Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto. Enjoy!

Drip

Hinata did not have time to look at the blood before her opponent swiftly advanced once more, positioning his katana at an angle that was meant to hit her vitals if she allowed him an opening. This made it clear that he wasn't interested in games. In response, Hinata spun and ducked to evade the sword while withdrawing a kunai to parry the blow that came from above. Her opponent spun to his right to build momentum for a strike to her side, an attack which sent pieces of grass and dirt flying in an attempt to keep her stance when she blocked with her arm guard.

'That's gonna bruise.'

Suddenly, the katana was gone and her opponent ducked low to deliver a sweeping kick to her legs. Hinata quickly backflipped and channeled chakra into her hands to produce a larger spring so that she could land a further distance away. She hoped that this would give her a few seconds to catch her breath and reassess the situation. But he was relentless as always and came at her full charge. She attempted to side step but his hand was already there, catching her wrist and pulling it behind her back. Hinata immediately recognized the position he was pulling her into and she knew that the second the position settled, she would be defeated.

'No! Not yet!'

The ex-heiress flattened her palm of her captured arm against her opponent and sent a burst of hot white chakra out of her hand. The maneuver was successful in its intentional goal but was sloppy enough that it only blew the man back a few yards and gave him enough time in the air to flip and land gracefully on his feet. He wasted no time in running at her again. Hinata heavily debated whether to continue with this or go running off in the opposite direction. She shook her head and readied herself for the onslaught of attacks that were to come. Placing her feet wide apart and slightly bent at the knees, Hinata reached into her pack and pulled out the last four kunai in her stock. She threw one at her advancing opponent which he easily dodged. She then threw the second and third in quick succession, which gave a quiet whistle as it soared through the air towards its target, both within close proximity of the other. The man's face remained stoic as ever, as he leap forward and twisted his body so that the kunais embedded themselves on the tree behind him with two dull thunks.

Running out of time, Hinata drew up her forearm and blocked the punch aimed at her shoulder. She pushed back against his force and in a quick decision, she jerked up her knee to meet his abdomen. He responded with inhuman speed and also lifted his knee to parry her own. In that moment, she placed her light weight on his knee (an ill advised tactic, seeing how he could withdrawal at any time leaving her without support) and swung her other leg to hit his side. She let out a gasp of surprise when he caught her leg with his arm and held it there. She had expected him to hit it aside which would give her enough force and momentum to flip around and continue on the offensive. She felt confused and disoriented for a split second. But that was all he needed. He roughly snatched her wrists with his free hand and pinned them above her head against a tree which he his other arm remained wrapped around her leg. In addition, his pelvic area was positioned right against her own. Hinata's faced flushed scarlet. Not only had she been defeated, she had let him hold her captive in such a compromising position.

'This is so embarrassing. Humiliating.'

Hinata peeked up at the man and her eyes widened. His black orbs were drowning her with their depth and her breath hitched upon seeing the absolute lust. Her thoughts were a jumble from 'Where is this coming from?' to 'Losing's not so bad…'

As quickly as it came, the smoldering gaze disappeared and was replaced by his usual impassive expression. He stared at her and took in the emotions that seemed to flick across her face. Surprise, frustration, annoyance, embarrassment,…

Awe, admiration, and pride.

"Quit."

Her eyes widened for a millisecond before they narrowed into a glare.

"No."

"Are you going back on your word?" He arched one eyebrow, challenging her.

"I only said I would consider it." She bit back.

"You-"

"OY! SASUKEEE- TEME! Baa-chan wants-" The spiky haired blonde immediately stopped in his tracks and froze upon discovering his team mate in what seemed to be a very, very private moment. His jaw animately dropped to the ground to see Hinata's clothing in tatters with scratches and bruises on her exposed skin in addition to her very -cough- intimate pose with Sasuke.

Hinata stared wide eyed at Naruto and when she finally comprehended that he was in fact standing in front of her, she felt her face heat up to degrees she thought unimaginable.

"S-s-s-s-sasuke…"

The man in question gave a exasperated sigh. Hinata had lost her stutter years before she met him but it only ever came back in the most embarrassing of situations.

Naruto then collected himself, giving a sheepish laugh, "Man, you know, Sakura and I usually go pretty hard but we try to keep it indoors and usually keep public displays of affection at a minimum in respect for those out and about, so as future Hokage I-" A shuriken was thrown at the blonde which he ducked, "would like you to-" Another shuriken was thrown in his direction "to abide by the village rules and keep-" Two more flew at the blonde with full force before he could finish his parody of a reprimanding speech. "ALRIGHT! I get it! TEME, Baa- chan wants you at the tower in 15." With that, Naruto leapt up into the trees and disappeared.

Sasuke sighed. "That idiot." Hinata gave a small giggle. "He was only doing his job." Sasuke's lips quirked into his trademark smirk, "Oh, so you're defending him now?" Hinata blushed. "I'm just calling it as I see it."

"Well, maybe you should see from my perspective a little." His lips were hovering just above her own and Hinata's heart rate quickened. She could feel heat moving up and through her, as Sasuke ghosted his lips over hers. Her body instinctively reacted to his, itching for him to come closer, to touch her.

But just like that, he was gone. Her body slumped at the sudden lack of support on her leg and her arms fell from where they were originally pinned. Hinata leaned against the tree and took deep, heavy breaths to calm herself. Her eyes narrowed at the sky and silently cursed that terrible Uchiha. She could just imagine him, flitting through the trees, donning his arrogant smirk because he left her so flustered. The ex-heiress plopped ungracefully into a cross-legged position on the ground to meditate and heal her wounds. Her hair was tied into a pony tail, which had come loose during her spar with the man she currently detested. Her lavender tank top was partially damp with sweat and her workout leggings were sticking to her legs in the most uncomfortable way because of the day's heat. Hinata quickly healed the bruises on her arms and legs before tending to the relatively small gash on her arm that dripped little bits of blood. She winced as her healing chakra seeped into the cut. Sasuke never did things half way when he wanted to prove a point. After the wound was sealed, all that was left was a faded pink scar which would probably fade within three days. Hinata checked herself over once more, satisfied when she found that her condition was the same as when she had first started the spar. She reached back to her loose pony tail and undid the knot that held it together, letting her long indigo hair flutter around her shoulders. She quickly braided it to the side and left it to sit on her shoulder after she was done, though a strand of hair had stuck onto her fingers and was suddenly caught onto the thin silver band around her left ring finger. She felt the hair being plucked out of her head as she tugged in an attempt to dislodge it. The dark strand floated gently down into the grass, a stark contrast to the rich, green grass, except Hinata was too busy examining the ring to notice. She had stared for hours at the ring, sometimes late into the night while she laid next to the sleeping man she would be spending the rest of her natural life with. The thin silver band was simple but elegant. Most would fawn over the way the ring would catch the light and gleam under the sun. Others would gaze in wonderment at such an old family heirloom from such a notorious clan. Some stared in disdain because they believed it to be cursed. Hinata could not care less about any of it. The band could've been old and rusty for all she cared. The only thing that caught her eye was the small Uchiha fan engraved into the ring. The white part of the fan was colored by white diamond that was carefully embedded into the design as well as the ruby used to color the red part. Sasuke often told her the white diamond reminded him of her eyes. Of course he had said this in a short, curt breath and if she hadn't been listening to him she would've missed it, like most of the compliments he gave her. They were swift and were rare but that's what made them all the more special.

A few days later, Hinata told him that the ruby reminded her of his Sharingan. His lips quirked into a half smile. "I mean yeah, I did that on purpose."

When she finally discovered the full analogy behind the design and color of the emblem, she had fallen even more with the man (if that was even possible) and the ring itself. Even now, as she sat underneath the shade of a tree, Hinata continued to stare at the ring, an inanimate reminder of who she belonged to, and who belonged to her. For better and for worse. Through sickness and health. Forever and always. She laid on her back with her right arm tucked under head and extended her left hand upwards towards the tree leaves that dangled above her. Even under the shade of the trees, the light managed to sneak through and catch her ring. Hinata smiled contently at it. It was absolutely breathtaking.

She frowned, letting her hand drop to her side. The man who'd given her this ring,…

Had just pummeled the shit out of her. Had worked her up only to leave her. And left her alone to lick her wounds.

Boo.

She sighed. Well, it's her fault she fell for her tutor. Anyway, it would've been an insult if he lessened up on her just cause he didn't want to hurt her. It would also impede on her performance and physical capabilities on the field and on missions.

Hinata closed her eyes and slowly inhaled, then exhaled. When she opened her eyes, she rocked herself up onto her feet and began to collect all the kunais and shuriken lying about. Once she had everything in the training bag, she hoisted it over her shoulder and began her walk back to the Uchiha compound. She glanced back at the training ground, replaying the events of today in her thoughts.

Hinata smiled and shook her head. Uchiha Sasuke had a strange way of keeping her on her toes.

Hinata was feeling refreshed. After her return home, she took a long cold shower to counter the heat and had changed into a pair of freshly washed clothing. She had long since traded her comfortable zip up jacket for cuter and lighter clothing upon dating Sasuke. It took many, many nudges from Ino to get her out of it but when she did, the clothing stuck. She found herself enjoying the outfits and surprising Sasuke, though it definitely made her laugh when she would go out in public. People, men particularly, would stare and this was definitely not okay for Sasuke. He all but threw her old jacket at her when they were once training in a field and it had gotten hot. She'd taken off her jacket, a rarity in the first steps of their courtship, and he had stared. Her body was not like any other kunoichi he knew. Sakura was thin, lean, and all muscle, a body type that Sasuke once found attractive in his teens. On the other hand, Ino was a little bustier than the pink haired kunoichi but had the same build, thin and strong. But Hinata was a whole different story. Her entire body was full of all the right curves, in all the right places. Her waist was tiny which accentuated her hips and her legs were extremely long for someone who was only five foot three. And her bust…

She would often catch her husband staring which caused a small, barely there blush to appear across is cheeks and in turn caused her to blush as well.

Today, Hinata decided on a light lavender colored sweater that was slightly oversized but soft to the touch. She paired this with her standard black ANBU leggings and tugged on some boots. Not forgetting to wrap her weapons pouch around her thigh, Hinata bolted out the door and began her steady trek to the market. She had left her hair to air dry but now that it was no longer damp, she pulled it back into a loose braid down her back.

Hinata didn't usually go to the market at this time since it was rather late. The freshest vegetables always appeared in the morning along with their tired cart owners. Most of the vendors already knew her from her daily appearances and tried giving her discounted prices, which she was grateful for but put the difference in the tip jars.

She walked along the side street of the market looking at some carts and stopping at others. She caught sight of the Hokage monument and tower in the distance and wondered what kind of business Sasuke was attending to. It was all confidential, she knew but she liked to entertain herself by thinking about what it could be. He was the captain of their ANBU unit and was often given assignments that did not concern or need her particular skill set. She missed him when he was away and she knew that he missed her as well. She knew how restless he would get or how anxious he would become if she didn't get home the day she was due. He had hidden his thoughts from her for a while, knowing that the village came before their marriage and would always but it didn't stop him from worrying in his own quiet way or growing furious whenever he found a wound on her body. He was the ANBU captain and the lone survivor of the Uchiha Clan, so one could say he knew a little about bonds and what they could do to people. It sometimes pained her to see him smother any and all affection for her on missions. He would treat her like every one else and regard her with his stone mask but she knew it made it easier for him to concentrate and to control his emotions, so she dealt with it.

Hinata thought back to one week ago, when he finally let his facade slip. She had just come home from a grueling mission with Shikamaru and was attempting to sneak through the house to wash up. Of course, it was futile because he was right there in a second and glancing at her with his dark irises. His eyes took in every bruise, every cut and the amount of blood splattered over her uniform. He roughly pulled on her arm and she let out a pained yelp when her bruised muscle stretched. He blatantly ignored her and continued to lead her up the stairs to their bedroom. Once they entered, he tugged her into the bathroom and pushed her in to the tub. Sasuke wasted no time turning on the shower head and removing it from its holster, only to have the water sprayed right into her face and dampen her blood soaked clothing.

"S-sasuke!"

He then tossed the shower head to the side and ordered her to strip which she complied. Now would not be the time to get defensive. He quickly cleaned her wounds when she was stripped down to her tank top and underwear and performed the basics of first aid to stop the bleeding. Once his wife was all clean and bandaged, he walked out only to come back with a towel and a change of clothes.

"Change." He ordered.

Her husband was not a man of many words but his actions spoke enough for him. Something was brewing in his mind and he was going to enforce it by any means possible. Hinata changed into the tank top and shorts and stood in the mirror, staring at herself. She was in relatively bad condition, though better than when she first entered the house. There were multiple cuts on her face that she immediately reached up to heal and after a few seconds, they healed completely not leaving a trace. Hinata stared down at the rest of her body. It would take a few days to fully recover, even with chakra healing her. She sighed and steeled herself to face her husband. She peeked out of the bathroom gingerly and sighed in relief when she saw his back rising in slumbering breaths. She silently tiptoed over to the bed and lifted one leg onto the mattress, her breath hitching when her husband stirred. He didn't move after a while and Hinata let out a breath of relief. She climbed onto the very edge of her side of the bed and laid down carefully as to avoid jostling her husbands side of the bed. She did not dare to cover herself with their shared blanket as that would wake him instantly. She reached up to the nightstand with her left hand and felt around the hard surface until she came in contact with a small ring, which she placed on her ring finger. They never wore their wedding bands on missions because it risked discovery and allowed for identities to be compromised. So when Hinata slipped her ring onto her finger, she let out a contented sigh and immediately stiffened. Not before her husband twisted on top of her from his side of the bed and stared down at her wide pearly moon eyes. He had grabbed her wrists and had her pinned down, her body reeling as it processed the sensation of his touch and his body against hers. Sasuke preferred to sleep shirtless so she was graced with the sight of his lean muscled chest and toned arms over hers and the way his pale skin glowed under the moonlight that seeped through the curtains of their window. It wasn't until she looked at his face did she realize the severity of the situation.

His lips were set in a straight line and his eyes bore down on her as if his next request, no, demand was indisputable.

"Quit ANBU."

Hinata's eyes widened. It took her a full minute to discern whether she'd heard him correctly or not. Her voice wavered and her lip trembled slightly before she responded. "Is my p-performance on missions unsatisfactory?" Sasuke flinched at her tone, one she reserved for the ANBU captain.

"No."

"A-are you undermining my c-c-capabilities as a ninja?"

"No. It's not you, it's me."

Hinata did a double take and a scoff escaped her lips before she could stop it. Sasuke twerked his eyebrow in question. Hinata just shook her head and wondered why he pulled out that cliche dumping line. As if reading her mind, Sasuke continued, as curt and diplomatic as ever, "I am not underestimating your abilities as a ninja nor am I implying that you are weak in any way. I am asking you to quit ANBU because I am selfish and because I am holding on to my last shred of sanity when it comes to your well being and our future." He said this with a completely straight face as he leaned closer to her, their breaths mixing in between them.

Hinata's body involuntarily shuddered in response. "D-don't you think I feel the same way? When you're off on m-missions, d-don't you think I worry every d-day you're gone? Why don't you quit?" She knew it was an idiotic suggestion even before she said it. He was the strongest ninja in Konoha next to Naruto and a brilliant captain. His leadership entitled a 100% success rate for all missions and in record time that rivaled his now deceased brother. The village needed him and who was she to take him away for herself.

"The village before our marriage. That's our nindo." She reminded him.

He stared at her with his dark onyx eyes. He let out a sigh and released her arms, rolling back onto his side of the bed. He looked over and studied her elfish facial features. She looked otherworldly with her hair splayed across her pillow and her moon eyes staring right back. Her lips were a tasteful rosy pink but were set in a straight line like his own. It looked adorable rather than intimidating. He had initially thought of just firing her from the position if it really came down to it but Uchiha Sasuke was not a child and realized that it would also get him into some big arguments at home. He pursed his lips and tried one last time.

"Quit."

"No."

"Quit…please."

"No!"

Suddenly an idea struck him. "How about this? Beat me in a spar and I won't bring it up ever again. I'll just have to wallow in my own anxiety forever and ever."

"But if you win?"

"You quit."

"That's cheating!"

"How so?"

"You're the freakin' ANBU captain! There's a reason for that you know." Hinata threw her hands up in frustration.

"So? There are plenty of people stronger than me out there and how are you going to face them if you can't even face me." Sasuke reached over and began to play with a strand of her indigo hair.

"Sasuke, you're up there next to the future Hokage, there's only a hand full of people stronger than you, a few being tsunade, the kazekage, all the other kages, freakin WORLD LEADERS."

"Are you backing down?" He challenged.

"Wha- no!"

"Then spar with me."

"This is unfair."

"So you agree."

"No… but just to be clear if I win, you never speak of it again?"

"…Yes."

"And if you win, I have to quit?"

"Yup."

"…I'd like to change the terms. If I win, you don't bring this up again. If you win, I'll only consider it."

Sasuke blanched but realized that was the closest he was going to get tonight. His wife was stubborn when she wanted to be, a characteristic that he hated but loved as well. "Fine. Tomorrow morning…and I won't go easy." Before she could protest, he pulled her on top of him and allowed her to rest her head on his chest. He reached up and pulled his fingers through her smooth locks and down her back.

Hinata bit back her retort and just simply let it go for the night. She was drained of any energy in her body and did not want to continue with their little argument. She allowed herself to melt into his warmth and hooked her arms around his torso as her head nestled into his chest, like he was her own personal pillow. The couple laid together, listening to the other's breathes. Eventually, Sasuke's breathing slowed and he fell asleep, leaving Hinata one final thought before she herself drifted off into the world of dreams.

Sasuke sure likes his games.

The sun was setting over the market place when Hinata was done shopping. Since she had her spar this morning she didn't get any of the vegetables she usually did but left the market happy with her purchases. She glanced into her bag, full of ingredients for tonights meal. She closed the bag and continued walking towards her home until a little boy came running around the corner. He didn't seem to see her, so he when he turned the corner, he crashed right into her. Her ANBU skills left her upright with one hand steadying the boy who had begun to fall backwards.

The boy opened his eyes to reveal bright green orbs and a shock of dark hair. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't see you there!"

Hinata stiffled a giggle at how clumsy and flustered the boy was. It reminded her of a young Naruto after he got caught pulling a prank. "Ne, it's okay. Are you hurt?"

"Nope! Thanks to you, nee-chan. Ah! The food!"

In her rush to right the boy, the contents of her bag had spilled across the pavement, pasta rods were all over the street and the can of marinara sauce had broken, staining the walkway red. The bread and garlic powder had popped out of their respective containers and now lay strewn on the ground. The boy's eyes began to tear up when he realized what he'd caused.

"Ah no. It's okay don't bother. I'll just go back to the market to get more." He still continued to sniff and tears were about to spill. "How about you make up for it by accompanying me? Then it won't be so lonely." She smiled at him and offered her hand. The boy wiped his tears and smiled back at her. "Okay. I'm Tsubaki Aoi."

"Nice to meet you, Aoi-kun. My name is Uchiha Hinata."

His eyes widened at the name and his smiled became broader. "No way! You're married to Uchiha Sasuke?! I hear he's totally strong!"

"Hai, Aoi-kun. Very much so."

"Are you a ninja, Hinata-chan?"

"Ne I can't tell you."

"You totally are! Haha!" He gave her a big toothy grin. "I knew it!"

"Jaa- jaa, lets just go to the market. It's getting dark."

The two made their way to the market and Aoi stood by while Hinata sheepishly bought another can of marinara and another box of pasta from the same vendor. She decided they could do without the garlic bread. Once Hinata was done she turned to Aoi who'd been staring around the market.

"Now Aoi-kun, where d-"

"Ne, Hinata-chan. Who is that?"

Hinata looked to wear Aoi was pointing. Her eyes traveled up the side of a building to it's roof. A lone figure crouched, barely out of sight and his face was covered in cloth. Hinata caught the glimpse of the headband before the man ducked down out of her sight and her eyes widened.

"Aoi-kun, we have to get out of-"

Before she could finish, the market exploded around them.

Hey guys! This is the first chapter of my very first fanfiction and I'm very honored to share it with you all.

Favorite, Follow, Review. Anything will do, just show me love. Or hate. Depending on your reaction to the story haha

Critique is always welcome! Also, I wouldn't mind suggestions either about how you want the story to go! I have some ideas in mind but nothing's concrete. I'm not sure where I'm gonna go with this but I have the next chapter planned out. I want to continue this story for a while so look forward to updates!

Much Love xoxo,

Uchiha Setsuka