Undertow Chapter 2
Title: Undertow
Series: Naruto
Pairing(s): ItaHina(Main), and others.
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rating: T
Chapters: 3 (so far)
Status: Incomplete
Summary: Hinata had a lot of baggage that manifested. It fed upon two years ago and accumulated. She thought it was gone, but she had a net you see, and it dragged behind her. Being I. Uchiha's PA was complicated. ItaHina. AU.
Chapter 2: Undertone
Lightening bit the earth, slashing menacingly across the man's face. Calculative strokes moved across a page that Shisui was disrupted from watching when a nameplate on the table blinded him whenever a flash struck. Eventually the man looked up and, instead, watched Shisui's every move. Unnerved, the man's presence intensified as he laced long, mistakenly artist fingers together. Sadly for Shisui, the day added to Itachi's facade.
"You're facilities suck," Shisui said, keeping up with traditions. Obviously it was a lie; he just wanted to tick off his cousin anyway possible. To loosen up the atmosphere further, Shisui yearned to kick off his shoes and lean back in the chair with his feet prompt up preferably by the too neat desk. Instead, he took a seat-and slightly tripped while doing so-he could merely dream.
The corners of Itachi's lips twitched. "That's a new low," he drawled out.
Shisui shrugged. You could agree; he knew over the years his statements were growing terrible. Habits were hard to kill. "But cous you still love me, right?" Shisui said, unsure if Itachi was referring to his declaration. There was nothing wrong with trying to get a little linage love for a hurt pride, was there?
The infernal grunt came into play. Shisui swore if he lived in that family he would be insane. All the males had a pole shoved up their ass far enough to reach vocal chords. It was ludicrous how they got away with one sided conversations.
Ah, however on the contrary, let's forget about them because Itachi's mother was a darling. She knew-though Shisui will never know-how to keep her husband and son's interacting. At least, on some degree she did... If he could kill them and have her as a mum, all would be good.
"How's life?" Shisui finally said whilst grabbing a pen and paper, and drew up what he came here for. "Is your brother keeping up with shit?" He was newly recruited to run Fugaku's company since Itachi went his own way.
Leaning back in his seat Itachi looked out the window pensively. "We haven't spoken in a while." Dark and light shadowed his face sharply. "He's reckless. Father better know what he's doing." Tightening his lips, Itachi turned back to Shisui. Hair slithered over Itachi's shoulder as Shisui gave him the complication he had been troubled over for some time now.
Itachi darkly smiled. "I actually have a meeting with Fugaku soon."
That peaked Shisui's interest. "Any new goodies you're working on?"
Itachi's eyes stopped scanning for a millisecond at the comment; knowingly or not suggestion laced Shisui's lips. "Pardon?" Itachi intoned. The room weaved with intensity as the walls closed in. Everything became depressingly uptight again. Shisui wanted to shrink and swore out loud once more regardless of his boss sitting in front of him.
"You're dad always wants something from you," Shisui verified, waving his hand around. He attempted to cross his toes.
"You're not talking about him."
It was sharply said. Shisui's mouth always got him in trouble. How was he supposed to keep the cat in the bag? "I mean I agree. She is pretty cute." Might as well be with them than against them and he had been meaning (though more tactfully) to have this talk with Itachi for some time now. "Even though her clothes are slightly baggy, we can still see-" he could easily picture her "-best fucking legs ever." Itachi eyes became baleful without Shisui's notice. "Have you seen her neck? Who would've ever guessed Hinata-"
Itachi stood up. "My meeting's about to start," he hissed.
Shisui quickly got up, following him leaving the room. "What about what I came here for? Is there any time later? I've been working on this baby for months! It was so close to a breakthrough then this came up. "
"No. Tomorrow."
Turning the corner, Shisui felt hindered trying to keep up with Itachi down the hallway. Observing where he was, he noticed the cause of his stupid mouth's dilemma. "But it needs to be-"
"Use your team. That's what they're for."
Shisui pressed his lips together. There was really nothing he could say. He had to stay with this minor setback until tomorrow. How annoying. He tucked his hands in his pockets as he waited for the elevator's doors to close. Nudging his head to the side, he watched as Hinata ever so slowly inch as far away from the both of them. Well fuck, maybe there was a reason for Itachi to get pissed.
With his foul mood he burned holes in everything he looked at. It had been a week; Shisui did not want to admit that he was a coward, but it was reasonable in this sort of situation! He accused his best friend, who is cousin and ultimately his boss, of having an office relationship. Sometimes Shisui wished he were young again, it was so much easier to get away with trouble. "Look, if you're so worried get Hinata to look at it. I originally had her as team captain and she was really good-"
"Pah! Itachi probably gave her the answers after a round in the sack to make it look realistic when she got the job!" Ami Watanabe said over the top of Suki Kato.
He wanted to smack his head against a wall. His team was going to drive him nuts. First they don't figure out the solution to the problem and then they start bitching about their bosses PA. He swore they could read his mind as to why he was up the wall with dread; they wanted to rub the humiliation into his face until it bled.
Suki loaded up her laptop. "Look, as I said last week-"
"Shut up! For pete's sake, your 'theories' on why they have lunch sometimes is garbage - shit. Stupid. Very, very stupid shit," Ami said, again cutting Suki off. Said person showed her middle finger to the other woman's back and then went back to typing.
Ok, so maybe Shisui did have reasons as to believing such quarrels - he was around these two longer than he would ever like. "Why do I have to go?" He asked, shaking his head. They were going off track.
"Because you're team leader and she-" Ami pointed to Suki "-is doing virtual stimulation while I'm doing those tests you asked for. Plus for obvious reasons, our forth team member is sick." She ran a hand through her bleached blond hair. "And besides, it's close to Itachi's lunch break. I don't want to see Hinata up there instead," she finished then frowned. "That is if she isn't eating with him...," she angrily mumbled to herself.
He shot them a dirty stare as he walked out. He is team leader so he shouldn't have to do this mandatory work. They were lucky they were quite pleasing to the eye. Besides-he smiled-whenever this happened he could make them do the more nitty-gritty work that everyone hates without much complaint.
It felt good to have influence and power no matter how small.
After the ding and walking down the hallway he saw Hinata quickly moving around her station - ordering the paperwork. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Hinata! You're still here!"
Her head turned to his direction. Dark hair spilled over her shoulders; today she had it completely out - she looked better with long hair, more mature compared to the girl he remembered. Her gaze warmed in welcoming; just like his teammates, Shisui wondered how many people she greeted like this, which expressions were genuine?
"Good afternoon," she said. "I'm sorry but if you're looking for Itachi, you just missed him." She waited a few moments to see if he was going to leave a message before turning back to her task at hand when he made trivial talk. She promptly gave her input, at the same time as offering a chair, without much thought.
When he brought up the water incident from last time, saying how he later realised some actually did spill on him she almost rolled her eyes-déjà vu-but instead picked up several files. Sitting across from him, she wrote various footnotes while waiting for her download to finish.
He gasped, causing her head to jerk away from the words she was reading, mortified "Itachi is making you work through lunch? My not-so-constipated-cousin is making you become skin and bones? You're too cute to replace!"
Heat was overwhelming Hinata's face. What was she supposed to do in these sorts of situations? She remembered her other co-workers easily flirting with each other, but that was because they wanted something from them, professionally or not-
"What is it you need help with?" She asked cautiously. Her fingers splayed across the papers, almost tearing them, encase she needed a temporary shield. Hopefully he wasn't flirting with her, she wasn't sure if she was ready...
Hands flew up as he grinned. "You've caught me!" He grabbed a pen and wrote down some formulas. "Ok, so I know I really shouldn't be asking you this but I know you were good-don't know why you're being wasted here as Itachi's sectary, or PA, or whatever you are-but one of our projects aren't working and we can't figure it out."
She bit her lip as she looked at the work. It wasn't enough for her to go off. Itachi knew more than her with what was happening in the company. "What are some trials you've done? What happened with them?" She asked.
He wrote them down whilst describing others. He also pulled up a number of files on her computer. She nodded and went back to his enquiry.
His face became serious as she slowly worked through it. Eventually, she smiled. "So here-" she pointed near a spot that gained a lot of scribbling out "-it needed to be changed to this. See." She continued on. "And if you change the substance to some of these I've listed it should be closer to what you're trying to achieve."
He blinked. How the hell had she done that? It was so simple yet complex. He smirked. Perhaps Itachi did have his reasons as to moving her up before others who had been working here for years. He blinked again when a frown crossed her face. "No, wait what is that..." she said under her breath, squinting at a particular file. She pointed to the screen that he didn't see any problem with - it was an old test after all. "Do you mind if I save this?"
He shrugged. Whatever floated her boat.
Hinata was biting her nails. A very old habit she long thought was gone. She discretely swept her eyes over the place before misplacing a finger and biting extra hard to stop; it would not be good if one of Itachi's clients saw her gnawing away at herself. She shook her throbbing fingers, sulking.
Someone with heavy footsteps laughed down the hallway. Hinata's face became flustered as she quickly pretended to do something. Well... she was doing something but it seemed to be going nowhere. She peeped over the file she grabbed to see who was heading her way.
Hinata's face became exceedingly red.
"Yeah, I've got to go man. Just got here and the cutie-" he winked. Jokingly, Hinata must remind herself "-at the reception desk is waiting for me. Later. "
Hanging up the phone, bright, bright blue eyes connected with her pale ones. Cobalt flecks danced with flashing light. His eyes were always so... alive. "Hiya Hinata!" He messed up his wet, golden blond hair, trying to make it dry.
Scolding him for not addressing her properly in the workforce (their companies were competitors) was a measly thought; it seemed to be so long since she'd seen him. "Uzumaki-" her eyes crinkled "-how c-can I be of a-assistance?"
To her in this short amount of time it wasn't raining anymore. Her little desk was clear with azure skies and lazy, sparkling clouds. She was bubbling within the radiance. The warm, affectionate, stunning radiance. She smiled and glowed with it because it was her intoxicating helium.
Naruto stuck out his tongue. "Always professional! Haven't I taught you anything? Life's too short! Live!" Laughing uneasily he added, "However, I have a meeting with your boss, which I'm late for so, you know..."
Smoothing down her top while standing up, she clicked her tongue. "Right this way-" lips quirked "-sir."
He followed her, grinning.
"You know what? We have to hang sometime," he said. She stumbled midstride. He frayed his arms about. "Yeah! You haven't met the bastard yet have you?" She shook her head, thankful that he hadn't seen her make a fool of herself. "He's a real ass most of the time, but he's still my best mate even though he denies it."
"That doesn't sound very nice." She tapped her chin. "Come to think of it, I'm not sure if you've ever mentioned his name?" She added uncertainly.
He jumped to his friends defence, "don't worry, he's a huge softy on the inside, and his-"
She smiled softly, awkwardly - she didn't like being rude. "Sorry, we're here."
Naruto sobered up.
She entered after been given the affirmative while Naruto was outside. Hands clasped tightly behind her back as she watched Itachi write. He acknowledged her. "Naruto Uzumaki is here to see you."
He nodded and went back to what he was doing. She slowly counted to three before turning to leave. "Checkups and demonstrations are happening at two thirty. I want you there."
He watched her calmly; muscles were straining, lips being bitten and hands quivering. It was a deep breath that composed Hinata. "Is that all?"
"For now."
She tilted her head and fetched Naruto.
"How... how is he?" Naruto asked with a hand on the door.
She shrugged, not knowing. With Itachi it was always hard to tell. He gulped before entering; his usual flamboyancy was not far behind. The last Hinata heard was Itachi gruffly stating that he was late.
Promptly at two thirty Itachi was standing at her desk, holding out a lab coat. The one he wore was an odd site for Hinata. She was used to him being regal with his tailored suites. This made him much more real. Down to earth. Normal.
She felt equal.
Critical eyes ran over her. Layers of white swallowed her, washing her out. It wasn't the wrong size, but it should have been. "You will be needed on a business trip on the seventeenth." She added it to the organizer.
Hinata fell in love all over again with the medical department when they reached it even though it was short lived. They were working efficiently and correctly therefore Hinata only got to stay slightly. She missed the feeling you got when finding a cure, the meaning behind the work-to help someones mother, father or child. The cause... No. This company, brought her great satisfaction sometimes regardless of where she was stationed.
The second floor, also known as the ground floor, was one she was regretting due to it being Karin's faculty. Thankfully they were having a late lunch. Plans were scattered on the table on how to tackle the next lot of people. Itachi gave an external hard drive to Hinata to upload various projects. Fingers fluttered over letters, getting the laptop prepared. "A-ah, is this group focusing on genetic engineering?"
"I thought you were up to date."
Fingers stumbled. "Yes. N-no. No, wait. W-well I-"
She quietened down when she saw his lips twist with a wicked gleam in his eye. She wanted to so badly stick her tongue out and when Hinata saw some teeth showing she believed she already had. It was a mask, it had to be; he was good at them. She didn't want to be teased or flirted with, if that what it was. A rock that was far away from Itachi is what she wanted.
"Coffee?" She squawked. Dear god, now she had to make things worse? He was her boss! She could be fired!
He agreed.
A delectable aroma waffled through the air. As Hinata waited for the orders, she saw a girl take her place at the table, asking questions about a folder she had in hand. Hinata bit her finger, wondering if it was going to give Itachi and her more work. His shoulders tense, making her frown.
"Did you see her sitting with Itachi?" Hinata heard someone say near her.
"I know! Can't she not rub it in? It's disgusting!"
"You know, I heard she's still sleeping with him." That made Hinata's eyes widen. Ino's words were flittering through her head.
One of the three girls laughed. "Actually where is she? I can't believe that chick is sitting with him now!"
"Perhaps Itachi fired her; she did look pretty scared a few minutes ago." The girl snickered. "Maybe like everyone has been saying, he did get bored?"
The whole conversation made Hinata's veins freeze-soft white eyes watched the brunet, blond and redhead laugh merrily while the others at their table joined in-it was not hard to figure out who they were talking about. It made her feel dirty.
"H-here," Hinata said with the drink, sitting unstably down when the girl left her seat. Her cheeks were ashen in colour. She did not look him in the eye when she talked or when he replied - he was not allowed to see. So when a hand was placed on her shoulder she jumped a foot in the air.
"Go home for the day."
Her head sharply snapped up. The queasiness was still there. "A-are you sure? I'm- What about the rest of-"
"I handled it the other years, one more will be fine." He smirked, amused. She placed her hands over her cheeks, trying to hide.
When she left him she realised that a line in their boss and employee relationship was being trampled on. They were not just familiar with each other, they had a mutual understanding. Of what, she did not know, but she couldn't allow other people to rule her life again.
Whispers followed Hinata down the hallway as she tried to leave. Dragging, weighing, swallowing... crushing. With eyes peeled back it was easier to hear everything. This heightened sense was all consuming; one step at a time, she reminded herself. It was austere; it kept her from being, at least slightly, suffocated. Her heart dulled out the voices as well; for once she was grateful for having it.
Quickly, she ducked around the corner into a bathroom. Rapid gasps filled the enclosed space as her back tightly pressed against the wall. Hands shaking, she clawed away at her hair, trying to compose herself. What the hell had she ever done for them to think that?
More precisely, how long have they believed it?
Heels clicked wobbly as Hinata moved to the sink. Mortified, white eyes looked around, checking if anyone was in the room. Finally turning back to her destination after seeing no one, the person looking back was disturbing. Pale, pasty skin burned her ghostly vision. It was a reflection Hinata did not want to be acquainted with.
This person was not a very strong contrast for the room she was in. Everything was clean and very, very white. In a way it was slickly like her. It was normal-ish and average like her... Hinata couldn't believe she was relating herself to a bathroom.
Possibly Hinata could live with these lies following her. Life was meant to be hard and people had their own opinions. Maybe this was another challenge for her... or something she could go around. Ignore. To side step.
Straightening her shoulders, nodding to the mirror with determination, she no longer wanted to be that girl who hid behind anything that didn't move. Walking with powerful strides like her boss, Hinata left the room and almost collapsed in frustration-she refused to say tears where in her eyes-when she bumped into Karin.
Karin smirked and sauntered into the space Hinata was still holding the door open to. Hinata tried maintaining a proud look, but she folded into herself when their shoulders touched. It was disappointing, except at least Hinata could say-even though it was only for a few seconds-that she was trying.
Perhaps it was better being ignorant to this world.
-x-x-x-
"What the hell did they say! What's their addresses? I'm going to kill them! And then spit and jump and dance on their graves. And-"
Shino won the match.
The place Hinata wound up at was Kiba's and Shino's shared apartment. After Kiba's pocking and prodding, she cracked and told them everything about what her co-workers really think of her. As you could guess, Kiba was furious.
"Sonofabit-"
"Calm down," Shino said colourlessly, restarting the video game.
He simmered for a while before talking again. "You know Hina, if those girls found out who you dated it would shut them up-" he lost another match "-dammit, stop winning!" As a consequence to what Kiba was originally saying, he regretted it when he saw the hurt expression on her face. He panicked and snatched Shino's controller, tossing it to her. "Play. You can't be that bad!"
Between the three of them an understanding resettled and wrapped, covering Hinata's eyes and ears. She remembered a time where everything was sunshine and roses and chocolates; metaphorically, that is, because she never did receive the attainable ones. It was fake, fake, fake, but so real it hurt. Sometimes Hinata tries to dream of another time and another place so she can forget. A genuine imitation is what she wished for its replacement.
Two years prior to now was forgotten.
Go to: Chapter 1
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