#i really wonder what would have happened like. say obito never gets him and either team taka or team 7 do

[teamsasukes]

the question of what would have become of sasuke had he not learned about konoha's involvement in the uchiha massacre really does keep me up at night. before that point, sasuke had devoted every waking minute to matching itachi. after finally letting naruto and sakura in and admitting to himself that protecting his friends was as important to him as seeking justice for the family he'd lost, his encounter with itachi knocked him back on the path of vengeance at the cost of everything else. killing itachi was all that he lived for... i don't think sasuke ever conceived of there being an "after."

this panel in particular is so haunting. what's left after you've completed the quest that consumed the very essence of your being? what happens once everyone you can admit to loving is dead and you've avenged them? what must have gone through sasuke's mind, watching itachi crumple to the ground not only as the murderer of his clan but also as his beloved nii-san, tapping his forehead and asking for forgiveness one last time -- and knowing that itachi fell by his hand? sasuke just smiles, and then collapses right next to itachi like he's dead too.

[oh-no-its-bird]

For the Uchiha Houhua AU, how does he survive the massacre? I'm guessing either he uses his poison skills to fake his death or he does the 'actually I was a prodigy all along' thing in front of Itachi. Itachi spends the next several years being driven a little insane by finding this out about his old friend.

Also does Houhua incarnate as a baby? Because if so he was probably old enough to babysat by Obito. I feel like you could do something interesting with that.

On that note his relationship with kakashi. Like that's his little brother figures sensei, and he was a shizun in his last life, he knows what it is to be a good teacher and kakashi in the early series is not that. If he also knew Obito and knows that that's his eye in kakashi's head? Oof.

How much of the Uchiha eye thing does he get? Does he have his sharingan? Or the mangekyou?

Also, wasn't it cannon that part of the reason why danzo let Itachi let Sasuke live was because he was a moldable child? How does he feel about having a semi adult Uchiha still alive? I feel like Houhua is walking a constant tightrope of protecting himself and Sasuke and not being seen as a threat by the creepy old man.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL QUESTION!! I. Am not too sure, actually

I feel like it'd probably be him trying to fight back maybe? Faking his death absolutely sounds like the shit hed do tho, so hmm might put that in his back pocket too

Either way, Houhua vs Itachi 1v1 where they're surprisingly well matched sounds really fun I cant lie.

Mmmm, maybe he can 1v1 Itachi and hold up surprisingly well? Itachi is doing the what is this, how are you doing this, have you been hiding yourself from me this whole time?! routine as Houhua goes fuck shit oh my god oh my god I cant believe that worked oh fuck--

Then Obito fucking teleports behind Houhua and stabs him. Oopsies!

Houhua somehow survives due to genuine luck, and gets a hint about there having been more than 1 person at the massacre maybe?

Idk if thatd work tho. Mmmm so many thoughts.

I do think that no matter what, Houhua would have to be "defeated" in some way. Play dead for a bit. If he comes out of the fight having visibly won, it'll spell problems and set dominos in motion I dont want dominoing just yet

So no matter what, he's ending the fight face down on the floor

ALSO THATS. SUCH A GOOD POINT ACTUALLY SHIT, DID OBITO HELP BABYSIT HIM?? Houhua did reincarnate as a baby, tho I think there was some soft mental block on him becoming truly conscious till he was at least around 5 years old. So by the time he was conscious at least, Obito was already gone. Rip!

I think that Kakashi wouldnt be immune to looking at Houhua and seeing the reflection of another cry baby ninja, though Houhua wouldn't have any real memory of Obito (tho he might have heard ab him before, with some clan members comparing them quietly when they think he's not listening)

Anyways I need a scene where Houhua and Obito meet once Houhua is older and Houhua straight up says "You know, I never did get why people thought we were anything alike" as a clear insult

Rare Houhua w !!

I think Houhua has an unusually difficult time manifesting anything w his eyes just bc of the emotional walls he has up between him and everyone around him. He does not allow himself to feel deeply for anyone enough for his eyes to be affected, no matter how fond he may grow of them. There is always a wall between him and the world.

I do also however think that no matter how hard he tries to distance himself from the people around him, even having known for years now that they'd all die this way, seeing the people who he was raised around all die to the hands of a boy he might have grown fond of--

Yeah.

Not even he's immune to that.

So when the massacre happens, he'll at least get his sharingan, tho idk how man tomoe (and I cant really remember what is needed to gain each tomoe, so, oops)

I do think he'd have an incredibly difficult time manifesting his mangekyou, for all the reasons above, so if he ever does it'd be way down the line.

I also think it'd be super fucking interesting (especially from an outsiders perspective) if he manifested it somehow due to MBJ's involvement, since his reincarnation is wandering around here somewhere as Jun, and does not remember Houhua

Houhua has no explanation for why he cares about this man deeply enough to manifest the mangekyou. Sorry.

Also, Im ngl, as I write this I can totally see an argument for something along the lines of "well Houhua went through a fuck ton of trauma as SQH, so what if when he regains his memories around 5, he automatically unlocks his sharingan just through that remembered trauma? Then just keeps it secret for years until the massacre"

I think that could be interesting tbh, it would also tell a story all on its own ab his grief for his past life and all the people there. Smthn to think ab, idk

Houhua is a bit too old and way too clever for Danzo's liking. hHis one only saving grace is that, on the surface at least, he's a fuckin worm of a boy and has literally no achievements other than having survived Itachi

He isn't worth getting rid of yet, but Danzo has an eye on him, just waiting for a reason to potentially knock him off.

Good think Houhua decided not to go the child prodigy route!! Putting his own flaws and weaknesses on blast to all of Konoha probably saved his fucking ass with Danzo. At least for now, anyways.

[lemony-snickers]

Kakashi/Obito + unintentional kisses?

Kakashi has grown into a lanky son of a bitch; arms and legs too long and spindly for the rest of him, which hasn't caught up yet.

It pisses Obito off to no end that they're the same height, now. The little pain in the ass should've stayed little, which Obito tells him all the time.

"Not my fault your height is as unimpressive as your ninjutsu."

"Oi!"

It's the same fight as usual, though it lacks the familiar bite. Something has been off about Kakashi lately. He's not as brusque, not as sarcastic. Rin often catches him staring off into space for long stretches of time between sparring bouts.

Of course, Kakashi changed plenty after he dragged Obito's half-dead body back to Konoha, tears streaming out of his implanted sharingan all the while. Who wouldn't?

Sometimes Obito wonders if it would have been better for Kakashi if he'd left him under that rock. Life had improved for Obito, of course. His clan welcomed him home as a war hero, even if they also chastised him for giving away one of his eyes. That he thought for sure he was going to die never seems a good enough excuse for the Clan Elders, but what are they going to do about it, anyway? It's been seven years since Kannabi. That eye belongs to Kakashi, Obito wouldn't take it back even if he could.

Not that that stops him from pretending he might when he's particularly frustrated by his genius teammate's skill.

"Then take it," Kakashi says petulantly, "what's stopping you?"

Obito frowns, shoots a look at Rin whose face is pinched with concern. She shrugs at Obito, obviously as confused about Kakashi's behavior as he is. They both watch him shove his hands in his pockets and wander off the training field, making some vague, lame excuses about having to run errands before going home.

It doesn't sit right with either of them, but there's not much they can do about it, and so they let him go.

It eats away at Obito the rest of the afternoon, and even Rin can see his heart isn't in it so they shuffle off early to grab dinnner at Ichiraku instead, neither of them quite willing to voice their concern for their third teammate, but unable to discuss anything else, either.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Rin says as they part ways and Obito shoots her a bright smile in return.

"You bet!" he promises as he jogs off in the opposite direction.

"And don't be late again!" she shouts at his back. Obito just chuckles because he knows she understands he will be. It's part of his charm, he tells her all the time, though he thinks she only half-believes him.

Obito doesn't know when he makes the decision to detour, but at some point, his feet carry him away from the Uchiha District toward the outskirts of Konoha. The sun is setting, casting the fields behind the Hatake compound in shades of rich orange and gold. There aren't any lights on in the house and Obito wonders if maybe Kakashi isn't home, after all.

But he's come all this way already, so Obito marches up to the front door and knocks, rocking back on his heels as he waits for it to open.

Nothing happens and Obito sighs loudly. "Come on, Bakashi! I know you're in there! Open up or I'm coming in a window!"

The door slides open with a snap and Obito is met with a ferocious glare. "What do you want?"

Kakashi's voice has always had this sharp element to it, like it could slice you if you weren't careful. But Obito knows how to navigate Kakashi's moods as well as anyone by this point, so he slides past him into the house without saying anything, kicking off his shoes as he meanders toward the ktichen.

"Do you have any leftovers?" he asks, "I'm starving."

He isn't, really, but getting Kakashi to talk about food is easier than most things. "Didn't you get ramen with Rin?"

Obito snaps his head around, eyes narrowing. "And how would you know that? You spying on us?"

Kakashi shrugs. "I told you, I had errands to run."

Obito snorts, disbelieving, as he turns on the kitchen light. "You could have just joined us, you know."

Kakashi doesn't answer. Instead, he walks over to the refrigerator and pulls out a storage container. Without a word, he opens it and dumps its contents into a pan on the stove, silently heating up his leftovers and plating them without a word.

"Eat," he says, sliding the plate toward Obito as he settles at the chabudai, "If you don't, I'll probably be taller than you in a few months."

Obito growls, but takes a bite of the food anyway. If there's one thing both he and Rin have learned, it's to never turn down food made by Kakashi Hatake. As much as it annoys Obito to admit, he really is a genius when it comes to cooking.

He curses as he takes his first bite, smothering a grateful sound my slamming his fist over his mouth. "This is good," he says, shoveling more down his throat as soon as he can.

Kakashi chuckles. "I'm glad you like it."

It's not the reponse Obito expects and he stops stuffing his face long enough to fix Kakashi with a glare, pointing his chopsticks at him. "What is up with you lately?" he asks, "You're so..." he doesn't know what Kakashi is exactly, only that it's worng, somehow.

Kakashi shrugs. "Maybe I'm just sick of training with you."

Obito shakes his head irritably. "Well, fine, then treat me like garbage, but don't be a jerk to Rin, too. She's worried about you."

"Is she? She seems fine."

"Shows how well you know her," Obito grumbles.

Kakashi shrugs again and the nonchalance of it is infuriating. He's always like this. Deflecting and obtuse and a complete pain in the ass. Obito doesn't know why he bothered coming here. It was always going to end in an argument, same as usual.

His food now finished, Obito slams a palm on the table to help him rise. "Fine. You wanna be a complete jackass, I'm not gonna stop you," he says, flinging his bowl into the sink, "But you should apologize to Rin for making her worry."

The derisive snort Kakashi emits makes Obito's hands curl into fists.

He doesn't mean to take a swing. He didn't come here to fight or aruge--at least, he doesn't think he did--but Kakashi's dismissiveness makes his blood boil.

"Why is it so hard to let us worry about you?" he shouts as Kakashi deflects a kick with ease. "What is the point of pushing us away all the time?!"

The spar is horridly one-sided. As much as Obito has improved over the years, Kakashi has too, and his spindly fucking limbs give him broader range than he's ever had before. Obito doesn't land a single punch, which only makes him angrier.

But then, he realizes, Kakashi hasn't landed any, either. In fact, he seems almost bored by the onslaught, not even trying to inflict any damage in return.

Obito growls, "It's not going to kill you to care about something again, you know!"

Kakashi's visible eye widens just the slightest bit as Obito activates his sharingan. Kakashi's is still covered by his hitai-ate, and the split second activation gives Obito the edge he needs to finally clock his opponent square in the jaw.

Kakashi stumbles from the impact, grabbing at the injured part of his face, and Obito takes the opportunity to land a sharp front snap kick to his solar plexus, sending him to the floor with a soft grunt.

Kakashi sits there, slumped against the wall with his head tilted back, working his jaw back and forth gingerly.

"I think you broke it," he says.

Obito bristles. "I did fucking not. Let me see."

He crouches down beside Kakashi and grips his jaw roughly between his fingers, reaching out to yank down the stupid mask and inspect the damage himself.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kakashi asks, eye widening as he reaches up to stop Obito as he pinches the fabric.

"Quit fighting me, Bakashi, or I really will break your stupid face--"

Kakashi wrenches Obito's arm away, but the other is still there and it switches from holding Kakashi's chin to fumbling with the edge of his mask. They wrestle a little awkwardly, Obito all but climbing into Kakashi's lap so he can gain the upper hand.

"Just. Let. Me. See. It. Ack--"

Obito falls forward just as he manages to loosen the mask from over Kakashi's nose. Kakashi smacks the back of his head on the wall and Obito pitches forward, nose bruising against Kakashi's as their faces collide.

He's too dazed to realize for a moment what exactly has happened, but when he blinks his eyes open, Kakashi's terrified expression is suddenly thrown into sharp relief.

As is the sensation of something warm and soft against Obito's mouth.

His heart hammers in his chest, thoughts racing faster than he can catch them. He pulls away slowly, feeling the soft tug of Kakashi's lips as they stick to his. Once they detach, he can finally focus on how red Kakashi's face is, how warm his breath feels as it fans over Obito's cheeks.

He isn't sure which one of them leans forward for another kiss, but when it happens, Obito sighs, one hand curling loosely into Kakashi's shirt to hold him in place. He feels Kakashi's hand do much the same, gripping the fabric over Obito's hip with trembling, unsure fingers.

Oh shit, he likes this. A lot. Too much.

Obito springs away, pressing his forearm to his mouth like that will erase the feeling of Kakashi's against it. His face feels like it's on fire, so he's comforted when he looks at Kakashi and finds his face stained a shade of crimson Obito has never seen before.

They're still holding onto each other, like neither of them is ready to release the final tether of this experience. Once they stand up, Obito wonders if Kakashi will pretend it never happened. If he'll make some snide comment about Obito resorting to seduction in order to win a fight to diminish the importance of what's just happened.

But then Kakashi leans forward and kisses Obito's cheek. It's so brief, so tentative, Obito has to really concentrate to make sure it happened.

He watches as Kakashi sinks back against the wall and tugs his mask back up, turning to look anywhere except at Obito. Obito grimaces when he notices the start of a bruise along his jaw just before it disapears beneath the fabric.

Kakashi clears his throat. "So," he says, "I guess you'll want to stay for tea now or something."

Obito, still a little dumbstruck, stutters out a response that sounds enough like, "Only if you want me to," to suffice as an answer.

Kakashi doesn't respond, just disentangles his too-long limbs from Obito's and moves into the kitchen to fill the kettle with water.

"I only have sencha so don't get all snobby about your preferences."

Obito bristles. "As if I'd be the one to be a snob, Bakashi."

The old rhythm helps Obito's hands stop trembling, saying the teasing words as if they mean them helps root them in the moment.

When he stands and turns to look at Kakashi, it's obvious he's smiling, even with the mask in place. Obito smiles, too, scratching awkwardly at the back of his neck as he shuffles into the kitchen.

"Sorry about your jaw," he says.

"It's fine."

"Not sorry about the rest, though," he offers, hoping it isn't a mistake.

Kakashi ducks his head, but his smile widens beneath dark blue fabric and he whispers quietly, "Me neither."

prompt list for those interested. <3

[an-ambivalent]

WARNING: This post contains yandere and violent themes (mentions of murder and brainwashing) and other toxic and creepy behaviours that can be triggering and uncomfortable to read. So read at your own risk. This work is purely fictional. I do not condone this toxic behaviour irl. 

Fandom: Naruto 

Pairings: Itachi x Reader | Shisui x Reader | Sasuke x Reader

Status: Headcanons and scenarios mixed hybrid, requested. 

Ask:  Scenario where Yandere!Itachi, Yandere!Shisui, Yandere!Sasuke and Yandere!Obito realizes that they all have feelings for you and since they're family, they decided that they are going to share.

A/N:   I’m didn’t add Obito to this scenario because I don’t see this dynamic working with him in the mix. Although Obito is an Uchiha, frankly speaking, Itachi didn’t ever trust him. Sasuke used him for his own means didn’t care about him other than that either way. As far as Shisui is concerned, he never really interacted with Obito. 

Itachi and Shisui are best friends, and Itachi and Sasuke are siblings (who do care for each other). Sasuke is stubborn about his own ideals but he can still be persuaded by Itachi, and given that Itachi and the Uchiha clan respected Shisui a lot, Sasuke would do too. So, a dynamic with these three choosing to co-operate is plausible. But with Obito.... not really. I just don’t see how he would fit in this scenario.  So, hopefully this explanation clarifies why Obito wasn’t added to the scenario.

No beta, we die like men. I wrote this at like 2 am so idgaf about grammar errors atm ^.< 

Your background: To be in a position where you can interact with all these three simultaneously, you would have to be part of the Uchiha clan yourself. The only other way might be that you’re Itachi’s classmate and progressed exactly like he did. But then, it just feels like copying and pasting Itachi’s character and that’s no fun.

No ‘duplicate version of another character’ in this household. So there’s two choices for your background that can nonetheless lead to the same scenario. Thus, you can choose whatever floats your boat: 1) you’re the first daughter of the main branch of another clan of your choice, and for some time now, your clan and the Uchiha clan have been planning to form an alliance together. What better way to do that than to arrange a marriage between the two first children of the main branch from both clans that “coincidentally” have to be the same age?

2) You’re an Uchiha child, born to parents who are from one of the side branches of the clan. There isn’t many other kids to interact with, and despite being a side branch member, your father is one of the most respected shinobi in the clan. So, your future as a ninja is given, and with his interactions and meetings  with Fugaku, he takes you along with him. As a result, your introduction with Itachi is inevitable. And so by extension, you will also meet Shisui and Sasuke. And given your father’s good relationship with Fugaku, mayhaps your parents went ahead and arranged your marriage with Itachi behind your back and not notifying you yet.

PSA: For the age balance, you are Itachi’s age in this scenario. Shisui is 2-4 years older than Itachi and Itachi is 4 years older than Sasuke. Having a maximum of 8 years age gap if you were Sasuke’s age, or Shisui’s age, would be a lot LOL. Besides, Itachi would be the mediator between Sasuke and Shisui, so you building a relationship with him first makes the most sense.

Introduction / Meeting

Itachi

You and Itachi are forced to spend time together as ‘playmates’ while your parents discuss ‘official business’ (the arrange marriage) with Fugaku and Mikoto. Itachi is overly polite but there’s an icy coldness underlining his polite greetings and one-word answers he gives to your questions when you try to start a conversation.

You aren’t dumb. You were raised with high expectations placed on your shoulders so although you’re not a prodigy at his level, you have more than enough intelligence to know that he’s patronizing you. And unlike him, you aren’t an immature coward who hides behind their passive-aggressive remarks. Whatever you have to say, you communicate it bluntly. So, you don’t hesitate to spew out what you really think of him (a coward who takes his frustrations out on others aka you, who is also in the same situation, instead of facing his problems), and leave his pretty boy face behind in shock.

You were five when this happened.

Sasuke: Overtime, your ‘playdates’ with Itachi became a norm. You were forced to visit him many times and spend time with him given that he is your future husband. (You don’t know that yet, but at this point, Itachi has his suspicions that something is up).

His baby brother is his entire life. Sasuke makes him smile in the way no one else does, so its no wonder you met him eventually.

You were first held Sasuke was he was about fourteen months old. He was a small, chubby, innocent little thing with his already haughty attitude. He had no problem crying in the arms of the people he didn’t like, which was almost everyone outside of his immediate family. But when you held him, despite Itachi’s warnings that “he doesn’t like everyone” but he instantly liked you (much to his displeasure), you instantly became attached to him. Then in the following years, you babysat him a lot. He was the cute little younger sibling you wanted but never had, so you spoiled him to bits. And with the attention and love you gave him, Sasuke loved you too. Not to mention, unlike everyone else in his family, who picked Itachi over him, you picked him over Itachi.

How can he not fall in love with you?

Shisui: More often than not these days, Shisui would silently watch and observe Itachi. For a six years old, it was terrifying for him how he was already adapting to the shinobi lifestyle is so easily; being an emotionless robot and extremely talented.

But, over the past few days, gone were the seemingly emotionless robot. Instead, he had changed into a boy who acted like how a six year old was supposed to act: whiny, pouty, and frustrated (to an extent), but happy at the same time. It was entertaining for him to watch Itachi’s expressions shift from one to another every moment as he grumbled about you underneath his breath. Shisui was ready to tease him about it, but you had beat him to it.

You had appeared out of nowhere and were hosting the two-years-old Sasuke on your shoulders for a piggy back ride. No one was given any time to react, before rude remarks were slipping out your lips that just humiliated his precious friend into a fumbling mess.

Itachi had tried to get back at you, he really did. But your mouth ran like a sailor and you had a witty remark prepared for everything. It was such a contrast to the “perfect princess” show you put on before your and his parents. And each time, your response was more embarrassing which eventually made him lose his cool. Seeing him flustered, despite how much he loved you, little Sasuke tried to  jump to his nii-san’s aid. Shisui was prepared to snicker and chuckle to himself, if he it wasn’t for the most beautiful sound he had ever heard: your laughter. It was so raw, pure, genuine and innocent, he was instantly immersed. Barely anyone from shinobi clans, and given how they were raised, acted so open. And you brought out a different side to Itachi -- it was intriguing for him to witness.

He wanted to get to know you more. He wanted to hear your life more. He wanted you to share your secrets with him on how to bully Itachi so easily. So immediately, he put out his hand and gave you a wide grin.

“I’m Shisui. What’s your name?”

Realising their feelings

Shisui: Shisui knew he loved you ever since your first laugh. It was love at first sound. However, with the respect to you belonging to his best friend, he would never make a move on you.

Maybe, there might be some lingering touches here and there that lasted a bit too long between ‘friends.’ Maybe sometimes he was harsher on you during your training spars so he would have an excuse to touch you and help you bandage up your injuries. Maybe sometimes, he ‘jokingly’ wrapped his arms around your waist and kissed your cheek to ‘get a rise out of Itachi’ and not because he wanted to touch you.

But he never made a move on you because he knew you were Itachi’s. And as long as you were still his friend and spent time with him, he didn’t care too much.

But he should’ve known better. Just as how he can understand Itachi and cares for him like he is his brother, Itachi is the same towards Shisui. He knew how Shisui felt about you, and although one part of him just wanted to you have all to himself, it didn’t feel right that Shisui had to hold himself back when he needed you too. If only, it wasn’t for your clan, and the Uchiha, and their damn village that believed in monogamous relationships, then he would happily share you with Shisui.

Itachi: There were many rules and obligations Itachi has to adhere to due to his clan. Although he did them, he didn’t want to. He hated it. His thoughts were different from his actions so he was constantly experiencing cognitive dissonance. But, you weren’t part of that. For some reason, when he was eleven and his suspicions were confirmed by his parents and the clan elders that you were set up to wed him when you both turn thirteen, that was one thing he didn’t hate or didn’t want to do. In fact, it was alarming for everyone in the meeting how easily he obliged.

Confirming how he felt towards you, it honestly did not surprise him. He had assumed this was the case for a while. Ever since you called him a coward due to his habit of upholding a facade, he tried to be more honest. Not in front of his clan, evidently, but to the people that mattered. Shisui, Sasuke, you, and himself.

The old Itachi, had he not met you and fell in love with someone, would have buried his feelings without a care. But for you.... it was a different story. He acknowledged his feelings and never tried to get rid off them. How could he? You were the perfect lover for him. You got along swimmingly with Shisui. You took good care of Sasuke, and his younger brother was so attached to you. You were an exceptional kunoichi, put up the perfect facade before your own parents and his, and weren’t afraid to challenge him and speak your mind.

And best of all? You were already promised to him. So, he saw no reason to bury his feelings for you.

Sasuke: Sasuke always knew he loved you.

Ever since he can remember, you had always been by his side no matter what.

His father didn’t pay attention to him. His mother did, but she scolded him too when he just wanted to spend time with Itachi.

Itachi spent time with him but lately, he has been ignoring him. It’s not the same. And him and Shisui always leave him behind to get things done that they say he’s “not mature enough to know.”

But Sasuke does know.

He knows what they talk about his and your back because thinks of those things too. It’s everywhere: princesses, their prince, their love story and happily ever after.

He wants to kiss you to show you how he loves you like the couples in fairy tales. He does. Despite his nerves that are causing fluttering butterflies in his tummy, he builds up the courage to have his first kiss with you.

But you’re faster than him. You just move your head so he kisses your cheek instead, and then laugh out loud before ruffling his hair and telling him, “you’re adorable. But you should save your first kiss for your true love.”

He likes being adorable for you, but why won’t you understand?! You are his first and only love.

There will be a day when you finally understand that.

Sharing You:

ok.... listen.... Uchiha clan massacre (and yours too for scenario A) but both Itachi and Shisui. And although its mission issued by the damn village, that’s not why they’re doing it. It just so happens that its the perfect solution to all their problems because they get rid off the obstacles in their way, and they will have to leave the village. They can take you away far, away from everything, so you only have them left.

Obviously, they will take Sasuke with them too. Except this time, there’s no also hurting and torturing him and enticing him to seek revenge. If anything, when Sasuke is horrified, Itachi tells him the truth. There’s lies as well, but, they would need to brainwash him to some extent so he willingly stays with them. Itachi tells him of how if the clan lived, then he would never get to be with you, or see you again because they were going to hurt you.

“Do you want that foolish little brother? You made big claims to make [Name] yours and protect her, so are you really going to mourn those who were going to take her away from you? She’s my bride, and because I care about you, I will share her. But for that to happen, you need to listen to me and Shisui and not be pathetic as to get in our way.”

Itachi had a way with his words, and it was terrifying how much they could influence Sasuke. And now that they had, and no one else was going to be in the way -- not any clans, the village -- nothing.

It is just going to be you and them for the rest of your life.

[panharmonium]

dreamersscape said: 

Firstly, my deepest condolences for what you had to watch last night. I get so eager to know what you might think about some things, I lose track of “Ah crap, but they’ll have to see That Part, too.

Yeah, I didn’t want it to sound like I was knocking Guy for his ‘clumsy’ moments, but just acknowledging that his framework in interacting with the world and people can sometimes cloud his understanding of other people’s circumstances/motives/behavior. I’m glad that came across as I meant it. But exactly! It didn’t ultimately hinder him in supporting his friend through all those rough years and we love to see it!

I love the Guy & Kakashi race episode too! I have so many emotions about Kakashi and the burdens of leadership and how he lost Obito on the first mission he was appointed a captain and how he was always uncomfortable with Yugao and even Tenzo calling him ‘sir’ or 'captain’ sometimes and how right before we saw Kakashi being nominated Naruto says to Sasuke something like “How can I ever become hokage if I can’t even save one friend?” and how much more that would weigh on Kakashi if he applied it to himself…. so obviously looking back on that episode is A Lot, even moreso now… But goofing off with Guy and Guy making it clear that he’ll ALWAYS be there by Kakashi’s side no matter what, that Kakashi’s not alone, Guy’s there if he needs help carrying the burden, is truly exactly Kakashi needed! *insert weeping heart-eyes emoji here*

ASUMAAAA. :( :( :( I’ve been re-watching that part of shippuden, when Kakashi is helping Naruto develop the rasenshuriken, and now I’m thinking of the scene at the hospital where Asuma is trying to gather the courage to ask Kakashi for advice about the Kurenai-and-I-are-having-a-baby situation that Kakashi is completely oblivious to (at least, I think that’s what was being implied) and how the characters’ grief they focus on at Asuma’s funeral are not just team 10 and Kurenai, but also Kakashi… NO IT’S TOO MUCH! 

(BTW, don’t ever feel like you have to respond to everything I ramble about. I love our gush fests, but I don’t want to take up too much of your Naruto-fun space or not be helpful in preserving your experience with the show!) (x)

@dreamersscape Oh gosh, don’t worry at all, you’re not taking up space in any way; our conversations about this show are making my viewing experience MORE fun, not less!  Talking to you is a joy; I’m so happy to have connected with you - it’s amazing to find someone who I really vibe with thoughts-wise; I can’t tell you how happy I am to have someone to share all these Feelings with!  I know that avoiding the wider fandom during my watch has been the right call in so many ways, but it does cut me off from making friends to gush with, so this has been wonderful!

Ahaha, thank you for your condolences XD  I might type up something later just to get all my thoughts down on paper…all of my feelings are subject to change based on what happens later, obviously, but still, that was…a Lot for one twenty-minute block.  Yikes.

“Guy making it clear that he’ll ALWAYS be by Kakashi’s side no matter what, that Kakashi’s not alone” - Yes!  And the fact that this scene is deliberately juxtaposed with the elders at the beginning of this episode telling Kakashi “don’t take on everything by yourself/you would do well to find a confidant to stand beside you,” except the reason they’re saying it is for the purpose of defending Danzo’s past actions, and they’re advising Kakashi to find somebody like Danzo to work in the shadows and do the things Kakashi himself doesn’t have the stomach for - but instead, Kakashi flat-out rejects everything they say and chooses GUY, the purest heart in the village, the person least likely to ever consent to do the village’s dirty work (listen, guy, i truly find it reassuring having you there, and i hope you always will be.  i can’t bring this whole village together by myself).  Now that I’ve seen the ANBU arc, the fact that Kakashi deliberately turns to the very person who Danzo once said was utterly devoid of “darkness” is SO significant, especially given that Kakashi in this episode has just been made aware of Danzo and the Leaf administration’s past crimes.  Kakashi can’t say anything about it yet, because he doesn’t have proof that it’s true, but the fact that he rejects the elders’ advice for him to get his own “Danzo” and instead picks the very person Danzo thought was least suitable for anything - THAT MEANS SO MUCH.

Oh my gosh, you mentioned how much Kakashi hates being called “sir” and captain”!  Literally just yesterday I was thinking about that in relation to the last two episodes of the ANBU arc, because those episodes are also the first time we hear Kakashi being called “sensei,” and I was having so many feelings about how Kakashi has never felt comfortable with any of the other titles he’s been forced to use, and how he always tells people to stop calling him those things, but then, in this arc, as he’s finally finding out where he’s supposed to be, he also finally acquires the title we’re used to, and never once in the entire show has he chafed at being called “sensei.”  That’s the title that suits him.  That’s the title he becomes comfortable with.  That’s the one that feels natural.  It’s like how Yamato rebels at being called Kinoe and chooses a name that feels Right for him - “sensei” encapsulates who Kakashi is and what he wants to be far better than all the other honorifics he’s been saddled with.  It has none of the baggage of “captain” and none of the potential military connotations of “sir.”  It means he’s a teacher, and a teacher is exactly what he wants to be.

And that’s not to say that Kakashi doesn’t have insecurities about his suitability as a teacher, either - he definitely does, particularly given Sasuke’s situation - but hearing people call him “sensei” still doesn’t make his skin crawl the way other things do.  He’s a teacher still, regardless of whether he feels like he’s failed at it or not.  (We know he’s not a failure, obviously…he needs a little convincing still, I think.)

Semi-related, but on that last note, how much was I losing it last night to hear Naruto yelling at Obito that Kakashi “isn’t trash!  He’s just like me!”  Same damn vibes as Sakura protesting “But you’re not” in response to Kakashi saying “I’m sorry you have such a careless sensei” during that confrontation with Sasuke.  That is just…hgnghhhhhh.  I’m LIVING for Kakashi’s kids telling him how Good he is and how much he’s done for them - LIVING for them defending him not just from others, but from himself...  *pointed cough in Sasuke’s direction* get ready, kid; you’re up next!

[phoenixyfriend]

Sasuke/Karin, 48+100

Fanfiction Trope MASH-UP Rules: Send me two (2) tropes from this list + a ship and I’ll describe how I’d combine them in the same story.

48. Fake Dating 100. Accidentally Saving the Day

Okay so I have been struggling with this one because it just feels really mean to Karin but I finally have an idea.

Takes place after Sasuke kills Itachi, but before he goes after Killer Bee.

Also available on AO3

————

“I’ll stay with Sasuke-kun!”

Karin latches on to Sasuke’s arm and presses her cheek to his shoulder. Sasuke doesn’t want anything as little as he wants human contact right now, but there’s a pitch in Karin’s voice that isn’t usually there, and her nails are digging in to Sasuke’s arm. It’s enough that he doesn’t immediately shake her off, trying to figure out what she’s getting at.

“Oh,” the man who claims to be Madara says, voice low and rough. “I wasn’t aware you two were so… close.”

Sasuke isn’t close with anyone. Not Taka, not Naruto, not Sakura, not Ita–

“Hn,” Sasuke says, looking away. Karin giggles in a way that sounds like someone else, someone that doesn’t have scalpels in her soul, and rubs her cheek against his arm. She nuzzles, like a cat.

“Aren’t you a little young to be sharing a bed?” Madara asks, tilting his head.

“Aren’t we a little young to be international criminals?” Karin challenges back.

Madara scoffs. “Teenagers.”

He disappears in a whirl, right into his eye, and Sasuke moves away from–

Her lips press to his ear, and she whispers, “he’s still watching us.”

She pulls back, and when he meets her eyes, there squeezed half-shut, looking at him over her glasses. There’s a blush in her cheeks, an embarrassed smile on her face, and she tucks her hair behind her ear nervously. “I mean, um, if you want to, Sasuke-kun.”

Sasuke doesn’t remember how to smile. He doesn’t remember what it is to act like he enjoys somebody’s presence. His soul feels like it’s scrubbed raw, clawed open, scooped out and filled back in with pitch and tar.

He inclines his head, and says, “I’m… not in the mood.”

He just killed his brother, and Karin is implying that she suggested something like out of those dirty magazines Naruto used to look at for ideas on that stupid pervy jutsu of his.

“Of course,” Karin says, with a soft smile that does not belong on her face. She’s acting like–like Sakura. Sasuke doesn’t want soft and sweet around him. Soft and sweet get ripped up and spit out by the world. He picked Taka for a lot of reasons, but they’re all Oto brats. They’re all assholes, even Juugo sometimes. “I’ll stick to my side tonight, okay?”

There is no ‘her side.’ They’ve never shared a bed before, except that one time all four of them had been on a single mattress, and that was only because the bed had been big enough for six. For some reason. It was cheap, he hadn’t questioned it.

“Thank you,” Sasuke says instead. He meets Suigetsu’s eyes and narrows his eyes just a tad. He almost casts a genjutsu to share information, except if Madara is still watching them somehow–and Sasuke trusts Karin, if she says he is–then there’s no way to do it either handsigns or Sharingan, both of which Madara would notice. Sasuke isn’t that good yet. Very few people are.

“Let’s lie down,” Karin suggests, a hand on his upper back propelling him towards the bed in this room. Sasuke doesn’t want to leave Juugo with just Suigetsu, but whatever’s going on must be important. It has to be.

Karin wouldn’t be pulling this shit if it wasn’t.

She changes a few feet away from him, as if it’s normal for him to see her half-naked, which it isn’t, even if she’s seen him nearly naked for battle reasons, medical reasons, onsen reasons and…

Well, Karin doesn’t strip as often as Sasuke does. Most people don’t, but Karin is even more concerned about keeping her body covered than, like, that one Hyuuga in his Academy class. Karin’s got her scars, and that’s more than reason enough.

Sasuke wonders if Itachi had scars. If he’d--

“Hey.”

A hand lands on his shoulder and squeezes. He doesn’t shake it off, much as he wants to. “What.”

“You’re spiraling,” she says, like they’re actually together, and not just... whatever this is. “Come back to me.”

Is this what couples are like? He’s not sure he likes it. Sasuke’s not sure he likes anything right now.

“Come to bed,” she coaxes, like they’ve done this a million times. “You’ll feel better with some sleep.”

“I’ve been asleep for days.”

“No, you’ve been unconscious for days, it’s different,” she insists. “Listen to the medic.”

Karin isn’t, technically speaking, a medic. She’s a biological researching with a working understanding of the human body. She’s the closest he has, though. She’s probably right about this.

“Hn,” he says, but slips into bed anyway. She follows, and pulls at him when he tries to curl with his back to her.

“Sasuke,” she says, a request and a reprimand all in one. “Let me see your eyes.”

He stiffens, and her hand presses lightly to his shoulder.

“Please?” she asks, and the faintest pulse of chakra on his lightning-charred pathways taps out ge-n-ju-tsu. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

He rolls over and lets his eyes come to life, meeting hers and trapping them both in... it’s not Mangekyo, not yet, he doesn’t want to bleed for this, to bleed away Itachi’s gift on a farce of subterfuge, but there’s a bit of time-compression anyway. He knows how to do that much.

“Oh thank fuck,” Karin swears. “Thank you for playing along, Sasuke, you have no idea wh--”

“Talk,” Sasuke says.

She blinks, and pouts, and huffs, and adjusts her glasses. “That man is mad as a hatter and I don’t know exactly what his intentions are, but they’re not anything good.”

Sasuke crosses his arms and waits.

“He’s lying about being Madara, obviously,” Karin says. “And he’s... I don’t know, he’s got some technique that lets him be here-but-not, probably a variation on that teleport he showed off. I think he’s spying on us after he leaves, so I needed an excuse to just... yeah.”

“Okay,” Sasuke says. “What else?”

“Whatever he said about Itachi and the village... he’s holding back the whole truth,” Karin says. “He told some of the truth, and obviously I can’t tell exactly what he’s hiding, but there was... I dunno, satisfaction? Vindictiveness? He was, like, proud. Of Itachi getting pushed into killing the clan. I don’t know if he was involved in it or not, but my money’s on this fake Madara manipulating the clan, Itachi, the Hokage, or... I don’t know. All three? Anyone else that was involved? I don’t have enough background information to know for sure.”

Sasuke’s mental representation of himself squeezes his fingers into his biceps. He can’t keep this genjutsu up much longer without it getting suspicious. “Is he still watching us?”

“Yes.”

Fuck. “I still need to kill--”

“Sasuke, no,” she says, coming closer. “Please, just... just hold off on the revenge until we know more about what’s going on.”

“But Itachi--”

“Sasuke, please,” Karin says. “You killed Itachi. You did that, because you didn’t have all the information, and you were being manipulated and lied to by people older than you. What did I just say was happening?”

“You said he told the truth,” Sasuke says. “That Konoha--”

“FUCK Konoha,” Karin says. “Who do you trust more, me or the guy that wears a full face mask and lies about being a hundred-year-old relative?”

“But--”

“Who do you trust?” Karin demands. “Me or him?”

Sasuke doesn’t trust anyone.

“He is telling you what you want to hear,” Karin says, teeth grit. “But you met him a few hours ago, and he’s clearly incredibly suspicious. Please listen to me when I tell you that it makes more sense to collect information first. Hell, we can break into Konoha’s archives if you want. We can, I dunno, find your old team captain and tell him what fake Madara told us, and get him to break into archives for us. But, Sasuke, please remember that you picked us. You picked this team, and part of the reason you picked me is because I am the best goddamn sensor on the continent, and I know when people lie.”

She’s not wrong.

But... Itachi.

“We’ll talk again in the morning,” Sasuke decides, and breaks the genjutsu.

Karin pouts at him for a moment, and then wipes the look away and smiles at him, kind and pitying. “It gets better,” she says. “Eventually. Usually. Um, I mean, we’ve all lost a lot, but Juugo killed his parents by accident when he was four, ya know? He probably has all that ‘similar life experience’ stuff going on.”

“Can we not talk about this?” Sasuke asks, trying to talk like a... he doesn’t know. Like an upset boyfriend, maybe. “Just... I need to sleep.”

“Okay,” Karin says, and tries to take one of his hands. He pulls it away before she can touch it, and she freezes, then pulls her hand back to her own chest. “Good night, Sasuke.”

“Good night.” He sounds stilted even to his own ears. Hopefully, fake-Madara will attribute that to the trauma and grief instead of the awkwardness of not actually being in a relationship with Karin.

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

From there on, things drift sideways into Sasuke making slightly better decision on account of not trusting Obito as much, and trusting Karin to tell him when something’s a bad idea. He still makes bad decisions, because that’s just who Sasuke is as a person, but those decisions tend to skip over things like “attempts to kidnap Killer Bee” and just goes straight for Danzo. Obito is tired of his shit, but so is Kakashi, so Obito lets it slide. Sure, he’d rather have the Hachibi in the statue, but Sasuke’s causing grey hairs in a man that Obito half-hates and half-is-in-love-with, so it’s not all bad.

Zetsu does not agree, but Zetsu’s opinion is trash so we don’t care.

Technically Karin’s choice to fake date Sasuke in order to get him information does save the day, if only in the sense that the world is slightly less-fucked-over by the end of the fourth war, because Sasuke was faster about getting his head out of his ass.

[depressedkakashihatake-fics]

Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai

3542 words

Tags: Aro Kakashi and Ace Gai

“You love him, admit it,” Asuma gives his shoulder a nudge with his elbow, dragging his eyes away from Gai who’s on the other side of the room chit chatting with Genma. “It’s ok, Kakashi. You can tell me.”

He’s not sure exactly what Asuma’s getting at, but there’s a look in his eyes that screams trouble. A sort of trouble Kakashi does not want to get mixed up in.

“He’s my best friend,” It seems like an obvious answer, but for some reason he feels like he’s repeating it more and more each day. “I would literally kill for him.”

He had, in fact. Multiple times.

“That’s not what I mean and you know it,” Raising an eyebrow he waits for Asuma to continue. “You Love him. The same way your dad loved your mom.”

“oh?” he doesn’t actually know what that’s supposed to mean. His mom died when he was quite young, and his dad had always gotten so sad when he tried to talk to him about her. Even just asking something simple like ‘do i look like her at all?’ would be rewarded with a pained look and a promise to ‘talk about it later’. “I mean, i’d miss him if he died, yes.”

Asuma groans and tells him to forget about it, focusing his attention instead on picking up conversation with Kurenai.

He doesn’t forget about it. It’s hard to, when others won’t let him.

———————————————————

“You love him.” There’s blood running down the left side of his face. A result of over using Obito’s eye. He’d usually scold himself for it, but he hadn’t felt like letting the enemy get another shot at his makeshift team. Turning his attention back to Genma, he tilts his head.

Gai slumped against Genma's side with a deep gash in his arm and blood covering half his face after taking a hit to the forehead. A wound he had received while protecting Genma after he had been knocked down.

“I’d die for him,” It’s a simple fact. One he’s sure anyone who knows him is aware of. “I’d die for you too.”

His friendship with Genma might not be as strong as the one he has with Gai, but it’s still true. He'd rather die than have to bury another friend.

“I really hope you’re not saying you love me,” Genma cringed at the thought. “The sex is great Kakashi, but love?”

Rolling his eyes, Kakashi moves to their side and kneels so he can get a better look at Gai.

“The sex isn’t that good,” he assures the other man. “But if you’re asking, i love him the same way i love you, or Asuma, or Kurenai.”

Maybe their bonds are deeper. Maybe he can see himself doing things with Gai he can’t imagine doing with the others, but it doesn’t change his feelings.

“You love him,” Genma says it as if it’s an undeniable fact. “One day maybe you’ll realize it yourself.”

He doesn’t think he’ll ever understand what Genma’s getting at, but he drops it for now. They need to get Gai’s wound taken care of and fast.

——————————————————

The wind is cold against his skin, but Tenzo’s skin is warm. He’s not sure what exactly happened. How they ended up in this situation or even how he really feels about it. All he knows is it feels good having Tenzo’s hands on his back while he lays his head on his chest.

“What is love?” Looking up, Kakashi rests his ear against Tenzo’s chest and raises an eyebrow.

“What makes you think that I'm the person to answer that question for you?” Even if he had an answer to the question would it be the right one? Would he actually know what he was talking about, or would he just be leading Tenzo down the wrong path?

“Asuma-Senpai says love is important,” Resting his hand in Kakashi’s hair, Tenzo takes a deep breath and turns his eyes up towards the ceiling. “That if you don’t love someone you shouldn’t…”

He can see where this conversation is going. Asuma has given him ‘the talk’ more than once after catching Kakashi sneaking out of one of their friends' rooms early in the morning.

“Love is what you want it to be,” he closes his eyes, determined to get some sleep before they have to get up and continue their mission. “Asuma be damned.”

He doesn’t mean that, of course he doesn’t. Asuma’s just looking out for his friends. He just has an odd way of doing it.

“I don’t love you,” The words don’t sting. It’s just a fact that Tenzo is telling him. “Does that mean…”

“Get some sleep, Tenzo,” resting his hand on Tenzo’s chest he splays his fingers out and moves into the feel of those beautiful fingers rubbing against his skull. “And stop listening to Asuma.”

He’ll have to have a talk with his friend later about boundaries. There’s such a thing as going too far, and if he loses Tenzo because of one night and Asuma’s words…

It would be his fault. He knows he’d have no one to blame but himself for letting his own passions get the better of him, but he would still be angry with Asuma.

“I don’t love you, either,” he whispers, turning his head to press a gentle kiss against Tenzo’s skin. “You’re my friend. I’d kill for you, die for you. You mean the world to me, Tenzo, but i don’t love you.”

Tenzo’s body relaxes under him and those fingers continue to work their magic against his skull until sleep takes over and drags him down into darkness for a few precious hours.

———————————————————

“Sensei,” Naruto tugs on his flak jacket, pulling his attention down to him. “Sakura says that Bushy-brows-sensei loves you.”

Behind him he can hear Sakura screeching at Naruto to ‘shut up’. He glares back at her, watching as she closes her mouth and looks away from them. For the smartest kid on his team, even she can be pretty stupid sometimes.

“I think Sakura’s getting things confused,” he places a hand in Naruto’s hair and ruffles the short blond hairs. “I’m sure she’s not wrong of course. Gai loves a lot of people.”

It’s not a lie. Gai has more love in his heart than any other human he has ever met, except for maybe Lee and Naruto. Once upon a time Kakashi wouldn’t have reacted at all to being told Gai loved him. It was just a fact. One he had learned to accept years ago.

But over the years he has come to realize that his idea of ‘love’ is different from others. That some people love certain people in a different way than they do others. Something he only finally understood when Kurenai actually took the time to sit down and explain it to him.

The same way Minato-sensei loved Kushina-sensei. That’s what she had told him for it to finally click.

All these years and it took that for him to finally realize people were telling him that he wanted to be romantic with Gai. That he wanted his relationship to be different from what it was. More intimate, with date nights and proclamations of being ‘soul mates’.

They were wrong.

Always had been.

“Kakashi-Sensei,” Naruto tugs on his flak jacket once again, pulling him out of his thoughts. “You can tell us. You love Bushy-brows-sensei too don’t you? It’s ok, we won’t tell him. Promise.”

It’s a lie. He doesn’t need to be a genius to see that much. There’s a glint in Naruto’s eye when he makes that promise that screams trouble, and Kakashi is not interested.

“If we have time to talk about my relationship with my friends, we have time to train,” Sakura and Sasuke can both be heard groaning behind him. The only one who seems to like the change of topic is Naruto, who looks as happy as ever at the prospect of training more. “I think today we’ll work on chakra control.”

The joy left Naruto’s eyes as soon as it had entered. A fitting punishment for bringing up such uncomfortable topics in his opinion.

“Sensei!” Naruto jumps on his back, laughing when he stumbles forward slightly. “Hinata and I are going out for Ramen. You should grab Bushy-brows-sensei and join us.”

Glaring back at the 19 year old, Kakashi huffs when he’s greeted with that same ridiculous smile Naruto always has on his face.

“I have work to do,” he dismisses the invite, not bothering to kick his student off of his back. “You know a Hokage is always busy, Naruto. You should join me. Get used to the work you’ll be taking on.”

“You’ll have lots of time to train me later,” Naruto’s laughter only increases. He has been like this for a while. Ever since him and Hinata started officially dating. Still as energetic and happy as ever, but with a hint of something else. A certain shift in her character that Kakashi can’t quite put his finger on.

Kurenai told him it came with being in love. Maybe that’s why he didn’t get it.

“Come on, Sensei,” Planting his hands on Kakashi’s shoulders, Naruto gives him a little shake. “It can be a double date. Me and Hinata with you and Bushy-brows-Sensei.”

A date?

He has never been on a date before. Sounds boring.

“I’ll have to pass this time,” giving his student a smile he can’t help but chuckle when Naruto’s face drops. “It’s a date, Naruto. You should enjoy it with Hinata. Just the two of you. Gai and I can hang out with you two another day.”

That’s not a lie either. Gai has been itching to get out and about with their students more. Something they haven’t been able to do much since Tsunade-sama shoved the Hokage’s hat onto Kakashi and left the village for another one of her personal journeys.

He wonders if she has any money left from this one. Without Shizune by her side making sure she’s not going over bored he’s sure she’s not doing as well as she used to.

“You promise?”

Smiling, Kakashi reached back and ruffled Naruto’s hair playfully. “I promise.”

He’ll have to tell Gai about this. With all the work he has to do, he’s sure that it’ll be the only way he’ll remember his promise to his student.

“Ok,” releasing his grip on Kakashi’s neck, Naruto dropped to the ground and ran off ahead, turning around and waving back at him. “See you later, Kakashi-sensei!”

Waving goodbye, Kakashi watches as his student runs off into the crowd, and for the first time in years he’s faced with a familiar question he had thought long forgotten.

—————————————————————

“123, 124,125,” Sitting at Gai’s dinner table, Kakashi watches as he does his daily push ups. Something he refused to give up even though he’s no longer an active shinobi. Every time Kakashi asked he would say something about keeping in shape, like Konoha’s Hokage should be doing. “126, you’re staring, Rival.”

He’s pretty sure his eyes are actually on his book, but somehow Gai’s not wrong. He was certainly a little more focused on Gai than normal. Partially admiring the way Gai’s body moved with every push-up, partially because he was still thinking about what Naruto had said to him earlier.

“Why do people go out on Dates?” The question leaves his lips before he can stop it. A result of allowing himself to relax a little now that the war was behind them and the villages were all allied together for the first time in history. “You’ve been on dates, I know you have. So what’s the big deal with them?”

He’d seen Gai out on more than a few dates during their youth. Once with Genma, twice with Tenzo, and once with Shizune.

The dates he had with Tenzo had actually been something their friends felt the need to tell Kakashi about for some reason. He still wasn’t sure why, even if he did check in on them. He was mostly intrigued at the idea of Gai trying to court Tenzo.

Their friends seemed pretty surprised when he wasn’t upset about finding out his two best friends were going out on dates together.

Gai seemed to be debating Kakashi’s question, hovering mid push-up. It was sort of an amusing sight.

“A date, well…” Careful of his leg, Gai maneuvered himself into a seated position on the floor and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, most people go on dates because they think they might like a person.”

“Like?” that doesn’t clear up anything for him. “I go out with you and Tenzo all the time because i like you. No one has ever called our outings dates.”

“That’s not completely true,” Oh? Had he missed something? “But it’s not officially a date unless both people agree that it is. When some of our outings, or even your outings with Tenzo, have been called a date, the person calling it that has been corrected really fast.”

He can almost imagine it. Gai trying to tell their friends that their sushi eating competition wasn’t a ‘date’. It must have been an entertaining moment for Gai.

“But i do like you and Tenzo,” he frowned. “How do our outings not count as a date?”

“Maybe i worded it wrong,” Gai’s certainly the first person to say that. “When i say ‘someone you like’ i mean ‘like’ in a romantic term. Someone that you want to be with romantically.”

Romantically? Kakashi had never really thought of being with anyone romantically before. Actually, he’d never really understood it. Maybe it was because he had always been too busy with his work to really explore that option, and no one else had taken the time to explain it to him.

“What’s the difference though?” He frowned.

Pressing a finger against his chin, Gai turned his eyes up towards the ceiling. A sure fire sign that he was thinking. Clearly this wasn’t an easy topic to discuss. Maybe that’s why Kakashi had never gotten a satisfactory answer before.

“Well, you would take someone out on a date if you felt deeper feelings for them than you did for others,” Gai smiled over at him. “Like if you felt like you wanted to spend the rest of your life with them. Wake up beside them, see their smile.”

Kakashi shook his head.

“That doesn’t make sense,” he frowned “Why would that change anything? I like waking up beside you when we were on missions together. Seeing you smile and laugh. I can’t imagine my life if you had…”

He chokes back the words. Even three years later he can’t bring himself to say it. He had thought back then that he had lost Gai and Tenzo. That he’d never see them again, and it had crushed him.

“But you don’t love me,” There’s no judgement in Gai’s words. Not like all the times their friends had scolded him with kind words when he didn’t understand their insistence that he did love Gai. Not like how Naruto or Sakura would look so disappointed in him when he didn’t understand why they insisted he needed to take Gai out on a date. “Not like that, Kakashi. You never have.”

His shoulders drop in defeat. Had it really been that obvious? Had Gai loved him and realized he didn’t return those feelings?

Had he hurt Gai without meaning to?

“I want you by my side,” He whispered, pain in his voice as he turned to look at Gai once more. “I can’t imagine my life without you, or Tenzo, or any of our friends. You’re my best friend Gai, I…”

He wants to say it.

To assure Gai that he does share those feelings.

But he can’t. He knows it’s not right. That he’d be lying to his best friend, and that Gai doesn’t deserve that.

“You don’t have to love me, Kakashi,” Gai actually laughed when he looked up at him. “Not like that. Not the same way that Asuma loved Kurenai, or Minato-senpai loved Kushina-senpai.”

Dropping his hands back to his side, Gai smiled.

“Is it really ok?” He can’t help but ask, thinking that maybe he’s doing something wrong still. “Everyone else was so convinced. They were sure that it was different between us. That I…”

“They were wrong,” Gai assures him once more. “And that’s ok. They’re allowed to be wrong. Just like they were wrong about me wanting to be intimate with them. A few of my dates didn’t handle it well when i told them that i was Asexual. They got over it though, and we’re still friends.”

His eyes widened with surprise. Was that why he had never seen Gai leave his dates with the other person? Why he never came into Gai’s apartment to find him entangled in someone else’s arms in bed, even though Gai had caught him in such scenarios multiple times.

Mostly with Tenzo.

“I don’t love you,” the words leave his mouth as easily as they had all those years ago with Tenzo, and for the first time since then it doesn’t make him feel horrible saying them. He doesn’t see a crushed heart hidden behind sad eyes like with Iruka, or a sad smile hiding crushed dreams like Rin when he was younger. For once he doesn’t feel like the worst person in the world. “You’re my best friend. I can’t imagine my life without you Gai. I don’t want to think about not having you here with me. Never seeing that stupid smile of yours or hearing you asking me for a challenge. I just don’t love you. Not the same way Asuma loved Kurenai. I think i’m Aro.” He had done a little research on the topic when he was younger, but it was so hard

Gai’s smile only grows as he continues, and for once he feels right about saying his feelings out loud.

“I don’t want to date you. I just...i want you in my life forever.”

“That much i can see,” Gai waves his hand around the room they’re in to emphasize his words, laughing when Kakashi can’t help but smile at the reminder of himself moving Gai into the Hokage’s residence shortly after he was released from the hospital. “I love you. I hope you’re ok with that.”

“I am perfectly fine with that.” for the first time that day he smiles. A real, proper smile.

“Even without the…”

He can’t help but laugh. Sex really hadn’t been on his mind when he started this conversation, and he hadn’t been intimate with anyone in years. The only person he trusted in bed with him was Tenzo, and he had a healthy loving relationship of his own now.

“I’m fine without the sex,” he promised with a soft smile. “So long as you’re by my side.”

For the first time since he was a teenager, he feels right about his feelings. Maybe not perfect. Not yet. But right.

“How’d you know?” He doesn’t need an answer to his question, but he is intrigued since Gai is the first person in his life who seemed to understand right away. “That I…”

“That you’re Aromantic?” That’s the word. He hadn’t done much research into it past finding a word that felt like it fit him, even if he never said it to anyone else. The only person who knew other than Gai was Tenzo, and that was the only other person he ever felt the need to tell. “My Papa was too.”

“Oh?” Maito Dai didn’t really seem like the type of person to view relationships the same as him. Maybe he had been wrong to think that he was so different from the shinobi he had looked up to as a kid.

“Papa always said that the only love he needed in his life was me,” There’s a soft look on Gai’s face when he talks about it. “That he never felt the need to be with anyone romantically. He had me thanks to a one night stand and that’s all he needed.”

Somehow that sounded perfectly like Maito Dai.

“Maybe he just realized the world was already perfect with you in it,” Cheesy maybe, but true. He really couldn’t imagine how his life would be if he had never met Gai. “I know that’s how it is for me.”

“Me and Tenzo.” Gai supplied for him, laughing when Kakashi shrugged his shoulders.

He wasn’t wrong of course, but right now it was about them. Him and Gai, side by side forever and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Well, now i’m really looking forward to retirement,” he’s almost giddy with excitement at the idea. “Just you and Me Gai. We’re going travelling. Seeing the world together.”

“I Can’t wait,” Reaching out, Gai waits for Kakashi to take hold of his hands and hoists himself to his feet, careful not to bump his cast against the floor on the way up. “But maybe you should finish some paperwork first, Rival.”

Of course he’d have to remind him about that. The worst part of being Hokage by far.

[animetrashlord-007]

AHS ~ Haunted

Word Count;; 1.7k

Genre;; Suggestive, Humour 

Pairing;; Obito x Reader

Published;; 2017-10-22

My Masterlist

Akatsuki Halloween Special Masterlist

   “Damn this old house!”

   You flipped over onto your back, your eyes burning a hole into the ceiling while you tried to focus on anything else besides the moans echoing throughout the halls. The wind picked up and began to howl, branches slammed against the windows and the entire house began to tremble. According to the landlord who had been generous enough to loan it to you and your companion for a night, it was an old home with a long history, though you’d soon figured out that translated to ‘creepy and possibly possessed’.

   Leaning forward while scrunching the smooth bedding between your shaking fingers, you squinted at the dark corners of the room. As the minutes passed, your mind began to play tricks on you and your imagination offered up its most grotesque creations. You considered yourself to be tough, but it was an unfamiliar environment and you never could manage to calm your nerves when this late at night. With demons and wraiths materializing in the shadows before your very eyes, taunting you with their sadistic grins, your resolve weakened. Desperate times called for desperate measures after all, and you knew that falling asleep without his help would be no easy task.

   Turning to the sleeping figure next to you, you gave his arm a light squeeze before whispering his name in an attempt to wake him. Your words fell on deaf ears, but you weren't the type to give up without a fight. Using your other hand as well, you squeezed a little harder. Speaking a little loud, you called out his name two more times, yet he still didn’t stir. With an angry huff, you held his arm in a vice grip and shook it with a little too much fervor. His only response could be felt beneath your fingertips as his muscles tensed for a brief moment.

   Shock flooded your senses upon feeling just how hard and toned his arm felt. A small blush tinted your cheeks as you continued to hold his large, muscular bicep. You weren't expecting him to feel so buff; you hadn’t realised he took such great care of his physique. With your original concerns of ghouls and monsters all but erased, your mind wandered to places far worse. Images that no friends, let alone mere co-workers, should have invaded your thoughts. You could picture his skin glistening with sweat and his tight muscles rippling beneath his form-fitting tank top as he worked out, his body enticing you with its every movement. Every dip and curve of his body was visible as he stripped down, ready for a steamy shower after such an intense session. It was a sight straight from one of your best dreams and you wondered if you had fallen asleep at some point. A loud gasp slipped past your lips when you realised your hands were caressing his shoulders and, as if with a mind of their own, began to trail down to his lower back. It took just a second for your brain to process what you had done and for your hands to retreat from their conquest and return to your side, but the damage had already been done.

   “A surprise massage? Did I win the lotto?” The man beside you snickered. His eyes held a playful glint and no signs of fatigue as he gazed up at you. “How’s a man to sleep when all he can hear is the soft moans and pleas of his beautiful partner?”

   “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I didn't say anything, and there was definitely no moaning. Keep your weird fantasies to yourself,” you snapped, your embarrassment evident in your shaky voice and the scarlet warmth spreading across your stern face.

   “Really? Was it a ghost that was calling my name then, begging and pleading for me just moments ago? ‘Ohh, Obito. You're so handsome and strong, please protect me with your powerful body. I'll reward you in any way your heart desires!’”

   “What?! You're delusional! Just go back to sleep!” The room fell back into silence after your outburst, but it was uncomfortable and tense. You spoke up once more once it became too much to bear, your voice a low whisper as your eyes met his dark ones, “How long have you been awake? How much did you hear?”

   He chuckled, leaning forward until you could feel his breath on your skin, oblivious to your pounding heart as he replied, “‘Damn this old house! If only my prince was awake to protect me! Obito, my handsome, dark knight, please wake up and comfort me. I'm so scared and lonely! Oh… ooh, my... Your body feels so amazing, I just cannot resist the urge to touch you. Oooh, Obito, mmm-’”

   “That didn't happen! You were obviously dreaming.”

   “Maybe. Either way, lucky me,” he teased, flashing you a small smile before resting his head back down on his pillow. “Get some rest, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”

   “I can't sleep.”

   “Well, I can. Good night.”

   Muttering a few swears under your breath, you flopped onto your side and stared at the wall. He didn't respond and soon his light breathing became snores. Seconds turned to minutes and minutes to hours, but sleep evaded you. Weariness drained the last of your energy and the overwhelming weight of lethargy smothered you but still you couldn’t sleep. On the brink of both dreamland and madness, you tried counting sheep and reciting a lullaby but it was futile. It wasn't until the sun peeked up over the horizon that you felt the sweet embrace of rest.

   The next morning, or rather, the next afternoon, you awoke with a start. Obito was nowhere in sight but at least the house no longer looked like something pulled straight from a horror film. Sunlight drizzled in through the small gap between the curtains. The attic had settled, no longer creaking, groaning and inducing childish fears. It would have been peaceful had you not been staying at this forsaken hell house for work. Instead, anxiety gnawed and clawed at your stomach. A bead of sweat rolled down your temple as you glanced at the clock.

   “Fucking dammit all to hell!” Your enraged shout could be heard clear down in the kitchen where your co-worker was awaiting you with a coffee in hand and a large grin on his face.

   It was a mere five minutes before you stormed down the stairs, hair brushed but not styled and clothes clean but unkempt. You glared at Obito and his giddy expression which, for some reason, incited undeniable anger within the very depths of your soul. Each footstep was a miniature tremor as you stomped into the room and stood before him.

   “Oi, bastard, why didn't you wake me up? We're gonna be late!”

   “So?”

   “So? So?! I didn't spend the night in this weird ass house with your lame jokes and pathetic attempts at flirting just to be late to this meeting! I didn't spend the night sleeping in the same damn bed as you just to lose my job!”

   “It's too late for us to arrive on time. Might as well not go. Besides, I never said you had to sleep in that bed. You didn't want to sleep on the couch. That's all on you.”

   “That's a shit attitude, but I guess it suits you perfectly,” you huffed in resignation as you yanked the coffee cup from his hands.

   “Cheer up. Things could be worse… though, they definitely could be better.”

   “I hate you.”

   “That's not what you said last night when you were feeling me up. Have you no shame? Assaulting me while I was sleeping?”

   He snorted as you choked on the warm beverage, spurts of coffee dribbling down your chin. With flushed cheeks and a ton of regret, you staggered to your feet and reached for the napkins on the counter beside your asshole of a partner. A smirk played on his lips as he eyed your movements. You knew that look and nothing good ever came from it. Your suspicion was confirmed when he grasped your wrist within his large hand and dragged you down onto his lap.

   “Obito! What are you doing?!”

   “It isn't fair if you get to have all the fun. Besides, that's my coffee you wasted. Consider it retribution,” his voice was deep and husky as he purred into your ear, his tongue lashing out to trace along the curve of your sensitive earlobe. You clamped your mouth shut to hold back your startled yelp. Any sounds would only provoke him further and you didn't plan to give him the satisfaction.

   His lips grazed down the length of your jawline, stopping on occasion to focus on spots that earned even the slightest reaction, nibbling and sucking on the sensitive areas. Soon he found his destination and his tongue lapped up the droplets of coffee as they inched down your neck. Once he was decided that your jaw was clean, he moved down to the crevice between your breasts. Your cheeks burned a deeper shade of red as you watched him lick up the few drops that managed to fall so low. His eyes flickered with lust and a touch of danger and the sight sent a jolt throughout your body.

   Discontent with your lack of response, his teeth sunk down into the soft flesh below your collarbone. His obsidian eyes held no mercy and his smirk deepened, excitement written all over his face upon hearing your pained whimper. Without hesitation, his hands cupped your ass and after giving it a light squeeze, he pinned you down onto the table. Your eyes widened as his body hovered above you, his warmth clouding your judgement. All you could smell was his scent, thick and overbearing as he gripped your jaw hard enough to leave a mark, his mouth inches from your own. To your surprise, he didn't make another move, instead choosing to caress a lock of your hair and peer into your eyes with tender adoration.

   “What's wrong?” You asked, the words breathless and bordering inaudible, “Lost your confidence?”

   “Just admiring the view.”

   “Shut- shut up,” your light stammering earned a chuckle from him and you were quick to furrow your brows, “It's not funny!”

   “I can't help but laugh. You're just so cute. However, I've held back long enough.” The mirth disappeared from his piercing eyes, replaced with such an intense focus that you found yourself at a loss of words. His tone concealed none of his desire as he spoke, his voice low and seductive, “You’re mine, and I'll be having you here and now.”

[lyricfrost13]

BNHA/Naruto reincarnation au

Ok ok so the trope is that one character is reincarnated into another world, either as another character or as a new insert in the world right?  I had a kind of cracky idea for this one.  

It’s a bit long but basically a ton of characters from My Hero die during the War arc and are reincarnated as Naruto characters, which changes canon timeline but not a ton at first because they all think they’re the only one. Like, literally Minato is All Might, Aizawa is Kakashi - Team 7 is Izuku (Naruto - trust me I know it’s weird, but nearly-adult Izuku in a child’s body is here to cause problems on purpose), Bakugou (Sakura - the temper and eventually the ability to smash boulders? Yes. I know Naruto and Sakura could be flipped but I have Reasons), and Todoroki (Sasuke - evil older brother, fire stuff, kinda stoic) - there’s more under the cut because I don’t have the energy to write an actual entire fic but I need to put it down. Maybe at some point I’ll write the rest. 

Yagi thought it was a dream for a while.  Thought it was a nightmare, some days - but being Namikaze Minato was oddly satisfying in that he earned every bit of his power along the way.  He was proud of it, the strength and speed and intellect. The only person he ever told about his old world was Kushina - and she believed him.  His heart ached when his team fought and died and fought more - he tried to reach Kakashi in his grief, but the boy wasn’t happy. 

Aizawa doesn’t tell a soul that he’s someone else, that he’s a fraud, not a genius.  He doesn’t dare make a friend in Obito or Rin, still aching because all he can think is Mic and Oboro and his fucking class all gone.  Minato’s sunny smiles in the midst of being a deadly destroyer of armies makes him think of All Might and Izuku, the heroes, the best of them.  It hurts when it’s all taken away, and he uses his knowledge of how not to strain eye-related powers to cover his Sharingan when not in use and dives into ANBU to avoid thinking too hard about everything. 

Touya aches. He’s a genius of his clan, blew his first fireball so hot that it charred his throat for a week and glowed blue-white instead of red. This world doesn’t leave him burned beyond repair, and killing isn’t what makes a villain - but he still becomes one, for his little brother’s sake, because while Fuyumi, Natsuo, and Shouto are gone, he still has Sasuke. (Another suicide mission fueled by revenge - only this time it’s him that has to die in the end, not his father.)  Itachi’s new flames are black, not blue.

Hawks is tired of lies.  So tired of being loyal to a system that’s full of false promises.  He might be a shark instead of a bird now, but he still flies the coop and joins up with a group that comfortably reminds him of the League. 

Izuku grieves everyone - of course he does - in the quiet of his little apartment. He’s reminded again and again of the fact that he’s different for whatever reason.  This time, instead of crying, he shouts - he laughs - he pranks the shit out of everyone to just be noticed for something that’s actually under his control.  If he can’t be the #1 hero, then dammit he’ll be Hokage - the strongest leader he can manage to be. 

Katsuki doesn’t know what the fuck to do. One, he’s become a girl - gender didn’t really matter all that much to him compared to strength and intelligence before, but it was still weird. What frustrated her more was his lack of quirk - explosions had defined Bakugou for so long that frankly, she was still going to research Iwa’s explosion corps and do something about that to add to her repertoire. Somewhere along the line Ino attached to her like the limpet Kirishima and Mina always had - getting up in her personal space without caring one way or another, understanding when she refused to speak, encouraging her temper every once in a while. The one annoying thing is that Ino interpreted her need to get stronger than the current projected Rookie of the Year as a crush.  Which - no. Sasuke was objectively good looking for a kid, but he was also intellectually a hell of a lot younger than Katsuki-Sakura, and he always uncomfortably reminded her of Todoroki. 

Shouto thrives at first - glad not to be the only one with expectations, even if he winces at the idea of an older brother shouldering so much responsibility.  He lives for having an older brother to look up to, to get close to.  He’s a little miffed that his clan’s specialty is fire-based, but hey, at least his father doesn’t expect him to be his successor - until he does. Until Itachi starts going on more and more missions, poking his forehead and saying “Another time, little brother,” more and more often. And then the massacre happens, and Sasuke wonders why he ever trusted that things would be so stable and ok.  He’s going to get strong, drag Itachi kicking and screaming back to Konoha, and rip his eyes out so he never does that again.

...

Kakashi is late again. Sasuke was more irritable than usual - after Wave, their sensei had promised to help him learn the Ice Release that Haku had done, and he’d really wanted to have that in his arsenal to have something more familiar. Sakura and Naruto had begun sparring in their boredom, and in the middle of it, Naruto slipped and hit one of Sakura’s sore spots from the mission.  She snarled.  

“Fucking deku, what the hell!” she said.  

Naruto yelped and fell forward, following through too far on a punch, eyes wide.  Sasuke stared, blinking.  

“Interesting,” said Kakashi’s voice behind them.  Sasuke was staring at Sakura in shock, and Naruto looked like he was staring at a ghost.  Sakura’s cheeks were turning pink. 

“What are you looking at me like that for?!” she demanded.  

“Problem children,” Kakashi said.  All three faces whipped to face him, mouths gaping, eyes wide. 

“ . . . Aizawa-sensei?” asked Shouto quietly. 

“What?” demanded Bakugou.  “All of us?  Who the fuck are-Icy-hot? Deku?” 

“Kacchan!” Izuku’s expression on Naruto’s features was - well.  Kakashi cursed inwardly - had things gone well, fuck, he’d be the kid’s older brother figure.  This wouldn’t have gone this far.  But the elation of not being alone was too much, even with that sting of he was right in front of me and I did nothing.  

“If we’re all back here,” Sasuke said quietly, “Who else might be?”

“Well, this changes things for us, but not for anyone else,” Kakashi explained.  “As far as the world knows, we’re the same as we’ve always been.  However, you studying Iwa explosion tactics and you wanting to learn ice release jutsus makes a lot more sense now.”

. . . 

Gaara had always had it in him to destroy.  From dust to sand to death - it was all the same.  The Ichibi raging against a jagged seal had only exacerbated an already damaged mind, one that couldn’t handle the empty space where All for One used to be. Instead stood rage.  

Yashamaru had helped, for a while. Gaara had almost even considered telling his greatest secret to his siblings - that he was once a terrible monster of a human, Shigaraki - but his uncle’s death shattered that thought quite thoroughly.  That was all it took to turn him once again into a monster, until a kid with another tailed beast inside him raged against his pain hard enough to scrape at his most protected secret: He didn’t want to be a monster or a villain. 

Naruto had that blinding smile as he fought he’d only seen a few times before - on Midoriya Izuku. 

. . . 

When Itachi next faced Sasuke, he had expected pain and rage. 

Instead, his little brother created a prison of ice mirrors, Sharingan flashing as he finished the sequence of signs.  His teammates screamed from outside the dome, and Itachi grimaced as he readied a stance - when had Sasuke learned anything about ice?  Why would he - 

“You’re going to give me answers, aniki,” he said.  “One of which is this: Touya, what the hell?”

Itachi stared.  And stared.  

“You-Shouto?”

“Apologies for not having the hair dye remover and livestream set up, but yes,” he replied.  

. . . 

Shikamaru was . . . well.  He wasn’t an idiot.  Talking about reincarnation and heroes and another life was a way to get a trip to T&I and never leave.  It didn’t mean he didn’t use his skills - Aizawa would be proud of how lazy his son had gotten in his next life, he bet. 

So when he saw Team Seven act a lot differently at the beginning of the chunin exams than he recalled, he was on high alert to find out what was going on. Naruto had learned some level of volume control, Sakura had tempered whatever her issue with Sasuke was, and Sasuke had - not softened, but definitely cooled off.  Seemed more attentive to his teammates. 

And Kakashi had certainly become more present, if the way they were presenting themselves with high-quality gear was any indication.  

Chunin Exams, Sports Festival - didn’t matter, he was still going to prove himself. No matter the fact he didn’t have his quirk anymore, he still kept asking questions. 

“Hey, Sakura.  Naruto. Sasuke. You ready for this?”

“We’re going to pass,” Sakura said. “No other option.”  He raised a brow. 

“You sure about that?”

“Sakura-chan said it, so she means it,” said Naruto.  Sasuke nodded. 

“What about you and your team?”

“Well, it’d be a drag to take the exam again. Guess I’ve got to get the promotion now,” he sad, sticking his hands in his pockets. “Gotta scope out the competition - I’m not here to make friends.” 

All three stiffened, and Naruto’s eyes lit up.  

“Shinsou!” 

Shikamaru spluttered. 

“Wh-what?!”

“You’re not the only one,” said Sakura immediately.  “Shoulda figured, eyebags. Would have thought Aizawa would be a Nara too, but it still fits.” Shikamaru was, of course, reeling.  

“Aizawa’s here?!  Wait, who are you three, then, if you know?”

“I’m Deku,” said Naruto, and yeah, that tracked.  

“Who the fuck else?” asked Sakura, and yep, her temper and Bakugou’s were just about the same amount of hair-trigger.  Which left - 

“And you’re Todoroki,” he said.  Sasuke nodded. 

“Kakashi’s Aizawa.  He’s gonna be really glad that you’re here, Shinsou. Talk to him when you get the chance.”

. . .

“You might be a monster, but so am I,” Naruto insisted as Gaara’s wild gaze turned on him. 

“No, no, I was born a monster,” Gaara insisted. “I destroyed everything I touched, it all was decay, I ended a world -”

Oh. Oh. 

“And All for One’s gone now,” he said. 

The Ichibi’s form flickered, and the sand surrounding the boy flailed whiplike and dangerous. 

. . . 

Naruto entered the seal and frowned.  It - his body, his spirit felt different. Somewhere between Naruto and Izuku. The mindscape shimmered, and a blond figure stepped forward - the First Hokage. But another step forward, and he shifted into someone else equally, no, more familiar. Naruto choked. 

“All Might?!” he gasped. “You’re the Fourth?  But - how - how is this?” he was helpless for words. Minato stiffened, staring at how the spirit before him shifted back and forth between a young man with whisker marks and blue eyes and a mop of green fluffy hair. 

“Izuku? You’re Naruto?” he asked quietly. His son nodded vigorously. 

“It seems I’ve bestowed quite the power and burden on you twice over,” he mused.  “Come here.  It’s not every day a father gets to see his son for the first time in over a decade,” he said, arms open.  Naruto blinked.  

“My - my father?”

“Yes,” he said with a sad smile. “I only ever told your mother about my past life. She even believed me!” 

Izuku-Naruto stumbled forward and sobbed into Minato-Yagi’s shoulder, clutching him tightly.  

“It’s not just us,” he said, “Aizawa and Todoroki and Kacchan and Shinsou and - there’s more out there, I’m sure of it. Not everyone, but more. And I’m going to save them all this time.” 

Minato smiled. 

[drblueneck]

Little Naruto is a time traveller

Naruto has been a time traveller his whole life. It just took him years to realize it...

.

.

The first time it happened, the four year old boy just tripped on his own two feet. One second he was in a backstreet, waving his arms around trying to regain his balance, the next he was in the main avenue of the village, spitting out a mouthful of dirt as he stood back up, knees bleeding from the hard impact with the ground.

The blond kid just looked around him, confused, before shrugging it off and going about his day, shoulders hunched around his head and shooting suspicious glares at the villagers who had yet to show distaste at his presence.

He ended up relaxing, mingling with the crowd and bumping into people just to see their reaction. Some scoffed and told him to look where he went, others sighed with indulgence and a small number even laughed and apologized. It was surreal. Feeling daring, he even bought an apple from the old woman who usually pretended he didn't exist. It was a good day, Naruto decided.

Then he tripped on a stone, his nose met the ground, and when he looked up, he was still in the main avenue, but there was a wide breadth around him. His sharp ears caught a mumbled sneer, "little freak, always gets in the way" and he turned around, stuck his tongue out and bellowed an insult that went along the lines of "poop face" before storming away from the market place.

So much for having a good day.

.

.

The next time was similar. He walked, tripped, and went he got back up, people were nicer -- or at least didn't mind his existence. Naruto happily went along with the weird fluke, thinking that adults were odd creatures with strange rites.

He decided to fall more often just to escape the stares.

It never worked.

.

.

He tried buying an apple from the woman. Her face kept changing one day from another. Naruto wondered if it was a cool jutsu. He asked the Old Man and he laughed, the thin skin around his eyes crinkling with mirth. "No, no, my boy. This is just a trick from life. No one escapes the mark left by the passing of time."

Naruto didn't get one word from that speech and shrugged, placing that under the "mysteries of life" mental checklist he kept.

Still. The lady kept changing faces. One day wrinkled. One day smooth.

He quickly learnt to which face he could buy his apples.

Stingy old hag. Adults were weird.

.

.

He met a boy one day. The villagers kept shouting at him, scoffing at his excuses and muttering about no good orphans causing trouble.

Naruto kept his distance -- it was a "good" day, the villagers left him alone and he got his apples plus a full bag of lemons, which was a real treat as the yellow fruit was a rarity in Konoha and always sold out fast. He definitely didn't need to attract bad attention by associating with the other troublemaker.

Nodding wisely at his decision, the blond boy munched on his green apple, enjoying the sweet-acid juice and thinking about the lemonade he'd make when he got home. Not a second later, the other boy bumped into him and his lemons spilled onto the ground.

"WAAAA!!! SORRY!!!! I DIDN'T SEE YOU!"

Almost jumping out of his skin at the screamed apologies, Naruto just stared with wide eyes and apple-filled-cheeks as the boy grew teary-eyed the longer he apologized and bowed to him.

He bowed.

Nobody ever apologized to Naruto, or bowed or even talked really. They just ignored him.

Blinking owlishly, the blond boy mumbled "it'sh okay" through the crushed apple bits he had yet to swallow in his surprise.

Immediately, the other kid beamed at him and Naruto felt his eyes prickle.

Someone was talking to him and smiling. Just for him.

"I'm Obito, by the way! I never saw you around before."

Sniffing back the snot that wanted to trickle down his nose, the four year old roughly scrubbed his eyes and tried to introduce himself after swallowing his mouthful. He took a step forward, a smile tugging at his lips, "I'm Uzu--" and promptly met the floor, right foot rolling on a forgotten lemon.

When he got up, rubbing at his smarting skull, there were no more lemons and the brown-haired kid was long gone.

There was a burning feeling in his eyes and he sniffled before slapping his cheeks. He won't cry. It didn't hurt at all.

.

.

"AH! YUZU!!"

The yell came from behind him and before he could react, a boy was draped over his back, talking a mile a minute about how he missed him and where did he go and he forgot his lemons and was it a shunshin and it was so cool he should teach him and--

"What did you call me?" Naruto asked, confused.

Surely Obito mistook him for someone else. No one missed Naruto Uzumaki, ever.

Obito looked sheepish as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Sorry, you were gone so fast I didn't quite catch your name. Then I saw the lemons and "yuzu" just stuck."

Yuzu. Huh.

Maybe it was better than telling his name. People always seemed horrified when he told them who he was. It was like a curse.

But Yuzu...

"I like it," he decided, and Obito smiled proudly.

They spent the rest of the day together, running up and down the streets, echoes of shrieking laughters the only sign of their passage.

It was a really good day.

.

.

So Naruto quickly understood that there were two Konoha. There was the one that recoiled at his name, and there was the one that didn't care about him. There was the one where he was known as Naruto Uzumaki and the one where he was simply Yuzu.

To his young mind, it was just the normal order of things. Everyone had bad days and good days. Everyone experienced cold Konoha and warm Konoha. People changed moods, changed faces, some streets even disappeared, but Naruto guessed it was normal in a ninja village -- once you witnessed a shinobi breathing fire nothing seemed strange anymore.

All in all, he only wished that he could have more good days than bad days.

And if sometimes at night he'd close his eyes and wish really hard to be Yuzu, just Yuzu... well nobody had to know, right?

He didn't realize he was so dependent on Good Days until he met with the Old Man one morning and had to clear his voice twice before talking. Nowadays, the only one he spoke with was Obito, and it'd been a month since they last met. He tried searching for the older boy, but he didn't know his last name, nor did he know where he lived. Naruto would never say it, but he often wondered if he was just "touched in the head", like he heard people say with sympathy about the old Taka-san who lived down the street. He wondered if Obito was even real, if the Good Days even existed.

"Old Man... you're real, right?" He asked as he looked up at the only person who seemed to care about Naruto Uzumaki.

They were walking down a worn out path in the forest where they first met. The Old Man had promised they'd fish.

He seemed surprised by the question but took it in stride as he pondered his answer, a large, wrinkled hand coming to pat his head.

"I'm as real as you are," he settled for as he offered his hand. Naruto grasped it, sticky fingers squeezing around calloused flesh. The Old Man squeezed back, tight enough that Naruto could almost feel his bones grinding together as he gasped in shock. "See? No illusion. Now come, I think this spot will be nice for fishing."

They sat and fished and Naruto kept quiet, unsure if he was happy or sad that this Konoha was the real one.

.

.

He started the Academy and things were good. He was learning about being a ninja! He hadn't seen Obito in months, and the stingy old hag hadn't sold him apples in months too, but it was okay, the Academy kept him busy enough to forget about his tentative friend. Maybe the other kid was a civilian and that's why he hadn't seen him at school.

Naruto didn't make any new friends, but it's not like he had been trying, to be honest. He spent much of his time trying to understand the given homework or planning a prank on some mean villager. It had nothing to do with the fact that most kids just ignored him to begin with. He didn't care one bit! So what if the blond haired girl in his class was always with the pink haired one and seemed to know every other kids but him? She clearly didn't see that Naruto was awesome, and that was her problem, not his.

With that thought in mind, he jumped over a puddle of mud and landed right into another. He blinked, confused. Either his aim was crap or he hadn't noticed the other puddle.

The blond boy shrugged, looked at his stained clothes and after a moment of reflection, decided to jump again in the puddle to see how far the splashes went. Now that his clothes were ruined, no need to be careful!

He was so absorbed by his silly game that he didn't see nor hear anyone coming.

"Yuzu?!"

At that, the boy looked up, startled. Oh, he thought, this is a Good Day then.

A smile quickly grew on his lips, genuine joy spreading in his little body as Obito ran towards him. There was a forehead protector tied above his protective glasses and Naruto shouted with delight and awe. "You're a ninja!"

Obito grinned widely and adjusted the spotless headband before gasping dramatically like he remembered something, eyes going wide as he reached for the blond boy’s shoulders and violently shook him.

"Where have you been?! I was worried ya know... I thought you died..."

The older boy quickly pushed his glasses up and rubbed at his eyes.

Naruto blinked, startled. He tilted his head on one side, then the other, as if trying to understand a complicated math problem. "Are you cryin'?"

"NO!" Obito said as he snatched a bottle from his pouch and dripped some liquid in his eyes. "There was dust or somethin' in my eyes... that's all! Uchiha don’t cry." The last sentence was recited with so much conviction that Naruto didn't have the heart to point out that the boy still had snot dangling from his nose from his dramatic crying feat, nor the fact that he had glasses that should've kept the dust away.

Instead, he went with sympathy. "Once I squeezed a lemon so hard I got juice in my eyes," he confided, pursing his lips in remembrance.

That got a snicker out of Obito who patted the younger boy on the back, still sniffling a little. "I missed you Yuzu, I'm glad I finally found you again. Say, wanna meet my team?"

.

.

PLEASE SOMEONE STOP ME I HAVE NO FUCKING LIMITS WTF WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF?? WHO NEEDS THIS STORY ANYWAY?! AAAARRRRGGGHHH

[kusunogatari]

[ Naruto OC x Canon Ship Week 2020 - Face to Face ] [ @naruto-ocxcanon-ship-week​ || @abyssaldespair​ ] [ Suigin Ryū, Uchiha Obito ] [ Alcohol ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ Trope: Online Dating ]

Nibbling her lip, Ryū stares at the slight reflection in her mobile screen. Thumbs flicker over the keys, not quite touching in indecision.

This is the closest she’s gotten.

The concept, admittedly, is just...not one she ever saw herself using. Online dating seems so, so...weird! Lining up your face, your name, a handful of facts, and calling it good. Is that really all it takes anymore? Sure, she...doesn’t exactly have mountains of experience beyond that. Maybe she’s just old-fashioned. But putting up something akin to a mugshot to try and find love seems very...strange.

“Whatcha doin’?”

Eeping in surprise, she claws the phone to her chest, face going pink and heart pounding. “N-nothing!”

Behind her, a coworker she knows mostly only in passing perks a brow. “Whoa, sorry! You looked kinda, uh...distressed.”

Ryū heaves a small breath. “...sorry, I didn’t mean to jump so bad. I just, uh...I’m trying one of those silly dating websites, and…”

The other woman quickly perks up. “Oh! Yeah they’re kinda scary at first but I met my boyfriend on one! I bet you’ll do just fine. Just be smart about it, and it usually all works out fine.”

“Smart…?”

“Y’know...meet in public places, tell someone where you’re going. About the same as a normal date for those like us, huh?”

At that, Ryū can’t help but deflate. “...yeah, good point.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. People gotta have their pictures on there. I take a pic of any license plates and send them to someone I trust just in case.”

Brow wilting, Ryū admits, “You’re...not exactly giving me votes of confidence here.”

“Hey, gotta be prepared for the worst, but the worst hardly ever happens. Besides, a bit of chatting online usually gives a pretty good indication of if something will even work. And you can always ask friends to go on doubles, too.”

At that, Ryū doesn’t answer. She...doesn’t really have many friends to ask, let alone any with dates she’d feel like asking along. “Yeah, good point. I’ll, uh...I’ll see how it goes.”

“Cool! Good luck!” Giving a wave as she passes by, her coworker heads around a corner and out of sight.

“...what am I doing…” Ryū mumbles to herself, looking back to her nearly-completed account. “I know this isn’t gonna work…” And now the less appealing sides are at the forefront of her mind. Maybe she should just keep her nose to the grindstone and pretend she never brought this up.

...but then again…

As much as she hates to admit it, she’s lonely. Being a pharmacist might be similar to her wish to be a doctor, but it’s not quite what she wanted. It just feels like something is...missing. And while Ryū isn’t the sort to assume all her problems can be solved by a guy (or gal), she’s still pretty able to realize that her social life isn’t the best. No real close friends, passing grades with her coworkers...not even any pets. Up until now, she’s lived life in a series of grinds. School, then work, and now...it feels lacking.

Hence the idea to try the app.

“...no harm in looking,” she eventually mumbles to herself, slowly going through the rest of her profile and hitting the confirm button. “You don’t have to go on with it, but...just look. See how it works. Maybe just...chat with someone. One step at a time, okay?”

Of course, by then her break is nearly over, so she mutes her phone and heads back to work. She...only ate half her lunch, but she’s not really all that hungry anyway. Only once her shift is over does she head back to her little apartment and...give this thing a real try.

At first, it throws nothing but male profiles at her. Which is all well and good, but...it’s not all she’s interested in. Looking over a few names and faces, she eventually bucks up the courage to pick one. He’s a few years older, lives a town over, and works as a physical therapist. Not bad, right?

...ugh, wrong.

As soon as they start chatting, she knows this...isn’t going to work. He’s all Mister Nice Guy, subtly bragging about himself and leaving only certain questions open for her in turn: the only things he wants to hear about, and...things she can easily see through as shallow. Eventually she manages to get him to shut up and quickly deletes him.

Okay...not a great first impression, but it’s not gonna be perfect the first time she tries. This isn’t a fairytale, after all. So, she tries another. And another.

After over two weeks of duds that don’t even get past initial chats, she’s about ready to give up.

Laying on her bed spread-eagle with a sigh, she stares up at the ceiling. What started as a vague inking is turning into nothing but a source of frustration. Not exactly what she signed up for. Weighing her options, Ryū eventually stirs when her phone gives an all-too-familiar notification sound.

Another match...wonderful.

Sitting up with a grunt, she opens the message and looks over yet another profile. At first glance, it’s just another guy. Ugh. The amount of lady-seeking ladies has been depressingly low, but...apparently those are usually on their own kind of sites. So, for now, she entertains herself with this one.

Obito Uchiha...huh. Vaguely sounds like her own Japanese roots. There’s a small spark of curiosity, adjusting her stance slightly. Short dark hair, dark eyes, and...well, his pics aren’t the clearest (he clearly knows his good side (or what he’s assuming is his good side since...it’s all she sees)). But she spies a cat. That’s a win. She likes cats. A glance at his actual profile shows a like of sweets, cats (aha!), and a dislike of...aubergines? Googling that, there’s a hum of understanding. It’s eggplant! She...didn’t know that...whoops. The rest of the summary (stuff about ‘being extreme’ and ‘having abs’) gets her to giggle.

Well...might as well give it a try.

Giving the okay, she opens up the chat window, nibbling her lip in thought. What should she say…?

Hello!

A bit surprised, Ryū jolts slightly, not expecting the quick response! ...hi!

I didn’t think you’d accept it so fast!

And I didn’t think you’d say hello so quickly either!

Oh, sorry...was that too fast?

The apology begets a subconscious smile. No, not at all! My phone is usually pretty quiet is all. Sorry if I’m awkward, I’m...still kinda new at this.

Ha, me too. I haven’t had too many matches yet, so I’m still practicing.

Guess we can practice together! Though I have to ask you…

...eh?

What’s your kitty’s name?

Oh! Her name is Tenebris.

Aww, I love that name!

She’s my lady, haha! Helps me reel in the girls ;D

Ryū can’t help a snort. Well it seems to be working. I don’t have any pets, sadly…

What? None at all?

No...I work a lot so I haven’t gotten around to it. And I don’t want them to be lonely!

Bah, cats are good at being alone. Feed them and clean their box and you’re fine.

I’ll have to think about it, haha~

After a few minutes, Ryū realizes...this is the longest she’s talked to someone on here yet. Sure, it was a little stiff to start, but by some grace they just sort of...fell into conversation. No posturing or anything. It’s rather...refreshing! Encouraged, she keeps texting as she starts working on her dinner.

So what kind of work do you do?

I’m a pharmacist! Not quite the doctor I planned on, but it works.

Ohhh, wow!

What about you?

There’s quiet for a few minutes, and Ryū can’t help but wonder if that was a bad question. But then Obito replies, Sorry, my cat got stuck behind the couch...I uh...am currently working on a garbage truck part time…

She blinks. That’s...very random. Nothing wrong with that. It’s an important job, after all!

Eh, yeah...not very charming though, is it?

Oh, pffft. I stand behind a counter all day and give people medicine over and over. It’s not exactly exciting most days. We all make our ends meet somehow.

I guess that’s true.

Smiling at her phone, Ryū keeps cooking and chatting, giving play-by-plays as he asks what she’s making.

Do you like cooking?

Mhm! Food’s one of those things that’s both a necessity, and yet can be fancy when you want it to be, so...I thought it would be good to learn. And it’s a lot of fun!

I’m...okay at it.

Maybe I can give you some lessons down the road, hm?

You would?

Sure! It’d be something fun to do.

Like a first date?

At that, Ryū pauses. Right...dating. That’s what this is all for. She almost forgot… Sure! If that’s something you’d like to do. I guess dinner and a movie is pretty common for that. We’ll just make our own!

I’d really like that!

Cheeks warming, Ryū beams at the screen. I guess...it’s a date! Eventually. Whenever we can make something work, and maybe talk a little more…?

Sure! I take a lot of random side jobs so I can be a little flaky…

That’s okay - we’ll just keep chatting until then. You’re actually the first person that’s been fun to talk to…

He sends a big smile emoji. Success!

You’ll have to think about what we should make! I have to warn you, I like making dessert, too…

Oh no...my biggest weakness…

And no eggplant, right?

Eugh, no.

Haha, noted!

The conversation runs well into the evening until Ryū admits she’d best get to bed. Guess I’ll talk to you some more later, okay?

Mhm!

Say hi to Tenebris for me!

Haha, I will! Goodnight Ryū.

Night, Obito.

Checking her other messages, Ryū plugs in her mobile to charge before mulling over the evening. As she does, a smile slowly pulls at her lips.

Well, she can’t make any assumptions yet, but...this is a good start.

Chatting with Obito quickly becomes a routine. Though not much of a texter before, she checks in and quips with him throughout the day. He tells her about his latest jobs, and she notes anything out of the ordinary at work. Days blend into a week, and then two.

“So…”

“Hm?”

Leaning against the counter, Ryū’s coworker smirks. “Seems to me you hooked one, huh?”

Her cheeks flush pink. “Um...maybe…”

“You haven’t put your phone down for more than fives minutes all day!”

The pink gets darker as the other woman laughs.

“I’m glad! So, you gonna see him?”

“Yeah, eventually...I think we’re both a little nervous.”

“That’s adorable. You’ll have to let me know how it goes! Been nice seeing you look so bright lately.”

Ryū blinks. “...really?”

“Yeah. No offense, but...ever since I’ve worked here, you’ve been so quiet and to yourself. But lately you’ve just seemed more upbeat and...I dunno, out there.”

The observation admittedly takes her a bit off-guard. “...oh…”

“It’s just nice to see you look happy, that’s all. I know a job like this one’s kinda drudgy. Glad you’ve got something to keep your chin up.” With a smile, the other pharmacist straightens and heads back to work.

Still a bit struck, Ryū mulls all that over. True, she’s always been one to keep her nose to the grindstone. Maybe having a bit of a social outlet just...got her going to opening up some more.

...huh.

So...any openings in your schedule coming up?

Uh...I haven’t really checked lately. One sec!

Waiting for Obito’s reply, Ryū nibbles her thumbnail. She’s going to do it. She’s going to ask him over. By now she’s gotten to know him pretty well. She’s always been able to trust her gut, and...she believes she can trust him.

Though just in case, she’ll be letting her neighbor know when he comes to visit.

Just to be safe.

So I think I actually have Sunday clear. Does that work with you?

Yeah! I’m always on a Monday through Friday schedule, so weekends are almost always good with me!

Okay...cool!

Any idea what you wanna make?

Make?

Yeah! Remember, we talked about cooking…?

Ohhh, yeah! Uh...honestly I don’t have any preference.

You sure?

Yeah, just no aubergines.

I remember, haha.

Should I bring anything?

Nah, I’ll handle it. Though I guess if you have a movie you’d like to watch?

Ooh, okay! Uh...any you don’t like?

Maybe nothing too gory…?

Aw, that’s no fun!

I saw enough in medical school, believe me...it’s not fun.

Okay, okay. I’ll pick something.

And with a few other details hashed out...they have a date scheduled.

Ryū’s stomach can’t stop fluttering: both in excitement, and in nerves. She hasn’t really dated since college...what if she does something stupid? Offends him somehow? Or something just goes...wrong?

Okay, no, stop it. It’s gonna be fine. You’ve talked a lot, so...no need to be nervous. Just do it!

By the time Sunday rolls around, she’s as ready as she’ll ever be.

Fiddling with her hair in the bathroom mirror (can she EVER get it to do what she wants?), she jumps as someone knocks on the door. Trying to manage her nerves, she peers through the little peephole, spying what indeed looks to be Obito.

Taking a moment to steady her breath, she pulls open the door and looks up just as he looks over.

...oh.

She always thought his photo gallery on his profile was a bit...empty. At first she hadn’t really noticed that all of Obito’s photos had been taken showing one side of his face.

So only now, with him looking straight at her, does she see what he’s been hiding.

The apprehension in his face clearly shows he’s awaiting her reaction, and at first she can only blink. Eyes naturally slide to the right side where a plethora of scars mar the skin from his brow to his chin. One even reaches up into his lip.

But though it’s a surprise by novelty, it otherwise does nothing to hinder the blush in her face.

...gosh he’s handsome.

Her gaze lingers on the scars for only a moment before lifting back to his eyes, cheeks rosy and giving a demure smile. “...hi.”

“...hey.”

There’s a few beats of awkward silence, the pair of them stuck staring at each other. “...s-sorry! Um...come on in!” Ryū steps aside, going hotter in the face. A nice button-up shirt and clean jeans make him look quite snazzy. Seems her blouse and skirt wasn’t too much or too little. They hadn’t really breached any ideas about how formal to be…

Stepping in, Obito glances around before clearing his throat. From behind his back he draws a little bouquet of flowers. “Er...for you.”

Ryū’s greys alight with delight. “Oh!” It’s cliché as all hell, but she loves them. Delicately accepting the blooms, she gives them a sniff before beaming at him. “Thank you! I, er...I don’t have anything for you…”

“That’s okay! I mean, food’s good with me, heh.”

Giving a giggle, Ryū retreats to the kitchen to put them in some water, setting the vase on her little table. “There…!”

“You...have a really nice apartment!”

“Thank you...I’m always either working or tired, so I don’t manage to mess it up much,” she laughs. “I tried to make it kinda...cute. I’m not exactly an interior designer.”

“No, it’s nice. It suits you.”

That makes her go pink all over again. “...s-so! Um...are you hungry…?”

Obito gives a grin. “Always!”

“Okay! Um...I thought we’d do something a bit...basic? Just in case? Do you like spaghetti…?”

“Yeah!”

“...okay! Cool. Um…” Awkwardness creeping back up, she claps her hands and giggles nervously. “Then, I...guess we’ll give it a try!”

The pair move back into the kitchen, where Ryū already has everything sorted out and ready to go. “Wow...looks professional.”

“Oh gosh, it’s just…” She gestures vaguely. “...I wanted to be ready so we wouldn’t waste any time…” Turning on the heat under the water, she thinks to ask, “...no food allergies, right?”

“No. At least...none I’ve found…? And I’ve had spaghetti before, it should be fine, hm?”

“Okay!”

A bit stuttery at first, she starts guiding him through her process, letting him take most of the reins and acting more as a guide. Obito listens attentively, looking exceedingly focused.

...it’s adorable.

“Okay, so with the grease drained off, we can add our sauce...and once it’s all combined, that’ll be that!” She, in the meantime, worked on a salad mix. “And the garlic bread should be about done, too!”

“You make this all seem so easy.”

She flushes pink. “It...just takes practice! And you did really well!”

“I had a good teacher.”

Once it’s all finished, the pair of them ferry things to the table. “Okay...you try it first.”

“Me?”

“Mhm! You made it, right?”

Glancing to his plate, Obito twirls some noodles onto his fork, lightly pink at Ryū’s watching as he takes the bite and chews. “...it’s good!”

Beaming again, she follows suit. And it’s perfect! Mouth still full, she gives a thumbs-up, making him laugh. Between spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and a little wine, they get through dinner with hearty conversation and increasing laughter.

“I dunno why I was so nervous,” she admits once they’re done, a cheek leaning against a fist as she twirls the last few sips of her wine. “I mean...we’ve been talking so much already. Guess I just felt kinda...out of practice. Y’know?”

“Yeah, me too. Though I try to bravado my way through things.”

“Well, we got through it. Should we play the movie…?”

“Sure!” He holds up a thumbdrive, grinning. “From my collection.”

“Oho!”

With a refill of wine, they move into the little living room of the apartment, Obito hooking up the TV and starting the film.

“What is it?”

“You’ll see!”

“Not gory, right?”

“Nooo. But...maybe a little scary.”

“Scary is okay. I like spooks. Just not lotsa blood and flesh and…” Her nose wrinkles. “...y’know.”

“Ha, yeah.”

They settle on the one couch she has, and at first sit...a little ways apart. They’d had opposite sides of the table before, and...well, this is new. But like a couple of dumb teenagers, they slowly meander their way closer, testing the other’s boundaries as they go until Ryū finds herself snuggled up against Obito’s side, head on his shoulder.

Obito, just out of her line of sight, is clearly ecstatic.

The movie starts out tame, but true to his word, it quickly takes on a rather creepy tone. Transfixed, Ryū stares at the screen, slowly worming her way further and further into the dip of Obito’s side.

...if she weren’t so focused on the movie, she’d realize that was likely his plan.

Obito, on the other hand, has technically already seen this one, and instead mostly watches for her reactions. The closer they get to a big scare, the more often he looks, biting back a grin until it finally happens -!

Shrieking in terror, Ryū scrambles for someplace to hide, and...ends up burrowing into his chest with a string of garbled, frightened nonsense as Obito does his best not to laugh.

“You okay?”

“I -! That -!” Her head shakes with a whimper, still hiding. “Nope. Nope nope nope.”

“Want me to stop it?”

“...nooo…” One grey peeks out, finding the screen a bit more bearable now. “...that was fricken’ terrifying! Ohhh my gosh!”

He just snickers, ignoring her continuing whines of discomfort. “It’s almost over, don’t worry.”

To his delight, she remains half-perched on his lap for the rest of the film. Once the credits start to creep up the screen, she loses her tension and goes limp. “...I almost had a heart attack…”

“Aw…”

“I mean it was good! But cripes, I wasn’t ready...eugh…”

Obito rubs a hand along her back, still clearly amused. “Gonna be able to sleep tonight?”

“...I better, I have work in the morning…”

He apologizes, watching as she tears herself from the couch and disappears into the kitchen. “...Ryū?”

No answer.

Brow furrowing, he makes to follow just in time to see her pull a pan out of the refrigerator. “What’s that?”

“Peach cobbler,” she sniffs, setting it on the counter and then fetching vanilla ice cream. “This is my reward for surviving your movie.”

“You’re gonna eat the whole pan?”

She shoots him a pout. “...maybe.”

He mirrors the look. “...I want some…”

“You have to promise never to scare me like that again.”

“Okay, okay. But wasn’t it at least a little fun…?”

Scooping the food into bowls, she thinks back over how nice and warm it was in his arms...and she could smell his cologne… “...maybe a little.”

They stay standing in the kitchen, leaned against the counter as they eat their dessert. Though not as lively as before, they chat in the quiet.

“So...on a scale of one to ten, how was our date?”

Ryū sucks on her spoon with a thoughtful hum. “...a nine.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Why not a ten?”

“Because you scared the bejesus out of me!” After a moment to pout, she asks, “...you?”

“A ten.”

“...really?”

“Good food, good movie...good company. What’s not to love?”

She...isn’t sure how to respond to that, so she takes another bite to excuse her silence.

“We’ll have to try cooking something else next time. Something spicy!”

“Not too spicy, it’ll make me sick!”

“Whaaat?”

“I have a delicate stomach...nothing too greasy, either.”

“That’s all the good food!” he laughs.

“It’s not my fault!”

“Fine, fine...we’ll figure something out. I’ll have to find some of my grandmother’s recipes. From Quebec.”

That earns a blink. She thought she heard traces of an accent in his voice, but didn’t want to assume. “...sure! I’d really like that.”

But eventually, the bowls and the wine glasses are empty. The movie is over. The hour is growing late.

It’s time to call it a night.

...but it’s clear neither of them really want to.

Obito offers to help tidy up, and that helps take a little more time. But once that’s done, there’s really no more excuses.

“...well…” Ryū fidgets a bit. “Guess I’ll...say goodnight?”

“Yeah, I better go. Don’t want to keep you up to late. And I’ve got my route in the morning.”

“Mm…”

She walks him to the front door, the pair of them lingering in the opening for a long moment. “...be safe on your way home. Text me to let me know you made it okay, all right?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“And to say goodnight.”

“...again.”

“...yeah, again.”

Another pause.

Indecision seeming to make her bones vibrate, Ryū eventually makes up her mind. Stepping up a bit closer, she lays a hand against Obito’s chest and - with a bit of posturing up on her toes - she gives him a feather-light press of her lips to his.

Flashing pink, he nonetheless reciprocates, both of them easing slowly back apart.

“...goodnight, Obito.”

“...night, Ryū. I’ll...talk to you later.”

Nodding with a shy smile, she watches him head down the hall before forcing herself to shut the door. For a moment, she stands and holds the knob...then turns and leans against it with a sigh.

...it seems so quiet in here now…

Eyes lift to her little dining room table, where the flowers he brought her are still sitting in their vase. The sight brings her a small smile. As much as she’s sad to see him go...well, that just means she’ll get to look forward to seeing him again next time.

Next time...what a lovely concept.

Heaving a more contented breath, she makes her way back into the apartment. Time to get ready for bed, and wait to hear he got home okay. Then she’ll sleep, and start all over again.

...but at least now there’s something to look forward to.

     All righty, another day, this one with Ryū’s ship with @abyssaldespair​‘s Obito, set in a modern verse! I had...several ideas for these two, and picking one was difficult and ended up costing me time BUT, it’s done xD      Hopefully I can get MORE done :’D      But yes! This was actually an idea Meg submitted to me, with the premise based largely on Obito hiding his appearance on his profile until the big reveal! Ryū, of course, doesn’t mind his scars no matter the verse. She still thinks he’s one cute cookie x3      Anywho, I guess that’s...really all there is to say for this one! Hope ya like it Meg, and I better get to work on more drabbles xD

[panharmonium]

@dreamersscape​ please forgive me for tagging you in a post to respond to your comments; tumblr’s reply feature is hard to have an extended/coherent conversation on, and I’m so excited to talk to a kindred Naruto spirit that I knew I was gonna write too much for it all to fit in that space XD

re: hinata - Oh my gosh, YES, my sister and I were so frustrated by how they just completely never addressed that moment again.  I wasn't surprised, because it's been clear from the beginning that this show doesn't really care much about women, so the female characters' storylines getting dropped or never explored in the first place is pretty much what I've always expected, but it's still infuriating.  

Honestly, the only good thing about this show's general disinterest in women is that it means that I don't place any blame on in-story Naruto for never addressing what Hinata did for him, because I know the fact that we don't see him dealing with her confession isn't actually intended to communicate anything about his reaction/non-reaction/level of investment; it's literally just a function of the fact that the writer doesn't care about her story.  It's the same way I feel about how we see so much less one-on-one time between Kakashi and Sakura - her lack of screentime with him isn't something about which a person can credibly argue "Oh, this means Kakashi doesn't care about her enough and he's a bad teacher etc etc," because the imbalance isn’t a deliberate writing decision we're supposed to analyze for characterization.  It's a reflection of the fact that the entire show is super sexist. XD

re: danzo: It’s one thing to have your villain believe himself to the hero of his own story, and like, another to have Danzo basically tout having darkness in your heart being a great thing and encouraging it’s presence/cultivating it - lmao YES!  And honestly, this is why I actually find Danzo LESS infuriating than the Third Hokage.  Like, Danzo is Super Evil and every time he exploits another child I want to watch him die all over again, but at least he like....owns his horribleness?  Whereas Hiruzen is the biggest hypocrite on the planet - when I rewatched the Shonen Jump stuff a while back (my sister and I took a little break prior to Season 11 and rewatched some old stuff), I couldn't stand listening to Hiruzen go on and on about how the entire Leaf Village is his family and it's his role to protect all of them etc etc, because like - he literally covered up the genocide of Sasuke's entire family and let the perpetrator remain in power (and that was before I even knew about all these other crimes he allowed to go unpunished!!!)  Danzo may be the Worst, but at least he's not pretending to be anything other than what he is.  Hiruzen is still acting like he's everybody's sweet old grandpa, and that makes me even more angry than Danzo's straight-up horribleness.  (And I do agree with you, they definitely lean harder into the "Lord Third is amazing" stuff pre-Shippuden, I just still feel confused about what the show is ultimately trying to say about him because we haven't gotten an explicit enough condemnation of his choices yet, and I feel like it's way overdue XD )

re: minato - Hard agree that Minato is an enigma.  I don't feel like I fully understand him either - and not in a bad way, just in the sense that he's hard to read.  The toughest thing for me to parse was always how distant he seemed with his students, which was surprising to me at first, because he'd been built up as sort of this "ideal shinobi" figure for such a long time, but to me, an ideal shinobi teacher looks more like...well, Kakashi, to be honest.  And it took a while for me to reconcile with the fact that Minato and Kakashi really do just relate to their students very differently.  I think Minato has always been a soldier, and I think he sees children as soldiers, too - not in an evil way at all, just in the sense that this is how the shinobi world works, and how it has always worked.  It's not a "wrong" way to perceive shinobi kids, in the context of the story's universe.  And so when things happen to those kids, he absolutely cares, but it's also sort of just a grim fact of life for him.  It's like when Kushina tells him she doesn't want to make Naruto a jinchuriki, and she asks 'why do we have to do that to him, why does he have to suffer that way for the sake of the balance of power between nations,' and Minato's response is “Because our family is Shinobi.”  That was a really telling moment for me in terms of how he sees the world.  It's not something I'm interested in condemning him for, like you said; I don't think the story is ever asking us to do that, it’s just a philosophy that's very different from how Kakashi sees things and what he thinks children's experiences should be like.  

I guess what I ultimately think (from the material we’ve seen so far, at least) is that Minato seems to perceive the loss of his students as something that Kakashi is struggling with, not something he himself is agonizing over.  It’s a very sad thing that happened, of course, but it’s just part of the way their world works/a function of the times they live in.  It's not something Minato is tormenting himself about.  Whereas I think that if Kakashi ever lost a kid, it would have killed him.  And I don't think this fact is in any way supposed to paint Minato as a bad person.  He's not!  All it means is that there is a generational difference between the world Kakashi and Co. are trying to create and the world Minato always knew, and people like Minato are doing the best they can with the framework they have.  

I do like the guy a lot - and I wonder what he might have been like if he had lived to see a permanent peace established.

re: little Yamato - oh boy, those episodes nearly ended me.  I am already very, very, VERY weak for Kakashi and Yamato’s friendship, and seeing Kakashi rescue Yamato from that horrible place (literally and metaphorically) was too much for me to handle.  Kakashi’s silhouette replacing Danzo in Yamato’s memories of being rescued from Orochimaru’s lab - that slew me.  And the way Danzo tells Yamato “you have no past, no future, no name” juxtaposed with Kakashi introducing Yamato as Tenzo because he remembers from three years ago how Yamato once rebelled at being called Kinoe and yelled “MY NAME IS TENZO” - Kakashi just using that chosen name without hesitation, without question, without needing to be told...it all ties back into the recent thematic throughline the show is working with about Identity - the importance of the Tailed Beasts having names, Kabuto’s desperate and misguided search for “who and what he is,” Itachi reclaiming his true self by undoing the reanimation justu and declaring “I am Itachi Uchiha of the Leaf Village,” Obito claiming that his real name doesn’t matter anymore, that he’s Nobody...it’s fantastic how they’re pulling all this together.

re: Kakashi and little Naruto - oh man, the feelings.  I agree with you that Kakashi was in no place to be dealing with this, but certainly under different circumstances I think he would have loved to be a part of baby Naruto’s life.  I actually think the reasoning behind “let’s put Kakashi in a situation where he’s in close contact with someone bringing new life into the world” is sound - I think that would be a really good thing for him!  Just not in the sense of “you’re Kushina’s personal bodyguard, so if anything happens to her and the baby you can blame yourself for it.” XD  Like...Minato could have invited Kakashi in for dinner sometimes, instead of having him constantly stand guard under their window???  If it had been more “we care about you and we want you to be a part of our family”....ugh, that would have been amazing.  Kakashi is already SO good with Naruto (who is NOT by any means an easy kid to manage) - he just has such good instincts about how to talk to that kid and teach him in ways that work WITH Naruto’s particular brand of high motivation/low frustration tolerance, ping-pong emotional extremes, explosive energy levels, zero impulse control, and an inability to process more than one thing at a time.  Handling Naruto effectively would be a challenging project for any teacher, never mind taking care of Naruto and two other kids, but Kakashi is a natural at it.  It would have been awesome to see what Kakashi was like with Naruto when they were even younger...though the Feels might knocked me out.

[also, you mentioned Naruto and Obito - I cannot even tell you the Extremest Agonies I was in when the big reveal happened and I had to hear Naruto blankly go “who is he” - utterly clueless, without the faintest idea that he’s looking at the person who shaped his entire moral philosophy.  The amount of things that these kids don’t know...that fact that Naruto has been quoting this very person all his life and making all his major life decisions based on the lesson Kakashi relayed to them on Day One - Obito’s words - oh boy oh boy I was not capable of handling that even the littlest bit.]

[keepyourpantsongohan]

Ayesha Liveblogs Naruto Shippuden S20 (Pt. 3)

I wonder if going after Karin’s Tsukuyomi bulb was happenstance or whether Tobirama went “I smell an Uzumaki” and had at it

“Just be quiet for a bit” How dare you speak to your father this way Sasuke, Kakashi does nothing but love you

“EVERYONE WILL OWN A DOG. GO GET A DOG, HOKAGE’S DECREE!“ you’ve got my vote, Kiba

Mirai as a baby is an absolute unit and I love it

Shikamaru, getting down on one knee in front of Temari: Will you not marry me?

You know what. All these dreams are extremely realistic. I buy it. A teenage boy would totally dream about kicking his friends’ asses for fun even if he had the opportunity to do anything in the world. 10/10 believability 

Sai dreams about being told he has a nice smile and being twirled around by Naruto my boooooy 😭😭😭😭😭😭

“[My Sasori transformer] will be the guardian deity of the Sand” Kankuro pls

Omg Temari’s dream is so cute she wants her little brothers to need her

God the fact Gaara’s dream is about having a happy childhood PICK UP THE PHONE RASA I JUST NEED TO TALK

“Madara, don’t you dare talk about the Uchiha. The only one who has that right, is my big brother.” But he did... murder them, Sasuke. That is a thing that happened. My dear. My dude. He done did it.  

Having read Itachi Shinden none of this should be shocking but FUGAKU REALLY YOUR SON IS FOUR WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS

“Listen Itachi, never forget this sight” well he sure won’t now that you’ve given him CHILD PTSD FUGAKU

“We finally have peace, and we must do our best to maintain it” Hmmm.... must you, Fugaku? Is that a thing you must do?

“What is life, anyway?” Damn my existential dread didn’t kick in at least until I was in school, Itachi

Sasuke was such a weird-looking newborn I love him

I wonder how the English dub will deal with the mild implications of inc/est between Itachi and Izumi

Please Mikoto your son is like 6 why are you having him babysit

God I am so used to every version of Itachi having the voice of a grownass man that hearing a child-like voice even when he is 6 is almost off-putting lmao

Full offence Obito but why do you have to be such a little bitch

“Oh good, I knew that you’d be alright” HE’S 6 FUGAKU

Why is Naruto just sitting in a basket on top of his father’s grave??? Who let you do this? Hiruzen what is wrong with you??

“I’m glad that you didn’t die” an accurate representation of Itachi’s social skills at all ages

DFhsdjfhkdsjhfk I love that Itachi has accidentally become these kids’ leader 

AHHHHH I guess that’s Hana next to Itachi I wanna see the cat ninja and dog ninja fight 

“If the fighting can be stopped, I’d like to stop it” Shisui <3 

Itachi’s sweet tooth is so goddamn cute ahhhh what a little nerd

Hhgfkhjfhl SASUKE’S PAW ENCYCLOPEDIA THE PREQUEL THIS IS WHAT I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED

“I mean, [ladies] are clueless” “How dare you insult my woman” Turns out the alcohol this cat was drinking was Respect Women Juice

God I love Minazuki-sensei he’s such a mess

“No they blew away in the wind” guess Itachi hasn’t picked up his snitching tendencies yet lmao

Baby Sasuke has acquired a younger voice too I guess. It is real late in the game to be establishing these lmao

Obito. I’m. Stop???? Please. Is this how Kakashi felt during the war

God I love Shisui the tiny ninja detective they really have left off some of the cooler aspects of being a shinobi in all the wild and flashy jutsu like during the Land of Waves arc when Kakashi kept noticing relatively mundane clues

“Shisui picked up on how I felt right from the beginning” welcome to empathy Itachi

“I’ll hand this intel over to Lord Hokage, and he will deliver a just and fair judgment” I like this ANBU vs. ROOT dichotomy but bold of you to assume Hiruzen won’t ultimately let Danzo do whatever he wants lol

Damn what the shit how does Shisui know who the foundation already isn’t he like 12 

The animation of this arc is nice but also so weird they really did make Itachi and Shisui’s eyes like half of their face

These wholeass adults getting between by two prepubescents lmao 

“A teleportation jutsu has no mass” wait WHAT I have so many questions Shisui what does that MEAN 

“I want to you to think of me as your older brother” HELL YEAH HE DOES

Ffgdfkghkjh what an abrupt voice change between age 8 and 11 Itachi

How many times have they animated these same goddamn Itachi scenes 

Holy shit it’s like they tried to tell the story of the Itachi Shinden novels and then got bored halfway through gfkhgfkhgkjh

“I’m exhaAAAUsted from my mission” Itachi pls why say it like that

“You have the Mangekyo as well?” Fugaku had a friend???? Unrealistic. Blocked

THEY KIDNAPPED NARUTO??? I DON’T REMEMBER THIS IN ITACHI SHINDEN

Genjutsu but I don’t remember that either ?!?!?! Doesn’t Fugaku spend all of Itachi Shinden being emotionally distant and sending Itachi mixed moral messages

Who is the Fugaku hater on this storyboard staff lmao I’m crying

I have a lot of thoughts about this art direction honestly why is everything in the shadows why are the character models so weird why is Itachi suddenly outside in the lightning for his murder discussion meeting instead of inside the council room if you had to shout over lightning people could hear you 

“I challenge you to the high jump” “You’re no match for me” Sasuke you’re the most obnoxious seven-year-old in the world I love it

“There’s something that I’d like you to help me with” a very casual opener when you’re proposing the murder of your entire clan but okay

They really leaned into the horror movie aesthetic huh fair enough 

I have some objections to register about Izumi’s death like both options are weird but at least in Itachi Shinden she wasn’t humiliated by Obito begging for Itachi to save her she had a degree of awareness and it was an impactful if strange scene

FUCK THE TOBI VOICE I KNEW IT WAS COMING BUT I’M WHEEZING

Cute new ED but also the idea of Tobirama giving anyone a fistbump amuses me immensely 

“Who would’ve thought that that scuzzy bearded jerk would’ve been able to use a taijutsu like that” RUDE but also ‘scuzzy’ jhfjghkjhfgj

Omg that’s so funny they literally gave the former owner of Zabuza’s blade the same voice

This doesn’t make any fucking sense how could Juzo have the executioner’s blade when Zabuza would be like 21 when Itachi was 13 oh my god 

“The Hidden Mist doesn’t keep any prisoners” unsurprising but interesting

Is this meant to imply that Juzo is killed and then Zabuza immediately finds the sword and starts a coup because that’s hilarious

Wait how does them fighting the Mizukage make any sense isn’t Yagura under Obito’s control lmao who wrote this

Did Itachi just.... accidentally cripple the Mizukage omg [Zabuza screams in the distance]

Hahahaha I know it’s supposed to be evil but it’s really funny that Kakuzu killed his partner for being too slow

“I wouldn’t know how to cater to your moods” kjfhgkdhfgjh Kakuzu just got wrecked by a thirteen-year-old LMAO 

“I’m not sure what to do with you... whether to kill you right now or find a way to use you” KILL OROCHIMARU, ITACHI, IT’S GONNA SAVE YOU A LOT OF TROUBLE 

Why the hell would Kabuto be hanging out near the Akatsuki anyway isn’t he in a long term infiltration of the Leaf Village lmao or can Orochimaru summon him like a snake

On what basis does Pain decide these partnerships did Kisame and Sasori take a babysitting course or smth

The cutaway without the “This... is art” scene is almost funnier because it implies Itachi just had to flash his eyes at Deidara and Deidara was like, “HELLO AKATSUKI I AM HERE”

“I wouldn’t mind giving you a taste of my art” [insert ninja sex joke about Deidara’s mouth hands here]

Deidara really should not be old enough to be here by this point in the narrative but this entire arc has been wacky timeline wise

Man it must be fucked up to fight a puppet version of your own corpse

“What I really wanted... was to get a hold of Itachi’s body” you are the definition of stranger danger Orochimaru

From what I remember the video games had Kakuzu and Orochimaru approaching Hidan and not Konan and Itachi but I’m game for any Orochimaru erasure lmao

 I’m pretty sure all of that blood was Hidan’s?? World-building whomst

“He licked Kakuzu’s blood” did he though?? Show me his wound Itachi

OMG they’re really heavy-handed with Leaf!Itachi as if we did not just watch a bunch of episodes of Itachi caring about his village like honestly look at this:

Kisame: So even you have feelings for your birthplace, is that it?

Itachi: No. Not at all. [Sasuke, I hope that you’re safe.] 

(Me too Itachi 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭)

“It’s been a long time... Saaasuke” could you say his name a little less weirdly please Itachi

You really can’t get mad at Kakashi for teaching Sasuke chidori Itachi like maybe if you would murder less people Kakashi would feel a little less overprotective

God was the only point of animating and voicing these scenes again so that Itachi could mentally apologize every twelve seconds? You know what fair enough, anxiety and depression be like that sometimes

“You still have people who’ll protect you” Oh plot twist Itachi was actually writing a “Nice” list instead of a “Naughty” list and Kakashi, Jiraiya and Naruto are all on it

Oh yeah I kind of forgot that this was all supposed to be like a 5 minute span for Sasuke’s flashback of Itachi’s entire life lmao

You know.... it’s real unclear to me how Obito wakes up from his trance lmao he may not be in a cocoon but he’s certainly exposed to the light

“Be careful. We’re surrounded on all sides by four of his shadows” “Yeah I know that” Yeah, Naruto knows it, but Sasuke’s warning where the Shadow Madaras are entirely for Kakashi and Sakura’s benefit BC HE WORRIES MY BABY BOYYYY

“This chakra is even way stronger than Ten-Tails” I really heard “Tenten” there and I was like, wait what did I miss with Tenten kfhkjhgkjhg

OH GOOD ANOTHER UCHIHA FLESH MOUNTAIN JUST WHAT WE NEEDED

“They’re turned into White Zetsu” I hate this nonsensical bit of world-building it made more sense and felt less weird when they were Hashirama clones like what the fuck

Oh I can’t believe this is making me feel almost bad for Madara did Zetsu really edit the Uchiha Stone Tablet’s Tsukuyomi section to say “Peace Plans” ain’t that how like the CIA entraps people 

“Hashirama... where did I go wrong” We’d need a lot more time than you have to unpack that Madara

“Countless nights passed” I mean. Was it countless nights. Because I think it was. A couple hours. This war arc spans like two days. I have spent more human hours on this arc than they’ve spent ninja hours in this war

“I can’t believe such a person existed” neither can I Sasuke it’s almost like she was invented specifically for this arc

For real Obito no offence but like why aren’t you dead it just doesn’t make much sense khkjfdhkjhgkjh

Hmmm not 2 be that gal but Kaguya’s voice is v pleasant on the ears 

“Sorry to be so rough with you, Obito” Kakashi. You loving, kind, dumb bitch. He stabbed you THREE TIMES in the past two days you really owe him like -1000 apologies

“This is also one of those times where your body just moves on its own” SASUKE CALLED OUT FOR LOVING HIS COMRADES

“I’ve got to get to Naruto” I love your dedication Minato but I feel as though the loss of both of your arms makes helping more difficult

Kakashi is not NEARLY as surprised about this levitation thing as he should be. I think as this point he’s just like. ‘This might as well happen’

All other things aside Kaguya’s really fun to look at damn

Okay okay okay not to look for too much logic in this ninja show but don’t both Naruto and Sasuke have Six Paths chakra why can only Naruto float is a metaphor for Sasuke’s fall from grace

“I am Kaguya’s child” I can only imagine a Game of Thrones-eque shadow flying out the hooha situation

“Just before the seal took hold, she gave birth to me, in order that she could be restored” I can only assume Kaguya fucked Bitterness and Regret and you know.... fair enough

I gotta tell you Zetsu being the primary narrator of this arc is jarring

Tenji seems kinda nice it’s a shame something terrible will probably happen to him

Say what you will about SP’s animation inconsistencies they can animate some beautiful-ass skies

“Is there anything that you desire” Get u a man like Tenji

Fellas is it gay to sit under the stars with your handmaiden who adores you in comfortable silence

“Even now you’re not scared. That just makes me like you more” take a shot every time a man is Like That (bah dum tss) 

“Do Not Touch Me,” wow Kaguya mood

I will clarify I said that BEFORE she exploded the men gkhkjfhgkhh

Tenji, that Aino lady is your subordinate are you really gonna leave her with the creepy That man u are not the man I thought you were

“Just tell him, and I’m sure that Lord Tenji will forgive you” to be fair Aino you could’ve elaborated u were just like ‘yup she killed them’ and left it at that

WOW I RESCIND ALL COMPLIMENTS TO TENJI CALM DOWN DUDE

When life gives u lemons use people as fertilizer for ur infinite lemon tree I guess

Are you telling me 1) Gamamaru has existed since the DAWN OF CHAKRA and 2) He knew all about this Tsukuyomi shit just like. Kept it on the DL. WHAT KINDA WORLD-BUILDING

Okay but for real did the Otsutsuki clan stem like.... all the clans, because there’s the Kaguya clan (through Hamura I guess?), and the Hyuga clan definitely through Hamura, and then the Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki through Hagoromo like just how many people did your kids sleep with and for that matter how long ago was this

“A real talking toad! Think people would like it if we caught it and took it home?” Why are Hagoromo and Hamura the cutest things in the world this is the sibling content we deserve

“You’re just a snake oil salesman, and not a very good one” oh I think I love Hamura oh no I would love a character who gets stuck on the moon 

Take a shot every time a woman exists to die and make a man sad 

“She fell in love with the ruler of this land and in time she became pregnant with the two of you” notice that at no point does Gamamaru say they got married can u believe Kaguya invented premarital sex

You know none of this goes against mine and Sloane’s Kagumo theory

“How can you see so far into a toad’s heart that clearly” Gamamaru and Hagoromo’s interactions are killing me

How much time has passed for Hamura’s hair to grow that long

Hamura @ Kaguya: BROTHERS BEFORE MOTHERS

HOW MUCH TIME HAS PASSED FOR HAGOROMO TO DEVELOP THIS BROW RIDGE SAGE LAND TAKES A TOLL 

Tenji doesn’t even appear in this flashback about love and betrayal it’s just Kaguya being bitter bc her gal Aino died they were in lesbians together

Every so often I’m reminded that Kishimoto has a twin brother and I wonder what he thinks about making the twins fight

“You enabled me to awaken the mangekyo sharingan and rinnegan” how do u even have words for those things. Didn’t they just happen right this moment

Wow this is all very Little Shop of Horrors, Momma feeds the tree with people juice and in turn it wants to protect her from harm

“I split the Ten Tails into nine souls” SOULS? HAGOROMO CAN... JUST MAKE SOULS. COULD HE POINT AT GAMAMARU AND SAY “YOU ARE TWO FROGS NOW” AND THAT’D JUST BE TRUE?

“We won’t be that far apart,” said Hagoromo, just as his brother was about to teleport to the moon

Side note: Maybe ur crops were failing bc without the moon the tides are all out of whack and you know, the moon was apparently just invented right now

“Time passed, and so did Hagoromo” I love this particular literary device

“Time after time I’d approach the reincarnates of Indra and Ashura” okay so we’re supposed to be down for not only regular reincarnation in Naruto but Indra and Ashura ONLY BEING BORN TO THE SENJU AND UCHIHA CLANS REPEATEDLY WHAT WHO WROTE THIS

Does this mean that people Naruto and Sasuke every 50 years????You’d think the Land of Fire would just. Get used to it

“Just with that alone, a thousands years passed” well at least we have some idea of how much time it’s been since Kaguya era lmao 

Ur telling me that this horseshit happened bc Tobirama doesn’t know to leave dead bodies well enough alone

SHHHHH I PREFER THE ZETSU BEING WEIRD HASHIRAMA CLONES

This montage of Zetsu taking credit for everything Madara and Obito did is not appreciated lmao take some responsibility for your actions!!!!

I’m gonna keep harping on this for the rest of the war honestly like where is the ACCOUNTABILITY

“So your teen rebellion continues” LMAO UR NOT WRONG

“I know that this could be our last hurrah, but we gotta give it our best shot” not much of a plan Naruto sweetheart but fair

Tag urself I’m Kakashi’s look of despair at his hormonal students

“And Sasuke? Sorry that my sexy jutsu didn’t work” I was not prepared for the sincerity with which that line was delivered

The Sad Old Man™ energy radiating off Obito is... Immense 

“We’re all ready to die” R U THINKING OF RIN BC SHE WAS READY TO DIE OR BC UR READY TO SEE HER EITHER WAY IT’S SAD KAKASHI

“I want to thank you for helping me out. And for helping Sasuke” “No, there’s no need to thank me” this is the first time Obito has been right about something since the age of 13

“I’m not going to waste time on speeches,” said Obito, in the middle of a dramatic speech 

Minato..... how did you chop the branch.... with no hands to pick up a kunai???????? What kind of yoga contortion was involved

What I imagine the subtext of this scene to be:

Hagoromo: New old son!!!! I am dad now

Hashirama, whose dad was Butsuma: [choking back tears] Okay

Tobirama: I also hate our father

They’re all taking to this “demi-god pops out of the bottom half of dead ex-comrade” thing pretty well but to be fair they’ve had a complicated day

[godaime-obito]

my fill for @kakaobiweek2019 day 14: free day. im on my monster bs; enjoy konoha plus 100% more gorgons and witches

Obito hasn’t been back to Konoha in a long time. Not since before the cave, and the witch, and the curse. But as much as he dreads being back here, risking seeing familiar faces, he can at least be sure there won’t be any more witches. At least not ones like Kaguya was. The city has an excellent grasp on its supernatural population. Thank you Tobirama Senju: master of regulation and city planning.

The streets are the same as he remembers, dimly lit by old lights, but some of the stores have changed. Obito wonders how many closures and grand openings he missed the last decade and a half. His favorite dango stand is gone, and it makes him feel exceptionally old for only being 28. It’s silly of him; it was just a little stand. He detours from his path to the administrative building, where he intends to register the type of supernatural being he is and, well, finally report in as not being dead, to check that Ichiraku’s Ramen is still there.

Dusk is falling over Konoha. It’s settling in to be a foggy night as well and the streets are emptier than he expected. Ichiraku’s banners wave in the slight breeze, barely illuminated by the shop’s single outdoor light. They’re still open, and he can hear customers talking inside. A shout, a giggle, and then a reprimand in familiar voice.

Obito would be lying if he said he didn’t recognize who the last voice was. It’s not too late for him to turn back to his original path, content in the knowledge the shop is still here. He doesn’t, instead he slips through the curtain and quietly takes a seat on the opposite end of the bar from the ones already there. Ayame comes to take his order. She’s about the same age as him. He remembers coming here with Sensei and Kushina-neechan and seeing her tracing her father’s steps, eager to learn the family business. She doesn’t recognize him. To her credit, he is wearing a mask.

He wonders if he’s changed too much to be recognized at all, even without the mask. He was already scarred when he woke up after Kanabi Bridge, but then the witch happened too. Uchiha aren’t supernatural, despite their eyes. He was normal until the curse. He still can’t believe he was turned into a gorgon. Logically he knew gorgons originated from a curse, but he thought nowadays they were all just descendants of the ones originally cursed, not that there were witches running around still using it all haphazard. He couldn’t remove the mask if he wanted to without temporarily or even permanently freezing anyone who isn’t also a gorgon, and he has to keep his hood up in case he gets emotional and his hair goes serpentine on him.

Never mind. He doesn’t want to linger on that. He’d even rather think about Kakashi. If Obito spoke loud enough for him to hear would Kakashi know his voice like Obito knew his? Does he want to be recognized? It would be better to go unnoticed, but at the same time he wants to be important enough to remember. Wants Kakashi to have retraced every memory of the team’s time together the way Obito has.

Glancing over, he catalogues the other customers. Kakashi and three others, all of them sitting together. The others are just kids. He can only see their profiles; A blond boy, a girl with pink hair, and a boy with black hair and a very Uchiha look. They’re eleven or twelve or thirteen. About the age he was when he last saw Kakashi. The man’s new team, for which he is the Sensei? He can’t imagine him teaching anything. But it’s been a long time. People change. Obito certainly has.

He can’t help repeatedly glancing over as he eats. He feels like a real creep, but Kakashi is right there. He looks so much like Obito imagined. Well, considering a portion of his imagining was just ‘the same mask covering half his face’ maybe that’s not too impressive. It seems like the others might be ready to leave the last time he looks over and his gaze lingers in preparation for it being his last chance to see them.

Kakashi glances his way before he finishes starring and catches him in the act. It’s embarrassing, but with the orange mask on he at least he can’t see the weird face Obito’s probably making. He quickly shifts his eye back to his ramen. Maybe Kakashi will just move on and forget the strange man with one eye and a bright orange mask staring him down during his team dinner? Yeah, right. He’ll probably track him down and bother him later. Obito had to get ramen and see him, and now he’s going to be dodging him every step of the way. Literally hunted by his past. He shouldn’t have pissed off Konan; he could still be in Ame, which is blessedly low on both witches and ghosts. Or at least low on ghosts from his past. Plenty of the other kind.

Obito manages to avoid seeing Kakashi again for a full week. A true testament to his greatly improved ninja skill. He couldn’t even avoid him a full day as a kid. He’s not so clumsy now, except perhaps in the moments he most needs to be graceful and said grace immediately abandons him. No, he doesn’t want to think about that.

His luck runs out on a bright and beautiful day at an open field used as a training ground. Obito isn’t actually training, just lying in the grass enjoying being alone, only to be suddenly not alone.

“Hello there,” a voice calls from a short distance away, “I’ve seen you around lately, but I don’t think we’ve been introduced.” Kakashi is standing at the edge of the trees bracketing the field, leaning lazily against one.

“To the contrary,” Obito replies, “I think we have been before. I couldn’t forget a mask as nice as yours.” He doesn’t move from his spot on the ground.

“Strange,” Kakashi says, “I don’t think I could forget one as livery as yours either, yet it doesn’t seem to ring a bell.”

“I suppose we met before I started wearing this mask,” he answers.

“Well then,” he exclaims, “You must introduce yourself! It’s only proper to do it again whenever you change masks.”

“Of course!” Obito says, rather enjoying their little façade of a conversation. “How about a trade?” he proposes.

“A trade?” Kakashi prompts.

“I’ll reintroduce myself if you take off your little mask,” he says, “Why I’ll even take my mask off too.” Ha. What do you have to say to that Kakashi? He’s worn that mask practically since birth and never shown anyone his face. Obito wouldn’t be surprised to find out Sakumo never saw his own son’s face.

“You drive a hard bargain,” he says with consideration, “I don’t know if seeing my face is good for your health.”

“Are you being vain or self-deprecating? “Obito wonders aloud, “Does that mean it’s too ugly or too beautiful to be seen?”

“Neither,” Kakashi says cheerfully, “Just too powerful. I have a very strong face you know.”

“What a coincidence! That’s also why I started wearing this mask.”

The air is tense in the field. They stare at each other waiting to see if either will break character or give in. He considers just taking off his mask for the satisfaction of seeing Kakashi frozen in place indefinitely. Obito wants to see Kakashi’s face even more than he wants to freeze him though. He sizes him up a moment and then finally stands up and moves towards Kakashi.

“How about I give you a few hints first?” Obito suggests, “We haven’t seen each other in more than a decade and I was born here in Konoha. He comes to a stop just in front of him. “Ring any bells?” he asks.

“I suppose it does a bit, but it’s still far too vague,” he answers. Kakashi’s tensed slightly after is approach, slight enough a less observant person would miss it.  

“Really?” Obito drawls, “How about this: Bakashi.” His heads jerks at the sound, utterly shocked, and he moves forward without thinking. He aborts halfway through a step towards him, but it’s too late. Obito snaps a hand toward him and grabs ahold of the top of his mask and pulls downward as Kakashi tries to step back again.

He is beautiful. However, Obito doesn’t feel particularly overpowered by it. Kakashi looks less like Sakumo than he thought he would, and he has a rather adorable mole below his lip. Oddly it almost sounds like he’s being hissed at. Kakashi’s mouth isn’t moving, but his hair is. He glances up at it. Snakes. He looks back down at Kakashi’s bewildered face.

“You’re… okay?” he says.

“What the fuck Bakashi. You never mentioned being a gorgon. We were teammates for years,” Obito complains and jerks off his own mask, tossing it on the nearby ground.

“O- Obito?” Kakashi says. He looks no less confused than a moment ago and his hair is still made of little silver snakes. They’re kind of cute. “It never came up? How are you okay? Where have you been all this time?” he adds. He doesn’t seem like any of this has sunk in yet.

“I was pulled out of the rubble by a plant creature. I wanted to come back, but then I got cursed and had to fight a witch to the death,” he explains, “It didn’t get rid of the main part of the curse though. Guess it’s permanent.”

“Curse? Permanent?” Kakashi questions. In response Obito yanks back his hood and allows it to transform. Unlike Kakashi’s short hair and snakes, Obito’s hair is long. He hasn’t bothered to cut it since he was crushed, and his meter-long pitch-black snakes twist out into the air around them. Their scales glimmer with a blue tint in the sunlight.

“Oh,” Kakashi breathes. “Are they poisonous?” he asks

“No. I… I didn’t know that was even an option,” Obito stutters, “the fuck. Could I have accidently poisoned myself with my own hair if they were? Fuck. Are yours poisonous?”

“No,” he replies and finally breaks out of his daze. Unfortunately for Obito, he does so in order to laugh at his bewildered outrage. “You can’t poison yourself. Gorgons are always immune to their own poison. Although, if anyone could have managed to do so it would be you,” he teases.

“It’s not funny Bakashi,” he says.

“Of course not,” he says still laughing. “I’m just… really glad to see you,” Kakashi says. The laughter abruptly cuts off. “I really thought you were dead,” he murmurs.

“But I’m not,” Obito assures him, “Sorry I’m late.” His snakes are getting awfully friendly with Kakashi, flashing their little tongues to smell him and winding around his arms to slither up him.

Kakashi looks intently at him, soaking in his face and scars, before stepping even closer. His silver snakes rub against Obito’s own snakes and brush against his forehead. Obito stand perfectly still as he waits to see what he’ll do. Even his snakes, who often have minds of their own, go still.

Obito inhales sharply as their lips press together. He shivers as he eagerly allows Kakashi to deepen the kiss, and his snakes seem to spring suddenly back to life. They wind around Kakashi’s own silvery ones, and do their best to loop around his torso as well. When their lips finally break apart, Obito is flushed a gasping lightly. Their lips are still only centimeters apart, as the entwined serpents prevent them from stepping away from each other.

“Just one thing,” he says, “Were you born a gorgon? Your dad definitely wasn’t a gorgon. Oh my god, he really didn’t ever see your face.”

“Yes, I was born this way. My mother was a gorgon,” Kakashi says with fond exasperation, “Aren’t there bigger things we should be addressing?”

“Well, since I won’t be leaving again,” Obito says, “I imagine we’ll have plenty of time to get around to whatever it is you think is important to talk about. But I want you to explain how these cheeky snakes work.”

This certainly didn’t turn out to be the reunion Obito was expecting. Honestly it went way better. He’ll take it, copious unexpected revelations and all.

 Kakashi’s hair snakes are conception bank silver boas & Obito’s are northern black racers

[jacksgreysays]

Who do you think would handle knowing the original timeline's future best, not just in DoS, but in your other works, too? I say original timeline in large part because surely even someone who wouldn't want to would still find themselves making changes, right?

I’m going to assume you mean Naruto canon when you say original timeline, because otherwise to go through all of my fandoms would be O_O

I think there’s a difference in handling the knowledge in an internal/emotional way vs handling the knowledge in an external/make-changes kind of way. The first largely depends on how a person finds out–whether it’s something that, in the case of DoS, Shikako tells them or, somehow they find out from, like, a vision from beyond or a canon character dimension travelling and exposition dumping from there–whereas the second depends on their resources (whether they even have the ability to make changes on a significant scale) and personality (whether they would even want to.

Like, I’ve mentioned previously that Shino would make a good confidante for Shikako, not because he would particularly make a lot of changes, but because he would, if not believe Shikako immediately, then at the very least accept the knowledge with a certain level of proof (which is easy enough considering the Aburame’s history with Danzo.) So he’d be the first type of “handling” the knowledge of canon.

All that being said… I kinda want to do both for all of them mostly because this prompt would help me further conceptualize characters in a way I hadn’t considered before. So, both Emotional Handling and Influential Handling for DoS, Externality, (In)Difference, and Counterpoise? Hm, if there’s another series you’re interesting in, lionhead, just let me know and I can add that later.

Dreaming of Sunshine:

Emotional Handling - I’m going to stick with Shino for this one, actually. Regardless of if he finds out from Shikako or from some other means. Second place I would say Ibiki, but I’m reluctant to do even that much because of my own fanon that Ibiki and Yoshino are BFFs so he probably would be second hand messed up by the changes of Yoshino’s family composition.

Influential Handling - I don’t know if there is a singular person I would say is best for this, but the ones I’m thinking of all have a certain… flavor to them. In no particular order: Iruka, Ibiki, Aoba, and Shizune. And the thing they all have in common is that they have influence within the village but not the combat prowess to handle S-rank nin by themselves. So they would have to make changes with a softer touch. Would Iruka emotionally handle canon knowledge well? NO WAY. But he is in the position to not only influence Naruto (and other former students) directly but also to affect administrative decisions. Also, Danzo would never think of Iruka as a threat.

Ibiki, Aoba, and Shizune would probably handle the knowledge with better grace than Iruka, but they don’t have that direct connection with the kids that Iruka does. And this could be a positive and a negative, but they’re all also better than Iruka combat wise so they may be tempted to make changes in person which may cause them to bite off more than they can chew.

—

Externality:

So the thing about Externality is that even I haven’t decided whether or not Tetsuki knows about canon, or how–was Naruto a manga in the KHR world or can she perceive the canon version of the world in her dreams?–so I’m going to exclude her for now.

Emotional Handling - Weirdly enough, I think Naruto would handle it best. Not because he would use it, but because he would be galvanized into doing better. Whether that means keeping Sasuke in Konoha or being a better teammate to Tetsuki and Komadori or making sure to protect the people he couldn’t save in canon. Although, I suppose it depends on WHEN he gets the knowledge. Like, if he gets it before the canon graduation time, then it’s unprovable and basically a really weird dream to him–why would he be on a team without Tetsuki and Komadori?–but if its after canon graduation time, that is, after a genin-for-a-year Naruto gets put on a team with recent graduates Sasuke and Sakura, then he might take it as a challenge.

Influential Handling - Ibiki, Aoba, and Shizune for the same reasons as in DoS–since Externality is in a similar vein of OC–but instead of Iruka, since he isn’t the teacher for Testuki, Komadori, and Team Gai’s year, I would add Anko to the list.

Specifically after Tetsuki has joined Intel/T&I. Well, I mean, Anko knowing about Orochimaru’s future movements is already pretty good influence-wise (although, I’m concerned that Konoha would be “concerned” about how she got that information) but if it’s after Tetsuki has joined Intel/T&I and become Anko’s kouhai then Anko will know that she can use Tetsuki to act on her behalf as well as passing Orochimaru’s future movements along to Ibiki and such.

And I guess, for similar reasons, Tsunade would be good but only after she’s already become Hokage. Because her hands are tied as far as throwing down directly with Akatsuki since she has a damn village to run, but she’ll know that Tetsuki is a piece on the board that she can use in a myriad of ways.

—

(In)Difference

Since Kiyoshi definitely knows about canon and is trying her utmost to not get involved during her first decade and a half, then doing an abrupt 180 and getting overly involved in specific people’s lives, I’m going to exclude her.

This probably won’t make much sense given I haven’t actually written enough of (In)Difference to have a firm timeline and, unlike Externality and Counterpoise, it doesn’t follow the usual stations of canon. Which brings up the main point: except for a few flashback type situations, most of canon happens decades in the future. Any changes, even minute, will have massive consequences. Additionally, in a way, it’s harder to prove but easier to stomach so… hm… let’s see…

Emotional Handling - When they’re younger, genin/chuunin age or so, Orochimaru would handle it best. Not because he really believes Kiyoshi (if it is, indeed, coming from Kiyoshi) but because on the unlikely chance that it is true then he is still capable of course-correcting. Also, if he was, as I suspect, Nawaki’s jounin-sensei (or captain, if we’re going with wartime terminology) then being able to prevent his death–which Kiyoshi somehow does–will help a lot in keeping him sane and not completely evil.

Team White Fang would also handle it okay but only as a team. I don’t know why I feel certain about this, but, I dunno, they’re 2/3 my characters so there.

Influential Handling - Actually, all of the above wouldn’t be too bad in terms of influencing things. Orochimaru, obviously, just has to not be a complete sociopath and never work with Danzo (or, even, just kill Danzo outright) and already he’ll make the future a better place. And Team White Fang is either A) Sakumo, father of Kakashi who is in line to affect ALL the things or B+C) a shape-shifter and genjutsu mistress. So, not too hard to make changes. But I think the BEST person to make changes might be Nawaki.

Because just him being alive would mean so much in terms of Senju presence. And even if he doesn’t have Wood Release (but which I’ve written that he does so…) what his continued existence means for Tsunade and Kushina personally (who can then influence Naruto directly or not). Or what his continued existence might mean for the Uchiha clan… I suppose it’s more a potential of influence than actual influence, I guess.

—

Counterpoise

Konran definitely doesn’t know about canon. Immediately I know she would emotionally handle it the worst, because basically it’s a world in which her twin brother isn’t even a twin or a brother. Here comes an existential crisis. Because she’d emotionally handle it the worst, I’d be reluctant to predict how she’d handle it influentially. Obviously she’s in position to influence Naruto most directly, but will she want to? Will she do so in a positive way? I don’t know.

Emotional Handling - Zakuro. Hands down. I considered Ringo, because of the two Ringo is the “calmer” one, but then I realized: he’s a medic. He’s a taijutsu using medic. He’s as pacifistic and selfless as a shinobi can be. If he did believe the canon knowledge, however he got it, he would view all the deaths in canon and try his best to prevent them and only destroy himself.

Zakuro, in contrast, is a genjutsu and trap specialist. He knows that perception is more important than reality and for all his brash personality, he can be patient. Traps don’t always get sprung–it’s about preparing for possibilities, not getting directly involved. Zakuro wouldn’t lose himself to the knowledge. He’d take it, absorb it, learn from it, adapt.

The only hitch in this is that he wouldn’t want to keep the knowledge a secret from his teammates, but given their personalities, he would have to. So it’s not the knowledge itself that he would have trouble handling.

But to be clear, Zakuro is ony best at emotional handling. He’s not really in a position to make significant enough changes, for all that he has the mindset to do it.

Influential Handling - … the three people who I think could best utilize the knowledge and make changes are also the three people (besides Konran and Naruto) who would emotionally handle the knowledge poorly. Ringo is one of them–because for all he is the same rank as Zakuro, he does have sort of bonds with both Obito, though he doesn’t really know it, and Kakashi, and if he can figure out how to leverage said bonds he can mitigate a lot of suffering on their and everyone’s parts.

The other two are Kakashi and Jiraiya. The reason why I didn’t bring them up in previous series is because the nature of canon vs Counterpoise is a missing Uzumaki child. Minato’s child. And yes, it’s true, that shouldn’t be such a big deal seeing as how they they ignored Naruto in canon. But I wonder how much of that was the Sandaime’s terribad “don’t discuss the Kyuubi even though everyone and their monkey summons know about it” and how much of that was the village plausibly denying Naruto’s heritage.

So DoS brings up how Naruto could have been named Uzumaki because of his jinchuuriki status not because he’s actually related to Kushina. Additionally I’ve read somewhere that some people thought Naruto took Minato’s appearance because the Kyuubi was being deliberately cruel and kitsune are all about shapeshifting (which is why Naruto’s specialty before kage bushin is henge). And also, while I don’t know how canonical this is, there’s the idea floating around that Minato and Kushina kept the pregnancy a secret so enemy villages couldn’t find out and such. So, like, the village could have just been handwaving the obvious connections between Naruto and his parents. And because Kakashi and Jiraiya don’t get involved with him, there’s nothing to contradict that.

But Konran doesn’t have the Kyuubi. Konran has bright red hair and goes by the name Uzumaki. Konran is so undeniably Kushina’s child that there is no handwaving this away. It’s for this reason that I’m kind of playing around with the idea that the Cloud ambassador tried to kidnap Konran in addition to/instead of Hinata (which also explains why Konran becomes so desperate to keep her hair hidden when she’s a genin).

Anyway. That incident and the lack of plausible deniability means that Kakashi and Jiraiya kind of have to get involved and canon knowledge would only help them if they would get off their asses and do something. Don’t get me wrong, love the characters. But they are capable of making great change, they just need a massive shove to do so.

~

A/N: Uh… that got long and rant-y towards the end. Hopefully this was what you were looking for, lionheadbookends, and if not feel free to send another ask my way :)

Ask Box Advent Calendar is now open!

[mummapaintstheblues]

From A Bench In Konoha

3AM prompt! Week 3 Day 3 KakaSaku month! This is a very weird and out of my comfort zone kind of thing. I mean... I wrote a whole fic from the point of view of a bench... You know that one that Obito and Rin sit on, and Kakashi hangs out around? That one. I hope it isn’t too weird for you but I AM TRYING TO EVOLVE DAMMIT. (I can’t answer any questions about why the bench is thinking, sorry, I might be going insane)

Also, I read some intense smut today that ruined me. So 2k of FLUFF.

Despite the temperature of the night and the first flecks of snow beginning to fall upon its back, there was no lack of warmth.

Not that a bench could feel warmth to begin with. But this was not the kind that provided mere heat. This was the warmth one felt in the presence of loved ones, a comforting kind that dispelled goosebumps elicited by the darkness of the night. Not physical by any means but no less a force of nature.

While benches didn't have any concept of time it was aware that this was an out of the ordinary occurrence.

All the busy ones (which is what it referred to them as, how was a bench to have any concept of names after all?) had long since retreated to wherever they went. The bench liked to think that they were constantly moving, as they appeared to be during the day, until the moment they saw a special place to sit.

But when the pinpricks of light speckled in the distance the people seemed to have no time to sit here. They gravitated to that light and stayed away until the warmth of the sun reappeared, leaving a lonely bench waiting toward the gates of the village for its next special person to stop. And it certainly had its favourites.

One was currently seated in the trees above. The casual rustling of pages was usually his giveaway, but it was very dark so there was no way he could be staring fixed at the bound papers he always carried. Instead he just simply sat, completely still, sighing every so often and murmuring to himself or to the carved mountainside.

This was one of the all time favourites as far as people went. The one that made regular visits throughout the year. Long ago he sat with others on the bench, but now he was very alone. Or with that overly energetic one.

That was how the bench managed to tell them apart. The noisy one, the one that stuttered around the noisy one, the one that never smiled.

The favourite person in the trees had always been the lonely one. All his people had come and gone, sometimes the bench considered itself the only constant. Something horrible must have happened again for him to be visiting at this hour.

With delight the bench registered another warmth, a very familiar one too. Not as regular a visitor as the other special person, but still a favourite nonetheless.

Not many people spent a whole night sleeping on a bench outside after all, and it wasn't likely to forget that.

She sighed as she sat, shuddering a little at the cold, or something else. A lone tear fell upon the seat. The crying one. That's right, she'd been crying that night as well.

“Sakura?”

“Kakashi sensei… sorry I didn't see you. What are you doing up there?”

They knew each other. Interesting. The lonely one jumped down to stand just in front of the crying one. What the hell was a Sakura anyway?

“Oh, you know. Normal night time activities.”

“Sitting in trees?”

“Yup.”

“It's 3am?”

The Kakashi shuffled in a gesture that made the crying one huff in a sort of way that might have been a laugh. But it didn't entirely stop her flow of tears, they broke through the brave facade tumbling onto the concrete.

“Hey, what's going on? It's been awhile since I've seen you like this.”

She sobbed, he sat beside her. The bench registered the tentative and reluctant way he put a hand over top of hers.

It became difficult to discern the words she sputtered out after that. 'Nothing we could do’ seemed to be the punchline before her entire being crumpled into misery.

“I guess you don't lose a lot of patients, being so good at what you do.” The lonely one was obviously at a loss for words, and it was easy to tell, it wasn’t as if he’d ever spoken much to anyone else. He seemed to be more comfortable talking to inanimate objects than people. “I can’t promise you it will ever get easier Sakura, or if time will lessen the burden. Time has a funny way of bringing that pain back to the surface sometimes, even years later when you don’t expect it. But I can guarantee one thing…”

“What’s that?”

It was a rarity to have the lonely one smiling as he spoke.

“Well, a lot of good things will happen. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, or next week even. But they will happen, and keep happening too, you can’t stop them. Bit by bit it will allow you to breathe again and then it won’t all be so bad. Trust me.”

The crying one had stopped crying. Wiping the water marks left by tears with her free hand before patting the larger one of his that still enveloped hers. With a nod, and an almost smile, she sniffled before she spoke.

“I think that’s the best compliment you’ve ever given me sensei.”

“That would be about right.” He sounded mildly irritated and her smile faded. “It’s true, you are very good at what you do. The best, so I’ve heard.”

A grin. The bench felt warmer.

“You really know how to sweet talk a girl huh?”

The smirk at her words faded quickly. He was still displeased at something unspoken, though she seemed to be much happier. Whatever it was caused him to shift, and tense, almost taking his hand away from hers. But she seemed to understand how this one worked, intertwining her fingers with his in such a way it was impossible for any escape. They were looking at each other now in a way a bench would probably never fathom.

“Sakura, I’m sorry…”

It was difficult to tell exactly what he was sorry for by the sombre tone in which he spoke. The girl shook her head.

“It’s alright. You never need to apologize to me sensei, for anything.” A nod of understanding passed between them. Obviously he had been apologizing for more than one thing. “Besides, I’m not that girl who needs to fish for compliments anymore. I’m all grown up.”

“I noticed.”

A soft chuckle from the both of them as she leant over to nudge his shoulder. Then there was silence for a while. Comfortable and quiet. The bench revelled in having its people so close during what was usually a cold and lonely time of night, it wondered if they both felt that way too.

“You never said what you were doing out here, in a tree at 3am?”

“You never told me why you came here either.”

There was another look that passed between them and an exasperated sigh escaped the girl.

“Fine. I’ll go first.” A nod of agreement. “I just... come here sometimes. Not often, just when everything seems hopeless and rockbottom. Like that night Sasuke left me here on this bench.”

“The first time or the second time?”

“Ha ha, very funny.” It did not sound funny in the slightest but the bench never claimed to fully understand humans. “The first time, to be exact. It reminds me of how far I’ve come. Makes me feel a little less hopeless, I was hoping for that tonight. That second time was a mutual understanding, by the way…”

“Oh really? Understanding huh?”

“Yes. He understands that should he even attempt to breathe too closely to me again, I’ll punch him so hard they’ll have to find the atoms of his stupid pretty face before they reconstruct it…”

Laughter, from the both of them. A small shuffle closer. It was a cold night after all. Their arms were touching now and there was a new kind of warmth.

“So.”

“So…?”

No words, but Sakura (so he kept calling her) made a face at him.

“Oh right. Why I’m here. Well, I could make some excuse about falling asleep on that branch this afternoon, but truthfully…” It seemed difficult again for him to form words. A shuddering sigh, a swallow. “Honestly, I couldn’t really tell you. I find myself here a lot when…”

He trailed off. She finished the sentence for him.

“Things come back to the surface?”

A nod.

There was silence again for a moment. Broken by a voice that was in a completely unfamiliar tone from the lonely one. At least unfamiliar for the bench.

“Back in the day, before… well. I used to spend a lot of time here with my old team. One of us was always never far away from this spot. We used to fight to get here first some days.”

“You mean Obito?”

A nod, and another pause.

“I forget sometimes that you actually met him. The Obito I remember was quite different to the one you met though.”

She smiles again. It doesn’t falter as she speaks.

“Would you tell me about him? The Obito that you knew?”

For some reason it feels like a heavy request, especially in the nervous way she grips her knee with her free hand and the heavy exhale from Kakashi. A longer pause. This girl seems to know to be patient with the lonely one, sympathy from a fellow lone wanderer perhaps. But she had always been the most loving and caring of the favourite people, highlighted that night she begged the dark and lost one to take her with him. The bench was glad that he had left her behind on its safe surface.

Kakashi appeared to be thinking. His words bubbling out at first as if they had been carefully weighed and measured before breaking.

“I don’t know what to tell you. He was certainly one of a kind. If I had to go into detail, I’d say he was more like Naruto in our early Team 7 days, but now that I think about it he was a little like you as well.”

“What, a crybaby know-it-all?”

He laughed.

“Crybaby definitely. And a know-it-all too I suppose, as in he thought he knew everything but, like Naruto, was wrong about ninety percent of the time. His enthusiasm was flawless though.”

There was more laughter. Their knees were now brushing against each other as the lonely one kept talking. He talked so much it was too hard for the bench to follow what was happening. But it didn’t need the words to understand the communication between them.

He spoke, of funny things judging by the way the girl laughed, it was nice not to see her not crying for a change. He babbled about other things that seemed to be quite serious or frightening in the way she gripped his hand tighter and gasped a fraction. Then it turned to sadness, at some particularly painful part he had just stopped talking, unable to continue. He sat hunched over as if the words deflated him, escaping without his express permission rendering his body useless.

Sakura leant into his shoulder, it almost caused him to startle at the contact, just the smallest of jerks could be felt.

“Your Obito sounds like a good person.”

“Mmm.”

“Thank you for telling me about him.”

A small nod. There seemed to be no words left in the lonely one to speak anymore. Sakura knew exactly how to ease him and break the tension.

“Just a small query. How is that lady still allowed to own cats? We were looking the damned things for her ten years after you and your team!”

A small chuckle. This was obviously to do with the funny thing from earlier that had been hard to follow.

“Now Sakura, that’s no reason to give up on the entire species. Even if all cats are terrible creatures.”

“Oh, right. Dog person. I forgot. Still, I guess some people have more money than sense.”

“There’s that too. I think it’s more that people just shouldn’t own cats.” Another chuckle from the both of them. “Well it’s true isn’t it? There’s no loyalty, you get nothing in return for the partnership, they keep trying to leave you…”

“Like Sasuke?”

Dead silence. It was getting hard to follow again, she shifted her head off his shoulder to look him in the eye.

“Did you… just compare him to a cat?”

A nod.

Suddenly there was lots of laughs. Proper eye watering laughter, the kind that would have made the bench laugh too if it had any inclination or understanding on what was going on. Or what laughter was to begin with. It seemed happy though.

It continued for a bit, until it began to peeter out. Sakura nudging his shoulder again, they were pretty much lined up next to each other on that bench now. When he nudged her back and caught her eye something changed. It was palpable. Even to the bench.

The last few shakes of laughter disappeared as their faces now inched ever closer together, until they too were touching.

There was a muffled kind of silence that was not unfamiliar, people had been known to commit this kind of thing while sitting here on occasion. It was an action that seemed to be pleasant for both parties, even if it was a complete mystery.

A sigh, a muffled moan, the shuffling of clothes and bodies. Like they were devouring each other. When their lips parted they still kept their faces close, touching everywhere else. It was a heavy pause as they panted together from the activity.

“What was that?”

He spoke so quietly in between breaths, like he wanted her to be the only one to hear his voice. Like he was terrified of anyone else overhearing, a ludicrous concept at this time of night. She pretended to look thoughtful with a smile that didn’t seem likely to disappear, her arms were wrapped around his neck.

“Well, you did warn me something good would happen. Figured I should give it a head start.”

He was now smiling too, in a different way than ever before. In an open way.

“Thank god. I’ve been waiting for months to…”

He was cut off mid sentence by her lips. They appeared to be melting into each other. It was that bright and comforting warmth again, but tenfold. None of them felt the cold of the snow falling, felt the cold of loneliness or the night air, none of it. There was only warmth and happiness. After minutes of this shuffling and electric silence, Sakura abruptly stood, there was a questioning stare.

“Kakashi, it’s 3am.”

There was a begrudging nod and he stood too. Then she leant on her toes to whisper something in his ear.

“Come home with me?”

It was a question. A grin graced his features before he nodded and pulled the mask back to its usual spot. Stealing her hand they disappeared into the darkness, towards one of those little specks of light, a bench back to its regular night time solitude.

It was pleased that the lonely one now was not so lonely, someone was with him. And the crying one was no longer crying either. Huh.

It would need another way to tell them apart now.

Kakashi and Sakura. That would do.