Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and its characters; I also don't own His Stand in Bride by Michelle Styles which is the inspiration for this story. Any events written in the story that is similar to real life events is purely coincidental. This is not Beta'd yet.
Chapter XXI:
Gaara stared at the empty space when Sasuke and Hinata left. The moment Sasuke lunged at him he was ready to fight for death against him to win Hinata, however she chose her already husband Sasuke. He unconsciously ran his fingers in the word love on his forehead thinking that what he did was a sign of love for he let go of her without a fight when she made her choice. Yes he was always alone but he never felt this broken before.
Sasuke was dragged Hinata back to their room and saw her looking at him with an accusing look, yes he was used to people having that look on him for the mistakes of his past but for someone he likes to look at him like that was a hard blow to his face.
"Hinata chan will you please stop looking at me like that." He said with the word please which he last used when he was young when asking a favor from Itachi and his parents.
Maybe it was the word please that made her change the way she looked at Sasuke or that she was just not a person who will look into someone like that, but she said, "Why do you have to lunge at Gaara san knowing his ranking here, you will even hit him with a chidori. Does peace mean nothing to you that you will attack anyone you dislike at any place?"
"I didn't want to hit him just because I dislike him but I was jealous Hinata chan, I never liked anyone before that is why I am this possessive towards you and I am sorry for that. I lost all my loved ones and I can't afford to lose you also." He said truthfully his eyes showing a deeper shade of black.
Although what Sasuke did was wrong the way he explained his side made him right to Hinata at least. She is learning a lot more to his usual self preserved personality by the way he slowly opens up to her, and although she can't reciprocate his feelings yet she was starting to like him which is why she chose him without a second thought even if it meant hurting the kazekage's feelings who likes her also.
"Just don't let your anger go ahead of your judgment, we are now living in an era we never thought possible and not only you and I sacrificied just to attain it so please Sasuke kun keep your jealousy at bay. For I already chose you for I-I am starting to like you and that is all that matters." Hinata said with a face reserved only when she saw Naruto before but now she blushes as such for her husband.
Sasuke embraced her inhaling her lavender scented hair he was too familiar with and smiled for Hinata is now starting to like him, "If it is alright with you I would like us to leave tomorrow for we still have to a lot of places to go to."
She knew why Sasuke wanted to leave so soon to avoid further conflict with Gaara and she agreed with him to prevent catastrophe in the future among two men, "Sasuke kun we should properly say goodbye to Gaara san before leaving."
"I know, we'll tell him early morning tomorrow."
The following morning, Sasuke and Hinata attended breakfast with Gaara and his siblings neither Sasuke nor Gaara are talking or looking into one another.
Feeling the tension among two men Kankuro spoke, "Is the dining area hot or what?"
Temari glared at Kankuro before continuing to eat.
"Gaara san if it's alright with you Sasuke kun and I would like to have an audience with you after breakfast." Hinata said with a smile to ease some tension inside the dining room.
"I'll meet you in my office then."
After breakfast, Sasuke and Hinata went to Gaara's office.
"If this is about last night you have nothing to apologize for." Gaara started.
"No this isn't about last night, we want to talk with you to say our goodbyes formally for we are leaving today." Sasuke said.
"So soon, I haven't showed the two of you whole of Suna yet."
"Gaara san, we appreciate everything you have done and will do for us but we are still to find materials and carpenters who will work for our compound back in Konoha which is why we have to leave so soon for the leave we filled lasts only for a month."
Sasuke smirked upon hearing Hinata say our compound.
"I'm sure your hokage will understand why you will extend your leave but my offer still stand and both of you can return any time for me to show you around my village. As for your compound, the best straw and mud can be found here in Suna and I am offering you to get as much as you need for the building of your compound."
Both Sasuke and Hinata can't believe what they just heard that Gaara was willing to give them materials for the compound and to return anytime despite everything that happened the previous night.
"Gaara san that is too much, we are both from noble clans and can pay for any straw and mud we will be getting here."
"I know, but that is my gift for the two of you. I may not be in favor of Uchiha marrying you Hinata san but for you I am willing to help your marriage any way I can, which is why I am offering mud and straw for your construction for you to have a strong wall that will protect you like I would do to your marriage." Gaara said.
For the first time Sasuke bowed to Gaara to show respect to the man he once despised.
"Thank you Gaara san." Hinata said and bowed as well.
"Hn, since you are both leaving you should leave now to go wherever you are going next for there is an upcoming sandstorm this afternoon. It is dangerous to walk along the sandstorm even though you are both skilled dojutsu users, a sand going into your eyes is painful."
In Konoha
Naruto woke up with a throbbing headache from too much drinking last night, but as part of his hokage training he needs to report to Tsunade every morning.
"Tsunade granny, I'm sorry if I am late my head terribly hurts when I woke up." Naruto said bowing before the former hokage.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow before speaking, "I have a task for you as part of your Hokage training you have to familiarize yourself with villages that are major supplier of Konoha's major resources to know their culture and how to properly deal with them during trades. With that being said, I need you to go to the land of wood and familiarize yourself with them. Because the land of wood is far you are to leave as soon as possible and stay there for a week at least, but before doing that you are to visit Sakura first."
"Why should I visit her first, I'm not yet ready to face her."
"I know but she is confined here right now, I am not asking you to forgive her immediately but at least have a word with her to clear things among the two of you. The reason why I am asking you to do this is for you to have a clear mind before doing what I asked you to do, for I can't have you drunk every night especially in a different place."
"Fine I will talk to her at least." Naruto said before leaving to go to where Sakura was.
Ino checked Sakura even though she hates her for what she did for as a medic you have a duty to fulfill even to your worst enemies. Finishing up her checkup she wrote Sakura's progress on her chart before leaving to check on other patients and saw Naruto walking along the hallway.
"Naruto?"
"Hi Ino I was wondering what room number Sakura was staying at?"
Ino told him Sakura's room number wondering what prompted the blond to look for Sakura. Naruto knocked before entering Sakura's room, Sakura was sitting in her bed when he saw her.
"Sakura." He greeted.
"Naruto? Why are you here?"
"I came because granny Tsunade asked me to clear my mind off before going into a mission for her."
"Oh." Sakura said sadly.
Naruto clenched and unclenched his fingers, "Why did you do that Sakura, why did you use me to hurt Hinata chan?"
Sakura took a deep breath before speaking, "I didn't mean to hurt you and Hinata I just want Sasuke kun to look at me differently, I just thought that if he see you with me he'll notice me and love me."
"But it didn't turn that way right?! I don't know why you were so selfish to make me destroy my relationship with Hinata chan, we are about to get married do you know that?"
"Yes, don't you think that what happened was for the best for you are still in love with me not with Hinata who you are to marry. So don't go accusing me as if I was the only one at fault here!"
Naruto's eyes widened Sakura does have a point but still if she didn't seduce him and lied about loving him he wouldn't hurt Hinata by succumbing to her advances, "But you seduced and lied to me Sakura, I wouldn't' run to your arms if you didn't lie and seduced me."
"But if you really love Hinata you would not be so easily distracted by my advances which only meant that you didn't love her at least."
Naruto was really fuming and would like to slap Sakura in the face but refrained from doing so instead he went by the door about to leave and said, "You are right but I am willing to marry her and learn to love her, but that can never happen now for she is married to Sasuke."
Sakura cried the moment Naruto left, she was hurting that the man she only loved is now married to the victim of her doing.
Somewhere outside Suna
Sasuke and Hinata said their goodbyes to Kankuro and Temari before leaving to go to the private spa Kakashi gave them as a gift, after relaxing there they will continue their journey towards the land of wood.
"Do you think we'll reach our destination before the sandstorm comes?" Hinata asked worriedly.
"Maybe we just have to double our pace to do so."
Unfortunately for Sasuke and Hinata the sandstorm arrived earlier than expected.
"Hinata chan cover your eyes!" Sasuke said as he embraced Hinata to shield her face from the raging sand.
"Sasuke kun…."
Due to the sandstorm being so violent Sasuke lost his footing and fell on the sand with Hinata embraced to him.
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, follows, favorites. What do you think of this chapter? If you have any scene suggestions kindly leave in the review so I can write it on the next or upcoming is still not beta read so if there is a kind beta reader kindly inform me to correct grammar and spelling mistakes.