You're leaving forever. No matter what happens, You're leaving the clan. Your family… I never thought of it like this before. … Have I? Is this what I wanted? … I'm a horrible daughter! Please forgive me!… I have to apologize to everyone. I can't just… I lied. … We all know you did! … You even refused to lead the clan… How dare you?!.. I lied t…

"Aaah!" Hinata screamed suddenly, opening her eyes. 3 AM. 5 hours of sleep? I can't sleep anymore. I should sleep more than this. I have to tire myself. Then I'll try again. She got out of her bed with a zombie like expression one her face. Gentle fist practice will do. She thought and stood in her fighting stance. I have to get used to… Her arms lowered a bit. I have to get used to doing it on my own from now on. Correctly. She began her form.

- …that morning in the Hyuuga household… -

Hinata was sitting down on the tatami surrounded by her clanswomen. Out the window, she could see her sister in the yard, training with a few other boys, the house was surrounded by people working on a shrine located on a hill just above the Hyuuga homes. She didn't know why she kept looking back at Hanabi and the boy, with sort of an ache in her stomach. Or was that nausea from not having slept once again and having eaten barely anything? The women surrounding her were excitedly discussing plans and details of the wedding ceremony, playing with her hair and debating whether she would look better with white or pink colours in her hair. Her senile grandmother kept complaining about the sunlight and demanding a glass of water from her mother who eventually served the stubborn old lady the entire bucket and a glass to grab it herself.

"She's such a pretty young woman. That Uchiha is a lucky guy!" Her mother's friend extended her arm squeezing Hinata's chin. It startled her and she quickly looked down turning red.

"Don't say such things Itaya! You're embarrassing the girl." Another young woman remarked.

"Hey if I can embarrass her, what's gonna happen after she marries?" She grinned devilishly.

"Itaya!" The young woman exclaimed restraining laughter.

"Don't you Itaya me! I'm the one to always says how every conversation has its time and place. Well this is her time, and this is her place."

Hinata's other grandmother who was going through piles of fabric responded: "Itaya, you've had your time to scare the life out of your own daughters and granddaughters. So let me and my daughter take care of our own."

She mopingly took a piece of silk and started braiding it into decoration. "Fine. Do whatever you like, party poopers."

"I still think white flowers look perfect next to her face!"

"Who's sewing the outer layers?"

"Iamari, leave her hair alone, you're messing it up."

"I'm not messing it up, I'm lifting it! Hinata likes it! Right?"

"Uhm... Sure." Hinata responded confused. She hasn't even seen the bird's nest on her head.

"See? She likes it!"

"Imari let her go. We already agreed we're not making that one."

"Where are the needles?"

"You lost the needles?! Mum Hana lost the needles!"

"I didn't loose them on purpose!"

"I can't believe how patient your daughter is, you really raised her well."

"Thank you, Hinata is a good girl." Her mother smiled cheerfully.

"Ahh, it's always such a shame to see a girl leave her clan." Another woman joined in, smiling kindly at Hinata.

"Poor dear lost her cousin in the last war." Her neighbour leaned in to share the information with the woman next to her.

"I don't think his death is the reason she's leaving. There are lost of boys his age among the Hyuuga. I heard there was a marriage contract." She whispered.

"Really?" The women lowered their voices into mumbling as they continued their gossip.

"We Hyuuga women are famous for our manners. Let's hope she keeps that up and listens to her husband well." Another woman proudly proclaimed after taking a sip of her tea.

"Oh please Chiasa, like you ever listened to your husband."

"Well I'm not saying we are all perfect. Besides, what he doesn't know can't hurt him." All the women started laughing.

Hinata who hasn't been participating in the conversation has however been smiling for a while now. She didn't really fit in, she had nothing to contribute to the conversation. Her world was visible through that window looking at the training ground behind the house. Still… She felt welcome for a change.

-…3 pots of tea later…-

"This way. ladies." The doors opened and 3 female chuunin stepped inside the large living room. Ko excused himself and joined the crowd in the front yard.

"Hello." Three of them bowed towards the group of Hyuuga women gathered in a crowd around Hinata. "We're Hinata's friends. We're here to see her."

Hinata's mother quickly approached them "Ino, am I right?"

"Yes. These are our friends, Sakura and Tenten." Ino pointed at them politely.

The woman smiled from ear to ear, genuinely happy to see them. "Well of course you are. Come in, join us!"

Hinata who was standing there, being covered in layer, after layer, after layer of fabric, pushed, poked, prodded, pulled, adjusted, could not see, or hear her mother welcoming her friends. They walked around the crowd trying to let Hinata know they were there. The girl's face went from nervous strain to surprise. "Sakura." she called her name.

"You look beautiful." Sakura smiled at her.

"You really do!" Ino added gleefully. "I have a pattern for you." She took out the fabric she brought with her and started pushing into the crowd of women trying to get to Hinata.

-…20 minutes later…-

"Ino you really have a talent for this." The women praised her.

One could almost see blonde's head grow a little. "Oh please, it's just a hobby."

The final pin has been stuck into what once was Hinata's figure. The women slowly moved away staring at her in awe.

"You look beautiful." Tenten who felt out of place more than anyone, finally spoke.

Her mother teared up. "You really do."

"I want to switch the flower patter on the sides."

"Yeah I was thinking that too."

"I like it."

"Hinata what do you think honey?"

Hinata who felt like a doll in an exhibit was unsure if she deserved the compliments considering the only thing she did was stand. She also had absolutely no opinion other than that her kimono was extremely heavy.

"It's pretty." She beamed timidly.

The older lady who was still unsatisfied responded. "We're switching that flower pattern."

"Strip her."

"Eeeh!?"

But before she had a chance to protest, the women grabbed her and removed all the cloth stuck to her body leaving her in her underwear, with face red as a tomato. Her grandmother took her arm calling Sakura, Ino and Tenten. "Girls, this way." They followed and she brought them into a separate, darker room, blocked from outside view. Please keep my granddaughter company while I take care of those vultures outside. She smiled and left the them alone.

When the doors closed and they finally found themselves in silence, Hinata slowly turned to look at her friends, quite embarrassed she was literally in her underwear. But they were all smiling, not nearly as aware of that. Sakura stepped forward first and hugged her, moved away and said: "Congraulations." That word brought tears to her eyes.

It alarmed everyone in the room to see Sakura cry. Sakura realised the girls were staring at her anticipating any other reaction. She then started wiping her eyes and added something only Hinata truly understood. "Shikamaru told me." But that only made her tears worse. Now Hinata approached her and hugged her back. "I'm sorry Sakura." Sakura continued to cry repeating. " Shikamaru told me. Shikamaru told me." Sakura knew everything, but this was the extent of her feelings for Sasuke. They were well alive and the fakeness of this wedding didn't make it hurt less. Sakura didn't expect herself to react this way. She was too embarrassed to even lift her head away from Hinata at this point. Now Ino stepped forward and hugged them both petting Sakura's head. "There there Billboard Brow, we couldn't have known Sasuke is a boob guy."

A few moments later breath of laughter interrupted Sakura's sobs, slowly replacing them with new ones more and more. She put both of her hands on her wet face now laughing instead of crying. Hinata and Ino slowly moved away from her. Ino continued sarcastically: "I mean I have jutsus. I could have made it happen. If he was a boob guy, he should have told me. Now you… You had no chance to begin with."

Sakura finally uncovered her face laughing out loud provoking the same reaction from rest of the girls. "Seriously Sakura, whenever it comes to that hot piece of ass, you turn into your 6 year old self all over again." Ino complained, but Sakura was only laughing about it. And that was plenty for now.

"Congratulations." Tenten who has been slightly left out so far finally got to Hinata.

"Thank you." The mild, indifferent look on her face was not at all what Tenten had expected. Confused she broke the silence again.

"So you were dating and you haven't told us. You had me convinced you were in love with that loudmouth of a hokage." She said with a big smile.

Hinata suddenly blushed and responded: "Uhm.. We weren't dating."

"What do you mean?" Tenten was completely confused now.

"My father and Sasuke arranged the marriage." Hinata explained.

"What!? How could they do that to you?!", Tenten was visibly appalled.

"No, no it's fine. It's a tradition in our clan. Some of us just don't get to choose.. Who we marry." Hinata defended.

Tenten stared at her dumbfounded. "What?!... Who cares?! It's a stupid tradition! Are you ok with that?!"

Hinata was now overwhelmed with a sense of urgency to calm Tenten before anyone comes back into the room. Her face took on a firm, decisive expression. "Yes, I'm ok with that."

Tenten's voice lowered a bit in confusion. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Tenten now felt guilty for lashing out. Even if she was far from processing what Hinata had told her on any level, she softened towards her and calmed down. "Well I wish you luck." She even added a little smile.

"Me too." Ino joined in, and then continued: "You should have seen Kiba's and Shino's faces when we told them! I swear, they both looked like a heart attack!" Hinata wasn't sure whether to be worried, since Ino continued her story in overt amusement.

"Have you been sleeping?" Sakura suddenly interrupted the conversation.

Hinata quickly looked down embarrassed that Sakura's trained eye discovered her secret. "Uhm…"

Sakura added. "You're not a very good liar, are you?"

Hinata looked at her realizing Sakura has already figured it out. Even the source of her insomnia. Lies. That's something she's never had to do before. At least not like this.

"I have food pills." Ino offered. "They help you sleep perfectly. And they're non fat. I'll bring them by tonight after my shift in the flower shop. Ok?" She smiled.

"Thank you."

"Hey, aren't you cold?" Tenten asked. The comfortable conversation Hinata craved so much has obviously ended and all the attention was back on her.

"A little." She admitted.

"At your service dear bride." Tenten bowed jokingly and left the room to ask for a cover up from women, who have obviously forgotten they stripped the poor girl naked and discarded her after they were done taking measurements for their precious kimono.

-…Uchiha residence, 6pm, same day…-

Sasuke opened his front door to find the person he dreaded seeing the most asking to come in. It was the evening of the second day. Day before the agreed upon wedding. Hiashi has promised to send him the information via subordinate. The fact that he came into his house himself raised at least 20 different alarms in Sasuke's head. He opened the door letting him in. They were standing in the hallway. Sasuke had every intention of getting rid of him as soon as possible. Hiashi first looked around before he focused on unnerved Sasuke who was staring at him, his arms folded, his face murderous.

"You remember why I'm here?"

"Yes."

"Your share for the ceremony is 10000 Ryo."

"Fine." Sasuke responded and disappeared out of the room going to get the money. Only a few moments after he left him alone, Hiashi started his slow pacing. He could notice the house was old and very empty for the most part. He remembered when he was walking around it as a young man, seeing it all taped up with warning signs and inside, crawling with ANBU. He remembered them leading a mute, petrified child out of it.

Sasuke returned handing him a smaller bag containing his 4 month's salary. Hiashi opened it to look inside, closed the bag and put it on the floor. In his other hand he was holding a banded, folded fabric. Before Sasuke could suspect otherwise, he warned: "This is from my wife. It's worn over the standard kimono."

"I have everything I need." Sasuke snapped, finally feeling completely insulted. What did they expect, how I was going to show up?! In a flak jacket?!

That insolent, undisciplined brat! Hiashi thought as he wished he was his father with his entire being. If only in that one moment, just so he could slap him across the face. But instead, he invested energy into maintaining his regular tone of voice. "It's Uchiha tradition she presumed you didn't know about. She did it entirely on her own accord."

Sasuke's irritation subsided. He realised it was just a considerate gift. Hiashi offered the packet again and Sasuke took it this time. Hiashi just stood there staring at him. Waiting… Send my regards. Tell her thank you in my name. Say ANYTHING you impolite, traitorous, little motherfucker!

"Anything else?" Sasuke asked.

Yes! I want to strangle you!

"Yes. We need to have a talk."

-…Hyuuga household, 6:15 PM, same day…-

"What kind of talk mother?" Hinata focused on her mother straightening herself in her chair. They were alone relaxing after a hectic day. She looked rather serious and now had her daughter's full attention.

"Hinata, you remember when you were younger and I told you where babies come from?"

Hinata's eyes widened, her jaw dropped a little and she let out a response in a weird tone of voice, without moving her lips: "Yes?"

"Well now that you'll be a married woman, it's my duty to tell you everything you need to know."

Hinata immediately lowered her eyes as her face turned a particularly bright shade of red.

"Now there is nothing wrong with that!" Her mother warned. "Hinata, look at me. Look at me."

She raised her eyes once again meeting her mother's. "There is nothing wrong with that. Sex is a completely natural thing, ok?"

The girl nodded closing her mouth, struggling with herself not to look away again. "You understand you can trust me, this is only between the two of us? Ok?"

-…Uchiha residence, 6:16 PM, same day…-

"What is?" Sasuke asked Hiashi.

"What I have to talk to you about. Can we sit somewhere?"

Sasuke was now mulling over the possibility that Hiashi had some agenda. Maybe he's trying to take his life after all? Get him to drop his guard? He pointed towards his dining room door. "That way." Making sure the man walks in first, allowing Sasuke not to have to turn his back on him.

"We're sitting." They sat across the table from one another.

Hiashi began: "Sasuke, seeing how you don't have a father, I find this to be a duty I have to take upon myself. You're marrying the girl I raised and loved, her entire life. I have to do this for her sake."

Sasuke waited.

"What do you know about sex?" Hiashi finally asked.

Sasuke's entire body went rigid. Again!? And of all people, him!?

"No." Was all the young shinobi had in response.

"Excuse me?"

"Get out."

"What do you know?"

"Get out."

"Either we do this nicely, or I come back with more men."

Sasuke stared at him. Cornered and extremely pissed off. Not only was he put in the most uncomfortable situation of his life, but... This asshole thinks he can make up for my father? He thinks I need him to!? But realising he's stuck, Sasuke finally conceded to answer the question. "I know enough."

"What makes you think that?"

"I'm not a child."

"Yes you are." Hiashi quickly corrected him.

"I'm 22."

"You're a child."

"Ask me anything. If I answer your questions correctly, get out."

-…Hyuuga household, 6:30 PM, same day…-

"Uhm…I don't know what to ask." red faced Hinata shrugged before her mother.

"Ok, then I'll tell you the rest of what I have to say and you feel free to interrupt me any time you like, ok?"

She nodded.

"It is considered your duty as a wife and it must be an important part of your lives. Like eating, or sleeping. Only it brings you closer. Closest you've ever been to someone. Like I said, not at first. At first, it may seem scary and it may hurt, I described you the bleeding. I'm not saying it will happen exactly that way, but I'm warning you. Every girl is different. And you my love, are the most delicate girl I have ever known."

Her mother smiled happy seeing her daughter slowly relax.

"But after a while, it becomes something beautiful. Something that won't be considered a duty by any means. And after you have a child, you'll understand just how beautiful it really is. Of course you may not feel like having sex when he does at times, even then. In situations like these, yes you may still call it a duty. But keep in mind it's a duty you must always try to fulfil regardless of your own feelings. Do you remember how long pregnancy lasts?"

-…Uchiha residence, 6:45 PM, same day…-

"Nine months."

"Waiting period to have sex?"

"4 to 6 weeks"

"Risks for the woman?"

"Vaginal dryness, sore nipples."

Hiashi crossed his arms thinking of a question. "Contraception?"

"Condoms, drugs, chakra sealing, ovulation tracking,.."

Hiashi interrupted him. "When does a woman ovulate?

"Between day 11 and 21 of the menstrual cycle, but the information can be held as unreliable."

"What is the vulva?"

"External genitalia of the female mammal."

"How do you know all this?"

"Books."

"Are you some kind of a pervert?"

"Are you?"

Hiashi kept making longer pauses, having been firing questions for half an hour. But at this point he was staring at Sasuke as if examining him. "Will you take care of my daughter?" He finally asked.

Sasuke mildly lifted his eyebrows softening his previously menacing stare into a look of seriousness. "I'll take care of her."

Finally Hiashi looked away from him, moving his gaze towards the table. He then pulled out his chair, and placed it to its proper place standing next to it. "I'll expect to see you tomorrow at 10 am in the Nimbura shrine. Good night."

-…Hyuuga household, 7:00 PM, same day…-

"You get some rest love. You look a little pale after all." The woman kissed her daughter's forehead.

"I will mother."

"And remember what I said. If you have any questions you can come to me any time. Tomorrow, even tonight… 10 years from now." She suddenly started crying. "As long as I'm alive, I'll be here. Ok?" Hinata nodded, her eyes watering as well, as her mother hugged her.

"Sleep now. I'll see you early in the morning." She commanded still holding Hinata's round face in between her palms.