"Knowing where the trap is—that's the first step in evading it."
It turns out that Jiraiya did have an office.
An office that was small and messy and smelled faintly of sweat and alcohol, and one that was occupied by a familiar (and not so familiar) face. The moment Hinata steps past the threshold and her eyes lock with the man seated at the desk, she freezes. Her every instinct clamors for her to run. Turn around and run. Run.
Her mind blanks and for a moment all she can hear is the thud of a baton and all she can see is Naruto laying face first on the ground. It takes everything in her to control her breathing.
"Ah, Hidan. You didn't tell me you were bringing a guest in." It's said casually, but the look Yahiko shoots the other man is icy.
"Miss Priss here says she's looking for a paycheck. Uzumaki's paycheck." Greasy-hair (Hidan, apparently) says with a smirk.
Hinata clears her throat. "I'm actually looking for Jiraiya," she corrects, fidgeting.
Yahiko ignores her comment, instead slowly rising to his feet. Beside him is a long haired blond man, his hair styled much like how Ino wore hers in college, grinning maniacally.
"Whatever pay Uzumaki thinks he is owed, I'm pretty sure he stole it from my wallet the night he attacked us."
Hinata inhales a quick, harsh breath, swallowing the lump in her throat as she squares her shoulders. "You mean the night you jumped him," she corrects again. She hates the way her voice trembles. Just once she'd like to be a force to be reckoned with. An Ino with command and control. Instead, she is shaking like a leaf, her fingers wringing against one another as she tries not to let her fear and her fury show.
She thinks that may be the part that frightens her the most. Because more than wanting to flee to safety, she now wants to leap across that desk and punch Yahiko right in his still bruised mouth. How dare he , she thinks. Stand there in smug confidence free to do as he pleases while Naruto is trapped in the confines of her small apartment, and trapped even more by the guilt she sees on his face every day. He may not be going to jail but that doesn't mean he's not in a prison-a prison this... person ...put him in.
And for what?
Why?!
She still doesn't understand and that frustrates her so much.
Yahiko turns his attention back to Hinata, tilting his head, appraisingly. "You're either very brave or very stupid," he says, voice low and quiet.
Hinata glances around the office, doing her best not to feel cornered or intimidated, though she is both. She ignores his taunt and asks once more: "Where's Jiraiya?"
The taller man shrugs; indifferent. His gaze moves around the room before returning to her. "Not here."
It's a response that causes her to clench her jaw. He's mocking her.
She's a joke to them.
"Why did you attack Naruto?" It's like a switch, everytime she says his name. Postures shift-tension mounts-and the others are watching Yahiko closely, almost as if waiting for a cue. Yahiko for his part tries to keep his expression neutral, but she catches it, in his eyes. A flash of emotion. It's mostly anger, but there's fear there, too. She hadn't intended on asking that question, but since it was out, she doesn't regret it. She wants to know.
She wants them to leave him alone.
"Pretty sure the police report has that the other way round." Hidan says from behind her, bending closer. It's an intentional invasion of her space-one meant to rattle her.
And it does.
Still, she refuses to back down. "Is this really over you losing some stupid fight?" she presses. "You're going to try and ruin a person b-because you can't handle losing? Because you're scared of him?"
The entire room goes still at that.
It's one heartbeat and then two, and then Hinata is spun and slammed back into the wall. It's hard enough to jar her teeth, knocking the breath out of her. A fist plants itself into the wall beside her head. She stares, wide-eyed and trembling, at Hidan, who is glowering in her face. He slants Yahiko a look that's both amused and hostile. "This bitch super dumb or what?"
"Not so dumb," she whispers. "Five minutes, remember?"
"What the hell does that mean?" The unknown blond asks, leaning back.
Hidan shrugs, unconcerned. "She told some twerp to call the cops if she wasn't out in five minutes." He chuckles. "You think the cops scare us, little girl?"
No. She thought Naruto scared them. She just didn't know why .
"I can go have a conversation with the twerp, if you want, boss."
At that Hidan shakes his head. "That twerp is off limits." He speaks to Yahiko. "It's the Sarutobi brat."
The name is well known. Naruto had told her that he was a legacy kid or something like that. Old money and politics.
Hidan leans closer and tsks at her, shaking his head. "You really should stop nosing around in business that doesn't concern you."
"Naruto is my business," she counters shakily. She will not cry in front of them she tells herself, blinking furiously.
"Risky business," the blond states, cackling at his own joke.
"You've overstayed your welcome." Yahiko tells her, voice low and steady. He watches her in a way that unnerves her.
"Let's go, Priss." Hidan grasps her upper arm and Hinata can't help the involuntary yelp that she emits. The mocking laughter of the others grates on her nerves. She yanks her arm, but to no avail. Hidan's grip is tight.
"That little mouse kicked Konan's ass?" She hears another cackle as Hidan marches her towards the office door.
"Shut it, Deidara."
Hinata turns her head, trying to get another look at Yahiko. "Pretty sure the police report has that a little different, too," she says, straining. "Stories are so hard to keep straight."
"Bitch-" Hidan starts to snarl, his grip tightening. Before he can do anything more Yahiko holds up his hand and Hinata is once more turned towards him.
He seems less amused than he was at the start of their exchange. "Your word against ours."
Her nerves are rattled, but her tongue is loose. "The truth against lies."
The blond (Deidara) gives a low whistle. "You really are very brave or very stupid, lady. Word of advice...there's a reason we call him Pain. Stay out of it."
Hinata shakes her head, not looking away from Yahiko. "I won't let you hurt Naruto."
Yahiko studies her, his own expression blank, but watchful. "Only fools pick fights they can't win."
"That's a bit ironic," she murmurs, momentarily defiant. "Coming from you."
He makes a disgruntled sound, giving her a shooing motion and Hidan grunts, yanking her arm so hard and high that she is on her tiptoes as he practically bunny hops her out of the office. When she enters the main gym area again Konohamaru is pacing near the front door, his phone in hand. He looks at her pale face and rushes over.
"I was just getting ready to call. What is going on?" he questions, his eyes darting over her shoulder towards the desk and the door.
Hinata shushes him and motions him out the front. Outside, in the sun, on the sidewalk, she finally inhales a steady breath. She can feel her fingers tingle and her eyes are misting over. She's having a hard time controlling the way her body is reacting. She's shaking enough so that her teeth chatter despite the warmer air.
"Uh...Hinata?"
She waves a hand at him. "It's fine...I'm fine. Just...maybe you shouldn't come back here for awhile, okay?" She glances through the large window-sees Hidan watching her. "There's another gym that Naruto likes. It's on the other side of town. It's called Eight Gates. Tell Guy or Lee that I sent you, ok?"
Konohamaru looks confused but he's nodding. "Yeah, sure. Does any of that have to do with why Naruto is taking some time off? This new management sucks."
Hinata glances back through the window, her eyes narrowing. "Yeah, they do. Go get your stuff, and your friend. I'll wait for you here." She instructs.
If he's confused, which he clearly is, Konohamaru still nods, and follows her instructions. Once she sees him safely on his way she whips out her own cell phone. She's making her way hastily down the sidewalk towards where she parked her car.
She glances over her shoulder several times, the hair on her neck on end. She feels like she's being followed...but what else was new.
"Yo."
"Shikamaru, hi. Listen, we need to find Jiraiya. Jiraiya is the key." She sounds slightly frantic, she knows, and out of breath.
"Yeah, yeah. We're looking into it, remember."
"Yes, I know, but we need to look harder. I don't know what's going on, but I know he's involved somehow."
Nearby a car horn honks.
"Hinata, where are you?"
She winces. "I may have gone to Jiraiya's gym again-"
"Fuckin' hell. Are you trying to muck everything up?"
"I wasn't-I just wanted to speak with Jiraiya and guess who's here? It's them , Shikamaru. They've taken over."
"Hinata…"
"They're holed up in there. There has to be a reason. The only connection between them and Naruto is Jiraiya."
"And the fact that Naruto beat their asses," Shikamaru helpfully supplies.
"Well, yes, that too, but it can't be that simple," she counters. She ignores the voice in her head that sounds like Neji that tells her that it just might be that simple.
On the other end, Shikamaru sighs heavily. "Naruto is going to have my ass if he finds out you're out there confronting a fucking gang on your own. You realize that, right? My ass. Mounted in a trophy case."
She pauses, a bit guiltily, because she knows that if Naruto knew, he'd be beyond furious. Just like she would be, if he was putting himself in harm's way. But hadn't he? Hadn't he only fought back so hard to defend her? To protect her? Surely he'd understand that instinct.
"Well," she says, quietly. "Don't tell him. It's fine. I'm fine."
"You don't sound fine."
Okay, so maybe she sounded out of breath and shaky, but that was because she was , so…
She waits, silent. She hears him mutter a tired 'troublesome' under his breath. "Okay, yeah," he mutters. "I'll call the DA. See if we can't up the search. Meet me at my office around six. We need to re-establish some ground rules." His tone is firm.
She flinches a bit at that. His office meant a conference call with Neji, for sure. "All right," she concedes. "Six o'clock."
Right now she's going to sit in her car and have a good cry.