Lavender Roses
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I'm not entirely certain what my update speed will be for this story, but your reviews continue to be very motivational. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 2
He still couldn't believe any of this was happening as he carries a dozen lavender roses towards the Hyuga Estate with Itachi at his side. Sasuke was technically engaged to Hinata Hyuga. All because of a marriage contract that no one had thought about in well over a decade.
"Are you certain you wish to do this, Sasuke?" Itachi looks at him with open concern.
Of course, he could understand why his parents had wanted the match. The Uchihas had been planning to overthrow the Leaf via a coup. A marriage either would have gained them a valuable ally in doing so or at least made another powerful Clan less likely to oppose them.
The question catches Sasuke off guard, but in his heart he knew what his answer was. "We'll see what Hinata says. Her opinion matters just as much as mine."
At the time, Hiashi Hyuga had two daughters and the their parents had two sons. It had likely seemed like fortuitous math. No matter what happened when the bloodlines merged, each Clan had an 'extra' heir that would sire children with their respective bloodlines.
"That's very true." Itachi smiles at him, leaning over to poke Sasuke's forehead. "I'm so proud of you. I do believe my foolish little brother is finally growing up. I am curious, though. Why the roses?"
Sasuke scowls, rubbing the spot where his brother had poked. On the inside though, he was pleased. Itachi was finally acknowledging him as an adult.
"It was a compromise. Roses seemed more appropriate for the situation than Aoda's suggestion." No matter how well-intentioned his reptilian snake summon's advice was, Sasuke highly doubted Hinata or any Hyuga would have been particularly pleased to by it.
"Master Sasuke, why do you look so distraught?" An enormous slithered to his side.
The fact that said serpent towered above him was irrelevant. Aoda had the demeanor of a faithful puppy when not on the battlefield.
"It's a long story." Sasuke sighed, deciding Aoda might be the best 'person' to talk to about his potential marriage to Hinata. Itachi already had enough to worry about. "My parents signed an agreement stating that I would marry someone when I came of age. The agreement was forgotten about until now, but Itachi and I are going to speak with Hinata and Hiashi about the matter tomorrow."
Aoda tilted his massive head. "Marriage is what humans call Mating, yes? So, you do not wish to Mate with this female? Is there a particular reason? Do you not find her desirable? Is she weak? Not able to have Hatchlings?"
Sasuke snorted. The summon meant well, but he obviously knew almost nothing about human 'mating habits' to say the least.
"You could say that." Sasuke refused to bother explaining that marriage wasn't necessarily strictly necessary to Mate with someone. Explaining everything to his sweet summon would be complicated enough as it was. "Hinata is attractive." He'd never really given the matter much thought, but objectively speaking there was no denying she was beautiful. "She's not weak. Hinata is a Jonin." Again, it was another plus in her favor on paper. "I don't really know how she is with Hatchlings, but I have no reason to suspect she wouldn't be good with them."
Aoda looked at him in open confusion. "Then I fail to see why it's a poor match? Do you not get along well with her? What do you know about her?"
Everything sounded so simple when the snake put it that way. If love was a jutsu, all the hand signs seemed to be in please. Still, Sasuke knew better than to think things would ever be that simple.
"I don't know her well. I've spoken to her a few times. Itachi married her Sensei." Their interactions had been limited, but polite. "I know that she died trying to save Naruto once." The fact that she had been revived didn't negate that in Sasuke's mind. She had no way of knowing that was going to happen. Hinata was willing to die to protect those she cared about. That was…admirable. Marriages had been built on far less.
Aoda swayed from side to side looking Sasuke up and down like he thought his summoner was sick or something. "So you are upset that you're parents suggested you marry a beautiful, strong, and loyal female who is willing to fight to protect those she cares about. I don't understand, Master Sasuke."
Sasuke blinked. Aoda did have a rather simplistic way of looking at the world, but when he put it that way, it made sense. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I should give it a chance."
It had been his parents' wish that either he or Itachi marry a Hyuga Heiress. Hinata was all those things Aoda listed and Sasuke had always eventually planned on getting married and restoring his Clan.
He just never really had anyone that he wanted to help him with that goal. There was really no reason why he couldn't come to love Hinata. Though he didn't think she'd necessarily see things that way.
"Exactly." Aoda nodded, patting Sasuke's shoulder gently with the tip of his massive tail. "You're a young, strong male, with a large territory. You can keep a Mate and Hatchlings safe. I recommend you show off your hunting prowess to prove your serious about a potential Mating. A deer would probably be a good start. Humans don't eat as much as my kind do."
Sasuke snorted. "Aoda, I'm sure that would work wonderfully on a female snake, but human women generally aren't pleased when a man presents them with a dead animal for a gift."
The massive snake paused for a moment, considering his words. "How about flowers? Lady Kurenai always seems happy when Lord Itachi gives her flowers?"
"…Flowers could work." Sasuke paused, considering the matters. At the very least, they couldn't hurt.
Itachi raises an eyebrow. "Aoda is loveable, but do you really think you should be taking love advice from a snake?"
"He raised some valid points. Don't be speciest." Sasuke rolls his eyes as they make their way ever closer to the Hyuga Estate.
Eventually, they came upon the entrance. It wasn't surprising, but there were already several guards approaching them. "We're here to see Lord Hiashi and Lady Hinata." He bows to one of the Hyugas guarding the entrance. He didn't know which one. Other than Hinata and Neji, they all looked almost identical. It was a bit disturbing. "They're expecting us."
Whoever he was, bows back. "Of course, follow me. I shall take you to them."
Well, that was surprisingly easy. Sasuke hadn't expected the guards to be aware of what was going on or perhaps Hiashi had merely told them in advance the Uchiha Brothers were coming.
"Thank you. We appreciate that." Itachi smiles, offering a polite bow of his own as they follow the guards towards the man who just might become his future father-in-law and more importantly, towards the woman who might become his future wife.
It didn't take long for them to reach her father's favorite tea room. Hinata knew the journey only took a few minutes at most, but her heart was still pounding in her chest at what was to come.
Nothing could have prepared her for the sight of the Uchiha Brothers entering the room together while she was sitting next to her father and Kurenai. Hinata could have easily convinced herself this was all nothing more than a strange dream were it not for the roses. Never in her wildest dreams would she have ever imagined something as unlikely as Sasuke Uchiha bringing her flowers.
"Thank you for coming and so swiftly." Hiashi nods at them, pouring some tea. "Come. Sit. We have much to discuss."
The brothers wasted no time in doing exactly that. It was in that moment, truly allows herself to look at her prospective fiancé for the first time.
Of course, she had seen him before. They had attended the Academy together and he was her Sensei's brother-in-law, but Hinata had never really seen Sasuke before now.
"Yes, we do." Itachi nods. "Perhaps, you or Hinata would like to go first?"
If Naruto was the brilliant, warm Sun, Sasuke was the alluring, aloof Moon. There was no denying that his raven black hair flattered his classical features and lithe, muscular build well.
It wasn't hard to see why the other girls had admired him when they were children, but that meant little. They barely knew each other. Sasuke may have brought her roses, but that was likely as an apology over the imminent awkwardness that both of them were almost assuredly destined to endure on this day.
"Very well." Her father's eyes were wary as he assesses the brothers. "That contract was signed long ago. Circumstances were far different back than they are now. I do not expect the Uchiha Clan to honor it. The only reason I have addressed it at all is a matter of honor. It would be wrong not to tell you of your parents' will and one of our Branch Members happened upon it while cleaning out my study. If I didn't address it, rumors would spiral out of control faster than you could say Byakugan."
"That does make sense." Sasuke glances at the Hyuga patriarch before handing the bouquet to Hinata. "What if I wanted to honor my parents' word, though?"
The room was suddenly spinning and breathing was becoming difficult as Hinata clutched onto the flowers for dear life. She couldn't have possibly heard him correctly. "Y-You want to honor the c-contract?"
Wonderful. She hadn't stuttered in at least a year or two and now she sounded like she was back in the Academy. Still, Hinata couldn't help it. It was nothing short of a miracle that she hadn't fainted yet. At the very least, that was one childhood habit that she appeared to have outgrown. Thank goodness for small mercies.
"Yes. It's what my parents would have wanted and I'd be foolish not to at least consider it." Sasuke looks at her, offering her a smile that she could only describe as cautious, but sincere. "You're beautiful, intelligent, a powerful ninja in your own right, but most importantly you were willing to die to protect those you care about. We might not know each other well, but that means a lot to me."
She'd never seen Sasuke appear worried about anything before. His voice was soft, almost a whisper but every word was spoken with a clarity that left her enthralled. Kurenai was right. Sasuke was just as nervous as she was, but he was trying.
Her father, Itachi, and Kurenai were all watching them like hawks. None of them had spoken a word since Sasuke had begun talking and Hinata found herself strangely grateful for their silence.
"That's very kind of you to say, but you don't have to marry me because of an agreement that was drawn up when we were children." She forces herself to smile at him before glancing at the roses. His willingness to make an effort was heartwarming, but Hinata wouldn't do it. She couldn't do it. She couldn't force him to marry her.
"It has nothing to do with kindness and everything to do with the truth. I have no reason not to consider the match, but I understand it's not the same for you." Sasuke watches her with expectant eyes. "You have every logical reason to just ask for this contract to be invalidated. It'd be the smart thing to do. No one would hold it against you, but I'd like to try."
He wanted to try. Hinata searches Sasuke's face for any hint that this was nothing more than a brave face.
It was true that whatever she knew about Sasuke was secondhand at best, but she knew his brother. Kurenai had told her everything about Itachi and by extension, to some degree…Hinata knew Sasuke.
Sasuke loved his parents. He mourned them terribly in a way that was all too familiar. It was the same way she missed her own mother. It was entirely plausible that he was only asking out of a sense of duty to his parents. Though as she looked into eyes as dark as the nighttime sky itself, she couldn't convince herself that was the only reason. If it was, he could have just said so and would have been more firm in his 'proposal.' Less vulnerable.
"If Itachi and my father agree, I think…I'd like to try too." Hinata could only hope that she hadn't just made a mistake and that she wasn't about to get bloodied by Sasuke's thorns.