#And that’s when they both had well established careers and Sasuke was in a better headspace to pursue a romantic relationship?? DOUBLE DUHH

[generisydtoo]

Sasusaku really became canon….I really love that for me!!☺️😋💃🏾🕺🏾

[char-lotteral]

I agree with Kishimoto never trying to use the girls. The hate they get is not fair. I used to defend Sakura back in the days because I hoped kishi would do her justice. When shippuden started I WAS SO HAPPY because I thought this was the start of something great for Sakura and the girls but NOOOOO. Every time, Sasuke showed kishi turned her brainless. If you compare Naruto's actions and Sakura's actions to sasuke, you'd see they're completely different. What's up with that weird fake love confession scene 😭? It makes her look like she was manipulating Naru. JEEZ.

Also he literally had badass Tenten and Temari with cool useful abilities and he didn't use them ?! TF ?! Thank god for modern authors who treat their characters with respect :)

okay2 you know how i am with these longass rants so click readmore and brace yourselves

The way I see it, Sakura's character development in shippuden was always one step forward, two steps back. She gets this really badass scene (like her fight with Sasori and those cool ass medical skills) but is then regressed back into a pining girl in love every time Sauce is on screen or Kishi just throws her in the background YET AGAIN.

I love Sakura's abilities actually. Her brute strength, intelligence, vast knowledge and skill as a medic nin. But what I dislike about her character is how kishi handled her feelings for Sasuke. Naruto and Sakura's obsession with Sasuke was so???? huh??? it was so damn toxic and i never once understood why both Nardo and Sak were so obsessed with him. They were a team for one year???? I mean its great that they care about him alot but Sauce's feelings were kinda valid. His freakin clan died. Id go batshit crazy against my own village too. BUT BESIDES THAT. Both Nart and Sakura's Sasuke obsession was so annoying. 80% of shippuden was literally Keeping up with the Uchihas or Naruto yelling SASUKEH. BUT what irks me so much is the fandom's double standards with both Naruto and Sakura. "Oh Sakura shouldve gotten over her Sasuke obsession" but then turn around and call Naruto's obsession cute and gush about how he's so in love with him!!

Hot take but the only reason why sasunaru is "the most developed ship with the most chemistry" is because theyre both male characters.

I guarantee you if Naruto was a girl and SHE would be the one to have this unhealthy obsession who was chasing around Sasuke, the fandom would shit on Naruto just as much. And if Sasuke were a girl, Sauce would be sidelined like the rest of the female cast and Naruto would have another male character to have a "brotherly bond" with, because thats the only bond Kishimoto is actually good at developing. Yey for male characters having all the screentime and cool assets <333

And about that confession scene, I get her intentions. I really do. I understand that she did that in order to bring him home and that she cares about him but honey, w-why?? Why lie to him about your feelings?? Supposed he DID believe her, then what? then what kishi???? huh??? Some of her fans point the blame on Sai or whatever but I personally dont see why that scene was at all necessary. Maybe to establish Naruto's feelings for her wasnt all that serious? or his maturity? idk man. That scene was such a clusterfuck.

In the end her development in The Last and in Boruto was immaculate. She had one of the best glow ups in the old gen and ironically enough, her character wasn't butchered in Boruto. She got badass scenes she was cheated from in shippuden. I also love how she's finally getting the spotlight she deserves. Unlike the other konoha 12 :,)))

Okay onto the next female character that Kishi completely wasted. My baby. My light. 🙈 AAAHHH HINATAA.

I DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN OKAY2 DEEP BREATHS.

Let me just establish this real quick. Hinata's goal was to get stronger because of Naruto, her goal was never to be with Naruto. She wanted to become someone who is worthy enough to stand beside him, someone whom he can consider as an equal, as a partner. She NEVER once said "marrying Naruto-kun is my all time goal UwU" (if youre one of those weirdos who interpret her character that way, youre immediately invalid, go take a hike)

I personally dont have anything against their crushes but to the point of making their personalities revolve around these guys every time theyre onscreen is so fucking frustrating. And with the way he writes their dialogues is so.damn.cringey. Like that one scene in the war arc with Tsunade and Madara

"I mAy bE a WomAn but I aM nOt WeAAKKKK"

BAAHAHAAHHA WHAT?? Everyone else gets coolass monologues and one liners but thats the best you can come up with Kishi?????? Hilarious.

If im being honest. Hinata's character is actually kinda well written. Not well executed. Dear God no. But with the way he set her story, her personality, her chracterization. She's honestly one of the best written female characters on the show. IMO. By Kishi's standards of writing women ofc. She's hands down one of the most complex characters. Her shy personality wasnt out of the blue, it wasnt a cutesy waifu trait. Her abusive upbringing made her that way. Her trauma turned her that way. So yeah, sue her if she looked up to Naruto as an inspiration when everyone else in her family treated her like dust. Shit on her for having Naruto's love light in her dark when her own damn father wouldnt even look her in the eye and her entire clan shunned her because she was "weak." She doesnt owe her family shit so idgaf what they do with the Hyuga clan. Neji and Hanabi aren't included btw

Im not gonna deny that her role in the show was only as the love interest but tbh for a love interest, Im glad her character wasnt so one dimensional. It just pains me SO MUCHHH how fucking wasted she is. Every time she's with Naruto, they always make her into a damsel in distress. They always feel the need to turn Naruto into the heroic prince. How cute.

LIKE THAT ONE SCENE IN THE LAST WHERE SHE'S THROWN IN THE CAGE?? WHY??? LET NARUTO AND HINA FIGHT THAT FREAKING ALIEN GOD TOGETHER. QUIT WITH THE TOXIC MASCULINITY. WE GET IT. NARUTO'S STRONG. GOOD FOR HIM. NOW LETS SEE HINATA THROW HANDS AND PUT NARUTO IN THE CAGE GODAMMIT

Hnggggg dont get me started with her role in Boruto. She's as relevant as a damn houseplant in the manga. They made her into an invisible trophy wife and "the mc's mother" and we all KNOW what happens to the shounen mc's mother once mc is in need of character development :) Quit putting her in the background. Give us that scene where she won against Hanabi DESPITE being retired for years. Give us that scene where she trains Boruto. GIVE US ANY FIGHT SCENE OF HER WHERE HER POTENTIAL ISNT WASTED WTF?¿

Now if you say that Hinata didnt have development. YOURE INVALID. She came from an abusive household, the shyest girl in her class, her insecurities got in the way of her own confidence, had difficulty of standing up for herself now became a loving mother of two, has the guts to kick her husband out of the house(with whom she couldnt even keep eye contact with when she was a kid) became the strongest hyuga, most supportive wife and mother, and has given her kids the comforting childhood she never had as a kid.

She has one of the most beautiful stories in the show and if you think her personality is only Naruto-kun and big boobs, then im sorry that you cant appreciate such a heartwarming story.

And I agree, killing her would honestly make me feel more at ease than continue to see her suffer because of godawful misogynistic writers. But at least let her die in an epic fight. Please. PLEASEE. She got nerfed so bad, i feel a physical pain every time i think about it

Okay what else. I think Ino got pretty good development. Another wasted potential in shippuden but she's doing good for herself in Boruto. I dont know what Temari is up to. They basically made her into another classic angry mom who beats up her husband for comedy trope. Haha very funny and original! Im not sure with her career, im not that invested in the anime.

Tenten??

oh G O D Tenten. The dirtiest of all. Her jokes about her screentime is so mean and i hate that its true ahsjhs. She was the only female character in OG who's goal wanted to be as strong as Tsunade but what did Kishi do to her?? Sidelined. Forgotten. Irrelevant. Like every damn female on the show :D

Konan shouldnt have died. I blame plot armor. I know in my heart that Konan wouldve kicked Obito's ass if it weren't for Kishi's boomer mindset.

Tsunade had so much hype when she was introduced but died down in the war arc. Madara wiped the floor with the kages. Holy shit. Not only that, but yipee! Naruto is there to save the day AGAIN!!!!

AND UGHHHH If the female characters were given proper treatment then maybe MAYBE all the endgame couples wouldve made fucking sense????¿¿¿

I think that ends my rant. Im not sure how the female characters in Boruto are handled. Except maybe Sarada (she's pretty well executed in the manga imo). But arguably they are sooo much better handled in Boruto than how the old gen girls were. And thats because Kishi isnt anywhere near the new gen female cast. I cant formulate a solid opinion with the other new gen female cast since im not entirely invested in the anime. Not ashamed to admit that I only watch it for the sunshine moments and for Hinata :DD

[elenathehun]

Kurenai/Itachi “I got you a present.”

@roadkill2580, you absolute bastard.

~~~

Late fall in the Village Hidden Among the Leaves is one of the more pleasant seasons of the year, at least in Kurenai’s considered opinion.  It’s dry and cool, but not so cool it was legitimately chilly, like winter could be.  Nor did she have to suffer through the annoyances of the afternoon rains of summer, the muggy humidity of early fall, or the truly miserable pollen of the entire season of spring. In other words, late fall was absolutely perfect in every way.

It was at least a third of the reason Kurenai had leapt at the chance to take a teaching rotation with ANBU when Commander Sarutobi had offered her the option.  The other two-thirds was the undeniable opportunity to network among the up-and-coming ANBU trainees, as well as the already-established leadership.  The Third Hokage’s eldest daughter used her influence sparingly, but there was no denying how important her patronage had become among the specialized jounin Corps.  Gaining her personal attention had been a real coup for Kurenai, even if she’d had to do a teaching rotation at the Academy to cover for her extended stay in the Village.

And there was nothing like teaching classes at the Academy and ANBU during the same semester to make one appreciate the joy of students who wanted to learn.  The adult learners of ANBU were enthusiastic for the opportunity to improve their genjutsu skills, and grateful for the opportunity to attend a seminar taught by the foremost subject matter expert in the Village; the students of the Academy were children, more intent on passing notes with their friends or daydreaming out the window.  In truth, Kurenai didn’t blame the children that much.  Genjutsu required more control and experience than even the most advanced child possessed.  It was a subtle art best left advanced training later in their careers, much like the course Kurenai was currently teaching for ANBU. But it didn’t change how dispiriting it was to teach such dullards.

“Instructor Yuuhi!” a young voice called out as she identified herself to shift security at the ANBU Instructional Complex.  Kurenai peered past the guard, and smiled helplessly as she saw none other than Uchiha Itachi waving for her. She walked over to the boy after her credentials were cleared, surprised to see him waiting alone.  Usually it was impossible to see him unescorted by his cousin Shisui, a jounin a few years older than Kurenai herself.

“Hello, Itachi, ready for today’s class?”  Kurenai asked.  "Where’s your shadow, by the way?  I never see him without you.“

"Shisui’s on a mission for Commander Shimura,” Itachi replied quietly, slipping one hand into hers.  "We’re supposed to start the unit of non-visual genjutsu today, right?“

Kurenai let the boy tug her forward towards the classroom assigned to her use, a little bemused by his forward behavior.  The eleven-year-old was the exception that proved the rule when it came to learning genjutsu.  Physically, he could have fit right in with the children Kurenai was currently struggling to impart the basics of the subtle art of illusion - more than a few of his cousins were scattered among the crowd.  But instead, he was an apt pupil as any other ANBU trainee, as dedicated as any veteran of the Third War to the art of the silent kill.  

"That’s the plan, although depending on how quick everyone is to pick it up, we might spend some time specializing in auditory hallucinations,” Kurenai finally said.  It was a little charming, how young he acted without the constant attention of his minder.  

“Good, I’ve been looking forward to this unit,” Itachi said, swinging their hands as they walked.  There were a few people walking through the hallways as they went, but no one took any mind of them as they went.  Kurenai was amused to see it was because the younger nin had overlaid a genjutsu on top of them that mimicked them in every way - save for the clasped hands.  Clever, clever boy.  "I was reading a story to Sasuke about his namesake’s campaign to conquer the city of Lanshi for Lord First, and it sounded like he used something like that to distract the city guard before infiltrating.“

"That’s a good catch, Itachi!  We’re actually going to discuss Sarutobi Sasuke’s tactics as a real-world example in class today,” Kurenai said, letting herself smile.  "You can tell your brother about it when you get home tonight.“

"I’ll tell him tomorrow, he still has to go to sleep at 7 like a baby,” Itachi replied as they took the right corridor at the first T-intersection. “I told Mom he should be allowed to stay up now that he’s attending the Academy, but she said he was still too young!  I was allowed to stay up when I was his age…”

“Well, he’s six,” Kurenai said, amused.  "And I suspect that he is a different kind of six-year-old than you were.“

"Yes,” Itachi said, voice suddenly muffled.  Kurenai saw he was chewing on his bottom lip - although there was no sign of that in the illusion.  "He’s not…advanced.  Father isn’t pleased.“

Yes, Kurenai could well imagine Uchiha Fugaku’s impossible expectations for a child born after the bright light that was his eldest son.  The Uchiha Clan Head was exactly the sort of man to think Itachi’s brilliance was something that could be taught, instead of the once-in-a-generation sort of intuitive genius that Itachi was.  A heavy burden for any child - and exactly the sort of thing that sundered the bonds of brotherhood worse than anything else.  Kurenai thought about that for a second longer, and then pulled Itachi a little off-course, into one of the maintenance closets near her classroom.

"Instructor Yuuhi…?”  Itachi asked, a little confused, finally letting his genjutsu fail.  Kurenai crouched down, the better to be on his level and look him in the eye.

“Itachi, I’m sure your father’s expectations aren’t easy to live up to,” Kurenai said, leaving it vague if she meant the expectations for Sasuke, or for Itachi himself.  "But I also know you’re a great older brother, and your support will be worth more than gold to Sasuke as he grows up.  Don’t forget that, no matter what happens in the future.“

"Do you really think so?”  Itachi ask tremulously.  He sounded very young, and Kurenai wondered, for the first time, if Itachi should really be here in the heart of the Leaf’s clandestine operations.  He was so very young, and even Kakashi had been older when he’d joined ANBU after the war.

“I know so,” Kurenai said firmly, squeezing his hand in both of her own.  He pulled his hand away from her grip, and Kurenai wondered if she’d been too familiar.  She was just a casual acquaintance, when all was said and done-

“I got you a present,” Itachi said quickly, holding out a package of slightly squashed dried persimmons.  "I was going to give it to you after class, but since we’re alone, now is fine, right?“

Kurenai let herself grin.  "Now is fine.  Thank you for the gift, it’s so thoughtful!  You should hold onto it, though - we can have tea after class and and eat them then.”

Itachi fairly vibrated with happiness.  "Really?“

"Really.”  And Kurenai held her hand out once more, trusting her new friend to hold it once more.

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Three Hundred Eight: Servitude ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: A Light Amongst Shadows ] [ AO3 Link ]

When you’re young, some established norms in your life that - to anyone else - may appear strange or even wrong can be hard to realize yourself. You grow up in an environment that’s all you know. Has always been the way you know it. And only by taking in outside stimuli and opinions can you start to form your own beyond what you’ve always known.

For Hinata...her suspicions began earlier than most that something was very, very wrong with her clan.

Neji, her dear cousin and playmate when very young, took a sudden turn for the worse after her third birthday. Hinata, so new to the world, had difficulty understanding precisely why. But the next time she saw him, the strange mark upon his brow was a stark difference...as well as the cold, hollow look in his eye.

“This is the legacy of the Hyūga, Hinata,” Hiashi had told her, a hand on her shoulder as she peered to him in question. “This seal is what has protected our bloodline and its secrets for centuries. The branch clan will always serve the main house...to keep us safe.”

Young and impressionable, Hinata hadn’t wholly questioned it...but nor has she fully understood it. The house hierarchy was something her young mind had yet to comprehend.

And yet...even then, part of her knew that anything to bring such an expression to Neji’s face was something she did not like.

As she grew, Hinata began to notice more and more things about the Hyūga that struck her as odd at best...and horrifying at worst. In the Academy, no one knew what she meant by branch house. The other clan children assured her there was no such thing in their bloodline. When Hinata asked how they kept their kekkei genkai or secrets safe, none had an answer...but nor did any admit to having such a stark line drawn through their clans.

The first time she saw Hiashi use the Caged Bird seal against Neji...she almost threw up. Seeing him suddenly so helpless, so pained, so eager for death to make it stop...her horror was only outweighed by her shock. Only once he deemed his nephew properly subdued did Hiashi release the technique, Neji left drooling and twitching on the dojo floor before being hauled away to his room to recover by other branch clan Hyūga.

She didn’t sleep for over a week after that, haunted by the contorted misery in her cousin’s face.

...no wonder he hated them.

Years passed, and the servitude expected of the branch clan Hyūga began to disgust her. While there was no punishment so long as one was obedient - and most of them seemed to know their place - the fact that they could be treated so poorly was bad enough...let alone that they were literally servants to other members of their own clan…!

Bringing her concerns to Hiashi, however...did more harm than good.

“You dare to question our ways…?” he’d retorted, tone dangerously quiet and foretelling of punishment. “The Hyūga have relied on that seal to keep our eyes safe for generations! Without it, the Byakugan and its secrets would be known across the continent!”

“B-but...the punishment -?”

“Is meant to keep those of lower, thinner blood in their place,” Hiashi had cut in, eyes narrowing. “To maintain order...force must often be used. Remember, Hinata...you are of the purest Hyūga breeding. This makes you fortunate...and there are those within our clan who would take that fortune from you if given the chance.”

She didn’t believe it.

Not once had she ever felt animosity from her clan save for her cousin’s thinly-veiled hatred of the main house. All she’d ever felt was a tired, somber acceptance. If any of the other Hyūga truly wished to take her place, to usurp the main house...they hid it well.

Early on, Hinata had secretly, silently promised herself one thing: that, when she became head of the Hyūga clan...the seal would be discontinued, no matter what lengths she had to go to.

...but her hesitation about the seal wasn’t the only weakness her father saw in her. Before even becoming a genin, Hinata was stripped of her title, which was given instead to her younger sister.

Every dream she’d had about ridding the clan of the seal was stolen that day...and could only be regained by reclaiming that title.

And though it was a major factor, it wasn’t the only thing that saw her determined to get stronger. Naruto, her idol, would quickly grow to outmatch her, getting further and further ahead once they became genin. And the longer he kept his back to her...the more Hinata realized...he would never see her as she saw him.

But her determination remained. She would get stronger…! If not for Naruto, if not for her title...then for herself. And someday...she would confront her clan, even if she never regained her position as heiress. Because she had made up her mind after Neji nearly killed her with the fires of his hate:

Enough was enough.

The gap between Naruto’s departure and return saw her train with her cousin nearly every day, even on the days when she would also have sessions to work with her team. Once-dainty hands became calloused from Jūken strikes against the wooden training logs. Baby fat slowly stripped away until her round face became more heart shaped. Though her build remained rounded, it was accented with muscle. Her Byakugan range reached ten kilometers. She pushed her limits of the Hakke. And after the Uzumaki’s return, she created and mastered her own technique, Jūho Sōshiken.

In those few years, under Neji’s tutelage - the genius of the branch clan - Hinata flourished...and edged closer to her goal.

...which made his death all the more heart shattering.

She’d made her choice. Even if Naruto couldn’t see her...he was too precious to lose. Both for her personally, and for the sake of their world. Hinata was ready to die for him. And yet, despite his fate being told to him as a boy...Neji embraced it not out of duty, but of a genuine will to protect his cousin when he took those mokuton shards through the chest, and died in the village hero’s arms.

...like father, like son.

Though she was exhausted, and in pain, and grieving more than words could say...Hinata pressed on with a lioness’ ferocity, helping to tear through the enemy until they overwhelmed her...and she was lost in her dream.

And then...the war was over.

But her fight had just begun.

Hanabi was still heiress. In truth, Hinata no longer wanted the position. The war had changed her perspective so drastically...she felt without direction. Save for one thing: to change her clan, for good...for the better.

But it wouldn’t be easy.

The aid of an old friend saw Neji revived, seal conquered. Hiashi, attempting to better himself, embraced his nephew fully, and agreed to help him and his daughters begin fighting back against the seal’s implementation.

At last...the branch clan’s future began to brighten.

And she felt...at peace.

...in part.

For Hinata, there was still something...missing. She had accepted the shape of Naruto’s heart, so different from her own. It would take time to do so fully...but no longer would she chase him as she had. What it meant to be a shinobi, however...she was no longer sure. Their entire world was shifting...and she had no idea how to keep up.

...but she found that in the last place she expected.

Uchiha Sasuke was, in many ways, a mystery...and yet, in others, she understood him better than most given their almost eerie parallels. It was that, coupled with her heightened understanding, that made her the champion among their year to welcome him back and do so without hesitation or wariness. In many ways, she knew his struggles, if only in a different light.

So when he, too, fought for change...she helped him, arranging for the Hyūga to ally themselves with the last Uchiha, and bring the massacre to light at long last.

And then, he repaid her...though he really had no intention to with what he’d done.

Reviving the police force with the Hyūga clan’s help was meant to help ensure that such shadows would never again choke their village. And as Sasuke explained his plan, wanting to earn her approval, Hinata felt his meaning in her bones: to work within their village to keep peace, connect with the villagers, and help keep darkness at bay.

It called to her...and so she joined: a public servant to the people. Fitting, she thought. Shinobi and their place were changing. And her doubts about her role only made her all the more sure that this would be the path to take. And alongside another champion of an oppressed clan, she would serve her village proudly.

Of course...her new career and friendship led to something else completely unexpected, getting closer to Sasuke in a way she’d never thought to. But sometimes, things just...fit.

Her road was long, and difficult...but in the end, it brought her right where she needed to be.

                                                              .oOo.

     First let me say that if this is a lil...off, that's my bad. It's very late and I had to deal with some severe tooth pain, so I'm a liiil bit out of it compared to my usual self, so...this might be a little...well, off, lol - hence why it's more introspective than actually...narrative. idk, I'm very tired and really just ready to crash.      One thing I despise about the canon ending is the complete lack of address given to certain issues. Foremost is the Uchiha massacre just being...swept under the rug despite ALL of team seven knowing the truth. But a close second is the Hyūga clan and their abuse of the branch house being COMPLETELY ignored, even after Neji's (unnecessary) sacrifice, and Naruto's promise to change them. We even see Hiashi - Mr. Abandon-his-daughter-and-abuse-his-nephew - supposedly embrace his half-blood grandkids, who would NORMALLY be given the seal. But otherwise, to my knowledge...nothin'.      I'm disappointed, Naruto.      So, in my lil version of things (which I'm currently overhauling, so...bear with me lol), Hinata puts her heckin' foot down cuz THAT AIN'T GONNA FLY with her around. So...yeah, lol      Anywho, I'm...on the verge of passing out, so that's it from me. Thanks for reading!

[elegiesforshiva]

Ghosts X: Tesseract

Masterpost

Previous | Next

“Your breasts are shrinking.”

Sakura exhales, lungs constricting so deep and forceful it carries a satisfying pain.  She stares at the menu in front of her, pretending to read.  “Thanks, Sai.”

“It is not a compliment.” Sai says, staring at her face now.  Sakura tilts her head enough for the coral of her hair to shield her expression.  It doesn’t work.    “You’re upset. What’s wrong?”

Sakura considers lying, shrugging it off and handing him something aside from honesty.  But she can remember Yuuto’s cries that morning, how it synchronized to the tune of rodent screeches in her head. “My patient is going to die,” Sakura says, body stiff against her even stiffer seat.

“The one from Kiri?” Sai asks.  Sakura barely nods, feeling shitty about dumping this on Sai, who’s probably scouring his brain for material he’s read on consolation in friendships.  She only agreed to coming to this meet up because she can’t bear to stand her too quiet studio with her too loud thoughts.

Then his arms pulls her close, until her head falls into place in the notch between his shoulder and neck.  The gesture is stiff and automated.  But then Sai rests his chin on her head, and she feels the slight tremor of his fingers against her back and it’s so refreshingly human.  “I’m sorry,” Sai says.  

Sakura doesn’t think, she just grips him fiercely and buries herself in his chest.  She feels his breath hitch in surprise and she holds him tighter for it.

“Uhh...am I interrupting something?”

Sakura and Sai abruptly swing their heads to the right to see Naruto, who seats himself across from them.

“Ugly’s patient is dying,” Sai explains.  Sakura regretfully pulls away from his warmth.

Naruto looks at him, incredulous.  “Huh?”  He turns to Sakura and studies her only for a moment before deciding to take Sai’s words at face value.  “Sakura-chan, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you kind of work in a hospital.”  He gives her a sympathetic look and proceeds gently, as if explaining the concept of mortality to a child.  “People pretty much go there to die.”

Sakura’s not even angry at how belittling the statement is.  She thinks even if she was stupid enough to not understand death by now, Naruto is handling it all with a clumsy superficiality.  Because people don’t go there to die, they go there to live.  

Sakura sighs and she’s so exhausted her breath comes out in a shudder.  “It’s not an ordinary patient, Naruto.”  She palms her throbbing head.  “This is a really important case.  A clan from Kiri is about to go extinct.”  And it’s my fault.  She doesn’t say this part aloud, but feels it all the same.

“Wait, what?” He asks, voice raspy and high pitched at once.  “Like the massacre?”

“No,” Sakura hisses, biting back the wrench of her gut.  She feels Sai wince beside her, and she quietly scolds herself for the mini-outburst.  “No.  Not like the massacre,” she says, voice softer.  Nothing was like the massacre.  The sole event was so fucked up that Sakura likes to think that it had been a rare lapse in fate’s judgement and there would not be a repeat.  She hates Konoha for it.

“Beautiful told me about the case.  A clan has been poisoned and Sakura and the Godaime are leading the case to find an antidote,” Sai says then.  “I imagine it’s a large concern for Konoha.  Perhaps the shinobi world in general, if there’s truly a poison that has no cure.”

Naruto places his arms on the table, boldly leaning in as he meets Sakura’s eyes.  “Sakura-chan, don’t give up.  As long as they’re still breathing, there’s hope.”

“He’s been intubated,” Sakura deadpans.  

Sai makes a choking sound and Naruto’s face wrinkles in confusion.  “Huh?”  

“Nothing, it doesn’t matter,” Sakura says, turning to look out the window. “You’re right.”  He’s not, but she’s not very keen on debating the legitimacy of her despondence.

It’s then that a server approaches their table, a handsome man with neat brown hair and dark eyes. “Ah, Uzumaki-sama,” he greets, gaze locked on Naruto in a manner that reeked of contained excitement.  “We are very pleased to have you here in our establishment.  Are you and your friends ready to order?”  Sakura would have scoffed at the obvious dismissal of her and Sai in favor of Naruto, if she wasn’t already used to it.

“Uhh…” Naruto looks down at the table, eyes meeting the menu he hadn’t realized was present until now.

“Well, I know what I want,”  She says, voice snarky and demanding of attention.  “Oolong-hai with an extra shot of shochu.”

Naruto makes a face at her then, half unimpressed, half annoyed.  He turns to the waiter.  “I’ll have the same but no extra shot.  And I’d like an order of gyudon too.”

“Just a miso soup for me.  Thank you,”  Sai says.  The waiter politely nods, and says he’ll be back with their orders shortly.  Then Sai eyes his teammates.  “I didn’t realize day drinking was so popular in our squad.”

“Guess you missed the memo.”  Sakura shrugs.

“Sakura, why aren’t you eating?” Naruto asks, crossing his arms and giving her a stern, reprimanding look.  She could cut the expression off his face and paste it onto a picture of her okaasan’s and the image would still be seamless.  She hopes he doesn’t give that look to his kid.

“I ate earlier.”  Sakura doesn’t bat a lash at the lie, and she suspects it’s because she’s not thinking of Naruto as himself right now.

“This lunch was planned,” Sai says.  Sakura pointedly ignores it.

“Why are you drinking?” Naruto doesn’t miss a beat.  

Sakura burns in heated anger.  At him.  At herself.  

She waltzed right into this interrogation with a head too muddled to properly engage it, and if she doesn’t hold sternly onto her rage, she’s sure she’ll double over in tears.  A whole clan—a family—is about to drop dead because of her.  And Naruto never lets up.

“Why are you?” Sakura spits, defiant.  It’s just then that their water comes back, placing their drinks before them, and informs them their meals would be ready soon.  Sakura shamelessly gulps her liquor down.  It feels like fire in her throat and acid in her empty stomach.

“Because I can only handle so much of the two of you,” Naruto grumbles, sipping his own drink.  Sakura knows he isn’t talking about Sai.

“What’s wrong?  Meds aren’t working?”  Sakura cruelly jabs, and Naruto looks away, grimacing from either the alcohol or her words.  Probably both.  She’s so angry and disappointed in herself already that she doesn’t even care.  “Who’s career are you jeopardizing for him, huh?  Neither you or Hinata work in the hospital.”

Naruto doesn’t say anything, but she sees his lips twitch.  Sai’s fist clenches too and Sakura doesn’t fail to notice it.  “Really?��  She asks, far angrier than anyone should be in a public restaurant.  “You’re making Ino do it?  What the fuck, Naruto!”  

Naruto looks painfully guilty and Sakura thinks he deserves every bit of it.  “They’re working,” he says.  “He’s a lot better.”

“He’s not.  They’re just covering it up,” Sakura says.  She can see Sai’s fingers tapping against the counter restlessly.  She has to take another gulp, so she can try to forget her best friend might lose her job because Naruto is a reckless fucking idiot when it comes to Sasuke.    “Numbing the mania.  They can’t fix him.  He needs to see someone.”

“You of all people should know why he can’t do that,” Naruto snaps.  There’s truth to that, but she doesn’t choose to acknowledge it.  

“You’re not doing him any favors by enabling him, Naruto,” Sakura says.  “I hate how you do this—you baby him.  He’s not a kid anymore.”

Naruto looks at her then, his expression resembling something like pity.  “Needing help doesn’t have an age limit, Sakura-chan.”

Sakura laughs cynically, and it’s an ugly sound even to her ears.  “Your version of help is the most distorted shit I’ve ever seen.”  She glares back at him.   “When Ino’s upset and acting like a delusional harpy, I hold her.  Not beat her into submission, take her fucking arm off, then feed her drugs until she thinks how I want her to.”

Naruto looks purely disgusted with her, and even high strung and inebriated, she absolutely agrees with that sentiment.  “That’s not even comparable!” He growls low.  “And don’t forget in the Land of Iron, you went after him alone to ‘save him from himself’ in your messed up version of helping too, so who’s version is better?”  He hisses.  

Instantly, Sakura is burning holes through his head with the fervor of her glare.  She’d been taken by her panic, her need to choose.  Between her everything, her Sasuke-kun, or Konoha.  Between her Sasuke-kun or Naruto.  

Sakura’s red in the face, cheeks puffed and fists shaking and barely repressing the urge to vault one of them out the window.  She hates Naruto for bringing that up, but she also knows it’s nothing less than what she deserves.  

“Fine!” Sakura exclaims, loud enough for the patrons around them to stare, if they weren’t already.  “We’re all fucking psychotic!  Team 7—the most elite and prestigious squad in Konoha’s recent history—is rooted in masochism and complete dysfunction!  Is that what you want to hear!?”  

Naruto’s eyes looks downright pained but his brows furrow in a defiant anger.  She can’t blame him for it.  She’s being a snarky bitch and she knows it.  These jabs aren’t getting them anywhere, just piling onto the mountains of resentment.  She feels sick.

“For the record,” Sai begins, after a pause. “I think there is some truth to that statement.”  Sakura rolls her eyes.

The food comes then.  Sakura can’t tell if the timing is a ploy to deescalate the squabble or if the staff are simply done enjoying show.  The smell is pungent and it takes everything she has to cover her mouth with her hand and avoid retching on the table.

When the waiter leaves, Naruto sighs.  It’s long and heavy, and so tired.  “I get why you’re angry, Sakura-chan,” he says.  “I do.”  Naruto sits back and looks at his food the way she often looks at her paperwork.  “But sometimes you feel further from me than Sasuke ever did.”  He looks back at her, impossibly miserable.  “And I hate it.”

She looks out the window and bites back her tears.  She palms her glass with her free hand, but doesn’t drink more.  It’s only once Naruto takes his first bite and her pulse is steady she speaks.  “I’m sorry.”  It’s almost a whisper.  “I don’t mean to fight with you.  It’s just the hospital.”

Naruto doesn’t say anything and she supposes that’s a good thing.

“If Naruto were to wean him off the medications,” Sai says then, and his voice is soft, hopeful.  She can hear his concern for Ino in it.  “What would you recommend as an alternative?”

Sakura hesitates, before looking over at Naruto, who’s watching her intently.  She looks back at her nearly empty glass and thinks she’s never been so hypocritical in her life.  She has no convincing answers—no cure for life’s unjust cruelties.  “I guess, if he can’t see a psychiatrist,” she begins.  “Maybe what Ino and I use to do, when we were hurting.”  She stares at the glass and into the spread of her reflection. The face that stares back is a stranger’s.

“And that is?” Sai prompts.

Sakura turns her head and says, “Talk to headstones.”

Sakura and Ino wake to a sky eclipsed in grey.  The sun has yet to rise and they are silent as they move about, careful not to disturb the world’s sleep.  

Six years, Sakura thinks, is a long time to spend missing oneself.

She takes a bouquet of flowers out of Ino’s fridge, and they move in silence outside of the apartment. They walk along the village streets with their chilled hands intertwined.  

This is a yearly tradition for the two of them—visiting the cemetery on the anniversary of the Fourth Shinobi War.  Almost all of Konoha's nin are present in the afternoon, so Ino and Sakura go in the mornings for privacy.  Then they attend again with their friends later in the day.

It isn’t completely empty in the mornings, with a few other nins having the same idea.  Kakashi is always there too, though Sakura suspects he visits every day, not just on the anniversary.  Still, it’s reclusive enough to satisfy the two of them.  

When they arrive, there’s a white mist coming into fruition, opaquing the scene.  It’s beautifully surreal, and Sakura wonders if she’s wandered into a place not yet meant for her.  She half expects Kizashi to stride out of the fog, arms open wide to welcome her home.

They stop a little before Inoichi’s headstone before Sakura places the softest of kisses on Ino’s hand and lets it go.  Ino’s smile is tender, and she moves closer to her father’s grave with graceful steps.  Sakura busies herself in watching.  Her eyes glide over headstones and lonely figures in the distance.  She knows the white-haired one by Rin’s grave is Kakashi.  Sakura sees another, huddled on the ground beside Neji’s stone.  She thinks it might be Tenten, but she’s never seen Tenten visit before.  Sakura can only hope that it might be a sign that she’s doing better.  

There’s several other figures she can’t quite make out standing by graves she doesn’t know the names to.  Soon her eyes fall on a figure standing several meters in front of them.  It’s cloaked in a stark black and standing by—

Itachi’s grave.

Sakura inhales sharply, her arms spasming against her side and instantly, she feels his familiar chakra flare to life.  She mutters a curse because he’s only responding to the jolt of hers.  Ino looks over at her, and Sakura has to conjure a cheap smile and a dismissive wave of her hand.  She’d rather die than take this away from Ino.

Sakura retreats a few feet, her back hitting the crisp bark of a dead and lonely tree.  Her toes curl in her shoes and she stares forward, through the mist of her hard breaths.  Chakra pulsing, she quietly lists off anatomy of the ear and wills her calm closer.  She’s almost thankful for the frigid weather in the heat of her panic.  

He isn’t moving, she thinks, her eyes suctioned to his ink and aura.  None of them are.

They stand like that for a long time, and Sakura can start to feel her heart settle comfortably beneath her ribs.  Then there’s nothing grasping at her but the cold.  She shrinks into herself, arms crossed and knees rubbing, she tucks her chin in.  Her eyes never leave Sasuke.

He’s taller than she remembers him being.  His hair looks longer, and slightly more kempt too.  If he wasn’t standing by that notorious Uchiha grave, or had that so deeply melancholic chakra, she wonders if she would have been able to tell it was him at all.  Something wet falls against her forehead and trickles down to her nose, a light drizzle joining the morning dew.

He won’t hurt her here, her heart seems to know.  He’s too sad to.

Droplets become torrents, and a few figures in the dusk finally begin to move.  But most remain rooted to the ground, one with the graves they’ve come to.  

Sakura never takes her eyes off Sasuke, and though it’s not fear propelling her attentions, she can’t remove them.  Some part of her needs this moment of him.  She wonders if it’s a nostalgic pity she feels for him right then.  Or curiosity.  And she terribly hopes it is.  Because the alternative is that this part of her simply misses him too damn much.

The leafless tree does little to protect her, water drenching her through and mud rimming around her sandals.  Sakura circulates her chakra to keep herself warm, but it doesn’t help her much.  She can freeze to death here, in this cemetery of greys and blues and phantoms.  She wonders if she will be buried here, with the other shinobi.  

Watching rain sodden Sasuke’s hair, his proud shoulders, No. she decides.  She doesn’t deserve to be buried in the same place as the Uchiha.  She belongs with civilian graves, and her civilian parents.  Even if she isn’t as innocent as them.

Suddenly, he steps forward, leaning down to level with the headstone before him.  His hand drags from beneath the cape, and rises to touch his lips.  They are still against his mouth for a moment, before moving to touch center of the stone in front of him.  

His movements hold a quiet confidence, unperturbed by the rain, and Sakura is taken by that aristocratic grace.  His fingers linger for several beats, digits sensually fanning out before the slicken hand slides back into his cloak.  Then he stands, turns around and suddenly she can see him.  

He looks right at her, not sparing a glance in any other direction, not even Kakashi’s.  She feels her heart beat slightly faster and it hurts her lungs to breathe.  He moves down a pebbled path and towards the graveyard entrance.  It’s a wet tap of sandal on cobblestone, so gentle that Sakura is sure she wouldn’t even hear it if she hadn’t been so acutely honed in on his presence.  It slowly increases in volume, and it looks like he’s going to pass right by before he swivels on his foot, stepping onto moss and towards her and Ino.

Sakura tries to control the way her teeth chatter and loosens the rigid curve in her spine.  There’s a soggy feeling of bubbles coiling in her stomach and they threaten to burst.  Still, her eyes study him unabashedly and she watches him do the same.  

He is taller, she sees.  So much taller than she remembers.  His hair is running ink along his face and shoulders, nearly cloaking his Rinnegan if not for its ominous glow.  His jaw is more defined, shoulders broader.  He looks devilishly handsome, and damn right intimidating, which she supposes is nothing less than she expected.  His gaze is fervent and suffocating, and somehow hypnotic with its maddening edge.  

Sakura is smart, she thinks, to fear this man.  And yet, in that moment, she doesn’t.  

She can hear the whistling of the wind against the rain, whipping up her pink locks.  His smouldering eyes finally leave her, and Sakura exhales a restrained breath.  

He walks past her, stops just shy of Ino’s shoulder.  He towers over her, and dignified as Ino’s shoulders hold, she still looks small next to him.  He places his hand on her shoulder, and Sakura can see the slight wrinkle of her clothes when he squeezes it.  Ino never looks back at him, but her hand moves over his in a silent consideration.  

There’s something between them, Sakura realizes.  Not terribly heavy, like the anvils threaded through Team 7, but some sort of acknowledgement is present.  Sasuke wouldn’t have bothered with such a reverent gesture for just anyone.  Sakura doesn’t wonder why Ino never mentioned it.  She wouldn’t have either.  

Sasuke removes his hand and turns towards Sakura then.  He stalks towards her with haunting grace, eyes so intense she has to fight her knees from buckling beneath the weight.  The gales ring in her ears like the highest key of a piano.  And it cries for her.

She thinks something isn’t right.  Or perhaps something is finally right.  Soft, she thinks, looking to those haunting red-rimmed eyes.  His gaze is soft.  Like a loosening clay in her hands, she feels as if she can mold him with incrementally less resistance than the cement he once was.  It empowers her, and despite being sickly pale and shaking, Sakura feels absolute—rippling with every version of herself.  She knows this Sasuke.  He is both foreign and familiar, but intuitively she knows.  And she thinks that he must know her too.  It’s because of this place, this cemetery—the ghosts.  They see.  And sometimes they show.

Sasuke stops just in front of her, and if he is tall beside Ino, he’s a monolith by her.  Sakura has to tilt her head up to maintain eye contact, even as raindrops fall onto her cheeks.  His rinnegan glows faintly against the white of his skin and the black of his hair.  It almost compliments the purpling skin beneath his eyes, deep and heavy.  Insomnia, she remembers Naruto saying.  The charcoal in his right eye feels like an obsidian vacuum of dimensions as much as his left.  Sakura stands, quiet and admiring this—him—after so many years.  She finds it fitting to meet him here, in this graveyard, with rain coating them and the world fast asleep.  It must be destined.  She knows that she couldn’t turn away here if she tried.

His lone arm rises from out of his thick cloak, and he finally turns that stifling gaze away to finger the fastening by his collar.  She watches, transfixed as he slides it off his shoulders with long, lean fingers.  Then she feels herself suddenly blanketed by hefty weight, comforting warmth, and the very familiar scent of sage.  

It smacks her head right around, completely enveloping her senses in nostalgia.  She knows that scent.  It’s husky, soothing, and purely Sasuke.  It was her absolute favorite fragrance at age 12 and she hasn’t had a trace of it since that night that changed everything—when he had her falling against his chest, when her senses left her and Sasuke left her right along with them.

Sakura watches him fumble, securing his thick cloak on her much smaller shoulders with a single hand, before he pulls the hood over her head with a tenderness that makes her shiver.  Sasuke makes a few more adjustments, his pale hand tucking a small lock of pink into the hood.  There’s a fleeting moment where she feels the warm touch of his fingers grazing her jaw as he pulls back.  Sakura sees his hand twitch, and she’s glad she’s already shaking because it has her fighting a fit of convulsions.  She watches his eyes tracing his own movements, before they find hers again.

There’s a deep weight in those dilating pupils, and her chest constricts with uncanny warmth.  It makes her lungs flare, and her stomach protests so violently at the liveliness in the air, she’s practically waiting to puke out her entire skeleton.  But then he breaks the eye contact, turning away.  Instantly, she remembers how to breathe again.

Sakura waits until she hears his feet on the walkway before she turns to watch him leave.  In precious moments he’s nothing but a blot in the mist.

Sluggish, with a quivering breath, she moves to look ahead of her.  Ino is still staring at Sasuke’s receding figure.  But far beyond her best friend, she can see Kakashi’s looking right at her.

The next day, Sakura has breakfast.  

It’s small—a red apple that is all crisp and smooth against her teeth.  She needs to take breaks between bites to fight waves of nausea, but it’s enough.

Sakura looks out her bedroom window and watches snow fall.  She feels an odd pang for a conversation, a raw one with too little words that run too deep.  But Ino is preparing for a long mission and Sai has just come back from his own last night.  She craves Ino’s voice, soft and bold in one.   They didn’t get a chance to talk much yesterday, the air too somber for words.  And it will be too long before she hears from her again.   

Sakura thinks to see Naruto, but Naruto inevitably means Sasuke, and Sakura isn’t ready.  She can’t decipher what happened that ghastly morning, between the raw permanence in his eyes and the melody of her pulse.  She’s taken by sudden amusia and finds she doesn’t mind.  It doesn’t need to make sense.  Nothing concerning him ever seemed to anyway.  Just let it be.

So she scrapes her mouth against the apple and her mind dazes in the softness of white outside her window.  She breathes in the peace as much as she can, savors it like one does a love that is destined to die.  It’s only another hour before she’ll be in the hospital, having what will undoubtedly be her hardest day of work yet.  

It’s curious weather to rain one day and then snow the next.  Sakura wonders how long winter will last this year.

[caffeinated--writer]

MadaSaku Week(end)

@madasakuweek

Prompt: You’re an attractive tattoo artist so I keep coming to get more tattoos.

Sakura sighed. She was pathetic.

This was now the third time in a matter of weeks she found herself standing in front of the multi-purpose piercing-tattoo shop. Sakura wholeheartedly blamed her friend Ino for this new addiction she seemed to have for this place. Weeks ago Sakura would never have thought to step into a place like this.  

Piercings and tattoos were never actually Sakura’s thing. It had been grilled into her since childhood that tattoos and piercings were bad and “only delinquents get them”.  Of course the older she got Sakura realized her parents closed minded views weren’t the truth. Considering her two best friends sported some tattoos of their own and were both enrolled in one of the best Universities in the city, along with herself, it kind of killed her parents’ theory that only delinquents with no jobs or school got tattoos.

No, Haruno Sakura didn’t like tattoos because she had a slight fear of needles. The irony was not lost on the pre-med student whose career goal was to be a surgeon, but the thought of sitting in a chair for hours while someone repeatedly stabbed you with a needle just didn’t sit well with her. With that in mind she was sure she would never find herself at any tattoo shop.

Until the dreadful day she agreed to play Ino’s silly game of truth or dare.

3 weeks earlier…

They had decided to have a fun Friday night in their shared college apartment, after getting through some stressful exams a couple of days prior, and had invited a couple of friends over for drinks and movies, just some nice end of exam fun.

An hour or so in Ino suggested they play truth or dare. The rules were fairly simple, whoever spins the bottle, placed in the middle of the group circle, gets to ask truth or dare to whoever the bottle lands on when the bottle ceases to spin. If you refuse to answer someone’s truth question or follow through with a dare given, you will be forced to do something worse.

Sakura wasn’t much of a fan of those sorts of games, much less when someone as dirty minded and devious as Ino was behind the game, so she had been fully prepared to sit out the game with Sasuke and Naruto and watch her friends. But Ino wouldn’t have been one of her best girlfriends if she didn’t know how to spark Sakura’s competitive spirit. It took one little crooked flap of her arms, to mimic that of a chicken, and Sakura was fired up and in the game. The game was relatively easy for her to get into. Perverted questions were thrown in here and there with equally perverted dares being handed out but Sakura had yet to deny any questions or dare sent her way. Clearly Ino meant to change that.

When Ino spun the bottle, on her 6th turn, a particularly devious look fell across her face when the bottle landed on her pink haired friend. Without thinking Sakura found herself blurting out “Dare!”

That had been a bad move on her part.

Somehow Ino’s smirk managed to grow wider before she decided on the fate of her friend: a three way kiss between herself, Sasuke, and Naruto. Sakura’s eyes grew wide before her face twisted into slight disgust and she distinctly heard what sounded like Sasuke and Naruto both choking on their drink, signifying their equal level of shock to the dare. Sakura was not completely oblivious to Naruto and Sasuke’s attractiveness, and she was sure any other girl (or boy) would jump at the chance to kiss Sasuke or Naruto (especially at the same time). Had they been any other boys Sakura would have considered jumping on the adventurous train and giving it a shot, but Sasuke and Naruto had known her since she was 6…they were like brothers to her. Sakura didn’t think they could ever do something like that without feeling sick or at least not while she was sober and her better judgement was still very much alive and kicking.

A pout came to Sakura’s face realizing she couldn’t do her dare. Sensing her friend’s defeat Ino squealed in victory. They had always been a bit competitive as kids so any small harmless victories against each other were reveled in. Sakura felt Naruto and Sasuke give her a comforting pat on the shoulder as she let out a sigh in defeat. She was not looking forward to her punishment.

All had calmed down by 2AM as their apartment began to clear out. Their close friends headed back to their respective school living quarters, leaving Ino and Sakura to clean with the slight-almost nonexistent- help of Sasuke and Naruto, whom decided to spend the night. It was at this point Ino decided to give Sakura her punishment.

“A tattoo? You can’t be serious!” Sakura glared, not liking what Ino had chosen as her punishment.

“Oh, stop whining.” Ino retorted, rolling her eyes at her friends extreme reaction “I could have made you fuck Rock Lee as a punishment. I’m being quite generous.”

Sakura would admit that the punishment was relatively tame compared to the thousands of perverted and sexual things Ino could have probably forced her to do but that still didn’t make Sakura happy. Ino knew she hated needles.

Ino sighed realizing that Sakura’s glare was still firmly in place. “Look, it doesn’t even have to be a big tattoo. It can be as tiny as a cherry blossom tattooed on the side of your wrist.” Ino explained, “you told me a couple of days ago you wanted to do something new and spontaneous with yourself! This is me, forcefully, helping you to do so.”

Sakura’s glare softened and she let out a loud, frustrated, groan in defeat causing Ino to laugh. “Plus you really need to get over your fear of needles. I don’t know about you but I don’t think that’s a good look for a future doctor.” Ino chuckled, putting the last used cup I the trash can.

Sakura leaned against the kitchen counter, chucking her plastic cup in the open trash can, and she pouted. “Where the fuck would I even go?” Sakura asked, “It’s not like I know the best tattoo parlors to go to. If I pick at random I may come out with something infected.”

Sakura shuddered at the thought of going into some grotesque place where none of the supplies were clean.

Ino shrugged at her question, “I don’t know, don’t Sasuke and Naruto have some ink? Ask them where they got it done.” She suggested, tilting her head in the direction of a barely dressed Naruto, walking into the kitchen with a mere towel around his waist and covering his damp tresses, indicating he had just hopped out of their shower.  

“Ask me what?” Naruto grinned, flashing his pearly whites.

“I wanted to know if you could take me to the place you got your tattoo.” Sakura questioned pointing at the black spiral covered in Japanese characters that covered his belly button.

“You’re finally going to get a tattoo Sakura?” Naruto questioned excitedly, happy that after years of convincing his best friend was going to get one.

Sakura sighed at her friend’s enthusiasm. “Not exactly willingly,” Sakura stated, giving Ino a pointed look which she shrugged off, “I’m only getting a small one so don’t get too excited.”

Naruto looked up in thought trying to remember the place he got his tattoo done.

“Sasuke took me to some place he was familiar with. He knew the staff and everything!” Naruto grinned, “We can have Teme take us tomorrow.”

Come that Saturday morning Sakura found herself, along with her two best friends, at some tattoo parlor with big red letters on its windows spelling out ‘AKATSUKI’.

Sakura gave Sasuke a weary look before entering the establishment. It was…eerily quiet inside with no person in sight, causing Sakura to feel a bit more on edge then she already was, though considering it was 8AM she presumed she shouldn’t have been expecting too many people -precisely why Sasuke dragged them out of bed so early-. But she found it even stranger that she did not see a single worker either. Before Sakura could unleash hell on her friend for dragging her to some abandoned shop, something orange flew past her slamming into Sasuke.

“Sasuke-chan!” A high pitched voice squealed. For a moment Sakura thought that maybe there was a child in the shop but seeing that the person who had attached himself to Sasuke’s person (thoroughly testing her friends short patience) was  at least a foot and a half taller than Sasuke…she presumed that accusation was out of place.

“Sasuke-chan hasn’t visited us in sooo long!” The man cooed as he rubbed his orange swirly mask against Sasuke’s cheek.

Where the fuck had Sasuke taken her…?

Fed up with the uncalled for (and unasked for) antics, Sasuke shoved the large, childish, man off of him.

“Obito, we just saw each other at the family dinner last week.” Sasuke seethed. It was the words ‘family’ and ‘dinner’ that caused both Sakura and Naruto to do a double take. Sasuke, though dearly loved by both his friends, was the walking epitome of pessimism, dark sarcasm and was all in all a condescending ass. Whereas the orange mask wearing man in front of them radiated pure unadulterated innocence, something in which Sakura didn’t think was capable of existing in this day in age…

It just didn’t add up that they were in any shape or form related.

Feeling his friends eyes on him, filled with nosy curiosity, Sasuke let out an annoyed sigh. “He’s my cousin.” He grumbled, answering the unasked question.

At that moment Sasuke’s cousin lifted his mask to grin at both Naruto and Sasuke. All doubts about their family relations were effectively thrown out the window once getting a good look at his face. Obito had definitely been blessed with the same Uchiha genes as her best friend. Despite his childishness he was quite the looker. Sakura couldn’t begin to understand why he choose to hide them under some swirly orange mask but who was she to question? As a matter of fact it made her wonder if her college professor, Kakashi Hatake, was hiding some unusually attractive face under his strange black mask…

Distracted by Obito’s chattiness and Naruto and Sakura still in a slight state of shock over the new information, they had not noticed someone step out to meet them at the front.

“Come for a visit Sasuke-chan?” A deep voice chuckled “Do you need some more work done?”

Sakura felt her mouth go devastatingly dry as her mouth dropped open catching sight of the long haired male.

“Oh my Kami…” Sakura whispered, struggling to keep herself from letting her eyes roam over his clearly well fit physique that was being complimented by his well-tailored dark blue suit.

“Madara! Guess who came? Baby Sasuke!” Obito squealed, bounding over to the dark haired male who Sakura immediately took note to mentally remember was named Madara.

While Madara was preoccupied trying to get the orange mask wearing male to calm down and remember that he too possessed eyes and was aware of his cousins presence, Sakura sharply nudged her brooding companion. Giving her an annoyed glare Sasuke, begrudgingly, gave her his attention.

“Umm who is that?” Sakura inquired meekly, attempting to make her mouth less dry discreetly pointing in Madara’s direction.

“His twin,” Sasuke replied, referring to Obito, “and my older cousin.”

Sakura was never really a religious person…but she was almost certain Kami-sama had a great deal of bias toward anyone with an ounce of Uchiha blood running through them and Sasuke’s family was a fine example of that as it seemed any relative of his she met was drop dead gorgeous.

“Did you need something, Sasuke?” Madara questioned, directing his attention back to them “This is a place of work, not a playground.”

Sasuke glared at his smirking cousin –whereas Sakura attempted to stop her rapidly beating heart-.

“Hn, she wants a tattoo.” Sasuke muttered, tilting his head slightly in Sakura’s direction.

Madara turned his amused gaze in Sakura’s direction and almost immediately she felt her breathing come to a halt.  

She’d be sure to thank Ino once she got home.