"Are you ready?!" Naruto yelled, slapping the Uchiha on the back. Spilling sake on his shoes. The smell of alcohol was everywhere, Sasuke could practically feel the grime on his soles. He hated it. He should be at home sleeping, not in the most disgusting dive bar Naruto could find. Uchiha's should not be in places with sticky seats.
"Mhm," he mumbled in response. The Uzumaki gave him a wide grin.
"Are you sure? It's the biggest day of your life," Naruto said, shoving another cup of sake in Sasuke's face. "You should be celebrating!"
"Wouldn't tomorrow be the biggest day of my life?" Sasuke asked raising his eyebrows.
"Tonight is your last night single. Forever." Naruto said slumping down in his chair, twirling his pinky in his half empty glass. "I'd be hitting on at least one waitress if I were you…"
"Tch. Sakura would kill you for less than that kinda treachery."
"Ehehehe," the Uzumaki chuckled with a defeated look, "Isn't that the kinda stuff best men are supposed to say? I'm trying to keep the spirit here." Naruto let out a sigh. "Tomorrow will be the best day of your life, but tonight is the biggest!" Naruto said nodding, impressed with his own logic. "It's the end of an era."
"I'm ready for the end." Sasuke replied, letting out an sigh. "Maybe I'll never have to come to this place again." He took a final gulp of his drink and stood up. "Let's go."
Sasuke swiftly walked out of the bar, not wanting to spend another minute there. Naruto trailing behind. The fresh air felt calming on his warm cheeks. It was years before Konoha felt like home again. Even now, he still got the occasional glare. But he couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Sasuke glanced over at Naruto, babbling on about something. This is where he wanted to be. The two fought tooth and nail, but the truth about the Uchiha's came out. Along with the abolishment of Anbu and Root. Although Sasuke never managed to be hokage, he did become Naruto's second-in-command. In charge of missions, making sure the younger generation knew what being a shinob meant. What being a village meant. What peace truly is. He was ready for the end of an era.
He had a new one to begin.
The two reached a fork in the road, where they parted day in and day out. "Can you get home okay?" Sasuke asked, unsure of how drunk Naruto was; toppling about.
"I can get home even in the drunkest state!" Naruto said, puffing out his chest. Sasuke smirked. It was true. The day Naruto was announced as Hokage he got belligerently drunk. Sakura woke up to him drooling on the doorstep. With a silent nod, the two parted; Sasuke walking towards his apartment. He shoved his hand in his pocket. The warmth of the sake was wearing off.
He had known her all his life, quietly in the shadows. Never once giving her a second glance. When getting engaged, they would always get the question "Did you know?". But he didn't. All his life it had been one of his goals. The simplest, yet most unachievable. Who would want to start a family with the village traitor? When he first came back, it was the furthest thing from his mind. Just days before he was sure Naruto and himself were going to bleed to death in the Valley of the End. His was arm gone, his dreams of avenging what Konoha did the Uchiha seemed impossible, his past comrades viewed him as an eyesore. Sasuke didn't even see tomorrow as a possibility.
It had been years since they spoken, and he was sure she hated him. She stood before him, proud and confident. Nothing like the meek little girl he remembered. They had talked a little, nothing more than small talk; but he could see what was on her mind. It was on everyone's mind. 'Is he going to betray Konoha again?'. He could see it on everyone's face, he outwardly called himself a traitor just to demolish the elephant in the room. But she just stared at him. With big white eyes he'd one day love. Her words still rang in his head, "It doesn't matter. You are here now."
Years later, Sasuke asked why she said that. She simply responded, "Naruto trusted you… so I trusted you. I know people can change… you were as deserving of a second change as anyone else in the village."
He smiled at the memory, reaching his apartment. Unlocking the door, he slowly walked in. Not wanting to wake up the sleeping princess. The two currently shared his small studio apartment above his parents old house. Sasuke took a moment to appreciate his surroundings. A beaten up couch he'd never bother to get rid off. The picture of team seven still sitting on his dresser. The balcony where he proposed. This place, once filled with hate and anger, was where he always look forward to being at the end of the day. Stripping off his clothes, he crawled into bed; wrapping his arms around his sleeping fiancé. Tomorrow they would move downstairs and prepare to start a family. It was a place he spent years avoiding, but Sasuke couldn't imagine anything he wanted more.
The smell of her shampoo was the last thing he thought about before drifting to sleep.
Sasuke woke up to the sound of the door being broken open. Nothing in his arms but sheets. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Naruto and Kiba chatting next to open front door. Donned in kimonos. "Oi, Sasuke. Wake up." Kiba said.
"I am up." Sasuke said, begrudgingly getting out of bed. "No one could sleep with you two clowns around."
"I didn't even say anything!" Naruto yelled, pointing to Kiba, "The only clown here is this idiot."
Before Kiba could retort, Sasuke interrupted him. "Why are you here?"
"To make sure you get to the ceremony," Kiba replied, "We couldn't let you leave the princess up there all alone."
"Tch. Like I would ever do that." Sasuke replied coldly, walking to the kitchen. Like every morning, there was breakfast sitting on the kitchen table with a small hand-written note next to it. 'Today is the day', it read. He smiled, he was ready for this. Sitting down, the Uchiha began to eat his breakfast while the other two went over the plans before the wedding.
"Did Hiashi say anything about him and Hanabi coming?" Sasuke asked, interrupting their conversation. Naruto and Kiba suddenly stiffened. Their chatter immediately stopping. After Neji's death, it was decided that she could once again be the Hyuga heiress. Standing up next to Naruto, mastering 64 palms, being able to gracefully lead the Hyuga's in the front line of the war; Hiashi realized her courage. Even in times of tragedy she would be able to stand tall as a pillar of strength for the Hyuga.
"He… won't relent." Kiba said, "They aren't coming."
That was until they fell in love. No matter how strong she proved to be, or how much Sasuke redeemed himself in the eyes of Konoha; the Hyuga couldn't let her marry outside the clan. Much less with someone once marked as a traitor. She was disowned. He spent hours fighting with the Hyuga elders on the subject, to no avail. He pleaded with her to stay away, let her keep her title; her family. But she would just look up at him with those big white eyes. "This is what I want."
Sasuke slammed his fist on the table. "She fucking gave up being heir for him, he can't stopped being so damned proud for one night?!"
Naruto let out a sigh, "We saw her this morning and she told us. She looked happy, Kurenai-sensei and Shino will take the place of her parents."
"If she was here she'd probably say, 'you're supposed to be happy today. please don't worry about it'. And worry that you were worrying about it." Kiba said, smirking at the thought, "If you let this get you down, you are only going to cause problems for her."
He rolled his eyes at Kiba. As annoying as Sasuke thought he was, Kiba did know her well. "Whatever. We're going to be late if we don't leave." Sasuke said, getting up from the table.
Sasuke quickly got dressed, Naruto informing him that his kimono was waiting at the shrine and that he'd have to change there. He didn't say much on the walk to the ceremony, tuning in and out of the conversation between the two. Something about ramen flavored dog food. It wasn't long before they arrived.
The site was breathtaking. Instead of an indoor wedding, she wanted them to be wed next to a small outdoor shrine. A spring wedding, cherry blossoms in full bloom. The shrine was surrounded by little pink flowers, Sasuke imagined with the slightest wind the blossoms would practically rain. 1000 gold cranes were beautifully strung, glistening in the light. Their friends already arriving, chatting with each other. He had seen this day happen for many of their friends, but this was different. This one was his. And it was perfect.
He didn't stop to chat, quickly heading over to the hall next door where his kimono waited; not wanting to be late for his own wedding. As he began to dress, his heart started to race. Sasuke had thought about it many times before, what the day would be like with Itachi sitting with the crowd. His parents standing proudly next to him. What his mother would think of his fiancé. If she would think they were as alike as he did. If his father would have fought the Hyuga's with him. If there would even be a wedding. As the thoughts began to flood his mind, they always ended the same. The brutal image of his parents last moments. Even to think day, somedays he'd wake up in terror. He had voiced his doubts many times over with his bride. Would his children be treated the same as the Uchiha before them. Would history repeat itself. She would gently hug him, placing his head into her shoulder. "No matter what… we will protect them."
Pacing around the room a few times, he repeated her words. As many times at it took to believe in them. Trust didn't come easy to Sasuke, but if he ever wanted to start a family; he had to have faith in her. That her words were earnest, that she was strong enough to bare the name of Uchiha and all that came with it. He took a deep breath. It was time.
As he reached the shrine, the wedding was ready to begin. Kakashi was standing with Sakura, taking the place of his parents in the ceremony. Shino and Kurenai along side them. From the distance, all he could see was the back of his bride; a long, white kimono with a lace pattern. She turned towards him as he approached his rightful place as the groom. He couldn't imagine anyone else standing beside him. Sasuke wanted this moment to last forever, while simultaneously wanting this wedding to be over as quickly as possible. He wanted to caress her face, to feel how smooth her milky skin was, to be able to finally call her his wife.
The ceremony started with Sasuke's words of commitment. "When we met, I thought you were weak. You would never help me get closer to my goals. I… was wrong. You have your own strength, and you will help me achieve my greatest goal. A family. The Uchiha clan will be rebuilt because of you. That is the greatest thing anyone could give me. And…" His heart quicken again. "I… love you," Sasuke said, slightly red. No matter how cold hearted or ruthless anyone saw him, proclaiming his love in front of everyone did leave him slightly embarrassed.
She just stared at him, a smile on her face. Her cheeks rosy red. Sasuke stared into her eyes with wonderment, the fact that the woman before him was going to be his wife felt surreal. She opened her mouth to begin her vows. But nothing came out. He furrowed his eyebrows, bewildered. Looking towards the guest, none of them were shocked. Nodding their heads as if they could understand every word she said. Sasuke reached out, to touch her face, ask her why he couldn't hear her; what was happening.
But instead it ended. It was morning and his bed was cold, empty. His eyes puffy and his pillow slightly damp with tears. Sasuke rose from his bed, stumbling to the bathroom. The dreams of her always took a toll on him. He turned on the faucet, splashed his face with the freezing water and looked the mirror. The Uchiha hated his eyes. How they captured all the pain he's felt. The recent addition of the seventh tomoe on his rinnegan just served as a reminder of everything he's lost.
"Hinata…," Sasuke said, his voice shaking, "I… I can't even remember your voice anymore…"
Notes: I don't know if the rinnegan thing is possible but I went for it. Also not using Hinata's name until the end was a style choice I decided to play with so if you have comments on if it worked or not that'd be great.