CCNote: There is still time to answer the question from last chapter so if you know my 4 favorite things go ahead give a crack at it. There are already some people who have gotten it correct. Winners will be announced next week and as promised will receive an extra deleted scene. This was originally supposed to be split into two chapters so it's a bit long but I think it works better this way.
For the reviewers that have mixed feelings about Naruto: I have mixed feelings about him too. I think he's a great character and fun to write but he is just not a good pairing for Hinata. I felt like the whole Boruto thing was bs and find him to be a kinda shitty dad/husband. He can't help it. He's the hokage blah blah blah. Fight me lol. Sasuke's also a questionable dad and an even worse husband/bootycall/are they actually together? but I never got the feeling he liked Sakura all that much in the first place so that whole pairing being canon gives me the creeps. The Naruto world would be a much better place if it sailed on a SasuHina ship
To BanjotheFox: I like to think of myself as a gold star trash bag. Like one of those glad bags that holds an insane amount of stuff. From here on please refer to me as the Duchess of Trash. If you're going to tell me to go fuck myself you should at least put some respect on my name.
As always a huge shoutout to my beta PrincessJelly who helps to make this story the way it is. Enjoy!
Lonely
Saturday October 12 2017 10:55am
DayBreak Coffee
...
"Me too."
"Hinata, I'm worried about you."
Hinata smiled weakly into tea that had long since grown cold. She had been trying so hard to keep a straight face all week but now she felt drained. What should be a fun outing with her friend had been nothing but sour due to her own poor attitude. Tenten's soft brown eyes analyzed her carefully and she placed her hand on top of hers. Hinata slipped her hand away and interlaced her fingers in her lap.
"I'm fine Ten." She replied gently and Tenten shook her head.
"No you're not you...you look like..." She said sternly and Hinata looked up at her curiously.
"Like what?"
"Like...Neji..." She said, her voice faint and still full of hurt after a whole year. "Hinata, if something is going on please tell me."
"I'm fine. I promise." She said and tried to make her smile seem genuine.
Tenten wasn't buying it but she didn't press further and for that she was grateful. She really wasn't in the mood to talk about it. She had expended all of her energy into avoiding and ignoring Sasuke all week. Working with him had once been an annoyance that slowly morphed into something that she looked forward to doing. Now she had to start depriving herself of that. Like an addict, she was coming down and it wasn't fun, especially now that she was feeling so confused about her own emotions towards Sasuke. He wasn't making it easy either...
Hinata sighed as she tried to send off one last email. She had been showing up later and later to avoid Sasuke in the mornings before he headed out for his morning meetings and leaving early before he arrived. She took whatever she could home with her to work on and the anxiety that she felt was starting to become evident. Bags were forming around her eyes and her skin was even paler than usual. She put it off as just stress from the merger to anyone who asked but that excuse was already beginning to sound tired. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was almost three. Sasuke would be returning soon. She pressed send and began packing her bag full of files to work on at home. Sakura looked up from where she had her own work spread out across the low table in the middle of the room.
"You're leaving already?" She asked, her voice full of concern.
"Yea. I have...things..."Hinata said. It was a pitiful excuse. She was usually much better at lying than this but the week had worn her down.
"Hinata, you've been acting off all week. As a friend I'm worried." Sakura said and Hinata just waved off her concern. She had gotten very good at doing that recently.
"I'm fine Sakura. Really." She smiled and slung her bag over her arm. "Don't let Sasuke work you too hard okay?"
Sakura opened her mouth to undoubtedly continue pressing the issue but the door to the office opened. Hinata felt her heart drop in the pit of her stomach as he looked her up and down, his lips pressing into a tight line of what she knew was disapproval. She looked at a point past his head and marched forward to leave but he didn't move.
"Sakura." He said as he placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. "You are needed in Accounting."
"Accounting? What?" The woman asked perplexed. When Sasuke didn't expand on the directive she let out a frustrated huff but departed quickly enough.
Hinata tried to follow after her but Sasuke kept her planted firmly with his hand. He closed the door and locked it.
"You are avoiding me." He said stiffly and Hinata shook her head.
"I'm just busy."
"You're lying."
Hinata bit her bottom lip and shifted her grip on her bag. She didn't know what to say. She was avoiding him. Every time she looked at him her heart twisted uncomfortably. Seeing him was a constant reminder of what she shouldn't do. What she wouldn't do. He reached out to touch her but she took a step back. His hand fell to his side and he let out a slow breath.
"The other night...you...left." He started awkwardly and her stomach did a flip. The last thing she wanted to talk about with him was the night of the gala. "Did you...do you..."
His voice trailed off as he allowed his unspoken question to hang in the air and her temper flared up slightly at the accusation. It had been their first time together without using a condom but she wasn't an idiot.
"I am on birth control if that's what you're worried about." She snapped looking up at his dark eyes and immediately regretted it. Instead of a hard, impassive gaze, his eyes were...soft. She felt her quick temper lessen. That wasn't what he was asking at all. The look he had in his eyes right now was the same one he had that night.
"That night-" he started but she cut him off.
"Sasuke I have to go."
She moved around him and placed her hand on the door knob but he caught her wrist.
"Hinata."
"Please." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.
His fingers slowly let go of her wrist and she quickly unlocked and reopened the door. On the other side, Sakura was poised with her fist up in preparation to knock. Hinata skirted around her and slowly made her way down the hall.
"Sasuke, Accounting doesn't need me." Hinata heard Sakura say tersely, closing the door behind her...
"How are the renovations coming along?" Hinata asked in an attempt to steer the conversation in a more positive direction. Tenten knew what she was trying to do but let it slide.
"Slow and steady." She said and stirred her coffee absently as the bell to the front door jingled with its opening. "We should be able to reopen at the end of December, just in time for the new year showcase."
"That's great. Are you going to compete again this year?"
"Yeeeaaa whoa." Tenten gasped and her eyes widened to the size of saucers at something behind her. Hinata turned around and could see what warranted that reaction. Naruto Uzumaki was standing in the middle of the empty coffee shop with a lopsided grin on his face.
"I should goooo...check my schedule for next week! Yea that's it!" Tenten said as she got up from the table. Hinata shook her head furiously to keep her from leaving but the brunette ignored her silent pleas.
"Hey, Hina." Naruto said cheerfully as he slid into the seat that Tenten vacated.
"H-hey Naruto." She greeted softly and tried to return his smile but it didn't quite meet her eyes.
"I looked for you the other night but you slipped off, everything okay?"
"It was just getting a little hot. I...I had to step out for a moment."
"You should take better care of yourself!" Naruto said in what he thought was a reprimanding tone but he couldn't stay serious for long. He reached across the table and ruffled her hair. "That's what you always used to tell me. It's good advice. You should follow it."
Hinata studied his face and it was nothing but sincerity.
"Thank you, Naruto."
"Hey," he started off hesitantly, scratching the back of his head sheepishly and avoiding her eyes. "I know I took you for granted when we were together. You believed in me before anyone else did. I'm sorry. I said I wanted us to remain friends and I mean it."
"Naruto-"
"No, I really mean it this time Hinata. I want to be there for you this time. Anything you need!"
"I don't know." She said softly, she wasn't quite sure it was a good idea but Naruto was insistent. He grabbed one of her hands between his own and his cerulean blue eyes stared her down.
"If you need me to beat someone up I can do it." He said and leaned in close to lower his voice to a whisper. Hinata felt her lips twitch. "I know how to get rid of dead bodies."
Hinata blanched at his statement and he laughed.
"I'm serious though. Don't disappear for nine months. Let's be friends, for real this time."
"Pumpkin spice latte, double shot of espresso!" The barista called from the counter and Naruto looked up.
"That's me! I've gotta go but please call me sometime." He said and jumped up to collect his to-go cup from the counter.
Hinata watched him as he charmed the barista with that sparkling smile he doled out so freely and felt the tension in her chest lessen slightly. Naruto's bright presence always put her in a better mood. In fact, there was not a single person that came in contact with him that wasn't positively impacted in some way. The man had a gift. He walked backward towards the front door and waved goodbye enthusiastically.
"Your birthday's coming up! I expect an invite!" He shouted and Hinata shook her head.
'Some things never change.' She thought.
Her birthday was nearly two months away but he never forgot in the three years that they were together. He always tried to do something special. Even if special meant making a coupon book of ramen vouchers one year. She gave him a small wave goodbye and watched him depart from the large store front window. He had a huge goofy grin on his face as he continued to wave from outside and was so preoccupied that he ran into another person who was too busy texting on their phone to look up. Hinata lowered her hand and stood up quickly as she realized that the person he had run into was Ino and she was going to fall hard on the concrete.
She watched as he struggled to keep his coffee from spilling and still prevent the accident that she was positive would have happened if it had not been for his quick reflexes. His arm wrapped around her waist and caught her just in time before her head was cracked open on the sidewalk. He pulled her up and held her close. Hinata's eyes switched between the two of them quickly as if she were watching an intense tennis match. Both of them were too stunned to move away from one another, that is until Naruto dropped his coffee and it splattered on the sidewalk like a grenade at their feet. The two of them separated immediately. Hinata sat back down and watched the two of them skirt around each other, hands waving, mouths moving quickly as they tried to explain away the awkward accident to each other.
A body guard placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and Ino bowed deeply as she held out her wallet in an effort to apologize for making him spill his coffee. Hinata pressed a hand to her heart as Naruto stared at her slack jawed and at a complete loss for what to do. She felt her lips turn upward as Naruto's ears began to turn red from embarrassment. When he didn't accept her money, Ino pulled out a purple pen from her purse and grabbed Naruto's hand. She scrawled something on it quickly and bowed again before heading into the cafe. The bell rang and Ino began walking across the cafe when she spotted Hinata. The blonde's cheeks were tinted red from her brief encounter and she was a bit breathless.
"Sorry, I'm late!" Ino called from across the room. "There were a lot of customers-"
There was a loud rapping on the glass and both women looked up to see Naruto still outside. He motioned for a second body guard holding a brief case to come over quickly. The man was hesitant at first since it was known that his charge was rather unpredictable at times it was only natural to be cautious. Naruto opened the briefcase and pulled out a notebook and a pen. He tapped on the window again and motioned for Ino to come forward. The blonde woman chanced a quick glance at where Hinata was sitting in the far corner of the room but walked to the window anyway.
Naruto wrote something quickly on the notebook and then pressed the paper against the glass. Messily scrawled in bright orange marker was his telephone number. He held his thumb up and he seemed to smile even brighter. Hinata rested her cheek in her palm and watched as the start of something truly genuine started to unfold. When Ino finally copied the number in her phone she smiled and this time she meant it.
…..
Saturday October 12 2017 6:45pm
Hyuuga Compund
...
Hinata frowned as she put her hand on her hips and regarded the half packed suitcase on her bed. It would have been all packed if it hadn't been for her discovery that half of her makeup was missing. She had turned her room inside out for the better half of an hour before she realized that it was futile. Hanabi must have had a case of sticky fingers and decided to help herself. Unfortunately, she couldn't exactly go hunt her down since she was off doing god knows what with a certain Senju boy. The girl's head had been in the clouds and it was nearly impossible for anyone to bring her back down. Hinata couldn't fault her though. She was happy and, as her big sister, she would do anything to keep it that way. She had promised their mother that she would take care of Hanabi. That she would love her sister and protect her. It was a tall order for an eight-year-old but she had kept her promise this long.
Sighing she returned to clearing out her bedside drawer of what she might need and her fingers brushed against her plastic birth control container. She picked it up and debated whether she should bring it with her or not. It wasn't like she was going to need it during the business summit and since she was swearing off of a certain Uchiha she shouldn't need it right? A knock on her already open door made her jump and she clumsily shoved the birth control into her suitcase.
"Am I interrupting something?" Neji asked with a low chuckle as he leaned casually against the door jam and Hinata shook her head.
"You just surprised me!"
Neji smiled and walked into the room. He looked at her suitcase and picked up one of the many black dresses she had stuffed haphazardly inside of it. He shook his head and began folding it correctly.
"You don't have to do that!" Hinata said and blushed as Neji continued to unpack her clothing out of her suitcase. Neji didn't listen of course and stubbornly kept doing what he was doing.
"It is rare that I get to care for you nowadays. I'm usually running after Hanabi. Let me do this."
Hinata blushed and nodded her head. Neji was her cousin but he had always been more of an older brother to her and Hanabi. When her uncle and aunt had died in a car accident he had been brought into the main house of the compound to be raised alongside her. It had been a rough transition. Losing both parents at once would have been a difficult for any child to deal with and Neji was no exception.
She was the pampered girl living in the main house with both of her parents alive and loving her. When she cried, which was usually for anything, her mother was always there to pick her up and dote on her. At that point in her life her father was not yet head of their clan so he had plenty of time to spend on teaching her how to dig in the dirt and care for her own small garden. If there was one thing Neji hated the most it was watching her spend time with her father. Her uncle Hizashi was her father's identical twin brother and it must have hurt him exponentially to see his father's face every day but know that it wasn't him.
To get back at her, he shunned her at school and ignored the bullies when they teased her. At home, he pushed her whenever he walked by and stomped all over her flowers. Once he even stuck gum in her hair as she was sleeping and all of her hair had to be shaved off. Neji was a horrid child but the day they found out that her mother died he instantly blamed himself. That day Hiashi was the only one to return with a crying bundle of blankets and a face made of stone. Neji locked himself in his room for a week and only came out for meals. When he did finally begin to come around more he was glued to her side and it was impossible to get rid of him. He was attached worse than the gum he'd stuck in her hair.
"Hinata." Neji sighed and Hinata blinked. She had been so lost in thought she had not realized that he was trying to get her attention. "Hinata you've got to pay better attention. The others are going to eat you alive if you don't."
"Sorry, Neji." Hinata said softly.
"Don't apologize. It's your first conference so I understand if you are a little distracted." he said and placed her last dress into the suitcase. "It's in Suna right?"
"Yea." Hinata replied and her good mood started to wane a bit. Neji's seemed to darken as well.
"I have heard about the arrangement being drafted between Uncle and Sabaku."
Hinata nodded her head slowly. It was only a matter of time before Neji found out.
"Have you made a decision?" He asked and Hinata nodded slowly.
"Good. I have heard that Sabaku is a stable person. You yourself called him...kind. Arranged marriages are common in our family. Your mother's marriage was arranged and there is no doubt in my mind that she loved Uncle." Neji said as he closed her suitcase and zipped it up. "Family above all else. Duty to the cause. Honor what is right. Those are our words and with them seals our fate. I know that you will uphold them to the best of your ability. The clan always comes first Hinata. We have always succeeded that way. However, I am not so sure as I once was. There are things that are asked of us that hurt deeply and those words provide little comfort at night."
….
Sunday October 13 2017
Konoha International Airport Departure Gate D
...
"Are you going to miss me, little brother?" Itachi asked as he threw an arm around Sasuke's shoulder only to be pushed off. "So mean. I will just have to find love elsewhere."
Sasuke's eye twitched as he realized just what his brother meant by finding love elsewhere. He turned around to see Hinata approaching them with Neji carrying her suitcase. His heart twisted as she came closer and closer. Their eyes caught for a brief moment and a flood of foreign emotion flooded through him. What was this? He felt as though something was being taken from him. It was as if she was getting on that plane with something that was his. That night of the gala she had stolen something from him and he was afraid that he wasn't going to get it back.
Hinata broke eye contact with him just as Itachi reached her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and led her over to where he was standing. They had not stood in the same proximity in what felt like forever but had only been a few days. The soft scent of her vanilla shampoo wafted up to his nose. He would trade anything to bury his face in her neck and inhale deeply.
"Are you excited?" Itachi asked as he took her luggage away from Neji. "I hear that this is your first conference."
"More nervous I guess." She said with a small smile.
"Don't be. We will practice your speech on the plane."
"If anything happens, call me." Neji said stiffly and Hinata turned and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"I'll be fine Neji." She reassured and the brunette gently pushed her away with a blush on his cheeks. Clearly, he was easily embarrassed by public affection.
"Say goodbye to little Sasuke, Hinata. He's in a bad mood today. Maybe you can cheer him up." Itachi teased.
Hinata didn't look at him. She didn't turn in his direction. Her bangs hung low over her eyes so he couldn't even see what she was thinking. Instead, she mumbled a half-hearted goodbye and shuffled past him to her boarding gate. Neji and Itachi were too busy talking amongst themselves to notice the snub but it cut worse than waking up to an empty bed. He desired nothing more than to run after her. To stop her from leaving even if it was only for a short trip. He couldn't though. What would he even say? 'I feel weird stay here?' That sounded weak even to himself.
He shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking towards the main entrance of the airport. He wasn't good with words but he was a man of action. He was going to get to the bottom of what was going on but why did he feel like he was losing before he had even begun?
…..
Monday October 14 2017 4:02pm
Hyuuga Enterprises
...
"It's so empty." Sakura sighed as they reentered the office from a slew of meetings. "It feels kinda lonely without Hinata."
Sasuke didn't reply to her statement. Instead, he went to his desk and immediately began what might just be the most foolhardy task he'd ever undertaken. He was going to tackle this from the ground up. The Hyuuga were a wealthy family but they were hemorrhaging money. Something odd was going on with their accounts and although their stocks were no longer being toyed with it was only a matter of time before they were again. This time that was even more of a problem since the Uchiha stocks were one and the same with the Hyuuga. If he could find the leak that might make Hiashi reconsider marrying Hinata off. He wasn't sure of Hiashi's real reasoning but it more than likely had to deal with money. Money was the root of everything around here.
"Doesn't it feel lonely Sasuke? It's strange because it's been so long since we've been alone in an office together." Sakura mused and he grunted a reply. She wasn't satisfied with his response so she came around to the other side of his desk and leaned on his chair. "Ya know, in the three years I've known you I've never seen you take an interest in anyone. Why is that?"
Sasuke shrugged as he began scrolling through the quarterly earnings for the Hyuuga for the last two years. He needed access to a detailed accounting spreadsheet and that wasn't something he had access to. He actually had no idea who handled the Hyuuga finances but he knew someone who would. He glanced at his watch, it was only four in the afternoon. Neji should still be in his office. He picked his phone and an empty USB Drive and shoved both items into his pockets.
"Where are you going? You don't have any meetings this afternoon?" Sakura asked, surprised by his sudden haste.
"I have to speak with someone. Answer the phone if anyone calls." Sasuke replied as he stood up from his chair. He moved to walk away from the desk but Sakura grabbed his hand. Her hand felt so strange in comparison to Hinata's. The feeling of her hand in his from the other night still haunted him. He craved to intertwine his fingers with her's once more just to make the craving go away. He slipped his hand out of Sakura's and she her brow furrowed a bit as she cradled the rejected hand close to her chest.
"Hey, when you're done with everything today. How about we go grab a drink or something? You seem tense."
"Another time Sakura." he replied and closed the door behind him.
...
Monday October 14 2017 4:15p
Hyuuga Enterprise
...
"Hyuuga."
"Uchiha."
Sasuke and Neji stared at each other from across his desk. The Uchiha didn't know Neji very well outside of a few limited interactions but he appeared to be the most stereotypical 'Hyuuga' of the Hyuuga children he had encountered. Hinata was too soft while Hanabi was too impulsive. Neji was, for all intents and purposes, even keel in all things. The man in question leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk and knitting his fingers together.
"To what do I owe this visit?" Neji asked as Sasuke approached the desk.
"I am in need of your assistance. There is no other reason that I would willingly seek you out." Sasuke replied flatly and Neji's eye twitched.
"I think you have me mistaken for Hinata, I am not a patient man. I will not put up with your attitude the way I'm sure she does."
Sasuke smirked and sank into one of the cushy gray chairs in front of Neji's desk. The brunette bristled at his lack of jurisprudence in his office.
"I have a suspicion that more is going on here than you Hyuuga are willing to let on." Sasuke said as he rested his cheek against his palm. Neji's eyes narrowed at the accusation and his lips pursed into a tight line.
"We have been nothing but transparent with you through out this entire process and you dare to come into my office when the ink is barely dry and accuse us of duplicity." Neji scoffed. "The gall of an Uchiha knows no bounds. I at least thought you were better than to peddle in conspiracies."
Sasuke rolled his eyes and tossed the USB drive that he had brought onto Neji's desk. The Hyuuga looked at the innocuous piece of black plastic suspiciously but put it into the port on his computer.
"Click on the first file." Sasuke instructed. He waited patiently as Neji's pale eyes scanned the few documents that he had been able to compile in such short notice. When he was done. Neji leaned back in his chair and regarded him skeptically but the aura around him wasn't as hostile as it was before.
"Uchiha. What do you want?" Neji asked.
'I want your cousin back' was on the tip of his tongue but he decided that it would be best to not divulge what he was really after.
"I need to get into your accounting files for the last two years or more." He said and Neji snorted.
"Why in the world would I trust you with that kind of access?"
"The last time I checked we have been turned into one and the same. Why would the left hand not know what the right is doing?"
Neji regarded him for a moment before letting out a slow even breath through his nose.
"Do not betray my trust."
...
Tuesday October 15 2017 10:01am
DayBreak Coffee
...
Sasuke's brow furrowed as he quickly thumbed through the giant stack of documents Neji had laid on the café table before him. The Hyuuga seemed to only trust him so far as he could throw him and refused to allow him electronic access to the files. Seeing that he couldn't use a simple search function, going through these files by hand was going to be a lot more time consuming than he had anticipated. It was no matter. With Hinata away, he had plenty of time on his hands to shift through this. He let out a huff and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair.
"Sufficient enough for you Uchiha?" Neji asked flatly.
"It's a start."
"That is only half of the information I was able to obtain. I will go through the other half on my own. What you brought earlier indicates there is a leak somewhere in our company. We need to find where it's coming from-" Neji started but fell silent as a brunette woman approached their table.
Sasuke raised his eyebrows slightly as he watched the usually stoic man before him stiffen in his chair. He looked over at the waitress and found her to be nothing he would write home about. She had an athletic build overall, narrow hips with an average bust. There was nothing particularly graceful about her either. In fact, her mannerisms were rather... forceful. Her just placing down his coffee was done with a lot more force than necessary. Sasuke supposed that she was pretty but it was becoming more and more difficult to find other women attractive.
"French press. No cream, no sugar." She said before placing down a cup of green tea in front of Neji. "You're back again. That's the third time this week."
Sasuke smirked as an ever so faint blush dusted across Neji's cheeks. Apparently blushing easily was a hereditary trait. Neji coughed awkwardly and averted the brunette's gaze. Somehow the Hyuuga still managed to keep a straight face. The waitress opened her mouth the say something else but thought better of it and walked away. Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at Neji and the man's blush immediately receded.
"The tea here is good." He defended and obstinately took a sip from his cup. The Uchiha rolled his eyes and began to read through the data presented to him. He had bigger things to focus on than who got Neji Hyuuga hot and bothered under the collar.
….
Tuesday, October 15, 2017, 10:01 am
Uchiha Headquarters
Suna Division
...
"Chin up." Itachi instructed as he used two fingers to lift Hinata's chin a little higher. "Again."
"Thank you all for joining us-" Hinata started but was stopped by Itachi's rather eccentric assistant.
"I don't think she should start off by saying 'Thank you.'" Kisame mused as he tapped his fingers against his chin.
"It's fine." Itachi said with a roll of his eyes.
"It's pedantic."
"Again."
"Thank you all for joining us for this..."
Hinata looked straight ahead at a random spot on the wall. Shifting her gaze every so often as Itachi had taught her so that it would look as though she were making actual eye contact with her imaginary audience. Itachi stood in front of her with his arms crossed as Kisame paced behind him, both men soaking up and analyzing her speech. Itachi had been making her practice since the moment they set foot on the plane and while his critiques were a bit harsh she knew that it was only going to make her better. They had practiced so many times now that she didn't even need her cue cards anymore. There would be a teleprompter with her speech scrolling through the screen when the time came for her to go on stage but Itachi had insisted that she commit her half of the speech to memory.
"...our hope is to find innovative solutions and collaborations that will benefit not only our companies but the people we serve. I wish you the best of luck in all of your endeavors. Thank you."
When she finished talking, Kisame stopped walking and Itachi uncrossed his arms.
"W-well?" She asked nervously as the two men stared at her in silence.
"You're cute. I'll give you that." Kisame said with a smirk and Itachi shot him a rather harsh glare.
"Kisame go see if Shisui needs any help." Itachi instructed and Kisame threw back his head and laughed as he headed out the door.
"Whatever you say, boss."
As the door to the office shut behind him, Hinata allowed her shoulders to slump and her gaze to turn downward. They had not taken a break since the moment they had arrived and she felt utterly drained. While she usually enjoyed being busy her mind kept drifting down paths that it shouldn't go down. She wondered if she would ever get used to the sharp smells of Suna or if she would ever be able to drink enough to combat the ever present feeling of dehydration. She also kept wondering what Sasuke was doing at the moment. She had been so cold to him when she left. Would he hold it against her? She hoped that he did. Everything would be easier that way.
"There is something on your mind." Itachi said and Hinata shook her head. "Do you need a break?"
"No." She replied quickly despite the skeptical look in Itachi's eyes. "I can continue."
"You look like you are about to keel over."
"How can I improve my speech?"
Itachi regarded her impassively for a moment and for a brief second she regretted interrupting him.
"Your speech is fine but your words are hollow. You are unconvincing."
Hinata only nodded at his criticism. Her heart just wasn't in this speech. She had to do well though. There was no other option. While she was no longer slated to accept her father's position one day but she was still the heir apparent to everyone else. As such she had to perform well on stage. With Itachi up there with her, she doubted that she would completely fail but she wanted to pull her own weight. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to recite her speech once more but was stopped by Itachi poking her in the middle of her forehead.
"Sasuke was correct. You are stubborn." Itachi said, an almost imperceptible smirk on his lips. "Again."
….
Tuesday, October 15, 2017, 5:15 pm
The Sundial
...
Hinata bit her bottom lip as she allowed Gaara to pull out her chair before she sat in it. They were seated right in the middle of the busy restaurant and as soon as they had walked through the doors all eyes had turned to them. It was so silent that the sound of her own breath sounded thunderous to her ears. The other occupants of the building only resumed what they were doing once they reached their table and even then she could still feel their eyes on them.
"Are you finding Suna to your liking?" Gaara asked and Hinata cast her eyes down towards the table.
She had only been here for forty-eight hours but she had yet to find a single thing that she liked about it. It was too humid, sand got in everything, and the food wasn't very agreeable to her stomach. She was not about to insult Gaara's home country though so she merely nodded her head in affirmation.
"Suna is interesting." She replied.
"Is that so?" He said and cocked his head slightly to the side. "I find it rather hot."
Hinata smiled and tried to engage Gaara in conversation as best as she could. Since he was to be her husband one day she should give this her best shot. Did her mother feel this way when she met her father? Was she this awkward and unsure of herself? With Sasuke it was much easier to be herself since...no... she shouldn't go down that road. There was a man here in the flesh before her that was her future. It would only hurt to dwell on others.
"Gaara!" A loud portly man shouted from across the room. He approached their table with three of his cohorts in tow. "What a surprise to see you here!"
"Likewise." Gaara said flatly as the man eager shook his hand.
Hinata watched as Gaara was quickly enveloped in business with the men who had joined their table. Their wives had also joined the fray and were now trying to engage Hinata in conversation although she didn't have much to say. The women were all very beautiful with their tanned skin and light colored eyes. It appeared as though vibrant eyes were just a trait that many people from Suna carried although Gaara's would always take the cake. None of the women seemed to mind that they had apparently been ditched for greener pastures. Instead, they all caught up on the latest gossips in their inner circle and inquired after each others' children.
Hinata smiled as she tried to follow their fast paced conversation but after about fifteen minutes of constant banter, she found herself on autopilot. Smiling and nodding where appropriate while her brain drifted off elsewhere. A place where she actually could keep up with the conversation and actually care about what was being said. The dinner itself passed by quickly. It was only at the time that the dessert plates had been cleared that the interlopers finally took their leave. Gaara looked at her guiltily as they walked through the front doors of the restaurant.
"This was another date that did not go the way that it should." Gaara sighed as they walked down the sidewalk toward her hotel.
"It's fine." Hinata replied softly. "I was able to meet some new people."
"Hm." Gaara pondered. "Hopefully they will help make your transition to moving here in the future as smooth as possible."
Hinata nodded absently. She didn't doubt that the women she had met today would ever hesitate to drop whatever they were doing to be at her beck and call. They had already started talking about the best nannies to hire and nurseries for her to send her children to. The women did not disclose that they knew of the impending marriage contract between the Sabaku and Hyuuga but Hinata imagined that they had their suspicions. Why else would Gaara be seen out alone with her if she wasn't someone he was seriously courting?
"Your hotel is this way correct?" Gaara said pointing in the general direction of where she and Itachi were staying for the conference. "I will walk you back."
"That's okay, it isn't a far walk. I will be fine on my own." Hinata replied. She would much rather spend time alone but the look on Gaara's face made her swallow her rejection. He was just trying to be nice. She could be nice as well.
"After you." She said with a smile.
They walked together down the raucous main street of the city. Vendors hawked their wares well into dusk and children ran after each other, weaving in and out of the legs of adults. Streetlights began to light up, creating an even livelier atmosphere on an already busy street. There were so many sights and sounds that Hinata wondered how long it would take her to get adjusted to all of it. She doubted that she would be able to be as forward as so many of the women from Suna but she could try, right? Could she make herself appear bolder, more forthright? She could style her hair the way they did and wear vibrant fabrics just like these women.
'You shouldn't try to change yourself for some guy.'
Her own words to Hanabi reverberated in her head and she pushed them aside. Gaara wasn't just some guy. He was the owner of the Sabaku Group and held immense influence over the country of Suna. He was a powerful man and a capable leader. He was to be her-
"Gaara?" A small voice called out and Hinata snapped out of her thoughts to see an excited woman waving to them from one of the vendor stalls. "Gaara, that is you!"
The woman quickly grabbed her purchase and bounded up to them with a smile on her face. She was a slender woman with short brown hair and skin kissed by the sun like all of the people of Suna. The woman appeared genuinely happy to see Gaara until she noticed Hinata's place at his side. All at once her face dropped from being friendly to sad in less than an instant. Her eyes welled up with unshed tears and her bottom lip quivered. The expression made Hinata want to find the nearest exit. It was as though she had been caught in the middle of a crime yet she had no idea what she had done wrong. Not knowing what to do in this sort of situation she fell back to using pleasantries to try to cut through the awkward tension.
"Hello, I'm-" Hinata started to say but the woman in front of them quickly switched her face to become impassive and gave a low bow.
"Sorry to interrupt." She mumbled. "I didn't realize you had a companion. Enjoy your evening."
When she rose from her bow she turned on her heel and skirted quickly around them. Hinata watched her leave with a furrowed brow. Who was she to Gaara? Why did she look so sad? Gaara began walking forward once more and she could no longer watch the sad woman's retreat. Her heart ached for the stranger because in her face she saw her own emotions personified. It felt like looking in a mirror.
….
Thursday, October 16, 2017, 6:45 pm
DayBreak Coffee
...
"You weren't wrong Uchiha." Neji growled as he tossed the thick stack of paper on the small café table and ran a frustrated hand through his long hair.
Sasuke frowned as looked over the data highlighted on Neji's tablet. He had found the same leaks in his set of data in his own half of the spreadsheets. It had started off as small amounts here and there that would have probably gone unnoticed. The amount had been steadily increasing until the Hyuuga accounts were leaking like a sieve. That corresponded with the time that Hiashi had reached out to his father to join forces and restructure the Hyuuga and Uchiha assets.
Being that they were now combined the leaks had ceased but only for a short time. Already small unaccountable amounts were leaking out once more. Their merge was only a stop gap and it was going to be useless sooner rather than later. The Uchiha rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand and put the tablet back on the table. His eyes were beginning to cross from staring at the numbers for so long.
"Have any idea where this money is going?" Sasuke asked and Neji shook his head.
"No idea. I will-" Neji began to explain and snorted when Sasuke raised a questioning eyebrow. "We will have to question everyone in the accounting department."
"Not everyone." Sasuke said with a shrug. "That will only arouse suspicion and whoever is doing it will cover their tracks."
"Then what do you propose?"
"We ask their computers."
"You're back again?" The brunette waitress interrupted as she placed coffee and tea in front of them.
Sasuke rolled his eyes as the Hyuuga seemed to lose his tongue again in the woman's presence.
"He likes the tea." Sasuke said and Neji glared at him.
"Oh." She said with a slight tone of dejection in her voice. "Is that it? Well, enjoy."
As the woman walked back to her station behind the bar, Neji watched her go intently before throwing Sasuke a death glare.
"Why did you say that?" He hissed threateningly under his breath and Sasuke cocked his head to the side, unperturbed by Neji's near murderous intentions.
"Is there another reason that you would want to keep coming here?" Sasuke asked bluntly. "If you continue insisting on coming here for the tea there are other places with better."
"Uchiha-"
"But if it's to see her," Sasuke continued, jerking his thumb in the direction of the bar. "You should do something instead of looking like a lost puppy every time she turns around."
Neji scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, unwilling to accept the advice that had been handed to him.
"Do not speak on things you do not understand Uchiha. Let's get back to what we came to do. I'd rather not spend more time in your presence than necessary."
"The feeling is mutual."
To be continued...