Nerdy

Thirty

"Whoa, whoa. What has this world come to ?! Behold ! The great Uchiha Sasuke  has paid us a visit !" announced Shion as Sasuke walked into the house with Itachi right behind him.

"Shut up." he grumbled and took a seat across from her.

"Oh, wait, wait. Can you stand up again, please ?" she said. Sasuke felt puzzled, but got up anyway.

Shion pulled him and made him stand beside Itachi.

"Aww, little Sasuke is taller than his elder brother now." she said, and Itachi smiled at that.

Sasuke shook his arm out of her grasp and stepped away from Itachi. He took his seat again.

Itachi and Shion smiled as he made himself comfortable on the couch after throwing a few pillows away.

Sasuke noticed their stares and scowled. "You both are such creeps." he said.

Shion just laughed at that. "And you're so cute, Sasuke." she said.

"Hn." he said.

"He doesn't deny it." chuckled Itachi.

"Go away, Itachi." Sasuke glared at him, and he laughed.

"Alright, alright, I'm going." Itachi walked out with his hands raised in defense.

Sasuke glared at him till he was out of the room and had closed the room behind him.

"So, what did you want to talk about ?" asked Shion as she made herself comfortable too.

She and Itachi had only returned from their honeymoon a day ago. Sasuke had called Shion asking her when she was free to talk. Shion, who had absolutely no plans, asked him to come at any time.

Shion raised an eyebrow, waiting for her answer. Sasuke hesitated for a moment, and then sighed.

"It's about (Name)." he said.

"Awh, don't worry, Sasuke ! I ship you both, and I'm sure that Itachi and your mother and your friend Naruto does too. Oh, and--" said Shion.

"Can you listen first ?" said Sasuke.

Shion shut her mouth and nodded.

"Thank you." said Sasuke. "So, I might have pissed her off by unintentionally pressing on a sensitive topic."

"Wasn't she always pissed off at you ?" asked Shion, and burst out laughing as soon as the words left her mouth.

If looks could kill, she'd be long dead because that was how Sasuke was glaring at her.

"Alright, I'm sorry. Let's be serious." she said, composing herself with great trouble.

"Even though what you said was true." mumbled Sasuke, but Shion heard it and burst out laughing again.

Sasuke could feel himself laughing lightly too, but he controlled it.

"Has (Name) had problems with her mother ?"

Hearing Sasuke's question, Shion stopped laughing and looked at him. The look on her face gave everything away.

"Did you ask her about mother ?" asked Shion.

"Yes." said Sasuke.

Shion frowned. "But she shouldn't be as pissed at you as she is. I mean, you didn't do it intentionally." 

"I may or may not have pestered her when she refused to say anything." said Sasuke.

Shion groaned. "Oh, Sasuke, I always knew that you were an idiot but at least read the atmosphere and know when to give up !" she said as she ran her hands down her face.

"Well, I do feel bad about it." he said.

"Did you tell her that ? Did you apologize ?" asked Shion.

"I almost did. But she ran away." he said.

"You should apologize to her."

"But I don't even know what's wrong between her and her mother. She lied about having plans with me only to avoid getting a lift from Suoh Akane." said Sasuke.

"That must have made you happy." said Shion with a wink.

"I don't see how." said Sasuke, and Shion laughed.

"Well, (Name) had always disliked mom, even before our parents got divorced. Mom was never at home. We only saw her a few times in the year, but that's not what (Name) was unhappy about. She was such a good kid. She never complained about anything." Shion smiled at the memory.

"But mom's attitude towards us is what made her angry. To mom, her business was her priority. We always came after that. We were not surprised when mom asked for a divorce. It's almost frightening how it didn't affect us."

"I think the way mom is trying to involve herself in our lives after all those years of not bothering about us is what's getting to (Name) the most. But I don't know, she doesn't open up much to me anymore." Shion said with a sigh.

"Oh." said Sasuke.

"You should just tell her that you didn't mean it. I'm sure she'll come around. Trust me, (Name) is not as indifferent as she shows herself to be." said Shion.

"I can see where she got that attitude of hers from." mumbled Sasuke.

Shion did not hear him this time. "What ?" she asked.

"Nothing. I need to get going." he said. "Did I tell you how (Name) is my partner for my English assignment ?"

Shion shook her head.

"Well, she is." said Sasuke.

"That must suck." Shion laughed. "She can be really stubborn when she doesn't like the person next to her."

"Does she even like anybody ?" said Sasuke.

Shion laughed. "No, but you don't either, which is why you both are made for each other." she said.

"I like Mom." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Shion.

"Now stop counting the number of people you actually like because you'll only be lying to yourself and go finish your assignment. I don't want to be the reason you didn't do it." she said.

"I was not counting the number of people I like." said Sasuke and got up to leave.

"If you say so !" said Shion as she walked with him to the door.

"Oh, you're leaving already ?" asked Itachi. "I thought you'd stop by to eat cookies." He walked out with a tray full of freshly baked cookies.

"And of course, those would be the chocolate chip ones which I hate." said Sasuke, and Itachi laughed.

"At least take some for mother." he said and handed a bag full of cookies to Sasuke.

Sasuke took it and left the house.

"Be careful on your way home !" Shion called out.

"And do not talk to strangers !" said Itachi.

"I will, and I am not a kid !" huffed Sasuke, and walked faster.

All the way home, his mind was full of thoughts of a certain person and how he wished he had heard everything he heard from Shion from her instead. How he wished she would open up to him more.