Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following characters.
Note: I don't think thisis a good fic, but I kind of like it for some reason. I'd appreciate it if someone would let me know if Hinata sounds OOC.
Ino, who usually sported the skimpy-chic look, was exquisite in her off-white puffball wedding dress. Shikamaru remarked that she looked like a clown with her pounds of make-up, but Hinata knew better because he never once took his eyes off Ino, even when the belly dancers performed.
After dinner was served (Hinata happily noted that the appetizers included cinnamon buns), Ino and Shikamaru commenced their first dance as a married couple. Sakura, the maid of honor, was bugging everyone to dance, while Naruto was bugging her to just dance with him. Hinata's eyes fell on Temari, whom Ino had made a bridesmaid since she was one of Shikamaru's closest friends. For years before Asuma's death, the attraction between her and Shikamaru was undeniable. They were both terse, intelligent, and rather caustic. When they were with each other, she was gentler and he was happier. However, since Konoha's long period of sporadic battles with Akatsuki, their once sizzling romance had waned, each too busy protecting their country, even though they maintained a relatively close friendship. Asuma's death had brought Ino and Shikamaru together, helping Ino fulfill her promise to Asuma—to take care of the boys, and to never lose to Sakura, in ninjutsu or in love. Her bossy, bothersome tendencies became comforting and and her effervescence endearing to Shikamaru; he rid himself of his lazy habits and became powerful and reliable to better protect his lover. Their friendship blossomed into love. Hinata turned her attention to Ino, who was in the middle of the dance floor jerking Shikamaru around like a rag doll. He was trying to look annoyed was failing miserably.
Ino was pretty by many standards but her charm often transcended her physical beauty. Like tonight, for example. In her praiseworthy effort to dance, she was flopping around the floor, her thin milky arms flailing, hips thrashing out of sync to the formulaic beats. She possessed the grace of two-week old puppy squirming in the hands of an overzealous child. But she either did not care or did not notice because she continued to thrust to the rhythm of her imaginary drums. Infused with confidence, her clumsiness was rather adorable and charismatic, like some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy.
Kurenai, who was also named a bridesmaid, joined the floor, proving to be a much more elegant dancer than Ino. Soon, the euphoric nucleus of the banquet hall sucked in the guests like a miniature black hole. Finding herself alone at her table, Hinata fidgeted looked around for some non-dancer to talk to. She once again fixed her eyes on Temari. Her impeccably straight back was resting on a pillar, and her face reverent and proud despite her treacherously sad eyes. Hinata had nothing against Ino and felt the girl certainly deserved a happy life. But something about these turn of events seemed unfair. Temari had saved Shikamaru's life a handful of times and had been the first woman, other than his mother, to see him cry and to provide some semblance of comfort. She deserved him, but circumstances ripped them apart. Her brothers had died in the full-fledged battle against Uchiha Madara. Concerns for national security had barely allotted her any time for grieving, as she was always engaged in endless discussions with the Suna council regarding the next Kazekage. Precluded from the position by her gender, she vied for Baki to become the new leader. There were rumors that she bribed and blackmailed various lobbyists in order to secure Baki's position. She was certainly no angel. She had more than a fair share of blood on her hands, but her treatment of Shikamaru was the closest thing to selfless devotion that one could expect from an overbearing shrew. The undiscerning eye saw nothing, but Hinata saw that Temari had taken small, countless steps to protect and strengthen Shikamaru, to ensure his happiness yet prepare him for the miseries that lie ahead. As Hinata stared at the proud woman gazing at the married couple, she realized she was starting to cry. She involuntarily squeaked when Temari returned her stare. Hoping that the carbuncles of light reflected from the disco ball were enough to camouflage her tears, Hinata stood up and quickly walked toward the balcony.
When she opened the glass door, she was grateful for the cool breeze that helped her heart to slow its pace and for her tears to dry quickly. She felt someone tap her shoulder, and turned to see a concerned-looking Temari.
"Temari-san, you look wonderful."
"Why are you crying?" Temari suspected she already knew the reason.
"...Temari-san, you are so strong."
"Hmph," Temari regretted that it sounded a bit too haughty, "Stupid girl, so are you."
Hinata gasped a little, it being the first time she was insulted by the Sand nin. Strong? Did she mean...
"You learned a lot from him, didn't you?" Temari sat back against the railing. She still had the poise of a winner despite being a loser in this particular love triangle.
"Yes...yes I did," Hinata smiled. Naruto and Hinata became close friends after she confessed his love for him, but his heart belonged to Sakura. Kiba wanted to beat and scold—How could he still fawn over that pink bimbo when YOU almost died for him?—but Hinata would have none of it. Her confession to Naruto and her gamble with death, she felt, were momentous events that, she was embarrassed to admit, shook her world. By watching Naruto, she had honed her strength so that even his rejection had dampened neither her faith in herself nor her hope for the future.
"Do you have any regrets, Temari-san?"
"Of course. I wish my brothers were still here. But that's not what you meant now, is it? Baki thinks I should have been smarter, more careful about things between me and him. But I've done my job, I served my country. I'd say I deserve to choose whatever I'd like, even if that means loving an idiot who's in love with another idiot. I don't think anyone knows this, but I thought it wouldn't work out between us anyway. I suppose that makes me an idiot too."
Hinata giggled. If only for that moment, Hinata felt they were kindred spirits, two opposite personalities that have grown to withstand the terrors of war and the sorrows of unrequited love. They were kunoichi, true to themselves, living for the sake of no man.
The music changed. The previously upbeat tune had sobered, and Hinata could hear a flute playing a melody that can only be associated with the capricious winds of the Sand Village. Temari lifted herself off of the railing, "A Suna song? I wonder who requested this."
She offered her arm to Hinata, "Shall we dance? It would be a crime for two outrageously sexy ladies not to."
Hinata took her arm, and replied in her signature meek voice, "Yes. It would be."