Unlike the last one, this one-shot is based on the last chapter, one of Tsunade's comments to Itachi. Hope you like it.
"Mother, Father," Sasuke announced, clutching Naruto's hand tightly in his as he faced most terrifying audience in the world; it wasn't even this scary to face the council when he had to vouch for Tsunade to become the Hokage. "We're getting married."
Mikoto clapped her hands together in delight, practically launching herself over the table, catching her future daughter-in-law in a tight embrace. Naruto laughed slightly as she returned the hug, and pushed Mikoto away slightly so as they could see one another properly.
"I'm so happy for you," Mikoto said through a sudden haze of tears, and a smile as wide as her face. "I've been imagining this day since the two of you were little."
Naruto and Sasuke looked at one another for a brief moment, Naruto laughing softly, Sasuke smiled gently.
"What flowers do you want?" Mikoto asked, moving over to the little cabinet by the door, and pulling out a large white folder. She pulled on one of the tabs and let the file fall open as she laid it on the table. She pulled out two pictures and held them up.
"Lilies or white roses?"
It was the autumn in which Naruto turned 21 that they had decided to get married. Sasuke, also 21, had finally managed to convince a very over protective Jiraiya to let him marry his little charge less than a month before, and was currently trying to fit his sword into the back of his thin obi.
On the other side of the Uchiha compound, Tsunade placed the last touch of blood red onto Naruto's lips, completing her otherwise flawlessly made up face. After a moment, Tsunade let out a muffled sob, holding a handkerchief to her eyes.
"I can't believe I finally have to give you away, Naruto-chan," she said tearfully, dabbing gently at her eyes. "I can't believe that you and Sasuke are finally getting married."
"Don't cry, Tsunade-ba-chan, please?" Naruto asked her softly, her smooth, white face wrinkling slightly.
Tsunade smiled slightly. "I'm fine, Naruto-chan. Don't mess up your face make up." She paused for a moment, her strangely youthful eyes glazing over once again with tears.
"I love you, Naruto-chan. Never forget that."
Naruto's eyes began to swim slightly, and she smiled back at her. "I love you too, okaa-san," she whispered, taking her adoptive mother in a fierce embrace. Before she could break down completely, Naruto pulled back, fixed her very elaborate headdress, and took the older woman by the hand, pulling her towards their little procession.
"Let's go, okaa-san. I'm getting married," she said excitedly.
Sasuke stood there, palms sweating horribly as he clenched and unclenched his hands. He stood and waited, and upon the general rustle of people turning to look, he swiveled around, and saw her, gliding up the path. She was resplendent – her white kimono was sewn through with flecks of red and gold that shimmer in the light, reaching from just above her geta to where it fell slightly behind her neck. Her slim, golden hands were clasped in front of her, and her eyes were slightly downcast, but she looked up at him occasionally, flashing him a beatific smile. Her face was pure white, like porcelain, contrasting the berry-red of her lips, the electric blue of her eyes, and the wonderful soft gold of her hair. She reached her soon-to-be husband's side, and they knelt down before the priest, and the ceremony began.
Naruto felt like crying with happiness. Here she was, sitting across from her affianced, her heart pounding ready to burst, about to do the San-San-Kudo with Sasuke, and the sun was shining, and everyone in her small, dysfunctional family was there to watch.
Sasuke had spent the last few minutes telling the priest, and their families, about how faithful, and happy, and loving they'd be with one another. She hardly noticed when the priest set out a number of cups, or when Sasuke poured sake into three of them, before passing her the bottle. She took her eyes from him for long enough to focus on the cups she was pouring into.
She loved the way he smiled at her softly, being one of the few people who could get a smile out of him, and how his black eyes became warmer when he did. He wasn't just smiling at her now, he was beaming, and this alone was enough to set her heart aflame.
His dark blue haori matched his hair perfectly, which he had actually brushed for this occasion.
The sips of sake she had taken went to her cheeks, which were heated beneath the thick make up. After a few moments, a short miko wearing the traditional dress took the bottle of sake from the little tray, and began to walk around, pouring a little in each guest's cup.
Before the priest had had a chance to move the tray, still laden with three, half drunk cups of sake, Naruto had launched her self across the gap between herself and Sasuke, bringing themselves and the tray to the floor.
The assembled laughed softly, as the couple kissed briefly, before Naruto clambered to her feet, pulling her new husband with her.
She laughed sheepishly, clutching his hand in hers, keeping her eyes fixed on him as they stood in front of every one.
"I don't think I've ever been as in love with you as I am now," she whispered to him. He smiled back, without saying anything, and she glowed with happiness. She had long since come to terms with Sasuke's verbal and emotional constipation, and learned to read his emotions through his eyes and his body.
Right now he was saying "And I love you too, Naruto-chan. I'm so happy we're married". It was either that or "take me, I'm yours".
She leaned up and kissed him again, before she let go of his hand, and curled hers around the Uchiha amulet that hung from her neck.
"I'm going to change. You should do the same, and then we'll go to the party." She took a step down from the specially constructed platform, and into the waiting arms of Tsunade, who pressed a gentle kiss into Naruto's cheek.
She exited the room wearing her brand new kimono which Mikoto had ordered for her as a present, her make up gone and her hair in a completely different style.
The kimono was red and gold, starting with elegant and graceful flames that danced as she walked. At her waist, the flames turned to petals, which floated upwards into the lighter pink sky. Her obi was cherry red, like her lips had been earlier, with a fabric rose sewn over her left hip. She held two flowers, one in each hand. A lily in the left, and white rose in the right, the flowers that her new mother-in-law had picked out for her so long ago. the whiteness of them was even brighter against her tanned skin.
Her golden cheeks were clear, except for the dark, whisker like marks on her cheeks, and her lips were a natural, soft pink. Her long, waist length gold hair was up in odango, with part of it flowing down her back, following her in a shimmering wave.
The party was being held in the large, flat square of the Uchiha compound, and most of the village had turned out. Tsunade had already, of course, had too much sake, having taken the bottle from the miko when she passed, and was telling Fugaku and Mikoto stories about Naruto's childhood, apparently not remembering that they had all grown up together.
Mikoto moved to hug Tsunade, and they both laughed with one another, their heads throbbing slightl with the heaviness of the alcohol.
Tsunade closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them, and found herself looking at the wall in Mikoto's kitchen.
With a groan, she sat up, looking around the room with one half opened eye.
"Was that a dream?" she said blearily, moving to place her head back on the table.
"I hope not. I'd love to see them get married?" Mikoto said in a sleepy voice, her head resting on the table to Tsunade's right. From a far off room, she could hear her five year old 'niece' start an argument with Sasuke, one that she would win, jsut because she was louder than him.
"We'll keep wishing, ne, Mikoto-chan," Tsunade said to her drinking buddy, her head rolling across images of lilies and white roses.
The wedding here is based on one I saw on Miyajima Island in Japan last year, so my details may be a little bit fuzzy, hence Naruto's preoccupation with Sasuke's face.
Thanks for reading.
xx