Three
"Naruto, are you listening to me?"
Sasuke was exasperated by the lack of attention paid to him by his former Team 7 teammate. Indeed, sitting at Ichiraku's booth, the young man seemed to be paying more attention to his bowl of ramen than to what Sasuke was saying. Sasuke was always amazed at how much the blond-haired young man had changed. Long gone were the days when he seemed to do nothing but mischief to attract the villagers' attention. Now they looked at him with admiration, seeing him as the hero who had saved them all. No longer the dangerous host of the fox demon, he was now the most powerful shinobi in the world. And while as a child he'd always said he was going to be Hokage, today he was as close as he could get to his dream. And Sasuke had no doubt that Naruto would become the seventh Hokage in a few years' time.
"Yes, you were saying?" Naruto replied before wolfing down a huge portion of noodles.
Sasuke let out a sigh. He knew he shouldn't have seen his friend during his meal. It was then hopeless to get the orange-suited ninja to listen to him, but Sasuke had no choice. He needed a favor.
"I'll need a Hakama and a Montsuki ," announced Sasuke, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder to force him to pay attention.
Naruto then turned to his friend and widened his eyes. The young man seemed stunned by his dark-haired friend's request. He dropped his chopsticks and stood up.
"But it's a wedding outfit you're asking me for? he replied, as if making a superhuman effort to understand what was happening.
Sasuke simply nodded, running his remaining hand through his hair.
He should have known that Naruto had become much more perceptive. The fox demon's host wasn't as slow as some might have thought. Naruto had transformed into a strong, but above all intelligent young man. Long gone were the days when he'd just run into the thick of things without thinking.
"I'm getting married and I need an outfit," added Sasuke, as if his request were the most natural thing in the world.
Once again, Naruto seemed totally bewildered. For a moment, Sasuke was amused by the surprise he had created and by his friend's astonishment.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto finally exploded, leading his friend to a less crowded place than Ichiraku's booth.
Sasuke appreciated his friend's thoughtfulness. He'd never liked crowds as a child, but now that he was what he was, he appreciated being in public even less. And Naruto knew and understood this perfectly. Naruto had led them into a deserted alleyway, and the young man leaned against a wall, taking his head in his hands. Sasuke realized that his friend was completely lost and decided to explain.
"I've got to rebuild my clan. And to do that, I need a wife," he began, glancing at Naruto.
The latter had straightened up and nodded, inviting his friend to continue his explanation.
"It's a useful marriage I'm looking for. And I've found it. I'm going to marry Hinata Hyuuga," he added, in a voice devoid of emotion.
And at the announcement of the name of the young woman he was to marry, Sasuke felt Naruto's pupils turn red. But this impression only lasted a moment, and soon Sasuke saw that Naruto's eyes were still as limpid as the ocean. And just as Sasuke thought his explanation had been clear, Naruto charged at him at full speed and swung his fist in his face.
"What's this bullshit? he shouted loudly. Hinata is the sweetest person in this village, the most loving! You have no right to do this to her!" he added, ready to launch a second attack that Sasuke stopped.
Indeed, the former deserter blocked his friend's arm just as he was ready to strike again. With his cheek burning, Naruto had not been at his worst. He had really tried to hurt the young man. And that Sasuke didn't really understand. "What's wrong with him?" he thought, anger starting to creep through his veins.
"She said yes. We met earlier. And tomorrow we'll sign the marriage contract," answered Sasuke in a firm voice.
Naruto let go of his grip completely. His fist, which a few seconds earlier had been clenched and ready to strike, was now open. Naruto let his arm fall back along his body. He moved away from Sasuke, and settled back against the wall. All the anger that had animated the young man a few seconds earlier seemed to have completely disappeared. Sasuke was caught off guard by these mood swings. He could hardly understand his friend's reactions. He remained silent, waiting for his friend to speak again.
"You'll treat her well, won't you? Naruto finally said. If you ever hurt her, if you ever force her to do anything, I swear you'll regret it," Naruto continued, determined.
"I'm not a monster, you know," replied Sasuke, rolling his eyes.
He was getting tired of always being equated with his deserter past. Everyone seemed to see him as some kind of bloodthirsty monster. Sasuke had made some bad choices, of course, but that didn't mean he was some kind of second Madara. He'd come back to Konoha to rebuild his clan, to make sure that what had happened in the past couldn't happen again.
"You've been warned," Naruto simply replied, before disappearing in an explosion of smoke.
Hinata was in the bath. Since her marriage had been decided, every servant in the house had been requisitioned to look after the young girl. They brushed her hair, smeared her with ointments and creams, making her skin extremely soft. They had also begun to design a trousseau for her life as a future bride. The Hyuuga district was abuzz with anticipation of the wedding. Everyone seemed to be lending a hand in preparing the ceremony, and Hinata was constantly receiving gifts from members of her clan.
"Are you really going to marry him?"
Hinata opened her eyes and noticed that her little sister, Hanabi, had entered the room. The young girl was dressed in training clothes and had her long hair tied back in a low ponytail. The two sisters hadn't spoken to each other since the meeting with the Elders. Indeed, it had seemed to Hinata that her younger sister had done everything in her power to avoid her. And this gesture had particularly affected the bride-to-be.
"Yes," Hinata simply replied, observing her sister.
Hanabi looked embarrassed. She looked down at the bathroom floor. Hinata was not used to seeing her sister in such a position. The heiress of the Hyuuga clan had always been a confident, cheerful girl. The girl never doubted her abilities, and never kept her tongue in her pocket. Seeing her in this state of shyness and unease was therefore particularly disconcerting.
"Aren't you scared? she asked, playing nervously with her hands.
Hinata let out a small sigh. She then grabbed a towel which she had placed on a stool near the bath. She stood up and covered herself with the towel. Finally, she stepped out of the tub. Her sister turned and handed her another towel. Hinata used it to roll up her hair as if in a turban. Hinata then sat down on a stool, and with a gesture invited her sister to come next to her.
"I'm terrified," she confessed, running a warm hand through her sister's hair. I'm scared to death, but I can't derogate from my duty," she added, before placing a kiss on Hanabi's forehead.
Hinata then realized that tears were streaming down her sister's cheeks. Hanabi was crying silently. And Hinata felt completely unprepared for this reaction. She was the one who should have been crying. She was the one who had lost her title. She was the one who was about to be married against her will.
"I'm sorry, Hinata," Hanabi finally whispered between sobs.
Hinata then grabbed her sister by the shoulders and held her close to her heart. She held her tightly, gently massaging her back.
"It's my fault they're making you do this! You're the one who should have been the clan heiress," she added, crying against her sister.
Hinata immediately felt a twinge of grief. She didn't want her sister to feel this way. Hinata had been hurt by the loss of her title, but she blamed her father and the Elders, not her sister. Hanabi hadn't asked for anything. It wasn't her sister who had stolen her title. It was the elders who had taken it from her.
"It's not your fault," replied Hinata in a gentle voice. You have nothing to feel guilty about, Hanabi. You need to concentrate on your own future, on the future of the clan," she continued, catching her sister's face in her hands to force her to look into her eyes. You're going to be an exceptional kunoichi," she added, pushing her sister back a little.
She stood up, helping her sister to do the same.
"Go and train now!" she intimated, inviting her to leave the room.
Sasuke was home alone. After talking to his friend and realizing that he wouldn't be doing him the favor he'd asked, he'd decided to go it alone. Despite his aversion to crowds, he had to go to a store to buy his wedding outfit. And his little jaunt into town wasn't particularly discreet. All the villagers looked at him as if he was going to set the village on fire in the next few seconds. Everyone was trying to catch his gaze. Some wanted to see if he looked as cruel as they said. Others were simply curious. As for the women, no matter how terrified they were, they couldn't help lingering over the young Uchiha's dark beauty. But above all, many villagers frowned at the type of outfit the young man was buying. When he paid for his purchases, he could hear many people murmuring amongst themselves. But Sasuke was used to such reactions, so he simply ignored them. After paying for his purchases, Sasuke returned home.
He still had a few things to do in his house before his future wife arrived. As he thought about this, the image of Hinata Hyuuga flashed through his mind. He thought of the meeting he'd had with her. The way she had blushed and lowered her eyes. Shyness really did get under her skin. But he had also noticed how beautiful the girl was. More than beautiful, she was elegant and haughty. The yukata he'd chosen suited her perfectly. He was pleased. He'd hesitated for a long time about which model to choose, but then a memory of his mother had come back to him, and he'd remembered one of her yukata. So it was one of the same models he'd chosen for Hinata.
Despite the girl's shyness, he was pleased to see that she seemed obedient. She had understood her duty, and for that Sasuke was grateful. He wouldn't have wanted to end up with a woman he'd have to fight every day. However, he had to train Hinata for her new responsibilities as wife of the clan chief. She had to stop blushing and stammering like she used to. She had to be strong, proud and inspire respect. Like a queen, she was to look at the world as if sitting on a throne.
For a moment, Sasuke thought back to the conversation he'd had with his blond-haired friend. Then a sudden revelation came to him: "Could he be in love with that girl?" he thought, frowning. Then the image of Sakura immediately came to mind. He began to turn his head from right to left. "No, it's not possible, he's always been in love with Sakura. What a moron!" he said to himself inwardly. The young Uchiha had always had trouble understanding feelings of love. He'd never been in love. And he didn't understand the feeling that drove so many people. How could anyone be so weak? he often thought. For him, love was a sign of weakness. Once you loved someone that much, life changed. You didn't dare take as many risks in battle, and so you jeopardized your missions. But even if he didn't believe in love, Sasuke believed in marriage. He believed that this union, if interested and useful, could lead to good things. And above all, to rebuild his clan, he needed a wife, so he didn't need to think any further about it.
Then, knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to fall asleep until well into the night, he picked up a parchment and began to write. He still had a lot of work to do before his future wife arrived. And tomorrow's contract signing in the presence of Kakashi-sensei was likely to be interesting.
The signing of the marriage contract was to take place in the presence of the Hokage at ten o'clock sharp. For the occasion, Hinata was accompanied by her lifelong bodyguard, Kô. More than just for her safety - Hinata was a jounin after all - he was there above all to chaperone her. She wasn't married yet, so it wasn't appropriate for her to go to such an event alone.
"You look very elegant, Hinata-sama," Kô murmured, taking the girl's arm and escorting her out of the Hyuuga district.
A fifteen-minute walk was all it took to reach the Hokage tower. These last fifteen minutes were the last of Hinata's life as a young maiden. Once she had signed the contract, her status as a damsel would be over. Administratively, she would become an Uchiha, even before the wedding ceremony. That's why Hinata took her time walking, moving as slowly as possible. She also observed her surroundings, as if to engrave the memory of this moment forever.
"Thank you Kô," she finally replied, her voice almost inaudible.
It was her father who had chosen the ceremonial kimono she was wearing. It was immaculate white, with pearly beads embroidered on the waistband. She didn't like this white at all, symbolizing the purity of the young woman about to be given to her husband. She would have preferred to wear black to symbolize the end of her freedom, and above all to match the tragic reputation of the Uchiha clan. But she had no say in the matter. And as she sensed, she would have little choice in the future either. She was to be a wife, not a partner. She had to obey, and give him children. Far from it was the idea of a loving marriage she had always cherished.
"Here we are," announced Kô in a firm voice.
Lost in her thoughts, Hinata hadn't noticed that they were already at the entrance to the Hokage tower. The young girl let out a long sigh before pushing open the door. Her eyes immediately fell on the silhouette of her future husband.
"He must be waiting for me", she thought, before giving him a timid curtsy. Kô remained behind the young woman. She realized then that she would have to approach Sasuke alone. It was the two of them who had to get to the Hokage's office, and only the two of them.
Like the last time Hinata had seen him, Sasuke was wearing a traditional ninja outfit. The young girl was a little disappointed at the lack of politeness this choice of outfit suggested. He should have worn a ceremonial kimono, or at least a traditional outfit for such an event. Hinata had always respected etiquette to the letter, and so she found it hard to understand how others could decide not to abide by it.
"Uchiha-san," she finally told him in a voice she wanted to be particularly confident.
A sneer formed on the young man's lips. He in turn bent down to curtsy, before extending his remaining arm to the girl with the Byakugan.
"Hinata Hyuuga, he articulated in a strong voice. Let's go," he added, inviting the girl to take his arm.
Hinata nodded gently and let Sasuke take her by the arm. She turned for a moment and sent Kô a smile. Her bodyguard nodded and left the building. Hinata felt a pinch tighten in her chest. Now she was truly alone. With a quick movement, Sasuke led her further into the Hokage tower. Without protest, the girl followed him. In silence, they climbed the stairs to the Hokage's office. As they reached the swinging doors of the office, Hinata noticed that Sasuke let out a small sigh. "The situation isn't easy for him either", Hinata thought, observing the man who was to become her future husband.
Sasuke then turned back to Hinata and plunged his gaze into the young girl's pearly eyes.
"Are you ready?" he asked her softly.
Hinata was astonished by the softness of his tone. The young Uchiha's voice, from what she could remember when they were younger, had always been authoritative. So the use of such a gentle tone really surprised the young girl.
"Yes," she replied, giving Sasuke an embarrassed look.
Instead of taking her arm, this time he took her hand and enclosed it in his. Hinata knocked on the office door, but without waiting for an answer, Sasuke dragged them inside. Hinata let out a tiny scream at her future husband's abruptness, which seemed to amuse him.
As they entered the room, they were immediately confronted by Kakashi Hatake, the sixth Hokage, standing upright behind his massive oak desk. Since losing his sharingan in the Fourth Great Ninja War, the former leader of Team Seven had left both his eyes visible. Hinata preferred it this way; she had always been embarrassed by his mask, which hid almost his entire face. She had always thought that ninjas who wore such masks must have something to hide.
"Good morning Hokage-sama," Hinata exclaimed, letting go of Sasuke's hand to curtsy.
As she stood up, she could hear Sasuke let out a tiny laugh. He then approached the Hokage and pulling a scroll from his cloak, placed it on the Hokage's desk.
"Kakashi", he said finally in a voice that sounded annoyed.
Hinata really couldn't stand the young Uchiha's lack of politeness. "He's talking to the Hokage," she thought, totally embarrassed. She felt her face heat up, and suspected she must be blushing. But the Hokage didn't seem to mind. He stood up and, with a wave of his hand, invited them to sit down on the two seats opposite his desk.
"Hinata-sama, Sasuke, I welcome you," replied the sixth Hokage. I must say I was a little surprised when I heard you were getting married," he added, casting a questioning glance at the two young people.
Hinata didn't know what to say, but simply lowered her eyes, praying that everything would end quickly.
"It's just a wedding, there's nothing to talk about for hours," Sasuke replied with a sigh. Can we proceed with the signing? he continued dryly.
Hinata raised her head and sent an embarrassed look to the Hokage, as if to apologize for her future husband's attitude.
"We'll proceed with the signing, yes," replied Kakashi, giving his former pupil an exasperated look. But first I must ask the usual questions to make sure this marriage is consensual on both sides," he added, sending Hinata a small, sympathetic smile.
"Let's hurry then," murmured Sasuke.
"Very well. Sasuke Uchiha, will you marry Hinata Hyuuga ?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I want to marry Hinata Hyuuga," he replied in exasperation, "and I'd like to sign the marriage contract now," he added in a jerky voice that showed growing impatience.
Hinata let out a sigh, exasperated by Sasuke Uchiha's attitude.
"Very well," replied Kakashi. "Hinata Hyuuga, do you want to marry Sasuke Uchiha? "
"Yes", she replied, this time daring to look the young Uchiha in the eyes.
He quickly looked away before unrolling the parchment he had placed on the Hokage's desk.
"Are you sure, Hinata?" asked the Hokage.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Kakashi. This new question didn't seem to be customary; once the fiancée had answered yes, there was no need to ask more. This question seemed to enrage the young man. Instinctively, Hinata put her hand on Sasuke's arm to calm him down.
"It's not my choice, but it's my duty and I'll carry it out to the best of my ability," she replied in a smooth, almost self-assured voice.
The sixth in line nodded and handed Hinata a quill so she could sign the parchment. She did so immediately, before passing the quill to Sasuke. With a quick gesture, the young man did the same. From then on, the two young people were officially married. The Hokage was now going to announce the marriage throughout the village.
"It's done, there's no turning back now" Hinata thought as she left the Hokage's office without a word to the two men in the room.