Down and Dirty

.

Traveling was something required by my job that I actually enjoyed normally. As a man born and raised in a big city though, small towns were not my thing. At all. My most recent job had brought me to a place that was small and country and just… bare.

The instant I exited the plane, I was already repulsed. It only got worse with the more my eyes took in. The city wasn't a city at all. I was lucky enough to have a friend who'd moved to the wannabe city a few years prior and I'd agreed to stay with him for the duration of my visit. We'd been roommates in college so I knew I could stay with him, and we'd always got along.

Iwabe picked me up from the airport, we went to lunch and then he proceeded to show me around. There were more fields and trees than anything. Initially, I kept my thoughts to myself, preoccupied with getting to Iwabe's place and settling in. My meeting wouldn't be until Wednesday, and it was only Friday now. I'd took a few days of leave as well, so I could catch up with Iwabe. But I had the feeling my stay was going to be horribly boring.

"What the hell do you do around here for fun?" I asked after I'd put my things away and was sitting on the couch with him, the two of us having a drink together for the first time in six years.

"Oh, you wanna have fun?" He smirked at me, an evil glint in his eyes.

I shrugged. "I'm just curious. It's got to be boring as hell here."

"You say that because you're used to the bullshit city." He laughed and had a drink before checking his phone for the time. "Well I planned to stay in tonight with you, but I guess I could introduce you to the country nightlife."

"Sounds like a load of shit." I laughed then and he continued to do so with me.

"It's the shit actually. But you're weird as fuck, so it may not be for you."

"How should I dress?"

He laughed even louder at my completely ordinary question and I scowled at him. "Do you have anything other than those custom suits?"

"Of course I do!" I scoffed and went to the spare bedroom that was mine for the next week, knowing the only thing casual I had were jeans and collared shirts.

Once I was ready, I went to exit the bedroom but Iwabe was waiting. He snorted at the sight of me, mumbled something under his breath and then shoved some clothes against my chest.

"Change."

I glared coldly at him, but stepped back into the room and looked at the clothes he'd given me. Under no circumstances was I wearing the old torn blue jeans he'd given me, but I did change my shirt to the grey T-shirt he'd given me. Even it was worn but I supposed there was no sense in me trying to be dressed to impress.

When I returned to the living room, Iwabe pointed to a pair of old, dirty boots by the door and I cringed. "No way in hell."

"Trust me, I'm looking out for you here."

"It's gonna be hot!" I argued and he snickered.

"That's beside the point. You'll want those boots, I promise."

With a sigh, I relented and stepped into the boots. "Where are you taking me anyway?"

"You'll see. I hope you got your drinking pants on. Though those jeans look ridiculous."

"Better than those you gave me." I muttered and he laughed.

"Whatever you say, man."

Iwabe drove an older model truck with a lift kit that definitely needed a wash, but I didn't make that comment to him as we got on the road. Night was already upon us and we talked about my job and his on the ride.

"Can you still shotgun a beer?" He asked after we'd been on the road for a few minutes.

"Well… I haven't drank beer since college. But I'm sure I could." I never was one to back down from a challenge.

He reached into the backseat, opened a cooler I hadn't noticed was there and then handed me an ice cold beer.

"The hell? I can't drink while we're riding."

"Why not?" He grinned at me and I rolled my eyes, but took his pocket knife when he handed it to me.

I poked a hole in the bottom side of the can, held my thumb over it, took a deep breath and then went for it. In less than ten seconds, the can was empty and I belched before shuddering.

"Woo." Iwabe laughed and shoved my shoulder. "Good you needed something to take the edge off before we get there. You're about to be around a whole new type of people. They're good people but they're also crazy as fuck, so be nice."

"I'm nice." I shoved him back and we smiled at each other.

All these back roads were almost scary. There was nothing around but woods and fields. It was so dark and if I wouldn't have known Iwabe so well, I would have feared I was being driven to my death place.

"Are we going to another town?" I asked since it seemed like we were getting further and further away from any type of nightlife.

"No, we're almost there." He told me and I looked at the nothingness ahead with cocked brows, unconvinced.

Despite my confusion, I kept quiet and decided to shotgun another beer. Iwabe opened one for himself and sipped on it while he drove and I had a good feeling I was going to die tonight. But even though we weren't doing anything, I felt more alive now than I had in years and whatever was in store for me, I was excited for it.

He turned off onto a dirt road, something that didn't exist where I came from. We were really going into the nothing now. I didn't know where the hell he was taking me, into the woods, that's all I knew. We were on that dirt road for several minutes before he turned onto another, this one more of a trail through the woods than an actual road.

"Where the fuck are you taking me?" I asked then, my anxiety getting the better of me.

"To where the party is, where else?" He laughed and I rolled my eyes.

As if there's a party back here in these woods.

After what felt like forever, we pulled into an opening that was half field and half mud, there were dozens of trucks and atvs everywhere, most of the vehicles still running, lighting the area well enough. Everybody was drinking, dancing, girls in crop tops, tank tops, short skirts, short shorts everywhere. Most of the guys seemed more laid back, wearing clothes similar to the ones Iwabe gave me. T-shirts. Tank tops. No shirt. Lots of hats.

There's a goddamn party back here in these woods.

Iwabe parked between two trucks and hopped out of the truck without a word. I got out after him as he opened the back to grab his cooler and we met at the back of his truck. I didn't know what the hell was going on, the environment unfamiliar and undoubtedly strange. Iwabe lowered the tailgate and hopped onto it with a fresh beer. I got one for myself and then took a seat on the tailgate myself.

Country music was playing from a nearby truck and I opened my beer as I watched several four wheelers ride by. Some people walked over, several guys and girls and they all held up their beers to Iwabe.

"What the hell, Iwabe?" A guy with dark hair pulled back into a ponytail shouted as he came to stand in front of us, his jeans covered in mud.

"I know." Iwabe chuckled. "I wasn't gonna come out, my friend, Kawaki here, just got in town today. But he wanted to know what there was to do around here, so here we are."

"Kawaki? I'm Shikadai." He introduces himself to me, extending his free hand which I shook politely.

I shook a lot of hands after that, and was introduced to many people, most whose names I couldn't remember. They were all dirty and seemed so happy about it. I could tell they were having a great time. Their good moods were nearly contagious.

"Where the hell is Boruto?" Iwabe asked once the introductions ended and everybody went quiet, looking to their right at the sound of a loud truck.

"Well damn if you didn't talk him up." One of the guys, Inojin I believe it was, laughed.

"Sarada's Jeep got bogged down and he had to go pull her ass out." Shikadai explained and Iwabe nodded in understanding.

The truck was so loud it drowned out everything else as it pulled closer, passing by us—it was covered in mud to the point I couldn't even tell what color it was. It parked in the open spot beside the truck next to us and then the suspected Jeep rolled by, also covered in mud. I was thankful when the loud trucks engine shut off.

"You better go grab his four wheeler." Inojin muttered to one of the guys whose name had slipped by me and the guy nodded before jogging off.

"Iwabe, you lying ass!"

I turned to look at the guy rounding the truck and my brows raised at finding him more muddy than his truck. He was shirtless, wearing shorts and boots. I could barely make out the fact that he was blond as he came bouncing over.

"There was a last minute change in plans." Iwabe held up his arms and the muddy boy's eyes flickered to me.

"This your friend?" He asked, walking closer and grabbing a beer out of Iwabe's cooler. His eyes roamed over me and he grinned when they fell to my jeans. "Nice jeans, bud."

I grimaced, having the feeling he didn't mean that as a compliment. Before I could say anything, the other guy returned with the four wheeler and Boruto chugged the beer he had before tossing the can in the back of the truck behind us.

I watched as the blond walked to the four wheeler, getting on as soon as the guy hopped off. The newest addition, the girl from the Jeep, came running over to him and he inclined his head in invitation. With a grin, the black headed girl got on behind him and they took off, the thick threaded tires kicking up dirt and dust.

The drinking continued and I found that I actually enjoyed watching the other people drink and socialize. Their accents were interesting and they knew how to have fun, even just being in the middle of nowhere.

After six beer, I couldn't sit down any longer. It had been a while by then and it wasn't long after I was on my feet—still drinking—that the blond returned and the girl with him was now just covered in mud as well. They stopped in front of us and somebody was quick to hand Boruto a beer. He'd been standing on his four wheeler, but he sat down once the girl got off and he started drinking the beer.

"Take me out." Shikadai told him and he lowered the beer from his lips, shaking his head. "Why not?"

"I'm taking the city boy." He said, blue eyes looking to me full of amusement.

"Who the hell is he calling city boy?" I snorted and Iwabe roared out a laugh.

"The only city boy here is you." I glared at Iwabe and crushed the empty can in my hand.

"I'm not a goddamn boy." I growled.

"Ay, come on city boy, lemme take you for a ride." Boruto called and I clenched my fists.

I'd take his ass for a fucking ride.

"You better go, dude. Or else you'll look like a pussy."

The fuck…

Now I was just pissed off, but I walked over to the four wheeler, deciding to give it a chance. Boruto smirked at me and stood up so I could get on behind him. I didn't notice how short he was until I stepped on, however I was even more aware of how downright filthy he was. I sat down and he followed suit, looking back at me—still with the humor all over his dirty face.

"I'm assuming this is your first time."

"So what if it is?" I muttered and he quickly drained the rest of his beer before tossing it into the back of the truck.

"You better hold onto me then."

I cringed just at the thought of touching him—though only because of the mud covering him. When I hesitated, he reached back and grabbed my wrist, pulling my arm around his waist and settling my hand on his stomach. Surprisingly enough, there were abs under all that mud.

"If you don't wanna fall off, hold on, city boy." He said, putting the four wheeler into first gear and pulling off much slower than he had before.

Once he stared speeding up, I wrapped my arms around him, holding on because I damn sure didn't want to fall off. We hit the mud right after we left the open field where everyone was, the trail a complete mess.

Boruto seemed to know what he was doing, even standing at times and moving his body with the four wheeler. The ride was more fun than I thought it would be but I worried we would get stuck as some areas were more muddy than others.

Eventually, it did happen and Boruto was already on his feet, working the machine through the hole we were in. Now he wasn't the only one covered in mud, but I couldn't say I hated it. I wasn't one for getting dirty, this was different though. This was fun.

"Move your ass, city boy!" Boruto shouted over his shoulder, grinning at me.

I got on my feet and did as he did, with my weight added to his the four wheeler worked its way out of the mud and we took off, both of us falling back on our asses and laughing and he bounced through a variety of hills in the mud. I held tight to Boruto, almost wishing he was a bit bigger. Almost.

Certain he probably wouldn't have been so eager to be so close to me if he knew I was gay, I kept that little gem to myself, but couldn't get the truth that I loved his body type out of my head—no matter if he was covered in mud. The height difference between us, his small but cut body and that ass. Yeah, I liked it a lot. Being behind him like this only made it too easy to picture my dick inside of him.

Where the hell is my mind wandering off to?

We reached an area free of mud and Boruto slowed to a stop, shifted down to neutral and then cut the engine. I released him once I realized I was still holding on, and looked around. It wasn't as dark as I thought it would be, which led me to look up and was in awe at the endless stars and the large full moon overhead.

"Better than those city lights?" He asked as he stood up in front of me and started digging in his pocket. "You don't need to answer that, your face did the talking for you." He laughed as he finally pulled a cigarette pack out of his pocket.

"You smoke." I frowned, never having liked the disgusting habit.

"Oh, it bothers you?" He smiled at me and swung his leg over, getting off of the four wheeler and walking a few feet away to light a cigarette. It wasn't long before a strong, familiar smell reached my nose and I gasped at him.

"Is that marijuana?"

"Why you wanna hit it?" He asked before having one himself and I watched in surprise.

"I most definitely do not." I grumbled and he walked back over.

"Scared or trying new things, city boy?"

My jaw tensed before I snapped, "My fucking name is Kawaki and no, I'm not. I used to smoke weed, back in college." I admitted, remembering the dark time for a moment—until the joint was pressed to my lips.

"You need to chill out… Kawaki."

Though my eyes were narrowed on him in annoyance, without thinking about it, I hit the joint a few times and then he pulled it to his lips and I exhaled a load of smoke, coughing all the while.

"Damn… you're not scared at all. Are you?" He chuckled and I finally stopped coughing and took a deep breath, a soft high already settling over me.

"Shit." I shook my head, disappointed in myself for not making a better decision.

"Already feeling it?" Boruto laughed and got back on to sit in front of me, sideways.

"Yeah…" I nodded, not seeing any reason to deny it. I was high as hell, body heavy and almost tingly. I closed my eyes as I soaked in the feeling.

"Don't go to sleep on me." He teased, elbowing me easily in the chest.

"I'm not." I huffed and opened my eyes to glare weakly at him. "I'm ready for a beer though."

"Yeah, me too." He agreed, dropped the piece of joint in his cigarette pack and then started the four wheeler.

When we made it back, Iwabe and a few other guys were funneling beer in the middle of a crowd which we stopped near. I was quick to head for Iwabe's cooler and get a beer, Boruto had gotten one from somewhere else. He came back over to me though and we watched the drinking contest until the finish, with Iwabe being the winner.

"Come on Kawaki, I'll kick your ass too." He called, waving me over and I joined him, more than willing to drink his ass under the table.

"Count me in." Boruto chimed in, joining us.

"No, you don't count." Iwabe shook his head quickly.

"Well, that's rude." I laughed and Boruto did too.

"See, even the city boy doesn't mind."

I wanted to smack him for calling me that yet again, but I didn't have a chance before the funneling began. Boruto finished first, ahead of me by several seconds—and I was fast. He was something else, full of surprises. I liked it.

"Damn it, Boruto. This is why you don't count." Iwabe groaned as soon as he finished and Boruto laughed and started running around, riling everyone up more than they already were.

It wasn't long before him and another guy were wrestling in the mud. A bout of arm wrestling commenced at the same time, and I rolled my eyes at finding out Iwabe could take everyone down. Bastard did have an arm on him, but he wasn't shit to me. He knew it too, which is why he never tried me.

"I bet the city boy can take you down." Boruto said as he came back, pushing Iwabe's last victim aside and taking hold of his arm. "Or maybe I can do it this time."

"I'd break my arm before I let your little ass take me down." Iwabe snorted and then Sarada yelled go and the match began.

Boruto held him for several seconds but Iwabe eventually got him down and Boruto groaned at the defeat.

"Damn, you better save us, city boy." He nodded at me and Iwabe straighten, shaking his head.

"I think I did enough for the night." He said quickly and I laughed, figuring he would pull something like that.

"Ooh, Iwabe is scared of the city boy." Boruto mused and the whole crowd erupted in a round of shit talking.

"I'm not scared goddammit!" Iwabe snapped, flustered. "My arm is weaker after already taking all your asses down."

"Then I'll just take on everybody that you did, and we will be even." I said simply and smirked at the crestfallen look Iwabe gave me.

"Hell yeah!" Nearly everyone shouted and then my own bout of arm wrestling began.

There had been at least ten of them before Boruto took his turn and I was surprised at how strong he was—though I could have slammed his arm down immediately just as I did with everyone else, but I hesitated, wanting to get a good feel of his strength before I finally did slam his arm.

"Damn, city boy has an arm on him." He laughed, rolling his shoulder as he stepped aside for Iwabe to take his place.

"Did you have time to rest?" I asked teasingly and he rolled his eyes as we clasped our hands.

"Shut up." He grumbled poutingly.

Iwabe was strong as hell, always had been. Strong enough that I knew I couldn't let him gain any advantage on me, but I couldn't slam him either. It was a struggle, because he was as determined as I was. It didn't matter, slow as it was, I steadily moved his arm closer and closer to the tailgate until finally his arm gave at the last inch and I got him down.

"Bitch." Iwabe groaned, not taking the defeat lightly.

We all laughed, returned to drinking and I was admittingly having a blast. After a while, Boruto let me drive his four wheeler, but not without him. I didn't go deep in the mud or anything, wanting to be careful even in my intoxicated state. I really liked it. It was so much better than going out to the club.

People left periodically and by the time sun began to rise, the only people left who hadn't passed out were Iwabe, Boruto and myself. We were sitting on Boruto's tailgate, all of us covered in mud and drunk. But we were all happy.

"So what do you think?" Iwabe asked and I could tell by his tone that he was getting tired.

I knew what he was talking about and I nodded solemnly before saying, "I guess it's not so boring here after all."

"Hell no, it's not." Boruto snorted and hopped off to his feet. "Well, I gotta get home and shower. My grandpa is gonna be expecting me in a couple hours."

"Going to help him with the garden?" Iwabe questioned and Boruto stretched.

"Yeah. So ima head home, shower and eat a little something before I head over to his place."

He'd been up all night drinking so I couldn't fathom the fact that he was going to go work in a garden in this heat without sleeping for a bit first. I was certainly ready to pass out.

"Nice meeting you, city boy. Maybe we'll see you again tonight." Boruto smiled at me and I didn't even bother getting offended by the nickname anymore. "Or maybe you can't handle it."

"Whatever." I muttered but did wave halfhearted at him as he rounded his truck and Iwabe and I went and got in his.

It was crazy. This whole life here. I just couldn't wrap my head around it, but that didn't mean I wasn't intrigued. I certainly wouldn't think lesser of this life in the country because these people were nice, they all knew each other and they all knew how to have a good time.

So after getting back to Iwabe's, showering, eating and sleeping half the day, the two of us went to that same spot for another night of drunk, muddy fun.

Once again, Boruto was so covered in mud it was hard to make out what he really looked like, and he was just as lively. I'd heard him say he hadn't slept but a few hours, but it didn't seem to make a difference for him. He was steadily grinning and all over the place. Everybody knew everybody and they all thought a lot of each other. They were more like one big happy family than a bunch of friends.

It was easy to make friends with everybody though, because they were nice. They just wanted to drink and have a good time. As the second night came to a close, I found that I was going to be sad to leave. I'd be so far away and alone, no matter how big or populated my city was.

Iwabe has taken his vacation days for my visit and during the day we didn't do much apart from ride around and see things. We went to the river not far from his house, went to Boruto's grandfather's farm—though he wasn't there and we hung around at his place, doing much of nothing. But it was nice, relaxing and comfortable.

Wednesday morning, I got ready for my meeting, dressing in one of my custom suits Iwabe talked so much shit about. He was still asleep by the time I was ready and I had to wake him up to give me a ride. Luckily he didn't take long to hop up and be ready to take me. I arrived around fifteen minutes early and was taken to the meeting room, where I waited patiently. When the door opened, I stood straightening my suit jacket as I turned to see the man meeting with me.

He was young, bright blue eyes and blond hair pushed back off of his forehead—still damp as if he'd just taken a shower. He smelled good, had nice tanned skin and a big smile as he walked over to me. He was wearing slacks and a white button up with a tie. He extended his hand and I shook it before we sat down and I opened my briefcase.

I introduced myself and opened with my goals for combining the companies we worked for, going into thorough detail of all the pros which outweigh the possible cons by a longshot. He listened intently, paying attention to all the graphs I'd created to show him our rising profits and why they needed us as a partner to grow and expand. He was quiet, having no questions as I presented which was unusual and unsettling. After a while I felt that his stare on me wasn't related to the work on the table. I wasn't even sure if he was listening at this point.

"Do you have any questions for me?" I asked, sitting back in the chair and meeting his gaze.

"Not really." He smiled, casually resting his elbow on the table and propping his chin in his hand.

My brows furrowed despite trying not to get annoyed. I'd put a lot of work into this meeting and I didn't appreciate him taking it lightly. "Then what do you think? Have I covered everything you wanted to know?"

"You know the numbers. It would be foolish of us to turn you down, wouldn't it?" He asked, still smiling. He was attractive and his voice was oddly familiar, though I didn't recognize him.

"If I may be frank, then yes. For a small company like this, it's the chance of a lifetime to partner with us. It's not that you're not doing well without us—it's that you could do better with more promotion. There's a worldwide potential there that we could help you reach."

"Well then, how can I do anything else but agree?" He chuckled and I found the same familiarity tugging at me.

"So you're not going to try and negotiate terms?" I frowned and closed my folder in annoyance.

"Do you want me to?" He grinned and my fist clenched, never had I had a meeting like this before.

"It's not up to me. Maybe you should think about the company you work for." My outburst was very unprofessional, but I didn't even care anymore. He wasn't taking this seriously and it pissed me off.

"But I own the company, so I can do what I want." He laughed and I cringed.

Wasn't expecting that. At all. "Very well." I pulled the contract out of my briefcase and slid it and a pen over to him. "Then all I need is your signature."

"Sounds good." He was still grinning as he picked up the pen and signed his name in every necessary place. It took several moments and then he laid the pen on top of the papers and leaned back in his chair, threading his fingers together behind his head. "We should have lunch to celebrate."

I was in no position to refuse an invitation from the CEO and I couldn't deny that—as annoying as he was—I was attracted to him. "Sure. I hope you'll recommend somewhere, considering I'm not familiar with the town."

"Of course." He nodded and got up, stretching as if he couldn't have been more at ease. These country folk. "I'll take you somewhere nice."

Without even glancing at the signed contract, I packed all my things in my briefcase and followed him out of the meeting room, noting that he had a nice ass but didn't do more than glance. He stopped and spoke to a few people, acting more professional towards them which only confused me. Once we were outside he led me to a new model car that was a sleek black. It smelled brand new on the inside and I commented my appreciation of the car as we got on the road.

"It's alright. My truck is better." He mused and I rolled my eyes discreetly.

Had to be a country thing. These guys and their trucks. Not knowing what to say, I just kept quiet and observed my surroundings as we rode along. I'd sealed the deal with this company, so my job was done. As long as I didn't piss this guy off, I didn't have anything to worry about.

When he'd said he'd take me somewhere nice I assumed we'd be going to a suitable restaurant, I mean the guy did own his own company. Instead we ended up at a small burger joint that looked less than nice. Not pissing this guy off was going to be more difficult than I expected. And why hasn't he told me his name? Should have looked at that signature after all.

"This is the best place in town!" He told me happily as we walked towards the entrance. It certainly wasn't much, but I'd learned that you couldn't judge someone or someplace by looks alone.

"Do you come here often?" I asked as we walked inside, I made sure to open and hold the door for him then followed behind him to a table.

"All the time. It's my favorite place to eat." He said as we sat across from each other at a table. The place was surprisingly clean though it had to be a lone place. "I hope you like burgers."

You could have asked before. "I actually haven't had one in a long time."

"Damn, I don't know how you survive." He chuckled and then rolled his eyes when his phone started ringing. "Can't a guy take a lunch break in peace." He muttered, cutting the phone off and laying it on the table.

This guy…

A waitress pranced over, smiling excitedly at my lunch partner. I recognized her short black hair and dark eyes. Sarada, I think it was.

"Whoa, strange of you to bring a business associate out here. A first, actually." She teased him before actually looking at me and then laughing. "Oh, it's Kawaki, right?"

"Yes." I nodded once and watched as she placed her hand on the guys back, rubbing his shoulders.

"So then it's not a business lunch." She mused. "You guys look great. What'll you have, Kawaki?"

"Whatever he's having." I said because I had no idea.

"Alright, I'm on it." She giggled, scurrying off and my eyes returned to the blue ones across the table.

"That your girlfriend?" I asked, not feeling it was out of line considering how strange this day had been.

He laughed and scratched his chin. "More like my sister. Besides, she knows I'm gay and she accepts it."

Whoa what the fuck? Never in my life had someone so openly spoke of their sexuality to me out of context before. "Well… that's nice."

"Glad you think so." He hummed just before Sarada returned with two glasses of sweet tea. She explained the wait shouldn't be too long and then left to wait on someone else. "So, you still haven't figured out who I am?" He asked after a few moments and I cocked a brow.

I knew he looked familiar but… "I'm sorry, have we met before?" I asked, unable to place his face.

"Damn." He bellowed, running his hand through his hair. "I'm wounded."

"Who are you?" I scoffed, completely fed up with this guy.

"I guess it doesn't matter." He shrugged. "If you don't remember me."

"That's not really fair." I crossed my arms and glared at him. "There's something familiar about you, but I haven't been able to figure out why."

"That's disappointing." He mumbled, amused. "Must be a city boy thing."

My eyes widened when he said that, all the confusion clearing at once. Boruto? No. There was no way in hell. "Maybe it is." I shrugged, feeling unsettled at the probability of this guy being the same blond I'd met, always covered in mud. It wasn't possible. No way that same muddy boy was this clean guy who was a CEO.

"You figured it out, didn't you? So why the denial?"

Damn, was he reading my mind now? "Because. You're so… so clean and nicely dressed and… it's impossible for you to be the same guy who rolled in the mud and liked it."

He laughed and leaned over the table closer to me. "Get you a guy who can do both." He teased, winking at me.

I couldn't help but join in on the laughter. "Well, there aren't any guys like that where I'm from." No Borutos.

"Hm. You could always move here, ya know? Then you'd be all set."

It was an interesting thought. Having time to fuck around with this guy would probably make the move worth it. But my life wasn't here. It was in the city. "It would be nice if it were that simple."

"Ain't it though?" Boruto asked as Sarada came over with our food. Burger and fries. Totally unhealthy, but I wouldn't deny how good it smelled and looked.

"There's no place for me here. Besides, I have a great job." That was really all I did have, but it was enough. I was happy with my life. "It's not bad here though, I wouldn't mind visiting again sometime."

"There are great jobs everywhere, city boy." Boruto said as he grabbed his burger and raised it to his mouth for a bite.

I did the same and was surprised at how tasty it was. "This is good." I told him after I'd swallowed. "And I know that, but that would be a very drastic change for me." Surely I wouldn't do something so extravagant just to get close to a country boy.

"Well, we'll just have to make the most of your time while you're here." He said then and I nodded, though I couldn't help but feel that I would have liked to stay.

I only had three days left, my flight was late Sunday morning and I had no choice but to return home. This wasn't home for me, I did like it here, but I just couldn't stay. It was impossible.

We discussed a bit of work while we ate and Boruto talked about going hunting, something I knew nothing about but I listened since he seemed so excited about it. He even asked if I wanted to tag along and I declined politely, figuring it wasn't for me at all. He wasn't offended and he laughed a lot, his bubbly personality near contagious. It was strange and I hadn't felt this pull towards someone in… Well, ever. I really liked him, but I had to let it go. It wouldn't even do well to try and hook up with him before I left.

After we ate, Boruto offered to take me back to Iwabe's and I agreed. He walked inside once we got there and I sat on the couch, my eyes steadily drifting over to him as he spoke to Iwabe about some ride that was going on Friday. I couldn't believe how different he looked like this, or the fact that I couldn't decide which version of him I liked better.

"So if we start at noon, does that mean you're leaving work early?" Iwabe asked knowingly and Boruto laughed.

"I'm not gonna go in Friday. I'm gonna help on the farm for a few hours that morning though."

Iwabe shook his head with a smile. "You're gonna have to slow down one day, kid."

Boruto shrugged. "One day maybe. Not any day soon though."

It wasn't long before Boruto left, complaining about having to go back to the office. I was still in disbelief and had a lot on my mind while Iwabe and I laid around in the living room watching tv. He'd been talking to me for a while but I hadn't heard a thing he said, too lost in my own thoughts. Until he threw a pillow at me and it hit me in the face.

"What the hell, Iwabe?" I snapped, flinging the pillow back at him.

"You tell me." He scoffed. "Why are you spacing out?"

"I'm not." I argued lamely and he rolled his eyes.

"Don't tell me its Boruto. Fuck, it is. You like him, don't you?"

"What. Pff. No way." I averted my eyes, denying it because I just couldn't accept the fact that I did like him. There was no point in liking him, so why should I?

"Wow. You lying mother fucker." He snorted. "I saw the way you were eye fucking him when he was here. I don't know why you think you need to lie about it."

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "Okay, I'm attracted to him. So what."

"So… maybe you two should hook up." He suggested with a smile. "You should just move down here. You know you'd like it. Can't tell me you ain't bored as hell in the city."

I never thought the city was boring until now. But it was. My life was boring. I worked and that was it. Slept at home. The night life in the city could be entertaining, but I'd grown tired of it and never went out anymore. There was nobody close to me, Iwabe was my only true friend and he was here. But I couldn't just make a move like that.

"You know I can't. I don't belong here."

Iwabe tried to argue me down, but eventually gave up and the two of us did much of nothing for the rest of the day. Thursday was similar, he suggested we rest up for the weekend ahead, saying we'd have an early day and late night tomorrow.

I was up before nine the next morning anyway and had taken a shower, drank a cup of coffee and cooked something for breakfast before Iwabe ever got out of bed. Just before eleven the two of us got on the road, this time after I'd accepted some clothes Iwabe offered me. A white T-shirt and a pair of old worn out jean shorts, and the same boots. It felt like a ridiculous ensemble, but it was fitting.

"Where are we going anyway?" I asked after we'd been riding for several moments, I hadn't asked before but I knew it had something to do with Boruto.

"We're going to meet up with everyone at Boruto's grandpa's farm. We're all gonna ride today, which is why the cooler is full."

I didn't ask anymore questions, keeping quiet and half listening to the radio as we rode along. The farm we arrived at was huge, there were loads of animals and lots of crops. It was a very well maintained farm, so much green and we slowly rode through dozens of apple trees that led towards the house. I was so busy looking around that When Iwabe suddenly slammed on the breaks and the truck came to an abrupt halt, I turned to him in surprise, about to curse him for everything he wasn't worth until I spotted Boruto leaning in the window.

"You bastards are early! Or am I late?" Boruto laughed and then I noticed he was on a horse.

"We're a little early. To make sure you're ready to go before everyone shows up."

"Alright, Alright. I'll wrap it up." He grinned and then looked at me. "Ready to get fucked up, city boy?"

"Hell yeah." I smirked and he slapped his hand down on the door panel, laughing.

"Then let's get to the shop. I'll meet you guys there."

Iwabe nodded and waited for Boruto to ride off before going forward. My eyes followed Boruto until I could no longer see him and fuck I couldn't stand how badly I wanted him.

We pulled up and parked in front of a large barn, a garage right next to it. I got out with Iwabe and followed him towards the barn, smiling slightly at the sight of Boruto jogging through it. He was wearing dirty jeans and a white tank top. He was sweaty and dusty, but not covered in mud. Yet.

"I need to run inside for a minute, y'all can go get the four wheelers out. My cooler is in my truck." Boruto said before running off to the house and Iwabe urged me towards the garage.

"So… you gonna ride with me or Boruto?" Iwabe asked teasingly as we walked into the garage and over to a set of four wheelers. "You take Boruto's out and I'll take mine. I keep it out here because they have more room."

I nodded at the explanation as I got onto Boruto's four wheeler, surprisingly remembering how to work it. I started it and followed Iwabe out and over to Boruto's truck. Iwabe hopped off of his own to grab Boruto's cooler and strapped it onto the back over the bars. Then we rode back to his truck where he did the same with his own cooler to his four wheeler. By then Boruto came running back to us, grinning at me yet again.

The first thing he did was open his cooler and gulp down a beer, looking as happy as he could have. He checked his phone for the time and then slid it back into his pocket.

"Slide back city boy, everybody is probably waiting on us by now."

It was only because I'd absolutely rather ride with Boruto over Iwabe that I kept my mouth shut and did as he said. He was quick to swing his leg over the seat, giving me a face full of ass before he sat down in front of me and crushed his empty can, throwing it in the back of his truck.

"You got gas?" Iwabe asked and Boruto looked over at him and nodded.

"Filled them both up this morning." He grinned his usual grin and kicked it in first gear and took off so fast I had no other choice but to wrap my arms around him to hold on.

I half wanted to kick his ass for nearly giving me a heart attack but it felt too good to be flying down the driveway, the wind blowing my hair like crazy. Iwabe was right beside us and in a matter of seconds, we were at the end of the driveway, facing a couple dozen other four wheelers and atvs loaded down with people and coolers. They were all parked and waiting on us, but Boruto didn't stop, he merely slowed down as he rode through the crowd raising a hand to all of his friends who started filing behind us as we got on the road.

Once I knew I was safe and we were going at a moderate speed, I released Boruto and held onto the bars at my side instead. I certainly didn't want him getting any ideas. Even if I had a few myself.

The day consisted of a lot of riding and more beer than I could drink. I wasn't about to be giving up though, meaning I would keep up with Boruto who no doubt could outdrink anyone of the others tagging along with us. It was a fun time and I got to see a lot that I normally couldn't. We rode through fields of grass and those that were nothing but mud, sand hills too that left me no choice but to hold onto Boruto yet again. We rode along a river, these guys having trails everywhere. It was crazy, nothing like the city.

By the time we returned to Boruto's grandfather's place, we were all covered in mud and drunk enough to never want to quit drinking. We swam in the river at some point, lost our shirts but did manage to get our jeans back on. Only Iwabe followed us once we got so close, the others having planned to meet us at the spot which was where they apparently hung around on the weekends. Every weekend.

Boruto pulled his four wheeler up to his truck and stepped off. I was realizing now why Boruto was such a dirty mess on the weekends and surprised that it didn't turn me off in the least. It was actually the opposite—and he could clean up really nice if he wanted to.

That night was much the same as the previous weekend. We drank too much, rode around in the mud and I was having the time of my life. I never wanted to go home. It had a lot to do with Boruto, as much as I didn't want to admit it. I wasn't the only one that realized he was the life of the party. Never boring. He had no shame and was always happy about everything it seemed.

When a certain song started playing that night, he climbed on his tailgate, raised his beer and started singing and dancing… I knew that nobody else could make me laugh like him. He was damn adorable. I wished I could have spent more time with him.

I made friends with everyone, even if Boruto had easily become my favorite. They were good people and the next day, we spent the day and evening at Boruto's place where we had a cookout and more drinking. Everybody tried to talk me into staying, but as much as I wanted to, I just couldn't. However, I did wish I could and I promised to visit again soon.

Never did I expect to feel so welcome and happy in the country, but I felt more at ease here than I ever had at home in the city. After we ate and drank for a few more hours, I went inside with Boruto to help him clean up the dishes. I didn't want to leave him with a mess considering he had this get together for me.

"We're going to do more damage than good, dirty as we are." I grumbled as we kicked off our shoes on the porch and Boruto laughed.

"You're probably right, but fuck it."

Fuck it. "Shit, you guys can drink a lot." It was hard to keep up and since I did, I was experiencing a level of intoxication I had never reached before.

Boruto shook his head at me as he opened the door and led the way in, way more sure of his feet than I was. "Well we had to go all out for your last night here, didn't we?"

I hummed in agreement as I followed him to the kitchen and we both stared at the dishes for a few moments instead of getting straight to work. "I don't want to go." I admitted after a bit and Boruto looked at me with soft blue eyes and an even softer smile.

"Then don't." He said, taking a step close enough to make me want to agree.

"If only it was that simple." I sighed, reaching up to run my thumb across his muddy cheek. "I would stay if I could."

"Shame. We could have so much fun together." He teased me and before I could stop myself I had him pinned against the wall, trapping him there. He didn't appear surprised in the least, more like he'd been waiting for it. "Go ahead, city boy. Let me change your mind."

"Shut up." I huffed, sliding my right hand to the back of his head and gripping his hair.

He grinned in anticipation and I couldn't stop myself from dipping down, kissing him hard. His arms went around me, pulling me flush against him as he kissed me back with a passion I knew I'd never forget. He tasted earthy, and like beer and I was sure I was much the same. After that initial kiss though, I couldn't pull away. One caress led to another—turning deeper and more intense by the second. He opened up to me, urging me to take more and I did. Our tongues danced around each other in between kisses and slowly, Boruto started melting.

I had to move my arms around him to keep him on his feet and I wedged my knee between his legs purposely which awarded me with a sexy moan. I could definitely give up the city and everything I knew there for him. It was undeniable. He made me crazy as hell and I loved it. This was a new side of him though, to think that he could lose himself so easily—turn into putty in my hands.

Nothing would have pleased me more than taking him and making him mine if only for the night. He was more than willing. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't because I knew if I gave in to my desires, if I had it just once, I would want more. He would definitely change my mind.

I broke the kiss as the realization dawned on me, having to stop myself before it was too late. Then I made the mistake of gazing into those blue eyes, glazed over with longing and I almost dove back in. But I willed myself not to, taking a step back to collect myself and leaving him breathless against the wall.

"I have to go." I said more to myself than him. I had to go now, or I wouldn't be able to.

"Kawaki," Boruto breathed, taking a step away from the wall towards me.

I shook my head, backing away and not letting myself look at him. "I'm sorry." I shouldn't have done that, now I was even more confused. "I'm leaving."

"You're running." He corrected me and I couldn't argue because it was the truth. "What the hell are you scared of?"

"Everything." I admitted quietly, finally allowing myself to look back at him. He didn't want me to go as badly as I wanted to stay. "Thank you, Boruto. I really am glad that I met you."

Boruto couldn't even say anything else and I didn't need him to. I was leaving no matter what and I had to get away from him now or truly risk changing my mind. I found Iwabe outside, he was drunk off his ass but I had sobered up after my little Boruto situation. I told him to get in the truck and he could tell by my tone alone that it wasn't up for discussion and he got in the passenger seat without argument.

He questioned me as I drove us to his place, but I never gave him any answers. I was too stuck in my own head, too busy questioning absolutely everything, too desperate to get away before it was too late.

Even as thoughtful as I was, I didn't have any trouble falling asleep. I didn't get out of bed until the last possible second, getting showered and dressed in record time. Iwabe looked confused and wanted to question me more, but he didn't. He drove me to the airport and our goodbye was not a happy one. I was in a bad mood all the way around and it only worsened when I was in line to board the plane and happened to turn back and see a breathless Boruto standing next to Iwabe.

My face fell and I quickly looked away, hating the fact that he'd come all the way to see me off. He was too much. I wanted him too much. We always want what we can't have. I should have never accepted this business trip—or at least not turned it into a vacation for myself. It was too easy to be happy here, in a place I couldn't stay.

The flight home was long and tiring and there was a sinking empty feeling inside of me even before I made it to my house. I walked in, turning the light on to nothing. Quiet. Lonesome. I didn't want to be here. I had always been content with my life before, but now I just wasn't sure about it. I realized that I didn't even have a life outside of work and I was dedicated to it.

I did nothing more than eat some take out before passing out, waking up the next morning for the return to work. I showered and dressed, making it to work a little early just as I always did. It was the same shit, just a different day. I couldn't be happy about it. Even when I briefed my supervisor on the success of my meeting and securing the contract. I hadn't wanted to discuss it at all, it made me think about Boruto because it was his company. Luckily I had enough paperwork to cover everything and I didn't have to deal with it too much.

My life was boring. Fuck, it was boring. Even work didn't give me enough to do and all too often I was sitting on my couch staring at the wall wondering why the hell I was living like this. I needed some excitement in my life and over the weekend I went out for that reason, but I wasn't at the club for more than an hour before I left. It wasn't the same. I couldn't be happy here, but I just had to deal with it.

I did just that—dealt with it—for weeks and I was going damn crazy. The longer I sat at home, or even work, the more certain I was that I needed that change. I didn't want to live like this and so didn't have to. Hell, I deserved to be happy. I my was just me so it wasn't like it would be too hard to up and move myself. The decision was made so easily. Once I set my mind to it, everything felt a little lighter.

Taking my time to prepare everything was important and it was easier to live since I knew I was making a change. I didn't bother calling Iwabe and talking to him about it, but I spent a few days looking into homes down there until I found one that suited my tastes and I made an offer for it. I put in a notice at work, knowing I could indeed find a job somewhere after my move and I had enough savings to get me by until then without having to worry about anything.

I felt so much better knowing I was finally going to get away from this shit city and move somewhere I could truly be happy for once. I never expected my visit there to change my whole perspective on life, but it did and I wasn't even mad about it. My offer was approved for the house and it would be ready for me within the next week, but I still had a lot to do. Packing and selling my current house had to be done before I could go anywhere.

The necessities were coming with me, but I threw a lot of things away that I didn't need or didn't particularly want anymore. My car had never been packed so full before, but the majority of it was just my clothes. I didn't have very many personal belongings that I cared for and I didn't bother with any furniture or anything. Whatever I needed that didn't already come with the house, I would just purchase after I got there.

I accepted the first offer given to me for my city home and only two days after my last day of work, I started on the long drive down to the country. It was a sixteen hour drive and I did stay at a hotel overnight, but I made good time and arrived at my new home early the following evening. I hadn't spoken to anyone, but I was happy with my decision and I wanted to get settled before worrying about anything else. Including Boruto. It amazed me that I couldn't wait to see that smug grin of his.

The house was nice, fully furnished though there were a few things I would change with time. For now though, it was perfect. It had more bedrooms than I needed, but it would be nice if Iwabe ever wanted to spend a night—or any of my other new friends. I hoped that they would all be happy with my decision and I was sure they would be.

I was tired enough after settling in that I went straight to sleep, waking up early the next morning. It was the middle of the week and now that I was here, I didn't know where to begin. The most obvious thing I should do is go see Iwabe, but he was back to work now and I wasn't sure what his hours were. What I really wanted to do was see Boruto. I needed to apologize for the way I left him because it had been eating at me, he would be currently working as well.

After a little debating and knowing I couldn't wait, I called his company and spoke with his secretary directly, smoothly coming up with an excuse to get a meeting with him. She was flustered and had to briefly speak with him for approval, but Boruto agreed without even knowing it was me. And an hour later, I was in the conference room waiting on him.

I stood beside the door, anxiously waiting on him to walk in like a breath of fresh air. He was right on time, walking in without seeing me. He looked around the table and I moved behind him, closing the door and waiting for him to turn around. He did so slowly, lips parting as he gazed up at me in surprise.

He looked so good, well dressed and clean as he could have been. He smelled great too, wearing a cologne I really, really liked. I didn't even really know him yet, but I was crazy about him. I'd missed him.

"You're here…" He breathed in amazement, unblinking.

"I had to see you." I admitted, forcing myself not to grab and kiss him crazy. I didn't move.

"You came all the way from the big city just to see me?" He chuckled, blue eyes lighting up as they stared into mine.

"Among other things." I nodded once. "Actually I… was hoping we could start over. After I apologize for the way I left. I'm sorry."

He took a step closer to me, smiling. "Other things?" He questioned, ignoring the rest of me words.

I smiled myself and nodded again. "If you're willing."

"For you to run away again?" He laughed lightly and I joined in.

"Nah, I'm here for good this time." I told him, not stopping myself any longer. I reached forward and wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him flush against me. "You changed my mind."

"Took a lot, huh." He hummed happily, moving his arms around my neck. "Does that mean now we can pick up where we left off?"

"Hell yeah it does. I want to get you out of here."

"Ooh, what you trying to do to me, city boy?" He asked teasingly.

"Things unsuitable for the workplace." I promised and he grinned.

"Well, I don't think I can wait." He told me as he pulled me down closer and I stopped just when my lips reached his.

"Then you won't have to." I said, knowing good and well I couldn't wait either.

I kissed him then, not wasting any time backing him up to the table and pushing him down on it. He was more than willing and I'd been itching to have him like this for too damn long. This moment right here only proved that I'd made the right decision and since making this move, I had so much to look forward to. Boruto was going to drive me crazy and make me happier than I could ever imagine being. I knew it.