It's been a long time and I'm so sorry that it took me this long to post anything! Between the two holidays since my last update, my computer crashed, there was some family drama, the new year started and I can't believe it took me this long to get caught up! Later today there will be a new chapter of 'Who Are You?' posted but I know I owe you guys more than just one chapter. It's taken me a while to get everything back from my old laptop to put on the new one but once I get all that done, there will be new stuff! I know I made you wait and there is no excuse for it but I'm back! I promise! The only thing getting in my way right now is my lack of sleep!
Anyway it's high time I started posting this story. The third installment of the 'Thunder' series and I have to say I'm not really happy about how slow this is to start. It will pick up in a couple of chapters so please bear with me here; I promise the fluff will be worth it. As much as I love doing them, and as much as I want to do one for this story, I'm leaving out the lemon. This is a fluffy series and I want it to stay below the M rating. Highest it will go is teen, sorry.
Nervousness choked him a bit if he was being totally honest with himself but he dare not voice it. Today was his wedding day…the day he got to finally put his wedding band on his beloved Naruto. Sasuke Uchiha stood at the altar in the dark blue wedding kimono that Naruto's father had used in his own wedding, with Kakashi beside him. The man refused to drop his mask for even a day as rare as this but Sasuke let it go only thinking that it was a mild inconvenience that the photographers would have to deal with later in the day. Kakashi though beamed with pride at the younger man. In just a few short hours, two of his favorite students (not to mention his self-adopted sons) would be saying their 'I do's' and ascending to a new level of bliss. It was a beautiful spring afternoon with the sun shining brightly and the wind softly pushing the small puffs of clouds gently to the east to give the outdoor wedding a very happy outlook. That outlook was the very thing that made Sasuke nervous. Kakashi caught on to the boy's – no he couldn't call him a boy after this; the man's distress and decided to voice his thoughts.
"Don't worry too much about whatever it is you're worrying about. Everything will turn out fine, just wait and see."
"I don't think you know what I'm worried about exactly," Sasuke grinded out hastily.
"You shouldn't always believe the weather report. The reporter is almost always wrong anyway. It'll rain later today for sure; just wait and see," the copy-nin assured the raven. Sasuke sighed and tilted his head down slightly.
Sasuke took the time to take in the sight before him that was supposed to be his wedding decorations. Five rows of seven chairs each filled with guests he didn't know were placed on either side of the white carpet that Naruto would be walking down and running along the sides of the carpet were navy blue and burnt orange ribbons. At the end of each row was a small stand with white roses and orange tiger lilies, both grown from Naruto's garden, and it all led up to the beautiful wrought-iron archway that he currently stood under. So they weren't going to have a traditional Konoha wedding, sue him! It was what both he and Naruto wanted so if you don't like it then just leave your gift at the wedding table and go. The arch was decorated with various vines and tiny blue flowers with white ribbons intertwined in the spaces.
Sasuke thought the whole thing was much too feminine for his and Naruto's tastes but what with Naruto being the Hokage and himself guarding his beloved day and night, wedding planning had to be left to their other teammates. Sakura was giddy to be involved, as was Ino, but Hinata was sort of reluctant; thinking that the ideas she had wouldn't be suited to either of the boy's likings before Ino and Sakura shut her up and dragged her away to various wedding shops. Hell the Uchiha considered himself lucky that they weren't kidnapped in order to try on suits or other kimonos.
Coming back to the present state of things though, Tsunade had just arrived at the altar and put her hand on Sasuke's shoulder. He straightened up before bowing slightly to her and giving her a gentle smile. She smiled back and retracted her hand before speaking to him.
"Naruto should be ready here in the next few minutes; just take a deep breath and hope you're prepared for that ball and chain I'm about to officiate for you."
"It's a weight that I'm sure I'll be happy to bear Tsunade-sama. Thank you again for doing this for us," Sasuke said genuinely. The elder blonde only smiled at him.
"Like hell I would miss my own brat's wedding. Let alone let anyone else officiate and say 'you may now suck face with your bastard.' I have a bet running with Sakura that Naruto will growl at me and you'll have to make him turn to kiss you."
"And what does Sakura think he'll do?"
"She said he'll just ignore the comment until the reception where he'll hound me for it then. I have five hundred dollars riding on this Uchiha so you had better tell me what I want to hear from you," she playfully growled.
"If I know my dobe well enough he'll react more if you say 'you may now let your bastard kiss his wife' but that's just me."
Tsunade and Kakashi both began to laugh as Sasuke smirked in amusement, allowing his body to relax and let the tension he didn't know he was holding leave him for a few moments.
Finally though, the music started to play and the flower girl, Himitsu came prancing down the aisle tossing rose petals and then bending over to pick them up cutely in her light blue kimono. Himitsu was the adopted daughter of Kakashi and Iruka, and once Naruto saw the little three year old he swooned. She had light tan skin with dark brown hair and the most beautiful shade of brown eyes the blonde had ever seen. Iruka paraded her around the village like a little princess and even Kakashi spoiled the girl rotten, but Sasuke didn't mind having her around whenever he and Naruto went to visit. She had called him 'uncle' first and that was when he asked Naruto about making her flower girl. Back to the wedding though, Himitsu had finally made it to the altar where her beloved 'uncle Sasuke' stood and now Konohamaru was carrying the tiny ring-bearer towards him. Still an infant of only three months, Somesai had a very strong resemblance to his mother, save the pink hair. Sakura and Sai had gotten married last year and their little bundle of joy was in the oven before their two month mark. Naruto was jealous but he was anxious to carry Sasuke's own child within him.
Suigetsu, as the best man, and Sakura, as the maid of honor, came walking down the aisle with Jugo and Karin following them next. Behind those two were Kiba and Hinata, followed by Shikamaru and Ino since they were okay with not walking with their spouses. Once everybody was where they were supposed to be, the small crowd of people Naruto and Sasuke both knew stood up to face where Naruto was supposed to emerge. When the gorgeous man came into view Sasuke forgot how to breathe. The gold of the kimono made Naruto's skin seem to glow in the midday sun, as though he had been kissed by the sun god himself. The red that was in the fabric stood out and made it seem as though flames were dancing at his very feet with each step. Naruto's eyes had been done up a bit with charcoal black eyeliner and a splash of yellow and red eye shadow at the corners of his eyes making the sapphire orbs pop out and compliment his golden hair. Those kissable lips that the Uchiha adored were also painted in a clear gloss to give them a shine but Sasuke could tell that Naruto was disapproving of all of the make-up, looking like he just wanted to lick the substance off. Regardless of the girly additives the bridesmaids made him adorn, Sasuke thought he was stunning. The raven only snapped out of his thoughts when Naruto was no more than ten inches in front of him and Tsunade was asking who it was that was handing Naruto off. Iruka stated that he was sending Naruto off to Sasuke and the couple finally joined hands and faced each other. Sasuke smiled proudly and Naruto only blushed and grinned wide and bright.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki as they bond in holy matrimony. Let it be that these young lovers find peace, stability, comfort, and compassion in each other for the rest of their days, for as long as they both shall live. For it is in others that we find that which completes us. In love we find hope and happiness, truth and wisdom, freedom and acceptance. Where there is joy there is also pain and sadness. Where there is hurt there is always comfort and understanding. I have witnessed first-hand the joys and hurts these two people share. And in no others have I seen such a powerful devotion or adoration for the one they love. Now that all of that official mushy stuff is out of the way, I say we get to the best part of this shindig quickly," Tsunade suddenly spouted, making both Sasuke and Naruto look questionably at her. She waved them off and chuckled while Shizune shook her head miserably in her seat and Sakura nearly crushed the flowers she was holding in embarrassment.
"Sasuke, Naruto I know that both of you aren't really up for all of this 'love me till I die' stuff since you can do that at home, so I'm just going to ask that the rings be presented now and you can say your vows," she laughed lightly. Naruto blushed and Sasuke smirked a little wider at her.
The rings were presented to them and Sasuke grabbed Naruto's hand first. He poised the ring at Naruto's finger and briefly gazed at the engagement ring that was waiting to be completed by the gold band. Tsunade turned to him and asked him to read his vows. Sasuke nervously reached inside of his inner kimono robe and brought out a short card. He cleared his throat and Tsunade held a small microphone up to Sasuke's mouth so that everybody could hear him.
"Naruto Uzumaki, I wasn't sure where exactly to begin with you. I didn't know whether to say how much I thought you were a bother to me in the beginning or to tell you how much I've come to depend on your presence in my life each day. Our start wasn't what most would call a happy one, but it's a start that I wouldn't change for the world. From nuisance, to rival, to friend, to lover, I have never been more proud to know someone as special as you," Sakura, Karin and Ino began to tear up and sniffle at this point as the words they had previously been willing to die to hear be said to them were being said to none other than the blonde they had come to love.
"Your persistence astounded me, your confidence supported me, and your belief reassured me beyond what even Shikamaru can understand," at this Naruto laughed and Shikamaru shrugged with a smirk, "but what captivated me, entranced me, was your ability to forgive and love. You saw in me someone worth your valuable time and dedication and for that I can only say thank you. Now on this, our wedding day, I vow to give you all the time in the world I own. What love I have is yours to do with what you will and I promise you, my only love, you will have my devotion, gratitude, and support. In my arms you will know comfort and acceptance. With my kiss you will know love and adoration, and with my entire being you will know happiness."
Sasuke finished his vows with a smile and a small whispered 'I love you' and Naruto had tears running down his face in happiness. Tsunade gave a sincere smile to the raven, true Uchiha, and instructed him to repeat after her for the rest of his vows.
"I, Sasuke Uchiha, take Naruto Uzumaki to be my lawfully wedded wife,"
"I, Sasuke Uchiha, take Naruto Uzumaki to be my lawfully wedded wife," he repeated as he looked in the shining blue eyes he loved.
"To love and to hold, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor,"
"To love and to hold, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor,"
"To be his strength and his pillar, in darkness and in light," Tsunade struggled to spit out. The older blonde was having a little difficulty with her emotions and Naruto only looked at her with a small reassuring smile on his face.
"To be his strength and his pillar, in darkness and in light,"
"Until death takes me from this world,"
"Until death takes me from this world,"
"Very good. Now, after all of those useless words that I probably won't bother saying again to Naruto, do you Sasuke Uchiha take Naruto Uzumaki to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Tsunade asked only to have Sasuke briefly glare at her. Turning back to Naruto he shook his head and gave his response.
"Obviously, I do," the girls swooned and eagerly waited for what Naruto had to say. Sasuke slid the ring onto Naruto's finger and gave his own hand to his love.
"Finally. Now we move on to the real reason we're all here. Naruto, present your vows please."
"Grandma Tsunade, if you make me skip any of what you just did for Sasuke then I'm only going to allow you to have half a bottle of sake at the reception," the blonde man grumbled at her. At the fifth Hokage's crestfallen face the groomsmen snickered and the guests began to laugh quietly in the crowd. Sasuke too gave a small chuckle but held Naruto's hand a little tighter to bring his focus back to the matter at hand, literally.
"Right, sorry! Anyway my vows! Okay well I gave them to Konohamaru to hold for me so come here you little brat," Naruto ushered to the boy who was holding the ring-bearer. Konohamaru quickly reached into his pocket and handed the card to his 'older brother' all while carefully balancing the baby; being mindful of the glare he was receiving from Sakura and her husband. Naruto took the card, and the ring while he was at it, from the boy and faced his soon-to-be husband once more.
"Where were we? Oh yeah, okay here we go," the crowd gave a short laugh.
"Sasuke Uchiha, ever my enigma, my unsolvable puzzle. From the day we met, until this day that I stand here before you I had never known anybody to be such a curiosity to me. The darkness of your eyes engages my mind like nothing I've ever known or possibly will know, but there is one thing I'm sure of when I look into them. I'm sure that I love them and the person I see within them. That person is brave, strong beyond belief, reliable when I need him, wise and gentle. The man who holds those beautiful eyes is who has stolen my heart, body, mind and soul and for once in my life he allowed me to be selfish and indulge in what was forbidden to me. You gave me hope, love, purpose, and the will push beyond my limits to reach you. For so long I had craved acceptance, to which after much struggle you allowed me to have. Again you gave me something I longed to have with someone; a trust that could never be broken," Sasuke shed a few tears as memories of many times when Sasuke's once shaken trust in Naruto came to the forefront of his mind, only to be reassured that Naruto still trusted him.
"Sasuke, words may spill from my mouth like water from a fountain but in this instant I don't have the ones that can convey my feelings for you. What you can walk away knowing though, is that in my embrace you won't know what it is to hurt. You no longer have to fear the emptiness of opening the door to a cold and hollow space that's called a house. In winters you won't know cold and in summer you won't know discomfort. To the best of my ability I will be your guiding light when you have lost your way, I will be your home when all is lost and I will be your faithful love when times are hard. My vows may not have been as heart-warming as yours were but dammit bastard, if you can be sure of one thing be sure of this. I love you with everything I am and more," he burst in a moment of raw emotion and randomness.
Through the chuckles of the audience and the wails of the bridesmaids, 'aww's' and tears were heard and shed as the number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja lived up to his reputation. Even though he was getting married it wouldn't have been Naruto if he hadn't of burst out at some point. Naruto was blushing to the roots of his hair when he felt a raindrop on the tip of his nose. When he looked up at the sky he saw that there was a rainbow almost directly overhead of the altar and that tiny drops of rain were slowly coming down on him. The rest of the crowd noticed this as well but didn't understand why the 'bride' and groom were smiling so happily. Sasuke's smile widened as what he had hoped would happen came true and went to lean in to kiss is beloved dobe but Tsunade was quick to stop him. The Uchiha glared at her again but the woman wouldn't budge.
"There will be no kissing…until I say there is kissing," she stated proudly.
"Then get on with it," Naruto urged.
"Fine but it's only going to be longer since you don't want me to skip anything."
"I'm okay with that just get on with it baa-chan!" the blonde yelled.
"Alright, no need to shout. Say what I say and you'll be fine."
"I, Naruto Uzumaki, take Sasuke Uchiha to be my lawfully wedded husband," Tsunade started as she said what needed to be said quickly. She knew how important the rain was to Naruto and she didn't want time to go against the boy.
"I, Naruto Uzumaki, take Sasuke Uchiha to be my lawfully wedded husband,"
"To love and to hold, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor,"
"To love and to hold, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor,"
"To be his comfort and his aid, in darkness and in light,"
"To be his comfort and his aid, in darkness and in light,"
"Until death takes me from this world,"
"Until death takes me from this world,"
"Happy day now Naruto, do you take Sasuke Uchiha to be your lawfully wedded husband?" she again rushed.
"I do!" Naruto nearly screamed before Sasuke calmed him down enough so that the ring could slide on his own finger. Naruto shook his head, smiled at his husband and placed the ring where it was supposed to go above his engagement ring.
"At long last, after three years dating and two years engaged making it five years of waiting, by the power vested in me that I still rightfully have, I now pronounce you husband and wife! Naruto, you may now let your bastard kiss his wife!"
Naruto tried to give an indignant squawk at the Hokage but Sasuke quickly grabbed his chin and pulled him into the most passionate kiss he'd ever given the blonde. Naruto forgot his temporary rage and let his bastard sweep him away in the mess of lips and tongue. Applause and wolf-whistles were heard and soon people were yelling at them to get a room, which Sasuke was almost too glad they had back home. Pulling away from his new 'wife' the new Uchiha couple turned to face their guests and glided down the aisle hand in hand towards a horse-drawn carriage. The rest of the wedding entourage joined them and as the guests walked by they thanked them for attending the ceremony, happily on Naruto's part and hurriedly on Sasuke's. Eventually Sasuke and Naruto got to leave so that the reception could begin after everybody had their fill of pictures.
