:D please enjoy, slightly choppy, but I've figured out where I wanna go with this. Not too sure how I'm gonna get there… suggestions are very well appreciated
: ) read with a light heart… review critically
Disclaimer: Do not own TT
--
--
Oh Naruto would bet anything and everything he owned that Itachi pulled the strings behind this. But thankfully, there was only 17minutes and 23 seconds left, oh yes how he was counting down the seconds.
"-I definitely do not like him. There is no doubt about that." Naruto almost scowled at Sasuke's statement. Itachi, sitting behind his own screen, was surprised at how long Naruto had held out.
"Who could ever fall in love with a moron like him? He is …" Sasuke paused to find the right word.
"Barely… desirable. An eligible bachelor perhaps. It may seem like I'm in denial or what you called it before, but I'm willing to bet, because I know him well enough that he won't fall for me, and I will not fall for the blonde!" Sasuke, oblivious, to who he was really talking to, had no idea what he was getting himself into.
Naruto, on the other hand, knew perfectly well who had just challenged him, and due selective hearing, naturally blocked out the first part of that bet, and was painfully oblivious to the fact that the Sasuke's voice, was not altered at all as it should be.
Sasuke, oh so unknowingly, had gotten himself in a little game of seduction.
But then again, Naruto wasn't gay, unlike Sasuke, but maybe he could just settle for being bi for a while.
--
--
"-are there anymore details to be confirmed?" Iruka asked. Naruto was really meant to be talking, but the blonde seemed just about ready to sleep, so he'd taken over.
"No thank you, the documents will be forwarded onto you later this afternoon." Sasuke replied formally. He focused on the blonde, how such a moron could ever stir interest… in any way was still beyond him. But of course no one would ever know that. The deal was done, the documents to be signed by both departments by next week, and then, the press conference to announce plans and, what Sasuke was really looking forward to: the drinks after.
For about a month, meetings have been held almost every other day, going over every specific detail from security, to the colour of the bouquet on opening day. Simply because that's how the Uchiha's do it.
Uzumaki Corp, however, was completely different. If it was up to Sasuke, everything would have been finished five months ago, by video conferencing. And then he would not have such a problem on his hands.
But after six months of meetings across the seas through video conferencing, Sasuke gave up and arranged with Iruka, not Naruto, to settle in person, all the better to keep the blonde paying attention.
Uchiha's had their way. But the Uzumaki's were stubborn enough (well just one) to have HIS way too. There were drinks or small parties held after every meeting, to relax entertain.
It wasn't the Uchiha's way of doing things.
But Sasuke can adapt to changes.
--
--
If there was one thing Naruto loved more than a challenge.
It was a challenge from Sasuke.
Eternal rivals and all that shit.
And just because it's Sasuke.
It was self explanatory.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted.
The pink haired girl grimaced a bit, and smiled weakly at the blonde.
Naruto LOVED Sakura; she was the teme's secretary. His first friend from the 'dark side' of their soon to be joint company. He liked to refer to her as the 'light in the darkness.' Sakura didn't appreciate that as much.
"Hi Naruto." She said softly. Giving him a polite hug.
And then the atmosphere seemed to shift, frozen in time to watch someone make an entrance, fashionably late.
"Urgh, here the prick of the dark side…" Naruto mutters. He fought a shiver down his spine that he could see Sakura wasn't able to suppress. He put it down to the coldness of that frigid bastard.
"Hey Sasuke" Sakura greeted with a full smile. Another polite hug was exchanged, although Sakura wasn't the apprehensive one this time. And a peck was added.
Nothing went unseen.
Naruto wasn't as bothered as much as usual. Kiba, however, from across the room, sniggered. But Naruto and Sasuke nodded per usual and the blonde broke off the staring and parted with a smirk.
It was strange, but Sasuke dismissed it.
The crayfish delicacies, exquisite champagne and beautiful people, Sasuke had long been used to. But there was a time when he was awed by the pleasantries. That was with Naruto, fifteen or so years ago.
In this same room, when the chandelier was glass not crystal, and the floor was tile not marble, they played, fighting for first taste of the cake, the stolen sip of anything that bubbled. They were born within months of each other, but it was as if they were born as two halves of the same person, the dark and the light.
That was how their (obsessive) mothers had put it. That was how it was.
How painfully awkward their relationship is now. They speak without filling the entire room (even as big as this banquet hall) with an intense suffocating tension.
Sasuke eyed the man. The blonde man who haunted his conscience. The way he moved in his tight dress pants, bending over as he bows and offers his arms for a dance with Sakura.
With a flicker to Sasuke's direction, she accepts. Naruto does not miss that, but he entertains her with his full attention and more.
"Foolish brother, you should be the one dancing. Do not regret." Itachi mutters as he walks past. Not even the person he was guiding could hear him; acute hearing was another blessing of their selective breeding.
It was too late to not regret. He regretted the night after their reunion, when they first discovered they would only be able to communicate in syllables. He actually looked forward to having his best friend back, not that either man will admit that now. But it was what the Chinese called a 'know self' those rare friends that understands everything without you needing to speak a word.
Sasuke missed it.
So did Naruto. Itachi noticed.
The two were so aware of the other it was barely normal.
High tension.
There are always many psychological reasons for that. Itachi decided to help them figure it out; they are his little brothers after all.
Naruto didn't need Sasuke to say anything, one look was enough, but he pretended not to notice. He would never say it. And it was just a guess, he wasn't as sure as he used to be, people change.
What he was sure of, however, was the gaze that sent tingles his back, the side of his face, the back of his neck.
Naruto danced with Sakura, half bound by duty, half bound by beauty. She was a good girl, beautiful, successful, mature, and from the dark side, so of course, he had to mingle with their side, to make it more successful, to make it look 'right', the way a contract between two of the biggest companies in the world would be like, in settlement. How ever, it was a façade, both that dark and light sides knew, they had been interdependent companies since the beginning, it was just an official bonding that would bring the two into one. Employees often shifted between the two as easily as changing departments within one company, like Shikamaru.
'That lazy bastard' Naruto thought.
He was from the dark side, a genius in manufacturing and designing products. They sent him over for further development, he was an even bigger genius packaging and marketing. Just like Neji, a Hyuuga, cousin to the Uchiha's, so Naruto sent him over to the dark side, another prodigy at both sides of production.
However the two biggest protégés of their respective companies are Naruto and Sasuke, Naruto would always remain on the creative side of things. Just like how his 'dark' counterpart will always remain on the practical side of things.
That's how they worked.
As different as dark and light, night and day.
--
--
It was common knowledge that Sakura wanted Sasuke. Obvious.
It was also obvious that Naruto had a thing for the same pink haired girl. But.
Hinata didn't really like how Sakura treated Naruto, but Sakura was nice. There wasn't much she could do.
It bugged Kiba how much Hinata cared about Naruto, but he knew that was just how his girl was, caring, and Naruto was someone that even he would shed tears for, so of course, Hinata would care for the blonde a bit more.
Kiba didn't like seeing Naruto treated badly either.
"-Sigh- I'm going back to my own role at Itachi's tomorrow. The weird guy told me and Naruto to swap… so I'll miss ya in the morning." Kiba told Hinata.
"Its ok," she smiled. Itachi was a weird one, but he weirded himself into everyone's circles
"I'll owe you dinner." He promises. Hinata answered with a reassuring nod.
--
--
They catch each other's gazes across the floor.
Naruto glances at the camera holding men and women. And they both inwardly chuckle.
No words were ever exchanged, they were used to it.
Over the phone, it was simple, no physical beings in the same room.
How ever, speaking face to face was something else. They never spoke more than a few words.
A 'dobe' or a 'teme' was greetings on good days.
But each glance seemed to be an entire conversation on its own.
They both understood that no matter how many of these little almost insignificant parties they hold, there will always be cameras waiting to snap any high profile people here. So many talents, gathered to settle this deal, all trained to not let anything destroy the façade. Imagine if that outward image broke, the world knew about the false impression, the rules of doing business will be all but shattered.
So to save the world, all rested on Naruto and Sasuke.
Naruto didn't like to be closely monitored, he was bothered by the cameras and the eyes resting on him constantly, but that was what he loved about these parties, he could blend into these people, and do what he pleased, within bounds of course.
But he needed to get away today, sleep deprivation definitely did not help with keeping up the façade, it would slip too easily.
Something caught his eye.
Funnily enough, it was the teme, lingering around the edges of the stairs, looking just a bit impatient to break away.
He wasn't surprised.
Naruto jerked the side of his collar up, making sure Sasuke saw it, and turned away, as if disinterested. Then with a quick glance to the empty flight of stairs, he followed.
Deidara smiled, it seemed almost impossible Sasuke and his baby cousin to know each other so well after so long, but the happiest and worst memories are etched into our memories, forever and always. He did not miss the gesture, he himself and Itachi had once, used that to set of a chain of mischief in their younger days, and in later days, it became a, 'ok I'll cover for you.'
But he never expected it to be picked up by the youngsters.
"Dei, hundred your lil' cuz won't do it." Itachi appeared with a smirk. The two companies have been betting on when the two will speak to each other in full sentences for exactly a month now, from that first day; from the part CEO's Deidara and Itachi, to the cleaners on the fourth floor. So far, from one hundred dollar bets, Itachi's won 30,000 just from Deidara. That says something about Uzumaki and their persistence, and Uchiha's and their money making schemes.
--
--
Sasuke closed the door behind him and cooled his forehead against it. Steps were soft on the other side, but Sasuke was tired enough to let a muffled groan escape.
"Teme? Okay?"
"Hn" he was not in the mood to deal with him. The door seemed to freeze over, but perhaps it was his body heating up. Frustration would settle in when ever Naruto is within the vicinity. That now seems like the foundation for more. It seemed like Naruto never did any work, and it was Sasuke who always worked his ass off for this deal. He sleeps at three the earliest, to get up at six again for more work. But Naruto sleeps and rests when he seemed to have done nothing.
Naruto was special, but not even he could get away with slacking off. Sasuke only ever has hard workers in his staff, the same couldn't be said for the other side.
"Mm…" Sasuke heard Naruto pause. Then foot steps shuffled away.
Sasuke moved across the room, and dropped into the black recliner, switching on the desktop in the room. All computers in their two respective households were connected to the mainframe of the two companies, with the exception of their own personal laptops.
The four (part) CEO's all contributed to updating the mainframe with developments in planning every week at least, Naruto's only contributed once, in the six months they've been working.
He checked the timeline. Another month at the rate they're working. It seems like such a long time before they'll be deciding on the flower arrangements.
--
--
Naruto didn't feel well since he left that door.
There was once upon a time when anytime was a good time to talk to Sasuke.
But now, personal space was an issue when it never was before.
What was sad about the whole thing was that his plan would have to wait another day.
tbc—
I'm very sorry about the LONG delay!
No excuses
But I hope that was nearly enough to earn forgiveness.
This chapter was too choppy for my taste … but I was admittedly not in the best of moods when I wrote this.
Those who alerted and favourited! Thank you very very much!
But those who reviewed! Are loved!
Please leave a review they really help get me writing
Stay well.
kk.