Chapter II: Prominence Chapter II: Prominence
The shrill, insistent ring of the phone brought Naruto’s fitful sleep into an abrupt end. He bolted up from the bed, flinging aside blankets, pillows, and bed sheets as he sleepily, but colorfully, cursed the man who created the telephone, the man’s mother, and of course, his caller. Reaching for the phone screaming beside his bed, Naruto lifted the headset and said, “Who the fuck is this?”
“NARUTO!” Naruto winced at the shout, jerking his ear away from the phone. Penetrating, high-pitched, bossy, and feminine, the voice on the other line was as familiar to him as Sasuke’s had been. But unlike Sasuke’s sinful voice, her voice was innocence and hope…well, at least most of the time. “WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN? I’VE BEEN TRYING TO CALL YOU–”
“Calm down, Sakura,” he interrupted as mildly as he could. “I can hear you just fine.”
There was a pause on the other line, and Naruto could see Haruno Saku–wait, it was LEE Sakura now–taking a deep breath, cheeks puffing in annoyance, her green eyes flashing dangerously. Her husband Lee Rock would be hovering anxiously behind her or perhaps Lee was already patting Sakura’s shoulder to calm her down. Either way, Naruto was sure his ears will be ringing after their conversation.
“Have you seen the newspapers?” she asked, her voice a little lower now.
“I work for one, Sakura. Of course I’ve seen them.” And I wish I did the right thing and drowned myself in my bathtub after I saw them.
“Did you know he was coming back?” Naruto’s temper flared at the hint of suspicion and accusation in Sakura’s voice.
“No. Why should I?” He bit his lip, just a little ashamed at how cold his voice was. He even felt guiltier when his reply was followed by a long silence. “Sakura…”
“He’s back,” Sakura’s voice was only a thread of sound. “I’ve always waited for this moment…but somehow, now that he’s here–” She broke off abruptly. “Anyway, did you get an invitation?”
“Invitation?” Naruto felt alarms scream inside his head.
“To the party tomorrow night! Didn’t you read about that? Sasuke’s welcome party!”
“What!” Naruto gripped the phone. “You’re going too? Did he send invitations to everyone?”
“Well, Hinata got one, so did Neji. Ino and Shikamaru got invitations as well. I’m not sure about the others, but I think they also got some invitations.” Sakura paused for a moment, then she said in a soft, menacing voice, “’You’re going too?’ What does THAT mean? Sasuke has already given the invitation to you? Have spoken to him? Naruto, you’re not telling me something!”
Naruto cursed himself at his slip-up. “Uh–I should be going, Sakura! I still have work tomorrow! Bye!” Wincing at the obscenities and screams Sakura threw at him, he all but slammed the receiver back to the cradle and yanked the phone cord off with a vicious tug. He flung himself onto his bed, covering his head with a pillow and burying himself under the blankets. Tomorrow was sure to be a bad day; therefore, he needed at much sleep as he can. Closing his eyes, Naruto wished that everything that happened today had been a dream.
^_^_^_^_^_^
“Naruto, you look like hell! What happened?” Haku said when he saw Naruto come into the police station next morning. He was sitting in his desk, going over some files.
Naruto gave Haku a wry smile. He knew he did look like hell. And I feel like hell, too. He hadn’t slept at all last night. Despite the two showers he took this morning, his hair was disheveled, his eyes bleary. His jacket was rumpled a bit, as well as his white shirt. His mouth was dry, an unpleasant taste lingering at the back of his throat. “Lack of sleep,” he answered the young police officer.
Haku handed him a mug of steaming coffee and a bagel. Naruto eagerly took them; he hadn’t eaten breakfast again, and his stomach was growling with hunger. “Ah, thanks, Haku.”
“Haku, where the he–brat, what the hell happened to you? You look like shit!” Haku’s partner, Momochi Zabuza growled out as he strode into the room, a folder in his hand. He frowned at Naruto.
Haku smiled at his partner. “He hasn’t slept well. Do you want some coffee?” He held out a mug to Zabuza, who took it with a gruff word that could be interpreted as his thanks.
Naruto watched the partners interact beneath lowered lashes as he sipped his coffee. The two were a study in contrasts. Whereas Haku was small, pale, slender, and well, pretty, Zabuza was tall, tan, muscular and…rugged. Haku was calm and cheerful while Zabuza was hot-tempered and moody. Yet, the two was the best team in the town’s police force. Naruto had lost count of the criminals they had investigated on and had arrested. “So, what’s up?” Naruto asked.
The two were Naruto’s usual source of information about police matters and activities. He had met them long before he worked in the police beat, back when he was doing the sports beat. The three of them were big fans of the Konohagakure basketball team.
Thanks to his experience and skill in writing, Naruto could pursue any story he wanted, even those outside his beat. However, he had to consult Tsunade on such stories.
Haku shrugged. “Nothing much. It’s been peaceful the last few days. Yesterday’s jewel heist was the biggest one we’d had so far. Of course, now that Hebi Corporation’s here….” Haku and Zabuza traded meaningful looks.
“Oh?” That perked Naruto’s interest. Something was up. Let’s get to work, Naruto. He put down his mug on the table. “I’m going to a party thrown by their new heir, Uchiha Sasuke. Then I’m going to interview him.” If he doesn’t kill me first.
“Uchiha Sasuke? Wasn’t that the kid whose whole family was massacred by his older brother?” Zabuza remarked. He looked at Naruto, who didn’t reply at Zabuza’s question. “Hebi Corporation’s been doing some interesting mergers with several companies, most of them involved with weapons development and supply.”
“Illegal arms trade?” Might as well be blunt about it. Naruto made a mental note to do some research on the Hebi Corporation and those with connections to it.
“Oh, nothing of that sort,” Haku remarked with a smile. “It’s just an interesting development, that’s all. A few years back, Hebi wasn’t quite this active, until Orochimaru took over the company. It’s not our jurisdiction, though.”
Naruto almost snorted at that. What Haku really meant was that they suspected the Hebi Corporation of illegal arms trade, but had no solid evidence of it, and that they were not getting that much cooperation from other agencies concerned with this matter. Sasuke’s involving himself with THIS kind of stuff? Damn it, you bastard! What are you THINKING?
Naruto glanced at his mug. The stuff Haku and Zabuza gave him weren’t enough, but that was all he could work on for now. Despite himself, he felt an adrenaline lush at the thought of the challenge a story like this would give him. He would have to talk this over with Tsunade, though. Illegal arms’ trading was not exactly a topic a reporter blundered into without consulting his editor.
He looked up and looked around. “Has Dog-boy come in yet? That rookie of mine is annoying. I don’t know why Tsunade gave him to me. He should have given him to Neji.”
“I don’t think he’ll be suited to Hyuuga’s beat,” Haku said. Neji covered the city hall beat. “He’s too noisy. He’ll annoy the officials.”
“Keh.” Hyuuga Neji was perfect for the city hall beat. With his calm, collected demeanor, and penetrating eyes, he could pry information from the most reluctant source. While Naruto worked through persistence, Neji worked through patience and pointed silences. Naruto had seen Neji once get a full confession of guilt from a corrupt official by just looking at him.
Just then, Inuzuka Kiba entered, his puppy Akamaru slung across one shoulder, as always. After apologizing for being late, Zabuza promptly roared at him for bringing the dog. Haku and Naruto sighed. Another day had begun.
^_^_^_^_^_^
“Please, please, Neji! You have to come with me! Please!” Naruto was on his knees, hands clutching a fistful of Neji’s jeans. The Hyuuga just stared at him, apparently unmoved.
They were in the lounge of the Konohagakure Times office, just a few minutes after they’ve submitted their stories for the day. Naruto had been begging Neji to come with him to Sasuke’s party for the past few minutes.
Earlier, as soon as Naruto had come in, Tsunade handed him the invitation, a grave look on her face. The blonde hesitantly took it, and then with a muttered excuse, left the room so he could open the invitation alone.
Standing in the broom closet, surrounded by cleaning materials, the smell of disinfectants and the dust in the air making his eyes tear up, Naruto stared at the dark blue envelope for several seconds. His name was written in gold script on the back. With trembling hands, he opened the invitation, drawing out a white, square piece of smooth matte paper that gave the details of the party in cold black script. Formal. Presidential Ballroom, Grand Leaf Hotel. Seven in the evening. Valet parking. I will be waiting for you, dead-last.
Naruto blinked at the last sentence. Sasuke’s handwriting had always been long and elegant, sliding a little to the right. Unconsciously, he traced the script with a finger. When he caught on what he was doing, he realized he was in deep, deep trouble.
This was why he had been begging Neji to come with him. Neji would keep his sanity in check while Sasuke was there. And gods, did he need his sanity! “Please! I’ll do your laundry! I’ll clean your apartment!”
Neji had been his closest friend for the past few years after Sasuke had left. They had been friends before Sasuke left, but they only got closer when the Uchiha had gone. Naruto did not know exactly why, but he knew the Hyuuga and Sasuke hated each other. He had the sinking feeling it had something to do with him.
Neji, for his part, gave Naruto a cool glance. He had expected this as soon as he saw the papers. Uchiha Sasuke was back in town and was already tormenting Naruto. Of course he couldn’t leave Naruto alone. The blonde had already been hurt too much by the Uchiha to be hurt again. Neji had to be there to make sure nothing hurt his closets friend.
Neji smiled inwardly to himself. He had not been always like this with Naruto. When they had been assassins, Neji thought the blonde boy was weak and naïve for his optimistic views. They were assassins, buried in blood and sins. Their hands and souls have been stained forever, and they were destined only for death and the deepest part of hell. Naruto did not believe in that, did not believe in destiny.
“All of us deserve to be happy, no matter how tainted we are!”
“We make our own destiny! One day, I’m going to change this world and yours too!”
After Naruto ‘kicked his ass’ and ‘knocked some sense into him’ in that long-ago training session, Neji knew better than to underestimate Naruto.
“Fine,” Neji said when he saw that Naruto was on the verge of removing Neji’s pants from all the tugging. “I’ll go with you. You owe me, Naruto.”
Naruto flung himself at Neji, wrapping his arms around the Hyuuga’s neck. “YES! Thanks, Neji! I love you!” He grinned. “I knew you’d cave in eventually!”
^_^_^_^_^_^
That evening, Naruto sat on his bed, half-dressed for the party. His white shirt was still unbuttoned, his tie askew, his pants unbelted. He absently rubbed his fingers against the invitation. In a few minutes, he would come face-to-face with Sasuke. His former teammate. His ex-lover. His rival.
“You’re a sadomasochistic bastard, aren’t you?” A voice, soft and insidious whispered in his ear.
“I am not a sadomasochistic bastard.”
A dry, mocking chuckle answered his reply. “Oh, really? So what do you call going to a party to meet your ex-lover who, I might add, nearly killed you the last time the two of you met?”
Naruto clenched his fists, closing his eyes, trying to block the voice, but failing. “It’s not sadomasochism. This is just business.”
“Business?” the voice hissed with dark amusement. “It will never be ‘just business’ between the two of you. How long will you delude yourself?”
“I don’t care. I don’t care.”
“Of course you do. You let him fuck you, and then he fucked you over. Of course you care.”
“Stop it.” Naruto took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He was starting to hyperventilate. This is not, not good. Gotta get back in control.
“Do you want me to kill him for you?”
Naruto’s eyes flew open. “No,” he whimpered, voice hoarse. “No.” Biting his lip, he forced himself to calm down with large gulps of air. When his breathing was back to normal, he stood up. He still had to face Sasuke. He could not breakdown now.
^_^_^_^_^_^
“You’re late!”
Naruto winced at Sakura’s admonition. Did she have to scold him as soon as he entered the ballroom? Behind him, Neji remained impassive. The Hyuuga inclined his head towards the others that stood behind Sakura–Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino, Sakura’s husband, Lee and his cousin Hinata. Most of the former members of their vigilante group were here.
What are you thinking, Uchiha? Neji thought. Why did you invite us here? Neji glanced at Naruto, who was apologizing profusely at Sakura. Then he looked around. Most of the guests of the party were prominent people from business, entertainment, and politics. Neji saw the mayor by the musicians, a movie star by the buffet table.
Then he saw him, Sasuke Uchiha, standing not far from the mayor, looking around as well, dark eyes searching until it found what it was looking for. His dark gaze ghosted over Neji and the others, and then settled on Naruto.
Naruto felt the hair at the back of his neck stand up. He turned, only to find himself staring at Sasuke’s intense black eyes.
Everything blurred into the background as soon as their gazes met. It was if they were the only people in the room. Naruto had forgotten just how piercing Sasuke’s eyes were, had forgotten how easy it was to drown in them.
Wrenching his gaze away, Naruto murmured excuse and went to look for the bathroom. He needed to splash cold water on his face, NOW! Maybe that would knock some sense into him.
^_^_^_^_^_^
“I never thought you’d be a journalist. You didn’t seem to be the type.” Naruto didn’t have to turn to know that Sasuke was standing behind him, smirking. The bastard had probably seen him and followed him into the bathroom.
“Things change, you bastard,” he said quietly. He stood up from leaning over the sink and turned to face his former friend and lover. “Hello, Sasuke.”
Uchiha Sasuke stood a few feet from Naruto, hands in his pockets. If anything, the Uchiha was more handsome up close and personal, dressed in a tight-fitting black tuxedo that reflected his dark hair and eyes. His pale skin was paler than before; his black hair was still as dark as a raven’s wings, but longer. Naruto felt his heart pounding in his chest.
Sasuke regarded Naruto with narrowed eyes. “I wonder how much of you changed, Naruto,” he mused. He took a step closer, smirking when Naruto involuntarily took a step back. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Oh, yeah?” Naruto snarled back, eyeing the Uchiha warily. He was already uneasy confined in a small space with Sasuke; the Uchiha’s actions made his unease worse. “Well, I hope you’ll pardon me if I don’t believe you. Last time we met, you tried to kill me!”
A dark look passed Sasuke’s face. “You were in my way. There’s no need for that now.”
“I was in your way? Fuck you, Sasuke. Leave me alone!”
Sasuke raised a slender eyebrow. “Oh? You contacted me first. Something about an interview, I believe. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
Naruto bit his lip. Damn, Sasuke had him there. “I don’t think the bathroom is the best place to conduct an interview, so do you mind leaving?”
Sasuke didn’t leave; he moved closer to Naruto, until he was standing just a foot away from the blonde. “No. I’m not leaving until I do this.” Sasuke then leaned over and kissed Naruto on the lips.
Naruto wrenched away from the kiss, blue eyes bright with rage and fear. He made a move to leave, but Sasuke grabbed his shoulders and pinned him against the tiled wall.
“There’s nowhere for you to go, Naruto. I locked the bathroom door and left orders not to let anyone disturb us. So stop running away already. You’ll only tire yourself.”
Naruto found himself with his back flush against the tiled wall, imprisoned between Sasuke’s outstretched arms. SHIT! his mind screamed at him. The Uchiha was smiling at him, a predatory smile that Naruto knew so well. He could smell Sasuke, that intoxicating musky scent mixed with spices that were distinctly his. “What do you think you’re doing, you bastard?” he bit out angrily. He tried to push Sasuke away, but he froze when the Uchiha slid a knee between his legs, and then rubbed it against his groin. Naruto buckled and gripped Sasuke’s shirt for support. OH SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT! Naruto could feel the heat pooling in his stomach, quickly settling there. RUN, Naruto, RUN!
Sasuke leaned over, his hot, moist breath brushing against Naruto’s earlobe. “What do you think I’m doing, moron?” His tongue snaked out to delicately trace the shell of his ear, and then he began to lightly nibble it with his teeth. Naruto bit his lip to prevent a groan escaping his lips, bucking again as Sasuke continued to rub his knee between Naruto’s legs. I have to stop this, but gods, it has been so long…
Sasuke’s lips slid down to where the pulse was, leaving a warm, wet trail. Naruto’s grip on Sasuke’s shirt tightened as the Uchiha fastened his teeth on that spot, sucking softly. That’ going to leave a mark…. Then he moved to that spot just behind Naruto’s neck…
“Ah! Stop it, bastard!” Naruto’s body arched closer to Sasuke as the Uchiha began to suckle and kiss that part. Naruto felt his face redden when he heard Sasuke remark with a low laugh, “You’ve always been sensitive there.”
“Shut up! I–hah–said stop–ahn–it!” Naruto panted. He was rapidly losing his breath and his heart was beating just as fast. His eyes widened when he felt one of Sasuke’s hand move lower. Naruto quickly reached out to grab Sasuke’s hand, but Sasuke was faster. In a heartbeat, Sasuke held Naruto’s arms over his head, the Uchiha’s hand firmly grasping the wrists.
Naruto struggled in his grasp, but Sasuke had always been physically stronger than him. He struggled harder when he felt Sasuke’s other hand unbuckle his belt and undo his zipper, then push his pants and boxers down. He gasped as he felt the cool air hit his now exposed shaft.
Naruto glared at Sasuke, only to find the Uchiha looking at him with penetrating, hungry black eyes, devouring him. Sasuke was smirking at him, that triumphant smirk he wore when he knew he had won over. Burning with anger, humiliation, and desire, Naruto spat out, “Fuck you, Uchiha!”
Sasuke’s smirk widened. “On the contrary, Naruto,” he began in a deep, sinful voice full of obsession and seduction, “I believe it’s me who’s going to fuck you.”
Without another world, he took Naruto into his mouth, engulfing the blonde in a warm, wet heat.
~T.B.C.~
Author’s notes, part two: Man, was that hot or what? The party hasn’t even started and Sasuke’s already making the moves! Hahaha! Don’t kill me for the cliffhanger!
Beats: Beats usually refer to the areas or places reporters are assigned to report on or report from or cover, as most journalists would say (“I’m covering the police beat.”). For example, there are reporters (mostly senior, very experienced ones) who cover the White House beat, which means they do stories or news (which are mostly delivered through press releases, memos, or press conference) which come from the White House. Most large newspapers rotate the beats of their reporters in a regular basis.
Naruto, Haku, and Zabuza: Did you like that? I love those two, really. What Naruto was actually doing was exchanging/trading information with Haku and Zabuza. Naruto tell them what he knows, they tell them what they know. Haku and Zabuza couldn’t say things directly because the information was probably confidential. It’s an ‘off-the-record’ kind of thing. Naruto couldn’t print or cite Haku or Zabuza’s name. Zabuza and Haku are just giving him tips on a possible story, and it’s up to Naruto to figure things out.
The vigilante group: Uhhhhhmmmm…I’ll explain more next chapter.
The voice: That was Naruto talking to himself. Yes, Naruto has a twisted conscience, if you could call it that. More next chapter on that! XD
Next chapter: Do I really have to say what happens next chapter? Smut. And such. More information about the vigilante group. XD