A/N: Hi everyone long time no see. yeah sorry I haven't posted anything in a while...or a long while. I've been really busy lately and I apologize for that, but here it is :D Thanks to kasai neochi who helped me get back on my game.
Naruto lay on his bed with his hands behind his head staring up at the ceiling. Juugo's warning from earlier today kept ringing in his head, 'stay away from Kiba, trust me he's bad news.'
What could he have meant by that? Maybe he was right in thinking Kiba was a wanted criminal and Juugo knew it. But the main question is how did Juugo know Kiba? Maybe they went to school together before Kiba transferred, but he didn't look anything like the type of person who went to Orochimaru's Academey, but then again neither did Juugo.
What could have happened to make Juugo so tense both when he saw Kiba after the soccer game and earlier today when Naruto had only mentioned his name? Maybe they did go to school together. Maybe Kiba was known as a player in his old school and that's what Juugo meant by 'He's bad news.' And the day of Lee's soccer game he said that he wasn't the dating type meaning he was only up for one night stands. Or another thing could be that Juugo was just lying to him, making things up about Kiba to try and get Naruto to stay away from him. But why would he make up a lie like that just to get him to stay away from him?
Naruto groaned not really knowing what to think. He barely knew Kiba so he was in no position to defend him and he barely knew Juugo and he was in no position to believe him either. So he did the only thing he could do, he called Sakura.
"Hello?" She said after she finally picked up the phone.
"You're never going to believe what just happened to me." Naruto said sitting up in his bed.
"King Kong and Godzilla were fighting outside your house?"
"Haha, very funny." Naruto rolled his eyes at the lame attempt at a joke.
"No I'm being completely serious here."
"And so am I. Come on Sakura this is important."
"Alright, alright, what's got your frog boxers in a bunch?"
"Okay for the record I only wore those once."
"Mmmhmm."
"Ah, okay way off topic. Juugo just came over."
"You mean hot red head Juugo with the sexy eyes?"
"Yeah that one." Naruto said in a not so amused tone.
"What did he want?"
"He came to apologize for kissing me. Then I brought up Kiba and he said that I should stay away from him that he's bad news."
"Well what does he mean by bad news?"
"I don't know that's all he said before he left."
"He could be right though." Sakura said.
"What?" Naruto was shocked. He was expecting her to say something like 'Juugo was just trying to keep you away from Kiba' or 'There's no way he and Kiba could have gone to the same school.' Not for her to actually agree with him.
"You have to admit that you barely know anything about him." Sakura argued.
"Yeah but…" Naruto trailed off. He knew that Sakura was right. He barely knew him meaning anything could be true. Naruto let out a frustrated sigh.
"So what are you going to do?" Sakura asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean are you going to do some investigation? We could go to the school tonight and search his file."
"We are not breaking into the school."
"Why not, it'll be fun."
"We could get in so much trouble."
"Wow since when are you a sucker for the rules?"
"Since when are you the type of person who suggests breaking into a school at night just to search someone's file?"
"Okay then what do you suggest?"
"How about I get to know him the old fashioned way?" Naruto sarcastically suggested.
"Well he's your 'want to be boyfriend' so good luck with that. But if he doesn't talk then we always have the opportunity to read his file.
(Fourth Period Biology)
"Alright before class ends I want to let you guys in on a project that's due two weeks from now." Asuma said. The room instantly filled with groans. "I know exciting isn't it? Your assignment will be to work in groups and do whatever your heats desire. Any questions?" Asuma asked
"So we can do the project on whatever we want?" Someone asked.
"As long as it has to do with biology."
"So who are our groups?" The same person asked.
"I'll leave that up for you to decide with as many members as you'd like, but no more than five." With that the bell rang.
With the mention of groups the first person that had come to mind for Naruto to ask was Kiba. The only thing was that he would have to build up the courage to ask him. Usually Sakura would be his first choice but he could still ask her. Asuma said no more than five people right?
Naruto took a deep breath as he felt the words start to form in his throat
"Do you want to be partners?" Kiba asked beating Naruto to it.
"Huh?" Naruto asked coming out of his daze.
"Do you want to be partners?" Kiba repeated." It could be me you and Sakura it'll be a good way for us to get to know each other."
Was he a mind reader or did he have the same intentions as Naruto did?
"Uh, sure I was just about to ask you."
"Great. We could meet up at the mall to figure out what our project is going to be on."
"Sure how about today after school? I'll just ask Sakura if she can make it." Naruto said now suddenly remembering that this wasn't a date, but rather a group project.
"Sure no problem, just meet me at the parking lot." Kiba said before walking off.
Naruto had to hold in the excitement he felt in order to not look like a spaz in front of Kiba. Naruto gathered his stuff and left the classroom. In the hallway he had expected Sakura to have already be down at the cafeteria but instead she was waiting for him in the hallway.
"I saw Kiba asking you on a date so I figured I'd just wait for you outside." Sakura said with a sly grin. Naruto only rolled his eyes at the comment.
"You're not doing anything after school today, are you?" Naruto asked they made their way down stairs.
"No, why?"
"I hope you don't mind, but I asked Kiba if he wanted to work with me and you on the project and we're going to go to the mall after school today to come up with an idea for the project." Naruto said
"Wow where did you find the balls to ask Kiba to be partners?"
"Well technically he asked me, but I was going to."
"Mmmhm."
"Whatever, so are we going or not?"
"Sure, but are you okay with me being a third wheel on your date?" She asked with a sly grin.
"It's not a date." Naruto claimed in a childlike tone. Sakura couldn't help but laugh at how red Naruto's face was getting.
"Yeah, but you wish it was."
"Hey partner." Kiba said from behind Naruto.
Said blond was putting his books into his locker and was surprised from the sudden voice coming from behind him. He turned around and was face to face with Kiba. He had that same grin that he always had plastered on his face. Naruto had even come to see it as adorable.
"But why does he always have to be so close?" Naruto thought to himself.
Kiba's grin grew wider which could only mean Naruto was blushing. Much to Naruto's pleasure Kiba backed up from him a little.
"So is Sakura going to the mall to do the project or did she decide to kick me out of the group?" Kiba said jokingly.
"No she wouldn't be that mean, especially since you're the new kid and all." Naruto said.
"Well aren't I the lucky one?"
"She's waiting for me in the parking lot."
"Cool, I'll pull my bike up front." Kiba said before walking off.
It took a while for Naruto to comprehend what Kiba meant by 'bike'. The day he asked Kiba about the scars on his back and how he had said he got them in a motorcycling accident.
"So where's Kiba?" Sakura asked as she drove out of the school parking lot.
"He said he was going to wait for us outside the school." Naruto said.
"Well do you remember the kind of car he drives from the night he went to the movies with us?"
"There he is." Naruto said pointing in front of the school. Kiba noticed them and rode up beside them.
"He rides a motorcycle?" Sakura asked surprised by the fact.
"Yeah, I didn't tell you?"
"Naruto, I think you might want to reconsider what Juugo said about Kiba being bad news."
"Why, just because he rides a motorcycle?"
"That and the fact that he doesn't wear a helmet. Just imagine if your mom found out about that he rides a motorcycle."
"I'd rather not think about that."
The three of them pulled up to a red light. Naruto turned to look out the window at Kiba. Said boy turned and saw Naruto looking at him through the car window. A huge grin made its way on his lips as he made the motorcycle engine roar. As soon as the light turned green he sped down the road leaving nothing behind but the echo of motorcycle.
"Looks like he's showing off for you. " Sakura said. She drove off, but nowhere near as fast as Kiba, not wanting to rick getting a ticket.
When they got to the mall the first thing they did was find the food court and get smoothies. Kiba had offered to pay for theirs, but Naruto, unlike Sakura, said no.
When they sat down at a table Sakura was the only one attempting to make a conversation "So Kiba I didn't know you had a motorcycle." Or more like take this opportunity to interrogate Kiba.
"Yeah. Naruto didn't tell you?" Kiba asked.
"No he didn't" They both turned to Naruto who nonchalantly sipped at his smoothie.
"Yeah my mom said I can have it if I pay for it. I think the only reason why she said that was because she didn't think I would get the money."
"I also noticed that you didn't wear a helmet."
At that Naruto turned to look at her. At this point it already felt like him and Kiba were dating and they were at that awkward part where they met each other's parents.
"Yeah." Kiba said sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "I do where a helmet, but just not all the time."
Sakura nodded her head. Naruto hopped that meant that the game of twenty questions had ended.
But as usual he was wrong.
"So hypothetically speaking if you were riding with someone like let's say, Naruto, would you then put on the helmet?"
Naruto couldn't take anymore. "Okay, how about we get started on the project then?" He interrupted.
"Alright, but as soon as Kiba answers the question."
Kiba grinned. "No I wouldn't wear the helmet."
"And why's that?"
"Because I'd give it to Naruto…or the person riding with me."
As if things couldn't get worse Sakura turned to Naruto and awed.
"Okay can we start the project now?" Naruto said desperately.
"Alright fine, just let me go to the ladies room first." Sakura said before getting up and going to the bathroom.
Now it was just Naruto and Kiba.
Naruto nervously played with the straw of his smoothie. "Sorry about that." Naruto nervously said.
"Nothing to apologize for, I love playing the game of twenty questions."
"It was more like an interrogation room." They both laughed at the joke.
Their laughter died down and an awkward silence fell between them. The perfect opportunity for Naruto to be talking to Kiba was all being wasted because he couldn't think of a thing to say.
As if to come to his rescue his phone vibrated in his pocket. When he checked it he saw that Sakura had texted him. It read, 'Ask him anything what he likes to do for fun, what school he went to before he came to Konoha High.
"Uh Kiba so what made you come to Konoha High?" Naruto asked placing his phone down on the table.
"Well a lot of things are going on now so I just felt like it was the right thing to do." Kiba said.
'A lot of things are going on? What does he mean by that?' Naruto thought to himself. He chose not to question it figuring it was something personal and Kiba wouldn't want to tell him about it, but one thing's for sure. Naruto's curiosity was brought up to a whole new level.
"Oh um, so what school did you go to before?" He was allowed to ask that right?
"I went to Orochimaru's Academy. And the day you asked me to come to one of the soccer games it was kind of awkward for me to see my old school loose especially since I knew all the guys on the team."
Naruto was surprised when he heard that Kiba went to Orochimaru's Academy.
So he went to school with Juugo and since he's on the soccer team that meant Kiba knew him. So could what Juugo had said about Kiba being bad news be true? What is so bad about Kiba? Only one way to find out and it hurt Naruto to actually think that it was true.
"Do you know Juugo?" Naruto hesitantly asked.
Kiba's expression hardened but quickly fated, but not fast enough for Naruto not to notice.
"Why?"
"Well he came up to me and Sakura one day at the mall and kind of introduced himself to us." Naruto said leaving out some important details. "He was playing in the soccer game too, so I just wondered if you knew him." Naruto said trying to make the question sound as casual as possible.
"Yeah, I know him… he's bad news."
'Funny that's exactly what he said about you.' Naruto thought. "Why do you say that, he seems like a nice guy?"
The look on Kiba's face said that he was thinking wheatear or not to say what he was thinking. "Let's just say he was one of the reasons why I transferred to Konoha High."
A million reasons of what that could mean ran through Naruto's head. Maybe they didn't get along together at the school and they always fought. Or maybe they actually got into fights. Naruto even went as far as thinking that maybe Juugo and Kiba dated before and they had a bad break up, but even he knew that, that was too crazy to be true. That's when Naruto realized that he was interrogating more Kiba than getting to know him.
"Trust me you won't be able to guess." Kiba said as if reading Naruto's thoughts. Just then Sakura decided to make herself present again.
"So let's get started on the project she said.
"So guess what interesting things I found out about Kiba while you were in the bathroom." Naruto said. They were in the car leaving the mall. They had left a little after they had agreed on what they were going to do for the project. Kiba had gone his own way on his motorcycle and Naruto kind of wished he could have gone with him.
"What he admitted his undying love for you?" Sakura said jokingly.
"Naruto completely ignoring her comment said, "He and Juugo went to the same school."
"I thought you said we weren't going to be nosy and dig into his life." Sakura said.
"No I said we weren't going to break into the school and look at his file."
"Same Thing."
Naruto shot her a look, which she couldn't notice since she was driving. Noticing this Naruto went on. "Well what's weird is that Kiba said that I should stay away from Juugo."
"Why?"
"He didn't say why and that's the same thing Juugo said about him."
"So one of them is the bad guy. The big question is which one is it?"
Naruto's phone vibrated in his pocket. "It's Juugo." Naruto said seeing that he had received a text from that specific red head. "He wants to know if I want to hang out with him."
"Say yes, say yes!" Sakura said enthusiastically
"Why?" Naruto asked with a raised blond eyebrow.
"Why not?" She asked as a rebuttal. "One, he's totally hot, two he really likes you, Three he's smoking hot, Four even though you say you don't like him, I know you have to at least a little, and five, the closer you get to him the closer you get to knowing what happened between him and Kiba." Sakura said sticking up an additional digit on her hand for each point she made.
"Yeah, but what if what happened the last time I went out with him happens again?" Naruto asked worriedly. The worst part was that he actually kind of hoped that it would happen again.
"Do you have a condom in your pocket this time?"
"No."
"Then what are the odds of it happening again?" Sakura said half-jokingly.
Another text from Juugo.
I promise I won't try anything this time. It's not even a date it's just two friends hanging out together.
"Look." Sakura continued. "If it makes you feel any better, then I'll be a third wheel and tag along."
Now he had no choice but to go.
Sakura had ended up driving them to a café not too far from the mall. Right when she pulled up Naruto spotted Juugo sitting at a table just outside the café.
Sakura parked across the street. They got out of the car and walked back over to Juugo. Said boy spotted them making their way to him and an immediate grin formed on his face and Naruto couldn't help to smile back.
"Hi, Naruto, Sakura" Juugo said as they sat at the table. "Sorry if this seemed kind of last minute." He said, his eyes locked on Naruto who nervously looked to the side.
"It's no problem we didn't have plans anyway." Sakura said covering for Naruto's silence.
"Hi welcome to Star Bistro. What can I get for you?" A tall girl in a white button down shirt that was tucked into her black dress pants. Apparently no one had told her that her pants were way to tight to be professional. "Would you like to hear our specials for the day?"
"No thanks." Juugo said. "I'll just have a chocolate sundae." He said and she wrote down on her notepad.
"And I'll have a salad." Sakura said.
"Uh, I'll just have a coffee." Naruto said.
"Coming right up." She said walking off, but not before shooting Juugo a lustful look that didn't go unnoticed by everyone at the table.
"Seems like you might be her favorite customer of the day. Sakura said jokingly."
Juugo gave a nervous smile. "Yeah I guess so." He said scratching the back of his head.
As much as Naruto hated to admit it he couldn't help but feel a tang of jealousy. No. he didn't want to be anything more than friends with Juugo, but still that didn't mean he wanted some slut to be all over him. Sakura noticed Naruto's attitude and shot Naruto a teasing smile, who in return shot her a glare.
'I don't like him.' Naruto thought to himself even though he knew it was a lie.
"Uh, so what were you guys up to, you know before this?" Juugo asked.
"Oh nothing, just hanging out at the mall." Sakura said leaving out the fact that they were there with Kiba. "What were you up to?"
"I had nothing to do so I was just driving around town. That didn't really help with the boredom." Juugo said with a small chuckle. "But then I passed the boardwalk and I thought of Naruto and that's how I ended up asking him if he wanted to hang out." A slight blush formed on Naruto's face. If not from Juugo saying that he was thinking of him, then from the intense look Juugo was giving him. "I was actually worried that he might say no."
"It just took a little convincing, but he finally gave in." Sakura said with a smirk.
The waitress came back with their orders. Here you go." She said placing Naruto's and Sakura's orders in front of them. "And one chocolate sundae for the gentleman." She said bending over way more than needed to place the sundae in front of Juugo, no doubt to show off cleavage. She gave him a smile before walking off.
"Imagine her reaction if she finds out I'm gay." Juugo said.
"Speaking of that," Sakura started "How many people know that you are, uh, pitching for my team so to say?"
"Oh I don't hide it I tell anyone who asks me so practically everyone at my school knows."
"Are there a lot of open people there?"
"Most of the girls are either gay or bi, and there's only one gay guy there besides me." Juugo said taking a scoop of his sundae. "You're real quiet." He said directed at the distracted blond.
"Naruto looked up from his cu of coffee. "Oh sorry." He said giving a shy smile. "There really aren't any open gay or bi people at our school. The only one I know is me. I guess that's the main reason why I don't really tell anyone."
"Trust me I t's high school there are there are way more than you think there might be." Juugo reassured. "Okay enough talk about who's gay in our school. The real reason why I asked you to come is well uh…" He paused looking off to the side. "Is to know if you would go on another date with me." This time it was Juugo who was blushing.
Naruto was taken aback by this. Should he risk going on another date with him?
"Or we could pretend that the first date never happened and just start over."
For a moment no one said anything they just stayed silent until Sakura nudged Naruto from under the table. "Uh sure, I'll go on a date with you." Naruto said a little against his will. What's the worst that can happen? Naruto thought to himself for reassurance, but he remembered what happened the last time he had said that.
Juugo smiled. "Great I'll pick you up Saturday at six. You won't regret it and I promise you that this time."
Naruto groaned. "I don't want to go on a date with him." He said.
"The why did you agree to go?" Sakura asked they were in her car on the way to Naruto's house.
"I thought that nudge meant for me to say yes."
"It was a nudge for you to say something. You were just sitting there for five minutes straight just staring at him. I remember what happened the last time I told you to say yes." Naruto groaned again. "If you don't want to go then just say something came up and cancel."
"Yeah, but I don't want to lie to him. And it wouldn't be nice to just reject him like that.
"You're so nice." Sakura said teasingly. "And can you honestly say that you didn't have fun one the last date?"
"Not funny."
A/N: So what did you think? Sorry I know it's hard to get back into a story after a while. And for those who are awaiting an update on 'The Suicide Note' there will be updates on those as well.
