Ravishing

Chapter 2: Taking The Friendly Menace Home

Outside Sannin Tower, where Konoha Times and various other businesses worked, owned by three of the most eccentric and rich people in Tokyo, a blonde 20-something man with three vaguely whisker-like tatoos on his cheeks stood, hands shoved in the pockets of his black slacks with resignation in his posture. He had been standing there for 5 minutes, waiting on a certain pretty pink-haired assistant to Shizune, the vice president of Senju Medicare, one of the other companies in the building.

The revolving door to his left turned, and out popped said pinkette, looking rather excited as she rushed for Naruto, heels clacking efficiently on the concrete sidewalk. Naruto sighed, and waved dejectedly at her, anticipating the torturous night to come.

"Hello, Naruto," she called, waving at him with a smile. "Let's take your car, alright? Since we're going to your apartment, it makes the most sense." At his frozen look and slightly horrified expression, she wrinkled the bridge of her nose in thought as she studied him closely, "You do have a car, right?"

Glaring at her half-heartedly, he huffed, "Of course I do! But why are we going to my apartment? You just said I can't wear my orange suit, even though it is beautiful and I don't know why I can't wear it," muttering the last bit.

She just gave him a flat look. "Naruto," she began dryly, "how else do you think I'm going to know what you have in your closet and what looks good on you? I only know about the suit because you wore it to the work Christmas party last year, and dragged everyone's attention to you when you got drunk and kissed Kiba, before yelling that he was the most attractive man you've ever seen and passed out."

Sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck and chuckling, Naruto murmured, "Hey, I told Kiba I don't drink. It's not my fault he had to learn exactly why I don't drink."

Stifling a laugh, Sakura pressed a hand to her mouth as she recalled Kiba's face after being kissed by Naruto. The horror battling the embarrassment when people had stared had been priceless, and she had wished she had a camera on hand to capture the moment. "Anyway, the point is, you are taking me to your car, we are getting in it, you are going to drive home, and I will pick out your outfit for the party for you," she said, determination in her voice.

Groaning, Naruto fished his keys out of his pocket and headed toward the employee parking garage, Sakura following a couple steps behind him as he complained, "Fine, but don't complain when you see my apartment, it's not half as nice as my clothes. I got it before I started working here, when I didn't have a job, and never really bothered to get a new place."

Sakura nodded as they climbed a set of stairs in silence, and then weaved between the lines of different cars, headed for his own. He found it, and slid his car key into the lock of his Toyota Corolla, opening the door on the driver's side, hitting the unlock button on the inside of the door, opening the passenger side door for Sakura, before sliding inside and sticking the key in the ignition, starting it and closing his own door in one quick motion. He put his seat belt on, and waited for Sakura to get in and get hers on as well, before checking the driver's mirror and pulling out of his parking space.

They drove for the half an hour to his apartment in silence, the atmosphere in the car sullen and thoughtful, from Naruto and Sakura respectively. Once they were there, Naruto parked his car and got out, sending Sakura a discreet worried glance when she stood, looking at his apartment building and gaping.

"Sakura?" He gently asked, "Are you alright? I told you it wasn't exactly he best beforehand..."

She snapped her jaw up quickly, lips thinning as she stared at Naruto. "Naruto, after this party, during lunch tomorrow, we are going to have a discussion about your living space. You need to get a new apartment."

"Hey!" He protested angrily, eyebrows furrowing, "You haven't even seen the inside yet! And anyways, I've lived here since I was 14! I'm perfectly fine! Let's just get the clothes."

He stormed up the stairs, Sakura following him with lips pursed in thought, as she stared at his back in worry. 'He's lived in this dump alone since he was 14? What were his parents thinking, letting him do that,' she angrily thought, before suddenly having an idea that would explain a lot, 'Wait. Did he... Maybe he ran away. Poor thing.' Just then, Naruto broke into her thought process by opening a door with a creak, gesturing for her to come in. She blinked, wondering when they reached his apartment. She nodded her head to him, and stepped inside, slipping off her high heels at the entrance, and padding forward on the slightly cluttered wooden floor.

Naruto came after her, taking off his shoes as well, and led the way to his room. When they entered, he shoved some stuff away from the door of his closet, before opening it, and sighing as he waved a hand into it, dryly saying, "Have fun."