31 Days 2/?

[AngelOfDeath]

Um. . . so I hope people like the premise. I have lots of plans for our dear couple, because of course this truly is SasuSaku. But what?s good romance if they don?t start off hating one another? Classic. My knowledge of offices is. . . minimal. . . except for the office gopher end so sorry if this is imperfect in the accuracy department. I want more fun than persnickety detail and I hope you all agree. I can?t wait because in this chapter we get to one of my favorite Naruto men. Onwards!

Disclaimer: (See Ch. 1)

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Chapter 2

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She knew this job wasn?t as bad as the last one she had because she wasn?t popping Tums like candy, but it was still stressful compared to the jobs other people had and Sakura understood how Kakashi had managed to go through more assistants than she had papercuts. The way he shoved papers at her so quickly was causing her pain, physically, and she was trying to learn how to grab things before they were shoved onto her. Kakashi seemed to punctuate long periods of inactivity with flurries of unimaginably productive work. If Sakura were not as good as she had bragged to Hinata when she was trying to get the job, then she might have already buckled under the pressure, but once she got used to working at Kakashi?s pace she was doing fine. So far as Sakura was concerned she only worked three hideously busy hours a day and the rest were spent as paid vacation time inside the office. It was better than her cold apartment. She didn?t get paid for sitting around in her cold apartment watching bad television.

The real downside, so far as she could tell, was exactly what Shino had warned her of and Ino had warned her away from: Sasuke Uchiha. They had their second run in on the third day she was working, that friday, and it was particularly ugly one. She was already biased because it turned out that the handsome jerk she had met at the copier was none other than the legendary Sasuke, and he seemed to return her vehement feelings of distaste for more than the surface ones. It was not even a week of working in the department and Sakura had already managed to offend him three times. The first had been at the copier. The second and third had happened together.

Kakashi had told her he needed to get Sasuke to look something over before she faxed it, and knowing that she would lose her window of ?Kakashi time? she did the only thing she thought was smart: she walked into Sasuke?s office without an appointment.

He had been leaning over a document, computer light the only thing providing illumination in the office besides the dim fluorescent lamp in the ceiling. All his blinds were closed and Sakura was amazed that he could do anything in so little light. It was bad for the eyes. There was displeasure creasing his face as his hand swept down, almost like he had batted something on his face, and he stood to confront her. It was the man from yesterday. That was perfect. Why would Ino warn her not to fall for a guy like him? He was completely odious! A pretty package, but nothing but Styrofoam peanuts inside.

?Who are you and why are you in here? Get out.?

?I?m Sakura, Mr. Hatake?s assistant, and he needs you to look over this before they get faxed. They are urgently needed elsewhere, otherwise I wouldn?t have intruded on your. . . cave.? He was rather like a dragon in his dark cavern. Ino said not to get burned. How funny the way things turned out.

Sasuke searched her eyes as if he were trying to sense a lie. ?Hand them over.? It was a small victory, and Sakura rejoiced in her heart. If she could inconvenience this arrogant model of efficiency then she felt like she had done her part for the world today. She walked over to his outstretched hand. Of course he wouldn?t meet her halfway. That would be too much like admitting she was a person. ?You may leave.?

?oh may I?? she tried not to roll her eyes as she answered back in her head. Instead, as she swept them down she saw something on the carpet. She bent to pick it up, and Sasuke went ashen when he noted her discovery.

?You dropped your glasses.?

?I don?t wear glasses.? He was doing that, ?you must be mentally handicapped? act again. But Sakura could see through people, even someone guarded like Sasuke.

?Are you sure? Because if you did but you were telling me you didn?t and you really need these then you?re going to have a bad time today when I turn them into the front desk downstairs as lost and you?re left squinting at pages of text and numbers all day.?

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her, those fabulous dark eyes that she wanted to stab with hot needles and stare into all day at the same time. ?I?m sure you have someone else to annoy right now. I?m a busy man.?

Sensing the way his whole being was trying not to leap on her outstretched hands holding the glasses, Sakura decided to take pity on the arrogant bastard. ?Seeing as we?re both so very busy, I?ll let you take these glasses?which aren?t yours?and bring them down to the front desk yourself at lunch. You?d have a better idea who the real owner is at any rate. Leave those papers on my desk when you?re done with them, good day Mr. Uchiha.?

His eyes were trying to bore holes in her back, she could feel them, piercing through her festive red blouse. Let him try, her bold inner voice crowed, all he?ll see is my matching red bra. She was walking on sunny clouds until lunch, even when a nervous man spilled coffee on her when he emphatically waved his hands around in frustration at not being able to speak to Kakashi. It seemed that her day was free when Kakshi wasn?t around except for all those times she had to explain to people that he wasn?t there and when it was possible he could be reached. She told a different time to everyone, since it was a crap shoot when it came to pinning down when Kakashi would appear.

It was almost lunch, and Sakura had been on a break for over half an hour once her boss had made his excuses and skipped off again. Hinata wandered over, moving sideways or along walls like an inept and obvious sort of spy. Sakura knew it was to avoid bumping into people, but she thought that what that girl could use for Christmas was some self esteem. Sakura had eaten with both her and Ino the day before and now it looked like it was going to be just the two of them this time. That was fine. She had a story about Sasuke Uchiha that she couldn?t wait to tell, and this way she was guaranteed the ability to tell it at least twice.

Hinata had almost made her way through people to Sakura?s desk when she was passed by a fast moving bullet of a blond man. He was all smiles as he leaned on Sakura?s desk and picked up her metal name plate.

?I?m so lucky! I thought for sure that you would be one of those people who leaves early for lunch like I do, but I should have known you?re more responsible than that. Beautiful and caring. . .? The man was carelessly adorable. Poor Hinata, she?d have to try much harder than she seemed capable to make a guy like him notice her.

?I thought you had lunch with Mr. Uchiha over there,? Sakura didn?t even bother to look at the office. It would put her off her lunch.

?Sasuke? Aw, I drag him out every once in a while. Maybe I can get him to come today. Yah! That sounds like a great idea.? And he was off. Ino had been right. The man was like a puppy, and was totally oblivious to the fact that she was less than thrilled at the prospect of spending time with Sasuke Uchiha in a social situation.

Naruto had disappeared into the office, his distinctive voice and laugh drowning out anything that Sasuke might be saying. Hinata finally made it to the desk and looked from Sakura to where Naruto had gone.

?I. . .I saw you talk to Naruto.? There was no jealousy, only a raw sadness in the perceptive woman. ?He seems to really like you.?

Sakura put up her hands defensively. ?I did not encourage this at all. I hope you know I wouldn?t do that to you Hinata. I haven?t known you that long, but I still would not try for the guy you had your eye on, as your friend. You believe me, don?t you?? Hinata nodded, visible relief in her luminous eyes. ?Good. He?ll figure out I?m not interested and then he?ll be all yours. This might even work in your favor. If you both spend more time around me then you can get to know one another. I certainly don?t plan to talk to him.?

?I don?t want him to feel. . . bad.?

?Then do me a favor and talk to him.? Sakura saw the opening, since Hinata seemed to care for people too much. ?Can you do that for me? It would mean so much if you made the effort.?

Hinata saw Naruto come out of the office, almost pushing a pissy looking Sasuke by his shoulders. ?O-k. I?ll do it for you, Sakura.? Her body seemed to be trembling. At first Sakura wondered about her, but decided that if she was the director of a department then she had more strength in that frame than she let others know.

?Ms. Haruno.? Sasuke had made it up to her desk.

?Mr. Uchiha.? She replied with equally distant civility.

Naruto hit Sasuke rather hard on the back for it to be a friendly clap. ?What?s with you both? Sakura, Sasuke here said that he thought you wouldn?t want to have lunch with him for some reason. That?s not true is it??

There was the excuse. All she had to do was tell Naruto that she would rather spend her lunch giving herself more paper cuts and pouring lemon juice on them then eating with this bastard and she would be free. Sadly, if Hinata and Naruto were going to have a chance of speaking to one another it would mean she needed an engrossing distraction. And while she felt Sasuke was gross personality wise, he was also engrossing.

?I don?t know where he would get that idea. Let?s go before we can?t get a table anywhere. It?s cold and I don?t want to have to go too far away.?

Sasuke looked at her as if she had gone mad. Maybe she had. Sakura thought she had gotten to a point in her life when she wouldn?t have to put up with jerks in her spare time. In the pursuit of the happiness for a girl she barely knew yet, and some peace of mind for herself from an admirer she had never asked for, she would make sacrifices.

?See, Sasuke. You?re imagining things again.? Naruto noticed Hinata standing next to Sakura?s desk. ?Hey! When did you get here Hinata??

Hinata swallowed hard and balled her hands into fists as she spoke. ?Sakura and I were going to have lunch together.?

?More the merrier! Let?s go, like Sakura said. I?m starving. I know this great place, not too many tables, counters instead. They serve a great bowl of ramen. . .?

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She would say this much for it, it was warm. The crush of people was such that they could not sit down at anywhere except the counter, and this served Sakura?s plans excellently. Through clever maneuvering and some pushing she managed to work it so that Naruto was at one end and she was at the other with Hinata and Sasuke in the middle. While this afforded Hinata a wonderful opportunity to exclusively talk to Naruto, being next to him, it also meant the only person that Sakura could realistically speak to in the busy shop was Sasuke. He was not her first choice for conversational partner, but they both bore it with moderate tolerance after a rocky start.

?This better be quick, I have a lot to do at the office. This was a bad idea to begin with.? Sasuke began to get up from his seat.

That stick up your butt getting too uncomfortable? ?Is it that hard to sit down for half an hour and eat broth and noodles??

?Yes. I?ll be going.?

?Is it me??

?Excuse me?? Sasuke?s face twisted into a perplexed sneer.

Sakura broke her chopsticks apart, rubbing them together and trying to smile so that a keenly observant Naruto didn?t butt in and talk to them. ?I said, is it having to eat with me that has you ready to leave??

?No.?

?That?s good, because I know we didn?t hit it off so well. That day in the copy room. . .?

He scrutinized her more closely. Since he was no longer trying to leave he unbuttoned his jacket. ?That was you?? She wondered if he was joking or if he didn?t actually remember.

It was slightly insulting that he didn?t remember. How many people in the department, the building even, had pink hair? ?Yes.?

?I assume you no longer hit the copier.?

?Only when it needs to learn its lesson.? She tried not to sound too sarcastic. ?Can we start over? Sakura Haruno, nice to meet you.?

He looked at her warily. ?Sasuke Uchiha.?

?Let?s sit here like regular people and eat our meal and then when we get back to the office. . .?

Sasuke smirked at her, as if he had figured her out. ?You seem to think I care about being nice to people, even nominally. I?m having lunch with you people so that I don?t have to deal with Uzumaki?s constant pestering and that?s all. This is not an invitation to try to eat up my time at work with useless personal interactions.?

?Just so we?re clear.? Sakura said, no longer trying to mask the thick sarcasm underlying her tone. ?You don?t need other people.? So, you?re not really human, I hear.

?I?m glad you understand.?

She knew, somehow, that even though he was cold and impersonal that he probably had a fan club in the office based off of his looks alone. Sakura might have been one of those among their ranks if it hadn?t been for the way she had been desensitized to handsome but bastardly men. Three years she had worked for him. . .

The food was in front of her and Sakura realized she had spaced out and Naruto was trying to yell through two people to tell her something.

?I ordered something great for all of us! It?s on me today so eat up.?

Sakura reached behind Sasuke and tapped Hinata on the shoulder. A quick conversation with their eyes later, Hinata was trying to falter her way through thanking Naruto who was in the process of choking on the food he had started inhaling. If worse came to worse, Sakura was sure Hinata would hit him on the back to save his life, but she became unconcerned once everything at that end of the counter was on its own.

?It won?t work.? Sasuke was picking at the large piece of pork on the top with some distaste. Sakura had a feeling that he would be picking at his food even if it were fillet mignon. ?Uzumaki is too dense. And if you?re trying to get points with Hyuuga, then you?re going for the wrong Hyuuga.?

?I?m not doing this for any calculating reasons, and I think you should go back to pretending I don?t exist if you?re going to be like that.? Sakura was so offended that she wasn?t sure she could sit next to this man anymore. There was the stomachache excuse, or the ever popular ?woman?s problems?. . .

?Geez, Sasuke.? Naruto shouted over the increasing lunch noise. ?Why do you get to sit next to both of the girls??

Hinata mumbled something and then found her lap particularly interesting as her face turned beet red. Naruto looked at the girl, mock shock playing comically over his handsome face.

?Hinata! I can?t believe you said that. Second time this week someone has said that. . . I?m not turning into Jiraiya, I?m not!?

This figure was becoming epic and she didn?t even know who he was. ?Who?s Jiraiya??

?He?s a dirty lech, the company disgrace! I?m surprised you haven?t run across him yet.?

?He?s the company VP, and Tsunade has him on a short leash after what he pulled this summer. I?d be surprised if he?s even allowed to leave his office until an hour after the building empties.? Sasuke pushed his bowl of food away, half eaten.

Naruto stuck out his tongue at Sasuke. ?He?s still a dirty lech. I would know, I had to be his assistant when I first came to the company. The man never gets anything done! He spends all his time chasing after anything in a skirt.?

?As long as he doesn?t sink the company with his bungles it doesn?t matter what he does with his free time.?

Naruto turned to Sakura, as if he were whispering confidential information, but to say it loudly enough across two people made the effect understandably silly. ?You see, Sakura, Jiraiya is the one that Tsunade sends out as the rep to talk to various people. She?s the face of the company and he?s the one who schmoozes. So this year she sends him to all sorts of beauty pageants that they sponsor to get better name recognition. It was a good plan. . . but. . .? Naruto faltered.

?Jiraiya can?t keep his hands to himself. The company is being sued by at least twenty different girls all over the country.?

?Be fair, Sasuke, he says he didn?t touch them, he only spoke to them.? Naruto picked up the story. ?So this summer Tsunade flies into a proper rage, tells him if he gets one more law suit then she?ll take him to a vet to get fixed. It?s only recently gotten calmer, but word is that the law suits are still on.?

Sakura hoped that her job wasn?t in trouble. Law suits often meant cut backs, and she was a new and not terribly valuable addition to the department. They finished up their meals and left together.

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Working late was not a new experience for Sakura. Pulling long shifts was a common occurrence at her old job and she didn?t mind it much. What did she have waiting for her when she got to apartment? There was the prospect of cooking dinner, some bad cable television, and checking her email. Life was routine, punctuated by renting the odd movie or sometimes going out when Ino had time and no date. This was no how she had pictured her life when she had gotten out of college. She had wanted to be a doctor, but loans were calling and it was so easy to get a job. . .

It had only been a few years. She could go back, take out more loans, do the whole medical school thing like her parents had encouraged her to. It was looking pretty darn appealing compared to what her life was like now. Her brain was being wasted cataloguing the appointments that Kakashi was keeping when he remembered to rather than helping people as she had always dreamed. This job didn?t force the same level of personal loyalty that her last one did. Working late, looking out at the darkness so early in the day, she knew she was destined for something better.

Her last boss had been an intense person. He had sometimes commented on how smart she was and how he was surprised she wasn?t a lawyer herself. Sakura knew that she could be a good one, but it wasn?t where her passion lay. Thoughts of her boss made her cringe. What had she done to get fired before the holidays? Sakura did stellar work, she knew, and her performance had been nothing less than perfect for all three years she had worked for him.

?Jerk! Who does that before the holidays? He could have waited until the new year at least. . .? She was gathering her things into her overstuffed purse and sauntering towards the elevator. There was chapstick in there somewhere and she wanted to put some on before she walked out into the excessively dry December cold.

The grand entryway, high ceiling not trapping any of the warmth from the heating system, felt as bad as if she had stepped outside. Engrossed in digging through her purse, Sakura only vaguely heard the voices as they got nearer. She didn?t recognize them so she didn?t bother to look up from the void of her purse.

Naturally, the collision was her fault. The overstuffed purse, bearing every essential she possibly thought would be needed, spilled its entire contents a full fifteen feet over the hard floor. ?I?m so sorry, I wasn?t looking where I was?erm.?

?If it isn?t Ms. Haruno.?

?Mr. Shukaku.? She wished she had found that chapstick. Now her mouth was as dry as her lips.

?Call me Gaara, please. We no longer need to be so formal.?

The two other people he had been speaking to gave her looks that expressed varying degrees of interest. The woman, beautiful in a way too perfect to be natural, seemed to find this run in merely annoying but the white haired man?s eyes lit up.

?I don?t think we?ve met. And I make it a personal goal to meet every person in this building.? The man brushed past Gaara, standing over Sakura who was crouched on the floor holding a tube of lipstick and a swiss army knife, and extended his hand. ?My name is Jiraiya, and you would be. . .?

?Not interested. Jiraiya, don?t you start today. Considering what Mr. Shukaku is here for I would think you would show some circumspection.? The beautiful woman narrowed sharp eyes at Sakura. ?Who are you? You must be new.?

?I?m Sakura Haruno. I?m Mr. Hatake?s assistant.? That name registered with both of them, and they shared a pained look before regarding her with more sympathetic eyes.

This was Tsunade, as Sakura assumed the beautiful woman with the commanding presence could only be the company President if she ordered around Jiraiya like that. If Gaara was here then that probably meant. . .

?Ms. Haruno used to be my own personal assistant. We parted ways not long ago, but I?m gratified she found a job so quickly.? He tilted his head to the side, examining her in a way that made her nervous. ?Would you wait for moment, Sakura, I?d like to speak to you.? She nodded tightly, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

Her heart was beating so quickly that Sakura thought she was going to die. The three of them continued their conversation while she picked up her things. From what they were saying it appeared that Gaara was indeed defending Jiraiya in the upcoming lawsuit. It must be serious if they called in one of the best and most ruthless corporate lawyers in the business. Sakura knew Gaara didn?t come cheap, but then his record was almost spotless. He was known for having a perfect defense for every client, and was a genius when it came to law.

?. . . well, I?m satisfied that you are the best man for the case and I am delighted that you are willing to take this on.? Tsunade sounded sure of every word. Gaara was here to stay, but at least there was no reason he would come to her department. He had messed up her life enough for one month already; she could stay reasonably safe in all probability.

?Thank you. Your case does not look difficult, but I would like to make further appointments to speak to both of you for later this month if you are amenable.?

?Jiraiya and I will make any time available that you may need. Won?t we?? There was a thump as one of her expensive shoes stomped down on Jiraiya?s loafer. Sakura saw him quickly turn his head away from her direction as she stood up with her purse?s contents once again where they should be.

?Good to meet you, Ms. Haruno, and good luck. Kakashi is difficult, but Mr. Shukaku has told us that you are up to the challenge.? Tsunade actually smiled at her.

?Have a good evening.? Sakura waved with a boneless hand, seeing the only block between her and Gaara dragging a reluctant Jiraiya in tow.

Alone, in a dark and empty room, Sakura wished for a reprieve from her sentence. What did she do to deserve this? Had she been a whaler in a past life? Did she not give enough to charity? Anything she could do to change her terrible luck this year. . . that was it! It was all the bad luck she should have had during the year, it accrued and was winding itself out so that she could start next year fresh again.

Gaara, in that dark brown he was so fond of in suits, was as devilishly handsome as always. The dark circles under his eyes from his chronic insomnia didn?t detract much from the overall image of power he radiated. The pretty green eyes and stunning rust colored hair he sported had made more than one woman swoon in his presence, and Sakura had not been immune when she had started on as his assistant when he too was beginning his practice in the firm. Gaara?s infamy had never made her feel intimidated, but the aura around him of danger was certainly present. His attention was utterly devoted to her, and Sakura wished she had left on time today to avoid this twist of fate.

?I didn?t expect to see you here. What a surprise.? He rarely spoke first, so Sakura started things off in hope that it would end as abruptly as it began.

?You landed on you feet it seems, Sakura. I?d glad.?

Arrhythmia didn?t run in her family. Maybe she should get her heart checked out this weekend. ?I?m lucky. If you?ll excuse me, it?s getting late and I need to??

?Have dinner with me.?

?What?? Never, not once in their entire association, had Gaara ever asked her to do something outside of work. Neither had he used her first name until today it seemed. ?Tonight? You see, I can?t there?s. . . I mean, I had plans to go out already.?

Gaara knew when someone was lying. The way his smile didn?t spread to his eyes signaled to Sakura that she was going to be in a load of trouble if she didn?t say something convincing to be left alone by her former boss. Life was kind to her, for once, when the elevator dinged.

?There they are now. My new friend, since I?m still getting to know people here. Hey! Over here!? Sakura ran over to grab the arm of the hapless passer by who had been implicated in her lie. ?So you see, Mr. Shukaku, tonight is bad for me.?

?Some other time, then, Sakura. Call me Gaara, please.? He walked over as well to meet the two of them. ?It?s been a while, Sasuke. It seems that running across Sakura isn?t the only surprise I get today.?

Sakura flinched. Of course it would be him. He?d give her away in a second, but she hoped he would play along and ask questions later. Oddly, as she looked up his face was lit up with a fierce smile.

?Gaara.? He looked fevered, and Sakura wondered how they knew one another. ?Ms. Haruno.?

?Remember, we?re having dinner tonight. Sasuke works in the department with me, you see, and he told me he?d explain some things over a meal. Right?? Anything, she cried silently, I?ll do anything you want me to if you grant me this boon.

Sasuke paused too long for her liking but she leaned against him when her legs almost gave out from relief. ?We?d better leave, then. . . Sakura. I?m rather hungry as lunch was. . . unappetizing. Gaara, some other time.?

?Indeed. I look forward to it. Sakura, we?ll be in touch.? Gaara watched them go, Sakura?s arm linked through Sasuke?s, and frowned.

Once they were a decent distance away, Sakura unlocked herself from Sasuke?s side. She breathed deeply and exhaled a puff of warm air. Sasuke watched her light up and turn back into a person again rather than the meek Hinata imitation she had worked mere minutes ago.

?You really saved me. I owe you more than you know. Thank you.? She began to walk away, but was stopped when Sasuke said loudly after her.

?I thought we were having dinner.?

She stopped, wishing he could be decent about this and not tease her when she was actually grateful to him for helping her out. ?Knowing how much you like me, or people in general, I don?t think that we need to take this any further if you??

?I really do need to get something to eat, and I want to know how you came to be Gaara Shukaku?s target of interest.?

?Do I have to?? Reliving the past three years was one of the last things she wanted to do.

?You said you owed me. Consider this me calling in the favor.? Sasuke walked in the opposite direction down the sidewalk. ?We?ll take my car.?

Sakura admitted defeat. She had to look on the bright side, at least it wasn?t dinner with Gaara.

[csmlee]

Sasuke with glasses! Bwahahahaha!!! Methinks Sakura really ought to have taken those glasses from Sasuke.

And Hinata is so adorable! *whacks Naruto for not noticing her*

And... and... and... Gaara!!! IN A SUIT! How could Sakura turn down his offer for dinner?

Sasuke: What the hell?? *glares*
Cheryl: Oh yeah, I'm supposed to be shipping SasuSaku.
Sasuke: *sneers*
Cheryl: You're gonna have to do much better than dragging Sakura to dinner with you to convince me that you deserve her <s>even though you look just as hot in a suit with glasses</s>.

[Lauren]

OMG!!!!! GAARA! SWEEEEEEEET! YES!YES!YES! And he's the evil boss! COOL! And Hinata and Naruto are so cute! Oh man, I can't wait to hear about Gaara's exploits on poor Sakura. Really, the girl just kicks too much ass. More, girlie!

[Oyuki]

heehee. sasuke-kun is sneaky.