Lost Symphonies

Note: Hey everyone, we’re back! Just a warning for this story, the chapters may come out slower than previous fics just because we’re trying to figure out plot still. So if there isn’t a new chapter for a few days, that’s why, but I’ll try to get them out as quick as possible. So, we hope you enjoy and as always, look forward to your reviews!

 

Also, I didn't see this in the list of what the story contained when I was uploading this but Naruto is half fox and it is a normal thing in the universe I have put these two characters in. Just so you're not confused.

 

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The fridge slammed shut and all the contents inside clattered with the force. Angry footsteps thumped across the tiled floor and a tanned arm shot out to wrench the rolling office chair back. The cushion hissed as a body plopped down onto it and fingers pried apart the laptop sitting on the desk and hit the power button.



Naruto Uzumaki was not happy. At all. And his furnishings seemed to be taking the brunt of his anger.



Once his laptop had finished loading, he clicked onto the browser and typed in a web address he hadn’t visited in a long, long time. The page that loaded wasn’t familiar at all; it seemed to have changed over the past few years but the main content was still the same. Guiding his cursor over to the ‘Join Now’ logo, he clicked it and let out a shaky breath.



A quiet buzzing distracted him for a moment and he picked up his phone to check the new message he’d received.



From: Kibbles: Did you do it yet? Huh? Huh? You better be doing it! You lost fair and square, blondie!



Naruto growled and snapped his phone shut. He stared at the sign-up page in front of him and began filling it out, not giving himself time to back out. He chose the screen name ‘ramenboy’ and filled out the little biography section, leaving it as vague as possible. He attached a picture of himself that had been taken at the beach a few days ago, thinking his half-nude state was more than appropriate for the type of site, and then submit his profile before he had time to back out.



“Fuck, I can’t believe I did that,” he muttered to himself, reaching for the bottle of beer he’d gotten from the fridge before the entire ordeal had begun. Twisting the top off, he took  a few gulps and then stood, leaving his browser open as he headed for the balcony attached to his apartment, his long bright red bushy tails swishing behind him in slight aggitation, as his equally bright red fox-like ears lay flat against his head.



The blond’s phone vibrated again, this time, longer, signaling he had an incoming call; a voice was heard after Naruto had picked up.



“You didn’t answer my text... did you do it or not? You can’t back out you know, even though I knew I’d win this one.” The voice of Kiba Inuzuka was overly loud as it blared from the phone’s small speaker.



“Fuck, don’t yell at me. You’re gonna blow my ears out,” Naruto grumbled as he carried his phone back out onto the balcony along with a pack of smokes. He shook one loose and placed the filter between his lips, lighting up and inhaling. “I just signed up, for your information, though I don’t know why you’re pushing me so hard. I quit for a reason.”



There was silence for a moment on the other line before Kiba spoke once more but quieter. “You know why I did this for you... I can tell you miss it. Come on, you can barely handle being with someone for more than a week.”



“That’s because relationships are boring. Or maybe it’s the people…” Naruto sighed as he flicked his ashes into an ashtray sitting on the patio table. “Either way, it’s all boring.”



Looking out over the city, the blond took another drag and exhaled a plume of smoke. “I think this is a bad idea, Mutt. It’s just going to happen all over again.”



“You don’t know that... It wasn’t your fault in the first place, there was no way you could have known it was going to be like that. Hell, I didn’t even see it coming, he seemed nice enough at first.” There was a tone of anger to Kiba’s voice. Just the thought of what Naruto had been through...



Naruto’s stomach twisted up and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He didn’t want to talk about it. He’d blocked that portion of his life off and he’d successfully forgotten about it until the stupid bet had come into play. And now he was being forced by his best friend to return to the one thing that haunted him. The one thing he missed above all… “Anyway, I signed up, so you can lay off now. I doubt anyone is even going to contact me.”



“Yeah, you wish. Come on man, I’m not even gay and I’ll even admit you’re hot...” There was a pause before Kiba spoke again. “Either way, it’s just on the computer, I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that you don’t have to actually meet anyone until you’re absolutely ready.”



“Whatever, dude,” Naruto smirked, stabbing his cigarette out in the ashtray. “You’re so gay that it’s surpassed your level of comprehension.”



Snickering, he slid open the balcony door and stepped back inside. “I’m gonna go chill. I’ll call you later or something, maybe we can go for drinks.”



Ending the call, he set the phone down on his desk and slumped back into his chair, taking another few gulps of his beer. He considered browsing through some profiles on the site but ultimately decided against it, because he was afraid of getting too involved. Well not afraid, more like… Okay, he was afraid.



And if the way his heart jumped when he saw he had a message waiting for him, he was already in too deep. Maybe it was just from an admin… Clicking on his inbox, he sighed when he saw it was from another user. Dragging his beer over, he opened it and settled back to read.



I have to say when I saw your picture I almost dismissed your profile. I have to be honest with you, I’m not very much into blondes... or redheads but the lack of information on your profile is intriguing. I’m not quite sure how to take it actually. Is it merely the fact that you had no desire to write anything about yourself? Or is it simply the fact that you want the attention and the opportunity for others to ask about you? Well, I’m interested and I’d like to know more about you. If you like, you can join me in a chatroom, the link will be at the end of this message. Of course, I’m not telling you to, it’s just a reuqest, but one I hope you’ll oblige.

~Blackbird



Naruto frowned as he read through the message, tapping his fingers on top of the desk. “Doesn’t like blondes?” he muttered. “This guy must be nuts.”



But the way the guy wrote, the words he used… It was attractive. The guy seemed well educated and he didn’t sound crazy, except for the whole not liking blondes thing.

He guided the mouse to the link and let it hover there for a few moments.



“Fuck it,” he muttered and clicked on the link. A new window opened and soon a chatroom loaded. It looked like a private one; the only other name he could see there was ‘Blackbird’.



‘Uh, hey…’ he typed. ‘So, I’m here, even though you totally dissed blondes and redheads... was it the tails and ears? Either way I decided to give you a chance anyway.’



There was no response for a few moments, the screen just sitting there with no change. After about a minute, something popped up.



‘I’m glad you did... I wasn’t sure if you would show up.’ That was all there was, even after another minute nothing else came up.



‘Well, I wasn’t going to. I don’t know why I am. Nothing against you, but I’m not exactly sure signing up for the site was the right thing to do.’ Naruto sipped at his beer and swirled it around in the bottle. He hadn’t talked in a chatroom in so long, he had no idea what to say.



‘So, I didn’t get a chance to check out your profile, but you sound older. How old are you?’ He hoped, with every fibre of his being, that he wasn’t talking to some old creeper. That was the problem with the internet; people could hide and they could lie.



‘I’m not that much older... did my proper grammar throw you off? I’m 27’



‘And why do you think it was a bad idea to sign up for the site? There’s no reason to be nervous, there may be thousands of miles between us, all we’re doing is typing.’



‘Let’s just say I had a bad experience that has thrown me off the D/s tracks for a couple of years. If my friend hadn’t practically forced me back on this site, I doubt I would have ever done it myself.’ Was that too personal? Naruto had no idea, but he didn’t think so, considering the type of site he was on. ‘And yes… not many people talk like that nowadays. But I’m glad you’re not some old creeper. You’re only a year older than me.’



‘I’m not sure if I should take that as an insult or not. But since I’m trying to get to know you better, I’ll let it go. Also, as for me not liking blondes... it wasn’t completely accurate. I don’t have a particular ‘type’, so hair color is something I don’t normally think about. It’s just rare to see a blond male, at least where I live there aren’t too many. And no, I have no problem with your ears and tails, if anything, I was particularly attracted to that aspect.’



Naruto couldn’t help but crack a smile. ‘You must live at the end of the earth or something, dude. There are blond guys everywhere.’



But, now that he was thinking about it… He couldn’t remember seeing any lately. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a blond guy at all, except for himself. ‘Maybe you don’t… I actually can’t remember seeing many where I am, either. Huh. That’s weird. I guess I’ve never really paid attention to it before, which is saying something, because I check guys out all the time.’



‘And you have yet to check out my profile... wouldn’t you like to see what I look like?’



‘Not really. The guy that gave me problems before was hot. Hotter than hot, and I choose him mostly because of his looks. It ended horribly. So, I’d rather get to know you without seeing what you look like. Unless that’s a problem?’



‘Please, I’m not narcissistic, I couldn’t care less if you looked at my profile or not. Although it seems I’ve struck a nerve. Although I find defensiveness a very unattractive quality.’



‘Guess I’m batting two for two. So, let’s start the process then, shall we? First, I’d like to know your position because if we don’t match up, then there’s not really a point in carrying on… Not that I’m opposed to just finding friend’s, but humour me.’



‘This is where profiles come in handy. If you DID look at mine, you would have known. But you asked me to humour you, so I will. I prefer the dominant role and I would have thought you would have figured that out, considering the fact that I contacted you when you yourself put your role as submissive on your own profile.’



Naruto bit his bottom lip as his cheeks flushed with colour. Okay, the guy did have a point, but fuck. He was totally off his game and the guy sounded a little like an asshole. ‘Right… Well, thanks for pointing out my stupidity. Moving on… Do you have a sub atm? I know some guys take on more than one.’



‘I don’t fault you on your stupidity, I actually find it cute in a way. And no, I don’t have a sub right now and for future reference, I don’t like taking on more than one. D/s is just as much of a relationship as any other form of relationship.’



“Okay, he just called me stupid and complimented me in the same sentence,” Naruto snorted and picked up his beer, draining it. He licked his lips as he settled in his chair, curling a leg beneath him.



‘Good. That’s how I feel about it, too. Though relationships haven’t been too easy for me lately. I find them boring. D/s brings another dimension to a relationship, one that I… crave, I guess. I’ve honestly missed it. I’m sad to say that I’m out of practice.’



‘I know it’s a touchy subject for you so I won’t ask what happened. But I can guess... There aren’t too many reasons why people fall out of the scene. I don’t want your fears to hold you back. I know that’s hard to do, but I can assure you that I would never hurt you.’



‘That’s nice and all, but you don’t know me or how much of a pain in the ass I can be.’ “C’mon, you’re gonna scare him away if you keep talking like that,” Naruto scolded himself. He jumped up and went to the kitchen for another beer. When he returned, he cracked his knuckles and started typing again. ‘Sorry. I guess I’m not really over it. I’ve just kinda blocked off what happened. I’m usually not such a dick. I’ll be better. So, tell me, what do you do for a living? I’m guessing professor or something, because of the way you talk.’



‘The way I speak is thanks to my Father... he’s the professor. I was just lucky enough, or unlucky enough, to be constantly corrected and forced to repeat sentences ‘properly’ as a child. I work with computers. I have a small business with my brother. We custom build computers, basically.’



‘You shouldn’t take fathers for granted. I lost mine when I was young and I wish he’d been around to constantly correct me. Sure, some of them can be assholes, but he was probably just looking out for you. Not trying to make assumptions… He could really be an asshole.’ Reaching for his pack of smokes, he shook one loose and lit up. Finding an ashtray, he placed it on the desk beside his keyboard and popped the top on his new beer. ‘That’s cool, though, that you’ve gone into business with your brother. Good money in computers… Much better than what I do, I think. I’m a musician, kind of. I play piano in a swanky restaurant. Rich guys give good tips.’



‘Piano... that’s one of my favorite instruments... I’m impressed though, you must be very talented to be hired by an upscale restaurant.’  



‘I should be. I’ve been playing since I was three. Maybe if we get to know each other better, you can come see me play sometime. Not to be conceited or anything, but a lot of people come to the restaurant just to hear me. I only know because they tell me. I’ve always wanted to play professionally – you know, for some orchestra or some big-time singer or something, but I’ve never really put myself out there enough to get noticed.’ “What is this, lifetime?” Naruto muttered, shaking his head. ‘Speaking of piano’s, I’ve gotta take off soon. I work tonight.’



‘I would love to hear you play... sometime. I hope to talk to you again soon. I have to say I’m very satisfied so far. I’m glad I contacted you.’



‘Yeah, me too, actually. See ya around, Blackie.’



Naruto logged off the site and stood, taking his beer into his bedroom and setting it on a table so he could drink as he dressed. Stripping, he dug through his closet until he came up with a pair of dark-washed jeans and a sport jacket to wear that night.



But his mind kept straying back to ‘Blackbird’. He really hadn’t been as much of an asshole as he’d seemed at first. He was charming, in a way. He really, really wanted to log back on and check the guy’s profile picture, but he refused. He wasn’t going to give in and have a repeat of what had happened last time. For all he knew, the guy was totally ugly – but that didn’t matter, because he seemed like a nice person and it would do him well to judge based on personality.



With that thought in mind, Naruto headed off to work.



xx



The next three weeks, Naruto was glued to his computer. He spent most of his free time talking to ‘Blackbird’ and was pleased to find that he’d been right in his initial assessment. The guy really was nice and their conversations were enthralling. Naruto was attracted to his personality and had so far resisted the temptation of the picture. He’d since been messaged by hoards of guys but none of them seemed to hold his attention. Not like ‘Blackbird’ did.



Naruto even found himself thinking about the guy at work – which wasn’t good, not when his job demanded total concentration. So after two hours of forcing himself to concentrate, he stepped away from the piano for a break and headed to the bar to grab a drink.



The restaurant was packed. It usually was during the evenings. Sasuke Uchiha sighed in annoyance as he was taken to his table. He was supposed to be meeting his brother Itachi, but of course the man was running late, nothing new there. Apparently his older brother ate there all the time and was practically married to the place.



The first thing Sasuke hated about it was how crowded it was. For an elegant upscale restaurant, they sure liked to pack in the customers. After taking his seat and ordering a glass of red wine, he sat back in his seat and looked at the menu. He really didn’t care if his brother was going to be late, he was hungry and he had no intentions on waiting for him.



Carrying his whiskey sour out into the back alley, Naruto sat down on a crate and lit up a cigarette. He sipped at his drink, relishing the bitter taste. He let his mass of fluffy tails rest against the brick wall and used them as a cushion as he leaned back and closed his eyes to try and clear his mind, taking a deep drag of his smoke.



He wasted the rest of his break out there and finished his drink, smoking two cigarettes. By the time he headed back in, he felt a bit better. Refilling his drink, he carried it with him to the piano located in the centre of the restaurant. Sitting at the little bench, he cracked his knuckles and took another sip before starting.



The melody started out soft, but intricate. It was a piece he’d written, and he knew it by heart so he let his eyes slide closed as he got into it. He swayed gently in time with the music and his long tails danced gracefully behind him.



Sasuke was about to call the waitress over, impatient at the lack of prompt service, when he turned his head as he heard the soft melody coming from the center of the restaurant. He hadn’t been paying attention when he had first come into the place and hadn’t noticed the piano sitting there. The music was almost mesmerizing as it  washed over him and he almost didn’t notice the familiar blond hair and fluffy tails. He had to laugh a bit to himself; what were the odds that the man he had been talking to non-stop for the past three weeks was living in the same city... it was just too mind blowing.



He didn’t want to make his presence known then, although he was planning on introducing himself before he left. As far as he knew, ramenboy hadn’t seen his picture yet. Well, now it seemed the man wouldn’t have a choice in the matter.



He placed his order to the waitress and also requested a drink for the man playing the piano. He was curious to see the blond’s reaction. Although, the man probably received free drinks on a regular basis, he had specifically told the waitress to point him out as the one who had given it to him.  



Naruto glanced up as someone approached the piano and smiled at the blond waitress. He didn’t even react when she told him someone had bought a drink and he asked that she just set it down because he obviously couldn’t take it with his hands busy. They continued to fly over the keys, even as he talked with her.



“Some guy over there bought it for you,” Ino explained. “And he wanted me to point him out…”



“I don’t care who bought it,” Naruto shrugged. “I’m not into the stuck up, rich bastards that come in here.”



“Well, this rich bastard is kind of hot. Okay, really hot,” Ino gushed, flipping her long ponytail back over her shoulder. “He’s probably, like, the hottest guy to ever walk in here. But, I guess if you’re not interested…” She started walking back towards the table, shrugging her shoulders.



“Ino!” Naruto hissed, ignoring the knowing grin the girl wore as she returned. “Fine, who was it?” His eyes followed the direction she pointed in and he found a man sitting alone at a table. He could immediately appreciate how attractive he was.



His body was slim but toned; he looked to have sleek muscles beneath his expensive clothes. His skin was so perfectly pale that it looked painted on and his hair… It was styled perfectly into spikes at the back (which must have taken a shitload of gel) while soft wisps framed his face. And it was the most attractive colour of black he’d ever seen.



“Oh man…” he muttered.  “Fuck. I swore I wasn’t going to get with anymore customers. You know how that’s worked out… I don’t want to lose this job.”



Ino giggled as she took Naruto’s empty glass away and slid the one the stranger had bought closer. “You’re already interested. You might as well forget about the whole customer thing, because you’re not going to let him go…”



Sasuke saw when the blond turned and he made sure their eyes locked. The man’s blue eyes were even more mesmerizing than they had been in his picture. He was so attractive, it was almost enough to get him hard right there at the table. But he wasn’t a stranger to public decency and refrained from letting the other effect him so completely. He never let his eyes waver though, his intentions were clear in them. He wanted him; badly.



Naruto almost recoiled from the intense look in those black eyes. He couldn’t seem to look away; that gaze just compelled him to meet it. He didn’t even notice when his playing became more intense.



“I guess you won’t have a problem with him,” Ino giggled. “It’s too bad though; you get all the hot guys. I would give anything to be a gay man.” She sighed longingly. “So, I assume you want me to send him a drink back? Some sort of alcoholic foreplay…”



Naruto chuckled and finally forced his gaze away. “Yeah, um… Ask him what he wants, I guess.”



“Sure thing.” Ino headed back towards the man’s table and smiled brightly at him. “He says ‘thanks’ for the drink, and he’d like to buy you one. Whatever you want.”



“Does he?” Sasuke smirked as he leaned back in his seat. He saw the reaction in those blue eyes and it was exactly what he wanted to see. “Tell him I appreciate the reciprocation but I’m perfectly content with my bottle of wine.” His smirk grew a bit thinking about how the blond would take that message.



“Okay, no problem,” Ino smirked, finding it amusing that Sasuke had shot him down. Maybe he wasn’t gay at all and she had a chance… Weaving her way back to Naruto, she leaned against the piano. “He didn’t want it. He said he’s perfectly content with his bottle of wine.”



Naruto scoffed, trying to think of something he could reciprocate with. And then an idea struck. “Go back there and tell him ‘Compliments of the hot, blond pianist. Go now…” He shooed her away and grinned as he finished the song. He took a break for a moment, and once Ino had reached the table, he started a new song. The notes were long and passionate and alternated between soft and hard, the pitch rising and falling perfectly.



“Compliments of the hot, blond, single pianist,” she grinned. “His appreciation for the drink.”



Sasuke chuckled and took a sip of his wine. “I’m fully aware he’s single and I plan to take that into account when I talk to him later.” He listened to the song that was being played. He could tell the blond was playing it just for him and it made him feel content to know that the man was so eager to get his attention.



“By the way, that’s just between you and me...” he said to the blond woman, his eyes locking with hers for a moment. “Tell him he plays beautifully and I fully appreciate the ‘thank you’.”



Ino frowned softly, but quickly forced her features to return to normal. “You know he’s single? You know Naruto?” she asked, confused. “Because he doesn’t seem to know you…”



Seeing the man’s wine was getting low, she took the bottle from the ice bucket and topped his glass off. “You got it, my lips are sealed,” she smiled, though it was tight with worry for her good friend. “I’ll tell him.”



Heading back to the piano, she cocked her hip and rested against it once more. “He says you play beautifully and he appreciates the gesture.”



Naruto grinned and leaned around the giant instrument to show the man he appreciated the thank you.



“It’s soo not fair,” Ino groaned. “Maybe I should have a sex change operation, and then I’d be able to bang hot guys, too…”



Naruto scoffed. “You couldn’t pull it off, babe.” He withered under the glare he received. “What?! I’m just being honest. You couldn’t handle being a guy.”



“Easier to get off, though,” the blonde pointed out. “That might be worth it alone… And all the hot dick I could handle…”



“Okay, ew. I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. Hearing about straight sex is not what I need right now.”



Ino giggled and pet him on the shoulder. “You know, I think if I was a gay male, you’d be the only guy I was interested in.”



Naruto’s eyes widened as she turned and walked away. He couldn’t tell if she was joking or not, but he sure as hell hoped so.



Sasuke sat there for a few more minutes, just watching the blonde play. Well, he now had a name for the man... Naruto. It was a good name for him, it suited him somehow. Even though the raven knew that little tidbit, he would make sure not to show it. He wanted the blond to give him his name on his own.



His food arrived a few moments later and he busied himself with eating but never stopped listening to the blond play. He knew when he had seen Naruto on that site that he wanted him and now seeing him in person, he wanted him even more.



When the blond waitress came by to collect his plate, he leaned over slightly so she could hear him. “Tell your friend to come over here... I’d like to speak with him.”



“Uhhh…” Ino checked her watch. “He should be able to take a break in like twenty minutes, if you can hold on that long. He usually goes outside for a smoke on his break, but I’ll let Naru know.” She smiled at the gorgeous guy and then passed the message onto Naruto on her next trip past him.



Anticipation burned deep in his gut as Naruto waited, watching each minute pass by. It seemed to be taking forever. But, finally the clock hit the 30 mark and he ended the song before standing. Stretching out, he weaved through the dining room, on his way to the table.



“Hey there,” he greeted, taking a seat across from the man. “Thanks for the drink. I know I already said that, kind of, but it’s better in person.”



“It’s no problem. I appreciate the thank you. You really do play beautifully. I can tell you’ve been playing for a long time.” Sasuke made sure he was composed as he leaned back in his chair. “You know... it’s kind of funny; seeing you here. I was a bit surprised actually but I must say a picture on a computer screen doesn’t do you justice.” His smile was charming and he just waited for it to sink in.



“Oh, I know,” Naruto smiled. “I don’t photograph well. My eyes always look huge, and… Wait, what?” His eyes widened and his head snapped up. He met the man’s gaze straight on, but was at a complete loss of words.



“But… You don’t… I mean, I don’t…” the blond spluttered, his mind racing. There was only one place this guy could have seen his picture, which meant he was from the D/s site. Was it some random guy who’d seen his picture? Some creeper who’d stalked him down?



“Uh… Maybe I should go…” he muttered, standing.



“Don’t be nervous... you know me.” Sasuke rested his elbow on the table, his chin in his palm. “We’ve only been talking for the past three weeks. I’m a bit disappointed actually. I would’ve thought you’d have figured it out.” He wasn’t worried in the least. He knew Naruto wouldn’t leave.



Naruto did a double-take. He spun around so fast he nearly lost his balance and toppled over. “You’re… You’re Blackbird?” he whispered, seeing the man in a whole new light. It was the guy he’d been obsessing over for three weeks, after all.



“No shit? Oh my god, I didn’t know we lived in the same town… This is crazy…” He flopped back into his seat and ran his fingers through his hair. “And fuck if you’re not hot.”



“I hope my ‘hotness’ doesn’t put you off. I know how you feel about looks.” Sasuke smirked. It was easy to fuck with the blond and it would be fun to see how far he could push the other in the future. He knew full well, just from the look in Naruto’s eyes that he was his, there was no doubt.



“I’m so glad I never looked at your pic,” Naruto grinned. “I would’ve kept talking to you even if you were an asshole. But I know you, at least online, and we’ve been talking awhile, so I don’t feel so shallow.”



He let his eyes wander freely over the man’s face, meeting his dark eyes for a moment. And the he let them trail down over the top half of his body that was visible over the table. Yep. Hot all around.



“So, does this mean I get a name?” he asked, and then extended his hand over the table. “I’m Naruto.”



Sasuke took the hand, loving the softness of the skin against his own. “Sasuke Uchiha... I’m guessing you have a last name as well?” He raised an eyebrow slightly in question.



“Oh, yeah. Sorry,” Naruto snickered. “Last name’s Uzumaki. Naruto Uzumaki.” He shook Sasuke’s hand and lingered for a moment longer than necessary before pulling his back.

“Fuck, I still can’t believe you’re here. What are the odds?” He shook his head bemusedly. “So, what happens now that we’ve unintentionally met?”



“That’s up to you... After all, I’ve already made it clear that I’m interested... I know you’re having some difficulties with getting back into the scene. I don’t want to push you into anything.” Sasuke’s words were the epitome of sincere as he met the blond’s gaze.



“Yeah I have had some ‘difficulties’, but… I don’t think you’re like that guy,” Naruto shrugged. “I can’t see you doing what he did, which I guess is a little silly since I don’t really know you in person. People can make up all sorts of shit online… but you’ve always struck me as genuine, so… Yeah, I am interested.”



“I’m not going to ask. I know you don’t like talking about it but I hope that one day you’ll be able to trust me enough to tell me. I know how hard something like that can be to deal with.” The raven was silent for a moment before he moved on. “I was actually supposed to be meeting my brother here but he had to cancel... hence why I’m here alone. What time do you finish here?”



Naruto really hoped he could one day confide in Sasuke, but he’d definitely have to know the raven better, first. It was a dark part of his past; one he’d locked away in his mind, so far back that it took a lot of trouble for him to even access it.



“Uh, le’see…” He checked his watch. “Not for about two hours, when we close. That’s an awful long time for you to wait… You could come back maybe?” One of his long, black-tipped ears twitched. “Or we could meet up some other time…”



Sasuke looked at his watch before nodding. “Another time sounds like it may be a bit more doable, considering how late it is already. Plus, I have to ‘surprise’ my brother... no doubt he ditched me for some hot guy he met randomly on the street.”



The raven signed the receipt that had been given to him after he had paid for his meal and stood from the table.



“It was very nice to finally meet you Naruto... I’m glad we were able to have this opportunity and I really do look forward to spending more time with you.” He held out his hand, wanting to feel that soft skin once more.



Naruto smiled softly and slid his hand into Sasuke’s, shaking it firmly. “Yeah, me too. Here, I’ll give you this.” Grabbing a napkin from the table, he slid a pen from his pocket and scribbled down his name and cell number. “That way, you can text me and let me know when you want to meet up. Or, you can just send me a message online. Either way.”



Sasuke pocketed the napkin and let his thumb brush over the back of Naruto’s hand before letting it go. “I’ll be in touch with you very soon.”



He smirked before leaning forward and kissing the blond’s cheek quickly before practically gliding across the room and out the door, a smirk firmly planted on his face. The night had been productive after all.



Naruto’s jaw dropped and he reached up to finger the spot on his cheek that had been kissed. It still tingled. He flushed as he caught a customer staring at him and quickly retreated back to his piano.



“So, did you get a date?” Ino asked a second later as she sidled up to him. “I saw you hand him a napkin, so I’m assuming it was a success.”



“Oh, yeah, it was a success alright,” Naruto grinned wickedly as he began playing again, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “I’m going to have a lot of fun with that one.”

~TBC