Reborn as Sakura and Hinata: Lost in the Wind (Part 2)

The Ceremony

When did my little boy become a man?

Watching him exit the house where he stepped out onto the aisle where Akamaru joined his side, I saw my father. Broad shouldered and statured, he stood tall with a pride and severity in his eyes that was only befitting for a clan head. The cloak suited him perfectly, a stark contrast to how dwarfed I felt within it, something Akito had loved to point out on our wedding day.

His expression was serious, yet held an underlying anticipation and joy that betrayed his youth. Once again, I was reminded of how Akito had told me I looked like I was walking to my execution during our ceremony, and as I fell into step behind him, following my son to where he would meet his wife, I wondered when he became so tall.

When did I have to reach up to touch his face? When had he grown a frame much broader than his father's? When did his eyes deepen from wild and presumptuous to analytical and reserved? His hands flexed, Akamaru tilting his head towards Kiba's hand which Kiba quickly reciprocated, smoothing his hand down the ninken's ear. When had he become gentle?

Arriving at the altar, Kiba stood off to the side and me next to him, our ninken seated dutifully behind us as we waited. The anticipation in the air was palpable, although with pride I noted that, at least at the moment, all eyes were on my son. I had heard Hinata teasingly refer to him as a 'prince', and as ridiculous as the nickname was, he truly did look it at the moment, despite the stubborn strands of hair that refused to be held back. It suited him, he was never one to be limited.

If there was one thing I would commend Akito for, it was his face, his annoying, expressive, handsome, punchable... lovable face. Kiba's at least wasn't punchable, but he retained Akito's naturally handsome looks.

The doors opened again, and the trio of the small people that Kiba seemed to almost collect ran out with baskets of flower petals. Seeing the young Hyuga girl in this role was no surprise to me, although her attachment to Kiba was, I had no idea he had grown so close to the Hyuga family, it was almost as surprising as his relationship with that Neji boy. Her bright smile was disgustingly heartwarming, as much so as Sakura's little outfit and the amount of enthusiasm she expressed as she showered her surroundings in flowers. She was cute, no doubt about that, and I knew that was quite deceiving given her capabilities.

And then to the Hyuga girl's other side was that Izumi boy, a wholly confusing being to me. He was so oddly adorable for a man and seemed to perfectly suit the role of adorning his surroundings with plant matter despite the traditional concepts of the role. That and he was shockingly clingy, and somehow he had gotten my son to tolerate it.

But, now, it was time to see the woman I was giving my son to, the woman who I had thought had taken so much from not only him, but our village, but in fact had given so much. Kiba's team was an anomaly to me, a group of shinobi with feelings and actions that were hard to place. Whether it was the annoying childishness contrasted with the analytical care of Izumi, the stoic bluntness yet deep sentimentality of Shino, or the seeming selfishness disguising abundant selflessness of his bride, Kiba just couldn't help but surround himself with people he had to figure out, could he.

Lady Mei stepped out onto the aisle, it being customary for the mothers of the bride and groom to walk them to the altar. It was still odd to me that Hiashi and the Mizukage of all people would join, not only that but accidentally conceive a child. But, I wasn't concerned about that at the moment, no, Hinata had revealed herself.

How had my son done it?

If there was to be a goddess walking among us, I was looking at her, she was certainly troublesome enough to be as such, but that was not what I was currently basing my assessment on. It was abnormal for me to analyze others based on their appearances; I had even avoided doing so to Akito for a while, but, all the same, I knew Hinata was attractive. In fact, I had thought Kiba's fixation with her was solely based on that aspect of her, but, now, gazing at her as she almost seemed to glide down the aisle, long skirt brushing through the petal covered ground, she seemed nigh ethereal.