A/N- Not dead. Just to relieve writer's block and get something out there.
Warnings: There are mentions of NejiHina, if you really squint. Please don't flame needlessly because of it. There will be cold, cruel, realistic introspection. If you don't want the truth, leave please.
I own nothing.
Marriage was never a topic broached within the Hyuuga household. It was unspoken that the decision would not belong to the spouses and they would do as ordered without complaint. They would consummate the marriage and life would return to normal, a new baby most likely on the way for the false couple.
Hinata dreaded the announcement. Even as a child, she had understood her duty, but she had not wanted to honor it. Her naive heart was set upon Naruto and she believed she could have her way as heiress. At fifteen, she now knew it was foolish to even hope for her own choice within the family. She was fast approaching marriagable age and she knew her father was searching for a suitable husband for the heiress of the Hyuuga household. It was only a short matter of time before he chose.
In her own eyes, there was only one person worthy of the title of husband to the heiress. While she did not condone it, Neji was the only one that would be strong enough in her eyes and in her father's. No other Hyuuga could match him.
He was the epitome of everything that was Hyuuga. He was cold and distant, keeping a cool head in desperate situations. He as strong and extremely powerful, mastering a move taught only to the most advanced of the main branch on his own. He was intelligent and tactical, a genius among the Hyuugas and Konoha. He was Hyuuga and he was everything she was not.
She knew that if and when he was chosen as her 'beloved', it would be for the convenience of having at least one of the clan leaders being strong. He would be the strength in the marriage, her, the benevolence. She was the complacency, he was the power. Her only role would be the trophy. She was only for show. He would be the one who held the responsibility and burden, not her. She was simply too fragile.
Despite growing wiser and more mature with her age, Hinata still clung to the belief that maybe, just possibly, she could marry for love. However, the love and life within the Hyuuga family died with her mother and she was left with the cold and bitter spoils.