"But why do I have to go?"

"Because he's the damned consul! We've gone through this and you're coming."

"But there's no point! You're the one whe feels the need to be a brown nose, not me."

The man sitting at the table stood up abruptly and let out an irritated sigh as he exited the room. "You're going." Faded as he rounded the corner leaving the small sitting room. The other man (boy) was still reclining on one of the couches, pouting. He blew a few blonde strands away from his eyes, refusing to move his arms from across his chest to do so. This sucks.

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"I hate this damned thing." The boy wriggled around as the silver haired man (dad) tried to get the blonde's new garb to stay up. (It was a little big for him.) "And how the hell am I supposed to keep this thing clean? Hn??" a groan, then an 'ouch' due to the knock on the head he'd received. "Watch your mouth, none of that tonight, Naruto, we need to make a good impression." "No, you need to make a good impression."

...

"If I don't make a good impression, you can go work on your uncle's farm." Kakashi looped a makeshift neuce around his son's neck using the toga he was trying to fit. "And that'll be lucky for you getting off that easy," he laughed good-heartedly. He continued adjusting the toga, and the blonde continued to pout. "And besides, you don't get to go to the capitol much. You kids really don't understand that there is nowhere greater than Rome."

"Fine, fine, stop trying to convince me, let's just get going already." Naruto stepped away from his father, holding up the toga with his left arm, so dignified, so... ehmm, miniscule when wrapped in that many feet of material.

The two left home, passing the elaborate ionic columns that supported their residence in the center of the city. The streets were packed. Merchants lined the roadsways, attempting to make ends meet by pushing their wares unto these important people living on the hill. But, they never bothered Kakashi, or any of the other senators, the empire needed them too much for them to be heckled by salesmen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was still amazed at how much it awed him. Kakashi was always taken aback every time he stood before the capitol (though, he's there often enough). "Alright, Naruto, what's say you? Shall we go?" A large smile graced the father's face. "Why not."

All the other's who were invited to the inaguration dinner were already seated about the large table, though Kakashi's place at the table was open. (At the left hand side of where the new Consul was to sit.) Only the most influential men in Rome were there, along with those who would take their positions of power when they were gone (their sons).

"Well, lookey who decided to show up." One of the other senators began to laugh merrily as Kakashi and his son took their seats. The silver-haired man looked to see who it was and smiled. "My dear friend, nice to see you!" The brunette at the other end of the table smiled back warmly. "So, is this everyone, Iruka?" He asked as he gestured to everyone sitting at the tablet, who smiled in good humor at their esteemed colleague's geneality.

"I think someone should go and alert the Consul that everything is ready." Iruka spoke over the humbub of the other official conversation. A servant went from the room immediately.

"Damnit, Kakashi" the blonde leaned over to whisper to the man, "this is so silly." "Naruto, just enjoy it and maybe get to know the consul a bit, Fugaku is good friend of mine." "I don't like being about you old people, though." Kakashi was a bit taken aback at being deemed 'old', but he went with it. "Just shut up and smile, damnit."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two men walked through the entryway. Everyone at the table stood and applauded as the older man greeted everyone. The officials were engrossed trying to get in as many words as they could before the two sat down. The consul at the head, his son on his right hand.

Naruto blew a few stray hairs from his face (the beginnings of a bad habit) and deigned to look up. The consul (boring, old) was standing at the head of the table, saying something. "Blah, bla blah." With his son next to him.

Son?

That's odd. The blonde shook his head.

Fugaku took his seat and again issued greetings to everyone there, speaking about how much postive change they could effect within his year as Consul and then introduced his son. "Sasuke will be" wow "insuring the reforms" he's pretty "within the senate, to ensure" What? "that ours remains the great" that's an odd thought "and uncorruptable power in the" he is, though "whole of the empire." (Applause).

The gathered officials stood and went to shake the hand of the man (he's only 16) whose job it was to put an end to their money grubbing and favor pulling. Naruto went up too. Pretty eyes. And soft hands.

It was odd though, Sasuke never did that (smiled). It actually hurt his face. That was Kakashi's (the most powerful senator today) son. Hm... He'd have to get to know this one.

"Oh," he finally let go of the blonde's hand after about a full minute of staring into his eyes. Not odd at all.

Another beautiful day dawned on the city as Helios began his long trek through the heavens. The sunrise coming from over the hills was the most magnificient sight in the empire. And, already, a youth stood in his ancestoral home's doorway, parchment in hand and draped in a fine garment.

It was a list of the senators due for interview and investigation. And, it appeared, Sasuke was due to visit the home of Senator Hatake on this lovely morn.

"His hair had a finer yellow glow than even this sunrise," that was an unexpected recollection from the earlier evening. Maybe he'd enjoy this visit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Excuse me, dominus," a servant appeared in his doorway. "But there is someone here to speak with your father, I believe." Naruto sighed as he rolled his eyes at the old man, "dad's not here." The servant knew this and replied "Yes, but he would speak with you in his stead." An impatient sigh from the blonde filled the room. "Fine, fine, shit. Show him in here." Naruto propped his arms behind his head on the couch and crossed his feet. Why will no one let me get a nap around here.

The blonde yawned loudly as the visitor stepped through the threshhold. "What do you want?" He again yawned out the sentence. "I need to speak with you about you father." Another yawn. "You mean my step-dad." Sasuke raised his eyebrow, "Yes, stepfather, Senator Hatake." He took a seat in one of the chairs* across from where Naruto was sitting. "What do you want to know?"

"Several things," he paused for a moment, the most serious expression on his face. "One, has your father ever melted down any of the empire's currency?" A rather harsh tone. "Of course not! Why would you even think that??" A stare. "Has he ever accepted bribes in any form?" "No!" Sasuke thought for a moment, "Have you ever been with a man?" "No--... Wah??" Sasuke almost smirked. Almost. "Just curious." The blonde was suddenly very uncomfortable and proceeded to sit straight up on the sofa.

Sasuke turned his head to look outside, then back the the staring, open mouthed blonde on the couch. He'd gotten a better reading of Naruto, and maybe he could do something with this one. Kinda cute, actually. "Well, it appears my schedule demands I go, but I need to ask you more questions." He stood from the chair and began walking from the room. "So, I'll expect you at my booth at the theatre tonight."* He walked out the room, then decided to poke his head back in, "and don't eat dinner before the play, either." Then left the blonde gaping on the couch.

Geez! What the hell was that!




*A/N

Ok, I'm not really going for compete historical accuracy here. Wealthy Romans didn't use chairs normally, they had many couches set about a table. But for the sake of fiction, they have chairs. And, I believe that most plays were outdoors in open theatres as well (I could be mistaken here), but, this will be indoors, in a private booth like something for 19th century English aristocracy, ;)