Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Yeah.
Summary: Hyuuga Hiashi is expecting Hinata to get married at 18! Of course, she desires for her beloved Naruto-kun. Her friends are there to help her! Then again, she sees that her father would never accept him—whether the blonde knows her love for him or not. Now who is going to walk up to the altar with her? Or will be there a surprise on her wedding day...? NaruHina, SasuSaku, NejiTen, ShikaIno.
Chapter 11
Uzumaki Naruto sat motionless on the bed. He was sweating. Across the bedroom, silhouetted by the pale curtains in the moonlight, was Hyuuga Hinata. He swallowed hard. He could've swallowed the most massive lump in his throat and yet he would keep swallowing. He clasped his sweaty hands.
The delicate figure moved. Slowly. Like in a dream where the moving would take forever. She went near him. Small but eager steps pronounced her disposition. Then stopped. She turned her back.
"Should I keep the lights off?"
Naruto grinned. "Yeah. I think we need less distraction."
"Oh," She hid her hands. "Okay."
In the stillness of the night, as Hinata moved towards the bed, Naruto was already in an exciting flight of the imagination beyond description. Clouds and rainbows, castles in the sky, magical ponies, fantasies after fantasies… A rushing vision of erotic whimsies. He blinked into reality. Hinata stood in front of him.
"I've been waiting for this all my life, Naruto-kun," she said. In almost a whisper. "I can't believe I'm standing here right in front of you tonight."
Naruto smiled. "But you are." He stood and held her soft hand, running his fingers along the frame of her face before resting his palm on her cheek. He kissed her then.
"Hinata, I have something to ask you," Naruto said. He didn't look at her. Looking at someone creates contact, an attachment. It helps one to finally say what his heart enduringly conceals. But he didn't look at her.
"When everything fails… and when the world is against us, Hinata, will you still love me?"
Naruto boldly raised his eyes to look at her. But he looked into a bowl of hot beef ramen.
Wa…?
He was half-asleep. Again.
Damn...
Sand Village.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Gaara drummed his icy fingers on the office table. Temari clasped her soggy hands in deep thought. Kankurou stared impatiently at the both of them.
Apparently, the three were circled in the office to discuss the deal with Hiashi, the offering of one million ryou in exchange for marrying Hinata.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
"I don't know who among the two of you is really thinking or not, but I suppose the first step to straighten out the problem is opening our mouths."
Gaara and Temari stared at their brother.
"And I don't mean mine."
"Gaara," started Temari, green eyes serious. "You cannot accept the deal. First of all, you're aware that Hinata likes Naruto, and Naruto seems to like her as well. If you agree on this, it's like agreeing on an arranged marriage, forcing people into something they don't like for the rest of their lives."
The young Kage looked at his sister, eyes unmoving.
"We need the money. But we also need peace of mind. They saved us once. You know that. What's more, what we're going to get is money from a man taking his daughter's happiness away for himself. Let that Hiashi know you're virtuous, Gaara. Notavaricious."
"B-But think about the results, Gaara!" exclaimed Kankurou as he faced his younger brother. "Our village is low on funds! There is no other choice, and no other source. We all know the Sand village is seriously in need of money. And what we need first is peace of mind from the damn villagers who only care about satiating their own needs!"
He eyed Temari before he finished the last word.
"Time will come and we won't be able to pay our debts anymore. Paying the debt and consequently, saving the village is at the top list. I mean, who gives a damn if the girl weeps every night, calling that blonde's name? Gaara, we're saving the village who gave birth to us!"
He looked directly at Gaara's dark, still eyes. "This is the Kazekage's priority. This is your priority. And you're aware of that, Gaara… aren't you?"
Slowly, ever so slowly, Gaara opened his mouth to speak.
"Kankurou!" yelled Temari, slamming her hands on the table. "Are you trying to confuse him? I thought we're together on this?"
"Tch. Don't tell me, Temari," the puppeteer crossed his arms. "You're the one screwing this up. I should have thought that though you're brutal and merciless, you're still a little girl who believes in love and happy endings."
"Kankurou, this is not a Kage's way to solve the problem!"
"Then what else? Wait for the lesser evil?" Kankurou didn't wait for an answer. "Only Hinata will suffer! Only her," he said calmly to the auburn-haired Kazekage. "Gaara, all the people of our village will be saved."
"No, Gaara! You can't let anyone be imprisoned and be miserable because of your own doing!" pleaded Temari, glaring at her paint-faced brother. "You know this is not theonly way. Please. Think about it, Gaara. I beg of you."
The young Kazekage laid a fixed stare at his sister. Then at Kankurou.
A long silence followed. A long silence that could have been deafening.
Kankurou broke the ice. "Wonderful, Temari. I can't believe you actually—"
Temari's angry stare made him shut up. Slowly, she gestured him to leave Gaara's office with her, lips curled in contempt.
Kankurou frowned at his unconvinced sister, gnashing his teeth so hard it could have shattered.
What a resolved way to end the meeting.
Uzumaki Residence.
"So how're the couples?" Nara Shikamaru curved a mischievous smile at the poised Naruto and shy Hinata. They were currently circled at the living room with Yamanaka Ino sitting rather near to the pineapple-haired strategist.
Naruto let out an air of sheer confidence. "Heh. As you can see, we—"
"We've come to tell you, guys, something important." Butted Shikamaru. "Our spies told us that Hiashi paid a visit to Gaara."
"GAARA?" exclaimed Naruto. Hinata's forehead creased. "Why Gaara?" the blonde asked.
"Well, according to our trusted sources," explained Ino. "Since the Sand is financially weak, Hiashi successfully made a deal with Gaara and is currently waiting for his favorable response in three days. The deal, naturally, is about the marriage of our Hinata here."
"Marriage?" Hinata raised her hands to lips. "Ino, Father wants me to marry someone from the Sand?"
Shikamaru shook his head. "To get rid of all questions and etcetera, I'm giving you, guys, the gist: Hiashi wants Gaara to marry Hinata for—damn—one million ryou."
"SAY WHAT!?"
A/N: Okay. It's short. But I badly wanted to update! Gomenasai, minna-san… hope you enjoyed this chap! We're surely throwing all unnecessary subplots and getting into the main event. ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU for adding my story yo your fave's!
Reviews? :)
