A/N: Finally, the sequel to Ice Cream And Sake. In my opinion you don't need to read the first story to get into this one as this is a fairly basic beginning to their relationship. Sasuke and Hinata are ALMOST friends but not really just yet. They're basically two people who happen to meet up for lack of anything else exciting to do. Of course if you do read Ice Cream And Sake (which is a three-chaptered story to those who are new) then I guess you'll understand their relationship a little more. As I said, there will be Sakura and Neji also featured in this story but whether they're going to be an actually couple remains to be seen. I haven't fully decided yet. Maybe you wonderful readers should help and tell me. Oh and when you review, please add an $ before you reply so I know just how many people actually read the author's notes. Thanks!

Delicious Disaster

Chapter 1: Let the Games Begin

Small, calloused feet padded as silently as possible through the main corridor of the Main Branch's Hyuuga Estate. She could hear her father talking to some important Konoha officials in his office – probably someone sent by the Hokage – and crept past the door, praying that her father wasn't going to break one of the House's rules and use his Byakugan within the compound. That was strictly forbidden…for privacy purposes of course. It wouldn't do for some of the less stoic males of the family, despite the fact that they were rare, to peep into the women's rooms…or bathrooms for that matter.

Hinata supposed she had that little advantage when she planned her nightly escapades. She made her way to the kitchens at the back, where the cooks were cleaning up the night's meal. Earlier, she had had her food delivered to her room – like many of the young Hyuugas were adamant on these days – and wrapped it hurriedly, hiding it in her bag for later.

With a sigh of relief, the dark haired girl managed to slip past the aging women unnoticed and sped across the back garden and with a little difficulty, jumped onto a stone feature near the fence and hopped over, landing none too gracefully onto the empty street outside. Oh if her father heard of her doing this he would be absolutely livid. She would probably never see the light of day again! Let alone her recently made companion in her schemes.

About a month had passed since she had first been stumbled upon at that restaurant, eating ice cream, bloodshot eyed and sniffling. And so far, she had no problems whatsoever in sneaking out…except for the guilt that lingered in the back of her mind every time they planned on meeting up. Of course they did not see each other every single day, as that would have aroused too much suspicion on both their parts. But when they did, as awkward and clumsy as it was at times, it was still something enjoyable to do and the extended silences weren't always uncomfortable.

There was a saying that went around Konoha whenever someone had just had a rough break-up. And it stated that it took roughly six months to get over whoever you were with. That was absolute rubbish in Hinata's opinion, and possibly the rest of the population who knew just how long – if at all – it took to stop hurting.

She didn't know what it was that made it hurt so much. She wasn't exactly dumped by Naruto. Because even she had seen, weeks before things ended, that it was not going to work. And one did not exactly need the Byakugan or the Sharingan to see that. They both could see what was coming. And then came that night when he actually brought it up. At first Hinata felt apprehension, like she could not breathe, and then there was understanding, guilt, bitterness, and finally, an odd sense of painful relief.

Of course it still hurt. How could it not?

Fingers curled at a pair of dry lips as the lavender eyed girl pulled the long, cream cardigan around her tighter as the wind seeped through her clothes. She shivered as her shoulder-length hair was blown away from her face, just as she rounded the corner into the livelier centre of town. It suddenly seemed a whole lot warmer and a small smile played on her lips. She had made with with no trouble whatsoever yet again.

"You took your time."

Pale eyes widened and a squeak would have escaped the girl's lips had the raven haired boy not hissed in frustration and grabbed her from behind, clamping a hand over her mouth and pulling her into the alley between two buildings. She struggled madly against the iron grip, her cries muffled by the boy's palm.

"Relax! It's only me!" he whispered furiously into the struggling girl's ear from behind where he held her. Hinata breathed a sigh of relief through her nose but then tensed as she realised her back was being pressed into a very firm, very warm chest of a certain Uchiha who – apparently not reading her discomfort – was peeking out of the alleyway, probably making sure there wasn't anyone they knew around. Her cheeks burned and she could feel the blush that had rampaged up her face.

With trembling hands, she reached up and gently pulled his hand off her mouth, humiliated at having acted so foolishly and even more so at being in such close proximity with the boy she'd been sneaking out to see for the past month or so. Some things just never changed.

Sasuke let go of her and upon seeing no one suspicious, sighed and leaned against the wall, glaring at her and folding his arms crossly.

"After all this time, I would have expected you to know my voice. What kind of a shinobi are you?"

Hinata winced and bit her lip, lowering her head apologetically, "Sorry…you just s-surprised me…that's all…"

Stygian orbs rolled and the former Avenger shook his head and sighed, a good sign to Hinata considering it meant she was forgiven. Although she could not decipher every bit of him that easily yet, she was getting there...slowly.

Smiling a small smile, she pulled the bag off her shoulder and dug in her pack for the bag of onigiri she had smuggled from earlier and handed one to him, in hopes that it may lighten his mood slightly.

"It's a little squashed…" she told him sheepishly, her fingers curling at her lips, Sasuke's eyes lingering on them a little longer than usual as she did that motion.

Quirking a brow, he took it and bit into it, sending her an acknowledging nod before motioning for her to follow her out. He wasn't usually one to say 'thank you' but Hinata knew what he meant regardless.

"Where are we going tonight?" Clasping her hands casually behind her back as she followed him through the busy streets of Konoha, the girl watched him eat, occasionally looking over her shoulder. Even with the Byakugan, it was still a habit, just like the twiddling of her fingers. Sasuke noted this with recognition, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if taking down her habits for future reference.

"Anywhere."

She pursed her lips. "Hm…" Eyes lighting up she turned to him again. "Uhm…what about the benches?"

He looked thoughtful for a few moments. "We went there last time."

"Oh…yes, that's right…"

He never liked to go to the same place twice in a week, a trait that she found rather strange, but considering the very many strange friends they had, she supposed it wasn't that odd anymore.

Having finished his rice ball, he idly reached a hand back and waited for her to put another one in his hand. Sure it may have seemed like a very spoiled thing to do, but he found that he really could afford to act that way around Hinata. There were very few others who he could be that way around, and even fewer with whom he actually would…actually the young Hyuuga was probably the only one.

Lips twitching slightly, the girl hid a smile and placed another one into his open hands, bringing a sticky finger to her lips absentmindedly soon after.

"They're good," he said blandly, keeping a secretive eye on her to make sure she was following. He was never the sentimental type obviously, but considering those first three encounters that had brought the two oddest people together under questionable circumstances, he found that he couldn't very well just ignore her.

'Damn, I'm turning into mush…' he thought sourly to himself. But upon rethinking it, realised that they had first met, ironically because of Naruto. When he had first stumbled upon her crying herself into junk food at that restaurant and ordered her a sake, he had no idea that not only would he be the one to actually cheer her up, but that she would be someone he was willing to socialise with. And the Uchiha never socialised. Who knew that her breaking up with Naruto would turn out to be so convenient for him?

And despite it all, Sasuke had actually begun to talk more, albeit only slightly more than usual, but it was an improvement on his part. Well, Naruto was the only one who had noticed and had pointed it out to him, telling him it was a good thing, but the boy had just grunted in response, leaving a very wry, unsatisfied blond to sigh and finish his ramen.

He suddenly stopped and turned around slowly only to have her bump headfirst into his chest with a squeak. He wanted to smirk when he saw her gather her bearings for a few moments and then look up at him with wide eyes as a bright blush of realisation burned her cheeks and she began spluttering and apologising profusely.

"I'm sorry Sa-Sasuke-san! I d-didn't where I was – I'm – I didn't mean to!"

He knew that if he showed even the slightest bit of amusement, it would only send her into another cycle of blushing, stutters of nonsense and incomprehensible sentences as well as her probably dying in front of his feet because of heart palpitations. And he really didn't fancy having to clean up after a dead person again. They were too troublesome.

"Hinata," he said evenly, thus knocking her out of her explanations and effectively shutting her mouth. Looking down at her with his dark eyes, he asked her wearily, "Must you insist on calling me 'Sasuke-san?'"

The girl opened her mouth to speak but then stopped short and mulled over his words. With a frown, she looked to the side thoughtfully, a finger on her bottom lip.

"Would you prefer Sasuke-kun-?"

"No!" he exploded quickly, causing the girl to jump three feet into the air. He held his hands up and shook his head slowly. "Do not call me that."

Honestly, he had had enough from Sakura and Ino and just about every other girl who insisted on using that detestable suffix and there was no way in hell he was going to add another one to the list.

With a deep, heavy sigh, he closed his eyes, trying to hide the frustration as he spoke in a low, strained voice,

"Just…Sasuke…please."

She blushed and looked down at her feet awkwardly. "O-okay…"

Mentally grimacing at his unnecessary harshness, the boy sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder lightly to steer her into walking again. "What else did you bring?" he asked after letting his hand drop to his side when he felt her tense underneath his palm.

"Mm…" she thought for a while, trying to remember the few items of food that she had haphazardly wrapped and dumped into her bag. "I think there was…baked spinach balls and…oh yes, grilled beef slices."

She had him at the baked spinach. Though of course the grilled beef sounded extremely appetising too. And he had not eaten since lunch. Oh how he was hungry. And while the rice balls were good, they weren't enough for an almost fully-grown boy such as himself.

'Shit I'm starving…and I haven't had good home cooked food in…uh…a…wait…my cooking isn't THAT bad…'

He pondered on that a while but then admitted defeat and sighed. His cooking left a LOT to be desired. But he ate it anyway. It was that or spend all his earnings on eating out every night. Obviously he chose the former. A sudden realisation struck Sasuke then when he saw that Hinata was still next to him. Lately he had been spending less time eating at home alone because Hinata had actually been thoughtful enough to bring her own food every time they met up. Hm…

Meanwhile, after the long moment of silence, Hinata was becoming a little concerned. Did he not like the food she had brought? Maybe he was allergic to it? All these thoughts plagued her mind and made her feeling more worried by the second.

"Ano…Sasuke-sa – uhm Sasuke, do you not want…I mean I c-could buy you some-something else…"

He stopped in his steps, yet again, and luckily this time, Hinata was slightly more prepared and paused shortly as he whipped around and folded his arms authoritatively.

Hinata was vaguely reminded of a very proud and dictatorial man: her father.

"I want home-cooked food."

She stared up at him, puzzled. "E-excuse me?"

Well her father surely never demanded that from her.

"I want home-cooked food."

She blinked.

Sasuke sighed and motioned with his eyes to the bag at her side.

"I want your food."

Oh this was so wounding for his ego, and he grimaced inwardly at being reduced to having to explain like a teacher to a child.

"Oh!" Slightly flustered and embarrassed, she confessed, "I didn't make it…the cooks did…this was s-supposed to be my dinner but…I thought maybe you'd like it."

He frowned. "So up until now, you've been giving me your dinner?"

She nodded.

'Well that was thoughtful of her,' he thought, affected by her kindness, all prior thoughts of his wounded pride completely forgotten. But he sulked a second later. 'But I want home-cooked food…like the stuff Mother used to give me.'

Gathering himself up again, he looked down at her from the tip of his nose and demanded firmly,

"Next time, you cook." A flash of amusement crossed her eyes before she composed her face. Sasuke didn't miss it though, so he added "Please" as an afterthought.

He almost wished he didn't though because a small giggle – most probably directed at him – escaped her even though she tried to muffle the sound with the back of her fist as she nodded, her eyes glittering with laughter.

"That shouldn't be a problem," she appeased, still smiling and pulling out the other two plastic wrapped dishes from her bag and handing them both to him.

He took them both without a word and opened them, but then paused and picked out a baked spinach ball and handed it to her. It would not do at all for her to suddenly collapse in the street. Well, that's what he told himself anyway. At that moment, an idea came to him and he narrowed his eyes and asked her slowly,

"I assume nobody checks on you at night?"

Hinata quickly shook her head. "It's f-forbidden to use the Byakugan w-within the home."

That wasn't exactly what he meant but he took it as a sign she didn't need to be home anytime soon. Well that was a stroke of luck on his part!

"Perfect. You can come to my house and cook now."

She smiled and nodded and began, "Yes alri -" and then paused. "What!?" she gasped suddenly, gaping up at him with large, round eyes.

Well Sasuke never thought the idea was that appalling. But apparently she didn't share the same view as he did on the subject. His lips twitched unnoticeabily

"Problem?" he drawled, secretly smiling victoriously as he turned around and continued to walk, leading her to his apartment as Hinata scrambled after him.

"W-won't it be sus-suspicious? A-and wh-what if – w-wait! I –" she cried, only to be cut off by a very flippant, lofty interruption.

"No one comes to my house. So there's no reason for anyone to be around my area."

He looked back and sent her a pointed look, suppressing the twitch of his lips as he fought not to snort with laughter.

Still, Hinata tried to sway him. "B-but ingredients! We don't ha – "

"Of course I have raw ingredients at home," he said dismissively.

'What, does she think I spend every single day going hungry? I can cook! Not well, but I know how to! Ugh, women…'

"B-but-!"

His sigh silenced her and he stopped and turned around, fixing her with a firm stare.

"You didn't bring enough for two. In fact it's hardly enough for one." She bit her lip and looked down guiltily. "I'll make sure you get home at a reasonable time," he added."

When she glanced, she considered him for a few moments, blushing and constantly averting her eyes away from his – a notion which he didn't quite like. It was strange to be asked to come over to his home - a boy's home - and cook for him. She found it not only embarrassing but found herself blushing furiously that he had actually invited her over. Sure it was for his sake more so than hers, and she took pity on that because she knew how little he socialised and had therefore taken it on herself as a sort of duty to be there and help him open up. But still, this was a little much! And she was a Hyuuga girl after all. The Heiress! If this were to be somehow leaked back to the Main Branch's ears, she would be in so much trouble and it would not only be her but Sasuke as well. There would be a lot of explaining and possibly punishment for the both of them.

But when lavender eyes met onyx orbs, Hinata felt that she just could not say no and leave him where he was now. He had asked her, even if he did not think so himself, out of kindness in his own way. And she had always been soft and suddenly began feeling guilty that she had actually thought about disappointing him. With a sigh of surrender, she offered a warm smile and nodded shyly, her cheeks tinged pink.

"O-okay…"

There was really no point in arguing with him, he knew how to get to her in the oddest of ways and make her feel guilty. She was reminded of a child, weaving its way to his mother's heart, and wanted to laugh at how manipulative he could be. She never thought him the sort to resort to guilt tripping and found it rather endearing, especially since it was coming from an Uchiha.

Satisfied, he nodded for her to follow, which she did, that same smile playing her lips, one that almost had the Uchiha himself a little nervous at its unclear meaning. Either way, he knew she was silently laughing at him.

'Damnit. I'm an Uchiha! People don't laugh at us! We laugh at everyone else!'

Still, he would be lying if he said he was not relieved that she had agreed. He had never invited anyone to his apartment before. And it was not because it was small or anything, in fact it was a fairly reasonable size for one person. But it was more because he really just wanted some place quiet to sit and be silent. Sitting silently was never fun when it was being done alone. And with his new companionship with Hinata, she was the perfect candidate to accompany him.

Of course he would never admit that out loud...and possibly not even to himself.

The two were so caught up in their own thoughts and their own few hours of contentedness, that they did not notice the pair of scheming green eyes that were watching them walk away with glee.

The sly girl snickered to herself, rubbing her hands together in satisfaction.

"Oh this is going to be good."

A/N: YES! I am officially satisfied with this! Okay…not entirely but I don't think I can change anymore of it without going out of my mind. So yes this is the sequel to Ice Cream and Sake! Like I said above, you don't need to have read that before this but if you want to you can (and you can all leave little reviews too *wink wink*). I mean it's just for background knowledge I guess and it's only three chapters (long chapters). Anyways I thank all the reviewers of my previous story and I hope that with this story, you're all equally if not more satisfied!

Please REVIEW and send me any ideas, thoughts or just a few little words here and there. Constructive criticism is ALWAYS welcome however I do NOT tolerate flames. I'll continue this story if I get enough good feedback from all of you and besides, it's only a few lines or words for a review so it doesn't take long!!!

Next chapter, we'll be seeing a whole lot more development for the story and some very important characters come into play! Chapters will probably get longer from now on :)

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! Oh and like I said up there, when you review, please add a $ sign in front so that I know you've read the authors notes.

Peace out!
Rex