I'm back

Thought i'd fucked off, didn't you? NOPE, i've just been working non-stop so here we are.

Irregular updates was right.

I don't own anything, like always, other than this awful excuse for a fic.

Lee had spent the rest of the day at Tenten's learning how to use his new phone, glad to take the opportunity to remain with his friends until his evening shift. Each of them had entered their information into his new device (which Naruto had taken the liberty of assigning them each outrageous nicknames of course) and walked him through the basics. Tenten had further surprised Lee when she gave hime a cute mint protective case covered in pink strawberries and a small, dangling pink phone strap. She had easily dispelled his reluctance to accept yet another present by stating that the others had really been responsible for most of the big gift so she had wanted to pitch in with something of her own. Lee had swallowed his guilt and smiled gratefully at his long standing friend as he inspected the adorable accessories. It was a little known fact that, although most things he owned were green or grey and plain, his favourite colour was actually pink and he had always had a terrible weakness for anything cutesy. Tenten knew this well and liked to exploit it at any opportunity that presented itself (his pencil case covered in images of cupcakes was proof enough).

The remainder of the afternoon passed in companionable ease, each of the friends grouping off and doing their own things. Naruto and Sasuke had found themselves in a rather heated competition (though Sasuke would deny it) on one of the many games the living room contained, which involved much screeching on the blonde's part and an almost constant smirk on the raven's. Tenten and Hinata had relocated to the formers room to have some "girl time" according to the brunette which, in reality, was their way of escaping from the chaos of the adoptive brothers. Neji, Gaara, and Lee had volunteered to make food for the rest of the group. However, seeing as Lee was the only one skilled in that area, it mainly consisted of the dark skinned male cooking while Neji helped to prepare minor ingredients and Gaara sat at the counter observing his two friends. It was a truly wonderful time; in fact, it was the best Lee had had in a long while.

Waving off their offers to walk him home (and inevitably to work) once lunch had come and gone, the raven haired teen promised to text them instead so that they would know he had arrived home safe. Walking at a leisurely pace, Lee made his way back to his small apartment so that he could drop off his sleepover bag and head to Paradise. Tenten had been kind enough to let him shower at her house, so he had pulled his long, wet hair into a neat braid that rested over his right shoulder and had put on the green t-shirt and dark-wash jeans he had packed. Although he had more than an hour before he was expected at work, Lee unlocked his door hurriedly, wanting to leave the complex as fast as possible so he could arrive early enough that the inevitable outfit change wouldn't cut into his shift again. Lee, while hoping to save time in that aspect, was also more than a little eager to be at the club once more.

He couldn't wait to see his new friends again, something he desperately wished was reciprocated and not a hopeless longing on his part (a lesson Lee learned once the orphanage kids that had spoken to him out of pity ended up avoiding and ignoring him the following day). Despite his hesitation, the young teen couldn't help believing that the people of Paradise were above such petty, childish things, and the warmth and acceptance he had felt those previous encounters could be nothing but genuine affection for their newest employee. Dropping his backpack on the small mattress, Lee opened the front pocket to grab his cellphone so he could transfer it to his small messenger bag. Firing off a quick text to the group chat they had set up on his phone informing them that everything was fine, he gently put the device in the front pocket. Locking the door behind him, Lee once again made his way to the job that had already changed his life so much.

~~~*timeskip*~~~ ~~~*timeskip*~~~

Standing at the front of Paradise, hands grasping the door handle limply, Lee realized his mistake in arriving much earlier than his shift: the club was closed. Mentally smacking his head for his lack of foresight, the dark eyed youth looked up to the unlit neon sign above the entrance and let out a resigned huff. I guess I will just have to sit here until it—

Lee was literally yanked out of his thoughts when the door, still in his grasp, opened, throwing him headfirst into the entrance. The raven haired male, unprepared for the abrupt motion, found himself face down on the mahogany carpet, arms awkwardly sprawled above his head.

"I suppose this is mildly better than being late, although you didn't need to be so dramatic about it," came the amused voice of Kakashi.

Lee felt himself colour as the older male crouched down, offering his hand in assistance.

"It was not my intention to fall flat on my face," the youth pouted cutely as he was helped to his feet. "I was contemplating what to do when the door suddenly pulled me forward and I lost my balance. I will be sure to catch myself next time!"

"Sure kid," the silver haired man easily agreed, "but how about you just come in the back entrance and save us all the trouble?"

"Y-Yosh! I am sorry to have cause such a disruption!" the lightly tanned teen bowed lowly, biting his lip apologetically. He had not meant to cause such a scene and burden the other staff with his own clumsiness.

The same large hand that had helped him up ruffled his bangs gently. "It's no big deal, I just want to make sure you don't hurt yourself again," Kakashi reassured, uncovered eye softening at the sad hunch of the other's shoulders.

Heartened by the clarification, warmth bloomed in Lee's chest while a smile adorned his previously bleak face. I knew I was right in believing in these people, he cheered internally as the harsh reprimand he was expecting never came. Letting out a small content hum, he took a stride forward to make his way further into the club but paused mid step. Turning on his heal, Lee spun around, face steeled for anything, and flung his thin arms around the grey eyed male's torso. Burying his head in the others chest, he mumbled a quite thanks before bolting it to the dressing room. In his haste, Lee missed how Kakashi froze in place, visible eye wide and unblinking as his pale skin flushed the faintest of pinks.

The dark eyed boy didn't stop his rapid pace until he was safely behind the doors of the practice room afraid of the older bouncer's reaction to his less than professional behaviour. Not everyone is as comfortable with affectionate gestures as you are Lee, he reprimanded himself as he rested against the cool metal of the doors. Especially people that barely know you. Running his fingers through his bangs in frustration, he remembered how warm Kakashi's large hand had felt when it had brushed his forehead. Maybe…..maybe he does not mind as much as I thought?

"Ah, there's just the cutie I was looking for," came the familiar, and more than welcome, voice of Sai.

Shaking himself from his stupor, large obsidian orbs rested on his companion, eager for something different to focus on. The tall, thin male sauntered over in what Lee could only describe as (much to his own embarrassment) an effortlessly sensual glide, hips rolling lazily. Lee couldn't help but trail the figure with his eyes, taking in the confident walk and masculine figure of his friend. A tight black v-neck clung to the surprisingly defined chest of the pale man, emphasizing the broadness of his shoulders. The shirt was paired with the same skin tight leather pants Lee had first seen the other in that highlighted just how long the other's legs were stopping after what felt like miles at the shiny black boots they were tucked into. Overall, his coworker looked amazing and Lee felt himself drawn to the drastic contrast between translucent skin and midnight apparel.

"Like what you see?" Sai teased with a wink when he noticed the raven's gaze.

"You look fantastic Sai! Very handsome indeed, it is no wonder that you are so popular at Paradise!" Lee eagerly admitted, not one to hold back compliments. It was true as well, when Gai had been talking to him about some of their regulars and which shows they would come for specifically, Sai's name had been mentioned quite frequently as a crowd favourite.

The short haired male seemed to preen under the attention briefly before his face smoothed into it's signature blank expression. "Thanks Lee, it's nice to hear a sincere compliment every now and then, don't you agree?" Sai questioned rhetorically with a tilt of his head, smile stiff but genuine. "However, no one is going to be looking at me once we get you all dressed up and confident."

"Ah, n-no, not at all," Lee shook his head in the negative as he stumbled over the denial. Having not received many (meaning zero) compliments up until Paradise, the modest male did not know how to react to such kind words, especially when they were genuine. "That is definitely not going to be the case Sai, you are not giving yourself enough credit!"

Laughing softly at the young teens response, Sai snaked his arm around Lee's waist, guiding him to the multitude of outfits hanging by the dressing tables. "Don't fret, I am more than confident in myself, both inside and out, so there's no need to worry about me being upset by you outshining me. In fact, as your friend, I wish for you to shine as bright as possible and I will make sure that it happens if it's the last thing I do."

Lee could only stare in awe at Sai as the other pushed him to sit at one of the vanities while he sifted through the racks, pulling out different articles of clothing to see which combination would be the best. Never, in all of his short life, had Lee met someone as openly confident and at peace with themselves as Sai. It baffled the other teen, whom had always thought that self-doubt and internalized hatred went hand in hand with merely existing, how someone could be so easily content with who they were and not lament over what they could have been. What confused Lee even more was just how assured his new friend was in him and his ability to shine just as bright as Sai himself.

Yet, a small part of his mind suggested, you know what it feels like to glimmer, so maybe glowing is not as far beyond your reach as you think. Having tasted the brief, yet so blindly beautiful moment of confident serenity that Paradise had already given him, Lee had began to believe that, just maybe, he could become what Sai so adamantly thought he could be. No longer would he let the young, broken boy that had cowered in the face of cruelty hold him back, allowing himself the future of the budding man breaking free from the confines of doubt and sadness. So Lee wanted, for all the people that believed he could and for himself, to paint over the black mess that his life once was with the devastatingly lovely shades of positivity, and self-assurance that seemed to flow, in abundance, from the little club and it's occupants.

"Thank you Sai," the serious tone of Lee's voice instantly drew the other's attention, "for everything."

Black orbs met in a prolonged gaze, the long haired male trying to convey the just how much he was truly grateful for unsure how to voice such things in words alone.

"Of course, what are friends for if not to make you the best that you can be?" came the equally serious reply. Breaking into a grin that quickly dispelled the heavy atmosphere, Sai held up the articles of clothes that he had lowered during their previous moment. "Now, I thought today we'd go with something a little more dark. I'd like to call it 'sad sex kitten'. "

Lee couldn't help the chuckle that escaped at the ridiculous name Sai had come up with for this new look. This quickly morphed into full-blown laughter that had him doubled over, clutching his stomach as tears rolled down his round cheeks, when he looked from the outfit to his friend's completely deadpan expression. Eventually his full bodied laugh was joined by raspy chuckles as the pale dancer collapsed against the clothing racks at the absurdity of it all.

Wiping tears from his eyes, Lee once again focused on the outfit the ebony haired male had chosen. The first thing he noticed was the heather grey hoodie (if he could call it that considering it seemed only long enough to cover his ribs) with black arms and cute black cat ears sewn onto the hood. There was also a pair of very short dark wash jean shorts, complete with frayed edges and rips that would most definitely be showing even more of his thighs. Sai also had in his possession some sheer black knee socks, a shiny black collar choker, and black combat boots to complete the " sad sex kitten" ensemble.

"No time to hesitate," Sai cut in at the wide-eyed uncertainty on the other's face, "I want to officially introduce you to the other repeat workers here so you'll have some more familiar faces to rely on whenever i'm not around."

Having not really interacted on any long term basis with anyone aside from Sai, Kakashi, and Gai, Lee was eager to meet even more people at Paradise. Especially if they are anything like the one's I have met so far, particularly Sai and Gai, he silently added to himself. Trusting his friend's judgement, he quickly changed into the costume and submit to Sai's insistence of letting him apply some mascara, eyeliner, and lipgloss to finish the transformation. And, once again, Lee was not disappointed in the pale man's abilities as he pulled his braid out from the confines of the hood and over his shoulder. This new look highlighted the softness of his features, drawing out the adorable roundness of his cheeks and largeness of his eyes. Coupled with the bare expanse of his torso and thighs, he looked exactly as Sai had so humorously suggested (which did not seem quite as ridiculous now): a sad sex kitten.

"See, what did I say? Glowing," Sai said as he took Lee's hand leading him to the main part of the club.

Lee couldn't help the crimson flush that crept over his cheeks at the other's words and the rush of confidence they brought him. If this is what it is like to be as content as Sai, then I hope that I can work hard to reach that state of self-assuredness as soon as possible, he mused smiling to himself.

As the pair exited the dressing room, Lee noticed two men that hadn't been there when he arrived standing in front of the large stage. Sai dropped Lee's hand in favour of resting his own on the other's lower back, gently guiding him to the other's. Lee jumped slightly at the cold touch on his exposed skin, but easily relaxed into the friendly contact, glad to have his friends reassurance. Once they got closer to the duo, a plastic smile formed on Sai's pale face in an attempt to look disarming (though it ended up making him look rather intimidating). Apparently they were more than accustomed to the expressionless male's struggle with emoting as they merely turned in greeting, the one Lee now recognized as Shikamaru lifting his hand in a lazy wave.

"Everyone, this is Lee," Sai began as he gestured with his free hand to Lee. "Lee, this is Shikamaru."

"Ah! Yes, we have already met…or, rather, we saw each other briefly during my first shift," Lee clarified as the bushy haired male nodded in agreement.

"Kakashi had me running errands and I happened to see him in Gai's office," Shikamaru added when Sai continued to stare at him.

"I hope we can become great friends!" Lee chirped as he brought his hand out for a handshake.

"Hmmm, sure," the other drawled, grasping the outstretched hand briefly.

"Don't mind him," came the smooth voice of the still un-introduced male, "he's just hoping that by playing it cool you won't notice how attractive he thinks you are."

Looking at his other co-worker, Lee felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity, as if he had met him somewhere before. The sharp black eyes and dark hair pulled into a low ponytail clawed at a memory he couldn't quite recall; a face similar yet different from one he had seen many times over. The deep chuckle of the stranger drew Lee back to the present.

The bored looking male made a low tsk as he turned a violent shade of red. "How annoying," he scoffed as he left the three and headed to the bar.

"Well, that was Shikamaru, and this," Sai gestured to the tall male in front of Lee, "is Itachi."

Lee instantaneously gasped and did a double-take at the name, large eyes going even rounder at what Sai had just said. Snapping his head back to face the not so oddly familiar male, the earlier sense of deja-vu made complete sense. A little dizzy at the information overload, the dark skinned male began to recall everything he had every heard about this male. But….but this can not be possible, they told me that….that he left, he questioned as doubt began to cloud what his eyes were telling him as memory after memory flooded his mind.

"If….if I may ask, that is….are you….do you happen to be Itachi Uchiha?" Lee meekly voiced, certain now that he must be mistaken. There is no way, I am most certainly mistaken, it can not be him, it is not him, this most certainly is not the Itachi Uchi-

"Ah, I haven't gone by that name in a long time, but you aren't incorrect in assuming that." Itachi smoothly responded. "I just go by Itachi now." Although he appeared calm, his sharp eyes had hardened when the question had been asked. Now, an equally sharp smirk bloomed on his face. "You are aquatinted with my brother, aren't you?" the once pleasant voice countered almost dangerously.

Lee was helpless to do anything but nod weakly as he, once again, took in the man that was not supposed to even be within one thousand feet of Konaha. Lee most certainly knew Itachi's brother, considering they were two out of the seven best friends that made up a small group. And, from what said friend had told him during their years of friendship, this person should not -could not- be here, at Paradise, working with Lee at this very moment.

Because Itachi, the older, biological brother of one Sasuke Uchiha, had run away from home when Sasuke was eight, leaving the young boy a devastated shell of his happy self, and had not returned since.

Dun, dun, duuuun. So, you should definitely expect a bit more backstory and Paradise in the next chapter, which I promise I will try and complete faster than this chapter.

Thanks again for your more than kind words on this disgusting thing, it is greatly appreciated!

On another note, I thought I should clarify just exactly who does what at Paradise (mostly because I don't really plan on dealing with it in the story aside for in little insists and such) so here goes:

Kakashi and Gai are the owners of Paradise, having opened it when they were young adults. They've been friends practically forever so when Gai suggested opening a club, although reluctant, Kakashi agreed and it did surprisingly well. Kakashi used to be a dancer, but switched to being a bouncer after injuring his eye. Gai also used to perform, and still does every now and then, but much prefers dealing with the business side of running the club and also works as the bartender. Sai, Shikamaru, and Itachi are all dancers, Itachi having worked there the longest and Shikamaru the shortest.

There might be some other people mentioned, but for now that's it for the Paradise people.