Naruto dropped his bag at the door, placed his flute case on the closet shelf carefully then stomped off to the hidden bar fridge located under the room's television. He was still pissed at the thought of the executive director demanding that he duet with someone. 'How dare she! She knew how much he detested doing duets! He worked his ass off to be solo, so he would never have to deal with egotistic self centered people again!'
Naruto noisily slammed open the bar fridge door, grabbing an airplane bottle of Jack Daniels and took a large swig. He hissed when his eyes watered at the burn that went down his throat. He knew he shouldn't be drinking when he's pissed, but damn it felt good. He finished off the tiny bottle, grabbed another one and took it to the small armchair in the corner.
Grabbing his laptop, he checked his emails, his blog and then the David Geffen Hall website. He looked at his allotted schedule to see the change. To his surprise, there was no mention of an Uzumaki duet, nothing had changed yet and he silently hoped that his agent expressed to the executive director how he was not going to do a duet, no matter what his contract said. He took another swig from the small bottle, letting out a loud 'ahh' and leaning back against the couch. He could swear he felt a headache coming on. He decided that a hot shower was needed and a good night's sleep. Tossing the empty bottle on the floor and headed for the shower.
After his shower, Naruto found himself feeling much better, more relaxed and hungry. Slipping into a loose pair of gray sweats, he made his way to the bar fridge to grab a sandwich, since he picked up a Subway sandwich earlier to save, knowing he would most likely get at it later. Turning on the flatscreen to the local gossip channel, he began to eat and take in the latest gossip before turning to something else. He always enjoyed hearing about celebrities for some reason, their lives seemed way out in left field compared to his.
"And don't forget that Uzumaki-san will be playing at the David Geffen Hall this weekend for three shows! There are still tickets available on the third night but they are going fast!" The host announced on the show with a giggle in her voice.
"The young flutist has certainly made himself known worldwide and it is a pleasure that he is playing in our state! I can't wait to see him live!" The other host squealed out in response.
"Do you think Uzumaki-san is still single? After that last incident with that stalker fan, I don't know if Uzumaki-san will date anyone for a long time!" The host shook her head sadly with exaggeration.
"Well, I'm available if he's interested!" The other host called out with a smile and a wink. "All he has to do is call the station and-"
Naruto changed the channel.
==x00x00x00x00x00x==
The next morning Naruto was jogging along one of the many paths through central park. The morning was feeling brisk as the sun began to climb into the sky, Naruto wore a gray hoodie, the hood covering his sunshine locks and he had his airpods filling his ears with rock music. His feet thumped upon the asphalt path, sending welcoming vibrations up through his legs and into his ass. He loved the feeling of running. Call him weird or whatever, but the sensations gave him a freeing, fleeting feeling that he could just keep going forever. He listened to hard rock music when he ran, the pounding beat seemed to complete the consistent beat of his feet hitting the asphalt, creating a serene feeling within him.
Coming to the end of his final distance, he began to slow to a fast run, getting his muscles to start cooling down after a vigorous run. Sweat was on his back, neck and everywhere else, but Naruto kept his muscles moving to a slower pace. He knew the dangers of not cooling down properly. When he slowed to a walk, he pulled his small backpack around to his front, wanting to pull out his water bottle. Taking his eyes off his destination and into the pack, he didn't see the sudden turn of the path and walked straight into a bench.
"What the-!" Naruto yelled out as his legs painfully met with the wood beams, the force of gravity causing his torso to fall forward, and though Naruto tried to catch himself, his arms got caught in his mini backpack straps, therefore leaving him victim to gravity. "Ahh!" Naruto called out as he closed his eyes.
Surprisingly, Naruto felt his fall cushioned by a warm pillow. Though the front of his legs stung that made his eyes water, he was thankful that only a small part of him was hurt. He lifted his head slowly when he heard a deep groan of discomfort.
Blue eyes met up with narrowed black pools, almond shaped eyes and a frown on red lips. Blinking quickly to clear up the tears in his eyes, he found the face striking a familiar cord in his memory. Scrambling backwards to his feet, he found his hands landing on areas all over the dark haired man as he tried to get up and blushed with heat at every wrong touch. "Oh my god...I'm sorry. God..I-I'm, hold on-oh my-I'm trying," the blond sputtered out words at each touch as he tried to get off the black haired man.
" !" The man bellowed out and struggled to push the blond off his body. He had been sitting on the bench, enjoying the morning sun and air, reading a book when suddenly a blond moron attempted to make him into a human pancake on the park bench. His breath was stolen from him as the huge body slammed into his chest and abdomen, his eyes squeezed shut with tears threatening to spill.
"Holy fuck, I'm trying! Quit squirming and let me get up!" Naruto wiggled about, trying to get a grip on something solid, that wasn't the man currently underneath him, to help him get up. Finally with a shove, Naruto found himself landing on his ass, hard, and looking up at a scowling dark eyed man. "Hey! What the hell asshole!" Naruto spit out in frustration while throwing a glare at the man.
"Clumsy idiot," the black haired man mumbled out angrily, while rubbing his chest and pulling himself back up into a sitting position. He looked down at the sputtering blond on the ground and scoffed while rolling his eyes. "Of course it had to be you. Certainly doesn't surprise me that you can't walk without training wheels." He moved to the side of the bench and stood up, brushing off his pant legs.
Naruto sputtered out words as his anger rose to the surface. 'How dare this asshole! He's such a prick!' He growled out while grabbing a hold of the bench to pull himself up off the ground. He quickly stood up to the dark haired man, his blue eyes blazing. "It was an accident you-you prick! I said I was sorry!"
Dark eyes matched blue, the black eyes didn't back down and appeared to dare the blond to make a move. Naruto didn't move, his nostrils flaring while he held the dark eyes in his own gaze, his breath pushing through his clenched teeth. Both men just stood at the bench, glaring daggers at each other. And this is where Itachi found them.
"Naruto-san? Otouto?" Itachi walked up to the two men, a to-go coffee cup in each hand. He looked between the two heads, who were too caught up in each other to even notice that he was there. He smirked for a moment, before quickly slipping the one coffee cup into his other arm and grabbing his phone from his pocket. He held up his cell phone and snapped a picture of the two men quickly before slipping it back into his pocket. "Good to see you again Naruto-san," Itachi spoke up loudly to break the tension between the two.
Naruto flicked his head towards the voice, his eyes softening immediately when he saw the man there who was giving him a small smile and kindness in his eyes. "Oh, good morning Itachi-san!" Naruto gave the elder man a bright grin. "It's good to see you again!"
Itachi glanced at Sasuke who looked at him surprised before turning his face into a glare in response. Itachi just inwardly scoffed at this little brother's antics. Itachi turned his attention back to the bubbly blond, who had flushed cheeks and a sparkle in his eyes. "I was just out for my run when I had a little bit of a -heh-accident." His eyes looked away in embarrassment and a hand rubbed the back of his neck.
Itachi snickered slightly when he noticed Sasuke flick a glare at the blond. "Well, are you alright Naruto-san? Can I help you with anything?" Itachi took a step closer to the blond, concern etched in his eyes.
"A-ah no Itachi-san, thanks b-but I'm good!" Naruto stuttered out, his nervousness rising to the surface when he held up his hands, shaking them back and forth. "B-but I'm not sure about-" Naruto thumbed a gesture towards Sasuke. "He may have got something lodged up his ass…" Naruto started snickering and Itachi gave a chuckle in response.
A growl came from Sasuke as he glared at the two men standing there.
"I'm sure my otouto isn't hurt. I brought your coffee," Itachi handed out the coffee cup towards Sasuke. Sasuke scowled in response when he took the cup and Itachi tsked at him.
Naruto slowed down his snickering and wiped his eyes. "Seriously though, I'm sorry for not paying attention, falling down on you and I do hope that you are okay." Naruto gave Sasuke a serious look.
"Hn," Sasuke responded with a huff and hid behind his coffee cup.
Naruto rolled his eyes and looked at Itachi. He broke into a smile when he faced Itachi, holding out his hand. "It was good seeing you again Itachi-san."
Itachi grasped the blond's hand, giving a firm shake. "Likewise Naruto-san."
Naruto gave a two finger salute to the pair of brothers and turned down the path, tucking his airpods back into his ears and drinking from his water bottle in a brisk walk. Two sets of dark eyes watched his descent.
==intermission==
Naruto rubbed the towel over this hair vigorously while walking out of the hotel washroom wearing deep blue jeans and orange tank top. He felt refreshed after his run and shower and was ready to get something to eat. His stomach grumbled and gurgled, making it known that the orange and water he had so far this morning was not enough. Dropping the towel on a chair, he checked the bar fridge and scrunched up his nose. There was nothing left in there, other than an apple and a take out container from...he couldn't remember. Grabbing his zip up sweater, his bag and keys, he slipped his shoes on and headed out his door.
Finding a quaint lunch shop, he found a quiet corner and checked over the menu. Deciding on what he wanted, he placed his order and then pulled out his phone to browse while waiting for his order.
"Are you following me Naruto-san?" a deep voice resonated through the air.
Naruto gasped and looked up, recognizing that voice immediately. "Itachi-san!" Naruto beamed a smile. "How do I know you aren't following me!" he chuckled in response. "Are you here for lunch? Would you like to join me?" Naruto waved his arm across the table, noting the empty bench seat.
Itachi chuckled out at the blond's response but nodded his head. "It turns out that yes, we are out for lunch and I would appreciate joining you but Sasuke is with me though, we could not intrude."
Naruto tilted his head and gave Itachi a confused look. "Sasuke?"
"Oh, forgive me for being so rude. My otouto, Sasuke," Itachi nodded to the side just when Sasuke stepped up. Sasuke's dark almond shaped eyes glanced down at the blond, widening just slightly to show his surprise but immediately hid that emotion behind a stoic face.
Naruto's mouth fell open in shock. Of course the stuck up handsome dark haired demigod was Itachi's little brother. Made sense since Itachi was with him each time he ran into the man.
"I found us a table niisan," Sasuke murmured to Itachi, giving Naruto a glance of indifference.
Itachi nodded and gave a soft smile to the blue eyed man. "It was good seeing you again Naruto-san." He turned and followed Sasuke. Naruto just slowly nodded his head, his eyes watching the gorgeous men walk to another table. Shaking his head clear when the server brought his meal, he gave his thanks and began to eat. Shortly after finishing and ordering a coffee, Naruto pulled his bag onto the table, pulling out the several music sheets. As always, he wanted to review his set while relaxing after a satisfying meal and coffee.
Flipping through the sheets, he separated each set before going through his own personal music sheets. Counting through them, he stopped suddenly, dropping the pages that were in his hand on the table he grabbed his bag and began shuffling through it. His hand ran through all the areas in his bag, which wasn't a lot, and blue eyes widened finding that the bag was indeed empty. "What the fu-" Naruto drew a hand through his hair, his eyes flickering around as he tried to think about where his missing sheets were. His hands clenched tight and he felt this frustration rise. "How could I be such an idiot!" he hissed out to himself. He thought about where they could be, trying to calm his nerves. He wouldn't find his missing sheets if he was all frustrated and not thinking clearly. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he cupped his hot coffee and took several breaths. "The sound room," he whispered out suddenly. Throwing all his sheets into his bag, he finished the rest of his coffee quickly and slid out of the booth. Hoisting his bag over his shoulder, he grabbed his phone, swiping a name quickly and held it to his ear as he made a beeline for the door.
Sasuke eyed the hurrying blond from his peripheral vision, he watched the attractive body make his way hastily through the bodies and out the door.
"See something of interest otouto?" Itachi hummed out in a teasing voice.
"Shut it Itachi," Sasuke retorted with a snort as he stuck a fork into his breakfast.
Itachi hummed out a snicker as he took a sip of his coffee. "I like Naruto-san, he's very vibrant. It's quite refreshing no?" He smirked at Sasuke.
"Hn," was all Sasuke could say. He would never admit that the blond certainly looked attractive, with those deep blue eyes, that cinnamon coloured skin, those light marks on his cheeks that had him look like a cute furry animal with thick blond hair. Sasuke was finding himself wanting to run his fingers through those thick locks to see if they were really as silky as they appeared. Was his skin as smooth and tantalizing in taste as it appeared?
Itachi watched with a smirk as Sasuke appeared to zone out suddenly. Itachi wondered about the handsome young man as well. Who was he really? What did he do? Where did he live? Itachi pulled up his coffee to his lips and just watched Sasuke continue to dwell on his thoughts.
Naruto slammed open the door to the sound room that he was in the night before. Throwing his bag onto the table, he began to run about the small room, looking under the table, in the corners, around the stands, leaving no area of the floor untouched. But the sound room was actually quite small, with just a few music stands, a couple chairs, a table and the windows that looked outside. A waste basket stood lonely in the corner and Naruto found himself kicking the small bucket because it was empty. "FUCK!" Naruto pulled at his hair. His notes had to be somewhere! He pulled out his phone again, swiping at the screen and waited for the other person to answer.
"They aren't here! Tell me who else to talk to about them!" Naruto yelled into the phone.
'Uzumaki-san I'm sorry! I called the executive director about it, and she said that you could ask the custodian. She can call the administrative offices to see who was in the room the night before and get back to me! I'm sorry Uzumaki-san!" His agent apologized profusely through the other line.
"Oh for fucks-" Naruto pulled his hair again. He took several breaths as he paced the room, listening to his agent continue to rant out apologies and promises of better ideas through the phone. "Look," he sighed out. "I'm sorry I got so crazy, it's just that score was-it meant a lot," Naruto sounded apologetic. "I'll ask around here while I'm here before I me when you hear something." He hung up, shoving the phone in his back pocket. Sitting down at the only table, he pulled out his notebook and a pencil. The song had been going on in his head for so long, he knew he would be able to write most of it back down, but any changes that he penciled in here and there recently may be lost, unless he found his sheets. He sighed out loudly and started writing.
After sometime, Naruto came back into the room, his face fallen into a sad tired look. He had gone around the hall, looking for the cleaning department. The people he had spoken to had said any papers that were left behind were considered recycled material and shoved in those containers. Of course the trucks had come that day and emptied the recycling materials already. Naruto felt defeated and depressed. The day felt like a total bust to him and he had barely practiced any of his sets. His time on stage was a few days away, he felt pretty confident that he had perfected it but the whole situation of his lost notes left him feeling low. He looked at his flute case, still confined inside and he decided to at least get an hour or so in of practice to calm his nerves. Pulling it open, he assembled it and began to prep for practice.
Sasuke wandered through the hallway, finding the room he was to practice his set in when the haunting sounds flowed through the hall. He stopped and listened, determining that someone hadn't shut their door the entire way thus music was leaking into the hallway. Usually he would shake his head in irritation at someone's inability to ensure they were prepared to practice but the music vibrated through his skin, causing goosebumps to rise. Whoever was playing was hurting, and the pain sounded through the music so deeply that shook Sasuke's core. Who was that? Who was in so much distress, that the effects echoed through the walls so thick, that Sasuke actually felt the sadness rise behind his eyes. Walking softly, he followed the sounds to determine where it was coming from.
His eyes widened in surprise as he peeked through the window of the slightly open door. He could only see the back of the man's head, but the colour of hair and the way his jeans hugged those legs, showing off those assets, Sasuke knew exactly who the man was. Naruto's body swayed with the sounds that released from the flute that was pressed to his lips, his head was tilted in a way that held a lot of pain and Sasuke's heart clenched suddenly. What could that blond be going through that caused him this much distress? The music stopped suddenly and Sasuke swore he heard a sniffle escape the blond man's lips. Suddenly feeling intrusive on a private moment, Sasuke stepped back from the slightly open door and turned on his heel, heading down the hallway.
Sasuke set up in a sound room, somewhere deep in the David Geffen Hall, a different location than where he had seen Naruto. He tried to focus on his music, warming up his limbs and instrument, as he always did but his thoughts often strayed to the blond's sadness. His heart clenched as he remembered the sounds, the motions and then the unmistakable sounds of crying. Why he cared, he didn't know. It wasn't like him to be so intune with others around him. He shook his head, trying to clear it and straighten up his music sheets to start his practice.
Naruto finished packing up, he was emotionally exhausted and was beginning to feel it. He tucked everything into his bag, had his flute case and decided to go and check with the custodians one more time. He would also ask any other staff about the room, because you never know, someone may have picked them up and turned them in. Taking a shuddering breath in, he shrugged the strap over his shoulder and headed out.
Turning down some random halls, he then heard the sound. It was incredibly faint, but because the hall was so empty, lacking people and random hustle and bustle, he was able to hear someone practicing in a sound room. This was normal for most places, at first Naruto paid no mind to it. It wasn't until the sounds started pulsating through chest, and started to echo through his mind, leaving marks of excitement in its wake. He stopped walking and just stood there, allowing the waves to wash over him, leaving goosebumps in its wake. His body shuddered and Naruto turned his head, looking for where the music was coming from. It had been a long time since a melodic sound had him stopping and felt the yearning to find its source.
Finding a blue door, where the sounds were coming from, Naruto peered through the small window. He squinted his eyes to focus on the form that was rocking back and forth, an arm pushing and pulling the bow across the strings of a violin like a dance. The form had long thick black hair that fell just at the shoulders. Naruto watched in awe as the form moved gracefully with the flow of song that came from the violin. It had been a long time since Naruto had seen such passion coming from an artist, this man, was-was...Naruto was at a loss for words in explaining the piece of art that was behind the closed door.
"Incredible isn't he?" a deep voice broke through Naruto's concentration that caused him to stumble back.
Naruto's eyes fell open wide when he saw who was speaking to him. "Itachi-san! Holy…" Naruto's words faded off, his mind in shock at the man before him.
Itachi nodded and gave Naruto a hum. "Yes, it's me. I see you found Sasuke." Itachi tilted his head in the direction of the room, his brother still playing gracefully.
"Shit! That's your brother?" Naruto hissed out in a loud whisper, not wanting to disturb anyone. "H-He's marvelous," he added, looking through the window again at the dark haired musician.
"Hn, he does very well." Itachi gave a proud look at Sasuke. "What brings you by Naruto-san?" Itachi calmly asked the glossy eyed blond.
Naruto tore his eyes away from the siren that lay beyond the window and saw Itachi looking at him curiously. "O-oh.. well I was looking for something and I just happened to hear the heavenly sounds, so I needed to check it out. I hope I'm not intruding?" Nervousness laced his voice, his eyebrows rose in question.
Itachi chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Heaven's no. Sasuke is doing his regular practice. Why don't you join us afterwards for dinner? It must be fate with us meeting up this many times in the past couple days." He held his hand out as an invite.
"Oh-well, umm…" Naruto brought his hand up to the back of his head, scratching at it nervously.
Sensing his nervousness, Itachi added quickly, "it's alright Naruto-san, it was just a suggestion. It was good to see you again." He gave a kind smile.
"Heh...yeah, umm…" Naruto turned back to look at the raven haired man who was now playing a classical piece Naruto was familiar with. Naruto found himself lost in the sounds again, his words leaving him and nothing but music filled his mind. His eyes just watched the movement of the man behind the violin, the hypnotising notes making him feel trapped in a whirlpool. Itachi's movement broke him from the spell. "Oh, umm...yeah Itachi-san, I will take you up on that dinner, that is if-if it's still…"
"Of course Naruto-san. Here is my number, text me yours and I'll let you know when we are ready." Itachi handed him his business card, his private number written on the back. "See you soon Naruto-san," Itachi winked as he quietly opened the door.
Naruto stepped back, watching as Itachi slipped into the sound room and Naruto was instantly hit with the music, loudly, without the barrier of the door. He closed his eyes as the waves of sounds crashed into him over and over, leaving a wake of goosebumps. Then it was over. Sasuke had stopped when Itachi had closed the door. Naruto breathed out a shudder. "H-holy fuck…" he whispered when he ran a hand through his hair. Remembering what he was doing, he turned on his heel and headed down the hallway. He couldn't keep the smile from showing on his face though.