#past sasusaku

[uchiwife]

𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗧𝗘.

“I'm not my brother.”

“I know.” Sakura replied, eyebrows furrowed. She was slightly confused by his words.

“I won't be a substitute for him.”

“I've never—”

“Are you sure about that? Because you were particularly obsessed with him before.”

Oh.

OH.

Anger rose in her. How dare he? Had she even given the impression that she was not sincere in her intentions? Sure, there were physical similarities, but that was it. They were very different. She knew it.

She clicked her tongue, annoyed. “I was twelve. I was just as obsessed with clothes, but I got over it. We all have a past, Itachi. Are you going to blame me for that too?”

Itachi stared at her for a long moment, an indecipherable glint in his eyes. He nodded once. “I apologize. I didn't mean to offend you. I just want to make sure you know what you want or rather who you want.”

Sakura was about to get angry, but suddenly she realized something. Itachi wasn't really trying to offend or hurt her, he was just concerned about the possibility of her using him to replace Sasuke. It would have annoyed her under normal circumstances, but she relaxed, a warmth spreading through her heart.

“Itachi, I promise you I'm done with your brother. You're the one I want. I love Sasuke, but not like this. He's a dear friend and I'll always cherish him because he's my family too, but I have feelings for you. Strong feelings. I want to be with you. Just you.”

[leportraitducadavre]

this sure needs more study but i think a big part of the problem with the "stans" of some female characters is that they hide behind the term "feminist" when their real interest is to prove their self-insert is "desirable". i mostly notice this particular behavior in the "shipper" portion of these fandoms, as the "wives" status of certain characters is measured based on how beautiful/powerful their husbands are. many of these shippers think that having a husband (specifically a handsome one) is proof that the female character of their choice is attractive and therefore "beautiful" because, let's face it, desirability is all this boils down to; even their need to show how "powerful" or "strong" they are (often by providing examples of how "superior" their fav is to other female characters) is more about them being recognized, admired, and desired by the male characters.

[geekthefreakout]

So, I haven't read Boruto, but I've been watching a few episodes here and there and I have to say (with the disclaimer that I've not watched all of it and also don't know what is anime filler and what isn't)...

Kodachi (and I assume Kishimoto as well) do a great job of making the endgame couples make some more sense, ESPECIALLY Sasuke and Sakura.

When the Naruto epilogue first came out, I (like many others) was frustrated and baffled by Sasuke and Sakura's relationship. Sasuke had never shown interest in her, and Sakura honestly deserved better than Sasuke. I took less umbrage with Hinata and Naruto, but still felt that their relationship was less of an organic development and more of a compulsory heteronormativity thing. I didn't really care about the other couples, with the exception of Shikamaru and Temari (ShikaTema being the only ship that I felt had chemistry the whole time).

Watching Boruto, though? I get it now. Kodachi develops their relationships and shows why these people are together. I was never a SasuSaku person, but I LOVE their scenes together, and I love how they co-parent (when Sasuke is in town anyway lol). Sarada has so much of both of them in her (I generally like her more than Boruto). AND despite my fears, these developments did not come at the expense of Sakura's badassery.

(We can talk about how Sasuke gets nerfed on another post smh)

[no-nic]

tip: you can fix any boring canon couple by making them t4t ❤️💜

[generisydtoo]

Splitting up Team 7....Let's get into it

Disclaimer❗️: I'm not trying to dog on anyone who makes alternate team headcanons for fun. I have my own thoughts ofc, but as long as you're truly not hurting anyone, it's not that deep. I'm sharing my thoughts on this since I've seen this take a few times over the years, but do with it what you will!

As always, you're free to share your thoughts! Just be sure to keep it respectful :)

Tbh, it baffles me when ppl say that Sakura (bc that's usually who's removed from the team in these takes) or anyone else on Team 7 would've had better development if they were assigned to a different team. I think people fail to consider that Team 7’s close, consistent proximity and becoming teammates was one of the key reasons why they were able to get past their initial impressions of each other and form a deep bond.

This is only one example, but as far as we know, no other team went on any dangerous missions like Team 7 did to the Land of Waves. Granted, that was an outlier since that mission was supposed to be a C rank; however, it was vital to their individual growth. It shaped their perceptions of each other as teammates and of the shinobi world as a whole. If Sakura, Sasuke, and/or Naruto were placed on a different team (assuming little-to-nothing else was changed in the series), I'd deem it unlikely that they would've grown to be the shinobi they became, although not as quickly.

If you want, you can view this through the lense of recent media, particularly the YA genre. There are many reasons why they tend to be set in middle/high school (though I think that's starting to change and expand, thank goodness), one of them being the outcomes of forced, consistent proximity.

The characters are placed in an environment where they're (more often than not) forced to interact; it's not like college or other settings where you can simply leave if you don't want to be there, especially without it being fair to others in your group. While it’s ultimately up to them to choose whether or not they want to become more than acquaintances with their classmate(s), their relationship has a higher chance of forming due to being consistently around each other.

The same applies to Team 7 and honestly, the other Rookie 9 teams. They were all placed on their teams- a learning and training environment with forced, consistent proximity- for a reason. Ino-Shika-Cho being placed together since they're THEE Ino-Shika-Cho trio (if any sensei had messed that iconic trio up....bless their hearts fr), and Team 8 all being trackers.

For Team 7, it was also so they could all learn and benefit from each other in some way. Naruto could benefit from Sasuke’s proficiency in ninjutsu, Sakura's intelligence, and both of their calmer personalities(give or take with Sakura) seeing as he got the lowest marks at the academy and misbehaved a lot. Sasuke could benefit from Naruto and Sakura's social and outgoing personalities seeing as he got low scores in cooperation and teamwork.

While Sakura performed well in her academics, she slacked greatly in anything pertaining to using physical strength. She could benefit from Sasuke and Naruto's taijutsu and battle skills seeing as she got low marks in taijutsu.

I think it's also worth noting that Sakura is a balance of their personalities while having her own. While she's not always on 10 like Naruto was, she was able to be social and upbeat and like him. She wasn't emotionally cold or nonchalant like Sasuke, but she was able to match his calmer "think first, act later" demeanor. Ofc, they've all had their moments and didn't act the same way all the time. I love that Team 7 can share one brain cell at times, lol.

As I said in the preface, I'm not trying to down anyone making alternate team headcanons for fun. That being said, it's just odd to me that people claim that placing them on different teams would suddenly "fix" their characters. Becoming a team was an integral part of their characterization, with each of them serving a unique purpose in one another’s growth. (This includes Sai too, though that may be a convo for another day.)

Like the title says, this was a starting "Let's get into it" post. I have more specific thoughts on this take, but these are my initial thoughts for now :).

Sources: The academy report cards are only in the physical fanbook. You can find an online transcription of it here and photo scans here!

[adelalovesmadara]

lmao i’m sorry but look what i accidentally found while going through random blogs and notes

2017, its been 5 years lol. you can check out your old self, i guess

Holy tomato wtf I don't remember.

I was eighteen but that... doesn't excuse much.

Thank you for this now I can cringe more at myself lol.

Quick doodle.

[brighteuphony]

I LOVE your Sakura AU, thank you so much for making it 🥹

Even though her ending is supposed to be “good”, I always thought that canon didn’t do her justice and threw any character development she had out of the window so she can be with Sasuke

I SO wanted her to finally move on and just let go

And I don’t have anything against Sasusaku

But I think it’d be much more beautiful if Sakura long let go of her feelings by the time Sasuke came to his senses and they developed their relationship TOGETHER from the START

And, once again, your work is AMAZING and I can’t wait for next pieces ❤️

Btw, can I ask a question?) Will we see Naruto’s and Sasuke’s reaction to her condition (maybe flashback to before she left the village?), if not, can you please tell me a bit about it? I can’t imagine them to ignore her after the incident, especially considering that they are at fault as usual

Thank you so much for the kind words! I've also never been a fan of how Sakura ended up. I have no beef with SasuSaku, but my biggest issue was that we never saw Sasuke try to make up/connect with Sakura in the same way we saw him do with Naruto, so their romance in Boruto just felt so...abrupt?

As for what happens to Sakura and her friends....

Sasuke was essentially put on probation/jailed, but broke out and defected to Otogakure as canon. This devastates Sakura, as she's both in deep denial about his contribution to her injuries and also the fact that she basically threw herself in there for nothing. Kakashi shuts down completely. It's a nightmare replay of his own past, including the female team-mate being horrifically injured by the chidori. The guilt of everything is eating him alive so he basically withdraws into himself and uses her demotion to civilian status as a way to trick himself into thinking that if he just 'rips off the bandaid' and cut ties, she'll be able to move on more easily.

Naruto is the only person who is really able/willing to face justice. After the incident, he was basically also put on probation/awaiting trial but busted himself out to join Jiraya.

So for context, Sakura got clapped hard by the Rasengan/Chidori combo (hearing gone, nerve damage, eyes shot etc) and basically had to be put in a coma to try and stop the damage from getting worse, but unfortunately none of the medics in Konoha had the ability to reverse anything but the most superficial damage. So Naruto joined Jiraya in an attempt to find and bring the only person in the world who could give Sakura a sliver of hope.

I felt like this worked well with canon and the desperation to get Tsunade to be hokage and Naruto basically begged her on his hands and knees to help Sakura. Tsunade made it there in the nick of time managed to save everything but her eyes.

But Sakura's life has fallen apart, her career is over, her parents dead from Konoha Crush and her eyes gone...and Naruto is the most convenient and available person to take out all her rage on, so...while he deserves a lot of that rage..she is essentially punching down on who she perceives to be the cause of all her problems.

Lee is in the same boat as her, but while he tries very hard to be there for her, Sakura can't stand to be with him right now, as it just makes the reality of life hit that much worse- especially when she finds out there's a surgery that might give him a better chance than she'll ever have.

And Ino visits often at first, but then it's awkward...and painful as the weeks go by. They have lunch and gossip but at some point, there's not much a shinobi and civilian have in common, especially after the shortage of manpower post Konoha-crush has Ino entrenched in the shinobi life more than ever before.

I hope this answered some stuff! Thank you so much for the questions and the interest! I love Sakura and I just wanna give her the development and power she deserves!!

[stu-dyingstudent]

Sakura Haruno fic recs: romance-centric

I, like many others, definitely enjoy a a good romance every so often. All of these recs are going to have the romantic development of the characters as the forefront of the story, so just because the fic includes a ship doesn't mean it will go on the list. That means, many of them might feel more on the slice of life side of the spectrum, but that's not the case for all!!

There is going to be a mix of ships here so if you're interested in one in specific then use the search feature!

Started: 2024.08.28

Last Updated: 2024.09.02

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

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To Build a Home - RedPowder || ao3 || E || kakasaku || canon divergence || ongoing

Sakura and Kakashi are assigned a mission that will change the path of their lives forever.

Kakashi and Sakura are forced to marry on orders from the village and I know that description sounds dumb, but trust me when I say this fic is gold. I've always had a hard time with kakasaku fics because I feel the whole teacher/student thing gets swept under the rug too easily, but that's not the case here. Their past relationship from team 7 is a glaring shadow over their marriage and the guilt over the whole situation weighs heavy on Kakashi. This mission isn't easy for either of them and it takes a lot of pull and tug to ensure things don't completely blow up. To Build a Home is probably one of my favorite takes on this ship as the portrayal feels realistic and the character feel accurate to themselves. Just give it a go!

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Approaching Sun - ANerdInAllHerGlory || ffn || T || sasusaku || blank period || ongoing

After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

Approaching Sun is probably one of the most realistic depictions of Sasuke and Sakura's relationship that I have read. This takes place during the blank period and references the novels, so it feels like an actual possibility of what went down. As much as I love them, I have a hard time believing that their relationship was smooth sailing and so I think this is an interesting take.

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The Fool - thekatthatbarks || ao3 || T || shikasaku || blank period || complete

Ino kicked at a pebble on the ground, her arms folded across her chest. “How long?” Shikamaru sighed and pulled the cigarette away from his lips. “The war." It was a lie somewhat. He’d liked her since they were kids but had simply ignored the budding crush expecting it to fade over time. It hadn’t and by the time the war came around, he accepted he would always carry it despite his increasing efforts to drop it. He’d tried drowning it in the river, burning it in a fire, covering it up with something else. But it was all to no avail. It stuck with him, always apart of him. “Have you ever told anyone? Chouji? Her?” "No."

I actually really like Shikamaru and Sakura as a pairing (or just working together in general); however, I haven't read much of them. The Fool was a great post-war read where with some meddling (curtesy of Ino) we get to watch the progression of their relationship into something more than friends.

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Nightmare in Red - Sariasprincy || ao3 || M || itasaku || non-massacre AU || complete

Haruno Sakura used to think the eyes were the windows to the soul, but after witnessing the horrors of the Sharingan firsthand, she's convinced they are the doors. It was pure chance that led Sakura to the discovery of the disease eating through Uchiha Itachi's lungs and now that she's aware, she knows she cannot just turn a blind eye. But how is she to treat the very man who tortured her while at the same time keep her nightmares from consuming her? That she doesn't know, but she knows she has to try, even if it nearly kills her in the end.

Itachi unintentionally captures Sakura in his mangekyou after being rolled into the hospital for her to heal. While Sakura tries to work through the impacts of the genjutsu she continues to work with him in an effort to cure him of the disease infecting his body. I actually really liked how the whole thing played out. Itachi's sickness was sort of a mystery in the original series and so I found it rather interesting to see what was done in regards to it. Anyway, I love their interactions and Shisui is (like always) a great character as well.

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Blind - ObsidianSickle || ffn || sasusaku || T || canon divergent || complete

It was almost time, Orochimaru was going to take his body as a vessel. He hated being used...he refused to be used. With that thought, he took the kunai in his hand and slashed across his eyes.

I won't lie, Sakura is pretty weak in Blind and the whole thing is super cheesy, but it's still an enjoyable read.

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Ghosts - ElegiesforShiva || ffn || sausaku || M || blank period || incomplete

In love and loss, it often comes back to family, and Team 7 had always been fated, hadn't they? Deny it as she may, Sakura finds her heart strung to them with an uncanny reverence and the weight of their ghosts. Sakura-centric. Heavy, heavy angst. Slow burn Sasusaku. Canon pairings. Lots of friendship feels. Eventual (consensual) lemon.

Ghosts is a pretty dark read where basically everyone is suffering. Sasuke and Sakura in specific have an especially hard time coping with their individual struggles yet they find comfort in each other. Check TWs before going in

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Home is Where the Heart is - DeepPoeticGirl || ffn || sasusaku || T || blank period || complete

And with every moment together, they get just a little closer, a little more comfortable with each other. Fall a little more in love. Post-war. Pre-epilogue.

This fic is actually adorable! Taking place during the black period we get to see how Sasuke and Sakura's relationship slowly progresses. If you've always wondered what their travels were like then definitely check this one out.

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In Times of Peace - SouthSideStory || ffn || sasusaku || M || blank period || canon divergent || complete

The war is over, and like Konoha, Team 7 has rebuilt itself from the ground up. Everything has changed, but Sasuke and Sakura remain much the same. Eleven years, she thinks, is a long time to be in love.

Sakura and Sasuke have like a secret relationship going on. Also, Sakura as a jonin sensei is so good!! I really wish that someone from the original cast actually went down that route, but whatever.

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Labyrinthine - FM_White || ao3 || itasaku || M || canon divergence || complete

ItaSaku (Post Uchiha Massacre) AU: Some things are destined to be. It just takes a couple of tries to get there.ItaSaku. Light KakaSaku.

I actually really liked how this was done as team 7 is still a family, Sasuke didn't lose his mind, Itachi picked a much more respectable path imo, and the characters are all adults.

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Only a Crush by Gingersoup || ao3 || kakasaku || M || canon divergent || complete

It was supposed to be an easy, fun night out. She never intended to wake up in her sensei's bed, half-naked and with no memory of what happened the night before! As she tries to unravel the mystery of that night, something sinister is growing beyond the walls of the Leaf Village... and what was only a crush spirals wildly out of control.

Sakura is unwillingly thrust into the world of illegal drugs, trafficking, and sex all while coming to terms with her new feelings regarding her former sensei. I typically don't like kakasaku, but I think this work is done tastefully well. The characters are both adults and the immorality of the relationship is not ignored, so be prepared for a lot of "we can't," "this is wrong," etc.. Anyway, Sakura is an absolute powerhouse and I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between all of the different characters and villages!

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Dreaming's End - thepiedsniper || ao3 || T || kakasaku || canon divergence || complete

Sakura didn't avoid the Infinite Tsukuyomi with the others, and all the events that happened afterward were simply the product of her dream-state. When Sakura finally wakes up from years spent in her personal "paradise," she must to learn how to start again. Kakashi is there to help her. ~*~ (TWs for genjutsu-related unreality)

Basically, imagine the entirety of Boruto was Sakura's dream in Infinite Tsukuyomi. When Sakura manages to breakout during the war she's left to deal with serious ramifications of the life she just lived. She finds herself constantly questioning what's real and Kakashi tries to help her through it.

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Mamihlapinatapai - FM_White || ao3 || E || itasaku || canon divergence || ongoing

Mamihlapinatapai・Yagan. (n.) a look shared by two people, each wishing that the other would initiate something they both desire, but which neither wants to begin In which Sakura tries her hardest to raise one hell of a rambunctious baby by herself, Sasuke is searching for something unknown, and Itachi is the uncle.

In another life where Itachi doesn't end up dying and instead tries his best to help Sakura raise his niece in Sasuke's absence. It's my head canon that everyone came together to help with Sarada just like they did for Kuranai, and so Mamihlapinatapi satisfies that thought for me. I like how Sasuke was criticized in this since as much as I understand the necessity of what he's doing, I also find it completely unfair to his wife and daughter. Itachi and Sakura form a great bond and it's all very domestic and just super fluffy all around, which I love.

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Louder than Words - SouthSideStory || ao3 || T || sasusaku || non-massacre AU || complete

Sakura hasn’t uttered a single word since the day her family died, but Sasuke is determined to hear her, one way or another. (No Uchiha massacre AU.)

Sakura gets taken in by the Uchiha family after Fugaku finds her on a mission. She's been mute ever since, but that doesn't stop her and Sasuke from forming a close bond.

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Snake Bound - shefalls || ao3 || E || sasusaku || canon divergence || complete

"You... took me with you." "That's what I said." "To Orochimaru. You took me with you, to Orochimaru." Sasuke nodded curtly and shoved the medical kit a little more insistently into her hands. Sakura accepted, and prayed to every known god that Orochimaru would ignore her existence. She should've known the gods don't listen. Now only on AO3. Sequel up.

What if Sasuke took Sakura with him like she asked? Snake Bound explores that idea and it's honestly a very uncomfortable read. Their relationship is based off of the isolation and dependency their new situation puts them in. All they really have is each other and the new bond that brings is not a healthy one.

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Armour-Sleeved Single Hit - thatdamnuchiha || ao3 || T || madasaku || time travel AU || one-shot complete

Sasuke always told Sakura she was weak. Even after she trained with Tsunade for years he only had eyes for Naruto whom he considered strong. She would forever be invisible to him no matter how many mountains she toppled.Being a member of Team Seven despite Sasuke’s refusal to acknowledge her meant she got herself into her fair share of sticky situations. Getting stuck a hundred odd years in the past had to take the cake though.But she was just a weak little girl and compared to the shinobi of old she’d be ridiculously pathetic. Sasuke had said she was weak to him – a modern day shinobi who hadn’t been forced into battle after battle like they did in the Warring Clans Era. Obviously she’d be nothing more than a spec of dirt in the eyes of the Founders.

Sakura manages to find herself in founding-era Konoha! While trying to prove that medical ninja are capable fighters she unknowingly gains the affection of Madara Uchiha. After all, the Uchiha find beauty in strength. Super cute read!

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Always You - alex-halcyon || ffn || T || kakasaku || age swap AU || complete

[AU. Age-swap] Kakashi x Sakura. From academy days to the third shinobi war and beyond, Kakashi and Sakura grow up and fall in love.

Basically, Sakura takes Rin's place on the old team 7. The progression between the character is quite interesting as it definitely isn't smooth sailing for Kakashi and Sakura. However, even through everything they find themselves drifting towards each other. Pretty cute imo.

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interim - stannide || ao3 || T || sasusaku || blank period || one-shot complete

Sasuke lives with Sakura in the weeks after the war.

Interim is such a wholesome read where Sasuke and Sakura rekindle their former relationship. Super fluffy

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Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Tozette || ao3 || T || sasusaku || blank period || one-shot complete

Sasuke is actually eighteen the first time he looks at Sakura and realises abruptly that he wants her.

I think we all know by now that Sasuke has always been attracted to strength, power, so why not when it comes to romance? Essentially, one day on a mission, Sasuke discovers he has a strength kink. Watching him continuously get flustered throughout the fic because of his admiration towards Sakura's strength is so entertaining. Really fun read

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the problem with how time works - MurderMittens || ao3 || E || kakasaku || generation swap AU || complete

"I don't remember you being this uncomfortable when Kakashi was nine and had a crush on you," Ino pointed out neutrally. "You thought it was flattering before." She moved to pour more wine into their glasses as Sakura exhaled sharply out of her nostrils. "Obviously! It was fucking cute when he was a kid! But now he's..." she trailed off, gesticulating feebly. Ino, taking pity on her, finished the sentence: "Now he's a stone cold hottie who looks and sounds like he'd murder the ever-loving shit out of your vagina."

Sakura and Kakashi's generations swap place and boy is it entertaining. With Naruto as his sensei, of course Kakashi has met Sakura. Now that she's back in the village after years, Kakashi decides to try his best to win her over.

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on still water - summersirius || ao3 || T || shisaku || canon divergence || complete

and sometimes, there are days without rain. —shisui/sakura

I'm actually devastated that the author decided to not pursue the plot line after about chapter 15 (it was so good too), but On Still Water is great nonetheless. Some really cute Shisui x Sakura moments

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never let 'em know your next move - MirrorImage003 || ao3 || T || itasaku || non-massacre AU || one-shot complete

six times itachi is surprised by sakura, and the one time he's surprised by his mother.

Sort of drabble style moments between Itachi and Sakura and it's honestly adorable.

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Hatsukoi - sparklyfaerie || ao3 || sasusaku || gen || non-massacre AU || complete

Sasuke leans away as the girl turns to him, and his mother doesn't need to be any closer to guess as to the expression on his face. The girl's body language changes in an instant, and Mikoto recognizes the posture of a little girl in love. It's kind of adorable.

Probably one of the cutest sasusaku fics I have read as Hatsukoi follows them from genin to marriage! It's told in multiple perspectives and it's full of tooth rotting fluff. You get to watch the slow progression of their relationship over time and how they grow even closer in Naruto's absence. Definitely read is you want something light!

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Send me some recs if you have any to share! I'm generally fine with any ship as long as the story is good :)

[mochiajclayne]

thoughts on sasusaku + sarada and their...family

Will start this out by stating that this is a combination of observation and analysis so take it with a grain of salt.

(If you like sasusaku/ss, this ain't for you so please do yourself a favor and scroll away.)

naruhina + boruto version.

This is definitely the most fucked up thing to ever come in fruition in the sequel and they weren't even justified in Gaiden. LMAO. 

Diving into this family's issue at hand, it's pretty much about Sasuke being an absent father and being away from his family for more than a decade--not to mention that Sasuke is able to freaking report to the Hokage but not even pay a visit to his family.

Gaiden was pretty much good at covering the topic already but let's break down how dysfunctional it is:

The lack of evidence signified about Sasuke and Sakura being married. We see pictures of Sakura and Sarada at important moments of her life but not a single wedding photo. Sarada pretty much asking Sakura if she's really Sasuke's wife is valid because she won't doubt from the beginning if there was telltale evidence supporting that information. There isn't.

The "family" photo. Sasuke was roughly seventeen in that photo, not to mention it's next to Sakura who is in her 30s at that point. Isn't it strange? No updated photo since they got married? What's fucked up is that she had to cover up the rest of Taka behind that photo. That raised more questions, specifically, Sarada asking who those people are and who is the one wearing glasses like she does.

And, yeah. The glasses thing. It was a simple yes or no question. Sakura saying that she doesn't know is inane because they had spent time as Team 7 in the past, not to mention the sporadic moment they see each other (Orochimaru's hideout, that bridge where she tried to kill him but failed), and during the war. I don't know where she's looking but Sasuke hasn't worn glasses at all and if she can't answer that simple question, that says more about her. Anyway, that fed the idea that she doesn't know a single thing about her husband at all and Sarada notices this. Naruto who was able to say information about Sasuke unprompted, pretty much what Sarada needed to hear--yeah, I know. Shocker.

Sasuke's first meeting with Sarada. I've seen enough takes about him being an absent father. I'm not disagreeing with that. However, I present another perspective: Sasuke doesn't even know what his daughter looks like even though it's been shown that he was in Konoha at the time that Naruto is already Hokage (which would mean Sarada would be around seven or eight years old) and Sakura is in that same room, too. You're telling me that she couldn't have at least fucking introduce Sarada and Sasuke to each other? It's easy to shift the blame to the absent father because he simply isn't there but when Sakura, who knows the mission and with uncertainties on its duration, couldn't have made the initiative to simply give the kid an assurance that yeah, this is your dad, he exists and to Sasuke, she's Sarada and she's seven and she wears glasses. If making them meet is too much, at least a fucking photo would suffice it. But no. Nothing of the sort coming from Sakura. Why? Because she's okay with Sasuke being absent. She doesn't see any issue with it.

Communication. This is a controversial take and I will keep it simple. If Naruto and Sasuke can communicate and contact each other, what's stopping Sakura from reaching out to Sasuke? Isn't she his wife? She could literally write her own letter and send it alongside Naruto's but no efforts had been made on that. This is the benefit of the doubt but if Sakura at least reached out, then it's up to Sasuke to either intentionally ignore that or respond to her. My point here is initiative--it has been shown time and time again that she can do that, we've seen instances of it in the prequel. Did she stop because she finally got what she wants and is content with whatever crumbs she could hold on to? 

Sarada's birth. The sketchiest of them all. Some people wrote excellent analysis on this so please do check them out. My two cents on this is Orochimaru discussing cloning to Naruto and pretty much piquing Sarada's curiosity about the concept (which later on led to DNA testing as courtesy of Suigetsu). Sasuke pretty much reacted this way:

Usually, ellipsis in media is used when the character is pondering/thinking about something. It also represents speechlessness or a pause. Now tell me, if Sarada's birth isn't sketchy and was in some sort of way, normal, why did Sasuke casted that wayward side glance? The entirety of Gaiden as well as this page was meant to make the readers question Sarada's conception. For a backstory, Kishimoto sure left more questions than answers.

Everything is unconventional like Sakura not keeping the umbilical cord and Karin has it instead, no records at Konoha Hospital when Sakura works there and can coordinate with the proper department/s to handle paperworks, traveling while pregnant (ma'am you are a medic-nin, make it make sense), etc. I will leave this as it is, again, it has been discussed extensively by various blogs here.

In conclusion, even in adulthood, Naruto and Sasuke knows each other best. They become expert parents (at least) around each other's kids. In a fucked up way, I think it's a silent cry for help aka look I'm good with your kid and we could've been good parents together but we were forced into these marriages.

Sasusaku ended up canon but it still doesn't change the fact that Sakura knows little to nothing about Sasuke to the point that Sarada picked up on that and even threw it at her face. At the end of the day, Naruto remained as the one and only that knows Sasuke's heart best.

[sakuraspages]

Sasusaku snippet #1

[Sasuke in Naruto's office, late at night, a month after coming back from Redaku]

"I need arrangements for the next mission," Sasuke says, and he looks unusually nervous.

It's not like Sasuke to be worried when asking for a favor, especially when he asks Naruto. He usually doesn't even ask and does whatever he wants and lets the Hokage’s office deal with the consequences. But this time he seems concerned, and Naruto listens carefully.

"I don't want to be away for several months at a time anymore," Sasuke says. "A few weeks maximum. And I'll need to be off next July."

Naruto blinks. Sasuke never asks for time off. Over the past decade he has accumulated a year's worth of paid vacation, and he didn't seem to even be aware they existed.

"Are you ok?" Naruto asks with a worried frown. "What's going on?..."

Sasuke nods. To Naruto's surprise, he smiles slightly. "Yeah… Sakura's pregnant."

Naruto blanks for several seconds. "What- Right now?"

"Yeah."

"Is it yours?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes. "Obviously."

Naruto smiles but he shakes his head. "Is that what you were doing in Redaku? I was here dying and you guys were being horny like teenagers instead of working?"

Sasuke doesn't reply. It was thrilling to spend time with Sakura away from the village and work together again. He did love how close they became again, even if they apparently got slightly too close. He has no regrets.

"How's Sakura?" Naruto asks.

"She's fine. We're happy about it. But I don't want to be away as much as I was for Sarada."

Naruto nods and leans back in his chair. "Aaah I'm so happy for you guys! I can't believe you're gonna do diapers again though, I'm so over it, you know."

"Don't tell anyone yet, Sakura wants to wait before we tell everyone."

"Oh no! You know I'm terrible at keeping secrets!"

"I can't believe you're still Hokage."

"Shikamaru keeps all the secrets, he doesn't tell me anything."

"That's even worse."

[peppercornpress]

My Favorite Night (Chapter 20)

Ratings: M

Pairings: (NaruHina, light NaruGaa/HinaGaa, past NaruSaku, barely-there SasuSaku, KankuNatsu, ShikaTema)

I drew so many baby Borutos at the start of drawing stuff for MFN... (Can't believe it's been like...a year since I drew this. MFN took WAY longer than originally planned) This is the first baby boruto I drew and it shows lolol. He doesn't even look like a newborn but ah, oh well.

[pandoraimperatrix]

Beyond Love

SasuSaku | 3k w | Blank Period| Hurt/Comfort | Read on AO3

Beyond love This man comes to me Heartbreak did this He was made to believe That he should live without it All I know's what I see No change in this Visions born in the dreams Of a world left without it

She was the same. Painfully so. Gloriously so.

In their first stop, helping to build a well in a tiny village on the border of Land of Fire and Land of Rivers, she had befriended every single worker and their mothers. He had never eaten so well in his lonely travels as he did since she joined him.

While peasant wives and mothers avoided his scary figure – a far cry from the attention he used to receive when he was a teenager – they were always all too grateful to his charming companion. And after the good doctor fixed all sorts of health problems their children, husbands and elders may be suffering from; the village women were all too happy to spoil Sakura with delicious food since she didn’t take money.

As they sat there, under the shade of a tree sharing their meal, from his darkness he observed her. It was not for the first time, once upon a time a habit from childhood that he hated in himself, sprouted back to life as if the long winter of half a decade never happened.

Sakura, in soft greens and the loveliest of pinks, spring made flesh, even after two weeks on the road with him.

She caught his gaze, and for once, Sasuke did not avert his eyes, hoping that the heat on his face wasn’t so noticeable, and feeling quite human, quite inadequate.

Her smile so freely given, the warmth of her feelings so obvious. How did she do that? And why? After everything he had done to her… After everything he had put her through…

And how did she make it look so easy to keep moving forward, to just... just live?

His jealous heart ached, his cursed eyes lowered, because he knew, it didn’t matter how long he stared, that was a skill he would never master.

***

“I can’t love you, do you understand, Sakura?”

Her smile didn’t fade instantly, but her ramble died in midsentence suffocated by the soft ruffling of the trees surrounding them.

Sasuke stared down at her, cheeks paling, plump lower lip only giving the tiniest of quiver before she took a ragged breath, composing herself.

He had once heard that Tsunade hid her real face under a jutsu. Others judged her vain for that, Sasuke, on the other hand, understood the ingenuity behind it, especially now, that his own appearance reflected better the evil in his past, and he wondered… Was Sakura’s dull eyes and gash-like smile also artifice?

And if so… what was she hiding?

“There is someone else?” she finally answered with her own absurd question, her voice small, but firm.

Sasuke who, unlike her, had fought all his life to hide his burning emotions behind an stoic facade, lost his composure , what kind of laughable answer with an question was that?

“What?” He scoffed, his body moving on its own accord to face her, breaking into her personal space as if they were about to start exchanging blows “don’t be stupid.”

In that fleeting moment, anger and frustration bubbling under his skin, he couldn’t decide what was worse: did she understand the reason beneath his question? And if she did, didn’t she care? Was she mocking him? Or she simply didn’t understand, and her own question was genuine? And if she didn’t understand at all why was she with him? Why was she doing that to herself? Why was she letting him hurt her again?

She looked amused at his reaction, throwing him in deeper confusion.

What had this disastrous conversation had become?

He had meant well, he was just trying to warn her. Couldn’t she see it?

Someone else?

Ludicrous.

“Oh… I see,” she said simply and smiled again, this time reaching her eyes, that he kept staring at with his own perturbed frown and twitching insides. He had forgotten that since from when they were children, sometimes Sakura made him feel… uncomfortable. 

Sakura lowered her face, staring at her feet, Sasuke’s frown deepened holding back to what was about to come, what would have come if she made any sense. He felt a little sorry for calling her stupid, but it wasn’t in his nature to apologise (and Sakura was already fortunate enough to have been on in the receiving end of his voiced regret), and, on top of that, he was somewhat offended by her question.

Where the hell had that come from?

Did she really understand him so little?

“This is a mistake,” he finally blurted out rubbing his face with his hand and taking a vacillating step back.

“You invited me, Sasuke-kun,” now she sounded at least a little angry. With anger he could deal, he was not used to being on the receiving hand of hers, but still was something different from her latest mindboggling reaction and honestly insulting question.

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No,” his answer came fast, too fast and filled with frustration. She didn’t understand, nobody did. The dobe got close, but still missed the mark and Sakura…

Sakura was biting her lip, staring at him with glossy green eyes, and it occurred to him that something broken could be so beautiful.

“Forget it,” he said and turned his back to her suddenly desperate to move, not daring to look back, half fearing, half expecting that, for once, she would pick herself between the two of them, terrified and hopeful that she would leave.

But she stayed.

And Sasuke found out that, thanks to that, could breathe easier.

***

Sakura was shivering, and even in clear distress, she conjured images of flowers in his head, a late flowering cherry tree shaking under the power of a summer rainstorm.

How could someone be so annoying even when they were asleep?

Not only she had taken her sweet time washing in the stream – he couldn’t understand the need since she still smelled like strawberries to him – and laid obnoxiously far from the bonfire he had lit.

At least she hadn’t bothered trying to keep the first watch like she sometimes would despite his refusals, and sometimes she would try to keep him company, babbling half the night away until sleep made her start bobbing head on his shoulder.

A moan escaped from her lips and she shivered again, Sasuke sighed and rose from where he was sitting, he fell to one knee, not quite sure of what to do. Should he wake her? Scold her for lying in the cold?

Sakura fussed in her sleep. How could she sleep so heavily knowing he was there? How could she trust him? She rolled to her back, arm arching around her head, threads of pink hair falling on her pink lips. Sasuke gulped and pulled his poncho over his head before covering her with it. She latched on it so fast his heart raced fearing being caught, but she remained deep in dreams, now contently wrapped, face pressed on the dusty knit, still warm from his body.

Sasuke stretched his lonely hand to her rosy cheek, but retreated before touching her, he stood up, and when back to his place by the fire.

***

“Sakura, are you done?”

“Just a sec, Sasuke-kun!”

He crossed his arms and took a deep breath, half-delighted, half-regretting it when his nostrils filled with her sweet strawberry scent still hanging to his poncho.

The cadence of her voice reached him first surrounded by male voice. Annoyed, Sasuke turned around. She was coming towards him, but walking half-turned backwards still trading pleasantries and advises with the young master, son of the local nobleman of the village they had stopped to aid, this time separately, Sasuke had helped fixing a mill while Sakura was being interviewed by scholars interested in her medical work and first hand account of the war.

He could have called her out again, he could have done many other things, but he let her walk directly into him.

Her body wasn’t exactly soft, not with the kind of build she naturally had or the kind of life they lead, and still… Guilt and pleasure spread from the place on his chest where her hands rested radiating to his entire body, like fire in dry woods.

“Oof, sorry, Sasuke-kun,” blushing prettily, like she did most things, she didn’t push away immediately, and Sasuke, beyond his best efforts, lowered his face just slightly, like a sunflower obliged to face the sun.

And then, he remembered the other man, moving slightly to send a warning look over Sakura’s shoulder.

***

“I should buy a poncho, too,” he didn’t answer, just continued sharpening his sword by the fire. “Where did you get yours?”

“A family friend.”

“Oh,” he waited for the next question, it was almost funny watching her struggle to ask him that could be a sensitive topic.

Once upon a time, Sasuke hated when people prodded in his business, he still didn’t care for it in the slightest. Twelve years old Sakura was always asking him the most annoying and useless things. He had no idea why his favourite colour mattered so much back then. And he regrettably could remember some instances in which her interrogation inadvertently touched memories from his past leading to spikes of anger. Since not only some memories hurt because they were sad, but there was those he tried to keep buried in some sacred place inside him, because they were good and somehow hurt even worse for being of a life that didn’t belong to him anymore.

“Can I meet them?”

“To buy a poncho?”

Her eyes glittered reflecting the fire as a smile curved those pink lips.

“It isn’t fair that I keep using yours.”

He found out that he didn't mind Sakura meeting the Neko-baa, but hated the idea of her getting her own poncho, because that meant his would stop smelling like too sweet strawberries.

“I don’t mind.”

And for a moment he didn’t let his guilt sour the warm feeling bubbling in his chest as he watched her face morph in surprise and then elation.

“That’s very kind of you, Sasuke-kun.”

***

He was in a bad mood.

Which, to be fair, wasn’t nothing new.

Sakura was ignoring him, well, as much as she could manage considering it was her and it was him.

Usually, ignoring him when Sasuke was in a bad mood was the best call. He even appreciated that, after a month traveling together, Sakura picked his cues and learned to just leave him alone until he initiated interaction again. Usually with some non-verbal behaviour, he would sit next to her by the fire or do something nice like mending her clothes.

After that time he told her he could never love her and she didn’t leave, he even took money for his work only so he could buy her dango, he felt ridiculous the whole time, but it was still worth it.

But this time ignoring him wouldn’t work, it wouldn't work because he wasn’t just in a general bad mood because of the weather, or because of pain in his arm, or because of a rude villager, not even his night terrors and flashbacks were the reasons, no, he was in a terrible mood, because of her.

They took a boat to the Hidden Mist, the idea was keep going east, Sakura was excited, couldn’t stop talking about how she didn’t know a thing about the Far East and how much research she could do and learn.

Sasuke just wanted to leave the Land of Lightening, people still remembered his wrongdoings there and, although he damn well deserved whatever way someone might to try to get revenge on him, Sasuke wasn’t alone anymore.

And Sakura had nothing to do with his sins.

It was as if he knew a storm was coming. He woke up queasy again, seasick, he heard Sakura chatting with a cabin boy the night before, and that had put him in even a fouler mood that only eased a little when she probably noticed his annoyance and followed him down to the cargo hold (where they were sleeping) and offered to help.

He tried to refuse her, still deeply irritated that one: his body was failing him in such an embarrassing manner; two: she was chatting about his weakness carelessly to complete strangers.

“Sasuke-kun, don’t be childish, seasickness is very common, you’re acting it’s like a horrible character flaw,” she said rolling her eyes and sitting beside him on a heavy wooden trunk.

“Fine.”

He expected her to do something about his stomach, it was where he felt the discomfort after all. Sasuke didn’t expect Sakura to get so close, and he couldn’t help but flinch when her hands approached his face, but she didn’t look offended, just smiled, always so understanding, and then, the rough pads of her fingers pressed against the bones close to his ear canal, Sasuke held his breath, suppressing the misguided urge to close his eyes and lean in.

Green chakra glowed softly making her eyes gleam in the penumbra, the ringing in his ears, that Sasuke didn’t even notice that was driving him crazy stopped, and the sickening feeling in his stomach eased first a little, and then all at once.

“Better?”

Sasuke breathed in slowly, under the salt, the fishy sea smell... strawberries.

His lone hand floated on its own accord, and he watched as his forever blood stained fingers dared to touch the precious threads of pink hair from her eyes.

“Thank you.”

The words had barely left his lips when, from the cockpit, shouts and battle sounds broke.

Pirates attacked, and for a brief golden moment everything seemed to be perfect as she fought alongside him.

It didn’t matter how broken he was, she was the best mednin in the world, surpassing Tsunade, there was little she didn’t have a cure for, and for what there was no fixing, she accepted him for what he was, didn’t her? Had she not proved it time and time again? She wasn’t like Naruto, trying so hard to force him to go back to some brief idealized past… No, since the beginning, she had always offered to meet him where he was, he had been the one to use the last scrape of decency to deny her.

But now…

Of course he didn’t deserve her, of course she deserve so much better than him, but as they moved side by side, it felt right, it felt good.

And then, she took a blow that was for him.

Her heart, the one she had given to him, unrequested, undesired, undeserved, stopped.

Sasuke stood there, his past and future, it was always the same. It would be always the same.

In his despair, the chidori cracked in his hand, but before it could reach its destiny the black threads spread from her forehead through her chest, like his cursed mark in the past.

Green eyes reflected the dying thunderbolt in his hand as Sasuke turned his back on her and finished the fight, freeing the ship from the pirates and providing the crew with safe journey.

***

“Sasuke-kun?”

He had seen her wasting her already depleted chakra reserves healing crew members and even some of the captured pirates after the battle, he had said nothing, but he hadn’t need to.

“Sasuke-kun?” She called again, and he hated it, he hated the concern in her voice, hated the part of him that still was somewhat afraid that this was somehow an illusion, that the sort of miracles she pulled didn’t truly happen, and if they did, they didn’t happen to him and to the people he cared about. She died in the cockpit just moments ago, he had seen it, he had caused it. “Wait!” He stopped his brisk walk when her hand reached his arm. “Are you hurt?”

Sasuke scoffed.

“Sasuke-kun, you are shaking…”

“You are going back to Konoha.”

“What? But we are going Far East-“

“No,” he turned to face her and grabbed her by the shoulder; he would shake some reason into her if he had to. “We’re not going anywhere, Sakura. You are going to Konoha.”

Sakura’s face morphed from worried to dignified anger as she absorbed his words.

“No.”

“No?” He, repeated, contempt dripping from his voice.

“No,” she stood her ground, unafraid.

Sasuke took his hand off her, clenching it. How could she still be so unreasonable?

“Sakura-“

“No, Sasuke-kun, listen to me, because I will say it as many times as I need until it sinks into this thick skull of yours,” she sucked a breath in and stared hard into his mismatched eyes, “I love you,” Sasuke opened his mouth, he couldn’t believe she was starting that again.

“No,” she rose a finger, “don’t you interrupt me, I’m talking, I love you. And this isn’t a curse, I won’t die tomorrow out of the blue, there is not tragedy coming towards us. Also, this isn’t some silly babbling from a stupid genin that doesn’t know better. I love you. It’s a fact. You can doubt all you might, you can tell me to leave, to go back home and never see you again. You can run far beyond east, go on, use your rinnegan, open a portal to the moon it still will be true there that I love you. You can’t stop it. No one can.”

He didn’t speak after that, what could he say?

Sakura healed his wounds in silence, but before leaving to the cockpit again, she added:

“You said you can’t love me. Whatever, Sasuke-kun. If you truly believed that I don’t think you would have invited me to come with you, or would be so worked up over what happened in the fight. I won’t pressure you into anything, but when you feel like it, you know you can talk to me.”

She was about to be out of reach when he asked in a small voice:

“Don’t you get exhausted?”

Sakura turned to him.

“Of what?”

“Me.”

She smiled and walked back to him. Sasuke just stared, suddenly feeling exposed and raw despite being her the one to had exposed her heart for him to see and do what he might. Sakura touched his face, and Sasuke’s lids trembled shut, his last defence gone.

“I love you,” she said as if it was the easiest, most simple thing in the world.

We really wanna know Beyond love All I know is what I see and I can't live without this Could you ever believe beyond love?

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

Happy birthday to the birthday boy (Sasuke) and to the birthday girl (ME!)!!

This fic came through an epiphany, I’ve always understood Sasuke, we share more than a birthday, you see, but Sakura, Sakura was always hard to figure out. I was always very angry with Sasuke, shad real tears, honest. But I did get him and why he did the things he did. I could never fit in my brain why Sakura kept loving him though and then… I don’t need to understand. People don’t love “because”, love is beyond reason. And I’ve decided that I’d try to apply that to myself a little, but it is okay if I don’t always succeed. I’ve been just like Sasuke all my life, since birth one could say, p’untended, but I should be like Sakura too, and love myself, my Sasuke-self, beyond reason, beyond the C-PTSD, autism, ADHD and all the other brain fuckery.

Oh, and Beyond Love of one of my favourite bands in the world, Beach House, helped a lot to give body to the idea of this fic. I recommend not only Depression Cherry that got a little famous thanks to TikTok but all the other albums too, I’m really partial to Devotion and Bloom.

If you liked the fic and read the oversharing leave a comment, it will make my (birth)day!

[loveforuchiha]

A list of some Sasusaku fanfics you can read on AO3 and fanfiction:

Accidental Kiss by maybecaroline (It's in fanfiction)

Summary: Sasuke and Sakura have been best friends since they were kids, but one incident changed everything.

Laying the Groundwork by wolf08 (It's in AO3)

Summary: Sasuke and Sakura are both ready for physical intimacy, but neither is willing to make a move until the other expresses where their feelings stand. The catch is that neither knows how to express where their feelings stand.

An Inch of Gold by KuriQuinn (It's in fanfiction)

Summary: Team 7 (Genin) is sent on a mission to investigate a disturbance, where they encounter an unconscious girl (Sarada) in a crater. When the team discovers she possesses a Sharingan, things become even more unbelievable.

Home is where the heart is by DeepPoeticGirl (It's in fanfiction)

Summary: with every moment together, they get just a little closer, a little more comfortable with each other. Fall a little more in love.

Beyond Control by maybecaroline (It's in fanfiction)

Summary: It was that kind of love that one can expect from being a teenager. A typical crush on the most popular guy in the school. She silently begged for his attention. But it all changed when he became her classmate.

Cooties by KuriQuinn (It's in fanfiction)

Summary: as the years inch by, the competition between them becomes more and more apparent. It's entirely good-natured on Sakura's side, but Sasuke is as intense in his dislike of her as he is in his love for his brother and parents.

Reacquaintance by thisthatfictions (It's in fanfiction)

Summary: Something different stirs in Sasuke as he navigates rebuilding his relationships, his reputation, and himself. What stirs him the most is the pink-haired medic who stands by him the whole way. [It has no end]

A Twist in Time by wolf08 (It's in fanfiction and in AO3)

Summary: With Konoha on the verge of destruction, Sakura is sent on a last-resort mission to save her world by travelling to the past.

[lacrazywriter]

Current SasuHina Read I believe you should give a shot: English

Current/ Updated in 2024

Unexpected by LadyThunderstorm42

This Fic is after the war and Hinata was in a relationship with Naruto but he messed up, now she's rediscovering herself and that includes a new love.

The Author Post frequently -In Progress-

2. Glass Tears (Rewrite) by Hinata 6

NaruHina & SasuSaku Marriage. but they don't work out. Divorce and finding themselves and then finding each other. There was another one, by the same name but the author decided to do another version, both are good, but obviously the rewrite offers something more. Also, something I don't see in most of the fics is that Hinata falls in love first.

The author posts frequently -In Progress-

3. Differently By axsce

Modern AU: Hinata divorces Naruto after she finds out he's been cheating on her, they have a son. Sasuke and Sakura are also divorced and are on amicable terms they have a daughter. Hinata needs to navigate the details of her divorce while meeting people in a new way and becoming more.

The Author tends to post frequently -In Progress-

4. UNDERBELLY by Angel222you

Modern AU Spy and Mafia. This story is a ride, but it is such a good read. Hinata tends to discover so much about herself in these missions, Sasuke also finds what he really wants even when everything seems so clear. I love how the characters are portrayed while true to themselves but with complexities.

I posted the link the author has the fic both in Fanfiction and A03. The last one she posts more currently. -In Progress-

5. Pray That The Trees Will Get Their Leaves Soon by Midnight's Violet Gaze

Sharin their past Sasuke & Hinata get drawn to each other. -Slowburn- well written, kinda feel good fics.

-In Progress-

6. The Princess Rabbit and The Black Panther By Ginko chan's Sugar Content

-Omegaverse- Typical the hunter falls in love with the prey, really good, kinda sensual, and funny writing. Currently has one chapter, but it is enough to leave you wanting more.

-In Progress-

7. Bento by Behla

This fic is for the feels, just another approach of Sasuke and Hinata growing up and finding friendship after the Uchiha massacre. What started out as an obligation became something more substantial.

-In Progress-

8. The Cut That Always Bleeds by HinaChou

I need this author to finish this fic ASAP because it is so good.

Modern AU. NaruHina's relationship with past NaruSaku that shadows their relationship. Hinata travels abroad and meets Sasuke who's instantly attracted to her.

-In Progress-

9. Set Me Free by MinatoKunFF

Warning: Infidelity. Good ole' forbidden love due to marriage. Excellent read, hot, the tension is palpable throughout the writing.

-In Progress-

10. A Matter of Choices by InoLovesMadu21

A traitor and a Kunoichi find common ground on these existential questions they have and maybe together they discover something...

-In Progress-

Hope you give a shot to these recommendations. These fics have been updated this year. So there is a chance that the author is still around to not abandon the Fic.

[daifukumochiin]

Summary: Sasuke's orderly life at elite Sairiumu Academy is disrupted by the arrival of Hinata, a timid transfer student whose obvious crush on him, a young man dedicated to his craft and his current relationship, stirs unease. (Initial SasuSaku with SasuHina endgame, modern Norse myth AU, high school, angst, romance, photography, postmodern-ish fic). Rated T

LIGHTS,

BOWS, and

MISTLETOES

an entry for SasuHina Month 2024, Day 27 : Forget and Remember

(for peachy-hina, since December)

@sasuhinamonth

ffnet: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14369143/1/Lights-Bows-and-Mistletoes

ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/57030778

Part 1: Lights

go to Chapter List>

vi

He was sorely mistaken to think anything he said to Hinata would make a difference.

He’d been agonizing over Inuwashi’s theme: mood boards that lacked spark, books, and magazines strewn about in his office; he just couldn’t find inspiration. But it was high time he made up his mind. 

To go above and beyond, things have to be right at the onset. Neji entrusted him with that much. He shouldn't steer the club publication aimlessly, taking up whatever social issue seemed relevant, slapping random pretty photos into one collection, submitting it for the Kage Jinkoutekina Radiance Capture Merit Prize Competition, and calling it a day. 

Sairiumu's Photography Club's inception can be traced back to a small group of visionary students who, driven by a passion for documenting and preserving history, embarked on a journey to capture the essence of their era through the lens of a camera. Over time, this led to archives that date back 300 years, amassing a rich tapestry of visual history that chronicled the evolution of culture, society, and technology of former Konoha, now Metro Konoha.

Indeed, the archives are the Photography Club's pride and heritage, and Sasuke's predecessors didn't shy away from utilizing its treasures for older issues of Inuwashi. Even so, it didn't win them a Kage-Jin, as it is fondly called in the photography world. He studied previous winner publications and found two common traits: a stronger theme, and high aesthetic value. 

To clear his mind, he took a week off school—a privilege he has as club president—and went hiking along the mountain trails of the Konoha Natural Reserve. He ached for the serenity and the scenery by the lakes; animals are also easily his favorite subjects. Convincing an increasingly distrustful Sakura to let him go solo backpacking for a week had taken great pains so it came as a bitter disappointment when he found the trails packed with tourists. 

Though he managed to take pictures and enjoyed the view, he wasted his time when he returned that Monday, the day of the qualifying exhibition for aspiring new members, without a solid theme still. Adding to this stress was seeing Hinata Hyuuga’s name on the list of participants who made submissions. Had he not taken a week off, he could’ve rectified this mistake with the recruitment committee early on, not during the exhibition proper when he strode at noon where it could be unseemly.

“Are you sure you checked all of these names?” said Sasuke, his tone dripping with accusation. Already, he could feel stiffness returning to his muscles, the pressure steadily increasing at his nape. 

Tenten tilted her head curiously, taken aback. “What do you mean? We’ve checked everything twice. All these names have their entries inside with designated bead urns all accounted for.” There had been a case of hacking during online voting in the past, so the recruitment committee took to devising creative means year after year.

“Isn’t there a master file that shows the exhibit numbers with the names? Show it to me,” he demanded, his nostrils flaring as he kept his anger simmering at a level. If he were to ask directly which one is Hinata Hyuuga’s, he would seem more suspicious. All entries were identifiable only by their assigned number.

Tenten hesitated for a moment, her brows furrowing slightly at the unusual request. “I’m sorry, Sasuke, but that file is strictly confidential. Only I, as committee club head, have access to it.”

Sasuke raised a brow. “I’m the president…” He let the sound of the title hang in the air and when this didn’t seem to convince Tenten, he added: “Read the club rule book. There are exceptions given to the club president.”

“But that’s how I’ve been instructed by the upperclassmen before I assumed office. Only I can know the master list–”

“I do things differently,” he replied. “It’s crucial that I understand the quality of this year’s candidates. Besides, I’m not going to vote.”

“You can, though.” Tenten remained skeptical and avoided his eyes, much to Sasuke’s irritation.

He let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. He ought not to make a scene, not in the open where teachers and other students could be out and about. Reminded of this, Sasuke regained his calm. 

“I’m not interested in who makes it,” he assured her, “I’m only interested in what they can do and how they think. Now, show me!” He held out his hand impatiently.

Tenten looked up, a hint of concern crossing her features. “Fine,” she replied cautiously, unlocking her tablet and handing it to Sasuke. “But please understand, the file contains sensitive information.”

Satisfied that he got what he wanted, he sent Tenten and the others to take a break. As he scrolled through the master file, he realized why Tenten was so protective of it. The document contained sensitive details like family background, home addresses, and contact information. And, truly, it hadn’t been an error on the recruitment committee's part— Hinata Hyuuga unabashedly made a submission, despite all that he said.

Exhibit #67: Hinata Hyuuga 

Father’s Name: Restricted Data

Mother’s Maiden Name: Restricted Data

Home Address: Restricted Data

Past her other personal information, equipment used, and post-processing details was the brief description of her entry:

Mourning doves are everywhere, so commonplace that they fade into the background. Does it make them unworthy subjects? Who truly notices them?

All Sasuke needed to remember was the number sixty-seven. He could easily make up a reason to disqualify her, but his curiosity got the better of him. Who is she really? Why is her family information classified? What made her different from the others? Maybe her photo would give him some clues into her psyche.

He slipped into the exhibition hall, his ears straining for any hint of approaching footsteps, and moved in with deliberate care, avoiding any noise that might draw attention. To his surprise, he found Neji Hyuuga standing by entry number sixty-seven, his hand deep into an unlocked bead urn which would then be weighed at the end of the day to determine which top fifty new members got the most votes via porcelain beads. 

How he got the key, Sasuke could only guess. Such a lowly crime that Neji Hyuuga is forced to commit. 

Whatever his reasons were for pocketing in some beads for Hinata Hyuuga’s urn to lose some weight, Sasuke carefully took another turn and pretended the second time that he had just arrived.

“Neji, what brings you here?” 

Sasuke adjusted his manner to be more casual, easier to play untarnished by the curse of knowledge of Neji’s crime. He couldn’t help chance a glance at exhibit number sixty-seven, of mourning doves bathing in a puddle on the side of the road, their wings as though ballerina arms outstretched, their faces of satisfied bliss while cast on the reflection of the murky water were the faces of preoccupied pedestrian impatient to get to their destination. 

Neji paused at the sight of Sasuke and smirked in that regal, smart-alecky way of his. “If I didn’t know you any better…” His smile then slipped into a pensive frown. “There’s no shame in doing what’s best for the club. Better believe me when I say this one getting the most votes is bad news.” 

Sasuke perused Hinata Hyuuga’s photo some more. “The most votes you say? Surely none in this row.” He then looked at Neji and half-smiled, assuring a mentor and friend that he’ll keep silent about it regardless of the underlying reasons.

Neji smiled back in mutual understanding. “Let’s go out to dinner sometime. After my exams.”

“I’d be delighted,” replied Sasuke. “But… would you mind if I ask why?” 

Neji went around the other entries to drop some voting beads on the ones he deemed somewhat palatable. “It’s best to avoid some people, Sasuke,” said Neji. “They might look normal… speak normal for the most part. But somewhere along bits and pieces here and there, you’ll realize it’s better not to get entangled with such certain people even if they’re family—maybe especially if they’re family. You’d be more careful not to be associated with such kinds of people.”

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[madara-fate]

Hello, I know you don’t read sasusaku fanfics anymore but could you tell me some authors u read in the past who u trust and liked their work. I’m looking for good fanfics to read but so many of them mischaracterize sasuke

It's been a very very long time so I can barely remember them, but I can name Kuriquinn and theclosetpoet7 as two I can remember.