#shikaku's pov

[spiderlily-w1tch-blog]

𝙽𝚊𝚛𝚊 𝚂𝚑𝚒𝚔𝚊𝚔𝚞 - 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐

𝕎𝕀𝕊ℙ𝕊𝕀𝕄ℙ𝕊

— — —

ft Nara Shikamaru + spit roasting, ABO, cunnilingus, fingering, nipple play, belly bulge, knotting, creampie, throat pie, breeding; ft A!Shikaku, A!Shikamaru, O!Reader

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: I do not own Naruto or its characters, all credit goes to its creators and actors

WC: 3,169

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆: Includes parent-child and sibling incest, underage(15, 17), and threesome, Omegaverse, use of “Onii-chan”, Two(2) uses of Y/n, 2nd Person POV, obligatory exhibitionism/public sex warning (Series Warning)

𝔐𝔦𝔫𝔦 𝔑𝔬𝔱𝔢: No infidelity occurring here, in this, Yoshino either left Shikaku or passed away, whichever your twisted little minds come up with

【Ｍａｓｔｅｒｌｉｓｔ】

— — —

“D-Daddy..!” You cried out, feeling like your body was on fire. The heat wracked through you and your nether regions throbbed almost painfully. Hardly a minute passes before both your father and brother burst into your room, looking around for danger but stopping once they smelled the wave of pheromones that crashed over them.

They looked over at you and saw you drenched in sweat and desperately pulling at your clothes to ease the overwhelming heat. Glancing further down your body, your father saw your tight little sleep shorts absolutely drenched with copious amounts of slick. He let out a breath before moving to quickly sit next to you on your bed.

“Hey hey hey, slow down, baby, let me help.” He said gently, reaching for you and slid his fingers under the hem of your shirt and shuffled it off your body. He had to suppress a groan at the sight of your pretty tits on display for him, though he let his eyes linger until you whined in discomfort. He remembered that you still had your little shorts on and acted quickly. He moved to kneel between your thighs and hooked his fingers into the waistband, sliding them down your legs. He lifted your legs up to slide them the rest of the way off and returned your legs to either side of him.

There it was. His little daughter’s sweet little cunny fully on display in front of him, still dripping slick. Before he could let himself indulge in the pretty pussy splayed out in front of him, your father forced himself to control himself. You’re the freshly presented Omega daughter of the Head of the Nara clan, he needed to follow the customs despite how much he just wanted to bury his face, and his cock, deep between your legs and never leave.

“Baby? ‘Mega? You gotta wait just a minute, okay? Daddy’s gonna make it all better but we gotta move you first.” He explained to you, though he knew that your heat-addled mind had no hope of actually understanding him when all you knew was your need to be filled and bred.

“Mmnn.. Daddy.. Please…” You whined and whimpered when he lifted you, his scent filling up your senses.

“Shikamaru. Get the doors. We need to get her to the Centre Court.” Your Daddy rushed your Onii-chan, the older boy hurriedly complying. With you writhing in your Daddy’s arms, in pain and neediness and wanting, he rushed to the Centre Court. You could vaguely recognize your big brother’s voice calling out to the rest of the clan to gather in the Centre Court and to pass it on to anyone else who needed to know.

You finally made it and your father impatiently yet carefully set you down on the altar with the decorated trim with your clan’s crest weaved into the design. As your Daddy set you down, the cool surface provided a moment of comfort from the blazing heat just beneath your skin. He bent slightly to be over you as he put his hand on your cheek and turn your face to look at him.

“It’s okay, baby. Y/n. Omega. Daddy’s got you, your Alpha Daddy is gonna take care of you, okay?” Your mind could just barely comprehend what your Daddy was saying but as soon as he said ‘Alpha’ your mind snapped to attention. ‘Alpha. Alpha is here. Gonna take care of me. Alpha is gonna take care of me.’

The whine you must have let out made him chuckle. Your Daddy, your big strong Alpha, leaned down and pressed his lips to yours. His scent, seemingly heavier than before, filled your nose once again and made your instincts all reach out to him.

His hand moved from the side of your face and began trailing down. First, he stopped at your chest and squeezed at one of your breasts and played with the nipple for a moment. He pinched and lightly pulled and tweaked and flicked your pebbled bud before he moved on. His fingertips lightly ghosted over your tummy before he reached your mound. As he moved his lips against yours and did his best to keep up with your needy pace, his hand slid between your legs and rubbed two of his fingers between your slick folds.

You let out a high pitched whiny moan into the kiss. His Alpha rumbled with pride at making his little Omega daughter squirm like that. At making you even more needy for him in the midst of your very first heat. His fingers slid through your slick and teased at your little clitty. Your back arched off the cool stone at the first contact with your pleasure bud and a whine was swallowed up by your Daddy’s lips still sealed over yours when he thrust his two fingers inside your greedy little virgin hole.

“Don’t worry, baby, Alpha’s here. Daddy’s gonna take good care of you.” He growled against your lips before he reluctantly pulled himself back. Your heat-addled mind couldn’t even think to be disappointed with the loss of your Daddy’s lips on yours when his fingers were still fucking into you, stretching your virgin hole enough to take his Big Daddy Alpha Cock. Even as he changed positions, he didn’t stop pistoning his fingers into your sloppy cunt. He moved to stand at the end of the altar where your toes were curling over the designed trim. There, he leaned down and added his mouth to the mix. He groaned at the taste of his little Omega daughter’s slick, at the taste of you.

First, he lapped at your clit while he kept his fingers fucking into you. The noises you made paired with the noises of your sloppy pussy almost had his knot inflating already. Your noises were getting more rushed and loud as he felt your walls clamping down on his fingers and he knew you were getting close to your first orgasm. His Alpha swelled with pride at being the one to bring you to your very first orgasm, with his mouth no less! He eagerly sucked your little clitty between his lips as you writhed under him as slick gushed around his fingers when you came. He gently scraped his teeth and flicked his tongue over your nub as he rode out your high until your hips stopped quivering with your release. He decided you were stretched enough to take his knot, but not everyone had gathered so he decided to swap his mouth and fingers.

He deftly moved his fingers to your clit and started teasing the little nub as he worked his tongue into your still-twitching entrance. He lapped up your slick and fucked you on his tongue while he kept his senses keen to know when everyone needed was present. He let out pleased growls at your taste and your reactions, every twitch, every squeak, every moan, every whine. Your Daddy's rumbling growl against your sensitive cunny had you calling out in pleasure as your second orgasm ripped through you. You smelled your Onii-chan's scent, earthy like the forest of your clan and smoky like his old sensei's cigarettes, quickly approaching you in the centre of the yard. With your senses on fire from your Daddy's relentless assault on your virgin pussy, you needed something to ground yourself from the feeling of being almost too high off the ground. You reached out to him, a wordless whine letting loose into the air.

Your Nii-chan, your Shika-nii, like the good Big Alpha Brother he was, immediately joined your side and stood behind your head at the top of the altar. His hands easily wrapped fully around yours gently and slid his hands down your forearms, down your upper arms, to your chest. He slowly, deliberately, squeezed the sides of your chest to push your pretty titties together. As his hands busied themselves with playing with your tits, your Shika-nii leaned down and captured your lips.

"Gonna look so pretty all stuffed with a knot... Wish it was gonna be mine... Wish I got to breed my baby sister's sweet little Omega pussy." He spoke between heated kisses. His tongue invaded your mouth and you could only whine wantonly into his at the pleasure he and your Daddy were giving you.

“They’re all here?” Shikaku asked from between your legs, giving one last sloppy lick to your folds before he came up.

“All of ‘em.” Shikamaru responded to your Daddy after hesitantly pulling away from your sloppy kisses. Your Daddy’s fingers still lazily stroked over your puffy lips and your Nii-chan’s hands still mindlessly worked against your breasts, but it wasn’t enough. You whined out at the lack of attention and earned twin chuckled from the Alphas hovering over you.

“Don’t worry, ‘Mega. We’re gonna take good care of you,” Your father spoke and placed a wet kiss right against your clitty, sucking on it teasingly. You moaned loudly and your new little Omega claws dug into your Shika-nii’s arms. “Fuck, taste so good, baby. Wish I could spend the rest of the day here…” Your father muttered against your cunny before he pulled himself away, licking up the slick around his mouth. “But I’m sure you feel just as amazing.” The big Alpha stood and made quick work of his pants, only opting to let his vest hang loosely open around his chest. You looked at him and caught him nodding to your Nii-chan before you felt his hands leave you. Before you could whine at the loss of contact, your Daddy moved forward and lifted your legs off the altar.

“Daddy… Hurts…” You managed to get out, shifting your hips in discomfort at the ache in your core and the burning fire in your lower belly, making you hot all over. He cooed at you and climbed onto the altar, hooking your legs around his hips. You felt his cock bob against your slicked-up cunt and let out a long needy whine. Your father grunted with his lip between his teeth and looked hurriedly at his son, your Nii-chan, and let out a growl of satisfaction. You tipped your head back to look at him and saw him just as naked as you, his Alpha cock standing tall. Your mouth watered at the sight and it must have reflected on your expression with the satisfied smirks on both your the Alphas’ faces.

“Ready, Omega? Daddy and Onii-chan are gonna make you feel real good, okay?” Your Daddy asked, making you look at him. You couldn’t fully understand what exactly he was saying but you just knew that the two Alphas were going to make the ache and the heat go away.

“Please.. Alphas… Please..” You nodded hurriedly and barely noted the shiver that went down their spines from your words. Your Daddy leaned down and kissed you quickly as he slid his tip inside your little pussy. The feeling was both the beginning of bliss and like agonizing teasing, you needed more. You moaned loudly into the kiss and wiggled your hips for more. He opened his eyes and looked at something above you before he separated and brought his hand up. You opened your eyes to beg for him when you saw your big brother’s cock inches from your face. Your Daddy had his hand on it, guiding your brother forward. As you still wiggled your hips for more of your Daddy’s cock, you opened your mouth eagerly for your brother’s. With a deep chuckle, your father guided his son’s Alpha cock into his little Omega daughter’s mouth.

Once he sat heavily in your mouth, your Alpha Daddy leaned back and gripped your hips solidly before he nodded to your brother. Together, they thrust into you at the same time. Your Daddy’s cock bottomed out in your cunny the same moment your brother’s met the back of your throat. The position made it easier to take your big brother’s cock into your throat, but you still gagged at the first contact. Quickly, he pulled back but you started sucking around his shaft before he could fully exit. He groaned and had to stabilize himself with his hand planted firmly on the altar. You moaned around him with your Daddy’s cock fully seated inside your greedy pussy.

“Fuck, baby. Omega. You do feel so good around me.” Your Daddy grunted before he felt your hips twitch with movement. He smirked before steeling his grip again and pulling back to thrust back in. You let out a whorish moan around your Shika-nii and he could resist moving his hips against your face. They found a pace, guided by your wanton keens and moans, and both fucked into you.

Your Daddy kept your body as still as he could while he jackhammered his cock into your little hole. Skin slapping and slick squishing and muffled moans and slight gags and lustful growls and groans filled the air from the three of you. The clan around you tried to stay mostly silent as they watched the ceremony. You didn’t give them a moment’s thought as all you could focus on was your Daddy and your brother’s cocks filling you over and over again.

Your father’s cock filled you entirely to the brim, even without his knot, and crashed against your cervix with every thrust. Your Nii-chan’s cock filled your mouth perfectly and his taste and musk were filling your senses, making you go half crazy. You couldn’t tell whose hands were on you with your mind only focussed on cock, but you felt a pair of hands on your tits again and they were tougher than before. Harsh squeezes and rough pinches and pulls to your nipples had you moaning even more and feeling even more.

“Fuck, ‘Mega.. You feel so fucking good around me… So fucking tight… Gonna knot you. Gonna knot you full. Breed you full. Breed your tight little Omega cunny.” Your Daddy’s voice growled out. The idea of being bred full by your big Alpha Daddy brought you that much closer to cumming again. Your legs tightened around him and your ankles locked behind his back as he continued to jackhammer into you and rearrange your insides.

“Yea? You want that? You want Daddy to breed your tight little hole? How ‘bout me, baby? You want me to fill your throat with cum? Want big brother’s cum down your throat?” Your Nii-chan asked teasingly as a hand moved to loosely wrap around your throat to feel the bulge he made each time he thrusted in. You whined and moaned wantonly around him and they both chuckled at you.

“What a good girl, being so good for her Daddy and Nii-chan, for her Alphas. I think we should give her what she wants, eh, Shikamaru?” Daddy teased and leaned forward when he spoke to your Nii-chan.

“I think she’s earned it.” Your brother leaned forward as well as he responded. Your Daddy raised a hand from his iron grip on your hips to grip the back of your brother’s neck to pull him into a kiss. It was quick and hot and the sound had you clenching around the cock in your pussy and moaning around the dick in your mouth. You heard them both groan in pleasure and the knots that had been quickly growing were now much too obvious to not pay mind to.

Your Daddy’s knot caught on your hole again and again until it was pushing at your entrance with each thrust. Your Nii-chan’s knot had been just barely scraping against your teeth before it only stayed brushing against your lips. Shikaku couldn’t resist any longer and thrust, hard, against you a couple more times before he buried himself and his knot fully inside of you, his tip bullying at your cervix before it pushed fully against it, almost pushing through.

Everything happened nearly all at the same moment. Your brother pushed as far in as he dared without knotting your mouth. He tensed up and gripped your tits tight with your nipples in his grip, tugging perfectly. Your Daddy’s claws dug into your thighs where he gripped to fold you in half the moment he knotted you. And you were filled with hot cum from both ends as your Daddy and your Nii-chan came inside you while you came harder than you ever would have imagined possible.

White hot spurts of cum gushed down your throat that you drank as quickly as you could, though the huge load still spilled out from your lips some. A huge load of baby batter flooded your womb and filled you with a heat that stifled the painful heat that had taken over your body and soothed the ache in your core. Your vision whited out as slick gushed around your Daddy’s knot and filled you with euphoria. Your consciousness returned to your body when you felt your Nii-chan’s slip out of your mouth.

“..by? Y/n? Omega?” Your big brother’s voice called out to you as your eyes flustered. You almost felt disoriented with the sounds of murmuring around you from the people watching the Clan Head breed his newly presented Omega Daughter. They sounded like they were celebrating something but you couldn’t tell with the haze clouding your senses.

“Nii.. chan..?” You breathed, voice hoarse from his cock and your moans.

“Right here, ‘Mega.” He smiled softly and stroked your hair to help you steadily return from your high. “You did so good, baby. Took your Alphas so well.” He cooed gently as you purred at the comfort. He gently wiped away his cum that had dribbled past your lips before he pressed sweet kisses there. “Taking Daddy so good.” He praised and it brought your attention to the bulge in your belly. Both from your Daddy’s cock and from the cum that flooded your womb.

Your Daddy sat between your legs, soothing any soreness in your thighs and hips, his knot still buried in your cunt. Your knees were still hooked over his elbows and he pressed soft kisses to your knees and calves.

“Feel so good, baby. Good little Omega.” He smiled proudly at you and pressed another soothing kiss to the bite mark you hadn’t realized he gave you on your calf.

“Daddy… Shika-nii… Alphas…” You breathed, a lazy, dopey grin on your face as you purred at them both, chirping in happiness and satisfaction at their care and being so stuffed full. Both men shivered and let out pleased growls at their title. The Clan quietly cheered and you could slightly make out something about ‘accepting them as her Alphas’ which confused you. Why wouldn’t you accept your Daddy and your Nii-chan? They were always your Alphas, right?

“Whaddya say, ‘Mega? How about next time, I breed your pretty pussy?“ Your Nii-chan smirked and kissed you full on the mouth again with a silent promise that almost had you already whining for more.

— — —

𝕋𝕒𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥:

Crossed out if I can’t tag you for some reason!

@frosch-thefrog @hellsingalucard18

[mixelation]

here's some rando mutagenicity i don't think i ever posted

context: the konoha chunin exam disaster happened like a couple months ago, and now it's ninjacon season. this is kakashi POV.

****

“You didn’t submit a request for leave,” Minato said, holding up a handful of papers, partially filled in in his own hand. “I started it for you, if you want.”

He looked… frazzled. 

“I thought it might be an inopportune time to disappear for a week and a half,” Kakashi said delicately. “Given all the things that have… happened…”

Team Seven could definitely use a break, at least. But Kakashi had all sorts of other responsibilities to the village as a Jounin. 

“You could make it shorter,” Minato said, the papers still clutched in his hand. They crinkled. “I’ll take you there, and Tori can take you back. No travel time.”

“Is Tori going?” Kakashi asked. They’d talked about it months ago, but then basically the whole world had gone insane, and he hadn’t brought it up again.

“It’s why I remembered it’s that time of the year,” Minato said. His face had taken on a near-manic expression. “You deserve a break to do something fun.”

“Er, sure,” Kakashi agreed. He did like NinjaCon, but it wasn’t like his mental health rested on it. He’d be equally happy having a day off to sit in a nice tree and read. “Do you… do you want a break, Sensei?”

Minato just stared at him, face desperate. 

“You can’t live vicariously through your students,” Kakashi said with much more wisdom than he had. 

“If you’re there, surely it will be fine if I’m there too?” Minato said. “It’s not like Suna is going to invade or something if my correspondence is delayed a day.”

Ah, okay. This was just him looking for an excuse. Sure. 

“I’m sure people here can handle a weekend without you,” Kakashi ventured. Then as a joke, he added, “Besides, history shows the Kazekage might end up at NinjaCon anyway.”

This was a bad joke, it turned out. Minato’s various advisors flipped their lids over the many security risks of their Hokage wandering around foreign lands, especially now that Konoha seemed to be going through a moment of “weakness” on an international level. Kakashi knew, because he got roped into the arguments, despite never agreeing to go himself. 

“I can just teleport back at any moment,” Minato kept saying. 

“What if you’re intercepted?” Shikaku argued back. “Hatake is just one guard.”

No one brought up Tori. She had many talents, but “loyal and dedicated guard” was… not one of them. 

In the end, Itachi volunteered to go. 

“I’m offended you never invited me,” he said point blank. 

“You never asked,” Tori replied, flippant.

[throwawaybog]

anyone got kakashi centric fic recs?

bamf!kakashi, competent kakashi (cause the man is a genius and i love it oh my GOD) is what im interested in, and it could be anything from canon compliant to canon divergence, minato's team 7, kakashi's team 7. kakashi's anbu days--kakashi's genin days, hatake stuff, kakashi&naruto stuff kakashi&sakura stuff, kakashi&sasuke stuff, kakashi and his ninken--anything!

just not kakashi/sakura please!

and truth be told im not much of a fan on iruka/kakashi, i much prefer kakashi/gai or kakashi/obito. or kakashi/zabuza or kakashi/itachi or kakashi/yams or kakashi/rin or kakashi/shikaku or--well. you get the idea. as long as its not kakashi/his students--but considering kakashi/iruka is a rlly popular ship and features in a lot of kakashi & naruto fics, feel free to rec those too then.

thank you!!!!

EDIT: i see ppl reblogging so ill put the fics that have been recc'd to me here for easier viewing.

@frieria suggested Ourliazo's fics heroes (and other morbid jokes) which is a "really unique take on the time travel premise, featuring a very ruthless bamf Kakashi and Sakumo running after his murder baby" as well as the kakashi ex machina series also by ourliazo.

these are some pulled from my bookmarks:

the A**hole series by crybabyenligne in which kakashi is bamf, a missing nin, and an asshole.

port in a storm, oh blue by fencesit, a oneshot, missing nin kks, and features kakashi/kisame, from kisame's pov

be my love, be my end by andogynousclintbarton, a kakagai fic, MCD, missing nin kakashi is confronted by gai, who has come to put a stop to him

a dog and a shark series by cloudycats. ongoing. kakashi wakes up partnered to kisame in a universe where he committed the uchicha masacre. he copes.

first snow by zombie_honeymoon. kakashi/shisui, marriage hunt, established relationship, oneshot

never count on me by cherlita, a fic that has utterly CONSUMED me. its incomplete, but my god the premise. kiri-born, isobu jinchuuriki kakashi switches place with rokudaime kakashi.

ashes to ashes by megawallflower, in which dai is dead, gai is missing, kakashi has accepted the solo mission to retrieve him, dead or alive

kamui blues universe by butter_peanut, obkk, kakashi and obito escalating from kamui penpals to kamui roommates to more

[jacksgreysays]

I’m feeling nostalgic for the childrens book The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw (changeling pov by a child who didn’t ask to be swapped out with someone else, the kid eventually goes in to faerie to get the kid back and due to the slow time in Faerie the kid is like, two). So… Changeling!verse where the Nara’s agreement with the fae to raise changelings whenever pregnancy ends in a stillbirth was hammered out by someone who didn’t think to expressly keep the fae from taking the living twin and replacing them as well. (Because hey, technically they ARE the produce of a pregnancy that ended in a stillbirth, and the fae are grabby). In other words, Shikako is a changeling who replaced a baby who never drew breath, Shikamaru is a changeling who replaced the boy baby who DID draw breath, and in this verse eventually baby Kino was Un-kidnapped from faerie by Shikamaru (with Shikako joining in with the force of a speeding bullet). There’s nothing in the ancient contract that stops the changelings from independently kidnapping their sibling back! (They checked) I’d be happy with just an exploration of the dynamics pre-Kino rescue as well. Shikako replaced a dead baby, as in line with the clans traditions. Shikamaru replaced a living one, who might still be out there. The Nara are obliged to raise both ‘as their own.’ How does the clan react?

Oooh, dona, you’ve brought yet another interesting facet to changeling!verse OoO

I’m wondering about the naming of characters and if there’s a bit of a… sort of shuffling? Like, obviously the twins are named Shikamaru and Shikako because Shikaku is unimaginative and also the heir should have a Shika name. But… if the “real” Shikamaru is the non-still born baby, does that mean the rescued child that is younger due to time flow weirdness is genetically Kinokawa and would have been named Shikamaru had he not swapped out? Or is that baby genetically Shikamaru and so the twin brother that Shikako grows up with is genetically Kinokawa?

… not that it would affect the plot, per se, but it’s fascinating the think of. Because if the “firstborn” is supposed to be the heir, then rescued child—as the only actually “born” child—would be heir over his seemingly “older siblings.”

… and then NOW I’m thinking about the stillborn other!Shikako. Like… what DO the fae do with those stillborn babies? What if they revive that other!Shikako? So then that means there’s a set of “human twins” in the fae world and a set of “changeling twins” in the human world? And what do call other!Shikako? In which Shikaku and Yoshino end up with four children, lololol (I should probably stop before I end up in Invincible Kimmy Schmidt “Olson quadruplets, octuplets” bit territory)

I think the clan reaction is ultimately tertiary to 1) Shikaku’s reaction and then, based on (1) 2) Yoshino’s reaction. And I should say, actually, 1) is Shikaku and Kasuga and Sembei’s reactions since they’re the ones who were with Shikaku when they placed the shrouded bundle into the hollow of that old, gnarled tree

Because… do the fae put TWO babies in that hollow? Does Shikaku, confused, rush home to find an empty crib which held the breathing baby boy? Do Kasuga and Sembei figure out what’s going on? Does the history have a precedent for this situation, this loophole taking which strains the agreement between the Nara clan and the fae? Or is it just the one baby in the hollow and no one notices that the baby boy in the crib is different (babies are weird squashed things anyway, who could tell the difference? Or IS there a difference, a series of differences, little details which don’t mean much but do feel… uncanny?)

And, depending on how Shikaku, Kasuga, and Sembei react—what they can dig from the clan’s lore, what they can sense in the shadows, what the Honored Sika Tribe can advise—do they even tell Yoshino? How can they? The exchange was meant to prevent her heartbreak, would she understand as someone new to the clan? Would she blame them? Resent them? (Would she still love these children, even if they are not hers by blood?) ((The answer is yes, of course she would love them, they are her children regardless of blood. The answer is yes, even for the somewhat silly scenario in which she has two sets of twins of differing ages))

I would like to think that Shikaku would tell Yoshino, because their marriage is built on trust and love… but this wouldn’t be the first time I have them keep secrets from each other (ie Yoshino in Stars Also Dream, hiding her Jedi past) Although I’m pretty sure this is a more egregious secret than Yoshino’s secret Jedi past…

Anyways, if Yoshino doesn’t know that “Shikamaru” got switched then the clan also doesn’t know. Both Yoshino and the clan probably know that “Shikako” is a changeling, but the “Shikamaru” switcheroo is probably a secret until the rescue mission happens. And—I’m not even joking now—it would be FASCINATING if there was an other!Shikako. Because the clan could be like, ah fuck, there’s TWO of them. Before realizing that “Shikamaru” is just quieter about his rebellions, so actually, ah fuck, there’s FOUR OF THEM. And I don’t know HOW human children are raised in the fae world, but I imagine they’re kinda feral or at the very least have extremely different priorities/morals from the changeling children raised in a militaristic society.

So other!Shikamaru—whether or not he is genetically Shikamaru or Kinokawa—would be named Kinokawa. But what is other!Shikako named? VagabondDawn did post an absolutely fantastic fic recently shadow of the future (at least we have each other) which included, honestly, one of the greatest Nara names: Inei (ie shadow and shadow) which I think would be very applicable here… OR, is Yoshino equally as efficient-yet-unimaginative as Shikaku when it comes to names (which, I mean, she might be considering she agreed to Deer Boy and Deer Girl and then named her third child her maiden name) and so the boy is Kino and the girl is Kawa? (lol)

The clan truly is just like… the idea that some of them are “we don’t like these clan heirs, we want a different one that doesn’t argue with us” and then they get two feral/fae-raised children so they immediately about face and go “actually, we love the clan heirs that have dragged us kicking and screaming into progress and success, we will keep those ones.” And Shikaku and Yoshino are just like, lol, we’re keeping all of them.

In terms of plot, I feel like the way to actually do this would be to reframe the god interactions as fae interactions so, for example:

—

They got the idea from Orochimaru.

“Probably not the best way to start,” Shikamaru says with a grimace. He, at least, has the decency to act contrite in front Ibiki.

Shikako, disregarding the fact that they are on the wrong side of a T&I interrogation, just rolls her eyes. “We didn’t get the idea from Orochimaru. Technically the Sandaime was the one who opened the portal, and it’s not like he has a monopoly on fuinjutsu or fae studies. If anything, he stole the seal from the Yondaime, and the Yondaime probably built his seal based on Uzumaki mythology. Although, since the fae predate the Elemental Nations as we know it, and we have definitive proof that the Gelel Empire used a form of fuinjutsu, it could be argued that—”

Thankfully, Shikamaru kicks his sister’s ankle to head off the rant. She kicks him back.

Ibiki sighs. “When I said start at the beginning, I don’t need you to get into ancient history. Try again.”

Minimally chastised, the Nara twins begin again:

During Orochimaru’s invasion of the Konoha Chuunin Exams, the Sandaime does not summon the Shinigami. He opens a portal to the fae world, in hopes that the chaotic, magical, anti-chakra energies of the fae world will disrupt the his student’s techniques—either by thwarting the summons of his dead teachers, or by weakening the barrier enough for reinforcements to come through.

In many ways, the Sandaime was a foolish man. In this particular way, his foolishness costs him his life.

The fae energies do not weaken his student at all. Or, at least, not before it weakens and, ultimately, kills the Sandaime. Then, goal achieved, Orochimaru simply uses the portal as an escape route.

For most, it would be perilous. For those originally created in the fae world, for those changelings who are exchanged with human children, it is merely going home.

So, no, they did not get the idea from Orochimaru… not really.

— And then I would go into something like… releasing Gelel sort of gives them the hint that the “human Shikamaru” is still alive and in the fae world. Changeling!Shikamaru doesn’t really want to pursue it, because he feels weird ways about things and if Changeling!Shikamaru is in fact canon!Shikamaru, then he doesn’t really do any internal self-reflection until he’s absolutely pushed to it by someone else and also motivated by protecting his loved ones (either his sister or his teammates)… Changeling!Shikako is fascinated by the idea, but ultimately has SO MUCH on her plate that she can’t really prioritize a dangerous excursion into the fae world (even though she does, from time to time, tweak the original seal array just because it COULD be MORE EFFICIENT if it was LIKE THIS instead)

Then fighting Jashin is some kind of corrupted archfey or something and Shikako getting yoinked out of Land of Hot Springs by the Sika Tribe actually brings her into the fae world, so actually changeling!Shikamaru’s original quest is to rescue Shikako (since time flows differently, what is, like, a day to her is a few weeks to him) meanwhile Shikako meets “human Shikamaru” (aka, Kinokawa. And MAYBE “revived human Shikako” aka… Inei? Kawa? Mystery child) and she can’t possibly LEAVE them, so when Shikamaru (and, let’s face it, a good chunk of Konoha Twelve) come to “rescue” Shikako, they also rescue the new/old Nara sibling(s).

Anyway, the Nara clan will just have to accept that their options for next clan head are all WEIRD AS HELL and REFUSE TO LISTEN TO THE ELDERS :D

[x-authorship-x]

Hey hey!! I was wondering if you could tell me some of your headcanons/ideas/details/etc for your fav characters? I've been really stressed lately and seeing people talk about characters they adore give the best good vibes :]

Hey, anon!

I'm sorry things have been stressful for you 🥺 I hope things work out and calm down soon!

(honestly this is ironic though because I've also been stressed beyond belief hahahaha-)

I was wracking my brains trying to think of who I could talk about for a bit before... I hit me! Who do I always bring in but I rarely get the chance to really dig deep into as a character?

Inoichi!

I'll just... ramble 🥰

I initially picked Inoichi, name-dropped as Shisui's sensei in In the Eye of the Beholder, because I had seen quite a few fics that centred around Shikaku from that generation and I knew I wanted someone different. He's also very distinct from the Uchiha, he's respectable, with talents that worked really well with Shisui's, and in a position of power that could act as a counterbalance to the status of the Uchiha/Police etc. Inoichi's exact role in T&I didn't matter much in Eye because he was a minimal mention, past tense, and only really served to contextualize Shisui's own skill.

When I got to writing HOPE AU, starting with No Tomorrow, things became much clearer.

Inoichi hadn't ever really factored in with me, beyond a vague disbelief that he'd let Ino get away with not training and going on a stupid diet in canon, but he'd been growing on me. Something about his soothing presence compared to Shisui's more hectic, quick action, just clicked and the pieces came together. Whilst Itachi & Shisui work because Shisui is a kind of twisted martyr/role model who Itachi, quieter and tragic in a slightly different way, always looked up to (and the world went to shit for real when Shisui left Itachi to scramble with the fragments), Shisui gets to have his own guiding force with Inoichi.

Inoichi, ironically, is something of a moral compass and a foundation for all of my stories. Whilst Shisui is the protagonist and narrator, more often than not, he's also tormented and unreliable in his perspective, for all he tries. Inoichi, however, is much more grounded. This is because I wanted Inoichi to be the remedy, in a way, to Shisui's mania and trauma and very visceral POV.

Example: Shisui wanted to martyr himself for the village, putting everyone's lives above his own... So that his dream of peace could continue in a way that was very specifically his. Inoichi, in turn, wants to rid the village of corruption, so taking down Danzo is more important than his own safety and position... Because he wants to keep his family, especially Shisui, safe.

Again, this is all ironic because Inoichi is never detached or clinical when things are connected to Shisui yet you can still trust him, as a reader, to 'keep a lid' on things. What makes this so delicious to me is that most of Shisui's methods and coping mechanisms... are directly copied from Inoichi. Shisui manipulates people like Inoichi taught him to, he takes stock, he manipulates his Clan in a way that is very distinct from other Uchiha (like Mikoto) because it's actually Inoichi's influence.

Even when I'm placing them as counterparts, they are symmetrical. Shisui is sobbing and breaking down and lashing out? Inoichi is soothing him... Whilst also feeling that grief and fear and pain. He's really so emotional, but he is able to put it into his professionalism because he desperately wants to help; it's a kind of selfish selflessness that Shisui also uses a lot, putting everyone before himself... But in the direction of his own goals.

And then! Then we get this glorious imagery! Sun and mood, dark and light! Summer and winter! Completely reversed!

Sun and Moon? Aesthetically, Shisui is dark and pale, he (cba for real quote) thinks a true Shinobi is faceless in the darkness for the betterment of society... But he undeniably burns brighter than the sun. Inoichi is golden hair and sea blue eyes and nurturing care, he has a wife with a flower shop and a nine-to-five, a clan and a family, he doesn't go on bloody missions from home... But he is most definitely the moon in this situation, serene and controlling and vigilant.

Summer and winter! Idk how to tell you that I pose Shisui in monochrome lighting so much not just because it's dramatic and he looks great, it's about the brutality and the crisp lines, it's about the survival and the burning heat inside with coldness in action... But, again, Shisui burns, he flourishes given warmth and nurturing, he withstands the heat, he basks in the sun, he melts and unwinds... Inoichi is winter because he is so bitingly cold in anger, he is eyes like ice and arguments that you can't fight against and chakra that is refreshing but can turn so bitter in an instant.

Dark and light? Again, Shisui appears dark, he literally works in Black Ops, but he has a spark to him - literally, with his nature, his Susanoo, his glowing Dojutsu - that draws others like moths to a flame and, despite everything, he is always searching for goodness. He wants peace, he does not revel in the gore, he is deeply empathetic to foreign Shinobi. Inoichi, like I said, is golden and he upholds the laws, he does wellness checks on Shinobi and intervenes on their behalf, he takes his subordinates and his superiors to task, he wanted to change the world with Minato... But he is the torturer of the Leaf, he has so many secrets that they're locked behind a hidden vault, he tears apart minds and he collects evidence and he stews on his information, plotting.

So far I've spoken mostly about Inoichi alongside Shisui, which is understandable because they are THE duo of the whole series.

But what about Inoichi alone?

He might've lived longer than most characters, much longer than Shisui, but we never got much to work with so I pretty much went by vibes and rolled with it.

First things first- contextualising his abilities. Now, some fic writers might be okay with the bullshit that is Kishi's non-existent timeline but I wasn't and neither am I the kind of person who can just willfully imagine that somehow we went from feudal energy with the Founders to video games with B[redacted]'s generation. Especially not when I'd reworked the timeline so that we're around year 64 when Shisui and Danzo's drama goes down. So, with that in mind, I had to question how much legitimate psychological study had been done in this time. I tried to bracket it by generation, but also I only have a vague sociological understanding of the field of Psychology and I really can't afford the time - or have the will - to dig enough into that to make Inoichi a psychologist by our modern standards. Welcome to camp: How To Bullshit Inoichi!

Now I don't know a lot about psych but I have studied nationalism so the propaganda side of things was much more fun haha. Inoichi's job became as much as a safeguarding measure for the state as much as it was about the actual Shinobi. Inoichi's whole role in the village, and therefore his very core sense of purpose, is to keep the Shinobi forces 'in line'. The imagery of the tree filled with leaves, the teamwork and will of fire, the obedience and feral loyalty and martyrdom might have been plastered across every surface and shoved down every orifice by the village as a whole but it's Inoichi who ensures that it sticks. If someone is unfit for a job, it'll be influenced by this loyalty, if someone is losing faith in the field then it's just as a much of a red flag as self-sabotage or a mental break.

It's a game, all of it, and the Hokage is actually on the board for this one; this shaped the kind of person Inoichi has been for most of his life, this overlap between individuals and the big picture.

Inoichi comes from a Clan who have notorious mental techniques, who are allied with a Clan that makes alternative medicine, controls shadows and have scary intelligence, as well as a Clan that is so well-connected across the continent that they may as well be the mafia, that are brutally strong even without the augmentation, and who have an extremely welcoming clan culture. Where do you situate yourself in this?

I think it's quite telling that, whenever I talk about Inoichi, it's generally how he reflects and manages the different personalities around him.

Inoichi is an only child - Yua's parents are actually his cousins, 'niece' is sentimental, so yes her grandfather was the Uncle mentioned below - and his mother died when he was young. His father Inojou, we know (I say, like I didn't write this lmao), was both Clan Head and Head of T&I before Inoichi inherited these roles. Inojou took on the Department under Tobirama's tenure (Tobirama died when Inoichi was seven).

The Nidaime was dead, Inoichi was soon to graduate, and being the best Yamanaka Heir was all about being the best Shinobi possible. For most kids, that would be fighting. For a Yamanaka? It's about the power and control. From an adult? Masterful, upsetting, discomforting. From a prepubescent child? Fucking horrifying and possibly overly cruel before Inoichi worked out how to walk the line. Yikes.

So the household, it's immediately clear, was one that was cold, vacant, and work-obsessed. Inoichi's softest memory as a child were the rabbits his mother kept when he was a very small child, before she died. That's it. Inoichi, as I've mentioned before, was an extremely manipulative child. Why? Nurture and nature, he was alone with a father who lived and breathed his work and clan history, his playmates were Chouza and Shikaku (who, some of you might notice, I've really leaned into a slightly more dangerous interpretation of him✨) and the world seemed to be falling apart around them.

As a teen, going through the second war when Konoha was the one committing all those atrocities in Rain Country (traumatising Konan and the boys), when the Sannin were just getting their feet on that pedestal... Inoichi is only falling deeper into this mentality that Konoha was cultivating within him. He'd be working at his father's elbow in the middle of wartime, when ethics just don't exist, and we've already had mention from Inoichi before about some atrocities his own Uncle committed in the first war in the name of 'science'. Shisui's education was softened by Inoichi's care for him; Inoichi never got anything like that from his own father, their relationship was like playing 3D chess nonstop, including every little thing. Informative, yeah, but not comforting or restful.

Then we get the big turning point; Inojou's death. Inojou, unlike most character deaths in Narutoverse, didn't pop his clogs in a violent skirmish in the field but, rather, in his own domain; a Mindwalk.

Can we just appreciate the horror and trauma that Inoichi's only close family, as well as the person he'd learned everything from,... died from the technique that was supposed to ensure his absolute control? Inojou Mindwalks an assassin, the assassin's mental safeguarding triggers a suicide Jutsu, and it manages to take Inojou with it, rendering his body literally brain-dead. Mic drop

This was in wartime. Inoichi is completely alone in the world, his clan a distant but pressing responsibility, his teammates and friends like Chouza, Shikaku, and Minato are just barely grown men in their own right, with their own problems and none of them have inherited power like this yet. They keep going out to the front lines; Inoichi has to stay right there and, somehow, immediately pick up where his father left off. Using the very techniques that killed Inojou.

Inoichi goes home, to his big empty Clan Head House, his friends far away, and gets dangerously drunk and, in his own words, "howled like a deranged soul, barely human." 🥹 He was not fucking okay.

This goes on for.... gah, maybe a few months before Shisui's Genin Team are killed and Inoichi, stressed to his eyeballs and absolutely not in a position for a student let alone a pet-project like 'keep the newest, youngest Mangekyou sane so we can use him', is not ready.

I've written this scene before (Tomorrowland), Inoichi's impatience frustration bleeding into curiosity and, eventually, empathy. He's too stubborn to give up and then he gets so invested.

This another defining moment in Inoichi's character. He's been raised to be manipulative to unmatched levels. Shikaku recognises it in him, it's how they align, and Chouza is self-assured enough and welcoming enough to know exactly what Inoichi and Shikaku are like and survive - in fact, flourish - whilst embracing them.

Inoichi doesn't think he's cut out to be a tutor, let alone a sensei. I think, pretty much from the get-go it was inevitable that they'd be family. They... recognised something in the other. For all my parallel imagery earlier, the harmony between them is even stronger; morally and ethnically suspect specialities, gentle words and hard action, big pictures with some extremely precious few loved ones.

Inoichi spent a fortnight visiting Shisui's hospital room, the little Genin struck mute by guilt and grief, and talked about anything he could think of. He spoke about guilt on missions, breaking his leg from mistaken arrogance and realising he'd put his team at risk, he opened up about the few memories he had of his mother, he tries to coax Shisui into opening to him... By opening himself up first. Just talking to Shisui about food makes him go home and cook his first square meal in weeks!

Inoichi becomes much more human again.

Inoichi's T&I is different from the versions that came before. Inoichi's Clan is different as well. It was through trying to help Shisui actually heal, not just function as a weapon, that taught Inoichi how to heal and open himself. Working with Shisui's Mangekyou and his Uchiha techniques helped Inoichi adapt his own Clan Jutsu, he implemented safeguarding against what happened to his father, learning how to torture and interrogate people with his words and body language instead of just clan techniques, how manipulation can be used to genuinely help people. Do you think Inojou was the closest thing Konoha had to a psychologist too? Nope, Inoichi induced that side of things too

This also marks a time in Inoichi's life when he's involved with Minato's Hokage campaign, to the extent where Kushina gifts him some rare sealing paper and helps him install a secret reinforced vault in his office 🤭 Inoichi also started reading parenting books to help with Shisui lol

Inoichi married a civilian woman who had little interest in Shinobi affairs, with skills that don't compliment the Yamanaka in that sense but, rather, do in the spirit of them. Sora is snarky and mischievous and tender and empathetic, she brings out the best in Inoichi, as he does with her, and they are matched because they chose each other and grew together to make it work.

Inoichi hasn't completely transformed. You'll notice that there's always a line between him and Shisui's friends, we don't get a clear insight into the dynamic between Mikoto and Inoichi (they exist in the same space when shit hits the fan with Danzo and that's about it), and you never see Sora's side of the family. Inoichi is a taskmaster with his staff, he is breathtakingly cruel to those in his cells, and he could barely hold himself back from fucking up Kisame's mind! Shisui is his only 'therapy' client. Just wait and see what else unfolds in the series gah!

I just really love Inoichi, i think the way he's approached this part of his life where he is defending and raising his children, after the way he grew up, is just so endlessly fascinating. The kind of fucked up moral compass he has, which because of both his role in Shisui's (protagonist) life and the way his say-so shapes the village, became like... the centre of right and wrong in the story, his particular brand of loyalty and paranoia, the contrast of his wonderful heart and his terrible abilities...

I just really love Inoichi! 🥰

Enjoy, Anon! Hope things get better soon~

[okamirayne]

Hi! I've been rereading BtB these days, and I realized there's something I've been wondering. How do you come up with such accurate metaphors to describe such abstract concepts?

Two examples that come to me are, when the psychiatrist explains the nature of a fracture psyche and compares it to a loose fist, and how integration/functionality is similar to tighten the fingers of said hand. The other one is when it's explained Shukaku's internal fail-safe mechanism to contain his trauma, is searching and killing one of the twins each night, and repeat the process all over again the next day.

There are, of course, more descriptions that are outstanding among the serie, but these exacts ones, personally struck me like lightning. I don't mean to intrude in your privacy, I was just wondering how was the process in constructing such complex imagery. Did you expect to reach such depth? Was it carefully crafted and cultivated or more along the lines of unexpectedly unavoidable once you were in the trenches of writing?

Truth is, ten years ago, I would have benefited a lot had I known how to express both of these situations with words. About the fractured psyche I used to described it as grabbing water with bare hands, but it was never a satisfying metaphor all in all :"D

The magic of writers I guess, the first time I read your works I felt like a kid that watches the rabbit being pulled out of the hat for the first time.

Obligatory, english-isn't-my-first-language warning/apology in advance.

Love you author <3

Hey there @dirty-tako 💖!

Wow! Firstly, thank you for your patience as I finally get round to responding to your lovely message. And also, thank you so much for crossing the language barrier to reach out to me 💖🫶🏼💖. I would never have suspected it wasn't your first language and wish I could command another tongue as eloquently and brilliantly as you! 🙏🏼

I've been rereading BtB these days, and I realized there's something I've been wondering. How do you come up with such accurate metaphors to describe such abstract concepts?

Ah! So, so chuffed to hear that you've revisited BtB recently, my lovely. Thanks for jumping back into that world. As for how I come up with my metaphors?

I honestly don't know how to answer that, luv. Pictures flood onto my mind-screen and I literally just write what I see, or what the characters 'say'. When I'm in flow with my writing, the imagery often takes care of itself. The two examples you gave of Dr Mushi and Shikaku are perfect examples of that. I 'saw' both those metaphoric instances playing out visually and I just scribed what I saw - it tends to come organically from the characters, if that makes sense? I know that sounds quasi-woo-woo but that's the honest to gods' truth. I wish I could say there was a specific process I used, but it always tends to come from the characters that I'm inhabiting when writing from their POV.

There are, of course, more descriptions that are outstanding among the series, but these exacts ones, personally struck me like lightning. I don't mean to intrude in your privacy, I was just wondering how was the process in constructing such complex imagery.

Gosh, thank you for your very kind praise of my writing. I don't find it intrusive of you to ask, sweetie, and I'm touched you find my insanity a point of interest. 😅💜 The process is always 'character driven' for me...I don't even know if it's helpful explaining it that way, but I can't think how else to describe it. When I'm in their skin, the metaphors tend to flow from them given their model of the world or the moment.

Did you expect to reach such depth? Was it carefully crafted and cultivated or more along the lines of unexpectedly unavoidable once you were in the trenches of writing?

Absolutely the latter, Tako. Unexpectedly unavoidable. You nailed it with that. Very much a spontaneous and organic process when it comes to the metaphors and descriptions unless I need to describe a very specific structure or do my research on Japanese architecture, specific items, or particular interior designs etc. in a scene.

Truth is, ten years ago, I would have benefited a lot had I known how to express both of these situations with words. About the fractured psyche I used to described it as grabbing water with bare hands, but it was never a satisfying metaphor all in all :"D

Oh wow! 😍 Now you see, that's such an interesting and unique take; the image you've described gives a whole different feel to a fractured psyche because you've gone with an element that is so deliciously nebulous and lends itself well to the mind. How can you hold onto consciousness with your bare hands? Beautiful. I love that.

It's strange isn't it? While you say it didn't quite hit the mark for you, for me, I find your example such a brilliant take on the mind. I could go wild with that water analogy. See? You've inspired a whole flood of images for me by sharing your personal visual perspective on the fractured psyche. I bloody love it!! 😍

The magic of writers I guess, the first time I read your works I felt like a kid that watches the rabbit being pulled out of the hat for the first time.

The magic of readers and writers connecting in the worlds that come spilling outta the ether. It's beautiful. I'm so ridiculously happy that my words touched you and vibed with you, luv. That lifts and lightens my spirit! Thank you for connecting with my work and for reaching out to connect with me. I appreciate you so much. 🥰🙏🏼

Big Love coming at you, dear reader 💜🫶🏼💜

[rozaceous]

while zabuza pov would be ELITE, sakura must be entirely off the rails at this point and im dying to know how, and tenzo is my severely underrated bestie; shikamaru having a thing for mariko is THE funniest thing holy shit. canon shikamaru says "i want a normal wife who isnt too pretty or ugly and doesnt nag" and then his brain points at mariko like THAT ONE and hes like hey. what the fuck <3. i dont necessarily want them canon and we JUST got fed with the new haku chapter but holy shit the idea of them together being the ultimate [NO ONE liked that] couple. i NEED to see team ten roast him alive over this. yoshino doesnt LIKE it but shes absolutely lowkey hoping this girl beats the misogyny out of him and meanwhile shikaku is sweating bullets at the idea of having to add her to the family tree.

(we're getting all these snippets eventually, dw)

ohohohoho anon. shikamaru in canon wants the stereotypical calm life and then marries SABAKU NO TEMARI, whom he once termed, very complimentarily, "the cruelest kunoichi." this boy has no idea what he actually likes/there's some dissonance there lol.

so if mariko kicked his ass definitively in the chuunin exams (again, she gets out of his hiden, which no one has ever done before, literally) and only gets scarier from there? well. his father's preference for domineering women might just be genetic.

for the record, shikaku thinks this is hilarious. yoshino thinks this is a sign of shikamaru developing taste. (also, you want the girl who can break your hiden in the clan. just...putting that out there.)

mariko tho would not take shikamaru's casual misogyny well. she'd look at him like he was scum lurking at the bottom of a stagnant pond. this, unfortunately, would not help matters. and you can BET that ino is roasting him, absolutely.

[akamikazae]

Hi I love your fic Love me Mercilessly so much 😭😭it is incredible and I even set up tumblr just for you and this fic (and all of your amazing arts too 😍) . If if is not much to ask - could we have more of outsider’ pov (like their ANBU colleagues, the babies in Sasuke class or even random civilians) over our favorite characters 🤲🤲 I love how disgusted Tenzou is over this show of love hahaha

And pls write as long as you want I will read it all 😭 i love the mundane day to day things because at the end of the day, those things stay with u the most . Cant wait for the next update 🥺

Omg omg omg waahh!!! 😭💕Oh that is so so so so nice! Ah you did not have to do that you are too kind. Thank you so much 

Down the line we will get a wee bit more outside perspective—from Shikaku and Naruto and Sakura and Tenzo, maybe an Anbu here or there. The Council too, Jiraiya/ Tsunade eventually lol  

Also I don’t think I fully understand what you mean? Like their pov on Kami and Kashi and Sas’s relationship or just the pov of the lives of others in my world? or just more characters in general? 

Lol yes they def up the ante when he’s around Akami thrives on grossing him out and Kakashi likes any opportunity to ✨gently bully✨ him. 

Oh thank you so much !🥹  Lol I do to, it sucks theres a plot and I can’t I just write about nothing but the small inconsequential stuff haha! But I do plan on eventually posting a section of like short stories that will all be about them doing nothing lol thank you so so so so much <333 it means the world to me to know you’ve enjoyed their story ! 💕💕

[shikatemarchives]

The truth is in the details - BrazilianWriter - K, romance, family/children, 5627, one shot

As an elite shinobi, leader of his clan and advisor to the Hokage, Shikaku doesn't have much free time for unimportant contemplations.

Still, he always seems to find energy to be interested in his teenage son's love life.

Archival note: this was sooooo adorable

[narutomaki]

working with over 4 characters in a scene.... horrendous

[strwbrrybxn]

Hi! I saw that your requests are open so I decided to hop in and see if you’d be willing to write a Shikamaru one shot that takes place during Pein’s attack on the leaf in shippuden? The reader confesses her feelings for him right before she dies, and then she gets resurrected along with everyone else and has to face the consequences of what she said?

hi hi! this was actually a lot of fun to write. I know it took like 80,000 years to finish but I hope you like it and it’s what you imagined it to be. <3

All My Failings Exposed ; word count: 1173

↪ pairing: shikamaru nara × fem!reader

↪ warnings(s): death, blood, canon typical violence, naruto shippuden spoilers, pein attacks, fourth shinobi war, no happy ending (i’m sorry), reanimation jutsu, third person pov

↪ genre: mutual pining, angst, hurt/comfort

↪ au: naruto canonverse

characters: shikamaru nara, reader, choji akimichi, shikaku nara, ino yamanaka, akatsuki members

“I have loved you for far too long to stay quiet about it,” She whispered, blood spilling from her lips. Shikamaru’s hand shook from the sheer force of his grip around hers, but she didn’t flinch. She just smiled, her eyes clouded as the last breath from her lungs spoke those three words to him. “Please, don’t cry.”

Shikamaru’s funeral clothes gathered the dust from his previous kicks to the ground. He was dragging his feet; everyone could hear the sandals scrape underneath him. Choji had turned around concerned every few seconds. How do you comfort someone through this? It’s almost as bad as when they lost Asuma-sensei; but that was their sensei, and this was – this was the love of his life. 

The Nara scoffed as he trailed behind his teammates. He promised he’d come to the funeral, promised he’d look at her picture and keep the tears at bay for the moment, but she promised to live, promised not to keep secrets so what’s another broken promise between the two of them.

He broke off from the group, walking straight into the Nara forest and stood in front of the grave, listening to Hidan’s muffled voice shouting from underneath the rubble. 

“You fucking bastards,” he spit. “Always coming here and ruining the good things in my life.” He knew the Akatsuki member couldn’t hear him – he was six feet under and buried under rocks and dirt, but he still continued; still berated him for his cruel teammates. “First, you take my sensei from me and now… now, her?!”

Shikamaru’s vision blurred as he stared at the ground, fists clenching and unclenching as his nostrils flared.

“Please, don’t cry.”

How could the heir not cry? Shikamaru had loved her from the moment she walked into his class at the academy. He knew he felt something for her when he wouldn’t look at girls the way he would look at her; when he didn’t want to be put on a team with someone who wasn’t her and Choji. He didn’t want to fight alongside someone else, and now he had to. He had to learn how to live without her – learn how to treat his own wounds, learn how to live without the sounds of worried and shaky voice, like when he went off to fight Hidan by himself. 

Troublesome woman. You promised not to leave me. We made a promise. 

“Skipping out on the funeral again?” He heard the voice from behind him. 

“Yeah.”

“Would she want that?”

“Doesn’t matter.” 

Shikaku leaned against the tree behind his son, arms crossed. “Shikamaru–”

“Dad, please. Don’t come to me with the ‘I’ll pick up your pieces,’ again. You can’t pick these up this time.” Shikamaru’s voice cracked, his legs jelly as he grabbed for the tree and his father was quick to put an arm around his waist. Shika tried to shove at his father, tried to push him away as he broke down. His punches grew weaker as his dad’s grip grew tighter. 

“I know, son. I know. Let it out.” His wails increased in volume, echoing throughout the forest. “I’ve got you.”

Days molded together, and Shikamaru began to find comfort in her clan’s compound. Her family would often let him stay for as long as he needed, knowing grieving together was better than being alone. But they also gave him the space he needed, letting him burrow himself in the scent of her room, clothes, anything he could get his hands on. 

“I miss you,” Shikamaru whispered into the tear stained pillow placed on her bed. Her scent was scarce, fading, and Shikamaru was desperate for the memory of her. 

It wasn’t very long before the start of the Fourth Shinobi World War and it wasn’t long before some of the strongest shinobi were resurrected. The four Hokages, the armies of reanimations. Shikamaru prayed she wasn’t part of it; prayed she was giving the peaceful rest she deserves, but when he laid his eyes on those golden curls – when he saw her in one piece — he knew his prayers were ignored once again. She stood in front of him, eyes wide and teary. Shikamaru mirrored her expression, throat dry. His teammates stood not too far behind, bodies frozen as they watched the interaction between the two of them.

“Shi-Shika–” His chest tightened. He missed her so much; missed her voice, missed the way she said his name, but he was angry. He was angry at her for leaving, angry at her for not keeping her promises, angry at her for the secrets; angry because she failed him. But the fighting had begun before he could even confront her.

Why she chose to go in such a horrific way, no one knew. She could have waited for Sakura, she could have survived if she just let Shikamaru move her out of the way. She didn’t have to die that way, and now here she is, able to answer his questions, but no one will let him ask. Every time he gets close enough, someone throws a kunai between them and the fighting continues. 

“Why did you leave me?” Shikamaru finally shouted, frustrated and angry with the continuous battles. 

“I had no choice.”

“You had every choice to live.”

“You were going to die!”

“I would have survived. I would have continued to fight to live. Why didn't you?” She frowned, throwing a kunai in her enemy’s direction before fully facing Shikamaru. 

“Do you really want to have this argument right here?”

“Yes! Because when am I going to get the chance to ask the dead girl, whom I loved, about what happened?” The anger in her chest was replaced with anxiety; with guilt and shame. She died protecting Shikamaru; she was torn apart by Pain after he was done with Kakashi. She died protecting the village. “Do you know how much of a drag my life has been since you left?”

“Shika–”

“No, you don’t, because you died.” Four, five, six– there’s twelve kunai flying towards us. She didn’t think – much life before. She pushed herself in front of Shikamaru, four of the twelve kunai hitting various spots on her body. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, collapsing to her knees. The Nara’s eyes widened and his hands stretched out shakily to catch her. 

“No. No, no, no. This isn’t– this isn’t happening again.” Shikamaru’s hand ran along the slope of her spine, the tears hitting the ground. “Not again. You can’t leave me again.” 

“I’m not leaving you, Maru,” she whispered, blood spilling down her chin. “As long as you have our memories, I’m not gone.”

“But you’re not here. Physically. You’re not in my arms. You’re not letting me take you on dates and telling you I love you. You’re not–”

“I know,” she coughed out, squeezing his hand tighter. “Maybe in another life where we don’t have to live with our shortcomings.” 

She turned her head, pale lips pressing to his palm. Her eyes glossed over between the kiss was over.

©️ ALLYALLYGATOR 2022

[mixelation]

Regular ninjas can also walk "like a civilian" and Tori is a freak because she does it all the time, or I have misunderstood the situation?

regular ninja can imitate, but to be good enough to move 100% like a civilian all the time to fool another observant ninja usually takes a lot of training/practice. plasticity!tori uses the fact that passing for a civilian is a difficult skill to her advantage a bit: her cover as a "harmless" civilian is pretty absolute because she, naturally, has no tells.

i expanded a little on this in an unpublished toxicity bit (reborn au au, obito POV):

Tori hummed, pulling apart a piece of bread and watching steam rise from it with a look of childish joy. Obito watched as Shikaku eyed her. Tori was wearing a baggy sweater and skirt, sitting there for all the world like a completely normal civilian child. She managed it in a way neither Deidara or Itachi could, stuck as they were moving unapologetically like trained ninja even if they were as small as children. She held herself in a way that would make any undercover specialist envious, like only someone who had spent an entire lifetime as a civilian could.  Shikaku was clever enough to recognize Tori’s little trick for the danger that it was. Every neuron in his massive brain must want to dismiss the actual most disarming face in the village. Obito watched, thrilled, as his brows furrowed ever so slightly. He hoped she made him nervous.

[chocolatetheoristcloud]

Since the Shikamaru x reader hashtags has been dry I will take it upon myself to create a few posts and pov's on Shikamaru and maybe some Shikaku and Asuma to.

Me trying to finish the Content I said I was going to make

[jacksgreysays]

"things you said when we first met" from Things You Said prompts. Sasuke's POV of meeting (getting to know(?)) Shikako

Hi aryaokayfriend!

Hm… for this prompt, do you mean canon!DoS or an AU? Or a Gardens-verse Shikako meeting a different world’s Sasuke?

Because if it’s canon!DoS, that’s just when both of them are 6 years old and in the Academy for the first time and it’s probably not much more than hi, hello, my name is ____.

And maybe Sasuke was bubblier than his, you know, brooding antihero vibes that we have now. But I can’t imagine it’s too wild.

Unless this is a canon divergent AU in which the first thing that comes to Shikako’s mind to say to this soft, smiling 6 year old boy is that his entire family is soon going to be killed by his hero older brother because a creepy old man has weird self esteem issues, bloodlimit envy, and possibly a decades long unresolved crush on either his Uchiha-hating sensei or his Uchiha teammate.

Oops.

In WHICH CASE, that would be both horrifying and funny.

You know what… this COULD be an AU in which… well, maybe I’m in this specific headspace because of one of our previous exchanges and also yesterday’s post

But what if this is the Hail to the Queen: She Who Has Divine Right and it’s because since she could speak, she has been dropping “prophecies” about the future. Like. If it starts when she’s a toddler and she says something like “the Cloud ambassador is a ruse, they’re going to try to kidnap Hinata” to her father, the Jounin Commander, and if he takes it seriously—or at least, seriously enough to either let the Hyuuga know or to increase internal security/patrols—and then they actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT SUCH THAT HINATA ISN’T TRAUMATIZED, HIZASHI DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SACRIFICED FOR NO REASON AND THUS ALSO NEJI ISN’T TRAUMATIZED. Then, yeah--Congratulations, Shikaku, Your Daughter Is A Prophet.

So, okay, telling a 6 year old Sasuke that his entire family is soon going to be killed by his hero older brother because a creepy old man has weird self esteem issues, bloodlimit envy, and possibly a decades long unresolved crush on either his Uchiha-hating sensei or his Uchiha teammate ISN’T GREAT but, also, as long as you heed her words, things can be fixed.

I’m also just wondering how much of this AU becomes… like… well, she’s trapped herself into this role of prophet and it’s true that she knows A LOT of the future. But also, because things keep changing, she knows increasingly less.

You know what would help in making sure she can keep up with information? A spy network. You know who would make good spies? The grateful members of Konoha’s two powerful eye-based blood limits.

[secret-engima]

I meant to ask this when the recent chapter came out but didn’t have time and then forgot, but what does *Shikaku* think of Sasuke? What have Shikamaru and Chouji’s dads heard/noticed about Sasuke since the Massacre? Shikaku’s POV of everything that’s been going on would be fascinating I think.

Shikaku is *going* to get an interlude all to himself in like- 6 chapters (barring the muses springing another important plot point I need to make a chapter out of LIKE THEY'VE DONE TWICE ALREADY), and I'm majorly looking forward to writing it because he's gonna be very interesting. Probably very hard to write too, but who knows maybe he'll be chattier than I'm anticipating. I am hesitant to delve into his pov here, just because I have yet to actually write him at all, and he may end up veering off the predicted course, but needless to say Shikaku *has* been paying attention to his son and Chouji befriending Sasuke, and to what he's heard about Sasuke from his kid, his wife, and just- in general. But that moment in the Hokage's office is actually the first time he's properly *seen* Sasuke since the Massacre with his own eyes, and I'm gonna ... tentatively hazard a guess that he is not expecting to see what he does.

Again I'm reluctant to be more specific than that, because characters like him have a tendency to surprise me with how much they see or how much they *miss* despite being so smart.

[okamirayne]

Do the clan elders harbor any resentment toward Hiashi for his 'confliction' with Neji, and Hiashi's "inability' to produce a male heir? Neji's talent is undeniable,& as Hizashi's and not Hiashi's son it makes me wonder if the elders think the wrong son was cursed? Since Neji has been around Hiashi more than Hizashi now, does Shikaku's words about him being his father figure cross his mind at all anymore in present day? Especially with Neji's death does he feel he failed Neji more or Hizashi?

Hey there Anon!

Great question - and kind of serendipitous considering I'm writing from Hiashi's POV at the moment in the upcoming chapter.

Do the clan elders harbor any resentment toward Hiashi for his 'confliction' with Neji

They most certainly do. Some individuals more than others.

Neji's talent is undeniable,& as Hizashi's and not Hiashi's son it makes me wonder if the elders think the wrong son was cursed

Bull's eye! Indeed, this is absolutely one of Hiashi's deep and abiding conflicts/wounds and one of the main reasons he privately struggles with (yet still meticulously upholds) his position in the clan...even though it's cost him so much. 😭 Hyuga Hitaro also needles this wound whenever he can.

Since Neji has been around Hiashi more than Hizashi now, does Shikaku's words about him being his father figure cross his mind at all anymore in present day?

Yes, they absolutely do. I hope this will reflect in HHU. There's a lot Hiashi has to contend with regarding Neji's death, considering his clan's politics/expectations...especially his Father's (Hyuga Hijikata in BtB)

Especially with Neji's death does he feel he failed Neji more or Hizashi?

Potential spoiler territory ahead.

I hope you'll forgive me sidestepping this for the sake of upcoming chapters! Thank you for the excellent ASKS - again, I find it so uncanny as I'm deep in Hiashi's headspace atm, so it came at the perfect time! Thanks, Anon! 💜💜