Title: Above the Haze

Authors Note: Decided to take a short break from A House That's Not A Home because of frustration. Anyway, if you're not interested in slow development and detail, turn back now. More from me later.

⇒Please make sure you heed the bolded font. Especially the are there for a reason.

Pairing: SasuNaru, hints of NaruSasu

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: AU, OoC, Yaoi (the usual things)

Summary: Naruto has been aiming for flight school since he was just a boy and was first entranced by the vibrantly blue sky he saw only once, thirty thousand feet above the earth, above the haze that covered the world. But is his dream alone enough to get him through the intense training to become one of the few thousand legal pilots in the world?

Disclaimer:

It's only natural for me to say no. So, 'NO'. I don't own Naruto. Kishi-sensei has all rights.

He couldn't see it, but he knew it was there – blue sky above the haze that had permanently settled across most of the world. He'd seen it, once before, when he was young and thirty thousand feet above the land, beyond the clouds – brilliant, blinding blue so pure it made his heart stop beating as the sun's rays touched his face and bathed him in heat. Since that day, he had been striving toward his literally invisible goal of reaching the sky again.

He'd grown up in Tokyo where the haze was so dense the sky looked grey through the fog that covered the city. On a few trips he'd made into the country, the miasma[1] had let up enough to show the palest strips of blue sky and even more infrequently it would break up for a second and let a bright ray of sun through before swallowing it back up again. He pushed the thoughts away, turning up his collar against the chill and adjusting his face mask.

He stood before a building he'd stood in front of innumerable times; Japan's most prestigious flight school and the only one in Tokyo. Over the last fifty years, air flights had all but stopped in an attempt to lower the amount of pollution killing their world, but there were still a few pilots needed every year and if you wanted to be one of them, this was where you went. All graduating pilots, here and from the other schools scattered throughout the world, entered an international pool, the only world-recognized association for pilots: Allied Aeronautics (AA). All legal flights (including military) had to go through AA both to get their pilots and to be approved to enter airspace. This need to band together (and the required full disclosure of flight information across the bar) had resulted in an unprecedented peace in the world and, despite the slow burn of their planet, there was an overarching sense of calm.

Uzumaki Naruto had spent every moment of his junior and high school careers preparing for entrance. He'd taken every advanced math, science, and geography course he could get into. The local librarians knew him on sight and never failed to have a book or two picked out for him on aeronautics, math, or something else they felt might be helpful. He'd placed top in his class every year straight for the last seven years – all for this moment. Today's exam would not assure him a place but the better he did the more likely it was that he would make it to the interview stage where his track record would hopefully set him above a large majority. He clutched a charm in his hand, a present from his mother, and entered the building.

One month later, he sat, trying not to fidget nervously, in front of a panel of people. Three were from the school board and one was from AA itself. They each shuffled slowly through his file and he resisted the temptation to start speaking, begging them to start already. He clasped his hands together tightly.

"Well," one of them finally began, several minutes later, "you've obviously prepared for this. I see plenty of advanced classes on your transcripts and your exam results display a thorough basic understanding of the principles of flight." The old man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Why do you think we should let you in?"

Naruto's lips twitched. He had prepared for this question, really. But he couldn't remember the answer. "I . . . well, I'm a hard worker," he started. "Um. I'm dedicated. I've proven that I can dedicate myself to my studies and excel in them. I . . ." and then the desperation hit him, making him tremble. "I want it. I want to fly so badly that I dream about it. And I'll do whatever it takes to be the best pilot possible … That's why you should let me in." He said the last part quietly and he knew there was a look of horror on his face at himself, for his outburst. He looked down at his hands.

"Thank you," the old man said after a stunned pause. Naruto knew this for the dismissal it was and he stood up and walked to the panel to shake everyone's hand. "We'll let you know."

Naruto hung his head as he left, sure he had blown it. There hadn't been any more questions. There should have been more and there weren't. He walked slowly, dejectedly, toward the bike rack. And when he got home, he ignored his mother's questions, sank down onto his bed and cried.

He wasn't sure what to do with himself after that. He hadn't planned on going anywhere else but now he was faced with decisions. Obviously he still needed to go to school. It would be almost a crime to waste all his hard work thus far. He half-heartedly signed up for exams at a few good universities nearby hoping to get into their agriculture departments. If he couldn't fly, he could at least aim to get into the highly selective farming jobs, up in the mountains where the haze hadn't quite defeated the sunlight, yet, and one could still catch glimpses of blue against the grey. He never really said anything to his parents about the interview except that it was "Short. Too short." His mom and dad had exchanged looks at that and for the next few weeks they were extra cheerful and encouraging in his attempts to get into other schools. His mom made all his favorite meals and his father took him fishing. His best friend dragged him to silly movies and purposely made a fool out of himself trying to get Naruto to mock and laugh at him. But nobody missed that his smiles were weak, all hitched up on one side like the other half was too depressed to even try.

He was utterly shocked when one month after the interview he received a letter of acceptance from the flight school.

"Naruto! Come help me with this will – what's wrong? What's that?" Tears stood in Naruto's eyes, threatening to spill over and his mother stared at the paper he held limply in his hands.

"They've let me in," he breathed. He let it settle. Then his mother shouted and jumped on him, hugging him, and he started shouting too.

There were only eleven others with him in the room for orientation and he sat quietly watching them all. These would be his rivals for the next two years, rivals for acceptance into AA. He was early, they all were; punctuality bred into them by culture and by mutual desire to be the best. But then, it must have been expected because the speaker was early too, by five minutes, and he started without preamble.

"There are twelve of you today. Half of you might make it through the two years of study. I have no delusions as to the mental sturdiness of 18-year-olds and you are not exceptions even if you are exceptional. These will be the hardest two years of your life, mentally and physically, and I urge you to leave now if you think your desire to be a pilot isn't strong enough to get you through. Don't waste our time, because we won't waste yours." He paused as though perhaps someone might be intelligent enough to heed his words this time. No one made a move.

"Fine." He continued the orientation outlining the next two years of study for them and explaining their schedules, expectations, room assignments and school rules. In conclusion he told them all he would see them in one week when the school term officially started.

Naruto detailed the entire four-hour orientation to his best friend over dinner. They settled into the worn seats of their favorite restaurant in town and removed their face masks, breathing in the chilled, recycled air. The slight red marks left behind would have been considered to mar their features fifty years ago, but today were too common to even draw attention. The two were a study in the sense of peas in a pod: Naruto, although serious when he put his mind to it, was the same as his friend, Inuzuka Kiba, who was bright and glitzy and seemingly none too bright in his buoyancy. Though in Kiba's instance, his temper sometimes seemed to loom behind the bright outlook he held, lurking in the shadows of his personality.

"Ahhh, Naruto. You made it though! Not that I'm surprised, but I won't be surprised, either, when you finish. I know you can do it."

Naruto felt his head expand. Kiba's positive outlook was the biggest reason they had remained friends the last ten years even though Kiba was a little older than he was. Naruto, while not expressly negative, did tend to see the glass as half-empty and Kiba was always quick to point out the plusses in any situation. He looked fondly at his friend. "What will you do, Kiba? You graduate soon, don't you?"

The messy-haired man fiddled with his chopsticks a bit before tilting his head, a dubious expression on his face. "I don't know, really. I mean, I guess I could become a vet, right? I like animals! Little ones. Big ones. You name it! Can you imagine me as a veterinarian?" He struck an innocent pose, eyes wide and hands clasped in front of his chest. It lasted all of five seconds before they were both laughing.

"You'll probably have to go black and tame that wild head of yours, though," Naruto said pointing at his own hair. "Could you handle that, playboy?"

Kiba looked horrified at the mere idea and gingerly touched his hair. "Really? Would I really?"

Naruto smirked at him. "Probably. But you'd look good with dark hair. More serious."

Kiba tried a serious look this time and they laughed 'til they cried.

"Are you going to be okay, though? This daily exercise regimen … Naruto's been getting a little puffy from sitting around and studying too long. Will you make it?" he asked innocently, despite the mocking tone hidden in his voice.

"Ass. We can't all be hyper-buff like you."

"True," the man said happily and started on his second bowl of rice.

As they left, they made plans for Kiba to meet him to help him pack and then again to help him move into his dorm room. "Narutooooo!" Kiba practically squealed. "It's so exciting, isn't it?"

"I don't remember you being this excited when it was your turn."

"Yeah but I was just getting into the medical department. You're gonna be a pilot." They both grinned like idiots.

"G'night, Kiba," Naruto said, pulling his friend in for a one-armed hug.

"G'night, Naruto," he replied as Naruto turned to walk away.

They sat back and surveyed their work, munching on Naruto's mother's onigiri with satisfaction.

"It's nice," Kiba started, "but why can't you stay at home? You're going to have to eat cafeteria food, you know that, right?"

"Everyone has to. It's a tight schedule and they want to make sure we've got 'discipline' I guess." Then he grinned. "But I don't even care."

Kiba ruffled Naruto's hair with a smile and started a mini war.

"What time is your meeting with your . . . what was it? Second instructor?"

"Yeah. In," he glanced at his watch, "oh shit. Thirty minutes." He scrambled up off the floor and over to a box of clothes, tripping over nothing on the way.

Kiba chuckled. "Ok, I'll be leaving then. Good luck though! Call me later and tell me how it's gone." He shot Naruto a peace sign and showed himself out.

He was the first to the little lounge but his peers weren't long. They sat around a table, a little awkward, and exchanged stilted hellos – well he and one girl. The other guy was loud and cheery and introduced himself with ease as "Sarutobi Konohamaru." The girl was Moegi. The two sat and listened to Konohamaru talk animatedly about how excited he was to be here and 'it was just so amazing' and 'boyhecouldn'twaitto' and Naruto was relieved when he saw an older man walk into the lounge and pull up a chair, straddling it backward and resting arms across the back of it.

The man waited a second for Konohamaru to finish his sentence and gave him a small glare before continuing. "Hello, I'm Uchiha Sasuke. If we're all in the right place, I'm your second instructor." The man read their names off a paper and looked intently at each person after he said their name. Naruto had to listen carefully because Sasuke's voice was quiet, but firm. "Well, a little about me, first, I guess. I graduated from this school two years ago and this is my first year as a second instructor. The position is given that name because my job is to act as a sort of backup to your course instructors. I spent the two interim years working with AA, so I do have experience. If you have any questions, concerns, or just need someone to talk to, that's what I'm for. My room is located in building 2, floor 3, room 312." He handed each of them a card with his information. "My cell number is there as well. I will be the one going up in the air with you, when that time comes, and I also function as a sort of tutor. Please don't hold back from asking for help. I do have a couple other students under my care but I am here for all of you." His face turned serious, the expression looking eerily in place on him. "Your time here will be tough, even with help. Without it, I doubt you'll make it. Pride has no place here." He fixed each of them with a look and, apparently satisfied, he went on with a smirk. "Alright. Well, let's talk a little bit and get to know each other."

Naruto thought the man smirked too much and, dammit, he'd always hated icebreakers. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and wondered if Konohamaru would talk so long they'd run out of time. Smiling dreamily at the thought, his mind half-drifted a moment before he was startled out of his reverie by his name and an almost expecting look.

"Naruto, why don't you start?"

He sighed.

Dictonary:

[1] Miasma [noun].

a highly unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor.

Ex:"a miasma of stale alcohol hung around him like marsh gas"

an oppressive or unpleasant atmosphere that surrounds or emanates from something.

Ex:"a miasma of despair rose from the black workshops"

synonyms:

stink, reek, stench, fetor, smell, fume, odor, whiff

A/N: Well, new story. Fresh start. I wanted to try something different since I was becoming a bit agitated with A House and decided that, since I want to do plot, I'm sure as heck gonna do plot. There will be future yaoi in this and the story may be a little paced. If you don't like it, please don't continue to read it. If you flame me, I'll find you. Trust me, I have my ways. **clears throat** Anyway, tell me what you think so far. Good? Bad? Think I should continue? Even if you don't think so, I will. Well, see you guys soon! Keep your eyes peeled for the next update!

Read, Review, and Move On!