#Shinobi Shell

[shinobi-shell]

Shinobi Shell by BYND

[spatio-rift]

what people dont get about karin forgiving sasuke is that its way more than just that he tried to kill her... its the way she is treated just like in kusa by the person most important to her through tobis influence... the way they always dismiss what she has to say, the way they keep manhandling her without any concern for her, the way she ultimately is only useful for them if she can heal and better off dead if she cant do it anymore. it makes me so angry

[delirious-donna]

Soft [Kakashi Hatake]

an: based on some thoughts I had after seeing this beautiful art of Mr Hatake looking a little more soft in physique.

pairing: Kakashi Hatake x female reader

warnings: self ship coded, established relationship with mentions of marriage and a child, rokudaime Kakashi au, fluff, flirting, suggestive at best, body positivity, reader is assumed to be curvy

Kakashi is a strong man. He always has been and probably always will, if he has any say in the matter. However, gone are the days when the defined ridges of his abdominals could cut glass.

The dips of his Adonis belt are less pronounced, and his biceps are still large but not carved from marble as they were even five years ago. A lot had changed but that’s life, and in the end, contentment brought him here.

Gone were the days when he could work out for hours in the early morning, greeting the new day covered in sweat on his way to a much-needed shower before the working day began. Now he had responsibilities to tend to and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

A wife to rouse from slumber, a hard task at the best of times, and a son to watch like a hawk as he propels through the house like a mini tornado with an eye for destruction. There were breakfasts to be made, lunches to be prepped, hair to be wrestled into some semblance of neatness and kisses to be shared. Wet kisses pressed messily to his cheek from his son as he heads out for work. Lingering kisses with his beloved that make him stay a few seconds longer just to taste you thoroughly.

Your love never wavered for the silver-haired shinobi, and even now as darker grey peppers throughout the messy strands, you still found them as enticing to run your fingers through as you always had. Age was especially kind to Kakashi, the lines around his eyes were from laughter and not stress and the weight of his responsibilities no longer dragged down his shoulders and slumped his spine.

It was amazing how easy it was to deal with the daily grind that accompanied his role when he knew he would return to the love and warmth that was his home. Everything was easier when love was in the mix, who knew?

So yes, he wasn’t as trim anymore. There was a slight pudge to his stomach and you could grab a good portion of his sides in the midst of being railed into the mattress, but fuck, was it sexy.

The silver hairs that formed his happy trail now extended higher towards his belly button and his butt hugged his sweatpants a little tighter and fuller than before. You had never shied away from the attraction you felt for him, but now it made Kakashi chuckle when you eyed him like some tasty treat to be devoured whole.

“See something you like, sweetheart?”

“Damn right, I do. When did you start getting even more handsome? Should be criminal this late in life.”

He huffed a laugh, eyes narrowing at your teasing words and the insinuation that he was getting on in years. He was still in the prime of his life, far from past it and he’d remind you of that.

“Well…” he murmured against the shell of your ear. “You know how fond I am of your softness.” Kakashi trailed his calloused fingertips over the gentle swell of your stomach, stopping to massage your hips and waist. “Thought you’d like to snuggle with someone a little less unyielding.”

How quickly your hands wandered across the expanse of his strong abdomen, a fingertip tracing the muscles. A familiar melody forced his eyelids to droop low, the hum in your throat as enchanting as the very first time he heard it.

You took your time in exploring a body you were intimately familiar with, pawing at him like the needy feline you always were until two strong arms banded around your waist.

“I might be a little more soft, but I’m still the man you fell for and I can still carry you to the bedroom with ease.”

Your chin dipped in agreement, gaze lifting to meet the desire swirling in his charcoal eyes. “Your heart has always been soft, Kakashi, whether you knew it or not. Your body simply matches it now and I’ll love you no matter what shape you take.”

[wing-ed-thing]

Leaving the Village with Madara Headcanons

Madaraarnings: No Reader Pronouns, Angst, Name-Calling, Mild Description of Injuries

𓆃 Not as romantic as you think it'll be, and you probably should have known it from the start.

𓆃 Madara had, after all, pinned you down the moment he suspected you knew anything. And odds are, you knew what his reaction would be when you confronted him.

𓆃 "You are leaving," were the three words you spoke, laced with a certain certainty without accusation, and Madara pounced on you right then.

𓆃 And it almost doesn't matter if you swear up and down to keep his secret or demand answers or plead with him if you intend to follow him until the end.

𓆃 And Madara will never know if the only reason you went along with him was because you knew he wouldn't hesitate to silence you right then and there if you were even thinking about stopping him.

𓆃 Whether Madara tells you his reasoning or not, you went along with him against your better judgment. Perhaps because you agreed with his philosophy about the village, or maybe because you just didn't want to lose him.

𓆃 Madara wasn't thinking about you nearly as conscientiously as he allowed you along, barely paying you mind as he made his reckless decisions.

𓆃 He involved you in very little, and most of it was due to the fact that Madara himself didn't know much of what his next moves were.

𓆃 You didn't realize he had devolved to such a state, only focused on his haphazard goals with little regard for others. And perhaps you thought that when things settled down, the two of you would go back to normal.

𓆃 Any help he allowed from you was minimal, the tasks he gave you just the accented dots to his grander plots. A bit of stealing. A bit of staying. A bit of waiting.

𓆃 You had a history, and you thought your relationship was closer. Perhaps you thought you could bring him back. Perhaps you thought you could reason with him or even bring his new dreams to fruition together. And yet, in the days leading up to his attack on the village, Madara didn't seem to even trust you with his goals.

𓆃 He was a raving, paranoid shell of the person you so desperately tried to cling to, and after yet another defeat at the hands of Hashirama, Madara appeared to have disintegrated altogether.

𓆃 He became a shell of a person, barely speaking to you most days as you tended to him. He had sustained heavy wounds during the fight.

You wrapped them with bandages you had stolen off a cart of goods down the road. The little knowledge you might have had about battlefield wound treatment dwarfed in comparison to the extent of Madara's injuries.

And now, he sat quietly. You both did. The hollowness of the cave tried to make up for the lack of words between you as Madara lay on a bed of leaves and soft mosses you had gathered.

There was nowhere to go. Your main haven would have been the village, the very one you had just burned bridges with. You had underestimated how deeply connected the Land of Fire was and how formidable the forces of the allied clans were.

You weren't sure how you expected it to go, but as you looked at Madara's glazed eyes, you knew it wasn't this.

You and Madara against the world.

You supposed that was what ran through your mind when you had asked him, "What are we going to do next?"

It was a panicked question, one that had taken in your circumstances and stacked them against your odds. You tried to soothe yourself with imaginings of the two of you foraging off the land, traveling across the world without anything holding you back.

That might work.

Might.

Might.

But Madara lay on the ground, not answering your question.

"Madara?" you called softly. His eyes almost glanced your way. "What are we going to do?"

It had been a long time already, about a week of you stealing from carts, treating his wounds the best you could, and smuggling the two of you to shelter as shinobi across the land sought you out.

It had been a long, sobering week. That certainly couldn't have been what Madara had had in mind. He was smart. He had a plan.

But when he answered, you found yourself at a loss.

"You leave..." His voice was low, resentful.

"What?" you crinkled your brow. You weren't sure why tears began to gather in your eyes. He had to have had a plan.

"You leave," Madara repeated, this time more forcefully. He began to sit up, but when you moved to rush to his side, Madara flared his Mangekyo sharingan before falling back on his propped arms. You didn't dare move closer, even as he let out a pained wail of anguish. "You leave! You get out!"

Madara fell onto his back as he let out another cry, like a wounded animal. He contorted his broken body, ripping bandages and injuries alike as he clawed himself up. His sharingan cycled through several patterns as it blipped in and out of his irises.

"Are you too stupid to see that I have lost once more to Hashirama Senju? And you ask me what is next? This is what is next! This is what I have to offer: a life of damnation and banishment!"

Chakra cracked around you, the weak and uncontrolled energy still enough to break surrounding boulders and create a slight tremor in the ground below.

Madara wailed, and you stayed. Quiet.

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed, and supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

[our-happygirl500-fan]

Throughout the many iterations of TMNT the four Turtles of the Hamato Clan have always been iconic but Leo, Donnie, Raph & Mikey aren’t the only Turtles of the family & there have been other mutant Turtles throughout the different iterations of TMNT

Another mutant Turtle is one that has been seen a few times in different TMNT iterations either following a ‘separated at mutation’ plot line or have the mutation happen later in the story

Venus

One of the other mutant Turtles that is quite well known within the TMNT fandom would be Venus De Milo who was the 5th Turtle in the Next Mutation show.

Her background was that she was a 5th Turtle that was mutated with Leo, Donnie, Raph & Mikey but got swept away in the sewers until she ended up in China Town where she was found by a Shinobi master & taken to be raised in Shanghai, she would later make her way back to New York & join the Turtle’s team.

Venus also makes an appearance as a character in the IDW comics as a former Punk Frog who was made into a Turtle by Dr Barlow using Donnie’s old shell.

Leo: What are you doing!? That was Venus De Magic the Queen of Quick Change!

There’s a slight possible reference to Venus in Rise with one of Leo’s favourite magicians being called Venus De Magic with Leo cradling the bust of one of his favourite magicians feeling a bit similar to Venus holding the statue head that gave her, her nickname & many people believe that there were plans to include Venus in Rise due to the plot of season 3 being the Turtles finding out they had two missing siblings but due to Rise not getting the season 3 it had expected we never got to find out if Venus really was one of the missing siblings in Rise.

Kirby

Closely related to Venus is the mutant Turtle Kirby a 5th Turtle that had been planned to be introduced in the 1990′s film series before the fourth movie was cancelled, named after the comic book artist Jack Kirby, Kirby was meant to be a Turtle from another dimension that would join the Turtles. There was talk of Kirby being the 5th Turtle in the Next Mutation but Saban Entertainment refused to do the series unless the 5th Turtle was a girl leading to Venus being created.

A version of Kirby was designed for the IDW comics where he was meant to be shown as part of the Splinter Clan in Future Lita’s future however though a design was created for Kirby he was not included in the actual comic.

Funnily enough Kirby the Turtle is not the only TMNT character to be named after Jack Kirby as April’s father in the 2012 series also shares the name Kirby

Jennika

Jennika is the 5th Mutant Turtle on the team in the IDW comics, she is a former Foot Clan Ninja who Splinter took under his wing & was mutated into a Turtle when Leo gave her a blood transfusion to save her life.

Before her mutation Jennika had been a friend of the Turtles & the idea of Jennika becoming a mutant Turtle had been tossed around for three years before it was finally finalised.

Jennika’s mutant form was originally designed by Sophie Campbell & coincidentally bares some resemblance to a fan character that Sophie Campbell designed named Artemisia (most likely named after the Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi), the similarities between Jennika & Artemisia’s designs are said to be a coincidence as it was requested that Jennika’s bandana colour be yellow to match her hair from when she was human.

Sophie Campbell actually did get to include a canon version of Artemisia in the IDW comics by giving her a cameo in Future Lita’s future as a member of the Splinter Clan in the future.

Slash

Slash is arguably the 5th Turtle that has appeared in the most iterations of TMNT appearing in both the 1987 & 2012 series as well as appearing in both the Archie & IDW comics

In the 1987 series Slash was Bebop’s pet turtle who was mutated by Rocksteady & would later become the Turtle’s enemy, in the 2012 series Slash was Raph’s pet turtle who was mutated accidentally & would act as an enemy to the Turtles before becoming their ally & becoming the leader of the Mutanimals.

In the Archie comics Slash is an alien who was banished from his planet in the IDW comics Slash was mutated by StockGen who ended up following Hob & becoming an ally to the Turtles

Slash has even made a cameo in Rise appearing in the episode Bad Hair Day with a character meant to look like Mona Lisa.

Lita

Lita is a little girl who was mutated into a Turtle & taken in by Jennika & the other Turtles, she was named after Lita Ford (Jennika’s favourite singer), & she seems to view Jennika & the other Turtles as family as the Future version of Lita referred to Jennika as ‘mom’ & has called Raph, Donnie & Leo ‘Dad’.

It’s been shown that at some point in the future Lita becomes the apprentice & assistant to a grown up version of Renet

It appears that the future version of Lita is arguably especially close with Leo due to him being her Sensei

Uno, Yi, Moja & Odyn

Uno, Yi, Moja & Odyn are Turtles raised by Casey Marie Jones as the second generation of Ninja Turtles in the Last Ronin universe. The Turtles each seem to take after one of the original four Turtle’s with Uno taking after Leo, Yi taking after Donnie, Moja taking after Raph & Odyn taking after Mikey.

Each of the Turtles are named after the number one in different languages.

[olivegardenhunter]

one thing that I find really really interesting is that in practically every scene where it's just jiraiya and tsunade alone, kishimoto very deliberately draws at least a panel of the two of them being completely silent in each other's companies, even refusing to look at each other.

when jiraiya got drinks with tsunade in og

when he got drinks with her before he left. notice that neither of them are making any eye contact, refusing to look at each other.

the iconic bench scene ofc

why this is important to me is cause I think it's an excellent way on kishi's part to show the dynamic and history between the two of them (and the sannin as a whole too). ((note this isn't a jiratsu post))

the few scenes we get of the two of them talking alone, you always get the impression that there's a secondary, entirely silent conversation going on in the background that only the two of them even know about. a conversation about all the things they cannot say. and he conveys that so well in these deliberate panels. you can SEE in their expressions, in the things that they do say when they choose to break the silence. there's so much between them, so much they yearn to say. and the weight of all of that, the depth of those feelings and emotions, is ultimately what makes them not say anything at all.

because you've known each other since you were SIX years old, you fought WARS together, this is a person you'd put your life on the line for without a second of hesitation. yet. there is a 20 year gap. you haven't spoken with each other for as long as you grew up together too. they've lived an entire lifetime together, but then an entire equally as long lifetime apart. they're the same person they've always been but yet... you can't really recognise the person in front of you. they both can see that they've become shells of the people they used to be. you both have gone through so much, and you know the the other person knows this. you know it so intimately, what things you can say, what things you can't. youre being so careful yet you both know there's this pretense going on.

there's so much left, yet so little. after all of that, what is there even left to be said? what CAN be said? they're already so intimately aware of what the other is thinking, there's nothing new, yet somehow, there's this gap. there's this emptiness that both know they can't really do anything about.

in the end, the sannin are a tragic trio. and kishi does an excellent job of showing this through their stories and histories, sure. but he does an even better job at showing it through their small interactions together. the way they always end up talking about the past, the attempt to bring up happier times (like tsunade trying to reminisce about their genin days as team hiruzen), yet how they ALWAYS come back to ultimately how they fell apart, and the world kept spinning, and all they can do is try to make sure the future doesn't make the same mistakes they did.

what can you even say to someone like that? it must've been so freeing, to have someone that understands them to such an extent. that would know them more than anyone else in the world ever could imagine. and yet. so suffocating. because they're a reminder. a reminder of what you used to be, a reminder of what could've been, a reminder of how everything went wrong, every single mistake you ever made. and so despite the person in front of you being the only person in the world that likely knows exactly how you're feeling, what you're going through, all your experiences, they're also somehow the last person you can ever speak to about any of it. because it becomes like a trap almost. they're constantly reminded of their pasts when they look at each other. how can you ever begin to move on with someone like that right in front of you?

once upon a time, they were the hope of konoha. they were the young shinobi, meant to bring in a new era of peace, meant to be the change. and they wholeheartedly believed this too. and then, to make it to 50, after everything they went through, and realising they were no better off than the generation before them. that everything they ever stood for, ever fought for, were all practically in vain. and how suddenly the people meant to be the change for the future can only hope to make sure there is still even a chance for change for the next generation.

really, what else are they meant to do around each other than continue their little dance or chess game and let the unspoken remain unspoken?

[snackugaki]

... my ass actually got like 6+ images deep before realizing i hadn't posted shit-- oops

my tmnt  iteration (where everyone made it past their 20s, splinter’s alive just old, venus is here, and they deserve some goddamn respite and shenanigans)

tmnt  iteration part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10

tmnt  iteration omake 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

lny visit 1 | 2

IDW spoilers below, teeechnically Mirage & Next Mutation spoilers too ig?

blah blah blabbering because that's one of the many things you can do on tumblr.com

bloopity bloopin, turtles all being traded on the black market as pets, medicine, or decor to be... "prepared". 'cept Jennika, keeping her IDW origin because it's badass and I like it. eco vigilantes freed them one fateful night, same night someone(s) stole some mutagen for a rival company to TGRI, boom collided in their getaway routes, away floated Venus just like in NM and some others who lalala may or may not be some mutanimals

playing mostly with coloring, Rise introducing markings is such a nice and refreshing change from the all sam green turtle, different bandana color turtles I grew up with. fanon taking that concept and applying it in conjunction with actual turtle colorings also scratches my visdev brain node just so

hm... still fiddling with their plastrons... Venus' and Jennika's are fine though

Leo

funky li'l ringed map turtle

can't see it but, he got them little ridgey-spikies on his shell

christ, I'm finding a way to attach Iris symbolism to him, either through markings or something else

Iris in hanakotoba is... basically all Leo; nobility, bravery, honor, courage, heavy samurai association

5'2"

Raph

McCord's or Amboina box turtle idk idk idk can't choose

stuck on coloring him with a scale mail feeling to match the box turtle photos I found

....I needa draw him beefier, he can stand to be beefier

5'6"

Donnie

literally just googled which turtles exhibit the highest INT, wood turle consistently listed plus some have funky geometrically patterned/shaped shells

tossing on how do the plastron coloring, really liking the dark spots on it

probably keep the lightened belly/inner limb coloring

...probably... lol idk

5'8"

Mikey

my perfect chonky boy, no notes except he (and his brothers) need plastron do-overs

and now i am stuck with the heart-on-his-sleeve marking

canon 2 my iteration it is done

he gets to be the slider this go round, if just 'cuz he's technically the first born (in terms of creating TMNT and its story and world)

let him have the fluttering, finger drumming on everything and everyone because he's bursting with "i love you" energy anyway

5'4"

Venus

"my pretty daughter" iykyk

sea turtle as per last couple iteration posts

cultivator instead of "shinobi"

"i aM ShiNObi"... guh, just, I dunno, the term "cultivator" wasn't really known back in '98 like that, but she had the medicine box, she worked to learn how to throw a fireball at Vam Mi, she was pleased at her progression when she defeated the counterspell from the staff of Bu Ki. that's cultivator shit right there.

she's still a pugilist more than a iron fan user

looks up to April like a big sister, speaks canto and hakka with her

cuz she's still a linguist scholar like in Next Mutation so duh she speak all the languages (to an extant, she has a lot of studying left to go after all)

the greenified hawksbill coloring is growing on me...

still needa futz more with the plum flower motif on her

also figure out her huadian situation or just scrap it idkidkidk

her bandana + 50% green coloring is also growing on me....

5'10"

Jennika

technically also ringed map turtle since it was Leo who gave her the blood transfusion

I like the idea of bringing her Blaschko's lines to the forefront post-mutation but just... it's a lot of stripes. and goddamnit I ain't even gonna go deep into much of anything with the comics I just... can't not world build rip me

6'0"

April

still so tickled at April being closer to the turtles' ages in these new reboots and fascinated how it's played out

...but mine is a clean 44 yo, so. (turtles in late 30s)

Laird originally conceived April as an asian woman in his notes, Eastman drew her as a biracial woman he was dating at the time (April Fisher) and... idk what to tell y'all, people are running around being mixed in this world all the time, Brooklyn got hella Jamaican/Chinese so there you go

can speak canto and hakka

April being a "weirdo" as I've seen mentioned in Rise can stay, I'm picking that, that's a great trait to her character, big fan of Poly Styrene, loved Rachel True in The Craft

where "weirdo" is just she's into alt subculture and being in New York... she got her hands everywhere in those scenes

She and Chu Hsi get to have the most shoujo fuckin' romance because it's cute

and she's still a living drawing which I'm changing around a bit being why she felt like a "weirdo" and leaned towards subcultures and the turtles, she did eventually begin to destabilize but Venus stabilized her by trapping her in a scroll so she could work on a solution. ...where she has a long, happy relationship with Chu Hsi in the painted world scroll because lol time dilation

saw somewhere on the hellsite that the tooth gap is passed around every iteration... so April gets to have it

5'7"

Irma

i'm not ashamed to say I just reupholstered Nadia from Russian Doll

87 Irma went through a lot so she can have some dry wit and humor and be fly as fuck, big hair, big glasses, and a big attitude

still besties with April

likes moths, they're just neat little guys with rabbit ears iykyk

there is a very specifc size of her hair I am battling to keep consistent the problem it never feels big enough

says "fuhgeddaboutit" and has yelled that she is, in fact, "walkin' here,"

... she might also have a little bit of Myrtle from AHS: Coven sprinkled in now that I'm thinking about it to sum her up

she knows somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody for any random thing you could want to try to find

all the delis and bodegas know her

discusses plot lines from soap operas with Splinter on weekends, they get heated

5'5"

... god all this and I was just gonna have them play spades and play a round of pickup street ball in silly little comics

[irukaka]

new kakairu fic is up!! featuring bad dreams, worse emotional constipation, and two very stubborn people who are determined to crack through each other’s shells. hope y’all enjoy :)

until we reach morning (2878 words) by flipthebits Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Naruto (Anime & Manga) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka Characters: Hatake Kakashi, Umino Iruka Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Kakashi and Iruka are the type of couple where both are like, hmm well I have way too much baggage so I'm gonna hold all of this myself, and both are also like STOP BEING AN IDIOT LET ME HELP YOU, Two peas in a little trauma pod Summary:

If you sleep beside a shinobi, sooner or later, you’re bound to see echoes of their past.

Kakashi and Iruka have their first nightmares in front of each other, and both are about as talented at accepting help as a rock. Luckily, their partners are just as stubborn as they are.

[erimeows]

Like This (NSFW)

Kakashi’ Hatake’s legs dangle off of the edge of the Hokage monument as he glances at Might Guy, who is sitting next to him. The other shinobi is distracted, staring at the string of stars that litter the pitch black sky like fairy lights, but Kakashi doesn’t mind.

“It’s been more than two weeks since you’ve been in town, Sukea! I wasn’t expecting to see you so suddenly,” Guy starts. His deep onyx gaze is still straight forward in a way that has the starlight shining beautifully against his sun-kissed skin. On one hand, Kakashi wants Guy to be looking at him rather than at the village they’ve both seen a million times over. On the other, he doesn’t, because Guy wouldn’t really be looking at him. Rather, Guy would be looking at Sukea, the alter ego and disguise that Kakashi has been fooling him with for over a year now. Though Kakashi has done a good job of hiding the truth thus far, there are evenings like this one where he feels as if Guy can see straight through all of it. “But I’m glad you invited me out here tonight even though you only just got back. It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you as well,” Kakashi says, swallowing tightly. He offers up a forced smile and runs a hand through his hair to make sure that the brown, fluffy locks are still perfectly in place as they should be with his partial-transformation jutsu. A full transformation would be much easier to manage for such a risky situation, as he wouldn’t have to worry about the purple face-tape beneath his eyes and the matching eye-shadow that cover his scar or the makeup on his eyebrows potentially coming off, but he spends so much time with Guy in this form that the full transformation would eat up all of his chakra. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

The words should make Kakashi’s heart flutter, but they don't. They’re not meant for him- they’re meant for Sukea, this fake person that he’s created so selfishly. 

There are times- like right now- where it hurts. There are nights where Kakashi goes home and finds himself restless with the pain of wishing that Guy was in love with him and only him rather than with Sukea, who Guy is convinced is an entirely separate person. There are days where Kakashi drowns in guilt because he’s purposely deceiving his best friend.

But, he’s happier like this, and so is Guy.

Because like this, he isn’t Kakashi Hatake. He is not the man with a tragic past full of death and failure, nor is he the shell of a person he’s confined himself to be. Like this, he doesn’t avoid intimacy at all costs. He doesn’t push those closest to him away and spend all of his free time in solitude.

Like this, he is simply Sukea. No last name to remind him of his father. No trauma. Just a traveling photographer with a loving heart and a knack for mischief. 

For all Guy knows, Sukea comes from a boring nuclear family who lives in a far off civilian town. 

For all Guy knows, he’s at least a little bit normal- and Kakashi is desperate to keep it that way. 

So, when Guy stands and offers a hand to help him up- even though he still isn’t used to another man’s hands being used to lift him up rather than to hurt him- he takes it, stands, and wraps an arm around Guy’s waist with a smile- because he’s going to convince Guy that he is truly like this for as long as he can.

“So, shall we take this to your place?” Sukea says, knowing full well that he could never take Guy back to his shitty little apartment. 

As always, Guy grins down at him and pulls him closer. 

“I’d like that.”

~

The next morning, Kakashi slips out of Guy’s apartment window and makes his way home before the older man can wake up and convince him to go out for breakfast. He leaves no indication of when Sukea will be back in town to make things easier on himself and crashes the moment he gets back to his own apartment for a long nap. 

“God… I should really stop doing this,” Kakashi mutters to no one but himself upon waking from his slumber. His back is sore, there’s hickeys left on his neck and down his chest, and his legs still feel like gelatin. Memories of Guy gently wiping him down and pressing kisses against the marks left on his skin flash behind his eyes. “One of these days, it’s going to catch up with me… Oh well. Guess I should take a shower.”

After scrubbing the smell of Guy off of him and trying his best to distract himself from their rendezvous, Kakashi goes to sit on his favorite bench in the village to read the first volume of Icha Icha. As much as he’d love to go on a mission right now, he’s already reached his quota for the month and is stuck in the village until further notice (because according to Lady Tsunade, he can’t drown himself in work just because Naruto and Sasuke are gone). The familiar words printed on the pages of his book bring him no comfort, though, as Guy’s chakra signature draws near.

“Kakashi, my dear rival!” Guy calls, leaping down from a nearby tree and joining Kakashi on the bench.

He sits far too close for Kakashi’s comfort and tosses an arm over his shoulder. Kakashi shuts his book as subtly as he can and pretends that the hairs on the back of his neck aren’t standing up right now.

“Guy,” He speaks, bristling underneath the sensation of Guy’s clothed arm against the back of his neck. It’s surprisingly warm. Just like his touch was last night. Rather than looking over at Guy, Kakashi stares at the cover of Icha Icha as if it’s the most interesting thing in the world. “What’s up?”

“Right now we’re tied at fifty two wins to fifty two wins- I was thinking we should settle the score by having an eating contest at Ichiraku!” Guy explains with a hopeful smile. When Kakashi finally meets his eyes, he can see the utter love and adoration in them. “What do you say?”

It makes Kakashi’s heart hurt because he knows that even with Sukea as a part of his life now, Guy still can’t let go of him. Guy is still in love with him just as much as he is with Sukea and it’ll probably remain that way.

“An eating contest, hm?” Kakashi asks, standing up so he can put some distance between the two of them.

‘Sounds like an excuse for a lunch date… Classic Guy.’

Kakashi shakes his head and starts to walk away, only for Guy to follow close behind him and continue rambling about the ‘eating contest’. All Kakashi can think about is why he keeps doing this to the both of them when he knows the kindest thing to do would be to stop using the Sukea disguise and cut Guy off completely. 

Kakashi supposes there’s a logical explanation for why he’s been doing this for so long, when he gets down to really thinking about it. 

He’s selfish. 

Is said explanation morally justifiable? Not really. But, to him, it makes sense. Guy has had an obvious crush on him since they were children. Kakashi refuses to date him, citing a lack of interest as his reason even though they both know that’s not it. The real reason is that he’s scared of getting too close only to get burned and ruin their two-decade-long-friendship for the sake of romance. 

Determined not to have his fears come to fruition, Kakashi remained hellbent on keeping his and Guy’s friendship completely platonic, but the constant complaints about a dull love-life and lack of passion that he’d heard from Guy became tiresome following the last Chunin exams. 

Kakashi devised a simple solution; transform into his Sukea disguise, catch Guy at his local bar, and charm him just enough to distract him from Kakashi for a little while.

It was a perfect plan. 

The catch?

It worked too well. What was supposed to be a night of magic and romance to get Guy’s spirits up turned into a one-night-stand, which turned into a series of real dates, which has turned into a relationship that they haven’t quite put a label on. This has been going on for over a year and Kakashi swears that it’s a miracle he hasn’t blown his cover yet.

“Yes- an eating contest will be a true test of endurance, stamina, and willpower!” Guy rambles on, snapping Kakashi back to reality. “What do you say?”

“Mah, I’m not feeling it today. Thanks for the offer, though,” Kakashi rejects the invitation and makes another attempt to walk away, only for Guy to stand in front of him.

Kakashi gulps. He’s suddenly reminded of all the nights he’s spent as Sukea lately; of the muscular body that’s currently blocking his path being used to pin him to the wall, the bed, the glass door of Guy’s shower, and every other semi-flat surface in the ravenette’s apartment. Ashamed, Kakashi stares at the dirt road beneath his feet, cheeks burning bright red underneath his mask.

“Ah, but if you refuse my challenge, you lose by default!”

“Then consider yourself in the lead. We’re at fifty two to fifty three wins now, yes?” Kakashi questions and steps around Guy. He shoves his book in one of his large pockets, knowing that he won’t be able to focus on reading it on the way home even if he wanted to. “I’ll make up for it later, so don’t worry about it.”

“Kakashi, wait!”

Much to Kakashi’s horror, Guy exclaims loudly enough that it gains the other villagers’ attention as he grabs Kakashi by the wrist to keep him from leaving.

Kakashi turns, barely meeting Guy’s gaze. He snatches his hand back so fast he’s sure it hurts both of them. The civilians that walk past them stare but don’t stop or say anything. 

“What is it?”

“It doesn’t have to be a contest, you know- we can just go get lunch together! As friends, I mean,” Guy offers, and Kakashi’s heart flutters. Part of him wants to accept the offer. The other part of him knows that it would be wrong to do so considering what he’s been doing lately. He’s not even sure he could keep himself from word-vomiting the truth. “If the contest is too much for you today… It’ll be my treat.”

It’s hard to say no. Kakashi knows he needs to, but ever since Sasuke and Naruto left the village, Guy has become increasingly concerned about him. In turn, Guy has been trying to spend more time with him. The problem with that is that Guy refuses to give up no matter how many times Kakashi rejects him- probably because he can tell that, deep down, Kakashi wants him back and just refuses to act on it.

“I’m good.”

“Kakashi, please,” Guy begs, onyx eyes pleading. Guilt makes Kakashi’s stomach sink like heavy, ink black tar. “I know you have a lot going on right now, but you can’t keep doing this.”

“Doing what?”

“Shutting everyone out! You were doing so much better until Sasuke went rogue-”

“I don’t want to talk about that,” Kakashi snaps. “And you don’t know what I’m going through or how I’m doing, so don’t pretend that you have any idea. We’re rivals, yes, and we’ve been friends for a long time, but none of what has happened since Sasuke left is any of your business.”

Guy steps back, crosses his arms over his chest, and lets out a sigh of defeat. 

“Are you seriously going to do this again?”

“Yes,” Kakashi nods. “I’ll continue to do what I think is best for the both of us, and right now, that means keeping my distance.”

“You’re wrong,” Guy argues, but he makes no move to stop Kakashi from leaving this time.

“Maybe I am, but if that’s true, and I realize it later down the line, I’ll come to terms with it on my own. I don’t need you to tell me. You’re not my parent, nor are you my partner, a therapist, or anyone else who would be even remotely qualified to meddle in my personal life like you do. Stay out of it.”

“Fine,” Guy spits. Kakashi can practically hear the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. “If that’s how you really feel-”

“Listen,” Kakashi interjects. He hates how good Guy is getting at changing his mind about these sorts of things. “We can get lunch, but don’t think I’m going to magically open up to you, alright? I just want to be left alone… And after we get lunch today, you need to leave me be for a while. I’ll come to you when- or if- I need you. I promise.”

Guy looks angry- like he wants to lash out and yell, like he wants to chew Kakashi out for treating him like shit and pushing him to the side for the past twenty years- but that expression quickly settles into something more defeated that Kakashi can’t stand the look of. Guy sighs, and finally, agrees. 

“Alright, Kakashi… What would you like to eat?”

~

Lunch with Guy that day is awkward and tense, to say the least. They eat, but no conversation is had. Guy pays the tab and they part ways after practically scarfing down their food to get out of the awkward social situation.

Kakashi regrets giving in and going in the first place. By the time he gets back to his own apartment, he’s tired and wracked with guilt over the argument- and worst of all, unable to distract himself by going on missions or training with his team of Genin. Reading through all of his Icha Icha books hasn’t managed to get his mind off of it either. 

Who would’ve guessed that reading a romance novel would make him think about the situation more? Surprisingly, not Kakashi himself.

After hours of lamenting, the Jonin grumbles and rolls out of bed so he can grab the disguise from his closet; green rain coat, beige scarf, black eye contacts, and purple face tape. He pads into the bathroom. The pitter-patter of tiny paws against his wooden floors follows close behind. 

As he starts to apply the concealer over his eyelid to cover his scar and then over his arm to cover his tattoo, Kakashi can already feel Pakkun’s beady eyes burning holes of judgment into him. The pug drapes himself over Kakashi’s bare feet and grumbles.

“Going to see Guy again, are you?”

“Sticking your nose in my business again, are you?” Kakashi shoots back, not even sparing Pakkun a glance. He carefully covers his Sharingan with a contact lense and applies the purple tape beneath his eyes.

“As always,” Pakkun retorts. “Sort of weird that you’ve been doing this to the poor idiot for, what, a year?”

“Trust me, I know it’s weird, but you’re not my therapist-”

“Or anyone else who would be qualified to give you life advice, I know. The whole situation is just ridiculous… Can’t help but ruminate about it when it comes up.”

“What are you gonna do, tell him?” Kakashi hums and moves his feet out from underneath Pakkun so he can slide his shoes on. Finally, he performs a partial transformation to change his hair, make his figure a little bulkier, and slides on his shoes. “Again, it’s not your business.”

“And yet you vent to me about it once a month. If you didn’t want me to know, you wouldn’t tell me… And you also wouldn’t come back so often reeking of sweat and hair gel.”

“Look, I’m gonna get out of here, okay? I’ll see you later. I don’t know where the others are right now, but whenever they get back, there’s cooked steak and veggies for you all in the fridge; you just have to heat them up.”

Pakkun nods and briskly walks out of the room, probably to go lay in Kakashi’s bed and coat the sheets with his hair since he knows the man is going to be leaving. Kakashi doesn’t even bother scolding the Ninken or trying to get him to stop, instead packing a small overnight bag (even though he never stays long enough to fall asleep) and heading out.

The streets in Konoha are loud and bustling despite the time of night. The moon shines down on the village as civilians and ninja alike go up and down the streets, popping in and out of shops and chatting. Many travel in pairs, arm in arm, hand in hand, looking at each other with adoration in their eyes. Kakashi blends in with the crowd easily since he’s missing his ninja gear, and since he does, no one bats an eye in his direction- even while he blatantly stares at the couples he passes who are so blatantly putting their love for each other on display. He wonders if, maybe someday, him and Guy could do that- with him as himself, rather than as Sukea. 

With a frown, he shakes his head to clear it of the thought. He isn’t sure he wants to open that can of worms any time soon, let alone tonight when he’s already emotional. 

Quickly, he enters the residential area where Guy’s apartment is located and makes his way to the older man’s door. He knocks and is unsurprised when he gets an immediate answer.

“Sukea!” Guy greets, a beaming smile on his face. Kakashi- Sukea, now- isn’t sure whether he should feel excited or guilty. “I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.”

“What can I say? I missed you too much to stay away.”

Guy’s apartment is stupidly perfect in a way that makes Sukea’s heart throb in his chest when he’s there. With seasonal potpourri bowls in each room that make the place reek of pecans and apples, old pictures of them and all of their friends hung unevenly on the walls, and training gear strewn about, Sukea thinks he could stay forever before remembering that he can’t. So, he enjoys it while he can, grinning when Guy pulls him into his arms, lifts him up, and carries him into the bedroom.

~

Sukea wakes up the following morning and realizes three things.

One, the bedroom is no longer lit by the lamp on Guy’s nightstand but by natural sunlight that comes pouring through the blinds.

Two, he fell asleep the night before without realizing it, meaning that it must be morning.

And three, he can’t maintain any jutsu in his sleep, so he is now Kakashi rather than Sukea. Yet, when he rubs the sleep out of his eyes, Guy is still very much there. The ravenette has a soft smile on his face as he runs a hand through Kakashi’s silver hair and leans forward to press a kiss against Kakashi’s cheek. Kakashi, on the other hand, panics. Guy clearly sees said panic in Kakashi’s face and reacts accordingly.

“Kakashi… It’s okay, you know,” Guy tries to comfort Kakashi and reaches forward for him to no avail. 

Kakashi thinks he must look like an idiot as he jerks away and sits up to furrow his brow and dwell on why the fuck Guy is acting like his usual reassuring, loving self instead of losing his mind at the fact that he’s been being tricked for over a year. Incredibly self-conscious, Kakashi rips the blanket that they were previously sharing from Guy and uses it to cover his body as well as the lower half of his face. If he weren’t already embarrassed about the Sukea predicament, he definitely is at the prospect of Guy seeing him- as himself- completely nude.

“Wait,” Kakashi breathes out and reaches up to remove the single contact in his Sharingan before allowing it to flutter shut. The contact is haphazardly tossed in Guy’s bedside trash can, which is also full of empty water bottles, beer cans, and used condoms from the night before. Kakashi’s face flushes pink in a mixture of embarrassment and horror. “You knew?”

“Uh,” Guy clears his throat, his cheeks also darkening. “Yes? You didn’t… Wait, did you not know that I knew?”

“Why didn’t you… I didn’t… I mean, um, I should probably just go,” Kakashi scrambles to stand up with the blanket wrapped around him so he can get his clothes back on, but in the midst of his panic, he trips and falls over one of his abandoned shoes. Thankfully, Guy rolls over to the edge of the bed and gets up just in time to catch Kakashi by the waist and steady him on his feet. When Kakashi tries to slip away, Guy shakes his head, to which Kakashi groans and closes both eyes. “Please, just let me leave. I’m humiliated enough as it is and I understand that you’re probably pissed, but I don’t want to talk about this.”

“I’m not just going to let you run away from this, too. We need to talk- there’s clearly been some sort of miscommunication here!”

“What’s there to talk about?” Kakashi sighs. Guy lets him pull away, but this time, he doesn’t run, opting to sit on the edge of the bed with the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. “I mean… If you knew… Why did you let me continue? What exactly does this mean to you?”

“Well, when you’re like this…” Guy pauses, sits down next to Kakashi, and reaches under the blanket to hold his hand. Against his better judgment, Kakashi reciprocates and intertwines their fingers. Guy’s touch is warm and genuine, just like the man himself. Although Kakashi isn’t anticipating a reaction of anger and betrayal anymore, he’s still conflicted- and, more importantly, confused. “It’s the only way you let me in. I know, it went too far, but… I assumed that we were both in on it. Did you seriously think you could fool me with a disguise like that?”

“Would you be mad if I said ‘yes’?”

“No, I can’t be mad at you,” Guy laughs and shakes his head. When Kakashi glances over, the older man is wistfully staring at the old picture of them that’s hung on the wall across from where they’re sitting. “Just frustrated with you… Don’t you remember the first time I saw you as Sukea?”

“Of course I do.”

“I guess I should’ve actually asked you about it instead of just assuming, but even though it took me a few minutes to figure it out that night, I did, and I assumed it was intentional… Like you wanted the connection I was so desperately trying to initiate with you but felt as if you weren’t allowed to have it as yourself. Like you did it with the intention of us both being in on it and just… Not talking about it in our day to day. I get that, as a ninja, it’s easier to keep your personal life separate from your work life- you’ve always been that way, but for you, I’ve always been a part of both faucets of your life and you were just so desperate to keep the two separated despite that.”

“Well, that assumption wasn’t completely wrong… I think I understand, and I’m sorry for everything. Are you really not mad at me?”

“I’m not mad, but I am offended on your behalf since you thought all this time that you had to use this- this alter ego of yours to get me to fall in love with you! Kakashi, I’ve always loved you for you- and I love Sukea, too. I understand that he’s a part of you, and that you find comfort in being him, but… I love all of you equally, not just Sukea. What did you think would happen when I found out? That I’d lose my mind and abandon you over this? That I’d be angry?”

Kakashi lets out a nervous laugh.

“Well…” He trails off, allowing the sheet to drop completely so Guy can see his face; his awkward grin, the mole he’s always been self conscious about, his red cheeks, his nose- which is a little crooked after the break he suffered from that one fight however many years ago.

“That’s exactly what you thought, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you’re wrong,” Guy leans forward to rest a hand on either side of Kakashi’s face. He holds it tenderly in his grasp as if Kakashi is fragile, as if he’s something to be cherished. The sweetness of it has Kakashi melting onto Guy’s soft sheets. “I love you, and I love every part of you. You know that.”

“I… Suppose you’re right,” Kakashi murmurs. “Do you want me to leave now?”

“Do you want to leave? After all of that?”

“Well, no-”

“Then what do you want to do?” Guy asks. “Do what you want, Kakashi. Whatever you want.”

“Okay,” Kakashi nods. “I’ll do what I want, then.”

And so, Kakashi leans forward, capturing Guy’s lips with his own and laughing between kisses when the two of them tumble back into bed.

[voidsentprinces]

something something something, Urianger the man who was a recluse, who grew into an advance recluse only truly coming out of his shell when talking and provoked by a woman whose name was Moon Bride. The man who heard of her fall and vowed to bring ruin and terror to Ascians wherever they maybe who produced her lineage white auracite to face Lahabrea, Igeyohrm and Emet-Selch. And after all was said and done was chosen by the Moon's Denizens, the Loporitts. To teach them of Eitheirys just as Moenbryda asked him about his tomes and learned from him since her parents were often busy working on the Ragnarok's future flight from her young age onward. Urianger, the chosen of the moon both from the woman he adored and by Hydaelyn's creations.

Thancred Waters, a street urchin turned scholar when he was adopted by the grandfatherly Louisoix while pick pocketing him in Limsa Lominsa. Who learned to use his mind and skills as an underdog to impress even the seasoned shinobi of Doma's resistance. Who, in a capital bereft of water, brought water to those downtrodden and without hope. Who adopted Minfilia with F'lhaminn. Who sought her safety through his own means while never meeting her until she became the Circle of Knowledge's head. Who lost sight and aether channeling when he sacrificed himself in the sewer river beneath Ul'dah to grant her escape. To awaken in the forest and found himself now surrounded by river, streams, and water fall aplenty but nowhere was Minfilia. Taken away by Flow at the last moment to become the Voice of the Mother. Thancred Waters, the man always with the odds against him. Warriors of Darkness, Zenos yae Galvus, Ran'jit. Who would grant hope and provide an oasis for Ryne after a time. Allowing her to also cut her way through the dark with his gunblade to save Gaia from it. The Oracle of Light becoming the beacon of hope and aid in the creation of the aetherically rich Eden, Novrandt could look towards from then on. Waters both leading and gathering to be succor for all. Thancred Waters the man with a street level view raised to scholarly loft ridges, possessed by demons, abandoned by the Goddess, and yet ever moving forward and when he stagnated. He found a way forward to break and become a flowing river of hope once more. To sacrifice himself in Ultima Thule for the good of all. To grant aid to Garlemald which he was the ruin of through rumors and gossip. Becoming the life blood of nations much like Minfilia became part of the aetherstream and the Voice of the Goddess.

Both men going forward to Tural to grant wisdom of heavens and waters to Koana. Grant him the ability to see his people, hear their thoughts, and know their feelings. Koana a man who tried to appear an enlightened, pragmatic and stoic scholar to bring innovation to Tural. But deep in his hearts of hearts wore his heart on his sleeve and cared do deeply for his sister, Wuk Lamat. He would cast his chance at the throne aside and track her down at a moments notice. Accepting the wisdom of Urianger and Thancred and making a pact with Thavnair to call down Vrtra and his brood to aid in the defense of Tural from Zoraal Ja. And who embraces his sisters love for his people as openly and welcoming as Galool Ja Ja did. Ramble ramble ramble.

[hellcifrogs]

Oh man your big bro Sasuke ask sent me spiraling back into my own AU I made after finishing Naruto I called the Team 7 swap.

It was a swap between Team Minato and Team 7 which switch places and timelines. Naruto took over Obitos place raised by his father during the second and third Shinobi war and founded/joined the Akatsuki under Black Zetsus puppetry planning to get all the tailed beasts together to destroy their collective villages. He uses his Talk no jutsu to convince a lot of people to join him.

Sakura was made the three tails jinchuriki and because of her and Sasukes collective smarts, she was placed under a genjutsu before reaching the village and Minato helped reseal the three tails safely. She is now head of the healing department, under lady fourth and teaching young students to implement Tsunadaes plans for each team to have a healing nin.

Sasuke stayed in the village and wound up a Genin instructor to take on three students. Danzo did the Uchiha massacre but Sasuke was able to stop it before everyone died, but it was still a huge blow to his clan and most of the men died. Luckily, Danzos actions were enough to get him killed. He has his younger brother Itachi, a prodigy in his own right. His genin students are Kakashi, son of the white fang, Obito, one of the last Uchiha, and Rin, a promising healing kunoichi with a dark secret.

Jariya joins the Akatsuki with their justice and peace ambitions after seeing Naruto’s potential and reuniting with Konan, Yahiko and Nagato. Orochimaru doesn’t leave the village, being inspired by Sasukes growth to stick around. Tsunadae also doesn’t leave, inspired by Sakuras growth. Minato however, does leave the village after losing his son and wife, and goes into a drunken gambling fit, becoming a shell of what was once the yellow flash of the leaf. He’ll have a built in redemption to replace the Tsunadae arc.

Okay okay, but what happens to Naruto and Jiraya? How does the Ame trio work here? What is little Rin's big secret? Does three tails Sakura fight as well?? How stressed is Sasuke-sensei? I have so many questions, please tell me you're writing it sonewhere??

[thebloodredraven]

What kinda insecurities do you think the Akatsuki struggle with?

Itachi

Itachi struggles with autism having such an unshakable one-track mind that he gets in his own way and makes things worse than what they could be if he were lenient in his methods of getting things done, and it haunts him. He's very frigid and unbending and he doesn't realize he could have done things a different way until well after he's done something dangerous, irresponsible, or insensitive. The worst part about it is the delayed guilt; he feels little to no remorse in the moment because he fully believes everything he does is justified and a means to an end. It's only when he sees the disastrous aftermath when he realizes he was wrong and starts to question everything he's ever done. I mean he didn't even see how much he fucked up with Sasuke until AFTER he died. He didn't see how much he was manipulated by others around him because he was too busy hyper-fixating on his own goals and his own wants/needs. He didn't see that there were other plausible ways of stopping the massacre because of his devotion to an imperialist state over his own family. His insecurity is knowing nothing he does will ever be good enough despite being the prodigy in everyone else's eyes. His insecurity is knowing he's wrong. His insecurity is knowing his weakness for his brother caused him to make horrible decisions and he's to blame. He's one of the smartest people in the entire show but he's definitely not the brightest and he knows that.

Kisame (bonus post for him)

Physically, Kisame has a very obvious insecurity surrounding how monstrous he looks. He takes pride in how fit and athletic his body is so him boasting about being as strong as the tailed beasts is to be expected. But he avoids mirrors. Every comment about his gills and abnormal facial features cuts him. His skin makes him stick out like a sore, oversized thumb. If he looks too long at himself, he's forced to acknowledge the fact that he heavily leans into his fighting abilities and overzealous bloodlust because it justifies the way he looks. He needs to be physically strong to make up for what he lacks in being a normal-looking person. People are going to be afraid of him anyway; may as well give them a reason.

Kakuzu

Kakuzu struggles with self-worth. He was known as being a formidable and undefeated shinobi in his youth. So ruthless and cut-throat that his village leaders deemed him worthy enough to take on the 1st Hokage. That defeat ruined his life and took away every bit of self-worth he had when he was further humiliated by the village elders. When he couldn't regain his honor and turned rogue, he placed all his worth into money which has been his driving force and sole motivation to do pretty much anything. It's all he cares about because he has no other option. Money doesn't care about honor. Money doesn't care about reputation. Money doesn't care about what he can and can't do. He sees the value and worth it has in the world and by attaining it himself, he himself has value and worth.

Zetsu

This is strange, but I don't think Zetsu has insecurities. I'm still at the beginning of the war arc and know very little about the outcome of his character, but seeing as he's not even an Earthly being, I find it very difficult to believe that he'd concern himself with human experiences like that.

Nagato

Nagato's insecurity lies in his ability (or lack of) to properly carry out Yahiko's legacy. He's very aware that he'll never measure up to his friend's vision simply because they don't share the same viewpoint; they look to the same goal with different eyes because Yahiko was willing to sacrifice himself for an ideal bigger than himself while Nagato was willing to sacrifice everyone. Somewhere in his mind he's aware of the irony in using Yahiko's corpse -- a shell of who he was and empty of any real soul -- to carry out their plans because he knows he'll never be accepted. Yahiko would never have approved of taking away people's free will to avoid war and I think he knows that. So he uses his abilities to shield who he actually is so he can pretend he's just as good and just as pure as his friend was. He never will be, though.

Konan

At no direct fault of her own, she's lost everyone she ever cared about or loved. I refuse to believe she genuinely thinks she's the one at fault for Yahiko's death, but I think if it weren't for Yahiko wanting Nagato to keep the organization going she would have left that very day he was killed. By the time Nagato was gone, she had nothing left and abandoned the Akatsuki altogether to let Naruto handle it (from what I remember, I may be wrong). She stayed in the Akatsuki out of pure survivor's guilt and that had to be eating at her every year that went by. Maybe at some point, she'd think about if she was even good enough to keep it going. Yahiko loved her but entrusted the Akatsuki mission to someone else. Was she not enough? Was she not strong enough? Did her being kidnapped make Yahiko think she couldn't do it? I can see these questions going through her mind at some point.

Hidan

Hidan likes to pretend he's big and bad, but his biggest insecurity is how utterly terrified he is of death despite being the person to dish it out to others AND that he's literally nothing without killing. I like to think he made killing people his biggest personality trait because he really doesn't think he has anything else to contribute. It's all he knows how to do and all he's good at so when his hometown went from a shinobi village to a tourist town, they took away the one thing that made him useful. He was beside himself and instead of being a normal person and taking up something else, he snapped because he's narcissistic enough to think of it as a personal attack on him. How dare they take away the one thing he based his entire life around and the only thing that gives him any semblance of true purpose. I also have a headcanon that he made up the existence of Jashin to validate his insistant and unhinged need to slaughter innocent people and that his clan was involved in some shady human experimentation type of shit that fucked with his psyche as a child.

Obito

Obito.....oh boy. His biggest and loudest insecurity is his scars. Not for superficial reasons or anything like that, but because they're a glaring reminder that him attempting to do true good ended in tragedy. I can't say too much about him because I'm still in the very early stages of the war arc but from what I know about him and the lengths he was willing to go to cause the destruction he did over YEARS, those scars are just a physical reminder of everything he could have been, everyone he should have had in his life, and everything he'll never be.

Sasori

Sasori's biggest insecurity is how sensitive and vulnerable he actually is. He hates it. Despises the fact that he feels so much that he goes to great lengths to hide it. You don't go through the trouble of turning yourself into a human puppet just because it's a Tuesday afternoon and you're bored. You do it because the grief is too great. You do it because whatever pain you felt was so terrible and so awful that taking away the very essence of your humanity is the only way you can cope with it. He had to feel the soul shattering, heartbreaking agony that comes with having the people you love most ripped away from you at such a young age and never being able to fill that void. He hates that he wears his heart on his sleeve and can't hide it, but secretly wants someone to acknowledge the pain he's in. He turned his parents into puppets. He may have gotten rid of them once he realized they weren't a good replacement for his real parents, but he had to get to that point in the first place. He turned his only friend into a puppet after he was accidentally killed. He found peace during Edo Tensei after Kankuro validated his philosophy on everlasting art. That Scorpio man is a walking bleeding heart no matter how nihilistic he is and hates every second of it.

Deidara

Deidara's insecurities lie in his inferiority complex. He's a kid trying to prove himself to be worthy in the eyes of others and when he doesn't get that validation from people he admires, it hurts. He spent so much time trying to prove himself to his rivals (Itachi, Sasuke, Sasori, etc.) and hyperfixated on getting the upper hand because he had this inherent need to finally been seen as someone's equal through his own abilities. He hates being treated like a joke, like an afterthought, and like his voice doesn't matter and the people around him consistently do that exact thing. Honestly, I felt bad for him half the time cause they kept making a fool out of him even after he died 😭

[wing-ed-thing]

Konoha 12 with Children Going Through the Same Trauma They Did

Tags/Warnings: Body Image Issues, Grief, Mental Health Topics, Reader Insert, No Reader Pronouns, Mild Physical Abuse (Sorry Sasuke would punt you)

Notes: Boruto who? BORUTO DOESN’T EXIST FOR THESE HEADCANONS.

𓆃 Choji - Body Image

Easily the best at knowing what to say. He’s been struggling with his body image his entire life and has a wonderful grasp on what health specific to his clan looks like.

Choji strives to make topics surrounding weight and body shape normal and neutral in the household, so if you're asking about weight, it’s because some other stupid kid said something.

You are always reminded of your spirit, skills, and capacity for kindness rather than your looks.

Choji ensures that your home is a positive and safe place to talk about anything.

𓆃 Hinata - Finding a Voice

Hinata has always been a very patient person and knows how hard it is to break out of one’s shell. As a parent, she provides a space for you to be heard and to feel safe.

Hinata believes that you can’t force things when it comes to your growth and tries to nurture you until you have the strength to do it on your own.

Not to say that she doesn’t give a little push now and then. Hinata herself always regretted the amount of time it took for her to take chances and be vulnerable with friends, so she gives gentle nudges and reassurance when she can.

𓆃 Ino - Normalcy and Loss

A part of Ino always wanted to be a normal girl. There was a balance between civilian life and shinobi life that she couldn’t quite strike, especially when responsibility was thrust onto her so young.

She’ll want to go out with you often, whether it’s getting sweet drinks, getting your nails painted, asking for the friend-group gossip, or other fun activities. 

A part of her craves getting more of those experiences in her youth, but she very much wants you to have those experiences for yourself and to have a consistent parent who “gets you.”

She definitely tries too hard at times— it’s embarrassing sometimes— but she means well.

𓆃 Kiba - Bein’ a Guy

Kiba always had a loud bark, but when it came down to it, he didn’t meet all the goals he intended to meet. 

Being the energetic guy he is, he will be rooting for you from day one. Sometimes, you feel he gets more excited about projects and accomplishments than you. 

Kiba is always celebrating you and always bragging about you. He’s proud of you that you have goals— big or small— but more than anything, he wants you to live your life in a way that makes you happy.

If you’re happy, Kiba is dragging you out for celebratory ice cream.

𓆃 Lee - Bullying and Inadequacy 

Ehm. I mean, he means well?

You see, Gai took a very tough love approach with Lee meaning that Lee thinks if you push hard enough, you’ll find fulfillment... and that’s not for everyone. 

He’s also not great with his words. Every so often, he’ll say something encouraging, but sometimes he’s just emotionally clueless. 

If anything, you’ll always be celebrated for your uniqueness and what makes you you. 

Lee genuinely wants only what’s best for you; his pure intentions are always clear. 

𓆃 Naruto - Isolation

Poor Naruto, seeing you isolated would probably make him so sad. And angry, for that matter! Naruto isn’t above punting some jerk kid who made you mad (which probably isn’t great for the Hokage).

He’s a little goofy in the sense that he’ll probably take an over-interest in the things you enjoy. He’ll insist that you do things that interest you together.

He’s also really into pep talks and giving unsolicited advice (that probably isn’t really that great).

Naruto would totally give you pocket money to enjoy a meal if he’s busy.

𓆃 Neji - Unfair Family Dynamic

Well, first of all, Neji isn’t letting this happen. 

I’m struggling to write a headcanon because Neji wouldn’t allow this. He wouldn’t allow the secondary-branch stuff to happen.

He’d be a fierce advocate for you, even before birth. But Neji is such a grumpy dad. The affection is there; it’s just through action.

He’s also not very good with words, so the affirmation is straightforward, but he would go to war for you.

𓆃 Sakura - Inadequacy

Your two best friends are also gods, huh? Sakura knows how that is, and she’s probably picked up on it before you tell her. 

She’s reticent about things and always seems to tell you exactly what you need at that moment. Sakura is very encouraging, helping you problem-solve to figure out what your strengths and passions are.

She suggests that you pursue those, admiring your accomplishments, whether big or small.

𓆃 Sasuke - Having your family murdered in front of your very own eyes Going Down a Troubled Path

Yikes. Don’t go down a Troubled Path ™ while Sasuke is around.

I’m sorry. If you tried to leave the village, Sasuke wouldn’t be above punting you. I’m just the messenger.

Sasuke would be there for you, or at least try to, but as another shinobi who’s not great with words, he’d usually end up looming. 

Maybe there are times when he can see your anger, and you can achieve a nice, quiet moment with him, but Sasuke will drag you out of darkness no matter what it takes.

𓆃 Shikamaru - Losing a Sensei

Shikaku knew best, and that’s what Shikamaru does with you. He’s straight to the point, not very into hugs or anything like that, but he does have an eye on you emotionally. 

Shikamaru already knows, and he drives straight to the point, unarming you so that you have a space to feel your grief. 

𓆃 Shino - Losing a Sibling-like Person

Another quiet Dad. He just wants what’s best for you too. 

It’s all about the memories and the momentos. Shino would encourage you to cope and heal at your own rate but not forget the person important to you.

Shino would be there with you in your grief but ensure the focus remained on you. You would have space, and Shino would show his love and support through small gestures. 

𓆃 Tenten - Bein’ a Gal

Tenten stuck a nice balance in her life, and she wants to pass that on to you too! Maybe you’re not the flashiest ninja in your grade, but Tenten is already working with you on a strategy on how to improve that thing you like!

Never for a second has Tenten treated you like something to be overlooked. Anything you want to do, you do!

Zero hesitation. Mention one idea to her; she’s already helping you put it in motion. To her, there’s nothing worth overlooking in the first place.

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed, and supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

[shysublimecoffee]

Don't take it so personally; it's just someone's opinion. Remember, this is a fictional story, so there's no need to get upset. I don't wanna starts fights.

I don't think sasusaku relationship means much tbh and arguing over who the superior ship whether it be between hina or sakura is like weak you know because they both equally suck why fight over what's the better plain bread. You'd be better off reading proper romance manga because Sasusaku and Naruhina ain't it.

This manga messaging at the end is kinda fucked when you think about it how many people who read the story might interpret it and take it afterwards having the MC condone genocide and just backtrack his promise to Nagato who must be spitting and rolling in his grave and having our deuteragonist be a shell of his former self and come home to a place that eviscerated and massacred and erased his own people. Many fans are just so infatuated with Itachi that his brother is held as a martyr, stating that he was just a kid with no choice, and that he sacrificed when in reality, he sacrificed others' lives and was willing to force Sasuke autonomy into submission for the village's . It's disturbing that some view this as admirable, considering it involved betraying his own blood.

Why is Sasuke labeled as the abuser, the terrorist, the madman? Consider this for a moment. Throughout the Naruto series, Sasuke's refusal to accept the fate of his people is incredibly known. He's portrayed as if he's lost his mind, yet nobody seems to care about the circumstances that led him to this point. The people who claim to care for Sasuke don't question why his people are gone; they simply continue to act as the "good shinobi" they are. It's disturbingly makes sense logically that only someone as "crazy" as Sasuke would seek justice against Danzo, as no one else would hold him accountable for the crimes against the Uchiha clan. They don't give a single flippity-fuck?

As an reader, I do admire Kishimoto for his handling of Sasuke's character and his insightful portrayal of how real-life genocides. However, I find it disappointing that despite the careful way Sasuke was connected to his people, this story took a disturbing turn in that it just ended in a sick note.

Kishimoto wrote himself into a corner with this one. If Konoha is depicted as a place built on warmongering and exploitation, then what does that say about Naruto, who has aspired to be the face of the village as Hokage from the start? If we acknowledge that the Uchiha Massacre was unjust and undeserved, then wouldn't Sasuke be justified, putting him in the moral high ground that he's the hero? In that case, wouldn't everyone supporting Konoha and the shinobi system, including our protagonist Naruto, be morally and ethically in the wrong? This would flip our perception of the cast. We've seen stories where the protagonist is the villain, but the narrative is aware of their wrongdoing. Kishimoto would have had to completely overhaul the manga to make the story work otherwise.The Curse of Hatred to me comes off an an excuse to me as a reader nothing more which is made-up bull that is propaganda to demonize the Uchiha.

I'm so surprised that like he's the one hated how many of us read revenge stories what makes Sasuke different is it because he doesn't succumb to Naruto that easily? He's so hated vocally by the fanbase as if he was the one who killed their loved ones is it a case of jealousy and resentment towards him or is it that they disagree with his views because if so that says a lot?

[sur-i-ki]

Ｆｏｒ ｙｏｕ， Ｉ＇ｄ ｆｉｇｈｔ ｔｈｅ ｇｏｄｓ

⇝ 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘺

✦ 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘳: 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘞𝘈𝘛𝘛𝘗𝘈𝘋 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 (𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺-𝘴𝘢𝘯)

✦ 𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯:

⋆ 𝘍𝘦𝘮. 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘩𝘦/𝘩𝘦𝘳

⋆ 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵/𝘍𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧, 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘈𝘜

⋆𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴: 𝘔𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩, 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨

When the youngest son of the Kazekage was born, around the same time, a girl was born.

One is a monster.

One is claimed to rival the intellect of those in the Nara clan.

Both were born for each other. [Name] was trained for the longest time, by the best shinobi the village had to offer, to protect their best weapon.

A master for a sword.

But she didn't do what they expected her to do. Even though no one would go near Gaara, [Name] was the one who stuck by him, through thick and thin.

It was only a matter of time before they fell in love with each other. And the moment Gaara became Kazekage, she became Anbu Captian and the Head of the entire army the Sand Village had to offer. The second most powerful, right behind Gaara.

And everyone knew not to say bad things about the Kazakage when she was around. It always ended with someone in the hospital. And it wasn't her.

They all whispered about how much she loved him. All talked about how the Captian had lost control the minute she saw him.

Saw her life, her everything, her Gaara, motionless, on the ground, being sat on.

Ｈｏｗ ｄａｒｅ ｔｈｅｙ？

Sleepless nights, ever since the kidnapping of Gaara reached her ears, while she was on a mission. She came back to the village so fast, that people say she rivalled the speed of the Yellow Flash.

And now they are telling her that he is dead? Dead? No, she refused it. Because when he died, her heart would automatically stop. Her love would kill her right there and then.

And she wasn't dead.

Deidara had only started speaking about art, when his head hit the ground, rolling away from his body.

ʎzɐɹɔ ǝɯ ǝpɐɯ ǝʌol 'ǝɯ ǝɯɐlq ʇ,uoᗡ

Sasori jumped back, shivers running up his back, because of the look in her eyes. The absolute hatred and rage, that promised his death. Those eyes held more death than those of the Tailed Beasts.

In the end, there were two Akatsuki dead, and only one person fighting. The Konoha shinobi were shell shocked. Shocked at how she moved.

But she didn't care. Because Gaara wasn't waking up, no matter how much she shook him.

"Gaara-sama, Gaara-sama!"

There were tears forming in her eyes. She's never cried before. Sakura came around, her hands glowing green with chakra. She glanced up at [Name] before she placed them on his chest.

"Pulse, none. Time of death-"

She was cut off abruptly as [Name] pushed her away, placing her own hands on his chest.

"I was meant to protect. I was made to protect. To serve. He changed me. He saved me. My life is his as long as he exists."

Chiyo's eyes widened as she noticed how the speaking girl manipulated her chakra.

"𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡��𝙖𝙮𝙨, 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙂𝙖𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩."

Chiyo gave a hand signal to Sakura, who quickly got up and circled behind [Name]. Who was too busy pouring her life essence into Gaara.

One nerve. Three ounces of pressure. And a distracted captain.

[Name] was unconscious.

Everyone knows how that mission ended.

But after the war. After everything, [Name] got the one order that she dreaded.

ʇɥɓıɹ ʇı ɓuıop ʇ,uıɐ noʎ 'ʇ,usǝop ʇı ɟI

"[Full Name], as of right now you are being taken off of duty for your lack of management during your latest mission."

Her heart dropped. 

"I'm sorry?"

Gaara just stared ahead, looking at the wall behind her.

"I'm taking you off duty."

[Name] searched the eyes of her beloved, trying to see if he was messing with her. To see if he was understanding how this would hurt her. Hurt them.

"I didn't do anything wrong."

Gaara's eyes flicked to hers.

"I'm not going to change my mind."

"You can't do this! This is the one constant that's been in my life, Gaara. I'm a damn good shinobi. And, I didn't do anything wrong. I was trying to protect my teammates and eliminate the enemy! It was the best option I could up with! ME! The Genius of this village."

"[Name]-"

"NO! This is bullshit. I know I came back injured, but that's part of the job description! The reason you're giving me is shitty as fuck! I couldn't really think of another fucking escape plan, and I thought being injured but ALIVE was better than being tortured and DEAD."

They were standing toe to toe. She couldn't believe her ears. [Name] understood that her plan wasn't perfect, but her plan promised escape, alive, without any casualties. And that was more than enough for her to take a couple of kunai to her body to escape with her comrades.

"I won't. Change. My. Mind."

"Fine. Then don't talk to me. Because you're not listening."

And with that, [Name] turned and left his office, tears swimming in her eyes.

The next few days, it was absolute radio silence. Neither of them spoke to the other. And Gaara had appointed Temari as the new Captain.

A few days turned into a few weeks and nothing changed. Gaara had gotten better at expressing himself. But that entire fight he had with [Name] still made him want to jump out of the window.

He just didn't want to lose her. He wanted her to be safe. To be with him.

But you were right. It came with the job description. And you were a damn good shinobi. Plus, if you were saying that the plan you came up with was the best option, then you must have thought through everything else.

So, yeah, he realized, he was in the wrong for this. But how was he going to apologize to you after being so dumb?

In the end, he decided a little drink would help him think up a solution. So he dragged along Kankuro and headed over to the nearest bar for some sake.

---

After a couple of drinks, and a complete breakdown on his brother's shoulder, Gaara stumbled his way to the hotel room you were living in.

"[Name]~~, open up baby. I need'ta," he hiccuped, "Need'ta ta'k to you babe."

The door creaked open, and your stoic face showed up in his blurry vision.

"Gaara-sama?" his heart hurt that you used the honorific, one that you had reluctantly left behind. Gaara's eyes flashed, something low and guttural swimming in his eyes. His hands grabbed the edge of the door and pushed it open, while he finally stood up to his full height.

"Don' ta'k like that, baby~"

[Name] looked on, unimpressed but slightly surprised that he was drunk. She led him inside and laid him down on the bed, pulling his shoes off and bringing a bucket to him in case he throws up.

"I'll be leaving now, Gaara-sama. I hope you have a good night's rest."

She turns to leave when a hand catches onto her wrist and yanks. [Name] stumbles backwards and falls into the bed, her back flush against his chest.

"[Name]," his voice vibrated through her body, and she couldn't help but sink into his arms, finally feeling at home after a long time.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I should've trusted you, and I can't express how regretful I am I said those things to you, and how mad I am at myself for not trusting you."

Her breathing stills, as she realizes that Gaara wasn't as drunk as he had acted. If anything, he might be just a little tipsy at best.

"I was, I was just so scared of losing you after everything we've been through. Terrified that after all the fighting, blood, and war, I'd lose you and I, I would've never lived."

Turning, [Name] planted a kiss on his lips, his hands immediately flying to her hips and pulling, deepening the kiss.

"It's okay," she replies after pulling away, "I understand how you feel."

Gaara gives her a puzzled look. She laughs, hollow and empty as if she was in a place that robbed her of light.

"That time when the Akatsuki got you, Gaara, I was gone. Terrified, angry, and so sad. So, so sad I wanted to die thinking you were dead. And now, I never, ever want to see that again, so I try to do everything in my power to prevent that from happening."

He just squeezes your hips in return leaning in and touching your foreheads together.

"I think, I'm gonna sign us up for some therapy, and maybe we could have a date tomorrow? Oh and also, you have a lot of work to do 'cause Temari has been doing nothing 'cause she is mad at me."

She laughs, happy and feeling like a burden has been lifted off her shoulders. The rest of the night is spent with laughter and love, feeling as if the two had gotten closer to each other than ever before.

⇝𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥! 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯

[madelinesnarutoblog]

How can people not empathize with Sasuke here? (And in general.)

After the final fight with his brother, the forehead poke, and hearing the words he heard his entire childhood, he wakes up completely exhausted in an unknown dark cave.

His eyes look empty. His expression is completely vulnerable. There is no happiness there. He looks like a shell of himself.

Only to be bombarded with so much compromising and world-shattering information.

Sasuke doesn't even have the energy to be his usual composed self and really fight back on things he would have perceived as bullshit before. He is vulnerable in these moments. Normally, he would have Chidorid anyone who would have tried to even imply that Itachi was "protecting him". Here he can just state a threat.

Only when he finds out, that he is facing the other killer of his clan, he can react. Even then, shaking and in shock and screaming, because he is clearly overwhelmed.

Heavy breathing and probably spiraling into an anxiety attack.

Everything Sasuke believed in his entire life is being shattered in these moments. The thing that kept him going somehow in the last decade was his desire for revenge/justice. He gave up everything for it. He left behind Naruto and his comrades. He trained with a snake creep, who wanted his body. Betrayed his village. Took drugs and insanely pushed himself.

He finally kills his brother... And Sasuke deep down still had love for Itachi somehow, at least having the tender memories of the two, distorted by Itachi's betrayal.

And then a fucker with a Sharingan, who also murdered his family, comes to tell him, that the man Sasuke had just killed, was actually a great guy, who just wanted to protect Sasuke. That's. a. Pill. To. swallow.

But of course, Tobi goes on, let's remember the men Sasuke just killed, in a good light. Trying so he faints.

When he wakes up, he is tied up and looks even worse than before.

Just to be told that Itachi was ordered by Konoha to kill the Uchiha. That he was nothing but a "pawn".

And it just gets more and more world-wrecking... Sasuke was always so proud of his clan and I recall that he wanted to join the police force. This must also be a shock.

ALSO FUGAKU WAS AN ASSHOLE FOR USING HIS TEENAGE SON AS A FUCKING SPY AND PUTTING THAT MUCH PRESSURE ON ITACHI.

Lovely, manipulating children. :) Having Itachi choose between war and his family is abhorrent. And that the village just covered these crimes and shrugged them under a rug even more so. Worse even. Danzo had them all slaughtered for his own personal gain.

And Sasuke can somehow understand Itachi's choice, because he also avoids the deaths of innocents.

The immense amount of shock and guilt Sasuke must feel in this moment is unreal:

So yeah, Sasuke still somehow loved his brother. That is why he could awaken Magekyo Sharingan. I wonder is Sasuke also tried to cut off Naruto to protect him in that sense...

I mean... Everyone he loved was taken from him. For some political nonsense... His brother was forced to live an extremely shitty live, because of an impossible decision forced upon him....

I still see Sasuke's wish to destroy Konoha as a logical consequence of all that new information... Only that with time he comes to realize it is not Konoha that needs to change... But the whole senseless, violent and corrupt Shinobi system.

Literally all his haters can fuck off and I will die on this hill.