Hiashi dismissed her cousin. Hinata stiffened into proper dancing instantly as Hiashi glared at a teary Neji. He did have to ruin one of the closest moments between the two, hadn't he? "This wedding is quite unacceptable."
Hinata frowned. "That's your opinion, father. We didn't need to have a wedding. Paperwork could have been done."
"You should have. It would have been less of an embarrassment." Hiashi commented.
"I'm becoming part of their culture. The Suna wedding was respectful." Hinata told him pointedly.
"Then the culture is an embarrassment," Hiashi noted.
"That's disrespectful, father. You're speaking about my culture now." Hinata glared at him.
"Don't think you will ever be one of them," Hiashi told her in a dangerously polite tone that didn't match his words.
"Well, I am not one of you anymore," Hinata noted just as politely.
Hiashi glared down at her. "You will not oppose your father."
"I don't belong to you anymore." Hinata countered.
Gaara and Temari listened to Hinata's calm power argument with her father. He took his sister to the floor as soon as he noticed the man interrupted her. He wanted to know what was going on and be available to her. He paid little attention to Temari as he focused on his wife. When his sister let him go, he knew it was a good time to take his wife back.
"Kazekage-sama," Hiashi noted as he approached.
"Gaara." Hinata disrespectfully removed herself from her father and tucked herself into him. His arm caught behind her back.
"Lovely wedding." Hiashi gave a stiff fake tweak to his lips before removing himself from the floor.
Hinata relaxed against him, letting the tenseness release. "If that was the worst today, I think it was lovely."
Gaara tightened his grip.
Hinata was back at her husband's side. They ate, and she ignored the uncomfortable stares from the Hyuga. She was determined to enjoy her wedding day.
Food was presented, and people sat to feast. They sat at a table on a platform, the wedding party and their 'dates.' Hinata sat between her new husband and Hanabi. Hanabi and Matsuri were ganging up on Kankuro between them, turning red under his light paint. Temari sat on the other side of Gaara in a playful argument with Shikamaru, who didn't look happy that he was up where he couldn't nap without being rude. Neji sat on the other side of him, speaking to Tenten. She looked elegant with her hair down, Hinata noted.
Hinata heard an odd tink sound. She took a moment to recognize the sound, then blushed, looking up from her meal, wondering if it was an accident. Those from Konoha looked amused. No one from Suna seemed to take notice.
Ino held her glass up in a small motion of encouragement.
"Go on." Temari tapped her cup with a utensil as well.
"What's going on," Gaara noticed the sudden attention.
"A wedding tradition. When a guest taps the glass, the bride and groom kiss." Hinata blushed, sipping from her glass.
Another tink from another direction made her cringe.
"Go on then." Hanabi giggled.
Hinata opened her mouth to protest as wet heat came to her cheek. She turned to stare at him. Another tap came from Temari and her husband to lay another light kiss on her lips.
There were some awws from her very embarrassing friends as they started to explain the tradition to those of Suna. This was going to be a long meal.
His people danced and occasionally took part in the traditions of his bride's culture. Gaara did come to take only sparingly to the commanded kisses to save her clear embarrassment.
Hinata stayed curled into his side while she talked to guests. They only separated a few times for separate conversations or when someone asked her to dance.
Gaara watched her clumsily dance with Naruto, feeling the need to keep an eye on him after a scolding from his medic woman.
"Gaara-sama?" Hanabi held out her hand. Gaara opened his hand to receive what she offered. As soon as the object touched his hand, he knew what it was. "Take care of her, okay?"
Gaara could feel his embarrassment as he curled his hand over the item and nodded.
Hinata smiled at the performance of puppets that Kankuro organized. He was excited when she told him she would love to see a real puppetry performance. Hanabi was even more excited and bounced beside her. She never saw even a small puppet show. Gaara noted, having little interest in his brother's profession, but he watched intently.
Hinata giggled at Temari as her hands flew in all directions, telling a story. She might have had too much to drink. It made her personality even stronger. Shikamaru's face, red with alcohol, looked uninterested, if not a little annoyed. How did these two end up together?
Hanabi and Matsuri became alarmingly quick friends. Hanabi's very demanding personality and Matsuri's more dependent personality meddled well.
The two girls spent most of the wedding together or with Kankuro. Much to his frustration, they had effectively kept him away from the other woman at the wedding. They took a lot of pride in annoying the poor puppeteer.
Hinata finally shooed them. They had done quite enough for the night. They pouted, but she wanted Kankuro to have fun too. He gave her a hug and an overly dramatic sigh.
Hinata didn't have a drop to drink that was alcoholic. Gaara offered as well. He chose not to either. He hated the taste, but more than anything, he worried about what would happen to his general control. Gaara rolled the small charm that her sister bestowed on him. He couldn't hurt her.
If he hurt her, he would never forgive himself. He wouldn't let her forgive him. She so easily would, or would that be the final straw? He knew it was coming someday. Hinata would see him as he truly was, and she would hate him. He could only enjoy what he had now and hope the pain didn't kill him when it happened.
Hinata smiled at him as she playfully danced with his sister. Held tightly to him as she spoke to villagers who congratulated them. She softly kissed him when a glass was taped.
Gaara didn't deserve any of it, yet he selfishly held on to her. Had he been younger, he would have pushed her away to keep away the inevitable pain of losing what he had. Had he changed that much?
"Gaara, stop thinking so much." Gaara was broken from his self-loathing by her soft voice. "I shouldn't have left for so long. I'm sorry." Hinata whispered, saying more with the expression.
Had she known what he was thinking so easily? "You wanted to dance." He noted, pushing away his thoughts.
Hinata frowned at his non-admission, then smiled as something came to mind. "Will you dance with me?" Gaara let his distaste show on his face. Hinata giggled. "Not like Temari-chan. Like before." He sighed, relieved, with a nod, and let her lead him to the floor and spread her hands over his chest.
Gaara curled around her once more, one hand at the small of her back, the other on her waist.
Hinata's arms curled around him and settled on his shoulders. Her head laid on him. "What made you so unhappy?"
Did he tell her? He never lied, always told her what she wanted to know, and never held back even if it might be the thing that drove her away, but now wasn't it different? Before, she had a way out. Now, she was legally bound to him. She would be stuck with him even after he finally broke her.
How would he even word his thoughts in a way that would make them understandable to someone? If anyone understood, it would be her. "I worry that you will one day realize I am not worth your mild temper."
Hinata lifted her head. Her eyes widened in slight horror. Had he done it? He tried to search the tearing eyes for something that told him the truth of what she thought.
"Gaara…" Hinata whispered, worry dripping like blood from a wound. "Do you still think I'll wake up one morning and not care anymore?" Hinata asked, knowing the answer. "I'm not going anywhere, not because we are married, but because I know that you're not what you think you are."
Gaara lowered his head to lay his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. His stress melted, but that worry would never leave him. Just because she couldn't see the monster didn't mean it didn't exist.
His lips were covered comfortably as she tightened her grip over the back of his neck. Hinata fiddled her fingers over the hairs on the base of his head. He flinched, realizing what she was doing. His hand unintentionally tightened over her covered skin. He forced himself to loosen. He couldn't let himself hurt her by being too rough.
Hinata leaned back down, and her red face smiled at him with searching eyes. He felt his face blush. His wife was purposely affecting him. She giggled at his realization and shock.