A/N: Sorry for the wait. I didn't really have the will to sit down and type slowly. Surprisingly, once the words come, the typing gets faster. Well, the last part where I didn't make any sense not so much. Kind of obvious who the boss is haha. Am I derailing too much from the NaruHina?

Stupid Kiba.

Naruto was going to storm back into Kiba's house to give him shit for pushing him out the window, but when he heard violent crashing and a loud roar inside—also something that sounded like Kiba's pained whimper—he quickly got up and ran. What in the world was Kiba's sister mad about? He didn't think it was his study session with his friend though.

When he opened the door and let himself in Sasuke's apartment, Naruto was greeted by the sight of Hinata and Sakura sitting on the couch. He gently shut the door and made his way further into the room.

"Hey, Naruto," Sakura said and Naruto motioned a hand to say hi. He glanced over at Hinata and nodded, acknowledging her.

"Can you check me?" Naruto ask, jerking his head to the bathroom and went straight into it hearing Sakura follow after she excused herself from Hinata.

Sakura looked him up and down, putting her hands on her hips as she huffed. Naruto sat down on the toilet seat.

"Kiba pushed me out the window," he said and Sakura arched a brow. He chuckled lightly and got to explaining. "We took a break from studying and played games until his sister came home."

"Ah." Sakura made a sound as if that was all she needed to hear. Seeing Naruto's curious expression, she shook her head. "You don't need to know."

The last and only time those two actually enraged Kiba's sister was in high school and it was best Naruto didn't remember what happened. Well, Naruto was the one to make her snap, but Kiba was just as guilty for bringing the guy over…They were lucky to escape death with a minor concussion.

"Don't worry about Kiba though, he'll be fine. Hana doesn't get as mad as she used to when you guys slacked off."

Naruto scoffed, "I don't think I'm too worried. But…I heard some pretty loud crashing. If that's not her being mad, then I don't know what to say."

"Kiba probably pissed her off. It doesn't have to do with studying." Sakura bent down and took Naruto's arm in her hand. She cupped the side of his face, turning it to inspect different angles.

"You look fine. Tell me if I touch a spot that hurts," Sakura said and began pressing her friend's arm in multiple areas, going further up while looking for any signs of discomfort on Naruto's face.

"Ow, ow. That hurt a little."

Immediately, Sakura loosened her grip and brushed her thumb over the back Naruto's elbows. She felt around, touching carefully.

"It's a bruise, you'll be fine. You don't look disoriented either, but check with the hospital incase," she said and stood.

"Thanks Sakura." Naruto grinned up at her. Sakura looked at him and sighed. She could never stay angry at him for long. It wasn't his fault he got into trouble often. Trouble often found him.

"Is everything okay?" Hinata asked, peeking into the bathroom.

"He's fine, maybe lost a couple of brain cells."

"Yeah, I'm good. Just got bruised, nothing bad," Naruto said and directed the grin at Hinata. "So how are you? Get enough sleep this time?"

Hinata jumped, realizing what he was referring to and looked sheepish. "Sorry for falling asleep during our conversation and I'm good as well."

"No problem, I don't mind. Eat when you're hungry, sleep when you're tired. That's how things work right?"

"And study when you have an exam the next day," Sakura commented and Naruto ignored her. He got off the toilet seat and stretched his arms above his head, breathing out in contentment as the knots in his joints came undone. He hid a slight wince when he moved.

Before Naruto could shuffle past Hinata and into the living room, a finger poked him. He took a step back, blinking at his friend. Did she just…?

"This time isn't your fault so I won't tell you off," Sakura started as she retracted her hand from below Naruto's forehead in between his eyebrows. "But be careful in the future. Neither of us want you ruining yourself by being reckless."

The soft smile she gave him had a hint of sadness in them and Sakura turned Hinata by her shoulders, guiding the other to the living room.

"Now let's go find a movie to watch together on Netflix," Sakura said, leaving Naruto in the bathroom alone. Hinata glanced back, hesitant whether or not to say something and decided to stay quiet. It felt like there was a hidden meaning behind Sakura's words, something personal that was only shared between Sakura and Naruto and there was no place for her to intrude. Somehow it was lonely to know that she was absent for the majority of his life. Hinata thought she'd like to get to know Naruto more and maybe it was because he'd been her childhood crush. Not that that changed now that she'd seen him again.

Time was ticking and it pushed Hinata to be bolder and braver than she ever had been. She wasn't the her ten years ago. Now was now. Perhaps Hanabi's teenage personality was rubbing off on her. What was the phrase she used a lot again? You only live once. That was it.

Once the two women were settled into the couch again, a chuckle left Naruto. He leaned against the doorframe, a hand holding his mouth and looked over to stare at Sakura's pink hair. A faint flush painted his cheeks. God did he feel loved. To be honest, he hadn't gotten into any fights that would get him hurt in a long time and when he was reminded just a second ago that Sakura and Sasuke were still worried about him…

Underestimating Naruto in a fist fight was unimaginable: he wasn't weak and if both parties ended up hurt, they were the ones worse off. Sure, he was sucky in the beginning getting punched into pulp, but it was insulting to even think he was being worried over for injuries he brought upon himself. His friends thought he wasn't careful enough and too reckless. Fast forward to the present, Naruto couldn't dream of being offended. Man were Sakura and Sasuke precious to him.

He made his way to the couch, catching a snort coming from Sakura. It was probably for his coloured cheeks. He smiled and shrugged.

"So what're we watching?" Naruto asked and plopped down onto the couch, beside Hinata since Sakura took the edge seat.

"You can pick," Sakura answered and threw the remote at Naruto. He hummed, browsing through the titles when he stopped. The cursor lingered there, a highlight around the movie poster.

"Oh damn. I love this title," Naruto muttered. Sakura lifted her gaze to check what Naruto picked and went rigid. He fished his phone out and dialed Sasuke up.

"What're you—" Sakura wanted to ask and shut her mouth. Wow, yes of course Naruto would call her boyfriend for something like this.

After a few rings, the line was connected.

"What do you want, make it quick."

"I found the perfect series title to shove in your face," Naruto said, repressing his urge to laugh. The line went dead and he brought the phone away from him to make sure. The bastard hung up on him. He called the guy again.

"Why'd you hang up? I didn't say anything yet. I know you're on break, you prick," Naruto said as soon as Sasuke picked up.

"I told you not to call me when I'm at work, but you don't listen do you. Spit it out or I'm hanging."

"Wait, I got it okay. Hear this, the show's called Orange Is the New Black. Get it? Story of my life and the end of yours." He lashed out in laughter, pounding a fist in the armrest of the sofa. He waited for a reaction from Sasuke and instead heard another man's voice in the background.

"Mr. Uchiha! What the fuck do you think you're doing before a bust?" There was a muffled noise of Sasuke dropping his phone to his side and a click sounded.

"I'm on an important phone call. What do you think you're doing shouting before a bust?" came Sasuke's retort and Naruto kept silent. Okay, so he wasn't on break like he usually was at this time.

Pressing his ear to the receiver, Sasuke said, "No, it's nothing. Just some co-worker making a fuss in front of a door where we're supposed to do a bust. Yeah, bye dad."

He tilted his head back in defiance, challenging his co-worker. The man zipped his mouth, not wanting to argue a call from the Uchiha's father was not of importance.

Naruto blinked and stared at his phone. Did Sasuke just call him dad?

In the end, they didn't watch Orange Is the New Black due to Sakura's insistence that they don't. She said it'd scare him and Hinata, which he didn't really understand because how scary was an all female prison story? From what he could see from the cover picture, it was comedy or something and not horror. Sakura was acting suspicious too. Did she and Ino watch it before?

Later in the evening, Sasuke came home. With a deadpanned face he asked Naruto a question like he was stupid.

"Did you land yourself in jail?"

Sakura and Naruto stared back at Sasuke from the sofa—Hinata had to go for a family dinner.

"What?" was all Naruto could utter.

"Orange? You going to a jail that has an orange prison uniform right?"

"No, I was talking about the tv show," Naruto said.

"Not gonna bail you out if you did." Sasuke huffed as he loosened his tie and strode into the kitchen to get water.

"Heartless," Naruto replied, holding a hand to his chest as if he was pierced through the heart with a knife.

"It was a joke," Sasuke said and set the glass of water down. He went to Sakura and circled his arms around her neck from behind the couch.

"Welcome home," Sakura murmured and caressed his forearm.

"Yeah," Sasuke mumbled and the two moved to peck the other's lips.

Heh. Lovebirds.

Walking down the streets wasn't so chilly that Naruto had to wear another layer over his t shirt now that the weather was becoming more like what it should be for spring. He threw his arms behind his head and strolled through the city without a destination. A delicious smell had him backtracking a couple steps, mouth watering. He ordered a bowl of ramen and sat on a stool, waiting for his food. Naruto was starving. Even ramen that wasn't Ichiraku's didn't prevent him from eating at the shady street stall he'd never seen before.

He wasn't listening to his surroundings and was shaking his leg in impatience as his ramen was slipped into the bowl. The chef placed the steaming bowl in front of him and he broke the disposable chopsticks to dig in when he heard the guy next to him let out an annoyed noise.

"Hah? What did you say we had to do? Yeesh, more work."

Naruto craned his neck, noodles hanging from his mouth to look at the guy. His eyes widened.

"Deidara!" he shouted, almost spitting the curly noodles on the blond's face. Deidara's fingers slipped and pressed a button that ended the call. He turned, feeling like he should bash this rude stranger's face in. His boss was gonna skewer him for cutting him off mid-sentence like that.

"Naruto?"

"Hey, how are you? I didn't know you were back." Naruto swallowed his ramen then drank some of the soup base.

"I didn't know either. It was an urgent job, un," Deidara said and shrugged.

"So much for the vacation, huh?"

"Fickle boss. What can I do, un." Deidara grunted in distaste. One moment his boss would tell him he had to get somewhere asap and the next he'd be yelled at for being at the wrong place doing the wrong job.

Naruto laughed. It's been a while since he'd heard his friend's un, un, at the end of his sentences. He talked into his bowl, continuing to eat his food, "Well somebody needs to get laid."

Deidara coughed, choking. "No. I don't think he does," he responded. The man had to be in his sixties! "Are you telling me you need to get laid?" he asked and this time Naruto choked.

"No!" Naruto blurted, his face turning a little red. Deidara waved a hand in dismissal, looking unfazed.

"Don't worry about it. I heard it from the young Uchiha."

That was worse. So Sasuke was running his mouth about his lifestyle to everyone? At least Naruto was aware of it. Sasuke didn't know he was friends with Deidara.

"What kind of job are you doing?" He changed the topic quickly to avoid being on the spot. He didn't exactly need another person poking their noses in his non-existent sex life. It seemed to work as Deidara thought.

"An art piece that'll blow people away when they see it, un," Deidara announced, throwing his hands to act like explosives. A flash ran across his eyes and Naruto recognized it as excitement. His friend loved to talk about his work where he created masterpieces and how art was an explosion. He didn't really get what Deidara meant though.

"You gonna tell me who your lame boss is yet?" Naruto asked after Deidara finished his heated descriptions of explosions. He was oddly detailed in them.

"Confidentiality, Naruto," Deidara chided, wagging a finger. "But I guess a description wouldn't hurt."

It was harmless fun. If by chance Naruto found someone by that same description and got himself into trouble by interrogating the man if he knew Deidara or not, it would be hilarious. Naruto was Naruto and he probably wouldn't find the man. Even if the man was close by him…What did Deidara care? If he could see his boss annoyed, it would be interesting and technically, he didn't tell Naruto his name so no trouble there. He secretly wished Naruto would feed his boss hell—get his boss in trouble.

A long mane of hair who wore collared shirts often and held a pompous aura around him. Naruto swore he could visualize the man, but filed the description into the back of his mind for later.