I've had this one tucked away for a while! Short, fluffy, and just for fun!

Love Squared

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Quadrilateral
In Euclidean plane geometry, a quadrilateral is a polygon with four edges (or sides) and four vertices or corners.

Sakura and Ino had been roommates all through undergrad and Sakura's first few years of med school. When Ino decided to continue her graduate work somewhere other than Konoha, she'd been worried about leaving Sakura behind, but Sakura assured her that the studio apartment she'd found was going to be just fine, even if her commute would be longer.

Ino swallowed her misgivings, on the condition that they keep in touch every day. After her first year away, Ino called Sakura and told her about her friend that was moving to Konoha, and was in need of a roommate. Sakura might have been skeptical about Ino's idea, but from the moment she first met Hinata, she'd known the arrangement would work.

That spring, the girls moved into a townhouse nearer to the hospital. "It's a roommate swap," Tenten announced as she hauled another box of Hinata's books into the townhouse. "I'll lend you my best friend Hinata, and Ino will stay with me. We'll reconvene once one of you graduates." The four girls laughed and toasted the agreement over move-in pizza and wine, and were from that point on, very good friends.

Therefore, it wasn't surprising that when Hinata came home that December evening to find Sakura extra fidgety, she immediately set about finding out what was on her mind. After several moments of distracted conversation, and not feeling any closer to her goal, she slipped away only to return with two mugs of hot chocolate. She quietly put Sakura's on the night stand before sitting quietly at the desk.

Taking a slow, deep breath, she decided to try again. "You were saying your friend Naruto is back in Konoha?"

"Yes," Sakura plucked a shirt from its hanger before shaking her head and putting it back. "He got in last night."

"And you are meeting up for dinner? Maybe a movie or … what was it?"

"Fair question," she gave a half smile as she considered and rejected another garment. "You can never tell with Naruto. I think I convinced him to stick to dinner tonight – or at least got him to rule out ice-skating."

"And you are good friends?"

"Since we were kids," Sakura agreed, flicking through her clothes and pausing to make a face at a dress.

Hinata tipped her head to the side, considering her carefully before venturing:

"Just friends?"

"Best friends."

Hinata hummed her understanding, and waited a few more angry-flicks of Sakura's outfits before offering.

"You seem awfully nervous for someone that is just going to see an old friend."

Sakura gave a groan and flopped back on her bed, pushing the heels of her hands into her eyes.

"So. Ok," she flopped her arms to the side and blinked rapidly at the lazily circling ceiling fan. "Growing up, Ino and Naruto were my neighbors and best friends. We played together from the time we were toddlers, and went to school together all the way through graduation."

"And… and you got on well?"

"Oh, absolutely," she was quick to agree. "But then…Sasuke came along."

"Sasuke? I don't know that I've heard that name from you before."

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't," she grumbled. "Sasuke joined our class after elementary; kind of a loner, but Naruto stuck to him like glue. Insisted on being his best friend."

"And you were friends as well?'

''Well, yeah, Naruto wanted us to be, but the thing is..." she took a deep breath. "when we got older I developed a massive crush on him."

Hinata's smile was understanding.

"Is that so bad?"

"Twelve-year-old crushes are always bad," Sakura turned on her side and plucked at her bedspread. "Or at least incredibly embarrassing... so are fourteen-year-old crushes, and fifteen… and sixteen…" she trailed off with a frown.

"And did you ever tell him how you felt?"

"Every chance I got," she reached for a small decorative pillow and pressed it to her face with a groan of embarrassment. Her voice muffled by the pillow as she continued. "I even went so far as to make the world's most cringeworthy confession... and well…. suffice it to say no one was comfortable. And you know what?" she peeked out from under the pillow, "Looking back on it? Sasuke was really good about the whole thing. He's not a visibly emotional person, and his rejections were straightforward, and not nearly as heartbreaking as I felt at the time and well...?"

"Well?"

"Well," she rolled onto her stomach and crossed her arms on the pillow, resting her chin on the backs of her hands. "It's just that I haven't really spoken with him other than the odd 'hello' in years. I guess I just want to make sure twelve-year-old me stays buried deep in my psyche and doesn't come out to make tonight awkward."

Hinata's eyes widened as she pieced Sakura's puzzle together. "And he will be there tonight. That's what is making you nervous."

"Nervous is one word for it," she muttered.

"I know you said Naruto has been abroad," Hinata said slowly. "Does that mean that Sasuke lives away, too?"

"Moved to Kumo after graduating from Oto Law," Sakura agreed. "He's only in town because Naruto gave him an ultimatum: spend the holiday with him in Konoha, or have him show up in Kumo and spend it with him there."

"And he chose Konoha," Hinata filled in the blanks. "And I take it he doesn't come to Konoha often?"

"Almost never," Sakura admitted wryly. "I haven't set eyes on him since graduation – which has been very helpful in ignoring the more embarrassing parts of my childhood."

"Surely it won't be so bad," Hinata smiled. "You are all professionals – you know how to navigate a dinner."

"Did I mention that if the rumors are to be believed, he has managed to become even more gorgeous than before."

Hinata looked stumped. "And… that's a problem?"

"It will be if twelve-year-old me resurfaces," Sakura grimaced. "I mean, twelve-year-old me had an excuse to be how she was – she was twelve! And I know we all have to have our cringey stage so we can grow out of them – and I have less than zero problems with accepting who I used to be, I'm just so worried that I'll see him and it will trigger all these old insecurities and she'll resurrect like a personality eating zombie, and suddenly I won't be a hard-working med-student who doesn't think about Sasuke pretty much ever, I'll be a starry-eyed fangirl, and I'll giggle – Oh god!" she pushed up from the bed, eyes wide. "The giggling. So much giggling. I forgot about the giggling." She flopped back on the bed face first and covered her head with the pillow. Hinata had to lean forward to hear her muffled "I'm doomed."

"Sakura," Hinata sat on the edge of the bed. "I know I've known you less than a year, but I have never once heard you mention this person, even if I've heard about Naruto, and Ino, and your other friends many times before now. You clearly don't think about him the way you used to; and you are a one of the most successful students to ever attend the University, and…." She leaned back to catch the one eye Sakura was using to peer from under the pillow.

"…Is this the part where I offer to go with you tonight?"

The entire pillow nodded 'yes.'

Hinata gave her a smile.

"I'll go get dressed."

"How are you not dressed yet?"

Sasuke didn't bother to look up from his laptop. "I'm not naked."

"You're in 'I-took-a-shower-but-haven't-bothered-to-put-on-real-clothes' clothes."

"And I should change because?"

"Um, because we have plans?!" Naruto rolled his eyes. "You know. Those things you are always making and insist we get to like three hours before we need to whether it is a flight to the other side of the globe or to pick up your app-ordered-blacker-than-your-soul coffee from Starbux?"

"And if my plans are to stay right here?" he arched one, ebony eyebrow, fingers still moving swiftly over the keyboard.

"Oh, c'mon Sasuke. It's dinner – a meal I know you will need because you took a flight today, and you already had your decontamination shower, and it is only a matter of time before you need to eat dinner or risk mutating into something evil and hangry."

Sasuke looked him dead in the eye.

"I'll risk it."

"What do you have to lose?" Naruto threw his hands in the air. "I mean, don't flatter yourself; Sakura isn't going to drool over you - not when someone as awesome as me is there."

Sasuke gave a snort and went back to typing as he muttered, "That didn't stop her when we were kids."

"Okay, one?" He held up a finger imperiously, "You were never a kid; you were an angry-romper-wearing old man trapped an eight-year-old's body. Two: none of us are kids now. Three!" he held up three fingers when Sasuke would've interrupted. "Sakura is basically Konoha's smartest student ever, got into Uni as a teen and med school, way early, and is on all kinds of 'who's who' lists in the medical world, and not the ones that you have to pay to put your name in. According to Ino, Knower of All the Things, Sakura pretty much talks about you never; she's too busy. And Four," he held up another finger. "She is bringing her still-pretty-new-roommate, who is also a friend of Ino's. Five-"

"You could stop right there," Sasuke suggested. "Because that last one is the worst argument for me to go anywhere ever."

"If you'd let me finish?" Naruto said, loftily,

Sasuke shrugged.

"As I was saying, According to Ino K-O-A-double-T, Hinata is super quiet and shy, and from a crazy old-school family that would give even the Uchihas a run for their money. Sakura would never do anything to make someone like that feel uncomfortable, so you can be assured of a drama free evening. And finally," he held up both hands, "I, as you know, have continued to get more awesome, and you have taken anal-retentive to new extremes." He shrugged. "I think we're more than qualified to handle dinner."

"I'd be offended if I actually thought that you used 'anal-retentive' in a sentence at any point in your life before now," Sasuke gave an irritated flick of his mouse. "As for the roommate– provided by Ino no less – that sounds more like their old tricks. You sure they aren't sending someone to distract you so she can talk to me?"

"Are you sure that you aren't still the most arrogant bastard ever?" Naruto crossed his arms. "And if she was to provide a distraction, why would she pick someone quiet that loves tea and has an old and over-bearing family – a.k.a., someone who grew up in a situation eerily similar to yours? The part where she ended up being sweet instead of a dick aside, she sounds more like she'd get on with you than with me."

"You should go," Sasuke glanced at the clock. "You don't want to be late."

"Sasuke."

His name hung heavy between them, and Sasuke finally looked up to Naruto, meeting his gaze unwaveringly. Despite his lighthearted banter, there was something stronger than steel under his playfulness. Sasuke leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows – as close as saying "I'm listening" as he got.

"Sakura has basically avoided you since we graduated high school. We've all long since finished university, you are done with law school, and she is busting her ass day and night doing whatever it is Dr. Senju has decided she will do next. You're talking about taking a job back here in Konoha – and that is amazing – but if you do, I'm not going to try and pussyfoot around my two best friends because maybe we had some embarrassment when we were teenagers. On top of that," he put his hands on his hips, "Dr. Senju is a big fucking deal in Konoha. And the firm that wants you? Guess who they work with. You don't have to be best pals, but you are going to be running into each other professionally."

When Sasuke would've dismissed him, Naruto added. "It's important to me."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, but in the end, he stood with a sigh as he closed his laptop.

"Give me ten minutes."

Super fast, fun fic!