For the record, I have no qualm with canon pairings; I just have a thing for writing non-canon. It was really only a matter of time before I crossed into SasuHina fics. Just a fun oneshot for the road.

Edited: 2/20
The response to this pairing was impressive! Turning this into a oneshot collection - hope you enjoy!

The Golden Ratio

In mathematics, two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. Symbolized by φ, the golden ratio appears many times in art, geometry, architecture, and even nature.

It started their junior year abroad.

They both decided to go to the same university for a year – him for architecture, her for psychiatry - and had applied to the same dorm.

Unfortunately, admissions had made a typo, and decided Ino was a male name, not a female one.

That was how Ino Yamanaka and Sasuke Uchiha had become roommates.

It had actually worked out rather well for the two of them. Ino was amazingly beautiful and brilliant – but most people saw the first and ignored the second. The guys floor adopted her, and she had the novel experience of being treated like person who happened to be a girl, as well as not worrying about lounging in yoga pants when she felt like it.

Sasuke was also amazingly beautiful and brilliant, and preternaturally attractive to the opposite sex, perhaps because of his aloof nature. Ino was apparently immune to his charms, so he had the comfort of spending time with an intelligent and uninterested roommate. It was a novel experience for him to get to know a female with no alternative motives, who actually had the guts to put him in his place now and again.

They became best friends.

Therefore, when Sasuke had decided to everyone's shock to leave the huge and successful architecture group to strike out on his own, (and in a completely different city, where he had no professional connections) Ino had been the first to support him.

"Stay with me," she insisted. "My place is more than big enough, and to date, you are still the only roommate I can stand."

Considering:
1) he didn't know how long it would take him to build his business and client base
2) he basically knew no one and was trying to break into an insanely competitive market
3) Ino was also the only roommate he'd ever been able to stand,

Sasuke agreed.

He stumbled into the kitchen one morning half a year into their arrangment, and poured himself a cup of coffee – black, hot, bitter, and just how he liked it.

"Well, you look like shit," Ino declared from the breakfast bar, leaning her chin in her hand. "What time did you get in?"

He glared at her and she just raised her eyebrows.

"I'll wait," she flicked a glance to the coffee, and then returned to scanning her magazine while she finished her breakfast.

They had a longstanding, time-honored rule about not speaking before coffee. Ino didn't really drink coffee much anymore, but she still made a pot for Sasuke – something of which he was acutely aware as he swallowed the rest of his first cup and poured his second.

"Around four," he finally managed, his voice a husky, early morning grumble. (Something Ino used to tease him about, which might partly be why they didn't speak in the mornings.)

"Still working on the proposal, huh?"

"No."

"No?" she quirked an eyebrow.

A slow, smug smile slid across his lips.

"I finished it."

"Sasuke, that's great!" she brightened immediately. "When do you have to get it in?"

"Already sent it. Got an email this morning around seven saying it had been received."

"Bet that's a load off of your mind," she leaned back in her chair. "So what will you do today?"

"Nothing."

"That doesn't work for me," Ino studied her nails. "Come to with me to the shop and help me fill an order. Then we can grab lunch."

"Ino, no."

"Sasuke, yes," she stood and brought her dishes to the sink. "If you stay here, you're just going to obsess about the proposal. You need a solid twenty-four hours of distraction, or you'll be a wreck all week. And don't even try and tell me you'll catch up on sleep. You won't. Go shower and change; we leave in half-an hour. We'll have an easy day, and tomorrow we'll hit the gym, hard."

"Fine," Sasuke muttered – which was as close as he ever got to saying she was right.

Ino took his empty cup and shooed him from the kitchen. "Don't wear anything fancy," she called. "You're going to be playing in the dirt!"

Yamanaka Hana was a Konoha establishment. Ino's parents still ran it, but Ino liked keeping a hand in, and relished her Saturdays there as much needed therapy. Sasuke had gone with her to the shop multiple times, as well as to the greenhouses, on and off site. He would never admit that he enjoyed the time spent there, for fear Ino would drag him along every week.

By the time they were finishing, he felt much calmer than he had when they arrived. Ino had been right; he needed the distraction.

Ino looked over her checklist and mused.

"Going to need a few more things," she made quick notes in her sure, neat hand.

"Those are herbs," he noticed, looking over her shoulder. "Why do you need those?"

"Scents," she corrected, not looking up from her list. "We are selling a limited botanical line of products. A friend of mine makes them, and they are really nice. I think the line could really take off, if she is up for it."

"Do you have plans and ambitions for everyone?"

"Only the people I care about," she finished and pocketed her list. She glanced at the clock. "Let's wash up. We can walk down to the shop, drop off the list, and go to lunch."

"Shop?" Sasuke began to untie his apron. "Which shop?"

"Dragon and Phoenix."

"No, Ino."

"Yes, Sasuke."

The storefront was general enough, and most people that walked in commented on how neat and professional Dragon and Phoenix looked.

Not what one expected from a tattoo parlor.

When Sasuke moved to Konoha about six months ago, he'd taken a liking to one of Ino's friends. She was open, honest, playful, kicked his ass at darts, liked good beer but worked out, and had pierced dimples.

He hadn't known that could be a turn-on.

He also hadn't known about her very serious boyfriend, who had clearly noticed Sasuke's interest, even if she didn't.

That was Sasuke's first introduction to Neji Hyūga.

Owner of half of Dragon and Phoenix.

The other owner was at the welcome desk, talking with the young woman that managed their appointments.

"What does the rest of the afternoon look like?"

"Pretty open. Kiba is coming by for a touch up at three," Moegi read off of the screen, "and we've got a new client coming in for a memorial tattoo after that."

"I've got a consult coming in at two," Tenten checked her phone and then put it away. "If I'm behind, tell Kiba I'll be right with him."

Moegi nodded, as Tenten glanced up to see them.

"Hey, guys," she grinned broadly. "Stopping by for some ink?"

"Not this time," Ino chuckled. "Is Hinata working?"

"Oh, sure, she's here," Tenten reached for the phone on the desk. "So is Sai, in case you were wondering."

Ino flushed as Tenten punched in an in-house code.

"Hey, 'Nata. Mind coming to the front desk? Ino's here." She listened for a few beats and then plopped the phone back on the receiver. "She'll be right out."

"Thanks, Ten. Everything good with you?"

"Can't complain," she shrugged. "Been busy, though. Feels like ages since we saw you guys. You up for drinks later this week?"

"Absolutely."

"How about you, Sasuke? I haven't had a good dart game in a while."

"Possibly," he shrugged, hands in his pockets. "Depends on work."

"I get that," she nodded in understanding as she checked the time. "Yikes, I'd better get to the autoclave. Guess that pre-med background came in handy after all," she winked, and then went back to the shop.

Moegi went back to her work, and Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at Ino.

"What, you didn't know she was pre-med? Bet it would blow your mind to know Neji has a law degree."

"He does?"

Ino paused, listening as Tenten's voice drifted back to them, clearly as part of a conversation. "That'll be Hinata. She's the nicest person I know and beyond shy, so be nice."

Sasuke was about to ask why in the world Ino felt the need to warn him when the woman in question rounded the corner.

He immediately recognized the same pale, striking eyes of Neji Huyga. But where Neji's were more gray and infinitely critical, these were pale lavender, and curiously kind.

"Ino," the woman spoke and moved in gentleness, "how are you?"

"Fine," she grinned. "Great, actually. I'm all but sold out of your stuff!" she handed Hinata the list. "Can we restock?"

Hinata looked over the list.

"I have most of all of these already made," she nodded. "I was going to start my next batch after work."

"Well, whatever you've got, we'll take. I can't keep that lavender lotion in stock," she admitted. "And what do you put in that lip balm? Unicorn tears?"

"Close," Hinata gave a small smile. "I can drop everything by after I get off of work here."

"That would be great," Ino beamed. "Didn't I tell you she was great?"

It took Sasuke a second to realize Ino was speaking with him.

"Hn."

"Where are my manners?" Ino looked between them. "Sasuke, my good friend, Hinata Hyūga. Hinata, my best guy-friend and current roommate, Sasuke Uchiha."

"Nice to meet you," Hinata nodded her head.

Sasuke looked her over.

"You don't look like you do tattoos."

Hinata colored prettily.

"I-I don't. I do the henna," she held up her decorated hand.

"And the acupuncture," Ino added. "Hinata is something of a homeopathic guru. Sorry. Sasuke kind of sucks around people."

"Hinata? I need more of that sealing ointment – do we have any …" Neji stopped in the lobby and looked them over, his eyes hardening when he spotted Sasuke.

"Ino. Uchiha." He nodded to each of them.

"Hey, Neji," Ino said easily. "Just bugging Hinata for more of her stuff. We're almost sold out!"

"I'm not surprised," he gave what probably passed for a smile in his world, if Hinata's pleased look was anything to go by. "The ointment?"

"I'll get it," she nodded. "See you later tonight, Ino," she gave a small wave, and then disappeared into the shop.

Neji raked his eyes over them.

"Sai will be off in an hour," he said glancing at the clock. "I've got to be getting back to work."

"We were just leaving," Ino shrugged. "Thanks, Neji!"

Ino led them out of the shop, but Sasuke felt two eyes on the back of his neck even after the door closed behind them.

"Hinata is his cousin," Ino explained without preamble. "Their dads were identical twins, so I guess technically they are half siblings – but either way they are close."

"She doesn't seem anything like him," Sasuke tossed a brief glance over his shoulder to the shop.

"Hinata is her own person," Ino agreed. "She's a hell of a lot tougher than she looks."

"I'm sure for a hippie henna-painting-flower-child she's downright frightening."

"Some guy tried to pick her up a month or so ago, and just wasn't taking no for an answer. I heard that he made up some story about being jumped by a huge dude and his five closest friends to explain the bruises."

Sasuke stopped, and crossed his arms.

"Hinata. That tiny thing that looked like she'd faint if she saw a spider."

"Way tougher than she looks," Ino nodded.

She resumed the walk back to the shop with Sasuke in tow, something smug and triumphant curving her lips.

Ino left Sasuke at the counter while she ran a few deliveries. Sasuke didn't mind helping with them usually, but he'd do just about anything to avoid certain customers, and Mrs. Shijimi was pretty near the top of that list.

"Fine, coward," Ino grabbed the keys to the smaller of the vans. "Mind the counter."

Confident that no one would bother with the shop on a Saturday evening, Sasuke did just that.

The cheerful ring of the bell alerted him to a customer, and he did his best not to scowl at whoever had just walked in.

"Ino? Sorry I'm later than I thought I'd be. There was a last minute customer that wanted a Fibonacci…oh…"

Hinata stopped abruptly, just shy of the counter, a too-large-for-her box cradled in her arms.

"S-Sasuke, right?" she tried for a smile, her eyes darting around nervously. "Where's Ino?"

"Making a few deliveries," he looked the box over. "Need a hand?"

"Hm? Oh, no – I can manage. I'll just put these in the workroom like usual."

She hurried past him, and he easily caught up in two strides, pushing the door open and letting her by. Hinata went directly to one of the worktables and slid the box onto the surface. Glass jars clinked together lightly, even as she checked Ino's list with the inventory she brought over.

"I have most of what she asked for," she put the list on the counter. "I'll make the rest this weekend and bring it over by Tuesday."

"A Fibonacci what?"

Hinata's wide, innocent eyes crinkled in confusion.

"Pardon?"

"You said you had a customer that wanted a Fibonacci something. A Fibonacci what?"

"Oh…Oh!" understanding washed over Hinata's features. "She wanted a henna tattoo based on the Fibonacci sequence."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow.

"She wanted a bunch of numbers tattooed on herself?"

"No," Hinata laughed lightly, reaching into her bag for her sketchpad. She set it on the table between them and began to flick through the pages. "There are plenty of designs based on the Fibonacci sequence – you can find it all over nature, from flowers to fractals. Here," she stopped at a design, tucking a long strand of indigo hair behind her ear. "This is one of the basic designs."

Sasuke recognized the simplified gridded out chambered nautilus – it was a standard issue image in anyone studying mathematical patterns, and a concept every architect understood. He turned through the pages, pleasantly surprised to see the patterns become more and more detailed, and rendered with increasing care and precision.

"The mandalas are some of my favorite," she admitted, following his progress through her sketchbook. "The repetition of the pattern and the gentle design appeals to me."

"Hn," he nodded, finding he agreed. "Which did you do today?"

"I did three," she pulled her phone out and flicked to an image. "One girl got a stylized sunflower, of sorts, and the other got a hybrid nautilus, geometry lesson, and the last one was a lotus mandala – that one was for Tenten. Sort of an inside joke."

"Why do you know about Fibonacci?"

"I was a biochemistry major," she admitted. "I decided against pharmacy, and took over making my family's remedies and maintaining our gardens. The math still fascinates me, though," she shrugged, and then pinked. "Sorry. That was more than what you asked."

"I know it from architecture," he ignored her apology (which was Sasuke for 'don't mention it'). "You can't get through your first-year lectures without hearing about the golden ratio ad nauseum."

"Sounds like resonance in O. Chem," she gave a small grin.

Sasuke closed the book and handed it to her. "Do you have any tattoos?"

She considered his question as she tucked the book in her well-worn, clearly loved bag.

"No, surprisingly."

"Why not?"

"It's just not something I've done," she fiddled with the clasp on her bag. "I don't have an objection to it, really, but you have to love something to want it to be a part of you forever. I guess I never felt that way about anything. How about you?"

"No."

"At least not anymore," he thought of the one that he'd had removed several years ago, and that he had not missed even once.

"You look like a traditionalist," she weighted him with a practiced eye. "Tenten knows how to do the ones using bamboo as well as the usual ones. I think you'd like her style better than Neji's."

"What about Sai?" he asked, deciding it was better for everyone involved if he never had Tenten's hands on his body.

"He does some lovely work that looks just like paintings," she pulled her phone back out. "But he is a bit of a chameleon – he can do just about anything. He's taken some of my designs and done them. Lots of our customers want to try the tattoo in henna before getting the real thing."

"So you can copy the others work as well?"

"To an extent," she allowed.

"You do acupuncture. Does that mean you do the piercings?"

"Oh, no" she balked, eyes wide and skin pale (er). "That…that just isn't my thing. That's Tenten's department."

"What's the difference," he snorted. "One needle, one pierce, versus lots of needles and lots of piercings."

"Mine is a healing technique, and I can do it with little to no pain," she muttered. "I've yet to hear anyone say that about a nipple piercing."

Sasuke's lips twitched in amusement, and she did the one thing he didn't expect her to.

She giggled.

It was a light, airy, silvery sound, and it soon bubbled into something a little more confident- a little more assured.

"Sorry," she tried to school her features into their normal serene arrangement.

"I'd like to see more of your work."

She blinked twice, clearly trying to decide if he was being serous, or if he was teasing her.

"Did you do that," he nodded to her hand.

"Yes," she extended her arm, pushing up her sleeve. Sasuke studied the design repeating on her fingers and palm, as well as up her arm. She had single flower on the back of her other hand, and a bracelet of ink that looked like lace.

"You are ambidextrous."

"Yes."

"Hm," He traced a finger down the trail winding around her wrist, studying the intricate geometry.

Something sizzled under his fingertip, and she jolted her arm away.

"I'd better get back if I want to get a start on these remedies," she apologized as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder. "Tell Ino to contact me if there are any problems."

"I don't see a car in front. Did you park in back?"

"Tenten dropped me off. I'll walk back."

"No you won't," Sasuke strode out of the workroom and to the front of the store.

"It's not far," Hinata trailed after him. "I'll be fine."

"How long have you known Ino?"

"Ino?" she furrowed her brow. "For a while now."

"Mm. And do you know her well?"

"I…I suppose so," she watched him latch both sides of the door and lock it before turning the sign to 'Closed.' (And he noticed she hadn't stammered; she had simply paused to consider her response.)

"Then you know that if she finds I let you walk home in the dark alone, I'll never hear the end of it."

"It's not that dark."

He flicked off the lights went to the backroom, leaving Hinata to follow at will.

He had his keys in his pocket and had sent Ino a quick text by the time she had caught up.

"This really isn't necessary," she followed, trying to change his mind.

Which meant he was absolutely not going to change his mind.

He set the security code and held the back door open for her, as she stepped past him.

"I'll drive you," he said before she could start down the sidewalk.

"Sasuke, this really isn't-"

He opened the passenger door for her and raised one, expectant eyebrow.

She crossed her arms.

"Are you always this stubborn?"

"Are you?"

"I asked first."

"Yes. Yes I am."

She held her chin tilted at a defiant angle for a moment longer.

"Hinata." His voice was even, but perhaps a bit warmer than it had been. "Get in the car. Please."

There were several moments where she did nothing but study him with those great, pale eyes of hers.

Then, she gave one, small, satisfied nod, and climbed into the car.

Sasuke closed the door behind her, and circled to the driver's side with the barest hint of a smirk on his lips, and a strange sense of anticipation under his skin.

He decided it would be interesting to get to know Hinata better, and resolved to do so.

Starting tonight.

A car sitting parked across the street waited until he had gone by to turn their lights back on and follow.

"What did I tell you?" Ino took her phone back and turned off the security camera feed.

"Okay, okay, I admit – that went surprisingly well. But are you sure about this?" Tenten discreetly followed Sasuke as he drove to Hinata's apartment. "Because if Neji finds out you are trying to set his cousin up with Sasuke Uchiha, he's going to hit the roof."

"And that's why you are here," Ino tucked her phone away. "Also, I believe you owe me five bucks."

"Hinata picked a hell of a time to stop fainting," Tenten muttered, handing Ino the money. "I was sure Sasuke would scare the snot out of her. Unless he tried to hurt her, then I was sure she'd literally kill him."

"I should be more worried since I know you were using 'literally' correctly," Ino's grin was sharp, "but I know Sasuke better than just about anyone. He and Hinata would be perfect together. And once they are together, Neji can be a little less anal-retentive about her."

"Good luck with that," Tenten scoffed. "Let's start with 'making sure Hinata doesn't pass out around the guy,' and move on from there."

"I bet he walks her up to the apartment."

"Ino," Tenten warned.

"What?" Ino blinked innocently. "He's a gentleman. Why wouldn't he walk her to her door?"

When Sasuke got out of the a car and followed Hinata inside, Tenten groaned while Ino grinned.

"It'll be fine," Ino waved Tenten's concerns aside. "Stop worrying."

Mentally, she congratulated herself on her best set-up to date (second, only to Neji and Tenten, not that either of them new she'd had a hand in their getting together) and was pleased she'd finally found the perfect match for her best friend.

Even if he didn't know it yet.

I love the idea of Sasuke and Ino being really good friends.