I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

"Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

The Caged Raven

Chapter 6: A New Life

Naruto stared from a far away hill, watching his beloved home being engulfed in black flames. He felt numb, he had already lost so much, and now…

Tears began to well up in his eyes as reality hit him. His numbed mind was beginning to register the situation. Slowly, he sunk on his knees upon the moist grass. He could hear children and adults wailing. Some were lucky enough to be able to evacuate safely, but the rest were burned away along with their home. Those who were trapped in the village were mostly common villagers, not shinobis. Only shinobis would be able to get out unscathed. Of course, most did their best to save as many, but alas, it wasn't possible to save every citizen from the black flames of hell.

Naruto felt his heart clench when he heard his people crying for their deceased loved ones. It was unfortunate that some very young ones had become to orphans all of a sudden. The villagers were devastated.

"What's going to happen to us?"

"We don't have anywhere else to go!"

"Tsunade-sama, please help us!"

"It must be that damn Uchiha and Hyuuga girl!"

Hiashi slightly flinched at an ANBU's accusation. The rest of the Hyuuga clan looked down in shame.

Neji had come limping towards the crowd with cuts. He was lucky he had woken up just in time to be able to escape the disaster. The moment the Hokage had spotted him, she had immediately demanded some answers.

"Tell me, is this all Uchiha Sasuke's doing?"

"My deepest apologies, Tsunade-sama. I had failed you and the village."

"You did not answer my question! Did or Did not Uchiha Sasuke destroy our village along with our beloved people?"

Neji couldn't look at her. He was too ashamed; if only he hadn't shown hesitance towards Hinata, he could have had stopped her. He bowed low on his knees.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama…"

"Can I safely say that Hyuuga Hinata was behind all this as well? Was she the one who released him?"

"Yes… I-"

"You hesitated and as a result, you have jeopardized the village! Look around you; your selfishness is what led everyone into this predicament!"

The villagers were in an uproar, demanding something more than an apology. They were mad, the Hokage no less. She was tempted to banish this man, until a hand rested upon her shoulder.

"Granny, don't you think he's suffering enough already? Can't you see how much guilt he's shouldering right now? You're acting like it's his entire fault; you're just trying to find excuses to throw your meaningless tantrums!"

"It's not his fault. Besides, with that bastard controlling Hinata to be a killing machine, did you honestly think that Neji would be able to go up against her anyway? It's not his fault; the opponent was already out of his league."

Neji had never felt so indebted for the blonde before. If he was given a second chance, he would be a loyal ANBU guard of his, who would even gladly die for him.

"Even if I wish to banish him, I can't anyway," she mumbled.

Naruto looked at her in puzzlement.

"What do you mean?"

Cold eyes bored into his cerulean ones with anger.

"I'm no longer a Hokage, and neither are you ever going to be one. Konoha is finished."

"How could you say that-"

"Look at the situation we're in! We are already swimming in a lot of debt rebuilding our village from Pein's invasion and the war. We haven't even paid back the other countries yet! To have our village rebuilt again is impossible; where would we find our source of money?"

Naruto's gaze fell. Everything he had fought for; his dream, his village, and future had been stripped away. What was he left of now?

"Shizune! Write an urgent letter to the Kazekage entailing our current predicament. Tell him, the former villagers of Konoha would be seeking refuge in Suna."

The young man's fists clenched tightly. This was probably for the best; it was smarter to turn to an ally for help. In this case, they would be handing over their citizenship to Suna.

He turned to leave. To him, it was pointless to stay with people who had lost all hope; he would just be dragged down by them.

"Where do you think you're going, young man?" she barked.

"I'm a shinobi of Konoha. If you all decide to give up your loyalty to some other country, then go ahead. I'm not abandoning my heritage."

"Uzumaki Naruto, if you leave now I will immediately label you as a nuke nin!" Tsunade threatened.

Laughter of irony left his lips.

"You can't label me as a nuke nin. What have I ever done to betray Konoha? It's you people who have betrayed it. Besides, the village doesn't even exist anymore."

Sakura, who was hidden within the uproar of crowd, reached out for him. She ran towards him, giving him a desperate hug.

"Naruto, you can't do this… don't leave me!" she wailed.

Gently, he plucked her arms away from his neck. He held her hands tenderly towards his heart.

"I'm sorry, I have to. I need to get Sasuke for this…"

"It's pointless! What are you going to do when you see him? Kill him? That won't bring back what we've lost! You were supposed to break this cycle of hatred…you're just being a hypocrite."

Sakura's blood was boiling with anger. This man was not the Naruto she learned to love.

"I…can't Sakura I'm sorry. I have to stop him this time, for good. I know it won't bring back the dead, but…but…"

"Naruto!"

"I can't I'm sorry alright."

He spun around, only to have her hold on to his jumper in a death grip. Naruto bit his dry bottom lip, it was difficult for him.

"Don't do it, you'll regret it."

"I don't care. I can't let him do as he pleases anymore."

"Is he more important than me?" she croaked.

"…He's my brother…"

Sakura's grip shook with the struggle to hold on to him for dear life, but she knew that once Naruto made up his mind, nothing would be able to change it. Not even her.

Naruto was slowly breaking inside as well. If sealing Sasuke away hadn't done any good, then he just had to finish him off instead. Maybe he should have had done that before, but he was too stubborn. He didn't want to drag Sakura into anymore of his problems. She had her life and career ahead of her, it was wrong for him to take it all away from her. The burden he had to carry shouldn't be shared; it would only drag her down with him.

He didn't know what he could do with his life anymore. The only goal he could think of now was to seek Sasuke once again. It was better if he breaks things clean and clear for Sakura's and his own sake. A part of his soul shattered into pieces. He was finally going to marry the girl he had been chasing for nearly his entire life. But no, he couldn't take her away from the life she could have had been happier with. She deserves happiness, even if it was to be with another man. That was just how much he loved her.

"Is there really nothing I could do to make you stay?" she whispered.

There was only silence; even the crowd had fallen quiet at the heart breaking scene.

"I loved you and I still do."

"I know."

"Then, why?"

"I'm sorry Sakura, but it seems that I'm really not ready to give you my entire heart yet. What we had, I guess it was just a premature love."

"I-"

"Sai," he cut her off.

The blonde nodded towards his friend, who stood in front of the crowd.

"Take care of her will ya?"

Sai didn't know what to do. But he knew that this was what Naruto wanted. The least he could do for his friend was to accept his last request.

He nodded in understanding. The ANBU walked towards the pinkette, carefully brushing her hands off his friend's jumper. Sai was immediately shoved away.

"I'll never forgive you!"

Those were her last words to her beloved before she shoved her way back into the crowd.

Sai turned to look at his friend one last time.

"I'm counting on you, Sai."

"I'll take care of her, I promise. You better take care of yourself too."

He flashed one last smile to the stone faced man. Then, he turned towards the former Hokage, giving her a sincere bow, before walking off into the thicket of trees.

The dark shade of the sky slowly turned into shades violet and orange. The stars ceased to twinkle, indicating that dawn was breaking. It was another new day with a new life for everyone.

Sasuke was carrying his new wife like a potato sack slung over his shoulder. A sleeping genjutsu had been conveniently casted on her. He would have plenty of time to find a temporary lodge as well as cooking up an alibi or some cover up background story for Hinata before setting off to another journey. That is, once her mind was in top shape.

Giant branches were used for a jumping platform, as he glided through the thick forest. The six hour journey was beginning to take its toll on him. He would need to get out of Fire Country as fast as possible while covering his tracks.

It was essential to find a country who had never heard of his existence; preferably a neutral, rural one. Then, an idea struck his mind.

'Bird Country!'

Bird country was just next to Konoha, making it day trip without any rest. It was the only option he had left. It would be a hassle to travel to other countries with an unconscious woman. Having a conscious Hinata would be a lot easier to travel with.

It wouldn't take long for the rest of the Fire Country to receive news that the rogue ninja was roaming free once again. Sooner or later, there would be an international search party. Many countries would be hot on his heels.

Luckily, Bird Country was a neutral land. To them, whoever entered or left the country hadn't mattered at all. It was a favourite base area for nuke nins. Since it was a poor country, it was easier for rogue ninjas to disguise themselves as poor farmers. Moreover, the country had an unwritten conduct; they were respectful to their fellow inhabitants. Therefore, whatever secret information they know about will remain tight lipped. In other words, whatever happens in the country, will stay in the country.

They were a neutral territory, not wanting any disputes after all. All they had to do was turn a blind eye on any missing ninjas or criminals seeking refuge within the country. Everyone would be minding their own business.

No other country was allowed set foot into their territory nor were they allowed to involve in any political matters. This was a law known throughout the shinobi world, which had been formed six years ago by the union.

The money he looted from the deceased elders was enough to last them for few months. But even so, they would need to keep a low profile as well as earn money.

'Maybe a medicine seller?'

The idea wasn't so bad, in fact, he rather liked it. Besides, after being in Hinata's head for so long, he had learned a lot about her. He knows just about every fibre to her being; her history, likes and dislikes, hobbies, etc.

If his memory was correct, the woman rather enjoyed making herbal medicine, which would be very useful for their new business. The Uchiha Estate deed had been safely kept by Manda. At least, in the future, he would have more than enough to rebuild the estate. The deed was priceless; he could go the national bank and demand them to give him his sum of money. For now, he had to earn his own sum; he promised that he wouldn't touch the deed, not until he was ready to rebuild the clan. Even with his current status, the bank couldn't deny him since the certificate had been 'approved' by the council's seal. Moreover, it would be stupid for him to get caught just because he was trying to get money. He had to find another way to get the money without ever needing to step foot inside of Fire country.

Deciding to go for Bird Country, he steered towards the east. It would take at least another day to get there. His shoulders were starting to ache so he shifted Hinata for a more comfortable position; his back.

It was mid day by the time Sasuke had reached his destination. No one bothered to spare a glance at the new comer since it was common sight amongst the people. It was just as peaceful as when he came here years ago, when he was still in team seven. He was surprised to see that the village had changed so much over the years. It was no longer the old dirty town with cows running about, but it was better organized. The structures didn't look as developed as other countries, but it was simple and cozy. Despite it lacking vibrant colours, like Konoha, the village felt akin to a warm home.

The village was considerably big, almost three times bigger than that of Konoha. Did they expand the village?

Walking through the busy streets, he asked an old man, who happened to pass by, for directions. He wanted to know a place where he could lodge with his 'ill' wife from their long journey. It didn't have to be fancy, just a place good enough for a temporary stay. The man looked at the woman pitifully, she does look very ill. Her body was frail and pale.

"Well, young man. If you're looking for a good place to stay at then I suggest you go to the lodging centre just down the street over there." The old man pointed to his left.

"It's very common to see strange folks wandering over to our country; especially over the years. Our village used to be very small, but our Kage decided to expand it in order to cope with the rapidly growing population. Refugees never seem to stop coming, so the Kage had opened a lodging centre. There are many vacant houses outside of our village, spread around the small country, specially prepared for new immigrants. The lodging centre would be able to give you a detailed description about the houses, location, price, and so on."

After the kind explanation, Sasuke thanked the old man before heading towards the said lodging centre. It was surprisingly big, almost as big as the Hokage tower, with people bustling in and out. Seeing an entrance by the distance, he decided to walk in.

He strode towards the vacant seat in front of an attendant. The woman with glasses looked up from her paper, to see her new client. She pushed up her glasses with an index finger. Brown eyes roamed towards the unconscious figure securely tucked in his arms with her head against his chest.

"Welcome, how may I help you?" her voice was curt and professional.

Sasuke took a seat.

"I'm looking for a place."

The woman nodded.

"Right. Are you new to this country?"

"Yes."

Her curious eyes travelled down to the woman.

Noticing her silent gesture, Sasuke answered her question before she even asked.

"She's my wife."

She nodded again. He was confused at the woman's actions. Why hadn't she asked about why they're here? Or what they were doing here?

The woman made a motion to rummage through her drawer, producing a document, a map, and a pen. The map lay open; it was a map of the country.

"The blue dots you see on the map are the available vacant houses. Have your pick."

Onyx eyes scanned over the map. He preferred a place with as little people as possible in an isolated area. But he didn't see any on the map.

"I'm looking for a place, preferably with very few people in an isolated area. Do you have any suggestions?"

The woman smirked.

"So you're one of those being hunted?"

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at her rude comment.

"I'm sorry; it's against my profession to pry into other people's business. It's just that we don't usually give our especially secluded areas unless our client is in a special situation and have the money. There are already a lot of wanted people in this country, you see. We can't give them all special treatments. A lot of them had requested a secluded place just like you. Although, I may reconsider depending on what your situation is."

He wouldn't mind telling her, it's just that he was worried that there might be eavesdroppers around.

"Your information will be kept confidential. I can promise you. Right now, our conversation is being hidden by a genjutsu so rest assured."

Sasuke's tensed body relaxed.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke." He activated his Sharingan as proof.

Then he gestured towards his wife.

"My wife is Hyuuga Hinata."

The attendant's eyes widened in disbelief with her jaws slightly hanging open. She knew who this man was, heck, even the entire world know who he was. He was an international criminal, whose older brother killed the entire clan. Moreover, the woman lying in his arms was the former Hyuuga heiress. Having a runaway Uchiha with a Hyuuga could only one thing: trouble. She could imagine the whole army of shinobis looking for them right now. She was dealing with a very delicate situation.

She swallowed hard.

"I understand," she whispered grimly.

She summoned a scroll from a puff of smoke. It was another map. The layout seemed different, somehow; there were a few areas which were never shown in the other map.

Her slender finger slid towards a waterfall.

"This waterfall is well hidden inside the deep forests of the mountain. Your new home is located behind the waterfall, in a cave. It's a small spring, so no one knows of its existence, except for one."

He looked at her expectantly.

"Your brother, Uchiha Itachi.'

Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. His brother had been here? He was a missing ninja after all, so it shouldn't be surprising, but still...

"He was a saint in disguise. Everyone in this country knows of him, in fact every neutral country knows of him. As you know, most of the neutral territories were always poor and many tyrants had come to take over. Itachi, who had the charisma, leadership, and empathy had travelled around those territories, not only seeking refuge, but to help reform and reorganize them as well. It was all because of him that Bird Country had become what it is today. The unwritten conduct as well as the enforced law for the neutral countries was made by him. He had made sure that helpless countries who seek peace, like us, were left alone by tyrants. Which is why, neutral countries were now, by law, are to be left alone. It was thanks to him that we are all able to form a union to enforce this law six years ago."

"It's a pity; the man could have become a great leader of the Uchiha clan."

Sasuke swallowed guiltily.

"I know. I'm sorry that I took away your hero..."

"It's not your fault. We all know what really happened."

His eyes were beginning to itch, but he resisted the urge to let the hot tears fall. Red eyes were hidden behind his strands of hair.

"Since we never got a chance to repay him, I would gladly let you stay for as long as you want without charge. It's the least we could do for your brother. In fact, I can even request the Kage to make you a special pass for you to stay in other neutral territories for free. The countries are in your brother's debt after all, and I have no doubt that they would agree to do the same thing we did for you. Oh, the Kage would be so pleased to hear that you are staying here!"

Sasuke couldn't keep the ball of pride surging through his chest. His brother was a saint, a hero; he always was whenever and wherever he was. He was a saint enough to take on the false image of being a villain when he was actually a hero. He was too good of a man. He inwardly thanked his brother.

Maybe this was a part of his crazy calculations where one day Sasuke would eventually be a rogue ninja who would need to seek refuge. He probably purposely decided to leave the countries indebted to him so they would help his little brother in his favour. A small grin slipped upon his lips.

"Uchiha-sama, I would be honoured to escort you around town as well as to your new home. Your ill wife will need medical attention as well as new clothing. Her yukata is in shambles!"

Admitting that his wife being ill was just a cover story, she replied dumbfounded with a

"I see..."

After Sasuke had kindly declined her offer for escort, he requested for a map instead. Since their new home was located in an isolated area, it would be a very long journey back to the main village. He decided he should do a little of shopping for Hinata as well as ingredients before leaving. He made a mental note of that while scanning the map for shops.

Scanning around the area of his home, he discovered that there were a few snack houses, tea houses, as well as flower shops a few kilometres away from the waterfall. It was a very quiet neighbourhood.

She never asked for his background information, documents, birth certificate and other things usually need as a standard procedure when applying for residence in a another country. Again, she had mentioned that it was unnecessary as the country does not go into other people's business. Well, they knew everything anyway.

A neutral country was to its inhabitants who are in need. Even if they are good or bad, everyone was treated equally. They do not side nor do they fight against other countries. They simply serve their own country by concerning over their people's well being.

All the attendant needed was his signature.

Asking how she knew so much information about his clan and Konoha, the woman had answered that truthfully, everyone working in the lodging centre were missing elite information intelligence shinobis. They were like walking encyclopaedias, holding just about any and every secret information about their former countries. They know more information that the elite intelligence from any other country. Rogue elite intelligence ninjas gather together from different countries, sharing critical information. This was one of the reasons why most countries would fear neutral territories; they were afraid that they can reveal the countries' deepest darkest political secrets. It was best it they really were left alone. Even if they are neutral, they were like a living, breathing time bomb.

On the other hand, this was good news for Sasuke. He would be able to get first hand information about who are currently chasing after him and whether they close by. With an amazing information network from these guys, he would be able to leave earlier before they could even step foot inside the country. They were safe; all the neutral countries were on his side.

Nami, was the attendant's name. She had promised him that she would send him a messenger once the pass had been approved. He was told to be prepared, for the Kage would surely summon him any time soon. Although he was reluctant, he had to accept for the sake of his brother's honour.

Nami suggested he leave Hinata in the resting area while he goes shopping. It would be rather troubling to carry an unconscious woman through the busy streets. He agreed without hesitation.

Now he was browsing through the stores, when a particular one caught his eye. It was a women's attire and accessory shop. It wasn't the time to think about his pride. He needed to get Hinata something new to wear. She looked so ragged that it was embarrassing.

Hauls of women pounced on him the moment he stepped into the store.

'How annoying!'

They were rambling nonsensically about god who knows what. They were just oogling over him like all girls usually do. He was thankful that Hinata wasn't like one of them.

"I'm looking for some kimono for my wife."

The moment those words left his mouth, the women pouted and slowly dispersed with disappointment

'Well that was rather helpful.' He though sarcastically.

A middle aged woman came out from the back of the store, investigating what the ruckus was all about. She must be the owner. The employees immediately tended to their duties when they saw her.

"I'm sorry for the way these rude immature children treated you."

The sharp glare pointing towards them made the girls gulp.

Turning her attention back to her customer, she beamed.

"How may I help you, Uchiha-sama?'

He was puzzled.

"How did you-"

"You look just like your older brother!"

Before he could open his mouth, the senile old woman began rambling on to herself.

"Oh, it is such an honour! What brings you to this humble shop?"

"I'm looking for a few things for my wife."

"Married already?"

He nodded.

"How wonderful! Are you expecting yet?"

Sasuke was starting to get annoyed. But he shouldn't get mad, it wasn't the woman's fault; he just didn't feel like talking much. Besides, her questions were rather awkward.

"No."

Getting the signal that the man doesn't seem to want to talk much anymore, she led him to the other side of the store. This side of the store contained first class kimonos made from the finest silk.

"An Uchiha woman needs to wear pride and elegance," she advised.

He didn't want to spend the money he had. Just buying one piece of the clothing would already take one month's worth. He only had enough money to last them for six months.

The owner chuckled.

"Don't worry about the price. I'll tell you what; I'll give you five articles of clothing for free; as for the rest I'll give them to you at half the price. It's the least I could do."

The offer was tempting, but he felt guilty. Besides, he didn't think Hinata would need that many clothes.

"I can't accept. Just one piece would do. I don't think my wife would need a lot of clothing anyway."

"Is this how you treat your wife?"

Who was this woman to judge how he treats his wife?

"I-"

"By the heavens Uchiha-sama! You should treat your wife like a treasure. A woman is a man's anchor in life; you should never take her for granted. At least take the five articles of clothing!"

If he didn't accept the offer, he knew the woman wouldn't stop preaching. She was already making him walk down the guilt trip. Did he really look like a bad husband?

Sighing in frustration, he decided to take five articles for free, but in addition, he would buy another three pieces because he didn't want to look like a cheapskate jerk who just wanted free purchases. He didn't want to dishonour his clan.

"Fine. I'll take five pieces of Kimono for free. I'll pay for three articles of kunoichi gear and two sleeping yukatas. You'll be choosing for me because I don't know much about women's clothing."

"Any accessories? I'll give you two pieces of hair ornaments made from the finest jewels and metal for free."

He shrugged not caring much anymore.

"I know just what to get! Stay right here; I'll be right back."

After what seemed like fifteen minutes of waiting patiently, the store owner came back with a large, nicely packed parcel. She handed it to him, while leading him to the cashier.

"Oh, I think you forgot to mention about her lingerie, so I picked them myself; they're also free of charge. If you need anything else for yourself, there's a men's clothing store just opposite from ours."

He nodded as a gesture of appreciation.

"Hn."

A thought struck him.

"I would to add something to my purchase."

"Yes?"

"...Black contact lenses."

The woman smiled.

"Right."

The trip to their home was tiring, especially with Hinata on his back while having his hands full with shopping bags. Nami was right, it was inconvenient for him to travel so far, but it was worth it; he wanted to be far away from civilization as possible.

Due to his brother's good deed, the locals had welcomed him greatly. He received many 'free' gifts from shop vendors. If they weren't free, then he would get them for a generous discount, though it was only a one day special.

Reaching the waterfall, he approached the mossy stone wall hidden behind the waters. It was a special lock which could only read the owner's chakra signature. Nami had given him a key scroll to reset the lock, which he did.

Activating his chakra through the tips of his fingers, he rested his five digits onto the cool wet wall. Slowly, the large stone wall opened, revealing a large cave.

The echoes of the waterfall were blocked out when the stone gate closed. He took a moment to observe his surroundings. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Hidden behind the waterfall was a silent dark cave. The dark cave, however, had more life than he had thought possible.

Splotches of sun light spilled through the gaps on the ceiling of the cave, illuminating the dim cave like little spotlights. Butterflies entering from the gaps of the ceiling fluttered around the rays light.

Surprisingly, there were patches of green grass as he went in deeper into the dome. Purple bell shaped flowers sprouted from the grass along with other colours. There were different kinds of petite flowers staining the grass like beautiful paint. A small stream of water flowed through the field, mimicking a miniature river. The cave was vibrant.

Compared to the summer heat outside, the cave was cooler. It soothed his sticky skin.

His eyes wandered to the centre of the grassy patch. Standing in the middle of the small field was what seemed to be a relatively large traditional house.

The house was fully furnished, but dusty due to the lack of use. He made a mental note to clean up the bedroom first to let Hinata rest in.

Putting all the groceries on the floor in the living room, he carried Hinata to one of the bed rooms. It was barren and filled with dust. Hinata would need to be put somewhere else first. He opened the door to the patio, letting her body rest against the beamer of the roof.

He discovered a storage room which kept all the cleaning materials. Grabbing a bucket and a rag, he walked towards the stream outside to fill it with water.

The wet cloth scrubbed furiously against every corner of the room, ensuring that the room was free from any speck of grime. Opening one of the closets, he found a large set of futon which would be able to fit more than two people. He dusted the blankets, sheets and pillows, making sure they were clean before airing them outside on the bench.

He would need to go back to buy a liner to hang the laundry. But for now, the bench should do.

While waiting for the futon to air, he switched his attention to the other parts of the house. All the windows were wide open, allowing the small breeze to freshen the air inside. Taking out his groceries, he placed them neatly in the cleaned cup board and kitchen counter. It was hard to maintain a house this big; he preferred a smaller one instead.

By the time he finished the last of his chores, which was cleaning the bath room; he decided that it was probably about time to bring in the futon. After neatly laying out the futon, he carried Hinata inside, placing her gently on the soft material.

'Now, time to change her.'

He couldn't just leave her sleeping in that ragged thing any longer. He felt guilty if he was to leave her in that state. It was wrong for a husband.

Sasuke grabbed the heavy parcel which lay by the door. Tearing it open, be began to sort through the articles of clothing. A small vain popped on his forehead. His cheeks became slightly flushed.

'Seriously! What was that old hag thinking? T-this is...'

Apparently, the clothes which the shop owner picked out were all indeed elegant, but more in an indecent way. Sasuke swore that none of the clothing didn't show at least some skin in a suggestive way. Maybe he should have had picked out the clothing himself.

Moving on to the under garments, he felt even more uncomfortable when he saw them. They were all kinky looking. The bras were all lacy and...

'How the hell did that woman know her size?'

It was a mystery to him. It was hard to imagine how big her breasts were, but he had felt them briefly before, in her mind. There were four articles of them which all come in different shades.

'Black, red, navy blue, and white...'

Those were all the colours of an Uchiha.

He moved on to the underwear, if he could even call them that.

'Are these thongs?'

Again, they came with the same shade as the bras. They were probably a set.

He sighed mentally.

"I need to keep myself together," he mumbled.

His hands were ready to peel off her tattered yukata, until his conscience kicked.

This was wrong; he was violating her!

His hands shook, inches away from her sash.

Even if he had tried to tell himself to stop, he wouldn't anyway. He was a man for heaven's sake!

'Besides, I'm her husband damnit! I have every right to do whatever the hell I want with her.'

Amazement, or more like mischief, twinkled in his eyes. He didn't know that Hinata had such a perfect heavenly body. All her curves were in their right places. Although, she was more on the skinny side because of her lack of nutrition during her imprisonment.

Her perfectly curved hips, her slender waist, her firm yet soft body...

His eyes landed on her bossom; it was big. Probably rivalled the size of Tsunade's.

The arousal within him was strongly becoming apparent. He needed to finish dressing her before he does something shameful.

Her under garments were hastily put on. He realized that the bra was a half cut design, therefore revealing the upper half of the breasts dangerously. For a second, he was worried whether the material could hold her assets in place. Unable to contain his arousal any longer, he quickly grabbed her new yukata, wrapping her seductive body securely.

He didn't want to be an ass by returning the 'gifts' which the store owner had kindly picked out for him. Yes, it may sound like an excuse, and he may have another motive but he would never dare admit it.

'At least the yukata looks decent.'

Onyx eyes lingered on her soft creamy lips. Dark indigo strands framed her delicate porcelain skin.

'Like a sleeping beauty.'

Sasuke admitted he had fallen in love with her already for quite some time; ever since he was in her head. She was similar to him in many ways during her younger years in life and he admired her determination. But he kept denying the feeling himself before, hiding it in the corner of his heart. But now that they were married, he can't deprive her from a husband's love. They had a vow which binds them together for a lifetime.

Why had he chosen to marry her? Simple, she seemed to be the perfect candidate to produce his offspring. She had the byakugan, which made perfect compatibility with the sharingan. But he knew that was just an excuse; the truth was he really wanted to have her.

At least, only he was aware of their marriage. Now there was a new problem: how was he going to persuade an amnesiac that they were a married couple? Adjusting to a married life would be a challenge he would gladly take.

A/N: Sorry for the giving you guys false hope, hehe. Turns out that there wasn't much of the HOT ROMANCE I mentioned before. Well, maybe there is just a little bit... but I decided to give these two a little room for development since I didn't want to rush things. Love you all!