He Plays
Naruto's apartment was a studio, and it wasn't well furnished. His money was locked away in a trust fund, and all the odd jobs he had worked in his life couldn't pay for the furnishings it would take to bring him to the level of Ino's house. It wasn't even a house, really. More like a flashy square castle with a nicely paved driveway. Naruto leaned in closer to his passenger side window and squinted his eyes at the monstrosity. A low whistle escaped his lips, and he sat back against the leather interior of Shikamaru's BMW.
"Intimidated?"
Naruto sighed. "I'm sure I'll manage."
Shikamaru pulled into the allotted parking area for guests and Naruto stepped out of the car. He was surprised at how few cars there were and he scanned the selection until Shikamaru came up beside him.
"Welcome to your first party. Drink, dance, or just come find us guys. We'll most likely be playing pool downstairs."
Naruto was keen to that idea. Though it was Ino's party and she seemed like a nice girl, Naruto simply preferred male company. From the looks of things, it appeared as all of the guys did—maybe not for the same reasons though.
The duo entered the premise, Shikamaru with a cool and casual grin and Naruto with an amused sort of smile. The inside of the house resembled a museum. A huge foyer with expensive acrylic portraits welcomed guests, and velvet draperies lavished the windows and doorways. A small collection of people were gathered in a leftward doorway, and as Naruto followed Shikamaru towards the chattering a realization came over him.
This was one museum he could settle for.
The room happened to be a small kitchen, stacked high with cakes and cookies, chocolates, sweets, and ice cream. A small array of plates and utensils lined a marble island, and near them were drinks of all sorts. Beers, wines, hard liquor…
"How old is she again?"
Shikamaru laughed. "Seventeen, I think. What, never drank before?"
Naruto inwardly laughed. "No, I just didn't expect so much."
But even though there was a delicious amount of delectables, Naruto had noticed something even more alluring. And it was staring at him with a cool, decisive gaze, and cobalt eyes.
"Sasuke, glad to see you could make it. Your brother know you're here?"
Sasuke's eyes left Naruto as quickly as they had come and Naruto felt a flush come to his cheeks. He immediately mentally slapped himself. He wasn't a shy person, and a blush was a rarity.
"Of course not."
Shikamaru sighed. "The man of few words. Hey, is everyone downstairs? It looks like we're the last ones to get here."
Naruto presumed he had made that assumption by the cars outside. Sasuke nodded. "I came up to get the liquor."
"Don't drink too much," Shikamaru said as he picked up a Corona, "Or your brother's sure to find out."
Naruto stifled a laugh and the two looked at him. He nodded it off. "One of the few joys about living on your own: No suspicious adults."
Shikamaru chuckled and nodded to the stairs. "Let's head down." He took off and Naruto turned to follow, only to be stopped by the raven's voice.
"You should carry some of this, dobe."
Naruto, turned, slightly put off. "What?"
Sasuke chucked some bottles at Naruto and kept some pressed tightly against himself.
He didn't respond to Naruto's question, only pushed past him to head down the carpeted flight of stairs. As he passed, Naruto caught his eyes, and as if from reflex cleared a path for him.
Naruto had known many types of people in his life; the shy ones, the cruel ones, the funny ones, the lonely ones. There was always a new personality to adjust to in his hectic and unstable childhood, and this boy was not the first to have given him such a cold and passionate glance. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He had only known one person in his life with a fiercer look than the one he had just witnessed, and it made him hesitant towards the coal-haired boy that he had just encountered. He knew how dangerous those eyes could be.
Naruto heard Shikamaru call out his name, and he stumbled out of his reverie. He crept down the stairs, content with the television room and annexed bar below. The boys had already started pool, and the girls were near the bar speaking with low voices.
Another reason he preferred males. Gossip was boring as hell.
Cold eyes met him again at the bar, as he set down the liquor he had carried. The other boy was just finishing his load, and Naruto met his gaze.
"You know, if you keep looking at me like that it might become a permanent expression." Though it was a joke, his eyes were somewhat narrowed. They widened almost immediately as a small purse met the boy's lips. Was he smiling? Naruto didn't know, but it was damn attractive.
From behind Naruto, a girl stumbled by. Naruto could smell a hint of vodka from her as she slid by, pink hair falling soundly to her shoulders.
"Sasuke, you've barely spoken to me at all today." Naruto imagined this was what women sounded like when they purred, and strangely he felt a little jealous. He watched as she kissed him, her hand resting aimlessly on his dress shirt, his hand on her shoulder.
Naruto quickly unloaded the rest of his drinks to distract himself. PDA was never attractive, and for him, a straight PDA was the worst. Women made those sounds.
He turned away from the table and his eyes searched for Shikamaru. He was disappointed in the raven haired kid, though at least now he had a name. Sasuke.
Naruto spotted Shikamaru with the wild-haired boy from lunch. Kiba, was it?
A larger boy was at Shikamaru's side, one that he hadn't met. Kiba seemed slightly desperate as he was eyeing the room for a pool partner. Naruto grinned and walked towards him. "Need a partner?"
Kiba smiled and narrowed his eyes. "Depends. You any good, newbie?"
Naruto grabbed a pole and chalked its tip. The table was already set to be broken, and Naruto knelt down over the table with practiced ease. He gripped the pole steadily, narrowed his vision towards his target, and thrust.
The white ball soared over the table and split the triangle of assorted colors, sending three into pockets. One stripe, two solids.
"We'll take solids," Naruto commented, and Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.
Kiba slammed him hard on the back. "Way to go, partner!"
"Stripes it is," Shikamaru sighed, and the game commenced.
He felt a yawn escape his lips, and sat down on the sofa.
Naruto looked around the room for a clock with agitation. There were several signs that Ino's dad was a hunter—a few deer heads, a couple hunting whistles, and a few blown up portraits of a blonde haired man grinning wildly as he held up a swordfish. But amazingly, no clock.
If he had to guess he would estimate that it was about one in the morning, but he had never been good with time. All he knew was that he was the only sober one left in the room.
Shikamaru and Kiba were playing a random drinking game, and the girls were laughing hysterically at them. Shikamaru's partner, who was later introduced as Chouji, was the least drunk of them all, and was trying to convince Shikamaru to stop drinking. A couple of people had arrived halfway into his second pool game, and one of them was resting next to Ino. Her hair was dark and short and her eyes were a bright sort of blue. She had come with another person, one named Neji, but he hadn't been introduced. Kiba had merely told him that they were twins from a rival school, and long time friends from childhood. He however, was nowhere to be found.
A familiar feeling annoyed his stomach, and Naruto stood up. He looked at the drunken crowd on the floor and sighed. Getting comprehendible directions to a bathroom would be impossible. He tiptoed his way from the crowd and went up the stairs that he had descended hours earlier. Most of the food in the kitchen had been devoured, save a few cookies and chocolates. Naruto snagged one in his mouth before making his way to where he had entered, hoping he would spot one on the way. He bit his lip in agitation.
He hoped that no one else was home as he went upstairs. As he neared the top, he spotted one, but something else caught his eye.
Hair. Long dark brown hair. He stopped midway on the stair case and hastened his breathing. Someone was passed out upstairs. He quickly stepped up a couple more stairs and found himself gasp.
It was hair, alright, but no one had passed out. A boy was flat against the wall, breathing deeply as Sasuke held him pinned there, teasing him with his free hand. His kisses were forceful, and Naruto, loosing his balance on the stairs, grabbed the railing.
Two faces immediately turned towards him and he couldn't control the flush rising to his cheeks. Putting up a hand to them, he shook his head.
"Don't mind me, by all means." He continued up the stairs without hesitation, avoiding a familiar pair of icy cobalt eyes. He disappeared into the restroom, and only stood for a few minutes. If he had watched Sasuke any longer, he would have had something else to take care of.
He finished quickly, washing his hands and darting out of the restroom. He looked to where the two boys had been, and reluctantly, they weren't there. He jogged down the stairs, a small weight on his chest, only to become heavier as he realized that Sasuke was waiting at the bottom. He was sprawled against the side of the staircase, his arms folded and his eyes narrowed. Naruto passed him quietly, attempting to act ignorant.
A strong arm gripped his wrist and Naruto gasped as he found himself pinned against the stairwell, Sasuke holding him there with one hand against his chest. He hoped to God he didn't look as turned on as he felt, because to him, Sasuke's orientation was up in the air. But dangerous eyes bore into him and the taller boy grazed his lips, his hand traveling towards the hem of Naruto's jeans. And Naruto pushed him away.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Sasuke smiled a harsh smile that seemed arrogant. "Nervous?"
Naruto was, but not for the same reasons that Sasuke was playing at. "Please,"
He rolled his eyes and found a pathway around the other boy. Sasuke stepped back and intercepted it.
"You're turned on." His eyes were hazed.
Naruto shook his head in exasperation. "You're sexually harassing me."
Sasuke moved his arm towards Naruto, and Naruto grabbed him instead, pushing the cobalt-eyed boy into the same position that he had been in. Naruto stood on his tip toes and eyed the boy.
"I don't care what your orientation is, but I am never, ever the uke." Naruto watched as cobalt eyes widened, and released Sasuke.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'm leaving." Naruto caught a glimpse of a perplexed expression on Sasuke's face, and disappeared into the basement. He only hoped that Shikamaru was drunk enough to let him drive home.
