Hinata stared at the tall man that walked into her office and introduced himself as her assistant. He was a bubble of energy, and he had an oddly middle school bowl cut, but his suit was professional but bright green.
"My assistant?" Hinata wondered with her mouth slightly agape.
"Yes, ma'am, I was sent by Kisame to ensure your success!" Lee told her cheerfully.
Hinata blanched. Was she doing badly? She had him wait outside while she made a call to Itachi's assistant.
"Give him anything you can. He's great at pestering people to get their work done. If you can stand him, he's great at what he does." Kisame told her.
"I don't understand." She mumbled. He hadn't answered her question.
"Hey, Itachi knows the director is trying to work you to death, and he likes to test his father's patience. Just take the help and keep him out of the director's way." Kisame had been quite helpful in navigating the director's moods. He had been Itachi's assistant for many years, so he knew the two very well, but he also seemed to not be as afraid of her losing her job as she was. Of course, it could be that he just didn't care. He had seen many people in this position; she probably was just a different face that would be gone in a month for him.
"Alright," She mumbled.
"And hey," She heard just as she was about to hang up. "Itachi wants to congratulate you on the contract Tuesday."
"...But..." She hadn't done anything. Itachi was so strange. "Uh, please thank him for me." She said goodbye and had the energetic man come back to her office. It would be nice to have an extra hand, but she could feel a pit in her stomach already.
It had only taken a few hours.
"Hinata." The director addressed her through the com.
It was in his tone. He knew.
Hinata got up and headed into his office, putting a hand out to make sure Lee kept at his desk as he saw her get up from her desk from his cubicle on the other end of the hall.
She bowed her head as she came in and readied herself for the worse.
The director nodded his head at the cubical and the man in the violently green suit. "What is that?"
"That is Rock Lee, my assistant." She replied simply with her eyes stayed on him.
"Your assistant?" The director asked calmly with a raised eyebrow.
She nodded.
"Tell me. Can you not do your job? Do you need assistance?" She somehow knew that was what he was going to say.
"No, sir." She answered plainly.
"Then what do you need assistance for?" He asked.
Hinata opened her mouth to tell him that Itachi had once again meddled, but she thought better of it. "To better do my job, sir." She answered. "Just as I am here to support you."
His face flattened, and he sat back in his chair. He stayed silent for a few moments before his eyes slid back to Lee, and he growled. "Schedule lunch with my son."
Itachi knocked and gave her a friendly wave as he entered her office.
Hinata gave a quick looked at the time and her phone. Always check on things. "Sorry to make appointments on such short notice."
He waved his hand. "Don't worry. I had no plans. How are you liking your new assistant."
Hinata glanced around him at the man he had sent up from his department. "He's got a lot of energy."
"Yes, he does." He agreed. "Am I in trouble again?" He asked, nodding to his father's office.
Hinata made a face, ashamed. "I didn't tell him you sent him."
"Really?" He wondered.
"I think he figured it out, though." She mumbled.
"Yes, I think I'm in for another 'dad is disappointed, but not surprised' talks." He chuckled.
Her face dropped, worried. "Disappointed?"
He chuckled, but she didn't seem to get the joke. "He's just annoyed with me."
"Your department does quite well. He knows that." Hinata said quietly, still seeming genuinely worried that his father was disappointed in him.
There was something deeper there, he was sure. Unfortunately, he knew his father was only going to get angrier with time.
"Oh, have you something to wear for Sasuke's party?" He asked me to get up.
She looked down at her schedule. "I have an appointment for a stylist Friday."
"Cancel it. I'll take you shopping." He said as he headed out the door.
"I can't..." He didn't let her finish as he left the room.
Itachi headed into his father's office, settling himself into the chair across from his desk with a smile.
His father was gaining wrinkles every time he saw him. "What is that abomination from your department doing here?"
"My department? He's Hinata's assistant. He's under you." Itachi answered.
"I'm getting tired of your games, Itachi," Fugaku grumbled.
"What game? Your assistant is here all hours of the day, and her main job is to make sure she is available to you. If she's off running errands, how can she do that? Kisame has someone he sends for things. Not sure why she shouldn't have one?" Itachi shrugged.
"Why are you so interested in my assistant?" His father asked in a growl.
"Why are you so interested in making sure she has a hard time?" Itachi fired back.
His father ground his teeth. His father had some reason for giving her so much shit, they both knew it, but Itachi wanted to know why this poor girl was on his father's shit list.
"Stop meddling." His father demanded.
"When you stop treating her like she wronged you in a past life." Itachi countered.
His father huffed. "I don't know what you mean."
"I'm sure." Itachi mussed.
His father sat back, crossed his arms, rubbing his temple. He stamped his finger down on the phone. "Hinata, tea."
Itachi frowned. "Why not transfer her to another department if you dislike her so much? I would love to have someone so hardworking."
His father shook his head, refusing to answer. Hinata came in shortly after with tea and a glass of water. She put a tea in front of Itachi and put the tray with the cup of tea and the glass of water down the desk. Itachi thanked her.
She bowed her head and left, and that's when he noticed that the glass of water was accompanied by two small pills.
"You're having migraines again?" Itachi asked. "It's been months."
"They seem to have come back with the girl." He grumbled, taking the pills.
"Maybe you should see the doctor." Itachi pushed.
"Maybe you should stop causing me headaches." His father snapped back.
A few moments later, Hinata also brought in lunch.
Fugaku's headache was ebbing away as his son left, the medication kicking in. He watched his son walk up to his assistant, who was standing at the green monstrosity's desk.
Hinata looked over at him with a concerned look and then back up to his son, nodding. He sighed. He was wondering if his revenge was worth this fuss at this point.
He had to wait until the evening report to find out what was said. "And I have made an appointment at the end of the day tomorrow for you to see your general doctor." She added at the end.
His head snapped up. "What?"
Hinata's face hardened. "I can't keep giving you pain relievers at this rate. It's not healthy."
"You do not get to decide what is healthy." He growled.
"Your son is worried about you. I did it in your best interest, and I think you should go at least make sure you are simply deficient." She snapped back.
He was pissed, but he was surprised she was holding this ground. He frowned, snapping his pen down.
"If nothing else, it would give Uchiha-sama the piece of mind that you are looking after yourself." Hinata added.