Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Art of The Business ❯ Mixing Mischief with Pleasure ( Chapter 8 )

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

Kakashi and Iuka certainly weren’t expecting the load of crap they got for an excuse by the two teens that had just made a train wreck of Naruto’s kitchen. Iuka, always trying to get to the bottom of things and solve everyone else’s problems insisted each of them tell their side of the story. Of course each of them had stories completely different from one another. Naruto accused Sasuke of starving him and coming over just to eat him out of home. Sasuke accused Naruto of being ungrateful after all he had done for him. Despite the fact Sasuke was a complete stranger to them; his excuse was much more believable than Naruto’s.

"But Iuka how can you not believe me?! You've known me longer!" Naruto argued when he heard Iuka had taken Sasuke's side on this. He was disgraced to see his own family had turned him down and to be on Sasuke's side, the rotten, no good, prick that had no manners toward his host!

Iuka chuckled lightly and rubbed the back of his head. "Come now Naruto aren't you overreacting just a bit. I didn't exactly say I didn't believe you, I just said his story makes more sense. And having known you as long as I have, I have learned you tend to stretch the truth quite a bit in your favor." He pointed out almost nervously when he got a ferocious glare from the blond.

Sasuke smiled proudly and stuck his tongue back at the other. "See dobe, it is all your fault and it always will be." He insisted. Naruto was just about to lunge across the room to attack Sasuke once more, but Kakashi caught him quickly in a vice grip.

"Easy runt, we can't have this guest of yours suing us for any harm, now can we?" Kakashi teased, pretending to be in favor of Naruto's strength and abilities to kick Sasuke's ass. But they all knew the unlikihood of that. But it was the only way to appease the blond; petting his lively ego.

"Alright, enough now you two. This place is a mess and it's not going to get any clearner with you boys fooling around." Iuka commanded, clapping his hands to grab their attention. As much as Naruto would have liked to disagree with the very man who had just sided with the enemy, he didn't want to have a home that stayed this messy. Seeing the blond take a deep sigh and pull back from Sasuke, Iuka was sure the issue had been handled. "Well how about you go get cleaned off Sasuke-kun. We start off cleaning here." Iuka insisted, being that Sasuke was the guest and didn't deserve the mess Naruto had put him through. The raven was very grateful and gave a polite nod before taking his leave toward the bathroom. Naruto of course wasn't satisfied with that. If Sasuke could contribute to the mess why couldn't he help clean it up?

"I think I'll go help him" Kakashi added as he sneakily slipped away after the teen. Hard as it was to believe, Kakashi hadn't fallen subject to any of Iruka's reforms. It was always Iuka intention to clean up Kakashi's act and help him even with his tardiness, but nothing seemed to work for his laziness as of yet. Iuka smiled weakly and shook his head. He will never fully understand that man.

Sasuke was staring at his reflection hopelessly when Kakashi found him. He had never seen anything so pathetic. Sasuke held firm, gloomy black eyes locked to the strands of spaghetti draping from his once glossy locks like ice-sickles. He was going to get Naruto back if it was the last thing he did. Just look at how the meat clumped together and matted his hair as if held by gum. His routine for hair care was simply too long and important to him for him to put up with crap like this from that brat. He was almost so withdrawn he didn't notice when Kakashi had came in after him.

"Was it worth it?" Kakashi intruded suddenly startling Sasuke and he nearly fell over in shock. The Uchiha quickly turned on his heels to face Kakashi and leaned against the sink.

"W-what?"

"Was coming here all worth it? I know you have to be here for a reason. Not to put our little ray of sunshine down, but he never brings friends over." Kakashi pointed out, crossing his arms and leaning back on the doorframe. Sasuke quirked up a brow in curiosity. Even if he found Naruto annoying sometimes, he was finding it pretty hard to believe he never had a friend over. The blond really did seem fun-loving and easy to like. "So what are you looking for here Sasuke-kun...?” Kakashi asked, putting emphasis on the other's name.

A tinge of pink set into the pale tone of the teen as he straightened his posture. He had nothing to be ashamed of, he had done nothing wrong. Yet why did he feel so embarrassed and guilty as if he were hiding something? He was forbidden by Orochimaru from having any alternative motives for hanging with Naruto, so that was something that didn't need to be troubled over. "I expect you to already know Naruto wants to become a model, no?" Kakashi nodded. "Well the business is not exactly his forte so I am mentoring him until he can impress our company." Sasuke explained.

"Is that so? And do you think he stands a chance?" Kakashi questioned.

Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly. "He has the body for it, but that mouth will certainly offend a lot of higher-ups." Sasuke chuckled.

"That's rather cocky for you to say when you barely know him." Kakashi brought up knowingly. Sasuke went silent for a moment, realizing he was talking to someone who was specifically important to Naruto.

"And you do?" Sasuke questioned. "Who are you actually to him? You two look nothing alike so I'm sure close relatives is pretty doubtful." Sasuke replied shamelessly. He truly didn't care too much about how offensive he was being. Lucky Kakashi didn't take it personally and reframed from scolding the teen on his words.

"Well if you think it is that important to know when you obviously have no intention of becoming someone important to Naruto yourself..." Kakashi sarcastically mentioned. "I and Iuka are his adoptive parents." Kakashi clarified, instantly erupting Sasuke's curiosity about the situation. Kakashi knew that the boy was no doubt thinking on the fact that two men were Naruto's guardian rather than the typical female and male pairings tradition favored so much.

Figures he would have a family like this; Sasuke thought inwardly. He had been given the first impression that Naruto was strange from the start. Not that being raised by a gay couple would really affect anyone, but he knew the environment was certainly...different. But at least he gained something from this little talk. He was encouraged by the thought of Naruto being comfortable with guys being together. That would make it a little easier for him seduce the sunspot. Of course Sasuke had no intention of following after Orochimaru's warnings in the long run. This opportunity was simply too good to pass up after all.

"Well if you don't mind Sasuke. I came in here to help you out. I can only imagine how uncomfortable it feels to have spaghetti in your hair like that" he half chuckled with upturned eyes. Sasuke didn't find it funny in the least, but allowed the older man to approach and help none the less.

"So Naruto, where were you last night?" Iuka asked while wiping down the floor with a mop as Naruto scrubbed the table and counter. Iuka was having a hard time adjusting with the thought that Naruto was suddenly the social butterfly he had never been before. Already he had a second 'friend' he had yet to hear about. Regardless of how old and independent Naruto was becoming, he couldn't get over his motherly nature so easy. He wanted to protect the blond as best he could. As long as strangers were constantly walking in and out of this place, it would be impossible for him to stop worrying.

Naruto paused for a moment, obviously in thought. "Oh yeah. Itachi took me out for dinner. Did you guys stand me up at the restaurant? You weren't there like you promised. And since I ran into Itachi, he offered to buy me something to eat at a club." Naruto simplified absentmindedly. This didn't put Iruka's mind at any ease since he still hadn't been informed of this Itachi guy who apparently was good enough friends with Naruto to not look suspicious taking him out for food.

"And who is this Itachi guy? He came here late last night to drop you off. Did you have too much to drink?" Iuka pushed on with his investigation. He didn't think Naruto was one for drinking until he pasted out, but that was all he could gather when strangers were dropping off his unconscious son at the door.

Suddenly without warning, Naruto's mind drifted back to the incident and his face flushed a vivid red almost as quickly as the memory had arrived. Surely Itachi hadn't made a pass at him, but who randomly went around kissing people you barely knew? "Well, uh...I met Itachi on the subway the other night. We only talked for awhile, but he assured me he would be looking out for me when my career shoots off." The blond replied. As for why he was unconscious, he couldn't answer truthfully since he honestly didn't know. He could have sworn something knocked him out but that might just be his imagination. Lucky Naruto didn't have to worry about Iuka asking him much more; the phone rang loudly through the apartment.

Hating to be interrupted, Iuka sighed grossly and walked over to the phone. "Hello?" He answered. Even though he didn't live with Naruto he was still accustomed to answering his phone when time permitted it. Naruto noticed the look of annoyance fade beneath seriousness as Iuka listened to the other end. Automatically the blond knew the call was from work. In cases that the office can't reach Kakashi and Iuka at home or on their cell, they called Naruto's home. He didn't mind too much. If he went on without having any calls for too long he would feel occasionally alone and unloved. After all people who cared would always want to talk to you are ask if you were alright. At least that was Naruto's justification of the matter.

Shortly after receiving some apparently disturbing information Iuka hung up firmly. "Kakashi!" Iuka called from the kitchen. Naruto shuddered with nervousness. He could tell just by the tone in the man's voice that the news was not good. Kakashi could sense that just as well, after all he came dashing into the room the next second. "Kakashi there's been another homicide. The MO' is different but the victims are closely similar." Iuka explained.

"That makes it the four one in less than two weeks." Kakashi remarked with slight surprise. "If it's the same guy he works fast." With that said, Kakashi anxiously grabbed his coat. "We better hurry too." Iuka nodded and did the same.

"Sorry Naruto, we'll see you in the morning. Oh, and make sure Sasuke-kun leaves just as he came." Iuka insisted with a cold glare. In other words Naruto was responsible for laundry if not dry cleaning. Crap!

"This sucks." Naruto huffed as soon as the two were out the door. He had every right to be upset, after all he had just finished cleaning up when he and Sasuke broke out into a fight and now it looks like he would be washing up again. Not only that, the stupid Uchiha was going to be staying a little longer to tidy up as well. Naruto was sure Iuka would kill him if he knew he let Sasuke go home as he was now.

"Hey teme!"

"What is it?" Sasuke answered with a short growl as he stepped into the room. He was carefully drying out the droplets of water from his hair with a towel. And much to Naruto's disapproval he wore nothing but his silky dark blue boxers. Despite himself, Naruto thought Sasuke was in great shape. Hell he deserved to call himself a model! Crap! Naruto quickly scorned himself for the thought especially when this was his rival and not a very nice one at that.

"Call your folks and tell them you'll be home a little late. I'll wash your clothes." Naruto insisted. He marched by, rudely bumping his shoulder across Sasuke's as he came by. Sasuke thought nothing of it and merely shook his head.

As pointless as he thought it was Sasuke grabbed the phone to call home. He never bothered to do it before since Itachi was rarely home to answer and he doubted his brother would even care if he somehow managed to be there. Itachi was simply too caught up in his own life to care about Sasuke. Sasuke violently punched in the numbers to the Uchiha house before grabbing a chair and sitting by the phone. He listened to it ring several times with a menacing frown on his face. Not surprising; the answering machine picked it up instead.

"Itachi is most likely not at home at the moment and I frankly couldn't give a damn. Leave a message after the beep and we will get back to you when we remember...*beep*” Sasuke listened to his monologue voice on the other end. Now that he heard it himself he felt pretty irritated with it, but he did feel pretty pissed that day he recorded it.

With a deep breath, Sasuke began, "hey Onii-sama. I know you can't come to the phone right now, but if you suddenly decide to wonder why I am not home before you, I'm at a...friend's place." The raven haired teen hesitated for a moment, his eyes smoldering with a lonely look. "Umm...anyway...I just wanted you to know...I'll see you at home" He replied softly before hanging up. His eyes lingered on the phone before he removed his hand. A sense of stupidity just rushed over him. Why did he just do that? He would most likely hear that message when he returned home before Itachi ever hears it. After all...when was the last time he ever gave a damn about his litter brother?

"Does your brother work a lot?"

Sasuke immediately cringed in shock when he suddenly heard the voice. He turned quickly to find Naruto staring at him from the doorway. A sympathetic look was obvious in the blonde’s deep blue eyes. A sneer was the only returning look Sasuke could return. "I doubt he does." Sasuke huffed, turning back in the seat to stand up properly. He wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Itachi partied sun-down to sun-up.

Naruto quirked up a curious brow. "So you really don't care what he does?" He questioned only to earn a firm nodded from he stubborn Uchiha. "Regardless if you care about him, I'm sure he cares about you." Naruto stated without warning. A soft smile came to his lips and Sasuke felt a sudden disgust mixed with self-pity. "I will even prove it to you if you want." This really intruded the Uchiha.

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Sasuke questioned, crossing his arms. Naruto got a mischievous gleam in his eyes before his foxish smile returned.

To Be Continued...

A/N: Omg! I took so long T_T You have my deepest apologies. I've just been busy with finals for school. But it all ends next week for me. After that I have all summer to make sure I get in earlier updates, yay! Unfortunately I might not make an update until after next weekend. I'm going to an anime convention then and I haven't finished my costumes yet. Soon I will update sooner than last time! Please review and tell me what you think^_^ feel free to guess what Naruto has on mind, its so much fun guessing and reading what you all have to say!