Categories > Anime/Manga > Naruto > Unexpected Love
Chapter 10 - Shattered Hearts
0 reviewsLove can pop up unexpectedly with someone you least imagine to fall for. NaruTen.
0Unrated
Disclaimer: All Naruto characters are the copyright of Masashi Kishimoto. I’m just borrowing them to write up a story with no intention of making any money. This is for fun. That’s all. :) No copying of my story is allowed. That's stealing if anyone copies my story into his/her own story. Write your own story without taking others' works! (Angry glare)
A great big ‘Thank you!’ goes to Weixuan18 for becoming my betareader for “Unexpected Love”! Thanks, Wein! (big grin)
Story rating: M (R) (For adult and sexual themes)
Written: February 2009-Present
Summary: Love can pop up unexpectedly with someone you least imagine to fall for. NaruTen.
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Unexpected Love
Chapter 10 – Shattered Hearts
By JuPMod (aka JPMod)
Life, it was something that people thought about almost every day. Not about living organisms, but about the path that everyone called ‘The Road of Life’. Most agreed that the road was not easy regardless. Some had it easier than others, while there were those who barely saw any good points on their roads. Nevertheless, there would always be ups and downs along the road of life the moment a person was born.
For Tenten, Jounin Kunoichi of Konohagakure no Sato, life was looking up for her. Since March, she had trained hard in mastering nature manipulation of her fire elemental chakra, thus she now had several useful Katon jutsu under her belt to go with her taijutsu and kenjutsu skills as a weapons mistress. Two months ago, she was promoted to jounin, which meant higher rank missions to go along with a higher pay, and her social life couldn’t be better, thanks to her friends and the remarkable man, who was her boyfriend.
As she walked down the street in her kunoichi uniform, the bun-haired woman sighed a bit happily on the thoughts of her blond, whisker-faced beau. He had changed a lot ever since he became a Genin years ago. He was currently considered the strongest shinobi in the village with a drive to never give up unless he really had to do so. He had a warm personality with a sense of humor. There was no doubt that his loyalty was unwavering, not only to the village but also to her. Furthermore, he was the most fantastic lover to her. There was hardly anything truly bad about him to say he was not worthy boyfriend material.
Her cheeks became a little rosy with a small grin upon remembering Naruto’s skills as a lover. Ever since their first time together two months ago, Tenten had no doubt her lover was relentless in turning her into a quivering mass of orgasm bliss every time they had sex, and she loved it. Oh, she obviously was not selfish when it came to bringing her boyfriend joy as well, just that he was more into giving than receiving. Add that to the brunette who was sometimes more willing to receive than give, it summed up to one incredible love life for her.
Even now, just thinking about the Kage Bushin Gang Bang would make her start to wet her panties. Kami, ever since he first used that on her a month ago on his birthday, there were a few more occasions, and each time had sent her even more into the stratosphere. That last time was a fantasy come true to be the center of attention of five or more studs in an orgy, and it came with no guilt since all the guys were Naruto anyway.
After mentally shaking her head of the erotic images, unless she wanted to end up so sexually frustrated that she had to run home to relieve the pressure, Tenten strolled into a particular woman’s clothing store. Since she had been on an A-rank mission with her old team to help escort the Fire Daimyo to Konoha to meet Tsunade, the brown-haired woman had missed getting herself fitted for her bridesmaid gown. With Ino and Sakura currently away on missions and Karin in the hospital under Shizune’s supervision, it left the kunoichi of Team Gai by herself to get her gown fitting.
With Sakura and Karin’s wedding to Sasuke coming up next month, the final preparations had begun this month. Sakura had chosen Ino to be her bridesmaid, but since Karin did not know of anyone in Konoha, the pinkette chosen Tenten to be the ex-Sound kunoichi’s bridesmaid. With Naruto being Sasuke’s best man, the wedding party couldn’t be better, since Tenten and Naruto were a couple anyway.
As Konoha’s Weapons Mistress went through the fitting process, she thought of her role model and idol. The Fire Daimyo rarely ever visited Konoha, unless it was for something really important. She wondered what the elderly Daimyo would want to speak to Tsunade about.
As she looked in the mirror to examine the gown on her body, Tenten mentally shrugged at her own question. “Well, it really is none of my business anyway.”
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Gulping down some sake directly from the bottle, Tsunade was not in a good mood. Just a few minutes ago, she had finished a meeting with the Fire Daimyo, and the results were not pleasing at all. The elderly Daimyo wanted something done that would strengthen the ties between Konoha and the Fire Country’s leadership, which Konoha protected. Yet even though the Godaime was all for a strengthened bond, it was the method that she had a problem with. Nevertheless, the Fire Country’s leader wanted this done, and it would be impossible for Tsunade to refuse despite how she had pleaded for the female Daimyo to reconsider.
After placing down the sake bottle on the table, the blond woman’s left hand covered her forehead in despair as she hung her head over the desk. Things were going so well ever since the Akatsuki’s defeat that she knew sooner or later Fate would bring something bad her way. It was just not what she expected, and furthermore, it would affect her most favorite blond brat in a life-altering way.
“I’m so sorry, Naruto,” she mentally cried as a few real tears escaped her eyes onto the desk. She knew she would have to tell him the very bad news, once his team returned from their mission sometime tomorrow or the following day.
Tsunade knew what his reaction would be. After so many years of pain and suffering, the whisker-faced, young man had finally found happiness, only for it to be ripped from under him. It certainly was not fair; for he had sacrificed much for the village ever since the day he was born. Would it pay for him to make his own decisions regarding his life for once?
Taking a few more sips of her drink, the Slug Sannin poured out a few more tears. Kami… She definitely knew what the outcome would be, especially given his relationship with a certain bun-haired, weapons-loving kunoichi. It seemed Fate was going to play a cruel hand to them.
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For Uzumaki Naruto, he was glad to be home. After two weeks of tracking down some roaming bandits on the northern border close to Rice Country, he finally returned to the village along with his team and Team 8. The blond did not mind the missions that took him outside Konoha for a few weeks, but when one was away for so long, one would develop feelings for home and he was no exception.
As he walked through the massive main gates, Naruto’s thoughts were on the Rice Country, where Oto used to stand. Ever since Oto was defeated, the country had problems with bandits, clans taking control of lands over the daimyo, and many other civil disputes. Orochimaru had brought order to the lands due to the fact that he had not wanted anyone disrupting his power, but with him and many other high-ranking Oto nins gone, Rice Country was pretty much easy pickings for low lives who wanted easy power. The Rice Daimyo had hired the Fuma Clan to clean up the nation, but it was slow going due to their small numbers, thus the occasional band of rogues would spill over into the Fire Country, making it Konoha’s problem.
Mentally shaking his head, Naruto snorted. If only Rice Country would ask for help as Baa-chan and Kakashi-sensei had stated many times before, the internal problems of Rice Country would have been resolved months ago. However, the Fuma clan and the Rice Daimyo were just too prideful to ask for help, with the exception of Sasame, who thought it was best in order to bring order to Rice Country. The blond Konoha Jounin had many times thought it was best that Sasame ran the clan and not her overgrown older brother.
Kakashi’s voice broke through Naruto’s thoughts as they made their way toward the Hokage Tower. “Thinking about Rice Country again, Naruto?”
“It’s not like any of us would not think about it, Kakashi-sensei,” the blond replied with a shrug. “For a small country, Rice Country sure is a pain, even with the Sound Village gone.”
“I say,” Kiba spoke up in agreement. “Too many packs of wolves running loose in that country.”
Naruto nodded. “If only Sasame was running the Fuma Clan, things would have been easier.”
Sakura shook her head. “It’s not that simple, and you know it, Naruto. We can’t tell them what to do; I’m sure we will not like it if other countries tell us how we should run Konoha and the Fire Country.”
Sighing, Konoha’s Jinchuuriki shrugged his shoulders again. “Well, I’m glad I’m home,” he said before a small grin came to his face. “Least we can relax for a while before heading off to the next mission.”
“Thinking about seeing your weapons-loving girlfriend, Naruto?” Kakashi teased with a crescent eye grin. “Say you’re thinking of making hot love to her again?”
While Naruto rolled his eyes with a grin, Sakura was not amused. “Kakashi-sensei! You pervert!” She didn’t mind such talk in private with the other women, but not out in public like this!
Yamato, team leader for Team 7 while Kakashi led Team 8, smirked and shook his head. “You shouldn’t even ask such questions, Senpai, especially since you have a girlfriend now yourself.”
“That’s right!” Kiba chimed with glee. “He’s banging that Anko bitch!”
“Kiba-kun!” scolded Hinata, whose cheeks were turning rosy from his use of such a perverted word in public. The ‘bitch’ word didn’t affect her since the word was normally used in the Inuzuka clan, but overall, her boyfriend was still quite rude regardless.
Shino and Sai were the only ones in the entire group not joining in the conversation. Shino knew better than to ever engage in public chats about sex, especially since it was a topic that Kiba would love to talk about if you ever started it. Sai grinned and just enjoyed the show. He had learned that it was far more entertaining to watch and listen than to ever participate in such discussions his team brought up regarding social aspects.
Ignoring what Kiba was saying, which was causing Sakura to focus her ire on the Inuzuka, Naruto chuckled as they approached the Hokage Tower. Kakashi-sensei had not ever denied that he was now seeing Anko, and the purple-haired kunoichi wickedly didn’t deny she was screwing the Scare Crow. Rumors had stated the relationship started at the festival a month ago with witnesses claiming they saw the pair at the Will of Fire tavern. Yet regardless of how they had gotten together, many admitted that Anko and Kakashi sure made quite an odd couple.
Many minutes later, both teams had made their report to Tsunade in front of her desk, and when they were finished, the blonde sannin snarled. “Stupid Rice Daimyo,” she muttered as she crossed her arms. “Trying to convince him or the Fuma Clan to accept our help is like pulling teeth. They’re not doing their country or ours any good.”
“So what should we do about it, Tsunade-sama?” asked Shizune. The brunette kunoichi stood at her master’s right side with a clipboard in hand to write down any orders given.
“Nothing we can do,” Tsunade shrugged in defeat. “I know it’s a pain to keep sending teams occasionally to the border to deal with bandits coming out of that country, but until Rice Country clean up their mess or ask for help, we can only stand by and deal with the problems on our side of the border.” She released a breath of air in resignation to the only course of action they could do.
After realizing the briefing was over, Kakashi cleared his throat to catch everyone’s attention. “So, are we dismissed, Tsunade-sama?”
The blond Hokage shook her head. “There’s something that I need to discuss with Naruto, but it will be best that all his friends are here.” She turned to her assistant. “Shizune, get Team Gai.”
“Yes, Tsunade-sama,” obeyed the short-haired kunoichi before leaving the office to retrieve the team.
“Team 10,” Tsunade continued, “is on a mission, but they’ll find out with everyone else in the village when I make the announcement two days from now.”
Both teams were quite baffled to what was going on. “’Announcement’, Shishou?” enquired Sakura, speaking for everyone.
Tsunade nodded. “Yes, and I’ll tell you all once Team Gai is here.” The two teams nodded their understanding, but for Kakashi, Yamato, and Sakura, they knew something was wrong upon spotting the brief sadness in their leader’s eyes. Whatever she was going to say would not be good news.
For many minutes, silence reigned in the office until the arrival of Shizune with Team Gai. The Godaime held up her hand to prevent Team Gai from speaking as the four stood besides their fellow shinobi. “Now that you’re all here, I can tell you all this news that would no doubt affect our village in a way, but more importantly, it will affect Naruto and Tenten as well.”
This caused everyone to pay attention fully now, especially Naruto and Tenten, who stood besides her boyfriend. The couple looked a bit concern but otherwise they were curious. “What will affect us, Baa-chan?” asked Naruto.
Looking up at Shizune, who wore a sad grin, Tsunade sighed before facing the couple before her. “Two days ago, the Lord of our land came here to discuss something private to me. When I first heard what she proposed, I was against it, but she is our ruler and what she wants goes.” Her apologetic eyes held the blue ones of her pseudo-son. “Naruto… By the order of the Fire Daimyo, she has placed you in an arranged marriage to one of her granddaughters. You’ll be wed to her within four months time.” She paused to swallow the lump in her throat. “I’m sorry, Naruto,” she finished softly.
A deathly silence reigned in the office for a couple of minutes, for everyone couldn’t believe what they just heard. Arranged marriages were practically unheard of these days. A hundred years ago, they were the norm to bond one clan to another. These days, clans were part of a village, and with the social attitudes that an individual should be allowed to love whomever he or she chose, it was mostly frowned upon to even think of making an arranged marriage.
Tenten felt her heart was cracking, but it was Naruto who broke the silence with a disbelieving chuckle. “You’re kidding me, right, Baa-chan?” Everyone could tell from his tone that he very much wanted this to be a joke. “You’re joking.”
“I wish I was,” Tsunade softly conveyed, feeling her own heart breaking upon seeing the spark left those blue orbs as well as the brown ones of the brown-haired kunoichi standing next to him.
His mind spinning, the blond man blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “Well, I refuse! I’m happy being with Ten-chan! Nobody has the right to tell us who we should love!”
Eyes closing at his words, Tenten couldn’t help but feel a burst of love for her defiant boyfriend. However, she knew it was futile, thus she felt the cracks in her heart widened.
“It’s a direct order, Naruto!” Tsunade shouted as she stood from her seat, anger and sadness lacing her eyes. She saw Sakura placed a comforting hand on Tenten’s right shoulder, causing the other woman to place her left on top of the hand. “The daimyo is our supreme ruler! If she gives us orders, we have to obey! Despite the fact that our village brings in good revenue from missions, a good percentage of our budget comes from the Fire Daimyo! The people of this country pay taxes to her, and from those taxes, a certain percentage goes to Konoha, which is the main defense force of the nation! We can not say ‘no’ to her!”
Naruto felt like a cornered animal. His eyes roamed around the room toward the others, but all he saw were sympathetic and sad eyes. Not even Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-taichou, or even Gai-sensei was speaking up for him, knowing the Fire Daimyo has that much influence.
“Why?” Konoha’s Jinchuuriki asked as he returned his sight on the blonde woman, who he thought as a mother figure. “Why me?”
“I’d asked the very same question,” Tsuande replied, feeling very much like crying. “Given your hero status, the Fire Daimyo wanted you married into her clan to broaden her clan’s influence. She also knows that it is possible that any children and grandchildren might develop a bloodline, due to you being a Jinchuuriki. It is known that most bloodlines were created long ago, when demons were sealed into human hosts. She figured that if you have the Kyuubi, the most powerful of the Nine Tailed demons, your descendents would likely become very powerful.”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Are you saying that I’m being used, Baa-chan?” asked Naruto incredulously. After seeing her nod, his blue eyes narrowed in anger. “And if I refuse to obey to marry?”
Everyone was startled at what he was suggesting, except the Godaime, who closed her eyes for a few moments before opening them to meet those hardened blues head on. “Then you will be arrested, Naruto. You will likely be kicked out of the shinobi force and put in prison. The Fire Daimyo will not accept your refusal lightly.”
“No!” nearly shouting at this point, it was clear that the blond jounin was livid. “This is my choice! Ever since I was a baby, I had not ever been given much of a choice as to what I want to do with my life! I’ve already given so much for my people, what more do I have to sacrifice?!” His teeth ground together, as his brain thought there was only one option for him to do. “I will fight!”
“NARUTO!” the feminine voice cried out, making him swing his head toward the source on his left at the same time he felt someone grab his hand. His eyes gazed into moist brown eyes looking up at him, pleading with him not to do anything rash, and the sight of her on the verge of tears was all it took for his anger to dissipate. Naruto hung his head, closed his eyes, and squeezed her hand that was in his. To see Tenten so sad like this was painful.
Tenten knew he was hurting as much as she was. Kami, the whole room felt like they were attending a funeral, and in way, it was one. In the span of a few minutes, their world has been turned upside down, and she knew their lives were never going to be the same again.
Turning her head to lock her sight with Tsuande’s, Tenten gave a silent message with her eyes, and seeing what the younger kunoichi was asking, Konoha’s leader nodded her consent, knowing these two needed some time alone now. After giving a grateful, yet sad, expression to her idol, the young kunoichi tugged her love’s hand to make her follow her toward the exit, feeling everyone’s gaze on them.
“Naruto,” Tsunade’s voice called out to him, making him stop, as he was about to walk across the exit’s threshold with Tenten on the other side. Blue eyes turned to hold steady with honey ones. “Be here tomorrow morning at nine. The Fire Daimyo has returned to the capitol, but her granddaughter has remained here as our guest in the Tower. You will be introduced to her tomorrow, before the announcement will be made the day after.”
Naruto felt once more the urge to be defiant, but decided it was best not to. He nodded a few times before leaving with his girlfriend. Once the door was closed did the rest of the group turned toward the Hokage.
“Shishou!” Sakura was the first to speak, her green eyes moist with tears for her two friends. “Is there anything we can do?! They do not deserve this!”
“No one should deserve this,” Kakashi spoke out solemnly with his back against the wall and his head hung. “Yet we all know that there is nothing anyone can do short of rebellion against the Fire Country’s lord, and rebellion is the last thing anyone wants.”
Tsuande warily sat back down. “Kakashi is right, Sakura. I know this will crush their hearts, but it is what the Fire Daimyo wants and we can not disobey.”
As the pink-haired kunoichi released a few tears in sorrow for her friends, the rest of the group reacted differently. Hinata hugged Kiba and cried into his chest as he hugged her back, feeling for their friend’s lost. Lee and Gai both clenched their fists, feeling the lost of the flames of youth. Others just hung their heads in sorrow.
Neji didn’t hang his head but his expression was forlorn. “History is repeating itself,” he mentally said, remembering the day almost a year ago that he had to tell Tenten his clan’s plans for him to marry his distance cousin. “Fate, you are indeed a cruel bastard.”
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Entering Naruto’s apartment, Tenten let go of her beau’s hand before heading toward the kitchen. She felt Naruto following her, and he didn’t say a word as he watched her remove a sake bottle out of one cabinet and took a few gulps. They had not said a single word since leaving the Hokage Office, knowing well what they would be talking would be painful, yet here they were in his home and they still have not said a word yet.
Naruto couldn’t stand the suspense anymore. Watching her drink like her life has ended was cutting his heart deeply. “Ten-chan… Don’t act like this. It’s not the end.”
Tenten laughed, but it was not out of amusement, which was why it scared Naruto, for he had not ever heard her laugh like this. Turning to face the blond, whose back was to the living room, the brunette grinned sadly. “’Not the end’? Naruto, I very much want to fight too, but we’re talking about the Fire Daimyo here, not a clan you can brush off. I know very well you can fight all you want, and in the end, you will marry that other girl regardless.”
“No, I will not,” he countered with a bit of heat. “I don’t know that other girl. How can I love someone who I have not even met? You and I have been friends for a long time, and when we became something more in the past few months, we were happy. Are you going to give that up?”
A sob escaped Tenten as tears poured out of her eyes. “I was happy with Neji, remember? Look what had happened. When it was clear there was no way to win against his clan’s wishes, we gave up. Least I’m happy Neji knew his distant cousin, but in the end, we had to end our relationship.”
“Listen to yourself!” Naruto cried out, not believing what he was hearing from this woman, who was one of the strongest kunoichi he knew in Konoha. “You’re giving up, when the battle has just started! I’m not going to give up the fight! I’ll find a way, and if I have to, I will not marry this other girl! She is not the woman I love, it is you!”
Closing her eyes and she hung her head, the nineteen-year-old woman dropped the sake bottle, not even caring about the spilled liquid, as she backed slowly away from him, until she felt the kitchen counter stop her. More tears ran down her cheeks, as her heart was full at the same time breaking into pieces.
“That fool!” she mentally said. “That whisker-faced, loving fool! He won’t ever give up. It’s one of the reasons why I love him. He had never given up when the going was tough, but couldn’t he see that this is a situation he just can’t win in? If he disobeys the Fire Daimyo…” Her mental thinking trailed off upon realizing the consequences Naruto would face if he did defy the arranged marriage, and her heart cracked even more. She knew what she had to do.
Raising her tear-stained face, Tenten shook her head at the strongest shinobi in the entire village. “I’m sorry, Naruto, but I am not going to allow it.” Upon seeing his incredulous expression, she elaborated. “You’re going to throw your entire career away, if you fight. What good is fighting for me, if you’re in prison? What about your dream of being Hokage, Naruto? You’ve worked for so long and hard to archive that dream, and you can’t be Hokage while in prison.”
With that said, the bun-haired kunoichi strolled out of the kitchen into his bedroom, and a few minutes later, she emerged to enter his bathroom for just a few moments. When she came out she saw that he was waiting for her in the living room. With her jaw set, she started explaining. “I’ve sealed away the few clothes and hygiene products I have here, for I will not be spending anymore nights with you.”
Naruto couldn’t believe it. She was ending their relationship for the sake of his career? It just couldn’t end like this!
As she was about to pass him, Naruto reached out and grabbed her arm, making her turn to gaze up into those expressive blue pools. Tenten could see the heartbreak in those lovely sapphires, and it tore her apart to see him on the verge of crying. She hated to do this, but it was the best for both their sakes.
As she shed a few more tears, Tenten reached up to pull his lips down onto hers to kiss him with all her being, and she was gratified to feel him kiss her back with equal flare. Her heart was breaking at every second their lips stayed together, and as much as she wanted to stay with him forever, the brunette knew it was not meant to be.
Breaking away from his face with regret, the weapons-loving kunoichi pressed something into his hand before running away toward the exit. Naruto watched her leave before he had gotten a chance to say anything.
Feeling his heart crack, the blond shinobi looked down into his closed fist for the item that was placed there. He opened his hand to find the key to his apartment. He had given her the key back in August, so she could look after his home when he was away on long-duration missions or if she wanted to use the place as another home. Seeing the spare key in his hand, Naruto knew that it was indeed the end.
Falling onto his knees, Naruto felt his cracked heart shatter as his eyes poured out the tears of pain. He cried as he clenched the key over his heart. For the first time in his life, he now knew what truly it was like to have your heart broken, and it was quite unbearable.
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Just as the sun was setting over the horizon, Tenten emerged onto the street from the apartment complex. It was just then that she, as everyone around her, heard a cry from one of the top apartments of the building. It was a cry no one would forget.
“TENNNNNNN-CHAAAAAAAN!”
The cry startled her to look up at the apartment, and when it was over, her heart shattered upon knowing how much pain and heartbreak was in that single call of her name. Unable to control herself, Tenten sobbed as she ran as fast as she could toward the one sanctuary she had in the village. A place where she went the last time her heart was torn apart.
Along the way, the miserable kunoichi did not pay any heed to everyone who had witnessed her distress. With so many people having seen her, it was not long before all of Konoha wondered what had happened with the young couple, and from what many had seen and heard, it was obvious the young couple had ended their relationship. Many wondered however as to what would have caused such a promising pair to be torn apart.
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Kyohaku was just placing a box of newly-made kunai under the front counter, when her daughter burst through the store’s front door, ran past the counter, and hurried up the stairs to their apartment. The weapon smith was startled at first, but the emotion turned to deep worry, for she saw and heard that Tenten was crying. Something had happened; causing her to grow even more agonized as to what had made her only child cry like this.
Quickly putting up the closed sign on the front door, the middle-aged woman swiftly made her way up to the apartment and down the hallway to Tenten’s bedroom. The door was partly open, and even from the hallway, her ears made out the harsh, deep sobs of her daughter. Upon reaching the door and pushing it slightly open for her to enter, her green eyes saw Tenten on top of her pink bed bawling into her pink pillow. The sight was heart wrenching to see.
Quietly and gently, Kyohaku approached the bed, sat down next to her distraught child, and placed a comforting hand on her back. The touch was enough for Tenten to raise her tear-stained face to look up at her mother before she hugged her parent like she was a lifeline. “Mom!” she cried out as her crying began anew.
“What’s wrong, my baby?” Kyohaku said soothingly yet worryingly as she petted her daughter’s head as she cried onto her shoulder. “What made you so upset?”
Pushing away just enough so she could face her mother, Tenten hiccupped a few times to form words. “It… It… It happened again!”
“What happened again?” Kyohaku asked in confusion at the same time her brain already having a good idea to exactly what her child was talking about. She had seen Tenten like this only once before a year ago.
With much difficulty due to her misery, the kunoichi of Team Gai told her mother everything, from Tsunade telling Naruto about him being arranged to marry the Fire Daimyo’s granddaughter to the break-up with Naruto minutes ago at his apartment. She even mentioned hearing Naruto calling out her name from the street, and how much pain he must be suffering. After the whole story was told, Tenten once more hugged her mother fiercely as she cried, but this time, Kyohaku’s eyes also shed tears alongside her daughter’s.
“Oh, Mom!” Tenten blubbered into her mother’s shoulder. “Why? WHY?! First Neji, now Naruto! Just when I found love again, this has to happen!”
As she hugged her daughter back just as fiercely while petting her head, Kyohaku raised a teary face toward the ceiling and the sky beyond it. Closing her eyes, she began to pray.
“Kami, if you’re listening, please look over these two. Give them strength! Help them see this through! And Minato, Kushina, if you’re listening, help them too. Look over your son as well as my daughter. Do not let their love die!”
High above the village, a couple of stars twinkled.
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Two days later, the Godaime Hokage made a village-wide announcement regarding the arranged marriage between Uzumaki Naruto and the Fire Daimyo’s granddaughter. The news was quite surprising given hardly anyone saw Naruto as the type to be arranged in a marriage. Yet again, given his hero status and being called the strongest shinobi in the village, it really shouldn’t have be a shock that someone eventually would want to arrange a marriage with the great hero.
The news of the marriage also finally settled the rumors on what caused the split between Naruto and Tenten. Stories ran amok that one or both young adults were at fault for their break-up, but in the end, it was clear that neither was to blame, given the blond was arranged to be married to another, thus the couple couldn’t keep their relationship regardless.
It was quite sad that such a promising couple were torn apart in order to appease the Fire Daimyo. Both were seen with melancholy expressions the day after the break-up, and all their friends could do was be there to provide moral support during their bleak time. It was like the light had been snuffed out of the pair with no means to rekindle the fire.
On the heels of the news of the arranged marriage, some pointed out an irony of the weather on the day the news was released. Clouds started to roll in during the morning, and by the afternoon, after the announcement was made, it had started to rain. It was like the Heavens were weeping for Naruto and Tenten and their lost love. Further more, lightning and thunder were added to the mix, making some think that Kami and the souls of Konoha’s past highly disapprove of the arranged marriage.
As the skies continued to weep and display their anger, many agreed that the day had become one of the saddest felt for the village of Konohagakure no Sato.
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TBC (End of Chapter 10)
A/Ns:
1) I wanted to have Naruto and Tenten experience a rift in their relationship, for I agree with some reviewers that there should be some bumps in the road for them. Yet I had pretty much written them hurdling through the trust issue of each being around other members of the opposite gender, thus each would not be jealous if say, they dance with other people. Add that with Tenten not having personal issues that Sakura or even Hinata have and Naruto is a very loyal guy, one will end up with a relationship that has virtually no faults.
Yet after much thought, I’d decided to use this plot of an arranged marriage tearing Naruto and Tenten apart. I’ve read many fics (say Naruto/Temari) where an arranged marriage placed the two main characters together romantically, but I have not ever read a fic where it was the opposite.
Yeah, I know the plot seems far stretch, since Konoha could just disobey the daimyo, but for the dramatic effect, I couldn’t help but feel it is affective.
So, rest assured, dear readers, that I have something in mind on how Naruto will get out of this arranged marriage; but I will not reveal it just yet. I’m planning at least another chapter or two for this mini-arc, and I’m going to focus on finishing this first before starting on the next chapter of “Matriarch”. :)
2) I like to note that I had original planned to have only 13 or so chapters for “Unexpected”, with each chapter taking place a month apart from one another over the course of the year Naruto mentioned at the very beginning of Chapter 1. Yet with this new mini-arc, I’ll be adding a few more chapters thus disrupting the cycle that each chapter would take place a month apart in the timeline. Given the drama of the mini-arc, I just can’t put everything in one chapter.
3) Last, I’m more than willing to hear anyone guess how this arranged marriage situation would be resolved. Like I said, I’m not going to say anything. You just have to read and find out how it will be resolved. ;)
A great big ‘Thank you!’ goes to Weixuan18 for becoming my betareader for “Unexpected Love”! Thanks, Wein! (big grin)
Story rating: M (R) (For adult and sexual themes)
Written: February 2009-Present
Summary: Love can pop up unexpectedly with someone you least imagine to fall for. NaruTen.
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Unexpected Love
Chapter 10 – Shattered Hearts
By JuPMod (aka JPMod)
Life, it was something that people thought about almost every day. Not about living organisms, but about the path that everyone called ‘The Road of Life’. Most agreed that the road was not easy regardless. Some had it easier than others, while there were those who barely saw any good points on their roads. Nevertheless, there would always be ups and downs along the road of life the moment a person was born.
For Tenten, Jounin Kunoichi of Konohagakure no Sato, life was looking up for her. Since March, she had trained hard in mastering nature manipulation of her fire elemental chakra, thus she now had several useful Katon jutsu under her belt to go with her taijutsu and kenjutsu skills as a weapons mistress. Two months ago, she was promoted to jounin, which meant higher rank missions to go along with a higher pay, and her social life couldn’t be better, thanks to her friends and the remarkable man, who was her boyfriend.
As she walked down the street in her kunoichi uniform, the bun-haired woman sighed a bit happily on the thoughts of her blond, whisker-faced beau. He had changed a lot ever since he became a Genin years ago. He was currently considered the strongest shinobi in the village with a drive to never give up unless he really had to do so. He had a warm personality with a sense of humor. There was no doubt that his loyalty was unwavering, not only to the village but also to her. Furthermore, he was the most fantastic lover to her. There was hardly anything truly bad about him to say he was not worthy boyfriend material.
Her cheeks became a little rosy with a small grin upon remembering Naruto’s skills as a lover. Ever since their first time together two months ago, Tenten had no doubt her lover was relentless in turning her into a quivering mass of orgasm bliss every time they had sex, and she loved it. Oh, she obviously was not selfish when it came to bringing her boyfriend joy as well, just that he was more into giving than receiving. Add that to the brunette who was sometimes more willing to receive than give, it summed up to one incredible love life for her.
Even now, just thinking about the Kage Bushin Gang Bang would make her start to wet her panties. Kami, ever since he first used that on her a month ago on his birthday, there were a few more occasions, and each time had sent her even more into the stratosphere. That last time was a fantasy come true to be the center of attention of five or more studs in an orgy, and it came with no guilt since all the guys were Naruto anyway.
After mentally shaking her head of the erotic images, unless she wanted to end up so sexually frustrated that she had to run home to relieve the pressure, Tenten strolled into a particular woman’s clothing store. Since she had been on an A-rank mission with her old team to help escort the Fire Daimyo to Konoha to meet Tsunade, the brown-haired woman had missed getting herself fitted for her bridesmaid gown. With Ino and Sakura currently away on missions and Karin in the hospital under Shizune’s supervision, it left the kunoichi of Team Gai by herself to get her gown fitting.
With Sakura and Karin’s wedding to Sasuke coming up next month, the final preparations had begun this month. Sakura had chosen Ino to be her bridesmaid, but since Karin did not know of anyone in Konoha, the pinkette chosen Tenten to be the ex-Sound kunoichi’s bridesmaid. With Naruto being Sasuke’s best man, the wedding party couldn’t be better, since Tenten and Naruto were a couple anyway.
As Konoha’s Weapons Mistress went through the fitting process, she thought of her role model and idol. The Fire Daimyo rarely ever visited Konoha, unless it was for something really important. She wondered what the elderly Daimyo would want to speak to Tsunade about.
As she looked in the mirror to examine the gown on her body, Tenten mentally shrugged at her own question. “Well, it really is none of my business anyway.”
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Gulping down some sake directly from the bottle, Tsunade was not in a good mood. Just a few minutes ago, she had finished a meeting with the Fire Daimyo, and the results were not pleasing at all. The elderly Daimyo wanted something done that would strengthen the ties between Konoha and the Fire Country’s leadership, which Konoha protected. Yet even though the Godaime was all for a strengthened bond, it was the method that she had a problem with. Nevertheless, the Fire Country’s leader wanted this done, and it would be impossible for Tsunade to refuse despite how she had pleaded for the female Daimyo to reconsider.
After placing down the sake bottle on the table, the blond woman’s left hand covered her forehead in despair as she hung her head over the desk. Things were going so well ever since the Akatsuki’s defeat that she knew sooner or later Fate would bring something bad her way. It was just not what she expected, and furthermore, it would affect her most favorite blond brat in a life-altering way.
“I’m so sorry, Naruto,” she mentally cried as a few real tears escaped her eyes onto the desk. She knew she would have to tell him the very bad news, once his team returned from their mission sometime tomorrow or the following day.
Tsunade knew what his reaction would be. After so many years of pain and suffering, the whisker-faced, young man had finally found happiness, only for it to be ripped from under him. It certainly was not fair; for he had sacrificed much for the village ever since the day he was born. Would it pay for him to make his own decisions regarding his life for once?
Taking a few more sips of her drink, the Slug Sannin poured out a few more tears. Kami… She definitely knew what the outcome would be, especially given his relationship with a certain bun-haired, weapons-loving kunoichi. It seemed Fate was going to play a cruel hand to them.
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For Uzumaki Naruto, he was glad to be home. After two weeks of tracking down some roaming bandits on the northern border close to Rice Country, he finally returned to the village along with his team and Team 8. The blond did not mind the missions that took him outside Konoha for a few weeks, but when one was away for so long, one would develop feelings for home and he was no exception.
As he walked through the massive main gates, Naruto’s thoughts were on the Rice Country, where Oto used to stand. Ever since Oto was defeated, the country had problems with bandits, clans taking control of lands over the daimyo, and many other civil disputes. Orochimaru had brought order to the lands due to the fact that he had not wanted anyone disrupting his power, but with him and many other high-ranking Oto nins gone, Rice Country was pretty much easy pickings for low lives who wanted easy power. The Rice Daimyo had hired the Fuma Clan to clean up the nation, but it was slow going due to their small numbers, thus the occasional band of rogues would spill over into the Fire Country, making it Konoha’s problem.
Mentally shaking his head, Naruto snorted. If only Rice Country would ask for help as Baa-chan and Kakashi-sensei had stated many times before, the internal problems of Rice Country would have been resolved months ago. However, the Fuma clan and the Rice Daimyo were just too prideful to ask for help, with the exception of Sasame, who thought it was best in order to bring order to Rice Country. The blond Konoha Jounin had many times thought it was best that Sasame ran the clan and not her overgrown older brother.
Kakashi’s voice broke through Naruto’s thoughts as they made their way toward the Hokage Tower. “Thinking about Rice Country again, Naruto?”
“It’s not like any of us would not think about it, Kakashi-sensei,” the blond replied with a shrug. “For a small country, Rice Country sure is a pain, even with the Sound Village gone.”
“I say,” Kiba spoke up in agreement. “Too many packs of wolves running loose in that country.”
Naruto nodded. “If only Sasame was running the Fuma Clan, things would have been easier.”
Sakura shook her head. “It’s not that simple, and you know it, Naruto. We can’t tell them what to do; I’m sure we will not like it if other countries tell us how we should run Konoha and the Fire Country.”
Sighing, Konoha’s Jinchuuriki shrugged his shoulders again. “Well, I’m glad I’m home,” he said before a small grin came to his face. “Least we can relax for a while before heading off to the next mission.”
“Thinking about seeing your weapons-loving girlfriend, Naruto?” Kakashi teased with a crescent eye grin. “Say you’re thinking of making hot love to her again?”
While Naruto rolled his eyes with a grin, Sakura was not amused. “Kakashi-sensei! You pervert!” She didn’t mind such talk in private with the other women, but not out in public like this!
Yamato, team leader for Team 7 while Kakashi led Team 8, smirked and shook his head. “You shouldn’t even ask such questions, Senpai, especially since you have a girlfriend now yourself.”
“That’s right!” Kiba chimed with glee. “He’s banging that Anko bitch!”
“Kiba-kun!” scolded Hinata, whose cheeks were turning rosy from his use of such a perverted word in public. The ‘bitch’ word didn’t affect her since the word was normally used in the Inuzuka clan, but overall, her boyfriend was still quite rude regardless.
Shino and Sai were the only ones in the entire group not joining in the conversation. Shino knew better than to ever engage in public chats about sex, especially since it was a topic that Kiba would love to talk about if you ever started it. Sai grinned and just enjoyed the show. He had learned that it was far more entertaining to watch and listen than to ever participate in such discussions his team brought up regarding social aspects.
Ignoring what Kiba was saying, which was causing Sakura to focus her ire on the Inuzuka, Naruto chuckled as they approached the Hokage Tower. Kakashi-sensei had not ever denied that he was now seeing Anko, and the purple-haired kunoichi wickedly didn’t deny she was screwing the Scare Crow. Rumors had stated the relationship started at the festival a month ago with witnesses claiming they saw the pair at the Will of Fire tavern. Yet regardless of how they had gotten together, many admitted that Anko and Kakashi sure made quite an odd couple.
Many minutes later, both teams had made their report to Tsunade in front of her desk, and when they were finished, the blonde sannin snarled. “Stupid Rice Daimyo,” she muttered as she crossed her arms. “Trying to convince him or the Fuma Clan to accept our help is like pulling teeth. They’re not doing their country or ours any good.”
“So what should we do about it, Tsunade-sama?” asked Shizune. The brunette kunoichi stood at her master’s right side with a clipboard in hand to write down any orders given.
“Nothing we can do,” Tsunade shrugged in defeat. “I know it’s a pain to keep sending teams occasionally to the border to deal with bandits coming out of that country, but until Rice Country clean up their mess or ask for help, we can only stand by and deal with the problems on our side of the border.” She released a breath of air in resignation to the only course of action they could do.
After realizing the briefing was over, Kakashi cleared his throat to catch everyone’s attention. “So, are we dismissed, Tsunade-sama?”
The blond Hokage shook her head. “There’s something that I need to discuss with Naruto, but it will be best that all his friends are here.” She turned to her assistant. “Shizune, get Team Gai.”
“Yes, Tsunade-sama,” obeyed the short-haired kunoichi before leaving the office to retrieve the team.
“Team 10,” Tsunade continued, “is on a mission, but they’ll find out with everyone else in the village when I make the announcement two days from now.”
Both teams were quite baffled to what was going on. “’Announcement’, Shishou?” enquired Sakura, speaking for everyone.
Tsunade nodded. “Yes, and I’ll tell you all once Team Gai is here.” The two teams nodded their understanding, but for Kakashi, Yamato, and Sakura, they knew something was wrong upon spotting the brief sadness in their leader’s eyes. Whatever she was going to say would not be good news.
For many minutes, silence reigned in the office until the arrival of Shizune with Team Gai. The Godaime held up her hand to prevent Team Gai from speaking as the four stood besides their fellow shinobi. “Now that you’re all here, I can tell you all this news that would no doubt affect our village in a way, but more importantly, it will affect Naruto and Tenten as well.”
This caused everyone to pay attention fully now, especially Naruto and Tenten, who stood besides her boyfriend. The couple looked a bit concern but otherwise they were curious. “What will affect us, Baa-chan?” asked Naruto.
Looking up at Shizune, who wore a sad grin, Tsunade sighed before facing the couple before her. “Two days ago, the Lord of our land came here to discuss something private to me. When I first heard what she proposed, I was against it, but she is our ruler and what she wants goes.” Her apologetic eyes held the blue ones of her pseudo-son. “Naruto… By the order of the Fire Daimyo, she has placed you in an arranged marriage to one of her granddaughters. You’ll be wed to her within four months time.” She paused to swallow the lump in her throat. “I’m sorry, Naruto,” she finished softly.
A deathly silence reigned in the office for a couple of minutes, for everyone couldn’t believe what they just heard. Arranged marriages were practically unheard of these days. A hundred years ago, they were the norm to bond one clan to another. These days, clans were part of a village, and with the social attitudes that an individual should be allowed to love whomever he or she chose, it was mostly frowned upon to even think of making an arranged marriage.
Tenten felt her heart was cracking, but it was Naruto who broke the silence with a disbelieving chuckle. “You’re kidding me, right, Baa-chan?” Everyone could tell from his tone that he very much wanted this to be a joke. “You’re joking.”
“I wish I was,” Tsunade softly conveyed, feeling her own heart breaking upon seeing the spark left those blue orbs as well as the brown ones of the brown-haired kunoichi standing next to him.
His mind spinning, the blond man blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “Well, I refuse! I’m happy being with Ten-chan! Nobody has the right to tell us who we should love!”
Eyes closing at his words, Tenten couldn’t help but feel a burst of love for her defiant boyfriend. However, she knew it was futile, thus she felt the cracks in her heart widened.
“It’s a direct order, Naruto!” Tsunade shouted as she stood from her seat, anger and sadness lacing her eyes. She saw Sakura placed a comforting hand on Tenten’s right shoulder, causing the other woman to place her left on top of the hand. “The daimyo is our supreme ruler! If she gives us orders, we have to obey! Despite the fact that our village brings in good revenue from missions, a good percentage of our budget comes from the Fire Daimyo! The people of this country pay taxes to her, and from those taxes, a certain percentage goes to Konoha, which is the main defense force of the nation! We can not say ‘no’ to her!”
Naruto felt like a cornered animal. His eyes roamed around the room toward the others, but all he saw were sympathetic and sad eyes. Not even Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-taichou, or even Gai-sensei was speaking up for him, knowing the Fire Daimyo has that much influence.
“Why?” Konoha’s Jinchuuriki asked as he returned his sight on the blonde woman, who he thought as a mother figure. “Why me?”
“I’d asked the very same question,” Tsuande replied, feeling very much like crying. “Given your hero status, the Fire Daimyo wanted you married into her clan to broaden her clan’s influence. She also knows that it is possible that any children and grandchildren might develop a bloodline, due to you being a Jinchuuriki. It is known that most bloodlines were created long ago, when demons were sealed into human hosts. She figured that if you have the Kyuubi, the most powerful of the Nine Tailed demons, your descendents would likely become very powerful.”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Are you saying that I’m being used, Baa-chan?” asked Naruto incredulously. After seeing her nod, his blue eyes narrowed in anger. “And if I refuse to obey to marry?”
Everyone was startled at what he was suggesting, except the Godaime, who closed her eyes for a few moments before opening them to meet those hardened blues head on. “Then you will be arrested, Naruto. You will likely be kicked out of the shinobi force and put in prison. The Fire Daimyo will not accept your refusal lightly.”
“No!” nearly shouting at this point, it was clear that the blond jounin was livid. “This is my choice! Ever since I was a baby, I had not ever been given much of a choice as to what I want to do with my life! I’ve already given so much for my people, what more do I have to sacrifice?!” His teeth ground together, as his brain thought there was only one option for him to do. “I will fight!”
“NARUTO!” the feminine voice cried out, making him swing his head toward the source on his left at the same time he felt someone grab his hand. His eyes gazed into moist brown eyes looking up at him, pleading with him not to do anything rash, and the sight of her on the verge of tears was all it took for his anger to dissipate. Naruto hung his head, closed his eyes, and squeezed her hand that was in his. To see Tenten so sad like this was painful.
Tenten knew he was hurting as much as she was. Kami, the whole room felt like they were attending a funeral, and in way, it was one. In the span of a few minutes, their world has been turned upside down, and she knew their lives were never going to be the same again.
Turning her head to lock her sight with Tsuande’s, Tenten gave a silent message with her eyes, and seeing what the younger kunoichi was asking, Konoha’s leader nodded her consent, knowing these two needed some time alone now. After giving a grateful, yet sad, expression to her idol, the young kunoichi tugged her love’s hand to make her follow her toward the exit, feeling everyone’s gaze on them.
“Naruto,” Tsunade’s voice called out to him, making him stop, as he was about to walk across the exit’s threshold with Tenten on the other side. Blue eyes turned to hold steady with honey ones. “Be here tomorrow morning at nine. The Fire Daimyo has returned to the capitol, but her granddaughter has remained here as our guest in the Tower. You will be introduced to her tomorrow, before the announcement will be made the day after.”
Naruto felt once more the urge to be defiant, but decided it was best not to. He nodded a few times before leaving with his girlfriend. Once the door was closed did the rest of the group turned toward the Hokage.
“Shishou!” Sakura was the first to speak, her green eyes moist with tears for her two friends. “Is there anything we can do?! They do not deserve this!”
“No one should deserve this,” Kakashi spoke out solemnly with his back against the wall and his head hung. “Yet we all know that there is nothing anyone can do short of rebellion against the Fire Country’s lord, and rebellion is the last thing anyone wants.”
Tsuande warily sat back down. “Kakashi is right, Sakura. I know this will crush their hearts, but it is what the Fire Daimyo wants and we can not disobey.”
As the pink-haired kunoichi released a few tears in sorrow for her friends, the rest of the group reacted differently. Hinata hugged Kiba and cried into his chest as he hugged her back, feeling for their friend’s lost. Lee and Gai both clenched their fists, feeling the lost of the flames of youth. Others just hung their heads in sorrow.
Neji didn’t hang his head but his expression was forlorn. “History is repeating itself,” he mentally said, remembering the day almost a year ago that he had to tell Tenten his clan’s plans for him to marry his distance cousin. “Fate, you are indeed a cruel bastard.”
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Entering Naruto’s apartment, Tenten let go of her beau’s hand before heading toward the kitchen. She felt Naruto following her, and he didn’t say a word as he watched her remove a sake bottle out of one cabinet and took a few gulps. They had not said a single word since leaving the Hokage Office, knowing well what they would be talking would be painful, yet here they were in his home and they still have not said a word yet.
Naruto couldn’t stand the suspense anymore. Watching her drink like her life has ended was cutting his heart deeply. “Ten-chan… Don’t act like this. It’s not the end.”
Tenten laughed, but it was not out of amusement, which was why it scared Naruto, for he had not ever heard her laugh like this. Turning to face the blond, whose back was to the living room, the brunette grinned sadly. “’Not the end’? Naruto, I very much want to fight too, but we’re talking about the Fire Daimyo here, not a clan you can brush off. I know very well you can fight all you want, and in the end, you will marry that other girl regardless.”
“No, I will not,” he countered with a bit of heat. “I don’t know that other girl. How can I love someone who I have not even met? You and I have been friends for a long time, and when we became something more in the past few months, we were happy. Are you going to give that up?”
A sob escaped Tenten as tears poured out of her eyes. “I was happy with Neji, remember? Look what had happened. When it was clear there was no way to win against his clan’s wishes, we gave up. Least I’m happy Neji knew his distant cousin, but in the end, we had to end our relationship.”
“Listen to yourself!” Naruto cried out, not believing what he was hearing from this woman, who was one of the strongest kunoichi he knew in Konoha. “You’re giving up, when the battle has just started! I’m not going to give up the fight! I’ll find a way, and if I have to, I will not marry this other girl! She is not the woman I love, it is you!”
Closing her eyes and she hung her head, the nineteen-year-old woman dropped the sake bottle, not even caring about the spilled liquid, as she backed slowly away from him, until she felt the kitchen counter stop her. More tears ran down her cheeks, as her heart was full at the same time breaking into pieces.
“That fool!” she mentally said. “That whisker-faced, loving fool! He won’t ever give up. It’s one of the reasons why I love him. He had never given up when the going was tough, but couldn’t he see that this is a situation he just can’t win in? If he disobeys the Fire Daimyo…” Her mental thinking trailed off upon realizing the consequences Naruto would face if he did defy the arranged marriage, and her heart cracked even more. She knew what she had to do.
Raising her tear-stained face, Tenten shook her head at the strongest shinobi in the entire village. “I’m sorry, Naruto, but I am not going to allow it.” Upon seeing his incredulous expression, she elaborated. “You’re going to throw your entire career away, if you fight. What good is fighting for me, if you’re in prison? What about your dream of being Hokage, Naruto? You’ve worked for so long and hard to archive that dream, and you can’t be Hokage while in prison.”
With that said, the bun-haired kunoichi strolled out of the kitchen into his bedroom, and a few minutes later, she emerged to enter his bathroom for just a few moments. When she came out she saw that he was waiting for her in the living room. With her jaw set, she started explaining. “I’ve sealed away the few clothes and hygiene products I have here, for I will not be spending anymore nights with you.”
Naruto couldn’t believe it. She was ending their relationship for the sake of his career? It just couldn’t end like this!
As she was about to pass him, Naruto reached out and grabbed her arm, making her turn to gaze up into those expressive blue pools. Tenten could see the heartbreak in those lovely sapphires, and it tore her apart to see him on the verge of crying. She hated to do this, but it was the best for both their sakes.
As she shed a few more tears, Tenten reached up to pull his lips down onto hers to kiss him with all her being, and she was gratified to feel him kiss her back with equal flare. Her heart was breaking at every second their lips stayed together, and as much as she wanted to stay with him forever, the brunette knew it was not meant to be.
Breaking away from his face with regret, the weapons-loving kunoichi pressed something into his hand before running away toward the exit. Naruto watched her leave before he had gotten a chance to say anything.
Feeling his heart crack, the blond shinobi looked down into his closed fist for the item that was placed there. He opened his hand to find the key to his apartment. He had given her the key back in August, so she could look after his home when he was away on long-duration missions or if she wanted to use the place as another home. Seeing the spare key in his hand, Naruto knew that it was indeed the end.
Falling onto his knees, Naruto felt his cracked heart shatter as his eyes poured out the tears of pain. He cried as he clenched the key over his heart. For the first time in his life, he now knew what truly it was like to have your heart broken, and it was quite unbearable.
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Just as the sun was setting over the horizon, Tenten emerged onto the street from the apartment complex. It was just then that she, as everyone around her, heard a cry from one of the top apartments of the building. It was a cry no one would forget.
“TENNNNNNN-CHAAAAAAAN!”
The cry startled her to look up at the apartment, and when it was over, her heart shattered upon knowing how much pain and heartbreak was in that single call of her name. Unable to control herself, Tenten sobbed as she ran as fast as she could toward the one sanctuary she had in the village. A place where she went the last time her heart was torn apart.
Along the way, the miserable kunoichi did not pay any heed to everyone who had witnessed her distress. With so many people having seen her, it was not long before all of Konoha wondered what had happened with the young couple, and from what many had seen and heard, it was obvious the young couple had ended their relationship. Many wondered however as to what would have caused such a promising pair to be torn apart.
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Kyohaku was just placing a box of newly-made kunai under the front counter, when her daughter burst through the store’s front door, ran past the counter, and hurried up the stairs to their apartment. The weapon smith was startled at first, but the emotion turned to deep worry, for she saw and heard that Tenten was crying. Something had happened; causing her to grow even more agonized as to what had made her only child cry like this.
Quickly putting up the closed sign on the front door, the middle-aged woman swiftly made her way up to the apartment and down the hallway to Tenten’s bedroom. The door was partly open, and even from the hallway, her ears made out the harsh, deep sobs of her daughter. Upon reaching the door and pushing it slightly open for her to enter, her green eyes saw Tenten on top of her pink bed bawling into her pink pillow. The sight was heart wrenching to see.
Quietly and gently, Kyohaku approached the bed, sat down next to her distraught child, and placed a comforting hand on her back. The touch was enough for Tenten to raise her tear-stained face to look up at her mother before she hugged her parent like she was a lifeline. “Mom!” she cried out as her crying began anew.
“What’s wrong, my baby?” Kyohaku said soothingly yet worryingly as she petted her daughter’s head as she cried onto her shoulder. “What made you so upset?”
Pushing away just enough so she could face her mother, Tenten hiccupped a few times to form words. “It… It… It happened again!”
“What happened again?” Kyohaku asked in confusion at the same time her brain already having a good idea to exactly what her child was talking about. She had seen Tenten like this only once before a year ago.
With much difficulty due to her misery, the kunoichi of Team Gai told her mother everything, from Tsunade telling Naruto about him being arranged to marry the Fire Daimyo’s granddaughter to the break-up with Naruto minutes ago at his apartment. She even mentioned hearing Naruto calling out her name from the street, and how much pain he must be suffering. After the whole story was told, Tenten once more hugged her mother fiercely as she cried, but this time, Kyohaku’s eyes also shed tears alongside her daughter’s.
“Oh, Mom!” Tenten blubbered into her mother’s shoulder. “Why? WHY?! First Neji, now Naruto! Just when I found love again, this has to happen!”
As she hugged her daughter back just as fiercely while petting her head, Kyohaku raised a teary face toward the ceiling and the sky beyond it. Closing her eyes, she began to pray.
“Kami, if you’re listening, please look over these two. Give them strength! Help them see this through! And Minato, Kushina, if you’re listening, help them too. Look over your son as well as my daughter. Do not let their love die!”
High above the village, a couple of stars twinkled.
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Two days later, the Godaime Hokage made a village-wide announcement regarding the arranged marriage between Uzumaki Naruto and the Fire Daimyo’s granddaughter. The news was quite surprising given hardly anyone saw Naruto as the type to be arranged in a marriage. Yet again, given his hero status and being called the strongest shinobi in the village, it really shouldn’t have be a shock that someone eventually would want to arrange a marriage with the great hero.
The news of the marriage also finally settled the rumors on what caused the split between Naruto and Tenten. Stories ran amok that one or both young adults were at fault for their break-up, but in the end, it was clear that neither was to blame, given the blond was arranged to be married to another, thus the couple couldn’t keep their relationship regardless.
It was quite sad that such a promising couple were torn apart in order to appease the Fire Daimyo. Both were seen with melancholy expressions the day after the break-up, and all their friends could do was be there to provide moral support during their bleak time. It was like the light had been snuffed out of the pair with no means to rekindle the fire.
On the heels of the news of the arranged marriage, some pointed out an irony of the weather on the day the news was released. Clouds started to roll in during the morning, and by the afternoon, after the announcement was made, it had started to rain. It was like the Heavens were weeping for Naruto and Tenten and their lost love. Further more, lightning and thunder were added to the mix, making some think that Kami and the souls of Konoha’s past highly disapprove of the arranged marriage.
As the skies continued to weep and display their anger, many agreed that the day had become one of the saddest felt for the village of Konohagakure no Sato.
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TBC (End of Chapter 10)
A/Ns:
1) I wanted to have Naruto and Tenten experience a rift in their relationship, for I agree with some reviewers that there should be some bumps in the road for them. Yet I had pretty much written them hurdling through the trust issue of each being around other members of the opposite gender, thus each would not be jealous if say, they dance with other people. Add that with Tenten not having personal issues that Sakura or even Hinata have and Naruto is a very loyal guy, one will end up with a relationship that has virtually no faults.
Yet after much thought, I’d decided to use this plot of an arranged marriage tearing Naruto and Tenten apart. I’ve read many fics (say Naruto/Temari) where an arranged marriage placed the two main characters together romantically, but I have not ever read a fic where it was the opposite.
Yeah, I know the plot seems far stretch, since Konoha could just disobey the daimyo, but for the dramatic effect, I couldn’t help but feel it is affective.
So, rest assured, dear readers, that I have something in mind on how Naruto will get out of this arranged marriage; but I will not reveal it just yet. I’m planning at least another chapter or two for this mini-arc, and I’m going to focus on finishing this first before starting on the next chapter of “Matriarch”. :)
2) I like to note that I had original planned to have only 13 or so chapters for “Unexpected”, with each chapter taking place a month apart from one another over the course of the year Naruto mentioned at the very beginning of Chapter 1. Yet with this new mini-arc, I’ll be adding a few more chapters thus disrupting the cycle that each chapter would take place a month apart in the timeline. Given the drama of the mini-arc, I just can’t put everything in one chapter.
3) Last, I’m more than willing to hear anyone guess how this arranged marriage situation would be resolved. Like I said, I’m not going to say anything. You just have to read and find out how it will be resolved. ;)
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