Lily: I'm on a writing extravaganza right now. partly because ff.net is down and i can't read anything *cries* ah well. don't let my excess of chapters deter you from R&Ring!
Phantom: we need all the motivation we can get!
Lily: if you can, please download these songs and play them while you listen to the respective chapters. if you need me to, i think i can e-mail them to you. my e-mail is
lily4day@yahoo.com

Aishiteru, Naruto
Chapter Three
Oh! Sweet Nothing

Sasuke blinked as the predawn sun filtered weakly into the living room. Good, it was only 5:00 AM. He hadn't overslept. He would get up, do his stretches, do 50 crunches, 50 pushups, do some target practice with his shuriken and then make breakfast. All before that slob, Naruto, was even conscious. A hissing sound reached Sasuke's ears. That was the same noise that the stove had made last night...

Sasuke could hardly believe his eyes. There was Naruto. Awake. Cooking breakfast. His hair was slicked back, wet from the shower and the ivory tips still dripped water on to his undershirt. Damn, he was hot... Sasuke mentally stabbed the voice in the back of his head. How could he allow him such a breach of his normal coldness? Sasuke was torn from his thoughts when Naruto said,
Morning, asshole! his voice was extremely cheerful. It was obvious that he had relinquished any sort of grudge from last night.

Sasuke was perplexed. How could Naruto have known he was awake? He hadn't moved in the bed and he hadn't yawned. There was no way the boy could have known.

What are you doing up so early? said Sasuke.
What about you? Naruto shot back.
Hmm, point taken. But still... why?
'Cause I always wake up this early. I already did 10 k run, 100 push ups, 100 sit ups, 100 back stretches, practiced my illusion jutsu and practiced with my shuriken and my ninja-to. I'll do it again tomorrow, cept with the kusari-gama and the kusari-fundo.

Naruto said all this as if it were perfectly normal. Sasuke tried not to look astonished, but the tiniest bit of surprise did manage to creep into his features. Sasuke had never realized how dedicated Naruto was, how hard he actually tried to be a good ninja.

Naruto set down breakfast with a ceramic sounding clank. Sasuke stood up, stretching his legs against the too small sweat pants. He sat down and glanced at the food on the table. Three crepes with yogurt, whip cream, blue berries and a glass of cranberry juice. (AN: mmm... my fave breakfast)
Not ramen? said Sasuke, skeptically.
Naruto obviously drooled at the mention of his favorite food, but he quickly wiped away the string of saliva that was hanging from his mouth.
said Naruto in a conversational tone, I, despite popular belief, don't eat it for every meal. Just lunch. I'm too poor for it every meal.
How do you buy food and clothes? asked Sasuke through a mouthful of yummy crepe.
I take shinobi jobs on my own time. Not big ones, just the finding lost cats, that kind.
Sasuke digested this information along with his food. Naruto picked up their empty plates and plunked them into the sink.
he said avidly, let's get dressed and then we'll go to the market. Sakura told me that hentai-sensei canceled today's classes.

Naruto sprinted to his room and came back dressed and holding a spare pare of clothes for Sasuke. Sasuke wordlessly accepted the clothes and stripped down to his boxers before he turned to Naruto, who was still standing there.
said Sasuke.
Um... Oh! Oh, nothing. said Naruto haltingly and he quickly left to get his keys and wallet, but not before Sasuke had spotted the twin pink blotches on his cheeks and the admiring look in his eyes. Sasuke, for the second time that day, mentally stabbed himself. Silly, you were imagining that because you're in lo- no. No I'm not. I wasn't going to think that. Sasuke blushed and pulled on the clothes.

Sasuke was wearing Naruto's only pair of black pants,(Naruto knew that Sasuke would never wear anything orange.) a gray t-shirt and his Hitai-Ate headband. Sasuke breathed in deeply. These clothes... they smelled like Naruto. Spicy, something thick, like an animal, and musty. An oddly pleasing smell.

Naruto came bounding out of his room, his pale hair half dried and began to flare outwards.
C' mon, Sasuke! I don't got all day, let's hit the market!

In his haste to go out, Naruto grabbed Sasuke's wrist and pulled him to the window, laughing as they leapt out of it, landing on the dusty ground in the summer haze.


Kakashi sighed happily and reached over the sleeping Iruka to pick up his cloth mask.
said Iruka with his eyes still closed, while you were sleeping I told Sakura to go tell Sasuke and Naruto that there were no classes today. So, you shall be keeping that mask off and your butt in bed.
kakashi laughed, I have been thwarted.
said Iruka seriously, I never really get why you wear that mask.
Kakashi sighed, I wear it because of my face,
There is absolutely nothing wrong with your face! Hell, I ought to know. I've kissed it, haven't I? Your face is absolutely-
finished Kakashi, that's the problem. I'm pretty, not ruggedly handsome like guys are supposed to be, like you, Iruka.
At this iruka made a slight grumble,
I know, I know, continued Kakashi, but it is so hard to be taken seriously when people are looking at you and thinking, Wow, he's pretty. Almost girl-pretty.' It's sort of like the problem that Sasuke has. So, I decided that I wouldn't show my face, simple as that. People see a pretty face and a talented shinobi, nothing else, no personality. Kakashi thought for a moment, Plus, the mask makes me look sexy, if I do say so myself.
Ahh! I knew it! I knew this would have something to do with your looking attractive! laughed Iruka as he hit Kakashi over the head with a pillow.


Sasuke was stunned by the sheer energy that coursed through Naruto. He almost laughed at the thought of what was going to happen when Naruto inflicted this unwavering excitement on the merchants.
said Naruto, clothes first cause they're boring!
He headed for a small stall with secondhand clothes. Sasuke balked slightly.
Why are we going there? he asked.
It's cheap and the clothes ain't bad. I mean really, now that your big house is gone, well I don't know about your money, but I figure it's better not to spend too much.

Naruto did have a point thought Sasuke as he walked toward the canvas covered booth.
Take your pick, said Naruto, giving Sasuke his slightly manic grin.
Sasuke sifted through the racks. He pulled out two pairs of black shorts, a few white undershirts, some plain boxers, one of his trade mark high-collared shirts and three black t-shirts.

Sasuke hauled them up to the counter and was about to pay for them when Naruto sprang up beside him and turned angrily to the merchant.
You're charging eight dollars for these pants? Feh, they're not worth four, I mean, look at these frayed edges and the hems are practically ripped! These shirts are nearly rags! Are you trying to pull something here?

Naruto's voice, as usual, was loud, causing passers by to glance at him and several people turned away from the booth. The merchant gave a pleading smile.
I'll give the lot to you half off if you just be quiet.

Naruto walked away triumphantly.
Here you go, he said as he handed the bag of clothes over to Sasuke.
said Sasuke, you are good at something,
Yeah. You have to be good at haggling. I've been doing it forever. Merchants are bastards, they'll fleece you if they can.

Naruto's mention that he had been doing this forever reminded Sasuke of what he had said last night when he had insulted Naruto's parents. You don't know anything. He wondered what Naruto meant by that. Who were Naruto's parents?

Hey, Sasuke?
Mm, what?
Do you need to buy anything else?

Ok, good. I need a few things. Food n stuff...
Fine. Where are we going?
This way.

Naruto headed towards the section more populated with food vendors. He bought some instant ramen, rice balls, pork buns, chicken buns, rice, milk and a few cans of frozen juice concentrate. There were just about to go when Naruto realized he had one last thing to buy.
Yeah, I got to pick something up for Tsuyoshi.

Naruto turned into a cool and shady alleyway, leading Sasuke into a dark little store on the side. Sasuke glanced around, it was cool in here and the walls were lined with-
Naruto, are you buying sake?
Yeah, no biggie.
You're underage.
The store owner knows me.

Naruto selected a frosted, blue bottle nearly is big as his forearm and took it up to the counter. A fat balding man sat behind the counter, he smiled at the sight of Naruto.
Hey, hey. Kitsune-no-ko, how are you?
I'm good, Tora. Just picking up my usual for Tsuyoshi. said Naruto cheerfully.
Still not coming out of the apartment? Well you tell the ol spacer to get down here and see me.
Naruto paid for the sake and Tora handed him a small can of beer with a wink,
On the house, Kitsune-no-ko.


Sasuke and Naruto left the shop. Sasuke glanced at Naruto. Naruto had pulled the beer can from out of a bag and was now pulling back the tab with his teeth. The tab came off with a hiss and some froth got on Naruto's cheek. Naruto poked his pink tongue out, catching the froth on it's tip. Naruto took a shallow swig from the can and wordlessly handed it to Sasuke. Sasuke looked at it for a moment before taking a drink out of it. Beer always had such an indescribably different. You can't really know what it tastes like unless you taste it.

Naruto turned to Sasuke.
We'll drop this stuff off at my place, take the sake to Tsuyoshi and then we can go to the bath house.
Why would we want to go to the bath house when you have a shower at your apartment? said Sasuke, sounding slightly perplexed.
Tsuyoshi broke the water heater. said Naruto. Plus,' he said to himself, then I can see you with no clothes, Sasuke!' Naruto stopped dead in his tracks. I did not just think that. And I did not ogle Sasuke this morning when he was changing clothes. No way. I am not a queer.
Naruto? Thinking? I know it can be hard, but that's no reason to stop-
Shut up, asshole.

Success! He paid attention.

The two boys hauled themselves up the rope ladder, precariously balancing the bags. Naruto plunked the bags down, putting the things in eminent danger of being spoiled into the fridge. He pulled out the bottle of sake and headed towards the third door, Sasuke following him. Naruto turned back to Sasuke.
You don't have to come.
said Sasuke, not giving Naruto any indication whether or not he wanted to come.

Naruto pushed the door inwards, revealing a dimly lit apartment with clothes and other items of daily use strewn all around.
yowled Naruto.
Fkzzy? Zzzat yew? came a highly muffled voice.
Yeah, it's me.

What Sasuke had presumed to be another lump of clothing on the couch, began to move. The lump slowly heaved itself up until Sasuke could tell that it was a young woman, maybe in her thirties. She had unruly , curly black hair that fell all over, almost obscuring the Hitai-Ate leaf band that completely covered her eyes. She wore only a short kimono top with a sakura blossom pattern and a pair of pink panties.
Yew gim my sake, Fkzzy?
Yeah, yeah. I got it. Naruto handed her the bottle. Tsuyoshi unscrewed the cap and took a drink straight out of the bottle.
Tora says to come down.


Whoo's yer frin, Fkzzy?
He's not my friend, said Naruto coldly, inadvertently making Sasuke flinch, His name's Uchiha Sasuke.
Uchihah?! Y'mean th ahysshole y' were telim me a' out?
Yeah, that one. His house burned down, so he has to stay with me.
Myaeah. Goo' luhk. M' try tah fis dam wahtr heetr. Din wark
Aww, too bad. Thanks for tryin' though.

Naruto turned to leave and Sasuke began to follow him, when Tsuyoshi grabbed his arm. She breathed heavily, her rancid yet strangely sweet breath spilling over his face. Tsuyoshi leaned over and whispered in Sasuke's ear,
Dohn yew worrah. Fkzzy lahk yew. Ah cahn teyl. Yew win im, yew see. She gave him a small smile before releasing him.

Sasuke hurried to catch up with Naruto. When they were back in Naruto's apartment, gathering their stuff for the bath, Sasuke turned to Naruto,
What happened to Tsuyoshi? he asked, honestly curious. Naruto looked rather sad as he answered Sasuke.
She took a shinobi assignment, chasing down some stalker. She was tailing the guy when all of a sudden he throws a bomb at her. Blew out most her teeth out and blinded her, she's lucky she didn't die. She's been so depressed by it that she won't come out of her apartment. Tsuyoshi never found out who the guy was, any way.
Oh. Well, why did she call you, what was it, Fkzzy?
Oh, that, said Naruto with a nervous laugh, that's how she says foxy.
So, why does she call you-
C' mon we better get to the bath house. Naruto to the window and vaulted out of it.

Sasuke stared confusedly at the bare window sill. Tsuyoshi called him Foxy and Tora had called him Kitsune-no-ko, Fox-child. He wondered why that was... and what Tsuyoshi had meant by those last words in her apartment. As usual, Sasuke's thoughts were interrupted by Naruto.
Hey! Hurry up, I don't want to leave you in my house on your own. God knows what you'd do...
Sasuke sighed and hopped over the window sill.


Lily: awww cute. here's the deal, i don't post a new chapter until i get a review on my latest chapter. deal? yes? good. so get down to some reviewing!