Their wedding day arrived in the blink of an eye. They had been so busy that they had hardly seen each other for the last two days, what with all the preparations, stag and hen parties with their respective friends, and the final decoration of the venue.
"I can't believe you're getting married tomorrow," said Tenten, taking a sip of her sake.
"Neither can we!" shouted Kiba, accompanied by a few others who laughed.
It was a somewhat strange hen party, considering that she had invited all her friends. Boys and girls. They were celebrating in a private room in a relatively new cocktail bar. The only thing her friends had celebrated here before was Shikamaru, Neji, and Shino's promotion to jonin. Kakashi, on the other hand, was with his jonin and anbu friends at some restaurant in the village, surely drinking sake and enjoying his reunion with colleagues as well.
"We bought you some things, Seina. With these, he's sure to be all over for you," said Ino, handing her a large package.
More than one boy, including her brother Naruto, choked when they saw their friends' devilish smiles. Well, all except Hinata, who was as red as Sakura's cherry-coloured dress.
"Too late," Sasuke scoffed with a snort of laughter.
"Ew! I don't want to know anything about my sister fucking my teacher, teme!"
"You already fucked him?!" Karin shouted with a grin from ear to ear. "You owe me 10,000 ryo, Shino!"
"You guys actually bet on my sex life?"
She glanced exasperatedly at her friends' faces. Some were blushing but shyly curious, like Hinata and Lee, while others seemed to want details, like Ino, Tenten, and Karin. The rest were clearly amused, surprised, and interested. She took a sip of her cocktail, playing hard to get, before snorting with laughter.
"I'm not going to give details about my love life."
"Just tell us one thing... On a scale of 0 to 10, how was your first time?" asked Ino, leaning in with the other girls, their eyes shining and burning with curiosity.
"An 11," she smiled, remembering Kakashi eating her pussy as if it were an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Karin, Tenten, Ino, Kiba and, curiously, Neji, began to laugh when they saw her huge smile.
"Look at that face."
"You'd make that face too if you came six times in one night."
Her words made more than one person whistle, while Naruto dropped his forehead onto the table with a disgusted groan. Sasuke looked somewhere between amused, disgusted, and unsurprised. Then, incredibly, she noticed the presence of someone she hadn't seen in months. There was a knock at the door just as Naruto and she turned to see Gaara and his siblings walk in as if nothing had happened. Her jaw dropped.
"Gaara!"
The redhead smiled as he entered, dressed in street clothes like everyone else. She couldn't believe it. What was he doing here? She approached him, watching as he greeted her with a smile and open arms.
"Seina. I heard you're getting married."
"But how did you know? I thought it was too late to send you an invitation!"
"I'll let Tsunade-sama and your fiancé tell you."
Seina couldn't believe it. Had Kakashi and her teacher done this? Naruto hugged Gaara when he let her go, while Sasuke nodded. Temari took advantage of the moment to pick her up and hug her tightly.
"I can't believe you're getting married!"
"What I can't believe is that you're friends with so many guys without Kakashi-sensei getting jealous," Kiba laughed. "Is anyone else missing?"
"Yes."
Seina looked at Sasuke, knowing that he was the one who had to tell his friends that Itachi had returned. Everyone turned to look at Sasuke who, despite being the centre of attention, did not seem uncomfortable as he had been years before.
"My brother."
"Itachi is back?" Shikamaru asked, extremely surprised. Then he looked at her. "Really?"
"Absolutely. He's innocent, but you'd better keep it a secret for five months."
"He'll be at the wedding tomorrow, albeit in disguise. He wouldn't miss our sister's wedding for anything in the world," Sasuke said with a serious expression.
Seina wrapped one arm around his back, knowing she couldn't reach his shoulders, feeling the weight that had been lifted from her shoulders now that she could tell her friends the truth. She kissed him on the cheek and let him lead her back to her seat at the table.
"Do you remember Sasuke from the academy?" Ino asked nostalgically, pouring herself another shot. "And look at him now. Accepting kisses from Seina and pats on the back from Naruto."
"This calls for a toast," Naruto proposed. "To Sasuke getting the stick out of his ass!"
"And to Seina's six orgasms!" someone shouted.
Everyone burst out laughing while Gaara and his siblings looked on, amused but confused. They were quickly brought up to speed after the round of celebratory shots. After that, the party became chaotic. A few people got drunk—Kiba and Lee among them—while others seemed more relaxed than ever, like Neji, Shino, Sasuke, and Shikamaru. She even thought she saw Shino and Karin making out unexpectedly in a dark corner while the rest were doubled over with drunken laughter.
She spent a long time dodging the curious questions of Temari, Ino, and Tenten, while Hinata chatted with her cousin, Chouji, Sakura, and Kankuro.
A little later, as she spoke with Gaara about what had happened in his village over the past few months, she caught sight of Naruto talking with Ino. She overheard Ino questioning him about how he felt about her marrying Kakashi, but something about their interaction made her blink. She noticed Ino leaning slightly toward Naruto and her brother's elbow resting casually on the back of Ino's chair. A slow smile spread across her face when she realized they seemed to be flirting, using her as an excuse.
Gaara, following her gaze, raised a curious eyebrow when he saw the same thing.
"We're getting older," he sighed with a touch of melancholy.
"Don't you like anyone?" she asked, quietly casting a privacy barrier around them. Gaara immediately sensed the muted sound surrounding them but didn't even blink. "I'm sure many women, and men, must be paying you plenty of attention now."
"Now. That's the problem."
"I see. You think that if you weren't the Kazekage, they wouldn't be interested, right?" He nodded. "Maybe so, but surely there's someone who will see beyond your rank."
"You know, I've sometimes wished you'd been born in Suna," Gaara confessed, taking a sip of his drink. "You're my best friend, and I can hardly ever see or talk to you."
"That's easy to fix. Before you leave, I'll give you a tray linked to another one. That way, whenever you want to talk to me, you can put a letter in it and I'll receive it instantly, and vice versa."
"Really? Your powers are incredibly useful."
She talked with Gaara for a while, introducing him to her friends even though he already knew them from afar. Soon he was discussing water-tank projects with Shikamaru and Neji, talking about what they had been able to accomplish thanks to that unlimited resource. Seina, meanwhile, found herself in conversation with Sakura.
"I just wanted to say once more that I'm sorry, and I'm also sorry for how I behaved with Sasuke," Sakura sighed, bowing her head in regret.
"I already told you it's fine."
"Because Ino forced you to."
"Believe me, Ino didn't force me," she chuckled, taking a drink of her fifth cocktail.
It amused her that Sakura thought a teenager could manipulate her. She had simply done what was best for the group, and Sakura had changed for the better. Otherwise, she wouldn't have lost any sleep over cutting Sakura or Ino off; Ino would have understood. What surprised her most was hearing Sakura admit that she had behaved "badly," she supposed, toward Sasuke.
"What made you realize the truth about Sasuke?"
"…," Sakura looked at the man in question, who was now talking with Shino and Chouji. "When you all left Konoha I was very sad for a while. Then I started training with Hayate-sensei for the chunin exams and hardly had time to think about him between the training and my work. One day I ran into Ino in the village and we went for a drink. We talked a bit about everything until your team came up. She asked if I missed Sasuke; I reflexively said yes. The funny part was realizing I didn't know what to say when Ino asked what exactly I missed about him."
"I see."
"I spent weeks thinking about what I missed about Sasuke while he was gone and… I realized I didn't know him. Not at all. He never spoke to me, maybe ten words throughout the entire academy and the years after we graduated. It was like a bucket of cold water realizing I'd been in love with a stranger," Sakura said with a wistful smile and sigh. "If my work in the cryptanalysis squad has taught me anything, it's to analyse and solve problems in any way possible, so I started analysing my interactions with Sasuke, Sasuke himself, Sasuke with your team and with the other genin…"
>> "It was a very tough period of introspection, but the more coldly I thought about everything, the more I realized I'd been foolish. Well, more than foolish. I behaved like the little girl I was. The problem is you can't act that way as a ninja; that's what gave me so many headaches. In fact, after all the epiphanies I had, I'm now glad I wasn't part of your team and that Sasuke left the village for a while, because otherwise, with him around, I wouldn't have had the chance to think it through logically and I'd still be in love with him."
Seina was impressed. Sakura was right about everything she said. As someone who had been an adult for decades, Seina had seen it from afar, but she expected it would take a teenager much longer to realize her mistakes and how foolish she had been. Sakura's maturity and the cool logic with which she had analysed and accepted her situation with Sasuke surprised her. Maybe it was her work as an analyst, maybe something else, but Seina was glad Sakura had stopped chasing Sasuke and had started focusing on herself. She told her so.
"I'm glad you've matured so much, Sakura. I knew you weren't a bad person, but you needed to see things with perspective."
"Yes. That's exactly what I've gained. Perspective."
Seina ended the night avoiding getting drunk like some others, though with her constitution and her magic it was nearly impossible to reach the level of intoxication of Lee or Kankuro. She went home knowing that Kakashi would spend the night at one of the Hatake compound houses. They wouldn't sleep together that final night, since they didn't want to disturb each other when returning. She went to bed without even showering, deciding she would bathe the next morning and sleep as long as possible. She was sure that on their honeymoon she would be sleeping very little…
She awoke on her wedding day with a smile and a slightly racing heart. It was very early, but her friends were about to arrive. They had arranged to have breakfast together and to use her house to get dressed and help her prepare. Naruto and Sasuke, with Shizune and Guy's enthusiastic help, would take care of the guests, so she had nothing to worry about except getting ready.
"Seina!" Ino shouted as soon as she arrived with the others. "We're here, baby!"
She let out a soft laugh at the greeting. She saw that all of them carried backpacks with everything they needed.
"Come in, come in."
"Wow! What a change in the Hatake compound! It looks amazing!"
"And the decorations are beautiful!"
"I love the cedars," Temari said, noting how different the house was from those in Suna.
She seated them at the dining table, letting her clones serve them so she wouldn't have to get up, and they began breakfast while chatting about how they planned to do their hair and makeup.
"You still haven't tried on the kimono?!" Karin exclaimed as she bit into a piece of toast.
"No. I can easily fix it if it needs any minor adjustment, so I preferred it to be a surprise."
"Lucky you. Being able to adjust your dresses however you like with your powers."
"No kidding!"
A little later, since she was the only one who still needed to shower, she left them dressing while she washed her hair, exfoliated her skin, and applied the scented creams she almost never used. They were products she knew Kakashi liked and that wouldn't bother his sensitive nose. Otherwise, all her efforts wouldn't make sense.
She came out twenty minutes later, checking her body and face for anything that needed touching up, but everything was just as she wanted. She dried her hair with magic until it was silky, smooth, and shiny, and put on the special lingerie she had bought for her wedding night: black, semi-transparent, and with a touch of lace.
Karin and Ino whistled as soon as they saw her in the lingerie, while Hinata, and surprisingly Sakura, blushed.
"Wait until Kakashi-sensei sees you," Tenten said with a grin.
"I bet ten thousand ryō that those panties won't stay on for five minutes!" Karin shouted, making everyone laugh.
"Are you betting again? You incorrigible gamblers."
"Come on. Let's get you into the kimono, it's not going to put itself on."
It took a couple of hours to dress her, during which Shikamaru's mother and Ino's mother arrived. The formal kimono required two people to put on quickly and neatly, but what took the most time was arranging her hair into a braided bun and applying her makeup. They even painted her fingernails and toenails. When they were done and she stood up, now fully a bride, they couldn't help shedding a few tears. Honestly, she felt like crying too.
"Don't start crying or I'll cry too."
"How could we not get emotional? You look beautiful."
"I can't believe you're getting married today," Tenten said, then checked her watch. "That you're getting married in half an hour."
"Half an hour?" she asked in surprise.
She couldn't believe she was about to marry the love of her life. Her pulse quickened as she realized the wait was over. They were together, and from this day forward they would be more united than ever. She saw Yoshino and Akemi wiping their eyes with a handkerchief, watching her and her friends. Apparently, they were realizing that they were no longer children but adults. A sound at the front door made them straighten up.
"We'll see who it is," Akemi said. "We'll see you after the ceremony, dear."
She accepted their hugs and light cheek kisses before they left. She heard the characteristic footsteps of Jiraiya and Shikaku coming up the stairs, so she opened the door with a wave of her hand.
"We'll leave you now too, Seina," Ino said when she saw Shikaku and Seina's godfather appear. "You look gorgeous."
"Just breathe. You're marrying the love of your life," Tenten whispered, squeezing her hand.
Karin gave her a couple of kisses on the cheeks without a word, after Hinata and Sakura had hugged her, before they all left. She was alone with the two men. Jiraiya looked at her wordlessly, his eyes clearly shining.
"If Minato were here… he'd be crying his eyes out," he admitted. "I just wanted to see you before the ceremony."
"Did my father cry that much?" she asked jokingly. Shikaku let out a quiet laugh.
Jiraiya hugged her gently to whisper in her ear.
"I know we haven't had the best godfather-goddaughter relationship, but I'm proud of you. It's hard not to be an idiot sometimes when I'm around you, but I want you to know I'll always try to be a better person for you and for your brother."
Seina looked into his face. Jiraiya had made mistakes, but he was a good person. She nodded, accepting his apology and his hug.
"I know, old pervert, I know."
Jiraiya left, leaving her alone with Shikaku, who had been leaning against the hallway wall to give them privacy. When he stepped into the room he looked her up and down with proud eyes.
"Seina… I knew this day would come. I've always known it was Kakashi for you, though a part of me wished you'd become part of my family," he confessed, dressed in his formal kimono as the Nara clan leader, his brown eyes serious but genuine. "I'm not one to talk about my feelings, but I want you to know I consider you someone very special to me, just like Shikamaru and Yoshino do."
"You don't need to say it out loud for me to know," she said with complete serenity. Nothing that happened now could bring her down from the clouds.
"Maybe not… but I want to. Seina, to me you're like a daughter, and I want the best for you. Are you happy with Kakashi?"
"Completely."
"Then I wish your marriage to be long-lasting, and that every day you grow even happier at Kakashi's side."
Seina nodded, holding back tears. Damn. She knew sooner or later they'd make her cry. She stepped forward and hugged Shikaku for the first time in her life. He hugged her tightly, kissed her forehead, and held her against his chest as if she were a five-year-old. He let go when he heard the door open once more. From the familiar feelings approaching, she knew it was her brothers. All of them.
"I'd better leave you alone," he said with a sigh, and left.
The last to enter the bridal suite she shared with Kakashi were Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi. As soon as Naruto saw her, he began to cry like a child. Sasuke, smiling, blinked back a few tears that didn't fall, while Itachi seemed to be processing that she was about to be married. Curiously, Naruto didn't ask if she was sure. Perhaps because it was impossible not to feel, through their bond, that although she was nervous, she was eager to go out there and meet her almost-husband.
"You look beautiful," he finally said, his voice more serious and his expression more mature than before.
Itachi hugged her before Naruto could move forward, holding her close and placing a kiss on her cheek.
"I'm sorry I can't be present as myself, but I'm glad I can see my sister marry the man she loves," he whispered. "I wish you the best in the world, Seina, and thank you for letting me be part of your life."
"Thank you, brother."
Itachi smiled at her words. She hugged him tightly before letting go, watching as he slipped back into his disguise. Sasuke, who hadn't spoken a single word, chose to show his feelings in silence. Seina had to fight back tears as she felt his pride in being her family, his wish for her happiness, his admiration as he looked at her, and how much he loved her. She hugged both brothers with a lump in her throat and, a few minutes later, they left the house.
They didn't have far to walk, since the pergolas were set up only a few meters from her front door. She saw the guests, far more than she had originally expected, sitting and speaking quietly among themselves. She didn't spot Kakashi until she reached the last row of seats, but the moment she did, ignoring all the guests now standing, she could focus only on him.
He wore a traditional black kimono with no ninja accessories. His loose hair, slightly shorter than usual, framed his striking face. What surprised her most was seeing his uncovered face and his mismatched eyes revealed to everyone. Kakashi wasn't wearing his mask. Shock and amusement flooded her for a moment. After all those years of hiding his face from both scents and people, now… he had chosen to reveal himself completely for her. She felt Naruto squeeze her arm as they slowly walked the short aisle. Just before she stepped up the few stairs to the altar, Naruto kissed her cheek, followed by Sasuke.
Kakashi extended his hand to help her climb. When they stood face to face, she took in every detail of him, half-listening to the start of the ceremony. Kakashi's shining eyes hadn't left her since the moment she appeared. His face was calm, but she could read everything hidden in his gaze. She saw his struggle not to shed tears, tears of happiness, and the loving, blissful glow when he placed his hand over hers for the first time in days, in those last minutes when they were still only engaged. There was no doubt that Kakashi loved her and wanted this marriage. She only hoped he could read the same in her eyes, because she refused to let even a single tear, even of joy, blur her vision of him now.
"Kakashi Hatake, do you take Seina Uzumaki to be your wife and so bind yourself in marriage this day?" the officiant asked, pulling her back to the present.
"Yes, I do," he said with a gentle smile.
"And you, Seina Uzumaki, do you take Kakashi Hatake to be your husband and so bind yourself in marriage this day?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then we proceed to the exchange of rings. Kakashi, you may begin with your vow."
"I, Kakashi Hatake, take you, Seina Uzumaki, as my wife and promise to be faithful and to care for you in wealth and in poverty, in health and in sickness, all the days of my life." He took the ring that Guy, one of his four groomsmen, handed him and slid it onto her finger.
"Seina, you may speak your vow."
"I, Seina Uzumaki, take you, Kakashi Hatake, as my husband and promise to be faithful and to care for you in wealth and in poverty, in health and in sickness, all the days of my life."
She turned slightly to take the ring Ino held out, catching the tearful faces of her other bridesmaids—Tenten, Hinata, and Karin—before facing only Kakashi again. Her hands almost trembled as she slipped the ring onto her almost-husband's finger, but she held back her tears a little longer until the officiant spoke the words she most longed to hear.
"By the authority granted by the Land of Fire, the daimyō-sama, and Tsunade-sama, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Kakashi gently cupped her jaw and, without a single instant of hesitation, leaned in to meet her halfway, as if he had been waiting his whole life for this moment. He kissed her for the first time as her husband, unfazed by the applause and whistles of their guests, pouring into the kiss all the passion he had held back through the years. And Seina… she could only welcome her husband's kiss with a smile on her lips.
"I love you," he whispered against her mouth. "More than you can imagine."