Chapter 3: The Possible Betrothed

Sasuke Uchiha entered his home, shutting the door behind him with a slam. He scowled in frustration, dropping his bag on the floor and then headed into the kitchen. Why did the Hokage insist on assigning him such useless missions? Finding a stray cat had been a routine mission for him when he was a genin, but by now he should have graduated to better things.

Normally, he wasn't given such mundane missions. He was the last Uchiha after all, and finding strays would be a waste of his talents. His missions had been increasing in danger recently, and he had hoped that meant he would soon be able to try for the rank of jounin soon. He supposed his comment to Tsunade that "it was about time she got off her drunken ass and gave him something useful to do" had resulted in the less than stellar mission of today.

How long was this going to go on? How long was he going to be punished for his past misdemeanors? He gritted his teeth, wishing that there was some way to fast-forward his life to a time when he wouldn't be stuck doing these asinine missions.

He had just heated up some soup when a knock sounded on his door. He left his bowl on the counter and went to open it. His old sensei, Kakashi, was on the step. He appeared to be grinning, though it was hard to tell with that damn mask on.

"What?" Sasuke asked rudely. Kakashi produced a scroll in reply. Sasuke scowled and took it, glancing briefly at the seal. He paused and looked again closely. The scroll didn't have the Hokage's seal, but rather one he'd never seen before. He looked at Kakashi.

"Going to invite me in, or shall we discuss top secret information on your front step?" his former sensei asked. Sasuke stepped away from the door and began to unroll the scroll. Kakashi entered and waited for him to read it. Sasuke read it twice, then looked up at him.

"What is this?" he asked coldly. Kakashi sighed.

"It's a sad day when Konoha's former Number One Rookie forgets how to read," he said. Sasuke glared at him.

"Why the hell is the Hyuuga household sending me a formal invitation to a party?" he clarified.

"Would you like me to be brief?"

"Yes."

"Right then. The Hyuugas appear to want to marry Hinata-sama off, so they've sent out invitations to various wealthy and prestigious families in the surrounding villages to invite them to a formal birthday party for Hinata. It's an excuse for said guests to check out the wares before making an offer," Kakashi explained indifferently.

Sasuke became very still as he stared at the invitation in his hand.

"They want to marry Hinata-sama off?" he asked quietly, his bangs obscuring his face.

"It would appear that way. Apparently, there aren't many people considered worthy of the heir. You are the only ninja in Konoha to receive an invitation," Kakashi said, watching his former student carefully. Sasuke turned and walked into his kitchen where he threw the invitation down on the table.

"What makes you think I'd be interested?" he asked, his face cold and indifferent.

"Nothing, really, we all know how much you hate girls. However, the Hokage did say to inform you that if you accept and make an appearance at the party, your missions will most certainly improve. And if you go so far as to make an offer for the heiress, well, you may just make it to jounin rank all the quicker, rather than waiting for the end of the year. Tsunade-sama is reluctant to let a medic-nin of Hinata's quality be shipped off to some remote village."

Sasuke was silent for a few moments.

"All right," he said finally, "I'll do it." Kakashi blinked in surprise, than narrowed his eyes at his former student. That had been a surprisingly quick decision on Sasuke's part. He smirked underneath his mask. Perhaps the Uchiha didn't hate girls after all.

"Ok then. If you need any advice about how the woo the heir…" he trailed off and winked at Sasuke, who glared at him.

"Go away, Kakashi," he growled dangerously. Kakashi made a speedy retreat when he saw the activated Sharingan, but not before witnessing a sight he thought he'd never see. Just before he disappeared in a puff of smoke, and slight blush had stolen its way across the avenger's cheeks.

Sasuke picked up his soup bowl and began eating, staring at the invitation lying on his table. Marriage? Wasn't she too young for that? They must be planning for a long engagement, and the marriage would likely take place when she turned twenty. He wondered what it would be like to be married to Hyuuga Hinata. Quiet, for sure, and…nice. He felt a familiar fluttery feeling in his chest when he thought about it, and set his now empty dish in the sink.

He had successfully pushed thoughts of the heiress aside for four years, ever since he had joined Orochimaru. When he returned to Konoha, he had thought he had rid himself of all feelings, left only with numbness. Naruto and Sakura had been very worried about him the first few days, not knowing how to reach him. He didn't know himself. He felt like he had outgrown everyone and everything in Konoha, and was seriously considering leaving for good. He remembered being in the hospital, still recovering from his wounds after the battle between Orochimaru, Naruto, and himself. Together, he and his old teammate had taken the legendary sannin down, with Sasuke delivering the final blow himself. Naruto had healed quickly, thanks the Kyubi, but Sasuke had no demon inside him, and had to be carried back to the village and hospitalized. On his third day of confinement, Hinata had come in to treat him. Sakura had been called away to work on a more difficult case, and the shy heiress had come to take her place.

She hadn't changed much. Her hair was a little longer, the strands brushed over his face as she bent over him to check his wounds. Her voice was still soft, and she still stuttered, but she had a little more confidence now, seen in the way she skillfully treated him. Her eyes were still large and white, and when she looked into his, the warm, shaky feeling he had around her when he was twelve came back.

He had avoided her gaze for the rest of his checkup, determined to ignore her and that feeling, but the damage had been done. The numbness had disappeared, and as the days went by, he found it easier to slip back into the old routine. There were adjustments to be made, of course. Things couldn't stay exactly the same. However, Naruto was still an idiot, Ino and Sakura still chased after him incessantly, and he found himself grateful for the familiarity of it. He slowly began to reestablish himself in the village. He also found himself watching Hinata whenever she happened to be near by, and considering that she still seemed to have a crush on Naruto, he had plenty of opportunities to study her. He refused to admit his feelings, and it was only after a rather embarrassing dream about her that had him avoiding her for two days did he finally admit that maybe he liked the Hyuuga girl.

He had hoped admitting it would make things easier, but they just got worse. The fluttery feeling became deeper and much more intense, and he started trying to find ways to talk to her. Whenever he did have the chance, though, he suddenly couldn't speak, and ended up scowling at her instead. He had faced and defeated an evil sannin that wanted to possess him, had faced down hordes of fangirls, enemy ninja, and other nasty things, but when it came to talking to the girl he liked, he was completely lost.

And now her family wanted to marry her off. If he played his cards right, he might be chosen as her betrothed, and then they would have to do stuff together, and then they would have to speak, at the very least to talk about the wedding, or something.

She would be his wife one day.

This thought made him…pleased, and he smiled.

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