Arguments

BAM!

The door slammed shut with a force that shook the modest Uchiha apartment. Itachi jumped in his study chair as he was shook from his thoughts. He winced as he heard cupboards slamming and random outbursts of curse words. After a few minutes of this, he groaned. There was no way he could continue concentrating with this noise. He removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing a long sigh.

There was only one person who could make Sasuke fly into a genuine rage like that. Two people, actually, counting himself, and it wasn't the orange-clad ninja. With Naruto, it was more of a continuous simmer and steam that eventually boiled off into indifference after a small fistfight. If Sasuke was left unattended, this whole building would come crashing down.

Itachi heaved himself out of his comfy chair, running his fingers through his silky hair that was left unbound. He shuffled into his slippers and made his way into the kitchen where his younger brother was going on a rampage.

"FUCK!" Sasuke seethed, throwing his ANBU gear off one by one onto the kitchen table. A glass of water was knocked over in the process, landing onto the tile with a crash. His dark eyes threatened to change into a deadly red as he raised his fist, poised to punch the wall in front of him.

"Sasuke." Itachi's deep voice warned. Sasuke's wild eyes shot up to meet his brother's patient ones. Itachi was leaning against the wall connecting the family room and the hallway to their rooms, glasses perched on top of his head. "Doushita?"

Sasuke was silent as he fumed, lowering his arm. He straightened himself to his full height, taking a deep breath slowly, knowing full well that if he let his temper get the best of him, he would suffer the consequences directly from his older brother.

"Hinata?"

The younger brother stiffened at the name, but he sighed and nodded once. He hung his head, ruffling his hair in frustration. "That girl—!"

Itachi exhaled slowly before making his way to the table and sliding into one of its chairs, knowing that Sasuke was getting ready to vent. His brother had a sort of scary way of being possessive and protective over the Hyuuga heiress. Neji did too, but he handled it a little more coolly. Hell, Itachi himself could act the same way at times, so he couldn't blame his brother. She had been the only girl in their lives who mattered, besides their mother. And after their mother's death, she still was.

But Itachi couldn't understand why those two had so many arguments with each other. Maybe it was because they were closer in age. They spent a lot of time together. Whenever Hinata got into a disagreement with Itachi, she was often terrified of him, scared more of his silence than Sasuke's rage. But with Sasuke, she could be equally stubborn, matching both the volume of his voice and the fury in his eyes. They fought often, stood up for each other whenever they needed it, and above all, loved each other—always.

So it was understandable that Sasuke was having his tantrum. No one pissed him off more than the people he loved the most.

"What is she thinking going on an S-ranked mission into Cloud territory? CLOUD territory? With her Hyuuga eyes? To the same country that kidnapped her? Alliance or not, that won't stop some bastards from going after her." Itachi could almost see the sparks of electricity shooting out from the hairs on his brother's head as he paced in the kitchen. "And she fucking left without telling me! I had to strangle the dobe to get so much as a location for their mission."

"She knew you'd try to stop her," Itachi said flatly, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. He put his chin on his fist, a lazy loll in his posture.

"I could have went with her! It would have been fine. She always asks me to go with her, especially when I have no missions for the next month. But she chooses Nara and Inuzuka?" Sasuke banged his fist on the table, causing Itachi give his brother an irritated look.

"You don't know what qualifications the hokage had for this particular mission, Sasuke," Itachi said calmly. "Kiba is her teammate. They trust each other and they've been on countless missions together. Shikamaru is one of her closest friends, too."

Sasuke's eyes flashed red again. "I don't understand how, that lazy bastard. I don't know how Hinata wants to be around him."

"What do you expect?" Itachi rose from his chair, ready to push past his brother back towards his room. "She spent most of her time growing up at Kurenai's. Shikamaru spent his time under Asuma. And now, they both help take care of their child." He sighed. "Stop being a jealous, spoiled brat."

His younger brother flew up, ready to punch his brother in the face, before he was stopped by two fingers to the forehead. "Itai!" he growled, pouting the same way he had when he was a child.

"Hinata can take of herself, foolish little brother." Itachi leaned over his brother, red glinting his own eyes in warning. "You trying to protect her by not letting her do anything is insulting. She gets that enough from her family. You should know better, out of all people."

There was a long pause as Sasuke sulked. "She didn't even say bye," he muttered after while, a hurt expression on his face and his anger forgotten. Itachi smiled as he walked away, glancing back to catch Sasuke put his head in his arms.

That boy had odd ways of showing love.

A soft knock sounded at the door three weeks later. Itachi opened the door to the very source of the gloom and tension that had been hanging over his and his brother's apartment.

"Itachi-nii," she greeted warmly, smiling that bright smile the Uchiha brothers loved so much. A knot in his stomach that he didn't realize he had unraveled and he relaxed. He could tell that she had just come back from her mission and given her report, since she was dressed in a simple Hyuuga standard shirt and dark, long pants instead of her jounin vest. Her damp hair and familiar sweet smell of cinnamon told him that she had already bathed, and he was touched that she made an effort to come straight to their apartment.

"Hinata." Itachi smiled back. "Okaeri." He opened the door wide to let her inside. "How was your mission?"

Hinata wandered in the apartment, setting a paper bag on the table and made her way to the couch. "It was good. Tiring. Easy." She yawned and stretched before plopping gracefully onto the cushions. "I brought onigiri." She pinkened as she looked up expectantly at Itachi, her eyes beckoning him to sit next to her.

"Arigatou," Itachi said simply, obliging to her request as he sank down onto the couch and rested the length of his arm on the back of the couch.

Hinata drew closer to his side and snuggled into his chest, breathing in his scent. "It's good to be home," she sighed contently. Automatically, Itachi brought his hand to her shiny hair and ran his fingers through her it before he even realized it. It was probably after all years when she was a genin and would come to him crying after killing someone on her mission. Or when her father had embarrassed her in front of her clan. It was the only way she would stop crying and fall asleep.

After a few minutes of silence, Itachi said, "You fought with Sasuke before you left."

He felt the heiress freeze. "A-aa." Itachi could almost imagine her brow wrinkle and lips turn down. "He was being mean."

Itachi's mind wandered as Hinata leaned against him, slowly drifting off to sleep.. She rarely lost her temper except to Sasuke, when he was being too protective. He knew she hated arguing. He knew it hurt her when Sasuke tried to shelter her all the time, even though he knew she was almost as strong as he was. Everyone else hardly believed in her, and one of the people she thought trusted her abilities had doubted her. Itachi could only imagine how much it stung.

Their silence was interrupted as the door slammed open. Hinata jumped as it banged close, cringing deeper into Itachi's chest as she felt Sasuke's smothering chakra.

"You're back," he said tonelessly, although the way his eyes flickered quickly betrayed his worry and relief. Itachi sensed that he had all but sprinted back from training when he heard that Hinata was back from her mission.

"Ah—tadaima," she said almost incomprehensibly. Hinata lowered her eyes from his gaze.

"Okaeri," Sasuke mumbled, sinking down on the couch next to them. He studied her for a few seconds as she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

His eyes narrowed as he took in her appearance. "You're hurt," he accused, catching one of her arms swiftly and inspecting it with his sharp eyes.

"J-just a scratch!" she snatched her arm away and almost slapping Itachi in the process.

"Your arm is covered in bruises and cuts," he said angrily. "You think I can't see?" His voice was rising at the same rate as his temper. "I can smell the blood on you, Hinata."

"It doesn't hurt," Hinata insisted, backing away from Sasuke into Itachi's side.

Itachi sighed his signature sigh. How many years did he have to deal with their bickering? Always the peacemaker, always the shoulder to cry on, the mediator. He loved them both so much, but their way of showing they loved each other was often frustrating. Sasuke almost smothered them with his love, the way he pushed his way into their business everytime he was concerned.

Sasuke jumped up from the couch. "You never take care of yourself!"

Hinata followed him, drawing herself up to try to meet his height. "Sasuke, I'm not a child! I am a jounin, just like you!"

"Then put yourself first for once!" he spat. "Stop doing so much for other people! That's the reason why you get hurt all the time!"

"You're saying I'm weak," she accused, her voice shaking as tears started forming in her eyes. Hinata never backed down from her stance, although her fists were quivering from rage.

"Oh please, don't cry." Sasuke growled sarcastically.

"Don't fight with her, Sasuke." Itachi had gotten off the couch, standing in between them, much like he had when they were younger and they got into one of their arguments.

Hinata trembled, hiding behind Itachi's arm. "I don't need you to worry about me all the time, Sasuke!" Her white eyes flashed.

'I don't even know why I bother or try." Sasuke shot back. "I even don't know why I care." He crossed his arms.

His words hurt and they all knew it. Sasuke was one of the few who actually did care for Hinata's well-being and always had. Hinata's little hands curled into tight fists and her lips quivered.

"I'm leaving!" she warned, stepping away from Itachi and right back up to Sasuke.

"Yeah, leave. Go to Shikamaru." Sasuke sneered.

Hinata drew her fist back and punched Sasuke in the face.

It was hard telling who was more surprised, herself or the Uchiha brothers. She had never, ever raised a hand against anyone, other than in a spar. She had never, ever hit Sasuke. No matter how much of a brat he was being.

A stunned Sasuke stared at a horrified Hinata. He lifted his hand to his nose, catching the little trickle of blood that started running down his mouth.

"That fist was definitely not gentle." Itachi remarked awkwardly, snorting into his arm as he took in his brother's appearance.

There was a moment of silence before the three burst out into peals of laughter.

Hinata collapsed into Sasuke's arms. "Gomene, Sasuke," she whispered, burying her face into his shirt.

"No, Im sorry," Sasuke muttered back, albeit begrudgingly. "I never meant what I said." His arms tightened around her as he nestled his face in her hair. He breathed in and closed his eyes, feeling better at once.

"Can't you just say you're worried and you can't stand when you're not around Hinata?" Itachi deadpanned, before his lips turned up in a teasing grin. They all knew Sasuke's anger was just a display of his fear of losing someone again.

"Shut up, nii-san." Sasuke tried to avoid Hinata's curious face gazing up at him.

He leaned his forehead onto hers, their signature sign of saying "I'm sorry, forgive me," and "I forgive you" or "I missed you" or "I love you" and "I know." Itachi had first seen it when they were kids.

Itachi shook his head, smiling exasperatedly at the pair. He shuffled towards the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, "If you don't hurry up, Sasuke, I'm going to eat all the onigiri. Save your griping until after Hinata has rested." He reached into the brown paper bag. "She doesn't need to babysit another brat," he said under his breath, only slightly teasing.

Sasuke's head shot up and he scowled. "I heard that!"

Hinata suppressed a giggle, putting her delicate fingers over her lips. She danced away from Sasuke into the kitchen, winking at the forlorn-looking teenager saying, "I don't mind, Itachi-nii!" She threw her arms over Itachi, who was now lounging at the table munching contentedly. "He's my favorite brat, anyway."

"You know, sometimes I think you two are more difficult to deal with than Naruto," Sasuke muttered, after following the pair into the kitchen.

"We know," Itachi and Hinata deadpanned in response, looking at each other knowingly and sharing a chuckle and a giggle afterwards.

Sasuke snatched the paper bag away from his brother and quickly stuffed one of its contents into Hinata's mouth. He snorted at the sight of the dainty heiress, her eyes wide with surprise, as he claimed the chair closest to his brother. "Baka."

"I don't know how you don't hate him, Hinata," Itachi choked, hiding his laugh at the doe-eyed girl, mouth full of onigiri, who had narrowed her eyes in Sasuke's direction.

She took the onigiri out of her mouth and stuck her tongue out at him, another habit she had picked up years ago, and received a similar gesture in response. She laughed and settled comfortably on Itachi's lap, borrowing Itachi's signature move and learning forward to flick Sasuke in the forehead. "Because I love him." The subject of her statement relaxed as he reached up to catch her hand, keeping it in his own.

The older Uchiha snaked an arm around her waist. "Welcome home, hime," he murmured, reveling with the two in the peaceful moment and saying the words that have been running though his and his brother's minds. "It's never the same without you."