CCNote: To the readers wondering about Hanabi's role in this story, she is a main character and I'm really excited to write with her. IDK if you can tell from previous fics but Sasuke and Hanabi are my favorite characters to write for. For this story, Sasuke, Itachi, Hinata, and Hanabi all have large roles to play with wide-ranging character arcs till we reach the end. Also, does Hanabi marry Itachi? Whether this story is ItaHana, SasuHina, ItaHina, SasuHana, or everyone just stays friends/family I can't answer that for you.
An important element of this story is that you will not know how this ends till it does. It might be best for many of you to just wait for this story to be complete before you read it because this is going to be a long fic with lots of action and surprises. And when I say long I mean long. The first few chapters have just been world building and character establishment. I don't want preconceived notions that are wrong to make anyone write off this story so soon. So maybe it's just best to wait till January/February when this fic is finished so all of your questions can be answered at once? Regardless of the path, this story takes I can honestly promise you it will be fun.
ANYWAY! Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW!
Man and Wife
Nature's beauty bows
When exchanged vows radiate
Pure love in their eyes.
(Norausky)
The Twenty-fifth Spring of the Karasu
Uchiha District- Shrio
…
"I believe that will be all for tonight gentleman. Thank you again for your service."
Newly minted and well-seasoned warriors alike relaxed at his words and smiled to one another. They slung arms around each other's shoulders and jovially left the meeting room with their hopes high and their pockets fatter. Itachi wished that he could share in their revelry but alas his own work was far from over for the night.
"You are too kind Itachi." Fugaku chuckled as he sank down into a crushed velvet chair. "A simple 'dismissed' would do."
"It is easier to be tactful," Itachi replied and his father shook his head.
"It is easier to be respected. One of these days they will mistake your kind words as weakness. That will be the day they slack off and cost you your neck."
Itachi moved around the table to collect the scrolls their men had left behind. His father snorted at the action and continued to grumble. The younger Uchiha merely nodded along and prepared the tired Commander a drink. He always got grumpy after a long day spent idly in a chair. He was a man that only felt content with a sworn in his hand and a goal to fight towards. Silently, Itachi poured two saucers of sake and handed one over.
"You are working for your staff Itachi." Fugaku admonished but accepted the saucer gratefully.
"Perhaps." Itachi sighed as he sipped his own drink.
"One of these days my words will get through to you. Hopefully, it's before I'm dead."
One of these days….that was doubtful….
A soft knock to the door cut off any further conversation between the two men. Without waiting for permission the door opened and three women sauntered into the room. Beauties in their own right, all three of them wore matching blue kimonos and their long dark hair was loose around their shoulders. Through heavy lined eyes, the shortest of the women looked Itachi up and down. She winked at him and licked her lips from behind her companions.
"Good evening Commander." The leader of the three women said and his father sat up straighter in his chair. "I hope we aren't interrupting anything important."
Taking that as his cue to leave, Itachi left his half-empty saucer. The door had barely closed behind him before the giggles had started. The hallway outside of the meeting room was abandoned which was unusual at this time of the evening, especially since it felt as if the residents Shiro never slept most days. Without sparing a glance back at the meeting room, Itachi made his way down the deserted halls of the east wing, grateful to have a moment of peace to himself. Since arriving back home he'd been swept up in such a flurry of activity it was difficult to find the time to breathe.
It was peaceful here. Quiet….too quiet.
The silence set him on edge even though he had no reason to be anxious. He didn't miss the killing but it was odd not to have his katana on his hip and Shisui at his back. This feeling would subside though. With time, as always, he'd fall back into the monotony of life in the Uchiha District. However, this return was unlike previous ones. He was busier, Sasuke wasn't seeking out his company, and there was no Izumi to turn to when the nights became long. Instead, there was another girl in a place that Izumi would never be allowed to sit. A girl he'd corresponded with through letters but still only barely knew.
"Oh Itachi!" a cheerful voice called from the other end of the abandoned hall.
Itachi turned to find his mother smiling down the wing of the hall he'd just left and she quickly caught up to his side.
"Good evening kaa-san." He said and offered her his arm. She took it, giving his bicep a gentle squeeze and walked slowly with him down the hall.
"I see your meeting finished early." She said absently and Itachi gave her a knowing glance. She looked away and shrugged.
"How has Sasuke been?" he asked, hoping to bring their conversation into lighter territory. As always his mother lit up at her youngest son's name.
"He's doing well. I swear every time he returns from the palace he's even more handsome and at least a foot taller. He should be caught up to you by now. What do you think?"
"I haven't seen him. He's been making himself scarce this time around."
"Really? He and Hinata can usually be found together but I suppose you haven't had a chance to speak with her either." His mother replied thoughtfully. Itachi chuckled at the news.
"Has Sasuke become taken with her? Oh, what will I do if my bride has been stolen from me-"
His mother laughed and lightly smacked his arm
"Don't be silly. He and Hinata do not get along at all. Sasuke doesn't fare well around most people, least of all women…Maybe we should ask the physician…"
"There are many men that do not prefer the company of women kaa-san."
"Sasuke would have an aneurysm if he heard you say that." Mikoto smiled and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "I have heard rumors that he and the emperor's son get on well enough. They're nearly attached at the hip. In any case, you'll have to put off talking to Sasuke about his proclivities for another evening."
"Kaa-san-" Itachi started but she scoffed.
"I won't take no for an answer. Tell me about your travels and I'll send for food. I know for a fact that you haven't eaten at all today. Besides, there is a certain bride I need to tell you about."
Itachi relented at her cheerful obstinance and smiled as they turned down a corner that would lead them to his mother's private rooms. He enjoyed being alone but it had been far too long since he'd been in his mother's presence. Plus the promise of food after a long day was more than enough for him to push his todo list for the evening to the back of his mind just this once.
…..
The Twentieth Spring of the Hato
Uchiha District- Shiro
…..
Uchiha Itachi was the talk of the District as soon as his horse had crossed through the gates. He strode in behind the Uchiha patriarch as his second in command and heir. Intimidating and tall upon his horse, his eyes scanned the crowd of District citizens and clansmen alike. People reached out to touch him and his fellow warriors, proud that their legacy would be carried on. Though the fanfare of the welcoming ceremony had died down she still felt giddy at the memory. He was real and safe and had returned from war a hero. People whispered of his skills and a prowess. A prodigy they called him. No other Uchiha heir in recent memory had fought in as many battles and come through unscathed. Although no one wanted to see the end of Fugaku, the whispered of an assured and continued prosperity under his son.
Hinata bit her bottom lip, her brush frozen over the inkwell. She thought that by going to the library the words she wanted to express would come easier but her mind drew a blank. What would she be able to tell Hanabi about Itachi? There was so much to say but all of it was second hand. He'd barely been able to look her way since he'd arrived a few days ago. She understood that he was busy but a large part of her feared that they would not speak until it was time for their vows to be exchanged.
She groaned and laid her head down on the table. The last thing she wanted was the first words she said to him to be 'I do'. However, what else could they talk about? She knew nothing of military strategies and war. Her own interests lay in calligraphy and flower pressing- hobbies that warrior typically didn't care about. Hinata groaned again and pressed her hand against her mother's necklace where it rested underneath her navy yukata.
Once again she was left feeling inadequate.
"How many times are you going to groan?" an irritated voice called from a few tables away.
Hinata picked her head up from her table and narrowed her eyes at Sasuke who merely glared back at her and returned to working on his own scroll. He, like herself, had been largely forgotten about since Itachi's arrival. With the influx of men, the training room was too full for him to train as he normally did. His brother and father were too caught up in meetings to converse with him outside of meal times (if they ate dinner at all). Mikoto was also busy with wedding arrangements which meant that the two youngest members of the household only had each other for company. It was a fraught companionship as neither on wished to be in the other's presence.
As large as the Shiro was, it was difficult for them to avoid one another and stay out of the way from the flurry of activity. He was bored and so was she but that did nothing to make them more amicable to one another. Looking away from the Uchiha who was now ignoring her, she returned to her letter and tried to think of something to say.
Hana,
The cherry blossoms should be ready to bloom on the compound. The ones in the district are almost ready and with them comes more than the promise of warmer weather. Itachi has returned to the District but I have not spoken to him…
It's only been a few days but I fear I may not speak until our wedding. My tongue feels even heavier than the day I arrived. If you were here you'd know exactly what to say-
"Little brother. It is good to see you serious about your studies." An unfamiliar voice called from the library's entrance.
She and Sasuke both perked up at the presence and were met with Itachi smirking with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Since you neglected to return my last few letters I was sure that you'd forgotten how to read."
Sasuke bristled at his jab and leaned back on his cushion.
"I had other things to occupy my time at the palace. I didn't have as much freedom as you did to write lengthy letters."
Itachi smirked, so similar was the expression to Sasuke's but he was kinder…less arrogant. His bemusement moved from his brother to her and Hinata felt her face heat up under his gaze.
"Since my brother is too busy for me, would you join me for a walk little dove?" he asked.
The letter to Hanabi was immediately forgotten and her head nodded before she had a chance to fully process his words. He was already leading her to the library's door by the time she realized that she would be spending time with him. Alone. Nervously she looked back at Sasuke who still sat at his own scroll strewn table. He rolled his eyes at her frazzled expression and went back to reading.
'Jerk.' Hinata thought but tried to focus on not tripping as she walked down the hall.
At least now she would be able to speak with Itachi how she'd wanted to. Hopefully, he wouldn't think she was as stupid as Sasuke did.
…
The Twenty-third Spring of the Karasu
Uchiha District- Shrio
…..
She was a nervous thing, albeit not as frightened as she was three years ago. His only memory of Hinata was of a girl too petrified to speak. She was still anxious but she didn't look like she was about to vomit at the sight of him. With time she would become more comfortable…he hoped. As they walked around the bustling courtyard it felt as if the day she became comfortable around him was far off. He was a patient man though and in no hurry to rush their relationship along. Smiling to himself, he plucked a light pink tulip from the raised bed beside them and examined it carefully.
"I haven't seen one of these in this garden." He mused. "It's nice."
Most of his landscapes in Kumo consisted of stone and rain and blood. He frowned at the last part but brushed it aside to find Hinata staring up at him quizzically. Her head was cocked slightly to the side as her gaze shifted between his face and the tulip.
"You like flowers?" she asked and Itachi smiled.
"When I have time I like to appreciate them." He replied causing pale eyes to light up with his words. "I believe it is safe to assume that you like them as well."
Hinata nodded her head with a wide smile before squatting down to get a better look at the tulips in the raised bed.
"Mikoto-san and I planted these two springs ago." She said softly, a wistful sigh on her lips. "They didn't bloom last year…it was too cold for too long. This year it's warming faster and so many sprouts have popped up. Mikoto-san says that this year will be the best for the garden. I-"
She paused and her face turned a light pink as she pushed some of her hair behind her ear.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to keep going on. This must be boring."
"It's not." Itachi shrugged as he crouched down next to her. "Go on. Tell me more."
The pink color of her cheeks deepened as she grew more flustered with his proximity but she cleared her throat and turned back to the flowers.
"Um… well…the tulips will bloom every year as long as the soil is cared for properly. The roses as well but they won't appear until the summer with the hydrangea."
"What about the water lilies?"
"The water lilies? Oh! They were bigger than the serving plates last summer. It was beautiful. Some of the artisans painted it if you want to see it. I tried to join them but…I wasn't very good."
Itachi smiled and plucked another tulip, this one a soft yellow, and pensively rolled the stem between his finger and thumb. It had been a while since he'd indulged in anything as simple as flower admiration. The rather one-sided conversation was a welcome reprieve from all of the information he'd been bogged down with lately. He actually had another meeting that he needed to get to shortly, but he couldn't bring himself to interrupt the soft-spoken woman beside her.
When she spoke about the flowers she lit up in a way that was almost childlike in her excitement. Innocent and happy. She was everything he never got to enjoy during his time within the Shiro. Up to this point, she must have been protected from all of the negative influences that lurked within the District. That had been his mother's doing no doubt. She spoke as fondly of Hinata as she did Sasuke. It seemed as though she continued to work hard at shielding both of them from the world.
How long their innocence would last was anyone's guess.
…..
The Twentieth Spring of the Hato
Uchiha District- Atami Shrine
…..
The rest of the week flew by faster than she could have imagined. It was surreal that the day of their wedding had come but it was odd to stand next to Itachi and know that he was now her husband. Til death claimed them to join their ancestors they would be bound permanently in this life. Hinata glanced over to where he stood, his back rigid and his face impassive. He was intimidating without even trying.
He bowed at the waist before the priest and she followed suit, closing her eyes so that the sage he burned over them didn't get in her eyes. Once the purification was complete, two other priests rolled out a long weathered scroll and set it on the podium before them. The names etched on the scroll reached back as far as the Uchiha clan itself had existed, the hands with which had etched their names all dead and gone. Well, except for one. Hinata marveled at Mikoto and Fugaku's names for a moment before she was drawn in by Itachi's own hand.
His penmanship was careful as he wrote their names into the scroll and she couldn't help but wonder if this was what he looked like every time he wrote her a letter. Thoughtful. Diligent. When he finished writing, the priest came and reverently held out a small dagger to them both. Hinata took the blade as Mikoto had instructed her and Itachi offered her his hand. She sliced into his thumb and blood pooled at the tip. He then pressed his thumb next to his own name and gently took the blade from her when he finished.
The steel was cold and stung when it pricked her own thumb but she didn't grimace or show discomfort. Itachi assisted her in pressing the thumb to the scroll so that the sleeves of her wedding kimono were not tarnished by the wet ink or her blood. As he did so, she marveled at how large his hands were compared to her own.
With her blood now marking their union, Itachi pulled her hand back and smirked at her. Though he didn't say anything his smile was kind and the mask of the intimidating warrior was lifted for only a moment….
"I promise to honor you as my wife…"
"And you as my husband…."
….
The Twentieth Spring of the Taka
Uchiha District-Atami Shrine
…..
Weddings had never been his kind of amusement. They were boring and stuffy and enough of them had occurred in the palace to last him a lifetime. Marriage wasn't something people honored enough in their everyday lives for him to care about a one-off celebration. Itachi's wedding was different though. The massive amount of people in attendance was one indication of its importance. The air was lighter than usual, the attendees drunk on the gaiety of the event and the sake that had been free-flowing since the sun had risen. Sasuke sipped from his own cup as he waited for the ceremony to be completed inside of the shrine. All around him music played and his clansmen dance, eager for their heir to no longer be single.
"Sasu-bo!" Shisui called out to him, already more than a little tipsy for the occasion.
Sasuke frowned as his older cousin drew closer but didn't move. There was no use trying to escape Shisui once he had his sights set on a person. The older Uchiha threw an arm around his shoulders and brought him in close for a half hug.
"This is an exciting day isn't it Sasuke?" he slurred and Sasuke vainly attempted to shrug off his arm.
"How much have you had already?' Sasuke scoffed.
Shisui laughed and waved a half-empty sake bottle.
"I've had enough. More than your sensitive stomach could ever take."
"You're drunk."
"Not in the slightest."
Sasuke rolled his eyes just as the doors to the shrine were opened by the monks to reveal his brother and his bride. She stood in a traditional white kimono. Her lips painted red and her cheeks flushed pink with a rouge that was all her own. Pale eyes wide with surprise as she took in the crowd. She quickly brought her expression back to being neutral which was expected of her. His mother had trained her well however he knew she was still uncomfortable.
The small twitch of her brow. The way her eyes never met anyone else for longer than a breath. Her fingers clutched his brother's arm and he knew exactly what it felt like. As calm as she appeared on the outside, he knew that she held on as if he life depended on it. Sasuke frowned and looked away as the pair descended the steps of the shrine together. He really needed to stop allowing the Hyuuga to enter his thoughts….well not Hyuuga.
She was now an Uchiha.
"That's going to be you soon Sasu-bo." Shisui sighed as before he took another swig of sake. "You and Itachi have grown up so fast!"
"You'll drink yourself to death before you see me resign to getting married."
"Don't be like that Sasuke! Women are very interesting creatures, even more so after you marry them."
"A battlefield is more interesting than the gossip of women."
Shisui chuckled smugly and poked at Sasuke's cheek.
"That's where you're wrong. We fight and survive so we can get back into their arms."
"If they are so wonderful why are you still single?" Sasuke scoffed.
He meant his comment to be in jest but the dark look on Shisui's face gave a moment of sobriety to the man. He looked down at his bottle and pensively swished the contents inside.
"I will die soon. By my own hand or another's." Shisui said flatly. "That's what they told my mother after they snipped the cord around my neck. If I'm meant to be killed I'd rather not leave a mess behind."
"Shisui-" Sasuke started but the wry smile on his cousin's face let him know that the idiot was only pulling his leg.
'Fucking ass.' He thought. 'I'd almost believed him for a moment.'
"Don't look so sour Sasuke." Shisui laughed as he began to led him through the crowd, away from the bride and groom. "We may be two sad bachelors but that doesn't mean we can't go find a little fun of our own!"
He didn't want to know what Shisui's idea of fun. He was almost tempted to make more of an effort to shrug off his arm but a few feet away he saw Hinata and Itachi. They were preoccupied with talking to other guests, well Itachi was talking and she nodded along when appropriate. From across the crowd, their eyes met briefly and it felt as if all of the chaos in the courtyard had ceased. Those lavender eyes had given him pause even when he was hundreds of miles away. It irked him to no end. The eye contact was short. Itachi put an arm around her shoulders. She looked away and so did he.
Sasuke frowned, knowing what was to become of Hinata for the rest of the evening. Because she was now married. Because she was now his brother's wife. Because he had no right to be irritated. Because he needed to get those doe-like eyes out of his mind.
He nodded to Shisui and allowed himself to be led through the throng.
…..
The Twentieth Spring of the Hato
Uchiha District- Shiro
…..
"Congratulations Itachi-san! I must say your bride is very beautiful."
With the ceremony complete the day was not yet over. If anyone were to ask her about the hardest part of her day it would arguably be this.
"It's a good thing Mikoto hid her away all those years ne?"
All of the faces she saw were unrecognizable and blended together worse than her own clan. Dark hair, dark eyes, and pale skin. It was hard to tell anyone apart though she knew that she needed to make more of an effort. She'd memorized the family line of succession. She knew the names of all the top generals in the Uchiha's army. The Scribes. The physicians.
"What a wonderful celebration!"
Yet, as they paraded before her all of that knowledge flew out the window. Instead, it took everything in her to not get she sleeves caught in the myriad of dishes on the table and nod along with conversations she cared nothing about. Itachi was the one that mainly handled all of their conversations. They treated him with great deference and it was clear how well he'd been groomed for his role.
Taking a deep breath through her nose, Hinata continued to smile as best as she could but all the while mindful of when the hour to retire would be upon them. It happened sooner than she'd anticipated. The large banquet room fell to a hush when the Uchiha patriarch stood from a circular table in the middle of the room. Mikoto stood with him as well, a soft smile on her face.
"This has been a celebration for the ages, hasn't it? It feels like just yesterday Itachi was born. Now, he is almost ready to take my place." Fugaku said and the crowd awed at his words. "He has a wife who is more beautiful than he deserves. I hope that he is grateful."
He tipped his saucer of sake in Hinata's direction and she bowed ass gracefully as she could from her seat. It was odd to have Fugaku's attention on her but she supposed that she would have to grow accustomed to it. They were family now.
"Now I'm not going to bore you all with a long speech. I will keep it short and wish you congratulations on your union and hope for healthy sons."
With that, he raised his glass and took a sip. The overly crowded room's occupants followed his actions and Hinata raised her own glass to her lips. The sake was harsh on her tongue but she drank it without flinching. After the toast was complete the regular noise level returned to the room but Itachi did not return to their meal. Instead, he grabbed her hand and helped her rise to her feet. Her legs were a bit wobbly from sitting for so long but his grip was firm and kept her from losing her balance.
Once they were both standing the noise in the room grew even louder and she tried her best not to make eye contact with anyone as their dishes were removed and servants came to take them off in separate directions. The whoops and cheers were enough to make her wish to die of mortification. Her own servant girls had enough self-control to remain composed until the shoji doors of the banquet room closed behind them. After that, they were a fit of inconsolable giggles from the hallway to the hot springs to an offshoot of the Shiro that was to be her new home.
"A Hyuuga. I really couldn't believe it when they told me!"
"I know right! I thought the old ladies were lying!"
The new wing was only 'new' to her. It had been passed down through the generations as an interim residence of the Uchiha heir after he married and until it came time for his ascension. In the three years that she'd been at the Shiro she'd never set foot within the doors though as Itachi's intended she had every right to do so….
"This is going to be so much fun!"
"She's so short! Like a doll!"
"Oh please tell me you like bright colors? The old ladies made Uchiha-sama look so dark!"
Three suites, a large kitchen, tea room, and a formal greeting area made up the secluded wing. As tradition dictated, there were separate quarters for her and Itachi. Mikoto and Fugaku did not share a room but her own parents had. Hinata pressed her hand tentatively against the necklace underneath her wedding kimono and glanced warily at the door that led to Itachi's rooms.
"You are so lucky!"
"We are the lucky ones. My friends were only able to make into the kitchens."
Would he wish to share like her own mother and father?
Hinata shook the notion from her mind as she was led to her own rooms which were far more elaborate than where she'd been staying for the last three years…
"What do want to wear tonight Uchiha-san?"
'Uchiha-san?'
Hinata blinked and finally looked at the three girls that had been prattling on endlessly to one another since they'd left the festivities. Two blondes and one with curiously pink hair stared back at her with big grins on their faces. They were not the traditional Uchiha clan attendants she'd been expecting. All Uchiha shared darker characteristics like her own clan whereas these girls were clearly foreign. The tallest of the three, who had remained mostly silent throughout their journey, stepped forward and placed both of her hands on the nervous bride's shoulders.
"I think your constant babbling has left her shell-shocked." She said and waved the other two girls away. "Go start the bath. We will decide what she wears while you do."
The other blonde and the pink haired girl pouted but quickly went on to an adjoining room to complete their task. With them preoccupied the room was much quieter and a slight weight lifted from her shoulders.
"Ah, finally. Peace and quiet." The blonde sighed as she brought Hinata over to a vanity and directed her to have a seat at the bench. "Sakura-chan and Ino-chan mean well but they can be a lot to take in at once. I'm still getting used to them myself."
Hinata smiled at the blonde's assessment and allowed her to remove her tsunokakushi from her head. Once divested of she began the arduous task of loosening her hair from its intricate topknot and baubles. As she did so, Hinata stared at their reflections in the mirror, her curiosity about the woman growing with each freed lock of hair. Though she appeared to be slightly older it was nice to have company that was close in age. The prospect of getting to know her and the two other girls almost made her giddy. She hadn't been friends with another girl since she'd left the compound and that friend had been a sister.
"Um." Hinata started as the blonde picked up a brush from the vanity. "What is your name?"
"Temari, Uchiha-san."
'No last name...' Hinata thought pensively.
"Where are you from?"
"Sunagakure."
"No. I mean your clan-"
"My family is irrelevant." Temari said reflexively before catching her rude behavior. "I'm sorry Uchiha-san I-"
Hinata shook her head furiously and smiled.
"No! Please don't apologize! I just hope that we get to know each other well Temari-san." She said, her cheeks flushing. "Actually…could you not call me Uchiha-san? I'm not used to it…."
"But-"
"Just….just Hinata will do."
"Uchi- I mean Hinata, Uchiha-sama's attendants will scold us if they believe we are not doing our duties properly. We are your wedding gifts-"
"Gifts?" Hinata interrupted and Temari nodded. She then frowned and stopped the girl from brushing her hair. "I'd rather you be my friends…"
This time it was Temari's turn to frown.
"Uchiha-san. the bath is ready! Get in while it's still hot!" called one of the other girls from the bathroom.
Temari's frown changed to a smile as she put the brush back on the vanity and moved to one of many large trunks in the corner of the room. She opened one of them and pulled out a white yukata. It looked simple from far away but when she brought it closer, Hinata was able to inspect the delicately embroidered silver flowers that made up the garment's patterns.
"The Uchihas have given you many beautiful silks but on a night like this I think that simple is best."
….
Hinata gulped nervously as Temari, Ino, and Sakura gathered the mess of her wedding kimono and politely left the room. The bath was filled with lemongrass and rose petals in an effort to make her smell better and relax. Relaxing was something that she just couldn't do. As soon as her wedding kimono had been shed, they scrubbed her pale skin until it turned pink. Ino and Sakura had giggled enviously as they washed her…a humiliating experience for her but at least they were happy. Now she was finished and left to wait for Itachi to come to her which was arguably worse.
Anxiously she pulled at the thin fabric of her yukata and tried to steel her nerves. She could do this. Itachi was handsome and kind…kinder than he had any right to be. Itachi was a warrior but he could be gentle. The way he'd handled the tulips was as if they'd break….
"Little Dove." A deep voice rolled from the entrance of the tea room.
Hinata looked up to see Itachi enter the room, his hands tucked into the sleeves of a more simple navy yukata to join her at the table. Her training from Mikoto immediately kicked in with his arrival and she reached for the bottle of sake on the table. The porcelain saucers clinked together as she overturned them on accident with her sleeve. Mentally cursing herself, Hinata righted the saucers and tried not to look as embarrassed as she felt. She poured some of the sake into a saucer for him, mindful of her sleeve, but her hand shook so badly that more of the alcohol ended up on the table.
"I-I'm sorry!" she squeaked as she placed the bottle down and looked around for a cloth to clean up the spill.
"Hinata." Itachi chuckled and motioned for her to sit next to him.
Her blush deepened at the prospect but she complied. She sat on the plush cushion, her back tense and her eyes focused on the table in front of her.
"Did you enjoy the feast?" he asked and Hinata nodded her head. "Are you sure? If I recall you ate nothing."
Surprised Hinata looked up at him to find that he was smiling. At the same time, the door to the sitting area opened and an older man entered with a tray of covered dishes. He quickly set the tray down of food in front of them and bowed out with his exit. Itachi seemed to find amusement in her confusion and began uncovering the items on the tray to reveal a smaller version of their wedding feast. Or well more like their dessert. Rice cakes, dango, biscuits, and various chocolates were laid out before her and the sight of them made her stomach growl. She blushed at how traitorous her body was.
"Do you like sweets?" Itachi asked, his fingers already reaching for a plate piled with dango. "These are my favorite. I'm afraid I don't share."
Hinata smiled as she watched him eat, the anxiety from before easing up. She then reached for the small bowl of rice pudding and a spoon. Itachi quirked his brow and she blushed.
"This one is my favorite."
To be continued…..
Dark-bosomed clouds
pregnant with heavy thunder
the water breaks
(Basho)
