#fightaers

[dynmghts]

TRANSMISSION FROM @fightaers : “you don’t recognize me, do you? well, i’d never forget you, kacchan.” (AU where quirkless izuku who didnt inherit OFA became like... a paramedic i think. LISTEN. im making this up as i go!!!) MISTER MAGIC STARTERS , ACCEPTING .

pro hero dynamight had made an entire career on his aggressive approach to opponents, his less-than-savoury interactions with the general public, even his unconventional teamwork techniques ... when he was in a team. he has been credited as one of the fastest to climb the ranks since hawks. he was even being hailed as the next - potential - number one. and with extensive studies under some of the other top heroes, including best jeanist and endeavour, his record was something worth looking at.

and there was one thing to remember about katsuki bakugou : he will never say no to going toe-to-toe with villains. anytime, anywhere.

this situation involved some wreckage of a building, and while the rescue heroes focus on getting people out of the debris, katsuki harnessed his strength against the villains - he is the first point of call in the area, after all. and rightfully so, in the way he moves / people don't even see him as he zips across the field, his explosions the only indication of where he is, his wild taunting the only reprieve between his attacks.

while he knocks down most, he doesn't quite beat the speed of an oncoming attack of light, small intense beams grazing past his cheek and arms and torso ; and while the damage is only a few grazes, he still secures his win. the villain gets a less-than-pleasant blast to the face and a clean knockout.

it's one of his former classmates that direct him to the paramedics on scene, even though he insists his wounds aren't that bad ... [ because they're just a few scrapes, what the hell ? ] ... and that he could walk it off. he pushes his mask up with frustration and sits nearby. his hand brushes some of his fringe out of his eyes while he waits, until he hears a voice cut through all the noise, and crimson lifts to glare at the disruptor.

nothing clicks straight away. for a few moments, he thinks this asshole has the wrong person, or he's a fan trying to make out that they have connections to try and get closer / being as popular as he's gotten, they are tactics he's been wary of, and not many get past the whole known-him-since-childhood phase. katsuki had no real friends back then. well, except -

what was that nickname ? kacchan. kacchan ...

the name invokes memories he could barely recall otherwise ; a green-haired, freckled boy that followed him everywhere. a boy with an indomitable will despite his quirklessness. a boy that was willing to follow katsuki into the belly of the beast until he couldn't anymore, and katsuki promptly forgot about him, moving on in u.a. and getting accustomed to having no shadow anymore.

kacchan, kacchan, kacchan, and he sees the river, knee-deep in flowing cold water as the other looks down on him and offers a hand.

❛ deku, ❜ he finally utters. useless, good-for-nothing / he hasn't changed much since they parted ways in aldera middle school. he has the paramedics uniform on, though, and he stares at him with disbelief ; was he the one treating him ? ❛ tch. shoulda known. you've got one of those annoying fucking faces, the ones that are hard to forget, no matter how plain they are. ❜

he scowls when he turns his gaze away, but he doesn't actively seek out another paramedic to treat his wounds. his injuries weren't bad, right ? ❛ fix me up already. i'm not here to play catch-up with you. ❜

[attroxx]

❛ @fightaers said . . . why don't you get settled on the couch, and i'll bring you whatever you need. — from sakura to naruto, perhaps ? ❜

𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘. he isn't that sick, he swears it. but before he can grab her arm to get her to sit back down she's off, probably making him a soup or something. the blonde sighs, arm falling next to him as he watches sakura disappear into his kitchen. he just wanted the day off but of course when kakashi had told her naruto wouldn't be showing up for the briefing she'd made a beeline to his apartment. it was just the sniffles . . . and maybe a fever. but nothing that wouldn't resolve in a day or so.

naruto was more than used to taking care of himself when he was sick. so, having the other looking after him made him feel a bit . . . guilty ? was that the right word ? he supposes he shouldn't. she is his friend and that's what friends do, but still. when she returns with a miso soup he chuckles, sniffling softly. he can't even smell it but it sure looks good.

❛ thank you, sakura but, i'm fine really. in a day or so i'll be good as new !! ❜ yet the moment he finishes his sentence he's sneezing into a tissue, once then twice. well, that didn't help his case.

misc prompts.— accepting.

[bladedhunter]

Continued from here with @fightaers

Sasuke's leaning up against a tree, breathing slowly as blood seeps from his open wound. Sakura tries to close it, her hands glowing with healing chakra, though she's already expended so much during their fight. He can tell she's anxious about it, which worries him, considering he himself can tell he's got some internal damage.

It's his fault for not handling the enemies on his own. He should have, and then Sakura wouldn't have had to use so much of her chakra that she wouldn't be able to properly heal his wounds.

He didn't see her as useless, after all. She was an excellent medic. He trusted she'd be able to at least close the wound, once she focused.

If she could stop panicking.

To that end, he lifts his only hand and places it on her shoulder. "You can do this," he reassures her quietly. He fumbles in his bag for a canteen of water and hands it to her. "Drink a little. Take a deep breath... and try again."

[fighterbound]

“why are you so afraid of being honest with me?” izuku @ kacchan <3333

"I ain't afraid," he instantly points out, upper lip curling into half snarl. Clenching his hand into a fist, he draws back to put space between them. Shoving his fist into his pocket, he leans back against his desk. Cool down he reminds himself, remembering the fact that the nerd ain't trying to imply shit.

Once he's down from that spark of anger, he takes a steadying breath. Studying Izuku for a quiet moment, he finds himself asking.

"You sayin' you honest with me all the time Deku?" As soon as that question leaves his mouth, he frowns as a thought strikes him. Being honest with Deku always leaves him feeling like's been chewed up and spit out. He's left trying to figure out what's up and down, left and right. Everything with Deku is more complicated, more layered, more everything. Compared to someone like Kirishima, shit is far more straightforward. Direct and steadying. That's his friend, one of his best friends. The lines are clear.

With Deku it's so blurred and mixed up. He knows so much about him, actually it's more than that. He's always been a part of his life, even during his shittier moments. The nerd stayed, keeps choosing to stay. That's a part of him he can't comprehend. How he keeps choosing to stay, keeps choosing to stand by him. For how much longer? He ignores that too honest thought.

Some days they feel alright, others it's like their clear path been blown to bits. He doesn't know what to make of it. Yet he don't wanna say any of that to him. Not when he doesn't understand much of it. Or maybe he does but he can't face his own truths yet. It pisses him off, but he's aware there's just some crap you have to come to terms on your own.

"...we're a lot," he mutters, settling for that.

@fightaers / ★; addressing the elephant in the room sentence starters.

[fighterbound]

Why is he still pushing this? He's told him several times they're friends, all of them. Is he looking for something else? Trying to get him to say something stupid to hang it over his head? His eyes narrow in response to that particular thought, but in the end Sai never been one to pull that kind trick. Still though, he's confused on why Sai isn't letting this go. Like why does he care so much? Looking more deeply into things complicates everything and he doesn't do well with complicated.

Friendship is enough for him. Honestly he's grateful for it. Going from people ignoring him and pretending he wasn't there to having a good group of friends and being acknowledged. It's great, awesome even! No way he needs more than this. He heaves out a sigh accompanied with a tired smile.

"Last time time I'm tellin' ya," he claps a hand over Sai's shoulder and squeezes, "they're my friends. I care bout them a lot, and that's that. I dunno what else you wanna hear from me, but ya ain't getting it." He drops his hand and flashes Sai an overly bright smile.

"I got nothin' else to offer ya." Shrugging, he lifts both arms to fold them behind his head. "So go bug someone else about this stuff."

❛⠀you don't ... ? ❜ sai blinks, somehow dumbfounded by the statement. naruto is the most loved person in the village, especially since he has successfully defeated pain and consecutively ended the fourth war. it is hard to believe he wouldn't know what love looks like.

still, perhaps just because naruto wouldn't know, that doesn't mean ...

❛⠀you wouldn't give up on sasuke no matter what, for one. and he... is as easily devoted to you, i believe. even sakura's faith had shaken, but only because she was given an ultimatum that the threat of revenge could worsen among the villages had she not put a stop sasuke herself. ❜ the issues among team seven have always been... complicated, sai thinks. deep, and long, and wounded. sai can come in and metaphorically provide a temporary balm sometimes, slotting in his presence despite the fact he's never been asked, but he knows it wouldn't resolve anything until they, themselves, would.

he doubts that they would though. sakura only ever speaks about sasuke in hushed, terrified tones whenever sai and her are alone. with naruto, she braves an eager expression. always as easily enthusiastic about receiving any letters by sasuke whenever the blonde mentioned it. that's... love too, isn't it ? ❛⠀and i know the majority would perceive she has a preference for sasuke, but she is as equally protective of you. revered, even. do you not feel the same then, small dick ? ❜

[movedfistsbled]

@fightaers​                                                                         cont.

he    knows    what    kurama    did    to    her    .                    part  of  him  wants  to  apologize  for  his  behalf  .          for  the  hatred  forced  into  his  mind  by  the  world  ,  and  his  past  life  .             not  that  lee  ever  spoke  to  the  nine  tailed  fox  ,  but  matatabi  knows  him  well  .            if  young  jonin  apologized  to  sakura  ,  he  might  as  well  apologize  to  everyone  who  was  wronged  by  the  bijuu  ,  not  just  kurama  .           not  everyone  was  as  passive  as  matatabi  or  isobu  .                    isobu    ,    kokuo    ,    chomei    and    gyuki    .            those  were  the  tailed  beasts  lee  had  met  .              isobu  ,     unbeknownst    to    the    leaf    ,   in  person  .                      THE    BIJUU    FRIEND           ,  he  was  dubbed  .       not  a  compliment  ,  but  lee  didn’t  mind  .      he’s  used  to  worse  names  .          but  at  least  never  by  sakura  .

pretty    ,    kind    sakura    -    san    .                they  train  from  time  to  time  .         they’re  friends  ,  aren’t  they  .        but  she  doesn’t  know  what  danzo  makes  him  do  ,  she  doesn’t  know  the  innocent  lives  he  took  .              the  villages  he  destroyed  .               SHE    HEALS         ,  he  only  burns  down  .

❛                i’ll    plan    my    riskier    adventures    when    you’re    off    duty    ,    don’t    worry    .             ❜                          his  tone  is  playful  .       but  if  he  truly  were  to  seek  out  roshi  -  san    .    .    .          lee  may  have  been  dubbed  the  land  of  fire’s  ultimate  jinchuriki  ,  but  the  other  had  been  with  son  goku  -  san  for  almost  fourty  years    .    .    .        and  if  the  leaf  got  wind  of  his  plans    .    .    . 

[tragedysworn-archive]

free drawing for @fightaers ❤️

[shenobii]

@fightaers​ sent : ♗   (  accepting !  )

[dynmghts]

there's a point where sense ends and arguments begin with them. it happens every time they sit in the same room, even when they're with others from their respective lives - sometimes the cause is driven by alcohol, sometimes spite, sometimes nothing. katsuki cannot tell you where the lines are meant to be drawn. maybe they never are, and @fightaers allows it.

there is something about deku that means he will never have the same effect that his group of friends have / he's sworn deku has tried. maybe he hasn't. but see, kirishima can enter his personal space without backlash, kaminari can sit back and casually poke fun at his personality, even sero can kick his legs into the blond's lap while ashido can hover with new gossip to share. and uraraka, she has been the closest to him since high school, in a sense ; they stayed on good terms even after their amicable break. they spar, they team up as heroes, and if anyone can still earn a genuine smile out of the otherwise scowling bakugou, it was her.

but deku has never been afforded the chance. every act he attempts feels like he is trying to undermine katsuki, and katsuki - stubborn - shuts it down.

and alongside that, some would point out that katsuki still contacts deku at the end of the day, pursuing this twisted bond just enough to maintain it / some may even say it's sadistic of him to string deku along. that maybe he should finally cut ties. [ a few of his friends have already voiced their concern, but each time, he shoots down the topic or changes it entirely. ] it's not like he doesn't know they're right, because they are, this has become more of a hindrance than a benefit - if you could ever consider their reconnection beneficial. but whatever discontent he carries for deku, overwhelmed by this innate need to prove his superiority over him, it is quietly backed by one thing :

deku isn't the only one that keeps coming back to it.

maybe that's why katsuki had brought the argument to his genkan, determined to get under deku's skin and dig into festering wounds. maybe that's why he snarls out something - he cannot recall what it is now - with the intention of making it hurt, and maybe that's why he endures the shock of crashing lips onto his.

there is no other way to say it : katsuki hates deku. he needs to hate him for some sickening reason that he keeps drinking from, because he cannot resist the way it makes him feel. he hates and hates and hates, and he feasts vehemently on the other's reactions like a starved animal, but - well. he did not expect that deku would do any more than walk out that door and come crawling back the next day, like he's done every other time. he did not expect to watch this paramedic, who has more strength than his 14-year-old counterpart ever did, turn on his heel and seize him by the collar and pull him in.

were deku to remain quiet and leave without another word, maybe katsuki would have done nothing. maybe he would stay in shock. maybe he would even wander back into his apartment, bewildered, to the point that he can't react with anger until the next day.

but why would it ever be that simple with them ?

the moment deku opens his mouth - so kacchan can be quiet - katsuki feels the choking anger rise from the pits of his stomach. his hands spark and pop. before deku gets a chance, katsuki swings a right hook directly at his face, every muscle and sinew arguing against his tension as he does. and, perhaps knowing that deku may not gather himself if he's fast enough, katsuki lunges forward to seize the fabric of his shirt ... [ with his hand still setting off explosions, small, but enough to leave a smouldering impression behind. ] ... to shove him into the nearest wall of his genkan.

his glare, blazing with unbridled fury, is unwavering. his snarl remains tense and canines purposefully bared, though his lips are swollen from the unwelcome kiss. he applies more pressure against deku as he leans in. ❛ you don't get to fucking speak to me that way, deku. ❜

the memory lingers. the taste lingers. he feels sick, as though this time he was drinking the same thing as before, but now he was choking on its taste ... all because deku made him taste it. he wants to spit it back out. [ the last person he kissed was some girl he was set up with. he didn't love her either. but it didn't instil the same sort of reaction / the disgust, the hatred for its taste, its feeling, the way his lips sting from the moment ... ]

❛ i should break your fucking nose, ❜ comes the threat. he nearly did. he wishes he did - but he knows his reputation hangs in the balance, and something like that would be too obvious. ❛ be fucking glad i didn't, and don't you ever fucking kiss me again. ❜ / continued from here.

[attroxx]

@fightaers liked for a starter !!

❛ iruka - sensei, c'mon just let me pay for once . . . ❜ the blonde scowls, attempting to snatch the bill with his bandaged hand. the other always seemed to insist but, it was naruto's turn as far as he was concerned.

[bladedhunter]

As he holds out the canteen of water, Sasuke is not worried. If necessary, he can use the last of his remaining chakra to transport them to the Konoha Hospital, where they can find a medic whose chakra resources aren't depleted, to treat both of them. But that would be a risk, and Sasuke doesn't want to do it unless it's absolutely necessary.

He believes Sakura can do this. In fact, he knows she can. Especially because, he'll admit, she's highly motivated to do so, when he's invovled.

So he watches her drink the water, which will speed up her body's ability to regenerate blood and energy (including chakra), and he takes back the canteen.

You'll be alright, Sasuke-kun, she tells him. He doesn't respond, partially because it's difficult to speak, but also--he doesn't need the reassurance. He's been through worse.

Instead, he watches as she gets back at it, and sure enough, his wounded skin knits back together before their eyes. That's when a ghost of a smile appears on his face, however brief, however faint.

"I wasn't going to say no," he says softly. He's in no state to walk on his own (though admittedly, he's not quite sure she is, either). But they can lean on each other.

"Let's get somewhere safe," he tells her. "I know a place we can hide nearby. Once I have enough chakra for it to be safe, I'll take us back to Konoha."

you can do this, says sasuke-kun, and sakura lifts her green eyes at him. the space between her brows are furrowing. the roots where her hairline begins are layered in sweat. he's calm, serious as ever. handsome, of course, and for a moment she nearly wants to laugh at the absurdity of the thought. handsome, while kami knows how she looks like.

he's always seems so... untouchable to her. unfathomable.

the boy who left her when they're twelve, and returned as some being close to god. him and naruto both, except naruto's always been... a tad warmer, she supposes. easier to laugh with, engage with, scold at even. while sasuke-kun... well, sasuke-kun's calm and composed. refine-looking. quiet, but steady. even now, as he's bleeding, he's the one who's comforting her.

useless. when will she ever grow from the kid who constantly needed to be saved ?

but she soundlessly takes his canteen of water. in truth, it isn't so much that she's panicking which is causing this unsteadiness, but more so that she's simply chakra-depleted. she can't fail though, because sasuke-kun's depending on her. and this is, after all, the one area she's supposed to be an expert at. so, with the swipe of the back of her hand against her lips after she's gulped her share of water, sakura nods her head. determined: ❛ you'll be alright, sasuke-kun. ❜

she tells him, and it's a smile she would've used on any worried shinobi during the war before she begins a necessary procedure: assuring. confident. with that, sakura tries again, focusing, and then slowly, but surely, the skin knits together.

❛⠀c'mon. lean on me. you'll need an emergency surgery when we arrive in konoha and no, i'm not taking no as an answer, sasuke-kun. ❜

[fighterbound]

“i don’t stand a chance against sasuke, do i?” / FROM SAKURA TO NARUTO u know how it issssss

His heart stutters and trips over itself. All the breath from his lungs is ripped out with that single question. Time seems frozen as that question pounds itself into his head, replaying over and over. Then like clockwork his instincts flare to protect him, working to try and stop the torrent of emotions unleashed from the rooms he shut them in. It's ironic how Sakura's question has tethered itself in his mind while unshackling his own feelings.

Outwardly he shows his teeth, not in threat or warning, but to soothe. A wide happy smile. Happy is safe, happy doesn't have room for problems. Happy doesn't threaten him the way conflict does. Only these instincts are the same ones that have been pushing him away from this very conversation. Telling him to fold away all their previous little talks and underlying jabs and lock them away.

The smile he tries to give life to keeps melting off.

And Sakura given him no room to run this time. It's like she's cornered him. Her question a kunai that met its target. No matter how he spins this, he can't pretend he didn't hear her. Can't laugh his way out of the corner she's pressed him into. Pressing his hands against his side, he fights to keep his fingers relaxed despite the gut wrenching need to curl them into fists. This is Sakura...she...she's not someone that should be receiving this sort of reaction. Defensive and angry.

Yet...as he stares back at her and tries to work out a response a heat bubbles inside him. It's not explosive or abrasive like when facing an annoyin' enemy or arguing with Sai. No this...it's worse because it's been simmering, growing and expanding. Try as he might, it's been cooking too long and refusing to be shoved off the burner. His hands can't handle the heat. He doesn't want to feel like this. Angry. Annoyed. Agitated. Frustrated. None of those emotions ever work well for people. They create problems, drive people away, and they're just not good! So why is he so mad at her question? Why can't he shake it off and pretend like all the other times? It is cause she's got him trapped without an escape? Like...like she's demanding an answer out of him. One he doesn't he want to give, and why should he? Who is she to make him answer such an unfair question? His eyes narrow.

The words that have built on his tongue are all wrong. Terrible, ugly words that could brea--, no they will break them. They will shove a deeper wedge between them. He'd rather swallow his own tongue than speak the nasty truth that is filling his throat. Breaking away from her gaze, he stares down at the ground to reorient himself. Right now he's drowning in the overwhelming reaction of his emotions and thoughts. The only way he knows to break to the surface in these rare times is through his voice. Shouting, reacting, physically getting everything out. However, never have those times had him before a friend, especially one as precious as Sakura. Actually no, Sasuke been on the receiving end but...

Sasuke is different. The bitter truth. Bitter all the way to the core because of what it confirms. Though ain't that the answer she's looking for? It's why she's asking the question, ain't it? She knows. Every talk they've had since that evening in the bar, it comes back to Sasuke. He's grown from being a tiny little thorn between them to wrapping around them like vines. Every shift and twist Sakura and himself have managed to try and escape, have only pressed them deeper against the many thorns, making them bleed over the bastard that chooses the outside world instead of them. Yet...Naruto can't fault him. Can't bring himself to ask for more.

Would he...feel the same if were Sakura? If Sakura were to be swapped with him, would his own feelings be at the intensity they are for Sasuke? The hesitation in his heart tells him the answer he doesn't want to face. The answer Sakura is probably lookin' for. If she's expectin' this answer...should he just say it? Stop letting it simmer between them. His stomach drops just at the thought. But how long are they gunna keep doing this? If he evades now, will she keep comin' at him like this? Pushing more and more until the answer it pulled out of him. Why does she wanna hear this? Is she lookin' for an out or something? Then why ask him? She should be the one to say it.

Not him. He won't bare his neck like that. Running his tongue along the back of his teeth, decides right then and there to fight back. This ain't just gunna be him. He's gunna fight his way out of this corner!

"If you're askin' like that, makes it sound like you already have an answer," he rasps finally, like he's been inhaling smoke for far too long. Maybe he has, choosing to sit in the burning home of their friendship instead of trying to put it out. Every muscle is coiled tight with tension, bracing for whatever reaction he's going to receive. He's got fear pooling into his gut like an endless waterfall and that kicks him into gear. As his fingers dig into his sides, he does what he's worst at.

Waits.

★; addressing the elephant in the room sentence starters. / @fightaers

[dakusutori]

THERE’S A SMILE ON HER FACE. eri loved spending time with all-might  — though, according to her, his name was uncle all-might. there was many a time when she would be in his care while the heroes and students went off to do . . . well, hero stuff. neither her nor all-might were capable of fighting so they sat on the sidelines ; kind of like cheerleaders who mostly went for ice cream.

‘  uncle all-might!  ’

she sprinted the moment she saw him, though slowed down so as not to slam into him too hard when going for a hug. he was one of the few people eri was actually entirely comfortable around ; one of the few she could put her guard down and be herself, for once. 

@fightaers​

[kiigan]

«Thank you, that makes me happy.»

ㅤHow surreal it feels, to once more be able to use this adjective in relation to his mood without it being (a) a blatant lie or (b) out of sarcasm and ungodly amounts of sass. A sort of sentiment, happiness, joy, contentment cranked up to eleven, that Itachi still isn't sure he's deserving of - all truth be said. Surviving the battle with Sasuke was not something he'd intended on, let alone to be forgiven for what he's done.

And yet... matters are seldom black or white, aren't they?

ㅤHe is, obviously, still the same person, but he is not that thirteen year old child anymore. In retrospect, his appraisal refined by almost a further decade of life experience, Itachi can see [...metaphorically speaking, anyway] that, the same way there could never have been a linear solution to the tension between clan and village, there also cannot be a linear lens with which to interpret his choice; his actions; his crimes. For how much of it was, indeed, a choice? And how much of it was the only way out that was left to him, after Shisui's own maybe-not-choice?

An introspection that Itachi has yet to gather the courage to undertake.

ㅤBest not to linger, at least for the time being. Iruka has enough on his plate to deal with, and the [technically still] Uchiha heir isn't here to add to it. Now that he's demonstrated he can successfully read through even the most disgraceful of handwriting, he is, indeed, ready to work. Turns out to not be too dissimilar from evaluating reports by his former ANBU subordinates, back in the day - the main difference being that those brave souls had known better than to bring to their captain any report written in a less than near-perfect condition. ...Yes, maybe Itachi isn't the sort of boss any person would have an easy time with, he can admit this much.

ㅤWhich is why, when Iruka's kind warning comes, Itachi can't help the laugh that falls from his lips. «Noted. If nothing else, it'll be interesting for me to be on the other side of the intimidation equation, for once.» Yet another notion he'd used as second skin, all those years; intimidation meant people staying clear of his way and, in turn, staying clear of a very high death probability.

ㅤAfter making attentive mental notes on every procedure the teacher goes through [a very talented one, indeed, kind and patient and understanding, and later on Itachi will make sure to ask about the stages of Sasuke's education he's missed out on], he sits back beside Iruka and smiles gratefully once more. «That's very generous of you, and you have my gratitude for it. As long as baby-sitting me won't rob you of your own time nor be a burden, your company will be quite welcome, Iruka-san.»

ㅤThere is an underlying motivation to the sensei's offer, however, he knows that there is, but it's tricky to figure out. Satoshi's birdlike field of vision can only offer as much when it comes to studying a human's subtle facial expressions, after all. It's quite all right. They'll apparently have the whole day together, which means plenty of opportunities for Itachi to learn more about this gentle man. Assuming his usual formal stance, then, that of a true clan leader with his back perfectly straight and his motions as fluid as they are elegant, Fugaku's influence written all over his mannerisms, he reaches for the respective reports and gets to work. That and he throws in a very harmless question, just for the sake of satisfying his curiosity.

ㅤ«Is this something you now do often? Forgive me for assuming, yet I was under the impression you worked as a teacher only.»

maybe iruka's in a genjutsu.

he... doesn't think he is. he'd like to think that the world he's living in is, in fact, the reality. after all, for the first time in all of shinobi history perhaps, there is a union among the villages made possible by the conclusion of the fourth war. the same war naruto had helped won. naruto, who has grown up beyond being the mischievous kid pulling up pranks every other day. iruka would really, really like this to be the reality: because it means naruto isn't alone anymore. because it means he's recognised, and he's— happy, somewhat. fulfilled, iruka hopes. and that the village will, from now on, thrives.

and yet— there is some dissonance in witnessing the former defected uchiha here around the mission desk, writing a report through a crow summon. he's even turned around now, uchiha itachi, presenting whatever he's written with the sort of politeness that strangely has iruka tethered this entire affair as not-a-genjutsu-at-all, because that's certainly the sort of formal speech he'd expected from members of konoha's noble houses, fallen or otherwise.

well, when they're not being an asshole about ranks and their powers and all that, which he, too, is all too familiar with.

iruka gathers the report, and he reads through both papers and it's—it's perfect, iruka thinks around an unexpectedly warm smile. had he been the other's teacher, perhaps iruka would even say he's proud. or maybe he's simply thought of sasuke, a long time ago, when he still had the boy as one of his students. sullen, unhappy sasuke. iruka's heart clenches a little. should've he had done more before ? could he have done more ?

he shakes the thought, and smiles at itachi instead. ❛⠀you did well, itachi-san. although good for you, you've no need to write anything so thoroughly like this. ❜ iruka then proceeds to fish out a few documents from the rejected pile. he begins to sit down, explains to itachi one-by-one on why they'd rejected one report to the next, what itachi could look out for when he begins receiving report after report. one shinobi had forgotten to write a whole entire section. another didn't elaborate well enough. the next one barely had legitimate handwriting.

❛⠀they'll try to intimidate you, because no shinobis like being told 'no' in case it's incomplete, but it's important to stand your ground. ❜ iruka told itachi next, before proceeds to direct the other man into the sorting pile. here's the assorted missions from rank A to D. S-ranks are always directly reported to the hokage, so we wouldn't be finding them here. then to the part of the office where they'd store already-accepted mission reports, and where finance would typically sort them to compensate the correct shinobis before it's moved to archives.

❛⠀i hope you wouldn't mind me sitting next to you the first day, itachi-san. ❜ iruka takes his seat, scratching at his nose, half-embarrassed. and he hopes the other shinobi wouldn't take this as iruka undermining his skills as jōnin-level above would tend to do, it's just ... iruka couldn't predict how other people would react being around a former traitor, and he just—he couldn't stand bullies, okay?

[movedfistsbled]

@fightaers​                                      def    not    late.         for    sakura.

once    again        ,  lee  proved  himself  the  fastest  shinobi  .          because  he  wouldn’t  be  able  to  endure  what  his  father  would  say  to  him  .       alone  the  thought  made  him  crumble  .                 what    have    you    become    ??            /               you’re    not    my    son    .                  hearing  gai  say  that  might  as  well  be  the  death  of  him  now  .                               BEFORE    YOU    RAN    ,    I    SAW    NO    HATRED    IN    HIS    HEART    .          I    ONLY    SAW                                                 ❝    quiet    .    ❞

and  the  nekomata  falls  silent  .            lee  hated  the  tone  in  his  voice  ,  it  was  a  tone  he  too  often  heard  in  the  root  headquarters  ;       he’d  add  it  to  the  list  of  things  he  felt  bad  about  ,  of  things  eating  him  alive  .           &&         he’d  beg  for  the  nijuu’s  forgivness  .       he’d  beg  for  his  father’s  forgiveness  as  well  ,  though  he  knew  it’d  be  useless  ,  as  if  he’d  be  forgiven  .             i    ought    to    get    used    to    being    rock    lee    now    .                             ❝    ROCK    LEE    .    .    .    ❞                            he    repeats    silently    .       and  that  was  enough  :        jinchuriki  leans  against  the  nearest  building  ,  bandaged  hands  clutch  honey  yellow  scarf  as  if  it  was  the  last  solid  thing  on  earth  .            knowing  ,  that  too  ,  was  something  he  needed  to  give  back  .      he  should’ve  just  left  it  at  the  maito  residence  before  he  ran  using  matatabi’s  chakra  cloak  .         sobbing  was  interrupted  by  moans  ,    gods    ,    he  felt  SICK  .          the  moment  onyx  eyes  spotted  sakura  ,  much  too  late  for  a  jonin  like  him  ,  he  jumped  back  up  like  a  startled  animal  .      he  could  tell  her  too  ,  of  all  his  disgusting  sins  ,  so  called  MISSIONS  .      sakura  ,  too  ,  deserved  to  know  what  kind  of  monster  lee  had  been  for  years  now  .       perhaps  tomorrow    .    .    .       losing  two  precious  people  in  one  day  was  simply  too  much  .                         ❝    s     sakura    -    san    ,    i    .    .    .    ❞

[shnobiway]

  a truth that carried more harmful weight then it should, konoha wasn’t his home, it hadn’t been for years now. he abandoned it in his pursuit of a dream he thought was justified - it wasn’t - maybe it was what the elders desired ( uchiha on uchiha blood ) more fratricide. the uchiha stain could finally be snuffed from this world & it’d be better for it. but he was spiteful & hate filled enough to survive even in the darkest of corners of this world. he was a survivor after all even under false pretense by itachi - but with the trials he has faced - his title that he’s rightfully earned. though even with all his own grievances against konoha & the world that he grew up in, sasuke hadn’t even once thought about how others suffered too. who was he to deny others their validation? their pain?  hers? that was why there was an unusual amount of tension in the air amongst this, house? what did sakura really expect from him, to settle down in this village, this place that is a far cry from a house? it was empty and full of only nesseceties at best, tsunade & kakashi didn’t let him go far without his ( anbu detail ) he wasn’t even allowed to return to the uchiha compound.    “ this place isn’t a home it’s.. “  he leans further over in the chair he currently at in at the table hand clutching at the cloth sleeve that dangles loosely, “ whatever it is it’s not that. if any of us could put those pieces together, i always figured it’d be you. naruto is to much of a dunce to figure it out still, and kakashi. “ he halts his words - kakashi hatake - his sensei and a man he tried to kill. kakashi had always been a bit of an enigma to him. “ it doesn’t matter he’s to busy as is to continuously worry about his student. his words are better spent elsewhere. “ he finally meets her gaze even if she won’t reciprocate “ you were always the smartest one out of team 7. “ it was true. he was a genius prodigy but his natural born talent often didn’t translate to the natural logical smarts she had, to see things in a different light.  

“ no they won’t allow me to leave they’re cautious, they’re making sure i’m still not a threat. that i won’t render this village to ashes “ it would be so easy to there aren’t a lot in konoha that could match his raw power, but he’s since moved on from that path, konoha deserved to suffer in the long run then get the easy way out for the damage it has done. the council would certainly pay their own dues ( danzo certainly did ). the truth was that no one would likely ever fully trust sasuke uchiha - or any uchiha for that matter - the legacy of his clan was stained in so much blood. he’d be confined like a caged animal until he became docile to their purposes.