Itachi was gaunt on his uncomfortable white pillow. Sasuke had ignored the glaring reality of his brother's illness for so long that he forgot how frail Itachi really was. Not that he was going to tackle him, but the thought that his big brother was fragile just didn't sit right. It didn't compute in his idea of him.
Itachi knew something was up. He wasn't going to get out of a proper yelling, even in a hospital bed, if Sasuke was that pissed. No one would really know how Sasuke would have reacted to finding out this way.
Sasuke kicked the hospital bed, only to lightly jostle Itachi. "Is this how you get out of family dinner?"
Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Are you taking notes?"
"With the mom's acting, maybe." Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed with his hands in his pocket.
"I heard you're moving out." Itachi settled his hands, thin and pale, accentuated by the IV and heart monitor, across his chest. "Clever. Using the situation to get what you want." Sasuke nodded. Itachi figured it out. "How long have you known?"
"Remember before the divorce, when mom wasn't staying around the house because she was having her affair?" Itachi nodded, following the story. "I knew something was up when she came home all of a sudden, and you disappeared. Dad used some lame excuse that you went on a university trip. Just some simple eavesdropping to get the truth."
Itachi smiled at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't want it to loom over you."
"You're a bastard," Sasuke stated.
Itachi nodded. "I'll take that."
"Apologize to Hinata. I'm surprised you didn't give her a stomach ulcer, too." Sasuke looked at the floor. It was stupid. Anyone could get a stomach ulcer, but with Itachi's condition, a simple infection could end him.
"I think she likes you." Itachi hummed with a smile. "I haven't seen her so mad."
"Take it seriously." Sasuke snapped at him. "She was really torn up about it."
"Alright." Itachi backed down. "Where is she?"
"She's been keeping mom busy. I heard something about you in the third grade, so I know she's been talking for a while." Sasuke grimaced out the door.
Itachi raised an eyebrow at him. "You left her with mom?"
Sasuke shrugged. "Hinata separated her from dad. Dad was getting short with her, and it wasn't pretty." It was rare that his father didn't play into her pettiness just as much as she dished it out. It was their whole thing. She started the fights. They danced with it until dad had enough. It was rare for him to pull out the shut-down lines first.
Wasn't Itachi going to ask how mom or dad was? Maybe he just knew their normal reactions since they were usually a part of this. To some extent, so was Hinata since she was taking him to all these appointments. Sasuke wasn't surprised they had her hiding it, but he was surprised to find out how involved she was in it.
Hinata knew what medications Itachi was on, when he needed to take them, what he couldn't have because of them, and what the risks were. She knew the doctor was being gentle when he recommended lowering his stress levels. Apparently, Itachi's medication and condition could easily have caused this, but if they did, there was nothing they could do to prevent it from happening again. Stress reduction was the only option they gave because it was the only thing that they could control right now.
Sasuke looked over at Itachi. Time to stir the pot. "I heard you need a kidney."
Itachi kicked at him. "Don't you start?"
Hinata encouraged Mikoto to the car. "I'll send you any update I get."
"Good girl." Mikoto grabbed her face and kissed her cheek. "Have Fugaku call me. I'll arrange to return to the manor when Itachi's released." That was not going to end well.
Hinata waved her off as the car left, and she sighed. Were they always going to have this dance of Mikoto clearly hating her and her mother one moment and loving her when it was convenient? It was getting late. Itachi moved into a normal room but was being monitored for infection. Even a mild ulcer bleed could cause an infection, and his was much worse than that.
Hinata walked back into the hospital to an awaiting Fugaku, rubbing his temple. "Uh… the doctor has some paperwork."
"I'll handle it," Hinata assured him.
"Lee texted me. There is a problem with the Sound project." Fugaku pulled out his phone. "I think they are going to use the recent media to back out of their deal."
"If they do, I will send legal their way," Hinata assured him. "It's not something you should be worrying about. I can handle it. Worry about your son."
Fugaku paused. Maybe he finally realized that Hinata slid right back into her obedient role. She still thought he had to answer for what he attempted on Sasuke, but now was not the time to punish him for that. Fugaku had his own health issues to worry about him. All this stress could have them both in the hospital. He eyed her for a moment more. "Take my meetings tomorrow. I'll stay here."
"Good choice, sir." Hinata affirmed. "While you're here. Talk to Sasuke-san. He may not be mad at you, but he still deserves an apology."
Fugaku nodded. "You scared me for a minute there."
"I shouldn't have been the one you were worried about." Hinata countered.
Fugaku sighed. He was tired. She shouldn't be bringing this up now. "We'll talk about it later."
"Agreed."
There was something about falling into Fugaku's role that bothered Hinata. While taking his place in meetings, Hinata was expected to speak for him and react for him. It wasn't enough to report back and let him decide later. Direction and corrections were needed immediately.
But that was her job. She made things not the director's problem.
"This isn't good enough." Hinata sighed, touching her temple but not rubbing at it to show how exasperated she really was. "What happened? This isn't where this project should be at his point in the process. These are details you iron out in the design. Why are we just hearing about it now?"
The conference room went quiet as no one jumped to make an excuse because, with Fugaku, it would only make it worse.
Hinata snapped her laptop closed. "Figure it out. I want an update by the end of tomorrow on who your plan to fix it." The threat was implicit. She didn't need to make it. "And to make sure this project stays on track, I want and detailed update at the end of each week from now on. Dismissed."
The room dissipate as Hinata closed her eyes for a moment. Now she was getting a migraine. She couldn't take another day of this, let alone three.
"We have another…" Lee started from beside her, stopped by her nod.
"Coffee. Please." Hinata whispered as she pushed on, gathering her things and heading off to the next meeting, only to be stopped in the hall by a very cheerful Mikoto holding up a to-go cup. "Ma'am, I have a meeting." Hinata tried.
"I'll just be a moment." Mikoto handed her the cup and started rattling off. "I just came from the hospital. Itachi should be released in a few days, and I made sure Fugaku took his medication, but Sasuke didn't come in." Helpful, Mikoto's new angle.
Hinata waved Lee ahead of her. "Well, I believe he came in to work today because he wanted to keep his team on track." He might be the only one that was. "I'll come by after work to visit the hospital," Hinata promised.
Mikoto nodded, putting on a pout to look down the hall at the elevator, her next target. "Will you have time for dinner?"
"With everything that has been going on, we have a few departments behind. I need to figure it out before the director gets back." Hinata waved her hand down the hall at the meeting she was going to be late to.
Mikoto waved her hands. "Don't worry about it then. I'll order something for you and have it sent in." She took a moment to dig in her purse as she headed for the elevator. "I'll see you later, dear."
Hinata puffed out a sigh. At least she didn't need to escape her. Unfortunately, she was now Sasuke's problem.
Hinata sipped from the cup she was giving and flinched. Ugh, barley tea. Hinata discretely disposed of the cup on her way to her meeting.
Hinata opened the takeout that Mikoto sent, and her stomach dropped to the floor. She knew her mother-in-law was being too nice. "Lee-san, can you order me a sandwich or something."
"No good?" Lee peaked into the containers.
"She's trying to make me fertile." Hinata slid the container toward him. "You can have it if you like. I don't eat shellfish or fermented soybeans."
Lee happily took Mikoto's plot. "How did you know?"
"It's the combination." Hinata swirled her finger at the container. "On top of that. She brought me barley tea earlier. I had a friend in high school whose older sister was trying to get pregnant. I learned a lot about traditional fertility support. Mikoto hasn't made it a secret that she wants grandchildren, so this isn't really a stretch for her. I just think she would wait until her son is out of the hospital, at least."
"Looks healthy. I'll order you something." Lee gladly took the meal to his desk.
Hinata rounded into the director's chair and sighed.
Sasuke stepped out of the elevator and waited outside his father's office. Hinata had her phone pressed to her ear as she collected papers. She held a finger up to him to tell him she would be a minute. She met him. Her phone was still pressed to her shoulder as she tried to juggle her bags and put her coat on. "No, I would love to, but I really can't make it up." Sasuke helped her put her coat on. "The director is out of the office for the rest of the week. I probably can't make it until next week." Hinata switched ears to adjust her coat. "How about as soon as I can I'll look at my schedule for next week, and I'll send you when I am free, and we can set it up." Hinata headed toward the elevator but paused at Lee's desk, outwardly sighing at something. "I look forward to it. See you then, Gaara."
Sasuke's nose crinkled up as Hinata hung up the phone and picked up something from Lee's desk. What was the Suna CEO doing calling her this late after normal work hours?
"Oh… Lee-san…" Hinata sighed at the folder in her hand as she re-dialed her phone. Hinata gave Sasuke and appologetic look. "Hey, Lee-san… You left the Uzumaki proposal on your desk." Hinata tucked the folder under her arm. "I need it done for tomorrow morning." Hinata looked at Sasuke for permission. Sasuke nodded. "You're apartment is on the way to the hospital I'll drop it off. Thank you."
Hinata huffed as she hung up the phone again. "It's been a long day."
"Yeah, mom said she dropped by." Sasuke raised his eyebrows as Hinata's face twisted into annoyance.
"Don't get me started." Hinata rolled her eyes.
