It's funny how she is sick a couple of times and everyone thinks she is pregnant XD you guys are waaaayyyy too eager XD

Be warned: the following chapter contains a lot of swearing. Read at your own risk XD

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Hotaru had barely recovered from her fever when she had been sucked into Wedding plans. It had been a long week, and in the brief moments where she could persuade him to leave so that the bug wouldn't spread, Kiba had made the mistake of telling Naruto- something which Hotaru had berated him for greatly when Naruto and Sasuke burst into their home with large grins on their faces. And then, despite Sasuke's supervision, Naruto told Sakura, who then told Ino, who then told everybody else. And now, Hotaru was sat at a table full of girls, pictures of dresses and floral-decorated wedding cakes being thrust in front of her while she sweated her face off.

The redhead let out a long sigh as a particularly puffy dress was flaunted to her, and forced herself to stay sat upright. "I don't want to look like a snowman." she didn't particularly care for dresses and girly things, and really just wanted to go sleep off the aftermath of the fever, but couldn't bring herself to do it. The other kunoichis (Ino, Sakura, Tenten, Hinata and Suzume [remember, from the fake birthday party?]) seemed to be having such fun with it, and anyway, Hotaru was worried they would go completely overboard if she left it to them. She wanted simplicity... they wanted extravagance to the greatest degree.

"Okay, what about this cake?" Ino asked, showing a twelve tiered cake decorated with more icing flowers than there was sponge,

"That's a cake?" Hotaru's eyes bugged. Her mind wandered away, unable to concentrate on what everyone was saying.

She woke up back in bed, Kiba sat by her side, looking worried.

"It's been a week, Hotaru, it's not going away. I'm calling Sakura again." he said. Hotaru scowled.

"I'm fine! I'm just tired- I've barely slept because of the fever!" she insisted, and he sighed.

"Why must you be so stubborn?" Hotaru just turned her head away. Kiba flopped down beside her, and smiled wryly, "S'pose I wouldn't like you so much if you weren't."

"I'm bored..." she complained, jabbing her other half in the side, "It's too long since I've been out of the village."

He frowned, "Well, you can't go anywhere until you're fully better."

"I said already, I'm fine! I just need-" she cut off with a large yawn, "-some good quality sleep."

The brunette gave a slightly frustrated sigh, but couldn't help smiling, "Sleep, then."

The redhead closed her eyes, but still frowned, "Where'd the others go?"

"They all went home, it's pretty late y'know." Kiba replied, resting his head in the crook of his elbow and curving slightly so that his legs would fit around hers.

"Jeez.." she grimaced, "Sorry 'bout that."

"It's all right. Just get some rest." Hotaru's eyes flickered open to glance at him, then slid closed again as her cheeks reddened slightly. Although she should be used to it by now, the memories of how much they used to antagonise each other weren't entirely lost on her. It made her feel embarrassed- how open he was with his feelings, that is.

She twitched, "I can't sleep with you staring at me like that." she opened one eye, frowning. Kiba blinked and flushed too, looking away, but making no move to widen the distance between them.

"Ah- that is- I-" he cut off his stammering, and sighed, smiling awkwardly as he looked back at her, "Sorry. I just can't believe that you're really gonna be my wife."

Hotaru's face flushed more, and she closed her eyes again, saying nothing. She turned her face into the pillow as he chuckled and pulled her to him.

When Hotaru awoke, she was instantly aware of several things: one, that Kiba was gone- at least, the bed beside her was empty and she couldn't feel the dog-boy's chakra. Two, that something had crashed through her bedroom window, spraying glass shards everywhere.

And three, that the something that crashed through her window was the Jashinist that she had been sure was dead- Hidan.

"Fuck! What the fuck was that for, Deidara?!" Hidan screamed out of the busted up window. The blonde haired man sailed through the gap, kicking the silver-head in the face in the mean time. Hotaru twitched.

"That's for always being such a prick to me, un!" Deidara shrieked in return, "You died before I could beat the shit out of you!"

"I didn't die! How am I here if I died?!" Hidan shouted, "And anyway, if you didn't have such girly hair I wouldn't always take the piss!"

"It's not girly! It's artistic, un!!" another twitch from Hotaru.

"I don't give two shits, it still makes you look like a faggot!!"

"At least my jutsu has some finesse to it- rather than hacking things to bits you fucking barbarian!"

"No, 'cause if you did it my way you'd be bitching about blood on your clothes, Deidara-chan!" the redhead twitched a final time, about to scream at the pair of them, when Sasori also decided to make an appearance... also through the window.

"FUCK! You two, if you're staying in my house, fucking well behave!!" Sasori roared, fairly frightening in his rage, "Don't break the fucking windows, and don't fucking wake up my sick baby sister, and if you fucking break anything else I'll break your fucking faces!!"

There was a long silence as everyone present simply stared at Sasori in shock- Hotaru and Deidara because they knew that Sasori rarely got this angry, and Hidan because he still knew Sasori as the calm, collected puppeteer from his Akatsuki days. After a moment, the silver-haired new arrival finally whistled.

"Well, fuck."

Hotaru blinked a few times, then rubbed her forehead, "I take it this prick's staying with us too, then..." she croaked, throat sore from her sickness. Although she was almost fully recovered, it still hurt. Her big brother eyed her in concern.

"Are you all right, Hotaru?" he asked worriedly, evidently having heard about her fever while on his mission, "Did we wake you?"

"Yes. You did." Hotaru mumbled, carefully standing up, "But it's okay, I feel better now anyways." she crossed the room and swiftly punched both Hidan and Deidara in the stomach on her way, moving too fast for them to even see it coming, "You two break anything else and that'll be in the balls instead of the stomach."

The two grunted in pain, before Hidan grinned, "Bitch..."

It turned out that Sasori and Deidara's mission had been to recover the pieces of the disassembled Jashinist from the pit in the Nara forest and take them to a specialised medic in Grass country. Tsunade had been concerned over some attempts to capture Hidan in order to use him in enemy efforts, so he had been fixed up and then had a special seal placed on him in order to stop his abilities- making him useless. Sasori had then been charged with looking after him, much to the redhead's chagrin. He didn't mind him so much, he just knew that his younger sister used to have what could only be described as a very violent relationship with him.

Well, I suppose it could be called more than that. They were friends, but enemies at the same time, both sticking up for one another but frequently expressing their hatred for the other party. Thus, it was a very confusing friendship and the other Akatsuki members often felt they had gained whiplash from it. The way they behaved was somewhat like the relationship Hotaru and Kiba had before they realised their feelings.

"Hidan, you're staying in Deidara's room." Sasori held up his hand, silencing their protests, "You either learn to deal with it or leave and get killed by ANBU, we only have three rooms. Mine's filled and there's no way I'm gonna trust you in here with my teenage sister."

"Psh, like I'd touch that thing with a ten foot barge pole." Hidan scoffed, and Hotaru scowled.

"More like two inch breadstick." she retorted, referring to his downstairs area and causing him to glare.

"Least I can get some, bitch." he spat.

"I'm engaged, dickhead, I've already got some. Permanently." she informed, and his eyes bugged.

"Engaged?! What the fuck?! You're engaged?!" he spluttered, beyond belief, "But you're- how old?! Twelve?!"

"Bastard, I'm Eighteen!" she finally yelled, snapping and punching him in the face. He didn't seem to care.

The immortal suddenly seemed to realise just how worked up he was getting, and stopped, folding his arms. "Fuck you. Like I give two shits what you do, bitch."

"Go die." she replied, glaring, and Sasori groaned slightly. He certainly hadn't missed this.

"Anyway, Deidara, show Hidan to the spare bed. Now, Brat." Hotaru and Deidara both blinked in surprise- it had been a while since Sasori called the blonde that. He must have been quite pissed.

Once only the two siblings were left in the room (though it wasn't really private; Hidan could be heard telling Deidara to 'clear that clay shit' in the other room) Sasori turned to Hotaru, his expression somewhere between murderous and happy.

"So he finally popped the question, huh?" Sasori asked, "I don't recall being asked permission... I may have to have words with the dog..."

Hotaru scowled at him, "And I don't recall you being my Father." she stuck her tongue out, smiling slightly, "And I've already said yes, so there isn't anything you can do about it Oniichan."

He glowered at her a moment, but couldn't resist the childlike expression on her face and grabbed her in a hug, "Imouto, you're too cute, it's not fair. You know I can't say no to that face."

"That's what I was counting on.." she mumbled under her breath, smirking in victory as she returned the hug, "Score one for me..."

"Eh?" Sasori asked cluelessly, not having heard her words.

"Nothing." the younger redhead grinned, then stopped, "Hey, Sasori-nii... I know you're not my Dad, but... will you walk me down the aisle?" seeing his surprised expression, she scowled embarrassedly, "I mean, it's fine if you don't want to, I know you don't really like Kiba... And stuff..."

"I'd love to, Imouto!" he exclaimed, grinning, and then he lowered it to a smile, "And it's not that I dislike him... if anything, he's the only person I could trust to look after you." he smirked somewhat evilly, "I just like giving the mutt a hard time for taking away my little sister."

"I don't need looking after..." she muttered, flustered, "...idiot..."

Within the next few days, Hotaru was surprised to find that Hidan settled into life with them very easily. It was vaguely reminiscent of her days in the Akatsuki, except minus over half the members.

Kiba, on the other hand, hadn't been seen by her since before Hidan arrived. She thought that it was bizarre for him to just up and disappear like that, but didn't have time to feel lonely in the seemingly ginormous bed each night because she was too occupied by the gaping hole in her wall that had once been a window. Hidan had no money to his name, so Sasori was paying for the repair, but he was taking his time about it because he was annoyed by having to do so.

"So what do you have to say for yourself, hmm?" Kiba had been stood in the doorway when Sasori answered, expecting to see his fiancée but instead getting leaned over by a menacing ex-Akatsuki.

But for once, he wasn't intimidated. He straightened up and kept his gaze trained on Sasori's- this was one thing that he wasn't going to back down from.

"I'm sorry I didn't go about it the traditional way and ask you first, but I love Hotaru more than anything and want to be with her." his expression was serious, while Sasori became slightly surprised- usually Kiba didn't argue with him; Hotaru more or less always intervened. "And I'm not afraid to fight for her, either."

"Is this the little fucker that's marrying Hotaru?" Hidan approached the scene, and eyed the brunette, his expression reproachful. "You better not hurt her. She's a bitch, but I'll kick your ass if you make her so much as even cry a little bit."

Kiba couldn't deny- as Deidara also joined them in the hall- it was pretty intimidating, being surrounded by three ex-Akatsuki. Even so, he swallowed and stood his ground.

"About time you learned to stand up for yourself against my brother, Kiba." Hotaru smiled, reaching through the crowd of testosterone fuelled males and grabbing his arm to pull said Inuzuka out of it. He blinked at her, relief clear in his eyes.

"Hotaru, you're better." he breathed, sure to remain composed so as not to set himself up to any mockery from the other men in the room. Then he frowned, seeming embarrassed, "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough." she replied cryptically, then leaned around him to grin mockingly at Hidan, "I knew you cared, Masochist."

"'s'not an insult if it's true, bitch." he glared, flipping her off and returning to the plate of assorted meat cuts on the table. Hotaru grimaced- that Hidan sure did have a love for meat.

"C'mon, we have a wedding to organise." the redhead said, pulling Kiba into the living room. Although she disliked this organisation crap, irt had to be done, and it was a good excuse to get away from Hidan's foul mouth and Sasori's playful stink-eye. But then she stopped, remembering something. "Wait, Hidan, if you sort of died, what about Aijin?"

"What about 'er?" he said gruffly, through a mouthful of lamb chop.

"Well, would'a thought you'd be worried about her."

The Jashinist turned his back, but everyone else could see that his ears were burning. "I don't give a fuck where she is." he replied, stuffing three slices of bacon in his mouth and then gnawing on a chicken leg. It was obvious from the set of his back that he was worried now.

Deciding to leave him be, Hotaru turned to Deidara, "Do you know where she is?"

"Last I saw, she was heading to Kirigakure with Hikari and Kurai. Those kids are growing up fast, y'know? Aijin wanted to give them a proper living." he shrugged, "That, and I think her Mizukage business was calling."

"Oh yeah. I'll have to go visit her sometime." The redhead said absently, then started pulling Kiba out of the room again.

"You're friends with the Mizukage?!" Kiba asked incredulously as he sat on the couch, watching Hotaru grab a notepad and pen and flop down on the opposite side. She sat on her legs, facing him.

"Yup. She came to the Akatsuki while I was there, had kids, then went home. You don't need to worry about the details, but we became good friends. She helped me beat up Hidan a couple times." Hotaru's eyes contained something far away as she spoke, and Kiba tilted his head to one side curiously. She shook hers, grimacing, "Anyway, we need to do the guest list. Since you were away for so long we have a lot to discuss..."

The brunette smiled guiltily at her accusing tone, "Sorry. I was called away on a mission, and I was so worried about you being sick and all that I didn't want to wake you."

"You could've left a note or something..." she pointed out, annoyed, and he chuckled slightly.

"Thought you didn't like corny things like that?" he said, slinging an arm round her shoulders. She hit him.

"It's not corny, it's informative!" she defended, then hit him again, hissing "Stop trying to distract me, we've got stuff to do!"

Sasori immediately stuck his head around the door, eyes narrowed, followed shortly by Deidara and then Hidan, a pork chop dangling from his mouth. Deidara grinned, "Not getting up to anything naughty, I hope."

Sasori just knocked him on the head, then used his first to fingers to point to his eyes and then point at Kiba in the 'I'm watching you' gesture. Hotaru just threw a cushion at him, and the three men retreated, leaving the couple in peace.

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Done!

After many comments, I have decided to write the after party. That will come next chapter. I'm strangely looking forward to it XD

I know that the Mizukage is Mei Terumi, but for the Mizukage to be my OC Aijin is quite important and will tie into the story later. I suppose I could have just made it so that Mei and Hotaru were friends, but it seemed more plausible for Hotaru to have made a friend through the Akatsuki, and Akatsuki was said to once have been hosted by Mizugakure.

Finally, I have a vote.

Question: If I were to do a spin-off of this book, featuring the story of Hotaru in the Akatsuki, who would read it? If people would prefer, I would possibly do it as a few extra chapters in this book. Leave your vote in the comments below :) (Let the record show that @paperbagdirectioner was the one who gave me the idea. Thanks! :D)

Welp, vote and comment!