Diclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Just borrowing for writing practice.
Kakashi had left him. Once Itachi unpacked his clothes and changed into more suitable 'vacation wear', as Kakashi put it, he waved a hand, said something about a craps table and left. Itachi's eye twitched when the door shut close.
Sighing, he turned on the TV. Channel after useless channel. Itachi flipped through them, futile as the effort was. He settled onto a woman's channel that seemed to have the only movies with a plot and some acting done by decent people. Some network channel called Lifetime. He was settling into the movie where the woman was discovering her identity had been stolen.
Identity theft, Itachi thought, now that's a nasty crime. Subtle, backstabbing, as most individuals identities stolen are by someone close. Suddenly, he stopped his train of thought, forcing the old habit away; a habit where one's criminal actions were evaluated like financial reports. It was something he didn't need any more.
Itachi's phone buzzed: text message. It was from Sasuke.
"Hey! Called Kakashi, said you weren't with him. Get out of the hotel room and have a vacation. Or whatever deal you cut with our sensei so he could go to Atlantic City won't ever happen."
Itachi texted him back: "What makes you think I cut a deal or that I'm in the hotel room? In fact, I'm going to eat right now. And why are you texting? Don't you hate text messaging?"
Sasuke: "Kakashi wanted to take you to Atlantic City not the summer home before you left. He must have talked you into it by getting you to cut a deal with him. And Naruto's texting habit has rubbed off on me."
Itachi sighed. He wanted to be home. His bed, with his TV and other material things that were of really no value to him anymore. Snorting, he knew what he really wanted. Itachi wanted to be back at work.
Sasuke: "Go eat."
Itachi: "Piss off."
Itachi turned off his phone. Heaving himself up, he adjusted the dark blue jean while trying to get the crick in his neck out. Time for dinner.
The restaurant serving French cuisine seemed refined and similar to places he'd take business partners for cocktails. Itachi was enjoying looking at the menu, practicing his rudimentary French, until Kakashi spotted him and ordered him kindly to the American bar.
"It's a vacation, not a business dinner."
Itachi sighed, looking at the profuse amount of wings, nachos, burgers, mini burgers (who invented those anyway, it's not like it makes a hamburger gourmet!) and other types of food he'd rather not let touch his insides. They wouldn't do any of this correctly here anyway. If I was going to eat something that would give me a heart attack ten years earlier, it'd be a shitty shack that serves the best greasy food in town, not a casino yuppie bar.
He sat at the bar, drinking the house wine. Itachi didn't bother looking at the wine selection; he was in too pissy of a mood. Three more days. I can go home. Sipping the house wine, he observed his surroundings. Another habit he picked up that hadn't gone away. That hyperawareness of everything. It had served him well the past two years doing business with the company, but outside of work, there wasn't really much of a use-
A spot of blue hair caught Itachi's eye. Looking towards it, he noticed it was a particular shade of blue. On a woman's head. Her back was to Itachi, her nails drumming the bar. Itachi covertly looked around, stretched and turned behind him, trying to see any familiar face. Any unwanted, familiar face. Looking across the lobby, he saw Kakashi leaning against the wall with a water bottle. He waved. Itachi knew that something was up—so did Kakashi.
Itachi motioned his head towards the still oblivious woman. Kakashi nodded.
Taking his wine, he walked towards Konan, the last of the Yakuza members that he didn't kill two years ago.
Konan was waiting for Deidara to come by, when she felt a finger tap her shoulder. Turning, she froze halfway when seeing the face behind her. Itachi Uchiha.
"Konan. Fancy seeing you here!" Itachi said, fake cheery voice reminding Konan of Tobi, the crazed Yakuza boss, now dead. And he thinks he's better than him.
"Itachi. Good to see you." She held out her hand, but Itachi ignored it. He was wearing some sort of graphic tee that hugged his upper body. Konan deliberately looked Itachi in the face, so as not to get her cheeks heated by looking elsewhere. The man may have killed many of her former crew, but that danger only added to the allure.
Itachi leaned towards Konan. "I thought we made an agreement Konan. That I'd never hear you, see you, hell, smell you, and you'd have your life."
Konan breathed deeply, positioning her legs to drop down in a fighting stance if need be. Heels and all. "Yes, Itachi. I did not know you were coming here, otherwise I would have…not been here." I would have taken the first plane out of here, she thought.
"Oh well…" Itachi paused, searching her faces, looking around the bar, "I guess I believe you. My decision to come here was rather spur of the moment."
Konan looked where Itachi was looking, seeing no one familiar. "Is there someone you're here with?"
"And how is that any business of yours?"
"It's not. Just making polite conversation," Konan said. Her hands were half-held up before her, a sign of peace. Itachi grunted.
"Are you here with anyone, Konan? Anyone I should know about?" Itachi asked, his voice low. The question translated too: Are there anymore Yakuza around? Ones that I want to kill?
Konan gulped, thinking fast. Her loyalty to Deidara was minimal, but giving him up would give up Sasori, whom she was still rather fond of. Lie. Lie, and get out.
"No, it's just me. I have a stop over— I'll be flying out tomorrow morning, though, now that I think about it. Perhaps I should be flying out tonight?" She asked, giving the choice up to Itachi.
He smiled. "Keep your plans as they are. It seems coincidental, our meeting. That's all I wished to know."
Konan nodded. Itachi backed up and went to the other side of the bar where his food was eating. Konan fled to her room, not noticing the trailing shadow behind her.
Itachi munched on his generic Chicken Caesar salad, occasionally looking up. He had already called his older cousin Shisui for information on Konan's recent movements. He'd get the intel when Shisui would get it. In the meantime, he was still on his damned vacation. Perhaps he'd try gambling.
Unseen by Itachi, Deidara stepped into the Casino Restaurant looking for Konan. He was still on his high from earlier that day when Itachi Uchiha came to his Casino. Telling Sasori had been the highlight, but telling Konan now would probably be a good idea. Sasori wanted to kill the bastard, but Konan would have only wanted to tuck tail and run. That conversation wouldn't be nearly as entertaining as hearing Sasori swear up and down, describing torture and ways to kill the man. Yes, much more fun, that conversation.
Deidara scanned the bar, not finding Konan, but Itachi munching on a salad. Konan must have seen him. I wonder, did she run or run into him? Perhaps I should have told her earlier. Deidara shrugged. Konan could take care of herself. Incredible self-preservation skills saved her ass with Itachi when he, well, killed his former boss Tobi. But Itachi didn't know that. The old gears of his Yakuza days started turning. Perhaps he would have some fun, give Sasori a present?
Deidara fingered the bug in his pocket. He was going to give it to his staff later to plant in Itachi's room, but what if he managed to do it himself? Glancing at Itachi at the bar, Deidara noticed a small phone next to salad, one of the new it-does-it-all phones. Deidara fingered the bug again.
"Mr. Uchiha, how are you doing? I'm glad to see you're enjoying yourself here. How's the salad?" A voice asked; a masculine, yet very annoying voice with female gesturing and cues—the hotel and casino manager, Deidara.
"It's fine, a little bland. You may want to switch chefs." Itachi said, looking at his unwanted companion sitting beside him. Deidara flicked his shoulder length blonder to the side. He was still wearing that awful silk suit and leaning little too close for Itachi's taste. Deidara's arm was bent across the bar, almost right up to Itachi's plate.
"I'm sorry about that." Deidara gestured to the bartender. He then got up and leaned over. Itachi could literally fell the man's legs and torso. His stomach rolled over a few times. "Make sure Mr. Uchiha isn't charged for his meal, it wasn't up to par today." The bartender nodded. Deidara turned his head towards Itachi, but didn't move. His arms were folded.
"There. I want to make sure you're stay here is as…pleasant as possible, Mr. Uchiha. And I'll talk to the chef about the salad."
"You do that." Itachi got up, signaling Deidara to move the fuck away from him. Deidara complied; a little disappointed Itachi wasn't taking his bait. Itachi grabbed his phone, and nodded. "Thanks, I'll be going then." He didn't know why the fruitcake made him so uneasy, but he was.
"Have a pleasant stay, Mr. Uchiha." Itachi heard him, already turned away, not seeing the triumphant smile Deidara had.
Walking briskly towards the hallway, down the way Kakashi had gone, Itachi shivered. Deidara literally made his skin crawl. Such obvious sexual endorsement of oneself was unattractive and cheap. Scanning the hallways, he didn't see Kakashi. Sighing, he called the man's cell.
"Hello Itachi."
"You followed her?" Itachi asked.
"Yes. She's holed up in her room. Alone. Nobody is coming to her. I think the meeting was coincidental."
"I think so too. She was surprised and unnerved. Genuine. Okay. I called Shisui and asked him to track her movements and give a report on recent activity."
"Good idea. Now go gamble or get laid. I got this." Kakashi ordered.
"Whatever," Itachi grumbled, putting his phone away, he headed towards the casino area. He just about had the only excitement he'd get for the next three days.
"You're job is not simple, though it may sound like it. Yesterday you were shown basics: organizing itineraries, business trips, reservations, phone calls, emails, all standard to do for secretary work, today the non-standard things. You're expected to be here at 7 am, which is Itachi's start time. He works nine to ten hour days. Often, you will be here that long when he is in office. Otherwise, when he's on trips, you'll communicate with him via Blackberry. He does travel a lot, but he's already made company rounds, so there won't be much traveling this summer." Sasuke led Sakura to her desk, it was in an office. She had a window view of the city. Next to her office was Itachi's, the bigger, corner office.
"Company rounds?" Sakura asked. She was sitting in her seat, looking at Sasuke.
"He regularly goes to all the major company satellite sites, and makes frequent trips to Japan. He chooses to use the Chicago office the most often, well, because he lives here."
Sakura nodded. "So, what else do I have to do?"
"You are the final barrier to Itachi. Whatever can be handled by you should be handled by you. You are the go between. No meetings with new people until Itachi and security okays them."
"Security?" Sakura asked.
Sasuke grimaced. "Precautions. Family history of…prior business dealings may still come to bite us. Kakashi will be in contact with you. You'll also be given his number." Sasuke started writing on a post it. "Put this in your blackberry. Make sure it's locked with a password too. You're given all of our private lines. I did have you sign a confidentiality agreement for a reason."
She nodded, and got up. "Well, is that it?"
"Today you'll be organizing his schedule for next week when he comes in on Monday. Start getting to know the office, here is a folder on the recent business deal we're working on."
"Do I need to contact them for a meeting?" Sakura asked, flipping through the folder. There was no contact information. The documents were formal business agreements, legal language, etc. A name caught her eye. "Nara? Shika's work?"
"Yeah. We do a lot of work with Shikamaru and his father. They are advising us on a business arrangement were making. Once Itachi realizes you have a brain, he'll start forwarding you business deal information for an opinion."
Sakura nodded. "I see. That's fine. But wouldn't he rather wait to do that with the permanent replacement. I mean, it's kind of a waste of time. I'm only here for the summer."
"Yes, but Itachi is…a workaholic. He likes it. And he'll want you to like it too. Just go along with it, and help him find a replacement. Start putting up those help wanted ads online and through the work agencies I gave you earlier. That should keep you occupied."
Sasuke got up, stretched. "'K then. I've got a lunch date with Naruto. You're welcome to come." Sasuke looked at her, hands in pockets, waiting.
She shook her head. "I brought my lunch today. You go on ahead. I need to start getting to know people and this place. I have one more day to do so."
"Right then, pay day is tomorrow, every Friday. Go shopping with Ino." Sasuke waved, and walked out of her office.
Sakura sat back into the leather chair, and swiveled around to see the view. The building was a small, one story satellite office of Uchiha Applications Corp. in the suburbs. There was a bigger office downtown, but Itachi hardly goes there. She wore her plan work clothes. Looking down at herself, she had on some brown dockers and a blue top. Sakura agreed with Sasuke's subtle push: she needed clothes. Nice ones, too, if she was going to be the head CEO's secretary. That boutique had a nice pair of red shoes, she thought. Yeah, she'll definitely go shopping this weekend.
Itachi was severely disappointed. With the arrival of Konan, he half-hoped his vacation would be usurped by some Yakuza conspiracy, just to get away from the slimy hotel manager. But Konan was indeed only in town for a stopover. She checked out, dammit. The next few days were bit too torturous for his liking. The only thing he enjoyed was the massage. He tried gambling with Kakashi, but walked away after forty minutes of women hanging off of his elbows and not tiring of his bored expression.
Now he was trying to sleep. In the morning he had the flight back to Chicago. Then the weekend. Then Monday, and his new secretary. God, he hoped Sasuke picked someone competent. Itachi turned on his side and hit the pillow, a vain effort for rest.
In the morning, he practically dragged Kakashi back to the plane, while Kakashi complained he was way too happy to be going back to work. Upon coming home, he wanted to hug his car and jump on the bed. He grabbed his kidnapped blackberry and laptop, almost wanting to coo over the hardly seen technology from the past week. After checking his email, and looking at his new schedule, he felt better. Relaxed. Putting the laptop onto hibernate, he turned on the Food channel, and started watching a show about candy making. Kakashi had been in the background, who was now aggravated and confused.
"That's it! You check it and leave it, and now you relax?" Kakashi threw his hands up, and walked up the stairs to his guest bedroom in the mansion. "I'll never get you. Taught you all your life and I'll never get you."
Itachi ignored him. He was looking forward to Monday.
Itachi opened the door to his office, seeing only nylon clad leg instead of his desk, and a swishing gray fishtail skirt walking towards him. Suddenly the humid air felt too dry for his liking. He looked up and saw the new secretary, his little brother had interviewed and hired for him while he was away on vacation. Sakura turned around, and noticed a man looking very much like Sasuke. Itachi was dressed in a faultless suit, a dark green with a tie of a lighter shade of green. She remembered him from high school graduation years ago, seeing him afar when Sasuke was taking a picture with his older brother.
Vaguely, he wondered how much of an idiot Sasuke thought he was. The woman before him was one of Sasuke's friends. Something he didn't want. She was also a very specific friend, if the bland descriptions he had received before were supposed to be of this vivacious woman. That was another thing he didn't like. Not her being there, no— just that she wasn't supposed to be there.
Sakura decided to fake bravery and smile. Something about Itachi made the air sharp, the atmosphere edgy. "Hello Mr. Uchiha, here is your morning paper and coffee. I'm Sakura Haruno, your new secretary." She shook his hand. Itachi noticed how small and clean her hands were. "I have your itinerary for this week scheduled …" The pink haired woman rambled, but Itachi was a little preoccupied in distinguishing the scent invading his office. Had she put a candle in here? Potpourri?
Sakura noticed Itachi's eyes wandering about the room and took a step forward to regain his attention while talking about his meetings and their times. Itachi's eyes snapped back at her, and she held off jumping back at his intense gaze.
Itachi took a subtle sniff. It was her perfume. Something musky and clean. Light notes that danced on the edges of his nostrils. Not that floral or fruity crap that was always offending to him when walking down the hallways and getting a whiff of the female cohort's perfume of choice.
Sakura had finished Itachi's schedule for the week. She felt like she was a on some sort of rollercoaster. No wonder the previous women didn't stick around. He makes you so nervous you can't do anything right!
He walked to his desk and sat down, gesturing for Sakura to sit across from him. "As my brother did the interviewing, I did not have the chance to get to know you prior to this, as I was on," Itachi paused, "vacation."
Sakura nodded. She knew he was rather roped into going, but Itachi couldn't know that. Or wouldn't like it.
"Therefore I'd like to ask you a few questions. How do you know my brother?" Itachi's brown eyes did not leave Sakura's green ones. Her smile wavered a bit.
"Well, he interviewed me. And he's shown me around the company, been very helpful-"
Itachi waved her off. "I'm sure." So she's not going to own up to knowing my brother? Interesting. They must have warned her I didn't want Sasuke's friends as my employees anymore.
"What are your goals? Do you intend to make a career here?" Itachi asked.
"I have school in the fall. I understand temporary help was needed until a permanent replacement could be found." Sakura said, her head tilting to the side. Her hair fell a little the side, pink and feathery light. The sun shimmered from behind Itachi onto Sakura's hair a little, creating a brightened patch of hair at the top of her head. Almost like a fucking halo, Itachi groaned. Meanwhile, Sakura frowned at Itachi's change in expression. It had darkened. Did I say something wrong? He would want to interview a permanent one anyway, right?
"Yes, that's exactly right." Itachi cleared his throat. He continued to stare at her.
"If that's all, Mr. Uchiha…" Sakura said, a little unsure. He was staring hard at her, like trying to look through her. The silence unsettled her.
"Yes, you may go."
Sakura stood up and smiled once more. Itachi's eyes lowered again to the nylon clad legs when she turned around. He wanted to bang his fists into his little brothers' face when he made a new discovery. She was wearing red high heeled pumps. Open toe, painted red toenails.
God, I'm so screwed.