Hello all! If you're new to my writing, welcome! If you're not, I'm super sorry! I sat down to write the next chapter of Qualities, and my fingers typed this (The first three chapters of this, to be exact). I didn't fight it because: A- I finally had time to sit down and write and I didn't want to unproductively stare at the screen and mull over Qualities. B- I wanted to write Itachi cause he's a challenge, like Sai and Neji. C- I think this pairing is odd, but super cute! Also, first go at a non-humorous story!

Important Notes: This is non-mass, and it may be AU-ish in other fashions from time to time. In other words, I'm not going to stress over making everything just right. It's already non canon so I'm just going to let it flow. If I change things around, it will be minor and to fit my plans. The characters may be slightly different due to different events taking place (For instance, Sasuke has parents because it's non-mass, so naturally his character is altered slightly), but nothing seriously OOC if I can help it. Also, I write because it's fun and a break from more stressful activities, so I'm not going to toil over what sort of political changes would take place if there wasn't a massacre, I'm just making it non-mass because I'm too lazy to write around Itachi's death. YAY! Also, for those of you who will whine about Hinata's character, please give her a chance, I'm not going to make her a whiny, useless little girl, but she is still Hinata. She will still get nervous easily with intimidating people and stammer or turn red, etc. But she will come into her own with Itachi, it's just gonna take some time. Oh, also, I started out by doing some japanese (Otou-sama, etc) but then I decided it was alot of trouble to look them up and make sure I was using them properly, so I'll just say father, or brother. Occasionaly, if it's exceptionally fitting, or sounds better, I might use some. If I use an honorific it's because I felt it was important to express the relationship there, or if it fits the character (Like Naruto saying Hinata-chan).

Okay, you can read now! Enjoy!

Contrived Flaws

Ch 1: The News

It was a funny thing, how she never noticed.

She never put the pieces of the puzzle together. In fact, she didn't even recognize that there was a puzzle. She thought it was pure coincidence, or perhaps luck. She might've even been inclined to jump on the bandwagon with Neji and say it was fate.

But never, ever did she think it was on purpose. Never did she imagine it was planned.

It had happened since she exited the academy and began going on missions. In the oddest of places, at the most opportune times, he would show up. He would come and go in the blink of an eye, but he was there. Deflecting a kunai she might've otherwise missed or incapacitating an enemy she couldn't otherwise have defeated. He had saved her life on a few occasions, and yes, she thought it odd, but never did she think it was deliberate. Never did she imagine he had gone out of his way.

What she failed to realize was that nothing was accidental about Uchiha Itachi.

Hyuuga Hinata's eighteenth birthday was not met with fanfare or celebration. It was not met with surprises or presents. It was not met with well-wishes and compliments. It was simply another day. Ordinary, like any other.

Except for one, small thing.

"Hiashi-sama wishes to speak with you." Hinata's normal breakfast routine was interrupted, causing her to drop her glass of water. It crashed soundlessly to the plush carpet, depositing its contents only after it had landed. The heiress squeaked in a rather unbecoming manner, as she often did.

"My apologies Hinata-sama, I did not mean to startle you," the servant apologized and bowed, though she was used to her antics, "I will clean this up immediately."

"Oh, th-that's alright. Thank you," Hinata muttered before rising - in a rather ungraceful manner - to her feet and dashing out of the dining area.

To say she was nervous would be a gross understatement. Hinata was not often called into her father's presence with such formality. In fact, she was not often called into her father's presence at all. He would sometimes venture to her when she was sitting in the garden and question her regarding her training or the like, but it was a rare occurrence. He was not by any means the ideal father.

She timidly approached the door to his office and poked her head inside, "Father," she greeted him with her customary bow.

"Hinata," he motioned toward a chair opposite his desk, "Please, sit."

She padded inside cautiously, as if something was going to jump out and attack her. The office was, in a word, ostentatious. It was dark, and imposing, with rich cherry wood walls and a matching desk, all with intricate patterns tireless carved into them. The matching wooden floor was largely covered by an ornate rug - navy, with patterns in dark green and black running throughout. The only relief from the overall dark, oppressive nature, were the ivory curtains - a perfect match to the Hyuuga eyes - draping long and carefree, from the high ceiling.

The heiress sat down gingerly in the tall chair - with it's decorative golden legs, and rich purple seat -her toes barely brushing the floor. She did her best to sit up straight and proper, and folded her hands together neatly in her lap, lest she nervously fidget with them.

"You are eighteen today," he stated the obvious, but with a tone that made one feel as if they were hearing some new and marvelous news.

Hinata simply nodded. Her father often began conversations with such self-evident information before revealing more significant news.

"An infinitely important day," he continued, piercing her with his ivory orbs. The heiress swallowed hard, and wished her anxiousness was not so blatantly obvious to her father. One should not feel as though they are under the microscope, being interrogated, evaluated, when speaking with their father. "I am not one for extraneous words, so I will move to the point. The great clans, such as ourselves, are always at war with one another. We are threatened by the power of other clans, as they are threatened by us. This often leads to war and massacre. Few know of it, but several years ago, there was an uprising within the Uchiha clan that almost led to such a situation. It was decided then, in an effort to equalize power and bring peace among ourselves, that the Uchiha heir would marry the Hyuuga heiress when she came of age."

Hinata blinked, forcing her mind to digest the information. She is the Hyuuga heiress and… Oh Kami, it's her eighteenth birthday. "M-me?" she blurted out, recognizing her mistake a moment too late.

Hiashi leaned back in his chair and gave her a look of derision, "You are familiar with the Uchiha heir?"

"S-sasuke?" she willed herself to stop stuttering, but her nerves were clearly running the show.

Poorly concealed irritation leaked from the Hyuuga elder, "Uchiha Sasuke is not the heir to the clan," he spoke as if such a thought was ludicrous, "It is Itachi."

The heiress swallowed again as she tried desperately to scan her brain. Itachi…Itachi. Itachi! Of course, how could she have forgotten Itachi! She blamed the nausea and light headedness that was pervading her senses.

The realization was clearly evident to her father who began nodding slowly, "You know of him," he stated matter-of-factly, "Good. You will be meeting with him later today to discuss the wedding." He turned his chair away from her slightly, taking his gaze off of her for the first time since she entered the room. "That is all," he stated with such finality that Hinata could not find it in her to protest, but instead dumbly stood up and exited the room.

The remainder of the day was fraught with nervous pacing and hand wringing. She was told she would have to cancel her plans to celebrate with her friends, in favor of being prepared to meet her future husband. Not exactly how the heiress imagined she would be spending her birthday.

She found she was treated like a child's doll the rest of the day. She was bathed, groomed, dressed, posed this was and that, without once referencing her will or opinion. She was simply the plaything of her father, who instructed the servants on how to prepare her for the momentous occasion. Not one of them expressed empathy or remorse over her situation. Not one commented on her sweaty palms or incessant twitching. They simply performed their jobs without undue conversation - exactly how Hiashi liked them. And exactly how Hinata hated them.

"My hair is a bit short for styling," she forced a nervous laugh - which sounded more like a sob - to the woman who was currently fussing with her hair.

"Hyuuga-sama insists you look your best," she responded in a stilted tone, before resetting her mouth into a thin line of concentration.

Hinata chewed on the inside of her lower lip. She had already been forced to sit on her hands, lest she mess up her perfectly manicured fingernails by pressing, and chewing, and fidgeting. It was all she could to do hold back the tears.

The servant frowned as she brushed her hair over and over, experimentally holding it this way and that, before ultimately deciding there was nothing to be done with it. She finished by clipping a small, decorative butterfly on the left side of her hair, before declaring she was done.

The heiress was then dressed in a formal kimono. It was of the lightest lavender color and had tiny butterflies embroidered in ivory, along the edge of the sleeves and bottom. Hinata thought it was breathtakingly beautiful, but it was marred by the simple reason she was wearing it. As she appraised herself in the mirror she felt the barely contained anxiety creeping back in. It brought it's close friends - nausea and dizziness - along with it.

Before she could say, "Excuse me, I need to go empty the contents of my stomach," she was ushered out of her room and down to the large meeting room in which her fate lay, or rather, sat. She found that while her mind was screaming protests, and perhaps even a few profanities, she was calmly allowing herself to be led along the lengthy corridors of the Hyuuga compound, looking for all the world a willing participant.

As she entered the room, neither of the Uchiha's - Itachi, or his father - bothered acknowledging her presence. Itachi was seated directly in her line of sight, on a large couch, with his father to his left. The both of them were sitting rigid and proper, as was Hiashi, as if they were all trying to outdo the other. Fugaku was chatting idly with her father as he absent-mindedly sipped his tea. Meanwhile, Itachi was staring, unmoving, at a small jade statue of a horse across the room. His face was devoid of expression, as it often was. None the less, he looked as if he hadn't possibly been subjected to the same treatment she had. Still, his hair was neatly bound, with the shorter pieces falling lazily over his headband and into his eyes. He was wearing standard black ninja pants, with a long sleeved black shirt, and no vest. He was not at all dressed up, but despite this, he still managed to look regal and imposing.

Hinata knew well of Uchiha Itachi, everyone did. He was a genius, a prodigy. His abilities phenomenal. His detachment legendary. His piercing gaze could strike fear into the hearts of the bravest of shinobi, while his looks could melt even the strongest of women into a helpless puddle of admiration.

The heiress was both a shinobi and a young woman, and as the Uchiha heir's gaze snapped up to meet hers, she felt the fear stab into her heart even as she admired his beauty. The flood of emotions was so sudden and intense that Hinata's body was literally torn between fleeing the room and being utterly paralyzed to the spot. In the end, she made an awkward half-step toward the door before freezing at the sound of her name.

"Hinata, I am pleased you decided to join us," It was her father, and at his words all attention shifted to her, as she stood, still in her state of attempted escape. She immediately flushed a bright and unbecoming red.

Itachi looked away with tempered annoyance, settling his gaze once again on the jade statue.

"Come, sit," her father ordered as he motioned for her to sit beside him, and across from her future husband. She toddled awkwardly over, silently praying she wouldn't trip, or fall, or do anything mortifyingly embarrassing. She succeeded in reaching the couch, but failed miserably at her attempt to ease gracefully into her seat, and instead settled with a startling plop.

"Please excuse my son's appearance," Fugaku started, evidently speaking to her, "His mission was delayed considerably."

Hinata, who had not yet spoken for fear of stuttering, simply nodded, hoping that would suffice for the time being. She felt her face and neck burning with a fiery intensity, and resisted the urge to press a cool hand to her cheek.

"Uchiha-sama and I have some business to discuss. Please excuse us," Hiashi spoke to both her and Itachi, before they swiftly exited the room, the large door sounding off and echoing in the vast expanse of ceiling.

The heiress twitched nervously as Itachi continued to stare at the horse statue. "Y-you l-like th-… like that?" she strained to get her words out clearly, but failed magnificently and ended up turning a deeper shade of red. She briefly wondered if dying of embarrassment was possible. If so, she hoped it happened soon. Itachi said nothing in response, and continued to stare, unblinking. "The st-statue," she clarified, wondering why on earth she was continuing to speak.

Just when she was sure he was going to continue blatantly ignoring her, he tore his eyes from the statue and gazed at her intensely, "We are to be wed for the sake of our clans. Compatibility is not a requirement, nor is conversing. Your efforts are in vain."

Hinata swallowed roughly and wished he would look back at the horse, or anything but her. His eyes were igniting fear and anxiety like a flame ignited gasoline. The remains of her composure was going up in flames. Meanwhile he simply stared at her, looking perfectly at ease, if not a little bored.

"I-I…I know," she managed to squeak out, before her self-control broke and she pressed both of her palms to her cheeks. The coolness quickly evaporated, leaving her hands warm and her face still burning.

Itachi looked away, as if the sight of her was much to disgusting for his regal eyes to behold.

"You d-don't want t-to?" she questioned. She simply couldn't stand the silence, and a part of her was begging to know: Did he hate this just as much as she did?

"Want is a luxury. I do what is necessary for my clan."

She took that as a no. "S-sasuke-kun is closer to my age, wh-why not him?"

His eyes snapped to meet hers again, causing her to gasp quietly, "You would be more pleased with my foolish little brother as your husband?"

"N-no!" she blurted out, much too loudly, "I-I was just… w-wondering."

"There are many reasons," he replied, letting his gaze wander around the room again, "None of which you are required to know." He reached forward to grab his tea for the first time, his slender, gloveless fingers grasping the handle, and sipped it quietly before continuing to speak, much to Hianta's surprise, "You are desperate to please your father in any way. He knows this and is certain he will have your cooperation. I am willing to make the necessary sacrifices for the sake of my clan," he set his tea down on the small table, managing to do so without making a single noise, "It is the ideal situation."

Ideal situation! Hinata briefly wondered if he was insane or simply brainwashed. The logic behind his statement rung true, but the helplessness of her situation was starting to overcome her. It was real. He was real. And he was going to be her husband whether she liked it or not.

"Y-you knew about… about t-this?" she forced the words out, hoping the intense focus would quell her thoughts for now.

"Of course. I was informed when the deal was made."

"You… w-when was that?"

"I was thirteen, you were eight," he said casually as he crossed one leg over the other. He cocked his head slightly and met her gaze again, his coal-black orbs piercing her snow-white ones, "You did not?"

She shook her head vigorously, "I-I just found out th-this morning."

Astonishment briefly flickered across the Uchiha's face, but it was quickly schooled into his usual blank expression, "It hardly matters."

Hinata felt anger swell within her. It broke through her barriers of anxiety and fear, respect and self preservation. "Of course it matters!" she screeched, leaning forward in her seat, "I should have been told before! It's… It's too much!" she buried her heated face into her hands as her body rocked with long overdue sobs. The tears were hot and moist in her hands as a multitude of emotions washed over her. The sadness she had held back, the fear, the crushing reality of the situation. The embarrassment that she was crying in front of her future husband. The worry that her father would scold her for yelling at the Uchiha heir. The mortification that she was still the sobbing, stuttering, useless little girl she was when she was seventeen, when she was seven.

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly to stop the flood of tears. She knew better, she should've waited, she should've held it a little longer. She messily wiped her eyes, the sleeves of her kimono showing the telltale signs of dampness. When she glanced up at Itachi, he was back to gazing at his horse statue, as if there wasn't a girl - his future wife - crying her heart out a mere meter away.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry," she sniffled, but the Uchiha continued to ignore her.

When their fathers returned, some twenty minutes later, Hinata was infinitely more composed than she had been before. The heat in her face had died down to a simple pink tinge. The puffiness - evidence of her tears - had evaporated. The dampness of her kimono long dried as she sat, like Itachi, staring into space.

"I trust you are getting along well," Hiashi was the first to speak.

"Perfectly," Itachi answered, meeting her fathers gaze with his own, unwavering one.

Hinata made a mental note that he was an excellent liar before shifting her mind to more pressing matters. Like praying her father wouldn't ask her the same question. She was not so gifted at telling untruths.

Luckily, he didn't, as he probably suspected the Uchiha was lying anyhow.

"Then it's settled," Fugaku spoke up this time, "You will be wed one week from tomorrow."

Hinata choked on an intake of air. A week? Didn't they need time to plan or… realize their mistake? The surprise was evident on her face as she sat there, dumbfounded and shocked into submission.

Itachi seemed unpurterbed as he smoothly, and ever so gracefully stood up, "Until then."

In the privacy of her room - after maintaining her composure through her father's lecture about the wedding, most of which went in one ear and out the other, and enduring the ritual that was, undressing - she was finally able to be her self, her true self. And what her true self wanted to do was wallow in self-pity.

Just as she was about to drown in it, a knock sounded at the door. Hinata froze from her position face down on her bed, crying with the intensity of one whose life has been changed with a few small words.

"I know you're in there, I can see you," came an annoyed voice.

The Hyuuga heiress dragged herself up and swung the door open, "Hanabi, you know how father feels about you using the Byakugan in the compound," she sniffled pathetically between words.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, feigning innocence as her eyes were back to normal. She clasped her hands behind her back and rolled back and forth on the balls of her feet, "Can I come in, dear sister?"

Hinata left the door open in reply and returned to her prone position on the bed.

Shutting the door quietly behind her, Hanabi spoke, "I heard what happened."

The older sister sniffled and wiped her eyes in vain as she attempted to appear more composed than she was.

She failed spectacularly. "I know you're upset," her younger sister continued, "but look on the bright side."

Hinata sat up and grabbed a pillow, hugging it to her chest, "What?"

"Itachi-san is gorgeous!" Hanabi squealed, flopping on the end of her sister's bed.

The older sister's lips twitched slightly as she picked at a loose thread on the pillow, "He's okay."

"Are you kidding? Every girl in Konoha would die to go out with him. I mean, sure, he's kind of… quiet, but have you seen him?" She sighed and stared up at the ceiling as if reliving some moment in time. "Plus, he's like a total badass ANBU captain!"

ANBU identities were supposed to be a secret, but some of them, you just knew. Take Kakashi for example, silver hair. You'd have to be thick not to notice. And Itachi, well, he was kind of famous.

"I guess," Hinata said, looking rather lackluster about the whole thing. Clearly she wasn't convinced.

"What I'm saying is," Hanabi continued, as she brandished a fingernail file from seemingly nowhere and began filing away at her nails, "It could be worse. At least it's not like… someone ugly."

Hyuuga Hanabi was still at the fangirling age, where she thought she knew everything about love and boys, and where looks were, by and far, the most important aspect in a potential boyfriend. And every self-respecting fangirl in Konoha had a crush on Uchiha Itachi, that's just the way it was.

Hinata nodded, more to herself than her sister, "Maybe it won't be so bad."

Thanks for reading! Review if you'd like!

...Next Chapter...

"The Gossip"