#sakura oneshot

[13as07]

Uchiha’s Love #1

(Sakura Haruno)

[Art work is not mine! Credit to DoMyzu]

Requested by: Myself

Keys:

None

Word Count: 4,554

Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:

Non-romantic one-shot; more friendly one-shot vibes

Heavily Itachi themed so my bad

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      The knock at the door startles me awake, my adrenaline rushing as I shoot up in bed. On instinct, my hand reaches across the bed in hopes of coming in contact with Itachi. It doesn't, but that's not much of a surprise. He comes and goes as he pleases. Well, as the Akatsuki pleases; more specifically, Pain.

     Another knock at the door sounds through the house, echoes of it raking through my body. I have decided I hate Itachi today. Most days I hate him, but despite the burning grudge laid deep, when he's around I can't help but feel like a love-struck schoolgirl.

     Before everything, before the massacre, before all the death and destruction, before the hatred Sasuke and I had formed, I couldn't feel anything except love and pride for the Uchiha Chief's oldest son. Our lives - my life was so great before all of it.

     Once the third knock comes I move out of my bed. My feet are silent but my thoughts aren't. About ten different trains of thought are running through my head, all ending at the same conclusion; Itachi pissed someone off again.

     My eyes drop against the door frame, in search of my katana. It's propped up against the frame as I expect. It's a beautiful sword, but unlike the blade, it's double-sided. An unchanging apology from Itachi; one of many. 'Sorry, I almost got you killed. Here's a pretty sword for when it happens again.'

     I let my finger ghost over the colorful laced handle of it as I creek the door open. "Hello," I whisper out, scanning the darkness for whatever threat awaits me.

     "Hi," comes the small response. My head snaps down, following the voice. Standing on my doorstep is a... child. A short, twig-thin child.

     I scan the outside again, making sure to take my time looking over the empty dirt road and the edge of the forest. After Itachi went rouge, he asked - demanded - me to move further out of the village.

After a couple of weeks filled with lectures about my safety, about him having easier access and a lot of negative side effects from the village, I finally caved. The final nail in the coffin was getting attacked by some of my fellow villagers for 'being an Uchiha sympathizer'.

     "Can I help you?" I ask, tone cold as I turn back to the girl standing in front of me. Her hair is in an uneven bob, the bubble gum pink color making up for the rough cut of it.

     The child's eyes are wide when she looks up at me, the green color of her irises pushed to the side from her wide pupils; a natural response from the cloudy sky hiding what little light the night gets. "You know... um..." She shifts, eyes scattering around as she thinks over her words.

     My hand tightens around the handle of my sword, the crisscross pattern of the material digging into my skin. "I know who?" I ask, doing another environment check. I will say that using a child as a distraction is a new low, even for the enemies of my rouge ninja.

     "You used to know Sasuke right?" The words hang in the air, sucking all the oxygen out of my lungs. That's new too. I've never been asked about Sasuke, and the times I've heard about him have been insults themed around him thrown into my face by the village. Well, besides Tachi's old anbu coworker. Occasionally Kakashi will give me updates on Sasuke, but he hasn't been around since before the Chunin exams.

     "I suppose you could say that," I answer, turning my attention back to the girl standing in front of me. That's a bit of an understatement. I've been present in his life from the second he was born, which is one of the only good things my situation with Itachi has brought me.

     Well, was present. The last thing the sole survivor of Itachi's mental break needs is a constant reminder of his brother. I'm sure he gets enough reminders from the image in the mirror.

     Her eyes seem to be even wider as she looks up at me. "I know him too," she tells me, eyes blinking at me as she waits for an answer.

     I don't know what answer she wants, let alone expects. "Congratulations." That's probably not the answer she wanted, or the tone she was expecting. Her face scrunches up before her head tilts down. My eyes catch on her headband, the deep imprint of the village stamped into it. "Child, it's late, I'm tired, and not in the mood. What do you want?"

     Her eyes pick up for a second before falling back to the ground. "Kakashi-sensei talks a lot about you," she mumbles, her attention on her sandals as she messes with the top layer of dust that covers the ground.

     Fucking Kakashi. Mr 'I want to fix it'. I am grateful that the shinobi treats me like an actual person instead of a broken, left-behind piece of the masochist. I'm also grateful that he keeps me in the loop about my lover's kid brother. 

     Not so grateful that he insists on sticking his nose in my business, or that he keeps pressuring me about everything. Move further into the village, reenlist as a shinobi, make a friend, and find a new boyfriend. I'm pretty sure the last part is more self-driven than it is the Sensei's guilt about Itachi eating at him.

     "And?" I push, puzzle pieces sliding into place. This must be Kakashi's little kunoichi who has fallen head over heels for Sasuke. May the Gods either make Sasuke better than his brother or save this girl from the life of being a Uchiha's heart and soul.

     It's not all bad. Itachi is very loving and kind to me. Aside from his brother, I'm his whole world. I know that, and he has ensured I never forget it. Despite that, every positive has its negative.

     I have boxes filled with letters from him. I also have boxes filled with medical supplies for the next time he shows up half-dead on my doorstep. The same hands that have touched my skin in love have been coated in the blood of the innocent. He's constantly worried I'm too isolated but is jealous of any person I come in contact with. The same voice that lulls me to sleep has told me the crimes committed by his hand. Itachi's love is as strong as his possession. Obsession is not a strong enough word to describe his admiration for me.

     Is that the kind of life this kunoichi is signing herself up for? Is she willing to place the golden chain of a Uchiha's love around her neck? A gold chain is still a chain nonetheless. Once you dip into the love of a sharingan user, there is no going back. You will be loved until you die, whether that be from nature, the hands of their enemies, or their hand if they can't take the grief of you leaving.

     I am lucky enough to know Itachi would never put his hands on me. Does Sasuke share the same twisted morals as his brother? Anyone can die if it furthers their goal, but not even the gods will rest if my loved ones are hurt; is that another reminder that Sasuke and Itachi were cut from the same cloth?

     "Well..." the starter shinobi starts, eyes still locked on the ground. "Sasuke has... he's left the village."

     Panic creeps up my chest at her words. If he's left the village, what is his squad mate doing at my door? Has he gone rogue? Or is he taking some space? Is he finally processing the grief of everything that has happened? I wouldn't put it past the councils to label him rouge without him breaking any laws of the land.

     "Why might he have done that?" I ask, doing a mental count of how long it's been since the last time I've seen Kakashi. Is that why he hasn't come around? It's been about two months; possibly three. Has Sasuke been gone that whole time? Does Itachi know? He has to know, he checks on his brother as much as he checks on me. Why wouldn't Itachi tell me Sasuke has abound the village?

"I don't know... something about power and revenge," the girl answers, lifting her head to look at me again. That doesn't help the tightening of my chest. Why must Sasuke follow his brother's path so closely? I swear one if not both of the Uchiha brothers are going to be my death.

"Well, that sucks kid," I answer, my tone a bit snippy.

My mind is preoccupied with worry. How mad would Pain be at me if I showed up unannounced? He doesn't seem to mind me coming around as long as I'm not much of a distraction for his 'top member'.

I've talked to the Akatsuki leader a lot; if anything he's the only person aside from Itachi I talk to constantly. I'm not sure if Pain's interest in me is personal like Kakashi's or more 'happy worker, good worker'. Either way, he has decided I'm off limits when it comes to his murder team members, which is a bit of an ego rub if I'm honest.

My mind is flipping back and forth between writing to Pain to request a visit or writing an angry letter to Itachi. As I'm closing the door I settle on writing Pain. This is a conversation that needs to happen face-to-face with Tachi.

"Wait!" The girl yells, her hands slamming on the door to stop me from closing it. That pulls me out of the gutter of my mind. I move the door back open, looking down at the child. "I'm sorry," she murmurs, face scrunched up again. "I just... I want to talk to you."

"Why would you want that?" I ask, letting my face soften a bit. The poor girl looks so distressed. What has Itachi's little brother done to her?

She stays silent, eyes jumping around again. Kakashi hasn't trained his genins on body language yet, which is very evident from the kunoichi constantly shifting her weight. The only way to make her nervousness more evident would be a red stamp mark on her forehead. "Sensei said you're the only person in the village who has dealt with someone like Sasuke."

"Someone like Sasuke?" I poke, trying to figure out what exactly Kakashi has told her about me; more specifically, about my entanglement with Itachi.

"Ya... um... you know, like a rouge ninja," she races out, hands flapping around like crazy. "Kakashi said a lot goes into loving a rouge ninja and a lot goes into loving a Uchiha. He keeps telling me a combination of them is the most stressful thing in the world and I should just give up on Sasuke and with him constantly talking about you I figured you could help me with my thoughts."

     The ramble brings a small, sad smile to my face. "Do you want my honest opinions or did you come here to justify your love for Sasuke?" I ask, even though I know it's a little cruel.

     "I don't know," she whispers back, eyes on the ground again.

     I let out a long sigh, the promise of going back to sleep sliding out with the noise. "Come inside child," I say, opening the door wider so Kakashi's not-so-smart genin can escape the chilly night. Well, perhaps she's a chunin now. I'm not too sure since I haven't had the chance to ask Kakashi about the results of the exams.

     The girl walks through the door, stopping in my entryway to take off her shoes. "Um... you can wear mine," I mumble sliding out of my house shoes. I don't get visitors - let alone invite them in, so there are only three pairs of house shoes in my home; Kakashi's, mine, and Itachi's. As the girl slides on my shoes, I slip into Itachi's slippers.

     I walk away from the door, once I'm sure it's locked anyway. Someone can break through it but they can't exactly do that silently. A small warning is better than no warning. "So... you know Itachi," the girl mumbles, her head on a spiral as she looks around my home.

     My home is quite decorated; pictures of the past, a few photos from recent years, and different artworks from all The Great Nations fill the wall space.

Itachi might be a bad person but he is a good provider. I can't remember the last time I wanted... well, anything. Everything I need or want is gifted to me by him or he provides the means for me to get it. The thought upsets me; another reminder of how chained to Itachi I am. Maybe I should consider reenlisting as a shinobi.

"So," I start, flopping down on the couch tucked against the wall. "What is it that you want to know, kid?"

"Sakura," the girl answers, her eyes wandering around the small living room. Even though the space is small, I have it packed quite full. Living alone leaves me a lot of free time, so the room has turned into a hobby dump center. Baskets of yarn, random piles of books, and art supplies are thrown all over the place.

"Well, Sakura, what is it that you want to know?"

I watch as she walks up to my easel. It's a half-done oil pastel piece of Itachi and Kakashi. I settled on Itachi's color scheme being red but I've been struggling with what color to do Kakashi.

"Is this Sensei?" The girl asks, unclipping my reference photo.

"Ya, it is," I answer, closing my eyes. I can imagine every detail of the picture without having to see it. It's an older photo, taken a couple of days before the massacre. Kakashi and Itachi are sparring, swords pressed together as they come to a standstill in their fake battle. The standstill only lasted a second or two, but there's no surprise there.

"I didn't know Kakashi-Sensei had a tattoo," the little one says, coming over to sit on the couch next to me.

"Ya, he does. So does Itachi and me."

"You have a tattoo too?" Sakura asks, eyes turning away from the photo to me. I nod my head, yes, turning my attention away from her. I'm starting to not like the fact that I invited her into my home.

     "Can I see it?" She asks as she scoots closer to me. I let out a soft sigh before shifting around so my right shoulder is facing the girl. I tug my sleeve up, showing off the anbu spiral. "So, you guys all just decided to get matching tattoos or something?"

"Or something," I answer, standing up and making the short walk to the kitchen. Hopefully, a cup of coffee will help calm me. Or at the very least, help me wake up better.

     "What does that mean?"

     "Ask your Sensei," I murmur, keeping my hands busy with the preparation of my drink. "What exactly do you want me to talk to you about?"

     Silence falls in between us, Sakura letting her eyes wander around my makeshift craft room again. "I don't know... just... what's it like?"

     I let my attention fall to the dripping of the coffee being made. "What's what like?"

     More silence fills the space but I don't mind. Situations like this are difficult to talk about, both for me and for her.

     A little bit of warmth fills my chest when I glance at the girl sitting on my couch. She's about the age I was when Itachi... well, became a murder. It's weird to think about, me being in her shoes just five years ago. At least she'll have more of a support system, and someone to relate to. At least I can offer her the comfort of understanding I didn't have when Itachi went rogue.

     "What were Itachi and you like before he... left," her words come out slow like she's worried I'll lose my composer from her questions. That's not surprising, rumors about me spread even now because of my anbu days, but mostly because of the Uchiha. I can only imagine the rumors circulating now that Sasuke has left the village.

     I think about it for a moment, trying to replay the long-ago years. "Um... we were all always busy. Coming and going all the time from missions. Itachi was busier than everyone else so he was always so stressed out. He never had time for anyone, including himself. If the Hokage wasn't keeping him busy, his clan was. Most days were filled with apologies for not having time for me, but..." I tilt my head, shifting my focus back to the coffee maker.

     "But?"

     "But when things were good, they were so great. He's always been a romantic. Not like loud, elaborate romantic. More quite romantic," My heart swells with love for the dumb, murderous man I can't get over. My ring clinks against my coffee mug as I pull it out of the cabinet.

     "What's the difference between a loud and quite romantic?" The girl asks, scooting off the couch and joining me in the kitchen.

     I see her eye catch my ring as it continues to clink against different things I grab. It's Itachi's mother's wedding band. It was a gift he gave me; more like a sign of ownership. Tachi isn't too happy with Kakashi snuggling up to me.

     "I don't know how to explain it. A loud romantic is like someone who always has to hang on you when you're out and about. Someone that makes their love take up as much room as possible, I guess."

     The girl nods along as she listens to my words, eyes glossed over in confusion. Maybe I won't be able to show her as much comfort as I thought.

     "Quiet romantic is... things like your partner making you breakfast even though they can't stay to eat with you. Someone who takes care of things for you without you having to ask and half the time not notice. I don't know, something like that."

     The room is quiet again as I sip on my drink. I watch Sakura, her mind preoccupied. Perhaps she's rolling through memories of her Uchiha, trying to find the times of quiet love. I know it took me a while to figure it out; to put together Itachi's love for me wasn't any less because he chooses to show love in smaller, less noticeable ways.

     Thoughts of the ring in my hand fill my head as I focus on it. Was it a proposal? Or just his jealousy getting the better of him? How would that even work? Us being married?

     "How alike do you think Sasuke is to his brother?" My eyes jump up to meet the girl's green ones. The question hangs in the air for a while as I think it over.

     "Well, I don't know Sasuke as well as I did when he was younger. I think he's more like his brother than he likes, but less like him than he notices." The answer isn't really an answer, but I still think it fits. Itachi is driven by his undying love for his brother and me. Sasuke is driven by his hatred. Love and hate aren't as different as people think.

     "What's it like? Being in love with a Uchiha? Or, well, having a Uchiha love you back?" I notice the sadness trickle into her eyes but I leave it be. I know how hard it is to tell whether anyone - let alone a Uchiha - loves you back.

"Itachi is very busy with..." I stop myself, taking a second to glance around the room before setting back on Sakura. "Being rogue. No one... a ninja doesn't go rouge to do good things. I have to live with the fact that I know some of the things he's done, and the fact that he's done worse than he'll fess up too. It's scary but... it's also comforting."

"Comforting?" She asks, face scrunched up again. "How could it be comforting knowing you're with someone who has murdered people? A lot of people."

I let out another sigh, letting my eyes wonder again. "I spent a long time wondering why I couldn't get over him. Wondering why I liked a... murder more than any of the shibobis in the village. The answer I think I've settled on is when Itachi falls to his knees at my feet, when he holds my legs in desperation for my love, for any part of me I'm willing to give him, it causes... it makes me feel important, valued."

My eyes settle on Sakura again, her own eyes wide as she looks at me. "Uchiha's are very... ego-driven, but their love is so much stronger than their egos. When a Uchiha is willing to give you that love... it's almost set in stone that they would turn the world upside down for you."

I fall silent, giving her time to let my words sink in. "You don't think anyone else would do that for you?"

"No," I answer quickly, getting a bit frustrated that I can't word the feelings Itachi pours into me in a way that Sakura will understand. "A shinobi's purpose is to serve their village. A 'good' shinobi would sacrifice their partner for the village. Itachi would sacrifice everything in this world before he let anything happen to me."

My eyes study her face, trying to read her expressions. Her face is scrunched up for a while before it softens again; a light bulb turning on behind her eyes. Maybe this girl does understand what I'm saying, even just a little bit.

"Knowing someone would go to war if you're harmed is a better promise than knowing your partner will put their job above you. Don't get me wrong, I know how terrible of a person Itachi seems to be; how terrible he can be. People see him as a murderer, a selfish Uchiha, someone who excels at manipulation. But, I know where I lie on his priority list, I know anything I want will happen if I ask, I know at the end of the day his actions are to give me a better life, even if I don't understand."

Silence envelopes us again, me watching Sakura as she thinks over my words. "It doesn't seem as bad as Sensei made it sound," her voice is small as she continues to think.

"It probably is as bad as Kakashi made it seem. Nothing positive comes without a negative. I might be protected from everything in the world but it becomes isolating." I blink my eyes rapidly, pushing down my loneliness to stay matter-of-fact. "I don't know if it'll be the same with Sasuke, but carrying the weight of what Itachi could and would do if he sees someone as a threat, if he misreads a situation, or gets too jealous... it's scary knowing what he can do."

My hands are shaky as I lift my mug again. Thoughts swirl in my head as I sip on my drink. Am I putting Sakura in danger with this conversation? Will Itachi see her as a threat? Or will he leave it be? Does he know he's isolating me? Or is he doing it on accident?

"Uchiha-san?" Sakura calls, pulling me out of my thoughts as a weird feeling crawls up my stomach. I don't know if I like being called that.

"Yes, child?"

She stays quiet, staring at me for a while as she works out her next question. "Kakashi-Sensei said something like 'you're in an open cage with broken wings' or something. What does that mean?"

I smile softly at her, Kakashi's voice ringing in my head with the same quote he's said since the death of Sasuke's clan. "Your Sensei says that I 'live my life with the door of my cage open, but with the wound of clipped wings'."

"Yes! That's what he said!" The girl cheers a bit before the excitement is replaced with sadness again.

"It means I live in fake freedom. I'm free to do what I want when I want because of the safety net my Itachi offers me. However, I still live with the terrible things he's done. With the knowledge of the things he has and is willing to do."

Sakura's face sinks with my words. A bit of my grief rubbing off on her. "Is it worth it?" The question is soft and asked to her feet instead of me.

"I think it is. I... he's not around a lot. He's always busy but I know I'm always on my mind. I know that I'm loved." I stop again, resetting my head for a second before settling on my mini-me.

"Loving someone like Itachi - someone like Sasuke, means you give a lot. You give your time with them, your own time, always being on call because you don't know the next time you'll see them if there will be a next time. You give a lot of your emotions. Worrying about them and what they're doing, to who they're doing stuff to. Grievance to the people they hurt, to the life you used to have, to the person you used to love, the person you used to be."

I snap my eyes closed, tilting my head up at the bittersweet feeling forming with my next sentence. "You give love, so much love, unconditionally. You carry a million feelings wrapped up in that single feeling of love. Being that safe space for them, sharing their burdens, their mistakes."

I tilt my head back down, locking eyes with the younger girl again. "It's a lot of mental burden, and not everyone can carry that. If Sasuke loves you, he won't love you any else because you struggle with your feelings day to day. Some days I love Itachi more than life, some days I hate him, and some days I hate myself. No matter what I feel, Itachi still loves me, still knows it's his fault for my conflicting emotions, and he's patient with me."

Once again I watch, waiting for the girl's reaction. Her face is scrunched up again and I'm sure her mind is running a mile a minute. "Do you... do you think Sasuke will be like his brother?"

"I know Sasuke is not Itachi. I don't know what he'll be like, I don't know where you lay on his line of importance, I don't know anything about what he'll be like. What I do know is what might happen. What you might have to deal with. I can't predict the future but I can help you be prepared for it."

It takes a second but Sakura's face softens again, a sad smile on her lips as she looks at me. "Uchiha-San?" I hum a yes, preparing for whatever she's about to say. "I'm glad I have you to help me through this."

"I'm glad I can help you through this as well, child."

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[perfectsunlight]

ENOUGH ⸻ SAKURA

idol!sakura x non-idol!reader

word count: 1.3k

warnings: kissing??? idk if that's a warning???

SYNOPSIS: sakura always flirts a little too much for you liking. this time, you decide to give her a taste of her own medicine.

“do you have to flirt with them so much?” you said with a huff while admiring your nails. sakura was currently leaning over the vanity and taking pictures of herself in the mirror as usual. lesserafim wasn���t on for another twenty minutes, but part of you wished that they wouldn’t go on at all.

it wasn’t that you didn’t enjoy watching sakura or the others perform, it was just the way your girlfriend acted on stage that always stirred something in you. 

sakura was a flirt, and despite her never crossing the line with her fans, it still always made you jealous. and since today was a festival performance, you knew it would be a short setlist, but you knew she’d be even more eager to interact with her fans. 

the idol glanced at you through the mirror, a small smirk playing on her lips. “we've been over this,” she said, her tone light but with a hint of impatience. “it's just part of the job.”

you sighed, feeling annoyed at her lack of reassurance. however, you knew better than to think she’d change her ways. “i know, but it still bothers me.”

she rolled her eyes and continued snapping photos, clearly brushing off your concerns. “you always ask this,” she said, her voice dismissive. “and my answer is always the same.”

you bit your lip, feeling a pang of hurt at her casual dismissal. but you weren’t going to argue about this, especially not before her performance. “i can't help how i feel, sakura.” you whispered while tugging at her pant leg to get her attention.

sakura turned to face you, her expression softening just a bit. “look, i get that it makes you uncomfortable, but you have to trust me. it's all just a show.”

you looked down, fiddling with the hem of her jeans again. “i do trust you. it's just hard sometimes.”

the japanese girl simply grabbed your hand and pulled you into her, pressing a kiss to the side of your cheek. “i know,” she murmured against your skin. “but i love you, and that's what matters.”

you sighed, feeling a little better but still uneasy. but you dismissed it, not wanting to cause a fuss before she went onstage. “i love you too.”

as she left for the stage, you sat back, watching the preparations. a plan began to form in your mind. if sakura could flirt on stage and get away with it, maybe it was time you did a little flirting of your own—just enough to get her attention.

when lesserafim took the stage, the energy from the crowd was electric. the lights, the music, and the cheers from the fans created an exhilarating atmosphere. usually you sat backstage, or by the sound and camera crew in the middle of the crowd. 

today, you positioned yourself directly in the front, where sakura could easily see you.

as the performance began, you watched your girlfriend sit over the side of the stage to autograph a fan’s hand before kissing it after. a wave of annoyance surged through you, but you held your ground, determined to make your point.

sakura stood up and continued with the performance, her eyes flicking to you every now and then. she seemed to be enjoying herself, playing up her flirtatious persona for the fans. but you noticed the way her eyes lingered on you just a bit longer than usual. she knew you never stood this close to the stage, and it was clear that your presence made her naturally curious. determined to keep her on her toes, you decided to step up your game.

during a particularly energetic song, you started chatting with the person next to you, a fellow fan who was clearly excited to be there. you made an effort to speak close to his face, partially because the music was loud and also because you needed to put on a show of your own.

“hey, i need a huge favor.” you shouted into his ear. it would be easier to put up an act if the both of you were in on it together. “what is it?” he replied, giving you his complete attention. “can you help me make my girlfriend jealous?” you asked, your eyes flicking up to where sakura was performing. 

a mischievous smile spread across his face. “absolutely. what do you need me to do?”

“just play along,” you said, returning his smile. “follow my lead.”

you weren’t expecting your girlfriend to pay much attention to you, especially when she was kissing cheeks and signing chests. 

but sakura noticed. she always noticed everything you did, even if you weren’t near her.

while you were flirting with this man, you even saw her miss a move in her choreo. her jaw visibly clenched, but you weren’t sure if it was because of your or her mistake.

either way, your girlfriend wasn’t too worried about it since afterwards she decided to squat down and move hair out of a fangirl's face while she sang before caressing her cheek. the crowd cheered at her interaction, loving the flirtatious side of her. 

“put your hands on my waist.” you leaned over your shoulder and shouted, ensuring sakura could see your every move. fortunately, he was at least a head taller than you, which ensured that the idol would be able to see the both of you.

you could feel your girlfriend’s gaze burning into you from the stage, and you knew she was focusing on you more than her own dancing and singing. however, you were dating a professional. your girlfriend could do her job in her sleep. 

you needed to do something that would cause her professionalism to falter. 

the moment your hands moved to rest on top of the stranger’s, you watched your girlfriend quickly bring the microphone to her lips.

“fearnot!” the japanese girl shouted into the microphone, her gaze glancing at you briefly before shifting away. “put your hands up!” a small smirk played on your lips. 

clever. 

while the song changed, an idea formed in your head. you turned your back to the stage completely and faced the man with a grin. you could feel your girlfriend’s gaze burning into the back of your skull, and you even heard her just a second late to her part.

but you were still not satisfied. you wanted your girlfriend to be sent over the edge completely.

your eyes met the stranger’s once more, and you gave him the most intense gaze you could muster.

“kiss me.”

the man nodded slowly, resting his hands against your waist before pushing your back against the barricade railing. “let me know when.” he whispered as he moved in closer to you.

you couldn’t see, but sakura's eyes darkened as she slowly but deliberately made her way to your section. she wasn’t a fan of how close this man was to you, especially while right in front of her. 

the man leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing against yours. “okay,” you whispered, your heart pounding. “now.”

as the man's lips were about to touch yours, the idol reached down from the stage, grabbing your chin with a possessive grip. she pulled you towards her with surprising strength, leaning over the stage railing. the crowd gasped, their cheers and shouts reaching a fever pitch. without a moment's hesitation, sakura cupped your face in her hands and kissed you fiercely, her possessiveness clear and professionalism nowhere to be found.

the intensity of her kiss left you breathless, your hands instinctively gripping her arms for support. when she finally pulled away, her eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and determination. “enough,” she said, her voice low and commanding, “don’t do that again.”

despite her words, you knew you were definitely doing this again. 

[anime-to-the-t]

A Story about a Classmate Who Is a Dog-Eared Tsundere

犬耳ツンデレ同級生の話

[thelovelywriteress]

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It's been a while since you and Sakura started to date each other. Though you both were still awkward with each other. Most romantic gesture you exchanged was handshaking. You know this all was WAY too new for Sakura but still sometimes you wished your relationship to be more daring, atleast more than handshake.

You were walking with your hand in your arm. You were in your own lands of wondered, you didn't notice the Bofurin was on their daily patrol, especially not Sakura though he did. He always managed to find you even when you DON'T, he always DID.

"Isn't that (Name)-san?" Neirei catch where Sakura was glancing, on hearing his name Sakura almost hissed like a cat. He was fine silently staring at you when you were in your own thoughts, he find that cute but no wait, point is he didn't want his companion to point it out.

He just fasten his pace, acting like he wasn't interested in your presence but Suo wasn't having his ignorance,"Sakura-kun shouldn't you go and say hi to her?" He offered with his usual smile as Sakura let out a embarrassed reaction to his suggestion. Sakura was about to give some excuse but Suo already throw his attack,"(Name) noticed your presence, how sad she will when she will realised you don't even care enough to─" And before he could complete his sentence, Sakura already dashed pass the Suo towards your direction.

Guess boy take no chances when it comes to you.

You still didn't notice the boy approaching you but your cat sure did as she jumped out of your arm,"Hey─" You stopped when you realised she stopped in front of your dual hair boyfriend. Sakura looked down at the cat who seems to be excited upon seeing him. He picked it up and come closer to you.

"H-Hey Sakura!" Damn why you have to stutter and say it loudly. You probably looked like you didn't notice him coming. He return your greeting AND your cat back to you,"You should hold her tightly." He suggest while you give a small laugh,"Yeah. She almost made me drown yesterday." You intended to share your experience as joke but Sakura was concerned by your words and ask you to explain it further,"Well she keep running around and I keep chasing her like crazy, at same point she reached the bridge and almost made herself and me fall." You laughed at the memory but Sakura didn't,"B-BUT I am f-fine now." You exclaimed nervously while Sakura didn't looked convinced, he just ask you to see your surroundings better.

"I will go now." He said as he put out his hand, you know what was he expecting and return his gesture. Oh how you wished instead of hand meeting hand, it was lips meeting lips. Even though you wanted to experience it, mere thought of it made steam coming out of your eyes.

"It's embarrassing but I still want to experience it already one." You pouted a bit as your gaze fall on your cat in your arms. You hold her in front of her and demand her help,"I take care of you so goodly, shouldn't you return favour by using your cat power and made me and Sakura kiss?" What were you expecting a legit yes from her? Well too bad it didn't happened. You soon realised too how much crazy you sound and put her back in your arms but suddenly she jumped out again and started to run,"Hey wait!"

Sakura was getting fed up now. Neirei keep him asking about how things between you and him work while Suo just keep him teasing.

"Shut up!" "Meow."

"Sakura-kun see your yell got us getting us complained by cat." Suo state as Neirei giggled in back, Sakura was about to yell again but cat meowed again. Sakura turn towards it and remember this familiar cat,"You are (Name)'s cat!" Sakura exclaimed while other two sweatdrop at him. Why was he sound like he just find out her identity as some suspect. Cat just meow again and started to walk away,"Where are you going?" Sakura walked behind the cat, followed by his other two companions.

Suddenly cat increased her speed and so does Sakura. It keep going on until it become official─"Sakura chasing a running cat." Sakura called the cat to come back, he imagined how worried you must be. Your worried face boost his speed. Cat started to jump on bulidings and walls but Sakura still keep with it untill at one corner he lost her sight but even though he keep looking for her.

"Come back I promise I will expensive food this time." You said, hoping for it to work,"Meow." Guess it did. You saw your cat at a corner and run towards it. Though when you reached she was already out of sight, you followed the sound of her meows.

"There you are!" Sakura also noticed her and run towards it to chased while cat quickly run on your side and after making sure you saw her she started to climb tree,"No don't go there." Last time she climbed a tree, you had to use ladder to bring her down. You climbed behind her and when you thought you finally catch her she jumped on other tree,"AND NOW YOU'RE NOT SCARED?" She keep jumping while meowing as you followed her behind, Sakura was also coming near by following soud of meow.

Cat quickly jumped down and landed in front of Sakura who quickly launched towards him but at same moment you jumped in front of and you both collide with Sakura falling over you. You both feel pain through you body but that quickly vanished when you realised the approximately between each other.

When you were collide, Sakura knew he couldn't prevent the falling so he instinctly wrapped his hands around you to protect you. That was quick reflex of movement but now when it's stable you guys started to blush like crazy. When if he wanted to pull his hands, he can't since they were beneath you.

"S-SORRY!"

"Don't move!"

Your eyes turn spiral as you tried to wake against Sakura's comment which end up you putting hand on your shoulder and forcing him downwards, towards you and that's where whole scene take unexpected turn.

If this whole situation wasn't messed, the fact you made Sakura's lips crashed on you sure was.

Both of yours eyes widened. It wasn't romantic kiss like on dates. It wasn't hot kiss that make you forgot your surroundings. It wasn't quick kiss you give out of love. It was were merely his lips meeting yours for mere seconds but still it was the FIRST KISS you shared with each other. You both stare at each other as Sakura pulled back his face while your cat meowed. You both brought your gaze towards the cat as she meowed again, with a hint of delight.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!"

And now some reason you both separate from each other without any accidentally kissing, just to yell at the innocent cat with red hues rising on your face. Such ungrateful beings humans are.

You both accidentally catch the each other's gaze as yell of flusteration left your mouths.

"SORRY!"

Neirei and Suo soon catch up and Suo quickly grabbed the cat. He check the collar and found you were the owner, no wonder why Sakura was chasing it like crazy.

"Hey where is your owner and her boyfriend?" Suo said with his usual playful tone while Neirei laugh at his tactics before walking further on the way.

"SAKURA-SAN! (NAME)-SAN!" And there Neirei find the two familiar unmoving bodies laying at opposite sides. Neirei check the Sakura he seems to be black out with his face being red as tomato while Suo check the owner of cat who's eyes seems to spin like spiral.

"What the hell did we miss?"

"Meow~"

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[i-luvsang]

lovesick — miyawaki sakura

pairing : lovesick!sakura x gn!reader ➖⟢ genres : fluff !!! ➖⟢ cw : kissing, you might throw up its so sickly sweet pun intended, not editied ➖⟢ wc : 0.3K

when sakura is lovesick, she giggles. a lot. a lot more than she would have thought otherwise dignified. when she’s lovesick, her patience never wears thin around you, to the extent that chaewon thinks something must be wrong. then in private, she lets out one of her frustrated screams, loud and oddly endearing, because she thinks you’re so cute. then chaewon understands that kkura’s only illness is that of being in love.

when sakura is lovesick, she dotes on you like it’s what she was born to do. she doesn’t stop carrying around eunchae’s favorite snacks in her purse, but she does start carrying yours too. she has to make sure that you’ve eaten, that you’re not too cold, that you’ve had enough water to drink that day. kkura is lovesick, so she’d be worse off than you if you ever fell ill.

when sakura is lovesick, she stays that way, with no cure. she imagines not even you breaking her heart could lower her love-induced fever. but she’s so lovesick that she doesn’t think about that, she thinks about your lips on hers even when she’s felt that glorious piece of heaven a million times over. see, she just gets sicker and sicker with each kiss like your lips are her drug of choice. the fever rages when you become hers, not just her crush.

when sakura is lovesick, she smiles like she holds the world in her palms, because that’s exactly what she feels like when you’re in her arms. she’s calm and even though she’s an addict for your touch, she still sees clearly. she knows you calm her storms and that you’re meant for each other. that you bring out the best in her, you keep her on her best path and she couldn’t have found anyone better than you.

when sakura is lovesick, she whispers it in your ear at night when she’s all soft and sleepy. she tells you when she slips a hand into your back pocket and when she’s proud of you and when you’re proud of her. she says it when you call her sweet nicknames and it’s always written all over her face with the way that she looks at you. lovesick sakura is the most precious thing you’ll ever get, and it’s impossible not to know it. so you’re lovesick for her too.

[ruewrote]

𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑏𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢.

PAIRING: emily davis x fem!reader WARNINGS: yearning, no use of y/n GENRE: angsty fluff SONG INSPIRATION: war of hearts by ruelle WORD COUNT: 1.1k

navigation | ask | emily davis masterlist

you sat on the worn leather couch, legs tucked beneath you, a mug of hot chocolate in your hands. across from you, emily leaned against the window, arms crossed, staring out into the snowy landscape with a frown on her face.

it had been her idea to come to the lodge. well, technically it was a ‘group’ trip, but somehow, the two of you had ended up alone together,  it wasn't the first time.

maybe it was fate or maybe just bad luck, but it seemed like no matter what, you and emily always found yourselves in these near miss moments. so close to something more, yet never quite crossing that line.

you took a deep breath, determined not to let her moodiness affect your own. "hey," you called out, your voice soft but full of cheer, "is it just me who thinks this place is kind of magical? the snow, the fire… it's like something out of a movie."

emily glanced at you briefly, her expression unreadable, before returning her gaze to the window. "sure," she muttered, her tone flat. "if you're into that kind of thing."

you smiled despite her gruff response. it was part of her charm, after all. her grumpiness, her sarcasm. but there was something underneath the exterior that made you keep coming back. 

you just wished she’d let you in, just a little more.

setting your mug down, you got up and walked over to her side, gently nudging her shoulder. "come on, emily. can't you at least try to enjoy this? it's not every day we get to escape everything and just… be."

she shot you a sideways glance, her lips twitching like she was fighting a smile, but she quickly masked it with a sigh. "i’m here, aren’t i? isn’t that enough?"

you laughed softly, shaking your head. "i guess. but i was hoping for a little more enthusiasm." you leaned against the window beside her, close enough that your shoulder almost brushed hers. "how often do you get to unwind like this?"

emily shrugged, her dark hair falling in her face. "not really my idea of unwinding."

you frowned slightly, genuinely curious. "then what is?"

there was a long pause before emily finally answered. "i don’t know. something quieter. less people, less… stuff."

"less me?" you teased lightly, trying to keep the mood light despite the sudden tightness in your chest.

her eyes flickered toward you, and for a second, you swore you saw something soften in her expression. but just as quickly as it came, it vanished. "that’s not what i said."

you tilted your head, watching her closely. "but it’s kind of what you meant, right?"

emily groaned, running a hand through her hair. "no, it’s… i just don’t get why you’re always so… you."

you blinked, taken aback. "what is that supposed to mean?"

"you’re always… happy. always looking on the bright side. it’s exhausting sometimes." her voice was sharp, but there was something vulnerable underneath it. "like nothing ever gets to you. don’t you ever just–" she stopped herself, pressing her lips together tightly.

"feel like i’m faking it?" you finished for her softly. "like i’m too much?"

her silence was answer enough. 

you sighed, leaning your head back against the window and staring up at the wooden beams above. "it’s not that i don’t get sad or frustrated, you know. it’s just that… i try to focus on the good stuff. even when things aren’t perfect." you paused, glancing at her out of the corner of your eye. "like right now. we’re in this amazing place, and i’m here with my favorite person, so i’m choosing to enjoy it."

emily’s frown deepened, but she didn’t look away this time. her eyes lingered on you, something unreadable behind them. "you… you don’t have to be all sunshine and rainbows around me, you know."

you let out a soft laugh, not sure if that was a compliment or a critique. "i know. but that’s just how i am. and… maybe i like trying to get you to smile every now and then."

her lips twitched again, and this time, she didn’t try to hide it. "good luck with that."

for a second, the tension between you was thick. the fire crackled softly in the background, the snow outside adding to the quiet stillness of the lodge. you were standing so close now, the warmth of emily’s presence radiating through your skin. your heart thudded in your chest, a nervous flutter in your stomach as you weighed your next words.

say something. take another step.

but just as you opened your mouth, emily pulled away, breaking the moment. "i’m going to bed," she mumbled, avoiding your gaze. "it’s late."

disappointment curled in your chest, but you forced a smile. "yeah, sure. goodnight, emily."

she gave a curt nod and disappeared down the hall toward her room. you stood there for a long moment, staring at the space she’d just left, feeling like something important had just slipped through your fingers.

the next morning, the lodge was quiet, except for the soft patter of snow falling outside. you found emily in the kitchen, already dressed, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee. she didn’t say anything as you approached, but there was something different about her, like the usual wall between you had a crack in it.

"morning," you said softly, grabbing a mug for yourself.

emily glanced up at you, her brow furrowed. "i was thinking about what you said last night."

you blinked, caught off guard. "you were?"

"yeah." she hesitated, her fingers tightening around her mug. "about how you see the good in things. and how you… put up with me."

you frowned, leaning against the counter. "i don’t ‘put up’ with you, em. i like being around you. even when you’re grumpy."

she huffed a laugh, shaking her head. "you’re a weird one."

"maybe," you replied, grinning. "but i think you like that about me."

emily’s eyes met yours, for the first time in a long while, she didn’t look away. "maybe i do."

your breath caught, the air between you charged with unspoken things. you took a small step toward her, and she didn’t pull away this time. 

say something. anything.

but then, the door to the lodge burst open, and the sound of your friends’ voices filled the space. the moment was gone in an instant, emily straightening up, her face closing off again.

you sighed internally, smiling through the disappointment as you greeted the others. another almost, you thought, glancing at emily one last time. 

and this time, she smiled. just barely, but it was there.

comments and reblogs are appreciated ˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗

© ruewrote 2024.

[frickingnerd]

stealing your hoodie

pairing: futaba sakura x gn!reader

summary: your girlfriend steals your hoodie & lies about it to you!

“futaba, have you seen my hoodie?”

you've been looking for your hoodie for a couple minutes now, but you couldn't find it anywhere. with how often futaba was staying at your place, you hoped she might've seen it. but that didn't seem to be the case.

“nu-uh–!” she called out from another room. you continued to look around the current room, before suddenly stopping.

“you're wearing it right now, aren't you…?”

suddenly, futaba didn't reply anymore. you waited a few seconds, before you headed to the next room, only to see your girlfriend wearing your stolen hoodie.

“i knew it–!” you huffed, shaking your head amused.

“w-well… i am a thief, you know! you should really be more careful with your stuff. especially if it's so comfy…”

[jihyoruri]

❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ 𓍢 YOUTUBE SERIES huh yunjin

🧋💿 yunjin and yn being girlfriends for five minutes 76k views

masterlist . next

clip one (when yunjin brought her face wayyyy to close to yns)

“how’d I do ?” yunjin asked the shorter girl, walking towards her. she was doing a scene for the girls comeback and yn accompanied her to the set to cheer her on.

“you did good” yn replied, giving thumbs up to the camera before turning back to yunjin. “really good.”

“really good ?” yunjin repeated the girls words, coming closer to her, holding on to yn’s arms until there was barely room between them. “you sure ?” her face extremely close to yns.

yn leaned back, her face feeling like it’s on fire the closer yunjin got. “yes!” she squealed feeling her heart rate go up.

yunjin let go of yn laughing her ass off at yn’s reaction.

yn turned to the camera with her hand on her chest. “oh my god.”

blooper beep sound effect

clip two (when yunjin brought yn food, while yn was doing a photoshoot.)

today yn was doing a photoshoot for calvin klein, it was the first time it was just her on her own doing a solo photoshoot most of time her member’s accompany her, but today she’s on her own.

“I’m by myself today guys.” yn said to the camera she was holding for behind the scene footage for the channel. “I’ve never done an underwear shoot before.” she pulled her blanket tighter around her. “I wonder what the girl’s reaction is gonna be when they see it, cheawon unnie will probably be like oh my god !” yn mocked the leader giggling.

yn yawned softly. “fearnot’s I’m hungry.” she adjusted herself in the seat she was in. “but I can’t eat until the shoot is over.”

“I think it’s time to do more photos.” she got up from her seat.

yn was in an empty laundry basket, lifting up her calvin klein sweater slightly, posing for the camera, only to flinch when she hears a loud voice.

“YN” she looked to the side to see yunjin holding delivery food.

their manager tells yunjin to sit down until yn is finish the shoot and then she can eat.

after yn is done, she picks up the camera and turning it on while she walks towards yunjin.

“guys yunjin is here and she brought food.” the girl smiles at the camera as she stands in front of yunjin.

yunjin pulls yn to stand between her legs. “you look so pretty.” she says looking up at the girl.

yn smiles at the compliment. “thank you, I didn’t even know you were coming.”

“I know I just thought it would be nice to bring you some food.” yunjin motions the girl to sit with her and starts unpacking the food.

“thank you, say hi.” yn turns the camera towards yunjin, the blonde waving at the camera.

“okay guys I’m gonna go eat.”

clip three (them trying to explain why they covered sofia by clairo )

“um, a lot of songs that I cover I have some sort of connection to it or I relate to it.” yunjin says to the interviewer, one arm around the back of yn’s seat.

the interviewer raises an eye brow. “oh really ? so what connection do you have to that song that you covered with yn, what’s it called sofia ?”

yn’s mouth dropped slightly as eunchae giggled.

“oh um.” yunjin turns to look at yn.

( it’s giving yeri’s “I like girls.” Interview) (play the clip)

yn coughs awkwardly. “maybe not all the songs she covers have a connection, right jen ?” she turns to yunjin laughing awkwardly.

“yes of course ahahhaha” yunjin turns her head away awkwardly.

blooper beep sound effect

clip four ( just them during practice for anti fragile.”

yn breathing heavily, leans down to get her water bottle.

as she practically drowns it yunjin walks up behind her, wrapping her arms around yn.

“can I have some, i finished mine.” she says in the girls ear, yn nodding she lifts her bottle towards yunjin lips.

cut

“do you think I’m fragile ?” yn says to the camera making a stank face.

yunjin throws her arm around yn’s shoulder. “do you think I’m fragile?” mocking yn.

cut

“yn is mad at me.” yunjin says to the camera, while yn stands in front of the girl, glaring at her.

yn turns around, about to walk away but yunjin grabs her arm, turning her back around.

“yn come onnnnnn.” yunjin drags out,wrapping her arms around the girl.

“noooo” yn wines, she scrunches her face when yunjin kisses her cheek a little to close to her mouth.

(twitter was in flames)

clip five (when it looked like yunjin was gonna kiss yn at the mma’s)

the girls were sitting enjoying the performances, yunjin leans in whisper something in yn’s ear but yn turns her head around quick to the girl, their faces inches apart , yn flinches hard at the closeness.

yunjin flinches at the girls speed, raising her hands up in defence as yn covers her face in embarrassment.

cheawon looks at girls in shock after only seeing when their faces were inches apart.

blooper beep sound effect

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING

🧋📁 I had to much fun writing this more is on the way.

[kpop-s-akura]

Gym Buddy || y.jw

🌸Pairing: Yang Jungwon x fem!Reader

🌸Description: When school forces you to run the mile every Monday — and lessens your will to live — Jungwon is there to keep you going.

🌸Genre(s)/Content: SFW; fluff; some humor; non-idol!AU; high school!AU; established relationship; curse words; appearances by the rest of ENHA; Jungwon is best boyfriend😘; Reader hates exercise and is kinda bratty lol; kissing; jokes about violence (no actual violence); pet names (babe, dearest, darling, baby, love); written for mobile; let me know if there's anything else!

🌸Word Count: 2.6k

🌸A/N: I'm finally back after so long! If you read my first chapter of my True Beauty fic, I'm so sorry but there's the slimmest chance I'll be continuing that (at least for now). I also apologize to those who I promised to enter collaborations for. There's honestly so much I have to say and apologize for, but for now, I hope you can forgive me and enjoy this piece. I hope to be back very soon with another one!

Happy reading!💙🩵

❀❀❀

“This is bullshit.” You deadpanned, half-assedly hugging your right arm to your chest with your left.

Jungwon could only chuckle at how obvious it was that you didn’t want to be here, at how visceral your hatred was.

Cute, he thought.

You whipped your head to your boyfriend’s sound of amusement while he was stretching his arms, happiness written all over his face from your “pain”.

“I’m serious, Wonie!” You whined from your place on the ground, now in a side lunge. He only snickered again, a bit louder this time.

“I know you’re serious, babe; you’ve been complaining about it ever since the beginning of the semester.” Jungwon continued his stretching routine, prepared for the whole tirade that you were most likely going to lay on him — not that he ever minded.

“Like, what’s the point of the mile run? To punish us?”

“It’s to keep you active and fit, dearest.” Jungwon spoke in a saccharine voice, giving the same answer to the same question that you ask nearly every other Monday. But it did little to soothe your anger over school mandated exercise.

“Like hell that’s the reason! I think it’s a plot…” You mumbled the last part. You both came out of your stretches and turned to look at each other. Jungwon had a soft smile of adoration, while you wore a petulant pout that the former cooed at.

“You’re just so adorable!” Jungwon leaned in closer, gently petting your hair. You could feel your face blush at his words and actions.

“Stop flirting with me, Won.”  You mumbled under your breath so it was only between you and Jungwon. 

“I’m not flirting. I’m merely speaking the truth.” You had half the mind to kiss — slap — the smirk off his smug face that had dimples pinched into each squishy cheek, only serving to make you more infuriated.

Jungwon didn’t pay attention to your body that shook in anger since he knew you weren’t actually angry — just very flustered. 

And he loved to fluster you.

“What’s going on, lovebirds?” You and Jungwon turned to the voice that approached you; your hand that was mid-air and about to slap Jungwon’s hand away from your head — which was still heavily petting you — slowly descending back to your side. 

Jungwon walked over and brought him in for a bro hug.

“Trouble in paradise?” Riki questioned as Jungwon put his arm around the younger’s (and shorter’s) shoulders.

Though a joke, it was a fair question given the scene he had walked in on: Jungwon up close and personal with his hand on your head, a sly smile on his face; and you nearly shaking like a leaf with a beet-red face.

Riki knew it wasn’t a lover’s quarrel. He knew you two and that scene better than that.

“No.”

“Yes.”

Riki looked between the two of you and your different answers for a second before snorting with a burst of laughter.

“Riiiiiiight.” He said in the most unconvinced way, drawing out the vowel.

“Hey, guys!”

You looked over and waved at the three new people who had traveled over to your trio — Jake, Heeseung, and Sunghoon– who then waved back.

“Ready for the mile, everyone?” Heeseung smiled. Before anyone had the chance to reply, you answered with a loud and prolonged groan of irritation that probably would’ve echoed had you all not been outside.

Heeseung let out a puff of laughter. “I forgot, Y/n — you’re not exactly one for exercise, are you?” He smirked.

“Nooooooo...” You plopped your forehead against Jungwon’s left shoulder with a childish whine, having made it closer to his side during your friends’ appearances.

Jungwon made noises of fondness at your cuteness and laid his head on top of yours. He brought up his arm that was attached to the shoulder you were laying on in order to pat and pet the side of your head.

You didn’t bother making a fuss about it this time, instead nuzzling further into him and moving your head inwards to his neck, standing slightly in front of him.

The moment of closeness between you two, and the sounds of adoration and awe from the boys, was then interrupted by a very loud and obnoxious fake throwing up sound.

“Ew, why are you two so lovey-dovey?” Sunoo rhetorically asked, throwing a disgusted side-eye as he approached the rest of you. Jay snickered, trailing slightly behind, and gave him a nudge.

“Why are you still single?” While Riki was never very good at holding in his laughter, and did not even bother trying this time around, the rest of the boys tried their best to stifle their joyous sounds as Sunoo shot you a glare that held nothing but contempt.

“I will kill you, Y/n.” He spoke lowly, but you just rolled your eyes playfully while dismissing his empty threat; replying—

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Jungwon let out a small chuckle and pat the top of your head before wrapping it back around your waist. 

A loud ring of a whistle alerted all eight of you as your heads shot to its source.

“Well,” Sunghoon started, “time for the torture to commence.”

Your classmates were then brought over to the starting line of the track and field, where the teacher placed you all in a sort of clump.

Jungwon took his wireless earbuds out of his pants pocket, placing the right in his ear while offering the left one to you.

He put the case back into its previous spot, muscle memory from your guys’ makeshift routine driving his actions.

You took it and placed it snuggly in your ear, anticipating the start of the “Mile Monday😩” playlist you and Jungwon had made with some honorable mentions from the other boys.

Since you two were bonafide lovers of music, it being one of the few things to calm you and your temper (besides the cat boy himself), you two made a couple’s playlist alongside your several others for every other type of the occasion. 

This particular one had upbeat, uplifting, and just general feel good vibes.

Perfect.

Jungwon turned to look at you once again with that soft smile, as if he was trying to soothe your lingering negative feelings about what you were all about to do. Ever the empath.

“Are you ready?” You couldn’t help but smile back.

Jungwon was always so good at putting you in a good mood or distracting you from the bad things, not that this was necessarily bad as you had thought (though you would never admit that).

You let out a dramatic sigh, making Jungwon laugh.

“I suppose. Promise you won’t run ahead of me?” You smirked, lifting your pinky up.

Jungwon reflected your expression back, still laughing, at your gimmick. He locked his finger with yours.

“As always, darling.” Your lips turned up as your heart filled with warmth at the pet name and his ever-present, patient smile. 

“Alright, girls and boys!”

You broke the physical contact to turn to Mr. Park, who stood in front of your classmate’s clump.

“You all know the drill: Complete the four laps around the track in twenty minutes or less. You can walk or run, but remember to not push yourselves and keep your own pace.” Everyone nodded along with the professor’s words.

“Alright! Timer starts…” Mr. Park stepped over to the side, timer in hand.

“NOW!”

At his go ahead, some students sprinted, some jogged, and some started off with just walking. 

Heeseung and Jay were the first to zoom off at the front of the pack, speeding forward like their life depended on it.

Jake and Sunghoon jogged in the beginning, but soon got competitive with each other and decided to race.

Riki and Sunoo decided to preserve their energy for the time being and just stayed near the back to chat.

Jungwon and you started with a light jog; wanting to get this over with, but not going so far as to end the mile with throwing up.

You were doing quite well and were able to make it through the entirety of one full lap before slowing down to walk half a lap, and then speeding back up; Jungwon followed suit with whatever you did.

“I’d say we’re not doing too bad, no?” You questioned, slightly winded, but not yet holding onto any debilitating stitch in your side.

You two were now back to walking with two full rounds down.

“Not too bad, sure. But I think we can do even better…” You whipped your head over to Jungwon for the second time this evening, this time with an incredulous look at his mischievous expression.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You asked tentatively and slightly scared, but Jungwon’s smirk just widened.

“I say we jog nonstop to the end.” You stopped in your tracks at this.

“No way in hell am I doing that, Yang Jungwon.” Jungwon seemed to have expected your refusal.

“No need to pull out the government name, darling. I’m merely suggesting that we get the mile done faster. The sprinters and most of the joggers are already finished.”

You followed where Jungwon gestured to, a patch of grass at the center of the track where a little more than a handful of people were gathered.

Lying down, chilling in groups; chatting and just relaxing. 

You could see Heeseung and Jay lying flat down on their backs with their empty water bottles, probably from chugging them right after they finished. 

Sunghoon and Jake were about a foot away from them, the former laughing obnoxiously in the latter’s face as he got onto his stomach and started to do push-ups; a punishment for losing whatever competition was going on between them, you were sure.

You winced in empathy as you witnessed the pure pain Jake had on his face as he went through with the penalty. 

As for Riki and Sunoo, it looked like they had just finished their turn with the mile. They walked over to the four older boys and plopped down next to them. Riki got on his phone while Sunoo passed him a water, keeping one for himself.

“Isn’t that what you want?” Jungwon could feel the victory on the tip of his tongue, knowing you’d take his bait. He saw you subconsciously bite your lip in envy at seeing all of your friends the way they were. 

You turned back to face your sly boyfriend.

“Of course it is! You know that this is the last thing I want to be doing right now.” Jungwon nodded before continuing to walk.

“Then what’s stopping you, hm?” 

You started to become genuinely concerned that you were going to sock your boyfriend in his perfectly beautiful face at the rate of his teasing and taunting. 

(Whether that was with your lips or your fist — TBD.)

But you knew that he was trying to motivate you. He was just doing it in a very frustrating way.

“It wasn’t really on my agenda to end up on the floor, dead, at the end of this class.” You sarcastically replied with a glare.

“Oh, come on, baby. You and I both know it takes more than jogging two laps to take you down.”

Well, when he said it that way.

“How about this?” Jungwon leaned in closer to your face with his hands clasped behind his back.

“If you’re able to jog the whole time for the last two laps, I’ll treat you to ice cream and anything you want at the snack bar.” This caught your attention as your widened eyes shot up to meet his, intrigue coloring your irises in a way that made Jungwon giggle in adoration.

“I’ll throw in infinite kisses.” 

Jungwon then pecked your left cheek. 

“As a tester.” 

You breathed heavily, almost sounding like a wistful sigh.

To hell with it.

“Then let’s go.” Once you had started to walk with him, Jungwon started to gradually pick up the pace, forcing you to do so as well. 

You kept his deal in mind and pushed yourself beyond what you were originally able to, subconsciously mouthing along to BAEKHYUN’s “Betcha”.

You internally chortled.

How fitting.

As you and Jungwon neared the end of your last lap, the boys had risen from their areas of rest and came to stand near the finishing line.

They started cheering once you rounded the last corner of the track.

“Come on, guys, you can do it! Just a little more!”

“Yang Jungwon! Yang Jungwon!”

“Y/l/n Y/n! Y/l/n Y/n!”

“*Weird, loud, siren noises that don’t sound like they should be able to come from a human but they are.*”

“Let’s go, lovebirds!”

“LET’S GAUR!”

If you weren’t so focused on your legs not failing you, you’d have started to tear up at the display.

Just then, you heard Jungwon — nearly out of breath but still going — speak in a quieter voice compared to your guys’ personal cheerleaders.

“Come on, baby. Let’s finish this.”

A grin spread across your lips at your boyfriend’s encouragement; pumping your legs even faster, surpassing Jungwon by a couple of feet in a sprint and crossing the finish line.

The six boys crowded around as you collapsed to the ground on your hands and knees, now spilling words of praise.

Jungwon crossed promptly after you and joined with a smile on his face that showed the epitome of proudness. He bent down to lock eyes with you and placed his hand on your left shoulder.

“You alright, darling?” You nodded with an exhausted, but equally proud smile.

Jungwon beamed back before helping you back onto your feet.

“Well I’ll say, Jungwon and Y/n,” Mr. Park walked over to your group, clipboard in hand, “that’s your best time yet!”

The rest of the boys continued to yell their congratulations as Mr. Park went back over to his previous spot in order to log the other student’s times. 

You gasped in happiness at the news. Once you turned back to Jungwon, he picked you up in a hug and spun you around.

When you were brought back down, you were met with Jungwon’s soft lips on your own — tasting the strawberry chapstick you gifted him for your previous anniversary. You wrapped your arms around his neck, slightly coming onto your tippy-toes while his hands held onto your waist for stability. You both smiled into the kiss before you pulled away.

“Now get me ice cream.” Jungwon laughed cutely and caressed your head.

“Whatever you want, love…” He pressed his forehead to yours. As you two were about to kiss again, there was a chorus of excitement.

“Ice cream? I heard ‘ice cream.’” Jungwon groaned quietly and you began to laugh. Jake had overheard and was now hyping the rest of the boys up with the idea of getting ice cream.

“Snacks too, Jakey.” You added in. You giggled at how his eyes lit up and how energetic the guys got.

Jungwon faintly knocked his forehead against yours with a pout, he knew there was no stopping his friends from tagging along his date (and from shaking him down for ice cream and snacks).

You press a firm kiss to his left cheek, briefly relishing in how soft and pillowy the skin is. The little frown was instantaneously replaced with a shy grin. You didn’t allow yourself to become bashful, pushing yourself up to lay your lips on his in a sugary embrace.

The two of you stood in your own little world, barely aware of the six boys debating whether or not they should also take a trip to the convenience store at the corner.

[milessluvr]

SAKURA ND’ HINATA WITH A OVERWORKED S/O

parings?!; sakura x reader x hinata

warnings ig?; poly relationship wlwlw poc! S/o overworked s/o female pronouns/female reader.

Note; SCHOOL IS ALMOST DONE 🫶🏾🫶🏾.

When the two girls saw their s/o overworking their self to the max they acted on it immediately.

Sakura would most likely hide you’re books laptop anything that would distract you.

Spa day is a must and a need, for the 3 of you since hinata is the princess of her clan they can go in for free.

Dates nights on the rooftop looking at stars.

Y’all are definitely playing video games hinata gets a scared when y’all play horror games.

Watching movies? Heck yeah romantic movies are sakuras favorite.

Sakura and hinata does your nails one hand purple the other hand pink.

They’re going to help you out with your studies.

Hinata braids your hair hands down.

teacher yelling at you calling you? No worries sakura and hinata will take care of that.

Their going to argue with anyone that pushes you to study faster or harder.

Jeez these girls love you very much.

omg Ty for the 31 notes <3😭

[13as07]

Uchiha’s Love #2

(Sakura Haruno)

[Art work is not mine! Credit to rose.uzumaki_]

Requested by: Myself

Word Count: 3,640

Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:

Small love triangle that's not so idk triangle I guess (Kakashi and Itachi)

Also, bear with me through the jutsu use. I'm doing my best with the knowledge I have and the research I've done

Part three??? I have no clue

———————————————————————

     Itachi's hands are warm as they slide over my body, pawing and clinging to different parts. "You seem off today," he mutters, his lips chasing after his hands.

I let the question disguised as a statement hang in the air, busying my hands with braiding Itachi's hair as I try to process my thoughts. "I had a visitor yesterday."

"Kakashi?" He grumbles, kisses wavering from his question.

"Sakura."

     "Sakura?" He asks, head tilting up to look at me. I hum a yes, focusing back on the locks of hair twisting around my fingers. "What did you two talk about?" Itachi asks carefully, kisses abandoned but fingertips still dancing across my skin.

     "Oh, you know. Just the small, uneventful detail of your brother leaving the village," the last half of my sentence comes out harsh, disappointment and anger soaked deep into the words.

     Itachi's eyes widen, fingers frozen, and cheeks pink like a child caught in a lie. "Oh..."

     "So, were you ever going to tell me or just let me figure it out on my own?"

     He stays quiet, eyes grazing over me for a while. "I was hoping Kakashi would tell you so you had time to process it before I came to see you," the answer is quiet and sad, Itachi's disappointment in himself coating his words.

     "Kakashi has been avoiding me I think," I voice the thought, hands busy with undoing the lopsided braid. "I'm guessing because of Sasuke leaving. Where's he going anyway?"

     "To train with Orochimaru."

     "The crazy science snake man?" He hums a yes against my stomach, kisses sliding against my skin again. "Isn't that bad?"

     "I don't think so. I think it'll be good for him."

     "I don't know much about the snake sage but what I've heard isn't anything good."

     Itachi's head pops up again, arms wrapping me up securely. "Don't worry so much. Sasuke can hold his own. He won't fall into Orochimaru's trap... I think." The last part is voiced quietly, eyes back to scanning my exposed stomach that's littered with love marks. "I have it under control."

     "If you say so," I mutter, wrapping my legs around Itachi before tugging him further on top of me.

     His body envelopes mine, arms still around me, chest pressed into mine, head against my shoulder, and kisses being littered across my neck. "What are you going to do about Sakura?"

     "I don't know. Form a friendship I guess. I don't want her to feel trapped if Sasuke's decisions backfire on her."

     The room is quiet, unmoving lips pressed against my neck as Itachi processes my words. "Do you feel trapped?"

     "Sometimes," I whisper, squeezing my eyes closed.

     "How can I make you feel not trapped?" The question feels like a setup, like a way for Itachi to figure out who his biggest threats of losing me are. "My love?" He calls softly, tilting my head to the side so I'll look at him.

     I let my eyes flicker open, soaking in Itachi's face. It's scrunched up in concern, putting my worries to rest; he's not purposely isolating me. "You're not going to... get rid of Kakashi if we hang out more, right?"

     "No, I won't. Do as you want with Kakashi. As long as you're here when I need you I don't care what you do. If anything I'd prefer you around Kakashi or Jiraiya instead of anyone else."

     "You don't mean that."

     Itachi kisses me lightly, hands massaging soft circles into my sides. "I know I am not here as much as you need. It isn't fair of me to get my needs met but leave yours unchecked most days. Besides, you'll need someone here for you when Sasuke-"

     "I don't want to talk about that," I cut him off, looking away from him. I hate talking about the end of Itachi's life. It's a constant fight between us. I wish he'd just tell his brother the truth. It would change our lives so much. But, on the other hand, I understand Itachi's wants to protect his brother from the cruelty of our village.

     "Itachi?"

     "Yes, my love?"

     "I want to re-enlist as a Shinobi."

     "No," the answer comes out fast and panicked. "I cannot keep you safe if you're working for the Anbus again."

     I let my head turn, connecting my sight with his again. "Not as an anbu, Tach. Just a normal Shinobi."

     The explanation calms him down, his body loosening against mine as he relaxes against me again. "Well... I don't see anything wrong with you doing small tasks for the village just... be careful."

     "I will."

————————————

     My hands clench around the assignment order again, reading it for the seventh time. I'm nervous, more nervous than I was on my first day as an Anbu Black-Op.

     Upon the advice of Yamato and a deep dive into my work as a chakra analyst, Lady Tsunade - er - Lord Fifth assigned me to oversee Naruto's training. Who Naruto is remains a question I don't have answered. When I asked the Lord, she said I'd figure it out. As for the Shinobi's I asked, I either got groans or 'good luck's.

     I need to catch up with the news of the village. I know the major news - most notably Lord Third's death - courtesy of Itachi, but aside from that, there's not much I do know. Maybe he knows what the deal with his brother's squad mate is. Or maybe I should just ask Kakashi.

     I'm pretty confident Lord Third didn't leave any 'know about' for the new Hokage about Itachi's... anything. His past workings for the village, the real reason for the massacre, the promise of protection for Sasuke, or the purposely blind eye to his visits with me. May whatever lords above ensure Danzo isn't aware of Itachi's constant reappearances on the outskirts of the village. That would be... the end of the line for me.

     My heartbeat seems loud as I walk through the streets of the village. It's been so long since I've been... well.. anywhere besides the grounds of my home. It's rare that I go to the market, let alone the heart of the village. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to hone my skills as a sensory ninja.

     The restaurant Kakashi insisted on meeting at falls into view; no one-eyed Shinobi in sight. Despite that, I slide onto one of the benches to await the latecomer.

     It's a weird feeling, being around so much chakra for the first time in a while. It's easy to ignore my sensory training when I'm at my house, partly because no one is ever around and partly because I feel safe. I don't feel safe here, making it difficult to ignore everyone's chakra signatures that seem to be ramming into my head.

     I just need to focus. Focus on one chakra and everyone else's chakra will silence my senses. A simple hand seal, easy and unable to backfire. My focus shifts to my hands, my eyes locked on my fingers as they fall into the familiar hand sign. My eyes snap closed, my chakra leaking out and flowing around the restaurant.

     It clashes with someone's chakra, quickly overwhelming me. The person's chakra is fierce, as hot as flames and easily large enough to destroy the Hokage memorial without a second thought. Despite that, a tinge of familiarity swirls around the unfamiliar chakra.

     "Christ above," I mumble, eyes snapping open and hand sign falling, left forgotten.

     "You know," a familiar voice rings out, making my head tilt back up. "Knowing you can use Mind's Eye makes it a bit humorous seeing you use a ram hand seal," Kakashi says, a masked smile covering his face.

     Heat covers my cheeks from the soft teasing. It's weird having someone remember me as a highly regarded Shinobi and even weirder having someone who knows my skills so well commenting on them.

     I didn't work under Kakashi during my Anbu days. I worked directly under the council, more specifically Lord Nara. Scanning and keeping track of active Shinobi's and academy students' chakras to see their progress and other data. A glorified bookkeeper to help the Shinobi world run smoothly and most effectively.

     However, I did work with on-field Anbu squads on intel missions. After all, chakra readings are the best prep-information you can get on an enemy. That led to working with a bunch of different captains on occasion; Kakashi and Itachi - most notably - included.

     "I'm just... it's been a while so I went with the safe option," I lightly explain, scanning over the people beside him. Sakura stands out right away, despite our unlit meeting a few weeks ago. The leftover burning from the strong chakra sizzles from the blonde boy next to Sakura, putting a face to the monster's amount of energy.

     I focus my attention away from the boy, easing some of the chakra waving off of him. "You're late," I add, focusing on my breathing. I really should have exposed myself to growing bunches of chakra before diving right in.

     "He usually is, Uchahi-San!" Sakura cheers, her voice a lot different than the sorrowful voice that's been stuck in my head since her visit. Why'd I let her into my home?

     Tables near us snap their heads to us before quickly looking away. Whispers and acknowledgment falling into place when people click the stories about me to my presents. "Maybe let's not call me that," I mutter, glancing at Sakura before flickering my attention back to the blonde boy who I'm pretty sure is Naruto.

     "Then what am I supposed to call you?" She asks, flickering her eyes between Kakashi and me.

     "As of today she's one of Naruto's Senseis so let's just stick to that," Kakashi answers, eye scanning the tables near us for threats. Always the protector, never the protected. The thought stings a bit, reminding me how similar Itachi and his ex-squad leader are.

     Maybe if I had been around more Sasuke wouldn't be part of that club. However, Itachi dedicated his whole life to protecting his little brother. Maybe I'm just too overwhelmed and it's causing me to spiral. Probably.

     "One of my Senseis?" Blondey - one hundred percent Naruto - asks attention to Kakashi with a confused look coating his face.

"Well, yours and Sakura's but her main focus will be on you," Kakashi clears up, looking at me for guidance I don't have to offer. I don't know how I'm suppose to help Naruto train. I can't even focus on his chakra for more than a couple of seconds.

"Really?!" Sakura asks, wiggling in her spot as she focuses on me for an answer.

"Um... ya," I push out, scanning the room of people instead of focusing on my new students... Kakashi's and my students. I guess it's a good thing Itachi pretty much asked for a one sided open relationship.

"Oh, that's so great Ucha - er - Sensei!" She continues, quickly sitting down across the table from me. "I talked to Kakashi-Sensei about your guys' matching tattoos."

"You have a tattoo, Sensei?" Naruto asks Kakashi who's glaring down at his kunoichi.

"Yes, it's a symbol of my time as an Anbu."

"You were-"

"Let's talk about something else," Kashi says, wrapping a hand around Naruto's mouth. "Perhaps let's focus on your new teacher."

"Perhaps not," I mutter, scanning the restaurant again, thoughts busy with what to do about Kakashi.

He's enjoyable to talk to and conventionally attractive. I could use the company and he seems to like me. Maybe I'm reading into it. Maybe he won't be okay with me still seeing Itachi. Maybe he doesn't know I'm still seeing Itachi and maybe I'd be okay with hiding it. I don't know how I'd explain me answering Itachi's every beck and call though.

He has to know I'm still seeing Itachi, right? That's what led Sakura to my doorstep. Maybe he was talking to her in the past tense. Though, I explained everything to the girl in present tense and how loose her lips are there's no way she didn't tell Kakashi about our conversation. Maybe he does know and has turned a blind eye to the situation. If that's the case I can't see him being willing to -

"Sensei?" Sakura's voice tears through my thoughts, pulling me back to the current situation. "Did you hear me?"

"No, sorry child, what did you say?"

"Would you stop calling me that? I'm a chunin now, that pretty much makes me an adult!"

"Alright Miss Adult, what did you say?" I scan my surroundings again, taking notes of Naruto sitting next to Miss Adult and Kakashi next to me, a lot closer than need be.

Maybe I need to stop thinking so hard and focus on Naruto's training before I decide what to do about the metaphorical love corner I'm in. Though if Itachi trusts Kakashi enough to be around me and Kakashi is turning a blind eye, perhaps it's a love triangle with a platonic side.

"I asked what kind of jutsus you usually do."

"My jutsus are mostly chakra-based," I mutter, eyes trailing after the scared-looking waitress heading our way.

"Well duh, even I know everything besides Taijutsu relies on chakra, Sensei," Naruto says, looking at me like I'm stupid. Maybe I should have been more clear in my explanation.

Kakashi chuckles at Naruto's reaction, his hand sliding on top of mine under the table. He gives it a quick squeeze before pulling away again. I don't think I like that... well... maybe I did. I need a less chakra packed space before I think any more about Kakashi's confusing signals.

"I think what your Sensei meant was she relies heavily on chakra because of her jutsu specialties. She specializes in sensory, with chakra flow being her second strongest ability. She's a good medical ninja too, when needed."

"Chakra sensory?" Naruto asks, looking confused.

"You're a medical ninja too?!" Sakura asks, cutting off her squad mate.

"Not really, I know the basics. Enough to be useful," I mumble, turning my attention back to the missing waitress. She should be at the table by now.

The waitress has stopped about ten paces away, eyes bugged out as she looks at our table. Her chakra is elevated a bit, nervousness. It has a pedal-like frequency when I try to read it. She's nervous because of Kakashi, not me.

     Civilian chakra is so much easier to read, mostly because they haven't spent years honing their skills and because they don't have the ability to control it like Shinobis do. That, and the fact they tend to have so little of it. Enough to live off of but not enough to use in battle.

"Chakra flow is kind of like transferring small pieces of chakra to an object or body part. Depending on the base kind of flow you use, you can do different stuff to empower weapons and your body if you get good enough at it," I explain, getting rewarded with a huge smile on Naruto's face.

"That sounds so cool!" He cheers, shaking Sakura in the heat of his excitement. "You totally have to show me how to do that. I could throw heavy rocks at my enemies. They'll never see it coming and it would be an awesome distraction."

"That's not... chakra flow doesn't increase your strength, Naruto. Well... I guess you could technically do that if you mastered magnetic release..." My face scrunches as I dip into my thoughts, trying to figure out if Naruto's scenario is possible or not. I mean... you could magnify a rock and 'throw it' I suppose. I don't see why it wouldn't work on a -

"Hello!" A chirpy voice calls out, cutting me out of my thoughts again. "I'm Chiyo and I'll be your server today. What can I get you guys started on? Drinks perhaps?"

"I'll take a lemonade!" Sakura says, matching the waitress's chirpiness.

"Oh! Me too! Me too!" Naruto says, bouncing in his seat. My eyes flicker to him. Sugar will only heighten his barely scrapped chakra.

"Can you make those none or light sugar?" I ask, focus still on Naruto's chakra.

I wonder what his average daily chakra use is. It can't be anywhere near enough for him to settle down easily at night. Maybe he doesn't settle at all. Though, if he's grown accustomed to his chakra perhaps he's used to sleeping with chakra levels similar to a normal Shinobi maxed on chakra aids.

"Of course. It'll have to be light sugar though, is that alright?"

"Ya, that's fine," Kakashi says, squeezing my hand under the table again. How rude. People need to stop interrupting my thought process. "I'll take a water."

"And for you, ma'am?"

"Um... a water, I guess."

"She'll take a lemonade, light sugar." Kakashi interrupts, squeezing my hand again.

I have decided Kakashi is annoying and that I won't be opening Itachi's and my... situation. I don't need a man to take care of me... as I live in a house Itachi bought, eating the food that he bought, using the stuff that he bought, living off the water, heat, and gas he pays for, and having lunch Kakashi insisted on buying. Maybe I should talk to Itachi about paying my own bills. I think it'll help me feel less dependent.

"Alright, I'll let you guys look over the menus as I grab your drinks!" The server almost cheers, setting down four laminated sheets. Today is going to be a long day.

————————————

     "Anyway, Tsunade thinks I'm doing really well in my medical studies," Sakura says, ending her ramble about her recent lesson.

     "That's cool, child."

     "I told you to stop calling me that! I'm an adult! An established medical ninja!" She fusses, arms crossed over her chest. She huffs, turning her sights to Kakashi and Naruto sparring. More like Naruto getting his butt handed to him as Kakashi puts in minimal effort.

     "So," the pre-teen drags out, focusing back on me and a lot less attitude. "How's Itachi?"

     "How's Sasuke?" I hiss out, anger coating the fear bubbling in my chest.

"I wouldn't know. I haven't seen him," she mumbles, eyes back to her Sensei as her cheeks dust in pink.

"Ya? And who says I've seen Itachi?"

Sakura stays quiet for a beat before turning back towards me. "Sensei was talking to Gai about it after your date the other day." Is there a person in the village that doesn't know Itachi is still around? "Well I assume it was about Itachi," she adds, making my mind steer even more.

"What do you mean 'you assume'? Also what date?" I don't remember going on a date with Kakashi. When did we go on a date?

"Your date?" She repeats as if that'll clear it up. "You know, at the restaurant... with Naruto and me there?"

"That was not a date if you two were there." Sasuke left this girl with a really bad idea of romance.

"How wasn't it a date?"

My face scrunches up at the girl's question. "It was work related, for one. And for two, again, you two were there."

Sakura shrugs before her eyes fall to the medical scroll in her lap; her newest steady via Lord Fifth. "Anyway, I overheard Sensei telling Gai that 'he' was spotted like super close to the village but not really. Gai was all like 'O-M-G why do you think he'd be so close to the village'? And Sensei was like 'I think it's cause I took 'her' to lunch with my students so ya, I assumed."

The thought of Kakashi and Gai talking like teen girls tugs a smile on my face. Though, I wouldn't be too surprised on the Gai end of that. "Itachi's... alive, I guess. That's the best answer u have for you, child."

     "Stop calling me that," she huffs again, cheeks heated in anger and puffed out. After a second Sakura calms herself, but not for long. Soon her face is coated in sadness. "Sensei?"

     "Hmm?"

     Her mouth falls open, face scrunching in an attempt to form a sentence. "Is Itachi going to... you know," her voice drops as she shifts closer to me "try to kill Kakashi for taking you on a date?"

     I can't help but chuckle at her concern, not because it's unwarranted but because I remember the worry I felt talking to Itachi the other day. "No, he's not."

     "But how do you know?"

     "Because I asked."

     "You asked?!" She shouts, anger quickly replacing her upset-ness. Sakura is quite the angry little shinobi.

     "Ya, I asked," I repeat, climbing to my feet.

     "And you what? Just took-" her voice drops again, but only for my lover's name "-Itachi's word for it?!"

     "Well, ya," I answer, starting my walk towards Sakura's squad mate and her Sensei, hothead on my heels.

     "How could you just take his word for it?!"

     I stop in my tracks, hothead bumping into me because of it. I turn around to face her, bending down a bit to level with her. "Sakura."

     "Sensei?"

     "A part of being in love with someone like Itachi or Sasuke is having faith there's still good buried somewhere in them. You have to have faith."

     Her eyes stay on me, face locked in concentration. "We have to have faith," she echos, eyes on me but not focused on me. She's buried somewhere in her mind.

     "Ya, w-" the word 'we' sticks in my throat. It's a weird thought, knowing someone else is stuck in the same situation as me, especially after so long. "Ya," I repeat, standing up straight and walking away from the girl. Maybe it wasn't that bad of a choice to invite her into my home.

——————————————————————

[chosen-hero-inari]

Whumptober Day 8: Sleep Deprivation

5 Times The Phantom Thieves Didn't Sleep + 1 Time They Did

I

Hey, let’s meet up at Mementos today.

Yusuke’s ashamed of the tension that goes through his back at that text. The literature professor had decided to give them all a surprise take-home paper to write and turn in by tomorrow, and he really needs to work on it.

But, he can’t let his grades come before making sure his friends are ok, can he? Or the people who made those requests. It’s not a problem, he can just work late tonight. And take some time to work on that piece for class.

He’ll be fine with only a couple of hours of sleep.

II

“Makoto?” Sae asks. “You’re back late.”

“Sorry, busy with some work after school,” Makoto replies, yawning. If it’s resolving a Mementos request for another student, then technically it’s Student Council work. It’s her responsibility as Student Council President to resolve it at least.

“Are you prepared for your exam at cram school tomorrow?”

Makoto blinks. “Huh?”

“Makoto! I’m paying for you to go and–”

“No, I meant, erm why would you even bother to ask that?” Makoto chuckles. “Obviously I’m ready for it!”

“Good, even if it’s a practice exam, it’s important to be confident now so you’re even more prepared for your entrance exams.”

Makoto goes to the kitchen and makes herself a pot of coffee. She shouldn’t be up too late.

III

“Does this shit make any sense to you?” Ryuji asks.

“Nope,” Ann sighs. Putting the math textbook down. Two heads are supposed to be better than one, but maybe math homework is just too powerful for that.

“God,” Ryuji says, “I feel like you’re gonna call me a shithead for this.”

“I call you a shithead for a lot of things, what is it?”

“It fucking sucks that Ren asked us to go to Mementos today.”

“Honestly? Hard agree.” They’d invited Ren to their homework session today, but he’d never gotten back to them. Not that he needed it, but you know, it was always nice to hang out.

Except they wanted to do this in the afternoon, when they’d have more time and could meet at a cafe.

Instead, Ren decided today was the best day for requests.

“What if we blocked off Mementos for like, Wednesdays?” Ryuji suggests. “Then we can schedule around it better?”

“But what if a request is urgent. Plus Palace stuff.”

“Ugh, you’re right.”

Ann flops back and lets the textbook cover her face.

“Ann?”

“Yeah.”

“I kinda hate that I can’t tell him no.”

“Yeah, I know but like, it’s whatever?” Ann says. “That’s just part of being a student and a Phantom Thief, I guess.”

IV

Haru practically dives for the phone when she hears it ring. “Futaba-chan?”

“Hey, I got the info you wanted,” Futaba says. “This investor seems pretty clean.”

“Oh my gosh, thank you so much,” Haru says. “I’m supposed to get this report in to the investors tomorrow and I can’t ask for a delay and I wasn’t sure who to trust and–”

“Hey, no problem!” Futaba says. “Just don’t tell them you heard it from me.”

“Thank you, I owe you so much, Futaba-chan.”

“No prob, I’m probably gonna pass out, how about you?”

“I can’t, there are still things I need to arrange with my father’s will and then I’m meeting with lawyers in the morning, goodness I need more coffee!”

“How much have you had?” Futaba asks.

“Oh, four or five–”

“Cups?”

“Pots.”

“Holy shit, Haru!”

“I know, I know,” Haru says. “I was going to do all of this after school but then we had that Mementos run and now I have to do it all before morning.”

“You should have just told Ren you couldn’t make it! He gets we have lives, it’s not like he hangs out with us every time we ask.”

“Mementos is different Futaba, you know that. I’ll talk to you later.” Haru hangs up and gets back to work.

V

It’s not wrong to hack her friends’ phones if she’s genuinely concerned for their well-being, Futaba tells herself.

Besides, taking a quick peak at their calendars is like, barely snooping. She could text and ask them but she’s really hoping they’re asleep.

She’s not, but she doesn’t have school in the morning. She can go to bed at 7am and still get the proper eight hours of sleep a growing girl needs.

She and Morgana are the only ones who aren't students and Phantom Thieves though, and oh boy is being a high school student busy.

Let’s see, Makoto has an exam at cram school tomorrow, Haru had that meeting they were just talking about, Ryuji and Ann were texting (ok texts were a bit more snooping than calendars, but like, it’s important!) about meeting up to do a bunch of homework they’d put off while they were clearing Sae’s Palace, and Yusuke had an email reminder from a teacher about an essay.

And none of them had brought any of this up when Ren asked them all to go to Mementos today.

Damn, looks like Futaba has to be the responsible one.

+1

Ren doesn’t know why Futaba suddenly suggested group movie night, but hey, it’s always good when she wants to be social, and his schedule’s free now that they’ve finished up the requests.

They all gather around the attic, and Ren’s a little worried about them all watching the tiny TV, but it’s not really a problem, because pretty much everyone else falls asleep by the fifteen-minute mark.

“Wow, they’re tired,” Ren says. “Guess they don’t have Mona to tell them to get to bed early.”

“Uh, Ren about that?” Futaba asks. “Do you ask if anyone has stuff going on before saying to meet up for Phantom Thief stuff?”

Ren blinks. “I mean, I guess not but I figure they’ll tell me if it’s super urgent.”

“Ok, but see, I think they don’t,” Futaba says. “I actually asked all of them about it, and they feel really bad about canceling Mementos plans, so they push all their stuff back and do it at night. Like none of them got any sleep the last couple of days.”

Ren furrows his brows. He kinda, hasn’t thought about how his friends are always willing to show up when he calls for a meeting, even on days they’re not normally free to hang out. He just, you know, figured they did the same things he did. He doesn’t have a problem getting everything done before going to Mementos.

Then again, he’s the one picking Mementos days because he has nothing else going on.

“I’m a shit leader,” Ren says head hanging back.

“No, I don’t think you’re shit!” Morgana says. “We just gotta tell them they don’t have to come to Mementos if they’re busy, it’s not a problem to push it back.”

“We could like, make a group calendar?” Futaba suggests. “Plan ahead a little bit? I mean Palaces and emergencies are one thing, but I dunno, maybe everyone can plan better and say if they super duper can’t?”

“Yeah,” Ren says. “But uh, let’s do that later. They look like they need their sleep right now.”

[anime-to-the-t]

A Story about a Classmate Who Is a Dog-Eared Tsundere

犬耳ツンデレ同級生の話

[tricksterlatte]

Chase the Joker chapter 8 excerpt for WIP Wednesday, featuring an exhausted but healing 30-year-old Akechi

[i-luvsang]

crocheting headcanons + miyawaki sakura

pairing : sakura x gn!reader ➖⟢ genres : fluff !!! ➖⟢ cw : kissing, not editied ➖⟢ wc : 0.3K

⟢ sakura is such a giver <33

⟢ the moment she feels confident in her crocheting skills, she’s making cute little things for you non-stop!!

⟢ the first thing she gifts you is a matching sprout attatchment for your headphones; she always looks adorable with hers as she plays video games

⟢ she always get’s so so so excited any time she sees you wearing or using something she made for you

⟢ the crochet top you’re wearing, the cute flower keychain on your bag, and the sprout on your headphones are all little markers of the fact that you’re hers

⟢ and she just feels so grateful and loved when you support her craft, wearing it and promoting it to all of your friends

⟢ she kisses you a lot when you wear things she’s made, it makes her go a little crazy with love actually

⟢ she also really enjoys the challenge/thought process behind carefully curating any clothes she makes for you to fit your personal style and it makes her extra proud to see you wear it and have it fit you and your vibe so well

⟢ she’s all grins when you gift her pretty yarns and immediately begins thinking of something she could make for you with it

⟢ if you’re interested, she would be so so beyond happy to teach you how to crochet

⟢ that means she can wrap her hands around yours to correct your movements, or sit in sweet silence while both of you crochet, all comfy and content in her warm bed

⟢ she wears anything you make so proudly, to the extent that the other members send her lovingly annoyed looks everytime she mentions that you made it

⟢ basically she’s in love with you and loves everything about you, especially when you’re so sweet and invested in something else she loves <33

[erimeows]

Snowfall

Winter in Konoha is seldom noticeable, as the village tends to stay warm year-round. This year, however, they’ve been hit with a cold front from the south that has a bitter chill and steady snowfall blowing past Sai. He sits on the railing just outside of his apartment, carefully balanced and staring out at the city so he can replicate the visual of the snow falling onto the villagers on the sketchpad in front of him.

The village is different today. People have hearts and banners with different colors strung all about their homes and businesses, their spirits seem better, and the cafes and restaurants are filled to the brim. Sai isn’t sure what’s going on- a holiday? A festival?

Before he can think about it much more, Sai hears footsteps running up the steps of his apartment complex. He turns to see Sakura and Naruto fast approaching, Sakura with a big gift bag in her hands. 

“Sai!” Naruto greets. “Hey, Sai!”

“Naruto, Sakura, what is it?” Sai asks, closing his sketchbook and jumping off of the railing so he can stand in front of his building on his feet.

“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Sakura grins and holds the gift bag out.

Sai takes the bag, then looks between his two friends, confused. 

Valentine’s Day? 

“...What?” He mutters.

“What, are you surprised we got you something? Don’t take it the wrong way, y’know,” Naruto huffs and crosses his arms over his chest. “We’re just doing it in a friendly way! It’s nothing, y’know, weird.”

“No, it’s not that I’m baffled by. I assumed it was normal to get your friends gifts,” Sai explains. “It’s just… Valentine’s Day? I’m not familiar with it.”

“Wait,” Sakura pauses, her seafoam eyes going wide. “You don’t know what Valentine’s Day is?”

“No. I’m still learning about holidays- we were never allowed to celebrate them in Root,” Sai hums, then sits on the ground and looks through the gift bag. It’s a new sketchbook, which he has tons of, and colored pencils that are far too cheap for him to do any good work with. Still, he knows that there was a lot of thought put into them, so he tries his best not to say anything rude. “I’m not even sure of when my own birthday is. Danzo refused to tell me, as he didn’t want me to celebrate it… They created their best soldiers by ripping away any traces of individuality, so we were all just considered a year older on the first of the calendar year, and were never celebrated.”

“That’s sad,” Naruto frowns. “Why don’t we choose you a birthday date sometime soon?”

“I think I’d like that, but first, educate me about Valentine’s Day.”

“Right,” Sakura nods. “Basically, Valentine’s Day is the day of love! You get gifts for your close friends and family sometimes, but the main point is to get gifts and spend time with your romantic partner- or confess to someone! So, to sum it up, you just express your love for someone.”

“Your love for someone, hm?” Sai hums. He thinks of his captain, Yamato, of Sakura and Naruto, and of the girl he’s developed a ‘crush’ on since meeting her; Ino. Ino seems like the type who would enjoy something like Valentine’s Day… Maybe he could get her something. “Would you two be interested in helping me pick out a romantic gift for someone?”

“Oh, hell yeah, Sai! Put it there,” Naruto exclaims and holds his hand out. Sai simply blinks at the blond, unsure of what to do until he gets an explanation. “I meant, like, for a high five! C’mon.”

“Oh,” Sai reaches forward with his hand and slaps Naruto’s, albeit a bit awkwardly. 

When he pulls back, he looks to Sakura.

“I’ll help you pick out something for Ino, but we came and got you so we could go get stuff for Captain Yamato! So, come help us first.”

With that, Naruto and Sakura are dragging Sai by his hands, and though he had planned to spend the day alone, he can’t help but smile at his two friends.

~

February isn’t a good month for Yamato in the slightest. His joints are worn and painful from the years of strenuous work in Root and Anbu, and the cold weather certainly doesn’t help. On top of that, his jutsu is much easier to use and control during spring and summer- and even fall- so training and going on missions has been more difficult for him. 

Thankfully, for the first time in a long time, Yamato has a day off. He sleeps in, lounges around the house, stays in his pajamas, and makes himself a nice cup of hot tea. As he sits on the couch, sipping away to warm his achy body and staring at the falling snow out his window with his cat, Scarecrow, laying across his lap. 

Just as he gets comfortable and leans back into the couch, there’s a knock on his door. Scarecrow stands up and runs to the door, letting out a scratchy meow. Yamato goes to open the door. Much to his surprise, the kids of Team Kakashi are there.

“Captain Yamato!” Naruto greets as Scarecrow purrs and rubs up against his legs. 

“Oh, Sakura, Naruto, Sai, good morning. Come on in,” Yamato steps aside to allow the three teenagers in before shutting the door behind them. Naruto makes himself comfortable by plopping down on his living room couch, Sai stands stiffly by the window, and Sakura approaches him to push a gift basket into his hands. Yamato holds the basket and looks down at it with a baffled stare. It’s pretty, hand woven and filled with green wrapping paper. “A gift basket? What for?”

“Valentine’s Day! Don’t tell me you don’t know what it is either,” Naruto groans. At that, Yamato glances towards Sai, who seems unbothered. Scarecrow hops onto the windowsill by Sai and rubs up against his hand. “Do we need to explain it to you, too?”

“No, no, I’m fully aware of the concept,” Yamato laughs and sits down next to Naruto on the couch. He awkwardly scratches the back of his neck and tries to avoid the three sets of prying eyes that are trained on him. “I just forgot it was today. I mean, I don’t usually have anyone to celebrate it with…”

“Really? That’s hard to believe, Captain,” Sakura says with a furrowed brow.

At that, Yamato blinks, surprised.

“You think so?”

“You’re a good guy-” Sakura starts, only for Naruto to interrupt with-

“Even if you are scary-”

“Shut up, Naruto!” Sakura yells, then turns to Yamato as he looks through the big gift basket. It has a bonsai plant, a watering can, some candied walnuts, a big bottle of wine, and what appears to be a handmade scarf. “Anyway… We all just wanted to show you how much we appreciate everything you’ve been doing for us since you’ve been appointed our team captain. We love you a lot.”

“Well… Thank you, guys. I really do appreciate it, and I love you all, too.”

“Yes, of course,” Sakura smiles. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“So? Is there anyone you’d like to celebrate with?” Naruto asks, totally unprompted. “Today may be the day to make your move!”

“Naruto, I don’t really think…” Yamato pauses. There is someone- there’s been someone- and Yamato has loved him for a very long time, but he’s so scared of ruining what they have and getting rejected that he hasn’t dared to fess up. For all he knows, Kakashi could have a date of his own today. “Well, that’s a complicated question with a complicated answer.”

“What!? I was joking!” Naruto exclaims with a red face. Sai watches them all, seemingly amused. “No way, you actually like someone?”

“That is so not your business, you idiot,” Sakura scolds, though she does a poor job of hiding the fact that she wants to know as well when she gives Yamato a questioning sort of glance just seconds later.

“Actually, I’m sort of curious too,” Sai pauses, furrowing his brow as if he’s in deep thought. “If you like this woman, why not get a gift for her? Isn’t that the custom?”

“Well, for one, it’s not a woman,” Yamato clarifies, to which Naruto’s jaw drops. The other two don’t look even remotely surprised, and he isn’t sure how he feels about that. “And honestly, a Valentine’s Day gift could easily be interpreted as a love confession.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” Sakura asks. “It’s not healthy to bottle up your feelings.”

“I’m not ‘bottling up my feelings’. I just know better,” Yamato sighs. “Anyway, you kids should go enjoy the rest of your holiday. I’m sure you guys at least have dates. I’ll enjoy today just fine on my own.”

Yamato quickly shoos the group out of his home, but finds himself fully dressed and at Yamanaka Flowers just half an hour later, staring at the bouquets through the glass window. He sees so many flowers that he could easily imagine sitting in a vase in Kakashi’s window, but… He just can’t bring himself to go in and get them.

Meanwhile, Ino Yamanaka stands at the cash register, a big smile on her face as she sees all of the happy couples walking through her shop. She notices Yamato standing outside and longingly peering in, so she rushes to the entrance to catch him before he can psych himself out of coming in (which she’s seen him do a lot of times since he’s been discharged from Anbu). 

“Hey, Captain,” Ino grins as she pokes her head out the door of the shop. The brunette looks towards her, his cheeks burning bright red as if he’s embarrassed to have been caught here. “You looking to buy something?

“Er, yes,” The captain answers rather awkwardly, which is nothing new if Sakura’s many stories about him are anything to go by. 

“Of course, Captain Yamato, what do you need?” Ino grabs Yamato by the arm and drags him into the shop. “Are you looking for something for your special someone?”

“Precisely. What kind of flowers are appropriate for a, uh… Love confession?”

“Well, let’s see,” With Yamato following close behind, Ino goes to the massive wall of flowers and starts arranging a bouquet in white wrapping paper. “You’re a very direct, straight-forward person, so… I think a simple bouquet of red tulips and pink dahlias will do! The tulips symbolize a declaration of love and the dahlias symbolize gratitude.”

“Gratitude?” Yamato mutters. Though the rest of Kakashi’s team is too dense to figure it out, Ino has seen Kakashi and Yamato around the village many times now. Better yet, she’s seen the way that Yamato looks at Kakashi when they’re together; the blush on his cheeks, the spacey and loving sparkle in his dark eyes, the way he glances away when Kakashi tries to meet his gaze. His crush on Kakashi couldn’t be more obvious, yet the man thinks that no one else knows. It’s a miracle that he’s finally deciding to confess. “Well, I guess that is fitting. Thank you, Ino, I really appreciate it.”

“Of course. It’s on me today, alright? So don’t worry about paying for it,” Ino says with a wink and clasps Yamato’s hands around the stems of the flowers, then follows up with- “Just be sure to tell Kakashi-Sensei that I said hello!”

“Yes… Thank you.”

Yamato leaves in a hurry, seemingly humiliated at Ino’s little callout. Ino makes a mental note to tell Sakura about this later and scurries back to the register. The rest of the day is busy, but pleasant, with almost all of the flowers getting sold out. The clock hits eight and she gets ready to close, but right as she heads to the door to lock it, Sai swings it wide open and enters the shop with red cheeks.

“Ino?”

“O-Oh, Sai! Hello!” Ino offers a smile, but she can’t help how nervous she becomes. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t have a huge crush on Sai- he’s attractive with a unique sense of humor, and unlike Sasuke or any of the others she’s shown interest in before, he’s been nothing but nice to her. So, when he shows up at the flower shop at the last minute with ruffled ebony locks and red cheeks, Ino’s heart starts to race. Briefly, she considers the upsetting possibility that he could be here to get a Valentine’s Day gift for someone else; another girl, even. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, actually,” Sai answers with a nod.

“What are you looking for?”

“I’m not here to buy anything,” Sai responds, shaking his head. He reaches into the pocket of his pants and pulls out a jewelry box, which he holds out to Ino. “I’m here to give this to you, beautiful.”

Ino pauses, a nervous laugh falling from in between her lips.

This might be the best Valentine’s Day she’s had yet.

“Aw, really?” Ino questions. She glances up at Sai’s face, and then back down at the box. She opens it to see a beautiful silver necklace with a teardrop-shaped sapphire in the center; her birthstone. Whether Sai knew that or whether it was a lucky guess, Ino isn’t sure. She briefly thinks to ask if Sakura helped Sai pick the piece out before thinking better of it. “You’re so sweet! Let’s go on a date!”

“Wait, what?” Sai blinks.

“Dad,” Ino calls out, turning to where she knows her father is working on cultivating plants in the very back of the shop. She yells at the man over the back counter as she hurriedly clasps her new necklace around her neck. “I’ve gotta go, can you come take over and close?”

“I’ll be there in a second, honey, go on ahead!”

With her work day over, Ino grabs Sai by the hand and drags him out of the shop into the cool evening air.

~

Kakashi Hatake doesn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Or, he hasn’t in a long, long time.

He remembers when he was little, he would wake up to a big teddy bear and chocolates on the table beside his tiny bed, left by his father. When he got older and his father passed away, Kushina and Minato were kind enough to let him tag along on their Valentine’s dates- and Rin would shower him with gifts. Now, since all of them have passed, he’s spent every Valentine’s Day alone.

This year, however, he’s ready to move on. Maybe it’s stupid, but he’s developed feelings for Yamato since the younger man was discharged from Anbu. He’s convinced himself for months that it would go terribly if he acted on them, and that it’s not a good time, but when have times ever been good for either of them?

He returns from a mission just past eight and rushes to Yamanaka Flowers right as they’re closing. He sees Inoichi starting to lock the door when he arrives, and thankfully, the man is kind enough to open the door and sell him the last bouquet in the store; some sad, wilting white roses that are in such poor condition that there’s a discount on them.

As pitiful as the poor things are, he figures they’re better than nothing- that and Yamato is so good at caring for plants that he hopes the man will be able to bring them back from the brink.

He takes himself and the bouquet to Yamato’s apartment and stands on the balcony just outside of the man’s sliding glass door. He peers into the kitchen to see Yamato sat at the kitchen table with a bouquet of red tulips and pink dahlias in a glass vase and a pen in his hand. There’s probably five crumpled up pieces of paper on the floor and ten more on the table as Yamato sits there trying to write whatever it is he’s working on. Based on the flowers and the pretty pink envelope, Kakashi can only guess that it’s a love letter. Then, his gaze softens when he notices a ribbon tied around the vase of flowers with a note attached; to Kakashi, it reads.

“God, I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Yamato groans, crumpling up the paper in front of him and tossing it to the floor again. When he glances over to the sliding door, he notices Kakashi through the glass and jumps. “O-Oh, Senpai!”

“Tenzo,” Kakashi greets, quickly sliding the door open. He considers scolding Yamato for leaving it unlocked before thinking better of it. “Good to see you, as always.”

“I told you to stop calling me that.”

“Fine, then, Yamato,” Kakashi waltzes in and slides the door closed behind him with the bouquet of white roses still in hand. Immediately, a large black cat with one eye comes and rubs itself against Kakashi’s legs. He bends down just far enough to pet the animal and smiles when they arch their back into Kakashi’s touch. “I didn’t know you had a cat. What’s its name?”

“Uh,” Yamato struggles to get any words out as he rushes to throw all the abandoned letters in his kitchen trash can. The cat leaves Kakashi’s side and paws at a paper ball, which they then proceed to chase and slap around the kitchen floor. “His name’s Scarecrow. He sort of kept breaking in through my window, and he didn’t have a microchip or collar, so I just let him in and kept him.”

“Scarecrow, huh? That’s cute,” Kakashi grins, then, in a moment of bravery, holds the bouquet out to his friend- hopefully future lover. “Happy Valentine’s Day. Sorry it’s not the nicest- by the time I got there, they were closing and Inoichi didn’t have much left except for these.”

“Senpai… You really shouldn’t gift people bouquets like this unless you want them to get the wrong idea,” Yamato says with a sheepish smile as he unwraps the bouquet from the paper and gently places it with the flowers he seems to have bought for Kakashi in the glass vase on the table.

“And what would ‘the wrong idea’ mean?” Kakashi asks, leaning against the kitchen counter. 

“Well, you know-” Yamato, seemingly flustered, covers his face with his hands- but Kakashi can see that the tips of his ears are bright red. “If you give people things like this… They might assume that you have feelings for them.”

Kakashi walks up to Yamato and pulls the man’s hands away from his face.

“Well, that would be the right idea.”

“You-” Yamato pauses, his big brown eyes going wide. “Are you messing with me?”

“Not at all,” Kakashi answers, then gestures to the paper-filled trash can, the flowers, and the empty envelope on the kitchen table. “And if this whole mess is anything to go by, I’m assuming you have feelings for me, too?”

“I, uh, yeah. You’d be correct.”

“I’m glad, then.”

Yamato allows his eyes to fall shut and lets out what appears to be a sigh of relief.

“I stopped by the flower shop, too, I just… Was having trouble bringing them to you,” Yamato frowns as he looks at the flowers on the table. “At first, I thought they weren’t enough, so I spent the rest of the day looking for a good gift to go with them, but I couldn’t find anything- and then, I thought I could make something, or write you something, and well… That didn’t work out.”

“Don’t worry about it. The flowers by themselves are perfect. I’m just sad we didn’t do this earlier if we both felt this way,” Kakashi laughs and moves the vase from the table to the window sill so the flowers can sit in sunlight. “I fully expected to come here and for you to Mokuton me out your window in a fit of blinding rage.”

“...Seriously?”

“Yeah. Why else do you think I waited so long? I’m usually not one to beat around the bush, I just… Hated to think about you spending today alone, and I was waiting for the right time, but the right time never came, so why not tell you tonight?”

“Well,” Yamato smiles and walks up to Kakashi. Much to Kakash’s surprise, Yamato wraps his arms around his waist, pulls him into a hug, and rests his forehead on his shoulder. Kakashi isn’t used to being touched like this, so his heart is pounding hard and slow against his chest as he slowly reaches forward to return the hug and hold Yamato close to his body. “Thank you… For saying something. I’m not sure I would’ve ever gathered the courage to. If you hadn’t come, these beautiful flowers would’ve probably stayed on my kitchen table and wilted…”

“I’m just glad you accepted my feelings,” Kakashi pulls back and rests a gloved hand on one of Yamato’s cheeks. “Why don’t we go on a date? Valentine’s Day isn’t over yet.”

“But it’s past nine,” Yamato argues. “As sweet as that is, Senpai, everywhere is going to be closed by now!”

“Ichiraku’s still open.”

“Then, sure. It’ll be my treat.”

“Oh, no,” Kakashi shakes his head and takes Yamato by the hand. “It’ll be mine. Now, let’s go.”