Fugaku laid his head back in an attempt to soothe his splitting head. His youngest coming back, his eldest playing games, the huge contract teetering with an aggravating flaky CEO, he could choose any three for the cause.

Fugaku ignored the door that opened and the quiet footsteps as Hinata set something on his desk before pattering her way back out. At least she knew not to bother him when he had a headache.

Fugaku rubbed his face, looking down to see what she had left, expecting a folder or a stack of papers. Instead, there was a tray with a glass of water, two pills, and a note. 'I moved your meeting with the marketing team back an hour.'

Fugaku sighed and took the medication. At least she wasn't giving him a headache today too.

Hinata straightened her top in the reflective surface of the elevator. The director had been clear that this was an important client. Unfortunately, she also heard that this client didn't have rhyme or reason as to whom they selected for the projects. It was possible that anything she did could make them decide not to work with Uchiha. If that were the case, she wouldn't have a job by the end of the day.

Fugaku's face was stone in the reflection. She had given him another dose of medication this morning, he had taken it, but that was a few hours ago. Maybe his headache came back.

Hinata walked with him out to the car, where his driver let them in. She always felt so nervous about sharing a ride with him.

"Do you have any more of those pills?" Fugaku asked.

Hinata dug into her purse, pulling out the bottle of medication. He held out his hand, and she quickly gave him two.

Hinata realized she didn't have any water, but before she could mention it, he had popped them both back into his mouth dry. Fugaku swallowed with no trouble and then looked forward out the windshield like it didn't happen.

Were headaches common for him? He hadn't complained before. Hinata put the pills back in her purse and folded her hands in front of her. She knew that wasn't in the assistant's book. Maybe if she saw it continue, she would add it, though it wasn't healthy to be taking pain medication all the time. She would have to find something else to reduce it.

Fugaku kept a smile on his face and stayed professional, but he just wanted to wring this old man's neck. After a few hours of trying to keep it on track, the CEO seemed all too happy to trail off with a tangent and a story. Fugaku was more annoyed that his assistant made the mistake of looking interested in these stories and answering the loons' questions happily when he asked her.

Hinata had looked at her phone a few times and back at him. He knew he was late for another meeting, but he gave her the signal to ignore it every time she looked at him.

Fugaku's phone started going off silently in his pocket. "Please excuse me. This is my son." He got up to take his call. Hinata stood up, he waved his hand, and she sat back down. "I'll be back."

Hinata could be stuck with him for a while.

Fugaku took his call in the hallway, annoyed that he was so desperately needed right this second by his son. Itachi assured him it was urgent and didn't seem to mind what he was interrupting. He knew this was today.

What a brat.

"Did you leave Hinata with him?" Itachi asked on the other end.

"Yes." Fugaku huffed. "Why?"

"No reason, just asking." Itachi hummed on the other end. "I have some questions about the production meeting."

Fugaku hated that he couldn't just tell him what he wanted to tell him. "I need to go. Cancel the meeting. I'm not going to make it." Fugaku hung up on his son.

Itachi was getting on his last nerve as of late. He knew full well how difficult this was and chose to wait till now to ask him important questions! Fugaku collected himself. He didn't know what damage he had caused by leaving Hinata in there to entertain him. He braced for the worse.

Fugaku headed back into his surprise to hear laughing, both of them. The old loon opened his arms to him as he came in. "You have a wonderful girl here, Fugaku."

Fugaku stared back at her. Hinata only smiled as she seemed to still be amused.

"You can tell a man's worth by those he keeps around him." The man joyfully cheered.

Fugaku eyed Hinata for answers, but she just smiled back at the old man.

"Ah, well, it's getting late. I'm sure your son needs you back at the office." The old man huffed. "Do you have that contract, young lady?"

Hinata scrambled to open the folder and hand it to him.

"Where do I sign?" He asked.

Hinata's hand darted out as she pointed to the places he would need to sign.

What had she said?

Hinata was happy to hold the contract to her chest. Maybe the director's headache would be over now that the contract was signed. She closed her eyes for a few moments until her boss addressed her.

"What did you say to him when I left the room?" Fugaku did not seem to be as happy with this signed contract as she was.

"Uh, he asked what it was like to work for you," Hinata answered honestly.

Fugaku raised his eyebrow, waiting for her to clarify.

"I… I said you were hard but fair. You like details and spend time making sure they are in place, but you make time to regularly see your son, and you spend more hours in your office than not. He asked if you had a cot in your office and… I said you might never leave if you did, and he found it funny." To be perfectly fair, what he probably found so funny was how her face dropped in horror at the thought that he could find more reason to stay in the office.

Fugaku scowled.

Fugaku stared at the signed contract on his desk. She was good. Very good, better than he thought Hiashi could train her. Purity was hard to fake, but she had it down to a science.

Hinata was using it to make herself useful to him.

It made him sick. Fugaku held back his rage, knowing the further she thought she had gotten, the further she would fall when the day came.

It would be worth it in the end.

Fugaku's frown turned up at the paper, and he even got a bonus out of it.