Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. For now Orochimaru does. Poor Naruto.
Chapter 2: Leave The Past Behind
"You fired Sai!?" Neji asked, pacing the living room. "But we've got another concert in two weeks!"
"Don't worry, it's cool. It's better we have to find another vocalist than have our little virgin Sasuke get raped or something by that perv," Gaara said.
Sasuke twitched. It was his own choice that he was still a virgin. He just hadn't...found the right guy yet. Sasuke had always known he was gay, and made no effort to hide it; he had had all of two boyfriends in his entire life and had never gotten past the kissing phase with either of them. It was his choice and Gaara had no business commenting on it.
"Says the drummer who never sleeps," Neji grumbled.
"What does my insomnia have to do with it?" Gaara spat.
"Nothing, just that sleep deprivation can affect judgement," Neji sneered.
"Why you little-"
"Guys, chill out," Sasuke said, grabbing Gaara's fist to stop him from punching Neji. "It shouldn't be that much of a problem. The next concert is all songs we've done before, right? So any true fan will know most of the lyrics. We just have to hold auditions. We're bound to find someone who can handle the job."
Neji sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But where? When? I'll call our manager, he can probably figure something out."
Sasuke nodded. "You do that. In the meantime, I've got to get some air. I'll be back late. Don't wait up for me." He turned and left the house, grabbing his backpack--which held his notebook, pens, pencils, and sketchbook--on the way out.
Ever since they graduated from high school, the band members had shared a five bedroom house, with the one spare bedroom being used as Sasuke's personal composition studio. They had turned the garage into a rehersal space, complete with soundproofing. They also had a hot tub in the back-porch-turned-sunroom and a decent sized pool in the backyard.
Sasuke got into his car and set off for downtown, after managing to shake off the one paparazza that always followed him.. He didn't really know where he was going, he just knew he needed to get out and find some inspiration for the band's next album. Twenty minutes later, he passed a small club called 'Passion Play'. He recognized it as the gay bar that was always on the news for getting caught selling the services of its dancers.
He sighed. "Well it's the unique atmosphere I'm looking for." He parked his car and walked in, glad he always kept his fake ID handy. The ID, which he had gotten senior year in high school, said he was 22 instead of 19 and said his name was Hideki Isei.
Walking into the bar, his ears were immediately assaulted by music blaring from the speakers. He walked around for a few minutes before heading to the bar and ordering a glass of absinthe.
"Aren't you a bit young to be drinking alcohol?" the bartender, a boy with red triangular tattoos on his cheeks who didn't look much older than him, asked as he got Sasuke's drink. "And haven't I seen you somewhere before?"
"Check my ID, it says I'm 22, doesn't it? Um, I don't think so. But, you don't look nearly old enough to be working here."
He shrugged, handing Sasuke the glass. "Just between the two of us?" Sasuke nodded. "I'm not. I'm only 19. Name's Kiba. Kiba Inuzuka."
"Heh, figures. I'm only 19 too."
"Has anyone ever told you you look like Sasuke Uchiha?"
He laughed. "People say that all the time. I honestly don't see the resemblance. Actually..." He slapped his real ID on the table allowing the other to read the name written on it.
Kiba's jaw dropped. "You really are him!? Shit, you're even hotter in real life!"
Sasuke laughed, tucking his IDs away. "Yeah, I don't photograph well. I always look like some sort of zombie or something."
"No, the problem is that your complexion is too pale, so you wash out grey under white camera lights. Next time you go in for a shoot, have them add a little more blue to the lighting. It'll give you the whole otherworldly glow effect. Oh, and try to wear neutral colors like black, maybe with red accenting. Or you could go for red lighting with a lighter clothing scheme of greys and silvers. But that might clash with Gaara's red theme. So blue lighting with red and black clothing would probably be best."
Sasuke blinked. Had this guy just given him wardrobe advice for his photo shoots with the band?
Kiba saw the reaction on Sasuke's face and laughed sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I know you're probably wondering what the hell my business is telling you how to dress for pictures, right? I'm trying to put myself through design school part time with the money I make here. I guess it just got the better of me."
"No, it's alright. I've been looking for some way to stop looking undead. I'll try your suggestions. Who knows, I might hire you as a design consultant if your idea actually works."
Kiba's eyes lit up. "Really? That'd be awesome! Working for you, even part time, would be a total dream come true!"
Just then, the music stopped. Sasuke threw Kiba a questioning look.
"Don't worry. It just means Naruto is going to start his next show. Go on, get to the front if you want to get a good look."
Sasuke shrugged and made his way through the crowd, finding a seat right in front of the stage.
Sasuke was breathless when a young-looking boy with spiked blonde hair walked out onto the stage, grinning brightly. "Hey guys, did you miss me?" A couple of wolf-whistles sounded from the crowd. "I said, did you miss me?" he repeated a little louder. More whistling and applause. This seemed to satisfy Naruto because he signaled to someone in the back of the room to start the music. He sang with the music as he danced. His voice was haunting despite the fast pace of the song.
'Holy shit, he's hot! There is no way he's a day over twenty. No way in hell. And his voice...it's amazing,' Sasuke thought, his eyes glued to the boy's movements, his ears fixed on his voice.
Naruto looked out over the crowd and spotted Sasuke staring at him, awestruck. 'Ooh, there's a cute one here tonight. He looks so lost, almost as if he didn't realize what this place was. I can certainly have some fun with this one,' Naruto thought. Slowly he slid his hands down his sides, hooked his fingers around the base of his tank-top, and started to pull it over his head, swaying his hips seductively as he did so. He took the shirt and threw it right into Sasuke's lap, who blinked, holding the shirt up questioningly. Naruto only winked at him in response, causing a blush to flare up on Sasuke's cheeks. Naruto grinned and continued singing. 'Virgin much?'
When Naruto looked away, Sasuke lifted up the shirt, inhaling his scent. 'Damn, and he smells nice too.' Sasuke took out his sketchbook and started working on a picture of Naruto. The boy was too fascinating to not draw.
Half an hour later, Naruto was left with nothing left on but the bright orange thong. "It's been fun, guys, but the hour is late and I'm afraid I must leave you." He turned and walked off the stage and down a staircase.
Sasuke, who had just finished his drawing, jumped up and grabbed his backpack, darting after him. He caught him as he was walking down the hallway to what Sasuke assumed must have been a break room or dressing room of some sort.
"Hey, wait," he called, grabbing Naruto's elbow and spinning him around.
Naruto blinked. Customers didn't usually follow him downstairs. This kid was weird. And from the way he looked he was way too young to even be in this place. So was Naruto, but that was different; Naruto had no choice. It was either Naruto keep working for Orochimaru or he'd get kicked out on the streets. Naruto shook his head to clear his thoughts and gave the teen the best smile he could muster. "Yes, sir? Is there any particular reason you followed me down here? Customers aren't allowed down here, you know. If Orochimaru catches you down here, you'll be kicked out."
"I'm sorry, I have to ask, what's your name?"
"Naruto Uzumaki. Yours?"
He sighed. "Promise you won't kick me out of here?"
Naruto nodded.
"Sasuke Uchiha."
"No way! Like, the guy from Crimson Kunai? That's so cool! Your songs are on the radio all the time!"
"Yep. That's me. The one and only. But that's not the point. I just came down here to give you this." He handed Naruto the sketch he had done, after writing 'Naruto Uzumaki' at the top and signing his own name at the bottom.
"This is amazing," Naruto breathed, staring at the sketch. It was a perfect likeness of himself. "You drew this?"
"Yeah. It didn't take me long, that's why it's still a bit rough around the edges. During your...show. You've really got an amazing voice, you know. What are you doing working in a place like this?"
Naruto swallowed nervously, looking around. He still had time before Orochimaru's next 'client' was scheduled to show up. "You really want to know?"
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know."
Naruto laughed. "Come with me." He led the other down the hallway to a door with Naruto's name on it. They walked in and he locked the door behind them. The room was what appeared to be a cross between a dressing room and a bedroom. It had a full-length mirror, a vanity, a small fridge, a couch, a coffee table, a closet, a small bureau, and a cot in one corner. It wasn't much, but it was what Naruto called 'home'.
Sasuke blinked, surveying the room. "You don't actually live here, do you?"
"Um, heh heh, yeah, actually I do," Naruto replied. 'Why do I feel so self-conscious around this guy? And why did I even invite him in here in the first place?' He walked over to a small coffee pot on top of the bureau. "You want some coffee?"
"No, thanks. I'm good." Sasuke sat down on the couch. "So, what are you doing working in this dump?"
Naruto walked over and sat down next to him, placing his cup on the coffee table. "It's actually a really long story. And I don't know why I'm even considering telling you, but I just feel like I have to. Okay, so here goes. My parents died when I was really little and I bounced around from foster home to foster home for a while. But then...when I was fifteen, this guy named Orochimaru showed up, saying he was my uncle or some shit like that. He took me in, cared for me like none of the other foster homes ever had; he...he made me trust him."
Sasuke was listening intently to the other's story. He could tell Naruto hadn't ever told anyone the whole story...not that Sasuke thought Naruto ever found anyone willing to listen.
"When I was seventeen, he told me I was old enough to start working. I thought he meant at McDonalds or someplace like that. Instead, he got me a job working as a dancer here. He owns this club, so it wasn't hard for him to fudge my birthdate. I didn't want to work in a place like this, stripping for perverted, horny, balding, middle-aged guys, but I didn't have a choice in the end. He told me it was either I work here or he'd kick me out on the street again. He told me to 'just give it a chance'. That it would be 'fun'. It wasn't so bad back then, I only did one show per night. I still didn't like it, but it was bearable...
"When I turned eighteen, it got worse. On my eighteenth birthday, he told me he had some 'special' present planned for me. It turned out he had sold my virginity to this random creep for two thousand dollars." Naruto shuddered at the memory. "Some birthday present that was. Ever since then, for the past year and a half, he's been selling my 'services' to the highest bidder almost every other night. I'm his prisoner."
Sasuke was speechless. 'Naruto, poor kid. He's no older than me, yet his life is so fucked up.' He reached out to take Naruto's hand, running his thumb over the tanned skin comfortingly.
Naruto jumped at the touch. Confused blue met sympathizing black when their eyes met. "What are you doing?"
"Your hands are soft. Look, I know you probably hear this a lot, but...you're the most beautiful person I've ever met. Like an angel stolen from heaven by the demons of this world."
Naruto blinked. Beautiful? An angel? He had been called hot, sexy, fuckable, and who knew how many other names. But...beautiful? He couldn't remember ever having been called that. "Psh, a beautiful angel? Me? I'm ugly; just a filthy, dirty man-whore."
"No, you're not. You're perfect. A shining light in the foul darkness. An angel trapped in a cage in the darkest depths of hell."
Naruto felt a slight blush creep up his cheeks. People never gave him compliments free of sexual innuendo like this. "R-really? You're not just saying that to try and get a free fuck out of me?"
Sasuke laughed slightly. "Really. I swear on my life. I was wondering...would you mind if I wrote a song about you?"
"A song...about...me?"
"Yeah, I think it'd top the charts."
Naruto shrugged and nodded. "Sure, on one condition."
"What's that?"
"This." He leaned forwards and pressed a light kiss to Sasuke's lips.
Sasuke gasped in surprise, pulling back. "You just..." he trailed off.
"Kissed you? Yes, I do believe I did. And I wouldn't mind if you returned the favor."
Sasuke swallowed nervously before leaning forwards and kissing Naruto back, a little harder this time. Naruto parted his lips slightly and Sasuke took the hint, slipping his tongue into the other's mouth. They kissed for several minutes before lack of oxygen forced them to break apart, both panting.
"N-Naruto, that was...amazing."
Naruto grinned but then looked at the clock and cursed. "Fuck, you've got to get out of here. Tonight's 'customer' will be here any minute!"
Naruto desperately tried to get Sasuke to leave the room. "Come on! Move! If Orochimaru realizes I was talking to anyone he'll kill me."
Sasuke shook his head. "No. I won't let you get 'sold' again. I'm not leaving. My band needs a new vocalist and you've got the voice for it. Look, I can give you a place to live and get you away from here."
Naruto blinked, completely surprised by Sasuke's request. "What? You want me to be in your band? Won't it be bad for your image?"
"Just leave your past behind you. No one will care as long as we keep producing good music. What do you say?"
Naruto thought about it for a minute before nodding. "Alright. I'll do it. But you still have to leave for tonight. They've already paid for the night and if they don't get what they came for...it could turn nasty."
"How much?" Sasuke asked suddenly.
"What?"
"How much do you 'cost'?"
"Like five hundred dollars," he replied, unsure of where this was going.
"Fine, so we'll just give them a refund for the night."
"What? I don't have that kind of money!"
Sasuke shook his head, pulling out his wallet and a couple of hundred dollar bills. "I do."
"Sasuke, no, I can't let you do that. It's too much money."
"And I can't let you sell yourself again."
Naruto sighed. "You're stubborn, you know that?"
"Yeah, people say that all the time. Pack whatever you want to bring. We're leaving as soon as you're ready."
Naruto nodded and started throwing stuff into an old backpack. While he was packing, Sasuke pulled out a notebook and started writing lyrics in a notebook.
"There."
"Done."
They both had spoken simultaneously and spent the next few seconds just staring at each other.
There was a knock at the door. "Naruto-kun? Your customer is here. Come on. You're in room four tonight."
Sasuke growled as Naruto made to walk towards the door, grabbing his wrist. "Don't do it, Naruto. Just let me deal with this."
"Just try not to get yourself killed."
Sasuke nodded and unlocked the door. "So you're Orochimaru, I presume?" he asked, folding his arms in front of him.
Orochimaru looked surprised to see someone other than Naruto in Naruto's room. "Yes, and who are you?"
Sasuke smiled simply but didn't respond. "Naruto's not going to be working here anymore. He's leaving and you're not going to stop him. Do you understand?"
"Excuse me, but who are you to say who is and isn't going to be working at my club?"
He shrugged. "Oh, I'm just your worst nightmare. And if you ever try to track me or Naruto down or come after us or even so much as mention you have ever met us before, you will find your sorry ass in court for child prostitution, endangering the wellfare of a minor, and several other charges before you can say 'Naruto'. Got it? Now if you would please get out of our way, Naruto and I will be leaving."
Orochimaru spluttered for a minute. "Naruto isn't going anywhere. A very important client has paid to see him tonight!"
Sasuke handed him several hundred dollar bills. "Then you should give them a refund, ne?"
Orochimaru still didn't move.
"Out of my way now, or I will kick you in the balls so hard you won't ever be able to have sex again."
Finally he moved, obviously feeling his threat would hold truth. Naruto was watching the scene, wide-eyed.
Sasuke turned back to Naruto. "Come on Naruto, let's go."
Naruto nodded and silently followed Sasuke out of the room, out of the club, and into the parking lot. Sasuke led him to his car and, after Naruto freaked out about the fact he was about to get the chance to ride in a Corvette, started to drive them both back to his house.
On the way, he pulled out his phone. "Hey, Neji? Yeah, it's me. Listen, the search is off. Yeah, I mean, I've found our new vocalist. What? Um, tonight actually. Seriously. He's in the car with me right now. Yeah, yeah, I know, but just deal with it. We'll be home in like twenty minutes. You can meet him then. Oh, I've decided on our next album. I'll tell you about it when we get there. Bye." He hung up, putting away his phone.
"Who am I meeting in twenty minutes?" Naruto asked, only just realizing he was still in his stage outfit. He started going through his backpack, pulling out a pair of jeans and a tank top.
"The rest of the band. We all share one house." He pulled out a magazine with his band on the cover and handed it to Naruto. "Neji is keyboards; he's the brunette with really long hair and white eyes. Gaara is drums; he's the red-head. I'm the guitarist. And you are our official new vocalist."
Naruto put the magazine down, struggling to put on the jeans with the seat-belt still on. Somehow, he managed it though and was fully dressed moments after. A wave of nervousness crashed down on him. "What if they don't like me? What if they don't want...someone like me in the band? I wouldn't blame them, I wouldn't want someone like me around."
"Don't worry. You're perfect for the job. They'll love you."
"How can you be sure?" Naruto asked.
"Trust me. You gave me back my inspiration. I haven't written anything new for almost six months. Then I met you and...well..." He indicated his own backpack, trying to focus on the road. "The notebook with the black cover. The page with the folded corner."
Naruto grabbed the notebook and flipped through the pages until he found the page Sasuke was referring to. He read the page aloud.
"Fallen Angel
You are my angel.
Fallen angel,
Cast down in filth.
Stolen from heaven,
By demons of earth.
I long to show you another world.
Poor fallen angel,
Trapped on that stage.
From the dark depths of hell,
I'll free you from this cage.
So long as you're in hell, I'm trapped there as well.
Dear fallen angel,
You're my light in the dark.
Sweet fallen angel,
Now my heart you did spark.
Too long I've felt so cold.
Fallen angel,
You breathed life into me.
Fallen angel,
I swear, I will set you free.
Welcome to the light."
"Do you like it?" Sasuke asked. "It's basically about you. I just had to write it. I've already started on the sheet music."
"No one's ever written a song about me before," Naruto whispered. He leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Sasuke's cheek, causing a light touch of color to creep onto Sasuke's face. "Thank you."
"And I was thinking we might do a cover of another song. I wrote what I could remember of the lyrics on the next page. I'd have to play with the arrangement a little, but if you think you could sing it...it might work really well for our next album."
Naruto nodded and turned the page.
"Hm, I don't think I've ever heard this one.
Bare Grace Misery by Nightwish
Sweet boy come in
I am the dark side of you
Die for my sins
Like the One once did
Cinnamon bed
For your unashamed appetite
A vigilante
This dance will hurt like hell
Oh bare grace misery
Just a child without a fairytale am I
Dark but so lovely
A little matchgirl freezing in the snow
Love lying, enticing
Bare Grace Misery
Crowning the moment
Bare Grace Misery
This is what I am
Bare grace for the end of days
-Interlude-
Romantic scent
Fatal lucrece Lies warm for you
There's no such priest
That can pray me to heaven
When done with me
Forget if you think I feel ashamed
A wild thing
Never felt sorry for anything
Love lying, enticing
Bare Grace Misery
Crowning the moment
Bare Grace Misery
This is what I am
Bare Grace for the end of days."
He seemed to think about it for a moment before shrugging. "Sure. If you want me to sing it, I probably could."
Sasuke grinned. "Good. But first things first. Your wardrobe...is it all ratty tank tops and trashed jeans?"
Naruto blushed. "Yeah. Orochimaru didn't ever really let me go shopping. Other than this shirt, I've got like 2 t-shirts...that are about two sizes too big..."
"Hn, first thing tomorrow I'm having Neji take you shopping. He's the fashion expert amongst us."
Naruto blinked. "But...I don't have any money. My life savings is about...four hundred dollars in total."
"Don't worry about that. I've got it taken care of."
Naruto shook his head. "No, Sasuke, I can't let you keep wasting your money on me like this."
Sasuke pulled off to the side of the road and looked at Naruto critically. "It's not my money. The band has a special budget for wardrobe. And even if it was, I wouldn't be wasting it. If I'm spending it on you, I'm not wasting it. I'll do what it takes to free you completely from your old life."
"Why me?"
"I...I don't know."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Come on, you're going to have to do better than that."
Sasuke sighed. "Alright, fine. Naruto...I think...I think I'm falling in love with you."
Naruto was dumbstruck. "Wh- what did you just say?"
"I said I think I'm falling in love with you. No, screw that. I think I've already fallen in love with you."
Naruto was stunned. 'Love? He loves me? Me? No one...no one's ever said they loved me. Why would they? No one could love me. But...he just said he does. Can he really mean it?' Deciding to find out for himself, he leaned forwards and pressed their lips together.
Sasuke, after recovering from the initial shock of being kissed again, gladly participated, running his tongue along the Naruto's bottom lip. Naruto parted his lips slightly, allowing Sasuke's tongue entrance into his mouth. Sasuke's hand found its way to the back of Naruto's neck and Naruto's found their way to Sasuke's shoulders. After a few minutes, one of Naruto's hands wandered down the other's chest and up under his shirt.
"What're you doing?" Sasuke gasped, pulling back.
"Showing you a good time?" Naruto asked, fairly surprised by the other's reaction. "But, if you don't want me too..." He looked almost...disappointed?
A light blush oncemore found its way onto Sasuke's cheeks. "I- I'm sorry, Naruto. I love you, more than anyone I've ever met...but I just don't think I'm ready for something like that. Not yet."
Naruto nodded, shrugging it off. "I understand. A person's virginity is usually their most cherished posession."
"What? But- I'm- How did you...?" Sasuke spluttered.
"Oh, come on! Seriously? I make my living dancing for and sleeping with horny old bastards. Let's review the facts, shall we? You blushed when I chucked you my shirt during the show. Well...after I winked at you after throwing you the shirt. You practically had a heart attack the first time I kissed you. And now you freak when I slip a hand under your shirt? It wasn't even your pants! If it was the pants, I could understand. But the shirt? It's so obvious...to me at least."
Sasuke's blush deepened. "Fine, announce it to the world, why don't you?"
"Calm down. It's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact...thank you."
"For what?"
"For proving to me you weren't just trying to get a free fuck out of me. For showing me that not every guy fucks first and asks questions...well, never. For...loving me instead of my body," Naruto replied honestly.
"You're...welcome?" Sasuke was confused to say the least. 'The fact that I wasn't willing to take things to the next step was the reason why my last boyfriend broke up with me. And now Naruto...is thanking me for it? Will I ever understand you, Naruto?'
"So come on, am I ever going to get to meet this band of yours?"
Sasuke nodded and pulled back onto the road.
Naruto grinned. "Hey, do you mind if I turn on the radio?"
"Um, sure. Go ahead."
Naruto pressed the 'on' button and Sasuke immediately regretted letting him turn the radio on. It was one of his band's old songs. The fact that Naruto actually recognized the song made the situation no better.
"Hey, isn't this one of your songs?" Naruto asked, humming and moving along to the melody.
"Yeah. That's our old vocalist. His name was Sai."
"He's got a really good voice. I'm no where near as good as him."
"Che, you're ten times better."
"Really? You think so?"
"Yeah. I mean he'd been taking voice lessons since he was thirteen. You're equal to him just by natural talent. We can work on your technique a little, but even right now you're better."
Naruto smiled.
"And Naruto?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for treating me like a normal human being."
Naruto blinked, slightly confused. "You are a normal human being. You don't have tentacles sticking out of your face or anything."
Sasuke laughed. "That's not what I mean. What I mean is...you treat me like you'd treat anyone else. Most people, once they know who I am, they can only see 'Sasuke Uchiha, guitarist of Crimson Kunai'. You're one of the first people to treat me like a normal person. To see me as 'Sasuke Uchiha, 19-year old kid'."
"I am? I guess...I guess I never really had that whole sense of idol-worship instilled in me."
"Idol worship? Yeah, that about sums it up. Well, if you exclude the rabid fangirls and psychotic stalkers."
"I wouldn't know."
"You will soon. Oh, how long does it take you to memorize a song? We've got a concert in two weeks...think you'll be ready?"
"Two weeks? No problem. I can probably be ready in one."
"Good."
--
A/N: Fallen Angel is my own creation. Lyrics are MINE. You steal and I hunt you down and kill you in your sleep. Don't ask how. I have my ways.