Warning: Slash/ Yaoi/ Shonen ai

Pairings: It will be Itanaru, a bit of Sasunaru (NaruSasu?)

Disclaim: I don't own it…but I think most people get the point by now…

N.B: Naruto and Sasuke are both 22 in this story, due to the fact I dislike OC's there won't be any in this story unless necessary, I think there will only be one slightly OC character in this story (Kyuubi)...

Notes:

"Blah" Talking

'Blah' Thinking

Blah Kyuubi's memories

Akatsuki - the organisation Itachi belongs to...

Tsukiyomi - That genjutsu Itachi did to Kakashi and Sasuke in the manga series...

(p.s. lots of moaning at the end of this, so skip if you want to...lol)

Chapter X – The ANBU test

The day was bright, another hot summer morning.

It has been two days already since Sasuke fainted and their little talk.

However this wasn't what Naruto was focusing on, at least not today. Sasuke is the least of his problem right now.

Naruto went through his mental checklist.

-Kyuubi is with Jiraya and they will come and watch him today.

Ok, done.

Yea sure he has a short list, but he's quite sure that he doesn't need to worry about the exam. To be honest he doesn't know what's in this exam, but he guessed it would be something to do with finding someone. Probably an S-rank criminal or something.

Naruto made his way out of the house and he saw Neji coming out from next door. They haven't really talked since the first night. Naruto had been busy...

He waved at Neji and walked towards the young man. Neji's hair is still long and he still had that air of elegance around him that Naruto couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Hey, where are you going?" Naruto grinned broadly at Neji who smiled back. Naruto again noted the difference in the young man 'the old Neji would never smile...'

"The same place where you are going." The Hokage had told them to go to Naruto's test today although she did not reveal what test it is.

"Oh yea, you are a Jounin aren't you?"

Neji nodded and they made their way towards the large stadium situated in the middle of Konoha next to the Hokage tower.

Naruto looked at Neji. 'He is so much like Itachi...long black hair and everything...'

As they approached the stadium Neji and Naruto parted in their ways. Neji had to go to the especially reserved sits near the Hokage.

Naruto went backstage to find Tsuande so that she could tell him what mission he has o carry out today in order to join the ANBU.

"Hey brat, I thought you'll never turn up!"

Naruto looked at the woman in front of him and flashed a massive grin "Well well aren't we a little steamy today, are we on our PMS?"

Naruto turned to Kakashi who is standing next to Tsunade, still holding that book. It still creeps him out that his teacher- in his mid 30s, is still reading that book.

Tsunade looks like she is about to blow, until Kakashi gently tapped her on the shoulder "Remember how to deal with Naruto- breath breath breath."

"Why you!"

"Anyway brat" Tsunade successfully cut Naruto off with her sentence, she felt herself calming down a little "Your test today is to get hold of your future ANBU team mate's badge to prove that you are capable of protecting the team..."

"...Or at least not dragging them down." She added evilly.

"Get the badges of the people as follows Nara Shikamaru, Aburame Shino, Rock Lee, and Haruno Sakura. Kiba is currently in the hospital and Hinata won't let us disturb him..." Kakashi laughed nervously as he remembered the well mannered Hinata shouting at him when he suggested Kiba to take part... it's always the quiet ones isn't it...

"Anyway, you have a day... but first you have to go out and do some simple tricks created only to embarrass you and entertain the crowds."

Tsunade smirked evilly at Naruto as she saw the young man glare at her with his crystal blue eyes. 'Muwahaha, now it's my turn to shine and you turn to suffer.'

Naruto slowly edged away as Tsunade spoke her mind by accident... 'She is definitely on her PSM'

As Naruto entered the stadium he felt like an animal put on show... So many people cheering, whispering and laughing.

He mentally prepared himself as he felt the unpleasant memories from his childhood in Konoha come back. 'Don't let them get to you...'

He started to feel dizzy as the noises got louder, he tried to ignore the feeling by concentrating on his first task. He walked over to the arrows and bows. His first task is shooting.

He tried to ignore the commentator behind him...

Naruto took out an arrow and placed it onto his bow. 'I can't see...'

Bright light behind the target prevented Naruto from seeing or was it just one of the symptoms.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on the other senses, the whispers got louder as laughter died away, Naruto realised that the commentator has finally finished and now everyone is watching him.

It was not long before his hearing shut down...the whispers got louder as he just stood and did nothing. Some people in the audience are getting impatient.

"I have to do this. I promised!" Naruto released a ray of chakra and felt it bouncing back from the target and he released the arrow. He quickly took out another five arrows and released them at once.

Naruto opened his eyes as the whispers died away he felt relieved to see all six arrows on the middle of the target. The silence soon stopped as laughter and clapping broke out from the audience.

Naruto grinned widely 'this feels good...'

The other things were easy as Naruto got over his stage fright.

The Crowd was cheering and laughing.

When the entertainment was over it was already noon. Most people left for their lunch and Naruto was about to begin his real test - get the badges...and face his former friends...

Author's Notes

I'm sorry that this update is so late... school is really busy and everything is just going downhill...

Neji is in this time, even though only for a little bit... I thought I can't just continue to ignore reviewers...lol

Oh well enough with the moaning, here is another chapter...

I don't usually ask for much, but could people review please... it really keep me going at a difficult/busy time like this... the review number plumped down last time. I don't even know what I did wrong (I'm sorry...)

And as I'm taking so many A-level right now I wouldn't have time to reply the reviews everytime, sorry I'll update the replies every 3 chappies or so...