AN: Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter, but I did warn you that school would slow down my updates (Though I must also confess that I was busy working on my other stories as well) and I'm regretful to admit that it will not improve until school is out… which will not be for another few months. *Long-suffering sigh* Meanwhile, I'm happy all of you seemed to enjoy the last chapter and hope you will enjoy this one as well! ^_^

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Pleasantly Pink

Inspired By Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto

Hinata sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly from her sitting position on her bed. She had just returned home from a training session and was utterly exhausted, but she knew she couldn't go to sleep before she had a chance to bathe and dry off. With that thought she stood from her invitingly comfortable bed and grabbed a change of clothes before making her way to the large, warm baths that belonged to the Main Branch of the Hyuuga Clan.

Upon arriving she couldn't help but marvel a little at the size. She had been using them her whole life, but the overwhelming largeness of the baths always made her feel small. That thought made her sigh softly and acknowledge that she appreciated the public baths in the village more.

With another yawn threatening to slip past her lips the Hyuuga stripped of her clothes and slid easily into the warm water, the aches of her training instantly beginning to ease away. As she began to wash her mind wandered over to what had happened only weeks before on her last mission.

The mission that her and her squad had run into Itachi Uchiha.

Her cheeks flamed a brilliant scarlet at the reminder. It had been bad enough that her friends and teammates- that Naruto- had seen what had happened, but then she had fainted. With both her and her blonde crush unconscious (Naruto from a beating that Sakura gave him due to a thoughtless comment he made) Kakashi and Kiba had barely enough time to complete their mission while Sakura was left to attend to them. And the mission report…

Hinata's face turned a deeper shade of red.

Both she and Naruto had awoken in time to find out the mission was over, and when they got back all of them were required to explain what had happened during their mission. Every. Single. Detail. Upon the news of the… uh… groping… both Lady Tsunade and Shizune froze and laughed a little before inquiring about what had really happened. When they remained firm with their story it had left the Hokage speechless and completely stunned, an impressive feat if there ever was one.

Of course, Hinata almost fainted again when the blonde woman had asked bluntly, "Do you know how many women would have killed to be in your position at that time?"

The reason she said that being that everyone knew of the legendary Uchiha genetics that bred painfully attractive men… and women. But mainly men.

What was even worse than that was the fact that the news of an Akatsuki member groping her had somehow spread throughout the Shinobi community, making for very persistent girl talk from various Kunoichi, an enraged father, and a very angry cousin who had threatened to castrate the culprit should he ever see him. Considering it was the ever rational Neji Hyuuga who had said that, Hinata was more than a little concerned.

Beginning to feel dizzy- and not being quite sure whether or not it was just the warmth of the water she was sitting in- Hinata made her frazzled mind switch directions. Now the Hyuuga was thinking about the last words the Uchiha had said to her. You're welcome.

At the time she had recognized the familiarity of the voice and the words it said, but she had been too busy fainting- and later wondering if he was talking about saving her from her squad member's ill-timed attack or grabbing her chest region- to ponder further on it.

Now she had the opportunity to think more on it, so she did. When she had first heard the words said at the warehouse from the person who had freed her she didn't have a clue about his identity. After hearing the mission report she had heard that the Akatsuki had been in the area- Kisame Hoshigaki even brawling in front of the warehouse until he was called away by his partner- and that Itachi Uchiha had been missing up until that point.

That had been her first inkling, but she had still had her doubts. After all, why would an Akatsuki member save her? Why would he not kill her along with Goro Hetsuchi? Why would he untie her?

None of what had happened made sense, but all suspicions were confirmed when he had repeated his words. She now knew for certain that Itachi Uchiha had been the one to save her, but she still had no clue as to why. She had been trained as a Shinobi to see all possible angles and advantages to a move made by another Shinobi, but she couldn't figure out what an advantage to saving her could possibly be to a Sharingan user in the Akatsuki.

Closing her eyes Hinata just sunk lower into the water and let it soothe her bruised limbs. I've thought about this enough for the night, she thought firmly, Now I must finish bathing and go to sleep. With that thought she only leaned her head against the edge of the bath and fell into a swift slumber.

~oOo~

Itachi slipped silently through the backstreets of the surprisingly lively Leaf Village, which was lit up with lights on what would otherwise be a pitch black night with the thin sliver of moon remaining covered by heavy clouds. He was in the place of his birth for a mission from the Akatsuki. It only required him to sneak into the Hyuuga compound and steal a scroll with a few minor secrets of their Clan (Kakuzu claimed it would still gain them a lot of money in an auction), but Itachi had readily accepted the assignment for a chance to spot the Hyuuga beauty again.

But I shouldn't have, he mentally chided himself, I have already crossed too many lines where she is concerned. The worst of which, he mused, being during our last encounter. After all, who would have ever thought that he, Itachi Uchiha, would go so far as to… feel up… a girl no older than his brother?

The dark-haired Shinobi sighed softly and closed his eyes, pausing at an empty street corner before continuing to make his way closer to his destination. Upon finally reaching the Hyuuga compound, too far to be spotted by the guards posted and their special eyes, he thought back to the plan that was set up for him. There was a single opening for him to get through, one created when the guards moved by at one precise time that would occur any moment now.

With a baited breath he waited until the blind spot was available and took it, disappearing from the outside of the compound and reappearing on the inside in a sudden flash before soundlessly gliding into the building as well. He moved at a quick pace down the narrow halls, every sense alert as he made his way to the Hyuuga Clan archives (He knew its location due to being briefed about it beforehand).

He reached it with minimal effort and gained what he was after just as easily, tucking the small scroll inside of his Shinobi pouch. Normally he would have hidden it in his Akatsuki cloak, but he had opted to not wear that due to how big of a target it put on him. Instead he had chosen to wear a black shirt, pants, mesh undershirt, and sandals with his long black hair tied in a low ponytail that hung down his back.

Without waiting any longer he began to leave, and he would have, too… if not for the soft sound of humming that had finally reached his trained ears. He stopped moving and stiffened. His dark eyes slowly turned towards the door he had been passing by, hand inching closer to the handle and quietly opening it a crack so he could peer inside.

The sight that greeted him left him breathless.

Hinata was standing in the warm bath water, steam swirling around her enticingly. She still moved with grace through the liquid, which sloshed gently against her legs as she moved. Her long, navy hair cascaded over her shoulders and faintly traced the water with its tips, dampening them. As she turned her pale, amazing eyes within his range of vision he felt his heart stop for a moment.

In the Uchiha's eyes he was no longer watching a simple woman bathing; he was watching a goddess.

His dark eyes remained glued to her, unable to remove themselves from the sight before him. As he continued to stare stupidly a small, sardonic corner of his mind seemed to sigh, I guess that answers whether I'm honorable enough to look away from a bathing beauty. His derisive inner thoughts paused before adding, At the very least, this bathing beauty. Self-control is truly nothing compared to temptation of this magnitude.

He continued to watch her, barely keeping his eyes focused on her face, where her cheeks were flushed a light pink from the heat of the bath. Despite his urge to look a little lower- something any straight male would want to do- he forced himself to simply watch her ever-changing expressions as she appeared lost in thought. He soon found it to be a rather entertaining pastime as the look on her face changed from embarrassed to perplexed before finally settling on tired. As the Uchiha observed she slid further into the water- easing some of his distractions- before she leaned her head back against the edge of the bath and fell asleep.

Itachi's breath caught in his throat and he had the sudden impulse to sneak in and join her.

Wincing at the thought he repeated firmly to himself, I will not stoop so low. I will not stoop so low. I will not stoop so low. I will not…

By the fourth repetition he realized just how badly he wanted to stoop that low.

It's not like anyone would find out…

No, he hissed mentally, I will not sneak into a bath with a girl as old as my brother in the middle of the Hyuuga compound. Peeping, he cringed as he realized that was indeed what he was doing, is bad enough. If I get caught- and it's likely that I will if I keep this up- I will get killed. Slowly and painfully if the rest of the Hyuugas have anything to say about it.

He shook his head, eyes closing for a moment to once more try to puzzle through his predicament, I have, against all odds, fallen in love with this girl. I know that. But I also know that I must someday die to give my brother happiness. I can't get around that and don't deserve to after everything I've done. My mission in life isn't for my own happiness, but for his. I can never leave the Akatsuki except for in death so I can save both Sasuke and the Hidden Leaf Village. None of these goals are going to be achieved if I get caught spying on the Hyuuga heiress bathing and then get beaten to death!

Itachi's eyes darted back to the girl sleeping in the bath and his irritating illogical side practically whimpered, But I really, really want to.

The dark-haired Uchiha swallowed thickly, There must be a way around this. Some way to satisfy my need to see her as well as fulfill my duties to everything else.

The renowned genius of the Uchiha Clan came up blank.

No matter what he did there would always be risk in it. If he never looked at her again he'd still have to keep his real mission secret to the Akatsuki, and if he quit the Akatsuki in an ill-advised attempt to be with her he'd die anyway. There was no way to come safely out of this that he could see, so that left only one, irrational option that a part of him rather liked.

He'd just continue what he was doing.

If he was going to die no matter what, he might as well remain watching her, for that seemed to be the only thing that brought him any peace of mind. Besides, he rationalized, I'll only be watching over her to ensure that she- like my younger brother- finds happiness in her life… with someone other than Naruto Uzumaki. Itachi imperceptibly wrinkled his nose in distaste, The Jinchuriki simply doesn't deserve her if he's going to be foolish enough to be so completely blind to her obvious affection for him.

Glancing at the beautiful teen once more he made the quick decision to finally leave… after waking her up to make sure she didn't get sick, of course. He closed the door to the bath loud enough to wake her up with a jolt, disappearing before she even had the chance to activate her Byakugan and search for an intruder.

As Itachi hurriedly left the village he couldn't help but feel pleased with the events that had occurred that night.

AN: I'll have you all know that writing this chapter was very awkward with my sister staring at me from across the room whining about wanting me to update this.