From the time that Hinata Hyuuga was born, it was decided that she was to be wed to the eldest Uchiha, who was currently six years old, despite the youngest Uchiha being born a few months before her. It was purely political. After years of barely hidden animosity, the heads of the two clans decided to unite their clans. They hoped to thread out the internal and external disdain, as well as experiment with what doujutsu their children could possibly gain.

"Should anything happen to Itachi before she reaches adulthood upon graduating from the ninja academy, Sasuke will take over his place," Fugaku Uchiha, Head of the Uchiha Clan, stated.

Hiashi Hyuuga nodded and replied, "Yes, that is acceptable. Uchiha-san, this is the beginning of a new era for both of our clans. The Hyuuga Clan is looking forward to the merging of our families." With that, Hiashi stamped his Clan Head seal before poking his thumb with a needle and stamping his print right next to it. He slid it across the table toward Fugaku.

"Yes. Things will be different. Our kids, they're the future, maybe they can do better than us old men," he replied as he signed it in the same manner. The two men chuckled, although there was a bit of tension from a learned dislike for one another, they were trying to make amends. Fugaku stayed for a cup of tea before departing with a hopeful outlook for his family's future.

"Are you really engaged?!"

Itachi had been returning home from extra training when he was stopped by Izumi Uchiha, a slightly younger girl who had come to like him romantically. Being part of the main house, he had always known that his wife was going to be chosen for him and he had never thought to fight against it for anyone. Including the girl standing before him.

"Hello, Izumi-san," he greeted politely with a smile. "Yes, I am engaged to the Hyuuga Heiress."

"But, Itachi, she's an infant!" She pointed out as though he had not seen his fiancée before.

"We will marry when she is of age," he replied, trying not to sound tired. "We are not getting married tomorrow."

"But I thought that… I thought we…"

Itachi held in his sigh. "Izumi-san, I apologize if I have misled you in any way, but I had never once thought of pursuing a relationship with you. My life belongs to this village, and if I have to marry Hinata Hyuuga in order to maintain the peace within Konoha and our clans then I will gladly do so."

Izumi's eyes filled with tears and Itachi couldn't find it in himself to apologize. She had always been very kind and sweet to him, one of his only friends, but his village always came first as well as his younger brother.

"So that's it then? Our friendship ends here and you're gonna go off to marry a Hyuuga?" She suddenly asked, voice filled with quiet anger and heartbreak.

He tilted his head. "I would still like to be friends."

"I can't be your friend. Not with feelings like this."

Now, back down to one friend, Itachi nodded. "I understand. Goodbye, Izumi-san. I wish you the best." Then he continued on his way home, brushing past her without another look.

"You're such a jerk…" He heard her whisper, but he gave no reply and carried on, his heart just a bit heavier at having lost such a friendship. In the beginning, he was very happy to have gained a friend that wanted nothing from him but genuine friendship and held no ulterior motives…until he realized she was trying to gain his affection. In the long run, he understood a friendship based on that was nothing but trouble.

In the end, he wanted nothing to do with it. His cousin Shisui was all he needed.

When Hinata turned five, just after her younger sister Hanabi was born, the two families decided it would be best for their children to officially meet as well as understand that one of the Uchiha brothers was going to marry the elder Hyuuga child.

Itachi, having learned of his engagement when he turned six, was now eleven and he didn't feel one way or another about it. He was willing to do what needed to be done for his family's extremely old clan. Of course, their clan wasn't as old as the Hyuuga's since it's been rumored for centuries that the Uchiha were once part of the Hyuuga, but any documents recording the beginnings of their clan were lost in a fire long ago.

Hinata, ever the shy child, was anxious and shy to be meeting her fiancé. As such, she was currently hiding behind her father—who was dressed in a formal kimono for the special occasion— and clutching tightly to his hand and his attire. Hiashi nudged her.

"Hinata, this is Fugaku Uchiha, his wife Mikoto Uchiha, and their sons Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha. Be a good girl and greet them properly," her father said. He loved his daughter dearly, but he'd hoped for years that she would start to grow out of her timid phase. Lately, he's feared that it isn't a phase at all.

Hesitantly, and not wanting to anger her father, she came out from behind him and bowed respectfully at the family before her. "…Hello. It's a pleasure… to meet you." At the sound of her mousy voice and hesitation when speaking, she wanted to shrink back and run away. Ever since she was old enough to understand, her father has been giving her lessons on how to be a good leader, but her hesitation and meekness would not disappear. She knew she was disappointing her father every time she looked into his eyes, and she couldn't stand it.

She knew Sasuke from the ninja academy and they were in the same class together, but they had never interacted with one another. She was afraid of having her future husband and brother-in-law think of her the same as her father did.

Itachi and Sasuke both had the same impression of the little girl standing before them.

"She's not going to make a good Uchiha."

Uchiha women were strong, powerful, opinionated, and worked well beside their husbands and for their children. It was clear to both of them that Hinata Hyuuga was nothing like that.

Mikoto nudged Itachi, who stepped forward and bowed back to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Hyuuga-san. I look forward to getting to know you more during our visit here," he replied easily. He was older and had more experience with how the game worked, so he was more familiar with the formalities of clans.

Once the initial greetings were over, the families moved to the main room of the Hyuuga's huge traditional estate for tea and a small lunch.

"You'll have to excuse my wife's absence. She's been ill since the birth of our second daughter, Hanabi," Hiashi explained.

"Oh, yes. We hope she recovers soon, Hyuuga-san. And congratulations on the birth of your daughter," Mikoto replied. "We're very excited to meet her in the future."

"Yes, congratulations," Fugaku smiled.

"Thank you both. You're very kind. I will pass the message along to my wife," Hiashi said, bowing his head in thanks to them before turning his focus onto his future son-in-law. "Itachi, how has your training been coming along? I heard you've recently made Chunin."

Itachi gave him his full focus. "Yes, it's been a few months since I passed the chuunin exams," Itachi said.

Fugaku looks at his son with prideful eyes. "Itachi was recently scouted to join the Anbu. We're very proud of him. Sasuke shouldn't be too far behind him, right, Sasuke?" Fugaku said, looking at his youngest.

"Yes, father," Sasuke said, but he felt more and more like he was just a disappointment to his father when he was barely given the time of day. Itachi patted his head and gave Sasuke a warm smile, and Sasuke felt like he was okay again.

"Anbu, at such a young age?" Hiashi asked. "That's extremely impressive, Itachi." He regarded the Uchiha heir for a moment, understanding that there was a genius sitting before him. Possibly the smartest to ever come out of the village post-war.

Hinata barely stopped herself from staring in awe at the boy sitting next to her. He was so smart! She also exceeded in her studies, but she didn't think she was capable of advancing as quickly as Itachi.

"Hinata, what do you think of your intelligent fiancé?" Her father asked.

Hinata, at hearing that, went bright red and shyly smiled up at her father and then at Itachi. "I…I think that's amazing, Uchiha-san… You must work very hard."

"You're so well-behaved, Hinata. Hyuuga-san, you must have peace around here. When my boys get to training together, their competition never stops," Mikoto laughs.

"A competition between brothers lasts forever, it seems. I'm sure your house must suffer damage sometimes," Hiashi replied. "My brother and I, when we were studying or training, drove our parents crazy."

"Sometimes we have them fixing their damages, and even then it's a competition to see who can finish faster and better. Boys, hm?" The adults laughed.

Sasuke and Itachi internally grimaced but smiled outwardly. Hinata just barely held in a giggle as she drank her tea.

"Hinata, how have your studies been?" Fugaku asked. The man smiled at her and she returned it shyly with what seemed to be a permanent red hue on her face.

"It's… been well, U-Uchiha-sama, thank you," she replied.

"She has the highest marks in her class, along with Sasuke, I believe," Hiashi said. If there was one thing Hiashi was proud of, it was her intelligence. Even if her fighting or Byakugan weren't as strong, she knew she was at least smart. "And her leadership training is also going well." Hinata returned to her tea when her father said that.

She was retaining information well, but her face and body language was making her an open book. A leader needed to be stoic and not show any sign of weakness, but she was failing at that.

It was clear to the Uchiha's that Hiashi was stretching the truth a little bit by how Hinata was so meek but didn't point it out. That would be disrespectful to the Head of the house. They instead praised her for it and smiled at her.

"Hinata, perhaps you'd like to show Itachi and Sasuke the gardens that you and your mother have worked on?" Her father suggested. "Due to the snow, it won't be as scenic, but I'm sure they'd love to hear all about it."

"Y-yes, father. Please, follow me… if you're ready."

The two brothers bowed in thanks to the adults and followed Hinata outside. It was silent and a little awkward as they made their way around the side of the home and down a small pathway.

"Hyuuga-san, please tell me a bit about yourself," Itachi said, refraining from letting out a sigh at her timidness.

Hinata almost squeaked at the sudden question, and she remained silent for a few moments until they reached the garden where she turned to both of them.

"Yes, of course, Uchiha-san. I'd be happy to, but I'd love to tell you a bit of our garden first if that's okay," she replied. In this garden, she was herself. She wasn't the daughter of the main house of an extremely old and rich house or in training to be the matriarch of a clan, she was just Hinata.

The brothers noticed the change in demeanor. She was relaxed here, more confident.

"Yes, we'd be happy to hear about it," Itachi smiled. "Right, Sasuke?"

"Yeah," he said. "Yes." He didn't want his mother biting his head off if she found out he was being informal at a formal function.

"My mother and I started expanding this garden once I was old enough to understand what she was showing me, but it began on the day she discovered she was going to have me," she explained, turning back to look at the snow-covered garden.

"That's beautiful. Your mother sounds lovely and I look forward to officially meeting her next time."

"You're very kind, Uchiha-san. I'll let her know."

"Hey, how come you're not stuttering here?" Sasuke came out and asked. Itachi elbowed him hard in the side. "Ow, Itachi! I know you're wondering, too."

"Don't be so informal, Sasuke."

"That's okay," Hinata assured him with a smile. "I'm comfortable here." And that was all there was to it.

They seemed to accept this easily enough and followed her as she showed them where the different types of flowers were even though they were currently covered and even listened as she expressed her desire to have a greenhouse built so they can flourish all year. The boys seemed to be enjoying themselves in the comfortable silence with the occasional conversation, but there wasn't a need to fill the air like normal. Itachi liked this side of Hinata more and he hoped she'd grow to be more comfortable in other places. He needed to make sure she was worthy of the Uchiha name.

"Excuse me, Hinata-sama, Uchiha-sama has requested his children. They're preparing to leave," a maid said as she came outside.

"Thank you, Mitsuki-san. We'll head back now," Hinata replied. She turned to the Uchiha brothers and smiled widely. "I had a wonderful time with you both, and I hope to do it again soon."

"Yes, we look forward to it soon. As custom, we shall invite you to our estate in the coming weeks. We hope you can be as comfortable there as you are here in this garden," Itachi said, smiling charmingly at her.

In her head, Hinata knew he was just playing the kind fiancé he was supposed to be, but she couldn't help but blush. "Yes, thank you. I'll escort you back to the front gates. It is nearly time for my martial arts training."

"How is that training going?" Sasuke asked, doubtful of her being even a little good.

"A-ah, um," she hesitated, "I believe I'm getting better every day." That and her disheartened body language were enough to show them how it truly was.

"Work hard, Hyuuga-san. You need to be strong, as my future wife."

"Yes… I'll continue to work harder!"

"What about your doujutsu training?"

"Sasuke!" Itachi hissed. It was forbidden to ask other clans about their doujutsu as it was to be kept secret, hidden only amongst those who possessed said power, their trainers and teammates, and their opponents. "Apologize to Hyuuga-san right now."

Sasuke, rightfully ashamed and embarrassed, bowed apologetically to Hinata. "I apologize for my loose tongue, Hyuuga-san. It will not happen again."

Hinata smiled. "I accept your apology, Uchiha-san. I-I understand the curiosity. Once I become an official part of your family, I will answer any questions you have then."

They walked silently to the gate where their parents were waiting and said their goodbyes.

"Hinata, we are late for training so we'll go an extra hour tonight. Did you have a good time with the Uchiha brothers?" Her father asked.

"Y-yes, father. They were…very kind and respectful to me," she replied. She wanted to take his hand as they walked, but she was meant to walk behind him as he lead her to their dojo.

"I understand Sasuke is in the same class."

"Yes, f-father."

"It would be good to make friends with him, Hinata. It could do very well for the family should both brothers become attached to you. There would be less chance of a betrayal in the future," he explained. Hinata had figured that was the reason and accepted the reasoning.

Her father seemed to be in a good mood, so she hoped training wasn't too brutal tonight.

Thanks for reading our new story! We've been working on this for nearly a year and we hope you very much enjoy this ride as much as we enjoyed writing it! Please read and review. As you've probably gathered, this will be centered on Hinata but this will not be a hate fic to any other kunoichi that will be in the fic in the long run, such as Ino, Sakura, Tenten, etc. This will not be that kind of fic.

The chapters will get longer, and my goal has always been not to go over 10k words a chapter but I get carried away sometimes. All chapters beta'd by my trusted co-author!

Next Update: 02/11/23