The Alliance
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I'm not entirely sure how quickly Chapter 4 will be ready, but I'm tentatively guessing sometime in the next week or so. It might be sooner or a bit later though. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I really appreciate all the support you've all shown this story so far.
Chapter Notation: I debated about this, but I decided to introduce Sakura, Ino, and Tenten for some comic relief. Just so you know, Ino and Sakura are friends in this AU because unlike in canon, they never fought about Sasuke. I'm also not really sure why, but this tale has taken on a humorous turn for the time being. So I decided to add humor as the second genre. Happy reading.
Chapter 3
Soft. Perhaps it wasn't the most profound thought, but that was the first thing that Hideki's mind registers when it finally catches up with his body. Suki's lips were surprisingly soft.
It was a stupid thought though. What had he really been expecting? Her lips to fell like marble?
"I wasn't expecting you to just go for it like that." Suki's words were somehow audible between soft kisses.
Hideki privately dubs them butterfly kisses. They were beautiful, but fragile. Neither of them really seemed sure of how far they could press the other, but that was fine with him.
Her lips were soft and warm. Suki also tasted like some sort of exotic spice, a hot one mixed with a luxurious wine.
"I wasn't expecting you to say yes or to kiss me back." He mentally winces at his reply.
Great. The last thing that he needed was for Suki to believe him to be more of a doormat than she likely already thought he was.
Uchihas valued strength and family. In that way, they weren't so unlikely his Clan. He needed his potential fiancée to see him as the next head of the Hyuga Clan. Not just a shy former classmate.
Suki's eyes transform from obsidian black to ruby red. "Stop over thinking it. This is about…compatibility." Though Hideki was certain she wasn't angry with him. "It's not a game of Shogi."
"You're right." He nods at her.
The time for butterfly kisses was over. At least, that's what he tells himself when he deepens the kiss.
Mercifully, Suki didn't waste any time doing the same. Not only that, but he could feel her arms wrapping around her neck. There was barely an inch or two between their chests now.
A fact that only yesterday, would have made him blush as red as those tomatoes Suki had always taken to the Academy. This was different though. She was actually kissing back and despite not being upset, Hideki feels his Byakugan activate.
"Well, as long as you know I'm right, I think that will make our marriage much easier." She sends him a cocky smile between kisses.
Something that few Hyugas would do. They were taught to maintain their composure at all times. The Uchihas were the opposite.
"You're right this time, but we'll see if that's the case in other instances." Hideki silently congratulates himself on coming up with a coherent retort.
It was hard to think at all, when he could feel her almost pressed up against him and Suki was kissing him back. Not only that, but she was staring up at him with her Sharingan and for some reason…that was a turn on.
What on Earth was happening to him? He was becoming some kind of deviant. It was probably Kiba's fault.
"Happy birthday, Hideki." Kiba grinned as he handed the other ninja a present.
They were on a mission and well, it was his birthday. So Hideki should have expected such a gesture really. Still, every time that his teammates 'surprised him' on his birthday, the Hyuga Heir found himself deeply touched by it all.
"Thank you." He smiled at his friend as he opened it.
Only to be a bit stumped. It was a book. That was hardly the sort of present that Kiba usually got him.
"Trust me, you'll thank me later." Kiba winked at him. "That series is great and you'll learn all sorts of useful stuff!"
Shino rolled his eyes at Kiba's antics. Something that made Hideki a little wary as he read the summary, only to blush.
"Kiba." Kurenai sighed and shook her head. "Well, he meant well."
It was a book in Jirayia's series. One that was obviously highly 'romantic' in nature or as Neji would have said, complete filth.
Yes, clearly this was all Kiba's fault. If he hadn't read that damn book, maybe he wouldn't be acting like such a lecher or have been foolish enough to place his hand on Suki's backside.
He was even contemplating attempting to kiss her and use his tongue at the same time, when Hideki notices something out of the corner of his eye. Well more specifically, someone.
"Damn it!" He pulls away from her suddenly.
Suki looks at him in confusion. "Hideki?" It was understandable of course, she didn't have the Byakugan. The Sharingan was magnificent, but it didn't give one nearly 360 degree vision.
"Well, nothing." Hideki hears a feminine laugh from nearby. "I just came to check to see how the two of you were getting on and it seems…that there was no need to be concerned."
He was going to die of embarrassment. That voice belonged to Mikoto Uchiha. Suki's mother.
"Mother!" Suki's face was burning the deepest shade of scarlet that Hideki had ever seen. "You can't just sneak up on people like that!"
Hideki almost felt like pointing out that Mikoto could sneak up on people like that. After all, she might be 'retired' now and focused solely on her role as the Uchiha matriarch, but she had been a Jonin. Those skills didn't just leave the one stopped being on active combat duty.
"A ninja must always expect the unexpected." Mikoto laughs softly as she shakes her head. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone and Hideki, am I mistaken or isn't this when your team normally trains together?"
She wasn't mistaken. "You're right." He looks at Suki apologetically. "I'll see you tomorrow? You could visit my home, if you wanted."
It would be her home one day, if things went well. Suki did deserve a chance to at least have a look around in light of that.
"T-Tomorrow." Suki nods at him.
There was something adorable about seeing the Uchiha woman stammer. That and frankly it was a relief to know that Hideki wasn't the only one who did that when he got nervous.
"Great. Good day to you, Mrs. Uchiha." The Hyuga man bows formerly at the matriarch before Flickering off.
It was bad enough that Mikoto had caught them kissing. Hideki didn't want to take the chance that someone else might stumble upon the two of them, if he stayed any longer. Like Fugaku.
A few hours later, Suki Uchiha was quickly approaching her limits. Never before had she had such a hard time evading her opponents.
"Oh come on, Suki!" Sakura tries to stare her down. "You've gotta tell us what happened."
Quite honestly, this was all a preemptive strike on Suki's part. She knew that sooner or later her friends would find out and that could mean only one thing. She had to tell them before they did.
Suki sighs as she sips on her water and pushes her ramen around. The young woman didn't even care for Ramen all that much, but it was edible and it gave her a chance to collect her thoughts.
Something that she desperately needed. It wasn't every day that you told your three best friends that you were essentially engaged.
"Whatever it is, it can't be that bad." Tenten encourages her.
That was right. They were her best friends. Sure they got annoying sometimes, but they were all skilled ninjas in their chosen specialties and occasionally, they'd say something useful when they weren't shopping, giggling about boys, or doing other things that Suki rarely had patience for.
Alright. Perhaps she indulged in those things once in awhile. After all, she did have to get supplies for her missions and when she wasn't training, it could be fun to dress up. It was rare, but there were even a couple times when she joined in on the giggling too. She was only human.
"It's not bad exactly." Suki pauses as she tries to figure out how she could tell them the truth.
That she was engaged to Hideki Hyuga. A boy she had scarcely spoken to at all before bizarre situation was thrust into their laps.
"Then what's going on?" Ino tilts her head in confusion.
Suki couldn't blame them for reacting this way. If she was in their position, she'd probably be worried too. It was just so hard explain how one's life could completely change in less than forty-eight hours.
She shakes her head and crosses her arms. "You all remember Hideki from the Academy right? He was in the Chunin Exams with us too."
"Well duh." Ino looks at Suki as if she had grown another head. "The guy is quiet, but he's still a Hyuga. It'd be hard not to notice him. What happened?" She pauses as if considering something. "Because I highly doubt he picked a fight with you."
"He's too nice for that." Sakura nods in agreement.
Again, there was the word nice. It described Hideki to a T. Then again, this was the same ninja who had grabbed her by the backside when he kissed her. Maybe her mother was right about it always being the quiet ones.
"No, it's nothing like that." Suki looks around to make sure no one was paying attention to their conversation. "He…proposed."
There. That should do it. Short and to the point. It was a strange situation to say the least, but at least now the truth was out there.
Click. Click. Click!
As soon as the words left her mouth though, Suki finds herself blinking in shock. All three of her friends chairs had fallen out from underneath them.
"You're kidding." Sakura gapes at her. "I've never even seen the two of you talk. Have you been hiding a secret romance from us all this time?"
Suki couldn't blame the pinkette for her shock. Hell, Suki was still shocked about the entire affair.
"No." She rolls her eyes. "I wouldn't bother hiding a romance from you three because you'd find out anyway."
"So that's why he bought the flowers." Ino blinks.
Tenten looks at the blonde as though she had lost her mind. "What are you talking about?" Which to be fair, wasn't an entirely illegitimate concern. Babbling about flowers in the midst of a conversation like this was almost never a good sign.
Suki mentally groans as she realizes what had happened. Hideki must have bought the flowers from Ino's family's shop. Well, of course he did. Where else would he get them? Straight from the Hyuga gardens?!
"Hideki came to the flower shop and bought some roses." Ino frowns as she mulls things over in her head. "He specifically asked for ones that represented friendship though. So I didn't think it was romantic."
Hideki could be so…innocent sometimes. Suki sighs to herself at the thought. Even when buying flowers for his prospective future bride, he was focused on friendship.
Were it not for the memory of his lips against her own and his wandering hands, Suki would wander if he was simply too pure for any sort of marriage. That clearly wasn't the case though.
"Our families want to cement the alliance between our Clans." Suki bites her lower lip at the thought. "They're worried that the Clans don't interact enough and that it'll make the rest of the village skittish."
Sakura frowns at that. "Makes sense." The pinkette must have been connecting the dots. "A marriage between you two would be the easiest way to accomplish that, but how do you feel about it?"
"I'm not sure yet." Suki couldn't even truly begin to answer that question. "I do know that I'm more hopeful we can work something out today than I was yesterday. He was brave enough to come to my Clan's District and give me roses. Hideki is trying."
That and he could kiss. Really kiss. Who would have thought he had it in him? Would that be enough though? The fact that Hideki was kind and a good kisser? Suki supposed some marriages had been built on less, but they barely knew each other…
