Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! I wish I did!

Summary: Uchiha Sasuke left his friends behind to follow in his father's footsteps. 7 years later, he finds himself in an elevator with the last person he wanted to see. Will he walk away again? Will Naruto let him? Rating may change!

A/N: I'm super tired & I'm sorry this is so late. To the guest reviewer - if you don't sign in, I can't answer to you directly! I'll answer quickly here: the reason you find so much Sasuke betraying & Naruto forgiving is not because people like Naruto better, it's because that mirrors what happens in canon :P you know, the whole hole-in-the-chest thing. So obviously this story isn't for you! And if you find that you aren't finding stories that fit your taste - congrats! You've found a unique plotline that you ought to write up for others like you :)

Sorry about that guys! Now onwards with the story!


Strictly Professional

Chapter 6: Planning

"But—you," Sasuke offered eloquently.

Naruto gave him an amused look. "You remember anything from Sakura's 17th birthday party?"

Sasuke choked on his tongue. Naruto looked at him suspiciously.

"I—I didn't think you remembered that," Sasuke said.

Naruto squinted at him. "What exactly do you remember?"

Sasuke felt like his throat closed up.

"When we—uh—the downstairs closet—" he practically squeaked.

Naruto gaped at him.

"You asshole!" He pointed a finger and poked him in the chest, but he was smiling an incredulous smile. "You acted like you didn't remember a thing!"

"You acted like you didn't remember a thing!" Sasuke argued, indignant. "What was I supposed to say?! Hey, Naruto, remember when we casually hooked up at the party where you were hammered?"

"I wasn't that hammered," Naruto protested.

"You drank more than me!" Sasuke said.

Naruto made a face. Sasuke gave him the "stop-bullshitting" look.

"Okay, yeah," he reluctantly agreed.

"Which is exactly why I couldn't say anything," Sasuke pushed.

"That's stupid!" Naruto said.

"It is not—" Sasuke began.

"It is!

"It—" Sasuke stopped as Naruto's mouth twitched. Sasuke covered his mouth to stop himself from smiling.

They caught each others' eyes, and then they were laughing.


Naruto wiped the tears from his eyes. Sasuke was still chuckling. He could hardly believe what had happened over the course of the day.

"It's getting dark," Naruto said.

"We should head back to the cars," Sasuke agreed.

After walking for a little while, Sasuke spoke.

"How did you afford university straight after high school?"

Naruto snorted and raised an eyebrow. "You want to see my student loans?"

Sasuke chuckled. "Touché."

"What do you think your father is going to do?" Naruto said after a moment.

Sasuke let out a puff of air. "I have no idea."

"Mm, fair enough," Naruto gave him a half-smile. "He won't like…fire you or anything, will he?"

Surprisingly, Sasuke chuckled.

"Actually," he said, "I have to sign off on all firing of employees. I don't really know how it works if he's trying to fire me."

Naruto looked at him in surprise. Sasuke laughed.

"I don't think he can actually reverse that decision without my approval either. I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner," he eyed Naruto fondly.

"He wouldn't like…give the company to someone else, would he? Like…I dunno…Neji?"

Sasuke scowled. "Not anytime soon, no, but while we're on the topic," Sasuke crossed his arms, "did you two…meet?"

Naruto was amused. "Like, for lunch? Yeah."

Sasuke didn't reply.

"It was fun," Naruto added.

Sasuke scowled further.

Naruto laughed, and Sasuke glared at him.

"Why, Sasuke, if I didn't know better…" Naruto leaned in towards him, "I'd say you were jealous."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and turned away with a "hn."

Naruto's laughter followed him.


"Wait," Naruto said, just as Sasuke went to get in his car. Sasuke looked back at him.

"Why did you cancel meeting with me?" Naruto coughed. "Or, my company, I mean. The company."

Sasuke snorted, but then paused, remembering his father waiting at his apartment.

"Sasuke?" Naruto prompted, after he was silent for a little while.

"My father has a key to my place," he said.

"What?"

"…after the meeting, he was there waiting for me," he said quietly. "I think Neji told him."

Naruto frowned, getting the message. "Do you…think he might be there now?"

Sasuke glanced at him. "I didn't think about it until now."

Naruto let out a puff of air, and then grinned.

"Wanna stay at my place?"

Sasuke looked at him in surprise.

"What? Like I'm gonna let you have a shitty night after standing up for me," he fluttered his eyelashes, "my hero."

Sasuke snorted.

"Seriously, though," Naruto grinned. "We can plan and stuff."

"You? Planning?"

"Hey! That's rude," but Naruto had a smile on his face.

Sasuke rubbed the side of his neck, letting the his attraction to Naruto hit him fully as he looked him up and down.

"Alright. Lead the way."

"Will do!" The foxlike grin was back in full force.


Naruto…was not living in the kind of building you'd imagine a CEO to be. And he seemed to guess what Sasuke was thinking as they entered the stairwell.

"I did say I had a lot of student loans," he said.

"I'm surprised you know how to budget that sort of thing," Sasuke joked.

"I'm a CEO, you jerk," Naruto wacked the back of his hand against Sasuke's arm.

After a moment, he continued in a quieter voice. "Sakura did help me a lot though."

"Sakura?" Sasuke was surprised.

"She's a whiz with numbers," he explained. "You don't remember her in math?"

"True," he said, remembering back to a few tests where he had not, in fact, had the highest marks in the class.

"This is the floor," Naruto said finally, and Sasuke was ashamed to admit he was breathing rather heavily. They had climbed six floors, but still.


"Sorry about the mess," Naruto said as he held the door for Sasuke.

Naruto's apartment was…nice. Modest. It had a bedroom, bathroom, and a large room that seemed to be a combination kitchen-living room. It was definitely messier than Sasuke kept his own place, but, well, this was Naruto. And this was way better than high school Naruto.

But—ahh yes, there was the empty instant ramen cup on the floor.

Naruto followed his gaze, and blushed profusely. He seemed to scamper around the apartment, picking up the bits and pieces he had left scattered around. Sasuke felt warm at the sight.

"So, uh, Sasuke," Naruto said, turning around to hide the sink full of dirty dishes, "do you want a beer or something? You can have a seat wherever you'd like!"

"Sure," Sasuke agreed, making his way to the couch. Naruto tossed him a beer and sat down next to him, positioning one leg on the couch and one leg off.

"I have a question," Naruto said, turning to face Sasuke, "what would you have done if I had freaked out about the whole 'we're on a date' thing?"

Sasuke snorted. "You join a company purely to meet me again, stick to it to the point where you're CEO, and you'd walk away because I was gay?"

"Fair point," Naruto said with a laugh.

"I don't think your father would walk away either," Naruto continued quietly.

Sasuke sighed, and drank his beer.

"Sorry," Naruto said. "Okay, new question—"

"No, no," Sasuke interrupted him, "it's my turn for a question."

Naruto laughed, and pulled his other foot onto the couch so he could lean forwards.

"When did you get so calm?"

Naruto blinked at him. And then laughed.

"Sakura says the same thing!" He laughed again, "I guess I just kind of grew into that. I did do a lot of yoga in university…still do the whole meditation thing," he blushed a little, and put a hand behind his head, "I think it's good for me."

Sasuke smiled into his drink, fighting back a comment involving flexibility.

"Oi, teme," Naruto kicked his leg, "don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not!" Sasuke said, fighting down his smile, "I'm not, I promise."

"Uh-huh," Naruto rolled his eyes.

"No, I'd…" Sasuke let his eyes flicker up and down Naruto's body, "I'd like to see that."

Naruto blushed, but rolled his eyes, taking another swig of beer.


A/N: There you go! Sorry about the wait!

It will be later again tomorrow, but then will be back to normal times :)

- Kinomi