Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or The Proposal.

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The blond man suddenly jerked awake and blearily stared around his apartment in confusion, he felt like he was forgetting something important, hence the jerking awake. His sleep drugged brain tried to come up with something…anything…nothing. He looked at his alarm clock for some help and saw it was ten after nine. Wait a minute, ten after nine? That didn't sound right, it couldn't be right, could it? He had to be at work at nine-thirty and that was after a twenty minute walk and a pit stop for coffee!

Naruto drove his hands through his hair and almost tore it out in frustration, how did this happen? He couldn't afford to oversleep; his boss would fire him in a nanosecond. Naruto hurriedly jumped out of bed and into the shower, he didn't have any more time to waste.

The blond haired man ran out of his apartment and rushed down the street, dodging in between the cars on the street and other pedestrians, ignoring all the funny looks and smirks he got from the other more on time people. He saw the coffee shop up ahead and quickly went inside, almost crying when he saw how long the line was. He almost turned around and left the shop when he heard his name being called.

He looked up to see a familiar smiling barista. Naruto looked behind him to make sure that there was no one else she could be talking to and finally moved forward when she nodded and gestured to him with what looked like his usual order in her other hand. Naruto let a huge smile cover his face as he went to retrieve his order, ignoring any and all dirty looks aimed his way. This was a miracle in the making.

"You're the most awesome person in the world right now, I could kiss you…" the barista blushed even more heavily at this, "but I won't." Naruto quickly added, as the barista looked ready to faint.

"Thanks again!" Naruto called out before grabbing the coffee and leaving the shop, ducking in between cars and holding the coffee aloft. He finally made it to Leaf Publishing Inc. He ran into the building, barely made it into the waiting elevator and slammed his bag into the door in the process.

Naruto held his bag to his side and breathed heavily before pushing the button for his floor, he stepped back and slumped a little; it was going to be a long day. He got out of the elevator and walked into the offices of Konoha Books.

"Pushing it today, aren't we?" The front desk secretary commented on his late entry into the office. Naruto smiled at her but didn't stop walking, not seeing the mail boy with his cart and therefore crashing into him and spilling the coffee all over himself and the mail boy.

"Really?" Naruto yelled out, incredulous at his rotten luck this morning. He ignored the laughing of the other employees as he looked down at his now ruined shirt. He needed another shirt but where would he find one? He didn't have time to leave the office, he would have to switch with someone…he knew just the person.

"Hey, dog breath? I need a favor." Kiba Inuzuka looked up from his computer game and looked at his blond co-worker. He couldn't help the snicker that left his lips at Naruto's coffee stained appearance; Naruto even had some coffee in his hair.

Kiba waited a little for Naruto to ask the favor but when he just stared at him or should he say his shirt Kiba began to see where this was going. And there was no way he was going to do that.

"No way, Blondie."

"W-what do you mean no? I haven't even asked you yet?"

"I saw you staring at my nice clean shirt and I see that you have a sticky coffee stained one and I can put two and two together. So once again the answer is no."

"B-but I-"

"No." Kiba quickly cut Naruto off, his mind was made up.

"I wa-"

"Nope." Naruto was starting to look a little desperate at this point, Kiba almost smiled; it was fun torturing Naruto.

"I'll pay you!" Naruto quickly got in before Kiba could cut him off again. He looked at Kiba's grinning face and he almost growled at him. Kiba was enjoying his predicament, damn him!

"No way…how much?" Kiba was committed to not giving in to Naruto until he heard that there would be payment.

"A hundred dollars-"

"Two hundred."

"A hundred dollars and I'll throw in courtside seats to the Lakers game this weekend."

Naruto saw that Kiba's eyes had glazed over when he mentioned the courtside seats and he needed to get him back on topic.

"Deal?"

Kiba shook his shaggy head, much like a dog would after a bath and nodded in compliance.

"Great, now take off your shirt…."

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Meanwhile Sasuke Uchiha had woken up well rested and more importantly at his leisure. He didn't need to be early to work, that's what he had employees for. Sasuke got out of bed and brushed his teeth. Dressed only in his sleeping pants, he got on the treadmill and started jogging. He had placed a manuscript in front of him to keep busy, the Uchiha didn't believe in any wasted time. His well-toned chest was glistening with sweat thirty minutes later when he decided to hop in the shower.

After eating a breakfast of a tomato omelet and dry toast, Sasuke finally got dressed and left for work. Walking the few blocks from his apartment to the office, Sasuke decided to do some work on the way there. Taking out his phone he dialed and waited for a response.

"Hello, Neji. How's my favorite writer?" The well-dressed, dark-haired man asked as he weaved in and out of pedestrians. "Can I level with you, Neji? America isn't as big on reading as they used to be. They need someone in the public eye to tell them what to watch, what to buy and most importantly what to read. Orochimaru is just the person to clue them in, to tell them that they need to start their reading with your book."

The offices of Konoha Books were the best in the business of book publishing and as a result their offices were very high tech. This meant top of the line equipment for every employee, this included personal laptops, blackberries, and anything else needed to keep in touch with the client and/or transfer documents in the most efficient way possible. As a result this was also a way for gossip to run rampant with employees constantly twittering and updating their facebook pages with office happenings.

Today was no exception; the entrance of the editor in chief was an important, if not even terrifying, moment for the secretaries and lower editors. They did not want to be caught unaware by the Uchiha, the horror stories alone of other not so fortunate co-workers being reduced to tears just from one look or raise of an eyebrow from him were scary enough.

There was now a lookout/alert system in place so that everyone can either look suitably productive and/or make themselves scarce whenever the Uchiha made his ascent to the office floor.

Naruto felt a buzzing at his hip and looked down at his blackberry to read the message written there; it read "It's here" in bold red letters. Naruto looked out the office window to see everyone running around trying to get to their desks and get some work in front of them. Naruto smoothed out the front of his 'new' shirt and fixed his tie one more time.

Sasuke strode into the office, ignoring the scared looks and the scurrying around his employees were doing in order to look busy. He was well used to this and he not so secretly enjoyed the respect he got from his employees, even if half of it was out of fear. Naruto stood waiting at the office door, coffee in hand when the Uchiha walked in.

"Morning boss, you have a conference call and a meeting in thirty minutes." Naruto handed Sasuke the coffee as he went past him and sat down at his desk.

"I'm aware. Did you call what's-his-name, the one with the face mask?"

"Mr. Hatake? Naruto asked.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted out.

"Yes, I did. I told him that if he doesn't get his manuscript in on time that you will give him a release date. Also, your immigration lawyer called and said that it was imperative that you speak with hi-"

"Cancel the call, push the meeting back to tomorrow and keep stalling the lawyer." Sasuke cut in. Naruto struggled to keep his irritation in check and nodded in reply. "Oh, and call PR and have them start drafting a press release, Neji Hyuuga is going to do Orochimaru."

"Wow, nicely done boss." Naruto praised, impressed with this particular feat; Orochimaru was one of the biggest talk show hosts in the world right now and Neji Hyuuga was one of most popular and most reclusive writers of the last decade. Getting the two them together was a huge deal.

"Hn, if I want your praise, Uzumaki, I will ask for it." Sasuke said snarkily before picking up his latte and taking a sip. Naruto gritted his teeth in response but said nothing, he just had to keep reminding himself how much he needed this job, and how working for this bastard was just a stepping stone to becoming an editor.

"One more thing. Who is Hinata and why does she want me to call her?" Sasuke asked stopping Naruto from exiting the room. Turning the coffee cup to Naruto so the writing was in plain view, all the while looking Naruto straight in the eye.

Sasuke continued to stare at Naruto as he stopped in his tracks and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, you see that was originally my cup," He replied haltingly. Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow and waited. Naruto took this as his cue to explain some more.

"Because your coffee spilled."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and slowly brought the cup of coffee to his lips. Naruto quietly watched Sasuke as he took a sip of the coffee. "Hn. So, you drink, unsweetened, light cinnamon, soy lattes?"

"I do, it's like a yuletide celebration in my mouth." Naruto replied with a straight face.

"Is that a coincidence?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.

"Absolutely. I mean how pathetic would it be for me to drink the same kind of coffee that you do on the off chance that I spill one?" He answered while picking up the ringing phone. "Morning, Mr. Uchiha's, office. Ms. Haruno? What can I help you with?"

Sasuke stared at him as always, but to Naruto it felt a lot more intense than usual. Naruto made a confused face but replied with "actually we were headed to your office anyway, right now."

"Why are headed to Sakura's office?" He asked after hanging up the phone. Sasuke simply gave him another look in response, Naruto knew that look, and it spelled trouble for all parties involved. Before Sasuke could get up, Naruto ran out of the office and sent a message to everyone, "The devil is on the move." His eyes darted around the room to make sure everyone got the message and then he ran to catch up with the Uchiha.

"Did you have a chance to read the manuscript, I gave you?" He asked with a hopeful tone in his voice.

Sasuke kept his blank expression and replied "It was unremarkable."

Naruto sighed in response to that, "Can I say something?"

Sasuke said no, but Naruto barreled on.

"I've read a lot of manuscripts, a lot and this is the only one I have ever given to you. It's a really good story, it's so good. It's the kind of story that you used to publish in the past." Sasuke rolled his eyes to this and looked over to see Kiba in the coffee stained shirt. Naruto glared at the grinning Kiba and mouthed "courtside seats" to him when he passed; Kiba made himself scarce after that but the damage had been done.

"I do think you buy the same coffee as me just in case you spill it and that is in fact, pathetic." Sasuke told Naruto with superiority.

"Or incredibly impressive, not to mention smart." Naruto rebutted as they approached Sakura's office door.

"Impressive would be not spilling the coffee in the first place. Now, remember that you are wallpaper in here," he murmured to Naruto in a low tone as they walked into the office.

"Duly noted." Naruto replied before entering the room ahead of him.

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Hey Guys, long time no update huh? I have been getting some flak for not being original and I am going to rectify that. I am going to redo this story from the very beginning with a lot more original elements while hopefully still keeping the best elements from the movie. Do let me know what you think of the reposts and maybe what you would like to see more of for the rest of the story.