Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!
2nd Disclaimer: The songs mentioned dun belong to meh. Nope. The song(s) in this chappie: "Stronger" by Kayne West. I dun like the song but it fit's one part of the fic.
Sky-eyed Kitsune: Hurray for vacation!!! X3 Gods I have been writing so much that I think my fingers are gonna fall off! O.o Someone get me a coffee... -.-'
Gomi-kun: --blinks--
Reviewer Replies (Cause I'm not using the button anymore)
To EllaCrain: Lol! Actually kibanaru is my second fav pairing below sasunaru! I was so mean to poor Kiba! Waaa! T.T
To Sarah: Lol! Kibanaru is my second fav pairing! (sasunaru rules XD) Indeed, Naruto is the absolute uke for his age group! Lol!
To PanPan: -whacks her computer-- STOP DELETING HER REVIEWS!!! GRAH!!! Yes, I am a kibanaru fan XD There aren't many fic about them though…--sniffle—You seriously don't believe in people shouting names during an…ahem? O.o
To TasteLikeBlood: I wouldn't be that mean to Naruto and have the press grab a pic of some kibanaruness…though I was thinking of it, kukuku…
To moonlit dew: Lol! Well, kiba isn't givin up that easily! I assure you! X3
To C.Alexia: Kiba ish not givin up! You hear me ppl!? NOT GIVIN UP!!! FIGHT FOR HIM:0
To knute314: Squee! Favorited! ;3
To berkie88: Naruto just needs a big smack in the face and a reminder of his age, lol!
To hunni C A K E: I don't know how I'd survive if there wasn't any flirting T.T
Inspiring song perfect for this fic!
"Home" by Michael Buble
Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm
Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know
And I've been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
"I'm fine baby, how are you?"
Well I would send them but I know that it's just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that
Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I've got to go home
Let me go home
I'm just too far from where you are
I wanna come home
And I feel just like I'm living someone else's life
It's like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
'Cause this was not your dream
But you always believed in me
Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home
And I'm surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know
Let me go home
I've had my run
Baby, I'm done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I'll be home tonight
I'm coming back home
Chapter Dedication: So many lovely reviews! This one goes out to Sarah, moonlit dew, and berkie88! Luvs ya all! ;3
Chapter Five: Home
---
Knock Knock
"Naruto?" Iruka said attentively as he rapped on the guest room door where Naruto had been staying for the past three days.
"Naruto, please talk," Iruka sighed. "You've barely spoken a word since the mishap with…well…and you haven't eaten a scrap of food. Please Naruto, don't make me call Jiraiya."
Iruka stepped back from the door as it suddenly opened and Naruto stood in the doorway.
Iruka was surprised at how collected the blonde still looked. His hair was a bit tangled but retained its natural god-like sheen, and his skin was still liquid gold wrapped around his body. He wore a black tank top that showed off his lithe but slightly muscled frame with a pair of crimson red pajama bottoms.
"Sorry if I've been worrying you," Naruto said, his voice cracking slightly from lack of use.
"Maa, how about some tea?" Iruka said kindly, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder.
Naruto wrapped his slender tan fingers around the warm mug in front of him on the table, letting the heat travel through his skin as he waited for the tea to cool.
Iruka smiled as he sat across from him at the table, sipping his own mug.
"It must be good to get out of that room!" he said happily, grinning. Naruto ran his fingers over the top of his mug silently.
Iruka sighed.
"Naruto, I know what's it's like to loose your first love," Iruka said softly. "Actually, it hurts even more when you reunite with that love to realize that you…well, you don't love them anymore. But you need to move on. There are men and women literally begging for one date with you! Just look at Rock Lee!"
Naruto's eye twitched.
"Ok, bad example…but you need to get back out there! You don't need to go all out or anything. Just getting out of the house is enough. I know that Jiraiya grounded you, but he forgot something that apparently you did too."
Naruto gave a Iruka a puzzled look that would have made his fans melt and start to hyperventilate.
"You're twenty-one Naruto," Iruka said, chuckling as Naruto's face lit up a bit. But it was short-lived as it slipped back into a depressed mask.
"Go out tonight Naruto," Iruka said.
"Easier said than done, Naruto replied. "The paparazzi are on the hunt for me and Shikamaru and Chouji are always close by, even if I can't see them."
Iruka took on a thoughtful look for a moment before smiling mischievously.
"Leave them to me."
Later that night…
Shikamaru yawned in the front seat of his car outside of Iruka's house, Chouji munching chips happily next to him.
"He's been in there for three days," Shikamaru grumbled. "So troublesome."
"Naruto-sama is going through a rough time," Chouji said, pausing as he peeked into his empty bag to make sure there were no invisible chips hiding from his forever hungry mouth.
"Hey Shika, what time is it?"
"9:00 pm. Why?"
"I missed dinner!!!"
Shikamaru rolled his eyes when his phone suddenly started vibrating. He grabbed it from his belt buckle and flipped it open.
"Hello?"
"Shikamaru."
"Hai Sabaku-san?" Shikamaru said, mentally slapping himself awake. It had to be important for Gaara to actually call and WANT to talk.
"I wanted to speak with you about some new security arrangements for Naruto," Gaara said. "I don't want another paparazzi invasion happening anytime soon. Can you meet me at the studio? It might take a while to explain."
"Hai," Shikamaru said, and flipped down his phone.
He turned to Chouji.
"Out," he said.
"Huh?" Chouji replied, still mourning a bit over his chips and lost dinner time.
"Get out. I need to meet Sabaku-san at the modeling studio to talk about some security arrangements for Naruto-sama."
"Where am I supposed to go?"
"How the hell should I know? Just find a bush or something."
Chouji pouted as he exited the sleek black car and Shikamaru sped off into the night.
"Is he going?" Iruka said into his cell phone.
"Yep," Gaara replied.
"Excellent. How long can you keep him there?"
"I've got a thirty bottle collection of imported sake. The time is unlimited once he gets drunk off his ass."
"Good. I'll work on Chouji."
Naruto stuffed his pillows under the bed in Iruka's guest bed to make it look like the outline of his curled up body, just in case Shikamaru or Chouji decided to look in the window and check on him if Iruka's plan didn't work out.
He had to hand it to himself, it almost looked like he could pull back the covers and find his clone sleeping there.
Naruto walked over to the full length mirror on the door and examined himself.
He wore a long-sleeved dark orange button-up shirt and a pair of tight black jeans that hung loose around his hips, a chain dangling mischievously off one side. The shirt, hideous on the hanger, hung off his lithe frame beautifully and made his skin glow in the light. His hair hung in calm spikes, framing his face and brushing against his shoulders. His whisker-like scars intensified the sparkle of his azure eyes, and if one were to push back his hair, they'd see the small silver hoop earring on his right ear.
In short, he was damn drop dead sexy.
Naruto sighed as he glanced at his watch.
Half past nine.
He had to meet that Sasuke guy for his interview in a half an hour…but could Iruka pull off his plan?
"Chooouuujiii!"
Chouji perked up his head from the bush he sat behind as his name was called, and he bolted upright when he smelled it.
FOOD.
GLORIOUS FOOD.
Chouji was standing in front of Iruka at the doorway in a heartbeat.
"There you are Chouji!" Iruka said happily, ushering the bodyguard in.
"What's going on?" Chouji asked as Iruka led him to the dining room.
"Naruto is so grateful to you and Shikamaru…"
Iruka flung open the door and Chouji died and went to heaven.
"That he ordered you a feast from the finest restaurants in town!"
Chouji drooled as his eyes gazed over the assortment of food…wonderful sushi…wait, was that barbeque!?
"S-Shikamaru had to leave on business," Chouji stuttered, restraining himself.
"Oh well, I guess that you'll have to eat his portion," Iruka said. "No need for it to go to waste. And while you eat Naruto should be fine. He's been in his room all day again. Very sad really-"
Iruka was cut short as Chouji whizzed past him and attacked the food in front of him, unable to contain his appetite any longer.
Iruka grinned and discreetly slipped out of the room.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.
"All clear Naruto."
Naruto brushed off the twigs and leaves from his shirt as he walked to the road in front of Iruka's house that spiraled around the neighborhood.
Maybe taking the bedroom window as an escape wasn't the best choice…
Naruto looked up as he saw headlights flash in his eyes. It must have been Lee there to pick him up and take him to the Cocoloco club. After all, Naruto didn't have his car with him and did NOT want to give himself away to the paparazzi.
The car pulled up to the curb, it's dark olive green color glaring at Naruto, and said blonde quickly hopped into the modest car.
"NARUTOOOO-SAMA!" Lee cried, immediately bring the superstar into a bone crushing hug the second he had closed the door.
"I MISSED YOU SO MUCH MY LOVELY, LOVELY BLONDE BEAUTY! I WAS TERRIFIED THAT YOU HAD GOTTEN HURT! BUT YOU'RE SAFE NOW IN MY ARMS MY LOVE! MY SUNSHINE! MY GOLDEN RAINBOW!!!"
"L-Lee…" Naruto choked. "Can't…..b-breathe!"
Lee released Naruto, blushing a bit as the blonde caught his breath.
"Gomen nasai," Lee said, bringing Naruto into another, much gentler hug. (Naruto never thought such an amazing feat was possible.) "I was just so worried about you Naruto-sama."
"I'm fine," Naruto sighed, patting Lee on the back. He pulled away and smiled at him.
"Let's go. I'll be late for my interview."
"Matte Naruto-sama! You promised!" Lee said, leaning in close to Naruto. Naruto rolled his eyes and gave Lee a quick peck on the cheek.
"There. Now let's g- AHHHH!" Naruto yelled as Lee screeched off toward the Cocoloco, completely high off of Naruto's light kiss.
Naruto spilled out of Lee's car into a pile of goo as the vehicle went from eighty to zero in a millisecond.
"CALL ME WHEN YOU WANT TO BE PICKED UP NARUTO-SAMA!!!" Lee cried, speeding off again.
"A-a-ari-rigato," Naruto sputtered, wobbling to his feet.
Suddenly two pairs of strong arms lifted him up fully and righted him. Naruto turned and grinned.
"Ibiki! Asuma!" he said.
"Naruto-sama! Haven't seen you at the Cocoloco for a while!" The bald and muscular man Ibiki with the scar across his face said.
"Psh, it hasn't been that long," Naruto said.
"Yea, only two months," the other man named Asuma with brown hair and a dark tan said.
"Well excuuuse me if I'm not the type of celebrity to get drunk off my ass every night!" Naruto said jokingly.
The three of them laughed and walked to the long line of people waiting to get into the Cocoloco. (Which they never did.)
"Hey Genma!" Naruto said, waving to a brunette with a bandana over his head and a toothpick in his mouth. He stood at the front of the line in front of the red velvet gate, a clipboard in his hand.
"Hey Naruto-sama! Where've you been?" he said, clapping Naruto on the back.
"Miss me that much?" Naruto teased.
"Hell yea! You're always the one celeb who is sober enough for us to have a conversation with that doesn't involve slurring and hurling."
Naruto laughed.
"Wa! Is that Uzumaki-sama?!" a woman from the middle of the line suddenly cried, and all heads turned.
"Shit," Naruto cursed under his breath as a ring began to form around him.
"Go ahead Naruto-sama, we've got you covered," Asuma said, smiling as they took the place of bodyguards.
"Thanks guys!" Naruto said. Genma automatically unclipped the red velvet gate.
"Hey Genma, can I ask a favor?" Naruto said.
"Whatcha need?" Genma said.
"I'm meeting someone here tonight. Could you show him in for me? I'll be in the corner lounge. He's got raven hair that spikes at the end, black eyes, and one hell of an ego. He'll show you my crystal."
"You're crystal!?" Genma burst out. "Naruto-sama, what if he lost it!? That crystal is the most precious thing in the world to you!"
"I trust him. He's not just another reporter."
"How would you know?"
"I know enough…"
"Work it, make it, do it, makes us harder, better, faster, STRONGER!"
The club was on fire when Sasuke arrived, having just had to flash Naruto's necklace and he was escorted in by a man with a bandana.
"N-n-now-th-that don't kill me can only make me stronger. I need you to hurry up now, cause I can't wait much longer."
"Naruto-sama is over here," he said, leading Sasuke. "Stay close or you'll get lost."
Sasuke walked faster so that he wasn't lagging behind the man; he believed that someone COULD get lost.
The place was FRAKING HUGE!!!
"I know I got to be right now, cause I can't get much wronger; man I been waitin' all night now, that's how long I've been on ya."
The dancing and bar was below, the second floor overlooking it as a sea of bodies swayed and music pumped through the building. The service was top quality, the multicolor lighting dazzling the room with neon, the walls neatly painted and the carpet for once not scuffed unlike so many common clubs.
The place looked so expensive that Sasuke was afraid to even sweat, that his common aura might recoil the atmosphere around him.
"I need ya right now."
"He's right there," the man said, stopping and nodding his head to a lounge in the corner next to the bar that seemed cut off from the rest of the drunken dancing reality.
Sasuke nodded thanks and looked back at Naruto to have his jaw drop.
Naruto was sitting on a plush back leather chair, his legs crossed as he rested his chin on this palm. His long-sleeved dark orange button-up shirt outlined his lithe but firm frame, his golden skin flashing against it. A pair of tight black jeans hung loose around his hips but became tighter as his legs crossed, a chain dangling impishly off one side. His hair hung in calm spikes, caressing his face and glowing in the dim light. His whisker-like scars intensified his crushed blue gaze to the point of where they were more beautiful than the sky itself.
Naruto looked up and met Sasuke's gaze.
Naruto gulped as Sasuke walked over to him leisurely.
Sasuke wore a black shirt with a fan symbol in the right breast that outlined his thin but muscled form, his raven locks falling gently to brush against his shoulders. On his left wrist was a wristband with the name of a band. Further down he wore slim fitting jeans that just added to his physique, not ripped unlike Naruto's which he always ripped at the knees.
Naruto felt himself drool a bit and he placed a hand over his mouth.
"Naruto-sama," Sasuke said, sitting down in another plush black chair across from the superstar.
"Teme," Naruto replied.
"Dobe."
"Asshole."
"Usuratonkachi."
Naruto pouted and Sasuke diverted his eyes from his cuteness.
"Thank-you for the proper interview Naruto-sama," Sasuke droned. "It's an honor to be able to-"
"Whoa, whoa, freeze right there!" Naruto said, clamping a tanned hand over Sasuke's mouth.
Naruto blinked in surprise, then melt a bit when the smell of honey and sage reached his nose.
"Mm…Naruto smells good…" Sasuke thought.
"If you're gonna interview me about my personal life, then don't act all business like. Just act like you're a friend asking about random junk, kay?" Naruto said.
Sasuke nodded stupidly and Naruto removed his hand.
Sasuke pulled a notepad and pen out of his back pocket; it was way too noisy to use his recorder.
"Ok Naruto-sama-"
"Naruto," Naruto corrected.
"Naruto…" Sasuke continued. "When is your birthday?"
"October 10th."
"That's in less than two weeks, right?"
"Yep! I'll be twenty-two."
"Same as me."
"Really? Cool!"
"Hn. You're easily amused dobe."
"Un, I am teme. Iruka tells me that all the time."
"Who's Iruka?"
"Iruka is my driver, but he acts like a mother hen towards me. He practically raised me."
Sasuke smiled.
He was getting to know the blonde already!
"So, where did you go to school?" he asked.
Naruto grinned.
"Proud graduate of Konoha High!" he said.
"Really? I went there too."
"Really? Wow! How come I never saw you?"
"I was the guy that was constantly surrounded by fangirls."
"Huh? Uchiha? Prince of Ice Uchiha!?"
"…what?"
"I remember you! Everyone called you an Ice Prince because you were such an anti-social bastard."
"Hn."
"Doesn't appear to have changed."
"Tch. Why didn't I see you?"
"Oh, I was the blonde idiot always late for first period English."
"Still a dobe."
"Teme!"
"Weren't you dating someone when you graduated?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto's smile dropped.
"O-oh…yea, I was," Naruto said, and Sasuke mentally smacked himself for making the blonde uncomfortable.
"Did you uh…meet up with him again?"
"Un. I did. Things didn't work out."
"Gomen."
Naruto bounced back, flashing Sasuke a million dollar camera smile. "No big!"
"Ok," Sasuke said, knowing that the grin was a fake one.
"Where did you go to college?"
"I went to Withercall University in England for two years before my acting and modeling career took over my life."
"What were you majoring in?"
"The Arts. Like drawing and painting."
"You draw?"
Naruto nodded.
"Nowadays I don't have a lot of time, but I used to be a drawing junkie! I haven't even been inspired lately though."
"What inspires you?"
Naruto sighed and Sasuke saw how his eyes gleamed and his body relaxed.
"People sometimes, but nature usually does; not normal nature though. People always paint sunsets for instance. Sure their beautiful, but it's a reminder of another day going by that we sometimes don't want to end. It's so bittersweet…instead of the sunset, I would sketch the snow. It's cold and subtle, but it's the subtle beauties that people just scan over."
Sasuke lost himself in that moment listening to Naruto. He wanted to hear him talk forever as long as his voice stayed so soft and beautiful, layered with emotions.
"Geez, I'm babbling. I sound like an idiot," Naruto suddenly said, shaking his head.
"I don't think you do," Sasuke suddenly blurted. Damn, that was supposed to stay a thought.
"Really?" Naruto asked, his face lighting up a bit.
"Dobe, why would I bother to say something I didn't mean?" Sasuke scoffed.
"Teme," Naruto grumbled under his breath, hiding a secret smile.
It was almost midnight by the time Naruto and Sasuke were wrapping up.
For some reason it hadn't sounded like an interview at all. Just…talking. Sasuke had stopped writing halfway through and just listened to Naruto, talking now and then about himself on the topic of discussion, something he would normally NEVER do. But Naruto was just so beautiful to watch, the way his sapphire eyes sparkled when he was talking about something exciting, or the cute curve his lips created when he pouted. His interests were surprising to Sasuke. He didn't like shopping or flaunting his money at all. In all reality, he was an interesting person in no way obsessed with his job, money, or the media.
And Sasuke wanted to know more.
"Ok, these questions are ones Tsunade wants me to ask," Sasuke said. Naruto nodded. He as well had been enjoying his long chat with Sasuke. The raven may not have realized it, but he knew just as much about Sasuke as he did about him.
"'It says…do you ever miss your home?' That can't be right. You've lived in Tokyo all your life and you said that you've never moved, right?"
Naruto chuckled a little.
"Jiraiya must have mentioned something to Tsunade if she knows about this," he said.
Sasuke gave him a questioning look and Naruto suddenly stood up.
"Wanna see my home, Sasuke?" he asked, smiling and extending a hand to the raven.
Sasuke searched Naruto's eyes for any doubt or mistrust, but found none.
He nodded and took the blonde's hand.
Sasuke pulled his navy blue jacket tighter around himself, the fall chill becoming more apparent as the night dragged on. Naruto walked next to Sasuke wearing a simple black winter jacket as well, nothing expensive like Sasuke would have expected before his interview with Naruto.
It had changed his whole perspective on the amazing blonde star.
Sasuke looked around.
They were walking through a small town outside of the city. It was modest, but not the most spectacular thing in the world.
"So, Tsunade had more question she wanted me to ask, but it's stupid," Sasuke said.
"Well better safe than getting your ass plastered to the wall by Tsunade," Naruto said.
Sasuke laughed lightly.
Wait…laughed!? Him?! There must have been a full moon in the sky for him to laugh or somethin'!
"So, she wants to ask, 'Do you ever get lonely?'"
Lonely? Lonely!? Ha! How could ANY superstar surrounded by millions of adoring fans feel lonely?!
"Yea," Naruto said quietly.
Sasuke's eyebrows shot into his head.
"You…are?" he said slowly. "But you have thousands of fans and you're constantly stalked by the paparazzi! And when you're at home your manager is still bugging you 24/7! How the hell could you be lonely!?"
Naruto smiled sadly.
"It's true that my privacy is intruded on a lot…but it's different," he said softly. He tilted his head up to the night sky, the stars winking at him from their midnight curtain.
"People love me because of my good looks, my talent as an actor…and nothing else. They know nothing about me. It's not like I can just go up to a fan and start a normal conversation without them sputtering about their obsession over me. There's a big difference between fans and friends. Actually, since I graduated from high school, I haven't had a lot of friends. My acting and modeling career have taken over my life and I barely have time to stop and breathe let alone talk with friends. Who wants a friend that's never there?"
"It's not your fault."
Naruto looked up at Sasuke, (he was an inch or two taller) hurt sketched in his sapphire eyes.
"I should at least have time for friends," he sighed. "But…thanks. I always blamed myself."
"Don't," Sasuke said. Naruto smiled softly, a rare genuine smile, and Sasuke felt his insides melt as he smiled a little back.
"Ya know, you probably know more about me than almost the whole city," Naruto laughed.
"What about your parents? I can't know more than they do," Sasuke joked.
"Baka, I don't have parents," Naruto said, punching Sasuke lightly on the shoulder.
Sasuke's mind froze over.
"You…don't have par-"
"Here we are!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed. He grinned widely.
"Home sweet home!"
Sasuke looked in front of them and his eyes widened.
Yay! Another chappie done! ;3 Gods I am lovin xmas vacation! X3
Sky-eyed Kitsune
Translated by Gomi-kun