The Toughest Lesson

Eruption

It seemed all anyone wanted to talk about was Prom.  Who was wearing what, who was going, and who was taking who.  It didn't seem there was any way around the talk.  Even at lunch, people brought it up.  Frowning, Naruto dug into his food.  "You going?"  Sasuke's voice cut through Naruto's thoughts.

"Huh?"  Naruto looked up. 

"I asked if you were going, dobe."  Sasuke's lips twitched in the faint ghost of a smile.  Naruto glared at him.

"No.  Why would I?  It isn't like I can go with anyone."  Naruto snapped and turned his attention back to his food.

"You could go stag."  Sasuke suggested, eating his soup.

"G...go stag where?"  Hinata asked, sitting down at the table with Sasuke and Naruto.

"To Prom.  Dobe doesn't want to go cause the guy he wants to take won't go with him."  Sasuke shrugged.  Naruto glared daggers at Sasuke.

"I'm sorry he won't go with you...did he turn you down?"  Hinata asked, blushing.

"No.  I didn't ask.  He is busy."  Naruto mumbled, looking down, an edge to his voice.

"Oh.  Well then, we all three could go stag?"  Hinata offered.

"Hn, I suppose."  Sasuke stated.  "Come on, dobe.  If I am going, you can suffer with me."  Sasuke said.  Looking up, Naruto was about to protest.  But, it would be the first time Sasuke did anything fun since Orochimaru died.  Grunting, Naruto agreed.

****

Kakashi listened patiently as he and Naruto put Rinni to bed.  Turning, he smiled at Naruto.  "I think that is a great idea, Naruto.  You need to go out and live life...prom is something that doesn't happen all the time."

Naruto grumbled, following Kakashi back out to the living room.  "Yea, but I want to go with you."  Naruto whined.  He knew he was whining, he just didn't care.  Kakashi sighed as he sat down.

"And I would like to be able to go with you...but I can't."  Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Hey, what's wrong?"  Blue eyes studied the older man.

"Nothing, just tired and a headache."  Kakashi smiled.  Pulling Naruto to him, he leaned back.  "Let's just relax and watch some television."  Naruto nodded, snuggling into Kakashi.  He felt like such a wuss around Kakashi, but if this was being dick whipped, he could live with it.

******

"Why am I here?" grumbled Naruto, as he was being fitted for his tuxedo.  Sasuke stood near, being fitted as well.

"Because we are going to prom.  You can't wear jeans to prom, or so I have been told."  Sasuke mumbled, looking away from the man with the long dark hair who was fitting him.  Naruto noticed that Sasuke had unconsciously started fiddling with the band on his finger.

"Yea, but why we ridin' in a limo?"  Naruto scrunched up his face.

"Because Hinata's dad is paying for it."  Sasuke stated, like that should explain everything.  Naruto huffed, waiting for this torture to be over

****

School passed as prom loomed nearer.  Sasuke and Naruto's tuxedos were fitted and ready with about two days to spare.  As prom night appeared, Naruto was withdrawn.  It didn't help that Jiraiya had left for another book tour.  Even with the house to himself, he couldn't have Kakashi over all the time, and he couldn't go to Kakashi's.  "Stupid fucking job."  Naruto grumbled.  Looking in the mirror, he took in his appearance.  Sighing, he headed out when he got the text from Sasuke.

Crawling in the limo, he smiled at his friends.  Sasuke was in a tuxedo, and Hinata was in a pale sea green form fitting dress with silver glitter and accents.  Her hair was piled on her head in curls, and Naruto had to admit she looked beautiful.  "Hey, you look...amazing."  Naruto said, blushing.  Hinata blushed as well, thanking him.  As the limo took them to the hotel where the Prom was going to be, Hinata smiled softly.  "I didn't think they had proms in Japan."  She said quietly.  "My father said they didn't use to."

Sasuke nodded.  "We didn't, until about two years ago.  The new Principal decided he wanted to integrate some things from different countries.  He chose prom as the thing from America.  Why, I have no idea."  Sasuke shrugged.  "It took off like wildfire though."  Getting out of the car, Hinata hummed in appreciation. 

As they walked in, the theme was apparent as "A Night in Paris."  The gymnasium was transformed into a French street with bistro tables, lights, and an Eiffel Tower in the distance.  As the three walked in, they saw a bunch of their friends dancing and talking.  As Naruto went in, he stopped dead in his tracks.  Sasuke was talking to Hinata, so he crashed into Naruto.  "What the hell, Dobe?"  Looking up, he saw that Naruto was staring.  Looking to what Naruto was staring at, he saw Kakashi dressed up in a tuxedo, talking to Lady Tsunade.

********

Naruto sat glumly at the table.  Frowning, he kept watching Kakashi out of the corner of his eye.  Why didn't he tell me he was going to be here?  Naruto took a sip of punch.  Looking around, he noticed that Sasuke and Hinata were no where to be seen.  Sighing heavily, Naruto pulled out his phone, playing a game.

The night drug by.  Sasuke came sitting back down.  His face was slightly flushed.  "Been dancing?"  Naruto asked crankily.  Sasuke nodded.  

"C'mon, come dance with me, dobe."  Sasuke said.  Naruto shook his head as Hinata came up as well.

"D...do you want to dance, Naruto?"  Hinata said, setting down three cups.  Naruto just shook his head no.  Shrugging, Sasuke took Hinata out onto the dance floor as Naruto grabbed a cup and drank more punch.  Naruto sat for awhile longer, playing on his phone.  He kept an eye on Kakashi.  It was obvious Kakashi was a chaperone.  After a bit, Naruto went and got some food.  On the way back, he thought he saw Sasuke head down a hallway.

"Sasuke?"  Naruto asked, concerned for his friend.  Heading down the hallway, he saw Sasuke...only he wasn't alone.  His best friend...whom he thought might have darted down the hall to mourn his dead lover, was leaning over...Hinata...kissing her gently.  That felt like a slap in the face to Naruto.  Turning quickly, he ran back to the dance.  His anger boiled just under the surface.

Kakashi came over a bit later and sat down.  "Mr. Uzumaki, nice to see you here."  He said conversationally.  Naruto just glared at him.  "What?"  The silver haired man asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"You ... don't you get it?"  Angrily, Naruto stomped out.  Finding the roof access, Naruto crawled  up to the roof, sitting down, and stared at the stars.

"Mr. Uzumaki..."  Kakashi came up, confusion on his face.

"What?"  Naruto spat out.

"I don't understand or appreciate your anger."  Kakashi stated calmly, a hard glint to his eye.

Naruto spun around, standing up and getting close to Kakashi.  "You don't understand or appreciate my anger?!" he screeched.  "I don't understand or appreciate your disregard for my feelings!"  he yelled quietly.

Kakashi looked stunned.  "What are you talking about?"

"I want to be with you, I can't, and then you come here, dressed up, don't even tell me, and expect me to just smile and sit there!  If you cared, you would stand up and tell everyone that you want to be with me.  Instead, you want to hide behind your mask and your job.  You don't love me, you only love your precious job and reputation!"  Naruto pushed past Kakashi.  Suddenly he felt a hand on his arm.

Kakashi stood there.  "Don't run, Naruto.  Let's talk."

"Fuck talking, Kakashi.  I'm done.  If you can't be with me, be proud of me, then we're done.  I want to be in a relationship with someone who is proud to be with me, not wanting to hide me in a closet."  Naruto's voice was laced with venom as he stomped past Kakashi, down the stairwell, and out of his lover's sight.