The Wonder Years-Naruto chpt 7

Disclaimer: I don't own but maybe Kishimoto is the sharing type...?

Warnings: Boy kisses, bad language, implied drug use.

Running up hill

Wednesday

Damn it…Naruto groaned to himself. Damn that Kakashi…He continued to sulk.

"Dude, it's not that bad. This assignment is a piece of cake actually." Kiba said walking beside the miserable blonde to study hall.

Naruto's face was contorted in annoyance but Kiba didn't know why.

"Really though. This is like 4th grade work what's the problem?" Kiba continued to probe not seeing the big deal in writing a report on your family history and how it affected your life so far growing up. In fact, Kiba was sure he'd get, at least, a C- on this assignment.

Naruto shot him a fake grin while rubbing the back of his head. "Yea, sure you're right." He said not being ready to spill just yet. His stomach turned from just the thought of having to write and read a report like that in front of the class. How would he even begin? 'Yeah so I never knew my parents. I was an orphan since I was a baby. I went from foster home to foster home and just now got adopted, at the age of 16, by some guy I never me before.' He mocked in his head. No bueno.

The two boys grabbed up some books and work assignments then took seats in the library. Kiba made sure to be quiet this time. He pretended to do work while really reading a manga hidden within the guise of a Math text. He didn't want to end up dragged by one ear or being screamed at by Tsunade again. He was almost done with his detentions too, so he had a lot on the line with this particular class. As Kiba snickered and grinned to himself, across the table was a thought occupied blonde that sank deeper into his depression with each moment he relived the past.

Flashback

"I didn't even do it on purpose…" A young blonde protested to seemingly closed ears.

"I don't wanna hear it, stupid kid! You screwed up for the last time! And now you're gonna get it." A large grumpy lady bellowed while searching through a pile of clothing on the floor.

Naruto scanned the room. He knew what time it was. It was either he found the belt before she did or he got thirty lashes like before. Blue eyes grew in size when he spotted brown leather in the corner of the raggedy room which was probably held together by grime. Slowly he inched his way to the opposite side of the room and squatted down.

"Aha! You damn little sneak!" The crazed woman yelled lunging for the small boy and collided with the wall. Naruto ran clean through the house and up the stairs to the small dusty cramped attic he had been forced to reside in for the last three months. He pulled up the stairs behind him and crawled into the corner under a window and prayed the woman wasn't able to reach the pull string. He was all too sure she had given up when he heard a loud thud signifying she had used a chair to grip the string and pull down the stairs. Naruto cursed under his breath as the approaching amazon neared his tightly curled body. She raised her hand back and zeroed in for the kill-

End Flashback

"Naruto…Naruto…" A soft voice called, followed by gentle taps that broke Naruto from his muse. "Are you okay?" Asked Neji taking a seat next to the blonde.

"Oi, Neji…I was uhhhh…what's up?" Naruto refocused on the boy in front of him.

"Yeah, what do you want ponytail?" Asked Kiba looking up from his text/comic book.

"Nothing to do with you dog." Neji stated turning his attention back to Naruto. "I called you Monday." Neji said matter of factly.

Kiba growled.

Naruto smiled bashfully. "Yeah, Neji sorry about that. I was out of it. Way too much to drink...I saw your missed call in the morning though." Naruto said remembering that he meant to call the light eyed boy back and forgot.

"No sweat. What did you do Monday night?" Neji asked out of slight curiosity. He was in Naruto's neighborhood Monday night (purely coincidental or so he swore) and called his cell to see if the blonde was home but got no answer.

"We were at the Dungeon, to watch Sasuke's band. It's turning into a ritual." Naruto admitted.

Neji's eyebrow twitched at the mention of Sasuke. He and the raven had had their share of run ins. As a matter of fact, they had advanced classes and shared most periods together. Even though Sasuke was an emo-druggie bastard, he was intellectually ahead of the game thereforeNeji saw the boy as a rival.

Kiba narrowed his eyes at the boy knowing exactly what he was thinking. It was no secret that Neji and Sasuke hated each other but something else was becoming painfully obvious, Neji was totally hot for Naruto.

"Hey! Idea! Why don't you come with us this Monday to the show?" Naruto said in what he thought was a stroke of genius.

Kiba's mouth all but grazed the floor since it had dropped so wide open. He could hardly believe his ears.

"Uhhmmmm nooooo, thanks but I don't think so." Neji began knowing that wasn't his crowd of people.

"Yeah, absolutely not!" Kiba yelled out slamming his book to the table.

SSSHHHHHHH! The instructor hissed at him from the other side of the library.

Neji bit his tongue. "On second thought," he began thinking defiantly that no one tells him what to do, he is a Hyuga after all. "I think, I'll take you up on your offer Naruto. I'll come along with you Monday." Neji said standing from his seated position.

Kiba gawked on in horror.

"Great, it's a date!" Naruto agreed oblivious to Kiba's death wishes upon him.

"Okay, bye." Neji said turning to walk away. It's a date... He repeated to himself not sure if that was what he heard but none the less he held a smirk of confidence.

Naruto looked at Kiba. He could have sworn he saw steam billowing from his ears. "Kiba? Nani?" Naruto asked as clueless as ever.

Kiba just shook his head in disgust. What the hell is Neji up to? Sasuke's gonna have a bitch fit...

Later that day

"I'm running off fumes alone right now." A weary voice, belonging to Sasuke, said before pulling on a lit cigarette between his lips.

"Really? How long?" Asked a fairly concerned Shikamaru.

The two boys stood behind the school, near a dumpster. The two randomly met to talk, Shikamaru proved as a voice of reason sometimes for the raven. Sasuke took his opinion over any other.

"Since, at least Thursday." Sasuke said trying to remember the long, long drug free week he had.

"About six days? Is this it?" Shikamaru asked hopefully.

Dead eyes glanced over the pony-tailed boy. "Hnff." Sasuke grunted and exhaled smoke.

"This would be the perfect time. You all ready got a head start." Shika said trying to tempt Uchiha to quit all together.

Sasuke studied the ground for a moment. Like he thought before, he couldn't just give it up. The substance was way stronger than his will power. "What's up with the dobe?"

"Ahhh," Shikamaru huffed at the subject change. "Nothing's up with him. Why don't you try talking to him?"

"I did." Sasuke thought back to Monday night, he had been more than a little nervous but he never showed it.

"He doesn't know anything about what's going on if that's what you're worried about. We haven't told 'em. That's up to you." Shika added.

Sasuke gave him a nod of approval and put out his cigarette. "Let's go."

Thursday

"He still hasn't made contact sir?" Asked a semi-nervous voice asked over the phone line.

"No indeed. You should know well by now that our boy is a sstubborn one. It doesn't ssurprise me in the least." Hissed Orochimaru into his end.

Kabuto straightened his glasses. "Should I approach him again?"

"No. Jusst keep an eye on that blonde." Orochimaru paused. "As for Sasuke, I have a feeling he'll be back on his own."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto said hanging up the phone.

"Break his face?" Asked Mizuki.

"No, Orochimaru-sama wants us to fall back. Just keep watch," Kabuto said adjusting his frames again. "Especially on the blonde."

Later that night

Neji had been debating with his self for the last five hours since school let out. Call him or not? He pondered pacing up and down the length of his room. Is it being desperate? He did invite me on a date already...I think. Neji stood still a moment and looked down at the video he held in his hand. Freddy vs Jason. He was at the rental store and remembered the blonde when he read the title. Never being one to pass up opportunity, he rented the movie and decided to invite Naruto over to watch it. What's the worst that could happen? Neji asked picking up his cell.

"Hello?" Said the receiving voice.

"Y-yes, Naruto?" Neji stuttered.

"Hey, Neji. What's up?" Naruto asked smiling through the line.

"I was, uh, I rented this movie and I just realized you said before that you liked it." Neji said amazed at his impaired speech. It was as if he had never spoken one word to Naruto before.

"What movie is that?" Naruto asked.

"Freddy vs Jason." Neji said reading the cover of the dvd.

"Nice. You wanna come over and watch?" Naruto proposed standing from the living room sofa.

"Oh, okay. I'll be over shortly."

"Cool, see ya." Naruto said before disconnecting the line.

Neji sighed in relief and was out the door within minutes.

"Where you goin' now brat? Any where I gotta give you money for?" Jiraiya asked as Naruto hung up the phone.

"Nope. Neji is coming over to watch a movie. I'm going to clean my room." Naruto said with a grin as he took off.

"It should already be clean!" Jiraiya yelled as Naruto descended the basement stairs. Neji? As in Hyuga? Hmpf...Jiraiya questioned quietly.

Moments passed before Neji stood in the middle of Naruto's room. He looked around. It was pretty cozy, orange and blue decorated the room, as well as a few empty ramen containers.

"Uh, Neji are you gonna sit?" Naruto patted the seat next to him as he looked up at the dark haired boy hovering above the couch. Naruto held the remote in his hand and was pretty close to hitting play.

"Right." Neji said taking a seat. Measuring the proximity in his head, Neji blushed at his nearness to the blonde.

"Wait!" Naruto said and jumped up.

Neji's heart raced. He thought Naruto noticed what he was doing. How close he was sitting. He felt flustered.

"Almost forgot." Naruto said jogging to the nearest wall and flicking off the light switch making to room almost pitch black. He placed his body in the same spot as before, a mere inch from Neji's, and looked at the rigid boy. "Neji? You alright?"

"Yes...yes Naruto, I'm fine." Neji said relieved that the boy had returned to his seat. Neji leaned back and hit an arm. He started to move but realized he wanted to lean on that arm. As Naruto hit the play button the movie began to roll. Neji all but watched, he had other things on his mind. He glanced out the corner of his eye at Naruto's features. Broad chest, tanned skin, blue eyes, and whiskers. Again the brunettes heart pace quickened and this time he placed a hand over it.

"Are you scared Neji?" Naruto whispered, leaning over, filling the already non existing gap between the two.

"No..." Neji shook his head unable to add more words to his sentence.

As the movie drew to a close Naruto's excitement for who would win grew. He was bouncing in his seat rooting for Freddy as if he had never seen the outcome before. Neji just stared blankly at the screen. He didn't watch movies such as these, but for Naruto he made one hell of an exception.

"That was great!" Naruto said hitting the buttons turning on regular television. He placed the dvd in the box and handed it to Neji. "Hey, since we like the same stuff we should become movie partners or something." Naruto said plopping back on the couch.

Neji smirked. "I'd like that," he said mentally asking what he'd gotten himself into. "Naruto?"

"Ehh?" Naruto asked noticing he failed to turn the lights back on.

"I'm really glad we've had the chance to get to know each other." Neji said also noticing the lights were still out.

Naruto smiled.

"I really would have thought, well, we probably wouldn't have had this opportunity to become friends if..." Neji started to trail off.

"If what Neji?" Naruto inquired looking directly into Neji's pupil less eyes.

"If..." Neji repeated in his dazed state. He didn't know which way was up. He stared into blue pools that fostered a lot of emotions. Naruto's eyes told everything about him. Neji thought he could read them. He thought he read them correctly. Neji leaned in, he tilted his head, and he closed his eyes. His lips placed flesh against Naruto's. Neji felt no movement, or resistance from the other side, he pushed his tongue between soft pouting lips and collided with another pink muscle. Feeling warmth grow all over his body, Neji reached out placing his hand on the thigh opposite to his, and that broke the kiss.

Naruto reeled back against the sofa with wide eyes, he scrambled to his feet. "Ne-Neji...I..." He didn't know what he was gonna say but he had to do it fast.

"Naruto, I'm sorry...I shouldn't have." Neji said grabbing the dvd and his keys and walking to the exit.

"Wait, Neji..." Naruto said walking up behind him. "Don't worry about it." He nervously smiled.

Neji nodded his head and walked out.

Naruto closed and locked the door. 'Don't worry about it?' Is that all I have to say to a guy for kissing me? Naruto asked scratching his head.

Friday

"So Kakashi assigns this sweet ass project the other day...get this...a family tree? How freakin' weak dude! I swear I'm gonna ace this shit." Kiba mindlessly rambled at the lunch table while shoveling food in his mouth. Truth was, he hadn't even started the assignment yet.

Dark eyes looked up at him; almost as a sort of warning.

"Naruto over here is all shittin' bricks about it. I'm like how hard can it be to scribble some family bullshit down and get an A, you know?" He obnoxiously continued while elbowing Shikamaru in his side.

"Kiba..." The genius cautioned giving him the eye.

"What?" He asked looking around the table.

Shikamaru knew already that Sasuke was in a bad mood.

Naruto sat gazing down at his mashed potatoes. As well as the family tree, he had other things on his mind too, like the boy who kissed him.

"Tell me that's not queer though." Kiba pushed further.

"Seriously, shut the fuck up moron." Sasuke growled, with a voice equally as dark as his eyes, from across the table.

"Make me asshole!" Kiba barked back.

Sasuke flashed across the table so quickly no one knew what happened till they looked up and saw Kiba suspended in the air by his shirt.

"Sasuke, chill man. You know he doesn't mean any harm." Shikamaru said tensely rubbing his neck with his hand. This was seriously bad.

Naruto and the others stood silent. The whole cafe was staring now. Kiba didn't say anything, just gritted his teeth. This wasn't the first time the raven wanted to bash Kiba's head in. Sasuke dropped the brunette to the floor and stood over him with a menacing stare.

"You know honestly, your attitude is shit lately man." Kiba said standing up nearly chest to chest with the slightly taller Uchiha.

"Leave it alone Kiba." Shikamaru said pushing him back out of Sasuke's face.

"Nah ef that, I'm tired of his shit! He takes out all his crap on us. Fuck him!" Kiba yelled as on lookers listened closely.

"Boys!" A teacher yelled not standing from his seat yet.

Sasuke looked around momentarily. He glanced over at Naruto.

The blonde was thrown. He had no idea what was going on. He didn't know that Sasuke was going through withdrawals worst and worst every day now. He didn't know Sasuke didn't have a family and had raised himself since age 8, alone. He didn't know the murderous intent that coursed through his veins day in and day out. He had no idea that Sasuke craved revenge. He didn't know about the built up rage the youngest Uchiha had festering inside him. Sometimes it released itself in the wrong way. No one knew what he was going though. No one.

Sasuke quickly made his way to the exit and out the cafe.

"What's your problem? Why'd you go saying all those stupid things? You know what he's gone through and that he doesn't have a family so why make such a fuss?" Shikamaru scolded a pouting Kiba as Naruto, who was listening closely, grabbed his notebook and walked out behind the raven.

"Sasuke?" Naruto called down the hall.

Sasuke stopped. He had an urge to cut himself for being so weak.

"Hey are you okay?" Naruto asked moving closer to the stoic teen.

Sasuke stood still, feeling empty. "Just…go back to the cafe." He didn't know what else to say to the blonde.

Naruto got it. Whatever it was, Sasuke wanted to be alone. Still he was concerned. "Well, just so you know, if you ever wanna talk…you're not the only one." Naruto said turning to walk away.

Sasuke felt a mild shock creep over his being. "Wait..." Sasuke said gripping his own forearm tightly.

Naruto turned to face him again.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked warily. He was beyond tired, he thought his ears were hearing things.

"Well, I kinda heard what Shikamaru told Kiba...about you being alone and all. He said you don't have a family and well, you're not the only one. I know what it's like too." Naruto said simply to a stunned teen.

Sasuke stood silent. He watched the blonde turn and walk away. Sasuke left school after that. He needed a break. He needed a hit.