Note from Elizabeth: Ooooh. Not "the author" today. Because today, I don't feel like "the author." I should put a warning label on this story. I love how I ended this chapter.
Kichou: Unfortunately, Sasuke and Naruto have quite a bit of stuff to patch up. It'll take a while, but it'll happen.
Kawaii-Aikurushii-Kitsune: :hands you tissue and gives you a hug: They'll be reunited … soon? (Don't quote me on that.)
Migueliscool: … New reviewer! :big hug: Thank you for the lovely compliments … and stick around! It can only get better … unless it gets worse.
… when simple needs are scarce.
Iruka said getting a job would be fun. Iruka said getting a job would help him take his mind off of Sasuke. Iruka said that movie theatres were the best places to work.
And that's how Naruto knew that Iruka had never worked in a movie theatre. Ever. In his entire life. Because if this was a good time, strangling himself with dental floss would be a hell of a party.
It didn't help at all that Sakura and Ino worked with him. If anything, Sakura made the job that much more unbearable. She seemed to never close her mouth – and everything that came out of it lacked any sort of tact. He was beginning to understand why Sasuke, though he put up with her, was never able to stand her. And of course, it didn't help that their main topic of conversation was Sasuke – They were convinced that he wasn't gay, and now that he and Naruto had broken up, it was their chance to pounce.
Naruto didn't really blame them for finding him attractive – after all, he was head-over-heels for the boy. But if they knew what he'd been through, they might be looking at him differently, or at least speaking with some manner of discretion in regard of him.
"Naruto?" Shikamaru, who also worked with them, leaned against the counter, his hands in his pockets.
The blonde boy huffily lifted his eyebrows in acknowledgement of him, broken from his moody thoughts, bending to stock popcorn tubs underneath the counter.
"There's a customer."
"I'm busy. Why don't you take care of it?"
A long sigh. "It's so troublesome. But if I have to."
"Yes, Shikamaru, you have to." Ino jabbed his arm as she scooted past them both, to her register, having just clocked in. "I'm surprised Asuma-sensei hasn't fired you yet."
"He knows I'm good with money."
"Then do what you're good at and take that girl's order before she decides to kill you or, worse, leave."
Naruto lifted his head and abruptly smashed it into the top of the cabinet. "Ow," he whined, rubbing the bump already forming.
"Are you okay, Naruto?" Sakura asked, looking down at him away from the slushy she was making.
"No. That fucking hurt."
"Watch your mouth." Ino murmured, smiling politely at the customer. "Don't let Asuma-sensei here you talking like that."
"Like what?" The bearded man that was their boss approached them, eyebrow shooting up at the boy sitting on the floor. "What are you doing?"
"I'm in pain."
"Stop being a baby." Ino snapped. "And Shikamaru, for the last time, get to your register."
"Oh, for God's sake," Sakura shook her head, sliding the frozen drink across the counter to the woman waiting for it, and hurried to take the order of the teenager still waiting at his register.
"Shikamaru," Asuma warned.
"I know, I know." The dark-haired boy sighed, standing upright. "I'll get it, Sakura." He crouched down to get a tub for the popcorn and filled it.
"Good. Now everyone's busy." He paused. "Naruto, why are you still on the floor?"
The boy in question grumbled and climbed to his feet, still clutching his aching head. He'd only been working here a week and he was already tired of everything to do with it. "Where the hell is Chouji? I can't leave until he gets here."
"He's running late." Ino answered calmly, counting out change. "He got held up by his dad."
"Great." Naruto sighed, then muttered a "Can I help you?" to his customer, not looking up from the buttons on the cash register.
"Naruto!"
His eyes flashed up, and then rolled. "Why? Why now of all times do you two decide to come see a movie?"
Kiba grinned, leaning on the counter. "I didn't know you worked here." He asked, ignoring the rhetorical question.
"He just started." Shino offered monotonously, since all signs pointed to Naruto not saying another word until they ordered. "Shikamaru got him the job. I'm not really sure how, considering he barely does anything."
"I heard that!" came the other boy's voice at the end of the vending stand.
"Hook me up with some popcorn." Kiba snickered, nudging Shino.
Naruto eyed him. "If by 'hook you up,' you mean, 'Make me some and I'll give you the money for it,' sure."
Kiba's face fell and Shino rolled his eyes behind his dark glasses, saying, "We're not going to have anything." He tugged at his hand. "Come on."
"Shino!" Naruto heard Kiba whined, being dragged along by his boyfriend. "I wanted some candy."
"I'll give you some when we get in there."
Naruto snickered when he caught the connotation and Kiba didn't.
0
Sasuke trudged into his apartment, Neji on his heels. "Do you guys really have to follow me around all the time?"
"Nah, we just don't want you here by yourself." The Hyuuga boy asked, falling on the couch in an exhausted heap. Somehow Hinata took more energy out of him than any sport he'd ever played.
"Well, do you mind if I go to my room and take a nap by myself?"
He smiled coyly. "Sweet dreams, Honey Bun."
Sasuke growled, picking up the nearest throw pillow and chucking it in the direction of the other boy's head. He and Kiba had recently taken up calling Sasuke by pet names derived from Little Debbie's snacks, just because it really got under his skin.
Neji deflected the decorative projectile easily and smirked. "Do you prefer Doughnut Stick?"
With that, he chose to leave the room.
0
The doorbell was ringing incessantly.
Sasuke buried his face under his pillow, pulling the blanket over his black hair. Neji was out there. Why wasn't he answering it? Unless it was Neji ringing the bell.
He threw the blanket off. The bastard. I'm gonna kill him. He stormed from his room, fully intending to rage at the older boy for getting a sick amusement out of disrupting his sleep.
Instead, he found Neji conked out on the couch, his hair splayed across the pillow earlier used as a weapon against him that was tucked under his head. Either Sasuke was a very light sleeper, or Neji was an extremely deep one – because even as the doorbell kept ringing, he didn't wake.
The Uchiha sighed, slumped to the door, and pulled it open. He blinked down at the short boy before him. "Gaara? What are you doing here? And what was with the repetitively ringing the doorbell?"
Sky blue eyes stared at him threw a mask of dark eyeliner. "I wanted to talk to you." His voice was quiet, emotionless.
Sasuke's eyebrow shot up. "About?" He hadn't ever really been sure he liked Gaara – Okay, he didn't like Gaara, but that wasn't saying much, considering he didn't really like anybody.
The red-head's gaze averted to Sasuke's bare feet, and he could audibly hear him swallow. "I wanted to know if, maybe, you wanted to go out sometime."