Marriage is beautiful.

Tenten Inuzuka had been a newlywed for approximately sixteen hours when she heard of the engagement.

She was apprehensive of it, at first. Her marriage was great, and she loved her husband...but the man Hinata was going to marry did not strike Tenten as someone Hinata would be happy with. She only hoped that, in time, they could come to love each other.

Tenten had just woken up, after a long night, and she was feeling a bit sore. Carefully, so as not to disturb her husband (she felt like such a little girl when the word made her toes curl pleasantly) she got up from the bed and put on a robe, intending to take a shower.

She froze, however, when she heard the bed creak, accompanied by a loud yawn. She turned around to see Kiba looking up at her from the sheets. He was propped up on one elbow, his eyes still a bit sleepy. "Hey," he said softly, and Tenten broke into a smile. "Hey," she greeted back, her tone also quiet, as if being too loud would disturb the reverence of the moment.

Kiba smiled back, small but content. "Did we get married last night?" he wondered.

Tenten giggled. "Unless I married another man and went home with you by mistake," she teased. Kiba's grin widened. "Then I was right."

The brunette cocked her head to one side. "About what?"

Kiba rolled over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "This morning, when I woke up, I thought, 'I am the happiest man alive'." He glanced at her. "Now I know it was true."

Tenten blushed. "I didn't take you for a romantic," she murmured. The wolfish boy just winked. "I have my moments."

And honestly, he did.

Whatever Tenten was about to say next was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Tenten glanced towards the bedroom door, then back at Kiba. He shrugged. "I'd get it, but I'm kind of...naked."

Tenten rolled her eyes, and walked out of the bedroom, yawning as she approached the front door. When she opened it, there was a little boy there, arms crossed and tapping his foot like it had taken her hours to reach him. He had light blonde hair and dark eyes, and was carrying a messenger bag. Seeing her, he brightened, then held out an envelope. "Hinata-hime asked me to give this to you," he told her, his voice very official-sounding. Tenten thanked him, a bit confused, and he scampered off, his bag swinging at his side.

Closing the door, Tenten leaned against it and took out the contents of the envelope; a glossy brown ribbon and a card. She opened the card, and read.

Dear Tenten,

I wanted to congratulate you on your marriage to Kiba-kun. I am sure you two will be very happy together - it is obvious he loves you. I'm so happy for the both of you, and I wish you a beautiful marriage. I am also writing to you to tell you that I am to be married as well, and I hope that you will come to my wedding and be one of my bridesmaids. The ribbon is for your hair - in Hyuga tradition, the women tie a ribbon in their hair at weddings to represent peace and well-being. Even though it is an arranged marriage, I want you to know that I am content with it, and I want you to be happy for me.

You are probably wondering who I am marrying, as I have not yet told you, nor anyone else. It seems silly, but I cannot bring myself to tell you point-blank. You will know by my signature.

Tenten stood, shocked, as she read Hinata's letter. Married? Hinata was going to be married? An arranged marriage, no less! Holy crap.

Kiba's voice called from the bedroom. "Who was at the door?"

Tenten didn't answer, and after a moment, Kiba came around the corner, now half-dressed and rubbing his eyes. "Tenten?" he said.

She looked at him, disbelievingly. "Hinata's going to be married," she whispered.

Kiba stopped rubbing his eyes, and his hand dropped to his side. He looked utterly shocked, just as she had been. "To who?"

Tenten looked down at the letter, and her eyes widened. Wordlessly, she handed it to Kiba, who read the entire letter and froze when he got to the bottom. "Holy..." he trailed off, his voice surprised and a bit angry. That Tenten could understand - Hinata was his teammate, his friend, someone important in his life. And to find out that she was going to be married to a man she didn't choose was...disquieting.

Anyone else, Tenten could have accepted. Anyone else, Tenten could have believed would make Hinata happy. But this man was not anyone else. Tenten's marriage was beautiful...but she had a creeping fear that Hinata's would not be so simple. And all it took to instill that feeling was one signature.

Love,

Hinata Uchiha