Happy Accidents

Chapter 12: A Message

Detective Uzumaki always knew how to push his buttons. Without a doubt, he had to be the most annoying person Sasuke had ever dealt with. Since when was his love life any of Naruto's business?

"We're partners. Are you stupid? Obviously, I'm going to spend time down there." Good lord, was Naruto truly that dense? No... he wasn't. More accurately, Sasuke was just stubborn and refused to admit he liked spending time with the doctor. "We work on cases together." Frankly, though, at the moment, he felt more compelled to smack his old friend over the head if he didn't shut up.

"Aw, c'mon, Uchiha. Don't be so grumpy. She's cute! You should ask her on a date. Maybe that'll quiet all the ladies that stare at you." Oh, that teasing tone just made Sasuke glare daggers at him. If only he could wipe that stupid smile off his friend's face.

"Shut up. I'm not going to ask her out, stupid. None of this is any of your business." Truth. Professionally, it wouldn't be right to do so. They were partners, professional partners, and that was that. Asking her out on a date would be unprofessional. And ultimately, his love life was none of Naruto's business. He... wasn't the right person for dating. "I'm not interested in dating her, let alone anyone." Partly truth. It wasn't so much that he had no interest in dating, nor that he didn't have an interest in her... he just wanted something blunt to shut the annoying blonde up.

"We wouldn't work out. Not that it's any of your business. Go ask her out yourself if you're so interested in her." Sasuke knew why things wouldn't work out. He couldn't find himself attached to anyone in case something were to happen to them. That seemed to be the way things worked best for him; if no one was attached to him, then it wasn't something anyone could take advantage of. He'd already had that happen once in his life before; he wasn't about to let it happen again. If he kept it professional, she couldn't be used as leverage if he showed up.

 As he'd finished speaking, he swore he caught a flash of colour just outside his office. Oh, no. Had she been standing there when he'd said that? He could certainly see how she would take that the wrong way. Giving Naruto a deathly stare, his voice became firm and blunt. "Buzz off. Don't you have a job to do?"

"Oi, oi, okay, okay, sheesh, I'm going," he said with a defensive raise of his hands, slowly backing out of his office. "Just don't be mad if you decide you wanna ask her out, and she's already head over heels for me. I gave you a chance you needed." Naruto quickly disappeared, which was good for the blonde; if he hadn't, Sasuke would have likely thrown something at him in the process. Huffing, the Uchiha returned to searching what he needed, given he was sure Sakura would be up soon with the list of prior victims they'd need exhumation orders for.

He was surprised when his phone buzzed, picking it up to see the message she'd sent him. She was going home? Wasn't feeling well? That seemed odd for her; he'd got the impression she was the kind of person who'd work herself to the bone when it came to cases. That message effectively confirmed his suspicions; she'd indeed been standing outside his office and overheard that conversation. Realizing just how it might have sounded, especially coming from him, he felt a sense of guilt. What he'd said could have easily been taken the wrong way, and a gentle girl like her? It would hurt to hear that sort of thing.

Congratulations, Sasuke, you're a top-tier jackass, he thought dryly to himself as he sighed, standing up from his chair and grabbing his jacket. If he were lucky, he would catch her before she left and perhaps have a chance to explain. He made his way down to the autopsy area in the basement, seeing the lights off; he'd missed her given the way she'd shut everything down. Frustrating, to say the least. He'd hoped to at least explain somehow what he meant, if only to spare her feelings. It had nothing to do with her in particular, after all.