Lies revealed part 2
Naruto felt like slapping herself as she stood at the head of the table, regarding the leaders of all the clans she had to protect. And since she had to protect them she should have known the faces and voices of the leaders of the Uchiha clan, but clearly she wasn’t doing her won job properly. She blamed it on her reluctance to have anything to do with that clan.
That would have to be rectified.
Now that she thought about it, everything was obvious. Both Sasuke’s worked during the day, both using guns with sniping rifles as a preference, both had tendencies to be assholes, both granted on some of her nerves. Sasuke was having work problems the same time she had been having work problems.
It also made her furious and not the fact he kept who he was a secret. No, what made her furious was the fact Inaho, Itachi, Shisui, Jiraiya and Tsunade knew the truth and none of them had even told her.
She gave Shisui a discreet glance that promised a long and painful time alone with her later and she could see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed.
Looking back at everyone she placed her documents on the table and spoke, “Thank-you everyone for making it here today. It couldn’t have been easy since I know some of you were enjoying your vacation however this meeting was very important and needed to happen.” She paused and allowed them all time to nod in her direction. “Before we being, would anyone like to bring anything up or ask anything? If not now then please write them down on the pieces of paper in front of you and we can discuss them at the end of my… speech.”
No one raised their hands she fiddled with the ring she had been given and opened the file and cleared her throat, “Right, so the first item on the agenda list is information keeping. We have had a lot of information leaks so instead of having copies of documents at the company HQ as well as the homes of each department head, only main leaders such as myself or Sasuke Uchiha for example with have copies. They would have to be kept in a vault or safe to ensure confidentiality and their safety. Does anyone here have questions this agenda?” a few hands were raised so she went over to them and handed them copies of the whole agenda, “This is a copy of the whole agenda, and this has all the information you need to know about this.” Others wrote on the paper for later.
She took her place at the head of the table and looked at them again, “The second agenda is new information. Thank-you to everyone that collected the information I needed and if you have a copy please hand them to me at the end of this meeting as well as email them to me.” all those who had contributed to giving her information about all members of the clans nodded their hands and she continued, “The third item on the agenda is safety and relocation. Due to the information leak people’s safety has been compromised. I noticed that not everyone would refer to me first and instead referred to people such as Inaho and Itachi Uchiha.
“I would like you to know that they are not in charge of your protection, I am. If anyone is in danger or you think you may be, contact me. I have my phone on me always no matter what. If you send an SOS to me my phone will make a loud blaring noise to alert me and the GPS trackers will notify me of where you are. If I can’t personally be there for reasons such as distance I will send someone close by on my behalf. But rest assured, I will make sure no matter what, someone will help you so please don’t contact them. They can’t do much outside of work hours.” That raised brows and many went and turned to Itachi who in turn looked to her, asking for permission to talk which she gave in a nod.
Sadly, looking at Itachi meant looking at Sasuke who was looking directly at her with a heated gaze. She knew what that look was and gulped silently before looking away.
“It is true. There is little I can do to ensure your safety outside of work hours so that duty is left to Uzumaki-sama here.” Once again people began to write down on their papers.
Very helpful Itachi.
“The third agenda is that clan leaders and second in commands need to have each-others number. In an emergency you’re not likely to email each other so if everyone could write their number on the smaller dotted paper as well as their name. I will get them typed by the evening and send them to everyone. I expect everyone to save those numbers as well.” She looked pointedly at Sasuke with a brow raised causing day staff to chuckle, knowing Sasuke would hate this arrangement however he said nothing. If anything, his gaze looked even darker and she had no idea how he was restraining himself from devouring her.
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If someone asked Sasuke what Naruto was saying, he would come out blank. All he could focus on was her domineering attitude, her outfit and the fact that he was the only person in the room, minus his brother and cousin perhaps, that knew each and every curve hiding beneath those male clothes and bindings.
He knew she was speaking about the agendas Uzumaki- Naru had sent the night before so realistically, Itachi was the only one who needed to pay attention.
He had seen her enter the room and his breathing caught, he could feel his brother watching him for a reaction but Sasuke had already found out the truth the night before so there would be interesting reaction from him. Naruto on the other hand… she had nearly faltered mid-step yet caught herself and continued her way.
He felt the truth. He felt it in his very core. Last night could have been easily explained as something else yet here and now was 100% undoubtedly the truth. Lucky for him he had already accepted it.
However his gaze at first wasn’t devouring her, it was scrutinizing her. Trying to find the difference between Naruto Uzumi and Naruto Uzumaki and he found they were both the same. In fact this Naruto reminded him of when she was reprimanding him at home.
He was also trying to locate any negative emotions from her and for a brief moment he saw confusion before understanding entered her eyes again. It was unlikely either of them would argue about lying since they had both done it to protect the other, unnecessarily.
He once again felt like kicking himself for not putting two and two together yet he had been blinded by her. In his head the two Naruto’s were nothing alike yet the evidence was in front of him that they were a lot more alike than he would have ever thought.
Once he and Naruto talked later, he was going to have a go at Itachi, Shisui and Tsunade for not telling him before but at the same time he understood why they did what they did. That didn’t mean he had to like it.
When his brother cleared his throat he bought himself out of his musings and looked down to his sitting brother who was gesturing to Naruto with his head. He looked back up at Naruto who sported a blank face however her eyes were laughing. “Um, sorry, I didn’t catch that…” many people in the room chuckled at him and it took him a moment to realise it was people from his class and Naruto’s as well.
“I said, is there anything you wanted to add? I know the Uchiha clan had a few things they wanted to discuss to the others…” she waved a hand across the table as she finally sat down after Shisui handed her however she didn’t have any of it.
He blinked before clearing his throat, “Well… we were thinking that whilst ties with the Hyuuga had improved drastically compared to the previous generation, we could still stand to do some more. I have a Hyuuga on my team however he is my only way of communicating within the clan. The problem goes both ways.” It was one of the two things he wanted to address and by her face, she knew he wanted to say something else, “Also, communication between day and night staff needs to be improved. Whilst that doesn’t have much to do with anything here, it does at the same time. We all work for the company so if we got along better it would be in everyone’s benefit.”
Someone scoffed and when he turned his head, he saw it was Kiba Inuzuka, a member of the night staff, “You ain’t one to talk Uchiha. You’re quiet and silent even out of work.” Kiba rolled his eyes and through the corner of his eyes Sasuke saw Naruto stiffen.
Before Sasuke could say anything Naruto spoke up, although she really shouldn’t have, “That’s exactly why he’s proposed the idea Kiba.” Her voice left no room for dispute however not everyone agreed.
“Of course you would agree with him.” Muttered Ino with a small eye roll.
Naruto seemed to have heard though, “Do you care to repeat that Ino?” she quirked a brow at the shorter blonde who smiled and shook her head.
Naruto looked around the room and spoke up, “Thank-you for your input Sasuke. I will take those into account and do my best to help improve those matters. Gaara, did you have anything to add to the meeting?”
Luckily for him, the rest of the meeting went without incident, however a few of Naruto’s and his teams made light jabs at their relationship yet she alluded to nothing, then reprimanded them discreetly as well.
Agendas that were bought up were mostly about communication, sharing staff, having senior members train the inexperienced in fields they would be suited for. Eight members had bought up the same matter; the nine clans. He didn’t know much about the nine clans so he would have to ask Naruto about it later since it looked like his brother was unsure about it as well. All he did know was when the nine clans met, it was rare for the other clans to join an as far as he was aware, this was the first time in 14 years they were all joined for a meeting. The clans generally had meetings roughly once a year but they didn’t have nearly as many people as this meeting.
After an hour and a half the whole meeting was over and nearly everyone had a paper booklet about things they wanted to know. The only ones without it were Sasuke, Itachi, Gaara and his siblings. Everyone else wanted further information about the things bought up in the meeting.
Everyone left after handing Naruto their contact information and went on their own way. Itachi and Shisui had also gone to go do their own thing till the meeting with Naruto took place in just under two hours.
Plenty of time.
As soon as they had all left the room he went to the door and locked it, placing his forehead against the cool metal. There were no cameras and all the walls were solid and sound proof. The leader of Hokage industries doesn’t mess around with confidentiality.
He still hadn’t turned around and instead listened to the sounds Naruto was making, she was fiddling with papers and the sound was water splashing caught his attention and he turned around, leaning against the door. She looked up and saw his questioning gaze and answered his unasked question, “I don’t have anything I didn’t see be made. Or made by people I know and trust. Whilst I trust Shisui to not have poisoned it, that doesn’t mean someone else didn’t tamper with the coffee before he went to it. I learnt the hard way what it was like to be poisoned due to not being cautious.” She gave him a rueful smile as she recalled the memory.
“I didn’t know you had been poisoned.” He replied weakly.
“There’s a lot we don’t know about each other. I was a slow learner at first and that ended up in three more poisonings and two of them nearly did me in.” she leaned against the table as she clutched her stomach with a grimace. “Since then, I’ve built up a tolerance by poisoning myself and giving the cure whenever the symptoms got really bad.” She shrugged her shoulders in feigned indifference but Sasuke was not his brother who would have fallen for it. Nor was he Shisui to go along with this conversation.
“How about we don’t ignore the matter at hand.” He replied, hoping he sounded stern. She wasn’t making it easy since she had let her hair down and undone a few of her buttons but he refused to get distracted.
Yet.
She rolled her head then looked at him, “There’s nothing to discuss. We both lied to each other to protect the other. You’re Sasuke Uchiha, the guy I proclaimed a bastard for never wanting to meet me for a spar. I’m the annoying guy who thinks with his fists. Also the leader and protector of the clans.”
Having had enough of her evasiveness he went to her and trapped her between his arms. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
She quirked a brow but otherwise gave nothing away, “Would you prefer I refer to the fact your screwing your rival and leader? Or perhaps that you’re family murdered mine in cold blood? Or perhaps the fact that I know who murdered your father?”
He blinked, “Well first of all I don’t care that I’m bedding you, everyone else can kiss my ass if they have a problem with us. The second one… we can discuss that later. The third, I want details. Now.”
A fire lit her eyes as she tried to shove at him yet he wasn’t having any of it today. She knew who murdered his father, why wasn’t she telling him? “And what will you do when I tell you? What will you do to those who killed your father?”
His glared at her, not understanding why she was asking so obvious, “Well that should be obvious, get justice for his murder. My dad was an ass-hole but my mother loved him so much she killed herself because of his death. Tell me.” he took gripped her forearms and clenched, trying to get her to tell him.
There was something in her eye that left as soon as it came, “No. The people who murdered him… it was because he had nearly killed a woman however he did manage to kill the unborn child in her womb. If I had known at the time I would have let him rot in our prison and when I became of age, I would have killed him myself.”
Her answer only served to feed the fire he was brewing inside and the glint came back into her eyes. It was enough for him to let go of her and stumble back.
Fear.
She was scared of him.
His blood ran cold and his throat clogged, “Naru I-”
She gave a look that told him to shut up as she rubbed her arms before she rolled up a sleeve her shirt and they both saw the bruises on her arm and she turned around so she couldn’t see him. He gulped before talking again, it wasn’t easy due to the fact he had a rock in his throat and stomach, “I am so, so sorry, hime. I don’t-” he swallowed and raised his hands as he approached her. He could see tears in her reflection as he stood behind her. “Say something. Please.”
He did all he could to make sure he didn’t move despite wanting nothing more than to turn her around and have her cry into his chest.
He was an idiot.
A complete and utter idiot.
Naruto wasn’t affected by words, actions meant more to her than meaningless words, despite this, her words meant a lot.
He gently grasped her wrist and turned her around, throwing an arm over her shoulder as he let her do as she pleased to him.
Cry on him or hit him.
It seemed she liked to hit him and did so a few times before crying silently. Hearing no sound from her tears seemed to hit him more than when his parents passing news had been told to him.
It was a reminder that she had suffered a fate similar to his own, if not worse. At least he didn’t have to see the person who had killed his father waltz around his home trying to kill him. Nor did his life alter so dramatically afterwards either.
She stopped crying a few minutes later and he took the opportunity to kiss her, lightly as to not startle her. She didn’t respond at first, not that he expected her to and after a few seconds she shoved him causing him to stumble backwards and to fall in her chair.
She looked to the clock then looked to the door and back at him. She removed her tie and came over to him and took a hold of his hands, tying them to the back of the chair, he did nothing to stop her and simply watched her do her thing.
She unbound her hair, allowing it to fall past her shoulders as she started unbuttoning her shirt and threw it over the table. She toyed around with her belt buckle next before talking, “First; I hate dressing as a guy since getting pants off is a pain in the ass. Second; I wanna see what our angry and makeup sex is like…” with that she removed her remaining clothing and made quick work of his as well.
.
.
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