#can we please move on from this conversation naruto please we get it that you and sasuke are soulmates we get it

[ladysatoru]

dudes be like we're each other's friend one and only yin and yang sun and moon like no dude dude LISTEN you are GAY it's not sun moon astronomy it's HOMOSEXUALITY that's your BOYFRIEND

[historicfailure]

The second part of the night leaves you with nothing but surprises - and with a painful realization.

~ X ~

Hey there! It's so great to see how you guys enjoy this. I have plans for this, I swear, and it's so good to see that you guys enjoy this much. Thank you all for the lovely comments, they mean so much to me! Hopefully, you will also like this chapter, as it brings a bit of necessary movement into the story ;D

~ X ~

Minato wasn’t only a great boss, but also a fantastic cook. Both lasagnas were absolutely divine, and as you gave the chef your compliments, Minato also proved to be as humble as everyone always said. Conversing with the two bosses was so pleasant, you even about forgot Kakashi, who was as silent as the cold winter; never saying a word or interrupting in any way, just eating his food and staring at his plate whenever you threw a glance at him. And it wasn’t too bad. Honestly, it was quite nice, to not worry the entire time about him saying something incredibly arrogant, annoying or asinine. 

However, when Minato pulled out the tiramisu from the fridge and Kushina refilled all the glasses of wine around the table, just when she returned from bringing Naruto to bed, the atmosphere changed. You could feel it, in the way the air thickened, in the way Minato coughed into his hand while straightening his back, in the way Kushina sat a bit more upright, hands folded on top of the table, and most noticeably: in the way Kakashi reacted. Even though he had been silent already for most of the meal, it seemed like he wanted to completely vanish from the face of earth. Making himself as small as possible in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, and even beneath the table, you felt his leg bump into your shin as he crossed them. 

Only barely, you were able to stop yourself from rolling your eyes. Oh, please. What a baby. Don’t want to listen to how you get wrecked by your bosses, huh?

After all the bullshit he put you through, you were surely allowed to be a tiny bit smug, right? 

“So…” Kushina was the first to speak up. She took another sip of her wine, her eyebrows weakly twitching upwards, only to throw a tiny smile into your direction. “As pleasant as this evening has been so far, I think, there’s a more pressing matter at hand.”

“Indeed.” Without giving the pain in your side another glance, you nodded. Maybe, the wine already rose to your head, otherwise you wouldn’t have sounded so happy about it. 

Beside you, Kakashi sunk a little bit further into his chair. Good. Very good. Exactly what he deserved. 

“Yes,” Minato added, a little smile tugging at his mouth, “the reason is to discuss how we can clear up this mess.” 

“Sounds good to me.” Again, you glanced at Kakashi. He still stared full of stubborn intent down onto the table, not moving one bit. You even had the feeling he didn’t blink once, just staring at the pattern of the wood without seeing one bit of it. 

Kushina noticed, too. Reaching over the corner of the table, she poked the silent man into the shoulder. “Hey. Quit being such a grump.”

Kakashi grunted, but didn’t react further. Again, the woman poked him: the sharp fingernail digging into the curve of his shoulder. “Hey. I said, stop it. You’re acting like you’re five years old again.”

“I don’t,” was the muffled response. 

“Oh yes, you are.” Minato shook his head, the blond bangs framing his face swinging weakly with the movement. “Will you sit properly at the table? Please?”

For a very long moment, Kakashi didn’t react. Then, accompanied by a long, exasperated sigh, the man-child uncrossed his arms and pushed himself upright. Still kind of slumping in his chair, but now somehow sitting a bit more like an adult, Kakashi still refused to look at anyone or anything but the table. 

The atmosphere had now noticeably changed. Almost uncomfortable, especially with the way Minato and Kushina scolded Kakashi. Like they were his parents. Your curiosity rose alongside with your feeling of being trapped in the dean’s office from your old schooldays. Definitely not the typical boss - troublemaking star-worker you expected. There was something more afoot here. 

“Well,” Kushina said, not without throwing another disappointed glare into Kakashi’s direction, “we just wanted to make sure that everything is going well. You both,” another poised glare at Kakashi, “were assigned to the Akatsuki campaign, and not only because the campaign needs to be another success, but also because we want to have a peaceful working environment.”

“For us,” Minato seamlessly interjected, “and for the other people on the floor. But also for you guys, as of course, Kakashi is one of our leading creative workers, and you, (Y/N), are one of our best and most reliable sources of data. And we also liked your own ideas in your application, just so you know that one, too.”

At that sudden compliment, you could feel the blood rising to your face. All of a sudden, the room was too hot. Way too hot. That Minato would ever comment on the silly little projects you worked on and added on a whim to your application was simply and utterly insane. Especially in front of Kakashi.

Another careful glance at him, and you knew you were screwed. For so long, he had avoided looking remotely in your direction, but now, his dark eyes were scrutinizing you from the side. Like he saw you in a kind of new light, not entirely new, but fresh enough to catch his interest. Quickly, you looked away again, but you still could feel how his eyes took you in, took you really in, before settling onto the hard wood of the table again. 

“The point is,” thankfully, the other two didn’t seem to notice the quick and silent exchange between Kakashi and yourself, so Minato pushed right onward, “that the constant fighting is throwing wrenches into the… working atmosphere.”

“What Minato wants to say,” Kushina added, “that we have gotten… not necessarily complaints, but… requests to intervene.”

“What?” you blurted out. 

“Yes,” the other woman nodded solemnly, “other employees have noticed the rising tension between the two of you.”

How some of your co-workers couldn’t notice that something was amiss between Kakashi and you would forever be a mystery to you. Again, he pretty much made your business public by announcing at a meeting that he didn’t want to work with you. 

Without adding any comment, both of your eyebrows rose slightly. Kushina noticed, nodding towards you as she turned her attention towards Kakashi. “And in my mind, (Y/N) is totally in the right, when it comes to a certain situation which broke the camel’s back. You know that it was absolutely unnecessary to announce your displeasure at working with her at the meeting, out in the open, and questioning her work and indirectly, her work ethics.”

“We expect more of you, Kakashi.” Minato shook his head again. “We know you can do better.”

Kakashi didn’t say anything. So, the adults at the table pushed further, and you were more than happy to witness the glorious harping of one Kakashi Hatake, all the while being wined and dined by your bosses. Why again did you think this dinner would be a bad idea? 

“Kakashi, we’ve been over this. You can’t act like a brat all the time.” Kushina moved out of her chair, rounded the corner and stood beside him. Uncomfortably close for a boss to stand beside an employee, but when she placed a hand on his shoulder, that was even worse. “We care about you. You know that.”

“Hn.” Kakashi didn’t react more than that to the words or the hand on his shoulder. Your eyes grew as big as saucers as you watched how Kushina went even further than that. With a low sigh, she kneeled down beside the chair in which Kakashi sat, her hand sliding down to take his arms to uncross them. Then, like that wasn’t a lawsuit to happen already, she took one of his unresponsive hands, lacing their fingers together like they were lovers. “It would be lovely to hear an explanation from you for your behavior, but because I know you won’t give me one, I’ll settle for an earnest, sincere apology to (Y/N). And don’t give me that look, Kakashi,” she instantly retorted when he groaned audibly, “you will apologize, and you will explain some of this situation to her as well, as I’m sure she’s confused as hell right now.” 

You sure as hell were confused. Maybe it was just the wine, or the overall situation, but making sense of said situation seemed impossible without a whiteboard and some good old colorful markers drawing nice little shapes and arrows to explain everything.

Or, hell, a good talk could also do the trick. 

Kushina let go of Kakashi’s hand and sighed loudly. When she turned her attention to you, you couldn’t help but sit up a bit straighter, your face, which was warmed by the alcohol, warming up even further. 

“I’m so sorry for the trouble Kakashi has given you,” she started, “but I’m asking you also to listen to him and hopefully, you find that forgiving him is actually quite easy.”

“Who knows,” Minato piped up, “you might get along just fine in the end.”

Before you could protest, Kushina already shot her husband a small glare. “That’s a bit of a far stretch. For now, it’s about understanding, talking,” she lightly kicked Kakashi in the shin, which he answered with a weak grunt, “and foremost, apologizing.”

With that, she turned around and gathered some of the plates in her hands. Before you knew it, you also moved out of your seat, but when you tried to gather some plates as well, Kushina only shook her head and smiled. 

“No need. Just… go and talk. We’ve got this mess here handled.” 

And like this, you had no more excuses. This strange mix of emotions, the curiosity at the circumstances, the overall weirdness of the relationship between Minato, Kushina and Kakashi, the strange understanding between them and their insistence that this was not a formal case of bullying in the workplace, but almost something akin to a bratty schoolboy whose pranks went too far. 

Your train of thought got interrupted when Kakashi suddenly moved. Without batting an eyelash, he stood up and turned on his heels. He paused for a split second, all the while still not looking at you, only to jerk his head awkwardly into the direction of the door. 

A more than stupid invitation to follow him. Alright, you would play along. Fine. With another roll of your eyes, you followed the man out into the hallway. But instead of turning towards the front door, Kakashi turned the opposite way, down the hallway and further inside the home of your boss. Casually, like this was just another day in the park for him. Or like he had been here a few times already. 

Cautiously, you continued to follow him. Still, no word was spoken between the two of you, and like hell you would open this conversation yourself. It was his turn to speak up; his turn to open his mouth and speak, when he hadn’t spoken the entire fucking night. 

Kakashi abruptly turned towards an almost hidden door to the right. You nearly stumbled into him, glaring when you barely managed to stop. 

The door was like any other door in the hallway: a rich, dark brown, with a handle made out of brushed, blind metal and shimmering weakly in the light of the hallway. You watched how Kakashi struggled for a moment, only for his whole body to slump into itself and for his hand to lay on top of the handle. Like he had given up on resisting and just went with whatever Kushina told him.

The door swung open, slowly and enticingly, at the same time. You leaned forward, way too curious to wait for the door to fully open to catch just a glimpse of that mystery room. 

The first thing you noticed was the carpet in the room. Dark, with dark-blue swirls interrupting the rest of the fabric, yet oddly comforting and spreading out far into the room. One look at Kakashi, who just weakly gestured towards the door frame, and you stepped forward. 

His smell overwhelmed you in the split second you stepped over the doorstep. The mixture of sandalwood, minty soap and something else, heavy and sultry and spicy, filled every bit of air you breathed in, as you stood there and let your eyes roam around every inch you could see. 

The small, single bed in one corner immediately jumped into your vision. Dark-grey covers, dark-grey cushions and a black throw blanket covering most of the bed, but there was a small, worn-down and obviously well-loved plush dog sitting in the corner of the bed, closest to the pillow. There was a pinboard hanging above the bed, almost entirely covered with pictures over pictures, but you stood too far away to make out who was immortalized on this small photo-collage. To your right was a small, minimalistic desk, but so cluttered and covered with papers, you could barely make out anything else but the messy scrawl which had burned itself into your brain. 

It was so obvious that this was Kakashi’s room. But why did he have his own room at the house of his bosses? Was he some kind of slave to them? A part-time babysitter for Naruto when his marketing campaigns sucked? 

“There,” Kakashi muttered in your back, “my dark secret.”

“Secret,” you snorted as your eyes roamed over the neatly framed posters of hand-drawn art decorating the walls, “and what kind of secret that is.”

“Nothing else to say?”

“Just a few questions. For how long has it been like…” You gestured around the room, then to him, before your hands fell back to your sides. “Like this?”

He shrugged, only now also stepping into the room. His naked feet made no sound on the dark carpet. “A few years. Since I was… twelve? Thirteen, maybe.”

And he was now… what, maybe 26? 27? Even though you tried to not think about your bosses as evil enslavers, this room and Kakashi being pretty nonchalant about his situation made you think the worst. And how the fuck did they even meet? Or did they just pick up a strange kid from the orphanage? In your mind, you pictured a way younger Kakashi, with too big teeth, chubby cheeks and adorably cute for the puckered up asshole he would later become in life, overshadowed by the sinister darkness oozing out of Kushina and Minato.

No, nooo. Come on, that’s just bullshit.

Your imagination is doing overtime.

There has to be a reasonable explanation for this.

“And,” you took another look around the room, noting the clean state of everything, as well as a small bag with clothing sitting on a massive armchair, “they are… what exactly to you?”

Kakashi shrugged. “I mostly call them by their names. Why?”

You breathed deeply in. “Okay, I see that we’re not really getting anywhere with this, so I’m just fucking asking. What is happening here? What are our bosses to you, personally? Why the fuck do you have a room in their enormous flat,” you gestured around, arms flapping like the wings of a useless bird, “Like, holy shit, is this some kind of weird indoctrination into a cult in which I have to be a slave? Do I have to service them, lick their boots even more? Do I also have to live here now?”

“How much wine did you have at dinner?”

“Definitely a bit too much.”

“Mhm.” He nodded, only to shrug again. “Nothing of the cult-sort. I’m adopted.”

Your mind spun a bit further, only to come to a screeching halt. Yeah. Adoption was definitely more plausible than them being involved in a cult. After a short pause, you nodded, only to continue with a slightly calmed mind. “Okay, yeah. That’s… that makes sense.”

“Oh, does it?”

“Yeah.” You rolled your eyes at his tone. “I know, the cult-thing was a bit too hasty. But come on, what was I supposed to think?”

“Well, for starters, anything normal would have been nice.” He clicked his tongue, but before you could hiss at him in return, he turned towards the armchair. Without looking at you, he brushed past you and sank into the massive cushions with a deep, long sigh. “Yes, yes. I’m an asshole, an idiot, and love devouring puppies for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

You crossed your arms over your chest. Indeed, you had been ready to hurl insults at him, but fair enough. That was probably by now a bit repetitive. Too easy to figure out. 

Before you could react, Kakashi continued, with his eyes closed and head dropping backwards against the backrest. “My dad died back when I was ten. Went through a few foster families before Minato and Kushina took me in. Since then, they let me live with them.”

There, no grand reveal, no big speech, no big dump of background info. Just plainly stating the facts without embellishing them, like it was no big deal. But it made so much sense in the scheme of things. 

Their familiarity with each other, the closeness, Naruto being so infatuated with Kakashi — he was basically his big brother — made so much sense. Just one small thing.

“And how come you work with them now?”

He sighed; a big exasperated sigh telling you that he expected this particular question sooner or later. “I work with them because I want to. Because they have a good firm with good creative people, because I like the benefits and their money. I didn’t get in because of my relationship with them.”

“Hey, a little bit of nepotism never hurt anybody but the ones not involved.”

“And that’s exactly why I don’t go out and brag about them.” His eyes snapped open, with his head propping up to look you in the eyes, with a look which you had never seen on him. “They are good people. Fuck, they didn’t even know I applied to them under a fake name and picture because I knew they would probably give my name more consideration. They judged my application for my skills alone, not my name or my face.” 

It sounded like he had that speech prepared, years and years, before you even asked the question. A defense for all the people who would find out about that particular circumstance, and together with the hard look in his eyes, he seemed prepared for everything. 

Just for a second, you could glimpse behind that facade. If that wasn’t his inner teenager jumping out, ready to lash out against the world as he felt wronged by the perception of the people around him, namely you. Without thinking, you put your hands up as a sign of you giving up.

“Alright, it’s fine. No need to explain it to me more.” 

“Feels like I had to.”

“Not really my place to judge, is it? Besides,” your mouth ran off while your brain still tried to find words or even comprehend what you were saying, “you are a marketing-genius, after all. The last Akatsuki-campaign, that wasn’t your face or your name, just… you. So, even if someone were to point out your connection to Minato and Kushina now, they would have to eat shit.”

“My.” Kakashi’s little chuckle sent shivers down your spine, for reasons you pushed entirely onto your tipsiness. “Was that a compliment?”

“Possibly, and you will never hear another one from me again.”

When Kakashi chuckled again, you couldn’t really deny smiling to yourself. It was nice, bickering like this. The tension from before was gone, blown away by the revelation. 

Kakashi had been adopted by Minato and Kushina. Lived with them since he was a teenager. He was an orphan. Of course, they were physically close, even though Kakashi seemed to bear it more than accept the closeness. Of course, Naruto knew him so well, jumped into his arms and chatted excitedly about his toys and friends with him.

However…

“That’s all nice and dandy,” you breathed in, locking onto his slumped form in his armchair, “but doesn’t explain why you’re such an asshole to me. Was it something I did? Something I said?”

Instantly, the relaxed posture of his tensed up. All of a sudden, the man couldn’t meet your eyes, all too interested in the carpet in which he dug his feet with a vigor you had usually seen only on dogs chasing after a steak. 

Or a dog being scared by the vet. One of the two. 

But you wouldn’t let that slide anymore, couldn’t let it slide. Not when you were this close to get some real answers, as he apparently was more talkative today — if now because of the threats by his parents or because he himself had a little bit too much wine, you didn’t care. You had to use this to your advantage and find out as much as possible! 

Again, you shrugged, before crossing your arms over your chest. “If it’s something I said to you, if I annoyed you when coming up to you and fangirling, then I apologize. Alright? I apologize if that is what gets you off my case.”

“It… it wasn’t that.”

“Then what else? Because you were an asshole from the get-go.”

Kakashi huffed lowly. “Can’t really argue with that, I guess.”

“Then, why? Why be so rude and pissy and…”

“Bastardly?”

“Yeah, that too.” You looked at him, trying to make out if he made a joke or not. “I just don’t… really understand. And still would like to.”

He groaned lowly. “And yet again, can’t really argue with that.”

Though, he still wasn’t answering. You waited, and waited, and waited a bit longer for good measure, but it soon became apparent Kakashi wasn’t willing to give anything away. Huffing and rolling your eyes to the heavens, you crossed your arms over your chest. 

“Fine. Then don’t tell me. Just say if you will try to be civil or not.”

At that, Kakashi perked up. “I will. If you try as well.”

“I’m not-!” You stopped and bit your tongue. His eyebrows rose in silent question, and in a spout of atypical realization, you rolled your eyes again, this time in exasperated agreement. “Fine. I may have also played a part in some… arguments. A small one. Miniscule, even.”

“How unusually agreeable of you. Sorry”, he immediately interjected as you were about to hiss at him for his comment. “Last comment. I promise.”

“That would be for the better”, you huffed. 

The silence stretching into eternity afterward was perhaps even more uncomfortable than the last one. Now, that you couldn’t really snap at him anymore, what was left? Making awkward jokes about the weather? 

“So…” Kakashi hummed. “Nice night we have, right? Not too hot, not too cold.”

For a long moment, you just looked at him. Could really only look at him, as the sheer absurdity of the situation crashed into you. There you were, in your bosses amazing home, with their two sons, one of them adopted and a disgustingly big thorn in your side, and even though you didn’t know the reason why exactly he harbored some kind of silly dislike for you, at least he promised to try and behave. 

This was truly your life, and it felt like a fucking romantic comedy. 

Instead of breaking into laughter, instead of having a mental breakdown, instead of doing anything rash and impulsive, you swallowed all of your instincts down, and merely smiled at the man. “Yeah. It’s… it’s nice tonight.”

Nothing was really cleared up. There were still so many questions left unanswered, but most of the time, life wasn’t like a neat little novel or movie, with all the strings tied up and well-connected. More often than not, there were loose ends, and you were the one having to decide what to do with those strings. This one, you could and probably should ignore, as not knowing what exactly Kakashi’s problem was probably the safest option. 

“I guess,” you spoke up, still smiling a little, “we’re done for the night then?”

Kakashi shrugged. “I guess so. That was probably their plan, anyway.”

“Us trying to get along?”

“Yes.”

“And…” You tried to be nice here, just this once. To try it out. “Any more plans for the night?”

If he noticed your efforts, he didn’t let it show. He just groaned as he pushed himself out of the armchair, all of a sudden towering over you when the entire talk, you were able to look down on him. Quickly, you took a tiny step backwards. Otherwise, he was way too close, all of a sudden. 

“I don’t know. Maybe I stay here for a bit longer, catch up with Minato and Kushina.”

“If you stay the night, Naruto will probably be happy.” You had no idea where that came from, but from the bottom of your heart, you knew it was true. But fuck, that observation was probably a few steps too far. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No, no. It’s alright. And you’re right.” Kakashi sighed weakly. “He would be indeed overjoyed to see me in the morning.” 

“You don’t sound that excited about the prospect.”

“If you’re excited about a little boy using you as a trampoline, then please, go ahead.” Kakashi bowed his head a little. 

You were so close to again snap at him for the comment, as you felt like it was sarcasm, but stopped yourself just in time. No, that hadn’t been mean-spirited. If you really thought about it, it just had been a simple comment, continuing the conversation with a bit of humor and exasperated fondness for the young child. 

Nothing else.

“I don’t think,” you started slowly, every word on your tongue weighing heavily on your mind, “I would appreciate him rearranging my bones and intestines that way. So sorry for that.”

A low hum came from him, obviously satisfied with your answer. “See? I like my bones where they are, unharmed and not broken into pieces by a small boy’s feet.”

“Very understandable.” With a low sigh, you nodded towards the door. “I should get going then. It’s late.”

Kakashi hummed nonchalantly. Nothing but sheer understanding for the situation, which was a nice change in itself. No arguing. Though, you had no idea what to say now that you were left without the annoyance with him which usually would have filled the silence between the two of you. But there was one thing you just had to ask, and the question just tumbled out of your mouth to push aside the uncomfortable silence.

“Why did you ask me to work with you earlier?”

You had no idea what to expect. If Kakashi would answer or if he would clam up. It could go either way. So it was pretty interesting to watch his expression while you waited for an answer. 

At first, the man fell silent. His eyes flickered away, just for a split second, only to come back to your face. He needed a few seconds, but when he spoke up, his voice was calm and measured, every syllable as valuable as gold. 

“I didn’t want anyone to know that Minato and Kushina are my parents.”

“But…” You sighed weakly. “But why?”

He shrugged. “To avoid explaining all of this. To avoid being accused of nepotism. And would you like to be reprimanded by your parents in front of a colleague? I thought, if we could act like we cleared everything by ourselves, they wouldn’t force me to explain every little sad detail like I was still a bratty little teenager.”

“Oh, you grew out of that stage? Sorry,” you winced weakly, “that was my last comment.”

But to your surprise, Kakashi chuckled weakly. “Only fair. So… enough of all of that. We cleared our grievances, and we can work together from here on out.”

“Yeah. Sounds good to me.”

You really couldn’t wish for more than that. Still, when you said your goodbyes to Minato and Kushina, while you defended yourself from another glass of wine, when you left their apartment and caught your first undisturbed deep breath in the safety of the elevator, you couldn’t shake the gut feeling that, even though Kakashi answered your question, he still didn’t tell you the entire truth. 

But you couldn’t prove it, and really, it wasn’t your issue to deal with. The most important part was the safety of your job. Nothing else mattered.

Only when you stood outside, the brightly lit building looming far above your head, you noticed what Kakashi did. Or, to be more precise, what he didn’t fucking do.

This fucking bastard never apologized for putting you through the wringer. 

“That… fuck.” You didn’t know what you expected after this evening. But surely not this, with Kakashi again having the upper hand, even after being told to apologize by both his bosses and his parents, after him being forced to show a bit more of the person behind the asshole, after making you agree to being civil around each other, he still came out of this without a meaningful apology for what he did to you.

For another long moment, you stared at the building behind you, before climbing into your car, stomach filling with frustration and anger. Your hands clenched around the steering wheel, knuckles turning white from the force, before you started the engine with a forceful turn of the key in the ignition and a bite to your lips.

I still don’t have to like him, I just have to work with him. And if he just lets me be, and we can focus on the project, then everything will be alright.

You snarled silently as you pulled out of the parking spot, controlling your boiling anger just enough to remember that being caught by the police with alcohol in your blood system would be awful. Maybe some of the cool night air would help. Rolling the window on the driver’s side down, you breathed in through your nose and out of your mouth, maintaining the last shred of your dignity and a shard of your broken pride. 

No more interactions with him. No more fights. Just no more trouble.

Fingers crossed. 

~ X ~

“And?” Kushina asked as Kakashi entered the living room again. “Will you stay the night?”

“I just might. It’s late, Pakkun is taken care of by Gai, and the drive would be long.” Kakashi shrugged weakly. “Besides, Naruto will be beside himself when he sees me tomorrow.”

She laughed at that, the throaty well-known sound being carried into every corner of the room, even over the soft whirring of the dishwasher. “Oh, I bet. So good to have you, but you know that you’re always welcome.”

“Still nice to hear it once in a while.”Kakashi answered, shrugged, only to look at Minato, who was melting into the couch by now. “I will make breakfast tomorrow. Is French toast okay?”

“More than okay. You know I won’t say no to your cooking.” Minato sighed out, while letting his shoulders roll. “Is everything cleared up, though? No more complaints about a fight fluttering into my office?”

“Everything is alright.” 

“What was that about, anyway? I can’t remember the last time you did your hazing.”

“I didn’t exactly “haze” her.”

“Tell that Obito. Or Gai. Or Rin, but you stopped on your own there, so it doesn’t really count.” Kushina shrugged as Kakashi glared at her. “I’m just stating the facts. Statistically speaking, all the people you somehow like are going through some hazing. Which still doesn’t make it right, by the way.”

Better not to answer that. Or say anything, as Kakashi knew that she was right. He definitely had a problem with approaching new people. His therapist told him nearly every session. 

That didn’t mean though that he was doing the same again. He had enough friends, enough people which cared about him, enough family-!

Well, there could never be enough people to care. He had to learn this lesson early enough in life, after all. 

But not her. No, absolutely not. Even though he already did some stupid shit to her, there was no particular reason for it, thus he could stop anytime with that. Simple. 

Alright, maybe there was a tiny, stupid reason for it, but nothing big. 

Yeah, no. Kakashi weakly sighed and shook his head. He couldn’t even convincingly lie to himself, how the fuck would he be able to lie to Kushina without ratting himself out? 

“I don’t know what you mean”, he said instead.

“Mhm.” Kushina raised her eyebrows. “Sure, you have no idea.”

“Absolutely none.”

“Well, whatever it is,” Minato smiled that same unbearably gentle smile Kakashi knew all too well, “it’s good that it’s cleared up, and we talk like adults with each other now. Alright?”

He shrugged. “Alright.” 

So, he just had to be nice from now on. Easy, right? Easy enough. Well, nicer than he was already, but actually showing it to another person… Dangerous territory. On the inside, Kakashi sighed again, but didn’t show it to his parents. Instead, he just shook his head with a mocking grin, stood up from the couch in the living room, hugged Kushina from the side, hugged Minato as well, only to wave over his shoulder once more before he left the room. 

Time to hit the hay. He had to be on his toes in the morning, after all, and be ready to show a different side from him to you, too.

[pi-cat000]

BNHA: Kakashi dimension hops crossover (8)

Summary: Kakashi gets dumbed into the My Hero Academia universe through random plot devise.

Characters:  Kakashi Hatake

Fandoms: My Hero Academia and Naruto

WARNINGS: Mentions of violence/injury

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The view from the window in Wada’s office is of tall, glass covered buildings and what must be a railway looping around them. The train that zips along the tracks travels at speeds far surpassing similar technologies available in the Land of Snow. The Land of Snow’s chakra rich atmosphere allowed its trains and other technology to run on a mix of chakra and steam generated electricity. It was a combination prone to overheating and blowing up, meaning it was only really viable in cold climates. Kakashi hadn’t cared enough to follow up on the Land of Snow’s rail system after delivering the initial intel to Konoha’s intelligence division. Large scale infrastructure was only an asset in a country so isolated that there was no major risk of it getting targeted by enemy nations. The speed of the trains in Hosu have him reevaluating that assessment.

“Hatake?”

Konoha used steam to generate its own electricity as far as Kakashi was aware, the specifics of which escaped him. All he knew was that it was resource intensive, its exact location was marked ‘need to know’ and only half the village’s buildings were connected to it. The power generation system used to move Hosu’s trains at such a speed might be worth investigating. It was obviously more efficient than Konoha’s system if it powered the train and all the infrastructure around him.

“Hatake?”

Kakashi shifts his gaze back to Wada’s office and away from the city, propping up his elbow on the arm of his wheelchair so he can lean against it.

“Hatake,” Wada crosses his arms, pushing back on his chair so he rolls out from behind his desk, “Are you listening? If you’re tired, we can have this conversation tomorrow.”

He tilts his head to the slide to meet the doctor’s disapproving stare.  

“You want my personal information for a residency application. We were also about to run through my diagnosis and tests results,” Kakashi idly summarises Wada’s last few minuets of lecturing. “I would like to hear what the quirk specialist has to say about my quirk,” he adds, trying to inject a little enthusiasm into his voice so he is not immediately wheeled back to his room for another week of rest.

“Please call me Kakashi,” he throws in as an afterthought.

“Yes. Yes. Kakashi then.” Wada waves the correction away, “I’m going to need more than a name if you want further aid from the City. After your discharge you’ll be left high and dry at this rate. Don’t think I don’t see you trying to avoid the topic.”

Wada’s irritation has Kakashi nodding along for good measure, prompting the doctor to continue talking with a sigh of mild frustration, “This is all quite complicated. At the moment, you’re being treated under Tokyo’s District Collateral Damage Scheme which would usually extend to relocation, occupation support, and asset recovery. However as the investigation into the attack on your person hasn’t linked it to any credible Villain activity, you’ll need to be a resident of Japan to receive further support.”

Wada frowns at him, “That’s a problem seeing as we see can’t find any of your records.”

“Hmm,”

“You have no birth certificate, citizenship information, school records, place of residence, career history or passport,” Wada lists, “Are you absolutely sure Hatake Kakashi is the name we need to be searching under?”

There is another pause where a reply would usually go. Kakashi finally lets his full attention sit squarely on Wada, taking in his mildly irritated expression and how his eyebrows are drawn together in a slight frown. The man is leaning forward, arms crossed, irritate but keen for a response. Kakashi habitably scans for signs of deception.

“Why.” Kakashi finally asks, voice dropping flat as be briefly lets his suspicions seep into this tone.  The medical attention he could understand. Doctor Wada was being paid by the hospital to give him medical care because of its poor patient vetting. This other help wasn’t medical attention. Kakashi wasn’t Wada’s friend, ally, or family member. He doesn’t have ties to the man outside of being his patient and he knows Wada doesn’t pay this much attention to his other patients.

Wada huffs, throwing up his hands, moving from vaguely annoyed to openly exasperated. If Wada hears the underlining threat in Kakashi’s question, he wilfully ignores it.

“You walk out of hospital like this, and you’ll be jobless on the streets by sunset. Rent. Jobs. Bank accounts. They all need identification. Best we get this sorted while you still have access to the hospital’s resources.”

“And you do this for everyone?” Kakashi asks sceptically, because Wada has obviously misunderstood him.

“Humph.” Wada grunts, “Most of my patients have relatives and friends visiting every few days and aren’t missing all their personal records. Helping people isn’t just for the Heroes you know. Us regular people like to give it a go every now and then as well.”

Kakashi stares as the man gives a resolute nod like his had given a valid answer to Kakashi’s question.  What did being a Hero have to do with anything?

“I see.”  He really didn’t but maybe this was a normal doctor thing to do? This world was so strange.

“Unfortunately, I don’t remember anything else of use,” Kakashi repeats. It was probably the most truthful he has been since waking. Kakashi has no further information for Wada revenant to his lack of records.

“Yes, very unfortunate,” Wada sounds ever so slightly disappointed, “unfortunate for you. I’m not a miracle worker. You’re going to have issues with this lack of records.” He rolls back behind his desk, yanking out a stack of paper held together with thick metal clips. As he shifts objects on the desk around to clear space, Wada continues, “I might be able to get you a job interview with a friend of mine and I might be able to get you into some city subsidized housing. But that’s an iffy might…all I can promise.”

Never mind that Kakashi hasn’t asked for anything since his arrival.

Wada slaps the stack of paper down on the desk flipping it in Kakashi’s direction and sliding across towards him. “You can show your appreciation by paying attention. Your medical records are the only thing we do have at the moment.”

Kakashi examines the booklet, raising a questioning eyebrow. On top of it is one of those plastic communication rectangles. Phones. It is black with a black screen.

“This is my old phone, no sim card but you’ll be able to connect to the Hospital’s internet. I’ll see if I can get you a charger tomorrow and set you up with patient access account.”

Wada moves the phone to one side.

“This is you’re recovery plan. I took the liberty of printing it out for you. Though with your quirk it’ll probably be a waste of paper.” Wada follows the sentence up with a quick, “Once you’re cleared to use it. Which you’re currently not. Don’t even think about it.”

Kakashi raises a hand in a loose calming motion.

“…and on the topic of your quirk….” Wada fusses around, patting himself down muttering, “Where is it. I swear if I lose another pen…Ah.” He pulls out a pen, leaning forward to scribble out a line of numbers and letters.

“You’re Registry ID. Won’t be for active for another week at least. But, once it is, if anyone gives you trouble for using your quirk in public you can tell them to go look up your file. I sent all your information off to be assessed and your quirk is probably going to be registered as ‘passive biological’ which is an automatic Licence Waiver if I’m remembering my law correctly.”

“Don’t quote me on that. I’m a doctor, not a legal professional. And just because you can use it, doesn’t mean you should. High Stress quirks need to be carefully managed.”

Wada reaches over and flips the booklet open, tapping the page.

“Your quirk puts a huge strain on your brain. Specifically, it strains your memory and vision processing centres. The expert opinion is that your body’s fast regenerative factor has naturally evolved to offset this physical stress.” Wada hums, pausing in his explanation to check that Kakashi is following. “Unfortunately, even with this mutation your quirk is maladaptive at best actively destructive at worst.”

Kakashi glances at the page Wada is scribbling on. It has a diagram of a brain with serval areas now circled in blue pen ink.

“See this area here. This shows high activity. And see how it how activity increases when your quirk is active.” Wada flips the page, “And then activity in these outer sections of your brain drops to practically zero? None of this is good in the long term.”

Wada clears his throat, “A lot of your body’s resources are being devoted to vision and memory processing and it has led to enlargement and increased activity in these areas. This sort of imbalance in the brain has been connected to depression, paranoia, anxiety, chronic stress and panic disorders. Something you’ll need to keep an eye on it and I have noted on your registry file when it comes time for your annual quirk check-up. I have also taken the liberty of scheduling some initial psychologist appointments with Hosu General.”

All this sounds somewhat familiar. He thinks in he has ben given similar warnings about sharingun and dojutsu users being more prone to severe paranoia episodes by medic-nin.

Honestly, with the rate Uchiha went loopy, he is not surprised to find out that the sharigun messed with the brain in other ways. He had always just chalked it up to the unpleasantness of having to retain perfect memories of comrades dying gruesomely.

Of course, he had never hung around the hospital long enough to get a proper diagnosis and assessment of his sharingun beyond an understanding that he should keep use to a minimum. The Uchiha had had their own medical centres for sharingan related ailments which he’d been unwelcome in before they had all disappeared along with the clan. Not like knowing meant much in the long run. It wouldn’t stop him from using it. The sharingan was the most powerful weapon at his disposal. Better to overuse it and suffer hypothetical future consequences then underuse it and watch his allies die.

“…and there is no cure for this?” he asks to cover his bases because he wasn’t the only shinobi with a dojutsu that messed with brain activity and maybe this strange world had something useful to bring back.

“Unfortunately, research into ocular quirks is still in its infancy. However, these sort of maladaptive characteristics aren’t uncommon in third generation quirks. An unfortunate result of a quirk mutating quicker than the body can handle or an individual inheriting a quirk from their parents but not developing the accompanying physical mutations necessary for that quirk to function properly. For now, your memory loss has been diagnosed as an Externally Triggered Quirk Incompatibility Event resulting in detriment or damage to the quirk user. ETQI Events are quite common in individuals with high stress quirks.”

The way Wada waits again for Kakashi to respond is more evidence towards his growing suspicion that Wada was beginning to doubt that his memory loss was as extensive as he had been implying.

This time Kakashi doesn’t answer because his attention is pulled away to focus on unusual movement above the city.

A large bat-like creature flashes across the now dark sky, diving in between the buildings. Since arriving in this world Kakashi has seen serval types of loud flying vehicle hovering or passing over the city. Enough to have grown use to the sight and sound of them passing overhead. Nothing this large and organic and this creature was definitely organic.

“Kakashi? Are you…. What in the world?”

In amongst the buildings there is a breif flash of orange light, and a trail of smoke can be seen raising upward. Despite it being mostly obscured by the tall structures, Kakashi knows an explosion when he sees one.

Wada stands abruptly, “Oh my…that’s the city centre,” he pushes around his desk so he can stand next to Kakashi.

There is another flash of light and the creature shoots back into the air above the buildings. Wada startles at the sight. So large flying creatures aren’t a normal occurrence for Hosu. Good to know.

“-Announcement; all staff refer to personal devises. Event level 2.-”  can be heard through Wada’s office door, the announcement coming in from the hallway���s intercom. Wada is immediately distracted searching his pockets.  

“A Level 2? In Hosu?” Wada questions, staring at the screened devise – phone, Kakashi mentally corrects- he frees from his pocket, reading through something. Emergency orders from the hospital.

Kakashi notes the alert as he flips up the soft medical eyepatch and pulls off the bandage-tape covering his sharingun so he can better track the creature’s trajectory across the darkened skyline. The fact that Wada isn’t yelling at Kakashi about his sharingun use tells him that a Level 2 is serious business.

The creature’s flight is sporadic, like it has sustained an injury to one of its wings and trying to escape whatever caused it. The creature is also on a collision course with one of those highspeed trains Kakashi had noted earlier.

“-Announcement; all staff refer to personal devises. Event level 2.-”

Kakashi watches, his sharingun catching the moment the creature rams into a train in perfect detail even at the considerable distance. The side-carriage buckles inward and the train is flung partially off its rails, momentum abruptly slowing.

He can’t hear collision at this distance, but Kakashi thinks the hospital building tremors ever so slightly. Whether the tremor is from the train crash or another explosion closer in the city he can’t tell.

At this point Wada has stopped staring at his phone and is following Kakashi’s line of focus. The man inhales sharply in alarm, rushing forward to press against the window.

“That’s the main line!”

‘-Announcement; all staff refer to personal devises. Event level 2.-’

Cautiously, Kakashi stands from his wheelchair to follow, approaching and eyeing the train and then the city. He can pick out four smoke trails wafting up from among the buildings but nothing is close to the hospital. Yet. In a citywide attack a hospital is a logical target.

The flying creature falls away from the smashed-up side-carriage like it has been blown backward by a powerful shockwave. It flounders in the sky for a second, disoriented, raising higher then dropping into uncoordinated wonky dive. Of course, the dive puts it in line with the hospital, his eye allows him to make the calculations automatically, tracking the trajectory.

It is on a collision course with the section of building Kakashi is currently occupying. If the creature didn’t slow or turn, its impact with the building would probably take out a portion of the upper floors, including Wada’s office.

A little chakra enhancement and Kakashi kicks the glass from the window in front of him. It was best not to retreat into the hospital as he doesn’t know if the building’s structure was sound enough to withstand the collision. It was a safer bet to escape outside where he would have more room to manoeuvre.

The window shatters, glassing spraying out and falling onto the pavement that ran the perimeter of the hospital.

“Holly S…. “Wada begins to exclaim and is interrupted when Kakashi snags the doctor by the arm and throws the man over his shoulder, winding him in his haste. He then turns and in one sweeping motion swipes his recovery plan and phone off Wada’s desk, crouching fit through the window frame, and jumps, dropping straight down.

There is the loud crunch and screech of metal and glass twisting up above him as the creature rams the side of the building. Kakashi lands and darts further along the path and away to avoid falling brick and glass.

Around him the civilians, who had been distracted staring at the explosions and smoke rising from further in the city, turn at the noise created by the impact. Then there is a lot of panicked yelling as people scatter in all directions.

“Back away! Move away from the wall! Please stay back from the road!” Two uniformed policemen come jogging towards the crash site, unsuccessfully attempting to re-direct the streams of fleeing people. It’s a lot of uncoordinated chaos as people spill out onto the roads around the hospital and get in the way of oncoming vehicles which subsequently crash into one another.

It is all very chaotic up until a short grey-haired man in a yellow onesie drops to the pavement few meters from where Kakashi had initially landed, right under the flying creature. Yellow-onesie-man turns to order the policemen to keep civilians back before propelling himself up the building in long leaps worthy of any respectable shinobi, kicking out and knocking the creature off the building, manoeuvring around several uncoordinated retaliatory attacks. A ‘pro-Hero,’ Kakashi decides, tracking yellow-onesie-man’s quick decisive strikes and dodges. He had noted that Heroes tended dress bright and flashy to attach as much attention as possible.  

It obviously works as, around him, the civilians who had previously been fleeing in blind adrenalin fuelled fear seam to calm, focusing on yellow-onesie-man and his efforts to redirect the creature away from the hospital.

Kakashi watches the fight long enough to confirm that it was not headed in his direction. Relatively certain he is not about to be suddenly attacked or rammed into by the panicking crowd he loosens his grip on Wada, bending to let the man down. Kakashi slouches, attention split between his immediate surroundings and tracking the fight as it moved out onto the road.

“Offices,” Wada, who had been uncharacteristically silent, exclaims. He stumbles back and plonks down onto the pavement, landing on his ass, “Those are the third and fourth floor are offices,” The man is staring up at the damaged upper floors of the hospital. “It’s afterhours…there won’t have been anyone working…I should have been the only one in this late,” he mutters.

Kakashi habitually scans the structure. The damage isn’t bad all things considered. There is a lot of broken windows and a significant hole on the fourth floor, but it is shallow, only penetrating a few meters into the building, meaning the flying beast had attempted to pull up at the last second, lessoning the impact. Probably hadn’t managed to smash through any of the supporting walls so they wouldn’t have to worry about the building immediately collapsing. The third floor has broken windows and damage to the outer wall which wasn’t dangerous unless you were standing right next to the glass at impact.

“Hmm, probably no casualties…the rooms on the fourth floor are empty. Aside from us,” Kakashi confirms. He had stalked the doctor enough to know when there were and weren’t people in the rooms surrounding his office. The air also lacked that strong stench of blood that so often accompanied a person being crushed by rubble. Even the stink of this people-filled city wouldn’t have been able to block that out.

Wada blinks up at him. “How did you get us down here so fast?”

“I believe I jumped.”

“… how in the world does a memory quirk let you land a four-story drop on a leg that is still injured?”

Kakashi gives a bland smile, scratching his chin thoughtfully, “You know what, I don’t know. Must be an ETQI Event, you did say it affected memory.” He holds up his recovery plan for emphasis.

Wada’s response to that is silent, open-mouthed disbelief.

“I should have retired last year and followed my sons advise. I’m getting too old for this,” the doctor finally mutters, rubbing his eyes, hand shaking ever so slightly. He lets out a long breath.

“You’re not injured, are you?” Kakashi asks, reminding himself that Wada is a civilian without chakra and thus doubly susceptible to injury.

Wada makes a show of checking himself over, “No. I suppose I’m not. Aside from the heart attack.”

“Isn’t that good news.”

“Oh yes, wonderful news,” Wada huffs, “Always good news when my patient who shouldn’t be walking jumps out a window to save my life.”

Kakashi hums, watching the man struggle to stand. All shaky. Adrenaline would do that if you weren’t used to it.

He bends and grabs a hold of the doctor’s shirt to pull him to his feet, holding him still for a second until he was sure Wada could support his own weight. Aside from looking a little windswept the man is no worse for wear.

Once standing, Wada finally takes proper stock of his surroundings, “Well, isn’t this terrible.”

By now the Hero has drawn the flying creature down the road and far enough away from the building that a number of the hospital staff are rushing out to inspect the damage. Several alarms are sounding in the building at varying levels of shrillness, there is the loud crunch of metal hitting metal as the Hero’s fight knocked into hastily abandoned vehicles, and behind it all people are yelling instructions and questions at each other.

“I’m going assist with any evacuating or patient care where I can. You need to follow the directions of hospital staff and get yourself settled somewhere safe. We can discuss all this later,” the doctor orders as his shakiness dies down.

“Hmm.”

Kakashi flicks open his recovery plan, sharingan stamping the information into his brain. He would devote some time to considering it later. Now that the cat’s out of the bag he doesn’t need to worry about maintaining a façade in front of Wada.  Quickly, he flips through the booklet. The whole process takes barely a minuet.

“Thank you, but I think I’ll be off,” Kakashi says simply, handing his recovery plan back to Wada, “you were right about the waste of paper.”

Kakashi pulls the eye patch back over his eye, turning away from the hospital. “I’ll keep this though,” he holds up the phone.

As he begins to wonder away, Wada splutters, “Wait. Where are you going?”

“Mah,” he waves a hand lazily without turning, “I’m going to find my memories. I’ve lost them on the road of life and I need to retrace my steps.”

In some ways he is glad to have had this opportunity to save Wada’s life. It meant he could walk away without feeling indebted. It was also the push he needed to finally make a decision on what he wanted to do with three years of prospective down time. Explore this world a little. Gather intel without having to worry about hospital staff and other civilians getting in the way. Watch everything from afar for a while before trying to seriously integrate in with the locals. Find somewhere secure to get a proper night’s sleep and to properly start experimenting with his chakra and other potential ways home. Idly, he scans the road full of stopped cars and scattered civilians, picking a direction that would take him adjacent to the Hero’s fight. This would be a good opportunity to observe Heroes and see quirks used in proper combat.

“You’re not even dressed properly?” Wada calls after him.

“My first stop.” Of course, he would need to acquire a set of cloths that weren’t a hospital gown, pyjama pants, and flimsy slippers.

“Hold on a second,” Wada hurries around to stand in front of him, forcing him to stop. Kakashi arcs a brow at the forwardness.

“Whatever trouble you were in before now doesn’t matter. I don’t care enough about the memories you may or may not have or your quirk. I’m too old to worry about all that stuff these days. You’re young enough to deserve options. Think about it. A sensible job and a place to live. Sure, it’s not exciting, and it all gets a bit dreary every now and then but it’s a far cry better than bleeding out in an ally after being stabbed in the chest.”

Kakashi eyes the man not bothering with a smile. He lets his stare stay bland, face expressionless in that way that would have any sensible person dropping the topic of conversation.

Wada keeps talking, “I’ve seen plenty Villains find their place in society and make honest men of themselves. Not exactly easy but it is doable…with help. Help the hospital can give you.”

Ah…this man was like Naruto in a way… he’s concocted some backstory for Kakashi that likened him to this word’s version of missing-nin and is now attempting to reintegrate him whatever passed for a hidden village here. He is still parcelling out the details on how everything fit together in this world but he thinks he has this analogy somewhat correct.

“That wouldn’t quite work for me,” Kakashi loosens, slipping around Wada fast enough that the man stumbles, hopping up onto the roof of a crashed vehicle so he can jump between them and more easily cross the road.

“Bye bye.”

[lavender-long-stories]

Spoilers for Lavender Sand | Chapter 2 | Rated T

As the meetings broke off into groups of topics, people moved to who they needed to speak to, shifting around the room. Hinata stood by her father until he signaled with a subtle flick of his wrist behind his back. She instructed Hanabi to stay while she moved around to play her part as the easy-to-approach Hyuga. People took the bait, dropping hints that showed their true nature when they spoke to her. Eventually, she turned away from a conversation and came face to face with bright purple face paint.

Hinata flinched back to focus her eyes on the Suna male. “I’m so sorry.” 

“Hyuga, right?” Oh, she almost ran into him because he was about to get her attention?

 Hinata bowed her head respectfully. “Yes, Hinata Hyuga.”

He shifted stiffly. “Your clan is important to the decisions made by the Konoha, right?”

Hinata chose her words carefully, always. “Yes, our clan is a large part of the community. We are considered in most decisions made by the village.” 

“I’m Kankuro.” Kankuro pointed to the Kazekage, who sat next to the Hokage, glaring at the table like he was trying to set it on fire. Yet, Naruto was talking at him with the biggest smile. “Adviser to my brother Gaara, the current Kage of Suna.” So they were related. Gaara. She recognized that name. Naruto spoke highly of him, but she couldn’t place any details other than that. 

“Pleased to meet you.” Hinata bit down on her tongue before taking a risk. “He doesn’t look very happy today, does he?” 

Kankuro’s face twitched, making another uncomfortable face. “No, he never really is.” Red flag. Was his brother scared of him? Had they fought? The Kazakage didn’t seem like someone you would want to have a disagreement with. He looked like a man who would make a strong stance and not care to listen to yours, but you couldn’t guess everything on looks. 

“Will you be handling relations with the clan then?” It explained why he approached her so awkwardly.

“That’s the idea, an important year for peace and all.” Kankuro’s moved his wary look from his brother and focused on her. Hinata smiled to ease his worry, offering for them to sit. She sat up straighter. Kankuro was taller by two heads, at least. 

“Are Hyuga women all so beautiful?” Kankuro sat beside her, giving her a crooked grin, changing his demeanor with the subject.

Hinata faulted as a blush crept to her face. That was a complete change of mood. “That’s a matter of opinion, Kankuro-san.” Hinata attempted to will away the redness, but the confident grin he gave her didn’t help. Men had made comments all morning. Honestly, this was the first comment to be a little charming. She was sick of hearing men twice or more her age make passing comments on her purity and ‘birthing hips.’

Kankuro was pleasant. They spoke about how the Hyuga influenced the village. How and why their decisions mattered. He kept an upbeat, cheery demeanor but occasionally tossed a wary glance at his brother like he was waiting to be scolded. Hinata took one of those as a chance to ask about him. Kankuro dodged her by giving her another compliment or turning the question around on her.

“Hinata-chan?” Hanabi whispered over her shoulder. “Can I sit with you for a while?”

Hinata motioned to the chair beside her. Hanabi was starting to look worn. These events took a lot out of you, and it only got worse by the day.

“This is Kankuro-san. Kazekage’s advisor and elder brother.” Hinata motioned to him. “Kankuro-san, this is my younger sister, Hanabi-chan.” Hinata introduced them. Hanabi bowed her head like a lady. Good girl.

“See what I said? Hyuga’s are beautiful.” Kankuro commented.

Hanabi didn’t even flinch, merely thanked him with a proud smile. Hinata wished she had her sister’s confidence. She was still trying to flush blood from her cheeks.

“The Kazekage doesn’t look like he wants to be here.” Hanabi got a tap from Hinata’s finger on her leg, telling her no, but it was too late.

“No. Not really, but he always looks like that when he’s working. He probably would have just sent us if it weren’t for his little friend.” Kankuro gave another glance to his brother. Hinata was starting to get the impression he wasn’t worried about getting caught doing something he shouldn’t but rather about what his brother might do if he wasn’t being watched.

“Naruto-kun?” Hinata wondered. Kankuro nodded.

“Why?” Hanabi pressed.

Kankuro’s eyebrows came down in confusion. “You haven’t heard about him?”

The two Hyuga girls shook their heads.

Kankuro sat straighter, shifting his eyes, unsure how to word himself. “My brother is not known for good things. As the vessel to the one tails, he’s been known as the monster of Suna. He’s been a respectable leader, but he has a past of being ruthless and harsh, with no remorse for killing his enemies. All that isn’t easily forgotten. It’s built him a reputation that he lives up to. He’s usually fine when in a calm social setting, but he’s still fierce when working. Unfortunately, he’s a workaholic.”

Hinata’s heart broke for him as she remembered all that Naruto went through growing up a vessel. Naruto grinned like all was good in the world, shouting to the Kazekage, who glared at him with only a distaste for his volume. 

“It must be hard on him to be considered that way. It’s cruel. It’s not the child’s fault that the last generation decided they should take on a demon. It can’t be easy growing up, managing a whole other being inside you.” Hinata turned her sad gaze from Gaara to Kankuro, who looked like she slapped him. “I’m sorry?” Has she missed something, lost her thoughts? Did she say something out of line? Hanabi was just as confused as she did.

Kankuro held his hand up, whipping his head around, looking for someone. “Can you excuse me for a moment?” What had she said that caused such a reaction? Kankuro ungracefully weaved through the room to the other Suna-nin, hastily dragging her from her conversation with Shikamaru. When had he come in? Was he a security detail?

The woman became irritated, but with a few whispers, her face slowly twisted into the same thoughtful shock as Kankuro had.

Had Hinata said something insensitive for Suna culture? Hanabi shook her head. She was just as lost. 

The Suna set approached, prompting Hanabi to stand up. “I think they will want to talk to you alone,” Hinata felt that too, but she wasn’t sure why. Hanabi squeezed her hand before disappearing to return to her father’s side.

“Temari, this is Hinata Hyuga. Hinata, this is my sister Temari.” Temari was everything Hinata wasn’t, tall, tan, strong, and confident.

Hinata bowed, hiding her confusion. “Pleased to meet you.” 

Temari sat, throwing one of her long legs over the other. “Hinata, have you met the Kazekage yet?” 

Hinata sat straighter, tucking her crossed ankles under the chair more. “No, but Naruto-kun said good things if memory serves.” Hinata looked over at the tailed-beast holders again. Another pain hit her heart, seeing Gaara’s scowl at the world. Why were they treated like monsters? They both had to work so much harder to become strong leaders of their people.

Turning back to the Kazekage siblings, they both gave her an odd look. 

Temari broke the silence between the three. “Do you know the village well, Hinata?” 

“Yes,” Hinata answered.

“If you’re not busy after the meeting, could you take my brothers on a tour? Naruto was going to take them, but he will be caught in paperwork for the Hokage.” Temari looked back over to Shikamaru, who might actually be asleep against the wall he was leaning on. 

Kankuro leaned forward. “Temari wants to take off with the bum.” He received an elbow in his rib cage for the comment, which he rubbed viciously. “Hey!” 

“I’m not sure if I’m the best to do so, but I can do my best.” Hinata agreed. 

Temari lit up. “Perfect.”

--**--

Hinata fiddled with her fingers as she waited by the door. She felt much more nervous about this arrangement now that she knew her father had spoken to Kankuro before she had. Of course, he mentioned her eligibility. Hinata hadn’t considered Kankuro, a possible suitor, but his sister’s proposed tour made more sense now. It was a set-up.

Brother to the current Kage of Suna was a high enough status for the Hyuga council.

Hiashi warned her not to offend them. He didn’t need an ‘or else,’ but if she wasn’t self-conscious taking the two most eligible males in Suna on a tour alone before, she was now.

Two sets of footsteps approached, prompting Hinata to straighten her back and force a smile. She deliberately clasped her hands behind her back to stop fidgeting. “Ready to start?” 

The Kazekage stared her down as if she should already know the answer. Kankuro nodded, returning her smile. She was very aware of the Kazekage’s distaste. Was it for her or because Naruto wasn’t the one taking them? Hinata led them out the door and down the steps, squeezing her hands behind her to calm her nerves. She kept a speed that would be comfortable for their long legs, sacrificing the usual casual pace, especially in heeled shoes. She kept her shoulders straight and her head tall. She was probably failing. She probably looked like a walking chicken or worse. 

Hinata turned her head over her shoulder. “Was there something you wanted to see first?” It felt uncomfortable to be leading. She was always a step behind her father, Neji, and Shino. 

“Gaara has been taken to see the Hokage mountainside, but I haven’t,” Kankuro answered. Gaara said nothing, so Kankuro determined where they went. Gaara’s glare became darker when their eyes met. She took the hint and faced forward.

Kankuro took to walking beside her, which she was grateful for. He asked about landmarks on the way, which she answered to the best of her ability. Gaara stayed silent, which prompted her to continuously check if he was still there. They nearly made it to their destination when he finally spoke up. “We’ve gone the wrong way.”

“What do you mean?” Hinata hadn’t made any odd turns and took the shortest way. 

“This isn’t where Naruto took me,” Gaara explained as he crossed his arms. 

“Oh! Well, that’s because I like the view from up here better. Fewer people come up this way. Naruto likes to stand right in front of it… or on it.” Hinata mumbled the worst attempt at a joke. 

Gaara’s crossed arms tighten. Hinata wasn’t sure what to do. Should she show him her spot or do things Naruto’s way from this point on?

“We can always see it from upfront. I want to see what you got.” Kankuro passed her, though his voice didn’t seem sure of himself like he was testing his brother’s limits for the day.

Gaara’s shoulders stiffened more before he gave an audible heavy breath, following his brother up past her. Hinata closed her eyes to collect herself for just a moment. Letting out a silent sigh of relief as she followed them, glad to be in the back of their small group.

Kankuro climbed the hill. “Awesome.” Gaara soon joined his side, gazing out over the village toward the mountainside. 

Hinata attempted not to let on that her heels were sinking into the dirt. “It’s not the detail you will see from standing in front of it. But it looks more like spirits are coming from the mountain from here.” Hinata looked out over the mountain with them. As a child, she thought it looked like they were pressing their faces through the mountain. She used to have dreams of a full person coming out and walking over the village. Maybe those were nightmares. “We can still go right up to see it if you like.” She offered, seeing how Gaara’s mood hadn’t improved.

“Maybe later. I like this one.” Kankuro answered, not realizing she wasn’t asking him. 

“Kazekage-sama?” Hinata added to be more specific. 

Gaara turned only his eyes to the side at her, then returned them to the mountain. “This is adequate.” 

Hinata shriveled inside. She hoped he would at least enjoy the new point of view. “Whenever you’re ready, I can take you through the town. I can go the way Naruto-kun likes.” Hinata wasn’t taking any more chances of offending the Kage. He already didn’t like her for merely not being Naruto.

“Sure.” Kankuro turned to go back down the hill. Gaara followed him. Arms still crossed, shoulders still tense. Hinata stepped forward, feeling her heel sink into the ground again. This was going to be a long day.

Lavender Sand

Pairing: Gaara x Hinata Rating: T

Description: Hinata reluctantly agrees to have a political marriage, but will marrying an unlikely friend be all that bad? Gaara isn't even looking to marry, but when presented with the opportunity and with Naruto's approval, maybe it will all work out.

Tags: Romance  |  Slow Romance  |  Hurt/Comfort  |  Fluff and Angst  |  Marriage  |  Friends to Lovers  |  Mutual Pining  |  Healthy Relationships  |  Twist on Arranged Marriage  |  Learning to Love  |   Happy Ending  |  Shukaku is an adorable brat  |  Rated for light limes  |  Gaara is sweet but clueless

Image by mattartz

[maoam]

WHY HINATA IS NOT A GOOD CHARACTER

INTRODUCTION

I wanted to take a deeper look at Hinata’s character, considering there are a lot of claims about her out there, that she’s strong, that she’s kind, that she’s complex and relatable, that she’s the perfect woman and that she’s at least better than Sakura. I don’t really think so, and I’ll explain why. I’ll be focusing on canon, so no fillers or novels will be included in this post. I’ll say this as a warning, if you’re a fan of her character this probably won’t be something you’ll like. This will be tagged with the anti tags and put under read more so please do not complain if tumblr somehow puts this in the normal tags, it is not intentional. Also Sakura stans please don’t write lengthy comments about Sakura under this, I’m not a fan of her either and I’ll write about her later. Make your own post instead.

”HINATA IS STRONG AND THE BEST KUNOICHI”

Hinata is generally really bad as a shinobi and I’m not sure where the claims that she is strong come from. Hinata's entire character revolves around her being weak. This could have been fine if she actually developed, or if she found some other area for herself, yet she's mediocre at best and a waste of panels at worst, because she never becomes good or strong at anything. She’s not only physically weak from start to finish, but she’s also the equivalent of a damsel in distress. Everytime Hinata attempts to do something, she ends up failing, getting beaten up and having to be saved. She lost to her sister who is five years younger than her, which is what marked her as a failure in her clan. She tried to fight Neji in the chunin exams and ended up coughing up blood and losing her consciousness, and Naruto had to beat Neji for her. After Kabuto heals her fully, she spends the rest of part 1 either sleeping or missing in action. Very underwhelming.

If this had been only the beginning, it would have maybe been fine, but it’s a reoccuring pattern with her character. She throws herself in front of Pain, managing to do nothing but get one-paneled and almost killed. Even at the start of the war she had to be saved by Naruto. She tried to run to Naruto and tripped over a rock. Actually, she’s so weak she got Neji killed, when he had to jump in front of her so she wouldn’t get impaled. Why is she even in the front lines when she can’t fight? Even in Naruto the Last movie she had to be saved multiple times. In Boruto the movie she is still useless and reckless, leaving her daughter’s side to help Naruto, ending up defeated and having to be healed by Sakura once again.

I can’t say she’s mentally strong either. She has the personality of someone who hates conflict and tries to avoid it as best as they can, to the point of agreeing with others on everything, as Neji pointed out. Even without him saying it out loud, most of Hinata’s moments that aren’t her thinking about Naruto are her doing exactly this. This is not the personality of someone who is strong mentally. It’s the personality of someone who is too weak to have their own mind, someone who will go with the flow and is easily led and convinced. It can be dangerous the more you think about it. Hinata is also the bystander who never stands up for Naruto despite liking and admiring him. If she’s a compassionate girl, why isn’t she showing this by reaching out to Naruto and befriending him? Why doesn’t she show he’s not alone? Why is she only drawing inspiration from him? I don’t normally watch fillers, but there was one filler scene unrelated to Hinata where this girl says if you only look at the loser and do nothing, you aren’t much better than the oppressors, which probably wasn’t meant to be a call out for Hinata, but ended up being so anyway. Another thing that’s annoying is how she is berating herself often, yet doing nothing, it comes off as self-pity. Even in the Last movie, she is talking about how she must be a bad sister for knitting a scarf when her sister is in danger. Then why are you doing it and not stopping? Of course everytime this happens Naruto must cheer her up because she just can’t stop moping around and doing something herself.

Aside from all this, from the very beginning Hinata’s honor needed to be defended by Naruto because she couldn’t stand up for herself. Of course, after Naruto’s words she did stood up for a moment, and that was good, but it should have been a wake up call which altered her course. Instead, she kept doing the same she always did. If we take the Last movie into consideration, she’s still not strong enough to do anything even about her crush on Naruto. She needs genjutsu and Sakura to do the work for her. So even when it comes to the only thing she cares about 90 % of the time, which is Naruto-kun, she can’t do anything about it. That’s really sad.

”HINATA IS KIND AND SELFLESS”

There’s one mistake I see people make often, and that’s assuming characters that are quiet and shy are automatically kind. I wouldn’t say Hinata is as kind as the fandom makes her out to be. She simply comes off that way because you don’t really see her have her own opinions or disagree with the other characters. Hinata’s shyness on the other hand is most of the time a fetishized quirk to appeal to certain subset of fans. Her shyness doesn’t stop her from taking exams or hanging around Shino and Kiba, or talking to characters other than Naruto. She also has enough attitude to rub Neji’s status as a house slave in his face during their match, but because she stutters Naruto-kun every five minutes she’s supposedly kind. Kindness is shown through actions, not through standing around and stuttering. For comparison, we see Ino befriend an unpopular kid like Sakura, and give her confidence. That’s an act of kindness. Did Hinata ever cared about helping the branch members in any way? No.

She's supposedly "kind" but like I mentioned before she never shows this kindness by standing up for Naruto, or reaching out to him. She simply stares at him behind a tree and draws inspiration from his suffering. The only time she can actually stand up is to selfishly confess her love and die. She even said she felt like being selfish, and like I said she knew there was nothing she could do, she was told she’d only be in the way. She came there only to confess and commit suicide. This actually reminds me of another anime where this female character, after being unable to receive a male character’s love killed herself in front of him and said ”now you’ll never forget me”.

In the end, she cares about nothing but her own hormonal urges. Hinata tried to help Naruto cheat to pass an exam at the risk of disqualifying her whole team. This is the first individual action we see her character take. Did she consider Shino and Kiba during that moment? No, she didn’t even have an inner conflict on whether she should do this, whether it’s right towards her teammates. Even Naruto considers he might get Hinata, Sasuke and Sakura all in trouble if he accepts Hinata’s offer, which is why he doesn’t do it. Then when Hinata wonders if she can cheer for Naruto during his and Kiba’s match, she thinks Kiba might get mad. It’s more about how Kiba views her rather than whether she should cheer for Kiba because they are in the same team and should support each other. During the Pain attack, she left an injured shinobi, who couldn’t move, to go to Naruto, even when said shinobi told her she would only be in Naruto’s way. She didn’t try to save people, she simply wanted to confess and act in front of Naruto. This is about a threat to the entire village, which includes her comrades and her sister and she’s thinking only about her romantic feelings towards a guy she had maybe two conversations with and who barely remembers she exists. How is she better than Sakura? War arc really was the icing on the cake that Hinata’s character is only about Naruto. We should not forget the infamous ”Naruto-kun’s hand is so big… so manly...” is that really the right time to be thirsty? When Neji just died? Shikamaru mentions that he could help out Naruto as a right-hand man and then Hinata thinks “I-I want to be by Naruto-kun’s side too.” Then there’s of course the scene where she starts running to Naruto, leaving her post and teammates, even when Naruto is a mile away and already in the hands of medical ninjas, and even that ends up her pathetically tripping over a rock. Kiba has to remind her to use her byakugan because she is too busy gushing about Naruto. Eventually her only last line is “Naruto-kun”, when everyone is put into IT. It’s like a parody by this point. She doesn’t have any concern for her sister, her father, her teammates, Kurenai or her baby. It’s just “Naruto-kun” like it always is. Even in the Last movie, she is knitting a scarf for Naruto during the mission where they’re supposed to save her sister. Who brings a scarf on a mission? Why is she thinking about her romantic gift to Naruto so much she has to take it with her on a mission which focus is saving her sister? She even looks more devastated when Toneri tores the scarf apart than she ever does for Hanabi’s sake. It’s just silly and selfish.

”HINATA IS A COMPLEX CHARACTER”

Is she complex though? Her development goes from standing behind a tree looking at her crush she never talks to, to committing suicide for feelings that could never be reciprocated, to… waiting that a genjutsu and Sakura guilt trip Naruto enough for him to be with her? Like I already mentioned her character revolves entirely around Naruto, she has no hobbies or interests we know of aside from him. She has no motivations aside from being by Naruto’s side. She once had an interesting goal and backstory, but that was never fully explored, and it turned into her wanting Naruto’s attention and thinking about him. Her clan plot was irrelevant, she showed no interest in wanting to be a leader or even wanting to make things better for the branch members. It’s funny because immediately after the ending, no one cared about the Hyuuga branch and how the storyline was dropped and had no resolution. It was only when Hinata was being attacked for not showing to care did her fans start to over-analyze all the panels looking for the tiniest little clue that might hint at some changes.

It’s possible to be both shy, anxious and quiet and also to be strong, motivated and have interests and dreams. Hinata is never strong for herself, she’s only strong to be with Naruto, to die for Naruto, to motivate Naruto, to have Naruto look at her even for a moment. All the while Naruto doesn’t pay much attention to her unless she’s literally dying in front of him or she slapped him. Even when a big climax is happening, what’s on her mind is always her romantic feelings and her crush. I saw someone say if she were a male character, and she pulled this pointless sacrifice and theatrical confession in the final fight of an arc, she would’ve been universally mocked. Actually, I think even if it was Sakura who did this instead of Hinata the former would have been mocked, because their stans are unable to see the same flaws in their own fave as they see in the other girl. Naruto is a battle manga, characters are supposed to contribute to the defeat of the villain in some material way. The only reason people praise Hinata for what she did in the Pain arc is because they either pity her or because they’re men who think women killing themselves for a man is great because it boosts their ego.

I also notice many Hinata fans don’t notice the vanity in their own fandom. They call Hinata “princess”, ”heiress”, ”Konoha’s first lady” and draw fanart glorifying these concepts and how it makes Hinata good, because they like the superficial status, what they don’t care is the titles are unearned. I thought Hinata’s appeal was that she’s the underdog and a loser? Or maybe her real appeal is the idea of getting everything you want without doing much in order to get it?  Another claim is that Hinata is the perfect woman, which you might see from men. This is what I might dislike the most. Men judge Hinata’s worth and whether she’s a good character based on what kind of woman they want and think is the right kind of woman. Hinata has big breasts, she’s submissive, she has no other interests than the man she likes, and she’s the only girl in her class who didn’t go for the popular guy. Many men hate Sakura, Ino and Karin for being fangirls but praise Hinata for being a fangirl. Basically to them if a character is a fangirl of the wrong guy, she’s a stupid slut. If she fangirls their self insert, she’s wife material and the ideal woman. If Sakura has to be saved, she’s useless. If Hinata tries to kill herself for Naruto, she’s ”so kind”. Rin is a one-dimensional character, but Hinata saying Naruto-kun for the 50th time is depth. Hinata is also claimed to be better than the other girls because she had more kids and thus is more ”fertile”. It’s like feminism never happened and we are back to the 16th century. Why are we judging women’s worth on how many kids they have and how much they can please a man?

I could also talk about how Studio Pierrot turned Hinata into a hentai bait for otakus, which also plays a part in her popularity, but I don’t think it’s necessary, so I will just offer this picture which speaks for itself.

END NOTE

Hinata is simply just a sexist stereotype, a shadow of a real woman, with not much depth, and who is certainly not better than Sakura either. Both of them are fangirls whose characters revolve around men. It’s wild to me how there are women who genuinely act like one must be a misogynist if they reject Hinata’s superficial, one-dimensional and boy crazy character. Her character itself is misogynist for crying out loud. And honestly, what does it say when even the creator himself assumes that Hinata is someone’s favorite character because he must like big boobs?

[animeomegas]

I had a funny thought that turned a bit angsty. Let's say Alpha has their kid with them and said kid is just like their Omega parent and it's really obvious to those who know their Omega parent (like Naruto's kid in front of Iruka) and the Alpha just goes "yeah, my mate hit copy/paste with them. That's all them. I'm pretty sure they reproduced asexually like sponge and I'm just here for fun." It's meant as a joke and I feel like, some of the Naruto Omegas would laugh, make a joke ("you think you're fun?"), and move on and some would get very weirdly insecure about it. I feel like Neji specifically (in the au where he has his one kid) would be like "did...do you not like our kid? I tried very hard on on them. Are you mad that they are more like me?" I also feel like some Omegas would be like "are you not feeling valued? Why do you think you're disposable like this?"

Yessss, I love this, send me more things like this, please!! But you’re totally right!

Naruto thinks it’s hilarious how strong his genes are! You joke about him hitting copy and paste and he’s like “of course, because our child had to have the best genes!” Until it’s time for you to help your child with their homework, then Naruto is suddenly all, “they learn more like you! They’re basically a carbon copy of you, intelligence wise, they only look like me so I think you should help 😊”

Sasuke doesn’t find it funny, but also doesn’t care. He hns in acknowledgement of what you said but doesn’t say anything back. Uchiha genes are strong and you were both aware of that, he expected his child to look exactly like him (even though he was secretly hoping for a more balanced mix). Tbh, he’s likely too busy figuring out how to deal with a child that can out-brood him and mentally apologizing to Kakashi, to give your joke much thought.  

Shino does get worried when he hears your joke. He knows that his child looks and acts a lot like him, and when you start adding the clan things, like his kikaichu and the glasses and the high collar, suddenly his child looks like a miniature clone of him. Has Shino been leaving you out by accident? Has he been pushing his clan and family traditions so hard that he’s forgotten to incorporate your family traditions? Are you going to love your child less because of him doing that? Will you resent him? Leave them both? He gets a bit lost in his head. He sits his alpha down that evening and apologises formally, promising to always consider what you want in regards to your child a little bit more etc. Words are not his strong point but he feels like he owes you a good apology at the very least. Of course, his alpha is like “baby, please calm down, I’m not going to leave our family because our child wears the same sunglasses as you??”

Shikamaru snorts and makes a comment about how he doesn’t hear you complaining when their child sleeps through the night every night and goes down for a nap with enthusiasm. Then his alpha is like ‘true tho’ and the conversation moves on.

Sai is just like, “humans can’t reproduce asexually?? We had sex, don’t you remember??”. Joke killed instantly.

You are absolutely right about Neji though, he takes it quite personally. It was so hard for him to expand your family, and there’s no way he’s ever going to be able to do it again, so the idea that you might be unsatisfied fills him with equal parts despair and anger. On one hand, he always hears people talk about how much they want a mix of them and their partner running around, and he can understand why you might be disappointed and he’s heartbroken, but on the other hand, his alpha knows what he went through for their pup and for them to disregard that and disrespect their child makes Neji very angry. Neji brings it up passive aggressively the next day and his alpha really has no idea how he reached the conclusion he reached. His alpha tells him how much they love that their child is just like Neji, how they’ll also grow up to show more of them in time. Then they make a mental note never to joke about their similarities again.

Iruka takes the joke in good fun, as he does most things, and his response will depend on who is there with him. If the pup is there, Iruka will turn the joke on them, saying “well, if they’re exactly like me then it means they must love vegetables! We’re only eating vegetables from now on!” He finds their protests very amusing. If the pup isn’t there, he makes a joke about how lucky they are that their pup takes after him, because then there’s a hope that they’ll be able to [insert household chore alpha is bad at] in the future.” Then he side eyes you hard, before laughing at your offended face.

Itachi finds the joke vaguely amusing, and if he’s only around very trusted people. He may even joke back, letting you know that if he did know how to produce children that way, he wouldn’t have needed to get married to you at all. He finds his alphas fake offence even more amusing. Itachi likes having a child that’s just like him because he feels like he can understand them and their needs better. His aim, after all, was to make their childhood happier than his, and if he knows how to make them happy, he feels a lot more relaxed. Although, this sort of joke might be inappropriate if Itachi has only just given birth. He’s a lot more sensitive at that time and might take it as a critique than a joke.

The joke makes Gaara feel a little isolated. Him and his alpha are a team, they made the pup together and they raise the pup together, the pup is literally both of you, so why would you say that? He ends up pointing out all the physical features and behavioural traits that the pup shares with his alpha, no matter how small, and when his alpha just laughs and says “I know, sweetheart, it was just a joke”, that makes him feel better. It was just a joke, he feels relieved and a little embarrassed that he still fails to pick up on these things sometimes.

(Seriously, this was so much fun, I’m always open for things like this <3 <3 <3 Thanks for sending it in anon!)

[whoopsieintheuniverse]

Headcanon Time!

It’s Itachi’s Time to shine, babes~

Itachi’s Sweet cravings. 

 Sugar is easy to burn, and his body tries to burn as much as it can to keep him running. Ever since he started getting sick, Itachi finds himself craving more and more sweets. It doesn’t really bother him, if anything, it reminds him of being a kid again. 

Gordon Ramsay Who?? Itachi can throw down in the kitchen you cannot change my mind. 

He loves to cook. Itachi does well with hearty dishes, like potatoes, pastas, and breakfast foods. I personally think he would cook for the base if there was a need. 

His talent in the kitchen also extends to drinks. He will make you the best drink you’ve ever had. Comes from his mom, she was a tea drinker. 

He will also drink your bad tea. It’s the thought that counts. 

Itachi does not like meat. It grosses him out!

Raw meat grosses him out more than cooked meat does. Just makes his stomach turn a little. Eats more veggies and fruits than meat. 

I connect this to his first in-canon kill. He was like, 4. He definitely wasn’t ready for that gore, and meat has a bad connotation because of it. 

Itachi is always on the go if he has the energy. 

You cannot find him at the base. Moving, taking walks, running errands. If he has the energy he’s moving. He’s the best person to ask to go sight-seeing because chances are, he wants to see some stuff, too. 

Mother hen. 

Not in the traditional sense, but Itachi is always looking out for people. It’s like he’s two-steps ahead. Like when he stops Kisame from fighting? It’s because 1.) Itachi is checking on his buddy and 2.) because Itachi has already calculated that the situation is gonna go bad before it even happened. 

This being said, Itachi is EXTREMELY careless when it comes to himself. He literally dodged a barrage of kunai he aimed at himself when he was a kid in the name of training. Make sure Itachi takes care of himself. 

Itachi definintely doesn’t think he deserves being taken care of. You’ll have to be sneaky. Offer to make food, and “accidentally” make too much. If he’s not sleeping, convince him to come to bed with you. 

****************************NSFW BELOW********** (not really nsfw but it does mention sex so?****************************************************************

Naruto’s creator has said that Itachi died a virgin. I believe I agree.

This would probably have something to do with him having trust issues, yes, but I also kinda like the idea of Itachi being asexual. He seems more concerned with platonic and familial bonds than sexual. 

Itachi does have romantic attraction, like we saw in canon. 

 Also, he is not sex-repulsed, just…neutral about it. If he’s close to his partner, and they’ve had a conversation about it, he doesn’t mind helping them out, though. 

If he is helping, Itachi prefers to give oral. Likes the closeness and intimacy of it. 

Likes other intimacy. 

Cuddles, man. Cuddles. Loves skin to skin partially for the intimacy, and partially because him cold. Warm him, please. 

Wash and brush his hair! Play with his hair! Itachi’s hair is one of the only things he really maintains on himself; Sasuke used to love to play with his hair, so he keeps it up.  

If Itachi lets you play in his hair, he’s whipped. 

He also likes shared activities! Cook with him, please! Itachi really craves some semblance of peaceful, domesticity since all he’s known is violence. 

Like my work? Consider supporting me on kofi: https://ko-fi.com/whoopsieintheuniverse

[scuttle-buttle]

Chapter 9

WC: 1196

Rated: E

Chapter Tags: fluff?, mentions of physical disability & self consciousness, mentions of substance use

A/N: Wavy Gravy is the raddest man. I love him.

🧠

The room was beyond crowded as you stood next to Dr. Kreizler. Bitsy really wasn’t joking when she told you how chaotic these conferences get. You had already sat through one reading with him that morning. It was interesting enough.

“And you must be the famous TA Laszlo has told us all about!” came a rich bellow from behind you. You whipped around to face the man, a good head taller than you. He wore a bright smile which was so in contrast to the face of the doctor.

“Oh…?” you go to shake his proffered hand.

“John Schuyler Moore, photojournalism professor and friend of our dear alienist.”

“Oh! Yes, Dr. Moore,” nodding your head a little, you notice a much shorter blonde woman stroll up beside him. “Please, just John is fine,” he insists.

“Don’t give the poor girl a heart attack, John. Sara Howard, it’s nice to finally meet you.” You shake hands as well. She is petite, but right away you can sense a strength and poise about her. “Laszlo has told us a great deal about you.”

You glance at the man from the corner of your eye. He is giving Sara a stern look. “I see. I wasn’t aware he spoke of me.”

“He sings your praises on the regular,” she laughs.

An awkward grunt makes its way up your throat at her comment. He’s told you that your work was ‘satisfactory’ but there was no way he would go so far as to talk about you with his friends and colleagues. You figure the two are just being friendly.

“Laszlo, if I may,” John signals to another part of the room for the doctor to follow. With a nod the two men go off, leaving you with Dr. Howard.

She moves in to stand closer to your side. “I hope he’s been treating you well, Laszlo is not the easiest to deal with at times. He pays no mind to what is considered polite conversation etiquette.” At your blanching she adds “you can speak freely with me about it. He can be an ass, I’m the first to admit and call him out on it.” She smiles at you.

“Dr. Howard I’m-”

“Oh no please, call me Sara. We aren’t so far apart in age and you’re a graduate student. There is no need for formal titles.” The two of you chat for almost half an hour, mostly on the topic of the doctor before the men rejoin you. You don't speak as you would with Bitsy, but you find it very easy to trust and confide in Sara. John looks rather pleased with himself upon his return. You do catch the slight wink he gives Sara. Dr. Kreizler, on the other hand, appears as though he’s been told he needs a root canal.

The four of you spend the next couple hours perusing the new selections and attending a few of the reading demonstrations. John is almost like a dog, you think, overly friendly and does his best to include you in the conversations the trio have. Sara communicates with you through her facial expressions and eye rolls at the men. You are certain you even hear the doctor crack a joke or two. You carry the tote bag of books that Kreizler has purchased, despite John repeatedly attempting to assist. It’s good that the doctor has people like them, you think.

Sara and John eventually excused themselves for the night. Around 8pm the doctor turns to you. “There is a reading on a new monograph about Woodstock that starts in fifteen minutes. I have put our names on the list.”

You blink at him. “Woodstock. Like sex, drugs, and rock & roll, Woodstock '69, Woodstock?”

“Is there another?” He lifts his brows in exasperation as he considers you.

“No? Doesn’t sound like something you’d be into, though,” you argue lightly.

“Not particularly. But I thought you would find it useful towards your own studies. I know you are fond of it.”

A faint flutter broke out in your gut at his words. Never in your life had you thought this man would care enough to think of you and your own interests, especially not when this trip was for his own benefit. You had assumed you would need to beg to be let off for a few hours to seek out the history and sociology seminars. Time had frozen as you stared at him.

Maybe he did care?

“Are you alright?” he finally asked, concerned.

“Hm? Oh yeah, I’m fine. That sounds really great, thank you.”

Dr. Kreizler guides you to the proper hall and you find your seats. The space was more cramped than you were overall comfortable with. Or rather, you were uncomfortable due to the proximity in which you and the professor sat. At least that is what you told yourself.

The room was packed, chairs placed tightly together. You sat to his right side. It was close enough that you could smell the cologne he wore; something spicy and citrusy and intoxicating. Barely a hair's breadth separated you from each other. He was warm against you. Often your thighs would touch, or even his weaker arm along your own. You could just feel the boney limb through your sleeves, which often hid how skinny it truly was compared to his left side. If it bothered him he gave no indication.

Midway through you lean close to his ear. “You know, the whole concept shouldn’t have worked. It was fucked from the get go. They literally had everything working against them, the rain, the traffic, the lack of sanitation, food. Wavy Gravy and his posse really made all the difference. When things got rough he was able to use psychoanalysis techniques to encourage the new social ideals of free love and the 'cooperative', reminding everyone why they were there in the first place. He appealed to the collective psyche of the counterculture movement. The whole thing is insane!”

You don’t notice how close you had gotten to him as you spoke, your chest was nearly pressed against his shoulder. At first you touching along his bad arm made him want to instinctually pull away. As you spoke you were still facing the stage, paying no mind to the feel of it. It quelled his anxiety that you didn't seem to care. So Laszlo had tilted his head closer towards you as you whispered. He found that your eyes were lit up similar to when you would argue with him. But this time it wasn’t because you were annoyed at him - this time it was because you were passionate and excited - and it was breathtaking.

You face him when he doesn't respond; only a few inches separate you. His eyes lock with your own. A beat passes and he doesn't look away. "What?" you ask. Maybe you had offended him by speaking during the lecture?

Laszlo gathers himself. "It seems you have been paying attention during my lectures.” He smirks.

You face back forward in hopes that he doesn’t see the heat in your cheeks. “Don’t flatter yourself too much, professor.” You can feel his silent chuckle.

Tag list

@hardlyinteresting @lorna-d-m @livvyshmiv @somethingthatsaysbubbles @greeneyedblondie44 @unbeatablecurlgirl @apparrio @marchingicenotes7 @anteroom-of-death @bruhidaniel @lemairepstuff @thehuiabird @zemosimp05 @alindeluce @iamnotthecatladynextdoor @laura-naruto-fan1998 @trelaney @boneheadduluc @i-am-dead-inside-666 @fictionlandslanddreams

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 304: The Council of OFA

Previously on BnHA: Hawks and Best Jeanist were all, “what up Todofam, we are here to apply for the positions of ‘son #4’ and ‘weird uncle’, respectively,” and then proceeded to insert themselves into the family drama without waiting for an answer. Hawks briefed Endeavor on the nation’s current status of “totally fucked”, promised to help him sort that out, and then asked him about OFA. Endeavor was all, “oh do you mean One For All, the mysterious thing that my intern Deku was apparently being targeted for?” and then we cut away, presumably before Endeavor could clarify that it never occurred to him to follow up on that, and Hawks was all “no of course not, why would it occur to anyone other than me to follow up on any of this super weird and ominously important shit.” Anyway so meanwhile Bakugou was all “LET ME SCREAM AT DEKU UNTIL HE WAKES UP” and the other kids were all “NO”, and then the chapter ended with All Might being all “I wonder what the vestige!me is currently chatting with Deku about.”

Today on BnHA: Deku drops in on the Vestiges, who are all “sup Deku, how do you like our fancy chairs.” OFA II and III are all “if you need us we’ll just be standing here silently in the corner pretending to be invisible and sparking endless discourse with our mere existence.” OFA IV is all “and now I will explain to you in a very convoluted way that you being quirkless was actually a good thing, since it means that you are probably not going to suddenly drop dead at the age of twenty. But also you’re probably going to be the last user of OFA for that very same reason.” Deku is all “that is wild. I’m just gonna stand here and stare at my hand.” Nana is all “so now that that’s settled could you please do me a small favor and kill my grandson for me”, because having just one topic to discourse about this week WASN’T ENOUGH, apparently. Thanks so much Horikoshi.

(ETA: okay so just a note before I start, this week’s RHA translation was a huge mess, so I followed up this chapter by reading a couple of other translations. the main one I’m using for reference is the one by @hanashimas​, whose weekly posts I highly recommend. anyway so you’ll see a couple of ETAs in this post in places where the initial translation was off.)

how many layers of bandages did they wrap this poor kid’s fucking hand in omg

jesus Deku. are you holding onto a bouquet of flowers under that thing?? or a tennis racket??

omg yes, finally

is he reading these names off a teleprompter lol. and if so, what has Jeanist ever done to slight you, Deku? “god bless Kacchan and Aizawa-sensei and Todoroki-kun and everyone else in the whole wide world... except for Best Jeanist. fuck that guy.” actually this joke would be funnier if half of tumblr didn’t legit feel that way lol but anyway

OH MY GOD

I NEED TO HAVE A TALK TOO. ABOUT, OH, EVERYTHING

I got immediate KHR vibes from ALL OF THIS. this is seriously such a Vongola aesthetic. “let’s use the luxuriously cushioned chairs with the seat backs that are ten feet high, and arrange all of the handsome ghost people in a big circle” like come on

that said there are also some slight LoTR vibes as well. “bring forth the ring, Deku”

I like how Six is sitting there with his feet drawn up all casual, but with his arms inexplicably sticking STRAIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF HIM and dangling over his knees like he’s doing some sort of zombie walk

apparently the Fourth wasn’t a big fan of shoes huh

interesting that All Might is the only one who’s still faint/indistinct, and and that Two and Three are fully visible

(ETA: the rest of my speculation about Two and Three has been moved into a separate post, the better to focus on the shit that’s actually happening in this chapter lol.)

and lastly, interesting that all of them are talking now, except for All Might (and I guess the Second and Third as well). to the best of my knowledge Deku hasn’t unlocked the Sixth’s quirk yet, so I guess the quirks don’t really have anything to do with it

oh and it looks like Deku’s mouth is still covered. I guess that’s convenient for the vestiges since we all know it’s hard to stop Deku once he gets going. but on the other hand it’s very inconvenient for people like me who wanted to see some interaction. alas

so First says that OFA’s power has grown a lot in the last four months (i.e. since Deku unlocked Blackwhip), and now the vestiges can communicate with each other as well as Deku

so even when Deku’s not around they can all just chill with each other. this is such a weird thing to me lol. like it’s cool, don’t get me wrong, but it’s also strange as hell to know that you’ve got eight other people hanging out in your head spying on everything you do and having conversations with each other about it. it would be like if Dark Shadow had someone to hang out with other than Tokoyami. good thing you weren’t triplets, Tokoyami

First says that it’s become easier for the vestiges to interact with Deku ever since TomurAFO barged into the OFA Domain back at Jakku. huh

(ETA: apparently this is because AFO forcibly pulled out OFA’s power when he was trying to steal the quirk, so I guess that makes sense.)

okay thank you Banjou for addressing this concern which I initially brought up as a joke, but which was apparently real enough for you to reassure Deku about

“don’t worry, even though we’re awake and hanging out inside of you at all times, we’re definitely not secretly watching and making fun of every single thing you do” hmmmmm

(ETA: “not that you could do anything about it even if we were, since you’re probably going to be the last OFA holder ever!” I don’t trust anything this asshole says lmao.)

OH SHIT??

YESSS DEKU now you can hold them accountable for all of their bullshit! because I do not doubt that there will be bullshit lol but let’s see how that goes

oh damn

well okay then. you didn’t have to stand up and walk over to him and loom all threateningly like that but okay sir

this guy has kind of a Kimimaro vibe to him. remember? that bone-growing guy from Naruto? except I’m pretty sure he had eyebrows. and wasn’t twenty feet tall. speaking of which, that explains the chairs

why are you wearing only 3/5ths of a shirt

lol what

someone’s gonna have to explain this to me. is he just redundant or something lol, or is he strangely poetical or what

(ETA: apparently HE’S MAKING A PUN omg. I immediately gained +10 love for him lol. also it flows a lot better in Japanese. this is one of the things Caleb is usually good at, so we’ll see what he does with the wordplay.)

omg the hermit theory is true!!

“I’M NOT WEIRD, IT’S SOCIETY WHICH IS WEIRD.” lol whatever you say buddy. also love how Banjou tried to give him a big hearty slap on the back but Hermit Boy was not having it lmao

IS HE TRYING TO CAPTURE HIM WITH BLACKWHIP

AND ACTUALLY, NO, SIR, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE ARE NOT AWARE. SO SPILL!!

?!!?

okay my first response was LOL ARE YOU SERIOUS, THAT’S THE BIG SECRET!? -- and then it hit me what the significance of “died from old age... AT AGE FORTY” meant. at which point it was like “!!!!!” and then “OH, SHIT”

(ETA: there’s also an Iida joke here somewhere but I’m just too tired to make it.)

oh my god oh my god

did he somehow get a copy of the coroner’s report or something? like how does he even know that he died from “old age” as opposed to any number of other natural causes? ??

but anyway. so this is the quirk singularity coming into play then I guess. but then how come All Might is still alive and ticking?

(ETA: so this is one example of where this week’s translation is a mess lol. apparently the Fourth explains here that he didn’t know what the fuck he died from until All Might researched it. and it turns out there actually was an autopsy lol so there you go.)

so Fourth says he held OFA for eighteen years, and since he knew he would never be strong enough to defeat AFO on his own he basically just spent all his time punching rocks in the woods and training to power the quirk up

oh shit

is he implying that his body literally fell apart?? like that’s how he got the scars on his face? -- IS THAT WHAT KEEPS HAPPENING TO TOMURA, THEN. oh shit

DUDE

so you’re telling me that this quirk actively shortens the lifespan of anyone who uses it?? and my little boy here has had it now for a year already?? fuck me, I have immediately have a TON of thoughts about all this but let me save it until he’s done with his explanation

THANK YOU, DEKU

right?? how come All Might didn’t die then. even after he got injured. please don’t tell me he actually is dying still and is just being slow about it because I SWEAR TO GOD

what does this mean??

so what you’re trying to say is you all have NO FUCKING IDEA how long Deku’s gonna be able to hold this quirk before he SUDDENLY DROPS DEAD?! five generations ago this dude was able to hold it for eighteen years, and then four generations later All Might was able to hold it for thirty-odd years or so, and now Deku has it and you all have no clue which way it’s gonna go? actually this makes it sound like it really wasn’t OFA that killed the Fourth at all and you guys are just really bad at forming hypotheses. but since you’re making a big plot point out of it I guess it must be true

and don’t think I didn’t notice the part where you said you didn’t have OFA very long and then “died while fighting”, Firsto. I want to hear more about that. specifically who you passed the quirk onto before your death

and yes, if we are agreeing that OFA was the cause of the Fourth’s death, then the conclusion on this next page is the natural one to draw

so that’s a bit of a relief then, because Deku is quirkless too. so it means he won’t be able to hold OFA forever (and will probably have to find another quirkless person to pass it on to), but at least he won’t be randomly dying out of the blue next Tuesday or something

oh my god now he’s talking about OFA and AFO and user consciousnesses and all sorts of good theory stuff but it’s so much exposition. you’re really gonna make me read all this lol

wait what. why would All Might being quirkless have anything to do with the presence of his vestige in OFA Outer Space Party Land

but Deku is also quirkless and he’s clearly visible and chatting with you guys. so what gives. like how much of this is verified fact and how much of it is you guys just shrugging and making stuff up lol

SERIOUSLY, GUYS

BUT DEKU IS ALSO -- you know what, never mind sob. none of this shit makes any sense but whatever

(ETA: seriously, this all seems like an awful lot of speculation on their part. for Deku’s sake I sure hope they’re right.)

FSSKDJFLSKLKJLKJL ALL MIGHT IS FIFTY-FIVE?!

lol that’s a full ten years past my closest estimate, wow. but this pretty much confirms his age now at last! or at least confirms it within a couple of years, because we know All Might and Nana met when he was in middle school, and he presumably had the quirk by the time he took the U.A. entrance exam. so yeah. gonna go with fifty-five

so they think that because All Might was quirkless, OFA was better able to adapt to his body and became his true quirk, as opposed to being an extra quirk that stacked on top of the one he already had and overwhelmed him. ties in back to the whole “AFO used to bend people to his will by forcing quirks on them” thing, as well as the “Noumus are all mindless because of the strain of having multiple quirks”

Two and Three are really ruining the serious vibe of this scene here lol

they look like they’re doing the counting for hide and seek

and is this Deku talking now? I was about to get mad at First for implying that quirkless people are somehow freaks, as opposed to “normal” people jdslk

so in other words, don’t go giving it to your best friend all casually for shits and giggles, Deku. even if it would make a really cool climax for a movie. well shit. maybe that’s why they were so quick to nope back into Deku’s body afterward

so First says that because quirkless people are becoming rarer and rarer, the fact that All Might just happened to stumble upon Deku is “nothing short of a miracle.” which, yeah, that was definitely a stroke of luck there. being quirkless saved his life. but being quirkless is also part of why he was chosen in the first place, and we’ve always known that much

“in other words, kiddo...”

looks like there was some hurried clone stamp usage going on here lol. but props to RHA as always for putting this scan out so fast, especially given how exposition-heavy this week’s chapter has been

“anyways, that was the main topic” ARE YOU SERIOUS. there are like ten other topics imma need you all to get to here, people

(ETA: seems like this is a mistranslation; the line should actually read something more along the lines of “and now for the main topic.”)

FFFFFFFFF

“ENJOY YOUR CLIFFHANGER THIS WEEK.” dskfalkjlkjwlgkjl you really went and dumped this discourse on us yet again. fucking...

(ETA: forgot to mention, but as several people mentioned, this seems to be another mistranslation -- rather than asking Deku to kill Tomura as though it’s doing her a personal favor, Nana is asking “will you be able to do it.” in other words more of an “are you capable of doing it” type of thing. which is a very reasonable question to ask given that Deku is, well, Deku.)

anyways, and the answer is obviously going to be “no” of course. this isn’t going to end any differently than when the previous Avatars all told Aang to kill Ozai. but I guess it means we’re in for a fun conversation next week

so Nana looks pretty grim here though (nothing at all like the person who once taught All Might the importance of saving people with a smile), and I’m wondering if this means she believes that her grandson is already beyond saving. as in killing him would be a mercy, as opposed to him continuing to live with AFO bending his mind and body to his will. except if that is the case, I think she’s underestimating Tomura’s own will. and definitely underestimating Deku’s will to save

and also, just... I’m so fucking sick of AFO screwing the Shimura family over, honestly. this is exactly what he wanted. well fuck you, guy. you don’t get to have what you want. go out there and save Tomura, Deku. for his sake and for Nana’s. give them some hope. do your thing, boy. can’t wait for your big speech all about it next chapter lol

[autumnalvariety]

.: Emails From Your Fictional Fave :.

    We love interacting with our favorite fictional characters. Whether that’s imagining scenarios with them or creating something to make us feel closer to them! Well, I’ve decided to join the business of writing F/O letters!

    For those who haven’t heard of this before, the concept’s pretty simple:

I’ll ask for some information about you/your self insert, the character you want, your relationship to them, what the tone of the letter is…and you will later receive an email from your fave!

    As someone who’s looked around quite a bit, I can safely say I offer one of the biggest option pools in this genre of commissions… So if you want a letter of affection, a reminder that you’re awesome, or even a bit of guidance from a character you admire… Let me help you out!

   Rules:

Currently only writing for series that I know and am confident in. Some exceptions can be made; talk to me if your fandom isn’t on my list.

Not writing NSFW at the moment, but it’s definitely something I’m considering. I will not be writing NSFW for canon minors. (If they’re not 18+, I won’t do it. End of.)

Please, be as specific as possible; don’t worry about rambling! The more details you give me, the more accurate your letter will be.

I will also admit upfront: my prices are high compared to others. I’m confident it will be worth it to you, and know that it all goes towards my livelihood. (Paying for food, housing items for a future apartment, etc.)

Writing is my job right now. I cannot stress this enough.

Please be patient with me. Though I will only be sticking to series I know, I am also under a lot of stress right now. You may check up on progress, but badgering me for replies or demanding your letter faster will likely make me not want to work with you after our transaction is done.

   Now, for the little details!

»»———————— ♡ ————————««

Letter Pricing

$20 - per letter

$15 - per reply (referencing a previously sent letter to you)

$55+ - per penpal (have a back and forth letter conversation with your fave! the price is per month & may have a price hike in the future; get it while it’s cheap!)

   .: Current queue of letters: 0 :.

   Information to send me:

Name: (SI or your own!) Pronouns: Relationship: (romantic, platonic, familial) Information: (what your ship is like, any details I should know, etc etc) Tone/Topic: (confession, romantic, comfort, etc) Email to send to: (your email address)

   If this is your first time getting an email from me, I’ll also send you the email address I use for this service, so you can keep an eye out for your letter!

»»———————— ♡ ————————««

   For those who like real letters more, I do want to eventually move on to those! They would be like your more popular creators; physical, handwritten (or printed/typed) letter with little treats inside. Maybe even mystery boxes, if this ends up doing really well!

   However, my biggest priority is having an apartment for myself. So if you can support me now, I will most certainly promise returning customers a discount if or when I make the move to physical items. (But that requires this to go well in the first place… So here’s to hoping!)

   The fandom/series I cover for this early-round are below.

Ace Attorney

Animal Crossing

Batman

Beastars

Ben 10

BnHA

Borderlands

Castlevania

Critical Role’s Mighty Nien (I don’t yet feel ready to do C1 or any current campaign)

Dangan Ronpa

Death Note

Devil May Cry

Final Fantasy (7 + 14 + 15 only, for the time being)

Full Metal Alchemist

Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons

Hetalia

Homestuck (Hiveswap content pending)

Inuyasha

Kingdom Hearts

Legend of Zelda

Lore Olympus

MCU

Mass Effect

Mystery Skulls Animated

Naruto

Okami

Pokemon

Portal

Sally Face

SGT. Frog

She-Ra

Star Wars

Stardew Valley

Steven Universe

Undertale

Watch_Dogs (2 is my best known game, but I can give the OG a shot)

Yu Yu Hakusho

[coza-main]

A Step in the Right Direction

Fandom: Naruto/Boruto

Warnings: None :)

Word Count: 1060

Gaara’s eyes shifted up from the paperwork on his desk to the small figure standing in his doorway. “Ah, Shinki.” He smiled politely at the boy and began shuffling the papers to the side of his desk. “I’m glad you came.”

“You asked to see me?” Shinki was as polite and distant as usual, his eyes averted to avoid direct eye contact. Shinki’s hands fidgeted with nervous energy, but that was to be expected. It had only been six months since Gaara had found him just outside the village.

While the boy was incredibly powerful, it was moments like these that Gaara was reminded that Shinki was still just a child who had suffered immense loss and trauma.

It was clear to Gaara that the child didn’t have anyone he could trust, least of all adults. Shinki had only just stopped constantly masking his presence as he walked around their home, even when it was only Gaara and Kankuro in the house with him. Gaara tried his hardest to make the boy comfortable; he never repressed his chakra, and always announced when he was coming and going. Progress had been slow, but it was apparent. Shinki rarely flinched at loud sounds now, and had become significantly more comfortable training with the Kazekage without fear of retribution regardless of his performance during it.

“Please, follow me. I’d like to teach you a new game.” Gaara rose from his seat and walked to the door to meet the boy. “If you’re interested in learning.”

Shinki didn’t confirm or deny his interest, he merely followed Gaara out of his office and down the hallway. Gaara didn’t mind walking in silence, so he tried his hardest to not be shocked when Shinki spoke up.

“How was work today?” Shinki asked shyly, his eyes still downcast. Kankuro asked him that question every day at dinner, so Shinki thought it would be a good conversation starter. A step in the right direction.

Gaara smiled to himself and slowed down his pace so Shinki was beside him when he spoke. “It was good. I managed to finish up a few of those shinobi reports that I’ve been waiting on. I did have a council meeting though,” he chuckled softly to himself. “They always do know how to make my day...interesting.”

Shinki glanced up at Gaara curiously, waiting for him to elaborate. But Gaara shook his head and cast the thoughts of the meeting aside. “And how was your day, Shinki?”

Shinki bit his lip, trying to decide how to respond. “Fine,” he said simply. He waited a beat, and then decided to give more information. A step in the right direction. “I watched the students at the ninja academy spar for a while.”

“Did you enjoy watching them? You are more than welcome to attend the ninja academy, if you desire.” Gaara spoke as he slid open the door to a room Shinki didn’t recognize. Inside the room was nothing except for a board game.

“They were weak,” Shinki stated, ignoring the question.

Shinki’s bluntness made Gaara laugh, causing the Kazekage to lose his composure for a moment. The similarities between himself and the boy were so stark it was starting to become ironic. Gaara walked to the board in the center of the room and sat down on one side, gesturing for Shinki to sit across from him.

“If you do desire to attend the ninja academy,” Gaara reiterated, “please let me know. It would be no trouble to anyone. And I believe you would make a fine shinobi, if that is the path you choose.”

Shinki nodded in acknowledgment, but did not speak any further on the matter. He wasn’t even sure what he wanted these days. He didn't have time to plan for the future. He simply took each day as it came, never getting too comfortable in any routine. Things always changed when he least expected them to, and he refused to be caught off guard again.

“This is a game called shogi.” Gaara’s voice brought Shinki back to the present and out of his thoughts. “It is a game of strategy. I think you will take a liking to it once you learn the rules and practice a bit.”

Gaara explained the goal of the game and how each piece moved across the board. He gave pointers and explained basic move maneuvers to the boy, who was listening intently. Gaara could already see the wheels turning inside of Shinki’s head, developing and redeveloping strategies as he began to grasp the concept of the game more and more.

“I’m ready.” Shinki’s voice cut through the silence that had been in the air for the last several minutes while he studied the board and possible moves to be made.

“Go ahead and make your first move, then.”

They played in silence, both only speaking through movement on the board. Gaara played casually, allowing Shinki as much time as needed for each turn. Gaara allowed pieces to be sacrificed and game-winning moves to pass by to extend the game.

“I don't need special treatment,” Shinki snapped after Gaara had made his turn. “You could have ended the game in 3 more turns if you had moved the knight. Why didn’t you?”

“Ah, you noticed that.” Gaara’s voice was soft as moved his hand over to the knight and tapped it gently. He could feel Shinki’s eyes glaring at him. “Winning isn’t always the most important outcome. I have found that learning is the thing that truly helps a person grow.”

Shinki scowled at the board in confusion, but continued to advance toward the King. A step in the right direction. “But if you can win and teach, why not do both?”

Gaara thought for a moment, using his turn as a reason to delay his answer. “If I were to win over and over again, the game would not be fun for either of us.” He captured one of Shinki’s rooks. “I’m sacrificing a quick win now so that we will have a more challenging match in the future. Call it a good investment; one where both parties are able to gain something in both the short and long term.”

Shinki’s eyes snapped up from the board to meet the Kazekage’s directly for the first time that day. “What are you gaining in the short term, if not a quick victory?”

“Well, I get to spend time with you.”

[nejibaby]

Memories

Pairing: Neji x Fem!Uchiha Reader

Summary: There are a lot of terrible things that have happened to you as an Uchiha that you wanted to forget. But with Neji’s help, you’re able to move on and move along. Things have started getting better for you, however, once the Fourth Shinobi War was declared, time seemed to start running out.

Word Count: 2.1k

Memories - Part 1 | Deja Vu - Part 2

A/N: I didn’t exactly follow the plot and somehow it turned so angsty 🙈 Please let me know your thoughts~

There are memories you hold so dear that you refuse to have them tainted no matter what. Most of those memories are of the times you spent playing or training with your brother Shishui, his best friend Itachi, and Itachi’s brother Sasuke. Those times were the golden days for you; the best of the best, if you may.

Conversely, there are also memories that you just wish would disappear. They’re the memories of incidents you wish didn’t happen at all. They’re the type of memories that you push at the back of your mind, because you believe that if you think about it or even spare a single second for it, then it’ll be more real. Because you’re in denial. You’re in denial not only about the death of Shisui, but also of the Uchiha clan.

But then there’s a single memory you have that always stands out. It’s a memory that you both want to forget and remember.

The tragedy of the Uchiha clan had changed the only survivors — you and Sasuke. You had already started changing a little because you had to deal with your brother’s death, but seeing the horrible scene in the clan’s district had been the icing on top.

Your drastic change had been evident on the day you came back to the Academy after you were discharged at the hospital. What once was a girl full of life had become an empty shell.

The moment you sat down entered the room, people had started talking. Mostly it’s just about asking someone else if you were an Uchiha or if they know about the clan’s misfortune. They were meaningless chatters so you easily drowned them out.

But there was a comment that had reached your ears. “Why is it such a big deal? People die anyway, it just so happened her clan died on the same day.”

The comment kept ringing inside your head but then someone beside you spoke up, “Don’t you have anything else better to do than talk about someone else’s life?”

He was met with silence so he continued saying, “People die everyday, it’s a fact. Some die because of illnesses, some because of old age, some because of poverty, accidents, or murder. As shinobi, we can die in the line of duty. But that doesn’t make death any less painful to the one left behind.

“If your family is alive, then good, but maybe use that brain of yours because logic says not everyone gets to be as lucky as you.”

Naturally, you want to forget about the unsolicited comment of your classmate, but you want to remember that among the students inside the room, one boy had stood up for you. Quite frankly, you needed his saving that day. Otherwise, you would’ve beaten yourself up for mourning too long.

And when you realized who that boy was, his words weighed even more. Because Hyuga Neji was a boy notoriously known for thinking that everyone’s fate is predetermined from birth and that luck plays absolutely no part in it.

“Not everyone gets to be as lucky as you.”

And for a hot minute he had abandoned his belief as he stood up for you.

It sounds hypocritical if you think about it.

But maybe just as he had saved you, you had opened his eyes just a little bit and helped him see that his beliefs were skewed too. In a way, you had helped each other, at least you hoped.

It’s because of that day, that memory, that you find yourself gravitating towards Neji.

It isn’t attraction at all at first, more like genuine curiosity about him and his life. But you didn’t get to know him further until the Chunin exams where he had disclosed the way of their clan. It’s at that time where you understood why he acts the way he acts.

You can’t help but wonder about how two clans with almost similar circumstances— both with kekkei genkai, both living in Konoha, both considered to be one of the strongest clans in the shinobi world— could have completely different ways of living. One clan is almost completely annihilated, while the other has slaves of their own blood. And if you’re being completely honest, you aren’t exactly sure which is better.

You have gotten the urge to talk to him after hearing his story, although you really didn’t know what to say. But then the chance never came up because of the chaos orchestrated by Orochimaru.

After the Chunin exams and the attack of Orochimaru, you hadn’t heard of Neji for a while since you’ve been tasked to help with the repairs of the village. And when you did hear about him, it was terrible, terrible news.

Sasuke left the village to seek power from the very person who just wrecked havoc in Konoha. His leaving alone left you in despair. What Itachi was to Shisui is exactly what Sasuke means to you, and him doing such a thing without even letting you know makes you feel like a failure both as a friend and as a family.

The news didn’t end there, however. Apparently the squad that Shikamaru had led to retrieve Sasuke had been severely injured and were on the brink of death — one of them being Neji.

You remember feeling guilt and regret burning your skin. You remember the shame of not being able to save Sasuke from the darkness and not being able to help the retrieval squad in any way. You blame yourself for the horrible things that happened.

Since then, you have made it a point to visit the squad in the hospital every day, making sure you apologize and thank them for their service. But admittedly, it’s Neji that you always stay with longer.

It’s not that you aren’t comfortable with the others, they’re really nice and easy to get along with. But they always have other visitors with them, mostly their team members and relatives. Neji, on the other hand, didn’t get as many visits since his other teammate, Rock Lee, was also injured because of his fight with Gaara. So Tenten and Guy sensei would switch visits between the two every other day.

Besides that, his clan members rarely ever visited. And you didn’t want him to be alone in such trying moments, especially when you didn’t get to do anything to prevent this from happening.

As closed off as Neji is, because of your constant visits, you have found a way to worm yourself into the walls he put up. And by the time he’s discharged from the hospital, you somehow became close friends.

From that moment on, you find yourself coming to Neji on times that you’re in despair and in doubt. You trust him enough to tell him your stories, worries, and fears because he doesn’t judge you. And he does the same with you.

Neji listens when you want him to listen, and talks when you need him to talk. He’s quite level headed and very much rational, and because of that he gives the best advice.

With him, you find yourself healing and growing. With you, he finds himself learning to forgive.

Neji easily makes you see things in a different way; a different light; a different perspective, and helps you become a better shinobi and a better person in general.

For you, Neji has such a comforting aura. While he’s sometimes cold and stoic around others, with you, he softens up. With you, he’s gentle; careful even. And it’s because of this that you find yourself admiring him more and more.

But before anything could happen — before you could even confess — the Fourth Shinobi War was declared.

Just like that, time seemed to start running out. And you have lost all hopes of being together with Neji as a lover rather than a friend.

The war is awful. Quite frankly, it overwhelmed you too much, too easily. The bodies lying on the floor with dried out blood reminded you of the massacre of the Uchiha clan. But the only person who’s able to calm you down and help you move along is Neji.

The both of you fight side by side, always nearby Hinata in case she would need help. When the night comes and the enemies cease their attack, it’s your turn to talk Neji into relaxing a bit because he’s started straining his eyes from too much use. And because it’s you who asked and it’s you who’s there with him, he knows he and the rest of the Allied Forces are safe, so he rests.

But somehow chaos ensues and in the middle of it, you both get separated. You’re worried deeply, but you trust his skills and his strength, and you know you’ll be reuniting with him again.

And reunited with him you did. But when you have found him once again, he’s blocking out the Ten Tails’ attack with... his body.

With desperation, you transported to his side as quickly as you can. Summoning your last bits of chakra, you use Susanoo to protect him, Hinata, and Naruto. The last thing you remember is the look of relief on Neji’s face, but before it could morph into worry, you have already blacked out.

By the time you have woken up, you’re in Konoha’s hospital. The first thing you see is Neji resting his head on the side of your bed, peacefully sleeping, looking as angelic as ever.

Your body aches with every breath you take, even more so with little movement. But you didn’t let that deter you from weaving your fingers along the Hyuga’s hair. He stirs almost immediately and then he opens his pretty eyes. He sits up upon seeing you.

“I’m sorry, did I wake you up?” You softly ask.

He doesn’t respond to your question. “You’re awake,” he sighs in relief. “You’re finally awake. Let me go call Lady Tsunade and Sakura.” He stands up.

But before he can even take a step, you grab his wrist. “Stay,” you mumble.

Neji looks at you, reading your face. But then he nods and sits.

“Is it over?” You ask.

“Yes, the war’s over.”

“What happened after?”

“It’s a long story… but tell me, how are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling fine. My body aches, but it’s not a big deal.”

“What do you mean it’s not a big deal?!” Neji looks upset that it takes you by surprise. “Do you remember what happened? Didn’t you know you almost died?! You almost used up all your chakra to use Susanoo! That’s so stupid and reckless!”

His aggressive tone effectively gets you angry. “I did it for you!” You snap. “Of course I remember what happened! Even if I want to forget, the memory is branded in my mind! You fucking wanted to use your body to shield Naruto from that attack, didn’t you? How is that not stupid and reckless? Huh?”

Neji’s chakra flares up as he clenches his jaw. Yet, he doesn’t speak.

You breathe out, trying to calm down. You rarely ever fought with Neji and he’s never really raised his voice to you. With your body still tired and aching from the war, you didn’t want this conversation to escalate further so you try to diffuse the situation before it blows even more out of proportion.

In a low voice, you speak, “I was so scared, Neji. I didn’t want to lose you. I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever loved.”

A tear falls down from your eye and Neji’s heart breaks at your forlorn state. “I don’t want to lose you too. I can’t…” you squeak. “I love you so much, I can’t lose you.”

Neji’s breath hitches at your declaration. He could hear his heart drumming against his chest.

You love him?

He doesn’t know if he heard you right or if his mind is just playing tricks on him. It happened before. He’s loved you for so long… and there have been plenty of days he dreamt of hearing you say you love him too. And right now he isn’t sure if this is the reality or just another one of his dreams.

As if you’ve read his mind — like you always seem to be able to do — you repeat your words. “I love you, Neji.”

It’s the confirmation that he needs. And hearing your words knocked the wind out of him. “I… I…” he starts saying.

But you’ve taken his stuttering and his pale, panic-stricken face as a sign of an incoming rejection, so you look down instantly and say, “It’s fine if you don’t like me the same way. I just hope we can still be friends after—”

“No, I… I love you too,” he breathlessly confesses before you even finish your rambling.

Your head whips up after the words left his lips. You stare at him, unbelieving.

And just as you did a while ago, he repeats his words with conviction, “I love you too.”

A smile makes its way to your face, and when he smiles back, you immediately know this is a memory you won’t ever forget.

[wing-ed-thing]

Click (Part IV: Rock Lee)

Synopsis: You invited everyone out to dinner. You also audibly clicked. People had opinions about this.

Word Count: 2,228

Warnings/Tags: Attempt at Humor, Fem!Reader

Part I: Shikamaru, Part II: Shino, Part III: Neji, Part IV: Rock Lee , Part V: Naruto, Part VI: Kiba, FINALE, The Message in Click

Notes: Come get y’all juice! For all of y’all who only like this series for Shikamaru, I can safely say that he will make an appearance in all six (6) parts. I don’t know why I always write Ino and Kiba as jerks when I need them, but I’ll be writing some much deserved love for them soon!

Rock Lee felt completely and utterly mortified. Absolutely destroyed beyond any reasonable measure. In fact, he might as well have curled up right there in the dirt right where he stood. He stared, wide eyed, tears near brimming in his waterline.

“You a-are, you are serious, Shikamaru?”

Shikamaru’s hand draped across his face, pulling at the skin below his eye. He glanced around in search for a way out of the conversation he got roped into, but to no avail. He would definitely need a smoke after this. Shikamaru huffed, shifting his weight to his back leg.

“Well, yeah, but it’s really not a big deal though Le-”

“I missed our dear friend’s birthday! Oh, Shikamaru, how will she ever forgive me?” Lee lunged forward, grasping at the shadow-user’s hands in desperation. Shikamaru nearly toppled over. He held out his wrists in front of his body, an effort to keep Lee at bay.

Shikamaru couldn’t help the helpless expression that crinkled his brow. Afterall, this was his own fault. He should have known that bringing up your birthday to Lee could only end in disaster. He didn’t even mean to mention it, it just slipped out before Shikamaru could completely foresee the consequences.

“I’m sure she’s already forgiven you.” Shikamaru reassured the practically melting ninja in front of him. Lee shook his head wildly from side to side.

“No! I must rectify this!” Lee exclaimed, eyes flaming.

Before Shikamaru could say anything, Lee bolted off. Shikamaru sighed, hand retreating into his pockets. Unfortunately, he was someone else’s problem now.

***

“How could you not tell me?” Lee cried, a stream of tears flowing down his cheeks. A contrite look of complete and utter sorrow overtook his face. Neji and Tenten looked at their teammate blankly, unsure as to what exactly it was that they were supposed to do.

“Tell you…?” Tenten waved her hand in a circular motion in front of her. Lee nearly burst into tears as he cried your name loudly.

“Why did you not tell me that her birthday was yesterday?!” Tenten stiffened, diverting her eyes down to the side. She clenched her teeth, eyes widening. Neji paid no attention, but per usual frowned anyway.

“Did you really call a team meeting to talk about this?” He questioned flatly. Tenten crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling very small.

“I-” She drew out the syllable. “-didn’t know about all that. About the birthday thing...”

“I did not either!” Lee exclaimed, lunging at Tenten for a supportive hug. She quickly dodged out of the way.

“I did.” Neji put promptly, crossing his arms as well. Tenten turned to him in surprise.

“You did?” She asked, still fending off an energetic Lee. Neji’s scowl deepened.

“Yes, why else did you think she was asking everyone to come to dinner with her?” Tenten’s lips formed a line. Her thumb repeatedly brushed over a patch of skin on her upper arm.

“D-doesn’t she do that all the time though?” She chuckled nervously, the rubbing becoming more frequent. Neji scoffed.

“Please, Tenten. Did you see the dress she was wearing? There’s n-” Neji stopped. He cleared his throat, moving his hands to his hips as he looked up. He hoped that the slight tint of red would quickly drain from his cheeks. “I mean, she was obviously dressed for a special occasion.”

“A very special occasion indeed!” Lee declared, oblivious. “I guess it is better late than never to get a birthday present!” He looked at his two teammates with expectation.

“I’m not too sure that’s necessary since a day has already passed. It might be a slap in the face ‘cause you’re practically telling her that you forgot her birthday when it mattered. I think she’ll understand if you just leave it.” Tenten let out another anxious laugh. Her heel made circles in the dirt. “I didn’t get her anything. Neji didn’t either, right, Neji?” Neji quirked a brow.

“I did, actually.” Lee shouted at the statement as his hands came up to his face. Tenten stared up at the Hyūga.

“You did?”

“What did you get her?” Neji tilted his head up again, inwardly cursing his fair and pale complexion.

“None of your business.” He glowered.

“Then I will ask around to see what everyone else got her!”

And before either teammate could say anything, Lee was gone. Tenten tapped her foot, looking into the distance after Lee.

“It’s not like I knew it was her birthday.” She pouted.

“You still blew her off.” Neji muttered. Tenten pivoted quickly.

“So did you!” She pointed a finger before throwing her hands in the air. “We always blow her off ‘cause-” Neji held up a hand.

“Correction. I almost blew her off.” It didn’t seem physically possible, but his frown deepened. “It’s true that she hardly shuts up, but she’s actually… quite kind.”

***

Much to the fortune of Lee (and the misfortune of his new victims), he found Team Seven and the rest of Team Ten together. Ino and Sakura chatted animatedly together as Naruto and Choji brainstormed their plan of attack on the local eateries of Konoha. And Sai, well... Sai liked to be included.

Lee landed in front of the group causing the two women to nearly knock him out where he stood. If there was one thing that none of the Konoha 12 could ever get used to, it was Rock Lee’s random appearances from random places. It was a stealth undetectable by the sharingan and unseen on missions. Truly a phenomenon. He screamed something incoherent, per usual. Ino stumbled back.

“Lee!” Sakura scolded, eyes closed as she tried to compose herself from the scare. Steam poured from her nostrils. “What did we tell you about appearing out of nowhere?” She seethed. Ino marched up to the taijutsu user.

“Someone better have died for you to make an entrance like that. I swear, Rock Lee, I swear.” Lee sheepishly scratched the back of his head, bowing shallowly in apology.

“I apologize. I report no deaths. I simply have a question of the utmost urgency!”

Naruto peered over the shoulder of his teammate.

“What’s going on?” He questioned. Sai had already appeared by Ino.

Once again, Lee screeched your name aloud abruptly, causing the group to jump in surprise.

“I completely forgot to get her a birthday present!” Lee announced and his fellow ninja tilted their heads in varying degrees of confusion. Lee blinked, waiting for a larger reaction. His knees bent, hands held out with palms facing upward. “You know? For her birthday. Yesterday.”

The lot exchanged looks, wide eyes and circular lips abound.

“That… explains a lot.” Choji cringed, for one letting his bag of chips lower. Lee looked on in confusion at his ninja pals, not understanding the same pained looks that Tenten wore earlier. Sai leaned forward.

“Eh… the day of one’s birth is typically celebrated, correct?” He whispered, but Naruto immediately waved him off. Sakura exhaled forcefully and put a finger up to her lips.

“I assume that she invited the rest of you out?” She squinted one of her eyes, seeming almost afraid to ask. A pause.

“Yep...”

“Eh, yeah...”

“Yes, she did.”

“Uh-huh…”

Sakura crossed her arms, letting her head bow. Both of her eyes clenched shut now.

“And…” She started. “Everyone ignored her to go out with Kiba?”

A chorus of confirmation echoed around her. She cursed to herself under her breath, head snapping up towards the sky as her hands moved to her hips. Sakura shifted to one side as she sighed. Lee continued to watch on in puzzlement. Sakura covered her face, groaning.

“Do any of you have ideas for a gift?” He asked enthusiastically, but was ignored. The four ninja were simply too wrapped up in their own world and Sai, well… Sai just didn’t have a good idea.

“If I had known, I would’ve gone.” Sakura exhaled.

“Yeah, me too.” Naruto huffed. Ino and Choji remained quiet, exchanging looks between themselves. Sai looked on, expressionless.

“Well…” Ino pursed her lips. She took a deep inhale. “C’mon, are we really making a big deal out of this?” Lee’s brows furrowed together.

“Of course! It is a big deal! We forgot our comrade’s birthday and we-”

“Can I say what everyone’s thinking right now?” Lee paused. Ino looked around. “I don’t really think it’s a big deal.” She shrugged and crossed her arms.

“What do you mean?” Lee exclaimed, hands waving rapidly. Sai cleared his throat.

“Well,” Sai prompted with a smile. “It’s not like any of you liked her anyway.” Naruto widened his eyes in shock. His jaw dropped lightly.

“What?” He gritted, turning to Sai and grabbing him roughly by his collar. “Why would you say something like that?”

“No, no.” Choji cut in, stepping in between the two. “I hear what he’s saying. There’s no point in feeling guilty. Like let’s be honest here, it’s not like any of us were really her friends. Like really, Naruto, can you name a time that you actually talked?”

It went quiet. Lee had since lowered his head, his bangs covering his eyes.

“I should be going now.” And with that, he disappeared before anyone could say otherwise.

Naruto stared blankly at the spot Lee stood, lost in thought and pensive. Sakura’s green eyes flickered from the spot to Naruto’s face to his clench fist. She motioned for their three friends to continue onward. Choji opened his mouth to interject, but Ino pulled him swiftly away. Sai followed behind. Sakura put a tentative hand on his shoulder. Naruto shrugged her hand away.

“Naruto,” She spoke softly. “We’ll make it up to her, okay? Don’t beat yourself up.” Naruto shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Sakura. I gotta go.” Sakura called after him as he left, but didn’t chase after him. She knew better.

***

Rock Lee found you just as you were exiting the market. He jumped down in front of you, though you could hardly tell that it was him. Petals blocked your vision completely as he thrust the bouquet in your face. You recognized his voice.

“Happy belated birthday! Please forgive me!” You peered over the flora. Lee bowed deeply at the waist in front of you. He gripped the stems with both hands, stretching his arms out past his head. You gingerly took them from his grasp.

“Oh, thank you, Lee.” You blinked. “What are these for?” Lee struck another dramatic pose.

“Please accept these flowers as my sincerest apology!” You peered down at them, taking in their sweet scent. You brushed over the stems with your fingers, slowly piecing everything together in your mind. You looked back to Lee, whose determined eyes trained on yours. A smile broke out across your lips. A laugh fell from them.

“Lee, you’re so silly!” You giggled and for yet another time that day, Lee was once again very confused. You clicked happily. “This is too much, you really didn’t have to get me flowers.”

“It was the least I could do! Please, allow me to continue making up for forgetting your birthday!” You rocked on your heels, grin wide.

“Well since you missed dinner yesterday, how about you join me for dinner right now?” You offered, not intending to take him up on his offer for the some-odd punishment he likely had in mind. “Come on! Let’s get these flowers in water.”

Lee gladly followed you, and so, you led the way home.

Lee was sure that he had seen most everyone’s apartments, but he most definitely didn’t recognize yours. It appeared more like an elongated closet than any studio apartment he’d ever seen. As soon as you opened the door, Lee could see straight through your kitchenette into your bed area. A small table sat in between the two spaces. A door, which he assumed was the bathroom, existed to the right. He could tell that it was also small simply by the slimness of the doorframe. The memory of his earlier conversation with Team Seven and Ten flashed across his memory. Perhaps he didn’t know you as much as he thought… or liked for that matter. You didn’t notice his momentary dip in energy.

You slipped off your shoes at the mat by the entrance and Lee followed suit, closing the door as he did so. You padded across the small kitchen and plucked open one of your cabinets to reveal a small, glass vase.

“Um…” You turned to look over your shoulder as you filled the container. “You can take a seat. Table or my bed, whichever is comfier!” Lee eyed the basket full of ingredients from the market that rested on the small counter. You placed the vase on the table.

“Surely you are not planning to cook for me.” Disappointment flooded your eyes. Your shoulders dropped. You fiddled with your pants.

“Well, uh… I mean I was. Is that a problem?”

“No!” Lee answered with a certain amount of urgency. “But I should be the one to make dinner for you, not the other way around.”

“You cook, Lee?” You clicked. “You should join me!”

But Lee did not cook. He often tried but for whatever reason, he could never seem to make it work. Nonetheless, that didn’t curb his enthusiasm.

“Yes! I would very much enjoy that!”

He joined you in the kitchen. The flowers sat on the table.

Notes: It’s not entirely from Rock Lee’s point of view, but tired to sprinkle in some language that reflected how I thought he’d think. Good jokes? I thought I wrote at least one banger line 😂

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

[dianapana]

SH Day 9 – Never Have I Ever

@sasuhinamonth

Rated T, Modern AU, OOC

Oof , for this one ideas just wouldn't come to me, so once again I looked through older stories I never finished and found this one which I thought fit to a certain degree. I didn’t really wanna go the normal route of the game itself, so I just interpreted the prompt as a new experience. I hope you enjoy, ~Love, Dia

It wasn’t uncommon for people to randomly sit down at his table, especially if those people were girls. They’d stumble onto the seat and act like it was all an accident, like they didn’t see him and thought the table was empty, or that they tripped and ‘landed’ on the seat. Other times they’d ask if they could sit because there were no free tables anymore, granted this last excuse happened to be true once or twice, but usually, it was just a lie and the two would sit in awkward silence for a few moments staring at each other with a number of empty seats all around.

However, the person sitting across from him was a girl he saw around the diner quite often, urgency written all over her face. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her, but the situation didn’t faze him at all, thus he continued eating, putting 2 French fries in his mouth and slowly chewing, waiting for her to state her reason and purpose.

“I need you to pretend we’re here together” Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. “My ex just walked in and I’m not in the mood to deal with him. If I’m here with someone, in this case you, he’ll either leave me alone or he’ll at least leave sooner.” His eyes moved to a guy that was just walking to the counter still obvious to his ex-girlfriend. “Please…” her eyes were begging him to help.

Sasuke sighed and pushed his milkshake her way. “It’d be strange if we were here together and I was the only one that had ordered something” Her pale eyes lit up like Christmas trees.

“Thank you so much. I’m Hinata by the way” She gave him a genuine smile. He nodded her way.

“Sasuke. I’d shake your hand but that would look strange since we’re supposed to be here together.”

For a second, silence fell over their table but Hinata started giggling at what he just said, her laugh could have also been intertwined with nervous laughter for it was a little too loud for Sasuke’s own liking, either way, he couldn’t help but smirk her. Naruto would freak if he saw Sasuke talking to a stranger, a girl no less, and not only that, but he was actually putting in the effort to help her and maintain a conversation. He had never willingly had a conversation with a stranger before.

Sadly Hinata’ sudden laughing fit turned the attention of a white-haired guy, also known in Sasuke’s head as the girl’s ex, to them. The said guy looked their way, moment in which Sasuke noticed the myriad of feelings showing onto his expression, he seemed to go from hopeful to confused to slightly irritated and then settle for putting on a fake smile and strolling their way.

“Hinata, long time no see, how are you?” The ex-boyfriend looked at her and gave Sasuke a not-so-subtle glare. He took in their table before raising an eyebrow and immediately asking another question, essentially cutting Hinata off before she could answer his first question. “Matcha milkshake? I thought you hated those”

“Oh, I used to yea, but I think they changed the receipt here. I tasted one sip from when Sasuke ordered one last time and it was pretty good, so today I wanted to see for myself” She said smoothly and took a big sip of her, well…his milkshake. “And I’ve been pretty good. How about yourself?” She smiled way too sweetly at him.

“Uh…can’t complain” He took another second to examine them again. “Well, I was actually thinking maybe we can get together and have dinner sometime next week?”

“Dude, you don’t ask out a girl when she’s already out with another guy, that’s just fucking messed up” Sasuke said, without actually meaning to his voice got deeper and he glared at the ‘ex-boyfriend’. He didn’t care that he and Hinata weren’t there together for real, it’s a universal rule you don’t ask out a girl if she’s there with a date, that’s just a douchey move.

Hinata was grinning at him from behind her hand, her eyes glittering with amusement. Sasuke had to admit something to himself, the strange girl was pretty, but she was even more beautiful while she smiled.

“Chill dude. I didn’t think this was a date” he said raising his hands as if trying to say he meant no harm. “I mean who the fuck brings a date at this shitty diner” He whispered under his breath, but both Hinata and Sasuke heard him and their moods turned pretty dark. Sasuke’s instinct was the punch the guy’s lights out, another new feeling he hadn’t experienced, at least not because of a girl. He is usually in control of his emotions and rarely loses his cool.

“Sasuke wanted to go have a sweet picnic in the park near my house, which was so thoughtful and sweet, but sadly the weather didn’t agree with him because it started raining. That’s when I remembered how I wanted to taste the milkshake, so I proposed we came here to wait for the rain to stop.” Sasuke had to admit, her lying skills were top-notch, her story had a natural flow to it, she composed a strong and believable narrative with pretty much no holes, her delivery too added to its credibility, fot she spoke with such ease. Hinata reached for his hand that was on the table and squeezed it while spreading her web of lies. Sasuke noticed the ex-boyf rolling his eyes, and a part of him felt utter satisfaction from the jerk’s annoyance.

“Whatever. I gotta bounce anyway. See you around” He turned and started walking out the diner without waiting for a reply. Sasuke snorted when he noticed that the ex didn’t even purchase anything. He was lost in his own world of trash-talking the guy but was got distracted by the petite girl in front of him that whispered not so quietly “I fucking hope not.”

“Well, that was fun.” He smirked at her. “Let me guess, bad break-up?” Hinata sighed and ran both hands over her face.

“The worst. It was a set up and we went on a few dates which were fine I guess, but I just didn’t really want a relationship at the time, or at least not with him. Either way, the break-up itself took like 3 hours cuz he just wouldn’t accept it.” She took another sip of his milkshake and gaged. “Oh god, I forgot how awful this tasted.” She said more to herself, it didn’t take her a full second to turn beet-red.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry this is yours. I d-didn’t mean to drink from it, it just happened. Let me buy you a new one” She got onto her feet but Sasuke grabbed her wrist and forced her to sit back down.

“Don’t worry about it. You barely drank any”

Had he been in his right mind he’d tell the girl to buy him extra fries too for the trouble and then he’d tell her to scramble. But for some reason or another, he didn’t want her to leave just yet. He pulled the glass back to him and drank from it just to prove to her everything was fine.

“I don’t understand how you can drink that. It’s not even sweet” Her nose wrinkled in disgust, Sasuke didn’t throw the world ‘cute’ around easily but she looked adorable.

“I hate sweets. So, this is perfect” Her jaw dropped, she looked like he had just said he hated puppies and his mother. Hinata blinked a few times, closed her mouth and opened it to say something, closed it back again. She looked genuinely confused, like someone that hated sweets wasn’t meant to exist.

“I-I don’t understand. How can you hate sweets? T-They make the world a better place. Don’t tell me that after a shitty day you don’t go home to eat a gallon of ice cream with a dozen of cookies because I will not believe you”

Now it was his turn to gag just thinking about the amount of sugar in the ‘snack’ she described. His reaction repulsed her.

“Oh wow. I’m perplexed. I had no idea people like you existed”

The fact that she said it with straight face made him believe she honestly didn’t think that what he said could be true, which for some reason he found extremely funny.

“Huh, you learn something every day.” She said with a smile, it seemed she had gotten over her confusion and found the whole conversation quite as amusing as he did.

A waitress came over to take Sasuke’s now empty milkshake glass.

“Would you like anything else?”

“Could you please bring me a veggie burger and a blueberry lemonade? And some fries too” She ordered and it relieved him that she did, he hadn’t had a lunch companion besides Naruto in a while.

“I’d also like some fries and another matcha milkshake”

“I’ll be right back,” The older woman said and left right away. When he turned back to the girl before him, she was staring at him with a small smile on her lips so he raised an eyebrow at her.

“I was sure you’d tell me to leave, or tell the waiter you’d like the bill and left yourself.” She put both of her hands on the table and played with her bracelet. “I’ve seen you around the diner. You’re not the…most welcoming face here and I’ve also saw you get up and leave on multiple occasions when someone sat at your table”

Her cheeks were a shade or two darker and she didn’t look at him but rather looked at her fidgeting hands. She was embarrassed for admitting she noticed him way before this encounter, she was nervous that she had crossed a line. What she said was true, he knew he wasn’t the nicest person but he did genuinely enjoy her presence, also he’d been in a number of situations where he would have liked someone to pretend to be there with him so he’d escape an acquaintance or a fangirl. Plus, the very same day Naruto told him he should do an act of ‘kindness’ a day or his karma would turn bad. He didn’t believe in the nonsense his blonde friend talked about, but when she sat down she looked in so much distress even he didn’t have the heart to tell her to leave.

“You’re right, But, you looked frightened, I’m not heartless,” He said in a neutral voice and Hinata blushed even redder. His lips twitched upward. Where did her confidence and acting skills go?

“I-I-I didn’t mean you are heartless…just…umm, uh” she was at a loss of words.

“It’s fine. You didn’t offend me” Hinata looked up at him relived.

“I didn’t? Oh, that’s really good, because I didn’t mean anything rude by what I said” her shoulders relaxed and her blush faded, not completely she was still a bit flushed but not quite as red as before.

“Since you knew there was a chance, I’d leave why did you sit here?”

Her smile softened a little. “Have you ever seen a person and had the urge to talk to them? For them to be your friend? I don’t mean to sound creepy, but every time I saw you here, I always wanted to talk to you, I just never had the courage. I guess the situation gave me the opportunity to do so. And I’m quite glad because, I don’t know about you, but I’m having a pretty good time talking to you” her cheeks flared even redder with each confession, for some reason admitting her thoughts in front of him was embarrassing. “Oh, just so you know, I’ve never done this before. I just had a pretty bad day and didn’t want it to get worse by having to be in his company for long.”

Their talk continued for a while longer until finally, their food arrived. The older waitress placed their orders on the table.

“There you go. Enjoy your food”

“Thank you” Hinata nodded at the waitress with a smile.

“I have one more question.” Sasuke said as Hinata took a sip of her lemonade, but gestured with her hand for him to go on. “What happened? When he was here you were a very smooth talker, but when you thought you offended me you seemed to be drowning in your own words”

Her blush came back and Sasuke decided he quite liked how she looked with it. She played with the tips of her hair, rolling it onto her finger. “W-when I was little, I was extremely shy, I couldn’t even look at strangers, my parents entered me in acting classes in hopes that I’d get over it. It didn’t really go as planned. I’m a lot better now, obviously but I still get anxious easily. Even so the acting classes did help me, when I’m in a crisis I seem to calm down and I’m able to collect my thoughts” She looked a bit over his shoulder in deep thought. “It’s like a defence mechanism but it doesn’t always work. Case in point when I o-offended you, which I’m sorry about again”

“I see…also you didn’t offend me, I told you this before. You only stated your opinion, which was true by the way”

She smiled at him once more and they started eating, it wasn’t complete silence, they made small talk asked about normal things, hobbies, friends, school and all that. Once they were finished and Sasuke asked for the bill since it was getting pretty dark and the rain finally stopped, he noticed her playing with the bracelet again.

“Something wrong?”

“Huh?” she looked up at him confused.

“You were fidgeting your hands like you did before when you were nervous. Is something bothering you?”

Hinata opened her mouth. They had spent about 2 or 3 hours together and he was able to pick up some of her habits already. He did seem like the type of person that paid attention, he was quiet but observing. Without meaning to she associated him with one of those old people from the park that sit on a bench and watch everyone pass by, like they don’t belong to this world, they just witness it, they are watchers that see the smallest details.

He didn’t know what she was thinking about, but her smile was beautifully tragic, she seemed sad, or at least contemplative.

“I was just thinking how much I enjoyed our…lunch? Dinner? And was wondering how awkward it would be to…a-ask for your number m-maybe?”

He also liked when she stuttered a little. “I don’t see why not. I enjoyed myself as well”

If only Naruto saw him give his number to a girl, the blonde would never let this slide, which was also why he’d never tell his blonde best friend about the petite blue-haired girl that made his ordinary day a little bit extraordinary, she proved that sometimes doing things you’ve never done can have a good end result, in this case talking to a stranger and pretending to date led to a pleasant evening and hopefully a friend and maybe more.

[pi-cat000]

BNHA: Kakashi dimension hops crossover (1)

Summary: Kakashi gets dumbed into the My Hero Academia universe through random plot devise.

Characters:  Kakashi Hatake

Fandoms: My Hero Academia and Naruto

WARNINGS: Mentions of violence/injury

Inspired by Unforeseen Mayhem by Aerugonian 

Here is their tumblr (all their work is so good)

(NEXT)

...

Kakashi thinks he might have died. He remembers the flash of steel and Obito’s face or maybe it had been Madara. His memory of the events leading up to the attack are hazy after receiving one too many hits to the head. What he does remember is the slowly spinning, hypnotic red of a Sharingan, and the quick build-up then explosion of chakra.

Then there was excruciating pain in his left eye and…darkness…

…

Kakashi opens his remaining, usable eye to gaze up at tall angled structures that stretch into a grey overcast sky. He can’t feel the left side of his face, his limbs are numb and unresponsive, and there is the damp of blood soaking through his hair. The bone-deep ache of chakra exhaustion is so all-encompassing that he can barely lift his hand let alone stop the bleeding. Around him, there are several people yelling in shock and surprise. Civilians he vaguely notes as he clings to consciousness. There is no sign of Madera, Obito or any of Kakashi’s allies for that matter.

When his vision dims for a second time he thinks that this, this would be his last breath. Alone, severely injured, in a foreign location and with only civilians as help? It was a death sentence.

He is wrong in the end.

…

Kakashi wakes up in a strange hospital bed surrounded by the strangest people he has ever seen. He also wakes up covered in bandages, his more serious injures either treated or in various stages of recovery.

The air is dry with a distinct lack of chakra. It is something he would usually only see in a prison cell made to contain dangerous shinobi in which chakra draining fuinjutsu arrays were applied to the walls and floor. There are no fuinjutsu arrays here. This is not a prison cell. For one, there is a large window. Secondly, there is a constant stream of doctors, nurses and other patients moving in, out and around the building. Finally, the door to the room is not locked. It doesn’t even have a lock.

After memorising the comings and goings of the people working in the strange hospital, he takes some time to scout. Even while injured and drained of chakra, he has enough skill and experience to avoid the workers and other sickly people he shares his room with.

 The world outside his window is one of cement, concrete and brick, with tall imposing structures covered in reflective glass standing higher than any building he has seen before. The closest point of comparison he has are the buildings in the Hidden-Rain and Stone villages but even those are a loose approximation. The hospital is both similar to Konoha’s main hospital, abet a lot bigger and full of strange equipment and technology. The people, despite their lack of chakra, display odd and inconstant abilities, techniques and physical deformities. One of the doctors has a lizard tail and he catches a glimpse of a man with a wooden block for a head. He sees a woman heal a cut with a simple hand wave. Either he is in an unusually elaborate and detailed genjutsu or he is very far away from Kohoha.

Everything is so odd and strange that he is well and truly stumped, leaving him with nothing else to do but quickly return to his hospital room. At least the weird chakra-less people are non-hostiles and willing to provide much needed medical attention. Though he is, as of yet, uncertain about the purpose or motive behind said medical attention seeing as he was a complete unknown to them.

After some consideration, Kakashi decides to wait. He has no idea how he ended up in the place aside from a loose theory that involved his still healing Kamui Sharingan. Additionally, there was no use trying to get back home with stab wounds, his leg broken, his ribs cracked, his shoulder muscles torn and his chakra levels so pathetically low that he’d probably kill himself if he tried.

He takes solace in the fact that his presence, while probably missed to some extent- he likes to think so anyway- wouldn’t impact the outcome of any major conflict. With Naruto’s stubbornness and Sakura’s tenacity, home would be waiting for him, even if he took a bit of time getting there.

…

After a week of information gathering -ie pretending to be unconscious and listening to conversations- Kakashi concludes that the people operating the hospital are relatively harmless. They seem to be under the mistaken impression that Kakashi is a citizen of their village and thus automatically entitled to medical attention. This is despite his lack of identification or history with the place. Such a thing would never happen in Konoha as even civilians were carefully monitored and tracked. Without identification or relatives/friends to vouch for them, a civilian would more likely be thrown out of the village than given what was surely resource-consuming medical treatment. It is lucky for him that there are apparently so many civilians in this village that their shinobi-equivalent forces couldn’t properly keep track of them all. Another point in favour of it not being any sort of hidden-village or any place he was familiar with.

 “Oh, thank goodness!” Says the greying, middle-aged man in a white coat as he approaches Kakashi's bed, “You’re finally awake. How do you feel.”

“Ah…a bit tired,” Kakashi plasters on a confused smile, raising his undamaged hand to rub the back of his head, hunching his shoulders for good measure. The perfect image of a disoriented patient.

 “What happened? Where am I?”

There was only so much he could achieve be pretending to be unconscious and snooping around at night. It was time to get a real feel for residents of this strange place and figure out his next move. This meant integrating into the local culture.  

“No need to worry. You’re in Hosu General Hospital and you’re well on your way to recovery,” A nod and the doctor moves forward to stand beside his bed, “A little drowsiness is a normal side effect of the pain medication we have you on. Now, if I may have your name?”

“Kakashi.” If they hadn’t recognised the Sharingan when they had bandaged it up, then they most likely wouldn’t recognise his name either.

“Well, Kakashi,” The man says with no hint of acknowledgement, “My name is Wada Yasutoki and I’m here to make sure you are recovering properly. Can you tell me if you are feeling any discomfort or pain at the moment?”

“Hmmm…my arm and leg?”

“Would you be able to rate it on a scale of 1 to 10?”

Kakashi thinks for a second and shrugs, “3.” Honestly, he only notices the pain when he’s consciously paying attention.

Another nod and Doctor Wada fusses about, examining the bandages around his shoulder and then his leg, “Well, they seem to be healing as well as any broken limb, maybe even a bit faster. And the stab wound near your chest is almost completely gone.” A thoughtful hum follows the statement. “If not for your left eye I would say you had a healing or regeneration quirk…hmmm…maybe a passive healing factor linked to your quirk…?” Wada looks to him, waiting for confirmation and Kakashi shrugs. From his nightly snooping he knows that ‘quirk’ is the term for the bloodline ability things the people here had.

The Doctor doesn’t press the matter instead asking, “Is there any discomfort in the left side of your face?”

“No.” Kakashi doesn’t want the people here touching his eye any more than necessary. The fact that it is draining charka at its usual sluggish rate was a sign that it was, at least, somewhat functional and that’s good enough for him. He guesses he should be thankful for landing in a place with medicine advanced enough to save it.

“You had us concerned when you didn’t wake after we saw to all your injuries,” The Doctor continues, “Your left eye took quite a bit of damage and we were worried that there might have been some sort of brain injury. If you feel dizzy, lightheaded or confused please, do not hesitate to call a nurse.”

The man shakes his head and sighs, “Now, I understand if you want a bit of space after going through such a traumatic event but if you could provide any details concerning the predicament that ended with you so badly injured it would be a great help to the investigation.”

Kakashi gives a faked confused hum and smiles apologetically, “Sorry Doctor Wada. I'm having trouble remembering much of anything really.”

“Nothing? No details about the potential assailant at all. What they look like? Their quirk?”

“No. Where is Hosu General Hospital by the way?”

His bland expression obviously causes his doctor some concern as he is subjected to a penlight being shone in his uncovered eye.

 “It is located in Hosu City, a ward of Tokyo. Where is the last place you remember being?”

The names mean nothing to him.  Kakashi schools his features into one of complete confusion, “I don’t remember.” 

It’s not even a lie this time. 

After the admission,  Doctor Wada only grows more concerned and Kakashi is subjected to many reassurances that it is completely normal to forget a few things after a brain injury and that he shouldn’t worry himself too much. The level of comforting and reassuring is a bit much if he is being honest. Never before has he longed for the cold frowns of  Konoha’s medic-nin.

“I’ll have to schedule you in for an MRI. If you’re having trouble recalling basic facts alongside your long-term memories, then there might a serious problem.” The older man finally concludes, having run through an extensive list of questions regarding Kakashi’s history all of which he answers with vague half-truths.  Where did he grow up? Somewhere with a lot of trees. Did he have any close relatives? He thinks they might have died when he was little. What does he do for a living? Commission work. Did he have any colleagues? He doesn’t know where they are. So on and so forth.

“It’s a shame your ID and phone were missing when they found you. Stolen by the bastard who put you in this situation no doubt,” the Doctor sighs again, “We might have been able to track down your records. Oh well, we’ll do our best with what we have.”

Kakashi doesn’t speak, pretending to be deep in thought. Mentally, he pats himself on the back for an infiltration gone surprisingly well considering his lack of preparation and the flakiness of the ‘sorry I don’t remember my backstory’ excuse.

“I don’t suppose you remember anything about your quirk,” the doctor asks, “Ocular quirks can have odd effects on brain activity and ability to process information. It might give us a place to start.”

From what he had seen, ‘quirks’ tended to have a specific function but he is still trying to figure out their limits. All he knew for sure was that none of them used chakra.

“It’s called the Sharingan.” He offers to see what the doctor does with the information, “I don’t remember much else about it.”

“Hmmm, ‘copy wheel eye’…it’s a descriptive name at least. Maybe a quirk that deals with memorisation or information recall. I will see if I can find it on the Quirk Registry. Hopefully, that will be enough. ”

Kakashi nods loosely in agreement, filing away the fact that there was a Quirk Registry for later contemplation. 

(NEXT)

[animeomegas]

Could I please request how would the naruto omega boys act after having a nightmare? For example, how they would want comfort from their s/o, or how would they get that comfort if their significant other is away on a mission?🙏🏾🙏🏾

(Of course you can! I hope you enjoy it~)

Naruto –

Naruto gets quite sad after a nightmare. All his enthusiasm and joy for life gets sapped out of him until he’s just miserable. He feels awful and down and he really could do with some comfort, so if his alpha wasn’t already shaken awake by his nightmare induced flailing, he makes the decision to wake them up.

The best way to comfort Naruto is with some simple cuddling. Just hold him in your arms and tuck the blankets around him. Don’t push him to talk but listen attentively when he does (and he normally does). Just… being there for him goes a long way. No one was there for him when he had a nightmare when he was younger, and it really makes him feel better.

Of course, those abandonment issues mean that Naruto doesn’t like waking up alone after a nightmare, but he is used to it. At first, he always holds your pillow and breathe in your scent while he tries to fall back to sleep, but it never works. Naruto normally ends up wandering to the kitchen and getting something to drink or making some ramen to calm himself down, stewing somewhat in bitterness that he’s alone to deal with it. After his drink/snack, he does manage to fall asleep while holding your pillow, but he’d much rather you were there with him.

“I dreamt about, well, about when Neji died, but you were there too, and I know it’s stupid,” Naruto rearranged himself on your chest so he could look up at you. “But I was really scared that you were going to get hurt or something too… I’m glad you’re okay…”

Sasuke –

Sasuke has awful, awful nightmares. Mostly about the night his brother murdered his family or the day he killed his brother. He often wakes up disorientated, panicked and upset, his scent is normally bad enough to shock his alpha awake with him. But if for some reason they don’t wake up, Sasuke will never wake them, always trying to comfort himself, to his detriment.

The best way to comfort Sasuke is to make him feel safe. Sit behind him to cover his back while he stares at all the entrances and exits into the room, never box him in or restrain him, and on really bad nights, move him into his nest where he can more easily defend himself and feel a lot safer. When he calms down, don’t speak too much, he’s likely embarrassed enough already, just tuck him back into bed or into his nest and hold him at the back of his neck. The firm pressure puts him to sleep every time.

When Sasuke wakes up from a nightmare alone, it takes him a much longer amount of time to calm down. He throws himself out of bed and into the corner of the room (somewhere more easily defendable) and he just rides the panic for as long as it takes for him to be too exhausted to continue. Oftentimes, he falls asleep like that, jammed into the corner, neck bent at a funny angle. They are rough nights for him, and they happen far too often. He can normally keep the nightmares under wraps while on a mission, he never enters a deep sleep during missions so it isn’t hard to avoid them, but at home they always plague him. He doesn’t like it when his alpha is on a long mission, he doesn’t like it at all. He’ll try and get a mission of equal length so that he isn’t left behind.

“It’s alright,” you cooed into Sasuke’s ear, massaging the back of his neck in the hopes that would be enough to settle him into his nest properly. “You’re safe, my omega, alpha will look after you.”

Shikamaru –

Shikamaru wakes up from nightmares tensed for a fight, and when he realises that he’s in bed, the tenseness melts away into a desire for something to drink or smoke. The bedroom has an attached balcony, so Shika will normally grab some cigarettes and step out into the cool night air to sort out his thoughts.

The best way to comfort Shikamaru is to leave him to think alone on the balcony, but be ready to welcome him back into bed when he comes back in. You could stand on the balcony with him, he won’t mind, as long as you don’t speak or crowd him too much, but the important part is after that. He needs a little affection when he crawls back into bed, some chest rubs perhaps, to settle him enough to fall back to sleep. Shikamaru never talks about his nightmares, but this is something you can do to lessen the load in a different way.

When his alpha isn’t there, much the same happens, but Shikamaru often spends longer on the balcony and occasionally forgoes going back to sleep entirely, simply deciding that if he’s awake, he might as well get some work done. He tries not to even think about the fact that his alpha isn’t there, it will just make him feel worse, so he avoids it.

“You’re cold,” you complained after taking Shikamaru into your arms. He had just slid into bed after twenty minutes standing on the balcony.

“Sorry,” he said, his head flopping onto his pillow. “I’ll warm up in a minute.”

Shino –

Shino hardly moves during or after a nightmare, nor does he make a sound, so his alpha is unlikely to be woken up without Shino waking them on purpose, which he rarely does. Shino normally shuffles around awkwardly for a bit, trying to get closer to his alpha without waking them up, gently placing his head on their chest for a bit of comfort. It is at this point that you are most likely to be woken up.

The best way to comfort Shino is to pull him properly into your chest and stroke his hair while he settles himself. Pretend you don’t know anything is wrong and understand that if he does want to share anything about the nightmare, he’ll share it the next morning, not in the moment.

If his alpha isn’t there, Shino will normally grab for their pillow and hold that to use their scent to soothe himself back to sleep. If they’ve been gone long enough that the scent on the pillow is faded, Shino will huff a little and go and take something out of his nest to hold instead. He doesn’t really like taking things out of his nest but needs must. If he’s super upset from his nightmare and his alpha has been gone a long time, he might just crawl into his nest and spend the rest of the night there.

“It’s a cold night tonight, huh?” you murmured sleepily as you tucked a recently awakened Shino’s head into your neck.

Shino hummed in agreement but was seemingly focused on pushing his whole body as close to his alpha’s as possible.

“Get some sleep,” you murmured before pressing a kiss to his head and drifting off back to sleep.

Neji –

Neji is a light sleeper, so normally he is able to wake himself up before his dreams turn from unnerving to horrifying. Normally, but not always. When he does have an awful nightmare, he awakes with a soft gasp, blinking rapidly to try and remove the horrible images that are still firmly placed in his mind. When that doesn’t work, Neji normally gets up and makes himself a cup of tea, sitting in the kitchen to drink it.

The best way to comfort Neji is to come with him to the kitchen but let him brew the tea in peace. When he sits down at the table, take his unoccupied hand and hold it, drawing patterns on his palm or running your thumb over the back of his hand. That rarely fails to calm him down. If Neji isn’t calmed by that, it’s likely that he had a nightmare about losing you, so scoot a little closer and sneak an arm around his waist. He prefers a little more contact with his mate if he’s had a dream about losing them, after all. If it’s late enough in the morning, Neji will probably just decide to get up for the day and he’s a difficult person to coax back into bed unless he was hit really badly by the nightmare.

When he wakes up alone, Neji does the same thing, but he doesn’t sit at the table for as long, choosing instead to just get dressed and ready for the day, even if it’s 03:00AM. He doesn’t want to wallow in his thoughts alone, so he powers through, as he’s always done.

“Do you want to head back to bed?” you murmured against Neji’s hair, placing a kiss there to end your question.

Neji hesitated before shaking his head.

“Then let’s get dressed and we can head to the market before the morning rush, my love, come on now.”

Iruka –

Iruka wakes up from nightmares with a shout on his lips, an arm automatically reaching out for his mate to ensure you’re okay or to protect you from whatever he was dreaming about. When he realises that it was all a dream, he flops back onto the bed with a sigh, annoyed that his precious sleep has been interrupted. He relies on his good sleep schedule to keep him functional under his insane workload, so he uses sheer force of will to send himself back to sleep on most nights. But if his nightmare was particularly rough, he always tucks himself into his alpha’s arms. His pride certainly won’t keep him from what he needs to sleep, so he lifts up his alpha’s arm and tucks himself in, too grumpy and overtired to care if he’s disturbing them. He lets out a nice little purr when he’s situated himself perfectly and will happily take any and all comforting touches from his alpha if he wakes them up.

The best way to comfort him if to give him those soft, comforting touches, and avoid grumbling too much at his heavy-handed attempt at cuddling haha. A little head massage goes a long way with Iruka, and while he’s the biggest advocate for talking through most things in a relationship, he likes to leave the conversation for tomorrow, so verbal exchanges should be short and sweet.

If his alpha isn’t there, then Iruka will continue trying to will himself to sleep until it works. Failure isn’t an option.

“’Ruka, what do you want? It’s the middle of the night,” you groaned, tiredly rubbing your eyes.

Iruka growled lightly at your question, but didn’t otherwise acknowledge your statement, instead continuing to arrange himself in your arms.

You couldn’t help the smile that crept onto your face as he finally settled.

“Happy now, ‘mega?” you asked, massaging the back of his head. Iruka’s purring answered that question well enough.

Kakashi –

Kakashi’s nightmares are horrific and very frequent. But they’re also very complicated. How he reacts depends on the type of nightmare, his general stress levels, how far into the relationship he is, etc. Generally, they perturb him enough that he can never go back to sleep afterwards and he is very reluctant to ever share any of the details of his nightmares. If he wakes himself up, Kakashi is prone to shutting down emotionally to protect himself. If someone else wakes him up, he can react violently before he realises where he is, so as upsetting as it can be to watch Kakashi in a nightmare, you learn that waking him up isn’t a good idea, because Kakashi would never forgive himself if he hurt his mate in a post-nightmare stupor. Once he’s properly awake, Kakashi might try to train or go and sit by the memorial stone.

The best way to comfort Kakashi is to make the room he’s sleeping is as safe as it can be. Scent the air so that he wakes up to your scent rather than just his own panicked one, make sure all the doors are shut and curtains drawn and remove any covers that he may be tangling himself in. When he wakes up, give him space to collect himself, but talk to him so that he can recognise the sound as not hostile. Very deep into the relationship, he’ll allow you to give him some water and tuck him back into bed with some gentle words and simple affection. If the relationship isn’t that strong yet, then there’s almost zero chance he’ll stick around long enough for such things.

When Kakashi wakes up without his alpha there, he trains, trains and trains some more to burn the negative feelings from his mind. If the dream was about his alpha, Kakashi can sometimes get halfway through packing an emergency bag to go and rescue you before he realises how foolish he’s being. He’s never been very good at properly comforting himself.

“Kakashi, it’s just me here with you,” you promised him, standing away from the bed to give your disorientated mate some space. “Only us, it’s safe, ‘Kashi, it’s safe.”

Itachi –

Itachi is a master at supressing his painful emotions, and after nightmares is no different. Itachi is still and silent upon waking up from a nightmare, and unless you were already awake, there is no chance that you would notice him waking up in a melancholic mood. Itachi won’t ever wake his alpha up either, putting their own needs and comfort above his (as he always does).

If you did happen to be awake and notice his nightmare, the best way to comfort Itachi is firstly to ask him if he’s okay. He’ll always say he is, but it really means a lot to him that you care enough about him to ask. After that, there are many ways to comfort Itachi, but making him a cup of tea and brushing his hair is always a safe bet. If he’s really torn, he’ll accept some cuddling and physical affection instead of tea.

When his alpha isn’t there, he simply represses everything, gets up and dressed, and sharpens his weapons or takes a trip to the nearest town to stock up on some more dango and green tea. Itachi is used to doing things alone, but he really needs someone with him sometimes, and he is eternally grateful that, despite everything he’s done, he has someone who can care and be there for him.

“Here, my love,” you passed Itachi a cup of green tea before sliding into your bed behind him, brush in hand.

“You don’t have to do this, it’s late,” Itachi whispered, looking down into his tea.

“I love doing things like this with you,” you reassured him, already playing with his hair. “Let me worry about these things, Itachi, just enjoy your tea.”