A few months ago, I would have said I was a content man. I share a house with my friend of a few years, Shikamaru Nara, and I work full time as a manager at a pet store. I had a routine. We had a routine. Things were good.
Shockingly enough, I can have friends. Shika is one of those few who have been graced with the term, and returns it in full force as well. People mainly knew me as a bastard in school. Had my few cliques I'd hang out with. A few good friends. But I really just hated everything about school, and the people seemed to always make it worse. So they stayed away from me. And that was fine. But now, I'm nearing my 22nd birthday, and I like to have fun at times. Laugh with my friends, go out, and oddly enough, I like work.
Shika and I are anime obsessed. Again, another shocker coming from me, right? I got hooked quite a few years back when I stumbled across an animation that reminded me of the movie The Crow. I was in love with that movie. Also had a bit of a crush on Brandon Lee, God rest his soul. So, when I watched this animation, I just kept saying to myself, 'What is this? This looks like it could be The Crow.' But I was oh so wrong. It ended up being something called Cowboy Bebop. And so, I was hooked. The next night, and the next night, I kept coming back, wanting to see more of this great show with amazing blues and jazz music, and to just see how this story played out. Of course, I slowly began watching the other shows, as I soon found out were called anime, and got hooked with those as well.
So, after years of being in love with anime, and finally getting Shikamaru enthralled with it, the two of us became closer as friends. We had a routine. I would take Shika to work (he never would go get his license, said it was 'too troublesome' to go to the DMV), go to work, get off work, pick Shika up from work, and then we'd grab food from either a fast food joint, or we'd quickly make something for dinner, plop our butts on the couch, and enjoy a few hours of anime goodness.
Then, we got into the whole, downloading of anime. That kind of interrupted our TV anime time, but we figured we'd catch up on those shows another time. So, we then would spend the evening on the couch, next to each other, watching on Shika's laptop, one anime or another for hours. Laughing, pointing, and saying which guy was hotter. We each would have our own favorites too, which was nice. No fighting. Heh.
I myself, am also, a gay man. Shika, is also bi. We are just friends though. We'll never cross that line. Not many people truly know I'm gay. Just those that really matter. I've only dated a few guys, no relationship ever lasted over a few months. I'm not sure what it is. I just get a bit pissy after while. I guess I just have a higher standard when it comes to love. And I think that is my problem. No, not that I want love, just that the guys I tend to meet are not looking for love..just some ass. And, I don't give it. Ever. And then they start pulling tricks, and this and that, and in the end, it ends up in a bloody mess. Not literally... maybe once.
So, now in my content state of life, I kind of gave up on looking. Figured, when the time is right, he will come walking into my life, and we'll both just know. Man, I sound like a sap don't I? I don't know why I believe in true love and soul mates and the like. My parents were not happy. So it's not like I had grown up in a perfect family and see that as what I want as well. Perhaps, it is because I didn't see that, and that is why I wish it so badly in my own life.
Well, anyways, I was content. Had my friends, my anime, and my work. I was a busy man. Especially at work. Like I said before, I work at a pet store. It's one of those big chain establishments that I randomly put an application into one day, and got hired the next. Been there two years now. It's cool. I love animals. From fur to scales, I dig it. Not much of a bird man, unless we're talking the larger kind: Cockatoo, Conure, etc...
It's a lot harder of a job than most would think. But you have to keep in mind, not only do we have to help customers, and merchandise, we have animals to take care of. And lots of 'em. We have a 300 gallon saltwater system, and a 1,500 gallon freshwater system we have to take care of on a regular basis. I used to be in charge of that area. It was hell. Let me tell you. I work at night, which is usually the busiest time of the day there, so I rarely got a chance to do my maintenance on my tanks like I wanted to.
Thankfully, I got moved to reptiles soon after. Now that is my area of expertise at the moment. I wasn't a fan of reptiles when I first started, but now I own 3 snakes, a Bearded Dragon, and a Leopard Gecko. So, we have a large reptile section with about 5 different kinds of snakes, and about a dozen different geckos, as well as tortoises, tarantulas, and so on.
Then of course is our bird area, where we have 16 large cages filled with birds: Parakeets, Finches, Canaries, Doves, and Conures.
Last, but not least, is our small animal department. When I first started, I dug this department the most. I fell in love with the rats soon after, and even brought one home after I couldn't sell her because she was bigger than all the others, and no one wanted her. I had her up until a few months ago, then she passed away. Unfortunately, rats have a short life span. I never really wanted to get another small animal again after her, but just the other day someone dropped off some rabbits, cute little shits. One was floppy eared, but only one ear would stick straight up, the other kept falling back down. Grey and white. Adorable. I brought it home.
So, not only do we have rats and rabbits, but 4 different kind of hamsters, mice, Guinea pigs, chinchillas, and ferrets. That is a lot of animals to take care of. And to be knowledgeable about. That is key to work there. You have to understand and know the animals so you can educate your customers before they take them home. It's a hard job...you talk a lot. Your mouth can literally hurt after an 8 hour shift at times. When I first started here, I didn't think it would be that much conversing. I slowly worked my way up to where I am now. I'm much friendlier to customers more so now than in the beginning, and even have my own "regulars". It's strange. I actually enjoy that fact.
So that's my job. I'm content with it. I got promoted to team lead, aka manager, a few months ago as well. So now we've got a decent staff (went through some serious blunders with some of the people hired, but thankfully no longer with us), and we're having fun.
Well, I was. I was content with the way things were. But, one day, about three months ago, a new guy showed up. At first I just hated the guy. He had no credentials I thought were good enough for a hire, and he was a smart ass, always with a comeback. I really just hated the guy. Clumsy as hell too. Fell over things, bled all the damn time from one thing or another. Horrible facer. If I am anal about one thing in that store, it is when we front and face the store, or zoning, depends on where you work on what they call it, but yeah, I am absolutely anal about it getting done, and getting done right! So yeah, I had to yell at him, and not just him, all the new people, because they just couldn't do it the way it was supposed to be done.
But a month or so went by, and the guy was able to make me laugh. Amazing. I know. So, he slowly grew on me and thought he might not be a bad guy and could be a possible friend. In all technicalities, we're not allowed to be friends because he is below me in rank at the store, but my other coworkers and I have still done things outside of work without anyone's knowledge. Plus, the guy has a girlfriend, Hinata I think her name is, and they're expecting. Completely platonic. So I figured, meh, he likes to drink, it wouldn't hurt to have him come over one night, and he, Shika, and I can drink it up a bit and I can learn a bit more about him. Frankly, it was the only way for me to get out of the parking lot one night because the dumbass just kept talking and talking and talking. So, I invited him over, gave him directions, and he showed up about an hour later with alcohol.
Shika ended up going to stay the night over at Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino's house. They are our lesbian friends. They got married over a year ago. Real cute together.
So, that was a shocker to me, nonetheless. Didn't think this would be a two-person party, but ah well.
He and I were on the phone before he pulled up, so I could tell him when to stop in front of my house. We hung up and went to meet him out on the front porch.
Spikey, blonde hair shown brightly under the street lamp he parked by when he emerged from his little, green car, then he looked over the top to flash me a fox-like grin. He opened his backseat door, and ducked back in to pull out the bottles of booze. Fox grin still in place when he pulled them out to show me he brought three different bottles for us to go through.
I smiled at him and hoped I could stomach whatever he brought, and watched as he walked up the sidewalk and up the front porch steps.
"Yo, Sasuke!"
"Hey, Naruto, come on in."
TBC...
So that was that...please review. I would like to hear your thoughts. Be kind ^__^
Houseki
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Table of Contents
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Chapter notes: Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Cowboy Bebop, The Crow, or any other anime I might have mentioned.
A/N: Yeah, so I'm back with something a little different. Don't worry, this is a quicky..chaps are just rushing out..they're short, but there's a point to that. mm Hope you like it!
Notices: AU, present day America... midwest *shrugs* doesn't matter what city really. mm covered the Sasuke OOCness, Naruto..perhaps, but very subtle.
This fic is going to be way different than what most of you are used to. The POV is not usually done this way with this person, and roles are kind of switched. Which I like. I'll make further notes later as the story goes as to why I did this or that.