#naruto still gets a rival without all the usual (gestures at sasuke) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

gwydionae · 3 years

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(Keep My) Back to You

A/N: Hey, look at that! The fic I thought for sure I would be too lazy to continue and end up leaving as a one shot actually got continued. Well color me surprised. But sometimes you just just wanna write about that sweet, sweet platonic male friendship. Never enough in fanfiction.

Posted on fanfiction.net >here<. Chapter 1 on tumblr >here<.

Teaser: Naruto just wants a friend. Sasuke will never allow himself to have one. But heavy burdens carried by small backs feel lighter when the load is shared with others.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Eventual canon divergence. Rated T for mild language and eventual violence.

Chapter 2: Rivals

"Aw, Sasuke's gone again! I wanted to invite him over for dinner. It's probably hard living alone, doing all that cooking yourself. And Mom's making tempura!"

From his swing, Naruto snorted in disgust as his classmates left the academy grounds, an angry pout marring his normally cheerful face. Yesterday had been a complete disaster, leaving him just as friendless as he'd been every other day of his life. What kind of orphan kid turned down free food? Had the offer of homemade tempura been meant for him, he would have jumped at the chance! Instead Sasuke had yelled at him and called him a loser.

"He's the loser. Jerk," he grumbled as he kicked a loose stone, narrowly missing the back of an older student's head. Glaring at the failed projectile, he silently cursed his poor aim. A chase around the village would have been a welcome distraction.

Digging his toes into the dirt, Naruto absently rocked forward and back. The anticipation of the last few days had been exciting, leaving today far duller by comparison. He had gone out of his way to make extra sure that he didn't so much as look in Sasuke's general direction, and as so many desired to be as close to the boy genius as possible, this had left him even more ignored than usual.

Roughly kicking off from the ground, Naruto closed his eyes tight. Pumping his legs, he quickly built up momentum, feeling the rush of air as he swung higher and higher. The sun on his face felt warm, and the wind at his back seemed to hold him up in midair. His thoughts traitorously wandered back to those brief moments on the little dock at the lake watching the sun set, a warm back to his. At the highest point, he leaned back.

The wind, it turned out, was not as supportive as another human body.

With a loud thud and a pained yelp, Naruto found himself lying on the ground, the empty swing jangling wildly above him, suddenly free of its rider. Looking up at it with a fierce sense of betrayal, he sat up and rubbed his sore back. The wind was too light and the ground was too hard, both cold in their own ways. All he wanted was to feel that warmth again. And not just for a few minutes. He wanted to know it would always be there when he needed it.

Jumping to his feet, he raced through the busy, late afternoon streets to his home, not even stopping to further offend those that took the time to scold him. His young eyes were set with determination as he flung open his door, dug through his drawers, and pulled out some crinkled paper and broken crayons. Dropping them haphazardly on the floor, he crouched down and hurriedly scribbled a crude face surrounded by spiky, black hair. With a bit more force than was necessary, he grabbed the red crayon and drew a big, messy X over top of it. He held it up, looking proudly upon his creation.

"'Not friends'. Well, who wants to be friends with a jerk anyway," he said as he scrambled to his feet and began searching for some way to hang his masterpiece. He soon settled for peeling the clearance stickers off of his slightly-passed-the-sell-by-date instant ramen. "I'll show him who's the loser! I'm gonna train every day so I can wipe that annoying glare off his 'perfect' face! See how much they all like their 'precious' Sasuke when I give him two black eyes!"

The drawing merely scowled at him as Naruto's new training routine began immediately, with sloppy but forceful punches being aimed directly at its nose.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun! I can't wait to watch you in the taijutsu test today. I'm sure you'll do the best out of the whole class again!"

With a huff, Naruto's gaze followed his newly appointed rival as Sasuke silently made his way to his seat, ignoring the customary encouragement that rained down on him whenever there was a test. Or whenever they were learning something new. Or whenever he walked into a room. Naruto clenched his lightly bruised knuckles and shot to his feet. Pointing a finger squarely at the other boy's face, he grinned maniacally.

"Ha! Not today, Sasuke! I've been practicing extra hard for this one, so you're gonna have to settle for second best this time! Right behind me! I'm gonna kick your butt, just you wait!"

Bold he had always been, but never had he so directly and confidently challenged anyone in class before, let alone the top-of-the-class Uchiha prodigy. The stunned silence he earned for his little performance proved he had hold of everyone's undivided attention, sending a thrill down his spine. But the braised pork on the delicious bowl of ramen that was this moment came when not the fangirls, not the jealous boys, not even the teacher were the first to react.

"Someone like you is never going to beat me, you usuratonkachi."

Naruto had no idea what he'd just been referred to as - a thin hammer? - but having Sasuke, Mister Always Ignores Everyone's narrow eyes focused solely on him, knowing that he, the worst in the class, had dragged that reaction out of him, only broadened his feral grin. The retort wasn't nice by any means, of course, but being the one to push him to react at all felt significant. It felt powerful. His words and no one else's held sway over the "perfect" Sasuke's attention.

"You tell'im, Sasuke!"

"Ah! Sasuke-kun, you're so cool!"

"I have no doubt you'll pass with flying colors as always, Sasuke. Naruto! For that outburst, when it is time for the test, you will have the honor of going first so that everyone else can learn from your mistakes. Now sit down!"

Not the praise heaped on Sasuke nor the disparaging remarks from the teacher could ruin Naruto's mood. Sure, being called an usura-whatsit wasn't as nice as a friendly "good morning", but as they were now rivals, the words seemed more like a challenge than an insult. And if he could get Sasuke's attention with some simple light goading, imagine what would happen if he actually managed to complete the challenge.

The reality of the situation came crashing down around him, however, when Naruto was indeed commanded to go first during their test. Enthusiasm alone was not about to fix his poor form, and as no teacher had ever bothered to either, he found himself yet again on the receiving end of harsh criticism, belittling insults, and cruel snickering while he clumsily punched and kicked. Not halfway through his routine, a large foot suddenly shot out, hitting him roughly in the knee. The teacher spouted the importance of a firm stance with a bit too much glee as his student fell to the ground in pain, amusement mimicked through the laughing of the onlooking class.

Naruto shot the offenders a menacing look while trying to hide any signs of discomfort and embarrassment, seeking the face of one in particular. To his surprise, the face he sought was the only one seemingly ignoring him.

He had expected his so called rival to at least appear smug at his obvious failure. However Sasuke wasn't even looking at him. The other boy's arms were folded, and his gaze trailed off to the side, a light frown on his face as the laughter continued around him. As if feeling someone watching him, dark eyes glanced up and finally met his, narrowing only slightly before quickly turning away again.

Suddenly the laughter didn't seem so loud, the pain in his knee growing dull. Naruto stood gingerly and made his way back to his classmates as the teacher predictably called upon none other than Sasuke to go next who took his place silently, eyes kept resolutely forward. Naruto watched as Sasuke settled purposefully into a perfect stance, pausing only briefly before putting on a flawless display of punches and kicks. Mocking was replaced by gasps of admiration and envy.

There was no doubt that Naruto was an attention seeker. He craved it more than just about anything else. But this was one of those times he was grateful to have the spotlight stolen from him so thoroughly. These were not reactions he had been fishing for - these were ones forced upon him by hateful bullies.

"Excellent work, Sasuke. Full marks as always, a far cry from the poor performance preceding you."

And as Sasuke made his way back to the group without so much as a haughty glance in his direction, Naruto knew that he could not have chosen a better rival.

As the days passed, Naruto kept up his boasting, telling anyone that would listen - as well as those that wouldn't - about how he would defeat the great Sasuke Uchiha. The boy in question would bristle, flatly shooting down the very idea, but as with that disastrous taijutsu test, he remained silent when the teacher or other students chose the route of open ridicule. The gesture, though small, was enough that Naruto began keeping an eye out for some of Sasuke's more aggressive fans, planning his most show-stealing antics for the times they grabbed their idol's arm before he could tug it away or asked invasive questions about his murdered relatives. He had no idea if Sasuke noticed or cared, but in his mind, this kept them even.

It was not the sort of warm, friendly bond he wanted. He still went home to a lonely apartment to eat a lonely meal before trying to sleep through a lonely night. But it was a bond nonetheless, driving him forward, pushing him to grow faster and stronger so that one day perhaps Sasuke would see him as a rival in return.

"Usuratonkachi."

"I don't even know what that means!"

"It means you're useless."

That day could be years away, but Naruto would fight tooth and nail to finally reach it. And that goal alone was enough to keep the smile from ever fully disappearing from his face. ____________________________________________________

"Wait, why is Naruto here? It was so obvious he failed the exam yesterday! I'd better not get stuck on the same team as him!"

Sasuke did his best not to glare at the all too cheerful Naruto who had plopped down beside him, headband signifying him a genin contrasting starkly with his bright blonde hair. His own thoughts mirrored those of his classmate's, but no matter how it had happened, it was clear that Naruto had somehow indeed managed to pass, leaving him with only one concern.

He'd always known that he would eventually be put on a team with two others from his class, and watching the students above him graduate had given him some unfortunate insight into how those groups were formed. Sometimes certain clans or students with specialized skills were kept together. His classmates from the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans would likely be paired this year due to the closeness of their families, and the team from last year with the Hyuuga member had all shown themselves to excel at taijutsu, for example. However there was another constant that showed up year after year, one that made the giddy chattering coming from the boy sat next to him somehow even more grating.

Without fail, the highest ranking graduate was always paired with the lowest.

Apparently this had to do with keeping the teams balanced, but to the current highest ranking graduate, it could be considered nothing less than a handicap. Naruto struggled to make a single clone - a clone! - one of the most basic techniques that Sasuke had mastered long ago in what felt like a completely different lifetime, one that belonged to someone far more innocent.

The memories threatening to bubble to the surface were quickly pushed aside, but not before his other concern whispered in his ear, sounding of light footsteps on wooden boards and an offer of a shared meal.

"Move it, Naruto! I planned to sit next to Sasuke-kun today! You shouldn't even be here!"

Their teacher entered the classroom just as one of his annoying admirers - the pink-haired girl, Sakura, from some civilian family - managed to violently shove Naruto out of the way and take the seat beside him. Sasuke ignored her as thoroughly as he had Naruto, eyes glued to Iruka at the front of the class who was holding a clipboard. He listened intently as instructions were given and names listed off, trying to remain relaxed as more and more of his fellow genin were assigned to teams of three while his name - and Naruto's - continued to go uncalled. His hope that perhaps this year they would make an exception were dashed, however, when Team Seven was announced to comprise of Sakura, Naruto, and himself.

Their lunch break could not come fast enough. Trying to stay focused on their teacher with Sakura constantly clamoring for his attention while Naruto grumbled beside her was surely a mere taste of the headaches awaiting him on official missions. He bolted from his seat the moment they were dismissed, the two next to him thankfully too engaged in their own bickering to notice him leave. Grabbing the rice balls he'd packed that morning, Sasuke darted outside, grateful for some fresh air and a chance to think.

It wasn't as if he hadn't known this was coming. He had hoped that maybe Naruto would be too stupid to pass, or perhaps they would place him with the Hyuuga girl, the only female in class he didn't find completely intolerable as she was too nervous to even speak let alone drape herself all over him. But predictably he found himself with the dead last who struggled to make a clone and a fangirl more interested in flirting than fighting. Sasuke couldn't help but think that he'd have been better off as a team of one.

He was so caught up in the injustice of it all that he didn't even notice as a rope wrapped around his middle and yanked him off his feet. Naruto, of all people, had gotten the jump on him and ran off, his own face smirking down at him as his captor left him tied up on the floor. Sasuke was sure his murderous intent was palpable as he angrily used his training to escape from the ropes and dash back outside, using every tracking skill in his arsenal to figure out where his new teammate and soon to be punching bag had gone.

"Sasuke-kun! There's no need to change the subject! Just forget about Naruto. All he does is get in the way!"

Sakura. Of course. The moment she started rambling it was obvious that he'd missed the first half of the conversation. He had no idea why Naruto was so infatuated with someone who treated him as less than dirt. Not that there were many people that didn't treat him that way. He'd always found it strange just how vitriolic everyone was toward Naruto, contempt dripping from every word, some even calling him a monster to his face. He could be annoying, sure, but he doubted the guy had a single truly malicious bone in his body. He was too soft, eyes too bright and hopeful. Sasuke hated that about him.

And yet...

He forced his attention away from warm backs and innocent curiosity and back to his present teammate and task at hand.

"My parents would never let me get away with the kind of pranks that he pulls! That's why he's so selfish. But he's lucky, in a way, don't you think? Not having parents to nag at him - must be nice."

It was as if something snapped inside of him. He rounded on her with a look so furious she choked on whatever nonsense she was about to spew next. "Lucky"? "Lucky"?

"Do your parents buy you things? Or cook for you? Help with homework, do your laundry? Would you rather have 'nagging' parents or a cold, empty house to return to every night?" Sakura shrank back as his words spilled out, dripping with scorn. Her eyes widened as his narrowed. "I would rather put up with his selfish attention seeking then listen to a single word from a spoiled girl who thinks it would be fun to play at being a ninja."

His anger barely contained, Sasuke turned on his heel and began to make his way back to the academy. After only a few steps, however, he paused, and with a shaky, calming breath he glanced back at his new teammate who looked about ready to cry at his sudden and unusual outburst. Not many had managed to strip away his calm facade. She had come face to face with a side of himself he worked hard to keep hidden, and leaving her like this could make things difficult in the future. He would have to learn to work with her, whether he wanted to or not. Starting now would be his best option.

"The life of a ninja is dangerous," he said, managing to keep his voice steady. "You should appreciate what you have. You never know when it'll all be taken away from you."

Unwilling to stay still long enough to see if his words had any effect, Sasuke again turned away, leaving Sakura behind. Someone like her, raised as far from the daily struggles of shinobi life as one could be while growing up in a hidden ninja village, couldn't possibly understand. The mundane struggles of dealing with overbearing parents couldn't even begin to compare to the vast weight of loss, loneliness, and death that had followed him day and night for five years. What he wouldn't give to hear his father's voice, see his mother's smile, just once more. He wasn't sure if Naruto shared his same desires or if he'd even known his family before being orphaned. But the loneliness, that was palpable. Only someone free of the shackles of an empty home could be so blind to it.

What bothered him the most, however, was that he cared. Cared enough to berate her callous attitude. Cared enough to stand up for someone that pestered him on a daily basis. And caring was the one thing he couldn't allow.

Sasuke spent the rest of the day doing everything in his power to block out anything unnecessary to his mission of vengeance. He pretended not to notice when Naruto seemed shocked to see him no longer tied up. He focused on the sort of techniques he hoped to learn from their new jounin leader as Naruto and Sakura bickered about some poorly set booby trap. And when asked about his future dreams, he put as much conviction and loathing into his words as he could muster. If Naruto seemed put out at being ignored, if Kakashi appeared unimpressed at his new team, if Sakura's determined answer for her own dreams being to become a stronger ninja felt unlike what he would have expected her to say, he refused to acknowledge it. None of those things mattered. He had to become stronger, and he had to do it with as little outside interference as possible.

So why, then, was he so willing to offer up his own lunch to a useless teammate who, despite claiming to be so good at setting them himself, failed to see the most obvious trap ever laid? Why would he risk being sent back to the academy when all he had to do was follow a single, simple order? Why was he the one to go back and free that insufferable usuratonkachi from that damned post when escaping from such a situation should have been as easy as breathing for any qualified shinobi?

Team Seven would officially begin duties at dawn, but despite the late hour, Sasuke found himself unable to sleep, staring up at his dark ceiling. Every rationalization he came up with for his behavior during the bell test sounded weak, like an excuse a child would give to try and circumvent an assured punishment. He had been assigned to a team less than two days ago, and already his vision of the future was blurring, the red suddenly tainted with yellow, orange, and, more frustratingly, a slight twinge of pink.

The shameful truth of it, however, was that he couldn't even feign surprise at this development. Ever since that day on the dock five years ago, he knew that his plan had already been compromised. Not that he hadn't tried to repair the damage and find peace in his lonely existence. In one desperate attempt he'd gone so far as to making a clone to sit with, be a calming presence, chase away the whispers of death. But the reality of a firm back offering quiet support was now an experience he couldn't simply forget, and there was no comparison. The hollow shell that had a bit too much resemblance to the remaining member of his family only made him crave companionship all the more. And so that lone moment of serenity had followed him, a constant reminder of what he longed for despite the red and black target that would be painted on the back of anyone he accepted it from.

He had always had a feeling that that target would one day appear on the back that had come to symbolize the kind of life an avenger such as himself could never truly have, no matter how obnoxious that back's owner could be.

It was already too late. It had been too late for years. Even if he and Naruto weren't exactly what anyone would call close friends, there was no denying the subtle, if tense bond the two had somehow managed to form against all odds. Naruto was the only person he found difficult to tune out, amusing to rile up, and worth standing up for. Being on the same team, having to work together every day, it was merely a matter of time before his brother's eyes would become Naruto's constant invisible companion, staring at Sasuke, tempting him.

There was no avoiding it. Naruto had not failed, and Sasuke had not been specially placed on a different team. The Mangekyou Sharingan would be within reach, and it would be far sooner than he would ever be ready for.

Sasuke had two missions now. He would kill his brother, but he would also make damned sure that Naruto didn't become the latest victim. _____________________________________________________

A/N: Just in case someone needs to hear it, this is not a Sakura bashing fic. More significant canon divergence - and action - coming soon to a chapter near you.

As always, critics and grammar police are appreciated!

Chapter 3 on tumblr >here<.

#naruto #uzumaki naruto #naruto uzumaki #uchiha sasuke #sasuke uchiha #haruno sakura #sakura haruno #team 7 #my fanfiction #2020 has been a weird year man #it was only this summer that i wrote other naruto things what is happening

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joygaroz · 5 years

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There You Are

[4/7] [Day Eleven: Chills] [6/7]

SPANISH VER: FFNET

“So… Sakura-chan, was it?” Naruto asked as he extended the wine glass to her, the girl nodded as she took the drink, as a reply, the blonde fox smiled at her. With his other hand, however, he tossed the glass to the other immortal and blurted a short: “Here, bastard”.

Peeking a glance to see the reaction of her partner-to-be, she smiled lightly before the childish grunt he emitted at the manners of the effusive immortal.

She started to understand what her mentor meant. This seemed more like a fraternal friendship bond rather than one of rivalry between enemy species because of the way their replies came and went with dexterity but neither of them seemed to be truly offended by them.

She wondered if she would have the chance to know more about that bond after this.

There was not much complexity in the ceremony really, or maybe Sakura was overlooking it because of her alarming nerves since this was her first wedding —hers, as if that was not enough, but it was as simple as they had mentioned in the beginning: Once the glasses were served, they should drink the liquor and in some minutes, the essence of the wine would make their souls intertwin while it invaded their organisms.

To make sure the link happened without any mishaps it was that Naruto’s presence was required, since as he knew the nature of both kind of souls, he was able to protect them as the link happened.

In matter of seconds, Sakura gave a lengthy sip to her glass. Pretty eager to get the ritual done, she put on practice the unusual abilities that her mentor had taught her on occasions where work gave way to a thirsty and intoxicant night of relaxation.

A few steps of her, Tsunade smiled proudly despite the surprised gesture of the blonde and the entertained one of her immortal partner.

Her heartbeats had not stopped beating with speed and of that Sasuke was pretty conscious, he simply didn’t know what he should say to make her relax —or if he should even try. She had courage, of that he had no doubt, but she was a human after all. Even if half immortal, this was a side of her she didn’t know about until a couple of hours ago. Of course this was going to test her bravery and determination.

While their thoughts were clouded with the possibilities, their souls started to dance at their surrounding and this they could sense because suddenly they felt lighter, as if they were floating in the air and because of how suddenly a feeling of slumber entered them.

Closing their eyes as the seconds passed, the couple was assaulted by a feeling of cold running through their bodies. Chills hitting them as they felt the soul of the other combine with the one of their partner, they felt the contrast and difference that was between them when warmness and coldness united in both their bodies.

Gasping as they opened their eyes with surprise, they returned to that room before the satisfied expressions of Tsunade and Naruto.

“Did it work?” Sakura wondered still short of breath, feeling her eyes slightly dampened, but without really knowing the motive.

Meeting with the stare of her mentor, she realized she was smiling at her tenderly and approached her to hug her, taking the girl by surprise before the unexpected affectionate display.

“It did” she said to her ear as she tightened lightly the embrace on her body “You’ll be fine now”.

“Tsunade-sama?” the girl of pink hair asked again, still lost after that maternal display that made her heart beat with peculiarity.

Parting a little from the girl, she held with her hands her apprentice’s arms and gave her another smile, this time with pride and confidence.

“I knew you were meant for great things” was all she said and that left the apprentice with her eyes dampening at her words.

A few steps from them, the immortals shared words in which the blonde gave a few smacks at the vampire’s back and he seemed lost in his thoughts so once the blonde followed his line of view, he found he was staring at the girl linked to him.

“She’s a pretty girl, isn’t she?” he smiled without trying to mock him, acknowledging the attributes of the new partner of his eternal rival, who soon reacted at his words and gave him a warning look before getting away from him. As a response, the blonde took his hands to the back of his nape and sighed amused. He could fool many with his cold demeanor, but never the fox who knew him since he was a human.

On his part, Sasuke found rather annoying the blonde fox’s comment. He might be the guardian of mortal lives, but he was not linked to that woman. Sasuke could feel it inside him, she was not just pretty. She was warm and soothing, fresh and free. Made of everything he had never felt before and, that in that moment an unknown feeling had caused him chills.

She must have noticed his presence approaching her, or maybe she felt the same thing he felt when the distance between them shortened. Was this speeding in their chests product of their link? He doubted it since he had noticed it on her previous to the link, but now that his own chest was the one that speeded up without apparent reason, he faltered on his step.

Noticing he was approaching her; Sakura stepped aside from the high priestess and shortened the distance between them. After feeling the cold and empty, firm and clenched, she felt herself sympathize more with that immortal that just hours ago was an unknown threat to her. She felt she knew him a little better now, that she understood him better and the insecurity she felt just minutes ago by his presence dissipated after feeling his heart beat like hers rather than stay impassive and hidden.

Now that he was just a few steps of distance, a new feeling that was not there before the link made them look for the gaze of the other by instinct.

“Ready to bite me?” was all the girl of emerald eyes occurred to ask, hesitating once he appreciated a different sparkle in those eyes usually dark and opaque, letting go unnoticed the suppressed chuckle of the blonde fox and the hit her mentor gave him at his imprudence.

Sasuke couldn’t help to smirk, suddenly after hearing she was still affected by his presence reminded him that this was the same girl from just moments ago. Small and curious, brave but insecure.

“Relax little witch, I’m not going to suck the life out of you” he chuckled, his smile for a moment taking away her breath before responding to his comment:

“Healer!” she reprimanded outraged since she had yet to be familiarized to the ‘witch’ term that she for inertia related to a nature much different to hers.

“Alright, healer, listen up” he humored her. “I need you alive and by my side, do you hear me?”

Sakura remained lost in the depth of his words, unable of speak before the meaning implicit in his words, assuring her without realizing that he would protect her and take care of her. He, an immortal being she only believed capable of destroying and taking away her happiness, her home.

She suddenly smiled without being able to help it, because somehow, he now knew the words she desired to listen.

Now that the trust between the had strengthened, they reunited with the priestess and the fox to discuss more of the information both Tsunade and Sasuke had suspected from the beginning: Since the vampires’ clans had dispersed, many of them roamed the villages Naruto was not able to protect with the amount of clones he could keep to protect said villages.

Fortunately, Naruto had the data of those locations in order for them to part straight to them and execute Sasuke’s plan to impose justice on the souls that profaned his ancestors’ ideologies. With the help of Sakura’s powers, his abilities would increase and he would be able to battle a mayor number of his kind.

But before he could carry out said plan, Sasuke turned to Sakura.

“You might want to change your clothes before the bite” her partner offered, running a quick look at her attire and noticing the dress she wore was a high collar and clear colored dress.

Well, that was thoughtful of him, she thought as she took her hands at the flaps level and blushed. Nodding, she retired herself before the accomplice looks of her mentor and the fox behind Sasuke’s back.

Once in the room Tsunade had given her, Sakura got rid of her clothes, setting them aside and folded beside her bed as she rummaged through her belongings in search for something adequate to wear since apparently high collars and clear colors were out of the question. Not that she expected to lose much blood, but without a doubt it would be inevitable to bleed if what they were looking for was to get rid of the poison in her blood.

She took one of her hands to the mark on her skin, the temperature of her body rising since contrary to a vampire feeding from her with hunger, this would be a vampire —her partner, trying to save her.

Would it feel good? On that occasion because of the shock and fear of seeing that vampire fall at her feet soon after biting her, she had yet to prove if those stories about vampires and their captivating bites.

Taking the garment between her hands to her face in order to hide the strong blush on her face, Sakura widened her eyes when she realized what she was imagining.

This was definitely that rice wine’s fault!

And their linked souls’, or maybe his mysterious personality, or maybe his rather attractive physique, or maybe—

“Are you done?” Sasuke’s voice called for her, and it took Sakura a second to realize he was opening the door of her room.

Turning around in alarm, she clung with strength to the garment between her hands to hide her half-naked figure.

“That’ll do” he pointed out as he entered the room without waiting for the scandalized human-healer’s reply. Taking a seat at the edge of the bed, he raised his stare towards her and met her bright red face. “What are you waiting for? Come here” she heard him command her and suddenly a slight stitch of deception dawned on her.

Had she been too pretentious to think she might provoke a reaction on him, who most certainly must have had plenty of partners before her?

She could not be any further from the truth, though.

When she took a seat beside him, looking straight ahead at the time she reprimanded herself because of her childish thought, she decided to avoid the topic and ask instead:

“Do you plan on biting me here?”

“I thought you might appreciate some modesty” her partner reasoned, shrugging as he glanced at the girl by his side.

“You’re hardly giving me any modesty after entering without permission to my room” he appreciated the pout forming on her features with amusement.

“You’re fine like this” he tried to loosen her a bit, but seeing how she remained tense and with that childish pout adorning her face, he decided to tease her. “This way, I can see better the flow of your blood” he confessed as he moved away with one of his hands the pink locks off her neck’s mark and he was once more assaulted by the peculiar feeling that provoked him exposing that part of her skin.

Suddenly he was the one being affected by the situation. There, inside that small room impregnated with her essence, with her completely vulnerable and at his disposition to take her and explore at his will, surrounded by the reinforced tender and captivating feeling their linked souls provoked.

He swallowed and unwittingly started to lean to her, who soon started to beat faster and Sasuke could only grunt on a whole different tone to the way she had heard him before.

The switch was pushed and unexpectedly his wide hand took her face and turned her towards him. Her emerald eyes opening wide when she noticed the dark look on him turn dull and her lips parted lightly when instead of leaning to her side, Sasuke brought his face close to hers.

Expectant, her breathing stopped, but her heartbeat sprinted inside her chest once she noted their distances fading.

She had closed her eyes with anticipation when she heard him talk:

“You might want to hold on to me for support”

Sakura let go of the air she had been holding in when she heard the raw tone in which he called her and opening her eyes once more, she met with the characteristic scarlet eyes that distinguished his kind, but instead of frightening her, she felt captivated by them.

“Yes” was her faint response.

With her breath striking his elaborated one, she then turned fully to his direction, forgetting at the moment of the garment she had been holding between her hands to cover the light gown of delicate and loose suspenders, one of them falling at mid arm length and the other holding the cloth’s weight, exposing a little of the subtle volume of her chest.

She raised her delicate arms to circle his neck, and this time Sasuke couldn’t help to pant against her neck once he was wrapped in her fragrance and the wave of sensations, she provoked on him.

Sakura felt his face graze her neck and in an unexpected movement, she felt a warmness sink into her skin.

A small whimper escaped her lips and she tightened the grip she had on his neck and back, only to sigh in relief when the warmness of his mouth started to extract from her what she assumed must have been the poison that inhibited of all her faculties, since she had felt that increasing heaviness she had noted the last days to start dissolving.

In its place, due to the sensation of comfort that invaded her, she leaned closer to him and exposed more of her neck. Sighs and elaborated breaths escaping from them with each passing second. A warm sensation descending through her neck and back, but Sakura paid no attention to it as she felt Sasuke reclinate her on the bed, his arms supporting at her sides and it was then that Sakura felt a slight change.

Frowning when she felt a pricking on her temple, Sakura emitted a whimper and opened her eyes feeling dizzy.

“Wait, Sasuke…” her voice was barely a whisper now that she felt her head start to lighten, but after a peculiar suck from him, Sakura shivered and raised her voice “I said stop, you damn leech!”

What happened after that was quickly enough to figure out the details, but suddenly Sasuke was leaning against the wall beside the door as it opened with shock only to give entrance to an alarmed Tsunade.

Looking with amazement at the panting woman, she returned the glance with confusion, one of her hands cupping on the area Sasuke had been so engrossed. Now, both expectants looked at her face with surprise.

And that was because not only had she pushed a vampire of superhuman strength away like he was a feather, but also now, on her forehead, that mark that not only indicated her as a descendant of an immortal but also as a Senju, adorned her.

The revelation of the peculiar origin of the unusual human causing chills to the two spectators.

#ssm19d11 #ssm19 #ssfanfiction #ssfic #ssfanfic #sasusaku #joy writes #vampire ss #two left to go and still unsure if i should write smut for it #good monday i guess

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365daysofsasuhina · 5 years

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[ @sasuhinamonth || SasuHina Month 2019 || Day Sixteen: Bridesmaids ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Haruno Sakura ] [ SasuHina, NejiTen, NaruSaku, alcohol ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

After a while...she starts to hear the infamous phrase. “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride”. At first, Hinata doesn’t pay the jab much mind. She doesn’t really care what anyone else thinks. She’s going through life at her own pace! Just because her friends are marrying young doesn’t mean she needs to. She just...hasn’t found mister right yet. Or...possibly missus. She’s not overly picky in that regard, but...well, something’s always told her it would be a guy.

And...for a while, she thought she’d found him. But crushes in high school - especially ones never acted upon - don’t exactly equate to true love.

...especially when your best friend ends up dating them instead.

So far, though, she’s enjoyed every wedding she’s gotten to be part of. There was her cousin’s wedding, which honestly she thinks might be her favorite so far. Seeing Neji all spiffy (which, to be fair, he usually looks anyway), seeing his bride Tenten all dolled up...it was such a treat. Especially when Neji almost broke down, overwhelmed with happiness.

...it gave her hope she might have that someday.

Next to tie the knot was someone she knew mostly in passing, but still managed to get pulled on board: Temari had been from a rival school, but managed to snag one of her classmates, Shikamaru. Their wedding had been a bit less formal, and maybe a bit more fun. But admittedly Hinata hadn’t been as invested.

Then it was Ino’s turn. Talk about a showstopper. It had been big, loud, and flashy: just like Ino. Not that Hinata expected anything less. But boy had her feet been glad to get her shoes off at the end of that night.

And now...well...the one that part of her has still managed to dread.

“All right everyone, last run through! Then we can break for the night and get something to eat!”

All the bridesmaids and groomsmen laugh as Sakura gives the announcement. It’s been a long evening of practice for the ceremony tomorrow, and they’re all ready to call it a night. Holding her little practice bundle of flowers, Hinata stands with the other girls and watches as they go through all the motions one last time. And as Naruto and Sakura practice their vows once again, she tries to ignore the heaviness in her chest.

You had your chance, Hinata...and you blew it. Put all that behind you and be happy for them.

On the outside, at least, she’s all smiles. Maybe even a little teary eyed. Because that small part of her aside, she really is so happy for the pair of them. They make each other happy...and that’s what counts. Maybe a piece of her will always cling to her little crush, but that will never outweigh seeing her friends together and so joyful.

“Okay, that’s a wrap! Who’s hungry?”

While most holler in agreement, Hinata hands back her bouquet. “I think I’m gonna call it a night a little early.”

“Aww, really?”

“Yeah,” she assures the bride with a smile. “I had a long day before p-practice, so...I’d better get some sleep.”

“Well be sure to eat something too!” Sakura calls, her inner nurse showing through as Hinata leaves.

The Hyūga gives a weary wave over her shoulder. In truth...she really is tired, but...maybe not just from a long day.

Tomorrow, she knows, will be even longer.

After some fitful sleep, she drags herself out of her hotel room and down to the room set aside for everyone to get ready. The bridesmaids’ dresses are a soft pink, and Hinata can’t help but find them just a little cringey. But then again, they’re all supposed to pale in comparison to the bride.

And Sakura does look beautiful. Her gown clings to everything, down to her hips before flaring in a full skirt: white with uncounted sequins to catch the light.

Soon enough...it’s time. And thanks to the hours of practice the night before...it goes off without a hitch. By the end, Hinata wipes tears from her eyes as the pair run back down the aisle, followed by the crowds as they move to the reception hall.

And then, the real party begins.

After cake, dancing starts, and music drowns out all but the most determined conversations. For a while, Hinata sticks by the other bridesmaids, but eventually she needs a drink. Indulging in a pina colada, she lingers at the makeshift bar and sips it slowly.

“Bloody Mary, please.”

Glancing over, Hinata recognizes Sasuke Uchiha: a fellow classmate, and Naruto’s best man. Like her, he seems a bit...exhausted. Accepting his drink, he doesn’t sip it like she does hers.

“...that bad, huh?”

He looks to her at her comment. “...I hate weddings.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Especially this one.” Another gulp. “What about you?”

“I like weddings, personally.”

“No, I mean this one specifically. Aren’t you pissed?”

“W-what?!”

He gestures. “You had the hots for Naruto in high school, right?”

“That was high school.”

“...uh huh,” he replies, taking another swig.

Hinata pouts. “...I’m happy for them.”

“Yeah, well, me too. Maybe now Sakura will stop leaving me voicemails.”

...that makes her still. “...she…?”

“That was high school too,” is all he offers in reply. Another gulp.

“...I see.”

“What about you? You ever gonna do this?”

“...maybe someday. I just...haven’t found the right person yet.”

“Better hurry up, right? You’re the last one of the group still unhitched, right?”

“It’s not a race,” she sniffs.

“...guess you’re right.”

“What about you? Eager to get ‘hitched’?”

“If it happens, it happens. But I’m not about to stress over it. I’d rather find love before deciding I want to get married, y’know?”

That earns a small laugh. “That’s...probably a good way to go about it, yeah.”

For a moment, Sasuke seems to consider her, watching her sip her drink. “...you wanna dance?”

“...with you?”

“I asked, didn’t I?” He opens his arms in a gesture. “We’re the two left behinders, right? Only makes sense.”

After a pause, she laughs again. “...all right, sure.” Taking one last swig of her drink, she follows to the dance floor, pausing as the current song ends, and is replaced by something a lot...slower.

Rather than hesitate, Sasuke scoops her up, ignoring her eep of surprise. Placing their hands, he starts sweeping her around, and...Hinata can’t help but be surprised by how good he is at this.

“So, Hinata...will I be invited to your wedding?”

She snorts. “...well, will I be invited to yours?”

“I s’pose so. We’ll see how things pan out, eh?” He gives her a drip, grinning. Seems that Bloody Mary wasn’t his first… “You might end up there for another reason altogether, eh?”

“...meaning?” she asks as he pulls her back up.

“Meaning...whatever you think it means.”

Her expression turns suspicious. “...well, like you say...I guess it depends how things work out.”

“Well then...I look forward to it.”

.oOo.

...this feels slightly familiar, like maybe I wrote something like it, but uh...2/3rds of a way through a year through of daily drabbles will make you a little unsure what you have and haven't done xD But here we have the ever-classic wedding trope. Specifically two people meeting at a wedding. And you KNOW the next one will be Sasuke and Hinata's...and then she can drag all the other brides to be HER bridesmaids x3 Aaanyway, I've got more writing to do, so! That's all for now - thanks for reading n_n

#sasuhina #sasuhinamonth #sasuhinamonth2019 #nejiten #narusaku #uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #haruno sakura #alcohol //#best years of your life [ au ]

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jadewing-realms · 5 years

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“You know what I mean.”

Fictober 2018 - Day 28

The Pro-Hero Insight makes sure he remains on his patrol partner’s right hand side, and keeps his head turned just so he doesn’t have to glimpse that hideous orange abomination he calls a Hero costume.

Bad fashion sense is one thing. Ever since he was a child, Sasuke’s dealt with that with Izuku, and frankly, he’s adjusted. A little. Maybe he still clowns his friend for it now and then, especially when tabloids and fashion mags release casual photos of Deku in a classic All Might hoodie, Uravity tank, off-brand shorts, and hand-me-down sneakers. But… he’s generally more tolerant of it now than he used to be.

Uzumaki Naruto—or, on duty, the Kitsune Hero: Kyuubi—is a different story entirely.

This is beyond bad fashion sense. It’s no sense at all. It’s like he couldn’t even afford a thrift store so he picked up a caution tarp and got some color-blind designer to actually use the fabric for his jumpsuit and sew it with mismatching navy thread.

On top of that… it’s a jumpsuit. Not even a body suit. Frumpy, baggy. No hint of aerodynamics whatsoever.

If worst comes to worst and a villain shows up on this patrol, Sasuke won’t be able to count on Uzumaki to be a quick mover. It’ll be up to him. The troublesome nature of this unfortunate match-up makes him sigh—for the seventh time.

“Geez,” Uzumaki says, glancing his way if the sudden clarity of his voice is any indication. Sasuke still has his asymmetrical bangs as a curtain between him and the orange monster. “You got a demon you’re trying ta exorcise over there or somethin’?”

Sasuke rolls his eyes heavenward. “No, Kyuubi. It’s called a sigh. Generally done when people are tired, irritated, or oxygen-deprived. Sometimes all three.”

The neon Hero grumbles a little. “Well then, whaddya sighing so much for? It’s makin’ me depressed.”

“Your uniform is making me depressed.”

“Hah!?” Something shoves Sasuke’s shoulder—presumably Uzumaki’s hand—not hard, nothing he can’t recover from with a single step, but… he also could’ve dodged it had he used his Quirk. But then, it’s hard to see things coming when your hair’s in the way… Hm. This could be a potential flaw in his own design preferences. Something to rethink later.

Oh, Uzumaki said something. Sasuke missed it.

So he just doesn’t say anything.

Apparently, Uzumaki takes this as an excuse to continue. “You’re just jealous that my outfit draws all the attention, ya know?”

At that very moment, a pair of high school girls hurry across the street toward them, their squeals and giggles preceding them. There’s no denying who they’re after and, with yet another sigh, Sasuke halts his steps to prepare for their arrival. Better to get this over with sooner than later. At least, as he said, Uzumaki’s outfit should draw all their attention. If not his outfit, then surely his bright hair and stupid grin.

However, Sasuke’s surprised when the two instead make a beeline for him, dodging Uzumaki’s greeting in order to crowd in front of him instead. His head rears back a bit, trying to maintain some semblance of personal space, and yet despite himself, the smallest of smirks creeps onto his face for the convenience of coincidence. How fitting. He shoots his smirk in Uzumaki’s direction, willing it to ooze his smug victory, and with his head turned, he’s rewarded to see a squinty-eyed pout on the other Hero’s face.

Serves you right, peacock.

The girls, stuttering and blushing and barely able to look Sasuke in the eye, bounce on their heels and manage to piece together matching requests for his signature on their school notebooks. He expects as much and signs each one as quickly as possible, but not without proper flourish for Uzumaki’s sake. This is all a part of the occupation… Heroes need to reach the people they protect. The people they inspire. And judging by the notes he glimpses on the notebooks’ lined pages, these two are Hero students as well. Even more reason to give them the cool, collected Pro he knows they expect.

He’s still on his way to the #3 spot. He needs the influence of rank in order to initiate the changes to the system he wants… and he needs ratings to get there.

“Hey, you want me to sign too?” Uzumaki offers with a toothy smile as the girls gush their appreciation of Sasuke’s penmanship. He jabs a thumb against his own collar. “We work at the same agency!”

The girls quiet a little, seeming to remember Uzumaki’s even there, which despite being somewhat annoying, still brings the smirk back to Sasuke’s face. Because he enjoys seeing the twitch in Uzumaki’s brow and knowing just how much the difference in approach is getting under his skin.

It’s not that Sasuke hates the guy… he’s not horrible, other than his wardrobe choices. It’s just as easy for Sasuke to annoy him as it is for Uzumaki to annoy Sasuke, and he considers it turnabout’s fair play. It’s a satisfying demonstration of ‘what goes around, comes around.’ And theirs is a seemingly endless cycle that’s almost on par with Sasuke’s dynamic with Bakugou.

The girls seem to have recovered themselves and return Uzumaki’s smile with their own, though they’re not nearly as bubbling and overwhelmed as when they approached him. They let him sign their notebooks, he makes small talk, asking about their studies and which school their from. Shiketsu, they say. His alma mater, apparently. That makes them brighten a little.

“This loser over here went to U.A., you know?” Uzumaki says, gesturing in Sasuke’s direction with a casual thumb. His crooked smile says this factoid is meant as anything but a compliment. He’s probably making an attempt at solidarity, singling Sasuke out as the odd one.

But Sasuke just smirks on, knowing what will come of that.

“Oh, we know!” One of the girls nods emphatically, going starry-eyed again. Usually, it would be enough to make Sasuke curl his lip and roll his eyes, but the crestfallen look that passes over Uzumaki’s face is too priceless for him to particularly complain. “That famous class! Is it true you know Uravity and Ground Zero?”

“Or that you’re best friends with Deku??” the other chimes in, and suddenly, they’re pressing close to Sasuke’s side again.

He does his best not to look uncomfortable while he answers. He really just wants to get on with his patrol… “Yes, both are true. Uravity’s a good friend, Ground Zero’s an a** as usual, and I’ve known Deku since we were children.”

They look positively awed at this confirmation and mutter amongst themselves. Sasuke changes another glance toward Uzumaki, who’s just staring at him with a dirty look on his face.

Sasuke snickers.

“Yeah, well,” Uzumaki blurts, straightening and attempting what Sasuke thinks is supposed to be a cool pose, “I know quite a few—”

“Unfortunately, ladies,” Sasuke interrupts without shame, “we’re actually on patrol right now. It’s a Hero’s duty to make sure the streets are safe for you, so if your business is concluded, we must insist to be on our way.”

They hurry to agree, apologizing for keeping them and bowing their gratitude before hastening off, back to the side of the street they came from. A woman exits one of the shops there and waves for them, and they hurry to her side, babbling their excitement at their encounter.

Sasuke resumes his brisk walk without bothering to wait for Uzumaki. He doesn’t need to anyway; the other Pro sprints to catch up and fall into step beside him. Sasuke’s hair saves him from the atrocious orange once more.

“Okay, that’s it,” says Uzumaki, out of his line of sight, “you are now officially my rival.”

Sasuke resists another sigh. “Please don’t.”

“Come on! I don’t like you, you don’t like me. We have a good rival kinda chemistry, ya know?”

This time, there’s no way to help the grimace that twists his face, and he actually has to cast a glare at his blond companion. “Don’t ever say the words ‘we have’ and ‘chemistry’ to me again.”

“I felt it!” Uzumaki insists with a raise of his palms. “You know what I mean!”

“I can’t say I do.”

“We’d both get some great publicity out of it!”

Sasuke sighs heavily. “Kyuubi?”

“What?”

“Drop it.”

#fictober18 #my hero academia #naruto #crossover #fix-it au #sasuke uchiha #naruto uzumaki #rivalry #pro heroes

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kopfkinoes · 6 years

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I’ve been a Naruto fan for like 13 years now but after the manga ended I pretty much left the fandom because I anticipated the vitriol that was going to follow after the ending. Every once in a while I stumbled upon a Naruto post that made me realize I had been right and I didn’t interact. But at the end of 2017 I came back and…nothing has changed. I honestly think this is one of the worst, most immature fandoms out there. I feel like so many of the people in the fandom are perpetual twelve year olds. And it kind of bothers me that Sasuke and Sakura, my absolute favourites since day one, are still disrespected as fuck. Now, mind you, I’m not talking about the ship, I’m talking about them as individual characters although I do ship them. I’ve multishipped for a long, long time but not anymore.

They are the first ones I shipped because I had a feeling stuff was bound to happen between them but then I discovered the wonders of the web and instantly moved to ship Naruto and Sasuke. I never once hated Sakura and Hinata though and even in the later years when “feminist” rhetoric moved into fandoms, I took the “these women are strong and powerful and I love them, they don’t need no man” thing to be good. But after the ending, and now seeing how many of the people who ship Naruto and Sasuke are downright anti-Sakura and insult and disrespect her in so many ways I realized “Wow! I had been an idiot all along. These people never gave a shit about Sakura, they were saying all of that stuff to get her out of the way.” I don’t see people talking about how Naruto and Sasuke’s bond diminishes their battle abilities, I see none of the shippers implying that their development would be flushed down the drain if they ended up in a relationship. Yet, that is apparently true for the women. Right.

Sasuke is a character with a lot of potential. But he was never able to evolve. And do you know why? Because of Naruto. Sasuke was created in order to be the opposite of Naruto and, for the most part, that is all remains to be. I’ve been staning Sasuke forever but this is the truth. He exists in order to be Naruto’s rival and in order to be pissed that he, a guy coming from a clan of prodigies, keeps falling behind the class clown and loser (who is anything but that when you think of it, Minato was anything but a weak guy and Kushina, while we don’t get a good look at her abilities, has loads of stamina and healing powers and her abilities were considered exceptional even among the Uzumaki, not to mention how easily Naruto masters everything new he tries). In the end, he is subdued by Naruto and the Will of Fire.

Even after all of this, he is still not allowed to be around his family. Why? Simply because he needs to be the opposite of Naruto. He needed to point a sword at his own daughter and it was Naruto who had to comfort and reassure her. Sasuke will never be an overly affectionate person, I don’t think he will ever realistically go back to his pre-massacre personality (he wasn’t exactly super bubbly as a child either, he was reserved around other people but very happy around his family) and frankly, he doesn’t need to. He wouldn’t ever be a husband who does grand romantic gestures or a super cuddly father but he’s loyal and devoted and these things shouldn’t be brushed away for some mission or for creating angst just to prove that Naruto is a better, more understanding person that he’ll ever be, even when it comes to Sarada. Like, for fuck’s sake, does everything Sasuke does need to happen right before Naruto waltzes in and puts him in his place by being a better person? Can Sasuke not be a person in his own right without the constant comparisons to Naruto?

What I also find interesting is how often I see Sasuke becoming completely OOC when paired with Naruto. Of course everybody says Sasuke is OOC when paired with Sakura but frankly I’ve rarely seen Sasuke presented as lovey dovey around Sakura, people usually want him to be proud of her but he stays his usual tepid self. Because that’s Sasuke’s personality, he’s not a conventionally affectionate person and there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s why it bothers me when I see Sasuke made to be a soft, sensitive, pastel boy aesthetic. He’s not that and he wouldn’t be that even if he were gay. I mean, I understand headcanons but don’t root them in the “seme and uke” dynamics, please.

Moving on, I have a particular kind of contempt for people suggesting Sasuke cheated on Sakura with Karin. It makes absolutely no sense character-wise and it just shits all over Sasuke by assuming he’s a disgusting fucker who would cheat. Are you telling me that the dude who didn’t even consider taking advantage of even a single one of the girls who were fawning over him would have a face-heel turn and cheat? Yeah, right. I don’t understand how you can call yourself a Sasuke fan and genuinely support cheating. Why would Sasuke wait to be with Sakura in order to have sex with Karin when he and Karin had so many opportunities to bang prior to this while they were travelling together as a team? Why would he have a child with Karin and just dump the child on Sakura’s head? I don’t even want to hear superiority arguments that go along the lines of “Karin is an Uzumaki so she has superior genes compared to Sakura who doesn’t come from a clan” because…arguments like these are disgusting. I don’t think it was ever even slightly implied that Sasuke (or the Uchiha for that matter) held beliefs like this. If anything, these guys didn’t like being othered and set apart from the rest of the village. I don’t think Sasuke ever implied that he believes some vaginas are not genetically pure enough for him to get into so please don’t put these shitty beliefs on him. Sasuke was described as “pure”. It’s simply the way he is. I really don’t care that you think he’s not a “True Hetero Guy” unless he cheats and/or has sex with loads of women.

I always see people saying fans who ship Sasuke and Sakura are “disgusted” by the thought of Sasuke having sex with someone else. But do you know how many people I’ve seen saying how grossed out Sasuke must be by being around pussy (specifically Sakura’s) and how he probably cries and is traumatized by the experience? I’ve yet to see people talking about how Sasuke must be super disgusted by dick.

Moving on to Sakura, pretty much 100% of the vitriol I’ve seen thrown at her comes from misogyny. People always like to say it’s not misogyny and yet it always is. It comes from Kishimoto himself and his ideas of women. He constantly described Sakura as “not cute” and “a hard woman”. And it’s true, Sakura’s not demure or submissive and doesn’t appear to be very suited for domesticity. I don’t believe that just because she is loud and outspoken she would make a dreadful wife and mother. She was very shy as a child (mostly because she was insecure) but she grew into herself. About her not being cute, I’d say that’s debatable. Kishimoto said she’s not cute in the beginning and I see a lot of haters talking about “that ugly bitch Sakura” but let me tell you this, Naruto and Rock Lee had pretty intense crushes on her and Jiraiya compared her appearance to Tsunade’s (although the man’s trash when it comes to women but you get my point). What do people base their opinions on when they say she’s ugly? On her exaggerated anger expressions? Because Sakura is not drawn as prettier or uglier than any of the other female characters. Is it based on the fact that people love to bring up time and time again, that she doesn’t have big breasts? Yeah, she doesn’t have breasts as big as Tsunade’s or Hinata’s or even Ino’s but what does that have to do with anything? Nope, this is rooted in misogyny because, just like in real life, when you don’t like a woman you insult her based on her body and appearance because you believe that’s where all the worth of a woman is. Besides, don’t you think there something wrong with focusing so much on the body type of a girl aged 12 to 17? Because I think there is.

I always feel like laughing at people who call her stupid because Sakura is a nerd. This is why she was paired with the more battle prone Naruto and Sasuke because she was too much brains and not enough brawn. I know that it was Ino, Shino and Sasuke that graduated top of the class but, according to the Databooks, none of them beat Sakura in intelligence, she is equal to Shino and higher than Ino and Sasuke. People love to say that her being able to do the written part of the Chunin Exam all by herself doesn’t prove that she’s actually smart, buddy, it does. The fact that she’s smart doesn’t make the rest of the students who cheated idiots. That was the point of the test, the questions were too difficult for 12 year old genin to answer. The fact that Sakura could, however, isn’t bullshit. You wouldn’t call an exceptionally gifted kid who can answer really advanced academic questions “not that smart really, it doesn’t prove anything”. Freaking Sasuke commented on her analytical abilities, she’s an extremely skilled med-nin, she is able to put pieces of information she’s previously learnt together in order to form a present opinion, her hobbies are trivia games and memorizing medical ninjutsu material for God’s sake.

I definitely don’t think comparing her to Hinata achieves anything. Hinata does represent the ideas Kishimoto seems to have about women. She is soft-spoken, she is never confrontational, she never wants to offend anybody. Sure, Hinata also has her insecurities and doesn’t place much value on herself (we have her father to thank for that) but even after getting out of that shell and discovering she has some iron at her core, she is still mostly soft. That’s not a bad thing at all, it’s simply who she is as a person and it doesn’t make her better or worse than Sakura. I know that Sakura fans have always been bullied online, from forums to YouTube to tumblr to any other comment section of blogs and stuff, people have always thrown shit at Sakura, saying she’s useless, a whore, an idiot. The amount of times I’ve seen people wish violent, horrible deaths on Sakura (for the sole reason that she didn’t spread her legs for Naruto being the catalyst in pretty much 100% of the cases) is immense. The amount of times I’ve seen people wishing Hinata would kill Sakura “for what she did to Naruto” is huge. So based on this, I understand why Sakura fans feel the need to get defensive. I don’t agree with putting Hinata down but I understand why some people might do it. I’ll never put down someone’s fav (especially when the fav is as unproblematic as Hinata who honestly did nothing wrong) but I definitely understand why some people will do it.

Naruto is a shonen, battle manga. We will never get 100% healthy relationships in this because the manga is not focused on romance. It is why the relationships between Sasuke and Sakura and Naruto and Hinata were not greatly developed and why there was an overemphasis on Naruto and Sasuke’s bond which is basically “we’re forever competing to see who’s better”. Kishimoto based it on his relationship with his brother but I’m pretty sure he took it up to eleven in the manga. Because Naruto is a manga for whom the target audience is boys, female characters will never be 100% appreciated. Most of the boys watching identify with the downtrodden outcast, guys such as Lee or Naruto. It’s a thing, associated with the stereotype of the Western man who watches anime, a stereotype that is proved to be correct in most cases, sadly. How many of these guys think they’re gems, that they’re precious souls to have around and girls just don’t see them for what they are? Both Naruto and Lee are very loved among male fans and they are both rejected by Sakura. (I could also say something about the stereotypes Western anime watching men place on Japanese women, namely “the pliant, submissive wife, who would do house chores all day, would never say no to sex and worship them as the much better versions of Japanese men that they are” but I’m not going there.) Never cruelly though, she remains friendly with both of them. Her bond with Naruto is very strong and they’re actually a pretty rare example of a good male and female friendship (the violence that is played for laughs doesn’t really mean much to me).

However, for the male fans that is never enough. How many times did I see stuff like “She chose Sasuke although Naruto never left the village” or “Naruto did so many things for her yet she still chose Sasuke”. Dude, there was never a competition. Sakura loves Sasuke, plain and simple. You can disagree with that if you want, you can disagree with how she expresses her love for him but there was never competition. Sakura has always loved Sasuke, what she feels for him is true love. Many people don’t believe it exists but it is what it is. I find it funny (and by funny I mean idiotic to the heavens) that people always say her development was crushed because she didn’t give up on Sasuke but Naruto’s was improved by not giving up on Sasuke. This is bias and misogyny at its finest. Sasuke is not just a crush to Sakura. People always want to say Sakura was a fangirl to Sasuke and nothing more and that she simply needed to get over her obsessive crush. She wouldn’t have said all she wanted was for him to acknowledge her if he were just a crush, she wouldn’t have suffered so badly over him. Many of the village girls had a thing for Sasuke and I doubt all of them cried over Sasuke at night after he left. Only Sakura anticipated when he was going to leave. People always say that Sakura maturing would have meant her understanding that her and Sasuke are just not meant to be a thing. The thing is, she wasn’t holding on to the idea that her and Sasuke would be “a thing”. Kakashi made it pretty clear (to Sasuke and to all fans who just can’t get it in their heads) that Sakura only wanted to help him, not to get into his pants.

People are also super quick to judge the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura as abusive. Why though? All the times they were violent towards each other (and there weren’t even that many times) they weren’t dating, they were combatants on opposite sides of battle. There is nobody in this series that Sasuke is more violent towards than Naruto and yet I never see this relationship classified as abusive, instead it is considered romantic and heartfelt that he wanted to sever his bonds with Naruto in order to make a martyr out of himself and be consumed by darkness. Like, yeah, that’s super healthy. I see the same thing being said with Karin, that Sasuke impaled her simply because he wanted to cut all of his bonds, not because he actually wanted to kill her. Which is…stupid to say the least. Like, cool story, still murder. He knew that impaling her would result in killing her but damn, was he willing to make that sacrifice. The reasons why Sasuke wanted to murder the people in his life are not important. In truth, all the murder he wanted to commit was because people were getting in the way of killing Itachi and, after killing Itachi, people were getting in the way of his goal to be completely alone in order to destroy/reform Konoha. Sasuke is not a psychopath who murders for fun but that doesn’t mean he was in a good place.

I shipped Sasuke with Karin but I never saw their bond as overly emotional or true love. I’m not saying Karin doesn’t care about him but I do think her feelings for him are more in the realm of sexual than the romantic. She does care for his well-being, she wants him to be happy, she is impressed by him and wants to be around him but it’s not romantic. Does she suffer when she thinks he’s dead? Naturally. Because she cares about him and she does love him but, again, not romantically. Karin’s sexual feelings for Sasuke are not bad, they don’t make her a whore or whatever. But it’s quite silly in my opinion to mistake them for some sort of pure, true love. They’re not that and it’s fine that they’re not. We see Sakura wanting to be alone with Sasuke but she never thinks of how she’s so excited she can barely stand it and how she wants to “ravage Sasuke like crazy”. We don’t see Sakura’s reaction, upon seeing Sasuke arrive on the battlefield to be “I want to lick Sasuke all over right now”.

People always like to remind everyone that Sakura ended her friendship with Ino over Sasuke. However, we never see Sakura and Ino be hostile to each other. Compare their rivalry to the one between Sasuke and Naruto to understand what I’m saying. They had a mild dislike going on but we see them quickly overcome it in the Chunin Exams. Sakura and Ino never really gave up on their friendship, their rivalry was mostly played for laughs, I never took it seriously because I don’t think it was presented in a way that was saying “you need to take this seriously, this is the real deal”. Mostly because it dealt with who has prettier hair and who can get the seat next to Sasuke first. Nope, not serious.

Back to Hinata, this is the reason why so many of the fanboys prefer her. Look at the opinions Shikamaru, another character the fanboys adore, has about women. He is downright misogynistic but that gets overlooked in fandom time after time because of his 200 IQ. Instead, I see people saying it is Sasuke who hates women when there is no indication of that, except, you know, people who think he’s gay and because he’s gay he MUST hate all women and consider them absolutely gross (except for the, sometimes OC, self-insert in fanfiction). Just like his father, Shikamaru has this thing that women should be sweet, soft and tender not headstrong, demanding and even harsh (women like his mother, Yoshino, Ino, Temari, Tayuya). He hates receiving help from women, he is frustrated when he has to fight women. He sums up his views of women himself by saying “C'mon. You know what they’re like. You can never figure them out. You never know where you could stand with them. The smallest things could put you in their bad side. Always playing little mind games with you. Trying to make you do what they want. They’re just a big pain basically.”

For the most part, many fans linked Sakura to Kushina because of her fiery personality. Minato kinda sealed this comparison when saying Sakura reminded him of Kushina. So a lot of people, while calling Sakura an ugly bitch and a whore who needs to be raped and die, still wanted her for Naruto and believed she will ultimately change her mind and go for Naruto. Personally, I don’t care about that because so many characters in Naruto are carbon copies of people who came before them, enough similarities are enough. This idea that a guy should marry a woman just like his mother is weird for many reasons to me. It’s only men that have unhealthy relationships with their mothers that want a woman exactly like their mothers. Then the ending came so Hinata, being the embodiment of what a woman “should be” became more appropriate for Naruto in the eyes of so many fans. The fact that she fits these patterns doesn’t take away or add to Hinata’s character in any way. It just is. However, fanboys will use it in a sexist way. I definitely don’t agree with the criticism for Hinata that it’s wrong her motivation for becoming strong is Naruto. The motivation of pretty much all characters in becoming stronger is in order to protect others and there's nothing wrong with wanting to improve yourself because you feel that would put you on more equal grounds with the one you love. This manga places great value on the power of unity and community and people who seek power for power’s sake, for revenge or for evil don’t do well. They are either defeated or they change their minds. Great emphasis is placed on the “you only become strong when you have someone you need to protect” mentality. And women are allowed to make connections in this life, they don’t have to live “lone wolf” lives in order to be “truly strong”. Loneliness is an enemy in and of itself in Naruto.

Kishimoto’s views on women are not necessarily progressive but they’re not exactly bad in my opinion. It all has to do with how fanboys twist his ideas and make them bad. Because I don’t think he ever blamed Sakura for not hooking up with Naruto. I know there are people who believe that he’s holding onto the belief that people (and women especially) must forever be with their first love. I think it just so happens that Naruto and Sasuke were Hinata’s and Sakura’s first loves but, more important, they are their true loves. Ino moved on and I see people saying she shouldn’t have. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t I guess. To sum up, I’ve yet to see dislike for Sakura that’s not misogynistic. I’m not even talking about people who think she’s weak. She is the only one who’s not from a clan and yet she managed to surpass Tsunade, a Sannin. She was impaled by Madara and shook it off immediately, she saved Naruto’s, Kankuro’s, Hinata’s and Karin’s lives, she saved Sasuke from an infinte desert, she saved Obito from a sea of acid, she punched an alien all-powerful goddess in the face.

People saying shipping Sakura and Hinata with the guys they’re canonically in love with proves their fans are selfish because they just want them to look cute next to Sasuke and Naruto amuse me. That if you really cared about them you’d ship them with guys who “actually” care about them like Lee or Kiba or whatever. Dude, people love who they love. And a woman has no obligation to be with a man who was friendly and nice to her, not even a man who has a crush on her if she’s not attracted to him or doesn’t love him.

#my post #not even going to tag this because not only am i not trying to start a fight i don't want any #these are simply my thoughts #i never thought i'd be this involved in this fandom in my 20s #mind you i don't think either of these relationships are abusive #like i said this is a battle manga with battle situations #combatants fight it's the way it is #but if you're gonna consider one abusive based on standards you made up #might as well not be a hypocrite and consider all ships abusive #even the ones you like #honestly all the pseudo arguments i've read are baseless #just admit you don't like certain ships and move on #no need to give justification #because you're tying yourself in knots and just soundind like a jerk

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kusunogatari-a · 6 years

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[ Tagalong ] [ @frogprinceus || @kyuuzuchiha || @younguchihasuvivor ] [ Suigin Ryū, Uzumaki Naruto, Jiraiya, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi ] [ Blood mention ] [ Verse: What Remains ]

“Narutooo! Time to get uuup!”

Rapping knuckles against the boy's door, Ryū listens for a moment, hearing a familiar grumble before smiling and moving to the next. “Tōchan! Breakfast is almost done! You'll miss it if you don't hurry!”

She presses an ear to the door, listening and blinking before frowning at the silence. “...tōchan?” Opening the portal a crack, an orb of grey peeks through before wilting along with her shoulders.

Jiraiya's passed out atop his futon, loose pages of writing scattered about and a long-dried calligraphy brush hanging out of one hand. He's still snoring. Apparently he spent another late night writing.

Ryū sighs, closing the door and thinking to herself. ...guess I'll just have to put some leftovers away for him...I can do that while I make Naruto's bento... Mind made up, the tween gives a curt nod to herself before moving back downstairs just as the blond opens his door. “You're gonna be late!”

“No m'not...”

Bustling about the little home's kitchen, Ryū juggles putting together lunchboxes, finishing breakfast, and putting some aside for Jiraiya...whenever he wakes up. Eating as she works, the little medic-in-training gives Naruto's hair a rustle as he sits, fluttering by him and tidying up. “You've got ten minutes before we need to leave, ne?”

“Yeah, yeah...” Yawning, the little Uzumaki stars picking at his food, blinking blearily and fumbling his chopsticks.

“I'm gonna leave without you!”

“But onēchan, I'm tiiired...”

“I told you not to stay up so late! Did you finish your homework?”

“...ehhh...”

“Naruto!”

“I'll do the last bit before class!”

“Then you'd better eat fast if you want extra time!” Packing up Naruto's bento and tying the kerchief, Ryū scampers back up the stairs one more time. Taking a deep breath, she calls, “Tōchaaan!”

There's a holler, the sound of a crash, and Ryū flinches. “Huh?! What?!”

“We're gonna leave in a few minutes! I put your food in the fridge, ne? I've got my lessons today so I won't be back until after Naruto gets out of class! I'll pick him up on my way home.”

Jiraiya can be heard grumbling behind the door, sliding it open and itching at his shoulder with a pouty scowl. “Is it that late already...?”

Ryū just giggles. “Mhm! You two have to get to bed at better times, ne? I'm gonna have to get a rooster to wake you up!”

“Rooster, huh...maybe we could eat it...”

“Tōchan!”

“Kidding, kidding...” Ruffling Ryū's hair, the sannin steps past her toward the stairs, yawning as Naruto runs back up.

“Did you forget your bag again? I keep telling you to take it with you when you come down!” Ryū chides.

“I'll be just a second, 'ttebayo!”

Grabbing their lunch boxes, Ryū gives her father's cheek a peck on her way by, seated at the table. “Ja ne!”

“Have a good day!”

Slipping on her shoes, Ryū helps Naruto with his before the pair are out the door, walking briskly. “Come on, come on!”

“Not so fast, onēchan!”

The two of them make it to the Academy just as the bell rings, calling in the students for class. Straightening Naruto's shirt and trying to tame his hair, Ryū gives him a smile. “Have fun! I'll be back after my lessons at the hospital to pick you up.”

“But I wanted to go to the training grounds after class!”

“I think you better ask tōchan first, ne? Maybe he'll go with you!”

The blond sighs. “Okay, okay...”

“See you later!” Waving, Ryū gives the Academy yard a glance, seeing other kids almost as late as they are. Not far away, a boy her age ushers his little brother just the same.

“Do your best, Sasuke.”

“I will, nīsan! See you after class!” The younger walks backwards and waves before following not far behind Naruto.

Watching them curiously, Ryū stiffens slightly as the other boy looks over, catching her staring. Managing a quick, embarrassed bow of apology, she spins around and makes her way to the hospital for her own lessons.

As usual, it's busy to the brim, and the little medic nimbly dodges her way to find whatever staff member will be teaching her this time around. There's always so much to do, she rarely sees the same one twice in a row. Frustrating, but...well, it's the only way to learn for now.

“I'm here!”

“Ah, good morning Ryū-chan. Come on, let's get started.”

The day passes as normally as any other, Ryū allowed to look in on a few procedures. It's been hinted they may let her take her entrance exams soon...and if she passes, she'll be allowed to work full-time as a healer in the hospital. She's had some hands-on practice, but she can't wait to finally be able to be of use.

By the time she's let out for the day, it's still a bit early for Naruto to do the same. With time to spare, Ryū buries her nose into a medical text, heels on a bench's edge as she sits and props the book up against her knees.

So focused is she, she nearly jumps out of her skin as someone asks, “Mind if I sit here?”

Taking a sharp breath, Ryū turns and feels her insides drop as the same boy from that morning gestures to the free end of her seat. “...s...sure.” Flustered, she fixes her posture and closes her book atop her lap, face hot with embarrassment.

“Are you...studying to be a medic?”

The question is unexpected, drawing the girl's gaze. “Oh, ah...yes. I...take lessons in the hospital.”

“I see...and the Uzumaki boy, Naruto...you were here with him this morning. Is he your brother...?”

“Well...not really...?” Still nervous, Ryū manages to reply. “My father adopted him. He knew Naruto's parents before they...died. He's lived with us since he was a baby. And I've lived with tōchan since I was five.” A pause, and then she stutters, “O-oh, where are my manners...I forgot to give you my name. It's Ryū!”

“Itachi.”

The pair manage smiles before the bell rings, drawing their gazes to the school yard. A flood of students soon find freedom, and Naruto approaches them first. “Onēchan!”

“Hey! Have a good day?”

“Yeah, yeah! Let's go get tōchan so I can go training!”

“What about your homework...?”

“I can do that after dark – come ooon!”

“Okay, let me put my book back in my bag, ne?”

Sasuke finds them next, giving Ryū and Naruto an uncertain glance before smiling at his brother. “You came!”

“I had time. Ready to go home?”

“Can we go practice with shuriken, nīsan? Please?”

“I really should go report for my mission this evening...”

“Aww...”

After a brief hesitation, Ryū offers, “Well...Naruto was going to go train after we go ask tōchan permission. If you need someone to go with...you could come with us!”

Both younger boys immediately balk, glancing to each other warily.

“It would be good to have someone to train with since I'm busy, Sasuke.”

“But nīsan...!”

“What do you think, Naruto?” Ryū chirps. “Want to take Sasuke-kun along?”

The blond pouts. “No way...!”

Both older siblings laugh. “Well...for now, I'll take Sasuke home. Maybe he'll see you there, Naruto-kun,” Itachi compromises, standing and taking his brother's hand.

Naruto doesn't reply, still pouting as Ryū waves. “Ja ne!” Giving him a glance, she wilts slightly. “What's wrong with training with a classmate?”

“He's such a show-off! Mister good at everything...”

Ryū blinks. ...is he jealous...?

“C'mon, let's go see tōchan. I wanna get there before he does!”

“O...okay.”

Jiraiya is bent over the table when they get home, a pot of tea nearby as he writes. “Oh, hey you two! Have a good day?”

“Ne, let's go train! I wanna practice with my shuriken!” Naruto throws his bag by the door, hopping in place, not wanting to take his shoes off. “Can we? Pleeease?”

Holding his brush between his teeth as he pours more tea, Jiraiya perks a brow. “Right now?”

“Yeah right now! It's gonna get crowded, 'ttebayo!”

“It has been a while since you took him,” Ryū offers, giving the sannin a teasing smile. “I can work on dinner while you're gone!”

“Don't wanna come with us?”

“...I can't really practice shuriken...”

“No, but what if someone gets hurt?” Jiraiya grins. “Who else is gonna patch us up, huh? C'mon, we'll all get out of the house for a while. How long has it been since you weren't either here, or at the hospital, eh?”

Ryū pouts. She'd wanted to do some studying...but Jiraiya just had to mention someone getting hurt. “Oh...okay.”

Once the sannin finds his shoes, Naruto leads the way to the training grounds with a smile and a quick pace. “Come on guys, you're too slow 'ttebayo!”

“He never runs out of energy, does he?” Ryū sighs.

“Tell me about it. I guess one of you has to be that way – you couldn't both be quiet as mice,” her father replies, giving her a glance and a grin.

“I'm not that quiet...!”

“No, but compared to him you are.”

There's a few other Academy students scattered around the beginner's training fields, most lobbing shuriken or sparring hand-to-hand. Off by himself, Ryū spies Sasuke hitting targets with his own weaponry. “Ne! Sasuke-kun!”

As she waves a hand to him, Naruto scowls. “Don't invite him over!”

“Why not? You two can practice together – try to beat each other's scores!”

“It's good to have a rival, Naruto!” Jiraiya adds, ruffling the boy's hair. “It gives you drive to improve! Something to strive for!”

“I'm already trying to be Hokage, 'ttebayo! I don't need a stinkin' rival...!”

As they argue, Ryū looks back to Sasuke, seeing him watching them. She gives another wave, smiling until he finally approaches, looking about as excited as Naruto is. “Hey there! Want to join us?”

Noticing the Uchiha, Naruto starts to complain, but only cries out as Jiraiya puts another hand on his head. “Up for a little friendly competition?”

The boys set up rules for a game, and Ryū sits on the grass, arms around her knees. “Be careful, ne?”

“What, don't want to practice your medical skills?” Jiraiya laughs.

“Not if I can help it!” Wishing she'd brought something to read, Ryū has little else to do than watch, folding arms atop her knees and resting her chin. Both Naruto and Sasuke seem reluctant, but start trying to land hits on Jiraiya at the same time. Of course, the sannin blocks them with ease, egging them on with a grin and laughing.

It seems to work. Both students start focusing on their target, forgetting to worry about each other and simply trying to best the sannin. Ryū can't really gauge how well they're doing, but given that Jiraiya isn't even sweating...apparently they're not making much headway. Ducking and dodging strikes from little arms and legs, palms easily catch their blows.

Eventually, the toad sage ends up with Naruto over his shoulder, Sasuke hauled up under an arm and unable to escape, no matter his wriggling. “Well then! I think we know who won this spar!”

Ryū laughs. “Tōchan, that's hardly fair! You're so much bigger!”

“And stronger. And faster.” The man laughs, letting the boys go and settling down on the grass beside his daughter. “Now! How about you two try some shuriken throwing? We'll see if your technique needs any work!”

The boys seem to size each other up before facing a painted post and trying to hit the target.

Hands on his knees, Jiraiya chuckles to himself.

“What's so funny?”

“...I remember being the same way with my own rival when I was their age. I was hot-headed, like Naruto...and he was a cool genius like Sasuke.” Though he's smiling, there's something unreadable in Jiraiya's eyes. “...I hope things turn out well between them.”

Considering him curiously, Ryū doesn't answer. After all, medics don't really have rivals. The concept is a little beyond her understanding. Instead, she looks back at the younger pair, both focused on their throwing.

“Ow!”

Jumping at the sudden outcry, Ryū hesitates a moment before scrambling to her feet. “Naruto?!”

Holding a bloodied finger, the blond gives a light hiss of pain, holding the digit in his other hand. “M-my grip slipped...”

“Hold on! Let me see...” Carefully looking it over, she offers, “It's not too bad.” Cradling it in one hand, her other palm hovers over the injured finger, white chakra starting to heal the cut.

Curious, Sasuke peers over, taking a few steps and watching.

It doesn't take long to mend the little injury, and Ryū gives Naruto a smile. “See? All better!”

“Told you we'd need you!” Jiraiya teases from behind her.

“Yeah, yeah...!” Laughing, she takes up Naruto's hand and gives it a get-well kiss. “Taadaa!”

Watching them, Sasuke seems to falter for a moment.

“Thanks onēchan!”

“Be careful, ne?”

“Mhm, mhm!” With that, Naruto goes back to it, biting his tongue in concentration.

Smiling and moving to sit again, Ryū pauses at another voice.

“A-ah...”

Turning back, the little medic blinks. Suddenly...Sasuke's hand is bleeding? “...you too?”

Avoiding Ryū's eyes, the Uchiha just gives a little nod, holding out his palm.

Hesitating only a moment, a small, knowing smile pulls at the girl's lips before she takes up his hand.

“Wait, you cut yourself Sasuke? How'd ya do that?” Naruto bustles over, trying to see.

“Hush, nosy,” Ryū chides, already working on the wound.

“But he never does that! He's too g-!” Balking, Naruto cuts himself off.

“Too what...?” his sister teases.

“N...nothin'...”

Ryū just laughs softly before bringing her attention back to Sasuke. A glance at his face shows him watching her work, dark brows furrowed slightly.

“I really should go report for my mission this evening...”

...his brother seems pretty busy...maybe he's just...lonely...

Once the cut heals completely, Ryū lets her palm rest atop Sasuke's. “There we go!”

Glancing up, the boy hesitates for a moment. “...thank you.”

“Of course.” After a pause, she carefully takes up his hand and gives it a kiss, just like Naruto's.

Sasuke balks, cheeks flaring pink.

“There! Now I'm all done.” Ryū softly winks an eye. “Be careful...ne?”

“Y...yeah.”

“Maybe if everyone's making mistakes and getting hurt, it's time to head home, eh?”

Naruto quickly argues with Jiraiya. “We haven't even been here that long, 'ttebayo!”

Watching them, Ryū gives a weary sigh and a smile. “Should we take you home, Sasuke-kun?”

He doesn't reply, tracing fingers over his healed palm.

“C'mon, Naruto. Don't you want some of Ryū's good cooking?”

“But it's not even that late!”

“You still have homework to do,” the little medic chides.

“But onēchaaan...!”

“We can always come back tomorrow, ne?”

“Can...”

They all pause as Sasuke interjects. “...yes?”

Looking torn and a little embarrassed, he fiddles with the hem of his shirt. “Can...can I go, too...?”

Ryū quickly perks up. “...of course you can! Do...do we need to ask your parents, first?”

“I'll take care of that!” Summoning a little toad, Jiraiya sends it off hopping toward the Uchiha district, bearing a message. “Surely they know he's in good hands with the mighty Jiraiya!”

Laughing, Ryū turns back to Sasuke. “I guess that's a yes!”

Naruto pouts, but for once doesn't argue. Instead, he just stubbornly takes his sister's hand, tugging her toward home. “C'mon...”

“Okay!” Reaching, she uses her free one to take Sasuke's. “Let's go, ne?”

Stumbling a bit, the little Uchiha eventually falls into step, giving their hands a few glances on the way.

Once home, Ryū bustles about to make dinner, Jiraiya picking up his scattered writing to make room for the boys' homework on the table. Sitting along one side, he points at the problems, explaining the method as Naruto nods along. Seated between them, Sasuke starts out looking nervous, but seems to slowly settle in and listen.

Behind them, Ryū just smiles to herself.

One dinner and two sheets of homework later, the four of them are still seated around the table, sipping tea as Jiraiya tells one of the innumerable stories from his younger days.

“So there we were, surrounded by a hundred enemy shinobi! My team was all wounded, and I knew...it was all up to me...!”

Both boys stare up in wonder, expressions agape and hanging on his every word, tea long forgotten. Ryū sips her own, smiling against the rim of her mug as the doorbell sounds. “I'll get it!”

Sliding the door open, she comes up short as she finds none other than Itachi. “...oh!”

The other tween gives a brief smile. “I heard my little brother is here...?”

“Ah, y-yes! He joined us for dinner. Tōchan said he'd sent a message...?”

“It arrived. However, it's getting late – otōsan asked me to bring him home.”

Ryū wilts ever so slightly. “Sure! Would you like to come in...?”

“That's all right – we'd best get going.”

Nodding, she looks back into the belly of the house. “Sasuke-kun! Your brother is here to take you home!”

Looking over, the little Uchiha hesitates. “But the story isn't over yet...!”

Jiraiya gives him a thoughtful look. “...well then! You'll just have to come back soon to hear the rest! How's that sound?” A hand ruffles the boy's hair.

“Okay...” Sasuke starts dragging his feet toward the door.

“Thank you, by the way...”

“Hm?” Ryū looks back.

“For letting him tag along. I had a brief mission this afternoon,” Itachi explains. There's a tired tinge to his expression.

She smiles. “Of course! We were happy to have him – he can come over any time. He's been wonderful company.”

The elder Uchiha manages a small smile as Sasuke finally gets his shoes on. “Ready to go?”

“Mhm.” Turning to Ryū, the boy offers, “Thank you for having me.”

“You're welcome! Come back any time you want, ne? We'll have more tea and stories.” She winks an eye. “Be careful with those shuriken, ne?”

Sasuke quickly goes pink. “...I-I will.”

Itachi gives him a questioning look before offering, “Thank you again. Perhaps we'll see each other again soon, Ryū-san.”

“I hope so!” Waving, she watches them go, seeing Sasuke pantomime something with his hand as they leave.

“Byeee!” Naruto calls from behind her, making her laugh as she shuts the door.

“See, that wasn't so bad, was it Naruto?”

“...guess not.”

“Maybe he can come over again soon.”

Jiraiya and the boy exchange a look.

“Now...since I made dinner, how about you two do dishes, ne?”

“Ehhh?!”

“It's only fair!”

“I, eh...I've got a draft to finish!”

“Tōchan!”

“Kidding, kidding...”

Ahhh, sorry this took so long Mitsuki! I’ve been so slow lately, haha. But I hope it was worth the wait n_n I know you said to include Naruto, but I hope it was okay to include Sasuke as well! I really love this verse, it’s so cute ;w; I’ll have to write some more of it soon! I hope you liked it!

#frogprinceus #kyuuzuchiha #younguchihasuvivor #suigin ryū #uzumaki naruto #jiraiya #uchiha sasuke #uchiha itachi #blood mention #what remains [ canon verse ]

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sasusakufestival · 7 years

Text

Miso Soup Everyday

Summary: This is supposed to be a certainty – the one sure thing in his entire life. Yet he can’t fight the same mounting apprehension he experiences when crossing into a dimension he’s never visited before. [SasuSaku Festival 2017 – Day 2 – Prompt: “Insecurity”]

Disclaimer: This story utilizes characters, situations and premises that are copyright Masashi Kishimoto, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and Viz Media. No infringement on their respective copyrights pertaining to episodes, novelizations, comics or short stories is intended by the author in any way, shape or form. This fan oriented story is written solely for the author’s own amusement and the entertainment of the readers. It is not for profit. Any resemblance to real organizations, institutions, products or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All fiction, plot and Original Characters with the exception of those introduced in the books, manga, video games, novelizations and anime, are the sole creation of KuriQuinn and using them without permission is considered rude, in bad-taste and will reflect seriously on your credibility as a writer. You will be incinerated by a giant fireball should you be found plagiarizing.

Warning: Spoilers for pretty much everything up to Chapter 699.

Canon-Compliance: As close to canon as fanfiction can possibly be. With a few personal additions :P Takes place during the Blank Period.

Fanon-Compliance: Takes place several years before An Inch of Gold and Unplanned.

Beta Reader: Sakura’s Unicorn

User: kuriquinn

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Honestly, it’s a bit of a role reversal.

When they were children, Sasuke was the aloof one – cool and confident, perpetually at ease in his role as the storied prodigy of Konoha. He was the genius of Team Seven, overshadowing Sakura’s presence as if she was no more than an afterthought. Between his rivalry with Naruto and the attention Kakashi lavished upon him, it was all too easy to consider Sakura as a barely requisite third wheel. Insecure and needy, she trailed after him like a puppy.

That’s no longer true.

These days, it’s Naruto and Sakura that are beacons of hope in the community, the heroes that little children crowd excitedly around when they walk through the streets. Sasuke is the one people don’t think of – or rather, prefer not to think of. The third wheel of the new generation of Sannin, whose reputation is maintained only by his connection to the other two.

He might’ve helped to save the planet, but it’s Sakura’s name that opens doors.

And if that doesn’t work, her fist splinters them.

Since returning to Konoha, Sasuke has noticed the whispers and stares that follow them when they walk together. Initially, he thought the behaviour was directed at him – judgement on his past deeds and the dark legacy that will hound him until he dies – except the general tone of the whispers is usually deferential. He knows from years of wandering that people are more likely to avert their eyes than risk his attention. However, it’s Sakura to whom they look; it’s she who holds the admiration of every inhabitant of the growing city.

What’s surprising about it, though, is how much he doesn’t mind. As a child, the idea of being second to anyone was unacceptable, especially in comparison to his teammates. Naruto because he was the village screw-up and Sakura because – back then – she was just support. An admirer to cheer on his successes and, in the early days of their team, to highlight just how much Naruto was beneath both their skill level.

It’s all different now.

Sakura is the one who stayed here, working hard to earn the respect and awe of the village. These days she walks confidently in the sun, while Sasuke is content to watch her from the shadows.

It’s actually ironic.

In three short years, a civilian-born girl with no bloodline talent to speak of has achieved more widespread respect than the Uchiha clan did in three generations. He wonders – especially today – what his parents would’ve made of Sakura. He likes to think they would have approved.

Father would’ve been terse and silent, but even he wouldn’t be able to deny her incredible talent. Mother would warm to her instantly, because her temperament was rather similar. And his brother…

Sasuke can’t help a rueful, bitter smile at this. Itachi would’ve probably figured out Sasuke’s feelings for her before Sasuke himself did.

He’s aware enough of his shortcomings these days that the admission comes easily. He understands that he’s cared for Sakura since their Academy days—lack of natural talent aside, she intrigued him, even if he didn’t show it. Humans are visual creatures, and her hair alone meant he couldn’t pretend she didn’t exist the way he could with other kids. On top of that, she was intelligent enough to beat him on every written test, though she never sought to compete with him.

This, too, is ironic. Perhaps if she had approached him as a potential rival, he would’ve seen her value earlier on.

Instead, his childhood memories of Sakura are of a pretty, shallow, yet kind girl trailing behind him. Even then, she had a remarkable tenacity and dedication, bringing him Valentine’s Day gifts every year and patiently enduring his constant rebuffs. Sasuke didn’t even realise until much later – until that last fight with Naruto – that with every passing year, another chunk of his heart fell into her waiting palm.

Knowing that should make all of this easier, but it doesn’t.

He’s had nightmares since the end of the war; dreams which take up the space in his head where revenge was once so prominent. Most often, they are of that day long ago when he almost snuffed out her life. Sometimes, Sasuke still feels the phantom heat of the electricity in his palms, can still see her back bared to him as he moves closer…

He knows now that if he’d landed that blow, he wouldn’t have survived the war.

As mad with grief and rage as he was, having Sakura’s blood on his hands would’ve shattered his already damaged psyche beyond repair. Losing his brother coupled with the truths about Itachi’s life had thrown him off the deep end; responsibility for Sakura’s death would have kept Sasuke there.

He doubts she realises this, even though they’ve spent more time together since his return—partaking in quiet dinners, long walks when her schedule allows for it, or the rare sparring match that leaves him bruised but proud. She doesn’t ask him why he’s around so often, or allude in any way how she feels for him.

If she still feels for him.

She as good as told him in her letters that she was tired of waiting. Likely, it’s too late for anything, regardless of his belated hopes. And yet despite this, Sasuke has been vacillating about the matter since he came back to Konoha.

Until today.

At least he hopes.

It’s become habit to pass by the clinic to pick Sakura up after work. She falls into step with him with more ease than she ever did when they were young.

Sometimes, they just meander through the town while she chats about her day. Sometimes, they find an out-of-the-way restaurant to get a bite to eat. Sometimes, he just walks her home.

Today, though, he leads them along the river toward the lake. They’ve walked this way before, but he’s never led her down the embankment. She doesn’t ask where they’re going which he takes as encouragement.

The dock where he spent so much time alone as a child looks almost exactly as it did then. The wood is slightly warped, causing it to tilt downward toward the lake somewhat, but it’s still sturdy. There are burn marks on the edges from lessons long ago. He stares at them for a while, allowing memories to take him out of the present for a few moments. Beside him, Sakura is still as well, but it’s a comfortable quiet.

Now that they are older, she is more intuitive about his reticence.

As children, she would talk his ear off as if terminally afraid of a drawn-out silence, filling it by any means. While sometimes he appreciated this because it saved him the effort of having to maintain a conversation (especially when they were around other people), most of the time, he just wanted her to leave him to brood in peace.

These days, whether it’s because of her own experiences in the war or her work with those who have suffered its effects, she knows exactly when to just linger quietly. And, as usual, he appreciates her waiting for him to open the conversation.

It takes a little more effort today to find a way to start.

“This where I learned to perform Katon,” he tells her finally, his voice even despite the way his stomach spasms with nerves.

“Oh?” she inquires and, out of the corner of his eye, he sees her look up at him, surprise and curiosity passing across her features. He seldom, if ever, talks about the past; even more rarely does he speak of the time before they were genin.

Sasuke nods, staring out across the calm waters.

“My father taught me. It was the only thing he was able to show me before he…died.”

Even so many years later, the pain is still as raw as it was the day of the massacre. The blinding rage is gone now, however. When he notices small, strong fingers tentatively wrap around his right hand and give a brief, reassuring squeeze, his instinct is to return the gesture instead of pulling away.

“The technique was created by the Uchiha clan,” he goes on, sticking to facts because this is what he knows for sure. Facts are unchangeable, not hinging on chance and sentiment. “My family honed it over the years and even though others have learned to master it, they could never achieve the exact effect that we could.”

He perceives her nod at this, but senses confusion at why he is bringing this up right now. She won’t ask, though, intuitively accepting that he has some purpose. Not for the first time does he think she trusts him far too much than he deserves – far more than he even trusts himself.

But today there is a purpose, and if he could just ignore the nagging doubts at the back of his mind, he might be able to get to it. This is supposed to be a certainty – the one sure thing in his entire life. Yet he can’t fight the same mounting apprehension he experiences when crossing into a dimension he’s never visited before.

“Would you like me to teach you?” he asks, inwardly cringing at how tentative he sounds despite his efforts to be casual.

Luckily, Sakura is too caught off-guard to notice. “You’ve never asked me that before.”

“I’ve never recognised the opportunity,” he admits. Too blinded by rage and revenge, it never occurred to him as a kid that the teammates he considered dead weight might improve faster if he helped them.

Sakura knows this too, and doesn’t argue the point. Instead, she says, “I’m not a fire type, though.”

“That shouldn’t stop the apprentice of Tsunade Senju.”

Sakura scoffs. “That sounds like a challenge.”

“Hm.”

“All right, pretty boy, you’ve got it,” Sakura declares, making a show of rolling up her sleeves and facing the lake. “Stand back and watch me! Shannaro!” She flexes her fingers, preparing to form the requisite hand seals, and then glances back, a ghost of doubt on her face. “Um…any pointers?”

Sasuke’s mouth twitches at this.

In the end, he gives her a demonstration and the same advice his father offered. She masters the technique faster than he did. Not on the first try, like Itachi, but within hours. He puts that down to her excellent chakra control and the fact that, as a jōnin, learning to master new techniques quickly is a prerequisite. There’s a huge difference between her abilities and those of a seven-year-old with self-esteem issues.

Thanks to her instant healing abilities, there’s no obvious signs of damage – her cheeks aren’t burned and her lips aren’t chapped from the flame. But the tips of her hair are singed a little and her skin is rosy from the heat.

After expelling the last fireball, Sakura coughs, smoke wafting briefly from mouth and nostrils, but when it dissipates, her eyes are dancing.

“How’s that?” she challenges, hands on her hips and chin jutted out.

Sasuke smirks. “As expected.”

“Oh, come on. That was amazing and you know it – mine might even be better than yours!”

“Don’t push it.”

She laughs at that.

“I think I burnt my tongue; my taste buds aren’t going to work properly for a week!” Her face becomes inquisitive. “What’s the occasion, though? Or did you really just want to avoid another gourmet dinner at Ichiraku’s with Naruto?”

As Sasuke has come to expect from her, Sakura provides him with an out. He’s not entirely sure how long she’s been doing that or whether it’s intentional, but he appreciates it all the same.

Even if today, he will not make use of it.

“That’s an extra benefit,” he allows, earning an amused, somewhat conspiratorial grin. He pauses again, momentarily at loss of how to say what he needs to say. Eyes trained on the surface of the lake, he steels himself and continues. “This technique…in my family, it’s a right of passage.”

He lets that sink in.

“Oh, yeah. I think you mentioned that once,” she says thoughtfully. “Or Kakashi-sensei said it. It’s like a coming-of-age tradition, right?”

“Hm,” he affirms and, trying to lace his words with meaning, confides, “It’s only passed on by close family members.”

“Right. That’s why your father taught you. It’s such a nice tradition.”

Sasuke winces inwardly because she clearly doesn’t understand what he’s trying to say. It’s not a failing on her part, either, but his own inability to properly articulate the point. The words are there, but for some reason, they die somewhere between throat and lips. Demons and malevolent gods he can take, but this five-foot-four woman with pink hair makes Sasuke nervous. And it’s not because she can crush his skull with her little finger, either.

“Until one can perform the jutsu properly, one cannot truly claim the name Uchiha,” he explains, hoping the inflexion of the words conveys his intended meaning.

But Sakura still doesn’t get it.

“That’s a lot of pressure to put on a child,” she says lightly. She’s probably imagining him struggling to learn the technique, terrified of failure.

She wouldn’t be wrong, either.

The knots in Sasuke’s stomach get worse and, if she doesn’t realise soon, he’ll have to spell it out for her. He’s half-angry about that because she’s supposed to be smarter. She should just know what he’s trying to say, and save him from making an utter fool of himself.

“Not just a child,” he corrects, again elaborately casual. “You performed it perfectly.”

Please…just…listen to what I’m trying to say.

Sakura’s breath catches in her throat.

The silence between them suddenly isn’t so companionable, but fraught with a tension like the entire world is holding it’s breath.

Sasuke doesn’t look directly at her as she parses his words, using that blinding intellect of hers to understand what he’s trying to ask, but he glimpses her face from the corner of his eye. This is how he watches her expression blossom with understanding.

Success.

He turns to her then. “I have no right to ask anything of you,” he says plainly. “Not after everything.”

“Sasuke –”

“Sakura, let me…” he trails off, jaw working and his own voice catching as the words get lost again, but damn it, he has to get this out! “I don’t know if I have the capacity to be what you want – what you’ve hoped for. Or if I can give you everything that you deserve. And it’s possible I’ve waited too long.” He swallows. “But when I think of family – even at my lowest point, where I’d given up on the idea – you were the only one I could ever see myself with, the one I…”

Again, words fail him, and Sasuke wants to yell in frustration. He needs her to know because maybe the faster he gets it out, the better the odds will be. Sakura deserves so much better – always has – and could have anyone else. She should have anyone else, but he’s still hoping against hope that she won’t want anyone else –

“Say it.”

Sasuke is rather jarringly brought out of his rambling, insecure thoughts by a cracking whisper.

Sakura stares up at him, tears welling in her eyes – why is it him who always makes her cry! He expected her to be flustered or awkward, but instead, she looks the same as she does when bracing for a physical blow.

This confuses him. “What?”

“I need you to say it,” she tells him, barely above a whisper. “Just once. Say it and mean it.” Her fists clench. “I’ll never ask to hear it again if that’s what you want, but before I can say yes – to the future, to trying, to…to all of it – you have to say it.” She takes a shuddering breath. “If you can’t, then I…I…”

She trails off as if the idea is too hard for her to even enunciate, too painful to consider – for either of them.

Sasuke has never been good with words.

What he feels for Sakura, he doesn’t want to – can’t, really – put into words. There is no collection of syllables or sounds that are accurate enough to describe the girl who gave him her heart when they were children. The woman who waited for him for years; forgave him for trying to kill her, their best friend, and their entire village.

He has wandered the world, looking for redemption and it’s only since returning here that he’s realised he had it the whole time.

He wants to tell her all of that, but he doesn’t think she’ll understand. Not now, not yet – not while they are still getting used to being around one another. Maybe after a lifetime, if she’ll give him that, it will come easier – his words and her ability to trust in him.

But for now, she wants something so simple, something almost infantile, as if a set phrase is a guarantee – a safety net or a reward of some kind. He knows this, but struggles to give it to her, because it’s just so insufficient. And everything about him to date, when it relates to her, has been insufficient.

If he does this wrong, she’ll turn away; it’s why she’s giving him this ultimatum in the first place. In their time apart, she’s developed into a strong, independent individual with unapologetic self-respect and unmalleable resolve.

She knows what his hopes are, the second of his ultimate goals. And even though he doesn’t deserve it, he won’t lie and say it isn’t one of his motivations. But Sakura won’t become the vehicle for his happiness unless she’s sure she’ll benefit from it as well. It’s only fair and Sasuke admires her all the more for it, but right now, it’s making him want to turn tail and run.

“Sakura…”

He really, really wishes he was better at this.

Just do it already, you ass.

And why isn’t it surprising that, in this moment where the rest of his life might change for better or worse, Sasuke can clearly hear the voice of his idiot best friend telling him what to do? It almost makes him want to check to make sure the fool isn’t lurking somewhere nearby.

Regardless of it’s source, the advice is right. No more good can come of waiting.

Sasuke bends down so that his forehead presses against Sakura’s, bringing them eye to eye. She tenses up and her pale cheeks flush with colour, her lips parting in surprise. If this position prevents Sakura from seeing the colour rising on his own face and neck or noticing that his hand is shaking as it gently takes hers, all the better.

“I don’t know what the future holds,” he says in a low voice, “but I want to spend it with you.”

Her lower lip trembles at this.

“Because…because you love me?” Sakura prompts, the question a whisper but with a mettle to it, a firm reminder that she will not let him off easy in this moment.

Sasuke exhales through his nose in defeat, eyes closed in affectionate resignation.

“Hm. Because I love you.”

When he opens his eyes, Sakura’s are (if possible) wider than he has ever seen. The utter shock etched into every other feature is simultaneously amusing and worrisome; he wonders dimly if against all odds, this is finally what breaks her.

Putting some distance between their faces, he gently taps two fingers beneath the rhombus-shaped seal on her forehead – partially to make sure she’s still cognizant, but also to drive the message home. Sakura has never completely understood the gesture before in the handful of instances he’s demonstrated it, but now understanding flickers into place.

That this is not just today and not only because she asked him, but that he has wanted this for so much longer.

Glassy green eyes are now overflowing with tears, the droplets winding down the curves of her cheeks and quivering jaw. Mild panic sets in – why is she upset? Shouldn’t she be happy?

“Sakura, why are you cry – mmph!”

Fingers fist in his shirt and a pair of soft lips are planted very firmly against his own.

Sasuke stands frozen for several seconds. Dimly, he supposes he should’ve expected this, because isn’t this what’s meant to happen when two people acknowledge feelings for one another? Essentially, he just asked Sakura to spend the rest of her life with him, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that there would be a physical confirmation of this. Only, he didn’t quite expect it to happen so fast. Well, fast, he thinks, is relative. They have been building up to this since childhood, but he’s still not sure –

“You’re supposed to kiss me back,” Sakura mumbles against his mouth. If he wasn’t blushing before, the embarrassment hits fully now. Still, the permission takes at least some of his discomfiture away.

Slow and tentative, Sasuke returns the kiss.

It’s clumsy and uncertain because he’s never done this before, but she makes a small, approving noise at the back of her throat and he guesses he’s doing something right.

Sakura tastes like smoke from the Katon and something sweet he doesn’t have a name for. He suspects he could spend the rest of his life trying to figure it out without success, but that idea doesn’t bother him at all.

She fits her mouth over his, softly pulling his bottom lip between hers, and Sasuke’s senses fade out. Something like relief passes over him, as if a weight has been pulled from his very soul. The last, tightly coiled vestiges of doubt and anxiety that have gathered in him for years are now gone, and the only thing in the world is her.

That in itself is mildly terrifying, but in a good way.

Achingly slowly, Sakura pulls away from him, reaching up to brush his hair away from his left eye. Her fingers stay in place, keeping the strands from falling back while her thumb traces a gentle arc from eyebrow to temple.

He leans into the touch and she grins at him.

“Well?” she prompts. “What do you think?”

“…hm?” It should concern Sasuke that his brain takes a second or two to catch up.

“Better than Naruto, right?” she wants to know.

The post-kiss haze vanishes.

Sasuke sputters out a wordless response because that’s not how these things are supposed to go. His people skills might be rusty, but he’s pretty sure it’s far from normal to remind the man who just confessed his feelings about his (very unwilling) first (and second) kiss with their mutual best friend.

Sakura is laughing – at him or at the situation, he doesn’t know. He should be annoyed about this – and if she ever tells anyone about this he will be – but the tears in her eyes are from mirth, not pain or sadness and, for once, he doesn’t regret putting them there.

“Yes, by the way,” she tells him happily, leaning into his chest. “Yes to all of it.”

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終わり

I hope you enjoyed the story! As part of the SasuSakuFestival, please go vote, like and/or reblog, it would be majorly appreciated!

クリ

#sasusaku #ssfest17 #ssfestentry #ssfanfiction #ssfestday2 #submission

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setaripendragon · 7 years

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Familiar Strangers - Two: Sai

One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Seven - Eight - Nine - Ten Bonus scenes: Five-Point-Five - Seven-Point-Five I really hope I’ve managed to find the right balance between the mistrust and the familiar assumptions that are being made. As always, if you recognise it, and it’s not from Naruto, it’s a headcanon I’ve absorbed from the amazing @blackkatmagic. And a standard warning for unreliable narrators.

Sai crouched down beside Sakura, tucked away behind the half destroyed wall so that anyone approaching from the corridor wouldn’t see him until it was too late. The battle raging behind him was so loud he would notice if it drifted too far his way, although he glanced at them occasionally to make sure that stayed true.

There was something very wrong with this situation. Naruto and Sakura were wrong, in a way that Sai couldn’t quite put his finger on. Oh, the physical changes were obvious, and a red flag that something wasn’t right here. But there were all sorts of jutsu that could affect the body; age it, de-age it, change appearance, both illusory changes and actual physical alterations. There were old records of a kekkai genkai that enabled the users to change gender on a whim. It was entirely possible that it was only their appearances that had changed.

Except they weren’t remarking on the oddity. Sakura wasn’t at all perturbed by her long hair, Naruto wasn’t flailing about where his shoes had gone. They were acting as though it was normal. And then there was that odd thing about the Uchiha. Naruto was single-mindedly focused on the Uchiha, everyone with half a brain in Konoha knew that, but the Uchiha had vanished, and Naruto had laughed.

Wrong, Sai knew. And if Naruto was wrong, inside, in his personality and emotions, then Sakura was too, because she had been caught in the jutsu too. Was it an allegiance-compulsion jutsu? Was it a memory altering jutsu? Was it a mind-replacing jutsu? Was it some kind of personality suppression seal?

“Sai, how good is your chakra control?” Sakura asked, eyes slightly glazed as she kept an eye on the fight inside the destroyed room. An act? Or genuine pain? Sai couldn’t tell, couldn’t be sure, and it was making him twitchy.

“Fairly good. Why?” Sai asked, wary.

“I think I can walk you through fixing what’s wrong with my chakra coils.”

Sai might have reconsidered his suspicions at that, if it hadn’t been for what she’d done to protect herself from Orochimaru. If she could do that with her chakra – which was easier to control than emotions and willpower – then even having someone messing about in her chakra coils would be something she could fight off. Unless Sai was better at chakra control than she was, which was, well, laughable. The only person he would credit with better chakra control than Sakura would be Tsunade herself, and even that might change in a few years.

He would play along for now, though, until he knew more about what was going on. “Alright, if you’re sure.” He offered as a response. Sakura smiled at him, and that was another thing wrong. It was friendly, without animosity. Sai might not be all that good with people and emotions, but they were predictable in their own way. He’d already realised that Sakura wasn’t going to let that nickname slide past her, but now she seemed to have forgotten he’d ever called her ugly.

“Lay your hands on my stomach and forehead.” Sakura instructed, and Sai obeyed. “Twine our chakra flows together at those points. What flows through me flows through you flows through me. Just a little, just the tiniest amount-”

“Sharing chakra?” Sai asked, focusing on what she’d told him to do anyway, because he wasn’t sure what stopping now might do, to either of them. “What could that possibly-” He cut himself off, because he’d just felt something uncoil in Sakura’s system, responding to the small influx of chakra. A knot of tension in her head that had disrupted her chakra flow and destabilised the whole system. “Oh.”

“Yup.” Sakura confirmed, relaxing. “Head wounds are a bitch to heal. Thank you, Sai.”

“You’re welcome, Sakura.” Sai replied evenly, just to see how she’d react.

Nothing. No reaction, when he’d so rarely called her by name before. But she was treating it as though it was normal. Faulty memories? Or no memories? It could be that she thought he would call her by name, or it could be that she was only reacting like it was normal because he’d made it seem normal. He would have to watch her closely to figure it out. Watch her closely, and behave abnormally.

“Well.” Sakura announced, and pushed herself upright. Her legs immediately gave way on her, and Sai was at her side to catch her as she wobbled and fell. Staggering, but upright, Sakura lifted a hand to her head, and groaned. “Oh, ow. Concussion.” She muttered. “Shit, okay. Down again.”

Sai set her down, and, after a moment’s thought, rolled his eyes the way he’d seen her do when Naruto charged off recklessly. Sakura snorted a laugh. “Yes, thank you, I know that was stupid.” She told him dryly. “Just, let me-” She cradled her head in her glowing green hands. “Talk to me. I need to keep myself… present.”

“About what?” Sai asked, mind still half on her reaction. Treating a gesture he wouldn’t normally use as though it were normal. And as if they were friends, and he had a right to be exasperated by her stubbornness. He had done little to encourage that interpretation. The most she could assume was team-mate, simply because Yamato had been acting like a commander to both of them, and Sai wasn’t attacking her. But for her to act as a friend to him suggested it wasn’t that she didn’t remember, it was that her memories had been twisted. Twisted how?

Sai thought Sakura was rolling her eyes behind her hands, but it was hard to be sure. “Anything. Any interesting dreams last night? First date disasters? Stupid ways missions have gone to hell? Any good gossip?”

Sai stared at her. Spy, he decided. She was gathering information by pretending to be his friend, so perhaps she really didn’t remember him. But what was her goal? And why did she feel she needed to treat Sai like an enemy ninja? “I don’t think you want to hear about my dreams.” Sai told her, considering his choice of words carefully. He was not an infiltration specialist, because he was no where near good enough at faking being like other people. He didn’t think he could lie convincingly, not without a pre-arranged story to stick to. “I’ve never been on a date. Most of my missions are classified. I don’t listen to gossip.”

None of that seemed to get a reaction out of Sakura, but then most of her face was hidden behind her hands as she worked on healing her concussion. If she even had one. That sharing chakra trick proved something was wrong, but it had also been an excellent excuse to get a very personal feel for just how strong Sai was. And now she was using her concussion as an excuse to dig for information.

“Never been on a date? Because of a lack of interest, or too much interest?” Sakura asked after a pause, a hint of something strange in her voice.

It took him far too long to figure out what it was. “Oh, you’re teasing me.” He realised. That made Sakura snort with wry amusement and offer an affirmative hum. “Are you going to accuse me of stalking the Uchiha, too?” He asked curiously. He’d been wondering about that.

“The Uchiha?” Sakura echoed mildly. “No, I wasn’t going to accuse you of stalking Sasuke.”

After a moment to consider the conversation, and what he’d learned from it, Sai asked “Like you did?” with a sweetly innocent and patently false smile, just in case Sakura looked up. She didn’t, though, staying right where she was with glowing green hands pressed over her eyes and forehead.

“I didn’t stalk him.” Sakura protested. “I just… showed an avid interest.”

Past tense, which was consistent, but… light hearted and playful, which was not. Sakura had been morose and irritable by turns whenever the top of the Uchiha came up, referring to her crush with either aching nostalgia or bitter contempt for her past self. This was teasing, again, but directed at herself. “An avid interest that included knowledge of his choice in underwear?” Sai asked curiously, because that was one of the things he’d read about, in researching these romantic attachments. Although, it usually seemed to be the men investigating the woman’s underthings.

Sakura did look up at that, her healing faltering, her eyes wide. Abruptly, her cheeks flamed crimson. “I only learned that after we were put on a team together, thank you!” She snapped, fierce. He’d made her angry. That had not been his intent.

“You were still romantically interested in him then.” Sai pointed out.

“Less and less by the day!” Sakura retorted, heated.

Sai decided to disregard her tone entirely, and focus on what she said, because that… That did not match the information he’d been given about Team Seven’s earlier days. By the reports, Sakura might not have been as helpless in her pursuit of the Uchiha, but it was still very much a driving force, only broken by seeing her other team-mate put in the hospital by the Uchiha.

With a sigh, Sakura lowered her head back into her hands, but it took a moment for them to start glowing again. “We were supposed to be talking about your love life.” She complained, pointedly but without any force behind it. It was almost a whine.

“Given that it does not exist, that would be hard.” Sai countered.

“Hmm, I’ll have to set you up with someone. Ino-chan, maybe?” Sakura suggested thoughtfully.

Sai considered that. “Your… childhood rival?” He questioned, as if he were uncertain.

“Mm.” Sakura confirmed, but she sounded a little less than convincing. “I guess she was.”

A lie? She could simply be conforming to the story Sai had offered up, though it didn’t help him figure out if she was herself with messed up or missing memories, or someone more malicious who was very good at acting. This was not Sai’s area of expertise. “How is your head?” Sai asked, in lieu of any other way to keep the conversation going.

“Better.” Sakura assured him, and didn’t pause in her healing. “How’s the fight going?”

Sai glanced over his shoulder. The flares of chakra he’d been keeping track of told him that all three fighters had been throwing out jutsu of all kinds, but he hadn’t quite been prepared for the sight of Naruto throwing out a fire jutsu, following up with a wind jutsu that created several swirling eddies of razor-sharp winds, that blew right through the fire, catching it and pulling it with it, until there were a dozen fire tornadoes bearing down on the snake sannin.

Orochimaru countered with a blast of water, then swept into the ensuing steam and vanished. Yamato threw up a wooden wall that curved around himself and Naruto just in time to protect them from the shuriken that came sweeping out of the mist, curving through the air to come at them sideways. A hint of a blur disappearing over the top of the wall, and a flare of kyuubi chakra suggested that Orochimaru now had them trapped inside their protective wall.

Except then there was a flash, an explosion, and Orochimaru went flying into a wall so hard it cracked. He launched right back off it, but not before the shelter disappeared again, revealing a shaken Yamato and a viciously grinning Naruto. They dodged Orochimaru’s sword and Naruto summoned up a grabbing hand made of earth that Orochimaru dodged with ease, and continued to chase after a laughing jinchuuriki. “Naruto seems to be holding his own well, with Yamato-taicho’s help.” Sai informed Sakura.

“Good.” Sakura announced smugly.

“You’re not surprised?” Sai asked her, raising an eyebrow.

Sakura looked up at him, the green fading from her hands again as she considered that. “Not really. I mean, Naruto in a serious fight is nothing to scoff at. He’s a fully fledged jinchuuriki, that gives him an advantage over most shinobi just by default.”

“Fully fledged?” Sai echoed, puzzled by the term, and also suspicious of it.

Sakura seemed startled by his lack of comprehension. “Well, yes? The kyuubi isn’t dormant inside him, you know?” She gestured towards the fight.

“I know.” Sai confirmed, and observed the sharp look Sakura sent him curiously. What had he said to trigger that openly wary look? Was she done playing nice? If so, why? “Yamato-taicho was chosen for this team for that reason.” He reminded her, to see how she reacted.

Sakura looked over at the fight again, and nodded. “Of course.” She agreed softly.

Not giving up her act, then. Which left Sai still struggling to understand what her game was and why she was playing it in the first place. He was not an infiltration expert. He was an assassination expert. Sakura was going to be so much better at this than he would.

And that was the point, of course. Sakura was keeping the fight on a battleground where she had an advantage. Which meant she likely knew that Sai was socially incompetent, and if she knew that much about him, how much else did she know, or think she knew? After all, she had been the one to suggest Yamato go to assist Naruto, leaving her with the less experienced psychological fighter, while Yamato was distracted trying to keep up with the chakra reserves of an Uzumaki jinchuuriki.

She’s good, Sai realised.

Movement in the corner of his eye made Sai duck on reflex. He turned his head, zeroing in on the dark shape that had swooped over him, and saw a crow sweep between the three fighters in the middle of the destroyed room. The three of them stopped, Naruto first, going very still as he tracked the bird, then Orochimaru, whose eyes widened and his hand clenched around the hilt of his sword. Yamato took his cue from them, and paused, in a ready stance, eyeing the bird like it was about to explode.

The bird let out a single, raucous caw, then swooped around, and vanished in a puff of smoke. A summon. And there was only one man currently known to hold a contract with crows. But if Itachi was here, then Naruto was in danger, because he wouldn’t think of protecting himself from Akatsuki, when the Uchiha would be throwing himself at his brother.

Sure enough, one glance showed that Naruto had gone pale. “Shit.” He swore, and lurched past Orochimaru, aiming for the side of the corridor the crow had arrived from, which would take him straight past Sai and Sakura. Yamato lunged to intercept him, but Naruto darted off to one side, and summoned more of those odd glowing chains to wrap around Yamato and hold him down as Naruto bolted past him. If Sai had thought there was something wrong before, he was sure now. The Naruto he knew would never – never – attack a team-mate.

Sai rose to his feet, ready to try and intercept an enemy ninja, when the sound of crushed glass caught his ear behind him, and he knew his mistake. He’d left an enemy behind him, unobserved. He threw a handful of shuriken at Naruto to slow him down, to give Sai enough time to look behind him.

He caught a face full of translucent blue-ish gas, and the sickly sweet dizziness that washed over him was more than enough to convince him to stop breathing it in. Something glinted, and Sai dodged on instinct, and the kanzashi – clever; to hide a sharp weapon in her oh-so-pretty hair ornaments – scratched his collarbone, but didn’t sink into the delicate skin of his neck.

Sakura slipped around him while he was disoriented, and lunged for Naruto. Sai wondered – hazily, pressing a sleeve to his mouth to keep any more of that gas from getting into his lungs – if he had misjudged her, but no. No, she had attacked first, to get past him, which meant Naruto’s goal had been Sakura, not the corridor. Not Sasuke.

Who the hell are they?

The kunoichi and the jinchuuriki collided like allies who’d practised a move so often they could do it in their sleep, angling themselves a little sideways so they didn’t crash, Naruto’s arms wrapping around Sakura even as hers went up over his shoulder, not to match the embrace, but to fling- Those were the glass beads off her bracelets. Sai had thought them decoration, a terrible idea for a shinobi to be wearing, but they weren’t. As those glass capsules left her fingers, a shimmer of chakra had them shattering, and releasing condensed gas right in Yamato’s and Orochimaru’s faces.

Yamato stumbled backwards, hand up to block his mouth, while Orochimaru ducked sideways, avoiding the poisonous cloud with an intent look on his face as he swept towards the two of them. Sai decided not to intervene, because they were both enemies, and it was better to let them fight it out and pick through the wreckage to figure out what had happened, rather than risk getting caught in the middle of someone else’s fight.

A flash of red light, and Naruto and Sakura were gone.

Sai stared at the place where they’d disappeared, only paying the barest sliver of attention to the snake sannin sliding to a stop with hands clenched into fists. Since when had anyone recovered enough of the lost knowledge of sealing techniques to recreate the hiraishin in its entirety? The last great fuinjutsu masters had been Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, and they had taken so much of their knowledge to their graves. The sannin were good at sealing, but not that good.

“What just happened here?” Yamato asked, scrubbing a hand over his hair.

Orochimaru’s eyes flickered to him. “I do not know.” He said slowly, thoughtfully. It wasn’t a happy tone of voice, that much even Sai could tell. “But I am going to find out.”

#Naruto #Team Seven #Sai #Familiar Strangers #I just really love writing deciet #mainly when the audience KNOWS the PoV character is being played #and when even the PoV character knows they're being played #but there's just nothing they can do about it #they're just #spying and counter-spying and counter-counter spying #it's so much fun #I hope I didn't make Sai too emotive #I have a lot of trouble with the unemotional characters #since most of my writing is emotion-driven

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mookaron · 6 years

Text

In this lies my honour and my reward

Chapter 1: Even In Dreams

*Oi, Naruto. Wake up. You have training today*. A breathy voice murmured. Naruto opened his eyes, still bleary from the morning haze. Kurama was awake before him, surprisingly. That fox slept like the dead most of the time.

"Hnngh..."

Was all Naruto could be bothered to get out before promptly going back to sleep. He stayed up until the ungodly hours of the night the day before and wasn't about to answer to a wake-up call. Besides, Kakashi-sensei was never on time, even when the schedule was changed to his liking.

The bijuu sighed heavily at his poor response, curling a hint of his chakra out of Naruto's seal, preparing to slap him awake. Naruto barely blinked at the action, and the tail rose higher and made its descent.

"I'm awake! I'm awake!" Naruto cried, sitting up and glaring at the tail of red chakra staring right back at him. It was inches away from his face. Kurama chuckled, pulling back his tail.

*Get your ass out of bed, brat. You're supposed to meet your team on the bridge at eight thirty.*

Naruto frowned at the reminder. He wasn't sure when the Kyuubi no Kitsune became his surrogate mother, but that fox was definitely more of a softie than he was letting on. At least Kurama wasn't biting his head off every time Naruto tried to talk to him anymore.

It'd been two years since Naruto became friends with the bijuu. At first, they were both hesitant to open up to each other- seeing as they were the cause of each other's problems. Naruto, Kurama's jailer; and Kurama, Naruto's reason for being an outcast. They were past all that now.

Naruto climbed up from his bed, stifling a yawn and casting a glance at the alarm. It reads 8:00. He wasn't late at all.

"Kurama," Naruto started, grumbling. The Kyuubi smirked in response, a flash of sharp teeth and amusement.

*It's a good habit to get up early, you know. Besides, you need to eat breakfast.*

The thought of food had his stomach growling, and he pouted. Naruto wanted nothing more than to crawl back under the covers and just go to sleep for an entire week, but he knew better than that. Besides, Sasuke and Sakura would most likely decapitate him for sleeping that long.

After all, they were going to learn fuuinjutsu today, and that was something his mother had been good at, according to Kurama. If there were a chance that Naruto could learn something about his parents besides the things the Kyuubi told him, he would do anything to gain just the slightest connection.

His mother. A fuinjutsu master. Maybe Naruto could follow in her footsteps one day.

Summoning up what little energy he could muster, Naruto smiled in satisfaction.

"Yosh! Let's get to it!"

___

By the time Naruto arrived at the bridge, he was coated with a thin layer of sweat. The beginning of summer did little to ease the humidity of the Land of Fire, especially when it just rained yesterday. He huffed a sigh, but grinned when he saw Sasuke and Sakura waiting for him.

The two were leaning against the railings, talking idly.

"Morning, Sasuke, Sakura-chan." Naruto waved exuberantly, walking towards them. Sasuke glared, though the traitorous quirk of his lips ruined the effect of the mulish expression.

"Morning." Sakura greeted back. She was twirling her pink hair absently, staring off into space. "I see Kakashi-sensei decided to be late again."

Sasuke huffed, a dark look in his eyes as he scanned the outline of the forest as if their jounin team-leader would pop out of the trees. Their sensei was a pain at times, always cropping up in odd places, at equally odd times.

Sakura frowned and rolled her eyes. “Always reading porn in public- one would think the man has no sense of moral decency.” She lets out an amused huff, glancing at her teammates.

"Always late, and has the emotional range of a chair." Naruto's eyebrows raised at Sasuke's words.

"You're one to talk."

"Shut up, loser."

Team seven settled back into their familiar banter, trading stories back and forth all while making jabs at their absent team teacher. Lost in the midst of their banter, none of the trio notices the silver-haired jounin lounging on a branch nearby. He smiled, well hidden under the dark fabric of his mask, recalling a time when the three could barely stand each other's company.

It struck a chord within Kakashi, the way they laughed and joked as if they had been friends for years. He pressed a hand to his right eye.

Obito. Rin.

Minato, I wish you could see your son.

Kakashi jumped down from the branches, making his way towards his students.

"Morning, Naruto, Sasuke, Sak-"

"You're late." The three muttered in unison, scowling up at him with vicious eyes. Kakashi took a step back and placed his hands up in surrender. His genin might just be genin- but they knew their way around pointy weapons and he didn’t want to tempt them.

"Mah, it's a one-time thing." He said, though that was obviously a blatant lie. Almost all of their training sessions started with him being at least a few hours late, but that was on purpose. If team seven could handle being alone with each other, then he's done his job.

"Today, we'll be learning some basics to fuuinjutsu." Kakashi lead them over to a grass clearing and spread out his sealing tools on the ground. Naruto actually had the nerve to look interested, while Sasuke and Sakura merely stared.

This was going to be an exciting lesson.

"Fuuinjutsu is an important part of shinobi life. You can use it to make exploding tags, sealing scrolls, anything that can be contained is influenced by this specific type of chakra manipulation." Kakashi continued, pointing at an inked paper and rolled up bamboo scrolls. As he watched for everyone's reaction, it seemed that Naruto was the only one who was on his toes. It was quite rare for him to be, too.

Kushina was like this, once upon a time. The thought was humbling, knowing that he was responsible for forming these children into shinobi who could endure.

Kakashi swallowed heavily, knowing that fuuinjutsu was the glory and downfall of the Uzumaki clan. Konoha sealing masters were seen as newborns when compared to the legendary ones in Uzushiogakure. It was practically fate for Naruto to be interested in his family's legacy without even knowing it ever existed.

Kakashi paused from his lecture, and gestured to the forest around them.

"Three laps around the base of the mountain. Go."

The complaining from the three might as well have been wake-up calls for the entirety of Konoha.

Kakashi watched their retreating forms, nothing more than a hazy light in the morning dew. He returned to his scrolls, dragging a brush pen across the paper, preparing the seals he needed.

Distinctly, he wondered if Naruto would have gotten the chance to learn Uzushio style fuinjutsu were it not for the destruction of the village. His people.

Kushina was sent from Uzushiogakure to be a jinchuuriki, but also as a safety net from the collateral damage of the fighting between Iwagakure and Kirigakure. She was to be clan leader, after all. However, after the destruction of the village, there was no more clan for her to lead, apart from her own family. And when she and Minato died, the role would have been passed on to Naruto...

It pained him to keep such information from the boy, but seeing as they were the Sandaime's orders, Kakashi had no choice but to obey.

Obey, obey.

It seemed that was all he could do.

Kakashi shook his head, banishing his thoughts. It would be useless to think of that now. He had to focus on the task at hand.

Dipping his brush in ink, Kakashi drew it across the paper in smooth, neat strokes. Simple sealing jutsus, designed for genin. The plan for their training in Fuinjutsu would be short, but considering that there wasn't much material to learn, it was to be expected of the art.

First, sealing jutsus for the three of them to recognize and break. Then, creating and unraveling the steps in making a proper seal. The last step was to learn to apply seals to weapons, according to the official handbook.

Screw the official handbook.

Kakashi's team was more than capable of making and memorizing seals. Glancing up from his work, the jounin leader stood up to welcome back the three sweaty genin.

"Ah, back already?" Kakashi joked.

The three were sweating like pigs.

Killing intent radiated off of them like heat. Sasuke had his Sharingan activated, and his arms were crossed. Sakura and Naruto mimicked his stance, and together they resembled the Legendary Sannin; complete with murderous looks and commanding presence. Kakashi, it seemed, raised a few monsters of his own.

"I'll have your head by tomorrow morning." Sasuke murmured.

Naruto nodded, squinting up at Kakashi. "His hair's mine."

"Hm," Sakura hummed thoughtfully. "I'm taking the money."

And together team seven smiled eerily innocent smiles, while Kakashi was dying on the inside.

___

Naruto was definitely one of the strangest shinobi Sasuke had ever met. One minute he was a blubbering fool and the next, a prodigy rivaling that of his brother. He may be dense as a rock and bat-shit crazy, but he was strong.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura had been training in the fields for the past six hours, taking breaks now and then. It seemed like a tight schedule to most people, but the chuunin exams were almost here, and they weren't about to slack off any time soon. Fuuinjutsu was harder than it looks. It didn't even occur to Sasuke that there would be thousands of fuinjutsu techniques, but apparently, they had to memorize them all.

According to Kakashi, anyway. And no one ever knew if the masked jounin was joking or perfectly serious.

Sasuke watched Naruto across the stream, cooling off by scrubbing the sweat and grime off his face using the cold water. Kakashi, being the try-hard that he was, decided to rig their usual training regime with explosive tags to ' motivate them ' and force them to seal items under pressure.

Naruto did better than Sasuke and Sakura combined.

Sasuke had no idea where his sudden expertise in fuuinjutsu came from, but he sure as hell was dying to find out.

"Oi, loser."

Naruto looked up, raising an eyebrow in annoyance at the nickname. Sasuke smirked in delight.

He looked cute when he was annoyed.

The Uchiha stuffed the thought down as quickly as it had come, fighting the blush that was threatening to creep into his face.

Dammit.

He feigned nonchalance instead, trying best he could to forget his sudden revelation.

"Where'd you learn to do fuinjutsu so well?"

And just like that, Naruto's face falls. He turns, ducking his head away from Sasuke's vision. That was unexpected. What did Sasuke say wrong?

"My-" Naruto started, brows creased in worry. "My mom was," He blew out a breath, moving his blond hair out of his face.

"Supposedly one of the best fuinjutsu masters." He said finally, not daring to meet Sasuke's eyes.

Oh. Oh .

Sasuke wasn't stupid enough to ignore the past tense in his teammate's sentence, nor the sadness lingering in the blond's eyes like a summer rainstorm. He recognized the pain, heart clenching at the memory of his own mother. They were both orphans, left behind with nothing more than a painful reminder that they were complete and utterly alone in the world.

Sasuke nodded solemnly.

A heartbeat passes, then some. The tension in the air was thick, but both boys were too lost in their own thoughts to notice.

"So, are you excited?" Naruto finally looked Sasuke in the eye, a smile replacing the grim, empty look he was sporting earlier. His desire to change the subject was evident.

Sasuke complied. "About what?"

Naruto flashed a bright grin, giving the Uchiha a big thumbs up.

"We have our first C-rank mission next week!"

"You're that excited? About a C-rank mission?" Sasuke asked, smiling despite himself. That Uzumaki's attitude was contagious.

"I heard the pay's good."

"Who's getting paid?" Sakura chimed in, rinsing her hands with a towel.

___

Hyuuga Hinata didn't know what to do with herself. After yet another day of training by hands of her merciless father, she was more than ready to pass out. At the academy, she was always a bit surprised to find that no one else's parents beat their kids to the point of exhaustion, and that no one else came to school bearing more abuse than a jounin ninja.

But she was Hyuuga, and that was what was expected of her.

Hinata stared up at the stars, wishing that she was never born. The Hyuuga reject, a pariah in her own family. Useless. Pathetic. Weak.

She cradled her swollen, bloody hands, and sighed. There weren't many places where she could be complete and utterly alone, but the top of Konoha mountain was one of them. At least from here, she could be separated from her clan.

Hinata watched Konoha from above, warily eyeing the Hyuuga compound in the darkness. She had at least a half-hour before they would wonder where she had gone, and go looking.

Thirty minutes to herself was more than enough.

She took out a small medic pack hidden beneath the layers of her kimono, setting the items in it on the cold stones of the mountain. It was packed to the brim with painkillers, gauze, stitches, and bandages. They were all half-used, and she only bought it a few days ago. Hinata prepared a clean swab, dipping it in cleansing alcohol and applying it to her arms. The bleeding had stopped, but it was on the verge of an infection, and she had to take care of that before it got any worse.

The first touch stung, and Hinata clenched her teeth to keep from screaming. The cuts were deep, and already starting to swell. It was nestled beside dozens of other fading scars. Scars she knew would stay with her for a lifetime.

It was almost like a brand.

Arms shaking with pain, she turned once again to the bag and took a needle, threading it with surgical silk. Carefully, she pulled the skin over the folds of the cut and began.

By now, she was used to it. Although Hinata was nowhere near a medical-nin and had no experience healing herself with ninjutsu, she could at least do the bare minimum. After all, she had lots of time to practice on herself.

Dots of blood seeped through the silk, turning the almost transparent color crimson. It was designed to dissolve after several weeks, so at least that was working in her favor.

Everything else wasn't, though. Training was about as challenging as an A-rank mission, except there was an absolute guarantee that Hinata would be hurt. Her father pitted her against Neji and Hanabi, who were both more skilled than any other Hyuuga their age. It was the same routine every single day. Wake up, eat, train with Kurenai, practice with the Hyuuga, sleep. Over and over again.

Hinata refused to hurt Neji and Hanabi every time. No matter how hard her father coerced her with force, no matter how much everyone else screamed at her, spat in her face, hit her— she refused to hurt them.

Because Hanabi and Neji were the only family that truly loved her, no matter how long ago that was. And she wouldn't ever dare hurt her most precious people. Only protect.

That was what Hinata's mother had told her before she died.

'Protect who you love.'

Protect who she loved? Or who loved her back? Because it seemed the only ones who actually cared about her well being was Kurenai-sensei and her team— and even then, only as classmates.

It was so unfair, so cruel. She loved Hanabi and Neji with all her heart, never wavered to protect them, care for them and yet- And yet...

It was just better for her to die.

Hinata paused her stitching, gasping when she realized that in her haze of thoughts, she ended up doing more harm than good to her wounds. Dabbing the cleanser once more, she returned to it with steadier hands. The sun was long gone from the horizon, and along with it, the warmth of day. Hinata shivered, pulling her Kimono closer.

Her time was almost up. Hinata had to return home.

Home .

Vaguely, she wondered she would ever have such a thing.

___

It had been a long time since he had nightmares of his brother. And yet here he was once again, in the cold Uchiha compound, surrounded by the bodies of his clan. The memory of seeing his grandparent and cousins laying dead on the floor was more than enough to make him want to empty his stomach.

Blood trickled down the walls, and the scent practically made him pass out.

And there was Itachi, back turned to him and sword drawn, his parent's corpses on the ground. Sasuke remembered it all-too-clearly, the look on Itachi's face as he faced him, eyes shining a deep red hue.

"I-Itachi?" Sasuke whispered, hugging the door to the main bedroom.

" Why- what-"

"My foolish little brother." Itachi spat, spinning a kunai in his free hand.

Sasuke shrank back beneath his brother's stare, eyes trained on his mother. She was beside his father, eyes blank and staring at Sasuke. His hands started to shake, whether from anger or fear, he didn't know.

Suddenly, he felt the cold touch of metal against his throat, aimed to kill.

"I told you I would get you." Itachi raised the tip higher, tipping Sasuke's head towards the ceiling.

Sasuke's blood ran cold. His knees buckled, and he collapsed on the floor with heaving sobs.

"Please, I- I don't-" He begged as tears flooded his vision.

I don't want to die.

Itachi curled the kunai, pressing its blade into Sasuke's skin, and in one neat stroke, slit his throat.

___

Sasuke struggled for breath as his throat closed in panic, and sat up abruptly. He was drenched in sweat, cheeks warm with tears as he struggled to remember how to breathe , how to make his lungs take in oxygen.

Itachi.

Mother. Father.

Sasuke cradled his head, digging into his hair with frustration. Why? Why? Why them, out of everyone in the world? Why would his brother, who loved him and cared for him, suddenly kill everyone? His whole body shook with pain, and Sasuke cried freely.

He cried for his cousins, for his parents, for the children who had their lives taken before they had the chance to enjoy them.

He cried for himself, the sole survivor of the massacre.

He sobbed until his tears were no more than choked up hiccups, dying down into exhausted sniffles. His eyes felt dry now, as if he hadn’t poured out his grief and the irony was not lost on him.

Sasuke stood up shakily on wobbly legs, wiping away any remnants of tears. He couldn't stay any longer, couldn't bear to live in the same house where his entire family was slaughtered.

Hesitantly he placed a hand against the walls, guiding himself under cover of darkness. The walls were once painted in the blood of his clan, he knew. It had all been scrubbed away, but for a second he thought he could see the bodies again, could feel the devastating killing intent.

Sasuke closed his eyes, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood, the iron-copper tang metallic on his tongue as he licked it away absentmindedly.

He stopped just outside the gates, stumbling at the sight of the Uchiha crest.

He hated that figure. Hated the compound. Hated his name. Hated his brother.

Hated the horrible burden placed on him by someone who used to love him.

He walked up to it, touching the red and white fan with delicate hands. Sasuke swallowed the sob in his throat, his body giving up and forcing him to lean against the stone. The coolness of the wall brought relief to him, especially when the night was as humid and hot as the sheen of sweat on his face.

Why did it have to be him?

How pathetic, Sasuke thought. The last Uchiha , crying and stumbling around in his own house, begging before the very symbol of his clan.

But, there was nowhere for him to go. The compound was as much a jailer to him as a graveyard.

But...

There was someone he could rely on. It would destroy his pride, but he needed comfort, and that simply didn't exist within the Clan base.

At least, not anymore.

___

The last thing Naruto wanted was to be awoken at the ungodly hours of the night by such urgent knocks they sounded more like bombs. Who was even awake this late?

Naruto forced himself out of bed, dragging his sleepy self to the door.

"Who is it?" He grumbled, opening the door while rubbing his eyes. And immediately regretted doing so. Because standing in front of him was Uchiha Sasuke himself, eyes bloodshot and a painful look on his face.

What the hell? Was this some sort of genjutsu?

*Naruto, it's real. Kurama reassured him gently.

He didn't believe it. Not for a second. Sasuke, number one student in the Academy, the last Uchiha, was not standing in front of his door with a pillow in his hand.

"Sa-Sasuke-"

"Can I stay here for the night?" Sasuke whispered as if he was afraid to ask. His brown eyes bore into Naruto's blue ones, filled with agony.

And surprisingly, Naruto understood that kind of pain. Knew it all too well, the feeling of being lonely.

So he tipped the door further and let his teammate in, no questions asked. Sasuke walked in, surveying the small apartment with little interest. He was strangely...

Vulnerable.

It was as if he'd shed his mask of arrogance and confidence in just one night, and revealed someone completely different. It was equal parts scary and refreshing- thought Naruto cursed himself for thinking that. He was glad, at least. Sasuke trusted him enough to drop his facade, if only for one minute.

"Your apartment is messy as hell," Sasuke noted, pointing to the scattered papers lying about and dirty laundry on the floor.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the sudden change in his tone, but decided not to say anything.

"Well, I was just-" He gathered them up, concealing the files on Uzushiogakure and their forbidden sealing jutsus. He'd swiped them from the archive in the jutsu library that was off-limits to Genins. Turns out, a simple transformation into one of the jounin guards did the trick.

"I was studying more about my clan." A half-truth.

While Naruto did want to learn more about his clan, it was difficult to even come across a single file that mentioned the Uzumaki name. Uzushio, though, even harder. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack. The few papers he had gathered barely cared to mention the capabilities of his clan.

Sasuke absently nodded, fiddling with his rumpled pillow with one hand.

"You want some water?" Naruto asked, guiding him over to his bedroom. It was a bit more organized than the main room, thank kami. He switched a light on, pointing to the small closet nestled in the corner of the space.

"There's an extra futon in there. I'll get some hot water and ramen."

The Uchiha looked like he was ready to start drooling at the idea of food. Naruto smiled and turned to the kitchen. What could have happened that made Sasuke want to find sanctuary in Naruto's house, of all places? He just seemed so out of it.

"Kurama, what did you sense?" Naruto appeared before the bijuu, wringing his hands in worry.

*His chakra seems colder than usual.* He answered, seemingly lost in thought.

Naruto jumped up to Kurama's shoulder blades, leaning his body against the Kyuubi's for warmth. "Like, scary cold? Does he wanna kill me?"

*Idiot. No.* Kurama's voice rumbled softly.

*Cold, as in sad. Depressed. Shocked. All of the above. There are many ways to interpret chakra, but for one thing, it's easily riled up by strong emotions.*

Naruto processed that for a minute. Sasuke was a little out of character, but Naruto hadn't the faintest idea why. He could feel Kurama sigh at the thought.

*Look underneath the underneath.* Was the last thing the bijuu said before slumping and immediately going back to sleep.

"Hey!" Naruto jumped off of Kurama's shoulder just in time to avoid being squashed. He was already snoring loud enough for Naruto to clap his hands over his ears, glaring at the Kyuubi. He was obviously trying to point out something important if he went to extreme lengths just so that Naruto could solve this on his own. That sounded a lot similar to what an overbearing mother would do.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at Kurama, knowing full well that he was too deep in sleep to bother noticing.

Look underneath, the underneath. He had said. What the hell did that mean?

The blond racked his head, but to no avail. Might as hell ask Sasuke himself.

He returned to his room with two cups of steaming water, handing one to his friend. Sasuke was quiet as usual, but more solemnly so. His shoulders were hunched over, eyes drooping with exhaustion.

"Hey, what happened?" Naruto asked softly. Sasuke grimaced at the question,

"You don't have to tell me-"

"A nightmare." Sasuke’s eyes dropped to the floor, lips thinned into a line.

Reaching out to Sasuke, Naruto swallowed him in a hug. It was awkward at first, seeing as how neither of them knew how to communicate in such an intimate way. Sasuke soon slumped against the blond's touch, and Naruto wondered how long it had been since someone comforted him.

"It will be alright." He whispered, watching as Sasuke drew in a ragged breath. He was silent as Naruto rubbed gentle circles in his back. This was grief, Naruto realized with a heavy heart. Sasuke didn’t like to cry in front of people, he knew. Didn’t want to show weakness.

And Naruto was okay with that. He understood the feeling with a passion. But if he could offer at least some sort of security to his teammate, he would do it without a second thought.

___

When Sakura bought eight packets of dango and a surprise gift to Naruto's house planning to surprise Sasuke, she did not expect to see Sasuke there. Not in the very least.

So all she could do was stare at the two when Naruto answered the door, a sleepy Sasuke on his right.

What the...?

She dropped the basket of sweets in shock.

" You-you ," She stammered, pointing at them. “Did you fight again-”

"No, Sakura, we did not." Sasuke answered calmly, rubbing his eyelids.

The pink-haired kunoichi bit back her retort, fuming silently as she tried to gauge the situation. What happened to the fierce rivalry they developed? How had Sasuke’s cold exterior melted so easily next to Naruto?

Naruto yawned. “It was just a sleepover.”

A sleepover? Since when did Naruto and Sasuke have sleepovers? Granted, they grew closer after their first mission- Sakura included- and she wouldn’t put it past them to actually have a sleepover, but it was just so out of character. So sudden.

“Wow.” Sakura picked up her basket while eyeing the two of them suspiciously. “So, can I come in, or…?” She gestured vaguely into Naruto’s apartment.

The boy had to audacity to look confused, at least before he caught a whiff of the food. “Sakura-chan, you brought food!” Naruto exclaimed, tugging on Sasuke’s arm in delight. He opened the door further with sparkling eyes that could match Gai-sensei’s. Sakura sighed, but didn't object when the two boys pushed her through the doorway.

“It’s a little bit messy, sorry.” Naruto laughed awkwardly, then proceeded to kick an old ramen-cup under his desk.

“It’s like this all the time, Naruto.” Sakura moved to pick up pieces of rubbish on his wooden floor, throwing a glare his way as she dumped it in the trash can. “She’s right, you know.” Sasuke crossed his arms.

Sakura cleared her throat. “Anyone up for some dango?”

She gingerly took out the candy before offering them to her teammates.

Naruto accepted it with a smile “Thanks, Sakura-chan.”

The kunoichi approached Sasuke next, who was a mask of practiced calm- though there was a slight frown to his features. “Take it.” Sakura goaded. Sasuke looked hesitant, though he carefully plucked the stick from her hands.

“Hm.”

Sakura guided them over to Naruto’s table, setting the extra packets on the surface and dropping down in one of the chairs. Silence settled over them like them like fog. Out of the corner of Sakura’s eye, she could see Sasuke eyeing the candy in his hands in disdain. Truth be told, Sasuke hated any kind of sweets. Sakura knew that fairly well. She and Naruto had a celebration in mind.

Sakura winked at Naruto, a mischievous smile plastered on her face. He grinned and turned to the Uchiha, who was nibbling the edges of the dango out of politeness with a twisted look on his face. She stared at Sasuke for a while, pretending to be offended that he wasn’t gobbling down the snack. Naruto chewed even louder than usual.

And then, they both started to laugh. Poor Sasuke stared at his teammates with a confused look on his face.

Hiccuping with giggles, Sakura reaches into her basket once more. “Did- did you really think we were going to let you eat dangos? You hate them.”

Naruto held back a choking sound, and practically sprinted for his fridge. He returned a fraction of a second later, a plate of homemade rice balls in his hands.

“What-” Sasuke muttered, but Sakura shut him up immediately with her own plate of cherry tomatoes. His favorite. “The dangos are just for us since you have such horrible tastes.”

Sasuke watched silently as his friends piled their food on the table, making a display that smiled up to him like rays of sunshine. Sakura studied his face. He seemed to be in shock, but there was nothing unpleasant about his surprise. Was he happy? Sad?

“What did I miss?” A voice called from the window. Ah. That’d be their jounin sensei. Sakura whipped her head around just in time to see Kakashi leap from Naruto’s balcony to the trio with, arms full with gifts. Sasuke gazed at all three of them warily, hands clenched beneath the table.

“I see you’re still late, Kaka-sensei!” Naruto jabbed a finger at him squinted eyes.

The jounin shrugged and sat down next to Sakura. Are you ready? His eyes seemed to say.

She nodded with vigor.

“Sasuke,” Naruto started, eyes lit up like a million stars.

“Happy birthday!” Sakura and Kakashi finished.

___

Sasuke didn’t celebrate his birthday. At least, not after Itachi left. It was easier to throw himself into training, into forgetting, than taking time to appreciate something so trivial. Even while his family was alive, they didn’t always bring him presents.

Birthdays weren’t a tradition that the Uchiha held stock in. Celebrations were for promotions, weddings, and events which held importance. The birthday of a child was just that- a day of birth and a reminder of how old the child was. No one in the clan was celebrated without cause, especially not for the paltry reason of making it another year in a cutthroat world.

Still, his family had always had small things. No parties, but-

His mother kissed him on the temple. His father smiled at him. Itachi, though . Itachi made rice balls and tomatoes for Sasuke, showered him in brand-new kunai and other gifts. When he could, anyway.

When the clan looked away long enough for affection to go unnoticed.

Sasuke didn’t understand the meaning of birthdays. He always wondered why other kids had parties with their friends and ate cake with their parents. Why it seemed so special to have a day to yourself.

By now, Sasuke had been alone for so long that he had forgotten how it felt to have people be there for him. To have friends to celebrate his birthday and food to go along with it. And now, well .

Kakashi was sitting beside him with presents for him , a real smile on his face that couldn’t be hidden- not even by his mask. Sakura brought him cherry tomatoes that he could barely resist, his hunger suddenly a jarring presence. Naruto made him onigiri rice balls. Not out of pity, not out of moral obligation. But because he wanted to.

Sasuke used to live for revenge. His only purpose to kill Itachi and avenge his clan. That was it.

His entire life goal, driven by hate. Even then, his life had not been his. He was merely a puppet in the grand scheme of things, fueled by years of trauma and loneliness.

He was just an orphan child whose memories were filled with empty bedrooms and blood splattered on the walls. Sasuke thought he didn’t need pleasure or happiness in his life. The need for that had all been swept away the moment Itachi left him behind with nothing but cruel words and the corpses of his parents.

But then…

Then came Team seven.

Their happiness was like sunshine, the only bright spot in Sasuke’s shithole life.

They were there for him. They remembered his birthday.

And looking at them now, a familiar emotion stirred in Sasuke.

Family.

The word sounded so foreign to his lips, so forgotten on his tongue that Sasuke struggled to remember what it meant. The idea of it was so tempting , so utterly beautiful.

“Sa-Sasuke?” Naruto asked worriedly, wide blue eyes blinking up at him.

He couldn’t seem to remember when his lips started to tremble until tears were curling at the corners of his eyes and threatening to spill onto his cheeks.

Sasuke never cried in front of people. It was a weakness to him, something enemies could easily take advantage of. He was surprised to find that it didn’t feel bad at all. It was almost comforting- he was surrounded by people who cared for him, after all.

“Shut up, dobe.” Sasuke muttered, managing to smirk. He wiped his face with his sleeve and closed his eyes.

“Thank you.” He whispered.

He almost began to weep once more as his teammates swamped him in a group hug.

Through the tears and ‘ I knew you weren’t that much of an asshole’ from Naruto, Sasuke hugged them back. Fiercely.

I think I have something else to live for after all.

___

That Naruto was onto something. Shikamaru was sure of that. After watching the blond creep around the Archive library several times and convincing himself that no, he was not a stalker, just observant, the Nara decided to find out what the dimwit was up to.

Shikamaru crept along the edges of the building, hands in his pockets. The security around the library was surprisingly lax, as if the jounin guards didn’t realize that they were guarding tens of thousands of information worth more than they were.

Sighing, he ducked under the the asleep shinobi and slipped through the front gates unnoticed. It didn’t take too long for him to find Naruto among the seemingly endless rows of books.

He was still wearing the ‘kill me orange’ that stood out like a palm tree in a dessert. Naruto was hunched over a pile of books stacked on top of each other, sifting through them hurriedly. Since when did he read? Because the last time Shikamaru checked, Naruto was not a fan of literature.

He flipped through the pages again, and mumbled something that Shikamaru couldn’t hear. What was he doing? Shikamaru tried to get a good look at the titles and scrolls Naruto was holding, but being three shelves away from him didn’t help his vision much. All he could make out were the district colors of red inscribed onto every book.

What a pain. Why did Shikamaru even follow him all the way to the library? He could’ve been watching the clouds roll through the skies instead, or sleeping…

“Shika, you aren’t gonna rat me out, right?” Naruto peered up from his books, a guilty expression on his face.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. He had been sure to mask his chakra and hide his trail as soon as he came into the room, but for Naruto to sense it so quickly… The Nara smoothed his expressions into a bored frown and walked over to the blond. Naruto wasn’t a sensory ninja, nor did he posses any dojutsu that allowed him expanded sight.

“Never knew you were one for reading,” Shikamaru dodged the question with ease. He peered over Naruto’s shoulder best he could. “Anything interesting in there?”

Naruto blanched and instantly swept the scrolls and books from Shikamaru’s view, and lowered his eyes. “Just some… clan stuff.”

Shikamaru recited the blond’s name in his mind. Naruto… Uzumaki, huh. He had been told that the class dead-last was an orphan, but apparently, that wasn’t exactly the case. He couldn’t quite make sense of the name Uzumaki, though. Maybe it was one of the smaller clans in the Fire Nation?

But clan files wouldn’t be kept in the Archives Library. Those were public to the citizens of Konoha, and were assessed by lower-ranked nin all the time.

This entire situation was troublesome. Why was he so curious?

Shikamaru sat down- more like dropped to the floor, god he was tired- and pulled a random book from the shelves. He skimmed through the chapters lazily, eyes dancing across the pages.

He thought solemnly of all the times he watched Naruto question others about his parents, how his eyes lingered on the families that the academy students accompanied.

People always responded harshly and criticized him for ever wanting such a thing- but Naruto was just a child. Just like Shikamaru, just like Ino, just like Choji and every other student that graduated from the academy.

If he truly found something about his own family, then maybe Shikamaru would be able to make up for all the times he was nothing but another bystander.

“Shika? What are you doing?” Naruto questioned.

“Can’t you see?” Shikamaru sighed heavily, though he sported a grin on his normally bored features. “I’m going to help you.”

___

#naruto #fanfiction #team 7 #haruno sakura #sakura #sasuke #uzumaki #uzushio #kyuubi #shikamaru #nara #ocs

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365daysofsasuhina · 5 years

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[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Three: I Didn’t Go There ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Uchiha Itachi ] [ SasuHina, NaruSaku, vulgarity ] [ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ] [ AO3 Link ]

Their first fight catches him off-guard. One moment they’re just...having a conversation. The next, it seems to snowball down a hill...and into a volcano.

It’s midday, the pair of them in the kitchen and working together to prepare a lunch. At first it starts with a companionable quiet before small talk blooms. Nothing forced. Just casual conversation they can both relate to.

“I’m already more than ready for Spring,” Hinata muses wistfully. “I want everything to be green again...days to be longer, and warmer.”

Sasuke just chuckles. “We still have months to go, you better get used to it.”

Lips pout, staring at the fruit she’s peeling. “I know...Winter isn’t even that l-long in Hi no Kuni. Or that cold. But it’s still a little depressing. I liked the snow a lot more when I was little.”

“Yeah, now it’s just a nuisance.”

“Mm…” Silence falls for a time. “And of course there’s the wedding, too - I’m really looking forward to it.”

That earns a scoff. “It’ll be...something all right.”

“Aren’t you happy for them?”

Sasuke doesn’t reply for a long moment. “...I guess I don’t really feel...anything about it.”

“Sasuke…”

“Which isn’t anything I can help. Naruto’s my best friend, sure...but we’re not as close as we used to be. Not after everything that’s happened. And Sakura…” He can’t help a grimace. “...things are even worse with her.”

“But they’re getting m-married! It’s a really big deal!” Hinata sets down her task, looking troubled. “...it took them a long time to realize their feelings for each other. And they’re your teammates!”

“I don’t have a sunshine and rainbows bond with my team like you do. You know that.”

“But can’t you at least try to -?”

“Hinata.” Sasuke’s voice gains an edge, cutting her off. “...I don’t want to talk about this. It’s just...not a subject I can bring myself to enjoy, okay? Naruto and Sakura are getting married. Big deal. They can go be obnoxious together for the rest of their lives. It doesn’t mean I’m suddenly wanting to be buddy-buddy with them both just because they have something to be happy about.”

“Sasuke!”

“Look, it’s obvious you don’t understand,” he growls, patience beginning to thin. “Isn’t there any part of you that’s unhappy about this? You were in love with that idiot for years, and -”

“Naruto-kun isn’t an idiot!”

“And now he’s marrying someone else! The same annoying woman that pushed at my boundaries for years despite my rejection. That doesn’t bother you?”

“No! I don’t love Naruto-kun anymore. Maybe I never did! I looked up to him, and…” Hinata falters for a moment, looking torn between an angry tirade and frustrated tears. “...and maybe I thought I loved him. But we’ve moved on, Sasuke. Sakura’s stopped chasing you, and let herself o-open up to somebody else. Naruto finally gets his chance with a girl he admired since he was young! And I...I get to leave old feelings behind for something better. I just…” Her hands toss up, clearly at a loss. “...you really can’t find it in yourself to let all of that go…? Just for one moment, to wish them well?”

“...no. Have things gotten better? Yes. But they both have a long way to go in my eyes. At this point, I don’t care what they do. It’s all pointless, anyway.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just...just nevermind.” He’s losing his original train of thought, and he’s only making him grumpier.

“What, do you think marriage is pointless?”

“That’s not -”

“Fine.” Down sets the knife and fruit. “...fine!” Hands up in a gesture of surrender, Hinata turns on a heel and leaves the kitchen.

Suddenly Sasuke reels, not sure where her flare of disappointment is coming from. “...I didn’t say that, Hinata - I didn’t go there, you did!”

She doesn’t reply, heading out the door and disappearing.

Silence.

At first, his temper swells. What the hell was that all about?! Clearly she doesn’t understand. His relationships with his teammates were so grossly toxic during his absence, and repairing them has been slow, stressful work. How dare she just assume he’s going to throw confetti and celebrate the union of a woman who obsessed over him with shallow feelings...and a man who refused to acknowledge the source of Sasuke’s suffering and drag him back - unwillingly - to the last place he wanted to be? At that point, they were no longer his friends...they were people who felt owed his time, his attention, his very freedom and decisions. Sure, they’ve talked about all they’ve done wrong - and Sasuke knows he’s no angel. But is she really telling him to just...ignore all that and act happy for their sakes? Since when is that fair?!

But the longer the silence rings...the emptier this place feels. And the fuel for his anger diminishes until it extinguishes in a puff of smoke.

...damn it.

Several minutes pass with him fuming in the kitchen before moving toward the door, intending to go after her. But before he can, there’s a knock, and he pulls it open to find his brother.

Oh great.

There’s a hint of confusion in Itachi’s usually-stoic expression. “...mind explaining why Hinata just burst into the manor teary-eyed and upset?”

“She started it!”

Itachi just blinks owlishly at the childish retort. “...and you finished it?”

Hackles already raised once more, Sasuke starts to pace beyond the door. “She was...talking about things she doesn’t understand!”

“That hardly seems typical of her.”

“It was about my team.”

A pause. Ah...yes, this is a tender subject on the best of days.

“She’s pissed because I don’t care they’re getting married. As if I’m expected to, even with things being how they are between us. So then she jumps from that, to assuming I mean I don’t think there’s a point in marriage.”

That gets Itachi to sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. “...oh, Sasuke…”

“What?!”

“You really find that hard to believe?”

“I just said it was pointless in regards to them - and I meant that from my point of view, not...not in general!” A frustrated hand combs back through his hair. “I didn’t mean…”

“...intention and interpretation are not always the same thing, Sasuke,” his brother murmurs. “Just...consider it a moment. Hinata, despite her past feelings for not just Naruto, but Sakura, has found it in herself to nonetheless be happy for them.” A hand raises, cutting off Sasuke’s retort. “...I’m not comparing the relationships directly. It’s clear you have far more to lament. Hinata was fond of Naruto, true...and had plenty to be jealous of, what with his attention to Sakura. And you, on the other hand, have been rivals with Naruto for as long, with Sakura’s unwanted advances. These bonds then turned dark upon your defection, for reasons we both already understand. But...I don’t think that was entirely Hinata’s point.

“She wasn’t asking you to forget past wrongs. She was asking you to look to the future. And not just of that of Naruto and Sakura. Rather, as a segue for your own. Her friends - and to an extent, your friends - are getting married. Starting a new chapter of their lives. Isn’t it obvious? Hinata is eager for that chance, too. One she seems quite obviously wanting to have with you. Instead, you shut down the notion of the idea as a whole. You may have meant it in regards to your teammates...but can you really not see how at least acknowledging it in some kind of positive way would have assuaged her?”

Sasuke scoffs. “...women are ridiculous. I wasn’t talking about us, I was -”

“I know. But these are sensitivities you need to learn to read,” Itachi replies dryly, but not without a small smile. “I know you are...out of practice in many regards to social constructs. Especially with women. But it would do you good, even in the most general of senses, to perhaps take time to think before you speak.”

No reply.

The elder brother sighs. “...well, I think it’s clear for now she’s intent on avoiding you. I will go supply your half of the story a bit less...volatilely. It may help. In the meantime, I believe she’s being seen to by the missus while I handle you. For now, I suggest you both take some time and think over the other point of view, hm?”

There’s a sigh. “...I’ve fucked this up, haven’t I?”

“Not irreparably. Just...temporarily. But it’s still a problem that needs fixing before it does become too large a point of contention. True, Hinata must learn not to jump to conclusions, and to better communicate her true point...but you must also realize you can’t treat every discussion like a fight. And you need to consider your words before they run away with you. Both of you need to practice mindfulness...and better ways to settle disagreements than running away and losing tempers.”

“Maybe you were meant less to be an ANBU, and more to be a therapist,” Sasuke can’t help but deadpan.

Itachi chuckles. “I’m an older brother, a clan head, and a prior criminal. I have to know how to talk my way out of anything” He sobers slightly. “Just be patient, Sasuke. And take a little time to think. I’d best head back...and you’d best wait here.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Watching his brother retreat, Sasuke shuts the door, returning to the kitchen and sighing. For now, he puts everything away and tidies up - no sense in letting it spoil or leaving a mess.

He then takes a seat at the table, preparing to think...and to wait.

Day three! And...not exactly a happy one. I've never actually written these two arguing to THIS extent. But hey, it happens...and hopefully good ol' brother(-in-law) Itachi can help them sort things out, hm? ALAS sees the relationships between Sasuke and his teammates needing a LOT of work post-699. Personally I find both Naruto and Sakura's behavior toward Sasuke anything but like friends...and Sasuke agrees. Repairing those bonds is just two of many things Sasuke has to figure out upon his return to Konoha, but it remains a point of contention for a good long while. Even after learning the truth behind the Uchiha massacre, both Sakura and Naruto continued to insist Sasuke return home...with little to no talk of how to both address and bring justice to the massacre...and take steps to ensure it (or anything like it) ever happens again. Can anyone really blame Sasuke for refusing to go back without SOME kind of plan for change? Sure, planning to destroy Konoha was flawed...as was killing the Kage. But he seems to be the only one willing to do SOMETHING to get things to change =/ ...anyway, I'm rambling aha. So yes, his team is still a major sore spot at this point. But Sasuke and Hinata will get through this. They both have growing to do: as individuals, and as a duo. That's just how it goes. As always, thanks so much for reading, and I'll see y'all tomorrow! Hopefully with a happier prompt!

#uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #uchiha itachi #sasuhina #narusaku #vulgarity //#a light amongst shadows [ canon verse ]#365daysofsasuhina

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kuriquinn · 7 years

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Penthesilea [3/?]

Cover & Disclaimer

Chapter Summary: For a week Sasuke wrestles with himself, knowing that they need a more advanced healer—knowing exactly who would be the most competent person to seek out. But certainly, she wouldn’t be so foolish as to heal the leader of the enemy forces. Sasuke doubts even Uzumaki could shrug off that as anything but treason, not to say what Senju Tsunade would think of it.

Chapter Beta: Sakura’s Unicorn

戦国��代

Sasuke is constantly exhausted and yet, sleep eludes him every night.

For months, he occupies himself with battle strategy in the bleak, restless hours before dawn. He runs numbers in his head and tries to outthink the plans of his rival. Uzumaki is a bit of an idiot, but Nara Shikamaru is at his side, and the shadow manipulator is known to be a genius. Itachi could keep up with his ploys with ease, but Sasuke struggles. He’s not an anticipatory thinker, preferring to react to problems as they present themselves. That kind of approach is fine when it’s only himself, but with so many lives dependant on him now, he can’t rely on such personal tactics.

As time goes on, however, Sasuke’s ruminations change in a bothersome way. Offensive strategies and possible promotions give way to imaginings of brilliant green eyes and a mouth curved into an impish smile. This, more than battle tactics, keeps him awake at night, and he hates himself for being so weak and fallible as to be distracted by a woman of all things.

There’s little point in spending hours staring at the canvas ceiling of his tent, and so most nights, he will get up and walk. It’s a simple thing to slip away from the constant din of the army camp and into the forest, far enough away that he can’t hear people. It is easier to pretend…something. He isn’t sure what.

Tonight, Sasuke sits at the base of a large oak, staring up into the sky at the giant moon hovering above the tree line. He wonders if there are people there and if they, too, are embroiled in an endless battle.

He begins to understand why Itachi always yearns for silence.

“Do you know the story of how this war got started?”

Sasuke’s muscles tense, fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword, but as he touches it, the voice registers and he pauses.

“There are few people who can sneak up on me,” he points out, refraining from turning to her. However, out of the corner of his eye, he can see her ensconced in the branches of the tree, eyes on the moon, legs swinging idly back and forth.

Sakura, he thinks, as if remembering it for the first time, even though her name has been burned into his brain since he learned it.

“My perfect chakra control has allowed me to mask my presence since I was twelve,” she states matter-of-factly. It’s not a boast or a challenge or even said to impress him—just an answer to an unspoken question.

“That would be a useful skill for a spy,” he remarks.

“Yes, it would.”

“Is that why we’ve never seen you before?”

“Among other things,” she replies, a bit of a teasing note in her voice. “So, do you know it?”

“Do I know what?”

“How all this started.”

She’s avoiding the question, but he allows it for now, if only to spend time getting a clearer picture of this woman. “I do.”

The stories were told to him in his cradle, passed down by grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles. No Uchiha is brought into this world without knowing the story of Indra and Asura—the two brothers who were the progenitors of the Uchiha and the Senju, and the stolen birthright which started everything.

“The Senju have been selfish opportunists from the beginning,” he goes on. “They take what does not belong to them—credit, power, control—and then blame others for their failures.”

“And the Uchiha have been perfect examples of restraint?” Sakura counters dryly. “Your people spent decades slaughtering each other and everyone else.”

He can’t exactly argue with that. Those dark days are literally written in stone.

“Senju Hashirama,” Sasuke offers quietly. “Your beloved leader’s grandfather is the reason for the conflict.”

“You would say that,” she sighs. “I suppose you never heard the story that he and Uchiha Madara were friends. A lot like you and Naruto.”

Sasuke splutters and glares up at her. “I am not friends with Uzumaki. In case you’ve failed to notice, we spend most days trying to kill each other.”

“And I’m having a conversation with the man who stabbed me,” she shrugs. “Humans tend to do things that make no sense.”

He has no idea what to say to that, but he suspects offering any argument will lead to more of her twisted logic.

“People say they tried to find peace,” she continues, as if she didn’t just make the most ridiculous accusation. “Hashirama and Madara tried to build a village together, to stop all the fighting. But it didn’t work.” She snorts. “Which version did you get growing up?”

“Version?” he echoes, looking up this time.

“You really think we all know the same story?” Sakura asks, amused, gazing down at him. The moonlight makes her hair look silver. “If that were the case, I doubt there would still be fighting.”

Sasuke doesn’t answer, wondering if she’s right and suspecting she’s not. He knows that as long as there are humans, there will always be needless battles and wars.

“My parents used to say it was because of the daimyō,” she goes on, as if they’re having a conversation about the weather. “They were worried about the shinobi becoming more powerful because they were united now. And so, they engineered a war to bring down their numbers. Only it backfired because the Senju and the Uchiha could not work together.”

Sasuke thinks on this.

He is familiar with the theory that the daimyō were worried about a centralised shinobi power arising. But the story his family always told was that Senju Hashirama betrayed Uchiha Madara in the worst way possible. No one knows exactly what the betrayal was—the specifics vary according to who tells the story. Sasuke’s father told him Hashirama tricked Madara out of the leadership of their utopian village. His mother said that it was all down to a woman they both loved, and who ultimately chose Hashirama. Sasuke always found Mother’s tale to be completely unlikely. He’s never had a use for such emotional drivel. No one woman could inspire such a change in ideals, to cause a war where countless lives have been lost and lands torn apart by deep-rooted hatred.

And even if one could…

His thoughts trail off as he stares up at Sakura as she gazes at the moon. A second later, Sasuke shakes his head.

Even if he survived long enough to meet such a woman, it would mean nothing. He will marry Hyūga Hinata to strengthen his bloodline and finally wipe out the Senju and Uzumaki threat. There will be no sentiment involved, no confusion. He won’t have to worry about his future wife making him question himself with irrational flights of fancy.

And yet, he can’t find it in himself to reach for his blade and attack, or to raise the alarm for the watchmen to come running. Trying to cover his own confusion, Sasuke turns his back on the tree and the woman in it.

“The next time I see you on our borders, I will kill you,” he hisses as he walks away. He refuses to look back to see if Sakura has left, or if she’s still perched in the branches like a tree spirit.

戦国時代

Within weeks, it becomes clear that Itachi’s preference for solitude has never been just about needing momentary solace.

Sasuke learns that his brother’s blindness is not the result of an enemy jutsu, but a symptom of the disease Itachi has hidden for years—a sickness that weakens him every day, sapping his strength and mobility. Before Sasuke’s eyes, his brother grows thinner and weaker, coughing up blood and fighting just to raise a hand.

“Put it out of your mind, little brother,” he says, smiling gently whenever Sasuke visits him at the end of the day. “There’s still more than enough time.”

But when he reaches to tap Sasuke’s forehead in affectionate reprimand, the gesture is as feeble as the graze of a butterfly’s wings.

This stark reality adds to Sasuke’s wakeful nights and keeps him preoccupied by day. He tells his clansmen and their vassals that Itachi has caught an aggressive pneumonia—the damp conditions in the trenches make this a believable lie.

In secret, he seeks out help.

Through the course of months, Sasuke quietly brings in every medic among their forces, every village healer and hedge witch, but no one has an answer or hope to give. Even Obito’s wife, Rin, a talented healer in her own right, is mystified.

For a week, Sasuke wrestles with himself, knowing that they need a more advanced healer—knowing exactly who would be the most competent person to seek out. But certainly, she wouldn’t be so foolish as to heal the leader of the enemy forces. Sasuke doubts even Uzumaki could shrug off that as anything but treason, not to say what Senju Tsunade would think of it.

He tries to ignore the naïve part of him that believes she would agree if he asked. For the most part, Sasuke succeeds in this until one night when Itachi’s condition worsens.

A coughing fit sends Itachi into a seizure, and when he emerges, he can barely speak. His usually keen eyes are dull with pain and confusion, and Sasuke decides right then that he will take whatever chance is necessary to help his brother.

He slips away from the camp by night, extracting from Hyūga a promise that he will keep Itachi safe before setting off to find the one woman who can help. It’s a mission that could get him killed if he gets caught—might get her killed, too—but it’s a price he’s willing to pay. Itachi has been the only constant in his life, a good and peaceful soul trapped in a war he never should’ve been part of. Sasuke will burn down the world if it means saving the man who practically raised him when their parents died.

The current border between Uchiha and Senju land falls along a barren, rocky seashore. Upon reaching it, he hesitates. The moment he steps over the boundary, he is risking not only his personal well-being, but is also handing the enemy a pivotal bargaining chip. More than that, he’ll be asking someone for help—something he hasn’t done since childhood.

It’s a distracting enough conundrum that he doesn’t notice, until it’s too late, that he’s not alone.

Three figures materialise around him, and before he can react, he feels a swift, burning pain lance through him. From the sudden difficulty Sasuke has breathing, he suspects one of his assailants has landed a blow beneath his floating rib.

Turning to face them, blood soaking down his front, Sasuke makes out two men and a woman wearing the mark of Oto—mercenaries with loyalty to the highest bidder. This insult more than anything else infuriates him, and he wastes no time in disposing of them.

Still, the damage is done, and he knows before examining the broad slit in his side that the wound is fatal. His attacker’s blade cut deep, nicking either a kidney or a vein, and his violent disposal of his attackers did not help.

As his knees buckle, it starts to rain.

He lies there in the damp sand, inches from lapping waves, gasping and alone, thinking how this was not how he was supposed to die.

戦国時代

Unconsciousness bring with it a rare peace.

Sasuke dreams of Sakura, imagining her voice and a soothing coolness against the raging pain in his side. He envisions being lifted from the damp ground and cradled against her chest—it must be her chest because he hears a heartbeat, and it’s racing too fast to be his own. For once, any embarrassment or self-repudiation he might feel is blissfully absent.

When he awakens, he’s no longer on the seashore, but in a damp, dimly-lit cave. In the distance, he hears the lap of water and steady rush of rain, suggesting he isn’t far from the shore where he fell.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees his sword propped against a rock, his bloodstained haori and hakama draped across another. A fire has been constructed nearby which casts shadows across the damp walls. It and the unfamiliar haori draped over him keeps him warm and dry.

And of course, it’s Sakura who kneels by his side, her face set in what he assumes is an uncharacteristic frown.

“You almost died,” she whispers.

He coughs. “You should’ve let me.”

Sakura shoots him an unamused look. Her eyes crackle with an anger he hasn’t seen before. “You damned idiot.”

And for some reason, he wants to laugh, but the first dry chuckle hurts too much, and Sakura pokes his shoulder in reprimand.

“Stop it—I healed all of your injuries, but you are still weak.”

Sasuke grimaces at those words. “I am not weak.”

“Poor word choice,” she acknowledges. “Your body will be compensating for the rapid cellular regeneration for a while, so please refrain from making any more stupid decisions.”

“No more moonlit walks through forbidden ground,” he agrees, and he thinks his blood must not be replenished yet because that comes out more as banter than sarcasm. Obviously, he’s still lightheaded.

Sakura reaches for his brow, ostensibly to check his temperature, and Sasuke shivers at the sensation of her palm on his skin. He suspects she’ll find it warmer than it should be, although he’s not entirely sure that’s due to his body fighting off infection.

“What were you even doing there?” she asks softly, and instantly, he remembers his mission.

Itachi.

Sasuke struggles to sit up, not wanting to have this conversation with her while lying on his back. It’s bad enough he’ll have to ask her for help, especially after she just saved his life. It’s incredibly fortuitous that she was close by.

Wait.

He frowns at her. “What were you doing there?”

Sakura’s cheeks flush with colour and she looks away.

“Sometimes, I go there to think. The water is calming and sometimes…sometimes, it’s so quiet along the shore that I can pretend all the rest is just a dream,” she confesses. There’s no need to elaborate on what all the rest means.

“And by some coincidence, you chose tonight to do this?” Sasuke asks, suspicious. “You just happened to arrive right after I was attacked, but not before. And you just happened to be there to help?”

She stares at him now, confused. “Do you think I set you up?”

“Did you?” he challenges. “Because healing the enemy is something no one in this war but you would conceive of. Not without some ulterior motive.”

“You’re…angry at me…because I helped you?”

“We are on opposite sides,” he snaps. “And you’re the only one who refuses to understand that.”

“This did not happen in battle!” Sakura shoots back, gesturing at the newly healed scar in his side. “This was someone—someone not on my side—trying to kill you!”

“No one knew I was there,” he reasons stubbornly. “I took particular care. The only people who would attempt to assassinate me is one of you damned Senju or Uzumaki. Or your hired mercenaries.”

“Those people I found beside you were not ours,” Sakura insists angrily. “Hired or otherwise.”

“You don’t know that—your side counts rabble among your allies,” he dismisses. “Men and women who do not even belong to a reputable shinobi clan.”

“Why does belonging to a clan matter?” Sakura demands, and he can see that he’s insulted her. “It made no difference to them. They almost killed you.”

“Almost.”

“Because I saved you, you ridiculous man!” she snaps. “Do you even hear yourself? Repeating some inane story over and over again until you think it holds truth! That’s insanity! You never answered me before, Sasuke-kun—do you even know why we continue to fight?”

There it is again. That maddening familiarity—as if she has the right to call him by his name.

Sasuke jerks away from her and struggles to his feet. She follows his movements, but it’s a little less impressive given that she’s half a head shorter than he.

“It’s simple—I am Uchiha. You are not my ally. And I should’ve known better than to come looking for you,” he says, turning toward the mouth of the cave. “A fool’s notion. I won’t make it again.”

She’s behind him, steadying him with a gentle, but firm, grasp.

“You were looking for me?” she asks, voice soft and sounding so hopeful that his stomach jumps.

Sasuke scowls and pulls away from her.

“Don’t touch me,” he growls, but there is an edge of panic in his voice. He swallows it down—She can’t notice it!—and adds in a more threatening tone, “My mercy has its limit, and you are testing it.”

Sakura takes a step back, although he’s chagrined to see it’s not in fear, but as if she’s simply acquiescing to his wishes—a medic humouring her patient. The insult rankles, and before he can think better of it, he lashes out at her.

He’s still weak, though, and she pins him with an ease that would embarrass if anyone else saw it. He’s pushed against the rough cave wall, her hands immobilizing his wrists. She stops him from sweeping her feet out from under her by pressing close to him, bracketing his leg between her thighs. Her hair is in his face and she smells like firewood, rain, and something floral. It makes it hard to concentrate on her words, which are angry and frustrated.

“What’s the matter with you?” she demands. “Why are you like this? Do you even know what gratitude is? If I wanted to kill you, I could have so many times already, but I didn’t!”

“Because you want something,” he bites out.

“I want nothing!” she snaps. “At least…not in the way you think. I have no interest in enemy secrets or battle plans or…or anything to do with this damned war! I just want to help the people who are hurting, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted!”

Sakura’s cheeks are flushed with colour and there are tears in her eyes, but he senses they’re angry instead of sad.

“If that were true, you would’ve left this land and found somewhere untouched by the war,” he tells her coolly. “Your idealism means nothing here—it doesn’t differ from a child’s.”

Her fingers tighten painfully around his wrists, and he tries to hold back any visible wince.

“Do you never dream of something more?” she asks, searching his face desperately. “Do you ever want more? Or do you just want to keep fighting like this? Keep distrusting everyone you meet for the rest of your life?” He remains silent. “Is there a single place in your heart, no matter how small, that doesn’t see an enemy when you look at me? Or has this war completely destroyed that?” When he continues to glare in silence, she sighs. “Never mind.”

Sakura loosens her grip on him and pulls away. Sasuke immediately turns the tables, grabbing her and shoving her back against the cave wall, one hand around her neck.

“I doubt your abilities can heal you if I break your neck,” he growls at her, leaning in until they are inches apart. He feels the hard ridge of her oesophagus against his palm, knows the exact amount of force it would take to crush it, and silently dares her to give him an excuse.

“Doesn’t…really matter, does it?” she rasps in reply, her polite speech evaporating in the face of impending death. “My…childish ideas mean nothing here…you said it yourself. You’d be…doing me a favour…right?”

Sasuke tightens his grip incrementally, staring into her eyes and watching the flash of alarm as her oxygen is cut off a little more. It would really only be the matter of adjusting his position slightly…

When he moves, it’s not the way either of them expect.

Instead of crushing her windpipe, his hand slides from her throat to the collar of her kosode, fastening onto the fabric there and hauling her toward him. Crushing his mouth against hers, he feels the startled, oxygen-deprived gasp against his lips, and senses the flail of her hands as they try to find purchase somewhere. One lands on his bare shoulder and it’s as if a current has been run through him—the hairs on the back of his neck rise and a shiver creeps down his spine.

Sense forces its way past impulse and Sasuke pulls back, shocked and appalled by his loss of control. Of all the ways he’s been trained to deal with an enemy, this is certainly not one of them.

In the flickering dimness of the cave, he catches sight of something dark and hungry in those damned green eyes of hers. Then she’s the one to shove forward and kiss him, just as furious and angry as he was moments ago. Her hands are in his hair, teeth tugging hard enough at his lower lip that he tastes blood.

This is not how it’s supposed to go—not an intelligent course of action in any way. But as she wraps one leg around his hip to draw him in closer, he finds he doesn’t care.

In fact, it’s worryingly easy to give in.

つづく

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#sasusaku fanfic #sasusaku fic #warring states period #AU fic #sasuke uchiha #sakura haruno #angst #drama #romance #itachi uchiha #sakura is bamf #sasuke has the emotional range of a teaspoon

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