I don't own Naruto.

Roommates

The First Week

The first week living together, all five, had been a bit weird. Sasuke and Naruto were a new formed couple, and were still a little shy with each other, while Gaara and Kiba didn't get along very well. Not that the red-head and the dog lover got along very well these days either.

But the first week had been disorganized, awkward and again, disorganized. Until Shikamaru got his lazy ass off the wagon and decided to organize them and put up some rules. In the beginning they followed the rules as if they had cameras installed and someone was watching them.

Now they never followed the rules, though they followed the schedule Shikamaru had set up. Who was doing the dishes, who was cooking and who was shopping. Then they realized that they just couldn't have a shelf each in the fridge without having someone taking your food (not to name anyone, but ... Kiba).

So now they shopped, once a month, all together and then split the sum. It worked pretty well, as Tokyo had a very nice (huge) store where they bought their food. It was, however, not a nice story trying to shop with a hungry Kiba, a sleepy Shikamaru and an energetic Naruto.

Gaara and Sasuke exchanged tired looks as they walked slowly through the first section in the store. Shikamaru looked ready to hop into the cart Gaara was pushing. Kiba was pressing his nose against the purple plastic bag filled with cookies.

"I want you," the dog boy whispered. "I want you so bad."

Sasuke wanted to walk away and pretend he didn't know the brunette when a few teenage boys and their girlfriends threw Kiba strange glances before hurrying away.

"This is so troublesome. Could you hurry up?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah! Hurry up, dog breath!" Naruto giggled, snatching the cookies away from his friend. Kina whined, but soon they were making their way forward again. Shikamaru read from the list, and then sent Naruto to get them.

"I'm hungry," Kiba whined, gripping Sasuke's shoulder to support himself as he clenched his aching stomach. "I'm hungry!"

"I know!" Sasuke snapped. "I swear you're just as whiny as Naruto!"

"Oi!" Naruto called out.

"But you're cute when you do it, sweetie."

Naruto scrunched his nose, before huffing and latching himself to Shikamaru's arm. Sasuke glared at Kiba. Kiba would have glared back if his empty stomach wouldn't choose that moment to scream in agony. Sighing, Sasuke hurried after Naruto to apologize.

Kiba followed, his brown eyes never leaving the stocked shelves with food ... His mouth started to form drool, but Gaara kicked his shin before it could escape his mouth. He growled at the red-head, then hurried after Naruto to entertain himself.

The blonde was standing by a shelf, trying to reach the olive oil that was too high up. The sight was pretty funny: Naruto jumping, showing off his flat, tan stomach for everyone that passed, and Sasuke and Shikamaru standing a few steps away, snickering.

Shikamaru bit his lip, trying not to laugh out loud. "I could do this all day."

Kiba agreed, until Gaara reached them with the not even half-filled cart and rolled his eyes at their stupidness. He walked up to the blonde, taking down the bottle and placing it in the cart.

"Oi, Chibi," the dog lover called out to Naruto. "How tall are you, really?" The blonde glared at him, before pouting and walking away with annoyed steps.

Yes, Kiba thought, shopping is fun. You always found new ways to annoy Naruto.

They followed their favourite blonde, Shikamaru's eyes never leaving the list as he read what they were buying as they reached the vegetable and fruit section. "Tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, carrots, apples ..." Shikamaru stopped. "Sasuke. Did you write these ones?" Shikamaru pointed at the following text. Sasuke nodded, smirking. "Of course you did."

"What did the teme write?" Naruto asked, as he placed a bag of tomatoes in the cart.

"Strawberries and nutmeg."

Kiba and Naruto looked at each other, confused. "What so special about some nuts and strawberries?" Kiba asked, not understanding why Shikamaru even cared about who had written it.

"They are both known to make you horny," Shikamaru said bluntly, earning a look from a elder man picking oranges. The lazy bum shrugged and then went to pick some nice strawberries. Gaara followed his example and went to find nutmeg, where ever those were placed.

"None of you need that!" Kiba yelled to Sasuke and Naruto. "You're going at it too much as it is!"

"Shut up, Kiba!" Naruto aimed a kick at the dog boy, who instead dodged and grabbed the blonde. They started a little fight, before Naruto slipped out of Kiba's grip and ran away.

"Damn blonde!" Kiba growled, before running after, starting a childish chase.

"... Why don't they just kill me?" Sasuke sighed; taking the cart Gaara had abandoned in his search for nutmeg and started to pick the other vegetables Shikamaru had read.

"Sasuke?"

His blood froze. Seriously, he could feel his blood freeze, turn into red ice. Did he dare to turn around? Slowly, he looked over his shoulder, seeing someone he didn't wish to see on a weekend, when he was free.

"Itachi."

"Are you here alone?" Itachi asked, sounding somewhat suspicious.

"No. Are you?" Sasuke could hear what an awkward conversation they were having, but they never met unless they were working. And Sasuke had always been pretty sure he would never meet his brother in a store, where foolish mortals were shopping.

"Actually, no."

"Itachi? Hi!"

Sasuke inwardly sighed in relief. Sometimes he just plain loved his boyfriend. Naruto ran up to them, his hair slightly ruffled from being chased and his cheeks a little rosy.

"How are you?" Naruto asked. It was a totally innocent, normal question. Why hadn't Sasuke had thought of that?

"I'm fine, thanks. I heard you got some of your work sold." Itachi said. Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. How come Itachi could have a (somewhat) normal conversation with anyone but him?

"Yeah. But the school gives the money away to charity." Naruto nodded. "But it's pretty cool to know someone has your work on their walls."

"I bet." Itachi's dark eyes turned to Kiba, who was standing next to Naruto. "Hello."

Kiba grinned. "Yo! I'm Inuzuka Kiba! You're Uchiha's brother? You look like a girl!"

Sasuke groaned, not bothering to hide it inwardly anymore. Itachi's eyebrow twitched. Naruto was trying to stifle his laughter.

"Itachi, he didn't mean it," Sasuke said. "He's mentally-"

"Don't bother, Sasuke," Itachi said, his voice filled with annoyance. "It appears your lovely boyfriend think I look like a girl too."

Naruto stopped laughing. "I don't, Itachi! You're really ... beautiful?"

Itachi arched a brow. "Nice try, Naruto. Now, I have to go. Unless someone else, I have a life to attend to. Call me, little brother," Itachi smirked at Sasuke, before walking away. Naruto had stopped laughing, and was now glaring at Kiba.

"You know you just bought yourself a one-way ticked to hell?" He asked the laughing brunette. "You do not call Uchihas girls."

"But you did!" Kiba accused. "Remember! In high school!"

"And see where that got me? Now I'm living with the bastard. Can't be any worse."

Sasuke thwacked the blonde's head, earning a mewl.

"Abusing your boyfriend, eh, Sasu-chan?"

They all looked up at a giant. Or at least, Naruto thought it was a giant. He couldn't be human with that sickly blue skin and those sharp teeth.

"Hello, Kisame. Itachi went that way." Sasuke pointed over his shoulder, wanting the muscular man away before Kiba pissed his pants.

"Thanks," the man grunted. "I'll see you around, kiddo."

Sasuke watched the man walk away. "... Stupid fish-face."

"Who was that?" Shikamaru asked, coming back with Gaara, strawberries and nutmeg. He was ignored, but the lazy brunette didn't care much. He shrugged, put the items in the cart and they started walking again. "Oi, Sasuke, keep an eye on Naruto, will you? Remember what happened last time we left him alone with Kiba?"

Sasuke shivered, recalling last month's shopping with his roommates. It had involved a sugar-high Naruto, a pissed-off Kiba, a 'caution: wet floor'-sign and the store's manager.

Let's just say Sasuke had been furious and Gaara had wanted to sink through the ground while Shikamaru actually pretended not to know the other four.

After almost fifteen minutes they were proud to say that they were done with shopping. The cart was almost filled to the top with necessary stuff, unnecessary things and Kiba's favourite cookies. They helped packing while Sasuke paid with their money, and then faced their second problem.

Get all the bags to the other side of the parking lot. They found an easy answer to their problem. Using the cart. Gaara and Sasuke fought with keeping the cart going straight on the wet asphalt, while Shikamaru and Kiba got the harder task:

See so Naruto didn't get hit by a car when he was rambling about stuff-they-didn't-want-to-know. Naruto had made it an entire subject.

"That's lovely," Sasuke agreed and gripped Naruto's hand for the third time. The blonde always made gestures when he talked, even if he talked about stuff they didn't want to know, and he couldn't do that when his teme-boyfriend was taking his hand all the time.

"And you know what! Black! I know, I know. But it's true. It's not an ugly colour - it's just boring!" Naruto rambled.

"I totally agree," Sasuke nodded.

"You're not listening!"

"I am!" Sasuke defended himself, wondering where he had answered wrong. He actually had the back of his head filled with standard answers. Like 'hn,' 'true' and, his favourite, 'of course, baby'.

"You always wear black! I knew you weren't listening," Naruto pouted, almost walking out in front of a car. Luckily, Kiba grabbed his friend's jacket. "Oh. Thanks, Kiba."

"No problem, no problem," Kiba sighed. "... annoying little bitch ..."

"Excuse me?!" Naruto's eyes widened and he gaped at Kiba, who waved his hands and smiled innocently. "Sasuke! Did you hear what Kiba called me?!"

Sasuke nodded, gripping one side of the cart and helped Gaara pull it through a pool of dirty rain water and melt snow.

Naruto crossed his arms, watching Sasuke and Gaara pull the cart up to their car. "Aren't you going to do something, Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked up, and recognized the deadly sweet, innocent face Naruto was pulling off. It meant 'do as I say or no sex for a week'. "Of course. When he gets home, we'll lock him out and he can spend the night there."

Kiba gasped, knowing fully well that Sasuke was capable to do so. Naruto giggled, sticking his pink little tongue out.

"Stop teasing him," Shikamaru said, before pushing the blonde in the backseat.

"I'm driving!" Kiba said, not wanting to sit in the back with the dobe.

"Gaara's driving." Sasuke and Shikamaru said in chorus. "We don't want to die." The red-head smirked, before sitting behind the wheel to take them all home.

UAUAUA

When they got home, Naruto had become calm again, the sugar having escaped his body sometime during the ride home. He let Shikamaru, Gaara and Sasuke unpack all the things, leaving Kiba watching them, and himself walked to the bedroom.

He picked up the phone in there and dialled Kabuto's number. He had thought enough now and decided. He hadn't even told Sasuke about Orochimaru's suggestion, or the molesting. The thought of the cold hand palming his privates was still itched in the back of his head.

After a few signals, Naruto heard Kabuto's innocent, somewhat happy voice. "Hi, Kabuto. It's Naruto."

"Naruto-kun! How lovely. Have you decided, maybe?" Kabuto chirped.

"Actually, yes. I ... I thought about the offer and I think I'll accept. If I can work at home."

"Perfect!"

Naruto smiled, loving that he had made such a nice person as Kabuto happy. "So, what's the theme?"

"We want to present sexy clothes, though with the traditional colours red and white, do you think you can pull it off?"

"I think so." Naruto said, tapping a pen against the desk. "I guess it can't be too hard, ne? I'll just look at some porn movie with Christmas theme."

Kabuto laughed.

Naruto smiled again. "Don't worry. So I'll start the designs immediately, I'm free this weekend and I can work in school too, since it's for your competition."

Kabuto was silent for a while. "The competition was really meant for you, Naruto-kun, we wanted you to enter and win. But since we had to have a winner, you're going to have to work with another student. I hope you don't mind?"

"Who is it?" Naruto asked, curious.

"Her name is Tayuya, you probably know her."

Naruto frowned. "Oh. Well, Kabuto. Thank you. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Yes. Sleep well, Naruto-kun."

Naruto hung up, the frown not leaving his face.

Tayuya was a red-haired girl with dark eyes, and in fact - she scared him a little. Her personality was strong, just like most artists, and she had a strong-will. Not that it was bad, but the ways she used to get her way made his stomach curl. Violence wasn't his thing, really. Not that he had never punched someone or engaged in a fight; he couldn't remember how many times he had socked Sasuke for coming on to him when they were still in high school.

He smiled at the memories from back then, when they were still too young to understand their complicated feelings to each other. Well, Sasuke had understood his feelings quite well, realizing almost immediately that he wanted to sleep with his best friend, while Naruto had been too dense to realize he was in love with his bastard.

Snorting at himself he stood up to find Tonbo and play with the greyish kitten.

UAUAUA

Naruto groaned, throwing the paper in the garbage bin. He took another paper, tapping the pen against the desk impatiently. If he had known that inspiration wasn't going to hit him, he wouldn't have accepted Team Hebi's offer. He groaned again, throwing his head back.

"Are you masturbating? Without me?"

Naruto snapped his head toward the bed, where Sasuke was sitting, looking scandalized. His dark hair was ruffled and he didn't sit as straight as he usually did. Only Naruto was allowed to see the Uchiha like that; newly awake. It was cute.

"I'm not masturbating," Naruto deadpanned.

"Why else would you throw your head back and sound like you're having the time of your life?" Sasuke wondered, leaning forward, putting his arms on each knee to support.

Naruto wondered how Sasuke could do that: look so masculine with his legs spread and his eyes still not used to the light. He, Naruto himself, looked like a whore as soon as he spread his slim legs.

"I am not having the time of my life, bastard. I accepted Team Hebi's offer and here I am - trying to draw fashion. I mean, look at me!"

Sasuke looked at his blonde boyfriend. Sasuke's lip twitched. Sure, the dobe could draw and sew - but his fashion sense...

"I'm not meant to do this! Why did I say yes?" He moaned in annoyance.

"Oi," Sasuke snapped. "If you're going to moan, you're going to do it when I'm inside you."

Naruto glared. "Fuck you, teme."

"Mm." Sasuke smirked. "Come here and let me fuck you."

"No. I couldn't sleep last night because of this!" Naruto gestured toward the papers.

"I didn't notice."

Naruto growled. "You were asleep! Of course you wouldn't notice if I was awake or not!" He gripped the pen again and tapped it against the wooden desk. "I'm going crazy ... damn everything."

"Aww," Sasuke cooed, "is my little Naru-koi stressed?" He got up from the bed, ignoring the fact that he was naked, and got over to his dobe. He leaned down and placed a kiss on the blonde hair. "Want me to make you feel better?"

"Remind me that I'm buying you a pyjama in Christmas present."

Sasuke snorted. "You like seeing me naked, admit it." He smirked when he saw Naruto roll his eyes. His kisses travelled longer down, on the blonde's neck. He nibbled on the smooth skin, licking and sucking - leaving a mark. Admiring his artwork, he smiled softly.

Naruto looked at him, through the mirror that was in front of his desk. "I'm going to quote Kiba now." Naruto informed him, before smiling and quoting: "You're weird, Uchiha, just weird."

"Hn. You're friends again?" Sasuke asked, thinking of the yesterday's little fight at the parking lot.

"Yeah. I called him a mutt and then we were even."

"Mature, Naruto, really mature."

"I try."

To Be Continued

Next Chapter: It's war

Uchiha Sasuke starts a war. Naruto discover something about Shikamaru.

He hoped the bags under his eyes weren't visible - he had looked like a drug-addict when he left the apartment and could only hope that the fresh air outside had made miracles.