Love Blossom

PLEASE READ THIS INTRODUCTION BEFORE READING THE FANFICTION!

Hello! I am Jojo Nola, author of Love Blossom, an AU SasuHina fanfiction that has been in the works since I was 16, over five years ago! Thank you for taking the time to stop by on my profile to read my work. I greatly appreciate it!

I want to briefly discuss the premises of Love Blossom and how it came to me. To put it simply, while Love Blossom is a work of fiction, the events that happen to the main characters, Sasuke and Hinata, are based off the lives of two adults very close to me in real life. Love Blossom is my attempt to tell their story through two beloved characters who fit the adults very well in regards to personality and family history/situation.

The story is quite sad and filled with drama and 95% of it is very true-the other 5% is just fluff I imagine happened between the two adults and fanservice I created for my SasuHina fans (lol). I had a particularly hard time writing Sasuke, as I am sure most Naruto fanfiction authors have because he is such a complex character. I struggled with keeping him in character at first, but then I realized that I could create a Sasuke that was a blend of various characteristics he exhibits in the canon timeline, and I especially enjoyed adding his cute, sweet personality he had as a child because if the Uchiha massacre had not occurred in canon, he probably would have grown up to be a sweet guy.

As for Fugaku and Hiashi, I also struggled to write them. Not much is done on them in canon, but I pulled a lot from the scorn they exhibited towards their children; plus, the way I presented them in this fanfiction is very much a carbon copy of the real life couple's fathers.

Lastly, I would like to remind my readers that this is rated M because there are tough subjects dealt with in this fanfiction. While it is a romance fanfiction, there are painful themes and events within that the couple very close to me unfortunately went through. Overall, it is a story of growth and love, and I hope that you will all enjoy it.

Without further ado, here is Love Blossom! Thank you!-Jojo Nola

Her husband was not who one would consider a "regular" husband. He was serious and reserved, and never showed affection. Their life was a daily routine. In the morning, she would get up early and make them breakfast while he showered and dressed. After he was done eating, he would throw his jacket over his shirt and he'd give her arm a gentle squeeze, a quick nod, and he'd be off. In the afternoons, he'd come home from work tired, take his jacket off and sit before their dinner that was ready to be eaten. He'd eat, shower, and then work on papers and whatnot before getting ready for bed. Little was said between them. She was shy, also reserved. One could wonder if she loved her husband, as any wife does. But they never showed affection.

One day, she eagerly waited for him to shower and then go into his office to work before approaching him.

"Sasuke." Saying his name without the -kun honorific still sounded foreign to her.

"Hm?"

She fumbled with her apron, which she realized with embarrassment that she still had not removed since finishing dinner prep. "I-I have something to tell you."

He gave her a quick glance over his black rimmed glasses. "Yes?"

She inhaled, her excitement making her heart pound loudly in her chest. Her palms were clammy.. "Um...I went to the doctor yesterday."

"And?" He continued writing, not looking up. She knew he wasn't surprised because she had some heart problems and often went to the doctor, by his request. She was about to blurt out the following words, but somehow maintained her composure.

"I-I'm pregnant."

She heard the lead from his pencil break from where she was standing. He raised his head and looked at her. His face was expressionless.

"What?" His voice was completely monotone.

She swallowed, feeling her cheeks flush. His stern gaze bore into hers, and she averted her eyes. "I...I'm having a baby. W-Well, we are having a baby."

A moment of silence.

After what seemed like an eternity, Sasuke slowly stood up. "A baby, you say?"

She self-consciously tucked a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Y-Yes…" Sasuke walked over to her and then stopped in front of her. She shyly looked up at him.

"You can't have a baby."

She felt her heart sink. "W-What? Why not?" She demanded, although her voice had lowered. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're only twenty-two. We're in no position to have a child right now. It's only going to create more stress."

She clenched her fists, biting her lip at the same time. "What does it matter that I'm twenty-two? I am an adult. You are an adult. You're too young to be stressing out over so much work anyways." She saw his jaw harden, and she felt a twinge of fear and guilt. She had never answered back to him in that way.

"Hinata, you are being selfish."

"Selfish! I'm being selfish? You care more about your work than you do about me, your own wife, than this baby that is now on the way!" Her voice was slowly rising to a protest. Sasuke glared at her. "Enough, Hinata. You're complaining. We can't have a child right now." He turned his back to her. Hinata stared at his back incredulously as he made his way back to his desk.

"Then you should have thought of that before sleeping with me."

He stopped and glared at her over his shoulder. "Watch what you say."

"Then what do you want me to do? Abort the baby?"

He didn't answer. He sat down at his desk and got to work, ignoring her. Angry and hurt, Hinata stormed out silently and went to bed. She lay down, and wept bitterly, feeling ashamed for arguing with her husband and hurt because he had suggested (without saying it) something so outrageous to her. She had never felt the distance between them as much as she did then. Eventually, sleep came over her.

When she heard the alarm ring, Hinata noticed that the space beside her was empty and had not been slept in. Confused, she got up to search for Sasuke. She found him at his desk, asleep. What? She thought. She gently shook him. "Sasuke...time for you to wake up." She heard his grunt and he lifted his head sleepily. He stared at her with eyes that were half open. After a few moments, he slowly stood up and walked around the desk, going over to Hinata. Feeling a twinge of bitterness from their argument last night, she turned to leave the room; however, Sasuke grabbed her wrist, gently guiding her into his arms. Hinata's eyes widened in surprise. He put one hand on her lower back and the other on her shoulder in an awkward embrace. He rested his chin on her head. "A baby, huh?" His voice was soft and slurred.

She felt herself blush, her heart beating fast. He was showing affection? Was he drunk? She glanced down at his desk to see a glass with a few droplets of red liquid. Wine.

After a couple of moments, he briskly released her and cleared his throat. "Right. I need to shower and get ready. I'll see you for breakfast in a bit." He walked away, scratching his head.

Hinata was left in silence, but she felt as if her pounding heart could be heard across town. Her body felt hot. Shaking her head, she moved towards the desk, reaching for the glass. Inhaling and then exhaling, she went on to make breakfast.

Breakfast had been quiet as always, but there was a hint of awkwardness. She tried as much as she could to not make a sound, whether it was with her spoon or her chewing. She wished she could become invisible. When Sasuke finished, he got up and went over to grab his jacket. He glanced back at her and then cleared his throat. He was about to walk out when she found it within her to stand up.

"Ah...Sasuke."

He glanced back at her, waiting. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Um…" She didn't know what to say. Can you tell me what that was about earlier? Do you truly want me to abort? What do you want me to do? Why aren't you happy?

She bit her lip and looked down. "Have a nice day."

Sasuke blinked and then walked out, closing the door behind him. Hinata felt a knot in her throat and she let out a shaky sigh, slowly picking up the dishes. As she began washing them, she let herself dwell in her thoughts. She had been "a good wife", as her father had instructed her to be long before she got married. She gave her husband the space he needed and they lived harmoniously….

...as strangers.

She sighed, looking out the window of their kitchen at the sky. She had known Sasuke since they were children because of school and because of the connection between their families...but she didn't know him. She had never spoken to him unless it was a polite "Excuse me" or "good morning, Sasuke-kun" at school whenever she had passed him or when their families gathered for whatever reason. How did they end up married? How could two complete strangers be married? It pained her to think that she had given up her job in her father's company to marry the man who had sat silently in class, ignoring the catcalls of fangirls and focusing on his school work and duties within his family instead. He was the last person she had expected to marry, especially since she had longed to connect with a certain blond for so many years.

But it wasn't so unexpected. She knew that her father and her father-in-law had always stayed in the shadows, nudging both of them towards one another. They didn't have another option.

Did she love Sasuke? She wasn't sure of the answer. She definitely felt something when she saw him. Something that made her shy and self-conscious when he was around. Only a fool would deny that he was handsome. But was it love? She glanced down. Her stomach was still flat, but she had a life within her that was hers and his. He had fathered that microscopic being. The thought made her feel embarrassed, but she could only think about the bizarre situation she was in. She hardly spoke to him, yet here she was, expecting a child that was theirs, and she didn't even know what it was she felt about him. What if she didn't love him? What if he didn't love her? How would they explain to their child that its parents did not love each other?

She shook her head, trying to get rid of her thoughts. What do I do?

Sasuke was typing the most boring report in his entire life, although he thought that about every report he had to type for his father. He glanced up when he heard a knock on his office door. "Come in."

"Reporting for duty, sir!" His assistant came in, grinning at him. She was older, hired for him by his father. Her personality was still too much for him.

"Back from vacation, I see. You should've stayed a bit longer."

She rolled her eyes. "A 'hi, welcome back!' would've been nice!" She set her bag down. "It would've been nice to stay a bit longer, but I can't keep lugging this thing around! I need to be home in my normal routine!"

Sasuke looked up, noticing for the first time that she was referring to her belly. He felt himself frown. "What?"

She looked at him incredulously. "Oh, come on. You didn't know I was pregnant? I thought everyone knew!" He stared at her. "Pregnant?"

She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Do you not know what pregnancy is? How do you think you came into this world? My husband and I are married, and it's bound to happen! Duh…" She added the last part in a lower voice, but he caught it. "Hey. Watch it."

She smiled, placing a hand on her belly. It was still small, but definitely noticeable. "It's a great feeling, really. My husband and I were so happy when we found out. He bawled his eyes out!" She grinned sheepishly. "Just wait till you have your own, boss. It's a great feeling, and when you find out, it's the best moment of your life! Plus…" She raised her eyebrows. "You'll have beautiful babies with that wife of yours! Gosh, tell Hinata-san that I hope she's doing well!"

Sasuke stared at the report in front of him without reading as his overly excited assistant practically skipped out, calling out to a co-worker.

Pregnancy.

He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. Pregnancy was such a strange thing to him. Stressful. Foreign.

Yet, Hinata was pregnant.

His wife. Pregnant.

He opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. His assistant's words rang through his head, partially because she was so loud, and partially because he was thinking about his argument with Hinata the night before. Had he been too harsh?

He sighed loudly, rubbing his temples. Of course he had been too harsh. He had suggested an abortion without even saying it. He had argued with his wife, who never complained and who always kept to herself. He had called her selfish.

Joke's on you. My wife is already pregnant, apparently.

"What a pain." He reached for his pen again, and then turned instead to his computer and dove into some research that he never thought he would have to do so soon.

Hinata jumped when she heard the doorknob turn. She quickly removed her apron and smoothed down her dress. She had cooked stir fry, and the heat prompted her to change into a sleeveless a-line dress. She felt embarrassed, but she preferred to show off skin than feel hot.

Sasuke stepped in, putting his jacket up. His eyes met hers, and then quickly darted away. He cleared his throat. "I'm home."

"I-I made something different today. I hope you like it."

He didn't say anything and sat down. Hinata sat down across from him, and noticed that he seemed...different. Off. He had glanced at her a few times throughout dinner, clearly looking at her skin. She began to feel self-conscious.

"I...I'm going to get a sweater. I feel a bit cold."

"That dress looks nice on you."

Hinata looked up in surprise at him. Sasuke continued eating without looking at her, but she could tell that he was embarrassed. She felt her face become hot. "Ah...thank you."

When they had both finished, Hinata was just starting to wash the dishes when she heard one of the most outrageous things in her life.

"Let's go for a walk."

"Eh?"

She turned to look at Sasuke, who was standing behind her. "A walk? But...don't you have work to do?"

"I can do it later."

"B-But...I have to wash these dishes and clean up."

"You can do that later, too."

Hinata looked at him in disbelief. "Ah...I mean, if you want to."

Sasuke nodded and then disappeared into their room, coming out a few seconds later in a different shirt. "Let's go, then."

Still feeling surprised, Hinata dried her hands and smoothing her dress down again, headed out with her husband.

A walk. That was a first.

Since they had gotten married, Sasuke had never gone out with his wife, unless it was to visit his father for a meeting. Their routine was the same everyday. She took care of all the things at home, and he worked. She went out if she had appointments, or if she needed groceries. He went out to work. Therefore, a walk was out of the ordinary.

They walked in silence, with only the sound of their footsteps resonating around, and a gentle breeze billowing through their hair. Sasuke kept his hands in his pockets, and Hinata held hers in front of her, looking around. They had walked down to a nearby park, also a first. Sasuke glanced over at her. She was staring up at a tree, observing a squirrel. The breeze gently lifted her hair off of her shoulders.

She was so young. So pale and soft. So innocent. Her face showed youth.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and saw that he was staring. "Ah...is there something in my hair?"

He shook his head and looked in the other direction, clearing his throat. "No."

Why did he feel so...awkward? Maybe coming on this walking trip was stupid. He glanced back at her. She was staring at the park.

No. She was staring at the family.

A couple with their small child, laughing and playing. Sasuke stared as well. They were older, not by much, but the woman looked older than Hinata. Will she age that noticeably if…? He wanted to roll his eyes for thinking about such trivial things. The woman leaned into her husband's embrace as they watched their child play on the swings.

Sasuke looked at Hinata. He couldn't see her face. He couldn't read her thoughts, but he had a pretty good hunch about what she was thinking at that moment.

Could that be us at some point?

"Hinata."

She jumped, clearly lost in her thoughts. "Yes?"

Sasuke looked back at the family. "Observing?"

He could see that she was embarrassed. "Ah...yes. That was rude of me to stare for so long. They just look…" A pause. "Happy."

"Are you happy?"

Hinata looked at him, surprised. "W-What?"

Sasuke met her eyes. Her dark lashes stood out against her pale eyes. "Are you happy?" He repeated.

"I-I think so. I-I mean..."

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

He saw her blush. "I'm sorry...um…." Sasuke stared at her, and she averted her eyes, looking down at her hands. "A-Are you happy?" She asked quietly.

No response. Instead, Sasuke reached out, taking her hand. It was warm and small in his own. She flinched at the movement, and her face became more red. "Sasuke?"

"This baby is important to you, no?"

Hinata looked at him as if he was speaking in a foreign language. "Ah…" She glanced down. "Yes. It is…" Sasuke cleared his throat and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She looked up, meeting his eyes.

"Although I am not too keen on the idea of a baby, I know this is important to you, so it's important to me as well."

His eyes widened slightly when he realized those pale eyes were becoming wet. "Wait...why are you crying?"

Hinata rubbed at her eyes with her other hand, sniffling. "I-I'm happy…"

He watched her rub at her eyes, her nose and cheeks a lovely shade of red.

"Hn. You're so sensitive." He wiped a tear away with his thumb. "Let's go home."

She nodded, and to both their surprise, they didn't let go of each other's hand all the way home.

Hinata was washing dishes while Sasuke worked in his office. She was, once again, left alone with her thoughts.

Her heart felt full. She smiled to herself, thinking about the events that had occurred earlier. She had never expected her husband to put off work to take her on a walk, nor did she expect him to accept the idea of the baby, even though he still felt odd about it.

Her hand felt tingly. She smiled to herself. She finished washing the dishes, and dried her hands. She looked out the window at the inky black sky scattered with stars. She placed a hand on her stomach, and looked down. This is really happening…

"Hinata."

She jumped, startled when she heard Sasuke's voice. He was leaning in the doorway of his office, looking at her. "Ah, yes?"

Sasuke stared at her. He had been staring at her in a strange way since he had gotten home and it made her feel...different. Self-conscious. She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I-Is something wrong?"

"Let's go to bed. I'm tired."

She felt herself blush. "Oh...yes." Sasuke had never spoken those words to her. He would usually come to bed later, when she was starting to fall asleep. He motioned with his chin towards their room and then went in. She followed him, feeling her heart beat fast. When she walked in, he was looking through his closet for sleep wear.

"Ah, I can wait for you to change."

Sasuke glanced at her over his shoulder. "There's no need." To her shock, he took his shirt off, albeit his back was to her. She felt her face become hot and she quickly looked away. "Um...I'm going to the bathroom." She hurried over, reaching for a random nightgown so that she could change in there. She was definitely not going to change in front of him.

When she came out of the bathroom, she saw Sasuke sitting on their bed, with his eyebrow raised. "Did you just use the bathroom card as an excuse to change in there?"

Hinata felt herself blush again. "I...I figured I'd give you your space to change."

"I think you didn't want me to see you changing."

She looked away, embarrassed. "You're not going to shower?"

Sasuke pulled the covers back. "I'll just shower tomorrow." He glanced at her. "Shouldn't you.." He cleared his throat. "Take that off?" His eyes traveled down to Hinata's chest, where her nightgown showed the clear outline of her bra.

She felt her face become hot. "W-What?"

She realized Sasuke looked embarrassed. "I read that women shouldn't sleep with their bras on."

Hinata stared at him as if he had grown another head. "Yes..that is true. Um…" After an awkward silence, Sasuke turned away, slipping into the covers as Hinata took off the damn thing. Feeling self-conscious, she wrapped her arms around herself and climbed into bed as well, covering herself almost entirely with the blankets.

"Goodnight, Hinata."

She swore Sasuke could hear her heart pounding.

"Goodnight, Sasuke."

Sasuke reached over and turned the lamp off.

How did he end up marrying Hinata? It still seemed like quite a puzzle to him.

Sasuke stared at the ceiling, unable to find it within himself to fall asleep. His mind hadn't been riddled with thoughts in a while, perhaps since college. Or since his mother's death. He glanced over at Hinata, who slept with her back facing him. He watched her body gently rise and fall as she slept soundly.

How in the world did he end up marrying Hinata?

"Sasuke, I think it's time you get married, no? Wouldn't want you to stay a bachelor forever."

"I don't find it an issue. I'm still young."

"Still. You are going to inherit this company, this business, and every man needs a good wife at his side."

Was it for the image?

He recalled that conversation with his father. He had only just graduated from university. His headspace did not even have room to think of romance and all that fluff, but he knew his father. He wasn't going to let him slide out of this one. But then again, when did he let him slide out of anything?

"There are some lovely girls you could court. The eldest daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi perhaps. She just graduated as well, and she is not being courted by anyone."

Sasuke easily deciphered what his father was saying. This was the girl he was going to marry. No excuses. So he let his father think that the boy thought he had options, and after a formal meeting over dinner, Sasuke began to court the young Hyuuga.

She was no fool, either. Her father could've been a carbon copy of his. He wasn't a fan of the Uchiha, and vice versa (apparently), but they had a business partnership to maintain, and a marriage between their children would only benefit them more. There was no dramatic protest, no "I love someone else" surprises. She merely accepted his request to court her with a small nod, and a quiet "Please take care of me."

Sasuke had known her since they were children. Their families had held gatherings before, and he had seen her a few times, although he had never paid much attention to her; however, even as a child, he knew somewhere in the back of his head that she had probably been selected as his future wife since the moment she was born. She was younger, after all. Their families had been in a business partnership since their parents had formed their own respective companies. It was better to have allies than rivals. Had Itachi lived to the present day, perhaps she would have been saved for him, but alas, she would have been much younger and both families would not allow a scandal to sprout over an age difference.

They had both attended school together, from elementary until preparatory. They never exchanged words unless at family gatherings, when their parents nudged them to acknowledge each other's existence. He knew she had eyes on a particular blond, but he also knew that she was aware of their parents' plan to marry them and made the smart decision to keep her distance.

Courting was...strange. He had to meet her at her home, and then be escorted by people of her father's utmost trust as they were taken to places to have dinner and whatnot. She was quiet and noticeably shy. They rarely spoke unless it was to order food or ask for the bill. She had nervous habits, and he knew that his presence made them increase, although she did an impressive job at suppressing them. She was also meticulous about her appearance, always wearing modest outfits and keeping her hair and nails well kept. He expected nothing less of a Hyuuga woman, especially the eldest of Hiashi.

When he proposed to her, there was really not much of a scene like in the movies. He simply pulled out the small box, asked the question, and she gave him a small smile. With pink cheeks, she accepted. Of course, because this had already been planned.

Courting and preparation for their wedding occurred over a span of about two months. There was no point in tip toeing around the fact that they had to get married, so he made sure to just get to the point.

They had two ceremonies. The first was the legal wedding, where they had to do all the signing of papers and whatnot. The second was the traditional wedding, even though he had hoped that in the modern age, he wouldn't have to dress in such extravagant attire. Nonetheless, his father and Hiashi were old-fashioned in a sense, so they had to proceed through tradition.

They moved into their home that same day. He had opted for something modest, and he received no protest from the girl. He was tired of living in such a large home, anyway.

He didn't really recall feeling nervous. He just felt...strange. He knew that he had to consummate his marriage to her, and she knew as well. She, on the other hand, looked like she was going to pass out at any minute, so when the time came and he went over to her, she quietly requested that he keep the light off. He agreed only because her awkwardness was starting to rub off on him. That night had been a blur, albeit a nice blur. At least for him.

She couldn't have gotten pregnant then. That was months ago. They would've definitely noticed by now.

Hinata stirred, and she turned over, this time facing him. A ray of moonlight was peeking through the curtains, and it illuminated her face. She looked so young. So soft. Only a fool would deny that she was beautiful, and Sasuke was no fool. Of course, he wasn't one to admit those kinds of things.

Ah, he remembered. They had both drunk wine with their dinner that night.

Not much, ahem, action really occurred between them. He was often too tired when he came home from work, and when he finally headed for bed, she was already out like a light.

It seems as if they had both been feeling the dry spell.

She had gotten up first, her face flushed from the alcohol. She announced that she was feeling "quite woozy" and that she was going to lay down for a bit. Sasuke watched her get up, walking back slowly to their room. He noticed that the dress she was wearing clung to her figure rather nicely. He got up and followed her.

Standing in the doorway, he stared at her as she sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through her hair. Her pale, slender neck was exposed, and he could remember wanting nothing more but to bury his face in it. Yep, it was definitely the alcohol.

She noticed him staring and their eyes met. After a few moments, she averted her eyes, glancing down at the bed bashfully.

That was enough to make him walk towards her. He stopped before her, and then putting both hands on either side of her, he nudged her back, his lips on her soft neck, her hair tickling his face. He remembered her mumbling something about his glasses, but it seemed foreign to him as her skin felt cool against his mouth.

Yep, that's when she had gotten pregnant.

Ah, the things that alcohol can do to a person.

Sasuke shifted, feeling silly and embarrassed for remembering something like that. It made him feel like a pervert.

He stared at the sleeping woman, studying her pale face, her dark lashes. He looked down at her abdomen, and something strange snuck into him.

Was he feeling...afraid?

Afraid of what? That she was perhaps not in the best health condition to bear children?

No.

Did he love her?

What would a child say if it found out that its parents did not love one another?