#and the konoha that exists in my head is a lot more in the woods than the canon village | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

catflorist · 3 years

Text

The Time Being (ao3 / ffn) catflorist Summary: Time-slipping is a side effect of wielding the Rinnegan. When Sasuke slips through time, he always goes to Sakura, whether he wants to or not. 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

pt 8: roots

"Your hair is so long now," Ino said, over a quiet dinner at Sakura's apartment. "Are you sure you don't want me to cut it?"

"It's okay, Pig," Sakura said, moving the food around on her plate.

"I'm going to miss seeing that forehead of yours," Ino said, voice bright, but she wasn't eating either.

Silence fell, and the food grew colder. Hime leapt onto the tabletop and pestered Ino for affection.

"Ino." Sakura took a deep breath. "Can you tell Tsunade-shisou and Kakashi-sensei not to worry?"

Ino touched Sakura's shoulder. "Of course I'll tell them."

The next day, Karin knocked at the door, carrying a traveling pack. Inside was a stack of Sasuke's clothes, neatly-folded with uchiwa fans facing up.

"I know a lot of his things must already be here," Karin said. "But I went by his place, and I thought you would like to have these."

"Aren't you coming?" Sakura asked.

Karin wrinkled her nose. "Jugo's found his calling. Suigetsu's students are pretty needy, and they cry a lot as it is. There's also my research. If I leave, I just know someone will ruin my samples." She looked out Sakura's window. "I think this village needs us now. We'll watch over it for you both."

When she visited Naruto, Sakura spoke directly, for his sake.

"I'm leaving, and I don't know if I'll be back," she said, hands folded on his kitchen table.

Naruto's eyebrows knit together. His features were built for joy, and Sakura did not know how to react to this sober expression.

"You're wearing the dobe's shirt," he protested quietly, staring at the floor. "Don't you want some of mine?"

Sakura let out the breath she was holding and sorted through his closet.

"Don't take that one, it has a stain…ouch!" Naruto cried, as Sakura crushed him in a hug.

"Ogenkide," she whispered to her friend. Be well even if I don't see you.

The news broke on the sixth day. Uchiha Sasuke had abandoned his mission and once more cemented himself as a rogue nin. He did not even make it to Suna.

Whether he had made the choice, or the mission's absurd structure led to his failure, Sakura didn't know. The village had what they wanted.

For weeks after, Anbu agents followed her, Team Taka, and Naruto around the village. Sakura would wake up in the middle of the night at the slightest sound––the sink dripping, Hime purring. Her chakra never ceased boiling under her skin, prepared to fight at any moment. But after it became clear Sasuke was gone, and would not attempt anything rash, the Anbu vanished.

Sakura worked without rest to establish her pediatric center. It might be her last contribution to the village, and she wanted to do it right.

A year passed before the center was built, staffed, and operational.

Sakura packed her belongings, mostly her selection of Naruto and Sasuke's clothes, and did not request a leave of absence. She said her goodbyes.

One task remained. Sakura visited the square on her way to the village gates. Facing the council building she built, Sakura understood her mistake. It was impossible to coax deep-rooted, corrupted things to grow into a more pleasing shape. It was better to tear them from the soil and start fresh.

Murmurs of creaking wood filled the night air. The council building ungrew, shrinking back to the earth. In the morning, the citizens of Konoha discovered a tree marking where their government was once seated. This was Sakura's parting gift.

As Sakura resided by the ocean, a young Sasuke appeared, again and again.

First he attacked her, then he pestered her with questions. Finally, he did not want to be around her at all. In the same moment he slipped into her home, he was already moving to slam the door on his way out.

Months passed and Sasuke's visits remained as consistent as the tides. Eventually his anger cooled to resentful acceptance. He did not even bother to punish her door. Sakura grew used to the sight of him sulking outside the house.

Beyond her long hair, Sakura made no effort to hide the uchiwa fan adorning her back. The answers to Sasuke's questions were obvious, if he cared to look, but he was blinded by pain and anger. Even if she told him the truth, he would not believe her.

One night Sakura awakened with a flash of movement outside the window. Sasuke knelt on the beach, curled over himself, shoulders trembling. The sound of his splash as he dove into the ocean broke the quiet of the night. Despite the fire and lightning in his blood, he plunged into the water like he couldn't breathe without it.

Sakura pulled the comforter from her own bed and walked down to the shore.

Sasuke trudged onto the beach. Without meeting her eyes, he accepted her offering. Soaking wet, the blanket comically large around him, for once he looked his age. The water had washed away all his defenses. A tired boy remained.

In his own world, Sakura did not know if he slept well at night, if he ate enough, if he stayed warm. When he accepted her blanket, she shivered in relief. At least in this moment, she ensured he was not cold, and alone.

Sasuke finally accepted her tea, so Sakura knew it was the last time she would see him.

"You know what this is—why this is happening. At least say that much."

Today, he might understand. Sakura decided to answer. "Yes. I know why this is happening."

"How do you know?"

"I know because you told me."

The crease between his brow softened. Sakura bit her tongue to keep from crying, Don't you see? All this time, it's you I've been waiting for.

"Sakura––" he said. As her name dropped from his mouth, he took a step closer to her own Sasuke.

He slipped away. Sakura's role was over. The rest was his to uncover.

Hime darted down the path. Sakura squinted in the sun. A dark-haired figure bent to scratch the black cat between her ears.

The wind ebbed, and the waves quieted. Even the seabirds were no longer crying.

Sakura rose. She thought she would run to meet him, but her feet were roots anchoring her to the earth. It was all too dreamlike. If he were to turn on his heels and depart down the path, Sakura would not feel a thing. She would keep waiting until she dissolved into sand and seafoam.

Sasuke tilted his head to the sea. "Do you mind if I wash, first? I've come a long way."

A breeze picked up, rustling Sasuke's clothes, lifting Sakura's long hair.

"Take your time," Sakura said. "I'll be here."

Sasuke dropped his belongings where he stood. On the beach he undressed and dipped into the waves.

When enough time passed, Sakura brought him a change of clothes. He emerged from the waves without concealing his bare body, and Sakura did not look away. He dried off and pulled on the fresh clothes. Matching uchiwa fans winked on their backs.

He pulled her close, the spell broken. His skin was damp. Sakura buried her face into his neck. Tears came slowly, then they racked her body. She shuddered with a year's worth of sobs.

Sasuke traced her spine. "I'm sorry, my love," he whispered. "It seems I've kept you waiting again."

When Sakura kissed him, he tasted like salt.

All her waiting was done. She and Sasuke were once more illuminated by the same sun, swimming through the same pool of time.

In the southernmost tip of Fire country, there was a beach where two rock formations rose from the water. A weathered house perched by the shore, next to a long wooden dock housing a rickety fishing boat.

Seasons did not change in the south, so there were other markers of time––how many repairs Sakura performed on the house, how many seashells Sasuke added to the mantle of the hearth. They trained on the beach every morning, because old habits were hard to break. Tomatoes grew especially well in the loamy soil of their garden.

It was a peaceful life. No one knew where they were. No one was looking for them.

"What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked, sitting on the edge of the dock. A black-tailed gull alighted next to her, peering at their catch of the day.

Sasuke was staring at the blue sky, his long hair tied back. "I haven't slipped in a long time."

"You look a lot like you did, when I first saw you," Sakura said. "It could happen any day now."

"One last trip, then."

Sakura could not say why, but she was certain of this, too.

Sasuke tilted his head back. "The last time Itachi and I saw each other was a day like this."

Sakura watched waves roll under the dock. In a quiet corner of Konoha, a tall stone listed the names of each slain Uchiha. No stone bore Itachi's name. He had no resting place, no marker to commemorate his existence.

Her hands quietly shaped the familiar signs. A column of wood rose up the side of one rock formation. Branches stemmed from the main trunk, sprouting foliage. Like training the limbs of a fruit tree into orderly lines, Sakura twisted and curved the branches into the shape she envisioned.

The image of a raven in flight grew into the rock face, a relief of stone, branch, and greenery. Cliffside sculpture, honoring not six Hokage, but Itachi, and all the souls sacrificed in Konoha's name.

"It suits him," Sasuke said, reaching for her hand. "Do you ever think about the village?"

"Yes," she said. "Every day. I wonder if anything has changed."

To her surprise, Sasuke smiled. There was a familiar glint in his eye.

"You know something. Don't you?"

"I know something," he said, "though it took some time to understand."

He whispered it in Sakura's ear.

When Sasuke received the Rinnegan, his stomach dropped as if he had skipped a step. On one end of that feeling, he faced a god. On the other end, he was standing on a hilltop, gazing at a Konoha he did not recognize.

The Hokage mountain was a wall of green. Trees grew straight up the cliffside, a vertical forest. Foliage and vines hung like a curtain over the Hokage faces. Here and there, the corner of a mouth, the center of a large eye, a colossal tuft of hair, poked through the vast greenery. Sasuke wouldn't describe many things as beautiful, but the word came to mind.

A dark-haired young woman with glasses joined him on the crest of the hill. She had a delicate chin and a toughness to the bend of her spine. Sasuke remained silent. He could tell, by now, when someone was expecting him.

"We added to the monument," she explained, following his gaze. "It wasn't right to destroy it. It's important to remember. But a lot has changed. This isn't a place that carves faces into cliffs, anymore."

"You're not Sakura," he said.

"No, I'm not."

"Who are you, then?"

"Sarada."

He remembered this name from a dream.

"Uchiha Sarada," she continued.

Sasuke frowned. "Prove it."

Sarada drew in a deep breath. A wave of heat scorched Sasuke's face as she exhaled the signature fireball jutsu of the Uchiha clan. Flames larger than the crowns of trees licked the air, but none of the surrounding grasses were set alight. She possessed a fine control over her chakra that he had only seen in one other person.

The flames receded. "I can activate my Sharingan if you like," Sarada offered, touching a finger to her chin.

"No need," Sasuke said, smiling. Her eyes reminded him of Itachi's. "I see it."

He slipped back to fight alongside his teammates. To shape his future.

fin

–––––––––– this story is about two people finding each other. it's about trusting in yourself and in your heart. it's about doing the work to shape the world and the future you want––and at the end the ocean will be waiting.

thank you to: ––theredconversegirl and myr_art whose work first introduced me to the concept of time travel sasusaku ––my partner who spent hours close-reading every sentence so it could become a better story ––my friend di for her endless support and enthusiasm for everything i write ––every single person who has read and ever will read this story. even if you're reading 5 years in the future, please leave a comment so I can thank you for following along this journey with me! (and let me know if the pandemic over yet?)

and that's it! thank you, thank you, thank you! roya

#sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #sasusaku fanfic #ss fic #ss #my ss #my fic #the time being

82 notes · View notes

readerinsertfanfiction · 4 years

Note

I wanted to know if you could do a kakashi x civilian reader (with fetus team 7) where the reader and kakashi used to date as kids but kakashi (after rin and minato and all that) broke up with the reader but was kinda mean about it (he wanted her to move on because he was scared of hurting her). And team 7 finds out and tries to hook them two together because they still like eachother (but the reader is hella mad and stubborn). This is all pre shippuden btw.

That’s rather specific and a lot to cramp in. I will see what I can do. However, as I always do with requests, I try to take my own liberty, so I will take and leave what I need to write.

Fandom: Naruto

Character: Kakashi Hatake

Despite being worlds apart the two of you were only physically separated by two front doors right next to each other. It was only natural that the two of you knew of the other, often looking after one another in a world that had forced you into loneliness much too early in life. It was funny how two lives, so different from one another, could walk so parallel.

Perhaps it was that corresponding time and life that pulled the two of you together. Orphaned much too young, left to your own devices much too soon. Despite being a mere civilian you understood the pain in which Kakashi found himself, as he understood your loneliness in life. However, differences were bound to arise as you grew up.

Undeniable was the genius that Kakashi harboured, the talent he had for the way of the ninja, the strength he mustered to go on and fight the battles from within the shadows. A civilian like you couldn’t tip to the life or the adrenaline that his life provided, the distraction to his mind. Where you found peace and a place within your own daily life, Kakashi found his on the field, in the bloodbath that had condemned so many.

“I can’t spend my time playing in your little fantasies, or worry over your fragile civilian existence.”

The words had cut cruelly deep, but it illustrated well what his life had been like apart from you. Where you had only heard of the war, he had been in the midst of it. Where you could leisurely explore your path, find your way and settle for an illustrious peace, Kakashi knew that he was the footman that provide. You knew very well that the words he had said were only meant to scare you, to shake you. Later on you would come to understand that it was merely to protect you, to help you.

“Long time no see, [Name],” he said almost too casually, his eyes lazily scanning you over, taking in every change that you had gone through in the time that the two of you had spent apart. Years, years it had been, years in which you had brewed in contemplation, gained new insights and understandings, matured, and ultimately reached a point of sympathy.

“Has it?” you responded, a smile plastered on your lips. Sympathy did not mean to forgive, you had learnt, and despite all of your compassion you could not find it within yourself to allow this man to reach close once more. “I hadn’t noticed,” you lied, though you would never admit such to him.

“Who tha?” a blond next to the jounin asked, his goggles reminding you of a certain friend that you hadn’t seen around in a long while. The set of clear blue eyes and bright blond hair gave you an even bigger whiplash of people you hadn’t seen in a long while.

“[Name], as Kakashi already said,” you responded before giving the infamous copycat a chance. “Kakashi and I were neighbours back in our childhood,” you filled in the gaps with a shrug.

“Huh, so even he was young once,” the boy mused to which you grimaced. Despite not being involved in his world you had a general idea of what Kakashi’s life has been like ever since your fall-out, what with him being a local celebrity and all.

“Naruto, not? Number one troublemaker,” you teased the boy, earning wide eyes of surprise before his eyes turned into deep squints as he scratched his head at you.

“I’m still not sure if I should know you,” he admitted honestly, earning a hit over his head by a certain pink-haired girl.

“I’m so sorry for Naruto. I’m Sakura, and the boy over there is Sasuke, we are Kakashi’s students,” the girl smiled up at you cutely, green eyes scanning you over as well as she dug through her memory.

Behind there was another boy, dark and brooding, reminding you of the man Kakashi had been before. He as well seemed to scrutinise you, eyes inconspicuously scanning you over for any sign on whether you were a fellow ninja or not.

“How adorable,” was your only comment, trying not to let your ire between Kakashi and you extend towards the three innocent lives in front of you. “No offense taken, I’m not a ninja anyway,” you quickly addressed their worries, the relief in their eyes telling as they realised that there was no need to recall you, yet.

“[Name] has been out of Konoha for a while, studying all sorts of secrets to assist the hokage and the council,” Kakashi explained the rest, earning a look from your side and drawing the awe from the other three.

“You have been paying attention, I see,” you faked yet another smile, unsure whether you should actually be surprised that Kakashi had been keeping tabs on you. In hindsight it seemed almost natural.

“Heartwarming, as always,” you clipped before waving the group off. “Don’t let me, a mere civilian, hold you up,” you grimaced before retreating.

“What was that about?” Naruto scratched his head once more, confused over the hostility that you seemed to express towards his teacher. A fact that confused the rest of the team as well, who couldn’t help but feel themselves be piqued in their interest.

The answer came in the form of Might Guy, brightly smiling as he was quick to recall something that had passed so long ago.

“[Name]!” he exclaimed as the students stood in front of him, eagerly coaxing out the answers from the man. “Ah, yes, [Name],” he shook his head as he crossed his arms, seemingly sinking into thoughts before realising that Team 7 was still staring up at him, unimpressed.

“All I really know is that [Name] and Kakashi dated for a bit when they were children,” Guy admits, not thinking too much of the statement. “I don’t know what pulled them apart, but suddenly [Name] disappeared from Kakashi’s life,” he followed after some more prodding from Sakura as he let go of a sigh.

“Ah, youthful love!” Guy suddenly exclaimed, his fists balling as he rose them up into the air. “I bet that Kakashi is so over the moon with [Name]’s return, I must challenge him to another bet!”

And with that the man disappeared into the horizon, searching for his eternal rival.

Team 7 wouldn’t be the Team 7 that Kakashi led if Guy’s exclamation didn’t lead to shenanigans.

“[Name]!” Sakura ran up to you, an arm waving over her head as she tried to catch your attention. “Oh, thank heavens I found you, I really, really need your help,” the female pitched, her eyes beaming at you in a way that you found it difficult to refuse.

“What is it?” you carefully tried, not liking the glimmer in her expression one bit as she dragged you off, surprising you with the amount of strength her body carried. Ninja were definitely of another calibre, you found.

“Well, you see, it involves Kakashi-sensei,” she started, earning a firm halt from you, your heels planting itself into the soil as you shrugged the female off.

“If it involves Kakashi I don’t want any part of it,” you spoke, your voice firmer than you had intended as you quickly let go of your breath. “I- It is complicated between the two of us,” you mumbled upon the questioning look of the girl. “I doubt he would want me to interfere either,” you scoffed, guilt building up within you as you watched Sakura’s expression drop further.

“Ah,” Sakura let go of a breath, her expression turning apologetic as she let go of a sigh. “I suppose you wouldn’t want us to pry?” she questioned in a small voice to which you grimaced painfully.

“You guys are good kids and don’t deserve to be sandwiched between whatever Kakashi and I had,” you shrugged, hand ruffling through the pink tresses of the young teen. “Don’t worry your pretty head. It is a story that deserves no attention,” you reassured the female before heading off into your original direction once more.

The boys didn’t have much luck either from their side.

“I doubt [Name] wants anything to do with me,” their teacher had grimaced at them as soon as he figured out their plans. It was rare for Kakashi to be so straightforward, but it had been a clear signal from his side as well.

“Obviously they still think of one another,” Sakura exclaimed, her arms thrown up into the air as she sat down exasperated. Sasuke kept to himself as Naruto just nodded furiously along.

“That just means we will have to force them together!” the blond determined, earning a look from his team members, a devilish glint in his eyes. “Leave it to the number one troublemaker!”

You were suspicious, to say the least. When Team 7 appeared in front of you, claiming that they wanted to get to know you better, you had thought nothing much of it and agreed. However, the deeper they led you into the forest, the further they dragged you into --for you-- uncharted territory without any explanation, the more you started to wonder.

“So, what exactly is it that you guys wanted to show me?” you questioned the three teens, earning only an exchange of eyes between the students before they grimaced at you.

“Oh, you know, a nice picnic in the woods,” Sakura spoke, obviously lying straight through her teeth. You rose a brow, leaving the subject alone. You trusted the three genin enough to be confident that there was no harm to come.

However, when the trees above you rustled you suddenly found that the three teens had disappeared, leaving you all alone in the forest.

“Hello?” you called out, worried as you turned and turned, wondering where the three of them had headed. “Sakura?” you tried, knowing that the girl was the most sympathetic of the bunch. “Naruto?” you called, hoping that the troublemaker would find any hilarity in your rising worry. “Sasuke?” you tried at last, though you didn’t expect much if this went all within the plans of the team.

Again the leaves rustled as you clenched your fists together, worry spiraling down as your mind mulled over all of the reasons why the ninja had left you behind.

“I don’t like this trip or this joke,” you spoke firmly, not liking the silence that followed after.

When a shadow came from out of the bushes you were quick to react, a stone flying into the direction of the moving shade as you scrambled around for another stone to throw. All of which were evaded with deft skill before a hand grabbed your wrist, stopping your attack.

“[Name],” Kakashi breathed, his mask pulled up to reveal the eye he had received from the friend he had lost so soon before cutting you off.

Your chest was heaving, your breath ragged as you looked the other into his eyes, panic slowly replacing itself for something of distaste as you tried to squirm yourself out of Kakashi’s hold.

“What are you doing here?” you questioned, letting the stone fall between you as you pulled back your hand. “Where are your students?”

You didn’t mean to sound cold, or perhaps you did, still angry at the cruelty in which he had made the decision to cut you off.

“They came to me, claiming that you were in danger,” Kakashi simply answered, his hand rubbing the back of his head as he took a step away from you. “I know you don’t want to see me, but these forests are dangerous and--”

Raising your hand you cut the man off, your eyes closed as you tried to work away the headache that was slowly crawling up. “Kakashi,” you spoke sharply, a deep sigh following after as you exhaled deeply. “How much longer are you going to look down on me?” you snapped, a pain welling up as you shook your head.

“No, nevermind. Forget it. Let’s just go back,” you said, waving off any of the tension that there was, ignoring the look in the eye of the other.

Both of you had been young, forced to grow up too fast in a world set to be cruel. There was little more to say than that whatever had been before would take time to grow back, for understanding was easily gained, but forgiveness needed to be chosen, and neither of you had decided to forgive the other, or yourself.

“Kakashi,” you called, forcing the man in front of you to turn around, his mask back in place once more to cover his scarred eye, and his expression back to its apparent apathy.

“Thank you,” you mumbled, having to force the words beyond your lips as you clenched and released your fists. “For coming, I mean. And worrying,” you added, feeling the need to clarify the situation.

The copycat just stared at you, eyes once more going over your features, as if trying to find the differences between the you at present, and the one from his memories.

“For you, always,” he responded, the last word lingering on between the two of you.

Though, perhaps the decision could start by taking one step at a time.

#naruto #naruto x reader #kakashi #kakashi x reader #kakashi hatake

111 notes · View notes

eat0crow · 4 years

Text

So, Sasori is his soulmate?

Huh, Deidara didn't think his karma was that bad. But, he really must have pissed Fate off if it took dying, being resurrected against his will, and forced to fight along side Kohona, to realize, he's been partnered with his soulmate for years.

~~~

My gift for @paigyloli, as part of the @akatsuki-gift-exchange gift exchange.

(I didn't know your AO3 handle, feel free to shoot me a message so I can gift this to you.)

I hope you like! I took your prompts 'anything with Sasori' and 'something like red string of fate, or soulmate', and welp, here we are. Sorry, it's a bit late!!!

Jump Ship

Deidara really, really hates the Edo Tensei.

Because Deidara had died, he had lived, and died, exactly how he always wanted to. Existing in a single moment, more beautiful than anything this mockery of life could create. Sure, it might be marginally better, now that he’s free of Tobi-Madara-Obito-whatever’s control, but it still sucks.

Tobi stole his death from him, his most beautiful creation. His masterpiece. He stole it, and forced Deidara into a cold, unfeeling, empty bastardization of everything he believes in.

Deidara really hates Tobi. Sure, he hadn’t liked him much before, but now? Now, there aren’t words to describe just how much Deidara wants to murder him. Even if the thought of allying with Konoha shinobi kills him, he’ll do it. He’ll do anything to increase his chances of going toe to toe with the masked bastard. Deidara wants to make him beg for death.

Sasori is his partner again. It’s not a surprising development. Most of the former Akatsuki—the ones who switched sides—had been kept together. Naruto might be convinced there’s good in them, but that doesn’t mean there’s any trust between the Allied Shinobi Forces and Naruto’s group of undead missing nins. Deidara thinks it’s funny, in some weird, twisted way, that even in death, he’s still stuck with Sasori.

They work well together, years of relying on each other, and only each other, pay off. They could be soulmates, well, assuming Deidara had ever seen his mark reflected across Sasori’s chest. The delicate interweaving lattice, intersected with small shapes that could have been scorpions for all Deidara knew, had never been anywhere on Sasori’s vessel. Deidara knows, he’s seen Sasori naked enough times.

At thirteen Deidara had torn the mark open, cutting into his chest without a second thought, creating his most beautiful work of art. It was only fitting for him, after all, to tear apart the one thing on his body that never changed.

It made coming into his new vessel a shock, because, while his jutsu is gone, his soulmark lays flat over his heart. Deidara guesses that makes sense, in some bizarre, twisted way. He’s a soul inhabiting a paper husk, Sasori hadn’t come back as a puppet. Instead, he came back as the shadow of flesh and blood he was, before he started experimenting.

~~~

“I hate it here, yeah,” Deidara says, throwing himself down onto the cot in Sasori and his shared tent. His body doesn’t need sleep, it just makes everyone feel better to have the former Akatsuki members cordoned off at night. “Honestly, I don’t know how anyone does it. Hell, I don’t know how I did it, but answering to a Kage is bullshit. I’ll take being a missing nin any day.”

“I hardly find that surprising,” Sasori says, not even bothering to turn around or look up from where he’s bent over his desk. “You’re much too wild to serve under any real authority.”

“Harsh, Danna. I served under Pein just fine.”

“Please, even when Nagato was maintaining the illusion of leadership, it hardly qualified. He demanded tasks of us, yes, but he was more than happy to leave us alone between assignments.”

“Ugh, why do you always have to be right,” Deidara whines. “I can’t even say that if I lived my life over again, I would do things differently, because I'm living my life over again, and I’m dying to desert, yeah.”

“Yeah,” Sasori says sarcastically, turning around to face Deidara with one brow lifted. “I commanded a network of spies, I can tell when someone won’t submit to orders. You’re one of the few shinobi who truly has no master.”

Deidara feels his mouth dry up the second Sasori turns to look him fully, it’s the first time he’s seen him shirtless since they’ve come back. It hasn’t come up, and Deidara can’t be more thankful that this moment happened in private. He wouldn’t have been able to handle an audience. He’s not sure he’ll even be able to handle it now when it’s just the two of them. Because, standing out against the stark, white of Sasori’s skin is his mark, mirrored perfectly back to him.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Deidara forces himself to ask, “How long have you had that mark for?” It may seem stupid, but Deidara has been partners with Sasori for years, and he’s never seen it before.

Sasori looks puzzled for a moment, before following Deidara’s line of sight to his chest. “You mean my soulmark?”

“No, I mean your kidney scar. Of course, I mean your soulmark, you fucking idiot!” Deidara says fervently, carefully keeping his voice lowered to avoid drawing an unwanted audience.

“Forever, I suppose.” There’s a pause, before Sasori continues, “I forgot about it.”

“How can you forget about a soulmark?” There’s a lot of thinly, veiled anger in his voice, Deidara might not have poured much faith into the system, but it still burned to hear that he could be discarded without a second thought.

“I didn’t feel the need to include it into my puppet’s body,” Sasori says, carefully neutral. “It was an unnecessary reminder of the humanity I wanted to leave behind. It hasn’t been a part of me in almost twenty years, and even before then, my soulmate hadn’t been born when I transferred vessels.”

“Oh.” Deidara hasn’t thought about their age difference in—ever. Maybe at first, he did, but Sasori’s stuck in a sixteen-year-old’s body, it’s unspeakably easy for Deidara to forget that Sasori had stopped aging the year he was born.

Things make a lot of sense now, Deidara’s always felt a form of stasis from his mark, it’s not the cold, empty feeling of a severed bond, it’s perfectly numb, the one thing in both of Deidara’s lives that’s unchanging.

“It’s hardly of consequence,” Sasori says, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. “I can’t feel anything from them, the connection is numb, and I don’t understand it. They’re not dead, the bond isn’t empty, and they’re alive now. I can tell, but everything is static. I hate it.”

“I thought true art was enduring, yeah. You know, something that stays perfectly the same forever,” Deidara says cheekily. He’s being a bit of a bastard, but Sasori deserves a taste of what Deidara has had to live with for nineteen years.

“This isn’t art, this is annoying,” Sasori bites back. “If anything, this is proof of the Edo Tensei’s inferiority.”

“You’re missing the obvious, my man,” Deidara says, pushing himself up into a sitting position. He picks at the scratchy fabric of the blanket. It’s not easy to say, despite having years to have crafted the conversation in his head. “Clearly, your soulmate’s jumped ship and gotten himself another vessel. Hey, maybe he decided to follow in your footsteps, and get a nice puppet one, yeah. That would be cool. Karma, you know?”

Sasori scowls, it's cute now that Deidara can see his brow pinch. His puppet was never great at facial expressions. They always fell flat, the wood refusing to move much past it’s carefully neutral, resting face. Deidara gets up, kicking a discarded pile of puppet parts aside, Sasori’s frown deepens at the action, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Listen,” Deidara starts, tugging off his cloak, and throwing it down. It lands somewhere next to a pile of rejected legs. He’ll have Sasori get it for him later, he might not be able to be poisoned anymore, but his touch is nowhere near gentle enough for the puppets. “You can’t make a big deal out of this. It doesn’t change anything, okay?”

“I’ve seen your mark Deidara,” Sasori says, turning his head away in dismissal. He reaches down, grabbing the third Kazekage’s puppet, turning its glassy, unseeing eyes on him.

There’s history there, Deidara doesn’t want to get into it. Especially now, when he can see the small wistful expression that crosses Sasori’s face as he handles the puppet. Everyone has their flaws.

“You really haven’t.” Because, Sasori has seen his mark, yes, but he’s only seen the bastardized version of it. The mark looks completely different, now that it's not being held closed by stitches and lacks a mouth. “Like I said, it changes nothing.”

Slowly, with careful, precise movements, Deidara lifts his shirt over his head, letting it fall to the ground.

There’s a moment of dead silence, the tension in the air painfully thick as Sasori takes him in, as he closes the gap between them. Tentatively, Sasori reaches out, and traces over the mark on Deidara’s chest, skimming the edges with feather-light touches. Deidara lets him. He can't feel anything in this body, this vessel, the sentiment is still there though.

“It’s different,” Sasori says.

“It’s a match,” Deidara says back, reaching up to grab Sasori's hand, placing it more firmly against his heart—against where his heart was. “We’re dead, that’s why it feels numb. Our corpses are decaying, well, yours is. Mine’s disintegrated.”

“You felt this.” Sasori pulls back, just a little, enough to meet Deidara’s eyes without straining to look up. “You felt this static for years. No wonder you’re insane.”

“Ouch. That hurt.” Deidara lets Sasori’s hand fall, instead, he brings his own up to run through his hair, it’s a nervous habit. “But, yeah, it sucked ass. I hadn’t thought about it before, but the numbness was probably because your puppet’s body didn’t exactly feel things. Now, it’s probably because these husks are glorified paper mache.”

“Right,” Sasori says, and this time Deidara swears he sounds sad. “That would make sense. As shades, we lack a physical presence to influence the bond. My previous vessel was very much the same.”

“Hmm,” Deidara hums, it doesn’t do either of them any good to focus on the past, all they’ll do is dwell on regrets. “Well, you live and learn. Though, I guess, we’re not exactly living at the moment. We’re just sort of possessing vessels, yeah.”

“Possessing vessels.” Sasori chews on the words, rolling them back and forth across his tongue. His eyes drift down to the pile of parts Deidara had kicked less than five minutes ago.

Deidara sees the gleam in Sasori’s eyes as he reaches down into the pile, and reflexively, takes a step back. The tricky thing about Sasori is, that at first glance, he doesn’t appear dangerous, but then you see the ruthless look of pure, chaotic energy bubbling in his eyes, and you realize, Sasori is as morally bankrupt as they come.

Deidara gulps as Sasori takes a step closer. “Sasori, my man—”

Sasori is undeterred, pausing only minutely to toss Deidara a spare arm. Deidara catches it, if only thanks to years of practice dodging puppet parts. “Do you think you could transfer your kinjutsu into that?”

He weighs the hand, turning it over with a critical eye. “Maybe, if it wasn’t wooden. You might not know this, but explosives don’t exactly play nice with chakra infused timber.”

“Porcelain, then,” Sasori says, moving toward his workbench. “Maybe a non-conductive metal.”

“I’m missing something here,” Deidara proclaims, throwing the arm at the back of Sasori’s head. He doesn’t bother catching it, instead, Sasori lets it rip through him.

“You very rarely aren’t.” Sasori dismisses.

The Third Kazekage loses an arm to Sasori’s hunt. Deidara gets far more satisfaction than he should watching Sasori disassemble the puppet. He’s on a hunt, it’ll be awhile before Deidara can pull him out of whatever project he’s just thought up. Hell, with these new vessels—ones that don’t require even the pseudo rest Sasori’s last one did—it might be weeks before he’ll be able to steal any attention.

“Why must you insult me?” Deidara asks rhetorically. “Can you, at least, fill me in? Before you jump down whatever rabbit hole your brain’s decided on.”

Sasori seems to debate for a moment, but Deidara’s not the only one who knows his partner well. Sasori knows that if he doesn’t tell Deidara something now, he’ll never get any peace later.

“You said you wanted to be a missing nin again.”

#naruto #crow writes #akatsuki #sasori #deidara #deidara/sasori #soulmate #alternative universe canon divergence #alternative universe #sasori/deidara

51 notes · View notes

fizzypunks · 4 years

Text

how to mourn you before your time

fandom: naruto rating: t words: 2.7k/complete warnings: spoilers, mentioned prior death, mentioned asuma death,

AO3 summary: Shikamaru struggles harder than normal when he's waiting for Neji to return from an ANBU mission, but it's deeper than that this time.

It’s a visceral need sometimes, he just can’t help it. He can’t .

He needs to know he's alive. He can’t help it or ignore it, not when the need starts as a gut feeling, and definitely not later when it turns into the fearsome satisfaction of saying the words you made it back.

Shikamaru needs to know he’s alive. He needs to feel it to know for sure.

It’s a shame that he can’t satisfy that need right now. Neji's away, on mission -- all that can be done is leave the feeling to rot in his gut, and hope that it doesn’t tear him apart too much.

The need sometimes comes in nights of insecurity -- it’s not always just because he’s waiting for Neji to get back, sometimes it’s when he’s an arms length away that he needs to reach out, to put his hands on him and feel assured that, yes, he’s here . There’s life in this body beside him, and he is able to rest again. It comes from the way Shikamaru never really knows how the future would unfold and damn it if he’s not going to try to get it to unfold just right. Contrary to the natural way he takes all of life’s punches, he’s not as laissez-faire about Neji. When it comes to the Hyuuga, there’s no room for error -- anything that could go wrong, won’t .

That’s how he wants it to be, anyway.

But, more importantly than the insecurity and the nights they’re plastered together, was the primal feeling in his gut when Neji returns from a mission worse for wear. Scrapes, injuries, blood, broken and mending bones… ANBU activities that might as well be called normal and to be expected. It’s just another day for Neji, even when the lacerations take weeks to fully heal.

It’s these days, when he comes back to bed with stitches or bruises so stark and veiny across his pale and otherwise untouched skin…

Those are the days when he can’t help it -- he’ll spiral, and he’s not incredibly spiritual, but he might even put his hands together and pray to something, hoping that if anything, this time he will return well. He’ll wish that for once he won't have to mend the man’s injuries and will instead be able to hold him without minding the stitches.

When Neji comes back (and he always does) Shikamaru does his duty first, eyes strung taught and hands so steady they feel ready to snap as they canvas the damage done. Sakura is an incredible medic, but he just needs to see , and double check, and make sure he’s well.

What else is there to do? Sure, he’s taken on his share of missions and he knows the call of duty is strong-- Konoha was precious. The people in it, precious.

The lovers in it, precious. To fulfil duty was to know that, and the thought of those you hold dear is the infinite kindling fueling it. There’s a lot to want to protect, and Shikamaru’s done his fair share as a Jounin, so he can’t stay upset at the need for Neji to do his part.

It’s give and take. It’s the same sacrifice all ninja make.

Shikamaru was waiting in the kitchen this time, staring at the stove and the cold pot of soup he prepared. It still smelled like turmeric and potatoes, but the heat had long since gone out (though it’s hard to tell, how Shikamaru feels cold through and through as the evening drag out without so much as a bump in the night).

His fingers rap against the hard wood of his table, unsteady, awaiting in the purposely dimmed light. The tension wound in his body was more rigid than usual, and he doesn’t know what that means.

If you’re gonna make me wait...

But he’s always okay to wait. There’s not a superstitious bone in his body, so he will wait and think deeply on all the ways Neji’s missions could go right . They had a Hyuuga, they had the most skilled Shinobi in the land, they had reliable intel…

They didn’t have magic . They had blind eyes to the flow of time, and no kekegenkai existed that could possibly turn time on its head to anticipate the future and its perils.

Shikamaru stopped drumming his fingers and decided fuck it . He grabbed a cigarette from his sweat’s pocket, lighting it within the confines of their kitchen because he couldn’t care to move to the patio.

He tipped his seat backward, inhaling wave upon wave of barely-passable dopamine from his cigarette. He’d been smoking a lot more this week, and though he knows the reason, he’s still aware of the amount, and that when Neji comes back, he’ll probably not be too thrilled about it.

It’s okay, though, since this is the week he...

The window was opened a crack, and he looked at it before deciding the little opening was probably enough to clear out the smoke. The night air would carry it away. It’ll clear.

Neji hated it when he smoked -- not just how unhealthy it was, but the mere scent made him uncomfortable. Not that it mattered right now, since it was a day past the time he was expected home. That’s not even a huge matter -- no mission in the entire world ever went to plan, and when ANBU says one thing, Shikamaru was guaranteed that they really meant add a day or two to that .

Mission times, intelligence, estimations -- they were all subjective to the nature of… life . ANBU can’t be faulted for not being able to place, to the second, when a mission will be said and done. It’s a fact of life that Shikamaru has come to face dozens of times over, and dozens more to come.

One day. It’s just one day.

Shikamaru wants to tear his hair out at the stupid feelings that always take up home in his brain, his heart -- the way his once rational mind is now laid to rest in order to allow his emotion to run rampant and fervent through his every vein, his every thought.

He lights another cigarette, filter of the last one tucked into his pocket in a pile of many more that found their home there.

No, he can’t be mad at it all.

He’s in love, of course that’s the way he feels . Of course that’s why it’s so much harder to wait, to count the hours, to finally see him home and see the injury tattooed across his body --

How can you see that and feel sane?

He’s a fucking Hyuuga . He’s the prodigy that defied not only his clan, but fate itself; he’s the prodigy that turned his clan’s lost morals and trauma around, that turned himself around in spite of the huge undertaking of fixing generations rooted in pain and obedience. What possible force of nature was going to remove Neji from this world when Neji outbraved the world itself?

If he were to be superstitious, Shikamaru would have felt his gut tighten at the thought and what it might entice -- that the thoughts might appeal to the universe as it listened to every possibility, intentionally conceived or not, and place it into motion.

His gut tightened, and he felt like throwing up.

A third cigarette was tossed into the mix, his second one used in record time.

He can’t help it. It’s easy to mourn those who haven’t yet left, and it’s a gross feeling that takes root and never leaves.

And when Neji made his quiet entrance, amongst the distracting thoughts that swam in the unusually murky waters of Shikamaru’s mind, it was uneventful. Shikamaru didn’t even notice, and a few seconds passed in the silence of contemplation.

Shikamaru pulled his thoughts from the imaginary pain he was preparing for, only to notice Neji, second the smoky cigarette dying between his fingers.

Neji smiled. “Is this what you do when I’m gone?”

And then it snapped in Shikamaru -- he really can’t help it .

Whatever thread that was holding Shikamaru together this time was broken, and he got up too fast to think about how long that thread had been so fragile. Cigarette ashed on the table, the dirty smell of snuffed tobacco, Shikamaru was already around Neji, wrapped, contorted in what ever way he could that would make him feel him alive.

Heartbeat...

He kissed his neck, ignoring the dying bruise that painted his clavicle. They looked healed enough to not hurt, anyway.

“Shikamaru…”

Warm skin...

Hands were wrapped under Neji’s arms, and he could feel a thin gauze….

“ Shikamaru …”

Lips on jaw, aching breath echoing between them like a cave.

The shiver of your throat under my lips...

Shikamaru’s heart trembled at the sound of his name, but he couldn’t keep himself from Neji -- it would have been like prying the mountains from the earth, the way he was attached--

And yet --

“Shikamaru…”

Neji’s hands, diplomats the both of them, came to rest on Shikamaru’s chest, wedging slowly between them because he also knew how to deal with frightened animals.

It was like being sheared, being pulled from water after the desert had drained him of all his energy. And yet, he let those sinfully trained hands part the sea between them, a little channel of flood forming between them as he forced their eyes to meet.

“You’re going so fast,” he whispered.

Stunning eyes, one’s that are impossible to hide from… it’s too easy to feel totally naked in their path. They were not haunted this time, though, no remorse to be seen swimming in the lilac hue.

Shikamaru smiled, calmness starting to take root again despite the absence of Neji’s body against his. It left him cold, a tingling phantom feeling left over from the man standing in front of him.

Shikamaru’s breath started to stabilize, composed under Neji’s hands. “Maybe I’m eager...”

Neji’s hands, warm, grounding, moved with a tenacity of one who knows how to be still, to be untroubled. They drove the ache out of Shikamaru as they climbed, a swift journey, up to his shoulders, and Shikamaru thinks that maybe he’s seeking to confirm the same thing.

You’re still alive.

“You’re not doing your normal inspection,” Neji laughed, low and reserved and, if Shikamaru were selfless enough to acknowledge, exhausted.

Shikamaru rested his hands in the dip of Neji’s hips, idling in an anxious purgatory. “You seem to not have too bad injuries… bruises...” his eyes dipped to the spot on Neji’s torso he knew was gauzed. “And… bruised ribs?”

Neji scoffed, and did the Hyuuga equivalent of rolling his eyes. “Broken, but mended.”

Shikamaru’s seen him through worse. It’s no comfort. “You went to the hospital? Did you see Sakura --”

Neji’s lips closed in on his too fast to finish the thought, and pulled back enough to speak into his mouth. “I’m okay.”

Shikamaru didn’t want to cry, so he didn’t -- but gods, was he close. “Good.”

“It was a good mission… successful in a way we haven’t been in a while.”

Lack of serious injury and eyes that looked like they could sleep, and Shikamaru had to nod in agreement because it sure looked like a successful mission. “What kept ya, then?”

It was supposed to sound lighthearted, and thankfully Neji understood the tone well because he smiled. “Weather.”

Shikamaru blinked, and the pain in his stomach loosened into a knot he could almost untie. “Weather?”

Neji’s smile grew wider and no less drained. “Got rained in for almost a day.”

This time, despite the shattered hold he had on his self control, Shikamaru did cry, and it felt dumb to be so torn up over the weather. He took that knot that shouldn’t have been there, and he tightened it himself.

“We couldn’t leave with the civilians we were escorting,” Neji continued. “Rain stopped the carriage.”

“The fucking rain,” Shikamaru said, voice tinted with relief and overwhelming self admonishment. He had no idea how those two feelings were capable of existing at the same time, and yet the feeling of new hot tears trailing down his cheeks reaffirmed that it was more than possible.

Neji brought both hands up, thumbs dragging gently across his cheeks to wipe away the wet streaks. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting… I was looking forward to being home…”

Shikamaru smiled into the palms caressing him, leaning into one ever so slightly. “Yeah, you should be sorry… I made food for nothing…”

Neji leaned in and again pressed a kiss to his lips. “Is that what’s on the stove?”

Shikamaru leaned into the kiss that wasn’t a kiss, his lips brushing up against Neji’s. “Yeah… it’s some soup.”

It’s the only thing he can make well.

“Thank you for doing that for me…”

Neji’s fingers twitched, applying pressure and then laying off just a bit -- waiting for the right moment to do whatever it is they were going to do.

“Sometime’s I’m nice…”

And then he was pulled into a hug, because that’s all he really wanted -- to feel surrounded by Neji, to have his ear against the heartbeat of the person he’s spent years with. And then he was surrounded by Neji, encased with his shoulder pulled snug against the sturdy hold of his arms.

“You’re mostly nice… I don’t know a more sacrificial person than you, actually.”

Shikamaru snorted, comforted by the slot of his body against Neji, the way his arms felt so at home around his waist. “Sacrificial? Is that a good thing?”

“In the one I cherish, I believe it’s good. No one else would endure my clan if they weren’t.”

“Maybe… once upon a time.”

It’s been a long time since Hyuuga needed tolerating, but the sentiment still remains.

Neji hummed, warm in a way he once would never have been capable of.

Once upon a time.

“Did anything happen while I was away?”

Shikamaru knew what he meant. “Nothing eventful… it’s been painfully dull…”

Another hum. “Did you have that lunch?”

Gods, he knew what he meant. His heart raced again, and he swallowed around the bitter words, and memories. “I did… We did, but I almost couldn’t…”

Neji squeezed, and Shikamaru could feel the regret in him in how he took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there…”

There’s no resentment between them. They know how it goes.

Shikamaru nodded. “I know, and it’s okay. I’m still okay… it was really fucking hard but we did it… I knew you would have been there, too.”

“Are Ino and Chouji…”

Shikamaru smiled into it. Their day, together, not as a team but as friends, was as healing for them as it was for Shikamaru. They honored Asuma the only way they could, with food. “Yeah, they’re okay. One-year anniversaries aren’t pleasant, but we ate well.”

“Good.”

Shikamaru pressed his lips to Neji’s neck. As much as he wanted to talk, this was not the subject that he could touch right now. He said nothing more, knowing that Neji was on the same page and would silently agree to retire the conversation entirely.

“Are you hurting?”

Neji shook his head. “I’m not.”

“Hungry?”

Another shake, less forceful, less energy. He pulled away, fingers dropping and catching in Shikamaru’s shirt. His eyes dampened, and he could have said something about the excessive questions, but he didn’t. He just smiled softly at the inquiries and shook his head. “Not right now.”

“Did you drink enough?”

Neji’s smile was so sad and so adoring and so quick to make Shikamaru feel a pang deep in his heart. “I did.”

He looked okay. He really did. He looked alive, and very tired. Between the few injuries that were healing and the rest of him, with his clothes that were worse for wear but his hair was still well-kept and combed. He looked okay.

Except…

“Tired?”

“Yes,” came the answer, a lilt bringing his tone up from quiet reverence for Shikamaru’s questions to a perfect segue toward his real objective. “ Come,” he said, tugging gently, tilting his head toward the stairs.

With a silent agreement and quickly putting away cold dinner, they went upstairs to bed.

Shikamaru could finally sleep, and that primal need to keep Neji within his reach was finally laid to rest.

#shikaneji #fic #my writing #long post #complete #oneshot #i like this one a lot #naruto fic #shikaneji fic

4 notes · View notes

raendown · 4 years

Link

Pairing: MadaraTobirama Word count: 4121 Chapter: 21/? Summary: Not all wars are fought on the battlefield. Some are fought at the conference table, with whispers in the shadows, or even in the bedroom.

In a world where the Senju and Uchiha traditional lands were too far apart to have ever made them enemies, Butsuma and Tajima are the ones who come together and sign a treaty of peace. Madara isn’t happy to have his life signed away for him in a political marriage to strengthen the bond between their clans. He is even less happy to have Tobirama make assumptions of him from their very first night together. What follows from there is a journey of healing, of learning, and finding the places to belong in the places least expected.

Follow the link or read it under the cut!

KO-FI and commission info in the header!

Chapter 21

It would be an understatement to say that Tobirama was in a bad mood after he left home that evening. One moment it felt as though his entire life was finally falling in to place and the next there was Izuna with his stupid face and his stupid attitude getting in the stupid way. He was already steaming when he made it to Hashirama's house. Seeing his brother with both lips wrapped around the top of a bottle of nihinshu, pouring it straight back down his throat like an animal with not a single dish in sight, did nothing to improve that.

“Are you kidding me right now?” Tobirama demanded. “Where is your wife?”

“She’s gone over to enjoy some lady time with Touka.” Hashirama grinned sheepishly and hurried to put the bottle down, probably hoping he wouldn’t get yelled at for having such poor manners.

Tobirama considered it. On a normal day he would have immediately started in on a lecture about how to properly enjoy one’s nihinshu, possibly started another lecture on why they both knew Hashirama should not having been guzzling away at that bottle so quickly. This was not a normal day, however, and he was not in a very normal kind of mood.

“Pour me a glass.”

Hashirama paused to study his face. Then he was leaping off the couch and hustling through the kitchen to fetch a pair of dishes.

Very quickly they were both flopped on opposite ends of the same spacious couch they had grown up on with glasses of alcohol in their hands and two bottles balanced on a small tray between them. One might think that Hashirama's bouncy personality would make this a terrible idea but alcohol actually had quite a mellowing effect on him. It was the easiest way to tell he was backsliding in to the bottles again.

Really Tobirama shouldn’t be encouraging him by partaking in such a bad habit but with Mito around he trusted that his brother had few enough opportunities to indulge that it wasn’t likely to become a habit again in the way it once had. One evening of letting them both have a bit of leeway wouldn’t kill anyone. And if it came with the added benefit of getting his mind off things and helping him calm down enough that he no longer felt like marching back home to strangle Izuna with his own bare hands, well, that was exactly what he needed.

“I thought you seemed like you were having a really good day earlier,” Hashirama noted hesitantly after they were both a few cups in.

“Yes, I was. And then my brother-in-law happened.”

“Ah. Yeah. Both of Mito’s sisters make me feel the same way.” He nodded and raised a glass in solidarity and then tossed the whole thing back in one go.

Draining his own and immediately reaching for a refill, Tobirama grunted. “Well at least you don’t live in the same city as your extended family. I live down the street from Izuna. And for that matter close to Tajima as well. Do you know how glad I am that neither of them are more interested in coming over for family dinners?”

He was almost glad to see his brother shiver in solidarity.

What he was not glad to see was the bottom of his bottle only a half hour later. Tingles had already taken over most of his body but that wasn’t nearly as drunk as he would have preferred to be at the moment and the more he drank the more he found he wanted. For the first time in his life he was glad of Hashirama's habit for excess.

“I know!” his brother announced without moving from the corner he’d wedged himself in to. “We could go downtown! Mito always says it’s not a good idea for me to go look at any of the bars that have opened in the marketplace but it’s fine with you there, right? It’s fine!”

“Of course. Yeah. I’ll keep you in line.” Tobirama nodded very seriously to himself, ignoring the little voice in the back of his head that noted he himself probably couldn’t walk a straight line at the moment.

“Fun! Let’s go!”

“You haven’t moved, Anija.”

“Oh I’m sure I’ll get there eventually.”

He had to pull Hashirama of the couch and find both of their shoes but eventually they did make it out the front door. Neither of them had ever visited any of the drinking establishments Konoha had to offer so it was a bit of a struggle trying to find them once they finally made it in to the market district but the first one they spotted had bright lights to draw them in and a pretty young girl at the counter to draw Hashirama's attention while Tobirama ordered a round of drinks.

Which was, of course, a challenge all on its own. His vision had never been the absolute best and so much alcohol had made it even fuzzier so he wasn’t entirely sure he was reading the prices right on the sign behind the bartender. A quick glance around the establishment showed most people drinking from what seemed to be beer bottles but he himself had only ever partaken in rice or plum wines.

In the end he just asked for whatever the person next to him was having and handed over enough coins to leave a tip as well.

“Should we try to find a table?” he murmured but Hashirama shook his head.

“Here is fine!” With that his sibling plonked down on one of the stools right up against the bar itself.

Tobirama supposed that did make it more efficient for when they needed a refill so he balanced himself on the next stool and took a tentative sip of whatever drink he’d been handed. It wasn’t as bad as he’d always imagined; still nowhere near as good as the nihinshu they’d drained before, though.

While the night hour deepened outside their establishment the two brothers made a point of testing different drinks with every new round they bought and Tobirama was introduced to the more social aspects of drinking in public places. After the few couple of rounds Hashirama looked like he was melting over the bar top but Tobirama found himself engaged in deep conversation with people he’d never met before in his life.

One in particular it turned out he did know, though it took a while to remember. He hadn’t seen his cousin in so long he’d almost forgotten her face but after she pointed out the connection he allowed one hug for the sake of reunited family. Her name brought up memories of braided hair and freckles disappearing for undercover work and he supposed that was probably why he hadn’t seen her for so long. Indeed, when he asked she told him she had been quite surprised to head for home after so many years only to find her home completely empty. Up until then she hadn’t given any credence to the rumors of a new village built between the Senju and the Uchiha. After all, the clans lived too far apart for any sort of bad blood to exist between them and she hadn’t thought Butsuma smart enough to see the advantage in securing such a powerful ally so far away.

The two of them were well and truly distracted by their catching up, Hashirama pitching in when he could be bothered to lift his head up from the bar, so wrapped up in their own little world that Tobirama paid little attention to the rest of the room when normally he would be keeping track of every chakra signature present. Which is how he missed Izuna until the slam of a glass bottle against wood rang out just loudly enough to pull his attention and he looked over to find the one he least wanted to see pushing himself up from an otherwise empty booth and storming away with tense body language.

Or at least Tobirama thought he looked tense. It was possible he could be seeing things. Even Izuna himself might have been a hallucination brought on by drink or it could just be a random Uchiha that his muddled brain had decided to project upon. Tobirama squinted at the man’s back as it disappeared out the door and told himself it was fine. No need to worry. It would have to be quite a coincidence for Izuna to crop up so many times in one day, especially after he’d said he would go away only to turn up in their home barely more than an hour later.

He turned back to the cousin he hadn’t seen in years and offered her a sloppy smile.

“I got married!” he said.

“So I hear.” She leaned forward with a smile of her own. “Tell me everything about him.”

Nothing could have made him happier. With alcohol loosening his tongue Tobirama opened his mouth and let the praises flow like a river, happy as a pig in mud to do nothing but wax poetic on his husband. Madara had a lot of good qualities that he knew most people never took the time to see. What sort of partner would he be if he missed such a golden opportunity to spread the good word?

Apparently Hashirama approved of him playing the good husband as well because it only took one more round of drinks for him to start sobbing over how happy he was for both of them and how good they were for each other. It was easy to ignore. Tobirama had grown up being attacked with random bursts of crying so he didn’t think much of the boorish display but he did notice several long glances from the bartender, reluctance clear on his face when he was asked to bring them another round. Clearly their fun had come to an end.

Tobirama’s coin purse was worryingly lighter when he paid up the last of their tab for the night but he was honestly more worried about how he was going to get Hashirama back home while he could barely keep himself upright. He was more grateful than he currently had the capacity to express when their cousin stepped in and volunteered to guide the drunken fool, laughing easily at her surprise that he intended to walk in the opposite direction. Apparently she assumed that even marriage would not separate him from his brother’s side. Little that she knew.

Cool night air and very few people on the streets to witness his drunken stumble helped keep up the good mood that had finally repaired itself as Tobirama made his way home alone. When he reached the top of their street he could feel Madara's chakra boiling away inside their home but in such a muddled state it didn’t occur to him as a bad thing. He was happy to feel Madara close and that was about as far ahead as he was thinking at the moment. There was even a dopey sort of smile on his face as he fumbled to open the door and spilled in to the front hallway, barely remembering to peel off his sandals before continuing in to the living room where he found his husband.

It looked like Madara had been pacing circles for quite some time when Tobirama came in to the room but he stopped as soon as he heard the door snap shut, whipping his head around to narrow both eyes while Tobirama waved at him inanely.

“And just where have you been?” he asked. It felt like a trick question somehow.

“With Hashirama.” Tobirama cocked his head to one side. “Like I said I’d be.”

“You said you would be spending the evening with him, yes. There was no mention of going out trolling for company in seedy bars!”

Madara huffed and stomped another circle but stopped when his path brought him right up in front of Tobirama, who stood blinking in confusion. He couldn’t remember sending word ahead when their plans had changed but perhaps it had slipped his mind somewhere between the drinks. It must have if Madara already knew about their adventures.

“I like your company,” he announced, proud of himself for stating how he felt so clearly and then sad to see the other man frown in response.

“Really, now? From what I hear you enjoy the company of strange women!”

“I – what?”

“He saw you! Izuna saw you in that bar! Flirting with random women with Hashirama right there at your side doing nothing to stop it!”

Tobirama squinted as he tried to determine how he felt. Apparently he had not been hallucinating Izuna’s presence and apparently the idiot had run straight home to carry tales of what he thought he’d seen. Even well past his own tolerance limits it wasn’t hard for Tobirama to figure out where the miscommunication had happened and why Izuna had come tattling stories of a wrong he hadn’t committed. What made him decide that he was angry was how easily Madara seemed to have believed such things.

And here he thought they had gotten to the point where they could trust each other, where they knew each other a little better than for Madara to believe him capable of that.

“I’m going to sleep,” he murmured, not wanting to deal with this.

“No, you’re going to stay here and explain what the hell you were thinking!”

“What I was thinking was that I hadn’t seen my cousin in nearly a decade and it was a pleasant surprise to see her again! I was thinking it was nice to come home to a husband who might have started believing I wasn’t a monster!” Tobirama scowled deeply to hide the hurt. “Evidently I was wrong about that last one. I really don’t know what I have to do to convince you I have no ill intentions.”

Madara blinked at him with wide eyes. “Your…cousin?”

“Yes. My cousin. For whom I could not possibly hold any attraction, what with my preference for men.” He tried to raise both eyebrows pointedly but couldn’t tell if the expression actually formed since his face had gone numb, an interesting effect he’d never experienced before.

“Well how was I supposed to know that?” Madara blustered.

“Call me crazy but you could try getting both sides of the story first before flying off the handle.”

“Hey! I didn’t believe him when he said he saw you flirting with a woman! But then he said you were hugging her – you never hug anyone! And certainly not in public!” Crossing his arms, he huffed and nodded once to make his point.

Which was a good point, Tobirama could admit that. It was slightly mollifying that Madara had arrived at his conclusion using at least some kind of logic. But it was still the wrong conclusion.

“You still should have waited to hear my side first! He saw me in a bar. Obviously we were drinking. So it follows that my behavior will be slightly off!” The first clue for which should have been his unsteady gait and this new habit of emphasizing so many words in his speech.

“Fine!” Madara shouted. “Next time I’ll ask!” He somehow managed to sound both angry and glad to make his concession.

“Good then. Do that. I don’t see why you’re still angry.” Tobirama sniffed. He was the one who had been insulted here. What right did Madara have to keep huffing and puffing?

Squirming in place, his husband looked away for a moment. When he looked back he jerked his chin up in to the air with a familiar stubborn jut. “Well excuse me for feeling a little betrayed when I thought the man I married was cheating on me. Maybe I should have waited like you said but we both know I have a temper! Izuna told me what he saw and I reacted!”

Tobirama snorted but said nothing because there was nothing to say. He did know that Madara had a temper, they both did in their own ways, and once it was pointed out like that he could understand why he had found the man in such a state. And he supposed he could appreciate the fact that Madara hadn’t immediately stormed out of the house to come confront him. Neither of them would have come away from that encounter unscathed and only kami knew what sort of complication a drunken Hashirama could have added in to the mix.

“I guess I’ll just take the couch for tonight then,” Tobirama murmured, taking his turn to look away. If they laid down in the same bed he was certain Madara would tense up in the same way he used to and just imagining the sight of it was heartbreaking. Better to spend the night apart and let the man cool off.

“You don’t have to,” Madara grunted.

“It’s fine. Maybe it’s best.”

“Says who?”

Tobirama closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Stop being difficult and just – it’s late. Go to bed.”

“No. It’s your bed too, no one said you had to start sleeping on the couch again!”

“And no one said it was permanent either!” Bringing their gazes back together, Tobirama noted that they were mirroring each other’s stubborn expressions perfectly. “I’m trying to be respectful! Something you could learn from!”

That was, apparently, the wrong thing to say. Madara puffed up so large his hair seemed to physically bristle with offense.

“I can be respectful!”

“Sure. Of course. You never just think about what you want!”

“Oh you want me to just take what I want? Well fine!”

When Madara came towards him suddenly Tobirama had but a split second to note that alcohol really does impair one’s reaction time, stopping him from raising any sort of defense against the blow he thought was surely coming for his face.

Instead he found fingers in the collar of his shirt and lips pressed insistently against his own, messy and off-center. He registered the fact that they were kissing at around the same time he registered that Madara had probably never kissed anyone before in his life – barring the day they were married, of course. If he had he would have done something other than stand perfectly still with his lips pursed and his heart beating so heavily Tobirama could feel the pulse of it thundering when he wrapped a hand around one of the man’s wrists.

He could have pulled away and gotten angry for having his person assaulted like this right in the middle of an argument, something he knew he would have done if he were sober and clinging stubbornly to his own temper, but the drink in his veins did a perfect job of smoothing the transition between anger and a pleasant sort of triumph. This was exactly what he had been so upset about being denied earlier. Why shouldn’t he enjoy it?

The shift of Madara's stance away from him made him realize that he had been standing there for too long not reacting in any way other than to take hold of one wrist in what could be considered a forbidding grip, definitely not the impression he wanted to give. Before his partner could pull away entirely Tobirama took a step forward himself, taking control of Madara's lips and tilted his own head to show the man what a proper kiss should be like. His eyes rolled behind closed lids when he heard a helpless moan that had probably escaped by accident.

Loosening the fingers he’d brought up in defensive instinct, he reached down instead with both hands to frame Madara's hips, bringing their bodies together at the same time as he took another step forward to drive the man back in to whatever surface happened to be there. Probably a wall, possibly a bookcase. Whatever it was mattered little compared to the way his husband melted against him with another delicious sound and tightened the grip on his collar in what he could guess was approval.

When they separated several minutes later they were both flushed and short of breath, staring at each other with open wonder and neither making any move to pull away farther than the space needed for their gazes to meet. Tobirama licked his lips, tasting something new that he thought he might be instantly addicted to, and wondered what to say. He was grateful when Madara broke the silence first.

“You taste like beer. Wouldn’t have taken you for a beer drinker.”

“Will you do that again when I’m sober?” Tobirama blurted. His partner blinked at him and he shuffled his weight anxiously. “I am not convinced this isn’t some kind of alcohol-driven hallucination.”

“Oh. Yeah. Yeah, we can do this again when you’re sober. I would hope we do this, er, many times. In the future. Going forward?” Madara scrunched his face up in the way that said he was irritated with the choppy sentences coming out of his mouth and if Tobirama had an ounce less self-control he would have kissed the man again just for that.

“Good, good. I think I should sleep now.”

Madara helped him up the stairs, both hands hovering near his person to push him back upright whenever he overbalanced in a random direction. He managed to change and brush his teeth by himself but the moment he spread himself out across the bed to wait for Madara to do those same tasks it was like all the alcohol he’d consumed pounced on him all at once. When his husband came back in to the room he was spread out on his back with both hands clutched in the sheets, glaring at the ceiling as best he could with drooping eyelids.

“Doing okay?”

“The room is spinning,” Tobirama informed him matter-of-factly. “I don’t like it.”

“Drinking does that to you.” Madara nodded sagely and Tobirama concluded that he must have experienced this a time or two before. How anyone could enjoy this sensation was beyond him. He felt as though he might fly off the edge of the earth any moment and all he wanted was for something to help him stay in place.

Which, he realized through the fog, he could have. Madara blinked when he unclenched one hand to reach out across the bed.

“Come here. Please. If you don’t hold me down I’m going to float away or something.”

“Of course you will.” Madara was laughing at him but Tobirama let it go just this once since he was getting what he wanted anyway and that was clearly more important at the moment.

Slipping under the covers, Madara scooted across the mattress until he was flush up against Tobirama the way they had come to enjoy sleeping back to front, only this time he paused for a brief second to consider the change in position before laying his head down on the chest before him and curling in to Tobirama with his entire body. One hand he curled between them and the other he gently rested on the ribs just below his head. For a few moments his body retained a great deal of tension as he supposedly debated with himself whether or not he liked this new arrangement but then he relaxed all at once, daring even to shift one leg forward to hook his ankle over the one closest to him.

“There,” he murmured. “Is that good?”

“Yeah. That’s good.” Tobirama curled the arm Madara had crawled in to and brought his other around so he could hold his husband close, forcing himself to close his eyes by pressing his face in to the thick mass of hair spilling across his shoulder. “You smell good.”

“Do I?”

Tobirama hummed pleasantly and took another deep breath.

“S’nice. I like this.”

“Me too,” Madara admitted, his voice almost quiet enough to go unheard.

“Sleep now?”

“Wow, you are fading fast. Go to sleep. You’re going to hate your brother in the morning for feeding you so much alcohol and I do not promise not to laugh.”

Tobirama smiled and mindlessly nuzzled the pleasant smelling mass of softness in front of him, already forgetting what it was or where he had ended up but not caring one whit. He knew that Madara was there with him and that both of them were happy and that was all he needed. Whatever hiccups had interrupted them near the end, overall the day had been a good one and with Madara in his arms it was certainly ending on a high note as well.

#rae writes #madatobi #madara #tobirama #hashirama #fanfiction

15 notes · View notes

shikastemari · 5 years

Text

spy - n. u.

pairing naruto uzumaki x yamanaka!reader

request

word count 4,895

when it happens after Pain destroyed the Village

warnings THE ANGSTIEST SHIT I’VE WRITTEN IN MY LIFE

a/n this is actually one of the first stories i’ve ever thought about. i wrote it months ago but just now i decided to give it a chance and post it and yeah, i gor a little carried away while writing it.

btw i’m witnessing the biggest writer’s block i’ve been through and that’s why i haven’t posted anything lately. hopefully it’ll be gone soon enough and i’ll be back to write as easily as i used to.

masterlist on my profile bio

Naruto Uzumaki.

The first time you heard his name was in one of your missions. You were spying some old guy who was owing bad people money, and you had heard Naruto's story by accident. The guy who defeated the leader of the Akatsuki all by himself, even someone as the legendary Sannin Jiraiya couldn't. During the time, you have heard a lot of girls sigh in desire for the boy, as also heard a lot of man being inspired by him - to become even stronger than people said he was.

So, when you finished your mission, it was no surprise for you someone decided to hire you to dig some dirty on Naruto. You have never accepted a mission on Konoha before, keeping your boundaries up since you know your uncle and his family still lived there, and you would never do anything to hurt your blood. But the offer was too good to decline.

Last time you have seen your uncle and cousin, you were six. Your mother was a foreign and her pregnancy had so many complications. The day you were born, she made a promise, she would take you back to her country, to become a ninja there. Your father, the brother of the Yamanaka clan leader, was madly in love with her and never said a single no at her direction. When the time came, not only he didn't fight against your mother taking you away, as he decided to leave the village himself. Uncle Inoichi helped him, knowing it was the only thing he could do to help his brother achieve happiness, but in the process, your father ended up being labeled as a rogue ninja.

The Bamboo Village was a nice place to live, and your parents were always happy there, even though you missed your old life and family deeply. You had a cousin, who also had the same age as you, so you two had grown up together and she was basically a sister to you. Leaving her behind was the hardest thing you wish you had encountered in your life, but it wasn't.

Your mother died a year after you moved country. Her disease was unknown, the doctors said they couldn't do anything but to ease her pain until the time comes. That was what you and your father did. Took care of her, stood by her side, until she was gone. To these days, you still missed her deeply. As honoring your mother wishes, you and your father didn't go back to Konoha after her death. Instead, your father taught you everything he could about the family jutsus, and it made your heart melt every time he told you how good you could become. Maybe better than him. Or even Uncle Inoichi.

He passed away five years after that, on a battle against the Land of Lightning. Even though you wanted to stay in Bamboo Village, you knew you wouldn't survive there. So that when you started to use your jutsus in espionage. You went city from city, village from village, country from country, learning from the best. The requests came right after. In your line of work, you kept your name hidden. You didn't want to drag the Yamanaka name to the mud, or even give something to your enemy to use as an advantage against you, wishing you could always keep your reminiscent family safe.

So, when your feet took you back to Konoha's, you couldn't help but feel sick. Regret and worry filled your whole body, since you counted with your family accepting you with open arms, but you knew it was a shot in the dark. Since Pain's attack which destroyed the entire village, you didn't exactly know where the Yamanaka clan was staying, so you followed your plan and walked around the village, asking if someone knew where Ino Yamanaka was.

It didn't take long, actually. Apparently, she was a recognized and respected kunoichi and you couldn't stop feeling a little jealous. What would they think about me if I have stayed? The thought flooding your head as you walked towards the place a girl told you Ino would be.

She was sitting on a pile of wood, with seven ninjas surrounding her. They were laughing and talking about how stupid what someone named Rock Lee have done to an old lady. When your eyes laid on her, you felt your heart skipping a beat. She looked exactly like before, the only thing which was different was her hair, it was so long.

A guy with the Byakugan was the first to notice you, which didn't actually surprise you at all. You have heard about what those eyes could do. Looking around them, you could see there was also a girl who could use it. This group look like they would be a pain in your ass if you didn't pay close attention at them.

"Can we help you?" A pink haired girl asked, and your eyes widened for a second. That was Sakura? No way.

As your eyes passed through their faces, you started to recognize some of them. Shikamaru was standing next to Ino, with Choji by his side. You also recognized Kiba, who you remember having an innocent crush on, because of Akamaru, which was huge now. Your heart was literally shrinking inside you by that view, already pondering the pros and cons about ignoring the mission you had been given. But you could not give up now, there was too much involved.

"Staring is creepy, have your family never taught you that?" Ino questioned, her eyes narrowed at you.

You shook your head, smiling. "You would know, Ino-nee-chan, still a bitch, I see?"

Ino's eyes popped up as she gasped, taking her hands to cover her mouth. Everyone else were just shocked by the way you talked to her, but you were sure she recognized you. Once she got up from the wood she was sitting and ran in your direction, giving you one hell of a tight hug, you felt your body relax for the first time in a long time.

"Nee-chan!" she said between the tears, it took every strength in your body not to do the same. It was still a mission, the hardest one you have been to, but still a mission. "I thought I would never see you again!"

"Wait, is that y/n-chan?" Kiba asked out loud. "Holy shit, you got hot!"

Ino and you laughed as Sakura punched the poor guy, sending him meters away from where he originally was standing. So, Sakura had a monstrous strength, just like you heard Tsunade-sama having.

"Daddy will be so happy when he sees you! Where is y/f/n-ojisan? I've missed him so bad too!" she exclaimed.

You swallowed hard, knowing too well there was no way to dodge this moment. "Mhm," you shifted your weight from one leg to the other. "My dad died when I was 12, during a battle."

"Oh," she said, the air getting heavier around you. "And why you haven't contacted us after that, y/n-nee-chan?" she asked, her tone clearly hurt. "We could have helped you."

Another question you predicted. "I tried to honor my mother's wish for as long as I could but..." you trailed off, breathing deeply to keep going. "I just wanted to be with my family again."

She hugged you again, crying her eyes out. Shikamaru came closer and pushed the girl from you.

"Ino, what a drag, let her breathe for a second," Shikamaru eyed you, from head to toe. You remember him being very - very - smart when you were kids. His eyes stopped on your lips, and you noticed his cheek blushing. Pressing your lips together to repress a smile, you couldn't push away the memory of you accidentally kissing him while playing one of Ino's idiot games. It was your first kiss, and probably his too. "Eh, welcome back, y/n-chan," he scratched the back of his head.

"Thank you, Shikamaru-kun," you grinned back at him as you were wrapped in someone's arms.

"Y/N-CHAN, YOU WERE DEEPLY MISSED!" Choji screamed as he hugged you, a little stronger than you wish, the air escaping from your lungs.

"Choji, I can't breat-" you said, but it seemed more like a whisper. Happily, he understood and let you go, being embarrassed.

"Sorry, I jus-" you caught him off guard wrapping your arms around his neck, bringing him closer. He smiled, hugging you back, but this time, not as strong as before.

"Ino-Shika-Cho," you said, looking at the three of them once Choji put you on the ground. "I certainly missed this formation."

"So, who is this girl?" A blond guy said from behind them. His blue eyes were locked on yours and you could see a little bit of distrust there.

"This is y/n, Naruto, Ino's cousin," Sakura answered, walking towards you to embrace you. "Getting on Ino's nerves were never the same after you left."

"Well, we did know how to do it, right?" you smiled at her, but your eyes were still locked on Naruto's. There was your target, right in front of you. You kept talking and catching up with your old friends, as well getting to know the others you didn't. The boy with the Byakugan was called Neji, and the girl Hinata. Apparently, they were cousins. There was also Rock Lee, Tenten and Shino - who you slightly remember running away from when you were little because of his insects.

Ino grabbed your hand, saying you two had to go. The first part of your plan was going good so far, but you couldn't stop feeling like shit the whole time. You knew you had to shake those feelings away, or you wouldn't be able to see your uncle Inoichi. He surely wouldn't trust you at first, and would search for something suspicious as talking. Your father always said he was by far the best Yamanaka shinobi that ever existed.

Well, you were about to prove him wrong.

As expected, Inoichi didn't recognized you. Once Ino said who you were, his eyes almost popped out from his face in shook, it was a good thing for you, strong emotions were used to prejudice the jutsu. He asked you a million questions, and you were honest in all of them, because you were sure he would enter in your head soon or later. Even that he seemed happy to see you, you could see he was holding himself back to ask you to see inside your head, and not because of you, but because of Ino.

So, once she was asleep on her bedroom, you went to find him on the kitchen. You knew he would be expecting the right moment to tell you, and what moment was better than late at night?

"Go ahead," you told him.

He pressed his palm gently against your head as he began to scour your mind. You made sure the first images he was going to see was you playing with Ino as children, you leaving the village with your parents. He also saw your mom dying, how miserable your dad was but his strength and love for you keeping him on track, your trainings - but not all of them -, the days he mentioned and talked about Inoichi and Ino, the times he wanted to give up everything to come back to them but he couldn't because he wanted to honor your mother memories.

Inoichi's jutsu on your head were getting more and more weak, you could literally feel it. Even though he was a master to find others people secret, he could still be manipulated to see what you wanted him to see. You knew all it would take was one more scene and he would be done with it.

So, you showed the day your dad put on his fighting clothes, saying he would be back soon enough and went to the war. You showed him the endless hours expecting for him to come home, as you stood there alone in the dark. The times you heard a noise outside and thought it was him but it was wind or some rotten bamboo which fell on the roof, and then, the time you decided to look for him, going straight to the war field. You showed him as you found your father's body in the middle of the others endless bodies there. How you cried over him, tried what you knew about medic ninjutsu - which it was so little. You literally showed Inoichi how your heart broke that day and he couldn't take it, breaking the jutsu so he could wipe away his own tears.

You remembered something you father told you long time ago.

"Inoichi is the best in searching for information in someone's head," he said during one practice. "But growing up with a brother like that, I had to find out some tricks so I could keep some things as secret from him. I didn't want my brother to know everything about my life."

And just like that you knew, Inoichi could be the best at searching for information, but your father was the best at hiding it. Your life goal was to become even better than your father, and you completely manage to do it.

After that day, Inoichi never tried to get inside your head again, you knew it was too painful for him. So, he took you under his wing, taking care of you just like he used to when you were little. Every day was getting harder to separate your feelings from the mission, as you trained with them, eat with them and everything else. Inoichi even wanted you to become a Konoha's ninja, and he was going to ask the Hokage - who apparently was in a coma - if it was possible.

"So, I heard you are making a huge success in the Village," Ino said one day, after practice. "Naruto and Kiba are fighting to see who is going to ask you out. Today I even caught Shikamaru staring at you a little too long, which by the way, it's kind of shocking. I have seen him showing interest in one girl in my life, and if I am correct, which I am, she really likes him. So, you should stay away from him a bit."

You laughed at her. "Naruto, huh?" you asked, happy because your mission would be easier than you thought. Going out with him would help you to extract information from him without being suspicious.

"So, he is a favorite. I will make sure to tell him that," Ino said, confusing your happiness like you actually wanted to go out with Naruto because you liked him. "He is so popular with girls now, it's kind of weird. Actually, the fact he wants to go out with you is weird too, because he used to like Sakura a lot."

You were grateful you had someone as chatty as Ino as your cousin. She herself had given you tons of infos, in Naruto and the rest of their friends. She was also making everything easier for you, but every time you thought about leaving after finishing your mission, your heart broke into two. She would never forgive you after finding out what you were about to do.

The hang out with Ino's friends were a good part of your day, because it was the only part of the day you let yourself to be the teenager you were supposed to be.

This time, you all went to eat barbecue. During the whole night, you guys laughed and told stories about life, trainings and missions. Stories were by far your favorite things to hear, and those guys have tons of them. But your favorite one by far was when Naruto defeated Nagato - the real Pain. Even you, after a short time, could see how big Naruto's heart was.

At the end of the evening, everyone said goodbye. When Ino said she had to do something with Choji, things got a little suspicious.

"But Naruto will walk you until my house, right, Naruto?" Ino asked him, directly.

"But your house is really far..." He trailed off as Sakura elbowed him, realization hitting him right away.

"I suppose I could go wit-" Kiba got interrupted by a screaming Naruto.

"No way, dattebayo! I will do it, I need to lose all the calories I got from this barbecue anyway. Y/n-chan, do you mind?" His smile was genuine, and you couldn't help but to smile back.

"Not at all, Naruto. I would really appreciate it," you answered in return, making his smile even bigger - if it was possible.

It didn’t take much until you realized Naruto was someone easy to be around. He always tried to mask his insecurities with cocky jokes and wide smiles, and you found to be strangely found of him. Walking side by side, it was almost shocking that the person next to you managed to defeat someone so strong as Pain. You crossed paths with Akatsuki once in a while on your missions, and you knew better than anyone how lucky you were for being alive.

“Y/n-chan, would you like to hang out sometime?” Naruto blurted out, his cheeks tinted with a light pink.

“Isn’t that what we are doing?” You smiled at him, poking his side with your elbow.

“Yes, but I mean, like a date.” He scratched the back of his neck, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

“I would love to.” You shrugged, but inside, your heart was flipping around. The worst part was when you realized it wasn’t because your mission was finally working, but because you wanted to go out with him.

“How about tomorrow?” He questioned, as soon as you arrived at the Yamanaka’s house.

“That would be perfect. Until then.”

Things followed. The first date, the connection between you two was undeniable, but you still tried to keep your mind on the prize. You analyzed every single word that came out of his mouth, but your heart couldn’t stop but beat faster every time he would smile or say something sweet about you.

You accepted his invitation for a second date, a third, a fourth, until Naruto became a constant on your routine. There were days where you would see him more than you would see your own cousin Ino, and you lived with the girl.

For many times, you wanted badly to let it go of this mission and just live. A normal relationship with someone you were crazy about, a nice family who loved you and supported you, loyal friends, out of the chart teachers… It was everything so tempting, but something buried inside your head didn’t make you give up completely for it, so every night, you wrote down on a parchment the new discovers from Naruto and everyone around him.

The last drop of resistance on your body melted the day he asked you to be his girlfriend.

You choked on the ramen you were about to swallow, staring in disbelief at the blond guy sitting across the table, his cheeks tinted by a nice shade of red.

“I know I surprised you, but it would be nice if you said something.” Naruto pointed out, scratching the back of his head, nervously.

A movie played on your head, those ones that you would figure that they passed when you were about to die. Everything you could remember since you left Konoha marked you in a way you would never recover, that for sure, but did that mean you could never find happiness? For the first time, you felt what it was like. For the first time, sorrow and hurt wasn’t the feelings that you went to the whole day through, fighting them to the back of your mind.

Naruto was there, offering everything you have ever wanted, and you had the guts to say yes.

So, you did.

His face lightened as someone had just told him he had won a whole year of free ramen. His happiness was by far the favorite thing you had witnessed in your life, along with the kiss that followed after it. For once, you forgot about your former jobs, your former past and mostly, your former pain.

During months, everything was just fine. Both of you had to deal with some difficulties on your way, but nothing that would damage your relationship. You ended up finding out about Sasuke and how badly Naruto wanted to recover him back, how deep Naruto and Sakura relationship was, strong as a brotherhood. Ino also loved to have you around, and even though you didn’t have a team, InoShikaCho didn’t hesitate to take you under their wings.

One day before the big war, you and Naruto were packing the stuff you would need to take to reunite the Alliance force. He was going through your draws, as you were going through your closet, as you heard his breathing getting faster.

“y/n, what is this?”

You turned to face your boyfriend with your old parchments on his hands. By the looks of it, he had read a couple of them, and the confusion on his face broke your heart as you didn’t know what to say.

Every single day you told yourself you should get rid of those things, but you never remembered. The guy who hired you never went after you because he didn’t even pay you, at first, so he didn’t lose anything by you not doing it.

“Naruto, I can explain.”

“So do it, because from where I’m standing, it seems like a parchment with a lot of private information of mine.” Naruto threw the paper and it ended up in front of your feet.

“You have to understand, Naruto. There were a few things I have done to survive that I am not proud of.” You took a step forward, but Naruto raised his hand as signing for you to stop.

“What you were going to do with those, y/n?” He demanded, his eyes turning red for a second before coming back to the usual blue.

“I was hired to spy on you, that was the motive that made me come back to Konoha.” The tears started to pool on the corner of your eyes. “But that was before. I didn’t give them anything about you. I couldn’t, I love you too much to do it.”

“You came to Konoha decided to betray your own family?” His tone mirrored the despise on his eyes.

“I would never do anything to hurt them.”

“But me, it was okay?”

“You don’t understand, Naruto. Spying was everything I knew before I came to Konoha. I was hurt and alone, needing money to survive. I wanted to honor my mother wishes but I couldn’t.”

“Do you really think I don’t understand the concept of being alone?” He hissed, turning his gaze away from your face. “I’ve been alone for the most part of my life, y/n. I grew up with people running away from me out of fear and you came here to tell me that I simply don’t understand? What is there to understand now?”

“That I’m crazy about you. You changed me, made me see things in a point of view I didn’t even know it was possible. You were gentle, kind and I believe you can change the whole world just by being in it, Naruto. I am sorry that I didn’t come here with the best intentions, but I am a totally different person from before.”

“I think we should take a break.”

“A break? We are going to a war tomorrow!”

“It’ll be better for both of us if we are focused on the battle ahead. We’ll talk when we are back.”

“Except that you can’t be sure that both of us are coming back alive.”

That hit him, hard. You noticed how shallow his breath became, how he had to swallow hard before opening his mouth again. “Come back alive.” He said, for last, before leaving you on the empty room.

The next few days, you had barely seen Naruto. He didn’t tell anyone about your former plans, which just made harder to explain people why you two weren’t together anymore. You ended up being designed to the same battalion as your cousin and her team. Even though you knew it was a war to protect Naruto and the bijuu inside him, every second of your day was filled with worried by him, and the constant lack of news was even worse than the nonstop fighting.

After finishing the coast, your whole group were designed to assist Naruto on his battle. Of course, you were the one running as faster as you can, so you could reach him faster. No words were needed in this case, all you want were to lay your eyes on him to make sure he was alive.

The moment your heart skipped a beat was exactly when he entered on your sight. The blond guy that you loved with all your body cells was standing there, he seemed hurt and tired, but not even as near to give up. That being the trait which you loved the most on him.

The whole battle was a long one and the adrenaline never stopped running through people’s vein, yours mostly. When Naruto decided to divide his nine tail chakra with everyone, was the first time he realized you were there. He hesitated before touching your hand, and you pressed your lips into a thin line when he jerked back to keep a whine that threatened to escape from your lips inside.

Before moving to the next person, he shot you a sad grin. “I’m glad you alive.”

As fast as he came, he disappeared on the crowd. You didn’t even have the chance to check if it was a shadow clone, just his dust from the run near you now. Despite it, it seemed you couldn’t look away. Following Naruto and paying attention to his surroundings was basically your task. So, the moment you saw one of the ten tailed monsters going straight at his direction, you didn’t think twice before jumping in between them, avoiding Naruto to get a hit on his back.

But you got the hit right below your chest, taking away all the air from your lungs.

Naruto just was fast enough to end the creature as you fell against the cold ground. You fell the warm blood spreading through all your clothes, your conscience slightly fading away.

As soon as Naruto reached you, the tears were already pooling in the corner of his eyes. “No, no, no. Stay with me, y/n. I told you not to die, damn it.” He looked around, looking for someone. “SAKURA, HELP ME.” He screamed, his voice cracking at the end.

“Naruto, it’s okay. You’re okay. That’s what matters.” You managed to say and honestly, you wanted to speak even more, but the pain running through your body was unbearable, every breath feeling like someone was stabbing you.

“SAKURA! WHERE IS SHE?” Naruto yelled at someone near, you couldn’t see who it was. “Do you know anything about medic ninjutsu? Can you help me?”

Someone bent near to your body, sobbing. “You stupid! What did you do?”

A weak smile crossed your lips, in relief. “You should be used by now, cousin. I’ll always protect those I love.”

A green chakra was leaking from her hands, pressed on your wound. But it wouldn’t work. You could feel your organs shutting down, one at time.

“Ino, talk to me.” Naruto hissed.

“I can’t, the damage, I can’t.” The blond said, crying.

“It’s okay. Both pay attention at me. Ino, thank you for everything.” You managed to say, but she cut you off.

“I just lost my father, please. Please. I can’t lose you too!” She leaned in over your body, and you had to cough a little. A warm feeling appeared running down your cheek and you weren’t sure if it was blood or tears.

“Ino.” You said a little bit stronger. “Take care of yourself, and the boys too. They need you. I love you, sister.”

“I love you!” She yelled, before Shikamaru pulled her back from your body.

A small part of you still wanted to laugh, they were still on a battlefield on a fucking war and here they were, acting like they had all the time in the world.

“Naruto.” You used the last strength on your body to look at him. “Hi baby.”

He was crying silently; his hand was holding yours so strongly and you didn’t even feel it. “Please.”

“I am sorry for not staying alive. Don’t you ever forget how much I loved you. Thank you for teaching me what love really meant.” You swallowed hard. “Take care of Ino for me, and please, stay alive.”

“I will. I love you too. I love you so much.” He hugged your body and you noticed the pain was smaller, as almost not existent. You smiled to the sky and closed your eyes, just waiting. Far from there, the sound of a someone crying harder reached your ears, and then, everything went black.

#naruto #naruto fic #naruto fanfic #naruto oneshot #naruto imagine #naruto uzumaki #naruto uzumaki imagines #naruto uzumaki oneshot #naruto uzumaki imagine #naruto x reader #naruto uzumaki x reader #naruto uzumaki and reader #naruto x ooc #naruto x s/o #naruto angst #naruto fluff #naruto uzumaki angst

583 notes · View notes

chemicalmagecraft · 5 years

Text

I Would Totally Kick Jiraiya’s Butt Chapter 1

A/N: So this has a funny story behind it. I've been binge watching all of Naruto Shippuden recently and around the time when I got to the part where (spoiler alert) Jiraiya died, my English teacher had us answer a question that was something along the lines of "If you could live in a fictional universe, which would it be?" So, naturally, due to a combination of the revelations about Jiraiya lowering my already low opinion of him and someone making me think about self-insert fanfics, I decided to write this. Hopefully, I don't fail horribly like a lot of SI fics. Still, I would very much appreciate any feedback so as not to end up with a horrible SI sue fic. That being said, story me is going to train a lot because real life me has no life so why would story me.

TL;DR: I hate Jiraiya.

P.S. I was originally going to call this fic I Would Totally Kick Jiraiya's Ass, but apparently that's against rules...

kukukuku~

The village was devastated. So many of the buildings were smashed, and so many people had lost their lives to the Kyubi. Entire squads of ninja were needed to sift through the wreckage for any survivors. It is with two of these ninja that our story starts. "This destruction..." one ninja said. "It's unreal... How could this happen?"

"The nine-tailed demon fox," the other ninja replied brusquely. "That damned fox killed people by stepping on them. What else would happen when it went on a rampage? Now come on, we need to clear this whole sector in an hour."

"Do you hear that?" the first ninja asked. The second ninja stopped talking and listened for a bit.

"Is that... a baby crying?" he said. They both hurried to where the sound seemed to be coming from. A ray of light pierced the clouds to fall down on a blanket on top of a large piece of rubble. One of the ninja lifted up the blanket to reveal... a log. The other ninja rolled his eyes and picked up the baby lying on another piece of rubble. The child, a boy, couldn't have been more than a few months old. He had a thick head of brown hair and dark marks under his eyes. The ninja rocked the baby, and he stopped crying. He opened his hazel eyes and cooed at the sight of the man. "Found the baby. Let's take him to the other survivors. Hopefully one of the survivors is looking for him."

"And if not?"

"Then the kid's going to be in for a rough childhood."

"Well just in case, let's give him a name."

"Kouki." (Koh-key. Has kanji for either light or happiness and either light or hope)

"Why?"

"If he needs the name, then he's gonna need what it means more."

kukukuku~

I plopped down on my bed and groaned. One moment I was writing the assignment thinking about how I would totally beat up Jiraiya if I was in Naruto and in the next three years had passed and I was a small child in a Konohagakure orphanage. I immediately recognized this as the start of a self-insert fanfiction because I know myself.

"Really, Me?" I asked. "You just had to write an SI." If I'm going to be doing this, I'm sooo going to fourth-wall break. "You'd better give me a good reason for knowing the future so I don't get thrown in an insane asylum." I paused. "Does Konoha even have insane asylums? Thinking about it, they don't really seem to have any form of psychological therapy, what with how nobody helped any of the various orphans in Naruto. Or Hinata, for that matter. Where was I again? Oh, right! I could also use a way to refresh myself on the timing of things, Me." I licked my lips. "Well," I said, "seems that habit followed me here. I should probably cut down on it or people might think I'm the secret child of Orochimaru and... I don't know, Tsuyu Asui?"

I thought about that for a moment and groaned again. "Thanks for that mental image, brain. That was almost as bad as that one horrible dream I had where Naruto and Jiraiya were..." I trailed off, screamed, stood up, and walked to the nearest wall, which I immediately started banging my head on. As I did that, an older orphan came in the room.

"What are you doing?" he asked me.

"Punishing my brain," I stopped to answer.

"Why?"

"Because it needs to be punished."

"O...kay... just... don't hurt yourself?" He walked away, muttering, "Weirdo."

Once I decided that my brain had been punished enough (I took the headache as a sign of surrender), I plopped back down on my bed. "What now?" I said to myself. A leaf drifted through an open window and landed on my forehead. It was at this moment that I realized that I somehow knew how to mold and use chakra to some degree as if it was instinctual. "Plus ultra, I guess." I started channeling chakra into the leaf on my forehead, hoping that I was doing the chakra exercise right.

kukukuku~

I collapsed, water splashing slightly as I fell on its surface. It had been a little over a month and my complete and utter lack of a life had served me well in my quest for power. I'd managed to slip off to a secluded area of woods with a lazy and shallow river where I'd spent a great deal of time mercilessly training myself in the ways of sticking leaves to myself, only stopping for a rest and snack break when I started to get tired. At first, I couldn't do too much because, as a child of a little over three years, my chakra reserves were limited (though I think that my reserves were also higher than they should have been due to me having the mental energy of a teenager). Of course, practice makes perfect, so I soon found myself able to use more chakra at once. Once I could hold multiple leaves on multiple parts of my body simultaneously for a few seconds, I upgraded to tree climbing. While I didn't have any kunai to mark my progress, I'd figured out how to channel chakra through my fingernails to leave small scratches in the bark without harming my nails, which I ended up calling Cat Claws Jutsu. Once I was able to walk up trees like I was walking on the ground and also stick leaves to myself while doing it, I took a day for rest (chakra exhaustion sucks) and then started on water walking.

That... that involved much more getting wet than I'd like to admit... Eventually, however, I'd managed to get water walking down pat and included leaves in it as well, which is what I had just finished at that point. I got up, figuring that laying down on the water is probably a bad idea, and got to solid ground before plopping down on the grass. As I did, the leaves that had been clinging to my skin fell off. I pulled out the apple I'd brought as a snack. Mmm, fuji apples. When I was done devouring the fruit, I licked my lips, wrapped the core in the napkin I'd stored it in, and lay there for a bit. I breathed in the nice, Springy air. So far as I knew, the Land of Fire was constantly warm, which is how it got its name. I certainly wasn't complaining; I like it hot. Once I'd caught my breath and had time to rest, I picked up one of the leaves I'd been using for training. "Time for some advanced training," I said. I sandwiched the leaf between my palms, closed my eyes, and focused. "Two fronts grinding against each other," I thought. Snip. I opened my hands, revealing that the leaf had developed a small cut on it, as if someone had cut it with a pair of scissors. "It's a start," I said.

kukukuku~

When I started with wind chakra, I decided to start doing light exercise not related to chakra. I didn't want to do too much because I had once heard something about lifting weights as a child stunting growth or something. It probably wasn't as big of a problem in a world where Rock friggin Lee can exist, but I still wanted to be careful. I just did some light jogging (while collecting and attempting to cut leaves), sit-ups (while attempting to cut leaves), and push-ups (fun fact: it is very hard to cut leaves with wind chakra while doing push-ups, but not impossible). It was on a jog around the playground near the orphanage that everyone played in that I saw him. A blonde boy with markings on his cheeks sitting alone by a tree. All of the other kids were ignoring him.

I distantly remembered a time when one of the adults from the orphanage took us all aside and told us that he was a demon and we shouldn't play with him. It was before my past life memories came in... or however that worked... but now it made it all the more real what Naruto went through. I was already going to try to befriend Naruto, but now I really wanted to do something. I walked over to the other side of the tree Naruto was sitting at and looked around to see if anyone was looking. When I saw that nobody was, I muttered "Cat Claws Jutsu" and started using my claws to get a good grip on the tree. I could have just used the regular tree walking, but I was trying to be discreet so as to not have people asking why I knew ninja techniques. I did, however, use the tree walking to grip with my feet. Once I was situated on a branch above Naruto, I looked around to see if anyone was looking. It seemed not. Apparently, tree-climbing in a ninja village full of trees that was founded by a tree-man is a very uninteresting sight. Who knew? I licked my lips, took a deep breath, and said, "Hi, there," to him. When he looked up, I gave a small but friendly smile and waved. "My name's Kouki, what's yours?" I mean, I already knew his name, but it's not like I could tell him that.

He sniffed and said "Naruto." I noticed that his eyes were all red (not Kyuubi red, irritated red) and puffy. "Why are you here?"

I jumped down, using a light burst of wind chakra to cushion my fall, and said, "Everybody avoids you, so I felt like you might want somebody to play with." I sat down next to him. "People avoid me, too. I think it's because I don't talk to people much, look like I'm really bored most of the time, and have really freaky eye markings." For whatever reason, I had black markings with a white dot under and offset to the outer side of each eye, which in real life was just permanent dark shadows under my eyes and... what were they, freckles? Beauty marks? I had dot markings under each eye. I guess author me's basis for that was the fact that several people in Naruto had what appeared to be biological, and in some cases hereditary, markings not directly related to being the prison for a demonic monster. For example, the Inuzuka, the Akimichi, Jiraiyass, Orochimaru, and the second and third Hokage. "I'm fine with being alone, but I had a feeling you aren't. Wanna be friends?"

He gasped, then gave me a bright smile. His eyes began to water and he gave me a hug. I patted him on the back and just let him hug it out. When he was done, he asked, "What do friends do?"

"I... don't know. I guess maybe I show you something cool?"

"Like what?" I pulled a leaf from my pocket and cut it in half. He gasped. "Cool! How'd you do that?"

"When I grow up, I wanna be a ninja. I managed to find out how to do some stuff with chakra. That's apparently an advanced technique that grants you wind powers."

He looked confused at that. "How does cutting a leaf give you wind powers?"

"It's more like it's the easiest use of wind chakra or something. Doing it lets you practice wind chakra so you can do more advanced stuff."

He beamed at me. "Can you teach me?"

I smiled and said, "There were a lot of steps involved in learning how to do it. I had to do a bunch of other special exercises before I could do it." He pouted. "Buuut, if you do exactly what I tell you and don't question it, I can teach you some cool stuff." He nodded vigorously.

"I'm gonna be Hokage someday! Knowing how to use chakra stuff would be great!" I smiled. The was no doubt in his words. It was as if he already knew he would be Hokage, and the world just had to catch up.

I bowed. "Very well, then, Hokage-sama. Let the training montage begin."

kukukuku~

"Whoa!" Naruto said. He was staring at the small tree that I had just felled with a few quick swipes.

"That's what I can teach you," I said with a smug grin as I put my hands in my pockets. "Before that, though, I have some rules that I have for you. First, I don't think that non-ninja are supposed to use jutsu in public, so please don't do stuff like this until you're in the academy at least. Second, even when you do use chakra, please be careful with it." I kicked the tree that I'd just killed. "You can do some serious damage. Third, if you start to feel tired, stop using your chakra unless you absolutely have to. It's a combination of mental and physical energy, meaning it uses your life force. You do the math. Got that?" He nodded eagerly. "Good. Now, for your first task," I picked a leaf off of the tree and gave it to him, "use chakra to stick this leaf to your body."

Naruto groaned. "That's so boring!"

I narrowed my eyes and said, "I told you to do exactly what I say. This is a chakra exercise. It lets you practice in the use of chakra. It's just the first step in what I have to teach you." I walked up a nearby tree. "Get good enough with it and I get to teach you the next trick." I looked at him expectantly. He stared at the leaf, then placed it on the palm of his hand. He then channeled enough chakra into it that it started glowing blue slightly. He flipped his palm over so that the leaf should've fallen over, but it didn't. I dropped to the ground and inspected the leaf. It was a little unsteady, but holding. I guess he was having an easier time controlling his chakra because he hadn't yet developed stupid amounts of it. "Rein it in slightly. Other than that, it seems fine. I'm going to do my stuff. Once you think you're good with one, add another. Do that until I say you're ready."

kukukuku~

"You're ready," I told him with a laugh a few days later. His arms were covered in leaves. "Take a little break and I'll teach you the next step."

kukukuku~

It continued like that for a while. I don't know how long it lasted for, but by the time Naruto started with leaf cutting, I saw... was he the Raikage? The one guy who Hiashi Hyuuga called the head ninja of Kumogakure when he was talking about the incident with Hinata's kidnapping. I saw that jerk walking down the streets. I managed to find out from a nearby villager that it was December 27th, Hinata's birthday, and he was going to sign the peace treaty with Konoha. I decided that I would help stop the incident in whatever way I could, seeing as that was pretty much where everything started to go wrong in Hinata's life and I could hopefully stop it. I was thinking about how I could sneak my way into the Hyuuga compound when I got a splitting headache and a tingly feeling in my eyeballs. When I opened my eyes, I could see... myself sneaking into the compound and finding the Raikage in Hinata's room. It was like that one hint stone in Skyward Sword, where you could see a cutscene of what you had to do, except really trippy because it was in real life. I looked in the general direction of the fourth wall and said, "Well that's a deus ex machina and a half, Me. Thanks, I'll make good use of the intel."

I quickly found Naruto, told him that I had to do something and that he should continue with the leaf-cutting practice until I got back. He was making decent progress with it. His leaves were already cut almost halfway through. I then began with the path that I'd seen. When I finally managed to sneak in, it was already dark. I went to the spot on the fence I'd seen myself brooding in the vision when I saw the enemy in my vision. Thankfully, I was just in time to see the man dressed in all black sneak up to Hinata's room. I licked my lips as I thought for a second about what I could do, but quickly decided with a silent "Screw it." "HYUUGA HIASHI!" I screamed. "A MASKED MAN IS TRYING TO KIDNAP YOUR DAUGHTER! MAKE SURE TO CAPTURE HIM ALIVE, THOUGH, OR HIS VILLAGE WILL DEMAND YOUR HEAD OR START A WAR!"

"WHAT!?" a man who I assume was Hiashi screamed.

"I SAID THAT A MAN IS TRYING TO KIDNAP YOUR DAUGHTER! PROBABLY FOR HER EYES! AND IF YOU KILL HIM HIS VILLAGE WILL DEMAND YOUR CORPSE FOR YOUR EYES! PLEASE HURRY! I'M PRETTY SURE HE'S ABOUT TO KILL ME FOR RUINING HIS PLANS AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE DYING SO SOON!" As I was shouting at him, the masked man came out and started making a few hand seals. I jumped off of the fence and made a single seal of my own (dragon seal, the only one I knew enough to use) and started molding wind chakra.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Shot!" He shot a bolt of lightning chakra out of his hand at me.

"Wind Release: Mini Air Slashes!" I countered by making small slashing motions with my index fingers. Small blades of air spawned from my fingers and rammed straight into the lightning. After most of the slashes dissipated while expending some of the lightning, the remaining one cut straight through the weakened jutsu and cut slightly into his chest. I breathed a sigh of relief and licked my lips. That wouldn't have worked if he hadn't underestimated me, though to be fair not many small children can make air slashes, whatever the size. I dashed in close to him and activated my other wind jutsu. "Wind Release: Dragon Claws." Before I could attack him, I saw him punch me in the chest, but... he hadn't punched me yet. His fist came at me and I ducked away from it. As I dodged I swiped at his leg, hoping that I could distract him if I made enough cuts. What really happened... it was both better and worse than I was hoping for...

Squelch. "GYAAAAH!" the man screamed as blood spouted everywhere. I stopped in my tracks. Even in the dim light, I definitely saw his leg fall off.

"What?" I turned around to see several Hyuuga ninja staring at me. I made to answer but was suddenly overtaken by a wave of fatigue and dizziness. Chakra exhaustion. "How did you get here? How did you do that?" The ninja in the lead, Hiashi, asked me.

I just barely managed to grin and say, "I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said I could see the future?" before my eyes rolled back in my head and I passed out.

I guess the first chapter ends with a cliffhanger...

kukukuku~

A/N: Yeah... sorry for not doing another episode of Gamer Hero Deku next, but inspiration can be annoyingly fickle at times and I actually really enjoy the direction that this is eventually going to go in, so yeah... Also, sorry to those who SI isn't their cup of tea. I personally like fanfics where people know future events in some way and use that knowledge to mess around with canon, though. As you could probably see, though, Kouki isn't your average boy. Beyond the SI, anyways. See ya next time!

#I Would Totally Kick Jiraiya's Butt #fanfiction #IWTKJB CH1 #Naruto #Naruto Shippuden spoilers #tw blood #tw gore #tw dismemberment

2 notes · View notes

ahkaraii · 6 years

Note

'headcanon rant for another day' oh please when its another day tell me :DDD

HEE okay, the comparative biologist in me that I truncated when I deviated towards medicine is excited af about Naruto world genetics and how the heck chakra works in the human body.

If you look cross-sectionally at the expression of chakra in all the existing dojutsu (ex. Uchiha’s sharingan, Hyuuga’s byakugan; possibly the Yamanaka’s characteristic generation-spanning pupil-less eyes that may facilitate their mind-share technique) and genkai kekkei (Yamato and Hashirama’s Wood style release, Haku’s ice mirrors, etc), there’s definitely an emphasis on certain powers being strictly genetic, not something you can learn. Like, you literally express it uncontrollably after a certain trigger (epigenetics yo!!! gotta modify those histones to activate the genetic expression), and only then train it once its manifest.

You can, however, “transplant” body parts that contain the style -- like Kakashi with Obito’s sharingan, or Yamato being genetically modified with Hashirama’s cells as an infant -- and bypass that required pedigree. You just have to work super hard to “master” it, and it will be taxing to your body that wasn’t born to express that technique. (In fact, I like to believe these transplantees are more prone to autoimmune diseases and/or infections due to graft-versus-host disease).

Canonically there are others that are explicitly stated to be learned techniques that are simply “secretly” passed down generation to generation and have little to do with your genes (the “Hiden” techniques, like the Nara shadow stitching), but we never really see any non-clan characters learning techniques from other clans, so it’s hard to say. I think there’s a specific chakra pathway you must be born with to learn specific Hiden techniques. Like, Nara are genetically predisposed to have chakra pathways that facilitate their shadow stitching. So while a random stranger could theoretically learn after years and years of practicing, some -- like our chakra-less Lee -- would simply fail no matter how hard they try because they don’t have the proper chakra setup.

This all got me thinking about the clanless/bloodline limit-lacking characters that look phenotypically similar to clans or characters possessing dojutsu and/or genkai kekkei. Folks like Anko, who has the characteristic Yamanaka pupilless eyes but instead of pale green they’re brown, suggesting she’s a Yamanaka mutt-mix that, due to a combination of a poor genetic lottery and no teacher, failed to develop the Yamanaka mind share technique entirely. She’s still a Torture and Interrogation nin tho, suggesting she was either raised around the Yamanaka (who all ultimately seem to end up doing jobs in T&I lol), or was taken pity by a Yamanaka in T&I who realized she was probably of their blood and never claimed and gave her a decent job. We all know how Konoha treats their clanless orphans, yeah? :(

I like to think certain “mixes” are unviable (else there’d already exist characters with it in canon, yanno?), or just a really bad idea (congenital defects-wise). Like Hyuuga and Uchiha. The Hyuuga academy teacher I doodled in my comic is an OC of mine whose backstory is she -- scandalously! -- had a kid with an Uchiha and their kid was born with a lot of genetic defects centering around the face and eyes (specifically holoprosencepahly).

Another character that looks Yamanaka-like and actually manifests Yamanaka-like chakra techniques is Tsunade’s old boyfriend Dan Kato. His power is the power to astrally project himself -- much like the Yamanaka! -- and possess others -- very much like the Yamanaka. Now, of course, one could butt in and say the Yamanaka mind body technique is probably a Hiden technique, not a bloodline limit, and thus Dan is entirely capable of learning it despite not belonging to the clan, but I like the chakra genetics headcanon and I’m sticking to it, so the Kato clan is an offshoot of some branch Yamanaka that specialized in the mind-body technique since the mind-share technique is probably only taught to the Main House.

Unlike the Hyuuga, whose Main and Branch houses take the toxic hierarchy to its extreme, the Yamanaka are more chill with their families expanding and marrying whoever they want, so not everyone has the Yamanaka last name. The Ino-Shika-Chou formation ensures that at least one kid is born and raised to have all their desired techniques, so the rest of the family’s kids can be born doing whatever. Presumably they gotta learn about the Yamanaka family history and all that pizzazz, but they aren’t enslaved to the family like the Hyuuga (or arguably the Uchiha).

That’s why Shizune Kato canonically uses poisons and healing techniques, and has no ability in the astral projection her uncle Dan so famously had. She just wasn’t born with the chakra pathways for it, and that’s okay. She’s not gonna get kicked out of the family for it like other characters are (like my Hyuuga OC, who never manifested the Byakugan, or her husband, who never manifested the sharingan. It’s why their baby managed to be born at all and not entirely stillborn -- neither of them were *rolls eyes* ““pureblood””).

Other clanless characters I think are probably mutts are:

- Ebisu, whose use of sunglasses suggest to me he’s a main branch Aburame bastard who was never implanted with bugs (I hc most if not all Aburame have severely impaired vision, hence the sunglasses -- they use their bugs to “see”) but was raised knowing it, so that’s why he’s a snooty asshole about Clans and gets to train the Hokage’s grandchild and other high ranking kids. He can’t inherit the title of Aburame Clan Head because he doesn’t have bugs, but he does get a cozy high ranking job without having to really work for it.

- Aoba, whose sunglasses and liberal use of fire techniques and crows could mean he’s got Aburame and/or Uchiha blood in him.

I definitely think the Naruto world’s necessary emphasis on genetics and purity of blood for the sake of your bloodline limit expression has damaging effects on people’s health, congenital defects wise. For example: I headcanon Hayate Gekko has cystic fibrosis! It’s why he’s always coughing and sick. The Senju clan has a defect in a tumor-suppressing gene, which explains why they were of the few clans to have multiple kids (Hashirama had 3 brothers! how rare in the naruto world of being single children or having only a single sibling! lol) and yet the entire freaking clan was reduced to only Tsunade in three generations of peace. Let’s face it: Hashirama absolutely died of some form of cancer -- Hashirama cells are Naruto world’s HeLa cells, after all. Plus, it would explain why only he could do the wood release and no other person until yamato has managed it -- you HAVE to have a defect in a tumor suppressing gene, and to wood release you have to selectively induce a second insult to cause your cells to divide like crazy. But you also have to have the ability to combine earth and water release, and also chakra mold, and also a bunch of other crazy shit which made it super hard for Orochimaru to re-create it. It’s a miracle Hashirama didn’t die earlier, tbh.

I headcanon Tsunade totally got uterine cancer (she can’t have kids) and breast cancer (her breasts are so large because they are fake :V) and it’s why she’s the only Senju alive -- she has kept herself alive using her insanely OP healing skills. Its how she knows how to keep herself young-looking, too -- she was always replenishing her cells. I HC her brother Nawaki had leucemia and it was only sheer chance that a landmine got to him first before his own sickness did. That’s why Orochimaru is so knowledgeable about Hashirama’s cells in the first place, to the point where he was recruited to ROOT! Orochimaru was Nawaki’s sensei and was actively helping Tsunade find a cure for the Senju Clan’s propensity to develop cancer to save Nawaki and the Senju line as a whole. After Nawaki’s passing, Orochimaru kind of went crazy and decided instead to focus on curing death....

ANYWAY I could keep going but I’ve lost track of what I was originally answering lmfao. I have too many headcanons XD;;;;;

#ask responses #karaii's headcanons #i gotta learn to be more succinct jesus XD;;#fluffyfoxtales

134 notes · View notes

orthodoxlily · 5 years

Text

Survey Results: Civil Affairs Spin Off! Who’s Next!?

Hey everyone!

So, Surveymonkey sent me a 3 month anniversary email regarding my Spin-Off survey and that kind of hinted that it was time to take it down. Whoops! Sorry, Surveymonkey!

Just thought I’d share the results! So for those of you who don’t know, the survey consisted of a general question about what type of fanfiction readers wanted to see next;

After that, I provided summaries of 4 potential Civil Affairs Spin-Offs and ask that my readers give them a star rating with ‘5 Stars’ being ‘Loved It’ and ‘1 Star’ being ‘Not Diggin’ It...’

SUBMISSION # 1: PRIORITIES

“Each generation of The Uchiha clan has only ever had two primary goals; survive and find a way to exterminate The Senju. After all, the Senju clan is the only real threat to the Uchiha...or at least that's what Madara always thought. Madara Uchiha has discovered a more pressing threat from within his clan - in the form of his own father. Madara faces the harsh reality that in order to protect his clan he must overthrow his father and seize leadership. While the Council of Elders supports him, they also recognize Madara's most glaring flaw; he's a military tactician, not a politician. This time, Madara needs to try and get his way with finesse...not the force he's used to.

Lady Fuyumi Tetsuhimi, the eldest daughter of a Lord from the Land of Iron, has an enviable social prowess and a keen mind eager for political games. Intrigued by the unrest within the Uchiha clan, Fuyumi agrees to be Madara's bride and help win him the position of clan head. When she accepts the clan's request for her hand in marriage she agrees to live for the Uchiha Clan from that day forward. And she meant it.

The story follows the two as they navigate the realities of an arranged marriage where both individuals prioritize the needs of the many over each other...or even themselves. One must have priorities.

The story begins in the Warring Clans era and continues until after Konoha's founding, chronicling Madara's marriage and the power-struggles within the clan during that time. As it takes place in the Civil Affairs Narutoverse, there's plenty of world building.”

RESULTS FOR # 1

SUBMISSION # 2: YOU CATCH MORE FLIES WITH HONEY

“Tobirama Senju was determined to be a bachelor for life. The clan’s Council of Elders and his father tried to persuade him into marriage more times then he could count but he couldn’t be bought. With a wife came children…which was something he really didn’t want. He had no right bringing children into a world where they wouldn’t be likely to live past their eighth birthday. So, he remained happily unmarried and planned to do so until his dying day.

He might have succeeded, if his soft-hearted brother hadn’t been determined to bring the Hanabachiro clan back from the precipice of destruction. Lord Hanabachiro came to The Senju clan begging for protection with little to offer other then a marriage to his daughter – and Tobirama was the only unmarried Senju man available. Not pleased with the deal but unable to deny his brother’s request, Tobirama Senju married Mitsuka Hanabachiro.

Mitsuka wasn’t very bright and was extraordinarily pure-hearted. This combination made her naïve which from the beginning gave her no-nonsense husband nothing but grief. When she wasn’t irritating him she was getting into trouble. And when she wasn’t doing that…she was slowly melting the wall of ice he’d put up around his heart. Which in truth just irritated him more until one day he woke up and it didn’t. If Mitsuka was honey, then Tobirama was vinegar and you know what they say; you catch more flies with honey.

This story begins during the Warring Clans era and continues until Tobirama’s death, chronicling his life with his wife and exploring just how two people can ‘grow’ to love one another. It’s not going to entirely be romance as it does take place in the Civil Affairs Narutoverse and it will have a great deal of world building.”

RESULTS FOR #2

SUBMISSION # 3: BULL IN A CHINA SHOP

“Azami Ito had never had big dreams, at least none so grand as moving to a big village and making money as a successful business owner. Her father did but she didn’t. She was more then content to live her life blissfully single, in her childhood home, consumed by her art. Her blown glass art, specifically. In her house she had always been the patient and steadfast one, unlikely to bend and less likely to break.

Her father was a naïve moron who was incapable of seeing the evil in the world and as a result, was swindled out of all his money and land. He then promptly died. This left Azami destitute apart from a ‘promised’ piece of property in Kumogakure that she was pretty sure didn’t exist. Still, with nothing else to her name and nowhere to go, she made the move to the hidden village to see this ‘promised property’.

To her surprise the building really does exist. To her displeasure, it’s a dilapidated heap of wood. She makes the courageous decision to stay and fix up the building to be a shop where she intends to sell her glass wares and with some elbow grease, she begins to make some progress. She even begins to make a name for herself.

Then the eldest son of the Raikage comes literally smashing through the roof and out the front door, leaving nothing but shards of glass in his wake. Azami’s life is about to take a strange twist that even she didn’t expect - she was about to fall in love.

Nothing about A says subtle: he’s a bull in a china shop (in more ways then one). Which means she’s in for a difficult courtship, considering A can’t come within 300 feet of her shop without causing major property damage.

Once again takes place in the Civil Affairs Narutoverse although obviously this one is in Kumogakure. Plenty of world-building with a bit more of a rom-com feel to it then the others. Since the Kumogakure hierarchy of Raikage seems to pass from father to son, there will be a lot of expanding on a ‘monarchy’ of sorts and all the political drama that entails. If you’ve read Civil Affairs, you’ll probably be able to notice some cultural differences that I plan to incorporate between Kumo and Konoha.”

RESULTS FOR # 3

SUBMISSION # 4: ANGST ISN’T GOOD FOR THE SOUL

“Hisano Takano, barely able to hurt a fly, was too gentle to be a ninja but that was okay since her fiery brother was always there to protect her.

Despite not being a ninja, Hisano does have the same chakra sensing abilities as her brother and her late father. Through these abilities she has discovered something very important; your mood is affected by your chakra, and your chakra is affected by the chakra of others. Even more fascinating, when certain stones or crystals are charged with chakra they can alter and even correct these ‘chakra imbalances’.

While her brother is wandering the path of the shinobi, Hisano dedicates herself to studying ancient documents that refer the very phenomenon she’s been witnessing. With their wisdom Hisano goes into business and becomes Sunagakure’s first, and only, crystal healer. At first, most of the village doesn’t believe in her methods and she’s treated like a joke.

That changes when a desperate Temari no Subaku, eldest child of the late Lord Kazekage, knocks on her door with a request for help that she could never refuse. Even if it means having to spend a few days investigating the chakra of the village’s notorious demon-container.

This one takes place in the Civil Affairs narutoverse and is really going to be about doing some world building with Sunagakure. It’s going to span from just after the chunin exams in the television series to Shippuden and is going to bring more depth to just what exactly Gaara did for the village. I feel like Sunagakure’s likely shattered political scene and nearly non-existent economy needs to have some attention brought to it. Also, it gives me a chance to build a refreshing GaaraxOC because TO ME, while it was realistic, the Boruto series did Gaara an injustice by leaving him without a romantic partner.”

RESULTS FOR #4

Next, I asked if those taking the survey could order the results based on their preference of the order they would like to see the spin-offs published (#1 being published 1st to #4 being published last). The more times a story was ranked #1, the more points it got.

As you can see, the winner was: ANGST ISN’T GOOD FOR THE SOUL

Our Runner-Up was: BULL IN A CHINA SHOP

Since seeing these results I have begun serious work on finalizing the outlines of these stories and have made substantial progress in writing them. My plan is to have one or both ready for publishing by the time I complete Civil Affairs.

Stay tuned and thanks for participating!!!

4 notes · View notes

thefreckledone · 7 years

Note

Your choice: i was all kinds of fucked up a few weeks ago. you’re all kinds of fucked up all the time. we all are. and that’s why we’re together. i just want to let you know… i am possibly the worst person you’ve ever met.

The scent of smoke wakes her, dragging her from slumber, the onlyplace where she truly feels at peace. Sakura blinks against the heady lull ofsleep that clings to her persistently, seeking out the source. It comes frombeyond her cracked window. She throws open her apartment window fully, gaspingat the sight before her.

The heavy tree line beyond the town is rimmed in brilliant colorsas smoke billows high into the sky, obscuring the stars and moon. The telltalecrackling is all Sakura needs to know of just how pervasive this problem is.

Forest fire.

Sakura curses under her breath, glances once more at the fire, andturns back to her room, rummaging through her closet for the necessary tools.Clothing spelled with fire retardant, thick goggles to block the sting ofsmoke, a few trinkets that hold stores of her powers, her small witchery kit,and comfortable boots to allow for maneuverability. She checks over thesethings, whispering under her breath as she tries to make sure she isn’t missingany crucial items. Sakura redresses quickly, stuffing her feet into the bootsbefore running out the door.

She reaches up to her neck as she runs, clutching at somethingthat isn’t there. Sakura stops, hurries back into the apartment, and picksup her pendant of aquamarine, before again running out the door.

As she turns the key in her car, Sakura spares a brief moment tomourn the fact that she doesn’t have more conventional abilities, ones that willgrant her the power of flight or, at the very least, levitation. No, Sakurathinks as her blood sings in her veins as she tears out of the parking lot, shereceived different abilities, ones that didn’t grant her powers that most grade schoolers mastered easily.

Still, this at least issomething she can do. She knows already that this is beyond the capabilities ofthe county’s fire department. The flames now roar above the tree line,consuming all life in their path. This fire is unnatural.

Thankfully, Sakura thinks as her hands clench around the steeringwheel, she is, at this point, almost a connoisseur of the unnatural.

She drives out past the town’s limits, passing the signinviting her to come back around sometime soon as she makes her way up into theforest. The forests outside of Konoha are wildly untamed and, in fact, arecelebrated for that very thing. Many come from all around the world to travelthrough the mountains and explore the great unknown. The rugged wild draws inthe tourists and really, they can’t complain. Though they do certainly mock theoutsiders who think that their short-winded scampering about the forest areanything to be celebrated or feel accomplished for. No, the tourists who travelthrough are mere children playing pretend in the face of what truly lies withinthe great forest.

Everyone from Konoha has a healthy respect for the forest, mostavoiding going out into it if at all possible. The unofficial town motto is “Discretionis the better part of valor,” for good reason.

Still, Sakura knows that this is something that she can fix.Besides, she doubts that those within the forest will be angry about herassistance.

Hopefully.

She parks her car at the low overlook that hovers only a littleway into the forest. The fires have yet to touch the edges, but Sakura can hearthe crackling of the fire deep within the underbrush. She knows better than totempt fate or the forest entities with her vehicle while the forest is soagitated.

So instead, she stuffs her keys into her pocket and takes off onfoot further into the forest after pulling on the goggles. Her lungs burn thefurther in she goes and her skin begins to heat with the towering blazesomewhere ahead. Sakura closes her eyes for a moment, blood boiling, as shepulls a stone knife from her kit. It is a small, crude thing, nearly just asharp bit of rock, if not for the carved handle. The stone is a dark, dull redand the edge only barely sharp. Sakura doesn’t wince as she digs the knifeinto the meat of her right palm, watching expressionless as blood wells upthrough the cut and coats the blade. The knife is slick and pulses with magicas the blood disappears across the surface, brightening the color of the stonewith the fresh blood.An ancient song pulses in Sakura’s ears as her sight is heightened and her feetare suddenly fleet as she travels deeper into the woods. The forests of Konohaare strange; the further in one goes, the higher and larger the trees stretch.Sakura knows, as do all the diligent residents of Konoha, that the deeper theforest, the more dangerous. Where she is now, she can no longer see the nightsky, obscured as it is by the leaves and smoke above her head.

She pauses as, above the sizzle of the fire, Sakura hears anunearthly buzz. The hair at her neck stands on end as the buzz is echoed by ahigh scream. Sakura swallows convulsively, hand clenching further against theblade and drawing more blood.

Why, oh why did she have to be right about the unnatural nature ofthe fire?

Sakura glares down at her cut hand, biting her lip furiously. Whatcan she do? She’s just barely a hedge witch, unable to complete even the simplestof spells. Her lungs ache, reminding her again of how little she can do.

The buzz transforms into a howl of pain and Sakura cannot remainidle.

She continues forward, following the sounds of fighting. As shedoes, she comes upon parts of the fire and she calls on the magic in her blood.The knife flashes and the fires near her go out, leaving behind blackened, deadwood. She keeps casting magic as she moves deeper into the forest, drawingcloser to the sounds of fighting.

A glint of glowing purple catches her eyes and Sakura ducksagainst the deadened trunk of a tree, peeking around at the alien glow. Sheclutches at her bit of aquamarine as she watches the purple appear anddisappear around the thick copse. Among the flashes, there are two…beings. Oneof tall and lanky in nature, its body furred finely in motley greys and browns.It has two sets of arms and antenna. Currently, parts of its body are blackenedand a soft, pained chittering noise emits from it as it dives back into thepurple magic.

It is pursued by a shorter, dark figure, covered in resplendentblack feathers that flash blue in the fire. This being’s eyes are abright, spinning red and from its mouth emerges flame.

Rage builds within Sakura as she watches the birdlike creatureburn down the forest around her and attack the moth being. Sakura has no lovefor this forest, rather a healthy dose of fear, but still this is her home thatthe creature is desecrating. The bird creature catches the moth one with atalon-footed kick, knocking it free of its feet. The moth falls to the ground,buzzing feebly. The bird plants its foot against the moth’s shoulderblade and grabs its wing, lifting and pulling and Sakura cannot bear it anylonger.

Slicing down her palm and wrist, Sakura darts forward, throwingherself bodily against the birdlike monster. It is much lighter than sheexpected and they go tumbling into a tree. The monster beneath her grunts, butSakura keeps it pinned. It turns its head and Sakura can make out human-likefeatures, those of a surprised and volatile man. He opens his mouth, preparingto light her aflame. Sakura doesn’t give him the chance, stuffingher wrist past his lips into his mouth. He splutters and the flames die away.

“What did you do, witch?” hedemands, folding in on himself in a grotesque manner as he brings his legs upand shoves Sakura away with the talons.

The claws catch and pierce her skin, drawing blood and furtherelevating Sakura’s magic as she is thrown into the air. She braces for a hardlanding, blinking as she slams into a soft, furred surface. Sakura looks up,finding herself looking into the face of the moth creature. It wears a strangemantle, a visor really, shielding its eyes, though Sakura feels its gaze uponher. She glances around, surprised to see that she is cradled in three of itsarms. The free hand reaches up, brushing an errant lock of hair behind her ear.

“I thank you for yourassistance, Sakura Haruno.” His voice is slow and soft, gentle in a way thatbelies his visage.

“How do you know-?”

“Aburame!” the bird manshrieks.

The moth man, Aburame,grunts in pain and clutches her closer as fire sears his back. Sakura seesbeyond his shoulder that the bird man is on his feet again and glaring at them.He spits and Sakura can see her blood mixed with the saliva.

“I apologize for this,” Aburamesays.

Before Sakura can question his apology, they are surrounded inbrilliant purple light. She blinks against the harsh light, eyes streaming asit disperses and Sakura finds herself in a calm glade. She looks around wildly,scrambling out of his grasp. The grass here is a vivid pink and the gladeitself is lit with phosphorescent mushrooms and crystals. The air here tastesof magic and the iron in her blood dances with it.

Sakura falls to her knees, playing mindlessly with the grass. Itpossesses a different texture, softer and hardier than the grass back home.Every hair on Sakura’s neck and arms stands on end at the sheer alien quality of thisplace.

“Where are we?” she askssoftly.

Aburame kneels beside her, a strangely furred hand coming to restright beside hers. He doesn’t touch her, but Sakura can feel his warmth.

“We are at my home, on anotherplane of existence,” he says. He moves his hand closer, stroking across hers. “Thankyou for your kindness tonight. The Uchiha was certainly not expecting anyquarter from Konoha this night.”

Sakura can hear the pain in his voice and remembers again hisinjuries. She looks to him, seeing the pale blue glow of his blood as itsplatters his torso and mats his fur. “How do I go home?”

“Again, I must apologize. Ifear you’ve some incredibly poor luck, Sakura. I am possibly the worst personyou could’ve met tonight.” He pauses, drawing away his hand and fiddling withhis fingers in both sets of hands. He looks nervous. “I’m afraid you can’t gohome.”

And with that, Aburame slumps forward, losing consciousness.

Sakura looks at the prone eldritch creature, shocked. As she pullsout her witchery kit and sets about bandaging his wounds, Sakura again isreminded of Konoha’s motto.

“Discretion is the better partof valor.”

Why, oh whydidn’t she listen?

#shinosaku #shino aburame #Sakura Haruno #monster boyfriend #eldritch abomination #king-and-her-lionheart #here's some supernatural fun times #these kids are adorable #shino was probably fighting madara #or maybe izuna #sakura is a witch #who uses her blood as a conduit #and most of her actual abilities have to do with nullifying other people's magic #my fic #prompt

87 notes · View notes

modernart2012 · 7 years

Text

Courtship for Owls by Owls of Owls As Encouraged by More Senior Owls

(cross posted on my ao3, here )

for @abrandnewheart

“Eh, senpai?” One of the precious first-years paused Konoha as he walked past. “Can I ask a question?”

Konoha stopped, and examined the first year for a minute. Just to see him squirm. After a long moment, he answered, “Sure.”

“Okay, um, senpai. Why is Bokuto-senpai so-?” The first-year looked conflicted, then finished, “So owly?" “Aaaaa. To answer that question, we must first tell you the tale of how Bokuto won the heart of our beloved Akaashi.”

“Eeeh?! What does that have to do with-?”

Komi loomed from behind Konoha. “Everything, precious first year. Everything.”

1.(“It was the beginning of second year, and Akaashi and the other first years had just joined the club.”) “Bokuto-kun, if you finish sorting your permission slips we can be done sooner.” Shimafuku Hikari smiled at the team’s new vice captain. (“Oh, her? The previous club manager. She could put Karasuno’s Kiyoko-hime to shame. Wait, what do you mean she’s not called - hime?”) Bokuto instead thunked his head harder against the wood floors of the gym. “How can anyone be that pretty? And nice! No one should be that pretty and nice.”

Shimafuku smiled indulgently as she sorted Bokuto’s forms. “Aaaah, someone has a crush!”

The captain, Washimimi Kyoshu - (“yes, his name was Eagle Owl Owl Lord, that’s not important!”) raised his head from the piles he was sorting. “Aaah. It’s spring, the first blossoms bloom. Soon the young owlet will begin his first flight.” (“Oh, you thought Bokuto was owly? Washimimi was WORSE.”) He neatly stacked the forms he had sorted, then proceeded to pronounce with all the gravity of an Owl Lord (“We’ll get to that in a minute, be patient!”), “You must first begin the courtship process by expressing interest in forming a lifelong mate bond via a highly specialized and vocal mating call. Like this: ‘hooo! hooo!’”

Shimafuku, blessedly sanely, “Instead of that, maybe just talk to him?”

Bokuto sits up and responds like a good kouhai, even though he very much did not understand, “Yes!”

At practice the next day, Bokuto did the complete opposite of what Shimafuku and Captain Owl Lord said and instead stuttered out, “Hey- hey- hey, Akaashi.”

Akaashi, cool as a cucumber answers Bokuto, “Yes, Bokuto-san?”

“N-n-nothing Akaashi-kun! Just, uh, testing out a new catchphrase?”

“It sounds very nice Bokuto-san. Oh- I think Washimimi-san is calling you?”

(“So wait- that’s how?” “Yes, young owl. That is the first time Bokuto failed to impress and woo Akaashi. It was glorious to watch.”)

2. (“The second time, the second time was in the middle of summer, right before Golden Week. Bokuto had been badly nursing his crush but only had a catchphrase to show for his efforts. He returned to share his romantic woes with senpai.”) “-and just the way he sets? It’s perfect? Somehow? And he looks so good while doing it?” Bokuto laid out across the floor, staring at the clubroom ceiling, bemoaning his existence. “How is this fair senpai? I’m too young to die of heart failure!”

Washimimi glanced down at him startled, “Did the mating call not work? I was so sure you had it then, he was very receptive. Maybe I had the wrong base action?” He fell into deep thought.

Shimafuku carelessly patted Bokuto’s head. (“He didn’t have the hair. Yet.”), still taking perfect inventory of the supplies they had ordered (“My memory of Shimafuku-senpai is not faulty! Shimafuku-senpai was perfect!”), “Start by being friends? No one crushes on a stranger afterall.”

If she had been going to say anything else, they would never know, for Washimimi declared, “PREENING. You must preen your beautiful feathers and offer to preen your prospective mate’s! If you are allowed to do so, you have clear indication that you are perceived as a good mate! Get your fingers up on his person, and stroke. It actively promotes a healthy and loving relationship!” “Eh. Eh?!” Bokuto shrieked, “Sk-skin-skinship?!” (“Yes, he shrieked. Our captain is a very pure-hearted soul. The purest.”) His poor brain was overloaded, which is why he offered no complaint when Captain Owl Lord pulled out his hair gel and set to work on Bokuto’s hair.

Which is why when he stumbled into morning practice, his hair caused several eyes to widen, and Yami-jiji to sigh.

“Hey-hey-hey! Good morning Akaashi!” Bokuto triumphantly declared.

What he was met with was a distinctly mirthful crinkle to Akaashi’s mouth, and an almost-maybe delighted, “Good morning, Bokuto. I see what you’ve done with your hair.”

“Eh?”

“Horns for a horned owl. It looks good.”

“Ah. Uh, thanks! I’m thinking of keeping it.” Bokuto promptly was useless for the rest of the day.

(“Did he not check what happened?” “No time, Washimimi-senapi was strict about start times. And afterwards, Bokuto was ... stuck.” “Can you remember his face when he saw it? After practice?” “Look, I have a picture!”)

3.(“Third time around we start the betting pool. See, Inter High is coming up, and it’s blaringly obvious to anyone with eyes that Bokuto is gone on Akaashi. He’s gotten past stumbling over his words, and can actually hold conversations by this point, but had gotten himself stuck. This was about the time that our previous setter, Aobazuku-senpai, broke his wrist falling from his bike, so Akaashi-san was moved up to our regular setter. And that meant hours of practice to learn and perfect sets and plays. Plus hours of practice of just Akaashi and Bokuto.”)

“Young owl, your knee pads are completely worn out.”

“Ah, yeah, I keep meaning to replace them, Washimimi-senpai. I’ll make sure to - “ Bokuto was forcibly stopped by a pair of kneepads thrust into his face.

“I have a spare set on me.” Then he leaned in to whisper, “Show off your strong legs, demonstrate your ability to dig a strong burrow, young owl, and woo your chosen one!”

“Eh, ah, senpai- what- uh,” Bokuto sputtered, holding the black pads, only to be again interrupted by Shimafuku telling him he would be late to practice.

Later, after the in-team practice game, after Washimimi’s team had won and he was busy screaming at anyone and everyone(“He had this habit of screaming, “I AM OWL LORD, LORD OF THE OWLS!” whenever he won a point, which is why he was called ‘Owl Lord’. He had a cape and everything.”), Akaashi paused on his way out of the club room to tell Bokuto, “The new knee pads suit you.”

(“He was so overcome, he had to lie down for a good 15 minutes before Shimafuku-senpai was able to talk him around to having feelings at home so she could lock up.” “Bokuto-senpai had it bad.” “It got worse.”)

4.(“Inter High passed and the betting pool was growing. This is important, because the total pool was something like 100 thousand yen - the whole school had gotten in on it, practically. And then the Spring Tournament was coming.”) “In order to prepare for the Spring, we need to up the individual training schedules.” Shimafuku relayed from the coaches. “The regular club members will be keeping up with the normal practices, but in order to maximize the practice time we get, we’ll have to task players to do some individual training.” Bokuto brightened, “More one-on-one practices with Akaashi?”

Washimimi resettled his cape, “Bokuto, young owl, you have made great strides in the wooing of your chosen mate. It is time to take it to the next level.” He selected a prepared sheet from his stack, “Your new training schedule, 1000 pushups and crunches a day, plus 100 spikes a day. And a 5km run. This should be about the distance from school to your house.”

“Washimimi-senpai, this might be too much? I still have exams and-”

“Nonsense! You must show off your pure white chest and arms to demonstrate your worth as a mate!”

“Look, it’s not like I’m getting anywhere with my crush, s-”

“Akaashi-kun also needs to work on his abilities as a setter. That means early morning settling practice for him. As his future ace, and as vice captain, you will have to participate.” Washimimi, the Owliest of Owl Lords, lowered his unflinching gaze to meet Bokuto’s. “I expect this shall not be a problem.” (“Yes he was actively meddling, what do you expect? He had until Valentine’s Day for a confession and it was January!”)

Exactly one week after the new training schedule was implemented, (“And, yes, after 4 walks home and 1, you heard me, 1!- sleepover on Akaashi’s part at Bokuto’s house. What- yes this is important! I’m explaining the significance! Komi, quit poking me! I am telling this right!”), at the next practice game, Akaashi remarked, “Bokuto-san, your spikes are getting more powerful.” Then he smiled.

Poor Bokuto was struck dumb. Metaphorically and literally, as he got nailed in the head by a ball and received a concussion.

(“In all fairness, so was everyone else. Except sans concussion.” Komi nodded sagaciously, “I don’t think Bokuto minded though, cause Akaashi walked him home and stayed when he found out Bokuto’s parents weren’t home to keep an eye on him.”)

5.(“Then came the dreaded day - Valentine’s. All the senpai had bet on Valentine’s Day. All of them. The total pot had grown to 200 thousand yen; they were having strategy meetings and coaching sessions in between cram school and entrance exams. I think at one point there was a flash mob involved, but Bokuto couldn’t memorize the steps to the dance? Even Washimimi-senpai was getting antsy, he kept trying to sit in the rafters, but that might have been just him running from the future - he did that a lot, it was concerning, ow! - what do you mean, I’m perfectly on track! I’m saying exactly what I mean to - fine. Any ways, Washimimi-senpai got overt.”)

Washimimi stops him before he gets to enter the club room the weekend before Valentine’s Day. “After school, young owl, we are going to my house to make chocolate. Presenting food to your potential mate is the ultimate courting behavior, showing you can provide for your future young!”

Shimafuku, for once concurred. “Honmei-choco is romantic. You just have to confess too!”

Bokuto shuffled anxiously. “What if Akaashi doesn’t feel the same way? Getting rejected would suck, plus we’d still have to play together for a year and- erk.”

Washimimi slightly loosened his grip on Bokuto’s shoulder. “Young owl, we are going to make chocolate. You will give this chocolate to Akaashi-kun. Then you will be very happy, forever.”

“Senpai, that’s not how it works in humans and-”

“Hush, owl child. If you cannot accomplish this much, how am I supposed to entrust Fukurodani to you?”

Bokuto’s eyes went large (“Wait, no one’s explained -? Okay, so Fukurodani captainship works like this: As a second year, the team decides who would be best as vice captain. Yami-jiji gets last approval. The vice captain is then captain the next year, with some experience, unless the captain and Yami-jiji don’t think he’s suitable anymore. Got it? Good. Now where was I?”)

The thing Bokuto didn’t get around to saying to Washimimi and Shimafuku, but that was terribly important was this: Bokuto was terrible at cooking. Anything really. According to Washimimi, he had managed to nearly burn down the kitchen just melting chocolate. No one wanted to clarify if he was traumatized or impressed by the feat.

It didn't matter, because three days before Valentine’s Day, he was still scrambling to finish the traditional honmei choco for the team, and Bokuto was still out confession chocolate.

Even Shimafuku was perplexed, “Maybe, instead of cooking, treat him to dinner?” This kicked off a deep and philosophical discussion with Shirofuku-san about what counts as romantic for a confession, that, to this very day, still has no resolution.

Spectacularly, while listening to Shimafuku and Shirofuku argue about this at lunch, Akaashi passed by. “Oh, hey, Akaashi! Do you want my other yakisoba pan? I bought an extra, but I don’t want it.” Bokuto grinned, then darted out the classroom door to pass over the unopened noodle bread.

“Thank you Bokuto-san.” Akaashi glanced at the bread, then at Bokuto. “Ah, you have some - here let me get it?” Without further preamble, he swiped away the bread crumb on Bokuto’s chin, then swiftly left to catch up to his classmate.

Bokuto remained frozen for a moment, brilliantly red and certain he was going to die, before swiftly turning around. So swiftly he ran straight into the door post. He had to be sent to the nurses to check for another concussion, but it was worth it.

(“This, children, is why we don’t let Bokuto into the hall without supervision anymore. The end.” “Konoha-senpai, that... that doesn’t explain why Bokuto-san is so owly? Or how him and Akaashi-senpai got together?” “Wait, is that this story? Huh. Must have gotten sidetracked.”)

+1. (“So then Valentine’s Day, after we’ve all gotten traditional honmei-choco and appropriately weeped at the adorable owl designs - Washimimi only ate owl designed foods, you know? He had a aesthetic and stuck to it. Made these really delicious almond cookies in the shape of different owls and got really fancy with the icing and put in almond sliver feathers? Too good. Wait, oh yeah, Valentine’s.”)

Bokuto finds the letter after afternoon practice lets out. It’s decorated with a tiny horned owl clutching a heart and even given the amount of catcalls and whooping behind him, he can’t help the sinking feeling in his stomach. A confession?

It’s not signed, but merely a time and location, which turns the hooting to confused discussion about if this wasn’t Bokuto being called out for a fight and someone mixing up the envelope and the note inside. Amidst the confusion, he ducked out and rounded the corner of the gym. There was - (“Whoa, Konoha, Yama-jiji is giving us the stink eye. We gotta go!” “Oh shit. Okay, kiddies, we’re putting a pause here, blah blah blah, Akaashi and Bokuto get together happily ever after. The end. Shit shit shit-“) There was Akaashi, fiddling with his fingers, as he did whenever he was nervous. Bokuto’s heart clenched, but he managed to get out (in something approximating his usual voice), “Akaashi! Hey-hey-hey! What are you doing out here?”

“Bokuto-san. I’m waiting for you.”

“Eh. What?!” He was taken aback; Akaashi-? Then-?

“Bokuto-san. I’ll be direct. Will you go out with me?” “Akaashi- I- ah, this isn’t how I imagined it going?” If he had never been flustered before, he certainly was now.

“That’s not a no, Bokuto-san,” chided Akaashi, his eyes glinting in the sunset. “Ah, eh- it’s not a no. It’s- it’s a yes? Uh, even though you asked, can I take you out for dinner? Tonight?” Bokuto’s palms were sweaty. He wasn’t sure he was going to survive this. “I’d love that.” A larger hand twined with his, just as rough from hours of practice and Bokuto was sure that there would be few and far between moments in his life to best the way his heart soared as he followed Akaashi into the twilight.

-Omake: “Konoha-senpai, you never did finish why Bokuto-san is so....”

“Oh, really. Well, all the owl stuff got him the, and I quote, ‘prettiest setter ever’, so he’s not giving it up ever.”

“Really.”

“You couldn’t have just led with that?!”

#art writes #haikyu!!#bokuaka #5+1 times #for a brandnewheart #you asked for cute bokuakas #you got cute owls #the end #ily

15 notes · View notes

catflorist · 3 years

Text

pt 6: time

Whispers ignited, naming the figure before them.

Here was the sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre. The former Konoha genin with promising skill and power. The rogue nin, the traitor. The Akatsuki member, the criminal, the political adversary and enemy to the village.

Sasuke turned his head to scan the crowd. He stopped when his eyes found Sakura's.

Here was Sasuke, in the same place and time as her.

"I'm here to fight alongside you," he announced. He was speaking to everyone, but looking at Sakura.

Sakura couldn't move. Everywhere around her, a wave was crashing.

Naruto darted towards Sasuke, buzzing with joy. His loud voice carried as he introduced himself to Sasuke's three teammates.

Sakura took a short step forward and halted. Her chakra network hummed with energy, swirling within the internal reserves she had created and filled to the brim over the past five years. It was time for every long, drawn out thing she had been waiting for to unfold at once.

Just over the rocky ledge, the battle was calling. Impatient, and finished with introductions and reintroductions, Naruto bounded away to join the fight.

Sasuke was waiting. "Sakura. Aren't you coming?"

With that, she knew where they stood. The wind stirred his long hair––long enough to tie back, though he hadn't decided to yet. He wasn't the man who had offered her his cloak, but he was the closest she had ever seen.

"Sasuke-kun," she sighed out, eyes falling shut. "I need a moment…"

With three deep breaths, the seal grew into existence on the center of her brow.

When she opened her eyes, Sasuke was smiling at her.

They entered the fray together.

Gripping Obito's shoulders, Sakura released her seal. With her borrowed energy, Obito harnessed the power of his Rinnegan and tore a portal into the air.

They flitted between dimensions, searching for Sasuke. Snowflakes blew into their faces, then the scent of a forest, then a puff of hot dry air.

Sakura gasped. "There!"

Sasuke stood on the tip of a distant sand dune. Sakura couldn't hear a thing with how loudly the blood pumped in her ears. She tightened her hold on Obito and burned through her chakra, funneling it all into him. Obito grunted with the desperate effort of keeping the portal open. His shoulders shook under Sakura's touch.

Sasuke raced towards them, kicking up clouds of red sand in his wake.

The portal flickered shut like a breath to a flame. No, she thought.

She didn't know she was falling back until something solid and warm stopped her fall.

Sasuke's mismatched eyes, two deep wells of red and purple, met hers.

"Yokatta," she breathed. Sasuke squeezed her shoulder. Though they had not touched in years, he held her perfectly, with a surety and firmness that made Sakura feel weightless. Her head fell back upon the crook of his neck.

"Hm. You lied to me, Sasuke," Obito said.

"Takes a liar to know one," Sasuke said. Tucked so close, Sakura felt the vibration of his voice in his throat.

"For me, it was two people," Obito said, standing. "My old teammates."

Sakura did not know what this meant. She lifted her head. Sasuke pressed her more firmly to his side.

Obito addressed Sakura. "You okay, kid? You've got quite a lot of chakra, but that was rough."

"I'm fine now," she said, righting herself on her feet. Sasuke's hand did not drop from her arm. "Thank you for helping."

Obito nodded. Sakura glanced at Sasuke and only then did he let her go.

They fought together. They took down the moon.

Old rivalries outlasted the war. Sasuke and Naruto bristled as they faced each other, itching to continue an unresolved battle. The tomoe of Sasuke's Sharingan spun. Naruto clenched a fist, eyebrows drawn.

Sakura stepped between them. "Don't."

Naruto and Sasuke breathed heavily. Finally, Sasuke blinked. His eyes faded to their normal darkness. Naruto sighed, and the tension left his shoulders.

Sakura didn't use her strength. She didn't forcefully pull them apart. She asked, and they listened. Her word was the only convincing they needed.

Sakura lit her palms in green chakra. "Sit down. You both look a mess," she ordered. They obeyed. She knelt and healed them at the same time. When they were both in good shape, she healed the shallow scratch on Sasuke's cheek, though Tsunade would have called it a waste of chakra. At her touch on his face, Sasuke closed his eyes.

"You're both idiots." She meant to sound angry, but her voice shook. "What's the point in fighting each other? There are better battles."

Naruto's mouth twisted into a sheepish grin. He placed a hand on her back. "Sorry, Sakura-chan."

"I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you." Sasuke stared down at his clasped hands. "And that it's taken me so long."

Unable to speak, Sakura nodded. She sat between her boys. Kakashi approached and joined them.

They did not linger for long. They had a world to reawaken. But they spent a moment together in the silence. Enough time to mourn, to breathe, to watch a glimmer of light shine through the thick clouds.

The afternoon sun glared down on Sakura's back as she made her way through the loud and crowded allied forces encampment. She paused to shed her medic apron.

An insistent, waving hand caught her attention. "Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted, sitting in the shade of a tent next to three other shinobi. "Come meet my new friends!"

Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow and drew closer. The faces of Sasuke's teammates came into focus.

"This is Suigetsu, Jugo, and Karin," Naruto announced, pointing. Suigetsu, polishing the blade of his sword with loving strokes, flashed a wide grin. Jugo blinked placidly in her direction and continued whittling a chunk of wood with a kunai. Karin looked to the left of Sakura's face and frowned.

"It's nice to meet you all," Sakura said, resisting an urge to rub the back of her neck. She was not nervous earlier, stabilizing the condition of a shinobi bleeding out on her operating table, but she was nervous now, facing Sasuke's teammates.

"You've got some blood in your hair," Karin remarked.

Sakura felt her face fall. "Oh," she said, a hand darting to find the offending strand.

Karin produced a cloth from her satchel, wet it with drinking water, and held it out with a smirk. Sakura accepted it with a rush of relief.

"Taka's been filling me in on what they've been up to," Naruto explained. Karin shifted in the tent's shadow, leaving room for Sakura to sit.

"Traveling, fighting, crime," Suigetsu summarized with a wink in Sakura's direction.

"Bickering," Jugo supplied, flicking away a curl of wood from the form in his hands.

Naruto barked out a laugh, and a grin rose to Sakura's face. "What about?" she asked. They also shared memories of bickering with Sasuke.

Karin's head snapped to the side, aiming a loaded look at Suigetsu.

Suigetsu sulked. "We have a difference in opinion about meal preparation."

"And why is that?" Karin prompted.

"Sasuke says 'onion skins aren't edible' and I'll 'ruin the meal,' or whatever," Suigetsu explained, with a passable impression of Sasuke's voice. "I'm not allowed to cook anymore. Can you believe that, Sakura-chan?" he asked.

"How awful," Sakura said with a smile, smoothing her hair.

"You missed a spot," Karin said. "Let me." She took over cleaning Sakura's hair, wetting then combing it through with her fingers. This sensation combined with the warm sun on her face had Sakura fighting to keep her eyes open.

"Are you going to braid each other's hair next?" Suigetsu jeered.

"If you want me to braid your hair, Suigetsu, you can just ask," Karin scoffed.

Suigetsu grinned at himself in the reflection of his blade. "Do you think it would suit me?"

After inspecting Suigetsu with narrowed eyes, Jugo shared a thoughtful look with Naruto. Naruto spoke for the both of them. "Why not?" he said.

Karin rolled her eyes and released Sakura's hair. "You're set," she said. "I have to say, it's nice to spend time with people beyond my idiot teammates."

"Speaking of idiots, where is Sasuke?" Naruto asked, voicing the very question on Sakura's mind.

"Karin sent him to find water," Suigetsu said.

"Ages go." Karin waved a hand. "He disappears sometimes, and thinks we don't notice." Suigetsu and Jugo shrugged in agreement without looking up from their respective tasks. Sakura tried not to look too interested.

"Ha!" Naruto exclaimed. "Sounds just like the bastard."

Jugo coughed softly and presented his finished carving to Naruto. "A toad for the toad sage," he said.

Naruto's eyes bugged out in surprise. "It's mine?" He turned the figurine over in his hands. "Jugo, you're amazing, 'yanno?"

As Naruto sang Jugo's praises, Sakura caught sight of a cloak and travel pack resting near the entrance of the tent. Her heart panged, knowing they belonged to Sasuke. He had folded and arranged his cloak neatly atop the pack just like he used to when they were genin. The left strap was rumpled and dirty, because that was the side he liked to grip when he walked a long distance. Despite the years, Sasuke went through the world with the same touch.

Sakura wanted to wait for Sasuke to return with the water, to sit and talk all together, and witness two teams merging into one. But her medic-nin duties called. She waved farewell and left for the infirmary tent.

By the time her shift ended, the sky was pink and orange, illuminating the rocky landscape in a warm glow. Sakura stepped outside the tent and stretched, settling back in her own body after hours spent in the flow of healing. Her vision swam with images of fractured radius and ulna bones, the type of injury the White Zetsu Army most commonly inflicted. It was a good shot––targeting the arms meant shinobi could not easily cast ninjutsu. Her hands almost hummed with the precise quantity of chakra needed to set and mend the bone.

"Sakura," called a quiet voice.

Sakura rubbed her eyes. "Don't tell me it's another proximal forearm fracture."

The medic did not respond. A gust of wind blew through the encampment, carrying the scent of stony soil and juniper. Sakura opened her eyes and nearly jumped. Sasuke stood before her.

She scrambled to place him. He had appeared with little warning, but he looked a lot like the Sasuke of her time, with long, unruly hair and mismatched eyes.

"Are you…are you my Sasuke?" she blurted, instantly lamenting her choice of words.

His mouth quirked. "I'm your Sasuke," he confirmed.

"I see," Sakura said, fighting the wave of heat rising to her cheeks. Sasuke remained silent, content to watch her struggle for words. Finally, she let out a breath. "We have a lot to talk about."

"We can start now," he offered.

To steady the uneven pace of her heart, she stalled. "I don't remember you being so willing to have a conversation."

"I've waited a long time to talk to you, Sakura."

A buzz filled Sakura's ears, calm and quiet, like plunging underwater. She had been waiting, too, from the instant she had blinked awake on that cold stone bench. Could it be true that her waiting was done?

Under Sasuke's attentive gaze, Sakura recounted each moment she witnessed him slipping through time and all that occurred in between. Halfway through describing Pain's attack, a medic-nin jostled shoulders with Sakura on their way into the infirmary tent. Sasuke's fingers brushed Sakura's elbow, a suggestion to move three paces to the left.

Sakura lost her train of thought. "What has it been like for you?" she asked, as Sasuke's touch vanished.

"What do you want to know?"

"How often do you slip?"

"It depends," he said. "Sometimes I slipped every night. Sometimes, years passed in between."

"What does it feel like?"

"A bit like falling."

Sakura frowned as Sasuke's earlier words registered. "Exactly how many times has it happened?"

"I've seen you countless times." His brow furrowed. "I always went to you, except once," he said, but Sakura barely heard him.

"Countless times?" she repeated, raking through her memory of their conversation on the bench––a conversation that replayed in her mind every single day. "You didn't tell me it was like that."

"I'm telling you now," he said, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

Sakura shook her head. She thought she'd known everything there was to know. "What happened the last time you saw me?"

A glint grew in Sasuke's eye. "You'll see."

Something about his expression made Sakura's mind go blank. "I...I can't think of any more questions right now."

"Fine," Sasuke said. "We have time."

They had time.

He could use a haircut, Sakura thought, looking up. They were standing close enough that if she reached a hand out, she could easily brush away the dark hair threatening to fall in his eyes.

"Oi, teme, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura blinked and took a step back. Her legs were tired from standing, and the steady flow of foot traffic around them was gone.

Naruto approached the tent, hoisting a sword as tall as Sakura over his shoulder. "What's taking you two so long?" he demanded.

Suigetsu burst around the bend. "I need that back now––"

"The food is ready and Karin's getting mad," Naruto said, returning the Executioner's Blade into Suigetsu's protective hands.

"I just polished it," Suigetsu muttered to himself, rubbing his sleeve over an invisible smudge.

Sasuke turned to Sakura. "I was supposed to tell you that you're invited to dinner."

Before accepting his invitation, Sakura marveled how they had talked long enough for the moon to rise in the sky, to cast the elegant features of Sasuke's face in a silver glow. All this time passed and he was still here with her, not slipping away into thin air. He was not going anywhere.

Up next: Sasuke is back. The seasons pass. Notes: early update, bc i couldn't wait to share this chapter. as always, please let me know what you think, and thank you for reading :) ps, you can also find me on twitter (@catfloriste) for additional ramblings

#sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #sasusaku fanfic #ss fic #ss #my ss #my fic #the time being

49 notes · View notes

thegoldenonyx · 7 years

Note

not believing with bokuaka

Why do I always end up torturing my children?

Akaashi Keiji did not believe in love, and he definitely did not believe in soulmates.They just didn’t exist, he had seen love go wrong so many times, it’s no surprise that he had lost hope. When Keiji was three, his mother walked out on him and his father, leaving behind nothing. His memories of his mother were scarce, even when she was still around she spent most of her time holed up in her office. It didn’t take long for his father to start bring home other women, none of which ever lasted long. In the twelve years since his mother left, Keiji’s father has been through three failed marriages, and countless failed relationships. It wasn’t for lack of trying, Keiji knew that, but it didn’t make him feel any differently.

By the time he was in middle school, Keiji had had enough. The women were changing constantly and he just wanted a way out. He began to stay at school longer and longer, always with the excuse that it was easier to concentrate, but his father was skeptical. Keiji loved his father, he really did, and that may have been the reason why he never told him how he felt. He hated all the women he brought home, he hated how they always acted nice around him just so that his father would like them. He loved his father, and he knew how hard he was trying, so he kept his mouth shut.

When his second year of middle school began, Keiji’s father made a comment. During breakfast on his first day, his father sat across the table, newspaper in one hand, coffee in the other. Mornings like this were rare, just the two of them, and Keiji would be lying if he said he didn’t like it. He preferred times like these, no nameless women, just him and his father.

“Keiji,” his father said, setting his paper down. Keiji glanced up from his meal, staring over at his father, waiting for him to continue. “You did well last year, almost perfect grades and you were at the top of your class. I’m proud of you, I really am, but is it really necessary to spend all that extra time at school? I feel like I hardly ever saw you.”

There it was, the guilt. He knew his father wasn’t trying to make him feel guilty, but that didn’t make the feeling go away. He didn’t want to tell his father the real reason he had been out of the house so often, so instead, he decided on a different tactic.

“I guess I can do my homework here,” he started. He felt bad, seeing his father’s eyes light up; he wasn’t done yet. “I’m going to join a club this year though, so I still might not be home a lot.”

“A club?” his father asked, forgetting about his now cold coffee.

“Yes, though I’m not sure which club yet. Being involved in a club looks good on your transcript,” he explained, finishing his meal. What he said wasn’t false, being involved did look good, but he wasn’t exactly doing it because he wanted to.

Somehow, during that first day of his second year of middle school, Keiji joined the volleyball team. He had never been athletic, never much of a team player, but somehow he managed to get scouted by the current volleyball captain, Shiba-san. The whole series of events were rather odd, and Keiji still wasn’t quite sure how things managed to work out how they did. He had been walking in the courtyard afterschool, wandering around looking at the various club tables set up, when he heard a shout from behind him. Curiously, he turned to see a tall third year running straight towards him, one arm extended and a look of worry on his face. As a shadow appeared overhead, Keiji looked up to see a volleyball a few feet away, rushing right towards him. While most people would have run out of the way or blocked their face, Keiji put his hands up, allowing the ball to land perfectly within his grasp. He wasn’t sure why, but he pushed the ball back into the air, were it arched perfected in front of the third year.

“You’re a setter,” the third year called, his voice full of amazement. Keiji furrowed his brow, he wasn’t anything.

“I’m not a setter,” he replied, staring oddly at the other boy. He knew enough about volleyball to know what a setter was, and it definitely wasn’t him.

“What do you mean you aren’t a setter? That was the most perfect toss I’ve ever seen!” the third year yelled, looking between where the ball had landed and Keiji.”Are you in a club? I’m Tatsumi Shiba, third year captain of the volleyball team, and we really need a setter, especially one of your level.”

“Akaashi Keiji, second year. I’ve never played volleyball, but if you’ll have me, then I will gladly join your club.”

When Keiji first began volleyball, he didn’t think he would like it as much as he did. He learned the rules of the game very quickly, and he somehow was a pretty good setter right away. He worked well with his team, even if he only considered them acquaintances at best. His team quickly realized that Keiji wasn’t one to make friends, he was realiable on the court and friendly enough, but they didn’t push it. The closest thing he had to a friend was Tatsumi, but Keiji still didn’t consider it friendship. He didn’t form relationships with people, that just wasn’t something he did. He would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy Tatsumi’s company however; he felt oddly lonely during his final year of middle school without his former captain.

Graduation came and went, and before Keiji knew it he was headed for one of the best schools in Tokyo. He knew he could have gotten into Fukurodani with his grades alone, but spending two years on a good volleyball team was a good backup. Fukurodani had one of the best volleyball teams in the country, so being considered a good player himself was definitely helpful. Keiji’s plans going into high school was to focus on school work, quitting volleyball entirely, and he felt oddly disappointed about that. He knew that he wasn’t a bad setter and that he would probably make the team, but he also knew that there were much better players.

The morning of his first year of high school, his father said something. It was another rare morning, just the two of them together at the table, a similar atmosphere to that same morning just two years earlier.

“Keiji,” he began, setting down his newspaper and looking over at his son. “Are you going to continue volleyball?”

“No,” he replied simply, picking at his breakfast. Even though he said that, he wasn’t sure if he actually meant it.

“I think you should,” he father responded, taking a sip of his coffee. Keiji froze slightly, this was not how he expected this to go.

“And why is that?” he asked, putting his fork down. He really was curious; normally his father would want him to spend more time at home, so why was he pushing for him to continue volleyball?

“I know that you haven’t had the best upbringing and you usually just do what you have to in order to get by, but whenever I went to your games in middle school, you just looked so happy. You aren’t one to show your emotions, but when you were playing your eyes were the brightest I’ve ever seen them. I just don’t want you to stop doing something that makes you that happy,” his father explained. Keiji had never really thought about it, but he did enjoy volleyball, a lot. There were many other high schools in Tokyo with better academic programs that he could have easily attended, so he couldn’t help but wonder if there was another reason he chose Fukurodani.

“It won’t hurt I suppose,” he answered, turning back to his food. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father smile, true and genuine,

Volleyball try outs were right after school, and Keiji felt weird. He assumed this was what nerves felt like, but he wasn’t sure. nothing had ever made him nervous. When he arrived at the large gym, he was greeted by a tall and energetic second year.

“Hello! I’m second year Bokuto Koutaro, wing spiker and soon to be ace!” he smiled, his joy reaching all the way to his eyes. Keiji felt strange, but not in the same way he did before. It was, almost nice.

“Akaashi Keiji, first year. I played setter in middle school,” he answered politely. As soon as he said the word setter, the other boy began to bounce around the room.

“Konoha he’s a setter!” he yelled to another second year across the gym. Konoha glanced over and gave Keiji an apologetic look.

“Bokuto, don’t scare the poor kid away,” he called back, walking over to them. “Konoha Akinori,” he greeted when he reached them. “I must warn you, this guy can spike for four hours straight and not get tired.”

“I could never get tired of spiking!” Bokuto cheered, jumping into the air and swinging his head in a spiking motion. “Hey Akaaaaaaasghi will you set for me?” he asked, already running towards the court. Keiji sighed and looked over at Konoha, who just shrugged at him in response.

“It’s Akaashi, by the way,” he corrected as he got into place by the net.

“Sure thing Akaaaaashihi,” Bokuto replied, still somehow managing to pronounce it wrong. Keiji shook his head, Bokuto was definitely odd, but for some reason he really didn’t mind.

“Ready? Here we go!” Bokuto called, tossing a ball into the air. Keiji waited patiently, watching the ball. Bokuto’s throw was perfect, so he wouldn’t have to move in order to set it. As the ball got closer, Keiji watched Bokuto out of the corner of his eye; where he was going, the speed at which he was getting there, how high he was going to jump. As soon as the ball touched his fingers, it was gone again, speeding right towards Bokuto’s swinging arm. With a loud bang, the ball smashed against the wood floor, perfectly landing on the other side of the net. When Bokuto landed, he looked between his hand and Keiji, a big smile growing on his face.

“That was perfect Akagagashi! You’re really good!” he cheered, a goofy grin on his face. Keiji smiled slightly at the praise.

“You’re a good spiker. You have good form and power,” Keiji responded, he wasn’t great at complimenting people, but by the look on the other boy’s face he assumed he did just fine.

“I am the ace!” he grinned, smacking Keiji hard on the back. He flinched slightly, but he didn’t hate the contact.

“Hey, do you wanna stay after and set to me? It’ll be really fun!” Bokuto promised, looking directly at Keiji. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Konoha shaking his head violently, but something felt different about Bokuto, so he did something he never thought he would.

“Sure Bokuto-san.” The other boy’s grin lit up the entire gym.

Akaashi Keiji didn’t believe in love, and he definitely didn’t believe in soulmates. He did, however, believe in Bokuto Koutaro, and that was good enough for him.

#haikyuu!!#akaashi keiji #bokuto koutaro #bokuaka #fanfic #onyxwrites #writing

83 notes · View notes

rinneganwritings · 3 years

Text

Never Far Away; Chapter 8: Unloveable

Word Count: 3,334

Summary: Team Yumiko splits up to cover more ground. Akina takes the chance to fill Kakashi in on all the team gossip, meanwhile Yumiko and Ezume lament on the past. Yumiko recalls a word of advice from Minato.

Warnings: Canon typical violence

Masterlist

Yumiko watches from behind a tree as Kakashi flips through the air, throwing his kunai to land perfectly centered on the targets. He seems to have sensed a presence watching him, as he turns around inspecting the treeline. Then, satisfied with not noticing anything, he returns to his training. Now practicing with his shuriken.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you had a crush,” a voice startles her, causing her to jolt into a standing position. She lets out a sigh of relief when she sees it’s just Minato-sensei.

“You scared me,” she breathes.

Minato smiles, “You’ve gotta be more careful taking in your surroundings, Yumiko.”

“Yes, Minato-sensei,” she bows her head to him gratefully before turning back to watch Kakashi.

“Trying to gauge how far he is?”

“No,” she blushes. “Well, maybe a little. Osari-sensei says I need to try to keep up.”

Minato frowns but then quickly changes it to a small smile, “I do hear you’re advancing quite well in your own right.”

“You really think so?” Yumiko’s cheeks turn pink as she looks up at the young sensei with a hopeful look in her eyes.

“Of course,” Minato reaffirms. “You’ve got all the makings of a strong shinobi.”

“Thank you, Minato-sensei! That means so much coming from you.”

When she turns back towards the training ground, Kakashi is walking up to them. He eyes her curiously, but passes by her to stand beside Minato.

“You’re doing well, Kakashi,” Minato says to him. “Yumiko thinks so too.”

Yumiko’s cheeks turn bright red as she lowers her eyes to the ground shyly. She focuses on moving a pebble around under her feet.

“Maybe you should train instead of watching me,” Kakashi suggests. It was an honest suggestion, but his tone was filled with an arrogance that strikes Yumiko wrong.

“Hey, I train plenty!” Yumiko crosses her arms.

“I never see you training,” Kakashi raises an eyebrow.

Yumiko narrows her eyebrows as she moves forward to attempt to stand nose to nose with him, instead she’s more nose to neck.

“I could show you how much I’ve been training, you arrogant little-”

“Yumiko, calm down,” Minato says calmly. It’s only then she realizes her static cloak had activated, causing a golden glow on her skin. Energy sparking from her fingers, causing the air to become heavier.

“I’m sorry, Minato-sensei,” she takes a deep breath. “I’m trying to learn to control it, I swear.”

Minato nods. After her cloak dissipates, he places his hand on her shoulder, “I’m sure you are. I remember a time when you gave everyone in a classroom a good shock when you were mad.”

Kakashi rolls his eyes, “You have a lot of work to do.”

“Yumiko, come now!” Osari calls after her from the other side of the training field. “We need to practice your static orb jutsu!”

Yumiko stomps her foot before turning to walk away. Her heart pounds in her chest, and she feels so embarrassed.

“Yumiko, hold on one moment,” Minato stops her. She turns around with a pouty face. “She’ll be right there, Osari!”

Osari crosses her arms, watching the scene from across the field impatiently.

“Kakashi, Yumiko,” Minato sighs. “You both need to remember we’re all comrades in this village. One day you might find yourselves depending on one another.”

Yumiko and Ezume walk towards the village to the east. It’s a small fishing village nestled along a river. As they get closer to the village, they can see people in the river catching fish then throwing them onto the bank. Yumiko figures it’s a simple life, but everyone smiles genuinely at them as they pass.

“I don’t feel like Tamako would hide in a fishing village,” Ezume says to her as he inspects the scene around them. “Perhaps that makes it the perfect hiding spot,” Yumiko suggests.

“I wish we weren’t having to do this,” Ezume is suddenly somber. “I just wish we were all back in Konoha training together.”

“Me too,” Yumiko sighs. She tries not to voice to him how unlikely it is for this to happen again. Even if Tamako did come back with them, she’d never be happy.

“I wish she would give me a chance to make her happy. I may not be as strong as Itachi, but at least I’m not a traitor. At least I never left her-”

“Ezume, you would do well to watch your tongue,” Yumiko warns him. She’s still thinking about meeting Itachi in the woods. It seems safe to assume she’s being watched at this point.

“I’m sorry, but I’m just telling the truth. I think I have plenty to offer, and I’ve loved her for so long. I really mean it, Yumiko-sensei.”

Yumiko stops in the road, turning towards Ezume with a sad smile. She places her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

“I believe you, Ezume. I know you love her, but that’s not going to change things unfortunately. Sometimes, we love people who can’t love us back.”

Ezume shrugs her hand away before continuing down the road. Yumiko watches him sadly, wishing she could take away the pain he’s feeling because of Tamako. He kicks a pebble a little ways down the road before picking it to throw it into the river.

“Maybe I should’ve gone with Kakashi,” Ezume says quietly once Yumiko has caught up with him again.

“Kakashi would probably tell you the same thing,” Yumiko reminds him.

“Yeah, you guys are too much alike sometimes.”

Yumiko scoffs, “I don’t believe I’m hearing these things from my student.”

Ezume laughs, seeming to feel slightly better after having a moment to pout. They continue on the road until the entrance to the village is in view. There’s a small inn right outside the gates, Yumiko decides to go in to ask some questions. Nobody has seen a thing, and from the looks of the inn she can believe it. The place looks like it hasn’t seen any guests in ages. She thanks the innkeeper before they stop in on a few other shops on their way out of town. Everyone of course had heard of Tsunade, one of the three great sannin. Nobody has seen her pass through in ages though, which isn’t surprising. If Tamako wouldn’t stay here, Tsunade would probably avoid even looking at it.

“We need to find a casino,” Yumiko says to Ezume as they leave the village.

Akina’s cheeks are bright red the whole time she walks beside Kakashi. Her mind is brimming with questions, so many she doesn’t even know where to start. Kakashi doesn’t look at her. Teenage girls might be the only thing in existence which can make him feel a bit intimidated, especially since he knows how curious Akina tends to be.

“So,” Akina begins after they’ve been walking a while in silence. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

“No,” Kakashi answers without looking up from his book.

“Hm, weird.”

Kakashi looks at her through his peripheral, “Why weird?”

Akina shrugs, “You just seem like a guy who would have a girlfriend is all...Unless…” she tilts her head, “Do you have a boyfriend?”

Kakashi coughs, “No, not one of those either.”

“Hm-”

“Don’t say weird.”

“Weird.”

Kakashi sighs, “Perhaps we could go back to not talking.”

Akina shrugs, “Fine.”

Although Akina isn’t as mature as Yumiko had been at 16, something about her reminds him of her as a teenager. The curiosity and fearlessness. He wonders if her and Yumiko are particularly close. Yumiko seems to have a good relationship with both Ezume and Akina, but she seems to have rubbed off on Akina the most. The reasons things might have been strained between Yumiko and Tamako is slowly becoming more clear to him.

“You know, Yumiko-sensei doesn’t have a boyfriend either,” Akina laments. “I mean she has Iruka-sensei, but I don’t think he’s her boyfriend. They don’t seem to like each other that way, although I think they’d make a nice couple.”

Kakashi hums in response. Akina takes that as a good sign to continue.

“She told me one time that she fought you,” Akina says.

“We fought a few times.”

“Who won?” Akina asks.

“Sometimes I won, sometimes she won. She always started it though.”

“Hm,” Akina looks up at Kakashi with narrowed eyes, “It’s weird. She says the same thing.”

Kakashi chuckles, “That doesn’t surprise me.”

Akina opens up her mouth to speak again, but before she can they’ve come to the village and Kakashi is ducking into a small tea shop. He looks around before sitting down at a table. Akina raises her eyebrows in confusion as she sits down across from him.

“Kakashi-sensei, is this really the time for tea?”

“We’re not here for tea,” Kakashi tells her. “When the waitress gets here I want you to ask her if she’s seen Tamako, not directly of course. Say you’re supposed to be meeting a friend.”

As the waitress, around Akina’s age, comes up to the table Akina let’s out a nervous sigh. The young girl sets a teapot between Akina and Kakashi, as well as some small teacups.

“Hi, I’m supposed to be meeting a friend here, but I think I might have missed her. Could you help me?” Akina asks with a sweet smile.

“Oh of course! What does she look like?”

“Well, she has long red hair and golden eyes. She might have been with her mother, she’s a beautiful blonde woman with y’know quite a nice bosom.”

“Hm,” the waitress looks around the shop. “You know, I actually think they came through here yesterday?”

“Oh shoot,” Akina shakes her head. “I knew I was gonna miss them.”

“I think they were heading north when they left from here,” the waitress offers with a sympathetic smile. “There’s a big casino to the north.”

Kakashi hums his approval before standing up to leave. With a groan Akina stands to follow him. They go out to the street, and Akina watches with curiosity as Kakashi performs a summoning jutsu. In his hands a pug with a blue uniform appears. Akina gasps at seeing the little dog.

“Oh! What a cute puppy, Kakashi-sensei!”

“Puppy? Who are you calling a puppy?” Pakkun sasses her.

Kakashi laughs nervously, “Be nice, Pakkun. This is Akina, she’s on Team Yumiko.”

“Uh-huh,” Pakkun eyes the blonde girl for a moment before looking up at Kakashi. “What can I do you for?”

Yumiko and Ezume don’t come across very many people on their way to the north village. Nonetheless, Yumiko stays on high alert to ensure they’re not being followed. Ezume, still feeling sore about their earlier conversation, stays quiet for the rest of their trip. Yumiko does feel more and more guilty about it as the silence grows heavier. Her mind wanders to a time before everything became so damn complicated.

Yumiko watches from the side of the training field. Itachi and Tamako are training together, he’s teaching her a new shuriken technique. Every time he’s close to her, Tamako’s cheeks go pink and her smile becomes wider. Yumiko notices the way he touches Tamako’s waist even when he doesn’t have to. Itachi is far beyond the skills of everyone else on the field, herself included. There was no reason for him to train with them except the simple truth: he liked being with Tamako. These days training is all Tamako thinks about besides Itachi.

“Hey, Tamako, look at me,” Ezume calls as he performs a fire jutsu.

Itachi and Tamako turn to him. Itachi is kind enough to watch until Tamako is tugging on his arm to get his attention again. As they walk away, informing Yumiko they’re going to Itachi’s house on their way, Ezume stands in the middle of the field with a frown. Before he turns away, Yumiko can see Ezume has a pained look in his eyes.

She wants to comfort him, but she’s learned over the years he doesn’t respond well to her trying to be soft with him. Ezume hated feeling like he was just being pitied. She wonders for a moment if it’s something she’s instilled in him unintentionally. She hopes not. She tries to find a balance in how she treats them. Her sensei was tough, and she expected Yumiko to be just as tough as she was. She was also harsh and took to manipulation to push Yumiko to be the best. Yumiko wanted to be different.

Yumiko elbows Ezume to get his attention, “Hey, how about when we get to the village I treat you to lunch?”

Ezume shrugs, “That would be nice. I’m getting sick of food pills.”

“We could get ramen,” Yumiko suggests.

Ezume lets a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth, “Yeah I’d like that.”

“Good,” Yumiko nods. “We deserve a good meal.”

“I can buy if you want,” Ezume offers.

“Now, it wouldn’t be much of a treat from me if you paid.”

Ezume blushes, but doesn’t argue. Ezume came from a wealthy family in Konoha. Sometimes it almost seemed to embarrass him considering the circumstances under which the rest of the team grew up in. Yumiko and Tamako weren’t left with much after their parents died, and Akina’s parents ran a vegetable stall at the market which made them a comfortable living. Just not as much as Ezume’s parents. He often would attempt to pay for things for the team, and was always open to sharing.

He’s a good kid, Yumiko thinks with a small smile as they walk into the village.

Ezume spots the ramen shop right away, and nudges Yumiko out of her thoughts. He has a sheepish smile when she looks at him.

“Could we eat first?” he asks. “I’m starving.”

Yumiko smiles, “That sounds like a good idea.”

They stop off at the ramen shop where a little old lady with a loose bun takes their order. Both order a big bowl of ramen, Ezume orders extra meat with his. They sit in silence as they wait for the food to arrive. Ezume picks at the gloves on his hands, no doubt thinking of the reason he wears them in the first place.

He worked on the jutsu for days. Yumiko was encouraging of him trying it of course, how could she not be. He was only trying to master some form of fire jutsu so he could compare to Itachi in some way. Still, if it would make him stronger she didn’t see the harm in it.

She didn’t expect him to get hurt.

She walks into the hospital room slowly. His mother’s voice echoes throughout the sterile hospital room. Questions regarding his accident, how it happened, and with the most venom in her voice she asks where that “damn Shōrihibana girl” had been while her poor baby was having his accident.

“You see, I was working with another student while Ezume worked on his fire jutsu,” Yumiko pipes up. “You see, I’m not fond of discouraging my students to practice different forms of jutsu if possible. Unfortunately, accidents happen.”

His mother turns around with her arms crossed, her eyes already narrowed at Yumiko. His father sighs as he steps forward as though preparing to come between the two women. Yumiko walks past them both to sit beside Ezume on the bed. His mother scoffs, but is led out by the father.

“How do they feel?” she asks him, looking at his bandaged hands.

“They hurt,” he groans. “I feel so stupid.”

“Hey, it happens to the best of us,” Yumiko pulls up her sleeve to show him a lightning shaped scar on her wrist from when her father first began teaching her how to use the static release.

Ezume gives her a sad smile, “Thanks for coming to see me even though my mother hates you.”

Yumiko shrugs, “She just worries about you.”

“Get that dog out of here!” the old lady shrieks, causing Yumiko to jolt in response.

She looks around the shop before finally spotting Pakkun sitting on the stool beside Ezume. Pakkun gives the old lady the meanest look such a cute dog could manage while Yumiko pays for their food and they leave.

“So, what’s going on?” Yumiko asks as they walk outside.

“Kakashi needs you to head to the north village as soon as possible,” Pakkun explains. “He caught word that’s where Tsunade is heading.”

“Thank you, Pakkun. We’ll head that way now,” Yumiko says.

“Do you want me to relay the message back to Kakashi?”

Yumiko shrugs, “Sure.”

He disappears as Ezume and Yumiko start on the road heading north.

“Could we see Tamako soon?”

“Maybe,” Yumiko pushes a strand piece of hair out of her face. “She’s done good at staying one step ahead of us though.”

“Does Itachi even want her?” Ezume pries as they start walking.

Yumiko wants to be honest, but she also wants to avoid causing Ezume any more unnecessary pain right now. He doesn’t need to be too emotionally compromised if they come in contact with Itachi again.

“It’s complicated, Ezume.”

By the time they reach the north village, Akina has filled Kakashi in on everything he could ever possibly want to know about Team Yumiko. She’d filled him in on Ezume's long term crush on Tamako and all of his antics he tried to use to impress her. She’s told him all about Tamako going from being a very fun teammate to becoming “kind of a bore.” Right as she’s preparing to launch into a monologue about who she thinks are the best possible boyfriends for Yumiko, Kakashi pauses in the road. He looks at her with his head slightly tilted, the eye she can see looks utterly exhausted.

“Akina, why are you telling me all of this?”

Akina blushes, “I mean, you’re part of the team right? You should know about the team. We’re all friends and Yumiko-sensei is the best so I figured I could help you guys become friends too because she already trusts you so much.”

“She trusts me?”

Akina rolls her eyes, “Of course. She would never let me come with you all the way to a different village if she didn’t. And I know she told you about Itachi, and she didn’t even tell me about that-”

“Then how do you know?”

“Um, I was eavesdropping?” her cheeks turn even more flushes, “Duh?”

He sighs as he scratches the back of his head, but before he can say anything Akina begins talking again.

“Anyway, usually she tells me everything because I’m her favorite. I mean besides Tamako, obviously. So if she told you and she didn’t tell me then that means she trusts you implicitly.”

Kakashi’s cheeks turn pink, but he turns away from Akina before she can see it, “We should keep moving.”

“Hey, Akina! Kakashi-sensei!” Ezume’s voice echoes towards them.

Akina turns around, and beams when she spots Ezume running towards them. Kakashi senses that perhaps Akina had not divulged every detail to him as she launches herself into Ezume’s arms. Ezume nearly falls over from the force of her jumping into him, but Akina’s long legs keep them planted on the ground. Yumiko laughs at the scene happening in front of her as she catches up.

“Pakkun let us know to head here,” she says as she walks to Kakashi. “Did Akina talk your ear off?”

Kakashi sighs, “Absolutely.”

Yumiko chuckles, “That’s my Akina.”

“So, they’re in this village?” she asks, indicating a sign pointing them towards the nearest village. “I think so. There’s a casino, so I imagine if they’re headed here they’re probably planning to stay a few days at least.”

“Good work,” Yumiko nods.

“Actually, you should thank Akina.”

Akina beams at the mention of her handiwork, “Well, I mean I wouldn’t have even thought about if Kakashi-sensei hadn’t suggested it.”

“It’s still good work,” Yumiko ruffles Akina’s bangs.

“Okay,” Ezume steps towards them with a look of determination. “Let’s get to the village, and find Tamako.”

#kakashi hatake #kakashi x oc #itachi uchiha #naruto fanfiction

1 note · View note