-squeals- YAY! 26 reviews!

I'm glad there are some people out there that like my newest fic, I always get this warm and fuzzy feeling just thinking about it :D

I want to thank my friend Kaikouken for an awesome beta job! You rock my socks girl!

So, without further ado…

Little six years old Naruto ran. He ran with all his heart. Where? He didn't know. All he knew was something was calling him, whispering his name, beckoning him in a huskily faint voice.

For the first time in his life, someone was calling for him, wanting him and he'd be damned if he was going to keep them waiting.

He had snuck out of Konoha, but not far. If he were to look back, he would still be able to see the wall that ran around the village.

'Who is calling for me?' The small boy thought and stopped immediately.

There in the distance was someone wearing a black cloak. His face was overshadowed by the hood on top of his head, but he could distinctly see… that his caller was holding his arms out to him.

- - - -

"Naruto," Sasuke's voice broke into his thoughts, "Do you want to grab a bite to eat? I know a great place down the ro-"

"No." After meeting their sensei; they were told to meet him the next day at the bridge. He didn't give them any details about what they were going to do, but it really didn't matter to the blond, just as long as he got stronger. Fast.

He heard Sakura say, "If Naruto-kun won't go with you, I'll be happy to, Sasuke-kun!" And Naruto growled. For some reason he couldn't stand formalities. People had names and he didn't want to go on adding suffixes to it, just to flatter them.

"I didn't ask you Sakura." the raven said. Naruto watched as the young Uchiha heir's eyes gleamed with hope as he turned his attention back to Naruto. "Why not? We've got the rest of the day ahead of us; I know I don't have anything better to do."

Naruto growled and sharply glared, "And that's why you are weak." Sasuke's hopeful composure fell and was replace with anger. "What did you say?!"

"Back with Kakashi, you said you wanted to become a reliable asset to Konoha… you can't become that if you want such feeble things." Naruto had meant what he said, and he also wanted the Uchiha off of his back; two birds with one stone. Besides, he'd had up to here with this 'friendliness' bullshit. He wanted to be alone. Now.

"Naruto-kun," Sakura chased, and he cringed at his suffixed-name "Sasuke-kun was just trying to be nice. Besides, what harm would it do? We're going to be spending time together no matter what… why not just get use to it?"

"Hey Pinky, I don't recall asking for your opinion. Butt out." Naruto glared at her too.

"Hey! I'm just trying to be nice, too! Stop being such a-"

Naruto took a threatening step forward, "Look. If I wanted any lip off of you, I would've gotten it from my zipper."

Sakura gasped and blushed.

"I don't feel like talking anymore. Just leave me alone, I don't see why that is so hard to ask." the blond then resumed walking away and disappearing around the corner.

Sasuke, for once, let him go. What Naruto had said had gotten to him. No one, besides Itachi (what brother doesn't), had ever called him weak. And the first person that did, was the person whose attention he wanted to most. 'I'll just have to show him that I'm strong. He shouldn't underestimate Uchiha Sasuke.'

Sakura stood silently beside her crush and watch his facial features. She decided that it was best if he was left alone, for once. "Um, I think I'm gonna go home. I'll see you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun." she walked away.

Sasuke sighed and started to walk home. 'I'm going to have to try harder. Maybe if I do things… more subtle manner. But how the hell-'

"Well, look at this? My brother, Uchiha Sasuke, looking blue and constipated." Sasuke saw Itachi walking up to him, "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

Sasuke was then put into a head lock by Itachi, "OK! OK! Let me go!"

- - - -

Naruto unlocked his front door, kicked off his shoes and walked into the kitchen. 'Well, its time for my lunch.' he opened the refrigerator, "What the hell?" he blinked a couple of times to make sure he wasn't seeing things.-blink- Yup, still empty. 'Dammit! Not again!'

He had stocked his fridge with food that would at least last him for two weeks! Now he didn't have any food! Grr, the only person who had his key was Naruto and the manager of the apartments…

There were three solutions to this:

1) Naruto was delusional and he didn't buy all that food. It was definitely not that one, he wasn't delusional… but how would he know if he was or not? Naruto shrugged.

2) The manager was being a bitch in heat, like always, and he was stealing his food. But why the hell would he do that? Naruto needed something to eat! He was a growing boy for fuck sake! He needed nutrition! Naruto sighed. Why did all the adults hate him? What did he ever do wrong? 'Well, sometimes you just have to make an enemy... I guess'

3) It wasn't the manager and someone had broken into his place. The blond hummed, and checked all his traps. Nope, no one had broken in… unless it was a jounin?

"AARRGGHH!" why the hell would it be a jounin?! Wouldn't he have something better to do?! "I just need to stop thinking. I'm blaming it on the manager. That's it! End of discussion."

Naruto stood there for a while. "I'm still hungry."

- - - -

Itachi sighed, "So you're trying to get Uzumaki-kid's attention?" This could either be good or bad.

"Yes. Is that so bad?" Sasuke sat down next to his older brother, and looked up at him.

"Sasuke… there are some people who... like to be alone. It's just the way they operate."

"Why would someone subject themselves to that?"

The older sighed once more, "There isn't a reason to everything. Uzumaki-kun grew up like that and he doesn't want that to change." he saw the frown on Sasuke's face,

"…I know Naruto is an orphan… but still... To be alone like that. It has to be hard on him… Aniki, do you know what happened to his parents?" the raven's tone was low.

"I wish I knew."

"You wish?"

Itachi smiled, "Uzumaki-kun is strong, and he'll be a great ninja one day. I'm sure it's in his blood, thus I would like to know if his parents were strong."

Sasuke smiled, "I see."

Itachi returned the smile, "Good." He stood, "Now its time for you to go home. It's your turn to help Okaa-san with dinner."

The other slouched, "Ah man. I forgot… where are you going?"

Itachi murmured, "To pay someone a visit."

- - - -

'I only have three ryou and a bowl of ramen is three fifty.' Naruto stood in front of Ichiraku's. 'Maybe the old man will let me charge, he is one of the few that is nice to me.' he moved to step in but stopped. 'No, I shouldn't. I don't want to own anyone anything.'

Naruto's stomach begged him to reconsider.

"…Do you want to go in?" a deep voice spoke beside him, and Naruto sharply turned around.

There stood Uchiha Itachi in full ninja uniform (not ANBU) smiling lightly at him. They had not met properly but Naruto guess that Sasuke told Itachi about him. But why was he here?

"…" Naruto continued to stare at the older man and Itachi felt the full weight of the gaze.

The Uchiha cleared his throat and held out his hand, "I'm sorry for coming up and talking to you like this but my name is Uchiha Ita-"

"Itachi, I know." Naruto didn't shake the hand and moved to walk away.

Itachi faltered for a second and repeated, "Did you want to go in?"

The blond stopped. "I don't know you."

The other smiled, "And?"

"What do you want?"

"You looked hungry, so I wanted to get you something to eat."

"I don't need your pity."

"And I am not giving it." Itachi walked into the stand.

Naruto's stomach growled again and he sighed. 'Just this once…'

Itachi and Naruto didn't talk throughout the meal, but during the meal, Naruto kept catching the other staring at him in the corner of his eye. And before they parted ways Itachi kept looking at him, like he was asking a favor.

Those onyx eyes glimmered with a plea before Itachi smiled and walked away.

…and the blond had an idea what he was asking. 'Dammit,' he looked down at his belly, 'See what you've done!'

- - - -

The once warm day slowly faded into the dark moonless night as people closed up shops and headed home for a night of well earned sleep.

The night slipped away as the stars crossed the sky, bringing the sun's luminous light in its wake just as it did yesterday.

Sakura's hand hit the alarm clock on the side of her bed.

Sasuke pulled the covers off of him as he rubbed the sleep out of his eye.

Naruto made his way to the shower.

Sakura toweled her wet hair and plugged in her blow dryer.

Sasuke adjusted his hitai-ate.

Naruto closed his door and locked it, after making extra traps.

Sakura waved to someone as she walked down the street.

Sasuke smiled and started running when he saw Naruto's familiar orange back.

Naruto frowned as Sasuke stopped beside him, "Ohayo Naruto." the blond noticed that he was less active this morning. He was about to scowl when he remembered Itachi's pitch black eyes.

"Hn."

Sakura beamed brightly and waved as she saw her two teammates, "Sasuke-kun! Naruto-kun! Ohayo!"

Sasuke nodded in greeting while Naruto walked past and leaned against the rail of the bridge. Sakura and Sasuke settled on both sides of him.

The Kyuubi-container twitched. They were getting close again. The feeling of being surrounded always made him feel aggressive,

Sasuke unconsciously scooted closer to the blond, Naruto noticed and scooted away and closer to Sakura.

The rosette blushed and moved closer, thinking the blond was trying to come on to her. 'I've never been this close to Naruto-kun before.' she took a deep breath to claim her nerves and caught the fresh musk of the boy beside her. '…hm.' she breathed again. 'What kind of scent is that? It smells so good.'

Naruto felt Sakura lean against his side, 'Calm down Naruto,' he breathed 'just close your eye and block them out.'

And he did after a while. He ignored Sasuke's shoulder pressing against his. He ignored Sakura's head resting on his other.

But ever since last night's little dinner with Itachi and his unsaid request, he was completely aware of Sasuke. Right now, he could definitely smell him.

It was fresh.

It was untouched.

It was innoce-

'STOP!' Naruto mentally yelled, 'Don't you dare finish that thou-'

Sakura fortunately cut his thoughts short, "Naruto-kun, what kind of scent do you use?" She smelt his shoulder.

"Scent?" Sasuke then buried his nose on the other side, "Hm, you do smell good."

"See!" the other giggled, "What kind of scent is it Naruto-kun?"

Naruto was furious…and disturbed. 'Cause he didn't ever use cologne.

- - - - One Hours Later - - - -

"Do you think Kakashi-sensei forgot about us?"

"I don't think so, he's the one that told us to come here in the fist place."

The three were now sitting (in the same order).

Naruto's eyes were still closed, his arms and legs crossed. Sakura had her arm around his and Sasuke had his head on his shoulder.

The two would talk and sometimes try to get something out of him, but again: he was ignoring them.

And they were getting less annoying. He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad one.

'Where the fuck is Kakashi?!' Naruto thought miserably.

- - - - Two Hours Later - - - -

'They're asleep.' Naruto's eyes peeked open. 'And they are using me as a pillow.' he sighed.

Sakura's head was resting on his knee and Sasuke was hugging his arm to himself and resting against his shoulder. 'God, it's like I'm taking care of children.'

Chakra flickered through the air and moments later, Kakashi poof-ed in front of them.

"Yo-" he blinked at the sight before him, "Well, well, well, is seems Naruto does have a soft side." the Jounin smiled to himself.

"What took you so fucking long?" He hissed, trying not to rouse his teammates, but he could never get his way as Sakura yawned.

Her turquoise eyes landed on Kakashi and they flashed in anger "YOU'RE LATE!''

Sasuke groaned at being abruptly awoken and he buried his nose into the warm arm he was holding.

'Wait.' Sasuke opened his eyes and saw that he was latched on to Naruto. Thinking that the look of anger on his face was because of him, he quickly get go. 'Dammit! I'm trying not to get on his nerves! And here I am doing that in my sleep!'

Naruto stood. "Why are you late?"

Kakashi scratched behind his head, "Heh, I got lost."

"Lost?!" Sakura squawked, "How can you get lost?! You live in Konoha!"

"I got lost on the road to life."

"LAIR!"

Naruto sighed, 'This is what I'm going to be dealing with… everyday...'

Well that's it for that…

I really didn't know when I was going to update on this, but when I saw how many reviews I received… well, lets just say I couldn't ignore all the 'Please update soon!'s

Reviews make me EXTREMELY happy and I just might update sooner!

Please review!!