#hinata and naruto were friends but they never interacted as much as the other pair

[luchicm04]

Teacher's Pet

Masterlist

Summary: That wasn’t the kind of relationship they should have, no. He shouldn’t look at her that way, nor should she allow the blush to spread across her pale face every time their eyes met. She was the student; he was the teacher. This was the only relationship they should have. They should, but in practice, it wasn’t like that.

Pairing: Senju Tobirama/Hyuuga Hinata

Word count: 2.4k

Overall warnings: mature language, alcoholism, angst, fluff, smut😈

This is the first translation I made. All characters belong to Naruto, and all rights are reserved to the original work whose author allowed me to translate it.

A/N: The lyrics come from this song. Hope you like it <3

posted on ao3

Teacher's Pet

Caught the teacher giving his eyes to a student

Pouty, pretty, cute, and she bit her lip back to him

Chewing on her nails and her pens while she’s dreaming of him

And he’s fucking in sin (you know he is)

That wasn’t the kind of relationship they should have, no. He shouldn’t look at her that way, nor should she allow the blush to spread across her pale face every time their eyes met. She was the student; he was the teacher. This was the only relationship they should have. They should, but in practice, it wasn’t like that. 

“Brat...” The hoarse voice sounded throughout the empty classroom at that moment. The girl with pearly eyes was the only one who remained there. They knew how wrong it was, but they could no longer stop. 

“Sensei...” she whispered as she sat at the table facing the platinum, who was sitting in his chair. If anyone saw them at that moment, they would certainly be in serious trouble. 

“You’re a very hot brat," he said and soon, he was sliding his hands up the woman’s bare legs while pulling her into a passionate kiss. But who said they cared...

Senju Tobirama was a tall man, with an athletic body. His facial expressions were strong and ended up attracting attention wherever he went. His red eyes carried an air of danger that was extremely exciting to most women at that university, and his gray hair gave the man an even more charming look. Tobirama was a professor of business law. One of the youngest at the university, by the way. Very strict and had an unquestionable attitude, with his face always stoic, extremely serious and focused on his duty. 

He was very pragmatic and self-centered. However, all his self-control disappeared when he laid his reddish eyes on the girl with pearl eyes and long blue hair. He adored the girl’s uncontrollable nature, admired her intelligence and the shrewd sparkle that her pearly eyes always displayed when she won an argument in class. He felt his blood turn into pure lava when he looked at her and there was a teasing smile on her lips, or when she provocatively bit the tip of the pen or her own lips, just to tease him even more. 

She said: It’s for all the right reasons, baby

Don’t care ‘bout grades, just call me your lady

If I pass this quiz, will you give me your babies?

Don’t call me crazy

You love me, but you won’t come save me

She knew how wrong it was to get involved with the Senju. Damn it, he was her teacher and she always reproached herself for that. They tried not to interact that way, but the more time passed and they stayed away from each other, the more unsustainable their relationship at college. She would never mingle with him for mere grades, no, she was one of the most intelligent girls in the class. What made her get closer and closer to Tobirama was the growing tension between them. It was much more than a physical issue, but she refused to tell him that. 

“Do you think I didn’t notice the looks between you and Tobirama-sensei?” The pinkette’s voice was extremely irritating, even more when she really wanted to screw her ex-friend. 

“You’re crazy, Haruno,” she said with a sneer on her red painted lips. 

“He’s a teacher, your teacher...” The pinkette insisted while slamming one of her hands on the table where the Hyūga was. She hated Hinata’s smug smile. 

“You are angry because I am better than you.” Her angelic face did not hide her pretentious and even a little arrogant expression. 

“This is going to go terribly wrong, Hyūga. Be careful,” the other said, pointing her finger at the brunette in front of her. 

“Don’t try to threaten me, Haruno. Do you think you aren’t on thin ice?” she said, getting even closer to the girl in front of her, and then whispering evilly in her ear. “Have you forgotten what you and Kakashi-sensei did in the locker room last year? Well, I haven’t.” A sideways smile adorned the girl’s pretty face. 

“What’s going on here?” Tobirama had just entered the classroom when he noticed the uneasiness that existed between the two girls. Even though their voices were nothing more than a whisper, he knew that little smile on the Hyuuga’s lips meant only one thing: trouble. 

“Nothing is happening. Isn’t that right, Haruno?” The cynicism in Hinata’s voice was visible and her entire body posture bordered on discomfort, as well as the anger she was feeling. 

“It’s... um... yeah, nothing’s happening,” Sakura faltered. Her face betrayed her astonishment at the teacher’s appearance, but her green eyes sparkled with pure hatred for Hinata. 

“Very well. Miss Haruno, if there is nothing to discuss, you can leave,” he stated sharply. He knew what the feud between Sakura and Hinata was like, and he would never fall for Haruno’s conversations. His heart beat stronger for Hinata, although he wasn’t prepared to say so at the moment. 

“Of course, I’ll leave you with your favorite student,” she said ironically, and quickly left the room. 

“Bitch!” he heard Hinata scream as soon as Haruno left the room, and raised his eyebrows, looking curiously at his girl who had her face red with anger. 

“Come here, brat,” he called and saw her look at him accusingly. There was a crease between her well-shaped eyebrows. 

“Fuck you, Tobirama,” she exclaimed irritably. Just as she was turned on by his self-control, she was also very easily angered by the coldness he sometimes displayed. 

He smirked. He adored his girl’s uncontrollable nature. He approached her, who was pacing back and forth cursing at Haruno, and held her tightly around her waist. 

“I’m going to fuck you.” 

Teacher’s pet

If I’m so special, why am I secret?

Yeah, why the fuck is that?

Do you regret the things we shared that I’ll never forget?

Well, do you? Tell me that

I know I’m young, but my mind is well beyond my years

I knew this wouldn’t last, but fuck you, don’t you leave me here

Teacher’s pet

If I’m so special, why am I secret?

Yes, she loved losing herself in Tobirama’s arms. She loved it when his strong arms squeezed her waist and he thrust deep inside her. She loved it when his experienced tongue ran through her body, giving her even more pleasure. But she also loved Tobirama. His rare smiles, the passionate way in which he spoke about his dreams, his serene face when she rarely woke up next to him and could admire his features while still sleeping. She knew it was wrong to fall in love with Tobirama, but all aspects of his soul contributed to becoming infatuated with him, and she wanted more... 

“Tobi?” she started, out a little insecure. That was one of the days when she slept with him at his house, away from the constraints that technically prohibited them from having a relationship. She was laying on his chest and made small caresses with her fingertips on Tobirama’s naked torso, while enjoying the soft strokes he made on her hair. 

“What is it?” he asked softly, his voice betraying how much he was enjoying that moment there beside her. 

“I’m going to leave your class...” she said uncertainly. She felt when he stopped caressing her and walked away, sitting with her back to him. “We can try...” a relationship she wanted to say, but she didn’t have the courage yet. 

“You know we can’t,” he stated seriously, observing her bare back and the way she clutched the sheets that were balled up next to her. 

“If I left your class, there wouldn’t be any problems,” she insisted. 

“We can’t,” he repeated. He wanted more than anything to have a serious relationship with her, he wanted to be able to shout from the rooftops that that woman was his, but he in no way wanted to tarnish her image or disrupt her life. 

“You won’t harm me, if that’s what you’re thinking,” she said turning to him. 

“Hinata, no,” he said a little nervously, and saw her get up. “Hinata...” 

“No, it’s okay... I’ll leave.” She quickly searched for her clothes. 

“You don’t have to go,” he tried, feeling his heart tightening in his chest. 

“I do, Tobirama...” A lump of tears formed in her throat. She heard him mutter a denial, but she still didn’t dare look at him. “I need to go. I can’t stay like this anymore.” 

“Hinata...” He held onto her wrist. He didn’t want to let her go. 

“I love you, Tobirama. I can’t go on with this anymore.” She turned, looking at his surprised face. She felt it when he let go of her wrist, confirming only what she already thought: Tobirama didn’t feel the same and so, that’s why she left. 

You liar, you were her desire

Now she wants to light you on fire

But fuck it, she’ll still call you

And a lighter when you wanna get high

And mess around ‘til you get numb

She said: It’s for all the right reasons, baby

Don’t care ‘bout grades, just call me your lady

He hadn’t seen her in two weeks. He knew she had changed classes and he realized that she hir around campus to avoid running into him, and that made him feel like an idiot. He asked himself all the time: Why had he not opened his heart to her? Why didn’t he explain his fears so that they could find a better solution together? He felt like a coward. 

After three weeks without seeing her, he already felt all the symptoms of an addict in withdrawal. He needed her, he needed to tell her that he loved her too and that he wanted to try. And he was astonished when he saw her number flash on the screen on his cell phone, finding it strange that she was calling him at that time. After all, it was already 2 a.m. on a Saturday. He answered it. 

“Look at that! That breaker answered me...” Her voice was clearly that of a drunk person. 

“Where are you?” he asked irritably and got even more irritated by her loud laugh. 

“Why do you care? You don’t love me...” she said, running over the words. “You hurt me, Tobi, and I’m really, really drunk.” Again, she laughed out loud, and he left like the most wretched human being in the world for making his girl suffer. 

“I’ll pick you up, tell me where you are!” he insisted seriously. 

“You are very annoying. I’m close to college...” she said, and he quickly hung up. 

He hurriedly went towards the place she said she was. It was her favorite bar, and he saw that she was sitting there with her head lying on the counter, her cheeks reddened from excessive alcohol and her loud voice practically begging the bartender to serve another dose for her. He hated himself even more, because he knew that all of this was his and his cowardice's fault. 

“Hime...” he whispered, placing his hand under her shoulder. Then, he noticed that her pearly eyes were blinking more and more slowly. He turned to the bartender, handing over some money to pay for her drinks, and as soon as he was with her in his arms, he realized that she had fallen asleep when she had offered no resistance. 

It didn’t take long to arrive at his house, and she was still unconscious. He removed her tight clothes and swiftly put one of his t-shirts on her small body, and then he laid her on his bed. With her there beside him, he wondered how that woman could have become so important to him. Unconsciously, he snuggled her body to his. 

Don’t care ‘bout grades, just call me your lady

If I pass, will you give me your babies?

Don’t call me crazy

You love me

Her head hurt like hell. She closed her eyes, trying to dispel the discomfort that the brightness of the place caused her and felt strong arms tighten around her body even more. She took a deep breath, feeling the intense perfume that she knew very well. It all came back to her mind. Damn it! She cursed, remembering that she had called Tobirama and said those shameful words to him. “Shit!” 

So much for going on in her mind. His rejection, the fact that he hadn’t even once looked for her... her chest hurt so much. She tried to free herself from his arms. She didn’t want him to see her there, nor for him to see that she was running away from him, but she couldn’t bear to have only half of him, the one that wanted her body. She felt him tighten his grip around her and heard him grumble about her moving too much. She really wanted to take advantage of that moment, but she couldn’t, because she didn’t want to have her feelings broken by him anymore. 

“Stay, let’s talk,” he said, feeling her movement. He had been awake for some time. 

“Tobirama...” she would make a lame excuse and try to get out of there, but she was stopped by him. 

“I was an idiot. That night, I should have told you that I loved you too, and that all I wanted was to be able to tell everyone you were mine. I was worried about ending up tarnishing your resume, tarnishing your image... I’m sorry, Hime, please. I’m almost going crazy without you...” He knew he only had one chance to say everything he felt for her, and that he could never miss that moment. He felt her beautiful body shudder in his arms and heard her soft sigh. He knew she was crying. 

An incredible happiness coursed through her body. The time they spent apart was painful for her, and when she looked into his crimson eyes, she knew it wasn't different for him. 

“You don’t know how much I missed you, but I was a coward... forgive me, Hinata,” he asked again. 

“I... I love you too, Tobi...” She wrapped her arms around his torso, hugging his warm body and breathing in his perfume. She missed being with him so much. Soon, he pulled her body onto his, seeking her soft lips in a passionate kiss, which demonstrated how much he missed her. 

“You’re not running away from me anymore, hot brat.” He squeezed her waist, moving her body under his so that she could feel his excitement. She moaned and brought her lips closer to his face. 

“I don’t want to run away, I want you to fuck me, sensei...” she said in a whisper close to his ear, and then left a bite on his neck. 

“With pleasure.” 

Teacher’s pet

[lemonade-of-gods]

random ramblings

I have an exam tomorrow on literary criticism (structuralism, bakhtin and all that jazz) so I was playing around with my old otps as an exercise while studying huzzah, and the more I look back on it, the MORE nonsensical all the ship wars are looking

Because its one thing to not prefer a ship and its ANOTHER to just go delulu and say that the canon ship should not have happened because *insert nonsensical galaxy brain level argument here*, and yes I am talking about sasusaku, renruki and nalu

Like Sasusaku has always been the obvious choice, starting from the moment Sasuke went “who did this to you” in his rage to when Sakura calmed him down with a back hug. Sakura got taken a peg down after Sasuke scolded her for treating Naruto poorly. Sasuke THANKED Sakura before knocking her out and placing her on the bench and leaving. Sasuke began attacking Sakura proper AFTER she tried to kill him. There is a dynamic between them, there is ACTION in a way you don’t see with either Naruto or Karin. I could go on and on, but my point is, Narusaku or even Sasukarin was honestly never going to happen. If these two had to end up with anyone, it would be with each other. This is a classic ETL couple folks!! 

For Sakura particularly, Naruto represents an innocent and childish life (Naruto you’re a fine guy no lie, Hinata was suited better for you) and Sasuke is the dangerous option that forces her to sexually mature and grow up (remember, we’re focusing on structure here not the execution, whatever your opinions may be), so Kishi wasn’t wrong when he said that pairing Naruto and Sakura would have been unfair (paraphrased a bit). Naruto isn’t losing out much either, a gentle girl like Hinata who has loved him from the start (you see the pattern of first love coming up here?) was always his better match in the long run.

You can achieve the same effect with FTL as well, if we look at Renruki and NaLu. Kubo gave the angst of separation and pining with Renji and Rukia and the metaphor of “the stray dog barking at the moon”, which was not exactly a thing with Ichigo and Rukia. An argument can be made about “black sun and white moon”, but since Orihime gave the push to Ichigo for going to save Rukia, it didn’t quite feel strong. But in the interests of staying fair, I’ll say that we did have two options: bickering friends or, “we used to be friends but now we’re enemies”.

THEN came the nail in the coffin.  

Legit all bets were off the SECOND Ichigo tossed Rukia into Renji’s arms and basically gave his blessing/aashirvad to run away and basically saying ”Jaa Rukia, jee le apni zindagi” (Translation: go Rukia, live your own life, this one’s inspired by DDLJ hehehe). Like I would not give away the woman I am in love with to my romantic rival and tell him to TAKE HER AWAY. HELLO. THIS IS GOING AGAINST THE NARRATIVE BEHAVIOUR. THIS IS GIVING SECOND LEAD SYNDROME BEHAVIOUR. ICHI HAS BECOME THE KULJEET TO RENJI’S RAJ (Or more accurately Simran’s dad lmao.)

So what’s the point in saying all this, you may ask. Well, now that I’ve said it I’ll make my argument: STRUCTURE and NARRATIVE decides whether the author’s writing decisions were poor and not the reader’s preferences. And I’ve taken a neutral stance earlier on the last ship in my list but now I’m committing: NaLu HAS to be canon. 

I had said earlier that NaLi could potentially be canon, again for the sake of fairness, but looking at it now I’m changing my opinion. Natsu and Lisanna were set up to interact more but Mashima changed his mind halfway through and just didn’t do much with Lisanna. You can see how great his writing decisions are there, but the technicalities are to be reserved for another post, another day. If I am to try getting more fancy about it, Lisanna represents Natsu’s childhood while Lucy represents a mature and adult future.

Point is that by process of elimination, Natsu and Lucy have to end up with each other. Or remain as friends. Considering Natsu said to Lucy “we’ll be together forever”, these two will be a thing at some point in the future, unless Mashima pulls a HIMYM or something (TOUCHWOOD, even though the guy did canonize Gruvia, Gajevy and Jerza...)

[naruhinalife555]

I can't call such a thing a development.  Sakura treats Naruto so nasty when he tries to be nice to her  

On the contrary, I think it is toxic Sakura's whole attitude towards Naruto

I don't know, I think you don't know what development is at all, that is, Narusaku is not better than Naruhina, absolutely not

Sakura didn't like the fact that Naruto was on the team with her at all

She didn't trust him either

No I don't think the canon couples do what you said but Naruhina is built much better than Narusaku that's for sure Naruto didn't really want Sakura he wanted to compete with Sasuke

Well, that's her problem, Naruhina is different from Sasusaku, I've said it many times

no it's not true hinata didn't do any of the things you said on the contrary naruto's feelings came out when he went crazy and married that pain would leave hinata

He went out of his way to protect her

Narusaku gets a stupid meaningless hug

No, not true, they don't have any dynamics, is that what you claim? What has Sakura done for Naruto besides calling him stupid

no naruto didn't even show that he cared about sakura that much she was in danger naruto didn't care about her that much

Like he did with Hinata

Again you must think they have dynamics because they are blushing

But Naruto didn't even know how to compliment Sakura

But it's not like that

They only blushed at first but then everything disappeared as far as Narusaku was concerned  

Naruto didn't stop looking at Hinata during the chunin exams

like in the last  

Again, how do I put it, Sakura's confession just proves that Naruto and Sakura don't get along anymore

It's funny to me that people say naruto loves sakura he looks so poor sakura makes the confession And of course everyone here is sadistic they don't think for a moment about Hinata who sacrificed her life for Naruto the main thing is they say hey Naruto has more moments with Sakura than Hinata    

Narusaku fans always base their claims on the strength of other characters   Forgive me, but obviously these moments come at the expense of others, meaning that all Naruto and Sakura deal with is Sasuke      

Because Sakura doesn't think about others she doesn't care if they get hurt right? What would happen if Hinata was there?    Sakura never excelled at thinking ahead

  Relationships should be as healthy as this moment for example

I mean even in war Narusaku looks so weak and shallow

Naruhina got better interaction

Like seriously you will even be used in the promise episode right? that narusaku is better than the other pairs

Look what Naruto says to Sakura that she came to him he doesn't even do what she asks

But when he's with Hinata

Again Naruto says Hinata is the one on his side and not Sakura if Kishi wanted Narusaku he would have Sakura holding hands with Naruto    

I didn't even see him thank Sakura for helping him  

Everything at Narusaku's is a joke  

again he thinks about Hinata in end of war

So yes my friends his feelings were completely genuine and anyone who says that Kishimoto ruined his story and that canon is forced really needs to take a writing course  

[i-dont-like-milk]

At first I shipped Yukihira with Megumi, but as they’ve become closer as friends, I find it so hard to envision them romantically 😂

[numbersoftoday]

Random Konoha hc that ignore 90% of actual Naruto canon

-Adult Sakura, Shika and Neji are best buddies that spend a lot of time together because they are the more level headed and usually in charge of teams. They are also good drinking buddies. Drunk Neji trash talk like hell and is able to scan dick sizes. Both Shika and Neji find Sakura kinda hot and won't object sleeping with Sakura at least once but they never acted on it. They love her deeply as a friend and a comrade nonetheless

- Hinata is the person Sasuke is more drawn to right now, even though their feelings for Naruto are a huge issue. He is trying to work around it, though. He likes Shino - because he's like, very quiet - and Lee - because he respect him very much. He has some trouble interacting normally with the others, even though he has noticed that Neji is oddly soft and protective toward him.

- I didn't mentioned it before but it is a SasuSakuNaru scenario I am talking about

- Shino and Tenten found themselves paired up in several occasions over a span of years, in the most random situations - official meeting, missions, festivals etc... - and grew quite fond of each other. She became of the people whose company Shino actually enjoy. And she was beautiful, omg, she was beautiful. He would have never dare to ask her out first though. She was the one to take the first step.

-Naruto and Kiba were a thing at some point. Kiba always knew his heart belong to another man, but there was enough passion, enough chemistry and enough tenderness to give it a go. He was never really in love with Naruto, but sometimes he wonder if he would ever found someone who'd sleep so peacefully next to him, in the forest, Akamaru guarding them both, and feels a little ache of loneliness.

[captnjacksparrow]

So, could you share some *horrible* headcanons of Sasusaku and Naruhinam (because I can only think negative things about such pairings) I can't imagine Naruto interacting with Hinata, idk even married they have no chemistry, and Sasuke and Sakura barely have a marriage since he avoids her. But how do you imagine SS got together and how are their adult lives? Lol

Am so bad at Headcanons, anon!!!! Atleast if the headcanon is about, "What if Naruto did so and so?"... "What would happen if Sasuke did so and so?"... in the context of Part 1 and Part 2 is alright... I can try to predict. But anything after that chapter 699, I never gave any serious thought.

How NH got together is portrayed in that shitty movie and that 10+ shoujo cringe-fest episodes... So, we really don't have to headcanon anything... As for SS... When Sasuke heard that Naruto got married, he might have been pissed off... And hence he did the 'deed' out of Anger and be done with it. Another Blogger friend of mine, told me this head canon of hers and it makes absolute sense.

Because I've seen this trope in one of the popular Korean Drama.

Like there is this dude who became a King. He really loved a Girl so much when he was a Prince but due to 'circumstances' he couldn't marry her. And there is this another girl who never really loved that dude... but her desire was to become a Queen. So, she intentionally created such 'circumstances' to prevent that dude from marrying her and she succeeded in it too. She finally became a Queen.

But that King dude refuse to sleep with her because he didn't like her. Whereas he went on to keep that girl he loved as his Concubine and started to spend all of his time with her. Like whenever he finish his Kingly duties, he would immediately rush to the chambers of his Concubine. Queen tried to make many advances but the King refused to abide. Finally the Queen went to that Concubine and told her that if the King doesn't have a baby he will be dethroned sooner or later. That Concubine realized this and put on a drama before King that she started to like this other man and she doesn't like this palace life anymore... This King dude got extremely angry and let her go. And much later he slept with the Queen finally as an act of duty and mockery rather than an attraction or love.

What's funny here is that, after 8 years, we were shown that the King has only one child. Those days Kings are supposed to have plenty. An implication that he never slept with her ever since. And that concubine girl died due to illness sometime during that period. And there is this scene where the Queen angrily complaints to the King that, "Why don't you care about your own son.. After all he is your blood!!". To which the King replies, "He is after all your Son... I don't know when will you both concoct plans to over throw me so that you can become Queen Mother"... LOL.

And much much later, the King saw a little girl and have a warm conversation with her. He later found out that the little girl was the child born out of him and his beloved Concubine who passed away years ago. And he was seen piggybacking that little girl.

Isn't this story somewhat similar to SS??? I mean not entirely.... but the outline... Put Sasuke in that King's place, Naruto in Concubine's place and Sakura in that Queen's place!!!! 

ROFL...

[fallen-in-dreams]

Accidentally on Purpose

Also on AO3. Pairing: Gaara/Sakura. Summary: When Sakura found herself engaged to the Kazekage … and had no idea how it even happened... it didn't occur to her that it was her own fault. Until it happened. And she was stuck. GaaSaku. Canonish. Prompt: Arranged Marriage. Rated: T. Words: 3,989. Status: Complete. Author note: After the monster of the last one-shot (in this series) I decided this one was going to be more of a fun quickie. So... here we are. Enjoy. ^_^ Warnings/tags: Light angst. Jealousy.

This is for week 5 of the @gaasaku-fanfests​​ prompts. Thank-you so much for this event and for your patience. Imma just go die now. :)

.

“There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.” – Bob Ross

.

Sakura inhaled through her nose, held it for a few seconds, then let all the breath out at once through her mouth, trying to calm herself. She resisted the urge to ruin her lipstick by biting her bottom lip and absentmindedly tucking a lock of hair out of her face as she stared at herself in the full-length mirror. Her wedding kimono was mostly white, with red highlights, which she supposed symbolised something in Suna. (The rays of the sun, maybe?) She was wearing more makeup than she every other time she had – combined –and had grown her hair out long enough for Ino to prop it up and actually make it look like she cared about it. A large red flower was sticking out of her hair that reminded Sakura of her husband-to-be. The petals were sprinkled with the colour of the sand from his desert, and it made her smile before remembering she had just been in the middle of freaking out.

How did I get roped into this?

.

Making friends.

It had all happened so innocently. Gaara and Naruto were good friends, after all. And it was only natural that somehow, Sakura would end up in the middle of things. Since she considered the blond to be as good a best friend as Ino. But lately, every time Gaara came to Konoha, Naruto had been too busy with either preparations for his wedding to Hinata or training for that inevitable day when he replaced Kakashi-sensei as Hokage.

And it left Gaara alone for the majority of his visits, since he never sought out anyone, but the future Hokage when he visited. Sakura mentioned it to Naruto one day, but he brushed it off.

“He’s used to solitude, Sakura-chan. I’ll catch up with him when I can. He doesn’t mind.”

Indeed, when Sakura finally found Gaara wandering aimlessly in on one of those lonely days, he echoed Naruto’s statement. But she couldn’t leave well enough alone. His visits to Konoha were political and strategic, which left no time for fun. And what kind of impression could he get of the village if he never did anything fun here?

So, Sakura decided to invite herself along on Gaara’s long walks through the less crowded areas of Konoha. No-one else seemed to have noticed that he didn’t do much other than just take in the scenery. And maybe it didn’t really matter, but it did to her. They were friends, even though that was a generous usage of the word. And he didn’t seem to mind her company. Her talkative company.

It was going swimmingly. She found out they had a lot more in common than she’d thought, given that they’d never spent time together outside of groups of friends. Naruto or Gaara’s siblings were usually an intermediary in their interactions together.

They both preferred quiet areas of the villages (Suna or Konoha) and loved to read in their spare time. They did disagree on many things, like their favourite colours and the best way to have their green tea. But there were a surprising number of things they agreed on. And even when they did disagree, it was a healthy exchange of ideas and personal preferences that never ended in violence or name-calling like it sometimes would with her teammates or Ino, who was her best friend. In Gaara she’d found an aggressive free way to express herself.

And she loved him for it.

Well, in the plutonic love kind of way.

It also didn’t hurt that he was easy on the eyes. She could have heated debates about political or social topics without getting too riled up while admiring the way he leaned toward her when he disagreed with something she said, like he was completely engrossed in everything about her. The way the clenching of his jaw highlighted his features. And the way his cheeks tinged pink when she kissed his forehead that night they got inebriated together. It was… captivating.

She knew she cared about him, deeply, when he matter-of-factly said she was the only person outside of Suna who knew his council was pressuring him to get married. The concept left a sick, twisted feeling in her stomach even as her heart raced. It was a shock to her system, how strongly the emotions swept over her.

“D-do you really have to?” She asked.

He did. Gaara didn’t like it, but he did have to.

“They made a logical argument for my responsibility to produce an heir.”

So, it was all about the next generation, and not Gaara himself. She felt so terribly sorry for him in that moment, as well as guilt for the rush of jealousy she’d experienced at the initial news that he’d had a fiancée. Gaara explained that the title of kage in Suna was mostly hereditary and that any child Shikamaru and Temari were planning on having wouldn’t be a Wind ninja, but a Leaf one.

“But wait, what about Kankuro?”

He shook his head. “He made the argument that as Kazekage, the responsibility should fall to me.”

“Kankuro argued to put you in that position?” Sakura could only imagine the anger she’d feel if she’d had a sibling that did that to her. But Gaara didn’t look annoyed at Kankuro. Her ignorance on how siblings worked only confused her. But apparently, the council had some woman in mind, but Kankuro had also argued that Gaara have the opportunity to find someone for himself, first.

“I have no interest in getting married.”

The fact that he still had to went unsaid.

Sakura chuckled half-heartedly. “And I have no interest in being someone’s trophy.”

The cute surprise on his face made her elaborate. She’d spent years thinking she was going to have the marriage and 2.5 kids with Sasuke. So, when that didn’t happen, it was like everything in her had emptied. All her personal ambitions were gone. But it wasn’t a bad thing like she’d feared. She felt free. Free to date with no long-term expectations. Free to just have fun with no strings attached. But there was still a need… an ache inside of her that had been filled with her desire to marry Sasuke. Now, she had nothing to fill it with. What would make her life complete?

The men who asked her out didn’t fill that void. She was Sakura Haruno, the protégé of the fifth Hokage and the kunoichi who’d punched a goddess. That kind of notoriety had long lasting and far-reaching consequences. She’d dated inside her pre-existing social circle but lovely as the rest of the Konoha Twelve were, she wasn’t in love with any of them. It felt like this emptiness was fated to be her future as much as her present.

“Kankuro thinks you and I should marry.”

Sakura hadn’t seen that coming.

“Tell him to mind his own business and stick to puppets because he clearly doesn’t understand people.”

She hadn’t noticed the blush and disappointment on Gaara’s face.

.

More than friends.

It all came to a head one day when Sakura was fed up with having to rebuke the men that she’d been telling over and over again that they did not interest her. She was enjoying a meal with Gaara, and looking back, it could’ve been interpreted as a date. But this guy… Botan …or whatever this jerk’s name was, he couldn’t take a fucking hint.

“Why won’t you give me a chance?”

“Why?” She’d asked the petulant man, standing up abruptly and drawing the eyes of everyone in the café. “I’ll tell you why!”

Gaara looked on in amusement as she raised a fist in the air and let out a tirade of reasons why this guy was a creepy stalker, and all women everywhere should stay away from him. She finished off her speech with a few choice words about his penis, much to the embarrassment of him and amusement of those watching, then turned and grabbed Gaara’s hand. The startled Kazekage could only follow along as she led them out of the café.

“The nerve of that man!”

They’d continued walking through the streets of Suna. She was fury unleashed and people parted to make way for them, instead of just moving for Gaara like they once did. He didn’t bother to tell her that her fingers had entwined with his, nor that her grip was so hard he’d been lucky his sand armour was on at the time. No, Gaara valued their friendship and his manhood. He let her carry on until he realised that she’d dragged him toward the hospital.

She’d been a great help during this visit, but he didn’t want to step a foot in the place unless he had to, so he cut this expedition of hers short. She was cute when she went on her angry sprees.

From then on, Sakura occasionally caught Gaara staring at her. He wouldn’t look away quickly or blush when she stared right back; more like she was an endlessly fascinating science project he didn’t understand but was determined to figure out.

Their relationship had shifted. It became far more obvious when she returned to Konoha and everyone around them began treating them differently. Like they were in a long-distant relationship.

Nobody harassed her anymore and the Suna council wasn’t pushing for Gaara to get married – though he would complain in his letters to Sakura that they were giving him odd looks. Some of expectation and others of impatience, but all of them in curiosity. Kankuro had apparently laughed, claiming the council thought he was already seeing someone.

“I can’t put off getting married for much longer,” he’d written to her.

Sakura’s stomach twisted at that notion. As it always did. She would picture Gaara with some bland brunette and couldn’t stop the influx of emotion that tormented her after that. She sulked for weeks after that, not replying to him until she realised how selfish she was being and penned a response saying she hoped he would find a way around it. That he didn’t deserve this pressure. This assuaged her guilt, but the short and curt following letter from him made her wonder if he was mad at her.

When he visited Konoha a few weeks later, everything seemed fine.

“Come to Suna with me.”

Sakura replied mechanically, agreeing. But she had a niggling feeling something was going on.

.

Engaged.

She hadn’t followed him to Suna to ask him if he returned her feelings. It was just a reflex. “Will you come?” “Of course, I will.” There was no thinking it through. And no saying “no” when they both knew she currently had the time off to do so. What kind of excuse could she have given anyway? By this point, Gaara knew her better than even Ino.

Though that might have been because Ino was spending most of her time with Sai and they’d all changed so much after the war. Or maybe Sakura just told Gaara more these days.

Either way, the three-day trip to Suna had been filled with a tension that only the pinkette seemed to notice. What was she supposed to do now? And as the familiar entryway to the hidden sand loomed over them, all she could think about was how horrible it would be if the only reason Gaara had invited her here was because he’d finally settled on a fiancée and wanted them to meet.

“My best friend and soon-to-be-wife should get to know each other,” he would say.

And she would die inside as she plastered a fake smile to her face that confused Gaara but fooled everyone else. No. She couldn’t handle that. But she was entering the gates and waving hello to the guards because she recognised them and ignoring the weird looks now passing between Gaara and the councilman who greeted them at the gates.

There was no going back now.

A sense of urgency was building up in her and even though her logical brain kept shouting for her to say something, she pushed it aside. Sakura didn’t want to ruin their friendship. She didn’t want to put a stop to the easy way they held onto each other even in public. She’d held his hand and dragged him through Suna. He’d escorted her through the Konoha streets with his arm around her waist.

Sakura inhaled deeply when the councilman suggested they head straight for the council room.

“There is a matter of great importance we all need to discuss. Bring the kunoichi with you.”

He teleported away and Sakura swore out loud before she could stop herself. Gaara’s lips twitched, and he offered an arm to her before pulling her into his sand and transporting them into the Kazekage tower for this meeting.

It was a cacophony of sound and bustle that greeted them. If Sakura didn’t know better, she’d have assumed a bomb had gone off.

“You’re here!” Kankuro strode over to them. “Good. The council wants answers from you both, and now. Sorry,” he added, scratching the back of my head, “this is all my fault for rebuking their request for a marriage for me.”

Before Sakura could ask him if she really needed to be here, he was shooing them further in and closing the door behind them, effectively removing himself from the room. She glared at the door, wishing she could just knock it down and him out.

“Sakura.”

She turned as Gaara made to direct her toward those gathered and she felt a hot flash go through her body.

Is there some foreign kunoichi or daimyo’s daughter after all?

Her panic was overriding her common sense. She took a deep breath, but it just made her cough.

“Are you okay?”

She shook her head and Gaara frowned.

“I can have a guard escort you to your room if you’d like.”

Suddenly, her future flashed before her eyes and Sakura saw a beautiful brunette kissing Gaara at their wedding. It passed by so quickly she couldn’t process it. But the part of her that was angry at her own jealousy was overwhelmed by her desire to do something about it. That sense of urgency was back and suddenly, she no longer cared how this was going to go down.

Sakura grabbed Gaara and his eyes widened as her hands scrunched up his robes. “Just go with it.”

And suddenly her mouth was on his, her hands all over his face and tugging on his hair. Gaara went into shock.

Then he moaned.

Gaara moaned.

At the vibration of the sound, Sakura’s brain short circuited and she fell limp in his embrace.

Now he’s holding onto me.

He was fully committed to what she’d started. Sakura snapped out of it and pressed her mouth harder into his, her hands running through his hair as he held her body flush against his. It was a few minutes, that felt like forever, before they broke apart at the sound of multiple people clearing their throats.

Sakura was still in a daze, but Gaara looked quite pleased with himself.

One of the older looking councilmen smirked at them. “Ah yes, Kazekage-sama, we can all see that you’ve chosen your bride-to-be, as agreed.”

“An auspicious choice, Lord Kazekage,” another councilman said. “She is the student of the fifth Hokage.”

Sakura’s eyebrows rose at that. He didn���t sound like he thought it was auspicious. She opened her mouth to clarify their misunderstandings but was cut off again.

“She does indeed have loyalty to Konoha,” Gaara agreed. “Just as Temari has for Suna.”

He gave them a pointed look and that seemed to shut them up. Sakura’s theory that they were worried Temari and Shikamaru’s future children might make a play for the Kazekage position if neither Gaara nor Kankuro reproduce was just proven correct, as far as she was concerned.

Am I really going to marry Gaara? And have a child with him?

Goodness, her heart felt like it was going to tear its way out of her chest.

“Yes, Sakura-chan is more than satisfactory.”

The hustle and bustle around them had died during their kiss but now they were all moving again. This time, it was less panicked and more organised.

“How long should the engagement be?”

“What do we tell the Iwa dignitaries who arrived this morning, hoping to bargain a wife for the Kazekage?”

And the discussion went on.

They ignored the new couple, leaving Sakura speechless. Her brain died. How… how had a simple kiss turned into a marriage proposal? Sure, she didn’t want Gaara to marry some random woman they’d chosen for him – or he’d fallen in love with, but that one was preferable. If anyone deserved happiness, it was him.

She’d let her panic take over.

A secretary approached them as Gaara placed a hand on Sakura’s hip, wrapping his arm around her waist.

“Lord Kazekage,” the woman bowed. “We’ll need signatures to make this official.”

“Of course. Have them sent to my office. We’ll go over the paperwork after Sakura has rested. It has been a gruelling three-day journey.”

“Of course.” She left them to themselves.

“What was that all about?” Sakura hissed softly.

“With the approach of Temari and Shikamaru’s wedding,” he said, “the council has been on me about also tying the knot. They are no longer patient about this. Arranged marriages have been sought after and, as you can understand, I was not fond of them. But I could only argue for so long.”

It was as though all their discussions on this topic had been wiped from his memory. Sakura didn’t know why he was acting as though they’d never talked about this. But then she remembered they were still in earshot of some other bigwigs, and she wasn’t technically supposed to know about all of this… until now.

Because now I’m as good as his wife.

She forced confusion onto her face and noted how the tension in Gaara lifted. “You’re the Kazekage. Surely they can’t force you to marry.”

There was a lot to unpack here, not to mention the way Gaara’s thumb (which was still resting on her hip) had begun massaging her almost absentmindedly.

“Only until a certain point,” he said. “Any children that Temari and Shikamaru have will be considered Konoha ninja.” He lowered his head to speak more softly and intimately to her, making her blush. Her curiosity wouldn’t let her pull away, though. “And they fear that if I do not have children, that the offspring of my sister will have a claim on the Kazekage title.”

“And marrying me would…”

Gaara nodded. “Yes, it would ensure a stronger line of succession and keep Temari’s children from claiming it.”

She sighed. This was getting more complicated than she’d anticipated.

“Are you okay with this?”

“Am I okay?” she asked. “I just molested you in front of them.” She ignored the way he smirked at this. “Are you sure you’re okay? I mean, it kind of feels like this was rushed. And forced. This is marriage we’re talking about. We’ve never discussed anything past being friends and—”

He cut her off by pressing his lips to hers and Sakura blushed, glancing to the side as several people paused to stare at this.

“I’m sure if you are.”

She smiled and nodded, letting him pull her into another kiss. Perhaps Gaara had been more into this than she’d realised. Her feelings weren’t as one-sided as she’d feared. The councilmen chittered away again.

“They’re going to have to start trying to get pregnant right away.”

Sakura paled at the prospect.

I’m going to have to have sex with Gaara!

If she still had an Inner, it would probably be yelling duh! in her head right about now.

For his part, Gaara didn’t react. And she wondered what was going through his head. She stared at him.

What would it be like, to be married to Gaara? She wondered. I mean, he’s handsome, has a stable job and is probably the only guy who’s ever going to want me for something other than my reputation.

Because the Kazekage doesn’t need help there. Well, this would be good for Suna, anyway. But with Shikamaru and Temari tying the knot, did Suna even need an alliance with another Leaf ninja?

Shikamaru and Temari’s kids will be considered one of those leaf ninja.

Right. The council wanted her to have Suna babies, not Konoha ones.

She felt her cheeks warm at that. Maybe she should pull Gaara aside and have a chat with him about this. He didn’t seem to understand the mechanics of how those children would come to be, nor the lifetime responsibility of having one or more of them.

“As long as she forfeits her lineage to Suna.”

Sakura rolled her eyes at that. These men were just arseholes. She chose to stay when Gaara offered that escort to her room again. She was going to make sure they didn’t take advantage of her.

Looking back, it was obvious where things had gotten out of control.

.

Moment of truth.

Oh, right, this is my own damn fault.

Sakura took one last look at the full-length mirror, her heart racing at what Gaara’s reaction might be. She’d never been this dressed up before. And they were about to get married!

“Are you sure about this?” Ino asked, next to her and fixing up the flower in her hair.

Sakura smiled and nodded. “I made a commitment.”

“Yeah, but is this the fantasy marriage you always wanted? You haven’t even been engaged that long. Seems like you’re rushing this.”

Ino was just making sure she wouldn’t regret this, Sakura understood. She walked over to the vanity and picked up the framed picture of herself and Gaara that they’d taken in one of Suna’s photo booths during her last visit there before all hell broke loose. She’d saved up vacation time and spent the entire two months with him instead of lounging on the beaches along the coast of Fire country. Who needed a suntan when she could cuddle Gaara without suspicion?

Sakura pictured her future with Gaara, now that it was on the cards and found she didn’t dislike it. But this was her last chance to call the wedding off and explain the misunderstanding. Gaara had been a consummate gentleman who kept going on about responsibilities and obligations and how he was finally fulfilling them. She’d just acted out of unfounded jealousy and found herself as the most “appropriate” candidate for him. She could confess this… It would be embarrassing and perhaps fracture some trust between the two nations that would end up being on Temari and Shikamaru’s head to fix. It would gut her.

No.

Even if she was wrong and there was no interest for her in Gaara, she would go along with this. He may or may not just think this is a marriage of convenience, even if it had the appearance of simply being arranged. But Sakura had all the time in the world to find a way to make this real. To get Gaara to love her as much as she’d come to love him. And it all began with walking down that aisle looking as beautiful as possible.

She smiled at Ino again, handing over a bouquet of flowers. “Let’s do this.”

She wouldn’t regret this. And the way Gaara’s eyes widened, and his face seemed to come to life the moment she started down the aisle told her he wouldn’t regret it either.

His hand trembled slightly before he gripped hers tightly. He was nervous. That made her smile. Her breath hitched at the genuine smile he gave her in return. They were a team. Friends. And soon to be lovers. They could do this.

They were going to be okay.

[nejibaby]

Gorgeous

Pairings: Neji x Y/N

Song reference/inspiration: Gorgeous by Taylor Swift

Summary: You hate Neji… or do you?

A/N: I didn’t know what came over me please don’t sue 🤣 Please let me know your thoughts, although I couldn’t really reply since this isn’t my main blog... (I just really like reading your comments & reblogs 🥺)

You always thought the gods above adore you because of how lucky you are. For years of being a shinobi, you’re able to go on missions without that certain someone.

Everyone knows that you dislike Neji. Some might even go far and say you hate him. But no one really knew why you hated him with so much passion.

So when you’ve been assigned on a mission with him for the first time, your friends — with the exception of Hinata —immediately know you’d invite them for drinks to get piss drunk and rant about the Hyuga boy.

When you arrive at the bar, you wasted no time ordering drinks and downing them one by one.

“Woah, slow down Y/N!” Sakura says.

“Let her be, Sakura. You know how she gets when Neji is involved,” Ino tells Sakura, “No words are going to stop her, might as well just look over her.”

Sakura gives her a frown then slips in glasses of water in between the drinks you had lined up.

“Ugh, I hate this! Why do I even have to be assigned with him?” You complain.

Ino sighs, “It was bound to happen anyway, with the shortage of shinobis from the back-to-back attacks here in Konoha, and all that. You’ve been lucky you hadn’t been assigned on missions with him for this long.”

You huff. “The gods hate me so much.”

Ino just rolls her eyes at you.

“Why do you hate Neji so much anyway?” Sakura asks.

You take a shot before answering. “Have you heard how he talks? He’s always talking about destinies and fates and how we can’t change them!”

Sakura and Ino look at each other. Then Sakura says, “I don’t know what year you live in, but Neji has changed ever since he met Naruto.”

“—And besides that,” you continue your rant, “He’s such a know-it-all. And he just always has to explain everything to us like we don’t understand anything.”

“I mean he’s really good at analyzing things and breaking them down for us so we can follow the reasoning behind things,” Sakura says in defense of the poor man.

“Shikamaru is just the same but I don’t see you hating on him,” Ino adds.

You pay no mind to their statements, knowing they’re probably right but you weren’t just going to admit that. “—And he always sounds so bossy! Everyone looks up to him and heeds his words. It’s like he has this magnetic field that attracts people and shit. It’s so fucking annoying!”

Ino and Sakura were both about to say something about your statements but no words came out despite them opening their mouths. You squint at them, a contrast to the way their eyes had widened.

“What?” You ask.

“I think we should talk, you’re being a little too loud,” someone behind you says.

You bite the inside of your cheeks, knowing who that voice belongs to. You feel your face getting hot — from the embarrassment or from the alcohol, you weren’t sure. You clear your throat, look behind you and greet, “Neji.” You try to make your voice sound friendly, but you were so used to saying his name laced with venom that it’s just impossible for you to sound amicable.

He’s taken aback by the hostility in your voice. He’s aware of your hatred towards him so he tries not to bother you with his presence but you’re talking too loudly about him that it was becoming uncomfortable to him. Besides, you two are going to go on a mission together, it’s better to resolve things between the two of you right now, or at least before the mission starts.

Neji knows he hasn’t done anything to wrong you and as far as he’s concerned, both of you never talked to each other yet so he wasn’t really sure why you despised him so much, until now, that is.

He holds his hand out for you to help you stand. How gentlemanly, you wanted to sneer but you stopped yourself. Instead, you clench your fists and glare at him.

When you don’t make a move to stand up, he gently grabs a hold of your hand and tugs you towards the exit of the bar. You’re too shocked by the action that you didn’t get to protest. You know damn well Neji avoids physical contact with everyone, except during training, of course.

By the time you’re both out of the bar, you aim a punch at him. But with your drunkenness, you miss. That, and he easily dodged it.

“What are you doing?!” Neji asks, surprised by your action.

“You should think about the consequence of touching my hand.”

His brows furrow, trying to understand you. He doesn’t want to make things worse so he chooses to apologize instead.

You don’t respond, opting to lean back against the wall and cross your arms instead, considering your abrupt movement made your head feel dizzy. You tried not to wince at the pounding of your head. God forbid you’d let him see any weakness in you.

Then you take a look at Neji who seems to have shifted to a more relaxed stance after your unexpected attack. Seeing this, you try to collect yourself as well. Or at least as much as your drunk mind can.

Neji takes your silence as a signal to talk. “We’ve known each other for so long now because we have the same circle of friends, but we never really got to talk to each other until now,” he starts. “I have seen you interact with everyone except me. At first it did not really bother me, but then I found out you hated me. In order to avoid unnecessary arguments or whatsoever, I let you be and kept my distance. I did not understand why, until I heard you talking a while ago—”

There was something unnerving about his lavender eyes staring at you so intently that must’ve made your mind short circuit, so you cut him off and blurt out, “You should take that as a compliment.”

To say that Neji is confused is an understatement. The creases on his forehead deepen at your declaration. “What do you mean?”

You close your eyes and just shrug. Your mind wasn’t cooperating with you so you’d rather just not talk. You keep silent for a whole minute meanwhile Neji waits until you speak again. When the minute passes and he still hasn’t said a word, you ask, “Why don’t you just go back to Tenten or something?”

That sounded wrong.

Frankly, that wasn’t what you plan on saying, but your inebriated mind couldn’t comprehend what you just said and its possible implication.

If other people were to listen to your conversation right now, they would probably assume that you were jealous, or maybe even insecure with Tenten, but Neji was different from other people. Luckily for you, you both share a similar way of thinking. He knows you’re trying to deflect.

“Tenten’s your girlfriend, right?” You couldn’t stop your mouth from blabbering anymore.

“No. She’s a friend.”

This was news to you. You always assumed they were together since they spend a huge amount of time with each other.

“So you’re single?”

“Yes.”

“Ugh, that’s honestly worse,” you thought. Or at least you intended it to be just a thought but you ended up saying it out loud.

Neji doesn’t know if he should be offended by your statement or not. Was it worse because no one’s going to keep him in line? Shouldn’t you be glad no one’s going to suffer the fate of being his girlfriend? Those were definitely something you’d say. But he’s uncertain, so he pushed those thoughts aside, knowing full well you weren’t going to answer him properly if he asked the meaning behind your words.

Since you’re so keen on changing the subject regarding your hatred for him when he’s obviously trying hard to make amends with you, he decides to just drop it and talk to you when you’re completely sober. “Is Kiba going to come get you?”

“Why should he?” It was your turn to furrow your brows.

“You’re drunk and he’s your boyfriend.”

You snort. If he said you were seeing Kiba then you definitely wouldn’t deny it and you’d shut your mouth. You aren’t in a relationship with him, or maybe you are, if friends-with-benefits is considered a relationship. So Kiba is in no way your boyfriend — that label entails commitment and of course, love. However, your setup with Kiba was more of an agreement rather than a commitment and instead of romantic love, there was only love for a friend.

To correct him you say, “He’s not really my boyfriend.”

Neji was never one to assume unless there’s a basis. He knows this about himself. So when you deny your relationship with Kiba, he was skeptical, and a smaller part of him was ashamed that he reached such a conclusion without asking first.

It only goes to show that you both have wrong preconceptions about each other, and that you both have a lot to learn about one another.

“Ah, sorry. I thought—”

“It’s fine,” you wave him off.

Neji’s eye twitches. You cut him off twice now and he doesn’t appreciate it at all. He’s a very patient man and it takes a lot to get a rise out of him or maybe even get a reaction. But you had him shift from being apologetic to confused to ashamed and then to being annoyed in a matter of minutes.

Surely this wasn’t normal, right? What kind of power do you hold that you could make him easily shift moods? For a moment, he considers the possibility of you casting a genjutsu on him but quickly dismisses the thought when he senses that your chakra flow is normal.

You quickly notice his annoyance and you immediately feel bad for your actions. “‘M sorry,” you mumble with a pout, looking down on your feet.

The apology softens the Hyuga boy immediately. He’s never really heard you address him so sincerely and without malice all throughout this conversation, or ever. But he’s seen you do this with your other friends; he’s seen you readily set aside your pride for them. Your friends admittedly claimed that this was one of your traits that makes you so special whenever they tried coaxing him to talk to you and befriend you.

Unexpectedly, Neji smiles. It was truly a rare sight, and it was directed to you. You feel your heart flutter.

“I-I should, uhm, head home,” you internally cringe at the way you stuttered the words.

“What about Ino and Sakura?”

“Ah, I’m pretty sure they’ve gone ahead when I left.”

“And Kiba won’t pick you up?”

“Nope. He’s somewhere doing god knows what.”

Neji gives a contemplative stare.

“Anyway, I think you already know that we won’t be able to talk properly since I’m drunk, so I’ll go now. Let’s talk some other time, I guess. Bye!” You say a little too fast.

“Wait! Let me walk you home.”

You huff. “Do whatever you want.”

Silence follows after that. You’re particularly happy that the walk to your home is quick since you aren’t sure how to act around Neji.

He walks you until the door and you quickly mumble a thanks and shut the door.

As soon as the door is shut, you immediately slump to the floor, dropping your facade along the way.

The fact of the matter is that you don’t hate Neji. It’s quite the opposite actually. You just don’t know how to express your feelings properly.

For a moment you wish you could be like Hinata who’s content at watching Naruto from the sidelines. You, however, instead of feeling content, you’re furious. Because there’s nothing you hate more than what you can’t have. And this is what your face chooses to express whenever Neji is around, which is why you couldn’t blame your friends or other people for that matter when they assumed you hated him. You just went along with them, to save face.

The white lie was furthered by their observation that you don’t talk to him. To your defense, it’s not that you don’t want to talk to him, it’s just that you can’t. Your mind literally goes haywire.

Just like in your conversation earlier. When you first cut him off, and blurted out the first thing on your mind.

You should take that as a compliment.

What your mind wanted to say is: You should take that as a compliment because even when I’m drunk, it’s you I keep on thinking about.

Not to mention how embarrassing it was when you asked if he’s single and thought that that was so much worse than being in a relationship. Because how can he be allowed to be single when he’s just so gorgeous it actually hurts?

You bang your head against the door a couple of times in frustration.

Unbeknownst to you, Neji is still standing on the other side of the door, dumbfounded by how fast you shut it in front of his face. Just as he’s about to walk away, he hears a whack on the door. His mind immediately assumes you got hurt. As he raises his hand to knock on your door, he stills at the sound of your voice.

“Stupid Neji and his stupidly gorgeous face, ruining my life by not being mine.”

[pinkhairedlily]

Chapter 10 - Student Council President Sakura

SCPS AO3 | PREVIOUS CHAPTER

To Sakura, world still revolved normally; nothing changed between them, nothing mattered enough for her to behave differently. To Sasuke, the world shifted in its axis, having revealed a glimpse of his true feelings to her however falsely convenient she deemed them to be; everything changed between them, everything mattered enough for him to behave differently.

Like flinching at her slight grazes on his skin or his ears picking up her voice in the middle of the crowd noises or his eyes following the trail of her rose hair tied up in a ponytail, bewitched by the sway of the strands as she tousled to get to the front of the fray, her fingers burning a hole through his sleeve.

“HOMERUN!” The announcer screamed through the microphone, the feedback running through ripples in the throng of people. “Uzumaki Naruto nails a clutch win in the last inning for his team in their first ever nationals!”

Screams erupted around them, and as others jumped and cursed and hugged each other, she stood there frozen in time, her hands on her mouth. “He won. He won, Sasuke.” Her voice quivered, and he knew then that she was crying.

“Yeah, the blonde idiot won.” He allowed himself to smile, picking the blonde among the ruckus that enfolded below.

An hour and lesser filled stadium after, the two went down to congratulate their friend with open arms despite the sweat and the grit. Sasuke went with the flow, jumping up and down and circling about in the middle of the pitcher’s mound. They broke away from each other’s hold after several minutes, breathless in the undertaking, and flushed with all the gleeful screaming.

Two firm pats on Naruto’s back and a ruffle on his porcupine hair. “You did well, idiot.”

“Ah I earned a compliment from grumpy. This truly is the best day of my life!” His teammates broke in laughter in the background.

“I’m so proud of you. I’m so glad we took the bullet train to watch your game,” Sakura said through tears. Perhaps it was the height of the celebration or the ride of her emotions; she reached for Naruto’s face and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Sasuke turned away just in time, thankful for the screams, hoots, and whistles that possessed the student body. In his aversion, he also saw another face who kept looking anywhere but at the two. Hyuga Hinata, his ironic comrade in heartbreak.

Haru was in the group of spectators earlier, a pseudo-coach and mood-raiser for the team, his undercut prominent against his cap. Sasuke guessed him and Hinata were civil enough to be enclosed in a common space. He walked towards her, hands in his pockets.

“I’m gonna confess to him in the cultural festival,” she told him before he could reach her side.

He leaned against the bleachers, shutting out the continuing noises from the student body. In the midst of it, he can hear Sakura scolding all of them for misunderstanding. “And you’re gonna get rejected.”

“At least I told him what I felt,” she replied. “Did you already?”

He shrugged, unsure himself whether he got the point across or not.

“You better make it clear. You berated me for giving mixed signals after all.”

“You don’t hold your punches, Ms. Hyuga.” Sasuke sighed. “I think she rejected me already.”

Hinata let out a small laugh, the first in his vicinity. “Well, I’m just giving back your advice. If you think it so, you should ask again.”

“A second heartbreak won’t do me good.”

“The future has a lot in store.” She finally landed her gaze on Naruto and Sakura who separated now and were engaged by Haru in some funny exchange. “Good luck to us, Uchiha. I’ll take my leave.”

Sasuke detached himself from the bleachers. “Without saying congratulations?”

But Hinata continued on her exit without giving him a reply. To his surprise, it was not only him who caught her leaving; a pair of blue eyes also followed after her, mouth agape, hesitant to call her name not when he was in the presence of her ex-boyfriend and ex-captain. Ah, we’re all stuck in this complex hell, aren’t we?

His phone vibrated against his pocket. On normal days, he would ignore the call, but today wasn’t normal and he had to act nice for the favor he asked.

“Did your best friend win?” Itachi’s voice greeted him.

Sasuke didn’t correct him on the terminology. He just grunted a small yes, and somehow, he can hear his brother smiling on the other end of the call.

“Glad my donation helped fund their team’s expenses. I take it you also spent some for the bullet train?”

Again, another small yes.

“That’s nice.” It was the first time he heard Itachi chuckle again after the accident. “I’m glad you have friends.”

They’re not my friends fell silent on Sasuke’s lips. All he wanted was to consistently rank first, have uninteresting interactions…but all of those foiled because of the two. “Yeah, something like that.”

He heard the beeping pager in the background. “Gotta run, little brother. See you.”

Little brother. Sasuke swallowed back an unfamiliar sound.

It was a sob.

--------------------------------

Sakura tried to look at anything but him – the titles of books on his shelves behind, the heads of other faculty members bobbing, the ticking of the second hand on the wall clock. Kakashi clucked upon seeing her career sheet.

“Haruno, you’ll be graduating salutatorian, just points away from Uchiha Sasuke and yet you haven’t listed a university or a job listing. It’s referral season, and you’ve done a lot of good in this school.” Kakashi held his eyes steady on her, a firm line on his lips. “Don’t you want help?”

She mustered a smile, if that was what they call it nowadays, and handed him a filled out form. Whether he could see that it was written with wavering hands, she’d never know. “I settled on fashion design. I’ve always wanted to be a seamstress myself.”

That was a lie, and she knew Kakashi knew judging by how the firm line stayed. He briefly nodded and let her go.

Sensing the bubbling anxiety, she traversed the noisy hallways and almost sprinted to what has also become her safe space – the hidden spot of the boys behind the library. It wasn’t lunch time yet so Sasuke and Naruto wouldn’t be here. She slumped against the wall, sobs racking throughout her body.

Aimless was what she would describe her direction, untethered her depth, and a black hole her emotions.

“I wish you would let me help you.” Kakashi’s voice made her jump. She scanned her surroundings but cannot find a telling strand of silver in the hedges. He was probably standing on the entrance, just before the canopy of vines. “I didn’t follow you. I just knew the three of you went here for lunch and after-school chats. I’m a faculty, Sakura.”

“Please go away.” She never heard her voice sounded so small…and vulnerable.

“Sometimes, talking it out would make the burden feel lighter.”

She didn’t respond, and he didn’t wait for it. His audible footsteps were an indication he was moving away so she took the bait. If this was one way to be near him, why couldn’t it be in the guise of her pain?

She emerged in the hedges, eyes bloodshot red and strained, only to find him leaning against the wall, waiting with a handkerchief for her.

In an ironic turn of events, he brought her to the program she initiated. When he turned to leave to give her the privacy she needed, she asked him to stay. And that simple silent gesture gave her the courage to face her reality.

That her parents were divorcing, and in a futile attempt to cope, she made herself scarce, almost invisible.

Perhaps she was too much work for a middle-class couple with a lot of bills and unemployed siblings to feed. Maybe if they didn’t have a child that hindered their defining career opportunities to relocate or get promoted to an overseas position. Her outstanding community work and numerous distinction medals just weren’t strong enough to warrant a reconsideration of their decision.

And maybe it was a wrong move to get a part time job and dissociate from the pink-haired, studious Sakura and be the adult black-haired, funky cashier Sakura because it only gave them the idea she can live just fine on her own without any of them worrying about her instead of seeing the whole thing as a call for help.

“If you’re ready, you should share your problem to the two,” her sensei said when they finished with her therapy consultation.

“They have heavier baggage,” she simply replied.

“They’re not comparable. Naruto has an empty baggage, a kid with no past, yet he drags it around. Sasuke has sand for load, it’s leaking at the seams but he refills it. And for you, it could be air or water. It’s because you’re compressing them all inside that they become heavier.” He laid a hand on her head, an action of a sensei to a student. “Thanks for sharing some of those with me, Sakura.”

--------------------------------

Cultural festival was an amalgamation of confessions, last clinchers, and stolen moments. Whoever snatched a dance with someone they liked would be blessed with good relationship – that was how the saying went among the ranks of students.

It was the reason why Sasuke and Naruto hid throughout the day in their spot, content to eat instant ramen, batches of onigiri, and packs of orange and tomato juices. Throngs of freshmen and second years were on the hunt for their feet as dance partner.

“If only they knew I have two left feet,” Naruto grumbled. “I can’t even enjoy the day with Sakura. It’s pathetic to think I’m stuck with you.”

“I second,” Sasuke said. “Do you think she’ll confess to Kakashi later?”

“She hasn’t made a move yet?”

Sasuke shook his head.

“Wait what do you mean you second?”

Minutes of silence ensued. Sasuke put a whole onigiri in his mouth, too flustered to say it right at his face. “I like Sakura.” The words were jumbled with his chewing, and he was sure Naruto didn’t catch it.

But the idiot grinned and laughed maniacally. “The great pretender finally admits! When did you realize it? Did you have the fireworks in your head too?” He even mimicked a rainbow with his hands.

“That’s a rainbow, you idiot.” Sasuke scratched the back of his head. “When she was busy looking at Kakashi playing the piano.”

“Ah, will we ever have the chance?” Naruto snickered. “Let’s confess tonight, grumpy.”

“Already thought of that and already prepared for it.” Despite the seemingly downfall trajectory of their common affections, Sasuke still managed a smirk.

Not to be one-upped, Naruto pulled out his phone and flashed a small bouquet of dahlias. “Ready to be picked up tonight.”

A Greek tragedy, that was them; two best friends falling in love with and being rejected by the same girl.

--------------------------------

Majority of the school population have gathered around the giant bonfire on the campus grounds, but Sakura knew Kakashi would be stuck in his cubicle in the faculty lounge, nose-deep in a novel, headphones in to drown out the noise, and feet propped up on his desk.

Tonight was the night she would bare her other truth naked to him.

But before she could even step foot in his space, she already heard the voice of his favorite book drifting across the nooks and partitions.

“You should be with your students.” Giggling and a sound she would only assume was a string of kisses.

“I don’t have much time with you. Let me be greedy just this time.” Hearing her sensei say that painted him in another light. So there was this very attached Kakashi, far from the laidback and chill professor she knew.

Sakura should turn her heels and join the rest of the student body. She should act like a good student model, ignore her teacher’s affairs, and pretend she was never here. Except she tripped while running, and that summoned the two of them to her aid.

“Sakura? Did you need something?”

She side-eyed Rin Nohara and shook her head, her one only good chance blown to bits by her own recklessness and stupidity. She muttered an apology and starts to walk away with limping feet when Rin stopped her.

“I’ll get a drink in the vending machine. I’ll be back in five minutes Kashi.”

Thank God for women intuition, Sakura thought.

But inevitably she was left alone in the corridor with her heartbeat far stronger than the noise of the band outside around the campfire and the unknowing subject of her admiration. She held tightly to his rubber tie around her wrist, the mark etched deeper by each day she leaves it there mangled with her pulse.

He crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, a smile etched on his face, the soft moonlight falling on his features only to highlight his beauty mark. It was unfair seeing him like this only to have him break her heart.

She knew she didn’t stand a chance, but even then, she had to hear it clear and loud.

“I like you.”

Were three words ever enough to encapsulate the three years of affection she held for him? One word for each year she felt content with glimpses of him, may they only be passing shadows in the halls, an echoing voice in the adjacent room, the silent arbiter in council meetings or a silver strand she could easily pick out in a sea of black of white.

Kakashi looked at her, his smile still etched, his face still immaculate. “That wasn’t a question.”

“And that wasn’t a reply.” It was nature to look away when one was too scared to face truth, but for the many times he helped her, even without him fully realizing the extent, she owed it to him to be brave.

“But you already know the words.” A head pat, the same gesture that gave her comfort in the past was the same gesture that broke her heart just now. How easy it was for the breaker to give and take minute and mindless affections, but what right did she has to think they were special to begin with?

It was the end of an illusory conception.

--------------------------------

A bouquet of dahlias and a bouquet of daffodils were hidden behind Naruto and Sasuke. It was dark, already past seven, the bonfire in its final vestiges, its sputtering flames waiting for last-minute lovers to dance in their splendid light.

Within the shadows came the girl of their dreams, hair untangled and morose emerald irises dipped in pools. Sasuke first noticed the bare wrist, the rubber tie gone, and he knew then that she confessed, and she was heartbroken.

He didn’t need to say anything to the blonde beside him. Her stance was enough to convey her present state of being. What she needed right now were her friends, not aspiring lovers stupid enough to break the friendship label.

And so they hid the bouquets on their backs, safe in the clutches of the dark, and when she reached out to them, their free hands already grasped her trembling fingers in waiting.

There they were, three broken-hearted people, wallowing in their own respective pain, sitting on the dewy grass that would leave stains on their clothes the next morning. When the school band started the last song, Sasuke stood up, abandoning his bouquet on the side, and pulled the other two up.

“Would be a shame to end our last cultural festival like this.”

Ten steps later, they were in the middle of the crowd of couples, three awkward friends holding each other’s hands and stepping on each other’s foot.

“For the love of God, you really can’t dance Naruto. Can’t you do a simple turn to the right?” Sasuke complained.

“Why are you putting all the blame on me? You’re the one who can’t differentiate the right from left!” Naruto spat back.

She laughed, and it somehow stopped their bickering for a moment. Bent at her stomach and eyes clinched shut in crinkles, that was their Sakura.

AO3 LINK | NEXT CHAPTER | CHAPTER 11

[chattegeorgiana]

You keep insisting that the ending Naruto pairings are the reason Boruto's sales are nowhere near as great as Naruto's, yet how come Boruto Naruto the Movie has brought in far more income than both RTN and The last combined? The Boruto Movie has gained almost 40.000.000$ while The Last only 20.000.000$ and RTN only around 17.000.000$. The reasons boruto is not as popular as naruto was is because the plot sucks, the anime has too many garbage fillers, the artstyle in the manga sucks, the new gen characters suck, and the manga wasn't even written by Kishimoto until recently. It has nothing to do with pairings. Hell, if NS became canon, people would've hated it even more, considering how hated Sakura was, and you even admitted she is the most hated character. And you also contradict yourself. First you say she's the most hated, then you say SP missed a marketing opportunity with her... like girl make up your mind? She's the most hated character in the franchize, in a poll she was chosen as the most hated by both male and female, even Kishimoto went out of his way to say girls came at him and said how much they despised Sakura, most people don't give a shit about her, using her as marketing strategy would've done more harm than good. She's even more hated in Japan and other Asian fandoms than she is in the western fandom, and that already says a lot! You're really arrogant to assume that the "silent majority" you speak of are all NaruSaku fans. I guarantee you it isn't. In fact, most people don't even care about ships that much. NaruSakus, you along with the SNS fans, SS fans, NH fans are part of the vocal minority that has nothing better to do than bitch about ships all day long.

But did I ever say that they were THE ONLY reason they are bad? They are an integral part of it yes, but not the only one.

Just because you saw some asks of mine here on Tumblr, you just throw these things around, like this is the only place I talk about the story of Naruto and this is the only aspect I do.

Yes, here on Tumblr I might do it through the virtue of the asks I receive, but that doesn't mean it's the only space I address these matters.

I have other social media channels as well where I discuss other aspects as well. Ya know, how like Boruto is nothing more than a tweaked "cooler" wanna-be version of Naruto, with no real substance whatsoever, a story that doesn't truly leaves a message behind, a morale, with characters that are the shells of their former selves or mechanics that are skewed and "free of" any logic.

But sure, make it as if that's the only aspect I talk about if that makes you sleep well at night.

As for the reason Boruto made so much? Well, I'll tell you why: because it had NaruSasu. Because they knew they messed-up with The Last, so they did the next best thing they could to try and keep the fanbase engaged.

Focused on the biggest portion of the fanbase that gathered around both shippers and non shippers by the virtue of focusing on Sasuke and Naruto and their offsprings. You know why? Because this way they catered to two human emotions: familiarity/comfort & curiosity.

Aka familiarity via having NaruSasu and curiosity to see the new gen kids.

Which yes, had momentum and seemed to have a perfect recipe: no focus on the ships that initially brought he whole mess (Sakura and Hinata were close to non-existent in that movie), and "repaying" the fanbase that was initially pissed at the fact that people thought this was gonna be a T7 movie because of the heavy Kakashi and Ssuke advertisement when they were there to be found for onlyyy few seconds, lol.

But you see, in the test of time, Boruto failed because of the aforementioned reasons.

You say that people would've hated the ending if NS would've been canon, yet curiously enough the number of people that are even non shippers and agree to the idea that NS should've been canon has been increasing over the years. Which in a really curious way was surprising to me too as an NS fan that returned to the fandom after so long.

So you see, I am not sure exactly about that aspect there. Not to mention, since when does a story has to do what the fanbase dictates it? The story should follow its course and intended narration and that's that.

Yes, Sakura was hated, but that's not a reason to not have Naruto end-up with her because within the story mechanics we had many proofs that indicated that they should've ended together, regardless of how people felt about them.

Kishimoto didn't say girls came at him, he said girls sent him letters, which are two different things, because to his face no one truly said that, minus the editors who kept pushing Hinata forward and their bias as well.

Lol at you saying that using her as a marketing strategy would've done more harm than good when she's the only female character being marketed right now via figurines and all those other things.

So reality seems to be contradicting you a bit on that side.

Not to mention, you say that she's the most hated even in Asia and Japan? LOL, where did u even take out these lies?

The hate phenomena has always been a western fandom thing, not an Asian/Eastern fandom one.

You say that the pairings ripped with Sasuke and Naruto as well (funny how NaruSaku isn't dead even after years of being supposedly dead tho), for a character that should've been hated??

This whole hate thing was always a western fandom mirage, sadly, but in Japan and Asia she's always been loved. Like where did u even pull out that information from?

Also what I always said about a NaruSaku ending was that they could've taken a RTN route where they could've had ALL the pairings shown within a parallel universe, but sure, nice way to twist my words and make it like "I can't decide".

There are slight nuance differences which you either purposely not address or you don't know how to do the difference. The truth in this case only you know it.

But stop trying to act that high and mighty coming here on anon making it seem like ooh, I contradict myself and spread nonsense, just because you read a faction of all the ideas I discuss over my social media.

And now to address the silent majority argument. I never said silent majority are ONLY NaruSaku fans. That's what you assumed. Silent majority included NaruSaku fans yes, but also other fans who ya know, have some common sense within them and see how the story has been butchered for the sake of poorly treating a certain aspect of Naruto, which was the romantic one.

Which btw, you say that it wasn't a big deal, yet it was the no. plot included within the story, being presented as early as chapter 3, because chapter 1 and 2 revolved around Naruto wanting to become Hokage for people to acknowledge him and create bonds.

You say that the pairings aren't such a big deal in the fandom, yet guess what, SJ and SP directed a movie on that specific subject. Makes you wonder why now, doesn't it?

And it's a normal aspect to care about if you think about it for a manga that has been focused on BONDS. The romantic plot gets weaved in within the one about bonds really easily, because at the core of it it's about relationships.

And this whole world that we live it it's a relationship: between the body and the spirit, between then heaven and the earth, between friends, between relatives. EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD HAS A RELATIONSHIP BASIS: atom interacts with atom and here we are, living, breathing beings.

But sure, come to me and paint me in this way you're trying as if talking about relationships and their quality is a bad thing.

Mhmm.

Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

You're free to have your opinion, sure.

I just happen to not agree with it.

And that's that.

Have a good day or night or whatever.

[fourangers]

Hi Fourangers,

First of all, I love your blog so much. It's like going through a history back when Naruto Manga chapters were released weekly and your reviews were so Golden, Hilarious and spot-on. Am a new fan though (especially an SNS fan), I just got into this fandom only this year. I don't know if you'll answer my ask, but I just wanted to try and ask you few questions and I pray that you might answer me....

1. Since you've written in a post that you were active in the eastern part of the fandom, How was chapter 698 received in Japan? Because this is the chapter I inherently realized they both love each other. Yeah, I was too late but somehow whenever they interact with each other in previous chapters I always find them to be 'Weird' for just to be friends. Chapter 698 is just blatantly obvious that they love each other. Considering Homophobia and Shounen genre, I have no idea how it was perceived over there back then in 2014.

2. Which scene made you to ship SNS?

3. As an SNS'er how do you feel about the ending, where everyone was married off when they were just 19 just to make some shitty sequel??? As a new fan, I felt betrayed and It would've been perfect if they had stopped at chapter 699, leaving an open ending.

4. How do you face with the accusation about Naruto and Sasuke as brothers and we, SNS'ers are Incest shippers??? I don't care about that Indra and Ashura thing. But Naruto himself told he considers Sasuke as his Brother couple of times. And in Chapter 699, Sasuke acknowledged, 'He finally understood what it meant'.... It's the only thing that confuses me and I don't even have an answer!!! Plus, Kishi himself gave an interview that he based Sasuke on his Brother... I really wonder how he gave such an interview when he literally made them wear necklaces with each other's faces.

5. How was Naruto and Sasuke's sexuality perceived in the fandom back then??? Man!! Kishimoto just made lot of comic reliefs on their sexuality by making Sasuke on Sai jutsu, Naruto not interested in Icha Icha but making Reverse Harem no Jutsu, Naruto was angry when Konohamaru made Boy on Boy jutsu whereas he had no problem with him doing it. LOL. And all those homoerotic posters. What do you think about their sexuality, personally??

6. Why did Kishi had to develop their bond as Soulmates with some unintentional or intentional romantic undertones, if he was eventually going to pair them up with girls??? He easily could've gave many such romantic tropes to other girls and keep the bond between N and S as purely friendship or brothers. It still would've made sense.

7. Final one, Was Naruto really Nosebleeding when Kurama made a joke about Sasuke's kiss in Chapter 572???? We had a lot of heated discussion with other shippers where they claim that it was just a splotch of snot.

Sorry for the lengthy ask....... I am so eager to know your answers and I don't want to spam your ask box by sending multiple asks.

Thanks 😊😊😊

Hey yo! Welcome new SNS fan! I'm so glad that you joined us and I'll try to answer as best as I can. I'm not very active here on tumblr (except browsing lol) but your ask was such a delight to read.

1. I honestly don't remember. I think I didn't follow the japanese boards until the eventual 699-700 disaster. People were craving for reactions and I was curious about it too lol. And well...it's been years, I doubt I'll be able to find the reactions from that time. Imo, most readers don't care much about pairings, they just wanted to read about power-ups and abilities and the basic Naruto Vs Sasuke. Though there are some backhanded jokes about how gay Naruto is for Sasuke.

2. Hah. It's going to be very anti-climatic but it was when Naruto and Sakura were eating in Ichiraku Ramen. Naruto just used Rasenshuriken against Kakuzu and he busted his arm. Sakura was healing his arm and her attention was focused on Naruto. I used to be a NaruSaku shipper so I thought "Oh hey! This is the moment that Naruto would have a candid romantic moment!" But nope. He talked about Sasuke. And I was already getting suspicious about Sasuke's feelings towards Naruto ya know? And the whole "SASUKE IS MIINEEEEEE" in Orochimaru's lair. It was that moment I thought "you only have Sasuke in your head don't you, Naruto?" and started shipping SNS.

3. Hooo boy was I surprised when it was suddenly revealed that they had the basic heteronormative, boring marriage with bunch of clones of themselves. Everyone thought that it was almost like a bad fanfiction come true and some thought that it was fake. It was a pandemonium lolololol. I also thought that it was too lame to be true and lo and behold, when it came true I was floored. And then whenever Kishimoto threw new material, I got insanely pissed off because S*arada and B*ruto becoming pairing material is ok because they are a girl and a boy, and then they paralleled with Naruto and Sasuke which are only FRIENDS because they are both men. ARGH. Open ending was what Kishimoto planned from the very beginning but wrote a sequel to earn more money.

In that aspect, I made peace with it because of the whole anime/manga industry. I learned that, as a mangaka, you don't earn a lot of money with selling books, but rather with merchandise and profiting with sales right. And that guy have a family to raise, have two kids (which is hilarious about how B*ruto movie is his self-insert story), he needs a steady income. Also, I read reports about how anime studios are so poor and animators don't receive a decent income not to mention they are overstaffed and tired, and B*ruto is a good money cow for them to earn money so they can invest later on other anime they have more passion about it. So even though I hate this story with a strength of thousands suns, they are putting meal on people's tables and making them pay rents. I'm ok.

4. Lemme roll my eyes because in the Last movie they said that Hinata is related to Kaguya and so is the Uzumaki and Uchiha clan so they are all related woo hoo. But in the aspect of brothers because reincarnations bla bla bla, didn't Naruto himself said that he's no longer that brother, he's himself? Hmm...I gotta re-read it. One day. Maybe. lol. But I'm sure that he said "Sasuke is not my brother but I'm sure we'll understand well as friends" so there. Honestly, there are a lot of interviews out there and a lot of them are fake, so I'd always take the interviews with a grain of salt lololol. I do know from artbooks that Kishimoto wanted to create Sasuke as a rival-esque character and that was it. As he was developing Sasuke and Naruto's relationship, since he liked the whole yin-yang concept, whenever he wrote Naruto's story, Sasuke's was developed at the same time as his shadow.

5. I can tell from Naruto Forums (I used to participate back in that day) MOST of the non-shippers thought it was gay as hell, but you know...it was a relic of that time. While they thought it was gay, they didn't put too much thought about you know? Because it was shounen, and we knew that it was a joke that it couldn't be taken seriously. Of course, in the SNS fandom, we did make more analysis and there were a lot of instance when Naruto and Sasuke's sexuality was questioned. Some other non-shippers also thought that Naruto was totes gay for Sasuke (including a IRL friend).

Imo, Naruto is definitely bisexual in my view. Sasuke I think he's asexual or gay. He's attracted to Naruto, but mostly because of his connection to him, not because of his physical attributes, so yeah...asexual. Or Pansexual. Sasuke is more complicated lmao. Imo, Naruto could be pansexual too, come to think about it. Yeah, I guess both being pansexual can be valid.

6. He developed Naruto and Sasuke being soulmates from the very beginning, that was proven in his comments in artbooks and in the manga. He probably created with the intention of making it purely platonic, going beyond physical ties. Then he shot himself on the foot by drawing Naruto thinking about Sasuke on bed, talking about how Sasuke is cool, meanwhile Sasuke waxing poetic about how Naruto saved him. What gives? Lol. Yeah, I think he got too enamored writing their relationship that he didn't have time to write romantic ones. What I noticed that Sakura's popularity never was really high, so I could see some editors putting their fingers all over it and making her less relevant. Also, Kishimoto didn't know how to handle her, so when she got her time to shine was the whole fake confession disaster. Coupled with Kishimoto sexism and, in his words (Kurenai's flashback), women are useful to spout more babies, women was never really relevant in his story, unfortunately. Even Kaguya who was technically the big bad boss, was never really fleshed out in comparison to Madara. So the null het romantic moments it's not because he wanted to elevate SNS moments, it's more about how he's incompetent about it. It's either Hinata slowly elevating to a relevant status because forced interaction (Pain's sacrifice and Neji's death) or Sakura being obligated to be pining over Sasuke because she's a girl. It's even more painful to see that, if we ignore B*ruto, both girls are shown to be just talking with their kids and dusting shelves, basically being housewives, even though thorough the story (especially Sakura) it was implied that both of them have much more potential than being their husband accessories.

7. It was a splotch of snot. I can confirm myself lol. Whenever the chapter is out and fans would scan it to scanlate it, the editor usually would amp up contrast to max. So usually the lines get much more thicker than usual, when you read the official release which gets straight from the source, you can notice how the lines are more delicate.

Oh lol...but then we also have a lot of controversy about translating style. THAT one is a whole new can of worms to open.

Man I had fun answering your questions! Please send more :P

[bunny-hoodlum]

Post post post *-* i miss your writings <\\3

Thank you for the love, Anon! I apologize for answering this now, I was still waffling over this decision. 😣 But here's what I got so far! ✨

Continuation of Foster Sib AU:

He wasn't the first child.

Somehow he had expected to be.

A girl his age, age five, and her older cousin had already been living here for a year now.

They had family, they were just… deemed unfit.

Maybe they'll take them back, when they get their act together. He doesn't know. He only knows he doesn't have the luxury of hope that they do.

Nobody was coming back to get him.

And he had nowhere to go back to.

The foster lady with the ruby red eyes showed him his room.

~~~

At first, Naruto thought Hinata and Neji were close, so much so that no one could ever be closer.

Then he thought it was their defense mechanism to keep others out.

Hinata was nice enough, but she never strayed far from Neji.

That was because he never let her.

She wasn't just fiercely loyal to him. She was scared of him.

He tried to get Neji in trouble. Kurenai-obachan needed to know. But Hinata stopped him. She told him not to split them apart. That she didn't mind Neji bossing her around. She would never be okay if she didn't know where her cousin was.

So he tried. But it was hard. He still picked fights with Neji.

That didn't make Hinata happier, either.

He still thinks it's Neji's fault when she finally breaks down, telling them both off before running to her room.

He runs after her, but she won't let him in.

He goes to his room and talks to her through his wall. He has to press himself flat against it, straining to hear any sound.

Could she hear him, too?

"I'll leave Neji alone, okay?" It's a bitter promise, because it makes him feel like he's surrendered when he did nothing wrong. But part of him also feels tired of this pattern day in and day out. He'd rather spend his time better. And then he has a thought. "Hinata… can I bug you instead?"

He hates being alone.

Fighting at least gives those a reason to interact with him. So when he gives up that, what is he left with?

It's faint, but he heard her.

"Sure," she said.

~~~

Growing up, they got in trouble for staying up late and talking too loud.

That's because Hinata was all Neji's for a good part of the day, while he was left to fend for his own entertainment.

He got the idea to drill a hole into their bedroom wall so that way they could easily whisper and not get caught.

That was one of his first thrills: vandalism.

"I think you mean 'home improvement'," Hinata giggled.

He had to process that.

He never realized until then that he still hadn't considered this his home.

Yes. This was home.

~~~

Girls at school always cupped their ears when they were eavesdropping. They cup their mouths when they're telling secrets or bad-mouthing others.

Hinata cups her ear around the hole in their wall when he's telling her stories. And she cups her mouth when she's telling him hers.

Her ears are sensitive, so he tries to watch his volume. He forgets himself when he gets excitable.

Her breath tickles and teases a memory from his brain, one that fills him with both sadness and relief.

When he tries to sleep, he searches for the root of this feeling.

The next day on television, there's a mother murmuring her baby to sleep.

He adopts that image as his own forgotten memory.

And the following night, Hinata's soothing whispers confirm that he had a mother once, and she sang him to sleep.

~~~

Hinata's a wimp.

He loves the girl, but at school she is a gosh damn trouble magnet.

He jumps in front of her bullies, fists blazing, and he loses.

A lot.

But he gets to pick fights again. He gets to be cool from time to time. And when he gets better, he becomes the best. He gets a reputation!

By the time they reach fifth grade, he doesn't even have to raise a fist.

A well-aimed death glare is enough.

When Neji's graduation forces the two cousins apart for the first time in their lives, the older Hyuuga undergoes a personality shift.

He expresses legitimate concern for Hinata.

They're both standing on the empty landing just outside of their elementary's gymnasium where the remainder of the proceedings were taking place. Neji's stare, heavy with expectations and ultimatum, bore down on his little shoulders.

"You do realize you're the only one I can ask."

"Yeah, don't worry. I got this!" Naruto flashed his patent overconfident grin, and this time not a hint of condescension passed across Neji's face.

His heart thumped wildly when he and Neji returned to the gymnasium, with Neji returning to his position amongst the other students in the center of the room. Family members lined up against the walls in foldable metal chairs.

When Naruto took his seat, he stole a glance at Hinata on the other side of Kurenai-obasan. Her gentle profile seemed to unlock something inside of him. Waves upon waves of warmth filled his body, pulling him in deeper into a languid pool of contentment.

He would be her protector from now on.

He would be her brother.

~~~

He never noticed how their paths lead each other further and further apart.

Their daily routines had remained the same.

Aside from a few exciting developments.

Like Kurenai reconnecting with a childhood friend. The man was a Marine and a chainsmoker, but he seemed cool.

Or how Naruto happened to find a collection of discarded skin mags behind the pool storage room at school. They now resided safely beneath his bed.

There was also the neighborhood shrimp squad of grade-schoolers who loved to call him 'Boss' whenever he came over to play.

Or that time he was hanging out with Sasuke, and unusually the stoic lad had insulted a group of delinquents before he did at the local arcade.

Sasuke may have taken out four guys by the time Naruto took out one, but he still got the win.

But way, way before all of that something had really surprised him: Hinata becoming Deputy Class Rep to their own Haruno Sakura.

She was volunteered for the position based on her equally outstanding grades. Or, at least that's what they had believed.

Over time, it became apparent that they had volunteered Hinata to be Sakura's foil. Hinata was considerate and much more approachable. If the students wanted something, they went straight to Hinata first.

But then her unchanged nature became more detectable.

Like he's said before, Hinata's a wimp.

She crumbles at the slightest disapproval.

She implodes when she's convinced she could do better. When she thinks she's failing.

So halfway through their first year, she started to get abused. Girls and boys alike tried to strongarm her into making their lives 'better'. Making her fetch their lunches and dumping cleaning duty on her every day.

Somehow Sakura never noticed. He tried to tell her, but she didn't take him seriously. He tried to tell the teachers, but they acted like he had no evidence.

Liars! They just didn't want to get involved! What good are teachers if they don't help their students?!

The following exams were posted outside the classroom.

Sakura was number two, just below Ino. They were always competing for the top. Hinata was number three. Always number three. And he was dead last.

Hinata could rise to the top, but she never tries.

He always tries, but he can never seem to rise.

He realized then that he hasn't been doing enough as her brother.

Compared to her, he has no future, no potential. It wouldn't be a waste if he took on her burdens.

He can take abuse, because during those first five years at a state-run orphanage, abuse was all he knew.

The following day, he took Hinata's place as the class slave. He fetched their lunches, got them drinks whenever they asked. The only thing they never asked him to do was their homework. Because… yeah.

Nobody knew they lived together.

If they did, well, he might've been forced to copy Hinata's assignments all the same.

He never noticed how their paths lead them apart, how their daily routines boxed them into two different social spheres never to overlap.

He was still her brother. Her protector.

But by high school, he'd also become the embodiment of trouble itself.

And he couldn't let that stuff disrupt her life.

~~~

He might've been a loser at school, but he made damn sure he was a winner in every other aspect.

Sasuke helped him learn to pick up girls and win street brawls.

Naruto got into the weightlifting club during their last year of middle school, his newly developed physique causing an interesting ripple effect amongst the student body. Hinata's former bullies became too intimidated to take advantage of him anymore, so they moved onto their underclassmen instead. The glances that were usually aimed Sasuke's way were starting to come his way now, and two martial arts captains from different high schools were vying for his recruitment.

Everybody was beginning to forget the dead last he used to be.

~~~

Naruto stood outside Ero-sensei's apartment door, envelope in hand. The door opened, revealing the ruddy face of a day-drinking Jiraiya and his smarmy grin.

Naruto presented the envelope with a proud smirk before letting himself inside.

Taking his shoes off in the genkan, he paused. There was another pair of shoes here, black leather boots with the stiletto heel. Naruto cleared his nerves from his throat and joined Jiraiya in the living room, sitting himself down by the low table. He held the envelope close to his stomach as he took in the sounds of someone working in the kitchen.

He didn't expect her to be here today.

A curvacious woman with wax white skin, facial piercings, and a crop of blue hair emerged with a tray of tea and set it down. She had a Geisha-like smile, immaculate and composed.

"You must be working hard, Uzumaki," Konan said. "Weren't you here three weeks ago with the last one?"

[babybottlepop96]

Someone to Love (Sai x Shikamaru) 18+ Only

Warning: Smut, minors DNI, cheating, breakups, getting drunk, I think that’s it?

A/n: I just really had this idea in my head and ShikaSai is like a rare pair that I really enjoy. So here you go.

“Sai, what do you mean by ‘You're not interested anymore?’” Ino asked her husband of the last four years, the father to her child, the man she had fallen for when they were teenagers. He simply looked at her, sitting in their shared bed, hair a mess, eyes turning red with all the tears she refused to let fall. He knew this would be hard, he knew this would hurt her so badly, but during the last few years he had grown more as an emotional person. Realizing that he simply didn’t love her as he thought he did. He tried, he really did. The learning experience he gained from his readings and interactions and watching his friends who acted truly in love with their partners or spouse had been nothing but hard for him as well. Seeing how Naruto and Hinata looked at each other, how TenTen and Shino shared soft touches when out on a date, even how Kiba and his partner would play with Akamaru and have a great time. He came to the understanding that he didn’t get those feelings when he was his wife. He realized he never actually did, it was a facade, an illusion he created to feel more human, to fit in with normal society. He wanted to feel that way, he tried everything in his power to feel the love and passion in his relationship with Ino. To put the same energy into this like Ino has done.

“I mean, I don’t love you the same way you love me, Ino.” He sighed as he looked at the floor, wishing he didn’t have to do this. 

“After all these years? After all we have been through together? What about Inojin?” She asked, her heart breaking with every passing second he sat there, feeling further and further away from the man she married.

“Ino, I can’t keep pretending that I’m in love with you. Maybe I was at one point in time, but I can’t be certain. I also can’t let us still be a thing just for the sake of it, that's not fair to you, me or our son. You deserve someone who can make your world brighter, who can give you the same love and energy you give. I’m just not capable of it, I’ve tried. God, I tried. I tried so hard to give you what you rightly deserve from a husband. But, I can’t. I just can’t. I’m sorry.” Sai spoke, voice cracking slightly due to the emotional state he was also putting himself through. “I’ll still be a part of Inojin’s life. He is still my son, I’ll still be a part of your life as a friend, if you still want me to. But I think, this is what we have to do, if we ever want to be truly happy.” He looked at her this time, her bed head shaking softly and eyes shut trying to suppress any loud sobs from escaping, fear of waking up her sleeping child a few doors down.

“I understand, Sai.” She said, voice barely above a whisper, scratchy from being woken up in the early hours of the morning and the force she had to use to keep herself from fully breaking down in the moment. She understood his point, in fact, she thinks it was the bravest, kindest thing she ever heard, but that doesn’t make the fact that he was leaving her hurt any less. She loved the clueless man with all her heart. She wanted him to stay, but agreed to the unfairness and selfishness that would be if she asked him to stay. No more words were said as Sai stood, grabbing a bag to stuff some clothes and other necessities in. No words were spoken as Sai exited their once shared bedroom to stroll a few doors down to their son’s room. Sneaking in and giving his son a kiss to the forehead. A silent goodbye for now. And not  noise was made as Sai removed himself from the only actual home he had ever known. Leaving behind the shattered heart of his once lover. 

‘I’m doing this for all of us.’ He thought to himself as strolled through the empty streets of Konoha, heading to the inn on the other side of the village. After purchasing a room for a few nights, Sai decided he needed to stop thinking for a bit. Deciding to stop by the bar he passed by earlier, he needs to drown out the events of the last couple hours. Sitting at the bar, he ordered a glass of their strongest liquor.

~~~

“What the actual fuck, Temari?!” Shikamaru spoke loudly outside his home, his wife standing there, eyes wide and red from crying. Shikamaru had a lit cigarette hanging between his lips, hand running through his hair, loosening the neat ponytail he always wore. 

“I’m sorry Shika!” She spoke, voice cracking every other syllable. 

“You're sorry?! How long has this been going on?!” He spoke, trying to keep his own tears at bay.

“A few months.” She spoke honestly, voice quiet as she looked at the grass beneath her bare feet, wrapping her robe around her frame tighter to keep the chilly night air from nipping at the bare skin.

“A few months.” He spoke to himself in disbelief. 

“You're never home anymore! Shikadai keeps asking where his daddy is and I have to keep explaining to him that you're at work! He wants his daddy! I wanted my husband! But your always fucking working!” She cried, body physically shaking with anger and grief. 

“So you thought it would be better to cheat on me instead of just telling me all this?! I have to work to provide for us! I’m the hokage’s right hand man! My job takes up a lot of my time! You knew this before we even got together, Temari!” He took another long drag from his cigarette, pacing in his yard. Temari didn’t say another word as the two stood in the tension filled air, the weight of everything settling in like a four hundred pound weight on their shoulders. “Did nothing in our years together mean nothing?” He whispered.

“Of course it did! Shika, I love you! I love you so much!”

“Then what is the real reason you cheated?” He looked her straight in the eyes, wanting the honest, unfiltered answer.

“I needed someone to satisfy me, touch me, give to me the needs a woman wants from her husband.” She spoke harshly. He knew what she meant, she wanted to have someone who could be there for her, to be there touch her with soft caresses and gentle kisses. Something he barely did anymore due to the amount of work he had to do. He understood what she meant.

“But you didn’t have to go behind my back and betray my trust, Temari.” He turned around and left. He couldn’t be there right now, his heart cracking with every step he took away from his home. Walking past a bar, Shikamaru thought he deserved some drinks, drowning out the numb feeling that took over his body. As Shikamaru drank, a familiar face appeared a few seats down. Face looking just as sorrowful as his own probably looked. “Hey, Sai.”

Sai turned to look at Shikamaru, “Oh, Hello Shikamaru.” He faked a smile at his wife’s… ex-wife’s teammate. “What brings you here?” He asked, making his way to his friend after his drink was placed in his hands. 

“Wife cheated on me, so I came here to drown out my sorrows with some good ol’ fashion painkiller.” Shikamaru chuckled darkly. “You?” He asked, taking a sip from his own glass.

“I broke things off with Ino, couldn’t let either of us stay in the relationship if it was only one sided.”

“She cheated?”

“No, I just came to learn that I don’t reciprocate the same feelings she does.”

“That sucks, I’m sorry man”

“Don’t be, I’m sorry about your situation as well. From what I read, cheating isn’t a good thing.” Sai sipped his drink. Shikamaru chuckled slightly at his friend, still the same Sai he met years ago. But he was older, more mature, better at understanding feelings. He grew into a handsome young man. The two drank more together, little by little, the two began to forget about their home troubles as more and more alcohol filled their systems. By the time the bar closed, both men were hammered, drunk off their asses as they stumbled against each other down the dirt streets of Konoha. “D-do you have a p-place to sleeeeeeeeeep?” A very drunk Sai asked and equally drunk Shikamaru.

“Oooooh fuuuuuuck. N-no!” Both men laughed holding onto each other for support. 

“Come back to my room th-then.” Sai smiled and Shikamaru nodded quickly. Both men finally got to the room Sai had rented, both falling backwards onto the soft bed, sinking against it slowly. “I...I wish I could find someone like you Shika. I.. I mean… You’re a hardworking person. Like… like you're just so pretty too. Like a duck. Ducks are pretty SHikamaru.” Shikamaru couldn’t help but laugh.

“I wish I could find someone like you too. Don’t expect to be constantly followed around like a lost puppy. You...you are also pretty. But like… like a um.. What are those things with feathers? The things with two legs?”

“A peacock?”

“No.. no.. It’s.. it's like a cow… but not a cow.”

“Penguin?”

“YES! THAT!” The two burst into fits of giggles. After they calmed down, they just stared at each other, eyes locking intensely to each other. Neither moved nor said a word. 

Suddenly, lips collided and hands grabbed at anything and everything they could find. Hair, limbs, the bedsheets. It was the most intoxicating thing either have experienced in so long. They felt electricity coursing through their veins that were once filled with grief and sorrow. Every touch sent heat compared to a fire everywhere they went. Clothes were discarded and thrown around the room, neither caring where they went or if they would be able to find them later. Sai was lying on top, forearms resting on either side of Shikamaru’s head. The man underneath had his hands in the other’s hair, slightly tugging to bring him closer. One of Sai’s hands slid down Shikamaru’s body, tracing and outlining every muscle until it came to the organ that needed the most attention.

His hand firmly gripped Shamaru’s cock, stroking it ever so gently. The small gasps and mewls Shikamaru let escape were swallowed by the other’s mouth, Sai’s tongue already winning the battle for dominance. With his other hand, Sai started to tease Shikamaru’s ass. Slender fingers running around the ring of muscle, lightly prodding the opening before slipping one in, already lubed from the small amount of natural lubricant that came from the tip of Shikmaru’s dick. “Oh, fuck!” Shikamaru gasped, mouth slight gaping at the unfamiliar intrusion. But he wasn’t about to complain, if he was being honest with his drunken self, he always felt something for the man on top of him. He just never realized it before, never fully cared to even consider the option. But here he was, letting himself get lost in the feeling of another man.

Sai entered another finger, scissoring the other open. Was this the feeling he wanted to so desperately give Ino? He didn’t know, but he did know that he liked whatever feeling this was. It was.. happy. Carefree. Addicting. He wanted more. He wanted to get drunk, not off more booze, but off the feeling Shikamaru gave him. He needed more.

He took out fingers, smiling slightly as the whimper that left Shikamaru’s swollen lips. He stared at the beauty of the man under him, eyes dark with lust. He aligned himself up with Shikamaru’s entrance. “I’ll be slow. I promise.” He spoke softly as he caressed the heated skin of Shikamaru’s cheek. He only got a nod in response as he slowly inched his way in. He read about using lube to help make things easier, but it seemed like neither cared at the moment, the slight burn actually felt good, maybe it was the drinks they had talking, but again, neither cared. They only relished in the feeling of one another, drinking in the blissed out faces each wore as Sai finally bottomed out. Both were still, letting each other adjust to the other. 

“Move.” Was the only thing Sai needed to hear to start thrusting his hips against Shikamaru’s. Both let out a groan at the feeling, becoming more intoxicated as the thrust kept getting faster and harder. The tip of Sai’s cock hit Shikamaru’s prostate, causing the man to let out a loud moan, causing Sai’s dick to twitch, it was like the world's most beautiful song, a song being played just for him.

“You sound.. So beautiful.. Shikamaru.” Sai grunted as he aimed for the same spot over and over again. 

“I.. I’mma… cum?!” Shikamaru moaned out, eyes rolling to the back of his head. He was so close, so terribly close it almost hurt. Sex with Temari was never this good, never this emotional, never this….. Free.

“Cum with me, Shika. Let me see your beautiful essence all over us.” Sai grunted, nearing his release as well. With one hand firmly planted on Shikamaru’s hip, the other went to vigorously pump his dick. Shikamaru came with a loud moan, Sai followed soon after, releasing his seed inside his friend. All movement ceased, the only sounds being the heavy breathing coming from the two men. Said pulled out and Shikamaru felt the cum seep from his ass and onto the blankets beneath him. The two looked at each other, both their eyes slowly closing. Sleep was finally taking over them, from the emotional night of heart beak, drinking and great sex, both closed their eyes, slightly snuggling against each other. Consequences can be damned till the time they woke up. Right now, everything was okay. They were at peace.

[nolongerironicteenwrites]

is it too late to have a naruto phase?

three years pt. 1 

message me and talk to me i have a lot of feelings 

also read this and other works i have on my ao3 

link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29640645/chapters/72872319

Kiba kicked the grass in front of him. He looked like a kicked puppy. You felt it in your heart. You were leaving your home, the place you spent the last seventeen years of your life, and everyone around you looked so sad for you.

    “Guys. I’m not dying. I’m just-”

    “Leaving.” Kiba finished.

    “Kiba come here.”

You pull him down to you and you kiss his forehead. Kiba smiled at you but he still looked sad. Akamaru even nudges your hand, making you drop to your knees, to kiss him and tell him goodbye as well.

    “Where’s your boyfriend? Waiting for him is such a drag.”

You looked at your childhood best, Shikamaru.

    “Shikamaru.” There was a tone of warning in your voice.

    “What? All your friends are here telling you bye and your boyfriend isn’t here? Our teachers even came to see you off.”

You flushed and punched him in the shoulder. He had a point. He fake winced then went back to a regulated deadpan expression.

    “If you must know. He had work. So we said goodbye already.”

Shikamaru tisked. Tenten and Lee took this opportunity to hug you with Neji. He just offered you a small smile and a side hug. You took it, you knew how he could be. Your heart squeezed at that.

    “We got you some gifts,” Neji spoke quietly. “We all kind of worked on it with Sai’s help.”

Choji and Shino handed you a bag. It caused you to sit on the ground to open the bag. First, you pulled out a small box. You unwrapped the box and opened it out to pull out a pendant and chain. Everyone produced similar things. It was a friendship pendant. Neji had it on his keys like Sasuke and Shino. Everyone else with the exception of Shikamaru wore them as bracelets. Shikamaru wore a necklace like yours was set to be. You smiled putting it on.

    “I love it. We all match.”

    “There’s more.” Tenten sang.

You couldn’t believe it, there was more. You pulled out a frame. Sai looked so excited and proud. You flipped it to see a picture. An adorable picture.

    “It’s a screen print but before we all took turns coloring each other,” he explained grinning ear to ear.

You smiled.

    “If you want to know who colored who, Sai and I colored each other along with Neji, Neji ended up coloring you since you couldn’t know. Shino and Naruto, Tenten and Kiba, Lee and Sasuke, Hinata and Choji and we even got Ino and Sakura to get along to make this for you.” Shikamaru explained.

    “I love you  guys.”

Everyone smiled and chimed “I love you too” all around. Giving you hugs all around Even your old teachers gave you hugs. You felt the love when you were given a college survival kit from the teachers. You smiled and waved. Shikamaru grabbed your wrist before you walked away.

    “Troublesome woman. Making me already miss you.”

    “What a drag.”

He hugged you tight. You felt him smirk against your temple. You felt your eyes get misty-eyed. The Leaf was your home, leaving it to go to school was hard for you since you were going nearly two cities away and had no friends. But this program was the gateway into your future, especially in music. You looked out over the town before going to your car, you’ll be back. You promised.

That was three years ago. You had made good, you would go home once a month and then again during the holidays. A lot for you has changed. You meet the greatest roommate ever and her siblings. You four started a band with them. You got cheated on about halfway through your freshman year. Released an EP with them. Graduated early. You know the works. It was a change.

Before the concert, you were scheduled to perform for your EP when someone knocked on the door. You were confused. Normally one of the members just opened the door. Temari and Kankuro just let themself in, Gaara never. You sighed and called for them to come in. Temari opened the door looking a bit annoyed holding, Shikamaru.

    “(Y/N)? Do you know this guy?”

    “Shikamaru?”

He pulled his arm away from her. She nodded and walked away. Once she was out of earshot Shikamaru looked at her go, almost like he was checking her out.

    “She is..”

    “My keyboard player…” You replied by getting up. “Why are you here? It’s like- we’re like two hours both from the show and home.”

    “We made the trip to come to see you?” he looked more confused than anything.

    “All of you?” You asked skeptically.

     “I got Neji to drive..” he responded

You snorted. It felt hard to believe. As you were getting ready to respond Kiba nearly smashed into Shikamaru and then Naruto over his shoulder.

    “(Y/N)!”

You tripped over yourself backward. But someone grabbed them by the collar and pulled them backward.

    “You two need to be leashed. Hey (Y/N).” Sakura smiled.

You waved and moved aside to allow others into the room. Soon all your friends were standing in your dressing room with you sitting on the makeup counter. Everyone was really interested in your new look.

    “Your hair..” Neji pointed out.

    “Yeah, um breakups will do that. You decide the time to change.” you felt the sides. You decided to pixie your hair before the release of the EP. “Do you like it?”

He nodded. Reaching out himself to tuck a part of your bangs behind your ear. You blushed a little and looked at him. His eyes were soft and very blue in stark contrast to his long black hair tied up in a ponytail and black shirt. You took in what he was wearing, he was dressed in a black t-shirt and light wash jeans, pinched and rolled with a pair of black hightops. He had on a bomber jacket and his hair pulled back. You caught the look of shock on Shikamaru’s face. You flushed more and looked at the time.

    “How I’m sorry I have to finish getting ready- I uh. Look come back here after the show- and I’ll introduce you to my bandmates.”

Everyone took turns hugging you before leaving. Shikamaru hung back to look at you.

    “What was that?”

    “I don’t know Shikamaru. I don’t know.”

He smirked and walked away for you to get ready. You were not going to think much about that interaction. Neji and you were just friends. That’s it nothing more, nothing less.

The show went off without a hitch. It was great. You haven’t felt this alive in years. You saw your friends out in the crowd. It’s been a long since you’ve done something like this, you never felt more alive in your moment. You danced and sang your heart out with Temari and Gaara. You worked the crowd. You caught Neji’s eye and sent him a wink just to see what happened and he flushed and continued nursing his drink.

You got backstage and rushed to your room to change. Then another moment passed while you calmed down a knock came. You opened the door to see Gaara. You smiled at him and invited him in.

    “Gaara you were amazing.”

    “You are too sweet. I wanted to run a different setlist by you for tomorrow before I left.”

Temari and Kankuro showed up too and the four of you were discussing what the next plan was.     “Uh (Y/N)?” asked Shikamaru.

You lit up and invited them in.

    “Guys these are my best friends I’ve told you about. Shikamaru and Temari meet. But Temari, Gaara, and Kankuro meet the leaf. Leaf met my band.”

One by one they all introduced themselves to one another and fell into quiet conversation with each other. You leaned on your makeup mirror and Neji jumped up on the counter with you and smiled.

    “You were great.”

    “Thank you.”

He smiled a soft, reserved smile for you and leaned against you. He asked you some basic questions and then he hit you with an unexpected conversation.

    “So you and Gaara have some really good um are you two well?”

    “No. God no. He’s gay as hell.”

Neji blushed and looked at the redhead. Who was engulfed in a conversation with Rock Lee. You smiled at him. Neji didn’t know what to say he just looked nervously at you. You didn’t need him to speak more, you knew why he was asking. You leaned your head on his shoulder, he tenses up a bit before relaxing with you. Hinta saw this and slapped Ino.

    “Finally!”

You both jumped and looked at each other before both of you flushed. You shrugged. You weren’t sure what was going on but you weren’t mad. You had a soft spot for Neji, always. Even when you were dating Koma. He kissed your shoulder and you laughed. Shikamaru smirked to himself. Everyone pretends not to see anything. Hinata was nearly vibrating in excitement for her cousin. He’s never shown interest so this was new for everyone. Neji has always had feelings for you, he always has even back when you were with your ex. And you two were going to figure that out. Everyone funneled out after an hour or so. Neji and you parted ways with a promise to talk more about whatever this will be when you get home but for now, you’ll settle for texting non-stop like you're in high school. And that made you happy.

You were packing up when your phone vibrated, you pulled it out to see two text messages. One from Neji and one from Shikamaru.

n. hyuuga

    I had a great night. I’ll have to come to more shows of yours. Thank you. <3

you

    be safe driving back please. i cant wait <3

s. nara

    im gonna date ur keyboard player

you

    pls no

s. nara

    ima date her harder now.

You groaned getting into your car beside Temari.

    “What?” she asked.

    “Just Shikamaru.”

She hummed, nodding crossing her legs. Kankuro was removing his makeup and looking at you too. Gaara fell asleep against the window.

    “I’m gonna date your best friend.”

You headbutted the steering wheel and she laughed at your reaction. You left grumbling you couldn’t believe this.

[lavenderchedder]

Hiya! I’m sasuledelicatessen- well, I don’t know if you ship SNS but I want to know, if you do, what made you ship them? I want to know your version

Well, it's kind of long.

I've been following the Naruto franchise since 2007 and initially I was into the anime/manga for the action and the unique storyline that it presented, as well as the art-style (I’m a sucker for unique art-style). The concept of Naruto (the character) being the "underdog”, the introduction of ninjutsu and chakra and the integration of Japanese folklore into the story overall what made me sort of a Naruto addict, if you will.

Anyway...

I’ve always thought that the rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke were interesting at first in Part 1. When they “accidentally” kissed, at first I thought nothing of it and chalked it up to anime humor, not knowing the huge significance that scene brought (among others) years down the line in their relationship (and the progression of the storyline). Them challanging each other, the playful bickering, teasing each other, I initially chalked it up to the whole “boys will be boys” trope until watching the end episodes in the “Land of Waves” arc of Part I. The way Sasuke sacrificed himself for a boy (Naruto) he barely knew sparked something in their relationship that will change the dynamics of the relationship moving forward...

The reasons why I ship SNS has changed since 2007, although it still stands that the relationship between Naruto and Sasuke are among the strongest bonds in the entire story. Me being a crazed teenager that I was at the time, I initially shipped them because they looked ‘cute’ or ‘hot’ together. This is when I started looking into SasuNaru fanart and fanfiction around that time, because it was such a unique pairing. The Uchiha in general are some of the most beautifully drawn characters I’ve seen, thus far. No wonder it was mentioned that it was hard drawing Sasuke back then, I mean just look at him! And well, Naruto seemed to be the only person that he ever payed attention to in the manga, and actually smiled around (because it takes ALOT to get Sasuke to show any emotion). Their interactions during the Chunin arc, how Naruto showed deep concern for Sasuke during his lowest points (when Itachi attacked Sasuke, etc), how Naruto acted around Saskue sort of sparked new beginnings of a deeper bond than I realized. And it was the same with Sasuke, how he had shared his lunch with Naruto in their first meeting despite consequences, him somehow always to Naruto’s rescue.

VotE1 is what sealed the deal for me then when I noticed that the Sasuke x Naruto bond was deeper than just a friendship. The passion and heartache they had for each other, even as they were fighting was just too intense. Noone that I’ve seen in this story had that much feelings for each other than these two. And when it was over, and Sasuke had this look in his eyes when he saw Naruto unconscious on the ground, I just knew that there was love involved, even when I just looked at their relationship as ‘cute’ ship at the time. 

Watching Shippuden to its end, after years of being away from the Naruto fandom, I began to understand what Sasuke went through and how much pain and lonliness he was actually in. The UCM was no joke and it took away what was most important to Sasuke (his family) and destroyed his deep love and admiration for Itachi. At first, I didn’t understand his character, and wrote him of as ‘emo’, annoying and obssesed with his revenge because I truly thought he was ‘ungrateful’ for what he left behind in Konoha *chuckles.* And honestly, I thought Naruto’s obsession with Sasuke was no better and believed he should’ve given up on Sasuke. But then, as I began to truly understand both characters as a whole and their backgrounds, I noticed that they can’t truly live without each other. Naruto’s “I will consume all your hatred and die with you” was said with so much passion and love, it’s hard not to look at them as just “good friends,” although their interactions at this point was more volatile, I could see that Naruto’s admiration for Sasuke grew stronger. Naruto having a panic attack over Sasuke being executed, begging on his knees for forgiveness from the Raikage, Naruto constantly having thoughts of Sasuke’s well-being to the point of obsessiveness, it made me think “ Wow! Naruto must really be in love with Sasuke.” Especially when everyone else (even Sakura of all people) seemed to give up and consider Sasuke “irredeemable.” I was even surprised at some the things Naruto said in regards to Sasuke, thinking it was weird to think of a mere ‘friend’ like this. I always saw their relationship as more twisted, violent and beautiful. Some folks may say their bond was unhealthy and one-sided (on Naruto’s end), but I think in this universe, it seems that way due to the fact that Naruto and Sasuke were both fucked up, emotionally. 

During the war arc, when both are reunited, it’s like they were back to being their old selves. Them discovering that they are indeed soulmates (in the most literal sense because they are reincarnations Hagoromo’s sons) demonstrated that both Naruto and Sasuke’s bond transcends beyond friendship and even romance (although it’s fine to look at them as either one). They were like yin and yang, the sun and moon among the stars. In their final battle at VotE2, I looked at it as them getting out their repressed feelings they had for each, because they knew that they cared loved each other too much for them to ‘kill.’ It was at that point in the end of their fight Sasuke felt the most vulnerable, probably since he was child. Other than Itachi, Naruto is the only other person to truly make Sasuke at peace, and knowing that he was never truly alone, even though it seemed that the whole world was against him. Naruto never gave up on him, and knew him on a deeper level than even those that were considered close to them (Sakura, Kakashi, etc.). When Sasuke cried, it showed to me that he was most happy being with the one he loved.

When I heard that Sakura got paired with Sasuke way back, I was very disappointed, not only because it insulted Sakura’s character and eliminated most chances for her to grow as a female character, Sasuke is a type of character that was too complex to just ‘marry off.’ Naruto was more tolerable, even though he never really gave Hinata any deep thoughts other than a friend/comrade. I knew SNS wasn’t happening, no matter the obvious signs and it being the most developed relationship in the Naruto manga. And Kishimoto kept dropping hints all over the place, giving fans hope. A homosexual relationship, even implied, is something the Shonen audience isn’t ready for right now. I do believe Masashi Kishimoto intended to have at least an open ending with the manga because honestly, the so-called “canon” pairings were not well thought out and was rushed. Sasusaku is so unbelievable and poorly written, no wonder it’s not well received among alot of the fans. Sasuke’s character was pretty ruined after Gaiden, because it ruined the potentials for a beautiful relationship (SNS) for a sequel. And so much was left unresolved. It’s all...dissapointing. 

Woah! That was long. I hope that answers your question. Long story short, yes I do ship SNS to the nth degree!

[captnjacksparrow]

Hey, really liked your analysis of Hinata. I feel almost the same way about her. Even though generally I dislike female characters who are naturally meek, subservient and pointless with no character arc in any type of media, what made me absolutely hate her character was how she treated Neji. If Kishi wanted to show her arc being developed organically, instead of proposing to Naruto that removes her stuttering and gives her new found confidence (because girls only get confident when proposing to guys 🙄), Kishi could have shown her talking to Neji after he literally told his bitter story on the chuunin exam grounds in front of everyone. She is shown like she is sympathetic but didn't do anything about it. She didn't even talk to him after he was hospitalized. She knew exactly why he was the way he was, and yet she fights him as if it was his fault. She, an heir of the clan, could have asked her father to support Neji, she had some clout. But nope. In fact, it was Neji who apologizes to her in a way, he is the one who trains her and help create a new jutsu for her. What did she ever do for him exactly? And Neji didn't have to help her. She was in the best position to help and understand Neji but what did she do? A lot of fans like her character because she is reserved but kind and sympathetic. She is reserved but a coward. She was not kind towards Neji. He died for her when he didn't deserve to, he had dreams and goals that were much bigger than Hinata's entire existence. She couldn't even see her own cousin's pain and she claims to understand Naruto?? Really??

Even Kishi said she was a pitiful character who only watches from a distance. He deliberately made her that way, no goal, no backbone and no lines. And I think she sucks the most after Danzo.

WoooW!!!! Thanks for the ask, Anon.

[[Hinata and Sakura fans!!!! Please stay away and don't interact. I fucking tagged them properly]].

Even though generally I dislike female characters who are naturally meek, subservient and pointless with no character arc in any type of media, what made me absolutely hate her character was how she treated Neji.

We definitely share the same thoughts on this one, Anon.

I am really tired on most of the media for their poor treatment of female characters.

The last time I was amused by a female character was from 'Game of Thrones', I loved Cersei Lannister, who is an absolute biashhh and Sansa Stark, started out as an annoying rose tinted princess but ended up winning everyone's heart. Both are non-combative, soft spoken and somewhat powerless women in a world dominated by men. But they just didn't let the inconveniences stop them and instead they learned how to fuck that world back and take control. Both are similar and yet very different.

After seeing, such well-developed characters..... For me girls in Naruto series, is blehhhhh..... Nothing to get inspired from them. And I knew it by episode 3 itself. I have no idea how can girls, in real life, treat Sakura as some feminist icon, which makes my skin crawl for number of reasons. If you point her mistakes out in any discussions, they will pull the misogynist card to your face. When in reality, I am also a girl and my world views are entirely different from Sakura or Hinata. There is no way a 12 year old girl would want to look at the Duck of another boy.

And the problem is, They form the majority, I mean people who can connect with Sakura or Hinata. So, as long as girls like them exists, we really should suffer from these crap portrayal I guess.

That's why I advise people that If you want to see a good woman character, Narutoverse is not the place.

Having said that, I find Temari, Konan, Tsunade were better (I mean inside the Narutoverse). Though their motivations or reason to achieve a goal revolve around their men, I find their attitude relieving. Unlike Sakura or Hinata, they don't wet themselves on the sight of the men they love.

What irritates me was, Kishimoto could've easily put a character like Temari or TenTen or Tsunade into Team 7. It would've made my viewing experience a lot better. If he doesn't want the strong girls to take over the attention from his boys, then he should've introduced a meek character like Rin Nohara. She is silent and cute but atleast she was willing to die for the Village and never wetted herself over Kakashi, though she loved him. And she treated Obito like her best friend. But he deliberately made Sakura hateful and he never stopped.

Sakura and Hinata were the lowest of the low, compared to any other side characters. And, in the end, they got the main Character's Ducks without actively doing anything. For me this tells me three things

He was using these girls as a shield to close the hetero normative mouths while in reality hiding those boys true feelings under that shield.

He really hated these kind of girls and constantly showing his hatred on them at every given chance and never redeemed them back. 

He knew the target audience’ mindset and he simply caters them by giving them what they need and at the same time writing the important arcs according to his wish.

I think, it’s the combination of all three. 

Just to give you an example.

There is this delusional SS shipper Who justifies Sasuke was acting Tsundere throughout the war arc. I mean, come on!!!! 

I came across this post because, the Original Poster was an idiot who comes into the anti SS tag and reblogged my content and saying I was wrong... So, I don’t mind sharing that person’s content.

So I don’t know where this delusion comes from... It's truly pathetic.

There are millions of idiots who believe in this kind of shit and Kishi is deliberately feeding them with bits and crumbs while making his boys go out and save the world.

These delusional mindset tells us they don’t give a single shit about the story as a whole. They watch it purely for the pretty faces and getting high over them. In this case, Sasuke.

It’s as clear as day that Sasuke didn’t care about anyone other than Naruto when fighting the war. You don’t have to be a shipper but even a non-shipper can point this out. I mean Sasuke wouldn’t have saved Jugo either, if he didn’t come to Sasuke and advice him. Do you think Sasuke would’ve tried to look for Jugo and saved him at all cost???? It’s just that he came to Sasuke and he helps him back. But Sasuke would’ve saved Naruto from the bomb blast even if he was standing a mile away.

So, if these delusions reflects the mindset of the majority of the women audience, then the creator will never try to give anything better but instead give us some low-life characters like Sakura and Hinata. 

So, Anon, your expectation for Hinata’s character could’ve been developed much better is just a wishful thinking. Because, Hinata is a character for these kind of people and not for us. And the author deliberately did it. 

She was in the best position to help and understand Neji but what did she do? A lot of fans like her character because she is reserved but kind and sympathetic. She is reserved but a coward. She was not kind towards Neji. He died for her when he didn't deserve to, he had dreams and goals that were much bigger than Hinata's entire existence. She couldn't even see her own cousin's pain and she claims to understand Naruto?? Really??

For me, this also irked me a lot. 

Hinata could’ve tried to talk to Neji about his problems even when he was a child. But she was simply playing innocent when in reality, she is just a coward. Even after the Chunin Exams, there was no apologies from her side, like you said. Because she is from the Main Branch. That hierarchy never changed. If she had the gall, she could’ve easily broken that hierarchy by saying, ‘I want Neji Nii-San to take over our Clan, He is the best candidate for this and I can gladly help him with all my efforts’.  A single line and just 2 or 3 panels, it all takes.

For me killing Neji is where Kishi asking us silently, 

Do you really want these pair to happen despite having a blood stain of another character??? 

Most people said, ‘Yes!!!’, because they don’t give two shits about Neji. As long as Hinata gets Naruto, the main character’s Duck, that’s all there is to it. It doesn’t matter who dies, who lives. 

That's why Kishi is shitting on them by making her as a non-existent woman in the Boruto Manga.

Even in real life, there are many hopeless foolish little girls who would do anything for the man she loves. I've seen them and I always stay 2 miles away from them. I mean, they even ditch their own friends and spends her entire time with him and when he dumps her later, she will come back to her friends for consolation. I think Sansa Stark is the best example for this. She started out much similar to Sakura and Hinata, believing in Princes and shit, she even naively betrayed her father for the man she had crush on. But the author made her to learn her lesson in a much painful way and later she came out as a Queen who no longer needed any man at the end. I think, this is called Development.

At the end of the day, Romance and Sex is all that matters. The author knew it. So, he is feeding these girls with some low quality cookies and they are very glad to take and eat it.