CHAPTER 4: Black and Blonde: Fiends, or Friends?

Here I stood, out in the field for gym class. Standing in front of the tall goal, I could see the freshly cut green grass like an ocean. If I didn't know any better, I'd have guessed we had taken a trip to the beach, but green water made the idea disgusting truthfully.

"Naruto!" I heard Shikamaru scream. I looked up from the grass to see Neji barreling down toward me with the soccer ball rolling in front of him. Shaking thoughts of the ocean from my brain, I readied myself to move.

As of now the score was a tie, six to six. The only ones on the opposing team that were able to get the ball past me and into the goal had been Lee, and Sasuke. So seeing Neji making his way toward me, made me glance around to check where the other two had been.

There; Sasuke was to my left and Lee was on the right. He could pass it to either of them, and they might be able to make it unless I had a better reaction time than their speed. I was closer to the right, where Lee was.

Lee was fast, faster than Sasuke when it came to this from what I'd found out from his previous scores, but with me being closer to him made it easier to block it. However if Neji had kicked it to Sasuke, I'd be able to move closer to him as he moved to get the ball, and I'd be able to block his shot. So either way it seemed I'd be able to block it.

I thought all this in a millisecond, or at least it felt that way. He kicked it toward Sasuke. Bad choice. I moved quickly to get in the way of the path he'd kick it to make the shot. There it was; the ball was off his foot and making its way toward me.

Putting my hands up, I was about to catch it. However, something was different with the kick. He had put enough force in the kick to where I wouldn't be able to catch it unless it hit me clear in the stomach. Even then I guessed I'd have been thrown back a foot or two.

I ducked. The ball grazed my hair. It hit the back net and bounced off. Without a thought of the ball, I looked to where Sasuke stood with his smirk in place. I opened my mouth so speak but the ball was still moving and hit me in the back.

Stumbling forward thanks to my being so low to the ground from ducking, I fell onto my hands and knees. "Serves you right," I heard Sasuke laugh before he turned away.

"You think that serves me right, you damned cockatoo?" I asked as I stood and dusted my knees off. My shorts had grass stains now; great.

"Excuse me? What did you call me?" I heard as I looked up to see him heading my way.

I smirked and raised a brow before tilting my head to the side. "I called you a damned cockatoo," I reiterated for him, but that wasn't all; my mouth kept moving. "Would you like me to say it slower next time so your rudimentary brain can comprehend what I'm saying?"

His hand fisted the collar of my shirt, pulling me toward him. "I dare you to say that now you asshat," he said, waiting for me to say it again.

"Would you like that to be verbatim or in a new style?" I asked with a cocky chuckle. I knew I was probably going to get hit for this, but I was fine with that. "And let me go you jealous prick."

"Jealous of what? You? Ha!" He laughed in my face before he pushed me backward. I was about to fall, but I felt something strong hold me before I could. Looking up I saw that it was Kiba who was holding my shoulders.

Sasuke had turned to walk away, but I couldn't let that happen now. I was not going to just let him walk away from that. "Yes I was talking about you being jealous of me!" He turned quickly as if he was going to say something, but I spoke up again. "You're just a closeted asshole who thinks he's all high and mighty! But does it end there with your jealousy? Of course not, you think that you are the only person that Kiba needs! Well news flash you damned birdbrain, he can have as many friends as he wants. He doesn't need to be stuck with someone who only thinks about themselves. Stop trying to steal everyone else's happiness just because you can't face the world on your own two feet!" I screamed this without even taking into account as to what I was saying. I would have continued on with my rant if I didn't have a hand come over my mouth to shut me up.

I looked from Kiba back to Sasuke, my eyes still filled with rage, but the look of anguish on his face made me soften. I could tell that I went too far. His stiffened form just turned, not a word said as he left for the locker rooms.

Lee looked to me with disbelief and shook his head before running to his friend. Neji was the next to go after him. "Wow, I didn't know you acted like this Naru," I heard Kiba's voice soft and slightly upset.

I'd fucked up, that was obvious. "Kiba…I didn't mean to say all of that. It just came pouring out and…" I didn't finish. How could I when I saw the far off look in those eyes that I wanted to look into forever.

"I know that he can be an asshole, but please don't try to hurt him like that anymore." The look he gave me wrenched my heartstrings.

"I'm sorry, he just doesn't leave me alone and he is always trying to get me to stop being your friend," I said as I looked down toward the grass.

"Seriously?" he asked as though he were surprised. I just nodded and sighed before shaking my head and looking up to him.

I was about to say something else, but I heard the coach's voice holler out, "ALRIGHT KIDS TIME TO GET BACK TO THE GAME! NARUTO COME SEE ME!"

I groaned before walking off the field toward the bleachers where he was moving to as well. He sat down at the edge of the bleachers and waited for me. When I was in ear shot, he spoke. "Naruto, what was all of that about?" he asked with a calm tone.

I was pleasantly surprised that he wasn't as crazy as he always seemed to be. "Sorry sir, I lost my temper because he intentionally aimed the ball for my head," I said softly before looking back toward the field where the other teens played. I caught Kiba looking over to me with a worried expression.

"Kiba, he's your friend right?" I turned back to see Guy looking out to the field behind me, keeping an eye on the students.

"Umm, yeah he is," I said again as I turned and leaned my back against the railing of the bleachers as I looked out to the teams that played. Kiba had taken my place as goalie. I figured he would have, he was the best choice aside from myself.

"He's a good guy. And I'm sure he'll make a great friend too," he said softly, but there was something lingering in his words. "Is he the reason you lost your temper with Sasuke?"

I looked down and kicked at the ground beneath my feet. "I guess you could say that," I said softly. I thought for a moment I'd have to repeat myself for him to hear.

"I'm only having you over here for this talk because it's my job Naruto. I don't mean to pry, I just don't want this to happen on a regular basis," he said as he stood up. I thought for a moment that he'd start walking back to the field again so that we could join in the game once more, but he just leaned his forearms against the railing that I was leaning back against.

"I understand," I said before looking backward up toward him. I wasn't sure what to say next. Was I supposed to just walk off toward the field again? No that'd be rude. Was I supposed to assume that he wanted me to sit out for the rest of the game? That's stupid to even ask. He seemed to be all about sports and exercise. So he wouldn't make someone sit out. I couldn't think of what he wanted, so I just stayed silent and looked out to the game again.

"You know Naruto," he started. I looked up to see him glancing toward me. "Kiba seems to have an interest in you. He keeps looking over here to see if you're going to be going to the principal's office or something," he said this as I looked out to my friend who was once again, looking in my direction instead of looking out for the ball. "Are you two dating?"

My head shot up to the teacher that was now looking back out to the field. "W-what?" My voice staggered before I shook my head nervously. "No, we're not dating. Besides, he's straight." I don't know why I told him this. It just came out so easily.

"I see," he spoke softly. Of course I knew that he understood the tone of my voice. If he hadn't he truly would have been an idiot. "Well get back out there, have some fun," he said. I just nodded and started toward the goal for my team. "Oh and Naruto!"

I looked back and raised a brow.

"Make sure you don't lose your temper like that again while in my class. Or I will send you to see Tsunade," he called as I was now far enough away that he'd have to at least raise his voice to call out to me.

I just waved him off as I made my way back to where Kiba stood. He was about to run to me, but I pointed to Ino, who was now rushing toward Kiba with the ball. He had to retaliate when she kicked the ball hard if he didn't want them to score yet again.

He just barely managed to keep the ball out of the goa. "Nice block," I called as I was just about to reach him. He just showed that cocky feral grin of his with a half-hearted wave.

"So what did Guy say?" he asked while he turned back to the field now that I was in my placement again.

"Just that I need to make sure I keep my temper in check, otherwise I get to face the wrath of Tsunade," I said this as if it were nothing, but the horror on Kiba's face made me think otherwise. "What is she that bad?" I asked with a raised brow.

He just laughed and shrugged, "I dunno. I've never had to go and see her for losing my temper on some kid who pissed me off," he said with a snicker before he ran off toward the ball now. If he wasn't who he was, that'd have pissed me off, but I just shook my head with a smile on my lips.

"You're a real trip that's for sure," I said with a chuckle.

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Again I found that Yagura kid standing out by the student parking lot. I was about to walk past him, but something in me compelled me to move toward him. "Hey there," I said with a wave of my hand.

He turned and smiled wide at me. "Well look at that, Nine has come to see me," he said with a wave of his hand. "What can I do you ye?"

I really didn't want anything, I just wanted to talk. "Can you not call me Nine? My name is Naruto," I told him again, "and I don't really want anything particular. Just wanted to talk is all," I answered.

He just nodded before smiling toward me and leaning closer. "Just talk? That's kind of boring. I get the feeling you don't know why you came over to me right now." He guessed it. I didn't know why I was here talking to him. Still, it felt right.

"Actually, you're right. I don't know why I came over here," I said honestly, "but to be frank with you, I want to actually get to know you. I don't know many people around here aside from Kiba," I told him as it came to mind. For whatever reason, it felt as though I had a connection to him. I just couldn't figure out why that was just yet.

"How kind of you. I'm glad that you came to me then," he said with a kind smile, holding his hand out to me.

Taking his hand, I shook it before smiling back at him. "Well I'm glad that we can be friends. Maybe we can hang out sometime soon?" I asked because I didn't know his schedule.

"We shall see about that, but I have an appointment to attend to," he said with a smile before walking off. Personally, I wasn't so sure about this whole idea of becoming his friend. I didn't know anything about him, and with the conversation that he had with Kiba the day before, it sounded like he was into some weird things.

I just nodded, waving him off slightly, and turned to go as well. Heading to my car, I pulled out my phone to check if I had any messages; there was one. Opening it, it was from the only number that I knew by heart, but didn't have in my contacts. I never really got around to saving it, I just let it be.

Opening the message, I read the two words that made me smile slightly to myself; I'm home.

I sent a message back saying that I'd be home shortly before I jumped into my car and started her up. I wanted nothing more than to get home and see the one person I hadn't seen in a while.

It took me a little under twenty-five minutes to get home from the school. Once I'd pulled in, I saw the sleek black Audi A4 quattro, 4.0 turbo. I hesitated for a moment before getting out of my car and moving around to the black car in front of me. Running my hand along the side of it, I walked passed with a smile.

Just as I opened the door to walk in, I was attacked by a form near the same height as I, but it was different. I felt something squishy against my chest, and there was a blur of blonde hair. For a moment, I thought that I'd walked into the wrong house, but then I heard Temari's voice.

"It's been so long, geez. I never got your address, so Menma had to bring me with when he finally got everything taken care of back home," she said this all quickly and in one breath. I hugged her back as I tried to hold myself up from under her weight.

"It's good to see you too, Tem, but could you get off me? You're heavier than you think," I said this with no ill intent, but I got a rather harsh slap to my chest from her as she stepped back.

"You are so rude," she said with a shake of her head before hugging me again.

"Yeah yeah, now where is Menma?" I asked as I pulled away and headed into the house.

"Should still be in the kitchen. He said something about making everyone dinner," Temari told me as she followed and closed and locked the front door behind us.

I didn't even bother going to drop off my bag in my room before heading over to the kitchen. I hadn't seen Menma in almost three weeks. He had gone off to take care of some business or something that he refused to talk about before we moved. Afterward he just didn't come by until now. It wasn't unusual, but it was bothersome.

"Hey kid," I heard before turning to see the black haired doppelganger of myself standing by the oven while looking in through the front glass panel.

"Do you have to call me kid? We're the same age you know," I said before walking over to him with open arms and a smile. He hugged me back just as happily before pulling back and turning to the fridge.

"I know, but it's just a habit to call my baby brother kid," he laughed before turning and tossing a bottle into the air toward me. Out of reflex I caught it and looked at the item. It was one of his favorite beers.

"I don't know how you get these when you're not old enough to even buy alcohol," I said with a chuckle before resting the cap of it against the counter as I slapped the top of it. The cap popped off and flew to the floor rather sharply.

"I got my ways." He was drinking what I guessed to be his third one, by how many already lined the counter. "Now go clean up, dinner is almost ready."

He waved me off as I just turned and shook my head. Temari was standing against the archway of the kitchen with her arms crossed over her chest. I stuck my tongue out at her as I walked past toward my room. Before I couldn't see them anymore, I gave one last look over toward the kitchen in time to see Temari move behind my older-by-three-minutes brother and wrap her arms around his waist.

The two of them had been dating for as long as I had known the girl. It was actually how I had met her. She dated my brother, and I became her best friend. That's how things like that worked anyway right?

Dropping my bag on my bed, I turned around on my toes. I knew that I had a smile planted on my face. Taking a sip of beer, I set the drink on my dresser as I mulled over what I thought would be comfortable to wear. I decided on a pair of grey sweats and a white long sleeved shirt.

Grabbing my beer, I picked up the pants that I wore for the day and searched through the pockets. I was going to text Kiba and see what he was up to. Not that I was going to invite him over or something, but I really wanted to see how he was.

Moving from one pocket to the next, I bit my lip before I shook them upside down. No phone to be found. I threw them down before moving to my bag and searching through the contents of it. To tell you the truth, I didn't remember the last time I used it today other than to check my message from Menma saying that he was home.

I probably left it in my car. Moving down the stairs, I walked out into the kitchen to grab my keys. I apparently left them down there when my brother had given me a beer. When I got there, I saw Temari standing next to the sink on the phone. Menma was sitting at the island with a grin on his lips and his beer in his hands.

I looked from one of them to the other before Temari looked up and held a finger up as if to tell me to wait. "Alright, I'll see you soon," she said before she hung up and tossed the phone to me. I looked it over before realizing that it was my phone.

"Who were you talking to that you needed my phone?" I asked as I started to go through the call log.

"Your boyfriend," she said as she moved over to Menma's side and they both held the same shit-eating grin on their faces.

My stomach jumped up and into my throat. My finger lingered on Kiba's name as the last call. She called Kiba. She said 'see you soon.' "Is Kiba coming here?" I asked looking from her, to Menma, to my phone, and back to her.

She giggled before moving around to my side of the island. "But of course. We can't have a family dinner without Naruto's hot boytoy."

My face went bright with blood. I couldn't believe her. That was some audacity that she had there. I didn't say anything as I turned and high-tailed it out of the room, and up to my own. I was not going to let Kiba see me in such a ridiculous outfit!

I looked down at myself before I could feel my face heat again. Why was I worrying about what he sees me wear? I mean, we see each other in gym and there are no complaints, and last night we were…we were almost naked. In my bed. If my face didn't make a tomato look pale, I don't know what would.

Last night, we were next to naked. We were next to naked and dripping wet! My mind raced all around over the events of the night before. Through the fun and laughing we had while we ate, through his talk about going against another school, then to me standing in the rain, to him coming out and talking with me, and finally the kiss. That kiss. It was the best thing I'd ever felt, or at least it was till this moment.

Don't get me wrong, I've kissed people before. This was completely different. Kissing him felt so right, it felt so real. I could go on and on about how it felt so right. What confused me though is why he did it. Why did he kiss me?

I knew that he was straight. Why would he go and do something like that? I thought for a moment before coming up with the idea that the reason he'd done such was because it would have been possible for him to think that I was depressed about something and that was a quick way of him making me feel better.

That had to be it, there was no other explanation. So now under the realization that I didn't care what he saw me in, I headed back down to the kitchen where I knew that Temari and Menma were both waiting.

When I got down the stairs, I stopped at the bottom as I had heard laughter. It was the most beautiful sound that I'd heard in what felt like ages. He had to be here already.

"What's so funny out here?" I asked as I turned the corner to see my brother, and Temari standing next to the island both with a beer in their hands, and Kiba standing across from them with a beer in his own hand.

"Oh they were just telling me about how you almost flipped shit about them calling me over," Kiba teased. I swore right then to kill the two who were trying to embarrass me to no end.

"I didn't flip shit," I said with a glare at them before moving over to Kiba's side of the kitchen. I leaned against the counter as I sipped on my beer and looked over to my brother. He was mumbling something under his breath to his girlfriend.

"So tell me Kiba, are you single?" she asked as I choked back a gulp on my beer with a cough. Did she really just ask that?

I heard a slight chuckle from my friend. "Yes I am, for now," he said. I glanced up from the spot on the floor I'd been drilling a hole into, to see Temari's face. Her eyes were on me.

"So then are you gay?" she asked. This time I just smacked myself in the face.

"Temari please stop playing 20 questions with my friends," I said before grumbling about how ridiculous she was.

Again I heard Kiba chuckle at my reaction before he shook his head. "No I'm not gay. Sorry." Even though he was talking to her, I got the feeling that Temari wasn't the intended mark for the 'sorry' he'd just said.

Temari glared at me. She obviously wasn't going to give up on this. "So then are you at least bi?" she asked. Before he got a chance to respond, I grabbed his arm and pulled him off.

"Temari I swear you're worse than my mother with interrogations!" I hollered to her as I pulled Kiba along up to my room. "I am so sorry about that," I said as I held onto his arm and gripped my beer a little tighter in my right hand.

"What's there to be sorry about? One of your friends was trying to hook you up with a hot guy that she'd met and wanted you to be happy." His words made me recoil slightly and give him a look that just explained how cocky he was with that statement.

"You're just so full of it," I told him as I continued on, no longer holding onto his arm, "but yes, that was what she was trying to do."

When I opened my door, he didn't hesitate to walk on in as I held it for him. I had to take a second to myself, having only just realized how he'd smelled, I couldn't quite move from how it had left me. He smelled so intoxicating. There was no real way to describe it, but if I had to try to pin a name to it, I'd have to say it was a mixture between a cigar and dogs.

Sure the sound of it is weird in it of itself, but the mixture was irresistible.

I followed him in and set my beer on the desk next to my laptop. Turning, I rested against the wooden piece with my arms crossed over my chest. I didn't mean for it to look like I was about to interrogate him also, but I guessed that it looked that way.

"Just to put it out there, it was their idea for me to come over. If you don't want me to be here right now I can leave," he said as he moved away from the dresser where he leaned against. I never moved so fast in my life.

"No it's fine really," I said as I moved to grab hold of his arm. Of course, I didn't expect what he'd do next. He grabbed my wrist quickly and spun us around. I couldn't catch myself, as my balance was thrown off and we landed on the bed. He was leaning over me. I struggled to get free from his grasp, but he was too strong. No matter which way I jerked my body to try and get him to let go, he just pulled me back into place.

Under his intense gaze, I turned my head to the side as I could feel my face heat up. "W-what?" I asked quietly before glancing back toward him.

"What are you thinking about?" he questioned. He didn't move from his spot, he didn't avert his eyes; he just waited for my answer.

"Why does that matter?" I was the first to look away again. I didn't want to see the disappointment in not getting a real answer.

He was silent for a moment before I felt his breath on my cheek. "It matters to me," he answered.

With a huff, I bit my lip. I didn't know whether I should tell him that I was thinking about the kiss from the night before. "I was thinking…that I should probably apologize to Sasuke for what happened in gym," I lied; it was the best that I could come up with.

"I think you should," he told me with a serious tone, "but that's not what you were thinking about."

Damn he was good, how did he know? What gave me away? With a small sigh I looked back to him. "Alright fine. I was thinking about that kiss from last night." It was blunt and straight forward. I didn't want to deal with this, but being straight forward with it was the best way to get it over with. If he didn't want to talk about it ever again, I'd understand.

"What about the kiss from last night?" he asked, his lips were forming the feral grin that he always wore.

I staggered for a moment, was he happy I was thinking about it? Was he making fun of me? "I don't know what else to say on that subject." I tried to be the least bit excited while talking with him.

"Tell me the truth. Did you enjoy it?" he asked. He was now straddling my lap with his hands on either side of my head.

"W-wha..?" I could tell my eyes bugged out by the goofy smile on his lips. I closed my eyes tight before turning away again. "Yes. I liked it a lot actually."

I fidgeted under his gaze, "Naruto," he whispered. It was soft and quaint, but it was there. I didn't look though. I couldn't look to see his mocking smile. I wasn't sure I'd be able to hold myself together. I didn't need to choose. He placed his right hand against my cheek and pulled me to where I had to look at him.

In that second right there, I died. His lips were connected to mine once again. I was shocked to say the least. Feeling those lips against mine, that feeling from the night before fell over me. The shock of lightning, the slow of time, the loss of feeling anywhere else but my mouth. I couldn't do anything to keep that feeling out of my mind. I didn't want to.

I kissed back. I didn't know if he was kissing me because he wanted to make fun of me, or because he actually enjoyed it too. When I heard the moan through his throat, I guessed the latter of the two.

His tongue slipped out, licking over my lips before I gasped, and he plunged in. I could feel the appendage moving about inside my mouth, so I made sure he had a good time with it. Sucking lightly on it, I tried to pull it farther into my mouth as I attempted to wrap my own tongue around his.

I let out a moan of irritation when he'd pulled back. I didn't like him doing that already. His lips were a drug to me, and I was well on my way to an overdose. After taking a breather for a second, I reached up and connected our lips once again. I couldn't help it; he was everything I wanted so far.

A few pecks came from him before he pulled back once again with a chuckle. "Slow down there cowboy," he said in a whispered tone. I didn't want to slow down, but I could understand why he said it.

My face had never left its blushing state. "Sorry, I got a little ahead of myself. I don't even know if…," I said as I ran a hand through my hair. His hand came up and held my wrist right there on the top of my head.

"I didn't say I didn't like it. I just don't want to make you scream my name just yet." My mind was shot, right there, at those words. Had he said what I thought he said? That grin on his lips, was that because of what he said as well?

I was about to say something when my bedroom door opened to reveal both Temari and Menma standing there. Both Kiba and my heads shot to see who was there. If my face could be any more red, I was sure that they would name the color after me.

"Come on, the lasagna is ready," Menma said with a triumphant smirk on his lips as he turned and headed down the stairs again.

"Unless you want to eat each other instead!" Temari giggled before following my brother away.

"Oh. My. GOD!" I screamed in embarrassment. How could I not be embarrassed with a sibling and a best friend like them? They were ridiculous and it was not my day…

"Come on kid, let's go get some food. I'm guessing you're pretty hungry," Kiba said as he placed his hand gently on my stomach, which agreed with him as it growled in demand of food.

When he got off me, he held out a hand to help me to my feet. The smile on his lips never faltered when I reached out, and because of that smile, I smiled back. I couldn't help it, he was a drug and I didn't want to stop. I was going to die happy thanks to him.


Another chapter down! I removed so much pointless things from the first story that I hardly recognize it! I like it…. Tell me what you all think, and let me know what you're hoping to see! Next chapter should be up soon!

And a special note saying thanks to my wonderful and helpful beta, Blindseer0.