Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any aspect of it, it all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

A Brush of Sweetness

The smell of fresh lavender and lilac made the Uchiha's lips curve into another rare smile, it was intoxicating, invigorating, and he felt a sort of warmth against his body.

He wanted to bask in the warmth, his eyes opened, looked up, and his body stiffened. His arms were wrapped, tightly around the small frame of the Hyuuga heiress, he had slept with his face buried in the crook of her neck.

But, never had he clung to someone like this before, it was almost desperate the way he held her. Hinata's chest rose and fell with a steady motion, her face was peaceful, angelic. The Uchiha moved one of his arms, careful not to wake her, and caressed her cheek with his thumb.

She knew everything about him, about his dark past, about his screwed up family.

What she thought about him mattered. He didn't care what others thought, Naruto, Sakura, anyone of them.

Only her.

And seeing her in his clothes made a sort of lustful desire arise in him. Sure, he had seen women in his clothes before, but hadn't bothered him so, at least until Hinata came along.

He cursed to himself, and went to push himself away from her.

This was not helping his morning wood.

However, she reached out hand, grabbing his arm, and pulled him back against her. He heard her murmur, "Cold."

The act of boldness caught him off guard, she was never that way with him, consciously, he found it to be kind of hot. Sasuke chuckled, obeying his pale goddess like girlfriend, and pulled the covers on her.

He could get used to something like this, an unfathomable expression came across his face as he came to this realization.

So, what did this mean? Obviously, it meant that dating the Hyuuga heiress was turning into something much deeper, but Sasuke wasn't quite sure how to react to it.

How to recognize his own feelings for her.

He was not in tune with them, many thought Uchihas didn't experience emotions, but they did, very deeply.

It is just they push them aside.

Either way, Sasuke did admit that Hinata was addicting, and he was addicted to her.

He stared off in the distance, he wasn't sure for how long, but Hinata's eyes fluttered open. She blinked twice, their eyes met, and then hers widened.

"A-ano, s-sorry!" She shouted, embarrassed. She moved away from him as if he had burned her, and she covered her face with a free hand. "Y-you're half-naked."

"Most men sleep like that Hinata." Sasuke said with a sigh as a devious smirk played on his lips. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I d-did." She kept looking down to avoid staring at his chiseled scarred upper torso, and the Uchiha scowled.

"You know if looking at me bothers you so." He reached over a hand, tugging at the collar of his shirt on her, and Hinata gasped. "You could just give me my shirt back."

He placed both of his hands on her shoulders, pushing her back down on the bed, and climbed on top of her.

Hinata's face turned ten shades of red, but he continued. "Or we can share the shirt together, it is after all really big on you."

"N-no, I-I'm fine now." Hinata managed to get out, flustered.

"Oh, really?" He asked, velvety. "I heard you say you were cold in your sleep." The Hyuuga heiress was rendered speechless, and she bit her lower lip.

"Sorry." She apologized once more. The Uchiha clicked his tongue.

"Stop apologizing, Hinata." He said, slightly exasperated. "If your cold just tell me, I will warm you." He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers, and she reached up a hand. It stopped in mid-air, Sasuke hymned, throatily, and her hand rested on his cheek.

He opened her mouth, invading it with his tongue, and she sighed. He broke the kiss, trailing his lips down the column of her throat, and to her clavicle where he began to suck on the flesh.

XXXX

The room started to spin for Hinata, she closed her eyes for a moment, and ran her hands through his hair.

She tried to keep herself from melting underneath him.

When his hand rested on her belly, her eyes shot open. She couldn't let this go any further! And Hinata rested her hand on top of his, stopping him.

"Sasuke." She managed to get out. He stopped, looking at her, and she shook her head. "I, I mean, we c-can't do t-this."

There was a silence exchanged between the two, he chuckled, and his last comment caught her off guard. "I didn't know you wanted to get with me so badly, hime, I was just trying to warm you up."

Hinata nearly fainted, covering her face, and he rolled off of her. She tried to get off the bed, but fell due to her own clumsiness, and the situation.

She heard him laugh the whole time as she ran to the bathroom to recover.

Sasuke knew just what he was doing to her.

XXXX

The Uchiha changed into a pair of clean clothes as the Hyuuga heiress took refuge in his bathroom, and she finally came out after what seemed like hours.

He cocked an eyebrow. "You alright, hime?"

"Y-yes." Her cheeks flushed red. "Ano... d-do you mind if I-I wear your clothes out, and return them b-back to you."

"I don't care." Sasuke said with a shrug. "They will probably smell better anyways after being on you. I like your perfume, and whatever you wash your hair with."

"R-really?" He saw a glimmer of elation come across her face as if what he said meant the world to her.

She was so cute.

"I-I mean, I'm glad."

"You should spend the night again soon." The Uchiha said, opening up his bedroom door.

"Un. I really e-enjoyed it." She walked out, but before she did, Hinata turned around. "I-I would really like f-for you to come to dinner."

"Tonight?"

"I-I have to g-give you back your clothes, and um….i-it can be j-just the two of us…" Sasuke held up his hand to stop her.

"Whatever you want."

"Okay." Hinata smiled. "H-how does seven sound?"

"Fine."

Before, she left, what she did next, Sasuke didn't expect. She stood on her feet, giving him a quick peck on the lips, and nearly rushed out of his and Naruto's home before he could even react.

Sasuke hissed, brushing his bangs over his face to hide the slight pink color coming to his cheeks.

XXXX

She was excited to have Sasuke over for dinner. It was much different from the picnic they had in the park.

Hinata wanted to make it special for them. She changed out of Sasuke's clothes into something else, and threw them in the washer.

She figured that she had better go to the store. The store was merely three blocks away from her home, she contemplated what to make as she entered it, but passing through the meat department gave her an idea.

Gyudon and yakitori. It was perfect. She picked out the best looking chicken, and beef.

Then, she gathered up some vegetables, and chai tea. The rice was the last thing on the list.

Hinata walked down the aisle where the rice was, she scanned the shelves for a particular bag of rice, and spotted it. The bag of rice was on the top, she pursed her lips, and stood on her tip toes. Her slender fingers grazed the bag, this was a time where she wished she was a little taller. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw an arm come over her, and she turned her head.

She jumped, Itachi looked back at her with a plain expression, and grabbed the bag of rice.

"You should ask for help." Itachi stated. Hinata turned red in embarrassment, and looked down at her feet. Her eyes flicked to his own buggy of groceries.

She wasn't quite sure what to say after all, he did catch her looking through the window during his and Sasuke's spat.

He probably thought she was too nosy for her own good.

She didn't anticipate seeing him at the grocery store.

Itachi placed the bag in her cart, and she bit her lower lip.

"Thank you." Itachi nodded. "Ano... a-about the o-other day I did-

Itachi held up his hand, stopping her mid-sentence. "I don't dwell on such things..." A gentle smile settled on his lips." I didn't get your name."

"Hinata." She could tell Itachi and Sasuke resembled each other in a number of ways.

"I am sure you know who I am."

"I d-do." Itachi's smile fell into an intense expression.

"Do you know?" He asked, curiously. Hinata looked at him shocked, his dark eyes seemed to pierce right through her. She smoothed out her dress.

"Yes." There was a silence exchanged between the two.

"I'm surprised he told you. You must be very important to him." That made Hinata smile. ""I'm glad he found someone to call important." He didn't seem so bad Hinata then, why would he do such a thing?

"How is he doing?" Itachi asked, concerned.

"G-good..." She didn't want to add more kindle to the flame so to say if he found out Sasuke was upset after their conformation.

"You don't have to be so modest, I know that my interaction with him has shaken him up quite a bit."

Why didn't Sasuke make amends with Itachi? It seemed his brother really cared for him.

Hinata bit the inside of her cheek. "I don't u-understand why d-did you..." She stopped mid-sentence, and met Itachi's eyes, shyly." I'm sorry t-that was too forward of me to a-ask such a question."

"No, it's fine." Itachi said. "It is about time I tell someone the reasoning's behind my actions. I have been trying to seek the right moment that I could tell Sasuke, but his resentment towards me has prevented me from doing so. Have you finished your shopping?"

Hinata nodded. "Y-yes."

"We'll pay for our stuff, and I will tell you on our way out." Itachi informed.

"Un." Hinata paid for her groceries, and was followed by Itachi out.

"Maybe if you know, you can get through to Sasuke, and let us make amends." Itachi stated as they walked to her car. "He is the only family that I have left."

"You t-think I can do it?" Hinata asked, baffled. Itachi gave her another gentle smile.

"Call it an Uchiha's intuition." Once they finished loading her groceries in her car, Itachi turned to her, and his face became serious.

"I have carried the weight of that night for a long time even to this day." Hinata couldn't believe that Sasuke's brother would confidant in her, she detested to see family fight.

She had her share of family quarrels, she reflected back on her relationship with Neji, and how he loathed her when they were preteens.

"I told Sasuke that I killed our parents because I did."

"But, they f-found you i-innocent." Itachi's face turned grim.

"Be as that may be, I am far from innocent. I allowed our parents to be killed, allowed my little brother to grow up without the touch of his mother." Hinata's lips parted, slightly.

Itachi continued. "I am the older brother, I am supposed to protect them. I should have gotten to the house sooner, and I should have been able to save our parents. I should have killed those who invaded our home."

"You don't mean…"

"I do. I blame myself for the death of our parents that is why I told him I killed them because I did I allowed them to die. It is my fault that they died that night."

Hinata shook her head. "You cannot think that way, Itachi. What h-happened was beyond your c-control."

"Uchiha men and women are in control of everything just like the Hyuuga. There is no room for excuses."

Hinata couldn't believe his reasoning, it was… selfless, to allow himself to be ostracized like that. "I will do my best to c-convince him to make a-amends, he needs to know."

Itachi nodded. "Thank you, Hyuuga. I am indebted to you."

After her encounter with Itachi, she made her way home, and started on dinner.

When it was finished, she put on a special dress, and waited.

The ticking moments made Hinata fumbled with the hem of her ivory lace blush colored dress, she was nervous as to how Sasuke would respond back to her bring up Itachi, and how the two brothers should make amends.

It made her stomach twist in knots, and she nearly jumped when a knock came at her door. She took a deep breath.

She had to do this for Sasuke because she cared about him, deeply. Hinata got up, opening up the door, and Sasuke looked her up and down.

"I like the dress." He snaked an arm around her waist, and she smiled, shyly.

"I-I hope you like gyudon and y-yakitori." She said as he walked into the kitchen, holding her close.

"As long as you make it, home." Sasuke sat down at the table, he saw his folded up clothes on the couch, and smirked. She poured him a cup of chai tea, and portioned out the food.

The Uchiha noticed that Hinata seemed bothered by something, he could see through her kind façade, and he grabbed her wrist across the table. "What's wrong?"

Hinata stared at him, shocked for a moment, his eyes bore into hers, and she interlaced their fingers.

"A-ano... today when I was picking u-up ingredients for o-our dinner, I-I met someone." Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he pursed his lips.

She proceeded on. "I-I met... your brother, Itachi." The Uchiha's blood ran cold, there was a heavy air placed in the kitchen, and his jaw clenched. He tightened his grip on her hand.

"What?" He seethed. She saw an irate expression come across his face. "Did he do something to you? Did he hurt you? Did he say something to you? I swore I was going to kill him, but now he has gone too far."

Hinata watched Sasuke begin to ramble, spatting curses, and she tried to sooth him, but he was obstinate.

Finally, the Hyuuga heiress slipped her hand out of his, and placed both of them on the side of his face.

He stopped.

"He did not hurt me." She assured. "He was a-actually quite kind." Sasuke looked at her, intently. Itachi, kindness, those were words that the Uchiha was unacquainted with.

She leaned her forehead against his forehead, and Sasuke scrutinized her. He could tell that she had dwelled on this for a long time.

"He told me…why he d-did what he did that night."

Now, Sasuke didn't know what to say.

"A-and, I think you should make amends w-with Itachi. I mean I know you don't understand why he did what he did, but if you give him a c-chance then, he will tell you. Please don't be offended. I really hate to see f-family fight, I have had my share of it. I don't want that for you. I-

"Hinata." The Uchiha breathed. His stoic demeanor had broken, and the way he looked at her took Hinata's breath away. A whirlwind of emotions. "He put you up to this didn't he?"

"H-he really wants you back as h-his brother."

"I don't care what he wants." He replied, curtly.

"I did-" He cut her off.

"What do you want?" Hinata grimaced, perplexed.

"W-what?"

"Do you truly want me to make amends with my brother?" Hinata nodded.

"I do." Sasuke sucked in his teeth, he was not going to like this one bit. But, Hinata had a point, he had been carrying around this weight for a long time, and needed to get it off his chest.

"I'll do it." Sasuke stated. She looked at him, baffled, and the Uchiha leaned in, bring his mouth close to hers. "But, you have to do a favor for me."

"Y-yes."

"Don't ever torment yourself because of me again. I don't like the way you look because of it."

"I p-promise."

"No promises are empty swear it."

"I swear." He gave her another kiss before she saw him wince, and his head fell.

"S-Sasuke, w-what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just… hungry." Her face when he said that was definitely a picture perfect moment.

XXXX

After dinner with Hinata, Sasuke called Itachi on the phone.

"We need to talk." He stated.

"Indeed. We do. I will give you the address of the home, I'm staying at." The Uchiha wrote it down as his brother informed him, and he headed over to his residence. Itachi's temporary home was elaborate, the biggest one of the block, and Sasuke parked his car into the driveway.

However, he didn't get out of it, immediately. He wasn't sure about this. Sasuke eyed the front door of the home, wary, and he almost considering turning back around.

But, that would make him a coward, and he was none of the sort. He took in a deep breath, and got out of the car.

He didn't even need to knock before the door opened up, and the two Uchiha brothers stared at each other, silently. Itachi then stepped aside, and beckoned to the inside of the home.

"Come in."

What came afterwards, Sasuke could have never anticipated. They sat down, and Itachi told him everything, about that night, and why he did what he did to Sasuke.

It was something Sasuke needed to hear.

Sasuke stared at a plant in the corner of their room, remaining silent, and Itachi got up. "You are strong, little brother." He placed a hand on his shoulder, Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut, and for the first time in years.

He hugged his brother back, whispering lowly. "I missed you." The rest of the time was spent with the Uchiha brothers catching up on lost time.

"So, Hinata is your girlfriend huh?" Itachi smirked. Sasuke's eyes flickered away from his older brother.

"Yeah, she is."

"I would have expected more than that response." Itachi said as his arms folded across his chest. Sasuke ran his hands through his hair, sighing.

"It goes much deeper than a girlfriend I think." Itachi raised his eyebrows.

"You think?"

"Look." Sasuke said, firmly. "I'm not good at this kind of thing, but I came here because of her. I will do things only for her. I desire her alone. I hate to see her sad. I….." His voice trailed off.

"You what?" Itachi pressed, fully aware of where this was going.

"I think I'm falling in love with her, no scratch that, I know I'm falling in love with her."

Please review the story, I would greatly appreciate it, and I hope you all enjoyed it as there will be more to come- TheValkyrieGladiator