Itachi had to resist the urge to grab her hands. As a rule, people didn't touch his hair. When he felt hands on his hair, normally someone was trying to get a strong enough hold to yank. Itachi made himself still, slightly disturbed that his reaction, which should have been instantaneous when she touched him, had been slow enough to stop. Itachi tried to push the tension out of his body.

The sensation of Ashiko's fingers through his hair sent chills down his spine. It wasn't comforting, as when Shisui was persuaded into helping Itachi with his hair, but it wasn't really alarming either. It was a curiously sharp awareness of Ashiko's hands and even her body behind him. All the things she could to, standing behind him to close to his neck with his hair in her hands, melted away before he could really contemplate them.

It had to be a conditioned reaction to someone brushing his hair, because he could feel himself relaxing.