The decadent restaurant floor was particularly busy. Two larger dinner parties, the private room filled, and the rest of the tables booked to midnight meant Naruto and the rest of the staff were rushed off their feet. Naruto glanced at his watch and sighed, miserable, as he contemplated the prospect of another 5 hours of his shift. Pushing open the doors to the private room, he walked quietly over to the small table and placed down the circular tray with a bottle of champagne he had been balancing delicately atop his fingers. Taking a crisp white linen napkin, he folded it over the top of the champagne bottle, and facing away from the guests, twisted the cork until it opened without popping. Wiping the top of the bottle, he turned towards the guests and, scanning the larger main table, began to calmly and politely offer the drink to those whose glasses looked low. Placing the opened champagne bottle in a bucket of ice, he stood in the corner of the room and waited. Attending the private room was easy, but boring at best. Most of the time the guests were rich and privileged, and preferred to be left alone, so the personal waiter had little to do. Noticing that everybody seated at the beautifully crafted round mahogany table had finished eating, he picked up the receiver of the phone against the wall to his left. Pressing a button, he waited for the phone to be picked up by Neji. He heard the receiver being picked up and the slightly stressed sound of his manager came through the phone. 'Yes?'

'The guests in the private room are ready for their table to be cleared.'

'Alright. Remind me how many people there are?'

'Twelve.'

'Right.' The phone cut off and Naruto placed it back on the receiver. Stepping outside of the room, he waited for the twelve waiters to gather in the hallway just outside. Within a couple of minutes they had all congregated, and Naruto organised them into a line. He nodded and they entered, circling the table. In unison they stepped forwards and leaned to the left of their guest, taking the cleared plates and cutlery, before replacing them with new silvers. They then filed out in a line again, and Naruto announced the wine for the next course, pouring each guest a glass. The next dish was brought in in the same fashion, though this time when the food was placed upon the table in front of the guests, it was hidden with silver dome plate covers. Naruto stepped forwards and announced the dish to the guests.

'Ladies and gentlemen, for the main course this evening we have veal sweetbread with chestnut, with fregola pasta and white truffle butter.' The waiters leaned forwards once again and lifted the covers, before filing out. Naruto returned back to his corner and let his mind wander while keeping half an eye on the table. A guest would only need to lean back and he would be there at their side, wine in hand, ready to serve. They paid enough for the exclusive room and service. One dinner party here would pay a whole 3 weeks of Naruto's wages. It always made him feel a little small when he served to the guests in this room. He knew that at least one of the women seated at the table's dress had been tailor made, and another with expensively cut black-purple hair had a very large pair of diamond earrings dangling from her pale lobes. The men were dressed just as finely, with tailored dinner jackets and cufflinks made from precious metals and stones. He often wondered just what kind of world they lived in – ladies who lunched and shopped, men who sat at large desks and ran huge businesses, never actually meeting their employees. I hope it is a lot harder than it looks, he thought, smirking inwardly. I think I'd prefer to be where I am. I can't stand veal! A tall man with very heavy black eyebrows made eye contact with him, and Naruto hurried over, smiling attentively.

Sasuke tapped away at his laptop, sending emails to clients and colleagues. Looking up, he noticed the time and snapped the lid shut, picking it up and rising from his swivel chair and leaving the little office. He plopped down onto his sofa and lifted the lid, glancing at the date at the bottom right hand of the screen. Bringing up Google, he logged into Facebook, flicking through useless notifications and requests before coming across a message from an old school friend. Smiling slightly, he read the invite to the housewarming party the next evening, and noting the '+1,' shut the lid. Getting up, he put the laptop on the coffee table and went to the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing a can of beer. He sauntered leisurely back to the sofa and plopped down on it, fishing for the remote and turning on the television. Sinking further into the sofa, he settled down for a quiet night in, pondering as he did so who he would invite.

Naruto sat heavily down on the wooden bench in the cloakroom. Shikamaru sat next to him, tying his hair back in a stubby ponytail with a black band. He wasn't allowed to tie it back in the restaurant, and Naruto always found it mildly funny to see his shoulder length hair down, brushed and shiny. Somehow he managed to pull it off though, and Naruto could sometimes see the younger women observing his trouser clad posterior as he bent down to place a plate on a table near them. Naruto was sure if Neji did not ban it, he would have kept all the numbers they had slipped under their tips, and probably had them all as girlfriends. Shikamaru was a womanizer – he always had a girl on his arm, and though he did treat them well, he never formed long lasting attachments to any of them. Naruto pitied Shikamaru's girlfriends sometimes, though he knew none of them ever regretted going out with him. Naruto unbuttoned his waistcoat and took it off, before folding it and leaving it on the bench aside him. He leaned back, head resting on the metal pole behind his back which supported the peg rail, and sighed, worn out. Turning to his friend, he noticed the dark rings under his eyes as well. 'What day is it?' He asked.

'Friday.' Naruto smiled.

'We're off tomorrow.' Shikamaru nodded and stood up, walking towards his little locker opposite. Opening it, he pulled out his Docs, and bending down, pulled off his polished black dress shoes and placed them in the locker. He stuck a hand into one of the boots and pulled out a mobile and MP3 player, and a set of keys. Reaching for his jacket which was hung up on a peg next to the lockers, he put the items in a pocket and donned it, before bending down to tie his boots. Naruto stood, his tired brain feeling foggy, and went through the same process – swapping his shoes, collecting his valuables, putting on his coat and gathering his things. He placed the folded up waistcoat in the locker before shutting it and spinning the little combination lock. He turned and joined Shikamaru who was waiting for him, and they stepped out of the staff door into the alleyway at the back of L'plier. Reaching the main pavement,Naruto fished around in his coat pockets for his last cigarette. Lighting it, he inhaled deeply, and Shikamaru next to him coughed loudly and pointedly at him. Naruto simply smirked and set off down the quiet, yellow lit streets of Westminster, blowing smoke into the cold night. Shikamaru shook his head and picked up his pace to catch Naruto. Coming alongside him, he chuckled quietly.

'I don't know about you but I'm not getting up till at least two.'

Naruto smirked. 'I might heroically find some energy to play video games.'

The two came to the entrance of a large roundabout and parted. Naruto stubbed out his cigarette on the metal railings dividing the road from the path and flicked it to the ground before crossing the empty road. He let his tiredness roll over him as he walked, dropping his shoulders and sighing. The nights were just too long. He would welcome his bed when he met it. Pushing his key into the lock on his front door, Naruto let himself in and stumbled into his little flat. He walked over to the little kitchen and opened the fridge with one hand, undoing the buttons on his shirt with the other. He pulled out a bottle of milk and poured some into a jug which he took from a shelf, before putting it into the microwave. While the milk warmed, he changed out of his work clothes and into flannel pyjama trousers and a t-shirt, before pouring the milk into a mug in which he had put hot chocolate powder and stirred. He went to his bed and sat, leaning against the wall and turning on the television while he drank. Looking at the clock on his bedside table, he was shocked to see it was already 1:30am. He tipped the mug up, draining it of the last, thick dregs of hot chocolate, before getting up to place it on the kitchen side and clean his teeth. He hated the aftertaste of milk. Returning to bed, he slid down under the covers and relished the feeling of lying down flat between soft duvet and mattress. He was warm, he was comfortable. He was asleep.

The morning light shone through the window into Sasuke's room and glanced off his pale cheek, stirring him from his sleep. He pulled his heavy eyes apart and lifted his head from the squashy pillow, cursing slightly at his mistake to leave the curtain ajar last night. He pushed the duvet off himself and sat up, fighting the dizzy feeling as the sharp movements threw his blood pressure. He stood and walked over to the back of the door, pulling off a dark blue fleecy dressing gown which he wrapped around himself. He pushed open his bedroom door and walked into the kitchen, placing the kettle on the hob before leaning on the kitchen side and staring up at the ceiling, still only half-awake. He was stirred out of his reverie by the shrill whistling of his kettle which was now jetting steam from the spout – he lifted the lid on a china teapot and poured in the water before dropping in a couple of teabags, and promptly zoning out again. It took a while for his brain to work out how to wake up in the mornings. Noting the time wasn't too early, he pulled his charging phone off the dock he had in the kitchen and bean to text various colleagues and work friends, inviting them to the party that evening. He huffed slightly at the short notice, but then his old friend Kiba had never been much organised. He hoped the house wouldn't be filled with too many dogs. He pushed the phone into his dressing gown and poured the now stewed tea into a mug. He added milk and sipped, before posting a couple of slices of wholemeal bread into the toaster and pressing down the foot. After a few minutes of sipping tea, they popped up, steaming slightly, and with the tips of his fingers Sasuke dropped the hot slices onto a plate and proceeded to spread them with a thin layer of marmalade. As he was moving to the living room, the phone buzzed in his pocket with the first reply of his invites. He sat and swiped down to unlock, and was presented with a short message:

Can't – looking after my niece this weekend.
Have a good time
Tem

As the morning progressed, more and more rejections came through, along with the odd answer of 'already going!' Sasuke wondered just how huge this house party was. He knew Kiba had made his money through a niche in the market, but his new house couldn't be a mansion could it? The last reply from his brother hit his inbox, and Sasuke swiped the screen with his thumb to unlock it and read the message. The shortest one yet, it simply stated:

No.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the curt reply before bringing up his contact list. He couldn't be the loner who didn't bring anyone, especially as there was no partner in the scene. He lazily scrolled through the list until a name caught his eye. Naruto; that waiter, he thought for a second, before tapping out a quick message.

Hi it's Sasuke – the guy from the restaurant.
Do you want to go to a house party tonight? It's a bit random but you probably already know people going tbh.

He sent it, slung the phone onto the coffee table, and got up, entering the bathroom and pushing the door shut with the back of his foot.

Naruto was awakened by a loud noise coming from his bedside table. He cracked open an eye just in time to see his little phone vibrate itself off the surface and plonk to the floor. He mumbled incoherently and rolled over, flopping an arm off the side of the bed and swinging his fingertips through the rag rug until they met cool plastic. He clasped the phone and brought it to his face, flipping the lid and unlocking it. He frowned at the small text, rubbing blurry eyes and smiled as he read it. I need to cut loose a bit, he thought, and tapped out a reply.

Yeah alright. Where is it?

He replaced the phone back on the bedside table and sat up, propping his pillow up against the wall and leaning on it. He fished around on the bed for the television remote; upon finding it, he turned on his telly and flicked to Dave, on which an old episode of Red Dwarf was showing. He slung the remote somewhere down near his feet and pulled the duvet fully over his legs, reaching over for the mug of water he kept by his bed and sipping the cool liquid. Water made him feel sick first thing, but he was thirsty and just too lazy to get out of bed. Naruto's mobile buzzed again, moving around the little table at surprising speed, before he caught it and flipped the lid. He read the reply.

Get to my house at 7:00 and we can share a taxi. It's in Kingston U-T

Naruto's eyebrows rose. Big house then…. He tapped a quick affirmative reply, then turned off the television and stood, walking over to his tiny kitchen and opening the cupboards. His lips pursed at the lack of food and he sighed, resolving to go shopping before the party. He needed to get some money out anyway. Pulling out a lone packet of shredded wheats, he poured a little bowl and added milk before sitting down at his tiny 2 person table and turning on the little red radio he had on the kitchen side. Spooning the wheat-milk mixture into his mouth, he imagined himself living in a mansion and smiled. He would have parties whenever he liked and not need to worry about grumpy landowners, he would paint all the walls crazy colours and buy loads of obscure modern artwork to adorn the wall, not to mention the personal butler and maid… Naruto dropped the empty bowl and spoon into the sink and wandered to his little wardrobe, opening it and grabbing the first thing his hands touched – a baggy hooded jumper and a black pair of skinny jeans. Shoving them on, he ran his fingers through his slightly flattened hair and sprayed his body with deodorant. He left the house, lit a cigarette, and set off towards the corner shop.

The evening came quickly for Sasuke. He pulled open his wardrobe and drawers and contemplated clothes, before opting for a pair of black chinos and a white T-Shirt with Sex & Drugs & Sausage Rolls printed with large black lettering. He slipped a wooden bracelet and short silver dog tag onto his wrist, before walking into his little bathroom and spiking his hair back. He sprayed liberal amounts of scented deodorant on his skin and clothes, and wandered around the house picking up objects and depositing them in his pockets, or simply holding them. Ready, he sat on his sofa and turned on the television, switching to a music channel as he called a taxi. No sooner had he put the phone in his pocket did the doorbell ring. Sasuke stood, grabbing a leather jacket from a coat stand as he approached the door and slung it over his arm. He opened the door on the latch and Naruto smiled at him, lifting a hand in greeting. Sasuke opened the door fully and let the tall blonde in.

Naruto stepped over the threshold of Sasuke's little house for the second time. He had opted to go a little more complicated than his companion, wearing dark red skinny jeans and a pale blue short sleeved shirt buttoned to the neck. A thick black and white pattered belt held up the jeans. He had replaced his silver stud with a little black crucifix, and had covered the ensemble with his dark blue duffel coat. His customary battered dress shoes completed the look. Naruto grinned at Sasuke. 'Hey.'

'Hi. Just waiting for the taxi.' Naruto nodded.

'How do you know this guy?'

Sasuke smirked. 'Old school friend. His name's Kiba.'

'I've heard of him before… Oh yeah!' Naruto's face lit up in revalation. 'Shika's mentioned him before.' Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

'Who?'

'Shikamaru Nara. Heard of him?' Sasuke thought for a second, and then shook his head. Naruto smirked. 'I'll introduce you some time.' The conversation between the two drifted off into other topics, before the sound of a car horn alerted the two to their taxi. They left the house, Sasuke slipping on a pair of leather brogue boots, and got into the cab, Sasuke leaning over to the driver to give him the address of their destination. The two looked out of the windows in pleasant silence, listening to the sound of the driver's radio playing a pop song. Traffic and street lights blurred past, pedestrians and cyclists followed the pavement, lights from chinks behind closed curtains shone brightly, and their taxi driver hummed along to the music. Sasuke had decided at least. He was going to have a good time, dance and get drunk. Though he didn't know it, Naruto had decided the exact same thing. Tonight was going to be great.

Woot! Another chapter! What shenanigans are the two going to get up to next?
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