Time for Heroes

By Heroes Can Save You

A Naruto x Sasuke (x Naruto) AU story.

Rated M. This story will contain drinking, smoking, rock and roll, bad language, drug references and use, references to England and British things and sexual situations.

I do not own Naruto, or the songs mentioned in this story.

Prologue

Naruto had known he had hated Sasuke from the moment he laid eyes in him. Okay, so perhaps not that exact moment, but it couldn't have been long after - perhaps it had been when the bastard had opened his mouth and brutally dissected Naruto, his music and his band. Yeah, that had probably been it.

Naruto, Gaara and Sakura had just finished their set - a damn good set in Naruto's opinion - at what was The Whirlpools first live gig. They had played a handful of their own songs and then had a performed (what everyone had assured Naruto) a version of 'That's Entertainment' by The Jam that was every bit as good as the original. While Naruto would admit it hadn't been perfect, for the bands first proper gig – he felt that it had been pretty successful. The audience was filled with friends, acquaintances and people unfortunate enough to be in the London pub that afternoon and they had been cheering and dancing enthusiastically and as the band climbed down from the stage Naruto felt on top of the world. He gratefully accepted the drink Kiba was holding out for him and began to discuss the performance loudly with his friend. Kiba had thrown his arm around his shoulder and Shikamaru was there, and awake, which was the most praise he could get from his lazy friend when Naruto spied Sakura talking away to a dark haired man Naruto had never seen before. A very attractive dark haired man who made even the 'confident in his love for Sakura' Naruto give him a once over. Still, he had to save Sakura from him, even though Naruto had agreed to let up on the love declarations now Sakura was in the band, he couldn't let her be taken away right in front of his eyes. He detached himself from Kiba and wandered over, smiling as Sakura grabbed his arm and pulled him to stand beside her.

"Naruto! This is Sasuke, we were just talking about the gig," Sakura introduced them.

Sasuke turned to look at him, but didn't say anything. Naruto grinned despite Sasuke's cold attitude. Nothing could bring him down, not even antisocial bastards.

"You enjoy it?" Naruto asked brightly. Sasuke turned so he was facing them in profile now, leaning against the bar and slowly lit a cigarette as he contemplated an answer.

"You need another guitar player, you aren't good enough to sing and play lead guitar at the same time and it threw the band off rhythm sometimes. You're songs are okay - sometimes you even have an okay tune in there but some of your lyrics are terrible. Like only a true moron could write. I'm not sure what sound you were going for, and I don't think you know. But with more practice, someone else writing your songs and another guitarist one day you might be actually able to listen to you and not want to cut your own ears off." Sasuke finished, smirking at the look of shock on the pink haired girls face and the anger and contempt on the blondes.

Okay, Sasuke thought, so perhaps he had been a little harsh - the songs hadn't been terrible - in fact he'd been impressed by one or two, but there was something about the blonde and his happy, smiling face that just irritated Sasuke.

A feeling the blonde apparently shared if the fist he had thrown at Sasuke's face was any indication.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled as Sasuke stumbled back, grabbing the edge of the bar for support.

"Moron, that didn't even hurt," Sasuke goaded, preparing to throw himself at the other, but Sakura stepped between them.

"Stop it. Naruto, we have talked about your temper before! And god knows we are always saying how we get no constructive criticism as a band and you go and punch the first person that gives us any? Sasuke if you think you can help us get better, come along to one of our rehearsals. Put your money where your mouth is." Sakura proposed, despite Naruto's indignant squeaks in the background. Sasuke was quiet for a moment before he stubbed out his cigarette and turned to the barman ignoring the stares from most of the bar.

"You got a pen?" He asked, the barman nodded and handed it to Sasuke who felt around in his pockets for a scrap of paper. He pulled out an old bus ticket and scribbled his number down before handing it to Sakura. "Don't call on Wednesdays," he warned her before downing the last of his whiskey and walking from the bar.

Conversation began to return now that there was no longer the prospect of a fight and Sakura stared wide-eyed at the number on the paper.

"I got his phone number," she murmured to herself as Gaara and their other friends gathered to see what had set Naruto off. "The hottest guy alive and I have his number,"

Naruto snatched the paper from her hands and waved it angrily in her face.

"I should burn it! What the hell Sakura? The pompous dick stood there and insulted us and you go asking him to come watch us?" Naruto fumed, stomping his foot on the ground as Kiba handed him a beer and nodded in support.

"You are such a drama queen - and don't you dare rip that up!" Sakura yelled, punching Naruto in the stomach, causing him to cough and double over. "Everything he said we know! But none of our friends are going to give us an honest musical opinion like that are they? Look we aren't asking him to join the band - it's just for his opinion Naruto. Besides, have you seen his face?"

Gaara nodded in agreement and after Naruto stopped howling in betrayal, he finally consented to get an outsider's honest opinion on the band and their music - on the condition Sasuke did not join the band.

Three weeks later, Sasuke was in the band.

Inspiration for this story comes from the band The Libertines – which has two lead singers who are a fangirls dream. So this is the introduction – much more to come!