Author-ess: So, an idea struck me, and I really do like it. I was thinking of doing several short one-two shots branching off of my latest short 'Please Don't Go'. They scatter in the time line of the past, I suppose leading up to the original short. This is the first in the making. Still have another chapter to add to it, but I'm sure if you read the original short, you can guess where it goes. Hope you enjoy!
...
..
.
"Mr. Uchiha, the last of the paperwork has been faxed over from the main branch. Would you like me to leave it on your desk?" A petit brunette with equally as infirm a voice peered hesitantly over the mound of papers before her. She rested several manila folders thick with documents on her hip, quietly waiting for her employer's response.
With a drawn sigh, the man behind the desk straightened up, glancing over his pile of paperwork toward the woman. She was just the type of employee that Sasuke liked: timid, easygoing and eager to please. Over all, the frail woman had been one of the best secretaries he'd seen pass through the office. She was always very astute, catching on quickly, and always knew when to be tactful. If she were a bit more strong willed, she might have actually progressed in the company.
The raven haired man thought on that as he nodded curtly and responded in his usual monotone, "Yes, I'll take them with me tonight. I'll close up tonight, Ms. Hyuuga. Thank you."
The shy brunette woman nodded quietly and set the pile of folders on a stable tower of papers. After a pause and a brief smile she silently left the room.
Sasuke continued to think on the idea for a moment longer before he sighed inaudibly and shook his head. The woman was lucky to work for him, with her inability to really show fervor toward much. Sharingan was the smaller, less forceful, and less competitive branch of the world renown Uchiha Corporation. The main company was known to treat it's employees with "A Handshake or A Head-wound", as so many personally involved associates knew it to be.
As much as the Uchiha was glad to be able to see his branch of the company being run just as he'd want, fighting off the migraine that came with sitting in his seat was grating.
Briefly surveying the condition of his document littered desk, the raven haired man decidedly sucked in a long breath, grabbed his paperwork and briefcase and stalked out of his office, securing it behind him. Hitting the main light switch on his way out, Sasuke stopped only to set the alarm system and lock up the main entrances.
The sun had already set on the day, the raven haired man noted as he briskly walked through the parking garage to his black Audi R8: his pride and joy.
Revving the engine to life, he peeled out of his parking spot and toward home. He barely acknowledged the hum of his car accelerating on to the highway, and continued to only graze awareness as he turned off on the exit to his high rise apartment building. His thoughts were clouded, dreading the idea of going home just to spend more time sifting through papers. Before he'd realized, he'd already parked the small sports car in the building's underground lot.
It took Sasuke a few seconds to finally break from his stupor and exit the vehicle. Sifting through to the correct key, the raven haired man took the elevator to his floor, unlocked and pushed open the door to his spacious 3 bedroom apartment. The Uchiha had decorated the entire interior himself, keeping to a very postmodern theme. Shelves and bookcases protruded from the walls in clean lines, filled to the brim with papers, folders, packets, files and both paperback and hardcover books.
Sasuke sauntered into the large, circular living area, flopping down on to the leather sectional and kicking his feet up on to a nearly invisible solid glass table. Overhead, dimmed motion censor lights flicked on at the Uchiha's approach, casting the entire room into deep shades of grays and blues. They were handy if you were looking to relax, or were on occasion too drunk to remember to hit the actual lights.
After a few minutes of relaxing into position, he glanced at the digital LED clock on one of his many book shelves. It read 10:14. Letting his head lull to one side, the raven haired man mulled over whether he actually wanted to read over the paperwork in his briefcase. The answer was a resounding 'NO'.
Instead, he entertained the idea of going to the bar and getting a few drinks. After a long hard day, who didn't deserve to wind down and have some fun? Sure that he'd made the best decision of his rapidly ending day, the raven haired man stood, stretching and headed toward the master bedroom.
Quickly he threw on a pair of tight black hip-hugger jeans and a black long sleeve silk button-up shirt. Leaving the top two buttons undone, he took only a few seconds to appraise himself in the mirror before slapping on some cologne and heading out the door. Again, he sidled into his small black car and revved it to life. Sasuke had decided on exactly where he wanted to grab a drink: his favorite racy club, Vault.
It was never a question of where to go. If you wanted to go out, get smashed, dance around, have some fun and(or) hook up, that was the best place to go for all of the hottest bodies in the city. Sasuke, of course was no exception. He smiled to himself some, recalling the last time he'd gone to the bar, and the variety of different women and men that had immediately albeit inanely tried to vie for his attention.
Throwing his Audi into park about 30 yards shy of the club, Sasuke stepped out of the vehicle and sauntered smoothly toward the bouncer at the front doors. A line of several dozen people outside of the club watched with seething glares and jealous gazes as the raven haired man bypassed the waiting club-goers and approached a six-foot-four beefy, tower of a man hovering just in front of Vault's entrance.
The silent man turned his attention to the Uchiha, looking the other up and down a few times. After a moment of hushed acknowledgment, the guard cracked a half smile, stepping aside a few feet as he offered the 'regular' a fist bump before holding the door open. Sasuke nodded casually, bumped and the slid through the raging club's entrance.
Immediately the blaring of the bass speakers rattled his body, sending vibrations not only through the concrete floor but through the air itself. The club was shrouded in shadows and barely lit bodies on an open dance floor. Continuous energy moved the crowd in frenzied, sultry dance.
On the closest side of the club, a long dark wooden bar circled around in a 'U' shape, tapering toward the back exit of the building. Several bar tenders frenzied about with beverages. One particularly showy male flipped a margarita glass through the air, catching it behind his back with the opposite hand before pouring a lime green mixed concoction up to the rim of the glass. He brought it to his lips, sliding his tongue around the rim before showering a white powder all over the glass. As soon as the powder hit the alcohol mix, it fizzed and dissolved, leaving a rim of powder around the edges of the glass. Topping it off with a martini olive, he slunk toward a group of women, drink in tow and smiled coyly.
The Uchiha simply shook his head. The abrasive, brazen testosterone was lost on him. That simply was not his type.
After a moment more of quiet observation, Sasuke gracefully walked over to the far side of the bar, sliding on to a stool, and raised his hand to order a drink.
"Bulleit, neat." the raven haired man curtly beckoned.
The bar tender disappeared without a word, reappearing with the warm orange-amber bottle of bourbon. He grabbed a stout glass from under the counter and poured it for the raven. Silently he continued on to other customers, completely disregarding the Uchiha, leaving him to his own devices.
Sasuke couldn't complain, whiskey in hand. He brought the glass to his lips, inhaling the rich, unique aroma, and then took the first of many pallet quenching mouthfuls.
After finishing his first glass, Sasuke turned on his stool, gazing across the bar. Many beautiful faces littered the crowd, most chattering in small groups. Laughing and obviously flirting, a pair of club-goers began to drift dangerously close to each other, hovering mere inches apart. Apart from that pair, several others were locked eye to eye- whether nursing the beginning of an involvement or just gazing from across the bar.
Slowly the night descended on everyone, beginning to show it's true colors.
A beautiful brunette man perched atop a softly padded bar stool, light, nearly lavender-white eyes flitting casually about the other drinkers. Lightly he swept his dark hair over his shoulder, gingerly brushing lint off of his loose beige tunic-style shirt. The man to his left readjusted, leaning his back over the bar, bracing himself on his elbows and forearms. His dress was a casual v-neck ribbed, long-sleeve tee and tight fitting black slacks. Silky burgundy hair fell loose across his brow, parted just above a red kanji tattoo depicting the word 'love' on his forehead. The rest was styled in a mussed manner, lending a just-rolled-out-of-bed effect.
Said redhead leaned in closer to the brunette, turquoise eyes scanning the crowd lazily. He remained silent, having already downed the drink he'd ordered.
"Humor me, Gaara. Why do you insist on going out to these places if you won't even speak to anyone?" the brunette queried.
The other merely hummed in a monotone in response, turning around on his stool to sit facing the bar.
"I know you're looking. I just don't understand why nobody you meet even grazes your standards." the brunette continued in a quiet murmur.
After a moment of silence between the two, he began to scan the crowd again, not looking for anything in particular. However, he was taken aback by what he saw at the far end of the bar. There sat a pale, dark haired beauty, lazily swirling the last bits of amber liquid in his glass. With a brief longing expression, he downed the last bits of alcohol and set his glass silently down on the counter.
"Hmmm..." the brunette onlooker purred quietly.
Catching the soft noise, Gaara leaned toward the brunette, following his gaze across the bar. Indeed, what he saw deserved a murmur of appreciation. The man in question was stunning, well built but graceful curves, soft black tresses framing a beautiful face.
To his friend's surprise, the redhead lifted his hand to the bartender, quietly asking a question and then thinking over a few ideas.
"Ah-hem" was the curt opening, stirring Sasuke from his thoughts.
The raven haired man glanced up, gazing at the fresh cup of amber-red liquid placed in front of him. Before he could open his mouth to voice his question, the bartender cut in with a smile. "Complements from the gentleman across the bar." With a nod toward the opposite end of the counter, he left the raven haired man to himself.
Sasuke lifted his gaze in the direction the bartender had nodded, catching the eye of a pale, delicately carved redhead. Said man just barely smiled, lifting his newly filled glass into the air in a subdued 'cheers' motion, and brought the glass to his lips, eyes never leaving the Uchiha.
.
..
...
Author-ess: So, there it is! I'll try to update the second part some time soon. Now listen, I'm not too keen on Gaara, but for the sake of the story shorts, I wanna write this. I know eventually Sasuke will end up with Naruto, but right now they don't even know the other exists. Nope, didn't introduce Hinata in full, nor did I even mention Neji's name. Won't make too much difference. I just plan on writing a few scattered stories. In any case, I actually enjoyed writing it. Hope you enjoyed reading it. (I apologize for any grammatical / spelling / punctuation mistakes) 'Til next time, Ja ne! LOVE!