A Wedding, A Reception, & A Baby

Blue eyes nervously glanced from the clock on the wall to the door and back again. In just a few minutes Naruto Uzumaki would become Naruto Uchiha and so many emotions were tied to that recurring thought. Naruto Uchiha... Naruto Uchiha... Naruto Uchiha... He loved Itachi enough to take on his surname and shed his own even though he too was one of the last remaining in his clan. But love had a way of leading him down paths that he would have never fathomed traipsing upon. Never.

This time was no different.

Naruto was fully prepared to give his all to Itachi. His heart, soul, and body would be surrendered to the one man that could handle them all and Naruto held no regrets. 

How could he when Itachi had given him his everything long before he'd reciprocated the action?

Naruto sighed softly, his hand resting over his plump belly. Very soon, his world and Itachi's would fully collide and they would be bound until they breathed their last breath. It was a frightening and exhilarating thought that made his pulse race with anticipation.

He couldn't wait.

"You ready brat?"

Azure irises met honey-brown. "Are you ready?"

A soft smile touched Tsunade's face. "I was never prepared for this. Giving you away that is. But you, more than anyone else, deserve this day... this life. I'm proud of you and I'm sure your parents and that old man are as well."

"Yea..." His parents... they probably were really happy for him. Jiraiya too... Those thoughts brought Naruto a certain amount of peace.

Music started to waft into the room and Tsunade clutched Naruto's hand. "It's time."

Naruto nodded. He was ready to take the title of Naruto Uchiha and he knew this with every ounce of his soul.

His heart swooned at the absolution laced through that lone thought.

The wedding was a beautiful event if Sakura could say so herself. Of course, she'd planned the bulk of it. From the flowers to the color scheme and dishes being served. The initial wedding was a close gathering of friends and family that supported the two wholeheartedly. Naruto and Itachi looked amazing in their dark yukatas with the Uchiha Clan symbol stitched gorgeously to their backs. Tsunade had wed them and the two had exchanged the most beautiful vows. Sakura hadn't known that Itachi was capable of producing poetry but he'd showed her and everyone else. She'd cried.

The reception was a party that was all-encompassing and all-inclusive. Family, friends, comrades, villagers, children... there was enough food and room for everyone to dance and get drunk. Like a festival more so than the celebration of Naruto and Itachi's union. She was actually surprised by the turnout.

She could remember a time when few people plastered a smile on their faces at the mentions of Naruto's name and now they couldn't gravitate any closer to him than Itachi would allow. It was incredible.

More incredible than that was the married pair.

She knew that Itachi was capable of smiling –had seen such an expression once or twice. On this day, his face was split so wide that she was sure those muscles hurt. She'd never seen Itachi drunk but she would bet her left lung that that was what was going on. It had to be. He was dancing and laughing and –dear holy deity- he was talking so jovially with the villagers. Definitely drunk. A happy drunk.

Naruto, on the other hand... was positively glowing and it wasn't because he was expecting it.

Sakura would like to think that she knew him second-best –right next to Itachi. She knew that he, more than anyone else, deserved to be loved. Deserved to have a family. And he was getting everything that he'd ever hoped for. Perhaps more. She was sure that everyone had noticed it –how happy Naruto was. His joy was apparent and contagious –so much so, that people couldn't help but to approach and surround him.