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Hello, everyone. Wow, this was a pretty fast update (I think). I'm guessing most of you didn't like the last chapter because there were significantly less reviews this time around. Obviously, I was a little disappointed, but hopefully you'll like this chapter and comment?

This is beta'd by me so please excuse any grammatical errors and whatnot you may find!
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Chapter 8: Paintings and…Doujinshis?

Temari had about had it with the two brain dead professors. It had been three weeks since the damn rally and neither Sasuke nor Naruto had stepped foot within the four walls of the staff sanctuary. Well…there was that one time, but it didn't count. At least, to her it didn't.

Not only were the two numbskulls giving her a migraine but to top it all off, Neji was acting strangely as well. Ever since that blasted rally he'd been overly cautious. As if waiting for something to jump out and scare the living day lights out of him. She eyed him curiously, while sitting buttering her sesame seed bagel.

Neji timidly walked over to the coffee maker and stretched out a pale hand. One finger shaking slightly as he moved it closer towards the coffee pot. Temari raised one blonde, manicured eyebrow as the chestnut haired professor sighed in relief and gripped the plastic handle. Her mouth opened slightly in suprise when she saw Neji pull out a pair of tweezers from his pocket. It opened further as she watched him pluck a white Styrofoam cup out of the pile of cups stacked on the coffee table.

"Neji, what in God's name are you doing?"

Neji jumped, Styrofoam cup and tweezers falling nosily to the lacquered floor. Heart racing madly, the grey-eyed professor turned to look at the skeptical woman looking pointedly at him, hands on hips.

"Temari," Neji clutched at his chest, "Don't scare me like that!"

The blonde woman furrowed her eyebrows, "What's been with you lately? You're all jumpy."

"No I'm not."

"For God's sake, Neji! Every time a door opens, you got that deer in the headlights look. What the hell is going on?"

Neji slumped his shoulders and let out a weary sigh. Picking up his dropped belongings, he poured himself a large cup of coffee and took a seat beside a curious Temari.

"Remember how I told you guys about my conversation with Sasuke on the phone?" Neji said after a good minute of silence. Temari nodded her head, showing she remembered. "Well…after that…I got another call from him…telling me that…that…"

"Neji," Temari looked at him more closely. At once, she noticed large bags under the Hyuga's weary eyes. The porcelain skin that had been the envy of most of the female staff, had lost its shine, and stubble –something Temari had never seen upon the crisp and clean man, had made its home across Neji's jaw line.

"Neji?"

"He told me to watch my back like a mother eagle watching her young! His words, not mine. Sasuke and Naruto, apparently, have put some horrible revenge plan in motion.

It wasn't even my idea to have them kiss! I was just in charge of the rally! I am innocent! I should not be targeted like this!" Neji slammed his fist down hard on the table surface, "He told me to be careful when I go to the bathroom, be wary of hot liquids, check all door knobs before touching them…God, Temari! I have no fucking idea what they're going to do to me! I can't live like this! Can't they just get it over with, punish me for heaven's sake and let me live in peace!"

Temari stared at Neji for the next two minutes, waiting for the raging storm within the Hygua to subside.

"You know, Neji," Temari said after two bites of her bagel, "There is no revenge plan."

"Hn," Neji took a sip of his coffee, "Apparently, you do not know Sasuke and Naruto well enough."

"Okay then," Temari turned full face towards her companion, "Do you think Sasuke and Naruto could come up with some master evil plan of revenge to get back at you?"

"Yes."

"Together?"

"…"

"Can they work long enough, together, without killing each other first?"

"…"

"You've been suckered, Neji."

It was the first time and last, that Temari heard Neji scream.

:::

Naruto rushed across the campus in the cold November weather, scarf wrapped tightly about his neck. He was hoping to scuttle across the campus and make it into the small café across the college, without his bum freezing over. Naruto was sure that if he breathed out into the frigid air, his breath would freeze over and hail down on the ice-coated blades of grass standing erect on the side of the street. The sun was high in the sky, shining brightly down on the bustling people of Konoha. However, it was doing very little in the warming department. People were rushing to and from their cars, all eager to stay out of the cold winter weather as much as possible.

The blonde professor dashed to the small café, pulling the glass door open and sending a pair of bells above the door jingling. Striding purposefully towards the sales counter, Naruto smiled brightly. The young woman behind the cash register smiled back, a rosy glow appearing upon her pale complexion.

"Hello, Naruto!" she greeted, "What can I get you today?"

"Um," he looked at the glass display, trying to decide what he was in the mood for, "Give me the grilled chicken sandwich with the red peppers…and…a large cup of green tea. It's freezing outside," Naruto attempted a humorous shiver. The barista giggled, her large doe eyes shining brightly in merriment.

It had become somewhat of a routine for them. Naruto would attempt to say something witty or comical, and the chipper cashier would smile back, enjoying the ever-cheerful customer. Most of the customers that came into the café were either too busy or too rude to strike up a conversation. They wouldn't even look her in the eye when they placed their order and usually threw their cash upon the counter instead of handing it to her politely. Those with credit cards would flick the annoying piece of plastic in her face, and grow agitated if it took her more than thirty seconds to accomplish the payment. Naruto was different. He always had a smile and few nice words to say, even when he was in a hurry.

"Alright, coming up!" she turned towards the kitchen and hollered out Naruto's order. The blonde pulled out his wallet and paid for his meal, casually conversing with the young woman as the staff in back hurried to finish his order. When his meal was ready, the barista handed him a white ceramic plate with the grilled chicken sandwich sitting nicely to the side. Bright red, grilled peppers were arranged on the plate in little flowers.

"Hope you enjoy it," the woman handed him his steaming cup of tea.

"Believe it," Naruto grinned, "I will."

Taking his meal to a vacant table, Naruto sat down and took a sip of his green tea. The hot liquid burned the tip of his tongue, making the blonde flinch. However, that one single sip had already begun to run its course. Like flowing lava along a rocky volcano, it slowly ran down his throat heating everything in its wake. The heat was both welcoming and warming.

Digging into his meal Naruto began to eat, not even noticing when a familiar black head of hair walked through the café door and went to place an order. He was halfway done his sandwich when the chair in front of him scraped against the stone floor. Ocean blue eyes looked up to see Sai smiling down at him.

"I hope you don't mind me sitting here," he said, placing his plate of food on the table.

"No, not at all," Naruto moved his cup of tea to the side to make more room. "How are you doing, Sai? I feel as if I haven't seen you in forever."

"Yes," the pale skinned man nodded causing tendrils of sleek black hair to fall into his ebony eyes, "It would seem so."

"What you doing here at the café?"

"Eating," Sai spoke, "I feel that whenever I walk into the staff lounge, I'm always somehow kicked out. Not in an obvious way, but still –it's like your group of friends don't want me in there."

Naruto frowned, "That's strange."

Sai nodded, "Other professors have noticed too. It's just your group of friends always in there, spread throughout the room. The others feel out of place if they eat there, so they have taken to having their breaks in the cafeteria or just staying in their offices." He sighed, resting his chin on his palm, "It's like high school all over again…anyway, why are you here? I thought you'd be in the staff lounge."

"Well, I would be," the blonde grumbled, "But I don't want to run into that jerk." He said, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"Sasuke?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah. I haven't stepped into the staff lounge for like…three weeks now."

"Hmm," Sai took a sip of his cappuccino, a thoughtful expression on his face, "Does this have anything to do with what happened at the rally?"

Instantly, Naruto's cheeks flamed, "No," he sputtered, a little too fast.

"And pigs can fly," Sai rolled his eyes, "Listen, dickless…you can't let him ruin your life."

"I'm not," Naruto protested, "I like eating here. The food is good and the staff is nice."

"You know that's not what I mean," Sai muttered, taking another long sip, "I've seen how you've been running through the hallways. You're avoiding him."

"I am not!"

"You know, he's avoiding you too."

Naruto's eyebrows instantly rose in interest, "Really?"

"Yeah. He hasn't been in the staff lounge either. Also, I saw him secretly using a handheld mirror to spy on the hallways before walking through them." Sai let out a chuckle, "I think…he's worse off then you."

"You don't say," Naruto smirked before bringing his cup of tea to his lips. The news making him feel oddly…tingly on the inside.

"Anyway," Sai said after swallowing a bite of his grilled tofu, "There is something I've been meaning to ask you for some time now."

"What?" Naruto took another bite of his sandwich, all attention on Sai.

"Well…I've been selected to draw a piece for the Konoha Gallery. It's for the town's annual celebration of its heritage. You know the story, how this town was once bustling with ninjas, right? So anyway," Sai coughed –an attempt to gain him some time to compose himself, "I was wondering if you could model for me. For my painting."

"You want me to model for you?" Naruto dropped his sandwich as Sai nodded his head, "Wow. That is so cool! Of course I'll do it, Sai! What do you need me to do?"

Sai smiled, enjoying the way the blonde's face lit up like a kids' upon seeing a fireworks display for the first time, "Just come by my studio. I have the costume ready, as well as the backdrop. I'm going to need you to come in a few times so, is that okay?" Naruto nodded.

"Yeah sure, no problem. When do you want me to come in?"

"I was hoping we could start today."

"Alright," Naruto grinned, "I'm done teaching after five, so I'll come by after then."

"Perfect. I finish teaching at four. It gives me plenty of time to get ready," Sai reached across the table and took Naruto's hand, "Thank you so much."

The blonde smiled, stealthily pulling his hand out of the other's grip, "No problem."

:::

"This is ridiculous!" Sakura slammed her tray on the plastic tabletop making Kiba and Lee flinch in unison, "It's been three weeks already! Three weeks…and things haven't gotten better. In fact, they've gotten worse! Now, they're not even speaking to each other! Heck, they don't even see each other!"

"Stop yelling," Shikamaru grumbled, rubbing his temples, "We're all aware of the situation."

"Not to bring more bad news to the table, but," Kankuro picked out a sliver of carrot from his fried rice and moved it to the corner of his plate, where steadily a little orange pile was growing, "I've heard other professors talking about us."

"What are they saying?" Tenten asked.

"They're thinking of complaining about us to the board," Ino grumbled, cutting up her breaded chicken into bite size pieces. "They think that our 'plan' is childish and is disrupting our classes and our lectures. The Dean's bet at the rally was the last straw for them. A group of the other professors have gotten together and are constructing a letter to send to the boards."
"What!" Sakura cried, "Why, those meddling hecklers!"

"Shikamaru," Kankuro looked squarely at the psychology professor, "I want Naruto and Sasuke to get along as much as the next guy here, but…I'm not going to lose my job over this."

"No one is going to lose their job," Shikamaru assured.

"How can you guarantee us that?" Shino said, stepping away from the food bar and heading towards the table, "What are you going to do?"

"Trust me," Shikamaru smirked, "Don't worry about it."

Later that day, Kiba and Shikamaru walked down towards the department that housed Genma and Raidou; the infamous pair of computer geeks. Naruto had let them know that he was going to be staying at the campus till eight, so the two friends had plenty of time to take care of...business.

Shikamaru walked into the computer lab with his hands in his pockets, his eyes trained on a hunched over form sitting in front of a computer, hard at work. Kiba trudged in behind him, his eyes instantly focusing on all the flashing computers screen sporting the Apple logo. Jealously, he stroked the large widescreen monitor, wondering how many more cups of instant ramen he'd have to eat to save enough money to buy himself one of those babies.

Shikamaru scratched his ear, blowing off the bits of earwax accumulated on the tip of his finger, "Genma."

The man at the computer straightened and turned around, a black tablet pen in his hand.

"Hey, Shikamaru! It's been a while since last you stepped into my domain."

The psychology professor shrugged his shoulders and approached the bandanna wearing man. Kiba dutifully followed behind, peering over his friend's shoulder and staring at Genma's computer screen.

What he saw made his eyes pop, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?"

:::

"This feels a little strange," Naruto tugged on the bandages Sai had wrapped expertly around his wrists.

"Don't worry about it," The art instructor advised, "You won't even notice it's there within an hour."

The blonde nodded, however he couldn't stop his fingers from picking at the white bandages. They were tight and restricting, Naruto couldn't help feeling as if a small snake had wrapped itself around each wrist and was slowly tightening its hold, attempting to block off the blood flow to his hands and fingers.

"Okay, Naruto" Sai had already assembled his easel. A paint stained t-shirt hugged the pale man as he stood before the blonde, one hand in his pocket, the other pointing a paintbrush at him in a threatening manner. Sai was in his element, and God have mercy on the poor soul who went against him now. Naruto presumed that the poor idiot who would, would find himself short an arm and a leg…probably decaying in some ditch by an unmarked lake. He shuddered. "Take the kunai in your mouth, bend your knee as if you're about to spring at me, pick up the shuriken and hold it behind you in your left hand and slightly angle your body to the right…a little more…no, that's too much…damn…hold on."

Sai stomped over to Naruto and adjusted him accordingly. The blonde almost fell over as Sai moved his leg back, the black baggy pants he was wearing got caught on a hook and nearly ripped. Sai growled and moved the dangerous hook out of the way, then went on to tie Naruto's boot that had chosen to loosen during their set up. The blonde swallowed the enormous amount of spit that had accumulated in his mouth in the short time frame, and began rethinking being a model as a good idea. Sai looked murderous as he retied the boot, his eyebrows angled down as his fingers worked furiously. He looked like a panther, dark and foreboding, teeth bared and frightening as ever. Naruto swallowed again, shifting the Kunai in his mouth and nearly cutting his cheek with it in the process.

"There," Sai stood, "I'm going to sketch your body quickly and then start concentrating on your head so you're going to have to be quiet. No talking. I'll try to work fast so you could get that thing out of your mouth, okay?"

Naruto nodded.

Sai frowned, and with both hands positioned Naruto's head in the way he envisioned. The blonde felt Sai smooth down some of his hair, arranging it in a way Naruto wasn't privy too. A few strands of shock blonde hair fell into his eye.

Sai took a step back, scrutinizing his model, "Okay. Now, don't move. At all." The artist rushed to his easel and stood behind it. All Naruto could see now were the bottom of Sai's paint ridden, denim jeans.

Ten minutes into his modeling, Naruto's arm was aching like there was no tomorrow. The burn in his muscles was excruciating and all he wanted to do was drop his arm and rub some heat into his biceps. Naruto couldn't feel the bandages anymore –that could be attributed to the fact that the feeling in his hands and fingers had long since departed. The nipples on his bare chest were hard from cold, and goose bumps had decided to permanently reside on his slightly bronzed skin.

Staring out the large bay window had proved useless, because they were so high up, all Naruto could see were the grey clouds accumulating in the sky like woman at a weekend sale. Not a single star was visible. Just a lavender colored sky, with dark grey clouds floating kilometers above the tallest building. He wondered if it might snow, it was sure cold enough for it.

Sai had finished sketching all of Naruto's anatomy. He quickly glanced over at his model, noticing the slight wince on the blonde man's face.

"I'm moving to your face now," Sai called, "When I finish drawing the mouth, I'll let you have a break to relax your muscles."

Sai slightly relaxed his hold on the pencil in his hand and trained his eyes on the other's mouth. After a minute or so, he began to draw. His eyes moved rapidly from his easel to Naruto, constantly adding to his drawing. He was almost done sketching the handle of the kunai when he heard Naruto whine.

"Give me another five minutes, Naruto," Sai said, "I'm almost done."

Another whine erupted, this one more desperate.

Sai shook his head and continued, perfecting every line until he was satisfied with his product, "Alright, you can move." He heard the kunai clatter to the wooden floor. A stream of choice words followed as Naruto's arms sagged down.

"Now, that wasn't so bad?" Sai came around his easel and approached the blonde who lay collapsed on the floor.

"This better be worth it," Naruto muttered, rubbing his arms.

Sai put his hands on the blonde's shoulders and started to rub in an effort to relax those muscles which he had made his friend strain. They sat in silence for some time. Naruto rested while Sai massaged the blonde's bare back.

After a good ten minutes, Sai stood. "Okay, I need you to take up the pose again."

"Ugh," Naruto griped, "My muscles still ache."

"Please, Naruto," Sai begged, "You can have your arms down for now, I'll work on your legs."

"Fine."

The blonde took up his pose as Sai situated himself behind his easel. After five minutes of silences, Naruto began to speak.

"Why did you want me to model for you? Was there a specific reason?"

"Indeed," Sai answered, "You remember the story of that young ninja boy whose father had been the fourth hokage? He later became hokage himself, you know?"

"Yeah," Naruto said, "Everyone knows that story. All the teachers made us read them during heritage week in school."

"Well, I wanted to draw him," Sai drew the curve of Naruto's boot, "I wanted to draw the part right before he went into battle with his lover."

"They weren't lovers, Sai," Naruto corrected, "They were best friends."

"Sure," Sai rolled his eyes, "Like any normal guy would chase his friend across the world even when said friend told him to 'leave him the hell alone'…the dudes were so gay. They even lived together after he brought him back to Konoha."

"Whatever," Naruto sighed, "It's just rumor. No one knows for sure that they lived together. In fact, it's not even clear if he did bring him back."

"Anyway," Sai stressed the word, "They say the guy had golden blonde hair and eyes bluer than the sky itself, not to mention his name was Naruto. So I thought you would make a perfect Naruto, Naruto."

"Hardy har har," Naruto said, "I'm not even sure if my parents were the ones to name me or not. It's most likely that the orphanage named me right before gramps adopted me."

"Another similarity in my book."

"Well, I'm not gay."

"I laugh at you," Sai mock laughed all the while concentrating on his work, "I think the relationship you and Sasuke have models the one the ninja Naruto had with his 'best friend.'"

"That's where you're deeply mistaken," Naruto butted in, "I hate that jerk with a passion that can rival the heat radiated from a hundred suns!"

"Yeah, and I think Choji is skinny."

"Ugh."

"Weren't you best friends once? I distinctly remember hearing someone say that you and Sasuke were once very close."

Naruto focused on a lump of clay sitting on a table a few meters away, "That was a long time ago."

"What happened?" Sai asked curiously.

"He betrayed me."

"When?"

"In third grade."

Sai stopped his pencil and withdrew it from the canvas. Was the English professor that stupid? He marched from behind his easel until he was standing before his half-naked model.

"Down," he commanded, "We're taking a break."

Naruto plopped down on the floor, not very tired this time, "I could have gone a bit longer."

"That's not why we're taking a break," Sai sat beside him, tucking his pencil behind one ear. He trained his eyes on Naruto, looking at him skeptically.

The blonde squirmed under the scrutinizing gaze, feeling like a child who was about to be reprimanded. "What?" he finally said.

"Are you really that stupid?" Sai said in a matter of fact voice, "You're holding something that happened in elementary school over Sasuke's head? Honestly, I thought you were smarter than that."

"Hey," Naruto responded in a warning tone, "I got a D in that class because of him! Not to mention I got grounded and a detention!"

"Did you ever ask Sasuke why he betrayed you?" Sai inquired.

"He said that he didn't!"

"How do you know he did then?"

Naruto groaned, why was everyone bringing this up again! First Kiba now Sai? What gives? "Michiru, a kid in our class saw him telling the professor on me. He told me he heard everything. After he told me, I went to Sasuke, angry and hurt. We were friends and he betrayed me! I didn't cheat on that test, Sai! What hurt the most was that Sasuke lied twice! First to our teacher, then to me! Friends don't do that."

Sai fiddled with the paintbrush lying on the floor, his brow creased in concentration, "What else did Sasuke say? Other than he didn't do it."

Naruto sighed, already starting to feel that sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. It churned, crawling up his throat, constricting it and making him feel like shit, "That's it. He didn't say anything else. After saying he didn't do it, he kept quiet. I asked him why he was lying to me because Michiru saw him and all, but he didn't say a word. Not one single word."

"Hm," Sai stood, stretching his limbs, "That is puzzling. C'mon, break is over. Strike your pose, dickless."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the smiling artist, not really feeling the joking mood at that moment, "Sai, shove it." However, he did stand and get back into the position he was in before, this time, taking up the shuriken and lifting his arms. Sai went back to his easel and continued to draw, though his thoughts still swirled around what Naruto said. It was strange. Strange that the Uchiha had not tried to defend himself if indeed he thought himself innocent.

He glanced at Naruto. The man had a distant look on his face. In a way, he resembled a puppy who had been denied his favorite game of ball, floppy golden ears drooping and eyes holding all the sadness in the world. Sai found himself staring at the cobalt blue orbs, noticing that they looked a little darker than before. It might have been the lighting, but Sai could bet his best paintbrush that the darkness in Naruto's eyes could be attributed to one specific person. A raven haired professor who held the answer to the question Sai wanted an answer too.

After this session, he was most certainly going to find the Uchiha and worm an answer out of the prideful man. He grinned to himself as he continued to draw. If any onlooker had passed by the studio and spotted the grinning man, they would have thought Alice had brought the Cheshire cat back to the real world with her.

:::

"Holy shit, Genma!" Shikamaru stared in horror.

"It's a yaoi doujinshi," Genma replied calmly.

"I REPEAT," Kiba was now pointing an accusatory finger at the screen, his voice rising in pitch creating a perfect chromatic scale, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?"

"It's not porn!" a door on the side flew open and a panicking Raidou rushed into the computer lab, "I can assure that I was assigned to Photoshop that picture for the next iss–" Upon finding Kiba staring at Genma's computer screen, Raidou straightened, "Oh…yeah, that's porn."

"There are two naked guys wrapped around each other!" Kiba screeched, "That is not porn! Porn is two hot naked girls wrapped around each other!"

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at the inked page on screen. He grabbed the mouse and clicked on the next window of the Photoshop program.

"Oh my God, Shikamaru!" Kiba took the mouse in an attempt to make it go back to the less graphic page, "My eyes! My innocence! Gone! Never to return!"

"Genma," Shikamaru said in a voice that made the older man's skill crawl. He involuntarily shivered and for some reason, couldn't make himself look into the narrowed eyes of the younger man, "I'm only going to ask you once. Why the hell are you drawing a comic where Naruto and Sasuke are having sex?"

Genma gulped his eyes landing on Raidou who wisely edged away from the psychology nut, "It's for the yaoi con Raidou and I are going to this weekend. I wanted to finish up this doujinshi before the con, that's why I was working on it here."

"I didn't know you guys were gay," Kiba said shocked.

"We aren't!" Raidou said from behind.

"It helps us pick up girls."

"What?"

Genma sighed, "At yaoi cons there are a lot of cute girls around. The greatest thing about yaoi con is that no one can attend unless their eighteen or over. It's perfect for meeting girls! And these girls aren't your average run on the mill female. These girls are awesome –"

"–And hot!" Raidou added.

"We sell my doujinshis at the con, earning ourselves a female following! Not only do these girls ask us to hang out but, they willingly give us their numbers! Willingly! No begging!" Genma cried out, eyes shining, "They actually want to go out with us computer junkies!"

"So you're hunting," Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "Women."

"YEAH!" Genma grinned.

"You sick, sick twisted man," Shikamaru shook his head in disgust.

"Well, we don't all have women throwing themselves at us, Nara," Raidou grouched, "I have a fucking scar on my face! The girls at yaoi con think it's hot! The girls here…think I lost a fight with a garbage truck."

"But why did you pick Naruto and Sasuke?" Kiba pointed out, "Couldn't you have like, I dunno…maybe made SOME CHARACTERS UP?"

"Woah," Genma leaned back in his chair, away from the flying spittle hurtling at him at an incredible speed, "I need inspiration for these things! I maybe good with drawing, but I need to base my peeps of real people. Sasuke and Naruto were the perfect models, and they're both gay!"

"Naruto's bi!"

"Same thing," Genma waived Kiba off, "I don't think they'll mind."

"Want to bet?"Shikamaru said wryly.

"What brings you guys here, anyway?" Raidou said in an attempt to change the topic.

"Right," Shikamaru sighed, "I need you two to take care of a little problem."

The two older men exchanged looks, small smiles creeping onto their faces, "What sort of problem?"

"I need you two to hack into the college board's computer, delete a certain e-mail and send a reply e-mail back to its sender. It appears some professors here at Konoha don't approve of our little plan."

"Ah," Genma nodded, he looked like the cat that just ate the canary, "So you want it to look like the board read the letter but didn't think it worth their time, correct?"

Shikamaru nodded, "Kotetsu and Izumo are going to help. They will let us all know when the e-mail has been sent. Can you do this?"

Genma and Raidou exchanged looks, "Piece of cake," Raidou bumped his fist against his cohorts.

"Piece of cake indeed," Genma replied back.

"Great," Shikamaru smirked, "Raidou, I'll go over details with you, in that office," he pointed towards the door Raidou had emerged from.

"Hey!" Genma called, "What about me?"

"You can go back to drawing your porn," Shikamaru turned, mumbling under his breath, "Pervert."

Kiba rolled over a chair next to Genma and sat beside him, "So what's the comic about? It can't be all about sex, can it?"

"Neh," Genma said, taking up his tablet pen, "There is a plot."

"What's it called?"

"Masquerade." (1)

Kiba watched as Genma pressed the pen to a black tablet. In the panel Genma was working on, Naruto and Sasuke were lying in bed barely covered by the poor excuse of a blanket. Genma was adding detail to Naruto's hair, making it more realistic looking. He then added the scars, three distinct lines on each cheek. Dropping the tablet pen, he stared at his finished panel in admiration. This was perfect. Nothing could make this panel any better.

"Hey," Kiba said, "Naruto's scars aren't that visible."

Genma grumbled, "Everyone's a critic."
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(1)Masquerade- a oneshot I wrote that can be found on my profile

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. This one wasn't heavy (unlike the last chapter). Now today we have someone special coming to speak to you readers. Please welcome, ITACHI!"

"Yes, thank you for that warm welcome," Itachi nodded his head politely, "Now I understand that there was a slight problem."

Author nods her head sadly, "Yes. I'm afraid there was."

"I see," the Uchiha nodded, "Very well. Let me take care of it. SHARINGAN!"

Author squeezes eyes shut.

"HOW DARE YOU LEAVE OUR BELOVED AUTHOR IN SUCH A MESS! SHE SPENT DAYS IN BED, CRYING HER LOVELY EYES OUT –"

"–Not really, I was just kind of sad th–"

"I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS INSULT! THIS INJUSTICE! THIS SLANDER UPON EVERYTHING THAT IS UCHIHA!"

"Um," Author squeaks, "I'm not an Uchi–"

"I WILL NOT LET THIS MAGNIFICENT WOMAN WRITE ANOTHER WORD UNLESS SHE GETS THE REVIEWS SHE DESERVES! UNDERSTAND?MARK MY WORDS, YOU INSUBORDINATE HECKLERS! FEAR ME FOR I AM ITACHI UCHIHA! HEAD OF AKATSUKI INTERNATIONAL. FRIEND OF THY ENEMIES! I SHALL NOT LET THIS CONTINUE!"

"Oh my God," Author runs to door, "Kisame! Help! Itachi has gone crazy!"

Heavy footfalls could be heard growing louder as they grow closer. Seconds later, a man, with skin that you could have sworn was blue rushed in. He eyed his bellowing friend closely.

"AH! KISAME!" ITACHI THUNDERED, "COME HELP ME PUNISH THOSE WHO REFUSE TO REVIEW THE STORY OF OUR LIVES! COME FRIEND, LET US MAKE WAR!"

"What got him all crazed?" Kisame whispers to author who smiles awkwardly.

"Well, there weren't many reviews last chapter so I asked Itachi to help boost them, you know? But…he kind of went on a rampage. So I'm afraid of losing my readers. Can you kindly shut him up?"

Kisame grinned, "With pleasure." Kisame turned towards the raging Uchiha, "Hey, Itachi! Let's go devise an evil plan to get all those readers who don't review this time, eh?"

"SOUNDS LIKE A BRILLIANT IDEA, KISAME! LET US GO AND PLAN!" Itachi, shook author's hand politely before grabbing Kisame by the shirt-tails and pulling him out the door, "LET US PLAN THEIR DEMISE!"

Leave a comment so Itachi doesn't kill you!

And fav for good measure ^_-

Description
Hello, everyone. Wow, this was a pretty fast update (I think). I'm guessing most of you didn't like the last chapter because there were significantly less reviews this time around. Obviously, I was a little disappointed, but hopefully you'll like this chapter and comment?

This is beta'd by me so please excuse any grammatical errors and whatnot you may find!
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Chapter 8: Paintings and…Doujinshis?

Temari had about had it with the two brain dead professors. It had been three weeks since the damn rally and neither Sasuke nor Naruto had stepped foot within the four walls of the staff sanctuary. Well…there was that one time, but it didn't count. At least, to her it didn't.

Not only were the two numbskulls giving her a migraine but to top it all off, Neji was acting strangely as well. Ever since that blasted rally he'd been overly cautious. As if waiting for something to jump out and scare the living day lights out of him. She eyed him curiously, while sitting buttering her sesame seed bagel.

Neji timidly walked over to the coffee maker and stretched out a pale hand. One finger shaking slightly as he moved it closer towards the coffee pot. Temari raised one blonde, manicured eyebrow as the chestnut haired professor sighed in relief and gripped the plastic handle. Her mouth opened slightly in suprise when she saw Neji pull out a pair of tweezers from his pocket. It opened further as she watched him pluck a white Styrofoam cup out of the pile of cups stacked on the coffee table.

"Neji, what in God's name are you doing?"

Neji jumped, Styrofoam cup and tweezers falling nosily to the lacquered floor. Heart racing madly, the grey-eyed professor turned to look at the skeptical woman looking pointedly at him, hands on hips.

"Temari," Neji clutched at his chest, "Don't scare me like that!"

The blonde woman furrowed her eyebrows, "What's been with you lately? You're all jumpy."

"No I'm not."

"For God's sake, Neji! Every time a door opens, you got that deer in the headlights look. What the hell is going on?"

Neji slumped his shoulders and let out a weary sigh. Picking up his dropped belongings, he poured himself a large cup of coffee and took a seat beside a curious Temari.

"Remember how I told you guys about my conversation with Sasuke on the phone?" Neji said after a good minute of silence. Temari nodded her head, showing she remembered. "Well…after that…I got another call from him…telling me that…that…"

"Neji," Temari looked at him more closely. At once, she noticed large bags under the Hyuga's weary eyes. The porcelain skin that had been the envy of most of the female staff, had lost its shine, and stubble –something Temari had never seen upon the crisp and clean man, had made its home across Neji's jaw line.

"Neji?"

"He told me to watch my back like a mother eagle watching her young! His words, not mine. Sasuke and Naruto, apparently, have put some horrible revenge plan in motion.

It wasn't even my idea to have them kiss! I was just in charge of the rally! I am innocent! I should not be targeted like this!" Neji slammed his fist down hard on the table surface, "He told me to be careful when I go to the bathroom, be wary of hot liquids, check all door knobs before touching them…God, Temari! I have no fucking idea what they're going to do to me! I can't live like this! Can't they just get it over with, punish me for heaven's sake and let me live in peace!"

Temari stared at Neji for the next two minutes, waiting for the raging storm within the Hygua to subside.

"You know, Neji," Temari said after two bites of her bagel, "There is no revenge plan."

"Hn," Neji took a sip of his coffee, "Apparently, you do not know Sasuke and Naruto well enough."

"Okay then," Temari turned full face towards her companion, "Do you think Sasuke and Naruto could come up with some master evil plan of revenge to get back at you?"

"Yes."

"Together?"

"…"

"Can they work long enough, together, without killing each other first?"

"…"

"You've been suckered, Neji."

It was the first time and last, that Temari heard Neji scream.

:::

Naruto rushed across the campus in the cold November weather, scarf wrapped tightly about his neck. He was hoping to scuttle across the campus and make it into the small café across the college, without his bum freezing over. Naruto was sure that if he breathed out into the frigid air, his breath would freeze over and hail down on the ice-coated blades of grass standing erect on the side of the street. The sun was high in the sky, shining brightly down on the bustling people of Konoha. However, it was doing very little in the warming department. People were rushing to and from their cars, all eager to stay out of the cold winter weather as much as possible.

The blonde professor dashed to the small café, pulling the glass door open and sending a pair of bells above the door jingling. Striding purposefully towards the sales counter, Naruto smiled brightly. The young woman behind the cash register smiled back, a rosy glow appearing upon her pale complexion.

"Hello, Naruto!" she greeted, "What can I get you today?"

"Um," he looked at the glass display, trying to decide what he was in the mood for, "Give me the grilled chicken sandwich with the red peppers…and…a large cup of green tea. It's freezing outside," Naruto attempted a humorous shiver. The barista giggled, her large doe eyes shining brightly in merriment.

It had become somewhat of a routine for them. Naruto would attempt to say something witty or comical, and the chipper cashier would smile back, enjoying the ever-cheerful customer. Most of the customers that came into the café were either too busy or too rude to strike up a conversation. They wouldn't even look her in the eye when they placed their order and usually threw their cash upon the counter instead of handing it to her politely. Those with credit cards would flick the annoying piece of plastic in her face, and grow agitated if it took her more than thirty seconds to accomplish the payment. Naruto was different. He always had a smile and few nice words to say, even when he was in a hurry.

"Alright, coming up!" she turned towards the kitchen and hollered out Naruto's order. The blonde pulled out his wallet and paid for his meal, casually conversing with the young woman as the staff in back hurried to finish his order. When his meal was ready, the barista handed him a white ceramic plate with the grilled chicken sandwich sitting nicely to the side. Bright red, grilled peppers were arranged on the plate in little flowers.

"Hope you enjoy it," the woman handed him his steaming cup of tea.

"Believe it," Naruto grinned, "I will."

Taking his meal to a vacant table, Naruto sat down and took a sip of his green tea. The hot liquid burned the tip of his tongue, making the blonde flinch. However, that one single sip had already begun to run its course. Like flowing lava along a rocky volcano, it slowly ran down his throat heating everything in its wake. The heat was both welcoming and warming.

Digging into his meal Naruto began to eat, not even noticing when a familiar black head of hair walked through the café door and went to place an order. He was halfway done his sandwich when the chair in front of him scraped against the stone floor. Ocean blue eyes looked up to see Sai smiling down at him.

"I hope you don't mind me sitting here," he said, placing his plate of food on the table.

"No, not at all," Naruto moved his cup of tea to the side to make more room. "How are you doing, Sai? I feel as if I haven't seen you in forever."

"Yes," the pale skinned man nodded causing tendrils of sleek black hair to fall into his ebony eyes, "It would seem so."

"What you doing here at the café?"

"Eating," Sai spoke, "I feel that whenever I walk into the staff lounge, I'm always somehow kicked out. Not in an obvious way, but still –it's like your group of friends don't want me in there."

Naruto frowned, "That's strange."

Sai nodded, "Other professors have noticed too. It's just your group of friends always in there, spread throughout the room. The others feel out of place if they eat there, so they have taken to having their breaks in the cafeteria or just staying in their offices." He sighed, resting his chin on his palm, "It's like high school all over again…anyway, why are you here? I thought you'd be in the staff lounge."

"Well, I would be," the blonde grumbled, "But I don't want to run into that jerk." He said, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"Sasuke?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah. I haven't stepped into the staff lounge for like…three weeks now."

"Hmm," Sai took a sip of his cappuccino, a thoughtful expression on his face, "Does this have anything to do with what happened at the rally?"

Instantly, Naruto's cheeks flamed, "No," he sputtered, a little too fast.

"And pigs can fly," Sai rolled his eyes, "Listen, dickless…you can't let him ruin your life."

"I'm not," Naruto protested, "I like eating here. The food is good and the staff is nice."

"You know that's not what I mean," Sai muttered, taking another long sip, "I've seen how you've been running through the hallways. You're avoiding him."

"I am not!"

"You know, he's avoiding you too."

Naruto's eyebrows instantly rose in interest, "Really?"

"Yeah. He hasn't been in the staff lounge either. Also, I saw him secretly using a handheld mirror to spy on the hallways before walking through them." Sai let out a chuckle, "I think…he's worse off then you."

"You don't say," Naruto smirked before bringing his cup of tea to his lips. The news making him feel oddly…tingly on the inside.

"Anyway," Sai said after swallowing a bite of his grilled tofu, "There is something I've been meaning to ask you for some time now."

"What?" Naruto took another bite of his sandwich, all attention on Sai.

"Well…I've been selected to draw a piece for the Konoha Gallery. It's for the town's annual celebration of its heritage. You know the story, how this town was once bustling with ninjas, right? So anyway," Sai coughed –an attempt to gain him some time to compose himself, "I was wondering if you could model for me. For my painting."

"You want me to model for you?" Naruto dropped his sandwich as Sai nodded his head, "Wow. That is so cool! Of course I'll do it, Sai! What do you need me to do?"

Sai smiled, enjoying the way the blonde's face lit up like a kids' upon seeing a fireworks display for the first time, "Just come by my studio. I have the costume ready, as well as the backdrop. I'm going to need you to come in a few times so, is that okay?" Naruto nodded.

"Yeah sure, no problem. When do you want me to come in?"

"I was hoping we could start today."

"Alright," Naruto grinned, "I'm done teaching after five, so I'll come by after then."

"Perfect. I finish teaching at four. It gives me plenty of time to get ready," Sai reached across the table and took Naruto's hand, "Thank you so much."

The blonde smiled, stealthily pulling his hand out of the other's grip, "No problem."

:::

"This is ridiculous!" Sakura slammed her tray on the plastic tabletop making Kiba and Lee flinch in unison, "It's been three weeks already! Three weeks…and things haven't gotten better. In fact, they've gotten worse! Now, they're not even speaking to each other! Heck, they don't even see each other!"

"Stop yelling," Shikamaru grumbled, rubbing his temples, "We're all aware of the situation."

"Not to bring more bad news to the table, but," Kankuro picked out a sliver of carrot from his fried rice and moved it to the corner of his plate, where steadily a little orange pile was growing, "I've heard other professors talking about us."

"What are they saying?" Tenten asked.

"They're thinking of complaining about us to the board," Ino grumbled, cutting up her breaded chicken into bite size pieces. "They think that our 'plan' is childish and is disrupting our classes and our lectures. The Dean's bet at the rally was the last straw for them. A group of the other professors have gotten together and are constructing a letter to send to the boards."
"What!" Sakura cried, "Why, those meddling hecklers!"

"Shikamaru," Kankuro looked squarely at the psychology professor, "I want Naruto and Sasuke to get along as much as the next guy here, but…I'm not going to lose my job over this."

"No one is going to lose their job," Shikamaru assured.

"How can you guarantee us that?" Shino said, stepping away from the food bar and heading towards the table, "What are you going to do?"

"Trust me," Shikamaru smirked, "Don't worry about it."

Later that day, Kiba and Shikamaru walked down towards the department that housed Genma and Raidou; the infamous pair of computer geeks. Naruto had let them know that he was going to be staying at the campus till eight, so the two friends had plenty of time to take care of...business.

Shikamaru walked into the computer lab with his hands in his pockets, his eyes trained on a hunched over form sitting in front of a computer, hard at work. Kiba trudged in behind him, his eyes instantly focusing on all the flashing computers screen sporting the Apple logo. Jealously, he stroked the large widescreen monitor, wondering how many more cups of instant ramen he'd have to eat to save enough money to buy himself one of those babies.

Shikamaru scratched his ear, blowing off the bits of earwax accumulated on the tip of his finger, "Genma."

The man at the computer straightened and turned around, a black tablet pen in his hand.

"Hey, Shikamaru! It's been a while since last you stepped into my domain."

The psychology professor shrugged his shoulders and approached the bandanna wearing man. Kiba dutifully followed behind, peering over his friend's shoulder and staring at Genma's computer screen.

What he saw made his eyes pop, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?"

:::

"This feels a little strange," Naruto tugged on the bandages Sai had wrapped expertly around his wrists.

"Don't worry about it," The art instructor advised, "You won't even notice it's there within an hour."

The blonde nodded, however he couldn't stop his fingers from picking at the white bandages. They were tight and restricting, Naruto couldn't help feeling as if a small snake had wrapped itself around each wrist and was slowly tightening its hold, attempting to block off the blood flow to his hands and fingers.

"Okay, Naruto" Sai had already assembled his easel. A paint stained t-shirt hugged the pale man as he stood before the blonde, one hand in his pocket, the other pointing a paintbrush at him in a threatening manner. Sai was in his element, and God have mercy on the poor soul who went against him now. Naruto presumed that the poor idiot who would, would find himself short an arm and a leg…probably decaying in some ditch by an unmarked lake. He shuddered. "Take the kunai in your mouth, bend your knee as if you're about to spring at me, pick up the shuriken and hold it behind you in your left hand and slightly angle your body to the right…a little more…no, that's too much…damn…hold on."

Sai stomped over to Naruto and adjusted him accordingly. The blonde almost fell over as Sai moved his leg back, the black baggy pants he was wearing got caught on a hook and nearly ripped. Sai growled and moved the dangerous hook out of the way, then went on to tie Naruto's boot that had chosen to loosen during their set up. The blonde swallowed the enormous amount of spit that had accumulated in his mouth in the short time frame, and began rethinking being a model as a good idea. Sai looked murderous as he retied the boot, his eyebrows angled down as his fingers worked furiously. He looked like a panther, dark and foreboding, teeth bared and frightening as ever. Naruto swallowed again, shifting the Kunai in his mouth and nearly cutting his cheek with it in the process.

"There," Sai stood, "I'm going to sketch your body quickly and then start concentrating on your head so you're going to have to be quiet. No talking. I'll try to work fast so you could get that thing out of your mouth, okay?"

Naruto nodded.

Sai frowned, and with both hands positioned Naruto's head in the way he envisioned. The blonde felt Sai smooth down some of his hair, arranging it in a way Naruto wasn't privy too. A few strands of shock blonde hair fell into his eye.

Sai took a step back, scrutinizing his model, "Okay. Now, don't move. At all." The artist rushed to his easel and stood behind it. All Naruto could see now were the bottom of Sai's paint ridden, denim jeans.

Ten minutes into his modeling, Naruto's arm was aching like there was no tomorrow. The burn in his muscles was excruciating and all he wanted to do was drop his arm and rub some heat into his biceps. Naruto couldn't feel the bandages anymore –that could be attributed to the fact that the feeling in his hands and fingers had long since departed. The nipples on his bare chest were hard from cold, and goose bumps had decided to permanently reside on his slightly bronzed skin.

Staring out the large bay window had proved useless, because they were so high up, all Naruto could see were the grey clouds accumulating in the sky like woman at a weekend sale. Not a single star was visible. Just a lavender colored sky, with dark grey clouds floating kilometers above the tallest building. He wondered if it might snow, it was sure cold enough for it.

Sai had finished sketching all of Naruto's anatomy. He quickly glanced over at his model, noticing the slight wince on the blonde man's face.

"I'm moving to your face now," Sai called, "When I finish drawing the mouth, I'll let you have a break to relax your muscles."

Sai slightly relaxed his hold on the pencil in his hand and trained his eyes on the other's mouth. After a minute or so, he began to draw. His eyes moved rapidly from his easel to Naruto, constantly adding to his drawing. He was almost done sketching the handle of the kunai when he heard Naruto whine.

"Give me another five minutes, Naruto," Sai said, "I'm almost done."

Another whine erupted, this one more desperate.

Sai shook his head and continued, perfecting every line until he was satisfied with his product, "Alright, you can move." He heard the kunai clatter to the wooden floor. A stream of choice words followed as Naruto's arms sagged down.

"Now, that wasn't so bad?" Sai came around his easel and approached the blonde who lay collapsed on the floor.

"This better be worth it," Naruto muttered, rubbing his arms.

Sai put his hands on the blonde's shoulders and started to rub in an effort to relax those muscles which he had made his friend strain. They sat in silence for some time. Naruto rested while Sai massaged the blonde's bare back.

After a good ten minutes, Sai stood. "Okay, I need you to take up the pose again."

"Ugh," Naruto griped, "My muscles still ache."

"Please, Naruto," Sai begged, "You can have your arms down for now, I'll work on your legs."

"Fine."

The blonde took up his pose as Sai situated himself behind his easel. After five minutes of silences, Naruto began to speak.

"Why did you want me to model for you? Was there a specific reason?"

"Indeed," Sai answered, "You remember the story of that young ninja boy whose father had been the fourth hokage? He later became hokage himself, you know?"

"Yeah," Naruto said, "Everyone knows that story. All the teachers made us read them during heritage week in school."

"Well, I wanted to draw him," Sai drew the curve of Naruto's boot, "I wanted to draw the part right before he went into battle with his lover."

"They weren't lovers, Sai," Naruto corrected, "They were best friends."

"Sure," Sai rolled his eyes, "Like any normal guy would chase his friend across the world even when said friend told him to 'leave him the hell alone'…the dudes were so gay. They even lived together after he brought him back to Konoha."

"Whatever," Naruto sighed, "It's just rumor. No one knows for sure that they lived together. In fact, it's not even clear if he did bring him back."

"Anyway," Sai stressed the word, "They say the guy had golden blonde hair and eyes bluer than the sky itself, not to mention his name was Naruto. So I thought you would make a perfect Naruto, Naruto."

"Hardy har har," Naruto said, "I'm not even sure if my parents were the ones to name me or not. It's most likely that the orphanage named me right before gramps adopted me."

"Another similarity in my book."

"Well, I'm not gay."

"I laugh at you," Sai mock laughed all the while concentrating on his work, "I think the relationship you and Sasuke have models the one the ninja Naruto had with his 'best friend.'"

"That's where you're deeply mistaken," Naruto butted in, "I hate that jerk with a passion that can rival the heat radiated from a hundred suns!"

"Yeah, and I think Choji is skinny."

"Ugh."

"Weren't you best friends once? I distinctly remember hearing someone say that you and Sasuke were once very close."

Naruto focused on a lump of clay sitting on a table a few meters away, "That was a long time ago."

"What happened?" Sai asked curiously.

"He betrayed me."

"When?"

"In third grade."

Sai stopped his pencil and withdrew it from the canvas. Was the English professor that stupid? He marched from behind his easel until he was standing before his half-naked model.

"Down," he commanded, "We're taking a break."

Naruto plopped down on the floor, not very tired this time, "I could have gone a bit longer."

"That's not why we're taking a break," Sai sat beside him, tucking his pencil behind one ear. He trained his eyes on Naruto, looking at him skeptically.

The blonde squirmed under the scrutinizing gaze, feeling like a child who was about to be reprimanded. "What?" he finally said.

"Are you really that stupid?" Sai said in a matter of fact voice, "You're holding something that happened in elementary school over Sasuke's head? Honestly, I thought you were smarter than that."

"Hey," Naruto responded in a warning tone, "I got a D in that class because of him! Not to mention I got grounded and a detention!"

"Did you ever ask Sasuke why he betrayed you?" Sai inquired.

"He said that he didn't!"

"How do you know he did then?"

Naruto groaned, why was everyone bringing this up again! First Kiba now Sai? What gives? "Michiru, a kid in our class saw him telling the professor on me. He told me he heard everything. After he told me, I went to Sasuke, angry and hurt. We were friends and he betrayed me! I didn't cheat on that test, Sai! What hurt the most was that Sasuke lied twice! First to our teacher, then to me! Friends don't do that."

Sai fiddled with the paintbrush lying on the floor, his brow creased in concentration, "What else did Sasuke say? Other than he didn't do it."

Naruto sighed, already starting to feel that sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. It churned, crawling up his throat, constricting it and making him feel like shit, "That's it. He didn't say anything else. After saying he didn't do it, he kept quiet. I asked him why he was lying to me because Michiru saw him and all, but he didn't say a word. Not one single word."

"Hm," Sai stood, stretching his limbs, "That is puzzling. C'mon, break is over. Strike your pose, dickless."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the smiling artist, not really feeling the joking mood at that moment, "Sai, shove it." However, he did stand and get back into the position he was in before, this time, taking up the shuriken and lifting his arms. Sai went back to his easel and continued to draw, though his thoughts still swirled around what Naruto said. It was strange. Strange that the Uchiha had not tried to defend himself if indeed he thought himself innocent.

He glanced at Naruto. The man had a distant look on his face. In a way, he resembled a puppy who had been denied his favorite game of ball, floppy golden ears drooping and eyes holding all the sadness in the world. Sai found himself staring at the cobalt blue orbs, noticing that they looked a little darker than before. It might have been the lighting, but Sai could bet his best paintbrush that the darkness in Naruto's eyes could be attributed to one specific person. A raven haired professor who held the answer to the question Sai wanted an answer too.

After this session, he was most certainly going to find the Uchiha and worm an answer out of the prideful man. He grinned to himself as he continued to draw. If any onlooker had passed by the studio and spotted the grinning man, they would have thought Alice had brought the Cheshire cat back to the real world with her.

:::

"Holy shit, Genma!" Shikamaru stared in horror.

"It's a yaoi doujinshi," Genma replied calmly.

"I REPEAT," Kiba was now pointing an accusatory finger at the screen, his voice rising in pitch creating a perfect chromatic scale, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?"

"It's not porn!" a door on the side flew open and a panicking Raidou rushed into the computer lab, "I can assure that I was assigned to Photoshop that picture for the next iss–" Upon finding Kiba staring at Genma's computer screen, Raidou straightened, "Oh…yeah, that's porn."

"There are two naked guys wrapped around each other!" Kiba screeched, "That is not porn! Porn is two hot naked girls wrapped around each other!"

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at the inked page on screen. He grabbed the mouse and clicked on the next window of the Photoshop program.

"Oh my God, Shikamaru!" Kiba took the mouse in an attempt to make it go back to the less graphic page, "My eyes! My innocence! Gone! Never to return!"

"Genma," Shikamaru said in a voice that made the older man's skill crawl. He involuntarily shivered and for some reason, couldn't make himself look into the narrowed eyes of the younger man, "I'm only going to ask you once. Why the hell are you drawing a comic where Naruto and Sasuke are having sex?"

Genma gulped his eyes landing on Raidou who wisely edged away from the psychology nut, "It's for the yaoi con Raidou and I are going to this weekend. I wanted to finish up this doujinshi before the con, that's why I was working on it here."

"I didn't know you guys were gay," Kiba said shocked.

"We aren't!" Raidou said from behind.

"It helps us pick up girls."

"What?"

Genma sighed, "At yaoi cons there are a lot of cute girls around. The greatest thing about yaoi con is that no one can attend unless their eighteen or over. It's perfect for meeting girls! And these girls aren't your average run on the mill female. These girls are awesome –"

"–And hot!" Raidou added.

"We sell my doujinshis at the con, earning ourselves a female following! Not only do these girls ask us to hang out but, they willingly give us their numbers! Willingly! No begging!" Genma cried out, eyes shining, "They actually want to go out with us computer junkies!"

"So you're hunting," Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "Women."

"YEAH!" Genma grinned.

"You sick, sick twisted man," Shikamaru shook his head in disgust.

"Well, we don't all have women throwing themselves at us, Nara," Raidou grouched, "I have a fucking scar on my face! The girls at yaoi con think it's hot! The girls here…think I lost a fight with a garbage truck."

"But why did you pick Naruto and Sasuke?" Kiba pointed out, "Couldn't you have like, I dunno…maybe made SOME CHARACTERS UP?"

"Woah," Genma leaned back in his chair, away from the flying spittle hurtling at him at an incredible speed, "I need inspiration for these things! I maybe good with drawing, but I need to base my peeps of real people. Sasuke and Naruto were the perfect models, and they're both gay!"

"Naruto's bi!"

"Same thing," Genma waived Kiba off, "I don't think they'll mind."

"Want to bet?"Shikamaru said wryly.

"What brings you guys here, anyway?" Raidou said in an attempt to change the topic.

"Right," Shikamaru sighed, "I need you two to take care of a little problem."

The two older men exchanged looks, small smiles creeping onto their faces, "What sort of problem?"

"I need you two to hack into the college board's computer, delete a certain e-mail and send a reply e-mail back to its sender. It appears some professors here at Konoha don't approve of our little plan."

"Ah," Genma nodded, he looked like the cat that just ate the canary, "So you want it to look like the board read the letter but didn't think it worth their time, correct?"

Shikamaru nodded, "Kotetsu and Izumo are going to help. They will let us all know when the e-mail has been sent. Can you do this?"

Genma and Raidou exchanged looks, "Piece of cake," Raidou bumped his fist against his cohorts.

"Piece of cake indeed," Genma replied back.

"Great," Shikamaru smirked, "Raidou, I'll go over details with you, in that office," he pointed towards the door Raidou had emerged from.

"Hey!" Genma called, "What about me?"

"You can go back to drawing your porn," Shikamaru turned, mumbling under his breath, "Pervert."

Kiba rolled over a chair next to Genma and sat beside him, "So what's the comic about? It can't be all about sex, can it?"

"Neh," Genma said, taking up his tablet pen, "There is a plot."

"What's it called?"

"Masquerade." (1)

Kiba watched as Genma pressed the pen to a black tablet. In the panel Genma was working on, Naruto and Sasuke were lying in bed barely covered by the poor excuse of a blanket. Genma was adding detail to Naruto's hair, making it more realistic looking. He then added the scars, three distinct lines on each cheek. Dropping the tablet pen, he stared at his finished panel in admiration. This was perfect. Nothing could make this panel any better.

"Hey," Kiba said, "Naruto's scars aren't that visible."

Genma grumbled, "Everyone's a critic."
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(1)Masquerade- a oneshot I wrote that can be found on my profile

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. This one wasn't heavy (unlike the last chapter). Now today we have someone special coming to speak to you readers. Please welcome, ITACHI!"

"Yes, thank you for that warm welcome," Itachi nodded his head politely, "Now I understand that there was a slight problem."

Author nods her head sadly, "Yes. I'm afraid there was."

"I see," the Uchiha nodded, "Very well. Let me take care of it. SHARINGAN!"

Author squeezes eyes shut.

"HOW DARE YOU LEAVE OUR BELOVED AUTHOR IN SUCH A MESS! SHE SPENT DAYS IN BED, CRYING HER LOVELY EYES OUT –"

"–Not really, I was just kind of sad th–"

"I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS INSULT! THIS INJUSTICE! THIS SLANDER UPON EVERYTHING THAT IS UCHIHA!"

"Um," Author squeaks, "I'm not an Uchi–"

"I WILL NOT LET THIS MAGNIFICENT WOMAN WRITE ANOTHER WORD UNLESS SHE GETS THE REVIEWS SHE DESERVES! UNDERSTAND?MARK MY WORDS, YOU INSUBORDINATE HECKLERS! FEAR ME FOR I AM ITACHI UCHIHA! HEAD OF AKATSUKI INTERNATIONAL. FRIEND OF THY ENEMIES! I SHALL NOT LET THIS CONTINUE!"

"Oh my God," Author runs to door, "Kisame! Help! Itachi has gone crazy!"

Heavy footfalls could be heard growing louder as they grow closer. Seconds later, a man, with skin that you could have sworn was blue rushed in. He eyed his bellowing friend closely.

"AH! KISAME!" ITACHI THUNDERED, "COME HELP ME PUNISH THOSE WHO REFUSE TO REVIEW THE STORY OF OUR LIVES! COME FRIEND, LET US MAKE WAR!"

"What got him all crazed?" Kisame whispers to author who smiles awkwardly.

"Well, there weren't many reviews last chapter so I asked Itachi to help boost them, you know? But…he kind of went on a rampage. So I'm afraid of losing my readers. Can you kindly shut him up?"

Kisame grinned, "With pleasure." Kisame turned towards the raging Uchiha, "Hey, Itachi! Let's go devise an evil plan to get all those readers who don't review this time, eh?"

"SOUNDS LIKE A BRILLIANT IDEA, KISAME! LET US GO AND PLAN!" Itachi, shook author's hand politely before grabbing Kisame by the shirt-tails and pulling him out the door, "LET US PLAN THEIR DEMISE!"

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