Sasuke

I don't hate mornings. I tolerate them.

I have to get up early so as to not mess up my schedule.

Wake up. Have a light breakfast. Head to the gym.

It used to be significantly easier to get up at the ass crack of dawn. Now, there's another part of the morning I have to tolerate.

A bright pink highlighter right in front of the elevator every morning.

Everything about her is too bright.

The hair. The clothes. The demeanor.

We have only been neighbors for a few months, and I still have yet to learn how to ignore her during our shared trip down the building. Did she have to go to the gym at the exact same moment I did everyday?

She goes to a different gym, thankfully. Frankly, I wouldn't know what to do if we did go to the same one. It was enough that we live right across from each other and work in the same building.

Five in the morning, and just like every other morning, she's waiting in front of the elevator wearing some brightly colored shirt and matching shorts.

She eggs me on about my 'predictable' clothing choices, yet she is not all that different. In the office building when we do cross paths, it's always some combination of red, black, and white. Outside of the office on the other hand, it's a little trickier than that.

I feel the corner of my lip perk up upon remembering her marching up to my front door in nothing but a large T-shirt. To her credit, that was something I didn't see coming.

"Aw, no white shoes today?"

I sigh. Here it comes.

"I actually liked them. Kinda brightened up your whole don't-talk-to-me vibe."

The elevator dings, and we walk inside.

"I highly doubt shoes can change someone's personality, Haruno."

"No, that isn't what I said." She sighs, as if I'm the incorrigible one here. "A pop of color would do you good. Hell, even your towel was black!"

Amused, I turn to look at her. "Focused quite a bit on the towel last night?"

She flushes red, yet another bright color to her, and shakes her head. "E-excuse me." She scoffs. "As if. Who answers the door with only a towel on, anyway?"

"Anyone who wants to stop the incessant knocking on their door."

"I didn't knock that much."

I shake my head just as the doors open. Before walking out, I leave her with one last word. "Friday."

"You wanna tell me why the office won't shut up about you today?"

In true Naruto fashion, he bursts into my office, an irritated look on his face.

"Could you at least close the door, you idiot?" I sigh, preparing for his barrage of questions I knew were coming the moment this stupid joint story would be announced to the office.

He shut the door and walked to the seat in front of my desk. I don't bother looking up from my laptop screen.

"Seriously, what's going on? Everyone keeps badgering me about you today. Something about Sakura-chan from Kunoichi?"

"We're doing a joint story together for the magazine."

He blinks. "No shit?"

I look up briefly to shoot him an incredulous look.

"Huh, finally worked through the sexual tension?"

My fingers stop typing, hovering above the keys just as the words come out of his mouth. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

He raises both his hands, his palms facing me. "Woah, chill out, teme." He pauses. "Wait, so you didn't?"

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I close my eyes, hoping he would try and make sense. "No, especially considering there is no tension of that sort to begin with."

He purses his lips. "Yeah, okay." He waves it off. "Are you two going to be okay doing a joint story? What's it about anyway."

I know telling him is going to bite me in the ass, but it's better to just get it over with. "We're required to go on a few dates and Inuzuka and Yamanaka analyze it. It's a battle of the sexes or some shit."

It's quiet for a few beats, which is odd considering Naruto's in the room. Then, he bursts into obnoxious laughter.

"No shit? And you agreed? How did Kakashi get you to say yes to that?"

"I was going to refuse, but it came from the top. We were chosen because of a poll."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "The one on Twitter about favorite editors? You mean I would have scored a date with Sakura-chan if I won?"

"Apparently."

"Damn, why the fuck did you get to win."

I shrug. "It wasn't up to me."

"Curse you and your traditionally good looks!" He shakes a fist to the sky. "When you said joint story, I thought it'd be about some fitness training thing, since both of you are heads of that department."

"I'd much rather that."

"Well, lucky bastard. You get to take Sakura-chan on a few dates. Maybe you two can finally smash and get that tension out of your systems."

"For the last time, there is no such tension. The only tension we have with each other is thinly veiled animosity."

"And I call bullshit. Everyone can see it, dude. Well, everyone except you two, I guess." He snaps his fingers as an idea comes to him. "I should start an office wide wager."

I roll my eyes. "Good luck with your nonsense."

Naruto chuckles. "You'll see. Anyway, good luck! If it's a Kunoichi vs. Shinobi thing, you better win."

I intended to, no matter how much I dreaded having to do it.

No one else is in the break room apart from myself and Kakashi, him on the couch reading that drivel he considers literature. We didn't speak for a few minutes until he put his book, face down on the coffee table.

"So, do you have a strategy for your first date?"

I raise a brow. "A strategy?"

"The first date is crucial."

I know that much.

"I could lend you this book for tips-"

"Not necessary." I dismiss the offer immediately.

"You two are neighbors, aren't you?"

Kakashi is the only one in the office aware of our living situation, since he had visited me once and saw her go into her apartment. Aside from being my boss, he's a close family friend, a godfather of sorts.

"Yes."

"Do you two argue when you bump into each other there, too?"

He doesn't know the half of it. "It's mostly her badgering me about my wardrobe colors."

He places a finger on his chin, in thought. "You are always in grey."

I roll my eyes.

He snaps his fingers, a thought occurring to him. "Wear a white shirt."

"What?"

"That will throw her off."

"Do you hear what you're saying?"

"Yes, and I'm saying don't wear black or grey. Wear a white shirt."

"Does that really matte-"

"Do you really think she's not out there right now buying some new dress to throw you off?"

Is she? I highly doubt a change in clothing would make things any different.

Yet, the sight of her in nothing but a large shirt last night did catch me off guard.

Why am I even considering this? This is ridiculous.

"I know what you're thinking, Sasuke, but it's not that ridiculous."

It absolutely is. Just as ridiculous as this entire story, as the woman I have to work with on this story.

And yet, I know I don't want to lose to her.

That would be, above all else, annoying.

With a frustrated sigh, I shake my head.

Why me?

Why her?

And why is this all somehow Kakashi's fault?

It's how he's already so invested in this.

I study him, and he doesn't flinch under my scrutiny.

With a chuckle, he folds his arms. "Alright, you caught me. I signed onto Naruto's wager."

He put one up already?

"And so have half of the office, apparently."

I don't get paid enough for this.

Notes:

And here is chapter three in Sasuke's POV!

As you have noticed, we now have a fanfic cover I commissioned from the talented myr_art on Twitter!

Tell me what y'all think!