Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A/N: Here it is, all written in one night,though there was trouble uploading earlier due to 'glitches'. Enjoy! And don't forget to review on anything at all!

Warnings: Kakashi unleashed.


Invitations All Round

The dark sky rumbled overhead, the rains from the earlier afternoon announcing their return with relish. The orange glare of streetlamps bathed the streets and the milling crowds of the late rush hour huddled along, gripping coat fronts closed, and clutching umbrella handles in preparation.

Buildings rose high up into the skyline, large black shapes against the dim, purple tinged clouds, and little specks of yellow decorating them like fairy lights.

Way up high in the penthouse of the Uchiha Central Business Building, seated at his office chair, all metal and butter-soft leather, was Uchiha Sasuke, bent over as he surveyed the menial paperwork that had built itself up during school time hours.

Sifting through them with the ease of one well acquainted to such matters, Sasuke quickly filled out those of priority and merely skimmed through most of them, filling in the necessary.

A slight frown lingered on his face, however, that had little to do with work; the strange ominous feeling had not left him since this afternoon, and was by now becoming rather bothersome.

Mentally shoving such thoughts away under the label of 'counter productive', Sasuke continued scratching away on the various papers littering his desk, unheeding to the rhythmic tick of the clock that hung overhead, which echoed in the barely broken silence.

"Saaasuukkkeee-kuuun!"

Sasuke dropped his pen.

"Ah, there you are Sasuke-kun!"

Powering up his glare to scorching levels, the Uchiha swivelled sharply on his chair to give one of his most withering stares to the tuft of silver hair as Kakashi peered round the doorframe, a stupid smile making his eye curl up.

"What do you want, Kakashi?" snarled Sasuke, as the turned back around to his desk, intent to dismiss the other man as soon as possible.

"Maa, maa, Sasuke-kun, is that any way to talk to your guardian?"

Sasuke grunted but refused to turn around, instead bending over the papers lying out before him, trying to concentrate as much as possible on the fine type.

"You're not my guardian. I've been emancipated since I was fourteen."

"Ahh yes, you have, haven't you?" said Kakashi musingly, as he moved from the doorway to inside the office, though he still remained conspicuously near the exit.

Silence lay heavy over them both, Kakashi gazing seemingly uncaringly at the hunched figure of Sasuke, while the boy himself ignored him, intent on whatever was splayed out over his desk.

"I've been at Iruka's you know," stated Kakashi after several long moments, his voice sounding almost sly.

Sasuke lifted his head slightly.

"Iruka's…? Ah, he's that mate of yours isn't he," he paused, "though I don't know why you seem to think I have any desire to be informed of your own comings and goings, they are no concern of mine."

Kakashi most definitely sounded on the verge of gleeful now. He gave a one sided shrug.

"But wouldn't you know, he had a lot of very…interesting information."

The Uchiha didn't deign him worthy of a response and shifted a stack of paper off into a tray, dragging yet more from beneath his chair. Kakashi was amused to identify it as chemistry homework.

Kakashi allowed himself to give an exaggerated sigh.

"Aa, I would have been able to get even more out of him, but…"he trailed off, knowing full well that it'd only make Sasuke even more curious than he already was; though the raven was admittedly hiding it rather well.

"But, well, poor, sweet Naru-chan came home so late, and he was in quite the state too."

Kakashi paused in his tale to admire the effect; it really was quite exquisite.

Sasuke had completely frozen over his large desk, work lying forgotten beneath him, eyes as wide as an Uchiha's physiology allowed, which technically wasn't very much; their pupils tended to contract instead.

Sasuke finally turned his chair back to face Kakashi stiffly, dark eyes growing darker by the moment.

With the timing of a long time professional, Kakashi continued.

"My poor Iruka-koi, he was so worried and of course demanded that Naruto-chan tell us all about it. He was quite curious about how he managed to get home."

"Kakashi…" growled Sasuke in warning, but Kakashi, after a lifetime of experience, forged on ahead.

"He said the most astonishing thing, Sasuke-kun, about who was kind enough to give him a lift home, I wonder if you know?"

"Kakashi!" said Sasuke, loosing his not-all-there-to-begin-with patience for the man, "Just say what you want to say and then be gone!"

Kakashi had the nerve to look offended in some way.

"Now, Sasuke-kun, you keep saying such horrible things today…oh, I know what it is."

Feeling his skin prickle with that ominous feeling once again, Sasuke observed the strange man opposite keenly, suddenly feeling very wary.

"And what is it…?"

Kakashi gave a full-blown grin of delight, though it was only possible to decipher it from the way his eye curled up.

"Well, dear Naruto-chan got quite injured, didn't he? Iruka said that he wouldn't be surprised if he cracked some of his ribs. Don't worry Sasuke- its perfectly natural for you to be upset when the person you care about is hurt, especially when you aren't around to-"

Kakashi cut himself off, as he felt the rearing of a rather dark aura originating from somewhere in close proximity. Further inspection confirmed his suspicions, as one glance at the Uchiha was enough to see that he was emitting enough bad feelings, as to freeze saltwater.

"Kakashi…" said Sasuke, his voice cold and unemotional, "Stop while you're ahead."

Kakashi took the advice with a faint smile, and held his tongue. He had learned over the years that Uchiha's could be a lot like dogs- they could smell fear. Luckily, during this time, he had also learned how to dodge over and about the line, while still maintaining his living state of being.

It was at this point, that Kakashi decided to move the conversation onto his real topic.

"You know, Iruka really did have some very…enlightening facts, that he was kind enough to share with me."

"Oh?" said Sasuke, a questioning look now replacing the death stare of a few moments ago. If Kakashi said things were useful, then they most certainly were.

"What about?"

Kakashi gave another one of his lopsided shrugs and moved off the wall to lean against the other leather swivel chair, the other side of the desk.

"Well, it was mostly about Naruto, but it throws some unforeseen facts to light, that we may have overlooked in our planning."

Sasuke felt something…squirm in his stomach, as he recalled a glint of red eyes.

"I think I may already know something of what you speak."

Kakashi gave a small tilt of his head- his equivalent of a nod.

"So you know that Naruto is being…affected, then?"

"His eyes…" Sasuke gave only a small hesitation, "when I found him, they were red. I suppose he's of a lineage then?"

Kakashi gave a little laugh, though it sounded oddly strained.

"That's what I asked," he shook his head, "but no, he isn't."

At Sasuke's even stare, he elaborated, "He's a jinchuuriki."

Sasuke's eyes widened for the second time that evening, and he inhaled sharply as he fell back against the headrest of his chair. A jinchuuriki? That would release…yet, it was having this effect, unexpected that Naruto was holding onto the power…what sort of sealing did that entail, and how exactly, was that going to progress? He glanced to Kakashi, who he could tell by the serious look on his face, was thinking of the exact same things.

"Is this going to be a problem?" asked Sasuke softly into the silence.

"I'd have to take a look at the seal myself, but I shouldn't think so," said Kakashi at length, "so long as you two stop trying to kill each other, anyway. Though," he added slyly, " I think you can come up with other, equally physical things to do, ne Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke gave another low growl of irritation, but refused to indulge Kakashi anymore with a reaction-that was what the man wanted after all.

Though, the fact that Naruto was a jinchuuriki, did explain some things, those strange whisker-like markings on his face for one.

And, thought Sasuke discomfortingly, why the boy seemed to…grate on his nerves so much; he had subconsciously recognised the youkai chakra, and had responded accordingly, as best to the modern day context as possible.

The very idea made Sasuke twitch internally.

"What sort of youkai does he hold, Kitsune?" asked Sasuke, somewhat curiously; Naruto had always irresistibly reminded him of a fox.

Kakashi gave another strained laugh, "Sharp as always Sasuke-kun, considering it is the Kyuubi no Youko sealed in there."

Sasuke stilled for a moment, but gave no other sign of his surprise.

"I see," he finally said, eyes lowering back to the papers on his desk.

Kakashi rummaged around in a back pocket, an orange book coming into sight.

"We really shouldn't worry- everything else is progressing with few hitches, and besides- even this is advantageous for us."

Sasuke nodded in response, already degrading the matter from 'potentially urgent' to 'further observation'.

"Gaara should be especially pleased about it, having another around," said Kakashi amiably.

"Gaara?!" said Sasuke sharply, sitting up in his chair.

"Oh, yes, didn't I mention? I believe he's waiting in reception right now in fact."

Kakashi found it inordinately amusing watching the youngest Uchiha start to curse and shuffle all his papers together, pressing on the intercom to snap at the secretary to 'send him in', only sparing a moment to glare untimely death to the scarecrow lounging in his office.

Kakashi couldn't help from chuckling.


Meanwhile, back over at Iruka's apartment, things had been stewing in a rather awkward silence ever since Kakashi left.

Iruka had been bustling about, to the kitchen, to his bedroom, back out to the living room and out again, while Naruto sat in the most comfortable position he could possibly manage on the sofa and was currently slugging his way through that day's homework.

It was a mark of Iruka's distraction that he didn't notice what Naruto was occupying himself with.

Naruto however, though he may not have been the most sociably observant, had picked up on it.

He had no idea how to broach the subject in a manner that would put Iruka-sensei at ease though, nor how to get any information out of the man without him knowing it.

So, Naruto decided to stick to what he was good at; ask blunt questions and fluster Iruka that way.

"Ne, ne, Iruka-sensei, " Naruto spoke up after a while, "what was that…Kaja-Kaka- ano, weird, masked guy doing here anyway? Before I turned up I mean."

Iruka, who had been in the process of inspecting the windows, and the growing storm outside, jumped, startled. He had almost completely forgot that Naruto was there in the process of avoiding the upcoming discussion.

How on earth was he going to explain his tenable relationship with Kakashi? Would Naruto understand, would he be accepting that Iruka was in a long-term relation with a man? And if he did, would he get along with Kakashi, or would he resent the man for taking up his time, he'd read that children would often do that and he didn't know if-

"Eh, Iruka-sensei, are you okay?"

"Huh?" said Iruka intelligently, jerking himself out of his turbulent thoughts, to be met with the sight of a concerned Naruto, curled up on the couch, bandages all over and head tilted like an inquisitive fox.

Times like these, Iruka couldn't help but let the thought, …kawaii…drift through his mind.

"Oh, I'm just fine Naruto-kun," Iruka sat down to perch on the coffee table, "but I suppose I should explain about Kakashi, shouldn't I?"

Naruto nodded, though perhaps not with the enthusiasm he usually did; the movement would have hurt too much.

"Well," started Iruka, biting his lip, "I've known Kakashi for a long time, years. We…we were- very close. He was quite upset with me for wanting to leave for a year," Iruka laughed nervously, "He even forbid me to go, but I went anyway- and stayed away far longer than I expected."

Iruka sighed and glanced out of the far bay windows, gaze turning forlorn as the rumbles in the sky gave way to a flash of lightening.

"I hurt him very badly," whispered Iruka softly.

Naruto kept silent for once, as they both listened to the rain as it began to fall, much heavier than earlier, hitting against the glass windows with an incessant 'tap, tap'.

Iruka gave another sigh and turned back to Naruto.

"We were…very good friends Naruto," he said, voice becoming its usual strong tone.

Naruto nodded along, intently waiting for Iruka-sensei to continue.

Iruka hesitated a bit, nibbling on his lower lip again.

"We are very good friends still. Naruto, do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

Naruto continued to nod slightly, before leaning in a bit closer to Iruka, "That," he licked his lips, "that you are…very good friends?"

Iruka leaned back and rubbed his closed eyes with his hands, determined not to let his groan of frustration to be voiced out loud.

He peered through his fingers to glance at Naruto, wondering if the blonde boy was merely making fun of him; he'd done it more than once before. But, no, Naruto was still sitting curled up, big blues eyes watching him attentively. Iruka swallowed as he saw how young Naruto appeared at that moment, plasters stuck on his face.

Iruka gave a small smile.

"Never mind, " he said softly.

"Eh? Iruka-sensei-?"

Iruka shook his head lightly, and in the process caught sight of the notes and textbook that Naruto had lain on his lap.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" asked Iruka incredulously.

"Huh?"

Naruto had no idea what Iruka-sensei was referring to. Unsurprisingly perhaps, Iruka had the tendency to say that sentence quite often. He finally caught his sensei's gaze resting on the books clutched in his grasp.

"Oh? This? It's my homework for tomorrow."

Iruka spluttered.

"You're not going to school tomorrow?!"

"Eh? Why not?" asked Naruto, this time just as disbelievingly as Iruka.

"Naruto," scolded Iruka, "surely you don't think you're in any state to go to school tomorrow, look at you! I'm sure it even hurts to move!"

Naruto scowled.

"Ano, Iruka-sensei, it'll take more than a few scratches to keep me down! By tomorrow I bet I'll be absolutely fine- and then I won't have an excuse to stay home will I?"

"I'm well aware of how quickly you heal, but I'm afraid I just can't let you go out tomorrow in this condition," said Iruka, his warm brown eyes narrowing as Naruto stubbornly shook his head.

"But I wont be in this condition tomorrow, I'll be perfectly fine!"

"I think I'll be the judge of that."

Naruto huffed and sat back on the couch, skilfully hiding his wince as he did so. Iruka was being completely unreasonable. Che, and he was supposed to be the rational one?

Iruka shook his head, a little confused that Naruto, Naruto, was arguing with him to actually go to school. The whole situation was rather surreal.

Iruka sighed and glanced outside at the rain clouds, a dreary end to an extremely trying day.

"Listen, it's getting late, how about you go to bed, and we'll see how you feel in the morning, ne? And if you haven't done your homework, I'll excuse you from it, alright?"

He really had no other choice than to go along with Iruka's decision, and though it was really rather reasonable, it didn't stop Naruto from pouting, even as Iruka-sensei insisted on helping him to bed.

Perhaps it would be better to avoid school tomorrow, and so Sasuke as well; he wasn't sure what he'd do when he saw the other boy again.


As it was, Iruka had his way; Naruto ended up staying two days from school, upon at which point Iruka had deemed him fit enough to return to Shichiyou. However, as Naruto grumbled under his breath, two days and even the bruises had nearly completely faded; Iruka was obviously exercising his pedantic tendencies again.

And then, there was a conveniently placed weekend, so Naruto didn't get back to school before Monday morning.

And this is where it leads; Naruto feverishly scribbling down all the past two days set work out of Hinata's homework diary, which she had handed over with a lot of strange blushing and not too many words. She was currently sitting next to him as he was pushed to near tears in frustration- how many assignments can you set in just two days?!- and her face was still alarmingly red.

Naruto was slowly beginning to wonder whether if she was merely strange or if she actually had some type of medical condition. He'd decided himself too shy to ask.

Ironically enough.

He was still frantically copying at the speed of light when the warning rang out shrilly, making Hinata jump slightly.

"A-ano, are you s-sure you're g-going to be alright with a-all those to d-do, Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata softly, the tips of her fingers prodding together nervously.

"Just a sec, Hinata, I'll be done real soon, no sweat."

If Naruto had looked up from the book he was religiously bent over, he would have seen Hinata flush from strawberry pink to cherry red.

In all honesty, it was probably a good thing that he didn't see get to see it.

"Oi! Naruto, my man, where the hell have you been?! I tried to call you, but I couldn't get through, you okay?"

Kiba had chosen that moment to bound on over as he came into Room 218, spotting Naruto immediately, the flash of blonde hair too bright for him to miss.

"Ah, yeah," said Naruto sheepishly, hand moving to the back of his neck in reflex, "I was sick on Thursday and then Iruka-sensei insisted I stay home Friday, and then it was the weekend, so, I guess we haven't seen each other for a while?"

"Nah man, we haven't. Hey…"

Kiba leant over the desk, looking over the explosion of papers and various textbooks on the desk, despite it all being upside down to him.

As soon as he recognised Hinata's neat handwriting, he burst out into laughter.

"Ha! So you're cribbing off Hinata eh? Poor, sweet Hinata, being used so badly by men. Shame on you Naruto!"

"Hey!" shouted back Naruto indignantly; "Hinata offered me her stuff by herself, 'cause she nice like that. I don't see you helping me, not that I'd really want you to, considering I actually want the right answers."

"A-ano," said Hinata uncomfortably.

Kiba's retort was cut short.

"Why, I think that may be the smartest thing you've ever said, usuratonkachi."

Naruto felt himself freeze, fervently wishing that for once, the person standing behind him were another emotionless bastard come to taunt him.

Slowly looking up, Naruto could see that his hasty prayers hadn't been answered.

Damn.

What was he supposed to say? Was the Uchiha expecting a thank you or something, or something else? Should he even acknowledge what happened last Wednesday? Should he and Sasuke start to…be less…unfriendly? Was that even a word?

Argh- right, when it doubt, go with what's comfortable.

"Teme…"

Impending Sasuke-crisis averted.

"Hn."

Just as Naruto was about to open his mouth to perhaps say something along the lines of anti-sociality and its negative impact on today's society, they were interrupted again, this time by Ino and Sakura as they rushed up to meet them.

Or rather, find out exactly why Naruto hadn't been in school. It was only friendly questioning and concern, but somehow, Naruto felt more as if he were under intense interrogation. He was glad when they got distracted when they finally realised that Sasuke was standing just two steps above them.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun, how are you today? Alright I hope…?"

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, you are coming on Saturday right, Sakura insisted that you were."

"Tch, I said I'd think about it, not that I'd actually go."

Sakura's hopeful look was crushed and her eyes dimmed slightly, while Ino spun around to glare at her. They were oblivious to other girls in the class, who were looking over both of them with envy, for actually getting Sasuke-kun to talk back to them. That hardly ever happened.

Naruto peered up confused.

"What party?" he asked unknowingly.

Ino glanced to Sakura in surprise before understanding dawned and she squealed, clapping her hands in excitement.

"Of course, you haven't been here, so you don't know."

Sakura leaned over to rest her elbows on the desk, and joined in.

"It's my friend's, Tenten's birthday. She's from the year above, but she's cool. We're throwing her a party this Saturday, my house, wanna come?"

A…party? Parties were fun right?

"Ano, I don't really know her or anything-"

"Don't worry about it, she's, uh, friends with Neji. Besides, loads of people are coming."

Naruto was indecisive for a moment before, giving in.

"Yeah, sure, I'll come. Ano, why is it at your house, when its Tenten's birthday?"

"Ah," said Sakura, a mischievous glint in her green eyes, "that's because my parents are away this weekend."

"Eh," said Kiba, " I didn't know that."

Sakura shrugged, "Business trip. Or rather, my Otousan is on a business trip, and Okaasan doesn't trust him to go by himself."

This sent both Ino and Sakura into hysterics, while Kiba just looked on with a slightly disturbed expression on his face.

"Uh, yeah, right."

"I-it'll be nice, to s-see you there, N-Naruto-kun," spoke up Hinata from where she sat beside him, slightly forgotten in the conversation.

"Oh, you'll be there too Hinata?"

She nodded, "W-we're all g-going. Except maybe S-Sasuke-san."

This made the two recovering girls at the other end of the bench straighten, glinting eyes settling onto the stoic form of Sasuke yet again.

"Ne, ne, so will you come Sasuke-kun? It wouldn't be a party without you there, and you actually know Tenten too, so come on," whined Ino, grasping her hands together as if in prayer, or begging, her muted blue eyes pushed wide.

Sasuke showed no change in expression.

"I don't like going to parties."

"Oh come on Saasuukee-kuuun, onegaishimasu!"

Sasuke remained silent and for one terrifying moment, Naruto almost thought that Sakura may get down on her knees, and cling until he gave in.

Perhaps Sasuke also recognised the danger signs, or perhaps he actually did want to go, and was just being his usual, difficult self before.

At any rate, he replied.

"Tch, fine, stop nagging."

You could almost see how both Ino and Sakura perked up, eyes bright, and smiles wide.

Naruto, though he had earlier been very bothered by this sort of behaviour, had by now written this sort of behaviour off as 'normal', or as close to it as possible. Though still not seeing the whole 'thing' about Sasuke-kun, he just let it slide.

That was until he felt The Fear.

He locked gazes with Ino, just to have her break it, looking him up and down in a way that Naruto was quite sure he did not appreciate. Maybe because it resembled much like a cat would look at a served up mouse.

"Oh, I'm just so glad that you're coming! Its you first party right?" she didn't wait for his nod, "oh, you've gotta let me dress you up!"

Yes, The Fear was right there.

"Dress…up?" asked Naruto numbly, pointedly ignoring Kiba's painful wince of sympathy; he dimly noticed that said boy was slowly inching away from him.

"Oh, not like that, don't look so scared, it's your first time, so someone has to get you prepared."

"Uh…" said Naruto. Why did this sound as if he was getting ready for…well, something completely different? What, did they have rules for this kind of thing or something?

Ino must have recognised the complete confusion on his face, and promptly set out to rectify it.

"Oh, it's nothing bad or anything, just simple stuff, like what NOT to do, alright? It's not much- we can just meet up a bit earlier at Sakura's on Saturday all right. You know where it is? Good, come at about…ano…sixish? Yeah, it'll be fun."

And before Naruto could say anything else, the last bell rang, Kurenai-sensei sweeping into the room. All the students scattered from their clumps like leaves in the wind to their seats.

As he twisted on his stool, Naruto saw that Sasuke had long since departed; already seated on the other side of the classroom while others were still shuffling to their places.

"Uzumaki! What is all that mess on your desk? I can barely see poor Hinata over all of it, clean it up- immediately."

Naruto faced the front and sighed, before carefully arranging the mess of papers and books, and giving the appropriate ones back to Hinata, still in their neat order. As he handed them over, their hands brushed; Hinata's face burned.

Unbeknownst to Naruto, dark eyes from the other side of Room 218, were constantly flicking over to the front bench, incidentally where he and Hinata were seated.

Sasuke had never been more glad for form time to be over; he had to have words with Neji.


A/N: I know what you're thinking, a party? How cliche, yeah? Well, this one is going to be a little different. It's going to be a REAL party. Let's just say that it'll get a little out of hand, and that this story is most definately rated M for a reason. If you've ever been to a 'real' party you know what i mean, i'll have a full list of warnings next chapter. Next chappy will have the party, which means it'll be LONG so updating may take longer, though i'm rather excited about it, so it may be faster, who knows?

Another thing, on my profile i have a POLL. After discussion with my Beta, i have two plots, one with Mpreg, and one without. Now, i know that some people really don't like it, so i decided in all my wisdom to put up a poll, so you can decide for yourself. So be sure to go to my profile and vote for what you want, ok?

Thats all for now, so hope you enjoyed this chapter, and don't forget to review to give my your opinion! Until next time, ja:)