Chapter 21: For life

Neji tugged at the cloth and Naruto's body moved along with it. The hyuuga pushed away the body with a irritated sound, the blond letting out an indignant exclamation at the action. Shikamaru was smoking at the other end of the bedroom and occasionally handed the clothes iruka would fussily search for in the chaotic room. The sun hadn't risen yet and the whole house was lighted and full of the guests and friends of the couple. Aiko was being dressed at the Hyuuga compound, per request from Aiko, and Naruto was helped in the Namikaze house.

Naruto pulled his arm free to scratch his nose, which iruka immediately slapped away. Naruto huffed and stood still as neji and iruka finally finished dressing the kimono. Then finally the kitsuke styling was finished and Naruto stood in his black montsuki kimono and hakama. The clapping brought everyone's attention to see Kakashi lazily leaning against the door as usual. And to naruto's surprise, jiraya was right next to him.

"Ero-sennin!"

Jiraiya laughed at the greeting before walking forward. Naruto jumped onto the man and hugged him before he could take two steps. He felt large warm hands ruffling his hair and the rumble go through Jiraiya as he spoke.

"Didn't think i would miss this, did ya?"

There was only shikamaru, neji and chouji from the konoha nin in the room, along with Kakashi, jiraiya and iruka. The rest were at the Shinto shrine helping to organize the ceremony. Naruto picked up the haori and wore it while walking to the door with Jiraiya right next to him. The rest of them followed after Naruto and Lee joined them at the entrance of the shrine land. Naruto looked immediately to follow a stream of orange in the peripheral vision to find a orange fox jumping to land on a stone by the torii gates. He nodded to the fox, and ignoring the probing gazes, walked through the torii gates.

"This is a good shrine, blessed by Inarii-sama. Maybe you will at least have some happiness."

'Maybe.'

The group talked among themselves while climbing the stairs, getting updated on the preparations for the wedding. From what lee had described Naruto imagined that half the village showed up to 'help', to either take part in something to boast about later or to take off with some valuables; whichever way he didn't care as long as the preparations were completed. He was just happy to see Jiraiya, he had missed the man when he had disappeared to somewhere right after the 'family' dinner.

There were many exclamations after seeing Naruto and a lot more greetings showered on him. He smiled through most of them, half comprehending the words thrown at him before he neared the tent constructed at the side for guests temporarily. Tsunade and Shizune were already there, the former in a bad mood because they wouldn't permit her sake even though she was the hokage. Naruto smiled at the familiarity of Tsunade and Shizune, watching the two bicker. Shizune was the first to see him as she was the one facing the tent flap, and instantly he was embraced tightly and congratulated. Tsunade was slower to approach, but he felt peace when he finally returned the hug to the blonde and heard her whispered words.

"We are so proud of you, Minato and Kushina would have been too. I am just glad that at least I could watch you for them."

Then there were the rest of the familiar faces of his childhood and teenage years, offering congratulations and encouragement. Kiba had some jokes about having a wife for a while before he figured out that Neji was listening.

Naruto remembered the Shinto priest, when he finally spotted the man. The priest was one of the few people who treated him with kindness during his childhood. Before he could approach him sakura and hinata emerged from the steps, the whole crowd parting to let the bride party enter the shrine grounds. Aiko came after the two girls, dressed in the white shiromuku and head covered with the wataboshi under which lay the tsunokakushi, with Yue on her right. Naruto couldn't see her face because of the wataboshi at this distance. The daimyo and his wife followed after the two sisters, dressed in highly elaborate formal kimonos which Naruto could bet was worth more than half of the village.

Naruto went forward until he in the path of the bride party, hina and sakura moving to the side so he could face aiko. After yue had also moved he formally bowed in the clan way, and aiko returned the bow with the stiff formal method taught in the tradition. After the bow he walked first while Yue, sakura and Hinata followed him. The daimyo took Aiko's hand to walk her into the shrine after them. The insides were not decorated and the closest family and several friends entered after them. The priest went through the purification and waited for Kiba to set the sake set.

After the sake set was already placed and he took his seat as waited for Aiko to settle down with help from her mother. San-san-kudo doesn't take much time, and he sipped at the cup three times and passes it to Aiko and waited watching absentmindedly as others sipped the sake. Then the shrine asked words of commitment, Naruto answering automatically with Aiko answering after him. Then among Jiraiya's laughing put a ring around Aiko's finger and waited for her to put his ring. Shikamaru had been the ones to pick out the rings, surprisingly, with Ino.

"This is the mating ritual? What is this?"

"Why are you even interested?"

"You stay out of it! You disgusting thing!"

"Puh."

He was startled when he found Aiko smiling at him shyly. 'What now.'

"I think you were smiling human."

'Thanks for the input.'

Upon reaching the shrine entrance he was grabbed by Jiraiya and hauled off to the back of the shrine. He was trying to get his bearings when he saw aiko being led away by Yue. Fifteen minutes later Aiko was at his side again, this time dressed in a iro-uchikake, the red colour with silver cranes embroidered contrasting with her pale skin and flushed cheeks. They left together for the kekkon hiroen, again being bombarded by cheers and congratulatory words as they emerged from smoke bombs blasted at their feet by kotetsu and kiba. He has just grabbed Aiko's hand when they were pushed along to a table set and forced to sit down. He watched as a photographer brought the camera right in front their table and the next second a flash was going in his face.

Then the next minutes the two were stood up and were forced onto an open area. He closed his eyes and suppressed his sigh as he grabbed and Aiko's hand and danced to the slow tune that played. He kept his smile fixed on his face, watching with detached eyes as other couple joined them.

"You realize you are watching your life being joined to another's through words."

'Funny you should say that.'

Then they were shoved in front of a camera then taken back to the table to sit down. The food was taken around the tables by waiters and he could only imagine the amount of sake barrels they would have to reserve for Jiraiya and Tsunade. He watched with dread as kiba stood up for a toast, starting the kanpai part of the wedding. It was at this point that Sasuke and satoshi entered the table area, and Naruto watched as the two took seats next to iruka. He watched as satoshi chattered excitedly with iruka and then turned to look at the head table. He was waved at exuberantly and he waved back, aiko also turning to look at where his attention was. He was surprised to hear the soft voice in the nonsensical chatter all around them.

"I hope our child will be like satoshi-kun. He is such a sweet boy."

He raised her brows at her and was about to reply when Jiraiya stood up for a speech too. He hoped his mentor wasn't too drunk, and was surprised when the booming voice held no slur.

"I want to thank everyone for attending this ceremony today. Naruto is a dearly loved person in the village." He stopped for a short while for the cheers to subside before continuing. "I knew naruto's parents very well, and it is one regret of mine that they aren't here today to watch their boy getting married but I know they, above anyone else here, would have been happy to see their Naruto finally settling down. Please take care of my godson, and I wish them all the peace and happiness this world could offer." Naruto watched as Jiraiya raised his glass look at him directly. "Here's to my godson, and my new goddaughter and to their future." Naruto raised his glass and drained it along with the shouts of 'kanpai'.

He laughed lightly as Tsunade got up this time. "I bet Jiraiya that I would give a better speech so I'm going to try and win my money. I came to konoha because that brat came to find me with Jiraiya. The brat had quite the nerve challenging one of the sannin, but he showed me a rasengan he completed in one week. And I have to say, that impressed me. I had seen minato when he first started trying the ransengan, and that brat's brat here finally completed that jutsu finally. I know for a fact that minato and kushina would have been proud even if their brat was an idiot, but he's not .Thankfully. minato would have laughed and cheered today, and kushina would cry and smile and would deny she was crying. But no matter what they would have been the second happiest here. Aiko I am giving Naruto to you, please take care of this brat. He won't listen to you sometimes, just give him a punch and he'll listen. I'll teach you how to make it hurt." Aiko laughed through her tears. "And I know that he will take care of you. Please be happy together." And then the blonde hokage chugged down her sake.

Naruto stopped paying attention after Tsunade sat down, his whole attention shifted to the bird perched on the tree outside innocently. The crow was nondescript and was so normal that Naruto couldn't take his eyes off.

"Oh good so you can recognize me."

"What is it now? And when is this going to end?"

Naruto turned his attention back to the crowd when he felt eyes on him, searching the crowd and finding the dark knowing gaze of Jiraiya. He plastered a smile again before looking unseeingly at iruka who had stood up now, his mind still focused inwards.

'I'm at my wedding! Go away!'

Iruka had sat down and lee got up and after a few minutes of youthful speaking Naruto turned to neji who had come up to him.

"Right after lee stops talking get up and go for the candle ceremony." Naruto nodded and watched amusedly as tenten prodded lee with a kunai, and then waiting for another few minutes dragged him down by his kimono. Naruto got up just as kiba spoke up to announce the candle ceremony and helped aiko to get up. The kanpai speeches went on while they had changed, him into his shinobi clothes and ninja sandals and aiko into a golden threaded furisode with white flowers.

After finally going the table lighting candles and then finally lighting the memorial candle at the head of the table where they sat, the kohaku manju were passed around the guests. The night was slowly creeping in and Naruto watched as people outside lit lanterns around the shrine and the grounds. He looked back at aiko and smiled reassuringly at the woman, and then the next second sakura was near aiko. After a whispered conversation about hikidemono, sakura left to order the gifts to be distributed.

"I'm afraid you will have to be first in the speeches. Father said he will say some words and then you can end the ceremony."

He nodded again at the girl and waited for the daimyo to get up and start the speech. After a brief speech about aiko and several thank you daimyo sat down again. Naruto suppressed another sigh before getting up.

"I thank everyone gathered here today for their time and efforts for making our wedding a happy event." He saw several heads nodding smiling at him.

"Not so long ago they beat you up and threw rocks at you."

"I appreciate everything konoha has done for me," he saw Jiraiya and Kakashi watch his discreetly, Tsunade was onto her 10th sake bottle, "And I plan to give back everything to the villagers for their hospitality and kindness." By now neji and shikamaru were staring at him. "I also thank you for your heartfelt wishes and gifts to me and my new wife, aiko. Please enjoy the night." Several kanpais were shouted and waiters briskly walked to the many hands waving about asking for sake.

"We should get going aiko." He nodded at neji again, appreciating the fact that he and kiba had taken over the wedding ceremony before helping aiko stand. Neji and sakura approached with flower bouquets that aiko handed to her parents and then Naruto gave his to Jiraiya and Tsunade. Jiraiya promptly turned and handed his to Tsunade, who took and bashed it over his head. Naruto laughed at the display before hugging them both and leaving the shrine grounds with aiko.

He drew the seals for hiraishin to get them both to the house quickly, and the cheers were cut abruptly as the space contorted.

"Do you need anything?"

Aiko blushed prettily as she shook her head, hands clutching her kimono folds tightly. Naruto brushed a hand along his hair before moving to the window and looking out. Night had set in and the surrounding was all dark, but through that he could see the bright red eyes of the crow.

"I need a shower first. Will you be alright?"

He waited for a moment to watch for aiko's response, but the girl's face shadowed under her bangs. Naruto moved to the bathroom and quickly shut the door and sealed it. He turned the shower spray and duplicated himself, watching his bunshin transform into a fly. Shedding his clothes and jumping into the shower he quickly soaped and washed himself.

Aiko was in the same position as before he had went to shower and now she was shaking. He sighed again before walking towards the girl.

'Any words I can use for this kind of situation?'

"And now you want advice?"

"Just tell her how beautiful she is and all."

"Why would you even know these things?"

"I am an all knowing being unlike yourself, whelp."

"You spineless-"

"Aiko, look at me." When the girl shook her head frantically he took her hands gently and unclasped them from the kimono, holding them lightly and running his hands through them.

'Speech time. I guess some icha icha lines would work.'

"These hands have killed a lot of people aiko." The shaking was lesser now, but she still wouldn't look at him 'What an annoying woman.'

"But I promise you I won't hurt you. Alright? and didn't you want a little boy like satoshi?"

He didn't wait for a reply before reaching slowly for the folds of the furisode, slowly opening it and taking off the layers of clothing.

"Oh your fake body's here. I'm going to get started then."

A/N: I'm not good at lemons, so I'm probably not going to post one. Its a long chapter, and since the wedding had to be covered its pretty good I suppose.

Here's a link for the description of the wedding wiki/Marriage_in_Japan

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And a kimono description .