Title: Ceremony : Part 1.
Hinata Hyuga was about to marry Gaara Sabaku in the next few hours to come. She had not slept a wink the previous night after her short conversation with Temari, who had found it extremely uncomfortable to answer prodding questions about a sensitive topic such as that.
The answers she got did not satiate her curious little mind, which at the time was swimming with uncertainty, but she had to make do with what she got. Maybe, she could ask a second time when the time was right?
After all, she did want answers.
Throughout the morning, the Suna house was bustling with servants – their Lord Gaara was about to be wed today, and all these humble people wanted to make the most of it. Some carried tall vases of red roses, some carried tall piles of china plates and other crockery items, while still others carried carpets, and candles and what not. To be able to find a servant whose hands were not full with items, would be an impossible hunt.
Temari and Kankuro, the older Sabaku siblings had pre-decided to take full supervision of the chores being completed by servants, and they too, had disappeared into parts of the building, unknown to Hinata. She had wanted to pursue the matter of last night, with the older blond haired female, but decided against it when she realized how busy the entire atmosphere had become.
This was it. She could not turn back, at the last moment.
However, boredom got the better of her, as Tenten and Neji could not give her any company that morning. They had locked themselves in their respective bedroom doing kami knows what – but they had not wanted anyone disturbing them. No one would have disturbed them anyway, as everyone was far too busy to care.
Matsuri and Neji's man-servant, Azuma were the only ones left without any such chores, as serving their master was their primary duty. Neither Hinata, nor Neji seemed to call their servants for help, so it was only fair that both the maid and man-servant should retire for the morning – with the former one actually being dismissed by her mistress.
"I won't hear of it, Matsuri," Hinata had stated very clearly, with her hands on her waist as if to show her authority, "You are to go d-down to the quarters and take your r-rest, and that is an o-order!" It was true that her mistress was terrible at giving orders, but Matsuri was forced to oblige. Thanking Hinata, the timid maid took her leave, and told her to ring a bell, should her mistress need the presence of her maid.
Sighing to herself, Hinata had reveled in the solitary company of her empty room, but it soon drew her into a severe case of boredom and she felt like she needed a 'breather'. Knowing fully well that no one would be able to accompany her, she began to ponder – there had to be someone who could at least talk to her, right?
Not wanting to disturb any of the bustling servants making their way towards the makeshift wedding hall, the indigo haired woman strolled downstairs, being careful not to bump into any of the busy figures. She walked past the dining room and past the music room, and walked outside towards the patio of the building. It was not anything like the one back in her home, but it looked beautiful nonetheless. There were no ponds, no water lilies, and no lush green bushes. It was just made into a sitting verandah with comfortable looking armchairs and one large cushy sofa. In the center, stood a small square glass coffee table. The patio however, was decorated with large potted plants which complimented the otherwise dull yet modern looking patio. A Japanese styled fence panel was made for protection purposes, and it too, complimented the appearance of the patio.
She was hoping to lean against the panel, to overlook the picturesque view of the village below, but her hopes were quickly crushed when she caught a certain redhaired man wearing a pair of black sweatpants and a simple black shirt – she was not accustomed to seeing him wear anything besides his normal Kage attire-, standing opposite to the fence panel, and thus watching his village from atop. His arms were crossed tightly across his chest, and though it was from a short distance, Hinata could see his tense biceps.
Taking a deep breath, she walked up to Gaara, and stood at a safe distance from him. She cleared her throat slightly, and the man standing next to her, stiffened. Even if he realized it was her, he did not make any regard for her presence – not until much later. It was quite an awkward silence till one of them started speaking.
Hinata had been observing a raven fly and perch itself on the branch of a tree as a distant part of her wished that she could impersonate something of a similar nature, when her thoughts were interrupted.
"Shouldn't you be upstairs, getting ready?" Gaara spoke in a soft voice, but it was raspy, hoarse yet deep enough to fill the air between them. Hinata could not help but notice, that she would truly enjoy hearing this voice speak more often.
Turning towards her future husband, the pale eyed woman smiled slightly. She knew he was right, and she knew that she had invaded his personal space, but they were about to be wed for kami's sake! He could talk to her if he had any uncertainties, right?
"I have time on m-my hands," she started quietly, but she wanted to say so much more. Too bad she was a shy stuttering little girl. When she got no response from him, she tried pressing on to make a conversation. That would be a start.
"L-Lord Gaara…?"
The man turned slightly to glance at the woman, his affianced. She looked… so tiny, so fragile. Her fingers poked against one another, something that he found faintly annoying but not something he minded much. Her gaze was downward, and her body was somewhat slumped, as if she were nervous. But then, wasn't she always nervous? Her body language was always the one speaking so much louder than her mouth.
He did not express it, but from within, a certain Shukaku had been troubling him recently.
"Hn."
"You could s-still say no, if you're not sure about m-me…" He blinked. Now his full attention was on her, as she continued on bashfully, "I-I mean, there is still time to l-leave."
He did not understand, so he simply narrowed his eyes at her.
Raising her gaze, Hinata's pale orbs met with a striking pair of teal ones, and she blushed. However, she understood that he was still lost so she continued, watching his expression carefully. His body language screamed defense but his face was so calm. He looked as if he did not get much sleep – hence the black rimmed eyes – and his hair was always ever so messy. In a twisted way, Hinata could not really imagine seeing Gaara in any other way. His appearance suited him well. Hell, he was handsome and she could not deny that.
"I know y-you were forced into m-marrying me…" She tried again, hoping this time he would understand. "And I just mean to say t-that, if you have s-someone else, you still have time to say no to this w-wedding."
There I said it.
Now what happens? What if he does cancel this wedding?
After what seemed like awkward minutes of silence, Gaara knitted his non-existent eyebrows and turned away from the pale eyed woman. He turned to the view of his village below him and released his arms.
Sighing, he spoke in his raspy voice, "I don't have anyone else," his gaze was certainly on his village, but he seemed distant. Like, he wished he was someplace else.
She did not blame him for wishing that.
"And I was forced into marriage, but I shall not cancel this wedding." He turned a second time to glance at his affianced, and realized that she had been just as nervous as he had been. Feeling an emotion he was not prone to very often, he sighed again.
It was about time she knew.
"Lady Hinata," he started just to get her full attention. When he was absolutely sure about it, he gazed down at her, his expression grave and serious. His body had become tense once again, and he stood rigidly, not willing to make any sudden movements. Hinata's eyes were a lot more softer than his. Her expression was unreadable, but he could sense that though she was nervous, she was patient enough to hear what he had to say.
Here we go.
"I am aware that you have heard some rumors," he closed his eyes in exasperation but he knew he had to get it out, before this woman regretted marrying him. "About the monster living inside me."
Hinata tried to interrupt right then, but he held up his hand as if gesturing her to hear him out first before passing any comments or judgements.
"But rest assured, I will try to be a good husband to you," his eyes fluttered open, and he noticed that Hinata's face was flushed and her own gaze was downwards again. "You will just have to bear with me, for I am still struggling."
Hinata took a deep breath, and looked up at the man who was forced into becoming jinchuuriki of the One Tailed Demon – and for the first time, she saw something else beyond coldness in his eyes. She saw loneliness. It could have been loneliness mixed with sadness but mostly the former. His gaze pierced through her own, and she felt something creepy tingle down her spine. Shivering just slightly, Hinata broke away from the eye-contact and cleared her throat again, "Y-You have m-my f-"
"Milord!" she was interrupted by a maid whose name she could not remember at that time. Gaara's attention was broken too, and he turned to acknowledge the presence of his maid, "Lady Temari asks for your presence in the Kage Office."
Sighing, the man with striking pale teal orbs, excused himself from Hinata, and followed the maid inside the building and upstairs to his office room.
Being left alone, Hinata stood at her own place, letting the conversation slowly sink into her mind. She was aware that Gaara Sabaku was jinchuuriki to the Shukaku, and was also accompanied with the rumor that the man was a cold blooded killer. He had killed many innocent lives in the battle of Oritake and Otagakure – and had managed to do so, without a glint of remorse.
However, he did not appear like a true murderer would. He had manners, and he respected people. A murderer could not do that, right? He would disregard anyone, and kill those who tried to challenge his very existence.
However, this man with whom she had just conversed, seemed like a normal man. A man who had been through a rough childhood, and was misunderstood by everyone. A man who was hated by the people of his village, and his own family.
He looked lonely, miserable and almost vulnerable.
Could she really marry this man? How could she turn back now, with the wedding just a couple hours away?
*Nearly The Wedding*
"Hinata, you look beautiful!" Tenten the brunette haired woman, stood beside the young woman clad in a wedding attire. The brunette had for a change, let her hair down from the normal updo of two buns and it looked striking on her features. She had also, dressed up quite a bit, as per the occasion.
Usually clad in a Chinese styled attire, Tenten looked absolutely beautiful today with her crimson colored kimono. She could have been mistaken to be the bride, anyhow, had Hinata not been present – it was her day, and she was bound to look the prettiest.
The pale eyed woman had sit tight for hours while her maid, Matsuri along with another maid of the Suna Tower, had applied her make up. Quite truthfully, it had been the longest, most painful two hours of her life but she sat through it without a single complaint. She was asked to keep her eyes closed for keeping them open would disturb not only herself but the maids as well.
Naturally, when she opened them, she was greeted by an alien in the vanity mirror. The woman in the mirror looked nothing like Hinata. She was…plain and drab. But this woman looked…beautiful.
It was also pretty natural to brush her slender finger against her crimson stained lips but Tenten quickly slapped her hand away, "You'll spoil your make up!" she had screamed. Flinching, Hinata decided to simply bask in the glory of her newfound beauty. It was far too beautiful to touch.
Flashback :
" What have you done to your face?" an annoyed Hiashi Hyuga barged into the young ninja's bedroom. The girl looked beautiful for a change, in contrast to always having wounds on her face.
Today she looked pretty for she had applied face color, applied lipstick and some eyeshadow. True, she was lacking the practice but nonetheless, she looked pretty. She had also changed from her usual attire to a more feminine yellow coloured dress, complimenting her creamy skin.
"F-Father, I am going o-out to meet my f-friends and e-everyone will be d-dressed up!" she had defended herself, hoping he would just leave being defeated.
But he was a Hyuga.
Coming at his daughter, the older man grabbed onto his daughter by her shoulder and glowered at her trembling form, "You are not like everyone." His words stabbed her already breaking heart, like an icy knife.
"You will not go out looking like that."
With his rough and calloused fingers, Hiashi then wiped the faint shade of pink lipstick from his daughter's lips. The color was still on her lips and a bit of it had got smudged around her skin but in the ugliest way possible.
She no longer looked pretty.
"Wash your face." Hiashi left his daughter, to drown in her tears once again. She had been trembling the entire time, and with him gone she was relieved that she could cry in peace.
Between sobs and teary eyes, Hinata looked at herself in the mirror and only cried harder for she was aware that she was looking unnaturally ugly.
From then on, she vowed never to touch make up.
End of flashback :
Today, Hinata was allowed to break her promise to herself and she was grateful that she did – her father had forced her to conceal this beauty that radiated from her own skin-, she looked a different person completely and she enjoyed the company of her newfound twin sister.
Being clad in a white, intricately embroidered kimono worn beneath a lavender colored silken overcoat with dramatic sleeves, Hinata looked beautiful. Her hair had been pinned up in a most intricate design, and there stood pinned, one beautiful white lily on her hair.
Oh yes, she looked beautiful.
Coming back to reality, Hinata was greeted by the older woman with blonde hair which was still tied up in four messy pigtails. She, however, looked a lot more softer than she normally did, in her yellow and white colored kimono and being adorned in a ruby necklace.
"Ready to go?" Temari had asked, in a half smile. True she looked softer, but her icy voice did not warm up. She was always a diplomatic woman, perfect to run an entire empire of her own.
Just then, Tenten hurried over to the bride and gently slipped a small corsage of white orchids, around her tiny wrist. She was aware that this was not a normal custom of the Suna village, but she was also aware that no one would mind. Besides, the dramatic sleeves of her overcoat would be able to cover it.
"Don't take it off. Neji and I made it, for you, this morning!" she grinned proudly as if her handiwork was the most impressive detail to the bride's appearance.
Temari watched this scene and smiled again – her face looked a lot more softer and prettier when she smiled but unfortunately she was not aware of it. Or if she was aware, she did not pride herself over it.
Walking ahead, towards the bedroom door, Temari stood patiently waiting for the bride to follow.
This is it, Hinata. You can do this.
To be continued…
A/N : So sorry that I haven't updated any sooner! I had to think this chapter over and I had a slight case of writers block– in simple words, sorry for posting this chapter late!
But please, enjoy and thanks for all the reviews c: positive feedback always inspires me!
I'm aware that my writing skills aren't terrific lols but I'm trying! Much love to you all and please review and follow/favorite my story!
Hope you enjoy it!