Last chapter someone asked me what slash is. Slash is the equivalent of shounen ai and yaoi. It's the termused in non-anime fiction. Such as Harry Potter or original fiction on fictionpress! Hope that cleared that up for you!

Disclaimer: So, because Kisame is such a wonderful… person…(cough) shark-man (cough) I now have a right kidney, albeit a shark-man's right kidney. The doctor said it will work just fine and if I'm going to lose any more organs I should aim to lose my appendix (apparently it's the least needed.) So, here goes nothing…I own nothing! (Loses left kneecap)

…er…

(Collapses)

Medic!

Summary: There's a fine line between Rival and Friend and an even finer line between Friend and Lover. Sasuke refuses to cross any of these lines with Naruto, but fate seems to have it in for him. School fic NaruSasu

Warnings: Slash/Shounen Ai/Yaoi, occasional swearing and, knowing me, some eventual angst. I promise I'll try to make this my first humour fic! WISH ME LUCK!

Crossing the Line

Previously:

It's only after I've securely closed the door behind me that I realize I never answered his question. I stop dead.

"Oh god, he thinks I hate him."

Chapter 8: Sometimes It's Easier Not to Fight

The first thing I had done when I'd gotten home was called Naruto. In fact, I had tried calling him for three straight hours. I know he has a phone. I saw it with my own eyes.

It's now Saturday, so while I'm sitting here moping away my weekend, Naruto is probably convinced that I never want to see him again.

I wish.

No honestly, I really wish that I never wanted to see him again.

I called him this morning too, right when I got up… and again at noon.

It's ten at night and I'm considering trying one more time. If he has caller ID and is making me suffer on purpose…

Damnit, I'm brooding.

I had my first chance at having a friend that sees more than the sexier than life itself Uchiha Sasuke and I screwed it up.

Why?

Because I have commitment issues. I'm probably going to die a virgin! I'm terrified at the thought of having a friend never mind a lover!

'Oh god,' I rub my temples wearily and stare at my blank email to Naruto, my mind stuck on its current train of thought.

I, Sasuke Uchiha the sex-god, am going to die a virgin!

All because I have commitment issues. God, Itachi would probably bring me back to life and make me screw someone if he knew that I died a virgin…

I shudder at the thought of Itachi choosing a female for me and slam my head into my desk in exasperation, narrowly avoiding the keyboard in front of me.

"Sasuke you're working tonight." I spin in my computer chair to glare at Itachi, angry that I hadn't heard his approach, "I don't care if you hate me." He continues, impervious to my livid glare, "You've been sitting here moping since you got home last night. You're depressing me."

Trust Itachi to make it very well known that he isn't getting me out of the house for my own good. He tosses me my jacket and I catch it with ease, still scowling darkly at him.

"Emotions…" He warns, a small smirk playing with his lips.

"Fuck off." I growl, pushing past him and out of my room. He laughs a deep laugh that never seems to sound happy -probably because he never actually is happy- and follows me down the stairs, through the maze that is my house and to the carport where we both jump into his second favorite car: the Ferrari.

Let me rephrase that.

We both jump into his second favorite car: the hot pink Ferrari.

Itachi's a flamer. But then again, he owns a gay bar, how couldn't he be? I suppose I forgot to mention that Sharingan is a gay bar. Not to say it doesn't attract its fair share of straight people.

"So how's the relationship with Naruto coming?" Itachi asks casually. His eyes are glued to the road so he doesn't see me roll my eyes.

"How very mature of you." He remarks.

Or perhaps he can see me roll my eyes…

"It's splendid. We had hot passionate bum sex just last night." I drawl, running my pointer finger over the window in boredom.

"You conked out halfway through didn't you? That's why he won't answer your calls." Itachi accuses in his 'you suck at life' tone.

"You really are useless little brother and apparently you're lacking in the sexual prowess that I genetically obtained as well." Itachi continues with a tiny glare in my direction. I sputter and my cheeks turn all possible shades of red before advancing to purple…actually I'm pretty sure my blush makes it through the whole damn colour spectrum!

"It was a joke!" I choke out, nearly dying at the thought of…ugh…with…Naruto? My mind seems to freeze as…ugh(!) passes through my mind again.

"Ugh!" I groan, expressing my feelings, and slam my head into the window trying to rid my virgin mind of the impure thoughts running through it.

"Oh." I think Itachi would have been less disappointed if I had conked out instead of not done Naruto at all…

"How pitiful, my seventeen-year-old brother the virgin." He drawls, missing the horrified look on my face.

"Pitiful?" I hiss, turning in my seat to pin him with an incredulous stare. He shakes his head in disapproval, resulting in dark tresses falling across his face.

"When I was your age, I'd done every doable male in my grade and some." He informs me matter-of-factly. Though the undertone of his statement is, 'you still suck at life'.

"So you were a slut." I remark dryly, leaning back in my seat, disgusted with the fact that my brother is proud that he had been passed around like some chain letter by his grade 12 year.

"No, I was- am sexually active. The word slut is unattractive." Itachi corrects me in his condescending older brother tone.

"That's why sluts are labeled as such." I counter wryly. God I really can't believe I'm having a discussion with Itachi about his sex life!

"You're too close-minded. What would father say?" I hate it when he pulls the 'what would father say' on me, like I give a shit. I never talk to the man to begin with!

"He'd probably have a cow that you're gay." I shrug and exhale a relieved breath as Itachi turns the corner to Sharingan. Despite the fact that basically the whole county knows Itachi is gay, he's never told our parents straight out.

"I'm pretty sure he knows." Itachi smirks and glances at me, hinting at all his little stunts in the house.

"Oh I'm pretty sure the whole neighbourhood knows." I agree, "God, and you get mad at mother for merely making out with someone in front of me. I can't even count the number of times I've walked in on you doing a hell of a lot more than making out with another man."

"You don't need to know how it's done when a female is involved. You're gay." Itachi points out and pulls the car to a stop behind the bar.

We both exit the car and pause to stare at each other. Itachi's eyes glimmer with thought and a small smirk lifts the corners of his lips.

"I want you to dance tonight." He orders. "Come, I'm going to get Haku to be your stylist." He grins, revealing dagger sharp canines and I shudder, remembering the last time I danced.

I had -have- never felt so violated in my life.

"Can't I just bartend tonight?" I'm careful to keep my voice neutral. Itachi would have my head if I whined in his presence.

"You're the sexiest employee of Sharingan, except for of course myself." He reminds me and pulls open the heavy door that leads to the back of Sharingan.

"Haku!" He calls in a monotone as a number of employees greet us and inform Itachi of the sort of patrons we're dealing with tonight.

Apparently, the crowd is hornier, drunker and louder than normal.

And I'm dancing tonight…

God help me.

"Hello, Itachi, Sasuke." Haku appears from the hallway assigned to the 'performers' and greets us in his general tone of carefree kindness. His gaze lingers on me and he smiles a little wider.

God he's hot!

I endeavor to keep my mouth shut and halt drool from dribbling down my chin as I take in Haku's appearance. Apparently, I'm not the only one dancing tonight.

His hair is loose and cascading down his shoulders while a thick section is styled to cover one of his eyes, which are surrounded in a thick layer of kohl. His lips -I shudder as his mouth moves while he speaks to Itachi- are covered in a deep plum lipstick.

He's moving closer to me now and smiling. His hand clasps around my wrist and I will myself to keep calm as bolts of heat all rush to one area of my body.

'Damnit Haku' I think as he begins pulling me towards the hallway. He's wearing a black mesh top with a spiked collar around his throat and tight leather pants that hug his ass.

'Do not drool, Sasuke.' I order myself as I take in the style of his pants. They're new. One leg barely covers half his thigh while the other extends all the way down to mid-calf. From beneath the shorter of the two legs, black mesh continues down to his knee.

"You're dancing with me tonight, Sasuke?" I'm pulled out of my daze by his voice just as we reach the doorway to our dressing room. Tearing my gaze from Haku, I stride past him and to the counter before the wall length mirror in front of me.

"Not by choice." My voice is blank to match my face as Haku giggles behind his hand at me and turns to the rack of costumes fitted specifically for me.

"Sasuke, can I go wild tonight?" He asks with carefully concealed excitement as his hand pauses on one particular outfit. I can't see which one it is because his body is in the way, but at this point, I simply want to get into my cage with Haku and grope him for an audience of drunken horndogs.

"Just hurry up." I run my fingers through my bangs, unprepared to suppress a horrified look as Haku pulls his chosen outfit from the rack.

It's hot pink.

Like Itachi's godforsaken car.

I knew there was a reason I never let Haku go wild when he was my stylist.

"Oh fuck." I mutter as Haku bounces over to me, gaudy costume in hand.

"You'll look lovely Sasuke!" He chirps with a smile so big and sincere his eyes close. He pulls me off the counter I'm seated upon and throws the outfit at me. "You go get changed and I'll get the theme for your makeup picked out." With that, he pushes me in the direction of the changing screen.

Standing behind the panel, I change as quickly as possible, fighting with the various zippers on the outfit, which unfortunately, are more than two. Upon finishing, I walk from behind the screen and stare at myself with an unconcealed look of…horror…pride? I can't really tell but I know I'm feeling a little mix of both those emotions.

The neon pink shirt is tight, so tight that you can see my toned abdomen through it.

'Great' I think dryly, 'In case they weren't already going to jump me…'

The top has one thick tank top strap while the other sleeve falls off my shoulder and loosely drapes over my arm, barely reaching my elbow. The side with the sleeve is done up by a zipper. I roll my shoulders back, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of the zipper that is stretching diagonally across my back from my shoulder to my side. The bottom of the shirt is cut in a contrasting diagonal line that bares nearly the entire left side of my torso. Tied loosely around my pelvis is a black sash; it's low enough that a strip of my pale stomach is revealed all the way around.

Joy.

The pants, thank god, are matching neon pink hakama with a twist. Undone zippers are positioned in ideal -for my audience at least- places; along the inside of my thigh for example.

'At least they aren't leather,' I decide, not missing the feel of the material rubbing against my sweat-soaked skin.

As for my feet, I'm barefoot, like Haku.

"Well, don't you look lovely." He coos and motions for me to sit on the counter again. I do as he insists with a scowl and patiently obey his commands as he does my hair, makeup and accessorizing.

In the end, my eyes are covered in pink eye shadow that fans out and under my eyes, and is accented with white shadow. My lips are covered in a clear gloss (a relief because I was positive I would be stuck wearing flaming pink). My face is dusted with a layer of light powder that contrasts nicely with my hair, which is spiked as usual at the back while my bangs are done like Haku's, to one side and falling over my eyes. I frown as I notice that he added pink to the tips of my hair all the way around.

On my sleeveless arm is a black cuff midway down my bicep and a black choker with a zipper running horizontally through it is tightly wrapped around my neck.

I stare blankly at the mirror then Haku.

"The colour scheme certainly isn't overdone." My voice drips with sarcasm as Haku laughs lightly.

"I think I've outdone myself. I'll need pictures of this." He indulges and leads me to the back room Itachi and I entered through.

The process took us a mere half hour, I note, glancing at the clock.

I pause to observe the going ons around me; people are bustling, doing various jobs. Some are on the phone making orders. Others are bringing out plates with snacks from the kitchen while two others are on their way to find some sort of booze that the bartenders are running low on. On a bad night, Sharingan needs six bartenders.

All movement stops as Itachi enters.

"Ah, Sasuke I see you're ready." He surveys me with empty eyes and I can't help the glare that crosses my face.

"I'm not dancing all night, Itachi." I inform him crossly.

"Of course you're not." He replies and I know he was paying no attention to what I was saying, "Good job Haku, I think a raise is in order. You managed to talk him into wearing the pink costume." Itachi smirks at Haku who thanks him profusely for the compliment.

'Kiss ass.' I think bitterly and, unable to listen to them flirt any longer, push past them to the doors that lead to the stage where the DJ is currently playing some dance song or another.

Ever since I walked in on Itachi and Haku going at it, I've never taken their exchanges the same way. The catcalls that start up immediately as I stride casually towards the DJ remind me that I'm no longer Uchiha Sasuke the twelfth grade student, but rather Sasuke the exotic dancer and younger sibling of Itachi.

I pause to drape an arm over said DJ's shoulder.

"Hey." I murmur, flicking my eyes to the audience and licking my lips.

I really wish I'd stayed with Haku backstage a moment longer, long enough to get some alcohol in my system at least. This is always so much easier when I'm under the influence of something.

He smirks at me and nods. "Sasuke."

I lean closer to him, bring my other arm behind his head, and pull his mouth to mine.

The cheers, whistles, catcalls and overall sounds of appreciation that erupt are deafening.

I shudder with repulsion and pull away, letting my tongue flick across his ear before sauntering past him and to my cage, a seductive smirk on my face for show. I've learned the hard way not to be a stubborn ass and to just give in and play the slut when I'm given 'dancer duty' as it's called.

The strobe lights around me flicker as I close my eyes and begin slowly moving my body, the motions automatic.

Dance in the cage for a song.

Leave the cage, dance on the bar, and mingle with the crowd for a song.

Repeat step one.

Make out, grind with and grope Haku for a song.

Midway through the fourth point of my time at the bar, Haku pulls away from me and begins biting my ear gently, his hands roaming over my body. I fake a moan and pull him closer.

"You're tense." He observes into my ear as his hand tangles itself in my hair and pushes my head down to his neck. I murmur a 'yes' as my mouth begins sucking and nipping at his flesh.

Oddly enough, now that I'm groping him, my earlier feelings of attraction to Haku are gone…

A hand grasps my ankle and I pull away from Haku to look down at a familiar customer. He has medium length black hair and a bandage wrapped over the bridge of his nose. I smirk at him and lick my lips, noticing Itachi watching me from the back of the bar where he is mingling dutifully with the customers.

"Seems like you have a fan." Haku whispers and lets a moan pass his lips as I return my attention to his milky neck.

"I always do." I groan loudly, as his hand cups my ass and his leg slides between mine. This is getting too heated for my liking.

The song ends and we pull away from each other, Haku reluctantly and me relieved.

"I'm gonna go work the bar now." I murmur and stride off the stage to see Itachi standing, watching me. I'm perplexed as to how he knew that I was planning to shift from dancer to bartender now.

"I'm bartending now." I inform him. He remains as impassive as always. There is a pregnant pause as I wait for a response. When I don't receive one, I shrug and make a quick stop at my dressing room to retrieve a pair of black silk flip-flops before heading to the bar.

OoOoO

"Wanna head home with me tonight sugar?" I glance blankly at the man addressing me and force a coy smirk to my lips.

"You ordered the paralyzer right?" I lean towards him and let the word paralyzer roll over my lips smoothly.

"Yeah…" He's getting horny, if the sudden flush on his face isn't any hint.

"Coming right up." I murmur and turn my back on the bar to prepare the drink. When I'm finished, I slide the drink towards him, "Enjoy."

Hearing another order I face away again to grab a cup from the counter, ignoring the inkling I have that I know the owner of that voice. Grasping the cup and preparing the drink, I sneak a glance over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of silver.

'Oh no, please God don't let it be-"

"Sasuke, I didn't know you danced." My hands pause and I feel the blood drain from my face.

'Shit.'

Praying to god that I misheard that person's voice and mistook black hair for silver, I turn around to see none other than Kakashi-sensei (with Iruka-sensei) sitting at the bar, staring at me accusingly.

'Well fuck,' I think as my eyes widen with horror, 'My goddamn teachers just saw me fucking exotic dancing at a bar, making out with random patrons and groping another dancer.'

I'm itching to tell them that I really don't have a say in what job I do but I know I can't, not with so many customers around.

"I like to have a little fun." I reply with a hint of rebellious smirk.

Kakashi-sensei raises an eyebrow and surveys me a moment before breaking the eye contact and turning to Iruka-sensei.

"What do you want to drink? We can talk to Sasuke in detail later." He wraps his arm around Iruka-sensei's waist, ignoring the blush that dusts the other man's cheeks at the action. Iruka-sensei glances at me worriedly before reluctantly returning his gaze to Kakashi-sensei.

"I'll just have a gin and tonic." He sighs and I know what he's thinking.

'Sasuke's not the innocent bartender that we thought he was. He's exactly like Itachi.'

I make the drink and ignore them for as long as possible, unable to take their disapproving looks, especially when Haku shows up later to put on a little performance with me again. I don't think pretending to enjoy his ministrations was ever so hard.

Even so, I feel slightly victorious because I'm pretty sure Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei will never be able to look at me without blushing again.

OoOoO

I'm wiping down the counter hours later, watching as the few stragglers stumble out. I'm now officially alone in the bar with Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei.

"Are you two going to leave soon?" I ask dryly, rolling my eyes at the way they both blush and avert their eyes. "Would you two grow up? I made out with a co-worker and pretended to like it for the sake of my job. It's not a big deal." I growl, watching, as Iruka-sensei blushes harder. Kakashi-sensei however, stares at me evenly.

"Pretend to like it?" He asks; his is expression dubious as he sets his elbows on the counter and rests his head on his hands.

"Yes pretend." I reinforce. "If you two are going to blush and look away every time you see me, someone's going to get suspicious. I'd rather not the whole school know I dance at my brother's bar and am gay." I glare at them as Iruka-sensei stops blushing like a schoolgirl.

"Sasuke, they all know you're gay. You and Naruto came out remember?" My eyes widen and I fight down a sudden impulse to swear like a sailor.

"So they do…" I trail away, noting the parental anger on Iruka-sensei's face. So that's why he was so awkward. He thinks I'm cheating on Naruto…

'Shit I need to call him again!' My face falls as I remember what happened with the class idiot.

"Does Naruto know about your little stunts at work?" Iruka-sensei continues accusingly, anger flashing lividly in his eyes. A comforting hand is laid on Iruka-sensei's arm and I fight down the defensive retort on my lips.

"No." I answer, glaring at the cup I'm tossing onto the cart headed for the kitchen.

"Sasuke, I'm telling him about this." Iruka-sensei's voice rises as I toss another cup onto the cart.

"He won't care." I mutter bitterly and pitch an empty beer bottle into the garbage can, taking minor pleasure in the sound of glass shattering.

"You're his boyfriend." Iruka-sensei argues. I can tell he's trying to keep a level head. I hate how everyone thinks they have to take care of Naruto. He has no parents. Who gives a shit? My mom's a slut, my dad's MIA/abusive and my brother is an emotional time bomb. You don't see people protecting me from the world.

"Naruto needs to get a taste of the world outside the protective bubble everyone keeps him in." I mutter deprecatingly, grabbing my cloth and wiping another portion of the counter.

"He has no parents, Sasuke. You of all people should know how much he hurts." Iruka-sensei is nearly yelling now and for some odd reason I want to push him further, make him yell. Make him hurt, the way I'm hurting right now.

'Damn Naruto to hell for making me feel.'

"Who cares? No one has a perfect family." I'm sure to keep my voice distant; that will piss him off more than brash behavior will. Iruka-sensei's face reddens with anger and he opens his mouth to retort but I cut him off, "Besides, I don't know how he hurts. We're not dating, that's only a front to keep the girls off me." I smirk mockingly and pocket a five that was left forgotten on the counter by one of my coworkers.

Iruka-sensei shuts his mouth at that and stares at me dumbfounded. I think Kakashi-sensei noticed the bitter edge to my voice because he's watching me carefully.

"Something happened?" He asks quietly, waiting for me to slip and let some sort of emotion show on my face.

"You're my teacher, like I'm going to tell you." I murmur in detachment, bending over to put a jug of tomato juice under the bar in its cabinet.

"Sasuke, you've always talked to me." Kakashi-sensei counters lazily, he thinks I'm going to crack and tell him. Perhaps I will. I have every other time. Sometimes it's easier to give in than to fight the inevitable.

"He wants to be my friend." I express, turning away to hide the fear that is evident on my face. I pretend to check the bottles behind me, aware that it's around five in the morning now and I have school in three hours.

"You're afraid of something?" Kakashi-sensei observes.

Damnit, am I that predictable?

"Maybe." I reply cautiously. I know I'll end up spilling my guts to him, but I'd like to think I put up a fight.

"Commitment perhaps?" He ventures. I'm glad he can't see my face, for my eyes are wide and I'm trembling. I lower my head so that my eyes are shadowed by my hair.

"Don't pretend to know me," is my frail argument. I'm weak. I've always known that.

"I don't. I just know myself well and you seem to have a habit of following in my footsteps." He replies lightly.

"Great. I'm going to end up being a perverted teacher." I drone, finally turning and meeting his gaze. Unlike me, he doesn't take the bait. On the contrary, he reads my joke for what it is: a distraction from the truth.

"Trust him Sasuke. He may surprise you." Kakashi-sensei advises, his eyes meeting mine, challenging me to take his advice. Iruka-sensei sits silently, watching our exchange. Perhaps Kakashi-sensei never told him of all our heart to hearts. I'm glad he didn't.

"You say that like it's easy. I won't just trust some random idiot." I retort, uncomfortable with the depth of this conversation.

"But you can stop pushing him away." He argues; he knows I expect it of him.

"I don't want him to be close to me." I snort, crossing my arms over my chest and turning my head away.

'Haku?'

He's standing at the end of the bar and watching our argument. His face is carefully blank. I glare at him and turn back to Kakashi-sensei, ignoring Haku.

"Ah, your partner returns." Kakashi-sensei observes; staring at Haku with the same intensity he watches me with when he's trying to figure me out.

"Haku." I correct, as the dark-haired boy turns to leave.

"I know he's not the reason you're holding back from Naruto." Kakashi-sensei presses and I find that I'm sick of this conversation.

"I need to sleep before tomorrow."

And so I do.

Wow this one was abnormally long. I suppose I'm starting to get to the interesting stuff. Sorry about the serious lack of Naruto in this chapter. I was tempted to have him walk in while Haku and Sasuke were 'going at it' on stage but decided against it. I just can't see Naruto going to a rowdy gay bar by himself…

As for updates, they may start to lag a bit…for the last four updates I've been working on chapter 11…stupid chapter just won't end (I just finished it last night )! Every time I thought I had finished it, I decided to expand it a bit more. I really want to stay ahead because when I lag…I lag, so if I catch up to myself updates will suffer dramatically…ehehe… anyhoo love you all!
POOF
toodles
TJ
word up.

Thank you like nobody's business to the reviewers! I'm almost at 100 reviews o.O! That means I'll have to find some inspiration for another interlude…hmm…anyways, you guys rock my socks and inspire me to update quicker!

Nissie (double thanks!)
Scoodoo58
Drumming-Femme
yanagi megumi
Kyla of the Moon Wolf Clan
matchmaker (We did the musical in school and I was Hodel!)
Icy Sapphire15 (thanks x4!)
Gingitsune
Kori Tenshi (Murphy's Law: Just when you think a situation can't get any worse…it does)
Nadramon
Timothy the paperclip
Azamiko
shizu2
Lae Lae
shimomizu (Naruto's taste is still marginally eccentric and Sasuke's is still bland but they both dress casual and modern in this fic! Thnx for asking!)
Carazon
NaruSasuObsessed (I wish gay guys would make out in front of me…Also, I've always seen Naruto as the type that is touchy feely in that sloppy sort of way. As in, he'll occasionally throw out a random hug (not an intimate hug those are for Sasuke XD) but just a messy kind of manly hug…Anyways, thanks for the note, I heart criticism!)
BreatheMeDeep
Queen of the Paperclips