Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Homeless Harlot ❯ Is Boring on Repeat? ( Chapter 15 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Naruto didn't realize that he was eating his dinner with so much aggression until he finished and walked off to his bedroom, cousin following him, and closed the door with a loud thud.

"What happened?" Gaara asks taking a seat on the loveseat beneath the window across the room.

Naruto didn't really wanna say anything, but he was dying to say something to someone about the whole thing. He was hoping like hell Sasuke didn't break his promise to not sleep with Kakashi, but he just found it hard to trust a guy who could be so despicable in the first place. Where was his common sense?!

'Hn. In his pants that's where.' Thinks the teen balling his fist while barring his teeth. 'I'd hate to think of what would have happened to Sasuke if the others hadn't pulled me off.'

"Naruto?" Gaara tried again standing to cross the room.

'Sasuke was seriously fighting me as well.' He touches a bruise on his face.

"Naruto." With his thumb and middle finger he thumps the mental arguing male from his thoughts.

Holding his forehead he makes a pained sound then focuses on the outside world. "...Gaara! What the hell!?"

"I asked you a question and you weren't listening." He sits on the bed.

"Ever hear of shaking a guys shoulder?" He sits up.

"Yes." He replies with a smirk before asking again. "Why are you so upset?"

With a sigh, the blond slaps a hand to his cousin's shoulder, head dipped in sadness as he steadies the situation. "Gaara, what I have to say will shock you beyond words."

Raising a bare brow, the male waits for Naruto to go on.

"I've been seeing this guy, Sasuke, and I was really into him and I thought that he was into me but... he was only using me for sex."

"So make better selections in whom you fall in love with." Answers the stoic child in his usual demure monotone. "Its nothing to get so worked up about, although, he didn't have to hit you. Or did he?" He holds Naruto's chin to turn the male's head left to right. Purple and red bruises cover one side of his face a small blackening eye is on the clean side.

"He did, but I started it listen to me!" He shakes Gaara's shoulders. "The reason he was using me is because he's in love with someone else" He pauses dramatically. "my reading teacher, Kakashi-sensei." He had to lower his voice at that. Looking towards his bedroom door incase his parents were wandering the halls he then leans in closer. "I saw them, Gaara, right through the window of his home. They were having sex on the coffee table and who knows where else or when."

Gaara remained indifferent about the subject. "And?"

"And what?! Its sick and wrong!" His voice lowers again. "Kakashi-sensei is an adult and a teacher, he could get fired... but on top of everything else" He swallows his nerves about the fact that he's not telling soon-to-be-mentioned person about this due to a promise that may or may not be kept. Sasuke owes him nothing, they're not lovers; who's to say the male won't do whatever he wants? "on top of everything else, Kakashi-sensei is married."

"I see."

"I see, I see" He imitates his cousin's tone. "Is that all you have to say? This is serious stuff!" Although, he knows his cousin he actually didn't expect any great reaction from him, but he really did think its serious. He was sure his other friends would have told or done something by now. Does it make him terrible to prefer to keep the problem quiet and hope it goes away? Why rattle a cage that shouldn't be shaken when you can just put up a lock so the animals don't get out as they please. 'Wait, who's the animal?' He wonders.

"So what do you plan to do? Tell your teachers husband?"

"I did- I do! I do plan to tell." He corrects himself. "But that's under a condition. I'll let things stay neutral if Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei don't engage in each other anymore." He crosses his arms as if to say find a flaw in that plan.

Gaara looked thoughtful, then says. "Naruto, you're blackmailing your ex to ensure that no more monkey business goes on?"

The boy puffs up his chest rather than answers with a, 'yes'.

"Instead of just telling the man who's being wronged? You must really have loved him to give him that kind of trust. He'll only betray you in the end."

"He can't... he won't. He seemed really surprised that I told him I wouldn't tell, but he was also happy because he likes Kakashi-sensei's husband." His hand lands on the bed with a thump. "Sasuke lives with them, he used to live on the streets but... but Kakashi-sensei and Gai-san took him in and- wow that sounds like a really dramatic soap opera or something..." He says absently while scratching his cheek. "But its all true and I don't wanna see Gai-san get hurt either, he was really nice to me."

Gaara only made a thoughtful sound.

Letting out a sigh, as though he'd been holding his breath forever or the weight on his shoulders has been dropped he falls back onto his bed. "The thing that's so messed up is Sasuke's thinking. How can he do what he's doing then practically call the man an ass for cheating on Gai-san- said that he was better off if his husband wants to cheat on him, when he's the one who caused it! I'm positive that Kakashi-sensei was on the normal level until Sasuke came along. He's hard to resist, look at him- well, you haven't seen him before but let me tell you the guy could melt your skin off with one smile."

Gaara's face said he doubted that as only one person's smile made his 'skin melt' as Naruto phrased it. "Sasuke may be compensating for a guilty conscious while pleasing his own needs on the side. His thinking may be split because his heart is. On the one hand he can take Kakashi and make him his, but on the other he can see what would happen to the other person he cares about so he thinks he's better off."

"I just said that, but how does it matter? It's still wrong."

"Be lucky Sasuke cares enough for this Gai to be blackmailed into backing off; he could have told you to screw yourself and kept at it until Gai either left the relationship or killed him."

Wary, Naruto laughs off his cousin's comment. He can be so serious sometimes. "Either way, you're right about that. I wouldn't wanna see them broken up, I saw them together and they're really cute. I wanna be like that with someone when I'm older; always given a challenge and a good time. But man.... Its not as easy to get over the whole thing, or Sasuke."

"Better let those feelings go, Naruto. Your love was one-sided, holding on to that will only make you bitter."

"I know. But dammit!!" He cried out like a child. His mother was often the one to end unresolved conflicts with an affirmed swear, and yet when she caught her son doing it it was always a pop on the back of the head.

"Sleep off your anger and your injuries." Standing, he pats his cousin on the chest before walking to the door. "Good night."

"Yeah." He sighed out defeatedly.

Heart still heavy with worry, wonder, and conversation, he walks into the bathroom to do his nightly routine of brushing, flossing, shoving a finger nail into cracks and creaces to remove meat that got shoved up into it and a good healthy face wash to remove the angry cloud over his brows keeping them furrowed. Grinning at himself in the mirror, he walks out of the bathroom, dresses in his boxers and a tank before climbing into bed, falling asleep ten minutes later with a small hope that Sasuke would pull through for him.

Saturday the group went to the park. Naruto, Gaara, Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, and Lee. Shino has a doctors oppointment but told Kiba that he'd better remember the conversations, friends don't let each others words go forgotten or something like that Kiba can't recall. They plan on sitting about while giving Akamaru some excersize with a frisbee. While Neji sits under a tree listening to music, Lee is doing a martial arts routine of kicks and punches with all his hobbled vigor while Gaara watches; a peaceful expression on his normally bored expressioned face, Kiba and Akamaru are running about, pouncing and rolling as if the master were also an animal, every now and then he would toss the frisbee to Lee who would catch it and toss it to the dog. Shikamaru took this time to talk to Naruto about yesterday. He wasn't too pleased about being slammed into a locker, his back ached for ages after; on a lighter note, Neji came over and gave him the most relaxing massage. It pays to have a connection with someone who's big on taking comfort in your comfort.

"What happened between you two? I mean, I always suspected that a guy like Sasuke would do something wrong but I didn't think I'd really see it." Shikamaru recalled their trip to the museum when the male practically said that by going out with him Naruto is screwing himself. Reaching out a hand to the male he touches the purple under the black eye. "So what did he do?"

"Its nothing Sasuke did- in a sense." He swats the hand away. "Its just that, well, I took a long look at our relationship and realized that the creep didn't really love me." He shrugs. It wasn't really a lie so much as it wasn't the whole story; after seeing the two he really did take a look at his and Sasuke's relationship, although, he played with the idea of Sasuke being in love with both him and that perverted sensei of theirs but that idea was shot to hell the moment they finished talking in the bathroom. "That he only wanted one thing."

Shikamaru pats the solemn male on the back. "There, there, Naruto. Some guys are like that, but hey- they're the easiest ones to get over, right?"

"If you say so- hey, yeah! Why am I so upset? If the creep doesn't want me than he's the one missing out!" He declared; fist balled in cheer.

Shikamaru snickers. "There's the guy I know." He smiles at his friend.

"Let's get some ramen!"

"And there's the guy I run from." He slaps a hand to his face. "Tell you what, though, since you're so down, it'll be my treat."

"I was hoping you'd say that, because I spent my allowence already."

His sweet smile turned wary. 'Now who's using someone for something.'

But he really didn't mind, if a meal and pep-talk could cheer the blond up again then he was happy to buy him fifty bowls of ramen if he wanted them. Placing a hand beside his mouth, the brunet calls out to them. "We're going for lunch!" He then raises his hand either to call over the people coming or say goodbye to the guys that aren't.

They're half way out of the park when they spot Sasuke by the stone boardering wall; hands in his pocket a curious look on his face when he sees them coming his way. He'd been standing there for a while watching the group; he'd been at swim practice all morning and afternoon. Sasuke was on his way home, hair drying in the afternoon sun, when he spotted his possibly former friends and he was sure that Naruto's been telling them all the gruesome tales of he and Kakashi. They can judge him all they want, though, he doesn't feel the least bit ashamed.

Shikamaru was just waiting for a fight to break out between the two, there was no way that Naruto missed the male when he's in plain sight, but instead the blond put on a happy smile and waved. 'Oh man, just let this guy be on his way home.'

"Hey Sasuke!"

"Yo." He answers coolly.

'Hn. So chummy all of a sudden, but its to be expected from a guy like Naruto.' Thinks the Nara.

"What are you guys up to today?" Asks Sasuke falling into step with them.

"We're going for lunch." Replied Naruto casually.

Shikamaru, though happy his friend is taking it well, can't miss the undertone of sadness in Naruto's voice. He wished that Sasuke would just go home for today and screw hanging out with them. Doesn't he think its a little awkward, though, after what happened at school. But, he does like seeing the purple jawline and the red ear caused by Naruto and Neji after they hit him.

"Can I join you?" Even Sasuke is talking a little cautious, trying to avoid the trouble spots in the air.

"Sure. But, Shika won't pay for the both of us."

Sasuke snickers. "I've got money."

They walk in a somewhat silence before Naruto says. "My dad said that we maybe could get a dog next year if I can bring my grades up."

"Who'd want a dog?" Sasuke comments.

"Anybody would; remember when we were kids, me and the guys all talked about how we'd share one between us." He smiles at the memory. "We were gonna call it... call it... You know what, I can't remember. But I know we wanted a big dog."

"Hehehe, you said you wanted a big one so it could eat Akamaru." Shikamaru chimes in.

"Yeah, because he bit me on the ass that year, remember?"

Looking like he were ready to gag, Shikamaru says. "How could I forget, you wouldn't stop showing everyone the teeth marks in your butt."

Listening to the conversation, Sasuke asks. "Why'd his dog bite you?"

"Who knows." Replies Shikamaru.

"He's a beast! That's why."

"I'm sure it had nothing to do with your idea to play sled dogs, then you jumped on his back crushing him into the ground."

"Ahe, right, I forgot about that part." Smiling, he turns his attention to Sasuke. "Did you ever do dumb things as a kid, Sasuke?"

Thinking, he smiles faintly to himself. "I used to ask my older brother to cart me around on his back. I would be up there saying that I was the king of Konoha and everyone had to give me all their food. Its so stupid."

"I think its sweet. I always used to say that I wanna be Hokage someday. You know, my dad looks like the fourth." He mentions. Infact its something that he often mentioned to people; very pleased at his fathers striking resemblence to a great man.

"I know."

Running his hand through the deep blue mass, Naruto cocks his head. "Where were you?" He asked, glad that his voice hadn't betrayed the fact that he loved the look of Sasuke's hair when its wet. Why do you always have to want a guy more when you can't have him. 'It must be what it was like for Sasuke with Kakashi-sense... No, don't make excuses for what they're doing because understanding doesn't make it right all the same.'

"Swim class. We have to practice even more now."

"I still don't know why you would join, its not so great."

"No, I love swimming."

The ramen stand came into view and the three grab a stool.

"Two bowls of pork ramen, please!" Naruto orders, voice full of enthusiasm.

The older man behind the counter grinned at his best customer before replying with a nod and a 'yes'.

"I'll have the same." Says Sasuke.

"Nothing for me." Shikamaru adds. He isn't hungry in the least, and would probably end up having seconds at dinner for it, but he wouldn't.

"So, Sasuke, how are things at home." Naruto asks, eyes nearly shaded.

'Guess that means he didn't tell them. At least I have that.' He honestly has been bored out of his mind and its only been one day. Even Kakashi seems bored. But it has to be done. There isn't anything they can do about it, not with Naruto knowing and itching to tell Gai. "Things are good."

"Good." He nods. Reaching for the bowl of ramen set before him, he takes in large slurps of noodles.

"Yeah." Sasuke replies, eating in a less rushed manner.

Shikamaru wished something could cut the tension but he knew no such luck would happen. The two needed more time to get out of the relationship air before the tension would ease away from them. How long will that take seeing as how they've only been together for what a couple of months. But it doesn't matter, he supposed, his sharp eyes didn't miss the fact that Naruto is itching to continue loving the creep, but he won't poke at the situation. It'll dissolve and then they can all get back to normal. 'I just hope that's sooner than later.'

3 weeks later.

Sasuke dressed for school that morning with an impatients of someone who is literally being shoved out of a place; his fingers fumble down the white shirt, grabbing his backpack he hoists it over his shoulder. He can't think of eating but knows he won't get out of the house without doing so because Gai would shove it into his mouth after expertly knocking him down to the floor. Dropping his bag off in the living room, he walks into the kitchen taking a seat at the table.

"Good morning, Sasuke!" Greets the man, happily dumping bacon bits into an omlet. "How many would you like today? Two?"

"Just the one." He replies softly.

Not missing the tone, Gai turns around to face the teen. "What is it? Something happen at school?"

"No. Just a bad morning, I guess." He shrugs.

"Well, that's no way to see the day." He plates the meal, decorating the plate with some apple slices before bringing it over to the table. "You want me to spring you early? You wanna stay at home all together?"

Sasuke smirks. "No thanks." He wondered how being at home would brighten his mood, but then he never understood much about this type of parenting. If you could call their friendship that. One minute they're like friends, the next like fathers. Its a little confusing but only when he feels like he owes them something for letting him stay with them. He really thought that they'd wonder what the hell they were thinking and send him to a foster home since putting him back on the streets was declared 'unthinkable' by Gai.

"It isn't Naruto, is it? Are you kids still at odds?" He remembered the fight 3 weeks ago in March. "It isn't very youthful to drag out fights; keeping grudges and anger will only weigh you down and age you."

Taking a fork full of egg into his mouth he asks over the bite. "Is that how you maintain such a shining glow?" He was only teasing but he got a grin and an affirmed 'yes' from Gai.

"Good morning." Kakashi enters the kitchen on a slight lean back as his arms are stretched over his head before they drop down at his sides. "What's for breakfast?"

"Omlets. How many?" Gai returns to the stove, grabbing the pan handle.

"Just one, but load me up with sausage." He grabs the paper.

"You got it." Gai cracks two eggs into the large pan.

Sasuke looks pleadingly at Kakashi, who sees nothing due to the newspaper before his vision. How can he adjust so quickly?! Isn't he going out of his mind? Maybe he's just hiding it well. 'Or maybe he doesn't care as much as I liked to believe.' He wiped that thought from his mind. It just couldn't be true.

Deciding some conversation is in order, Gai asks. "What's going on in school today?"

"Field trip." He answers; setting down his glass of orange juice. "We're going to some food factory. Naruto says they always give older guys lame ass places because they're more likely to steal than younger kids."

"I don't believe that at all!" Declares Gai. "If anything younger kids would steal because they'll hear not to do something but when an item is just tempting enough they'll take it. They have very quick hands."

"I didn't know that you and Naruto are getting along again." Kakashi moves the tip of the paper to look at Sasuke.

"Yeah. We were fine the next day after the fight."

"Then why does he still give me dirty looks?" Wonders Kakashi.

Cocking a big brow, Gai asks. "Why would Naruto be casting you dirty looks, Kakashi?"

The man shrugged. "I did give him detention for a week for mouthing off."

"A week seems a bit hard for mouthing off, but such is discipline." He walks the plate over to Kakashi, placing it on the table before setting his own down. "You two have fun today, alright. We can't have a fog settling. Keep your pace and keep on smiling."

'Easier said than done.' Thinks Sasuke finishing up his breakfast. "I'm gonna wait in the car."

"I'll be out in ten minutes." Replies the male's ride.

"Does Sasuke seem agitated to you?" Asks Gai watching the teen's retreat.

"No."

"But he said he was a little down."

"Nothing to worry about. I'm sure he's just bored with something."

"I hope that's the case." He starts in on omlet number 2. "Teens have a high depression rate you know."

"I know." He smiles. "I also know that you need to stop reading parenting books for our little street kid. Sasuke is a typical kid, he goes through things and then gets over them. I was the same way myself."

"Mmm." Gai intones thoughtfully.

"You're different than most people Gai, you walk around with a chipper on your shoulder rather than a chip. Eventually, Sasuke will come around. In the meantime, find yourself ready for a marathon encounter tonight." He stands from the table. "I've been craving you like a savage." He sticks a sausage half in his mouth leaning in towards his lover, who sucks the meat from Kakashi's mouth into his own after their lips had the briefest contact.

"I'll count the hours."

Patting Gai on the top of his head, Kakashi exits the kitchen grabbing his bag before leaving the house. The drive was painfully silent on Sasuke's end, and about half way near the school, at a red light, he says.

"So what are we gonna do?"

"Hmm?"

"I can't stop thinking about us and I think its bull shit that Naruto is blackmailing us apart."

"I think its for the better, really."

"Well it isn't. I'm going stir crazy and you're acting like nothing ever happened at all." He crosses his arms with a noticable pout. "Callous prick."

Kakashi snickers. "Name calling won't get you anywhere."

"I could switch to hitting you until you cave."

That made the man laugh. "I could drop you flat, don't waste our time by attacking me."

"Will you stop speaking to me with a father's tone! You're making me sick."

"Oh? Is that what I'm doing?"

"Yes! You know you are!"

Waving a hand to ward the, closely leaned in, teen back; the man then presses forward on the gas. "And how do you insist on getting us together again? I'm out of ideas."

"You haven't even thought of any."

"Then we're agreed that we should let the matter die away."

Sasuke shakes his head.

"You can shake your head at me all you like, Sasuke, it will have no effect." He shrugs. "We won't be comfortable at the house anymore, we can't use the locker room; unless you know how to disappear, then..." He lets the sentence trail.

"Why not right now? We can just pull over someplace and go at it."

Kakashi laughs to himself at the term 'go at it'. "First of all, you're a student and I'm not about to have you come in late, second I'm a teacher and I can't just come in late and have my class unattended, third its ridiculous to think you can get away with car sex that isn't in your own garage."

Sasuke scoffed. He saw people on tv having car sex all the time and they were definitely not in their garages.

"If it can be then the time will come, if not, you should stop dwelling on it and focus your attention elsewhere."

"Before... you said that you had a plan to get us together."

"Yes, and then you rudely sent Gai out on a wild goose chase to some restaurant."

"I know, and I said that I'm sorry about that- to both of you." He says in all seriousness. "But you did have an idea, so what was it?"

"Taking a jog and detouring someplace."

"That was your plan?" This time is was his turn to laugh, that was stupid and Gai would likely come along. "You know Gai would join us."

"True, but the plan is that you stay over at a friends and head out from their house. I'll be with Gai, at first, but then I'll tell him that I wanna go in seperate directions so we can meet up for breakfast someplace."

"And you and me will meet somewhere?"

"That's the idea."

Sasuke thought that over. He was invited to Naruto's for a sleep over that had to be postponed because of his cousin staying over back then. He could bring it up since he just sort of let it lie on the table with no real meaning to pick it up and revisit the idea. "When can we do it?"

"I don't care, you decide." He parks in the schools' lot.

"I know a place too; I'll have to ask Naruto about sleeping over first, so I'll get back to you." He can't hold in the excitement in his voice. Its April for Kages sake!

"Have a good field trip." The man smiles sweetly at him before heading away from the car.

Watching him shift into teacher mode, Sasuke smiles. Grabbing his backpack from the backseat he exits as well, making sure to lock the car doors before closing them.

* * * * *

"I can't believe they're letting us go to the factory that makes actual food." Naruto says; recalling the last time they'd gone to a factory and had to watch how toilet paper came to be, as they load the bus. "Do you think we can bring home samples of something?"

"Doubt it." Kiba flops down on the seat beside Naruto. "Not unless we pay for it."

"I have money."

Kiba spreads a fangy smile across his face. "What you won't do for food."

"Don't be scared by it. Its just my hunger drive." Turning his head to the other seat he says. "Sasuke, are you excited?"

"What's the big deal about how they package food?"

"My thoughts exactly." Chimes Kiba.

"It is for home ec class." Naruto shrugs a hand; he finds it very significant about how their food is being packaged. "Well, you two won't staunch my mood this is gonna be the first time I actually wanna pay attention in class." His eyes turn up towards the ceiling. "Maybe we'll even get to see how they make ramen!" His mouth sags with moisture just from the thought of eating the food, after seeing it get made.

"Snap out of it, Naruto. They don't cook the ramen, they only freeze dry the noodles." Kiba rolls his eyes. He should have sat in back with someone else.

Sasuke is silent a moment, waiting out Naruto's food praises before he presents his question. "Naruto, do you think I can stay the night at your house tomorrow night?"

"Kind of sudden, but sure." Perking up further he grins. "I'll tell my dad to pick up some stuff so that we can really have fun! A new video game, some snacks, we can chug soda and play-..." He let that trail off realizing what he was going to say. Playing spin the bottle with your ex- due to the condition that he is an ex- would be a bad idea.

Smiling, Sasuke says. "We can do whatever you like."

"Hey, hey, what's all this about a sleep over with just this guy? I wanna sleep over too." Kiba whines.

"And me!" Chouji, overhearing, adds.

Laughing with amusement, Naruto looks about the bus. "Hell all you guys can come, sure!"

'Is he kidding?' Sasuke's left eye twitched slightly. It didn't matter, though, the whole school could come so long as he can get out of the Uzumaki home without anyone else coming along he and Kakashi can meet up. He knows a great place hidden away in the city. He used to sleep there until construction started in that part of the city but it should still be there.

After a good fifteen minutes and a long what felt like hours of some idiots on the bus singing, they finally arrive at their destination. Its a huge, white building on the outside but cool and blue, white, and silver on the inside. Machines of all shapes and sizes, functions and purposes are stationed around the room and in the center of it. The students all let out a breath of awe as their eyes follow the same trail of wonder while glancing around. Naruto was the first to break away from the group to dart over to a machine but a man with red hair, covered by a blue hair net, stops him by grabbing his shoulder.

"Now, now little boy. Let's not get ahead of ourself." He spins Naruto around, giving him a push back towards the group.

"I was just going to look."

"And you'll just stay in the group." The man stands before them. "My name is Ueda Sasori, and I'm your tour guide around the factory."

They look at the man before hearing another man introduce himself to them as a tour guide as well.

"If we call your name take a place behind us and we'll begin." Says the other man.

The three men call out the names of the children they're to show around and once the three classes are divided up the three men seperate to take them around. Sasori showed the group the mixing machine where a strange chicken sausage is flipped and rolled around so that it can be blended with-...

"Blueberries!?" Naruto leans in close to be sure that he's not just mistaking olives for berries but the smell is a dead give away.

"Yes, we make speciality foods, but only the ones that are high on demand." Their guide explains. "We also have a sasuge with apple."

"Wooow." He laughs merrily, overcome with the splender of food.

Sasuke took in a deep breath enjoying the smell. It was nice.

"We freeze them in order for the berry to keep its shape."

"That's pretty cool." Chouji says. "Do you think we can bring some home with us?"

"No. Everything is precise and it would take away from productivity, but, you can have some free samples from the boiler."

"From the reject pile?" Chouji asks as they move on.

The mans gentle, yet, bored expression sags a bit hearing that. "If that's how you wanna look at it."

Sasuke's mouth dropped seeing the, once ground up, pile of meat shooting out of a machine now inside of a casing. He honestly thought that sausage was rolled and chopped and baked before being frozen.

The link began to twist and turn until the long strip is nothing but bite-sized linklettes.

'Amazing.' He reaches out a hand, wondering if they're already cooked.

Slapping the boy on the hand with his own, Sasori shakes his head. "Uh-uh. Keep your hands to yourself or you'll end up like me when I first started working here." The man knelt down raising the hand he'd just tapped Sasuke with to show that it was made out of wood.

Sasuke caught his breath seeing this, eyes wide from shock. The others gasped as well, at least until the man had shoved the wooden hand further from the sleeve to show that he was only holding a fake. He let out a laugh seeing all the kids catch their breaths.

"But it doesn't make it any less true. A machine like this, can easily snatch your hand off. Come with me." He walks further up.

All the students in his group let out a gulp as they pass by wondering how a machine that's simply twirling a casing could snatch your hand off. The picture was too gruesome. Among other things Naruto didn't get to see how they packaged ramen but he did see how premade french toast is prepared. He asked if it would just be easier to not cook the food and freeze the bread, being told that it was all for the speed and convenience of the consumer. The classes are also sure to take notes as they make their way around the factory and as promised the man allowed them to sample some of the things being made in the factory before the teachers came around to bring them back to the buses so they could return to school.

"Bye, goodbye Sasori!" Naruto waves. "You were a lot of fun!"

The man waved the fake hand at his group watching them walk out.

Above the inner factory, two men are enjoying a snack from the machine.

"Nn. It seems like the brats are finally leaving." Comments one with a slippery tone of voice. Like he'd try to sell you something that doesn't work. "I hate when brats come to visit. They always want something, touch something, lose their lives or whatever." He looks out the large glass window, moving a chunk of his blond hair from his view. "Especially the loud mouth ones that act like they're gonna work here someday." He shuddered at the thought.

The man he's speaking to looks out the large glass window. He watches the crowd exiting the building, glad that they can return to their station without being gaped at when he spots a familiar profile; small bag of cookies hit the ground as they're absently dropped from his grasp. There is just no way it could be true. No way it could be real.

Breath drawn in soundlessly the man breaths out. "Sasuke."

....................

Later that night the three of them: Gai, Kakashi, and Sasuke are sitting on the couch in the living room watching the music awards. It had to be the first activity they've done together that wasn't surrounded by tense air being created by the two men. It was hilarious watching everyone try to read the prompter, or when the sound cut out on them and they had to switch to the handheld microphones instead of the clip on.

Gai and Kakashi got Sasuke to be their third as they butchered a live performance from a boyband named Checkmate. The steak and pepper pizzas they made didn't last long and they had to order some chinese to fill in the gaps.

"That Tori is one handsome man." Comments Gai before taking a drink. "And look at his arms, do you think he works out?"

"Naah, he's a kid. It probably comes natural until you're our age when you have to start maintaining it with the gym."

"I don't know what you mean by our age." Gai says in mock offense. "I'm in the prime of my youth- tell him, Sasuke."

"He's got a better body than you." Comments the teen, cleaning up the coffee table and floor a bit, taking it into the kitchen to throw out once he was through picking up.

"Thanks for the vote. That's the last time I drive you to school." Kakashi pouts.

Gai laughs, patting his lover on the back. "Last award and we'll head off to bed."

The award for artist of the year was called and the three each voiced which nominee they thought it would be, an unspoken wager on the groups head.

"And the winner is..." The woman expressed fake glee for another fellow musician before saying into the microphone. "Super Crime!!"

Gai withered, Kakashi sagged, and Sasuke laughed before holding out his hand for his cash.

"What did you do, vote for them a million times to ensure a victory?" Kakashi asks fishing into his pocket.

"Maybe." He takes the money from both men. "But you're older, what would you know about the young peoples preferences." Looking at the clock he's shocked that its so late. "I'll shower in the morning," He says to himself. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sasuke." Both men say at their own time.

"And now..." Says Kakashi when Sasuke is good and in his bedroom.

.................

The two men are in the basement, really having a ball from what Sasuke can hear. It sounds like Kakashi is purposefully slamming himself into Gai; he can almost hear their skin making contact! And for Gai and Kakashi to moan so loudly, its almost as if its to make him jealous! All the pleads for more.... all the pants that its too good.... before Sasuke knew what he was doing he shouts.

"SHUT UP!!!!"

And the noises stop. Pulling a pillow over his head he closes his eyes hard to fake sleep. He couldn't let them know that he knew, but how stupid can you play. It wasn't in a sluggish tired voice, it was hard and plane as daylight directed at them. But he didn't care, they stopped and that was what was important. He couldn't wait for something as lame as a jog and fuck. He has to get Gai out of the way for a while, at least for a little while.

Which is how he found himself in the hallway two hours later, how he hard taped a wire before the stairs, and how he waited for when Gai came from his bedroom to get his usual nights drink that Sasuke watched as the man's ankle came into contact with the cord to cause him to trip and fall.......