#Naruto... that is not how we respond-

[aprito]

The way that Sakura is inspired after cherry blossoms with both her name and appearance, and the cherry blossoms symbolise the transience and impermanence of life due to their short life spans. Sasori fights against a girl who represents the fleeting nature of life which completely contrasts his obsession with immortality and skurhliexbkjgfswgblpeq

LOVE that Sakura clowns on Sasori's fuckass stupid beliefs not only with her skill set but also with her entire existence. He was untouchable until he wasn't, he was smart until he wasn't, he was apathetic until he wasn't in the span of like, an hour. The best part being that the thing that ultimatively makes her so strong (her humanity and affection and care towards Chiyo) is the one thing he can't have and would absolutely lose if he were to turn her into one of his liveless bum bitch puppets.

She really is the ultimate troll. We love her.

[panharmonium]

Hi! I love your Naruto thoughts and meta posts with all my heart and I want to ask your thoughts on something that has been on my mind literally since I was 13: what do you think about the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura? I went from being a hardcore shipper when I was a teenager, to being against any romantic relationship in Naruto after finishing the anime when I was in my early twenties. Nowadays I'm very into platonic love and depictions of friendship and I think the anime's obsession with forcing the "romantic interest" curse upon the main female character robbed us of... so much. There are a few wonderful moments in the anime where Sasuke and Sakura acknowledge each other, but because she's always "the girl with the crush", her actions are so often interpret as irrational or selfish by the fandom.

Hi @riemmetric!  It's great to talk to you again! Sorry it's taken me so long to answer this; RL has been making demands of me lately and it took me way longer to finish writing this up than I wanted it to (then again, I knew from the minute I read your original ask that my reply was going to get long, so I suppose I should have predicted a delay XD)

It's funny, my sister once asked me to choose between Sasuke or Sakura for an “unpopular opinion” meme, and I ended up doing Sasuke solely because I think the negative fandom opinions about Sakura are so unhinged and divorced from the actual text that I wouldn’t even know where to start.  People are entitled to dislike whatever characters they want, obviously, but there are some fandom takes that are, for me, so obviously rooted in bad faith viewings/readings that there’s no urge in me to discuss them.  That said, since you asked, I’m happy to go into my own thoughts on this a bit, with the disclaimer for other potential readers that I only write about fandom things for my own personal enjoyment, not as a contribution to The Discourse. If you don’t like Sakura, great!  I have no interest in changing your mind. Please consider this a sincere invitation to scroll on by and go enjoy whatever parts of the fandom appeal to you.

In general terms: I love Sasuke and Sakura’s relationship as much as I love all of the relationships in Team 7.  If we’re talking about them specifically as a romantic couple, then I probably fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, because I do like them together in a post-canon (to be clear: non-Boruto) setting, after time has passed and they’ve continued to develop individually and reconnect with each other, but I also wouldn’t exactly call myself an intense “shipper,” in the sense that I have no interest in pulling things out from the text and incorrectly citing them as evidence that Sasuke has hidden romantic feelings for her during the canon period. He cares about her in the canon period, just like he cares about Naruto and Kakashi.  That’s not up for interpretation; it’s the text.  But Sasuke during the canon time period does not demonstrate specifically romantic interest in anyone.  

[A note before people who might ship Sasuke with Someone Else emerge to rail against this statement - please just scroll past and continue enjoying fandom in whatever way is most fun for you. It is cool to ship whatever fanon thing you want; I think that’s great!  But earnestly citing any loving or emotional thing Sasuke does re: various characters in this story (yes, Sakura included) as indicative of specifically romantic love isn’t supported by the text. I know there are always going to be enormous subsets of any fandom who insist that it is, and I'm certainly not going to barge into anyone else's space to complain about that (because other people having fun together is harmless and none of my business), but I'm not obligated to indulge it on my own blog, either.]

Anyway, that said - the reason why I love Sakura and Sasuke’s relationship (from here on out I’ll use “relationship” in a general, non-romantic sense) is precisely because Sakura isn’t just “the girl with the crush.” Sakura has an arc when it comes to Sasuke, and its trajectory moves in the exact opposite direction of “irrational” or “selfish.”  She specifically goes from “the girl with the crush” to “the girl who steels herself and tries to put her personal feelings for Sasuke aside for the greater good” to “the girl who knows she can’t put her feelings aside, but who also knows full well that Sasuke doesn’t reciprocate them, and who still wants to save him regardless, because he matters to her as a person and a friend.”

[I'm putting the rest of this under a cut to save everyone's dash, and also to emphasize once again that this is a personal post on my personal blog which I wrote in response to a question from a personal acquaintance, the full content of which no one is obligated to read. I am not sending this post to random strangers and forcing them to look at it. I'm not even putting it in the character tags. I'm typing it up on my own blog and putting it under a cut. If you already know that you don't like Sakura, but you still click the link/read the post and then feel an urge to comment and complain, I am going to copy-paste this disclaimer and remind you that I specifically recommended that you scroll past and go have fun with fandom in your own way. Thanks in advance for responsibly curating your own fandom experience!]

So, from the top:

1. the girl with the crush

Sakura is, obviously, completely obsessed with Sasuke at the beginning of Part 1.  She’s also deeply clueless about him and his history (bizarre though it is, the story seems to indicate that she initially doesn’t know what happened with his family, the same way young!Obito is initially clueless about Kakashi’s father).  But what I like about Sakura and Sasuke’s Part 1 relationship is how this changes over time.

The critical scene that kicks this off happens right at the beginning of the manga, when she and Sasuke are talking by that bench - she complains about Naruto and blames his behavior on him being all alone/having no family to scold him; and even says she’s jealous that he doesn’t have parents to nag him all the time.  This obviously triggers an outburst from Sasuke, who tells her she has no idea what loneliness means and that she “makes him sick”/she’s “annoying” (importantly, the exact same thing Sakura said to Naruto in anger earlier that day), which in turn prompts Sakura to reassess herself and wonder whether she’s been making Naruto feel this terrible all the time, too:

From that point on, it’s a process of her putting little pieces together.  She still has a MAJOR crush, and she still acts like a twelve year-old, but as we approach the end of Part I, Sakura actually has a more accurate grasp on Sasuke’s current state of mind than Naruto does.  Naruto is initially excited to fight Sasuke on top of the hospital, because he feels like Sasuke’s finally acknowledging him, whereas Sakura is the one who immediately recognizes that something is wrong about this situation.  She is also the one who, after this fight, is concerned that Sasuke is really unwell and might do something drastic like run off in pursuit of the power Orochimaru promised him, but when she communicates this to Naruto, he assures her that this would NEVER happen:

(Sakura isn't convinced, though, because she goes to monitor the exit out of the village anyway.)

I’m not criticizing Naruto for his response here.  I ADORE hearing him say that Sasuke is too strong to need Orochimaru, with such perfect confidence - I love seeing how much respect and admiration he has for Sasuke underneath all their fighting, because that’s the whole reason he’s always baiting Sasuke and yelling at him and claiming “you're not so great!” He looks up to Sasuke; he wants to be like Sasuke; he thinks Sasuke is awesome! (It’s that Obito @ Kakashi behavior, you know?) But the fact remains that he is clueless about what’s actually going on with Sasuke in Part 1, and he remains clueless(ly optimistic) for a long time.  

(Eg, when he catches up to Sasuke during the retrieval arc and Sasuke climbs out of that cursed seal coffin, Naruto waves at him and calls "Come on, let's go!" as if Sasuke has been successfully rescued and is now going to come running home.  Even in Part II, when Naruto hears that Sasuke killed Orochimaru, he beams and immediately says, “So he must be on his way back to the Leaf Village!”  And everyone else in the room is like, “....,” because they know better.  Naruto doesn’t yet fully understand [or doesn't want to accept] the extent to which Sasuke has willingly chosen this path, and it’s not until after Jiraiya’s death/the Pain attack/the Five Kage Summit that Naruto really starts to understand Sasuke more clearly, which is something he himself admits.)

Sakura, in Part 1, has access to more information about Sasuke - she’s there for his first dissociative monologue during the bells test, she’s there for the curse mark’s placement, she’s there for his first violent transformation in the Forest of Death - she is, in fact, the unwitting catalyst for it (“Sakura…who did this to you?”), and her compassion is the reason Sasuke is later able to overcome the curse mark’s influence - so she has a more accurate/complete picture of “how he’s doing,” for lack of a better phrase, whereas Naruto, who doesn’t know about the curse mark in the first place, is still in the dark.  This means that Sakura is able to accurately discern that Sasuke is struggling more than Naruto realizes, and specifically to predict that he’s going to run away.  

(This dynamic is then interestingly flipped in the back half of Part II, since at any point after the Five Kage Summit, Sakura doesn’t have access to extremely relevant [if currently questionable and unproven] details that would in any other circumstance inform her behavior).

Of course, just because she has more info in Part 1 doesn’t mean she has some kind of miraculous insight into Sasuke’s every thought and feeling.  There are parts of her attempt to convince Sasuke to stay in the village that are as clueless as any of Naruto’s assumptions, and they showcase the kind of magical thinking common to childhood - like when she says that if he stayed with her, she could give him happiness, she’d do anything for him, even help him get his revenge - this idea that she herself can do something to make him feel better, that she can love him powerfully enough to defeat his pain - obviously none of that is rooted in realism.

Is this part of her approach irrational and immature and inadvertently self-centered?  Of course it is!  But it’s no more irrational and immature and inadvertently self-centered than Naruto’s stated plan to drag Sasuke back to the village even if he has to “break every bone in [his] body!” 

Hating on Sakura for her Part 1 attempt to convince Sasuke to stay in the village while simultaneously lauding Naruto for his feels like a bad faith misread of what is, to me, pretty clear narrative intention.  The story doesn’t at any point intend for us to see her begging him to stay as a selfish or conniving attempt to get something she wants.  She’s begging him to stay for the same underlying reason that Naruto is: she cares about him.  She thinks he’s making a mistake that will only cause him more pain in the end (she’s right) and she wants to make it so he feels less pain right now (she can’t.  But she doesn’t understand that/isn’t able to admit that, and she’s willing to try ANYTHING that might help).  

It’s critical that this farewell scene is set in front of that same bench from their first important confrontation - she references that day and how angry he got at her, and this time she tells him that she understands his reaction.  She’s learned things and she recognizes how insensitive she was being back then (“I know what happened to your clan, Sasuke”), even though she still can’t fully grasp all the complexities of the situation. She tells him that him blowing up at her back then helped her understand what loneliness actually meant (as opposed to her previous shallow understanding of it), and she challenges him about his choice right now: "So that's it, you're choosing the lonely path?" And when she tells him that she'll be very lonely if he leaves, we're immediately shown a panel of Sasuke thinking of both his friends, with the very clear implication that if he goes through with this, he will be lonely without them, too - that he's still struggling with the idea of leaving them, no matter how hard he tries to pretend:

Sakura at this point knows that Sasuke isn’t interested in her the way she is in him, but she still wants to give him happiness, however fantastical and immature her ideas sound to us (and, I’m sure, to him).  “I’ll do anything, even help you get your revenge/we'll have fun every day, and...and you'll be happy! I'll make sure of it!” - of course, it’s completely childish.  It’s irrational.  It’s ridiculous to think that any of this would ever be effective, but no more ridiculous than Naruto’s belief that he can simply break every bone in Sasuke’s body and keep him in the Leaf by force.

Both Naruto and Sakura are children who have a deeply oversimplified understanding of Sasuke’s situation.  They both still think they can fix him themselves.  They both think they can save him themselves.  They both think they can convince (or force) him to do what they want, what they think is in his best interests.  Both of them don’t yet understand that he has to want to come back, if it’s ever going to mean anything.  Their attempts to keep him in the village are immature and unrealistic, yes.  What they aren’t, however, is selfish, because neither Sakura nor Naruto are doing any of this with the intention of advancing their own interests.  They’re only thinking about Sasuke - how to keep Sasuke safe, how to make Sasuke happy - even when neither of them are taking an approach that will actually work.

Naruto and Sakura are children.  They’re afraid of losing somebody they care about.  Their attempts to prevent that from happening are desperate and messy and ultimately ineffective, but they are also genuinely felt and rooted in a true desire to rescue Sasuke from his pain, which - and this is the single most important thing that should impact our viewing of Part 1 - is something that Sasuke RECOGNIZES.  He doesn’t spend that agonizingly long moment bowed over Naruto’s defeated body so we can pretend he doesn’t understand that Naruto was just trying to help him.  He doesn’t take the time to murmur, “Sakura…thank you,” before laying her out carefully on a bench, just so we can discount it and pretend that he doesn’t recognize and appreciate her genuine intention to make things better for him, however clumsy that attempt might have been.

2. the greater good

If Stage 1 Sakura is "the girl with the crush," then Stage 2 Sakura is a progression to “the girl who decides to put her feelings for Sasuke aside in order to protect innocent people, including (but certainly not limited to) Naruto.”  She’s driven to this decision by interactions with Shikamaru, who all too recently had to grow up fast himself (“We're not kids anymore...we can't allow a war to break out between the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Cloud because of Sasuke") and Sai, who risks his new friendship with Sakura and Team 7 in order to speak some hard truths and deliver one of my favorite lines in the whole story: “I don’t know what promise Naruto made to you, but it’s really no different than what was done to me.  It’s like a curse mark.”

(INCREDIBLE.  How can anybody be complaining about a season where Sai gets to say something that goes THIS HARD and Sakura LISTENS and takes DRAMATIC ACTION that actually propels the story forward in a meaningful way - )

[Okay, yeah, brief personal opinion interlude - it is just bonkers wild to me that there are people who complain about Sakura in the Five Kage Summit arc. That entire season is the greatest character arc she ever has.  Literally she has never been more interesting and dynamic than in Season 10; it’s the first time she ever gets to be as deep and fascinating as the boys; what is everybody so worked up about?  Oh, “she lied to Naruto that one time” - Sasuke joined infant-kidnapping baby-murdering human experimentation machine Orochimaru when he was twelve years old in order to (dare I say it????) selfishly pursue his personal goals and yet, somehow, we are still able to root for him.  He abandoned his friends/allies to imprisonment and death (Suigetsu and Jūgo) or outright stabbed them in the chest himself (Karin) in order to (SELFISHLY) get what he wanted, and yet, somehow, we are still able to love him, understand him, and be on his side.  Naruto is canonically not upset with Sakura about her lie after receiving context for the situation and I think we can probably take our cues from him without feeling the need to bring her up on war crimes; please calm down]

[Sorry, I just really love most of Season 10 and think it’s one of the best examples of how good this story can be when every single character gets to do something that matters (as opposed to things being all Naruto, all the time) so I get a little bit worked up over people complaining about some of the best writing Sakura ever gets.  I don’t understand what certain elements of fandom want from her. People complain about her being “useless” and not doing anything that contributes to the story, but then they complain just as much when she does finally get to act decisively and have just as complex/dynamic an inner world as the boys.  She’s “weak” for being unreasonably in love with Sasuke, but when she tries to be “strong” and put her love for him aside and eliminate him in order to protect Naruto and the rest of the world, she’s evil, because she should have been more understanding of his situation (despite the fact that she doesn’t KNOW anything about his situation).  But then when she can’t go through with killing him after all because she cares about him too much despite the things he’s done, she’s not "compassionate" or "kind" or "a good friend," she’s “weak” again. Nothing Sakura does in S10 is more wrongheaded or rash than any of the batshit, buckwild things Naruto and Sasuke have done in the past (and will continue to do in the future), but when Naruto and Sasuke have big feelings or take bold action, it makes them interesting characters, whereas Sakura can’t breathe in anyone’s direction without being minutely scrutinized for moral impurities.]  

Anyway. Back to a more measured response.  

Every single piece of development Sakura has with regard to Sasuke in this season satisfies me so much.  Her initial shock and disbelief at hearing that Sasuke had joined the Akatsuki?  Good, appropriate.  The fact that she starts to acknowledge the reality of what Sasuke’s done sooner than Naruto does?  Also extremely appropriate, very in-character for both of them.  Her taking Sai’s words to heart and deciding that the promise she asked Naruto to make when they were children is causing him to suffer and she has to relieve him of that burden?  Juicy!  AND thematically significant (promises!!!!  the burden that a promise places on a person, especially when it can't be kept - we've seen that before in this story and we'll see it again).  Her anguished pivot from wanting to protect Sasuke to realizing that she has a responsibility to protect the countless innocents who will die because of the war he’s trying to start?  HELLO THIS IS INCREDIBLE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.  Her knocking out the classmates who agreed to help her so they don’t have to share in her burden (and so the only person Naruto will hate when it’s over is her)?  BRUH.  Her being so committed and focused on her goal of saving innocents and protecting Naruto (not just from being harmed by Sasuke/the Akatsuki, but by the possibility that Naruto will someday have to hurt Sasuke himself) that she tries to take everything on by herself and walks into a confrontation that she absolutely cannot win??  INCREDIBLE.  (Literally the first time I watched this, I said, “Finally!!!  It’s Sakura’s turn to go off the rails!”  I laughed with my sister about how Kakashi isn’t even mad, because Naruto and Sasuke have been pulling stunts like this for years and Sakura was way overdue for her own meltdown.)  And then, after Kakashi intervenes in the fight - Sakura barreling back into the battle when she realizes he’s going to take on the burden of killing Sasuke himself in order to spare her and Naruto the horror - “I can’t let Kakashi-sensei bear this burden!”  I love her for that.  

And then, of course, in the end - her not being able to do hurt Sasuke after all.  Despite committing herself to the act, despite forcing herself to put her feelings for him aside, despite resolving to stop him from starting a war and killing innocent people, she can’t harm him.  She cares about him too much.  This, too, is thematically significant - think about Itachi’s “you don’t have enough hatred” - she doesn’t have enough hatred to kill someone she cares about, even if it seems like he deserves it, even if would be the right thing to do to protect others.  She can’t do it, and Sasuke almost kills her for her compassion.  

I love the dynamic this sets up between her and Sasuke, for a few reasons:

1) Personally, I think Sasuke respects Sakura much more for trying to kill him than he would have if she’d just tried to talk him out of his behavior or beg him to come home (a la their original confrontation in Part 1).  This is the first significant interaction he’s had with Sakura in years, and the fact that she does something SO contrary to his memory of her is an important demonstration of the fact that she’s not the same girl she used to be.  Sasuke spends a lot of time after his defection declaring to his old team “I’ve changed; I’m not that person anymore,” but this is one of the moments where he’s forced to acknowledge that his teammates have changed, too.  Time didn’t just stop for them when he left.  While he was turning into someone new, so were they.  They grew up without him, and his old memories of them can’t encompass the whole picture of who they are now.  

(This is a little tangential, but in general, I love the spectrum of reactions that Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi have in this sequence, and the way that all of them are ultimately messages Sasuke needs to hear.  Sasuke - who we know textually regrets what he did here, who apologizes to Sakura for it later - for “everything,” in fact - needs Naruto’s aggressively optimistic open-arms policy, yes, needs that potential, that unconditional possibility of return.  He also needs Sakura’s refusal to let him hurt her friends and start a war that will kill thousands of people, needs her surprisingly ruthless attempt to take him down; needs just as much her failure to do so, because it shows him that she still loves him too much to kill him even as she condemns him.  And he needs Kakashi’s grim line in the sand, needs someone who very possibly won't hesitate like Sakura (despite the horrifying personal cost), someone who will try to reach him but also won't let him escape and become the next generation’s Orochimaru, who won't let him cause untold suffering to untold numbers of people just because a teacher loved him too much to stop him when he had the chance. 

(And then even Kakashi chooses not to deliver a killing blow when he has the opportunity -)

(I know that in fandom people are more likely to be all, “oh, Naruto Good, everybody else Bad,” but I don’t think the narrative frames Sakura or Kakashi as “worse” than Naruto in any way.  The story goes out of its way to make it clear how desperately they don’t want to hurt Sasuke and how much they care about him.  And [this is just my interpretation, so obviously I won’t claim it as fact], I personally think that Sasuke - Sasuke, who, looking back, can see how lost he was then and how tortured he would have been if he’d gone through with many of his plans - would be grateful to Sakura and Kakashi for making an attempt to stop him when he couldn’t stop himself.)

2) On the other side of this, the fact that Sakura wasn’t able to deliver the killing blow means a lot. Sasuke was incapacitated under that bridge; he was completely at her mercy - but she stopped with the kunai an inch from his back.  She couldn’t kill him, even though she knew that he was completely willing to kill her (because he'd attempted to Chidori-assassinate her from behind just a few minutes ago).  That’s huge!  Sasuke is too out of his head right now to process this or understand it, but later, it's going to matter.  She stayed her hand.  She spared his life.  She loved him too much to hurt him, even when he’d given her every reason to take him down.  She hesitated, and he almost killed her for it, but her inability to strike him ultimately gave him yet another chance to come home, another chance to get better, another chance to have a life outside of his pain.  Despite everything, some part of her still hadn’t really given up on him, and that knowledge will matter later, when he’s finally able to acknowledge it.  

The point of all this is to say that I really have no complaints about Sakura and Sasuke’s dynamic in their S10 confrontation.  This season is the point where Sakura fully grows past her “girl with a crush” stage and into her “shinobi must make very harsh decisions” adulthood, but it never means that she doesn’t care about the person she’s trying to take down.  Her ultimate inability to deliver the killing blow remains a dangling lifeline for her relationship with Sasuke, an open door that Sasuke is able to walk through at the end of the story (literally, in fact, when Sakura opens that portal for him and saves him from Kaguya’s desert prison, and figuratively, too, when Sasuke apologizes to her).

3. she only wants to save you

The last stage in their relationship is what Sakura settles into during the war arc.  She started off Part 1 being just a girl with a crush, then tried to harden her heart and put her feelings for Sasuke aside in service of the greater good, but she was unable to actually follow through and kill him, and because of that, what she’s come to accept by the war arc is actually two things: that 1) Sasuke truly is willing to let her die if it furthers his goals, and 2) she wants to save him anyway.  

She has no intention of pursuing Sasuke romantically.  She knows full well that Sasuke isn’t interested in her.  She even knows that Sasuke isn’t really on their side (there’s a great scene where Sai questions Sakura about Sasuke’s return, and she reassures him that everything is fine, and Sai sadly thinks to himself “even I can tell your smile is fake”).  She’s well-aware that Sasuke didn’t try to help her when Madara stabbed her.  She’s well-aware that he left her to die in the lava pit.  She’s also well-aware that none of this is enough to make her stop loving him.  He doesn’t have to care about her - she still cares about him.  She still wants to help him.  She still wants to save him.

This is not hidden, hard-to-parse character development.  It’s explicitly articulated on the page:

Sakura’s not trying or wanting to make you hers!  She only wants to save you.

I’m not sure if people look at this last confrontation and unquestioningly take Sasuke at his word (as if we haven’t just read 71 volumes/watched 700 episodes showing us how how painfully distorted his thinking is), or if they stop reading/watching before the end of the scene, or if they don’t understand that Sasuke saying something doesn’t make that statement an accurate representation of reality.  The entire point of this scene is to show us how deeply mistaken Sasuke is about Sakura (and, by extension, the rest of Team 7).  He’s locked into a false pattern of thinking.  His single-minded focus on revenge and destruction has blinded him to the unconditional love his friends feel for him; he’s become so accustomed to using others and being used that he can’t understand or accept that someone would care about him without needing a reason, without needing him to love them back, without needing to receive something from him in exchange.

Sakura’s not trying or wanting to make you hers!  She only wants to save you.

Sasuke matters to Sakura as more than a love interest.  He always has.  She does love him romantically, yes, but she doesn’t only love him romantically, and her desire to help him is not and has never been contingent on him returning her feelings, romantically or otherwise.  Sasuke isn’t able to acknowledge that in this scene, but that doesn’t mean we’re supposed to just sit back and agree with his warped perspective.  Kakashi is the one who’s explicitly positioned as the voice of the narrative here.  We, as the audience, are supposed to recognize that Kakashi is the one telling us the truth.

[tangential thing 1: You don’t have to love Sakura's last plea to Sasuke here. It’s not my favorite, either - the best part, other than Kakashi’s speech at the end, is the moment after Kakashi collapses when Sakura’s expression changes from pained uncertainty to pure rage, when she grits her teeth together - when I first saw that, I almost leapt out of my seat like “Oh my god.  She’s finally going to let him have it.  It’s finally happening - ”  I wanted that so badly, and I still think it would have been a more effective writing choice for Sakura’s last words to lean more into her anger at the suffering Sasuke is causing all of them (himself included!) and less into yet another of Kishimoto’s “let me have Sakura articulate what a shame it is that she can’t do as much as Naruto despite the fact that I literally just went through a major reveal sequence in the war to show that she’s caught up to the boys; I can’t make up my mind about whether I want her to progress or not” - it’s extremely frustrating (and it's something he does at the very end of the S10 Team 7 reunion, too, which is the ONLY moment of S10 that falls flat for me).  But at the same time, even if there are ways this sequence could be more satisfying, it doesn’t change the fact that her plea to him is not remotely motivated by a desire to be with him romantically and not anything to condemn her for.]

[tangential thing 2: I do like how she remembers that moment when Sasuke says “Thank you.”  That panel precedes her saying “If there’s even a tiny corner of your heart that thinks about me…” (which I’m sure is one of the things that people like to criticize about this scene, aka “oh she’s sooooo self-centered” etc), but that particular line of dialogue is preceded by that particular flashback panel for a reason: Sakura knows that Sasuke DOES think about her.  He thinks about all of them.  Sakura remembers that “thank you,” and it reminds her that despite everything Sasuke has done and said since, despite all evidence to the contrary, she knows in her bones that his expression of gratitude back then was genuine.  He cared about her once.  He cared about all of them.  She’s trying to reach the part of him that still does, if it exists.]

[tangential thing 3: The fact that Kakashi says “she suffers from loving you,” and it triggers Sasuke to remember his own family - thinking about how much he suffered (and still suffers) from loving them - “Perhaps…those are the ties to a failed past” - the idea that it’s not worth it to have bonds if it means you suffer this much…that it’s too difficult, it’s too painful, and if Sakura and the rest of Team 7 were smarter they would just give it up (all Sasuke knows how to do now is sever potential bonds before they can hurt him; so why aren’t Sakura and the rest of his teammates doing that, why can’t they let it go, why are they making this so hard - ) << yeah, he clearly doesn't care about her/them at all.]

4. the shadow of my family

This has all been a really long way to answer the original question, but the short response to “What do you think about the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura?” is “I really care about it,” just like I really care about the relationship between Sasuke and Naruto, just like I really care about the relationship between Sasuke and Kakashi. And I don’t think the story ever asks me to choose between them.

I’m not sure whether it’s the impact of Boruto-era “canon” that gets in the way of other people approaching things this way (I don’t consider sequel material when I evaluate the original story), or if it’s Kishimoto’s frequent disinterest in/disrespect towards female characters, which yes, does sometimes make it harder, or if it's a shipping thing (bane of my existence), or some combination of factors, but for me, taking one member of Team 7 out of the equation hobbles the rest of the story.  I can’t read/watch Naruto while hating one of the protagonists and loving the other three.  It doesn’t work like that for me.  The story wasn’t written that way, and there’s nothing in the text that would cause me to receive it that way.

That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with disliking one of the main foursome (or any character, for that matter) - obviously we're all going to have different preferences, and everyone is free to enjoy or reject whatever parts of a story they want, or to like or dislike whatever characters they want. I know that some people have more fun disregarding canon and doing their own thing, which is fine.  My own personal zone of enjoyment comes from receiving the story as closely to how I think it was intended to be read as I can, and personally, when I look at this particular story, what I see is that all the members of Team 7 clearly demonstrate their love for Sasuke in ways that he himself later recognizes and acknowledges. All of them are driven by their desire to save him and their unwillingness to hurt him. All of them make repeated choices to chase after him when he runs away, to trust him when he hasn't exactly earned it, to give him another chance when he doesn't appear to deserve it. ALL of them, not just Naruto, do these things multiple times throughout the story, and Sasuke owes his life (and thus his eventual recovery) to ALL of them, many times over. Kakashi disobeys Hokage-elect Danzō and breaks the law to negotiate for Sasuke's life with a foreign head of state. Sakura and Kakashi both have opportunities to kill Sasuke in the Land of Iron, and they choose to spare him instead. Kakashi stops Sasuke from killing his only friends at two different points in the story, which would have been a mistake Sasuke couldn't have recovered from. Sasuke would have died in Kaguya's desert dimension if Sakura hadn't saved him (Sakura, who knew that Sasuke wasn't even truly on her side yet, who knew he'd abandoned her for dead multiple times already that day). Kaguya's bone bullet would have killed Sasuke too, if Kakashi, with his intention to die in Sasuke's place, hadn't leapt in front of it (Kakashi, who also knew that Sasuke wasn't fully on their side yet, who also knew that Sasuke had abandoned him for dead earlier that day). Sasuke and Naruto would have BOTH died in the Final Valley if Sakura and a severely injured Kakashi hadn't chased after them to heal their injuries.

Remove any one member of Team 7, and Sasuke never makes it home. Without the combined efforts of all three of his teammates, he doesn't survive.  That’s the way it should be, thematically, for a story whose first and most foundational premise was the importance of teamwork, and since Sakura was just as essential to that framework as everyone else, I’m just as invested in her relationship with Sasuke as I am in his relationship with everyone else.  You can’t remove one leg from a four-legged stool without damaging the integrity of the entire structure, and for me, discounting any single member of Team 7 irreparably damages the integrity of the entire story. 

TL;DR: I love all of the Team 7 relationships, including Sakura and Sasuke's, because despite what some segments of fandom seem to believe, the text of the story never gives me any reason not to.

[everymadara]

Chapter 661

[ettawrites]

Could you make genin Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, Rock Lee and Neji x reader who is their crush and they end up having to fight reader in the chunin exam?

Yessss, yes I will 😊

Fighting Them During The Chunin Exam

A/N: half of this was written with writers blocks the other half was written when I was high, so don’t judge the quality okay 😊

Naruto

- One by one you both watched as everyone was drawn. When it was just down to four of you, Naruto prayed he would get Kiba

- You both gave a side eye when you were the last opponents

- Oh fucking shit

- He was actually a bit (really) mad, protesting that he could not fight you because you were a friend but when the only response was fight or surrender he bit the inside of his cheek

- “Friend”… yuh uh, he means totally smitten to the point he feels like a dog

- But he couldn’t surrender, not when he was this close to getting his chunin but he didn’t know where you guys would stand after it

- When you reassured him this is just how it was supposed to be and said you’d be honoured to fight him, he only frowned and scratched his head.

There he stood, across from you on this dirty cement floor and he was mesmerized on how you could just smile.

“This gotta be a joke, can you just redraw?” He asked the , displeased evident.

“There’s nobody to draw from, you both are the last opponents,” he irked, finding Naruto’s stupidly uncharming.

“Naruto it’s fine, let’s just do this, I’m hungry,” You slumpt, anxious to get this over with.

- he went easy at the start, only throwing kunais and he played defence

- When he realized you weren’t going easy, he was caught off guard as you punched him right in the face

- He stumbled, looking at you with somehow even more admiration

- Then he got serious and the fight really started

- You lost, but some part of you kind of anticipated it

- You were sprawled out on the floor, head pounding from the attack and you were honestly just so tired from the forest

- When you surrendered he felt relieved, he didn’t know how much longer he could take fighting you

- He ran over to you, he wasn’t happy with the win

- He apologized over and over, helping you up and taking you to the infirmary

- He was so glad you guys were still friends, you meant so much to him

- Totally just friends

- He takes you out for ramen after

- He still is on edge for quite some time, he makes excuses why he can’t train with you and he definitely won’t rough house like you guys use too

——

Sasuke

- king of looking like he doesn’t give a shit

- He does

- He’s literally panicking internally and in private probably bites his nails from anxiety

- He thinks he’s anxious to fight you, that has to be it? Out of everyone you are most worthy to him potential wise

- He’s lying to himself, he doesn’t wanna believe that he’s scared to fight you because you mean a lot to him

- He’ll avoid you for the month of training and when you come to confront him about it he’s eerily upset

“We’re not friends, I am getting my chunen license even if it means hurting you,” he says, stopped inside his door frame as he watches you fold your arms over your chest.

“So that’s it, friendship over because of a silly competition?” You respond, you knew sasuke was aloof and stubborn, but really?

“We never were friends,” he replied, as casual as one could and he hated the way your eyes got glossy. He watched you leave, regretting it but he won’t take it back.

- you were nervous, standing in the podium as the crowd was watching you

- Sasuke wasn’t here yet, which you’d hope he wouldn’t show up at all

- You were a bit annoyed as he spawned in with kakashi, trying to be ‘cool’

- He was surprised when you actually put up a fight, a good one too

- But also kind of proud

- He did not go easy on you, at all and was definitely being yelled at by Naruto on the stands

- he won, by default as you had passed out and could not continue to fight

- He wanted to check on you, instead lurking outside your door and kinda of just shuffling around

- He’ll ask the nurses if you’re okay, but he won’t dare go in already knowing he’s fucked up your guys friendship

——

Gaara

- low key you were shitting your pants cause WHATT???

- You saw what that boy did to Rock Lee, and now you have to fight him?

- He on the other hand doesn’t care, but the more it gets closer to the fight he starts feeling uneasy

- He’s… what they refer to as a monster? So why is he kind of concerned for this nobody wannabe?

- He had sat beside you during the first test, intrigued by you

- Your the first person that has ever smiled at him so.. genuinely

- And now he has to fight you? A big part of him was set on absolutely destroying you to stop this uneasiness in his chest

- I mean, he didn’t even know if he had a gentle bone in his body, all he knows how to do is ruin things

“You…” his cold voice came, you were walking home in the dusk from the ramen shop after hanging out with Naruto.

“Uh.. yeah? Hey?” You responded, confused and a bit anxious as you stuffed your hands in your pockets. He came closer, a blank look on his face.

“Forfeit,”

“Huh?”

“Forfeit the fight, I will kill you,” He explained, blinking so casually as he watched your complexed reaction.

- he, in his own scary way, was trying to warn you that he could not control himself

- He was kind of happy when you got his underlying message.. you really were different

- You forfeited privately, to your sensei who completely understood

- Gaara was grateful when the next night Baki had told him his opponent had changed

——

Rock Lee

- When you were paired with him for the semi finals he had frowned

- He apologized to Neji and his sensei

- Both were very confused

- He had that cute little ‘hmpf’ look on his face with an even cuter pout as he walked down the steps

- When he came face to face to you you saw this look in his eyes

- Both of you didn’t say anything when the ref asked if anyone wanted to forfeit before he called fight

You braced, drawing your Kunai when the fight began. Rock Lee raised his hand, looking like his traditional taijustu pose.

“I cannot fight you (y/n)! Please forgive me I forfeit,” he yelled, clasping his hands together and falling to his knees before you in a bow.

“…wha…?” You deadpanned, uneased by how loud he had just shouted that. He looked up, seriousness written all over him.

- You guys didn’t talk until after everyone had battled, finding him hiding from you behind the tree outside

- He slumped as you yelled at him

- He let you rant before he started his own ramble, explaining how he couldn’t fight you

- He would never lay a hand on you, it was against his ninja way

- His eyes started to water and his top lip twitched, clearly upset

- You rolled your eyes and went to go get ice cream with him

——

Neji

- you guys were paired to fight for the finals

- He was stubborn and if you’re a girl.. low key sexist about it

- He thinks he’s being a gentlemen but absolutely obliterating you with ‘facts’

- King of backhanded compliments

- But what he doesn’t know is you started to train with a really powerful sensei who was travelling through the village and offered to help you

- Throughout the whole month training time he was focusing on his fighting, but you were on the back of his mind

- He knew he wanted to win, but he also knew he didn’t want to hurt you either nor ruin your relationship

- So he spent a lot of late nights trying to figure out ways he could knock you out as quick and painless as possible

- This was all internally and completely private to him, he never expressed any weakness on the outside

- He was pretty confident in himself

- When the fight began and he realized.. you were actually catching him off guard he was perplexed

“I don’t-… how?” He coughed up blood, knees weak as he swayed to try and stay up right. You frowned, he hated that.

“I’m not weak Neji, don’t underestimate your opponent. You don’t know me,” Those words were said in order to hurt him, he had ruined your patience with his opinion of you.

“I.. thought I did,” he pondered, eyes lost.

- you gave the final blow to him and he was carried away to infirmary

- When he awoke he stared up at the ceiling for a long time after, feeling his wounds and thinking he deserved the pain for how much he took your abilities unseriously

- He vowed to never make you feel inferior to him and started to rekindle your friendship in hopes he didn’t ruin his chance

——

[bomber-grl]

What being their crush is like

Pairing(s): Characters x Gn!Ninja!Reader (teammate)

Character(s): Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha

Naruto Uzumaki

An absolute fool for you

The only ways you could’ve caught this morons affections is by either being attractive or being kind to him back when you both first started out at the academy

Either way he’s absolutely smitten and so when he hears your name called out after his in class- he’s ecstatic that you’ll be on the same team

If you have a crush on someone else he’d be pretty bummed out but it won’t deter him

(He was especially motivated by sasuke and Sakura- it was just to get him away from them)

He’ll try to buy you ramen, flowers, honestly just anything to show you that he’s the most suitable suitor

Which couldn’t be further from the the truth (in the eyes of everyone else)

He’d be so open about liking you

Well, when he’s not around you

He’ll always talk about you and how wonderful you are- it’s so painfully obvious to any outsider looking in

And when someone brings up his more than obvious crush on you he’d flush and act as if they had gone mental

Like what

Also bonus points to you if you constantly back him up when he’s being teased and support his dream to be hokage

Literally +1000 points

Well a certain period of time passes and throughout said period he’s constantly flirting with you

How? Well he’s always complimenting your fighting/ jutsu and trying to ask you out on a date

If you are even slightly hesitant to respond

Like by a milisecond- then he’d rub the back of his head and laugh it off

Going on about how he was just joking and I don’t know what

Then one day you end up accepting

Which is funny because of the fact that he left a very traditional love note hidden somewhere he knew you’d fine

[insert you going home and finding it]

Literally not surprising to anyone and most people would assume that Naruto would confess boldly

But I disagree- he’d be pretty shy and uncertain despite his tendency to be reckless

If you accept or not will be up to you but the next time you see him he’s all awkward and stuff but still manages to try and play it off

It’s up to you to break the ice

Sakura Haruno

Again, Sakura likely started liking you because of your attractiveness

It was just a surface level crush until she saw that you had an actual good character

She’s so beyond happy that you’ll be on the same team, I’m not even exaggerating

You’re all in the same class and so as classmates you’re all bound to have crushes on the same people

That’s to say- a good amount of people also had a crush on you and the moment your name was announced alongside hers-

She just mentally imagined flipping them all and shoving it in their faces

Miss girl is honestly so sweet, she’s always trying to spend time with you and if you have any trouble with anything

E.g. ninjutsu, fighting, etc. she’ll always be there to help

Maybe a little too willing at times

Now, we all know that Ino and Sakura have had this rivalry and often banter

Well, all of a sudden (if Ino isn’t fighting over you) she’s probably making fun of you and being very loud about her opinion on you

It’s either that she thinks you and Sakura are a perfect match (negative) or that you’re terrible and not the best option (also negative)

Either way you’re catching strays

Sakura obviously gets riled up over this and tries to defend you no matter where or when

Which leads to you being there for Sakuras Chunin exams and experiencing the whole match

It’s an event that leads to character growth- but when she goes back she doesn’t expect you to be there waiting for her

She’s honestly flattered you’d wait for her and is mentally smug about it

When she flirts with you it’s honestly super obvious too

I can’t even deny that

Like at times she’d defend you and act as though you’re always right and idk what else (which is her odd way of flirting because she sort of stares)

And then sometimes she just opens up about private stuff around you during the quiet moments

Plus she also gifts you little trinkets- like flowers or something casual and small

Either way- when she confesses it’s probably spontaneous asf

Like you’re walking around at night and she gets this urge to just spill her guts

And she does

She’s basically like why the hell not be like Naruto

She’s super flushed and awaits your response right then and there

If you like her back and know it- that’s that

But if you tell her you need to time to figure it out then she’ll accept

Just know she’s lying awake at night wondering regretting it

Sasuke Uchiha

He acts super neutral towards you

Which wouldn’t be an obvious pointer that you’re his crush towards the average person but cmon

He’s sasuke

So ofc it’s obvious he has a crush on you

Honestly the only way I’d see him having a crush on you would be if you were close to him pre massacre and have been by his side since forever

(Unless you’re willing to wait the long game *cough*cough* slow burn)

He’d be pretty dependent on you while also being super independent

It’s honestly confusing sometimes

When it comes to the whole you being apart of his team, he doesn’t feel a particular way about it

(Or so he tells himself)

He’d try so hard to be nonchalant around you

Like not even joking

But if someone insults you or does something slightly disrespectful- he’s giving them the death glare

And then excuses it with just being annoyed by (more often than not) Naruto

Since he usually pokes fun at ppl and stuff

(If you didn’t know him before the academy and even if you did) He’d probably admire your skills and how smart you are

Like he’d watch you from afar and is honestly jealous and simultaneously sees you as a rival

Again, super confusing.

The most affection you’d get from him at this stage is his (once in a lifetime) compliment about your fighting or something

Then he’d walk away

You’re left standing there super confused while he walks away with a light blush dusting his cheeks

He ain’t fooling nobody

He obviously feels super weird about having a crush on you because of his whole mission on finding his brother and -

Yea.

So even though he does like you more than he’d want to admit- he would never confess

Not likely

Which is what you thought

Until you find out that Sasuke left the village and there’s no point in trying to go after him or anything at all really

It’s a betrayal to you and everyone else

It’s dark by the time you get home and enter your room

You pick up this thing Sasuke had given you- his excuse? It wasn’t worth his time and so he had given it to you

You didn’t care much for his excuse and just kept it on your dresser

Upon closer inspection you noticed a paper sticking out and obviously took it out

It was a letter- one could argue it was sasuke confessing

He went on about how he liked was ok being around you and the paper note wasn’t all that long

Just a few lines (if any)

There was a rip towards the bottom and you were left wondering what it would’ve said

Spoiler - it was Sasukes actual confession that he cowardly ripped off and threw into a body of water, hoping you’d never find it

-

A/n: got a tad carried away

[skyahri]

One Bed |Naruto Men X Reader| HC

Characters: Sasuke Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake, and Shikamaru Nara.

Summary: Classic one bed trope.

Warnings: Kissing. Bed sharing. Lead up to smut but no smut.

Masterlist Ko-fi

- - - - -

Sasuke Uchiha

It was shortly after the war.

The village was still recuperating from the loss, as was every other village, but there were still missions that needed to be fulfilled.

You were off to do some security work for the Daimyo, who had specifically requested the two of you to watch over his land while they rebuilt.

The only issue was that upon arrival, it wss revealed you'd be sharing a single room.

"You aren't the only ones to have suffered during the battle. Half of my property was destroyed!"

There wasn't much you could do, so you bit the bullet and followed one of the Ladies in Waiting to where you'll be staying.

One room? Whatever. One bed? Absolutely not.

You protested. It was inappropriate, even if you had known Sasuke for well over a decade at this point.

"We are low on resources at the moment, Y/L/N-san, Uchiha-san. It's why we have asked for your assistance in the first place."

You looked at Sasuke, who just gave you the same bored expression he always has.

You thanked the woman and began getting settled in your room. Sasuke offered to sleep on the floor, which you told him not to bother with.

You'd likely be here a few weeks, so it'd be best if you were both comfortable.

Sasuke was nice enough to let you shower first, which you'd gladly taken after two days' worth of travel.

He waited patiently for you to finish so he could prepare for bed as well. It was late, almost midnight, and he was tired.

It was awkward the first night. You'd slept uncomfortably back to back with this weird air around you.

You'd put on your most conservative pair of pajamas despite how warm the room was, and that only made things worse.

The second night wasn't much better.

But by the third night, you both grew tired of the tension. It was difficult to be fully rested when you'd slept terribly, so you formed some kind of unspoken, mutual respect for now.

You'd opted for your normal nighttime attire - a pair of shorts and thin t-shirt. You already felt better.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had been grateful for your prudish clothing. He had never said anything before, not that he had the time to, but he'd always been attracted to you.

Your revealing pajamas were not helping his comfort, so while you slept better that night, he did not.

Nor the next night.

Or the night after that.

By then, you'd become very aware of his antics. On top of being physically aware that he wasn't sleeping, you'd also become annoyed by his poor attitude.

He was already an ass as is, you really didn't need him sleep deprived on top of it.

So that night, as you lay in bed next to him, you roll onto your stomach and prop yourself up on your elbows to look at him.

"What's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem."

"Really? Could've fooled me."

He tsked at you. Why'd you have to be so annoying?

You pushed yourself up so you'd be sitting on your knees, your hands flat on the bed so you could still lean forward to talk to him.

His eyes darted down to your chest before looking away entirely.

No way. There was absolutely no way.

"Are you... bothered by my clothes?"

"Don't be stupid." He snapped.

You tried to suppress a knowing smirk but failed.

So you leaned forward and kissed him.

Despite his surprise, he immediately responded to your kiss, going so far as to roll you over onto your back so he'd be on top of you.

"Maybe I am a bit bothered."

Kakashi Hatake

This is Kakashi’s first Kage Summit, and he asked you to be his plus one.

You accepted with no hesitation. You were anxious to get out of the village since the war ended and going out with Kakashi was sure to make it all the more interesting.

The summit was boring. That's a good thing compared to the last summit, but it still made you want to gouge your eyes out. They discussed the status of their villages and what sort of issues they'd been running into, blah blah blah.

When it was nearing midnight and everyone was growing tired, they agreed to call it a night and resume in the morning.

Everyone went to their respective quarters, but when you got to the Leaf Village's wing, there was only a single room with a bed.

Apparently, during the rebuild, they'd slipped up and only added a single room instead of the usual two, and no one had noticed (Thanks Sasuke).

It wasn't too big of a deal. You'd known Kakashi since your Genin days and slept in the same room plenty of times.

You were a bit surprised when he actually got into bed with you though.

Despite all those sleepovers, this was the first time you'd actually slept so close together.

You stared at him. Not on purpose, just happened to be doing so while your mind was racing.

"Is this an issue? I can sleep on the floor."

You shook your head.

"You sure? You were giving me quite the look."

"I was just... wondering what you'd look like under the mask."

You lied. You couldn't tell him how you were thinking about sleeping in bed with him and it's implications.

He snorted and did something that completely caught you off guard.

He pulled down his mask.

You blushed. How could you not? All these years, and he chooses now, the most random moment, to finally reveal such a wel kept secret.

And then he does something else that yo weren't expecting.

He leans forward and kisses you. You kiss back. He pulls away after a minute.

"I've been waiting to do that since we were teenagers."

You laugh at him, then pull him in for another kiss.

Shikamaru Nara

Shikamaru, being the lazy man he is, put off booking a room to stay in for so long that there was only a single room left st the inn.

You'd scolded him, and he took it, knowing he should've done it when he'd gotten the mission report.

The room was on the smaller side and contained only a single bed and dresser.

Neither of you were interested in sleeping on the floor for the next week, so you agreed to share the bed.

Something you wouldn't have done if you'd known Shikamaru was such a... uncharacteristically chaotic sleeper.

Seriously, he moved around more at night than he did during the entire day. Maybe it's all the pent up energy.

Within an hour of him knocking out, he was already sprawled out across most of the bed, leaving you two options: sleep on the edge or lay on him.

You tried to sleep in the bit of space he hadn't taken, really, but it seemed he was basically drawn to you.

You caved, allowing whatever was going to happen to happen, too tired to fight it any longer.

When Shikamaru eventually woke up, you were on his chest, one arm thrown over him and peacefully sleeping.

He got flustered and quickly tried to get out from under you, waking you in the process.

He was able to dart away without much suspension. Or at least he thought.

The next night was the same, minus the internal battle you'd had prior.

When Shikamaru woke up to the same dilemma, he decided it was best to fall asleep after you.

That night, he'd stayed awake under the guise of a mission report update for the Hokage.

You'd simply shrugged and gone to bed.

He followed when he was sure you were asleep, making sure each of you were on your respective sides of the bed.

He was surprised when he woke up with him on top you, head on your chest as if it was the most casual thing to happen.

He'd begin to stammer about, but stopped when you'd groaned.

"Settle down, would you?"

"I was just-"

"It's not that big of a deal, Shika, just go to sleep."

He listened to you, despite not understanding what was actually going on.

In the morning, he attempted to talk to you about it, but the conversation didn't quite go as planned.

"Yeah, you're a cuddler. Not much I can do about it, so it's whatever."

From then on, it slowly became more natural for your nights to get more personal, even once you'd gotten home.

[alixezae]

content includes: darkish content, unprotected sex, p in v penetration, overstimulation, breeding kink, pet names such as baby, pretty girl, good girl, sweetheart, choking but the sexy way, dirty dirty talk, fucked dumb!reader, cervix fucking, squirting, back scratching, slight dumbification, clit rubbing, soft sex, stomach bulge, fluff, angst, etc..

parings: gojo x reader, nanami x reader, geto x reader, sukuna x reader, choso x reader, kenjaku x reader, mahito x reader, yuki x reader, shoko x reader, toji x reader, shiu x reader, naruto x reader, sasuke x reader, reigen x reader, etc..

GOJO SATORU

“WELL, WE SHOULD PROBABLY FUCK, RIGHT?”

@kingkonoha

♡ — SUMMARY; you & gojo are both sealed away in the prison realm. with nothing else to do, you might as well start fucking, right?

────HEAVEN IN YOUR CHEST

@kizoken

♡ — SUMMARY; no summary just whiney gojo

“notice me senpai!”

@itachiiwrites

♡ — SUMMARY; Since Gojo canonly is into older women as well, I can't help but think of Senpai!Reader who's extremely flirty.

“HAVE YOU SEEN MY PANTIES?”

@coffee-and-geto

♡ — SUMMARY; in a lazy, hot summer afternoon, it’s your boyfriend’s turn to do the laundry. but why doesn’t he respond when you’re asking where’s your panties?

“What? You’re married? And you’re a dad?”

@kingkonoha

♡ — SUMMARY; Yuji finds out that 𝐆𝐎𝐉𝐎 has a family.

𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃, 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐎��𝐔 𐙚˙⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩

@fairy-angel222

♡ — SUMMARY; a day with your favorite person on earth leads you to a fancy hotel for one weekend.. where you finally give yourself to your boyfriend, Gojo Satoru.

I WANT TO KISS YOU / キスしたい

@arminsumi

♡ — SUMMARY; you and Satoru falling in love despite a language barrier.

LET ME MARRY YOU

@arminsumi

♡ — SUMMARY; The risk of dating you his too much for him to handle, so he breaks it off, only for him to come back to your doorstep years later and ask: "Let me marry you."

𐙚 I’D RATHER BE KISSING YOUR WAIST

@honoredalone

♡ — SUMMARY; gojo satoru is the strongest, but that didn’t leave him without his scars. internal and external. the biggest scar making him shy away, but that didn’t stop you from loving it.

GETO SUGURU

𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑!!!

@s0dium

♡ — SUMMARY; Never in your wildest dreams did you think you’d find out that your crush, Geto Suguru, was just like you: a murderer. Not only that but you share the same passion; killing criminals and pedophiles!

DOCTOR’S ORDERS, GIVE US SOME PRIVACY ! (FT. GETO)

@sonarspace

♡ — SUMMARY; what is a doctor without a nurse?

Horny Geto Suguru

@s0dium

♡ — SUMMARY; Geto Suguru cannot stop having sick fantasies about you

❝ PUFF , PUFF , FUCK ! ❞

@sugutiva

♡ — SUMMARY; riding suguru while he’s high .

HUSBAND SUGURU! + PREGNANCY ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

@slttygeto

♡ — SUMMARY; Husband Suguru! whom before you even got married, sat you down and mentioned to you how starting a family wasn’t something he was looking forward to. you know of his past, of the trauma he’s been through. he fully expects you to break up with him when he tells you that, knows how much you want to have a baby of your own, but you don’t. instead, you cradle him in your arms and tell him that you love him and appreciate what you have right now, not what you don’t even see in the picture.

love countdown!

@milkbobatyun

♡ — SUMMARY; it was the night before he left for okinawa, little did you know how much everything would change.

☆ R U GONNA STAY THE NIGHT?

@omgeto

♡ — SUMMARY; geto suguru, 'top dog' on campus, is used to ploughing through all the ditzy little freshmen without any concern for their feelings. but now his biggest challenge, is you, and it's not getting you in his bed, its getting you to stay in it.

RYOMEN SUKUNA

(TONGUE) TIED

@starmapz

♡ — SUMMARY; ❝ you can't possibly get home fast enough in the eyes of your husband who's been undressing you with his eyes all night. to his delight, he finds that you're just as eager as he is and feeling a little freaky, which means sukuna gets to pull out your collection of toys and ropes. ❞

Kinktober Day 4 - Brat Taming with Ryomen Sukuna

@getoslamb

♡ — SUMMARY; The air was tight in the luxurious chambers, thick with the underlying current of power and danger that came with being near Sukuna. You knew it all too well, and still, today you chose to push the boundaries. Maybe it was the way his attention had moved onto others, or maybe you just wanted to feel his power focused on you.

TASTING FEAR

@eclipseslayer

♡ — SUMMARY; The King of Curses sends out Uraume to fetch his new concubine to birth his heir, and, unfortunately, it happened to be you.

"Lust and Sin" - trueform!Sukuna

@fayesia

♡ — SUMMARY; Sukuna was a controlling ruler. He took over good to make it evil and was well aware of the mere sorcerors who kneeled before him, or death would await them.

𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙚!

@carebearbussy

♡ — SUMMARY; 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝… 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙟𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙪𝙠𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩.

MULTI CHARACTERS ¡! ← click here <3

SILKEN WEB

@chrollogy

♡ — SUMMARY; Hisoka’s ‘generosity’ allows Chrollo to fuck you in front of him after he’s seen the way the latter has looked at you. Though, the redhead cannot help but join in on the fun despite being the cuck—he has his ways, he always does.

THE BEACH ꔛ Reigen A.

@i4sgwr

♡ — SUMMARY; Using your beach trip as an opportunity to confess to your crush??? An unwise decision. alternative synopsis: Reigen confesses to you on the Spirits & Such beach trip.

More coming soon ↓

Creds: @mirru & @anitalenia

[bestruction]

Uchiha's symbol

Summary: You surprise him by wearing the clan's symbol

Warnings: a tiny bit suggestive

Sasuke stood near the door, pulling his cloak over his shoulders as he waited for you to finish getting ready. He was used to you taking your time, especially now that you were six months pregnant and fussier about how your clothes fit. Still, he wasn’t expecting you to walk out of their room in that.

The dress was a deep red, clinging to your curves in a way that left little to the imagination while still being elegant. It flared slightly around your hips, emphasizing your growing belly, and ended above your knees. Your hair was pinned back, exposing your glowing face.

You looked radiant, almost ethereal.

Sasuke's dark eyes trailed over your form, lingering on your belly before snapping back to your face. "You’re wearing that out?" he asked, his voice even, though his throat felt oddly tight.

You smirked at him, brushing past him to grab your bag. "Why not? You don’t like it?"

He didn’t respond, which only made your grin wider.

He liked it way too much to leave the house now.

"Wait," You said, stopping in the middle of the room. "You haven’t even seen the best part."

You turned slowly, holding your hair up so your back was fully exposed. That’s when he saw it—stitched onto the fabric, just between your shoulder blades, was the unmistakable red-and-white fan of the Uchiha clan symbol.

Sasuke blinked, his expression unreadable as his eyes fixated on the emblem. His silence stretched long enough for you to glance over your shoulder, suddenly feeling nervous.

"Do you... like it?" You asked softly, her voice almost hesitant.

He stepped closer, his fingers grazing the fabric of the dress just below the symbol. His touch was so light you barely felt it, but the weight of his gaze sent shivers down her spine. He never thought he would see someone else wearing this so proudly.

"People will glare at you on the streets," he said quietly, his voice softer than usual.

After everything that happened, the Uchiha name carried the curse of whispers around the village. Most people didn't agree with letting an ex-criminal wander around.

You nodded, turning to face him fully. "I wanted to show you that I’m proud to be part of your clan... our clan. And—" You glanced down at her belly with a soft smile. "—I wanted our baby to know it too."

Sasuke’s expression softened, a rare, tender look crossing his face. He reached out, his hands settling on your waist as he pulled her closer.

"You didn’t have to," he said, his voice low, but there was a warmth there that you didn’t miss.

"I wanted to," You whispered, standing on your toes to kiss his cheek.

He let out a quiet sigh, his forehead resting against yours for a moment before he pulled back slightly. "You look so beautiful," he admitted, his hands briefly caressing your bump.

You couldn’t help but laugh softly. "I’ll take that as your approval."

"Hn," he murmured, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. Then, with a rare playful edge in his tone, he added, "But you should probably wear a cloak over it or we won't leave the house so soon." He said sliding a few kisses on your jawline, right where it made you close your eyes.

You laughed again, swatting at his chest as he started pulling up the skirt of your dress. "Don't you dare, Sasuke Uchiha. I just got ready"

"You can keep the dress on" he replied simply, pressing a kiss on your neck. You felt your beck reach the wall and chuckled at how eager he was.

"Naruto is waiting for us." You reminded him and yourself, feeling your body get warmer by the way he caressed your thighs. He smirked at you and gently turned you to face the wall. Sasuke's gaze fell on the clan symbol on your back again.

His long fingers found its way to under your dress, raising the skirt enough to expose your panties. Honestly, he had to hold himself to not cum just by looking at you in that position with the fucking symbol of his clan on your back. It made some possessive part of his brain go insane.

"He can wait"

It's all he says before grinding his bulge on you, and yes, you two arrived in Naruto's house very late.

[badgalsasuke]

Something I love about Kishimoto's writing is how he subverted the soulmates trope for Naruto and Sasuke. A more basic writer would've made it too predictable and boring or too contrived as a retcon.

Kishimoto establishes in its most explicit form that Naruto and Sasuke are soulmates in chapter 671. The cover says it all; complementary colors (yellow/purple, green/red, orange/blue), Yin Yang imagery and text, Sun and moon imagery, Heaven and Earth text.

He had also already given us hints of the soulmatism between Naruto and Sasuke with the whole "my wind will make his fire stronger" stuff. Plus all the official art he made where he plays with perspective making Naruto and Sasuke adopt poses that are similar to the Yin Yang symbol.

However, what I like the most is how he subverts the trope: Naruto and Sasuke don't love each other because they're destined to love each other, quite the opposite, they love each other in spite of their circumstances and predecessors.

We look at their predecessors and hatred and lust for power triumphed over love. Ashura and Indra hated each other. Hashirama and Madara had more complex feelings but ultimately Hashirama chose Konoha over Madara and Madara chose power and hatred over Hashirama. One of them always ended up dying/killed by the other one, severing their bond. Naruto and Sasuke were supposed to go down this path, that's the way it always had been. But they chose not to. Naruto embraced this choice, Sasuke on the other hand had more issues accepting the choice his heart had already made years ago when he wasn't able to kill Naruto during the battle at the VoTE1.

Sasuke saw himself and Naruto when he looked at Hashirama and Madara have their last conversation before Madara died for good. Madara and Hashirama were never able to make amends and reconnect their bond, Madara dying with the words right in his mouth. This is what Sasuke had expected to happen betwen him and Naruto. Maybe he thought he would be able to kill Naruto or maybe he thought that at some point during the battle Naruto would finally give up on him and kill him sparing him from the pain of severing their bond, but none of that happened.

We look at the battle and Sasuke never had the resolve to kill Naruto. He closes his eyes when he's punching Naruto because he can't bear to look at the face of the man he loves, he can't bear that inescapable gaze.

We see Sasuke deactivate his sharingan when he's about to give his definitive blow and instead let Naruto beat him. He never had it in him to kill Naruto.

And we all saw during the arc of the Kage Summit how everyone begged Naruto to give up on Sasuke, to let them execute him and Naruto refused every single time.

Even during their final battle when it was Sasuke who was begging him to let him severe their bond he responded "sorry I can't do that because I'm your one and only".

A different man with a weaker resolve would've have given up on Sasuke, would have let others execute him for betraying Konoha or would have let himself be killed or would have had the mercy to kill Sasuke to spare him from loving each other. Instead they chose to not to because they put each other above everything else.

Here is where I'd like to bring back the "my wind will make his fire stronger" theme. Yamato had stated Naruto's wind overpowers Sasuke's lightning, I believe here is where Kishimoto is telling us subtly he's subverting the soulmates trope. Yamato stated the obvious: Naruto could kill Sasuke just like Ashura and Hashirama killed Indra and Madara respectively, and follow the natural course of their destiny as reincarnates. Two opposites going at each other until one of them falls. But then, to Yamato's surprise (and slight annoyance) Naruto declares he'd rather be the wind that makes Sasuke's fire stronger, very important to note it wasn't Yamato who mentioned it as an alternative, y'know like "well, your wind is overpowers his lightning but it can also make his fire stronger". No, it was Naruto who arrived to this conclusion himself, he was told he could overpower Sasuke but instead Naruto chose to be Sasuke's complementary that could make him stronger. Naruto chose to defy his fate.

Naruto and Sasuke were destined to meet each other and fight each other but they weren't destined to love each other, that was of their own accord.

Their love is a conscious choice not a prophecy forced upon them.

[sailornymph]

hihi!! may we have first kiss/first date hcs for some naruto men (your choice!)

i really like your writing, thank you for doing my previous request <3

cinnamon girl; naruto various

synopsis — first date with sasuke, shisui, gaara, kakashi

content warning — sorry for responding so late! your support is appreciated and thank you <3 i hope you don't mind that i went ahead and turned it into short pieces instead of hcs

♡ sasuke uchiha : first kiss

“i heard naruto and kiba talking about sasuke, he has officially moved back to konoha,” your best friend, hinata, told you.

“why are you telling me this, hinata?” you asked, as her face turned red. fidgeting with her fingers, she glanced at you.

“he asked naruto how were you,” she said.

“of course he did,” you frowned. he had some nerve, sure, he had his issues, but you were willing to support him through it all. you could easily let it all go, you were only children, when you began dating, but hearing how much none of you mattered to him, when he was with orochimaru wounded you.

waving at hinata as she entered the hyuga estate, you continued on your walk home. passing ichiraku’s ramen shop, you rolled your eyes, hearing naruto’s voice.

“was that y/n?” he asked, loudly. turning your head, you made eye contact with kiba before he moved his head back. they whispered amongst themselves when he revealed himself. sasuke uchiha approaches you in his usual dark apparel.

“y/n”

“sasuke,” you crossed your arms.

“would you like for me to walk you home?”

“you were going to do that anyway”

“not without your permission,” he shook his head, looking down. raising your eyebrows for a second, you were shocked. maybe hinata was right, he was actually on a road to redemption.

“i guess,” you mumbled, turning away.

“way to go, sasuke,” naruto cheered before he was shushed.

“i was told you asked about me,” you spoke up, as he silently followed you.

“it's been a while,” he answered.

“i wonder why”

“i’ve made mistakes, i am not proud of the path i’ve gone down, i'd like to make things right, including with you,” he said, shifting his eyes, his cheeks turning pink.

“i mean nothing to you, does that sound familiar?” he asked.

“yes,” he mumbled, unable to meet your eyes.

“you hurt me, all i wanted was you, i cried many nights, torn by what was said”

“i wish i could-

“did you mean it? those words you said that night?”

“i needed to hurt you, the best way i knew how, for you to let me go,” he admitted.

“but is that how you felt?”

“never, so many nights, i’d sit and think of when you'd visit me, bringing snacks or just to hang out. i missed you, but you couldn't go down the path i was headed”

“you're an idiot,” you sighed.

“i know,” he agreed.

“what have you been up to, since being back in the hidden leaf?”

“picking up missions, i actually leave in a few days, but i hoped we would run into each other before then”

“why?”

“so that i could…it’s nothing,” he said, continuing to walk you home.

in the comfortable silence, you felt stunned by the change in his character. he was mature, holding himself accountable, and he looked so handsome letting his hair grow.

“well, thanks,” you said, awkwardly, going to unlock your door. nodding, he turned to leave, as you faced him, watching as he left.

“hey sasuke,” you called out, taking big steps to get to him, as he turned around. practically leaping into his arms, you kissed his lips. instantly, his arm was around your waist, kissing you back.

“i wanted to take you somewhere when i return from my mission,” he confessed, as you pulled away.

“then it’s a date,” you nodded.

“see you then,” he whispered, watching as you turned to leaving, going back inside.

♡ shisui uchiha : first date

“there he is, he’s waiting for you,” your best friend, otsuni squealed, as you made your way into the uchiha compound. he leaned against a tree, talking to his friend, itachi when he suddenly looked your way.

feeling your face burning, you turned to otsuni, to avoid his gaze, but she only smiled at you.

“he’s coming this way,” she said, making you look. he said a few more words to itachi, the young boy nodding and walking away, as shisui approached you.

“y/n, how was the mission?” he asked.

“it was fine,” you shrugged as if you weren't screaming in excitement on the inside.

“i should get home, i’ll see you later, y/n,” otsuni said, waving.

“bye,” you said, before facing shisui.

“if i’m not mistaken, i was promised a date, when you returned,” he crossed his arms, a smirk on his lips.

“is that why you stood right by the gate? you were waiting for me?”

“what can i say, i’m excited,” he laughed, making your heart flutter.

“would you like ice cream?” he continued.

“sure,” you smiled, following him.

it felt like a dream, when shisui approached you, asking you on a date. you’d known him for as long as you could remember, being a part of the same clan, but you never associated with him. he had always been more advanced going on to become a jonin, while you remained a chūnin.

you didn't think he was serious at first, questioning his motives, but he reassured you, saying how you had been in his mind as of lightly and you wouldn't get out of his thoughts, so he figured he could give it a chance.

“when will you test to become a jonin?” he asked, suddenly.

“i didn't really plan to, i’m not a prodigy like you”

“but you have what it takes and i could help you”

“i don't know…”

“i think you will do great”

“you seem persistent about me becoming jonin”

“not persistent, but i think it would be nice to go on a mission or two with you,” he winked, as you both approached the counter. ordering your ice cream, you began to reach for your wallet, when he handed the girl the money.

“i could've paid”

“what kind of date would this be, if you paid,” he said.

“well…thank you,” you said, following him, as he went to sit at the picnic benches.

licking your ice cream, you moaned at the sweet treat. it hit the spot, as the sun shines brilliantly on you, even sitting under the tree. glancing at shisui, you stopped licking, noticing him staring at you, a grin on his lips.

“what is it?”

“you're so beautiful, i’d love to be your boyfriend, if you'd let me,” he said, reaching to wipe the ice cream from your cheek.

“it’s only the first date,” you raised your voice, your face burning in embarrassment.

“then i better leave a good impression,” he laughed, licking his ice cream, while staring into your eyes. god, this man was interesting.

♡ gaara : first date

wiping his palms on his leg for the millionth time, he lowly huffed. he was nervous, waiting for you to join him. much to his dismay, joy, you entered his office. gulping, he smiled softly, as you beamed at him.

“gaara, how has your day been?” you asked, opening the door, the lunch bag on your arm.

“i am fine,” his eyes widened at his voice cracking.

“that's great, are you ready to leave?” you asked, sitting down.

“one moment,” he nodded, standing to put on his kazekage cloak.

“h-how has your day been, y/n?” he asked, as he went to open the door for you.

“wonderful, i've been so excited for our date, i could hardly wait,” you said, making his face turn red.

“i didn't mean to make you embarrassed in any way,” you gasped, as he turned his face away from you.

“you're fine, i’m glad you’ve been having a good day,” he mumbled, as the both of you left his office. walking in a comfortable silence, you planned to go to a ramen shop, while he was on a lunch break.

as you began to walk, he slowed his steps a bit. you didn't notice, but he could see the curious stares from everyone. why were you even with someone like him? he was healing from his past, but he never thought he would end up with anyone until you moved to the village hidden in the sand. you spoke to him every morning, as he walked to the office, while you were on your way to the flower shop.

at first, he stared confusedly, as you smiled at him, waving while saying good morning, maybe you were speaking to someone else. then he finally built up the courage to raise his hand, waving back, his heart pounding as your smile widened. a potential new friend? he oftentimes let his mind drift to you and wondered if you wanted to be his friend. then one day, there was a knock on his office door, his secretary peaked in, telling him that he had a guest. suddenly, you made your entrance. you formally introduced yourself to him and told him you heard so much about him and you'd love to be his friend.

for months, your friendship blossomed, until you asked him to join you for lunch, as a date. hesitantly, he accepted, hoping this was not a prank, but you couldn't be more serious.

“i am starving,” you said, as you smelled the aroma of the ramen.

sitting across from gaara, your eyes scanned the menu, before telling the waiter what you wanted, watching as he wrote it on the ticket.

“what are you getting, gaara?”

“i am not hungry,” he said, making you pout.

“do you not like this place? we can go someplace else if you’d like,” you offered.

“no, i just don’t have much of an appetite,” he said, as you nodded furrowing your eyebrows.

“so tell me what is it like being kazekage?” you asked, excitedly. looking into his eyes, you see that he was glancing up, a few people giving him weird stares.

“hey, you have no idea how excited i’ve been for this date,” you smiled, reaching to touch his hand, getting his attention.

“i just-i don’t understand why you would want to be on a date with me,” he mumbled.

“you’re cute, the prettiest eyes and gaara, your heart is made of gold, what’s not to like? i don’t care about strangers looking at us weirdly, i just want to enjoy your company, can i do that?” you asked, smirking as his cheeks turned red.

“y-yes, that’s fine,” he blushed.

“great, will you order something now and stop acting modest, i was hoping that this would be the beginning of many wonderful dates,” you laughed happily as he nodded, waving for the waiter to come back.

♡ kakashi hatake : first kiss

‘i can't believe i’m late,’ kakashi stressed, as he made his way to the park. he was the one who brought up the free time in his schedule to spend with you. yet here he was, running late, with time working against him.

as he sped up his steps, he could see you coming into view. the sun was setting as you sat alone in the grass. you picked at the nonexistent lint on your dress, your fingers carefully turning the pages of the book.

“y/n, sorry i’m late,” he said, sheepishly, scratching his head, taking in how you looked physically relieved.

“kakashi,” you said his name breathlessly, closing the book.

“i didn't think i would end up so late”

“i understand, at least you made it,” you smiled.

“you look pretty, what are you reading?”

“thank you, and uh, romance, a friend of mine recommended it,” you blushed.

“you like romance?”

“not this one, he is in love with her and she can't see it, it's frustrating,” you sighed, looking up as you felt his eyes on you.

“what?”

“i can't look at you?”

“can i see your face, kakashi?” you whispered. discreetly, he looked around before, he lowered it a little, making you smile.

“you're very handsome,” you said, holding his cheek. not saying a word, he leaned forward, pressing his lips against your own. your finger going to his hair, and his hand snaking around your waist. moaning lowly, as he broke the kiss, pulling his mask up in the process.

“that was our first kiss,” you said, subconsciously leaning toward him, biting your lip.

“was it nice?”

“your icha icha reading has certainly paid off,” you laughed, as his face turned red.

“are you hungry? dinner is on me,” he offered, holding out your hand. accepting his hand, he pulled you close, hoping you wouldn’t notice the deep blush on his face. he couldn’t remember ever sharing such a lovely kiss with anyone.

[arabella0001]

Hiiii

Reminder for kakashi x foreign fem story

Please pls 🥺

finally FINALLY i finished

｡˚ fandom: naruto

pairing: kakashi hatake x reader

request scenario: kakashi is falling in love with a refugee civillian who doesn't speak konoha's language

cn: slow burn, lots of fluff, loss of virginity. over 6k words

༄

After the war, Tsunade was more than happy to hand over the Hokage position to Kakashi. Especially knowing just how much he didn’t want it. Tormenting him over and over again with mundane tasks—after all, she knew what it was like to have a mountain of paperwork stacked on your desk from morning to night.

As Kakashi skimmed through the documents, one finger pressed between his brows from stress, he sensed Tsunade’s presence before she even entered. It’s not like he didn’t already know the rhythm of her footsteps.

“What a lovely day to be Hokage, don’t you think, Kakashi?”

You followed her into the office slowly, hands folded in front of you, gaze slightly lowered.

“Ha-ha, really funny, Tsunade. Sure you don’t mind switching pla—”

But the words caught on his tongue as his eyes lifted—at first set on Tsunade—until he saw you, standing just behind her.

Tsunade gave him an almost wicked smile, bringing her hands together like she was about to applaud.

“Today, we have a new visitor. Or should I say… a new member of the village.”

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. Who are you?

He couldn’t quite see your face—not until you lifted it, leaving him utterly speechless.

No, he didn’t know you. Hell, there was no way he wouldn’t recognize you if he had. He didn’t think he’d ever seen a woman more beautiful. Your features were like something out of his grandmother’s stories about angelic beings—not quite human, radiating warmth with every graceful movement, mesmerizing without even trying.

But knowing his nature, Tsunade didn’t catch much of a reaction on his face (well, the half of it not covered by his mask), except for the slight widening of his eyes. She didn’t know that Kakashi’s cheeks had flushed with boyish embarrassment, mercifully hidden. Saving him.

And if his mind wasn’t already halfway to breaking, you started to speak—with a tone so soothing it felt like balm to his soul. He could’ve listened to it forever. Though, oddly, your intonation felt foreign.

You said simply, “Nice to meet you, Hokage.”

Kakashi responded almost instantly, voice flat but carrying a clear eagerness.

“The pleasure is mine.” A short pause. “Who are you?”

As your eyes were still locked on eachother , Tsunade couldn’t help but chuckle, barely managing to snap him out of the trance you’d put him in.

“Don’t get too excited yet, Kakashi. She’s a civilian refugee from the nearby forest. Got separated from her people after the war. She doesn’t speak our language.”

“What?!” Kakashi cleared his throat, his voice cracking slightly from how shocked he’d sounded. “Well… that’s a shame. I’ll make sure everything’s arranged so she feels at home here.”

Tsunade answered in a dismissive tone, heading for the door.

“Great. Because I’m leaving her under your responsibility anyway. I’ll only handle her training—her abilities are far too interesting to be taught by anyone other than me.”

But Kakashi didn’t hear anything past the first part. His responsibility? He couldn’t say he was unhappy to hear that. But his primal thoughts responded immediately: How the hell am I supposed to control myself around someone like you every day? Damn it, Tsunade.

You bowed respectfully before following Tsunade out of his office.

Only after you left did Kakashi sink back into his chair, head tilted up as he exhaled deeply, staring blankly at the ceiling.

༄

Kakashi had spent the past few days hunting for a book—any book—that could translate your language into theirs. Not that he cared about the reports piling up on his desk, now doubled in number thanks to his little quest. At least now he’d have a solid excuse when he inevitably asked Tsunade for help.

Or the fact that he’d spent more time reading about your origins than he had with his beloved comfort book, Icha-Icha. Which, frankly, was far more concerning.

He managed to carve out a break in his schedule and made his way toward your group. Kurenai was all smiles (and this time, it wasn’t just because Asuma was sitting beside her, toothpick tucked at the corner of his mouth—a habit he’d picked up to help quit smoking, something he’d promised Kurenai since she became pregnant).

No, her smile was clearly directed at you—you, dressed in something completely unexpected, completely contradictory to what Kakashi had imagined you might wear. A stunning, long dress that looked like it belonged to a fairy. Not that he was complaining—your training clothes, most likely chosen intentionally by Tsunade to distract him even further, already fit you perfectly.

The dark green, form-fitting outfit, complete with empty pockets likely meant for kunai (their weapons stock hadn’t been updated in a month), hugged your body like it was tailored for you.

He struggled to pull his gaze away from you—though you somehow sensed it immediately, your eyes turning toward him first as he approached with calm, measured steps.

Asuma gave Kakashi a slight nod of acknowledgment, accompanied by Kurenai’s warm greeting. Tsunade, hand on her hip, was the first to speak.

“Rough nights, huh?” she remarked, clearly referring to the exhaustion under Kakashi’s eyes—worsened ever since he began researching you far more than he probably should have.

Kakashi just shot her a warning glare, his expression friendly enough for public display, before she continued.

“Looks like our foreigner here has an inclination for medical jutsu. But also… brute force. Ironic, huh? Just like me and Sakura.”

The first one seemed fitting for you. But the second? He couldn’t picture you splitting the earth in two with a single punch. The more he learned about you, the deeper he dug himself into the pit of his barely-contained curiosity.

Still, his voice tried to remain neutral.

“That’s good news.” Then he added, “I found a dictionary translating her language into ours. We’re going to try teaching her to speak it… but also teach ourselves enough to show some respect for her homeland.”

He paused, collecting himself before finally meeting your gaze—those intense, difficult-to-hold eyes—and addressed you, a little uncertain, in your native language.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N. I hope we’ll get along well.”

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest—not just because you spoke back, but because you smiled for the first time. He didn’t think it was possible for you to be more beautiful… and yet.

You responded with a hint of excitement, your eyes sparkling sweetly.

“Nice to meet you too! I’ll do my best to become one of you. Thank you for welcoming me!”

Well, Kakashi thought, looks like I’m not the only one who made an effort to learn her language.

His eyes softened, reflecting your smile with one of his own—genuine, though subtle.

Neither of you noticed the way the others were watching, a knowing look in their eyes. It was like no one else existed in that moment—just the two of you, with a delicate thread of tension starting to form between your worlds.

But Tsunade had to ruin it, a playful disgust bubbling up inside her at all the sweetness.

“Well, my time here is up. Good luck with your teaching, Hokage.”

She tossed Kakashi a mocking look, while Kurenai and Asuma followed her out—sensing ttoo, that it was probably time to leave.

And in that moment, Kakashi felt just a little helpless, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly before turning to you again.

“Ahm… okay. Let’s find a more comfortable place before I introduce you to Konoha’s world. Come with me.”

You didn’t understand half of what he said—but the tone in his voice was enough for your feet to follow him without question.

༄

Kakashi couldn’t think of anywhere safer to take you than his office. Even though it feels a bit too intimate for him to share his personal space this much, he figures it’s necessary—if he really wants to help you.

“Ahm, tea?” he glances over his shoulder as he pours himself a cup of green tea, gesturing toward the teapot so you understand what he means. You nod in agreement, a small smile playing on your lips as you curiously echo,

“Tea?”

He quickly turns to pour you a cup too, a little flustered by how cute you are in your cluelessness.

He hands it to you while maintaining eye contact. You accept it with a smile. His lips press into a thin line as he awkwardly moves to sit in his chair, shrugging off his Hokage cloak—which he finds a little stupid sometimes wearing it.

He doesn’t realize you’ve had red ears since the moment you walked into the room.

He glances at you again, unsure where to begin. But your curious gaze manages to snap him out of the hypnosis your eyes creates..

“Right, so… we should start with language first.” He looks at you for a second before translating it into your language and writing it on a piece of paper with his pen. You can’t really see from where you’re sitting, and he notices.

“C-come closer.”

He gestures for you to sit next to him, but ends up standing and dragging your chair over himself.

Damn.

He realizes—too late—that this was a mistake. His suspicion is confirmed the second he catches a hint of your scent. Or maybe it’s just your natural smell. It makes him a little dizzy, but he composes his voice quickly.

“Here and here—” he says, circling the words he just translated on the page.

You respond with a short but genuine, “Okay.”

After a few hours, Kakashi managed to pretend your presence doesn’t affect him. His usual seriousness returned. You’ve made it past basic expressions and greetings, which is good. He noticed you have a strong memory—though he’d love to know what your real personality is like.

Though his stoicism came back and he’s no longer delusional about what he feels around you, something unusual for him, but, on your end—you’ve grown more observant.

Since meeting him, you’ve started unconsciously seeking him out with your eyes whenever he’s around, and his voice sticks in your mind more than anyone else’s. Of course, you never want to disrespect the Hokage, but still—it’s hard not to wonder what he looks like without the mask. Or even deeper: who he is beneath the mask and title. How the scar under his eye only intensifies his gaze, pulling you out of the present moment sometimes. Your thoughts always arrive at the same quiet, unwavering conclusion. “Beautiful.”

Which is why, by the end of the session, you’re a little distracted. You’re listening—but not really. You nod, but don’t fully comprehend.

Kakashi has started to pick up on your little reactions and expressions. His experience reading people—especially what they don’t say—helps too.

So when you go quiet, his brows furrow slightly. He flips through the dictionary, then starts speaking slowly but clearly:

“That’s enough for today. You look tired.”

Blink. Another blink.

Now you’re no longer spacing out—your cheeks flush, and Kakashi can’t tell if it’s because of how close you are to his face or because he caught you not paying attention, even though your eyes had been tracing every curve of his face.

“Sorry, I—I—”

You quickly get up, prompting him to stand too. You subtly wipe your sweaty palms on the tight, uncomfortable pants you’re still wearing from your intense training with Tsunade.

 Impressive woman, you think.

Kakashi watches as you move to the other side of the desk, bowing slightly, and say,

“Thank you!”

What surprises you is that you think you heard something like a chuckle from him. Oh, he should laugh more.

Kakashi speaks just as you’re about to leave:

“No worries. See you tomorrow.”

You at least understood the first part before stepping out of the room, not forgetting to give him a grateful smile.

After the door clicks shut and your footsteps fade, Kakashi lets out a breath, shoulders relaxing as he stands in the middle of the office, still facing the door you left through.

But somehow, now, it’s different—because he smirked. As he sets his ridiculously big hat down on his desk, his hair tousled in all directions, a thought settles in.

So I’m not the only one affected by your presence

༄

Today, Kakashi decided to show you the most sacred places in Konoha. First, he waited for you after your training with Tsunade, leaning against a tree with his arms lazily crossed.

It’s his day off, so his clothes are finally normal now.

Though “that black t-shirt without sleeves” distracted you instantly when you saw him from the training field. Your eyes avoiding him a little more, just to make sure it’s not obvious that his prominent muscles, painted by that red tattoo that makes him even more attractive, are affecting your brain chemistry. You don’t want to give the impression of unseriousness or, even worse, to behave inappropriately towards him.

It’s not easy for Kakashi either — he got to see a bit of your abilities. And seeing how your chakra-enhanced strength was acting was a true sight to witness. His eyes widened especially when your small fist landed a brutal hit into the ground — taijutsu really suits you. Still, he couldn’t stop his gaze when you bent down slightly to stretch your back after that hit.

Tsunade let out a theatrical sigh after how much work you did — meaning just giving you commands and pushing you to the limit — but she always loves to dramatize a little.

Her steady gaze, which defines her confidence in herself, settled on Kakashi as you both approached him.

“Day off, huh?” Looking him up and down before teasing him like she always does.

“Poor Kakashi, so little time for your disgusting books. What a shame you’ll miss out on Konoha’s streets.”

Kakashi let out just an annoyed huff — their sibling-like relationship sometimes gets the best of him.

“Wow, your observation skills are truly groundbreaking.” A pause. “Or not.”

Tsunade rolled her eyes at that, before he added:

“In fact, I don’t mind.”

Finally, looking at you and giving you a small smile before greeting you.

“Hello. Good to see you.”

It’s hard for him to choose the appropriate greeting expression in order not to overstep. So the words left his lips almost forced.

“Hey, Hokage-sama!”

You bow politely, while Kakashi slightly widens his eyes and waves his hands in disapproval, a bit embarrassed.

“Hah, no need for—”

Tsunade lets out a snort at that, tossing her ponytails over her shoulder with her usual assertiveness.

She didn’t bother to announce her leaving after seeing how you both act like teenagers — even if it’s quite a show — the slow build between you that she anticipated from the first time the lone wolf Kakashi laid eyes on you.

You’re not different either — women can tell pretty quickly when another woman has a thing for a man, you don’t even have to speak the same language.

༄

While you were both immersed in each other’s presence, your eyes sometimes slipped down to his body, which drew too much attention. You’re almost ashamed to admit you don’t want anyone else to see him right now or admire him. Not that he noticed anything, especially now, focused only on taking you to as many places as possible and explaining things.

“So … it’s … a …”

Your words start forming much better than before — he couldn’t help but feel a little proud of you.

“That’s …? Konoha Toshodokoro?

“Yes, indeed.”

Even though he talks more than you sometimes, somehow it helps you understand better. Hard to believe, but you actually managed to laugh together when he tried to show you how … it works, his hands miming clumsily — it was too funny how awkward he was, and for a moment you felt even closer to him.

Your laughter grew louder after he scolded you playfully:

“That’s mean, don’t laugh. I’m trying to help.”

But his smile (too big, though — he’s lucky it’s hidden) said something else.

Meanwhile, Genma and Kotetsu were leaning against a post from a common gathering spot in Konoha.

Genma sends a side-glance to his friend,  then returns with a sly smirk at how you two look together, laughing and walking on the streets like you’ve known each other for years.

“Well, well, well. Such a sight to behold.”

Kotesu accompanies him:

“A short trip sometimes needs a break. Right, Kakashi-san?”

Kakashi felt a bit annoyed when he got pulled out of the bubble he was in with you. Even though you didn’t mind, the smile was still intact on your face.

His usual demeanor brought back his rigidity.

“Hello, Genma and Kotetsu-san.”

After considering their suggestion to grab a drink before heading off — seeing how Genma nods toward the place — Kakashi speaks again:

“Maybe next time. Still, thank you for your offer.”

༄

A year and a half after the war, things in Konoha were slowly starting to return to normal.

Missions weren’t as frequent anymore, reports from other villages and management issues no longer gave Kakashi constant dark circles, and people seemed happier.

Or maybe it was just the two of you who felt that way more than others.

The truth is, for more than half a year since you arrived here, you managed to learn the language pretty well. Slowly, Kakashi realized that you’re a person impossible to avoid. You even managed to make contact with your family, but you firmly told them to come here after you.

He still doesn’t understand your reason for that, because you haven’t told him. He can only be glad that you’re staying here, but why?

Kakashi is a selfless man, not by choice. Life taught him to fight and help every time he could, but in the process, he sabotaged himself and never let anyone help him too much. Not that he necessarily thinks he doesn’t deserve it, but he’s no longer an optimistic person — not since he was very young — and he doesn’t expect miracles.

And this is where he’s wrong. But “luck” is on his side, because you’ve liked him since you arrived here. You can’t say it was just his appearance, you couldn’t even fully see him, since he was hidden — just like his soul.

It was because his energy warms yours, his kindness, his awareness of his surroundings, his choice of words, and the chemistry between you? It hasn’t gone unnoticed by others.

You’re not someone who hides behind things, your boldness starting to strike when Kakashi least expected.

If before you were afraid of being inappropriate, that concept doesn’t exist anymore. Especially once you realized it wasn’t just in your head.

While you were packing your gear into your training backpack, sitting on a tree stump, a few strands that slipped from your hair — though it was braided into two — clung to your face and made it hard to see.

Tsunade was just waiting for you to finish, her gaze had already drifted to the usual spot where Kakashi waited for you, immersed in his book, which he had kind of been ignoring these past few months.

“How long is this little theatre  you two are putting on going to last?”

You looked at her, squinting from the sunlight behind her, not understanding the expression.

“Theatre?”

“The play you’re putting on, with Hokage – student.”

You dodge the question, as expected.

“I think we are even friends now.”

Tsunade called your name and as you stood up, you maintained eye contact while she spoke.

“You know Kakashi likes you, right? You are a smart woman.” Sensing your dismissive retort coming, she didn’t let you speak. “Kakashi is different. He faced some terrible things and will never say it out loud or directly in order to not burden another person.”

You blinked at her, your soul starting to throb violently as she confirmed what your perceptions of him already were.

As a final note, she added, “Do what you want with this, it’s completely your choice. As a suggestion, what we all see here is that you two are alike and have a connection rare to find.”

You gulped, glancing distantly at Kakashi while he had already stopped reading, trying to figure out what’s taking so long.

Tsunade’s seriousness surprised you at the time. But it didn’t last long. When you admitted you liked him, she teased you almost every time.

Sometimes you think she created a monster. You. Because now, you act directly around Kakashi.

For example, you linger too much in his presence, you ask too many shady questions just to get to ask his opinion, you fix his hair if a leaf has landed on him. You insist on helping him with Hokage tasks even though he almost always refuses.

Which slowly kills Kakashi.

What shocked him the most was when you made him vulnerable in front of everyone during a meeting, exposing his sacrifice behavior and… his care.

While Kakashi was presenting the risky mission he said he had to personally undertake — even though arms supply management wasn’t his responsibility, even though many suspicions confirmed that intruders started stealing them and it led to distrust between villages.

Kakashi started speaking in that firm tone no one wanted to challenge — except, of course, Tsunade. But now, you too.

“I will go to assure the safety of the shinobi in that area. We need to find the persons responsible for this.”

And you didn’t think twice before daring to speak.

“As I read about Hokage responsibilities in the rules of council’s book (your pronunciation isn’t the best yet), this doesn’t seem like one.”

Kakashi’s attention shifted from Guy Sensei, who was definitely offering to come with him, to being fixed on you, slightly surprised.

“Not everything is written down. As a Hokage, you need to show people you care about their safety — and not from behind a desk.”

“Is it? Or is this your personal desire to carry everything on your own shoulders, like you’re used to?”

Everyone went quiet for a second. Until Tsunade, mockingly, gestured with her hand and said:

“A mission like this is insignificant compared to what Kakashi has been through.”

So you added, firmly, “If it’s so insignificant, I don’t think Hokage-sama himself would have a problem if I accompanied him. For his safety, of course, which is the priority.”

Asuma made a “tsk” sound with his toothpick in his mouth. As if to say indirectly, “She got you there, mate.”

Kakashi still kept his gaze on you — your angry expression interested him so much he dismissed the others in order to speak with you.

You sat back down, still a little upset.

Kakashi took off his Hokage robes, remaining in your favorite black clothes of his, putting his hands in his pockets and starting by saying your name to get your attention.

“Dare to say what happened?”

Your tone was slightly ironic, but there was more to it.

“Was I wrong?”

A pause.

“No.”

“So you don’t disagree with me coming as a guardian? Since my safety as a villager is more important than the Hokage himself?”

Kakashi was a bit surprised, though oddly, it seemed that when you’re angry, you speak better.

“You think I’m irresponsible.”

“No. I think your life is just as important as ours, not just because you’re Hokage. You’re important. And to me, as well.”

Kakashi felt like there was no air in his lungs when he tried to breathe again.

So you added, while walking out the door with determination:

“So from now on, you’re not doing things alone anymore, Kakashi. Not when I’m here. Unless you want to exile me from the village.”

You slammed the door a little, and that day and night, Kakashi spent hours processing the care behind your words. As if a small door in his well-protected soul had opened, and you’d stepped right through it.

For the first time since he was born, his instinct was to make a “selfish” decision and accept you in his life. But he still doesn’t know how.

༄

Since then, you made Kakashi realize he wasn’t alone anymore. Not just the kind of alone where you’re not surrounded by people—but the kind that settles deep in your soul.

You’d started spending time together outside of training, outside of missions. You carved yourself a quiet little space in his office. Rumors, of course, began to spread about how much time you two spent together, but everyone could see it—this was the best thing that could’ve happened to Kakashi.

Now, the two of you were buried in your books. You were still reading historical texts about Konoha—its language, its traditions—while Kakashi sighed behind his desk, flipping through today’s mission reports.

You peeked up from your book with a small smile.

“Need help?”

But Kakashi waved a dismissive hand without even looking up, too stressed to bother responding. You walked closer, placing your hand on his desk and leaning in.

You tilted your head slightly, watching the tension in his furrowed brows. Kakashi paused just long enough to glance at you out of the corner of his eye before going back to his work, clearly trying not to focus on how close you were.

“You can’t help, don’t worry. Just some mundane, meticulous Hokage stuff,” he mumbled mostly to himself. “I don’t know how Tsunade ever dealt with all of this.”

You chuckled quietly and replied with a grin, “I’m pretty sure Shizune was the one forced to do most of it.”

He huffed. “Most likely.”

Kakashi looked at you again, and his eyes betrayed him for just a moment—scanning you, lingering just a second too long.

You felt your cheeks flush, subtly tucking some hair behind your ear as you shifted and hopped up to sit on the edge of his desk, facing him.

Kakashi leaned back slightly in his chair and gave you a teasing look.

“Highly inappropriate for a shinobi, dear.”

You smirked. “Lucky for you, I’m basically your qualified assistant at this point, considering how much time I spend in here.”

Even if you let the bold words slip out, your hands were a little sweaty as you nervously fiddled with the edge of your short skirt, which barely covered the tight training shorts beneath.

He noticed. Of course he did.

“As your qualified assistant, is your job to motivate the Hokage… or distract him?”

You leaned in just a little closer, smile widening as you feigned innocence.

“Oh, I assure you, my intentions are entirely pure. I’m only here to encourage the village leader. Don’t tell me I’m distracting you?”

Kakashi shook his head, half in disbelief, half amused. He cleared his throat before replying.

“What am I going to do with you?”

Your eyes locked with his, full of unspoken meaning. Something deeper passed between you—something warm, quiet, and magnetic.

༄

The next week bring more promises ahead.

It was a normal spring day, the kind where everything felt a little more hopeful when you looked around and saw cherry blossoms swirling over Konoha. You’d all decided to go out for drinks and catch up.

You sat between Tsunade and Shizune. Asuma and Kushina were chatting nearby, not separated from the group but in their own little corner. Guy-sensei—whom you adored for how much he inspired you to work harder—was arguing with Kakashi over something ridiculous, as usual, while Iruka laughed along. Kotetsu, Genma, and Anko were too busy racing to see who could down a shot the fastest.

“Kakashi, my man, why can’t you accept defeat for once?” Guy’s eyes were red from laughing, his wide grin only making Kakashi roll his eyes as Guy shook him by the shoulders.

“Guy, please. For the millionth time—you were the one who lost—”

You cut in, feigning a shocked gasp. “That’s a lie! I saw Guy-sensei land the final strike!”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at your blatant betrayal, while Tsunade tossed back another shot with a smirk and Shizune giggled sweetly.

Guy’s eyes sparkled dramatically.

“See, Kakashi?! She recognizes true effort and extraordinary talent!”

Kakashi shot you a teasing look before turning back to Guy, pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh.

“Okay, okay. You win. My ego is so crushed—I think I need to step outside and recover.”

He got up with exaggerated exasperation, shooting you a short, private glance over his shoulder before heading out.

You couldn’t help but grin wider as Tsunade nudged you lightly, pretending to cough.

“Right… W-Well… Excuse me for a second, I need to use the bathroom.”

Guy gave you a thumbs-up, totally buying your excuse. The others were too distracted to notice—except the girls. Even though Kushina was clinging to Asuma, she didn’t miss it. She exchanged a knowing glance with Tsunade and Shizune.

You didn’t bother taking the long way to make your lie believable. You walked straight outside and found Kakashi leaning against the bar wall, clearly waiting.

You brushed off a speck of nonexistent dust from your dress. The colors you wore mirrored the season—a pale pink and white kimono tied lazily with a floral sash that framed your figure and bared the skin above your chest, where the curve of your breasts pressed against the short, fitted dress beneath. The gold chain around your neck held a sun-shaped pendant—the one they gave you on your one-year anniversary as a shinobi of the village.

You’d never forget Kakashi’s gentle hands pushing your hair aside to clasp it for you. It might’ve looked like a casual moment to anyone watching, but both of you had felt your hearts about to burst out of your chests.

You stepped beside him, leaning against the wall with your shoulder.

“Sobering up a little?” you asked with a soft smile.

“Not much of a drinker,” Kakashi replied. “Sorry to disappoint.”

His eyes drifted across your face… and then, slowly, down your body. He didn’t bother hiding it. Maybe the alcohol had lowered his guard a little.

“You look beautiful tonight.”

You bit your lip, shy, glancing down before lifting your gaze with an honest smile.

“Thank you. You’re not so bad yourself.”

He shook his head and looked forward again. “You always dodge compliments.”

You chuckled. “And you always deflect them.”

“Guess we’re a match.”

He meant it teasingly at first—but both of you froze for half a second, eyes widening at the implication.

A pause.

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Right. We should go back in. The wind’s getting rougher and you could catch a cold—”

“No.”

He turned to you quickly, swallowing hard, searching your face for an answer.

“I don’t think I can wait any longer.”

He looked confused. “Wait for what? Did something happen?”

You shook your head, closing your eyes as your heart pounded against your ribs. You exhaled shakily, trying to steady yourself.

“No, it’s just—Kakashi.”

You looked at him—really looked. He froze.

“Kakashi, I like you. I’ve liked you since I met you.”

Did you really just say that? Or did he imagine it? That couldn’t have—

But when he saw your face again—your flushed cheeks, your shaky breathing—he felt his heart almost stop.

“Are you sure you know what that means—?”

You cut him off. “Kakashi. Yes, I’m sure.” Your voice was firmer now, tinged with frustration. “I thought I wasn’t the only one feeling this. But maybe I read it wrong. If I did, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable—”

You started to turn away—but he caught your arm. In one swift motion, his other hand slipped behind your back, and before you could blink, he’d pulled his mask down and kissed you.

Your eyes widened for a moment before closing, melting into how soft his lips felt against yours.

Kakashi kissed you slowly at first, savoring every second, until your fingers tangled in his hair and you tugged gently. His mouth parted—and at the same time, you both deepened the kiss.

His tongue met yours, the taste of you overwhelming in the best way. All the tension, all the feelings he’d buried—it poured out in that kiss. Especially when you let out a soft gasp between kisses, making him lose control for just a second.

He didn’t want to rush. He didn’t want the moment to be tainted by tipsy bravado, so when he finally pulled away, he kept one hand on your cheek and rested his forehead gently against yours.

You were both breathless, staring into each other. Vulnerability shimmered in your eyes. There was so much there—too much to name. Your ears were ringing, your vision blurred from unshed tears.

“Kakashi…”

“Yes,” he replied with the same intensity, his thumb softly brushing your cheek. “I—I feel the same. In case I haven’t made that clear enough.”

You smiled so wide your cheeks hurt. “You made it very clear.”

He nodded, finally stepping back, placing his hand on the small of your back to guide you toward the door.

“Let’s go back in. I can’t use the wind as an excuse anymore.”

You laughed quietly as you let him guide you, eyes still glowing with love—and you never once looked away from him.

༄

There hadn’t been any more hesitations since then. Even though Kakashi had always been careful to make you feel as comfortable as possible.

He avoids openly affectionate gestures in public, but he stands just a little closer to you—his presence a quiet shield.

Kakashi as Hokage makes quiet mornings more peaceful. He hands you a perfectly brewed cup of tea without a word, grounding you with his presence alone.

He insists on walking you almost everywhere, especially after work, brushing it off with a simple, “It’s on my way,” even though it's clearly not.

He notices your favorite flowers and sometimes surprises you with one, leaving it where he knows you'll find it.

He sits with you under the stars after a long day, offering advice only if you need it—just that silent comfort that he’s here, and he always will be.

But something is missing. With not much experience, you struggle to find what exactly it is...

You both walk through the village together, the lantern lights casting a soft orange zigzag glow over the street and the breeze pleasant against the heat of an overly hot summer day.

You’d bought yourself a fan from a stall in the village center, waving it dramatically while already crying a couple of times—but Kakashi was only amused by your frustration. Your pouty expression was too cute to him.

He couldn’t help but glance occasionally at the slight curve of your cleavage, brought out by the heat, a bead of sweat slipping between them.

But you? You’d started feeling insecure, not aware of his thoughts—not that you had any experience. You didn’t know if Kakashi respected you too much, or maybe… maybe you just weren’t compatible?

Was your lack of experience that obvious? Did it not excite him? You didn’t know what to think… especially today, when your thoughts were more tangled than usual. Not that you were trying to get his attention—but you'd woken up earlier just to pick your favorite dress. The first one he ever saw you in, a year ago. Your hair was softly wavy from the braids you did the night before, and a subtle line of soft blue eyeliner hugged your eyelids. And yet, you felt like you’d just finished three hours of intense training with Tsunade, in yesterday’s clothes. Because Kakashi didn’t seem to react at all. But he noticed. Like he always do.

As you stared blankly ahead, slightly tilted down, he gently nudged your shoulder.

“Hello? Is somebody here?”

You looked up suddenly, as if snapped out of your thoughts, then smiled—though it didn’t quite reach your eyes.

“A-ah! Haha, She's away for a minute. Lemme check in the back for you.”

Kakashi smiled back, but it's not like you could fool him, the one of the best lie detectors alive. Still, he didn’t push. Not until you reached your favorite spot—by the little fountain, where you sometimes picked wild yellow flowers while he likes to enjoyed the sun barefoot. Little moments when he actually relax. But is besides you.

But when you sat on top of a small mound of stones—placed by Kakashi during your last visits so you’d be more comfortable—he didn’t hesitate to break your usual routine. A strand of hair was gently tucked behind your ear by his fingers as you squinted at him, eyes narrowed from the sun, until he moved to block it with his body.

“Tell me. What’s weighing on your heart, darling?”

You let out a breath, half a scoff, half a laugh—because he always knows. Always, even when you don’t have the words.

“Fear.”

“Of what?” His reply was immediate, his gaze unwavering.

It took a moment to find the right word or the courage to say it.

“That we’re not right for each other.”

Kakashi furrowed his brows slightly, trying to ignore the pang that hit his chest.

“Why would you say that?”

You looked at him for a second before turning your gaze away again.

“I don’t think you feel the same way I feel about you.”

Kakashi blinked a few times. That didn’t make any sense. Did I miss something?

“What do you feel for me that I don’t?”

“Desire.”

You answered quickly—because if you didn’t say it now, the tension in your heart might crush you.

Kakashi didn’t move for a few seconds.

He bent one knee, just to see your face better, which you were trying to hide.

“You’re trying to tell me I’m not attracted to you?”

Your lips pressed together, nervous, and Kakashi didn’t look away this time.

“It feels that way.”

And that’s when he realized. He’d made a mistake. He’d always feared he’d be seen as some frustrated, sex-obsessed jerk. Less of a man if he ever let himself show what he truly wanted.

He lowered his head to breathe, voice muffled slightly by his posture.

“Wrong.”

You didn’t understand, but didn’t have time to be confused.

“What did—”

Kakashi swept you off your feet then, making you laugh from sheer surprise, your hair falling halfway over your face. “Kakashi, what are you doing?” Your arms wrapped around his neck as he took two steps before taking off into the air.

You felt your heart pounding louder than your thoughts, pressing harder into his chest as you flew. To his place? Yours? You didn’t care. Not really. You just anticipated the moment, even if you didn’t understand—Why only now?

Kakashi had one goal now: to calm down, and unravel slowly if possible the desire he’d held in since the first day he saw you. A smirk formed under his mask at the thought that you were finally about to find out what kind of man he really is.

When you arrived at your place, he didn’t even let you down to open the door—he’d already memorized your entrance seal.

Only once inside did he let you down gently, but the distance between you didn’t grow.

“I’m sorry,” he said, as your eyes met his—just for a second, before they fluttered shut when you felt his lips on your neck. Between the burning kisses, his voice grew slower. “I’m sorry I ever made you feel that way.” His hands ran slowly down your back, tracing the seam of your dress before sliding down to your leg and lifting it, drawing you in closer. “But that’s nothing more than a wrong impression.” His last word landed right as his lips met yours.

Your mouth opened immediately to welcome him in, a low hum of pleasure escaping him that made you burn—especially somewhere unfamiliar.

His hand gripped the back of your neck, deepening the kiss, and the sound you let out was so sweet it made him squeeze your thighs even harder.

When he pulled away just to let you breathe, you admitted shyly,

“I’ve never…”

“I know,” Kakashi reassured you softly, and that was part of why he’d avoided getting close like this—he didn’t want to scare you. His breath ghosted along your spine as he leaned to whisper in your ear, “We’ll only do this if you want to.”

If you weren’t sure before, his low, rough voice was enough to make your legs tremble. You could only nod and Kakashi could already feel the effect he had on you.

Fuck.

He looked into your eyes for a second too long—maybe just to calm himself—before moving behind you to undress you gently.

His fingers traced slowly over your hot skin, and goosebumps bloomed in their wake, down to the zipper that he lowered slowly, the dress slipping off your hips.

He returned to face you, kneeling until he was level with your stomach, slipping the dress from your body. You were left only in your underwear, but Kakashi never looked away from your face, making sure you were still with him.

“Can I?”

Your voice came out raspier than expected.

“Y-yes.”

He nodded, his gaze finally settling on the part of you he’d shamefully dreamed of more nights than he could admit.

They say fantasies are better than reality. That’s a lie. He doesn’t think he’s ever been luckier than in this moment.

His hand slid between your legs, gently parting them. His lips kissed everywhere, starting inside and outside your legs. And when he felt how soaked your panties already were from just his touch—your legs nearly gave out at his lips touching the fabric over your pussy.

He rose, trailing kisses all over your body, one hand unclasping your bra. Your hair covered your nipples, barely.

His breath grew heavy as he looked at you, his hand cupping your cheek. “You’re so beautiful.” He lifted your face and kissed you again.

As you feel too shy to be standing fully naked in the middle of the room, you urge him with a whisper.

“You too need-,” Your hands removed his mask completly, then his black shirt, your fingers trailing down his toned muscles before reaching his pants. Kakashi decided that was enough—he took your hands and gently pushed you onto the bed’s edge, kneeling between your legs again.

You led him in. At this point, you didn’t even have coherent thoughts left. He was a sight to behold. So beautiful.

Your trembling legs made Kakashi smirk wider as he pulled your panties down slowly. But you couldn’t look away. And neither could he. He let out a soft gasp when one finger parted your glistening folds and circled your clit slowly.

You moaned with flushed cheeks—and just as your legs started to close, he pinned them down.

“Mhm.” His teasing voice quickened your breath. But once his mouth found your pussy, your head dropped hard onto the bed.

You couldn’t believe you’d missed out on this until now.

For Kakashi, your taste was all he could focus on. He licked and kissed you with such hunger he almost didn’t notice how hard you were trembling—until your louder moans pulled him back. Your eyes met his, and that alone made you come, your first time, on his tongue.

He hadn’t expected it to be so fast. Neither had you. The pleasure overwhelmed you, and Kakashi let you squeeze his face between your thighs as his tongue gently cleaned you off.

He rose over you slowly. Your dazed, fucked-out expression was mesmerizing. You both laughed softly.

“We’re not done, sweetheart.”

You swallowed just before he kissed you again, and the new taste on your tongue made your cheeks burn again—realizing it was yours.

“K-Kakashi.”

His cock twitched at your needy stutter.

“Yes?”

“Can y-you—”

Your hand moved over his cock through his pants. It didn’t feel small. At all. You were a little scared—it felt big.

“Of course.” He took off his pants—but it still wasn’t enough. But Kakashi didn’t want to rush. He had to prepare you. “Shh, let me.” Hearing you whine in his neck, he sped up just a bit, slipping one finger in gently. “Tell me if it’s okay, okay?”

You only nodded, keeping eye contact, mind focused on the foreign sensation as his finger pushed in. It wasn’t as painful as you thought. You gasped at the slight pain, but that was it. The feeling eased and Kakashi was watching you closely as your breathing quickened and your hips started to move.

“Oh my—”

He silenced you with a kiss, swallowing your moans as a second finger entered you. Pushing harder, your thoughts blurred, reduced to pleas.

“P-please, please, please—”

“You’re gonna come again for me? Yes, sweetheart?” Kakashi groaned as your tears stung your cheeks, your nods frantic.

Your body convulsed on the mattress, mouth opening to release a long cry.

Kakashi left kisses all over your face and neck, drawing out your orgasm until his fingers left you.

As you caught your breath, you watched him take off the last of his clothes. Your eyes widened, but Kakashi reassured you before positioning himself.

“I’ll go as slow as you want.”

And he kept his word. You bit your lips so hard they nearly bled as he pushed into you. You felt so full—and he wasn’t even halfway in.

“Sweetheart?”

He looked a little worried at your expression, until you encouraged him.

“Keep going, Kakashi. Please.”

The rumors were true. It hurt. Like hell. But after? No one warned you how it would feel after. Or maybe it only felt this way with him.

Once his movements found a rhythm, hitting that one spot that left you breathless, especially when Kakashi noticed and didn’t stop—

“Kakashi, it feels so good, so good—”

Kakashi agreed. He tried to focus on anything else—your pleasure, your face, the wall behind you—just to keep from coming the second he entered you. He’d never felt anything like this.

“Yes?”

“Y-yes yes!! Please, please kiss me—”

He kissed you immediately, the kiss messy from how he hit inside you, your tongues battling, desperate to consume the other.

That same sensation built again, especially when Kakashi lifted your leg to go deeper. Your moans turned to cries.

And when you came again, so hard, it took everything in him not to pull out. You clenched so tightly, Kakashi didn’t last much longer. But before he could pull out—

“N-no, no! Please—in me, Kakashi!”

And how could he say no to that?

A deep groan escaped him as he filled you completely, so much it spilled down your thighs.

Not that you noticed. You both had only looked at each other the whole time.

He stayed over you for a while, catching his breath and your hand instinctively running through his hair.

Then he cleaned you off gently, moving you onto his chest. His fingers ran through your hair, caressed your cheeks as you smiled nonstop.

“So I was wrong,” you murmured.

He chuckled.

“Definitely.”

Your smile stayed, then your expression grew serious. He tilted his head slightly, waiting.

“I love you, Kakashi. A lot.”

His heart beat harder. He knew. Or hoped. But it had always been hard to accept someone loving him. And just as hard, saying it back. But now, it came naturally.

“I love you too, as much.”

Your insides tingled, hugging him tightly.

And Kakashi didn’t think he’d ever slept better than he did that night—something he’d only admit to you long after. About half a year later, by the time he was already planning to propose. He didn’t want to waste another second, knowing that kind of luck would never come twice in his life.

[sweet1delusi0ns]

Nicknames you call naruto boys ──☆*:・ﾟ

Characters: Naruto🦊,sasuke🗡️,kiba🐺, shikamaru🀄️,shino🪲,neji🎋,Lee🥋, choji🍥,gaara⏳, kankuro🪆

Bold is them~

Fem!reader

Naruto🦊-*

You mostly call him darling or handsome, but sometimes you call him foxy just to tease LOL. At first he was flustered by darling n stuff but soon got use to it, but he never expected the name “foxy” to appear farther along into your relationship

“Y/nnnn! How does my hair look?? I’m trying something new do you like?” “I think you look great foxy!” He stopped for a solid 10 seconds before responding “ah…. Heh… are you making fun of mee?” “No I’m callin you foxy cuz your a fox!” “Literally?” “No I’m calling you hot, foxy means attractive silly” Again he paused trying to understand what is happening. “SHE THINKS IM HOT!” He hopes he said that in his head

Sasuke🗡️-*

You call him literally any meaningful name he will either be like “whatever” or about to cry, just depends what you call him. You can call him babe/sweetie/honey or whatever and he wouldn’t react but he will break if you call him “baby boy” he has issues but you can fill that void for him.

“Sasuke, let’s go to bed” “I mustn’t y/n. I’m far too busy, I will be in bed in three hours. Promise” you grab his hand stopping him from walking out the door “baby boy please. I worry about you… let’s go to bed” you can feel his hand twitch in yours, he turns to meet your eyes. His face visibly softens almost to a sad expression. “Yes, darling. Ok…”

Kiba🐺-*

Love, baby, good boy and puppy. Puppy for obvious reasons, I’ve said it before when he gets tired he wants your attention 100%. he wants to cuddle and talk literally anything as long as he has your attention, and the cherry on top is when you call him puppy. Throughout the day you call him nicknames like “Kiba baby, can you hand me my bag” or “love your going to be latee!” but puppy is only for special moments

He was irritated over god knows what and all he wanted was to cuddle so that’s what he gets! “I’d be irritated too Kiba now come hereee” “thank god! I just need some private time with you..” instantly climbed into your lap to sprawl out “of course! We can cuddle all you need puppy” you can see the dumb smirk growing in his face as he giggles like an idiot while growing red

Shikamaru🀄️-*

You guys share the same nicknames with each other so you call him things like dear and sweetie. He’s very chill with nicknames but he does find them adorable especially when they come from you.

“Shika?….Shikamaru??? sweetie?… DEAR!!!?” “WHAAAAAAATTTT” “DONT SASS ME IM TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION!” “SORRY….what?” “I love you~” “god your such a pain… love you too”

Shino🪲-*

Bug boy LOL. Yes bug boy but also sweetheart mostly! He barely reacts to things you do but every now and then you can catch a little smile on his cute face~

“Sweetheart~” “yes love bug?” “Have I ever told you how cute you are?” “Ah…uhm..no you haven’t, thank you” you giggle “I can see the smile!” he quickly tucks into his shirt once he realized he has been caught

Neji🎋-*

Let’s be honest. He’s pretty. So the name must  acknowledge his prettiness pretty boy! He always thought the name was silly “why not handsome boy?” “Because your pretty? I mean you are handsome but pretty boy is cuter!”

“Where you headin pretty boy?” “Out for a walk, care to join?…again with the silly name y/n?” “Sure I’ll join, and yes again with the silly name I’ll never stop until you love it!” He stopped responding just to talk to himself “little do you know I do…” he whispered

Lee🥋-*

He’s chooses the nicknames honestly. He’s just a ball of excitement when it come to your relationship. He’s on top of communication so nicknames were talked about at the beginning.

“Oooo can my nickname be honey bun!!! OH or maybe perfect, loving, amazing, handsome boyfriend!” “Well that’s to long for a pet name uhm.. how about just handsome, honey and love?” “AH PERFECT!” He reacts clapping his hands together

Choji🍥-*

You are very very special to him so you are the only one he lets call him big boy, because he knows that you NEVER mean it in a insulting way. In fact you mostly use it as a flirt~ along with sweetie or buds!

“God I could just eat you up big boy~” or “sweetie pie your lookin handsome today!” He is very anxious and insecure sometimes so you gotta make him feel like the hottest man in your eyes~ some times he just lays on your chest listening to all your praises and compliments

Gaara⏳-*

He doesn’t care what you call him he just appreciates you no matter what. But you decided rose would be perfect~ not just because his hair is red but you also find him as beautiful and perfect as a budding rose

“Rose can you hand me my water” “am…I rose?” You giggle “yes Gaara!” “Oh. Thank you y/n!” He flashes a smile “Aw I love you Gaara~” “I love you too..”

Kankuro🪆-*

He doesn’t care what you call him but he does find it a little hot if you call him a “bad boy” but that rarely ever happens, mostly it’s just darling, sexy or handsome (he likes compliments ok)

You can observe him applying his makeup so you can chime in “your a handsome one arent ya?” “I know right~” “ok bad boy, calm down with your cockiness-” “Mmmm call me that again~” “ok I’m leaving moment ruined.” He’s so annoying and cocky but we love him

[yvesssssssss]

omg i love all ur works so muchh! i recently came accross ur blog and I'm OBSESSED! ur writing is so beautiful, its like u completely understand people's requests :)

i have a request :,) can you please do one on how nagumo would react if u were on a date and suddenly u meet ur ex bf and he keeps on hitting on you and says hes better than ur current bf? u can add other characters if u want ilyy!!

Ex drama with nagumo

Thank you! I’m so happy you enjoy the writing! Your support means a lot!(⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

You were just trying to enjoy your spicy miso ramen in peace.

Nagumo was across from you, stirring his bowl with his chopsticks like a five-year-old who didn’t want to eat vegetables. He had already stolen your boiled egg, and you were this close to stabbing him with a toothpick when—

“Y/N?”

You froze mid-bite. That voice. That familiar, irritatingly smug voice.

You turned slowly. There he was. Your ex. Walking toward your table like he was on a red carpet. Collared shirt half-unbuttoned. Sunglasses on indoors. Hair gelled within an inch of its life.

“Wow,” he said, looking you up and down. “Didn’t expect to see you. And with… this guy?”

Nagumo looked up with a mouth full of noodles. “Mmm?”

“This your boyfriend?” the ex asked, scoffing. “I mean, really? You used to have standards.”

You were about to respond, but Nagumo held up a hand and swallowed dramatically. “Wait, wait, hold on.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Babe, is this the ex that cried when you beat him at Mario Kart?”

Your ex’s jaw dropped. “That was ONE TIME.”

“Also the one who thought Naruto was a real person?”

“OKAY, WE ALL HAVE MOMENTS.”

Nagumo leaned on the table, smirking. “And this is the guy who said ‘I could totally take a trained assassin in a fight’… while watching a movie about trained assassins… in tears.”

Your ex turned beet red. “At least I’m not some sketchy dude who carries around a Swiss Army knife like a pocket-sized serial killer.”

Nagumo’s eye twitched. “First of all, it’s a multi-tool. Second of all…”

He pulled it out of his jacket and dramatically flicked out twelve blades at once like some circus performer doing a death-defying trick.

“...you’re lucky I’m in a good mood.”

Your ex slowly backed away like he’d just seen a raccoon with a switchblade.

“Y/N,” he said, hand over his heart. “If you ever want to come back to someone normal—”

“Bro, I watched you cry because your croissant didn’t have enough filling,” you deadpanned.

He fled the scene.

Nagumo sat back, proud, blades still twinkling in the light. “Sooo... does this mean I win?”

“You win nothing.”

He grinned. “Except your heart.”

You threw a napkin at him. He tried to block it with his multi-tool. He missed.

Taglist: @shenwi @astronomyloveraster @yokaistirfry @shineinouzen15 @cjafjatkstke @starizzm @imightgoinsane @istillremembermissamericana @ilovewhattatops @elorajelaaa @takenbyacircle @ilylmwwifys @empty-void-of-dreams

Hey lovelies! Just a heads up—if you'd like to be added or removed from the taglist, now's the time to let me know! I don't want to flood anyone's inbox unnecessarily. 🫶

Drop a comment or send me an ask if you'd like to be added/removed!

Thank you all so much for being here! You all are the best!🫶🫶

[shigiaki]

Not My Girlfriend part 2

Part 2 :] Sorry for late update! enjoy!! (sorry for grammar issues)

You finally arrived at Sasuke's apartment, right on time. Nervous and unsure of what to expect, you sent him a message letting him know you were outside. Following his instructions, you wore something low-cut and short—a white dress paired with sneakers, opting against heels to keep it from feeling overdone. You took extra care with your hair and makeup, ensuring everything was just right, and made sure you smelled amazing.

You

Im outside

Sasuke

come up room 307.

You opened the glass door and stepped inside the building, quickly spotting the elevator. As you pressed the button for the third floor, your mind wandered to him. What were you two going to do? What if it became intimate? You told yourself you were willing to do whatever it took to make them pay, but deep down, fear crept in. You weren’t sure what to do or how to react.

It felt like forever being inside the elevator. The moment the soft ding sounded, signaling the doors opening, your heart skipped a beat. Stepping out, you quickly glanced in both directions, scanning the apartment numbers to find the one closest to what he had told you.

You made your way down the hallway, finally stopping in front of his door. Taking a deep breath, you hesitated before knocking. No response. Just as you were about to knock again, the door suddenly swung open.

A tall figure stood before you—dark, wet hair clinging to his face, sweatpants hanging low on his hips, his bare chest still damp. His sharp gaze met yours, sending a shiver down your spine.

you try keeping your eyes from wondering to not look down at his muscular chest. you eyes widen at the surprised "oh! I didn't know you were busy if I had I would of come late-" you quickly explain the words rushing out of you with a light panick.

"I'm not," he dryly responded, "come in" with a small nod, you walked inside, taking your shoes off, being extremely awkward like you didn't belong there. He casually closed the door, and it automatically locked.

I stood there, staring at him as he casually kicked up a small towel, running it through his damp hair.

“Sit,” he ordered.

Without a word, You walked toward the black couch, lowering myself onto it under his watchful gaze. His eyes followed my every movement, sharp and unreadable.

A small smirk played on his lips as he took in the sight of you—sitting in his apartment, dressed in that short white dress. His gaze roamed over your figure, slow and deliberate.

“You look... presentable,” he said coldly, tossing the towel aside and stepping closer.

His presence felt heavier now, more suffocating. “You know the plan, right?”

"Why did you want me over?" I questioned, my voice laced with uncertainty. He had only asked me to come the day before, and the suddenness of it all left me uneasy.

His expression remained unreadable as he stared down at me.

"What are you planning?" I pressed, my mind circling back to our revenge. There had to be a reason for this—something he wasn’t telling me.

He grins mischievously, "I needed someone to practice with." He murmurs softly. His eyes drop down to your short dress, then back up to meet your gaze. "You know, for the act." He adds. I blush nervously

I didn’t understand how my being here would make Naruto and Sakura jealous. It’s not like they could see us together, let alone catch us in the act.

My brows furrowed as I looked up at him. Was there more to this than he was letting on?

"Should we start being around each other more," you suggested hesitantly, "so we become more comfortable?" If we were going to make this believable, we had to at least look the part.

He leans back, studying your face intently with those deep red eyes. "More comfortable? Like how?" His voice carries a slight edge, knowing exactly where this conversation is headed. He intentionally moves closer,  "You're asking if we should... practice being intimate?"

I noticed the water droplets slipping from his still-damp hair, trailing down his skin. Rolling my eyes at his arrogance, I snatched the towel from his hands.

"Sit on the floor," I ordered.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by my sudden boldness. But after a brief pause, he obeyed, lowering himself onto the cold wooden floor with his back resting against the couch.

His dark eyes stayed locked on me, watching, waiting—curious about what I’d do next. The dim lighting cast soft shadows over his sharp features, emphasizing the contours of his bare chest. His loose grey sweatpants hung low on his hips, leaving nothing to the imagination when it came to his sculpted abs.

I swallowed, gripping the towel a little tighter, I looked down at him, my eyes lingering for a moment on his exposed chest before quickly snapping back to his face. Clearing my throat, I tried to keep my voice steady.

"Sit between my legs," I said casually, masking the nervous flutter in my stomach. "I'll dry your hair."

He didn't hesitate this time. Shifting his position, he moved closer, settling between my legs just as I instructed. His broad back pressed lightly against my knees, his head tilted up so he could look at me.

Droplets of water trickled from his damp hair, trailing down his shoulders and onto his bare chest. His warmth radiated against my skin, and I tensed slightly when I felt his slow, steady breath ghost against my thighs.

I swallowed hard, gripping the towel in my hands. This was fine. Just drying his hair. Nothing more. But as I reached forward, fingers brushing against his scalp, I couldn’t ignore the way my heart pounded.

As I dragged my hand back and forth through his hair, I could feel him gradually relaxing, his usual cold and rigid demeanor melting away. I wasn’t even sure why I had offered to dry his hair in the first place, but seeing him like this—calm, collected—made it feel worth it.

His eyes slipped shut, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, each breath deep yet light, as if he could drift off at any moment. A small smile tugged at my lips. Like this, he almost looked... innocent. Childlike. It was adorable in a way I never expected.

The rare sight made me want to capture the moment, to keep a piece of this side of him. Without breaking contact, I carefully reached for my bag, fingers searching until they found my phone.

With one hand still resting gently against his head, I managed to pull my phone out and open the camera app. Slowly, I positioned the phone near his face, angling it just right to get a picture of his peaceful expression.

Before I could take the picture, his hand shot out, catching my wrist with a surprising amount of force. His eyes narrowed playfully, a small challenge in them.

"Don't you dare," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle for someone usually so emotionless. "No pictures." I scoffed, not pulling away from his grip. "Relax, just one?"

He held my wrist for a moment longer before releasing it, his gaze still locked onto me, suspicious. "Fine," he said, almost begrudgingly, as he settled back between my legs, closing his eyes again as if pretending to relax.

I quickly aimed the camera, snapping the shot. But when I looked at the photo, I couldn't quite make out who it was—his messy hair fell across his face, concealing his features. I couldn't help but laugh lightly, the sight oddly endearing.

He looks cute, I thought to myself, before quickly shaking the thought away. I put the phone down on the couch and returned to drying his hair, focusing on the task at hand.

"Mhm," I continued drying his hair. "You know what?" he said, looking up at me. "You've got really pretty legs."

I felt a light blush creep across my cheeks, unsure of how to respond to his unexpected compliment. He tilted his head, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he noticed my reaction.

"You get shy easily," he teased, chuckling softly.

Without you noticing, he subtly shifted, spreading your legs slightly apart. His thumb brushed lightly against your lower thigh, a teasing touch that sent a wave of heat through you.

My body stiffens at his contact, and I exhaled his name, "Sasuke," uncertain of the reason behind his behavior. He tilts his head slightly, observing my tense response with a smirk. "Hmm? Does this make you uneasy?" he asks, as he moves his thumb in slow, teasing circles on my lower thigh. "How peculiar, I'm merely touching your thigh…" he leans in closer, his voice dropping to a mischievous whisper.

“Stop being weird,” I say, playfully pushing his head down toward his chest.“You can finish drying your hair on your own just fine!” I can’t help but laugh deeply when he captures my wrists gently, pulling me away with a playful glint in his eyes. “You get mad too easily,” he smirks, continuing to style his damp hair..

“Damn, your legs are long…” he mumbles softly as he glances at me, then suddenly freezes as an idea seems to hit him. There’s a moment of silence filled with what feels like unspoken mischief. I tilt my head, a mix of curiosity and confusion swirling within me. I wonder what he’s thinking. Part of me feels uncertain. maybe he’s just testing boundaries, trying to see how far I would go. Still, I find myself surprisingly okay with his playful behavior.

His innocent look makes me question my own reactions. Why am I willing to let him tease me without feeling annoyed? It’s almost as if these little encounters are a game, one filled with laughter and camaraderie.

He smirks knowingly, the hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. It’s as if he finds humor in your puzzlement, enjoying the way your brows furrow and your lips press tightly together. “You know what?” he says, standing up slowly. This movement catches your attention, drawing your gaze upward. Confusion lingers in the air between you as he seems to savor your bewilderment like an inside joke. There’s an undeniable spark of playfulness in the moment, leaving you wondering what he’s really up to.

As he takes a small step closer, you feel the tension shift. He positions himself between your legs—a subtle yet significant move that makes your heart race slightly. You can’t help but frown, suspicion creeping in. “Can you… raise your arms for a sec?” he asks, his tone casual, yet there’s an undercurrent that makes you hesitate. Why? The question echoes in your mind, swirling with a mix of curiosity and caution, as if there's more to this request than meets the eye. You observe him closely, searching for clues in his expression.

His gaze remains fixed on me, a slight smirk playing at the corner of his mouth as he slowly circles me, his stride measured and deliberate. "Just a quick check, I assure you. Nothing to worry about." he reassures, his voice lowering to an almost... intimate pitch. I roll my eyes, a small laugh escaping me, "Fine, whatever. Have at it." I reply, though the words come out more breathless than I intended.

I let out a soft gasp as he pins my wrists behind my head, pressing my body against the couch. His face is now mere inches from mine, his breathing quick and ragged. He leans forward, his lips hovering just above mine. I can feel the heat radiating from him, the weight of his body pressing against me. "Perfect," he murmurs, the words sending a shiver down my spine. "Exactly where I want you."

The heat in his gaze makes me shiver. Every word, every touch sends a thrill through me. His breath, hot and heavy against my lips, is all I can focus on. Those words, so soft and yet so potent. I try to speak, He leans even closer, his body pressing against mine, pinning me firmer against the couch. "Those lips…" he repeats, his voice a low.

My ears turn light pink, the urge to kiss him. 

His eyes flicker down to your lips noticing the slight flush on your ears, he hesitates for a moment before closing the distance between you. His lips press softly against yours at first, growing more insistent as he kisses you passionately.

His warm lips against yours felt unreal, why was he doing this? It was just pretend so why? Your mind questioned as you kissed him back. He pulled away slightly, catching his breath as he looked into your eyes searching for an answer. His grip on your wrists loosened a bit but you were still trapped, his thumbs continued to gently caress the inside of your wrists. "Why are you kissing me back?" He asked, his voice a mixture of challenge and vulnerability.

Your chest heaves up and down as you feel a sudden wave of heat wash over you. "Why are you?" you reply breathlessly, but he doesn't hesitate to answer. "Because I f*cking want to" he whispers harshly, his forehead now pressed against yours. "And you're enjoying it more than you're letting on." his voice dropping even lower. "Such a pretty mouth..." He continues, his tone growing increasingly possessive. "You realize I could..."

His eyes darkened as he looked at you, filled with a mix of desire and amusement. "I could kiss you again." He leaned in slightly, his lips hovering just millimeters above yours. The tension between you is thick, electricity crackling in the air with electric intensity. His tone was low and dangerous, sending a shiver of anticipation down your spine just by the sound of his voice. In that moment you could only wonder, just exactly what he meant. He leaned in even closer, his breath hot against your ear, before he whispered, "You want me to shut up and just f*ck you, don't you?"

His breath teases you, sending shivers down your spine. You feel vulnerable yet wildly curious at the same time. His grip tightens on your wrists and you catch a wicked smirk on his face, "You like that, don't you? Me talking dirty to you..." His hand slowly drops and slides slides up your thigh, gently caressing the bare skin. You try to maintain your composure but find yourself unable to hide the shudder that runs through your body. He notices your reaction and his smirk deepens, clearly enjoying the effect he's having on you.

You had no idea why he was behaving this way when he himself insisted there should be no strings attached. Yet, here he was, doing the opposite. However, you couldn't bring yourself to care. All thoughts of casualness were gone from your mind, replaced with a singular focus on the feel of his lips and the taste of his tongue as it explores your mouth.

He gently captures your lower lip between his teeth, biting it softly. He releases it with a smirk, his arrogance evident, his fingertips linger dangerously close to your inner thigh, teasing you with the potential of more. "All it takes is a little touch," he murmurs, his voice dripping in seduction, "A little whisper..." The tension between you is palpable, and it's clear he is loving the control he has over you.

You turn your face to the side, desperately seeking escape from the intensity of his gaze. Your legs tense up involuntarily, as if in a subconscious attempt to protect yourself. He notices this, pausing for a moment, his hand still firmly on your thigh. He leans in closer, his voice a low rumble as he asks, "Why are you tensing up? Afraid of what I might do next?" A smirk plays at the corner of his lips as he chuckles softly, his thumb gently tracing small circles on the sensitive skin of your inner thigh.

Finally, he releases your wrists, allowing them to fall to your sides. He supports himself with his hands on the side of you, towering over your vulnerable form. Your gaze locks onto his, and you notice your own breathlessness, a mix of desire and annoyance. You can't understand why his touch feels so good on your skin when he hasn't even done anything significant yet. The urge to kiss him deeply is overwhelming, a silent plea for more.

He notices your breathing, the way your gaze keeps flitting to his lips. He smirks, clearly relishing the power he holds over you. "You know..." he begins, his voice a low tease, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you want me to kiss you again." You can't help but roll your eyes at his arrogance, mumbling a "shut up, a**hole" before grabbing his hair and pulling him closer. Your lips crash into his in a deep, passionate kiss that takes you both by surprise.

Your sudden move takes Sasuke off guard, his eyes widening momentarily before he closes them, responding instantly. His hand tightens on your hip, his touch possessive and desperate. The teasing smirk vanishes, replaced by a deep, fiery hunger. The kiss is intense, filled with an undeniable passion that leaves you both a little Breathless.

Sasuke deepens the kiss, his tongue slipping into your mouth, tasting and teasing. His breath hitches as he hears the soft moan that escapes your lips, the sound sending a wave of desire through him. He moves both hands to grip your waist, pulling you closer against him as he kisses and sucks at your neck. The sensation is incredible, your fingers tangling in his hair as you gasp and moan in response. Your thoughts are a tangled mix of guilt and pleasure, but all rational thought is quickly eclipsed by the intense pleasure of his touch.

Sasuke deepens the kiss, his tongue slipping into your mouth, tasting and teasing. His breath hitches as he hears the soft moan that escapes your lips, the sound sending a wave of desire through him. He moves both hands to grip your waist, pulling you closer against him as he kisses and sucks at your neck. The sensation is incredible, your fingers tangling in his hair as you gasp and moan in response. Your thoughts are a tangled mix of guilt and pleasure, but all rational thought is quickly eclipsed by the intense pleasure of his touch.

He notices the way you respond, his teeth grazing along your jawline as he sucks and nips at your skin. "Damn..." he mutters softly, his hand now trailing down your thigh and lifting one of your legs to wrap around his hip. He leaves multiple marks, each one a distinct sign of his possessive desire, almost as if he were marking his territory. You know that it will be a pain to hide these from Naruto, but you can't bring yourself to ask him to stop.

He murmurs against your skin, his voice low and throaty as he continues to leave his mark on you. "You should stop me..." he whispers, already knowing that you won't. His rough hands roam your sides, tracing up and down your body in an intoxicating rhythm. Each mark is deliberate, a blatant declaration of ownership. "These will be visible tomorrow.." he whispers before finding your collarbone. You nod, your breath hitching in your chest, your body trembling at his touch. "I know..." you reply, the words barely audible above the pounding of your heartbeat.

His smirk is apparent even against your skin as he continues to leave feather-light kisses on your collarbone. His hands slide down to your waist as he asks, "Why aren't you telling me to stop?" He already knows the answer - you're enjoying every moment as much as he is. His lips continue to trail down your body, finding the exposed skin of your chest and leaving a trail of hickeys and kisses. His hand slides up your thigh, gripping it possessively while the other continues its sensual exploration.

He continues to kiss and bite at your skin, his hand sliding higher and higher up your thigh, his touch almost teasing now. You can hear the groans escaping his lips as his breathing gets heavier, the sound of your bare skin under his fingertips driving him wild. But just as things were getting heated, a phone starts ringing, breaking the moment.

You check your phone, but the call isn't for you. Sasuke reluctantly pulls away, both of you trying to catch your breath and compose yourselves.

Sasuke runs a hand through his disheveled hair, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. His gaze flicks to you, hunger still evident in his eyes. "Who the hell is calling at this hour?" he mutters as he fishes his phone out of the pocket of his jeans, his gaze firmly locked on the screen.

Sasuke's face darkens as he sees the caller ID on his phone, the name "Sakura" displayed across the screen. He looks irritated, clearly not in the mood for interruptions. He answers the phone with a cold, uninterested tone, "What?" as he casts a sidelong glance at you before walking away towards the kitchen.

You knew in an instant who was on the other line, his girlfriend, and from what you could gather it sounded like Sakura was making plans to go over to his place since she had bought some food. You found yourself biting your lip, still trying to catch your breath and unable to shake off the desire for his touch.

Sasuke ended the call and turned back towards the couch, the sound of the door shutting echoing through the apartment. But before he could say anything, you were already grabbing your shoes, moving silently towards the door, eager to escape before he could catch on. Quickly, you opened the door and slipped out, hoping to avoid any confrontation.

Sasuke, feeling betrayed and annoyed that you had slipped away, made a mental note to make you pay for your disappearance. The thought of confronting you in the morning was already brewing in his mind, a mixture of anger and anticipation.

Sasuke couldn't suppress a scoff of annoyance as he thought about the marks he had left on your skin. He had been eagerly anticipating the morning, looking forward to seeing how embarrassed and uncomfortable you would be, trying to conceal the evidence of his possessiveness.

......

part3?

[antichilde]

pick your battles

kakashi x gn reader, 700 words, sfw but mdni

in which kakashi makes the mistake of bringing a cute bento to training

contents: 100% fluff, cooking as a love language, initially reader is assumed to be female but a gender is never actually specified

notes: this is a test run for a forced proximity slowburn i’m working on. feedback is always appreciated 🥰

Kakashi should’ve known better than to bring the dumplings with him to training. Usually he can get away with having lunch, picking moments when his students are distracted to eat his meal. Not today, though. This time three pairs of eyes are glued to him the moment he takes the lid off his bento.

Naruto leans over his shoulder, staring openly. “Whatcha got there, sensei?”

“Dumplings, of course,” Sakura says, rolling her eyes. “I know you’re a ramen freak but there are other kinds of food in the world.”

She picks up her chopsticks, pretending to be interested in her own meal, but he can see how curious she is. Kakashi frowns as he eyes the lunch she’s packed for herself; it isn’t nearly enough food to get her through training.

“I know what dumplings are!” Naruto snaps back at Sakura. “I wanted to know what kind they are.”

Seeing an opportunity, Kakashi turns away to uncover his face while they bicker. He’s got just enough time to shove two dumplings into his mouth before he has to pull his mask back up.

“They’re homemade,” Sasuke notes. He’s been quiet up to now, content to eat his own lunch and watch the other two fight it out.

“They are,” Kakashi confirms through a mouthful of food, nodding. “And Naruto I doubt you would like them. They’re vegetable.”

“Lame.” Naruto flops down onto the grass, his attention shifting to the fluffy white clouds overhead. “You didn’t even make any meat ones?”

“There’s no way Kakashi-sensei made them,” Sakura says, suspicious.

He knows he shouldn’t respond, but Kakashi can’t help himself. After all, he did make some of them, and he’s quite proud of that.

“Oh?” he asks, his tone as mild as always. “And what makes you say that, Sakura?”

“They’re way too cute. Look at the little ruffles along the edges.”

“I can make cute things. Maybe I felt like changing things up for once.”

“There’s a note on the lid of the bento,” Sasuke says, not even looking up.

Kakashi’s heart nearly stops in his chest. You’d left him a note? No, he would’ve seen one right? Sasuke must be bluffing. From his position on the ground, Naruto leans over to swipe the lid off of the stone step where Kakashi had placed it. He does his best not to react, even as Naruto flips the lid over to check the underside.

“What are you talking about, Sasuke? There’s nothing here.”

Sasuke takes a bite of rice. “No, of course there isn’t. But look at Kakashi-sensei.”

For the second time that afternoon, three pairs of curious eyes turn towards Kakashi. He tries to school his expression, a feat which is usually easy enough with a mask on, but he can feel the treacherous flush creeping up his cheeks.

Sitting up and crossing his legs, Naruto places the lid back on the step. “Sensei, why’s your face getting all red?”

“Oh look! He’s blushing!” Sakura squeals, bringing her hands up to her cheeks. “Sensei must have a girlfriend.”

Sasuke wipes his mouth on his sleeve, aloof as ever. “Took you long enough.”

Immediately Naruto and Sakura launch into a barrage of questions.

“Is she pretty?”

“Do we know her?”

“How long have you guys been dating?”

“Wait, is she living with you?”

“Does that mean it’s serious?”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Kakashi raises a gloved hand, cutting them off. “You’re making a lot of assumptions based on a couple of dumplings.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Naruto says, nodding, and for a single, blissful moment, Kakashi thinks he’s won. But then Naruto adds: “He could have a boyfriend.” and Kakashi decides it’s time to end this conversation.

“As glad as I am that you have an open mind, that isn’t the kind of assumption I was referring to. I don’t have a girlfriend.”

Naruto opens his mouth, but his teacher is having none of it.

“Or a boyfriend. Or any sort of partner. And even if I did, it’s none of your business.”

Sakura looks like she has more to say on the subject, but just then her stomach growls and Kakashi pushes the bento towards her.

“You three, have the rest of these. None of you packed enough to eat today. I’ll be back in a bit, I have an errand to run.”

As he makes his escape, disappearing in a puff of smoke, Kakashi wonders if he’s just adding fuel to the fire. Probably, though at least this way he knows Sakura and Sasuke will eat something. And he’s sure Naruto will too, once he figures out that Kakashi lied about the vegetables.

[adumbratrapedme]

Gaara x ftm!reader | a wonderful date

anyways, daily reminder that my requests are always open here! and check out my ruleees here!

This is a pt.2 to this.

The Sand siblings had lingered in the Leaf Village a little longer than expected after the Chūnin Exams, assisting with diplomatic discussions and finalizing alliances. Gaara hadn’t minded—especially since it meant he might have a chance to see Y/N again. The apology had gone better than he expected, and while Y/N’s words still replayed in his mind (Just think before you speak next time), Gaara couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more he wanted to say.

That’s how he found himself standing outside the training grounds where Y/N was sparring with Naruto. Temari and Kankurō had told him to “stop moping and do something,” so here he was, awkwardly watching from a distance as Y/N dodged one of Naruto’s clumsy attacks.

“You’re staring again,” Temari muttered from behind him, startling him slightly. She smirked, crossing her arms. “Just go talk to him already. You look ridiculous.”

Gaara frowned but didn’t respond. Instead, he took a deep breath and stepped forward, his presence immediately noticed by Naruto, who dropped his fighting stance and pointed dramatically.

“Hey! What are you doing here?” Naruto shouted, his voice echoing across the training grounds. He moved to block you from hom again, arms stretched out protectively. “Didn’t we already settle this?”

You turned around, confused at first, but when you saw Gaara, your expression softened. “Calm down, I don't think he’s here to fight.”

Naruto narrowed his eyes. “You don’t know that! He could—”

“Naruto,” you cut him off with a sigh. “Go practice your Rasengan or something.”

Naruto grumbled but eventually walked off, muttering something about “sand freaks” and “bad vibes.” You turned back to Gaara, raising an eyebrow. “Is there anything i could help you with?”

Gaara shifted awkwardly, his hands tucked into his pockets. He didn’t know why this was so hard. He had faced enemies in life-or-death battles without flinching, but standing here in front of you, he felt somehow… vulnerable.

“I wanted to ask you something,” Gaara said finally, his voice quieter than usual.

You tilted your head in confussion. “Okay. What is it?”

Gaara hesitated for a moment, then spoke quickly, like he was afraid he’d lose his nerve. “Would you want to spend some time with me? Alone. Outside the training grounds.”

You blinked, completely caught off guard. “Are you… asking me on a date?”

Gaara felt heat creep up his neck, but he forced himself to nod. “Yes.”

There was a beat of silence before your lips twitched into a small smile. “You’re… surprisingly straightforward, huh?”

“It seemed like the most efficient way to ask,” Gaara replied honestly, though there was a faint hint of nervousness in his tone. “If you’re not interested, I’ll—”

“Wait, I didn’t say no,” You interrupted, raising your hands. “You just caught me off guard, that’s all.”

Gaara stared at you, hope flickering in his eyes. “Then…?”

You crossed your arms, pretending to think it over and over. “Hmm… Well, I guess you did apologize. And you’ve been less scary lately. So yeah, sure. Why not?”

Gaara blinked. “You’re agreeing?”

You chuckled. “Yeah, I’m agreeing. But I’m picking where we go. You don’t seem like the type who knows what a fun date looks like.”

Gaara frowned slightly, but he nodded. “That’s acceptable.”

Your smile widened, and he clapped Gaara on the shoulder. “Alright, it’s a deal then. Tomorrow afternoon?”

“Tomorrow,” Gaara agreed, his voice firm despite the slight nervousness he felt.

As you walked back to rejoin Naruto, Gaara turned on his heel and started walking back toward his siblings. He didn’t need to look to know that Temari and Kankurō were grinning like idiots from their hiding spot nearby.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Kankurō said as Gaara approached. “You actually did it.”

Temari smirked. “Looks like our little brother is growing up.”

Gaara ignored them, but he couldn’t stop the faint smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

The next afternoon, Gaara stood at the entrance to a quiet park in the Leaf Village, his heart racing in a way it never had before. He had fought in life-or-death battles, faced unimaginable threats, and survived, but waiting for Y/N to arrive had him on edge. He adjusted the strap of his gourd on his back for the tenth time, though he had already decided he wouldn’t need it today.

When you finally appeared, wearing a simple but relaxed outfit, Gaara felt his chest tighten. You looked casual and confident, the same as ever, though Gaara thought there was something particularly captivating about the way your smile lit up his face as he approached.

“Yo,” You greeted, waving a hand. “Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

“You’re on time,” Gaara said, his voice calm but softer than usual.

“Good,” you replied, grinning. “I’ve got the whole day planned out. I figured we’d start with some snacks, then check out the market, and maybe end with watching the sunset. Sound good?”

Gaara nodded. “That sounds… nice.”

“Alright then, let’s go.”

The first stop was a small street vendor selling dango. You ordered two sticks and handed one to Gaara, who stared at it for a moment before cautiously taking a bite.

“It’s sweet,” Gaara said after a moment, tilting his head.

“Yeah, it’s one of my favorites,” you said, watching him closely. “Not bad, right?”

Gaara nodded. “It’s… pleasant.”

You laughed. “I’ll take that as a win. Come on, let’s keep going.”

Both of you wandered through the market next, the bustling atmosphere a stark contrast to Gaara’s usual environment. For Gaara you seemed to know everyone, greeting vendors and cracking jokes as they passed. Gaara stayed quiet, but he found himself watching you closely, drawn to the way you carried yourself with such ease.

At one point, you stopped at a stall selling small trinkets and accessories. You picked up a simple bracelet made of polished wood beads.

“This looks cool,” you said, slipping it on your wrist. You glanced back at Gaara. “What do you think?”

Gaara stared at the bracelet for a moment before reaching into his pocket. “I’ll buy it for you.”

You blinked, surprised. “Wait, what? You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” Gaara interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. He handed the vendor the payment and turned back to you. “It suits you.”

Your felt your cheeks getting heated slightly, but you smiled. “Thanks, Gaara.”

By the time the sun began to set, both of you had made your way to a quiet hill overlooking the village. The sky was painted in hues of orange and pink, the perfect backdrop for the end of your day.

You flopped onto the grass, leaning back on your hands as Gaara looked out at the view. “This was a good idea,” he said, glancing at you. “I’m glad we did this.”

Gaara sat beside you, his hands resting on his knees. “So am I.” you answered back, a soft smile plastered in your face.

You sat in comfortable silence for a while, the sounds of the village fading into the background.

Eventually, you decided to break the silence. “You know, I wasn’t sure how today would go. You’re not exactly the… ‘dating type.’”

Gaara tilted his head. “Was I that bad?”

You laughed, shaking your head. “No, you were great. A little quiet, but that’s just you. It was… nice. Really nice.”

Gaara looked down at his hands, his expression thoughtful. “I didn’t know what to expect either. But I enjoyed spending time with you.”

You smiled, leaning back to look up at the sky. “We should do this again sometime.”

Gaara’s heart skipped a beat. “I would like that.”

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared, you glanced at Gaara, your smile soft. “Thanks for today, Gaara. It meant a lot.”

Gaara turned to meet your gaze, his teal eyes sincere. “Thank you… for giving me the chance.”

You chuckled, leaning back again. “You’re not so scary once people get to know you, huh?”

Gaara didn’t respond, but for the first time in a long while, he felt at peace.

@sirenofthesand Hope you enjoy this part as much as you did with the first one! (┐「ε:)