#like sure this was largely because of his denial of his feelings for sakura but like. give him something else

[dullahandyke]

i need to reread cardcaptor sakura so i can ignore clear card even harder

[straydawg-writing]

𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦.

- 𝓚. 𝙯𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙮𝙘𝙠

• hunter x hunter series!

summary:

┍━━━━━♥♠♣♦━━━━━┑

𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮.

𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝.

𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨.

ˏˋ♡̩͙♡̩̩̥͙♡̩̥̩ ⋆ ♡̩̥̩♡̩̩̥͙♡̩͙̩͙ˊˎ

- 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙆𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙖. 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙩. (𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙙𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙘)

┕━━━━━♥♠♣♦━━━━━┙

Chapter 1 —

⋯✰⋯

"Book."

"Gain!"

Bisky's eyes shined like stars as a smooth blue gemstone appeared in front of her. You could spot tears of hers spring up as she cradled the glittering rock like it was the most precious thing in the world.

"What should I name it? Blue-chan? Planet-chan?" she gushed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. You stifled a laugh, catching a glimpse of Killua's dumbfounded expression. If one thing were true, it's that he does not understand women.

While Gon and Killua endured Bisky's brutal training during Greed Island, you had grown to like her. Despite her being 45 years older than you, you imagined she was the closest thing to what a big sister would be like. Or maybe a mom? You wouldn't know.

Unfortunately, you weren't special enough to escape her unforgiving training either. Bisky knew no mercy. While training their physical bodies, she also trained the trio's nen abilities.

Gon developed his special punch move by using the rock, paper, scissors of Chinese martial arts. Killua learned how to better channel his electricity, though Bisky had looked concerned when he first demonstrated it to her. You couldn't blame her. Killua's ability to withstand electricity only came from years of shock torture, and you noticed how he rarely mentions the fact that he still feels the pain. You caught on to it the night you watched his Heaven's Arena match, remembering his voice floating to the stands.

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘴."

Your heart clenched for him every time you remember this fact. He has a tendency to hide his pain, in order to not burden his friends.

Then there's you, who Bisky took upon herself to help.

Since the day Wing opened your nen pores and declared you a Manipulator, you practiced your nen with Gon and Killua daily. When the time came to decide your special ability, the answer was as clear to you as a cloudless sky.

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴.

Since then you'd been seen carrying around leather pouches of dirt, water, and vines wherever you went. It was a nice start, but it sure did make your back hurt. And of course, Bisky would not accept that. Ordering you to dump out all of your pouches to the ground, she had you draw out your power from the scattered elements that had begun already mixing with the dirt.

Unsure, you had hesitantly stretched out your arm and tried pulling from the water. It took you a number of tries to get it right. You had squinted long and hard, focusing on extending your nen to the elements around you. To your giddy surprise, small, sparkling droplets of H20 were separating from the glob of inky mud to float just a few inches above your hands. Concentrating harder, the droplets began orbiting one another. They looked like little planets.

Sensing the vines, you were able to control their movements too, even manipulating ones that hadn't originated from your leather pouch.

Bisky's wide smile was all that you needed.

From that day on, you only practiced manipulating whatever was around you. The earth was your ally.

"Well, what will you do once you find Ging?" Bisky's voice snapped you out of a daze.

"Naturally, I'll introduce him to Killua, my best friend in the whole world!"

"What am I, a roach?" You mocked, but couldn't keep a smile from spreading across your face.

Gon's unyielding positivity and bubbly voice was like honey to your ears. No one could ever doubt the adoration he held for his best friend.

"Stupid, cut that out! It's embarrassing," said Killua, turning red as a tomato. He looked away in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, except you were right there to catch his blush.

You flashed a mischievous smile to Killua. "You know, I think an I-Love-You-Too-Gon-I-Also-Think-You're-The-Best would suffice once in a while."

"Shut up."

Killua was as stubborn as ever. You are playfully rolled your eyes before turning your attention back to the rest of the group. Gon was inviting Bisky to come with them and meet Ging, but she had said something about not being interested in men who already have kids.

"If I stay with you any longer, I really will get too attached..." Bisky tried to mask it, but you've always been good at noticing little details. She was going to miss them. And truth be told, you were going to miss her too.

"The hunter world is a small place. We'll all see each other again in no time!" you reassured your friends. "See you later, Bisky."

"Take care, Bisky." Gon said his goodbyes, Killua nodding next to him.

⋯✰⋯

"Accompany on."

"Nigg!"

At that, a bright light enveloped all of them, streaking them through the sky. Every time you did this on Greed Island, you had always shut your eyes tight. You'd never get used to the feeling.

The next thing you knew, the three of you landed in an area thick with white fog. It was slightly chilly, causing you to shiver. A hundred feet in front of you was a tall sakura tree with roots so large they could be mistaken for a magical beast. It had to have been there for at least a couple hundred years. Soft, pink petals drifted in the wind, dancing around you and your friends. As your eyes focused, you noticed a shadowy man reclining on the tree's roots. Could it be Ging?

Before you realized what was happening, the mysterious man turned towards the three of you and opened fire on Gon.

Then, Killua was diving in slow motion and pulling Gon out of the way and the two of them were rolling on the ground holding onto each other. Getting a hold of your senses, you looked down at dozens of bullets that had made holes in the ground and noticed an injured ant lying motionless on the floor. The thing was completely decapitated.

"Now look what you've done, you killed an innocent soul!" you exclaimed to the man, pointing at the poor bug.

"That's not Ging..." Gon whispered.

"What was that all about?! First, you push us down, then you fire at us. Stop messing around!" Killua accused the Not-Ging.

After helping Gon back up, Killua examined the insect too. That is, before it ruthlessly attacked him.

"Oh. It wasn't dead," you stated the obvious.

The man quickly finished off the ant biting Killua's leg with his machine gun before scoffing at you. He took off the black jacket he was wearing, unveiling straight, platinum white hair so long it almost touched the floor. You could get a better look at him now. He was lanky, and the beret he wore casted a shadow over his eyes. If you had to guess, you'd say he's about 6'3. Just who was this man? Had God finally sent an angel to cleanse you from your sins?

"I was being dead serious. If I hadn't opened fire, you would have been attacked. That was no ordinary ant, it was a Chimera Ant."

"A what?"

"An aggressive, carnivorous insect that's been designated Quarantine Level 1. You three didn't realize it, but you were standing right in front of their nest. If I hadn't fired the moment I did, an army of Chimera Ants would have consumed all of you by now," the angel explained.

You gawked at his beautiful long locks, gracefully flying in the wind as he turned to leave.

Gon seemed to have recognized the man, asking something about if he were the one who had saved him back then. Gon told a story about being rescued from a fox bear, though it looked like he had remembered something else because he held his cheek as if he'd just been hit. For the first couple of seconds, the man looked at Gon like he was in denial about the person right in front of him. Then, like it was nothing, he called Gon by his name. And if by a miracle, he also knew Ging.

"My name is Kite. Ging was my master."

You nudged Killua, "Did you hear that?! He knows Gon's dad!" Killua looked just as shocked as you.

The three of you followed Kite to a small campfire as he told them stories about Ging, himself, and his current mission. You were thankful for the heat source, warming your hands against the flame as it was only getting colder as night fell. You cursed yourself for not being like Gon and Killua, who always had their long sleeve layers and could just strip them whenever the weather deemed it necessary. All you were wearing were burgundy shorts, combat boots, and a black t-shirt. And of course, your necklace. You reached your hand and held onto the choker pendent around your neck. It was all you had left of your home. Just holding onto the pink pendent brought you enough comfort to warm you from the inside out again.

The sun was beginning to set by the time you met Kite's friends and the cute dog that had taken a liking to Gon. Your eyes softened as you watched Gon play with the puppy, having found its sweet spot right behind its ear. He caught you staring, and flashed his pearly whites.

"Y/N, come rub his belly! He's so soft!"

Getting up from your spot next to Killua and wiping the dust off your shorts, you traveled to where Gon was now teaching the dog new tricks.

"How are you gonna teach him anything without any dog treats?" you asked, petting the little dog.

"With this!" Gon pulls out a handful of goldfish from his pocket. He tossed one to the pup, who caught it in midair.

You held in a laugh. "Gon, why do you just have goldfish lying around in your pockets like that?"

"You don't always have time to snack when you're training you know.. Plus, It's in a baggy!" He showed you the zip -block bag that was stuffed inside the pocket of his green shorts, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck. This time you couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Oh I see, as long as it's in a bag, right? Can I see one?"

Gon nodded and put some goldfish in the palm of your hand. Looking for Killua, you spotted him sitting on a log watching as the sun set under the ocean's horizon. He looked so ethereal as the orange light reflected off of him. The light made his fluffy white hair shine, and a slight breeze made delicate strands wisp in the wind like snowflakes. You almost felt bad for disturbing the picturesque scene in front of you.

"Hey, Killua! Come feed this dog Gon's two-year-old musty goldfish with me!"

Yeah, you had ruined the moment.

"It's not two years old! I bought it in Yorknew," he whined.

"But it's musty?"

Killua walked up to the two of you with a questioning look, and you paused your bickering to hold open his hand and transfer the goldfish. The dog barked.

"I'm not sure, animals typically run away once they smell Mike on me," he said, referring to the oversized human-eating guard dog at the Zoldyck estate. Considering it's job was to deter people, you guessed that made sense. Still, you had faith that this innocent pup could show Killua some love. He needed the free therapy.

"Just try it!" Gon pushed.

Killua succumbed to Gon's request, holding the treat out to the tail-wagging puppy. Though, instead of taking the treat, it knocked Killua clean over, licking his face.

"What the heck— Help!" Killua desperately tried wiping the slimy slobber off of his lips.

"I think he's trying to kiss you." You giggled.

Mission accomplished!

"Kite did say that hunters are well-liked by animals. This means you're a great hunter, Killua!" Gon excitedly shared.

Killua offered a small smile. "I haven't passed the test yet, dummy."

⋯✰⋯

author's notes: hope you guys liked the first chapter! i'm excited to keep this story going!

[laisaxrem]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Naruto Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Tsunade, Haruno Sakura & Shizune, Haruno Sakura & Shizune & Tsunade Characters: Haruno Sakura, Tsunade, Shizune, Haruno Kizashi (mentioned), Haruno Mebuki (mentioned), Hatake Kakashi, Uzumaki Naruto Additional Tags: Sakura Week 2021, Sakura Week 2021 day 6: Family, Family, Family is not just blood, civilian kizashi and mebuki, civilian born sakura, tsunade to the rescue, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, i mean mental abuse, Angst, a little bit, One Shot, Tsunade doesn't give a fuck Series: Part 28 of This is Us (english version) Summary:

Sakura has never had an easy relationship with her family: civil by birth and from a wealthy family, her parents have never accepted her desire to become a kunoichi. On a rainy day, Sakura will find that family isn't always just the blood running through your veins.

Day 6 of Sakura Week.

.

.

Friday, 28th February 1680

«Sakura-chaaaan!»

Naruto’s annoying voice just outside her apartment door woke her up.

Turning around a little bit she glanced at the alarm clock that she kept on the bedside table next to her bed: it was only 7 o’clock in the morning and Sakura felt inside her the irrepressible desire to kill her friend.

For a moment she contemplated the idea of not getting up and waiting for Naruto to go away and leave her alone. Then she remembered who she was talking about and with a grunt came out from under the sheets.

Naruto was on the landing, his one arm raised to knock on the door for the umpteenth time.

«Oh, Sakura-chan, I was afraid you weren’t at home».

«If so why did you keep knocking and screaming early in the morning, you giant idiot».

«Uuh. Sakura-chan, don’t be so hard on me», he whimpered, pouting. «I felt alone at home… And my arm hurts».

The young woman sighed and stepped aside, inviting her friend to come in with a gesture of her head, then made him sit on her slightly battered sofa and placed a hand on the stump of his right arm infusing it with her healing chakra to relieve the pain. At the same time Sakura analysed the scar to make sure there were no active infections. Fortunately, everything was as it should be so the young woman sensed that Naruto had still abused his limb during training and gave him a good earful reminding him for what was probably the millionth time the indications they had given him to obtain the best chances that Hashirama-sama’s cells would take root when the prosthetic arm would be ready.

«Hey Sakura-chan, why do you still live in a chūnin apartment if you’re a jōnin?» her friend suddenly asked.

«Mmm». In fact, Tsunade-sama had offered her a new accommodation when Sakura was formally promoted to jōnin but she hadn’t thought about it too much and she had refused. «Maybe because this was the first home I could truly call my own».

«Uhh? What are you sayin’, you lived with your parents before you moved here».

«Mmm mmm».

In fact, come to think of it, exactly three years had passed since that day…

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

Tuesday, 28th February 1677

Sakura had always hated ultimatums.

That’s why she found herself wandering the streets of Konoha as if she no longer had a home. Because in fact Sakura no longer had a home.

She thought she had finally found her way, her place in the ninja world: she excelled in the medical arts thanks to the guidance of Tsunade-shishō, she had reached an excellent level in taijutsu thanks also to the help of Rock Lee, she felt useful and necessary in the hospital where she helped both shinobi and civilians too. She felt she was getting closer and closer to her goal: to bring Sasuke home. And she were happy.

Yet there she was, walking like a zombie in the rain. She sometimes hated her parents; they had never supported her desire to become a kunoichi and in fact they had often even done what they could to get in her way. She remembered as if it were yesterday how much they had fought to not sign the forms for the admission to the Academy. In those days at the Haruno compound there had been screams, tears and slamming doors. Kizashi and Mebuki had believed they could discourage her with their denials and their constant postponement; it was evident that they did not know her at all.

Some times she could still hear their words in her ears. “You are still too young”, they told her, “you will fail and then you will come and cry to us”; or, when they tried to change her mind using logic, they used arguments like “we are not ninja, the Harunos never were. Trying to be what you are not will only make you feel worse”. Sometimes instead they decided to use the sense of guilt: “and if something happened to you what would become of us? Don’t you think about your poor parents? We didn’t educate you to be so selfish”. But in the end she had won and enrolled in the Academy even if almost a year late. She had hoped that her parents would accept her choice but that had not happened. Whenever she found herself having some difficulty in an exercise, or a test didn’t go more than perfect, her father looked at her with disappointment and with an expression on his face that said he expected her to fail while her mother pointed out that they had told her that this was not her way, that she had to live as a civilian like they did. During that time Sakura had fallen asleep crying many times.

Years had passed and she thought that by now her parents had hurt her in every possible way. She was wrong; how wrong she was.

Her father had told her at dinner that evening that they would be moving to Hana no Kuni soon and that she would go with them.

Sakura had vehemently protested telling them that in Konoha she had a life, friends, a career and that she didn’t want to leave everything to move to the other side of the world. “You’re a Haruno”, her father had yelled as he slammed his fist on the table, “and it’s time for you to act like one. You will come with us, you will forget all this nonsense and you will get married with the nephew of the Daimyō! Everything has already been decided”.

So Sakura had ran out and slammed the door, ignoring the fact that it was pouring with rain outside and that her light civilian clothes were not suitable for a walk in the rain.

It was now more than an hour and Sakura knew she had to go home and talk to her parents, reason with them and make them understand that she really couldn’t leave the Village, even if they were asking her, and sure as hell she had no intention of accepting an arranged marriage. Because inside her she knew she would slowly wither away if she gave up kunoichi’s career. Yet, even knowing this, even the idea of setting foot in that house again made her nauseous and no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t find within herself the resolve to go back there.

Eventually in her wandering she found herself at the edge of the forest where a large black tombstone stood proud in the rain. Sakura knew that place well and she knew what that stone represented and she was not too surprised to notice that a tall and slightly curved figure stood in front of it.

«Kakashi-sensei», she greeted him as she slowly approached the cenotaph.

«Hey, Sakura-chan, we haven’t seen each other for a while», he greeted her with a small smile, which can only be guessed from the fold of the one visible eye.

In fact, he was right. After Naruto had left with Jiraiya-sama for his training, all that was left in Konoha of the Team 7 were Kakashi-sensei and herself, who had begun to educate herself under Tsunade-sama’s guidance, so their team had been temporarily dissolved. Sakura knew that Kakashi was constantly engaged in A-rank or even S-rank missions and it didn’t surprise her at all: after all, her ex sensei was probably the most powerful jōnin in the Village and since Suna and Oto had launched the attack that had led to the death of the Sandaime and many other brave shinobi, those who remained were forced to face one mission after another, both to prove that despite everything Konoha was still strong, and to bring some money into the coffers of the Village. Kakashi in particular, perhaps also because of his fame, was tremendously in demand and in the last year and a half he had spent more time on mission than inside the walls. In fact, Sakura knew that Tsunade had given him a three-week rest period after he returned home for the umpteenth time with the chakra reserve at a minimum for the abuse of his sharingan.

(Sakura had once witnessed one of their squabbles because Tsunade had wanted to teach her how to heal people with exhausted chakra. It had been both fun and embarrassing to see her ex-sensei being scolded and treated as if he were a five-year-old kid).

«How is your enforced rest going?»

«Maa, maa, I feel like they’re holding me in a glass dome. I think I have reread Icha Icha Paradise at least a dozen times», the man complained, shrugging and pulling out the orange book long enough to show it to her before putting it back away from the rain.

«Honestly, sensei, I really don’t know what you see in those books. They are not even anatomically correct».

«You say so, Sakura-chan».

«No, the human body says so».

«I will not discuss about Icha Icha with you… And about the fact that you have read a book forbidden to minors under eighteen», he teased her, the light tone of one trying to pull a smile out of someone. «What would your parents say if they knew?»

Ouch. This hurt.

Instantly Sakura felt that weight that she had forgotten during the last minutes of conversation with her sensei return to her heart. Maybe Kakashi noticed her eyes darken as he turned to her just enough to look her straight in the face. The young woman could not hold up that dark eye that scrutinized her and lowered her face.

«Sakura, why are you here in the rain?» She didn’t answer, her throat tightened in a vice. She hated it when she felt this way and someone was nice to her because she felt like she could explode at any moment. The fact that it was Kakashi was even worse. «Sakura». This time Kakashi’s tone was harsher, the tone of voice that he would have used on a mission to get his companions to obey and Sakura found herself unwittingly straightening her back and getting to attention. «Look at me». She obeyed as if she couldn’t do anything else but she felt her throat tighten in a knot. «What happened? Has someone hurt you?»

She couldn’t help but shake her head. She wouldn’t cry, she absolutely wouldn’t cry. She was a kunoichi from Konoha, she was an adult, and she wouldn’t cry just because her parents were selfish.

«Did something happen to your parents?» Kakashi-sensei insisted and Sakura was surprised when she felt one of his hands resting on her shoulder, a reassuring anchor in that storm of emotions. «Come on, let’s go. I’ll take you home».

Sakura wanted to protest but lowered her head and followed him out of the field into the streets of Konoha. She didn’t even look where they were going, her eyes fixed on the jōnin’s feet, blindly trusting that he wouldn’t allow her to crash anywhere. Inside her she was already ready for the second part of that skirmish and she was trying to harden her heart just enough to allow her not to give in under the emotional blackmail of her family. But she actually didn’t know how she could do it. After all, she was not yet fifteen, and although genin far younger than her had been living alone from years, she was not an orphan and as an only child she was expected to follow the wishes of her parents.

Half an hour later Kakashi stopped and in a cheerful tone said: «Here we are».

Sakura looked ahead and realized that they were not in front of her parents’ garden but the door she had in front of her was the somewhat ruined one of Tsunade-shishō’s apartment.

«Oh».

She wanted to say something, ask Kakashi-sensei why he brought her there and not the house where she was born and raised, but he was already knocking on the door and a few seconds later it opened on Shizune.

«Yo», Kakashi greeted her, raising a hand. «I found a lost kitten in the rain and I thought it was yours».

«Sakura! What have you done? You’re completely soaked», her senpai scolded her before grabbing her wrist and dragging her into the house. «Hurry in Kakashi or you’ll let all the heat go out».

The girl did not turn to check but she heard the door close and light footsteps following them along the narrow and dark corridor, a sign that in fact Kakashi-sensei had obeyed the order.

The Hokage’s apartment was pretty damn small, certainly more than one would expect from the most important person in Konoha. It was completely unusual and against tradition and the Elders and the Council had tried to force Tsunade to move to the Senju neighbourhood or at least to accept one of the countless houses that had been offered to her and which, they said, were more appropriate to her role. Naturally, the Godaime had firmly refused, asserting that her small, damp and bare apartment was more than enough for her and Shizune, considering that she spent most of her life in her office at the palace.

Tsunade was sitting on the sofa in the living room, a small ceramic glass in her hand and an open bottle of sake on the low coffee table. In the other hand she was holding a large tome of medicine but when she saw them enter the room she closed the book and her blond eyebrows arch, creating a wrinkle between them.

«What’s the matter with you girl? You’re socked to the bone».

Sakura would have liked to reassure her and say that everything was fine, that there was nothing to worry about, lying and claiming that she had simply forgotten her umbrella on leaving the house. But maybe it was Shizune’s warm hand on her back, or the feeling of Kakashi’s eye on the back of her neck because Sakura couldn’t find the strength to lie.

«My parents have decided to move to Hana no Kuni next month and they want me to go with them», she let out in one breath, her voice low but calmer than she expected.

Her revelation was greeted by a moment of stunned silence, then Shizune blurted out: «What the hell does that mean?»

Sakura blinked like an old owl, amazed, because this was probably the first time she’d heard her senpai swear.

«They said I have to leave my life as a kunoichi and start acting like a Haruno», she continued in that cold and detached tone, as if explaining which procedure she would choose to undergo a certain operation on a patient. «They said it’s time I got to know the activities of the clan and bring honour to the family by finding a husband who can broaden the circle of our acquaintances».

As she spoke, Sakura couldn’t look her shishō in the eyes. As she repeated the words of her parents she felt her nausea and anger grow within her; how was it possible that they expected this from her? How was it possible that they did not understand her feelings in the least even though they were her parents, blood of her blood?

Sakura felt her eyes sting but never, never would she cry, not for that.

«Very well, let them go where the hell they like», Tsunade suddenly snapped, forcing her to finally raise her eyes. Her shishō was gripping the arm of the sofa so tightly that cracks were already starting to form in the wood and for a moment Sakura felt her heart break because she really hoped she would protest and fight to get her parents to stay. But after all, they were her blood family and Sakura was nothing more than an apprentice to her, so why should she protest? «But you won’t move from here», the Sannin added suddenly, the tone of her voice angry, while the wood gave up under her fingers. It was evident from her livid face that what she was about to say was the word of the Hokage and that she would not take no for an answer. «I didn’t waste the last year of my life teaching you everything I know to allow two ordinary people to drag you to the other side of the world to marry you to some preppy rich idiot».

«Tsunade-sama…»

«Don’t “Tsunade-sama” and “Tsunade-sama” me, Shizune», growled the Hokage. «I’m tired of those two. Not once did they give her the support she deserved so I don’t see why she should support them now».

Sakura would have lied if she said she didn’t fully agree with the woman, and hearing those words come out of her mouth took away some of the weight that oppressed her chest.

«And tonight you’re going to sleep here», Tsunade added. «In the morning I will take you to them and communicate my decision to Kizashi and Mebuki».

«Shishō, I can’t…» she tried to protest. Because, as touched as she was by Godaime’s feelings, the truth was that her sense of duty prevented her from considering that solution. And she knew that leveraging her good heart would do no good, not while she was in such an altered state, so she tried to use some logic even though all she wanted was to accept the invitation, lie down on the sofa and sleep until the following morning. «I don’t have my clothes or uniform or something to sleep with me…»

«Kakashi…»

«I’ll drop by and get what you need, Sakura-chan, don’t worry about that», came the prompt reply of her ex sensei who in a flurry of leaves disappeared from the living room, evidently headed for her bedroom in her house.

«You are my apprentice, Sakura», Tsunade continued, as if she had not just silently asked one of her jōnin to break through a window into the home of a member of one of the most powerful civilian families not only in Tsuchi but also in other Countries of the continent, including the Land of Fire. «Before being a Haruno you are my apprentice and I don’t intend to let you go like this». Suddenly the expression on her face softened and, after getting up and going to meet her, she placed her hand on her cheek with more tenderness than she had ever seen. «Don’t worry, little girl, I won’t let anyone take you away without your consent. This I can swear to you ».

Sakura nodded and allowed herself to lean on that rough hand as Shizune approached and placed a hand on her back. And for the first time since she was just a little girl dreaming of becoming a kunoichi, Sakura felt like she really had a family.

[kanamesharisenwrites]

kh’s story snippet celebration sendoff, entry #3

Oh, I had so much fun with this twisted plunnie! And even though only the opening scene is complete, I did finish a first draft for the entire fic (which I’ve included). It’s rough and vague, but the whole plot concept is there!

Inspired by the story, The Ones that Walk Away from Omelas, by Ursula K Le Guin.

Fandom: Naruto Pairing: Kakashi Hatake/Sakura Haruno Word Count: 2217 Genre: canon-divergence!AU, drama, angst Rating: M Warnings: brief profanity, abduction, manipulation, brainwashing, dark fic

... [ kingdom come ]

"Where's Sakura?"

"Gone, obviously." Sasuke laughs, bloody spittle coating his lips. He groans as he pulls his body off the ground. Swelling from a large contusion over his left eye mars his fair face; there is a matching one at the base of his skull. His right arm, severed and cauterized, lies in the dust a few feet away. "If he didn't kill her, Tobi probably took her. He likes shiny new toys."

Kakashi bristles and widens his stance as Sasuke walks towards him. "I want to know what happened. Now."

"Relax, old man, I'm not looking for a fight." Sasuke picks up his arm and throws it over his shoulder. "Sakura told me to get my head out of my ass and go home. That's what I intend to do."

Kakashi eyes Sasuke with suspicion, searching his demeanor for tells of dishonesty. "After all these years, you’ll forgive me if I doubt your word. It's all a little too easy, don't you think?"

"Easy?" Sasuke scoffs and levels Kakashi with a hard stare. "I knew she only wanted to join me so she could capture or kill me. I decided to kill her first – chidori through the heart." A smirk twists Sasuke's mouth, sharp and cruel, as he watches Kakashi flinch. "One stab and I'd permanently slice through those bonds Naruto rants about. Only it didn't work. Her chakra neutralized my chidori when she grabbed my arm." Sasuke shakes his head, and his smirk softens. "What the hell have you guys been feeding her, anyway? She's as strong as a fucking ox."

Kakashi shrugs. "Ask Lady Tsunade."

"Figures. Sakura managed this," Sasuke gestures to his missing arm, "with nothing but a chakra scalpel. Pulled the rest of it through her body like she was unsheathing a sword. Then she beat me unconscious with my own severed appendage. Last thing I saw was the hole in her chest close up like it'd never been there."

 "You were a fool to underestimate her."

"So were you."

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Shikamaru gives Kakashi his weekly “state of the village” report.

Kakashi asks about Sakura sightings; there’s been none.

Shikamaru turns to leave, but stops. Tells Kakashi he thinks it’s time to give up the hunt.

After Shikamaru leaves, Kakashi stares out the office window and wonders aloud why he’s still there when everyone important to him is gone.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Sakura comes to him in a dream. She’s older - ethereal yet weary-looking. She reminds him why he needs to stay, about the good he brings to the village, to the world. When she goes to leave, he chases her, promises to find her. She looks puzzled.

“Why, sensei? I was never lost in the first place.”

Kakashi wakes up in tears.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

When Kakashi makes his weekly trip to the memorial, Karin is there. He’s tired and his memory is fuzzy; he doesn’t remember her at first. When he does, he’s surprised. He didn’t think she’d stay in the village without Sasuke.

“Visiting Konoha, huh?”

“Hardly.” She huffs. “I never left.”

“Strange. I never see you around.”

“I keep a low profile. The village isn’t especially kind to Orochimaru’s castoffs.”

“Why do you stay, then?”

Karin pauses, her fingers hovering over Sasuke’s name. When she speaks, it’s slow, deliberate.

“Because that’s what he would’ve wanted. For me to carry on in his stead.”

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Kakashi dreams of Sakura again. She seems disconcerted that he acknowledges her - you weren’t supposed to know that I’m here, sensei - but speaks with him anyway. It’s a soft, gentle conversation, and it lulls him into a deeper, dreamless sleep.

He wakes up more rested than he has in a long time, but his mind anxious.

Sakura seemed too sentient for a figment of his subconscious.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Shizune comes to see him, asks how life as Hokage is going.

Kakashi admits it’s boring - too much paperwork, too little action. Village life has become too idyllic since the end of the war, to the point that it feels unnatural.

Shizune says she feels it too.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Kakashi starts dreaming of Sakura every night. 

He tells her silly stories about the new batch of genin trying to unmask him. She shares some of Tsunade’s most “creative” teaching techniques.

She asks him how the village is doing. He tries to explain how it’s so perfect it feels wrong, but can’t quite find the words. Her coy smile suggests she understands anyway.

He asks her to stop calling him “sensei.” She laughs and calls him “Lord Hokage.”

He thanks her for keeping his nightmares at bay. She asks him what his nightmares are, but he doesn’t answer.

After a few nights where he dreams they walk through the forest without talking, he finally opens up.

Before her, he dreamed about lightning and blood: his chidori through Rin’s chest; Obito crushed and plucking out his own eye in offering; Naruto and Sasuke’s lifeless bodies on the battlefield still holding hands; searching for Sakura in an endless maw of darkness.

Sakura holds his hand and cries. Her hand feels so real, so warm and solid, that it wakes him up.

In his next dream, he confronts her. Begs her to tell him where she went, what happened to her. Sakura goes pale. When she tries to speak, she writhes in pain as if the words she meant to say were choking her. She falls to her knees and looks up at him, still no words falling from her open mouth. But he sees it - the Root seal on her tongue. 

He wakes up angry.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Kakashi calls Sai to his office and asks questions about Root. Even though it’s been years since Danzo’s execution, Sai can’t answer and it leaves Kakashi frustrated as well as angry.

That night, Kakashi doesn’t dream of Sakura. He dreams of the absence of her.

He dreams about capturing Sasuke and bringing him back. Of entrusting Sakura's rescue to Naruto and Sai. Of their return, empty-handed.

He dreams of Naruto’s grief and anger and disbelief - that Root (Danzo) captured Karin, but found no trace of Sakura. Of Sai's silent lips and clenched fists.

The memories fall away and Kakashi calls for Sakura in the dark void of his dream until his throat is raw. 

She doesn’t come.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Kakashi sees Karin at the memorial again.

She seems agitated, on edge, but she extends a gruff invite to her place for tea.

He declines.

She tells him she lives in a small house painted yellow at the foot of Hokage Mountain, if he changes his mind. 

That night he dreams of Obito, of the Tobi mask falling away revealing his old teammate. Of cruel taunts - so, poor, tragic, Kakashi lost another kunoichi - and cryptic denials - come on, Kakashi, I’d need more than one Sharingan to capture that sweet little cherry - and unfounded accusations - sounds like an inside job, if you ask me. 

Kakashi wakes in a cold sweat.

Then he goes in search of Karin’s house.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Karin seems almost relieved to see him. She opens the door and he steps inside. Immediately, he can feel it; Sakura’s chakra signature rolls over him like a wave.

Karin leads him to the basement.

Sakura sits in a dingy, old recliner in nothing but a bra and training shorts. A crown of wires connects her to a wall of softly whirring machinery. She opens her brilliant green eyes and smiles.

“Kakashi!”

He turns to Karin. “Unhook her. Now.”

“It’s not as simple as that. If we--”

“If you don’t do it, I will.”

“No, you can’t!” Sakura screams. “If you do, the village will be destroyed!”

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Kakashi sits silently fuming in a meeting with the village council and the daimyo. They throw a lot of facts around: higher birth rates, reduced healing times for injuries, near elimination of sickness, increased shinobi numbers and quality, improved financial stability, etc. It doesn’t take long for him to realize.

“You authorized this project of Danzo’s.”

“Of course. How else do you think he got the technology to accomplish such a feat?”

“I suppose it’s pointless to petition for this project’s end.”

“We truly are sorry, Kakashi. We didn’t know your kunoichi was the one chosen for the experiment. But it has turned out so well for the village. I hope you understand.”

“I do,” Kakashi says. 

He walks out.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Kakashi visits Karin and Sakura again, asks them to tell him everything they know about Sakura’s situation: unhooking Sakura will reverse all the good her chakra network has accomplished.

Absolute, utter destruction, they say.

Kakashi seethes. “Danzo was a fucking liar.”

“Maybe.” Sakura shakes her head. “But I can’t take that chance.”

Kakashi storms off.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Kakashi summons Shikamaru.

“The safety of our civilians has been weighing on me.”

“You know something I don’t?”

“Just… been thinking. How many times has a significant threat infiltrated our security in your lifetime, Shikamaru?”

“Point taken. What do you want to do?”

“I want you to develop a village-wide evacuation plan. Be sure to include provisions for temporary shelter and two week’s worth of rations for every family. I expect a working model ready for drills by the end of the month.”

“Yes, Lord Hokage.”

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

Kakashi arrives at Karin’s house with Sai. He tells her to leave, to follow the rest of her neighbors to their designated rendezvous point.

“She’s gonna hate you.”

“I know.”

When Kakashi enters the basement, Sakura is waiting for him, ready to strike. 

“Don’t make me fight you.”

“It’s time to let go, Sakura.”

“I can’t. The village will collapse and people will die. I can’t have that on my conscience. I can’t be why Konoha disappears!”

“Konoha isn’t a place. It’s the people who live with the will of fire in their hearts. And those people have been evacuated. They are safe. Konoha will survive.”

Sakura squares her shoulders and chin, digging in her heels. “I’m a kunoichi. My purpose is to be of use to my village, no matter the sacrifice.”

“You are of more use to your village free than you will ever be wasting away in this damned basement!”

“But the village--”

“Fuck the village. It can burn to the ground as long as I know you’re safe. You’re it, Sakura. You’re all I have left.” Kakashi's voice cracks. “I can’t lose you to this.”

Sakura lowers her fists. “I’m scared.”

“I know. But it will be okay, I promise.” Kakashi presses the button on his earpiece. “Shikamaru, are we good to go?” After the affirmative answer crackles in his ear, Kakashi turns back to Sakura. “Do you trust me?”

Sakura nods.

“Sai is waiting for us upstairs. He’s ready to fly us out of here if needed.” Kakashi takes her hand. “Tell me what to do.”

“You’re sure everyone is safe?”

“I’m sure.”

“Flip that lever.”

The rumbling begins almost immediately. Kakashi scoops her up, pulling the crown from her head and smashing it to the ground. Sai spies them from his perch on his ink bird and if he’s surprised by Sakura’s presence, he doesn’t show it. They fly away, watching as a crater of rubble forms where Konoha once stood.

Sakura weeps as Kakashi holds her to his chest.

.

.

.

[ .oOo. ]

There are a lot of questions. He answers them as honestly and as vaguely as he can, leaving Sakura out of the story altogether. Some people are scared. Some are angry. Most are just thankful for their tents, their food, and their lives. This isn’t the first time they’ve had to rebuild.

After the village settles down for the night, Kakashi patrols the perimeter of the wreckage. The only thing left intact is the memorial stone. He stands there for a long time reading the names carved on its surface. The moon rises and the first chill of autumn settles in his bones.

Someone takes his hand… Sakura.

“Do you regret it?” she asks.

“No,” he answers. She shivers, so he pulls her into his arms. “Do you?”

"Yes."

The word leaves her on an exhale, as quiet and forceful as the wind. A tear escapes her, splatters against the chilled skin of his forearm.

"It's gut-wrenching, knowing what my freedom cost. I think a part of me will always feel that way." She runs her fingers over their teammates' names, slow and reverent. "But one day, maybe..."

"Then I'll hold onto it for you."

She glances at him over her shoulder, confused. "Hold onto what?"

He breathes in deep, squeezing her tight. With a kiss to her temple, he answers, "The hope for that one day."

[owlsbride]

Blinding Lights.

Chapter II

She No Longer Heard the Music.

Is it cruel or kind Not to speak my mind And to lie to you Rather than hurt you Well, I'll confess all of my sins After several large gins But still I'll hide from you Hide what's inside from you I no longer hear the music

Sakura glanced at the clock hanging on the white wall of her office at Konoha hospital and discovered with feigned amazement that she had been working there since 11 pm from the day before. At which point 20 and a half hours had passed, no one could tell, much less her. She remembered that the day before around 8 o'clock she had stopped by the office of the new Hokage to leave him the reports of the previous shift, and after a small talk, she had quickly retired to the hospital to fulfil with excellence one of the last orders that Tsunade had imposed before resigning her position: Co running Konoha Central Hospital together with Shizune. And speaking of Shizune, where could she be now? Sakura looked at the clock again and sighed. Surely her Senpai would already be at home resting. She would have retired hours ago after warning her leaving for the day, asking the young nin doctor if she needed anything and recommending that she should rest too. Sakura already knew the routine by heart: she would simply dismiss any question from Shizune by waving her hand in denial, or she would have pretended not to listen to her Senpai and continued working, as usual, that inhuman amount of overtime. Shizune would have just sighed and after one last tired look, would leave the medical facilities until the next day, leaving Sakura to her own. Sakura felt comfortable in her hospital, she knew it like the back of her hand and every corner, no matter which one, it was like being in her own home. Not that she didn't have a home for her own, well, yes, yes she had, and a very comfortable one by the way, but she felt a lot better when working either in the ICU, the rooms, the laboratory or her office. She did not hate her own house, but she preferred to arrive there once she had finished all her duties. Exhaustion taking over her body and mind so that she could simply enter her comfortable apartment to take a shower and fall on her bed and finally sleep as deep as possible in the most dreamless dream, so she wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night or the day depending on the worked shift. Sakura shook her head coming back to reality once more reading the records of the day, those that she would have to leave to the Lord Sixth at some point in the afternoon which means today she would be forced to leave the hospital shortly. It was 8 pm, if her math didn't fail her if she finished her work around 9, she could find Kakashi on his way to his own home, and at that moment she would deliver the papers. The oral report should be left for tomorrow and knowing her former sensei as she did, that would not be a problem. Kakashi had proven to be a better Hokage than anyone would have ever thought; still, old habits die hard: working more than necessary in bureaucratic matters was not in his nature, less now in these times of peace, so different from those that they had faced so many years ago. So many years ago. Had there really been so many? Yes, they had been, but they had passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, Sakura had gone from being a wayward 13-year-old girl starting her shinobi path to becoming a 25-year-old woman. A direct disciple of Tsunade, a Nin doctor, a great Kunoichi and a promise for Konoha medicine. Her professional life was settled for at least the next 15 years, and she was delighted with it. Even more now that the wars fought in the past had given way to brighter times for the new generations that slowly began to repopulate the village. There were already more births that were attended in the hospital than the fatal cases produced on the battlefields. Of course, people kept dying, that was inevitable, but it was one thing to lose shinobis and villagers due to natural causes and quite another to do it due to the horrors of war. Even so, Sakura, daughter of fire, anger, and convulsed times never let her guard down and was always attentive to a new outbreak of violence. Maybe it was a way of staying attached to a past that made her feel much more supported and contained, but prevention was never too much. The sun could shine brightly now, but no one would never know when a storm could come to sweep away everything built since then. Sakura was satisfied. Satisfied. No, not happy. Satisfied. She knew she was settling for little, but that's how the last few years had been. It's been said that in life one can't have everything and that's why it is better to settle for what at least in some way can go well, so that's exactly what she did. Sakura always considered herself as a woman with will and power, but on more than one time, the lack of self-confidence had led her down dark paths that she didn't even want to think about. However, it was not only her who thought so. She had heard the rumours about her. Since she was a girl, Sakura felt that she didn't fit in. She had grown up in a typical and wealthy home. Unlike the team 7 she had had the possibility of growing up surrounded by the love of her mother and father, she had not suffered the losses that Naruto, Kakashi or Sasuke suffered which at times she almost romanticized. She knew that as an only daughter, she had been the object of her parents' devotion and focus of all their attention, which turned her into a spoiled child. It is true that she was weaker than the others and that she also cried often, but it was also true, and no one could deny that when the time came, the change she had made to become stronger had been radical. She would never be left behind again, and yet the gossip continued. She had even heard them come out of her best friend Ino's mouth. What could Sakura know about the life of a Kunoichi when it was the closest to perfection. Ino had lost her father in the fourth war just like Hinata and Tenten lost Neji. Shikamaru had lost his father. Temari had grown up without the love of her parents like Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura was far from being able to empathize with his two teachers, how she could understand Kakashi's feelings or Tsunade's resilience when losing not only her brother but also her lover and later Jiraiya. For Ino, the most significant loss Sakura had ever suffered was her long pink hair that time as a child. What Ino didn't know is that each of those losses that didn't belong directly to Sakura, they did indirectly. Sakura loved each of her friends intensely and from the depths of her being. Each tear, each pain of any of them was her own in her skin blood and bones. She suffered with them and for them in silence, and that silence hurt more than anything. That is why she had decided to be a doctor, so as not to see anyone else ache again, and if somebody had to do it, after all, better to be her, because deep down she was strong, and she would be even more for others. Silence. That silence was slowly killing her. She was slowly sinking into loneliness and apathy. Ino would always be her best friend no matter what the blonde could say about her with a few too many drinks or for the simple fact of wanting to stand out as she had always been. The rest of the boys would be her family forever, and she would accompany them in every important step they took in this new adult life they faced. They all grew so much, they were even starting their own families. Even Naruto had overcome his unconditional love towards her, and now Hinata was the light in his eyes. Maybe Sakura should have paid more attention to him when she was a child, perhaps if she had tried to fall in love with the self-proclaimed future Hokage, today she would be happy. What Naruto wouldn't have done for her? However, she had always been in love with Sasuke. From the first day she had seen him in the academy, from the first second, and for a moment she thought they could have their happy ending, after the fourth war, revenge, repentance and tears, peace appeared. Sakura believed then that love was enough for everything and she had tried. Sakura and Sasuke finally began their love story. Sakura was ecstatic, and at first, she thought she had everything she had ever proposed. She would form a family with the last of the Uchiha and reestablish the clan, they would have many children who would exalt the surname once more. Children who grew up strong like Sasuke and sweet and determined like Sakura. However, the happiness that Sakura thought she had were nothing more than projections of her wishes. Sasuke was rarely in the village, and when he did, the distance between them was enormous even though neither of them said so. A devious routine that hurt more than any kunai. At night Sasuke and Sakura could love each other intensely for a couple of hours, even talk to each other about their days or their wishes. Sasuke would sleep wrapped in nightmares and night fears while Sakura would watch over those dreams trying to provide comfort to her lover, caressing his forehead, whispering comforting words in his sleeping ears, Sakura would spend hours without sleeping, and when the morning arrived, after having breakfast together they would go their own way without much to say to each other. And so over the years, Sakura realized that she no longer heard the music. All those melodies of love, dreams of illusion vanished, and she quickly began to feel nothing for Sasuke. They had nothing in common, and the truth struck her like a thunderbolt: they were together out of habit, fear and anxiety. She had to finish everything as soon as possible to stop the spiral of wounds that a relationship like this left, however, her heart and nobility played a trick on her. Sakura felt that she could not abandon Sasuke, that he could not suffer another loss and despite losing her own happiness, she had to sacrifice herself to achieve the mental and emotional well-being of her loved one. That's what she was for, that's what a woman was for. she wouldn't be as cruel as the world was when Sasuke was little. She could save him even if no one saved her. And so, without much and without anyone noticing, Sakura became a ghost, the shadow of herself. More and more silence, more and more loneliness and more fake smiles. She was lost again as she was when she was a child. And one day Sakura's world stopped. She should have seen the signs. That night Sasuke and Sakura had sex, the most intense and intimate sex they had ever have. Long hours of love and pleasure till they both fall asleep. In the morning Sakura looked for Sasuke by her side, but he was gone. On the bedside table was a letter that was written in the neater handwriting she had ever seen, and she didn't need to open it. Sasuke had left and would not return. Sakura was relieved and scared of her own feelings, but it was better this way. Both would go their own way and would have to discover who they really were for the first time. Sakura had a new chance. And with this new chance in hands, she devoted her life to the hospital and to others. Yes. She was satisfied. Sakura began to gather her things and put together the folder that would present to her Hokage in just a few moments. She smiled to herself at the thought of him: his languid figure with his false hunched posture, the smile behind the mask, maybe the white robe slung over one shoulder in case he had felt too lazy to take it off and leave it in the office and his hands in his pockets. Kakashi was a mystery; however, those little glimpses of his gestures Sakura knew them perfectly. She had known Kakashi since she was 13 years old and since then he had perhaps been the only person who had stayed closest to her in all this time. Ever since her sensei had assured her and her teammates that he would protect them with his life on their first mission against Zabuza, even if it was a clone talking, even if it was a strategy, she knew then that he was serious. She also knew back then that she was at his feet. She was a child then, she was impressed with Kakashi, even hating sometimes his antics. She wasn't in love with her sensei, she didn't have a crush on him; then, it was just pure admiration and respect. She used to felt secure around him, and so she did through all these years: during missions, in the war and now that he was in charge of all the people of Konoha. Kakashi loved Konoha as much as she did, and that made her respect him even more. He had never turned his back on his people, despite everything he had ever had to go through, he always remained true to his principles and had never become a monster to fear. So far away was Kakashi from Sasuke in the end, those who might once have looked alike, today proved to be totally different. Sakura could trust in Kakashi. No matter how many vague answers he gave to her tireless questions, how many evasions he invented so as not to talk about himself, or how many times she wondered if there was ever a genuine smile underneath that mask, in the end, Kakashi was always loyal, faithful and honest. Sakura admired his joviality. The man remained the same as when she had met him, he seemed not to have aged a year, while she had aged all together. How many years separate them? Thirteen, maybe fourteen, and yet at times, she seemed even older than him. She had to ask him the secret of youth. Saying that Kakashi was attractive was a no-brainer. Everyone knew it, she knew it, even without seeing his face. She knew or thought she knew that under the mask was one of the most beautiful faces of Konoha, however, perhaps because of the secrets it hid, Sakura felt that her Hokage looked even more attractive like that. It was not necessary to speak of his body. Kakashi was an elite shinobi, his body had been shaped for that so he could be a killing machine, however, he also may look like a rag doll sometimes. Sakura knew a large part of his thanks to the number of times she had healed his wounds as a doctor, and she had seen many other men as well, but the former Copy Ninja had a different complexion from the others. While most of the shinobis looked either too thin or too formed, Kakashi was the balance between the two. Long legs, narrow waist, a flat abdomen, broad shoulders. Yes, Hatake Kakashi was the closest thing to perfection Sakura knew that any woman who could have him for herself would be lucky in more ways than one and she was jealous just imagining it. Sakura blushed from just analyzing her thoughts since when had she started observing her sensei like this? She almost chastity herself and force her mind to change the course of her thoughts. Not everything was beauty and light in the Hokage, and that Sakura could see it too. Behind all that carefree facade, the tired looks and mischievous smiles, she also saw loneliness. Whole hours spent in an office to which he had no attachments and a home to return to where he could only find his dogs if they were invoked. She wondered what was going through Kakashi's mind. Was he still missing Rin? Would he have overcome Obito's loss, this time for good and the Sharingan as well? Kakashi was a man of action, Sakura felt that even in times of peace, he would miss the din of missions, a battle, the fire and the anxiety of not knowing what would happen next. Sakura sighed. In the end, Kakashi was more like her than she could have ever imagined. They both clung to a dark past, a present that offered only apathetic calm and a future full of promises of lonely stability. Sakura felt her heartache for both of them, but even more for Kakashi. Once again, her mind and soul were trying to heal somebody else before herself, but she couldn't help it. Thinking of Kakashi filled Sakura with a warmth in her body that she hadn't felt in a long time. It wasn't just physical attraction. It wasn't about wanting to spend a night with Konoha's most coveted ninja. No. Sakura wanted to share her sorrows along with his. She wanted to touch his hand and reassure them both that everything would be fine. She craved to talk to him for hours, contemplate the stars with him, gaze at his profile, laugh at his silly jokes, and get mad at his ridiculous excuses. Suddenly Sakura wanted everything from Kakashi, she desired to know him as he really was. She wanted to remove him from the pedestal she had once put him on and make him human, re-meeting him as what they were now: two adults. Sakura took her things and went out determined to meet the Hokage. She would give him the reports and see what happened next. She would invite him to dinner just for the sake of being courteous and talking to him. Just to know what his answer would be. Even if it were a no, which she supposed would happen, she would begin her attempts to get closer to him and know if he wanted to get closer to her. She didn't care what kind of relationship they could strike up. She wasn't expecting anything, just hearing his voice, even his rejection. Maybe that's how Sakura could felt something again, even if it was just pain.

If you want to read the first part you can ask for the link to AO3, or scroll down to find it here. Third part on it’s way. Hope you all like it. The song belongs to The Libertines: Music When the Lights Go Out, and Naruto, doesn’t belong to me, obviously. 

[orlha]

I am not sure if you ship or write Shikasaku but if so, then prompt 10 with Shikamaru as character A and Sakura, character B

Notes: I do ship Shikasaku, they’re like the cutest thing ever!! We need more shikasaku around. Sorry it took awhile for my muse to rouse. Problems with desperately in love + oblivious muses is that there’s no way of cramming it into one fic. So take this.. XD and maybe if someone offers to be my idea bouncer/alpha/beta for this… we might get to see a long, slowburn fic of it.

#10: Where character A is desperately in love with character B and character B is oblivious AF.

—

In spite of all his denials, Shikamaru vividly remembers the firsttime he saw her. It was a warm autumn afternoon and he had been lying on thatpatch of grass sandwiched between the Yamanaka’s fields and the Nara’s forests.Ino was dragging her across the the clearing, her pink hair was covering almosthalf of her face. Her eyes flickered from the ground to him and he remembersthe sight and the exact shade of her green eyes. 

But it was not that moment that he fell for her. If Shikamaru hasto guess, it hadn’t been a single defining moment, but a collective series ofthem. 

He drags his cigarette from his lips, blowing the smoke into themuggy night air. If he had to choose, he would have pick her over Temari. Thechoice has never been a difficult one, but Shikamaru could see. No, even ablind man could see that there is no space in her world for his feelings. Tofight a ghost, albeit a living ghost but still with an absent tangiblepresence, would have been far too hard. Sakura has always been the sort to giveher heart and soul to her precious ones and Shikamaru isn’t one of them. 

Perhaps if he had noticed his own feelings earlier or reached outearlier. He sighs, taking another deep breath of the cigarette. In this worldwhere their teams are their family and their family are their teams, Shikamaruwonders if things would be different had he pushed Ino to reconcile with Sakuraearlier.

The door swings, the bright fluorescent light spilling out ontothe road as Sakura steps out, waving goodbye to someone in the emergency roombefore stepping into the darkened streets. In the light, her hair is washedaglow in a bright pink, before being reclaimed again by the door swinging shut.She stares up at the sky. The forlorn look on her face is so disproportionateon his face that Shikamaru calls out to her, not letting himself talk himselfout of it.

“Shikamaru,” Sakura greets, strolling towards him. “What did Itell you about smoking?” Her lips curve almost affectionately but she doesn’treach to grab it the way Ino does.

“Troublesome,” he only mutters. If it really bothered her, shewould have that small crease between her eyebrows. She doesn’t and hadShikamaru not seen her sad look, he might have guessed that she had been havinga good day. He wonders how much of he sees her is real and a mask. To be ableto hide her emotions so effectively from him. 

“You say troublesome, but you’re not stopping it, isn’t it lesstroublesome just quitting if everyone is telling you to?” She tilts herhead. 

“Isn’t it easier if you just took the paid vacations so everyonewould stop nagging at you?” he quips back. Sakura motions him to walk with herand Shikamaru slouches, slinking beside her. 

She chuckles at his retort, her loose bangs swishing on her face.He clenches his hands in his pocket, resisting the urge to touch her hair. Hischest clenching at the thought of Temari. Temari with her fiery personality andall her skills could never compete against Sakura. Temari loved him and heloved her too. Just not enough.

Shikamaru talked about leading an ordinary career, having anaverage woman, with average children when he had been thinking of the pinkhaired girl running the hospital, the right hand of Godaime. When has his heartbecome so troublesome?

“I’m not the only calling it troublesome though.” Sakura turn tohim, her green eyes dancing in mirth. 

“Troublesome,” he murmurs back, his lips twitching upwardsunconsciously. “Dinner then,” Shikamaru says, already herding her to a nearbysoba shop. 

“It’s ten, Shikamaru,” a tone of amusement coating herwords. 

“Exactly.” 

“I’m ready to go home and fall asleep,” she says. 

He flicks his cigarette bud onto the floor, sending a shadowtendril to extinguish it and sits down on one of the vacant seats. “One tempurasoba, hot and a beer.”

“I’m so tired I just want to go home and sleep,” she complains andflushes when her stomach gurgles loudly. “Fine!” 

Taking the seat beside him anyway, she squints at the overheadmenu. “One tendon.”

Even during the war, Shikamaru realises he has never been thisclose to her. She had been a medic under his care and the distance between themdespite sharing the same tents showed that. He can feel the hair on his napeshiver as she leans into his space. His eyes almost flicker down to her lipsbefore he reminds himself that any affection he shows would only beunwanted. 

“What are you doing?” he asks. Her face is so close to his that hecan see the light brown streaks in her eyes.

“I’m trying to decide if you planned this or if it was a merecoincidence.” 

A waiter sets a beer down and he sips it, grateful fordisruption. 

“What’s a coincidence? Me taking a smoke?” 

She hums, backing away. “Kaka-sensei says that there are nocoincidences, Only the illusion of coincidence.”

The waiter sets their food in front of them. 

“We all know Kakashi-sama is a paranoid bastard,” Shikamaru saysas he snaps the chopsticks open, taking a large mouthful of noodles.

Sakura only laughs and her laughter is so beautiful that Shikamaruwished there was a way of keeping it. 

He walks her home, satisfied that tonight, he had at least managedto make sure she had eaten.

Shikamaru lays on the bed, watching the sky from under theblankets. 

If he had managed to bring Sasuke back that day, would things havebeen different? Shikamaru tries to think of a village and team seven whereSasuke had not defected. With Sasuke around, she might have eventually lostinterest in him the way most first loves do.

He sighs, fingers itching for another cigarette.

If most first loves fade, then why hadn’t his?

He turns on his side, trying to imagine what it would be like togo to sleep with Sakura in his embrace. The moonlight painting over her face,her green eyes gazing at him. He sighs again, wondering why he tortures himselfbefore forcing himself to sleep. 

— 

“Have you heard?” is the first thing Ino says when she bursts intohis office weeks later.

“Heard what?” he asks, not even bothering to look up from hisreport.

“This is serious, Shikamaru!” Ino pulls the report away. “UchihaSasuke returned, and he asked Sakura to leave with him.”

Shikamaru slowly looks up, staring at Ino. “What?”

“You have to go!”

“I’m sorry?”

Ino drags him up, bodily pushing him out of the door. “Go! Tellher you love her before it’s too late!”

Shikamaru tries to stop getting pushed along. “Woman! I don’t loveher!”

Ino growls and grabs his vest, dragging him down into her face.“That day I had to help transmit messages on the mission, I saw it. Sageof six paths, why are my two best friends such idiots. You’re only to get thisone chance. Nara Shikamaru, are you going to blow it just to protect your ego?Are you not even going to try? You love her. You loved her sinceforever. Now tell her, stupid. Before Sasuke takes her.”

Shikamaru stumbles from her. 

“Hurry!” she hisses. 

Shikamaru takes another step towards the gates, his knee dipsbefore Ino pushes him again. “Go!”

Then he runs.

He runs with all the training Gai and Asuma had managed to beatinto it.

He runs like a hundred Zetsus are chasing him. 

He runs and reaches just in time to see both Sasuke and Sakura atthe gate with Kakashi talking to them.

“Sakura!” he yells even though he’s more than a hundred metresaway still.

“Sakura-chan!” Shikamaru calls out again, more urgently. 

She turns. She combed her hair today; her clothes are all cleanand she has a mission pack next to her feet like she’s ready to leave and neverreturn. Shikamaru can’t imagine a day that he can’t see her anymore. He can’timagine not having meals with her or playing shogi with her.

Are you not going to even try?

“Sakura—” His lungs are heaving, he can’t seem to catch hisbreath. She looks at him with those green eyes, her soft lips pursing. 

“Are you okay?” She reaches out to him. There’s a crease betweenher eyebrows, it must be because of him.

 “Don’t go!” he says, grabbing her hand. “I am deeply in lovewith you, Sakura-chan. Don’t go.” His voice breaks at his last word. Hishands are shaking, he wants to think that it’s from the exertion of running tothe gate, but he knows it’s not.

“Shikamaru…” she says. “I’m sorry.”

—

Prompts are closed

[neraawritesxx]

Enigma

naruto couples event - day 2

prompt: favorite non-canon pairing // role swap pairing: kakashi x sakura genre: romance // humor word count: 4,340

summary: “She can’t be all that great,” Kakashi declared in an assured tone. “I mean…look at her, she has pink hair.”

author’s note: I have a strange obsession with age-swap AU’s with this pairing. All I can imagine is Kakashi being a cheeky brat throughout his teenage years. Here’s to my favorite copy-nin trying to awkwardly handle his feelings. 

-o-

When Kakashi was twelve, he passed her off as insignificant.

-o-

Obito whistled; a low, appreciative sound that quickly morphed into a chuckle as the ground shook beneath their feet.

"…Guys, I think I'm in love," The dark-haired twelve-year-old declared.

Rin hummed in agreement, seemingly unphased by her long-time crush's sudden proclamation of affection for another woman. After being on his team for the last five months, this was far from the strangest thing she heard come out of the Uchiha's mouth.

"She's so strong," Rin whispered in awe, short chocolate locks bouncing as her head pivoted back and forth, eyes following the spar occurring across the field.

Obito nodded his head, concurring. His Cheshire grin grew tenfold as he watched the limp body of their teacher fly across the training field, crashing into a tree trunk with a sickening crunch.

"Oh man…," Obito said, voice filled with unrepressed mirth. "She's kicking his ass!"

With every echoing twang of kunai meeting kunai, Rin's wonderment grew just as much as Obito's amusement.

"Do you think your cousin would introduce us?" She inquired, looking at the onyx-haired male out of the corner of her eye.

Obito turned towards her, tossing the thought around while his hand ran through his hair, lips drawn down in a tight-lipped frown. He was silent for a moment before he gave her a brief shake of his head.

"No," He commented, shifting black eyes back towards the scuffle going on a few yards away. "We have a better chance of getting sensei to quit eating ramen than we have of getting that ice prick to introduce us."

Rin deflated, shoulders slumping at the denial of her request.

The subject of their conversation stomped her foot with a loud, piercing battle cry and the ground opened up into a large, jagged fissure. Rin observed as the crater grew in size, attempting to swallow their teacher and his clones whole. The brunette grimaced when a piece of flying debris managed to catch their sensei in the shoulder.

Rin, ever the optimistic, then offered, "Maybe if she doesn't send him to the hospital, Naruto-sensei will introduce us?"

"I don't see what the big deal is," The third member of their party cut in with a bored tone.

Obito and Rin half turned, gazes drawn towards Kakashi, who sat a few feet away at the base of a tree. He seemed nonplused by the commotion going on around them, body lax and hunched over, sharpening his tanto with slow, precise strokes.

Obito bristled at Kakashi's nonchalance. "You're telling me that you wouldn't want to meet the Godaime's famed pupil personally?" The tone of his question was incredulous, borderline hysteric. "A woman said to be able to reduce a mountain to rubble with a flick of her wrist?!"

Kakashi remained unperturbed by the Uchiha's questions, finishing his task without so much as a glance in his teammates' direction.

Obito, never the one to be ignored, immediately went on the defensive, but before the young Uchiha could voice his continued complaints, Kakashi finally lifted his head.

The silver-haired genin flicked his gaze towards the fight, then shifted his dark eyes back to look at Obito, brow arched.

"She can't be all that great," Kakashi declared in an assured tone. "I mean…look at her…she has pink hair."

-o-

Over the next few years, Kakashi tried to understand her.

-o-

Naruto may not have been the most competent sensei, but he really wasn't that bad.

Sure, he was unhygienic most of the time, and his eating habits left something to be desired, but what he lacked in intelligence, he made up for in strength, dedication, and heart.

Their blond teacher shined bright like the sun. Obito was a lot like Naruto in that aspect; always joking, always smiling.

His sensei's lack of proper etiquette never stopped him from training his students to the best of his ability. Though Naruto's methods may have been questionable – because really, how could that bell test be useful – he still brought out the best in his students.

When Obito struggled with using his Sharingan, Naruto convinced his old teammate, Obito's cousin – or was it second cousin? Distant relative? Kakashi really couldn't keep up with the Uchiha family tree anymore – to help the young man with his family's kekkei genkai.

When Rin mentioned in passing that she was interested in studying medical ninjutsu, Naruto made sure to introduce her to certain hospital staff, who gladly took her under their wings.

When it became apparent that Kakashi was developing skills which were beyond what Naruto could teach him, their knuckleheaded teacher called up his father – the prematurely retired Fourth Hokage – to assess his ability. By the end of the day, both father and son promised to sponsor Kakashi for ANBU after he passed the jounin exams.

Since their graduation from the academy, for three long, long years, Naruto Uzumaki gave his all to his pupils. Kakashi had come to respect him immensely, despite his boisterous personality.

What Kakashi could never wrap his head around, however, was that anytime that woman was nearby – the one with the bubblegum pink hair and those vibrant jade eyes – his sensei turned into a blubbering, love-sick fool.

It wasn't just his teacher, though. She held this power over everyone.

Even Obito and Rin were both smitten with her.

The entire village knew her on a first name basis. Sakura Haruno was bright and lively and filled with so much happiness that she drew people in like a moth to a flame.

Yet, he seemed unaffected. Or at least he thought he was.

She was an enigma to him.

-o-

When Kakashi was fifteen, she kicked his ass.

-o-

"You don't like me very much, do you?"

Kakashi looked down from his perch on the tree branch. Sakura stood beneath his dangling legs, face upturned in his direction, a smile on her lips that made the corners of her eyes crinkle.

He must have been daydreaming because he didn't sense her approach. Kakashi could hear Naruto rattling off critiques while Obito and Rin sparred a few yards away.

"I don't know you," Kakashi returned coolly. "You very well can't dislike someone if you don't know them."

Sakura's stance shifted, petite hands coming to rest on her hips as her face contorted into an expression of mock hurt.

"Now that hardly seems fair, Kakashi-kun. I've trained with you on and off for the last three years. I've even been to some of your team dinners!"

The way his name rolled off her tongue made Kakashi uncomfortable, an odd twinge settling into the pit of his stomach.

He didn't like it. Not one bit.

"Just because you've been around doesn't change the fact that I still don't know a thing about you," He called down to her.

She pursed her lips in response, continuing to look up at him while seemingly pondering over some unvocalized thoughts. Kakashi immediately tensed under her scrutiny, fingers awkwardly picking at the bark of the tree branch he was perched upon. His palms became uncomfortably warm in his gloves, and he had to fight down the urge to run his hands over his thighs to quell the feeling.

Whatever it was that she was mulling over suddenly passed. Sakura cocked her head to the side, puffing at her bangs as they fell into her eyes with the movement. She was looking at him strangely, like a predator sizing up her prey. There was an odd glint in those viridian hues, and his stomach flip-flopped when her lips quirked into a small smirk.

"Fair enough," She stated in a tone that seemed a little too sweet. "How about a little spar to break the ice then?"

He furrowed his brow in confusion at her challenge, slipping from the tree branch to land gracefully in front of her.

"You want…to spar…with me?" Kakashi parroted, slowly.

With a curt bob of her head, Sakura confirmed that he had, in fact, heard her correctly. "That is unless you're too scared to step into the ring with me?"

"Oh! Kakashi's about to get his ass kicked!" Obito shouted from across the clearing, the others having halted their practice in lieu of the rising tension they sensed coming from their silver-haired teammate.

Kakashi frowned in the Uchiha's direction, the scowl pulling the material of his mask harshly against his cheeks. He looked back towards the woman in front of him, charcoal eyes taking in every detail, starting with her vibrant colored head and ending at her perfectly manicured toes.

There was no way this girl - who happened only to be a few inches taller than himself - could take him down. Something ugly reared its head, in the back of his mind, begging him to rise to the taunt. The thought of this woman challenging him, attacking his pride, didn't sit well with Kakashi. He didn't train as hard as he did; didn't dig himself out of the darkness of his late father's reputation, to be bested by some girl with pink hair.

It didn't matter that Sakura had the strength of one hundred men or that she could go toe to toe with his teacher. Kakashi himself had proven to be a difficult opponent for even Naruto at times; he could easily outsmart her.

"I won't go easy on you," The silver-haired male warned.

Her answer to his statement was a broad, feral grin.

Kakashi was sore from the spar for the following week.

That was the first time a girl had ever beaten him.

-o-

When Kakashi was eighteen, she saved his life.

-o-

He awoke to ringing in his ears and pristine, white lights blinding him.

Kakashi saw double, then triple, before he screwed his eyes shut in an attempt to gather his bearings. The world continued to spin even behind his eyelids, and he had to bite back the bile that began to rise in his throat. For a while, all he could do was lay there, prone, and force himself to breathe. He tried to remember where he was and what he was doing previously, but nothing came to mind.

After shifting uncomfortably on the lumpy mattress for a few minutes, Kakashi realized where he was.

A hospital.

Then it came back to him.

His first ANBU mission.

It was an assassination assignment; a local gangster was causing problems in a small village about two kilometers outside of Konoha. He completed his task quickly and efficiently, but he was spotted during his escape. A fight ensued, and the last thing he remembered was being thrown off balance by an explosion right before a large piece of the ceiling came crashing down on him.

He released a gurgled groan, opening his eyes once more. The harsh lighting caused him to grimace, but he didn't shy away from it. Struggling, he tried to sit up, but only managed an inch or so before the exertion became too much and he fell back with a small huff.

"Woah there, don't try and move so quickly," A soft voice called out to him.

Sluggishly, Kakashi turned his head to the left, taking in the sight of Naruto unceremoniously sprawled in a plastic hospital chair next to the bed. The blond's head was cocked at an angle that couldn't have been comfortable, but he seemed unbothered, his teacher’s soft snores filling the silence of the room.

Something soothing and warm ran across the back of his neck, and Kakashi tensed. He tried to turn his head in the opposite direction, but his neck was stiff, and his eyes began to feel unbearably heavy.

"Rest Kakshi-kun," The voice murmured. "We've got you. You're safe."

The darkness was a welcomed relief.

When he awoke again, Kakashi was unsure of how much time had passed, but it was now Obito and Rin who were with him in the hospital room.

"Oh, thank god!" Rin cried out, reaching to grasp his hand tightly between her own. "Finally, you're awake!"

"You look like shit man," Obito joked placing his hand on Rin's shoulder. The inky-haired male might have looked chipper, but Kakashi noted his stiffness, the awkward posture that had Obito standing ramrod straight. Leave it to an Uchiha to hide their real feelings behind insults. Kakashi must have looked horrible to make Obito apprehensive.

He grunted, licking his chapped lips while trying to sit up. The movement came more natural to him this time around, but he was still sore. Rin quickly scrambled to his side, offering her assistance. She helped him lean forward, taking a majority of his weight while Obito organized the pillows behind him so that he would be adequately supported while upright.

"How long have I been out?" Kakashi croaked his inquiry. He coughed after the use of his voice, then tried – and failed – to clear his throat.

Rin reached for the pitcher of water that was on the bedside table, pouring him a glass before she pressed it into his hand. Kakashi drank it greedily; the cold, crisp liquid was a welcomed relief. When he was finished, she plucked the cup from his grasp, refilled it, and then handed it back to him.

"You've been out for almost a week," Obito stated, answering his earlier question. "When you didn't return as scheduled, Hokage-sama sent out a two-man squad to retrieve you."

Kakashi mulled over this information for a moment before he asked, "Who found me?"

"Naruto-sensei and Sakura-chan," Rin chimed in. "You're extremely fortunate Kakashi, by the time they found you, you had already lost so much blood…" Her voice trailed off quietly, but the implication wasn't lost on anyone in the room.

"They raced to get you back here," Obito cut in, voice surprisingly subdued. "Neither of them left your side since they brought you back. Sakura-chan was the one who healed you. She stayed to observe your recovery over the last couple of days. Naruto-sensei finally dragged her out of the hospital this morning, telling her she needed to get some proper rest."

There was suddenly an odd feeling in Kakashi's chest, an awkward pang that caused him to squirm under the thin sheets of the hospital bed. He suddenly felt far too hot.

Later that day, after Rin and Obito had said their goodbyes, Kakashi realized that the uneasy feeling from earlier had nothing to do with his injuries.

-o-

When Kakashi was nineteen, he found out she liked dogs.

-o-

Naruto may not have been their teacher anymore, but that didn't stop the three of them from seeking out his advice when it came to sharpening their skills. Their ex-sensei wanted to work with them on tracking, more explicitly, tracking each other in case any emergency situations.

With Kakashi off in ANBU, Obito slowly getting sucked into his clan politics, and Rin delving into her work at the hospital, they barely had time to train with each other on a regular basis. Getting together again was a nice reprieve from the daily stresses that came with being a ninja.

They had just finished running a through a drill with Kakashi's ninken when she broke through the tree line. Immediately, all of the dogs were on guard, but at Naruto's cheerful greeting towards his best friend, they simultaneously relaxed.

"Naruto, your father is looking for you," The rosette stated during her approach. "I think he and Shishou have a mission for you."

"Ne, Sakura-chan, can't you ever bring me news that's not work related?" The blonde questioned with a whine.

Sakura chuckled but chose not to answer his pouted inquiry. Instead, she turned to regard the three younger ninjas with a smile on her face, "Hi guys! Training hard?"

"Hi, Sakura-chan!" Obito greeted, excitedly.

Rin rolled her eyes skyward, nudging her boyfriend none too gently with her elbow. "Down boy," The brunette reprimanded. "I swear you still act like you're a genin." She turned back towards the older woman with a grin. "How are you, Sakura-sama?"

The pinkette rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly at the honorific. "Rin-chan, we're not at the hospital. You don't have to address me so formally."

A small flush of embarrassment colored Rin's cheeks. "Sorry. Force of habit."

Sakura dismissed the apology wave of her hand. "Don't worry about it, were friends, after all, right?"

"Yo, Sakura-chan," Kakashi called, drawing the attention of everyone in the clearing. "If the knucklehead is leaving, do you want to take his place in the drill?"

A sudden stillness descended on the training grounds, four pairs of eyes shifting to regard him with varying levels of surprise. Though they had been on more agreeable terms since Sakura had beaten him in that spar four years prior, Kakashi still chose to interact with the older woman when only when strictly necessary.

It was a habit that he seemed to be breaking out of ever since her involvement in his stint at the hospital.

Before anyone could question the sudden change in Kakashi's demeanor, Pakkun broke free from the gaggle of canines, trotting over until he stood in front of Sakura, sniffing the air around her curiously. Whatever scent he discovered, it seemed to make him happy because suddenly, the pug's tail started wagging furiously.

"Boss!" The dog called in his usual gruff voice. "She smells just like my strawberry shampoo!"

-o-

Half a year later, they went on a mission together.

-o-

It was a simple B-Rank escort mission. A Konoha diplomat named Yuko needed to be escorted to the Fire Daimyo’s estate. There was an upcoming council meeting in the village and politicians were beginning voice their concerns to the Daimyo in hopes of gaining favor when it came to passing new regulations within Konoha. Naruto had been out on a solo mission at the time, and the only other person Tsunade trusted with this assignment was Sakura. Without a team of her own, the Hokage had selected Kakashi and Obito to go with her.

Rin, having become a prominent part of the staff in the hospital, couldn't be granted leave. It was terrible enough Tsunade had assigned Sakura to this mission; she could not afford to send two med-nins.

Everything had been going smoothly for the first half of their mission. The client was a middle-aged man who immediately took a liking to all three of them. Yuko was charming, trading lighthearted stories and cracking jokes with the trio to pass the time. Obito seemed oblivious, but Kakashi watched the older male's body language. There was something about him that didn't sit right with him, and Kakashi knew better than to ignore his instincts.

Yuko was overly touchy. Given a chance, some part of him was touching Sakura. Be it a hand on her shoulder while pointing out something in the forest, or their arms brushing as they walked along through the trees. It didn't matter how prominent the caress, he felt the need to touch her nonetheless. To be close to her at all points in time.

That in and of itself was an annoyance, but when Yuko's eyes started to stray from her face and began to linger on other parts of her body, Kakashi's jaw clenched. His frustration mounted further and further as he silently plotted ways to place himself bodily between their client and his team captain.

It was during this string of dark thoughts that they were attacked.

Obito immediately sprang into action, Sharingan pinwheels spinning as his evaded two incoming enemies. Sakura grabbed Yuko, hoisted him over her shoulder, and jumped back from the fray, securing a position in front of him to fend off any assassination attempts.

They may have been outnumbered, but their opponents were under-skilled, and the overall conflict only lasted a couple of minutes.

As the last of their enemies dropped to the forest floor, Kakashi immediately beelined for Sakura, who was trying to calmly placate a frightened Yuko as he clung to her in a fearful frenzy.

Kakashi stepped over a few of their downed adversaries on his way towards them, his desire to throttle the older male overriding his senses.

He didn't see the attack coming. One minute he was looking at Sakura's face twist into muted horror, the next, he was face down in the dirt with a body on top of him. There was a series of grunts, a shuffle of movement, followed by a massive thud.

Then silence.

"Are you alright?" Sakura asked softly, her voice pitched in an uneasy tone. The weight on top of him eased off, allowing Kakashi to sit up, charcoal eyes to taking in the scene around him. Obito was sitting on his hunches, checking the vitals of a ninja that Kakashi swore he had killed earlier. Next to him, Sakura was on her knees, breath coming out in ragged pants. Her face looked pained, brow furrowed and lips curled back in a silent snarl.

"Sakura-san!" Yuko exclaimed. "You're injured!"

"Now, Yuko-sama," She stated, airily. "There's no need to panic. Kakashi-kun, are you alright?"

At the repeat of her question, Kakashi nodded dumbly, scrambling to stand.

Her relief was palpable, a small smile curling on her blood-stained lips. "That's good…that's good," She hummed softly.

Kakashi dropped to his knees behind her, the tendons in his neck standing in attention at the sight of three kunai embedded in her back.

Those were meant for him.

"I need you to yank them out," Sakura gritted out, hands already glowing green. "The angle is too awkward for me to reach. Make sure you do it quickly. If you do it slowly, you risk the chance of making the wounds worse than they already are."

Kakashi swallowed and then suddenly, his world slowed down. He blinked once, but couldn't bring himself to move.

Seeing his teammate hesitate, Obito stepped closer to Sakura, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze. "I'll do it Sakura-chan."

The rosette nodded slowly. "On my count…one…two…three…"

The sound of her crying out in pain and the sight of her blood haunted Kakashi for the rest of the mission.

-o-

When he was twenty, they shared their first kiss…sort of.

-o-

The bar was dark and muggy, the air thick with the pungent scent of sweat mixed with alcohol.

Even in the dim lighting of the room and the throng of bodies, Kakashi could easily spot her.

Nestled between her two old teammates, head tossed back in a fit of laughter with a slight blush dusting her cheeks, Sakura Haruno was the epitome of beauty. She was the brightest person in the room, and his feet carried him towards her without a second thought.

Sasuke spotted Kakashi first, regarding him with mild curiosity. Sakura and Naruto noticed him at the same time, both turning on their stools to grace him with twin, cheeky grins.

"Kakashi-kun! What brings you here?" Sakura questioned.

Kakashi took a step towards her, awkwardly invading her personal space. Sakura blinked up at him in surprise but said nothing as she stared at him from under her lashes.

There was a long, drawn-out silence as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. An uncomfortable knot sat at the base of his throat, and his mask suddenly became stifling. For a moment he felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Kakashi? Are you okay?" Naruto asked from his perch, eyeing his former student warily.

Kakashi never took his eyes off of Sakura and after another moment of uneasy silence, he blurted out, "Go out to dinner me."

The reactions from her former teammates were immediate.

Naruto's jaw dropped in shock before he tried to collect himself, sputtering, "W-w-what did you just say?"

Sasuke showed no outward signs of his surprise, but his eyes narrowed marginally as he glared at the side of Kakashi's head.

"Are you even old enough to be in here?" The Uchiha questioned.

Sakura remained mute as she gazed up at Kakashi. She blinked once, then twice, before the corner of her mouth twitched like she was fighting back a smile.

"You do realize that I'm fourteen years older than you, right?" She inquired, tilting her head curiously to the side.

Not one to be deterred, Kakashi merely repeated, "Go to dinner with me. That is unless you're too scared to step into the ring with me?"

Hearing the same taunt she used on him all those years prior thrown back at her caused Sakura to release a bark of laughter.

Slowly, she pushed herself up from her seat and stood before him. In the back of his mind, Kakashi was pleased to note that he was taller than her and she finally – finally – had to look up at him for once.

Sakura seemed to know precisely what his train of thought was and tilted her chin up defiantly, viridian eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Well, I can say that this is the most unusual way that I've been asked on a date," She started, her tone laced with amusement. "But, if you want me to consider it seriously, meet me on your team's training grounds tomorrow morning. If you can finally beat me in a fight, then I'll go to dinner with you."

Before he could even think to respond, she leaned forward onto the tips of her toes and pressed a quick, chaste kiss to his masked cheek. "See you in the morning, Kakashi-kun!"

In the next moment, she was gone in a flurry of pink hair, lost among the crowd of patrons at the bar.

Kakashi didn't have time to bask in his giddiness. A large, calloused hand clamped down on his shoulder, and he was ungently dragged down into the seat that Sakura had just vacated.

"Kakashi," Naruto's tone was all business.

"We need to talk," finished the Uchiha.

It was a long night.

-o-

The following morning, Kakashi was beaten by a girl for the second time in his life.

Sakura went on a date with him anyway.

[kyvir]

Hello Tyy! Love you're work, and I noticed you had a list of prompts! From Prompts 1, I'd like to request a story around: 6,11, 30, 34, 40, 43, and 49! Good Luck! I can't wait to see what you create!

*About Damn Time*

Well Blu, I’ve owed you this for I don’t even know how long- but you already know the struggles I went through. Thanks for the request, I can say that it was definitely a challenge incorporating all your prompts in one fic but it turned out pretty good I think.

Enjoy!

…

Being in love with your best friend was a complicated thing- for it could go one of two ways.

There was a certain pair who’d been inseparable for years. Their friendship had started from when they were kids and had only grown stronger over the years. However, the closer they became, the deeper the feeling they acquired for one another. But, to both of them, acting on those feelings could prove to ruin the special relationship they already had, and for fear of that they’d both silently decided to keep things as they were.

This day was just like any other, though they were going to their first party since their high school days. They were together a lot. Often. Almost daily. When Sakura wasn’t stopping by his work to take him lunch, he was meeting her after her shifts to walk her home.

Even most of their days off were spent together. Either Sasuke would invite her over to watch a movie, or Sakura would ask him to go grab some food with her. They enjoyed spending time with each other even more than anything else. It was as if they had a silent but mutual understanding between them.

Neither of them ever took up time with other people, at least not outside of their usual crowd. They didn’t try to date, mostly because they were too distracted with their feelings for each other and also because nobody could respect their relationship. Jealousy was a terrible thing… a thing even the two of them felt at times, when another person flirted with them.

Sasuke especially had a hard time keeping his emotions in check whenever some guy made a pass at Sakura. He was usually so good at remaining impassive. There wasn’t much that could get him riled up. But, he couldn’t take anyone touching her casually, even the most innocent of touches. He couldn’t even stand it when someone flirted with her. One compliment was one too many.

When those things happened, he’d lose it and all he could do was walk away. If he didn’t he’d either be getting in a fight- or pushing Sakura away. More than anything, he didn’t want to lose her.

Sakura’s feelings and reactions were similar.

Being attractive as he was, Sasuke got a lot of attention. It was never easy for Sakura to see any girl fawning over him- even from a distance. Sasuke didn’t like touchy, but there were some girls who would even cling to him at times. She loved him so much that she feared confessing her feelings and ruining the close friendship they already had… But it hurt her deeply anytime another girl even called his name.

They were both so thankful the other never made time for a significant other. Certainly that would prove to tear apart their friendship. Even if they could look past it and accept the other being with someone else, nobody would be able to understand and accept their relationship.

For those two though, they were happy with things just as they were. At least for the most part.

“Why are you being so quiet today?” Sasuke asked thoughtfully as they walked along in the cold night air. The ground was already a few inches deep in snow and it was just starting to flurry again.

Sakura glanced over at him, a slight smile gracing her lips. “Why not?” She shot back at the same time she bumped her arm against him purposefully.

“Because it’s unusual.” Sasuke muttered, but he was smirking at her playful attitude. He was sure they would have a good night.

“Can’t a girl think?” She rolled her eyes, her smile brightening into a grin.

Shrugging his shoulders, Sasuke exhaled loudly. “Whatever.”

It wasn’t like Sakura would ever admit that she was worried about girls coming onto Sasuke at the party. She was mostly mentally preparing herself for it, because she already knew it would happen.

“Sorry.” She sighed. “I’m not trying to be distant or anything. Just a lot on my mind.”

“And you tell me everything, yet for some reason whatever is on your mind you want to keep to yourself?”

Clicking her tongue, Sakura retorted, “Please! I don’t tell you everything.”

“Oh, really?” Sasuke raised a brow at her declaration.

She blushed at the challenge in his tone, knowing full-well how many times she’d confided in him (being her best friend) on some very personal matters. There was really only one thing she kept to herself when it came to Sasuke, and that was anything to do with her feelings for him.

“It’s nothing really. It’s just… well, you know I’m not good with crowds.”

“Ah… I see.” He nodded to himself.

In all honesty he’d already known that neither of them would even be going to a party to be around a crowd had it not been for a close friend of theirs begging them for weeks on end to go. Sasuke wasn’t thrilled about it, but he did feel it would be nice for them to step out of the norm, if only for the night.

“If you weren’t taking me, I wouldn’t be going at all.” Sakura grumbled, though the party itself wasn’t really what was getting to her.

“Hn. Good.”

“What do you mean ‘good’?” She bumped him again. He bumped her back.

“Good that you wouldn’t be going without me. Because you’d more than likely get yourself in trouble.”

After stopping in her tracks and momentarily gawking at him, Sakura bent over and scooped two large handfuls of snow into her gloved hands and quickly went about making a snowball. She’d just finished preparing it when Sasuke turned back and realized what she was doing.

“Don’t you dare throw that snowba-” He was cut off when she tossed one and he had to jump aside to dodge it. However, another followed and being unexpecting of it, it hit him straight in the face. “Goddammit.”

Sakura was unable to contain her giggling as she ran up to him, helping him wipe his face free of snow. His narrowed gaze softened considerably when her hands lingered on his face and for a moment, they were close, their faces only inches apart.

Their eyes on each other’s, their faces only a breath away. Sakura’s gloved fingers on his cheeks. In that moment everything else was forgotten to them. If they had been anyone else, it could have been the perfect opportunity for a kiss. But for those two, it was a brief moment that left them both flustered and blushing as soon as they realized what they were doing.

Though they were both slightly embarrassed, they fell back into step side by side without another word. Neither of them were really uncomfortable, but rather they were feeling curious. It was times like those when they felt as if their feelings just might be mutual… but there was still always a chance that they were wrong.

The rest of their walk to Naruto’s place was spent in thoughtful silence.

…

“So you two finally decided to show up?” A tipsy Naruto glared at them upon opening the door. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes glassy. It was obvious he’d long since started drinking.

“You’re lucky we came at all.” Sasuke grumbled while tugging Sakura inside behind him.

The entire house was packed. The music and the chatter were both too loud for sober ears and several people had already noticed their arrival.

“Food, booze and everything is in the kitchen. My home is your home, ya know. Better eat before you drink though.”

“Idiot. We’ve already ate.” Sasuke told him matter-of-factly.

“Yeah… we went out for dinner, since we knew we’d be drinking.” Sakura added.

“Mm hmm. Makes sense. Well, grab some drinks then.” Naruto grinned while raising his own glass to them.

Sasuke pulled Sakura along, heading for the kitchen. Once there, they ran into a few of their mutual acquaintances. Neither one of them were very social and so since they’d all gone their separate ways after high school, Sakura and Sasuke never reached out to those old friends and eventually those old friends had stopped reaching out to them as well.

Still, they were nice enough to exchange a few pleasantries as they both got themselves a drink. While a group of guys occupied Sasuke with small talk, Naruto’s girlfriend and two other girls she’d known her whole life pulled Sakura aside to speak to her privately.

“So, Sakura… are you and Sasuke finally going out?” Ino asked suggestively while leaning in close to Sakura.

Ino and Sakura had been close back in their school days, but after Sasuke became her best friend, Sakura had let everyone else go in a way. Even when they were apart for months at a time though, Sakura still knew how Ino was. She responded with a cold glare.

“Yeah right. You know we’re not like that.”

“Sheesh. You two are still in denial?” Tenten grumbled then. She was another schoolmate who Sakura hadn’t seen in a year or longer.

“You guys are so close, honestly…” Hinata trailed off and Sakura sighed. She really loathed being questioned about her relationship with Sasuke. Instead of responding, she drank.

Sasuke hated it as well and unfortunately, he found himself in a similar situation.

“You’re telling me you still haven’t tapped that?”

The Uchiha’s brows twitched at his old friend Sai’s comment. However, before he could nap back Neji put his two cents in.

“Seriously. If nobody else is allowed to have her you should stop being an imbecile and go for it.”

“Shit, you’ve only had the hots for her for what… half your life?” Kiba laughed then.

They went on and on and annoyed as Sasuke was with those guys’ usual banter, all he could do was drink.

A few hours later and dozens of drinks down the hatch, Sasuke and Sakura were both in the basement- amongst a dozen or more other party attendants.

There were a few pool tables and at that time, Sasuke and Neji were having a game. Sakura had climbed onto the bar just to the side of the table they were using, where she sat quietly to observe- and drink.

Ino had just been chatting with her, but the blonde was quite drunk and Sai had come over and whisked her away somewhere. Sakura certainly didn’t mind a few moments of peace. Though it wasn’t really peaceful, what with the loud-mouthed Naruto tending the bar she was perched on and somebody constantly needing a drink.

“Can I get a beer?” A guy she didn’t know came to lean against the bar only a few inches from where she sat.

“I need one too.” Sakura looked back at Naruto who quickly got them both a beer. Just as the guy opened his bottle, he turned to her with a grin.

“Hey.” He said coolly, his eyes trailing over her where she sat until his view was obstructed by black.

It was Sasuke, leaning right in between the two and holding a hand out to Naruto who gave him a beer without a word. The guy finally looked past the black shirt to see Sasuke grinning quite sadistically at him.

“Hey.” Sasuke said back meaningfully, a cold gleam in his sharp, obsidian eyes.

Sakura laughed lightly as the guy turned on his heel and walked away immediately. Sasuke turned to look at her as he sipped his drink. For a moment, Sakura found herself lost in his gaze. It was almost insane how much she loved him.

A frown took to her lips when his eyes turned from her, a strange and unfamiliar emotion showing in them that Sakura couldn’t name. He never said anything and after chugging the remainder of his drink, he left the bottle on the bar and returned to his game.

Sakura couldn’t help wondering what had been on his mind just then.

For a while, she sat there thinking about what had happened. It was out of character for Sasuke to actually run a guy off from her unless the guy was overstepping certain boundaries, but Sakura just assumed that maybe Sasuke didn’t like the guy for some reason. The last think she would have ever suspected was Sasuke having feelings for her.

He did though. The game was a lost cause when he returned, distracted as he was. It had to be the alcohol. Though he wouldn’t consider himself drunk, he’d drank much more over the night than he usually did. Normally he would look the other way, get some distance, or force himself to keep cool in times when guys would approach his best friend, but that night he’d been unable to stop himself.

Pissed as he was at his actions, what bothered him more-so was how aware he felt of how she’d looked at him. Had she always given him such a look? One filled with admiration and longing. Was he intoxicated enough to be imagining things? Was she really looking at him as if she felt for him, what he felt for her?Or was she just looking at him like any other time?

“You should make your move.” Neji came next to him grumbling.

Pushing aside his annoying thoughts, Sasuke turned his attention to the table, but he found only his remaining balls there.

“The game is over.” Neji smirked. “That wasn’t the kind of move I was talking about.”

With a sigh, Sasuke left him pool stick on the table and went to have a seat in the corner of the room where there was an empty couch. Everyone was standing around socializing and he felt he definitely needed some space.

Sakura was feeling a little dejected. Something was obviously bothering Sasuke but for some reason, she felt she couldn’t go over and talk to him about it like she normally could. Instead, she asked Naruto for another drink.

Not long after that Naruto took himself and Sasuke a beer, joining him on the couch. They drank together quietly for a few moments before Naruto finally spoke up.

“Sasuke… If you’re really interested in Sakura, you should just tell her, ya know?”

Sasuke groaned, having been at his limit with people hounding him on the subject.

“I wish you would all get it through your damn heads already. Sakura is my best friend. That’s fucking it.”

“Fine. But, if you ask me you’re just wasting precious time.”

“Well…” Sasuke took a pull of his beer and then sighed. “Nobody asked you.”

“You’re still an ass.”

Sakura saw Sasuke shrugging his shoulders indifferently just as a girl came to casually sit next to him, occupying the only open seat on the couch. Her heart twisted at how close she was to him. Just as Sasuke’s eyes turned to his side where the girl sat, Sakura hopped off the bar with a depressed sigh.

It wasn’t like she wasn’t expecting some girl to make a move, it was inevitable. But, she was depressed that it bothered her so much even after she tried so hard to prepare herself. Walking around the bar, she got herself another drink while glancing over at the couch to find the girl saying something while blushing and twiddling her fingers nervously in her lap.

“Here, take a shot with me.”

Sakura blinked at Neji who was suddenly handing her a shot, standing right next to her. After thanking him she took it and they drank together. She turned all her attention to Neji to keep from looking towards that certain corner.

“I’m surprised that you and the Uchiha are still not dating.”

Sakura blushed at Neji’s words. “Um… we’re just friends.”

“You sure about that?” Neji asked seriously, his brows pulled together as he waited for her answer.

She nodded. “That’s it.”

It had never been anything more, even if she wanted it to be.

“Yet you won’t give any other man the time of day.”

“It’s not like that.” Sakura argued.

“Oh?” Neji seemed amused then. “So you think Sasuke wouldn’t mind if you strayed away from him and took up time with another guy?”

“Huh?” Sakura was taken aback by his question. “Of course he wouldn’t. I don’t date only… because I don’t have time to.”

Even Neji knew she was lying about that. “You have the night.”

“What?”

“Maybe you should prove it to everyone that the two of you really are just friends by experiencing life a bit.”

“Like how?” Sakura frowned and took the next shot he offered her.

“Have a good time. Flirt a bit. Otherwise Sasuke might get the wrong idea and suspect you have serious feelings for him.”

Eyes widening, Sakura’s cheeks flushed. “You think that? Sasuke knows me though… and no guy can accept him being my best friend.”

“I would.” Neji shrugged, grinning suggestively.

Sakura could have never known the purpose behind Neji’s words and actions that night.

“W-what do you mean?”

“Hang out with me instead of him tonight. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

Taking a look back at where Sasuke had been, she noticed he was no longer there. Upon checking the entire room, she found no sight of him. That girl was gone as well. She wondered then if Sasuke had actually liked the girl… if they were together somewhere. The thought hurt her… a lot.

“So?” Neji inquired while handing her another shot.

Sakura took it, throwing it back instantly and savoring the burn as it went down. “Fine. I’ll hang out with you.”

That was when Neji knew that things would finally move forward for those two. He’d deal with the Uchiha when the time came- and he was sure that time would come soon enough.

As Sakura went about drinking and chatting with Neji, Sasuke had made his way outside for some fresh air in hopes of cooling his head. It was one thing to deal with the occasional fangirl, another to put up with his co-called friends constantly nagging him about Sakura and it really bothered him to see anyone coming onto Sakura.

When he saw Neji got to her though, his blood started to boil. It didn’t matter to him how vehemently he denied his feelings for his best friend, to him- Sakura was off limits to anyone, especially his buddies.

At first he’d figured they’d just be having a friendly conversation, after all they were all mutual friends. But then he’d noticed her blushing. Neji tried to talk him into doing something he felt he wasn’t ready for, and when he refused so adamantly, how could he be mad when somebody else took the step he was too afraid himself to take?

The cool air outside did nothing to cool him off though, and even as he paced back and forth through the yard, he continued to drink. Everyone was inside so aside from the house, he had peace. Had it not been for his insolent thoughts, he probably could have calmed down even if only a bit.

A few shots in and Sakura’s buzz had taken a sharp turn. By then she was laughing with Neji and they’d started their own game of pool. She was an amateur but surprisingly with alcohol backing her, she was sinking one shot after the next and effectively running the table.

“Wow, you’re good.” Neji seemed surprised and his comment distracted her enough for her to miss her next shot- and she laughed.

“No. Just lucky.” She said, knowing it had to be the truth.

“If you say so.” Neji smirked as he went about lining up his first shot.

“We need another shot.”

Neji shook his head as Sakura scurried off behind the bar to pour them both a shot. He couldn’t stop grinning. He knew if those two got drunk enough, those hidden feelings would finally surface. By then, phase two of his fool proof plan would have been working itself out.

“Yo, Sasuke… we’re about to drain this whole half gallon and you’re helping.”

Sasuke scowled at Naruto as he spoke. Shikamaru, Kiba and Lee were with him. Looking down at the empty glass in his hand, Sasuke found himself unable to decline the proposal.

Naruto had a barrel on the side lawn where he started a fire and the five of them stood around it together and took their first shots from the liquor bottle. There was enough alcohol in their system to keep them warm without the fire, but they were all thankful it wasn’t snowing at the time.

Hinata ran into Tenten and Temari when she came downstairs from running to the restroom. She couldn’t help overhearing the conversation they’d been having.

“I don’t know what he’s up to but… I know he’s not really trying to get with her or anything.”

“Well, I just can’t believe she’d hanging out with any guy that’s not Sasuke. She doesn’t even do that with Naruto.”

“Are you guys talking about Sakura?” Hinata asked.

“Yeah.” Tenten said. “She’s downstairs with Neji.”

“…and Sasuke’s outside.” Temari added.

“Well… that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Surely they need some time with other people.”

The other two girls exchanged a glance.

“Let’s go downstairs.” Temari grinned. “I think something interesting will happen tonight.”

Only half an hour later the guys were at the bottom of their bottle. Kiba was noticeably wobbling but all of them were continuing to drink.

“Shit. Where’s Sakura?” Naruto asked loudly, coming to sling his arm over Sasuke.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed then. He couldn’t believe he’d been so lucky to be free of Sakura related questions as long as he supposed his luck ran out.

“Right?” Lee chirped. “It’s not like Sakura to be away from Sasuke this long.”

“Over and over.” Sasuke grumbled, his fists clenching. “You bastards don’t know when to give it a rest.”

“No, I’m just worried about her is all.” Naruto muttered as if thinking something as he spoke. “If you’re not going, I think I’ll go check on her.”

Sasuke scowled at Naruto as he turned and walked off, but it was only a second later that he was right behind him.

Sakura wouldn’t say that she didn’t enjoy hanging out with Neji. They’d known each other for a long time and he was a cool guy- and he never made her feel uncomfortable. Even after three games of pool and at least a dozen shots, he hadn’t made a single advance towards her. The whole time though, she couldn’t stop thinking about Sasuke.

She wondered what he was doing.

“Whew.” Sakura breathed, gripping tightly to her pool stick when she swayed a bit from the alcohol in her system. It wasn’t the stick that kept her on her feet though, it was Neji who’d suddenly wound his arms around her.

“You okay?” He asked.

Sakura nodded, her eyes closed as her body swam in intoxication. She was certain she’d never been so drunk before.

“I need to sit down.” She slurred.

“If you sit now you’ll pass out.”

“Shit… you’re probably right.” She laughed.

“Can you stand properly?”

He loosened his hold on her only for her to cling to him in fear of falling. Her legs had forgotten how to work it seemed.

Sasuke followed Naruto downstairs and into the basement. The first thing he seen was Sakura. Neji’s arms around her, and Sakura clinging to him. It settled with him in all the wrong ways. Before he could stop himself, he’d made his way over there to stand before them. Before he could say anything, Sakura noticed him and turned to him with wide eyes.

“Sasuke!” She was so glad to see him- and without a girl.

“Sakura…”

She released Neji who also let her go as she stepped over to Sasuke and wrapped her arms around her waist. He stiffened at the closeness and her touch, but only because he was overly aware at that time. Of her, of himself, and his feelings.

“Sorry.” She giggled. “I’m kinda drunk and I need someone to hold me up… and I’d rather it be you.”

Startled by her words, Sasuke’s lips parted, but he quickly recovered himself and smiled softly at her as he wrapped his arms around her in return.

“No problem.” He told her, feeling rather pleased with her preference.

She looked up at him, eyes sparkling with delight. The way she gazed at him then made him feel guilty for even thinking she would be with anyone else. Sakura didn’t have to be with him, but he knew he couldn’t accept her being with anyone else either.

“Let’s drink!” She declared with a grin and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“As if I’d let you drink any more. First you need to sober up a bit.”

“Hmm. Fine. If you say so.”

Once she released him, Sasuke slowly pulled his arms from around her, offering her his arm for support instead. She held tight to him and together they left the basement, with all eyes on them.

Upstairs in the kitchen Sakura sat at the bar while Sasuke got her a piece of pizza that had been ordered for the party.

“Thank you, Sasuke.” She took the food happily and ate it without another word as Sasuke sat next to her, another beer in his hand.

“Feel any better?” He asked as he watched her, his free hand propped under his chin.

“Much, actually. I’m still drunk though.” She giggled.

“Well you rarely drink so it’s not surprising.”

“You don’t either!”

“More than you.” He shrugged but he was quite drunk himself.

“So… where were you?” Sakura couldn’t keep herself from asking.

“Hmm?” Sasuke looked at her curiously, blinking in wonder when her already flushed cheeks brightened.

“Were you… um…” She dropped her gaze to the counter bashfully. But, she knew she was going to ask him anyway. Maybe the alcohol was helping, she wasn’t sure, but she went for it. “Were you with that girl?”

After the question was out there, she glanced back to her side at him. “What girl??” He asked, brows pulled together in confusion.

Sakura blushed again, his words making her feel stupid for even assuming Sasuke was doing anything with that girl. He didn’t even know what she was talking about.

“Uh… never mind.” She shook her head and stood carefully, being sure of her feet.

“Hey… what are you doing?”

“I don’t feel like sitting. You want to dance with me?”

“Me? Dance?”

Sakura took his hand with a laugh and pulled him out of his seat.

“Sakura!” Though he tried to protest, Sasuke went along with her into the living room where she immediately started dancing.

Sasuke wasn’t a dancer, not even when he was drinking. But he quickly found himself grinning as he watched her. Sakura was a happy girl, but there was something about the way she danced around with a smile on her face that just made him feel a genuine happiness. By then, they were ignoring everyone else at the party.

Eventually Sakura pulled Sasuke into the hallway just beside the staircase, giggling all the while. Sasuke was forced against the back wall while Sakura leaned against him. It wasn’t purposely at first but he felt nice to her, and so she’d sighed as she leaned against him, deciding not to move with Sakura giving him suggestive looks throughout the night and with the way she clung to him then, Sasuke couldn’t help the turn his thoughts were taking. It would make so much more sense if she did feel the same way about him.

He wanted her to.

Head lolling back, Sakura stared up at him through cloudy eyes. Sasuke felt certain that the look in her eyes was far from innocent. Everything about that moment was telling him she’d been wanting all the same things he did. It could have been from his intoxicated state, but with her giving him that look and Sasuke being so tired of holding back, he leaned down without thinking twice about it and he kissed her.

It was the first kiss they’d ever shared and it was far from just a peck on the lips. His lips covered hers hungrily. He kissed her hard, stealing her lips, her voice and all her thoughts.

Sakura was blown away. After all the time she’d been secretly in love with him… after wanting him to be more than her best friend for so long… after all the time she’d spent being miserable because her feelings couldn’t possibly be returned, it ended up being Sasuke who’d made that first move.

All the air rushed from her lungs and escaped her just as his lips claimed hers. It was a firm but soft caress that shook her to the core. He’d kissed her long and meaningfully, his hands coming to cradle her face, fingers digging into her hair as he held her in place.

A thrill of emotion unlike any she’d ever felt filled her, causing tears to well up in her closed eyes. His lips parted from hers just long enough for her to suck in a shaky breath and then he was kissing her again, and again.

Each kiss grew in passion, becoming more urgent until they were both clinging to each other as their tongues met heatedly.

With her knees trembling and her heart beating so rapidly it hurt, Sakura grabbed two handfuls of his hair and pulled tight, forcing their mouths apart. She gasped for breath and shivered when Sasuke groaned in apparent protest.

Every ounce of doubt out the window, Sasuke forced her head back to gaze at her face, marveling in the way her eyes fluttered open and she stared up at him in awe.

“Stop it.” He whispered, his voice hoarse and even sexier than it had ever been before.

“…stop what?”

“Giving me that look.”

It was one that was all too inviting. One that made him want to have her in every way- right then and there. He’d wanted Sakura for as long as he could remember and if she kept looking at him like that, he’d surely lose every bit of restraint he had left.

Then his words had caused her to blush and avert her eyes from his shyly. He frowned when she pulled away, releasing him at the same time. He might not have wanted to lose his cool with her, but he didn’t want her running off from him more.

That was one thing he couldn’t handle.

“Maybe we should go get a drink.” She suggested, looking around nervously as if fearing they’d be caught.

It probably wasn’t her best idea. Sasuke felt that neither of them needed another drink, but he wasn’t going to argue with her. It was probably better if they found something to distract themselves anyway. So together, they went and got a drink.

Though they kept to themselves as they drank as time ticked by, their eyes continued to meet and their thoughts never strayed from each other- and what had happened in the hallway.

Sakura was on edge from how alive she’d felt from the instant his lips claimed hers, and Sasuke couldn’t shake the feeling brewing within him. It was too late for him. He’d been holding back for too many years. After he’d displayed his inner feelings and desires, he was thinking about her more than ever before.

She never stopped looking at him and with him already having crossed the line in their friendship, he didn’t want to hold back anymore. He wanted to jump at the opportunity of making her his, of being upgraded from best friend- to lover. Nobody would ever make him happy like she could, and he would be all that for her and more.

His mind was already set. He’d been foolish. He really had been wasting time. It was nothing but obvious to him then as he kept watching her.

Sakura had a thing for him too.

Even she was more aware of it than before.

Tension was at an all time high after all the alcohol and that kiss. Try as they might to keep a distance between them, to prevent themselves from shattering their friendship and sculpting something entirely new and far deeper. They were drawn together and before they knew it, they’d wandered off and pounced on each other without another word needing to be said.

There was no stopping them. Unexpectedly sudden as if was, it had been a long time coming and neither of them were the least bit hesitant as they made their way up the stairs, stumbling as they struggling to hold onto each other and keep from breaking their heated kiss. Eventually they made it to the top and ran into a door.

“In here,” Sasuke broke the kiss long enough to say.

He pulled her inside as soon as the door was open and they made it to the bed in a matter of seconds. Sasuke lowered her there, his lips never leaving hers as she held on desperately to him, kissing him back with an urgency that was baffling even to her. But, she’d been craving him for so long, just as long as he had her, so she wasn’t holding back either.

“Sasuke,” She moaned against his lips, lost in a sea of bliss from the feel of him above her. Though he held up most of his weight, his body being flush against hers and combining with all his kisses, nothing had ever felt more right.

He was hard in all the right ways, a lean kind of muscular that told he was strong, but not big and bulky. He smelled good, though his cologne was barely noticeable over the scent of alcohol and burned wood, but it was all a heady mixture that only furthered her drunken state.

She was high on the moment, on the feel of him, on his kiss and the sight of him hovering over her. With each part of their lips, she stole a glance at him. He’d always been sinfully beautiful, the kind of sexy that made any woman swoon by a look alone. He was cool and sure of himself, confident and calm all the time. It was rare for him to ever lose his composure- though she had seen it happen.

Everything about Sasuke had attracted Sakura, as it did every woman. But, she’d feel in love with his personality, his thoughtfulness and consideration. He was the greatest best friend, so she could only imagine how devoted he would be as a lover.

They were really doing this, and that was all Sasuke could think about. He’d longed to hold her unlike he’d ever been able to hold her before, to kiss those lips that had always been so alluring to him, to hear her call his name out passionately. 

There was nothing that could have kept him from having her that night.

He only hoped she wouldn’t regret giving herself to him.

And she never would

Sakura was on cloud nine. Her body quivering as if all desire and passion within her had been dormant up until then. Her voice was uncontainable as his lips parted from hers to pepper kisses down her neck and over her collarbone. She moaned and whimpered, having never felt such a need from anything in her life.

It would be her first time, though she was aware it wasn’t Sasuke’s. Being his best friend, she knew more about him than even he himself knew sometimes. Still, she couldn’t say she was disappointed about it as his hands started feeling her up. She figured he must have really known what he was doing to get her body wound up so effortlessly.

By the time his hands reached the button of her jeans, she was breathless and nearly crazed with need. So much so, that she was on the verge of tears. His fingers brushing against her skin on her lower abdomen had something unfamiliar coiling within her. She held her breath as he made quick work of undoing her button and lowering the zipper on her jeans.

Weak with desire, she was unable to even budge as he pulled her pants off. Though it seemed like he had no trouble at all.

Sakura took the time to savor the way he looked at her, lips parted and downcast eyes full of lust. When he leaned back down and pressed a hot, open-mouthed kiss just beside her navel, her back arched off the bed and she gasped. Slowly, his kisses trailed north while her shirt was pulled up and off. It felt like only seconds before she was lying beneath him in nothing but her underwear.

There was no shame, no bashfulness that took away from the moment. Being completely comfortable with Sasuke, Sakura was beyond thankful that Sasuke would be her first- and hopefully her last. The future wasn’t on her mind though, only the present.

His shirt came off next and though she’d seen him shirtless more times than she could recall, it never got old. He was a sight to behold, one so glorious that she almost got off just by staring at him. He removed his jeans slowly and Sakura’s heart was racing like never before as he climbed back over her, their underwear being the only thing keeping their most intimate areas apart.

She was beautiful, but never had she been more gorgeous as she was then, laying half naked beneath him. Sasuke had never been more thrilled about anything, never wanted anything as much as he wanted her. He wouldn’t rush it though. No, he would be sure they both thoroughly enjoyed this.

Her hair smelled amazing, like strawberry shampoo- and her skin had a citrusy scent that seemed to heighten his craving for her. Each time he kissed or touched her, she responded with the sweetest of sounds and the most subtle of movements. All of which were seductive in their own way. Though she didn’t know it, Sakura had Sasuke wrapped around her finger for the longest time. 

He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep it up. He’d never been so aroused in his life, so hard, so overwhelmed with need. This was one night he wanted to savor, but he was dying to be buried inside her.

He’d forced her legs apart and settled himself between them. It felt like home, like heaven. When he kissed her once more though and she ground her hips up, allowing his erection to press firmly against her thinly covered folds, his lips left hers instantly, a low groan escaping him.

“Sakura,” Her name left his lips like the most precious of prayers, a plea of desperation that she just couldn’t ignore.

While her arms wound around his neck, she forced his face back down to hers and kissed him again, silently begging him to go even further, to keep from denying them both of what they’d been wanting for so long.

That kiss was the last push he needed.

His hands slipped under her back, quickly finding the clasp on her bra and after a momentary struggle he’d had it released and completely off of her. The second his hands came in contact with her naked breasts, her mouth fell open in a breathless and silent gasp. However when his fingers found her perked and tender nipples she yelped in surprise from the feeling, overwhelmed by the sensation jolting through her body.

“Sasuke… Sasuke!” She called his name over and over and he found himself so hard it hurt.

As badly as he wanted to, he could wait no longer. His hands left her breasts to reach for her panties and slowly he pulled them off, holding his breath as he did. When he pushed her legs apart once more he noticed the way she trembled. He sucked in a breath at the sight of her wet sex, untouched until then.

It was his. Only his. She was his. 

Finally

The only thing that had him hurrying to remove his briefs and not take the time to admire her was the way she was panting and shaking. She needed him and he wasn’t about to deny her.

With both of them naked and unimaginably aroused, the second Sasuke was back on top of her they were grasping onto one another and exchanging kissed that were more expressive than any before. Releasing her, Sasuke took a hold of his length to position himself at her entrance. Sakura cried out, unable to kiss him back any longer as she felt his thick member rubbing between her slick folds.

She was soaked and oh so warm, leaving Sasuke lost in pleasure and fearing how long he would last once he was inside her. Even dripping wet, Sakura’s body was reluctant to take him in.

Though momentarily discouraged by the minor set back, Sasuke was quickly distracted when he released himself to touch her instead. His fingers crossed her sensitive nub and she moaned loudly, her hips bucking at the sudden intense feeling. She’d never been touched in such a way.

Knowing it would be her first time, Sasuke had initially feared it may be hard to bring her to climax, but he wasn’t thinking that anymore. Her body was already wound tightly and just waiting to explode.

Fingers dipping down to her entrance, he circled I slowly, taking in and loving the way she cried his name and begged him for more shamelessly. As badly as he’d wanted this, he never dreamed it would be so fulfilling, even before the deed was done.

She was tight even against his fingers. Using one at first, Sasuke hummed in approval at how she squeezed against him. There was no way he’d last longer than a couple minutes inside her. Alternating between circling her clit and stretching her with his fingers, it wasn’t long before Sakura was nearly screaming in pleasure and thrashing under him, uncertain how to take the building of her first orgasm.

He’d done all he could to prepare her to take him and though he didn’t want to hurt her, he had to have her. Waiting even a moment longer wasn’t an option for him. Once again in position, he forced himself inside her, though merely an inch at first. The resistance wasn’t quite as strong, but she was still so tight it was almost unbearable. 

A string of curses escaped him one after the other as he entered her, slowly sinking into her by centimeters at a time. He pulled out and eased back in, repeating the process and going deeper with each thrust. Finally he pulled back and with one forceful thrust filled her completely.

With tears in her eyes, Sakura wailed his name, clinging desperately to him as he stilled completely, giving her time to get used to the feel of him. He kissed her neck and sucked the skin just above her pulse as he held tight to her and slowly started to move again. Sakura’s nails were digging into his back, but that only proved to turn him on more.

She felt so good that he couldn’t help himself, he moved knowingly, easing back a few inches before filling her again and again, his pubic bone stimulating her clit every time. He couldn’t stop and even though he was moving so slowly, he was already straining to keep himself from coming.

Sakura had never felt so full. Everything about what she felt was so intense she didn’t know what to make of it. She knew what an orgasm was, she knew her body was striving for it, but it was all so new to her and at that point she was so overwhelmed she wasn’t sure how she’d go on.

Sasuke could tell easily that she was close to her own limit and she wasn’t sure hot to handle the feel of it. All the building was intense but she more than likely couldn’t imagine the relief she would feel upon releasing all that tension. He couldn’t wait for her to let loose.

Leaning down, he closed his mouth around one of her nipples just as he picked up speed and with each movement they both climbed higher, grew closer- until she screamed and clawed at his back as she came.

Her sex fluttered around him in the wake of her orgasm as he body thrashed wildly beneath him. It didn’t take another movement for him to lose it. His cock throbbed as he spilled all he had inside her with a deep and sexy groan.

Collapsing on top of her, they lay there panting and trembling in the aftermath of their lovemaking and it was a long time before either of them moved.

When Sasuke finally forced himself up and pulled out of her, she winced and he rolled over to lay on his side next to her. “Sorry,” He breathed, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close. “You okay?”

Flushed and sated for the first time, Sakura nodded tiredly. She’d never felt better, happier. She was elated with this development and it had been even better than she’d anticipated.

“…Are you okay?” She felt obligated to ask and her question earned a laugh from Sasuke.

“Ah.” He assured her, but she was beginning to feel slightly embarrassed.

“Um… I think I need to use the restroom.”

Sasuke released her, watching as she found his shirt and shrugged it on before shakily making her way to the bathroom. Sasuke couldn’t contain his grin. Rolling onto his back, he rested his hands behind his head and sighed.

He’d never been happier.

That is until the bedroom door opened suddenly and he sat up with a start only to find Naruto gaping at him in shock.

“Uh… is there a reason you’re naked in my bed?”

Sasuke blinked a few times, thinking over the best way to answer his question. “Well… it’s not what it looks like.”

Naruto’s eyes darted around the room suspiciously. “Oh… then what is this exactly?”

He hated to do it, but for some reason he felt it necessary to tell the truth. “Things happened… and me and Sakura… we used your bed.”

There was a long pause before Naruto roared, “You did what?!”

Shocked and at a loss for words, Naruto could say nothing more. His bed being used wasn’t even the issue at that point, he just couldn’t believe his friends had finally fucked. Finally stopped lying to themselves. Finally took the step they should have taken so long ago.

Just as he was starting to get lost in thought the bathroom door opened and Sakura stepped in, instantly turning red from head to toe at the sight of Naruto standing there. Drunk as she’d been, she was no idiot. She and Sasuke had just had sex in Naruto’s house, in his room on his bed no less- and then they’d been found out so soon. Years of denying their attraction to each other and now that it had happened, she was certain neither one of them would ever live it down.

“Well… this is awkward.” She said finally, fidgeting nervously and after a moment, Naruto burst into laughter.

“I’d say it’s about damn time!” He continued to laugh. “Well uh, you two take your time. Keep my room as long as you want, ya know. See ya!”

As soon as Naruto bolted out of the room, slamming the door behind himself, Sakura sighed and hesitantly turned her gaze to Sasuke. He was watching her calmly as she forced herself to get back into bed with him while fighting off her anxiety.

Her stomach filled with butterflies when Sasuke instantly pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her. It felt heavenly to lay her head on his chest and she was so tired her eyes immediately fluttered closed. He kissed her forehead and that was the last thing she remembered before falling asleep.

Later when she finally woke up, groggy and with her first ever hangover, she groaned. It was when she went to sit up that she found she couldn’t. She was held in place by one strong arm that was firmly tucked around her.

It was Sasuke. Sasuke was holding her. Her best friend. He was naked, as was she from the waist down and then realization struck her hard. She’d slept with her best friend. She had sex with Sasuke. Hesitantly, she lifted her gaze to take in his face and found him watching her lazily, his eyes half open.

Sasuke enjoyed watching her face turn the brightest shade of red, her eyes sparkle with delight and something else he couldn’t quite place. He knew now that she had feelings for him, but now they had to talk, to know what the other was really thinking, and feeling- or where things would go from there. He gave her his best smile just before leaning over to rest his forehead against hers.

“We should probably talk about last night.”…

[sun-summoning]

13 and 23 for the fic ask thing?

13. favorite writing song/artist/album of this year

fun fact, i generally cannot write while listening to music. i get distracted and  end up like typing out song lyrics. 

although if the fic was inspired by a song, then i’ll play it on low. i can’t think of anything from the earlier parts of 2017, but i can tell you that in december, i heard “naked” by james arthur and just played that on repeat trying to belt out some emotional sasusaku. 

for the record, it didn’t work.

-

23. fics you wanted to write but didn’t

OH SO MANY. i no longer make docs or drafts when i get ideas because then i just end up with too many so i kinda just have this single one that has random paragraphs/lines/ideas and pluck away from that when i’m in the mood. 

okay i want to share a few! and i know you’re here for the ss so i’ll only slip in one gintama:

1.

“i think that’s the fear. that the love i feel can actually be something good. i trained and i worked my ass off so i could be something better. someone better. someone who could help you. and because of that, i am the greatest medical ninja in the world. i’ve saved hundreds of lives and i will save thousands more. so then how could my love — our love — be something bad?”

i know i need to get over how absurd i think sakura/sasusaku haters are and stop trying to write the anti arguments into fics and subvert that but…….i love her.

-

2.

the ladies of the temple are kind and welcoming when he brings sakura to them. she’s unconscious and still shuddering from the trauma of him locking her mind away, but he feels her succumbing to the memories he’s implanted. sakura haruno is dead and this new woman is born.

he claims that he found her in the woods and the women accept her and say they’ll take care of her.

sasuke sticks around, only ever watching from afar, as one of the sisters explains that a strange man found her and brought her there. she coaches sakura through what seems like amnesia and provides archaic forms of pre-natal care that are sufficient enough.

eventually sakura gets “better” but she’s still unable to produce a name. one woman suggests they call her “sakura” because of how fitting it is with her hair, and when sakura flinches, he thinks his work will be undone. she just smiles though. she laughs, one hand touching her pink hair gingerly while the other rubs her growing belly, and then she nods and says that’s a great choice. she makes no indication that she knows the sakura she once was, and though it’s cruel, for that sasuke is grateful.

he allowed her to keep her medical knowledge barring anything that dealt with ninjutsu, so they find her to be a helpful addition to their temple. she takes care of their ailments, partakes in as many chores as she can despite her condition, and makes herself a new home.

so i got a request asking for sarada’s conception story after ss got married (not smut) and because i am the difficult person that i am, i was like YEAH I’LL GIVE YOU A CONCEPTION STORY and proceeded to make something hurtful and uh yeah. but like then i was too lazy to finish? in a moment of impatience, i wrote a little ficlet of what would have been the future of this fic.

-

3. 

sasuke is generally perceptive to his wife’s moods, but he’s either willfully ignorant or entirely oblivious to her fear of him. itachi would never do anything to harm sakura. still, her distaste for him cannot be hidden by her gentle smile or sweet tone. she is ever cordial to him – kind, even – but sakura doesn’t care for him, and while sasuke might not see this, itachi certainly does.

she doesn’t try to teach this fear to her daughter, but it cannot be helped. sarada keeps her distance because her mother does. sasuke might bring the girl closer, might tell her to go to her uncle, but if sasuke isn’t around, sarada will not linger.

he doesn’t blame sasuke’s wife for being so wary around him. itachi might even respect her for it. he will never forget the immeasurable damage he did to his younger brother despite his best intentions. does she think he’ll hurt sasuke more? does she think he’ll hurt his niece?

his resurrection is a well-kept secret confined to their home. sasuke isn’t quite sure how it happened and neither is sakura, and perhaps that’s why she’s so suspicious. still, she prepares a room for him and lets him wander her home as he pleases.

another instance of me receiving a prompt, looking for inspiration from it, and doing what i want. the request was for sarada to meet some of her clansmen. and yeah yeah itachi is all y’alls’s sons but……shit man. 

-

4. ok this is the gintama one

kagura, sougo realizes, has a boyfriend. she’s strolling down the street with shinpachi, both of them with bags of snacks in their hands, when she refers to the other boy as her boyfriend. shinpachi’s eyes widen a fraction, his cheeks burn red, and he yells at her not to call him that. but kagura just blinks, furrowing her brow and asking why not considering he was her boyfriend. that interaction is more than enough for sougo to turn at the corner and make the rest of his patrol away from those yorozuya brats.

sougo always assumed she felt that her yorozuya family to be just that: family. it made sense considering what he knew about her. a father that made a name for himself as one of the universe’s greatest alien hunters and a brother that went off and joined some space pirates. just thinking about her dysfunctional family makes his shoulder hurt. but without them, sougo always assumed that she’d found that family on earth in the form of danna and the glasses stand.

so the brat had a boyfriend. sougo doesn’t really think much of it. he continues on his way but much to his dismay, he can’t quite ignore this…feeling. he has a feeling. he’s not sure what it is, but he feels it. it’s a bad feeling. a mad feeling. what the hell is this feeling.

prob one of the few times i’m willing to write jealousy, largely because it’ll be overshadowed by denial with some more denial and then a bit more denial.

[luna-orlha]

Wip game

Talk about the WIPs you’re intending to work on this year.

I was tagged by @kakawaifu

Tagging: @backwardsandinhighheels @mouseymightymarvellous @iamartemisday 

1) Bones beneath her feet - chp 18 (gen)

He runs a thumb across the kunai’s flat edge.

Ridiculous though with merit. But Fuuko… she is irrefutably Fuuko. She has the skills she had honed all through those years… sometimes. Her own ninken pack recognizes her as their leader. No infiltrator would be able to summon Fuuko’s pack.

Kakashi watches Fuuko riffle through the box, pulling out nondescript armor to replace her distinct Konohan ones. He watches the grin bloom on her face as she finds the perfect fit then turns to look at him, only for the smile to fade and the smell the acrid stench of fear waft from her.

Turning back to his pouches, he packs his three pouches and seals two of them away in the seal on the bandage and wraps it back around his thigh. Is she afraid of him? Afraid of him being a traitor or is there something else?

Kakashi remembers the recounts from Yamato about his days in Orochimaru’s labs. Yamato had confessed once that neither Yamato nor Tenzo is his real name. Somewhere during his ordeal, he had forgotten his real name and became subject fifty-eight. That might explain her missing memories, but the new language?

2) Scent of home - ShikaSaku

She leaps out of the window, bounding across the rooftops and through the gates where she sees a silver haired man standing there. 

“Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura greets, unsure how to react to his presence. 

“You’re leaving,” is all he says. His eyes flickering across her bare forehead and the unfamiliar travelling coat. Forever? He doesn’t ask. 

Perhaps, she thinks but only looks up into the twilight sky. Her skin crawls the longer she stays in the village. The dark haired man with red eyes lives in this village. He might be reformed and might not have both red eyes, since he has a rinnegan now, but he lives in this village and has fulfilled his clan obligations with a growing brood. Konoha will never choose her. They would never pick a civilian born over a bloodlimit. Even if she surpassed Tsunade in many ways.

Kakashi doesn’t tell her to stay and that’s a relief. He understands it, he always understood her. He only holds out a tanto with the Hatake crest on the sheath. I picked you, he implies, reminding her that regardless of how things turned out, it is her that knows all the Hatake katas and clan jutsus.

3) Remember me forever - KakaSaku

“Say ahhhh,” Kakashi says, lifting the spoon up. “It’s eggplant. You like eggplant don’t you? Just like Otousan.” He waves motions with the spoon, making plenty of noises that send Unsui into peals of laughter. “Kunai is flying! You need to catch it! Where’s the cave?”

Unsui opens his mouth and Kakashi feeds him the mash. “Ah, there’s the cave! Oh! My brave little shinobi caught it!” He wipes bits of the food off his son’s cheek and raises an eyebrow at the blond staring at him shocked.

“Kaka-sensei talking that baby talk. Holy shodaime-” Naruto starts and is immediately cut off by Sakura’s quick jab to Naruto’s windpipe.

“If you swear around Unsui, I will personally get shishou to ensure that you’ll be doing D-ranks for as long as it takes for Unsui to unlearn it.” Sakura clenches her fist at him. “Are we clear?”

Naruto gulps. “Crystal”

Kakashi scoops another spoonful of mash and eyes Naruto. “Why are you here anyway?”

Naruto scratches the back of his head sheepishly. “Well, I wanted to invite you to my wedding. Hinata says it’s best to do it in personal. Especially when… when… when… Iwantyoutobemyadoptivefatherfortheceremony.”

Kakashi blinks at the rush of words then asks, “if I’m the adoptive father for the ceremony, does that mean Sakura is your adoptive mother?”

Sakura muffles a snort.

“Holy shodaime balls! No!”

Kakashi quickly claps his hands over Unsui’s ears. “Oh no. Unsui-chan, don’t follow this nii-chan’s example okay?”

Unsui giggles. “Da-me balls!”

“No! Unsui-chan! Don’t say that!” Naruto flails, trying to get the old year old to stop repeating his words.

“NA-RU-TO-KUN!” Sakura pulls on her gloves, the leather creaking as she clenches her fist.

“Daime balls!”

Kakashi groans and hangs his head. “This blond an idiot. And this idiot will be doing D-ranks for the next foreseeable months.”

“Kaka-senseeeei,” Naruto whines before he’s dragged into the training grounds by Sakura. “Help!”

“Soodaime balls!” The old year old swings his feet, clapping excitedly at Kakashi.

4) Death in her eyes - Gen

Sayami sobs, feeling her Sharingan flicker on from the ragged edge of her emotions. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Her hands shake as she presses her palm into her eyes. She’s drowning from the shame of being the one alive. “Should have been me. Been me instead. Should have tried harder.”

“Don’t blame yourself for being the one alive.” A large hand peels her hands away and a wet towel scrubs her face clean. The face that appears in her vision is Fugaku-jii, looking more tired than she ever remembers him to be. The frown lines on his face have deepened since the last time she saw him, making him look thirty instead of eighteen.  

“Don’t ever be sorry for being alive,” he tells her brusquely. “You hear me?” Fugaku shakes her until she nods, even if it’s just to get him to stop shaking her, then he holds her tight. He doesn’t cry. Uchiha men don’t cry. But she knows inside he’s crying.

“Is he dead too?” she asks.

5) Best things in the life are free - ShieldQuake (Steve/Daisy)

Skye pulls a breath and grins at him, “What are you looking for?”

He scratches the back of his head, suddenly looking so much older than he physically is. “Your friend, Simmons, insisted I introduce myself to you.” Steve sighs and pulls himself up. “Look, I know my name is Steve, but I did come from the 1940s. But chances is,” he pauses and as he grapples for words that Skye knows the ultimate rejection would be, she only smiles at him and laughs, because Skye knows it softens the hurts even when the hope building in her is dying.

“It’s fine, Captain. Unless you have Mary Sue on as your soulmark, I’m pretty sure you’re not mine.” The words burn like acid between her teeth. She knows there’s a 90% probability that her soulmate wouldn’t have Mary Sue as their soulmark. Mary Sue is a name given by the nuns at the orphanage. Would it count? Darcy says it does but she wasn’t named by her parents before being placed at the orphanage and Skye knows this for a fact. She’s resigned herself to probably never finding her soulmate. How could she find her soulmate if she didn’t even know her first name?

There is instant relief on the Captain’s face. “Well, mine does say Daisy,” he offers an olive branch that Skye pounces on.

6) Falling slowly - ShikaSaku

In spite of all his denials, Shikamaru vividly remembers the first time he saw her. It was a warm autumn afternoon and he had been lying on that patch of grass sandwiched between the Yamanaka’s fields and the Nara’s forests. Ino was dragging her across the clearing, her pink hair was covering almost half of her face. Her eyes flickered from the ground to him and he remembers the sight and the exact shade of her green eyes.

But it was not that moment that he fell for her. If Shikamaru has to guess, it hadn’t been a single defining moment, but a collective series of them.

He drags his cigarette from his lips, blowing the smoke into the muggy night air. If he had to choose, he would have pick her over Temari. The choice has never been a difficult one, but Shikamaru could see. No, even a blind man could see that there is no space in her world for his feelings. To fight a ghost, albeit a living ghost but still with an absent tangible presence, would have been far too hard. Sakura has always been the sort to give her heart and soul to her precious ones and Shikamaru isn’t one of them.

Perhaps if he had noticed his own feelings earlier or reached out earlier. He sighs, taking another deep breath of the cigarette. In this world where their teams are their family and their family are their teams, Shikamaru wonders if things would be different had he pushed Ino to reconcile with Sakura earlier.

[oumakokichi]

I just realised that Ouma probably died while thinking that Saihara would be happier seeing Momota alive instead of him. And I just. I'm sorry okay.

I’ve often thought about the fact that pretty much everycharacter in Chapter 5 is much more appalled at the idea of Momota being theone under the press than Ouma. It’s something that’s sort of vaguely touched on—“Ouma”in the Exisal, likely according to script, does have a few tongue-in-cheekremarks about the fact that everyone would probably much rather him be deadthan Momota.

But it’s still something that’s not ever really fullytouched on. Even at the very end in the post-trial, when everyone finally knowsthe whole truth of the catbox and sees Momota alive and well with their own twoeyes, there’s sort of a distinct absence of grief over the general loss ofhuman life.

Of course, I understand very well that Chapter 5 wanted toparallel Ouma and Momota’s last moments, with Ouma choosing to die willinglyinside the catbox and remaining an enigma while Momota went out beloved byeveryone in a blaze of glory. I understand as well the fact that manycharacters had conflicting (to say the least) feelings about Ouma as a person.Up until the end, from their perspective, he was hostile, antagonistic, he tookcredit in front of all of them for awful, horrible things, and scared them allhalf to death.

Still, one of the most consistent points of Ouma’scharacter, the thing that’s most central to his moral code, is his distaste forkilling, period. Loss of life, any life, is something that Ouma himself veryclearly detested. Despite his act and all his facades, the loss of each andevery one of his classmate’s lives was something that very obviously hit himhard, as all the evidence from his motive video to his whiteboard proves lateron in Chapter 6.

Again and again, Ouma warns the group that they aren’t takingthe very real possibility of death seriously. He outs Maki as the SHSL Assassinprecisely because her talent is way too dangerous to run the risk of herkeeping that secret and doing as she pleases behind the scenes. He tries sohard to bring the killing game to an end himself because, from his perspective,everyone else seems to be doing nothing but trying to continue it. And when Makiultimately barges in and poisons him in Chapter 5, he’s appalled, asking herpoint-blank, “do you really enjoy killing thatmuch?”

Even if Ouma had been half the villain that they allbelieved him to be (and he definitely wasn’t), the almost noticeablenon-reaction to his death would still be a little bit… well, off-putting, in myopinion. Even Junko’s decision to execute herself warranted more of a reactionof shock and horror from the dr1 survivors. It’s just very hard not to feellike Ouma did make a few valid points about how little the loss of human lifegets taken seriously by the rest of the group, especially as long as it’ssomeone they don’t like.

By contrast, all the characters’ reactions to Ouma’s deathin Chapter 5, even when they know for sure that it’s Ouma who died, feel alittle more like non-reactions. Like, “oh, well I guess that certainlyhappened.” The idea of dying painfully and slowly from literal torture poisonand a hydraulic press simultaneously is enough to make them feel sick to theirstomachs when it’s Momota who they’re picturing dying, but suddenly seemsrelatively unimportant as soon as they know that it was actually Ouma.

A large part of this is actually lampshaded in the trialwhen Momota within the Exisal actually asks Saihara to back him up and prove tothe rest of the group relatively early on that Momota is alive and Ouma isdead, and Saihara literally can’t. He considers all the possibilities andevidence that they have currently, and he starts freaking out, saying he can’t. He wants Momota to be alive, Momota seems like the obviously “better”choice to be alive, and yet he just doesn’t see how it could be possible, goinginto such a state of denial that it shocks even Momota and forces him to goback to playing “Ouma” within the Exisal until everyone can piece the rest ofthe clues together.

Again, I do understand thematically why it was done. Oumawent out in the method of his choosing, and keeping his mindset and motives amystery to the end was part of what he wanted, too. It’s very telling that inChapter 5, blaming Ouma himself is always an option, in a very Umineko-like “blamethe witch” sort of way. Even at the very end, even after his death, Ouma givesthem the option to continue blaming him, to choose the “gentle lie” that he wasevil and horrible and a villain if that’s more comforting to them than theharsh, unchanging truth—the fact that the ringleader is someone they know andtrust within their group.

But it really is sad that most of the group genuinely justdoesn’t react to his death much. It’s not so much about the fact that they werehappier to see Momota alive. Obviously, Momota was their friend, an inspirationand a role model to many of them. It’s more about the fact that very few ofthem are actually saddened by Ouma’s death at all, or even horrified at thegrotesqueness of it.

Maki’s attempt to kill him with literal slow, painful,torture poison, and her willingness to throw absolutely everyone’s lives on theline at the school trial and get them allkilled, warrants little more than a slap on the wrist—no one in the groupactually gets mad at her or stays mad at her for this, or even brings it up atall after the trial is over.

And I can understand making some allowances for thinkingthat Ouma was the ringleader and the leader of the Remnants of Despair, butMaki did promise in front of the whole group not to try and kill Ouma, the sameway that Naegi and the dr1 survivors didn’t actually want to kill Junko, but to talk to her. And still, her recklessnessand attempt to murder not only Ouma but the entire group at the school trialhas no lasting consequences. None of the other characters mention it, everyoneacts as if being in love is a perfectly reasonable motive for murder, no oneeven seems particularly scared or afraid of being friends with her after thetrial is over with.

Asahina, who attempted pretty much the same thing because ofSakura’s death in dr1 Chapter 4, was still so appalled by her own actions whenshe realized how close she had come to killing everyone over a lie and amisunderstanding that she almost threw up. She apologized to the group atlarge, the whole group acknowledged her mistake, talked about it, and discussedthat Monokuma was the one who was really at fault, and it felt like the issuewas really being handled properly, rather than brushed under the rug entirely.

I wish that had been more of how things had gone in ndrv3Chapter 5, because it really does feel like none of the group take Maki’stalent as a SHSL Assassin or her disregard for human life seriously as apotential threat even when the entire point of her character is how recklessand dangerous she is.

Basically, Ouma is hardly a poor precious cinnamon roll: he’sa complex character who demonstrates morally gray behavior frequently, and whohas huge, glaring flaws even if he’s well-intentioned. But it is definitely hardto not feel kind of bad for him knowing that there was some truth to hisfrequent accusations that the rest of the group didn’t really care about humanlives as much as they claimed to.

His bewilderment at their willingness to make excuses formurder is rather understandable on some level when he gets choked on severaloccasions in front of all of them and the only reason anyone stops him fromdying is less because anyone thinks his life personally has meaning and morebecause they don’t want Maki to dirty her hands again.

The point with Ouma was certainly that, by isolating himselfso much from the entire group, he inevitably made himself into someone who wasimpossible for others to understand. And while part of this was his own desire,because of his paranoia and inability to trust, it also became a self-fulfillingprophecy of sorts, where he couldn’t trust them because they couldn’t trusthim, either. All of those things make thematic sense, but still… the fact thatmost of the group failed to revise their opinion of him even after his death (avery gruesome, horrible death which he went to willingly for the sake ofpreventing anyone else in the group from dying when he didn’t have to) willalways probably make me sad.

Anyway, I got a bit long with this ask without meaning to.It was an interesting point you brought up, anon (and a sad one), so I justwanted to share my thoughts in return. Thank you for stopping by!