A/N: This is a pairing I've always been interested in but never thought I'd be able to write well. Nonetheless, I thought I'd give it a shot and I'm starting to find myself pleased with the results, I hope you all will be as well.

Please let me know what you think of this first chapter once you're done, just so I know how this particular story is going in comparison to my other- already successful- ones.

Thanks in advance.

Naruto Uzumaki had lived a life full of surprises, one after the other, so he should really be used to it by now. Planning out his future had never been an option because things always seemed to take their own turn no matter what he did. But, in a way, he was grateful for the random way his life seemed to pan out. All the good things currently filling his life had come about by random coincidence. Every single one. If anything, it was careful planning which caused his problems.

The woman who had taken him in and helped him as a child, Tsunade, had only met him because he had snuck out of the orphanage and just happened to bump into her on his way to the arcade. She'd taken a liking to his attitude and determination and, therefore, decided to adopt him.

He'd only met his best friend, Kiba Inuzuka, as a result of bunking off an English lesson in high school. He'd been hiding from the teachers behind the school's tool shed and Kiba had just happened to show up for a cigarette. They got talking and left that shed the best of friends.

He'd even gotten his job completely by accident after stumbling into an interview whilst trying to find his way to the dry cleaners during an errand for Tsunade. Not wanting to embarrass himself, he just went with it and happened to impress the interviewer so much he was given the job on the spot. At the time he hadn't even known what the job was or where he was expected to work!

So, you see, Naruto's entire life was governed by accidental timing and coincidence. He often just happened to be somewhere when something was happening and he'd slowly learned to live with that. It was actually a nice way of living- it gave him more time and energy to focus on his work and leisure time. Without the constant hassle of trying to map out some kind of path to follow in life, he was left with enough optimism and determination to just go for every opportunity that came up with a smile on his face. Giving up never seemed an option to him. And now, at 20-years-old, he'd still managed to hold onto that part of him since childhood.

However, there was a flaw to the system Naruto's life seemed to follow…

It meant that things would often invade his life whether he wanted to or not, often in the most random places…

"Man, I totally thought we were gonna get busted that time!" Kiba said, trying to hold in his laughter as best as he could as the two of them headed down the corridor together. Naruto was trying not to grin, and remain serious, but hiding his emotions wasn't something the blonde had ever been good at.

"It's easy for you to laugh, dog breath!" He scolded, reaching over to punch Kiba in the arm teasingly. "If you get caught, you just get asked to leave and you can go home. But I'll probably get kicked out for sneaking you in!" Naruto narrowed his eyes as the brunette just laughed at him. Even though he found the whole thing funny, he was trying to raise a serious point.

Naruto lived in a pretty fancy apartment building, thanks to Tsunade's connections, with a variety of cool features and rooms to be enjoyed by residents. This included a gym, which he was particularly fond of. Trouble was, after months of listening to Naruto go on about how awesome the gym was, Kiba had demanded to be snuck in to use it. Naruto had been helping his friend get into the gym for workouts for weeks now, despite the fact it was strictly against the building's rules. This particular day, a member of the building's security had almost caught Kiba and so the two had been forced to make a run for it. It had been pretty funny but it was dangerous.

"Aw, come on. Surely there's, like, three chances or something." Kiba said, shrugging it off as no big deal.

"I've been caught sneaking you into the arcade, the sauna and the pool." Naruto said, counting all the occasions off on his hand. Each one had resulted in a stern warning by the building's owner and the poor young man wasn't sure if he could get off with another one. "I've already had my three chances."

"Chill, man. We just gotta not get caught." The brunette said, making it sound like the most obvious solution in the world. He didn't seem to understand that Naruto's home was at stake. Then again, Kiba had a philosophy of not dwelling on things. He was a daredevil and probably a bad influence on Naruto, but that's why they got on so well in the first place.

"Whatever," the blonde said, shrugging. "I'm just saying, if I get kicked out then I'm coming to live with you."

"Fine by me." Kiba said with a smile. "As long as you respect the rules regarding having chicks round. That means no disturbing me when I'm working my magic, Uzumaki!" The brunette laughed, smacking the blonde over the head playfully. Naruto scowled.

"Oh no…I'm totally gonna cock-block you." He said, rubbing his head soothingly.

"Hm," Kiba hummed, pushing it out of his mind as the two of them walked into the cafeteria together. The cafeteria was the one place in the building that guests could use so there were no worries about Kiba getting caught that time. "You're paying."

"I paid for you last time." Naruto reminded him, scowling slightly.

"Yeah, but your job pays better than mine so it's only fair." And, with that, the blonde knew there was no point in arguing further so he fetched his wallet from his pocket with a dejected sigh.

"Just pick something cheap, alright?"

Naruto should have known better than to waste his breathe even asking. Kiba was the only other person Naruto had met who could equal him in terms of the amount he could eat. A simple sandwich for lunch wasn't enough to satisfy either of them, so having to pay for two huge meals wasn't exactly easy-going. But Naruto knew that his friend wasn't just using him or taking advantage so he didn't mind paying every now and then.

"You're so lucky," Kiba said, voice slightly muffled by the packet of crisps he was carrying in-between his teeth. "this place does the best food." He nodded down to his tray to prove his point as he placed it down on the table.

"Yup!" Naruto grinned, sliding into the seat. "Old man Teuchi makes the best food ever! Especially his ramen!"

"You and ramen…" Kiba chuckled, shaking his head as he sat opposite the excited blonde, who quickly started digging into his first bowel of ramen like he hadn't been fed for weeks. Naruto did nothing but smile around his mouthful. Most would be excited to sit with him due to his table manners, but everyone in the building was used to seeing it by now and Naruto somehow managed to get away with it- people even thought it was cute.

"Tough luck, kid!" Teuchi's voice boomed out, catching Naruto's intention instantly. The blond glanced to the side, over at the counter, as he chuckled to himself. He'd heard those very words directed to himself many times- it meant someone didn't have enough money.

"S-sorry…" a small voice murmured, trembling slightly.

"Don't need to apologize," Teuchi said with a smile on his face. "just make sure you bring enough money next time, okay?"

"O-okay…" The boy turned, stepping into Naruto's line of sight. And, for some reason he couldn't explain, Naruto couldn't look away.

The kid was small- like he hadn't had a good meal for a while- and pretty scruffy. He had dark hair, ruffled and messy, and his clothes were too big for him, grubby and ripped. Naruto also couldn't help but notice some scratches and cuts littering the pale skin. All in all, despite being pretty handsome, the boy looked a mess. Not a mess as in homeless-looking, but he seemed as though he was struggling to make it through life. Naruto couldn't quite work out his age, though it was obvious he was younger than himself and Kiba, so it was hard to judge whether he still lived with his parents or had just moved out and was finding it hard to make ends meet. Either way, Naruto couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

"Ya think he's okay?" Naruto asked, watching as the boy plopped down at a table- empty-handed.

"Mind your own business, dude." Kiba whispered, only briefly glancing the kid's way. "if he's in here then he probably lives in this building, so life can't be too bad."

"Yeah, I know…it's just…" the blonde trailed off, keeping an eye on the boy as he sat there by himself. Part of Naruto wanted to offer to buy him something to eat, but the other part knew Kiba was right. It was none of his business and anyone who could afford this building's monthly rent couldn't be struggling that much. There must have been a good reason for his appearance and as for the money…Naruto himself had forgotten to bring his money plenty of times. That was it.

"Anyway, my shift at the shop starts in half an hour." Kiba announced, ramming as much food down as quickly as possible. "So I'm gonna make a move. I'll see ya tomorrow after work, 'kay?" The brunette said, jumping to his feet and swiping up a few of Naruto's snacks.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled, pouting as his 'friend' rushed out the door without another word. Sometimes he could kill Kiba…or at least seriously injure him…

Naruto finished eating his lunch, every-so-often glancing over at the lonely kid, in silence. He knew full well he shouldn't give a damn about some random stranger who wasn't his responsibility, but he couldn't help being a little curious. Curiosity was a major driving force in the young man's life and something he often couldn't resist. But he knew better, thanks to Tsunade's teachings, than to stick his nose in someone else's business. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't do a little recon just to satisfy and ease his curious mind a bit.

"Hey, thanks for the food, old man." Naruto said, returning his tray with a grinning.

"No problem, Naruto." Teuchi replied, smiling at his favourite customer. "Shame you got stuck paying again."

"That's damn moochers for you." The blonde muttered, shaking his head as he made a mental note to get Kiba back later. "Anyway, what's with that kid?" Naruto asked, dropping his voice to a gentle whisper as he leaned over the counter. The last thing he wanted was for the stranger to hear him and kick up a fuss or something…even though he didn't look like he'd hurt a fly…

"Oh, him?" Teuchi whispered, nodding towards the kid. "Don't know his name. Been here two weeks, moved in with his boyfriend as far as I know."

"Boyfriend?" Naruto repeated, blinking a few times as the word slowly sunk into his head. He hadn't expected that…that was for sure…The kid just looked too innocent to be in a relationship with anyone at all.

"Yeah, I don't understand that sort of thing but…"

"You're such a homophobe!" Naruto accused, sticking his tongue out. He didn't expect to be smacked round the head with a spatula.

"I said I didn't understand it, not that I'm against it!" Teuchi growled, not wanting rumours going around his customers. "Still, gay and straight I can sort of see but…now there's all kinds of sexuals. Which one are you again?"

"Bi." The blonde whispered, rolling his eyes.

"And what's that mean?"

"Can we, er, not have this discussion…please…?" Naruto muttered, blushing furiously. "What's the deal with the kid though?"

"You mean, why's he look like such a mess?" The chef asked, nodding knowingly. "No idea. When he first moved here he was dressed all nicely and he's normally fine…but every now and then I see him wandering round looking like that."

"Huh…" Naruto glanced towards the kid, only to find him staring back. Quickly, he diverted his eyes and prayed he hadn't been caught looking. "So…" Naruto leaned in, whispering lowly. "what's his name?"

"I dunno." Teuchi replied, shaking his head. "Why? You taken a liking to him or something?"

"Old man," the blonde scrunched his nose up. "please, not all of us are as perverted as you!" Teuchi just laughed heartily, smacking his favourite customer over the head with the spatula again.

"Get out of here, Naruto!"

"Alright, alright!"

It was another two days before Naruto saw the boy again. Work had really kept him busy lately and his boss insisted he stay longer hours to help, with the promise he'd make it up to him. Kakashi Hatake wasn't the worst boss in the world- he was actually pretty cool- and Naruto's job wasn't that bad either, it just got busy sometimes.

Naruto Uzumaki worked in an office building as Kakashi's personal assistant. His boss was the city's best contract distributor. Working for him was a great experience and Naruto was damn lucky to have got the job, but it was sometimes a great deal of work.

So, as he dragged his feet out the elevator at 10pm that night, he couldn't help but wish he had a job as simple and easy as Kiba's. Kakashi had kept him working pretty damn hard all evening and night, leaving him without an ounce of energy in his body. All he wanted to do was stumble into his apartment and sleep, sleep, sleep until he could sleep no more. His boss had promised he'd let him go home early the following day as thanks but the blonde couldn't help but suspect that wasn't true. The current deal they were working on was a difficult one and needed a lot of paperwork completed. It was going to be a long week…

Naruto was glad when he reached the end of the hallway, wrapping his fingers around the handle of his front door and quickly unlocking it so he could get to his much-needed bed. It was just as he opened the door, however, that he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. His curiosity overruling his exhaustion, the young man turned his head to see what had snapped up his attention so cruelly.

It was the boy.

The same boy from the cafeteria was sat on the windowsill at the end of the hallway by himself, eyes staring intently at his own lap- as though he were lost in deep thought. The kid was wearing clothes in better shape this time, though Naruto still noticed a few tears and rips, but he had a look of such deep sadness on his youthful face…that sadness plagued him, made him seem unhealthy.

The kid seemed to sense himself being watched, snapping out of his thoughts and glancing up nervously. For a moment, those onyx eyes of his glimmered with fear, before it vanished and was replaced with relief. No words passed between the two of them, but Naruto offered a small, tired nod his way and, in return, he received a tentative smile- one which was unsure and so small that Naruto hardly noticed it.

With the tiny exchange done, Naruto turned and stepped into his apartment. He was far too exhausted to worry about whatever was on some random kid's mind, let alone allow that worry to stop him from catching up on sleep he so desperately needed. And so, with a somewhat clear conscience, Naruto stripped down and went straight to bed- falling into a deep slumber almost immediately.

Naruto had slept a little too deeply that night, managing to sleep through his alarm clock twice in the morning. By the time he was up and getting ready, he was incredibly late and beginning to panic. His boss had no qualms about being late and giving the most ridiculous excuses, but he never tolerated his assistant showing up any later than him. If Naruto did, any chance of getting home early that night would be completely destroyed.

Rushing out of his front door, swearing under his breath frantically, Naruto didn't even acknowledge the boy on the windowsill and thought nothing of it as he rushed down the hallway…that was, until he was stood, alone, in the elevator. It was only then, as that annoying music played over and over whilst he bounced on the spot impatiently, that Naruto actually screwed his face up in a mix of confusion and concern.

The boy had been on the windowsill, this early in the morning, wearing the same clothes as the night before. Had he been sat there all night? Why? Did it have something to do with what was bothering him earlier? Why did that worry Naruto so much? If some random kid wanted to stay up next to a window all night then that wasn't his business. Some people were just odd.

And, all the way to work, Naruto desperately tried to convince himself that it was a waste of time even thinking about it…that the boy had nothing to do with him…that he should focus on his own life.

Naruto sighed heavily, one hand shoved in his pocket whilst the other carried a stack of reports Kakashi wanted him to go over in his own time, as he stepped out of the elevator. To his surprise, his boss had kept his promise and let him go home early to make up for the late night before. That much should have made Naruto happy, but the looming papers in his hand just acted as a constant reminder that he'd still be working- just in a different place.

"Damn Kakashi, dumping his workload on me." He muttered under his breath as he made his way down the hall.

…

However, all thoughts of Kakashi and the reports he had to go over completely vanished from Naruto's mind as he almost tripped over the figure hunched next to apartment door. In the midst of his inner rantings, the blonde had completely failed to notice that the boy wasn't on the windowsill…he'd instead chosen to slump down by Naruto's door, legs strew across the hallway, still wearing the same clothes he'd been in since the night before.

It took a moment of thought, and a few confused blinks, before Naruto nudged the kid with his foot. The boy seemed to be sleeping, but Naruto couldn't just leave him there in the hallway, especially next to his door.

"Hm?" The boy's eyes fluttered open, fear and panic crossing his face for just a moment before he recognized Naruto.

"Hey, kid. What are you doing outside by apartment?" The young man asked, starting to get suspicious, as he cocked an eyebrow. What exactly was this guy up to?

"Oh, I er…I m-mean…" the kid scrambled to his feet, stepping out of Naruto's way as he stared dejectedly at the ground- a slight blush forming on his cheeks. Despite the boy's cuteness and his look of innocence, Naruto couldn't help but remain suspicious of his intentions. However, he wasn't about to intimidate the boy, especially not after realising just how large his own body- fully grown and well-toned- appeared next to the kid's. "…w-well, you see…I saw you leave a-and…you forgot to lock your door so I…well, I didn't want anyone t-to steal your stuff or anything."

"…" Naruto stared at him in bewilderment. The boy's answer was just too innocent. It was either a lie…or this guy was far too naïve and pure hearted for his own good. "Thanks, I guess," the blonde mumbled, not really knowing what to say. The boy's sudden relief and tiny- ever-so-tiny- smile in response didn't go unnoticed.

"I-I'll just…go…" And with that, the dark-haired youth scrambled off down the hallway towards the elevator without a glance back- leaving Naruto very curious and very confused.

Shaking his head, Naruto stepped into his apartment and tried to ignore the thoughts that kept pestering him. He was feeling stupid for not questioning the boy further and demanding a more satisfying answer; he was feeling guilty for not asking the kid if everything was alright and he was feeling very confused about what he was supposed to do in this mess. What the hell was life trying to throw at him this time?

After the incident in the hallway, Naruto didn't see the kid for almost a month and he was just starting to get over the initial confusion and shock. You can't go worrying and pining over every single person you meet- that just isn't healthy. So, even though it took a lot longer than it should have, the blonde was getting over the whole thing. Or at least he thought…

Kakashi had made Naruto stay late again- the first time in a few weeks- and time had completely escaped them. By the time the blonde returned to his apartment building, it was nearing midnight and he was at that stage where you're so tired that your body can't get to sleep- if that makes sense. So, instead of heading up to his apartment, he decided to make his way to the first floor to Ichiraku's Cafeteria instead. The place was open until 2am on weekdays so it gave him the opportunity to sit with something to eat and drink and go over the assignment the boss had given him. Teuchi never covered the nightshifts, so he knew he'd have to deal with the rather rude teenager they had covering the counter, but it was worth it.

What Naruto didn't expect though, was to find someone else in the cafeteria at such a time. It wasn't the fact there was someone else…it was who it was that surprised him…

The boy with brown hair and onyx eyes. The one who'd been plaguing Naruto's thoughts for a while- the one he'd almost forgotten about. He was there, sat by himself at a table without any food or drink with him.

"Alright…" Naruto muttered under his breath, deciding to finally get some answers before he was driven insane by all the questions he had bubbling in his head. He couldn't take it anymore!

It was when the boy stared at him with wide eyes and a horrified expression on his face that Naruto began regretting his decision…but he couldn't back out now. He offered an awkward smile as he slipped into the seat opposite the kid- trying desperately not to freak him out or scare him.

"Hey," Naruto said, feeling more awkward and uncomfortable than he ever had before- even more so that during his accidental job interview with Kakashi. He cleared his throat, placing the papers from work on the table, before he went on. "I'm Naruto…Naruto Uzumaki."

"Er…i-if you're m-mad at me-"

"No!" The blonde cut in, a little too loudly. The grumpy teenager at the counter shot him a nasty glare, not that that bothered Naruto too much. What bothered him was the way the boy flinched, as though worried he was about to be…hit…?

…The bruise…

The boy had a fresh bruise on his right cheek and quite a nasty one at that. Naruto didn't know how he hadn't noticed it before but he sure as hell noticed it now. Just what was going on? Why was this kid always on his own? Why did his clothes look so worn and torn? Why didn't he have enough money to pay for food if he could afford to live here? Why was he so nervous all the time?

"I mean…no, I'm not mad." Naruto clarified, offering a forced smile to try and calm the boy. To put it simply- it didn't seem to work. "I just wanted to say hi, that's all."

"…" No response.

"So…you gonna tell me your name?"

The boy hesitated, with an expression which suggested he was thinking hard about it before he finally opened his mouth to reply timidly.

"K-Konohamaru."

"Nice to meet you, Konohamaru." Naruto said, rolling the name off his tongue experimentally. It certainly seemed to suit the boy, at the very least.

"I…er, I g-gotta go."

"Wait!"

But it was too late.

The boy, Konohamaru, jumped to his feet a ran out of the cafeteria without another word or so much as a glance. Despite his efforts, Naruto had managed to scare him off before getting any real answers to his pestering questions. He now felt horrible. He didn't mean to frighten the boy but, from the way he saw it, it seemed almost impossible not to frighten him! The kid was so jumpy and timid…but why…?

"Konohamaru." Naruto whispered to himself, remembering that he had managed to get at least one answer. He knew the kid's name. That had to be something, didn't it? Now he knew he wouldn't be able to just forget Konohamaru, not after learning his name. He had no choice but to find some way to get the answers to his other questions…and soon…

A/N: There you go- first chapter done.

What did you all think? For anyone who's used to this sort of cliché story, you may have already figured out where this is going but I'm sure there will be plenty of surprises. Unlike my other stories, this one features a lot of timeskips so things should progress far quicker than I am (and my readers are) used to. I'm not planning this story to be long like my others, but I'll be making sure to make it worthwhile and all my plans seem to change anyway so nothing is set in stone.

Please let me know what you thought by reviewing.

Thank you.