AN: I know this is a few hours later than I promised .. I'm sorry. I have an exam for my summer class coming up along with a whole bunches of other "fun" stuff and to be honest I kind of nixed the original chapter 6 yesterday. I lost track of time while I was working on the new and improved chapter 6, and here it is. I made it a little longer than I normally do (though the brevity of my chapters is not intentional) to make up for it being late, and hopefully since my class will be over in a week or so, I'll be able to treat you guys to a faster update with chapter seven. I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's a little cliched but I couldn't resist.

I have yet to respond to your reviews (although I won't fool myself into thinking that you're waiting around for my responses), but I will get those done before next week. Yep yep, personalized messages and everything!

ahhhh I'm babbling. Read and Enjoy!

Thanks again

AN: Sorry, made an error in the first go around, Sasuke should be twenty-three. NOT twenty one

Chapter Six

Itachi frowned as he studied his reflection in the mirror. Was this what people called a faux-hawk? He had managed to gel down his hair into something resembling a shark-fin, but some how it didn't quite look like it did in the book Hinata had made for him.

"Aniki, you're out of-" Itachi turned to glare at his nuisance. It seemed that once again, not only had Sasuke broken in during the night, but judging by the empty box of Corn Pops his brother was waving in the air, he finished off his favorite cereal too.

He really shouldn't have taught his brother how to pick locks in their younger years.

Or maybe he should have just held off on telling Sasuke his address.

"Are you trying to do your hair?" Sasuke asked, the mirth gleaming in his eyes was unmistakable.

"No," Itachi fibbed as he leaned over into the sink to wash the gel out. That was failed attempt number six. It was a good thing he woke up extra early just for this. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Sasuke leaned back against the threshold of the bathroom, low chuckles filling the sizeable bathroom. "You haven't tried to do your hair since elementary school when you had a crush on Hana-san."

Itachi didn't say anything as he dried his hair. What was there to say?

He continued to fix his hair, making sure to watch his brother for the inevitable.

A heart beat later, it came.

The way his little brother's eyes widened to the size of saucers was almost comical. Itachi half expected his eyes to pop out of his head when he realized what everything meant.

"Oh my God! You have a crush on someone!" Sasuke hissed with the grace of a preteen. He pointed his accusing little finger at his older brother as his face practically split in half breaking into a smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You only worry about your hair when you like someone!" the younger Uchiha sing-songed with unmitigated glee.

"I'm worrying about my hair because your wife cut it off," Itachi pointed out, rather used to his brothers antics. Really you'd think at twenty-three he would have matured a bit, but it seemed that time couldn't cure all maladies. He felt rather than saw when his brother's beady little black eyes caught the handmade book resting at the side of the sink, the change in atmosphere was distinctive.

The suspicion was palpable, the possessive aura smothering.

Suddenly, Itachi just knew telling Sasuke about Hinata wasn't going to end well.

"What's this?" The younger man asked. The suspicion in his voice barely masked with nonchalance. He picked up the large spiral bound book by its front cover and looked at it this way and that, giving no thought to the delicate nature of the present.

Itachi fought every instinct to get the book back. When Sasuke was like this, it was best not to indulge him.

Not indulging him meant letting him throw his tantrums. Believe it or not, destroying Itachi's things of great sentimental value was his way of throwing a tantrum.

"What does it look like?" Itachi squeezed a glob of gel onto his hand and ran it through his hair. He took care to make sure that every single strand of his bangs were no where near his eyes, god forbid he get stabbed in the eye by hair covered in gel.

Getting blinded was not one of his aspirations in life.

He then took out the blow dryer and carelessly dried his strands stiff before cleaning up after himself.

"It looks handmade. Was it a gift?" Itachi almost breathed a sigh of relief when Sasuke dropped the book back onto the marble beside the sink.

"It's from my fiancée." Itachi said as he walked into his room to finish getting dressed.

There was a silent pause, much like one before a really bad storm.

"Did you just say fiancée?" Sasuke asked in a way that made Itachi wonder whether or not that was the best possible way to tell his possessive, jealous little brother that there would be someone else in his life.

A someone else who could possibly be more important than him.

Itachi nodded as he draped his tie around his neck, his body language didn't betray any of the anxiety he was feeling. "We knew that this was going to happen at some point," He said as calmly brushed past his livid younger brother.

"Who said you could get married?"

The older man paused in his stride to the kitchen and shook his head.

He expected that question

Really

"I'm not getting any younger Sasuke."

Sasuke shoved past his brother to face him and stabbed a finger into Itachi's chest as he asked his next question. "How are you engaged!" he demanded, effectively blocking the way to the kitchen.

"I don't have time for this." Itachi placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and shoved him to the side.

"She's a gold digger."

Itachi hid a smirk at the thought, Hinata a gold digger? He remembered the way she fought tooth and nail to pay for her half of the bill the first time they dined together. It was cute that she actually thought that he'd let her pay. "I'm sure."

He didn't have to look to see the absolute disappointment on his brothers face.

"She's actually a he." Sasuke said desperately. Anything to make his brother see that married life wasn't for him.

"I know," He replied calmly slicing up his strawberries. "I like that in a woman."

"You can't just marry any woman off the street, don't you have standards?"

"How do you know she's just off the street?

"Because you haven't told me about her, you're ashamed right?"

"I just told you I was interested in someone."

"No you didn't! I had to figure that out myself." Sasuke cried in disbelief. "Besides telling me you like someone is completely different from telling me that you're going to marry the whore."

Sasuke flinched at the unnerving stare his brother set on him. The same emotionless stare that made him feel so unbearably guilty and ashamed, even when they were kids.

It wasn't fair that he could do that.

Itachi should be the one feeling guilty, not him.

"I have to go to work now. I expect an apology when we meet for dinner today." Itachi said in a way that made him feel the entire four years that gapped them.

It really wasn't freaking fair

Itachi paused at the sight of his fiancée. She was sitting in one of the plush chairs lined up against the wall, right outside his office.

He hadn't been expecting her. If their past encounters were anything to go by, he thought another month would go by before he saw her again. He hated being unprepared, not that that should matter with her. It seemed that whatever he planned with her had this uncanny ability of going awry.

All those planned one-liners? Shot before they had a chance.

He sighed. He could always just turn around and go back the way he came.

He still had that option, she hadn't seen him yet.

"Itachi-kun!" His breath caught at the way her eyes lit up in recognition. She stood to greet him, her posture was impeccable, her outfit immaculate.

She was beautiful

"Ah, Hinata-chan. Did we make plans to meet today?" Itachi waved off his receptionists questioning looks and motioned for Hinata to follow him into his office.

"Before you say anything," Hinata practically screamed once the door shut. She winced at the decibel before lowering her voice. "Before you say anything," she repeated, finding the floor mighty interesting. "I know I've been doing a horrible job…courting you."

Itachi almost nodded.

Almost

"But that's why I'm here!" She said sounding more determined. She looked up to meet his gaze. "Nanako-san said she wasn't allowed to disclose your schedule. I tried calling your cell phone, but I guess you were in a meeting because I couldn't reach you. So I thought I might surprise you…" Hinata continued to ramble, a pink flush very noticeable on her pale complexion.

At the silence, the Hyuug heiress stopped to think for a moment before her pretty mouth dropped in mortification.

"Oh no! Are you busy today? Should I not have come?" She clasped her hands in front of her, so tightly they were turning white.

"I have a meeting in fifteen minutes." Itachi said quietly. While mentally cursing his bad fortune, why was it the one time she made a move, he had a whole day full of meetings.

An awkward silence settled between them, one where Hinata watched the floor and he watched Hinata.

"I should leave." She said once she decided that she couldn't take the silence anymore. She gave a low bow and went for the door.

Itachi held the door shut, "No! Please don't." he panicked. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, not caring that the gel would flake.

"But you have a meeting. I'll come back another time." Seeing that his fiancée was just as stubborn as he was, he went for a different tactic.

"What's that in your hand?"

"Its lunch," Hinata replied glancing at the bag of bentos in her hand.

"Let's eat." He took the boxes from her and started to his oversized desk. He pulled up a stool from the corner of the room and offered her his nice, plush chair. "Please, have a seat."

"How have you been?" He asked as the brunette beauty began unpacking.

"Busy, but I wanted to see you." She answered avoiding his eyes. An unmistakable blush started up her cheeks and not for the first time Itachi became hopeful. "I like how you did your hair."

Itachi ignored the blush that was starting up on his cheeks. "Thank you."

He watched the food that she laid out in front of him. She had prepared an assortment of sandwiches and rice balls.

It all looked so…

Pretty

"Itadakimasu," He said quietly. He picked up his chopsticks and contemplated whether to go for the rice balls or a tuna sandwich first. Despite the simplicity in the preparations, there were so many options! And they all looked so appetizing.

There were chicken salad sandwiches, egg salad, tuna, turkey, ham and bologna. It even looked like she put together a tomato and mozarella sandwich.

"What's in the rice balls?"

"Bean paste?"

"Is that a question?" Itachi asked, he grabbed one and used it to hide his smile. It was so much fun picking on her.

"No, I-uh. It's not a question." Hinata flustered.

"You sure?" He teased.

"I brought us some tea." She jumped to get her bag eagerly. Apparently sitting through a conversation with him was too painful. "I read online that you liked oolong." The pale eyed woman said softly rummaging through her bag. "I think it's still warm…"

Itachi paused.

Did she just say that she read online that he liked oolong tea?

"Did I just say that out loud?"

The amused man nodded.

"I ah…I didn't say that." Hinata almost whimpered. She looked as though she wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

He almost groaned at the oppressing, awkward that settled between them. Why was this happening? What happened to the banter-like conversation they had before and what could he do to get that back?

Why was it that everything he said came out the wrong way? He's a flipping genius, it shouldn't be this hard.

"What else did you read about me?" He asked, grabbing at anything his ingenious mind could come up with. It probably wasn't the best idea, but God! Anything to get rid of this silence, he practically spat that last word in his mind.

It was ironic how silence used to be a revered and cherished commodity and now it was the equivalent of some foul curse-word with the highest degree of distaste in his mind.

"I'm sorry, w-what?" Hinata stammered in such an adorable way, Itachi could almost picture her as a shy child. She probably looked exactly like she did now, only smaller.

She avoided looking at him by busying herself with pouring tea.

"What else did you read about me?"

Without warning, Hinata promptly dumped the contents of the thermos on his lap.

Turns out the tea was not warm

It was scalding.

"Oh! I am so sorry." The woman practically cried. She hurriedly grabbed some napkins from her bag and started to soak up the tea.

"It's okay."

"I have more napkins!" She almost shouted when the napkins in her hand were soaked through. She rummaged through her bag for more before continuing her task of cleaning up the mess she made.

She dabbed at his lap and Itachi didn't bother to hide his blush. Really, if anyone were to walk in at this exact moment…

Exactly how was he supposed to explain himself?

Itachi nervously placed his hands back on the armrests of his chair, unsure of where to put them with Hinata bent over his lap. He couldn't very well put them on her, could he?

"I'm sorry," Hinata looked so sad that he was willing to do just about anything to make her feel better. She played with the napkin in her hand in this pitiful, kicked puppy kind of way that made his heart hurt. "And you have your meeting coming up too. I'm such a klutz sometimes."

"I'll be okay." He tugged lightly on a strand of her hair, and smiled at the dark blush that graced her cheeks. "I'm their boss and we're not unionized, technically I could fire them all if they piss me off."

A small smile spread on her lips, but it was so obviously forced that Itachi decided not to comment on it. If there was one thing he learned, it was that women were unpredictable creatures and anything, no matter how good the intention, was likely to set them off.

He thought she was going to say something when she parted her lips. But she only let out a sigh and then gave her a head a frustrated shake before going back to dabbing his pants with a renewed vigor. He felt his hopes of a comfortable silence fall with the shake of her head.

If Itachi had to sit through another silence he was going to shoot himself.

"So, what exactly did you look up?" He said slowly, making sure to look at anything but her.

"I'm sorry?" She paused in her drying to place a strand of hair behind her ear. Her lavender eyes were set on everything but his face.

"Online. I'd like to think that I'm a more reliable source than the websites." Itachi offered. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His boxer briefs stuck to him like second skin and Hinata's frantic dabbing was encroaching on very private territory.

He debated whether or not he should let her know. After all, it was very possible that things could get even messier if things progressed in the direction it was going. But then again, his fiancée was a very self-conscious person.

How exactly would he go about telling her just how close she is to fondling his goods?

Nanako chose that moment to open the door and stick her head in. "Itachi-sama, its time for your eleven o'clock."

"I can explain," Itachi said in a calm voice that belied the panic he was feeling.

Time seemed to stand still as she caught sight of exactly what needed to be "explained"

She raised an eyebrow at the sight of a young woman bent over her employers lap and wondered if this was at all appropriate.

Especially during office hours

Then, not for the first time that day, an awkward silence settled.