Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!
Sky-eyed Kitsune: Lord. --.--
Gomi-kun: Kitsune…is not in a good mood O.o
Sky-eyed Kitsune: stfu.
Gomi-kun: Wow. I think I like this side of you better…anyways, sorry. Kitsune gets like this when it's close to vacation time. Sky doesn't like waiting. –sigh--
Reviewer Replies (Cause I'm not using the button anymore)
To shadowphoenix143: Ah, thank you for the lovely review! X3 Un, I've never much seen Lee having a crush on Naruto, so I threw in the crack love pairing for fun! Lo! And by the end of this chapter Sasuke may have to protect Naruto from more than the paparazzi, kukuku…
To Patty-Kay: Arigatou!
To cluelessninja65: This will be explained later, but bah! I'll explain now! Jiraiya is Naruto's adoptive father. Naruto didn't know his parents and he lived in an orphanage for most of his life.
To megumi-sachou: Un, but just cause it's not high school doesn't mean there's no angst! Lol! ;b
To everyone else: Arigatou! Thank you all so much for your praise! T.T
Chapter Three: Getaway
"Naruto! Naruto, get back here!" Jiraiya yelled running out the doors of Sungakure Modeling Studios as said blonde star stormed out, practically leaving a dust cloud in his wake.
He followed Naruto to the parking lot, a certain brunette interviewer watching the scene with cross arms from outside the front of the building. Naruto had slipped out of his modeling clothing and now wore casual black ripped jeans and a crimson tee-shirt that read "Dattebayo" in black jagged letters. (Sasuke assumed that it was his favorite clothing brand.)
"Naruto! Stop!" Jiraiya said, sprinting to keep up with Naruto's brisk pace as he made his way out to the parking lot where a custom black Ferrari with an orange stripe gleamed in the sun.
"SON!"
Naruto whipped his head around as he pulled out his car keys, shooting his manager a death glare.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the intensity of his defiant stare.
"What?" he snarled.
"Naruto, I promised Tsunade this interview!" Jiraiya said. "Then you have a shoot signing, a 'Crimson Eyes' rehearsal for three hours, and the young actor's award ceremony. You can't just walk away from all of that!"
"Watch me," Naruto spat. "It's only freaking 10:00 in the morning and I've already have one hell of a day! I'm going home damn it!"
Naruto swung open his car door and Jiraiya gripped his shoulder.
"Naruto c'mon, muddle through this day!" Jiraiya said.
Naruto rolled his eyes.
"And I thought I told you not to drive this death trap! Iruka will drive you wherever you need to go."
Naruto glared again and turned back to getting into his car.
"Ok! Ok!" Jiraiya said quickly. "I'll cancel the signing, alright? But you can't get around rehearsal and the awards ceremony."
Naruto paused for a moment, then sighed and shut his car door.
"Fine," he said. Naruto threw his hands in the air and walked back towards Sasuke. The raven smirked.
"Shut it teme," Naruto growled. "Let's get this over with."
Naruto and Sasuke stood outside on the balcony of the model's lounge that overlooked the city, Naruto's bodyguards flagging his back. Sasuke reached into his bag and brought out a recorder. (Much more efficient than pen and paper, a lesson learned the hard way…)
He looked up and he felt his body suddenly calm.
Naruto had his arms crossed over the balcony railing and his head rested on them, his sky-blue eyes shimmering in the light of the late morning sun. A breeze passed by and ruffled his hair as if trying to caress it as gently as possible; an invisible touch unworthy of his sun-kissed skin.
Naruto shifted his eyes to Sasuke.
"You ready or what?" he said, and Sasuke blinked stupidly.
He cleared his throat and regained his composure.
"Dobe," he said under his breath, and Naruto grinned. (A lovely sight indeed.)
"Do not speak to Naruto-sama in such a manner," Naruto's larger and more muscular body guard said warningly.
"Gomen," Sasuke said half-heartedly. "So, Naruto-sama, let's begin."
"It's just Naruto," the blonde said, not lifting his head but instead swiveling his eyes to Sasuke.
"Naruto-sama-"
"Chouji, it's fine," Naruto snapped to his body guard, who bowed his head in apology and fell silent once more.
"Ok teme, shoot," Naruto said, and Sasuke flared a bt.
"It's Sasuke," he said.
"Whatever you say."
Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Let's get this started," he said, pressing the record button on his recorder.
"So Naruto, where did you attend high school?"
Naruto seemed to perk up. He lifted his head and smiled, and opened his mouth to say-
"Too personal."
Naruto's jaw went slack as he looked at his other bodyguard Shikamaru.
"What?" Naruto said.
"Jiraiya-sama has given us a list of questions that are considered too personal that he does not want you to answer."
Naruto growled and grit his teeth.
"Every damn time…" he mumbled. For once, just ONCE, he wanted people to know him without restrictions from his manager, but noooo! Everything was just too personal to know!
"Ok, next question…" Sasuke continued nonetheless. "What's your favorite band?"
"Too personal," Shikamaru deadpanned. Sasuke glared at him.
"Ok…favorite food?"
"Too personal."
"Movie?"
"Too personal."
"Animal?"
"Too personal."
"Color!?"
"Too personal."
"What the hell isn't personal!?"
"Anything about Naruto-sama's current acting career."
"Everybody already knows about all of that shit! No one knows who he really is!"
"It's too personal. We've been given strict orders."
Sasuke slammed the stop button on his recorder and placed two fingers on the bridge between his nose.
There was a sudden beeping noise and Shikamaru looked at his watch.
"Naruto-sama, you need to leave now. Jiraiya wants you at rehearsal early."
Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Can you two go pull up my car?" Naruto asked, and he flipped Shikamaru the keys from his pocket.
"R-really Naruto-sama?" Chouji asked. Naruto grinned and the two were in the elevator in a matter of seconds.
Damn well they wanted to drive a Ferrari!
Naruto stood up from the balcony and looked at Sasuke.
"Teme," he said.
"Dobe," Sasuke replied. Naruto pouted (squee!) then suddenly cracked a grin.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
What the hell? He was insulting the guy's super celebrity ego!
"I'm sorry about the crappy interview," Naruto said sincerely, catching Sasuke's eye.
"I can give you a real interview though this Friday at the Cocoloco Club."
"Dobe, are you crazy?" Sasuke said. "I can't afford to even touch the carpet there."
Naruto reached into his shirt and pulled out a blue necklace; the same one from the sexy poster of him Sasuke noted.
"Here," Naruto said, tossing Sasuke the necklace. Sasuke caught it and examined the blue sheen the clear stone gave off.
"Show that to the manager and he'll take you where you need to go, no cost necessary," Naruto said. Sasuke blinked.
"This stone can get me into the celebrity club in Tokyo?"
"Yep!"
Sasuke blinked.
"Hn," he finally said.
"Geez, could be more thankful you know teme!"
"Dobe, won't you bodyguards be with you in the club?"
Naruto grinned mischievously and Sasuke's felt his heart rate increase.
"I have that covered. Just be there at 10pm and you'll get every question answered."
"I thought your manager didn't want you to."
"That's the point."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow and Naruto smiled. (Sasuke had an inner fangirl attack.)
"Shikamaru's probably waiting. See ya Sasuke," he said, walking toward the lounge door.
"Oh, by the way…" Naruto turned back around, his eyes to the floor and a light brush of pink across his face.
Sooooooo cute!
"Ano……thanks for saving me back there……..from the paparazzi and all…"
Sasuke blushed a bit and turned his head away.
"Whatever dobe…"
Naruto looked at Sasuke and smiled genuinely, and Sasuke felt like his face would melt. That smile didn't look like one for the cameras…it was so soft…
"Thanks," Naruto said again before turning around and walking out of the lounge.
"Though you are a thief with no greater desire to steal that which rightfully belongs to my kingdom…you interest me," Naruto, or on stage as "Yuki Ryozuka" said.
He paced in a slow circle with his arms behind his back around a young woman with white blonde hair. Her own hands were tied back with a rope and she watched Yuki carefully, the crimson cloak around his neck swishing as he walked. Naruto's hair was tied back into a short ponytail, his clothing regal and a sword in its hilt at his waist. The woman wore brown leather pants and a simple white shirt ripped at one sleeve
Three cameras surrounded them and the lights flickered this way and that to shadow the scene correctly.
"I interest you, do I sire?" Ino, onstage as Namida Sohma said, grinning a bit.
Yuki stopped in front of her and met her gaze. (Ino thought she would faint.)
"Indeed."
"Then will your highness permit me to freedom?"
Naruto scoffed.
"I have obligations, and a lowlife thief such as yourself could never seduce me into such a reward when you have stolen such a priceless family heirloom."
"You underestimate my power of seduction…sire."
Namida leaned forward and pressed her lips against Yuki's and his eyes widened. He backed up a bit, but Namida leaned forward more to kiss him harder.
Yuki froze for a moment, then slowly closed his eyes and kissed the thief back, wrapping one arm around her waist.
Namida wriggled one of her thin wrists out from the rope, reaching up her hand and removing the tie that held the prince's hair back. It fell in golden tamed sheets of spikes around his face, and she buried her hand in the soft locks. (Ino was doing an inner fangirl rave.)
Namida moved her other wrist out of the rope, and in a swift flick she grabbed Yuki's sword, pulling it from its hilt and brandishing it at the prince as she broke from him.
"I could never seduce you, could I?" she smirked as Yuki backed up a bit.
Yuki didn't falter, and instead sneered.
"Clever-" CRASH!
"TOBI!!!"
The cast and crew groaned and sighed as the cameras were stopped and the lights were returned to normal.
The director stood up, fuming until his long blonde hair turned red.
"TOBI!"
A man with spiky brown hair ran up to the director, tail between his legs.
"Gomen Deidara-san! Gomen!"
"YOU RUINED THE SCENE!!!"
"B-but Tobi is a good boy!"
"GRAH!" Deidara launched for Tobi, and was immediately held back by the camera crew.
Naruto face-palmed.
"How many freaking times do we have to do this scene?" he grumbed. He suddenly felt something rub up against him, and he looked to his right.
Ino clung to his arm, looking at him through a half-lidded lusty gaze.
"Aw, having a bad day Naruto-sama?" she said in an attempted sweet voice. Naruto's inner self gagged.
"I know how to relieve all of that stress you know."
Naruto snatched back his arm with a glare at the blonde and walked off set.
"Deidara, I'm leaving," he said to the director being held to the ground.
"Okey dokey! Have a great day Naruto-sama!" Deidara said, suddenly cheerful and glassy-eyed.
As Naruto left the building to where Iruka had pulled up in his limo he heard another loud crash.
"TOBI!!!!"
Sasuke sighed as he returned home, tired from the grit and grind of work.
He undid his tie, practically half-asleep, and he looked at the clock.
3:00 pm.
The Young Actor's Award Ceremony would be starting just about now.
Sasuke flopped onto his couch, grabbed the remote, and flicked on his TV. He channel-hopped until he reached Tokyo Pop TV and settled down into a comfy position.
"Welcome minna-san to the 2007 Young Actor's Award Ceremony!" the red-haired woman on the scene said as she stood by the red carpet. Fans were sectioned off by ropes and security guards stood at attention by the doors of the humongous building.
"Many aspiring actors and already hit ones will be accepting many awards tonight, but the most coveted Young Actor of the Year award will be given to none other than the young star, Uzumaki Naruto!"
Sasuke smiled a bit.
"So stay tuned minna-san as we wait for the modern day royalty to walk down the carpet and hopefully spare us a few words!"
Sasuke yawned as the reporter on the scene blabbed about celebrity fashion and some other worthless crap.
Where the hell was Naruto!?
"…and so it looks like these shoes are now officially back in- wait, who's that!?"
Sasuke perked up as a sleek black limo pulled up to the carpet, and he caught his breath as Naruto stepped out.
Naruto looked gorgeous, his hair glowing against his black suit like liquid gold and his eyes shining. The suit outlined his lithe but toned framed, flexing over every muscle lovingly.
Sasuke almost fell off the couch again.
"Uzumaki-san! It's Uzumaki-san!" the interviewer exclaimed, going completely nuts as the crowd screamed like crazy.
Naruto smiled, scratching the back of his head sheepishly and blushing a bit, and three girls in the front passed out.
Naruto walked forward on the carpet, smiling and waving and giving a lucky few some autographs.
The reporter scrambled ahead, camera bouncing behind her, to catch up with the young star.
"Naruto-sama! Naruto-sama!"
Naruto turned around and smiled a bit to the woman, but Sasuke saw right past it.
He was freaking beyond pissed.
"Hai?"
"Are you excited to receive your reward?"
"Un. It's a great honor. Please excuse me, I need to get inside as I'm running a bit late."
With that Naruto sped into the building, his adoring fans still screaming his name.
"Five minutes Uzumaki-sama!"
Naruto sighed as the backstage director passed him for the fifth time, reminding him of his cue to receive his award.
Naruto sat in the lounge in the back, his elbows resting on his knees and a glass of champagne cupped in his hands.
He sighed.
It was almost 5:00. He had promised Kiba, his best friend (and at one point more) in high school that he would be there for his big college soccer game playoff's…but then again Naruto found it hard to keep promises nowadays.
Naruto emptied the glass and stood up, walking out of the lounge.
The stage was bustling as two actors onstage chatted into the microphone, a ripple of laughter moving among the crowd every now and then.
Naruto shoved his hands into his pockets.
Since when had his life revolved around his fame?
Naruto walked forward, ignoring the gazes from other actors and the stage crew.
Suddenly Naruto felt a stream of cool air, and he whipped his head to the source.
A stage hand was walking in through a back exit door used to bring in props, the man himself just returning from a smoking break.
Naruto blinked.
And then he blinked again.
A feral grin spread over his face.
Sasuke yawned.
It was only five o'clock but he was tired as hell. The reporter's chatter on the TV sounded like a drone to him as his eyelids became heavy and he supported is head up by resting his chin on his palm.
Sasuke shook his head and readjusted himself to a less comfortable position.
He had to stay awake! Naruto was to accept his award next!
Sasuke watched as the manager of Sungakure studios walked onstage, his face as blasé as ever.
"Minna-san, now we will recognize the one actor who has climbed his way up to the top and to be given the coveted title of Young Actor of the Year," he said. "I am proud to have him as our star model and faithful employee, Uzumaki Naruto."
The crowd went wild and the red curtains parted to reveal…
Sasuke's eyebrows shot up his head.
"GOOO KIBA!!!! KICK HIS ASS!!!"
Naruto stood up from the risers, pumping his fist with the rest of the excited crowd as a young man with brown spiked hair and bleeding crimson triangle tattoos on his face weaved in and out of opposing soccer players, dribbling the ball in front of him carefully this way and that.
Naruto wore a black tee-shirt with the dattebayo logo in bloody red letters and a pair of tight crimson jeans torn at the knees to match, a chain hanging from one side. His whisker marks were no longer apparent thanks to some cover-up he had found in the dressing room, and his hair was stuffed into an orange hat with the exception of a few stubborn golden spikes poking out.
He was still as hot as hell, but didn't give himself away to the crowd of people around him.
Naruto cheered more as Kiba neared the goal. The man feigned a left, and sideswiped the ball to another member of his team, who shot the ball into the net with force as the buzzer sounded.
Naruto threw up his hands and howled, an inside joke between himself and Kiba.
The team tackled each other in happiness and slapped each other on the back as the coach ran to the field and praised them.
Gaara blinked. He had said the cue, right?
"Ano…Uzumaki Naruto!" he said a bit more loudly as if demanding Naruto to magically poof into existence on the spot…but it remained an empty stage.
From the corner offstage Jiraiya clenched his fists and grit his teeth.
"The little bastard!"
Naruto walked down from the risers as Kiba separated from his team and crossed the field to the building where the locker room was located.
Naruto walked up to him, intercepting his path.
"Good game," Naruto said, keeping his head down.
"Thanks," Kiba said uninterestedly. "Sorry, but I need to go to the locker room.
"Alright. A certain blonde idiot just wanted to let you know that you were great."
"Un, thanks-" Kiba froze as he began to walk past Naruto, then looked back at him.
Naruto laughed a little as Kiba dipped his head down (he was two inches taller) and pulled up Naruto's hat a bit by the tip.
"NARU-TMMF!"
Naruto slapped a hand over Kiba's mouth.
"Baka!" Naruto hissed, looking around him to make sure that no one had heard Kiba's (almost) outburst.
Kiba grinned sheepishly before hugging his friend tightly.
"God, you're here! You're here!" Kiba said happily.
Naruto gasped as Kiba suddenly lifted him up and spun him around shouting, "YOUMADEITYOUMADEITYOUMADEIT!!!"
"Kiba! I'm getting dizzy!" Naruto said, and Kiba put him back down to earth after giving him another embrace.
Naruto held his head and placed a hand on Kiba's shoulder to steady himself.
"Blech! You reek!" Naruto said, sticking out his tongue.
Kiba grinned.
"Fine Mr. Celebrity. Let me go shower real quick and get dressed. I'll meet you in the parking lot. You remember which car is mine right?"
"What other hunk-of-junk red car is there?"
"Pfft. Excuse me if it isn't some hyped up Ferrari!"
Naruto rolled his eyes and Kiba smiled.
"Cute as ever," Kiba said softly, leaning his face close to Naruto's.
"K-Kiba!" Naruto stuttered, pink tinting the bridge of his nose.
Kiba smiled and brushed his lips against Naruto's.
Kibanaru to come...bwahahahaha!
Sky-eyed Kitsune
Translated by Gomi-kun