Rain: Hello all, Rain here and I am back with a brand new chapter of Reaper's Blood: Final Mix and we last left of on Good Guy Hiashi making a deal with Naruto about taking Hinata's hand in marriage. What will happen next? Well...Watch and see!

Mario: Here we go!

Reaper's Blood: Final Mix
Chapter Thirteen

Konohagakure no Sato
Hyūga Mansion
Uzumaki Naruto

Marriage...

Out of all the things Naruto expected Hiashi to tell him, marriage to his best friend was not the thing he had in mind.

From what he and Hinata were told when they were little, marriage was for people that loved each other and while there was some...feelings that he had for her in his heart that he was confused about, Hinata was still his best friend and she should be married to someone that loves her as a lover, not as a best friend like he did...

But why did that thought bother him so much?

"Ah, you're awake Uzumaki-san," Hiashi's voice rang out from behind him.

Naruto turned around to face the elder Hyūga and said "Hiashi-san. I do apologize for falling unconscious like that."

"Nonsense," Hiashi responded kindly. "I sprang some very huge news on both you and my kind -hearted daughter. I do not blame either of you for your reactions."

"I'm glad," Naruto said softly before he said "To be honest with you Hiashi-san...I would like nothing more than to marry her. I care for both her Hanabi and I don't want them to have that seal...But I feel that Hinata should marry someone she loves...Not her best friend."

Hiashi chuckled softly and said "I understand how you feel Uzumaki-san. I had the same issues when I was told that I was to marry Hinata's mother by my elders...She was my best friend as well and I didn't feel right about her being forced to marry me."

Naruto was surprised.

Back when she was alive, Hiashi and Yukiko looked so deeply in love to Naruto so to find out that Yukiko was forced into marrying Hiashi surprised him greatly. "But...you two looked every bit in love. How did that happen?"

"It took time. As many things do. It was awkward at first, especially due to me courting someone else during the time but in time, I got to see a different side to her and vice versa. Soon, our hearts were truly connected and despite her being gone, my piece of her is still there."

Hiashi then knelt down in front Naruto and placed a hand on his right shoulder and said "It is honorable to know that you care about my daughter's feelings like you do Uzumaki-san, but it is ok if you do not wish to do this. I can always find another way if you feel uncomfortable in doing this."

"No way. I said I would marry her to protect her from the seal. If she is ok with it that is. I just don't want her to regret being married to her best friend is all," Naruto said with a determined look on his face.

With a chuckle, Hiashi gave a secretive smirk and said "Believe me Uzumaki-san, I think my daughter would approve of this arrangement more than I would." After another chuckle, Hiashi then stood up and said "Before I set the announcement, I do wish for you two to talk about it just in case."

"Yes Hiashi-san," Naruto replied before Hiashi looked to the door and smiled.

"Now...I believe there is a certain someone who has been waiting to see you since you got here," Hiashi stated as he opened the door to reveal Hanabi, who had a bright smile on her face.

"Naruto-nii!" Hanabi shrieked happily as she launched herself to the blond.

"Hanabi-chan!" Naruto exclaimed in return and caught her in his arms before the two hugged tight. Due to the sheer force Hanabi had slammed into him, it caused Naruto to spin her around, which made her laugh happily. "I missed you so much!" Naruto told the small Hyūga as he slowed to a stop.

Hanabi nuzzled her cheek against Naruto's and said "I missed you too, Naruto-nii...I was so worried when Onee-chan told me you were hurt." Hanabi then moved away with a pout and said "No more injuries or I will take you down myself."

"I can't promise that but I will try," Naruto replied sweetly before he pecked her on the forehead sweetly, which made her smile. 'And to think, there was a time where she hated me,' Naruto thought to himself as he grinned at the little one in his arms.

Naruto knew how much Hanabi adored her sister so when Naruto came into the scene, Hanabi grew insanely jealous of Naruto and Hinata's friendship until one fateful day, which happened to fall on her birthday.

Flashback
Konohagakure no Sato
Uzumaki Naruto

"We have to find her Naruto-kun before she gets too far," Hinata said softly behind the blond Uzumaki with worry in her voice.

Naruto nodded in agreement with a worried look of his own. It was the day of Hanabi's 4th birthday and everything had been going well so far until Hyūga Yukiko, the mother of Hinata and Hanabi had fallen unconscious while cutting the birthday cake.

The genetic disease that Yukiko had gotten worse to the point the doctors feared that she wouldn't make to see the end of the week. Hanabi and Hinata were devastated but none so than Hanabi. Up until her birthday, Hanabi had been acting like a total brat to her mother, from yelling and crying at her to being mean to her because her mother was growing to exhausted to spend more time with her.

Hanabi had been unaware of her mother's sickness until she collapsed and when she did find out, she had run away from home, causing the Hyūga clan, as well as Naruto, to search the village to find her, Not wanting another "Hyūga Affair" fiasco to occur.

"We will find her Hinata-chan. No worries," Naruto said with a small smile on his face. The two continued their trek through the village searching for the small Hyūga heiress until they finally found the small child, being cornered in an alley by a bunch of rabid dogs.

"Hanabi-chan!" Both Naruto and Hinata shouted in horror and without any hesitation, Naruto launched himself at the group of dogs while he shouted to Hinata "Get Hanabi-chan out of here!"

The last thing Naruto remembered was hearing Hanabi's worried cry of his name.

End Flashback
Hyūga Mansion
Uzumaki Naruto

Naruto was pretty much mauled, worrying both of the Hyūga children but he got better thanks to the great doctors and Hanabi cared for him since and all it took was for him to nearly lose his life. "So...I heard a certain small Hyūga heiress visited me in the hospital," Naruto stated as he sat Hanabi down onto the floor.

"Of course I did," Hanabi replied with a pout. "I couldn't let my Naruto-nii be all alone in the hospital, with no one with him."

"Your Naruto-nii eh? When was this decided and what would Hinata-chan think of you taking away her best friend?" Naruto asked with a teasing smile on his face.

Hanabi grinned and replied "From the moment you risked your life and she could always get another one. Now come on Naruto-nii. Onee-chan told me to find you. She's at the garden."

Konohagakure no Sato
Hyūga Garden
Uzumaki Naruto

With some help from Hanabi steering him in the right direction, Naruto walked down the long stone trail that led from the main branch house of the Hyūga clan to large green house where Hinata was.

She wasn't dressed in her normal clothes. She was dressed in a black tank top and slightly baggy pants and she had a yellow gardening apron on with yellow gardening gloves.

Naruto slowed down to a stop and watched her as she placed a potted sunflower into the ground, sweat dripping down her face. "How long has she been here?" Naruto asked, his eyes gazing at the many rows of potted plants before them.

"For three hours," Hanabi responded softly, which made Naruto frown a bit. Naruto knew that Hinata usually spent an hour gardening but when she was troubled, she would put a ton of time into it, as if working through whatever was bothering her.

Could it be that she was concerned about her father's plan?

Well...Only one way to find out.

"We finally found you Hinata-chan!" Naruto said with Hanabi on his right shoulder.

Hinata looked up from her sunflower in surprise before she gave Naruto a smile, her cheeks a bright red. "N-Naruto-kun...You have awakened," she said as Naruto said down Hanabi and nodded with a grin on his face.

"Damn right. You can't keep me down for long," Naruto responded before he said "I should have known you would be here...It looks as lovely as always. Yukiko-san would be proud of how this place looks."

"She would be," Hinata murmured softly as she pulled off her yellow gardening gloves with a small smile on her face.

The garden originally belonged to Hinata and Hanabi's mother, Yukiko but she had passed away due to a rare genetic disease that affected the Hyūga clan after Hanabi's 4th birthday. To help with the grieving process, Hinata took up the gardening skill in memory for her mother.

The garden had started off humbly small but with some time and dedication that was put in it, the garden was magnificent. "Though admittedly, after the news I received today, I don't know if the garden will be here forever..."

Naruto frowned and opened his mouth but she shook her head before she turned to Hanabi and said "Thank you for leading Naruto-kun h-here but you should be in the training hall, Hanabi-chan."

"I know Onee-chan but I wanted to spend some time with him before I did," Hanabi said with a pout before she turned to Naruto and said "But she is right...I must get going. Kō-san will be upset if I am late for training. "

Naruto sat Hanabi on the ground and gave her a quick peck on the top of her head, which made Hanabi smile before she said her goodbyes and waltzed away to her training class, leaving the two alone.

"You must have a lot on your mind, Hinata-chan," Naruto said once Hanabi was out of sight.

Hinata let out a sigh as she said "I do..." Naruto had been around Hinata long enough to know that she was highly upset due to the empty tone she had in her voice along with the blank look on her face so Naruto knew exactly what he needed to do to cheer her up.

Naruto walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, which she instantly returned, her arms wrapping around him just as tight and it was then he heard her muffled sobs, which was accompanied by her body shaking.

"It's ok Hinata-chan. Let it all out..." Naruto told her gently.

Naruto understood why she was upset. For her entire life, her dream was to united the main branch and side branch together under one united clan and to rid the clan of the Hyūga Sōke no Juinjutsu but now that the Hyūga clan elders have decided to force Hiashi into deciding who would bare the seal, her dream was lost.

For the next thirty minutes, the Hyūga princess wept in Naruto's arms. Naruto had now sat down and Hinata was on his lap, her face still buried into his chest but Naruto didn't mind this at all. He had been in this position several times in their four years together as best friends.

Hinata pulled away from the Uzumaki blond and murmured "I'm sorry Naruto-kun...I shouldn't have broken down that way..."

"Don't be Hinata-chan," Naruto responded sweetly. "That's what friends are for. Besides, your dream was just taken from you. If my dream to be the Hokage was taken from me, I would be crushed as well."

Hinata nodded in agreement and said "And I would be consoling you as well."

"I know," Naruto responded softly.

The two gazed at each other for a moment before the two began to blush. "So...About the marriage proposal? What do you think about it?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

"Truthfully? I'm sad that in order to keep me and Hanabi seal free that I have to be married..." Hinata started, which made Naruto frown inwardly but that instantly changed when Hinata gave him a tender smile and said "But if that means marrying someone near and dear to me like you? I'm happy."

Naruto let out a sigh of relief then let out a small laugh. "I agree. I was worried that you were going to hate it."

"Why would I Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked with a giggle. "I mean after all...We already are." Hinata then removed her left glove to reveal an orange rubber-band that was wrapped on her left ring finger.

Naruto gazed at her hand and let a small grin appear on his face.

Flashback
Konohagakure no Sato
Uzumaki Naruto

Naruto was having a great day.

It started out normal enough with him waking up earlier that morning, eating his ramen at Ichikaru's and then he starting his regularly scheduled prank session and now it was time for him to meet Hinata at the park.

As Naruto was walking to the park to meet with Hinata, he noticed that there was this couple that was talking on a bench in front of the park.

Normally this wouldn't be an odd thing but suddenly, the man knelt down on one knee and pulled out something a box and said something "Will you marry me?"

He then watched the woman touch her face softly with tears falling from her eyes. He then saw the woman nod and gave the man kneeling before her a huge smile as the man slide that thing on her left ring finger.

The woman then hugged the man and then the man gave her a loving kiss on the lips as people around them clapped and cheered. "Marry?" Naruto said to himself in a questioning tone, tilting his head in confusion. "What does that mean?"

After waiting for everyone to leave, Naruto marched into the park and waited patiently at their designated meeting area for Hinata and when she arrived, Naruto walked up to Hinata and asked "Hinata-chan. What does "marry" Mean?"

Hinata stared at her friend with the same confused look that was on his face and said "I d-don't know. Why do y-you ask, N-Naruto-kun?"

Naruto then told her what happened before she arrived and when he was done, she still looked confused. "Maybe Jii-san will know something about this 'Marry' thing," Naruto said before grabbing Hinata's hand, making her blush, and together, the two friends started their trek to the Hokage tower.

Konohagakure no Sato
Hokage Tower
Uzumaki Naruto

"Hiya Ilia-chan!" Naruto said with a right smile as a young woman with long platinum blond hair that was in a ponytail, blue iris-less eyes, a white shirt, a white dress and a pair of white shoes.

Her name was Yamanaka Ilia, the mother of Yamanaka Ino, and she was currently typing something on the computer in front of her.

"Ah, hello Naruto-kun, Hyūga-sama," Ilia said with a smile as well as a small bow towards Hinata which the smaller girl returned. Naruto, completely clueless about the bowing simply smiled and asked "Is Jii-san busy today Ilia-chan?"

Ilia looked at the boy and said "Yes, he's with the council at the moment so you will have to come back and see him later."

Naruto kicked the ground while saying in a disappointed tone "Aw man, I had something important to ask him."

"What's so important that you have to ask him?" Iila asked curiously.

Naruto tilted his head and replied "Me and Hinata-chan wanted to ask him what 'marry' means."

Ilia stared at the boy for a second and then smiled as she asked "I see. Well, why do you want to know about that?"

Naruto then told her about what he encountered at the park before meeting Hinata and when he was done, Ilia giggled and replied "Well then Naruto-kun. I'll just tell you about it instead."

Naruto smiled and sat down on the ground to listen to what she had to say while Hinata did the same. "Well..." Iila began. "Being married, which is the word you were trying to say Naruto, is being with the person that you love...It's pretty much like being together with you best friend for the rest of your life, no matter what happens. Though sickness and health."

Naruto looked to Hinata and asked "So it's about marrying your best friend?" Naruto then gave a bright smile and said "Then why don't we get married, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata and Ilia were surprised when Naruto asked that but Ilia smiled when Hinata looked down at the ground with a huge blush on her face. "I-If you w-want too," Hinata stuttered out with a faint smile on her face.

Naruto smiled and gave her a big hug which made Ilia go "Aww," as Hinata hugged him back.

Naruto then tilted his head upwards and remembered that the man had put something on the lady's left ring finger and letting go of Hinata then reached behind his long untamed hair and pulled off an orange rubber band, letting his hair fall from his pony tailed shape.

"I saw the man give the woman something on her left other middle finger so I wanted to do it too," Naruto explained as he held up Hinata's small left hand and wrapped the orange rubber band around her ring finger and smiled.

"Now we're married Hinata-chan!" Hinata smiled at the blond haired boy, despite the huge blush on her face before she gave him another hug which he returned.

Naruto then realized he missed something he thought he was supposed to do so released the hug and gave her a small peck on the lips.

"The guy did that so I thought I was supposed too do it too," Naruto explained with a tilt of the head as Ilia watched Hinata's face turn so red, it would make an apple jealous.

"N-N-Naruto-kun...Kissed me…" Hinata said in dazed tone before she closed her eyes and slumped to the ground.

The last words she heard before completely blacking out, causing Ilia plenty of amusement but made Naruto alarmed and worried yell of "Hinata-chan!"

End Flashback
Konohagakure no Sato
Hyūga Mansion
Uzumaki Naruto

"You kept that thing?" Naruto asked happily.

"Of course I-I did. Why wouldn't I keep it? My best friend gave it to me..." Hinata replied softly.

Naruto smiled and said "I'm glad. I was truly worried that you wouldn't want to do this. I didn't want your father to force you into something that you didn't want to do..."

"You care so much about my feelings Naruto-kun. It's very sweet," Hinata said with a blush on her face.

"You are my best friend after all," Naruto replied before he shut his eyes and said "Hinata-chan, there is something that I need to talk to you about."

Hinata tilted her head curiously and asked "What about?"

"About what happened during and after I took the Forbidden scroll..." Naruto responded with a seriously look on his face.

And so Naruto recounted all that had occurred from his fight with Mizuki up until he woke up to Anko crying and when he was done, Hinata sat there with a stunned look on her face.

"So...What do you think?" Naruto asked softly.

"I-I don't even know where to start..." Hinata stammered out. "You're the champion of the Shinigami...You have a sister and the most pressing part is that your mother is alive somewhere...But not even the Shinigami knows where she is..."

"Yeah...I have to speak to Jii-san about this...But at the same time..." Naruto drifted off as anger began to build up in his veins. "He lied to me...He said I was the only child of nameless parents...And yet my mother is alive and I have a sister. The only thing I don't know is my father...But if he knew about my sister and mother, he knows who my father is..."

"I'm so sorry Naruto-kun..." Hinata told him with her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You've been hit with so much in so short of time...I'm just adding to the amount of stress you must be in."

"Nonsense," Naruto replied instantly. "I'm glad your father told me of this and I'm glad I get a chance to help you and Hanabi-chan. I may have a ton on my plate but hell, this is by far the easiest thing to deal with."

Hinata giggled and said "Well, you know I'll be with you every step of the way Naruto-kun..."

"I know," Naruto replied as his grin began to grow. "You are my future wife after all."

And with those words, Hinata's blush became so deep, she fell out of his lap, unconscious.

"Hinata-chan!"

Rain: And that is where I will end this chapter. So I primarily used this chapter to show the relationship between our lovely Uzumaki and Hinata, Hiashi and Hanabi. The next chapter will delve into Naruto awakening the first spirit as well as get our third girl Ino into the mix.

And to add on to the AN I left before this chapter. I do plan on continuing this fic, along with the original version of this fic if you guys want me to do both so this bad boy isn't going anywhere. I may alter this some if people do want me to do both and if that happens, I will let you all know So until the next chapter...

Mario: See you next time!