WE ARE CANON! I don't think I'll ever get tired of saying that.

Anyway, I wanted to apologize for not updating. School work just piled on without me even knowing. But I am extremely happy that everyone is enjoying the story and I love the comments everyone left. I hope you guys will continue to read my stories because even though I don't personally know any of you, I want to make you happy. And writing naruhina and sasusaku gives me happiness so here's another chapter. ENJOY! And remember to rate and review!

Chapter 10: The Swing

When Naruto and Hinata decided to get married, their idea of their wedding was a small ceremony in which they would be surrounded by all the people they loved. The planning done by the bride and groom had a guest list of at most 30 people. Their friends and people Naruto thought of as family such as Kakashi-sensei and Tsunade and a few others as well as a few of Hinata's close relative.

But as soon as the members of the Hyuga clan got a whiff of the small ceremony they were planning, it had all gone to hell from there. They had immediately called Hinata and Naruto to the mansion and taken all control over wedding planning. Apparently, according to the clan, the soon to be bride and groom were happy to hand over everything wedding related to the "Hyuga wedding planners" though neither remembers agreeing such a thing.

Either way, Naruto and Hinata were not important in the planning of their own wedding because all the planners wanted the two of them for were to see if they fit into their kimonos. Hinata's father was more than happy to pay for all the costs of the very expensive wedding his family wanted to have for wedding of the Hyuga heiress and Naruto had been overjoyed to hear those words come out of his future father in law's mouth. Though Naruto does have a quiet a bit of money, he didn't think he'd be able to finish paying off for the extravagant wedding even if he saved all his money and only ate ramen for the rest of his life.

The wedding planned by the Hyuga were supposed to be later in the day. Naruto knew that the reason for that is because somewhere in that hectic schedule, there were fireworks. That idea had also overjoyed the boy because that gave him and his fiancé a perfect amount of time to have the wedding that they truly wanted with only the people they loved.

Of course it had been quiet difficult to convince Hiashi to attend the wedding behind the backs of the council members, but he had finally agreed after making Naruto and Hinata promise that they will attend the ceremony at the mansion. It had of course been in super secrecy, only a select few, the invitees, knowing the time and location.

When it came to picking the time, they had no choice but to pick the morning, 10 o'clock to be exact, but the place they had full control over.

One afternoon when Naruto and Hinata had been sipping tea in his apartment, Hinata had asked where he would like to have their private wedding. After much consideration, he came up with what he thought was the best location to have his wedding. Which is how he found himself pacing back and forth in a classroom inside the academy.

When Hinata had asked him where he wanted the wedding to take place, the first thing that came to his mind was the swing at which he spent most of his childhood. He had decided then that that's where he wanted to get married to Hinata. Since it was a Saturday, they hadn't had trouble getting permission from Tsunade and the idea had been perfect since they could use the classrooms to get ready and wait until the time is right.

Naruto had been pacing back and forth sweating buckets for a while before Sasuke had pushed the poor man into a bench in the classroom to sit down and told him to calm down. Then Naruto had stared at the wooden desk and mumbled something that sounded like a prayer of some kind to a ramen king or something from what Sasuke heard.

Naruto honestly didn't know why his heart was pounding inside his chest and why he was sweating in his kimono on this fine spring morning when he knew Hinata would not stand him up. He trusted her like he trusted the sun to rise every morning and set every evening. Yet, for some reason his palms were sweaty and he could feel sweat dripping down his back.

"Dobe, stop sweating like a pig, it's time to go." He heard Sasuke's ever so caring voice coming from the door way and lifted his head to look at Sasuke in his own black kimono. Naruto nodded at his best friend and swallowed the lump in his throat before standing up and walking towards the exit, which lead to a place that held some of his most painful memories.

Maybe that's why he was so nervous. The thought of being in that place brings back memories of loneliness and perhaps some part of him still fears that loneliness despite having all these people that he calls family, despite having Hinata. As the exit neared Naruto had suddenly forgotten why he had picked this location. His heartbeat only increased in speed as the light from the outside filtered in through the wooden door. Flashbacks of when he was young and still in the academy played in his head as he continued. Flashbacks of running out the same door hoping someone would be there waiting for him outside, waiting to hug him and welcome him. Flashbacks of sitting on that swing as he watched his classmates surrounded by their parents, flashbacks of people calling him names while he sat there quietly, desperately wishing and hoping someone would hold him while he attempted to keep his tears at bay.

As soon as he stepped put through the light and into the beautiful spring morning, he was greeted by the big beautiful oak tree that shadowed him in his younger days and the infamous swing that he somewhat feared. But then his gaze moved around the space surrounded by the wooden fence and his blue eyes widened. All the people that he held dear, except for a few missing people that he wished more than anything could be here, were all sitting down on the benches they had spent all night moving from the classrooms to outside. There weren't a lot of people, but he recognized all of them as they stared back at him.

On the front row sat his soon to be father in law in a traditional grey kimono with a black haori over it and beside him sat Hanabi in a lavender kimono with Konohamaru sitting beside her and Iruka-sensei sat beside the self-proclaimed eighth hokage in a blue kimono. Then there were the sand sibling in the second row with rock lee and guy sensei. There was Shizune with Kakashi-sensei and Shikamaru and Choji and he assumed Ino, Sakura-chan and Tenten were with Hinata. Kiba, Akamaru and Shino were there taking up a whole bench for just the three of them. Something about having certain rights as the bride's teammates. Naruto couldn't care less as long as they didn't hang around his house too often.

His face immediately broke into a soft smile that turned into a grin as be waved at the people who had attended his wedding.

"You all came dattebayo." He said excitedly with his widened smile. Naruto's blue eyes again wondered to the swing hanging from the big oak tree as he stared at it as he made his way towards it. The swing didn't look like the lonely piece of wood it used to be. Ino had done a wonderful job in decorating it. The ropes were lined with pink plumeria flowers running the lengths of the rope and the seat held a beautiful bouquet of white plumeria. It was hardly believable that this was the same swing he spent so much of his childhood on.

As he reached the swing, his hand slowly rose up to hold one of the ropes, being careful not to crush the flowers or he will face the wrath of Ino. The swing moved slowly under his touch and he wistfully watched it with a soft smile on his face. His heart ached as the translucent younger version of himself stared back at him with tear filled cerulean eyes. He forgot about the guests who were watching him from behind and for a moment even forgot why he was here. It was just him and the version of himself that he feared going back to. His hand twitched to reach out and hold his younger self, tell him everything will be alright and make the pain in his heart that Naruto knew he felt go away. Before he knew it, his hand was already moving towards the younger Naruto in an attempt to console the boy.

"Naruto-kun?" before his hand reached, he heard the familiar voice he loved so so much from somewhere behind him and he immediately turned his head around. Upon seeing his bride, Naruto's whole body stilled. Hinata stood at the doorway he'd stood at only moments before looking at him with her big cream eyes, a hint of concern lasing them. But what left him completely immobile is not just her eyes or the fact that he had been day dreaming and forgot his wedding.

Hinata was dressed in a white kimono with an autumn leaf pattern with a thick yellow obi tied around her mid-section. It wasn't nearly as extravagant as the kimono waiting for her at the Hyuga mansion but she had never looked more beautiful to him. Her beautiful mid night hair was in a half bun at the top of her head while the rest flowed down her back with a few short strands lose around her face, framing her round face beautifully. Her bangs that usually covered her forehead was now combed to the side slightly and from where he stood, he could see that she had nothing but a layer of light pink lip gloss on her lovely lips letting her natural beauty shine through.

Naruto could've sworn that in that moment as he admired the beautiful woman who is his fiancé, she and he were the only two people in the clearing and she shone like the sun the longer he stared at her. He was sure his eyes were as wide as saucers because each day he seems to find Hinata more beautiful than the previous day and he thinks that it is impossible for her to be any more beautiful but each day she surprises him. And right now…he had no words to describe how stunning she looks. He knew he would not be doing her beauty justice even if he tried. She was beauty in all sense of the word.

Her face broke into the soft smile she gives him when she knows that he's stuck in memory lane and his own dry lips broke into a smile of his own. His head turned back to the swing to look at the boy, only find him gone and the seat empty. He closed his eyes and let out a quiet laugh and shook his head slightly before turning back to Hinata.

He was now aware of the people that surrounded them and also hear the snickering of a few of them at his open admiration of his bride and the dark blush that had resided on his whispered cheeks. From his opinion he had the right to gape at her as much as he wanted, it was only a problem if other men do it.

The ceremony was held in front of the swing with Tsunade pouncing them husband and wife and calling them Naruto and Hinata Uzumaki for the first time eliciting a squeal from Sakura-chan and Ino as well as a mighty blush from his wife.

Naruto's heart swelled with happiness at Tsunade's words as he beamed in happiness. His wife, Hinata Uzumaki. Hinata Uzumaki, the words feels so perfect, like it's meant to be.

He heard clapping from the audience as Tsunade finished talking and the new husband and wife smiled at each other as Naruto reached his hand and offered it to Hinata, which she gladly took by lifting her own hand and putting it on his. Naruto and Hinata stood there staring at each other while they could vaguely see from their peripheral vision that the rest of the guests were clearing out and going inside the academy where Naruto had, for the day, moved Ichiraku ramen to.

Sakura stopped walking at the entrance to the academy and turned around to look at the newly wedded couple.

"Sasuke-kun, do you think we should tell them to come inside?" she asked as she faced him. He was walking behind her and he turned around as well to look at them. He turned back around to face Sakura and Sasuke slowly intertwined his fingers with hers, surprising her at his sudden affection.

"No. I think we should just leave them." He said as he pulled a blushing Sakura along with him inside the school.

As everyone cleared out of the space, only Naruto and Hinata remained. Naruto motioned for Hinata to sit down on the swing and she followed his instructions and sat down looking at him confusedly.

"Hinata Uzumaki." Naruto said as if he was trying it out and Hinata immediately blushed. He tilted his head and made a thoughtful face before smiling down at her. "I like it." He said as he held the ropes between his hands. Hinata looked at him with a smile and the blush still in place.

"Me too." She said softly her eyes dancing with happiness. After a moment, Hinata looked away from his eyes and Naruto looked down at her in curiosity. "I remember you know?" she said and he looked at her in question. "…seeing you…here" she finished quietly and he stared down at her bent head. "I remember feeling so sad…seeing you like that. Thinking back now…" she started, her voice losing its happiness. "…I wish I had a little bit more courage to talk to you." She said looking up at him with tearful eyes. And his heart hurt to see her so sad on the happiest day of her…of their life. "I wanted to touch you and hug you and tell you that I'm here. That everything will be alright. That I will be your friend. I really did Naruto. I just…I was a coward. You needed someone and …" she continued quietly only for him to crouch down in front of her suddenly, halting her in her words. He faced her and he cupped her now wet cheeks with his hands.

"Do you remember?" he asked softly. "Before my fight with Neji in the chunnin exams, I was scared. I was feeling so uncharacteristically down. And then…I ran into you." He said with a smile. "You told me I was a proud failure." He said with a soft chuckle. "Because of what you said, I was able to be strong. Because you believed I was strong. Do you remember that?" he asked again. Hinata nodded slowly. "And that time…during the war, when I felt lost and felt like giving up…you were right there beside me. When even I had lost the will to fight, you brought me back. Because of you…the whole world was saved. Otherwise I would've given into Obito. You saved us all. Do you remember that?" he finished and again she nodded her head. "You are not a cowards Hinata. You are…amazing. You have to forget the times you didn't do anything and think of all the times you did do things. Like giving me the will to fight and making me the happiest person on earth. You have given me so much." he finished with shining, determined blue eyes. Eyes that Hinata was so used to seeing, yet still felt extremely overjoyed every time she saw them. "You are with me now. That's all that matters. Right?" he asked with raised eyebrows and she looked at him for a while before nodding her head yet again, her smile slowly taking place on her lips again.

Naruto leaned forward and captured her soft lips in a kiss. She gasped in surprise but returned the kiss right away. He kissed her softly before pulling away and smiling again because he couldn't help himself. He was feelings the kind of happiness he never believed her would have. The kind of happiness he had wanted since childhood but never seemed within reach to him.

"I love you." She breathed out against his lips before he pulled away.

"I love you." He replied before standing up and taking her hand in his and helping her stand up as well. They walked towards the academy hand in hand. "By the way, you look…gorgeous." He whispered in her ear. Hinata smiled and looked at Naruto.

"You clean up nice yourself Naruto-kun." Hinata said looking him from top to bottom admiring his black and orange kimono. Naruto put on an uncharacteristically smug look and a mischievous smile, making her laugh at his antics.

He could spend the rest of his life listening to her laughter and just…being with her.

Maybe that's why he picked this specific location. This place filled with nothing but unpleasantness. Maybe he wanted to change that. Maybe the reason he wanted to have his and Hinata's wedding here is because he wanted to create new memories. Better memories, happier memories. Memories that didn't make him cringe and feel fear. But create memories that filled his heart with unbelievable happiness. He knew that he along with Hinata will continue to create such memories because as long as he was with her, that's all his life would know. Not the loneliness he was so familiar with but a happiness he will never grow tired of.

This was supposed to be a lemon, but it was longer than I expected. Hopefully next chapter I will be able to write it.

Hope you liked this chapter and please remember to rate and leave a comment.

Thanks everyone for reading as well as leaving wonderful comments, you guys rock.

WE ARE CANON! (Just reminding you :D)