Disclaimer: Again, I do not in any way own Naruto and Company and Romeo and Juliet.

Author's Note: Hey! I'm back with chapter three. I LOVE this chapter! It's so fun! Some SasuNaru fluffy stuff in this chapter. At least that's what I think it is…? Well then, I'll be off! Until next time, SilverRose88.

Chapter Three

"RISE AND SHINE, SASUKE-BASTARD!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sasuke almost fell over at the impact of noise. "What the hell, Naruto?" he said, staring at the blonde as though he'd gone nuts. "It's only nine in the morning, what are you doing here?"

Now Naruto looked at Sasuke as though he'd gone nuts. "What do you mean? You told me to be here first thing!" Naruto said.

Sasuke ignored him for the moment and motioned him inside his bedroom. "Who let you in, anyway?"

"Your brother. He's so nice! I had breakfast with him before coming to wake you," Naruto said.

"You didn't strike me as an early riser," Sasuke said.

"I'm not. I told you before about my Three R's. Rest is number one! But, I thought you'd get pissed if I was late, so I decided to be early instead," Naruto replied. "And, come to think of it, you didn't strike me as a late sleeper," Naruto added, seeing Sasuke's disheveled appearance.

Sasuke groaned. "I'm not. I was up late reading some books and I just couldn't get up this morning," he said, heading for his closet to get a shirt.

"Hey, you know what? When you wake up in the morning, you look like a normal person!" Naruto said randomly.

Sasuke turned quickly to hide his blush. "W-What does that mean?"

"Nothing. I just noticed that you look, well, human, I guess,"

"Oh, so I'm not human?"

"You know what I mean,"

Sasuke shook his head. "Whatever. Go down to the study and I'll meet you there,"

"Nah. Let's work in here today," Naruto said.

Sasuke blushed again. "What? Why?"

"I don't know. I-It's just more comfortable in here, I guess," Naruto said, looking around at the room. It wasn't as grand as he would have thought. There was a full size bed against the opposite wall in the middle. Windows on the right with window seats. By the windows was a small writing desk with a laptop and chair. A closet was on the left next to a door that led to the bathroom. There was nothing on the walls and the room was perfectly clean.

"Wait--" Sasuke began, but Naruto had already sat down at the bed and was looking around the room again.

"Yeah. I like it in here. Let's work in your room," Naruto said. "Is is all right with you?"

Sasuke looked at him and after a moment sighed. "Fine, fine. Just let me go shower and change,"

"All right!" Naruto said enthusiastically. He pulled his backpack onto his lap and began digging through it.

Sasuke gave him one last glance before entering the bathroom.

"See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. O that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!" Sasuke read. He looked up at the bored Naruto. "Your turn. Read it just like I did,"

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto said dully, standing up and holding the script before him. "Okay…See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. O that I were a mitten on that hand, so that I could touch her face! Why can't they just say it like that?"

"Because it's not proper English. Now, quit changing the script. Read it for real this time! Say this…I take thee at they word. Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized: Henceforth I never will be Romeo," Sasuke said. "That's simple enough, just say it,"

"I take thee at thy word. Call me but love, and I'll be a new person! I will never be Romeo! OW! Hey!" Naruto yelled, turning to glare at Sasuke. He picked up the raven-haired boy's script and chucked it back at him.

Sasuke caught it easily and glared at him as well.

"What the hell was that for, teme!" Naruto yelled.

"For being a complete baka!" Sasuke shot back. "Can't you be serious for once in your life?"

"No! Not when I'm quoting Shakespeare! It's boring!" Naruto whined.

"But you're the lead in the play! What would make you work? Other than ramen!" Sasuke added quickly.

Naruto put on a thoughtful face, then he grinned slyly. "Only if you pretend to be Juliet while we practice," he said mischievously.

Sasuke blushed out of anger. "What! No way in hell am I doing that!"

"But it's the only way. Please? Come on, no one's here! No one will see you!"

"You will!"

"I won't tell anyone!"

"No,"

"Please, Sasuke!"

"I said no, Naruto. I'm not going to pretend to be Juliet. I am not going to be a girl," Sasuke said firmly.

"Wahh! Sasuke, you're no fun!" Naruto said. "If you don't play Juliet then I'm leaving,"

Naruto was at the door within a second and just before he walked out Sasuke called back to him. Naruto turned around, grinning, "So, you'll do it?" he asked.

Sasuke looked about ready to shot something. "Yes, fine. Only because we've got researching to do afterward so you can't leave,"

"Yahoo! This'll be great!" Naruto exclaimed. "Okay, let's start at line…um 90! Okay…" Naruto walks over and grabs Sasuke's hand.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke said quickly, trying not to blush.

"It says to hold your hand!" Naruto said. "Quit being so edgy, I'm not going to bite you,"

Sasuke glared at him.

"Um…If I profane with my unworthiest hand. This holy shrine, the gentler sin is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss,"

"I can't believe I'm doing this…" Sasuke muttered, trying to shake the thought of Naruto talking about his lips. Then, he held the script up so he could see and began reciting, "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this: for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss,"

"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer,"

"O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do: they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair,"

"Saint's do not move, though grant for prayers sake,"

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take," Naruto then realized that he was supposed to kiss Juliet's hand. Sighing, he lifted Sasuke's hand and kissed it.

Sasuke blushed completely, however, Naruto was too focused now to notice.

Naruto continued, "Thus from my lips by thine my sin is purged,"

"Then have my lips the sin that they have took," Sasuke said.

"Sin from my lips. O trespass sweetly urged. Give me my sin again," Naruto sighed. Kissing Juliet again? And, wait…this time on the…lips? Naruto looked up at Sasuke quickly, who had also realized the same thing. "A-Ah, um…"

Sasuke said nothing, just tried not to blush more.

"J-Just for p-practice…okay?" Naruto said, taking a step closer.

Sasuke stared at him in surprise. "W-Wait, Naruto--" he began when Naruto's face was about an inch away from his own.

Just then the door swung open and, "Hey, boys!" came ringing through the doorway.

Naruto and Sasuke both spun around to see the intruder. "ITACHI!" they yelled.

"Whoa, woops! Ah, didn't know I was interrupting something," Itachi said, staring at the younger boys with amusement.

Naruto and Sasuke both blushed furiously. "We-We weren't--nothing was going on!" they exclaimed.

"We were just rehearsing!" Naruto said.

"For the play!" Sasuke said.

"There's no reason to explain to me! I understand everything!" Itachi said. He turned to leave, and said, "Oh yeah, if you want something to eat for a snack, we've got ramen downstairs," He left.

For a few minutes, all was complete silence in the room. Neither Sasuke nor Naruto would look at the other. They were staring at the walls opposite them, and blushing madly. Then, Naruto said quietly, "…Did he say ramen?"

"Ahhh…the world's ultimate food," Naruto said.

"You are extremely odd. I told you before, it's just food," Sasuke said.

"So what? It's my favorite!"

"No. It's your obsession," Sasuke said.

"Don't you have an obsession?" Naruto asked.

"None," Sasuke replied. "At least nothing like you and ramen. That stuff's not good for you, you know,"

"But it's so good!" Naruto countered.

"How'd you get so hooked on ramen anyway? Completely by accident or something?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto shook his head. "Uh-uh. My dad. One day when I was like five, he took me out for like a father-son dinner, and we had ramen. That was my first time ever, and I've loved it since,"

Sasuke noticed how happy Naruto suddenly looked. He figured it was more the memory than the actual ramen that was making him act that way. "That's nice,"

"Yep! It was a really cool day too! We went out to a park, played some games, went to a movie and of course had ramen. One of my greatest memory of my dad," Naruto said.

"How did--"

"I don't really remember. I wasn't there for one thing. I was with a friend for the night, and my parents went out for a little romantic dinner. They never came back. Car crash," Naruto said.

"I-I…sorry," Sasuke said quietly.

Naruto looked at him in surprise. "Hey! I didn't know you even knew that word! The almighty Uchiha Sasuke actually breaks down and says sorry!" Naruto exclaimed. Then, he hung his head and sighed. "I told you before not to be sorry for me,"

Sasuke smirked. "And I told you that I wasn't,"

"Well, I just told you about my folks, so now it's your turn. What about your parents? I've never seen them around here," Naruto said.

"Yeah, well, they're both business people and they travel a lot, so it's just Itachi and me. Our family owns a line of hotels across the county, so they're gone most of the time. Itachi and I look after the ones in this area," Sasuke explained.

Naruto nodded. Then, he stopped and looked up at Sasuke. "Wait. Do you mean that the hotel here, where I used to work, you own it?" he exclaimed.

"Yes, we do," Sasuke replied simply.

"WHAT? For the past year I've been working for you!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Well, not exactly, but technically, yes, I guess you have," Sasuke said. "I was your boss, so you've got to listen to me," Sasuke smirked.

"Damn," Naruto said. "W-Wait a second!" Naruto pointed at him. "I don't work for you anymore! Haha! Take that!"

Sasuke just shook his head.

"And another thing! I was fired! So someone in your management is stupid! They fired me!" Naruto said.

"No, they were smart," Sasuke said. "What's your problem? I thought you liked working at the restaurant,"

"I do. I'm just saying, that's all," Naruto said.

"Whatever," Sasuke said. "So, are you done? We can go back and-and study or-or r-rehearse," Sasuke mentally prayed that Naruto decided on studying. He wasn't sure if he could handle playing Juliet anymore; especially not with Naruto being so intense and serious. Sasuke wasn't sure what emotions he was feeling, but he felt that he'd rather do without them.

"Um, let's study. I think we've got enough rehearsing done for one day," Naruto said.

"All right then, let's go," Thank god.

"All right class, listen up while we announce the roles you will be playing in Romeo and Juliet," Iruka said the following Monday. "Please write down your character so you do not forget, and no there is no switching of roles unless we say so,"

"Okay. Our number one role of Romeo Montague goes to Naruto," Kakashi said.

Naruto groaned loudly and the class laughed.

"There is still a bit of a debate going on for the role of Juliet Capulet, so we'll tell you about that later," Iruka said.

"Neji will be playing the part of Paris, Juliet's suitor," Jiraiya said. "Shikamaru, you have the role of Montague, and Ino will be your wife, Lady Montague,"

"Lady Capulet is played by Sakura, and her husband, Capulet, will be Lee," Iruka said.

"Kiba, you're part is that of Benvolio, Romeo's friend. And, Romeo's other friend Mercutio will be Shino," Jiraiya said.

"The part of Tybalt is played by Gaara, and Tybalt's friend Petruchio is Kankuro. Friar Lawrence will be Chouji, and Juliet's nurse is Hinata," Kakashi said.

"Some of the other roles we will have to fill in later. But for now that is what we have," Iruka said. "And, yes, there are a few of you who I haven't given a role to. Just be patient and we'll hopefully find something out by the end of the class. Right now, just get with a partner and practice your lines,"

Naruto yawned and stretched. He turned to Sasuke and said, "So, apparently you're a nobody in the play, eh?"

"Seems that way," Sasuke replied.

"Who do you want to be?"

"Doesn't matter, as long as I have a male role," Sasuke replied.

"Hey, do you--"

"Naruto, want to run lines with me?" Neji asked, suddenly making his way over.

Sasuke looked up quickly and glared at the Hyuuga who'd just arrived. Neji met his glared evenly.

Naruto looked at Neji. "Sure, I guess," he said with a shrug. "Sasuke, what about you?" Naruto asked, turning to the other boy.

But before Sasuke could get a word out, Neji said, "Uchiha does not have a part. He would just be in the way of our practicing,"

"O-Oh…okay then," Naruto said. "We can practice later, Sasuke. Why don't you go ask sensei for your part now?"

Sasuke nodded and stood. He gave Neji one last glare before heading down to met the teachers.

"But what else can we do?" Jiraiya said. "There weren't any girls good enough for the part of Juliet. Sasuke is our last hope,"

"Yes but, two males starring opposite one another? I don't believe they'd agree to that," Iruka said. "How would we convince Sasuke in the first place? I don't know of any male who'd willingly volunteer for a female role,"

"There's nothing else we can do, Iruka," Kakashi said. "Either it's Sasuke or we call off the entire play,"

"But there are still two girls left--TenTen or Temari--"

"You know as well as I that neither girl is fit for that part,"

"But--"

"It will be hard. It will end up in utter disaster. It pay lead to our early deaths, but it's our only hope,"

Iruka sighed. "You're right. I know it. But, still…how will we convince Sasuke?"

"We'll worry about that later, let's just announce the role of Juliet as Sasuke," Jiraiya said.

"But what about Temari and TenTen?"

"I suppose we could have one of them play Prince Escalus. Maybe TenTen,"

"And Temari?"

"We could dress her up as the apothecary,"

"Yes that'll do. Announce it now,"

"Okay then…" Iruka said, standing up. He looked around at the students for Sasuke, and found him walking down the steps towards them. "Maybe we should ask him in private first,"

"Just say it, Iruka!"

"Class!" Iruka said quickly. The students stopped talking and turned to face the front. "Okay, we have decided the roles for the remaining people. TenTen will play the part of Prince Escalus, and Temari we have you playing the apothecary,"

"What about Juliet!" Naruto yelled. "Who am I playing opposite against?"

"Um…well, t-this was a t-tough decision…" Iruka said awkwardly. "We-We felt that there could only be one-one person g-good enough for this part…"

"AND?" the class practically demanded.

"Juliet will be played by Sasuke," Iruka finished quickly.

Silence for a long time.

"WHAT!" Sasuke yelled, along with Naruto.

"I've got to be a girl?"

"I've got to play against him? He's a boy!"

Iruka shook his head. "The two of you down here now. Since the bell's rung, the rest of you can go," The rest of the class filed out, the boys stifling laughter, the girls all seemed shocked.

Naruto and Sasuke walked over to the teachers and practically glared at the three of them.

"What's the meaning of this? I don't want to play a girl!" Sasuke said.

"And I don't want to be Romeo against him! Juliet's supposed to be a girl! It's a romance! I can't be doing mushy love scenes with a boy!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sasuke rounded on him. "This is all your fault! You're the one who said I sounded like a girl, and now they've got it in their heads that I'd make a better Juliet!"

"What! T-This isn't my fault! I just said the truth! It-It's your fault for sounding like a girl in the first place!" Naruto said heatedly.

"Why you dumb dobe, don't blame this on me!"

"Don't call me a dobe, you bastard!"

"BOYS!" Iruka shouted.

Naruto and Sasuke glared at each other once more before turning to face Iruka.

"Now, listen. This had nothing to do with Naruto's comment--"

"HA! I told you!"

"--The three of just feel that the other girls did not perform as well as needed for the part of Juliet. Sasuke, since you seem to have a higher level of performing, you were chosen to play the elegant role of Juliet. There is nothing wrong with you playing a female role. As it was, back when this play was first brought out, the entire cast was male,"

"I don't care about that! Sensei, I will not play the part of Juliet. I refuse,"

"Well Sasuke, that is your choice, but be warned that if you do refuse, you will fail," Kakashi said.

"This play is sort of like a final for this class. If you don't participate, you will fail," Jiraiya said.

"B-But can't I have another part?" Sasuke practically begged.

"Sorry, but no. You're role is that of Juliet. Take it or leave it," Iruka said.

"Sasuke-teme, don't take it! Don't take it! I don't want to have to k-ki-kiss a g-guy…that's just weird!" Naruto said.

"Shut up, dobe," Sasuke snapped. He turned to the three teachers and said, "I'll tell you tomorrow," Then, abruptly, he grabbed his stuff and bolted out the door.

"Naruto," Iruka said, getting the blonde's attention. "Get him to agree to the play,"

"What? Why should I do that? I don't want to be in the play with him if he's Juliet. That-That's just all wrong! Two guys shouldn't have the opposite roles," Naruto said.

"Just do it, Naruto, okay?" Iruka said.

Naruto grunted and walked out the door, mumbling.