Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!
2nd Disclaimer: I don't own any songs mentioned in this fic either!
Sky-eyed Kitsune: Hello my lovely reviewers! I AM SOOOO SORRY! T.T I didn't get the chapter out nearly as soon as I wanted because I spilled (a little bit!) of water on my lappy, and the keyboard fizzled out on me! I was sooo upset! But I finally got it to work! –does happy happy joy joy dance and runs off--
Gomi-kun: --sigh—Always leaving me with the work. –looks at update sheet— Ok, Sky-eyed Kitsune's birthday is on October 16th, only a few days away. So wish her a good one if you feel like it. That's it. –burns update paper—
Reviewer Replies:
To Gemstones: Don't worry- the Heart Point Tally does not decide who will Naruto's heart, but it will help me keep track of all of the good and bad things that occur between Naru and his suitors since this fic will be sooo long! Neji has a good lead since he won't see his beloved Naru a lot. Yes, I will have the final say, but it 50 of what you want too! Do not despair fellow sasunaru fan! Root for your suitor! XD
To Asian-Beauti: A new reviewer, how lovely! X3 And another sasunaru fan! Kya! There are so many fellow sasunaru fans!!! XD Yes, it does seem a bit rushed with their first meeting, but it's on purpose! All for the story my wonderful reviewer! This particular scene will come back to haunt poor Sasuke while Naruto is being courted by his many other suitors! Muahahahaha—hack! Cough! Ahem…
To ILoveItachihessohot: Thank you! Your reviews make me so happy that I decided to let my demented mind write this fic! Luv you! –throws smexy Itachi poster—Yes, it's better to be careful on who to choose for the mysterious figure…and yes, the last chapter counts as a broken heart point for Sasuke! –sasunaru fans boo— I'm sorry, but I'm going to make Sasuke work his ass off if he wants our Naru's affection! –more evil laughter/coughing—
To Barley47: Another new reviewer! Hooray :D Another Itachi fan, zomg! I wonder who is more popular, him or Itachi? O.o Thank you for the review:3
To itachisgurl93: Oh yes, I love to make Sasuke a little bit evil and a big jerk! Lol! I'm so mean! –gasp—Wow, Itachi is getting popular! XD
To blueserenityx3: O.o
To Silvertails: Omg! Another new reviewer:D I lovels your review! Were you trying to say hypocritical? o.o If so, then yes! He is! And you totally nailed Gaara's character! Thanks you so much for the review!
To HeyBabySoSad: Yay! Yes, Gaara's debut:D
To Dreamergirl667: Oh my, I'm getting quite a few new reviewers! Welcome to the mad house! XD Ooooh, a nejinaru fan! They're hard to come by! I can't say what will happen, because even I'm unsure! All I can say is, rack up Heart Points for your suitor! X3
To Arekkusu94: Luvvv your reviews! They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!
To Krissy7p: Wa! Don't apologize! School is the number one killer of sleep for people I'm sure. (Besides work.) O.o I fall asleep when I get home a lot, but lately I've been to devoted to my fic! Can't stop writing!!!
To Kawaii-Ningyo: Yes!!! Go Dei-Dei chan! I seriously do have a Deidara plushie, and I love it to bits! XD I'm sorry, there is no Deinaru in this! And root for your suitor! The reason this is labeled as a sasunaru is because sasunaru is my favie couple! XD But it may not end up like that! Win Heart Points people!!!
To Destiny Writes: Hmmm…a vote for two? –taps finger to chin—Ok! But just cause I luv your reviews so much! Muahahaha! Yes, Sasuke is so nosey!
To PyroD: Haha! It takes a lot sometimes for a person to admit they're a perv! But yes, I'm more for an actual story before getting into the good shounen-ai. I must have a plot!!!
To octi-chan: Wa! Thank you!!! –flings cookie—I'm really sorry about the long wait for this chapter! I usually update much sooner! My lappy was sick, but it's better now, so I'm an updating machine again! X3
IMPORTANT CRAP!!!
Here's the poll for who you wanted the mysterious figure that found our Naru to be!
Shikamaru: 3
Deidara: 7
Lee: 1
Kankuro: 2
Dei-dei wins:D Here's who everyone secretly led to! Did you make or break your suitor!?
Shikamaru --> Gaara
Deidara --> Itachi
Lee --> Sasuke
Kankuro --> Sai
HEART POINT TALLY!
O Beating Heart Points (good!)
X Broken Heart Points (bad!)
Gaara: O
Itachi:
Neji: OOOOOO
Sai:
Sasuke: X
Baaaaad Sasuke:O You so mean! T.T
Chapter Dedication
This chapter goes out to Barley47, Asian-Beauti, PyroD, octi-chan, and Dreamergirl667 for being new reviewers and ILoveItachihessohot because I wuv your reviews:D
Chapter 8: Pleasant Awakenings
"Oh ooooooh! The love shack is a little place where we can get togetherrrrrrr!"
A young senior walked down the halls, singing terribly off key, his screeches of attempted melodies echoing down the hallway.
"Love shack baby! Love shack BABY!!!"
His visible eye was closed, the other hidden by a strip of long blond bangs that were loose from the high ponytail he wore his hair in. He merrily bopped his head back and forth to his singing…if you could call it that.
"Bang! Bang! Bang, on the door baaaa-bay!"
Truthfully it was worse than a shrieking fat lady at an opera with a voice that shattered glass.
"Knock a little louder sugar!"
The young man might have been mistaken for a girl if he wasn't wearing a pair of ripped blue jeans and a red tee-shirt with black letters that said in a bold, loud font, "Bangin' it Up!"
"BANG, BANG! BANG, BANG! BANG, BA-AHHHHHHH!!!"
The young man tripped as his foot caught up against something, and he did a face plant onto the dark blue carpet.
"WHAT THE HELL!? UN!?!?"
The young man stood up immediately, bristling as he rubbed his nose which was now red.
Inside each dorm room in the hall, every junior and senior was thanking God for sparing their ears.
The young man whipped around to face the unfortunate object of his crash, and he saw another younger blonde slumped against the wall, his golden locks falling over his face.
"WHO THE HELL SLEEPS IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREAKING HALLWAY!? UN!?!?" the tone deaf blonde yelled at the boy, and gave him a swift kick to the leg which had tripped him.
The boy didn't move.
The older blonde raised an eyebrow.
He bent down in front of the young man.
"Hellllloooo? Paging dumb blonde number one, un!" he said loudly, waving his hand back in forth in front of the boy's face. The younger blonde finally responded, lifting his head to stare at the senior with hazy blue eyes and flushed cheeks.
"Thought you were dead, un!" the older blonde said. "Why the heck are you sleepin' out here? Did you get kicked outa your room or somethin'? Un?"
The boy, who appeared to be a junior, didn't respond. His eyelids grew heavy and his gaze fell as they slowly shut, the junior slumping even more against the wall as he passed out.
"Hey! Un!" the older blonde said, taking the younger one by the shoulders and shaking him a bit.
"Don't fall asleep again you idiot! Un!"
The senior's eyes grew big as he paused, waiting for the blonde to respond, and he heard his strangled breathing for the first time.
"Holy crap!" the awake blond cried. He put a hand to the opposite's forehead, but pulled it back quickly.
"Un!!! Oh my god, you're burning up, un!!!" he said, panicking a bit.
He picked up the younger blond in his arms bridal-style, ignoring the groan of pain he made, and raced down the hall.
"ITACHI!!!" he shrieked, close to breaking class with his pitch.
He turned a corner and just barely missed crashing into another taller senior with sharp blue hair, tattoos on the sides of his face like gills, and a strong frame.
"Deidara?" he said, as the blonde passed him hurriedly.
The older blonde named Deidara froze in midstep. He suddenly whipped around, somehow teleporting himself in front of the blue-haired senior.
"KISAME! YOUGOTTAHELPMEWHEREISITACHIUN!?" he shouted all at once, his mouth running at a mile a minute.
Kisame rolled his eyes.
"Did you put firecrackers down another new guy's pants?" he sighed.
"What? NO, UN! This guy just totally-"
"Itachiiiiiii! Deidara blew up another noob!" Kisame whined childishly as he turned on his heel and walked back to his dorm room, the flustered blonde following.
"Wha-what!?" he babbled. "I did not, un!"
"Did too," Kisame deadpanned. "The proof's in your arms. Guess the poor little noob fainted from surprise."
"He did not, un! Wait, I mean, hey! I only did that one-"
"Four," Kisame corrected.
"-four times! But I didn't this time, un!"
"Did too."
"Did not, un!"
"Did too."
"Did not, unnnn! Stupid fish face, un!"
"I know you are but what am I?"
"IMMAGONNAGETYOU, YOUFREAKIN-"
"You blew up another new guy?"
"NO, UNNNNNNN!!!" Deidara shouted at the new voice, failing to notice who it belonged to.
When there was silence Deidara opened his eyes that had closed from rage.
Another senior stood there, an older Sasuke in all his glory, but taller with a red tint to his eyes, longer black hair tied back in a loose ponytail, and small slit scars under his eyes.
"I-Itachi!" Deidara studdered, completely losing his composure.
Kisame thrust a finger at Deidara.
"He did it!" he cried, and in a flash of blue he was gone.
"KISAME!!! COME BACK HERE YOU BIG-"
"Deidara."
Deidara froze in mid-sentence and turned to face those black and red tinted eyes which looked particularly frightening.
"Deidara," the man named said somewhat slowly as if speaking to a five year old.
"Did you blow up this freshman?"
"No, un!" Deidara said quickly. "I don't even think he's a freshman, un! Anyways, this dude was just slumped up against a wall in the middle of the hall, un, and outta no where he faints!"
Deidara propped up Naruto more to emphasize his point.
"Somethin' is seriously wrong with this guy. He's burning up, un!!!"
Itachi raised a delicate eyebrow.
He placed the back of his hand on Naruto's flushed forehead.
"He's sick," Itachi said, calm as ever.
"He was probably caught in the storm outside."
Deidara sighed.
"That's good, un. I thought he was gonna die!" he said grinning a bit, embarrassed.
He looked down at Naruto in his arms, and suddenly grinned.
"Ya know what Itachi?" he said, his grin ever growing. "I think I'll take care of the guy, un. The blondie's a real hottie, un! And I'm sure I can keep myself entertain-ouch, un!"
Itachi swatted Deidara swiftly over the back of his head and took Naruto into is own arms in one fluid motion. Deidara opened his mouth to protest, but one death glare from Itachi that could melt the rest of Darth Vader's face off and he was down the hall in a flash. Itachi rolled his eyes as he made his way back to his dorm room.
How Itachi managed to get Naruto into his room with his door closed and without putting down the blonde he would never know.
Itachi walked into the den of the dorm after kicking the door shut with his foot, and placed Naruto on the leather black couch in front of the coffee table there.
He retreated to the bathroom, returning with a bottle of Advil and some cold medicine, and then to the kitchen, bringing back a pack of ice.
Itachi placed the ice over the young blonde's forehead, and he swore he saw steam radiate from it.
He sighed as he sat cross legged on the side of the table opposite from the couch, and he rested his arms on it, followed by his head.
He stared at the young man on the couch and assumed he was either a sophomore or a freshman. And then for some reason…his mind kept going back to what Deidara had said as his eyes were glued on the teen.
"The blondie's a real hottie, un!"
Itachi rose from his sitting place in front of the table and moved so that he was standing next to the couch.
He leaned down and brushed away a few stubborn golden locks from Naruto's eyes, and his fingers lingered on the tendrils before pulling away slowly.
Itachi looked at his hand and raised an eyebrow.
What the hell was that all about? Itachi Uchiha did not, repeat NOT give in to physical human contact unless forced or absolutely necessary. So why was he doing this?
Itachi shrugged it off. He needed to find out this blonde's name so he could report to the nurse that he was sick.
Oh the joys of being the senior president.
Itachi scanned over the blond with his eyes, trying to see if he had on any new student name tag to identify him.
Alas, there was none.
Itachi then noticed something bright orange, and he moved his gaze back to the color.
An orange cell phone was clipped to the chain on the blonde's jeans.
Itachi removed the cell phone carefully and flipped it open.
He found no name portrayed at the top as a welcome sign. Damn.
Itachi raised his eyebrows a bit at the picture Naruto had as his wallpaper.
From left to right, a young man wearing sunglasses and a black cloak was standing next to a brown-haired teen in red and blue ripped jeans. He had one arm around what looked to be the blonde wearing scuffed navy jeans and a black shirt with an orange grinning fox on it. He also had his arm around the brown-haired boy, both of them holding up peace signs with their free hands, and next to the blonde was a young man with long brown hair tied back in a pony tail, his eyes snow white.
Itachi looked at the picture hard.
Why did this blonde look so familiar to him in the picture?
Itachi pressed a few buttons and brought up the teen's contacts. He was surprised to see only a few, where as the average high school student's cell phone would be packed with numbers of potential friends. Itachi skimmed through the names quickly, hoping to spot someone he knew from the school.
Iruka…Kiba…Neji…Shino…Jiraiya?!
Itachi froze as he stared at the name.
Jiraiya? Owner of the Copper Lounge Jiraiya? Millionare Jiraiya??? No way…there was no way this high school student knew such an influential person! It had to be a different Jiraiya…it had to.
Itachi went to the blonde's messages too see if he could find a name there. There was one new text message, so he opened it.
To: Naru
From: Kiba
Sup Naru!? Missin u here already. Perv Jiraiya called- he wants us to play another gig since the crowd went nuts last time. We told him bout the move, but he said he'd call u n try to get you here. Chk ur voicemail cause he might have called.
Itachi blinked.
Gig? Did he mean a band gig? A show? And Naru…where did that nickname sound familiar? Was this really THE Jiraiya? Well, only one way to find out.
Itachi opened up Naruto's voicemail, and after many random guesses, finally managed to break the number password.
He held the phone to his ear and listened to the metallic voice though the receiver.
"Good day Naruto, you have one new message."
…BEEP…
"Heya Uzumaki, haha! Jiraiya here, dubbed formerly by you as 'the biggest perv ever'…but that's not the point. I want the band to come and play again at the Copper Lounge two Saturdays from now. The band told me you moved, but I'm more than willing to have you flown down here! You rocked the house that night! K-TV will be broadcasting the event, so there's even more of a reason for you to come! It's not as much of the attention that you'll soon be getting from the H::ype!, but it'll help to get you more noticed! Good luck with S.T.R.A.Y!
End of message
At that point Itachi had dropped the phone.
He stood there for a moment, lost in bewilderment. S.T.R.A.Y, the band to be featured at the H::ype!, the band with a singer like an angel, and the band Itachi had recorded each time one of their songs was heard on the LA radio network………their leader was right here. Sleeping on Itachi's couch. Naruto Uzumaki- he knew that the name had sounded so familiar.
Itachi picked up the forgotten phone again with a totally new respect for it, and went to the section of Naruto's photos. He was amazed at what he saw.
There was the whole band, all of them, in a picture from the Copper Lounge, playing together.
Itachi's eyes stopped over Naruto in the picture, then he shut the phone and looked at the blonde before him.
No doubt about it…this was the lead singer of S.T.R.A.Y.
Itachi almost fizzled into fangirl mode at that, but he retained his composure…barely.
He let a hand graze over Naruto's cheek, caressing the scars gently with the tips of his fingers.
Naruto groaned a bit and moved his head more into Itachi's soft touch, and Itachi involuntarily closed his eyes.
Naruto's skin was so soft…so smooth…would his lips be even better?
"Nnnnn…"
Itachi flew back five feet as Naruto stirred. Oh good lord, the angel of singing was waking up…on his couch….ok, he just had to remain calm and breathe.
"Nnnn…where am I?" Naruto said, putting a hand to the side of his head as he sat up, the ice bag falling into his lap.
Oh gods his voice sounded so nice even when it wasn't singing a melody! Remember to breathe…
Naruto turned his head to look at Itachi, who suddenly found himself lost in a deep sparkling sapphire ocean; the pair of most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.
BREATHE DAMMIT!
"You passed out," Itachi said coolly, belying his inner fandom dance. "You're sick, so stay down, ok?"
Naruto scanned Itachi up and down from his position on the couch, and Itach felt his cheeks turn a bit pink.
"Teme?" Naruto said, and Itachi blinked.
"Umm…I had no idea I was a bastard…" he said.
Naruto rubbed his eyes a bit with his fist, his head cocking to one side and his once flushed face now a brush of pink across the bridge of his nose.
Itachi gulped. Danm! Why did he have to look so cuuuuute???
"Oh, sorry," Naruto said. "I thought you were someone else."
"Someone else?" Itachi asked.
"Yea. You look a lot like my asshole of a roommate, Sasuke Uchiha."
"Well I should say so, as I'm his older brother," Itachi said, grinning and trying to suppress fits of laughter. No one had EVER called Sasuke that or any other name before!
"O-oh…" Naruto said, blushing a bit. Itachi shook his head, still grinning.
"Make fun of him all you want, no need to be embarrassed," he said. "We don't actually get along too well."
"Big surprise," Naruto huffed, rolling his eyes.
Naruto stood up, wobbling a little bit.
"You should lie back down," Itachi urged him, but Naruto put up a hand.
"I-I'm alright, um…"
"Itachi."
"Itachi…how long have I been out for?" he asked.
"I don't know. My friend found- h-hey!"
Naruto suddenly keeled forward, and Itachi immediately swooped forward to catch him.
"I told you that you shouldn't stand," Itachi sighed.
"I'm sorry…" Naruto said softly as he leaned against Itachi's chest.
Itachi wrapped his arms around Naruto's middle to hold him up more.
"It's ok," Itachi said. Naruto reached up to Itachi's shoulder, and his head rested below Itachi's chin.
Itachi's pale skin swiped against the golden locks as he turned his head, and the smoothness of them made him want to touch them again.
Itachi leaned his head down a bit and buried his face in Naruto's hair. He breathed in deeply, the smell of the rain during a storm engulfing him.
He sighed contentedly as Naruto's hair brushed up softly against his skin, and he lifted a hand from Naruto's waist to run his hand through the golden mane.
"Itachi?" Naruto asked, and Itachi was brought out of his daze.
"Yes?" he asked, thankful Naruto couldn't see him blushing and that his voice didn't give away his embarrassment.
"Do you have any headache medicine? My head hurts like hell…"
Itachi answered by helping Naruto back to the couch. He sat down, holding his head as Itachi went to the kitchen.
He returned with a glass of water. He sat down next to Naruto and handed it to him, then uncapped the Advil and spilled two caplets into his hand.
He handed them to Naruto, who nodded thanks and gulped them down.
"Man…I feel so dizzy," he said, resting his forehead in his palms and closing his eyes.
"You have a bad fever," Itachi said. "It's reasonable."
Naruto nodded, and suddenly began to fall forward again. Itachi caught him once more, wrapping his arms around him as he landed against his toned chest.
Naruto groaned.
"Sorry…I feel really lightheaded…" he croaked.
"It's ok," Itachi said. Normally he would NEVER allow someone to so much as touch him, only on pain of death, but letting Naruto be so close just felt so….nice…and warm.
"I'll take you back to your dorm," Itachi said reluctantly as he moved to get up, but Naruto suddenly gripped his black button up shirt.
"Itachi…I'm sorry but…can I just stay here? I think if I move around any I'm gonna pass out again…" he said quietly.
Itachi slowly nodded as he settled back into the couch with the blond still resting on him.
"What's your name?" Itachi asked, although he very well knew.
"Naruto Uzumaki. I'm a junior," Naruto said. He spoke softly, his voice feathery and light from the strain of his headache and fever.
"Uzumaki, huh?" Itachi said. "You wouldn't happen to be the same Naruto Uzumaki, leader of the band S.T.R.A.Y, would you?"
Itachi felt Naruto tense, and he started to regret the question. But he needed to hear it from the blonde himself!
"…yea," Naruto finally said, and Itachi smiled.
"I like your music a lot. It inspires me with my own band."
"You have a band?"
"Yea. It's called Akatsuki, but we're not nearly as good as you guys."
"Thanks."
"I mean it. You're probably my favorite band. You sing so well."
Naruto blushed a bit even though Itachi couldn't see.
"What are you doing here when S.T.R.A.Y is in LA?" Itachi asked. "Did you parents make you come here?"
Naruto bit his lip.
"I had to move because of my guardian. He got a promotion…so there was no choice."
"Guardian?" When had Itachi gotten so nosey!?
"My parent's aren't alive."
Itachi's throat went dry, and he subconsciously pulled Naruto closer to him and ran a hand through his hair.
Naruto closed his eyes under the soothing caress of Itachi's fingers. He hadn't felt so safe in what felt like forever.
"I'm sorry," Itachi said, and Naruto shook his head a bit.
"It doesn't matter," he said. "I don't remember them anyways."
"Oh…did they die when you were young?"
"Not really. I was eight."
"Then why-"
"I lost my memory."
Itachi felt a pang of guilt in his chest for ever bringing up the subject. He wrapped his arms protectively around Naruto's middle and hugged him close.
Naruto breathed in the soft scent of lavender that radiated off of Itachi, and he felt his soul unhinge from his body in a world of serenity.
"Naruto…"
"Hm?"
"Would you please listen to my band play? I'd like to get your opinion on our music, which is inspired a lot from your own band."
Naruto smiled a bit and nodded.
"Ok."
Naruto closed the door to his dorm and sighed.
It had taken about another half an hour of laying there on the couch in Itachi's arms until the Advil had finally kicked in and he was able to walk to his dorm without falling over.
Naruto froze for a moment.
Laying in Itachi's arms… he had been pressed up the chest of an Uchiha, and not just any, but Sasuke's older brother!
Naruto shook his head.
No way could Itachi be related to Sasuke. One was a bastard and the other was a saint for crying out loud!
Naruto glanced at his watch as he entered his room. It was about 4 pm.
Naruto looked up and found the younger Uchiha on his bed taking a catnap with Cyclone, who was curled up in the crook of his neck.
Naruto walked over to the bed and looked down at Sasuke.
Ok, they looked alike, he could admit that, but there was no way this bastard was the brother of Itachi! It had to be impossible!
Naruto's eyes followed the rhythmic up and down motion that Sasuke's chest made when he breathed, and he suddenly felt like he was under a trance.
He noted Sasuke's firm and toned chest outlined under his shirt, and his eyes moved up to graze over his partially opened lips, and his midnight black hair falling in gentle shards of black onyx over his pallid skin.
Before he could stop himself, Naruto had reached out a hand and run a line with his fingers over Sasuke's cheek and down to his jaw.
Naruto took back his hand, half bewildered at himself, and half amazed at Sasuke. He looked so peaceful when he slept…
Naruto threw himself on his bed and sighed. He turned over so that his body was facing Sasuke across from him, and smiled a bit.
"Maybe he's not such a bastard afterall..."
HEART POINT OPPURTUNITY!!!
Alright my lovely readers! For the next chapter, which will be VERY long, Naruto will be getting a loooooooooot of attention, including some at a dance! He goes without a date, but who is that person he's dancing with? Now's the time to vote! You can pick from any of your suitors, but not all of them will gain Beating Heart Points from Naruto; in fact, some suitors end up gaining Broken Heart points instead if you pick them, so choose wisely!
EXAMPLE: Your fav suitor is Gaara, so you pick him, but he ends up being an idiot and gets a Broken Heart Point! (THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE, NOT TRUE!)
I'll get out the next chappie much sooner, I promise!!! T.T
Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun