Just as they all thought Sasuke missed, Naruto ever-so-gently tipped the ball neatly into the net.
"YES!" Kiba cheered. He grabbed Naruto in a chokehold.
"Aww come on, Uchiha," Killer B grumbled, "No way that was on purpose."
Sasuke gave him a tiny smirk, "Believe what you want, B."
"Tch."
"That's more like it, asshole," Naruto pulled him into the weird dogpile Kiba started as they drifted back towards the bench where Shikamaru and Chouji were sitting.
"Hey Sasuke," Chouji called out, "Do you know Hyuuga Neji?"
Naruto and Kiba were abruptly dumped to the ground as Sasuke threw them off and straightened, staring at Chouji. "Who?" Sasuke demanded, his eyes flinty.
"Hyuuga Neji," Chouji nodded towards the new guy with the long hair who Sasuke had spent all of the game guarding against. Killer B and Gyuki were consoling him, but he didn't look happy to have had the ball snatched out of his hands like that. "Guy with long hair. I had a class with him in second year."
"Wait. Hyuuga," Shikamaru suddenly realized why he thought those pale eyes looked familiar, "He's got a cousin in our department, right? I think she and my girlfriend are roommates."
"Really now..." Sasuke drawled. Shikamaru eyed him warily. This guy's not making any sense.
"Do you know him?" Chouji asked again,
"We have a mutual acquaintance," Sasuke said, inexplicably grim. Ignoring both Kiba and Naruto, who were swearing at him, he picked up the basketball and walked back towards Killer B, Gyuuki, and Hyuuga.
"Hyuuga-san," Sasuke called out to him, "Again. 1v1 to five." The ice in his voice made even Naruto and Kiba stop yelling at Sasuke.
Hyuuga Neji frowned at Sasuke. His words weren't exactly impolite, but the way Sasuke was looking at Neji was pure provocation. He had on the expression that Naruto called his punchable face: Undisguised disdain.
"Alright," Hyuuga replied slowly. He watched Sasuke with some resentment, probably from how easily he'd had the ball stolen from him at the last point.
They lined up at the end of the half-court, with Killer B to act as their referee. Just before the faceoff, Shikamaru saw the look on Sasuke's face.
A tiny, ironic, smirk.
That's not good. Shikamaru knew it would be too troublesome to try and stop Sasuke now, but he lit a candle for Hyuuga in his mind.
1-0. Sasuke won the faceoff to easily shoulder past Hyuuga's blocking efforts to go straight for a lay up. Shikamaru sighed, maybe it won't be too bad.
2-0. Hyuuga started at the half-court, but before he got two steps in, Sasuke effortlessly stole the ball from him mid-dribble and flowed around his ineffective blocking to score a 3-pointer. Shikamaru could practically see the steam coming out from Hyuuga's ears.
3-0, 4-0. At this point Shikamaru and all the gathered spectators could see Sasuke was just toying with Hyuuga. He gave up several perfectly good shooting opportunities to taunt Hyuuga with the ball, trying to get him to steal it from him, only to easily score a point once Hyuuga was too dizzy to keep guarding him.
For the final faceoff, Hyuuga actually held onto the ball to try and catch his breath, and Sasuke just waited patiently. Besides the light sheen of sweat on his forehead, Sasuke looked as spotless as he had when they'd started playing. Hyuuga, on the other hand, was a mess. His hair fell out of his ponytail, his face was bright red, and all the huffing and puffing he was doing really detracted from the murderous glare he leveled at Sasuke.
"Wh-what did I ever do to you, Uchiha?" He spat out.
Sasuke didn't bother answering him, just raised his eyebrows at him to tell him to get on with this public execution. Neji finally caught his breath, got a good grip on the basketball, and set his stance. All of a sudden, he charged, faster than he had ever before, and finally managed to dribble it past Sasuke -
Shikamaru blinked. No, that wasn't right.
Neji went to shoot the ball, only to find that his hands were empty. That legendary poker face cracked as he spun to look for it, only to find it...
In Sasuke's hands. Back at the Half Court.
Sasuke smirked. And took his shot.
5-0. Nothing but net.
The silence was deafening. Shikamaru actually felt bad for Hyuuga, who was standing in the middle of the court like a dumbass. Sasuke, however, just walked back to the bench and picked up his stuff.
And then left. He didn't even look at Hyuuga any more, like his opponent wasn't even worthy of the title.
Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba and Chouji looked at each other, then wordlessly picked up their stuff to follow. Shikamaru couldn't help smirk, He always did know how to make an exit.
"So Hyuuga," Behind them, Killer B was the first to break the deadly silence on the court, "How the hell did you piss off Uchiha that bad, ya fool?"
Shikamaru was curious too, but it'd be too troublesome to try and ask Sasuke about it. If he had to guess what emotions Sasuke was feeling..
Sucking up? Jealousy? Then righteous vengeance?
Shikamaru could only shake his head. That couldn't be right.
( ^ ___ ^ )
AN: Ah Shikamaru, if only you knew...
The more I write Sasuke's inner thoughts, the more tsundere and more tsundere he gets. I dig it! Also, to whoever asked for more Shikamaru last time, I wasn't going to put him into this scene, but somehow he snuck in. He cracks me up because he's such a lazy character to write. Thanks for your patience this week! Thank you to Reglee for a stellar Beta job as always, and as always, comments, reviews, kudos, favourites, bookmarks, and wishes folded into paper stars always make my day. Thanks for stopping by, and stay safe and healthy, and see you soon!
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