The Shamisen Playing Red Fox

A/N: Me back~ sorry for the lateness... and I have no excuse haha...I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a belated Happy New Year LOL. As usual, the link to the songs are at my profile page. Let me know if there are problems accessing to it. In advance, sorry for bad grammar and spellings... enjoy.

Ps: Thanks for the review guys! I really appreciate them! And Clippit, check out Intimidating Iruka.


Chapter 7


Sasuke sat down in one of the bean bags, feeling rather a little intimidated at the moment. Just a little. Having eight pairs of eyes directed at you in a suspicious stare at such a close range can be of great discomfort especially to those who does not have a drop of Uchiha DNA in them.


So to Uchiha Sasuke, just a little.


After minutes of silence, Tsunade opened her mouth to say something but had Iruka beaten her to it. “What were you doing to Naruto back there Uchiha?”


Sasuke felt his eye twitch at the accusing tone the usually mild tempered teacher's voice held. They haven't even bothered to listen to his side of the story. Yet he had been branded as the culprit. Talk about justice.


“Look... Iruka sensei.” the raven paused, choosing his words carefully. The brunette cocked an eyebrow at him. At him!


Swallowing a bitter retort, Sasuke tried to continue as calmly as possible. “We came over last night-”


“We?!” Iruka's eyes widened and so did Sasuke's. Will he ever get to finish?!


Kakashi chuckled as he placed a hand onto the high-strung man beside him. “Koi, calm down, let him finish”


Koi? KOI?! Sasuke almost laugh. Almost.


Naruto calls Iruka “Tousan” and now Kakashi calls Iruka “Koi”. Really, what else is new?


The blonde came out just right then with a tray of freshly made green tea. Sasuke eyed the blonde as he settle it down, taking a cup and handing one over to Tsunade. “Baa-chan” and the women accepted the hot cup gratefully.


B-baa chan? Sasuke internally wince. Should Naruto be calling the school's principle that?


Kakashi must have noticed the raven's questioning expression (albeit close to none) because he laughed and said “We'll explain”


The young Uchiha returned to his composed self, feeling a little perturb that someone had taken his unusual curiosity amusing.


Once Naruto has finished distributing the tea he sat down beside Sasuke. “Ruka, you do know that Teme is currently in the process of planing out the whole festival thing right?” Receiving a nod from his four guardians, he continue. “Well he and the rest of the student council members came over last night to discuss things about the festival thats all”


“Your involved?” Kakashi and Iruka asked in unison.


“You didn't say anything brat” Tsunade looked up from her cup to look at the boy accusingly.


Naruto scratched his neck nervously. “Well I was planning to tell you in a couple of days, its no big deal anyway and I may need to take leave if the festival falls on my work days Ero-Jiji” He gave an apologetic smile.


The said man choked on his tea “Don't call me that in front of strangers! Its embarrassing!” Jiraya hissed lowly.


“Oh? You haven't been introduced?” Naruto then turn to look at Sasuke “This is Uchiha Sasuke, I call him Teme. Teme this is Jiraya, I call him Ero-jiji, Tsunade baa-chan's close friend and my boss” The blond ignored the glares directed at him to blow the steaming tea before taking a sip.


Boss? So he is the owner of Icha Icha? Sasuke took the offered hand and shook it.


Jiraya turned to look at Naruto “He knew?”


“Um... yeah sorta”


“Oh! I remember!” The man's face light up in recognition. “Was he the teme you were yelling about in the office the other day?!”


“Y-yeah”


“What.do.you.mean?” Iruka's eyes narrowed once again.


“Nothing Ruka, but don't worry, he won't spread it. They won't spread it. The student council can be trusted” Naruto quickly explain before unnecessary bloodbath may occur. Then blue eyes turned to look into onyx ones innocently. “Riiii~ght Teme?” His voice took on a sickly sweet tone that had Sasuke inched away from him.


“Hn”


Then Naruto clap his hand and declared “Alright then. I'll make lunch, you guys go ahead and... get to know each other more” The blond got up and left for the kitchen.


Iruka was about to follow but Naruto insists that he stay and 'chat' so once again, Sasuke sat there by himself, left to face the four unexpected guests. Tsunade spoke this time.


“I suppose you'd like to be enlightened on some matters?” The blond woman put down her cup and look up at Sasuke.


Hell yeah I want a fucking explanation! “Hn”


Jiraya chuckled “Is he always like that?”


“Runs in the family” Kakashi said nonchalantly, sipping is hot drink without a care in the world.


A dark brow twitched visibly and Tsunade must have noticed it because she quickly cut and regained his attention. “Sasuke... whatever we are going to tell you now, you must keep it to yourself”


Iruka seem reluctant but Tsunade continued anyway. “You can say that we are some what like Naruto guardian. Iruka and Kakashi are the official ones since they only allow two. It was Naruto who insists that our relationship with him is not known. He felt that it was for the best”


“We don't really care but I guess we did it for Naruto's sake. If other students knew that we have special relations with Naruto, moreover the principle of the school, they may not give Naruto enough credit for his efforts. People may get the impression that he got help” Kakashi added.


'And here all of us had thought Naruto's frequent trips to the teacher's office was because of his misbehavior of some sort' Sasuke mused.


Iruka leveled him with a scrutinizing look as he said “Care to explain how Naruto got involved with the school festival? Something tells me that Naruto was not a willing participant”


Sasuke stared at the arts teacher with an equally cool gaze “I won't deny it”


The silence that comes after that clearly indicated that he is required to elaborate. He internally sighed and carried on, explaining that he and the student council had found out Naruto's shamisen talent and his part time job all due to coincidence (effectively leaving out bits off ever entering the club itself) and had encouraged the blond to show his talent and put it too good use at the same time. “... and like all participants, Naruto went through the audition of course and then passed. His participation will contribute well to the festival”


Kakashi let out a whistle and turn to look at Iruka “Naruto is finally involved with something more interesting in school”


“Thats good right?” Jiraya said while munching onto a cracker.


Iruka and Tsunade nodded in response and the brunette spoke. “Yeah, I was worried that he'd end up a loner somewhere in the future of his life” his voice trialling off at the end.


An unexpected chuckle escaped his lips and all eyes zoomed into Sasuke. “What?”


“You think that its funny?” Iruka narrowed his eyes upon him while Kakashi put his arm around his shoulder as if to restrain the brunette from pouncing.


“Cool it Iruka” Tsunade gave the arts teacher a playful smack on his thigh. “Sasuke... look Naruto didn't exactly have the best of childhoods ok? You know that he's an orphan right? He wasn't staying in the best of orphanages either but beggars can't be choosers. We finally convinced him to let us adopt him officially a year ago and we just don't want to make him regret that decision alright?” As she received a curt nod from the Uchiha, Tsunade began to talk about Sasuke's plans for the festival instead.


-------------------------------------

Naruto is almost done with their lunch; Tempura prawns, wafu salad, miso soup, flavoured Onigiri-es and some Gyoza. Now all he needs to do is fry these pretty little prawns to crisp and everything can then be served. As the prawns floated around the hot oil, he listened to what his 'guests' are chatting about outside.


He heard everything. All of their conversation. And he was glad that Tsunade had left the rest of his childhood 'memories' unsaid, leaving it up to Naruto to share when he see fit.


“Whoops!” The blond grabbed his long chopsticks and picked the golden tempura before it browns even further, laying them onto paper towels to soak up excess oil. As Naruto strode over to the cupboard beside the fridge, he shouted over to the living room “Someone get the picnic table out plea~se!”


Moments later, Naruto pulled out six sets of plates, dinning chopsticks, and spoons. Sasuke and Iruka opened up the orange Maxim foldable picnic table just in time as the blond made his way into the middle of the living room. Settling the cutleries down, he helped Tsunade shift the coffee table away. Jiraya carried the been bags and piled them up in one corner. Teme and Iruka carried the table over, settling it where the coffee table had been and Naruto hadn't failed to notice the tightening of muscles on those pale arms when the raven had lifted the large object.


He quickly averted his eyes and concluded that the shivers he just felt seconds ago was caused by the breeze that blew in through the window. “Well I got muscles too” He mumbled to himself as he returned to the kitchen to get their lunch.


Kakashi pulled up two extra stools from the store room and everyone sat down before the delicious looking array of spread.


Sasuke looked over the table and too be hones, a little surprised that Naruto could cook up something that looks.... edible. But what about the taste? Uchihas are very particular about taste you see.


“Itadakimasu” Everyone said simultaneously and the raven took the steaming bowl of soup into his hands. Still unsure about Naruto's cooking reliability, he took a tentative sip.


Good. Its fucking good.


It tastes so fucking good. He could feel a certain warmth coiling around his belly that spreads over to the rest of his body, through his veins. Its foreign yet not terrifying.


“-suke?”


“Sasuke?”


“TEEEMMMEEE”


Sasuke instinctively turned to glare at the owner.


“See? Told you he'd respond to it” Naruto shot a smug look at the others before facing back to him, ignoring the disapproving looks he's given. He picked up a piece of onigiri and placed it on the raven's plate. “Don't just stare at the soup, eat. The food is turning cold and it'll suck. So don't go complaining that my cooking is bad” The blond went back to his eating.


Onigiri. It was one of the things he favoured as a child and still does. Not that he'll tell the dobe that.


“You like Onigiri right? There are more in the kitchen so don't worry and help yourself” The blond said casually, not even bothering to look at him as he took a piece of gyoza and popped it into his mouth.


As if Naruto could read his mind he answered his questioning mind “I heard your fan girls talking about it... Are they right?”


Naruto had made more because the raven liked it? Sasuke couldn't help but feel a little- dare he say- appreciative?


“Y-yeah sorta” He replied, turning away, telling himself that his rare case of stuttering had nothing to do with noticing Naruto's tip of the chopsticks resting on the pink, plum bottom lip.


A piece of prawn suddenly came into view. Onyx eyes trailed up to the chopstick, up to the arms and to the body where it is attached. Iruka.


Silently accepting the piece that somehow seems to represent an underlying message of 'truce unless you do something to piss me off', Sasuke thanked the man before helping himself to the meal.


Kakashi and Jiraya chatted away about some ideas for an X-rated novel while Naruto happily chatted away with Iruka and Tsunade. Although Sasuke had not really engaged in much in their conversation, he felt comfortable. Somehow.


The people before him are not related together by blood in anyway, yet they seem to make up a good family in a bizarre kinda way.

-------------------------------


Naruto had just finished cleaning up the kitchen when he heard footsteps and turned around. “Teme”


“Dobe..... any help?”


The blond turned around and to look at the other, contemplating for a moment. “Its fine, I'm almost done... thanks” He walked over to the waste paper basket beside the raven and threw the rubbish in. and they both went over to where everyone else was. All the things were arranged back into place and they were lounging before the television, sitting comfortably on the bean bags.


Suddenly, Jiraya looked at his watch. He got up and adjusted his shirt. “I have to get going. Thanks for lunch. I'll see you tonight Naruto” He ruffled the boy's hair gently, receiving an annoyed glare that always seemed to make him smile.


Naruto nodded. “See ya” He waved and went into his room.


The long haired man then turned to Sasuke and with utter seriousness he spoke “I would appreciate it if you don't expose of Naruto working at my club. Not that I'm afraid mind you, its just too troublesome to handle if the authorities finds out. The brat is one of my precious assets and of course, someone I care about.... You understand?”


“Look, it is not my nature to tattle-tail. Besides Naruto is just as valuble of an asset to me. I would not want him to land into any sort of trouble especially before the festival”


Jiraya nodded, satisfied with the answer. As he was about to step out of the apartment Sasuke spoke again.


“Its too troublesome as well to deal with all of you if anything were to happen to him” The raven grumbled, hearing the platinum haired man's laughter as the door closed with a click.


Sasuke looked at his watch. 3.45pm. He should be leaving too. They need to put up the results of the audition by tonight. Sighing, he walked over to Naruto's room to tell him he's leaving. Just as he reached for the doorknob, he heard sounds.


The sounds of shamisen plucking.


“-its okay, don't worry I'll be fine on my own. Take some meds and rest ok? I'll let Jiraya know...Ok then..... See you tomorrow if you can make it” Naruto chuckled. “Go rest already! Bye.”
Naruto hung up and sighed. Guess he'll be performing by himself tonight.

-Text Message-

Naruto: Ero-jiji, Haku caught a bad cold. Can't make it tonight. It'll be just me then.

Jiraya: Ok. You better tell Kiko to take out your solo perf versions. She may need to search for them since you rarely use them... better yet, bring your copy along just in case. Come early if you can.

Naruto: I'll be there a bit early. Later =)


-Text Message end-


The blonde got up from his bed and walk over to his cd box and pull out the one with a comical fox picture on it. He took out the cd and slid it into his portable cd player and click it shut. He pulled out a wire and connect it to the small speakers. While waiting for the songs to load, he sat on the bed and take out his shamisen. He took the cover and scan over the list of songs behind it. A slim finger pushed on the button until it 6 appears on the digital display and hit play.


Passion.

The sounds of shamisen filtered through the audio device as the second player in the cd began to play. Naruto joined in, randomly plucking in tune with the other until the background was filled with accompaniments of other string instruments as well, turning the song into an Spanish-Japanese fusion mix.


Naruto liked this song. Its easy to play yet has a sophisticated touch to it that is suitable to play for many occasions. Honestly, it reminds him a little bit of James Bond.


The blond was lost in his own world, all the while not realising that he had four audiences admiring his playing by the door of his room. At the note, applause filled the room, catching his attention.


“Bravo” Tsunade clapped.


Naruto smiled abashedly, laying his bachi and shamisen beside him. “You guys should come over and see our performance when you guys are free”


“We will” Iruka said “How is Haku by the way?”


“He caught a cold. I'll be performing by myself today”


“Oh? Is he alright?” Kakashi asked.


“Yeah. I'm sure some rest will do him fine. Might even see him tomorrow”


“Thats good.... well then, Naruto may need to rest for a while before work, so shall we?”


“Yeah. We better go” The busty woman walked over to Naruto and kissed him on the forehead. “Be careful on your way to work”


Sasuke remained by the doorway and observed their interaction. They are really close. Its amazing that no found out about their relationship.


“See you in school Sasuke” Iruka waved at him. Sasuke tilt his head down in respond and received a sudden smack on his back.


Kakashi chuckled ignoring the threatening look directed at him. “Don't be too stiff Sasuke, learn to relax a little. Ja”


As the dobe left to see their sensei-s out the door, Sasuke made himself comfortable on the bed. The cd was still playing so he paused it. Taking advantage at this distance, he marveled the string instrument. He could clearly see the details on the traditional instrument. One could tell that it was old, heavily used but well maintained. And the bachi, he just noticed, is also one of a kind. He picked it up to take a closer look. The end of its handle curved out in a point. The form resembles very much of a yin-yang; one part remained the same while the other half were painted black.


“Iruka got the bachi made for me as a present”


Sasuke look at the blond. “Is your shamisen specially made too? I've never seen shamisens this fancy”


“No it was like the usual shamisens. I did the paint job myself” Naruto pouted at the skeptical look he's given “Teme. I can do some decent artwork you know?” The blond walked over and sat down beside Sasuke, motioning for the shamisen.


The raven passed the instrument to the blond and shifted away to give the other more space. “When did you start playing?”


Naruto plucked some random note as he look at the other thoughtfully “Um....about 5 years ago? So this should be my 6th year. Why?”


“Just asking... but thats pretty quick to pick it up to this level isn't it?”


A cheeky smile tugged on those plump lips “Is that a compliment” Naruto asked.


“Whatever” The raven looked away but Naruto had not failed to notice the slight tinge of pink that managed to form over the pale surface.


The blond had not pursue the matter and Sasuke was grateful for it. Then he spoke again, his voice gentle and content “I don't know why, I just love playing the shamisen so much. I wanted one so much I scrimped and saved like crazy.”


Sasuke turned back and saw the dreamy look on Naruto's face that he couldn't help but noticed that the dobe had rather effeminate qualities. Now that those blue eyes are partially hidden beneath those eye lids, the raven could see that they are heavy with beautiful lashes. He wanted to have a closer look but those blue orbs suddenly stared directly at him and he spontaneously looked away.


“Fine, I'll entertain you with another song”


Naruto moved into position, cleared his throat in a dramatic fashion and announced “I present you, Tsugaru Jongara Bushi” At the silence he paused “hey clap a little will ya?” He pouted.


The Uchiha resist the urge to roll his eyes and ignore the dobe. However, as the blond began to play, Sasuke's attention fully captured once again.

End of chapt.


A/N: Okie... Thanks for reading. And I hope you will review.....After this chapter, the plot will be a bit more fast paced and maybe a little time skip.. Thats all for now.


Ja.

Vandalizer86