Hinata blinked as the bracelet Shukaku hadn't taken back tugged her wrist tugged, making her drop her pen. It never moved more than to reshape. As she wondered if it was her imagination or a muscle twitch, it jerked again. "Alright, I'm coming," Hinata set her paperwork aside as she found the issue in the hall.
"Get out!" Gaara's voice bellowed from inside his office as three people half-fled and half thrown into the hall. Hinata moved closer, feeling sand particles jittering in the hall and swaying around her legs like the ends of her robes.
The door slammed back shut before she got close to it.
"Are you alright?" Hinata asked one of the three crumpled in the hall.
Before she could help them up, a large tanuki barreled out between her and them, making the scramble down the hall.
"Shukaku-san." Shukaku turned his mass toward her and shrank back down to an adorable size. "No! You are not getting away with this." He jumped toward her, and she was pushed toward the door as he opened it and shoved inside. "Shukaku-san!" Hinata stumbled in to see the issue.
Gaara slumped over his desk, holding his head. The sand left behind by Shukaku swirled around the room angrily.
"Are you okay?" Hinata moved on her own to behind his desk.
Gaara tugged her toward his chair, burying his face into her stomach. She threaded her fingers through his hair and soothed him. Slowly, all the sand settled around the office. Dropping lifeless like dust.
Hinata didn't ask any more questions. His breathing evened out from the frustrating huffing he had when she came in.
Hinata worried about his health as she brushed through his tangled hair. So much stress so young would be detrimental to him at some point. Hinata leaned down what she could to kiss the top of his head. "I will handle them in the future. Have them sent to me."
"He insulted you." Came out in a muffled growl from her stomach.
Hinata thought she recognized them as they were cowering away. They must have tried to go over her head and complained. "I'm not bothered by an insult. I'm worried about Shukaku-san's temper hurting relations. I didn't know they came to speak in person. They made no indication in their negotiations or notes. You could have called me."
"Shukaku tried, but even if you came at that moment, it would have been after that old… opened his mouth," Gaara moved his head back from his spot to look up at her.
Hinata smiled down at him. "I will be quicker in the future. What were they even here for? I clarified that we would only give a definitive answer after research."
"They told me my 'secretary' had no clue what she was doing, and they were insulted they were pushed to a 'minor' in the government." Hinata was sure if rolling his eyes was something he did, he would.
"He thought I was your secretary?" Hinata giggled. It wasn't the first time someone had mistaken her signature. It was widespread that he married now, but it didn't seem as widespread that she replaced Temari, especially with those they didn't work closely with. The lack of a matching surname never helped.
Despite all those factors, nobody ever thought she was a secretary. Assistant, adviser, 'helper,' but she never remembered someone directly saying secretary to her husband. It was laughable. She understood why it made him so upset.
"I will handle them with their insults to my person and the village in mind," Hinata promised, leaning down to kiss his forehead.
Temari spun around for her and clicked the heels, testing them. "What do you think."
"I think the lazy prick isn't going to notice what you're wearing, so why do you try?" Kankuro ducked as a brush was hurled in his direction.
"I think it's lovely." Hinata smiled, amused by the older woman's excitement.
"But, can you argue and nag in it?" Kankuro raised an eyebrow.
"You are pushing your luck." Temari frowned, placing a manicured hand on her hip.