#Uchiha Family fanfic

[allmyfuckingobsessions]

AFTER

What if when Sasuke is released of the Divine Tree he had the memories of Hidari...

[stu-dyingstudent]

Sakura Haruno fic recs: romance-centric

I, like many others, definitely enjoy a a good romance every so often. All of these recs are going to have the romantic development of the characters as the forefront of the story, so just because the fic includes a ship doesn't mean it will go on the list. That means, many of them might feel more on the slice of life side of the spectrum, but that's not the case for all!!

There is going to be a mix of ships here so if you're interested in one in specific then use the search feature!

Started: 2024.08.28

Last Updated: 2024.09.28

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

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To Build a Home - RedPowder || ao3 || E || kakasaku || canon divergence || ongoing

Sakura and Kakashi are assigned a mission that will change the path of their lives forever.

Kakashi and Sakura are forced to marry on orders from the village and I know that description sounds dumb, but trust me when I say this fic is gold. I've always had a hard time with kakasaku fics because I feel the whole teacher/student thing gets swept under the rug too easily, but that's not the case here. Their past relationship from team 7 is a glaring shadow over their marriage and the guilt over the whole situation weighs heavy on Kakashi. This mission isn't easy for either of them and it takes a lot of pull and tug to ensure things don't completely blow up. To Build a Home is probably one of my favorite takes on this ship as the portrayal feels realistic and the character feel accurate to themselves. Just give it a go!

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Approaching Sun - ANerdInAllHerGlory || ffn || T || sasusaku || blank period || ongoing

After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

Approaching Sun is probably one of the most realistic depictions of Sasuke and Sakura's relationship that I have read. This takes place during the blank period and references the novels, so it feels like an actual possibility of what went down. As much as I love them, I have a hard time believing that their relationship was smooth sailing and so I think this is an interesting take.

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The Fool - thekatthatbarks || ao3 || T || shikasaku || blank period || complete

Ino kicked at a pebble on the ground, her arms folded across her chest. “How long?” Shikamaru sighed and pulled the cigarette away from his lips. “The war." It was a lie somewhat. He’d liked her since they were kids but had simply ignored the budding crush expecting it to fade over time. It hadn’t and by the time the war came around, he accepted he would always carry it despite his increasing efforts to drop it. He’d tried drowning it in the river, burning it in a fire, covering it up with something else. But it was all to no avail. It stuck with him, always apart of him. “Have you ever told anyone? Chouji? Her?” "No."

I actually really like Shikamaru and Sakura as a pairing (or just working together in general); however, I haven't read much of them. The Fool was a great post-war read where with some meddling (curtesy of Ino) we get to watch the progression of their relationship into something more than friends.

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Nightmare in Red - Sariasprincy || ao3 || M || itasaku || non-massacre AU || complete

Haruno Sakura used to think the eyes were the windows to the soul, but after witnessing the horrors of the Sharingan firsthand, she's convinced they are the doors. It was pure chance that led Sakura to the discovery of the disease eating through Uchiha Itachi's lungs and now that she's aware, she knows she cannot just turn a blind eye. But how is she to treat the very man who tortured her while at the same time keep her nightmares from consuming her? That she doesn't know, but she knows she has to try, even if it nearly kills her in the end.

Itachi unintentionally captures Sakura in his mangekyou after being rolled into the hospital for her to heal. While Sakura tries to work through the impacts of the genjutsu she continues to work with him in an effort to cure him of the disease infecting his body. I actually really liked how the whole thing played out. Itachi's sickness was sort of a mystery in the original series and so I found it rather interesting to see what was done in regards to it. Anyway, I love their interactions and Shisui is (like always) a great character as well.

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Blind - ObsidianSickle || ffn || sasusaku || T || canon divergent || complete

It was almost time, Orochimaru was going to take his body as a vessel. He hated being used...he refused to be used. With that thought, he took the kunai in his hand and slashed across his eyes.

I won't lie, Sakura is pretty weak in Blind and the whole thing is super cheesy, but it's still an enjoyable read.

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Ghosts - ElegiesforShiva || ffn || sausaku || M || blank period || incomplete

In love and loss, it often comes back to family, and Team 7 had always been fated, hadn't they? Deny it as she may, Sakura finds her heart strung to them with an uncanny reverence and the weight of their ghosts. Sakura-centric. Heavy, heavy angst. Slow burn Sasusaku. Canon pairings. Lots of friendship feels. Eventual (consensual) lemon.

Ghosts is a pretty dark read where basically everyone is suffering. Sasuke and Sakura in specific have an especially hard time coping with their individual struggles yet they find comfort in each other. Check TWs before going in

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Home is Where the Heart is - DeepPoeticGirl || ffn || sasusaku || T || blank period || complete

And with every moment together, they get just a little closer, a little more comfortable with each other. Fall a little more in love. Post-war. Pre-epilogue.

This fic is actually adorable! Taking place during the black period we get to see how Sasuke and Sakura's relationship slowly progresses. If you've always wondered what their travels were like then definitely check this one out.

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In Times of Peace - SouthSideStory || ffn || sasusaku || M || blank period || canon divergent || complete

The war is over, and like Konoha, Team 7 has rebuilt itself from the ground up. Everything has changed, but Sasuke and Sakura remain much the same. Eleven years, she thinks, is a long time to be in love.

Sakura and Sasuke have like a secret relationship going on. Also, Sakura as a jonin sensei is so good!! I really wish that someone from the original cast actually went down that route, but whatever.

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Labyrinthine - FM_White || ao3 || itasaku || M || canon divergence || complete

ItaSaku (Post Uchiha Massacre) AU: Some things are destined to be. It just takes a couple of tries to get there.ItaSaku. Light KakaSaku.

I actually really liked how this was done as team 7 is still a family, Sasuke didn't lose his mind, Itachi picked a much more respectable path imo, and the characters are all adults.

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Only a Crush by Gingersoup || ao3 || kakasaku || M || canon divergent || complete

It was supposed to be an easy, fun night out. She never intended to wake up in her sensei's bed, half-naked and with no memory of what happened the night before! As she tries to unravel the mystery of that night, something sinister is growing beyond the walls of the Leaf Village... and what was only a crush spirals wildly out of control.

Sakura is unwillingly thrust into the world of illegal drugs, trafficking, and sex all while coming to terms with her new feelings regarding her former sensei. I typically don't like kakasaku, but I think this work is done tastefully well. The characters are both adults and the immorality of the relationship is not ignored, so be prepared for a lot of "we can't," "this is wrong," etc.. Anyway, Sakura is an absolute powerhouse and I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between all of the different characters and villages!

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Dreaming's End - thepiedsniper || ao3 || T || kakasaku || canon divergence || complete

Sakura didn't avoid the Infinite Tsukuyomi with the others, and all the events that happened afterward were simply the product of her dream-state. When Sakura finally wakes up from years spent in her personal "paradise," she must to learn how to start again. Kakashi is there to help her. ~*~ (TWs for genjutsu-related unreality)

Basically, imagine the entirety of Boruto was Sakura's dream in Infinite Tsukuyomi. When Sakura manages to breakout during the war she's left to deal with serious ramifications of the life she just lived. She finds herself constantly questioning what's real and Kakashi tries to help her through it.

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Mamihlapinatapai - FM_White || ao3 || E || itasaku || canon divergence || ongoing

Mamihlapinatapai・Yagan. (n.) a look shared by two people, each wishing that the other would initiate something they both desire, but which neither wants to begin In which Sakura tries her hardest to raise one hell of a rambunctious baby by herself, Sasuke is searching for something unknown, and Itachi is the uncle.

In another life where Itachi doesn't end up dying and instead tries his best to help Sakura raise his niece in Sasuke's absence. It's my head canon that everyone came together to help with Sarada just like they did for Kuranai, and so Mamihlapinatapi satisfies that thought for me. I like how Sasuke was criticized in this since as much as I understand the necessity of what he's doing, I also find it completely unfair to his wife and daughter. Itachi and Sakura form a great bond and it's all very domestic and just super fluffy all around, which I love.

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Louder than Words - SouthSideStory || ao3 || T || sasusaku || non-massacre AU || complete

Sakura hasn’t uttered a single word since the day her family died, but Sasuke is determined to hear her, one way or another. (No Uchiha massacre AU.)

Sakura gets taken in by the Uchiha family after Fugaku finds her on a mission. She's been mute ever since, but that doesn't stop her and Sasuke from forming a close bond.

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Snake Bound - shefalls || ao3 || E || sasusaku || canon divergence || complete

"You... took me with you." "That's what I said." "To Orochimaru. You took me with you, to Orochimaru." Sasuke nodded curtly and shoved the medical kit a little more insistently into her hands. Sakura accepted, and prayed to every known god that Orochimaru would ignore her existence. She should've known the gods don't listen. Now only on AO3. Sequel up.

What if Sasuke took Sakura with him like she asked? Snake Bound explores that idea and it's honestly a very uncomfortable read. Their relationship is based off of the isolation and dependency their new situation puts them in. All they really have is each other and the new bond that brings is not a healthy one.

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Armour-Sleeved Single Hit - thatdamnuchiha || ao3 || T || madasaku || time travel AU || one-shot complete

Sasuke always told Sakura she was weak. Even after she trained with Tsunade for years he only had eyes for Naruto whom he considered strong. She would forever be invisible to him no matter how many mountains she toppled.Being a member of Team Seven despite Sasuke’s refusal to acknowledge her meant she got herself into her fair share of sticky situations. Getting stuck a hundred odd years in the past had to take the cake though.But she was just a weak little girl and compared to the shinobi of old she’d be ridiculously pathetic. Sasuke had said she was weak to him – a modern day shinobi who hadn’t been forced into battle after battle like they did in the Warring Clans Era. Obviously she’d be nothing more than a spec of dirt in the eyes of the Founders.

Sakura manages to find herself in founding-era Konoha! While trying to prove that medical ninja are capable fighters she unknowingly gains the affection of Madara Uchiha. After all, the Uchiha find beauty in strength. Super cute read!

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Always You - alex-halcyon || ffn || T || kakasaku || age swap AU || complete

[AU. Age-swap] Kakashi x Sakura. From academy days to the third shinobi war and beyond, Kakashi and Sakura grow up and fall in love.

Basically, Sakura takes Rin's place on the old team 7. The progression between the character is quite interesting as it definitely isn't smooth sailing for Kakashi and Sakura. However, even through everything they find themselves drifting towards each other. Pretty cute imo.

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interim - stannide || ao3 || T || sasusaku || blank period || one-shot complete

Sasuke lives with Sakura in the weeks after the war.

Interim is such a wholesome read where Sasuke and Sakura rekindle their former relationship. Super fluffy

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Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Tozette || ao3 || T || sasusaku || blank period || one-shot complete

Sasuke is actually eighteen the first time he looks at Sakura and realises abruptly that he wants her.

I think we all know by now that Sasuke has always been attracted to strength, power, so why not when it comes to romance? Essentially, one day on a mission, Sasuke discovers he has a strength kink. Watching him continuously get flustered throughout the fic because of his admiration towards Sakura's strength is so entertaining. Really fun read

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the problem with how time works - MurderMittens || ao3 || E || kakasaku || generation swap AU || complete

"I don't remember you being this uncomfortable when Kakashi was nine and had a crush on you," Ino pointed out neutrally. "You thought it was flattering before." She moved to pour more wine into their glasses as Sakura exhaled sharply out of her nostrils. "Obviously! It was fucking cute when he was a kid! But now he's..." she trailed off, gesticulating feebly. Ino, taking pity on her, finished the sentence: "Now he's a stone cold hottie who looks and sounds like he'd murder the ever-loving shit out of your vagina."

Sakura and Kakashi's generations swap place and boy is it entertaining. With Naruto as his sensei, of course Kakashi has met Sakura. Now that she's back in the village after years, Kakashi decides to try his best to win her over.

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on still water - summersirius || ao3 || T || shisaku || canon divergence || complete

and sometimes, there are days without rain. —shisui/sakura

I'm actually devastated that the author decided to not pursue the plot line after about chapter 15 (it was so good too), but On Still Water is great nonetheless. Some really cute Shisui x Sakura moments

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never let 'em know your next move - MirrorImage003 || ao3 || T || itasaku || non-massacre AU || one-shot complete

six times itachi is surprised by sakura, and the one time he's surprised by his mother.

Sort of drabble style moments between Itachi and Sakura and it's honestly adorable.

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Hatsukoi - sparklyfaerie || ao3 || sasusaku || gen || non-massacre AU || complete

Sasuke leans away as the girl turns to him, and his mother doesn't need to be any closer to guess as to the expression on his face. The girl's body language changes in an instant, and Mikoto recognizes the posture of a little girl in love. It's kind of adorable.

Probably one of the cutest sasusaku fics I have read as Hatsukoi follows them from genin to marriage! It's told in multiple perspectives and it's full of tooth rotting fluff. You get to watch the slow progression of their relationship over time and how they grow even closer in Naruto's absence. Definitely read is you want something light!

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(oh, you'll probably go to heaven) please don't hang your head & cry - SafelyCapricious || ao3 || T || itasaku || time travel AU || one-shot complete

There’s no such thing as a good death. But Sakura faces her death without any regrets. Her dying is keeping her precious people safe — and that’s all she can ask for. So she dies with a smile, taking thousands of enemies with her. She wakes up and falls off the branch she’s laying on.

More of a pre-ship than anything actually romantic, so maybe this isn't the best for this list lmao.

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Send me some recs if you have any to share! I'm generally fine with any ship as long as the story is good :)

[lenelee]

Dad Kakashi x daughter trope (

Kakashi x oc (not romantic)

Trope: found family

Word count: 1.5k

Warning: Oc character, Tragic backstory, mention of characters deaths, selective mutism disorder, Angst (if you squint?), hurt/comfort?, trauma, previous relationship, childhood love.

Kakashi ex girlfriend and comrade was someone he never could keep his mind off. Once he started to feel normal a little girl with white hair shows up, being called the daughter of his ex girlfriend. He was left with a note to raise her.

Kakashi didn’t know what to expect when he was called to the Hokage office. He assumed it was just another mission, so he put his uniform on, concealing his face underneath his mask, and made his way undetected.

He hadnt expected to be greeted by the Hokage alongside one of the legendary Sannin. The other white-haired man had been out of the village for a while, claiming to have research to do. Kakashi was a bit surprised to see him there.

He was even more surprised when they settled down and Jiraiya brought out a small blue-haired girl. She looked around seven… almost the same number of year Jiraiya had been gone for. Kakashi assumed it was the older man’s daughter and he would be assigned to guard her.

But what he was told was much worse.

Kakashi had never sought out love. He had actively avoided it, his childhood traumas leaving him to scarred to get close to anyone. He had seen others find love during times of war only to be left with hurt and alone. Kakashi tried to stay away from it as long as possible.

Yet he couldn’t help it when a beautiful girl with the kindest soul make her way into his heart, making him year for something he have vowed to never have, never want. Every time she stepped into the room, he couldn’t help but let his mind wonder to the terrifying place of his imagination, the future. Imagining their future together.

Kiyomi Tatsuyama. That was her name. The girl with all the time in the word, who used it all to pester him. She would always bother him during his morning walks, beg to spar with him only to go home with bruises, make him lunches when she assumed he was to busy to make his own, and bring him extra scarves during winter.

It annoyed him. She always asked what he was doing, the thing he liked, his favorite foods, his hobbies, and what kind of Shinobi he was.

He tried hard to put a distance between them, but mo matter what he did, she found a way to get to him. He hate it.

He hated how he would walk by her house slower when he noticed her rushing to do her hair before joining him. He hated how he would fall into an easy cycle of teasing and playful banter during their spars.

He hated how he would purposely complain to his comrades about how hungry he was when she was around so he could try the new food she made, despite it being overcooked. He hated how he’d leave his coat and scarf at home so she would nag and feel bad for him.

He hated the way her finger tips left a warm trail against his neck when she wrapped her scarf around him, the small scowl on her when she scolded him, the small dimple that appeared when she caught him staring blissfully, asking if he was listening, and how she would blush when she tried to scold him.

He hated the fact that he fell in love with her. And he hated it when she left. Leaving him behind with just a bite, telling him he would be in her heart forever before disappearing from his life forever.

His comrades would ask about her once they noticed the “fly” was no longer hanging around him, wondering if she had finally gotten the clue and stopped bothering him. He hated how heart broke he felt.

He hated how he could still hear the small cracks in his heart grow even after all these years as he read a note she had left him again. Hearing her soft voice saying he words he read:

“I always liked the cold. I liked the cute outfits I got to wear. The excuses it gave me to get close to you. I liked how warm I felt without feeling sweaty. I always felt that way around you. I felt nice and warm. Sorry if I bothered you, Kakashi. I couldn’t help who I fell in love with and how I handled it. I’m also sorry for what I’m about to do you. I don’t trust anyone the way I trust you. I know you’ll take care of her. People aren’t so kind to those who are different, of the unknown. She’s a good kid. She won’t bother you much. She likes to speak a lot but if you ask her to be quiet she won’t talk. She loves winters as much as I do and she likes to watch the stars shine. She doesn’t know how to make friends and she likes to eat a bunch of Dorayaki. Please take care of Kasumi for me…

I want you to know….I do remember that night.. Thank you.”

Kakashi couldn’t help the ache in his chest when he finished reading the letter. The way he crumpled the paper. The way he stared at the girl who stood behind Jiraiya, looking around curiously. The way the older men looked at him with hidden pitty behind their eyes.

He felt another stab at the heart.

“Kakashi, you understand you must take care of this girl? This child has been entrusted to your care. If you refuse her, she will be handed off to her grandfather. Although the isn’t reckless, he is in no condition to take care of a child. He can barely walk himself.” Hiruzen explained, his voice steady but his eyes filled with unspoken concern. Kakashi could feel the weight of his options being laid in front of him.

Jiraiya glance at him. His usual carefree deamnored replaced with a rare seriousness.

“She posses a Sharigan. It was placed in her. She can’t control it, and the longer it remains unstable, the more dangerous it becomes: not only that but…” Jiraiya paused, his face softening as he looked at the small girl who clung to his sleeve, her eyes landing on his, her big innocent eyes looking at him.

“Kasumi is daughter or Kenshiro Kaguyuki. Which means her anatomy is different than ours. Where we are warm blooded, Kasumi is not. She was born in the cold…. Kasumi is also mute.” Jiraya continued, his voice betraying a hint of sorrow. Kakashi’s eyes widened as he looked at the girl who tilted her head at him before hiding her small body behind the larger man.

“She wasn’t born with it. She developed it after going through a traumatic experience. It’s called Selective Mutism. Since she was three, she hasn’t spoke to anyone aside from her mother siblings,” Jiraya explained, his tone somber.

Kakashi felt his blood run cold. Hearing Kiyomi had moved on after all those years while he was stuck yearning for her, made him feel glad she found someone else but he couldn’t help the jealously that ran through his veins. Hearing she had children with another man made him feel sick.

“How many?” Kakashi asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Hiruzen stared at him, wondering if that had mattered in this moment.

“Three. This is her only daughter. The man she was married to had threatened to hurt her father if she didn’t come with him. He had four wives with the purpose of breeding strong children from different clans,” Jiraya explained, glancing down at the small girl who plugged her ears to not hear.

“… He committed suicide taking his three other kids with him… we’re still looking for his wives.”

Kakashi felt his jaw clench at the thought. His Kiyomi had spent years with a man who used her for her clan jutsu’s. She had left, and he hadn’t even thought about trying to find her. He had left her to be use by an evil man. Who knows what kind of horrors she and her daughter had to endure.

Kakashi zoned out for the rest of the conversation, hearing Jiraiya talk but unable to make out the words. He couldn’t help but feel like he had failed again, like it was his fault. He should’ve fought for her, he should have chased her. He should have asked her father. He should’ve went after her. Regret filled his body.

He finally tuned back in when he saw Jiraya turn to look down at Kasumi. His brows furrowed as he saw the Sannin make a series of hand signals.

It a took a moment for Kakashi to recognize it. It wasn’t a jutsu he had seen or copied. It was sign language. The girl— Kasumi— was muted she wouldn’t speak to anyone, which meant Jiraiya must’ve learned the easiest way to communicate with her.

Kakashi watched his eye locked with Kasumi. He assumed he was the topic of their conversation. He tried to give her a warm smile, but ended up looking awkward and forced under his mask.

She removed her fingers from her ears, frowning as she looked back up at Jiraiya and signed, ‘Why can’t you take care of me? I don’t want to stay here.’

Jiraiya smiled at the girl, reaching down to pat her head. She blinked at every sudden movement, her eyes wide and wary.

“Donr worry! You’ll be in good hands! Besides, Susu, I was meant to deliver you to who your mother asked. We just got side tracked by— my research,” he said, not signing this time, glancing over at Kakashi. Kasumi nodded sadly.

Kakshi watched as Hiruzen and Jiraiya spoke in a hushed tones, the two of them exchanging glances filled with concern. Meanwhile, Kasumi tugged on Jiraiya’s seeking his attention. Kakashi’s eyes were drawn to her.

Her hair was short, barely longer than her jaw, with uneven lengths and layered pieces sticking out, even her bangs where cut oddly, with chuckle pieces in between her brows, showing off her deep blue eyes. The same blue eyes he once knew, once woke up to, the some ones he had complimented, the ones he saw filled with love. Her hair seemed poorly dyed, large chunks of the bald showing white patches, and strands underneath the blue revealing a mixture of white and blue.

Kakashi watched as Kasumi reached up, offering Jiraiya a coin. The man grinned, giving her a small frog toy before making his leave.

Hiruzen looked at the girl, his eyes softening as she reminded him of the young girl. “This is Kakashi Hatake. You’ll be staying with him from now on,” he told her gently.

Kasumi stared at Kakashi with a blank expression.

Idk if I should make part two… please help me before I end up deleting this 😭😭

[randomprose]

winter burn

my headcanon is that Itachi truly believes he is contractually and legally obligated to tease Sasuke about everything but most especially Sakura— non-massacre au

“I’m home,” Sasuke called out as he entered the house. He sat at the threshold to remove his standard-issued ninja sandals, taking note of another pair that hadn’t been there for the past three days.

‘Aniki’s back.’

True enough when he entered the den, his brother was sitting across from their father reading a scroll. 

“Welcome back, ototou,” Itachi greeted with a smile except this smile was different than his usual polite subdued ones. This one looked much too saccharine and Sasuke just knew something was up with the way his brother was looking like the cat that caught the canary. 

To his credit, Sasuke didn’t show any signs of apprehension and even smiled and kissed their mother on the cheek when she passed by with a tray of tea and greeted him. He took the tray from her and set it down on the table before seating himself in one of the cushions.

“Guess what I saw when I was making my way home?” Itachi said with an air of casualty as if he was talking about the weather.

Sasuke knew better and didn’t rise to the bait. That tone sounded like the next dinner table conversation would be at his expense so he instead chose to drink the tea his mother offered.

“What is it, Itachi-kun?” Mikoto asked handing her eldest son a cup of tea.

“Why, I’m glad you asked, Mother,” Itachi answered primly, accepting the offered cup and taking a sip. “Actually, it wasn’t so much what I saw as to who I saw.” 

Itachi smirked and Sasuke just knew that his brother was up to something evil and maniacal that would be directed at his person as always.

“Well, what is it?” Fugaku asked, never one for beating around the bush, as he nodded his thanks to Mikoto for the tea.

Their father’s impatient tone only seemed to fuel Itachi. He hadn’t expected their father to be interested. As calm and innocent as he could (Sasuke snorted at this), he turned to his younger brother and delivered the blow.

“Sasuke, I didn’t know you liked dancing in the snow.”

“Sasuke-chan dances?”

“Aa, mother. He was with Sakura-chan.”

Sasuke could practically feel three pairs of inquisitive eyes on him as he calmly sipped his tea, his brother’s usual unreadable gaze shining more with amusement than curiosity. He felt the tell-tale sign of a blush coming on as he felt his face heating up and glared at his brother.

“You fucking creeper.”

“Sasuke! Language!”

“I was not creeping,” Itachi smirked as Sasuke didn’t even deny it. “I just saw you guys in passing.”

“Yeah, right. Don’t you have a life, you—”

“You walked Sakura-chan home, I hope?” Mikoto interrupted before her boys could progress into name-calling.

Sasuke ceased glaring at his brother to answer her, his expression once again mild, “Yes, Mother. Her shift in the hospital ended quite late.”

“That’s great, Sasuke-chan,” Mikoto smiled at her youngest, proud that she raised such a sweet boy. “I assume she likes to dance in the snow as much as she likes the cold?”

“Aa. She forced me to join her.”

“Ah. But you looked like you were actually enjoying yourself, ototou,” Itachi interjected, not at all done with his teasing.

“I hate the cold.” It was true, too. Sasuke had indulged Sakura, but he couldn’t walk fast enough to get inside his very warm house. Sakura lived on the other side of the village and jumping on the trees was out of the question with how wickedly cold the wind was.

“But you do not hate dancing with Sakura-chan?”

Sasuke didn’t bother to dignify Itachi’s question with a response. Itachi is definitely spending way too much time with Shisui. If he doesn’t engage, if he doesn’t give his brother the reaction he clearly wants from him, Itachi will get bored eventually and move on to other—

And then Sasuke sneezed.

To which Itachi laughingly asked, “Was it worth it, ototou?”

Sasuke silently got up from his seat, and turning to Itachi, smirked, “Of course it was.” He thanked their mother for muttering a quiet ‘bless you’ and handing him a tissue before heading toward the stairs. “Maybe if you stopped spying on me and actually spent more time with Izumi-nee, you’ll know just how worth it dancing in the cold is.” Sasuke threw a smug look at his older brother before disappearing upstairs into his room.

Fugaku smirked at the exchange as he turned a page of the evening newspaper. “He got you there, son.”

Itachi scowled before returning to his scroll.

[atanxdoesstuff]

nejisasu doodle! a universe where the hyuuga's slavery bs doesn't get ignored and Neji and Sasuke are better off for it (and also they're married)

[abby-the-druid]

Technicolor Ch. 4

In which a stranger becomes an ally.

Read on ao3 and ff.net

prev. chapter | next chapter

Preview:

Then.

“Sasuke,” the boy glanced over at his mother, Mikoto, who was crouched on the cracked tile floor, picking through a cardboard box he had yet to empty. Her slender hands were wiping at her dark eyes, and he realized, with an uncomfortable quiver, that there was water dripping down her face. “I – I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to come over and help you.”

“No, mom, you’re fine.” He hesitated in grabbing the next clean bathroom towel to fold.

“With your father and his…” she winced and sighed, biting at her mouth. “I never know when you’re here. You’ve had… I don’t - ” she tossed the object back into the box, which gave a loud clatter in the small room. She jumped at the sound and frowned in an apology, quickly pulling the object back out and inspecting it for damage.

“I know you need space from us… me, that’s why you…” she folded into herself for a moment, arms crossing between her chest and legs, face pressed into her knees and Sasuke listened helplessly as her breath rushed in and out of her lungs. “I didn’t mean to drive you away.” She sobbed; voice garbled as she spoke weakly into her body.

Sasuke shrank, a layer of icy dread rested around his shoulders like a heavy cloak. He shuffled closer to her, feeling completely out of place with her small breakdown, in the apartment he had been relegated to because of his big breakdown.

He kneeled beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. Her head shot up, nearly identical sets of eyes meeting, and Sasuke realized for the first time how tired his mother looked. She had matching navy bruises decorating the soft skin under her eyes and elegant stress lines ran along her cheeks.

“Mom, you didn’t,” he shook his head, palms damp and heart racing. “You didn’t push me away. It was…” his voice died as his brain worked to explain what he couldn’t describe to himself. A frustrated hand ran through his hair, and he offered her a hollow smile. “It wasn’t you; I can promise you that.”

Mikoto slowly unfolded, coming to rest on her haunches, a slender hand reaching up and wrapping her fingers around her son’s. “He’s said that before too.” She breathed softly; sniffling, black eyes blank as she stared at the faux wooden grains in the cupboards.

“Who?” Sasuke asked, a black brow raising, but she simply blinked and shook her head, squeezed his hand before dropping it.

“No one,” she said, “excuse me.” She stepped away from him and into the bathroom. He was left kneeling on the cracked flooring, still slightly sticky even after he had deep cleaned the entire space, and he frowned as he stood and turned back to the living room. He was in the process of folding a shirt, mulling over the uncomfortable show of emotion, when she came back in, the redness of her cheeks was gone now, any blemish of streaked mascara had been removed, and she was holding herself as though everything were normal.

They were back to business now.

The small glance through a crack in the wall of his ever put together mother had snapped shut in the short moments she had left the room. And like a distasteful book, she had put the moment back on the shelf to gather dust.

[thedanniannie]

Hey guys, which Uchiha would show you his Lego city as a sign of affection. I'm tryna figure something out...

[madlena]

Nyx!Mikoto Uchiha and Erebus!Fugaku Uchiha from FF Quietus

[badadder1]

Promises Remembered

So, I went back and re read from the beginning and there are several small things I need to fix so someday I'll do that. Fortunately nothing major. So, here's the next chapter! I rewrote Sasuke and the two jutsu scientists loads of times. They were funny, they were vicious. I ultimately landed where I did. I'm not 100% happy with it but satisfied enough to share and move on.

Fourteen years in the past, Sakura walks a fine line. Changing anything comes with risks, both broadly catastrophic and deeply personal. Kakashi has lived those years already, his heart heavy with longing and the promises he made her. The one person living in the middle, needs them both.

[silentstaresfanficandfanart]

i wrote a freaking naruto Isekai fic say Hello to Mariposa who fricked up a bomb defusing and killed Danzo Shimura, Im sure that wont irrevocably change the timeline in any interesting way/joking

Half joke half serious Poor Sasuke is suffering so much, if you want to see Sasuke as a medical nin, Kabuto miserably coming to terms with the fact Orochimaru married his adoptive mother, and a very confused transmigration victim who woke up as Itachi suffer because shes completely unprepared for anything ninja related, i hope youll give this a chance!

[kelpiejz]

Tradition - a SasuSakuSara oneshot

it’s been forever since I last used tumblr but hey, might as well use it again to post some SasuSaku fic, right?

Summary: Regardless of how many things have changed, the Gōkakyū no Jutsu remained the same.

You can also read this on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47920651

Snake. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger.

Standing alone on the pier in the eerily empty former Uchiha District, Sakura ran through the hand signs that came to her as easily as breathing these days. Though it had been years since she had last used the jutsu, she had the habit of practising the signs whenever she felt particularly alone.

She hadn’t learned the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu here like her husband and so many others before him had, but she was no less capable of performing it. Just the thought of that training so many years ago made her heart clench with longing for her beloved, but she took a deep breath to push the thought from her mind and started the signs over again.

Snake. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger.

A massive ball of fire engulfed the air above a remote lake somewhere in Kusa, evaporating a few inches of water from the heat alone. Sakura stood next to Sasuke on the bank, still in awe of just how much control the man had over the signature element of his clan. Despite the massive size of the fireball that he had produced, it had never once threatened to light the dry grass just on the other side of the water.

“Did you get that?” Sasuke asked her calmly, glancing over at her with his mismatched eyes, seemingly almost studying her as he did so.

Her gaze met his after a moment and she frowned slightly. “The hand signs?”

“Aa.”

Though she wasn’t willing to admit it in the comfortable silence that had fallen over the two of them, Sakura had known those hand signs by heart for years. She had spent far too much of her childhood watching him to not be familiar with the jutsu that Sasuke had used more often than the Chidori back then. How could she have forgotten when it had felt like he had set her heart aflame with every ball of fire he had breathed in their genin days?

Despite her impeccable memory and knowledge of all things Sasuke, little genin Sakura had never put her knowledge of the hand signs to use. Something about trying to spit even a pitiful ball of fire had felt wrong somehow—like she would have been trying to intrude on something sacred. No, she had never tried to breathe fire like Sasuke, but that didn’t stop her from practising to weave them seamlessly on the off chance that Sasuke—in all of his 12-year-old genin glory—would ask to train with her and decide to teach her his treasured jutsu.

That had obviously never happened back then, but little genin Sakura would never have expected herself to be learning the jutsu from him over five years and a war later.

After taking a moment to ready herself, Sakura weaved the signs, moulded her chakra, and hoped that Sasuke couldn’t see her nervousness or the familiarity with which she moved her hands. As she reached tiger, she breathed in deeply and brought her right hand up to her mouth to help direct what would hopefully be a breath full of fire. The resulting fireball was nowhere near the size of Sasuke’s, but it was far better than what Sakura had expected from a first attempt. After it dissipated, she took a step back with a wide grin.

“I did it,” she said breathlessly, almost in disbelief. Fire was not her element—far from it, really—so she knew she would never have the proficiency that Sasuke had as a child, but she had done it anyway. Looking up at Sasuke for approval, she had to hold back her gasp when she saw a small yet genuine smile upon his face.

As if feeling the weight of her gaze, he turned to look at her. “Aa. You did.”

Sasuke was never a man of many words, but even still, Sakura could hear just how much pride he felt with those words alone. Her heart felt as if it might beat right out of her chest as she turned to him and impulsively wrapped her arms around his torso. If he was surprised by the action—one Sakura had only recently come to understand didn’t annoy him anywhere near as much as he pretended it did—he didn’t show it. Instead, his lone arm returned the gentle hug.

“That was better than my first attempt,” Sasuke said out of nowhere, surprising Sakura with how open he was today. “Back then, I could barely even call it a fireball.”

Raising a brow, Sakura frowned at him. “Sasuke-kun, weren’t you six when you first learned it, though?”

He nodded, and she had to muffle a laugh in the fabric of his travel cloak.

“Sasuke-kun, I know you’re trying to make me feel better about how small mine was, but comparing me to you at six years old doesn’t help much.”

He was silent for a moment, which wasn’t a surprise, but the vaguely upset-looking expression she saw on his face when she looked up tugged at her heartstrings. Shaking her head with a teasing grin, Sakura stepped back from the embrace and tried not to mourn the loss of his higher-than-average body heat in the cool evening air.

“Still,” she said, “all that means is that I have to practise more, right?”

Instead of answering, Sasuke silently gazed over the lake as if he was seeing someplace completely different instead. Knowing he was likely caught up in his memories, Sakura chose to stay quiet and wait for him to decide if he would tell her what was on his mind. She had learned over the years that Sasuke would only talk if he wanted to, so there was no point in pressing him. Instead, she ran through the signs again and tried tightening her control over her chakra now that she knew what a proper Gōkakyū was supposed to feel like.

As she breathed out more fire, Sakura noticed it was slightly larger than before. At least she was going in the right direction, even if it would take far more practice. Still, it wasn’t good enough, and Sakura prepared herself to weave the signs once more.

“Sakura.”

She stopped, letting her hands drop to her sides.

“Sasuke-kun?” Sakura asked, wondering what he wanted to say now. “Is everything okay?”

Slowly, he brought up his hand to gently brush his thumb over her lips. “Be careful. It’s easy to burn yourself before you’re used to doing Katon jutsu.”

His voice seemed deeper than before for some reason, and Sakura couldn’t restrain the butterflies that began fluttering uncontrollably in her gut. Sasuke was always so effortlessly intense in everything he did, and she would forever be weak to him. Feeling almost entranced by his concern, she didn’t look away from his eyes once as she swiped a finger—glowing green with healing chakra—across her mouth and cheeks where she knew there were light burns.

“Do you know the importance of this jutsu?” Sasuke asked as soon as he seemed satisfied with her newly healed face. Sakura could only shake her head, but noticed that Sasuke seemed stiffer than usual all of a sudden.

“The Gōkakyū…” His voice trailed off into silence as he seemed to almost be at war with himself over if he should say anything or not. After this long on the road together, Sakura knew better than to press him. If he couldn’t say it now, he would tell her when he felt the time was right.

Sasuke exhaled, though, and he closed his eyes as he kept talking. “In my clan, the Gōkakyū was a rite of passage. You weren’t a true Uchiha until you could perform it sufficiently.”

‘No wonder Sasuke-kun was already so good with it by the time Team 7 was formed,’ Sakura thought. Being one of the only solid links to his clan he had left, she wouldn’t be surprised to find out that he had practised it until he dropped in the years following the massacre. But… something about his words made her thoughts race.

“So… why did you teach it to me?” Sakura asked slowly, unsure if she really wanted to know the answer to the question. Just being on this journey with him across the Elemental Nations was enough for her; she couldn’t afford to get her hopes up too much in case of any disappointment. However, in her peripheral vision, she saw Sasuke’s hand flinch almost as if he was holding back the urge to reach for her.

“Sakura… by teaching you this jutsu, you have proven that you can be a true Uchiha.”

‘Don’t get your hopes up, Sakura,’ she begged herself and her traitorous palpitating heart. ‘He can’t possibly mean—’

He took a shaky breath, but kept talking anyway. “I know the Uchiha name has been forever stained, and I would understand if you don’t want it attached to you because of the dangers to your reputation, but you are welcome to claim it as your own. Even if you don’t want it, I would not regret teaching the jutsu to you.”

Her eyes widened as she struggled to sort through all the thoughts blaring in her head. Out of all of them, though, only one made it out.

“Why?”

This time, Sasuke actually did reach for her hand and kept his gaze firmly locked on her hand in his. She had never truly realized just how small her hand was in comparison to his, but the warmth of his palm radiated into hers and something about it felt so right that she never wanted to let go again.

His grip tightened slightly, but not enough to be less than comfortable. “Because when I think of family, I think of you.”

Even though her heart warmed at his declaration, Sakura couldn’t help the instinctive and deeply rooted fear that followed it. Quietly, she had to voice it. “And what about Naruto?”

“What about him?” Sasuke almost seemed amused, as if there was something she wasn’t understanding, but the hint of a smile quickly vanished upon seeing the insecurity on her face.

“He isn’t… family? Even with all the Six Paths stuff from the war?”

Sasuke sighed and squeezed her hand gently. “Sakura, it’s not the same. He and I are connected, yes, but I never chose him like I’m choosing you. I never asked to be ‘soul brothers’ with the idiot.”

That… made sense, so Sakura nodded silently. Seeing that she was still feeling off about the whole thing, Sasuke released her hand and wrapped his arm around her back to pull her close to him. She could hear the accelerated beating of his heart even through his clothes, but she wasn’t expecting him to say anything else. However, Sasuke seemed intent on surprising her today.

“All my life, others have made decisions for me,” he began, his deep voice soothing Sakura’s turmoil even as he bared his emotions to her. “Every conclusion I thought I came to on my own, I discovered that I was manipulated into. Thinking I needed to kill my brother, wanting to destroy Konoha, even ending the war with Naruto. Despite that, despite everything, you are the only choice I’ve ever made that was entirely my own. Even if you don’t want my name or my clan to become yours because of how cursed it is, I just ask that you let me stay in your life as a close friend even if you no longer want me in any other way.”

She frowned, wanting to ask why he would ever think she would say no, why he would doubt her feelings even for a moment after so long. There were some universal truths in this world that would never change: the sky is blue, chakra flows through their coils, Naruto loves ramen, and Sakura loves Sasuke. Sakura Haruno had been loving Sasuke Uchiha for so long that she wasn’t sure she knew how to not love him. It was etched into her very soul, and if she had ever lost that love for him, she wasn’t sure she would even be the same person anymore.

As if understanding her question without her even asking it, Sasuke glanced at her with a serious yet vulnerable expression. “I’ve made too many choices for you before, and while I can’t regret the reasoning behind them, I can regret that I had to hurt you in my misguided attempts to keep you safe. But now, even if it could hurt me, I refuse to do that again. You deserve to have that choice too, Sakura.”

Wrapping her arms around Sasuke’s waist, Sakura finally found the willingness to speak amidst the overwhelming emotions crashing over her. She was feeling so much, too much, and while part of her heart hurt at the memories of the forest of death where the air was choked with purple miasma, the bench under a moon that bore witness to a desperate confession, the crater that remained of a hideout where she felt like she was drowning in a dark-eyed stare, the bridge where too many mistakes were made, the end of the world where she spilled her heart out once more, she remembered the good times too.

The classroom where she snuck glances at the boy who made her heart flutter, the training grounds where they learned what teamwork truly meant, the bridge where she cried and held him close, the exams where he complimented her talents, the ramen shop where they tried desperately to see the secrets hidden beneath a mask, the battlefield as hope arrived in an unexpected turn of fate, the strange realm with green skies where he caught her and she wondered if there was something deeper brewing in those eyes, the valley where he finally apologized in a voice she had never heard from him before, the gates where he poked her forehead and she truly allowed hope to bloom in her heart instead of repressing it to stay as a mere bud.

“I want it.” A pause. “All of it.”

He made no move to show he had heard her other than the minute tightening of his arm around her waist and a barely audible sigh of relief. After a moment, Sakura pulled herself away reluctantly, but looked over at him with a brilliant smile.

“Sasuke-kun, I hope you’re ready to give me more feedback on the jutsu; my Uchiha fire might never be as good as yours since fire isn’t one of my chakra natures, but I’ll be damned if it’s not up to your standards,” she stated as she began weaving the hand signs once more.

Snake. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger.

The sky was cloudy as Sasuke blew out his frustrations in the form of a long-lasting stream of fire over the lake he had practised on in his childhood. Sakura stood next to him, lips pursed, but she stayed silent and held their daughter closer to her chest. Sarada was still only a toddler, but the future was always uncertain.

The fire dissipated and Sasuke grimaced before blowing yet another one. If she wasn’t holding their baby girl, Sakura knew she would be right there next to him, adding her fire to his and filling all the gaps, complimenting each other the way they always had. But she couldn’t. They had both learned their lesson long ago—the world isn’t fair. The past few years had been almost idyllic in their simplicity with their small family in a humble home, but that would not last.

Sarada was only two, still far too young to understand why her father was upset or what it meant, but even she could tell that something was wrong. She whimpered and buried her face in her mother’s shoulder, making Sakura instinctively cradle her closer.

“Dear,” Sakura said when Sasuke finished evaporating more water from the lake, “are you feeling a bit better now?”

Sasuke sighed, a frown finding the familiar place on his face. “No, but I’ll be fine. I just wish the world would leave us alone.”

She understood far too well. In only a few short months, her husband would once again leave the gates of Konoha (and her and Sarada) behind to wander the world, even if for a different reason this time. Sasuke always had such a strong sense of duty, and when rumours about Kaguya and Zetsu re-emerged, Sakura had known from the moment the words had been uttered in that meeting that he would be the one to go. He was their best option, their only option, even if he would much rather focus on his new family.

Right after Sarada had been born, he had tearfully promised both her and their daughter that he would do anything to protect them. In all the years Sakura had known and loved Sasuke, that had probably been the most emotional declaration she had ever heard come from his lips, and she believed in it unconditionally. If protecting them meant leaving them for years on end, then he would do it without looking back.

They stood silently on the dock and even Sarada was quiet as she slowly drifted to sleep in her mother’s arms. Sasuke came to them and wrapped the two most important people in his life in his arm, pressing a gentle kiss to the crown of his daughter’s head and then to Sakura’s forehead right over her seal.

“Not on the mouth, dear?” she asked teasingly and Sasuke huffed out a soft laugh in response, shaking his head.

“You always say you don’t like the taste of smoke after Katon jutsu, my dearest wife,” he whispered just low enough to send a tingle down her spine that she fought to suppress. This was neither the time nor place for that.

Leaning in, Sakura kissed him anyway, savouring the way his lips moved against hers in the practised way they always did. “I’ll live with the taste of smoke. But there’s something else on your mind, isn’t there?”

Pressing their foreheads together, Sasuke looked her in the eyes. “How did you know?”

“I know you,” Sakura pointed out with a sad smile. “I’ve always known when something was wrong.”

Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes after looking down at Sarada with a longing glance.

“I don’t know how long I’ll have to be away, Sakura. I know that you’ll be fine—that we’ll be fine—but still…” His shoulders fell, showing her a far more vulnerable Sasuke Uchiha than he had been in years. “I’m going to miss important parts of Sarada’s life, even if I’ve already seen her start to walk and speak. By the time I can be home for good, or even just to visit, she might already be in the Academy if she wants to be a kunoichi.”

Remembering a conversation from years ago, Sakura understood what other milestone he was subtly referring to even without a direct mention. It pained her to even consider that he might be gone that long, but there was a very low chance that everything would resolve itself that quickly. After all, nothing was ever simple when Team 7 was involved.

“Dear, I couldn’t…” Sakura gasped, clutching Sarada slightly closer. “You should be the one to teach her that; my chakra natures aren’t even fire.”

“And?”

Sakura knew she was grasping at straws, trying to find an excuse to ensure that he would teach Sarada the Gōkakyū when the time was right. His father had taught him, so he should be the one to teach their daughter. He knew how to perform the jutsu to perfection, and Sakura was fully aware that no amount of practice on her part would ever bring her up to his level in this, at least.

“I’m not the one who should be doing this, Sasuke, it’s an Uchiha family tradition and—”

“Sakura.” When Sasuke spoke in that firm tone that left no room for argument, Sakura couldn’t help but be drawn into his gaze. “I understand. I want to teach her the jutsu myself too, but just in case I can’t be home in time, I want you to teach her. I don’t want her to be behind her classmates in the Academy, or for her to miss out on her birthright.”

Sakura nodded silently, knowing he had more to say. He never talked this much with anyone else, but they had found comfort in the silence between words that occasionally said more than they ever could.

“You have as much right to teach her as I do, remember? You’re as Uchiha as I am now.”

Though she said nothing in response, it was clear she understood. In an uncharacteristic attempt to lighten the mood, Sasuke stepped away and smirked. “Just promise me that Kakashi won’t try to teach her before either of us can. He probably copied it when we were genin.”

Sakura couldn’t help it anymore and laughed, knowing that Sasuke was likely exactly right. Unfortunately, the sudden noise woke Sarada from her nap and she began fussing. Sasuke reached for her, wordlessly asking to hold his daughter, and with the ease of over a year of practice, Sakura helped position her comfortably in his one-armed hold. Almost as if she was aware of the safety of her father’s embrace, the youngest Uchiha calmed instantly, grasping onto his clothes with her tiny hands and a murmur of ‘Papa’ as she settled.

With a tilt of his head, Sasuke gestured to the lake. “It’s all yours.”

Feeling lighter than she had before, Sakura walked to the edge of the dock, moulded her chakra precisely to bring out the heat she desired, and weaved the signs.

Snake. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger.

Uchiha fire bloomed over the lake like it belonged there, and in a way, it did. The smile hadn’t left Sakura’s face since they had arrived on the old dock, and she was glad she had hired a genin team to fix the wobbly boards only a month ago. Though the old Uchiha District was slowly being rebuilt and repurposed after Sasuke finally got around to signing the paperwork that had been sent to him by one of Sai’s ink birds while he was away for his mission, the dock hadn’t been deemed a priority. How the old one had never collapsed beneath the weight of their entire family before Sasuke left, Sakura didn’t know, but now it was more than strong enough to easily and safely hold the weight of an academy student and her mother.

“Did you see that, Mama? I did it!” Sarada cheered breathlessly once the fireball vanished, leaving only the residual humidity of the evaporated water. Just as expected, soot and light burns darkened her cheeks from wasted chakra use and an unskilled hand to direct the breath of fire, but it was all too simple for Sakura to heal them away with barely a thought.

Pulling her six-year-old daughter into a tight hug, Sakura grinned with the overwhelming pride she felt brimming inside her. “I knew you would be able to do it!”

Ever since Sakura had mentioned the tradition on her birthday, Sarada had been begging her mother to take her to the lake and teach her the jutsu. Just like any other mention or link to her father, Sarada latched onto it like it was a lifeline. Though they couldn’t make it out until a few weeks later due to a hectic schedule at the hospital, Sakura had managed to book an entire day off to dedicate to her beloved daughter. Despite that, deep down, Sakura wished that Sasuke had been here to see Sarada blow a fireball bigger than Sakura’s first attempt had been. He would be so, so proud of her.

Just like any true Uchiha, it felt as if Sarada was born to breathe flames from her lungs. It wouldn’t surprise Sakura one bit if her daughter was hailed as even more of a genius than Sasuke had been in their academy and genin days, at the rate she was soaking up any training like a sponge. That wasn’t even counting her currently dormant Sharingan, which made a touch of fear rise in Sakura’s gut. She could never forget just how often Sasuke had been targeted for his eyes throughout most of his life, and if anyone found out just how young Sarada had been when she had first awakened it…

Instinctively, Sakura hugged her slightly tighter and silently renewed the vow both she and Sasuke had made before he had left. He would protect them from outside Konoha’s walls, and she would protect them from within. Nobody would hurt their daughter if she could help it.

“Mama, you’re squishing me again!” Sarada groaned and Sakura released her from her grasp with the same light laugh as always. No matter how many times Sarada complained, they both knew that she found some manner of comfort in Sakura’s too-tight hugs; the girl would pout and mope if they were even slightly looser—exactly the way Sasuke had once told her he had moped in his childhood after Itachi wouldn’t have the time to train. She was truly her father’s daughter.

With a laugh, Sakura gently patted Sarada’s dark hair. “That was better than mine, you know? You really are my little genius.”

“Really!?” Sarada exclaimed, eyes wide and glimmering with childish innocence. “Show me yours again, Mama!”

Of course, Sakura had gotten a lot more practice in the years since she had learned, but her hands flew through the familiar signs and she exhaled a plume of fire over the lake. Sarada giggled as the heat from the flames washed over them.

“Mama, that was bigger! See?” Sarada stumbled through the signs, her little hands still clumsy and unused to some of the more difficult ones to perform—like boar and horse. Her wrists didn’t yet have the flexibility they would acquire through training, and though Sakura had helped Sarada learn all the different signs on their own, she still had to learn how to fluidly switch between them.

Though the fireball wasn’t as big as the one her mother had just breathed, Sarada’s was still extremely impressive for her age. If this was what she was already capable of at only six years old, Sakura was almost afraid to imagine the kind of flames the girl would produce after she had more experience under her belt. It would come with time, and Sakura was certain that someday Sarada would truly master the jutsu like countless Uchiha clan members had before her, perhaps when Sasuke was back home with them to help her refine it.

Sarada giggled and grabbed onto Sakura’s hand, instantly putting a smile on her face and drawing her attention back to the little girl—her thoughts could wait when Sarada was so excited already. “Mama, we gotta do it together! It’ll be the biggest fireball!”

“Oh?” Sakura asked with a teasing smile and glance. “The biggest? Hmmm… maybe if we put our fireballs together, they might be as big as the ones I saw your dad make.”

Sarada’s jaw dropped in awe as she was practically vibrating in excitement. “Really!? Papa can make fireballs that big!?”

She nodded, remembering times from the war and their travels when Sasuke had made fireballs that likely would have made even Madara Uchiha proud. She had heard accounts of just how massive and devastating that attack had been right after the newly resurrected man had arrived on the battlefield of the 4th shinobi war, and knowing that her husband had reached that level was different than seeing it for herself. Of course, there were stories she couldn’t tell Sarada yet—ones she and Sasuke had unanimously decided would be best left until she was old enough to understand and until Sasuke was back to explain them himself—but she was always more than happy to talk about his feats and skills. If anything, they made the young girl even more excited at the prospect of seeing him again.

“That’s right,” she chuckled, “your dad is one of the strongest shinobi out there. Maybe if you ask really nicely, he’ll show you when he gets home.”

As if that had lit the metaphorical fire under their daughter, Sarada’s smile turned into a confident smirk that reminded Sakura far too much of Sasuke back when he was a genin and faced with a challenge he was confident he could overcome. Her heart clenched at the deluge of memories—Sarada looked so much like her father sometimes that the resemblance could make the distance between the divided parts of their family feel worse—but she would never deny their daughter anything.

“Let’s do it, Mama! I want to practise hard enough that we can make a fireball bigger than Papa’s together!”

And oh, wouldn’t that be a surprise for her husband when he eventually returned? Of course, it would take a long time for the two of them to ever match up to the two decades he had been practising the Gōkakyū, but Sakura knew that he would be touched and filled with pride if they even came close.

Crouching down next to Sarada, Sakura poked her daughter on the forehead with her index and middle fingers. She never had found out the entire story behind where this gesture had come from, other than the fact that it was something Itachi had done to Sasuke often when they were younger, but it had clearly meant a lot to Sasuke and she was more than happy to make sure their daughter associated it with an expression of affection in preparation for the inevitability of him poking her forehead after his return. If it was possible, Sarada’s grin widened even more as she laughed happily and put her soot-stained fingers over her forehead.

“Now let’s get practising, hm? That fireball isn’t going to happen overnight,” Sakura teased with a wry grin, relishing in Sarada’s joy. As much as her soul longed for Sasuke to be there with them, to be witnessing every moment of their daughter’s life alongside her, being able to show him the results of him putting his trust in her to carry on the family legacy would be a good backup option.

Sarada stood a bit too stiffly at the end of the dock, already breathing deeply and preparing to puff out her chest to take in as much air as fuel for the fire as she could. “Ready, Mama?”

“Always.”

As Sarada slowly formed the signs, Sakura matched her pace with pride blossoming in her heart.

Snake. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger.

Mother and daughter stood together on the dock, engulfing the lake in what must have seemed like a sea of flame, flickering with heat above the disturbed waters. They held the stream of fire for as long as they could before it tapered off, but it had been long enough to make them sweat from the heat and proximity alone. Standing up straight, Sakura smiled proudly down at her eleven-year-old daughter, knowing full well just how much work the girl had put into this jutsu.

“Did you see that!?” Sarada exclaimed, spinning quickly and running up to Sasuke, grabbing onto his only hand in her excitement. His visible eye was slightly widened and he almost seemed to be staring off into space, and Sakura had to resist the urge to giggle. It wasn’t often that she got to see her husband this surprised—the last time she could remember had been when she had casually told him she was pregnant over dinner and Sasuke had nearly choked after inhaling some rice.

After a moment, that gentle smile reserved for their family alone graced his lips and he bent down to look Sarada in the eye. “That was very well done, Sarada. Easily as good as I was at your age.”

Sakura hadn’t thought that the smile on their daughter’s face could get any wider, a common sentiment when it came to her husband and daughter, but it seemed she was mistaken as Sarada’s cheeks reddened in her glee. It had been a very emotionally chaotic few days for their family, especially considering the Shin Uchiha debacle, but she was glad that Sarada seemed to be even more comfortable with her place in their lives than ever.

Dragging her father to the end of the dock, Sarada gestured out over the lake. “Papa, you gotta show me yours! Mama told me stories of how good you are at the Gōkakyū, and I want to see you in action.”

“You saw me use the jutsu just the other day,” Sasuke said, though he seemed more amused than anything as he smiled fondly. Sakura assumed this must have happened before she had arrived to the fight, but couldn’t hold in the chuckle when Sarada shook her head. After all, there was one more thing her husband wasn’t aware of yet.

“C’mon, Papa, it’s not the same!” She protested, gesturing to the lake. “It has to be here.”

While this place had great importance to him due to his own childhood and the years of Uchiha tradition carried out here, the small wooden dock on the lake had become something special for Sakura and Sarada, too.

Every year since Sakura had taught Sarada the jutsu, the two had returned here for an entire day to sit on the end of the dock, to dip their feet in the cool water, and to tell stories. Sarada would talk about the academy, her friends, and her hopes for the future. Sakura would reminisce, teasing her daughter with anecdotes about when she was young and still drooling on her father’s empty sleeve. The morning would be spent peacefully, then they would eat a picnic lunch they had prepared together in the morning, and every year Sarada would ask her mother for stories about Sasuke.

Sakura didn’t know how many times she had told the stories of their times on Team 7 as genin, when they reunited during the war (though Sarada was unaware of how long they had been separated beforehand and assumed, in all her wide-eyed childish innocence that they had simply been fighting on different battlefields), and when he had caught her when she was completely drained. When lunch was over, they would pack up and return to the dock.

They would each silently think of their regrets, their worries, and their stressors from the past year before moving on instinct alone to weave the signs ingrained into their very souls. They would inhale, feeling the heat rise in their lungs until it was nearly overwhelming, and then they would expel the negative energy in the form of a purifying fire that tied them across an unknown distance to their wandering loved one. They would let the Uchiha fire cleanse everything, leaving them feeling rejuvenated and even more connected as family.

Sakura smiled, knowing that Sarada had wanted to bring her father here today of all days to show him this new tradition, and turned back to look out over the lake. With a fond sigh, Sasuke formed his one-handed seals and, with the ease of practice, created a truly massive fireball that—from where they were standing—blocked out the sun itself. Sarada’s eyes gleamed in excitement, an ear-splitting grin on her face as the intense heat vanished along with the fire.

“Papa,” she breathed quietly before turning to him, “that was awesome!”

His gaze seemed to warm further as he looked down at Sarada fondly. “Aa.”

Though Sakura knew Sasuke would likely deny it if anyone asked, the praise from his daughter clearly made him happy. It was such a relief to see him in such good spirits, especially after everything he (and they) had been through in recent and prior years. She was also fully aware that while his jutsu had been truly massive, it was carefully controlled to be impressive while simultaneously completely safe for them—something the Sasuke of years beforehand would never have done.

‘Yes,’ Sakura thought to herself, ‘fatherhood suits him much better than he expected it would.’

“We didn’t have time to make lunch, but that’s okay,” Sarada said suddenly. “The important part is the jutsu anyway, and we’re all here so we can finally do this right! Just… maybe make the fireball a bit smaller this time since we’re going to do it together.”

Sasuke’s brow furrowed as he glanced at Sakura in confusion, causing her to smile and laugh under her breath. Of course, to him, they had already done all that was necessary. Standing between them as she was, Sarada reached out and grabbed onto her parents’ hands before she and Sakura closed their eyes.

Narrating for her father’s sake, Sarada began to speak. “Papa, this is something Mama and I have been doing for years. Think back to all your worries and regrets from the past year—though you can think of ones from other years too since you haven’t done this as much as we have.”

Sakura felt a pang in her chest, knowing from many whispered conversations under the trees or in their bed just how many regrets her husband truly had. Perhaps this would be good for him, in a different way than his journey of redemption had been. It was different from the time they had come here before his departure, too. That time had been filled with frustration and hidden sorrow, while today was all about closure.

“Then, you mould your chakra, mixing the worries in with it. Turn all the bad feelings into fuel, and then we let the fire burn them away.”

From the feel of his chakra alone, Sakura could sense just how much pride Sasuke was feeling at that moment and she was sure that if she opened her eyes, she would see a genuine smile upon his lips. No one loved like the Uchiha, and he was surely overcome by those feelings. Their daughter wouldn’t be drawn toward the darkness the way he had been, and this exercise was just proof of it.

Sarada reluctantly let go of their hands, and the small family whispered under their breaths as they weaved the signs together.

Snake. Ram. Monkey. Boar. Horse. Tiger.

They breathed in and, for a moment, everything seemed to still as they opened their eyes—crimson and viridian and lavender rings, all blazing with determination.

Then, the combined fire of the entire Uchiha clan blazed once more over the lake, cementing bonds and purging all regrets.

[naoa-ao3]

My Darling Child

Mikoto has a baby and he's absolutely perfect. He's more than perfect, he's the hope her clan has for the next generation.

Itachi is healthy and that's a start but it's the brightness in the baby's eye that she can already see that tells them all he'll be clever and strong, this one is going to be a leader. They can all see it and her husband is so proud.

Fugaku is so proud of Itachi and he loves him so much.

Their parents love the baby and even though there's a war going on the child has never known anything but love and warmth.

His parents fight, they do their duty and so far they've always come home but he doesn't yet understand and Mikoto savors these fleeting days. These days don't last long. Not for Ninja. They enter the Academy and it all changes, day by day they lose their childhoods. Right now is all Itachi will get because he isn't born during peace time.

It's been a long time since any of them have known peace time.

She carries the baby, spends all of her time with him at home. He's so precious to her and to the whole clan. Everyone loves him. He's got a million aunts and uncles. Little Itachi doesn't even know how loved he is, how much he means to every person in their family.

Mikoto will be proud when he enters the Academy. It's part of the reason she's had children at all. To rear the next generation, to carry on their family line. Itachi's fleeting childhood is a sad but it's a sacrifice she's willing to make and if she's right- if the look in his eyes is right then the boy will survive. He'll show them all.

She hopes he'll know peace time but she won't hold her breath for it. She's known so little in her own years and their family is one of the important one's. Even in peace time he'll have to learn to fight.

There won't be peace for this child but she'll raise him the best she can for it, she'll try to teach him to be good and loyal and smart. She'll try to teach him to survive the world and maybe he really will.

He's an Uchiha and that means something.

It means a lot to her.

It means he has a chance.

Her darling child. . . her pride and joy. . . she loves being a mother. She loves her child and each day with him, she loves when her husband is there with her and it's just the three of them. They're a proper family then, even despite the wars and the way the world is.

She loves being with them and she loves that Itachi is still young enough to share in these moments. He hasn't had to hold a kunai yet but his time is coming. It comes early for shinobi children.

It did for her and Fugaku.

She'd learned how to throw a knife by the time she was five. She was good at it by six. Everyone in her generation had learned early. Now it looked like the next would learn the same way.

She could only raise her son to endure it. War was a part of life. She couldn't save him from it, not in this world but she could teach him to throw a knife and how to kick and hit.

Not yet though, not now before he could walk.

This was their time, mother and son. Her own baby. Her own darling child, born to die as any of them were.

She would cherish her time with him and do what she could to make him strong. It was all she could do.

Motherhood was not easy for shinobi. They birthed fighters and they knew the risk. They knew what their children would be sent out to do just as she knew. Her boy would know tragedy but he would be strong enough to bare it when the time came. That was the difference. He would be strong by the end.

Mikoto held her baby to her chest and hoped she could bare this. She loved her son but duty and family called for sacrifice. Now however was her time. She would forever cherish these early years with her son.

She wouldn't get them back.

[bunny-is-cute]

A list of headcanons I have based on my fanfic series

1. Sasuke shows his love thru cooking (it’s an Uchiha thing). This also means he’s been responsible for Naruto’s healthier meals since they’ve moved in together.

2. Naruto is definitely tone-deaf but he loves to sing anyways (usual songs are made for him to sound on pitch).

3. Sasuke has a great singing voice and often sings lullabies for Ai (and he did the same for Tsuko for a bit).

4. Sasuke knits and sows. Which means he’s the one who puts the Uchiha fan in all of his, Naruto’s and Ai’s shirts.

5. Sasuke only gives back rubs when Naruto is sick or refusing to sleep.

6. Naruto suffered from insomnia during his pregnancy and a week post birth — with little sleep leading up to the birth and a few hours post birth (until Sasuke found it and stepped in). This is because Naruto’s anxiety was so high and he was scared of falling asleep for a long time.

7. Naruto would be more distracted by Cocomelon than Ai would.

8. Sasuke is definitely a “worry-wart” and while he’s able to keep calm, he’s internally dealing with nuclear explosions in his mind multiple times a day.

9. Back in Konoha, Sasuke was the only one who was often seen with Ai in public, though none of his classmates noticed him when we was out and about with Ai. This is because Sasuke was always on guard and kept an eye out. If he saw someone he recognized, he would find alternate routes.

10. Naruto’s legal name is Uchiha Naruto, because in Japan families are supposed to have one surname/family name. Because of the sharingan, Sasuke’s surname took priority. Sasuke also makes Naruto wear the Uchiha fan on his shirts (which Naruto covers with his jacket).

[maelstrom-of-emotions]

Mission: The Flu Shot

Pairings:

001. SasuNaru | Sasuke x Naruto[Kiddie Crush]

002. ItaDei | Itachi x Deidara [Teenage Attraction]

003. FugaMiko|Fugaku x Mikoto [Married; Alive]

004. MinaKushi | Minato x Kushina [Married; Alive]

006. Minato & Fugaku | [Platonic Friendship with the Classic Uchiha Protectiveness ]

Summary:

Getting Sasuke to do something generally wasn't an issue for Itachi. Simply because his kid brother practically worshipped the ground he walked on and would do anything to please his older brother.

Well, almost anything.

Apparently, getting a flu shot was on the exception list that Itachi hadn't even known existed. So, with no choice, Itachi has to use a not-so-secret weapon: Naruto Uzumaki.

______

[❝I don't hold grudges. I just remember important facts, that's all.❞]

_______________

"No."

It was just one word. Just two syllables spoken with the famous (or infamous, depending on who you asked) Uchiha glare. Usually, Itachi enjoyed and even encouraged Sasuke's defiant side. Seeing the staring contests between his kid brother and his father was amusing. However, being the target of said glare wasn't as funny, and he could wholeheartedly sympathize with his father. 

"Come on, Sasuke," Itachi said, pleadingly. He picked his brother up and set him on the doctor's bed for the fifth time. "It will be so quick you won't even notice it. Just one shot and then you're done. What do you say?"

"No."

"For me?"

"Hell No!"

Itachi did not sigh. He merely let out a sound that could be mistaken as a sigh. Uchiha's did not sigh. Then again, Itachi thought, glancing at his pouting brother, Uchiha's don't refuse to get their flu shots either. 

"He's still being stubborn?" The doctor asked, looking sympathetic. 

No shit, dumbass. 

"No, he still refuses to get it," Itachi replied wearily. He had tried everything! He had reasoned, bribed, threatened, and even begged—as much as an Uchiha would. 

"Don't worry about it. A lot of kids refuse to get their shots," the doctor reassured, giving Itachi a pat on the shoulder. "Sasuke is actually a level up with that, generally kids cry as soon as they step in."

"That's helpful," Itachi said, dryly. 

"Sorry," the doctor replied, sheepishly. "Do you have an old family technique or something you can use to convince him?" "An old family technique," Itachi repeated blankly. 

"Yeah! Sometimes, a kid needs to be convinced by something or someone specific, something they can't resist. Like, I had one kid take a shot because her Mum said that Tibbles—that's their cat by the way—could sleep in her bed if she took the shot. It was pretty funny, actually."

"As entertaining as that story was," Itachi started, dryly. "I don't understand what this has to do with 'an old family technique' that you mentioned."

"Ah! Well, I asked the girl's Mum why she chose that particular method, and apparently, she had to be told the same thing when she was younger to get the flu shot. It was like a hereditary weakness of some sort."

Hereditary weakness, huh?

Sasuke had a couple of weaknesses: his stuffed dinosaur, tomatoes, blue blankets, and a lot more. Unfortunately, those weaknesses wouldn't be strong enough to exploit. He needed something stronger. 

He thought back to his own childhood days. How his mother used to convince him to do things he didn't want to. She had a secret weapon that was used only in the direst situations: Deidara. 

His smiling best friend (and current boyfriend, though Deidara didn't know it yet), had been—and still was—his biggest weakness. He figured it was hereditary, seeing how soft and protective Fugaku was over his (self-proclaimed) best friend: Minato. 

It was a last-ditch attempt. Something that should be used only when there was no other way out. Only as a last resort. Should he really use such a powerful weapon? 

Itachi glanced at his stubborn seven-year-old brother who was sitting with his arms crossed and glaring at the wall.

No, this wasn't really a dire situation. He could find another way to convince Sasuke to get the flu shot. No need to bring out the big guns. Really, he just needed to think and—

A beeping sound broke Itachi out of his thoughts. He glanced down at his smartwatch which was displaying 2:45 in glaring numbers. Telling him that he only had a half-an-hour to get ready for his hangout with Deidara. 

A fucking half an hour! 

It wasn't just a dire situation anymore. It was a fucking crisis. 

"You know," Itachi started casually. "If Naruto found out that you got this shot, he'll be very impressed."

Sasuke took the bait, eyes wide at the mention of his precious friend. "He will?"

"Oh, yes," Itachi said, solemnly. "In fact, he'll probably praise you, hug you and offer to kiss it better."

"Really Ni-san," Sasuke said, beaming. "You think so?"

"Hn," Itachi nodded, trying his best to hide his smirk. 

Sasuke thought about it for a second. Imagining those gemstone eyes looking at him in awe, those warm hugs, those soft kisses...and all for him!

The seven-year-old glared at the bemused doctor. "Well, what the hell are you waiting for? An invitation?" He shot his arm out, smacking the poor man in the chest. "Hurry the hell up, I don't have all day!"

Itachi watched the scene in amusement and satisfaction. He wasn't called the Uchiha prodigy for anything, after all. He made a mental note to use this as blackmail material when Sasuke grew older. He deserved it for making Itachi panic and almost forget his date—erm, hangout—with Deidara. 

Speaking of which. He would need to cut his hair care routine short if he wanted to make it on time to meet the feisty blond. He wondered how many hair products he could use without messing up his hair. Perhaps, Mother would have a better idea?

Eh, he would think about it later. First, he needed to decide what flowers to bring. Would roses be a bit too much?

_______________

[❝I like your approach. Now, let's see your departure.❞]

[fusionblitz28]

Yes, yes, yes to all of this 👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼 I’m looking at you SasuNaruSasu 😬 Naruto and Sasuke have wayyy more chemistry than they do with Hinata or Sakura whom they both canonically marry. Even in Boruto, SasuNaru spend more time together than with their families and it’s cruel to their wives. Canon would have been better off putting them together (after Sasuke gets some major therapy).

Hinata’s entire personality is Naruto even though she has awesome abilities and a heartbreaking backstory that could have been explored more to have her come into her strength of her own accord. Instead her entire screen time hinges on her obsession with Naruto. She and her sister and Neji could have banded together to take down her father and do away with the branch family and their awful seals. Even if Hinata didn’t want to lead the clan her character could have had so much influence and done so much more then we are given. They could have made Neji the head of the clan. It would be a full circle moment for the three of them to escape their so called “fates” and rewrite the story for their people. Instead Neji dies for the sake of her and Naruto getting together. His sacrifice was wasted. He only escapes the seal in death which means he had never escaped fate at all.

My girl Sakura is the only member of Team 7 with ZERO backstory- nothing about her family, barely anything else bar the whole Ino fight in the chunin exams. She becomes Tsuna’s apprentice and is a baller medic and fighter but she only gets one awesome fight and her personality still hinges on her love for Sasuke. It would have been cool to see her grow past the obsessive little girl crush and love and care for Sasuke as a teammate. He had done so much wrong to her and the rest of the team and all of it just gets swept under the rug. Sasuke leaves right after being exonerated and Sakura just waits. And waits. For him to come back and they get married. The relationship gets no development and neither party matures enough to be together.

I write mostly KakaSaku and I always struggle to write Sakura’s perspective over Kakashi’s. And it’s this reason. Kakashi has a fully fleshed out and complicated backstory and past and so much growth as a character. Sakura is nearly a clean slate which can be fun but it’s also overwhelming cause I have to add more to her because canon was lacking. She deserved more. All the female characters in Shonen deserve more.

This is not hate on NaruHina or SasuSaku or any other ship. I am 💯 pro ship whether that ship is canon or not. This is criticism of a much bigger issue where females get left out of complexities in writing. Or left out of writing in general.

It just kills me when writers create franchises where like 95% of the speaking roles are male, then get morally offended that all of the popular ships are gay. It’s like, what did they expect?

[agoddamnedrayofsunshine]

:)))

Chase the dawn 62: Good enough

Lest we forget 19: Bored