Strangled by the Red String

Chapter Three

Six weeks earlier…

The heat of the afternoon sun was cut in half when the shades were pulled down, but Sasuke still kept an electric fan going on his desk. The artificial breeze fluttered and bent pages of their summer homework, but not strong enough to do any damage. Hinata took a sip of water before turning back to the chocolate ice cream stick, socks and guest slippers abandoned on the floor in front of her seat in the desk chair. Unable to stand sweets, especially under such oppressive heat, Sasuke sucked and chomped ice cubes.

Yet, he couldn't help but feel a touch envious at hearing the euphoric little sighs from a girl indulging in frozen chocolate.

Leaning back on his bed, pillows cushioning the fall; Sasuke fished into the cup for another piece of ice.

"Sasuke…"

"Hm?" he hummed listlessly because even though he was born in the summer months Sasuke always felt lethargic when the temperature spiked.

Turning in her chair, opal-colored eyes looking at the young boy, Hinata spoke up about something weighing heavily on her mind.

"How long do I have to wait to hear from Naruto-kun?"

He crunched ice too hard, biting his tongue in the process. Sasuke recovered but not without a wince and sucking on his tongue to ease the sting. With a swallow Sasuke asked, "He still hasn't called you back after that date?"

Hinata shook her head. And Sasuke felt like pounding a certain Yakuza-wannabe idiot because no one had the right to make her look so heartbroken.

"I thought at first, well…it's a rule or something not to call right away after the first date. But…one day turned into two, then a week and now…I don't know."

Her shoulders slumped in defeat then Hinata tucked a strand of indigo hair behind her right ear, "Maybe this is his way of letting me down gently."

"Then he's a coward" Sasuke said bluntly. "If I went out on a date with you, I wouldn't give a damn about the 'don't call after a first date' rule." The boy stopped short of getting himself into unknown territory. Then changed the subject, "…and who said there are 'rules' to dating anyway?"

When Hinata shrugged, Sasuke rolled his eyes and wrote off this fictitious rule as yet another 'girl thing' Ino and Sakura were feeding her. It sounded like a load of bullshit to Sasuke. Why wait to tell someone your feelings?

'Yes…why wait?' Sasuke asked himself with a glance to Hinata as she put the remains of her ice cream treat in a bowl and turned to face the fan. She looked flushed and sweaty, hardly the 'dream girl' then again who could look like a movie star in this kind of weather…

"If he doesn't call two weeks from now"

Hinata turned her head back to face him. Sasuke suddenly felt like downing the whole cup of ice just to occupy his wayward mouth, not believing he was even thinking about being the rebound.

Still, she looked at him expectantly. Waiting. She was always kept waiting, always the patient one. So Sasuke told himself this wasn't about him. This was about Hinata, because she deserved to have someone romance her, rather than some idiot who went on one date and forgot about her.

This wasn't about his feelings at all. It was about her.

"We can…go out or something."

Hinata blinked, "But…we do go out already."

Sasuke wanted to toss an ice cube her way as punishment for being too dim. But lost the heart for it halfway through, 'Too hot' he thought before flicking the ice into his open mouth instead.

Once he swallowed, Sasuke tried again, "I mean like a couple."

She waited a beat. For a moment there was hope as comprehension started to dawn, then with a few words Hinata brought it all crashing down.

"No. It would never work" Hinata said with a slow head shake. "Besides, I couldn't use you to make Naruto-kun jealous. It wouldn't be right."

Sasuke worried the bite-spot on his tongue before countering, "I never said anything about doing it to make him jealous. I meant we could go out just because we'd want to."

Closing her text book, Hinata looked to him "Sasuke, I'm glad that you want to help make me feel better, but I don't think you dating me out of pity would work either. It might hurt our friendship in the end…actually."

'Do I have to spell it out to you?' Sasuke thought with a moody glare Hinata missed seeing as she turned back to face the desk.

He tried to think of ways to angle in, without sounding desperate or actually spitting out a request for Hinata to become his girlfriend; however within the hour their study session was over.

"I have to pick up Hanabi-chan from swim class" Hinata began as she put away papers and books and pulled on her socks.

Sasuke uttered a grunt from his lounging spot on the bed, homework done and portable game device in his hands.

"I'll rinse this out before I go" she said, meaning the bowl in her hands.

"Don't bother, I'll get it later."

"Oh…thank you" Hinata said. She lingered in the room after putting the bowl back on the desk. Something felt wrong…ever since Sasuke brought up the possibility of them 'dating' he seemed to go into shut down mode.

Bag shrugged on her right shoulder, Hinata walked over to the bed, sinking to her knees until Sasuke looked up from his game to pay attention.

"Are you angry at me?" she asked. "No." Hinata wrinkled her nose, a small frown, "You're a terrible liar, your tone of voice gets all…tight and curt when you lie."

Sasuke didn't dispute that claim, "Aren't you going to be late picking up Hanabi-chan?"

"I've got enough time for this" Hinata said as she leaned in to kiss Sasuke's right cheek, but stopped abruptly as he put a hand to her shoulder.

"Sasuke?"

"…we shouldn't do that anymore. We're not kids, Hinata."

"But…" she paused as Sasuke rose up from leaning on the bed. The way he looked at her, Hinata honestly couldn't put a name to it. All she knew was that he didn't look angry despite pushing her away.

"The next time you kiss me, I want you to mean it."

"I always mean it" Hinata replied promptly. And she did. Sasuke was her dear friend. He helped her weather the death of her mother. Then in turn she was the only one who still talked to Sasuke when everyone called him 'crazy' for believing Itachi was still alive. She always meant every word and gesture of comfort, so why was he pushing her away now?

Gray eyes rolled. "Forget it" Sasuke grumbled before turning back to his game. Feeling a little hurt by his rejection, Hinata stood up and moved to leave Sasuke's bedroom.

"Hinata…"

She stopped at the door, half expecting an apology only to remember just who she was dealing with. Sasuke Uchiha never apologized for anything.

"Yes?"

"Call him instead."

Instantly a pink blush crept up along her cheeks and neck, "I…I couldn't…wouldn't know what to say."

"How about 'why haven't you call me, idiot? Did you drop your phone in a toilet and accidently flush it?'"

Hinata hardly thought that would be a fitting ice breaker. Yet, if Sasuke was rooting for her to pursue Naruto, maybe there was hope after all.

"Okay, I'll give it a try. Thank you for letting me come over, Sasuke."

Once the door closed, Sasuke dropped the pretext of paying attention to the game anymore, placing the device to the floor.

"…idiot. Why even encourage her to try?" the raven-haired boy grumbled. However, the answer was simple.

He wanted Hinata to be happy and to have things go her way for once.