Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
A/N: Yay for updates and yay for long chapters!
With the news of Sasuke and Naruto's engagement, and with the identity of the attempted murderer finally revealed, Konoha was suddenly thrown into a state of celebration. Sasuke described what the man looked like down the last detail, and posters and signs with the man's picture on them were put up everywhere. The streets were practically lined with them. According to Sasuke, the man's name was Dai Akamatsu and he was an ex-ninja from the Village Hidden in Smoke.
As suspected, the elders at first were anything but supportive when they heard of the engagement of Naruto and Sasuke, but Tsunade herself quickly pointed out the fact that it would not exactly be a gay marriage since Naruto was still a woman. The elders finally agreed to it, but according to them the marriage would only be valid whenever Naruto was a woman. They said that Sasuke would only be marrying Ayako-chan, not Naruto, so whenever Naruto was in his male form, they would not recognize the marriage. Konoha, however, didn't really care about the details. Most of the villagers were just glad that the two would finally be out of their hair since the killer was identified, and they figured that after Naruto and Sasuke married, everything in the village would settle down once more.
The girls of Konoha, mainly Sakura, were the ones planning the wedding of course. They absolutely insisted on it, and neither Sasuke nor Naruto minded letting them take over since they themselves didn't know the first thing about planning weddings. Sasuke strictly told the girls not to take things overboard and make a really big deal out of it. The girls said that they would behave, but they said it with mischievous grins on their faces, and Naruto suspected that they were going to do whatever the hell they wanted no matter what he and Sasuke had to say about it.
Certain things about the wedding were quickly decided. For example, all of Konoha would be there, and "Grandma" Tsunade herself would be performing the ceremony.
All too soon it was time for Naruto to try on his dress, which under no conditions was Sasuke Uchiha allowed to see until the day of the wedding. Actually, Naruto didn't think it was a very big deal, but Sakura and Ino disagreed - strongly. His dress was quite pretty - to Sakura and Ino at least. But to Naruto, it was just uncomfortable. It itched like crazy and it was hard as hell to sit down while wearing it - and sitting at this stage in his pregnancy was quite important to Naruto. When he firmly told the girls that he absolutely would not wear his dress throughout the entire wedding reception - which they were planning also - he was found a more comfortable, but still formal, evening gown.
One thing that definitely made Naruto uneasy about dresses were the strapless ones. No sleeves, no straps, and not even tight across the chest. How the hell was he supposed to keep the thing up? His breasts weren't that big. Ino said "when you got it, flaunt it, and you've definitely got it," but the only thing Naruto thought he "got" was a fat pregnant belly, ugly and awkward, jutting out in front of him. And he was supposed to wear a crimson red strapless dress in this condition? Whatever else the girls had decided, he would not let them embarrass him so much as that. Eventually, he chose a dress of his own that they were all able to agree on.
Sasuke Uchiha spent many of his days locked away in the Uchiha mansion. He absolutely refused to go into Konoha anymore. All the villagers seemed to have something to say about the upcoming wedding, whether it was a smirk, or congratulations, jokes with the other villagers, or even a scowl from the ones who disapproved of two men marrying. However much anyone argued, there were still a few strong headed, very opinionated people in the village, who refused to see beyond the fact that Naruto was originally a guy.
Sooner than Naruto, or Sasuke, or anyone else for that matter, could have imagined, the wedding day arrived. Naruto had spent the night in Sakura's apartment - he still wasn't sure why, something about the bride and groom not seeing each other the night before the wedding - but he had spent most of the night tossing nervously in the sheets, rather than actually sleeping, as he should have been. Truthfully, Naruto was not looking forward to the ceremony. He wanted to marry Sasuke - more than anything - but... was every bride this nervous before their wedding day?
It seemed that the date had sneaked up on him. He had been perfectly fine, even excited, until the very night before. Now he was anxious. So anxious. Though he didn't really know why he should be. Nightmares plagued his sleep - the little sleep he had actually gotten - and he woke several times in the night, sweating. Nightmares of Itachi... always of Itachi. And a new, nameless face, hidden in shadows, with the killer's symbol tattooed on his neck.
Naruto came awake the next morning to the soft light of dawn spilling in from the window. Knowing that now that he was awake, he'd never be able to get back to sleep, he stood up from the bed and walked - more like waddled - over to the window, and he gazed out at Konoha, thinking... I'm getting married today.
This day, he knew, would change his life forever. From this day forward, he and Sasuke would be together - for better or worse. And coming from Sasuke and Naruto, "for better or worse," meant a lot. Their "better" times would always be exceptionally better, but their "worst" times would always be exceptionally worse. However, Naruto gravely considered this day as a day of great importance, as a day he would forever be tied to Sasuke Uchiha.... Suddenly the birth of their babies did not seem anywhere near as far off as it had the night before.
It still blew his mind that Naruto and Sasuke were going to have a family, to be a family. And for the first time in his life, and for the first time in a long time for Sasuke, he would have people to call his family. And that was what was so important, that was what would bind this family together - for better or for worse. Sasuke and Naruto had never had much that they could call family, both boys had seemed forever alone, but now... now things were going to change. From this day on, Naruto and Sasuke would - officially - have something to share; a love, and a family, people to care for, who cared for each other.
It was a very special day for Naruto and Sasuke.
Sakura knocked lightly on Naruto's bedroom door, pulling the Kyuubi boy out of his reverie. He turned to face the door as she poked her head in. Softly, she said, "Naruto, it's time to get ready."
And so, four hours later, the people of Konoha began to gather. A space in the town had been cleared for white tents and decorations, a long red carpet had been stretched out. Every face was there, even the ones who supposedly disapproved of the wedding - and Naruto hoped those few wouldn't cause any trouble. Every villager in Konoha truly was there.
Naruto, however, hidden away with Sakura and Hinata in a separate, enclosed tent, standing grumpily in his uncomfortable dress, did not get to see the party guests, only listen to the chatter outside, which was growing steadily louder by the minute. It was then that he remembered there would be a lot of drinking at his wedding, probably as much as - if not more than - there had been at Sasuke Uchiha's 18th birthday party. With a sigh, Naruto gently pulled aside one of the curtains around the tent that were hiding him from the crowd. The sky was not the perfect azure blue as a normal summer day, but at least it wasn't raining. He hoped it wouldn't rain. Everything would be absolutely ruined if it rained. He closed the curtain.
Hinata and Sakura and Ino had had to help him into his dress. For as difficult as it would have been to get the thing on by himself anyway, Naruto was also about seven months pregnant now, which, as you can imagine, made it quite a bit more difficult. Also, not only had the girls already forced him into his wedding dress, they had insisted on doing his hair and make up as well. Naruto hadn't worn much make up since his identity as a male had been revealed, so it took some getting used to again, but he didn't fight them with it too much. As much as he would hate to ever admit to it aloud, Naruto did want to look pretty for his wedding day. After all, if he was going to have to be a woman, he might as well be a good-looking one.
Soon, Sakura had to leave the tent to help Ino settle the guests into their seats, but Hinata stayed at his side as he sat -uncomfortably, and nervously. She even held his hand, and rubbed his arms comfortingly. Naruto was so glad that Sakura and Ino had decided on a dress that had sleeves to it. Hinata leaned down next to Naruto, smiling, and she said, "Don't worry so much Naruto-kun. You don't want to sweat." She patted his face with a handkerchief she had pulled from the pocket of her own dress.
She continued to smile at him. "You are very pretty today Naruto-kun. You will do just fine. Try not to fidget so much, and a smile could not hurt." Suddenly, the crowd outside the tent fell quiet. Too quiet. "This is a very special day for you and Sasuke-kun, and while it's only natural for you to be nervous, you should try to enjoy it." It was hard to concentrate on what she was saying - his nerves had jumped with the silence of the crowd outside.
A soft tune began to play somewhere outside the tent. Naruto glanced quickly from the tent flap to Hinata, sweat breaking out over his face again - which she quickly patted down. He suddenly felt very sick. "I... I can't do this Hinata. I-I just can't!"
"Shh, nonsense. You've known this day was coming for a long time, and you want to spend the rest of your life with Sasuke-kun, don't you?" She helped him stand, and pushed him closer to the exit.
"I'm going to be sick," he squealed. For once he didn't mind that his voice was embarrassingly high-pitched.
Hinata simply smiled at him. "Just think of it this way, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun is probably just as nervous as you are." She gave a small laugh before shoving him through.
Hinata, Sakura, and Ino, one by one sauntered down the aisle. Hinata dressed in white, Sakura in light pink, and Ino in soft yellow. They walked slowly, gracefully, and beautifully, tiny smiles dancing upon their faces as they held bouquets of flowers in their hands close to their breasts. Naruto, hidden behind one of the large white curtains tied at the corner of the tent, watched the procession. He noted that Sasuke, standing at the other end of the aisle and looking quite handsome in a black tux, looked just about as nervous as Naruto felt, though no doubt he was trying to hide it. Thinking of Hinata's words to him in the other tent, Naruto smiled; the thought did lighten his mood a bit, even if his stomach still churned with butterflies.
Next down the aisle came three small girls of ages about four to seven, dressed in the same colored dresses as the three bridesmaids before them, and carrying tiny baskets of flower petals. They walked in order from youngest to oldest, shortest in the front and tallest in the back, sprinkling flower petals along the aisle as they went. Naruto subconsciously placed a hand upon his swollen belly, thinking once again of what his children would look like when they were born. Would they be anything like those three pretty little girls walking down the aisle? It made him forget, for a moment, that he was at his own wedding, and it took him another moment to realize that the reason the crowd was becoming restless was because they were all waiting for him. The soft music playing stopped abruptly, and changed to "Here Comes the Bride." If anything, Sasuke Uchiha looked even more nervous, and Ino and Sakura peered cautiously around at the tied up curtains, but little Hinata simply stood there, calmly, waiting with a smile.
Taking in one last big gulp of air, Naruto stepped out into the open. Immediately the tension in the crowd faded into sighs and soft "oohs" and "aahs," praising him as a beautiful bride. Remembering what Hinata had said - she was smiling brightly at him now, encouragingly - he tried to keep a smile on his face, but he blushed brightly and nearly scowled as he had to waddle down the aisle. As pregnant as he was, he could never be as graceful as Sakura, Ino, and Hinata had been. It frustrated him, but once he approached Sasuke, all thoughts of that were forgotten as the Uchiha - smiling nervously, and a bit wide eyed - took his hands in his and the music died down to a stop. Quickly the Uchiha whispered in his ear, "You look very pretty today, Naruto," and Naruto blushed again, but couldn't keep down a smile. He was also pleased to see that Sasuke had little dark rings around his eyes - Naruto had not been the only one losing sleep the night before.
And Tsunade, trying to hide a beaming smile for the two standing before her, began the ceremony. Sasuke and Naruto said their vows, exchanged rings - which were handed to them on a soft white linen pillow by a young boy with an innocent face - and finally, kissed. And with that, the two were married.
Naruto had changed into the soft blue, comfortable evening gown he had picked for the reception. He and Sasuke were to cut the cake now, and make their speech - or speeches, whichever. Then, the toasts would begin, and afterwards people would begin drinking and dancing, and eventually Naruto and Sasuke would be all but forgotten. At least, Naruto hoped so. He didn't want to have to stick around all night for the drinking and the dancing. He was quite tired already, and it was only just past noon.
Naruto and Sasuke cut the cake, and handed out pieces one by one to the individuals of Konoha. Next, they opened gifts. Many of the things they received seemed to be items for babies - both boy and girl items since no one was sure what gender(s) the twins would be yet - and Naruto was quite grateful for all the gifts. He hadn't realized before just how many things he would need in order to take care of, not one, but two babies. The items given to them as wedding gifts were items much needed.
It was nearly two hours later by the time everyone was settled at tables with their cake and their drinks, and Sasuke and Naruto stood at the front of the tent - a different tent than the one the ceremony had been held in - and every villager became quiet, waiting patiently for their speech to begin.
Sasuke, who stood with an arm lightly across Naruto's back, started off his own speech, and what he had to say startled everybody - including Naruto. "About seven months ago," he began, and the crowd listened intently, "around my birthday, I never would have imagined that my life would lead me here." He made a face that a few people in the crowd laughed at - they remembered too how very unexpected this whole situation had been. Sasuke's speech continued and the crowd died down again. "I have a feeling that Naruto and I are going to have a lot of difficult times we'll have to go through in order to make this marriage work, but I also believe that..." He paused for a moment. "...that we'll be happy together. It's been a while since either one of us really had family, and now that we are a family, I don't plan on letting anyone or anything get in the way of that." Blushing ever so slightly, Sasuke glanced at Naruto, and then finished by saying, "Naruto, and our babies, have become everything to me. Even though all this started as a big accident, I wouldn't take any of it back. I will protect my family."
Silence followed the Uchiha's heartfelt speech, which made him blush even more, no doubt wondering if he had said to much, wondering if the image of the great Uchiha Avenger was damaged by such warm, determined words... but then again, no matter how much he worried for his pride, Sasuke stood there with his face glowing red and didn't say a word about it.
And the crowd began to clap. Some of the women were crying a little, some of them were sobbing openly. Whether the girls of Konoha were crying because they regretted not being Sasuke Uchiha's "one true love," or whether it was because of Sasuke's touching speech, was unknown to Naruto, but at the moment he didn't care. At the moment, he was struggling to keep down tears of his own.
Naruto had somehow managed to become one of the most important people in Sasuke Uchiha's life, and he was happy. So very, indescribably, happy.
One face in the crowd stood out in particular. Kakashi Hatake, who had tried so hard as the boys' sensei to show them... who had tried so hard to make them understand that friendship and love, above all, were the two most important things a person could have. Above Sasuke's thirst for revenge, and hunger for power, above Naruto's dedication to becoming Hokage -love was what mattered. For a moment, Naruto thought he saw tears glistening in Kakashi's one visible eye while the man smiled, but when he looked again, Kakashi had moved and was nowhere to be seen. Naruto thought he must have imagined it.
Swallowing hard as the crowd fell silent again, Naruto realized that now it was his turn to say something. He had had a little something planned out to say the day before, had rehearsed it nervously for hours with little butterflies fluttering around in his stomach, but after hearing Sasuke's words, he had already forgotten it all. He stood in what could only be described as awe at Sasuke's speech. Whatever he (Naruto) had made up the day before, whatever he could scrape up now, could never match up to the things Sasuke had just said. Naruto would never be able to put into words the way he felt right then.
Clearing his throat, though it did little good for the sound of tears in his voice, Naruto spoke. "Well... I don't really know what to say," he started with an uneasy laugh. A few in the crowd wiped their tears and grinned at him, and he smiled nervously back. "All I can really say is that I am... so happy right now. I'm so happy. Even with everything that's happened since... since Sasuke's party...." A few laughed at that. "Even with everything that's happened, I am glad that I am where I am today. I'm so glad to be here, with Sasuke, and I'm even kind of glad that I'm about to have babies!" He laughed nervously at that. "Even being in this stupid woman form, even being seven months pregnant with this big fat belly sticking out in front of me... I wouldn't change it for the world." Grinning, he looked up at Sasuke as the crowd began to clap again, and the Uchiha hugged him a little closer.
The drinking and the dancing finally began - after all the toasts from the guests of course - but Naruto avoided both the best he could. Dancing was awkward in his current state. He danced once with Sasuke, as was the tradition at weddings, but other than that, he stayed cleared of the dance floor. However, Naruto did regret not being able to consume any alcohol. It would be harmful for the babies of course, but with all the stress he'd been put through in the past few months, he needed a good strong drink. Tsunade, though, however much she drank herself, kept a close eye on him.
At one point, as Naruto and Sasuke were standing near one another just after their dance, Kakashi and Iruka approached them to give their congratulations. It was odd to see both men looking so fine in their back tuxedos, both of their usual messes of hair slicked into order. "You look very pretty today, Aya-" Iruka cleared his throat and corrected himself. "Naruto." Naruto grinned happily at him, and the man smiled back.
Kakashi looked upon Naruto with approving eyes. "Ah yes, very cute Ayako-chan." Suddenly, he pulled Iruka by the waste toward him. The other man struggled in his grip, but Kakashi held him close, smiling all the while. "I do believe you've given Iruka and I a possible solution to our little problem. And just think of how pretty he'll look in a wedding dress." Kakashi happily nuzzled his nose against the blushing Iruka's neck. One of Sasuke's eyes twitched. With Kakashi laughing, the two of them congratulated the happily married couple once more and walked away into the crowd.
Mostly during the party, Naruto sat chatting idly with the people of Konoha, getting compliments on his dress and such. There was no need for him to go around to each individual table in order to say hello to all the party guests; surprisingly, they all came to him. Also, Naruto was given plenty of overviews of Sasuke's speech, with die-hard fan girls sighing, and even tearing up a little, saying brokenly how sweet it had been. Naruto couldn't help but smile the first few times people talked with him about it, and his eyes would seek out Sasuke in the crowd every time. However, after about the tenth time someone brought it up, the subject began to get a little old, and eventually became annoying.
It did not take very long for Naruto to get bored, and judging by the look on Sasuke's face, he was quite bored as well. Naruto excused himself from his table - none of the others really seemed to notice anyway - and he shuffled his way over to the Uchiha, who was standing by himself and lightly scowling at the crowd.
Naruto touched his arm a bit reluctantly. Earlier, Sasuke had all but proclaimed his love for Naruto, but however many pretty words he spoke, Naruto knew that this marriage wouldn't change the Uchiha. Too much. After all, there was no way to keep Sasuke from being Sasuke, and Sasuke Uchiha the Avenger was definitely not the romantic type. He got bored easily, embarrassed easily, and he sure as hell wasn't one to talk about his feelings. Naruto would not - could not - expect Sasuke to dote on him now like some wound up fan girl.
When Naruto touched his arm, Sasuke turned to him, and his small scowl disappeared. However, he still didn't smile. "Are you ready to go home now?" he asked casually.
Naruto glanced around at the crowd of people, still eating drinking laughing and dancing, all having a good time. "What about the party guests?" he asked.
Sasuke shrugged. "Forget about them. It's our party, we can leave when we want." Naruto smiled at that.
Back at the Uchiha mansion about thirty minutes later - it had been surprisingly easy to slip away from the celebration unnoticed, though it took some time to get to the house with Naruto's fat pregnant belly slowing them down - Naruto just hoped that none of the guests would later that night decide to show up at their door.
So he and Sasuke were married now.
He didn't really feel very different; the only difference he really felt was that now there was a ring on his finger which had never been there before. "Hm..." Sasuke said thoughtfully, his expression quite serious. "So what should I call you? My 'husband?'" His eyes shined playfully.
Naruto, with an expression just as serious, said, "Damn straight!" And Sasuke chuckled.
"You need your medicine," the Uchiha said. "You stay here. I'll get it."
"And tea?" Naruto asked hopefully.
Sasuke shook his head. "Milk is better."
Naruto pouted, as if hurt. "You won't fix me tea on our wedding night?"
Sasuke shook his head - with a small smile that he tried to hide - and stalked into the kitchen. "So that's a no?" Naruto called after him with a grin.
"You get milk," Sasuke replied, his voice slightly muffled. It was Naruto's turn to laugh.
The next several events seemed to happen all at once for Naruto. One minute, he and Sasuke were talking, the next there was a loud crash as one of the living room windows shattered, something tugged painfully at one of Naruto's ears, causing a sharp, stinging pain on that side of his head, and the sound of a dull thud as something hit the opposite wall. Naruto collapsed to his knees, crying out because of the pain. When he pulled his fingers away from his ear, blood covered his shaking hand.
Sasuke rushed in, and was out the front door in a flash. Naruto sat in pain on the floor, crying.
Then he saw the kunai that had clipped his ear. Someone had thrown it in through one of the windows, and it was now stuck against the back wall of the room. If Naruto had been standing a fraction more to the right when the weapon had crashed in, it would have gone straight through his head. He shivered, and another stab of pain shook his body.
And then Sasuke was back, crouched down on the floor next to him, pulling Naruto into his arms to examine the wound. "I couldn't find him," he said bluntly. Sasuke's eyes were burning with rage. There was no need to say who he was talking about - neither of them believed that it had been anyone other than Dai Akamatsu. "I'll send for Tsunade in a minute. Here, take your hand away and let me see." Sasuke winced at all the blood, which was now dribbling uncomfortably down Naruto's chin and chest onto his pretty dress, and Naruto whimpered as the side of his head throbbed in pain. "Ow, ow, ow!" he cried.
"You've lived through worse before, dobe, don't be such a baby." Despite his harsh words, there was deep concern in Sasuke's eyes.
"Yeah you're right." Naruto smiled up at him. "But a pregnant guy's got a right to complain doesn't he?"
Sasuke smiled weakly back.
"There's a note tied to that kunai," Naruto noted, spotting the piece of paper for the first time. "Go see what it says." Sasuke looked unsure of whether he should leave Naruto's side. "I'm fine," the boy assured him.
Slowly Sasuke stood, his body language suggesting that he was either afraid or too angry to approach the weapon with any kind of haste. Sasuke jerked the kunai from the wall and quickly untied the piece of paper from it, keeping the weapon in one hand as he unfolded and read the note. At first, he simply looked angry - very angry - but then suddenly his face went deathly pale and his eyes widened in shock. Slowly, his eyes scanned over the paper from top to bottom, again and again, and he never said a word. He spent a long time reading and rereading before finally he lowered the piece of paper to his side, and looked to the ground in stunned seriousness.
"What is it Sasuke?" Naruto asked shakily. "What does it say?"
Without a single word, Sasuke crossed the room and handed him the paper, then kept walking until he reached the door. Sasuke stood silently at the open doorway, staring out into the night. Naruto watched him for a moment before finally turning to the piece of paper in his hand, the pain in his ear all but forgotten.
Dear Uchiha,
I could have killed him you know, but for now we want him alive. He needs to be alive for the babies to be born, after all. The nick on the demon boy's ear will perhaps be a warning to the both of you. No matter how hard you try, I will always be around, watching you, and nothing you do can stop it. You know who I am but you do not yet know what I want. Do not seek me out. When the time comes, I will reveal myself to you, and all will be explained -in good time.
Do not worry for the boy's safety. I will not harm him, unless given orders to. Also, I suggest you do not try to run, because wherever you go, I will follow. I am always watching you, Uchiha, and your little boyfriend too. Oh and do me a favor please and keep him plenty healthy will you? We want those babies of his to be born nice and strong now don't we?
I will be waiting and watching Uchiha. Remember, do not seek me out. It may cost you your life. As much as your brother wants you for himself, if you threaten me again I will be forced to kill you. And oh yes, how could I have nearly forgotten? Itachi sends his fondest greetings, and well wishes upon the newly weds. Have a good day, Sasuke Uchiha.
Naruto felt his face blanch, and his eyes widen. Only one numb thought came to mind... Itachi....
He wasn't sure how long he sat there like that, staring off into nothing, letting the fear roll over him. Finally, he stood, and realized that he could not feel his body move. His limbs were still numb -with shock. Once he reached Sasuke's side, he didn't say a single word. His hand with the paper in it fell to his side and the note slipped from his fingers. Together for a while, Sasuke and Naruto stared silently into the darkness.