Hinata Of The Desert

C1

Chapter 1

A/N: this story takes place after the tailed beast was already extracted from Gaara and the Akatsuki are no longer a threat. These are peaceful times but I might add a few conflicts from other towns in the future chapters. The Konoha twelve batch are twenty to twenty one years old.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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Chapter One

Hyuga Hinata was now on the verge of panic attack.

Sweat was starting to form on her brow as her eyes darted around the simple yet elegantly furnished room. The walls were made of sand and hard clay but it was as solid as concrete and hard word. She tried to punch it yesterday—out of depression and fear and all her problems combined altogether—and found out that it was really, really hard because her knuckles bled and a few bones cracked.

Yeah. It was very, very hard.

She was standing by the door and taking everything in. The masculine aura was so strong it made her shiver. From the beautiful carved bed and the carpet on the floor—all were screaming masculine dominance. The room was big and she bet she could even practice her palm techniques here.

Biting her lip, she let her mind drift to what happened earlier.

Oh right. She was married today. The celebration was classy and big and beautiful but she really has no time to take it all in. She was like a wooden puppet that was just being pulled by strings so that she could move. In her case, her "strings" were Konoha's elders, Hyuuga clan's elders, and Sunagakure's elders.

She really likes old people but after the ceremony ended, she realized that she was also capable of hating them. She never screams but at that moment, she wanted to scream everyone's head off. She wanted to be violent, to be a rascal for the first time in her life.

But she never did.

Instead, she swallowed all her fears and act so stoic everyone thought she lost all emotions. Her groom was a good model for he showed no emotions too. It was easier for him because it was natural for him to be impassive, but she tried her best to imitate him and she did a good job if she says so herself.

Her friends were all present except for one. No one was smiling but all were wearing worried faces. They knew this was all an accident. They knew that she has no choice. Kiba, her teammate, has to be restrained and dragged outside by Naruto in the middle of the ceremony. She bet the Inouzuka was going to start screaming again just like what he did when he heard that she was going to get married.

Shino walked out in the middle of the ceremony.

Neji was shaking but knew his place so he kept quiet.

Uchiha Sasuke was absent. He was not really her friend…not really an acquaintance but weirdly, her eyes were looking for him the whole time. Still, she was glad that he chose not to come.

Yeah…everything was chaotic and almost everyone was a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode at any given moment. But what could they do? She agreed and her now-husband agreed. It was for a greater purpose—her elders told her, but it was still disappointing and painful. Especially if they married her off to a stranger.

Well…he was not really a stranger for she knew him. Everyone knew him. He was a famous Jinchuriki once and now the leader of one of the strongest Shinobi village in the Shinobi world. He was also Naruto-kun's close friend.

But they didn't even say a word to each other…not until those elders whipped out a contract that they were to be married. She knew him as a public figure…he knows nothing about her. And now, after the day was over, she found herself married to the Kazekage of the Sunagakure.

She was now Sabaku no Gaara's wife.

She was now a citizen of the sand and not of the leaf.

She was now Sabaku no Hinata.

She now wants to die.

Pulling herself out of her own thoughts, she took a large gulp of air and flexed her fingers. She has been standing for a long time and her body was feeling numb because she was so stiff. Her hand found the door knob and she pulled the door close. The moment she heard the dull thunk of the sand-made door, she felt so trap she feared she might go berserk.

But before she cracked, she focused her attention to the man who was silently observing her the whole time. He was sitting at the far end of the room in front of a desk that was filled with scrolls and papers. His chin was rested on the back of his hands, green eyes looking at her with nothing but a stoic glare.

Gaara.

They stared at each other before she lowered her head. She must let him have the dominance because he was now her husband. She was now under his power and she can do nothing about it. "I…I…" She stammered and hated herself for doing so.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Cold, impassive voice.

She looked around the room, spotting no chair. Gaara however gestured for the bed and she slowly walked towards it and sat on the soft cushion. After a short pause, she looked at him again and waited. He was just looking at her with those green eyes so she lowered her head again.

"I know this is hard for you…"He continued. "I am not blaming you if you show rebellion or anything of the sort."

That made her look up.

"My elders have a hand in this marriage and your elders too. So I want you to understand that this is purely political means. You don't have to act like a wife around me…All I am asking you is to give me respect and the position that I am in." The way he said the words were not harsh…it was an explanation. It still hurts though; for she was a hopeless romantic…she wanted to be married to a man who loves her.

"I…I understand."

The man was talking like their marriage was purely business.

"And I just want to ask you for your cooperation. Since you are my wife now, you have duties to this village." Gaara said. "As expected for the wife of a Kazekage."

"Hai. I will do my best…i-if you tell me what to do since I—"

"I will gladly help you." He said, knowing what she wants to say. "And as wife, it is expected that we will have children of our own."

She blanched.

"But I am not forcing you so you will have your say in the matter. We have years ahead of us so we can discuss things like that in the right time."

To that, she managed to smile faintly at the Kazekage. That was the best he could do at their predicament and she was thankful for his consideration. Gaara returned to his papers and she stared at him stupidly for a few seconds before she saw him looked at her again. "If you are tired…you could rest. That's our bed. You are free to sleep. Your things and other personal belongings are in that drawer." He pointed at a medium sized cabinet.

She nodded her head but looked around. Gaara was considerate and Naruto told her that he was nice…in his own weird way so she was nothing to worry. Taking a deep breath, she slowly stood up. She was worried of her wedding night but it seems that Gaara was not interested in "claiming and dominance" tonight so she was feeling much, much better.

She was a stranger to him as he was to her.

Gaara observed the blue haired woman as she rummaged inside her cabinet for clothing. He knew that it was Temari and Kankuru who organized the Hyuga's things so he waited for some kind of prank. When he saw his "wife" pulled out a very immodest lingerie and almost fainted, he nodded his head and returned to the paper works.

Yeah…that was the prank.