A/N: I love a good arranged marriage AU, but I feel like all of the ones I've read are powerful political/royal types of things? So I wanted to write one about normal people because that's of course more common and somewhat related to my own family history and ~normal~ ss is always good

Also no major specifics because I'm a lazy researcher and I'll leave it open to readers. Just know it's set in the Past lol and in a literal village none of that built up Konoha shit

AND please check out my twitter or tumblr for a little piece of a project I did with my very talented friend, Aliss!

Like a good and dutiful son, Sasuke accepted the news that he was to be betrothed soon with a simple bow of his head. It had happened to his brother years ago, it was bound to be his time soon too. He would respect his parents' choice. It's all he really could do. Itachi and Izumi were having trouble conceiving a child, but the Uchiha bloodline needed to be continued.

Even if he wasn't particularly interested in getting married, he wondered what kind of girl she would be. Was it someone he knew? Was she smart? What did she look like?

But after delivering the news, his father began eating and there was no more conversation for the rest of dinner.

Girlhood. Short lived and usually more bitter than sweet. Her family was poor, but Sakura had a decent life, and she was grateful. But like any selfish teenager, there were things she still yearned for. She daydreamed of a handsome, kind husband sweeping her off her feet and she hoped for a big house where she didn't have to feel like her mere existence was taking up too much space.

So when her parents sighed before eating dinner and said she was to be betrothed soon, her world simultaneously collapsed and expanded.

She couldn't help the tears from slipping out and her voice cracked when she asked, "Does that mean I have to stop going to school?"

Her parents nodded, knowing how much her education meant to her. Her siblings had just gotten old enough to allow Sakura some relief and the time to attend school again. But it simply wasn't possible to fulfill the duties expected of a wife and attend school at the same time.

Sakura continued eating her dinner at the table but she didn't chatter away like she normally did. She looked longingly at her youngest sister, Moegi, so innocent and carefree. She wondered if Ino would be allowed to stay longer than Sakura had. When would Naruto get married? Sakura would soon be living with a new person, a new family — and there was nothing she could do. Her parents couldn't manage her and her siblings for much longer. As the oldest daughter, it was her time.

Mebuki's secrecy made Sakura feel even more on edge. She was itching to know at least one small detail about her future husband, but for some reason her mother would not budge. Sakura wondered if she was doing it to save her.

Sakura wallowed in her own misery the entire trip to the meeting place, imagining him to be horrible, ugly, poor, cruel, childish. Gone were her silly dreams of a romantic marriage of choice. She knew no one would ever come to save her. Maybe if she hated him enough, he would just disappear.

So when she was faced with Uchiha Sasuke as her future husband, she was pleasantly surprised. They'd hardly ever spoken, but at least he was easy on the eyes, even if he wore a frozen mask of indifference.

Sasuke tried not to let his reaction show on his face. He knew Sakura was younger than he was, there was no way she was ready for marriage! Why did his parents make such a decision?

He got his answer soon, as their parents wasted no time and began relaying the exact details of their betrothal:

They would be married in six months time. The Uchihas were more well-off than the Harunos and they would bring Sakura into their household. Fugaku knew of Kizashi as a respectable farmer and found Sakura suitable enough for Sasuke. Her education made her an attractive candidate, and Fugaku appreciated the way Kizashi never tried to present her on a platter to the Uchihas, unlike some other neighboring families. Fugaku's hand could never be forced.

They were both once again painfully reminded of their birth order: the younger son was nearly disposable, and the oldest daughter could only be of use through marriage and domestic activities.

Young Sasuke hadn't minded living in Itachi's shadow. In fact, he thought of himself as the shadow. If he followed Itachi's steps exactly, then that meant he was doing something right. But as he got older, he realized that his actions didn't really matter because he could never top the favored first son and his seeming perfection. He was honestly surprised by his father's careful consideration of a marriage candidate.

Sakura closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down; the resentment made her throat feel tight. She was always expected to take care of her younger siblings, and now she was being given away to another family to make room in her house. Would she ever have a choice? Did her life even matter?

They were left to speak alone, although they both sensed their chaperone-parents lurking just around the corner.

"Uchiha-san," she nodded.

"Haruno-san," he returned.

They knew of each other, but had only ever exchanged a few words at the market. He'd seen her haggle with the toughest of merchants and successfully bring down the price of medicinal herbs. Sakura had watched him move with effortless grace throughout the market. He bought salt from her once.

And of course he noticed her appearance — pink hair and green eyes were hard to overlook. She was pretty, but he would never admit that.

And Sakura felt a little something like betrayal when the blush crept up her face. She had told herself to feign indifference, her own little form of rebellion, but how could she ignore someone like Uchiha Sasuke? But despite any of his attractive traits, he still represented the ultimate death of her freedom.

They stood next to each other, nearly a foot apart, in silence for ten more minutes until their parents came to collect them.

"You're lucky," her mother reminded her on the way home. "He's handsome and only a few years older than you. You will never be poor again. I'm sure he will make a fine husband."

"You're lucky," his mother commented when they returned to their house. "She's a lovely girl, smart and beautiful. Be kind to her."

A/N: Umm I know I keep saying I'll post/update one work then I do another instead LOL sowwy I cannot control this brain. I'm rating it M for now because hopefully I'll be able to include some spicy stuff but I'm /.\ shy so we'll see. I'm very busy but hopefully I can post updates sooner rather than later :)