#konoha's shinobi academy

[uchiha-namikaze-spawn]

A type of fanfiction I need that is extremely rare to find is how used the characters are to something.

Like, jutsus, for an example, imagine Boruto (I'm going for Naruto: Next Gen for a better understanding) watching Sasuke and Naruto do signals with their hands too fast for human eye to capture and he stops and just thinks how difficult and how many times these shinobi had to use these hand signs in order to be able to even make it one handed - as its Sasuke case, in which he can even use another person's hand to use jutsus - and Boruto just ignores Kurama, sharingan, etc., etc. and focus on asking Naruto if he even knows what he is doing.

After awhile it must become muscle memory, right? You know you want the result to be a huge tower of water and just effortlessly acts on it, your brain not having to think it through, think about every detail so you don't end up with a small water puddle instead.

I know that Boruto is used with "the fastest you can hand sign the more skilled the shinobi" yadda-yadda but- imagine he has a moment to think out of the box as he analyses his father dueling with his sensei just for the sake of it-

[alichiraku]

When did Iruka become a teacher?

I was making an Iruka timeline and realized we don’t have a clear answer, but rather multiple conflicting ones. So I tried to compile the informations somewhere! Here are some different indications as to when Iruka may have become a teacher at the Academy.

The first basic fact we have is this: Iruka would very probably not have become a teacher before he became a Chūnin, which happened when he was 16 years old (birthday May 26th).

IN THE ANIME/MOVIES :

The Childhood episodes show Iruka teaching Naruto’s generation while they are at a very young age, possibly 5 to 7 (see the “Naruto” and “Shikamaru” episodes). This would make Iruka 15 to 17.

In the movie The Last, Iruka is already a teacher in the Academy flashback. The children in this scene are all 7, making Iruka 17.

In the Rookie Instructor Iruka filler arc, a flashback shows Iruka asking to become an instructor. Kakashi is present in this scene and is already back in the field and in jōnin uniform, meaning this is after he left ANBU, which happened when he was 22-23 years old. Kakashi and Iruka have a 4 years age difference, making Iruka at least 18-19. This is already conflicting with the previous anime appearances.

IN THE MANGA :

There are even less indications in the manga than there are in the anime. At the very least, Iruka was not Sasuke’s first teacher (Sasuke entered the Academy at age 6), although nothing indicates whether he was already a teacher or not.

To me, the only reliable clue is in the flashback of Naruto and Sasuke’s fight at the Academy, supervised by Iruka (which spans over multiple chapters, beginning with Chapter 538 and ending with Chapter 697). The flashback is set post-Uchiha massacre, making the Naruto’s generation at least 7 and Iruka at least 17. I’d say that Naruto’s generation looks around 9-10? (compared to their Naruto Part I selves)

(There is also the fact that in Chapter 1, Iruka seems to have been around for Naruto’s two previous attempts at passing the Genin test, which would suggest he’s been teaching Naruto for at least 2 years. But since that’s already an entire problem in itself -Naruto would be 2 years older than his comrades, unless the exam happens multiple times a year like the Chūnin exam-, I’m not gonna use it.)

IN THE DATABOOKS :

Now okay, this is where I’m gonna sound a little crazy, but I’ve tried to calculate a likely age for Iruka to have become a teacher based on his number of Databook missions. Having become a Chūnin at 16, Iruka couldn’t have done A-rank and B-rank missions before this moment (or only on accident, I guess). Given that he doesn’t take missions during his teacher years (at least up to the Konoha Crush), Iruka’s 74 B-rank and 12 A-rank missions must have mostly been completed in the timeframe between his becoming a Chūnin and his taking up a teaching job. Shikamaru, who we see becoming a Chūnin, completes 9 B-rank and 19 A-rank missions in around 2 and a half years. If we assume A-rank missions take longer to complete (which isn’t at all a given but I’m desperate for clues), this gives Iruka around 3 to 3 and a half years to complete his own total, making him 19-20 when he becomes a teacher. 

CONCLUSIONS :

My personal preference would be for Iruka to have been 19 when he became a teacher at the Academy. The first two anime indications can be easily discarded: the Childhood episodes are simply cute filler episodes to end the anime, and the Last movie has more than one inconsistency. Iruka being 19 allows for the Rookie Instructor arc to be partly canon, as well as the manga indications: the Naruto vs Sasuke flashback would happen only 2 years or less after the Uchiha massacre, and Iruka would have been Naruto’s teacher for a total of 3/3 and half years (enough to have an initially strained relationship, then a more understanding one, and for Naruto’s memories from the Academy to be mainly associated with Iruka). This gives Iruka around 3 years on active duty as a Chūnin before retiring, and thus enough time for his ‘empathy’ for the enemy to become a worrying trend, if we take the Rookie Instructor arc as canon. 

(Also given that Naruto is 18-19 in The Last when he teaches at the Academy, this seems to be not too weird of an age for someone to start teaching.)

So there you have it! Obviously there is still some weird stuff anime-wise ; Iruka progressively becomes more of a Teacher Archetype throughout Naruto’s story, which explains why he’s often put in anime episodes despite being a literal teenager (yeah Konoha is fucked up about age anyway but even them probably don’t want a 15yo with anger issues to teach their knife-yielding middle schoolers).

[evilkitten3]

just realized this post is bs they don't teach shit at that school

Remember the land of waves arc when zabuza was telling his backstory and kakashi was like the village hidden in the mist is BARBARIC they make kids kill other kids in order to become ninja. We would never do that. Then the next arc was like alright kids who’s ready to kill some other kids in order to become ninjas.

[venerawrites]

Can I request Naruto with a single mama? Her little 1 yr old is a little unsure at first but comes to ADORE Naruto. Please and thank you!

Author's note: I am finishing my written assignments for uni this and next week, so I'm being extra slow with the requests, for which I am sorry :( Anyway, this request was super cute and I loved writing it! Hope you enjoy and thank you for requesting!

Becoming a war hero almost overnight sounds like a dream come true for every shinobi. All the years of pain, sweat and blood finally being recognised and appreciated by the people was something that rarely happened through history, and even when it did, most of the time it didn't last long.

But Naruto was no ordinary war hero - he was once the most hated person in Konoha, who despite everything remained loyal to his village and his friends. Filled with hope and ambition for the future, he proved himself as an excellent shinobi and most importantly, a good potential leader. So when Kakashi gave up his position as the Hokage, there was no question about who should be his successor.

Everything in his life fell into place pretty quickly after that - he bought a house, he started volunteering at the academy and the hospital during weekends, and also became the best man to Shikamaru and Temari's wedding. The boy that was once called a "freak" was now the "man of progress" - a symbol of prosperity and inspiration to many children across the Land of Fire. Tales and songs were already written in his name, and to him, it still felt unreal.

With fame came also attention. In the beginning, he loved it. Having women competing for his affection was fun and also very new for him - never has anyone asked him out on a date or given him gifts before. It did stroke his ego and for the first months after he became a Hokage, he entertained such advances. After all he was a single man, so why not? Perhaps one of these women would one day turn out to be the one.

Days became months, months became years and soon he found that almost all of his friends were either married or engaged. So far it never bothered him, but after Sakura and Sasuke came back carrying a child in their arms, he started to seriously think about what he wanted.

Years ago, if anyone has asked him what he seeks in a partner, his answer would've easily been his teammate. But since then a lot has changed, including him. He was more mature and level-headed now, and looking back, he realised what he felt toward the pink-haired kunoichi was not real love, but rather a childish crush. She was his best friend and he had deep respect for her, but even he realised how incompatible their personalities were and how his teenage self had an unrealistic idea of who she actually is.

Naruto was the definition of fire. He often acted based on his emotions and while he was better at self-control than he was before, there were still moments when he slipped up and let his inner thoughts take over his rationality. The last thing he needed was someone who had the same burning soul. Quite the opposite - he yearned for calmness. His heart needed to be both loved and protected by someone who can balance him.

This realisation felt heavier with each day. To have someone by his side soon became a mirage - no matter how often he attempted to give a chance to someone, the spark was just never there. All these women looked differently and talked differently, but ultimately they all gave him the same feeling - emptiness.

"Everything comes with time", Kakashi said to him, when he noticed him sitting by himself at Ino and Sai's wedding. The blonde man just smiled, weakly nodding at his sensei, not having the energy to oppose him. At this point, he wanted nothing more than to just finish his drink and head home to rest for the early morning meeting he had the next day.

Like almost everything in his life, however, this didn't go to plan. He was just about to stand up from his place, when his eyes locked with yours across the room. "She is definitely not from here", he thought, as you directed a small smile at him, lifting your glass in the air, before returning your attention to Ino, who was eagerly explaining her honeymoon plans to you. Naruto assumed you were not a shinobi as well, as he was sure he would've remembered you if he had encountered you in the past.

Before he can think about what he was doing, he was already walking toward the table where you and the bride were sitting. Pulling the chair next to Ino and opposite you, he slumped on it, his eyes dancing between you two.

"Can I join you, ladies?", he asked, despite the fact he already had. You both nodded and he grinned in response, before turning toward Ino and laying his hand on her shoulder:

"Congratulations on your marriage, Ino! Sai is a lucky guy!"

"You bet he is!", she laughed, nudging you with her elbow. Expecting such a response from her, you only rolled your eyes, shaking your head with a small smile. There was no room for disagreement, however - while Ino had quite a personality, she was one of the most kind and sincere people you have ever met. No wonder you became friends so quickly after she was sent to a mission in your village and you preserved that friendship despite the distance and all the years that have passed.

"Oh!", the bride suddenly exclaimed, grabbing your hand and almost shoving it into the blonde man’s face, "Naruto, this is Y/N. She has been my friend for... How many? Almost 10 years now! She is originally from the Curtain Village, but has been travelling for a while now."

"The Curtain Village? Isn't that the capital of Land of Silence?"

"It is", you confirmed, shaking his hand once he put it in yours. Noticing the slight furrow of his brows, you were quick to add with a smirk: "I am not a criminal that is here to blow up a wedding, if that is what you are thinking."

Letting out a scoff, Naruto looked a few times between you and Ino, before laughing nervously. He still hadn't let go of you, continuing to shake your arm up and down.

"What? I-you... I didn't-", he stammered, looking over to the bride for help. It was true a very brief thought of suspicion flashed through his mind hearing where you were from, but how can anyone blame him? The Land of Silence was a country of lawlessness, full with criminals and terrorist, all of them sharing the same hatred for Five Great Shinobi.

"Oh, don't listen to her, she is joking!", Ino laughed, before turning toward you and gently slapping you on the shoulder. Her eyes moved to the middle of the table, above which the Hokage was still holding your hand, his whole face flushed bright red. The minute of silence must have caught the man's attention, because soon after he let go of you, moving his fingers behind his body and nervously scratching his neck.

"Not weird at all", your friend muttered, before turning toward you, "Y/N, this is Naruto! A childhood friend, a war hero, the current Hokage... and also a man who does not know how to act like a normal human being in front of a beautiful woman."

He immediately opened his mouth to protest but was stopped the second your laugh reached his ears. This has to be the most melodic and beautiful sound he has ever heard. Too lost admiring it, he didn't pay any attention to Ino, who excused herself, giving you both a knowing look. He noticed only a few minutes later your shared friend is missing and he mentally cursed himself of how he was behaving. His teenage years were long gone, why couldn't he compose himself like the grown man he is?

"So, Hokage...", the title sounded almost seductive from your lips, "What was a man of such importance doing by himself at the bar? One would think you would be the centre of attention tonight. After the bride and groom, of course."

The tone of your voice combined with the sparkle in your eyes was enough for him to be able to barely keep focus on what you were actually saying. Squirming in his seat, he nervously laughed, wondering for how long were you watching him before he approached you. He must have looked like a complete fool sitting by himself ordering glass after glass and only occasionally being spoken to by the passing guests. Definitely not the impression he wanted to leave.

"I just... needed some time away from people. I didn't know Ino and Sai had THAT many friends", his words made you laugh and he instantly beamed at the sound, happy he was the one causing it.

"What about you? You here with someone?"

The slight nod of your head made his heart drop to his stomach and the corners of his mouth moved downward into a frown. Was it surprising? You were a beautiful woman after all, of course the chances for you to be taken were high. He sure as hell was disappointed though. A tiny part of him was hoping that you were here by yourself and that maybe, just maybe, he would have the chance to get to know you more.

Seeing the way his whole expression darkened, you bit back a smile, nodding your head to the end of the large room. There, in a corner, one baby boy and two little girls, one of which was Sarada, were enthusiastically smashing plastic toys around, being supervised by smiling Sakura.

"I am accompanied by the fine gentleman over there", you pointed to the boy, before laughing, "But I think he may be too occupied at the moment to even remember I exist."

Naruto followed the direction of which your finger was pointing and he suddenly felt his body relax. Oh. You were talking about that type of company.

"Is that your brother?"

Raising your brow at him, you gave him a small smirk, finding his question cute. There was something about this man that was both extremely sweet, yet attractive - perhaps it was the innocence he radiated, while looking so strong and masculine.

"You are flattering me", your attention moved back to the child, who was now trying to communicate something with Sarada, "This is my son, actually."

"Your son?", his voice came out louder and squeakier than expected and he immediately added, "It's just... you look so young, heh. Not that is a bad thing, you know? You are beautiful! Your son is also beautiful... Not in a creepy way, I mean he looks a lot like you and-"

The words suddenly got stuck in his throat and he loudly gulped, already fearing the disaster he just created. Expecting you to stand up and leave, or maybe even slap him, he was shocked when all you did was to just grab his hand and give it a little squeeze.

"You sure blabber a lot for a Hokage", you joked, before standing up, "Excuse me just for a minute."

Blue eyes followed your body across the room, curiously watching how you picked up the small boy in your arms and placed it on your hips, before making your way back. Now that he was getting closer, Naruto could fully appreciate the striking resemblance the child had with you. You had dressed him in a little blue shirt and black pants, which was complementing your dress with the same colours.

“Wow! He is literally your twin! Dad must be jealous”, he laughed nervously once you were just few feet away. The mention of he word “dad” made your body stiffen and you adjusted your baby’s position, so you can both sit comfortably.

“I doubt that - that man didn't even have the decency to show up for his child's birth, let alone acknowledge his existence .”

The blonde almost chocked on his drink, hitting his chest a few times. Was it bad to feel so good after hearing you say these words? He would never dream of wishing any child to grow up without a father, yet something inside of him felt almost relieved.

"Oh?", his posture relaxed and he raised one eyebrow, "So you are single mother?"

The answer was obvious, but he needed to be 100% sure - the last thing he wanted was to ruin someone's relationship, especially when there is a child involved. The nod of your head and the small smile were the final assurance he needed and without further word, he moved to the seat next to you which was previously occupied by Ino.

The sudden movement startled the baby in your arms and it immediately turned its head to the side, curiously observing the man.

"Hi, little one! My name is Naruto. Oh my, you are very cute!"

Uzumaki was good with kids. Maybe it was because of his friendly appearance or the fact he was full with energy, just like them, but there has not been a single child so far that didn't adore him from the moment they laid their eyes on him. Even Sarada, much to Sasuke's dismay.

The look that your son was giving him, however, was anything but impressed. Staring at him with his big eyes, he didn't even move a muscle, as if he was challenging him to a staring contest.

Can babies even challenge someone? Naruto never thought so, but he could swear the boy's brows furrowed just a bit, enough for him to send a clear message: "I may be cute, but you are not and neither is your attempt to impress my mom."

"He is very shy", you said, bouncing him on your lap. As a result to your constant travels due to your job, he didn't had a lot of interactions with other children or with people in general. Growing up without a father, he was very attached to you and any unknown person was always treated with suspicion.

To you he was just being cautious. To the man to your right, however, he was protective. The look he has given him was not one of a timid child, quite the opposite - he may be small, but he loved his mama and was not about to let a random man come and sweep her off her feet. Even if he was the Hokage himself.

"Well, I would love to get to know him", the man smiled, before lifting his eyes to yours, "and you, of course! Maybe... I can take you out on a dinner or something?"

"No", the word fell out of your child's mouth, before you can even start replying. Naruto looked at him, noticing the small pout that was now formed on his chubby face. Biting his lip, the Uzumaki tried his best to contain his laugh and remain serious. Not that he didn't respect the little man and how he tried to protect you, but he was so small and cute, it was hard to take him seriously.

"Hey, that is not nice!", you said to your son, giving him a look. He, however, didn't even acknowledge you, his whole attention trained on the man next to you.

"I am sorry, he just learned the word "no", and now he keep saying it at the most random times."

The blonde nodded with a smile, knowing that this was definitely NOT a random time.

"But to answer your question, WE would love to go on a dinner with you!", you adjusted the baby in your arms and the shift finally made him look at you. With a smile, you pressed a kiss to his temple, before looking back at the Hokage: "I am staying with Ino for the next three weeks. Pick us up tomorrow at 8?"

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

The next day Naruto was half an hour early to the arranged time. Too scared to knock on the door and look way too eager to see you, he decided to wait outside, almost giving Ino a heart attack once she opened the door and nearly bumped her head in his chest.

"Naruto, what the hell are you doing just standing in front of my door?"

"Uh... Waiting?", he scratched the back of his head nervously, wishing there was a hole in the ground that can swallow him whole. It was not like this was his first date ever, why was he nervous about?

Deep inside he knew the answer - it was not you who was making him anxious, but your son. The way their first interaction went woke something competitive in him and now he was determined to prove himself as a man, good enough to be a partner and a father.

Being the village's hero he hasn’t faced a challenge like this for a while, so while he thought a bit of smooth talking and play time with your child were enough to win your son over, it seemed to make the situation even worse. The child refused to play with him and instead was clinging to you the whole time, giving Naruto such a look, which could only be described as a glare.

"He is not usually like this", you said at the end of your date, when you were both saying your 'goodbyes' in front of Ino's house, "I am really sorry if it made you uncomfortable or-"

Before you can finish, big calloused fingers pressed themselves to your lips, silencing you. You were glad that your son was now asleep, as he saw the gesture, he would surely cry, just like he did every time Naruto tried to grab your hand or touch you in any way during dinner.

"Hey, I think it is completely normal", the blonde let out a short breathy laugh, moving his eyes between the child and your face, "He just want to protect his mother. If I was him, I would be the same..."

Looking down, you carefully considered his words. You avoided dating after your ex left you once he found you are pregnant, so you never had the chance to observe your baby boy around men. But looking at his behaviour now, the Hokage's words made sense.

Thankfully for you, the Uzumaki was not a man who gave up easily. Pressing a kiss to your cheek, he invited you both to go and visit him the next day in the Hokage tower. He promised to give you a tour around and grab a lunch with you during his break.

For the three weeks you were in Konoha, you spend every single day with Naruto. He started going to work extra early, just so he can leave on time to pick you up and show you another one of his favourite spots around Konoha. For everyone around you, it was obvious you were absolutely whipped for one another and all this extra effort from his side seemed almost unnecessary in their eyes. For him, however, it was more than necessary, especially since your shared future was depending on it.

As a teacher, you built your job around travelling - you loved sharing your knowledge with the world, as well gaining new one from each place you visited. Such life was busy and demanding, especially for a single parent, but the pros outweighed the cons significantly.

Naruto refused to directly ask you to move to Konoha permanently, but his intentions were pretty clear - he never missed a chance to point out how good the Academy is, how there is a higher education institution being build right now and how gifted the kids in the village were. In the beginning, you didn't give any indication you were even considering staying, but after a while you started to show your interest in your own way - mainly by asking questions about the job market, the teachers in the Academy and in general the life in Konoha.

His relationship with your son also improved drastically. At first, the child stopped "glaring" at him and actually trusted him to come near you. Then, a few days later, he agreed for the first time to play ball with him and at the end of your walk in the park, he even fell asleep in Naruto's arms. By the time you had to leave, your son was so attached to the blonde, he refused to let go of his neck and go in your arms.

"We need to go, darling", you muttered tiredly, trying to detach him from the Hokage.

"No", he cried even louder, "Mama - bye!"

Letting out a loud laugh, Naruto adjusted the little boy in his arms, so he frees one hand and takes yours in it.

"Maybe mama would consider staying", he said, his grin transforming into a soft smile. Squeezing your fingers between his, he tugged you toward him, wrapping his free hand around your waist.

"I won't force you to stay if you do not want to... but I really, really wish you would consider it! I know we have been knowing each other for weeks, but damn, I am in love with you! And I love this little guy here", he looked over the child in his arms, that was now snuggling in his chest, giving you the biggest puppy eyes, "He does feel like my son. And if you leave... I may have to follow you till you agree to come back. And believe it, I do have some experience with making people come back!"

Letting out a giggle, you raise your brow at his words, the bag on your shoulder already falling down.

"Yeah? You would travel around the whole world just to bring us back to you?"

Closing the distance, he leaned his head to the side, so he can lay a small kiss on your lips. He pressed his forehead to yours, letting out a breath of relief once he heard your bag falling to the floor.

"I will travel to the end of the universe, if it means you will be with me."

cc artowork: Jayison Devadas

[scho17]

@hibiscusseaart

Ren Nohara

Ren and Kks doodles + me yapping ab this AU bc the brain rot has me in a chokehold

close ups so yall dont have to zoom in

I JUST REALIZED THIS WOULD MEAN THAT NARUTO IS TECHNICALLY ALSO THE HATAKE CLAN HEIR URAGHHHH

I NEED TO DRAW HIM WITH ALL THE NINKEN SO SO BADDDDDD

KAKASHI SHARING CLAN LORE BC HE HAS PACK TO CARRY ON HIS CLANS HISTORY AND TRADITIONS BC IT ISN'T JUST HIM ANYMORE SAVE ME SAVE ME

Hatake 'the line ends with me' Kakashi BUT NOT ANYMORE BABY HELL YEAH!! having a spouse and child will do that to you

Now does he really gaf ab tradition? Honestly, probably not but the idea of him not being alone in terms of family/clan is what he deserves (along with a lot of therapy).

HE MAY STILL BE MENTALLY ILL BUT NOT AS BADLY AS THE FIRST TIME AROUND 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Also, the consequences of Naruto having two parents who are both some of the most elite shinobi in Konoha is probably one of the best 'fuck off' deterrents he could have in terms of curbing harassment over his being the nine-tails container.

ALSO ALSO, "I'm gonna be Hokage!" oh and he's wearing those little blue goggles and carrying around the weight of a dead boy's dream without really knowing just how heavy that burden is but still carrying it all the same in the way only optimistic children can. Oh bitch I'm throwing up everywhere. Like yes he's going to bring peace to the shinobi world but he is also giving both his dad's the worst type of heart ache. Seeing doubles because he's so much like Obito but blonde and four times as stubborn.

kkrn trying so hard not to see ghosts in their kid but he's literally a mash up of Minato, Kushina, and Obito. Minato's kindness, Kushina's vitality, and Obito's pure will to be good.

Not saying that ghosts are all they see cause it's very much not. Naruto is still Naruto but sometimes there's that outline of an old memory that just doesn't fade. A little like deja vu I guess. Kakashi and Ren are so glad it's peacetime because even the thought of dandelion blonde beneath a too-big boulder makes breathing that much harder.

I imagine he gets trained an insane amount because both Kakashi and Ren want him to be able to defend himself. Even while it's peacetime, they're shinobi, there's always a risk. So long as Naruto is on active duty he'll always be in danger. With both of his guardians growing up/serving in the third war when they were barely older than Naruto it's practically a given.

Not that I think Naruto would complain about being able to learn jutsu/shinobi skills. He'd probably be stoked about it until he has to spend like four hours straight throwing shuriken and reading survival guides about edible plants. He complains about it. Loudly. mb lil bro half of ninja training is literally just ingraining reflexes and learning the land.

mmm academy-era Naruto going to the memorial stone and ranting about his day to it in the way he's seen both Ren and Kakashi do in the past. That's so cute and sad like "and then Shikamaru slept the whole time but it was supposed to be a GROUP project! Can you believe that!" and Obito is in the bushes nodding his head along like the good uncle he is. (He literally tried to murder Naruto when he was less than an hour old.)

Naruto just talks and talks and talks. About everything and nothing and its probably like the least depressing one-sided conversation Obito has ever heard in front of his grave (looking at you Kakashi, Ren).

I imagine that Naruto kind've treats the stone/Obito's memory fondly. Both Ren and Kakashi talk about him in warm tones and with growing up hearing stories of him it's hard not to feel like he knows him. He's not there, obviously, but if Naruto closes his eyes and imagines that scowling boy in his parent's team photo while he talks it almost feels real. (Honey, you've got a big storm coming.)

To their family, Obito is forever thirteen. He's passionate and has a short fuse. He loves sweets and has eyes and hair darker than the night, he's a sucker for a sob story and helps old ladies with their groceries. Naruto finds it hard not to see a friend in a ghost he's never met.

AA and then post Uchiha Massacre, Naruto just stares at the stone and wonders that if Obito were still here would he be gone too? Man I need to see what's going on in Obito's head during that.

On an unrelated note i wonder where the fuck Jiraiya is in all this. Bro is just out and about doing fuck all as two fourteen year olds take care of his godson and he's running from responsibility😭 i bet he sends guilt money. Ren literally doesn't give a single shit because even if Jiraiya did try for custody he would literally be getting his hands chopped off. No way in hell is Ren letting a pervert like that raise a kid that's a recipe for disaster. The money is nice but Ren could not give less of a fuck ab that mans guilt. Like "oh, you feel bad for not owning up to your God Father title that Minato, my late sensei, entrusted to you? Good."

I need to see Ren and Genma + Anko and Kurenai friendship. They would be a horrible terrible no good amazing friend group. Terrifying when together. Four horsemen of the apocalypse when they have an idea and put their mind to it.

Anyway, what are our opinions on ANBU Ren and Ren meeting 'Sukea' bc that all i've been able to think ab today. Okay, I'm done yapping thanks for listening.

[rayshippouuchiha]

Potential Hokage Projects

Hashirama: the village (obviously) and agriculture

Tobirama: Academy and legislative organization

Hiruzen: revamped academy and new libraries now that the clans inside the village trust each other enough to share some info

Minato: ?

Tsunade: revamped healthcare and medical system. Mental health care and psychological revolution

Kakashi: revamped shinobi gear and supplies. Modernization of Konoha. Maybe some overhaul of ANBU???

Naruto: revamped academy, education system, and childcare system.

Look the most hilarious option for me when it comes to Minato's Hokage pet project?

Foreign Relations.

[mixelation]

reborn au, deidara POV. start of the chunin exams

Deidara sat across the desk from the Hokage, wedged between Itachi and Tori. Oonoki, and any commanding officer below him, would have made him stand, even if he was bleeding out. 

Minato, meanwhile, tended to make meetings feel more like a conversation. Brief communications were done standing, but for their longer meetings he’d gesture for them to pull up chairs and then lean back casually in his own seat. He usually didn’t even complain if someone interrupted him with questions. 

(Which Team 4 did. A lot. Because Itachi and Tori were both assholes who thought they were smarter than they were. Deidara, meanwhile, only had the most salient of interruptions.)

MInato did this even with super serious missions, like his insane plot to have them enter the Iwa Chunin Exam as cover to extract a Konoha prisoner.

Deidara wasn’t sure if Minato was so casual for all his shinobi, or if being on his wife’s team got them special privileges. Kushina-sensei had, in fact, chosen to sit on the desk rather than a chair, the backs of her sandals clunking against the wood. But even if it was just a perk of being on Kushina-sensei’s team, Deidara would take this lax style over anything Iwa ever put him through. 

“Iwa sent their finalized list of contraband,” Minato said, voice cheerful. He held up a stack of papers. “I’ll read them to you. It’s pretty intense.”

The list was… lengthy. And sort of insane. They banned them from bringing in their own weapons, promising to provide adequate replacements upon arrival. They also banned all fuinjutsu related material, including any type of paper or writing utensil, and then an increasingly unhinged list of items which seem to pose no real danger to Deidara. 

Minato’s voice cracked at reading the phrase “nectars and other viscous juices,” and then he turned and coughed a couple times to cover up laughter. 

Kushina-sensei was also covering a smile with one hand. 

“Did they put an insane person in charge of communications?” Deidara asked. 

“No, they…” Minato had to pause a moment to get ahold of himself again. “They really, really don’t want you sneaking in a Hiraishin marker. Or making a new one.”

“Sorry,” Kushina-sensei told them, not looking the least bit sorry. “They’re probably only this paranoid because I’m your sensei.”

This did make sense to Deidara. The Iwa he’d grown up in, in the other timeline, had been one in which the Yellow Flash was dead and gone, and the man was still haunting old people’s nightmares. Some of Deidara’s older Academy texts had been from before his death, and they’d included insane protocols for what to do if he showed up on the field. Not a Konoha ninja, not a ninja with a specific technique– just him. No other Kage had such an honor. 

He could only imagine the sort of cultural anxiety Minato was inflicting on Iwa just by existing. 

The idea was sort of exiting, actually. All that fear and anxiety building up for years, just waiting for someone to come along and end it all in one glorious moment–

Tori elbowed him. To Minato, she asked, “Will they give us fuinjutsu supplies too, or do we have to get creative?”

Minato’s lips quirked upwards. 

“They will give you fuinjutsu supplies,” he said. “A village only makes money off an exam if they can show off promising genin, and I convinced them it would be necessary for you to give a good show.”

“But I don’t get any?” Kushina-sensei clarified. 

Any Iwa-nin who’d done two seconds of research on Uzumaki Kushina would want to ban her from even touching a brush forever. Even if she hadn’t gotten famous off of murder like he had, she and Minato came as a set: half his techniques were from her, and if anyone was going to be making Hiraishin markers and spreading them around, it would be her. 

“I don’t know how they’ll enforce Tori having access but not you,” Minato admitted. “Supervision, maybe.”

Itachi cleared his throat. “You're sure this isn’t an ambush?” he asked. 

This seemed like a good point to Deidara. They were basically just agreeing to waltz into Iwa completely weaponless and submit to whatever asshole demands Iwa might make. And like, someone like Deidara could do it, but it would be super annoying.

Minato took a moment to answer, gathering his thoughts. 

“It might be,” he said, tone suddenly deadly serious. “But their doors will be open to plenty of foreign powers, and they’ve already advertised a team from Konoha. A move against us would be very, very stupid of them.” He let a humorless smile cross his lips. “Besides, I intentionally picked a team that could still function even with every disadvantage they might give you.”

Next to him, Tori shifted uneasily. Deidara didn’t think she was nervous for herself, because Tori had wandered into worse with no ninja skills whatsoever and came out on top. It was that there was no way Minato knew that, because Tori liked to downplay her talents at every turn. She had worked her way into the mission plan as a competent fuinjutsu user, but he probably wasn’t including her in his super special hand-picked team. 

(And also, if you evaluated Tori the way you would in a classroom– throw this knife here, use this type of kick, demonstrate this particular move– she was pretty mediocre, even for a twelve year old. Tori only seemed intimidating after she’d tricked into doing something deeply stupid and then was waving some insane seal in your face.)

Deidara wasn’t even sure Minato was including him, even though he ranked right up there with Kushina-sensei and Itachi in terms of “has an absurd bloodline limit, good luck taking THAT away.” It seemed more likely he and Tori got signed up to be semi-expendable benchwarmers, and any talents they ended up displaying were just a nice perk.  

The thought made him angry. Minato might seem way cooler than Oonoki, but they were all the same, weren’t they? Minato would definitely abandon him and Tori to save his precious Konoha-born shinobi. 

Tori must be putting thought into what she would do without weapons, because she remarked, “It’s such overkill to ban all paper, though. If I already wasn’t using sealing paper, I wouldn’t be like, ‘Oh, no regular paper either? Guess I’ll just give up.’”

Deidara attempted to reel in his temper. This was Tori probing the waters of what she could get away with. She was infuriatingly cautious about it, in Deidara’s opinion, but her paranoid little brain would be better attuned to when they might have to jump ship. He should let her take lead on this and not upset himself. 

Kushina-sensei flashed her teeth at Tori. “No, obviously if you’re good enough, you can make any flat surface work. I assume that’s why they banned…. hand mirrors.”

There was a long pause while Kushina-sensei and Tori stared at each other, presumably contemplating what chaos they could cause with a hand mirror. 

Minato’s swivel chair groaned as he leaned back, dropping his papers on his desk. 

“It’s a moot point,” he said. “Tori, we don’t use untested seals in the field, and you can’t count on any seal that works on paper to work anywhere else. There’s a reason we use sealing paper. No hand mirror seals, okay?”

Hand mirrors were only the tip of the iceberg of insane shit Tori might try, but she plastered a meek smile on her face and agreed anyway. 

Disgusting, Deidara thought. He trusted this version of Tori to save his ass if they suddenly had to abandon ship, but she was also the worst possible version of herself. Unartistic. 

Itachi changed the subject again. “The overall mission is getting convoluted. How will Kushina get to Morino with fuinjutsu supplies if we may be supervised so closely? What are we going to do about Deidara’s explosion release?”

Tori opened her mouth, perhaps to suggest her own plan, only to close it and glance at Kushina-sensei. Ugh. 

“We’ll just wing it,” Kushina-sensei said with full confidence. 

Deidara turned to confirm that yes, Itachi did look like his brain had just exploded.  Also seeing this, Tori said to him, “It’s okay. You can’t actually keep a fuinjutsu master from smuggling things wherever they want.”

Now Minato looked like he wanted to say something, but wasn’t quite sure where to start. 

“I have an idea on how to distract them from Deidara,” Kushina-sensei said, twisting her torso to face Minato. “But they’ll eventually, uh… notice some things.”

Deidara clenched his fists, his nails digging into the bottom lips of his hand-mouths. Minato drummed his fingers on the desk. 

“It’s tricky, but they don’t have a verifiable claim on him,” Minato replied. He eyed Deidara. “Do you have a preferred cover-up story?”

“...no,” Deidara admitted. 

He didn’t like that Iwa thought they owned him, but he’d never had strong feelings about his family origins. They were assholes that treated him like shit, and he’d left. That was it. 

They kicked around a few ideas, ranging from gaslighting everyone that Deidara’s explosions had nothing to do with Iwa’s only bloodline limit, to claiming he was an old experiment of Orochimaru. They didn’t come to any sort of real conclusion, and eventually Minato said he’d sleep on it and dismissed them. 

“Deidara, can I talk to you for a moment?” Minato asked. Deidara narrowed his eyes at him, and from his peripheral vision he saw Tori flash a hand sign which was almost definitely Behave.

He crossed his arm and remained sitting while everyone else filed out. Kushina-sensei twirled in her seat so she could duck down and give Minato a peck on the cheek first. Gross. 

When they were alone, Minato asked, “How do you feel about this mission?”

“It’s a mission, yeah,” Deidara replied slowly, trying to parse what he was actually being asked. Loyalty, maybe. His father was an Iwa-nin, even if he’d never met him. He added, “I don’t really like undercover missions, but it’s fine if I get to do some art. If I get a promotion and a nice paycheck out of it, all the better.” 

Deidara still wasn’t sure he wanted to stay in Konoha, but the prospect of a steady income after being a child wandering-nin no one wanted to hire was incredibly alluring. Income meant he could have a bed, maybe even rent an art studio if Konoha Jounin got paid well. These fantasies weren’t enough to make him even consider going back to a hellhole that was Iwa, but if all Konoha had to torture him was a pushy sensei who got him in good with the Hokage, he’d take it. 

“I know you intentionally fled Iwa,” Minato said, his voice… soft for some reason. Weird. “I understand going back might be uncomfortable.”

“I’ve never been to Iwa,” Deidara defended immediately. He’d made damn sure to leave Earth Country as soon as he could, and they hadn’t even been able to put him through any of their stupid ninja aptitude tests in this timeline. 

Minato put up both hands as a calming gesture. 

“I know, I know,” he replied. “But you have their bloodline limit. You grew up outside of a village, so this might not be obvious to you yet, but your art is going to link you Iwa permanently. I don’t want to send you into Iwa unprepared.”

Deidara had to spend a few moments grinding his teeth to hold back rude words. Of course he knew. Iwa had bred him to be their perfect little killing machine.  

“It’s not Iwa’s bloodline limit,” Deidara replied eventually. “It’s mine, yeah. I decide what it’s for and what I do with it. That’s the whole point of my art, yeah.”

Minato raised both eyebrows. “Alright,” he said. “Good. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

He dismissed him, leaving him with a strange promise that his door was always open if Deidara wanted to “talk.” Whatever. 

As he hopped down the stairs of Hokage tower two at a time, Deidara found himself surprised Minato had agreed that his bloodline limit was his own, separate from a village’s control. Probably a manipulation to keep Deidara away from any temptations to join Iwa. There was no way Minato would say Itachi’s eyeballs were for himself only and not Konoha, or that Kushina should use her chakra chains for anything but Konoha’s wellbeing. Villages just didn’t work like that. 

Not that Deidara would complain about special treatment…

Tori was waiting for him outside, leaning against an outside wall. They started the walk back to the genin dorms. 

“What’d he want?” she asked. 

Deidara rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. “He wanted to know how I felt, yeah. Stupid.”

Tori frowned. “And how do you feel?” she asked. 

“Like you and him are both annoying, yeah,” Deidara replied. “Also, what the hell is with you twiddling your thumbs and acting stupid whenever anyone asks about fuinjutsu–”

Tori rolled her eyes right back at him. This was an ongoing argument. Deidara understood her reasoning for downplaying her talents; he just thought it was stupid. Just because Orochimaru was a manipulative scumbag didn’t mean every ninja wanted to push and push until she had a screaming breakdown. Most villages did this very slowly and steadily in a very predictable, soul-crushing kind of way.  

Somehow, Tori looped his rant at her back around. “I mean, if you have feelings about me and Oto, you definitely have some feelings about you and Iwa,” she said. “Are you going to be able to keep it together, seeing it?”

Deidara scowled at her. She’d worded it ambiguously because they were in public, but there was a definite seeing it AGAIN implied in there. And obviously Deidara didn’t want to go to Iwa, but that was the mission she and Itachi had signed him up for. He was an adult, if not physically. He could handle being annoyed by Iwa-nin for a month. 

“Obviously,” he told Tori. Then he grabbed her arm and yanked her down a side street, changing the subject entirely. “There’s a new take-out place down here. We should get dinner, yeah.”

[thenightwinggraveyard]

😂 Actually, do you have cool Naruto fic recs for someone who's never seen the show? I keep itching to start it so I can understand some of my friends' interests better but I would just rather... read things. And I know that the fics might not be accurate to personalities or plot, but if you have anything beginner-friendly or fun that might help my brain get more excited to make the effort and watch, I'll take it. I personally like relationship drama but I'm cool with whatever you've got.

i do!!! i watched naruto as a kid but i completely forgot most things so i got into it again by fanfiction. also as a side note; i apologize but i don't read from narutos point of view very often if at all as that is just a personal preference of mine, just a warning in case thats what you were looking for-- and my favourite character is sakura which you'll probably see lmao 😅

without further ado, here are some;

BEGINNER FRIENDLY NARUTO RECS

Pray My Name by Chancy_Lurking [G] [ONE-SHOT]

"Your name sounds like the kind of thing you say when you’re afraid,” Sakura finishes.  “A prayer,” Sasuke offers without looking away from the window.  (Team 7 takes a quiet moment to talk about what their names feel like.)

notes: there isn't much of a plot with this one but its a wonderful showcase of the bond that team 7 shares/could share. it floats beside canon not really connected but it could be, and i think its just a great introduction to the way team 7 should be imo!!

tdlr; team 7-centric, friendship/love, acceptance

Terror feeds the Soul by Pleasedial123 [ONE-SHOT]

Sakura is not an idiot. She was praised for her intelligence, reached Top Kunoichi at the Academy for her brains.  So it doesn't take her long after being placed on the powder keg that is Team Seven to realize she is going to die.  Kakashi, career shinobi since age-six, has no idea what the hell is going on with his little pink-haired student or why there is such fear in her eyes. So he gives her head-pats. That's what you do for scared puppies isn't it?

notes: some really good characterization with this one and a deeper look at the subtle hint of corruption/injustice in the shinobi world that canon already gives us.

tdlr; sakura-centric, sakura & kakashi, good characterization, worldbuilding

Just Killing Time by Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling) [G] [ONE-SHOT]

After Wave Country and before the chuunin exam, Team 7 kills time while waiting for Kakashi to show up.

notes: an adorable small fic consisting of freindship and the idea of found family, they're just cute little kids in this and it makes me smile so hard.

tdlr; team 7-centric, friendship, found family, fluff

An Improper Apology Properly Backfires by rex101111 [G] [ONE-SHOT]

Sasuke Uchiha apologizes, or at least makes an attempt. Sakura thinks he could do better than THAT.

notes: its not every day i find a sasusaku fic that i genuinly enjoy, but this one both cracked me up and actually convinced me that they could work as a couple lmao, after some bad canon events, this fic shows a completely done sakura dealing with the fallout and it is gold. featuring naruto and kakashi as unwilling bystanders.

tdlr; sasuke/sakura(canon ship) and team 7-centric, anger issues, canon compliant(mostly), humour

Wildflowers and Incisors by Chancy_Lurking [T] [ONE-SHOT]

There’s a boy Sakura loves the way Naruto loves Sakura, in a shameless and open, but painfully unequal way. There’s a boy Sakura loves the way Hinata loves Naruto, in a way that feels no more like a choice than breathing. Neither of those boys need pretty girls. “We are all really pretty, though,” Ino assures her with a haughty sniff, crossing her leg the other way so her calf rests on Sakura’s shin. “They’re going to be strong, maybe even the strongest ever in the Hidden Leaf,” Sakura says and Hinata doesn’t need convincing, they both know it, so she doesn’t belabor the point. “So, we have to be stronger than them.” (The girls of Konoha band together as friends. Girlhood is easier in a group.)

notes: a wonderful look at the kunoichis in naruto, with friendship for once more important than love. gives them the character development and attention they deserve, but didn't quite fully get in canon.

tdlr; naruto girls-centric, girlhood and friendship, good character development

The Language of Faces by Empatheia [T] [ONE-SHOT]

Ino decides to help Sai learn to function in society. Sai does his best to keep up.

notes: now we're taking the focus off the main characters of naruto to focus on some great side characters-- ino and sai are both charecterized awesomely in this fic. they're awkward and don't really know how to function in society (being a ninja will do that to you) but they clearly grow to care and love for eachother dearly.

tdlr; sai/ino-centric(canon ship), great characterization, awkward first dates

Pushy and Loud and Brave and Proud by bluecatcups [M] [ONE-SHOT]

When Temari meets Shikamaru, she is twelve years old and she is everything she has ever been; pushy and loud and brave and proud. This is the story of who Temari becomes.

notes: thanks to this fic i fell in love with temari as a character. it is a character study at its heart and therefore it has SUPERB characterization, with believable romance and a theme of self-love. i adore this fic.

tdlr; temari/shikimaru-centric(canon ship), character study, romance, found family, self-love (TW for smut and suicidal thoughts)

NOT SO CANON COMPLIANT FUN

coming from afar & reaching for the stars by SafelyCapricious [G] [ONE-SHOT]

It had been two weeks since the trial. Two weeks since Sasuke had been given the choice of surrendering his eyes and being allowed to leave, or being stuck for five years without ever being allowed to leave the village. He had chosen the later. And Sakura isn't avoiding him on purpose, but it's still happening and she's kind of okay with it.

notes: a not so romantic retelling of sasuke coming back to konoha. i really enjoy the way sakura is characterized in this and the way all her friendships are potrayed (especially her and sai they are besties). instead of running into sasukes open arms, she decides she doesn't mind keeping to herself.

tdlr; sakura-centric, friendships, good charecterization, awkwardness, self-love

Rules Were Made to Be Broken by MotivationIsDead [T] [COMPLETED]

Kakashi wasn’t entirely sure he wasn’t hallucinating. Or suffering from heart failure. “I thought you were dead,” he said blankly. He might’ve been going into shock. Obito winced and rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. “Yeah,” he said, tone stilted. “There’s actually quite the story behind that.” “I should hope so,” was Kakashi’s bland response.

notes: kakashi and obito if obito decided to not go through with his villainous plan. it is a ship, but the way the bond is potrayed just hits so good. something more than friendship and simple love and instead a deep trust, with banger characterization and development. a couple steps away from crack, i laughed so goddamn hard.

this entire fic can be summarized by;

kakashi and obito: fuck it we ball.

tdlr; kakashi/obito-centric(fanon ship), fix-it fic, humour, BAMF kakashi and obito (has an ongoing sequel!!)

Smiles in Spring by Kalira [T] [ONE-SHOT]

One spring day when they are very small, Ino meets a little girl with shy eyes, a beautiful smile, and pink hair, and immediately knows what she wants in her future. Ino's never had any qualms bending the force of her will on the universe to be sure she gets whatever she wants.

notes: ino and sakura are made for eachother in this fic and the progression of their relationship is adorable. some bonus friendship with shikamarau and choji.

tdlr; ino/sakura-centric(fanon ship), romance & friendship, fluff

Genuinely Delighted by Chancy_Lurking [T] [COMPLETED]

"Lee, in spite of how brash he might’ve seemed, still appeared to be incredibly considerate and Shino would feel wrong to just brush him off. His enthusiasm about asking Shino out was completely genuine, and that was enough to make Shino feel flattered. And anyway, Lee would probably prove to be much more pleasant company than some of the other guys Shino knew."

notes: just a fluffy post-canon fic about some more wonderful side characters, with romance and friendship. lee and shino are so unexpected but work so well in this fic.

tdlr; shino/rock lee-centric(fanon ship), romance & friendship, fluff

In The Forest by Senka Hitomi (LadyTegan) [T] [COMPLETED]

When the genius of Konoha returns from a mission in a catatonic state, it is up to his old teammate to delve into the depths of his mind and pull him back out. But the dangers of the mind are many, and the road to finding him may be more difficult than she could have imagined.

notes: god i could gush about this fic for so long. everything about it delights me, the characterizations, character development, relationships and just the careful way the plot was constructed. it comes together to form a very inrtiguing and engaging fic.

tdlr; shikimaru/ino-centric(fanon ship), romance & friendship, amazing plot, great characterization

On Qipao, Flirting, and Buying Drinks by needdl [M] [COMPLETED]

Tenten turned beautiful when she was nineteen.

notes: an if neji lived au done so well. the romance is both believable and beautiful.

tdlr; neji/tenten-centric(semi-canon ship), romance & friendship, fluff, coming of age (TW for smut)

About Face by wroth_and_ruin [T] [ONGOING]

A little yellow-haired boy saves Sakura from the bullies. And everything changes.

notes: one of my all time favourite fics it is full of character and life, and the friendship between sakura and naruto is so pure yet all-consuming. they are eachothers persons, eachothers sun, and the world that is being crafted is so engaging. featuring kakashi with teenage angst.

tdlr; naruto and sakura-centric, friendship, found family, fix-it fic, character and plot development, worldbuilding

HONOURARY MENTION

Retrograde Motion by Crunchysunrises [T] [ABANDONED]

From sixteen to eleven didn't feel like a big jump until she realized that she was now the best ninja in their class. And that tiny Sasuke hates her for it.

notes: the reason this is an honourary mention is because this is the fic that got me into naruto! the first one i read, and the first one that captivated me to read all 100k words (yikes..). so despite the fact that its abandoned im still gonna share it with you in case it interests you ;)

tdlr; time-travel, sakura-centric, great characterization, shit gets done

(i didn't even realize so many of my fav fics were done by chancy_lurking!!! huge shoutout to them they are awesome)

i have some more but i think i'll leave it at this; i hope you find at least one fic that enraptures you!!

[heiyodream]

"You're not dying," Naruto said, his voice trembling as he paced back and forth in Iruka-sensei's bright, warm living room. It was the biting, bitter winter, but Iruka-sensei's apartment never lost its warmth. "Sakura-chan must be wrong. Ne? I mean, age has to catch up with her. After all, we already have grandkids, dattebayo."

"Sakura has been and still is the best medical-nin Konoha has," Iruka-sensei said from the sofa. His tone was calm, even accepting. Naruto couldn’t bring himself to look at him.

"There must be a mistake." There had to be a mistake. A faulty medical device, Sakura getting senile, or something—anything. Naruto tried to dig for any excuse in his mind, any rational reason to explain the wrongness of the news they’d just heard at the hospital.. But his mind was stuck, like he was the clueless class clown he had been at twelve years old. "Sensei, there has to be a mistake."

"Sit down, Naruto, for heaven's sake, you're going to wear a hole in my floor."

(Grief is an enormous part of a shinobi's life. But there is no curriculum at the academy that teaches us how to mourn for the ones we love who don’t die on the battlefield, but in peace, in the quiet of old age.)

[mediumsizedpidegon]

The Naruto timeline is killing me. I know the general idea is that it’s been ~60 years since Konoha formed but everyone’s talking like Konoha has existed for forever.

It doesn't make sense! Tsunade is in her 50s in canon! she shouldn't talk about Konoha like it was well established when she was a child! By saying Tsunade is Hashirama's granddaughter instead of his daughter, we must interpret that Hashirama had a child like. a decade before Konoha formed, so that when Konoha is 10, Tsunade is born. But that's BATSHIT. that means anyone older than sixty– an age even front line shinobi can reach as evidenced by Hiruzen, and surely an age shinobi that specialize in skills that are less directly combative/take them out of the village often, MUCH LESS CIVILIANS!! You cannot make propaganda good enough to make an entire generation of senior citizens forget that your honorable village hasn't even hit a century.

There is such a big deal made of Hiruzen remembering a time before Konoha and so you expect him to be like. late 80s or 90s. old enough to makes him recalling that time suitably rare. old enough that every shinobi is like. wow. you're hot shit and also God Of Shinobi. But he's SIXTY EIGHT. Sakura's civilian grandparents probably remember a time before Konoha. This is not that big of a accomplishment. I don't care if Kishimoto thinks 60 years is a long ass time to a shinobi. It just doesn't work for the sort of worldbuilding he's trying to sell.

My only options are to either stretch the timeline to fit the vibes of "Konoha has been around soooooo long (while still be relatively new in the grand scheme of things)" or scrap all that "Konoha is ancient" shit.

......So. I’ve stretched it to Konoha being formed 100 years ago when canon starts (the year Naruto graduates the Academy). This is more reasonable, making it so that no one alive really Remembers A Time Before, making Konoha's propaganda much more effective.

This, however, has had some significant impact on Hiruzen's generation because even though I have made them significantly older when canon starts (like. mid 80s) they were still born about ~20 years after Konoha was founded. Early enough that some instability was around and Hiruzen's generation could personally know Hashirama and Tobirama, but they don't actually have any experience living through the Warring Clans Era. This has likewise made the Sannin much much older– around the same age as Hiruzen actually is in canon.

But Tsunade's age actually makes sense for her being Hashirama's granddaughter now! So there's that!

[thesaintraphael]

an excerpt from the Kakashi ANBU Commander AU I'm working on:

Shisui understood from a very young age that power is not something that many people are born with. Those who are born powerful are extremely lucky, given a gift that allows them to protect, to nurture, to care. But others are not favored by fate in the same way. Kakashi was born a genius, a fate he wouldn't wish on anyone; though many envy the last Hatake, it is a damnation to live with that label. Kakashi was born intelligent, not powerful. The Uchiha ride a fine line between the two, born with the ability to become powerful if life took them on that journey. Many of his clansmen were cursed to relive the day they awakened their sharingan, baptized in the blood of their kin, power given to them only because they had been broken first. Some Uchiha, like Obito, were lucky enough to claim their kekkei genkai in a moment fueled by love. Shisui was not, still burdened by the crystal clear memory of his father being cut down in front of him, the spray of blood warm on his cheek. But Shisui can choose. With the Yondaime in office, their clan has been given back the gift of love, the ability to protect the village a choice, not a requirement born of resentment and hate. Shisui can use the violent gift of his eyes to protect, to record memories of the way the sun glints of the river, the feeling of the Hashirama forest creaking under his feet, the way his clansmen freely interact with the rest of the village, heads tipped back in eternal laughter. The Uchiha were given a second chance, and though the going was tough initially, the village welcomed them back into their fold with open arms. He shudders when imagining what might have happened, had Danzo been able to make his vision a reality. Shisui and Itachi stumble under the weight of that damning title, prodigy, but they never fall, supported by the weight of their clan and the village. Kakashi, however, is not afforded the same luxury. His undeniable status as a once in a generation genius, someone with such a level of intellect that it has distanced him from his peers on mere principle, has left him alone. Sakumo Hatake, once a man who could best the Sannin, the White Fang of Konoha, fell to the ruthlessness of the people he had sworn to protect. Danzo's ministrations and Hiruzens's refusal to intervene left him high and dry, with nowhere to turn but his own sword. That was truly the final nail in the coffin of Kakashi’s fate. Ridiculed by the village, his entire clan laid to waste before he was even a concept in his father's mind and stuck with that damning label of prodigy. Kakashi wasn't born with power, he had to fight for every breath, fight on the frontlines of a war his father bore the blame for, and fight to become a true genius, not just a kid who breezed through the Academy's previously laughable evaluations. Despite his loyalty, despite his service, and despite the fact that Kakashi was an exemplary shinobi who would lay down his life for anyone in the village without question, he was still alone. Kakashi is powerful not because he was born that way but because he chooses to defend a village that would not do the same for him. Kakashi is powerful because he uses his intellect and strength to make Konoha a better place, powerful because he bares the brunt of hatred and the disdain the village shows him and cares for it regardless. Kakashi is strong because he doesn't burn down the village and every ungrateful civilian and shinobi with it. And for that, Shisui would follow his Commander to the ends of the Earth.

[venerawrites]

Hi! I'm so excited you're writing for Naruto 🥰 So many blogs don't really write for it anymore, so I'm so grateful 🫶🏻 Could I please request Kakashi x fem reader angst, where reader and Kakashi are in an established relationship, maybe even married, but they get ambushed on a mission and reader sacrifices herself to save him? I really love Kakashi and I'm in an angsty kinda mood. Anyway thank you so much, I hope this is okay. Have a nice day! ❤️

author's note: I'm so sorry this took ages to write! I keep slipping in and out of angsty mood, so it did take longer than expected! x anyway, I really hope you enjoy it, and thank you so much for requesting! <3

warnings: mentions of death, blood, alcohol abuse

Never mix personal life with your professional duties.

This was one of the most important rules of the shinobi world. They have tried to drill this mantra into your heads since your early teenage years and kept repeating it every so often, just in case you forget.

Growing up, it was easy to follow this principle - all of your friends were civilians and you weren't particularly close with anyone from the academy, so you lived your life in peace, knowing that you don't have to worry about the people you loved and cared about.

Little did you know, however, that a certain white-haired shinobi would change that in your adulthood...

You heard of Kakashi in your early academy days. Being three years older than you and already an ANBU, your knowledge about him was based only on the rumours that kept circling the village about his past and the unfortunate death of his teammates. But it wasn't till he became a Jonin sensei, that you had the chance to meet him for the first time.

You did not have a team to lead on your own, but due to your hard work and devotion to the kids in the academy, you were often sent to help with their training and low-level missions. Team 7 was often the one needing the most help since it not only consisted of the stubborn and grumpy last survivor of the Uchiha clan, but also the hyper-energetic and mischievous 9 tails Jinchuriki.

Naturally, you and Kakashi became close. Having to supervise and protect a group of highly intelligent, stubborn, and, often, reckless genins proved to be a good enough reason for you to form some from of a friendship.

It did take a couple of years for love to blossom between you. With him being occupied primarily with the training of young ninjas and ensuring the safety of the Hidden Leaf Village, romance was not one of the things on his list of priorities. And at the time he was fine with this - you can't miss something that you never had.

But the more you matured, the more you gravitated towards each other. You worked so well together, that you started to be regularly paired for missions excluding his students. Soon after, you started to spend time outside work together. Before you knew it, you became partners in more sense than once.

And the more time passed, the more blurry the line between work and pleasure became... to the point that one single mistake changed everything.

It was a peaceful night when it happened. A day away from Konoha, you, Guy, and Kakashi were resting on your way back from delivering the sealed scrolls containing information about the next Chunin exams to Suna. You had found a small cave, tucked deep in the forest, and decided it was the perfect place to hide not only from any potential attacks, but also from the raging rain outside.

"C'mon!", you nudged Kakashi's shoulder with your own, before throwing one look at sleeping Guy and turning back to your lover, "He is deep asleep, he won't hear a thing."

The white-haired ninja gave you a stern look, but the little smile that formed on his covered lips betrayed his real mood. Moving his focus on the fire before you, he poked the burning wood with a stick, before mumbling:

"One more reason to stay still and alert", he pointed out, giving you a playful side glance, "We are supposed to be on guard."

Rolling your eyes, you let out a childish puff and crossed your arms in front of your chest.

"Guard from what? The owls?", you whined, before nudging him one more time, "C'mon, Kakashi! One kiss is all I am asking for! I haven't kissed you in like... weeks!"

"We have been away only for a few days", he lifted his brow in amusement, before leaning towards you, "And I am pretty sure you managed to steal yourself a kiss this morning. Your math is awfully bad, little dove."

You opened your mouth to respond, but quickly closed it after no good comeback came to your mind. It was true that you last shared a kiss this morning and you did exaggerate a bit about the time that has passed since then, but can anyone blame you? You were deep in your honeymoon phase when all you could think about was your lover and the feeling of his lips against yours... And making it worse, was the fact that he purposefully took with him that rich and smoky smelling perfume, that was driving you insane.

"Kakashi!", you whined his name, giving him a pleading look. Tilting his head to the side, he let out a chuckle, before carefully pulling his mask down, exposing his beautiful face.

Slowly leaning towards you, he maintained eye contact, before pressing his slightly chapped lips against yours. Immediately fluttering your eyes close, your hands found their way behind your neck, pressing his face closer toward you. Letting out a contempt sigh, you leaned to your right, giving you a better angle to keep up with the sensual dance your mouths indulged in.

After a few seconds, he pulled away, pressing the cold metal of his headband against your forehead. His breath was heavy and he gave himself a minute, calming his wildly beating heart.

"Happy, little dove?"

A wide smile stretched on your face and you eagerly nodded your head, about to respond, when you suddenly got interrupted by the loud sound of a kunai landing right above your head. Both you and Kakashi, immediately jumped from your places, your hands already reaching for your own weapons, while you shouted to Guy to wake up.

Your attackers quickly filled the cave and they visibly outnumbered you, leaving you to fight two of them each. You knew Kakashi and Guy could handle themselves, they were one of the most skillful shinobi in Konoha, after all. Yet the moment you saw one of the ninjas sneaking behind your lover's back with a sword raised high in the air, your feet suddenly had a mind of their own. You dodged a punch aimed at your face, but rather than fighting back, your body threw itself behind Kakashi, a piercing scream leaving your lips once the blade went through your stomach.

The world around the white-haired ninja abruptly stopped.

All the shouting, the sound of clashing weapons, Guy's screams for him to focus... the moment he fell your body crashing against his, it was all silence. His arms instinctively wrapped around you, protecting you from falling on the rocky ground, while his knees gave up under him. One of his hands immediately moved towards your wound, trying his best to stop the bleeding, while his other one found its way towards your face.

Kakashi's fingers shakily moved towards your forehead, moving away the few damp pieces of hair sticking to your skin. Tracing the side of your cheek, he didn't even notice he was crying, till a few teardrops fell down onto your skin. Your eyes, which were also glossy, stared at him and your lips moved, trying to say something, but the only thing that came out was blood.

"Shh, don't talk", Kakashi choked out, pressing his fingers against your mouth. Finally gaining the courage to look down, all the breath left his body once he saw how much blood you were losing, despite his best attempts to stop the bleeding.

"We have to get you to the village the fastest way possible", he muttered with a shaking voice, his arms sneaking under your body in order to lift you. You moaned from pain at the contact, using the last bit of energy to grab one of his wrists.

"N-no...", you whispered, a hefty amount of blood dripping from the corner of your mouth, "Hel-.. He.. Help Guy..."

Hearing the name of your teammate, Kakashi finally remembered you were not alone, and his head whipped around only to find the other male continuing the fight all by himself. His rough posture and scratches covering all over his face were showing he would not last long and Kakashi immediately felt his chest tightening.

He knew he had to join in and help him, but how could he leave you all alone, bleeding to your death?

Almost as if you were reading his mind, you weakly squeezed the wrist in your hold:

"Go...", you muttered, your lips twitching into a small, sad smile, "I... I will... b-be... f-fine."

"Little dove, don't... I... Why...", Kakashi cried out, not sure how to finish this sentence. Grasping your face with his hands, he pressed his mouth against yours, ignoring the metallic taste that immediately washed over his senses once your blood touched his tongue. His tears were now freely falling from his eyes and he could not hold his sobs back any longer.

Your lips weakly moved against his for a minute, before you had to sharply take a breath. Your consciousness was slowly slipping away and your gaze was now cloudy, unable to focus on one particular thing. You felt coldness slowly making its way through your limbs, bringing a strangely welcoming feeling of numbness and peace. Despite your vision getting blurry, your head tilted to the side, the outline of your lover's face still clear.

"I.. I love y-you", you breathed out, one final tear making its way from the corner of your eye. Kakashi carefully caught it with his thumb, his head violently shaking from side to side.

"No, no, no!", he kept repeating, his voice cracking, "Please just... please just stay with me!"

Your stare remained unmoving and it took a few seconds for the white-haired ninja to realize that your breathing had stopped as well.

It was too late...

you were gone.

Dozens of feelings washed over the Leaf shinobi at the same time. Pain. Sadness. Rage. Shock.

With an angry scream, he pressed your now limp body against him, while one of his hands moved to move his headband away from his face, showing his already glowing Sharingan.

The fight lasted a few minutes afterward, maybe even less. Fuelled by his raw pain, Kakashi did not hold himself back, slaying all of the enemy ninjas one by one. Soon the ground was crimson red and the only remaining sound was the white-haired man rigid breathing and the sound of the rain, which kept pouring outside the cave.

"Kakashi...", Guy carefully said, his gaze moving to your already cold body which rested in the corner of the cave. He bit his lip, unsure what to say, choosing instead to remain still and quiet. He couldn't control himself, however, once Kakashi's heavy breathing turned into sobs again, and he wrapped his arms around his friend.

"I am sorry...", the black-haired man sighed, a shaky breath leaving his lips as well. His own eyes started to tear up and he tried his best to blink them away, a poor attempt to remain strong for your lover, who was already falling apart in his arms.

The next few hours they spent in silence, with Guy guarding the entrance, while Kakashi held your cold hand in his own, his eyes staring at your face like he hoped you were just in a deep sleep and would wake up any moment.

Or perhaps, he was hoping that he was the one dreaming and that once the sun rose high in the sky, he would wake up, finding your smiling face nested comfortably between his neck and shoulder...

But that never happened. Instead, the hours kept passing with him frozen in his place next to you, till Guy gently laid his hand on his back, telling him it was time to go. With one last kiss on your cold forehead, Kakashi took off his jacket and laid it carefully over your body, before scooping it in his arms.

Leaving the cave, his eyes kept staring ahead, his expression now unreadable. The memories of you, that kept flashing before his eyes during the whole night, were now pushed at the back of his brain, while only one though kept occupying his mind:

Never mix personal life with your professional duties.

He failed to do that.

Again.

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

"Tsk, how sad!", the man behind Kakashi muttered under his breath, "I bet he is spending his whole pay on drinks again!"

The woman next to him shushed him, hitting him on the shoulder while doing so.

"Be quiet!", she scolded, "He will hear you!"

The man scoffed, his eyes not moving from the white-haired ninja before him, who kept calmly putting his shopping away, without even glancing in their direction.

"Well, let him hear! Because it is pathetic, it's what it is!", he grumbled, making sure to speak as loudly as he could, "One of our best ninjas turned alcoholic... Look at him! He doesn't even look like himself anymore!"

Years ago Kakashi would have turned around and silenced them just with a glare. But now... he had no more energy for that.

Because they didn't understand and would never be able to understand what he had gone through. They would never have to bear the burden of having someone else's blood on their hands, neither would they experience the feeling of guilt that would tear their soul apart, a constant reminder that they could not protect the ones they loved.

So why would he bother explaining to them that the only reason why he had to be under the influence, was because this was the only way to feel close to you again? The only way to silence the voices inside his head, which kept reminding him how it was him who was supposed to be dead, not you?

Instead of replying, he just grabbed his bag and exited the shop. He walked hurriedly towards his house, eager to open the bottle of sake he just bought and mute the feeling of missing you, that kept breaking his heart every single time he was completely sober.

"Kakashi!", Guy's voice sounded somewhere behind him, and his step halted for a bit, turning around. His friend gave him a little smile, which immediately fell, once his eyes fell on the neck bottle which poked out of Kakashi's bag. It was not easy to watch one of your best friends falling deeper and deeper into a hole, refusing any of your help.

The white-haired man suddenly felt small, almost embarrassed by the look the other male gave him. But instead of waiting, the moment he saw him walking towards him, he just turned around and almost sprinted back to his house.

Closing the door, he let out a breath, he didn't even know he was holding. Kicking his shoes aside, he made his way towards the kitchen and took out the piece of bread and the few bottles of alcohol he had brought earlier. Opening one of them, he didn't even bother to grab a glass, before he made his way towards the bedroom and sat down against his pillows.

Grabbing the picture of you that he kept on the bedside table, he gently traced your smile with his thumb, before taking a sip of his drink. The burning sensation in his throat was irritating, but it was nothing compared to the burning feeling inside his chest.

"We will be together soon, little dove...", he smiled sadly, "I promise."

cc artwork: concept art for "Wheel of Time"

[atanx]

Forever thinking of that one post or sth where someone went like "Sasuke is such a bad character he wanted to destroy Konoha even tho that's the opposite of what Itachi wanted" like??? Whyyyy would Sasuke do what Itachi wants?

Like yeah Sasuke loves him, but you can love someone and utterly disagree with their motives. You can love and hate someone at the same time. You can love someone and still want to destroy everything they fought for.

Sasuke might love Itachi, and Itachi might have loved him in his own twisted way, but in the end Itachi still killed hundreds of people. He still took away Sasuke's entire world. He massacred his family for wanting something more out of life other than being constantly discriminated against. Itachi still chose to psychologically torture Sasuke, forcing him to watch Itachi slaughter the Uchiha for three days straight. Itachi still manipulated Sasuke into killing him.

And Itachi did it all in the name of a village. He was a thirteen year old boy. Think about it. Itachi was a seventh or eighth grader. He was indoctrinated, made into nothing but a tool by the village. And the village took his sacrifice and gave him nothing in return. The village moved on from the Uchiha massacre like nothing ever happened.

None of the hidden villages are good. They're literally all mercenaries, killers for hire who don't care who they kill. But Konoha is extra disgusting in how duplicitous it is. How it pretends that it's the nice village. How it pretends to be good, with all that 'Will of Fire' bullshit.

The scene where the Sandaime propaganda'd to a bunch of academy students before the third round of the chunin exams comes to mind. He claimed that every single person in the village was his precious person.

I couldn't help but feel outraged at that, disbelieving that he would actually say such an obvious lie. I guess the entirety of the Uchiha were just an exception! I guess the people he lets Danzo kidnap and indoctrinate, the shinobi he sends on suicide missions, the shinobi that are traumatised by their service, the entirety of thr Hyuuga side branch, they're all just exceptions! Those don't count!

If I can feel that much disdain and disgust, I can't imagine how much Sasuke feels.

Like, I want to destroy Konoha and I'm just reading a fictional work.

Konoha is the village that twisted Sasuke's brother. That took his childhood, his innocence and his happiness. That made him kill Sasuke's entire clan. That still kept its claws in him even years after the fact. Why wouldn't Sasuke want to destroy it?

[mixelation]

i found a part of reborn au that's just like "here's how i justify team 7 still existing"

Minato was having a conundrum. 

He had the files of twelve of the current academy students lined up in front of him. These were the twelve their teachers had deemed reasonably likely to graduate; the rest would be given their fair shot at graduation, but were likely to need further training. He’d already sorted the bottom of the class into teams he thought were reasonable. 

Of the top twelve, some could still fail. It was his job for the day to finalize their proposed genin teams, with the goal of maximizing their success for graduation and also the beginning of their genin careers. The Academy liked to lie to its students and pretend the teams were all composed to be evenly matched, but this was only partially true. It would be detrimental to both the students’ development and Konoha’s interests if an unworthy candidate graduated simply because they were put on a team with more all-around skilled classmates, or if an otherwise promising student was barred from graduating because their teammates bungled their Jounin’s test. 

At the same time, Minato understood better than anyone how this sort of system stacked the deck in favor of clan-born students. If you stuck all the best students together, then you ended up with a lot of teams of all clan kids who’d had access to more training opportunities than students without large shinobi families to rely on. 

This year was especially annoying to balance, in that it had five clan heirs graduating, plus the second children of two clan heads and Minato’s own son. This meant the top portion of the class was all especially heavy-hitters in terms of current skills. 

He wanted to spread these eight students out with the other, more “normal” kids, but… well, he couldn’t split up the latest iteration of Ino-Shika-Cho, and his analysis team had made an incredibly good case for a Hyuuga-Aburame-Inuzuka tracking team. 

Hyuu-Abu-Inu? Abu-Inu-Hyuu? Excellent Tracking Combo Team: All-seeing Bug Dog?

He pondered this title for a few moments. Well, it was a work in progress. 

So that was two teams that were basically guaranteed to pass, and he now had to arrange another two teams. This is where things got tricky. 

The analysis team had identified that Naruto and Sasuke had the potential to make an incredibly effective combat duo. Minato agreed with this. He also understood that they… ah, didn’t really get along, and suggested the third member be someone who could balance them out. His analysis team had suggested Haruno Sakura. 

He stared down at her class photo, right at the center of his desk. He’d talked to Sakura maybe twice. She was the only student without at least one Jounin parent to make it into the top twelve. Between her near-perfect written scores, excellent classroom behavior, high chakra proficiency, and acceptable scores in physical tests, she probably would be a stand-out in a less competitive year. Compared to other students in this year, however, she wasn’t really anything to write home about. Minato only recognized her because Naruto happened to have a giant crush on her. 

Through Naruto’s mooning, he also knew she had her own crush on Sasuke. He knew more about the intricacies of this little preteen love triangle than he wanted to, really. It was very dramatic. 

Maybe Sakura would be a good balance. Or maybe her presence would make the team one highly flammable tinderbox. His analysis team promised the former, but they seemed inexperienced with the nature of insane pre-teen crushes. 

Minato leaned back in his chair and swiveled it around to stare out the window. 

They were twelve years old. Maybe they’d just get over their wild feelings. 

Then again, he’d never gotten over his first crush… 

But wasn’t it important for young shinobi to work with different kinds of people despite their previous feelings about them? Or was this just him trying to justify favoritism towards Naruto, wanting him to be friends with Sasuke? 

He turned back to his desk, to see if he could figure out another way to arrange the teams. 

Actually, the three remaining students would make an excellent infiltration team. It would be stupid to break them up. 

He went back to pondering a team title for the Hyuuga-Aburame-Inuzuka team. 

xXx

Minato finished his speech with, “...so you see, choosing the right sensei for a team is imperative, and you’re the only man for the job.”

He smiled nervously at Kakashi, who looked like he’d aged about ten years over the course of the last five minutes. 

Kakashi’s shoulders slumped. He looked up at Minato from the file on his new team with incredibly tired eyes. 

“Why would you do this to me?” Kakashi asked. 

“Er, well,” Minato tried again. 

He’d been much more assertive with the other jounin sensei. But the other jounin sensei weren’t his personal students he was maybe possibly screwing over in a very personal way. 

“Shouldn’t Naruto be exposed to other people?” Kakashi asked. “I heard you gave Asuma a team. Wouldn’t he be a better fit?”

Asuma was Minato’s top pick for Naruto’s jounin sensei, actually. Asuma had wind chakra and also intimately understood what being the son of a Hokage was like, and he was also someone Naruto hadn’t grown up with. Minato was originally going to hand Kakashi the tracking team. 

(Dog Bug Eyes. The Legendary Eyes Guiding Dog Fang Insect Symbiosis.)

Unfortunately, Team 7 would eat Asuma alive. Also…

“It’s not about just Naruto,” Minato said. “I need someone who can handle the whole team.”

It would undoubtedly be weird for Naruto to have his former babysitter as a sensei, but that type of conditional role swapping was something clan kids navigated every day. Importantly, Kakashi was someone Naruto would trust not to give him special treatment for being the Hokage’s kid. Kakashi was also a rare Jounin who could help Sasuke with lightning jutsu, which he wouldn’t necessarily be able to get from his clan. 

“And Sakura is a wildcard,” Minato continued his pitch. “She’s been identified as a genjutsu-type, but her chakra control could lead her to many different specialties, and she has no familial connections to help her explore them. A jack-of-all-trades like you is an ideal teacher for her.”

Kakashi’s eyes drifted back down to the file in his hands. 

“Isn’t she that girl Naruto likes?” he asked. 

“Well,” Minato said levelly. “Naruto does like her, but you shouldn’t think of your new student that way.”

“Doesn’t Naruto keep fighting Sasuke over her?” Kakashi asked, ignoring this statement. “Sensei, you’ve somehow made something worse than Team 4.”

Wrong, Minato thought. Nothing is worse than Team 4. 

“I have full confidence you can handle it,” he said. 

Kakashi met his eyes. “Why would you do this to me?” he repeated. 

“If only you’d taken one of the four other teams I tried to give you,” Minato replied dryly. 

Kakashi straightened his shoulders, exposed eye gleaming. “I’ll just fail them too,” he said.

Minato smiled tightly back at him. “I have full confidence in them.”

[scenequeenwritingmachine]

Just for Tonight

Pairing: Genma Shiranui x Fem Reader (Smut)

WC: 7k

Summary: You run into an old friend, he invites you to come over and get high like old times.

Warnings Under the Cut

Warnings: mildly dubious consent (they're both high), porn with feelings, body worship, fingering, blow jobs, p in v, riding, floor sex, extremely light angst, friends to lovers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Funny seeing you here,” a voice rang out behind you, “it’s been a while.”

You turned around, a gentle smile spread on your face when you saw him.

“Yeah, it has, Genma.”

You never would’ve expected to see him at the market, you had hardly seen him at all over the past couple years. Things weren’t like they were when you were teenagers anymore, you had both grown up and were now in your early thirties, basically living in different worlds at this point. You mostly worked at the academy training the next generation of ninja, hardly going out into the field anymore. You wanted to settle down and start a family, while he remained one of the most active shinobi in Konoha. You had never even given thought to the idea of him grocery shopping, with how little he was around. You figured he just lived off of the rations and food pills he received on missions. Yet here he was.

He stood in casual attire, simple black pants and a turtleneck. You didn’t think you had seen him like this since your early twenties. He still wore his bandana with his signature senbon hanging from his lips, though. He hardly looked like he had aged at all, his face was still smooth and youthful, unaffected by the stress of the job. He looked at you with soft eyes and a relaxed smile.

“It’s the first time I’ve gotten a couple days off in forever, so I figured I’d run some errands like a normal person,” he let out a slight chuckle. “I know it’s been a long time, but I couldn’t resist the urge to say hi to an old friend, so,” he trailed off, “hi.”

“Hi,” you replied. You couldn't help but fall into his charm.

“So, how has the academy been treating you?” he asked. “I know kids can be a handful, so I applaud you for putting up with them,” his tone was lighthearted, a bit more sweet than you’re used to with him.

“I’ve been doing fine with the kids,” you chuckled, “you’re right, they can be a handful at times, but these children really are incredible. I can already tell the future of our village is in good hands.”

“Well, you have always liked kids, I’m surprised you don’t have any of your own yet,” he remarked.

“I would if I could, but I haven’t found the right guy yet,” you explained, “ I wanna do it right, ya know?”

“Yeah, I get it. I know you’re the type of woman who would do anything to give your children a good life, I guess making sure you find a good dad for them is pretty damn important,” he replied.

You wondered if Genma ever thought about having a family. He always struck you as the lifelong bachelor type, never settling down. He seemed to really care about his job, always active and busy, but he never seemed too stressed. He liked helping people and protecting the village, he was born to be a ninja.

“I think you’ll find him though,” Genma continued, “I think any man would be lucky to have you.”

“Thanks Gen, I appreciate it,” you smiled. You didn’t expect him to ever say anything like that, but his words warmed your heart. He had always been a genuine guy, but he tended to be a bit more of a smartass. Maybe it was the casual setting, but you liked this side of him.

“I’ve got a few more errands to run and I know you have to get your groceries home, but I was wondering,” he trailed off for a moment. “If you aren’t busy, do you wanna come over to my place and light one up like old times?” he asked. “I still live in the same apartment,” he added.

You thought about it for a moment.

“Yeah, that’d be nice,” you replied, “just give me a time and I’ll be there.”

“How ‘bout 8?” he suggested.

“Yeah, that’s good for me.”

It had only been around 1pm when you ran into him, but something made you want to finish your shopping and get home as soon as possible. Somehow, seven hours didn’t feel like enough time to get ready. Maybe you were just excited to go to an old friend’s house and hang out, not confined to the setting of a mission. You hadn’t been to his apartment in almost ten years. Sure, you had seen him plenty of times since then, you had often been assigned on missions together. You really only stopped seeing him over the past two years, since that was when you transferred to the academy. It was only natural that forgetting about the stresses of life and relaxing with a friend sounded appealing, but you couldn’t help the way your heart rate picked up thinking about it. After all, when you were younger you’d hang out with all of your friends at his apartment, but now it would just be you and him.

Once you got home and put away your groceries, you headed to the bathroom for a much needed shower. You spent a bit longer than you usually would, but you were basically operating on autopilot with your shave-day routine. After you finished in the shower, you got out and put on a nice outfit, then you proceeded to dry and style your hair. Finally, you finished up by applying your usual makeup. As you looked at yourself in the mirror, you couldn’t help but feel pretty.

It was still only 6:30 by the time you finished getting ready, so you cooked up a light dinner and ate. You knew that you and Genma would be having snacks later, so you didn’t want to overdo it. After you finished eating, you checked yourself in the mirror one more time, smiling. You looked at the clock, it was 7:30, exactly the time you needed to leave to arrive at his place by 8. You were a very punctual person, after all.

You felt nostalgic as you walked the familiar streets. You reminisced about your younger days when you and all of your friends would head to Genma’s to get high after a night of bar hopping. The next day when you showed up to get your mission briefing, you’d all be hungover. The Hokage would always chastise you all for your irresponsibility, yet you’d always end up doing it again. Eventually though, you did end up quieting down and everyone found their niche. You don’t remember when it happened, but one day everyone just got too busy to hang out, all of the shared meals, cheerful banter, and partying just stopped.

‘I guess we all had to grow up someday’ you thought to yourself.

Soon, Genma’s apartment building came into view. You didn’t know why, but nervous butterflies started flying around in the pit of your stomach. You approached his door and knocked. After a few beats, he opened it.

“Perfectly on time as always, come in,” he invited, stepping to the side so you could pass him. His tone was relaxed and casual as usual, with a slight drawl.

You smiled at him and stepped in. His apartment hadn’t changed at all in the past decade. It still had the same posters and artworks covering the walls, you wondered if he just never had the time to change the place up since your early twenties. He had the lights dimmed with the radio playing quietly in the background, it was the same atmosphere that always made his apartment the best place to get faded.

“I’m sure you already have some, but after I ran into you, I decided to buy some extra snacks. I know you always get the munchies really bad, so I hope your favorites haven’t changed in the past ten years,” you laughed.

He smiled, shaking his head to signify that they hadn’t changed. He then gestured to the kitchen bar for you to put down the grocery bag you brought.

“Thanks,” he said, adding in your name, “feel free to make yourself comfortable while I roll up.”

You nodded, complying. You walked over towards his bed, sitting on the floor with your back against it. Somehow, the floor always felt the most comfortable. You watched as he walked over to the desk under his window, opening the drawer. After all this time, he still kept his weed in the same place. He proceeded to grind up the flower and then expertly rolled up the joint. It reminded you of the time when you asked him to teach you, but your sad attempt of a joint ended up just falling apart. You tried again and again, but eventually decided to suck it up and let him keep doing it. You never quite got the hang of rolling.

You studied him as he placed his senbon on the desk and picked up the joint, bringing the paper to his mouth. You were hypnotized by the way he darted his tongue out to lick the edge, adhering the rolled joint together. A slight flush rose to your cheeks, but you shook your head to snap out of your trance before he turned around to come sit by you. Once he settled on the floor to your left, he set the ashtray that had previously been on his desk between you and passed you the unlit joint.

“What a gentleman,” you teased.

“Anything for you, sweetheart,” he smirked, lifting his lighter to the end of the joint between your fingers.

After it was lit, you dropped your head against the bed, brought it to your lips, and took a long drag. You felt the tension that had been plaguing your body lift as you exhaled the smoke. You were beginning to feel the most relaxed you had in a long time. Then, you smiled over at Genma and passed him the joint.

You watched as he angled his head back against the bed the same way you had to take his own drag of smoke. He had heavy lids and his jawline was partially obscured by the hair that his ears separated from the back of his head. He was the embodiment of relaxation, perpetually in a calm mood, even before feeling the effects of the weed. He pulled the joint away from his mouth, and after a beat, he parted his lips, blowing out the smoke towards the ceiling.

After he handed the joint back to you, Genma got up, heading to the kitchen. He grabbed the family size bag of chips from the bag of snacks you brought and opened it, eating a couple as he walked back to join you on the floor again. You took your drag, and then he traded you for the bag. You weren’t too hungry, so you didn’t eat any of the chips, but you still accepted it to free up his hands.

After a couple more puffs each, you guys finally began loosening up, transitioning into lively chatter. You told funny stories about your experiences at the academy, like all of the times your students said wildly inappropriate things. You explained how hard it was to reprimand them, since it took all of your effort to not just burst into laughter.

“Damn, kids really do say the darndest things,” he chuckled, “where do you think they’re learning how to talk like that?”

“I have no idea,” you shrugged. “I guess we weren’t too much better in our academy years, but it does seem they’re learning more and more over time. I don’t think we were that bad, though,” you added, with extra emphasis on ‘that.’

He then told you about the time he was sent on a mission to take care of an old lady in one of the neighboring villages while her family was traveling.

“It was the worst. She was pretty easy to take care of, but I did have to bathe her and help her dress. She just wouldn’t stop flirting with me,” Genma explained, “you thought the mouth on those kids was bad? That’s not even a fraction of what this woman was like. Imagine me trying to do my job and put clothes on a fully nude 85 year old who won’t stop talking dirty and ‘flaunting’ her body at me.” You were trying so hard to hold in your laughter. ”’Oh, you’re such a handsome boy, and a ninja?! I bet you have a great body under there’,” he mocked in his best old lady voice, “‘I bet big boy Mr. Ninja could make ‘ole granny feel like a young woman again.’” You were practically rolling with laughter. “She’d be running her old lady hands up and down my vest while batting her eyelashes. Do you know how hard it was to get a bra on her? It was such a nightmare to get her decent, and every time I got something on her, she’d try to pull it off again, like I’d fall in love with her or something if I saw her naked constantly. Now that I think about it, maybe she was just an exhibitionist. The worst part was, before her family left after I arrived and when they returned, she’d revert to this quiet, helpless, sweet old granny persona. They had no idea what she was really like!”

There were tears of laughter beginning to well up in your bloodshot eyes. “I forgot that for as many dangerous missions there are, there are even more silly and mundane ones.”

He took another hit and smiled. “Yeah,” he sighed, “I want to say it’s not what I signed up for, but sadly, it is.”

The joint was starting to burn too low now, so Genma snuffed it out in the ashtray he placed between you earlier. He got up and walked to the kitchen again, this time pouring you each a glass of water. He passed you one of the glasses and walked back over to the desk to roll another joint. There was an unspoken vibe between the two of you that you both wanted to get too high to worry about anything else.

“Thanks, Genma,” you praised, raising the glass to your mouth for a sip.

He hummed in acknowledgment as he worked. His back was turned to you, but you were still captivated by his movements. Your mind wandered in your haze, thinking about nothing and everything all at once. You were too spaced out to notice when he walked back over to you.

“Here,” he spoke up, catching your attention.

In the time your mind was wandering, he had already sat down and lit the joint. Now, he held it up to you. Instead of taking it with your own fingers, you just leaned into his and took a hit. You were a bit too dazed to really pay attention to your actions, not noticing as he watched you with heavy lids and a lazy smirk. You weren’t looking at him, just gazing at the wall across from you. Once you were done and exhaled the smoke, he leaned back and did the same thing.

“Thanks for inviting me over, Genma,” you mumbled, “you’re really sweet, I’m glad you’re my friend.”

“Always,” he replied, a smile evident in his tone.

It wasn't long before you began rambling about your life, the things you wished you did with your friends, your worries, your dreams. The weed was making it too hard to shut up, you just had to get out everything that was on your mind. You both stared blankly at the wall, but Genma still listened to you intently.

After a bit, you decided you had enough and stopped smoking, but he continued to smoke a bit longer. Once he felt satisfied, he set the joint on the ashtray between you. You don’t know how long you were rambling to him, but eventually you stopped and fell into a comfortable silence.

Neither of you knew how long you sat in your shared daze, just slowly blinking at the wall. At some point, you rolled your head to the right and saw the clock above his stove. You could at least make out a 1, but you weren’t sure if it was midnight or 1am.

After you stared at the clock for a while, you slowly rolled your head back over to the left and looked at Genma. He felt your eyes on him and soon, rolled his head to look at you as well.

Your heavy-lidded, bloodshot eyes made contact and you studied each other. You had no idea what he was thinking, but you couldn’t help but admire him. His pretty, brown hair fell around his face perfectly, his soft skin was illuminated by a beam of moonlight that escaped through a gap in his drawn blinds, his expression was completely neutral, but it still managed to draw you in.

He began to slightly lean in towards you, you wouldn’t have even noticed the fraction of an inch closer he got if you weren’t paying extremely close attention. Your heart fluttered and picked up a beat, but you couldn’t stop yourself from mimicking his movement, leaning in a tiny bit closer to him.

The tension in the air was so thick, you could hardly breathe, but you were too high to get flustered. He leaned in another fraction of an inch, and so did you.

His face was expressionless, but you didn’t need to read his face, you could practically hear his thoughts.

You glanced at his lips for a second as he leaned closer and you realized how bad you wanted this. Your heart was pounding in your ears, but you moved your gaze back up to his. His look said it all.

Your eyes fluttered shut and you both leaned in, closing the gap.

The second his lips met yours, a jolt of electricity buzzed through your skin. Maybe it was the weed making you sensitive or maybe it was because Genma was the person you were kissing, all you knew was that it felt like heaven.

He leaned further into you, deepening the kiss while bracing himself with his right palm on the floor behind the ashtray. He reached his left hand across his body and cupped your cheek, fingers threading their way into your hair. Soon, he nipped at your bottom lip. You opened your mouth for him in response, allowing his tongue to meet yours. The smell of weed and the taste of him was utterly intoxicating. You wanted more and more, but you didn’t know if it was possible to get enough.

Genma reveled in the sweet little sounds you made as he made out with you. He slowly began to push you back, gently moving towards laying you down parallel to the bed so he could crawl over you. However, before he could get very far, you put your palm on his chest to stop him.

He pulled away, a string of saliva still connecting your lips to his. He gave you the cutest confused look you’ve ever seen in your life, but you just gave him a sweet smile in response.

Slowly, you began pushing him back towards his original seat against the bed. He allowed you to move his body freely. Once he was in position, you crawled over to him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Then, you put your hands on his shoulders for support and lifted your right leg to swing it over his lower body. Now, you were straddling him.

Genma looked up at you, a cocky grin spreading across his handsome face. You lifted your hands from his shoulder to the back of his neck and pulled him into another kiss. He could feel the happy grin on your lips as you kissed him and he couldn’t help but smile back into you. He moved his hands to rest on your hips, thumbs dipping up under your shirt and rubbing soothing circles against your skin.

Genma couldn’t believe how right your lips felt against his, it was like you were made for him. You’ve known each other for over two decades now, how did it possibly take you guys this long?

You had been straddling him with your knees rigid. Your hips had been hovering above his as you held yourself up, but you decided it was time to lower yourself down. Butterflies shot up through your stomach and you let out a soft sigh as you felt his erection against you.

Genma couldn’t help but use his hands on your hips to help guide you back and forth against him, letting out his own little groans of pleasure as you continued to kiss him deeply.

Your fingers slowly moved themselves up from the nape of his neck into his hair, one hand reaching up to slide his bandana off his head. He didn’t mind as it fell off and onto the bed behind him. His hair was disheveled, but you didn’t care. You figured it would only continue to get messier.

As you continued to lazily grind against him, Genma pulled away from your mouth. He then leaned in to start leaving love bites across the column of your neck. In response, you angled your head up to give him easier access. You moaned out as you felt his teeth graze against your skin, your fingers fully entangling into his hair.

You felt so warm. Every single one of his touches sent sparks across your skin. You could only imagine how wet you were getting as his clothed cock rubbed against you. You were trying to remember if a man had ever made you feel this good before, but you couldn't think of any times. Genma has barely touched you and it already feels like he’s the only other person in the world, like he was made for you.

Once he was satisfied with his work on your throat, he moved one of his hands from your hip to up to pull the neck of your shirt to the side. His lips met the junction between your throat and shoulder and he began to bite and suck there. You didn’t care that he was stretching out the neckline of your shirt, and you didn’t care if he left visible marks on you for all to see. All that mattered was feeling him against you.

The hand that remained on your hip moved further up under your shirt and he began gently rubbing up and down across the warm skin of your side, his fingertips grazing the bottom of your bra.

After a moment, Genma decided that he was satisfied with the purple bruises he littered across your neck and shoulder. He moved his fingertips to the hem of your shirt and tugged. You got the message and stopped grinding your hips against his, finding balance. You untangled your fingers from his hair and lifted your arms up, allowing him to slowly lift your top over your head. He dropped your shirt and rested his hands back on your hips, looking up at you with lust-blown pupils as you straddled him in only your bra. You needed him to touch you, you needed to get rid of the barriers between you, so you brought your arms behind you and unclasped your bra, allowing it to fall from your shoulders onto his lap. You quickly reached down, grabbing it and then tossing it into a random section of the room.

“So pretty,” he praised, once again sliding his hands up your bare skin. He now allowed them to rest on the underside of your breasts, thumbs grazing over your hard nipples. “Can’t believe it took this long…” he trailed off.

“Genma, please,” you don’t know what you were asking him for, you just needed more.

He leaned into the apex of your right breast, latching onto your nipple. He gently massaged the area around it with his hand, kneading your other breast with his other hand as well.

You cried out as he sucked, your hips again jolting into his. He couldn’t help but meet you with tiny thrusts of his own. You couldn’t believe how collected he appeared, you were falling apart over him and he didn’t even seem to mind how little you were touching him. If only you knew how much worshiping you got him off.

Eventually, he decided your right breast had enough attention for the time being and he switched to the left. His fingers slid easily across the spit-soaked skin of your right breast as he moved to knead it. You could hardly handle the feeling as he rolled your abused nipple between his fingertips.

It was all getting to be too much, you had to feel him. Your fingers dug into the fabric of his turtleneck against his back as he sucked you. You needed it off, you needed to touch him.

He soon got the message and pulled off of you, quickly discarding his shirt.

You sat back on his hips as you studied his body. You giggled to yourself, remembering the story he told you about the horny old lady he had to take care of. Her prediction was right, he really did have a perfect body under his baggy clothes. He was lean, not super massive, but still toned and fit. There was a dusting of light freckles across his shoulders and a smattering of tawny hairs down his lower abdomen. He leaned back and gave you another cocky smile with heavy-lidded eyes as you ogled at him. As much as he wanted to take care of you, he didn’t mind the attention.

You reached out and lightly ran your fingers down the contours of his chest. You felt lines of tight scarred skin under your fingertips at points, but his scars were a lot like yours, long since faded. You were so grateful that he didn’t seem to have any recent wounds. You knew it was part of the job, but the idea of him being injured made a tear begin to well up in your eye. Working at the academy, it was rare for you to get injured now. You were really only in danger during emergencies, since of course it was still your responsibility to protect the village as a ninja. But Genma, he was still on active duty, he could be called out on a mission at any time, he could get injured at any time, he could die at any time. He wasn't yours, you had barely even seen him in two years, but you couldn't bear to lose him.

You managed to break yourself out of your negative thoughts almost as quickly as they began. You think Genma noticed the slight falter in your expression, but he didn't say anything. You were usually a pretty positive person, so you attributed the weed to making you a bit more emotional.

You brought your arms to drape around his neck and kissed him again. In response, he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you flush against him. As you sat on his lap, chest to chest, heart to heart, your kisses were deep and sensual.

The room was filled with hums and sighs of pleasure, along with the sound of the ambient radio playing in the background. You felt his hands drift under the waistband of your pants and underwear to grope at your ass as he guided you across his clothed erection. It felt so good, your eyes rolled every time you even thought about what was hiding under his pants.

Lucky for him, your waistband was stretchy. Genma didn’t even need to pull your pants down, he just angled his wrists out and they slowly rolled down on their own. Once the entirety of your ass was revealed to the air you lifted your legs up one at a time, allowing him to help you completely discard your pants. After they were fully off, he stopped kissing you and angled his jaw to the side so he could rest his chin on your shoulder. He reached his right hand between your legs from the back and ran a finger through your sopping wet cunt.

“Gen-!” you cried out, practically falling limp against him. You could almost feel the smirk he had on his face as he moved to pump his index and middle finger in and out of you. You couldn't see him, but you knew his mannerisms well enough to get a good idea of what face he was making. His left hand was groping your ass as he worked you with his right. You were involuntarily pushing your hips further onto his fingers, you needed everything he could give you.

“You're doing so well for me,” he purred, his voice low and erotic.

You were quiet, biting your lip as you tried to muffle your squeaks of pleasure. Your hands were buried in his hair as if it was the only thing grounding you. Your nipples were being stimulated as they rubbed against his bare chest, blessing you with yet another wonderful sensation.

After a few moments, he pulled his fingers out of you. You whined in annoyance, but he gently shushed you, kissing your shoulder in comfort. He then reached further under you until his middle finger came in contact with your clit, his thumb now replacing where it had been previously.

You sobbed out a high pitch moan as he rubbed circles around your clit. He found the perfect angle and you could feel your impending orgasm bubble up. You were panting and mewling as he worked you.

Genma knew you were getting close by the way you were squirming against him, it only egged him on. He kept a steady pace as he rubbed gentle circles around your clit, knowing consistency was the easiest way to make a woman cum. He had found the perfect angle for you and he wasn’t going to waste it.

“You’re doing such a good job,” he whispered into your ear, enunciating your name at the end. “It’s okay, sweet girl, you can cum for me.”

You nodded your head vigorously

“Wanna cum for you, Genma. Wanna be your good girl,” you babbled between moans.

Your heavy panting soon picked up speed and you stopped being able to hear anything over the beating of your heart. Your body was already trembling as you approached your climax.

Genma continued to praise and coo at you, he knew this was it.

“Gen-, gonna-,” was the last thing you managed to get out before your orgasm hit you. You let out a choked scream as your eyes rolled back. You saw stars as Genma worked you through your climax with more gentle circles on your clit. Soon though, you started trembling really hard and you were beginning to get overstimulated. Genma didn’t want to be mean, so he pulled his hand away from you and you slumped against him.

Now it was his turn to groan as he felt your bare, soaked pussy land atop the outline of his clothed cock. He knew how ready you were for him, your slick had dripped down the back of his hand all the way to his wrist as he fingered you earlier. He could hardly wait to feel you around him.

Genma lightly held you, bringing his right hand up to pet your hair. He didn't even care that he was getting it sticky with the release you dripped onto his hand earlier.

“Hey, hey,” he cooed, coaxing you out of your slump.

You pulled away from him and looked up at him with your pretty, bloodshot eyes. You backed up off of his lap, fully nude and perfect. Genma was entranced by your beauty, his high making you seem nothing short of a goddess. He watched as you reached out and placed your hand over his cock. He groaned out and lightly bucked up into you as you palmed him.

“Genma, I wanna see,” you drawled.

“Anything for you,” he smiled in response.

He moved to hook his hands under the waistband of his pants, lifting his hips to roll them down. You watched him intently, slowly blinking as he revealed the rest of his body to you. He was absolutely perfect.

Your mouth watered at the sight of him. His hair was disheveled and sticking to various parts of his flushed face, his chest was rising and falling with heavy inhales, and his perfect, thick cock bobbed against his lower abdomen. He swallowed as he watched a drip of slick from your cunt roll down your inner thigh.

You reached your right hand out and wrapped your fingers around his cock, rubbing small circles over the head. His cock was heavy and warm with a drop of precum threatening to roll down the tip. Genma groaned and sighed as you familiarized yourself with it.

You leaned over, maneuvering yourself to rest on your stomach. You couldn't bear to not taste him, so you allowed your tongue to lick over the tip, picking up the bead of precum that had been resting there. He tasted absolutely divine.

You gently wrapped your lips around just the head of his cock, licking and sucking the tip. Your hand pumped the lower part of his shaft. Your movements were slow and lazy, his panting and groaning encouraging you. You knew you could easily stay here, sucking his delicious cock for hours, but today wasn't the day.

Genma moved his fingers to your head, lifting you off of him. He proceeded to guide your lips up to his again and you crawled up to meet him.

His kisses were so soft and deep, you never thought he would be such a sensual lover. You always figured he'd be more of a player, quick and rough, just from his personality. But he never actually talked about his sexual exploits, not even when you and your friends were all young and horny. Right now, he was treating you like he loved you, it warmed your heart and broke it all at once.

Now you were straddling Genma again, this time the both of you were fully nude. Your slick pussy caught against his cock every once in a while as you moved against him. His hands came down to rest on your waist, helping guide your hips back and forth over him.

Soon, you began getting impatient. You reached between your bodies and grabbed his cock, angling it towards your cunt. But before you could sink down on him, he stopped you. You looked up at him, meeting his eyes.

“I-,” he stuttered out, “I don't know if I could ever be the man you're looking for, the man you deserve,” he trailed off, “but maybe just for tonight.”

His words made your bloodshot eyes well up with tears. You just smiled at him and leaned in to kiss him again. He brought one of his hands to your cheek and wiped away the stray tear droplets.

As you kissed Genma, you still held his cock angled towards your core. You sank down on it, and both of you sighing in relief as he bottomed out. He filled you up so perfectly, stretching you in all the right ways.

You pulled away from the kiss and wiped the stray strands of hair away from his pretty face. His eyes were closed and his brows were furrowed as you began riding him, small moans were escaping his mouth.

You were letting out sounds of pleasure as he ran his hands across your body. Everything felt absolutely perfect, and your shared high made you so sensitive, increasing your pleasure exponentially.

Genma soon opened his eyes as he guided you up and down. He noticed your gaze was fixed, watching his cock disappear in and out of you. Eventually your eyes made their way back up, locking with his.

In that moment, a wave of images flashed through Genma’s eyes. He saw how you looked when you first met, how you teased him growing up, even though he only ever played along, never giving you the satisfaction of successfully messing with him. He saw your pretty smile when you and your friends went on a picnic, he spent that whole day trying not to let it slip that he was absolutely enamored by the beauty you exuded in your sundress. He thought of the way you laughed loudly when you were high, not caring about anything else. He saw the bittersweet expression you gave him the day you told him that you were going to transfer to the academy, no longer joining him on missions. He even saw memories of things that never happened. He saw you on your wedding day as you walked down the aisle towards him, he saw you pregnant with his baby, and he saw you surrounded by your shared children.

Genma was absolutely in love with you. He wanted to be the man you chose to spend your life with, but right now he didn’t have a life to give you. It hurt, the idea of you settling down with someone else, but he couldn’t hold you back for his own selfish reasons. He had to let you fly free and make your own choices, it wouldn't be fair to prevent you from building a family now by making you wait for him.

His face wasn’t showing the complex emotions he was feeling, it just conveyed the pleasure of great sex. Genma couldn't help but pull you flush against him again. If he couldn't have you forever, if this was his only chance, he needed to feel all of you right now.

You were mewling and whimpering against him, pussy tightening as he thrust up into you. He felt so amazing and you couldn't get enough.

Genma began peppering kisses against you, against your face, your neck, your shoulder. He then brought a hand between you and started rubbing circles around your clit again.

You were practically sobbing against him as you bounced on his cock. He knew he wasn't going to last long either. Your name escaped his mouth, and his escaped yours. You were babbling praises and he was showering you with affection.

“Where do you want it?” he asked as he strained against you.

“Inside, Gen, please I need it inside,” you cried out.

“Are you sure? I won't do it if you aren't sure,” he choked out.

“Yes Genma- please, I need it, I trust you,” you responded.

His heart fluttered at the sound.

The feeling of him inside of you and the pressure he was putting on your clit was too much, you were about to cum. You could tell that he was about to as well.

You screamed out as your orgasm hit you, his hitting at the same time. He pulled your body as tightly against him as possible as he milked himself into you, letting out a mixture of praises, expletives, and your name.

He couldn't remember the last time he came this hard, and neither could you.

As you came down from your shared high, your heartbeats slowed and your bodies relaxed. He hugged you and rubbed soothing circles on your back.

He wanted to tell you he loved you, but he knew he couldn't. He knew saying it would come with expectations, expectations he couldn't meet. The last thing he wanted to do was break your heart and hold you back from your dreams.

You leaned back, pulling Genma in for another deep kiss, his cock still buried inside you. This kiss was gentle, it wasn't a kiss of lust, but one of pure love.

He melted into you, smiling.

“Genma, thank you, thank you for taking care of me,” you praised. You wanted to tell him you loved him, but you knew it would only put a pressure on him that he didn't need. You really had always loved him, but you never acted on it. You knew he would always be just out of reach.

Eventually, you began to get up, smiling at him as you pulled off. You found your panties and pulled them on, along with your shirt. Once you were slightly decent, you walked over to his bathroom to go take your post-sex pee and freshen up.

As the bathroom door closed, he got up and found his briefs, pulling them on. He picked up the ashtray with the half smoked joint and put it on his desk, he also cleared away both of your discarded water cups.

He was undeniably tired, the late hour mixed with the weed was starting to hit him. So, he crawled into his bed.

After a few minutes, you walked out of the bathroom and saw him in his bed, pressed up next to the wall. He left his covers folded over, inviting you to get in.

“Come here,” he smiled, “ I’m not gonna make you walk home at this hour, especially not in the state you’re in.”

Your face lit up with joy and you ran over to crawl into the bed with him, settling with your head against his chest, his arm wrapped around you. You both breathed in a slow, steady rhythm, quickly drifting off to sleep.

You woke up with sunlight filtering through the gaps in Genma’s closed blinds. For a moment, you forgot where you were, but you quickly remembered. You were engulfed by Genma’s scent, his heart was beating under your ear, and his arm was still wrapped around you. You smiled to yourself as you blinked away the sleep.

You slowly angled your head up to look at him and his eyes met yours, he was already awake. He smiled at you with pure adoration.

Looking at you waking up next to him, Genma swore to himself that if you still weren't married by the time he was ready to settle down, he would do it himself.

[stu-dyingstudent]

Sakura fic recs: civilian discrimination/clan politics

Another personal favorite type of read when it comes to Sakura Haruno fanfiction! I think it's reasonable to assume considering the treatment of the branch families in the Hyuga clan that if the series was a little darker/serious, then Sakura, TenTen, and Lee would have definitely been looked down upon for not being from a clan. They don't have the same connections and support that the clan kids do and so I love when fics bring this up and take it further.

Also, check out my list on third war continued/Sakura sent to war prematurely as all of those fics bring up this hierarchy.

Started: 2024.07.23

Last Updated: 2024.07.23

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

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A Drop of Poison by Androgyninja || ao3 || gen || M || canon divergent || complete

After being humiliated during a sparring match, Sakura realizes that she no longer wants to base her future on a boy who doesn't even like her. With a newfound sense of determination, she sets off to become a truly terrifying kunoichi, making her fair share of friends and enemies along the way.In other words, Sakura discovers who she really wants to be and fucks shit up along the way. And if she poisons a few important people? Well, that's just collateral damage.Begins during Sakura's final year at the academy and ends right before the canon time skip.

Where the hierarchy of the clans and clanless is more prominent than ever, Sakura comes to the stark realization of her true purpose on team 7. A Drop of Poison is probably the first fic that comes to mind when I think of discrimination and clan politics in Konoha and it's for a good reason. Constant hurdles are thrown Sakura's way because of her lineage and the actions she chooses to take bring ramifications which she'll have to face head first. Also, poison-user! Sakura is such a great idea (I wish this was canon)!

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bite me and see, said the fly to the spider - MirrorImage003 || ao3 || itasaku || T || canon AU || ongoing

In which Sakura is not initially a part of Team 7. In which she wears her failures like armor and brandishes her fears like her most trusted weapons. In which I do what hundreds of other authors have done before me, and rewrite Sakura's story. Non-massacre AU. Canon Divergent. Slow-burn.

Sakura's first team is made up of the "expendables." Placed with a fresh and inexperienced jonin as their sensei, it results in the quick demise of the team. Now slotted into team 7, Sakura has to face the harsh remarks regarding her first major failure as a shinobi and persevere to prove her worth to the village.

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Expedient - SwiftKick || ffn || T || canon AU || complete

Konoha and Iwa sign a truce and agree to an Exchange Program between recently promoted genin to "bolster village relations." Fortunately, if anything were to go wrong, Haruno Sakura was just average enough to risk losing.

From what I remember, Expedient is not very heavy on this dynamic, however, it is a major contributor as to why Sakura was the one sent on the exchange. She was deemed as so average, so unremarkable, that the village could risk her. Even so, Sakura does face a lot of criticism from Iwa shinobi and civilians, marking her as an outsider. I don't really want to spoil anything, but just know that the sensitivity of her position makes it difficult for her both in Konoha and Iwa. This one is an all time favorite of mine and I didn't have high expectations going into it, but this fic is truly great. Deidara is such a fun character and I really enjoyed Sakura's growth.

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Daughter of Fire - justjstuff || ao3 || kakasaku || E || canon divergence || incomplete (maybe ongoing)

Sakura got up and didn’t bother brushing the dirt from her dress. She had a feeling she was about to get even dirtier. She looked at the memorial stone one last time, memorizing the characters without even realizing she was doing it. It would serve from that moment on as a reminder of her determination. She wouldn’t let Naruto and Sasuke join the names carved on that stone. That was her nindo.

Sakura faces discrimination from the council as they are not pleased that she, a civilian born, is to be the one to carry on Tsunade's legacy. I also really appreciate how Sakura's parents were handled in Daughter of Fire as it felt very logical rather than some of the other fics I have read. Her growth throughout this story is great and realistic all while pointing out aspects from the original series which were flawed and dare I say misogynistic.

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Terror feeds the Soul - Pleasedial123 || ao3 || gen || not rated || canon AU || one-shot complete

Sakura is not an idiot. She was praised for her intelligence, reached Top Kunoichi at the Academy for her brains. So it doesn't take her long after being placed on the powder keg that is Team Seven to realize she is going to die. Kakashi, career shinobi since age-six, has no idea what the hell is going on with his little pink-haired student or why there is such fear in her eyes. So he gives her head-pats. That's what you do for scared puppies isn't it?

My poor girl Sakura was STRESSING in Terror Feeds the Soul, but it's for good reason. She has made the stark realization that with no clan ties and no apparent importance to the village, she would be that last on team 7 to be saved. Anyway, there is some pretty cute Kakashi and Sakura bonding here (platonic) that I love.

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The Sixth Shadow - thinknicht || ao3 || kakasaku || M || canon AU - eventual time travel AU || ongoing

No one seemed to find it odd when little Haruno Sakura threw herself smack dab in front of a Chidori and Rasengan. Not even Kakashi stopped to wonder.(He really should have.)

The story of how Sakura came to be the sixth hokage despite all of the challenges thrown her way. Many of the characters are super OOC, but in The Sixth Shadow she faces the ultimate discrimination based off her being civilian born. Through trials of attempted sabotage, classism, and other conflicts Sakura's drive is unwavering. Such an interesting take on how the events of the series could have unfolded and the political aspects are super interesting. However, be warned that Kakashi is an absolute HATER (in the beginning), but he gets better! Also, the fic is super long....

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Got Nothing to Prove (but I'ma show you how I do) - GuardianMars || ao3 || gen || T || mission gone wrong || incomplete

Civilians and orphans are always used as cannon fodder. Sakura’s not sure where she first came by this phrase. Whether she heard it or read it, she can’t quite remember, but it stuck in her head and it stays in the back of her mind whenever Team 7 takes a mission. When Sakura and Tenten get placed on a temporary team looking into a series of kidnappings of local village girls, Sakura is naturally worried. She doesn't want to be cannon fodder. When the mission goes to pot, Sakura and Tenten find themselves far away from home and with only each other to rely on. As it turns out being cannon fodder is the least of their worries.

Sakura and TenTen are chosen specifically for a mission due to their lack of clan affiliation. Things end up taking longer than anticipated and Kakashi and Gai, being the only voices for the girls, decide that it's time to step in. This fic is super interesting because it's actually kind of a mystery. One where we don't truly know what happened on the mission but through multiple different perspectives we slowly find out. Unfortunately, this is incomplete though.

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Once again, please send me recs of this genre since I'm obsessed!