Chapter Text
Hinata scraped down the sides of her bowl and covered it before putting it in the fridge for the dough to chill. Choji’s birthday was this week, and he asked her if she would make cookies again. She turned to collect her measuring instruments and put them in the sink so she could wash them and clean off the counter before her father came by while she was still in the middle and asked why she was leaving a mess.
She enjoyed making things for people. It felt like she could give out her affection in a way that was rarely rejected, and she enjoyed watching people enjoy it.
With the counter and the dishes cleaned, she got into the cabinet and found her cookie cutter set. Opening it, she paused before pulling out the pieces. She was missing one. The one she used when she made Sasuke’s crackers.
She opened a few drawers until she found it dropped in with the measuring cups. Hanabi must have put the dishes away for her and not known where they went.
She brought it back to her set, but now that she was thinking about it… maybe she should make him a batch of crackers, too. Would he mind? She was always worried about upsetting him. She had seen him go off on a few girls over their gifts and made a point to turn down any candy that got passed around, but she also didn’t like leaving him out either.
And Naruto seemed to think that she was targeting him.
She got down another bowl. She could make a small batch of crackers, too.
Hinata came into class with a cardboard box full of her little cookie bags. She started handing them out, giving Choji a larger bag that was decorated with a ribbon, and wished him a happy birthday.
Sasuke watched as he made his way around the room. His hopes that he would get one this time were low. He knew he wasn’t being forward enough, but he wasn’t sure what he was to do next.
Ino leaned onto his desk with her own bag of cookies. “Maybe you should mention to her that you don’t mind cookies.” She hummed. “You know, when they come from her.”
“Piss off.” He hissed at her.
“Oh.” Hinata’s voice squeaked, yanking his attention up to see she was standing at his desk.
Sasuke quickly straightened his irritated face in the hope she would realize that it had nothing to do with her.
Hinata hesitated before she cautiously put down a bag on his desk and continued on her way.
Sasuke released the tension in his chest and picked it up. It wasn’t cookies. It was crackers again. Did she make these just for him?
Ino made a face and got closer to look at the bad before she dramatically gasped. “Did you get a special bag?”
“Shut up,” Sasuke growled, much quieter this time.
“This is a huge step,” Ino whispered between her giggles.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and pulled the bag into his arms, laying his head down to hide from her.
Ino dropped her book in the library return slot. She didn’t like it as much as she had hoped she would, but that was the issue with some classical literature. They liked to be tragic for no real reason.
Good writers, bad endings.
She huffed, her eyes trailed over the rest of the library before she turned to leave, and she stopped, seeing Hinata at one of the computers. Ino immediately headed for her instead and plopped down in the seat beside her.
Hinata turned her head away from her screen. “Oh, hello.”
Ino smiled. “Hey, I wanted to ask you something.” Hinata tilted her head. “Why did Sasuke get crackers instead of cookies?” She asked innocently.
Hinata blinked, and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. “Sasuke doesn’t like cookies, but I also feel bad leaving him out, so I hope he doesn’t mind… I know he doesn’t like gifts from girls, I just…”
Ino waved her hand, saving her from further explanation. “I don’t think he minded at all. In fact, he wouldn’t share.”
Hinata's blush got darker.
Ino leaned over to see what she was working on. It didn’t look like it was from one of their classes. “What are you working on?”
“Oh.” Hinata pulled her attention back to her screen. “It’s a paper for a scholarship submission.” She slumped in her chair a bit. “I am struggling with it, but I want to get it done, so I think I am just going to stay here until I finish it.”
Ino pouted out her bottom lip. It didn’t sound fun.
A light bulb turned on over her head, and a smile spread across her face. She knew who might want to help.
Ino got up and pushed her chair in. “I’ll leave you to work then.” She told her. “Bye.”
“Bye.” Hinata trailed as she brought her attention back to her computer.
Ino bounced away, pulling her phone out to text Sasuke. He was going to regret it if he didn’t open her message.
Sasuke came into the library worried a little that he made the trip, and she wouldn't be there, but she was sat at a computer in the line of them with her shoulders slumped down and a document on the screen, just like Ino said. He took a deep breath and forced himself forward to sit down beside her.
He could feel her jump and blink at him, surprised to see him. He set to work pulling something up to make it look like he had a reason to be here.
Hinata's eyes eventually came back to her work, and that was when Sasuke leaned over to see what she was working on. She blinked at him again, and he nodded his head at her screen nonchalantly.
“What is that?” He asked.
“I…” Hinata clears her throat. “I am working on a paper for a scholarship. It's not anything for class.”
“Looks like you are having a hard time,” Sasuke commented.
Hinata tilted her head down, looking ashamed.
Sasuke wanted to kick himself. Why was that what he came up with? New plan. He scooted his chair over closer to her. “What are you struggling with?”
Hinata leaned away a little to stare at him, looking confused and startled, and he was a little worried that she was going to reject the offer, but she relaxed and moved back to her resting position to slide a print-out over to him. “I am a little confused with how it wants me to make the argument. I am not sure if it's just poorly written or…” Sasuke kicked himself for his comment. He didn't want her to think that he thought she was stupid.
He leaned in closer to read the paper and tried his best to act like being this close wasn't affecting him, but this was as close as he had ever been to her. He forced his focus on the paper. He needed to help her, or coming to her at all would have been stupid.
Hinata typed a few words into her document before she read it back. She didn't know if she was making it better or worse at this point. She glanced off at Sasuke, who was leaning over the desk, writing down notes to himself, trying to make sure that his logic made sense.
She was genuinely surprised that he was putting so much effort in. Though she appreciated it deeply, she just wasn't expecting it from him after she heard him nearly constantly tell Naruto to do his own homework. She wouldn't have expected him to offer, let alone spend so much time with her, making sure she got it done.
She was amazed at how clear he could be with his explanations of his thought process. Maybe she shouldn’t be surprised that he was at the top of their class.
Oh, that made her think of something. “Maybe I shouldn't be accepting your help in case you want to apply for this scholarship.” She mumbled. This was a bad time to think about that. She should have thought about it a few hours ago.
Sasuke made a face and shook his head. “I'm not going to apply.”
“Oh.” Was all she could think to say to that.
Sasuke lifted his head with confusion on her face. “Why are you applying?” He asked. “I would think that your father would be able to pay to send you to school.” Their fathers worked in the same industry. She was sure that he was familiar with how much her father's position made. “I would think he would be offended if someone heard you applied for scholarships.” That too.
Hinata blushed. How did she explain this? “He wants me to have scholarships because receiving them is being rewarded with something. It makes him think I am actually achieving something.”
Sasuke's face fell as he stared back at her.
Her face turned redder. That sounded bad. She really shouldn't have told him that part. Why didn’t she just say her father wanted her to have a few to prove effort or something?
Sasuke looked back down at his notes. “I think that you are good enough without having to prove it by having stupid paper selected.”
Well… that was sweet of him. Unfortunately, that was not the way her father thought about it.
Sasuke grabbed his bag and tossed it over his shoulder. They had finished the paper, and he was sure that it was going to be selected at this point. If it wasn't, he would write another under her name every week until it was.
Hinata looked surprised and elated that it was done. Her shoulders were back up, and she almost looked like she was breathing easier now.
He waited for her to collect her things and walked out of the library with her. Now that they were about to part way, he was thinking that he should have taken some of the time to talk to her a little more because he wasted the opportunity. It was late, but he was going to ask her if she wanted to eat somewhere before they went home. He turned and opened his mouth, but Hinata turned first.
“Would you let me buy you something to eat since you were so helpful?” Hinata asked.
Sasuke let out all the air he took in, getting himself worked up to ask. “Yeah, sure.”
Hinata scooped her little spoon at her ice cream. She didn't think that this was where he would want to go, but she wasn't complaining. The sugar felt nice after all that stress.
“Do you need to work on any more scholarships?” Sasuke wondered between bites.
Hinata picked at her ice cream, pushing the toppings in. “I should probably pick up a few more, but I haven't looked at any yet.”
“Do you need help?” Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
Hinata blinked at him. Was he offering? She brought her hand off her spoon to wave it negatively. “I don't want to bother you.” She told him, coming back to her cup. “I think getting too much help is a little like cheating.”
“Is it even in the rules?” Sasuke prodded.
“I'm not sure.” Hinata hummed.
“Even if it is, other people are probably getting help from paid tutors.” Sasuke rolled his eyes. “So you are just disadvantaging yourself by being stubborn.”
Hinata prodded at her cup. “Maybe.”
“I'll meet you at the library tomorrow to look at another one,” Sasuke confirmed.
Hinata blinked at him. “Are you sure?”
Sasuke's eyes slid to her, looking annoyed that she was asking.
Her eyes shot down. He probably thought it was rude that she didn't want to take his help. “Okay… thanks.”
Sasuke shoved another bite of ice cream in his mouth, hoping that the cold would keep down the heat in his face. He was sure it was melting his ice cream faster. He was glad that she didn't ask more questions about his motivations to help her because he really didn't have better answers.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out. Another message from Ino.
'How was your date?~'
Sasuke quickly shoved his phone back into his pocket and scooped up another chunk of ice cream. He brought his attention back to Hinata. “I liked the crackers.”
“Really?” Hinata's eyes lightened. “Then I'll keep making them.” She smiled.
Sasuke nodded and hoped that meant that his time of being skipped was over.