A/N: REVISED AND UPDATED. Blame PianoCoat for this disaster. 4.10.22
This is going to be ridiculous, but I kinda like it. Maybe. Maybe not. I blame JuriDP, too.
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Liar
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Not once in his life had Sasuke considered finding himself in a situation in which he was cramped, breathless, and his face feeling distinctively flushed by the heat of his own skin. The idea of fearing narrow and tiny spaces had not once bothered to cross his mind, either.
Now though…his brain could have used a whiff of air (even if it reeked) and not this.
"Um…ne, Sasuke-san?" Her voice was very quiet, but he could hear her clearly.
Sasuke closed his eyes and prayed to whatever god was listening to spare him. He was just a teenage boy, after all, and he made mistakes, sure, but he could only take so much of this. If this was divine punishment, Sasuke wanted none of it.
"Pardon me, Sasuke-san, but…a-are you alright?"
Sasuke hesitantly opened his eyes and looked down (as much as he could) at the girl literally and figuratively glued to him. He couldn't help but think: No.
No, I'm not alright
His slightly ragged respiration was enough of an answer and Hinata nodded, her mused hair brushing against his chin.
"I-I'm so awfully sorry about this, Sasuke-san."
He huffed, though the action cost him some of the precious oxygen he desperately needed. "Why are you apologizing?" he tried to sound as disinterested as possible. "It's not like this is your fault."
And it wasn't.
She hadn't tricked him and stuffed him with her in this locker, she hadn't glued herself to his chest with some squishy but durable goo, and she hadn't locked them in the boys' locker room that stank of perspiration and dirty socks with low lights on a Friday night.
No, this was not her fault at all.
If there was someone who was as uncomfortable as him, then it had to be her. Sasuke doubted she wanted to be stuck on him in this metallic rectangle.
"You may be right, Sasuke-san, but I wish I had pre-seen this. I was careless," she confessed, concern heavily lacing her voice. "The moment I saw I was in the boys' locker room, I-I should've realized that something was wrong. Lee-kun was acting very strange." She paused. "More than usual."
Sasuke did his best to sound unbothered, though his voice broke. "Y-you were blindfolded until you got here, weren't you?" He distinctly remembered her shocked expression when the black fold was taken off.
Another awkward nod.
"Then stop worrying about it."
"B-but how can I not," she whispered, "when Sasuke-san is panicking?"
He was not panicking.
"Your heartbeat is really loud," she informed him as if he couldn't feel it trying to leave his chest himself.
Well. Damn his heart. Damn his pulse. Damn his jittery nerves. Damn this little girl for forcing him to react like this.
"Do you have claustrophobia?" she continued softly, placing her ear at a more comfortable place on his torso. "Oh! Y-your heart sped up! We must get you out of here, quickly!"
Sasuke bit his lip and decided not to mention that the only reason his cardiovascular pump behaved in such ridiculous manner was because she was present. No point in concerning her even more.
Hinata sighed and her warm breath skimmed his sensitive neck. He withheld a hiss. It was quiet for a moment, and then:
"Oh!"
Had Sasuke had room to spare, he would have jumped. As it was, he still did and hit the top of the locker with his head.
He groaned.
Hinata gasped in dismay. "O-Oh, Sasuke-san! I didn't mean to startle you – b-but listen!" she hurried, raising her left hand with some difficulty and placing it on his head as much as she could to soothe his forming bump as she spoke. "In the right-hand back pocket of my jeans is a small toolbox. M-maybe I can use something in there to unscrew the lock and get us out of here!"
Sasuke was trying to genuinely focus on what she was saying, but the fingers washing away his sharp pain were doing wonders.
He almost exhaled in pleasure. That...felt surprisingly good. Soothing.
"Sasuke-san? Sasuke-san, are you still with me?"
Of course he was not. "Tool box. Right pocket. Understood."
"Okay."
"Hn."
Silence.
Hinata blinked in puzzlement when he didn't move.
More silence.
Sasuke did his best to relax. Although he was here with her and not another girl (he preferred it that way), he couldn't help but see it as a double-edged sword. With her in his personal space, he couldn't stop his body from reacting the way it was. How could this petite girl hold so much power over him with that ridiculously little frame of hers?
It was unfathomable.
He swallow, attempting to clear the knot that made his voice unsteady.
"A-Ano, Sasuke-san?"
"What?" Ah. Would you listen to that, he was recovering his voice. About time.
"You're supposed to reach for the box?" Confusion dripped from her every word. "You know, i-in my back pocket? Since I can't do it myself…? Didn't you hear me?"
…What?
When had that conversation happened? When had he even agreed? Had he zoned out?
"I…R-right." Ah, and his voice was back to square one. Another reason to make Hinata believed he was truly claustrophobic.
How undignified.
Sasuke sighed to himself.
How had Hinata and he ended up like this?
Simple.
He had told a single lie, and Narutard and Freak Spandex Lee had taken care of the rest by "helping" him like this.
Two Days Ago
XXX
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Sasuke was many things, but he had never considered himself a liar.
That is, until now.
Usually, he was bold in voicing scathing opinions and always swift in delivering nonnegotiable facts if the occasion required it.
Although he didn't engage much in trivial conversations, that didn't mean he didn't have his own thoughts on the discussed topic; he just chose to keep those opinions to himself.
Yet, Uzumaki Naruto was one of those annoying individuals that strove to annoy him until Sasuke's self-control was but a myth. The blond bimbo had the inane ability to grit on his nerves in astounding proportions.
Which, sadly for Sasuke, was exactly what the blond was doing at the moment.
"Sasukeeeee, heeeey, Sasukeeee! Are you listening? I'm talking to yoooou."
The Uchiha had never desired to murder anyone so badly before, and he couldn't help but think that Naruto was not healthy for his state of mind.
That idiot. How had he become his best friend again?
"Sasukeeee?"
The young Uchiha sighed. Mikoto had taught him as a child that if something (more precisely, someone) ever bothered him, to ignore it, and it would eventually disappear like vapor in the air.
"Patience, Sasuke," she had said.
"Everything will be okay if you are patient," she had coached.
"This procedure cannot fail," she had assured.
Sasuke wished things were that simple. Among his endless virtues, in which 'handsome', 'skilled', and 'perfect' topped the list, patience had just never made it near the bottom of the paper.
"Tch, ignoring me again, are you?" Naruto pouted, sky-blue eyes narrowed. "Don't answer me if you don't wanna, but I know you are lying to me. You gotta be. Every time we walk past that girl–"
"I do not lie," Sasuke the I-don't-lie-I-promise lied through his recently lying-branded lips for the third (or fifth?) time that day, looking straight ahead, hands in pockets as the two of them walked down his street after school.
"Are too," Naruto counterattacked knowingly, tugging at the gray tie around his neck.
Sasuke wondered when, where, and how the knucklehead had all of the sudden become so observant. Not like he was going to ask, but still…Sasuke could use some of the oblivious Naruto right about now.
"Admit it already," the Uzumaki smirked devilish, his slitted eyes gleaming with mischief and amusement.
Sasuke was instantly on guard. That moronic expression was never a good sign for the living when the blond was involved.
"I know you like her, bastard." Had Naruto not been human, Sasuke would have sworn he had purred -and not said-- the words.
He pretended he was oblivious to what Naruto was talking about, despite feeling his own eyes look away as a form of avoidance.
He quickly feigned nonchalance.
"Who?" Bored gaze, slow walk, relaxed shoulders, and an indifferent posture.
Yes, yes, very good. There was no way he was giving himself away to this knucklehead-–
"I'm talking about Transfer Girl, of course. You know, the curvy, soft-spoken one you stare at when you think no one is watching."
–and just like that Sasuke cheeks were on fire.
He heard Naruto catch his breath soundly at the sight of his unhelpful pink (of all colors) blush. Naruto's reaction, which irritatingly enough only seemed to cause the flush to spread the longer the moron gaped, made Sasuke want to dig a hole in the earth and die.
Pathetic.
"I don't know what you're talking about," the Uchiha finally spat.
Naruto giggled like a maniacal fanboy after his shock wore off. He was without a doubt enjoying the show he had initiated.
Screw you, dobe. I hope you get kidnapped by hungry aliens soon.
Naruto, unaware of the other male's malevolent thoughts, clapped his hands together, a smug, if not maddening gleeful demeanor taking hold of his features. "You are at the defensive, Sasu-chan~."
Sasuke shot him a venomous glare that made thunder crack seemingly out of nowhere. "Shut it, idiot."
"Aw, come on," Naruto whined, skipping ahead like a hyperactive golden pony. He had brushed Sasuke's glower so easily Sasuke wondered when he'd become immune. "At least tell me you are making a move."
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Eh? Why not? She's someone I approve of. 'Sides," the blond's grin widened, "you like her, she's not your fangirl, and she cooks great. Have you tried her food? It's fantastic! Also, she comes from a good family, so I don't think your daddy is gonna say no if you ask her out. And even so-–"
Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks. "How the hell do you know all this?"
Naruto smirked and Sasuke discovered with that gesture that the blond had to be related to some sort of devil.
"Interested?" he cooed.
Sasuke's lips thinned. "Not in the slightest," he murmured and began walking again.
"Don't be like that!" Naruto called as Sasuke made a turn for his house. "You won't find someone like her again, ya know!"
Sasuke whirled around, anger pouring from his every pore. "I already said I wasn't interested. Are you deaf or just plain stupid?"
But Naruto's gaze had wandered somewhere beyond the brunet's shoulder.
The Uzumaki smiled brightly and raised his hand in greeting.
"Hey there, Transfer Girl!" he cried.
And just like that, Sasuke's face went pink with a vengeance. He turned – only to find no Hyuuga Hinata at his back.
Had he lacked self-control, he would have growled for falling into Naruto's obvious trap.
Naruto had no trouble snickering audibly behind him. "Knew it, uh-huh. Tsk, tsk, Sasuke, you have to be more honest with yourself."
"Shut. Up."
"So…does that mean you are gonna snatch her up?" Naruto continued existing and screwing with Sasuke's existence.
"I'm not snatching anyone up."
Naruto waggled his eyebrows. "But you sure would want to."
Sasuke stayed still, his back to the blond, and seriously wondered whether anyone would miss the Uzumaki if he suddenly went missing.
Naruto hummed knowingly. "Hmm, hmm, hmm, I knew you had it in you, bastard–"
But he never got to finish, for Sasuke could only hold back for so long before he ended throwing his bag right on the Naruto's face.
XXX
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Now
You might have thought getting something out of a pocket was easy…and it was, most of the time. But certainly not when sandwiched together in such a small compartment.
Sasuke cursed but stubbornly strained to fish that damn box from her backpocket. What was supposed to only take a second or two had become more than a couple of minutes; he had yet to grasp the object he was steadily growing to despise.
When Hinata had claimed it was tiny, he hadn't thought she'd actually mean it. The awkward angles of their bodies were anything but helpful as he struggled to make his arm fit in the available space.
The fact that he was trying really hard not to touch any other parts of her might have added to his frustration.
With an aggravated huff, he pulled his hand back to his side (his fingers were aching with strain) and accidentally pulled Hinata by the waist, bringing her closer to him in the already cramped space.
In his mind, he screamed.
Outwardly, though, he murmured, "My bad," and unhooked his arm as fast as humanly possible. The banging of his elbow against the metal wall made him ground his teeth.
His face, which had sported just a fading blush, started to feel hot again. He could practically hear the blood rushing to and pooling at his cheeks.
"It's o-okay," Hinata her words muffled by the fabric of his shirt.
Hm, Sasuke thought. Hinata was a very short person. She didn't even make it to his shoulders.
"Did you get it?" she asked softly.
"No," he said with evident aggravation.
Hinata attempted to hide her disappointment, but it was futile.
"Why're you carrying something like that around, anyway?" Sasuke wondered out loud, mostly to distract himself.
She chuckled. "Before I was called here by Lee-kun by some fabricated story, I was at the lab with Miss Kurenai. She was teaching me how to fix some circuits."
His brows almost touched his hairline. "Circuits?"
"Mhm, in the field of my choice, knowing how circuits work and how to fix them is necessary."
Sasuke blinked in surprise. They were in their senior year of high school and he'd never heard she was interested in such things. It surprised him.
However...
"I thought you would study for business management," he mused.
"Because of my family?" she smiled, white teeth visible in the dim light.
Ah. The Hyuugas. "Yeah."
She laughed lightly. "Everyone thought so too, but I can't stand business study. It's so…very boring," she admitted, her nose wrinkled up.
"It is," Sasuke agreed. "I don't know how my brother and father do it."
"Neither do I," she confessed. "Neji-niisan and father just soak it all in without trouble..." She then sighed happily. "But my future career is noble enough for my family, so I get to dive myself into it."
His lips twitched; her enthusiasm was contagious.
Her smile softened. "Ne, Sasuke-san?"
"Hm?"
"You sound better, no longer flustered. Your heart is steady too." She tried to look up at him. "I'm glad – Oh, your pulse is racing again!"
Sasuke screwed his eyes shut and pressed the back of his head against the metal door behind him as Hinata pressed her ear back to his left pectoral.
Her mouth formed a small O-shaped circle in wonder.
Listening to someone's heart was simply amazing.
Sasuke looked sideways as Hinata did with him as she pleased.
"I'm glad," she suddenly said.
Sasuke directed his gaze down to find Hinata's face looking up at his own.
"I-I'm glad I'm stuck here with Sasuke-san, and not a random stranger."
So he wasn't a stranger in her mind?
He opened his mouth to say something, but his words got stuck somewhere because they didn't exit his being.
Instead, silence engulfed them as their gazes stayed together.
He would be lying if he said that he didn't notice when he leaned closer and Hinata raised a bit on her tip toes. Yeah, that would have been a blatant lie because he did notice and he did not stop.
The moment he touched her mouth with his own, his body came alive. The ache of his feet for standing for so long was forgotten, his traitorous galloping heart was disregarded, and the air left in his lungs abandoned him. Electricity he didn't know existed hummed from his pointy hair down to his feet.
Carefully, he nudged his arms around her waist, and this time his arm stayed. He was ready to get into something less decent when–
"My, my, my, if that keeps up, you'll put my books to shame."
Hinata yelped against his lips. "H-Hatake-sensei!"
Sasuke swore loudly. Of all times for something like this to happen…!
Kakashi shook his head from the outside of the locker, unable to see them but very much able to hear them. "Don't stop on my account, continue with whatever passionate encounter you were having. I, in the meanwhile, will open this locker and be on my way."
The turn of a key was heard. Kakashi pulled on the handle and Sasuke, who had been pressed on the door, fell backward, Hinata right along with him.
Kakashi seemed amused at the heap of teenager goo on the floor and arched an eyebrow. "Naruto asked me to please open locker number 242 at 11:30 PM." Kakashi failed to inform that the hyperactive blond had actually blackmailed him with his stash of erotic novels, but seeing as Sasuke and Miss Hyuuga didn't need to know that…well. "He never said that I'd find something so interesting in there," he added and gave Sasuke the thumb-ups.
Had Hinata not been there, Sasuke would have killed his godfather for opening his impertinent mouth.
"Oh," Kakashi voiced as he made his way out of the boys' locker room. "The janitors will close the school in ten minutes, so if you don't want to spend the night, now is your chance."
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XXX
He never saw her again after that self-degrading experience.
Ha.
Well, Sasuke had to admit that was another lie.
In reality, he saw her the very next day: Saturday, bright and early. He was out in the park, running his usual morning laps. After his workout was done, he had taken a break and sat on a desolated park bench, a bottle of water in his hands. He was alone except for a few fellow joggers.
When a shadow fell upon his head, he stated, "No, I won't date you, go out with you, or accept your phone number."
"Jeez, aren't you charming in the morning, bastard," said an unimpressed Naruto. Sasuke almost broke his neck in his haste to look at the bane of his existence.
"You."
"Yeah, yeah, it's me alright, your good ol' pal." Sasuke's killer intent was disregarded with ease. "I'm not even going to ask you about yesterday because Transfer Girl already filled me in-–"
"Her name is Hinata," Sasuke interrupted him hotly.
Naruto didn't even bat a lash. "Anyway, as I was saying, Transfer Girl-–"
"Hinata."
"Hinata called me last night because she obviously didn't ask for your number, so she couldn't talk to you or anything."
Sasuke shook his head, trying to figure out what Naruto was saying (and ignoring the fact that the blond had her phone number and vice versa). "What are you on about?"
"What I'm about is this: she asked me how she could find you today, and I told her, so good luck, bastard. Don't screw up, either, ya hear?"
Sasuke had always prided himself on his superior mental quality, but at that moment, his mind was flipped into instant chaos.
Find him? Hinata? Good luck? Screw up? What?
"That's all I came here to say, so now I better run before she– Oh! She's here. Hey there, Transfer Girl, er, I mean, Hinata!" he called out.
Sasuke froze in his seat.
The Uzumaki turned to the Uchiha and stage-whispered, "See ya, Sasuke! You can shower me with gratitude in the form of ramen later!" and just like that, he ran in the opposite direction.
Sasuke was torn between going after Naruto to torture him for not warning him earlier or staying and facing Hinata.
Soft steps rooted him to the spot.
How...how was he going to face her? He had no idea how to act or what to say. He...he wasn't ready. What was he supposed to say to her?
'Look, Hinata. I like you and we kissed yesterday. Also, I walked you home after being released from that locker, and in the way, we spoke not a word due to the immense awkwardness. Crazy adventure, isn't it? Now, I demand for you to go out with me?'
Was that even how these sorts of things were done?
"G-good morning," her quiet voice said and Sasuke tensed. He hoped she hadn't noticed.
She now stood in front of him, her hands clasped neatly, dressed in a pretty white dress that made her hair contrast beautifully.
"Hinata," he acknowledged and could have given himself a pat on the back for sounding so dang cool. What could he say, his big brother had taught him well.
"I-I hope you don't mind –"
I don't.
" –me interrupting you – "
You aren't.
" –but I didn't have your phone number –"
You'll mysteriously find that specific piece of information in your purse soon.
" –so I had to ask Naruto-san where to find you," she finished, his thoughts unheard.
"Yes...he told me as much a while ago," he admitted, mouth dry.
"O-oh. Um, that's good..." she trailed off and Sasuke knew instantly that if he didn't pick up the conversation, this scenario would become uncomfortable far too soon.
"Is...there anything you wanted from me?" he ventured.
She played with her fingers but quickly hid her fists behind her back. "I wanted to tell you that..."
Sasuke held his breath.
"That I..."
Yes, yes, you what, Hinata?
"That I..." Her face turned cherry red. "That I-I think your cheeks are very alluring!"
He slowly raised a brow, managing to appear skeptical even with his full-out flush (curse the Uchiha fair skin) that she had caused with her sudden and unexpected outburst.
As if aware of what she had just confessed, her eyes widened gradually and the shade of ruby red began to make its way down her neck.
"I-I mean, I think your cheeks are, they are–" she babbled and voiced something in a squeaky language Sasuke could not comprehend.
"They are what?" he prompted.
Hinata swallowed thickly. "L-like strawberries," she whispered.
Strawberries?
For the first time in his life, Sasuke wondered why being compared to a fruit made him feel so elated.
"O-or sweet apples..."
He gradually blinked. "You...like strawberries and apples?"
Hinata nodded enthusiastically.
Okay, make that double elated.
"Prove it," he demanded.
Hinata blinked.
Sasuke's face twitched and his eyes widened a little.
What. The. Hell had just come out of his mouth?
"Prove...it?" she echoed dumbly.
He himself had no idea what he'd meant. Nonetheless, curious at what she would do, Sasuke said nothing and looked on expectantly.
"Prove it," she nodded decisively. "O-Okay."
Sasuke felt his face getting hotter but refused to avert his gaze.
Thank the Uchiha pride. It was finally good for something.
"Okay," she repeated and he could see the way she visibly accumulated her courage. "But c-close your eyes, please."
A second dark brow joined the first.
Hinata was now looking at everything but him.
So Sasuke cautiously did as he was told. It wasn't as if he thought Hinata would harm him, but her request was slightly odd.
Having questions but unsure if he wanted the answers, his lids slid shut.
At first, he felt nothing but the slight breeze blowing through the fields, until the warmth from Hinata's body nearing his made him sit straight. The cascade of her loose hair brushed the skin of his bare shoulders, tickling him.
Unsure of what she was planning, he frowned in uncertainty, but never once tried to peek.
Then he felt small teeth graze his right cheek – and bite softly on the warm flesh there.
His mouth parted with surprise and then...and then he was in heaven.
Oh...that felt good surprisingly good. Soothing.
If this was paradise, then he could stay like that for as long as Hinata wanted.
The moment felt endless, but it was still too short for his liking.
She pulled away and it took all of his strength not to pull her back to him. Hinata stepped back, covering her face with her hands, her fluorescent color so bright he couldn't even put a name to the bright shade.
"T-t-there!" she declared.
Her embarrassment granted him confidence. He cleared his throat to get rid of the lump there, and drawled, "Strawberries and apples, hm?"
Hinata faced the ground, disbelief at her boldness running through every single one of her veins.
"Does that mean you wished to eat me?" Sasuke chuckled, the euphoria of adrenaline dismissing his embarrassment.
A mousy squeak came from the scandalized girl. At any moment now, he expected to see smoke rising from the top of her head.
"I'll take that as a yes," he smirked, outrageous blush and all. He got to his feet and closed the distance that divided them.
Hinata prayed for the earth to crack open and swallow her whole.
Sasuke's palm on the back of her neck brought a whole other wave of heat to her cheekbones. "So. Does that mean I can kiss you again?"
She was amazed she hadn't passed out, and a little satisfied too. His question, though, made it difficult to breathe. Her hands fell away and her pearl-like eyes, wide and shocked stared back at him.
"Hm, is that a yes?"
Naruto had asked her what she liked about Sasuke last night, and as cliché as it had sounded, Hinata had said she liked the way Sasuke smiled.
It was a scarce curl at the ends of his mouth not many got to see every day and knowing that he was enjoying himself had made her slight attraction to him triple in power. The fact that he blushed when he grinned with a very unique tint of pink was a big bonus too.
If Naruto asked again, Hinata was sure she would support her previous answer. Sasuke's smile was addicting in its own way.
Her barely detectable nod was more than enough answer for him.
Without further due, he placed on her lips the kiss he'd been dying to give her last night.
He was pleased to report he was kissed the same way in return.
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A/N: I live for awkward sasuhina. Anyhow, I hoped you liked it? Where did the fruits come from? Idk, idk, idk. Haha. I published this on Tumblr (barely uploaded the other half that I finished not a minute ago). So yeah! Check me out in my blog if you haven't already. Fher43 is my user name. You can also find me in the #sasuhina tag :D
(Yes, Nightmares Ch 17's coming.)