#'sasuke did i see you crying at said the sky' 'SHUT UP no'

[francebaby]

i think itachi would be a metalcore and vkei fan, and sasuke would be one of those crying illenial ravers, but they would both have mcr in common

[catflorist]

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

warning: this chapter contains mentions of death, and also orochimaru displays some possessive behavior over sasuke.

pt. 2: ocean

“You are weak,” Orochimaru hissed, a lazy foot pinning Sasuke’s chest to the ground.

Sasuke glared up at the snake Sannin. “I’m not weak.” In the dim torchlight of Orochimaru’s hideout, his power grew by the day.   His new mentor was unimpressed. “You’re not committed. Don’t waste my time if you’re still holding on to your silly village.” He released Sasuke. “You must choose.”

That night, Sasuke saw the faces of the people he had left behind, because the Sharingan kept him from forgetting. But Sasuke had already made his choice. He was already here, wasn’t he? He would do anything to kill Itachi and avenge his slain clan. Nothing else mattered.

He lit a fire in his mind’s eye. Everything burned away, except for Itachi’s face, and the shape of his own hatred. He learned to cut away stray thoughts of his old life, his teammates. He dismissed the time-slipping as a fluke, as inexplicable as the way his curse mark boiled his blood and infused him with strength. As he grew more powerful, the task of rewriting himself became easier and easier, until it was nothing at all.   At the hideout near Kusagakure, Sasuke turned fourteen, then fifteen. Orochimaru never called him weak again. Instead, when he looked at Sasuke, his gaze was hungry, like he might consume him. If Sasuke didn’t already know the Sannin wished to claim his body as a vessel, he would have known with one look at his sallow face. The desire was obvious. It grew as wild as brambles around Sasuke. But Sasuke used the thorns as his shield and protection as he cultivated his hatred and his power, clearing a path towards vengeance for his clan.   One day Orochimaru led Sasuke to his own sprawling quarters and hissed, “I have a gift for you,” and presented Sasuke a purple obi. When Sasuke knotted it around his waist, Orochimaru trailed a possessive finger over the thick cord. His pale hands trembled. Sasuke pretended not to see.   Kabuto called for Orochimaru, and Sasuke was alone in the Sannin’s dark chamber. Dust coated everything in sight except for an ornate vanity and mirror in the center of the room. These fixtures gleamed even in the dark. Askew on the surface of the vanity lay jars of fine white powder, pots of creamy greasepaint, and vials swirling with green liquid, for which Sasuke could name no purpose. 

Sasuke dipped his fingers into an open jar of paint. The purple pigment was tacky on his skin, like drying blood. He eyed the collection of brushes Orochimaru used to paint his face. The bristles of each brush tip varied in color and texture. They were composed of human hair. Sasuke frowned, then locked eyes with his reflection in the mirror.   For the first time since he had joined Orochimaru, Sasuke had the opportunity to look at himself. The mirror revealed long dark hair falling past his collarbone. A loose, white shirt carelessly flung open to reveal his bare chest. An obi, purple as poison, coiled like a snake around his waist. A dissatisfied mouth, slanting down. Red, red eyes that absorbed all light and reflected none back. In a trance, he pulled his hair back from his face. Itachi peered back at him. Sasuke recoiled and dropped the ponytail.   In his own chamber Sasuke cut his hair as short as he could get it with a kunai. When it was done he felt the jagged and uneven spikes and let out a breath. He was not Orochimaru’s vessel. He was not a Konoha shinobi. He was not Itachi. He was his own. . . Sasuke’s old teammates infiltrated Orochimaru’s lair.    Through Orochimaru’s network of spies, Sasuke had heard word of Sakura’s healing abilities, and her defeat of Sasori of the Akatsuki. He could not help staring at her, trying to sense the difference. But when her mouth formed the syllables of his name, his ears rejected the sound of her voice.   He had not heard any news of Naruto. Sasuke tested his abilities and found him wanting.   The encounter was short and inconsequential. Sasuke had done his work well. He didn’t feel a thing. Nothing, not even his old teammates, could keep him from fulfilling his purpose. 

Half-asleep in bed that night, he remembered how Naruto’s nose twitched right before he smiled. 

Sasuke opened his eyes and frowned at his ceiling, shutting down the intrusive thought.

He remembered another half-forgotten detail. Sakura’s knees bruised easily. 

Spots colored Sasuke’s vision. He gasped, fighting a flood of nausea.

Rain pattered upon a wooden roof. The air smelled like salt.   Sakura’s hair was long. She said, “It’s you.”   By the time Sasuke activated the glare of his Sharingan, he was back in his bed.   He shot up, fingers still tingling, far more shaken than he would like.   Sasuke had learned to harness the power of his curse mark. He had mastered the chidori, the Sharingan, and all of Orochimaru’s tricks. He had overcome his weaknesses and cut away all ties to his old life. How could this be happening? . . The next time, Sasuke lunged at Sakura even before the tingling in his fingers faded.   Sakura let out a grunt. Her forearm blocked his assault. When they made contact Sasuke’s stomach lurched. Her body felt solid and very real. 

Sakura sprang backwards and held up her hands. “I don’t want to fight you.”   Sasuke darted towards her again. She twisted his arm and flipped him to the ground. His back connected with the floor with enough force to knock the air from his lungs.  

Long pink hair dangled in his face. He tried to move, but an iron grip pinned him down. “Sorry about that.” She didn’t sound sorry.   “How did you get so strong?” he demanded.   A small bubble of laughter escaped Sakura.   Sasuke’s stomach turned in a familiar falling motion. He lurched up in his own bed, the sound of her laugh ringing in his ears, and spit out a curse. 

The last person to pin Sasuke down in a fight was Orochimaru. Two years ago. 

When he had attacked Sakura, he hadn’t even bothered to use his doujutsu. He had underestimated her. . . Sasuke knew he would slip again, as if he had activated his Sharingan and seen the shape of the instinct with his own eyes. He prepared himself. As he cooled from the previous encounter with Sakura, he decided it would not be wise to attack her. Instead, he would use the visits to his advantage and gather information.   The next time, he was ready.   The scent of salt filled his nose. Sasuke was alone in a one-roomed, lofted shack. He rushed to the nearest window. Morning sun illuminated a rocky coastline, which eased into sand and then an endless expanse of blue ocean. Two tall rock formations studded the water and distant mountains cut into the sky. This landscape appeared nowhere near Konoha.   Sasuke released his grip on the windowpane and assessed his surroundings. The room was bare save for a table, a bookshelf, and two chairs positioned next to the small hearth. A row of large seashells decorated its mantle. He caught a glimpse of bedding tucked away in the loft high above his head. A dark cat dozed on the kitchen counter next to a stack of wooden bowls.   The door creaked open, inviting a gust of wind into the room. Sakura halted in the doorframe, carrying a wooden bucket heavy with seawater. She wore loose pants and a man’s shirt. A diamond marked the center of her forehead.

“Sasuke,” she greeted, brow furrowed. A strange expression—something he couldn’t name—rose then fell from her face. 

“Am I not who you expected?” Sasuke bit.   Sakura’s mouth twitched. “Not quite.”  

“Where are we?” he asked.   “My place,” Sakura said, shutting the door with a swing of her hip. She set the bucket on the floor.   The dark cat slunk down from the kitchen counter and leapt into Sasuke’s surprised arms. 

“Her name is Hime,” Sakura said, as the cat made herself comfortable on his shoulder, as if she were royalty.

“Why is this happening?” he demanded. But with a cat purring next to his ear, he imagined he did not form the threatening picture he wanted.   Sakura validated his concerns by asking, “Do you want some tea? Or if you’re hungry, I collected mussels. They’re best when they’re fresh.”    He snorted.   “You’re already here, aren’t you? Might as well enjoy yourself.” She smiled. Her fingers twitched. “Unless you’re interested in another fight.”   Sasuke’s fists clenched. I am here for information, he reminded himself, and took a reluctant seat at the table. Sakura poured two cups of tea, though he had not asked for any, and sat across from him.    Sasuke asked, “What year is it?” The cat sprang from his shoulder onto his thigh.   Sakura named a date five years ahead of his own.   “Where are we?”   She smiled.   “What’s happened to the village?”   Silence. Konoha might have burned to the ground, or Sakura might be Hokage. Sasuke could not read her.   Another question burned in his throat, one he had not planned to ask, but it escaped him anyway. “Do I…” He swallowed. “Do I kill Itachi? You must know.”   He thought her eyes saddened. Or maybe it was the light.   “Answer me,” he snapped.   Sasuke had spent nights envisioning what might happen the next time he slipped—the questions he could ask Sakura, the knowledge he would gain. But he had not considered the simple possibility that she would resist answering him. He had not foreseen the cup of tea steaming before him, the cat curled in his lap.   “I’m sorry you’re hurting so much,” she said.    Sasuke shot up, jostling the table. His teacup toppled over. The cat let out an unhappy cry and darted out of sight.   “Don’t act like you know me,” he spat, blood rushing to his head.   He was speaking to the shadows of his empty room. . . Sasuke returned to this Sakura at the seaside time and time again.    It always happened when he was tired, half-asleep, his guard down. He worked himself to the bone, hoping fatigue would fend away the unwanted journey. It did not.   Sasuke bombarded her with questions. Sakura responded with jests, frustrating half-truths, or silence, until Sasuke stopped asking. He had failed to adopt Orochimaru’s slick and persuasive nature. Any information he learned was at Sakura’s mercy.   Sometimes when he arrived, Sakura was making breakfast. Feeding the cat. Sitting by the hearth, playing a game of shogi with herself. “Tea?” she asked, each time. 

Sasuke would slam the door on the way out. If he couldn’t control his visits, he could at least limit his exposure to Sakura. The wooden shack was perched on the first patch of firm ground by the water. He stared at the ocean until he slipped back to his own time.    His visits were brief, until one time, it wasn’t.   Sakura was up in the loft, folding her bedding. She fluffed a pillow and made no comment at his appearance. 

Sasuke dodged the cat’s affections. He sat cross-legged against the side of her small home and waited for the vertigo that meant he was on his way. Half an hour passed, but it did not come.   At the sound of a creaky door, Sasuke opened his eyes.   Sakura strode outside with a wooden bucket. “You’re still here,” she observed.   Against his better judgement, Sasuke spoke. “I’d rather not be.”   “You look tired.”   “It’s the middle of the night,” he insisted, squinting in the morning sun. A bird chirped cheerfully in the middle of his sentence.   “Well,” Sakura said. She situated the bucket on her hip. “Don’t let me keep you.”   This concluded their second-longest conversation. Sakura walked down to the tide pools, waded calf-deep in the water, and collected mussels. He was still here when she returned, leaving a trail of wet footprints on the stone path.   Water sloshed from Sakura’s bucket. “Are you hungry?” she called, already smirking in anticipation of his refusal.   He glared.   Sakura was not done. She touched a finger to her chin. “You like sitting here. I’ll build a bench,” she decided.   “Don’t,” Sasuke advised.   Next time, a bench waited outside her house. The material was the same smooth wood as the house, though Sasuke didn’t see any hardwood trees around.    He scowled, but he sat down. The cat joined him, then Sakura joined him.   “When was the last time I was here?” he sighed.   “Three days ago.” Sakura set an extra cup of tea between them, which Sasuke ignored. “And you?”   “Last night.” He rubbed his temples. “And the night before that.”   “No wonder you’re tired,” she said, scratching Hime between her ears.   Sasuke sprang a question. “Why aren’t you in Konoha?”   “I like the ocean,” Sakura said, without skipping a beat.   “Since when?” he muttered. They had seen the ocean together once, on their first mission. He didn’t remember Sakura making any particular fuss about it.   The half-smile on her face faded. “I’m here because I’m waiting for something.”   Something in her voice made Sasuke’s head turn. He allowed himself to really look at Sakura, to see what she would be like in five years' time. Her hair was long again. Her limbs were wiry and powerful emerging from the men’s clothing she now wore. Her chin was just as delicate as he remembered, her eyes just as green, reflecting the sea.   “What are you waiting for?” Sasuke asked. The rocky ceiling of his chamber gave no response. . . On Sasuke’s sixteenth birthday, Orochimaru procured another gift for Sasuke. He held out a thin wooden box and opened the lid for him. A delicate wooden comb lay in its plush interior.   “For your hair,” the Sannin said.   Sasuke nearly smiled. He was unversed in the finer details of gift-giving, but even he knew that kushi made inauspicious gifts.   “Don't worry about good or bad luck, Sasuke-kun,” Orochimaru assured. He grasped the comb and ran a thumb across its slender wooden teeth, producing a musical vibration. “We won’t need any of it.”   He stepped closer and ran the comb through the front lock of Sasuke’s hair. He was gentle, practicing ownership of his future vessel.   Sasuke froze through the first stroke of the comb, and the next. Then the fine teeth snared on a tangle. Awakened by the twinge of pain on his scalp, Sasuke pulled back. The hairs stood up on his arms.   Orochimaru would soon try to claim him. But Sasuke was stronger than Orochimaru. He fell asleep that night thinking about his next steps.    He woke up and blood was dripping from his eyelashes, clogging his ears. He retched at the scent, acid rising to his throat. He saw his parents’ slumped bodies. He saw Itachi’s red eyes. He heard every sound a clan made as it was slaughtered, then the terrible silence after the screaming had stopped.   His fists clenched in his blankets, but his fingers closed around sand.   There was an ocean in front of him.   Sasuke was chest deep into the cold water when he realized he was not splattered in the blood of his nightmare. He plunged under anyway, because he still felt unclean. He floated in the darkness, his body bobbing with the tide. After some time, his lungs panged in a distant way. He opened his eyes, feeling the burn of the salt. The pain in his lungs worsened until he couldn’t ignore it any longer. Sasuke broke the surface and gasped for air.   When he emerged from the waves, Sakura was waiting for him on the beach. She held out a blanket.    Leave me alone. Sasuke opened his mouth to spit out the words. But he hesitated. Accepting Sakura’s blanket changed nothing in his own time. It would only make his existence a little warmer and drier for the time being. Nothing he did here in this dreamlike world changed anything at all.   Sasuke wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. It was soft and heavy, and smelled of something fresh. Dimly, he remembered this was Sakura’s scent. He dropped to the ground to ease the shaking of his legs. 

Without a sound, Sakura sat next to him. She did not touch him, did not look anywhere except the water. Sasuke dried his face, then ran his fingers through the cool sand, grounding himself. All was quiet except for waves crashing against the pair of rock formations.

As he was slipping back, she spoke. “Take care, Sasuke-kun.”   Sasuke fell into a dreamless sleep. In the morning his clothes were stiff with seawater, flecked with salt and sand. Something hard and round pressed against his palm. Sasuke opened his fingers and discovered he was holding a pebble. Its surface was smooth as water, and it was the same color as the moon.  . . It was another night, and instead of sleep, Sasuke was pulled to Sakura.   She joined him outside. The morning sun shimmered on the water.   “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Like usual, she offered Sasuke tea. As Hime purred against his leg, Sasuke’s fingers wrapped around the cup.    “Hm,” Sakura said, watching him. “If I remember right, this is the last time.”   “The last time?” Sasuke repeated.   “The last time you’ll come here.” She took a sip of her tea. “It’s not the end, though. You’ll see me elsewhere. In other times.”   Sasuke remembered the other Sakura he had met, the first time he had slipped. She was crying, and Sasuke had held her hand. He had tried to forget.   But that wasn’t the first time. An old dream—what Sasuke thought was a dream—came back to him in a rush. A woman with pink hair had given him breakfast. She was pregnant. Her baby had kicked.   Something must have shown on his face, because Sakura said, “I know this is strange. It’s been strange for me too.”   “You know what this is—why this is happening. At least say that much.” Though he tried, his voice had no heat.    “Yes,” she said. “I know why this is happening.”   “How do you know?” he asked.   Maybe he asked the right question, because for once, Sakura gave him a blunt answer. “I know because you told me.”   Sasuke’s throat went dry. “Sakura—”

He didn't know where he was going with that sentence, but it didn't matter. He slipped away. . . . .

Up next: Sasuke forms his team, learns the cause of his time-slipping, and makes some decisions.

Notes: Combs (kushi) are considered bad luck when given as gifts--"ku" means suffering and "shi" means death. This chapter and chapter 7 are my favorites, so I hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you did!!

late update bc I was swept away celebrating how trump was voted out of office!!! he can now f*ck off :)

[eleanor-devil]

Boruto: Sacrifices [Remade] | Chap.11 - Lost Hopes

Written by: Eleanor-Devil & @mirage-05​​

Prologue | Chap.1 | Chap.2 | Chap.3 | Chap.4 | Chap.5 | Chap.6 | Chap.7 | Chap.8 | Chap.9 | Chap. 10 | Chap.11 - You’re here

Sarada was counting in her head as her father continued his brisk pace. They were almost out of the hospital building, she could see Boruto in the Hokage's arms in front of them... "Papa..." she whispered, her voice tight and low with the sobs, tears still sliding down her cheeks. "It's been a minute and a half... P-please, let's just turn back..." Her voice became tinier then. "I need to know..." she couldn't finish her sentence, but still, Sasuke didn't stop. "Papa..." Sarada said again, becoming almost hysterical. "Please, I-I'm begging you... We need to be with him..." "Your mother is with him." That was all Sasuke told her as he continued walking away from there.

"No! Papa please!" Sarada squeezed her eyes shut as she kicked her legs, trying to release her body from her father's grip. And then she felt it, fresh and cold air hitting her straight in the face, causing her hair to fly. Feeling a new source of power from his daughter, and quite confused by this, Sasuke looked up at her, slightly frowning. What he saw made his eyes slightly widen. An intricate flowery shape in the place of her irises... He indeed almost came to a stop. No, this was too early... Once they reached outside, he put her down but still held her tightly by her shoulder, making sure she didn't run back inside as soon as he let her go. "Papa please let me go!" yelled the girl. "Sarada, you need to calm down," he replied in his calm voice, even though he was too worried about what he had seen. "How?! How can I calm down!? He is in there, he is dying!" "Your mother and the medics are doing everything they can. Even if you were in there, there is nothing you can do." "I don't care!" the girl screamed, shaking uncontrollably. "He needs us!" "There is nothing you can do." the man said once again, firmly. "You will stay right here until there is something new from the inside. It's all up to him now, you being inside or throwing a tantrum is not going to change the outcome. Calm down." Boruto was still subconsciously gripping his father's clothes as he cried his heart out, the images of what he had just witnessed wouldn't leave his mind, he didn't think it would disappear so soon... Mitsuki's hand trying to hold his own, his last words, how his head dropped to a side and his hand slipped away... All of it only made the younger blond grip Naruto's clothes tighter. He heard all of Sarada's and his master's discussion and he wanted to say something too, agree with his childhood friend, but words weren't forming. Naruto was holding him tightly, caressing his hair gently, not saying anything. He was holding his careful control in place for both of the kids' sake, to keep his worries and sadness inside, he knew he had to just trust Sakura and Tsunade... And Mitsuki... he would make it... he was a strong boy, he would make it... "Take it back..." he heard Boruto mumble in between his sobs. He didn't remember the last time his son had a complete breakdown like this. "Take it back, take it back... I-I can't... Take these three days back..." The boy's hand gripped his clothes harder as sobs continuously rocked through his body. Naruto stopped caressing his son's blond locks, lighter than his own, and he just stayed there with his hand resting against his head. The Hokage closed his eyes tightly at his son's plea... "I wish I could... believe me, I would go back if I could..." But he couldn't, and the harsh, cold reality was right there before his eyes... Mitsuki was dying and Naruto could only pray that he would make it. It hurt... it hurt him so badly, not just to see a child's life slip away like this but a child that he knew, that was close and important to his son, a child that just a few days ago was alive and well... He didn't even know how the boy had taken his words to his heart... How he considered them a second family... How much didn't he know about Mitsuki...? "Dad..." Boruto looked up at him. "Please... please go back inside... I can't leave him... I need to be by his side... Please... I promised..." The boy couldn't complete his sentence as he once again snuggled closer to his father, his crying muffled as he buried his face in Naruto's chest. Naruto returned to caress Boruto's hair, in hopes it would calm him down, like he and Hinata did when he was younger. "We will go back when your aunt Sakura says it's good okay...?" But Boruto just shook his head, he didn't want later, he wanted now... Naruto glanced at Sasuke and Sarada, she seemed to be rather calm but still crying. He noticed her irises were red... sharingan? No... there was something different... it couldn't be... 'Mangekyou Sharingan...!?' Naruto was shocked... she was barely thirteen...! His mind was reeling... He wanted, needed to ask so much to Sasuke... but this wasn't the time... "I'm going to come back and take you when your mother says you can see him." The older Uchiha was saying. "I promise..." Then Sasuke inched his head slightly up, his eyes moving to Naruto. It was clear in his eyes - he needed to be inside... With Orochimaru there, they couldn't afford any mistakes... Naruto gulped and nodded to him, telling him silently that this was under his control. As his friend rushed back inside, he approached the girl and kneeled down to her level, hugging her with his free arm. "Three minutes..." Sarada whispered, snuggling closer. "Lord Seventh... why don't they say anything...?" Naruto closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and looking at the hospital's entrance where his friend had just disappeared into. "I wish I knew Sarada... but we can only wait... and pray..." It had taken a while, but both the children eventually calmed down a little and pushed themselves gently away from the Hokage. They were too restless to stay put, they started pacing around. At least they didn't try to run back to the building... A soft, calm drop on his nose made the man do a double take and he looked up... just in time to see a small leaf drifting through the air, landing just before his feet. Then tiny drops started to fall as a light rain began. Naruto's heart skipped a beat... Boruto stopped abruptly, gazing at the sky, tiny drops landing on his face. "Mitsuki...?" he whispered, so soft that it was almost inaudible. No... it wasn't... it couldn't be the meaning of that... it was just a coincidence, right...? Naruto wanted to believe that...but it was so hard considering the situation. A distant sound echoed through the clouds, the thunders. Just as a second thunder echoed, Naruto heard paces coming from inside to the outside of the hospital. And he looked up to see a fit of short pink hair. His heart jumped to his throat, and before he knew it, he had met her halfway. Sakura looked very worn out, her hands shaking and her eyes brimming with tears as she approached him quickly, not quite meeting his eyes. 'Please... no...' Naruto thought, his breath getting caught as he tried to suppress a sob. "Sakura-chan..." he said, his voice so weak that it barely even reached his own ears. Sakura quickly looked towards the kids, who Naruto then realized that haven't followed him, maybe because of how they were still too shocked to move - or comprehend. Sakura took in a shaky breath, and finally met his eyes as a lone tear slid down from her eye. "It was close..." she whispered, her voice tired and strained. "Very, very close... Oh, god..." As his friend started crying softly, Naruto felt part of the weight from his heart lift and literally sagged, shedding a tear himself, realizing how grateful he was that he didn't need to explain to his son and Sarada that their best friend couldn't make it. "Please... tell me that you beat the shit out of the bastards who could do this to a child," Sakura choked out. "He is fighting... He is stubborn, thank god, I will give him that, but... His heart has become so weak, even Tsunade-sama can't tell for sure if he's out of the risk zone yet." "Is he...?" the blond began, but wasn't sure how to continue it. "We got his heart beating again, but he drifted into a coma by the time we stabilized him," Sakura said sadly, and heard her friend gasp. "In a way it is better, because he needs the time to get his body to heal itself - we were actually considering keeping him in a drug-induced coma if everything went smoothly. But now... We don't have any control over when he will wake up." Sakura hesitated for a second before slowly adding. "If... he will wake up." "No..." Naruto mumbled softly, feeling like his heart was breaking into pieces. His friend put a hand to his arm, and glanced briefly at Boruto and Sarada over his shoulder. "You need to talk to them." "Leave the hardest part to me, why won't you?" Naruto mumbled brokenly. A bitter smile, one without any kind of humor, flashed on Sakura's face for the briefest of seconds. "I need to get back in. Try to ease it up to them..." As the med-nin turned her back to go, the blond tried not to let the heaviness in his heart weigh him down. A coma... A dark, endless stretch of space where they probably had no means to reach Mitsuki... A kid, who was at the very beginning of his life... How did it all come to this?... He turned his back, and almost bumped into Boruto, who was running to him, Sarada close behind. Boruto looked at his father with huge eyes, his breathing hitched to the point of hyperventilation. "Dad...?" he asked in a small, fearful voice that didn't belong to him. "Is Mitsuki...?" Sarada couldn't finish her sentence. Naruto gulped once, then looked at them squarely in the eyes. "I'm sorry, but..." "N... no... NO!" Boruto screamed immediately, staggering back a couple of steps, shaking his head fervently as tears streamed freely down his cheeks. "He didn't... He couldn't..." Sarada choked, as her whole body began shaking with unsuppressed sobs. "He didn't die, he didn't DARE do this to us, he promised!" "Why couldn't we be there, too? Why didn't we help him?" the young Uchiha mumbled in shock, in a high-pitched, monotonic voice. "It won't happen next time... We won't make the same mistake next time..." "Boruto... Sarada..." Naruto tried to intervene. "I'm gonna kill him!" Boruto continued, not even hearing his father. "Just... just wait until he decides to wake up, he is gonna pay for putting us through this! What gave him the right?" Both Boruto and Sarada came to a stop when they felt the Hokage's hands clasping on their shoulders. "I'm sorry," Naruto whispered, and the pain in his voice made both of them look up. The hokage's usually bright blue eyes seemed to have taken on a dark and stormy quality as he looked at them, trying to keep it together. Kneeling in front of them, Naruto pulled them in a hug, as Boruto and Sarada kept crying, their mumbling becoming unintelligible through the sobs. "Mitsuki is saved." he whispered, drawing them closer and rubbing their heads. Boruto's eyes widened, and he pulled himself a little away to look at his dad. "He is...?" Naruto gulped and nodded, trying to choose the right words this time. "He is... But..." "But...?" Sarada asked, also pulling herself away a little. "Sakura-chan said that they did everything they could, but... Mitsuki fell into a deep coma... And due to the severity of his wounds, it is unknown when he will wake up..." He paused for a moment, then sighed. "They... they don't even know if he will wake up..." He felt his son stiffen. "No... no..." Boruto pushed against Naruto with all his might, and the latter let him go this time. "You're lying! H - he... No..." With that, Boruto and Sarada sprinted toward the doors. Everything else was just a blur, the people they passed by turning to look at them, their voices jumbling together... Shikadai looked up from the place he had slouched down, wheezing, as he heard hurried footsteps approaching. His mind in automatic drive, he just sprang up on his feet and followed his friends into the room, his vision almost blinded with an odd sort of blur. He almost ran into Boruto as the blond and Sarada abruptly stopped just inside the room. Mitsuki... was sitting upright on the bed... as he heard them enter, he turned to look towards the doorway, and the confused look on his face turned into a full, heart-warming grin, one that they often see him wearing. "Boruto... Sarada..." he mused, so softly that they couldn't be sure if it was a trick their senses were playing on them. As his ears finally picked another quiet, rhythmic sound, Boruto made the mistake of blinking. He heard Sarada gasp beside him. His friend was lying on the bed, and if he didn't know exactly that this was his room, he might have had trouble recognizing him. There were even more bandages, so much so that if Mitsuki was awake, Boruto would have teased him about turning into a mummy. He was also connected to so many machines that the blond couldn't help but think... that the machines did the basic task of surviving for his best friend. And survival... was one thing Konohamaru platoon never failed before. Sarada brought both her hands to her mouth at the broken sight of her friend as she started reliving the horrors of a few minutes ago. "No..." she whimpered before her legs gave way, and she crumpled to the floor, sobbing hardly as she brought her arms to hug herself, her head hanging low. Boruto slowly took a couple of steps towards the bed, his eyes huge as he practically drank in Mitsuki's unmoving form, hearing the dull echo of the proof that the younger boy's heart was doing its proper job. He stopped, now he was right beside the bed. Surely Mitsuki would hear him? And if he heard him, surely he would respond, too? He raised his arms slowly, grabbed his friend's arm as gently as he could, and gave him a slight shake. "H... hey... Mitsuki..." he heard his voice. Or, at least, he assumed it was his voice, though it didn't sound like him at all. "Come on... Stop joking..." he whispered in the same stranger tone, and a shaky, bitter smile made its way to his face. His friend would respond in a way... right? "You... you got us... Come on..." His voice broke as a sob shook his frame. "Open your eyes..." he mused, almost pleadingly. "I... I p-promise I won't be mad..." Just for once... "Mitsuki...?" he said weakly, hanging on the last threads of hope. There was no response. Only Sarada's soft crying and the steady beeping reached his ears as he continued to gaze at the blue-haired boy's unmoving form, his closed eyes... Boruto fell on his knees by the bed, holding onto Mitsuki's hand as if for dear life as he started crying his heart out… Having no more words, none of his brilliance to offer, the young Nara just slumped against the wall behind him and slid down, bringing his knees up to his chest, just… existing in the moment. … Naruto had barely caught up to his son, Boruto could indeed act very quick when he put his mind to it. He came to a staggering stop when he reached the glass panel, watching as his son and Sarada completely broke down by the child who loved them so much, the child who had been a normal kid just a couple of days ago... He put his left arm on the glass, leaning a bit over it and putting his forehead on it as he brought his right hand to his mouth. "Oh god..." he whispered, broken... It was not easy... But he had to remember that he had another task. He peeled his eyes away from the room and turned back, carefully avoiding everyone's gaze but Kakashi's. "I'm going to the office to oversee the interrogations," he declared and felt all eyes turning to him. He knew he wasn't going to be able to rest, not until he at least made sure that those scoundrels who did this to Mitsuki were adequately punished. Kakashi nodded, without looking away from the room. "I'm coming with you." … Just as they walked out of the building, the blond immediately spotted a tall, black haired man waiting for them. Orochimaru straightened from where he was leaning against the wall, gazing at them with a cold, insatiable fury. "I am coming with you, too." That made both of the men hesitate for a second. "That... might not be the best idea..." Naruto finally said, regarding the man warily. "That was not a request. That is my son those low-lifes very nearly killed, I am the one who should be handling them." "We don't need man-slaughter now. We need answers..." "Then I suggest you better be quick with them. Konoha already tested my patience to the limit. I assure you that you will not be spared more of it." The Hokage just looked at him for a minute, trying to negotiate his way around this. "You will not lay a hand on the prisoners." "As long as they have reason to breathe." "Not at any time. They will receive the punishment they deserve by law, not by the hand of an individual." "Do not push my limits." the sannin said, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "These are our terms." Kakashi cut in. "You are in Konoha under a different identity, and we won't allow you to blow it and thrust the village in chaos." "That wouldn't even be close to what you deserve." the older man spat. "But I'm not gonna stand here and waste any more time. Your terms apply - for now." Naruto gulped inconspicuously and nodded, leading the way as their haste erased the necessity of talk between them. ... His actions weren't conscious. He was just treading down the same road he used every day, a familiar route to him already, something his mind automatically tracked. "Naruto...?" he heard Kurama calling for him inside his head, but he tuned him out for now. His rage, his unquenchable anger kept his pace brisk and unfaltering. Images... the kid's voice... They kept replaying in his head... 'But lord seventh... I consider you family, too...' The one last smile Mitsuki gave to him before he walked out... 'Let me protect my family...' The time they found him, covered in blood, fighting to stay alive... 'Thank you... for everything you did...' Boruto and Sarada, screaming for the child to come back... Naruto burst through the doors of the office building, and once again let his mind take control as he stormed to the interrogation rooms. He vaguely registered Shikamaru's face. "We were waiting for... Naruto??" the man exclaimed in shock, seeing the expression on his face. He was soon followed by a black haired man, that Shikamaru was almost sure he didn't know at all, even though he was wearing a Konoha headband, and Kakashi. It was clear that the Hokage was pissed off as he nearly jumped on one of the ninjas being interrogated, grabbing him by his collar and lifting him up as he pushed him against the wall. It was only then that Shikamaru snapped out of it and quickly worked his jutsu. "Naruto, calm down!" he shouted, though he couldn't help but wonder... what could have happened to make the hokage this aggravated? Kurama had only said that Mitsuki was attacked out of Konoha... "Let... me... go... Shikamaru..." Somewhere along his blinding rage, Naruto suddenly became aware of the fact that he should tell his advisor of what Shikadai witnessed tonight. It didn’t help much to calm his nerves. "I don't want to take it out on you." "You losing your head is not gonna get us answers," Sai came next to them and put his hand on the Hokage’s shoulder. "Let us deal with this." Meanwhile, Kakashi was having a hard time trying to hold back Orochimaru, mainly because he himself couldn’t care less if the two rogue nins inside were given a slow and painful death. "You don't want to drop your disguise." he said in a decidedly calm manner, only for the sannin to hear. "You do not know what I want..." hissed the sannin in a low tone as well, his eyes glimmering with hate and rage. He wanted nothing more but to rip apart those two ninjas inside the interrogation room... just like he had done with their leader... rip them apart... slowly and painfully until they begged and cried for mercy... Make them bleed, just like they had done with his son... Kakashi's hard look took on a sad, haunting quality. "Don't worry. They are going to get what they deserve." "Nothing you will ever do will be what they deserve...!" Orochimaru hissed through gritted teeth and... Kakashi actually felt the loneliness, the fear that was hidden deep, deep inside... Something the sannin would never, ever show... 'How much did you change... Orochimaru...?' he wondered to himself. "Let me go, Shikamaru!" They heard Naruto once again yell from inside the interrogation room. "Not until you let him go and calm down!" countered Shikamaru. "What the HELL did you want from a child, you bastards?!" Naruto yelled to the man's face. "How could you beat a thirteen-year-old to death?! What the FUCK did you want?!?" His voice ringed in the suddenly very silent room. After a moment of silence, one of the rogue nins actually spoke. "Did... the child... die...?" he murmured in a hushed voice. Naruto turned to the source of the voice; Hiraku, with even angrier eyes. "Why do you even care?!" "It's not our fault that the kid attacked us first! We simply defended ourselves!" said the rogue ninja that was being hung by Naruto's hands. Although unlike Hiraku, there was no hint of sadness or regret for the nearly dead child... There was actually a smirk forming on his face. "The kid only got what he asked for..." That was the very last straw. Naruto had not realized that Shikamaru had momentarily dropped the shadow mimic technique in shock, but he did when his fist connected with a satisfying thump to the face of this sorry excuse of a human being. Takeru actually lost his balance and tumbled to the floor, but the hokage grabbed him by his collar and slammed him against the wall hard, fire burning in his eyes. "You bastard..." he hissed, so angry that he was practically shaking. "I dare you to tell one more lie, and I swear YOU will get what you ask for." The smirk was still there. "Go ahead, kill me." he said. Getting killed would be an easier way than having to face the wrath of the kid's father, who was none other than one of the feared creatures on the planet, if not the most feared. "Lord Seventh," Ibiki approached him with a serious look. "This is exactly what scum like that wants, do not lower yourself to their level." "We... were after you." As the second nin decided to speak once again, all their eyes turned to him. Hiraku was looking directly at the hokage. "Excuse me?" Naruto spat, turning his attention to the other man. "You blubbering idiot!" Takeru hissed angrily, his smirk replaced by a look of disgust. Hiraku paid no attention to him as he continued to address Naruto. "Our purpose was to stage an assassination attempt." "Why? Why didn't you seek me out of the village then?" Naruto's voice rose as he stepped towards Hiraku. "Takeru is telling the truth. When we were close to the border... That kid stopped us." "Tch... that little brat ruined our plans and paid the price... that's how the ninja world works, all decisions come with a price." Ibiki put his hand on Naruto's arm and slowly managed to let the Hokage drop Takeru, only to take his place and grab the rogue ninja by the collar one more time. "Leave this to us." Naruto was speechless - both from his blinding anger and... because of what he just learned. Between Hiraku's blunt sincerity and Takeru's disgusting remarks, he now realized that... What they were telling... might very well be the truth... He felt a lump forming in his throat... Did Mitsuki really nearly lose his life... to protect him, as well as the village...? "Ryu will get everything out of them, down to what they ate for breakfast,” Sai’s voice was almost unemotional, but there was a scary quality in his gaze directed to the rogue ninjas. Naruto nodded, a fire burning in his throat. "Sai, Ibiki... You have my authorization to not hold back... at all." The two men nodded, accepting the orders gladly. Naruto made his way out of the interrogation room, clearly disturbed by the recent news, something that everyone including Kakashi and Orochimaru noticed. With Naruto's leave and the door of the interrogation room closing once again, Kakashi let go of the Sannin's clothes. … It was an hour before more news reached them. The office had become more crowded by the time; Kiba, Sasuke and Konohamaru arriving along with a number of other ninjas who had heard the attack. Even though the office was filled with people, silence reigned supreme aside from the occasional whispered discussion. Naruto had indeed watched the first half of Hiraku's interrogation - many people, especially Sai and Ibiki urged him not to interfere with Takeru's. He could hear shouting and a lot of slamming from inside there. He honestly hoped that when he next saw him, that bastard would be within an inch to his worthless life. Hiraku, on the other hand, had been pretty cooperative, giving easy and efficient answers to the questions. The more he watched him... the more Naruto realized what he had seen in the man earlier... was indeed regret. He felt like scum for ever hunting the boy... For even, as he confessed, stabbing him with his own sword... He was honest... But that wasn't enough. There were still missing pieces of the puzzle, to which the blond man agreed himself, telling them that because of his... weakness, as per say... he was sometimes kept in shadows by his squad members. It was then that those who were at the hospital arrived, and it took the joint strength of three ninjas to stop an agitated Konohamaru from storming into the rooms. He had caught a glimpse of Takeru, though, who in turn... had just smirked and looked away. The brunet had then broken hold of those who were holding him, rushed into the room, and punched the smirk out of his face. "I'm going to kill you bastards!" he had yelled before Ibiki himself and another bulky jounin had to restrain him. "You are going to pay dearly for what you did!" Takeru had wiped the blood trailing down from his mouth, not even fazed a little. "Sheesh, if you were gonna get so wired up about this, why didn't anyone come and help the child? It wasn't like we were keeping it down..." "I swear, keep this attitude and I'll chop you to pieces and feed all the remains to the dogs!" Ibiki had snarled, already having enough of this man. "Wait, what is that supposed to mean?!" Naruto had cut in. "What are you not telling us?! We didn't hear anything!" "We didn't move all night," the man said with malicious glee. "You practically left that kid to die." It had been hard, but finally they managed to get Konohamaru out of there. A knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts. The door opened to reveal the young Yamanaka, who bowed when he entered the room. "Lord Hokage..." he said, raising his head to meet his eyes. The sad, haunting look etched in them made Naruto do a double take. "What did you find out?" he asked in a low voice, carefully in control of his emotions. "Ex-excuse me for this, but... I would like a moment before I start?" Words stuck in his throat, all the blond could do was nod. After a couple of minutes and a glass of water, Ryu slowly raised his head again. "Forgive me, my lord... But what I witnessed..." "Tell me everything, all the smallest details." "That child... I never saw another kid like him." the man sighed before closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Those ninjas spotted him next to the river but didn't attack immediately... They, uh... waited... for his reaction." "Reaction? To what?" Naruto demanded, eyebrows furrowed. Ryu just gazed at him, his expression sadder. "They goaded him - talked about how they were planning to kill you and ravage the village - until Mitsuki took the first move. And then they stroke back... That Takeru... he was the first to notice they were fighting a child... Him and Goro - their leader - they decided to keep on the assault... Kill the child there, so he wouldn't rush back to the village and ruin their plan..." "God dammit!" Naruto was on his feet again, started pacing back and forth. "Why... why would he do that?! He had to know he couldn't win such a battle!" Ryu had no answer for that, but after a brief hesitation, the boy's sensei spoke up. "Because that's Mitsuki... He always cared for and protected those around him, that kid..." his shaky voice trailed off, then he looked at the Yamanaka. "And he probably didn't know the ninjas' elements?" Ryu nodded, a lump in his throat. "They toyed with him... Only using air and fire elements at first... Takeru and Goro attacked while the red haired man - Hideyoshi - kept shooting arrows in his direction - a sensory type by what I gathered. He and Hiraku, they... tried to help Mitsuki when they saw he was just a child, but Hideyoshi was incapacitated, and Hiraku didn't come in until the last second... Goro used his attack - the lightning charged blades he called Raiha - after Mitsuki took Takeru down..." "He did?" Those who were listening were impressed, despite themselves. "Yes... He fought good actually, almost at a jounin level, he took both Hideyoshi and Takeru out... But..." he trailed off again, his voice dropping down to a whisper. "They taunted him mercilessly about how he was alone, how no one was there for him... And topped with a technique he couldn't beat..." "Wait, go back," Naruto said, pinching his nose, trying to keep his voice level. "That bastard hinted at it, too... Why didn't we hear the child?" "Lord Seventh..." Ryu said, and sighed again. "There is this one key element here. Goro and Hiraku were powerful Kumo ninjas, true, but... they weren't the masterminds. Takeru, Hideyoshi and that woman... They were all from the Sound village, and they wanted to make a statement on behalf of their village against the peace treaty."

[darquedeath4444]

Naruto Fantasy Week - Day 7 - Fantasy Prompt of Choice

For @naruto-fantasy-week

Day 7: Fantasy Prompt of Choice

&

SasuSaku Month

Day 1: Stuck With You

Pairing: SasuSaku

She offered a hand because he intrigued her. He accepted because it was the chance he had been looking for. They’ve come a long way since then.

Warning: Mentions of death/murder, slight violence

====

A SNAP interrupts the man with the knife before he can spit an insult, a threat, or whatever it was that a man about to kill another man would say, and in the next second his entire body explodes with a gush of blood and innards.

Uchiha Sasuke clamps his mouth shut as blood splatters all over his face. The weight pinning him down vanishes.

“So, what did you do to him?”

Sasuke blinks up at the pink-haired woman staring down at him in wonder, as though she hadn’t just made a man explode.

“Nothing I can recall.” He tries to remember if he had ever seen the face of the person that had attacked him, but it is hard to make out his features in the dark. He has a few ideas though.

“You must have done something.” A hand comes up to his face and wet fingers stroke at his cheek. Sasuke slaps away the offending appendage and scowls.

“How is it that an assassin managed to sneak all the way into my bed chambers without anyone realizing?”

“Perhaps your guards are incompetent.”

Sasuke breathes out slowly. He kicks the dead body away with his foot and inspects his clothes, wondering if they were worth attempting to salvage. Even before someone had decided to shower him in blood, it had been cut up by his attacker’s wild waving of a knife. “Let me rephrase,” he says slowly. “How is it that an assassin managed to sneak past my guard and you, and make his way into my bed chambers, Sakura?”

The woman grins like they are sharing a secret. “Maybe he was just that good.”

Sasuke tries to recall if he had offended Sakura in any way, if he might have said something to upset her, but, again, he cannot come up with anything, at least nothing upsetting enough to warrant letting through someone after his life. After all, he is at least sure Sakura had been aware of the intruder’s presence from the moment he had stepped within the palace walls, even before that.

Still, she is what she is, and he cannot claim to understand how she and her kind work. Women are complicated creatures, his father had told him. However, that was before he was buried six feet under, so there is no way of asking for an explanation now.

Besides, he is sure his father, not even his prodigious brother, would have had words of advice regarding the woman who stands beside him as he sits on the throne.

====

Sasuke had been seven when his world and everything he had ever known shattered in a flurry of screams and blood. He had always been a light sleeper, and the sound of distant shouts was enough for him to shoot up in his bed. Before he could even venture out to see what the commotion was about, his brother crashed into his room and dragged him towards one of the backdoors of the castle without so much as a word.

“Brother, what’s going on?” Sasuke swerved to the right to avoid a large pillar in the way. The night sky was lit up a raging orange.

Itachi did not look back. “Later, Sasuke.”

Soon he found himself outside the palace walls, and a single horse sat waiting in the shadows. A man he recognized to be Kakashi came rushing over and Itachi handed him the burlap sack and sword he had been holding. “Take him as arranged,” he ordered.

“Brother?” Sasuke tried to cling onto his brother’s arm, but he easily slipped out of his hold. He realized the castle was on fire.

“Listen to me, Sasuke.” Itachi crouched down in front of him and ruffled his hair, hard. “You go with Kakashi, okay? You listen to him”

“How about you? What’s going on?”

Itachi stood up, hand on his own sword attached to his hip. “I love you, little brother.”

Then he was being lifted up, to sit in front of Kakashi on the horse. His brother did not look back as they rode off into the darkness.

====

Shimura Danzo, once a member of the royal council, had betrayed them. The orchestrator of the tragedy which would come to be known as the Uchiha massacre now sat in the throne he had stolen.

Sasuke was declared dead along with his family and he spent the next years of his life with Kakashi, wandering from isolated village to village in order to keep it that way, yearning for the man’s blood on his sword but with no means to achieve it.

Sasuke was sixteen when he first met Sakura. A carriage transporting trafficked people, all under Danzo’s orders, had passed by and he hadn't thought much of anything when he tracked them down, swiftly dispatched the slavers, and freed the captives.

The dozen people had profoundly thanked him before hurrying off, and his eyes had automatically wandered to the single figure who remained seated.

It was the pink hair that first caught his eye. Her bright green eyes were the second thing to snag his attention. She would be sold for a high price, he thought bitterly.

The girl stared at him until just before it became uncomfortable. "How very knightly of you."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Deciding he was not about to spend the night out in the middle of the woods, he turned away, ready to leave. "You should hurry home," he said. "The woods are more dangerous at night."

The girl laughed and slowly stood up. She stretched like a cat before she stalked over towards him. A hand was held out and Sasuke found himself offering his own to help her out of the carriage before his mind had even caught up to his action. The woman jumped down beside him. "Thank you."

The girl knew noble etiquette. He wondered if she was of high social status, and if so, why she had been sitting amongst villagers caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Regardless, this had nothing to do with him. He turned, about to be on his way, when a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

Sasuke shook off the hand. "To the town," he said. "It'll be nightfall soon."

"You don't plan on leaving a defenceless lady like myself here out in the woods, do you?"

Sasuke spun around, scowling. "The town lies only a small distance that way," he seethed, beginning to feel annoyed. "Follow me if you must, but do keep up."

The girl smiled. She slipped a hand through his arm and pressed up against him. "So, what may I call the knight in shining armour?"

"Hn." Sasuke gave up trying to lean away. "...Sasuke. Who are you?"

The woman hummed. "Sakura."

"No surname?"

"Just Sakura."

Sasuke hummed thoughtfully. "You seem awfully well educated in lady-like mannerism for just a Sakura."

“That is rich coming from just Sasuke.” Sakura laughed. "I'm a believer of everyone being allowed their own secrets." She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. "Though I guess not all of us have secrets as big as yours."

Her words could have been taken in a lot of ways. Perhaps she was just trying to be mysterious. Still, it caught him off guard enough that he tore himself from her grasp, hand on the hilt of his sword.

The girl was still smiling, and he had no idea why she looked so dangerous.

She knew. He had no idea how, but he was sure she did.

“Now, no need to be so defensive, your highness.” She raised a hand, as though to reach for his arm again, but he pointedly turned away from her. She sighed. “Me and my big mouth,” she muttered.

“Who are you?” Sasuke demanded.

Sakura shrugged. “I told you, I’m Sakura.” She looked at the sword in his hand but did not look particularly worried. “Perhaps we should change locations, your highness.”

“Do. Not. Call me that.” Sasuke narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

Sakura shrugged. “It is as you said. The woods are dangerous at night.”

Just as she said this, Sasuke’s ears picked up on the footsteps of something heavy and metal making its way towards them. A number of them.

He swore, hand flying to his sword, body automatically moving towards the girl. The first man came flying out of the darkness in the next second, sword raised and a  battle cry on the tip of his tongue. Sasuke shoved Sakura cleanly out of the way before he slammed their attacker away with his blade. The man was sent flying, and he heavily hit a tree before going down. Several more appeared from the trees seconds later, weapons brandished.

He wondered if the other victims had made it out alive.

Sakura had recovered from his shove.  Sasuke reached out towards her, gesturing for her to come to his side, and she did so without protest. Sasuke noted with interest that she did not appear scared at all.

“I appreciate the sentiment, the rough treatment not so much,” she told him.

“Hn.”

“Should’ve left when you had the chance,” one of them sneered. They kept their distance for the moment, weapons threateningly raised.

As far as he could see, they looked like bandits, maybe friends of the slavers. Sasuke was sure he could take on them, but the girl behind him was nothing but a liability. Still, having her die here would leave a bad taste in his mouth. Not to mention he had to find out what she knew. “Sakura.”

“Mhm?”

He kept his gaze fixed on the threat in front of him, but he jerked his head into the trees. “The town is that way,” he said. “When I tell you, run as fast as you can.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

He snarled, ready to snap at her to just shut up and listen, when she stepped in front of him. “What do you think you’re doing-”

“You’re the most interesting thing I’ve come across in a long time.” Sakura smiled at him over her shoulder. “Can’t have you running off just yet.”

The man in front decided at that moment to attack. Sasuke grabbed Sakura’s shoulder, to shove her behind him, when a blinding green light momentarily stunned him. Sakura slipped out of his grasp and raised a glowing hand. Green glowing strings erupted from the girl’s fingertips and they hit the man, who instantly froze midair. Sasuke could see his muscles tensing and his body shaking, but whatever Sakura had done, was doing, kept him completely suspended above the earth.

“You heard me,” she said, and her voice cut through the sudden sheen silence that had befallen them. “He is mine.”

Sasuke did not even get the chance to tell her that, no, he did not belong to anyone. His brain momentarily disconnected from the rest of his body and he could do nothing but stare as the men ran off the moment Sakura dropped her prisoner.

“You’re a witch,” he whispered.

Sakura turned back to him and smiled. “I am.”

He had never met a witch before. “Defenseless lady,” he found himself saying.

People blessed with magic were rare. Witches often formed contracts with human masters under an oath to serve them, and those who hadn’t found someone worthy of following, or those who simply refused to bow down to anyone formed covens.

As far as he could see, Sakura was neither. After all, neither kind of witch would be wandering around to be targeted by slavers.

“What’s someone like you doing out here?”

Sakura turned towards the town he previously pointed out. “Why don’t we continue this talk elsewhere?” She grins. “Think about it, though. Have you ever wanted power?”

====

Kakashi had been very wary when Sakura had skipped into their room after him but after a while of watching her plaster herself against his arm, he appeared to come to a conclusion.

The wrong one, but a conclusion all the same. He pointedly coughed before he left, supposedly to secure them something to eat. Sasuke wanted to demand the man return to his side, but Sakura had dug her nails into his arm like she had known.

If she meant to kill him, well, there was no need for Kakashi to die as well. However, she made no further threats of violence. Her green eyes simply followed him as he stiffly went around washing up.

“So, where are you off to now, your highness?”

“Don’t call me that.” Sasuke scowled at the girl, who was now lounging around on his bed like it was hers.

“And what do you plan to do now?”

Sasuke sighed. “What is it to you?”

Sakura shrugged. She sat up. “I told you, you’re the most interesting thing I’ve met in a while.”

Dread pooled in his stomach. “Do you plan on following me around?”

Sakura grinned. “You catch on quick.”

“No.”

Sakura sighed. She hopped off the bed and followed him as he stepped into the bathroom. “Why not?”

Sasuke spun around, catching the girl by the throat with his arm. He knew how dangerous it was provoking a person who could no doubt take his head off with a mere thought, but enough was enough. “Who are you?” He asked. “Did Danzo send you?”

Sakura let him hold her down. “I am Sakura,” she told him. “And no, no one sent me.”

“Then why are you following me around?”

Sakura stared into his eyes for a moment. “Form a contract with me,” she said.

Sasuke froze. “What?”

“You heard me correct, I’m sure.” Sakura tapped his arm, and he instinctively released her. “Form a contract with me.”

What-no, “Why?”

“You’re a single boy attempting to take on an entire Kingdom and you have no idea where to start.” She leaned in towards him, the infuriating smile on her face. “I can give you the means to achieve your revenge.”

Sasuke felt his throat dry.  “And what do you get out of it?”

“I’ll be able to revel in my own skills,” came the swift reply. “Not to mention, the opportunity to pit against an entire Kingdom. I hear Danzo has an oath with a mage by the name Orochimaru. Taking him down will surely make my teacher proud. If we succeed, you’ll become King, no? Maybe I’ll request you to make me your right hand or something. Or at least give me a post where I can have a high position but don’t actually have to do anything.”

Sasuke reeled at the sudden list. He decided to address things one at a time. “Orochimaru is one of the most powerful mages ever,” he said slowly. “Do you think you can beat him?”

Orochimaru was an insane man who had been sentenced to death after attempting to kidnap Itachi years before the massacre. He had escaped from his cell a day before his execution and no one had seen him since.

Perhaps Danzo had also been behind the attack on his brother.

“Of course,” Sakura said confidently. “I wouldn’t be offering if I weren’t.” She raised an eyebrow. “And how were you planning to deal with him by yourself?”

Sasuke wasn’t ready to admit he hadn’t thought through it just yet. “You spoke of a teacher?”

Sakura huffed but seemed to have decided to let him get away with it. “Yeah. Lady Tsunade. I’m sure you’ve heard of her.”

Of course he had. Tsunade was one of the witches with a coven. She was said to be the most powerful of her kind, and there were countless numbers of rumours of the outcome of those who had tried to force the blond woman into servitude.  “You’re Tsunade’s student?”

Sakura nodded. “You could say successor,” she said proudly. “I’ll surpass her one day.”

“Lady Tsunade’s student.” He had heard of this before, he was sure. “You’re that Sakura?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying.”

“How does the oath work?”

Sakura raised an eyebrow. “You’re willing all of a sudden.”

Sasuke did not even attempt to hide it. “Tsunade’s student will be a good ally to have,” he said. “I’ll take your offer.”

“Presumptuous of you to assume it’s still up.”

Sasuke fixed the woman with a flat stare. “Is it not?”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “You’re annoying.”

“You’re stuck with me now,” Sakura laughed. “Get used to it, Sasuke.”

====

The sound of footsteps drags him from his reminiscence and he scowls at the grinning witch in front of him. “I miss the times you called me ‘your highness’,” he tells her bluntly.

Sakura laughs. “You didn’t like it when I did.”

The doors to his bed chambers are thrown open and Kakashi rushes in, closely followed by a few of the guards. “Sasuke! You’re okay?”

Sasuke stared down at the dead body of his attacker, suddenly feeling very tired. “Yes. Just get this body out of here and have the mess cleaned up.”

The men rush around to do as he had ordered while Kakashi approaches his side. “You sure you’re unhurt?”

Sasuke nods. “None of this is mine. Sakura decided I needed a shower before she killed him.”

Kakashi relaxes, apparently convinced. “Do you want to change rooms for the day?”

Sasuke nods a second time. “I just want to go back to sleep.”

“I’ll have another room prepared.” Kakashi leaves soon after with the men carrying the body and Sasuke makes a face at the blood still pooled at the foot of his bed. He is sure he will have to wash up before he can sleep again.

“Who do you think sent the assassin?” Sasuke shrugs. “You killed him before I could ask.” He walks over to his closet to find something clean to change into. “He was trying to kill you,” she retorts. “I, for one, think it might be Danzo.”

Honestly, Sasuke had been thinking the same. Still, having that name said in his presence while he was covered in human guts was not pleasant.

The man had fled, after all, and no one knew where he was now.

Sakura stares at him for a while, before she holds out a hand. “Let’s get you cleaned up, your highness.”

“Don’t call me-” Sasuke pauses, then sighs. “Hn.” He accepts Sakura’s hand. The woman brightens and she tugs him out of the room.

Sometimes, in the privacy of his mind, he wonders what Sakura had seen in him. After all, a witch’s oath is a lifetime of servitude.

Sakura’s finger’s glow green and Sasuke feels the mess on him instantly vanish. Magic really is convenient. “Took you long enough.”

Sakura simply rolls her eyes. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” Still, he allows her to lead him out of the room and into the dimly lit corridors of the castle. Sometimes, he can hear the screams of his family as they burned alive in the tragedy years ago. He can still see the flames in the corner of his eyes and the last traces of his brother before he is swallowed up by the darkness-

“Sasuke?”

He blinks and the fire vanishes but Sakura is still there and he widens his step so that he is closer to her. “Nothing.”

Sakura simply shrugs and does not call him out on it. “You can stay in my room tonight.”

Sasuke thinks of the room Sakura had requested for after his enthronement, the one he personally thinks is not suitable for his right hand but Sakura seems to like alot. He supposes the view from the storage space located in the tallest tower of the castle is, but that really was about it.

“Kakashi will come looking for me,” he says but lets her continue on her way.

Sakura shrugs. “Not my problem.”

Sasuke scoffs at her dismissive reply.

The pinkette raises a hand, and a ball of light appears in front of her. She continues to drag him by the hand through the castle, and they soon make a turn to the left and begin heading up a set of stairs.

They step through the doorway at the top, and Sasuke realizes that this is the first time he is in Sakura’s room since she had claimed it. He can make out shelves full of books and tables piled with scrolls and parchment, as well as a faintly glowing shelf covered in cloth and he briefly imagines jars with eyeballs and fingers being stored behind the cover.

Sakura doesn’t stop there, though, and she pushes him towards a ladder located in the corner. She waves a finger and the cover at the top opens. “Go on.” Sasuke cannot remember an opening upwards ever being there but he does as told, and he finds himself up on the roof. Sakura follows him seconds later.

“The stars look so pretty at night,” she says. “From up here you feel just a little closer to them, you know?”

They certainly do.

Sakura casts a spell, and the cutting cold wind weakens to barely a breeze. “You wanted revenge, and you largely achieved it. You wanted the kingdom, and now you rein over it. Are you happy?”

Sasuke turns to her at the abrupt question. He opens his mouth because he should be satisfied. He had restored the kingdom to his family, had chased out the man who had betrayed them and had executed the other who had taken part in the massacre.

No-

“You’re satisfied,” Sakura chirps, eyes knowing. “Are you happy?”

“Are you?” Sasuke shoots back, partially because he is curious and largely because he wants to buy time.

Sakura shrugs. “I’m not unhappy,” she says. “Though I am getting rather bored.” She is still watching him, a grin on her face. “You’re the same.”

“I shouldn’t ask for more,” he replies carefully.

“But you could.” Sakura abruptly stands. The roof has no fencing, and falling will lead to certain death. Sasuke stiffens when the girl skips towards the edge and twirls around to face him.

“If you fall, will you die?” he asks curiously.

“Probably not,” she says. “Magic is pretty useful. Why? Do you care?”

Sasuke shrugs. “I thought I should at least put an efforting into looking like I care. My mother taught me to be a gentleman.” He tries not to smile.

Sakura scoffs in amusement. “She clearly didn’t do a good job of it.”

There is a moment of silence and Sasuke sighs. “What do you have in mind?” He asks.

Sakura’s expression brightens and she beams. “Thought you’d never ask.” She claps her hands together, and the green glow of magic sparks where her fingers touch.

The first time Sakura had approached him in such a manner, she had suggested taking down a dangerous man backed by one of the most powerful mages in the world. She had known what he had wanted, understood what he needed to achieve it, and had the means to give it to him. He wonders what she is thinking now. It will be insane, he is sure, and he will like it, he is also sure.

She understands him, after all, and if he does not know what he is supposed to do, ever, Sakura will hand him a new dream he can strive for. A witch is blessed with magic, and it is, in turn, their right to bless someone else with it. A life of servitude it may be, but it is still one of choice. Sakura had chosen him to give her life to, and he is sure she will give him everything she thinks he deserves.

Sakura’s smile widens, until it borderlines insane. She holds out a hand and Sasuke finds him taking it before the words had even left her mouth.

“Have you ever wanted the world?”

Naruto Fantasy Week Master List

[misstinfoilhat]

Saw your prompt list and thought I'd drop a suggestion: Kakashi with "don't let them see me cry" - especially if it involves young team 7

I merged this with @selspeaks :  Kakashi: Don't let them see you cry. Bonus points if Guy is in there somewhere annoying him

I tried my best to incorporate both of these!

Oh lord. I don’t even know what this story is. This went from angst to angstier, angstiest to dark af, to fluff, fluffier, fluffy mcfluffypants to what-the-fluff-even?

I don’t know. I hope you all like it though!

--

With a sharp intake of air, Kakashi shot up and leaped out of bed. The bedsheet caught on his feet and he tumbled, darted back up, and shot for the bathroom where he swiftly tugged his mask down and heaved alcoholic liquid into the bowl. Shaky hands grasped at the toilet firmly.

For two days, Kakashi had been unable to leave his apartment. In those 48 hours, less than four of them had been spent sleeping. The other 44, was tossing and turning, trying to relax his body and clear his mind, or, spent drinking an ungodly amount of sake, in the hopes of eventually pass out and catch a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.

But nothing seemed to work.

When he felt himself being done extracting the meager contents of his stomach out, he flushed and closed the lid, but paused for a moment to inspect his hands.

His fingers were soft, long, delicate. Clean, unmarred, and milky. Not at all like a shinobi's. It was because Kakashi always wore gloves. He hated the appearance of those hands. They were hands that hurt people. That killed. Hands covered in blood. 

Rin's blood.

Whenever he remembered that day, his hands would be covered in blood all over again. First, in short flashes. Coming and going in the blink of an eye.

Then, it didn't disappear. No matter how many times he'd blink at them.

That was when the washing started. Hours upon hours of scrubbing his hands raw. The blood never went away, and the more he scrubbed, the more it would bleed until he realized that it was his own blood that covered his hands and not Rin's.

This had been an occurring problem since that day, and it had only become worse once Minato, his last lifeline, had died.

Somewhere insides Kakashi's musings, there were knocks on his door.

Suddenly, it was like he woke back up. As if he had just now become aware of his surroundings. But, he knew he hadn't slept. 

Confused, he stared down at the sink, the sponge he'd used, and his irritated skin. It had happened again.

The knocks on his door became more rapid, and a voice far, far away was yelling his name and Kakashi knew he should answer and knew he needed to stop cleaning his hands.

But he simply couldn't. Not before all his dirty skin had been peeled off. Not until it bled. It wasn't clean enough until there was nothing left at all!

Another voice joined in, yelling his name. The knocks were harder; like hail on your window during a storm. The voices pulled at Kakashi and he wished he could answer them, follow them instead, but he was sure that if he didn't get the blood away, these hands would hurt everything he loved. Everything that was left.

And, logically, he knew that he was the one controlling them. He knew they wouldn't go off on their own and hurt or kill anyone he didn't want them to kill.

But, what if?

What if the constant reminder of what he had done to Rin, how he failed to protect her, or save Obito and how he hadn't been enough to keep his father from committing suicide, would drive him mad?

Kakashi absently realized that the knocking had stopped, and the voices calling out for him had stilled. For some reason, he felt a bit sad about it. Like the intrusive yelling was something comforting and nice, not noisy and disruptive. It reminded him of something or someone. 

Its absence left him in silence. A loud, strangling, ear-piercing silence accompanied only by the running tap and the scratching noise emitted between the cloth and his palms.

Why wasn't it going away?

The rubbing intensified. The motion was becoming stronger and more forceful, almost static, and it stung which was good because that meant that he was close to...

Close to what exactly?

Kakashi realized he was panting. Reality came back to him like a droplet falling from the sky. Cold, unavoidable, grey. Blinking, he gazed down at his sore, scratched-up hands. The one holding the rough sponge opened, letting the yellow foam fall into the sink. Reluctantly, he lifted his gaze up and peered into the mirror, where he met a horrid sight.

His face was unmasked in a twisted grimace. The long, angry scar he got the same day Obito died glowed as if it was laughing at him. Red, puffy, glazed eyes and charcoal orbs glistened dangerously.

And the sounds. The sounds had been his students, coming to look for him. They had to be worried about their sensei, now that he hadn't bothered showing up to practice in several days. It must have taken them a long time finding his apartment, and he had ignored them to indulge in whatever-the-fuck he had just done, the selfish jerk he was.

He stared intently at his reflection. The blood-shot eyes that met his glare were pitiful and made him furious. How long had he been standing here? 

«Stop crying, you fool,» he sneered lowly, trying to keep the trembling in his chest away from his voice. His eyes squinted shut, chasing away unshed tears.

«I said...» A deep breath. «Stop... fucking crying-»

Someone kicked his door in as Kakashi's fists hit the mirror, shattering it into a million little pieces, dancing around him like flickering snowflakes.

«Kakashi!» an alarmed voice roared from the livingroom. Heavy footsteps moved quickly across the floor.

Kakashi hit the wall where the mirror had been, slicing his knuckles on the sharp left-over pieces and couldn't hold back his winch.

He was pathetic. Pathetic, sad, weak, and a horrible human being. He didn't deserve to live. Why did he get to live when Rin and Obito didn’t?

Two strong hands grabbed a tight hold on his shoulders and pulled him back. Kakashi whirled around, trying to tear away.

«Kakashi?» The voice was deep, Kakashi recognized it but couldn't focus. Feeble, bloodied fingers tried to pry off the larger, tan, callused ones that held him still, and Kakashi was unable to keep himself from thinking that they looked clean and felt an instant need to wash his hands again.

«Kakashi!» 

He had made the voice angry. It sounder wrong like that and he knew he had fucked up, just like he always did and it probably wouldn't have happened if he had cleaned his hands---

«S-so much blood,» he mused in a whisper.

His head shot back.

For a moment, he sat there dumbly, unable to take in what had just happened. He rose a strangely painful hand to feel his heated, burning cheek but paused when he noticed the newly ripped flesh scattered across his scarred hands.

Turning them, observing all the healed crisscrossed marks and raw skin curiously, he wondered where the soft, unmarred hands from earlier had gone.

He felt the comforting touch on his shoulder return. Dark eyes looked up to meet two concerned beady eyes under a set of furiously bushy eyebrows.

«Gai? What...» Kakashi muttered perplexed but interrupted himself as he took in his surroundings. The shattered glass on the floor, the mess of soap and water, the bloodied streaks all across the bathroom. «It happened again.»

A sad smile tugged at Gai's lips and he nodded. “Yeah.”

«Oh, God,» Kakashi groaned agonizingly, curling in on himself and shrugging Gai's arm off.

«Shit!» The tears were back, and he struggled to contain them. He refused to let them fall. He couldn't let Gai see him cr---

«...kashi-sensei?»

The surprise of hearing that voice made him straighten his back, instinctively pulling up his mask before looking towards where the sound was coming from, where three heads appeared, lingering warily by the door.

«Were you attacked?» Naruto bellowed loudly as he noticed the state of the bathroom, looking over his shoulder for a possible intruder. His throwing arm itched eagerly by his side pouch.

«I guess you could say that,» Kakashi muttered to no one in particular.

«Don't worry, sensei! I'll get them!»

Naruto bounced off, but Sakura grabbed his jacket and held him back, shaking her head disapprovingly.

«Stop that, stupid.»

For a short while, there was silence once more. It was probably not more than a few seconds, but it ached like days, so Kakashi cleared his throat.

«I-I guess this looks a bit strange,» he drawled slowly and rubbed his neck, smearing the blood through his unruly silvery mane.

«Yes,» Sasuke answered immediately, folding his arms across his chest. The kid always looked suspicious, a bit like he always smelled a fart, which Kakashi bemusedly had thought once during training and proceeded to giggle himself silly as the preteens stared at him incomprehensively.

A bit like now.

They wanted an answer, he knew. Sympathized with it, even. But he had no idea how to give them one.

«I-» he started hesitantly, «I'm not sure how to explain this. And, I'm guessing that none of you would believe me if I came up with some silly story anyway. But I just...»

Again, that tight hold around his heart appeared. The heavy, painful, strangulating feeling of not being able to breathe. The same one he had years after his father passed and an even longer time after Obito and Rin died. It hurt more than a punch in the gut.

«Kakashi-sensei, are you...» Sakura asked just as Gai gently ushered them outside. 

Kakashi wiped the streaming tears off his cheek with his sleeve when Gai returned. Kakashi didn't know what he said to them, but when he came back, it was without the kids.

«I am so sorry, Kakashi. I had no idea that this is what was happening. I should have asked them to stay at the training grounds while I went to check on you by myself.»

Kakashi, still seated on the floor with his knees pushed up to his chest, hiding his watering eyes with his hand, chuckled.

«No. You'd have to tie them up to prevent them from doing whatever they want to do anyway. And unless it's for the genin exams, I'm pretty sure you would be breaking some sort of code if you did that.»

«Actually, I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to tie a student down during the genin exams either,» Gai muttered perplexed. Kakashi simply stared back.

«Huh.»

Despite himself, Gai hummed a small laugh as he started rummaging through Kakashi's well-stocked medicine cabinet, pulling out disinfectants, gauze, and rolls of bandages.

«Let me see your hands,» Gai required softly, and Kakashi obeyed reluctantly, letting his right hand fall limply into Gai's giant palm.

«Several of these will require stitches,» Gai murmured patiently as he cleaned Kakashi's wounds.

«Maa, I'll do it later,» Kakashi waved him off while Gai rolled his eyes.

«No, you're not doing anything. I will take you to the doctor so it can be done properly. Not that half-assed quick-fix stuff you did in ANBU.»

Kakashi didn't dignify that with an answer. His half-assed quick-fix stuff had saved many lives, his own and Gai's included! Was everyone grateful? Yes! Were the wounds all horribly infected and disfigured after? Well, that wasn’t relevant!

«I really think you should see a doctor, dear rival,» Gai said with the slightest hint of his trademark energetic personality back.

«Jeez, fine. I'll go,» Kakashi sighed, but held his breath when he noticed how sad Gai seemed. Apparently, the energy that he had centered into his voice hadn't quite reached his eyes yet.

«Not for that. Well, that too. But for this,» Gai lifted Kakashi's hand up for a moment, indicating towards the wounds.

«I don't usually self-harm, Gai.»

«I know, that's not what I meant either. That OCD stuff that always happens after a bad mission. And those panic attacks- whatever it is- that you're experiencing. It's no good. You can't live like that. I worry that someday you're gonna...» Gai stopped himself from finishing that sentence.

Kakashi looked away in shame.

«Do like my father,» Kakashi whispered. «I know.»

Gai started bandaging up the right hand and silently asked for the left one once it was done. Kakashi didn't say anything as he offered it, placing it gently into the welcoming palm. They didn't talk while Gai kept working, and Kakashi's mind was running.

He could hardly remember what had happened. Was that how Sakumo had felt before he stabbed himself? Had he too gone into some strange psychosis and let his own self-hatred be in control? Was that what Kakashi was doing? He knew he wasn't in control, at least, he didn't think he was. And Kakashi truly didn't want to die by his own hands, let alone imagine what something like that would do to his students.

They had lost people in their lives too.

«I'll go to the doctor,» Kakashi croaked finally, watching Gai's expressive brows rise and curve excitedly, like an expressive labrador.

«Really?»

«Yes.»

«So I won't have to drag you there against your will?»

«What makes you think you even could-»

«Thank you!»

Gai threw himself at Kakashi, cotton balls with antiseptic flying and the bottle tilting, spilling half the fluid out. Strong arms wrapped around Kakashi's shoulders and pulled him into a tight bearhug, nearly knocking the breath out of him.

«I told you you didn't have to restraint and force me there,» Kakashi hummed in a mix of discomfort and relief before pulling away. Unwillingly, Gai let go and wiped a tear away from the creak of his eye. 

Rustling from outside brought their attention away for a moment, before Gai hurried to wrap up Kakashi's other hand so they could check what the fuzz was about.

«Ngh, gah! Naruto! Your elbow is in my face!»

«Your shoulders muffled my ear! I couldn't hear anything!»

«That wasn't because of my shoulder, but from all the cotton you have for brains!»

«Will you two shut up? I'm trying to hear what they're talking abo- Ah!»

Gai dragged the door open, successfully making three noisy kids leaning towards it tumble onto the floor, laying there in a dazed heap for a moment before jolting back up.

«Kakashi-sensei? Are you okay now?» Naruto cried boastfully, jumping over to help Kakashi up from the floor. Kakashi ignored the gesture and pulled himself up, noting that he felt a slight hangover.

Good, he thought. At least I've sobered up.

«Better,» Kakashi replied truthfully, noticing how Sakura was eyeing his hands timidly. «I'm sorry for worrying you. That wasn't my intention.»

He smiled softly at her, and she seemed to perk up at that, so he decided to rest his hand on her head for a moment, just to see what it was like.

Two brightly pink cheeks beamed up at him, and in an instant, she was entangled around his torso, hugging him tight enough to rival Gai. Before Kakashi had even realized what was going on, Naruto had joined in, pressing himself to his other side while chubby, sunkissed hands grabbed at the fabric of Kakashi’s black shirt.

Sasuke stood ambivalent with his arms crossed, observing the ordeal with little to no interest, while Gai bawled his eyes out, leaping a few steps forward, ready to join in.

«Don't you dare,» Kakashi glared dangerously, and Gai turned in his step and switched his focus on Sasuke, deciding that no one should ever be left unhugged, and trapped the boy in a huge, forceful embrace, seemingly untouched by the violent death threats and obscenities spilling out of the boy. 

As much as Kakashi was touch-avert and uncomfortable by affection, he recognized this as an important moment. Not only for him but for his students (it might not be for Sasuke; this particular moment, but in the long run, maybe) too. 

Kakashi wouldn’t tell them the gritty details. They were unimportant, but mostly, he truly didn’t want to. But he realized one, really important thing. 

What had made Minao a great teacher, was his heart. And a heart contained more than just strength. It also held love and hurt. Vulnerability.

Kakashi knew he wouldn’t change overnight. Maybe not ever. 

But if this was even one step closer to being the man Minato would want as his son’s mentor, half the man Minato was, then, Kakashi would do whatever it took to become that man.

---

End

[restlessresolve]

A Silent Place to Fall

Sakura hated the quiet. It wasn’t so much the lack of sound that created the problem. It was the lacking; the sense of loss that allowed the echoes inside of her room to breathe. That, of course, was always a bad thing. To breathe would mean they had the space to speak, to take possession of the silence and fill it with an almost animalistic scream. No, that wasn’t right. It was she who did the screaming. The echoes only had to whisper. The volume of their words was in their weight.

Failure.

Disappointment.

Useless.

It didn’t matter what Sakura did, who she saved, or how far she would go; it never felt far enough. Any praise or feelings of accomplishment were always crushed under the memories of the jeers. It didn’t matter that those jeers came from the mouths of children whose faces she could no longer remember, or how those failings came from a time of pubescent naiveté; they held power in their absolution.

It would never matter.

It was for this reason that Sakura kept busy. Why, despite those telling her to rest, she would sign herself up for every mission available to her, only to spend her days off on shift at the hospital. Never sitting still, never allowing herself a moment, it was always one task after the other. In keeping constantly occupied, she had no time to let her mind wander. It was the way Sakura liked it.

For the most part, it worked.

Today was not one of those days.

The hour was late. Sakura didn’t need to look at the clock on her desk to tell her it was in the early hours of the morning; she could feel it in the heaviness of her eyes and the stiffness residing in her bones. Despite all her tossing and turning, despite the candles she lit with soothing smells, or the countless deep breaths she’d taken to lull herself into the void of slumber, her mind refused to settle. Instead, it squirmed with a needling insistence, mocking her. Every mistake she had ever made throughout her life was on an unbreakable feedback loop, highlighting her every flaw. Every doubt she had had about herself jumped about, demanding attention. It was relentless. Suffocating.

Snapping her eyes open, Sakura threw back her covers and marched over to her dresser. Grabbing a spare workout uniform, she proceeded to get dressed. If she wasn’t going to get any sleep, she might as well use her restless energy to get some training in. She made a point of not looking at the time as she left her room, locking the front door of her apartment behind her before starting to jog down the road. Deliberately not thinking about where she was going, Sakura just ran, choosing to focus solely on the crisp sting of the fall air on her face as she increased her speed until her lungs burned. She counted her paces, falling into an easy rhythm as her feet hammered into the ground, the vibrations from each step reverberating inside of her. As Sakura ran, driving the tension of her body out through her legs, she started to organize her day.

Sparing practice.

Breakfast.

Research in the library.

Meeting with Hokage.

More Research.

Early dinner with friends

Night shift at Hospital.  

The voices, however, still refused to cease their whispers. Sakura forced herself to move faster, desperate for air. She steered herself out of the main village square. Even in the dead of night, there were still the few stragglers that kept the village from seeming completely deserted; lights here and there in windows that flickered with moving shadows, or the faint hum of unsteady laughter returning home after a night of drinking. Sakura didn’t want to hear any of it. She didn’t need to see the reminder of all the people she continued to let down.  Breaking away from the confines of the town, Sakura halted at the edge of the meadow. The surrounding forest made for a deep, black pitch of unspoken promises. Gasping for each breath, Sakura gazed into the void. She wondered if this was how Sasuke felt, all those years ago. Was it this same desperate need to become something real that drove him to leave? Sometimes the cloak of night was an all too tempting siren; all sweet words and hollow promises.

How easy it could be, it would murmur, no one would even notice.

Would anyone notice?

She took a step forward, her right hand fisted around the top of her shirt. She could feel the pounding of her own heart against her chest. With a shuddering sigh, she dropped to the ground; falling back until she was laid flat on her back, her arms and legs spread out as if ready to embrace the sky. The stars twinkled above her in the millions. Blinking as if, they too could see the world from the void that was Sakura’s own eyes.  

“Rough night?” Sakura startled, her eyes flickered to the source of the sound.  Standing above her, hands stuffed languidly inside his pockets, Shikamaru raised his eyebrow. Relaxing once more, Sakura turned back to the sky.

“I thought you were away on a mission.”

“Just got back.” As if to prove his point, Shikamaru shrugged off his vest, casting it to the group. It was only then Sakura noticed the tears and stains of dried blood.  Something inside of her clenched.

“You’re hurt.”

“Not particularly.”

“Show me.” There was something to be said in the way Shikamaru didn’t even attempt to argue, choosing instead to merely pull off his netted shirt as he took a seat beside his fellow shinobi. Sitting up, Sakura ran her hands along Shikamaru’s back, noting the small lacerations of a kunai’s edge. They weren’t deep. Evidence of treatment could be seen in the ointment that stuck, now dry, along the openings of each wound. Placing her hand over the largest, Sakura started to infuse her chakra into the cut, sealing it shut so that it didn’t even leave a scar.

“You should see a doctor if you’re injured.” Sakura chided, moving onto the next one.

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“There is no way you could have known I would be.”

“Your lab was my next stop.”

“I have a house.” Sakura retorted, falling back onto the ground, finished.

Shikamaru snorted, rolling his shoulders to test the tightness of his skin. It came as no surprise when there wasn’t a single jolt of pain.

“I am aware.” His head twisted so that he could look at her. “Are you?”

Sakura’s eye twitched. She wanted to snap back, but who was she kidding? The apartment was little more than an overpriced storage unit she occasionally slept in so people wouldn’t ask questions. Biting her lip, Sakura looked away.

“It was too quiet.” She finally whispered.

Surprised by her candor, Shikamaru turned around, noting the bags that hung under her eyes. How long had it been since she slept last? Sliding down to lay beside her, Shikamaru gazed up at the stars, his hands forming a makeshift pillow under his head.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked, just as softly.

“Not really.” Sakura sighed. “How was your mission?”

Shikamaru gave the barest of shrugs, acknowledging her desire for a change in subject.

“Wet.”

“Did you really expect the Hidden Mist to be dry?”

“It should have been called the Hidden Storm with the way it poured during the mission. The entire thing was a complete drag.”

“Are you surprised?” Sakura chucked, “What else is the sky suppose to do other than weep when it has to gaze at you? You incite such disappointment from the world, all it can do its cry in pity upon your barren soul.”

“Let it wail,” Shikamaru replied, deadpanned. “I have grown strong on the tears of the gods.”

“Careful, they might hear you and seek retribution.”

“I’m sure they have better things to do than smite my sacrilege.”

“If I was a God, I’d smite you.” Sakura declared, smirking.

Shikamaru rolled onto his side, propping his head up with his hand, elbow bent.

“If you were a God,” Shikamaru drawled, his eyes twinkling, “Who would you be?”

Following suit, Sakura turned to face Shikamaru, mirroring his stance. She pondered his question.

“Izanami.” She decided at last. “As a medical ninja, I could totally pass as both the creator of life and gatekeeper to death. Plus,” She added, as an afterthought, “It would just be my luck to marry a man, die from baring his children, only for him to abandon me in the underworld because I was no longer pretty after being dead for so long.”

Shikamaru laughed, his body actually shaking from the force of it. Taken aback, Sakura couldn’t help but chuckle along with him.

“I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit.” Shikamaru managed to say after calming down, the mirth still heavy in his voice.

“Are you implying I’m not the kind of girl who would willingly destroy thousands of living souls for each day my husband refused to come back to me?” Sakura asked, incredulous.

“More like, you’re not the kind of girl to put up with a man who would make you resort to such drastic measures.” Shikamaru explained. Still chuckling.

“Oh yeah,” Sakura glared, trying to ignore the image of a certain absent Shinobi with black hair and cold eyes. “Than tell me, which god would you be?”

“Fūjin,” Shikamaru nodded sagely.  

“The God of Wind?” Sakura laughed, although she was hardly surprised. With the amount of time Shikamaru spent gazing up at the sky with his head in the clouds, it made sense.

“I could see that.” She agreed. Leaning forward, Sakura reached out her other arm and ran her hand along Shikamaru’s face, up towards his hairline. “I’m sure you’d make for a dashing red-headed, demon looking lizard man.”  

Shikamaru just rolled his eyes, not even bothering to swat her hand away.

“If it means I get left alone, what do I care if people see me as a monster?”

“Wouldn’t it though?” Sakura asked, softly, the shimmer in her eyes dimming to a flat sheen. “Bother you, I mean.”

Sensing the change in atmosphere, Shikamaru’s face became a little more serious. Reaching up, he took Sakura’s hand away from his face, lacing their fingers together in front of them.

“The ones that truly mattered would know the difference.” Sakura stared at their clasped hands, unseeing. Brushing his thumb along Sakura’s knuckles, Shikamaru could not help but notice how much they felt like ice. Looking more closely at her attire, he frowned. It was no wonder, considering she only wore a pair of short shorts and a loose shirt.  

“You’re cold. You should have put on more clothing.”

“Says the guy without a shirt on.” Sakura retorted. “I didn’t plan on laying around in the grass when I left the house.” She added, sheepishly, pulling her hand out of his to run it along the goosebumps forming on her arm. Shikamaru frowned further. Moving closer, he looped his arm around Sakura’s waist, tugging her against his chest before lying back down.

“There,” He smirked, his eyes glancing down at her with a gentle warmth that left Sakura feeling warmer than any fire. “Problem solved.”

Sakura hesitated, wanting to pull back. Only, she really didn’t. Shikamaru, despite being shirtless and on the ground, was incredibly warm; his heartbeat at a steady, almost lullaby-like rhythm beneath her fingertips, drawing her in. Accepting the comfort, Sakura relaxed, fitting her head into the crook between Shikamaru’s shoulder and neck.

“I could have just put on your vest.” Shikamaru only hummed in reply, re-lacing his fingers with hers atop his chest as the other hand went to play with the soft locks of her hair. Sakura clenched her fingers tightly around his, biting her lip. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had been held in this way. If, at all, even. Without even intending to, she leaned further into his touch, curling her body around his. Shikamaru responded by drawing her tighter against himself. They laid in silence after that. Sakura couldn’t bring herself to ruin it with words, just wanting to enjoy the stolen moment for what it was; a moment. As Shikamaru continued to gently graze his nails along her scalp, content to let the silence rest, Sakura reflected on their relationship.

It had only been a year since Sasuke left the village on his quest for redemption, but in that time, much had changed. Sakura had taken over as the head researcher at the hospital, under the Hokage’s tutelage, earning herself the freedom and authority to manage much of the newly developing medical experiments. Sometime during that time, Shikamaru and her had grown closer. It had started with just a few glances and brief conversations here and there in the halls or around town. Shikamaru had always been a friend in Sakura’s eyes, but never someone she would consider herself close to. However, as Sakura saw more and more of him, she realized how well they got along. Eventually, they started going on missions together, Shikamaru’s tendency for delicate strategies pairing well with Sakura’s unique set of skills with medicine and chakra control. Together, they had successfully completed more than a fair share of S Ranked assassination and recognisance missions. He had taught her to play shoji, and although she still had yet to win a single match against him, she found herself always looking forward to their games. Shikamaru had become a friend Sakura felt comfortable relying on, not just with the small things, but the things she couldn’t even open up to with Naruto or Ino. Maybe that was why she would occasionally find herself in a situation like this…

“Have you ever-“ Sakura bit her lip, instantly regretting having spoken up. “Don’t you think it would get lonely?”

Shikamaru glanced down at her, the blank look on his face making Sakura even more uncomfortable.

“I mean,” Sakura tried to hide her blush, attempting to elaborate. “Looking like a lizard demon wouldn’t make for the easiest first impressions.” When she saw a glimmer of understanding in Shikamaru’s eyes, the feeling of relief was palpable.

“Possibly…” he murmured, not breaking eye contact with Sakura for a second. “But there’s a big difference between being alone and feeling lonely. I’d rather have no one than be surrounded by a group of people, who, at the end of the day, made me feel like I wasn’t even there.”

“Do you ever feel like that now?” Shikamaru’s eyes softened and something inside Sakura squirmed.

“Sorry,” She tried to back peddle, her hand instinctively moving to let go of Shikamaru’s. “Just igno-“

“Sometimes.”

Sakura froze, eyes widening at Shikamaru’s confession.

“It’s hard finding your place when the world seems determined to leave you behind. Huh, almost feels like a joke coming from someone like me.” Shifting her weight, Sakura found herself moving even closer to Shikamaru. It didn’t matter that he spoke with mirth; Sakura could hear it, that faint tint of bitterness that slithered just beneath the surface. It wasn’t right; hearing something like that from someone like him. It was like looking into a mirror.

“It’s not a joke.” Sakura whispered, squeezing his hand. Squeezing back, Shikamaru smiled, the action more sincere than the first.

“Bad Poetry than.”

“You don’t write poetry.”

“Probably for the best.”

They didn’t say anything after that for a long while. Instead, they watched the stars. When the first rays of light started to break through the horizon, however, and the first strokes of color found their way past the darkness, Sakura broke the silence between them for the second time that night.  

“Hey, Shikamaru?”

“Yah?” Lifting her head from off his chest, she smiled down at her friend. He looked back at her, eyes so dark they could almost be mistaken for black. Bringing up her spare hand, the one not currently wrapped around his, she flicked his nose.

“Any piece of this world that thinks it can do better without you in it, doesn’t deserve your devotion. This village would be lost without you.”

Shikamaru blinked up at her, his face unreadable. For a second, Sakura felt herself waver. Had she said something wrong? But before she could apologize, Shikamaru spoke.

“It’s not often I find myself second-guessing myself. But when I do, I come here.”

Sakura furrowed her brow, not understanding what he meant.

“To cloud watch?”

“To you.” Sakura couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. He couldn’t be serious? Could he? Speechless, Sakura remained frozen in place, unable to respond. Her mouth felt dry, her stomach twisting itself into a million knots. Chuckling to himself, Shikamaru let go of Sakura’s hand and began to sit up. Responding on reflex, Sakura immediately followed suit, giving him the space to stand. Shikamaru stood and rolled his shoulders, grunting in relief as the joints popped along his neck and back. He glanced down at Sakura while doing this, noting her still dazed expression and smiled sadly to himself.

“Common,” he called to her, collecting his shirt and vest from the ground and putting them back on. “Breakfast is on me.”

Snapping out of her trance, Sakura scrambled to her feet.

It wasn’t just the village that would be lost without Shikamaru, Sakura realized as she watched him saunter away, hands tucked into his pockets as he walked with his eyes to the sky.

Without Shikamaru, Sakura knew she would have been lost as well.

[part1]

gs 'give and take. thats life' or 'this is not working out'

sasugaa + “this is not working out”

//

“This is not working out.”

Sasuke’s eyes are narrowed in confusion, his lips formed into a thin line. “What are you talking about?” They were sitting in the living room, the sun already set and the moon high up in the sky. It was quiet outside, the usual bustle of the Hidden Sand absent as the night drew on. On many nights the sound of instruments and singing could be heard on the streets, but now it was as silent as the remote desert. Perhaps it was an omen.

“This arrangement, our relationship, whatever it is. I’m uncomfortable with the label we’re using for it. What are we using again? ‘Friends with benefits’?” Gaara takes in a deep breath. “To keep it blunt, I have feelings for you. I have since our first meetings, since...the first time you kissed me.” He could feel his ears heating up from admitting something like that, like a schoolgirl with her first crush. Nonetheless, he continued.

“I was hoping we could...take this to another level, I suppose. I want to be with you genuinely.”

Sasuke’s eyes are wide, his mouth opened slightly as he tried to find a reply. Instead, though, he got up from the couch and headed to the door. His walk was brisk, like if he didn’t get out here soon he’d die.

“I need to leave.” Sasuke finally said, draping his cloak across his shoulders. His tone was still as matter-of-fact and as solid as ever, but the Kazekage could hear the slightest change in how he talked. His pitch had changed, he spoke faster, his consonants seemed to mix together. Was he nervous?

“Why do you never want to talk about stuff like this? This is the second time.” Gaara said, crossing his arms.

Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks, his hand on the doorknob. Gaara had attempted to talk about this before a few months back, which ended in Sasuke leaving for a month or two until he inevitably came back. The redhead hadn’t found back then, just let him walk out the door until he came back for more sex. It was like clockwork, and Gaara wanted to break out of that cycle.

“I can’t tell you why, Gaara. I just need to go.”

“Can you just give me a quick explanation, maybe? Can you tell me why you act like we’re together when you don’t ever want to talk about the actual label and nature of our arrangement?” The Kazekage could feel this conversation’s downturn already, the feeling of hope he had in the beginning faded away.

“Why the hell are you thinking so hard on it? I don't have to explain anything, and what makes you think that I act like we’re togeth—“

“Don’t play dumb with me, Uchiha.” Gaara snaps, cutting Sasuke off mid-sentence. He’s using the voice he uses in meetings and on the battlefield, one that demands you to listen. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, and you know what you’re doing to me. Why do you stay with me afterwards? Why do you insist on cooking for the both of us, why you hold me and kiss my neck from behind when I’m working. Why don’t you just leave afterwards like the rest of them did?”

“I’m not going to fucking talk about this, Gaara. You said you were fine with no strings attached, it’s your own fault you caught feelings.” Sasuke’s voice was rising beyond its clear and sharp tone, the changes in it becoming more prominent.

“That’s a lie. You have to feel something, right? Anything for me?”

“I do care about you, but not like that.” Sasuke replied, still not looking at him.

Was that it, then? Gaara thought. He’s using me? The thought alone made his skin crawl. His hands were at his sides now, shaking like he was caught in an ice storm. He could feel his temper flaring, rising up from his chest into his throat.

“Why do you think it’s okay to be the way you are? To make someone love you, to kiss them and hold them after so-called ‘meaningless sex’? Am I just your fucktoy, Sasuke? Is that all I am to you?” Gaara feels like he’s about to cry. His fists are clenched now, knuckles white and fingernails cutting into his palm. He could feel his sand start to swirl at his feet, a telltale sign of his anger getting to him; he was usually good at controlling it until his sense of belonging was compromised. Sasuke was looking at him now, and that alone was enough to send Gaara over the edge.

“Get the fuck out of my house, I dont want to see you in my village again until you want to actually talk like an adult. Get the fuck over your self-pity and talk to me, stop acting like you’re the only one with issues here.”

The Uchiha looked him over one more time before shutting the door behind him.

Gaara slept alone that night, not knowing if he would ever get used to it again.

[kakasaku-shipper]

Natural Progression (Chapter 7)

Chapter 7

Sakura ran through the rooftops. It felt good to be able to soar high in the sky. It made it seem like she could fly, could do anything even. As she looked around, she noted that Konoha's rebuilding seemed to be progressing very well, with most of the skeletons of structures destroyed from Pein's attack re-erected. Only some finishing touches were needed, and Konoha would look as if it had never been attacked.

"Yamato-taicho!" Sakura greeted the man sitting on the rooftop.

"Ah, Sakura-chan," Tenzo turned around to wave at her. Sakura's smile dropped immediately as her heart leapt to get throat.

"Taicho! You shouldn't work yourself to death like this. It was bad enough that Kakashi-sensei scares me half to death on a regular basis, I don't need you to do the same," she admonished as she immediately went to replenish his chakra supply. 

"Well, it's an honour to be compared to senpai.." Tenzo began, but quickly shut his mouth at the deathly glare Sakura was giving. Tenzo was a smart man. So he knew that keeping quiet and nodding appropriately was the best option he had.

"Well, you're all done now, Taicho. Please refrain from overusing your chakra in the future. I know Naruto's running around, please just grab him and get him to transfer you some chakra."

"Noted, thank you, Sakura-chan," Tenzo said with a smile. "Are you going to a party? That's a lot of ice cream and goodies right there."

"Ah.. I'm just going to Ino's to keep her company. Her father's death still affected her really badly."

"Please send my condolences for her too. Inoichi-san was a great man."

"I will," Sakura replied. "By the way, I'm planning to have a gathering soon with team 7 members. You have to come along."

"But I'm not a part of team 7."

"You are. You and Sai both are," Sakura said firmly. "I haven't managed to track down Sai since I'm still busy at the hospital. But if you see him, would you please let him know too, Taicho?"

"Will do, Sakura-chan." 

Sakura gave Tenzo one last smile as she leapt through another building. Ino first, and then she'll worry about dragging her teammates to sit down together through a meal.

...

"Ah, Sakura-chan," Ino's mother greeted as Sakura landed in front of Ino's house.

"Oba-san," Sakura replied as she gave the older woman a hug. "How's Ino?"

"She hasn't came out of her room. And she barely eats," Ino's mother said as she shook her head sadly. 

"I'll do my best to drag her out of bed," Sakura joked weakly. "How are you holding up?"

"It's hard, but I'm a kunoichi of Konohagakure. I have been prepared for this to happen the day I married Inoichi. I understood my duty to my family and the village."

"Yes, of course," Sakura replied. Although Ino's mom spoke with such poise, Sakura could see the sorrow in her eyes. She just lost her husband after all. "Well, my mom is in town for a while. I think she would be happy to have company over tea."

"Thank you, Sakura-chan," Ino's mother replied kindly as she drew Sakura into another hug. "I'll be on my way to the flower shop first. It's going to be a busy day as we are having the funeral procession tomorrow."

"I'll do my best to drag Ino to help you," Sakura promised. "But if she's still not up to it, I'll come along to help. I'll bring some friends over too."

"That would be lovely. Thank you, Sakura-chan," Ino's mother said as she released Sakura from the hug. 

Sakura watched as Ino's mother disappeared from her line of sight as she quietly made her way into Ino's house. She set down grocery bag she brought on the coffee table before making her way up to Ino's room.

"Ino," Sakura called out softly as she stood in front of her door. There was no answer, but Sakura could hear the rustling of sheets. "I'm coming in, Ino," she tried once more. When there wasn't any answer, Sakura gently opened the door.

Ino was lying in bed, cocooned inside her blanket. Sakura made her way towards Ino's bed and sat on its edge as she gently ran her hand through her hair. 

"It still hurts, Sakura," Ino rasped as tear began to trickle out of the corner of her eyes. Sakura's heart broke for her best friend. Sure, she did not know how it felt losing a parent, but when Sasuke left it had hurt her and left her numb for weeks. And at the time, she knew that he was still alive and that there was hope of him coming back. She couldn't even begin to imagine how Ino was feeling.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I really am, and I don't know what to say or do to make it better," Sakura admitted quietly as she knelt down beside Ino's bed to be at eye level with her.

"At least you're not telling me that it will get better with time," Ino said bitterly as she sat up. "I know it's true, Kami, I hope it's true. But it still hurt so fucking bad right now. I don't need to hear it!" 

Sakura nodded her head, just listening to what the blonde had to say. Ino then drew her beloved bunny stuffed toy and hugged it close. It was the first stuffed toy Inoichi had gotten her, and Ino said that she had the bunny since before she could remember anything.  As the silence stretched, Ino huffed and patted the space beside her. Sakura complied and sat beside her best friend as Ino laid her head on Sakura's shoulder. 

"Can you believe that the elders came right after I got home, before I could cry in my mom's arms and demanded that I started the training to take over as the clan's head?" Ino said seethingly as she chewed on the ear of her bunny.

"Hmm. You can always give me their names and I'll work something out with Naruto, Sasuke and Sai," Sakura replied as she gently removed the poor bunny from the abuse of Ino's teeth.

"I'll give you the list. And I want to watch their faces when they suffer."

"That settled it then," Sakura said. "Your kaa-san is really worried about you, and I've brought lots of ice cream, chocolates and cookies. All your favorites. Could you try to eat something for us?" Sakura added quietly.

"Yeah. I'll eat. I haven't had anything for a while so all those calories shouldn't ruin my figure," Ino joked weakly.  

"Good. Because we're stuffing ourselves with all of it and we're going to help your mom run the store," Sakura said as she got up from the bed. "I'll grab the food and you'll choose the movie?"

"Hmm." Ino nodded as she slowly crawled out of her cocoon. Before Sakura could exit the room, Ino called out to her. "Thank you, Sakura."

"This is what friends are for, pig."

"Forehead," Ino retorted back fondly.

...

5 pints of ice cream, 2 boxes of cookies and nth pieces of chocolates later, both Sakura and Ino were in sugar induced commas. With the latter swimming in so much more endorphins than she had been for the past week. 

"This is a bad idea," Ino moaned as she stuffed yet another cookie into her mouth.

"I feel like I've gained 10kg," Sakura groaned as she lied down flat on the bed. 

"Uh, I feel like I should join Team Gai's training session for a whole month just to lose everything I've gained today."

"Ah, you probably haven't heard, but Gai-sensei may never walk again," Sakura said soberly, as she sat back up in the bed. 

"What, no way! What happened?" Ino asked, flabbergasted. Gai-sensei was one of the strongest jonin in the village. And he was posted in Kakashi-sensei's batallion. And if Gai-sensei was strong, Kakashi-sensei was straight up a monster. He was able to fight against two Akatsuki members, one an undead zombie and another, a creepy ragdoll who can split himself into what, 4 or 5 pieces of himself? While protecting both her and Chouji. And although Ino was not on Kakashi's battalion during the war, she was linked to another Yamanaka who was the sensor in his battalion. Her cousin had told her that he was glad that Kakashi was on their team because a rampaging copy-ninja carrying a massive cleaver was the most terrifying thing he had seen since the Yondaime Hokage's rampage on Kumo during the third war. So how could he let his best friend got hurt to that extent?  

"Gai-sensei fought Madara and activated his eight's gate. He broke his leg kicking Madara."

"Now, that's a cool story on how you broke your leg."

"I know right?" Sakura laughed. "But I really wish that there is something we can do, to at last allow him to walk again."

"Me too. How's the team though?"

"Neji woke up for five minutes yesterday before going back to sleep. But otherwise he seemed fine. Tenten had been busy being the convoy guard for our rebuilding materials and I think Kakashi-sensei had been training with Lee."

"Hmm.. Chouji and Shika had been dropping by every day to check on me and shooing the elders." Ino mused. She would treat them to BBQ after the funeral, but she's only paying for 5 servings for Chouji. "How's your team? Any luck with Sa-su-ke-kun?" Ino asked as she wagged her eyebrow suggestively.

"I just saw Yamato-taicho this morning, and he asked me to pass you his condolences," Sakura said. "Taicho said that your dad was a good man."

"He was," Ino said as she took a deep breath. "I'll thank him tomorrow in the funeral procession if I see him." Ino said. "Well, enough of that. I want some tea on how your team is doing, especially with you and Sasuke-kun."

"Well, Taicho looked exhausted when I saw him. I think they worked him to the bone for the rebuilding effort."

"Hmm. I bet Naruto's roped in too?"

"Yep. He's surprisingly been more help than hindrance so far," Sakura commented fondly. "Oh, and before you asked about Sai," Sakura added conspiratorially.  "I haven't seen a head nor tail about him. But I'll probably try to find him after the funeral. You're very welcomed to come along," Sakura said as it was her turn wagging her eyebrow at Ino.

"Maybe I'll take you up on that offer," Ino said with a giggle. "But how about Sasuke-kun?"

"I think Kakashi-sensei's roping him into something," Sakura said with a shudder, remembering the sadistic smile on Kakashi's face.

"It can't be that bad."

"Oh but Sensei caught him sneaking out of the compound."

"Do you think he'll be at the funeral tomorrow, as the fallen?"

"From the look on Kakashi-sensei's face I say that it's a pretty high probability," Sakura said with a cringe.

"You should help him then."

"Nah, whatever Sensei is doing to him, I figured it will not even be sufficient punishment for him leaving us years ago."

"Forehead?" Ino called with a surprising quietness in her voice. At Sakura's head tilt, Ino drew a deep breath. "You don't sound so.. enamoured with him any more."

Sakura sighed as she sagged back into Ino's bed. "I've started having this confusion about my feelings for him since the war ended."

"Oh, I'm sorry I wasn't there to listen to your love adventures," Ino commented idly, her exact words prompted Sakura to turn her head and groan into Ino's pillow. 

"You know who I talked to about this instead?"

"Tsunade-sama? Shizune-san? Your mom? Tenten? Hinata?" Ino grew more and more puzzled as Sakura shook her head to every names Ino suggested. "Naruto?" Ino asked incredulously. While Naruto was a great friend, he was just too dense. 

"It's worse than Naruto."

At Sakura's words, Ino's eyebrow furrowed. "You talked to Gai-sensei?"

"I think it's even worse than Gai-sensei," Sakura said grimly.

"Well, I'm running out of options here. I would start throwing in Ibiki-san and Anko-san just for the sake of it."

"Well, it's not that bad. It's not that he's a bad person to talk to, but it just felt so mortifying."

"Were you drunk?"

"I was completely sober," Sakura said dryly. At Ino's eyebrow cock, Sakura caved. "I somehow talked to Kakashi-sensei about my feelings for Sasuke."

Sakura shot Ino a scowl as the blonde howled in laughter. "You asked Konoha's number one most aloof bachelor for love advice?"

"We talked, and it just came up."

"So what did he say?"

"I have time to figure all this out, since Sasuke-kun's not going anywhere for a while."

"That is a surprisingly good answer."

"He's aloof and reclusive. He's not socially inept, Ino. Thats's Sai."

"I suppose he always have a knack to assure everyone that things are going to be okay," Ino replied nonchalantly to not bite into Sakura's bait. 

"He does. And it's reassuring because we know that he will try his hardest to keep his promises."

"How is he though? I heard he lost his sharingan?"

"He managed to make me feel like a genin again from a taijutsu spar," Sakura replied with a pout. 

"Well, it's Kakashi-sensei. The fact that he even spars with you means that he recognises your skills."

"I supposed so," Sakura said as a smile tugged on the corner of her lips. She may not be good enough now, but she could always train harder. After all, the thing she did best was playing catch-up, right? "By the way, I told your kaa-san that I would help her drag you out of bed to help in the shop. But if you're not feeling up to it, I'll grab Naruto in your stead to help?"

"I'll come. I know she's been suffering too," Ino said with a sad smile. "Besides, can't have my family business be ruined now, can we?"

At that, Sakura laughed as she exited Ino's room to give her some privacy to get ready.  

...

A/N 

1. Ino's mom's name has never been revealed, and I don't think she would come up again in my fic, so I don't think I need to create a name for her

2. She might sound a little cold from her interaction with Sakura, but I imagined Ino's mom as a sort of noble lady. The Yamanaka clan, although not as prominent as even the Akimichi (because there are 4 noble clans in Konoha: Uchiha, Hyuuga, Aburame and Akimichi) would still be an old clan along with Nara clan. So I expect the patriarch and matriarch to have a sort of noble air around them. Sooo for Ino's mom, since the Yamanaka are also florist, I imagine her to be someone gentle, but with a lot of inner strength. So she would not usually sound cold and detached, but in this circumstance, since her husband had just died and her daughter is still in a state of emotional turmoil, she have to be the strong one (cos that's also what moms do). So the 'detachment' is probably her way of coping.

3. Endorphin is a 'happy' hormone (basically an endogenous opioid/ opioid produced naturally by the body). There's some research that suggests that eating chocolates causes endorphin release because of the chemical compound found in chocolates. So, eat chocolates and stay happy! :) 

4. In a lot of fics, Kakashi is often depicted as someone who's not very good with social interaction. But I think Kakashi, being a ninja, would know how to act and what to say, since acting the right way and saying the right stuff goes a long way in the shinobi world, especially when it helps you to not get killed in the job. I think he would no doubt be awkward in a setting where he is in a big crowd and is the centre of attention of said crowd. But if it's a smaller group of people, I think he would know how to position himself (especially literally positioning himself in a way where extricating himself from said situation would be easiest).

[ikesenlemonadestandstories]

Unnerving Stillness

I’m not really sure what to say other than here is Part 7 of  ‘Retrograde Spell’ The back half of this just sort of happened...so yea...it’s excessively angsty and there are tons of triggers here i’m sure. For your own safety and reading experience please be advised of the following WARNING: Gore -Graphic Content in the form of Violence, Serious bodily harm occurs below, elements of horror included, a handful of characters have more than a rough time. I am placing this under the cut (except probably not because tumblr never listens to me) Feel free to check out the Master List for my other things here. The rest of this series can be searched under the tag ‘Retrograde Spell Series’. For those who continue I hope you enjoy :)

Admin T~

Tagging @little-mini-me-world

[Yn]

You arrived at the field set as the meeting point the exact same moment your sister did. Kanna jumped off her horse and the two of you tied the reins to your tachi then secured it deep into the earth.

“You’re certain Sasuke knows how to activate this barrier?”

“I have no doubt. I trust him like I trust you.”

“That’s all I needed to know.”

“Awfully careful when it comes to these boys aren’t we sis?”

“What of it.” You knew she was trying to ruffle your feathers, make the mood more casual before it got potentially deadly.

“Nothing.” A soft smile “let me see your stomach.”

“It’s no big deal” lifting your shirt high enough so Kanna could take a look “You’re right.” Her fist connected with your side, knocking the wind out of you.

“What the hell was that for?” you screeched, doubling over.

“For making me worry. Now, what way do you want to go? East or West?”

You had gone off to the west and were waiting, hoping the sky didn’t open up. You and Kanna had synced watches and had a general idea of when everyone should be arriving, which was anytime now, hopefully. Now you just needed to kill time, hopefully this was all for nothing.

You were squatting low, plucking at the single blades of grass when the air grew thick with the smell of electricity. A portal would open. Damn. That’s bad, very bad. Drawing your blade as space time ripped a hole in the sky you took off into the newly developing fray.

You were swinging like mad...because you were mad. There was a spy, someone was using you to fulfill their own needs and that sat terribly with you, lodging itself deep in your stomach. You didn’t stop, blowing through your opponents one by one as you got closer and closer to the group. The outline of the barrier could be seen peeking over the hillside and your body was buzzing, Kanna was close. Increasing your speed and the strength of your swing you pushed forward.

The two of you made eye contact and after two steps broke into a sprint towards the barrier, where a particularly large creature was trying to chip away at the protective bubble surrounding your friends. There was no hesitation, gripping your hilt you swung forward pushing all of your weight and momentum into the swing meeting with Kanna. Your blades crossed in dramatic fashion gliding effortlessly past the other as you halved the creature. Bursting into a fit of smoke, while always intriguing you didn’t have time to stand around and look. Spinning so you were back to back, you continued on.

The fight only last a few minutes once you joined with Kanna. You knew by the quick glance you had taken of the warlords that you looked as lethal as you felt. There were no words, a silent dance, one you and your sister had memorized to the height of its efficiency.  The last enemy met your sword, disappearing in a violent eruption of smoke. This was a problem, a very big problem.

[Mitsunari]

We rode back to Azuchi in tense silence, it was clear this was a serious situation. They looked ever the leaders they had claimed to be, sitting proudly atop their steeds clad in dark armor. The atmosphere was unsettling, mild uncomfortableness creeping in, their mannerisms so far removed from the daily personality we, moreover I, had gotten to know at the castle. Not that I minded. (YN) lead our caravan back towards Azuchi, while her sister took the rear, sure that with all of the attacks as of late it was mostly precautionary, until Kanna bellowed.

“Your seven!”

In an instant, (YN) pivoted her horse positioning herself directly between an assailant and Nobunaga. Sparks flew from the clash of steel, the blow was powerful enough to knock her back out of her saddle, in the moment it took to reset it’s swing, Kanna rushed the creature knocking it’s head clear off it’s shoulders. I hurried over out of concern and was stopped by a sharp look, and a motion I recognized quite well, though usually it came from Hideyoshi, telling me to pause take stock of the situation. I looked up.

Our company had been surrounded by a handful of hoodlums. When had that happened, looking towards the sky I could make out the faintest of purple vortexes closing. This was an ambush. The twins circled us, tightening our ranks, fighting off what they could until (YN) threw up another barrier and took off running in the direction of a  now opened orange and black portal in the sky. Four steps and she was gone, jumping up dissolving into the sky. As if trading places, Yuuto was dumped out in her stead. Clothes a mess, blood running down his arms and face, panic etched in his features.

Breaking into the bubble he pulled his sister with him.

“We were ambushed…(YN) responded to a mayday call. I don’t-” he swallowed hard “I don’t know if everyone’s going to make it.” He shared a look with his sister before planting himself in the grass and in a motion that looked similar to throwing, he moved a screen into view on the barrier wall. 

“It’s a live feed, I use it to monitor all of our officers while they fight. I’m not there but I should be able to tell how it’s going based off of everyone’s vitals.” He explained, finishing by pointing out his Aunt Yui and Aoi, His father Haruto, and (YN) on the different screens, helping us differentiate them from the first through  fourth units. Adjusting the controls on his wrist voices could now be heard crystal clear within the bubble.

The distinct sound of battle echoed off the malleable walls of the barrier, you could hear shouts ringing out from each of the officers, all commands to update positions and re-work the battle formations. I closed my eyes, attempting to envision their positions based on the descriptions alone, trying to calm my mind, wishing I wasn’t just a bystander in all of this. Calculation after calculation to help perceive (YN)’s position, it all seemed alright and they sounded like they had made strides when a sharp cry rang out.

“HARUTO” “DAD” an unknown female and (YN) screamed simultaneously.

There was audible turmoil and his screen flashed, the lines jumping rapidly before it flat-lined and went black. Next to Yukimura, Kanna whimpered as Yuuto gripped the edge of his shirt harder. As his knuckles turned white another shrill cry ripped through the bubble as Aoi’s monitor shuddered and went black. Tears were now visible, welling in Kanna’s eyes, as Yukimura gripped her hard around the waist trying to offer some semblance of comfort. There was a grunt in a familiar voice...and breathing became haggard. My heart rate picked up matching the monitor on (YN). As it seemed to be losing control the familiar orange glow lit up the sky and a several bodies tumbled out of the sky, landing hard in the grass. Shutting with a powerful gust of wind that ravaged the treeline in the immediate area as all the monitors on the screen went black, all but Yui’s and the third and fourth regiments.

[Yukimura]

Kanna grew visibly more distressed by the minute as more and more screen blinked out into oblivion. She jerked in my arms as the bodies tumbled from the sky and a wail ripped through her chest, collapsing against me as everything went black but the screen for Yui. No...that couldn’t be good, I know Yuuto said people wouldn’t make it, it was par for the course when it came to war...but could they have been completely obliterated like that? (YN) had just been standing here minutes ago, participating in one of the most lethal of dances I had ever seen. Would they have succeeded if Kanna had gone or would she have succumbed to the same fate?

“Yuuto…” her voice quivered “someone has to go get them”

He gave a half-hearten nod, but something didn’t feel right. Everyone was on edge, and as he made to break through to collect his Aunt and fellow soldiers, Mitsunari stopped him.

“I wouldn’t.” bewilderment swirled about the enclosed space as he looked right at Kanna, the pain of potential loss clear in his eyes.

“Something isn’t adding up. I ran countless scenarios and only one resulted in the loss of (YN). All of which meant the demise of all others in the area, that includes Yui and your ranking officers.”

“Mitsunari, man, I know it hurts, and you’re scenarios are good in theory but in practice life is way more messy. You have no idea what went wrong up there. We can’t just let them lay half mangled in the field surrounded by enemies.” Masamune made a valid point

“No. he’s right.” red streaks prominent on Kanna’s face. Pain shot through my chest as I looked at her. “Something doesn’t fit. Why would everyone else go black at the same time, and why haven’t they started attacking? Also, (YN)’s barrier is still up. There’s no way that would be possible if she was dead right?” she looked at Yuuto for clarification “Right?”

“She put this up?” His eyes widened “Mitsunari. You may be on to something.”

“I think if we plan to go get them, we should be cautious. Did you ever figure out who the spy was?”

“I had it narrowed down...but all signs are pointing in one direction and that..doesn’t look good.” Gesturing to the members of the third and fourth regimen standing backs towards one another, circling Yui menacingly while keeping an eye on the growing army of QA soldiers.

That’s right, there was a spy wasn’t there. It’s why this entire meeting had happened like this in the first place. Giving Kanna a quick peck on the cheek, tasting the salt from her tears, she leaned into me before stepping forward towards Yuuto.

“I’ve got a plan.”

[YN]

You never got calls to your personal line. Ever. But in the moment the monster had been beheaded you received two, one from your Aunt Yui requesting back up and another from your Aunt Aoi pleading with you to keep you and your sister away. Something was wrong, you knew it was impulsive, but Yui had always been the planner, assuming your aunt’s pride as you mentor was getting in the way you sprinted off to respond to the may-day call. As it stood Yui’s order came first, and she had more authority over you than Aoi as the armies tactician. 

The familiar rush of traveling through time hit you and you were spit out to your home on fire, every person embroiled in battle with the Q.A. Oh gods. Mizuko came running up to you, a wild rush of blonde hair and green eyes.

“What are you doing here? Aoi-sama explicitly stated she didn’t want you to come.”

You felt a chill run down your spine as you broke out into a nervous sweat, “Yui-sama called me, her orders for a may-day override Aoi’s”

“What?” her eye’s went as wide as saucers as she parried a blow from an encroaching QA soldier. Lifting her wrist to her mouth she spoke “Aoi-sama, it would appear that Yui is the traitor.”

You blood ran like ice in your veins. There was no way, but logically it made sense, she had known all your plans, every position, exactly how many soldiers you had at your disposal and where they were being sent. The only real question that remained unansered was why? Why had she done it?

“(YN) is here, she got a private mayday from Yui, after your call went out.” a pause “I understand” turning to me as she lowered her arm, eyes burning like the fire raging behind us. “Aoi has given you command of the second regiment as well. Yoshiyuki is headed our way. We randevu with the rest of the team to circle back and hold the line.”

You met up off in the forest just beyond the citadel walls, everyone gathered up. At your disposal you had four archers Hisame and Mari from the first regiment who would pair up with Koharu and Yumi from the second to give ground coverage from different vantage points throughout the citadel. Always making sure Aoi, Haruto, and yourself were in someone's sight. Four tachi, Tsubaki and Shiro from the first and Ohta and Tora from the second would be heading off with the Naginata wielders Hinata and Tatsuya; the first regiment going north and the second going west to hold the line. Mizuko your general and Yoshiyuki the leader of the second division would be coming with you entering through the middle of the fight to subdue Yui and the QA.

--

If you weren’t sure Yui was the traitor you were now. She stood on the crushed monument to the previous clan leaders, shouting orders to the QA, as she rushed forward. In the blink of an eye she had a sword through the stomach of your father. You couldn’t control it, your scream ricocheted off the tattered building in front of you. She smirked, as he fell from her blade with a sickening thud. Aoi looked up, eyes pleading with you as she engaged her own sister. You advanced in a blind white rage the only things holding you to reality was the swift metallic clang of Mizuko’s blade in tandem with your own and Yosiyuki’s revolver firing off at the enemy between deep swings of his uchigatana.

Everything was a cluster of noise and chaos, people were everywhere, fighting, running, hiding, the citadel was aflame, and now both your father and your Aunt Aoi were mortally wounded, lying side by side near the port crystal at your aunt Yui’s feet. You knew, instinctively, your father had passed already, the one sparring thing your traitorous aunt had done was grant him a swift passing, but Aoi lay in the dirt and blood groaning and gasping for air.

“Yoshiyuki, cover Aoi. Mizuko go find Ryoko and bring her here…I’ll take care of Yui.”

“But…”

“That’s an order” and they were off.

There were no words to be had, you collected your thoughts, centering yourself. No battle could be won off adrenaline alone, and you knew that. She smirked as she turned from her sister “I’m so glad you could make it to the party dearest niece. Shall I send you off the same way I did your loving father and teacher?”

Be calm. Stay calm. She was trying to goad you, she had a sharp tongue, and every mock battle with your sister had prepared you for something like this. You ignored her, as you both danced a dangerous dance. Sparks flying where steel met, you had to be guarded, pace this out, otherwise she could, and would take you. You were wearing her down, making headway, or so you thought, as if struck by lightning a searing heat ripped through your left arm. You followed her blade with your eyes noticing that it had pierced clean through your shoulder, she changed her grip and striking true once more pulled up cleaving your arm from its socket. You took two more swings, filled with the rest of your will, landing a glancing blow across her face, nothing deadly, but it would scar, a permanent reminder of what she had done today. The world around you tunneled, you heard a menacing laugh, and several shouts, many of which were your name. Your weight shifted and you fell to the ground, landing hard in the dirt just beyond your already fallen family members.

The ringing was getting louder and the deep black abyss you had been slowly growing comfortable with began to glow white. As it did you felt your sides prickle and you found yourself nauseous as you were rolled over, now looking at Mizuko and Yoshiyuki, no longer able to make out what they were saying. They looked worried. I wished the didn’t, I wanted to tell them that I felt wonderful. That there wasn’t anymore pain, that it was going to be okay. As I felt myself slipping I thought of my brother and sister stuck completely unaware of what had just transpired and I thought of Mitsunari, his sweet smile, his clumsy nature, his warmth - oh how I wanted to feel that warmth. My eyes burned as they closed. I’m sorry. Everyone I’m so sorry.

[bitway-arts]

title: Nightmare characters: Hiura Kirina, Kozoumaru Sasuke pairing: KiriKozou summary: Kirina wakes from a sudden nightmare and finds comfort from his roommate.

His eyes had snapped open in an instant, mouth opened as he tried to catch his breath from being pulled back into this world. His chest was moving up and down, breathing uneven. His heart was racing, pounding against his chest. He felt hot even with a single blanket draped over him. A hand was clutching at said blanket, the fabric held tightly in his trembling grasp.

Kirina remained lying in bed, gaze stuck on the ceiling above him. It looked unfamiliar, strange. He takes in a breath of air, holds it, counts down from three. He forces his hand to release the blanket and to push his body to sit up in bed. He felt weak, arms not being able to fulfill a simple task with ease as they normally would have. Sitting up, he looks around the room, notices it's not his room. It's his dorm room. A shared living space. He wasn't alone here.

Finally, he's able to think, to tell himself, 'it was just a dream, it was just a dream'. He had been warped back here, back to reality. Although that dream had felt so real, had made him physically react, to leave a sharp, stinging sensation in his chest. He clutched onto the fabric that stuck to his chest, wanting to grip at what was underneath, to still the beating.

He's lost in his thoughts, his own attempts at trying to make himself calm. The consideration of waking up his roommate had yet to fully cross his mind. He knew he wasn't alone in here, but he was to shaken up to be worried about waking Kozoumaru. That dream of his was still fresh in his mind, too busy consuming his his entire being to allow him to worry over another.

Kirina can't go back to bed. He doesn't want to. He can see those images again when he shuts his eyes and decides its better to get out of bed for a while. His bed was no longer a safe place. So, he takes slow, careful steps down the ladder of this bunk bed. His legs and arms still trembling, his grip on the wood is tight as he descends.

Kozoumaru hadn't fallen asleep yet. He had heard the sudden movements from above, tried to think nothing of it. He passed if off as him moving around in his sleep, even if that was a rare thing for Kirina to do. His eyes had gone from staring at the posters hung underneath the top bed to watching Kirina step down the ladder.

He didn't want to think anything was wrong. But, then he notices his shaky movements, the way his head is dipped down, how he stays standing and holding the ladder for support even once his feet finally hit the ground. It's unusual. Even in the darkness, Kirina wouldn't be this cautious.

The shorter boy pushes himself up, making himself sit upon the bed with crossed legs and stare at Kirina. He tried squinting, to see if he could catch a glimpse of the other's face. If only light was shining in the room, maybe he could.

And then, Kirina lifts his head, slightly, allowing a quick peek at the distressed look on his face, the fear that stained his usually bright eyes. It was a worrying sight. He never thought he'd see Kirina like this. Even when all hope was lost, he hadn't looked this…hurt? Terrified? Whatever it was- a nightmare, perhaps?- had really shaken him up.

"Kozoumaru," Kirina suddenly calls out his name. Its startling and any remaining attention that hadn't been on him is now. "Can I sit with you for a while?"

It's a request, one he can't say no to. Kozoumaru doesn't give a verbal answer, only a nod in response. He moves on the bed to make room for him, creating a space for him to sit down beside him.

A forced smile graces his lips with a quiet, "thank you," as Kirina takes the offered seat. He nearly falls onto the bed, letting his body rest after that climb down.

The room falls silent, leaving Kozoumaru to only look at Kirina with some worry in his gaze. It was obvious something was wrong. But what could he do to help? Being overly supportive wasn't his thing. He could give a small word or two to help, but doubts it would work in this situation.

"We could go outside if you want. Get fresh air," Kozoumaru suggests.

Sitting outside with a cool breeze brushing against skin and a star lit sky was oddly comforting. It was a nice little get away from the rest of the team, where people could go when they wanted to be alone or just share a private moment. He thought Kirina might like that instead of being inside this stuffy and dark room.

"Ah, no, here is fine," Kirina answers.

"Alright…" He shrugs.

If fresh air wasn't what he wanted or needed, then he guessed he really just needed someone beside him. He tries to think of why he would, but nothing comes to mind.

They were still learning about each other, getting used to each other. Kirina had been one of the easier ones to get along with here, but he still didn't know everything about the other boy. He wished he did though. It's frustrating not knowing and not being able to help him. All he wants is Kirina to be himself, to go back to that sweet smile of his.

He lets out a quiet sigh to his thoughts, letting a hand scratch at his head. He'd figure something out, hopefully.

"Hiura, are you-"

He stops once his eyes had looked up to Kirina and noticed a tear begin to roll down his cheek. He hadn't been crying earlier, or at least he hadn't noticed any tear stains or redness in his eyes. Seeing that sudden tear had really caught him off guard.

"Hm?"

Kirina's head turns, a curious look mixes with his saddened one. Now, he's surprised to see the staggering expression on Kozoumaru's face. He looked more startled now than hearing an explanation from their coach.

Kozoumaru's expression back to being serious, worried, as he gestures to his face.

"You're crying?"

"I'm not-"

Kirina's hand is lifted to his cheek, pressing against the damp skin. He hadn't been aware of the tear that had escaped him. He wanted to use the excuse of a yawn, but knew that would be pointless to try with him.

He wipes away at the fallen tear and feels more conscious about himself now. He hadn't meant to be caught tearing up over this. Although he's glad he hadn't gone into a blubbering and sobbing mess. That had already happened in his dream.

"Was it a nightmare?" Kozoumaru finally dares to ask, unsure if he'd get much of a response, but he didn't want to leave the room quiet.

"Mhm…" Kirina nods, hands resting in his lap and held tightly together, his eyes stuck on them. "I…" He pauses for a moment, wanting to collect himself before speaking. "I dreamt my grandmother had passed away. I-I don't know why. I just wanted to go and see her, but she was gone and everything just felt so real."

He couldn't explain his dream properly and part of him didn't want to go over every single detail. He had gotten home to see his grandmother. She was gone. He was calling for her. The news had hit. Then he was being swallowed up in darkness as he tried to keep reaching out to her. He could hear his grandmother's voice to, telling him everything was going to be okay without her. But it wouldn't.

"I think it reminded me of my parents to." Kirina lets out a breath. He shouldn't be rambling, but talking just felt…good. He wouldn't be able to handle bottling this all up until morning. "She's the only one I have left and I just…don't want to lose her and be alone…"

Kozoumaru was listening to him, remaining quiet. This was a touchy subject to deal with and one he had no experience with. He hadn't felt the loss of any immediate family members, he still had his parents. He could only recall losing an aunt that he hardly knew a couple years ago. And that wasn't something he could use to relate to Kirina with.

He didn't know what to say. An 'I'm sorry' was usually saved for when the loss was real, not for a dream version. He tried to think of generic comforting words but they all just seemed so dumb and useless for this. But, he was intent on saying something, anything to try and cheer him up.

"I can't relate to what you're feeling, but you'll be fine in the end. If you don't have family, you have the team at least. We'd be here for you." He knows he would. "And…" A pause as he looks away, scratching the back of his head. "If this happens again, you can tell me about it." It's not the best offer, but it's genuine.

Kirina turns to him, staring for a moment. His words were surprisingly soft, genuine. He had done his best and had made a small smile appear on his face.

"Thanks, Kozoumaru. I'm sorry that I had to burden you with that." Kirina tries to laugh, but its weak and sounds forced.

Kozoumaru lets out a content sigh once he sees the smile on his face. He's glad that he had helped out in some form, to see a short lived happiness spark back on his face.

"You don't have to thank me," he replies before beginning to move back on his bed. He figured this talk was over, that Kirina would want to go back up and get some sleep, but the other hadn't moved off his bed.

"If its not too much…" Kirina starts, turning his head to him. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight?"

"Huh?" Kozoumaru looks at him as if this request is stranger than the last one. "You want to switch beds for the night?"

"Ah no, I meant- Can I sleep together with you? I just…don't think I can sleep alone. Not tonight."

Kozoumaru freezes upon hearing that. It's not something he wants to turn down or say no to- how could he anyway? It would help and he'd be closer with Kirina.

He lets out a huff, figuring thats better than his silence. "Fine. Don't think this is going to be a constant thing though…" Kozoumaru mutters as he begins to move back into his bed.

Kirina's face lights up when he hears this 'yes' of his. He whispers another, "thank you," along with an "I'm sorry for troubling you so much."

The shorter only rolls his eyes to that. He'd tell him not to apologize for something like this another time. For now, he just waits for Kirina to crawl into his bed, lie beside him and feel the warmth of another person beside him. He's more still, tense than he would be alone, not used to sharing his bed, but eventually Kozoumaru finds himself able to relax.

"Good night, Kozoumaru."

"Yeah, night, Hiura."

(When Kozoumaru wakes up, he finds himself in Kirina's arms. Naturally, he attempts to pull free and move away, but catching sight of the peaceful look on his face, he stops moving. If this helps him sleep and drives off the nightmares, he'll let it slide this time.)

[narutostuff101]

Shikamaru and Naruto Fanfic #2

Shikamaru’s Duty

Summary: Shikamaru knew that it was up to him to protect Konoha when Naruto was gone. It was his promise to Naruto and to himself.

Set during Boruto Episode 62 but in Shikamaru’s POV.

Shikamaru looked at the bright orange and yellow light that was Kurama’s tails in the arena. The tails were engulfing an enormous Tailed Beast Ball.

Naruto...

Like everyone else, Shikamaru could only stand and watch the scene happening in front of him. How could this have happened? The research and investigation with Sasuke had been done for weeks. Why didn’t they see this coming?

The devastating blow by one of the ogres had caused the arena to crumble. Huge pieces or debris came falling down onto the spectators who had come to watch the Chunin Exams. The Four Kages and their advisors were quick to access the situation. They had scattered to quickly assist in evacuating the people. Ninjas in the stands had also aided in bringing the people away from the arena.

Shikamaru had rushed to the see what was happening down at the arena. As he cascaded down, he had shouted orders to the ninjas to hurry and get everyone to safety while at the same time trying to spot his son amongst the flood of people trying to run away. He did not see Shikadai anywhere but Shikamaru could not afford to worry about that at the moment. He needed to focus on getting to where Naruto was.

When he reached the edge of the stands, he could see the scene unfolding in below him; Naruto was carrying Boruto while trying to fight off the slimmer of the two ogres whereas the bigger one was attacking Sasuke who was holding Sarada. Shikamaru reacted fast. He performed the hand seals to activate his Shadow Binding Technique. His shadow stretched and stretched until it binded the two ogres.

Just in time.

“That was close!” He sighed in relief. Had he not reacted quickly, Naruto and Sasuke along with their children would’ve being sliced by the ogres. His success was short lived however. The ogre that was attacking Naruto had muttered something and all of a sudden, Shikamaru’s Jutsu was somehow absorbed into the ogre’s right palm. Shikamaru fell forward.

Is this like Pein? Does he have the Rinnegan?

Shikamaru’s brain went on a roll.

What on Earth are those things?

Even from far, Shikamaru knew that those creatures were not ordinary. He knew that they possessed a power that was beyond their level.

And of course, he was right. The ogre who had absorbed his Jutsu raised his palm and a big Tailed Beast Ball emerged from it. Then, several nature Jutsus emerged and began to circle the Tailed Beast Ball. It was a nerve-wrecking site.

This is bad.

Shikamaru needed to get away. He needed to leave the arena before the ogre unleashed those Jutsus. Shikamaru was trusted that Naruto would be able deal with it. Sasuke was there as well. They would protect the people in the village from the hellish Power that the ogre or perhaps ogres, possessed.

Shikamaru ran to the exit just in time as the ogre let loose the Jutsus in his palm. Running at full speed, he made his way to the forest area surrounding the arena. He noticed that many of the people have been evacuated there.

The majority of the Chunin Exams spectators had been Konoha citizens. He could only see several people from other villages. Shikamaru then spotted Shikadai. He was with the other Genins. As much as he wanted to, Shikamaru did not approached his son. Shikadai was safe and that was enough to ease Shikamaru’s sickening worries. Although he could not see his wife, Temari amongst the crowd, he did not panic. He was confident with his wife’s abilities and trusted her to be able to take care of herself. Now, Shikamaru had a bigger responsibility to carry; to ensure everyone’s safety as his first priority.

He began to instruct the Konoha Shinobis to bring the people further away from the area. They must not take any chances.

The sky above the arena flash with lightning. It was not natural lightning but several lightning style Jutsus. They could hear Kurama’s roar. Naruto had fully transformed into Tailed Beast Mode. Shikamaru hoped that that was a good thing.

Evidently, it wasn’t. The situation was clearly in favour of the enemy because suddenly the evening sky became dark. Shikamaru looked into the sky and what he saw, made him freeze. An even bigger Tailed Beast Ball blocking out the setting sun. Shikamaru felt himself gulping.

What were they going to do?

As if to answer his silent question, the tails of Kurama suddenly illuminated the dark sky.

“Naruto... is he going to absorb the thing?” Shikamaru thought aloud.

Around him, the people were shouting out to their beloved Seventh Hokage.

“Nanadaime-sama!”

“Hokage-sama!”

“That’s enough, Hokage-sama! You’ve done enough already! Get to safety!”

The people desperately shouted.

It only took a moment later and the sky became dark once more. Kurama’s tails disappeared into the darkness.

Naruto is gone.

Murmurs broke out amongst the crowd behind him. Some people started to cry out to Naruto. Shikamaru needed to get to the arena. He needed to know what was the situation. He ran as fast as he could.

As he ran, he remembered a conversation that had taken place between him and a freshly inaugurated Naruto, nearly 5 years ago.

“Shikamaru, thanks for being my advisor.” Naruto had told him when he settled into his new Hokage office. “It wouldn’t have been here if you hadn’t helped me the past few years.” Naruto gave Shikamaru his signature wide smile that made Shikamaru smile as well.

“Well, that was my nindo anyway.” Shikamaru told Naruto unabashed. “Now, if there is anything that you need help with, I’ll try my best to assist you. That’s my duty as your advisor. Got that, Hokage-sama.” He emphasised on the last two words.

Naruto scrunched up his face and let out a chuckle. “Thanks Shikamaru. I understand.” Then, Naruto’s face became serious. He looked Shikamaru in the eye and said in a serious tone, “However, I need you to understand one thing, Shikamaru.”

Shikamaru remained silent. He did not interrupt.

“If there came a time, when I can’t be there for the Konoha and it’s people, if I had vanished from here... I want you to promise me that you will protect this village as if it was your own family.”

Shikamaru furrowed his eyebrows and stood up straight. He could tell that Naruto was very serious. He knew that the village meant everything to Naruto. That was one reason why he had wanted to became the Hokage. To protect his village.

“I understand.” Shikamaru answered curtly.

Naruto nodded. “Don’t worry Shikamaru. I’m strong, dattebayo! I won’t get killed that easily.” Naruto boasted.

“Huh. Sometimes I wonder if making you the Hokage was really a good thing. It may have inflated that big head of yours even more. Ha ha,” Shikamaru teased the blonde man.

“Shut up, Shikamaru.” Naruto said with a scowl. The two leaders of Konoha let out a laugh. Their journey to bring a new era to Konohagakure together began on that day.

Shikamaru reached the arena that was completely destroyed. He couldn’t see very well due to the dust that clouded the area. He jumped down towards a tall black figure.

It was Sasuke. Sarada and Boruto laid on the ground; passed out. Naruto was nowhere to be seen.

Shikamaru quickly approached Sasuke and called out his name. “Sasuke! What happened?Where is Naruto?”

Sasuke did not meet Shikamaru’s eyes. Instead, he crouched down to check on his daughter and Boruto before answering his questions. “Those aliens tried to destroy the place. They wanted to force Naruto to use his Tailed Beast Mode. Naruto’s chakra managed to prevent the Tailed Beast Ball from impact. Right now, I can’t sense his chakra anywhere.”

Panic began to rise within Shikamaru. “Is he dead?!” Although, he didn’t want to know.

“I don’t think so. Those ogres need Naruto to be alive in order to extract the Nine-Tails’s chakra. It is most likely that Naruto was teleported into another dimension by Time-space ninjutsu”, Sasuke explained. “These two need to be brought to the hospital.”

Shikamaru was still trying to comprehend what Sasuke has just told him. It did make a whole lot of sense. According to their intel, those ogres needed Naruto to be alive in order to carry out their intentions.

“I’ll take care of that. The media corps are heading their way here.” He told Sasuke. Although Sasuke was no longer paying attention. He seemed to be im deep thought.

“What will we do?” Shikamaru pressed for answers from Sasuke.

“I will try to find out which dimension which Naruto was taken to. I’ll contact you soon. Please tell the other Kages to be ready. A rescue mission to retrieve back the Hokage will commence soon.”

Shikamaru gave a slight nod. “Understood. We’re counting on you, Sasuke.”

The medic corps arrived right then and lifted Boruto and Sarada on stretchers. Sasuke disappeared into the darkness.

Shikamaru stood there for awhile. This was it. This was the ‘if’ that Naruto had told him. The weight of the lives of the Konoha people now rested on his shoulders. He had promised Naruto the first day they came into work together that he would protect the village like his own family. He needed to ensure that everyone was safe. The injured must be treated promptly. He needed to increase the village’s defense. Right now, the village of the Hidden Lead was very vulnerable without it’s leader. Shikamaru must act now. There was no time to waste. For the sake of the village, and as to fulfill his promise to Naruto, Shikamaru must do all he could to protect the Konoha from any further harm.

That was, Shikamaru’s duty.

The End

A/N: meh, idk. I tried my best. I hope you enjoyed reading this. I’ve got another Shikamaru and Naruto fanfic coming up. It’ll be much shorter than this one. Anyways, please give me some feedback and like and reboot and all those stuff. Also, please follow me! Thank you!

[realityextinct]

MadaIta fanfic - Still As Good As Always

Yeah, I remember this one XDD

Summary: Even after the younger Uchiha's death, Madara finds good use of his body...but that was what Itachi wanted himself. Necrophilia.

Title: Still As Good As Always

Pairing: MadaIta

Rating:  NC-17

Status: Complete

Warnings: necrophilia (you have been warned!), sneering over a dead corpse, character death (duh)... I think that's it.

Word Count: 829

It all happened in a matter of seconds, but it actually felt longer for me. The way he started coughing up blood, the way his Susanoo vanished, the way he slowly made to his younger brother... The way he fell to the ground, dead. I always knew it would end this way, but I never believed it. His sickness got to him, the same illness that once almost brought me to my funeral, if it wasn't for Izuna...

Sasuke had shock written all over his face. Certainly, I would be just as confused as him in his place. His whole life's goal was to kill Itachi, and yet, even that chance was taken away from him. He couldn't fulfill his dream. Even so, Itachi's dead corpse lay before his feet. Soon, his tiredness took him over and he fell near Itachi, unconscious.

Itachi would have won the battle, it was obvious... Too bad it turned out to be such a waste, but then again, this is what he had always wanted.

Pathetic...

Jumping off the tall wall, I landed not too far from the body of the fallen Uchiha. It looked as if he was smiling, how foolish. Your brother's victory wasn't even truly his, but it still made you happy to know he was ready, right? Ready to withstand against me, even though that is impossible. No living being could ever take me on.

For I am immortal...

His pale complexion was even paler now than usual. Rain kept pouring mercilessly on his body, as if trying its best to wash blood out of numerous wounds. The most unpleasant, even I have to admit it, part of Itachi's body was his eyes. They were as dull as the moon itself.

There wasn't the usual shine inside them whenever you looked at me... Whenever I touched you...

Whenever I made you go through hell.

Unzipping my cloak, I quickly undid my pants. You said you would please me when you returned from your battle with Sasuke... I won't let that turn into a lie. Your body will please me once again.

Without the usual struggling, it was easy to undo his pants for once. It even made me feel slightly sorry, but there could never be any pity from me, you know that... No, you knew that. Still, you never left my side. The reason was always obvious, but I never paid much attention to that until now.

Is this what you were talking about when you said you would please me after? Is this truly what you wanted? How touching...

For the first time, the skin I felt was cold as I ran my hands down his smooth legs, pulling them apart. The usual erection he always had was gone as well. Cursing loudly, I entered inside him, deeply. Itachi's gorgeous lips didn't let out that painful cry, the usual lullaby to my ears. He didn't try to get away from me, or at least, squeeze his eyes shut in an attempt to make the pain go away.

His insides were freezing cold as well. It felt as if I was pounding into an iceberg, as queer as that sounded. None the less, I didn't care. His body still turned me on even after death. His eyes kept staring at me though, as if trying to look into my soul. I couldn't help but slap his cheek, watching his head turn to the side without any prevention.

I won't let you do as you want even now, Itachi.

It seemed like I was jacking myself off, since there was no hindrance in what I was doing. His body didn't move, nor did he make a sound...or even cum with me...

Panting heavily, I didn't bother to pull out immediately. There was no rush in that, since I wanted to remember the feeling of Itachi's insides, to imprint it all in my memory. It was hard though, with his freezing-cold cadaver. For the last time, I ran a hand through long, silky wet hair.

"Still as good as always, even after death."

Getting up, I zipped my clothes up, not bothering to do the same with Itachi and looked over at Sasuke. He should be a great help, now that you're gone. You made a mistake of not telling him anything, Itachi. He is going to be on my side now.

As I picket the youngest boy up, I saw rays of light shine through the cloudy sky, one of them shining upon still magnificent features, drying the body from raindrops. I stood there for a while, staring, until I saw crows whirl around above Itachi.

That was when I hit his side with my foot, obviously breaking a few ribs, "Your own life was never your priority...and it isn't mine either," with that, I turned on my heels and left, letting the crows feed on the now useless dead body.

I'll see you in hell, Itachi...just...wait for me.

The End

[catflorist]

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

pt 5: sakura

After Sasuke left, Sakura woke up alone on a bench just as the sky began to lighten.

She rubbed the goosebumps on her bare arms. The aching pressure of a sob churned in her chest, but she could not cry.

Someone sat next to her. She recognized the line of his shoulders before she recognized his face.

Sasuke's jaw was sharper, his hair tied back and long enough to graze his shoulder blades. Mismatched eyes—red and purple—met hers before fading into their familiar dark.

He frowned. "You're cold." His voice was quieter, deeper than the voice of her Sasuke. He shrugged the cloak off his shoulders and offered it to her.

Sakura accepted, too stunned to speak. There was no need to voice the obvious. He was not the Sasuke she knew.

"I always wondered how you knew I was leaving," he said.

Sakura burrowed inside the cloak, still warm from his body. The fabric was soft, sun-worn, and smelled like salt. "Because I know you," she answered.

Sasuke smiled, and Sakura's head cleared. He had left, but he was here again. That had to mean something.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice trembled, but the knot in her throat was loosening.

The first rays of sun peeked over the horizon, lighting the treetops in gold. "I need to tell you something."

As dawn rose, Sasuke told her about his time-slipping, about the Rinnegan, that she should expect more appearances in the years to come. Sakura listened in a rapture. When he revealed the truth behind the massacre of the Uchiha clan, her tears finally fell. In the morning light, the village appeared ghostly, like bones bleaching in the sun.

"Will you ever come back?" Sakura asked, when everything was said.

"Yes," Sasuke said.

She dried her eyes on the collar of his cloak. "Do you promise?"

"I promise," he said. "We'll meet again soon."

"How long?"

"Five years or so, for you." His brow furrowed. "I'm sorry. You'll need to be patient with me."

"I'll be here when you're ready," she said.

Smiling again, Sasuke tapped the center of her brow with two gentle fingers. "You're with me right now."

A rush of questions flooded Sakura's mind, but they were out of time. Sasuke frowned, rubbing his temples, and Sakura took this to mean he was about to leave. She passed the cloak into his lap.

Sasuke slipped away like ducking underwater, leaving behind a quiet ripple of his presence.

When Naruto and Kakashi found her, the village had already woken up. Traffic clattered from the nearby main streets, and curtains fluttered from open windows. Someone nearby was grilling fish for breakfast.

"He's gone," Sakura said.

For a beat, Naruto and Kakashi said nothing. They searched Sakura's expression, giving her the opportunity to grieve, if she wanted to. But Sakura's breathing remained calm.

Kakashi lifted the hitai-ate obscuring his left eye. His gaze shone with regret. "This is my fault." At this, Sakura's lip started trembling.

Naruto's fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. "I'm going after him," he snarled.

"There's no need, Naruto." Sakura gripped the stone of the bench. "He'll come back one day."

.

.

Sakura trained under Tsunade and grew strong. She learned how to tear open the earth and to mend bones. How to store her chakra drop by drop, so one day it would become a vast ocean under her control.

Two years passed before she saw Sasuke again. It occurred in her own time. He perched on the rim of the cliff outside Orochimaru's hideout, wind lifting his robes. A purple obi ensnared his waist. With the sun at his back, he looked more shadow than boy. His eyes held nothing when he looked at her—neither interest nor contempt.

Then he said, "Sakura." He exhaled her name like a breath, like he didn't even realize he was saying it.

It still hurt when they failed to convince him to return, even if it was what Sakura expected.

The trip back to Konoha was solemn. Naruto was shaken and quiet, and even Sai wisely held his tongue. They traveled through the night until Captain Yamato constructed a temporary wooden shelter with four separate rooms.

When she was alone, Sakura held her head in her hands. She tried to fit the Sasuke she just saw into her knowledge of him. He was longer her teammate, and he was far from the man who had chosen to tie his hair back. He was somewhere in between, somewhere lost, with a long way to go.

"Sakura?"

Sasuke, exactly as she remembered from their genin days, inspected her wet face. All his questions stopped. He grasped her hand and looked stubbornly away, daring her to state what they both knew. It was not his way to freely offer a comforting touch.

Sakura closed her eyes. Sasuke had promised to return, but she never would have doubted it on her own.

.

.

"The daimyo wants to drain a lake to build another summer palace, and the council says they have the funds to spare," Tsunade spat, shoving a mountain of paperwork in Sakura's direction. "But there's nothing in the budget for the civilian guilds?"

Sighing in sympathy, Sakura pulled her favorite chair to Tsunade's desk. She flipped through the paperwork, signing a perfect copy of the Hokage's signature on each page. Tsunade filled two glasses with amber liquid, set one beside her student, and settled behind her own tower of paper. This was their evening ritual.

Signing her name with angry flourishes, Tsunade muttered, "Three years as Hokage and I can't get anything done."

Each day, Sakura watched Tsunade fight the council tooth and nail to implement her vision for the village. Each day, the council blocked her every move.

Sakura's pen stilled. Tsunade did not know the truth of the Uchiha massacre. Was it right to tell her?

"Tsunade-shishou…" she began, then the words froze on her tongue.

Her teacher raised an eyebrow. "Spit it out," she urged.

"Have you ever thought that the council might be doing more harm than good?"

This was a radical view. Many citizens of Konoha supported the council in their decision-making. The village was prosperous and powerful. There was no reason to ask deeper questions.

Tsunade was silent for a breath too long, revealing her answer. Teacher and student gazed at each other with a new understanding.

Sakura's hands shook. "There is something you should know."

The council met in an imposing structure set behind the largest gate in the village. Since few windows penetrated its thick walls, the building's interior remained cold and dim no matter the season. When darkness fell, Tsunade and Sakura snuck inside and entered the archive.

After undoing a genjutsu, breaking the ninjutsu seal on a wooden chest, and snapping a plain lock in half, they uncovered the file detailing plans behind the Uchiha massacre.

The scroll was thin. It did not take much space on a page at all to massacre a clan.

Sakura read it first. It was one thing to hear the truth from Sasuke. It was another to see it confirmed in writing, signed by the leaders of the village, and stamped in approval. When she saw the Third Hokage's signature, her heart panged. Sarutobi-sama had always been kind to her. Yet he had known and approved of this plan. Was it a betrayal, or a requirement of his position? Which was worse?

"This village is rotten to the core," Tsunade muttered after closing the scroll. "Is this why your teammate left?"

"No," Sakura said. "He doesn't know the truth yet."

"How did you think to look for this?"

"I was close with Sasuke," she offered, not meeting her teacher's eyes. "I had a suspicion."

Tsunade did not push further. She pressed her lips together, rubbed the space between her eyebrows. For once, the ageless face of Sakura's teacher looked tired.

"We carve our faces into the cliff as if we have something to celebrate," she said. "As if we owe our greatness to the world. But it's all a lie."

Huddled next to Tsunade, surrounded by the archive's chilly secrets, Sakura swore to make the village a better place by the time Sasuke returned.

.

.

"No surprise, Sakura. They denied your plans." Tsunade stamped a document hard enough to shake her entire desk. "Danzo told me personally."

Sakura clenched her fists, but she was not surprised. Last week Tsunade refused to shut down an investigation into the Hyuuga clan's use of branding. Now, the council had coincidentally tabled Sakura's sensible proposal to construct a pediatric wing of the hospital.

This was not Sakura's first roadblock. Last month, the council canceled their first meeting with Sakura's newly-established civilian board, citing scheduling conflicts, and dodged all attempts to reschedule. Not long before, they implied that unless Tsunade agreed to spare three extra jonin for the daimyo's entourage, they might not find funds to spare for Sakura's medic training program. Each time, Danzo delivered the news with a modest smile, as if he were pouring her a cup of tea and expecting gratitude in response.

The more Sakura's plans fizzled out, the more she feared Konoha could never change.

Sometimes Sakura imagined herself leaving the village. She thought about it the same way she thought about embracing the next Sasuke she saw. It was not a real possibility, but the idea floated in her head, and sometimes hurt to think about.

She could live alone somewhere. Maybe by the ocean. Her brain conjured all the details: fresh, salty air. Seabirds screeching and plummeting into the water. The temperamental sand shifting under her feet. There would be nothing to fix. Nothing would require changing. Maybe she would find peace.

Sakura worked hard to improve the village, but she did not buy the plant Ino suggested would flourish in the morning light of her bedroom. She stored every scrap of chakra away for her future seal. She did not spend money except when her friends dragged her to dinner. She thought about the Sasuke who smelled like salt. She dreamt about the ocean.

.

.

When Sasuke appeared next, it was at the worst possible time, and that's what she told him. She had a village to defend and to heal.

Sasuke was closer, somehow. He wore the obi, but his eyes were brighter. He did not hesitate to approach her and to call out her name. Sakura wished he had stayed long enough for her to heal the wound on his head.

The battle worsened. A hoard of Katsuyu's summons under Sakura's command saved the hospital and the old Uchiha compound from destruction, but Pain's attack leveled much of Konoha to the ground.

Tsunade sank into a coma. Shizune and Sakura tended to the wrecked village.

Captain Yamato was reconstructing Konoha by himself when Sakura stepped in. In his patient voice, he taught her the basics of woodstyle. At first she could only summon twigs and vines. Her wood produced too much foliage, inhibiting its use as a building material. She persevered. By the end of the month, she was by his side, reimagining and rebuilding Konoha, coaxing the surrounding forest to regrow.

Sakura and Yamato faced the empty land where the council building once stood.

"I have an idea," Sakura said, "though it isn't traditional."

"By all means," Yamato said.

Sakura pressed her hands together. Wood coiled into the air and formed a new type of building. It was small and modest with an unadorned facade. A large window opened upon the council gathering space. Where the gate once existed, she created a square for the citizens of Konoha to gather. The council's discussions could no longer occur in private, outside the public eye.

It was no trivial responsibility to possess the skills to rebuild a village. If she could carve out a window when before there was none, create a new space for people to breathe, she would.

.

.

"Sakura, you have too many jobs," Ino complained.

"I am a simple student," Sakura denied, though Ino was right. In Tsunade's absence, Sakura's role in the village took on more of a political nature than ever.

After the council appointed Danzo as the temporary Hokage, she and Shizune fought to maintain Tsunade's policies and legislation under his strict rule. During council meetings, she served as Tsunade's representative. In between these responsibilities, Sakura squeezed in training and shifts at the hospital.

This meant Sakura did not have time in her schedule to eat dinner with both Ino and Naruto in one week, so she requested they meet together. Her two friends disrupted the peaceful evening of every Konoha resident with their public debate over where to eat before Ino finally threw up her hands.

Naruto slurped his Ichiraku's ramen. "You're a student, a shinobi, an architect..."

"...a medic, a politician," Ino picked up. She considered. "A large-forehead-bearer."

"Pig," Sakura responded fondly. She eyed Naruto. "Dobe," she said, using Sasuke's word without thinking, and the cheerful mood dampened.

Ino set her teacup on the table with a soft clink. "Have you heard anything?"

Naruto sighed. "The teme is up to some shit."

Sakura chewed her lip. The last they'd heard, Sasuke had formed a team and joined the Akatsuki. Five years or so, Sasuke had promised. Over four years had passed since that day.

Just as a lump formed in Sakura's throat, Ino squeezed her shoulder. "Let's walk to the square, later," she suggested. "It's great, but I think it could use a few more places to sit."

They walked to the square. Sakura twisted wood into benches and placed them according to Ino's vision.

"Beautiful work. But what about trees? Some shade would be nice," Ino said. "Don't you think, Naruto?"

"Eh? But it's night––ow," Naruto gasped, as Ino elbowed him in the ribs. "I mean, absolutely. Could use some greenery, and all that."

Sakura's hands flew through the signs. Trees sprouted in each corner of the square, growing taller than the nearby council building, than any building in the village.

The transformation was immediate. Soft murmurs of rustling leaves replaced silence. A bird landed upon a branch. From where they were standing, the newly born foliage obscured the faces carved into the Hokage Mountain. In the silver wash of the moon, it appeared as if they grew over the mountain itself, a tangle of wood and leaf and stone.

Without speaking, the three of them sat together on the nearest bench, inaugurating the new space.

"This was a good idea, Ino," Sakura said.

Ino and Naruto raised eyebrows at each other.

"Do you feel better, Forehead?"

Gazing at the treetops, Sakura found herself smiling. She felt better.

.

.

Sakura was listening to a council meeting with detached resentment when news broke of Danzo's death.

Tsumiki Kido, Danzo's closest confidant on the council, called for a moment of silence. As councilmembers bowed their heads, Sakura's heart raced. She and Shizune shared a careful glance.

When the moment was done, Tsumiki shook his head. "It is clear Uchiha Sasuke has outgrown his usefulness."

"He is a criminal and an enemy," another voice chimed in.

Sakura already knew there was a future waiting for Sasuke. He would live to meet her on that bench. Still, her blood ran cold.

"The boy has shown his true colors," Tsumiki replied. "Who will his next target be? How else will he terrorize our beloved village?"

As evenly as she could manage, Sakura said, "Konoha will never be the same after Danzo-sama's loss." She lowered her head, and faces around the table followed suit. "He displayed the Will of Fire until the end. It is evident he made a great sacrifice for the village, a sacrifice we must not undermine."

Tsumiki frowned and opened his mouth.

"Don't you see?" Sakura interjected, meeting the eyes of each councilmember. "Danzo-sama could easily defeat any enemy. In his wisdom, he understood that Uchiha Sasuke's continued wellbeing is in the best interest of the village. The Uchiha clan's doujutsu, the Sharingan, is a valuable tool. Only Sasuke possesses this skill, now that his brother Itachi is dead."

When several heads nodded, Sakura frowned and looked to the ceiling. She twisted a strand of hair around her finger, as if in thought. "I'm happy to volunteer to look through our archives on the Uchiha clan. I'm certain I'll find useful information that illustrates how having an Uchiha in service of the village is beneficial. Perhaps I'll uncover other skills, other histories, that are useful to know. We keep good records, after all."

The younger members of the council did not blink, but Sakura watched key faces twitch. Their eyes bored into her, wondering if the words archive, Itachi, records, all said in the same context, were a coincidence.

As silence fell, the public square outside remained lively. Two elderly civilians took a seat upon one of the newly crafted benches. A shuriken thunked against the large window overlooking the meeting space. Children's laughter sounded, then a group of young Academy students raced to retrieve their object.

Tsumiki's lips pressed together in a thin line. "That won't be necessary."

All talk of retaliation against Sasuke ceased. Discussion turned to Danzo's funeral preparations, then to candidates for the next acting Hokage. Sakura suggested Kakashi. The council grumbled, but it was a good suggestion.

"You spoke well, but that was a risk," Shizune said later. "They will be upset."

.

.

Sakura was scrubbing her hands after a surgery when she heard that Tsunade was awake.

She burst into the room. Shizune lifted her tear-streaked face and smiled. Tsunade sat upright in her bed, young and fresh as ever, as if awaking from a catnap rather than a deathly coma. Her teacher was not physically affectionate, but she returned Sakura's tight embrace with no reservations, and brushed the uncombed hair away from her face.

"You've both been busy," Tsunade said, after Sakura and Shizune explained everything she had missed. She eyed Sakura, inspecting the dark circles under her student's eyes. "Don't give too much away. You can't heal or fight or fix this damn village if you don't keep anything for yourself." .

.

Sakura was on the battlefield. She saw his shadow before she saw him, that familiar line of his shoulders. .

.

.

.

Up next: Sasuke and Sakura meet again.

Notes: double cliffhanger...don't be mad? :) though i hope some of your questions are starting to be answered.

also, we're more than halfway through now! this chapter through the end were the hardest to write--thank you for following along with me!

[korogaki]

Young Love

Here’s the other half of the present for @midnightmunchies. I hope you enjoy it! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ^.^ Link to ao3

“Kizashi, can you believe how time has passed? She’ll be attending the Academy soon!” “Do tell! I am quite emotional, if you ask me.” The kid could hear her parents talking in the kitchen. While it was heartwarming to know they were excited for her, there was an uncertainty in her soul regarding the whole ninja thing. It was something new, strange and kind of scary. Everyone knew that being a shinobi was not kid’s play. Was she actually cut for such a demanding job?

Shortly, Sakura joined them for breakfast, but she stayed quiet for the whole time. At first, her parents didn’t notice, as they carried on with their conversation about all sorts of stuff from supplies their daughter would need to small gossip. After a while, though, Mebuki realised Sakura had barely touched her food. There was also an obvious emptiness in her eyes; those were alarming signs to a mother. “What’s wrong, darling? How can we help you?” She didn’t reply immediately; the girl kept staring at her omelette for a bit. Eventually, she muttered that nothing had happened at all. It was clear that she was lying. Kizashi opened his mouth, attempting to say something, but Mebuki thought it was for the best to not push the matter for now, signaling her husband to stop. “How about the park? Would you like to go there with me?” While Sakura wasn’t exactly very sociable, she still enjoyed going out. Maybe some fresh air would help clear her mind. She nodded.

She finally ate something from her plate, then left the kitchen to dress up. For some reason, this walk got her really excited.

“I don’t really feel like going out.” “Sasuke, you could  make some friends before entering the Academy. It’s more important than you think,” his mother explained. “I’m not interested in such thing. Itachi is strong and doesn’t really have friends, so what for?” “Actually, I have some, thank you very much,” interfered his older brother, who had just entered the living room. He was ready for training, all dressed up in combat clothes. “Name one friend of yours that isn’t Shisui,” demanded Sasuke. The boy seemed determined to prove  his point to everyone, just for the sake of staying indoors. “Izumi is really nice company.” “Girlfriends don’t count.” Itachi turned red upon hearing his little brother. He covered his face with his hand, then replied almost whispering “We’re not exactly together.” He wasn’t telling the truth.

Itachi agreed with his mother about taking Sasuke out, he knew too well how important it was to have someone to rely on and treat you as an equal. He had a hard time at his age since he was an Uchiha. Despite having access to some sort of special treatment both for his name and skills, his classmates would never give him a break from all of that. While he had handled well the so-called bullies (that never did much besides teasing), he wanted the best for Sasuke. Having a good start was important.

“But what if I come with you?” asked Itachi, with a bright smile. Sasuke’s change of mood was sudden and dramatic. His eyes were big and brighter than ever. His brother’s presence in his life meant so much to the boy. “What about training?” “I think I could use a break from time to time. Anything for the kiddo, right, mom?” Mikoto only answered with a warm smile of approval.

It was sunny outside, but the breeze was a bit too cold for the end of March. The village wasn’t very busy, and neither was the park. Only a few kids were out, playing group activities, enjoying themselves. Sakura, on the other hand, did not dare to interfere, despite wanting to join them. Her mother could tell so, but she was very much aware of how her daughter didn’t want forced friendships because of her meddling; Sakura thought it would be awkward and embarrassing.

“You should try at least, darling.” “What if they think I’m… annoying?” Sakura worried at her bottom lip, eyes watery. “Oh, come on, they don’t even know you, no one could be this mean!” Her daughter just shrugged and looked up into the bright blue sky. She hoped it would rain, but no clouds seemed to gather at all.

The sound of some steps distracted her from staring into the void. Her eyes were now glued to the people who were approaching the park. The girl assumed the two of them were brothers, even though the only thing they visibly had in common was the pitch black hair and fair skin. One of them had a combat uniform on, but he appeared to be relaxed and carefree, grinning and having his attention focused only on his younger brother. The latter seemed to be bragging about everything going through his mind, as Sakura noticed he did not shut his mouth for one second.

They must have a wonderful bond.

However, when Sakura thought they were approaching her, she turned her gaze down, to the grass; she felt so intimidated. “Oh, are they not Mikoto’s children!” she heard her mother saying. Mebuki waved her hand, and the older brother did the same in return. Now they were clearly walking in their direction. Sakura freaked out on the inside, but then saw how the younger brother no longer had the same enthusiasm as before; he had grown  quiet and his moves were now minimal. “Long time no see, Itachi! How you’ve grown!” “Haruno-san, really glad to see you. I suppose she is your daughter?” Before the blonde could respond, the little girl spoke up. “Sakura, nice to meet you two.” She was now a bit more confident in herself. She smiled and looked directly into their eyes with warmth and kindness.

“Come on, do the same. It’s really not that hard,” whispered Itachi to Sasuke. While he had his arms crossed to his chest, probably trying to show some superiority, his insecurity was given away by the lack of eye contact with the girl. “Sasuke,” he proceeded to say after a few seconds. The boy finally looked into her eyes, and he noticed just how big and mesmerising they were. As he stared into them, his cheeks caught a pink tint, but so did Sakura’s. Her distinct features were something new to him, but also captivating. Another thing that stood out in her appearance, besides her odd pink hair, was her forehead.

Is it normal to have such a big forehead?

“Don’t just stand there, get to know each other! Who knows, you just might end up in the same classroom next week!” said Mebuki.

“Maybe they feel pressured, Haruno-san,” chuckled Itachi. “If you feel like it, mom is free today. I think she would be pleased to spend some time with you. I’ll be sure to keep an eye on them.” Mebuki pondered if she should let her daughter alone. But she noticed immediately how Sakura gave her a reassuring look, just like the older Uchiha. “I suppose I can trust you with this, Itachi. But be careful nothing happens to my beloved daughter!” she tried to sound fierce, yet her voice slipped into (ma playful tone “I’m sure that won’t be the case,” Itachi smiled in return. “Nice to meet you again, Sasuke. Sakura, take care! I won’t be gone for long.” “See you, mama!” she waved to her mother, then turned back to Sasuke. The two of them sat down on the grass, while Itachi made himself comfortable under a tree’s shadow to study some strategies. However, he was still careful the two children wouldn’t wander off on their own.

“Your brother is a ninja, am I right?” Despite Sasuke being the one asked, she gazed into Itachi’s direction, still fascinated with his uniform and overall way of being. “Not any ninja, mind you!” Suddenly, his excitement returned. “He became an ANBU member at 11 years old! I so want to be like him!” “Yeah, right…” she smiled politely and just nodded. The girl didn’t know how the rankings worked yet. She could tell, though, that Sasuke was really proud of his brother. “I think it’s cool that you already know what you’re aiming for in your future. I am still not sure what being a ninja actually means.” “What do you mean you’re not sure? Being a ninja means becoming strong so you can protect the ones you love!” Anyone could tell the kid genuinely believed in his words. And to Sakura, it somehow made sense. She always expected a sophisticated explanation of what a ninja has to do, but Sasuke’s point of view was a good start for her. Suddenly the Academy was no longer a dark mystery, but rather something she grew eager to discover. “But it’s tough to get at the top, so beware of everything,” he advised Sakura. “Is this a challenge, Sasuke-kun?” “I’m just saying I will do what I can to get at the top,” he tried to sound cocky and confident. “If you are so determined, then I’m rooting for you.” With such kind and selfless words, Sakura unawarely disarmed Sasuke of his earlier attitude; his face was once again warmer and pink. “You’re annoying,” he muttered. The girl was at first shocked and hurt by his reply; her eyes even turned a bit wet. But as she knew better than just crying, Sakura took a deep breath and gave him a piercing look. “That’s rude of you, ya know? I bet you don’t have any friends!” “Do you, though?”

Silence fell between the two of them for a while, as they frowned at each other. Shortly after they suddenly burst into hysterical laughter, as they couldn’t take each other seriously anymore. “Then that makes two of us,” Sakura managed to say after they calmed down. “But I think we have plenty of time.” “You think so?” “Mhm,” she nodded in approval, “For starters, I’ve heard we have to learn to work in teams. That usually means at least 3 people.” He now appeared a bit thoughtful. Why 3? It was an abstract concept to Sasuke for the moment. He wanted to argue that Itachi was doing well on his own, but that would’ve been a lie; he wasn’t exactly on his own, since he had Shisui by his side. Still, they were two.

“Nee, Sasuke-kun, what’s your favorite food?” the girl inquired. “Uhh, that’d be rice balls with tomatoes,” he replied. “That’s as easy dish to make! Maybe, one day, you’d like to try some made by me.” Her kindness was overwhelming to Sasuke, so he couldn’t help but blush for the millionth time that day. The girl really was annoying. But he had to admit he really enjoyed her company. “It would be nice.” Sasuke simply decided to just stare at her again, this time in a more obvious manner. This made Sakura question his decision, so she gave him a concerned look. After all, it was justified.

To him, her appearance was odd, but not necessarily in a bad way. All her traits were different from what he had seen until meeting her. What he noticed this time is how she wore her hair; it was short. Really short compared to the girls in his clan. It was also relatively spikey and kind of messy. “Have you always worn your hair short like this?” “Since I can remember, yeah. I like it this way.” “That’s such a shame, Sakura,” he tried to tease her, “I have a preference for longer hair.” She refused to fall for this, though. “But you said being a ninja is about being strong and able to protect your family. I don’t want my hair to get in my way. None of us can have it all,” she stuck her tongue out at him, and the boy laughed in return. “You certainly aren’t dumb.” “I have a good memory, that’s what my parents say,” she said proudly, “but if you really like someone, the haircut won’t matter.” “How can you be so sure?” “The duckbutt haircut is not my favorite,” her dorky grin was large and really funny looking, but Sasuke only wanted to hide his burning face. She did that thing again and it was simply embarrassing. And how dare she call his haircut in such way? He put his hand through his hair and almost whispered “It’s not a duckbutt. And you barely know me.” “I can tell that you are cute and somehow kind, despite your tough shell.” “…Thanks, I guess.”

For a short amount of time, they stayed silent as they looked nowhere at all. Laying in the grass, now, just like that, the kids felt good. Sakura was fascinated by Sasuke and felt like she had to know more about him. Plus, she also found him extremely cute. Teasing him about it was kind of funny, to a certain point.

Sasuke felt her pushing his shoulder lightly. She was now standing up and jumping from a leg to another. “Tag! You’re it!” To that, he couldn’t help but smirk. “You asked for it, Sakura.” Their giggles could be heard by everyone in the park, but they didn’t seem to notice, and neither did they care. They were enjoying themselves and it’s all that mattered. Itachi felt accomplished, knowing he helped his little brother realise something very important.

“Who gave you permission to skip today’s training?” he heard someone from behind, trying to sound bossy. Of course it was no other than Shisui. “I did,” he replied nonchalantly. “That’s not like you at all.” He paused and looked around. It took him a while, but he was extremely surprised to see that the boy running around with that pink-haired girl was Sasuke. Usually, he would be cold to anyone but his brother, so this was really unusual to see. But he believed it was a good change, nonetheless. “Did you make him befriend her?” “Yes and no. She is the daughter of an ex classmate of my mother back from the Academy days. We met by chance here. But I believe Sasuke would have stepped back if he didn’t like her.” “But I suppose he does.” Itachi slowly nodded with a slight smile on his lips.

“Who lost?” Sakura could barely speak. “I don’t know.” He could feel his heart beating through his entire body. “But I sure am tired.” The two of them were on the ground, almost out of breath. “I’m so hungry! I feel like I could eat a dozen bowls of soba.” “Ditto. Wanna come over?” “Huh?” She could easily feel how her entire face was slowly turning hot. Noticing that, the boy started blushing as well. He wished he could stay oblivious to his current state. “Don’t make such a big fuss out of it,” he broke the eye contact discreetly, “it’s just a meal. Mom would be glad to meet you.” “Oh, that is awesome!” she shouted full of excitement.

He looked at her again, observing how she drastically changed from a moment to another; that’s how she had acted throughout their day, and he found her energy and kinda goofy behavior at first annoying. But it didn’t take him long to realise it wasn’t something bad, that she had to change. That was her and just like that, she had her own charm. The girl’s face was also really cute. Those big emerald eyes were unique, something he could stare into forever. Sasuke was truly fascinated with Haruno Sakura. “Is there anything wrong?” “Eh?” he shook his head in confusion. “You’re staring at me.” Embarrassment was what he felt in that moment; how could he be so obvious about it? As he looked around, thinking for an excuse, his eyes landed once again on her face, but this time on her forehead.

Just what the hell is up with it?

He tried picturing Sakura with what would be considered a normal forehead, but the image was so out of place. Even if he barely met her that day, a Sakura with the smallest change is her physique would not feel right . She was just fine with that billboard forehead. With his index and middle finger, he reached for it, lightly poking Sakura. This was followed by a smirk and a confused look from her. “What about it? I know I have a huge forehead, let it be.” “It’s just perfect for doing this.” “Doing what? What did that mean?” “I’m not sure myself either,” he glanced with the corner of his eyes at Itachi, then returned to Sakura, “but I am sure it’s something important.” Despite not understanding what the brunet meant, the girl smiled. “Maybe we figure it out together someday.” Sakura wasn’t sure whether he heard her or not, but it didn’t really matter to her after all.

“You alright?”

Sakura was in her husband’s arms, in the bed of their house. After a long day of work at the hospital, she could finally relax and enjoy some time with Sasuke. The small lamp on the nightstand made the atmosphere lazy and sleepy, but both of them needed it. “All good, darling. Just a bit nostalgic.” He raised an eyebrow, giving her a somewhat questioning look. “I remembered about a lovely day that happened once upon a time,” she suggested in a teasing voice. “And what is that?” She put her index finger on her lower lip, thinking about a good hint to give Sasuke. “It’s such a shame you gave up on that haircut of yours; it was really cute. Though, it wasn’t really my thing at first.” He rolled his eyes at her words; it was clear what she was referring to. “How come you still remember that day? It’s been years.” “You just confirmed you remember it as well! Don’t try to play all tough and serious with me.” Quickly, she tried reaching for his abdomen to tickle him, but he acted a lot faster. Sakura was in tears from all the laughter, and when she managed to catch her breath, she tried to ask him to stop. When he decided to comply, Sakura made herself comfortable again, this time with her head in his shoulder. His eyes were now glued to hers; he found himself once again stuck on admiring something he had seen millions of times before, but he’d never get tired of.

“Sakura?” “Mm?” “I love you.” She widened her eyes at first, but then a playful smirk formed on her lips. She put her arm around him and closed her eyes. He sighed and nodded. “Annoying,” Sasuke almost whispered. “That’s more like you, darling.”

@narutosecretsantas

[fuurin-senpai]

I've been thinking of an idea for a while:

 Naruto and Hinata marriage failure because they're really not compatible, but they've already had a kid and everyone thinks they're the perfect couple, so neither of them will actually do anything about it.

 Naruto basically marries his job instead and Hinata moulds herself into the traditional "perfect" wife in hopes of somehow improving the situation.

 Boruto always feels like there's something not entirely right about his parents' relationship, but can't quite figure it out.

 (I mean, Boruto would have so many issues in this situation, and they would be somewhat more compelling than his canon issues.)

 Boruto wants to confide in someone about it, but Sarada doesn't understand because her parents' relationship is also not quite right, though in an entirely different way.

 Maybe Boruto accidentally implies that he'd prefer it if his parents were in the same situation as Sarada's parents - being apart a lot - because distance makes the heart fonder and all, so maybe they would be happier together if it's more of a rare occasion.

 And Sarada is obviously very upset because she would rather have her parents be together more like Boruto's parents.

 They fight (verbally), and both feel bad about it afterwards but can't quite apologise just yet.

 Both of them end up talking to Kakashi about it (separately) because there's no way they're going to tell their parents the reason for their fight.

 And, with some prodding from Kakashi, they make up.

 However, Kakashi is troubled by what he has been told.

 He also wasn't very sure what to say to Boruto and Sarada, although he does see why they're feeling this way - they're starting to realise that their parents don't quite live up to their ideals/expectations. He reassures them that while their parents may or may not be having difficulties, they definitely love their kids very much. He also encourages them to try and be more understanding towards their parents, even if they may not understand why things are the way they are.

 Since Naruto has thrown himself into his work and Kakashi often strolls by to see how things are going, they kind of hang out together fairly often. Kakashi ends up tentatively broaching the topic with Naruto, who clams up.

 Later that night Naruto gets himself extremely drunk, Kakashi checked in on him at his office because Kakashi was worried. Naruto ends up crying onto Kakashi while incoherently blurting out everything about his hollow married life.

Kakashi holds him, and a part of himself that he had tried to bury on the day of Naruto's wedding is beginning to hurt again.

 However, Kakashi is the king of self-restraint so while he may still have those feelings for Naruto, he doesn't act upon them and just lets Naruto cry his fill.

 Time has dulled the ache, even if it has not erased it.

 Naruto wakes up the next morning in the side room of his office, where there's a couch and a single bed for when he's too caught up with work to go home and sleep

 His memories of the night before are still fuzzy so he asks Kurama what happened, and Kurama's response is do you really want to know?

 Naruto rubs his head, sighs, and says that he might as well.

 He's mortified at having spilled his guts like that to Kakashi, guilty about burdening someone else with the problems from his private life, and terrified that what he has said would make Kakashi think worse of him.

 Then there's a knock on the door and it's Kakashi, who bought him ramen to cheer him up. Kakashi is concerned because Naruto really looks a mess right now, and asks him if he has had enough sleep. Naruto mumbles something, lets him into the room, then goes and washes his face in the adjoining bathroom so he doesn't look like such a disaster

 The front part of his hair is slightly damp when he returns, and Kakashi catches himself staring a bit.

 (Also, in this ficverse, Naruto and Hinata only had one kid. Hinata suggested having another, but in the end Naruto said one is enough to worry about. The truth was, he didn't want to have a second kid just for the sake of trying to mend his marriage, and he already feels guilty enough that he can't provide the "perfect" family dynamic for his son.)

 Aaaaaalso, Hinata hasn't been doing as much as she originally wanted to do, in terms of changing the Hyuuga clan. The clan head duties fell to her sister because Hinata married outside the clan and was mostly caught up in playing the role of the wife.

 Hanabi is unhappy because she doesn't have the patience for clan politics and, because of her position, she can't marry just anyone she likes. Because their clan is still very set in the old ways and think there will be a loss of power if she marries out as well, thus she has to either marry within the clan, or have someone marry in.

 Hanabi decides that she has Had Enough one day and tells her sister that she is no longer willing to keep giving up her personal freedom for the sake of the clan. Hinata has to step in to take over clan matters while Hanabi goes off on an extended mission. She finds it surprisingly fulfilling and starts to devote more of her time to that, spends a lot of time back at the clan compound.

 Boruto doesn't like the strict and formal atmosphere and bugs his dad to let him hang around the office instead.

 Naruto feels bad for not having a lot of time to spend with his son, and agrees.

 Boruto eventually finds out the truth about his parents not loving each other romantically, and also finds out that Naruto would never consider separating because of Boruto, while Hinata feels largely the same and also still holds on to her old dream of what she thought it would be like to be married to Naruto.

��Maybe Boruto finds that out from Sakura, who has picked up on what's going on, or he overhears something?

 Anyway, he confronts his father about it.

 "Did you really think I hadn't noticed?"

 Naruto is quite horrified that Boruto has figured it out and tries but fails to deny it, because he really doesn't have any more energy to maintain the pretence in front of his son.

 He feels like a failure because his parents never had such issues, and yet he has given his own son a broken family.

 Boruto ends up quoting what Sarada told him about what Naruto told her when she was having a crisis about her own family.

 And says that it doesn't have to stick to that old 1+1=3 structure to be considered a real family.

 After all, Naruto himself never had that growing up and still found himself a family in the Sandaime Hokage, Iruka, Teuchi, Ayame, Sakura, etc.

 Boruto says he doesn't want to be their excuse for ignoring reality, and finally says that he wants to support his parents in getting what they want, even if it will change his life a lot and make some things more difficult.

 Naruto wonders at how much his son has matured while he wasn't looking and apologises for not being a good enough father, and thanks Boruto for being his son.

 It's the first time Boruto has ever seen his father cry and he has no idea what to do, but Naruto just hugs him and holds on for dear life so he hugs his father back.

 Finally having come to a decision, they decide to go and talk to Hinata together.

 Some months or even a year later... Naruto and Hinata have amicably separated, Boruto alternates his time between Naruto's house and the Hyuuga house(s).

 Some time after Naruto and Hinata have their divorce properly settled, Boruto and Sarada manage to drag her parents and Kakashi to a Team 7 reunion at Naruto's place.

 They have dinner, and after dinner the trio are chatting about old times while Kakashi is leafing through Icha Icha Tactics, responding with an absent-minded "Hmm?" whenever he's addressed.

 Naruto and Sasuke start bickering about something again, until Sakura shuts them up.

 Naruto huffs off to the kitchen and comes back with tea or something, sits down next to Kakashi and offers him a cup.

 They're probably sitting on the porch or something and the night sky is full of stars.

 Kakashi closes his book and sets it to the side, looks enquiringly at Naruto, who...

 Talks about the weather.

 (NARUTOPLS)

 Kakashi just gives him a flat look like really.

 Naruto laughs awkwardly, says there's something but he'll ask another time.

 Since they're sitting on the floor, Naruto's hands are placed flat on the floor on either side of him, and Kakashi's hands are also similarly positioned, so there's this... tiny but huge distance between their hands.

 Kakashi watches him, and wonders................

 In the background, Sasuke looks perplexed and Sakura intrigued.

 Sarada and Boruto are trying to do the "cat's cradle" string game. Sarada is holding the string, which is red.

 She sees Naruto and Kakashi sitting there, and it just happens that her string is visually aligned with their hands.

 She elbows Boruto, since her hands are occupied.

 Boruto: ????????????

 Then he moves over to look from her side, and goes HMM.

 Sarada, whispering: Well?

Boruto, also whispering: Well what?

(Sarada gives him an exasperated look)

Boruto: Well, hmm, now that you mention it...

Sarada: You approve, then?

Boruto: What does it matter whether I approve or not? It's his business, not mine.

Sarada: You know he cares a lot about what you think.

Boruto: Really? ... I guess it's fine...

(Sarada elbows him again)

Boruto: What??

Sarada: It's your turn, dummy, my arms are getting cramps here!

Boruto: Ehehe.

 Naruto and Kakashi don't really talk about much, just spend a quiet moment watching the stars. Maybe Naruto lies on his back while Kakashi is still sitting up (though slouching), and watching him out of the corner of his eye.

 And maybe, as a cliché but classic romance story thing, there's a shooting star and Naruto jumps up excitedly to make a wish.

 (Boruto to Sarada: (long-suffering groan) my dad never acts his age...)

 Naruto doesn't voice his wishes out loud, and then starts prodding Kakashi and asking whether Kakashi made any wishes.

 Kakashi just deflects the question.

 Eventually Sakura says it's getting late and they should take Sarada back, so the guests get ready to leave.

 Kakashi's fingers ghost over the cover of his book, but then he leaves without picking it up.

 Naruto sees them out, comes back and sees the book lying innocuously on the porch. He has half a mind to go after Kakashi and return it, but something stops him.

 Instead he goes back to the living room, leafing through the book, until it falls open at page 31.

 (that's the page that was referenced while cracking Jiraiya's code, and the first line is, "Do you really love me?")

 There's a sealed envelope being used as a bookmark.

 The paper of the envelope is yellowed with age and, most puzzlingly, there's no sender/addressee - just a tiny spiral drawn on the other side.

 Naruto hesitates for a few seconds more, then opens it.

 Dear Naruto,

As I write this letter, you are probably already asleep and dreaming of what is to happen tomorrow. Or perhaps you are finding it difficult to sleep, with your heart full with excitement and anticipation. After all, you are soon to be married. I write this letter knowing that it will never reach your hands, for it never should, and yet I find myself wanting to admit... or should I say, confess...

 -

 The next day, Naruto comes up behind Kakashi who is standing on top of the Hokage monument, and asks Kakashi about a letter that he had found inside Kakashi's copy of Icha Icha Tactics.

 It was an unsent letter Kakashi had written in the night before Naruto's wedding, which he had wanted to burn because he knew he was not going to give it to Naruto, but somehow he never did.

 Naruto asks if Kakashi left the book behind deliberately so that Naruto could find the letter if he really wanted to.

 "Aa," Kakashi says quietly, but doesn't turn around.

 Naruto says that it's been many years and many things have changed, but if there are still any remaining traces of the feelings Kakashi confessed in his letter...

 Would he be willing to try and reignite them with Naruto?

[bunny-sox-universe]

so lost

Saizo’s route in Ascension of the Divine Bride really did a number on me. I wrote this one-shot and then started on a letter to Voltage asking why they’re doing this to me after getting so many of my pearls. The lyrics are from Alan Walker’s song Faded. Saizo x MC.

---------------------------------------------------------

 you were the shadow to my light did you feel us

It hadn’t been that long. There were other times when … he’d been gone for … longer. I wanted to stop thinking about it already. He was doing his job somewhere.

To busy myself, after lunch I made another batch of dango for him and set out for our meeting place. As soon as I stepped out of the kitchen, I heard footsteps coming from down the hall. There was someone coming, in shadow, walking quickly toward me. “Saizo!” I whispered.

Why was the hall in shadow now? The day had been sunny. Now – was it going to rain? I stood still and watched. Saizo would be home … always before rain ….

Lord Yukimura stepped out of the darkness and I felt my heart sink. When he saw me he stopped.

 “I’ll be right back,” I said.

 He noticed the plate I was holding, a cloth over it. He nodded and smiled,

 “Don’t be gone too long. Looks like a storm’s coming.”

 I left the castle proper and hurried up the hill. Clouds were gathering to the east. Yes … hurry. It would rain by nightfall. I wanted him home by then. I had a good feeling about this. Today would be the day, finally.

 A cool breeze chased me all the way up the hill, ruffling my clothes and hair. I got to our tree and looked around,

 “Saizo?”

 The dark woods rustled in the wind. All around the grass moved and whispered. I caught myself saying his name again, a little louder this time.

The woods seemed to be alive tonight. He was coming. I was sure of it. But, looking around one more time, I didn’t see him, not even in the shadows. I sat down at our tree to wait. It was still light out, even with a storm coming. I could wait a little while.

I watched as the clouds grew darker. They quickened, flying across the sky like ghosts, from east to west. And then I heard it,

“Little lady ….”

I jumped, “Saizo?”

Yes! There he was in the trees, watching me and smiling, my name on his lips.

“Please come home!” I said.

Now. He’s finally back home now. We could leave here and go back to the castle together. Get on with our lives.

But he didn’t move. He stood in the trees, watching.

“Saizo, please,” I said. “It’s going to rain.”

His expression didn’t change, “Then you’d better get home, little lady.”

I took three steps toward him, “… Saizo?”

As I watched, he seemed to fade backwards until he was mostly gone. He … disappeared ... into the trees? That didn’t make any sense.

When the first cold raindrops fell, I woke with a start. The plate with the cloth fell from my lap and clattered to the ground. It was quite a bit darker now. How long had I been asleep? More importantly ….

Where was he?

I looked around in a panic but there was no one here but me. I studied the woods, where I was sure I saw him. Now it was filled with nothing but shadows.

And like a star You fade away

The next thing I knew was that I was running toward the castle. I was almost there, caught in a downpour. Lord Yukimura and Sasuke were waiting for me, calling my name. As soon as they saw me they ran out with a coat. Lord Yukimura was talking. What was he saying? Sasuke was saying something, too.

I didn’t realize what was happening until I found myself wrapped in a coat, sitting by the fire pit in Saizo’s room. He was there. I was sure of it. He had been waiting by the woods for me, and then he just seemed to disappear.

Was it all in my fantasy Where are you now Were you only imaginary

At some point much later, I thought to look around the room. Outside, the storm raged, sheets of rain pelting dark windows. The shadows seemed to dance, as if the fire brought them to life. I thought I saw him tonight in the woods and he spoke to me. And yet he wasn’t here now.

But I thought for sure … today … before the rain came ….

I thought for sure he would … he would … he would … he would … he ….

When I woke the next morning I knew I was in Saizo’s bed. The big windows were the first things I saw.

I was warm. Someone covered me with a thick blanket, and I wasn’t alone. I sat up with a start.

Lord Yukimura was sitting by the fire pit, watching me, not happy,

“Promise me that you won’t do that again.”

“What? You mean …,” I tried to say, but my mouth wasn’t working.

“Don’t stay out in the rain like that. He wouldn’t want you to, you know.”

That was true. I nodded.

Yukimura remained unsmiling, “Take it easy today. Can you promise me you will? You were chilled to the bone when Sasuke and I grabbed you.”

I tried to talk again. Nothing came out. Instead, I nodded. Lord Yukimura nodded back and left the room.

Later in the day, however, I did the same thing I did every day – I went into the kitchen to make dango.

Today was cloudy but not raining. Today he would be there, and he would tell me why he did what he did yesterday. We would sit and eat, and he would tell me everything that happened. Or – he would tell me everything that wasn’t a secret.

Where are you now

I made sure no one saw me leave the castle. Again I hurried quickly to our tree. When I got there, I found the plate from yesterday, with the cloth folded neatly around it, tucked into the crook between a low branch and the tree trunk. The dango was gone. I looked around quickly.

The day was windy and overcast again, but brighter than yesterday. Saizo was standing in the grass, not in the trees, watching me.

I heard myself say, “Saizo! What … Please come … home.”

I held out my hand to him.

He stayed where he was. This time the smile faded from his face,

“Come back to this place as much as you like, little lady. I’ll be here. Waiting for you.”

I went to him, “What are you talking about? Come home with me now. I … you don’t want … It’s going to rain again, and I ….”

He smiled just a little, “You’re right. It is going to rain, so you run home now. I’ll eat anything you make for me, don’t worry.”

I wanted to take his hand in mine, then we would walk back down the hill. We would go home together.

As a thick gray cloud covered the sun, he faded again, back into the woods.

I heard myself say, “No!”

And, “No! Saizo!”

This wasn’t going to happen. I set off into the woods after him. Past the tree line there were more trees and tall grass. I called his name. I yelled, walking deeper into the shadows. I begged.

By the time I found myself running for home, my face was wet with tears. I ran without meaning to. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to go home again without him.

Where are you now

The castle grounds were empty as I ran for his room. I was thankful Lord Yukimura wasn’t around. I just ... couldn’t deal with him right now. The room was cold and dark as I fell onto the bed,

“Please come home! Please! Please, Saizo! Come home now! I miss you!”

Under the bright But faded lights You set my heart on fire

I cried myself to sleep. Just the thing I promised I would never do. The maids around here that would … would cry over someone who … didn’t …. I couldn’t even say the words.

This time when I woke a fire was going in the fire pit. I looked to the windows to see how late it might be. It was dark out, and quiet. How long was I asleep? Who started the fire?

That’s when I saw him. He was crouching in the corner. I shook my head,

“Don’t … don’t do this.”

He smiled. This time he was dressed differently. He was wearing ceremonial robes.

“Why?” I said.

“Well,” was his answer, “my little lady … you wanted to be my little wifey. Or am I wrong about that?”

My voice came out a whisper, “I love you.”

His face softened, “I love you, too. I’ll love you forever. I ….”

“You’ll promise me?” I said, sitting up in the bedding, “The way you promised to come back to me?”

His smile changed, suddenly more tender than ever.

I threw back the blankets, “Come to me now.”

He stood up. When he did ….

I heard myself cry out, “No!”

The edges of his clothing turned to black. The bottom half of him turned black. The darkness engulfed his body slowly until it covered his face. And then there was nothing.

Did I scream? I heard screaming. Lord Yukimura burst through the soji doors,

“What’s wrong?!!”

Another dream The monsters running wild inside of me

Yukimura made me tell him what happened, then stayed with me until I fell back to sleep.

The next day I became determined again. All of these odd visions were just Saizo’s way of getting through to me. He was coming home. I was sure of it. When I left in the afternoon to go to our meeting place I didn’t care who saw me. I walked up the hill quickly.

The plate was nestled in the crook of the tree again, wrapped in its cloth. This time as I took it down, I could feel that the plate was broken. I must’ve dropped it when I ran into the woods. All of the food had been eaten.

I looked around. No one. Today the wind was calm. The tall grass and trees stood as unmoving as if they’d been painted on a screen. I called out his name.

Nothing.

Where are you now

I called out again, “You promised me you would come back to me!”

Nothing. The world was devoid of even birds and crickets. The quiet was unnerving. With shaking hands I placed the new plate in the crook of the tree and its lowest branch, the cover wrapped around it securely.

“Come home tonight, Saizo,” I said.

I took the broken plate with me back down to the castle. As I rounded the side of the hill I could see a gathering of just a few people by the entrance to the castle proper. One of them was a ninja that I recognized. Every now and then he would be talking quietly with Saizo. What was his name? The ninja noticed my approach before anyone else. As soon as Yukimura noticed, he ran out to meet me,

“I’m glad you’re back. I need to talk to you about something.”

I felt myself nod. Yukimura held me by the arm and escorted me back to Saizo’s room. When we got there, he shut the soji doors but didn’t say anything. He had an odd look on his face. His face was too solemn for Yukimura.

“Well, I don’t want you to worry about me,” I said. I tried to smile, “I’m just fine. Did you think I would get sick because ….”

“No, it’s something else,” he said.

And then he didn’t say anything. His blue eyes were dark.

“Lord Yukimura?” I said.

The ninja stepped quietly into the room. I think his name was Kiyorie. My heart lurched in my chest.

“No ….”

Kiyorie started to talk, his voice quiet, “There was … an ambush. It turned out to be a trap. And ….”

“No …,” I said again. “No!”

Lord Yukimura spoke quietly, “The Tokugawa did this. They planned it.”

I shook my head.

Under the bright But faded lights You set my heart on fire 

I heard myself say, “This isn’t happening.”

Kiyorie’s soft voice, “The Tokugawa … we got word today that they have his body. He … they used poisoned arrows ….”

My screams, “I don’t believe it! I don’t! They’re lying!” 

Someone’s arms were around me.

Kiyorie, “They want us to pay, then … we can have his body.”

What was I saying?

“You promised me!”

Sasuke. My friends Yuki and Oryo were also suddenly there. Kiyorie just kept on talking, even after I told him to shut up over and over again in between Lord Yukimura asking Sasuke to fetch the doctor. But that didn’t even need to happen. Kiyorie came forward with a vial of dark liquid. After that the room circled above my head and went black.

These shallow waters never met what I needed I’m letting go

I’m breathing Alive

Three days later a two-horse cart with just one man wearily urging the horses forward came up the hill from town. Another cool, cloudy day threatening rain. Even so, we all went out to meet it. In back of the driver was a still shape underneath a blanket. No one hurried forward. Eventually Kiyorie went to the cart to look under the blanket, then Yukimura stepped forward to help him with the body. 

So lost, I’m faded

End.