#police officer in training sasuke

[watermelonsloth]

naruto was the hokage but shikamaru was the one running konoha all the time, so it was like naruto wasn't really the hokage but the face. he was there to fight and play the hero but never to run anyone. he would just say “put the police at my house on watch” but nothing else (he's the ninja with the best sensory abilities in the world but the poor guy couldn't handle it).

a hokage needs to be someone outside to protect the village like the trump card. no one chooses a weak hokage no matter how good a leader he may be, he needs to have some defensive skills. that's why they even have two assistants/advisors. for naruto it was shikamaru the main one and then shizune who lived for two reigns, but shizune was removed to put her as sakura's assistant instead.

a hokage needs to be a konoha shinobi and needs to go through all ninja stages genin (beginner), chunin (team leaders above average ninja) and jonin (military large scale leaders and elite ninja). naruto left, he's good a talk-no-jutsu and he wanted to surpass the other kage and be acknowledged and he did.

shikamaru, sakura, rock lee, neji (rip), temari and hanabi, the main konoha jonin have these skills. team ebisu too but they're frauds who are very weak.

shikamaru made it to jonin which means he's cut out for military level leadership, so hundreds and thousands of people. he is made to lead others to victory, to save people if his friends help him with their combat capabilities. that is why he is an excellent advisor, he relies on others while he's the mastermind.

idk if you read boruto but having a weak hokage is the reason why konoha is doing so extremely bad right now. shikamaru is an amazing leader, the best in konoha, but he is physically weak and in real combat he is useless unless he already knows his enemy's abilities and has some good teammates to help him. he should have stayed as advisor and have the hokage be kakashi again or better sakura, who has the most powerful defensive ability in the world with katsuyu (the village will be destroyed pain level).

sasuke is a good choice. he has been a good leader of taka, he's the strongest shinobi in the world next to naruto and he's also leader material but only in battle. sasuke doesn't have the patience to talk to daimyo or do business, inaugurate a building, take pictures, etc. he fights for others but he is not cut out to lead an evacuation without jumping right into the action. he's not cut out for a chair either, neither were naruto or kakashi for that matter (kakashi always begged to leave his office). they're men of action.

he would be great if he also wasn't too haunted by his previous ideals of what hokage meant and moved forward (kishimoto's sasuke would move on) but he's also the kind of man that wouldn't do it alone unless it's with naruto or his teammates, like he does now as shadow hokage.

and while sakura is also a woman of action, she's more cut out to be hokage. not just because her two masters are hokage, but also because her training and her lifestyle are more suited for combat and office duties. she's used to working in a hospital since she finished her training with tsunade and was already vaunted as the top 3 as a teenager, to handling tsunade's paperwork while she was hokage, to being present in the office when important matters had to be discussed and giving her opinion, she founded her own mental health clinic so she knows how to handle for the public, etc.

she also made it to jonin, the only k12 with shikamaru and rock lee, which contrary to her chunin comrades who lead small teams of 4 to 5 shinobi, the three are military leaders. sakura is one of 4 (counting temari) who can lead and protect a village. they're large scale leaders and sakura was already aiding shizune handle the several injured in her camp, and when she was promoted she was already leading teams of medics she chose on her own. she's currently the head of a whole department and a hospital full of people. she's leading a mini konoha inside the walls of the hospital, inside her office but also acting on her duties herself.

also, kishimoto said of team 7 sakura would be the best instructor.

I’m gonna assume that this is a response to my post about Naruto not being a good leader and that you sent this as an ask because you wanted a response of some kind. If not, feel free to ignore this.

Here are my ramblings about the Hokage and what I think makes a good one.

Just to make my thought process easier to understand, I’m gonna do a quick rundown of what I interpret the responsibilities of the Hokage to be. (Keep in mind, I’m taking this from the Naruto manga, a little from Boruto, and nothing from the novels.) Because I’m American and this is the easiest way for me to wrap my head around how the village works, I think of the Hokage as being a mix of the shogun from when Japan had shogunates and the president. So, basically: they have full or mostly full control of the military, they (theoretically) answer to the daimyo, they don’t make or pass laws but they play a large role in enforcing them, they aren’t diplomats but they are expected to maintain relations and support major political alliances, they are public figures both to represent Konoha/the Land of Fire and to act as deterrents to war (and thus can’t be pushovers in skill or personality), they decide how dissenters are dealt with, they’re responsible for maintaining national security, they command forces during war time, they stay in the village to protect it against threat, etc. etc. etc.

TL;DR A good Hokage is someone who’s good at politics, a skilled military commander, and isn’t someone people want to fuck with.

For the most part, the Hokage fit this well.

Hashirama is a charismatic leader who was commanding the Senju clan for who knows how long before building the village, and he’s so strong that he can get away with his goofball antics. Plus, we know from his fight against Madara at the Valley of the End that he is not a pushover, knows when it’s time to get serious, and is absolutely not afraid to be ruthless.

Tobirama is Tobirama. He’s far from being a pushover, seems like a Lyndon-Johnson-esque political leader who’s willing to step on a few toes and use intimidation if he deems it necessary, has about as much experience as a shinobi as Hashirama and likely acted as a general during the warring states era, and even if he isn’t as strong as his brother, he’s still smart enough and has enough variety in his skillset that most shinobi aren’t gonna want to fight him.

Hiruzen is liked by the people of Konoha (and probably the daimyo) and is strong enough to protect the village in case of an emergency. However, it also seems like he isn’t a good leader and doesn’t bring the intimidation factor a Hokage should (at least from what we’ve seen, this could’ve been different when he was in his prime). I think he got away with lacking in those areas for three reasons: 1. Konoha had many jounin/rising shinobi who were more competent leaders than him (the three sannin, Sakumo, Minato, Fugaku, Shikaku, etc.) who could cover for his failings on the field. 2. Hiruzen was following Hashirama and Tobirama (two stronger and much more intimidating Hokage), so villages would’ve been hesitant about messing with Konoha even if Hiruzen wasn’t a walking deterrent like they were. 3. Danzo covered his weaknesses (say what you want about him, but Danzo was the head of anbu, knew how to get what he wanted, and had enough of a presence that even Tsunade didn’t want to get in his way too much).

I think I’ve made my point enough that I don’t need to get into Minato and Tsunade, so let’s get back on topic and talk about the characters you brought up.

I’ve already mentioned that I don’t think Naruto would make a good Hokage. He’s definitely strong enough that defending the village/intimidating other nations wouldn’t be a problem and with some more maturing I can see him being able to act as a political figure, but I’ve already said that he isn’t much of a leader and I doubt he’ll ever not get restless being cooped up in the village doing the day-to-day work.

When it comes to Sasuke, I think that he could be Hokage since he meets all of the requirements, but he wouldn’t be the best because of his personality. I think he could be a reasonably good public figure and handle the more tedious parts of being Hokage fine, if he thought they were important. If he thought they were necessary or would have a positive impact, he could do all of those things fine; but he probably wouldn’t bother with them at all if he didn’t see the point. There’s also a problem with what he would find important because, like Naruto, he tends to treat important matters as personal responsibilities. That’s fine if he’s off wandering the world alone or if he’s on a small team, but that doesn’t work if he’s supposed to be running an entire system’s worth of people.

Shikamaru and Sakura would make bad candidates for similar reasons. Yes, they both meet certain requirements and I can see why people think they’d work—both can be very charismatic when they need to be and they take charge when the situation calls for it or they’re personally motivated to, Shikamaru is probably the best strategist in the series, and Sakura has the strength and skills to protect the village in case of emergency—but people also tend to overestimate how much charge they actually take. Shikamaru only acts as a leader when he’s ordered to and when Asuma died; Sakura only acts as a leader when nobody else can or will. They also both tend to abandon those leadership positions as soon as someone they think is more qualified steps up to the plate. Basically, they’re both too much of pushovers to act as Hokage (hence why I think they work much better as enforcers or advisors). If either were to be Hokage, it would have to be a Hiruzen situation where they have someone right next to them to cover their blind spots.

(Also, I’m not sure why you brought up Kishimoto saying that Sakura would be the best teacher of team seven because that’s a fundamentally different career path.)

As for Kakashi, I’d actually say that he makes a damn good Hokage. He has years of experience working closely with previous Hokage and leading different teams, he has the notoriety to act as a deterrent, he has the skill to protect the village, he knows how to get (very important) people to listen to him, he knows when and how to make difficult decisions, he takes charge at a moments notice, he maintains self control and levelheadedness under pressure, he asks for second opinions and knows when he can/should rely on others, he is stubborn in his beliefs but he still knows how to compromise, and he’s incredibly smart. He knocks it out of the park in all categories, even personality. If I had to choose someone to be Hokage in Naruto’s place, it would be Kakashi. The main issue with him being Hokage is that he doesn’t want to be the Hokage.

[aidontdraw]

So blahblahblah, Kishimoto was clearly writing Naruto as he was going. Like as soon as the audience leaned something about the world, Kishimoto also learned that thing.

But like, he clearly doesn't understand how humans interact with eachother, and its shown in the introduction scene. Because who is this scene for?

Its not for the characters. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke have been in the same class for 6-7 years at this point. They don't need to introduce themselves to eachother. They dont learn anything about Kakashi.

Its not for the audience. We were already introduced to Team Seven in the previous chapter. We know who Naruto is, and what he wants. We know who Sakura is, and what she wants. We know who Sasuke is, but not really what he wants. We don't know who Kakashi is, and we don't learn that here.

Kakashi barley learns anything about them. Besides the fact Sakura is a normal pre-teen. Naruto likes ramen. Sauske still isn't over his family's massacre. Which is all no-shit things.

The only thing the audience gets introduced to is the idea of Sasuke's goal.

Which while Kakashi seems to know who hes talking about neither Naruto or Sakura do. That borders on being a plot hole, because Sasuke would have gone to class the day after the worst day of his life. The massacre happened 5 years ago. These people went from having a bunch of Uchiha Police Officers walking around to Zero.

You're telling me Sasuke went around keeping his one person murder list to himself for 5 years?

It doesn't introduce the idea of team work. Its almost a waste of half a chapter.

Honestly this day for them(I'm guessing the times):

- 9am go to school

- 9:15 Sasuke and Naruto kiss.

- 10-12 get teamed up

- 12-1 Crazy Lunch Adventure(Hokage and Kakashi break into Naruto's house for a casual conversation)

- 1-2 wait for their teacher

- 2pm, have a 15 minute conversation with their new teacher/squad leader

- Go Home

This whole day could have been an email.

Then we get the tidbit that their school already went over survival training. We know they had combat training. And jutsu training. But during their test, and future missions, we see almost none of that training in action. These kids should have spent the last 7 years of their lives going to a school together to learn how to do this job. They should be familiar with a lot of things, but especially working on 3 man teams.

But we get to another plot hole/world building issue, which is even thoguh this seems to be the standard in their training. The kids were suprised to learn they were going into 3 man teams.

You can also see this with the Chunin Exam, where even thoguh this is a yearly exam that brings in Nobels to bet on child death matches, the kids entering them dont know what they are...

The Konoha Education System is leaving all of these children behind.

The only non distopian reason is technically Sakura doesn't come from a ninja family. So there are things that she wouldn't have easy access to. Even thoguh she was in the top 5 of their class. And Naruto and Sasuke had to rase themselves from young ages. So they have zero parental/adult guidance.

Still their school should have taught them basic things.

[kiljoius-writes]

Cooler Than Me - Chapter 7

Ao3 | FFN

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

First Chapter

Chapter 7: Day Two - Sakura

Sakura thinks that Sasuke’s tough guy act is hilarious.

The way he grumbles, pushes at his paperwork, gets real pouty and…

Fuck, it’s cute.

Sakura hates Sasuke’s baby fat. She hates his big eyes. She hates his soft, fluffy hair. She hates the way that even when he’s pouting, he looks good. It’s not fair, not at all. For one man to just be effortlessly pretty—it’s terrible. She hates it and she hates looking at him.

But she likes working with him because it’s her only opportunity to dunk on him.

“This is ridiculous, you realize that don’t you?”

Sakura coughs into her fist, rolling her eyes. “And just what do you mean by that, Sasuke?”

She says it in this sing-song voice that’s annoyed him since they were kids because, at this point, she thinks he deserves to be annoyed by her.

“I mean that this is a waste of time,” he responds, flatly.

“Oh, it’s a waste of time to find out who’s intruding on your girlfriend’s home? Laying traps for her cousin? That seems like a pretty serious issue.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” Sakura turns her nose up at his accusatory tone. “This is clearly a prank.”

“I am so sorry, Sasuke,” Sakura laments, very sarcastically, “sometimes us police officers actually have to do work. The worst, isn’t it?”

“Seriously?”

She ignores his scowl. “You pretend like all this is a game, but it’s not! We have serious jobs, I know you spend all your time at the desk, but—”

“Not by my choice!”

“BUT!” Sakura exclaims, stomping her foot to get him to stop talking. “But it’s our job to protect our citizens. Neji is a citizen with a valid complaint.”

“It’s his baby cousin pranking him—”

“So, we should seek out Hanabi and arrest her then? Hinata’s little sister?”

Sakura sneers at Sasuke. She really doesn’t like the way his scowl looks good on him. “We’re not arresting someone for a prank.”

“Only 3 more trips to go!” Sakura darts her eyes up at a familiar voice. Tenten is guiding her marching genin down the road, each carrying a hefty amount of weight. “It’s strength training! You’ll be thanking me later when you get your hands on some amazing sword, like the Executioner’s Blade! Swinging it around like it’s an aluminum bat!”

“Hey, Tenten!” Sakura calls and Sasuke groans next to her. She doesn’t even bother to shoot him a look this time. He does follow her as she approaches Tenten, which she appreciates.

“Ah, what’s up Sakura?” Tenten asks, diverting her attention away from the genin who all are quietly grumbling something about wishing they had Shino for a sensei.

“Have you seen anything suspicious around the Hyūga compound?” Sakura asks. “Or heard from any of your genin about pranks going on there?”

“Pranking the Hyūga?” Tenten asks, tapping her lips. “Can’t say I have. Someone prank Hinata or something?”

Sakura glances at Sasuke who purses his lips, shaking his head. “Hanabi played a prank on Neji.”

“We don’t know—”

“Neji’s back?!” Tenten exclaims, wide-eyed. “Since when?”

“This morning?” Sasuke shrugs. “Or last night? No clue. Hinata never mentioned it, so I assume it’s recent.”

“He…he didn’t come to see me?” Tenten’s upper lip quivers, slightly. Sakura furrows her eyebrows, reaching out to set a hand on her shoulder.

“He’s a busy guy, Tenten,” she tries to comfort. “You know how Lee is, Neji’s probably busy fixing all of the chaos Lee’s unleashed on the village.”

“Chaos aided by a certain someone,” Sasuke says under his breath from beside her. Sakura and Tenten both give him a look.

“Everyone knows it’s your girlfriend’s dad responsible for loaning out piles of cash to Lee,” Sakura quips, and Tenten snickers.

“Not my business.” Sasuke shrugs again.

Sakura knows that it absolutely is his business but decides not to push it. Just looks back at Tenten, who looks like she’s trying not to cry. She just frowns because she doesn’t think Neji is worth crying about, completely confused as to what Tenten sees in him. He’s too much like Sasuke, but at least she finds Sasuke attractive. They’re both hardheaded, snippy and think they’re better than everyone else.

That’s why she’s with Shino, she thinks. He’s softer, more willing to listen, doesn’t talk a whole bunch. That’s the part she likes best, that he’s quiet. Constantly surrounded by people who won’t shut up, Sakura finds peace with Shino. Even if she is a little unsettled when he speaks to his bugs, at least it’s quiet.

“Anyway, Sakura.” Tenten wipes at her nose, clearly trying to hold it together. It reminds her of when she found out on her 20th birthday that Sasuke and Hinata were an item. Now she’s growing into her 20s and doesn’t think there’s any man worth this reaction. “Uhm, Kiba likes to play pranks. Maybe you should ask him?”

“Aren’t you seeing each other?” Sasuke asks, suspicion in his voice.

“I didn’t know you were the village gossip,” Sakura snaps back. “Maybe we should start inviting you to tea, huh?”

“Yeah, Sasuke.” Tenten laughs a little, eyeing him. His face is the picture of confusion. “Didn’t know you were keeping up on village romance.”

“Whatever,” Sasuke sighs. “Let’s just go find him. Even though it’s not him, you’re going to insist and I’m just tired of it.”

Well, that’s no fun.

“Thanks for your help, Tenten.” Sakura leans in to whisper, “we can talk more about it on Friday for tea.”

“Yeah.” Tenten sighs, waving at them as they begin their trek.

Sakura’s pretty sure Sasuke already knows what ‘tea on Fridays’ means because Hinata probably told him at some point or another, but she must at least try not to let the whole village know that 4 kunoichi (and 1 male shinobi) are meeting weekly to discuss everyone’s business. The only time Sakura feels like she can relax lately is in the comfort of the Akimichi’s Barbeque Diner. For a barbeque place, it’s actually got a fairly modern, hip vibe to it, just with the smell of a smoker. She just hopes after their break from tea brings forth juicier gossip than last time.

“Inuzuka compounds this way.” Sasuke nudges his head while Sakura shakes hers.

“Guess you don’t know as much as you thought,” she quips, feeling satisfied with his frown. “He’s on guard duty ‘til 3.”

“I have never once in my life cared to memorize the schedule of an Inuzuka,” he says, flatly, just typical Sasuke. She huffs because his effortlessly unaffected voice while simultaneously insulting her in an underhanded way really gets under her skin. Thinks that if Shino said something like that to her, as if she was crazy for knowing other people’s daily routines, she’d probably cry. But at least he would care and try to comfort her somehow, not meant for it to be an insult.

“Kiba!” Sakura shouts with her hands cupped around her mouth. See’s him poke his head out from the top of the tower.

“What is it?” Kiba calls back, standing up now to rest his arms on the edge of the fencing. Sakura starts climbing the ladder, looking back at Sasuke expectantly, who is staring off in the distance.

“Earth to Sasuke.”

“I’m not going,” he tells her, coolly. “This is your insane mission. I’m just along for the ride.”

“Lazy,” Sakura spits, shaking her head as she continues up. “Hinata clearly has a type.”

It’s a harsh statement to make and she catches the electricity that sparks between his fingers when she says it. He’d never do anything, so she just hums to herself as she continues up the ladder, satisfied that she finally got under his skin. No one likes to be reminded of their partners’ exes, especially being compared to them. Shikamaru and Sasuke had never been friendly in the past, but since Sasuke and Hinata started dating, things became tense between them. It’s one of the few things Sakura can rub his nose in.

Once she gets to the top, she’s greeted with Kiba leaning on his back against the fencing, hands clasped behind his neck. “What’s up, Officer Haruno?”

Sakura actually doesn’t mind Kiba. He minds his own business, says hi whenever he passes by, and Akamaru being adorable doesn’t hurt either. If she actually thought Kiba had done the prank, she’d feel bad having to confront him right now. Of course, she’s not an idiot. She knows who did it.

“Just investigating an attack,” she says, and he straightens up immediately. She waves her hand. “Attack might be a strong word. A prank, rather.”

“I haven’t pranked anyone,” he responds, quickly, looking guilty.

“It was on Neji.”

“Neji’s back?” Sakura instantly feels a little pang of guilt now, realizing this can’t be good news for Kiba. The little shake in his voice is so pathetic it’s almost cute. She has a hard time feeling too bad, though, because Kiba should know better.

Whatever’s going on between him, Tenten, and Neji, it’s messy.

Tea Friday can’t come fast enough.

A/N: Thanks to anyone patiently waiting for this fic. I'm working on SasuHina month so everything got put on the back burner, but I got a sudden wind of inspiration for this fic so here's Sakura doing her best to ruin Sasuke's happiness.

[nameha]

A little excerpt of a modern police Au

---

"What," Madara growled, pinching the bridge of his nose with one hand, "and I do mean this," the other white knuckled the arm rest of his recliner.

"The FUCK is going on?!" Madara's eyes flickered from Naruto and Sasuke, scowling from on their knees in the middle of his living room, to Obito and Shisui.

Both had a vice grip on the the indignant pair and who were covered in....what...

What WAS that? Madara squinted.

Cake batter?

A thick pale yellow substance clinging to their uniforms drying in a tacky mess. Frosting smudged over their faces and hands transferring to Naruto and Sasuke's clothes.

They even had sprinkles, in multiple colors and shapes Madara noticed, in their hair.

It was too fucking late, or, well, early for this shit, it was now a quarter after 3.

Then his eyes went to Kakashi and Yamato, still red-faced, trying to catch their breath from bursting through his god damn front door after Shisui and Obito dragged Sasuke and Naruto, kicking and shouting, through said door.

Finally his eyes settled on an amused Kagami and far less amused, possibly murderous, Tobirama. Both had taken up residence on his love seat, sitting a little too close for Madara's comfort, half a cushion was exposed in Kagami's side.

Tobirama's arms crossed and tapping his index finger against his bicep.

"Officer Uchiha, care to explain?" Madara grit out, tilting his head back against the cushion, a migraine rapidly forming behind his eyes.

Obito, Shisui and Sasuke argued over each other, with their version of events, voices over lapping into an unintelligible garble of words.

"SHUT UP." Madara boomed, hair rising and bristling over his robe, effectively silencing all three of them.

"Why did I hire so many people with the same surname" Madara muttered to himself, no one dared to give him an actual answer.

"Officer SHISUI Uchiha. Explain." Madara tried again, his tone pitched low, drumming his fingers against his thigh impatiently.

"We got a dispatch call at 12:45, from a concerned neighbor about two people climbing through the basement window of professor Senju's home."

Madara knew where this was going, he leveled Sasuke and Naruto with a narrowing of his eyes, and nodded for Shisui to continue.

"We arrived at professor Senju's home at 12:57, I knocked on the door while Obito went around to check the window, there was no sign of forced entry so he came back. Kagami and Tobirama opened the door for us and invited us in, we informed them of the situation. Tobirama lead us to the basement, which

is also his lab-"

"That's where we found these two brats rilfing through his shit!" Obito glowered at his cousin, tightening his grip on Sasuke's shoulder, who grimaced but kept quiet.

"Then they ran away! Out through the god damn window again like little gremlin racoons!"

Shisui sighed as Obito fumed, undeterred by the interupption.

"We followed them, not out the window, well Obito followed them out the window I took the stairs."

"Im not going to commend you for having at least one brain cell between the both of you."

"Anyways," Shisui shrugged off the insult,

"While Obito followed them on foot I took the car to follow him, we ended up at...the Akimichi's Sweets Plant--"

"The fuckers ran in there! Like they mapped the place out! Some Scooby Doo type shit! At one point I was running away from Shisui with Naruto!"

Madara resisted the urge to put his face in his hands.

"They even set traps! Who the fuck--"

"Spare me the details of how you two came to be cake pops." Madara interjected and Shisui continued.

"Long story short, they had a car on the other side of the factory, they got in it we got in our car and Sasuke drove like a bat out of hell until he pulled up on your lawn, we tackled them coming up the porch."

Madara sat up to glance out the window, sure enough there sat Sasuke's car, headlights still on, the tires crushing the flower beds he had painstakingly cultivated to impress Hashirama. Behind Sasuke's car was Shisui's cruiser, also parked on top of a painstakingly made gift.

If he wasn't angry about being bothered after 2am with this garbage, he was angry now.

He cast a wrathful look towards Kakashi and Yamato.

"You two came into this how?"

"Got a call from Sasuke about the investigation, he said he found evidence of guilt and were being followed by "compromised" officers."

Madara raised an eyebrow.

"And you two just happened to be in the same place, together, at this time of night."

"We're off the clock, sir. And car-pulling was eaiser." Kakashi turned up his eye in a smile and Yamato put a sheepish hand on the back of his neck.

"Right." Madara clicked his tongue, crossing one slippered foot over his knee.

He didn't even want to check where their car was parked.

He turned his attention to Kagami and Tobirama.

"Am I to assume you also "car-pulled"?"

"Yes?" Kagami gave a nervous chuckle.

"And just what were you doing at professor Senju's residence at 1 in the morning, Kagami."

"Well, you see, research mainly, I'm there all the time and I-"

"They live together." Sasuke cut in.

"They're married!!" Naruto shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the pair before Shisui gently smacked it down.

Everyone, except Shisui who opted to look at the ceiling, snapped their attention to Kagami and Tobirama.

"S-surprise!" Kagami put his hands up, in surrender, the light catching the ring on his left finger.

"Unbelievable." Madara hissed through his teeth, rubbing his temples.

"I have proof that professor Tobirama is behind the grave robbing."

"Oh, do you." Tobirama's voice was dry, unimpressed. Kagami's eyebrows pinched at the accusation, he looped a protective arm around Tobirama.

"Yes, Sasuke, do you?" Madara leaned on his thighs, resting his cheek in his palm.

Sasuke wrenched out of Obito's grip, throwing a folder at Madara's feet.

"Here."

Madara picked up the folder and opened it, leaning back and inspecting the contents. His left eye twitched and a muscle in his lip jumped as he skimmed the reports.

He snapped the folder shut.

"Did you obtain this without a warrant?"

Sasuke snorts.

"Of course I had a warrant."

"Mhm, very well. Senju, is this yours?" Madara handed it over to Tobirama who opened it.

"Seems to be."

"Is that your hand writing?"

"Seems to be."

"And you're short hand and codes?"

Tobirama gave an agreeable hum, but seemed otherwise unaffected.

"It is my hand writing, my codes and my short hand. But I didn't write this." Tobirama put the folder down.

Madara closed his eyes in annoyance.

"And that means what?"

"I do not cross my Ts in that manner nor do I curve my Cs so sloppily."

"That doesn't mean shit! There's too much information that wasn't reported on!" Sasuke snarled.

"Shut up!" Madara snapped, Sasuke's jaw clicked shut but he matched Madara's glare with his own.

"This is what is going to happen," Madara sighed, "Everyone is going to go the hell home, Shisui and Obito are going to take a god damn shower before reporting back to the station and 8am. I also expect Kakashi and Yamato to show up on time and in separate vehicles. Tobirama you're going to be arrested tomorrow morning as a person of interest. Both as a formality and procedure. As for Naruto, you'll be reporting back to forensics where you're supposed to be, under Yamato. And Sasuke? You're off the case and I'm putting you on probation."

Madara put his hand up before anyone could voice their grievances.

"Very well." Tobirama conceded, standing up. Kagami rose with him, almost relieved to get out of this unscathed.

"Oh and Kagami."

"Y-yes Madara?"

"As for you, you are going to inform everyone of your eloping. Everyone and you'll do it personally."

"Even Izuna?"

"Dress appropriately, I hope your mile has gotten faster."

Kagami went pale as Tobirama lead him to the door before stopping.

"Give my regards to Hashirama." Tobirama smirked as Madara sputtered and a door in the back of the house closed softly.

Madara slammed the door after everyone had filed out. He turned back to his bedroom before the door swung open and Itachi stumbled in, looking confused.

Madara rolled his eyes, he should have seen that one coming.

"They left already."

"Ah..."

[inosakutema]

↳ 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐀, 𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐇𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐘𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐊𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝚰𝐋𝐘'𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐊𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐇𝐀?

Do you know what are the responsibilities of the members of the Nara, the Uchiha and the Yamanaka families in Konohagakure?

These are the areas they cover and how Temari, Sakura and Ino, together with their husbands, contribute to the village in detail.

As many fans of Naruto know, the Nara clan has always been in charge of commanding the Regular Forces and aiding the Hokage as advisors; the Uchiha clan has always been in charge of the Konoha Military Police and maintaining order in the village; while the Yamanaka clan has always been in charge of interrogation.

However, these roles have been changed with time, and so have the members of each clan. After the Fourth Shinobi World War, many clansmen have perished or retired.

Then, what do Temari and Shikamaru for the Nara clan, Sakura and Sasuke for the Uchiha clan, and Ino and Sai for the Yamanaka clan do for Konoha now?

.

.

◍ NARA FAMILY:

Members: Temari Nara, Shikamaru Nara and Shikadai Nara.

— TEMARI is the official Ambassador between Konohagakure and Sunagakure.

She travels between both villages to attend diplomatic events and transmits important messages between the two villages, like the rise of a new enemy or threat for both villages. As the Kazekage's sister and former bodyguard, she hosts Gaara in her house when he visits Konohagakure.

— SHIKAMARU is the official aid and advisor of the Seventh Hokage.

He helps the Hokage take important decisions for the village and also helps him to manage his job and activities. Shikamaru is the second most important person in Konoha and takes command of shinobi forces in emergencies.

Temari and Shikamaru are also active ninja that go on missions regularly. Both of them are jōnin, which means they take the most difficult missions that go from A to S-rank and are also high officials of Konoha. Shikamaru is also a Pillar of Konoha. On the other hand, Shikadai is a chūnin with the ability to lead teams and take B to C-rank missions.

Summary: The Nara family is in charge of high official roles that include supporting the Hokage as advisor; as well as diplomatic and hosting roles for the Kazekage as ambassadors in Konoha. They are also active shinobi.

.

◓ UCHIHA FAMILY:

Members: Sakura Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha and Sarada Uchiha.

— SAKURA is the Head of the Medical Department of Konohagakure.

She's the main doctor of the village, taking the most serious cases in the Hokage Residence's Medical Office; as well as the Director of Konoha Hospital who leads the Medic Corps in the main medical facility. Inside the hospital, Sakura is a teacher of medical ninjutsu and trains future medical ninjas and doctors.

— SASUKE is the Shadow Hokage of Konohagakure.

He takes the same role as the Hokage but from the outside by going on dangerous missions and investigating any possible threat to Konohagakure. With his Sharingan, Sasuke also reads the minds of enemies in the Intelligence Division and actively participates in interrogations as an interrogator himself.

Sakura and Sasuke are also active ninja that go on missions regularly. Sakura is a jōnin and Sasuke currently holds no rank, but both take the most difficult missions that go from A to S-rank (they normally together) and are also high officials of Konohagakure. They are also Pillars of Konoha. On the other hand, Sarada is a chūnin with the ability to lead teams and take B to C-rank missions.

Summary: The Uchiha family is in charge of providing medical care and educational classes related to the medical field as doctors and teachers; as well as protecting the borders of Konohagakure from intruders, investigating threats and the interrogation of enemies as interrogators. They are also active shinobi.

.

⨁ YAMANAKA FAMILY:

Members: Ino Yamanaka, Sai Yamanaka and Inojin Yamanaka.

— INO is the Leader of Konohagakure's Barrier Team.

They are a team of shinobi to detect intruders that trespass the invisible borders of Konohagakure through an automatic sensing system. When an enemy is located, their team of sensors use barrier-type ninjutsu to trap any enemy. Ino and Analysis Team members like Aoba Yamashiro can also read minds using Psycho Mind Transmission.

— SAI is the Chief of ANBU.

He takes a close look at enemies of Konohagakure by undergoing secret investigations and working closely with the Military Police Force. In collaboration with Ibiki Morino and Sasuke Uchiha, he participates in interrogations from the Intelligence Division as an interrogator himself.

Ino and Sai are also active ninja that go on missions regularly. Ino is a chūnin and Sai is a chūbu (support division), which means they have the ability to lead teams and take B to C-rank missions. On the other hand, Inojin is a genin.

Summary: The Yamanaka family is in charge of protecting the borders of Konohagakure from intruders as leaders; as well as investigating threats and the interrogation of enemies as interrogators in Konohagakure. They are also active shinobi.

.

The Nara, Uchiha and Yamanaka are the most influential families in Konohagakure. All their members are active ninja that complete missions and take many roles as leaders of Konoha to protect it.

Original Twitter post.

[myaekingheart]

1. Ichiraku! 2. The Uchiha Compound 3. The Academy! 4. Free Space 👀

1. Ichiraku Ramen 🍜

• Teuchi was constantly on-call during Kushina's pregnancy because she was known to wake Minato up in the middle of the night desperate for a bowl of tonkatsu ramen.

• Teuchi and Ayame live in a very small apartment right above the ramen shop.

• When Jiraiya would get writer's block, he would go to Ichiraku for a bowl of ramen to help get the creative juices flowing.

• Iruka spent so much time at Ichiraku both eith Naruto and to help fill the void while he was gone with Jiraiya, that he and Ayame grew rather close and eventually ended up in a relationship together. They go on to get married and have a son, Hiyamugi, named after a Japanese noodle dish.

2. The Uchiha Compound 🔥

• The Uchiha compound was built in Konoha's District 4, an omen for the clan's downfall.

• All the buildings in the compound are built to be especially fire resistant and durable thanks to the high concentration of fire jutsu among the Uchiha.

• The Uchiha compound was one of the less damaged portions of the village when Pain attacked.

• The compound remained exactly the same as it was when Itachi murdered everyone; no one bothered to clean the place up after the fact nor did they care enough. Sasuke consequently had nightmares for six weeks afterward.

• Seeing as most police officers in the village were Uchiha, following the massacre, they had to conduct a large recruitment project for new officers. Many of Konoha's citizens did not want to touch the police station after what had happened, feeling uncomfortable and like it was a bad omen. Ultimately, many tokubetsu jonin were heavily encouraged to join the police force.

3. The Academy 🏫

• The academy has four grades: freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. Seniors are usually 11-12 years old, juniors 10-11, sophomores 9-10, and freshman 8-9.

• Young prospective ninja can take the entrance exam as young as 3 years old, though it is heavily discouraged except for in times of war and in extraordinary circumstances ie prodigies like Kakashi.

• Children can also enter preschool as young as age 3, though the most common age group is 7-8 years old. The preschool is in a building attached to the main academy and requires no entrance exam. It teaches students the basics like letters, numbers, shapes, reading, and basic math.

• Typical academics are taught in academy classes, as well, but usually through a ninja-colored lens. World and local history, chakra natures and elemental science, necessary botany and zoology, geometry to calculate the trajectory of attacks, etc. are all common aspects of the curriculum.

• Pre-war, most children who did not pursue the ninja path had to be wealthy enough to rely on private tutors for education. If they could not afford a private tutor, they often had to learn through real-world experiences helping with their parents businesses. Therefore their "curriculum" was much more real-world based such as financial math.

• Postwar, a public school for civilian children was founded and placed next to the ninja academy.

• Most teachers have a second job or take missions alongside their teaching for extra money. Teaching oftentimes does not pay the bills.

• The academy has two stories, four basic classrooms, a small library, a front office with a records room and clinic, teacher's lounge, and a small lunch room. Postwar, they add a cafeteria for children who cannot bring their lunches.

• The school courtyard has a training ground for physical education, one of the four main tenets of academy curriculum.

• The four main tenets of the academy curriculum are physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Physical curriculum revolves around the student's physical capabilities (agility, speed, stamina, mastery of ninjutsu and taijutsu, etc). Mental curriculum revolves around the student's intelligence (understanding of the material, battle tactics and formation, mastery of genjutsu, etc.) Emotional curriculum revolves around the student's emotional maturity and control (remaining calm and clear-minded in stressful situations, handling heavy topics such as death and injury, resisting psychological manipulation, etc). Lastly, spiritual curriculum revolves around a student's understanding of and relationship with their own chakra network and chakra nature (being attuned with the elements, meditation, etc.) All four of these tenets work in tandem to build the foundation of a successful and skilled shinobi.

4. Free Space: Unohana Antiques Shop 🏺

• The Unohana Antiques Shop was founded by twins Komori and Rojin Unohana. It is equal parts thrift store, pawn shop, and museum for the unwanted mysteries of old Konoha.

• The shop's establishment was inspired by Komori Unohana's penchant for collecting odds and ends, namely mismatched souvenirs from the many ninja missions of her youth.

• The antiques shop is one of many small businesses in the village, especially those founded by Konoha's oldest and finest. Other businesses in the same league are the Kawakubo Kimono Shop, Kaminoki Book Store, the dango shop, Fumeiyo Fortunes, and Kenshin Smithing.

[uchihashisuii]

time. - Shisui/Itachi

Summary: In which the best year of Itachi’s life is also his last. | Non-mass AU, Itachi-centric

Pairing: Uchiha Shisui/Uchiha Itachi | Uchiha Itachi + Uchiha Sasuke

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 4745

Content warning for angst, emotional distress, terminal illness, minor descriptions of blood + injury, major character death. sorry

Author’s Note: this fic was the result of a comm! in which I write a fic to give hope and break hearts. Itachi really would have had so much potential, huh? Sorry about this x

Ao3

-----

The best year of Itachi's life goes something like this:

He's just turned twenty-three, is at his peak. Less missions fall on his shoulders, to make way for the training and the preparation. Yondaime takes him and Obito equally under his wing, to watch and observe and learn, exactly what goes into being Hokage. It's - very nearly peaceful. His pacifistic heart content to do naught but listen, to shake hands and share smiles, to squint at his endless notes from behind the glasses he only wears in the privacy of Minato's office. There is no stench of blood, nor is there the cry of death. He and his cousin are being prepared and groomed to lead and to advise, and perhaps one day to don the hat.

His family has always been a bit strained, but as Sasuke has grown into his own and their father has bowed beneath the strain of police chief and clan leader, allowing their mother to step up and assist his leadership - things have become far more smooth. They all laugh together when they sit for dinner; even if Itachi has too many things to do and not enough time, even if Fugaku is pulled away for longer hours, or Sasuke has another month-long mission with his squad - they all find their ways back home, where Mikoto waits with a put-upon sigh and a half-hearted slap with her dish towel. It's the most peaceful his childhood home has been since he could remember, and for the first time in his life Itachi actually looks forward to going home at the end of a long day.

He's in love; so stupidly, impossibly besotted, that there are some days that Itachi has genuinely no idea what he'd done to deserve such lightness in his chest. Shisui is his best and oldest friend, the one who cradles his hidden heart in scarred hands that have never once harmed him. Itachi loses himself in the hours spent at the Nakano, with his head on Shisui's chest and fingers tangled in long, silken hair. In the press of a smiling mouth against his, in the secret glances shared across a room.

He's - happy . He hadn't expected to find that for himself, not truly; his mind and heart perpetually at war since that first time his father had taken him to the field of battle and shown him what it meant to be a shinobi. A distaste for death and suffering even as he excelled in every aspect; a cruel irony he'd suffered with for most of his life. And then, impossibly, peace to be found. In protection, and not pointless violence. In loving and allowing himself to be loved, in watching his brother grow and thrive and smile. In facing the future, and knowing there's a place for one such as him.

-----

Itachi sits at a low desk, across the hall from the Hokage's office. His glasses slip down the bridge of his nose as he ducks low, double-checking the contract with a guild of builders for the new expansion to the library. He's always been meticulous to a fault, and he knows Obito will only glance over it before tossing Minato's seal of approval down without a thought.

He loves his cousin. Knows his heart is generous and warm, understands he would make a good leader. Obito's forte however, is not in paperwork. Though, Itachi supposes, that's the entire reason why he's here, sweating into his collar and frowning at a waist-high stack of documents. Only one will succeed Yondaime, and a Hokage never does anything alone.

A knock at the door makes his brow twitch as Itachi sits to full height, pulling his pen up and murmuring for them to enter. He straightens his spine and stifles a sharp cough pulling at his lungs, brows furrowed as he clears his throat through the burn. Yet when he glances at the opening door he still smiles, a small but genuine curve of his mouth, when Kakashi steps inside.

They chat for a bit, about plans for the pair of them and Obito to act as official representatives to Minato's interests in Iron. Delegation is something Yondaime is fond of, as his confidence and surety grows by the day in the two Uchiha. Just the thought of it brings a warmth to his chest, at the trust put in him and his cousin. He may have found a place, after so long spent wondering who, exactly, he was. Though the warmth might just be another flash of pain in his chest. Who knows.

Itachi is thankful to have his former senpai as company and firm pillar of support. His advice and quick wit is invaluable, even if he cracks wise about Itachi's glasses or has to be shooed from Minato's office when his hand wanders just a bit too low on Obito's back to be considered polite.

"You look a bit tired," Kakashi says with his usual air of indifference, though Itachi knows him well enough to tell he's frowning beneath the mask. Even at a distance, Itachi can see the way his hand twitches, as though he wishes to reach out a place a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you should take a break -"

"I'm alright," Itachi responds with a wave of his hand, a look of impatience glancing across his features. He'd taken the world upon his shoulders since he was thirteen, and no tightening in his chest will change that. Stress, probably; but he flourishes beneath expectation, and wishes not to disappoint any around him. "It's probably just a cold, it's that time of year. Wasn't Obito sick a little while ago, too?" He adds by way of placation and distraction, cradling his chin in his palm and pulling the glasses from his nose.

Kakashi watches him in silence for a breath, dark eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly. Gives a soft hum beneath his breath, and then acquiesces. Cracks a deadpan joke about Obito being curled in bed and whining loudly whenever he's ill, the both of them smiling indulgently. He doesn't bring up the shadows beneath Itachi's eyes, nor does he mention the way he coughs into his elbow, more and more.

-----

The visits to the hospital are kept blessedly short. Itachi has little time for flowery words or dancing around the subject, especially that of his own life. He sits with spine straight and legs crossed, hands held carefully in his lap; the perfect portrait of heir to the Uchiha. He's polite to the nurses, summons a smile for any who catch his eye; knows gossip will dog his heels but he is nothing if not efficient. None will begin to guess, none will know the truth. Itachi makes no effort to hide himself when he visits the hospital, even with his distaste for the whispers and the stares; no one will know, he reminds himself for the hundredth time, and almost starts to believe it.

He goes, only because Shisui asked him to. Had held a tender hand to his cheek and looked right into his eyes, and mentioned that he could tell something was wrong. His breathing didn't sound right, which from anyone else would have made his spine stiffen. But it was Shisui - Itachi covered his hand with his, and nodded wordlessly.

-----

The direction of one's life can change in an instant. Anything can happen, at any moment; learning to adapt and to move forward is something drilled into the mind of every shinobi, in order to ensure the mission runs smoothly and bring victory without cost. Itachi's life has shifted many times over the years, but nothing could have prepared him for the reality of one simple test result.

-----

He doesn't put too much thought into himself, never has. His life has never been his alone, he's always been more a tool to be used, by village and clan. And he was content with that, with finding his own moments of peace and joy in amongst the pressures and expectations. He wishes, above all else, to do what he can for all he loves, and to stand tall beneath the weight on his shoulders. When things are out of his direct control, he wavers; he doesn't buckle, never has he and never will he, but there is that sharp annoyance digging tiny fingers into his temple when he realizes and understands that this time, he can do nothing. His quick mind and skilled hands left utterly useless, in the face of his own failing health.

Itachi's more annoyed than anything, as he thanks the doctor for her prognosis and her sympathies, takes the copy of his results and a slim file on treatment options, and leaves the room with brows furrowed. He has a plan for everything, meticulously laid out in his mind for every option, every path. But this - is not part of it.

And then reality crashes down around his shoulders, as he walks home from the hospital. Yesterday, he had his life ahead of him, surrounded by family and friends and a future that was as close to idyllic as he could fathom. Itachi stumbles a step as his eyes go wide, barely even noticing when his sharingan spins to life in automatic response to his suddenly embroiled emotions.

He cannot stifle the image of his family, when he tells them. Gasps and tears and mourning, horror etched on familiar faces and the tight grip of his mother's hand. He will leave Sasuke alone. His parents will outlive one of their children. And Shisui - expression falling and tears filling those soft brown eyes, that had looked at him from that very first moment with nothing but unending warmth.

Itachi does not mourn for himself. A part of him wonders if it's some sort of cosmic justice, for the lives he'd taken in the name of peace. He'd always comforted himself with the fact that the blood staining his hands since he was six years old was for the greater good; and now here he is, finding contentment and peace and staring down a life filled to the brim with those he loves and a future fulfilling his dream of peace.

Does he deserve to die? Maybe. His analytical mind spins just like the world around him as he crouches low to the ground, palm pressed tight to his mouth as nausea rolls in his stomach. The details don't matter, the guessing doesn't matter, nothing - nothing matters . He's going to die. And there's nothing he can do to stop it.

-----

He is expert at keeping a tight lid to his emotions; has long since perfected the serene look of someone at ease and in control. Itachi dons the familiar mask as he clears his throat and coughs delicately into his palm, ignoring the sharp tightening somewhere beneath his ribs. Relaxes his posture, and hides the documents in the back of his closet. Summons a smile for his family, and lies. He may not have planned for this, but he can plan around it. His family will mourn, but they will move on. There will be a different prodigy in ANBU, and Obito will have others to surround and encourage him. Itachi will never don the hat, or find the bravery and willful vulnerability to admit to all he's in love with his best friend, and will not watch Sasuke continue to grow into the man he knows he'll become. His story is merely coming to an early close, and he tries to find comfort in the fact that it could happen to anyone.

Itachi silently, secretly, lets some tears fall in the night. Whilst he sits up in bed, watching Shisui snore into his pillow beside him. He'll not grow old beside him, wont grow a family or share warm memories. He'd told Shisui the doctor had told him to take it easy with katon , with the beginnings of a chest cold brewing in his lungs. And Shisui had believed him, because of course he did; Itachi feels wretched, but he - he can't . He doesn't have the bravery to see the look on his beloved's face, when he's aware enough to know that if anything happens to Itachi then Shisui's world will crumble around him.

He stifles his emotions, wipes his tears, and curls against Shisui's back. Sleep doesn't find him, until the sun is cresting over the horizon.

-----

It is a difficult thing, to swallow one's pride and choose to admit certain weaknesses. Itachi requests Kakashi's presence for early in the morning at the Hokage Tower, and it speaks volumes to his former senpai's apparent concern that he is not late. Kakashi holds the door to Minato's office open for him, Itachi inclining his head in thanks, and then the pair of them are alone with the Yondaime.

They exchange pleasantries, but they can all sense a certain shroud of expectation hanging about the room. Minato waves a casual hand, his personal ANBU appearing in a cloud of smoke; she fists a hand against her breast and gives a quick bow, and Itachi watches as she silently leaves the room, the door clicking shut with a certain finality that does nothing to ease his hurried pulse.

And then they are alone, silence blanketing the room as both of his mentors turn to face him. Itachi breathes through his nose, and offers a low bow to his Hokage.

"I would first like to offer my apologies," Itachi begins in a low and dulcet tone, silently praying the ache in his lungs will not make itself known. "I know how much trust you've put in me, and it pains me to admit I am no longer suitable to work beneath you." The truth, absolute. He had allowed himself to - hope, really, that one day he would sit where Yondaime does.

Minato's eyes go wide, lashes fluttering as he studies Itachi with shock writ clear across his face. "I'm - sorry to hear that. Can I ask for elaboration?"

Itachi barely holds on to his sigh; he'd seen this coming, and with a quick glance to the door he takes a step forward. "This cannot leave this room, please."

Kakashi and Minato share a look, offering twin nods. Itachi feels another tightening in his chest, though blessedly it is from warmth, and not illness. "Thank you. I -" He pauses, the words refusing to come. They sit in a tight knot in his throat, a painful gathering of thorns that will not relent, when it comes to admitting his own failings and weakness. He chokes on a breath, feels that now-familiar burning in his lungs, and has to turn his head to cough harshly into his palm.

His shoulders shake from it, though Kakashi is there to place a welcome and steadying hand on his back. Shame still eats away at him, but Itachi knows neither he nor Minato will offer judgment. His breath rattles and his chest aches, but when he glances to his friend he is able to find his strength.

So - he tells them. Without pomp or spectacle, Itachi succinctly sums up that his long years spent with aching lungs has led to a dismal prognosis of barely a few months left to live. He's ever the pragmatist, and knows beyond any shadow of a doubt that they need to know, in order to prepare and find someone to replace him. Obito will learn in time, as well as the rest of his family, but for now - for now, he cannot bring himself to tell them. Instead chooses to confide professionally, compartmentalizing his own emotional reactions and holding them back.

Minato puts a hand to his shoulder when the room once more grows silent, deep blue eyes burning into Itachi with a naked grief. The pain he shows shouldn't be shocking; the Hokage is a deeply emotional man who cares much too much about those under his care, yet still Itachi nearly falters at the sheer breadth of warmth and affection.

"Anything you need," Minato says, " anything at all - you don't hesitate to come to me." His hand tightens on Itachi's slim shoulder, hard enough to bruise, and for a moment he wonders how he'd gone so long without realizing he'd been loved by more than he ever expected.

-----

Life continues as normal. He keeps returning to the Hokage Tower, to get things in order and gently nudge Obito in the direction of taking more responsibility. He takes missions when time permits, and keeps his secret. He still kisses Shisui goodbye in the mornings, still pokes Sasuke's forehead when they cross paths, still ducks into an empty room when a cough rips its way up his throat. Ignores the taste of iron lingering on his tongue, and carries on as though nothing is amiss. Surely, surely - he has time.

-----

The mission was run-of-the-mill, nothing to write home about. He'd spent three days on the eastern border, cleaning up after a nin gone rogue. Distasteful, but like a house of cards they all fall before his sharingan. It's almost a bore, at this point; he tries not to let his mind focus too hard on when he had become so disillusioned.

Shisui meets him at the gate, setting sun at his back and that wide, boyish grin on his face. Itachi returns his smile easily, and has to bite down hard on the inside of his cheek to keep from embracing him in plain view of the gate guards. Time, he thinks, is a fickle thing; he'd never dwelt on how precious it was, and is now suddenly starkly aware of how little he has left to ensure Shisui remembers just how loved he is, always has been.

He knows - of course he knows. But it wouldn't hurt to tell him, too. Itachi has always been soft-spoken yet eloquent, but when it comes to brutal honesty and feelings exposed he falters. He's getting maudlin as the illness creeps forward, and he barely suppresses a roll of his eyes.

They walk together towards the compound after Itachi gives his report of a mission success, Shisui filling the silence with poking and prodding questions about what Itachi had been up to. He answers as succinctly as he can, a small smile curving his mouth even as he pauses to cough into his elbow every few blocks.

"Just a small cough, from the dust in the road," he tells Shisui when his brows furrow with concern, hand on his elbow. The lie slips easily from his mouth, and Itachi apologizes for it with a quick kiss pressed to the corner of his mouth. Shisui goes pink from his ears to his neck, unaccustomed to open displays from him, spluttering on his breath and grinning that crooked grin. Itachi's only response a low laugh, hand brought up to cover his mirth and hide the sudden cough it brings with it.

When they reach his family home, stepping out of their shoes and calling greetings, Itachi catches sight of Sasuke lingering in the hall. His otouto frowns at him, and a guilty part of Itachi knows assuredly what irks him. Not enough time , he thinks once again; there was barely enough to split between all that he loves before , but now -

Shisui is already deep into the house, making Mikoto laugh and offering to help with dinner. Itachi hopes that these visits will continue once he's gone; Shisui's mother had been gone for many years now, and Mikoto was always in her element whilst hovering and smothering and doting on her sons. Shisui had slotted perfectly into their family, and he wishes for them to come together easily once more.

He steps further into the hall and offers a smile to Sasuke, wide and warm and genuine. His breathing comes harder but still he's happy to see his otouto, questions already brimming on the tip of his tongue. Had his last mission gone well? Has he perfected his genjutsu? Is he - is he happy ? He's rather desperate to hear that Sasuke is happy, Itachi realizes, as he lifts his arm aloft to poke his otouto in the middle of the forehead.

His hand trembles when he lifts it, vision narrowing into a clouded blur as in a blink there are two Sasukes in front of him. Odd, Itachi thinks to himself, as he stumbles forward a step and has to catch himself on the wall. The lurch of motion makes his head spin, pulse thundering in his ears as he feels, distantly, arms circling his chest that he suspects might be all that hold him upright.

But the pressure is cloying, tight and uncomfortable and Itachi feels the pain in his lungs swell. He squeezes his eyes closed to stave off the nausea, cough rocking up his throat and making his shoulders heave as he struggles for breath. Something wet catches in his mouth and he has enough presence of mind to feel ice in his veins. Not now, not yet, please, not now -

His knees fail him as Itachi coughs a fountain of red, rushing rampant from his tighttighttight lungs. A palm slapped over his mouth does nothing to stave it, to hide it or to slow it, his head continuing to spin. His sharingan spins to life as he blinks his eyes open, apologies and lies already bubbling to the forefront.

The last thing he knows is Sasuke's horrified expression, blood splattered across his cheek and his distant voice screaming Itachi's name.

-----

When Itachi wakes, it is to clinical white walls and the steady hum of machinery. He blinks away the haze slowly, limbs feeling sluggish and far too heavy, though his breath comes the easiest it has in months. He suspects he can thank the ventilator pressed into his nose for that.

Regret hangs heavy over him as he lays in the quiet, eyes gazing without seeing at the stained ceiling above him. He swallows around the sudden lump in his throat, shame an old and trusted friend as he silently curses himself for such rampant weakness, when all he'd wanted was to ensure his family's comfort and happiness.

There is movement in his periphery, and when Itachi glances to the side it is to find Shisui, sprawled out in a low metal chair, fast asleep. Fondness and worry tug equally at his heart, and he effortlessly finds the strength to push himself to sitting, trembling hand reaching out to rouse him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sasuke's voice makes him flinch, hand pulling back as Itachi whips his head to look at the door he hadn't noticed was open. His otouto watches him with a distinct fire burning low in his dark eyes, hands tightening into fists at his sides.

"I - thought I'd have more time," Itachi answers in a whisper, glancing sidelong at the still sleeping Shisui. His words hold no lies; even if he's omitting the part where he'd been too afraid to say anything for weeks, now, still he doesn't lie to Sasuke. Not now. Not when he'd borne witness to Itachi's failure, not when he'd had to suffer through watching Itachi nearly drown in his own blood.

" Bullshit ," Sasuke hisses at him, stepping further into the room and pointing a finger right at Itachi. "You've kept everything important from me for my whole life. You weren't going to tell me, not ever; you were just gonna wait until you were dead."

He can't even deny it. Itachi finds himself suddenly, utterly, exhausted. The pressure in his chest unfurls and a wracking cough takes the wind from his sails. Doubled over in bed he barely even notices the hand rubbing soothing motions up and down his back, but when he looks Shisui is there, something forlorn in his eyes and mouth pinched into a frown. When he catches his breath and turns to look, it is to see Sasuke standing close to the bedside, a shock of tears brightening his eyes.

Guilt gnaws at his bones as he struggles to lay back down, head spinning and throat dry. Shisui holds his hand, Sasuke wordlessly takes the other, and none of them speak until his parents enter the room.

-----

The days pass in a blur of muted pain and the constant flow of hushed activity. Loved ones come and go, and soon enough there are enough flowers on his windowsill and bedside tables to open a new florist. Itachi is kept medicated, very nearly sedated, until he can count the hours passing in coughing fits and exhausted bouts of sleep. His most illustrious visitor is Tsunade-hime, who offers her own gruff apologies when she admits his illness is too far along to be treated effectively, the only result to extend his life by a few weeks, perhaps, which they all know would be spent much the same. In bed, utterly useless and half-delirious, either feeling nothing or in pain. Itachi declines the offer for healing, too cowardly to meet Sasuke's eye across the room when he says the words.

The nights, however, are where Itachi finds his peace. Shisui refuses to leave the room, and when the hospital turns quiet and the lights switch off, he stretches out at Itachi's side in the small bed and pulls him to his chest. Sometimes they speak, sometimes they don't; Itachi feels gentle hands carding through his hair to lull him to sleep, ear pressed right above Shisui's heart. Steady and sure and continuing to beat; and his. Always his, as Shisui reminds him with reverent whispers before he kisses the breath from him.

It takes a week before Itachi tells him everything. How long he'd been struggling, how angry he truly is at fate's cruel hand. They speak of the life they wished to have, of the dreams of peace and days spent in laughter and in love. Itachi curls himself over Shisui's broad chest, shaking hands holding tight to his shirt, and tells him once more for good measure that he loves him. If tears soak the dark fabric of Shisui's shirt, neither of them breathe a word of it.

-----

There comes a day where Itachi can feel the burden of time resting heavy on his shoulders. His breath rattles through his thin chest, and he knows that he's wasting away to nothing. It's as though all his years, short as they may have been, have suddenly rushed forward to drag him down, and Itachi can feel his life slipping away.

He asks to speak alone with his brother, and when Sasuke sits at his bedside with wide eyes and an imperceptible tremble to his shoulders, Itachi finds his smile. It's a good, blessed thing, to know that he's honestly and truly loved , despite everything.

He does not look away from his otouto, does not hide from him or his teeming heart, refuses to keep him at a literal arm's length any longer. Instead Itachi watches the way Sasuke so clearly grieves for him, and feels an odd sense of contentment.

He has more regrets than he can count, but as the sands of time spill he knows now isn't the time to linger on them. Perhaps now is the time for truth; late as it is.

"It's been an honor to watch you grow," Itachi tells him, words spilling easily after so long of keeping them shut tight beneath his ribs from pride. "The greatest thing in my life has always been being your big brother; nothing, nothing , has made me happier. You've grown into a fine man, and will continue to do so."

His breathing hitches, which he blames on a cough pressed to his palm. Sasuke watches him, motionless and with his sharingan dimly glowing. Itachi isn't certain he even knows he's doing it.

Though his strength is failing, still he reaches out for his brother. Hand curved around the back of Sasuke's head, he drags him close until their foreheads press together. Sharing a breath, and a certain grief and connection that none could ever hope to put words to. Itachi's mouth quirks up as tears fill Sasuke's eyes, and when he speaks the words they are naught but a hushed whisper.

"I will love you, always."

-----

The best year of Itachi's life was ironically his last. He'd found happiness, and peace, despite the pain and the blood and the struggle; and passed surrounded by warmth and with a smile on his face.

[queentargary3n]

blessings

SasuSaku month 2020 Day 17 

Reincarnation AU  - Police Officer Sasuke AU

There isn’t a single day of his life that Uchiha Sasuke isn’t thankful for his life. For his mother’s gentle smile and kind nature, for his father’s silent praises, for his brother’s company and support. He’s even grateful for his loud mouthed, blond, best friend, who annoys him most of the time, but has his back when he needs it the most. He doesn’t know what he did to deserve such great people in his life.

At 24, having graduated college, and finished training in the police academy, he sets up for a bright career as a police officer and hopes to make detective before he is 30.

So, he goes to work every day, knowing he is making a change. Watching over the people he grew up with, protecting his beloved town, and actually doing something about the crime that has begun to infest it.

Sasuke knows his life is good, he was born in a good family, went to a top tier university, he never lacked for anything. He knows that having his family, being able to afford his own place, buy a new car, and work in something he actually likes is a luxury many don’t actually have.

But even as he counts his blessings every day, he can’t escape the feeling that he is missing something. Like there is a hole inside of him, he can’t seem to fill with anything.

He doesn’t remember when his nightmares started, perhaps he’s always had them. Sometimes it’s the bloody corpses of his parents that terrorize him during the night, the sadness of his brother’s eyes, as he looks at him from afar, eyes shining red and spinning unnaturally. Other nights it’s a white-faced man, with snake-like features that hunts him, forcing him to drink potions that taste horrible and burn down his throat, telling him that they will make him stronger. On other nights he dreams of facing gigantic humanoid creatures, dead bodies littering the ground he steps on.

But some nights, he dreams of pink cherry blossom hair and green eyes. The spring girl, as he calls her, cries behind him, begging him not to leave, or stands in front of him as one of his hands reaches for her neck and the other holds lightning, readying to electrocute her, he assumes.

Not every dream is violent with the spring girl, sometimes it’s just him and her. She hugs him or holds his hand as they look over magnificent vistas he’s never actually seen in real life. Sometimes they are children, sometimes they are grown, sometimes he taps his fingers to a strange diamond tattoo on her forehead and she blushes. Sometimes he kisses her and makes love to her. He wakes up to a feeling of sadness and tears rolling down his eyes. He doesn’t know who the girl with the cherry blossom hair is, or why is she a constant in his dreams, but the dreams bring him to tears he’s not one to usually shed. He can never shake the feeling that there is someone out there in the world, waiting for him.

On the day of his annual mental evaluation he is very concerned. He always seems to be expecting something to happen. Someone to attack him or his family. He has so much fear over losing it all, it causes him anxiety and panic attacks in the most unexpected times. He’s afraid the new department psychologist will find out and deemed him unfit for service.

It’s unnerving, feeling this way, because in reality what does he even know about pain? He’s never seen blood; he’s never even had to fire his gun on the job, what could possibly be the explanation for his nightmares? He wonders.

Itachi, who’s on the department of youth and family services, always tells him that is not how mental illnesses work, his anxiety has nothing to do with how good his life is or how lucky he is, and that he should never dismiss his own struggles or be comparing his suffering to others.

Sasuke understands but doesn’t actually believe it.

“I think you should be honest with the psychologist” He tells Sasuke, even if they take you off duty Itachi thinks, but he leaves it unsaid.

“I’m not going to tell her anything she doesn’t ask me… It’s not like having bad dreams makes me unfit for work” Sasuke responds.

“Maybe you should go see my psychic” Izumi chirps in from the doorway to Itachi’s office. “I wasn’t eavesdropping I promise! I was just coming to take my boyfriend out to lunch and I just happen to overhear”

Sasuke only glares at her, he doesn’t like anyone meddling in this, it feels too personal to share with his soon-to-be-but-not-quite-yet-sister-in-law. Itachi gives him an apologetic look on her behalf but says nothing.

“Still those dreams huh? She has really interesting ideas about those! Do you believe in reincarnation?” She asks him.

“That you believe all that craps she sells you, tells me so much, you’re crazy for starters” Sasuke tells her, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“No but hear me out!” Izumi tells him, ignoring his previous comment. “Like, our dreams don’t just make things up, right? You have to have seen those things somewhere, like that girl you keep dreaming about, you met her somewhere, your brain didn’t just invent her, but the circumstances you dream her in don’t match your life, right? Maybe you met in another life! And my psychic can tell you all about that!” she looks in her massive handbag and produces a presentation card that Sasuke takes, out of politeness, but doesn’t bother to look at.

Sasuke doesn’t even believe in that sort of thing, his beliefs always been on the more secular side of things, but even if there is a remote chance he might have lived another life before, where he saw wars, and monsters, and his parents death, he sure as hell doesn’t want to know about it.

So, he goes about his day, entirely forgetting the non-sense Izumi was blabbing on about. He goes to lunch with Naruto, ramen again unsurprisingly, makes a visit to a home for a noise complaint, files his paperwork, and tries to go home early for a change.

He attempted to postpone his psych evaluation as much as he could, that is, until his father, the head of the police department catches him on his way out, and orders him to medical immediately so he can get it over with.

“Go on, you know its protocol, she’s there now” His father chastises.

Sasuke is irritated to no end, but he still obediently makes his way to the new psychologist’s office in the back of the building.

Just keep it simple, don’t elaborate, it’ll be fine, he thinks to himself.

The door to the psychologist’s office is open, so Sasuke stands in the entrance and knocks on the door to announce his arrival. The space is completely littered with boxes and mountains of papers, stacked on top of another and covering the desk in its entirety, so much so that he can’t even see the person seating behind it.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m new, I’m still getting everything settled! Are you here for an eval? Did I get your file? Where are my files!? What’s your name?” She says in a rapid succession.

He stays quiet, so she can gather herself, and takes a seat in front of her crowded desk, and it isn’t until she moves the two gigantic boxes of documents in front of them that he is able to see her.

He sits complete frozen, utterly speechless upon setting eyes on her. Because the person seating in front of him now, is unbelievably and irrevocably the Spring girl.

The shiny pink hair, wide emerald colored eyes and a blushing face he’d never mistake for anyone else’s are facing him now, with a look of surprise on it.

And he is sure his face mirrors hers, especially since the next thing she says to him, is an almost whispered, “Sasuke-kun….”

“I can’t believe this…” She mumbles and looks like she’s about to jump on him, but the look on his face stops her. “Do you… am… do you know who I am?” She asks, a hint of hope sparkling in her eyes.

“The new psychologist… about to perform my yearly eval?…” He responds, unsure of himself.

He can see the deflated expression and disappointment spreading thought her. “Right… I haven’t seen your file… ahem sorry… I think we are going to have to postpone this… maybe someone else can do your evaluations tomorrow, I apologize” She tells him, in a more composed and professional tone.

She stands and grabs a small purse from one of the drawers and tries to make a quick exit.

Sasuke stares at her unable to say anything. He observes every detail he can about her, every slender curve of her body, the way her neat short hair hangs on her delicate neck, and he is suddenly overcome with the image of her, wearing a red tunic instead of the sensible suit, a red and white fan crest in the center of her back.

His hand moves almost of its own accord and grabs her tiny wrist to prevent her from leaving, and she turns to look at him, green eyes wide and full of emotions he’s not able to understand.

“I know you from somewhere” He says, in a statement not a question.

“Do you?  I don’t think so, sorry” She responds and tries to shake his hold on her wrist.

“You said you hadn’t seen my file; how did you know my name?” Sasuke asks her, in the demanding voice she remembers so well.

“I… just… ahem… I don’t….”

“What are you hiding?”

“Do you remember something… anything… about me?” She asks, the adorable blush from earlier spreading through her face again.

Sasuke isn’t sure what she means, but now that she’s facing him, he becomes completely lost in her eyes, his instincts screaming at him to hold her, and never let go. “Who are you?” He asks. Because saying, yeah, I remember you from a dream sounds entirely too stupid to mention.

The moment feels as if suspended from time, the atmosphere too suffocating, he’s afraid of even closing his eyes, sure that the moment he reopens them, she’d be gone like every dream he’s ever had.

“My name is Sakura” she says, and her name sounds like music to his ears. “This is going to sound really strange, and possibly unprofessional, but do you want to go get a drink?” She says, biting her lower lip and taking a strand of hair behind her ear nervously.

He only nods his head yes and releases her hand. “Just… how do I know you?” He whispers.

She giggles in response, her face more assertive than before. “It’s a long story Sasuke-kun… maybe… I’ll tell you later” She says, poking his forehead with two fingers before grabbing his hand and pulling him to follow.

He doesn’t know anything about the strange girl with the cherry blossom pink hair other than her name, still he would follow her anywhere. He can’t help but to feel his blessings are finally complete.

[bunny-hoodlum]

Kaginawa: A One-Shot

My Submission for NH2020 March "Bodyguard AU" Theme. Rating: General Audiences/K+

The sun is high, bearing down on her little head like an open oven. Even the long cold shadow of her father does little to shield her. The clicking buzz of cicadas is like a thousand fingers snapping in her little ears, and she swallows her worry like bitter overbrewed tea.

Both Natsu and Kou are flanked at her sides, boxing her like a prized jewel.

Throughout Konohagakure, a procession of clansmen, clan heads and their heirs are heading towards Hokage Tower, and the uncertainty that awaited her mounted atop her shoulders.

Hinata peered to her left, through the gap between civilians and buildings to find the Aburame Clan. She peered to her right to find the Akimichi Clan.

She doesn’t dare activate her Byakugan, but she is curious to see more.

It’s like they’re a row of ants marching towards their hill.

They file into the strategy hall, one by one.

Hinata eyes the long table as she and her father approach. There’s a spot for her beside him.

Kou helps her up onto the seat. Her feet dangle several inches from the floor and the table stops just under her chin.

She assesses the room, which reminds her of the dining hall and how the adults have their table and the children have their own. She then assesses the faces of her peers to see if their displeasure mirrors her own.

The Nara boy’s eyes are half-shut. The Akimichi boy is grimacing. The Inuzuka boy is as stiff as a board, his eyes wide and forcibly alert. Perhaps because of his mother, her own face pinched with an indiscernible snarl. The Aburame boy is as opaque and unreadable as the dark lenses he wears. The Yamanaka girl is poised with dignity, but she sees the way her chest rises and falls with the faintest of sighs. And lastly, The Uchiha boy, who seems to be making his own assessments; his large dark eyes are open with the utmost curiosity and regard.

Much like herself, two bodyguards are positioned behind their clan head and heir. Several representatives have taken positions against the walls, lining themselves up like a barricade of witnesses, and she wonders if this is going to be the entire day.

Another door from the far end of the room opens up, and the Yondaime strides in, taking his position at the north end of the table. A smaller pair of bright blue eyes appears beside him, his hair the color of morning sun, unlike his father’s, the color before supper time.

Hinata cannot contain the squirm of affection in her cheeks.

She knows him already.

Back when the snow was deep enough to swallow her ankles, in a clearing behind the Academy.

He had jumped in to fight off her bullies. Her bullies, who had harboed nothing but contempt for nobility.

His eyes darted in her direction, causing her lungs to freeze. His cheeks lifted with a smile, his eyes crescenting and her face warmed.

Hinata grasped the table’s edge, deliberating her next move.

The light of an idea bloomed, and she raised her right forefinger like a hook and bent her finger twice in his direction.

He blinked. His smile grew, baring teeth, and he waved at her.

But then the large hand of his father closed over his, and he instructed his son to sit still and keep his hands in his lap, to sit on them if he had to.

Her face burned as she looked away, shoulders hunching involuntarily. A quick tap against her spine reminded her to correct her posture. Her frown deepened as she straightened her back and lifted her head, and she wanted nothing more than to be amongst her mother’s flowers.

~~~

Negotiations zigzagged between the men and Kiba’s mother in a never-ending cycle, the monotony and tension alone built up a black hole above their heads, one that sucked the light from their eyes as discussions wore on.

When her daydreams lost their novelty, she broke out and let her gaze wander.

She glanced to the south end of the table to find Uchiha Sasuke staring intently ahead. Unblinkingly.

She followed his gaze over to the north end, stopping up on Naruto, who wasn’t blinking either.

She watched them for a minute, and she immediately understood.

Directly across from her, she stared at Kiba. A minute in and he narrowed a stare back at her, not in a challenge but in confusion.

Her mouth curved and she waited. His eyes lit up and he returned the grin.

Now this was a game they could play.

~~~

Sasuke walked up alongside her as they followed their fathers outside.

“You won, right?” He asked. With a tiny smile, she nodded.

Naturally, those with Dojutsu have a higher stamina for staring.

Hinata could feel her strength returning, like a shriveled flower unfurling and brightening anew.

“Hinataaaaa-chan!” A voice shouted from above.

She turned around to find Naruto grinning at her from the rails of the Academy roof. He raised up his hand with his forefinger hooked and he bent it twice.

Her breath rose up in her throat and lay lodged there, that same distinctive warmth returning to her face, the very warmth that she was beginning to suspect could only be inspired by him.

Hinata raised up her hand and repeated the same motion.

~~~

The following year, another summit was held.

Hyuuga Hinata had started her ninja training several months ago. She was doing well, but not nearly as well as her father would like. Ino was proving to be the best of their class, with Uchiha Sasuke falling close behind.

Even talent best charisma.

And Namikaze Naruto, he was proving to be the worst.

On paper, that is.

She smiled knowingly at the blond child at the Yondaime’s side.

The real Naruto was out there doing whatever he pleased.

~~~

School has concluded when she finds him alone on the swing just beyond the courtyard.

He’s encased in shadow, as if the sky were shyly hiding behind a blanket of overcast.

She works up the nerve to approach him. He speaks his mind rather freely.

“I don’t know what it is… I’m not as smart as dad…” He hangs his head and kicks at the ground.

She clenches her fist against her chest, as if courage were a slippery tadpole wriggling to escape.

“Naruto-kun is a natural, i,in his own way… I,I think that a paper d,does not do you justice.”

He hummed and craned his head this way and that, as if he couldn’t figure out the flavor sitting on his tongue.

“But all parents want to see is whatever the papers say,” He stopped kicking at the ground and stilled. And she never heard him sound so unsure before. “Iruka-sensei knows me better than he does. Iruka-sensei is the only one watching me, y'know? Iruka-sensei’s doing all the work. And all my dad wants is a paper.”

He’s strangling the rope, his mouth a tight frown against his teeth and she knows if she weren’t here, he might let loose a tear and a sniffle.

She understands exactly how he feels.

Her own father, for all the power that his Byakugan possesses, it seems that the reality of his daughter is forever tucked within his blindspot. The idea of her, however, is all that he desires to see. And if a paper can confirm she is developing properly, then his work is done.

Hinata half-steps closer towards, until she is nearly toe to toe, and she rests her fingertip atop his, slowly hooking hers around his, prying him gently from the poor, undeserving rope.

He sniffles before his lips stretch into a wet smirk, and he tightens his finger around hers.

~~~

The first time she ventures outside of the compound to help Naruto study, she finds herself blocked off by Kou’s shadow.

She meets his stare with a cold one of her own, and he crosses his arms across his chest, deflecting her defiance like an arrow off a shield.

“And just where are you heading off to, Hinata-sama?”

She straightens her back and raises her chin. In the back of her mind, a sense of pride echoes, for this is precisely the demeanor her father wishes to see in her.

“I am meeting with the Yondaime’s son.”

Kou shook his head. “An unsanctioned visit. No, you will return to your studies as directed for the day.”

“I can study anywhere, with anyone.”

“With permission, yes. However, you have not made your request known. Now you will return to your room.”

The second attempt involves passing her notes along on scraps of paper given to an army of ants – Shino’s ants – who proceed through town to deliver on the balcony outside Naruto’s bedroom.

For about a week, it works.

Until Shino apologizes to them both before their first lesson.

His father had ordered him to cease such unguarded operations of intel delivery.

Naruto and Hinata had shared bemused glances, both thinking how absurd the adults were being.

The third attempt was Naruto’s idea.

“Let’s use clones!” He shouted from the roof of the Academy, his fists raised high over his head.

The other heirs had joined in on their impromptu meeting, the tales of their rebellion against the adults catching their interest.

“Will that work?” Ino called from the back. “Clones can be sensed just as well as you can.”

Naruto and Hinata glanced at each other.

“What about after bedtime?” She said, her shyness nearly muting her voice. The idea of a rendevous after dark gave their intentions to study a different feeling. She wasn’t sure what kind of feeling, though. Something about the moon and the stars and the whole village fast asleep really pushed the secrecy towards something far more intimate.

Naruto cupped his elbow and gripped his chin. “Yeah, let’s try it. Why should anyone be concerned about a nine year old after dark?”

He ate his words when his clones appeared on his family’s doorstep, his collar in the grip of a Military Police officer on duty. A young Uchiha by the name of Shisui.

He was grounded for the remainder of the school year.

~~~

Naruto overhead his father muttering something in confidence to a young ANBU Captain with silver hair and a lazy expression.

“– He’s not taking this seriously. I need you to watch him. If he does anything–”

His mother was there too, in on the meeting, and her sympathetic gaze met his ashen one as he remained ducked in the shadow of the unlit hallway.

She’s sorry for him.

Sorry that he has to carry two burdens upon birth.

~~~

Hinata’s sitting on the swing when he emerges from the Academy, his face darkened with displeasure. It’s like this angry, red aura threatening to lick flesh from bone.

It’s interesting.

She smiles up at him, but it’s not a happy one.

“It’s funny… The history books say the Shodaime intended to preserve childhood for as long as possible. That is why he created the Academy. That is why we work together,” She eyed the rope in her right hand, thumbing the coarse fibers. “This doesn’t seem at all like what he had in mind.”

His dangerous aura seemed to pop from existence and his peerless blue eyes rose up to regard her.

“You’re right,” He said. “Once we’re genin, we stop being kids.”

Hinata felt something cold needle through her senses, and she activated her Byakugan. She mouthed to Naruto to keep talking, pretend she hadn’t noticed something was off around them.

There.

Someone was watching them.

An ANBU.

His bodyguard.

Hinata deactivated her Byakugan once she saw Kou approach a few feet from Academy premises.

And he stood there, expectantly, waiting for her to wrap it up.

They really weren’t allotted their own time, were they?

Hinata sighed as she stood. “Let’s not give up so easily, okay?” She then held the rope out towards him. He glanced at the it in question before accepting, the knowledge of her leaving sinking in heavily.

But the rope was warm. It was her warmth. And even though she was gone, it was like he was holding her hand.

His face pinched as he smiled, much to his chagrin, and he sat down on the swing, accepting the warmth she had left behind there, too.

She was right.

They were the inheritors of their parents’ legacy.

They could outsmart them any day. ~~~

BH: I want to thank @twurg for beta-ing! This turned out way different from the original draft, but I took your advice nonetheless! Thank you for looking it over for me again!

[ikeservant]

hc: how do you think the main ikesen boys would react to mc’s time? like they’re all with her when the wormhole and get thrown back to her time?

Sorry for the long wait! I hope this is what you were asking for >__

Intro: No matter what it seemed inevitable that the wormhole was going to keep chasing mc and Sasuke to take them to the present day. Since both of these time travelers were near and dear to the Oda and Uesgi-Takeda warlords, they came to see them off. With tearful goodbyes, the wormhole would finally be at rest and stop causing destruction once it takes what it wants. Mc opened her eyes to find herself in the present day. However, she realized that there were eight too many people with her. The warlords, all confused, realized that they were sucked into the present day. Mc and Sasuke, after explaining that the warlords were 500 years in the future, devised an emergency meeting. They decided to all stay at Sasuke’s apartment and learn how to habituate to the future. So, how do the warlords fare?

Nobunaga: Intrigued and curious about everything. Is fascinated by automobiles. A lot of “this is very proficient. Let’s bring this back with us.” Likes to go on day trips with mc and the others to learn more about the area. Loves museums and will research everything. Adapts SUPER quickly.“Maybe I can conquer all of Japan AGAIN.” If he had to stay in the modern day for a long time, would most likely use his charisma and knowledge of currency and politics to either be a politician or CEO.

Hideyoshi: “So this is the country that Nobunaga will have founded.” Was a little freaked out and scared of the cars and busses whizzing by. “Be careful, Nobunaga and mc, these things could seriously kill someone.” (Boi, mc has been here longer than you. She knows how to use a crossroad. Thanks for caring though, bby). Loves going to modern cafes and trying all the teas and drinks. Wants to learn all the safety codes and rules of society to keep all of the warlords safe and get along. If he had to stay in the modern day long, he’d either be a police officer to protect others and upholding the law or be a hardworking manager that has to deal with everybody’s bullshit, drinks coffee like a madman, and kicks the copier when its spazzing out. “Back in my day we just rewrote everything.”

Ieyasu: Can use common sense for the most part to get by and stay safe, but will act like a grumpy old man dealing with change. Mc has fun with her payback from Ieyasu calling her naïve and foolish when she tried adapting to the Sengoku era, telling him now he knows what it feels like being sucked into another era. When y’all went to the drug store, he was intrigued with all of the medication and pain relief remedies. Will collect several medical textbooks and buy out all of Walgreen’s pharmacy department in hopes of being better at healing others when they return. He went to the zoo and was fascinated with all of the unique animals found worldwide. Won’t admit it but loved petting the goats and alpacas at the petting zoo (reminded him of Wasabi,who he secretly missed). Will sneak food to feed street cats and due to his medical knowledge he’d either be a veterinarian or a pharmacist if he had to be in the modern era for a long time. Likes some things about the present but is a little overwhelmed how loud and fast everything goes and sort of wishes to go back to the home that is the Sengoku.

Masamune: Put this man on a LEASH. He is running around everywhere, looking at everything. “I highly support the fashion choices of this era. Tank tops, mini skirts, and short shorts? HELL YA.” Mc is his guide to all of the foods in the area. Food trucks, dessert shops, restaurants will all be conquered by Masamune. Taking him to a grocery store for the first time was an absolute nightmare for Sasuke’s credit card. Loves how food is more readily available for people now than in the Sengoku era. Gets so much food. Also has two duffle bags stuffed with ramen packages for when he returns to the Sengoku era so his men can have a ready made meal. Went to an amusement park and LOVES roller coasters like the adrenaline junkie he is. He’s overall fascinated with all the fun experiences and exciting new things in the modern era. Would thrive as a chef at a restaurant who puts on a show with fire and knives while making the best food in town.

Mitsunari: Put this boi on a leash too. He’d be wandering around and getting lost in thought about how everything works. He’d be too busy thinking about how the mechanics of a car works that he would almost be hit BY a car. Is fascinated and wants to learn how everything works like Nobunaga. Both would love the museums. Mc gave him a laptop and boi is in LOVE with it. He spends several hours focusing on the laptop and researches everything. It’s like a mini library in his lap. Mc took him to the library and he now spends several hours looking through every book. Accidentally got hired as a librarian (the most beautiful librarian in Japan). Has to have a buddy to go out with or else he will get lost in thought and end up getting lost in general. Still love him though.

Mitsuhide: “Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.” Doesn’t take long for him to learn how to beat the system. Likes to tag along with mc and the others to go to different places just for the experience. Is glad that he doesn’t have to play spy for anybody anymore since all the warlords are in the same boat and he has more freedom to roam about (and cause trouble). Will use the excuse “well I didn’t know any better. I’m from the Sengoku.” for everything even though he’s already learned all the rules and customs just so he can get on Hideyoshi’s and mc’s nerves. Uses his cunningness and intelligence to be the best lawyer. Could also be a hella good detective. Had the best time in the magic trick and prank stores. They amuse him and finds it fun to freak out the other warlords in their apartment.

Kenshin: Almost Yeeted out of existence when he found out that swords are frowned upon to carry around in this time period. However he was brought back to stability when Sasuke and mc took him to a bar for the first time. Mc had to convince the police to not arrest Kenshin a few times when he threatened to kill some people and slashed a car tire for almost hitting him. (Kenshin violence is very frowned upon here.)Has a tough time adapting and getting along in modern society but he eventually finds a way. “Accidentally” becomes a gang leader in one night. Mc took him to a pet store and the entire pen of bunnies flocked to him. Guess who has a giant rabbit pen on the roof of the apartment? Kenshin.

Shingen: Also loves the new style. Man never thought he’d see the day that women would walk down the street with legs and arms showing. Also had to have mc bail him out from the police because of his flirting being misunderstood as him being a creep. Loves the bakery and sweets shops in the area. Yukimura is not happy having to do patdown checks to make sure Shingen isn’t sneaking sweets into the apartment. Loves the new carpentry methods and tools. Mc took him to Home Depot and he LOVED it. Would either be a sexy Home Depot worker and independent carpenter or be a hot bartender that is very popular with the female patrons.

Yukimura: Is confused by everything. Almost passed out when he realized they were 500 years in the future. “What the HELL is that thing” would be what he’d say while pointing with a scared look on his face. Mc and Sasuke thought it’d be a great idea to teach Yukimura about sports so he can have fun, release his pent up energy he would usually use for practice or battle training, and have a more positive outlook of the present day. Basketball and soccer being one of his favorites. Joins a local sports group and becomes team captain due to his previous war tactics being useful on the battlefield AND the court/soccer field and his leadership skills. Loves to go to athletic stores. Eventually becomes a coach, which he is both bashful and proud of. Could see him becoming a fireman since he’d want to save people and leap into action to save others like he did in the past as a Sengoku warlord.

[domesticsns]

The Elevator

Sasuke works as a homicide detective in the Konoha City Police Department, which is laid on the top floor of the precinct. That is why most detectives take the elevator to the top floor instead of walking up the flights of stairs.

When Naruto visited his husband because they were going to drive to the suburbs to go to a family dinner. They wanted to head down with the elevator before it suddenly made a weird noise and fell down half a meter, causing Naruto to scream and hold on tightly to Sasuke who hissed, “not again”. 

He pressed the emergency button and help was so called on its way, but it was going to take a while since they were stuck between two floors. So they made themselves comfortable. Sasuke texted his brother that they were not going to be making dinner as they were stuck in an elevator and Naruto sat down and looked bored. Sasuke sat down next to his husband and sighed that this was the third time this year this happened to the elevator and they should take the stairs from now on. 

Naruto asked how long it was going to take to get them out and Sasuke said it could take hours. Naruto sighed, his phone batteries are dying and he put it down before turning to Sasuke and a small smirk appeared on his face. 

“No,” Sasuke said firmly, knowing damn well what is inside his husband’s head. 

“Aww come on, it can take hours and believe me, I’m already bored and we’re here just for twenty minutes.”

“Ten. We’ve been here only ten minutes.” 

“SEE! I am already going crazy from boredom!” 

Sasuke sighed and he looked ahead of him for a solid five minutes before saying, “what the hell...” he sits on Naruto’s lap and they proceed to get it on. 

Ten minutes pass and Naruto asks what they were going to do with the remaining, approximately, hour and forty minute. 

“I guess we could try that thing you always wanted to do, but we never had time for.” 

Naruto’s jaw drops slightly before he looks up and whispers, “God...You do exists.” 

instead of sitting in on a shitty dinner with Sasuke’s family ( Naruto loves them but sometimes they can get a little too much)  he was just doing it with his husband in a broken elevator. It’s the dream. 

It ended up taking three hours to get them out and the next day Kakashi calls Sasuke in his office. Sasuke asks if there was something wrong and Kakashi proceeded to ask him how long Sasuke had worked here. Sasuke states he had been working here for a while now, maybe seven years now. 

Kakashi nods and proceeds to state that Sasuke was quite flexible and what kind of training he had. 

Sasuke responds they went to the same school, he knows what kind of training he had been through, but proceeded to add he had taken ballet as child and went to yoga with his sister-in-law, not that it was any of Kakashi’s business. 

Kakashi smiled at this and said if it was regular yoga. 

Sasuke whispered, “sexy yoga...It is this new things..Gen Z made it up or something. Why?” 

Kakashi said he was just curious and proceeded to slide over a DVD over his desk and told him to give it to Naruto. It was a small gift. 

Sasuke frowned at this and Kakashi said he better watch it at home. 

Sasuke’s frown deepened. When he got home he gave the DVD to Naruto before telling him about the weird conversation. Naruto put the DVD in his laptop and pressed play and Naruto’s jaw dropped while Sasuke shouted,”NO!” 

The DVD had the security tape from the elevator in it and suddenly the entire conversation made sense to Sasuke. Naruto looked over at the DVD cover and grabbed the little note.  

“I deleted the security tape, but I figured you would like a copy of your little adventure in my precinct. Kudos. - Kakashi Hatake ” 

Naruto turns to Sasuke who’s entire face is red and he is hiding in the corner of the room while Naruto couldn’t suppress a little smile saying, “well you ain’t fired at least...” 

[naplunamod]

Christmas wishes

From the moment they started dating Sakura always knew that Shisui wanted to be a father. It was never in anything he said...well maybe a bit after all there was only so many times one person could drop a hint before it became creepy but that was besides the point...rather it was in his actions. How his nearly but not quite black, really they were more of a seal brown or a reddish black, eyes would soften as one of the multitudes of uchiha children would run by playing some sort of game usually ninja. How he would smile softly when he thought no one was looking at Sasuke being annoyed at Itachi for something or another. But she noticed he wasn't as discrete as he'd like to think. How when she'd end up staying late at the hospital she could always find him in the nursery singing softly or reading to the newborns, holding them with the utmost gentleness that many covet but few possess.  It's those moments that the true Shisui shines through. Those soft moments that made her fall for him in the first place. Those soft rare smiles that strengthened her resolve to give him the child he so desperately wanted no matter the cost. Steps one and two weren't too hard to pull off. Starting and stopping contraceptive jutsus were basic kunochi knowledge. Most kunochi, herself included, could do it without the uses of hand signs. A few changes in her chakra flows and boom she was now more fertile and had a longer ovulation period. If she were a normal kunochi she had no doubt Shisui would pick up on her plan as perceptive as he his however, with her perfect chakra control Sakura had no doubt that she could keep him in the dark until the time was right. The next step would be a bit harder as they both had a tendency to be workaholics. But even that was fairly easily solved by calling in a few favors to Shikamaru to aid Tsunade-shisho in the hokage's office and finally cashing in on her vacation time that had been steadily building at the hospital. Getting time off for Shisui was much easier as the head medic all she had to do was demand time off for his health (which wouldn't be a total like because kami knows he'd work himself into the ground if it meant everyone was safe). With everything in place the stage was set.

Shisui had the sneaky suspicion that his girlfriend was up to something and had been for a while now. He couldn't put his finger on what exactly but his gut feeling told him that something was slightly off. Perhaps it was in the way she seemed to smile a little brighter. Or perhaps it was how her laugh seemed to be a bit more joyous as though all was right with the world. Or maybe (and he swears he's not crazy but surely others have to see it too) just maybe it was how she seemed to be positively glowing. Everything about her from the way her hair shone just a bit differently from before to the sparkle in her seemingly much greener eyes (if that were even possible) practically sparkled. At first he thought maybe he had been placed under some sort of genjutsu especially when no one else around him seemed to be seeing what he saw. But the idea was merely giggled at (or out right snorted at in the case of his dear little cousin) but that didn't stop him from muttering a small kai from time to time or checking her out with his sharigan. When his subtle pursuits turned up nothing he became suspicious. Highly suspicious. After all Sakura never giggled unless she was up to something. But of course any inquires made into the subject matter was met with blank unknowing stares or assurances that nothing was wrong and honestly it was starting to drive him a bit crazy.  Heaving a heavy sigh he looked up at the clock on the wall in the police station. Almost quitting time same for Saku as well. Good he nodded gathering his things together. It was about time he got to the bottom of this fiasco and he would even if it meant dragging it out of her.

“Tadaima!” Shisui called out as he entered their small apartment on the shinobi side of town. While unusual it was not unheard of for branch members of the Uchiha clan to move out of the Uchiha compound and well Shisui wasn't one of the more usual Uchihas. As for how Sakura ended up living with him well when your girlfriend lives right upstairs but spends more time in your apartment (and wearing your clothes) it was inevitable. Speaking of said girlfriend the place was pretty quiet giving what today was. Even if she wasn't here with it being Christmas Eve she would have at least forgotton to turn off the radio ( the only person who he'd ever seen love Chirstmas more than Sakura was his Aunt Mito so he had gotten used to the season being non stop Christmas from an early age).

“Sakura?” he called out suddenly feeling on edge in his own home. What if something happened to her. If it were a mission or she had to stay late at the hospital she would have sent him a summon telling him not to worry.  Sliding a kunai out he crept through the too quiet apartment towards their room where he could feel a faint chakra signature. Counting to three he bust open the door only to find Katsuyu sitting on the vanity.

“Welcome home Shisui-san”  It dipped it's eyes slightly in respectful greeting.

“Er...Thank you Katsuyu-sama. Is everything alright? Where's Sakura?”

The slug summon chuckled “Yes everything is fine. Actually Sakura left me here to personally give you a message to find her whereabouts. She has left a number of me in different places throughout Konoha. Each of me will have a different clue on where to go next. Once you've found all the clues you'll know exactly where to find her. Her only rule is that you don't use chakra to track her down as that would ruin the game.”

Shisui nodded “So a scavenger hunt. Got it. What's the first clue Katsuyu-sama.”

“Back to the beginning we all must go.

Old ninja, new ninja friend and foe.

Knowledge is the key to your first clue.

A special surprise waits for when you are through.

And now Shisui-san I bid you adieu.”

Shisui got the feeling that if slugs could smile it would be wearing a mischivous one as it poofed away. Pondering what the first clue meant he changed out of his uniform into something more suitable for his new task. Just as he was pulling his shirt over his head it hit him. Old ninja, new ninja friend and foe. Knowledge is the key to your first clue. She must have meant the Academy. All ninjas go there to get knowledge whether it's new ninjas going to learn the basics or older ninjas going there to get their assignments. Opening the window and taking to the roof to avoid the steadily growing crowd on the streets he made his way to the Academy where he was greeted by another Katsuyu.

“Sharpening the mind is no easy task.

Sharpen the tool to make it last.  

Brave the elements, strengthen the skills  

both just as important as the battle of wills.

Teams formed in bonds of three

that's where your next clue will be.”

Shisui narrowed his eyes in thought, not even noticing when Katsuya dissipated. Usually shinobi sharpen their own tools at home but it wouldn't make any sense to be sent back there. Aside from a shinobi's weapons the only other tools they wielded were their bodies themselves. So the next clue had to do with their bodies and team bonds...Of course! Training! And the only training ground that was easily assessable day or night was training ground 3. Confident in his answer he sped over to the training ground. Landing at the gate another Katsuyu greeted him.

“Tired and dirty. Put through the paces.

Confidence blooms with grins on their faces.

But not all times come to good ends.

And that's where my work begins

broken bones and wounds to mend.”

Shisui nearly rolled his eyes at how absurdly easy that clue was and in no time at all was at the hospital.

“All patched up and ready to flee pause for a moment sheepish as can be.

Thankful to the beautiful medic within” ( this time he did roll his eyes)

“confident her heart he was sure to win.

Lines so cheesy but did their job great.

A laugh a blush but it was a date.”

Shisui crossed his arms concentrating hard. This clue was obviously referring to when he asked her out on their first date.  He remembered his awesome and not at all cheesy way of asking her out to which she said yes but where was it that he took her. It couldn't have been somewhere too terribly fancy because they went right after her shift at 8 so where was it they went. Smells from the evening vendors setting up shop wafted through the air though one particular scent stood out about the rest in that instant. The scent of ramen. That's where they had gone Ramen Ichiraku. Or rather that's where Sakura had dragged him off to saying that it was the best place to get a meal after her shift.  Landing in font of Ichiraku Ayame was outside waiting and pointed him to the slug that she had shooed to the side of the building stating that ninja summon or not having slugs hanging around was bad for business. Shisui chuckled at the annoyed huff Katsuyu gave grumbling about no respect as it gave Shisui the next clue.

“ Four clues down two left to go.

This next clue is somewhere you ought to know.

Violets are blue and roses are red.

This family really knows how to get in your head.

Some flowers are deadly this fact is true.

But sometimes just something pretty will do.”

Again another easy clue Shisui thought to himself as he quickly shushined to the Yamanaka Flower shop. Outside waiting for him this time to his suprise was not Katsuyu but Ino herself holding a bouquet of cosmos flowers. “Sakura's favorite.” she said as she handed him the flowers.

“Where's Katsuyu?”

Ino waved her hand “I sent it back. I had nothing else to do this evening since...well nevermind that. What matters is that I give you the last clue. And if I know forehead she went through a lot of trouble to set this up so make sure you give her those flowers.”

“The last clue is finally here.

Each of these places held something dear.

Special to us one in way or another.

One last special place to discover.

From someone as close to me as my own mother.

Now you may use chakra to find me.

A picnic for us between the trees.

And when you arrive one last riddle for you.

To accept it I hope you say I do.”

Ino grinned giving him a little shove “Well hop to it. No telling how long she's been waiting for you to get there. The faster the better.”

Shisui chuckled closing his eyes and feeling out her chakra “Alright I get it...” With the expert skill of a shinobi of his calibur without a sound he was gone appearing moments later on a blanket deep within the Senju Park. Gasping softly he dropped the flowers in his hand as his eyes filled with tears. Before him bathed in the silvery moonlight of the full moon was Sakura down on one knee. If he thought she was beautiful before now she was breathtaking. Her hair was a softer pink than usual with the moonlight giving her soft silver highlights. Her deep green eyes danced in happiness and something else. Something he knew he was sure to find out. Her lips were pulled back into a sweet yet nervous smile and was framed on each side by rosy cheeks alight with a blush that he could easily make out. In her hands she held an oddly long box with a bow on top.

“Shisui Uchiha...Will you do us the honor of  marrying us?” Green eyes stared up at him hopefully as the box was held out to him.

“U...us?” Shisui's brain stuttered to a stop as with shaking hands he took the box and opened it. Instead of a wedding ring there was something even more valuable. A little plastic tube with two red lines running across it. It explained so much about everything as of late.

“You mean we...We're...” he looked back to her in shock tears finally spilling over.

“If you'll have us...” Sakura stood taking his hands.

“ What do you mean If I'll have you? I'd be crazy not to!! Of course I will!” He picked her up swinging her around before pulling her close and ending the night with a kiss.

[acefrogmonarch]

Headcanons pt. 3

To get thus out of the way. I feel like Hinata wouldn't have as much pressure in the next life. Sure she might compete in the same things like Neji.

But wouldn't be ridiculed about it because she was very honest about it with her father.

Lunch - High school

Itachi sometimes skips college or his police academy and just sits on campus with them. He brings enough for everyone if he remembers them. But it’s fine because both Neji and Itachi text each other and plan ahead, just in case.

No one notices that these seniors are having lunch with sophomores. But then again, everyone looks like a senior in that group to the student body and staff.

The cafeteria was their place in the winter because it was too cold to go outside. Every other season was set outside in the courtyard. They have a place deemed “theirs” and refuse to share it with others. Absolute will fight anyone that goes near their table.

Naruto does football but only quarterback because he’s there to only throw.

He has a ‘dog’ named Kurama and always plays frisbees with him. Because it feels like throwing a shuriken. Naruto does tricks with them. Like throwing two at a time and trying to go the other direction but it never works out.

Sasuke does Track. Other things like Hurdles and long jump.

Naruto, at some point: So sasuke runs from his family and his gay problems.

Tenten versus Lee in any Martial arts. Usually mixed, but if they want any specifics, tae juan do is a good stress reliever, for Tenten.

Competitive archery Neji and casual archery Hinata. Neji also does Kendo along with Hinata; She still presses flowers in her journals.

Sakura would definitely be in S.T.U.D.C.O. like office aid, student rep, or any sort of authority position. She was left spiker until she became the Ace of the Volleyball team. Tried to do softball and hated it, then she joined the mixed baseball team and loved it.

Ino would definitely have been in every single program, at least once. Orchestra first, band next, Choir sometimes, did gynanism for fun. Hates cheerleaders, does step team.

Sai is a punk as bitch for any art club. All if not most of his artwork are in the library hung up.

Shikamaru hangs out with juniors that have a steady supply of marijuana. But he also enjoys a good cigarette more than marijuana because that shit fucks with him.

Choji hangs out in the culinary hallway with his girlfriend Karui, because she aspires to be a chief. The culinary teachers also know Choji because they let him eat the leftovers and he suggests new and exciting flavors for them. It’s usually good but sometimes there’s a bad batch.

Kiba would be like the kid you go to or one of the kids that has a side business, within the school. Like he has snacks, school supplies, or marijana. He’s your go to guy.

Kiba has Akamaru as a service dog within the school, since he cant sneak him in without being spotted. He was approved with a doctors note.

Shino likes computer programming. The essence of computers and how smoothly a program could run makes him feel accomplished and so happy. And when he finally gets it? Oof. Euphoria. 

He sometimes does web coding for fun and fucks around with his tumblr page.

Shino and Shikamaru both have a mutual respect towards each other. Because Shikamaru has this uncanny ability to find bugs and crash games on PC.

Naruto surprisingly built the PC for him, he manually updates new parts and makes sure everything is good to run. Shino makes mods for his games, like GTA V, Minecraft, GMod.

They stream it sometimes and it's just great content for themselves.

It used to be San Andreas but the game kept bugging out all the time, so they updated to V.

Sometimes both Naruto and Hinata dip the group during lunch to visit their little siblings. By blood or not, they both deeply care about their younger siblings. Naruto goes through the forest to visit Honomaru. While Hinata goes down the grave path and enjoys the creeks, nature around her.

They both end up at the same school regardless of how much it takes the other to get there but they both enjoy seeing the faces of their respected siblings. And it’s all worth it in the end.

Their missing hands.

Sometimes when Naruto is away in College he completely forgets that his right hand is perfectly fine and not at all gone, damaged, or artificial. So he just doesn’t use it until someone questions why he couldn’t grab something and they point out his arm.

Shikamaru: Why can’t you use your hand?

Naruto: Huh? What are you on ab-

Naruto finally notices his arm and lightly squeezes.

Naruto: I thought I lost it in the war.

Shikamaru: Wha-

Naruto: But I got my brother back. Where’s sasuwuke?

Shikamaru: Naruto, you saw him just yesterday.

Naruto: Yesterday! Why didn’t he visit me today?

Sakura: He’s a block away, Naruto. How about you visit him?

Naruto: That asshole! I thought he was still at the Wave village?

Sakura: No you idiot, he just sent a letter last week, he’s in the Sound now.

Again, once out of the trance, both are very confused. 

Hinata and Sasuke marry. Well almost. Both Sasuke and Hinata are very private and didn’t want to tell anyone about the engagement but have spent a couple of months planning. And when the subject of her wedding dress came up.

Hinata: How about a kimono, like before?

Sasuke: Huh?

Hinata: Yeah, like my wedding with-

Sasuke and Hinata look at each other and realize that they were about to marry the wrong person.

Hinata: D-do we continue?

Sasuke: I mean we don’t have a date, and the invites aren’t out yet. No one knows about this and we aren’t exactly marrying because we love each other.

Hinata nods in understanding and sighs deeply.

Hinata: Then who am I supposed to marry? And what am I supposed to do with the ring?

Sasuke: I don’t care as long as I get my sword.

Hinata: Yeah, whatever you want teme.

Hinata immediately realizes who she was supposed to marry and so does Sasuke.

They call up a certain pinkette and blonde and set up a meeting.

Hinata, still knowing her gentle first, from memory and will abruptly start training. If everyone tries to stop her, she takes it as a challenger and will fight them. She stops once Neji is there.

Hinata Hyuuga or Hinata Hyuga. She often calls the wrong punctuation for the Hyuga estate.

It's changed to only one u.

Since Hinata’s mother, Hana, is alive, they didn’t set a garden in her honor.

Hinata: Where’s mother’s garden?

Ko: Her what?

Hinata: Her garden, because she died.

Ko: U-uh, Hinata-sama.

Hana comes out to see what is taking them so long: What sweetie?

Hinata looks at her mother and smiles softly. She looks around again and tries to look for her training trees.

Hinata: Where’s my tree?

Neji follows soon after: What tree?

Hinata softly smiles but looks at the bow and arrow that is in his hand. Having come back from training, Neji is still in his gear and sets Hinata out of her trance.

Tiny Hinata misses her flowers. She does replant her garden but she also scared the ever living crap out of anyone because of her ominous message before.

Neji and Hinata accidentally outing each other's sexuality. While at the mall, they both notice an attractive couple and look at them approvingly. Then they turn to each other and nod their head in understanding.

Hinata: The Girl, right?

Neji: The Boy, right?

Now they often tease each other about boys and girls alike. Sasuke is often caught up on the teasing.

Since it’s mostly done in sign language and he can’t help when he notices the straight face that Hinata makes when she signs. “Gay sex” and points at Sasuke.

Neji curses and walks away, then Tenten, Lee and Hinata are following Neji like ducklings. All signing "Gay sex" Sasuke is losing his mind.

BI hinata and Neji.

Family reunions with the Uchiha!

Since there was no big massacre, everyone sort of lives and drives everyone up the wall with their attitude.

Sasuke can’t handle them so he brings Naruto. And everyone kind of loves Naruto, so they accept him as an honorary Uchiha.

Adult life?

Because I get that Hinata and Naruto married at like 21 and had boruto a couple of years later. So I really want Hinata to have followed the same feeling except a couple of years earlier. Same with the other girls and their pregnancy months. Because that’s hilarious. 

Neji and Tenten finally get together and him not dying. Just the potential wholesomeness about that makes me happy.

No one knows who the fuck Rock Lee hooks up with. Like he dips for 2 years and comes back with a baby named Metal. Tenten is super worried because Rock has a kind of pure innocence to him, in regards to sex.

Tenten: Did you get roofied? Are you okay? How did you end up with a kid?

Rock: What’s a roofie? Is that a drink?

Tenten: Kind of, but don’t worry about it.

Neji: What’s with the kid?

Rock: He’s my son, say hi Metal!

Metal is a baby and gurgles at them. They are very shocked, but not surprised. Because it’s Rock Lee. A musclehead that doesn’t want to stop training.

So anything is possible

Childhood ?

Naruto has his parents, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kakashi, Obito, Rin and many others. In this life but one time when he woke up to the house being empty, he just started crying.

16, very confused and just sits for about an hour in one spot holding his crystal necklace. His Mom walks in with groceries, with his Father right behind her carrying more groceries.

Naruto: Oh thank god, I thought you guys died again.

Kushina: What, no, never again! Right Dear?

Minato: I’m not going to sacrifice myself again anytime soon, if that’s what you’re worried about.

Breaking out of the trance, they question themselves and their memories. More so, their past life.

Sasuke abruptly hates Itachi and sometimes tries to kill him in his teenage years.

Sasuke: You bastard! How could you do that to our clan!

Itachi: Foolish little brother. You still haven’t caught up to me.

Sasuke is in a kenta stance but nothing is in his hand and itachi is very confused as to why he is staring at Sasuke with his hands in a very weird hand symbol.

[chidorikiller]

       “You know, there are laws against loitering, Mr. Uchiha,” the gravity-haired police officer came up beside his former student, arms crossed, a sad smile on his face. He eyed the cigarettes on the ground. “--And littering.” He went to lean against the wall Sasuke was reclining against, hiding his concern with his mask. Kakashi had trained Sasuke back when the latter had been training at the martial arts dojo Kakashi worked at -- as a second job. Then when Sasuke’s parents had died, well, everything had gone downhill. // @suck-my-tomato​

[ladyimaginarium]

SOMEONE END ME BEFORE I ADD MORE MUSES-

Coraline Jones ( novel and movie and headcanon based )

Johanna Mason ( The Hunger Games ; book and movie and headcanon based )

Daniel Monroe ( GANGSTA. ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Joel Raveau ( GANGSTA. ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Chad Adkins ( GANGSTA. ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Ginger ( GANGSTA. ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

A fandomless genderfluid mythology based shapeshifter/druid/trickster OC who literally lives to make jokes out of people’s lives and make other’s miserable because they’re riding too much of their high horses

A fandomless tree spirit OC who literally wants nothing more than to just have the world be at peace and explore the world around them and teach others about the earth’s importance

A fandomless nymph OC

A fandomless angel OC

A fandomless ancient vampire OC who works as a police officer

Dobby ( Harry Potter ; canon compliant / canon divergent and headcanon based )

Narcissa Malfoy ( Harry Potter ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Nymeria of Ny Sar ( pre-A Song of Ice and Fire ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

A few muses from my original story in the works, Imaginarium including but not limited to a monster hunter turned werewolf, a niece of a king who’s secretly training to be a sorceror’s apprentice under the court’s royal sorcerer and a farm boy turned knight in training!!

A fandomless Wendigoag OC based off of indigenous mythology of the Alqonquin tribes.

A GANGSTA. Latina Superhuman Normal/Chimera OC who ran away from base and lives in Ergastulum among a few other Superhuman Normal OC’s.

Worick Arcangelo ( GANGSTA ; canon compliant ; headcanon based )

Spas / Marco Adriano ( GANGSTA. ; canon divergent ; headcanon based )

Alex Benedetto ( GANGSTA. ; canon divergent ; headcanon based )

Senju Yukio ( Founders Era Naruto OC ; canon compliant ; headcanon based )

Uzumaki Kenji ( Founders Era Naruto OC ; canon divergent ; headcanon based )

Uchiha Izuna ( Naruto ; canon divergent ; headcanon based )

Alice Liddel ( Alice: Return to Madness ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Megara ( Disney and mythology based ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Esmeralda ( Disney ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Mulan ( Disney and historically based ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Empress Kidagakash ( Disney ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova ( Disney and historically based ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Quasimodo ( Disney and novel based ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Rhaenyra Targaryen ( pre-A Song of Ice and Fire ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Elia Martell ( pre-A Song of Ice and Fire ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Meera Reed ( A Song of Ice and Fire ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Uchiha Sasuke ( Naruto with Audaces Fortuna Juvat elements ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Uchiha Sarada ( Naruto with Audaces Fortuna Juvat elements ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Senju Hashirama ( Naruto with Audaces Fortuna Juvat elements ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Senju Tobirama ( Naruto with Audaces Fortuna Juvat elements ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Sai ( Naruto ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Yuki Haku ( Naruto ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Utakata ( Naruto ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Namikaze Minato ( Naruto with Audaces Fortuna Juvat elements ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Nohara Rin ( Naruto ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

Darui ( Naruto ; canon divergent with Audaces Fortuna Juvat elements ; canon compliant and headcanon based )

Jugo ( Naruto ; canon divergent and headcanon based )

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Two Hundred Twenty-Three: Policeman ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Haruno Sakura ] [ SasuHina, gun, assault ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

“Ah -!”

With a crash, a small stack of dishes slips from her hand, shattering and sending her skittering backwards. Eyes widening despite the shadows beneath them, Hinata struggles to ease the jumping in her heart at the sound. Oh...oh no…

“Hinata?!”

Flinching, she turns to see her coworker fly back into the kitchen. “S...Sakura, I -”

“Whoa...are you okay?”

“...I…” Her shoulders wilt. “...y-yeah. I’m...I’m all right.”

Brows furrowing and looking unconvinced, Sakura carefully makes her way through the carnage to her friend. “...you didn’t get cut or anything, did you”

“No…”

“...Hinata, you look exhausted. You should go home.”

“But -?”

“It’s quiet. I can handle things for the last hour.” Expression set in determination, she takes Hinata’s shoulders. “You clearly need some rest. If you want, you can wait here until I finish my shift, and we’ll walk back together. But either way, you’re not working another minute tonight. Got it?”

Guilt weighs heavy. True, she’s exceedingly tired...but she needs to do her job. Sakura pulled several strings to get her this position at the diner in addition to the retail she does during the day. While the nurse-in-training has school in the daylight hours, Hinata works and tries to save up for when her friend graduates, and she’ll have to find a new place to stay without her current roommate.

Given that school didn’t exactly...work out, she has to make due with what she’s got.

“I’ll...I’ll go home.”

“You sure? It’s a bit late to be walking home alone…”

“It’s n-not too far. I’ll be all right. Just...let me clean this up, and -”

“Nuh-uh. I can handle this. It’s just some sweeping.”

“But Sakura, it was my -!”

“Go!” the rosette insists, shooing her out of the kitchen. “You better be in bed and fast asleep when I get home, got it?”

“Y...yeah.” Sheepishly grabbing her things and clocking out, Hinata leaves the diner behind, shouldering her bag and making the several block trek back on foot. Neither of them have a car at the moment, and there’s no buses that make any sensical route for them to take to and from the corner restaurant.

Despite her exhaustion, Hinata tries to keep her wits about her. It’s dark in this part of town for the most part, and she doesn’t want to run into any trouble if she can -

“Well well...hey there little lady.”

...help it.

Stiffening, she thinks to the can of pepper spray she keeps meaning to buy, now painfully absent from her purse. Glancing over, she can barely make out a face, lit only by the smouldering end of a cigarette. It flares as the man draws a breath, removing the stick to exhale a cloud that makes her nose wrinkle.

“Bit late to be walkin’ around alone, ain’t it…? Not very safe...you might end up runnin’ into the wrong crowd, little lady.”

“I’m just o-on my way home,” she tries to assert steadily, unable to help the nervous jump to her tone. “If you’ll excuse m-”

In a flash, he reaches out from the alley mouth, hand finding her wrist and yanking her off-kilter toward him. Tossing her until she’s backed against the building wall, he leans over her, an arm barring her escape. “Hey, now...we only just met. Don’t wanna be rude, do ya…? Can’t leave without at least sayin’ goodbye first…” His spare hand finds a grip at the dip of her waist, grin making her nauseous.

“P-please...I don’t -”

“Hey.”

Both pairs of eyes look to the street beyond. A bit silhouetted by the nearest streetlamp, another man stands haughtily just beyond the alleyway.

“...t’hell do you want, man?” the creeper asks, expression losing its greasy attempt at charm.

“I’m gonna need you to step back from the lady. Nice and slow.”

“Yeah? Says who?”

Moving aside his jacket, the stranger reveals a glinting badge, the other hand at his hip revealing a holstered pistol behind the hem. “...police. Now, for the last time...back up.”

Jerking in surprise and scowling, he considers the officer before moving, throwing Hinata at him and making a break for it down the gap between the buildings.

Stumbling, Hinata quickly finds herself in the policeman’s arms, his grip steadying but careful.

“...you all right?”

“...I-I…!”

“Here, c’mon over here where it’s a bit brighter. Hanging out in the shadows won’t make you feel any safer.” Cautiously, he guides her out into the open, a hand at the small of her back. “Are you hurt?”

“N...no. He...h-he didn’t…” Taking a shaking breath, Hinata lifts arms to loosely hold herself. “...he just...scared me.”

“Where you were headed, miss?”

“I was just w-walking home from work.”

“It’s not really a good idea to wander around alone this time of night…”

“I...u-usually my roommate comes with me, but...I had to leave early. I didn’t want to...d-didn’t want to be in the way.”

Dark brows furrow. “...I’ll take you home. What’s your name?”

“Hinata. Hinata Hyūga.”

“I’m Sasuke Uchiha, KPD. I’m glad you’re okay. Is it very far?”

“No, just two more blocks.”

“All right...we’ll keep walking.” Probably not a good idea to try to get her in a car with a stranger, cop or not. Keeping a respectable distance, Sasuke gives her an occasional glance. Clearly she’s still shaken, arms around her middle and posture hunched, expression unreadable.

Thankfully it takes little time to get back. The little duplex is dark, the other half unrented across from the girls. Noting as much, Sasuke asks, “Do you have someone you can call to come stay with you?”

“Um...n-no. But...my roommate won’t be too much longer. I’ll...I’ll be all right.”

“Are you sure?” Sasuke frowns. “...I can stay and keep an eye on things, if it would make you feel better, miss.”

“Oh, n-no - you’ve already done enough. I don’t want to -?”

“It’s no trouble.” Surely the last thing she wants to be right now is alone. At the very least...he’s some firepower and muscle to keep between herself and the street until someone else can be here with her. “Keeping people safe is my job. Even if I’m not on the clock, I still take it seriously.”

Hinata hesitates. In truth...she’d feel a lot better. But she doesn’t want to be any extra trouble. “...do you -? Can I make you some coffee…?”

“...if you’d like.”

“Would you like to come in…?”

Sasuke holds up a hand. “I don’t want to intrude. I’ll just stay here and keep an eye on things for a bit. Make sure it’s clear out here.” Like the car, he doesn’t want to make her uneasy being alone with a stranger in so confined a space.

“...o-okay.” Nibbling her lip, Hinata unlocks the door. First, she changes into a pair of baggy sweatpants and a hoodie, feeling less...exposed with something so loose on. Then she bustles about making two cups of coffee, returning with one for Sasuke as she sits on the step with her own.

She might as well keep him company.

When she returns, he’s still standing, accepting the mug with a grateful nod. “...feeling any better?”

“Maybe a little bit…” Curling up a bit, she slowly sips her coffee. Maybe not the best thing to have before bed, but she’s likely not going to sleep for a while either way. “...thanks for staying. You didn’t have to.”

“I want to,” he replies a bit bluntly, taking a swig. “I can hang around until your roommate gets back.”

...it’s then Hinata has a thought. “...um…”

“Hm?”

“Well, it’s just...we usually walk home together, so...without me there, she’ll be alone, too.”

That earns a pause. “...can you text her?”

“Mhm.”

“Tell her I’ll go pick her up when she’s done. I want both of you home safe with that asshole running around.”

A bit taken aback at his language, Hinata nevertheless does as asked. “She gets off in like twenty minutes. She works at Jerry’s, on the corner of fourteenth…?”

“I know it. You all right here for a bit?”

She nods.

“All right. I’ll go get her. You stay here...keep your door locked, huh?”

“O-okay.” Watching him go, Hinata heads back in, doing as suggested and anxiously watching out the window. It’s not until they both return she dares to go back out. “Sakura!”

“Hinata, what the hell’s going on?”

“Hinata ran into a little trouble on her way home. I walked her back, and went to make sure you’d make it too.”

The other woman blinks. “Oh gosh...you okay, ‘nata?”

“Yeah...just a little s-spooked.”

“You two head in so I know you’re all settled for the night,” Sasuke offers. “I’ll let someone on patrol know this guy’s stalking around. Make sure no one else gets harassed.”

“...thank you,” Hinata offers softly, Sakura heading in and muttering about keeping her bat by her bed tonight. “Really, I...I appreciate it. All you did.”

“I was happy to. Just...try not to head out alone after dark again, all right?”

“I-I won’t.” In spite of herself, she gives him a brief smile, waving before heading back in.

Watching the place for a moment, Sasuke then turns to face the street, expression hardening. He was just going for an evening stroll to clear his mind...but maybe he’ll just take another turn around the block. If trouble’s going to be lurking...well, he might as well take care of it.

                                                          .oOo.

     Aaand another late night, lol      So this is actually a BIT of a rewrite of the first time I did this challenge, though before it happened to be ItaHina. This time, however, it's of course Sasuke and Hinata. A bit neat to revisit it and see what I can improve! It's shorter due to my usual time constraints, but hopefully I've improved since then lol      Buuut yeah, I better call it a night - thanks for reading!