It did not take long for Sasuke and I to find faults in each other during our six weeks of living together. When he puts the dishes away after I wash them, he does not take care to check to make sure they are dry, he selfishly takes the blankets at night, he never does laundry, and just yesterday morning, I tripped over a box he promised to put away since we first moved here. Our differences have put us at odds, and we argued about it for days – sometimes to the point where Sasuke decides that he does not wish to be near me, prompting him to sleep on the couch. Yet, despite our friction, here he stands, holding my hair for me as I vomit violently into the toilet… We love each other, no matter the odds.

"You've been throwing up for days. Maybe you should go see a doctor," he suggested.

I coughed a few times to rid my throat of my regurgitated breakfast. "No. No doctors. I am fi-" I lunged for the toilet, expelling what appeared to be eggs.

Sasuke sucked his teeth. "You're beginning to sound like me. I will make an appointment for you once you feel like you're done here."

"Do not make decisions for me," I snapped. The vomit ceased, giving me the opportunity to look back to glare at Sasuke. In turn, he returned the intensity my eyes held, until I was forced to break eye contact when I felt it coming up again. I gripped the rim of the bowl tightly, releasing everything into the porcelain seat.

"It seems to me like you don't have a choice."

"No doctors," I gasped. My tone was harsh, but he remained unfazed.

"I need to visit Kakashi to collect pay for a mission I did last week. After that, I'll pester Tsunade to squeeze you in later today for a check-up."

"No," I repeated in between episodes.

"Yeah, yeah. Just because I heard you the first hundred times, doesn't mean I was listening."

Angrily, I pushed myself away from the disgusting smell wafting within the bowl to glare at my husband. He stared down at me wearing an unreadable expression, and then he offered me his hand after releasing my hair. Reluctantly, I took it, using his support to rise. Now on my feet, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over me, and Sasuke caught me before I landed on the tiled floor.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern thickly coating his voice.

I pressed my hand to my forehead. "I… I am fine."

"Do you want to sit down?"

I nodded and he escorted me to the red couch in the living room sitting across from the fireplace after he flushed the toilet for me since the smell and sight made me feel sick. He left me briefly to fetch some green tea from the kettle on the stove, handing it to me with concern still on his face. Taking a sip from the cup, I glanced up at Sasuke who hovered over me, ready to rush me to the bathroom in case I felt the need to vomit again.

"Do not worry. I believe that I am done," I said.

"Because you keep throwing up anything solid, you've lost a lot of weight, Hinata. Green tea is the only thing you can keep down…" He kneeled beside me. "I'll go see Kakashi later; let's go to the hospital now."

He extended his hand for me to take, which I pushed away using unnecessary force.

"How many times must I tell you for you to understand? I do not want to see a doctor," I snapped.

The words were harsh and frigid and as soon as I heard how I sounded when the words left my lips, a wave of guilt and regret washed over me. Wide eyed, I peered at my husband who still knelt beside me, trying poorly to hide the hurt in his onyx eyes.

"I did not mean…"

He stood up. "No. You've made it clear every time I brought it up. I guess you've had enough."

Sasuke picked up his wool poncho that hung over the back of one of the chairs, putting it on in one swift motion.

I stood up from the couch with urgency. "W-Where are you going?"

"To see Kakashi."

There was a look in his eyes that made me worry what he was thinking.

I did not bother shrouding the worry I felt. "Are you going to be home for dinner?"

He approached the door. "Don't know."

"Are you going to come home at all?"

He placed his hand on the doorknob, peered over his shoulder, and then left without another word. Devastated, I let myself fall on the couch, never taking my attention from the front door.

We have had our ups and downs, good times and bad times, and we laughed and argued – we argued a lot – but none of those arguments resulted in uncertainty of Sasuke's return. What if he never comes back? What if he decides that he wants a divorce? What if he decides that he does not love me anymore? Just the mere thought made my eyes sting and my throat close. Have I pushed him away for good this time?

I could sit here all day waiting for him to come home, but doing so would undoubtedly make me depressed, and if he were to return home as I cry in our bed, that would just make him more irritated. I have had quite a few episodes of spontaneous bursts of weeping in his presence that I am positive he can endure no longer.

To clear my head, I grabbed some mints and my pink jacket, and I ventured out into the Leaf Village. I wanted Sasuke to forgive me, so I went to the market to shop for his favorite foods. We had plenty of rice at home, so I headed straight for the fruit section where I found tomatoes. It is always difficult to find a dish to make with rice and tomatoes, but I was willing to put myself through the effort for him. Food will not fix everything, though it will soften him up enough to place me within good graces again.

As I examined tomatoes with a basket in hand, I heard whispering coming from behind me. Assuming that it did not concern me, I ignored them – until I heard one them mention my name.

"It's been weeks, but I still can't believe Hinata left her clan to marry Sasuke Uchiha," said one of the girls.

"I know, right? But have you seen Sasuke lately? If I were her, I'd marry him too," said another girl.

"He is hot – he always has been! But what makes her so special?" mentioned the third, and final, girl.

"Hinata is gorgeous," said the first.

"Yeah, but com'on. No one really knew who she was until that Toneri guy was announced as her fiancé. Now that he's dead, she's just known as Sasuke's wife," said the third voice. "Sasuke's an infamous ninja, and Hinata is just a nobody."

"Hm," said the second voice. "Now that you say that, yeah, I know what you mean. She doesn't deserve someone like Sasuke."

The first voice hushed them. "She's standing right there. She might hear us."

"Let her," said the third. "Maybe she'll realize how unworthy she is."

They laughed, and at hearing the sound, tears pooled from my ears, causing me to flee the scene to take residence in a nearby public restroom. The words were petty, untrue, and it was obvious that they derived from jealousy, yet I could not stop myself from succumbing to my emotions. The tears continuously streamed down my cheeks as I fought to control my anxious breathing. From crying so much, the nausea returned to me and I rushed to one of the stalls to heave the green tea Sasuke prepared for me. Still, I could not stop sobbing, not even after I relieved my stomach. I sat there on the dirty floor next to the filthy toilet, ashamed for feeling so helpless.

"Hinata?" called a familiar voice.

I glanced behind me to find Sakura, her baby bump larger than the last time I saw her.

"What happened? Why are you crying?"

I tossed my hands up in defeat. "I do not know. Some girls at the market were saying these false things about me and Sasuke and I that made me upset. I ran in here to hide, but I ended up vomiting." I turned towards the toilet, unintentionally took a whiff of my spew, and gagged. Luckily, I did not expel what my body threatened to produce.

With a hasty motion, Sakura reached for me. "Get out of there. It's dirty in here."

I staggered to my feet, exiting the stall. Sakura wiped the tears running down my cheeks with her thumbs as her green eyes regarded me with a great amount of consternation. "You're crying over some gossip from jealous girls?"

Unable to speak, I nodded my head. I feared that if I opened my mouth, I would begin to bawl again.

"What's gotten into you? This is so unlike you."

I took a deep breath. "The last few days with Sasuke have been taxing on both ends," I admitted. "Today, I made him so angry that I worry he might not come home tonight. I know what those girls said should not bother me, however, I have been feeling so out of sorts lately that I cannot handle even something as petty as gossip." I threw my hands up in the air again. "Just a few days ago, I tried to help a small boy find his toy truck, and I nearly cried because we could not find it."

Just the memory of never recovering his toy, stung my eyes and I felt my throat close.

"Okay, okay," hushed Sakura in a panic when she saw the tears beginning to resurface. "No more crying, got it?"

Meekly, I nodded my head as I bit my lip to stifle an oncoming sob.

"Let's go do something fun – just the two of us. You won't have to worry about Sasuke, or gossip, or lost toys. It'll be an area of positivity."

I offered her a weak smile. "You cannot prevent people from talking about me and Sasuke. After all, talk of our betrothal is all over the village."

A scary grin splayed on her pretty face. "That's easy. I'll just punch anyone who dares to utter either one of your names."

A chill ran up my spine. She was serious.

"Come on. Let's go, Hinata."

"Where are we going?"

"You know where."

Sakura dragged me to the Amaguriama on the other side of the village. By the time we finally arrived, I found myself covered in a light sweat and gasping for air. My pink-haired friend, however, appeared to be perfectly fine despite the extra weight she carried.

Upon entry, one of the waitresses recognized Sakura immediately and ushered us to a table for two. It was not until I sat down that I realized how much my feet craved relief from such a long walk. I have never known my feet to ache so much, not even from days of no respite during missions.

Taking one look at me, Sakura said "Wow. Retirement has really put you out of shape. Are you going to be okay?"

"I just need water," I assured her.

Knowing what Sakura already wanted, the waitress ran to fetch me a glass of water, leaving me and Sakura alone.

"You lost weight," she mentioned.

"Sasuke said the same thing. I regurgitate everything I eat, so it cannot be helped."

"Have you considered visiting a doctor? Lady Tsunade owes me a favor, so I bet I can get her to take you today."

A friendly suggestion that my loving husband mentioned too often irritated me at the mere recommendation. I bit my tongue, not wanting to say anything I would regret. I learned my lesson with Sasuke this morning.

"I do not want to go through the trouble of waiting for an examination," I said casually.

The waitress brought the glass of water, and informed Sakura that her dumplings would be done in a few minutes prior to walking away.

"It might be worth it. If your body is causing you all this trouble, there might be a problem. Sasuke is probably worried sick about you."

A strong surge of sadness and guilt seized me at the thought of him.

"As a medical-nin, from observation alone, you could have something serious like appendicitis, diabetes, an ulcer, a gallbladder disease, or even cancer." She observed my appearance with a crooked frown. "Since you've lost so much weight, I can bet on diabetes or cancer."

"It is not anything remotely that serious," I claimed.

She put her hands on her hips. "Then how can you explain it?"

I could not. I slouched in my seat as she stared at me fiercely.

Just then, the waitress returned with a plate of three dumplings, sitting it in front of Sakura. The fierceness in her green orbs switched to delight as she stared down at her steaming helping of sweets. Normally, despite never ordering them myself, they looked appetizing, but today as I stared at her dish, I could not stop myself from revolting, especially from the sickeningly sweet smell that wafted in my direction.

Quickly, I clasped an open hand to my lips as I gagged from the odor.

"Are you seriously gagging from dumplings? That's certainly new," she stated. She looked at me curiously with further observation, and I saw the light from realization burning in her eyes.

"What?" I asked, trying my best not to vomit in public.

"This explains everything." She stood up from the table, grabbing my hand with abrupt urgency. "Come with me now."

"Huh? But you have not touched your food."

"That doesn't matter right now. Hurry up."

Sakura pulled me out of the restaurant and dragged me to the house she shared with Naruto whom she recently began dating. He was not home, so the left me to be the only one to comment when she took an unopened bottle of white wine from their cabinet.

"S-Sakura, you are with child. You cannot drink that," I exclaimed.

"It's not for drinking."

I stared at her, confused.

She sucked her teeth. "Do you have to pee?" Before I could answer, she said "Of course you have to pee. You remember where the bathroom is, right?"

"Y-Yes…"

"Go, and don't flush the toilet. When you're done, call me in."

"A-Alright…?"

Regardless of how perplexing her demand was, I did as she commanded, calling her in just as she asked. She brought the bottle of white wine with her, a delighted smile on her face.

"Ready?" she asked.

"I still do not understand, Sakura."

"I had heard from Karui, Choji's girlfriend from the Hidden Cloud Village, that when you mix alcohol with urine from a host, the color should turn to a pale yellow with a cloud on the surface. If this happens with your waste, then you're positive."

"Host? Positive?" My nose crinkled in confusion. Then, realization hit. My heart stopped. "Surely, you do not mean…"

She squealed. "Yes!" Then she pulled the cork from the bottle using her monstrous strength. "Shall we try it out?"

Throat too dry to speak, I simply nodded my head.

I watched tentatively as Sakura eagerly poured wine into the porcelain seat. What occurred afterward was enough to almost cause me to faint.

XxX

I felt like I was floating on air as I walked home from Sakura's house. This did not feel real. What was I going to do? How could I tell Sasuke? How would he take the news? As those questions coursed through my mind, I suddenly remembered that there was a chance he might not come home tonight, and I could not blame him. I treated him horribly when he tried to care for me.

My eyes started to sting again as I finally reached the front door. The tears that weld threatened to spill, but I successfully fought the urge until I entered the house and smelled green tea. Sasuke was home preparing tea for me like he usually does.

I could not fight it anymore. The tears fell down my cheeks as I slowly entered his view. He glanced up at me, back to stirring the tea, and then back up at me when he noticed the tears. He abandoned the kettle to reach me, his hand lovingly wiping away the onslaught of tears.

"I-I am s-sorry," I blurted. "I-I t-treated you unfairly. You d-did not deserve that. I love you so much!"

I tightly threw my arms around him, soaking his black V-neck with my tears. His large, warm hand rubbed my back as I heard him exhale.

"Are you crying because you hurt my feelings?" he asked in disbelief.

"Y-Yes! No matter how awful I treated you, you continued to love me." I paused. "You must think that I am a terrible wife."

"No." Sasuke kept me close, but held me far enough to see my tear stained face. "You are more than I could ask for. You cook every night, you love me unconditionally, I get to wake up to your gorgeous face every morning… I can list everything wonderful about you, but there isn't enough time in the day." His eyes filled with adoration. "You don't know how much I love you."

I sniffed and my throat closed. Sobs threatened to ensue. "I know. You showed me every day even when you were angry with me." As I met his love filled gaze, I repeated "I love you so much."

He kissed me. After he drew back from my lips, he gestured towards the kitchen. "I made tea. The sun's nearly setting and I know you haven't eaten since breakfast. Drinking it won't fill you, but it'll help me rest easy knowing you have something in your stomach."

I caught Sasuke's wrist as he turned to enter the kitchen. His onyx eyes looked troubled when he saw my hesitant expression, but I forced myself to speak these next words. "I… I ran into Sakura today at the market… She gave me medical advice at her house and she came up with a diagnosis."

Sasuke's body stiffened as his eyes turned anxious. "And?"

Eyes watery, but hopeful, I locked my eyes with my husband's as a large smile formed across my lips. "I am with child."

The expression on his handsome face went through shock, followed by realization as he processed the meaning of my words, and then jubilation. A smile as large as the one on our wedding night splayed across his handsome features as he lifted me up, spinning me around without losing a hint of that happiness.

"We're going to have a baby?" he shouted.

"We are going to have a baby," I verified.

He put me down, kissing me fervently, the smile never leaving his face. As I looked up at him, I was overcome with a mixture of relief and a happiness that I never thought possible. I thought that nothing could interrupt this moment of bliss – that is until the aftereffects of all that spinning seized me, causing me to gag. Sasuke's eyes widened, knowing what was about to happen next. He whisked me away to the nearest bathroom, and held my hair for me as I vomited violently into the porcelain seat.

In these past six weeks of marriage, our life was not always easy. We had many moments of ups and downs, good times and bad times, and laughs along with many arguments. But despite all of that, one fact remained certain: We love each other, no matter the odds.

The End