Love's Misconstruities
Chapter 25
Once again, the Kazekage was busy at his desk, buried in paperwork. Such was the sight that Temari had as she took the liberty of entering his office, grin firmly planted upon her lips. Without a word, she tossed a scroll into the air toward her brother who didn't even look up from his work as he caught it before it could disturb the orderliness of his desk. Only after he'd finished reading the remainder of the document before him did he glance up at his sibling and then to the object in his hand.
"It came via messenger bird...from Konoha." Temari watched in delight as her brother lost his stoic composure and tore open the seal as quickly and carefully as a child tearing the paper from a birthday present. His eyes swiftly scanned the words delicately inked onto the paper, slowing down part-way through, re-reading some parts, and his eyes growing wide at yet another as he stopped reading altogether, pausing to think before continuing on. After he'd finished and set the scroll down, Temari approached. "Good news or bad?" she asked, for it was one of the rare occasions in which she could not interpret her brother's mood.
"I'm…not sure," he responded, to which Temari bent over his desk and reached for the scroll herself.
"May I?" she asked before picking it up, curiosity getting the better of her. When Gaara did not protest, she read it for herself.
My dearest Gaara,
There is nothing to forgive. The letter you wrote to my father may have helped in persuading him because tonight he renounced his prior decision to disown me. However, I am still concerned. There is much you do not yet know of my clan, and though irreversible punishment may have been escaped for now, I fear for the future.
Konoha's forces are still not at full strength, and with the Akatsuki threat pending before us the Hokage cannot release me from service at this time, nor in the foreseeable future. Gaara, if we do not marry soon I fear not for my safety, but for that of another's. If my father were to discover my situation he would surely impose our clan's harsh traditions upon that of our innocent child when it is born. I have just discovered this myself, so I can imagine how shocked you must be, but I hope that you can find it in your heart to accept this unexpected surprise as lovingly as I have.
I most likely have several months at best before I am no longer able to hide this from my father, for if he doesn't notice, someone else will and news will surely get back to him. If it is not too much trouble, I would like to request any help you could lend in assisting my discharge from Konoha.
Thank you for all that you have done for me, Gaara. I too look forward to never letting you go.
Love,
Hinata
Temari merely stared wide-eyed at her brother before her grin returned. "So, you're going to be a father." Her brother remained frozen in his chair. "How do you feel about that?" she inquired, her grin fading with the sincerity of her question.
"…I'm not sure," he honestly replied.
"Well, try," his sister pushed, causing him to give her a somewhat aggravated look.
"Why does it matter to you?"
"I'm just curious," she answered. When he did not budge, she sighed. "Please?"
Now it was Gaara's turn to sigh. Though it took him a moment of contemplative thought, he eventually answered. "I'm…happy…but…nervous. Excited, but…afraid, I think." He stood then, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. "She wants me to help her get discharged, but I've already tried. The Hokage refused."
"They're just as stretched for talented shinobi as we are. ...In fact, that's why I never bothered to ask you about transferring…before now, that is."
"What?" Gaara asked, not quite following her logic.
"Kazekage-sama, I hereby formerly request to be discharged from Suna's services so that I may live in Konohagakure."
"Temari, now is not the time-"
"What are you talking about, Gaara? This is the perfect time! I want you to write to the Hokage again and request a trade: me for Hinata. Honestly, I think they're getting the better part of the deal: a jounin for a chuunin. They'd be stupid not to accept," she stated.
Gaara stared incredulously at his older sister, contemplating her words. "…Should I even ask what your motives are?"
In response, she broke out in a knowing grin and smirked. "Just make sure to tell the Hokage that I plan to stay for my brother's wedding so I'll be a little late should she accept," she added before leaving him to write his request.
Close to a week after Hinata had initially sent her letter to her fiancé, she found herself standing before her Hokage.
"Do you know anything about this?" the older woman asked, holding up a small scroll.
"Eh? A...scroll? No, I'm sorry, I don't," she innocently replied.
"It seems the Kazekage is becoming impatient with me. Impatient enough to trade you for one of his closest and finest shinobi."
"What?" the younger girl questioned, still a bit dazed at being thrown head-first into this issue. 'I thought I was being called here to receive a mission. What exactly is she saying?'
"I still have a few assignments lined up for Team 8, but within this next month…you'll be able to have your wedding, it seems."
"Really?! Hokage-sama, what did Gaara write to you to bring about this change?"
"He's sending his sister, Temari, to replace you here," she explained. "Though I wonder if this wasn't entirely her idea to begin with," she finished under her breath, recalling the hot-headed yet extremely talented kunoichi that she'd spent some time with during the last Chuunin Exams. "Gaara has also requested that I dispatch certain shinobi with you when you leave, plus any others of your choosing should I be able to spare them. Wedding guests, it would seem." The strong leader shook her head as she reviewed the scroll once more. "I can't guarantee anything, but I'll try my best to send them and at least one other with you. Any more and it would severely handicap our forces. Gaara has asked for both Naruto and Shikamaru. You have one week before I'll need the third person from you."
"I don't need a week, Hokage-sama," Hinata began as she fought the tears at her eyes and the sensation of butterflies in her stomach. "If I may only take one guest, I would like to request my cousin, Hyuuga Neji."
"I was afraid of that," Tsunade replied with a scowl, irritated with the hassle that this one girl seemed to be causing her, but a small grin found its way upon her lips nonetheless. "Being a jounin, his schedule will be harder to clear…but I'll try."
"Thank you so much, Hokage-sama!" she responded, bowing deeply at the waist.
"I still don't see why I have to go," Shikamaru whined as the happy soon-to-be-bride and her guests gathered at the front gate of the village several weeks later.
"Gomen nasai, Shikamaru-san," she apologized yet again.
"I wasn't complaining to you, so stop saying that. Sheesh. It was probably that woman's idea. She gets some sick enjoyment from causing me trouble."
"Eh?" Hinata questioned, not quite sure of whom he was speaking, but she didn't get the chance to question further.
"Hinata!" came a wild yell from down the road as a boy came bounding along riding atop his faithful dog.
"You're late," Shino remarked, who stood alongside Kurenai by the gate.
"Yeah, yeah…thought not as late as Naruto, it looks like," he chuckled, noticing that the blonde was not among the others. "You know, if he doesn't show up in the next five minutes I'm gonna take his invitation for myself!"
"Kiba-kun," Hinata pleaded.
"Heh heh…just kidding. But you can't blame me, can you? You know Akamaru and I would be there if we could."
"He's right. It's a shame we all can't make it," Kurenai chimed in. "We've been through a lot together over the past few years, haven't we?" she reminisced. "But out of the lot of you, I think that it's Hinata who's grown the most." Shino nodded, concurring while Kiba felt the need to argue.
"Huh? What are you talking about, Kurenai-sensei? Haven't you been paying any attention to me over the years? I've gotten a lot-"
"Nope, you haven't changed a bit," she concluded. "You're probably even jealous of that boy Gaara, aren't you?"
"Huh? What the hell are you talking about now?"
"After all, no one is keeping him from cuddling next to Hinata at night, but it was all we could do to separate you from her during our missions."
"Kurenai-sensei!" Hinata pleaded.
"Yes, it was," Shino agreed, jumping in at the chance to make fun of his comrade.
"WHAT?! Oh, come on! That was years ago! Let it go already! It was one time! ONE TIME!"
Hinata felt a small blush creeping along her cheeks as she caught even Neji glancing Kiba's way with a confused yet protective glare. "Come on you two, stop it. I…I have something to say," she interrupted, trying to cut Kiba some slack. When they had all quieted down she continued, fighting her hands' instinctual urge to fidget. "I… Well, I just wanted to say…thank you, I suppose. Thank you for everything that you've all done for me. If it weren't for your friendship, I never would have been able to accomplish what I have. I would still be lost in self-pity with no way out…with no one to call a friend…not even Neji-nii-san, because it was you all who pressured me into taking the Chuunin Exams for the first time."
"Yeah, but…you almost died because of that, remember?" Kiba regretfully recalled.
Hinata nodded, a fond smile on her face. "But I didn't. And you helped give me the determination to retake the exam again. If I hadn't have been assigned to this team…who knows what would have become of me."
As no one knew what to say after that, a silence grew between the group…until a certain spastic ninja made his entrance.
"Heeeey!! Don't leave without me!" the blonde yelled, running toward them.
"Naruto-kun," Hinata chimed, glad that their final teammate on this journey was finally joining them.
"Alright!" he exclaimed, full of energy as he bounded past them and through the gate. "Let's get this mission underway!"
"And what mission would that be?" Shikamaru asked, adjusting his weapons pouch.
"Mission: Escort the Bride to Suna! C'mon!" he called, charging onward.
"Hey, you were the last to show up so you're in no position to be calling the shots!" Shikamaru yelled, chasing after him. "Besides, I outrank you!"
"And I outrank you!" Neji asserted, already finding himself annoyed as he joined them.
Hinata began to give chase, but turned back one final time to her comrades.
"Don't forget to visit!" Kiba called, forcing a grin, though it was obvious he was pained to see his cell-mate leave.
"You're always welcome to do the same!" she replied, forcing a smile as well before she left. 'I will miss you all… Thank you for making my life more tolerable over these years and helping to give me a reason to become stronger. I will surely see you all again.'