Shimi-chan: (Sheepish) Sorry...that was a long update, I know. The sad part is that there was no reason behind it...I was simply too lazy to update. I will not make excuses for myself. Feel free to flame me for my lack of responsibility, I feel I've earned it. N-E-way, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also, I thought I'd write this small excerpt on my own past, because I just thought of it and it's making me grin like a fool. Here goes. When I was younger (7 or 8) we couldn't affor to have skates for me and my younger brother, but we both loved to skate. And we both also hated taking turns, as it left one of us all alone. Our solution? We each wore only one skate and pushed ourselves along instead of actually skating. We called it 'Scooter Skating.' Hahaha, we were so...creative, for lack of a better word. So, yeah, I just wanted to write that.

Melodramatic Writer, I appreciate the chocolate, ypu've given my life meaning. I would share it with you, but I guess if you have enough chocolate to reign on me over a lifetime, surely you have some for yourself...right?

thefullygirlalchemist, do you really want chocolate? You're in luck! Melodramatic Writer just wrote me a review sending me never-ending chocolate. Take some (Offers cookies). And as for taking my idea, no! I will never forgive you! Just kidding, I don't mind, it's not as if I went into deep detail regarding the training thing.

NinaWilliamsSilentAssasin, Don't worry, Hinata will have the chance to prove herself in battle! Against...??? Yeah right, like I'd spoil it for you guys! (Hahahaha) And thanks for loving my story so much! Your reviews are kind.

dani's random fox, ...Hi.

FIREKEEPER, Is Sasuke glad...? I don't know, maybe? I guess we'll both figure it out soon enough. One word might give the whole thing away, but I'll say it anyway: Peaches. Read the chapter and you'll get that.

Itami of the Pain, you ask if Sasuke likes her too? Read the summary in my profile. And then read the summary on the story. It states: ItaHinaSasu, I believe. So, yes, even if Sasuke doesn't yet (and I'm not saying yes or no) he will like her sooner or later.

Sora4801, You reviewed for everyone of my chapters as you read them? Thank you, I'm glad you like me that much. I normally just read the story and review on the last possible chapter. But, thanks!

AyumiXXX, forgie me for not putting your actual name but I am christian and as such, the number you have chosen is one I'd rather not write. (Laughing) I thought I'd considered every possible outcome, but obviously not. Threesome...? I'll think about it...-

Chapter Eleven:

They were getting along well. Too well, one would almost say. Just watching the two gave you a warm feeling in your heart…unless you were Itachi, in which case it gave you a nauseous feeling in the pit of your stomach. Giggling had never sounded so disgusting, looks that were meant to send a smile to the face of the witness made Itachi scowl with burning hatred. When, goddamn it all, had this changed? Wasn't it mere days ago that she had been bawling her eyes out at every turn of the day? But ever since she went on that date with Sasuke (missing afternoon training, by the way) she'd come back with nothing but good cheer. No more could she be seen secretly crying while doing things. No more could he hear hidden sobs through her door (not that he was checking or anything like that).

Now that we're done talking about what Itachi thinks is going on, let's tell what is really happening. Ever since the date, Hinata had noticed a change in both herself and Sasuke. He seemed…nicer to her. Now, don't read too much into that. It wasn't like he was expressing his love of her, or buying her surprise gifts, nothing like that. But, ever since they were small, Hinata had interacted only with Itachi. Sasuke and her were not close…they knew each other, they could pick each other out of a crowd, but they never actually communicated.

But that was so long ago. Now she spent more time with Sasuke than with Itachi (sensei).She only actually interacted with Itachi during training…and she kind of missed his attentions…but she wouldn't allow herself depression. This was how it had to be. She was only upsetting everyone with her childish attitude. She would show her father and everyone else that had ever doubted her—in other words, everyone period—that she could tough things out. Having to get married wasn't the end of the world. She would make her father see what a mistake giving her away had actually been.

Hinata awoke on that morning to the quiet sound of…silence. She slowly inspected the entire house, hoping she wasn't completely alone, but sure enough, it was empty. Feeling a little bit insecure about being in a house that wasn't her own while it was empty she searched for something to pass the time with. There was nothing.

It was a Saturday morning, besides which today was her birthday, and there was no one around. Itachi hadn't even bothered to wake her for training…which was odd, because normally training was ten times worse on Saturdays. Maybe he was giving her a break because it was her birthday. Tch, yeah right. Itachi didn't even know the word 'break' existed, unless it was used with its other meaning 'to break.' The other possibility was that he was mad at her, which didn't seem as unlikely. He seemed to be getting mad at her for random reasons lately. Like leaving the door to her room open. And there was that one time that she forgot to put the big fork in the right side of the cabinet. And the time that she didn't polish her kunai before practice.

He didn't even polish his kunai. Ever.

Shaking her head to those thoughts that would lead only to more crying, she decided to concentrate on training herself. Even if Itachi hadn't woken her up, she still felt the need to train. She'd just fallen into the habit. So, finally having some form of destination, she went out to the yard to work-out.

---

Yeah, sure, send him to find her. Itachi growled at his father's idiotic logic, which he still couldn't understand. That idiotic man woken them up early (and if Itachi thought it was early, it was early), dragged them all out to Konoha, made preparations at (you guessed it) Naruto's house, which still angered Itachi to no end, and then to top it all off nicely, sent Itachi to go and get her when the party preparations were done.

She'd said she didn't want a party. Itachi was there when she said it. So then why, despite the fact that they all knew she'd said no, did his father insist on throwing this party? True, it was in no way as big as Sasuke's, and it was limited to whoever fit inside Naruto's house, but that changed nothing! A party was a party, and he knew that he would only be bored out of his brains.

He sighed. At least it wasn't going to be like last time; Hinata didn't know about the party this time, so she couldn't possibly have time to dress the way she had…right? Just how long did it take girls to do their stuff, anyway? He hoped beyond hope that all those hours his mother wasted in the bathroom were not spent simply staring at the reflection in the mirrors. Because if they were, and Hinata did have enough time to doll herself up like she had last time, then he would…

He finally arrived at the Uchiha compound, relieved that no one got in his way to offer him greeting. No doubt he would snap at the first person who dared talk to him. At least with this minimal interruption he could go straight to Hinata and then straight back and then, and here's the best part, he could ignore everyone and hide in his stoic solitude.

Yay.

He was about to enter the house when he heard suspicious grunts and thuds coming from around back. Lifting a curious brow, he opted for investigating the strange noises.

Shock was not a common emotion for him to feel. But it seemed that he was feeling it more and more these days, and he didn't like it. As a matter of fact, he hated it. And it always had the same cause.

Hinata was training. But that in itself wasn't so surprising. It was what she was wearing, or what she wasn't wearing that gave him that unwanted surge of shock. Even less common than Itachi feeling was Hinata without her jacket. But there she was, kicking a stump on the ground, sweater-less. Meaning she was wearing nothing but a black tank top, which he actually thanked God for. After all, a tank top was better than the usual fishnet under-shirt she usually wore, which would have revealed quite a lot…

He grew hot, though not in the face.

Growling in frustration as his own body would betray him, he somehow willed his legs to move in her general direction. He didn't get very close before she felt his presence and whipped her head to face him.

"I-Itachi…um, sensei…"

"Itachi," he ground out, avoiding eye contact. "Just Itachi."

She blushed and lowered her head in a curt bow. "U-um…w-where is everybody?"

He ignored how she tactfully changed the subject. "I'll take you to them."

She nodded dutifully and took a step forward.

But was quickly reprimanded by Itachi for it.

"You're going dressed in that?" He sounded calm but the look in his eyes suggested otherwise.

Hinata blinked then looked down at herself. She returned her eyes to his face shyly. "Um…Y-Yes…?"

He growled. "Like hell you are. Get your ass in there and change."

She blinked again. Change…? Into what? This was all she had. "But…But…"

"No buts! What the hell were you thinking coming out like this anyway? Does the prospect of rape excite you?"

She blushed. "N-N-No!!! B-But it w-w-was h-hot, s-so I t-t-took off m-my sweater, a-and—"

"I didn't ask for an explanation. Go inside and cover yourself up. Bring out a water bottle of you're so damn hot, because we'll be walking a long way to Konoha."

Blushing still, she nodded before quickly running into the house to comply.

He watched her run, wallowing in how he'd managed to scare her again. He'd tried to tell his father to send someone else to get her but no. Yup, it was very smart to send Itachi.

---

The long walk to town was spent in a very uncomfortable silence, with only the occasional chug of water that Hinata would take to break the tension.

And after it was broken it came back tenfold.

Once they finally arrived at the Konoha main gates, Hinata smiled politely at the guards she passed before turning her stare to Itachi.

"Urm…H-How much l-longer?"

He looked at her with an irritated scowl. "Tired?"

She shook her head benevolently. "N-No! I j-j-just—"

"Not much longer," he said, his face going back to stoicism, "We're going to Naruto's house."

She blinked as her cheeks took on a pink complexion. "N-Naruto-kun?!"

He mentally froze. How could he have forgotten?! Hinata had a crush on the idiot, didn't she?! Damn it, now he had two rivals! Er…What he meant to think was that…um…Naruto…was…annoying? Yeah, that was why he was mad right now. It had nothing to do with how Hinata had turned to twiddling her fingers nervously at the sound of Naruto's name, or with the way she was blushing scarlet.

But he was wrong. Hinata didn't like Naruto anymore…at least she didn't think…so much had happened. Too much had happened. She couldn't be the same anymore. Even though only very few months had gone by, she knew she wasn't who she had once been. And after that dream…

She shook the thoughts from her head. No, that meant nothing! If she was basing the decision on the dream, then that would mean that she liked…that she liked…she glanced at Itachi.

He was looking at her too.

She blushed a bright red before whipping her head to the other side.

He opened his mouth to say something, but the sight of Naruto's house turned his thoughts from anything he was about to say. He stopped Hinata before they could reach the front door.

"Close your eyes."

She blinked for a moment but didn't argue as her eyes shut tightly.

He smirked lightly once she couldn't see him and grabbed her hand, leading her toward Naruto's front door. He felt her tense at his touch, sending a slight scowl to his face, but at least she didn't try to pull away. Because there was no way in hell he would have let her.

She kept her eyes tightly closed, though she'd had the urge to blink when she felt Itachi's hand close around her own. Her heart raced from the contact, but she didn't bother asking why. Such questions she would consider infidelity. She only allowed herself to be led to what she could only assume was Naruto's house. Thankfully it was as she thought, for moments later she heard a door opening and she could feel the darkness that surrounded the inside of the house. She felt Itachi's hand begin to slip out of her own, but she tightened hers causing Itachi to let out a what could have been either a growl or a chuckle.

"Relax, Hinata. Don't open your eyes yet."

She let him go slowly but nodded. Not that he could see her through the dark. She heard his retreating footsteps, but she also heard random voices and giggles. She fought to keep her eyes closed, but she wanted to know what was laughing at her…

"Surprise!!"

Suddenly the room was basked in warm luminescence. Hinata's eyes bugged open at the unexpected shout to see all her friends gathered under a sign that read 'Happy Birthday Hinata!' She smiled slowly, blushing through her happiness. She glanced at Itachi, who was standing to her right smirking slightly. Without a conscious thought, she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

It wasn't as if he'd never gotten hugged before. He had. Plenty of times. Sometimes, even by non-related girls. But he couldn't remember even one time when Hinata had hugged him. He felt the very same part of him as previously heat up. He made no move to either hug her back nor push her away. But he wanted so badly to be able to crush her fragile body to his again…to have her melting in his arms…yes, how nice that would be…

But with his lack of response, she quickly pulled away while blushing in embarrassment.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry, I-Itachi-s—…u-um, Itachi…I w-wasn't th-thinking…"

He shrugged indifferently, thanking God silently that he was incapable of blushing. Apparently. "It doesn't matter. Happy birthday, Hinata."

She couldn't reply, because before she could even think of something to say, he'd walked away. To the back of the party like the two of them used to do when they were children and one of their parents were holding some sort of festivity. But this time she couldn't follow him. One: it was her party. Two: Sasuke was now approaching.

He looked a little peeved, and she wasn't so stupid that she didn't know why. She just liked to pretend she was. Before he could say anything, she tentatively hugged him. He blinked slightly in surprise, but unlike Itachi, he actually moved to hold her back. Blushing, she quickly removed herself as she avoided eye-contact.

She glanced nervously at the ground, twiddling her fingers yet again. "Th-Thank y-y-you for th-this, S-Sasuke-kun…"

"Hn," came his reply. She smiled nonetheless.

The group all stepped forward to crowd around the now 16-year-old Hyuga heiress. There was a chorus of 'happy birthdays' from everyone, and Hinata could only nod shyly at the people surrounding her.

"Hey Hinata-chan!" called out a rather rambunctious kitsune, "How come you didn't get all dressed up like last time?"

Sakura appeared out of seemingly thin air. "Duh, it was a surprise party, you baka! She had no time to get ready. Besides," Sakura proceeded to glare coldly at the shy heiress, "she didn't have any friends to help her this time. She doesn't have any friend's period."

Hinata wanted to respond with an apology, and moved to do it, but Kiba defended her saying, "That's not true! I could have helped her."

A stilling silence followed Kiba's…could it possibly have been a…confession?

Naruto quickly came to the embarrassed shinobi's aid, though probably without notice. "Yeah! I would have helped too!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Then she'd turn out even uglier than she already—"

Sakura realized a little too late that she'd just made a lot of new enemies. The entire room had quieted at Kiba's comment, so it wasn't all that hard for them to hear what Sakura had been about to say. Glares from throughout the room were being sent to her but before anyone could act on their desires, Ino spoke quietly yet firmly.

"Sakura, I think you should leave."

Sakura was beginning to get nervous under their dark scowls, so she shot one last glare to Hinata before shrinking away and out of the house. Ino gave Hinata an apologetic glance.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-san. Sakura's just a little…mad. Because you took Sasuke away from her."

Sasuke scowled in disgust. "I was never Sakura's in the first place."

Ino disregarded his input. "But I know you don't really like Sasuke…or do you?" Ino added as an afterthought, elbowing the shy girl playfully.

Hinata blushed profusely. "U-Um, w-w-well…"

Ino blinked. "Whoa…You mean you actually like him?"

Hinata wasn't sure how to answer, because she wasn't sure if she did or not. She thought…not. But how was she supposed to say that with Sasuke right there? Plus there was the fact that she was to marry him. If she could convince other people she liked Sasuke-kun, then maybe she could convince herself too.

'I do like Sasuke-kun, I do like Sasuke-kun, I do—'

Thankfully, Ino only laughed, saying it was a joke, before they moved on with the day. The rest of Hinata's party progressed slowly with laughter, glee, conversation, and a lot of non-bottle related games. The gathering came to a gradual end, beginning with Ino who had to work, Kiba and Shino who went off to train, Shikamaru and Choji who came at their own convenience (and for food), Itachi getting bored as hell and leaving, and ending with Naruto passing out over exhaustedly on the couch from training non-stop the night before.

By the time this had all happened night had fallen and the only thing that lay in the way of the remaining Uchiha's leaving was Hinata's guilt over leaving the young kitsune's house dirty. They all chipped in to at least make it the clean it was when they arrived, which was still pretty messy. Hinata, with Sasuke's help, managed to carry Naruto into his room and lay him gently on his futon. They also managed to clear all the confetti someone had insisted on bringing. Hinata was just finishing the sweeping when she heard her stomach growl loudly.

At the moment she was in the kitchen with Sasuke, who was throwing some junk away. She blushed at the sight of Sasuke's raised eyebrows.

"Didn't you eat?"

Slowly, she shook her head, her face still burning with embarrassment.

Sighing and muttering something that sounded like 'hopeless', he went over to the cupboards to find her some food, but there was only ramen, ramen, ramen, canned fruit, ramen—…Wait, fruit? Since when did Naruto own fruit?

Grabbing said can, which turned out to be peaches, he turned it over in his hands to check the expiration date. He partly expected it to have expired years ago, but it was the contrary. It was due to expire in a few months. Who knew Naruto had secret cravings for fruit?

He popped it open and handed it to her. "Here," was all he said as she slowly wrapped her delicate fingers around her prize. She stared up at him with wide, inquisitive eyes.

"Th-Thank y-y-you, S-Sasuke-k-kun…"

He didn't reply.

She secretly hoped he would leave her to eat the fruit alone…because she had no intention of eating it. She hated peaches. But the way he was looking down at her guaranteed that he was not leaving until there was not a drop of juice left in the can. She continued to stare at him, beseeching him silently with her eyes, but he seemed oblivious to her pleas. After a long, awkward while of them simply staring at each other, Sasuke broke the silence.

"You're hungry, so eat."

Biting down a whimper, she looked into the can of fruit. She hadn't eaten peaches in what seemed like quite a while, for which she was thoroughly grateful. But she had no choice now…Grabbing a clean fork, Hinata plunged it into the can only to come out with the biggest, plumpest peach slice she had ever seen. She grimaced as she brought the offending fruit to her mouth and hastily shoved it in and tried to swallow it without chewing. Of course, that probably wasn't the best course of action, for she soon started choking on the overgrown slice. After a few gagging noises and attempts at swallowing (her fruit, you perverts) she managed to choke it down.

She looked up at Sasuke, who had been watching her little show, to see deep amusement in his eyes. His lips were slightly twitched upward, though if she wasn't right in front of him she doubted she would have seen it.

She blushed deeply as she handed the can back to him. "I…I d-d-don't l-like p-p-peaches…"

His voice was thick with amusement. "Then you should have said so."

She nodded and everything would have been just fine if only her stomach hadn't chosen that moment to growl again. She 'meep'ed at the noise her body produced while blushing darker, if it were possible. This time Sasuke surprised her by chuckling, which increased the already fast pace of her heart which pretty much guaranteed her dying from heart-attack.

He was still smirking. "Here, let me see if I can help. Close your eyes and open your mouth."

She was hesitant to obey his commands, thinking that he was just going to shove another peach down her throat, but Sasuke wasn't that cruel…she hoped. But, seeing that she had no choice, she complied.

Hinata waited expectantly, nerves only growing when she heard the clink of a fork against a tin can, hoping that it would end quickly. But things did not go as expected.

Her eyes widened to an almost impossible degree when she felt the unmistakable brush of lips against her open mouth. She stared dazedly into Sasuke's eyes, still full of merriment, when she felt his tongue move past her lips and into her mouth. Too shocked to move away from his touch, she almost didn't register that he had just put something in her mouth.

A peach.

He pulled away slowly, playfully nibbling her bottom lip as he went, and chuckled again when she just stared at him.

"Chew or you're going to choke again."

Obediently, she started chewing the slice and swallowed with much more ease than the first time. His smirk held its ground on his face. "Better?"

She nodded dumbly, emitting another chuckle from Sasuke. He bent down to kiss her again, which immediately made Hinata suck in a sharp breath.

"Hey, whatha hell are you guys doin here?"

Hinata whirled around while Sasuke glanced casually over her to see a groggy Naruto standing in the entryway.

"N-Naruto-kun, y-you're awake!"

"Mmm, yeah. Hey, are those my peaches?"

She blushed. "Y-Yes, I-I'm s-s-sorry Naruto-k-kun, b-but—"

"Hinata was hungry. Got a problem with that?"

Naruto, too groggy to rise to the challenge of his friend/foe, shook his head. "You can have them Hinata-chan, just don't give any to this teme, kay?"

Hinata giggled lightly at Sasuke's dark expression as Naruto stumbled back out and toward his room. At the sound of her laughter, Sasuke glanced down at her.

"Now, back to business…"

"Y-Y-Yes, b-business, l-like cleaning…w-which remind m-me th-that I have t-to clean the l-living room!"

She pushed her way around him and scampered off toward said room, which they both knew was already clean. Plopping herself on the now visible couch of the crowded apartment, she came to an unsettling conclusion.

Peaches were actually pretty good.

Shimi-chan: Hee-hee! This is good, I am satisfied. Though, I will regretfully admit, it took me ages to write this one. Looks like I wasn't as out-of-my rut as I thought…hopefully the next chapter will some along smoother. Lol, oh well, this chapter was so worth it.