"I think it's tacky," Sasuke commented, making his mother frown.

"I had one at my wedding." Mikoto defended.

"Thirty years ago." Sasuke countered. Hinata put a hand on his arm to tell him to stop.

Mikoto's painted lips curled into a look he was familiar with but immune to. "I don't think we need you here for this."

Sasuke stretched back to put his arm around Hinata's shoulder. "It's my wedding, too."

Mikoto huffed. "I'm going to get us another coffee." She uncrossed her legs dramatically.

Hinata turned to him. "Don't torture her."

Sasuke slid his arm down from her shoulder to her waist. "Don't let her bully you into all this silly shit."

Hinata turned the book toward herself. "It all is a bit much."

"How pissed would she be if we just eloped?" Sasuke looked over his shoulder.

"No." Hinata scolded. "We need to have a public wedding. It's good PR for our relationship." Sasuke grumbled and rested his face on her neck. Hinata put her hand on the back of his head. "You shouldn't be so affectionate around your mother. It's not proper."

"It's good PR." Sasuke shot back.

Hinata giggled. "It's not the same." Sasuke felt her phone vibrate before she dug it out of her pocket. "Sakura-chan wants another girl's night."

"Is this going to be a regular thing?" Sasuke propped his chin up on her shoulder. "You're cute, a little drunk."

"I wasn't drunk." Hinata pouted at him. "I wonder what she wants to talk about."

"Maybe her date went bad." Sasuke shrugged.

"Date?" Hinata wondered.

Sasuke sighed. "Yeah, she went on a date with Naruto. He wouldn't shut up about it."

Hinata giggled. "Was he excited?"

"He was insufferably nervous," Sasuke whined. "And I don't care."


Mikoto sighed and looked back at the table with a hand on her hip as she waited for their coffee. Sasuke curled into Hinata's neck, bringing a bright smile to her face.

Ah, young love. She remembered what that was like. Now, she had to drag her husband out of the office for a day together. Maybe the kids would have better luck.

Mikoto collected their drinks and brought them back to the table. "Alright, let's move on."


Ino sipped her colorful cocktail. "He's a bit strange, and it can be hard to get him to tell me what he's thinking, but he's really sweet."

"I didn't even know you were dating Sai-san." Hinata ran her finger around the base of her wine glass.

"I wasn't sure it was going to last at first, but I think we are getting more serious." Ino tilted her head. "Oh, look who's here."

Sakura hopped into their table with a huff. "I need a drink."

"Was it that bad?" Ino wondered.

"Drink first." Sakura waved her hand to the bartender. "I have a whole…" She flicked her hands up. "Thing."

Oh, dear.

"Fun." Ino took a bigger swig of her drink.


"I just want a man who respects me and treats me like the world." Sakura and Naruto's date did not go as well. Hinata could see how trying to be romantic with someone she had been close friends with for so long could be difficult. It was like trying to fall for a brother. Hinata felt a little bad for Naruto, though sometimes they all had to let go of their childhood crushes.

"Should I tell her?" Ino whispered. Hinata was thinking the same thing.

"What?" Sakura pouted at their exchange. "You think it's stupid? Should I lower my standards?"

"No. I think you're describing Lee." Ino told her. "He's been your biggest cheerleader for years and is really sweet. Thinks the world of you. Yeah, he is a bit… much, but I think that matches your energy. You two would be the cutest power couple."

"Am I a bit much?" Sakura slapped her hand down before either could answer. "I am going to ask him out!"

"Text him." Ino tapped her finger down on the table. "He shows up when you text him."

"What?" Sakura pulled out her phone. "I don't text him."

"He deletes your drunk messages because he doesn't want to embarrass you," Hinata thought that was the sweetest thing because he was giving up more interactions with her, possibly apologizing to not make her feel bad.

Sakura gapped. "How often does that happen?"

"Just text him. I promise he will show up." Ino tapped her phone. Sakura skeptically sent a message. "Just don't try to undress him this time."

Sakura's eyes popped up in shock.

Hinata giggled. At least all this embarrassment might lead to something.


"Your cheeks are red." Sasuke put his hand on the side of her face. Hinata pushed her head into his jacket. "How much did you drink?"

"A bit." Hinata would admit this time, she was slightly more drunk. "It's cold."

"Here." Sasuke pulled open his jacket. Hinata curled around him inside of it. He closed it over her. "Did you have fun?"

"Sakura-chan cried a lot." Hinata hummed.

"Do I ask?" Sasuke chuckled.

"She discovered Lee-san is sweet, and I think he was a little surprised," Hinata explained. "Sakura-chan went from crying to demanding a date. He was receptive, but I think it is the shift disconcerting for him."

Sasuke laid his head down on her. "You use big words when you're drunk."

"You don't care, do you?" Hinata shifted more comfortably. He had the faint smell of his mother's perfume. What had she got him into?

"I already heard from Naruto that Sakura didn't want a second date. Beyond that, I don't care," Sasuke told her honestly.

Hinata nodded. She should probably go home, but this was too comfortable.

"What about alcohol makes you so cuddly." Sasuke put a hand on the back of her head. "Do I have to get you to drink to get this kind of attention?"

"You're warm," Hinata mumbled.

"Alright, I think I should get you home before you fall asleep on me." Sasuke patted her back, but she didn't let go.

"I don't want to go home." Hinata whimpered.

"I am not taking you home with me this drunk. Forget it." Sasuke reached into his jacket to pry her off. "You can wait until we are married."

Hinata pouted as she was pulled away. At least he and Lee had respect in common.


Mikoto ran her fingers back into Hinata's hair, twisting and placing the comb for the veil into it. "I think we could go fuller."

"It will swallow her." Shino frowned.

Mikoto upper lip twitched while she tried to keep a smile. Hinata looked back at Shino in the chair for bridesmaids and family in the mirror. His eyebrow came up to ask her if he should be easier, but she was happy that he was here. He might know her clothing comfort more than anyone.

Of course, that didn't mean that Mikoto was happy that he was her 'man of honor.' "We can pick out veils after we have the dress chosen." She tossed the veil aside. "What should we start with? Something loose and drapery is very elegant, very trendy."

"Ball gown." Shino crossed his arms. "Do they make wedding dresses with sleeves?" As much fabric between her and the rest of the world as possible.

Hinata could see steam coming out of Mikoto's ears already. This was going to be a long appointment. She was just glad she wanted the one having to argue. She was going to owe Shino big after this.


Mikoto downed her first glass of wine less elegantly than usual before pouring her second. "Are you happy with the dress?" Hinata nodded into her first sip. "Then that is all that matters." She sighed. "You have some exhausting friends."

Hinata giggled. "Shino-kun and I have been friends since elementary school."

"He seems to know you well." Mikoto swirled her wine glass. "I don't have a daughter. I didn't think I would be able to pick out wedding dresses with one of my children. It's something a mother looks forward to."

Hinata could feel where this was going.

"I'm happy to experience it with you, but… I feel responsible that you're not doing it with your own mother." Mikoto took another large drink of her wine.

Hinata wasn't sure what led up to her mother leaving. She only knew what her mother told her. "I don't know what you mean."

"Your mother came to me. She and Hiashi had never really gotten along. They had their moments but were a bad match from the beginning." Mikoto sat back and crossed her legs. "She and I weren't friends in school, but you know how the wives all get together. She came to me after Hanabi was born, in tears, about what her life had become. She hated your father. She hated that she left her career."

"She hated being a mother," Hinata added solemnly.

Mikoto perfectly shaped eyebrows knit together. "I told her she should chase her happiness. I just didn't realize that meant divorcing her husband and abandoning her children."

"I didn't call her," Hinata admitted. "I don't even know if she's left." She shook off the thought. "I'm glad you're here instead."

Mikoto smiled and held her wine glass out. Hinata tapped hers to it.

** Lavender Long Stories **
Hey, with how many issues has been having I would like everyone to know I cross post to AO3 under Lavender_Long_Stories and I have an active tumblr lavender-long-stories