Disclaimer: Trust me I do not own Naruto

Chapter Twenty one

Bonding or Fading?

"Hinata, you said once that your mother had died." Itachi stated locking his eyes onto her face. Hinata nodded, wondering slightly why he would say what he already knew.

"Is that her grave marker?" Itachi knew what he was doing, Hinata however did not and simply nodded.

"What was she like?" He asked, Hinata's eyes widened as the question. Hanabi had asked her this only once, and that one time was enough for the young Hyuuga who had ran out of the room in tears.

"Why d-do you want t-to know?" Hinata asked him, Itachi rolled his shoulder jostling her slightly in the process.

"I merely wish to know who was the mother of someone as intriguing as you." Hinata blushed heavily under the hidden compliment before nodded, an answer to his request.

"M-my mother's name was Hitomi, because unlike other Hyuuga's she had a slight shade of violet as a pupil where everyone else's were faded into the eye. S-she had long hair t-the same shade as m-mine. Her skin was white, like snow but she wasn't ugly. I think m-my mother was very beautiful." Itachi smiled holding Hinata close to him.

"I can see her looks have been passed to you quite fairly then." Hinata shook her head.

"I'm nowhere near m-my mother's beauty." Itachi sighed mentally at her frail confidence. But smiled at her nonetheless, she was opening up to him and that was what mattered.

"I can disagree with that, but each to their own it would seem. What was she like personality wise?" Hinata frowned and seemingly was trying to remember.

"She was very quiet, but she was strong as well. N-No one could knock her d-down, and s-she wouldn't g-give into anyone w-without a fight either. But she was also v-very nice and g-gentle, she was outspoken too." Itachi could easily see where Hinata's strength and appearance had come from, if only she could see herself the way he saw her.

"Tell m-me about your m-mother, p-please?" he couldn't say no he found to his dismay, his will so legendary and impossible to break. Had been bent to the control of this one woman.

"My mother was very stern, with wide ink colored eyes. Her hair was a sort of raven hue, with pale skin. She loved to cook and often tended to Sasuke, as father held no interest in going back to toddlers. She was kind but held a fire and mischievous air that made even father fear her anger." Itachi stated bemused by how accurate he had spoken of his mother.

"S-she sounds a l-lot like Sasuke, the last p-part I mean." Itachi nodded, Sasuke took a lot after their mother. Itachi unfortunately enough took after his father personality and appearance wise. The latter more so than the latter thank kami.

"Would you like to come by my house for lunch?" He asked politely looking down at her lavender tinted eyes. Hinata blushed under the intensity of his gaze before nodding slightly, she had wondered what the inside of his house had looked like.

"I w-would like that." Itachi nodded and both stood up, loosely grasping Hinata's hand as they walked to his house. Hinata would have to meet Hidan, Itachi thought annoyed. Perhaps he wouldn't be there? Mentally he chided himself, Hidan was a friend ( an idiotic one but a friend nonetheless) and he was only staying until he got his sister back.

Hinata eyed the wooden door intensely as he opened it, magenta colored eyes blinked down at her and she squeaked almost hiding behind Itachi's back. She might have had he not been holding her hand, Hidan gave a grin.

"This is the b-" Itachi glared and Hidan snapped his mouth shut with a click, the message was clear. No cursing in front of Hinata.

"So this is the woman you've been seeing? I admit I thought you were freaking asexual." Hidan joked turning around to plop himself into the leather couch. Hinata blinked, they acted almost like Naruto and Sasuke only one cursed and the other had an infamous glare that could shut people up instantly.

"I assure you I am attracted to the opposite sex just as much as any male." Itachi countered, Hidan snorted.

"Then explain the fucking ponytail fucker." Itachi's eye twitched ad Hinata smiled, definitely like Naruto and Sasuke.

"I'll j-just start lunch." She stated removing (failing) Itachi's hand, he followed and Hinata smiled before beginning to cook he let her go afraid that she would burn herself should she try and cook with one hand.

It was a simply made lunch, onigiri and some teriyaki chicken. But it did not taste so simple, of course Hidan was very outspoken with this.

"Who the hell knew you could cook?" Hinata smiled.

"M-my mother taught me when I w-was little." Hidan nodded and continued to gorge himself with the food. Itachi's eyes narrowed in annoyance as he swiftly took Hinata's hand and led them both outside.

"I apologize for Hidan's behavior, he is not very polite so to speak." Itachi muttered all the while wishing he could strangle the seemingly immortal man.

"I d-do not think it was s-so troublesome. He I-is almost l-like Naruto in a w-way." Itachi snorted as the realization came upon him, she had placed himself and Hidan as Sasuke and Naruto. Itachi knew for a fact he was nowhere near as foolish as his little brother, of course Sasuke wasn't currently trying to muster up the nerve to start courting Hyuuga Hinata now was he?

"Hinata, I know we have not known each other long but…." His heart slammed into his rib cage as she looked up at him with those wide lavender eyes. He cleared his throat urging himself to continue with his words.

"I would like to if you allow it continue with these dates, I would like for you to consider being with me." Hinata's eyes widened, she knew that they held an odd working relationship, she didn't even know what they were but here he was offering to place a title to what they were.

"I d-don't know if I s-should Uchiha-sa" the utterly broken look that had been in his eyes when they first met had resurfaced with a vengeance, Hinata felt horrible.

"Please." His voice seemed to constrict, Itachi felt hollow as if the rejection on its own wasn't bad enough. For some reason this hurt him, and he responded the only way he knew how. He saw as she bit her lip in confusion and a faint, faint trace of doubt. Did she doubt him?

"I see." He dropped her hand and began to build his mask up once again. Shock registered in her features and the slightest amount of guilt crept into him before he stashed it away. Hoping she wouldn't see how much this had hurt him. He turned away from her closed his eyes.

"Have a good day Hyuuga-san." And he didn't look back.

Author's note: I planned to end this with a kiss, but this happened instead. Please don't kill me!