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Duty	By : bean1498 Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 7996 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
Title: Duty
Author: Monkey Lady
Summary: Hinata and Sasuke find out that they are supposed to wed, according to an old contract between their fathers. Despite some reservations they go ahead with it. Unfortunately old enemies start to surface and interrupt their budding romance.
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Hinata/Sasuke, hints of other pairings, but no nookie from other pairings
Feedback: Constructive please (or glowing if you like)
Characters: Pretty much all of the rookie 9 circle
Beta: archaicrose-she�s my new beta and helping me out a ton! She spent days getting through this beast! My old beta xrouguegirl was also very good, we just lost touch. :)
Author�s notes: This is a fic I�ve been doing for a while and honestly I�m losing a bit of my steam on it, but people have asked me to finish it. It�s finally finished and I won�t be doing any sequels or adding anything else to the end. If you find any boo boos that I missed, just e-mail me at bean120001@yahoo.com and let me know.
*Disclaimer: Not making any money off of this. I just like the characters and want to manipulate them into wildly inappropriate positions for my own pleasure�and yours too I suppose. :)

Chapter 1

Hinata sat quietly in the hallway, wondering why the Hokage had summoned her. If it concerned a mission, wouldn�t she have summoned the whole team? Like most of the other teams from her graduating class, Hinata�s team had stuck together, minus Kurenai. She had her own missions to take care of and Hinata, Kiba and Shino certainly weren�t helpless without her. Having a master genjustu user leave the team had been a bit of a blow, but they�d managed well enough. They rarely failed a mission or caused trouble, aside from Kiba�s antics, so they�d been allowed to stay together in the end.

Hinata clenched her hands tightly in her lap, wondering if she�d done something wrong this time. Usually it was Kiba getting yelled at for some prank or fight. Nothing came to mind, but perhaps she was forgetting something. The only thing she could imagine getting scolded for was an incomplete mission record. It wasn�t uncommon for certain details to get left out of the records, usually those that were embarrassing to the writer of said record. Not that she ever left anything out anyway, but maybe the Godaime was suspicious that she had. Gods knew, with shinobi like Kakashi and Naruto, details often got breezed over in favor of recounting the action sequences or simply getting the report in on time.

The door finally opened and the beautiful blond waved her in, effectively cutting off any other musing about her summons. �Good morning Hinata,� she greeted softly, wandering behind her desk. She waved the girl nonchalantly towards a chair and sat in her own at the desk.

�Good morning Godaime,� Hinata replied, sitting down in the hard chair facing the front of Tsunade�s desk. She noted immediately that she and the Hokage were not the only two in the room. Sasuke Uchiha sat stiffly on a couch a few feet from her. His normally passive face was set in a deep scowl and his arms were firmly crossed over his chest. She got the distinct impression that the Uchiha heir was pouting, something she had thought she�d never see. Did her summons have something to do with him? She certainly hoped not. She�d rather get a scolding for an incomplete report than deal with the grumpy heir.

�I would imagine that you want to know why I called you here Hinata,� Tsunade began, after a thoughtful silence. �It�s not about a mission, so don�t concern yourself about that,� she assured. �You�ve only been home for a day from your last mission. Considering its length I�d image that your team would like a bit of time to rest up.�

Hinata was nearly twenty-one and her power had grown considerably, but the idea of an independent mission still didn�t have its appeal, especially after a six week mission visiting the Sand. Working with the Sand Siblings, for that long, tended to fray even the mellowest of tempers. Relieved, she blinked pale eyes and then nodded at the Hokage. �Yes of course. Please tell me what you need from me Tsunade-sama,� she said softly.

Tsunade looked at her for a long moment, as if considering what to do with her, and then sighed. �Hinata, after your duties to Konoha, where do your duties lie?� the blond asked, leaning forward on her forearms on the desk.

Hinata frowned slightly and flicked her gaze towards the dark-haired man a few feet away. Was she actually in trouble? If so, why was the broody Uchiha here to witness it? Hinata scrambled to think of anything that might have gone wrong during the mission to the Sand, but couldn�t think of anything she�d been personally involved in. Again, Kiba was their sole source of grief most days. She didn�t understand what this was about in the least. Most of all she didn�t have a clue what she�d done that could involve the last Uchiha in anyway.

Of course she knew that her ultimate duty was to the village, followed immediately by the duty to her clan. Was she in trouble with her clan? Still, what would that have to do with Sasuke anyway? After a panicked moment she decided, no, they wouldn�t have sent her to the Hokage for punishment, especially if another clan was somehow involved. Their methods were far more effective�and permanent. Neji bore the marks of just how ruthless her clan could be. She didn�t doubt that they�d personally handle anything she�d done with equal severity. She looked back at the blond and cleared her throat nervously. �With my clan, ma�am,� she said hesitantly.

�Precisely,� Tsunade affirmed, nodding slightly. �Your duty to your clan is vital for the continuing strength and survival of our village. Your clan and the Uchiha clan are two of the strongest of the Konoha clans, as I�m sure you�re aware. The continuation of those two clans is very important. I�m sure you understand that too.�

Hinata nodded, swallowing hard. So that was why Sasuke was here. It was a clan issue, and she was getting a sick feeling that she knew exactly what this was really all about. It didn�t take a genius to follow the logical line of thought to �marriage� when matters of clan continuation started to come up. Her father had been hounding her for two years to find a husband and secure the continuation of their line. She realized that her time had very likely just run out. Hinata decided that he�d probably tired of nagging her about it and had simply sent her straight to her ultimate boss, the one who could order her to do absolutely anything; even marry a man she barely knew for the sake of strong bloodlines. �Godaime, Sasuke and I barely know each other. I don�t think we�d make a good�� she started softly.

�I think I know what you�re going to say,� Tsunade said, holding her hand up. �It�s out of my hands though. I really and truly can�t change this without the permission of your father, and he�s not going to give it. He already assured me of that fact when I contacted him early this morning. The only other men that could release you two from the contract are dead.�

�I don�t understand,� Hinata whispered, unconsciously tightening her grip on the arms of her chair. When she�d been called for this morning, marriage hadn�t even entered her head as a possible reason. Her throat tightened and her heart started pounding unpleasantly. Of course she�d known she�d eventually have to marry, but she didn�t expect it so soon and certainly not to Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke stood and spoke for the first time since she had come into the room. �Our fathers arranged the union when we were five,� he said, his voice laced with fury. He picked up a scroll that had been lying next to him on the couch and shoved it at her. �Recently I have been trying to put some order to the chaos of the Uchiha storage rooms. I found this contract amongst my father�s belongings. Unfortunately, I was not made aware of the contract or the impending marriage I would face before he died. The Third also died when we were genin, so there is no way to remedy the situation now that we have found out about it. The contract states that we were to be formally engaged at age 15 and married at 17. We�re a bit tardy in both aspects,� he said a bit sarcastically. �You should read it,� he growled.

Cheeks flushed, Hinata took the scroll and carefully opened it with shaking fingers. It was all there, the marriage agreement, their fathers� signatures, and the Third�s seal. It also stated that if the contract was not fulfilled, the couple could not marry another. It was a cruel twist that forced them to agree or live their life without a legitimate companion or heirs. As the Hyuuga Heiress, she had no choice but to marry and produce the next heir. Clan stability relied upon it.

The scroll fell to the floor with a thump. Why had her father even bothered urging her to marry if he already had it all arranged? Better question, why hadn�t she been told? At least she would have had the chance to warm up to the idea. It was highly unusual for her to be ignorant of her own engagement, since she normally would have spent a great deal of time with her fianc�s family to prepare her to take over his home as the clan�s mistress and matriarch. Her father was alive and well, thanks to Neji�s father, so there wasn�t an excuse for her own ignorance about the arrangement.

Perhaps he had panicked a bit when the whole clan was decimated, leaving only a child and a madman. Her father had probably sneered that the idea of being connected to such a family at that point. Or was it because of the Uchiha�s three-year defection or perhaps, just because her father usually felt he knew best? It wouldn�t have surprised her if he�d told her as he marched her down the isle to Sasuke�s side. Still�. �Sasuke,� she started, her throat catching with unshed tears. He looked furious, hell she was furious! �I didn�t know about this, I swear. If I had known, I would have told you�.�

The young man�s face cleared briefly and he nodded. �I know. I don�t blame you, just our fathers.� He turned his cold gaze on the Hokage and frowned. �So there is no other way? I have my own goals to complete and Hinata deserves better than this. There are other powerful men with and without clans that would be decent alternatives. What about Naruto? We never imagined the power he�d manage to develop, and despite his idiotic antics his heart is in the right place. His heirs would be just as powerful as my own, if not more so. There�s even some speculation that a new bloodline limit could emerge from his line. Wouldn�t he make a better husband to her? Surely you could convince Hyuuga of that,� he grunted irritably. �Hell Shino and Kiba are still single and would probably make better husbands than I would. They�re both from respectable clans, single and actively searching for good matches. She could definitely do a lot worse than either of them,� he said throwing his arms up in frustration.

Hinata felt her heart squeeze at the mention of her childhood crush. Everyone knew about her long time crush on the blond, except for Naruto of course. It wasn�t really a surprise that Sasuke knew. He quietly observed the world around him; hardly anything could slip past his watchful gaze. She half hoped the Hokage could arrange it. Naruto wasn�t nearly as flamboyant as he had been as a child, but he was still sweet and stubbornly loyal. She could learn to really love a man like him. Unfortunately she knew her father would never allow it, which made her reply even as the Hokage took a breath to speak. �You know my father would never agree, Sasuke. He thinks Naruto is a monster, even though we all know he has the fox well under control,� she said softly, blushing. �Thank you for the offer though.�

Sasuke sighed and nodded. �I don�t like this,� he muttered. He faced the Hokage again, �It�s not that I don�t want a wife or to rebuild my clan�but Hinata shouldn�t be forced into this. I can find any number of women adequate enough to bear my heirs. I don�t need one forced into the position, especially one so deserving of more.�

Hinata blinked at the surprising compliment, while Tsunade rubbed her temples and sighed. �I understand your concern, I do, but this is a binding agreement. If you were insane, dead or still out with Orochimaru, I could work around it. As it is, I know she�ll be perfectly safe with you and as you said, you need to rebuild your clan. Imagine children with the ability to use both of your bloodline techniques. The combination would be devastating against our enemies.�

�So we�re ideal breeding stock then?� he sneered, folding his arms and glaring at Tsunade.

Tsunade eyed him in annoyance. �Yes, that�s exactly what you are. You�re the heirs to your respective clans, it�s what you were born for,� she snapped. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed again. �Well Hinata will no longer be the Hyuuga heir. That will go to Hanabi, as we�re not ready to actually combine the two clans into one. However, the fact remains that you are two very powerful people, politically and physically, and your union will be unmatchable, even with men like Naruto, Kiba or Shino.�

Hinata gasped in shock, feeling like she�d just been kicked in the gut. She knew her sister was better suited to the role of clan chief, being much more focused on it, but it was a painful blow nonetheless. For years her father had wavered on making Hinata his heir, worried that her gentle spirit and sub par fighting skills would cause tension and division in the clan. Even as her shyness faded and she started training every waking moment, he still hesitated. It wasn�t until last summer that he�d finally decided that she was strong enough, and now he�d taken it all away again. Did he even remember the contract? Did he already know what was happening here in the Hokage�s office? Was he, at that very moment, informing his new heir of her position? Very likely the answer to all was �yes�, since the Hokage seemed sure that he was all for supporting the contract as is. After all she said she�d spoken to him that morning.

Though, in a way, she was serving her clan in a more important way, she decided with a flash of uncharacteristic smugness. She would be bringing in new blood and new powers, where Hanabi would likely marry one of their lesser cousins, when the time came. Several of her mother�s nephews had already been considered and a few of their second cousins on her father�s side. Those kinds of marriages kept the bloodline from diluting too much and filtering out of the family altogether. On the other hand, Hinata�s sacrifice is what kept a clan from breeding itself out and destroying is strength by passing on and pairing up too many weaknesses. Plus Sasuke�s bloodline would be an excellent addition to her own. She bit at her lip, imagining what their children would be able to do, and what their descendents would be like. Just a look could very well bring any army to their knees. It was a heady thought, the kind that she had rarely allowed herself to consider as heir to one of the most powerful clans in the land. Her marriage to Sasuke could very well spell the beginning of a whole new, alarmingly powerful clan, and she could be the mother of it.

Realizing this was the only way forward, Hinata took a deep breath and steadied her resolve. Standing and squaring her shoulders she looked first at Sasuke with a smile and then at the Hokage seriously. �It�s okay. I will marry Sasuke, if he agrees. They are correct in the assumption that this is a wise match. It will not be easy, of course, but it is best for Konoha and our clans,� she said softly, but firmly. �I will gladly marry him and bear his heirs. It will be an honor to serve my village and our clans in this.�

The two blinked at her, startled by the amount of talking she�d just managed. Usually, she was a one sentence at a time conversationalist, rather like Sasuke actually. Tsunade sighed and spoke first. �Very well. Then you need to sign the scroll, both of you, and it will be done. Hinata�s family will provide the wedding festival if they so desire, but by signing the scroll you will officially be married under Konoha law.�

Hinata stepped forward to pick up the fallen scroll, with trembling fingers. She laid it out on Tsunade�s wide desk, and without another word, she signed it. To officially seal the signature she bit her thumb and pressed a bloody print in the parchment and then stepped away with a sigh. Sasuke studied her curiously for a moment and then stepped forward to sign his own name with tight, precise strokes, repeating her actions with his own blood seal. Tsunade stamped her official wax seal on the scroll to complete the agreement and rolled it up once again. She handed the scroll to Sasuke. �Congratulations on your happy union,� she said softly. �Sasuke, you and Hinata should go and collect Hinata�s belongings and move her into the Uchiha mansion today. It would be best to start as you will go on and begin this marriage today. Putting it off will just make it easier to continue doing so. I�ll send word to her father and have messengers carry word to the villagers.�

�C-could you also send word to all our friends and ask them to meet up at the Uchiha mansion?� Hinata asked quietly. �I think it would be better if we told them ourselves.� The Hokage nodded at the dark haired woman and smiled, glad to pass Naruto and Kiba�s inevitably loud responses off to the �happy� couple. Hinata smiled back, her lips quivering slightly under the stress of the moment. She bowed to the blond and walked slowly from the room, hardly believing what had just happened.

She felt Sasuke�s silent presence behind her as she left the Hokage�s tower and made her way towards her father�s home. �I�m sorry, Sasuke,� she whispered after a moment. �If I had known I would have warned you much sooner.�

Sasuke shook his head, moving up to her side. �I told you I don�t blame you. You didn�t arrange this, so you have nothing to be sorry for. It�s not like you�re one of my many stalkers that has finally managed to trap me into marriage,� he said with a sigh. �You might want to consider steering clear of other women for a bit,� he warned softly. After a moment of silence he huffed softly in amusement. �It�s kind of funny, because I think you�re the only girl in the village that didn�t join the Sasuke fan club,� he teased. �I wonder what that implies?�

She flushed at Sasuke�s unfamiliar teasing and stuttered, �It�s not�I didn�t�I think you are very handsome Sasuke�but when I was a girl I watched someone else.�

�Naruto, yes I know,� he sighed after a moment, nodding. �How he has never figured out your feelings for him, I�ll never understand. I know I say he�s dense sometimes, but really he�s not that bad. Perhaps he just didn�t understand what he saw when you�d watch him,� he said with a sigh and a shrug. �Do you still?� he asked softly after a moment, glancing in her direction. �I don�t hold any prior claim on your feelings, of course, but I�d like to know if my wife�s feelings are engaged elsewhere.�

She shook her head, �No. I care for him, but not deeply enough to marry him. He is meant for someone else I think, maybe even something else, greater than we could imagine. I don�t love him enough to�.� She winced then, realizing she�d still married a man, that she held no love for, anyway. Despite his surely demeanor, she respected him and even liked him a bit, but love wasn�t there. They weren�t meant for each other, yet here they were, married, bound for life to the other.

�Hinata�� Sasuke started hesitantly, noting her slip with a small pang of regret. �I know we don�t share a common love or passion for each other�.� He was blushing slightly and looked at the ground as they walked. He was grateful that most people were at the market this time of day and the path they took was empty. �I�d like to have a happy marriage with you, built on respect and honesty, if nothing else; though I wouldn�t be opposed to developing at least a deep friendship with the mother of my children.� He cleared his throat, �And on the subject of providing me with heirs and the method of doing so�.�

�Oh,� she gasped. She�d forgotten a rather important part of marrying him. They�d share a bed of course. How else could she give heirs to him? �It will be very awkward, won�t it?� she asked with a small, shy smile. He was right when he said that they didn�t share a common love or even passion. They barely even knew each other outside missions, let alone well enough to be naked and subsequently intimate with each other.

Hinata had a hard time even picturing him in that fashion, something that�d rarely been an issue with Lee, Naruto, Kiba, and even occasionally Shino and Shikamaru. Sasuke was quiet and pretty and mysterious. The other women in the village adored him in a way Hinata had never really thought about. Now might be an excellent time to start thinking about it, considering what they�d probably be doing in a few short hours from now. After all, clan law stipulated that a marriage needed to be consummated within days of the wedding, preferably the day of.

He sighed and nodded. �I imagine so.� He stopped and turned to look down at her seriously. �I won�t hurt you though. Believe it or not, I can be gentle, despite my rather bumpy history.�

�I don�t think you would hurt me,� she said honestly. She moved forward again, blushing lightly and clasping her hands before her. What a time to be a virgin. Hinata mentally cursed her shyness on matters of, well everything, but especially about sex. Kiba probably would have obliged her at anytime growing up together. She hadn�t ever attempted to find out, which is why she�d actually be one of the few in her profession to go to her marriage bed a real life, blushing virgin. Would he want to consummate the marriage tonight, despite the shock of the sudden marriage? �Should I come to you tonight?� she whispered.

He nodded after a moment�s hesitation, a faint blush touching his pale skin. �Yes, I think it would best that we get past the awkwardness right away. Hinata, you�re very pretty and I do like you, so I think that this doesn�t have to be all about duty, for me at least. I am not very experienced in that area, but I would like you to enjoy being in my bed. When the time comes, please tell me what you need and what you don�t like,� he said softly. �I don�t want you to be afraid to talk to me, ever, and especially in a place as private and personal as our marriage bed.�

�Yes, of course, I will try,� she replied blushing furiously, not knowing what else she could possibly say at a moment like this. She couldn�t believe that she was having this discussion with Sasuke of all people. Most people lusted after him, but deep down had decided the man was asexual. No one ever saw him with a woman, or a man for that matter, in a way that indicated they�d been intimate in any way. Sasuke was cool, calm, serious and collected. She couldn�t imagine him allowing that control to slip to something like lust and passion. Though imagining what his face must look like, flushed, mouth open in a soft pant, hair mussed, was appealing enough to deepen her blush.

Her cheeks were still a bit red when they walked through the gates to her home and saw her father waiting for them. He came forward immediately, smiling lightly and pulling her into a tight hug. He didn�t seem to notice the way she stiffened at his presently unwelcome touch. �I just spoke with the messenger, the one Tsunade-sama sent. I promise we will have a proper celebration for you in a few weeks to mark this momentous occasion Hinata. You have made me very proud. You will help make our clan grow stronger with this union and resurrect another proud clan.� He inclined his head towards the stoic Uchiha. She nodded and blushed harder as the methods for doing so sprang to mind once again, along with her new image of Sasuke�s face. Gods, it�d only been 30 minutes since she�d married the man!

�Father,� she greeted softly, a hint of coldness in her normal sweet voice. �We�re sorry you missed the marriage you so carefully arranged for us. We decided it was best just to sign the contract and get on with it though.�

He looked at her with a frown and, without a word in response, led the two into the sprawling mansion and down the halls to her living quarters. Already maids were bustling about, packing up her belongings and furniture. Her father must have had them at the ready, simply waiting for word from their Hokage on the result of the morning meeting. She felt tears prickle at the corners of her eyes as she looked around and saw her life being packed up and moved with little more than her signature on a paper to prompt it. Never did she imagine that her life would change in the span of an hour when she got up that morning. Tonight she would sleep beneath another man�s roof and very likely in his arms.

�You will, of course, be moving to the Uchiha compound today. We�ll miss you at the Hyuuga compound, but duty requires you to be elsewhere now Hinata. Keep me informed on your progress on the matter of your heir, please. Congratulations on your union my dear,� her father said finally, sweeping on down the hall.

Seeing the tears forming in her pale eyes at the abrupt dismissal from her formal life, Sasuke tugged on her arm and gently pulled her into his chest. �Don�t worry, Hinata. Your life in my home will be comfortable, and you can visit here anytime you like. I�m sure Hanabi will need some guidance to take on your duties, so you�ll have plenty of excuses to visit with her and the rest of your family. I won�t make this marriage a hardship on you.�

She looked up at him, blinking away her tears and smiled shyly. He really was much nicer than his cold expression revealed. She had a sneaking suspicion he was afraid to let himself go enough to love and care for people after the devastating loss of his entire clan. Maybe she could change that.

Shyly she let her arms slide around his waist, ignoring the giggles and whispers of the maids. They probably thought this was a love match, not a cold business agreement. Their lives weren�t ruled by the whims of the clan council, duty and destiny. They all married for love and only saw what they wanted to in her new marriage. She let them believe whatever they wished. It didn�t matter anyway. Before the end of the day they�d rarely ever see her in the great Hyuuga household.

After a moment Sasuke nudged her towards the maids and suggested that they help with the packing. �It�ll be done faster, and we need to meet with the others at my� at our home soon,� he corrected himself with a wry grin. She nodded and they both set to work packing and moving, until all of her belongings were loaded into wagons outside and rolling towards the Uchiha mansion.

***
They had just finished getting her furniture settled in the empty bedroom that connected to his own, when Naruto�s loud voice rang through the halls. �Sasuke, you bastard! Where are you? The old hag said I needed to come over right away.� Hinata giggled lightly at the endearments the loud blond had yelled and at the exasperated sigh of her new husband. Naruto peaked into the room and grinned. �There you are. Rearranging furniture?� He spotted Hinata and blinked in surprise. �Hinata? Are you helping?� he asked with a big grin and a warm hug. �I didn�t know you two were friends.�

�Naruto,� Sasuke growled lightly, tugging his friend away from his blushing wife. �Did I ever tell you that you talk too much?�

�Yesterday as a matter of fact,� the blond said with a snicker. He winked at Hinata, who blushed brighter and laughed lightly, and then leaned against the wall. �So why were we all supposed to come over anyway? The old hag said it was important and we all needed to get here by noon.�

Sasuke looked up as Sakura and Ino called out curiously from down the hall. He had intended to meet them all in the formal sitting room, but Naruto calling them into Hinata�s bedroom, killed that idea.

Moments later Sakura and Lee wandered in, carrying their two girls, one with a cloud of fuzzy pink hair and the other with straight black locks. The pink haired beauty, Akina, had been born only a month ago and was the new pride and joy of the young Konoha ninja. Her elder sister, Mika, already had everyone charmed into doing her smallest bidding. All of Lee and Sakura�s friends spoiled the two horribly, even though the girls didn�t quite know it yet. Mika was the closest to catching on, and with only three weeks until her third birthday had already began to demand what she expected to receive on the big day.

Ino and Shikamaru followed closely behind, Ino�s own belly just beginning to plump with their first child. Gradually the room filled with the others, Kiba and Akamaru, Choji, Shino, Ten Ten, and, surprisingly, Neji. Sasuke assumed that he would have been told at the Hyuuga complex. From what he�d heard the elder Hyuuga had taken an interest in the Neji and was grooming him to help lead the branch family and to advise the primary family�s heir. Surely something as important as their heir getting married off would have come to his notice immediately. Perhaps he was just there to ensure that they were believed.

�So what�s up Sasuke?� Sakura asked, shifting her Mika to her hip and leaning into Lee. �Tsunade said it was important when I saw her in the tower an hour ago.�

He nodded, a small frown on his lips. �We asked that you be brought here today, so we could tell you in person, rather than you hearing it from one of the messengers circulating through town,� Sasuke began, drawing Hinata against his side.

Even for Sasuke, a man that was never seen with another man or woman in the intimate sense, the possessive nature of the embrace stuck a chord. The women gasped in instant comprehension and a few of the men frowned in confusion. Ever the loud one, Ino squealed and pointed. �You�re getting engaged! Oh that�s wonderful!�

�Not engaged,� Hinata corrected her, blushing. �We�re already married.� She glanced up at Sasuke and then leaned into his side. He nodded and smiled slightly at her. She looked back at the stunned group and shrugged a little. �This morning actually.�

�What!� Naruto cried, jumping away from his slouched position against the wall. �Why didn�t you two invite us to something that important? I thought we were friends you bastard!� he yelled at Sasuke. �We�re teammates for nine years and you couldn�t say, �oh by the way, I�m getting married today if you want to drop by.��

Sasuke frowned at him and sighed. �Stop yelling idiot. We didn�t know about the arranged engagement until I discovered it, by chance, last night. We were actually supposed to marry several years ago, but we weren�t made aware of that. For reasons unknown to us Hinata�s father decided to hold off on telling us about the contract. After I found it and confronted the Fifth about it, there really wasn�t anything that could be done to stop it. It was quick and simple, no ceremony.�

�Oh Hinata,� Sakura sighed sadly. �No wedding day for you? That�s so sad!� Ino nodded her agreement. Several men in the room rolled their eyes. What was it with women and weddings? They got all gaga eyed every time one of the others started planning one. Right now Ino and Sakura were probably cursing the fact that they couldn�t help Hinata pick out flowers, more than Hinata was upset about the lack of a wedding ceremony.

�That�s not really true,� Neji said softly from the back of the crowd. �I heard about the arrangement and made a few quick plans at the main house, if you don�t mind,� he said to the new couple. �My family is preparing food as we speak, and they will bring it all shortly. It was nearly time for lunch anyway, so it was really quite easy to rearrange the kitchen staff to accomplish the feat. Even though there was no ceremony, we will at least have a wedding party for them, if they do not mind the invasion.� Sasuke shrugged and looked to his new wife. Hinata beamed and nodded at her quiet cousin. �Good, I�ll go watch for them and direct them to the back lawn then,� the tall Hyuuga informed them, slipping out of the room.

Sasuke suggested that they should all go outside so they could help the family when they arrived. With Sasuke leading the way, everyone except for Hinata, Ino and Sakura filed from the room. Sakura handed off her dark haired daughter to Shikamaru and gently shut the door, before turning to Hinata.

�Shouldn�t we go too?� Hinata asked softly looking at the two women curiously.

�We will in a moment, I promise,� Sakura said, reaching out to take Hinata�s hand with a soft smile and a gentle pat. �Ino and I would like to chat with you for a moment, since you are a married woman, and we just happen to be in the same situation. We can give you a little advice and then we�ll go down and help set up for the party.�

Ino nodded and smiled. She had been curious as to why they�d stayed back, but it wasn�t hard to figure out that Sakura felt the need to have �the talk� with the gentle Hyuuga woman. Her mother had passed away years ago, and Ino doubted that Hinata�s father had sat down and had a heart to heart with her about married life. If he had it�d be more along the lines of �It�s your duty to provide heirs for your husband. Do not fight his advances.� That was more alarming than helpful really and just the thing an overbearing clan leader might say to his daughter and heir. Besides it was common knowledge that Hinata had never dated anyone and hadn�t shown interest in any man, aside from Naruto. �Yes and I�m sure you understand that Sasuke is the sole survivor of his clan and will be responsible for its revival. I�d imagine that was brought up several times this morning for you already though.�

Hinata blushed uncertainly and clasped her hands in front of her. �We talked about that already. It was part of the reason we agreed to this. Not that we had any choice in the matter anyway, but it is easier to handle if I pretend that we did have a choice and that this marriage was it.�

Sakura nodded and sank onto the bed, beckoning Hinata to join her. �Do you know all about what that will entail? Do you know what will happen tonight when you join Sasuke in his bed? I may not be from a big clan, like you, but I understand what is expected of the bride and groom in such a union. I don�t want to insult your intelligence Hinata, but I want to make sure that you know what you�re about to get into.�

Hinata sat, blushing furiously. �Y-yes, more or less�I mean I know what will happen�what is supposed to happen�� she said trailing off. �I mean how could I not know? I�m nearly twenty-one, a shinobi, and the only woman on my team. It does come up on occasion,� she said, embarrassed to admit to such a thing.

Ino sat down and patted her arm sympathetically. �So you understand, at the very least, the basics, so that�s good a good start. That gets the dull part out of the way.� She grinned deviously at Sakura. �Maybe we should tell her about the fun parts, hmm?� Sakura grinned back, and Hinata had a sinking feeling that she was about to lose a little bit of her innocence and it had nothing to do with her husband or his bed.

***
Sasuke threw an uneasy glance up at the window where he knew his new wife was trapped with Ino and Sakura. He knew that they wouldn�t do anything mean to her; they were her friends after all. Rather he was afraid that they were telling her things she didn�t particularly need to know all at once. Hell they might even be telling her things that he didn�t need to know.

Sasuke didn�t know a lot about women, having avoided their advances for nearly his whole life, but he did know that Hinata was terribly shy, especially when it came to men. She�d secretly adored Naruto for years and barely spoke to him the entire time. Sometimes he even wondered why she was a ninja. Her strength wasn�t in question, not with her family�s unique techniques, but her ability to lead and make ruthless decisions was. She was a gentle soul in a harsh profession.

Sasuke also knew that the little tidbits they might be feeding her right now, would just make her all the more nervous around him. Marrying a man, that she�d never even dated, was probably difficult enough, but becoming intimate with him in almost the same breath, had to be nerve-wracking.

Sasuke was already a little nervous about tonight, or whenever they decided to become intimate, but Hinata was probably feeling much more so. After all, nothing about the act could possibly be painful for him, except for perhaps the extreme awkwardness of the situation. She, on the other hand, was just so sweet and delicate. Despite his outwardly cool exterior, deep inside he could admit he didn�t want to see her get hurt or to be afraid of him. Not that he could imagine any kunoichi really being destroyed by the clumsy loss of her virginity. He just hoped that he didn�t put her off of the activity altogether. For the first time he could remember he was truly regretting that he�d never taken up any of the offers of a warm bed from at least one or two of his admirers.

Realizing that there really wasn�t much he could do to save her at the moment or to prevent the eventual consummation of their marriage, he sighed and helped direct his few servants and his friends in setting up chairs and tables brought out from storage. The Hyuuga family started arriving slowly, shortly after they finished setting out the furniture, so he was distracted further by directing the new crowd.

Apparently news had spread quickly through the town, for not only did both branches of her family make an appearance, so did the rest of the town, bearing hastily prepared food and gifts for the last minute couple. As the villagers flowed into the yard, he couldn�t help but smile at the resourcefulness and quick response of the Konoha people. Though, when your village revolved around training ninja and being prepared for anything, he supposed that he shouldn�t be all that surprised.

***

When Hinata, Ino and Sakura finally appeared nearly an hour later, the sprawling backyard was full of groaning tables, heavy with food, and happy, laughing villagers. She looked around, wide-eyed, not believing what she was seeing. Ninja, teachers, family and villagers, that she�d known all her life, were filling every corner of the lawn. Several called out congratulations or waved before going back to eating and chatting with each other.

�Oh wow!� Ino laughed. �I think everyone in the village is here.� She began pointing people out. �See look, there�s the Hokage, Anko, Kakashi, your friends from the academy, your father and your sister�I can�t believe everyone is here and you�ve only been married a few hours! Is nothing a secret in this village?�

Hinata blushed faintly, �Tsunade-sama sent out messengers, and I guess word got out that Neji and the branch family was having a party for us. This is really�I don�t know what to say,� she gasped in bewilderment.

She looked around and spotted Sasuke surrounded by a group of young males, mostly the other ninja their age. He was blushing slightly from what appeared to be a good-natured ribbing from Naruto and Kiba. The two sported wide grins and were wagging their eyebrows. Sasuke sighed and glanced her way, catching her gaze. He smiled to himself and made his excuses to the group, who only laughed and teased more as he left.

His cheeks were a light pink as he approached the three women and he was frowning slightly. Hinata wondered what the boys had been talking about, but she imagined it was very similar to the chat she�d just had with Sakura and Ino. The two women politely excused themselves as Sasuke drew near and went in search of their own husbands. He smiled at her and nodded in greeting.

She ducked her own head shyly and stood at his side, surveying the mob. �There are so many people here. I had no idea�it�s amazing,� she said quietly.

He hummed in reply and threw her a sideways glance. �Do we know all of these people?� he asked one corner of his mouth quirking up in a half smile of amusement.

She smiled back, blushing prettily and shook her head. �I don�t think so. But our families are two of the most influential and wealthy, so I guess we shouldn�t be too surprised. After all, the joining of two noble clans is really an important event in our little village.�

Hinata fell silent when he simply shrugged and nodded. After talking to, or rather listening to all that Ino and Sakura had to say, she was having a difficult time looking at him. Curious images kept popping into her head, making her feel distinctly uncomfortable and warm. It wasn�t that he wasn�t handsome or nice; it�s just that they barely knew each other on a personal basis. Both were quiet and tended to let others control the conversation when they all got together. She had a hard time imagining them in the same room together carrying on a conversation, let alone in bed doing any of the things the two women had suggested.

�Did they scare you?� he cautiously asked, after a long moment of silently watching the guests laughing and dancing and eating. �Sakura and Ino I mean?�

She shook her head and smiled a little. �Not really. It was a bit overwhelming and awkward, but they didn�t scare me. I just can�t�I just can�t see us doing most of those things,� she finished, blushing at the topic of conversation. �I�m sorry. That was rude.�

He shook his head. �It�s okay. We may have always known each other, but it doesn�t mean we really KNOW anything about the other. I understand it will be strange to suddenly share a bed together, but I think we will be okay,� he assured. He turned and looked down at her seriously. �Hinata, I haven�t done this before, but I know I can be careful. I won�t hurt you if I can help it, and I�ll try to make it good for you. I promise,� he said softly.

She looked up at him and smiled, giving him a shy nod. �I understand.� She bit her lip for a moment, working up her courage. �M-maybe you could�I mean we�ve never even held hands or�� she trailed off with a bright flush on her cheeks. She looked at the grass and scuffed her sandal against it.

�Hmm? Look at me Hinata,� Sasuke murmured. He reached out and tilted her chin back up with his hand. She looked up into his dark eyes, her own pleading and shy. She didn�t want to ask out loud, but he understood what she wanted. He�d seen Sakura wear that look for years after all. �Of course,� he murmured. He lowered his head and gently settled his lips over hers, keeping the caress soft and simple as she stiffened in surprise, and then slowly relaxed and put her hands on his chest. He pulled back slightly and smiled at her before moving back in for another gentle, coaxing kiss.

He hadn�t kissed many girls, so this was fairly unfamiliar territory. As she relaxed into him, he breathed a mental sigh, relieved he was doing it right. He was just getting the hang of the kiss when a few snickers floated up from behind and a few of his fellow ninja whistled. Ninja tended to be a rather crude lot. Sasuke pulled gently away from his shy little wife and threw a seething look over his shoulder. Not only were Naruto and Kiba grinning foolishly at them, but so were a good portion of the other guests. Some were smiling and whispering about how cute and in love they were, while others were grinning suggestively, as if Sasuke couldn�t keep his hands off his bride for another moment.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. �Oh for the love of�I�m sorry, Hinata. I forgot we had an audience,� he said in quiet apology. Her nearly permanent blush flared bright, as she buried her face in his vest. �Let�s just get some food and try to ignore any speculative stares, shall we?� he asked. Nodding, she followed him to the tables of food.
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