#I just want to thank Ino for carrying this chapter lol \(￣︶￣*\))

[mavda]

Beast Tamers

Ch.1 |  Ch.2 | Ch.3 | Ch.4(1) | Ch.4(2) | Ch.5(1) | Ch.5(2) | Ch.5(3) | Ch.5(4) | Ch.6(1) | Ch.6(2) | Ch.6(3) | Ch.7(1) | Ch.7(2) | Ch.7(3) | Ch.7(4) | Ch.7(5) | Ch.8(1) | Ch.8(2) | Ch.8(3) | Ch.9(1) | Ch.9(2) | Ch.9(3) | Ch.9(4) | Ch.10(1) | Ch.10(2) | Ch.10(3) | Ch.10(4) |

Ch.10: The Two-Tails (5)

Naruto can feel the eyes of every Beast Tamer on him. Their faces look forward, but their eyes follow whatever little sound reverberates in the room. 

His voice gets lost in the echo and the Two-Tails puts the paper down before letting out a sigh. 

Silence.

"Do you mind if I check the document?" 

The Two-Tails gives him a polite smile before sending her guard over to his seat. Sai stands between the man and him, his hand outreached. 

The two have a brief stand-off that makes Naruto realize the intentions of this meeting immediately. Sai moves the paper in his hands, activating whatever poison or seal could be in it, and hands his lord the paper. 

Formal, with the proper signatures and stamps. Real.

"When did you receive this letter?"

"5 days ago, when all of the Beast Tamers present were on their way here."

Naruto gives the document another once-over before giving it back to Sai. He wants the meeting to start, but he is not today's host.

So they all wait. Wait for the letter to go back to the Two-Tails, wait for her to read the letter again, wait for her to rearrange the papers on her desk and wait for her to whisper something to her guard.

They wait and Naruto crosses his arms over his chest in an attempt to have his body do anything but generate stress.

The meeting is nothing short of excruciating. Information they already have being shared to a nauseating degree. The Two-Tails and the Four-Tails bickering back and forth on measures they have already taken. 

Naruto zeroes in on the Four-Tails, on his ashen beard and haggard appearance. He does look like a man that cheated death, and Naruto now wants to know how.

The Four-Tails catches him looking, but Naruto doesn’t look away. The old man gives him a once-over with the blankest expression he can muster. They leave the meeting several hours later and with bored faces and with no amicable feelings for the other. 

Naruto walks all the way back with his hands inside his sleeves, with Sai right behind him and whispering the things he caught on before reaching their quarters. 

Shino sits in a chair overlooking the buildings outside, the sunlight washing over his dark hair as the sun sets in the distance. His bugs are moving around, but they aren’t noticeable to those that don’t know how to look for them.

Ino lays in one of the beds, her body carefully positioned on her side, with a pillow under her head and the covers over her feet. 

Neither Naruto nor Sai say anything and go on with their day as if nothing happened. Naruto sits in order to meditate, remembering step by step the teachings Jiraiya shared with him. His chakra envelops the room and then the hallways, and then farther and farther away, till his energy is laid thin and easy. A part of himself. 

Sai conjures little ink serpents that slither under the door and out their room, watches as his lord meditates and controls his unruly chakra and then concentrates on his own technique.  

They share their findings once Ino comes back to her body. She looks out of it, but they all know it’s only an after effect of her mind being in another body for an extended period of time. Her eyes are glossy and she seems to not hear a thing, but she has long told them that her mind is in top shape and it’s only her body that needs time acclimating. 

Nothing looks out of the ordinary, and although they find people being more cautious than usual most can be attributed to a Beast Tamer meeting taking place.

“So what was the meeting for?” asks Ino after her own report, now with the blanket around her body and looking at her lord with unclouded icy blue eyes.

“Nothing,” Naruto shrugs. He cracks his neck and sighs. “We mostly just talked about things we all know about. Shit, I zoned out halfway through, honestly. Sai, did they say anything important?”

“No, my lord.”

Shino plays with a bug on his hand and then raises his head, his black round glasses catching the light in the room, making him look more menacing than usual.

“What do you think is the purpose of this, then?”

“You tell me,” Naruto laughs. “And since none of you found even a sliver of something weird, then I guess the Two-Tails is clear?”

“I wouldn’t be so quick to-” starts Sai, but Naruto raises his hands in defeat. 

“I know, I know, but if you haven’t found anything, then what? Are we supposed to keep an eye on the Four-Tails? He looks like he can drop dead at any mo-”

Naruto stops abruptly, his own mind reeling in. A man with a Beast inside of him who was supposed to die at any moment. A group of people who seemed to be able to somewhat control said Beasts. Maybe-

“Are you maybe thinking that he’s in on it with the Uchiha?” Ino says before Naruto finishes his thoughts.

He looks at her with a confused look, unsure of what he’s even thinking.

“It could be an option,” Ino keeps on talking. Her own eyebrows now scrunched in concentration. “We have kept our attention on the Two-Tails because her actions seemed suspicious, but…” 

Ino’s face seems to come to a realization, her face lighting up immediately. “She suspects all of us,” Naruto seems ready to argue, but Ino explains immediately, “you are Beast Tamers who survived a full on attack from this so called Uchiha group, she was the only one out of the loop. You all seem suspicious and-”

“We kept to ourselves after the fact,” Shino’s monotonous voice chimes in, “she only has our stories to know what happened, and she’s trying to guess who is the one teaming up with the Uchiha, too.”

“I guess my attitude then was not the best,” Naruto laments. “Then…”

“I wouldn’t rule her out so soon, anyways,” Sai shares. 

Ino rearranges the blanket around her, and while she nods at Sai in agreement, she seems sure of the course of action to follow. “We know our lord isn’t in it with the Uchiha,” at her words Naruto gives her a grateful smile Ino accepts with a serious face, “I would also stick my neck out for Lord Gaara too, which leaves us with the Two-Tails and the Four-Tails, and since we haven’t found anything in here, her territory, it just doesn’t hurt to try and follow that man around to check who’s in contact with him.”

“I will send insects his way then.”

“What is he waiting for, though?” Naruto asks, looking around the room. “There is still the possibility that we are all clean, right?”

“Unlikely,” says Shino and Ino gives Naruto a shrug as an answer. 

“Well, let me drea-”

Shino startles one second and the next Sai whips his head in the direction of the door, his hand to his lips. 

Naruto’s eyes lock on the door, but unlike his guards, he can only sense someone the moment they stand near the door. 

“Have you already sent the report back home, Sai?” Naruto talks with a casual volume, changing the topic of their conversation as the guest outside tries to pry. 

“Not yet, my lord, it will be sent before midnight, though, rest assured.”

“Good, make sure to write in the news of the Six-Tails.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Naruto looks at Shino, as it seems the person outside has left, but his guard shakes his head no, and as such they have to keep on their charade.

Ino takes over then, making small chat with her lord as if they had come to this place as a vacation. As the leading spy specialist, she has trained herself to be able to talk about everything and give out nothing, so Naruto just lets her lead him topic after topic. 

Shino keeps his concentration on the door outside and Sai takes the moment to give another once-over to the room. 

It’s almost an hour later that Shino gives them the ok to speak freely again. 

“From the Two-Tails or the Four-Tails?” Inquires Ino immediately after.

“I’m following him, it’s hard to tell.” Shino’s brow is furrowed.

His technique is easier to control the more bugs there are, sending only one over distances makes it an incredibly sensible operation, so Ino stops asking questions and stands with the blanket around her body, “Do you think maybe they’ll attack today?”

“That would be a bold move,” Sai shares, his back to the wall near the windows, his eyes scanning around.

“Well, seems they are bold.” Naruto can’t help but remember the attack on the Summit. “Whatever, we’ll fight them here, it’s better for us.”

“Yes, my lord. We know what to do,” Ino assures, and Naruto sighs before letting his head hang for a second.

“The ink snakes have been dispelled, nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Maybe, tomorrow then, we have to sleep anyway.”

Sai nods, “Please do so, I will keep guard.”

Shino is the last one to prepare for bed, as he waited until he followed their guest to their room. But it seemed to be just a servant that gathered information for the Two-Tails, so they end up where they started. 

With more questions than answers and just preparing themselves for a fight. 

Naruto lets himself fall loudly on the bed while Shino arranges his clothes on his nightstand. Sai leaves his bag on his bed, but his back doesn’t leave the side of the window. 

Ino sits on the edge of her bed, right next to Sai. “You can wake me up for a couple of hours, you know.”

Sai blinks rapidly at her, surprised at her gesture. “Please, do not worry about me, I am trained to spend days without sleep, I will be fine.”

Ino lets the comb move through her hair, adding an air of nonchalance to her words, “I am not going to die for a couple of hours without sleep.”

Sai tilts his head and follows her hands as they move through her blond hair, the light catching on some strands. “Please do not worry, you are vital for this operation to succeed, as is Shino, let me take the burden of guarding.”

Naruto sits and finds himself entranced by this display between Sai and Ino. The moment Ino nods and says goodnight to Sai and Sai only gives back a nod back, makes Naruto want to do something. “Sai,” he starts, but Naruto immediately feels tension coming from Ino, so he relents, “you are right, Ino is super important here, so thanks for being so understanding.”

Sai is still confused at all this worry surrounding him, as he is known to be in a special unit that specializes in taking care of the clan’s dirty work. Sleep has never been an issue. So he tilts his head once more, “It is my honor, my lord.” And somehow Lord Naruto seems somewhat dissatisfied with his answer so Sai presses, “I will guard you with my life, please have a good rest.”

Naruto gives him a weird smile Sai mimics, and they look at each other without understanding anything. 

“Yeah, right, let’s catch some sleep.” Naruto falls back to his bed, snuggles into his bedclothes and tries his best to soften up the tension. “I mean, what’s the probability we get jumped at night, right?” He adds a tired laugh, in a show of good humor.

But Shino says, without opening his eyes and without moving a muscle in his body, “Highly likely, my lord, as we are at our most vulnerable and the enemy will most likely try to exploit our weaknesses. Attacking us at this time would raise his probability of landing a critical hit exponentially.”

Naruto doesn’t know whether Shino is joking or not, so he waits a second, but there is no punchline and no laugh after. He worries he will have to explain his sense of humor and at this point in time he feels it’s too la-

“It was a joke, Shino,” Ino says, her voice quiet, “Lord Naruto said it as a joke.” 

Shino remains silent and Naruto wonders whether the man knows about his remarks being oddly serious in a funny setting. Maybe this is his way of joking?

After a few seconds Sai speaks, “I’m sorry I didn’t understand your joke either, my lord, but since it was meant as one, uh, ha ha.”

Ino sighs deeply and Naruto has to awkwardly shake off this encounter. “Let’s just sleep.” 

Silence falls around them and Sai keeps his attention on the outside.

[nanami-says]

Part III (1/2): chapters 19-25

Vs. Mahito Arc

Chapter 19 (aka why this blog exists)

J:”Yeah, we know that. But we flatter her because she looks easy.”

⇒ ”And the three of them know it as well. But they flatter you exaggeratedly anyway because they think you’ll let them do you”

Actually Junpei’s lines.

J:”I can’t believe people like that go to my school.”

Not incorrect, I just want to point out that Junpei didn’t just say “people”, the word he used is “race” (人種）, which implies he doesn’t see them as the same kind of human he is.

J:”Was it that guy who did it? There’s no way a person could do that! If he did it, he must not be human.”

⇒ “Was it that person just now? No, would such a thing be even possible for a human being? And if it was, would they really be a ‘human being’?”

Overall correct but the flow was different. Mind you, 人 can be translated both as “person” and “human being” (among others) depending on the context. Imo this captures the nuance better but YMMV!

N:”I’m here to identify the truth and uphold the law. There was a time when I thought the society had the same goals”

⇒ ”Adapting to the facts [in front of you] and managing yourself accordingly. That’s who I am. There was a time where I mistakenly believed society operated on the same basis.”

This was really hard to translate, especially since the phrase Nanami uses here is rather formal language. I actually checked the official anime subtitles for this one and they went with “I adhere to the facts and judge on that basis”, which I guess is close enough? I’d probably go with it as well if not for the fact that he doesn’t just say 律する but 己を律する (己/onore = I/me in humble language).

Seems like the exact meaning of the phrase is difficult to understand even for Japanese people - there are whole articles out there breaking down the meaning and giving examples of how to implement it in life 8D Anyway, the simplest explanation is “to control yourself”, with further nuance of “enforcing rules on yourself in order to achieve a goal”, “restricting your desires and impulses by your own will” etc.

Thanks a lot, Gege.

Btw, Ino, who respects Nanami greatly and considers him a mentor, actually uses the same phrase, word for word, in ch. 95! (事実に即し、己を律する) That’s how important it is. Also, continuity!

Y:”Let’s do it!”

N:”There’s no need to get excited”

⇒ Y:“Let’s go all out!!”

 N:”No, if moderate’s enough, let’s just do it moderately”

They both used descriptors for just what kind of intensity they should approach the mission with. Imo, an important distinction because after they learn the full extent of the situation, Nanami takes back his words from this moment and agrees with Yuuji, going as far as to use the same words Yuuji did here.

N:”I wonder what others would think hearing you say that”

⇒ “I’m sure the others wouldn’t want to hear that from you [of all people]”

So not so much “don’t be rude” as “dude, you’re the weirdest of them all”. Emphasis mine.

N:”What I learned at Jujutsu High is that jujutsu sorcerers are idiots” 

& “What I realized while at the office is that work is idiotic”

He actually says “shit” both times lol. If it was just the humour that suffered here, it still wouldn’t be too awful but unfortunately it’s not just that. The “sorcerers are shit” line gets recalled when Nanami’s facing death, trapped in Mahito’s domain, which makes it pretty damn important. It gets translated yet differently by the official release then, too, which further damages continuity I believe Gege intended for this.

”So I took the lesser of two evils. Nothing more, nothing less”

⇒ “If both are shit, then I just chose the one I’m more cut out for. That’s all as far as the reason for my coming back is concerned.”

I mean, if we realllllly insist on watering down everything that Nanami says (as JJK translators apparently did), then the basic meaning was conveyed but the original wording and nuance was closer to what I proposed.

N:”Prove to me that you can be useful in spite of the demon Sukuna inside of you”

⇒ “Give your best to prove that you’re useful despite carrying the bomb that Sukuna is.”

Considering how 2 pages later Nanami tells Yuuji that he’s not the one Yuuji should be proving himself to, it’d have been weird if this is actually what he’d said, wouldn’t it. But Nanami’s nothing if not reasonable, so that wasn’t the case.

Y:”I’m weak and useless. I’ve been hearing a lot of that these days”

⇒ “That I’m weak and useless... I’ve been realising that to a painful extent these days”

“I’ve been hearing it” would imply that someone was actually saying it either to Yuuji himself or to others which he was aware of. (I mean, other than Sukuna.) The original wording doesn’t really hold such connotation.

N:”If you think you’re in trouble, let me know”

Y:”Have some faith in me, will ya? Just a little.”

N:”It’s not about faith.(...)”

Y:”A child? I’d rather be underestimated”.

⇒ N:“If you decide you cannot win, please call me.”

Y:”Aren’t you underestimating me too much?”

N:”This is not about ‘underestimating’ or ‘not underestimating’.(...)

Y:”[Even] being underestimated would’ve been better over being treated like a kid.”

I guess the translators wanted to avoid saying “underestimate” 3 times in a row? Albeit that’s what the original does.

More importantly though!!

N:”I’m an adult and you’re a child. I have the obligation to look after you”

⇒ “(...) It’s my obligation to prioritise you over myself.”

Quite a different nuance, right. Not just “I have to look after you” but “your well-being [life] takes priority over my own”.

N:”Experiencing these little losses is what helps people grow into adults”

⇒ “It’s the accumulation of such small despairs that turns people into adults”

Not that wildly different but despairs (hopelessnesses) >>> losses, y/y. Also “helps” made it sound more positive when it’s both a poignant and at the same time dry statement.

Chapter 20

N:”There are techniques that aren’t affected if revealed to certain enemies”

Those two feel more like separate examples to me. I.e. that there are techniques that aren’t affected if revealed, and there are some enemies that you can afford to reveal your technique to. Could apply simultaneously but don’t necessarily have to, if that makes sense?

“There is a merit to revealing one’s hand and the rules it initiates. You can make your technique even more effective.”

⇒ “It has its merits too. The ‘binding’ of ‘revealing one’s hand’ amplifies the effectiveness of your technique.”

Wild lost “binding” appears! Like I indicated before, it’s the lack of consistency to translating terms that are consistent in the original, that has negatively affected the fans’ ability to understand the basics of jjk techniques and world-building.

[Explaining Yuuji’s divergent fist]

GJ:”But it’s a lot easier said than done for anyone else.”

⇒ “It’s not something that can be easily done on purpose”

N:”His physical strength is superhuman. The impact of his hit doesn’t have incredibly strong energy, but it’s still about 20% more than a normal sorcerer. That means his delayed hit comes from his main source of cursed energy. It must be quite annoying for those on the receiving end. Such potential. If he’s able to go out all and combine his full physical strength with a cursed technique…”

⇒ “(...) The initial impact contains little cursed energy but it still achieves 120% of an average sorcerer. And then the actual cursed energy hits with a delay. For those on the receiving end it must be more unpleasant than one could imagine. And he’s got potential for growth, too. If he becomes able to add 100% of cursed energy to a 100% body…”

Uhh, this was a tricky one because on the first read it doesn’t seem that terribly wrong but when you read the original carefully, you realise this and that got lost in translation. My version should be closer to the original meaning.

I:”We’re going to have to ask the murderer about the technique”

⇒ “That’s just something that you can’t know unless you ask the offender about their technique”

Obviously Ieiri wasn’t suggesting to literally ask the murderer.

“However there’s evidence the brain stems were modified. Their consciousness were also modified to create a state of confusion”

⇒ (...) This was probably done to create a disturbance of consciousness... a state of mental confusion”

Slightly different nuance for this one.

Y:”For me, the gravity of death is the same regardless. This isn’t right!”

First sentence is mostly correct but it should’ve been “the gravity of death of another person” (emphasis mine).

Second sentence sounds too mild for what is actually Yuuji being super mad specifically about the way those people were killed? The phrase he uses means something like "This is just in way too poor taste”, “way too vulgar” etc. I guess if you went for a less literal translation, you could say “just too disgusting”/”revolting”.

N:”This matter won’t be taken care of so easily. Let’s do it”

⇒ “Looks like ‘moderately’ won’t be enough here. Let’s go all out.”

This is the instance of Nanami retracting his words and backing Yuuji up by borrowing his own words that I mentioned earlier!

M:”Jujutsu sorcerers brand such entities as “special grade potential spirits” and fear them as much as powerful curses. The fact that they categorize them as such really shows their shallowness”

⇒ “Jujutsu sorcerers register them as “special grade potential apparitions” and remain on alert against them [on alert for their appearance]. The same applies to powerful unidentified curses. That they categorise them as ‘potential apparitions’ just shows how little they truly see.”

It’s not that sorcerers fear them per se but that they (most likely) monitor them and are on guard against them. When followed up by the “what people truly genuinely fear are natural disasters [forces of nature]” conversation, it becomes clear that what Mahito scorns sorcerers for is their short-sightedness for thinking all powerful curses must be born out of people’s imagination, ~urban legends~ etc.

[Junpei asking what Mahito was born from]

M:”Thanks to the hatred spewed between people I was born”

⇒ “I’m a curse born out of the fear and hatred people harbour towards [other] people"

or even

“I’m a curse born out of people hating and fearing people”

Again a quite different nuance. They really shouldn’t have edited “fear” out.

Chapter 21

J:’Don’t you think that whoever first said, ‘The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference’ must be rotting in hell? There’s no way hating people is better than feeling indifferent towards them.”

⇒ “(...) There’s no way that approaching others with evil intentions is better than not interacting [with them] at all”

The first sentence is mostly fine although the original doesn’t include the “is not hate” bit, it only says “the opposite of love is indifference”. The second part is quite different. After all, hating doesn’t necessarily imply there’s any action taken.

“Complicating simple things for the sake of meaning is such a Japanese thing to do”

⇒ “Japanese sure love it - complicating simple answers and gloating in it”

I didn’t like the “for the sake of meaning” bit, imo it’s over-interpreting.

J:”Indifference. That’s what humans should strive for.”

M:”Sounds more like revenge”

J:“Are you saying that I got it all mixed up?”

Junpei’s first line here is fine although interestingly enough he puts it as “a virtue humans should strive for”. Then it’s

⇒ M:“And yet you wish for revenge”

J:”Are you trying to say I’m contradicting myself?”

M:”In this world, only I understand the soul’s composition. I can even transmogrify living beings. Emotions come from the soul. It’s too simplistic to call it ‘heart’. People overthink the things they can’t see. (...)”

⇒ “In this world I’m the only one who understands the soul’s composition. After all, I change the shape of living beings by touching it. Emotions are products of the metabolism of the soul. It’s altogether too mechanical [of a process] to call it a heart. People assign too much value to things invisible to the eye.(...)”

Last one is literally “consider ‘special’ way too much”, simpler wording than what I went with but I tried to make it more legible.

The “metabolism of the soul” phrase is especially vital because Junpei throws it at Yuuji almost word for word when confronted by him at the school after his mother’s death.

More philosophy lessons from Mahito-sensei \o/

“Don’t limit yourself to just being indifferent. There’s no reason to live by such a restricting philosophy.”

⇒ “Don’t allow yourself to be shackled by the ideal called ‘indifference’. There’s no need for there to be consistency in one’s way of life.”

Mahito actually takes the “is ‘consistency’ necessary” stance a few times in the manga, including when he and Getou squabble about the relationship between the body and the soul in Shibuya. A pity about the mistranslation here.

“I support everything you represent, Junpei”

⇒ “I’ll affirm your everything, Junpei”

Imo the act of supporting and the act of affirming while similar aren’t one and the same, hence the change.

N:”Either come alone, or risk bringing Itadori with me. I chose the former, nothing more. He’s still a child, after all.”

⇒ “The risk of venturing [into the enemy’s territory] alone, or the risk of bringing Itadori-kun with me. I simply chose the former. He’s still a child, after all.”

Idk, I feel like cutting out “the risk” from the first option makes Nanami sound more callous? Like Yuuji’s a liability and going by himself is a sounder option. Whereas, it was actually him weighing two risks against each other and deciding that potentially endangering Yuuji is the one he can afford less.

[After Yuuji asks why he doesn’t know important jujutsu related stuff.]

I:”Because Gojou’s your mentor.” ⇒ “it’s because Gojou’s ...”

He actually uses a lovely adjective to describe Gojou, which can mean a plethora of things, including: irresponsible, sloppy, lazy, unreliable, careless, perfunctory etc. etc.

Ichiji? Not a member of Gojou Satoru Fanclub.

Y:”This feels like a bad plan”

⇒ “This feels so staged, I don’t like it.”

Lit. “play [perform, read] one's own work”. I think what Yuuji might’ve meant here was that the plan felt dishonest? Second sentence could also be “I don’t feel up for it.”

Chapter 22

M:”Was that some kind of cursed technique?”

N:”What do you mean by ‘some kind’? I don’t appreciate questions that are left open to interpretation”

⇒ “(...) I hate abstract questions that put the whole burden on the other person”

Lit. “that leave it to others”. Other than Nanami being more straightforward with “hate”/”dislike”, I think this was him expressing he doesn’t like people who don’t even try to think for themselves and immediately demand answers from others instead.

“It would be silly to not assume a connection(...)”

⇒ “It would be more unnatural not to assume a connection(...)”

Different wording (unnatural instead of silly), which imo affects Nanami’s characterisation.

M:”The shape of the body will always be dependent on the shape of the soul”

This sounds a bit too passive and generic? Closer to “The shape of the body gets pulled along by the shape of the soul”, which is literally what Mahito’s technique does.

I’m heavily paraphrasing but!

magazine raw scans: ”it's 6:30 PM now and I started working at 11 AM, so I'm going to finish by 7PM no matter what”

official English release:”it's 5:30 PM now and I started at 10, gotta finish by 6”

The time change is so random, I wonder if Gege simply changed it themselves for the volume release. Maybe to bring it closer to the common office job times? Typical Japanese work day at the office begins at 9AM and lasts 8h + 1h break (completely unpaid but compulsory). I guess if Nanami skipped the break then working 10AM-6PM would make it exactly 8h?

The biggest mystery of jjk.

Chapter 23

M:”Even if sorcerers can protect their bodies using cursed energy, they can’t protect their souls”

⇒ “Even if sorcerers can protect their bodies using cursed energy, they [just] aren’t used to protecting their souls”.

So it’s not that they “can’t” as in “are incapable of” and more that there’s never been the need, so they never learned how and aren’t used to doing it. As proven by Yuuji later it’s not impossible.

M:”Overtime? He restricts himself based on time! He was limiting his power until now!”

⇒ “Overtime work? A ‘biding’ based on time! He was suppressing his power by himself until now!”

Another instance where “binding” as a term makes its appearance (it even uses quotation marks) but wasn’t properly denoted by the translators.

M:”A large-scale attack, and he doesn’t care if he gets hit while doing it!”

⇒ “A large-scale attack [done] with the resolve of [potentially] getting killed along with me!”.

The phrase Mahito uses here is 相打ち, lit. “killing [hitting] each other at the same time”. Also, “doesn’t care” and “is prepared/has the resolve” are quite different, aren’t they.

Chapter 24

J:”The way a perfectionist is willing to lay everything out there is beautifully portrayed”

⇒ ”The change in emotions [leading up] to a perfectionist abandoning everything is properly portrayed here”

I’m including this because knowing Gege, it’s not just simple movie talk, and it’s actually foreshadowing Yuuji’s future fate or something 8D

I can’t decide if it’s “abandon” (also “throw out of the window”) or “sacrifice” because the word used can mean either. I’m leaving that to everyone’s interpretation.

“Like I thought, that sorcerer’s nuts!”

⇒ “He doesn’t look it but he sure does reckless things, that sorcerer”

How does "he doesn't look it but (...)" even become "like I thought (...)"? He was laughing at and enjoying the contrast between Nanami's appearance/attitude and his actions/fighting.

M:”My cursed energy is also controlled by my will”

⇒ “The spending of cursed energy too is among things I can supply by myself.”

I’m not entirely sure because it’s a tricky one, so take this one with a grain of salt. But the official release is definitely missing “spending/expenditure” and Mahito isn’t talking about using/manipulating his cursed energy in general but “the amount of cursed energy spent”.

“Mr. Irresponsible Gojou” ⇒  “Devil-may-care Gojou-san”

“Mr. Mature Nanami” ⇒ “The adult of [all] adults Nanami-san”/”the adult above all adults”

I just really enjoy Ichiji and his little epithets, I guess.

J:”Have you ever killed anyone?”

⇒ “Have you ever killed a human being/another human?”

Just putting it out there because imo there's a distinction between “anyone” and “a human being”. Especially considering how much of this arc was questioning what being a human means.

Y:”Um… I mean, the choice to kill will definitely find its way to me”

⇒ "How to put it... once I've killed someone, "killing" would become one of the possible options [to take] in my life".

Maybe the nuance was there in the official release too and I just didn't pick up on it but to me the former makes it sound more like he’s saying "I may still have to kill one day". Whereas the original seems to hold the connotation that if you do something once - even if it’s something as horrible as killing another human being - it becomes easier to do it again in the future because it's a choice you've made before, it's not untouchable anymore.

Chapter 25

[Yuuji expressing his regret over Nanami choosing to go fight Mahito alone.]

"Am I in your way, Nanamin?”

⇒ “Am I a burden [to you], Nanamin?”

A different nuance for this line.

“’My friend died but I wasn’t there because I’m a child.’ I wouldn't do that to you. That said"

⇒ "’My comrade died. But I wasn’t there. Why? Because I am a child.’ I would hate something like that" [to be put in such a position]

And this is just pure mistranslation. The whole “my comrade died but I wasn’t there because I’m a child” line is actually Yuuji painting a possible scenario (he does it with short sentences but the speech is overall polite). What they translated as “that said” was actually a follow-up to that scenario and could be translated as “something like that”.

N:”Being a child is not a bad thing”

⇒ “Being a child is in no way a crime”

I wanted to point this out since the original word’s most common meaning is actually “sin”, which is significantly heavier than just “not a bad thing”. Could also go with a milder “is not something to feel guilty about” here I guess.

G:”How’s the curtain coming along?”

M:”Can’t get in, can get out. This only applies to humans with weak cursed energy.”

⇒ G:”What’s the effect of the ‘curtain’?”

M:“Can't get out from the inside, can get in from the outside. (...)”

Literally the opposite for the curtain’s effect. Emphasis is Gege’s, too! Also Getou’s question was actually about how exactly the curtain in question would work, and not just how it was coming along.

M:”We’ll make them fight and force Yuji Itadori to make a binding vow in Sukuna’s favor”

Just to reiterate, whenever “binding vow” appears, it’s actually just “binding”.

[to part iii (2/2)]

[to part iii (2/2)]

[kashi-prompts]

Flowers For A Shinobi

Chapter 11: Soup

Word Count: 4,670

Pairing: Kakashi x OFC

Previous Chapter ❀  Archive of Our Own Link  ❀  

A/N: This is fuffy, right? lol

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"I understand," Kakashi nodded, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, picking at the fabric at the inside of his trousers. He remained stagnant with his usual aloof disposition, appearing as though he were disinterested in the conversation between himself and the Hokage. Within him, something stirred uneasily. 

"So you'll do it then?" Tsunade questioned pointedly. 

"Yes, I'll do it." 

"Good," Tsunade looked back down at her paperwork, content with the elite-jonin's tepid response. Her fingers hastily returned to endorsing the stack of documents collecting dust on her desk, her blond pigtail sweeping across her shoulder as she leaned over.

"She's being discharged from the hospital today. I want you to start training her as soon as possible. She's rested enough." 

"And if she doesn't want to be a shinobi?" 

"Convince her with that charm of yours, Hatake," Tsunade pointed her pen at him, "she has so much potential. It would be a shame to waste it on a flower shop." 

Kakashi scratched the back of his head stiffly, pressing the locks of his hair back down to the nape of his neck. Under his mask, his lips pursed, thinking of a counter-argument to present. 

"What are you waiting for?" She questioned, cocking an eyebrow as she looked back up at him. "Go talk to her." 

Giving up with a respective bow, Kakashi turned on his heel and headed for the door.

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Ayame combed her fingers through her hair, crudely attempting to make it presentable as she stared out her hospital window. The mid-morning sun drifted upwards in the sky, the clouds shielding the village selfishly from its warmth.  

Instinctively, her fingers began weaving the strands of her hair into a braid. The act quickly reminded her of when she was younger, where her mother would sit her down and tenderly begin folding the strands to create a tight plait of red locks. 

"It's too tight," Ayame would whine, tugging at the braid for her mother to remedy it. 

"Pain is beauty," her mother would tell her indifferently, "You need to keep it out of your face while you work! It'll loosen as the day goes on." 

It never did loosen, despite her mother's words. Tying off her braid now, she missed having someone else care for her as her mother had. The loneliness of this new village lessened as the years went on, but the underlying longing for her original home crept up on her ever so often. Not so much for the village as it was now, but the way she remembered it. Or maybe it was the people. Or perhaps it wasn't even that - but just the overall sense of duty she had there. At least she was doing something with herself.

Even so, she had left Rōtasuagekure for a reason, and quite sincerely, she reflected, she could never see herself leaving Konoha. Especially now. 

"Hana-chan?" a petite nurse asked, popping her head into the small, sterile room. 

"Yes?" 

"I have your discharge paperwork," the nurse offered. She took a few steps in, observing Ayame already dressed in the same clothes she had come in with. 

"Do I just need to sign?" 

"Yes, here and here," the nurse indicated, "the doctor said you have recovered well. She really didn't have much to say otherwise." 

"I'm feeling much better. Thank you for all your support," Ayame smiled, handing the nurse the pen and clipboard back. 

Walking out of the hospital after two weeks left Ayame feeling strange. Almost as though her life had changed, never to return to the way it was before her admission. Her experience on the journey, or mission, rather, resonated in her mind. Looking back, she may not have felt it then, but it was certainly thrilling to be a part of something like that. She thought of the shinobi in the hospital, pleased that she had done something to help them. She examined her feelings towards helping them, remembering how she used to be one of Rōtasuagekure herbalist medics. 

The slight chill in the air from two weeks ago had been replaced with a heavy, thick mist that hardly ever reveals itself except for after a cool shower on a hot day. Instantly, the moisture stuck to her skin as she began walking in the direction of her apartment. She breathed deeply, letting the dewy scent on each blade of grass mingle in her nose pleasingly. It was good to be out finally and feeling better. 

"Oi, Ayame-chan," she heard. 

Her heel skidded against the pavement at the sound of the familiar dull voice. As she turned around, her jade-green eyes settling on a tired-looking masked man. The memory of an unconscious body in the basement of her childhood home suddenly left her reeling. She blinked, watching him walk towards her with his hands that always seemed to be situated deep in the pockets of his uniform. 

"Kakashi-san," she smiled, "how are you?" 

"I am well," he stopped in front of her, looking down at her from his usual height. His cheekbones lifted in a small smile. A beat passed as her eyes traveled over the worn look in his eye. 

"How are you feeling?" Ayame asked, folding her hands together at her waist. 

"I'm doing alright," Kakashi admitted, "but more importantly, how are you feeling? Were you just discharged from the hospital? 

"I was," Ayame gestured in the direction of the hospital, "I'm feeling better. Thank you. I heard the shinobi are doing better? And the flowers were delivered to Lady Hokage on time." 

Kakashi nodded, smiling to himself, "yes. They're all doing much better. Thanks to you." 

"I couldn't have done any of that without you," Ayame admitted, shaking her head. "I'm so grateful to have been a part of it." 

"You handled your own," Kakashi emphasized assuredly. 

Looking over, Kakashi smiled stiffly at her, clearly seeming unsure of himself. Seeing this, Ayame looked away, a few spring leaves floating through the breeze around her. 

"I'm sorry I didn't come to see you while you were recovering. I was recuperating myself."

The memory of a pink-haired shinobi Ayame had seen before with Ino crossed her mind at his words. 

"Kakashi-sensei carried you back to the village," a blur of pink hair had told Ayame. Her bright green eyes had smiled down at her as she drew Ayame's blood one morning. "You're lucky to be alive. He's a really strong shinobi. He's on the mend as well, but he'll probably be better before you are." 

"I heard," she frowned, turning to look back at him. "I'm glad you're doing better, though. But I honestly must apologize for having to have you carry me all the way back here. You should have just left me there. I did my duty." 

A light laugh bubbled up in her chest at her own snide comment. His single eye glanced back down at her with a soft gaze and shook his head, "I would have never left you there. You're worth more than that."

The breeze picked up again. Sakura blossoms dancing in the wind around the two of them. The pink tones of their petals were imitative of the fleeting rouge on her freckled cheeks. Noticing, Kakashi shuffled his sandaled foot and looked down the road. 

"Were you heading somewhere?" Kakashi asked suddenly, his head tilted. 

"I was just heading home," Ayame told him, composing herself. 

"Mind if I join?" Kakashi asked, looking down at her with his one eye. A smile crept over her lips that she tried desperately to tame. 

"Sure." 

Turning on her heel, the two began heading away from Konoha's hospital, passed the mid-afternoon rush of citizens scurrying to grab something to eat before returning to work for the rest of their day. Ayame watched them walk by; the lingering eyes of a few young girls fell on the tall shinobi next to her. She wondered fleetingly if he had a girlfriend or some romantic interest on the side already. Surely, he would have mentioned it. Or an indicator would have arisen at some point. 

But then again, Ayame was still unsure. She hadn't even thought of it until this moment. She glanced over at him, his profile straight ahead as they walked together. 

She really didn't know much about him at all, she mused. It seemed as though he was still a stranger to her, despite this strange gravity pulling them towards each other. The brief time they had spent together felt more influential than just a day or two of ongoing conversations while they traveled. 

"What do you think about living here?" the silver-haired jonin asked abruptly, glancing over at Ayame as she waved kindly to a little girl with a new bouquet from Yamanaka's. 

"I love it here," Ayame shared, her voice a hum as she traced a finger along the wooden siding of the Dango shop. "Although I miss home sometimes."

"I can imagine. This wasn't your first home."

"But it is my home," Ayame vowed quietly. The Dango shop owner gave them a wide, knowing grin, offering a few sample pieces of Dango on a skewer. Ayame smiled thankfully, taking the skewer and popping the round treat in her mouth happily. 

"Would you like one?" She offered, extending the skewer to him. 

"I'm not much of a sweets man," the jonin admitted, lifting a hand to decline. "Plus, the medication they have me on for the amatoxins for my liver makes me pretty queasy lately. I haven't been able to eat much anyway." 

Ayame frowned, "I'm sorry to hear that." 

"I'll live," he shrugged, watching her toss the empty skewer in a passing garbage bin. 

"I would like to talk to you about something,"  Kakashi said a few beats later. Next to him, Ayame felt a cold shock to her chest. She glanced over at him, his expression seemingly difficult to read with a mask and headband that covered the majority of his face. Despite such, she noticed his dark eye glance over at her to assess her reaction.  

"Oh?" Ayame stammered through a chuckle. 

"Yes," he nodded, his tone serious, "what do you think it means to be a shinobi?"

Ayame narrowed her eyebrows, looking over at him quizically. She wondered if this was some joke he was playing, asking her this question to see if she understood the importance of his role. But when she looked over at him, his profile remained straight ahead and composed. She, too, had been thinking of this while lying in the hospital bed.  

"Well," Ayame began, folding her arms against the breeze as they walked, "I suppose a shinobi's only resolve is to protect the village and those who live within it." 

"That's true," he nodded, pausing, "I agree. What do you think about that?"

"About shinobi protecting the village? I think it's important and valuable. Economically, the infrastructure of the village depends on the careers of shinobi to make money. But it is clearly more than that. A shinobi's occupation is valuable to the next generation to have leaders look up to and be protected by. Working for the Yamanaka clan has undoubtedly shed light on all this for me. But I would say, this past month especially strung the understandings together fluently."

She was rambling. When she let out a breath, she expected him to laugh at her wordy response. But when she looked over, he only nodded his head, seemingly appreciative of her narrative. 

She continued, "And I'm sure you've created priceless bonds while working. I think, as a shinobi or kunoichi, you first begin learning to hone your own personal, individual skills. But I think it is more of a community effort than an individualistic standpoint. I mean, the village wouldn't run without you all. And those men would have died it not for you. So, as a shinobi, you have to put unity - and self-sacrifice - first. It doesn't seem to ever be about you. But about those around you. To learn to protect everything at any cost. For the sake of others." 

"Any cost?" 

Ayame looked over at him analytically, unsure of his question. "Yes, with your life." 

"Right," Kakashi nodded distantly, his mind far beyond their wanderings over the wooden bridge. Ayame stopped, leaning over the overpass to look down. She noticed a few boys fishing below and stood to watch them for a moment. Kakashi stopped as well, looking up at the clouds above as he came up next to her.

"What made you ask me that?" Ayame questioned, looking over at him. 

"I have some special orders," Kakashi said finally, turning to look at her. His elbow rested on the railing. The breeze swept across the side of his face, pushing the thick tufts of grey into his eyes. 

Ayame quirked her eyebrow and smirked, "To quiz me on my patriotism to Konoha?"

"Not like that," Kakashi laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm just curious."  

She stilled for a moment, feeling the wind in her ringing ears as she looked back down at the boys below. One had caught a red skipper, joyfully showing it off to his friend. The other cheered, dropping his wooden rod in celebration. 

"It has been discussed that you have the potential to be quite a powerful kunoichi. The way you handled yourself against Daichi was clear evidence. I would say you have the ability to overcome the injury to your chakra. The more you train, the stronger you'll become."  

"I don't think so," Ayame turned away suddenly, leaning over the railing and folding her fingers. What did she want? Her two desires mingled together, mudding themselves in her mind. 

"I don't know, actually. It's not as though I grew up using my jutsu as you all did. I don't even have the proper academy background as even the youngest shinobi in this village have." 

"Do you want to know what I think?" Ayame looked over at him again. His eyebrows shifted to his hairline, and the fabric around his mouth bunched into a smirk. 

"I suppose you're going to tell me anyway, huh?" Ayame chuckled easily. 

"I'm not forcing you to do anything," Kakashi began, leaning his elbow against the railing to look at her. "No one is. But you seem to appreciate the dedication and work it takes to become a shinobi. And what it stands for. I would give my life for those in the village. And everything about the way you handled yourself on this last mission tells me you would do the same, even if you don't know it yet." 

Ayame nodded her head, looking out at the skipping fish. Another breeze brushed her flyaways from her hairline. 

"I know. I understand. So I take it your orders are to recruit me?"

"No," Kakashi hesitated, "my orders are to train you." 

"Train me?" Ayame turned, looking at him surprised and skeptical. 

"If you want," Kakashi lifted his hands defensively with a smile. "I am a fairly notable sensei." 

Ayame laughed again tenderly, placing her chin in her hand as she looked out over the horizon. She could feel his eyes on her, his elbow leaning coolly over the railing to face her. 

"Can I think about it?" Ayame asked, glancing at him. 

"Of course. I don't expect you to drop your life as it is and join a risky occupation like mine."

"I'm not sure if I want to join your cult," Ayame farced, smirking at him from the side. She heard him chuckle next to her, looking out at the river below. The breathy sounds of his laughter she had evoked caused a ripple of satisfaction to fade slowly into her skin. She smiled, sighing. 

Ayame stood up straight, turning to him. The wind rattled his hair more, transforming it into more of a chaotic mess than it already was. She folded her hands at her waist, considering his last comment. She had thought about it endlessly in the previous two weeks, so his sudden request to have her train with him certainly shocked her. 

"Don't doubt yourself," he added unexpectedly. She scoffed playfully, feigning confidence and turning her head away to hide her burning ears. When she looked back, his eye had transformed into a crescent moon, a genuine smile dancing across his cheekbones. 

"I wouldn't have agreed to any of this if I didn't think there was a reasonable chance of you being a skilled kunoichi," Kakashi admitted, "trust me on that. You've proven yourself."

Ayame folded her arms again, another gust of sakura blooms rushing past them. She watched them land in the river, floating past the boys who returned to fishing for their next meal. 

"Thank you," Ayame said finally. "I will think about it. And let you know." 

Kakashi nodded his head, a smile hidden under the fabric of his mask. 

"Well, I'm right over there," he pointed, a round blue apartment complex across the river. "If you need anything, just come here. I can see the bridge from my window." 

As he walked around her, Ayame looked over at the tiny apartment building and considered his response. Just come here. 

"And Ayame?"  

She turned, surprised he was still even near her as her mind had begun to wander. Walking backward, he shoved his hands back in his pockets. 

"Although I'm not exactly happy with the way you administered the antidote in the cache, thank you for saving me." 

Her top teeth tried to tame the grin that crept across her lips. She rolled her eyes at him, "had I known you'd try to recruit me, I should have left you there."  

"I doubt it," he winked. 

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Beyond the gates of Konoha, deep within the Land of Lotus' muddied grounds, a pair of green eyes stared sharply at his work. Three vials of a glowing blue aura dripped slowly from a tube that traveled into the cracked ceiling above. He stacked two fists on top of one another on the desk, placing his chin in them to watch the liquid. 

Drip, drip, drip.

The contents of the vials barely grew. The man grumbled to himself, shaking his head in disgust. 

"I can't believe Daichi's gone," the green-eyed man sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. The room was no larger than a closet, with a metal desk placed in front of the man. A foul stench enveloped the room. 

 In a bed next to him, a woman with locks of blond, grimy hair laid placid against the pillow, throwing an apple in the air and catching it. 

"Doesn't matter anymore," the girl said curtly, "He was arrogant and careless. He should have just ransacked the place, gotten the scroll, and came back."

"I should have never trusted him," the man said gruffly, "I should have just done it myself." 

"Then she would have seen you," the blond pointed out, taking a bite of the apple. 

"I don't care," the man stood, his soiled feet kicking the chair in disgust. "Better than her getting that scroll. I should have gotten the scroll first and then deployed everything. How senseless I am. Now look at this; we barely have anything." 

He gestured to the vials on the chrome table and sighed heavily. 

"Can't predict the future," the girl reminded him coolly with a mouth full of apple. 

"But we can change it." 

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The dark side of the moon tilted in the sky, its crescent shadow illuminating a golden sickle that threw off surprising light. The heavy breeze from earlier that day remained. The humidity level elevated.

A tuft of silver hair laid under a comforter embroidered with green shuriken. One eye remained open, staring at the tiled ceiling above. His stomach growled uncomfortably, causing a sigh to escape from him. Lifting a hand, the jonin slid it through his hair restlessly. 

What had he done? How could he have recruited this girl to become a shinobi when it wasn't even her choice in the first place. Things were changing, indeed. Not everyone was destined to be a shinobi from birth. 

A strong sense of guilt mounted in his chest, making the origin of his nausea unclear as to whether it was from his medication or the nagging feeling that he could be responsible for another lost person in this world if she were to enlist. It wasn't that he didn't trust himself to train her properly. But the what-if certainly stirred a sense of anxiety in him that was very unlike him. 

Everyone he knew and cared for was a shinobi. Why did it bother him now? 

Get ahold of yourself, he groaned to himself. It’s not your responsibility and you have orders. 

Another sigh escaped from his lips as he swung the blanket off of him. In the window behind his bed, he observed the heavy moon in the sky, its contents decorating the pavement and river below in a soft glow. A breeze flew in his cracked window, tickling his nose with a familiar scent. A mixture of the grime from the river and the pleasant aroma of lavender blended in his overly sensitive nose. His eyebrows came together in confusion. 

A lot of things smell of flowers, he reminded himself coarsely. 

And yet, standing on the bridge was Ayame, her arms bundled tightly around a white sack that she held close to her chest. Frowning, he watched her for a moment, unsure if he was seeing her correctly. But the unmistakable scent of her freshly cleaned and braided hair caused his stomach to knot. Was she here for him? Or was she just going for a walk? At this time of night?  

Looking over at the clock, Kakashi noted the time. It was nearly 11:00, and he couldn't help but wonder what she was doing. Regardless of if she was here for him or not, he decided to see if she was alright. Blinking once more, he watched her lean against the bridge with the bundle in her hands. Her head tilted towards his building. 

She is here for me.

The breeze picked up, and the sakura flowers from earlier drifted across her view as her eyes unmistakably scanned his blue building. 

Throwing his jacket and sandals on, he quickly flew down the steps and out the door of his apartment building. This may not be the perfect time to tell her, but he had to. He couldn't let her join. He couldn't bear to watch an innocent person become a warrior. Of course, she had potential, but ultimately it should be her decision to join. He had tried to keep his words neutral, but the dialogue in his head from earlier twisted itself to make him believe he could have skewed her decision. 

Get. ahold. of. yourself, he told himself angrily. 

His swift gait quickly replaced itself with the usual casual stride his legs typically paced themselves at. Absently, he shoved his hands in his pockets and trudged forward over the bridge towards the young girl. 

"Ayame?" 

Turning her head, he caught another intoxicating wif of the scented shampoo that clung to her hair. She smiled immediately as her eyes rested on him as he walked towards her. 

"Kakashi-san," she greeted, the audible noise of his name on her tongue sounded like a content sigh. The sound tickled his already queasy stomach. 

"Why are you out so late?" he asked quizzically, leaning against the railing himself. He glanced down at the bundle against her chest, and she smiled, standing up. 

"I made you some soup," she stood, pushing a container wrapped in a white cloth forward. He looked down, thankful for the darkness surrounding them as he felt blood rush to his cheeks.

He tilted his head quizzically, unsure of how to respond to the kind gesture. 

"You said you were nauseous," she explained quickly, waiting for him to take the parcel. "So I pulled together some soup when I got home. It's an old recipe my grandmother used to make for us when we were sick. It always helped me feel better. I hope it hel-"

"Thank you," Kakashi replied gratefully, taking the bundle. It was still warm in his hands. The gesture stunned him, and the warmth of the soup in his hands radiated through his entire body. Momentarily, he forgot what he had intended to tell her. 

"I appreciate this," he held the parcel up, the silence growing awkward as he collected his thoughts. 

"You're welcome," Ayame smiled at him. 

Were her cheeks red as well? Oh god, he thought. He couldn't do this. 

"Ayame, I wanted to talk to you about our conversation earlier," Kakashi began hesitantly. Her expression changed. 

"Yes, I wanted to speak with you as well."

"You first, then," he offered, shifting his weight to his other foot.

He expected her to say no. To say she didn't want to join and instead remain an anonymous citizen of Konoha, utilizing her Kekkei Genkai as a means of generating precious flowers for the Yamanaka Flower Shop. He expected her to say, "thank you for the offer, but I decline," and then to walk away from him, only to pass by him at different times on the street in the near future. 

"I think I'll do it," is what she told him instead. "I want to protect the village. I don't want anyone to go through what I went through or what those shinobi went through this week." 

Kakashi blinked, blindsided by this woman yet again in less than 5 minutes. 

"You do?" he asked, feeling his finger twitch nervously against his bundle of soup. 

"I was thinking about it while I was hospitalized, to be honest with you," she admitted, looking away, "I didn't want to mention it. I also didn't think it was a possibility. I figured you had to be born here or something. But you said you had orders?"

Kakashi nodded, looking above her head as he processed her words. The image of his dream crossed his mind. The uncomfortable feeling of not being in control crept up his spine. He shook his head, composing himself. 

"I do," he confessed with a nod, "from the Hokage." 

Ayame blinked, clearly taken aback by his words. "The Hokage wants me to join her shinobi army?" She asked incredulously, her voice teetering on laughter. 

Kakashi let his bones relax as she laughed, "she said you have potential." 

Ayame paused, folding her arms loosely around her torso, "well, that's the highest compliment I've ever received. But what was it that you want to talk about?"

"Oh," he shrugged, "It's nothing. I just - as long as you are comfortable and understand-" 

"I understand," she interrupted. He narrowed his eyebrows, surprised again by her definite tone. Her eyes glistened as she stared back at him. 

Realizing, she replied, "I've weighed the pros and cons of it for two weeks in a hospital bed. I know what you are referring to. A shinobi's life cannot be easy. But I wouldn't say yes if I didn't think it was worth it. I couldn't protect my brother or my family. So I want to protect Konoha."

She waited for his response, her eyes tracing the line of his mask that hugged his cheekbones. 

A smile crept over his lips as he bobbed his silver head in a nod, seemingly content with her response. Crickets sang in the brush below them, filling the void of silence. Her response eased the tension in his shoulders as he looked back down at her. 

"Then we start tomorrow," he told her abruptly. "Meet me here at dawn."

"But it's nearly 11:30!" she protested, her lips twitching as she guffawed at him. "That is barely enough time for a good night's sleep."

Kakashi turned on his heel, raising his eyebrows in delight at her reaction. He chuckled to himself as he held the soup against his chest, walking away. 

"Should have thought of that before you came here so late then!" 

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A/N: Hello all! Thank you for reading. It really means a lot to me. I have been in a pretty dark situation/headspace lately and planning out and writing this fic has really helped me. Watching your story come together and seeing people enjoy it is an immense confidence booster. So I appreciate you all. I’ll be writing prompts in between too! <3 

[7team7]

I'm twenty when I'm with you: chapter four

Chapter title: Drinking mates

Summary: Soulmate AU: It must be fate when Sasuke chooses Sakura as his drinking mate in King's Cup. 

Rating: M

chapter one / two / three / five / six 

A/N: kings cup is a drinking game with a bunch of rules based on a pack of cards, when you pull an 8, you choose someone to be your “mate” and every time you have to drink, they drink too lol

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They made quite the picture. Sasuke was having trouble walking in his inebriated state, so Sakura had her arm around him and he was pressed into her side for support, despite their notable size difference. His feet were dragging all over the place and Sakura silently thanked her hours spent lifting in the gym, she wouldn’t have had the strength otherwise. She hoped he would cooperate and not throw up all over her, but Sasuke was full of surprises.

“You’re good at taking care of people, you know that? You should be a doctor or something,” he slurred, shaking his index finger.

“That’s the plan, Sasuke, that’s the plan,” she sighed as she blew some hair out of her face. They had become closer than she ever would have expected, given the way he almost seemed to avoid her in high school. Normally she would’ve jumped at the chance to talk about her future profession, passionate as she was, but he was heavy and she was drunk and 2 am was not the best time to discuss med school.

“It’s really warm,” he commented.

“Alcohol will do that to you. Keep walking, it’s cold outside.” Her buzz was wearing off as the breeze bit through her thin, red tank top. Was Sasuke that much more of a lightweight than she was?

Sasuke’s stumbling steps came to a halt, forcing Sakura to stop too. “No,” he clarified, “you’re really warm. It’s nice. Alcohol doesn’t feel this nice. Don’t like alcohol that much.” A hiccup punctuated his statement.

Sakura tried to ignore it, he was drunk and it was 2 am. The confession—if it could even be called that—probably meant nothing. The light at the crosswalk changed to green just as they approached, so Sakura tried to drag her companion along a little farther. They just needed to make progress, no matter how slow. She readjusted her hold on him before crossing the street. She tried not to gasp when she felt his fingers dig a little harder into her side, gripping her firmly right where her tank top left a gap of skin exposed above her jeans. Even when he was right next to her, every action seemed to be a surprise, and her body reacted accordingly. She shivered, but not from the cold.

They finally made it to their dorm, and the dingy lighting and stained carpet had never seemed more comforting. Her room was closer to the elevator, so she let herself in with the sole intention of making sure Sasuke drank some water, then she’d send him on his way.

“Sasuke, where’s your key?” she asked after he downed one of her emergency plastic bottles of water. They were standing in the middle of her room and she was very ready to get some sleep.

He smiled dazedly at her, as if she had made a joke or he had a secret. She didn’t understand until he mumbled, “in my pocket.” It didn’t matter which pocket, there was no way she was going to fish it out for him. She hoped he would be so inclined as to be a big boy and get his own key out, but then he surprised her yet again, and stepped forward. She thought he was going to slump against her, so she brought her hands up to support him. It wasn’t his intention, but he leaned into her anyway as he sighed, “thank you, Sakura.”

And he was really warm and her room smelled good and her roommate was away for the weekend, so he ended up staying the night, taking up half of her bed. She made sure he was positioned in a way where he wouldn’t choke on his own vomit, then tried to go to sleep. Despite exhaustion weighing down on her bones, Sasuke’s presence vibrated throughout the room and kept her awake.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had the greatest night of sleep. As he drifted off, nuzzling closer to the warm body next to him, he wondered if his comfort had anything to do with Sakura’s presence.

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“That’s why you didn’t answer my texts? Are you serious right now?”

Sakura winced as Ino’s voice blared through her phone. In her attempt to get herself and Sasuke home safely, she had neglected to answer her best friend’s text messages. Ino did not take being ignored very kindly. Girl code was highly important to her.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Not really something I expected to happen, but it probably won’t happen again, so...sorry?”

“Won’t happen again? Oh, Sakura. There’s no way you actually expect to not have another late night with Sasuke?” Her suggestive tone rang loud and clear over the phone. “How did he you even end up like that anyway? Tell me everything or I’m driving to KU and forcing it out of you.”

So Sakura recounted her night in painstaking detail, like any best friend would.

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It was the usual scene, tons of college kids packed into a house with the music blaring. The kitchen table had been appropriated for round of King’s Cup. Without even realizing, Sakura ended up next to Sasuke at the table. That had been happening lately.

Cards were drawn and the game was carrying on at a normal pace. When they reached Sasuke, he drew an eight of hearts. The table cried out the rule as they had for every other pull, “eight is mates!”

Sasuke twisted slightly and poked Sakura’s shoulder. She was clearly confused by the choice, but he shrugged and said, “You haven’t had to drink in a while.” She was surprised he noticed.

He put his drink down on the table to subtly wipe his palms on his pants. Had she noticed the way he always seemed to be choosing her these days? Sasuke tried to reassure himself. Sakura was too nice to confront him about it in front of all these people.

If she was counting (which she was, she was just in denial), she would’ve noticed how often Sasuke seemed to pick her for one thing or another. But in the middle of an intense round of King’s Cup was no time to dwell on a certain someone and his inexplicable actions. It wasn’t that weird to study together everyday, right? And going to the dining halls for dinner afterwards was only the natural progression, right?

Just their luck, as the game went on they had to drink a lot. They were both pretty good at holding their liquor, but Sasuke’s ability to hide his drunken state meant they continued for far too long. Someone really should’ve told him to tap out. As the game was winding down, he turned to her again, his mate throughout the entire game, and whispered, “hey. I’m drunk.”

Sakura smiled at him, “I can tell.”

His eyes widened. She could? Could she just read his mind or something? He really didn’t think it was that obvious.

Sakura winced. Had she acted too familiar with him? Since when did she know his drunken behavior so well as to call him on it?

“Don’t tell anyone though,” he added very seriously. He trusted her, but he wanted to make himself very clear.

“Promise,” she said while holding up her pinky. They pinky promised on it, as though they were discussing something much more important. Sakura felt like the moment stood for much more, but before she knew it, the game was starting up again. They kept having to down cup after cup, but Sakura didn’t stop them even though she was privy to Sasuke’s state of inebriation. She almost blew their cover when he gave her a look that seemed to signal that he had reached his limit. His expression was so unusual for him, it made her want to crack up laughing. Times like these reminded her that he was human.

As the game ended and Sakura made the executive decision to get the two of them home before more shenanigans could ensue, Sasuke laughed drunkenly, “mates!” They drew the eight-mates card more than anyone else. It was an extra mate-y night.

“Yup, Sasuke, mates. Mates go home together, right? They can make it home in one piece, right?”

Sasuke furrowed his brow. He was really hammered, and he wanted to say of course, he would go anywhere with her—because that was the truth—but he held back. He vaguely remembered Naruto complaining to him in high school about how Sakura was scary, so he had a feeling he should listen to her right now even though he knew she treated him and Naruto very differently. Wait, but he wasn’t going to defy her? What was going on anymore?

“Home,” he finally concluded, “we should go home.” A bed sounded fantastic right about then, but then he almost whined at the thought of walking all the way home in the cold.

Sakura tugged him out the door, but he kept tripping over his own feet so she encouraged him by wrapping an arm around his waist, “come on Sasuke, we’ll go together. See, not so hard, right?”

Sakura was such a firm presence in his life, it only made sense that she would be the one supporting him on the way home. Her warm, soft body only made it more pleasant. He threw his own arm around her shoulders (oh, her skin is so soft?) and allowed himself to be guided out into the night.

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[swiftkick404]

What are your favorite Sakura fanfics? I'm really desperate for a good Sakura fic I haven't read yet! Badass Sakura is preferable, but as long as she's awesome, i don't care. Thanks!! (: ps. I absolutely ADORE your writing/art. Keep up the amazing work!!!

:D THANK YOU!! :D :D :D Gosh that’s always a lovely thing to hear… thank you, I’ll try!

OKAY. SO.

My personal favorites are all older now lol Significantly. You might not see anything new on here womp womp… 

LoneGothic on ffnet had Gunpowder (which was incomplete at six?seven chapters but it’s been shaved down to one chapter). It is a modern AU where the Akatsuki are a gang and Sakura witnesses Itachi and Deidara carry out a hit. I will always think of this story fondly lol…

Lady Silvamord’s (ffnet) Before the Dawn is really well written and realistic. Drama, romance, a little action, great POVs from different characters, great plot. She also had some short comedic stories and at least two other EPIC length Sakura fics (Lost and Found, and Bluebird) I mean, she could crank out some sharp, entertaining writing. I never got around to reading Bluebird but I’ll recommend just on her other writing.

I did, finally, at some point, read Oroburos69′s Freedom in the Eyes of Another and thought it was bloody fun. Like, actually bloody. Little bit of Gore. It was great. Sakura was perfect and weird and I just. It was a quick and enjoyable read. I would say it’s a fav of mine.

A lot of the time, though, fanfiction for me was hard to love because I have such specific wants in stories (and so I focused more on my own writing ahah…). and, yeah, that’s really all about personal preferences about persnickety things. 

(How the author treats other female characters is always a HUGE thing for me. I need more than Sakura to get some growth and relevance. I like my Inos and Hinatas and Karins to get all the love as well. 

And I usually prefer Sakura being treated as a fighter/combatant/kunoichi who’s intelligent and capable -if not, y’know, an Uzumaki jinchuuriki child, Uchiha prodigy, or Hatake genius- right away. Gad. I’m still not over how Sakura was never called a genius and recognized as such REPEATEDLY AS IS APPROPRIATE in the damn canon text).

ANYHOW.

OKAY. Forgot to mention Journey Through Night by Oreithyia. It features a pretty fun plot with a smart, medic-nin investigator Sakura. As the summary says: An epidemic forces the Kazekage to summon aid from Konoha. But from the horrors of disease to the ties of family and clan, from the fine line between executive and dictator to the complexities of international policy, nothing is ever so simple. –such a fun story with some great POVs! I definitely remember reading it as fast as I was able lol

General recommendations:

Tozette (tumblr link), I think, just. like. across the board writes a dynamic, proactive, and fun Sakura. 

Amrun (ffnet) has written some Badass Sakura fics that I haven’t read -I don’t think- but we used to snark back and forth on NarutoForums back in the day about sexism and wasted potential in the manga lol So I’m sure she delivers for Sakura on that front…

DeGlace (ffnet) has recently finished Marrow, which for a long time was paused at chapter 11. I think Sakura is very clever in this story, if I’m remembering correctly. It’s been a few years, but I remember liking the story so I’m sure Sakura is treated well.

elle6778 (on ffnet) wrote The Lost One a few years ago, and it features a pretty intrepid Sakura, if I’m remembering correctly. I also really liked the plot, characterization, and thought it was an overall really enjoyable read.

I think I’ve plugged both Corrosion by Polarbaroness and Stray Thoughts by Bulldango before, too. But I’ll remind them that I’d still be happy to read their updates again ;P

Um. Shit. So, yeah, I’m not really reading fanfiction right now. SO I don’t know any currently-posting stories with an interesting Sakura that I can link to. 

And I’ve probably forgotten some really obvious fics, too. I’m sorry! I’m unreliable.

But. If anyone who sees this would like to add some shoutouts, please do!! I love Sakura and I always ALWAYS support her fandom (who has always wanted more for her… continues to right the wrongs of her creator and those who control her u_u)

fuck, sorry about all the typos. that’s just my style. still.