On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…

A brunet sat at the kitchen table, a cup of green tea in front of him. His long hair loose around him. He picked up the cooled drink with slender pale fingers when the ringing from the phone began, taking a slow sip and paused when the live message began to play, listening.

You have reached Itachi Uchiha. Leave a message, unless your Naruto. Call Sasuke. BEEP.

"Hey Itachi, I was wondering if you were free tonight for dinner at eight. Call me back when you can… Bye."

Itachi recognized the voice. Kisame. They went on a date once last week, courtesy of a friend of Itachi's and another friend of Kisame who also happened to be friends with each other fixing them up.

Itachi looked out the window to left next to the front door and saw white. Picking up his cup he walked over to the window and at on the ledge watching the snow, thinking.

Another date. That actually doesn't sound too bad. The man was nice, and luckily not a pushover which too easily and too often coincide with each other. Was he free? Sasuke was out somewhere with friends-or one friend and several acquaintances he'll tolerate- and Itachi was home alone. Christmas is in a few days, all shopping and decorating done-most actually done by a hyper (Itachi blames sugar) blonde fox insisting the Uchiha house needed colors and festivity- and nothing really needed to be done except wait in the living room with a shotgun for a large man in a red coat. Not that Sasuke's done that in years. Silly kids and their fear of home invasion. Work let out for the week for Holiday (Itachi suspects threatened lawsuits were behind this) so to sum up, Itachi had nothing to do. The only problem lies in the situation.

Itachi had never been on a second date.

And doesn't know what to do. A first, I assure you.

All of Itachi's date never quite… work out. Which is also why his friend -cough-stupid blonde-cough- thought Itachi needed help in the love department and it was up to him to help. Not that anything was wrong with Itachi, per say. He just never liked any date to want to see them again. Some where such pushovers or snobs thinking they where better than everyone. Kisame wasn't like that though. And that's what confused him the most. He actually wanted to see him again.

On that date Itachi felt something. Being less experience with romantic chemistry Itachi first confused that twisting in his stomach as nausea or food poisoning not noticing how it only appeared when Kisame smiled at him, and the feverishness as the restaurant being too hot when their hands or legs brushed at the table. Itachi finally got his answer of 'what the hell was wrong with me' when talking to Konan over telephone and she explained the feelings inside of him weren't deadly but almost just as bad.

Itachi was smitten.

It's a god damn Christmas miracle.

Deciding to embrace this new development and not hide Itachi stood from his seat, walked to the phone and dialed the number he memorized the first day. He listened to the phone ring four times before the answering machine spoke.

Hey, Kisame's phone. If I'm not answering I'm either away or screening your calls. If you're still listening leave a message. BEEP.

What. The fuck.

"Kisame. It's Itachi. I would like to take you up on your offer… Come by at eight… Bye."

Itachi stared at the phone in his hand. Well, he thought, at least that wasn't too awkward. sighing Itachi replaced the phone and decided a shower and maybe some extra sleep would be a good idea about now. If Kisame didn't pick up it must mean he went out for something and he had a few hours to waste before tonight.

What Itachi didn't know was Kisame himself was leaving his own shower, wrapped in a towel, and noticed the blinking light on the machine and pressed play.

"You have two new messages. First new message."

BEEP

"Hey Hoshigaki!" Kisame groaned, hearing Hidan's voice over the machine while drying his hair with a towel. "Just got news about that job. The guy wants his shit picked up and delivered today. It'll take a few hour but the money's worth it but it's the only day he can work with us. I'll be over to pick you up at three so get your shit together and be ready."

BEEP

Kisame sighed again. Well that sucks, in a good way. Or is good in a suckish way. Same thing. Kisame had been waiting for that job for two weeks but wasn't looking forward to his day being taken up with it now. Kisame was a designer with theater productions and did work with stage props and building sets and had been propositioning the director of an upcoming musical to hire his team. No way could he miss this. It's expected to be the best play of the year by the directors past works.

"Second new message."

"Kisame." Uh oh. Kisame froze at the voice and listened. "It's Itachi. I would like to take you up on your offer… Come by at eight… Bye." Well shit. At this moment Kisame was torn between giddy joy and a goofy mile, or weeping in misery. The horrible odds that the day Kisame finally worked up enough balls to finally call that gorgeous man back for a second date and even said yes!

… and he had to cancel.

He couldn't believe his horrible luck.

Just as Kisame was prepared to suck it up and pray that Itachi would understand and will be fine with rescheduling for tomorrow, Kisame heard the obnoxious constant honk from outside his house.

Double shit. Hidan's here. And Kisame was still in a towel. Knowing Hidan, he'd wait 30 seconds before charging into the house and dragging its occupants out no matter if they were naked or not. Cursing, Kisame ran to his room to through on pants, a shirt, jacket and gloves and ran back to the door grabbing an over coat from the hook and a scarf, remembering his phone and wallet from the table and running into the snow to Hidan's truck.

After getting in the passenger seat and buckling, Kisame dialed Itachi's phone and listened to the ring.

Itachi, freshly showered, shampooed, rested and dressed walked into the living room placed across the kitchen at 7:14 and sat on the couch to wait for Kisame. Looking over he saw the wall phone in the kitchen next to the hallway blinking with a message. Debating if it was worth getting back up Itachi gave up and stood, walking to the phone. It could be from Kisame after all. Itachi picked up the phone and hit the button to play the messages.

You have reached Itachi Uchiha. Leave a message, unless your Naruto. Call Sasuke. BEEP.

"Itachi are you there? I was hoping I could talk to you. Look something came up with work and I cant make it tonight. I was hoping we could do something tomorrow instead. Well, anyway, I'll call later. Bye."

Itachi continued holding the phone to his ear, confused.

That bastard.

It took Itachi a moment to realize what that weird, cold feeling inside of him was. So foreign it is.

Disappointment.

The brunet was actually beginning to let himself look forward to this event. He was actually looking forward to being with another person unrelated to himself. And the dick cancels on him!

'Well'. He thought with a frown hanging up the phone, 'at least I wont be completely alone tonight. Sasuke will be home soon.'

Too lost in thought the resounding noise of the ringing of the phone caused Itachi to jump in surprise. But instead of answering that blasted machine of disappointment he let it ring.

BEEP

You have reached Itachi Uchiha. Leave a message, unless your Naruto. Call Sasuke. BEEP.

"Itachi. I'm staying at Naruto's tonight. Ill be back home tomorrow morning. Ill call again later. Night."

BEEP.

'Fuck my life.'

An hour later found Itachi sitting on a park swing.

In the snow.

Alone.

He had nothing better to do anyway and being out in a powder of snow and a full moon is a good way to clear his head of anything and everything.

Itachi tilted his head up and watched the sky. All the stars seemed to be twinkling tonight.

Itachi isn't going to cry, its stupid to do over a canceled second date with someone who is virtually a stranger, but feels like so much more. But he feel like shit for awhile. He's entitled to that.

The Uchiha was still watching the stars when he felt his cell vibrating in his pocket, always being on silent. Reaching for it, not looking away from the sky he answered thinking it might be Sasuke who promised to call later.

"Hello?"

"Turn around."

Itachi turned, his hand with the phone lowering from his ear as he looked on at Kisame standing there behind him holding a plastic bag.

Itachi blinked, and stood up.

"How did you know I was here?"

"A little bird called and told me. My work ended earlier than I thought." Kisame said, leaving out how he left Hidan to the rest of the work… without telling him. He's sure he'll get a surly, swear filled call later. "How about we go back to your place and have that dinner I promised you. If you still want to…" Lifting the bag up for Itachi to see.

Itachi just smiled a small, small smile and walked over to Kisame.

They embraced in the snow and kissed under the stars.

Neither saw the little blonde and taller brunet far away behind the trees, nor did they notice the brunet taking out a phone and calling a very familiar number.

At the Uchiha home the phone rang until the answering machine picked up.

You have reached Itachi Uchiha. Leave a message, unless your Naruto. Call Sasuke. BEEP.

"Good luck, Itachi."

… four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.