The Yellow Flash

Naruto grabbed his keys and slammed his car door shut. His black dress shoes clicked across the parking garage as he hurried towards the elevators. He had his briefcase held close to his hip while his black and burnt orange striped tie lay askew across his brown trench coat. Pulling out his thick-rimmed glasses, Naruto put them on before anyone could have the chance to see him without them.

As he hoofed it across the parking garage, he could hear his internal clock ticking, a constant reminder that he was running late, a half hour, and Itachi was going to have his ass for it. Maybe he needed to send out a farewell letter to his family and friends before seeing the boss. Itachi could be lenient about some things, but lateness wasn't one of them.

When Naruto reached about halfway to the elevator, he realized he had left the brown paper bag inside his car.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Naruto doubled back, walking quickly back to his car. He took out the keys and unlocked the door with the key fob.

Yanking the door open, he leaned over to the passenger side and grabbed the bag from the seat. Itachi had texted him an interesting shopping list this morning and asked him to stop by and pick up a few things before work. It was bad enough he was late, let alone if he forgot to bring the very thing asked of him. Naruto loved his job and didn’t mind helping his boss out, but the shopping list was seriously messed up.

He didn't look forward to the talk he would have to have with Itachi about asking him to pick up some very personal items from three different places no less. The name brands on the list were so damn specific that he knew his boss would be pissed about anything less but it crossed the lines of Personal Assistant and what his job entailed in Naruto's opinion.

Tucking those thoughts away for later, he whipped around, clicking the fob to lock up his car and broke out into a jog. Walking fast would no longer cut it. When the elevator came into full view, he finally allowed himself a small relieved sigh that it was almost over.

Naruto jammed his finger on the elevator button and tapped his foot against the ground as he impatiently waited for the door to open. “Come on. Come on, already.”

The door slid open and Naruto quickly stepped inside, hitting number 20, the top floor where Itachi would most likely be waiting for him with a look of disappointment on his face. The doors slid shut and hummed, moving upward. Sighing again, he flopped against the wall, thankful to be alone.

Most of his coworkers ignored him. He wasn't cool enough for the 'In' crowd and too busy to really bother going out with them anyway. His cousin worked here too, but she worked on the seventeenth floor so they didn't see each often at work. Other than Sakura, he usually kept to himself, all a part of his intentional low profile.

The elevator suddenly stopped, jarring him from his thoughts. Naruto stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hallway, bypassing the reception area for the floor. He nodded politely to the woman working the switchboard and turned left. There were a few offices down this hallway, mainly for management. The end of the hallway led to his office then Itachi’s.

Sliding his employee card into the key code, Naruto walked over to his desk, set the brown paper bag down, and took off his trench coat. He fixed his tie and smoothed out his white shirt, making sure it was still tucked into his pants.

He glanced over at the empty coffee pot he kept on a small cart and scowled. There was no way he’d survive the day without a few cups. Just when he reached over to grab the pot and get it started, he heard the phone on his desk beep. Naruto picked it up, knowing it was probably Itachi.

“Naruto, get in here, now.” The phone went dead before Naruto even had a chance to respond. He heaved out the loudest and most dramatic sigh he could muster.

Of course he wouldn't get a second to sit down and relax. Naruto reluctantly backed away from the coffee cart, grabbed the scandalous brown paper bag, and walked in Itachi's office, gently closing the door shut behind him. Looking up at Itachi, he prepared himself for a lecture on the importance of being on time.

“Sorry I’m late.” Naruto pushed his glasses up and handed Itachi the shopping bag, glad to finally be rid of it and the myriad of dirty thoughts it caused him to have. “But, um… when you get a minute, maybe we can discuss this kind of shopping in private? I.. I'm not sure it's appropriate for you to ask me to get those kinds of things for you.”

Itachi stood behind his desk, wearing a navy blue suit and black tie with a frown on his face. He took the bag and looked at Naruto disapprovingly. “I didn’t realize having you stop and pick up some office supplies would be an issue, Naruto.”

“Huh?” He took a startled step back and shot Itachi an incredulous look. Office supplies? That was not what had been on that list. Naruto watched Itachi slowly open the bag and realized there had been a mistake.

Some weird horrible mistake that could only happen to him for some bizarre weirdo reason and would only end up embarrassing them both. He didn't know how or why but he should have known better and double-checked the list with Itachi before purchasing the items.

Naruto stuck his hand out in an attempt to stop Itachi from seeing what was inside. “Uh, maybe you shouldn’t open that then because—”

“Nonsense, you’re going to need some of these things for today.” Itachi held his right hand up, not bothering to let Naruto finish and dumped the contents of the bag onto his desk.

A bottle of Liquid silk and a box of Crown condoms lay haphazardly next to the Aveda Pure-formance shampoo and conditioner bottles. The Men’s Oak body wash and OPI black nail polish both rolled towards Naruto. Menscience advanced deodorant and Burt’s beeswax settled neatly in the middle of the pile.

No words could adequately express the amount of awkwardness that instantly enveloped them both. Naruto highly doubted he'd be using any of those things today.

His face felt warm and his nerves were shot. With a long morning of running around and finding all this crap, the last thing he wanted was make the situation worse. If it had been anyone else but Itachi he could have laughed it off.

He really liked Itachi, though, despite how difficult it was working for him sometimes, and even though a part of him wanted to laugh anyway to cut through the awkward silence, he knew he'd end up regretting it later.

“That one,” Naruto said quietly while pointing to the bottle Liquid Silk. “That one was really hard to find in that brand—" he rubbed the back of his neck and pasted on the best smile he could cobble together given the circumstances—"I, um, had to, uh, do a Google search from my phone and then go to Sears, and the sales lady was really nice and helpful, but it took forever to—”

“That’s enough.” Itachi cut Naruto off and began shoving the shopping items back into the bag as if his life depended on making all the contents disappear.

“S-sorry, sir.” Naruto looked up at Itachi through his bangs. There was no way he could look Itachi in the eyes right now. “I didn’t mean—"

“My apologies, Naruto. I had sent you the wrong list. It was my fault, not yours.” Itachi gave him a look that said they would never speak of this again and that apology was all he would get on the matter.

"Yeah, sure, no problem." Naruto averted his gaze. It had been a long time since he wanted nothing more than to disappear into the floor.

Itachi simply stared at Naruto for a moment and then went back to his paperwork. Another awkward silence filled the office only this time it felt stifling. Naruto shuffled his feet back and forth, unsure of what else he could say. At least Itachi hadn't expected some long explanation and seemed just as mortified as he probably looked.

What a day this was shaping up to be. In such a short period of time he had managed to get to work late and so epically embarrass himself. He needed a shot of espresso and possibly a blunt object to the head to wipe this from his memory.

“That will be all, Naruto.” Itachi’s fingers gripped his pen tightly, and for a brief second, Naruto could have sworn he saw a light blush covering Itachi's face before it was gone. “You’ll find some files on your desk that need attending to.”

“Right away, sir.” Now that he had the go-ahead to leave, Naruto wasted no time skittering out towards the office door, only pausing once to look back at Itachi from behind his thick-rimmed glasses.

He always wanted to say more, but never knew what to say. Anyway, it wouldn’t matter. Itachi hardly noticed him unless he needed something or was decked out in reddish-orange latex (then Naruto had his full attention). Sighing quietly, he quickly made his exit to go make himself some much needed coffee.

~*~

An hour had passed since the ‘incident,’ and Naruto sat at his desk, unbothered by requests, and busy finishing up reading through the files Itachi had left on his desk. Even though he had gotten to work a half hour late, he was almost caught up. He’d probably back into the swing of work after lunch.

Every once in awhile, he’d glance up and see Itachi through the glass wall, busy writing or typing at the computer. Normally, there should have been a few phone calls by now sent through, but Itachi had briefly popped his head out of his office to ask Naruto not to send him any until after lunch. Other than that brief interaction, Itachi hadn’t spoken to him.  Naruto wondered if he was still embarrassed.

The keypad on his office door clicked, and Naruto glanced up to see Karin walking towards him. Her timing couldn’t be better. He needed a distraction, and hopefully she had managed to get that address for him. There was no way he’d let that thug get away with stealing that mother’s life savings.

“Naruto, here’s the address you asked for.” Karin leaned over the counter and looked down at him. “So, are you going to Sasuke’s get together this weekend? I hear he’s going to have that guy from Kougar Kats play.

“No, not going. I promised my dad I’d help him move some of his heavier farm equipment around before Monday’s sale.” Naruto took the address and slipped it into his pocket. “And yep, he’s getting the guitarist from Kats to play.”

Karin tapped her fingernails against the counter. “Hey since I got you that address, do you think you can ask Sasuke if—”

“No,” Naruto quickly glanced over at the glass wall to make sure they weren't attracting attention and then lowered his voice. “I can’t ask Sasuke anything like that. You know better.”

“Why not, I do things for you.” Karin gave him the nasty eye, though Naruto knew she didn’t mean it. Not to him. “And besides, you know the look he’ll get on his face. Come on, just this once."

“No. Absolutely… just no. And you never set me up on a date.” Naruto went back to typing, tuning anything that had to do with Sasuke out. "The stuff I ask you to do helps people. It's not the same thing, and you know it."

“I could if you wanted,” she offered with a devious smile. Her eyes briefly flicked to Itachi's office.

“No thanks, I’ll pass. I’m a big boy and can handle it myself.” Naruto jabbed at his keyboard harder and gave his cousin a faux stink-eye. “Besides, you’d set me up with some hot psycho that would probably try to kill me in my sleep,” he teased as a small, playful smile crept across his lips.

Karin smirked. “So, it’s not like they could actually do it, and you’d probably get quite the workout." She leaned against his desk and blew a strand of hair away from her eyes. "Besides, who says they'd be psycho? I thought your type was slim, broody, and handsome.”

“You know what they say… birds of a feather.” Naruto glanced up, trying to hold back a full blown grin. "And you know I don't have a type. I'm an equal opportunity fucker."

“Guess you're right. Judging by how you are,” Karin poked his shoulder with her finger. “I’d say it runs in the family.”

“We may be cousins, but your mother has every Uzumaki beat for being nutty.” Naruto grinned this time, unable to hold himself back. Family reunions were always more interesting when his Aunt showed up. “She’d take us all to the cleaners and you know it.”

“Keep it up and I'll tell Itachi some dirty little secrets of yours,” Karin jokingly threatened. “And I don’t mean about something reddish-orange and black.”

“Tell me what.” Itachi stood in the doorway, looking back and forth between the two of them.

One thing Naruto had picked up on right away working here, was that Karin and Itachi couldn't stand each other. When his cousin came around it usually made Itachi irritable. Probably because she spent most of their high school years chasing after Sasuke like some lovesick loon. Naruto hadn’t been there for it, but he talked to Sasuke enough to hear about all the crazy shit Karin had pulled. Fortunately, she had out-grown some of it.

"Oh, nothing important. Mr. Uchiha." Karin smiled at Itachi while ruffling Naruto's hair. "I wanted to come by and say hello to my cousin."

Naruto cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah... Karin is just leaving because I’m sure Yahiko is looking for her now.” He nodded and then moved his eyes towards the door, hoping his cousin would get the hint and make herself scarce.

“Tell Sasuke I said hello, and I’ll see him this weekend.” Karin waved goodbye to him, briefly pausing at the door on her way out, “We still on for lunch?”

Naruto nodded. “Yep, I’ll see you at the cafe.” Karin casually flipped Itachi the bird when he turned his head away for a second. Naruto said nothing and instead gave his full attention to Itachi. He knew the interruption was about something more than chasing Karin away.

“Naruto, forget about the files on your desk. I need you to start looking through some insurance claims for me.” Itachi set the new files down and then quickly turned around and walked back to his office, leaving Naruto alone at his desk.

“Sure, no problem,” Naruto said to an empty room, wondering if Itachi was going to be this quiet for the rest of the day.

If so, that meant he'd be in for a long, tedious day of work. Not his preference, but after all the awkwardness earlier, Naruto thought maybe it was for the best so he turned his attention to his work and shut out all other thoughts for the rest of the morning.

~*~

Naruto entered the café and waved at the petite hostess, who wore a simple white button up blouse and black skirt. She brushed her blonde hair out of her eyes and smiled politely back and pointed to the corner booth. Naruto walked towards the bright red hair he saw peeking up from behind the seat. He had been meeting Karin here almost every day for the past year during their work lunch hour.

The café was simple and didn’t have much variety on the menu, yet one of his favorite places to eat. And they had something most cafes didn’t have. They served homemade ramen. That in itself won him over. The rest honestly wouldn’t have mattered.

“It took you long enough.” Karin sat in the booth, setting her phone down on the table. “I order you something to eat already. Miso ramen and rolls.”

“Thanks. See, you can be nice when you want.” Naruto sat down and sipped the cup of coffee in front of him. He knew Karin had rolled her eyes. He could feel it. “I can’t stay for a whole lunch, still playing catch up from being late this morning.”

“Itachi working your ass for being late?” she asked, though is came out as more of a statement than a question. “Wasn’t it his idea to send you on an errand run this morning?”

“Not really. I mean sure, picking stuff up from the stores took forever, but Itachi didn’t bust my chops about it.” He refused to tell her exactly why he had gotten away with it. Karin never forgot those kind of things. “It’s just been a busy week.” Naruto turned his head and cracked his neck. “Been staying over every night. There’s a few cases of possible fraud we need to go through.”

Their waitress came over and dropped off their food. She wore the same outfit as the hostess except she had a black apron to finish off the ensemble. Her brown hair was pulled up in a loose bun and she looked stressed out. Naruto had never seen her before so she was probably new.

“Do you need anything else?” she nervously asked.

“Nope. It looks good. Thank you.” Naruto smiled politely at the waitress. She hurried off and headed towards the back and to the kitchen.

Karin had ordered a chicken salad and light ranch dressing. Naruto never understood how she could always eat that crap. He didn’t mind vegetables if they were well cooked and hopefully in a meat broth.

“Don’t wrinkle your nose,” Karin chided him. “It’s healthy.”

“How’s the project going with Suigetsu?” Naruto asked between bites of his ramen.

Karin stopped mid-bite and glared. “Don’t even ask. I hope he trips on the way home from work and gets hit by a subway train.”

“Heh, that bad, huh.” Naruto laughed. “He can be hard to deal with sometimes.”

“Who cares about him? Maybe he’ll choke on his lunch and die. So are you going to the family reunion at least?” Karin asked, quickly changing the subject.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Naruto grinned. Their annual family reunion was something of legend. Everyone from cousins to grandparents would be there. And it was also the only time when all the Uzumaki and Senju would get together. “I can’t wait to just kick back and relax for a weekend without slicking down my hair and wearing these horrid glasses.”

“Just don’t cheat at softball or flag football this year.” Karin picked at her salad and took a small bite. “I don’t want to have to zap your sorry ass for it. Besides, you won’t be able to escape Tsunade’s fist this time.”

“I didn’t cheat. I’m just naturally light on my feet.” Naruto quickly slurped the rest of his food down. “Not my fault you slowpokes can’t keep up.”

“Are we talking about how well you can run or your preference for a date?” Karin snickered. “Remember the look on my dad’s face when you bunted that ball and still got a homerun.”

“Don’t be mean.” Naruto flicked her hand with his fingers. His phone buzzed in his pocket as he was about to take another bite of food. He needed to get back to work.  “And yeah, I can’t wait to see everyone.”

“You wouldn’t know what to do if I was nice.” Karin sipped her ice tea.

“True, though you’re not as bad as Kurama." Their cousin was a force of nature all in himself. Naruto loved Kurama to death, but damn, he took the Uzumaki temper to a whole new level of fucked up.

Karin grinned. "Maybe this year, he won't get smashed this year and over turn two of the food table before trash-talking all Uchihas."

He chuckled then felt a vibration in his pants. Dammit, he was out of time. “Hey, I gotta run.” Naruto pulled out his wallet and handed Karin a couple twenties before she could argue with him. “Thanks for ordering. Lunch is on me.”

"Hey, wait a sec—" Karin said, standing up.

But Naruto had already slid out of his seat and waved goodbye, dodging a few other customers and heading out of the café. Once outside, he turned right and walked down to the crosswalk. He hoped that Itachi was in a better mood and this morning had been somewhat forgotten.

~*~

The afternoon flew by in a flash. After his lunch with Karin, Naruto found a note from Itachi asking if he could move a few appointments around for a meeting that had come up.

He blew through the insurance claims, having no trouble finding the problems in them. Naruto discovered a possible chance of fraud in a couple of them. Negligence at the very least. It wouldn’t take Itachi long to get to the bottom of it, then maybe their long and crappy week could end.

Itachi sat in his office where a wall of thick glass separated them. The intercom of course had been left on, something Naruto would never admit to doing. It all started a few months ago when the intercom had mistakenly been left on. He couldn’t even remember if he had left it on if Itachi had, but one day passed then another and now to bring it up would only make things uncomfortable.

“Tell, Yahiko I want the report on my desk by six o’clock this evening, no later.” Itachi’s fingers squeezed the phone receiver tighter, and Naruto could tell his boss was one second away from losing his cool. “No, no, I get that, but I still need it by six, no exceptions! No, I don’t care if he has to send Karin down with it. She can hand it to Naruto.”

Itachi shoved the phone in its cradle a little harder than necessary. Naruto pushed his glasses up and quickly looked away. He continued typing out the insurance fraud form he had pulled up on the computer in case Itachi needed it. He knew it irritated Itachi if he got caught listening in on phone calls. And normally he only half-listened since most of Itachi’s phone calls were boring. But this one sounded important enough to get him upset.

Itachi came out of his office, barely sparing Naruto a glance and closed the auditing book. “I need that form now so I can fax over and be done with this nonsense”

Naruto typed faster so he would be left alone. Normally, Itachi would just give him orders without even paying attention to what he was doing. And he was nowhere near this snappy usually. Naruto knew Itachi trusted his efficiency enough not to hover over his shoulders, and that they were too busy normally for small chit-chat. But still, he thought it’s be nice to have a little recognition now and then.

Itachi turned on the radio and Naruto could hear the latest news about the Yellow Flash. Last night a robbery was stopped by the Yellow Flash. Police are still unsure about this mysterious man, who seems to have materialized straight out of a comic book. The Yellow Flash swooped in and stopped the robbery before anyone could get hurt…

Naruto tuned the newscaster out. Honestly, he didn’t know what that newscaster was smoking or how dumb he had to be to do a newscast that terrible. Itachi seemed enthralled, though. Lately he had been running into Itachi when helping others out. It was strange seeing his boss act so differently. Itachi always seemed so… impressed with what the Yellow Flash did. And for the past six months, whenever the opportunity presented itself, Itachi had taken to showing up where he was with the intent on helping out. It was bizarre and cute all at the same time.

An idea struck him suddenly. He grinned. Naruto quickly typed a message through email, knowing the risk if Itachi caught him but unable to resist. Itachi had helped him a few times before, and the last time, he had left before Naruto had the chance to thank him. It wasn’t like he could walk into to work and do it. He wasn’t ready for Itachi to know he was the Yellow Flash.

He watched Itachi check the computer before turning off the radio and shutting it down. Naruto knew what came next. Appointments would be canceled and they'd close up a little earlier than usual. Itachi came out of his office, pausing at Naruto's desk.

“Naruto, cancel the rest of my appointments for the day.” Itachi grabbed his black coat from the hook on the door. “Something came up, and I need to go. I won’t need your services for the rest of the night. Close up for me.”

“Yes sir.” Naruto quickly thumbed through Itachi’s appointment schedule, relieved that there were only three appointments left for the day. “I’ll take care of it for you.”

Itachi nodded to Naruto, his way of saying thanks. "I'll see you tomorrow." And with that he was gone, leaving Naruto alone in the office.

A bit of an annoying habit in Naruto's opinion. A simple thank you never hurt, yet his boss always seemed to be in too much of a rush to notice him. Itachi certainly noticed him when he wore a black mask and bright reddish-orange and yellow outfit. Naruto grinned and then chuckled when he imagined the look of surprise on Itachi’s face if he ever found out.

His grin quickly dissipated. That was another problem. Three appointments to cancel and reschedule before he had to make it to the meeting spot before Itachi grew impatient and left. Naruto hadn’t expected Itachi to go for the bait so easily. Normally it took a few attempts of prodding Itachi to get him to agree to a meeting.

Naruto took off his glasses and tossed them onto his desk. Even for him, that would be a stretch to make it on time, barring any unforeseen stops on the way. Flipping open the appointment book, Naruto quickly got to work.

~*~

Calling back and rescheduling had taken longer than Naruto thought it would. Closing the appointment book, he quickly made sure the office was in order. Itachi liked things to be a certain way when he arrived in the morning, and the last thing Naruto wanted was an irriated boss to start off the day. All the books had to be put back on the shelf, his papers neatly stacked or put away in his desk. No exceptions.

Doing all those tasks for Itachi often left him running late for these meetings. Being Itachi's personal assistant allowed him the perfect cover and a chance to get closer, but fuck if the bastard didn’t make him work his ass off for it.

Naruto sighed and placed the payroll books back on the shelf. For anything else, he’d just move fast, fast enough to finish with time to spare. But if anything was even a little out of place, he’d get the look from Itachi. That look that said, ‘I know you’re a friend of Sasuke’s and our parents knew each other well, but I could have hired someone much more efficient so don't make me regret my decision to give you a chance.’ At least that was how he interpreted those looks whenever something turned up out of place.

Naruto slipped on his coat and when he grabbed his car keys from inside, he noticed a small folded up piece of paper. Glancing down at the small list, Naruto sighed. Even though he didn’t need to personally assist Itachi with paperwork or phone calls for the rest of the night, Naruto still found a short shopping list waiting for him in his coat pocket. No doubt the office supplies he should have gotten this morning. 

Closing the office door, he headed down the empty hallway, passing a mop bucket and wet floor sign on his way through. Naruto could hear the janitor humming softly in one of the Assistant’s offices.

Naruto wanted so badly to speed up. He hated needing to hold back so often. If only he could use his powers, he could be there by now. But no, he was stuck moving normal speed. And he couldn’t leave his car at the garage. The ride down the elevator felt like forever. Once the doors opened, he quickly jogged to his car.

Opening the door, Naruto slid into the driver’s seat and put his seatbelt on. He jammed the keys in the ignition and moved the car into first gear. There were too many security cameras in the parking garage for him to risk changing now. He would have to wait until he drove somewhere secluded. Or, driving home and at least parking his car would be the best bet. Car theft was common in the city even more so where he had to meet Itachi.

Glancing at the clock, Naruto swore softly. “Shit.” He was already ten minutes late. “Fuck, why? Fucking hell....”

Ripping open his shirt, Naruto partially revealed a reddish-orange latex suit underneath. He tossed his glasses onto the car seat. The shopping list could wait until after he met with Itachi. Naruto pulled out of the parking garage and headed towards home.

~*~

Naruto stood in the shadows, his mask firmly in place and his hair freshly spiked in disarray. His latex costume covered his entire body all the way down to underneath his black boots. A yellow lightning bolt covered his chest area but the rest of his outfit was a deep burnt reddish-orange like fire.

Itachi stood below, impatiently looking at his Rolex. Not only had he been late to begin with, unfortunately, on his way over, some scum tried to rob an old woman. Then the bastard had the gall to kick him in the balls and run away. Naruto couldn’t believe the nerve of that guy! Once he had caught, tied up the robber, and waited for the police to arrive, Naruto had to help the old woman home.

No matter how hard he tried to be on time when meeting with Itachi, there was always going to be someone who needed his help. The Yellow Flash didn’t refuse anyone even if it meant making someone like Itachi Uchiha wait a little longer. An hour longer this time. 

The building itself was in shambles; bits of ceiling crumbled down and old paint chips covered parts of the cracked concrete floor. An old wooden table and a few chairs sat in the far left of the room. Itachi stood near the table, still dressed in his business suit.

No one in his right mind would be caught lurking in a building like this, which is why Naruto had picked it. They’d be alone for once. All the awkward glances, teasing, or a quick brush of their shoulders wouldn’t be interrupted this time.

Chuckling, he stepped out into the light and inched closer to the edge of the balcony. “Impatient as always.”

Itachi turned his head sharply and looked up at the balcony. “You’re late, again.”

“Sorry, but I had to take care of a few important things.” Naruto really wanted to finish that sentence off with a decent explanation but held his tongue. Itachi wasn’t looking for excuses, and the Yellow Flash never gave them.

“Someone in trouble?” Itachi calmly asked.

“Nothing I couldn't handle.” Naruto shrugged. He didn’t mind Itachi asking questions, but helping people never seemed like a big deal to him. He just did it, no questions asked, always had and always would.

Itachi’s calm and precise manner often irritated him at the office, but Naruto understood why his boss was like that. He could easily mess up their meeting if he teased too much. Itachi always seemed so tightly wound (probably from years of being expected to take on family and business responsibilities). Naruto would give almost anything to watch some of that cool exterior crumble and see him relax a little or even laugh.

“You could have sent me a message. I left work early to talk to you.” Itachi’s fingers smoothed out his tie. “And left my assistant to close up for me. That shouldn’t be his job.”

“I couldn’t send you a message. No pockets.” He patted the sides of his costume to prove his point.

Karin had been bothering him about getting something so he could carry a cell phone. But the Yellow Flash did not do fanny packs or anything remotely like them, including utility belts, and until she could suggest something better, he’d go without a phone.

“Besides, your assistant seems like a capable enough man, especially if you trusted him to close up your office.” Naruto always tried to bring himself up in conversation when they met just to see what Itachi thought of him. So far, it seemed that Itachi didn’t give Naruto, the nerdy assistant, much thought, but instead focused on the Yellow Flash.

Itachi seemed a little surprised by the question but answered anyway. “He does an adequate job.”

That was some of the biggest bullshit he ever heard. Naruto couldn’t stop the twinge of agitation that swept over him. Normally Itachi didn't piss him off like that, and he knew the other often hid his true opinion or feelings about others, but adequate? He busted his ass every damn day. He snorted and raised an eyebrow. “How sad of you to hire someone who’s only adequate.”

Itachi’s eyes looked him over suspiciously. “Why should you care who I hire to assist me?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I just feel bad for your poor under appreciated assistant who has to put up with you acting like he's so replaceable.” Naruto leaned against the balcony and pealed a few paint chips off it. 

“It’s his job to put up with me. And I never said he was replaceable. Why are we even discussing Naruto? He’s not even here nor does he have anything to do with our meeting.” Itachi almost finished off with why did someone like the Yellow Flash even care, but he already knew the answer to that. The Yellow Flash cared about everyone, a quality he admired about the other. “I don’t see any reason to argue about this. I’m sorry if I somehow offended you.” 

Naruto threw his head back and laughed. “Okay, okay… I’ll leave your poor underpaid assistant out of this. But seriously, you ever think about telling him thank you now and then? Most people like that sort of thing. Makes 'em work even harder if they feel inspired by a simple display of appreciation.”

Itachi sighed irritably and looked away. “So, you wanted to see me about something?”

“Yes, I wanted to see you. Our last meeting was cut short when all those reporters arrived.” Naruto jumped down and landed lightly onto the concrete floor. “You slipped away before I had the chance to thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me.” Itachi calmly replied. “I only did what any decent person would do.”

Naruto knew that wasn’t true. Most people would not have risked their own life to help him out. Even if his life truly hadn't been in danger, Itachi stuck his neck on the line for him without a moment’s hesitation. He loved that about Itachi. For all his cool, somewhat aloof demeanor, deep down he had a kind heart even when he sometimes acted like he had a stick shoved far and deep up his ass. “Mmm," he hummed. "Still, I don’t like to leave without saying thank you. Especially to you. You’ve helped me out several times before.”

“It’s no trouble.” Itachi’s face tinged red a little. “The city is big, and you're only one man.”

Naruto had never seen Itachi embarrassed before. It was adorable. He grinned, then moved next to Itachi at the speed of light. “But I'm one hellava man, right?”

Itachi smiled and relaxed a little. “Don't you feel like you're being pulled in twenty different directions?”

“So concerned about me, always.” Naruto had a pretty good idea why Itachi always seemed willing to help. He could be dense sometimes, but he wasn’t that dense. Not with all the heated looked Itachi sent his way, thinking he wasn’t looking. “Thank you.”

Itachi stiffened and frowned. “You're the city's hero. Why wouldn't I be concerned?”

“That the only reason why?” Naruto pressed further, hoping to get an real answer or at least hoping his guess was right.

“I watch the news and the amount of good you do for the City...” Itachi shook his head, ignoring the question. “I don't know how you do it. I don’t know how you keep up with it.”

“I move fast, and I hear things.” Naruto folded his arms across his chest and shrugged. “I see things. If someone's in trouble, I know. The city isn't that big.”

“Apparently so. Still, it's impressive.” Itachi stepped back a little, putting more space between them. “Having the ability to hear people who are in trouble is something most people wouldn't want.”

“True, but it's not like I can make it go away. It's something I've gotten used to.” Naruto took a step forward. He didn't want the gap between them to grow. “It gives me a chance to burn some energy and help people while I do it.”

“There are plenty of other ways to... burn energy that I could help you with.” Itachi closed his mouth quickly, seeming a bit surprised to have even said that. “What I meant is—”

He chuckled. “I think I know what you meant?” Naruto's grin widened when Itachi broke eye contact. The slight flush of embarrassment spread further across Itachi’s face. Leaning in, Naruto whispered in his ear. “If it means what I think it does, the feeling is mutual.”

Naruto moved in closer so that with each step forward, he forced Itachi to take a step back. A man like Itachi didn’t like his personal space invaded. Naruto knew this. He understood the type well enough. Sasuke was a private man too, one of the few things the brothers did have in common.

Itachi backed up until he bumped into the table behind him. “I wouldn’t know what you’re referring to. I only came to give you information.”

“And what information would that be?” Naruto grinned. Itachi was such a good liar sometimes, but he knew better. Itachi never slipped up when he spoke, each word always carefully chosen before he imparted it to the next person. For those words to pass his lips... no, that meant that some part of Itachi wanted it to slip out… wanted him.

Or wanted the Yellow Flash. Itachi never noticed Naruto unless he needed something. He could live with that, though, and bide his time. Normally he wasn’t a patient man and would just come out with it, but eventually Itachi would figure it out. He would figure out who the Yellow Flash was, his true identity. And he had a lot to lose if he shot off at the mouth too soon. That didn’t mean he couldn’t have a little taste to hold him over.

“You know, you’re usually a better liar than that.” Naruto’s hands slid down on either side of Itachi’s waist, boxing him in. “It’s alright. We both know there’s no information this time. I see how you look at me when you think I’m not looking.”

“I don’t what you’re talking about,” Itachi turned his head to put more room between them. “I think you’re just trying to distract me.”

“And how would I manage to do that?” Naruto's hands settled on Itachi's hips, preventing him from moving away.

“Your eyes, they’re distracting.” Itachi looked at him, and Naruto recognized that look of want all too well. “They’re so blue. I’ve never seen eyes quite that color before.”

“It’s my eyes, huh and nothing else? I suppose you’re going to deny staring at my ass any chance you get.” Naruto gave Itachi a knowing look. “I see all those looks you give me.”

“If you see everything I do, then why are we even talking about this? You obviously know the answer already.” Itachi only shrugged, obviously giving up his rouse.

“Oh, you’re good, Itachi,”—Naruto moved in closer, pushing Itachi against the metal table—“you’re really good at this. It makes me wonder what else you’d be good at.”

“Wouldn’t you like to find out.” Itachi countered easily.

“You’ve been a good boy. Maybe I’ll give you a little reward. A bone perhaps?” Naruto thrust his hips forward, showing off a partial bulge underneath the latex. He had to hold back a chuckle. The indignant look on Itachi’s face was priceless.

“If insults are all you have, then I’ll take my leave.” Itachi started to push him away. “Let me go.”

“Hey, hey… I’m just messing with you. Relax.” Naruto leaned and rested his head on Itachi's shoulder. “It was just a joke. I’m sorry I took it too far. Please don’t leave.”

“You don’t ‘just mess’ with me.” Even though Itachi complained, he didn’t try to push Naruto away again. “I don’t like it when my time is wasted.”

“You're right. Let me make it up to you.” Naruto flashed Itachi a lop-sided grin.

Very few people could still be mad at him after that smile, and Itachi wasn’t one of them judging by how his face softened immediately. His fingers touching Itachi’s jaw affectionately. Naruto closed his eyes and murmured, “Huh, you must have got the softer genes.”

Itachi shot him a strange, slightly confused look. “What?”

Opening his eyes and realizing his mistake—or that he might have said something that would arouse Itachi’s suspicions—Naruto leaned in and kissed Itachi, hoping to provide enough distraction so that his comment could easily be forgotten.

Itachi’s lips were so soft, pliant. Naruto’s tongue moved along his bottom lip before pushing inside of his mouth. He met no resistance and the languid way their tongues touched and pushed only showed that they both wanted to take time to explore and feel. Itachi sucked on Naruto's tongue, pulling it further into his mouth.

His hands moved to cup Itachi’s head, and his fingers enjoyed the silky feeling underneath them. No wonder Itachi was so meticulous about his shampoo and conditioner. The results were well worth it. He loved the spicy scent of those soft locks of hair.

When they finally broke apart, Naruto realized they had both crossed a line. One that he wasn’t sure either of them could go back from. Thoughts of how Sasuke would react entered his mind, forcing him to step back and consider what he had done.

He really liked Itachi, but would this affect his friendship with Sasuke? Probably not. At least not in the long run. Sasuke and him had a bond that would never break. Did he regret kissing Itachi? No, he didn’t. Not in the least and he knew he shouldn’t.

His only regret was that Itachi would probably feel different if he knew Naruto’s true identity. They had a banter that had built up slowly for the past six months, and Naruto felt like his head would explode if he waited much longer to make a move on Itachi. There might not be another chance.

Naruto's fingers moved down from Itachi’s hair, caressing his face and neck and then moved to the back of his head and held him in place. Naruto’s mouth covered Itachi’s before moving down to his neck, collarbone, and back up to his earlobe.

“I want you.” Naruto breathed in the scent of Itachi’s hair and closed his eyes. He exhauled a soft moan before pushing rubbing his erection off Itachi’s thigh.

“You have me.” Itachi unbuttoned his shirt, pushed it off his shoulders, and let it fall onto the table.

His build was slim but muscular. Itachi held refinement and power packed tightly into those lithe muscles. Naruto reached out and touched his bare chest, feeling the smooth skin, fingers moving down until they reached Itachi’s slacks. Undoing the button and pulling the zipper down, Naruto tugged on the slacks.

Itachi’s pants slid down easily until they hit his shoes. Naruto bent down and pulled off each shoe and sock. Reaching up, Itachi’s black boxers soon followed and landed on the haphazard pile of clothes on the floor.

Once he had Itachi naked, he leaned back and took in the view. All that flawless pale skin that didn’t have any marks or scars. Itachi’s dick had a slightly darker tint to it and stood proud, matching the bulge in Naruto's latex pants.

There was no denying what they both wanted. Itachi motioned Naruto to come closer with his index finger and with each step, a nagging feeling kept gnawing at him that something was missing. Naruto patted down his costume even though he didn’t have any pockets.

“Hold on for one second.” Naruto let go of Itachi. In a flash, he sped away and came back after a few minutes.

Itachi pulled him closer. “Where do you think you’re going? Don’t think you can just do that and leave.”

“What’re you going on about?” Naruto raised and eyebrow. “I was just grabbing this.”

Naruto held up a small tube of lubricant and a condom. The very same kind Itachi had on his shopping list this morning. Knowing how meticulous he could be about the products he used, Naruto had paid for an extra tube this morning.

It had been a frivolous and dumb last minute purchase he made and almost immediately regretted. He had been slightly taken aback by that list but also curious about what Itachi liked. Now he felt grateful for it even though he had to pay for it separately.

If the brand had been noticed, no comment was made about it. Naruto set the small tube down on the table. He moved closer to Itachi, held him by the hips, and kissed him again. His fingers slid upwards until they found two pert nubs. Naruto lightly pinched each nipple, watching Itachi’s eyes close, his chest quickly rising and falling.

Kissing down Itachi's neck, chest, and abdomen, Naruto settled his mouth on a pert nipple, sucking it while rolling the other between his fingers. The fine sheen of sweat on Itachi’s chest made parts of his mask moist. Naruto could hear the other’s heartbeat race in his chest.

Itachi’s arms wrapped around his shoulders. Their lips met again and this time, Itachi’s hands threaded through Naruto’s hair and over his mask, but he didn’t try to remove it. Naruto moved in between those succulent, pale legs, and the friction of Itachi’s cock pushing against his own made him gasp.

Naruto let Itachi go and stood up. He couldn't get anywhere with his pants still on. He pulled down his latex pants to his ankles. A brief thought of going completely naked crossed his mind, but then it would be weird to only have his mask on. And being seen without his mask wasn’t an option. Itachi might also recognize the tattoo on his stomach. It was something he had gotten at sixteen when he spent plenty of time over at Sasuke’s swimming.

“There is such a thing as too slow.” Itachi poked Naruto’s hip with his toes. “And you’re teasing the edges with it.”

“Are you asking me to hurry up?” Naruto laughed. He really wanted to take his time, but Itachi’s impatience amused him.

“I’m not asking.” Itachi pulled on Naruto’s arm until their chests were flush against each other.

Still bossy and demanding. That didn’t surprise Naruto at all. Did Itachi even know any other way to be? Though in this situation, he found the bossiness endearing and sexy. The more Naruto knew about Itachi, the harder it became to imagine him without any control over a situation.

“So sexy when you’re bossy.” Naruto leaned back and then realized he didn’t have a condom on him.

There were plenty of other things they could do, or he could just say fuck it and go without. He knew that Itachi didn’t sleep around, but Itachi didn’t know that he knew so it might seem suspicious if he went along with it too easily.

“Looking for this?” Itachi held a small square wrapper between his fingers.

“How did you...?” Naruto took it out of Itachi’s hand, a casual grin spreading across his lips. When had Itachi managed to take that from him? Impressive.

“For someone who’s supposed to be fast, you’re moving terribly slow right now," Itachi smugly replied. "And I don’t just mean physically.”

“Just trying to enjoy the moment, Itachi. No need to bite.” Unless the biting was literal. Naruto pointed to his head. “Still sharp as a tack up here. I got it without the added explanation.”

“Good, wasn’t sure you had.” Itachi wrapped his legs around Naruto’s waist. “Now quit stalling and get on with it.”

“I am so going to enjoy pounding the sass out of you.” Naruto pulled Itachi’s legs from his waist and lifted them over his shoulders.

“You’ll enjoy it even more once you’re inside of me,” Itachi said, attempting to distract Naruto.

“I have something else I can stick in your mouth and keep it occupied.” Naruto countered.

Itachi smirked at him and lifted his legs up to his chest, giving Naruto a clear view of his ass. “And miss out on a chance at this?”

“So shameless.” Naruto moved his hands up Itachi’s thighs. His heartbeat raced, and even though he seemed cocky, he couldn’t deny the twinge of nervousness he felt.

“You enjoy me shameless.” Itachi reached out and pulled Naruto closer. “Admit it.”

“That I do.” Naruto pulled Itachi’s legs over his shoulder. His hands roamed over Itachi’s rib cage and back down to his cock, giving it a firm squeeze.

Naruto moved fast, and before Itachi could say anything else or complain, he grabbed Itachi’s tie from off the floor and wrapped around his wrists. He liked Itachi like this, hands bound behind his back.

“Now that I am at your mercy—" Itachi thrust his cock into Naruto's hand and let out a long, satisfied moan—“What are you going to do with me?”

“I’m going to make you go crazy with pleasure.” Seeing Itachi bound turned Naruto on even more. Even though Itachi still managed to maintain control, the amount of trust handed to him amazed Naruto.

Dropping to his knees, he grabbed the base of Itachi’s dick and held it in place as his tongue ran along the underside of the shaft. Moving up, he took the head into his mouth, sucking lightly, just enough to tease Itachi. A trust of Itachi’s hips made him hum while sinking his mouth further down.

He moaned, loving the velvety texture of hard flesh in his mouth. Holding Itachi down by his hips, Naruto slowly inched down, taking in more of his dick with each movement forward until his nose touched Itachi’s curly pubic hair. His tongue flicked around the base, greedily tasting the salty skin. A quiet moan made him look up.

Itachi watched him, his arms struggled in the binds like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to get out or if he was trying to move forward to more. Naruto pulled back, flicking his tongue across the head of Itachi’s dick a few more times.

Naruto kissed the inside of his thighs before moving to his balls, teasing and enjoying the texture of the rough skin. His tongue roamed over Itachi’s perineum then lower, circling around the wrinkled flesh of his anus before pushing inside. Naruto moved it around, relishing every gasp and moan he heard slip past Itachi's beautiful lips.

Moving his fingers to replace his tongue, Naruto locked eyes with Itachi, wanting to savor the moment. His fingers slid easily into Itachi and were immediately surrounded by tight warmth. Naruto looked up with a knowing smile on his face. “You’ve been fingering yourself, haven’t you?”

“It’s not my fault I can’t get you out of my head.” Itachi pulled him closer. “You’re everywhere all the time. In my thoughts. On the TV. I can’t escape you.”

Having Itachi admit to it pleased Naruto immensely. His fingers searched for that squishy patch of flesh inside of Itachi. Once he found it, he started slowly rubbing his fingers over it, watching to see what kind of reaction he'd get.

Itachi let out a delectable moan, his head resting against the wall and his eyes on Naruto’s, and his feet dug into the edge of the table. Itachi pushed his hips back against Naruto’s fingers while his other hand stroked his dick. “Hurry.”

Naruto agreed. He couldn’t wait any longer. Having Itachi spread out before him, giving himself so easily to Naruto, that wasn’t something he could take lightly. He needed this to be a moment Itachi would remember always even if they never had sex again.

He tore open the condom wrapper, tossed it aside, and pinched the tip of the latex with his fingers. Naruto rolled it all the way down over his cock, then grabbed the small tube of Liquid Silk. He squeezed some onto his hand and coated his dick with it.

“Fuck me.” Itachi moved his hips forward, thrusting his cock out.

“As you wish.” Naruto lifted and spread Itachi’s legs out. He pushed inside, not stopping until his balls hit against Itachi’s ass.

Naruto moved in and out, picking up the pace when he realized the harder and faster he went, the louder Itachi moaned. His right hand rested on the wall behind them to help steady his movements. Itachi certainly didn’t want to only lay back and take it. Each of his thrusts moved against Naruto's, creating a wonderfully delicious friction.

The sweat underneath his mask and latex shirt made his skin itchy, but Naruto did his best to ignore it and instead focused on what was in front of him, or more appropriately, who. He pulled down Itachi's right leg to change the angle of his thrusts and slowed down, trying to find that soft patch of flesh again. Naruto knew he got it right when Itachi arched his back and the ball of his foot bore down against the table.

Itachi leaned his head against the wall, his hair spilling over his shoulders. Just seeing him come undone like this was enough. Naruto leaned in and kissed him, muffling the sounds coming from his mouth. Even though they both tried to keep it slow at first with the new angle, soon, Naruto found himself pushing in and out of Itachi harder and faster. The table moved with them and creaked—the sound became louder and louder until Naruto thought he felt it shift oddly.

A loud snapping sound temporarily drew Naruto’s attention, and the table gave way underneath them. Naruto quickly wrapped his arms around Itachi so he wouldn’t fall, slipping out for only a brief moment while he readjusted their position. He pushed Itachi up against the wall, the new angle allowing him to thrust harder and deeper than before.

Itachi cried out, and his body trembled. Naruto kissed up along his neck and jaw, reaching behind Itachi’s head to lean his hand against the wall. Snapping his hips forward, he felt that tight, warm heat suck him in. His hand went partially through the wall from the force of him pushing against it. He hit a wooden beam, and Naruto used that to help keep him grounded.

Reaching between their bodies, he stroked Itachi’s cock and pressed their lips together. Itachi's body shook underneath him with each stroke. Naruto moaned, almost breathless, giving himself completely over to the warm heaven he was buried deep in.

Itachi’s ass spasmed and tighten around his dick. "Oh, fuck, oh fuck," Naruto tightened his hold, and with a few more thrusts, he came, whispering Itachi's name.

He stood there for a few minutes, still holding Itachi up, pressing their heads together. Sighing, Naruto squeezed him tighter. He didn’t want it end even though it already had. Itachi shifted under him, uncomfortably, and Naruto got the hint.

Naruto gently set Itachi down onto the floor and untied him. The tie itself was a little stretched out from being wrapped around Itachi’s wrists a few times. Holding it up and swinging back and forth, Naruto frowned at that sorry sight. “Hope you’re okay with losing a tie.”

“One tie was well worth it.” Itachi pulled up his pants and buttoned them. His shirt and shoes still lay on the ground and there were bits of broken concrete scattered on them.

Looking around, Naruto fully assessed the damage done. The table was complete busted up and pieces of drywall fell from the hole in the wall. Maybe next time he’d have to pick a sturdier place.

Naruto noticed red marks across Itachi’s wrists and some scratches on his arms—probably from being trapped between the wall and his body. He lightly touched the marks and looked at Itachi. Neither of them said anything. What could he say? Sorry? He wasn't.

Pulling the condom off his dick, Naruto looked around and found the wrapper lying on the floor. He put the use condom in it, wondering what to do with it. “Oh well, guess I’ll have to take it with me.”

Naruto ignored the odd look from Itachi and pulled up his pants. He tucked the used condom in the seam and pulled his shirt down over it. Leaving a used condom, even in an abandoned building seemed gross to him.

Itachi carefully retrieved his shirt and shoes, shaking and wiping them off. Naruto took the shirt out of Itachi’s hands and gave it a few quick shakes to make sure all the concrete was off it. Both of them were quiet, and for once Naruto didn’t have a snappy comeback. They had wrecked part of the building. Or he had at least.

“Itachi…” Naruto stopped and turned around one last time. He couldn’t just leave it like this. “Tomorrow at seven? Old abandoned townhouse on fifty-third and Grant. I promise I’ll try not to be late.”

Itachi set the appointment into his phone. “Tomorrow, at seven. And you had better do more than try this time.”

~*~

Naruto sat at his desk, tapping away on the keyboard. Today he wore a simple light blue button up shirt, navy blue tie and sports jacket, and black pants. Last night he had spent most of the night going over his little tryst with Itachi. After what they had done sunk in, he wasn't sure he regretted it or was proud that he managed to spend a night, or evening with Itachi. But one night. Naruto decided that he could probably only afford one night, maybe two before Itachi figured out who he was.

“Naruto, do you have the Watkins and Andrews file?” Itachi walked out of his office, dressed in a full black and gray suit and a file opened in his hand. “I need it.”

“Yes, sir, right here.” Naruto handed over a thick stack of papers, loosely held together by a thin Manila folder. “It’s all finished and ready to go for you.”

Itachi grabbed the folder and opened it up, checking to make sure it was all there. While Naruto waited for approval, he pulled off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Next time he bought glasses, he was definitely splurging for a set that had padding for his nose. His eyes felt so tired, and his face itched from lack of sleep. After he went home last night, he couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened. By the time he finally fell asleep, it was only a couple hours before he had to wake up for work.

When he realized it was too quiet, he glanced up at Itachi, Naruto saw a strange look on his boss’s face. “Is there something wrong?”

“No.” Itachi leaned closer. Having Itachi look at him so careful made Naruto nervous. There was something else in Itachi’s eyes, like the gears were turning and trying to figure something out. “Your eyes… they’re really blue and… pretty. I never noticed that before.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Naruto smiled and laughed a little. It was weird having Itachi complement him at work, even with something innocent like that. He put his glasses back on and mumbled. “You’re much nicer than Sasuke, must’ve gotten the softer genes.”

Itachi looked at him sharply. “What did you say?”

“Uh, nothing. Just that you’re so different from Sasuke. It’s just… surprising sometimes.” Naruto didn’t understand the sudden change in Itachi’s attitude until it suddenly hit him. Closing his eyes, he sighed. He was such a dumbass sometimes. “Why don’t I get started on the next case for you so we stay ahead.”

Itachi took the file and started walking away. He stopped and glanced back. “Thank you, for all your hard work, Naruto.”

Naruto glanced up from his computer scene, surprised by the praise. Perhaps last night had changed certain opinions of him or just getting laid put his boss in a better mood. Or maybe for once, Itachi had really seen him.

Glancing through the glass separating their offices, Naruto saw Itachi sitting at his desk, watching him. Smiling, he went back to work and pulled up the next insurance case he had to work on. He hummed softly going through each sentence carefully. Knowing Itachi, it wouldn’t be long before he figured it out, but now that the realization sank in, Naruto didn’t mind.