A/N-I'm sorry for the delay, but until a break or summer the chapters will be coming in slowly. I have a lot of work, but I also don't want to drop this fic. Also, thank you all who supported me, you have made all the difference. bows

Thanks again.

Summary-Naruto is not like everyone thinks he is, he hides his true self from everybody. The few who know about the other him know very little. When various events force Naruto to spend time with his team mates in situations outside of the norm he finds it hard to keep up the act.

Parings-SasuNaru, some KakaIru others not decided.

Rating- very much an R rated fic… or M… guess that's what it is now… -- bah

Warning- sexual situations, foul language, self mutilation, attempted suicide, a very OOC Sasuke. And bitchy Sakura! –– well she had gotten better in resent chapters.

Spoilers- for anyone who is not up to date on the manga –– that's sorta true now.

Disclaimer- because Vin Diseil said so, with his titanium nipples of doom!

XxXxXxX

Red Walkways

Chapter Nine

Fish? And Tea

XxXxXxX

Light, why would the creator of this world make light such an important component for life? Why couldn't Naruto ever remember to shut the blinds before going to sleep? The beams of sun flooding from the window burned though the blonds eye lids.

Said boy felt something warm under his hand; a quick glance showed Kyuubi snuggled up under his arm, head resting with Naruto's hand on top.

'Must not be mad at me anymore…'

Naruto sat up and gently woke his fox companion.

"Come on Kyu, we need to get ready."

Even as the words left his mouth the blond was cursing whoever thought it would be a good idea to have missions at this time of the morning.

"5 more minutes kit…"

Naruto felt Kyuubi curl back up into his outer thigh.

"Come on you damn fox we need to get going."

This time Naruto slid off the bed, thoroughly disturbing the demon at the same time

"Why do we need to get up again?"

"Mission remember?"

Kyuubi visibly sighed.

"Oh yeah that…"

The fox watched his kit wander to the bathroom to prepare.

This was the mission Naruto has been waiting for, something a bit more challenging then the last ones he had been on. Seeing his friends from other villages, and Garra... the blond was probably wondering how the Kazekage was doing.

The clean yet wet Naruto stood before his travel pack, this was it, the mission finally came. He was leaving Konoha for an unknown amount of time with Kyuubi; this is exactly what he needed.

Time to dress. He pulled on his black pants and strapped on his leg holster. He threw his fish net on and was about to put on his chunin vest when he saw a package in the back of his dresser. He never put it on because he didn't want to get it dirty… he was saving it for a special occasion. Well this was special, his first mission with Kyuubi and seeing Gaara, plus he was escorting a diplomat. Also he really, REALLY wanted to wear it since Jiraiya gave it to him. Naruto pulled out the box and slid the cover off. He pulled away the tissue paper and looked at his custom made orange chunin vest. He slipped it on and looked in the mirror. The contrast of the black and orange looked good on him… he was hot!

Within moments of that thought Naruto was out the door with his pack on his back and Kyuubi at his heels.

The team was meeting at the bridge before moving out, their first task, to pickup and guard a diplomat from Mist at the boarders of fire country on the east side. Naruto was going to take every part of the mission seriously, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep his mask on completely, not after what had recently passed, but how hard should he hang on to his façade?

There wasn't enough time to take every angle of the situation into consideration, so many things have happened so fast, it was like Naruto's world had been turned upside down. Things are different now, the blond doesn't know exactly where he stands, and that scared him.

Soon the old bridge was in view, a very familiar sight was at hand, Sasuke was leaning against tree just off the side as Sakura stood on the other side of him talking away.

As normal Kakashi was nowhere in sight. Naruto looked up to the sun, they had to leave soon…

"OI!"

The two others looked up, Sakura waved and Sasuke nodded. Nartuo swore Sasuke's eyes worriedly glanced over his body before looking back at the grass. Naruto shrugged this off.

Sasuke first glanced over Naruto to see if he was OK, then he saw his new outfit. When Naruto was young he did look good in orange but wore way to much and it was a stupid jump suit… now he wore just enough in contrast to the black on his tan skin… Sasuke had to look down to keep from blushing.

"Where the hell is Kakashi? I don't want to have to double pace to make the meeting time because he's lazy… or making out with fish…" Naruto said, oddly oblivious to Sasuke's embarrassment.

Sasuke glanced up.

"Hes at the Hokages, said it was about the mission… and dolphins are mammals."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "just have to go ruin a joke don't you…" he murmured, then louder "I am going to go see whats going on, I will be back in a minute." the blond turned to leave smirking at Sasuke, he smirked back.

Sakura was confused…fish?

XxXxXxX

Naruto felt his face heat up and his heart pound as he ran. Good thing he turned after Sasuke smirked back… Sasuke smirked back! Somehow Naruto knew that this shouldn't be such an exciting thing, but his pounding heart said otherwise. The blond hoped he wouldn't do this every time he got a smile from the other boy… this mission was going to suck!

Naruto shook his head clear, he was at the tower and needed to seem serious about this mission. He entered. Somehow it felt odd to go through the front door and not the window. Knowing there were more people than just Baa-chan in the office was the only reason he didn't use the window. The main entrance always made him uncomfortable… people stare at him like he had no right to be there. Maybe when he is Hokage he will make a habit of using the window.

Keeping his eyes to the floor Naruto hurriedly shuffled to the big oak doors that would one day be his. He knocked and entered after the inviting call of his leader. In the room was Tsunade and Kakashi.

"Is there anything you need Naruto?" the blond woman looked right through him.

"I just came to let Kakashi-Sensai know that soon we will be running late for the meeting time."

Tsunade looked at the time, "oh so your right, Kakashi you should really work on your time management skills."

Kakashi smiled "I will take that into consideration Hokage-Sama." he bowed.

"You are dismissed Kakashi."

He nodded and looked to Naruto to follow. The blond was smirking as the Hokage's time management comment.

"I would like a word with Naruto before you depart, he will meet you at the front gate."

Kakashi nodded, bowed and then left.

Naruto approached the desk, "what were you and Kakashi talking about?"

Tsunade stiffened "nothing, just some details that I forgot to go over with him about our treaty with Sand. Things that might come up about us assassinating for another village."

Naruto wondered at Tsunades answer but let it go, if she is lying then it might be personal for Kakashi and none of his business.

"Naruto."

He looked up and fixed eyes with his leader.

"I just wanted to know if everything with your pet was set for the mission."

Naruto looked down at Kyuubi… he forgot the little guy was following him, he was so lost in thought. He looked back at the Tsunade and nodded.

She nodded back "good, I am glad you stopped by, otherwise I would not of gotten the chance to ask."

'You mean you were to busy sleeping' Naruto thought.

"Your probably right."Kyuubi agreed through their minds.

Naruto smirked.

"What are you smirking at brat?"

Naruto looked down at her desk to collect himself, he was about to answer when he noticed a open letter on her desk. It was another from Raikage… he read it upside down.

"I am glad to hear from Jiraiya that you have reconsidered our offer. As you know our village has come across a supply of "

Theres that word again… he remembered seeing it in the last letter Tsunade got from Raikage… and he still thinks it's a bad idea to take anything they offer after what happened with the Hyuuga family.

Tsunade was about to ask if Naruto was OK when he didn't answer, but then notice he was looking at her desk. She looked down and snatched the letter out of sight.

Naruto was startled out of thought by the sudden movement.

"Why haven't you told me anything about this correspondence with Raikage?"

Tsunade looked irritated, "because brat, its none of you business."

It was Narutos turn to be irritated, "its my business as the next Hokage."

Tsunade sighed, "well your not rokudaime yet so deal with it. Now get your ass to the gate before you miss your meeting time."

Naruto studied her for a minute, what is she hiding? He shrugged, he would find out layer. Then he jumped on her desk,then over her head and out the window behind her.

"STUPID BRAT!!" Tsunades yell echoed through the village.

XxXxXxX

Naruto landed at the main gate with "K-chan" on his shoulder. Sasuke noticed the Fox for the first time.

"Whats the Fox doing here?"

Naruto grabbed Kyuubi off his shoulder and held him out dangling. "K-CHAN is in trust training with me so he has to come, Tsunade said he could!."

Sasuke swore he saw the foxes expression go flat at being called K-chan, just like last time. "You know I don't think it likes being called K-chan."

"How would you know? He's not your fox!"

Sasuke sighed at the blonds dumb act… it is so depressing when you know it's an act…

Suddenly "K-chan" jumped from Narutos hands and scurried to Sasuke and up his side to his shoulder glaring at Naruto. The blond humph-ed and crossed his arms.

"Traitor"

Sasuke looked at the fox on his shoulder and the fox looked at him. He got this strange feeling from his stare that he was intelligent. His red eyes, like the first time he saw the fox, seemed to be trying to convey something to him. His sensei snapped him out of thought.

"Well we should get going, we are already going to have to pick up the pace." Kakashi turned and started to walk, his team followed.

XxXxXxX

The walk has been nothing but long and boring. They walked through forest, then more forest, until they reached some… forest.

"Lets stop here for the night." Kakashi yelled to everyone relief. They had come to a small village, very small, but it had a inn and someplace to eat. Naruto figured they were about half way there, so on the way back they would probably stop here so the diplomat doesn't have to sleep on the ground.

The inn was small but pleasant like the rest of the village. Everything here seemed to be perfect. Children running and playing in the streets, everyone waved at them as they walked by, happy to have guest to bring money into the village, but also just happy to meet new people. Naruto loved every moment of it.

They paid for two rooms, Kakashi thought they should save money. So he roomed with Sakura, "so the teenage boys won't get her", and Naruto and Sasuke got a room. Up the creaking wooden stairs they stopped at rooms 3 and 4. The numbers on the doors made of brass, looked rich and handsome against the oak doors. The door handles were even brass Naruto noted as he reached out for the ordinate nob. The room was mid sized and fully furnished with a couch across from a coffee table, a closet with two dressers inside, fine art on the walls… all oddly western the blond noted. Then there was the bed, yes bed… one bed… singular bed…

Both boys eyes reached the bed at the same time, they both turned a shade of pick. Neither looked at the other.

"Soooo… you want some tea? I'll go get some tea!" Naruto left with Kyuubi on his heels to order the tea before Sasuke even answered. The brunet walked into the room and dropped his bag on the floor by the couch. What was he going to do?

XxXxXxX

Tea,tea,tea,tea,tea, Naruto was staring at his tea, trying to think of nothing but his tea. He was failing. Sasuke and him were sitting on the couch in silence.

Kyuubi was sitting on the coffee table staring at them.

"This is pathetic…"

Naruto sighed… 'I know'

Sasuke looked over the blond. 'Wonder what he's sighing about.'

Kyuubi looked at Narutos bag.

"What did you bring? Anything entertaining?"

Naruto reached over to his bag, 'I don't think so.' he reached in and shuffled things about.

'I brought ramen, clothes, weapons, my note last five note books'

"Why did you bring those, aren't they about the seal?"

'Yeah well I have been carrying them with me when I would leave the village for a while, just in case something happened to the seal. And since I altered it there is an off chance that something will go wrong. Better safe then sorry.'

Kyuubi rolled his red eyes. "Yeah whatever, anything else in there?"

Sasuke watched Naruto go through his bag and glance at his fox every once in a while… did the fox rolled his eyes… or was he imagining things?

Naruto continued to look in his bag. 'I have some manga.'

"If only I had hands…"

Naruto thought for a moment, 'well I can pretend to read it and you can look over my shoulder.'

Kyuubi perked up, 'that's a good idea'he jumped to his bond mates shoulder. Naruto reached into his bag and pulled out the first volume of Loveless.

Sasuke looked over, "do you have volume three here?"

Naruto almost jumped out of his skin when he spoke, "don't scare me like that! And yes I do, you read this?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "yes I read it."

Naruto reached into his bag, pulled out volume three and handed it over. Sasuke nodded in thanks. Naruto blushed and looked away.

"You too need to just fuck already."

Naruto blushed harder, 'you shut up or I won't open this manga!'

Kyuubi quickly became quiet, Naruto nodded and opened the manga. He already read this half of the volume so he just lost himself in thought and turned the page when Kyuubi said to.

Sasuke was watching Naruto… something strange was going on and it wasn't just in his head. He just watched Naruto go from slightly blushed (very cute he thought), to angry, he swore the fox was laughing. Now he was staring blankly at the manga, and this is the really crazy part, it looked like the foxes red eyes were scanning the pages and Naruto would turn them when the foxes eyes got to the end of the page. Sasuke shook his head… he needs to relax more. He opened his manga and began to reed.

XxXxXxX

It was that time… yup… that time. Time for sleep. Time to get changed and get in bed… with Naruto… Sasuke sighed, this is stupid. He got up and stretched. He wasn't going to be afraid of getting in bed with Naruto. He blushed at the thought.

Naruto looked up from his manga (that he was now reading since that got to the part that was new to him.) he suddenly got very nervous when he realized Sasuke was going to bed. He also shut the manga, to Kyuubi's annoyance.

"Time for bed so we can be up early to eat and travel…" Naruto trailed off.

"Hn" Sasuke agreed.

Both went to their bags to pull out sleep wear. Naruto walked to the bathroom to give Sasuke his privacy. The brunet was about to start changing when he suddenly felt and intense gaze on his back. He turned around and met red eyes.

Kyuubi waited for the pale boy to take off his cloths. Oh yes… it has been a while. He licked his lips.

Sasuke suddenly felt very self aware as the intense red gaze stayed steady, a little bit of pick flicked out of the foxes moth and over his lips.

Sasuke knew the fox was waiting for him to take off his clothes, and this was definitely not in his head… there was something very strange about this fox…

The brunet broke eye contact with the creature when he hear the bathroom door open. Naruto looked at Sasuke in his day wear.

"Are you going to change or sleep in that?"

Sasuke glanced at the fox and then at the bathroom. Naruto looked at Kyuubi with a glare, he should of taken the demon with him.

Sasuke moved to the bathroom without explanation and shut the door to change.

The blond walked to the fox on the coffee table. "What the hell was that about? What did you do try to rape him?"

'Are you jealous?'

"NO I am not jealous, just don't do whatever you did again. We don't need him thinking that something is strange about you." the blond turned to hide his blush.

Kyuubi mentally sighed. 'I didn't do anything but watch him… I may have been staring a bit intensely.'

Naruto spun around "well don't."

'Fine…'

The door to the bathroom opened again and a pajama clad Sasuke stepped out. Both boys looked at the bed. It wasn't made for two people but also wasn't a double so there was a decent amount of room. Though it seemed they would be working hard all night if they didn't want to be touching at all.

Naruto walked over first, he took a deep breath." well need to get some sleep for the mission tomorrow!" with that he jumped onto his side and ducked under the covers.

Sasuke walked over and got under the blankets in a slightly more subdued manner. Naruto was curled facing the couch and table, Sasuke thought it might be a good idea if he curled facing the wall so that they would be back to back. He was just getting comfortable when Naruto mumbled.

"Get off my face K-chan" the blond wiggled in discomfort, they both froze… their butts just touched.

Maybe back to back wasn't such a good idea… Sasuke turned over. He looked at Narutos butt… then his crotch… this was going to be a long night.

"I said get OFF!" Naruto made a grab for his face then sighed. "This is stupid" the blond turned over to escape the furry ball that had been trying to attach itself to his face.

Blue met black when he rolled over to come face to face with Sasuke. There was silence.

Kyuubi smirked.

'That was easier then I thought it would be'

'You are such an asshole Kyuubi.'

A/N– I'm not sure if I liked this chapter. Tell me what you think. I also just realized I wrote the first two pages of this chapter three years ago when I was a freshman, just after I had met my now ex-boyfriend.

Well even though I don't know if I like it I am glad I got it done. Now I can hopefully get some more chapters out and they will get better as I write more. This chapter was meant to be light and fun after the horror and drama of chapters seven and eight. Hope you enjoyed!

sorry for any errors.

NO GLOSSARY!

Original finished date– 4/2/08