Life Of A Secret Agent
Chapter Four
Naruto had taken the file his boss had handed him without looking doing his usual nod, smile and laugh routine. It was sad it worked for so many people to know nothing about him but to like him because he was just so damned 'likable'. Read that 'will do things for you, laugh at your sad jokes and be your gopher'.
So Naruto went on his free lunch meeting in a nice loaned jacket, entered Caboose with his briefcase in hand and decided to wait until his brand new business partner showed to pull out the file and be his charming and co-conspirator self to build trust. If he looked over the file with the person, it felt less like a negotiation and more like a budding friendship.
Seriously. It worked. More times than Naruto could count.
Sipping on the complementary water, he leaned back slightly in his chair and looked around. Caboose at one in the afternoon was like a stomping ground for business people doing 'power lunches' and C-list rich and famous schmoozing with 'old friends'. His eyes scanned the room, caught everything and he was once again disappointed in the world.
His smile was still bright as the waiter came to refill his glass and Naruto said his thanks.
Ten minutes later he looked at his watch and was dubious. Was this person coming? Leaning over to pick up his briefcase, a pair of shoes walked into his line of sight and stopped next to his table.
"…you have got to be kidding me." Naruto looked up from halfway off his chair and couldn't help his smile freezing on his face. Sasuke Uchiha was the person he was meeting. Sasuke!
"Ah." Not one of his most eloquent moments. Straightening, briefcase in hand, Naruto stood and held out his hand, pure professionalism. "Mr. Uchiha."
His neighbor, Sasuke was staring at him, eyes piercing and Naruto couldn't help thinking he had been judged and found lacking. Turning his palm to the side Naruto let out a soft laugh and withdrew it.
"This is unexpected. I didn't know Uchiha Corporation did business with WGB. I actually haven't looked at the file yet!" With another laugh Naruto sat back down. "Mr. Burton is, of course, sorry he couldn't come in person but he –"
"I can't work with you." Naruto looked up at Sasuke again and he hadn't moved. "I'm sorry but you grate on my nerves with your abrasive laugh, moronic jokes, overbearing personality and in general I can't stand you."
"…" Naruto's smile stayed in place as he opened the briefcase on his lap and withdrew the file Mr. Burton had given him, placing it on the table gently. "Oh?"
Sasuke's hand came down with quiet power on the table next to his water glass and the man bent down closer to him, lowering his voice to a whisper. Naruto watched the water ripple as Sasuke's acidic voice hissed to him. "Look Uzumaki, I don't know why your boss sent a fucking sports reporter to have a business meeting with an actual family member of Uchiha Corporation, one of the most powerful companies in the world but apparently he takes our patronage as a joke!"
Naruto blinked at the profanity and his smile slid off. "I have an MBA and a Masters in Marketing from Brown's University Sasuke. As well as a Bachelor's in Psychology and a, now, defunct Masters in International Relations. Not that you'd care to know. I also have been twice approached to be Vice President of WGB by my boss' bosses." His voice went dangerously quiet as sapphire eyes flashed. "I've closed more deals for WGB than Burton could do in the past fifteen years in eleven months Uchiha… and I would appreciate it if you could give me the same respect I'm giving you at this moment."
Standing and pushing his chair back with a purposefully loud screech, Naruto hitched back on a friendly smile but his eyes threw fire. "You don't see me taking my bad day out on potential business partners do you?"
Sasuke's face was momentarily unguarded, surprise flaring in his eyes. Naruto snorted and was passing him to leave when Sasuke reached for his arm. Twisting it around Naruto ended up grabbing his wrist, bringing them into a close position standing next to each other. Using his body to block most of the room Naruto breathed out slowly.
"Don't grab me."
Sasuke's face was pink as he loosened his arm muscles and tried to pull away. "I…" His dark head dipped slightly and Naruto was treated to a close-up view of Sasuke's gel-free, gravity defying hair. Pushing aside the thought that it smelled clean and fresh, Naruto realized Sasuke was apologizing.
Releasing the warm wrist and rubbing the feeling of Sasuke's rabbiting pulse from his fingertips, Naruto likewise bowed slightly. "I'm familiar with martial arts. I get carried away when people grab me." Taking a step back and trying to ignore the awkward moment, Naruto gestured back to the table and toned down his attitude.
If Sasuke didn't appreciate his persona, he could change it.
Sasuke sat first before Naruto, pulling his chair in close. "I apologize for my behavior. I don't usually… even if my business partner turned out to be you…" Waving off the apology, Naruto sipped his water, pulling the previously discarded business file to himself.
Opening it and scanning quickly Naruto couldn't help a small, wry smile. "Uchiha Corp. wants to offer 'sponsorship' in return for unlimited marketing? For whatever you feel like, whenever?" He looked up to catch Sasuke staring at him.
"The terms are loose but I guess that is how it reads." Their gazes held for a minute before Naruto looked away.
"Oookay."
Sasuke linked his hands, propped by his elbows on the table, and rested his chin in the cradle. "We have money to throw at you."
Looking up Naruto resisted the urge to laugh. Uchiha wanted WGB to make a deal with the devil's spawn. "We aren't for hire." The corners of his lips curled upward. "Even if you are the richest company based in L.A."
Sasuke was staring at him. Even as he hummed speculatively and changed his position to sip water, Naruto could feel his eyes boring into him. Keeping his eyes stubbornly on his file, Naruto wondered whether Sasuke knew of the intimacy or impoliteness of a Japanese man doing that to another.
Of course he did.
Was he aware he was doing it? Maybe not.
"We can re-negotiate the terms. Of course we aren't going to agree to them as you have them here. Was this your idea?" Naruto stated bluntly, flipping through the proposed agreement. Sasuke reared back from the table, dark eyes wide.
"What?"
"Not everyone rolls over when an Uchiha says assume the position. I'm going to make sure WGB doesn't." Naruto snorted. "If you want unlimited advertising power with us, you need to add on a couple more zeroes. And even then I'd advise against it. We need a fixed proposal, with some form of regulation or guidelines and we can supposition monetary reimbursement from that."
Naruto crowed internally as Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I think you have enough zeroes already. You're a budding station…we're just taking advantage of your viewership's current interest. For all we know when the buzz over…a few individuals' presence wears off, WGB will be a useless resource."
It was Naruto's turn to lean over the table. "Come on now," a teasing smile slid onto his face. "If you and your marketing team really thought that the price wouldn't be so high right now. You want us while we're hot and you think we're getting hotter so you want first dibs."
"Did Brown teach you how to negotiate business deals too?" Naruto blinked as Sasuke sat up straight, face blank but a pink tinge climbed up his neck. Muffling a laugh behind a cough, Naruto grinned shrewdly.
"Yes. It was a dorm-room extra curricular activity." If Sasuke thought this was flirting, he should see him with a gun. If the look on Sasuke's face was anything to go by, it was time to dial back the predatory. Though he really wouldn't mind – if they were drunk again… not gay. Not gay. 'This was established already today…'
"Here's a compromise. We live next door to each other. It's not like we can't work on this after hours… How about you draft a fresh deal, give me it to look over when you get a chance and if it needs tweaking again we can work on it together?" Naruto cut the smiles and grins and withdrew a business card from his briefcase. He scribbled quickly before giving it to Sasuke. "Home and cell numbers are on there."
There was a pause before Sasuke took the card, visibly hesitating before nodding firmly. "Fine. May I – may I ask though… if you could be higher in WGB, why…?" Naruto faltered in the act of closing up his case and restarted jerkily before standing.
"As Burton's gopher I get to do what I like, without the responsibility. My hours are flexible, I come and go as I please through our mutually symbiotic relationship… why rock a cruise liner?" Naruto re-adopted his persona smoothly and rubbed his hair, laughing pleasantly as Sasuke stood. "I'm lazy, what can I say?"
"Hn." With a last shallow bow, Sasuke exited ahead of him, leaving Naruto to make the leisurely walk back to work to get his car. On the way he pull out his cell phone, and made a call. He was going to relax tonight.
A/N: Hope you're enjoying! Leave a like(review) and subscribe to my alerts! XD
Another chapter around Sat/Sunday-ish.