Down the Aisle

And so, Naruto and Hinata started off their marriage on the completely wrong foot. As they were moving Hinata's belongings into Naruto's apartment the morning after their "honeymoon", they hardly spoke to each other and were careful to avoid one another.

'I know I shouldn't have done this to Naruto' Hinata thought as she dropped a cardboard box in Naruto's bedroom. 'But it wouldn't feel right…I might legally be Naruto's, but my heart and my body still belong to Sasuke.'

She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand and sat down on the edge of the unmade bed, sighing. So this was what her life was going to be like from now on: devoid of romance and extremely awkward. Could she even bear to live like this, being married to a man she didn't have any feelings for and still longing for her husband's rival? She had often heard of double lives people have led, but even so…Naruto's feelings meant at least something to her, and she knew she would hate it if she were cheated on. Besides, her reputation was already tainted enough; she didn't know how many more hate phone calls and mail she could take from Sakura and Ino without chewing their heads off in anger.

Hinata heard footsteps heading towards the room and her head snapped up. Naruto was standing in the doorway, holding a stack of clean towels. He smiled faintly.

"Guess you, uh, found my bedroom."

Hinata nodded and returned the cheesy, fake smile. "Heh heh, y-yeah. It's, err…very nice."

Naruto slowly set the towels on the floor and plopped down on the bed next to Hinata. "Hinata, I was thinking a lot about, you know, last night."

Hinata's body became stiff. "Oh-oh yeah?"

Naruto glanced at her. "Um…was I too…forceful?"

"Uh-"

He interrupted. "Because, you know, the first time hurts for everyone and, well, I wasn't trying to rush things."

He blushed lightly and looked at the floor. Hinata remained silent, resting her hands in her lap. Oh man, she really didn't want to talk about last night. What was she supposed to say? 'Oh no, Naruto, it would've been fine because before we were married, I had an intimate relationship with the guy you hate the most'?

Naruto spoke up. "So…do you think we can try it again tonight?"

Hinata hesitated before lightly squeezing her husband's hand. "I-I guess we can."

Naruto grinned and wrapped his arms tightly around Hinata's waist. "Thanks…honey."

He hopped off the bed and ran out of the room. Hinata sighed and ran her fingers lightly over the stitching on the dark green blanket she was sitting on. Sooner or later, she would have to get over Sasuke.

And the sooner she did, the better it would be for all three of them.

Sasuke slammed down the phone for the fourth time that morning and rubbed his temples roughly, agitated beyond belief. Since 8:03 that morning, the phone had been ringing nonstop and the telephonic invasion of the stupid fan girls had begun. And every time they called, he answered each the same: "No, I will not be your boyfriend. Leave me the hell alone."

Sasuke growled as the annoying briiing, briiing started up again. He took a deep breath before picking up the phone, his hands shaking with anger.

"What?" He frowned. "Sakura, I already told you. I'm not, I repeat, NOT thinking about going out with anyone right now. So leave…me…ALONE!"

Sasuke slammed the phone back on the receiver and buried his face in his hands. It was true that he wasn't thinking about another relationship and that, for the moment, he'd like to just be left alone. Unless, of course, it was Hinata who called and begged to be back together with him. Oh, he would take her back quicker than you could say 'pathetic'.

Sasuke's mind wandered off to his second date with Hinata. It wasn't anything fancy, just a trip to the ice cream shop, but it was one of his most treasured memories. Hinata had gotten strawberry ice cream on her nose and Sasuke had said that she was cute before lightly licking off the sticky substance. Of course, it had been a tad bit embarrassing for both of them, but they both laughed it off and left the shop, their hands clamped together tightly.

"Sasuke," Hinata had said before she walked up her porch steps. "I really hope we can stay together for a long time. I like you a lot."

"I wish we could've stayed together for a long time too, Hinata." Sasuke mumbled into his palms.

The phone began ringing again, but Sasuke didn't move. So the girls were really desperate for him to just get over Hinata and get another girl. He knew that sooner or later, he would have to get over her.

And the sooner he did, the better it would be for all of them.

The day passed in a flash and the evening rolled in. Hinata had dreaded the night coming ever since Naruto suggested 'trying it again'. Yet she knew she had to do this. It wasn't fair to Naruto, her husband for gods' sake, that she avoided him in bed.

Hinata groaned as she pulled off her day clothes and slipped on a bathrobe that Naruto had given to her earlier that afternoon (she absolutely refused to get into the lingerie again). She closed her eyes, drew in a breath, and slowly pulled the bathroom door open. Naruto was already sitting on the bed, shirtless, and twiddling his fingers nervously. He looked up as Hinata walked in and smiled sheepishly.

"You look…good."

Hinata walked to the bed and sat down on the mattress. "Thank you."

They sat there silently, waiting for someone to make the first move. Naruto hesitated and nervously rested his hand on Hinata's bare thigh, stroking it awkwardly. Hinata felt herself turn pink and resisted the urge to pull her leg out of Naruto's reach. If Sasuke had ever seen anyone touching her like this, it would've been chaos unleashed.

And that's when her thoughts once again turned back to the man she loved.

Hinata immediately pulled Naruto's hand away. "Naruto, no. I can't."

Naruto's shoulders drooped and he looked as though he was about to cry. "Hinata, I know you're probably nervous but-"

Hinata stood up. "That's not it."

Naruto grimaced and he clenched his fists. "Then why are you avoiding this? This is what married couples are supposed to do, dammit!"

Hinata shook her head. 'No, Naruto,' she thought. 'This is what people in love are supposed to do.'

She turned back to him. "Naruto, in due time, we will. I just…it's impossible for me to do this, with so many feelings and emotions going through me." She picked up a pillow and turned on her heel. "Now if you'll excuse me-"

"Hinata-"

"-I'm going to sleep on the couch. Good night, Naruto."