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Chapter Text

1

'Hinata is a good girl isn't she?'

Sasuke looks up from his food with barely a reaction. He doesn't even know who that is. His mother can tell that much from his blank expression.

'She's from the Hyuuga clan. Strong, powerful, lovely too, I hear. A bit like an angel,’ she explains, smiling knowingly all the while. ‘She'll fit perfectly into our family.'

Sasuke looks down at his food and nods.

If his mother says so it must be true. Uchiha mothers had a keen eye for things like these.

It's tradition for Uchiha mothers to pick their son's wives.

No one could be a better judge of character than her.

‘Brother will be happy.' He says.

His mother shakes her head and reaches out to touch his hand.

'Not your brother, Sasuke, he already has his bride waiting for him. You.' She says, lips stretching softly. 'Promise me you'll marry her some day.'

Sasuke stares at the table, his mother's dainty soft hands over his calloused, rougher ones.

One day it will be his wife to hold him like this.

But for now he can relish in this, his mother and her affection. She cares for him deeply. Everything she says or does is for his sake and his sake only.

Turning his hand under hers, he clasps her and gives a light squeeze.

'I will mother.'

.

Sasuke is almost never home.

There is a war upfront between the Senju and his people, one he believes will carry on for a long time.

That is where he spends most of his time, alongside his father and his brother.

Occasionally they send him back, to stay by his mother.

'You're still so young,' his brother reasons because his distaste is so clear on his face. 'Besides, you know how fond mother is of you more than anyone.'

It's true.

If Itachi is their father's son, the Uchiha heir, bred and born to fulfil duty and preserve clan honour, then Sasuke is his mother's, bred and born to coddle and spoil.

That is what seconds son are generally for.

For mothers to covet and fathers to loathe.

He is mildly surprised to find that is not the case with the Hyuuga.

The newly anointed Hyuuga matriarch has come over for tea and she has brought with her her step daughters.

The mothers converse amiably.

'This must be your second born, he is quite handsome indeed.'

'Thank you, Hyuuga-San. You have very beautiful daughters yourselves too.'

Sasuke looks to the two slight figures sitting beside the lady mumbling her thanks into her sleeves, situated slightly behind.

Hinata Hyuuga and Hanabi Hyuuga.

The first born and the second.

It's almost hard to tell at first.

The timidness that the older one carries herself with is not what anyone would expect from a clan heir.

They are generally raised to be strong, uplifted, sure of themselves, like his brother Itachi.

This one fiddles with her sleeves, keeps her gaze lowered, hides behind her fan and barely speaks a word past polite greeting.

He wonders what went wrong with her.

'Ah,' His mother sets her teacup down then, 'A collection of fine China from the far west was recently sent to me. Would you like to see?'

Instantly, the lady's eyes shine with interest and she sets her teacup down with a clink.

Young and impressionable the new Hyuuga matriarch is.

'O-of course, Mikoto-San!'

His mother smiles a triumphant smile and stands, gathering her robes with her.

'Very well then, the children can play while we women pour over our cutlery.' She turns to him, her smile softer around the edges. 'Do be a nice host and show the girls around will you Sasuke?'

Sasuke stares for a while and then nods for his mother.

Wordlessly, he stands, and he looks at the two girls still sat before him.

The younger one meets his gaze with a hint of anticipation. The older one continues to stare at the floor.

He tears his gaze away and starts to move.

'Come.'

The younger sister of the two scrambles to her feet, dragging her sister along with a tiny, excited 'come on, nee-san!' as they follow after him.

As the three of them tread down the dim hallway, he catches a bit of the conversation inside the tea room.

'Apologies,' his mother chuckles gently, a little sheepish. 'He is quite the serious boy isn't he?’

'It's fine,' the Hyuuga matriarch responds lightly. 'You know what they say, serious men make for the most passionate of husbands, I would know. Now I'd really like to see what China from the west looks like.'

Mikoto chuckles. There is a hint of agreement there.

'Of course. This way.'

.

Hanabi Hyuuga is the curious, jovial one.

After pointing here and there, asking at every turn of a portrait or regalia or room about who that is, what that is and where that door leads to, she has disappeared completely to do her own exploration.

Hinata Hyuuga is as timid and drawn to herself as ever, lingering several steps at his back as he traverses the halls at a steady measured pace.

They are barely walking together.

It's hard not to let the distance bother him.

Pausing, he turns to regard her.

She stops too.

'Why do you stay behind?' He asks.

There's a little start she gives, at being addresses so directly for the first time.

But Sasuke isn't the type to beat around the bush and the sooner she knows that the better.

'I-I-it's rude to...' she trails off. 'Father says women should walk three steps behind the men of the house.'

He stares at her.

The Hyuuga for all their power and lineage are a lot more backwards than he thought.

'I am neither your father, your brother nor your husband. This is not the Hyuuga estate. Be at ease.'

'But-'

He silenced her with a look.

'I insist.'

She gulped, fumbled behind her fan and finally nodded.

'Yes, Uchiha-Sama.'

Wordlessly, she came to his side and fell into step with him.

They walked together in silence for a while.

Rustling from her disturbed the peace, and he watched her fumble and hesitate in her steps from the corner of his eye.

'We shouldn't go too far...' she muttered, worry thick in her uncertain voice. 'Hanabi, she might-'

'She will be fine.' He told her, and when it didn't seem to placate her he added. 'We have servants at every corner of the house even if you don't see them. Your sister will not go missing, if that is what you worry about.'

'Oh, that's a relief.' She mumbled, before looking around, maybe noticing that the quite here was different, almost loud. 'What about here? Are there servants in the walls too?'

Sasuke stopped in front of a shoji slide.

'Not here.'

He felt her gaze turn to him.

'Why?'

He reached out and gave an effortless push to open it and reveal what was on the other side.

'This is where I sleep.'

With no further explanation, he stepped into his private room.

Like he expected, she didn't follow, instead lingering outside the threshold and frozen in place.

He knew she would not move without some coaxing.

'Come.' He said, waiting for her.

She looked at him hesitantly then at the room. Her skirts rustled as her feet shuffled in a backward step.

'I don't think I should-'

'I won't do anything.' He assured her, level and cool. 'There is something I want to show you.'

Her hold on her fan was tight, white knuckled, but he could see the resignation in her already.

'Mother will not be happy, if she hears.'

'She doesn't have to know.' Boldly, he outstretched his hand in between them, showing his palm to her. 'Come, you have my word.'

Lavender eyes stared at his palm, making him wonder if perhaps he had gotten ahead of himself.

But then there's a rustle of her sleeve as she moves her arm and then her hand is in his and she's stepping forward, standing right in front of him.

There is barely any space between them.

His breath fans her bejewelled crown. Hers tickles his chest through his clothes.

She lifts her gaze from the column of his throat to meet his gaze.

'What is it that you wanted to show Uchiha-Sama?’

He stares at her for a while, distracted by the roundness of her milky eyes, the intensity of the perpetual flush on her face, the light press of her front to his.

By the patient, expectant look she wears on her face, it is clear to him that the Hyuuga heiress is nonetheless wiser to the nature of his attention on her.

He'd like to keep it that way.

Pulling himself together, he gathers his wits and puts a front of composure.

He is the first to make a move to put some distance between them, turning to face the room.

But it is insignificant, for he has kept her hand in his and clasped at her gently to guide her into his room.

'This way.'

The Hyuuga heiress' fingers twitch a little but she remains docile and demure, the slim digits closing around his lightly.

'Hai, Uchiha Sama.'

The muffle in her voice tells him she must be covering her face with her fan again.

Is it truly possible for her to get any redder than she is? Redder than him as he was at the moment?

.

Uchiha Mikoto has promised not to interfere in this.

'I want you to show her your true self, and for her to warm up to you for who you really are.' She says.

But as his mother, as the Uchiha Matriarch, it is impossible for her to stay away completely.

Uchiha Mikoto is a bit of a romantic you see, well-versed in the most amorous of literature.

She is not without her own well of advise that she is often willing to share from, especially to her coveted son.

'It is important that when a man moves to woo a woman, he be swift and smooth, not unlike a river.' She tells him. 'Before you ask her to marry you, you must court her first, Sasuke.'

This had been when she had called him for tea the other afternoon, right after she told him that she would like to invite the Hyuuga women over so he can finally start initiating.

'There are things that girls like, and you must find out what these are.' She said to him, turning to look out at the garden with serenity on her face. 'For instance, most girls like flowers. Your mother here is sure Hinata is no different. But, what kind? What colour? Of what season?'

Facing him again, she smiled softly and carried on to tell softly him:

'As her husband, you must be sensitive to these kind of things. Marriage is a compromise between two people who depend on each other, support each other, tend to each other. She cares for you, you care for her. Sometimes it's knowing the little things like these that will move her heart and make her adore you more, Sasuke. That’s how real affection grows true and strong and endless. It is a bottomless pit after all.’

The entire evening, Sasuke had sat there, waiting to hear what his informants would report to him of their findings.

His dark eyes flicked from one exuberant bloom to the other, his mind wondering, hands clasped neatly at his back.

Spider Lillies? White Chrysanthemum? Lilac Hyacinths?

Hinata Hyuuga, just what kind of flower are you?

In the present, he has led her across the threshold of his rooms to the slide on the other side that lead to the engawa.

'It is here,' he said, holding her hand still, reaching to open the door with the other.

Instantly, a strong yet gentle aroma wafted into the room and a light burst of tiny pale lilac petals came along with it.

A gasp at his side made him to turn to regard the wide eyed expression of the Hyuuga Heiress.

'This is...'

'Yes.'

As if in a trance, she stepped forward, pass the engawa and down to the gardens where the blooms flourished abundant, her hand slipping out of his.

Sasuke watched her marvel and crouch at the centre of it all, reaching out to touch softly and graze with reverent lightness.

'I've never seen so many in one place before, and around this time of the year too...'

Wordlessly, he too descended the patio and walked into the garden, calm and steady until he was at her side, standing over her, gazing out at the petals.

At his closeness, she turned to look up at him and he could feel her eyes bore holes into his profile as she stared at him.

'H-how did you know?' She asked him. 'That I like these blooms?'

The suspicion in her voice couldn't have been any more poorly hidden. Or maybe she wanted him to hear it.

She stood then, abandoning the flowers to gather her skirt in a clutch and peer up at him squarely.

'What is this for?' She demanded to know. 'Is there... something you want from me?'

Wordlessly, he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. Her gaze immediately reverted to her feet.

'Are you trying to win my hand?' At his poised silence, she continued, fists tightening on her clothes. Her voice took a shaky turn, but it was from anything related to rage. 'I'm sorry to disappoint, but I am not as valuable as people say.'

The flowers continues to swirl, dancing in the wind, catching in her hair as she hung her head solemnly.

'Hanabi would be a better choice  if you're looking for a match with benefits.' She told him quietly, the defeated slump in her shoulders too hard to miss. 'I... I'm no good. I'm sorry if anyone made you think that way.'

A short lapse of silence passed by.

Sasuke broke it.

He crouched, reached out to graze a bloom. He felt her eyes flick to watch him all the while.

'The flowers,' He said. 'Do you like them?"

'Yes,' she said, looking away from him and then garden again. 'They're... beautiful.'

He pulled back and looked up at her.

'They remind me of you.'

She paused and turned to look at him again.

'You don't mean that,' she turned away from him with a sad look, shaking her head lightly. 'That's not true.'

Sasuke clasped her chin, gently coaxed her into meeting his eyes.

'I do.' He said, looking into her widened, rapidly blinking eyes, the pink in her cheeks deepening gradually as he spoke to her. 'Lavender. It's the colour of your eyes. Pale, gentle, but it's presence is undeniable. Easy to look over in small numbers, but impossible to miss for those who know it's worth. And beautiful too, like you said.'

It's when their noses touch at the tip that she seems to realize just close they had moved to each other.

She started back, almost falling over, but he caught her waist and tugged her forward.

The motion inadvertently brought them closer, his front to hers, his breath mingling with hers.

Her hands flew to his chest to hold him back and keep some distance between them, but it was pointless.

He could feel just how hard her heart was beating. He was sure she could see how his pupils have dilated this close, his gaze unapologetically intense, piercing through her.

Her flush deepened even further and she tried to push at him, nothing but a futile attempt for he was a wall of steel in muscle.

'Uchiha-Sama, we shouldn't- we can't- not before-'

'I know.' He told, the finality in his statement halting her. He meet her puzzled, uncertain gaze levelly. 'I promised you I wouldn't do anything. Even though I might want to.'

Her breathing stuttered, her fists clenching on the seams of his yukata.

With a quickness that rivalled his own formidable speed, she redirected her gaze and looked off to the side.

'I... Uchiha-Sama.' She stammered. 'This is not proper.'

'I know.' He said once more, releasing her from his embrace, but remaining where he stood. 'We need to be married first for it to be.'

'Yes.' She expressed quietly, releasing his yukata and standing back.

Sasuke watched her for a while before crouching to grab her fan that had fallen from the grass in between their feet.

Once he stood again, he handed it to her.

'Would you like that? Is that something you want? Marriage. Marriage with me.'

Reaching out, she took it, hand hidden beneath her sleeve, her fingers brushing his.

'I ...' she stuttered at the graze. 'I don't know yet. I'm not sure.'

Sasuke who had been staring at the spot of contact long after it happened drew his hand back.

He ignored the light tingling there. Distantly he wondered if that was what she felt too.

'You don't need to give me an answer now.' He told her. 'I am in no rush.'

Hinata nodded demurely, clutching her fan to her chest.

Her heart was still beating loud and fast. He could feel it from where he was.

Turning, he gave her his back and started for the engawa.

'Let us head inside. It's getting cold.'

'Hai.'

She followed him back into his room, and they emerged into the halls once more.

Hinata had suggested they look for Hanabi once more.

They looked with their eyes for quite some time before realizing that she had returned to their mothers and was now fast asleep on the Hyuuga matriarch’s lap.

A servant came for her, and they all head out to where their carriage awaited them.

The sun had started to set, casting the world in an orange glow.

Sasuke watched Hinata smooth down her sister's hair as she was gently arranged into the vehicle.

Somehow, she still looked pale as the moon, even in this light.

'It's been a long day hasn't it.' The Hyuuga mother announced, addressing them all one final time. 'I trust you had fun too, Hinata?'

The Hyuuga heiress looked taken aback, eyes flickering to her left where he stood for a moment, but she nodded and gave a demure tilt of her head.

'Yes, Kaa-san.' She said.

Sasuke wondered if he was the only one who noticed how her cheeks had gone red again.

'Good.' Lady Hyuuga smiled. 'Perhaps we should visit more often.'

His mother couldn't have been more pleased at the prospect.

'Of course, we'd love that, Akiko-san. Hinata and Hanabi can come here whenever they like. It gets lonely here, with so many of us away. I'm sure Sasuke and I could do with the company.'

Chapter Text

2

There is something important that his mother thinks he should know about the family she wants him to marry into.

Or maybe it would be more accurate to say: the girl she wants him to bring into theirs.

'The way of the Hyuuga is different from ours. Men hold more power than women, both in the house and out in the world. Their brides have always been offered dowries, their daughters have always married into families and they've never had a matriarch, not like we do.'

This is what Uchiha Mikoto tells her son solemnly as they sit at the engawa and gaze at the moon, her hand gently rubbing the back of his over the firm wood.

'Things are changing of course, especially with the alliance we made, women are being given more opportunities, a chance to wield some power of their own, but for very long, it wasn't like that.' She told him, giving him a meaningful from the corner of her wizened eyes. 'This development, it's very recent. After Hanabi's time, but not before Hinata's.'

It is in this way that she speaks to her son's silent reservations on the match and the girl and tells him more.

'The reason why Hinata is the way she is, is because of the times she was raised in. Not even first daughters were seen as any more than just property to marry off into a good family, a vessel to breed male heirs into. Times have changed yes, but that will not change what she was taught as a child, what she saw of her mother, and what she has been told by her fathers and cousins and uncles. Please understand this and use it to be a better partner to her. Marriage is a compromise. You care for her, she cares for you. Nothing should get in the way of that, not politics, not prejudice. That is what's most important, Sasuke.'

In the present, he sits with beside the Hyuuga heiress at the engawa that leads into their secret garden, idly watching Hanabi run around the bursts of lavender with all the energy and excitement in the world.

'Hanabi,' she calls out through her cupped hands, fan in her lap, 'Slow down, you'll hurt yourself.'

Hanabi of course doesn't listen.

Hinata sighs as her sister lays on the floor and rolls around, and Sasuke can't help the little quirk that tugs at the corner of his lips as he watches her.

There's something satisfying about seeing children being allowed to be children.

'It's a good thing I brought a change of clothes.' He hears her mumble to herself at his side before turning to quietly address him. 'Are you sure it's fine to show her this? I-I told her about it... and she wanted to see...'

'You can bring whoever you want to see.' He told her. 'It's yours.'

She stared at him for a while and turned to look at down at her lap, fiddling with her fan.

'Y-you didn't have to really,' she muttered. 'About what you asked me, it's not up to me. If someone wanted my hand, they'd have to ask my father.'

'I am aware. But I'd like to hear your answer before that.'

'I'm still... thinking.'

'I'll be leaving for the front lines soon. You can give me your answer when I come back.'

'But what if you don't?'

'I will if you want me to.'

'Please come back, Uchiha-Sama.'

The corner of his lips lifted, but he turned before she could see.

'It is getting late. Our mother's must be waiting for us.'

.

Sasuke is gone for a week.

It's an injury he sustains to the arm that forces him to stand aside.

For some reason, Sasuke found himself unable to slay the enemy he'd pinned down with his spear as soon as her helmet fell off to reveal a woman's pale face, pale eyes and long dark hair.

His hesitance had cost him his forearm, a couple of men, and a small piece of himself when he finally pulled himself together and beheaded her in one merciless swing.

He still remembered how her head rolled off her shoulders and down the floor, how her lifeless eyes had gone milky as they stared up at him, how one wide orb had shed a tear.

It keeps him up at night.

His father forbids anyone from tending to him so he can learn from his mistake but Itachi comes to his tent and patches him up anyway.

'Don't worry about father.' His brother tells him. 'About the girl, why did you hesitate?’

'She reminded me of someone.'

'Someone you like?'

'Someone mother wants me to marry.'

'Ah.' His brother nodded, smiled gently. 'She must be pretty, if she's making even you second guess in battle.'

Sasuke did not appreciate his brother's teasing. It felt like a jab to the gaping hole he was nursing beneath the bandages.

'Father thinks I'm weak now.' He said, frowning at his lap, his unhurt fist clenching. 'Weaker than before.'

At his side, his brother sighs and keeps the wooden box of tools on the bed aside.

'Sasuke, do you really think that if Father met a woman who looked like mother on a battlefield, he wouldn't do that same?'

Unsure what to say or even where he was trying to go with this, Sasuke silently stared at his brother and waited for him to continue.

'It’s not a bad thing, to care, to cherish, to be human. It's almost as important as being fearless. If all we did was just kill and hate, we would've ended all those ages ago. I suppose some of us are out here to avenge, but we Uchiha fight to protect. Whatever the reason, whatever we do, it's for our families and friends and loved one. Remember that Sasuke. It's just who we are.'

Sasuke turned away from his brother's long winded speech to stare at his palm through his fringe.

His fist had loosened.

'Who said anything about love?' He mumbled.

His brother chuckled.

'You can fool yourself but you can't fool me. So what's she like, this girl? What's her name?'

'Hinata.'

That is the word that slips from his mouth in the present, though with lilt of a question and in slight disbelief.

'Yes, Uchiha-dono,’ the servant bowing at the door nods. ‘She is here to see you.'

It takes him a while to process this.

His mind was running at a mile per second.

Hinata is here to see him. On her own from what he'd been told. The servant said it looked like she was in a rush.

Schooling his expression, he nods and addresses the messenger before him.

'Let her in.'

The servant gives a deep bow and scurries on his way.

Heading back into his room, Sasuke finds himself standing in the middle of it awkwardly, wondering what to do with himself, where to sit, how to place his casted arm.

It looks like he spent too much thinking.

In no time, the slide to his room flew open with a thud.

'Uchiha-Sama!'

He turned, careful to keep his caught off guard expression mild before surrendering to shock as the wet eyed Hyuuga Heiress charged towards him.

He was on his toes as she advanced, not quite sure what to do but stand there and receive her-

And he quickly found himself bombarded with a hug.

A part of him was anticipating, the rapid pulsing at his chest said as much.

But his body was much too late in reciprocating.

Sasuke grunted at the slight jolt of pain that hit him when her arm came about him to squeeze and the sound alone made the Hyuuga heiress start out of her hysterics and jump back.

'Oh my, i-i'm so sorry!' She fumbled, burning red in the face and embarrassed as she took in his cast, probably for the first time. 'I knew you were injured but I didn't know-'

Sasuke silenced her by reciprocating, putting his good arm around her.

'It's fine.' He said, lightly tugging her back into him. 'It doesn't hurt that much anymore. Just some times.'

She let him hold her to him, and Sasuke felt himself relax, tilting his head to press his face into her crown, her soft hair tickling his nose.

Shutting his eyes gently, he breathed her in.

Silver moonlight, rain at lilac dawn, and lavender.

All calming imagery, lulling atmosphere, soothing scents.

Already, he could feel himself unwinding.

Sasuke rubbed at her back, hoping to placate her too. Gradually he felt her relax, leaning into him a little more instead of trying not to put any pressure on his arm.

'Does your family know you’re here?' He mumbled into her crown. 'Your father?'

She shook her hair, the tips of her bangs tickling his collarbone.

'No. I rushed as soon as I heard,' she admitted quietly. 'I can go back now if you want to avoid any trouble with them.'

'Don't. Stay. And please, call me Sasuke when we're like this.'

'But-'

He pulls away to look into her eyes.

'I insist. It would please me greatly.'

'Alright... Sasuke-Sama.'

Still a bit too formal for his liking, but he'll take that over what she used to call him.

Gently, she reached for his arm.

'Your arm...' she mumbled, her doll-like face marred with a light frown. 'What happened?'

He looked away from her solemn expression and flicked his gaze downwards, towards the bandages on his arm, her tiny hand poised over it, thinking over what to say.

He knew he didn't want to lie to her, but he wasn't sure he was ready to tell her the whole truth for what it was either, not for her and not for him.

'A mild distraction at the battlefield.' He said at length.

The Hyuuga heiress, usually docile and demure, held a fire in her eyes and she shook her head at him, her gentle frown deepening.

'Forgive me if i refuse to believe.' She said to him. 'Everyone says you're always so careful. That you've never been hurt before. Is it... is it my fault? Somehow?'

For the second time, he's noticing how there is a glaze to her eyes like when she'd burst in, but this time seeing it happen right before his eyes- he found he couldn't really keep it from her if he she was going to be sad about it like this.

A tear cuts it's way down her cheek and he found his hand moving from her back to her face before he could think about it.

'I was thinking of you at the time, yes,' he confessed, wiping the trail of wetness lightly with his thumb, gaze trained on it. 'But it's not like what you think.'

'Would you like to talk about it?' She asked him gently. 'I can listen.'

'Maybe some other time,' he cupped her face, gave her a small squeeze then released her. 'Tell me about you.'

.

It is a little late when he offers to escort her home, the sun low over the mountains in the sky.

His mother insists she be the one to take her home.

'They'll be more understanding if I do. I'll tell them I called her over, if I say it was so she could lend me her eyes to choose from the plates her mother likes very much so I can gift them to her, I'm sure she won't mention it to anyone.'

Hesitantly, he agreed.

But he insisted on seeing then off at the entrance where their ride waited.

He watched as some servants entered with the plates wrapped in cloth, then his mother, then Hinata.

But the Hyuuga heiress paused before mounting and turned to him.

'You said to me once, that you're a man of your words.'

'Yes.'

'There's something I want you to promise me.'

'What is it?'

'Don't go again, not until you've fully recovered.' She told him. 'I'll come visit you everyday, to make sure you're still here, that you're listening to your doctor and taking care of yourself. Then...'

She trailed off and he found himself hanging on her every word like how he was holding onto her hand.

'Then?'

'Then ...' The Hyuuga heiress said, lifting her gaze to meet his eyes. 'At the end of the week, I’ll give you my answer.'

Her hand slipped out of his before he could respond and she bid him farewell.

'Goodbye, Sasuke.'

With those parting words, their day together came to an end.

Sasuke stood there, watching the carriage go until it was but a speck in the busy road.

It's only later when he's alone in his room, staring out at the garden of lavender that he realizes she'd called him by his given name.

.

The Uchiha take the matter of marriage very seriously.

Luckily, so do the Hyuugas.

Though on their part, any matrimonial endeavour is worth considering and going all out for if it is a beneficial match.

Mikoto is just glad that the biggest hurdle is finally over.

'Hiashi Hyuuga said yes, you're sure?'

'Yes, Mother.'

'And Hinata?'

'She said yes too.'

Before even her father did goes unspoken.

He hadn't been jesting when he said her opinion on this mattered to him more than what her father had to say.

'I'm glad, Sasuke. You have no idea how happy you've made me.'

He gave a soft smile.

'Now, I suppose this means we can start preparing.'

'For the ceremony?'

'No, silly. For the betrothal party. You're engaged now, it's something to celebrate.'

It slipped his mind just how many layers there were to matrimony.

And so Uchiha Mikoto takes the reigns and turns the entire Uchiha estate upside down.

The Uchiha matriarch and The Lady Hyuuga sit down for tea frequently and spend the entire noon pouring all over wedding plans together.

'The Hyuugas don't usually throw engagement parties, so we'll be doing it here.'

'That is fine, we are honoured enough to be in charge of wedding itself.'

That is the way of things.

Because at the end of the day, the Hyuuga Heiress is the Clan's first daughter and Uchiha Sasuke is a second son.

But he doesn't mind this.

After they get married, she's coming to live with him and his family.

He worried at first, if that would be something she liked, something she wanted, to be away from her family, her mother, her sister.

'Sasuke-Kun,' this is what she calls him now that they are engaged, with a gentle smile. 'You don't have to worry about that. If I ever miss them I can just go visit them, or they can come here. It's not like you're whisking me away to the moon.'

It turns out that Hinata much like he was, was a woman of her words.

Like she promised, she came to see him every day for a week while he recovered, and she visited every other day after giving him her answer.

Sometimes she came with her mother and her sister, sometimes she came on her own. Every time, they shared intimate private conversations, in his room, in her garden, over tea, as she changed his bandages, as he put a flower in her hair.

Lightly, she touches it and her cheeks flush.

Hanabi is chasing butterflies not too far behind them.

She tends to get shy when he does things like these even as she mumbles a small thank you.

Sasuke smirks, wordlessly reaches for her hand and together they return to walking through the purple blooms.

'When it's almost time for us to get married, I won't be able to come anymore.' She tells him.

He glances at her over his shoulder. 'I can come over to your place.'

'No, I mean,' she looks away and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. 'There are ... lessons I must take.'

Her cheeks are pinker than when he put the flower in her hair or took her hand.

He pauses and looks at her.

'What for?'

'So I can be a better wife to you,' she explained. 'It's important that I know how to care of you when we're outside, and when we're inside too. In private.'

He instantly understood what she was telling him and almost regretted asking.

Sasuke felt his own cheeks warm up.

'Oh.'

'Yes.'

A small smile came upon her face and she gave his hand a squeeze.

'But don't worry, we can write to each other. And we still have time now. It's a long way from fall after all.'

Everyone usually married in spring, but fall was closer, so that was what they agreed to settle for.

He stared at their intertwined hands. Her gaze fell there too, and a wry stretch came across her lips.

'These flowers... they'll probably be gone by then, won't they? Their scent, their appeal, it doesn't last very long. One day, it all just fades and people stop caring anymore.'

Sasuke put another bloom in her hair. The other one had fallen by the time the reached the porch. Her hair was very soft like that.

'Don't talk about them like that.' He told her. 'I said they remind me of you, remember?'

'But Sasuke,' she said sadly, regretfully. 'That's what happens to all flowers.'

He held her hand firmly and met her gaze steady.

'I'll take care of them,' he told her. 'When fall comes, when you come to stay here with me, they'll still be here. In a year. Ten. A hundred. It doesn't matter. I'll protect them, like I'm protecting you.'

Hinata blinked, taken aback by his confession, but eventually her widened eyes turned to two little gentle moons as she chuckled behind her sleeve and shuffled closer to rest her head on his shoulder.

'Alright, Sasuke-Kun.' She said, looking out at the dream garden he'd conjured for her. 'I'll help you protect them too. So they bloom for a hundred years.'

Somehow, the weight of his promise lightens just like that with her words.

Is this what his mother meant when she said marriage is a compromise?

She cares for him, he cares for her.

They look out for each other, share their burdens, protect what's important to one another, look after each other.

If this is how they've started and they haven't even exchanged their vows yet, their future already looks promising.

Ten years is a long time. A hundred years even longer.

But something tells him they can make this work.