Sasuke's eyes twitched as his mind awoke. He could feel the bright light hitting his eyelids. His eyes slowly opened, Hinata's warm body rested against him. He sleepily looked around the room; he quietly slipped away from Hinata and sat on the side of the bed. He glanced over his shoulder making sure he didn't wake her. His arms went above his head, stretching to the ceiling. A yawn exited his mouth as he got up to go to the bathroom.
Hinata awoke after realizing the source of heat keeping her warm had suddenly vanished. She sleepily sat up in bed; she scratched the back of her head all the while yawning. She walked over to the bathroom and did her usual routine of getting ready. After changing she went out to the living area, it was extremely warm; the fire was larger than normal. Hinata looked over at Sasuke arranging breakfast for them on the table.
"Morning." Hinata said softly.
"Morning. Did you look outside?" He said as he poured their tea.
Hinata turned around and opened the large sliding door. The courtyard was blanketed with snow; large snowflakes flew down from the sky along with a bone chilling breeze. Hinata looked out at the beauty that was Mother Nature's doing. She shut the door, remembering not to let all the warm air leave the home. She turned around with a wide smile towards sasuke.
"It's gorgeous." Hinata's voice perked up. Sasuke gave her a grin.
"I love the snow." Hinata said as she walked over to the table. Sasuke sat down and began to eat. Hinata did the same.
"So, I suppose that means it may snow on Shikamaru's wedding day." Hinata said with excitement.
"It seems so." Sasuke said quietly as he ate his food. "It could create some difficulties though." He said spoiling Hinata's mood.
"You're right… I hadn't thought of that." Hinata bit down on her chopsticks worriedly.
Sasuke looked up at his disappointed wife. "I'm sure it will all workout."
Hinata released the chopsticks from her mouth and looked at her husband with a small smile.
"Breakfast is delicious…"Hinata said trying to start a conversation.
"Mhm." Sasuke had a smirk on his face. "I made it."
"Eh?" Hinata looked up in surprise. "You did?" Her face was in shock.
"Hmn. The maid doesn't come here when it snows. It's always been like this." Sasuke said, taking the last sip of his soup.
"Oh…" Hinata kept quiet. 'So you're always alone during this time…' Hinata thought to herself as she sipped her soup quietly.
Sasuke got up and picked up his empty dishes. "Bring them to the kitchen when you're done." He looked at her dishes. Hinata nodded. She quickly finished up and brought her dishes to the kitchen. She saw sasuke's profile as he washed the dishes. She walked over to him her dishes in her hands; she waited to do them herself. He rinsed the last dish and took her dishes out of her hands.
"Oh, no I was…"Hinata couldn't finish.
"I'm already doing it anyways." Sasuke said firmly. Hinata took a step back and watched as he did the dishes. She didn't have any plans for the day; she leaned against the counter in deep thought. She looked over at sasuke and then left the kitchen silently.
Moments later, Sasuke finished washing the dishes; he wiped his hands dry and made his way out of the kitchen. He looked down the corridor and listened for any noise. He didn't hear anything and made his way to their bedroom. Hinata wasn't any where to be found. He went to his closet and grabbed his thick pea coat; he put it on along with a scarf and a pair of gloves. He opened the large sliding door –the snow had stopped falling- he saw footsteps in the snow. He followed the footsteps curiously keeping a close eye on the ground.
*Thud* something hit his back. He turned around to see a rosy cheeked Hinata. Her smile was as giddy as ever; she turned into a child. Her gloves were white with snow. He gave her a smirk. Hinata's eyes widen, he disappeared.
"Ah!" She let out a high pitched screech. He chuckled from behind her. She shook her body like crazy until the snow fell down and out of her back.
'You cheat! Using an ANBU transportation technique for such an innocent thing.' She thought to herself as she looked at him deviously. She bent down and grabbed a pile of snow in her hands. She reached upwards attempting to plop the snow on the top of his head. His hands caught her forearms; the snow fell down onto the ground. He smiled and leaned in, kissing her.
The two guards sitting in the guards post building tried not to gawk at the couple. One quickly cleared his throat and turned away as the other had a harder time from keeping his eyes off of them.
Sasuke pulled away, their breaths were highly visible due to the cold air. Hinata gave him a look before turning around and walking away. Sasuke followed behind, she led him to the back courtyard where the snow was untouched and beautiful.
Hinata turned around and looked at Sasuke. He watched her close her eyes. She spread out her arms at her sides and fell back. She lifted her head and smiled at Sasuke. She waved her arms and legs making a snow angel. She sat up and reached out her arms to him. He took hold of her hands and helped her up. She looked down at her work of art gleefully.
"You really love the snow don't you?" Sasuke asked as his hand brushed off the snow of the back of her hair.
"Mhm!" She said brightly.
"Hmn. I should've known." Sasuke looked at her snow angel.
"Should've known what?" Hinata asked curiously.
"That you like snow, it suits you." He said facing her. She gave him a confused look, she rubbed her reddening nose.
"It's beautiful and pure, just like you." He said sweetly. He felt a little cheesy on the inside, but it was true. She was beautiful and her soul was pure. Hinata smiled and kissed him on the cheek, something-believe it or not- she rarely ever kissed. His eyes flinched in surprise.
She grabbed his hand. "Let's go out today."
"Where?" He said looking at her confused.
"Anywhere." Hinata smiled. She began to walk guiding him along the way. They arrived near the front gates. "We're going out for a while." Hinata called out to the guards. They looked at her with smiles and bowed politely.
The gates opened and they made their way onto the snow filled streets. The sound of children's laughter rang through the streets as they played in the snow. They walked into the village where many villagers were clearing pathways that led to their shops and restaurants.
"Oh Sasuke, Hinata." A raspy voice came from their left.
"Oh, hello." Hinata smiled. Sasuke looked over at chouji and greeted him with his eyes.
Chouji was clearing a pathway to Ino's shop. Ino stepped out of the shops front door.
"Oh! You two. On a date are we?" Ino grinned. "Come! Come! Have some tea inside! Warm up a little."
Hinata delightfully agreed and pulled an unwilling Sasuke behind her. Chouji laid the shovel against the wall and entered inside with them.
"I'll go get the tea ready. Just sit down and relax." Ino walked to the back room.
"I'll go and help you." Hinata followed behind Ino.
Sasuke and Chouji sat down.
"So…How have you been?" Chouji said in his bright voice.
"Good. You?" Sasuke's said in his usual cold voice.
"Good! Little nervous though." Chouji said looking outside the window.
"Nervous?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah, being Shikamaru's best man and all…" Chouji looked at Sasuke. "A lot of people are going to be watching."
"Hmn." Sasuke looked down and smirked."You'll do fine; just don't throw up during the wedding march."
"Ehahah…" Chouji scratched the back of his head."I guess you're right."
"Okay… tea is ready." Ino and Hinata came out of the back with a tray full of tea and snacks.
Hinata and Ino put down the snacks and tea on the table; they sat by their partners and served the tea.
"Here you go Chouji." Ino handed Chouji his tea. Hinata quietly handed Sasuke's to him.
Ino watched and examined the quiet couple. "You two are really a match made in heaven."
"Eh?" Hinata looked down at her tea blushing.
"Hmn." Sasuke sipped his hot tea.
"Ino." Chouji said while reaching for a snack.
"What? They are." Ino said obnoxiously, while eyeing Chouji as he ate his snack.
"It's okay…" Hinata said to Chouji. Hinata grabbed a snack and nibbled at it.
"Well, have you decided what to wear to the wedding yet?" Ino started her usual girl talk with Hinata.
"Uh…I haven't thought much about it…"Hinata put down her snack.
"Really? I already have three outfits to choose from." Ino sipped her tea. "You know it's not going to be too traditional." Ino put down her tea.
"Oh…how so?" Hinata asked curiously.
"Chet…" Sasuke scoffed and looked out the window. Chouji continued eating snacks.
"Well, she's not going to wear a wedding kimono. I heard she's wearing an actual wedding dress instead." Ino took a bite of her snack.
"In this weather?" Hinata said concerned.
"I'm sure she'll cover up for warmth, their lucky they planned an inside ceremony. It'll only be the wedding march that will be difficult." Ino put down her snack.
"I see…" Hinata sipped her tea.
"So, you wanna see my choices?" Ino said happily.
"Eh?" Hinata was confused.
"My dress choices, Come on!" Ino led Hinata upstairs to her living quarters above the shop.
Hinata looked back at Sasuke as she was being pulled away from the table. Sasuke smirked. Hinata's eyes were sorry; she dragged Sasuke out just to be pulled away from him.
Hinata and Ino disappeared upstairs. Sasuke stood up from his seat. "I'll see you later." Chouji looked up from eating his snacks. "Oh…Yeah. It was nice seeing you." Chouji said with a mouth full.
Sasuke left the shop, the door slowly closed behind him. He put his hands in his pockets and walked down the street.
"Yo." He heard a familiar voice call out from behind him. He turned around and smirked.
"It's been a while." Sasuke said.
"Yeah, I guess it has." Kakashi walked towards him. "You got time?"
Sasuke nodded. The two walked into the local drinking hole. They sat at the bar and ordered a bottle of konohas best brew each.
Sasuke took a swig of his beer.
"So how is married life?" Kakashi said as his fingers tapped the bar surface.
"Hmn." Sasuke said with a smirk."It's good."
"Wha… I would've never thought you and Hinata would be together." Kakashi reached for his mask. Sasuke looked over intensely, wanting a first time look at his sensei's face.
"Try our new nuts!" The bartender slipped a bowl of nuts in between them, blocking Kakashi's face as he drank his beer.
'UGH…'Sasuke sighed mentally. Kakashi put his beer down on the table; the bottle half empty.
Kakashi sighed. "Who would've thought, you all are getting married before me."
"You're getting old…" Sasuke took another swig of his beer.
"Aha...ha… I guess you're right." Kakashi rested his elbows on the bar.
"What is you want to talk about?" Sasuke questioned kakashi.
Kakashi sighed. "I guess you know me to well…" Kakashi's tone got serious. "Naruto told me to come tell you."
Sasuke listened intently.
"You'll be on duty at Shikamaru's wedding." Kakashi said in monotone. "Actually, everyone except Shikamaru and Temari are."
"Except Shikamaru and Temari?" Sasuke asked looking at kakashi.
"This is a large event, Konoha is opened to the sand shinobi and villagers to come and go as they please. Though we're allies, you never know if there will be any intruders. Naruto doesn't want to stress Shikamaru; he doesn't know of any of this." Kakashi said solemnly.
"Hmn. I'm sure he already knows. He's not dumb." Sasuke said confidently.
Kakashi was taken aback; he sighed. "I guess you're right."
Sasuke finished off the last of his beer.
"Hinata will be on duty too." Kakashi said looking at Sasuke. "I came to tell both of you; since I found you first, you'll have to tell her."
Sasuke placed his empty bottle onto the bar.
"So, which one?" Ino asked curiously.
"Mhm… I think I like the sky blue one." Hinata spoke softly.
"OoOo! Good, I was leaning more towards that one anyways!" Ino held up the sky blue dress against her as she looked in her mirror.
"You think my holster will be noticeable under this fabric though?" Ino asked tilting her head.
"Holster?" Hinata was curious.
"Yeah." Ino said nonchalantly.
"Why would you wear your holster tomorrow?" Hinata.
"You weren't told yet?" Ino turned around and looked at her naïve friend. "We're all on active duty tomorrow."
"All of us?" Hinata said surprised.
"Except Shikamaru and Temari of course." Ino turned back around admiring her dress in the mirror. "Kakashi-sensei came and told me and Chouji this morning. We're not supposed to let Shikamaru or Temari know though." Ino put her dress back into her closet. "Why else did you think I had a hard time figuring out an outfit?" Ino turned and asked Hinata. Hinata blushed.
"Well, thanks again for the help Hinata." Ino hugged her friend, the two of them made their way downstairs.
"Oh, where is Sasuke?" Ino looked around the shop. She opened the front door to where Chouji was finishing up clearing the path way. "Where did Sasuke-kun go?" Ino asked. Chouji was about to answer.
"Where did you go?" Ino called out loudly. Sasuke made his way towards them. "No where important." He said casually. Hinata stepped out of the shop. "I'll be going now Ino." Hinata smiled.
"See you two tomorrow." Chouji said nicely. "Be careful on your way home, it's slippery." Ino said kindly as she waved good bye.
Hinata nodded and grabbed Sasuke's hand. Hinata could smell the alcohol on Sasuke.
"Did you go have a drink?" Hinata asked cautiously.
"Mhm. I met with Kakashi." Sasuke said looking at the horizon.
"What did he say?" Hinata asked looking up at him.
"You heard huh?" Sasuke looked down at her.
"Oh... Ino told me a bit about it…no details though." Hinata looked down at her feet.
"It's really simple; we're all on active duty. We just can't let anyone else know; especially the bride and groom." Sasuke's eyes returned to the horizon.
"Hmm… I see." Hinata looked around the village.
Moments later they arrived at home. They took off their coats and hung them on the hooks near the door. Hinata ran over to the fire place, squat down and reached out her hands. She let out a sigh as the warmth ran through her hands and into her body. Sasuke came over to her side and warmed himself up, he fiddled his fingers around after the numbness wore off from being warmed up.
"Sasuke-kun." Hinata said looking into the fire place.
"Hmn?" He looked over at her.
"Could you…help me decide on something to wear?" Hinata asked shyly.
"Ah…Sure." Sasuke replied hesitantly. Hinata smiled and stood up; she walked to the bedroom with Sasuke following behind.
Sasuke sat on the bed as Hinata went into their walk in closet. Hinata went in and out wearing several different dresses, all of which did not suit a large formal wedding. Hinata sighed stressfully. 'I don't think I'd be able to wear a holster with any dress…'Hinatathought to herself as she looked through her clothes. Her eyes widened, she found the perfect gown and weapon holder! It was a gown she had bought years earlier, in hopes she would ever go to a large event. She had totally forgotten about the gown until now. Hinata stepped out of the closet wearing a navy blue one shoulder chiffon floor length gown. She held a heavily jeweled clutch, which she would hide her shuriken in.
Sasuke looked at Hinata without saying a word. Unbeknownst to him, his mouth was slightly gaping in awe at the sight of his beautiful wife.
"Sasuke-kun?" Hinata looked at him concerned.
He shook his head lightly. "Perfect." He said softly.
She walked over to her night stand where she kept a stash of sharpened shuriken. She opened the drawer and filled her clutch. Sasuke couldn't keep his eyes off her; he never thought it could be possible for her to be even more beautiful. Hinata caught his gaze and smiled. She walked over to her vanity where she placed her clutch so she wouldn't forget the next day. She went into the closet and slipped off the dress and hung it carefully back up.
"Thank you." Hinata said softly to Sasuke, as she came out of the closet fully clothed in the outfit she wore earlier.
Sasuke nodded and stood up. "I should go clear the walkways."
"I'll come and help you." Hinata said brightly. They walked to the front sliding door and put on their gloves and jackets once again. They went outside walking along the engawa that wrapped around the home. They went to the back courtyard to a large tool shed. Sasuke opened the creaky door; he reached in and grabbed two shovels. Hinata took one from him and walked around to the front courtyard. The two of them began to plow away the snow, clearing a pathway from the home to the gate. The sky darkened quickly, Hinata looked at the massive amount of snow they had been able to clear. She wiped off the cold sweat that had formed on her brow. Sasuke looked over at Hinata with a proud smirk. He went and took Hinata's shovel and leaned it against the engawa. They walked inside to where the fire had died down. Hinata went into the kitchen and prepared dinner while Sasuke tended to the fire.
More to come after this. ^^ thanks for reading.