#Kakashi doesn't have to become Sakura and Sakura doesn't have to become Kakashi they love each other for who they are

[team7-headquarter]

I need a fanfic where Obito marries Rin and Sasuke and Naruto get together, so Kakashi and Sakura start platonically living together.

It's mostly a character study??? Maybe?? On how Kakashi already devoted himself to protecting her if Sasuke and Naruto weren't around, on how they are so similar, how it feels to be left behind even if your team doesn't realize it.

If you think about it?

Well, imagine Sakura and Kakashi both fell for an Uchiha and had a jinchuriki be in love with them, only for the Uchiha to be interested only in your jinchuriki friend. Soon they get together and you start to feel like you're in the middle of something you are not part of. You still know they love you a lot, but it's not like you can erase the romance you were waiting for from your dreams.

And then you can add the fact that Gai and Rock Lee are kinda obsessed (in the good sense!) with Sakura and Kakashi. Neither Sakura nor Kakashi find them annoying, since Rock Lee and Gai were a source of strength when their team couldn't be there for them. Gai and Lee are their inspiration in so many senses. It's just another relationship they share, weirdly, funnily.

Of course they have their unique bonds, like the one Sakura shares with Ino, or the one Kakashi has with Tenzo. It doesn't mean that the themes are not shared: You see, Tenzo's wood release and Ino's whole deal with flowers are all about bloom and growth. Tenzo is that solid surface Kakashi can rely on when he feels he can't keep standing, the scarecrow that needs something to keep him upright. Ino is that force urging Sakura to open up to the world, to stop hiding who Sakura is for the sake of others; Ino is the gardener and Sakura is the flower.

There's the issue with their parents, who were not bad people, but who weren't there for Kakashi and Sakura while they grew up. Even when they love their parents, there's a void there, a tension, some distance that resonates and makes the absence loud and clear. Who Kakashi and Sakura are is not a product of some parenting: it's personal effort and being obstinate to no end.

Kakashi and Sakura greatly value each other. The proof is in the way they refuse to let each other carry alone their burdens. It's never as clear as it is when Sasuke is involved: in the Land of Iron, they tried to kill Sasuke to take the burden of killing a friend from Naruto's shoulders, but also because Kakashi didn't want that for Sakura either and she didn't want Kakashi to deal with it alone. Later, in the fight with Kaguya, Sasuke compares Kakashi to Sakura in how useless they were because they were mere humans in a fight with (basically) some goddess.

Kakashi and Sakura both suffer for not being able to free their teammates from the hurt. There's no doubt they would if they could. Not being strong enough, not being fast or skilled enough, being "useless" is their greatest nightmare. There isn't a day that Kakashi and Sakura don't hate their own weaknesses, there's not a night that they don't hate themselves for not being able to do more.

I don't know... It'd be interesting to study Kakashi in a more romantic light while Sakura is able to have more of a platonic centric growth. It would be entertaining, at least. What if Kakashi finally confesses out loud that he was in love, but he can only do it because he knows Sakura might be the only other person alive who understands what it is like to love an Uchiha? What if it is Kakashi who helps Sakura realize how many friends are there for her? How she can find fulfilment outside of the promises and dreams that are no more?

I also like a lot to see serious platonic relationships with age gaps, where the adult doesn't take any advantage given the difference in their experience and shows they can learn from the younger one.

A relationship that can't be described with nuclear family roles (father & daughter), the type where hierarchical roles are part of the drama because they see each other as equals, but even then they can't shake their responsibilities for the sake of their bond (Kakashi forced to send Sakura on a dangerous mission because he's the Hokage and she's a kunoichi, or Kakashi very openly refusing to use his status as her former sensei to force her to do something she doesn't want to do).

They are friends, just not the typical one... They're two different types of mirrors, reflecting broken images. And if they find in each other a bit of all the things they've lost and missed and they have hoped for, not enough to replace the originals but enough to lessen the hurt? Then, it's only natural they find easy companionship in each other.

[skyahri]

Unplanned |Naruto Men X Reader| HC

Characters: Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, Shikamaru Nara, and Kakashi Hatake

Summary: Pregnancy scenarios 'cause I can.

Warnings: Mentions of pregnancy. Bad words. All fluff.

Masterlist Ko-fi

- - - - -

Sasuke Uchiha

He isn't the kind of guy to outwardly dote on you.

He's never been good with words or physical touch, more so preferring quality time together. You sleep in the same bed, eat meals together when it's convenient, and lounge around together when time allows.

When you come home from a last minute doctor's appointment with some big news, none of that really changes.

He assures you that he's happy, that he loves you, and this is all wonderful, but that's about all you're going to get out the emotionally constipated man.

However, while words may not be his strong suit, actions certainly are.

It's become painfully obvious that you are never allowed to go anywhere alone ever again.

He's like a shadow, following you everywhere and anywhere you decide to go. It doesn't matter that you're just running to the market- he's coming with. Ino invited the girls over for a dinner party? Cool, he'll walk you there, hang around in the shadows outside, then walk you home.

When questioned, Sasuke only says that he doesn't trust other people. Already knowing how he is, you don't push him any further. (Not that he'd entertain you if you did.)

People notice pretty quickly. He's not subtle and it's not exactly common for the Uchiha to be so openly clingy.

You wanted to keep the pregnancy a secret for a little while longer. You knew that his status would make the whole thing bigger than you'd like and it was still so early, only about eight weeks in. But people were becoming more and more insistent with their questions.

"Seriously, did something happen? He's been watching you like a Hawk for the past month."

"It was cute at first, but now it's straight up creepy."

Sakura and Ino dramatically shiver at the notion. You laugh, imagining how unsettling this all must look from the outside.

"It's fine, I promise. He's just been a little overprotective since he found out I was pregnant."

They don't register it at first. They just nod in understanding and move to sip their tea. You can almost see it click in their heads before they slam down their cups and start freaking out.

"Wait, WHAT?"

Naruto Uzumaki

"Congratulations! Based on the ultrasound, I'd say you're about five weeks along. It's still early, but you can see a tiny sac right here-"

Your mind is going a thousand miles a minute, thinking of everything and nothing as the doctor points out the tiny, centimeter-long blob in the picture.

Naruto had been bugging you for the past three weeks about a smell. He swears it's nothing bad, just that Kurama is insisting that your scent has changed and- blah, blah, blah. You never could get any more information out of him, which just left you to eventually cave and visit the doctor. Animals have instincts for a reason and who were you to ignore them?

Turns out, that damn fox was right.

After a half-hour lecture on what you can and can't do anymore, you were handed a goodie bag of essentials and sent on your way.

You barely remember the walk home. Your mind was completely blank as it tried to process the news. It wasn't until Naruto was standing in front of you in the doorway to your home that you finally snapped out of the trance.

You stared up at him. His eyebrows were knit together and he was asking if everything was alright. He pulled everything out of your hands and not-so-gently set them on the floor.

"I'm pregnant."

His eyes blew wide and not even a second later he was smiling, pulling you into him and spinning you around. It's over just as quickly as it started. He's setting you back down on your feet and looking you over, mumbling a few hollow apologies for manhandling you. He takes a deep breath, that lopsided grin on his face never leaving.

"You're pregnant."

Just those two words have all the fog clearing from your head. Reality is forced onto you in an instant. In any other situation, it might have made you dizzy, but right now you couldn't be happier.

"I'm pregnant."

Shikamaru Nara

He really should've seen this coming.

Honestly, with how careless he is with protection, it's a wonder how you hadn't gotten pregnant sooner. A year and some change of not bothering with condoms and lazy, half-assed pullouts had finally come to bite him in the ass.

Although he knows this is all going to be horrifically bothersome, he can't find it in himself to be all that bothered. No, not when you're standing in front of him so nervously, little tears gathering on your waterline as you hold out a slip of paper for him to take.

He pulls you into a hug- a very tight, very intimate hug. One of his hands is on your lower back, pressing you into him, and the other is in your hair to cup the back of your head. He can feel the stress start to melt from your body as you relax into him, your arms moving to loosely hold him back.

"I'm sorry. I know this wasn't exactly planned..."

It definitely wasn't planned. He didn't like to think about things too hard. The only talk about the future he'd engaged in was a brief confirmation that you were both interested in pursuing each other exclusively and that neither were against marriage and kids.

But even though this was sudden and unprompted and definitely not what he was expecting when you asked to talk with him privately, he just couldn't find it in himself to be anything other than pleased. Sure, he would've liked to wait a few years and it preferably be after he'd properly proposed and married you, but none of that is deterring him.

He loved you. He didn't say it as often as he probably should, but that didn't make it any less true. You were easygoing and passive and fit into his life with no resistance. His friends liked you, possibly more than they did him. You liked to cook and he never had to worry about you causing trouble.

This was fine.

Not troublesome in the least.

"No, this is... good."

Kakashi Hatake

He was positive he was sterile. He'd have to be after all the injuries and trauma he's sustained, right? Four years and not a single scare, yet here you were, apparently three months pregnant, handing him a report from the OB's office.

He couldn't even form a sentence. He just sighed and sat back onto the couch with his eyes closed. It's only eight in the morning, it's too early for this, not that there'd ever be a great time.

"I knew you weren't going to be thrilled, but now I'm starting to get nervous. Can you please say something?"

He held his arm up and gestured for you to come towards him. When he could feel you brush against him, he grabbed your wrist and carefully yanked you onto his lap. You let out a relieved, albeit hesitant, chuckle as he slowly wrapped himself around you, his head finding solace in the crook of your neck.

The two of you stayed like that for a little while until he let out the loudest, most dramatic groan you'd ever heard leave his mouth, followed by a mumbled 'are you sure?', to which you rolled your eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure. Here, you can see for yourself."

You unfold the paper and pulled out a few pictures. He shifts you around so you're at a better angle before he takes them into his hands. It's obvious that he has no idea what he's looking at- just that the blob is already baby-shaped and very, very intimidating.

You point out some of the obvious things, the head and feet and such, before moving down to the very last photo at the bottom.

"And that little spot right there means that we're having a boy."

"I thought they couldn't tell the gender until later."

"It is later, Kashi. Fourteen weeks."

He lets you take the pictures from him so he can set his hand on your stomach. You'd mentioned gaining a little weight recently, which he honestly hadn't noticed, but now he's wondering how he could've missed it as he brushes his fingers over the slightest most obvious bump in your usually flat stomach.

He must've been zoned out for too long, because you're calling his name and setting your hand over his. He hums, a slight acknowledgment that he's heard you, but you know he's not actually listening.

He's too busy thinking about diapers and bottles and late nights and early mornings. How his son is going to be in the same class as his student's kids. How Gai is going to be a hundred times more annoying in the coming years.

But then a single thought completely derails his spiraling. He wonders what your baby will look like. If he'll be a morning person like you or like to take naps like him. If they'll accel in genjutsu or not, because while he certainly does, you most certainly don't.

He's spent time with Kurenai and Mirai. While raising a person definitely seemed difficult, he couldn't deny that Kurenai was happy. Actually, despite Asuma's untimely death, she's the happiest he'd ever seen her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just... thinking about how annoying it'll be to tell everyone we're expecting."

"Seemed more like panicking to me."

"... shut up."

[the-isekai-ninja]

Kakashi "Doesn't Know Why He Likes Your Personal Space" Hatake

He's so aware of everyone else around him and when they get too close but for some reason he doesn't seem to notice how close he gets to you.

He'll want to ask about how your latest mission went and won't realize that the arm he propped up against the wall and how he leans in over your form makes you stutter and blush behind your report.

His bedroll always seems to end up next to yours, he thinks he sleeps better when you're around, probably because he knows you can hold your own so he can trust you'll spring into action if someone attacks you at night. Definitely.

At the bar, your arms will brush and his thigh will press against yours and he'll excuse the fuzzy feeling in his gut as one too many drinks but even long after he stops drinking the fuzzy feeling remains as you have an arm around him as you help him get home.

And when he wakes up and there's water and pills and a note telling him to eat the fuzzy feeling comes back and he swears it's just the hangover.

He stands so close to you that the slightest movement could have your bodies touching when you're getting debriefed for a mission; Lady Fifth will ask Kakashi to give you some personal space and when Sakura and Naruto snicker and your face turns red Kakashi wonders what joke he missed and he won't move because he doesn't think he's that close anyways.

He'll inch his way closer and closer and closer to you as some random Shinobi whose name he doesn't care to remember makes you giggle, and if Kakashi glares at him and he runs away he'll swear it was an accident and he's not sure why the guy fled but you could do better anyways.

He watches you spar with Gai and later when you're out of earshot he'll ask Gai why he was so handsy with you and Gai will laugh at him, put an arm around his shoulder that he tries to get away from, and Gai will tell him he's a smart Shinobi but not a smart man and Kakashi will only get offended because that didn't answer his question.

He sees you sitting on a bench reading and he'll decide to join you, an arm thrown over your shoulders, bodies pressed against each other as he holds his book with one hand and wonders if you're cold as you seem to have stiffened next to him.

It finally dawns on him that he HAS been invading your personal space when someone asks if you two are dating. As you blush and hide behind your book you stutter out that no you aren't dating, Kakashi is just like this. But no, he isn't like this with anyone but you. He lets very few people get away with touching him but he never initiates anything except with you.

The realization leaves him laying in bed wondering when he fell for you, when you became so comforting to him. He doesn't even care any more he just knows you've probably been dealing with his touchiness for years and you've never said anything. Maybe that's a good sign.

Kakashi "emotionally stunted king" Hatake, who now has to deal with new emotions like love and affection and rereading any romance book he can get his hands on to try and figure out how to ask you out.

He finally works up the nerve and he fumbles hard. He traps you against a wall with both of his arms at the side of your head, trying to mimic something he read about. He's blushing and stuttering and your wide eyes and intense blush aren't helping him get out his confession. And he can feel people trying to sneakily watch this go down and it's all so embarrassing until you have a hand on his cheek and all his thoughts fly out of his head.

He manages out the quietest "will you go out with me" and he can hear Naruto and Sakura celebrating behind a door and sighs of relief from other hushed bodies but he doesn't care because you're smiling and nodding. He has a date with you.

And if you thought he was bad when he wasn't aware of how close he was, you weren't prepared for how touchy he becomes once you're finally together.

He wants to hold your hand all the time, he leans up against you whenever he can, placing his head on top of yours when you two are waiting for things. In private he wants you as close to him as possible. Sitting in his lap, laying on his chest, bodies touching for any reason he can think of.

The nail in the coffin for him is when you reciprocate. He's making dinner for you two and you slip in to hug him from behind. He almost burns himself with how excited and warm he feels at the action.

When he's reading on the couch and you come home tired from a mission and you flop your head in his lap and fall asleep his heart pounds faster and his legs fall asleep as he doesn't dare move.

When you stay the night for the first time and you curl up next to him, arms and legs wrapping around him and your body flush against him he's practically vibrating with how much he loves you. So much so that he blurts it out without any thought. Your grip on him tightens and he feels you smile against his chest and you say you love him too. He rolls over to cage you beneath him and he peppers you with kisses and he's smiling like an idiot as you giggle through the onslaught.

He doesn't know when he started liking your personal space, but he's glad you like him in your personal space too.

[animereaderinsertwriter]

had some thoughts about Naruto characters and the question, "would you love me if I was a worm?", coming to you live from my roommate's text thread

Sasuke: would you love me if I was a worm

Sakura: you ARE a worm, deadbeat. come pick up your kid from school

Sasuke:

Sakura:

Sasuke: do you. love me. then?

Sakura: yes. please go get sarada.

Sai: I do not understand this. Why have you not asked me this yet?

Ino: asked you what?

Sai: if I would love you if you were a worm. Do you not want me to love you if you were a worm?

Ino: what-- no? I mean, yes! I mean--

Sai, calculating: so.... you want me to love you as a worm?

Ino: uh yeah ig?

Sai: I would not.

Ino: oh...

Sai: worms are not beautiful. or smart. they are only worms.

Ino: 🥺🥺

Temari: You would love me if I was a worm. I'd be the best worm ever, and you'd be a sucker just like you are now.

Shikamaru: Yes I would. You're already the best worm and you're not even a worm.

Temari: Good. Just making sure we're on the same page.

Shikamaru, visibly shaking: yep.

Iruka: this is a dumb question.

Kakashi: I love dumb questions. You look hot asking them.

Iruka: ..... would....would you love me if I was a worm?

Kakashi, without hesitation: of course. you'd still be you, and besides--- I've never had sex with a worm before

Iruka: Kakashi no.

Kakashi: seriously, I think it could work.

Iruka: Kakashi--

Kakashi, eyes glazed over: I'm pretty sure there's got to be a worm jutsu that would allow us to experiment....

Neji, trying and failing to be nonchalant: Hey Tenten?

Tenten, looking up from her training: Yeah?

Neji: I would love you if you were a worm.

Tenten: ?????

Neji: You know. Just in case you were wondering.

Neji *blushing*: I would.

Tenten, not understanding, but pleased nonetheless: Thanks babe ❤️

(bonus)

Sakura: Hey Naruto, earlier Sasuke asked me if I'd love him if he were a worm.

Naruto: but he IS a worm.

Sakura: That's what I said!! But... It got me thinking.

Naruto: that you would love me if I was a worm too?

Sakura: no! I mean, yes I would-- but, I was thinking more if I was a worm. Like. Would you still love me?

Naruto: uh, sure!

Sakura:..... That doesn't sound very confident.

Naruto: listen, I just --

Sakura: no I get it, you just don't love me

Naruto: THATS NOT WHAT I SAID

Sakura: no it's okay, you've always liked Sasuke more--

Naruto: SAKURA-CHAN, NOOOOOOOOO

BONUS bonus

Later:

Sasuke gets home. Naruto is in his room, sobbing. He's holding a tiny worm.

Sasuke: what the fuck are you doing?

Naruto, tears streaming down his face: ITS SAKURA-CHAN

Sasuke: what did she do????????? Is she okay?

Naruto: NO, SHES A WORM

Sasuke: WHAT

Naruto, becoming increasingly more hysterical: TODAY SHE ASKED ME IF I WOULD LOVE HER IF SHE WERE A WORM AND I CHOKED AND DIDNT ANSWER FAST ENOUGH SO NOW SHE THINKS I DONT LOVE HER SO SHE TURNED HERSELF INTO A WORM AND SHE WONT TURN BACK NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TELL HER I LOVE HER WHAT IF SHES STUCK THIS IS ALL MY FAULT--

Sasuke, visibly panicking: okay. Let's not panic. She's a sannin-level shinobi. She just wants us to feel bad. She'll change back when she's ready.

Naruto: BUT WHAT IF SHES STUCK

Sakura, who has been outside the window the whole time and watched Naruto find the worm in the kitchen: I love those morons so much-

[kkobweek]

Prompt Descriptions Part 3 (Day 6-7)

Day 6: Fashion choices / Flowers

Fashion choices

Clothes, accessories, and hairstyles are an integral part of character design, and they contribute a lot to how we perceive a character. Artists can play dress-up with these two gorgeous men and make them wear absolutely anything 😜 Here are some official art references for ya (the range of these two 😅)

Bonus:

But "Fashion choices" is not only about visuals!

🌸Kakashi's ninken all wear fancy vests with Kakashi's signature henohenomoheji; how were those vests designed in the first place? Was it Kakashi or his father/mother who made them?

🌸How did Obito come up with his masks' designs? Is there a story behind it? If he was so gloomy and indifferent to the 'fake world' why was his first mask bright orange?

🌸You could also present your version of why Kakashi is so adamant about wearing his mask!

🌸It would be fun to imagine what items of clothes are their favorite. Mb Kakashi has a favorite pair of bunny-shaped slippers, or Obito might be too attached to his favorite T-shirt that doesn't fit him anymore (bc of y'know, obiboobs).

🌸What if they go shopping for clothes together? and actively get embarrassed or awkward with every second 😄Or mb Obito is trying to pick a cool outfit to attract girls, and Kakashi is (deliberately or not) sabotaging his shopping?

🌸They could be helping each other put on a uniform or a multi-layered ceremonial kimono. Or they could help each other out of their clothes as well... 😶‍🌫️

Flowers

🌸Flowers are wonderful because you can turn them into a symbol, a hidden message, a reminder, or a gift.

🌸Hanakotoba, the language of flowers, could be used by a character to say something they are too afraid to say with words.

🌸Obito is a mokuton user, what if one day he decides to master the art of arranging flowers as well? Or mb Obito and Kakashi go to an ikebana class on a date? :D

🌸Mb it's hanami season and a group of friends is having a party under a sakura tree?

🌸A fresh bouquet of flowers appears by the hospital bed every morning or at home on a window sill and nobody knows who it is from?

🌸Kids making flower crowns for each other just for fun!

Day 7: Letters / Diary | Ceremony / Rituals

Letters / Diary

Letters… ✉️

Letters may be a bridge between those sides of the characters that they can't easily express in real life, but on paper they can finally be honest.

🌸When Obito is on a long journey, mission, or redemption trip, they can start writing letters to each other — about their lives, problems, achievements, fears and happy moments… what they dreamed about at night, or what they had for breakfast.

They get reacquainted via those letters.

It's a good way to ask questions about Obito's life — Kakashi has time to think, to decide what he wants to share and to put into words. Their "catching up" becomes more mindful, less emotional, probably even more sincere. They can't see each other's worried faces when they admit their mistakes, and they can write "risky" things too.

🌸 Imagine Kakashi rereading a fresh letter again and again, thinking all day about how to reply (instead of his Hokage duties). He has to force himself to refocus on work ten times a day.

🌸Imagine the high voltage of the first meeting after hundreds of letters — Kakashi's hair standing on end even more than usual!

🌸Imagine the powerful flow of acceptance, recognition and love filling the dry riverbed of longing they've dug out through all those letters — when they finally meet.

🌸It could be a mix of letters and diary as a coping mechanism: Kakashi writing letters to Obito, knowing he's dead, but unable to stop talking to him. He writes "therapy letters" or a kind of diary, but every entry starts with "Dear Obito". He's attached to that ephemeral image as ever. (What if Tobi found this diary in Kakashi's room and got a glimpse into Kakashi's real thoughts and feelings?)

🌸What if Kakashi got a letter from Tobi?

🌸Or it could be a letter from Rin, like in this headcanon, in which she tries to explain Obito to Kakashi.

🌸What if Kakashi was captured, but somehow managed to write a pack of letters to (jounin?) Obito and send or hide them somewhere, hoping they'd be found? He knew he’d die this time — and the letters were raw and honest.

When Obito receives or finds them, he gets to know the parts of Kakashi he never hoped to reach. Kakashi offers him all the stories he never told — the sad ones, the funny ones, the tender ones.

He writes about why he wore a mask.

He writes about his darkest ANBU days… About the time he decided to kill himself but couldn’t.

Things he wished he could share one day — with a friend, with someone he loved, with Obito. But he never did. And these letters…

These were his last chance.

Ceremony / Rituals

🌸What if we think about clan traditions? The Uchiha must have some rites of passage for their young. For example, when sb awakens their sharingan, they are invited to visit the Naka Shrine and perform a small ritual asking the deities for guidance.

🌸The Hatake clan is way more mysterious. So what if little/teen Kakashi feels sad about not knowing the traditions and rituals of his own clan? Mb Obito helps him create his own traditions? And when they grow up Kakashi still sticks to them?

🌸It could be an academy graduation ceremony or a party to celebrate a rank promotion! Mb it's baby Obito's or baby Kakashi's first recital at daycare? Or who knows, it's their children's first school play.

🌸(okay-okay, we're getting there) The wedding! 😄It's completely within your power to get them married! Is it a marriage for politics or tax benefit? Are they getting fake-married for whatever reason? Have they finally come to realize they are each other's family? Was the proposal as perfect as it was in Kakashi's favorite part of Icha Icha? Did Team 7 mess up the ceremony in some way? So many ways to go!

🌸A ritual could be healing or therapeutical. It even could be the "true love's kiss" trope, but with a kkob flavor.

[appleyass123]

Sasunarusaku poly!headcannons

After SasuSaku got together they both had a conversation while they were travelling together that they both were in love with Naruto

When they realize that their feelings are mutual towards each other as well as their feelings about Naruto they both planned on confessing to him at the same time

After they all got together Sakura and Sasuke become very touchy with Naruto and love to kiss him and touch at any chance

Naruto is very shy towards affection but only when he's recieving because he is touch starved and isn't used to being cared for

Sasuke is surprisingly the romantic one as he occasionally like to buy Sakura and Naruto gifts when he leaves the village to have time for himself

Sakura became more sweet and loving towards Naruto then she was before and doesn't yell or hit him as much as she used to. This helps because Naruto has matured overtime so it gives Sakura less reasons to hit him

Both Sakura and Sasuke are the assertive ones when being intimate

Naruto and Sasuke both still bicker from time to time but still love each other regardless

They both treat Sakura like a queen 👑

Sakura loves to tease her boyfriends by calling them pet names. Especially Sasuke since he always blushed when Sakura calls him "darling" or "honey"

Kakashi was the first to know about their polyamorous relationship and is their #1 fan and supporter

Sasuke and Sakura both cook because Naruto doesn't know how to cook anything else besides ramen

Sasuke is very private and HATES it when others question about his intimate life

Naruto is very cuddly and likes to spoon Sasuke and Sakura from time to time

[stu-dyingstudent]

Sakura Haruno fic recs: ANBU

AHHHH!!!! I love ANBU fics, especially when they involve Sakura. It was such a cool concept, which was unfortunately never fully expanded upon. However, our lack of knowledge regarding the shadow corps allows for some really cool fic ideas since authors can take creative liberty on the structure and workings of the division.

In my opinion, Sakura had the most potential out of team 7 to join ANBU (at least more than Naruto). It's all about being discreet and efficient and although she wasn't strong during og, she possessed abilities that would be valuable for this. Her clever mind, chakra control, and genjutsu potential would've made her a good fit. Naruto was too flamboyant and Sasuke was too reckless and cocky, but this is just my take. However, with her new skill set from her training with Tsunade, I don't think she would be able to go down that path anymore.

Also, try out my ANBU ROOT list (some overlap).

Started: 2024.08.06

Last Updated: 2024.08.29

note: feel free to check out my master list which has a bunch of Sakura Haruno fic recs (all organized)!

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Masks by mads999 || ao3 || kakasaku || E || canon divergent || complete

1. Sakura's Inner is far more diabolical than anyone ever expected 2. Crows prove to be cruel mentors 3. Sakura comes to learn exactly how much she hates Kakashi (as well as how alike they are, in the most terrible of ways)

Kakashi is a hateful turd and Sakura is spiteful! I hate this ship and I'm not a big fan of Kakashi here, but boy is this fic good. One of the best character developments I've read for Sakura and she certainly becomes of force to be reconned with. The ANBU lore in Masks is absolutely phenomenal and I love the whole system that is put into place as it adds for some drama (lol). Also, can we talk about how awesome crow summons are????

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Five Kingdoms for the Dead - Evil Is A Relative Term || ffn || M || canon divergence || complete

After the Forest of Death, Sakura comes to realize that being weak is no longer an option. However, she finds that change is sometimes painful and that truth doesn't always come easy. Luckily, she'll have some help along the way.

It's been a while since I've read Five Kingdoms for the Dead, but I just remember it being absolutely great! I'll be honest, I found a lot of the mind stuff pretty confusing at times, but it was still enjoyable. Also, some great characters are utilized in this fic such as Neji, Sai, and Itachi. Makes me really wish that we saw more of Sakura and Neji working together in Naruto since I think they compliment each other quite well.

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Trials of Change - Espoiretreves || ao3 || gen || time travel AU || complete

Haruno Sakura made a promise. Looking in the eyes of her Shisou and the reanimated Hokage, she took on the most important mission of her life. Go back in time and try to prevent the 4th Shinobi War. Now, Sakura is back to her 5-year-old body, with all the knowledge and haunting memories of the future. She vows to keep her precious people safe and stop certain events from happening, without altering the timeline too much. The trials her emotions and logic put her through have her questioning her very existence, but for the sake of peace, she has to push forward. No matter what.

Trials of Change is actually apart of a time travel series and I have to say that it is probably one of the best of the genre! Now, Sakura is not in ANBU here, but she works very closely with team Ro (Kakashi's ANBU team) and it's a huge part of the story, so I'm choosing to count it anyway. I really adore all of the worldbuilding and backstories going on here in addition to the fact that there are breaks. Yes, the story keeps moving, but there are other things going on, like playdates, and not just Sakura trying to save the world. Also, if you love Shisui then definitely check this out since he has a huge role and his and Sakura's friendship is just so precious.

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bite me and see, said the fly to the spider - MirrorImage003 || ao3 || itasaku || T || non-massacre AU || ongoing

In which Sakura is not initially a part of Team 7. In which she wears her failures like armor and brandishes her fears like her most trusted weapons. In which I do what hundreds of other authors have done before me, and rewrite Sakura's story. Non-massacre AU. Canon Divergent. Slow-burn.

After Sakura's first team, consisting of the graduating class's "expendables," dies, she joins team 7 and faces backlash along her shinobi journey. Sakura doesn't join ANBU until the later chapters so fair warning that there isn't too much content in that regards (unless it updates). Nonetheless, Sakura views ANBU as vital to her career as it offers her the highest clearance she can get. Gaining her opportunities for information her civilian-born status didn't allow her privy to.

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The Sixth Shadow - thinknicht || ao3 || kakasaku || M || canon divergent - eventual time travel AU || ongoing

No one seemed to find it odd when little Haruno Sakura threw herself smack dab in front of a Chidori and Rasengan. Not even Kakashi stopped to wonder.(He really should have.)

The story of how Sakura came to be the sixth hogake despite all of the challenges thrown her way. I especially love Sakura's drive in addition to the political aspects. However, be warned that Kakashi is an absolute HATER (in the beginning), but he gets better! The Sixth Shadow is extremely long and I only just recently got to Sakura's introduction to ANBU, so I can't say too much in that regard.

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Daughter of Fire - justjstuff || ao3 || kakasaku || E || canon divergence || incomplete (maybe ongoing)

Sakura got up and didn’t bother brushing the dirt from her dress. She had a feeling she was about to get even dirtier.She looked at the memorial stone one last time, memorizing the characters without even realizing she was doing it. It would serve from that moment on as a reminder of her determination. She wouldn’t let Naruto and Sasuke join the names carved on that stone.That was her nindo.

Sakura's growth throughout Daughter of Fire is great and realistic all while pointing out aspects from the original series which were flawed and dare I say misogynistic. I struggled a bit in the beginning to justify her abilities, but overall the story is really well done and the ANBU aspects are quite intriguing.

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cut the head off the snake - itsthechocopuff || ao3 || T || time travel AU || complete

when eighteen-year-old, post-war Sakura is thrown back into her tiny, pre-Academy body, she makes a decision. she'd had a childhood once already, and this time, she's more interested in Not Dying when the inevitable shit hits the proverbial fan. so she will work harder, care less, kill more, and smile when she's done.and hey, if she ends up reviving an extinct nature transformation to attract the most corrupt, power-hungry man from her timeline, all the better for her, right?

Such a unique take on a time travel AU and Cut the Head Off the Snake executes it perfectly. Sakura decides that her first order of business is to infiltrate ROOT and that's exactly what she does. Sai, Shin, and Shisui are all great characters and team Ro is present as well. Very good!

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Flowers - Idunmy || ao3 || E || kakasaku || canon divergence || ongoing

Flowers only bloom just before they wilt When Sakura loses her fight against Ino in her Chuunin exams, she questions her ability to ever become a kunoichi, too weak to protect herself, let alone her village One wrongful promotion later and Sakura gets a second chance in the shape of a mysterious new teacher who against all odds is willing to put her faith in a young girl with potential and a willingness to fight. Or- a fix-it inspired fic where Sakura grows to be the powerhouse she was destined to become.

Flowers is a newer series (which has recent updates) and I love it! Critiques are made towards the medical ninja training, which I believe needed to be discussed and it's refreshing to see. In most ANBU fics I've read, Sakura is immediately put onto the strongest team, but here it's a bit different. She begins on a demolition squad, which not only suits her skill set quite well, but is a realistic approach to how she would be introduced to the corps. Anyway, it's one of my favorite reads at the moment and I really like where the story is going.

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names. - waterpllar || ao3 || T || gen || canon divergence || complete

There are no names or faces in ANBU. Everything is designed to be strictly formal, efficient and professional. A recently orphaned Sakura, however, learns that some regulations aren't meant to be followed, and finds a place in Team Ro after being shunned from her former teammates. (fic prompt from anon on tumblr: orphaned sakura in anbu with yamato, genma, and team ro.)

AHHHH poor Sakura. After her parents' death Sakura seeks Tsunade's help out of desperation to become useful. Under recommendation, Sakura's new goal is to make it into ANBU.

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Equinox - FM_White || ao3 || itasaku || M || anbu AU || complete

ItaSaku (Post Uchiha Massacre) AU: Climbing through the ranks of Konoha, Sakura finds herself with the invitation to join ANBU and a chance to learn from one of the most renowned and legendary ninja in the world. Despite her efforts to grow stronger however, she finds the world isn't as black and white as it looks and that some truths are easier to hide than others.

I don't remember Equinox very well, but I love most works by this author sooo. Anyway, Itachi stays in Konoha and instead it's Sasuke that goes rougue. Sakura, Naruto, and Shikamaru are newly joined ANBU members and all placed on a team with Itachi and things go from there.

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stars in our eyes as we dream of the heavens (the gods walk among us, sweet child, do not forget) - snickiebear || ao3 || kakasaku || T || age-swap AU || oneshot complete

“Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto whispered, staring at his teacher, horror plain on his face. “You’re married?” Lazily, Kakashi looked down at his gloveless hand where his ring rested, “It would appear so.”

Sakura is born in the same generation as Kakashi and turns out as a badass ANBU married to him. This is super wholesome as it's a lot of the two of them bonding with Kakashi's genin team (Sai makes three) in an effort to help them out. It's a series so you can read more of the events taking place prior to the fic.

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Anachronistic Drift  - Elesrea  || ffn || gen || T || time travel AU || incomplete

Her plan was flawless. Save Shisui. Save the world. Time-travel, Sakura-centric AU

Sakura spends years training to be sent back in time and save the world from Sasuke. She isn't in ANBU, but rather poses as one in order to keep an anonymous status on her doings both in and out of the village.

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Sakura - lilac haze || ffn/ao3 || M || minasaku || time travel AU || complete

AU. Non-Canon. Time Travel. Please see inside for full warnings. Cross posted on Ao3. On his deathbed he was granted eternal peace and place to rest for all of time. Of course that was not appealing to him. Ever unpredictable to the end he had a counter offer. One that the Sage had to consider. In which Sakura's going to have a rough time. A really rough time.

Sakura is probably one of my all time favorite fics because the emotions are just spectacular. The story is pretty heavy on ANBU and ROOT aspects, which I always enjoy, but I wouldn't say it's a major focus. However, there is an emphasis on the unfair treatment towards kunoichi. Anyway, the characterizations and storytelling are beautifully done. Please share this author some love.

Check TWs before hand!!

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Hope y'all enjoy these recs, and please feel free to send me some if you have any!!!! I really appreciate when you do :)

[carmenserenity123456]

I actually think it's kinda funny how Naruto's behavior toward Sarada in Gaiden points to how little she actually resembles Sasuke in any way besides her having the sharingan. The same way Sasuke is heavily involved in Boruto's life because he's Naruto's son, I believe Naruto would be, as well. Yet, Sarada didn't know her parents were on the same team with Naruto and calls him "Lord Seventh," implying there's little personal relationship between them. Sure, Naruto knows Sarada is an Uchiha, so Sasuke's kid, but his actions show that he doesn't actually see much connection between the two. Sarada doesn't even think similarly to Sasuke and is completely disconnected from their culture as Uchiha (which is itself sad. The first Uchiha hokage likely being the one who is the least connected to their history, memory, and culture is really bleak and cynical imo). MK just had to get his last laugh in with this pairing 😂

Hi, Gaiden confirms that Sakura did not tell Sarada anything about Sasuke's past with Naruto, she only told Sarada shallow things like Sasuke being the most handsome and every girl wanted him even Ino. She did not tell Sarada anything about them because firstly she does not know anything about Sasuke's feelings, what was his past and how much Naruto changed him but also she sees Naruto as a threat. If a 32 year old woman still feels insecure about Ino and Karin, I cannot even imagine what she thinks about Naruto. She knows that Sasuke will always choose him which means Naruto is more important in Sasuke's eyes than she can ever be. Look at her face when Naruto propose to Sasuke that he will go with him but Sasuke turned it down in a petty way which is very interesting to say the least. Sakura is nervous and starts to sweat. Kishi drew her there on purpose and this scene has a deeper meaning that is why Boruto anime changed it.

Also Sakura did not contact Naruto and Kakashi at all. Shizune confirms it when Sakura faints. Sakura did not have anyone to help her and also Shizune took care of the situation with her house. Sakura does not contact them because she got what she wanted. As I mentioned before, Naruto and Sakura's friendship was always fake. Sakura used Naruto to get Sasuke and Naruto used Sakura to hide his affection for a boy. There was also a competition between them for Sasuke's attention. Typical love triangle.

When it comes to Naruto, he just was not interested at all with Sakura and her child. Would you be if your whole relationship was fake? I don't think so. Naruto only become interested because Sarada's situation revolved around Sasuke. The same was with Sasuke, he only started to accept Sarada thanks to Naruto's involvement. Moreover, Sasuke is so interested in Boruto because he looks like Naruto and his behaviour is a mix of Naruto and Sasuke. Basically Sasuke sees Naruto in Boruto.

[sourinartt]

I can always be corrected, but at least in Og naruto, there is no adult who truly cares about naruto except for Iruka

although, despite Iruka having terrible thoughts or discomfort, he continued to be with naruto, even inviting him to eat to pass the time because naruto didn't have anyone at home to wait for him

through mizuki and those women we see that the villagers really don't like him, mizuki even uses him for his plans causing people to hate him more for his "theft"

after those scenes my favorite scene happens; the first person to protect naruto in fact, iruka, is the only adult who apologizes to naruto for thinking in a terrible way about him

hiruzen can talk about how much people hate naruto but does nothing to change things, even though he has the power to make people change their thoughts. We also see that he doesn't care if naruto eats and drinks well, sleeps in a set place, etc.

All this despite the fact that kushina, naruto's mother, has asked him to take care of her son, it would be a favor for everything minato gave her the village, but hiruzen really isn't interested in this at all.

then there is kakashi who knows how naruto lives, he knows that he doesn't eat well, that people hate him, he even talks about it to Inari to calm he sadness

which is funny that he knows and doesn't do anything, isn't naruto his sensei's son? well, he doesn't really care because he's focused on following sasuke and leaving Naruto with a sensei who hates him

he loves naruto so much that he chooses not to train him (despite being his sensei) to continue with sasuke and leaves him with a man who despises him.

could we talk about how he also abandoned sakura? In another post.

and we conclude with Jiraiya, this guy refused to train naruto, despite almost killing the sensei

chooses to train him after naruto sexualizes himself, turning into a young, naked girl. *disgusted*

We later learn that Jiraiya becomes an important person for naruto, but this doesn't mean that Jiraiya was always trying to make naruto become a pervert like him, Looking for him to read his sex books. he didn't even train him well beyond his rasengan...🤦🏻‍♀️

[tossawary]

This is a very niche fic idea that I have no solid intention of actually writing, but... "Naruto" has more than a few self-insert fics and some of them are transmigrations into canon characters. Some of them are about OCs who do not want to be a ninja and are desperately trying to get out of it. There's usually some deliciously frustrating tragedy and horror about the brutal and inescapable military system of Konoha.

So, I thought that it would be kind of interesting to do an OC-insert into Sasuke, probably ultimately more comedic than angsty, as the OC tries to fail out of having to become a ninja, but then has to struggle against the fact that a civilian Sasuke would probably be expected to start a new Uchiha clan ASAP. (They probably have to concede to at least becoming a genin for the benefits of legal adulthood of some kind at 12 years old, even if it means being a part of the damn military.)

But even if the OC would personally love to be a parent someday, they cannot condone participating in what's essentially a breeding program for a new generation of Sharingan-wielding super-soldiers. Children who are probably going to be chewed up and spat out by Konoha someday too.

I think it would be neat to have a character treat the Sharingan like a genetic disorder that they don't want a child to suffer. I think it would have been interesting if canon Sasuke had also wrestled with the idea of letting the Sharingan die out. Fuck it, he'll adopt if he wants to be a dad someday. I also think it would be funny to have an OC-insert whose goal is to get a secret vasectomy (body autonomy!) without the leadership of Konoha finding out.

Sasuke, as soon as Sakura becomes a medical nin: "I need you to do me a huge secret favor and NOT be weird about it."

Sakura, also still currently a teenager: "You're asking me to CASTRATE YOU, AT HOME, IN SECRET, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO NOT BE WEIRD ABOUT THIS?!"

(And there's the whole fucking issue of the "Naruto" universe having cloning, so, no, a vasectomy isn't a solid guarantee of getting out of this. But it might buy Sasuke a few years to figure out how to avoid the mad science route too if anyone tries to force marriage on him at any point.)

Even throwing aside the issue of children, even in an AU where the OC-Insert is cool with having bio children, I think it would be really funny to have a Transmigrator Sasuke announcing outright in the first Team 7 meeting that his dream is to retire super early and become a shinobi tradwife to a super strong ninja.

Kakashi: "...What?"

Sasuke, possibly talking out of his ass to troll his team and because he's already spitefully exhausted: "I said what I said. I'm the only Uchiha left to pass on my clan's techniques, so my dream is to be a stay-at-home ninja, supported by a super strong spouse who can protect my family."

I think this would break Naruto and Sakura's brains. ("Marry Hokage Naruto" is not the worst plan that a transmigrator could come up with, probably.) I think that this would be a super funny start to a Team 7 OT3 in which Naruto and Sakura become rivals for the position of Sasuke's shinobi sugar daddy/mommy. (Naruto doesn't consciously realize that he's competing for Sasuke's hand in marriage at first, but he gets it after a few years or so.)

Kakashi is... So Tired. Obito, are you seeing this shit??? What the fuck.

I know some OC-insert / SI-insert into Sasuke fics exist, I just think the funniest plot direction for a transmigrator in this situation would be to completely bail on both the "take revenge on Itachi" and "rebuild the Uchiha clan" dreams in the least macho ways available.

Also, what WOULD Itachi think of Sasuke abruptly deciding to give up on revenge and to become a house husband instead?

[yanderes-galore]

Yandere poly concept between Narusaku for a female darling please (maybe darling used or was a childhood friend of theirs?) 

Yandere! Naruto + Sakura Sharing a Darling

Pairing: Romantic - Sharing

Possible Trigger Warnings: Female Darling, Obsession, Overprotective behavior, Manipulation, Clingy behavior, Overly affectionate behavior, Slight isolation, Polygamy, Stalking, Slight jealousy, Dubious relationship.

This is probably just me being biased, but I felt these two had so much chemistry with one another?

I can definitely see them sharing an obsession they both care for.

There might be some bickering at times, but overall the two would both want to make one another happy.

Not only that... But they both want you to be happy.

You being a childhood friend would probably work the best.

You'd know them well as a childhood friend and connect with them both.

Naruto was often seen as an outcast, so you being there for him would create a strong connection with you.

Plus... You're a pretty girl to him... so he is enjoying the attention.

Sakura would also enjoy your company, seeing you often try to help out and study hard.

Part of her, since she was young, might have even strived to be like you and support you.

You two certainly don't have a rivalry like she does with Ino, at least....

You may not have been part of Team 7, yet you were often around them for training and other activities like major battles.

Since you've been friends with them since they were young, you no doubt checked in with them often after training sessions.

You often listened to the two of them talk about their day, ate out, and did your best to encourage them to get stronger.

The two have always been quite fond of you.

Naruto had a hard time trying to leave you at the end of part one, knowing he needs to go off and get stronger.

He actually surprised you with a hug around this time, muttering about how he's going to miss you.

Luckily, despite losing Sasuke and Naruto, you still had Sakura.

You no doubt learned medical ninja techniques from her within the three years you have with her.

Then when Naruto comes back, you all end up working together throughout Shippuden.

If I had to say a time when these two got together, since it's a poly request, I'd say maybe after Shippuden ends?

She still cares for Sasuke, yet it becomes apparent that Sasuke may not be the best romantic choice....

It's then that Sakura and Naruto try dating one another.

Things are fine at first, with Naruto being Hokage and Sakura becoming a full-time medical ninja.

Yet despite their own relationship... The two feel like they're missing something.

The two have always found a connection with you.

You've been there for both of them since they were taking down Akatsuki.

Even now you help deal with Konoha affairs between other villages.

You're a big help to the two of them.

The two probably end up talking about you one night when they're alone together.

It's late and the two are just happy to have enough time to chat.

They talk about Sasuke... along with Kakashi and Sai...

Which eventually leads them to you.

The two talk about you for a surprising amount of time.

They may even forget what they're 'missing' for a little while.

They talk about what you all used to do together, how you always supported them as their friend...

Eventually the two even talk about what you do nowadays.

Sooner or later the two realize what they're missing... or, who....

The two realize they both have been rather close to you.

Both of them realized that... well... maybe they wished to have something more with you.

They love each other, of course... yet they can't deny that they both love you too.

They'd never want to pressure you into something with them too much though....

Naruto is overly excited around you, Sakura knows this.

He often hugs you when you come back from missions and wants to ramble about his day.

Sakura has to remind Naruto to keep quiet about their shared desires.

She knows how you can be and she doesn't need Naruto spooking over their best friend and potential girlfriend.

She herself is eager, always around you as she tries to recreate moments from when you were all young.

The two love you romantically but definitely don't want to intimidate you.

After all... polygamy? With your two childhood friends?

It can be a lot to process.

So they'll do their best to keep just being your friend.

But that won't stop them from hinting at something more.

You're bought gifts like ninja tools or even simple flowers.

The two even openly ask for your opinion on relationship issues, maybe even asking for ways to balance things or spice things up.

They may drop hints but they're mostly watching for your reaction.

If you're happy the way things are... they'll try not to push you much.

Despite their ever-growing eagerness....

They are happy with you still just being friends.

The two still look after you just like you look after them.

... a bit too much, actually.

They keep an eye on who you talk to, wondering if they should make more of a push to keep you theirs.

It would be so easy to manipulate you, too.

You trust them, as friends and leaders.

If they asked you to be wary or do anything... you probably would.

Who knows, maybe if they both bring up loving you, you'll give it a try because it's them.

After all... You love them, don't you?

Or are you just going along with it because you care too much?

It depends on how much you trust your childhood friends.

One is a healer and the other is Hokage.

Plus... you know them, don't you?

They'd never do anything to harm you.

Which must mean they have their reasons to isolate you, right?

There's just so much work to be done....

They need you by their side for help.

If you care about them, which you most likely do, they'll find a way to make that love.

You'd probably be oblivious to their manipulation.

After all... You want to make them happy and help them, right?

When they eventually do confess, you'll feel like you have to accept...

You've all been through so much... so... maybe you do really love them.

They're so encouraging towards you, too....

They reassure you they'll take care of you, that they'll love you as your partners.

You accept... It feels right to accept.

Don't you like their kisses? Their hugs? Their gifts and cuddles?

Don't you like what they do for you?

You must like it... right?

After all, wouldn't you be a horrible person to the ones you love if you didn't?

You feel like you love them... but it's unsure if it's because you want to... or you feel you have to.

[team7-headquarter]

I love how grim was the original Naruto.

I really miss when adults were portrayed like that, like actual soldiers who had to indulge in several vices to control their PTSD. They smoke or do drugs or read porn or drink or become addicted to work or physical exercise. They are all perverted in their own ways, broken, traumatized, damaged.

I miss when they had big ass scars and when you could tell they were shinobis used to killing for a living just by looking at them.

I miss how Kishimoto used the kids view to make everything look kinda innocent at first, but slowly turned everything worse the more that they lived to reveal to real shinobi world, not how the kids dreamed it to be.

There was something so appealing to it, to the contrast of innocence vs a world submerged in war and violence.

Kakashi starts the Land of the Waves arc being a funny dude with hearts in his speech bubbles and it progresses to Kakashi putting his hand through Haku's heart with a chidori. There's suicide and there's extortion and there's old men molesting Sakura and people being crucified and genocide and corruption and—

There are moments when you can feel the reality of their violence, like when Orochimaru appeared on The Forest of Death. He showed Sasuke and Sakura with a genjutsu how he'd decapitate them. Like when Hiruzen gave his soul to a demon to try and seal Orochimaru's soul too. Like when Gaara started killing people by exploding them with his sand. Like when Rock Lee was told that if he went along with the surgery he could die and if he did not he would never walk again. Like Orochimaru experimenting with kids or like when Neji revealed the secondary branch of the Hyuugas were slaves marked like cattle that would only find freedom if dead. Like Itachi forcing Sasuke to live again and again the Uchiha massacre with a genjutsu.

Shippuden has a lot of it. It is brilliant at times, but doesn't have the consistency of the original.

[raikirikiri]

obito who somehow survives actually and makes it back to the right dimension. he immediately finds kakashi and kakashi goes bugged eyed and silent because no way his teammate died and came back to life a second time. but he's really real and this time he's not going to commit insane war crimes for the sake of infinite delusion. kakashi who's about to become hokage and knows obito needs to face justice but he's a little warped now AND he's hokage so he hides obito until he can freely pardon people.

people start to get suspicious because the next in line for the hat is suddenly acting really shifty.... he's usually pretty quiet but now his neighbors are making noise complaints every other day. they hear muffled yelling, a lot of crashes and bangs, and strangely, their walls start shaking almost every night...

word spreads fast and soon the rumors start. oh he just got a new puppy to train, that's all...

he's remodeling and the remodeling company is giving him a hard time....

he's practicing new jutsu...

those are the innocent theories but of course, no one loves drama and horror quite like a shinobi and soon enough, genma and the rest of the surviving jounin of that era are taking bets.

kakashi is actually a secret serial killer and is torturing his victims openly and since he's about to be hokage, he's about to make murder legal

he's taking part in weird masochistic rituals to safeguard konoha

he's a follower of jashin now, hidan has been talking to him in his dreams

he's a witch

all of these start spreading around until the konoha 11 get their hands on it and they, in all their infinite nonsense and skill, actually try to figure out what the hell kakashi-sensei is doing at night and why he's being so weird and offputting—more so than usual, that is.

sakura and naruto make a silent pact. they know kakashi better than anyone, if anyone can figure it out, they can. and boy do they. they catch a glimpse of obito one night and both of them, jaws dropped and fuming, march right up to kakashi apartment door and start BANGING because what do you mean KAKASHI'S war criminal boyfriend gets to walk free and THEIRS doesn't... quite frankly, it's disgusting and they will get retribution.

kakashi answers and of course tries to brush them off but they are having none of it. not while sasuke is rotting away in a cell, docile as a lamb. sakura bodily moves kakashi out of the way so they can search his apartment. "you're not going to find anything," kakashi insists. he sounds urgent and frantic. because he's hiding something.

"oh we know he's not here," sakura acknowledges, tapping the corner of her eye with a vicious sneer. "but you can't hide traces of him."

they search and search but they only find circumstantial evidence. until naruto catches a hand, it's groping around the kitchen table for something. kakashi sees it coming. he sees obito's glasses on the counter and he wishes he could enter kamui and hit him over the head. instead, he can only watch as naruto silently gets closer until he snags the hand and yanks, demanding the bastard leave his little hidey hole.

obito comes tumbling out, crashing to the ground in a pathetic heap. kakashi lets his head drop and soon, the cacophony of complaints and demands start up from the peanut gallery that his students make up. when they finally die down and wait for an explanation, all kakashi can do is promise them he will immediately pardon sasuke.

sakura and naruto pause and watch obito who's looking at the floor with a grimace, a hand loosely holding onto kakashi's jounin shirt. with twin groans, they collapse to the floor and relent. fine, they'll keep kakashi's secret but he has to pardon sasuke IMMEDIATELY even if it means he loses the hokage title.

"done."

kakashi has no qualms. he's almost hoping it gets him to lose the hat.

[valiant-typhoon]

Fic Idea

Probably just talking to the void but I have a Naruto AU fic idea

Mostly I have an image sorta like this in my head (ignore my shitty editing skills) [ "What a historic event...Uchiha and Senju fighting side-by-side once again," Orochimaru laughs.]

Sasuke and Kakashi wake up from Itachi's genjutsu on their own only extremely affected by it physically and emotionally. Jiraiya and Naruto are already searching for Tsunade to make her Fifth Hokage.

Basically instead of Orochimaru offering to revive Dan and Nawaki to get Tsunade to heal his arms he kidnaps Shizune instead. At the same time he wants to lure Sasuke to him so he takes Sakura, he says he'll release her when Sasuke comes to him but he knows that killing someone precious is what unlocks the ultimate sharingan so he isn't actually planning on letting her live. Shizune he genuinely plans to release.

Shizune and Sakura imprisoned together meet and bond and Shizune figures out that she must be related to Sakura somehow because 'inner' sounds a lot like her family's Spirit Transformation Technique. Or maybe Kabuto is being his mad-scientist self and discovers it for them.

Sidenote: I think it's bs that Shizune is Dan's niece but doesn't have that jutsu or something related to it? During the Pain Invasion Arc it would have been a perfect time to reveal it considering how she was killed. Woman in Naruto curse strikes again Just seems a waste of the fact that she's related to Dan and the angle that adds to her relationship with Tsunade.

Kakashi is on a mission away from the village, but gets a message from Jiraiya about what's happening and tries to intercept. Sasuke decided to accept Orochimaru's offer because in his opinion no one is trying to actually rescue Sakura she's just a civilian-born, after all Jiraiya not expecting to see Tsunade actually already on Orochimaru's side but then realizes that Shizune isn't around and he puts the pieces together.

The big confrontation becomes Orochimaru-Sasuke-Tsunade vs Jiraiya-Naruto-Kakashi. Kakashi shitting his pants because going up against two sannin even with one on your side is a suicide and he knows it. All the summons just brawling and being destructive forces of nature like their counterparts because the Sannin are a Mess (tm)

Naruto vs Sasuke because they disagree on how to save Sakura. Naruto doesn't want to lose Sasuke to Orochimaru too. He wants to save Sakura together but in Sasuke's eyes it's too late and the curse mark+ itachi's genjustsu is messing with his head + Uchiha attachment issues Curse of Love.

Tsunade who is willing to do anything to protect Shizune. Both Orochimaru and Jiraiya understand what that means. Blood-phobia still a factor but it doesn't freeze her, not with Shizune's life on the line. This is her curse, Shizune will die because Tsunade loves her, that's how her luck works. She is ~Traumatized~ and will burn the village before giving up Shizune's life, regardless of what Shizune herself would think of that.

Meanwhile Shizune and Sakura manage to break out but have to deal with Kabuto+ whatever other sound nin so they have their own battle going on.

Everything comes together with Cursemark!Sasuke and KyuubiChakra!Naruto going at each other with the rasengan and chidori and Sakura throwing herself in the middle because it's like they're trying to make Kakashi relive the worst moment of his life but now it's worse and happening again.

Anyone interested in reading this type of fic or nah?

[badgalsasuke]

"If you don't see it, you hate women"

We need to discuss how female characters worth is mostly attached to the ship they belong to. To love those girls you have to love their pairings (only the pairings which associate them with men ofc).

There's actually a lot we can discuss and dissect from the way people react and engage with female characters, particularly female characters that are disliked by a big part, if not the majority of the fandom.

LONG REPLY AHEAD

There's this really interesting phenomenon that's been occurring for the past few years, let's say since late 2018, on social media where women in fandoms that are usually male dominated notice this particular distate for a specific female character and they decide to pity stan. Now before I get into what pity stanning does to the perception of the fandom about a female character I must discuss first how the male fans in the fandom interact with said female character that creates the pity stanning in the first place.

To make my point I will use characters like Sakura Haruno and also Shiv Roy from Succession as examples.

Both characters were deemed as unworthy by male fans and considered to be not-in-the-level-of-their-male-counterparts so we start to see a lot of vitriol against them. Most of this vitriol is very much misogynistic, you will see men calling them useless/dumb bitch, sluts, comments on their bodies either body-shaming them (plank/table for Sakura) or objectifying them like they do to Shiv Roy. What's interesting is that male characters that present the same undesirable writing these two women do, don't get near the same amount of hate, sometimes they're even idolized by the fandom. For example, Kakashi who really doesn't do that much in fights either or Shiv's brothers who are as incompetent as her.

The women in the fandom see this and because they're women that misogyny affects them too, y'know. It gets to the point where you can see men in fandoms use an "acceptable target" to unleash their misogyny and distate or hate for all women. So what happens here? Women in fandom try to shield and protect these female characters from the vitriol because it's also a way to protect themselves from it.

But then another interesting phenomenon happens. Women in fandom become "girls' girls". This is a type of pseudo-feminism where women can't do no wrong and we have to support all women or else we're not a girl's girl and that's the worst thing you could be. This of course, kills your ability to engage critically with media as now you see everything the female character does as her girlbossing her way in the plot. You will also start making stuff up to make them seem greater than they are.

In the case of Sakura she's now the strongest kunoichi ever! founder of a hospital or whatever! smartest member of team 7! she mops the floor with all her enemies!

For Shiv Roy it is that she's the best businessperson in the show, all her brothers are stupid and incompetent but not her! she's different! she mops the floor with all the people she negotiates with!

None of this is true, is made up by the same fans that want to protect them from the fandom's misogyny. Sakura is not that great of a ninja compared to Sasuke and Naruto and she has a bad personality. Shiv is not great at business and is just as dumb as her brothers. A character being like this is okay to happen in media unless you're a girl's girl in fandom.

You want to see that girl you chose to stan win. To get what she wants so you can give the middle finger to the men in the fandom that wronged her.

For Shiv Roy is to become CEO of her father's company (who cares that she never actually worked a day in her life there, she deserves it!). For Sakura is to get Sasuke (who cares if this man genuinely dislikes her deeply, she deserves to have him!).

And this is what I call pity stanning, they felt bad for the characters for the treatment they get so now they're making stuff up, believing it and now adopting this attitude of "you're a misogynist if you don't accept my headcanons that I've convinced myself are canon and you're also a misogynist if you don't want to see my girl win".

Now, before I get into the shipping aspect I want to get into Hinata's character. Unlike Sakura, she's a beloved character by male fans but what I find interesting about her is that she's a total blank canvas that people can project whatever they want onto, including the women who stan her.

I've noticed that for them Hinata represents this Cinderella fairytale, the pretty princess that got the prince charming over her ugly step sisters. This very "you belong with me" scenario of the ugly ducking becoming the most beautiful swan that ends up getting the guy over the rest of the girls. I've also noticed that these women talk abt Hinata in a very "not like other girls" way and this is where their distate for Sakura stems from. Hinata isn't loud, obnoxious and brutish like Sakura, she's quiet, and graceful and polite or whatever, that's why she triumphs over Sakura (on what idk). Women in the Naruto fandom have this bizarre beef comparing these two girls, which I initially didn't get because they don't even want the same man, but then it clicked for me. They want them to be respected by male fans.

Hinata although beloved isn't respected by the men in the fandom, everybody knows she's not a good ninja and outside of their infatuation for her looks and her worship for Naruto, they have nothing to say about her. Sakura well, we already know how it goes. Pretty interesting how what starts as some form of gatekeeping of female characters for "feminist" reasons evolves to the point you're making stuff up about them to get the men in the fandom to like them as people.

So now we get to the shipping part.

There's characters, mostly female characters, that were created centered around a man. This is Sakura's and Hinata's case, the very first thing we learn about Sakura is that she likes Sasuke, the very first thing we learn about Hinata is that she likes Naruto. In Hinata's case some NH shippers brag that we learn she likes Naruto before we even learn her name, how pitiful.

You want to be a girl's girl meaning you want to see them win, meaning you want to see them get the boy they want because there's nothing more for them. It's a package deal, you can't like Sakura if you don't ship Sasusaku, you can't like Hinata if you don't ship Naruhina. It's easier for Sasuke and Naruto stans to dislike Sasusaku and Naruhina because these ships aren't integral to their characters.

Of course, we have Sakura and Hinata stans that want to ship them with someone else because they feel that ship dignifies them (think of Itasaku, Inosaku, Sasuhina, Kibahina, etc.), it does so in the sense they don't seem as obsessive male-centered characters when shipped with characters that aren't the obsession and allows you to create a scenario in which they grow out of it. If you observe how these shippers talk about Sasuke and Naruto is always with a lot of resentment, because how dare they not reciprocate those girls' feelings!!! after everything they've done for them!!!

Basically shipping, at least f/m ships, has become some sort of feminist social activism lol

You can also see how intertwined that f/m ship, that female character but also the shippers own identities are. It becomes personal for them. In a way SS and NH shippers have separated Sakura and Hinata characters from the story, Kishimoto's manga and have instead made them part of their own self. Sakura and Hinata not getting what they want is a loss of identity for them, a personal attack.

Finally, I'd like to add that not all female characters hated by men in fandom are actually dumb and incompetent losers and women in fandom are making shit up about them to make them seem better. Some of these female characters are very much hated just because they're women. Mary Jane Watson from Sam Raimi's Spider-man trilogy is the biggest example

An excellent character with development, background, personality and traits of her own that's hated because how dare Sam Raimi make her a woman with a life beyond the main character Peter Parker and someone who doesn't worship the ground he steps on. They wanted a mindless cheerleader not a three-dimensional character!

She's also the reason why I believe that if Kishimoto had written Hinata beyond her crush for Naruto, men wouldn't like her that much...

[guidaozongshi]

On Sakura and SasuSaku's apparent popularity in the eastern fandom

One of the widely regurgitated talking points in favour of the Sasuke/Sakura relationship is that it is the most popular Naruto pairing in Japan and that Sakura is a very popular character but western fans apparently fail to understand the nuances of their relationship unlike their eastern counterparts. These claims range from half-truths to complete nonsense

Firstly, let's talk about Sakura's reception in Japan.

Kishimoto infamously said that girls would come up to him to complain about Sakura and that he really struggled to make her likeable. But you don't need his statements to arrive at the conclusion that she is not well received.

Take a look at the Naruto Character popularity polls by Shounen Jump taken during the run of the manga.

Character Poll 1 , as of Chapter 60

1. Kakashi Hatake – 22,692 votes

2. Naruto Uzumaki – 16,729 votes

3. Sasuke Uchiha – 13,674 votes

4. Iruka Umino – 7,128 votes

5. Sakura Haruno – 3,055 votes

Naruto had just started to take off , with Team 7 being the main focus, yet look at the difference in votes for the members. Iruka, a character that barely appears overtook Sakura. What's ironic is that this will be the highest position she would ever receive because her popularity gets worse.

Character Poll 2 , as of Chapter 107

1. Naruto Uzumaki – 2,788 votes

2. Kakashi Hatake – 2,635 votes

.

14. Sakura Haruno – 359 votes

14th Position! Despite the fact she is from a trio of characters that are the most focused on. Not only the other Konoha rookies rank above her but even Gambunta ( the frog ) overtakes her.

In Character poll 3 , 4 ( chapter 199 ), 5 ( chapter 245 ), 6 ( chapter 292 ) and 7 ( chapter 531 ) her ranking becomes 9 , 10 , 8 , 12 and 12 respectively , while the other Team 7 members never leave Top 4. Characters with less panels and appearances repeatedly overtake her.

It is not an exaggeration to say that she was widely disliked as a main character. She has been repeatedly bashed, on Japanese online forums as well as by the author. ( more on this later )

All this of course doesn't mean that she doesn't have a fanbase, oh she has! a very loyal one and a particular kind at that . Women who love Sakura tend to be fans of Shoujo/Josei , something you can notice if you have come across SasuSaku artworks.

When Naruto ended , the majority of their comments were congratulating Sakura on her long one sided crush being finally reciprocated and how happy they were for her. Sasuke fans couldn't care less about the relationship as her character has hardly any effect on his story ( that is, until Gaiden came along and angered many people)

There is a noticeable difference in how JP artists portray their relationship in comparison to their western counterpart. The former portrays it as a 'puppy love' like between an idol and a fan. The appeal of the relationship comes from Sasuke, who is the classical male ideal and Sakura who is deeply ' loyal' to him , who then gets rewarded for it. It is one of the reasons why it only shot up in popularity post-ending.

On the other hand, the latter seems to believe that Sakura is Sasuke's equal, that she challenges and influences Sasuke, despite the fact that she becomes a doormat in front of him and according to Sakura's own words she couldn't come close to Sasuke's heart.

I have discussed why some Japanese fans like Sasuke/Sakura as it may appeal to their taste but these fans don't make much of the fanbase.

Case in point, one of the most hyped SasuSaku material i.e Sasuke Retsuden only managed to sell about 17k copies for the weeks it charted, in Comparison Naruto J Novels 1-7 sold about 470K when it was in circulation back in 2008.

Even the manga adaptation piggybacking on the anime couldn't even sell 40K copies for the first volume.

There was a time when Sasuke's name alone would be enough for a manga to sell out but the truth is that not only the majority of Naruto fans have moved on since 2015, even the loyal fans aren't interested in this content.

After Gaiden came out, Both Sakura and her relationship received harsh criticism, the 2channel threads kept bashing her and Kishimoto of the poor handling of the relationship.

Some of the snippets

"..with the release of Gaiden, the author just had worsened what was already bad. I guess he lost his willpower to write.”

“I was expecting before Sasuke and Sakura’s feelings would be shown in Gaiden but was edited out...because back time I thought I saw some spoilers that Sasuke and Sakura had gotten closer.

But now there’s no way there was some edit, no, this whole thing is a fucking lie.”

"A natural progress of loving, to slowly get accustomed and come to love someone, yeah I can’t imagine this with Sasu/Saku. Such extremely weird couple, how are they supposed to get used with each other over time? This is the vibe I get.

This relationship feels weird in my head, maybe I’m asking for too much to find a reason behind this.

But Kishimoto’s Sasu/Saku bonds is completely empty, I guess it’s funny that there’s nothing to add in it.”

"Sakura’s feelings is over the top terrible. She’s able to be happy with this..”

The thread is VERY long but you get the gist of it.

Fun fact : In 2015 Sasuke/Sakura was 6th most voted couple that should Break-Up by Japnese readers

Accusing others of not understanding their relationship because they apparently don't get their supposedly "culturally contextual relationship" is quite stupid and laughable because it's also hated by many Japanese people. It's only popular with a specific set of audience.

Which brings me to the other argument.

"Sasuke/Sakura is the most popular Naruto couple in Japan"

While this might be true today, it has not always been the case. Sasuke/Sakura shot in popularity post-Naruto ending while the most popular pairing throughout the run of the series (Sasuke/Naruto) declined. ( If anybody has the pixiv stats from 2012/13 , please feel free to add)

Take a look at this Naruto couple ranking list in Japan from 2012 ( the rankings are based on Google Japan results if I am not wrong)

サスナル (SasuNaru) —- 166,000 res.

ナルサス (NaruSasu) —- 78,400 res.

サスサク (SasuSaku) —- 54,700 res.

There's quite a large gap.

Even in 2016, 2 years after Naruto ended and many Sasuke/Naruto artists deleted their artworks or moved on from the fandom , it still rivaled SasuSaku in popularity on pixiv

SasuNaruSasu サスナルサス 9.502 works

SasuSaku サスサク 8.150 works

For other East Asian countries, I wrote about how SasuNaruSasu is the largest pairing in China with no close second . I am unfortunately not familiar with the Korean fandom.

I will make a separate post for the Chinese Naruto fandom but they are very brutal against the Sasuke/Sakura relationship.

This is the general sentiment there :

Sasuke married Sakura to atone for his mistakes

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