A/N: Yay, more writing finished! Again, we dive into a bit more of Naruto's past makeup. But, as of now we're still in the dark. -smirks- But don't worry, it'll all be made clear soon. Be patient, my darlings. ^.^
A little note at the end. Be sure to check. It could clear things up for you. Honest.
Full Summery:
The Four Aristocrats, known rulers of Konoha Elite – school for the bright and rich. The band made up of Sasuke Uchiha – son of profound Fugaku Uchiha and heir to the Uchiha Corporation; Neji Hyuuga – nephew of Hiashi Hyuuga and in line for the head of the Hyuuga INC; Gaara Sabaku – already head of the Sabaku Enterprise; and Shikamaru Nara – only successor to the Nara Association.
Naruto Uzumaki, young at the age of 16, but already a senior in high school enters the school of his dreams along with his foster-sister Ino. The adorable, cute, hilarious blond is without a doubt a great attraction to all of the men in Konoha Elite. Yet, upon catching the eyes of the three largest beneficiaries will definitely cause a few problems. Who will win the heart of the blond? And will Naru-chan be able to ward off the evils of fame and prices it comes with?
Contains Yaoi and pairings: SasuNaru, NejiGaara, ItaDei, ShikaIno, and KakaIru
Happy Reading! ^.^
Disclaimer: If you said I owned Naruto, I'd say you should fucking kiss my ass. If I were some Kishimoto impersonation, I would definitely not be sitting here in my room writing shitty fanfiction. I mean, that just screams pathetic.
Chapter Ten
Iruka's face seemed to be permanently sunburned on the way home, Naruto noticed from the corner of his eye. His father was staring straight ahead, and Naruto wasn't sure if he should be nervous or relieved. Nervous, since this probably meant an hour long lecture when he got home; but relieved since the lecture wasn't now. His ears thanked him gratefully. For now.
Upon pulling into their small condo, Iruka was again strangely silent. But, Naruto was wise not to comment at the moment, upon seeing Deidara's small bug parked outside the garage. Hopeful that his brother got the job (since he so obviously deserved it), the lithe blond jumped out the doors the moment they were unlocked and bounded through the front door.
"DEIDARA-NII-SAN! DEI-DEI—WHERE ARE YOU?"
Naruto had the immense pleasure of calling for his dear brother, whose ears were probably wincing at the loudness and broadness of his own name.
"In the kitchen, Naru-chan!" Ino's voice echoed from the foyer. He followed the sound to the tiny kitchen that should only house two, but held four. Deidara was seated absentmindedly on the single wooden bench, while Ino swung her legs from the scorched countertop.
"Hey Ino-chan, Dei-chan! How was your day? Mine was brilliant, minus the stupid detention! Fucking Kiba, that asshole…"
Ino laughed, her self-manicured nails neatly gripping the tabletop as she leaned back.
"Oh, Naru-chan…I'm sure it wasn't that bad! I was going to just ask you how it went."
Naruto snorted, his eyes rolling upward.
"It was just so exciting, like all other detentions are. A blasting party, it was. Too bad you fucking missed it. Even the fucking teacher missed it, it was that great."
"Hm, I envy you so much. Even the teacher wasn't there? Wow, I'm glad I don't have AP Lit., the teacher seems like a slacker."
Naruto waved it off with a finger.
"Nah, Kakashi's pretty decent as an English teacher, but when schools not in session…meh! Did you know he reads Ero-Sennin's books?"
Iruka, who had just entered the kitchen, stopped dead in mid-step.
Deidara was the first who recovered, his voice pinched in disgust.
"You mean, he reads and actually likes Jiraiya's books, un?"
Naruto nodded, his face equally pinched.
"That sicko!" Ino exclaimed as the others nodded in agreement. Anyone who read Jiraiya's books for the pure fact of enjoyment and amusement must be disgusting, not to mention mental.
"And here I thought…" Iruka trailed off, his eyes glazed in thought. Ino looked at her father oddly, her eyes glinting with hidden mirth as she smiled at the expression on his face. However, she did not say anything as of the moment.
"So, back to the main topic: Dei-chan, how was the interview?"
Naruto exclaimed as he hopped onto the counter next to Ino.
Deidara replied with a sigh. Iruka looked devastated as Naruto's face turned forlorn. Ino turned her head away, her hair hiding her expression.
"Well…it went…"
"GREAT! Deidara, stop messing with them! HE GOT THE FUCKING JOB!"
Iruka and Naruto's jaws dropped in surprise as Deidara and Ino burst out in laughter. Soon, the whole kitchen was full of laughter. Deidara stopped just long enough to wipe a tear as he spoke shakily.
"Yah, un, it was pretty simple really."
"Who was your interviewer again?"
"Itachi Uchiha…he is such a pervert, un! I could swear he was just melting my ass with his stare. I mean, un, he doesn't even try to hide the fact that he's openly staring. It was so…awkward."
Iruka gave another sigh as he rubbed his scar across his nose.
"Another pervert, huh? First Jiraiya, then Kakashi, and now Itachi-sama too. Damn, we just have the worst luck."
Ino butted in.
"Yah, but no one is more of a pervert than Jiraiya. He's, like, the number one pervert of all time."
Naruto added in just as quickly, "That's exactly why I call him Ero-Sennin! And he even dares to deny it! That old, hermit."
Deidara looked between them, trying to keep a straight face.
"Well, I'll have to say Itachi is probably not as bad, un, but he comes close."
Iruka also added after a thought.
"And Kakashi-san, if he really does read Jiraiya's books, he's probably a little off his rocker too. No one in their right mind…"
Deidara saved the thought as he continued.
"Anyways, I have to be at work tomorrow at around 7:30-ish."
Iruka nodded, "Great, you can take Ino and Naruto with you before you leave. I have to prepare for my outdoor class anyways, so this will give me extra time for preparation."
The taller blond nodded, his pony flipping as he did so. Ino jumped off the counter and clapped her hands loudly, making the others cringe.
"God Ino, that sounds just like Anko when she slams that damn ruler against her desk." Naruto exclaimed, swearing his ears were ringing.
"Likewise Naruto, as much as I'd love to hear you whine some more, someone has to make the damned dinner. Don't you have practice to go to tonight, Naruto?"
Naruto's eyes glimmered peculiarly as he leaned against the wooden cupboard above the counter.
"I do."
"Awesome. Perfect, Deidara will drive you."
"Wha—fine, un. I have to talk to Fujin anyways."
Iruka nodded, following his sons' and daughter's exchange perfectly. He often did not have to say a word, they worked together so harmoniously. He just had to confirm everything.
As planned, Ino looked over at Iruka for an 'ok'. He nodded and she smiled once more.
"Alrighty then! What do you guys want for dinner?"
"Wait—Ino-chan! It's my turn to cook tonight!"
"And cook what? Ramen again? Having eaten that since your birth, it's not surprising you're just a shrimp!"
"Yah, un, I'm fucking sick of ramen, no offense Naru-chan."
Naruto pouted but looked fine otherwise. Iruka laughed at the cute expression on his son, flicking the blonde's nose lightly. As predicted, Naruto scrunched his nose at the contact, but a giggle broke through the dam. His melodious giggles filled the room with liveliness and joy. Something honestly only Naruto could do.
Ino decided to make a Chinese dish chow-Mein, consisting of stir-fried noodles with different vegetables and seasonings. Her miniature foster family loved Chinese dishes, so she cooked them as often as she could. Deidara also enjoyed Italian, though the others did not. Iruka was often too busy to cook, but spent as much time as he could around the dinner table just to listen to their conversations. Naruto, of course, loved his dear old ramen, though everyone else was completely sick of it. And Ino liked Chinese, obviously. She wouldn't make it if she didn't like it.
The meal was rather noisy, but not among the unusual. Naruto's infused the night with enjoyment and laughter as Deidara and Ino made quirky remarks at each other. The time to eat was cut short though, since Naruto did have practice to go to at around 7:00 PM. When all the dishes were empty and piled up in the sink, Iruka stretched as he got up. The cricks in his neck were sore from his position in his desk all day. Ino looked sympathetically at her father.
"Iruka-tou-san! You're working too hard again! You should take it easy tonight and go to bed early! God knows you need that goodnight sleep."
Iruka rubbed the back of his shoulder, trying to stretch out an awkward spot.
"Thanks Ino, for your concern. I truly appreciate it. But, I really have some work and preparing to do. Don't you have homework of some sort tonight?"
At this, Ino's mint blue eyes widened.
"Oh shit! I'd completely forgotten! Thank you so much Iruka for the head's up! Damn Kurenai-sensei for giving us a Biology essay!"
"No giving back-talk to your teacher, Ino-chan!"
She turned back to him for a moment, smiling innocently.
"Of course not, Iruka-sensei."
He gave up.
Naruto was still slumped in the seat, rubbing his full belly contently.
"Ah…that was some good stuff, Ino-chan."
"Arigato, Naru-chan. But, it's still not too healthy for you. You should eat some lettuce and fruits of some sort, Naruto."
"Meh, I think ramen and your food will satisfy me fine for now. Dei-dei, you ready to leave?"
Ignoring the absurd nick-name, the other blond nodded, patting the corners of his lips daintily across his folded napkin.
Both blonds stood up in sync, bringing their dirty dishes to the crammed sink. Ino stared between the pile and her homework regretfully. Deciding on the dishes, she happily put her homework aside for the moment. Rolling up her sleeves, she waved to her leaving siblings as she got ready to tackle the dishes. Iruka also gave a farewell hand as he clambered toward his crammed office in the back of the condo.
"Don't be back too late, Naruto! Deidara, don't leave him unsupervised like the last time. Oh, and Naruto, don't think you've gotten out of talking about that detention you got today. We'll talk when I'm less busy. And I won't forget. You know I won't." And Naruto did. Iruka had the memory of an elephant, he swore. The teacher remembered everything from the tiniest detail to the big picture. It was scary, but useful at times.
"Damn, and just when I was hoping I'd get out of it."
Deidara rubbed the shorter boys's scalp hastily, laughing as Naruto tried to scramble away.
"Right, like he would ever let you do such a blasphemy."
Ruffled as he finally was released, Naruto grumbled as he walked out the door, the laughing blond following him.
The car ride to Naruto's practice was rather quiet. But unlike other times, Naruto's practice was something not to be taken lightly. It was his past and his present. Not something he could ever get out of, but it helped him a great deal in the long run.
Pulling up to the run-down building, Deidara cut the engine as the two blonds walked out. Pulling the door from its hinges, Naruto held it for the other before placing it back in place. There was another crusty hallway, darkened by the glow of single candles hanging above the walls. It would seem haunted and creepy to any newcomer, but to Naruto and Deidara this was a walk in the park. Locations such as these were not anything new. They were only suited one purpose: To scare unwanted, curious visitors away.
Suddenly, the sharp corner was turned and the hallway transformed. The once dingy, rotting wood panels were replaced with white sections of granite. Gone were the candles, and in their places were illuminant lights filled with LED bulbs. But the hallway still seemed to lead onto nowhere.
The two blonds stopped short about halfway through the long, bright hall. Naruto bent low, glancing at the two ends of the hall before pulling a hidden hinge off the side board. A concealed opening was revealed as both boys crawled in. Placing the board back in place from the other side, Naruto, along with Deidara glanced at their surroundings.
The floor was covered with glossy flooring, green plants propped around the glass casing. A single desk stood adjacent to a steel gray door, held firmly shut from the other side. There was no one in the desk. Deidara pulled out a single gold key from the necklace around his neck and handed it to Naruto. The blond unlocked a top, left drawer in the desk, which held a single letter. Already having memorized the letter by trial and error, he pressed the 'on' button on the laptop. The screen glowed green as the installed microphone was switched on.
"NaMe?"
"Kyuubi and Koumori." Naruto recited their codenames clearly, allowing the transmitter to verify their voices. Even amongst the others, they used only their codenames, so neither knew the other members' real names.
"PaSsWoRd?"
"When life is short, the time should fly,
Yet unlike nature, we wonder why,
The circle passes, we make the tie,
We know we will but surely die."
Deidara let go of his breath as the machine accepted their password. The steel door was pushed open by an unknown force as a lady whose hair was knotted in four different directions stepped through. Naruto waved a hand in salute. The girl grinned before jumping on the smaller blond.
"Hey there, Koumori, Kyuubi! Kyu-chan, I was beginning to miss you, bud! Where have you been?"
Naruto made a face as Deidara laughed.
"Dolphin-tou-san had to move again."
Fujin gave a dead-panned look.
"Let me guess, you did it again, didn't you?"
"Possibly…"
"Oh Kyuubi-chan, you're just our not-so-innocent, completely naïve baby, aren't you?"
"I am not a baby!"
"C'mon, you are the youngest in our lil group."
"You guys are just too old."
"Whatever floats your boat, Hun. Come, Mizuakuma and Zashoku are waiting."
The two blonds nodded as they followed her light footsteps through the steel door. The other end was darker, the only light over the boxing arena in the foresight. Two tall figures also stood there, one leaning against the railing while the other swung from an extended line attached to the high ceiling.
Walking over to the figures, Deidara and Naruto immediately broke into a run, Fujin mused at their air of childishness as she walked at a slower pace.
"MIZUAKUMA!" Naruto jumped into the strong body of the blue-tinted man with shark-like features. His odd, gold irises glimmered cheerfully at the small blond in his arms; tight, skinny arms wrapped around his neck. Deidara, not assorted to such immaturity stood for a one finger salute which was returned fully by both men.
"ZASHOKU!" Naruto bounded off to the other man, hanging with amazing agility from the bar connected to the line. Grabbing onto the silver bar, Naruto kicked his legs up as he swung onto the bar with the other man. This man had a weird facial tattoo that often scared people away as well as his seemingly split personality. But, Naruto was a person who cared for neither of the stereotypes, loved both men deeply as brothers. The tattooed man gave a slight smile, teeth glinting a little from the reflection of the light.
"My, Kyuubi, you've grown." This was said in a light, warm persona. "Indeed, you are far more appeasing this way. I should daresay you practiced during your extended break?" The second phrase was preferably much darker. The low, gravelly voice seemed to vibrate as both voices were synchronized from the same body.
The others had by now gotten used to the oddnessity of one another, so the split voices did not bug them at all. Naruto, or Kyuubi gave a wide, blinding smile as he replied.
"Thanks, I haven't seen you guys in ages. Dolphin insisted I stay home to help unload everything. When did you guys move into the new facility anyways?"
Fujin, who had finally reached the others, was the one that answered.
"Moving was due since our old place had been spotted anyways. And with you leaving Suna, there was really no point in staying there. Do you like this new place?"
Deidara, or Koumori nodded.
"Yah, un, it's really nice! Everything seems so furnished and large. It kinda reminds me of my work-place and Kyuubi-chan's new school, un."
Fujin gave a closed-eye smile.
"Thanks! We tried to buy a place with a bigger arena and such so we'd have more room. Not bad, aye?"
The two blonds nodded in agreement.
"Yah, thank god for your instructions Fujin-chan, or we'd never have made it here. It's like a giant maze of hallways out there." Naruto gave an upside-down 'U' smile.
"Of course, that is all for the pure fact of safety. Safety is the number one rule here after all."
"Yes, but it's rather ironic, don't you think?" Mizuakuma added mockingly, "We're like this group of street-fighters with much more of a title, yet our first priority is safety. I'm all for lets-fuck-this-shit but Fujin's just such a Miss Tight-ASS over there."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"GET OVER HERE YOU FISH-BOY. IMMA GONNA MAKE SUSHI WITH THAT PRETTY BLUE HIDE OF YOURS."
"No way, psycho-bitch! I ain't sacrificing this ass for nothing!" The two proceeded to chase one another around the arena, their business not at all uncommon in the whirl of things.
"God, Kou-chan, do you know how much I've missed this?"
"Not as much as I have, you haven't, un."
A/N: In case you totally did not get who was who for the codenames:
Kyuubi [c'mon, that's a given...]: Naruto
Koumori [means bat - the creature, not the wooden kind]: Deidara
Mizuakuma [means water - demon]: Kisame
Zashoku [means plant-eater]: Zetsu
Fujin [means wind - god/goddess] : Temari
Also, Naruto and Deidara do not know that Temari goes to their school. Actually, they know almost nothing of the other group members, since for fucking safety everything is kept a complete secret. So, as of now they're as close as a family where secrecy is everything.