Got nothing to say but a huge thank you to each and every one of you readers! Please enjoy this next instalment!

Also, Twoformemories, thank you for your super long reviews and keen insight of everything I write, I really love it and appreciate it!

I do not own Naruto and boy, the things I'd do if I did.

Happy Holidays to you all!

OoOoOoO

Bitterly, Sasuke looked at the bag of treats in his hand. His mother had baked them and wrapped them and given them to Sasuke to apologize to Hinata. He said he already had, but she insisted and it was hard to argue with her at that point; he had told his father about the incident and he was...less than disappointed to put it mildly. His ears were still ringing from all the yelling by the time he went to bed.

Why couldn't it be a weekend? Sasuke thought grudgingly as he trekked to school, thoughts of yesterday weighing heavily in his mind. He had gone the cemetery that morning to give the treats to her without having prying eyes all around them and someone taking the situation the wrong way but she hadn't come at all and he had to leave or he'd be late. He guessed she thought he was going to ask about how she got hurt.

She didn't seem the masochistic type, though her 'type' was a little hard to figure out from the start; he would've been pissed and told himself off after yesterday, but she barely said a word and wasn't even cold towards him (although she was a bit listless in the infirmary). He also realized why she wasn't fazed by the cut on her cheek was because of the amount she had on her body; just what was going on with her?

Sasuke barely realized when he entered the school yard and then noticed why; he wasn't surrounded by a mob. He met up with his regular friends at his locker but his usual fans weren't anywhere to be found. Not that he was complaining, he welcomed the solitude, but it was a sign of alarm.

Students all around were whispering as he walked along; he knew it, they were talking about how he went psycho and hurt a student. He was sure rumours were going to be extremely exaggerated.

Even when he got to his locker, his friends were wary of him. Sasuke just shook it off as he tuned out their idle conversation.

OoO

As Sasuke entered the classroom, careful not to look at a certain dark-haired girl, he felt himself being pushed from behind towards her and a hand coming over his head and slamming him down on her desk. Everyone in the vicinity had jumped back at the sudden surprise and Sasuke could only see Hinata from his position.

"What the hell? Who-" Sasuke started, but was cut off.

"Excuse us Hinata, but this dickless bastard wishes to apologize for his behaviour yesterday" the owner of his assailant spoke up. Sasuke frowned – it sounded like that weirdo who just sketched at the back of the class; what was his name? Sen?

His hand pushed his head into the desk harder and Sasuke groaned before saying "Ok, sorry, sorry! Now let me go!"

"I don't know, Sasuke; I'm rather enjoying this torment" said the blonde scary girl Temari.

"Hey Sai, just let him go" Naruto's defending voice spoke up.

"But he hurt Hinata, so he must suffer."

"R-really, Sai, it's alright; class will s-start soon, you should let him g-go" Hinata whispered feebly.

"He was a moron, sure" Naruto continued (Sasuke made a mental note to punch him for that and heard Temari mutter "More like psychopath") "but he apologized and it was just an accident."

"How can you say that? Look at her cheek Naruto!" Ino exclaimed.

'Calm down, I think you guys are over-reacting" Kiba said.

"No, it's you guys who aren't acting enough" Sakura shot back.

It looked like the beginnings of a war, Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, Suigetsu and Juugo on one side; Sakura, Ino, Temari, Tenten, and Sai (in spirit, since he was still holding Sasuke down) on the other side. They began to argue, shout even as they defended their respective friend. At some point, Sai had let go of Sasuke and he stepped back and was rubbing his neck, not sure what to do.

It was Hinata who stepped up to the plate though.

"STOP IT!"

Everyone turned to the normally timid girl in shock.

"Please, stop fighting" she pleaded as she wrapped her arms around herself and began to shake.

No one had time to react as the teacher came in and everyone resumed normal activity.

OoOoO

"Ow! What do you think you're doing Naruto?" Sasuke asked as he grabbed his lunch and bag before he was dragged away from his favourite lunch spot. Naruto had a firm grip on the back of his collar and it was starting to look like yesterday's dreaded gym class when he dragged Hinata forcibly to spar. (And from what he's heard, sparring was being taken off the curriculum in kendo by their teacher Gai).

"We're your friends and we think you should do this for your own good." Naruto was being vague and before long, he stopped and Sasuke swivelled around.

He was facing Hinata and her group of friends, who were staring (or glaring) at his group of friends.

"Come back for round two?" Temari asked as she stood up, Tenten joining her.

"Nope" Naruto said with an ever-present grin. "Just thought that we" he pushed Sasuke down to sit on the floor "would make friends with you all."

"Naruto, this is a stupid idea" Sasuke retorted as he started to get back up.

"For once I agree with the jerk" Tenten muttered.

Kiba pushed him back down and sat with him. "Yeah, well tough luck. We're building bridges."

Sakura started "No one's forcing you to make friends-"

"It's ok" Hinata spoke up. "I-I don't mind, a-as long as no o-one starts fighting again."

In silence, everyone sat down, wary of each other, picking at their food. Sasuke had glanced at the hand he had held yesterday, wondering if the arm was still wounded. She suddenly pulled down her sleeve even farther and he realized he'd been staring so he shifted his gaze to his food.

Then Naruto groaned "Aww, chicken tortilla again?"

Suigetsu looked into his lunch box. "Dude, just ask your mom to make something different. Or better yet, make something yourself."

"But I suck at cooking. Besides," Naruto shuttered, "she gets scary whenever I try to ask."

"You don't like chicken tortilla?" Sakura asked incredulously. Naruto looked up at her.

"It's alright, but I've had it for so long now…"

"In all the years I've known you, I had no idea you could get sick of a food; even non-ramen food."

A heavy silence breezed through before a snort disrupted it all.

Once again, it was in utter shock that everyone turns to Hinata as she began to laugh, covering her mouth and even spraying food, apologizing over and over again.

"I-I…don't know…why…I'm…laughing" she managed to breathe between fits. "I-I'm so…sorry…I'll stop…I will…"

But she couldn't supress it. And it wasn't long until the sight and sound became infectious.

Not able to hold it in any longer, Suigetsu began to laugh, squirting his juice through his nose; although most found it disgusting, Temari began to laugh herself.

The sight of the three was too much for Ino, Naruto, and Kiba and soon Sakura, Tenten, Sai, Juugo; even Shikamaru began to join in.

Sasuke, who had just been looking at his food and avoiding glares, just looked around in wonder at the messy laughing faces.

The guys would even have tears forming in the corners of their eyes, the girls' hair stuck to their faces.

Turning to the one who started it all, he saw…someone who was happy; someone who was happy and made others happy.

He saw a person who looked absolutely ridiculously happy.

And he felt it.

A snort bubble at the base of his throat and escape through his nose as the infectious girl spread the virus, and soon Sasuke was laughing.

He was laughing.

He was laughing because it was ridiculous and stupid and foolish.

He was laughing like he hadn't done so in years.

He was laughing to make up for those years.

He looked up and caught the eyes of one who started it all.

It looked like she was making up for some lost laughter too.

OoO

They had laughed nearly straight through lunch; whenever the majority managed to stop, teasing or even just a glance at the wrong person would start up the whole uproar again.

No one had finished their lunch.

OoOoO

"God dammit" Sasuke muttered as he slammed his fist into the gym locker.

"What's up?" Naruto asked as he slipped on his gym shirt.

"Forgot my towel in my locker upstairs; cover for me, I'm gunna go grab it." Sasuke called as he exited the room into the hallway instead of the gym.

Sprinting through the empty corridors, he came to an abrupt halt when he reached his lockers and ran the combination numbers through his lock at lightning speed.

He grabbed for his towel and an item tumbled out of his locker. Stooping down to pick it up, Sasuke recognized the little package as the treats he still hadn't given to her. Throwing it up and catching it, he scoffed at just how girly this was. It was way too soft for someone like him to give it to her but he had to get rid of it. Maybe leaving it on her desk when cleaned the classroom, or even leaving it at the cemetery on his way home. It'll go bad but if he left a note she wouldn't ask questions. Or maybe just eat them and-

"Sasuke?"

He turned to the voice that called him and saw the same dark-haired girl as always.

"Just forgot my towel" Sasuke gestured as he held the towel up a little to show her. She nodded.

"What are you doing?" he asked her after a silent pause.

"Oh, um, Mr. Kakashi asked me to take these to the office."

"Oh." Right, she was in there for the rest of the session.

Debating with himself for half a minute, he finally said "Catch" and tossed the treats to her. She managed to lean over and have them land on the papers she was carrying, looking at the package and then him curiously.

"My mom baked them; they're an apology" Sasuke said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I…am sorry you know."

"Yeah…thanks."

Sasuke held his hand out towards her, hovering between a wave and a shake before just sticking his arm out straight. "Um…friends…I guess?"

Hinata just looked at his hand, wondering if he was going to look at her arm again or something.

"Just shake my hand! I'm gunna be late for class!" Sasuke barked, embarrassed.

Fumbling with the things in her arms, Hinata stuck her own hand forward and grasped his hand. They gave a weak shake and let go, standing there for a minute as another awkward pause filled the air.

"You haven't stuttered yet" Sasuke muttered to her.

"I-I haven't?" Hinata whispered self-conscious.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "It's not like you have to start again."

"Oh, s-sor-"

"See ya" Sasuke said before she could apologize and sprinted back to the gym. Hinata peeked into the package she got and smiled at the treats inside, closed it again and got back to her task.

OoOoOoO

I know, more fluffy that anything else! But let me explain – through all this drama, I want to keep in mind that they still are just kids and with all that angst, there has to be an "out", which was the laughing.

As for Sasuke's view of Hinata, it's really starting to change from the ghost she was before. I'll mention how she was a ghost in the first place, so please be patient.

Hinata's view of Sasuke is also beginning to change, remember with all the time they spent together, though not ideally, it was still something and I wanted there to be a friendship connection first before I reveal any history. After all, they wouldn't talk about that with a complete stranger, and barely talk to their friends about it.

So please drop in a review for this tumor and I hope you all enjoy your day!