#ss month

[pinkhairedlily]

forelsket (a mark of affection)

sasusaku month 2024 | day 6: first kiss | ao3 ✍🏽

The bottle lands squarely between Sakura and Sasuke. The group hoots, teases, and laughs before arguing among themselves who could give the most controversial question.

The newly minted couple glances at each other in awkward shyness that only comes after announcing their relationship to their friends. Well, arriving together at a house party is as close as announcing.

“Who’s your first kiss?!” Kiba shouts amidst the chaotic exchange. The uproar gets replaced with an incessant grumbling of complaints.

Choji slaps the back of his head. “Are you stupid?”

“Yeah, are you stupid?” Naruto repeats. “I am Sasuke’s first kiss!”

“I think that shouldn’t count,” Shikamaru counters. “It’s accidental.”

Sai raises a finger. “Technically, a kiss means to touch someone or something with the lips especially as a mark of affection or greeting.”

“Were you greeting Sasuke good morning back then, Naruto?” Tenten asks in absurdity.

“Shut up Tenten. I was telling him how stupid and moronic he is!”

“I just think you and Sasuke really need to tap into your unresolved issues,” Lee adds to the foray.

“I think you all should shut up,” Shino says, “because we don’t know whose Sakura was.”

The group quiets down for a few seconds which stretch into a minute as they wait for her response. Sakura quickly averts her gaze from Sasuke and exchanges glances with Ino. Her blonde best friend, her trusted confidante, her ride-and-die, refuses to meet her eyes. That. Bitch. Sakura clears her throat to buy some time.

“It’s just Sasuke, guys.” Hinata, beautiful Hinata, comes to her rescue.

Kiba rubs his palms together. “Ooh, what if it’s not?”

Sakura can feel the tips of her ears rise to the temperature. She clears her throat, louder this time, and reaches for the glass of water behind Sasuke. Her throat becomes even dryer. Her boyfriend is not even looking at her.

“I’m sensing we should let Sakura have her privacy,” Lee interjects. He dramatically moves sideways from Sasuke just to give her a big thumbs up. “You can skip this one, Sakura!”

“No fair, we answered all questions.” Kiba waves his arms around, a big gesture of displeasure. “Even Shino had to reply to who was his first kiss and it was a frigging insect.”

“I, personally, think it’s on brand.” Sasuke speaks for the first time. Shino leans across the circle and gives him a high five which the former doesn’t meet. “A hercules beetle though. Really?”

“Ino is being awfully quiet.” Shikamaru the nosy really had to point it out! “You know something.”

She shrugs and scoots closer to Sai to hug his arm. “I’m so sorry, Sakura. Please invoke Katsuyu if you’re feeling up to it.”

Tenten laughs. “So you really know something!”

Choji hands over bills to Kiba and Naruto, a surefire sign that they are betting. Shikamaru looks at Naruto, dumfounded. “How do you not know this?”

Sakura’s other blonde best friend just scratches his head. “I’m pretty sure Sakura told me this, but I, well, I forgot!”

“Dumbass.”

“What about we settle for a true or false if it helps.” Hinata offers a lifeboat. Not really. Sakura senses she will still sink all the same after this.

“So Sakura, is Sasuke your first kiss? True or false?”

She hazards a glance his way, and sure enough, he is staring. His palm under his chin, observing her and all her tells. Sasuke is excellent in guarding his most vulnerable expressions in public. He’s doing it right now, and she can’t read him. And she gets tremendously anxious, not knowing which way this could go.

She chooses honesty at the end of it.

It isn’t bad, Sakura surmises after they left the party. They’re walking back to her apartment, and he’s holding her hand. Loose but held all the same. They stop at the riverbank, and he lets go. She chases his fingers but sees his expression that freezes her cold.

“Kirigakure?” he repeats.

Sakura shouldn’t have hoped for the best. Of course, this is something Sasuke would fixate on. She would very much like to bury this in the past and move on, but goddamn it is tiring to explain the specifics which she firmly chose to leave out earlier. “Fine, since you’re so stubborn.” Yes, she sounds annoyed as hell. “It was a post battle gathering of sorts. It’s the kind of moment where we just stopped an invasion from an Akatsuki member. Later that month, they will come back and ultimately destroy the village we protected. But the Land of Water knows how to celebrate their victories. They live in the present. So there is lots of booze, lots of dancing. I didn’t have Tsunade-sama’s tolerance yet.

“So there’s this guy, like an anbu counterpart of ours. He tells me I saved his life on the field. He was so….in awe. Pupils super dilated, his full focus on you, no care in the world that goes on behind him. When you’re green and so adamant to prove yourself—to exist outside of wanting to look for you and bring you back—to prove that I can be strong and when I am strong, I can definitely bring you back, you tend to bask in this attention. It’s unreal, being showered with graces when I was always the ordinary one out of our team. We danced. We talked. We drank. We held hands. Then he asks if he could kiss me. I said yes.”

Sasuke stands still and takes all of these in. He doesn’t move closer to her nor does he offer his hand to wipe away tears that have fallen on her cheeks.

“Do you wanna know why I said yes?” Sakura fights back another batch that threatens to escape her eyes. “Because I miss you. Because I’m lonely. Because the war is tough and it takes everything out of you, most of the time, you only become a shell. And I’m so consumed by grief, by loss and the unknowing, and I miss you so much and I wonder if we could go back again to the way it was before. Because underneath those dim lights and the rowdy band music and the crowd that anyone could melt into, I could pretend I was dancing with you, holding my hand, and asking me if you could kiss me. So sorry if you are not my first kiss.”

“Are you done?” he simply asks.

Sakura nods. 

“I’m not angry.” He bridges the distance and gingerly wipes away the tear streaks. “I just wanted to know if that’s your preference.”

“Fuck you Sasuke,” Sakura laughs-sobs and lightly punches his chest. He pulls her in closer and inhales her shampoo, the fading summer in her hair, the smell of sake. “It is always, always a Konoha boy.”

“I’m not gonna wax poetic how I waited for you…let’s not count Naruto, okay,” he murmurs in her ear, “I couldn’t think of anything outside hate and anger back then. I was too busy trying to be the strongest, and most times, it made for dreamless nights. Funnily enough, despite all that, some came through.”

“Hmm?”

“A dream about you, in the Forest of Death. Somehow, in that version, I didn’t manage to get there on time, and you’re on the forest floor, asleep. You won’t wake up no matter what I do. Your breathing started to weaken, and I was shouting for Naruto, Kakashi, anyone, so that they could help me save you. It’s like an endless genjutsu. Then, I remembered the fairytale trick.”

“A true love’s kiss.” Sakura pulls away slightly to wander in his eyes. “Did I wake up?”

He smiles. “You did.” Only for her, he smiles.

“So you had a wet dream of me.”

Sasuke blushes beet red in the darkness. “That’s not—!”

“I’m just joking!” She laughs still, easing into his embrace, her ribs moving against his limbs.

His fingers trace her spine in the meantime. “I’d just like you to know, Sakura, that it doesn’t matter who the firsts were. Doesn’t matter at all.” He kisses her ear, her forehead, her now dry cheeks, her nose. “Let this one matter for both of us.”

She meets him halfway. A soft, lovely contact of lips, a mutual mark of affection. “Our second first kiss,” she jests in the aftermath.

He leans in again, captures her full on the mouth, a bit heavier. “Our third first kiss.”

And again in the next 200 meters. “Our fourth.” And again in the alley before her apartment. “Fifth.” and again in her house. “Sixth.” Again and again and again.

“Those were a lot of first kisses,” she says. “You’re never gonna stop?”

A promise. “Until the last.” And again.

buy me and my cats coffee ☕

[briisol]

ah yes. me. my wife. and her 500 dollar four foot tall katsuyu.

[gardening--tools]

happy birthday, jude! you haven't even killed a man, yet!

[kyouka-supremacy]

Okay I'm going to be honest for two seconds. I miss Akutagawa

[batbabydamian]

🕊️/ pssst, your secret will be safe with me, no one can hear us but what wip are you currently trying to grind out right now?

p.s. you’re as pretty as the picture, so do not worry 😥 cute or sad, it will be great, mayhaps do whatever you want to do the most? don’t suck the fun out of it, oh no 🥹

HAHA here's some not-so-secret wips!! rn the one i "grind" the most on is this Dick and Damian wip orz

and because you're a super sons fan this one's a doodle based on a prompt - Jon amused by Damian's sweater paws lol

and thank you!! 🥺 i try to remind myself to have fun with these!!

[gatoburr0]

She’s such a good mother figure it makes me cry.

Quick something because my brain has rotted to a degree.

[jyacira]

🎸🩰 pt.2

[kazu-le-dork]

At long last,

I have them all

[theloveinc]

Bakugo is the type of idiot who doesn’t realize that roughhousing with someone you’re interested in is erotic … not until your legs end up around his waist, his arms above your head and his mouth near yours … and then he’s just thinking oh shit lmfao

[florwal]

(🎵)

[lemotmo]

Okay people...

... let's talk.

I've been getting a lot of messages of people who fear the next two weeks in this fandom and how bad this break might get.

But here's two questions for you:

Why would we be afraid?

Should we even be afraid in the first place?

I have a sneaky suspicion that tonight's episode will end on reasonable good terms for BT. Mind you, we'll have seen hints throughout the episode that Tommy and Buck aren't a good match, but they haven't quite realised it yet. Let's not forget that Eddie is -once again- all over their narrative.😋 I suspect that episode 6 will bring out the uncomfortable truths and the inevitable breakup.

But of course some of the more... ardent BT stans won't be able to resist gloating all over the place, missing the big neon 'the BT end is near' signs plastered all over the BT narrative ever since season 7. And I'm sure most of our ask boxes might receive some hate messages and harassment.

I tend to think of these hate messages as an excellent opportunity to get rid of another fandom nuisance by deleting and blocking. Truly a win-win situation. Can't go wrong.

Remember: don't engage, don't encourage and don't provoke. The best thing we can do is IGNORE them all together. They'll hate it. 😏

Instead of seeing these two weeks as some kind of terrible fortnight of doom, why not look at the positive sides of this break? We'll have lots of time to theorise and analyse where the Eddie storyline is going and how Buck's storyline will eventually intertwine with his. We'll have time to create fanfic and fanart. Time to let it sink in that Buddie is on the horizon (because it really is). Isn't that great! 😄

Let these people talk, but let them be nothing but white noise you sometimes pick up in your periphery while we are all busy discussing 911 and Buddie to our heart's content.

They aren't worth the aggravation, the stress, the time or the energy. Instead, use that energy to focus on the positive. 🤗

Our ship is finally on the brink of happening. Why would we let these people trample all over our excitement and happiness? We deserve to freak out over this. It's a big deal after all those years.

Let's not give them the power to quell our excitement and enjoyment of this incredible storyline.

[annqennel]

Heartfilia 💕💖✨

[vaathnaos]

Shifting Sands!

Chapter 2

Part 3

These last few weeks have been really challenging for me but i’m finally able to continue SS!

The boys are in for a rough day ahead!

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List

[kyouka-supremacy]

Wait, does the new chapter come out on the 31st? I thought it was on the 3rd...

[sapphireswimming]

They're three month old brother (brown/white) and sister (grey)

[randomprose]

no use i just do

he may not understand it, but Sakura will always love Sasuke —for ssmonth24 day 24: confessions

Haruno Sakura loves Uchiha Sasuke. She loves him in all the ways that matter despite everything and anything. 

It’s just a fact of life—a universal truth. The sky is blue, water is wet, Naruto wants to be Hokage, and Haruno Sakura has always loved Uchiha Sasuke. 

Sakura doesn’t say it or throw around the phrase as much as she used to, but she radiates it. In every look she sends his way, in every word she speaks to him, the way her eyes always find his even in a crowded room or across a sea of people, the way she gravitates to him even without meaning to, and even the way she breathes when she’s around him. Everything about her speaks of her love for him. Her very existence itself is an expression of that unyielding and unconditional love.

To this, all Sasuke could ask is, "Still? After all this time?"

Sakura just shrugs, not even bothering to defend herself. Not like there’s anything to anyhow. Sakura has never been ashamed of her love. 

"Why?" Sasuke continues to prod, truly baffled. "There's nothing—I’m not—I’m just—” I have nothing to offer. “What do you even see in me?"

“You,” Sakura answers easily without missing a beat as if that’s enough of an explanation. “Just you.”

“And that is enough for you?”

“Well,” Sakura looks considering, hands clasped behind her and expression wholly open, always open when she’s with him. “It’s not like I didn’t try to stop. I did try to talk myself into some sense, you know?” Tried to make herself see reason and consider focusing her affections on Naruto instead—strong, dependable, steady, and safe Naruto who would never hurt or make her cry. At least not knowingly. There were other candidates too, of course. Sakura has long since passed that phase of self-doubt and insecurity, has gained confidence in herself and her skills, and knows full well of her worth. “I’m fully aware that I am a catch, Sasuke-kun. Even if you’re not aware of the fact.”

“No, I am,” Sasuke replies because he is, in fact, very aware.

“Good.”

“What happened then?” If she knows she could do better—so much better—how come it’s still him she chooses? “Why haven’t you stopped?”

“What can I say? I just couldn’t,” she shrugs again and her smile is lighthearted as she says, “Looking back, it all seems so silly. I tried to stop and I just couldn’t and after some time I just gave up trying to not love you. Sure, I hated you at times,  but that’s not the opposite of love, is it? Besides,” here her smile turns rueful, “I could never truly hate you, Sasuke-kun.” 

“Why?” he asks again, a tinge of desperation seeping at the word. How can she not hate him after everything? “How can you—What’s there to love?”

"What's not to love?” 

“Don’t answer my question with another.”

“Don’t ask stupid questions,” she retorts. “What’s there to love you ask? Everything. All of you. The good and the bad and everything in between.”

“Tch,” Sasuke shakes his head. “There really is no accounting for taste.”

“That there isn’t,” Sakura laughs, then she sighs. "It's no use, Sasuke-kun. I just love you."

It is in Sasuke’s nature as an Uchiha to self-destruct. It is also in his nature to be selfish and to take without giving, but for the life of him, Sasuke could never be selfish enough when it comes to Sakura. Because everything the Uchiha touches seems to get tainted and doomed to a life of loss, destruction, and heartache, but despite everything he has taken from her—and will continue to take from her—Sasuke cannot bring himself to damn her to a similar fate. 

“You should try again. To stop,” Sasuke says, looking at her imploringly with his mismatched eyes. "I'm broken, Sakura. Beyond repair.” He doesn’t know if he’s doing her a kindness by trying to make her see sense—because maybe she’ll listen to him if her own logic fails her—but Sasuke goes on to make his case against himself anyway. “There's no use trying to fix me. I can't be fixed."

"Is that what you think I've been trying to do all this time? Fix you?” Sakura says, throwing him a funny look before rolling her eyes. "Idiot. I've always known. Even when we were genin, I knew I couldn't fix you. That's not what I was or am trying to do. It never was."

"Then what is it that you want from me."

"Nothing! I just want to love you.” And it’s the truth too. It always was. Once she realizes what she feels for Sasuke is more than just childish infatuation and passing fancy, Sakura has never asked for anything in return for her affections. “The least you could do after everything is to let me."

Sasuke meets Sakura’s gentle gaze and considers her words. 

He supposes that, despite everything, he’s always known that it was always going to be Sakura for him, that it was always going to be them in the end, even when he didn’t allow himself to think about those things.

In the lofty years of his youth, he had often thought of returning to Konoha after settling the score with his brother and finding Sakura waiting for him. He had argued to himself that she was a logical choice and the reason his mind conjured her as a first—and only—choice was because she was his closest female companion being his teammate and somewhat friend. Not to mention, he found her the least annoying of the girls who used to fawn over him, never mind why he never questioned why he found it so.

And in the rare times that Sasuke has allowed himself to think of a future for himself after accomplishing his goals—misguided as they were—and beyond the battles and the tragedies he’s faced, it is Sakura who is a constant in those musings and the only one he sees himself with, be it settling down and continuing his other goal of restoring his clan or even just simple companionship for however long the fates shall allow Sasuke’s wretched life to go on. 

The fact of the matter is, Sasuke is to his bare bones a selfish bastard who has always thought of Sakura as his—just as much as he has always been hers as he has come to realize. 

(It does not cross his mind that Sakura is as selfish and as greedy as he is, maybe even more, in the way she loves him—how she would let Konoha burn rather than hurt him, forsake her duties if it meant she could be by his side, defend him to the death against those who speak ill of him.)

"Okay," Sasuke sighs in surrender, but it is of the sweet kind. “Okay.”

"Okay?” Sakura asks, peering up at him as if in confirmation.

"Yes."

Yes, you may love me and this time I will allow myself to be loved and reciprocate in the ways I know how. This is an act of selfishness as much as it is a kindness. For both of us. 

"Good."

The smile on her face is pleased and Sasuke lets the pleasant feeling wash over him with the knowledge that he is the cause of that.

“Sakura,” he calls to her, and her name almost sounds holy as he rolls off his tongue. Reverent like a prayer or benediction. Heavy with meaning and all the things that Sasuke cannot form the words to say.

Sasuke takes his hand and moves to close the gap between them. Sakura feels herself rooted on the spot, tensing when he steps into her space and loops his arm around her in an embrace. It takes her a second to relax and her arms to come up and wound around his waist to return the embrace. A memory comes to her unbidden and she pinches the skin on his back in warning.

"If you knock me out and leave me on some godforsaken bench again, Uchiha Sasuke, I swear to all your ancestors I will—”

Sasuke chuckles and squeezes her to him to stop her tirade.

"I already apologized for that."

“Tch.” Sakura puffs her cheeks and pouts, even as she lets him hold her against him and buries her face into his chest. "Whatever."

"I'm sorry. And thank you.” Two things that have never been easy for Uchiha Sasuke to say, but no one else has ever been more deserving to hear from him as much as Haruno Sakura. “For loving me. Even after all these years. Even when I'm—” 

"Batshit insane completely off your rockers and out of control?"

"Tch." Sasuke lightly tugs at the ends of her hair in annoyance, to which Sakura only snickers. He's trying to be sincere and maybe a little romantic here dammit and there she goes and ruins it. "So annoying."

"Ehh, you love me." She looks up at him with a teasing look and a cheeky grin before catching herself. "I mean—”

Eyes never leaving hers, Sasuke takes Sakura’s hand and puts it over his chest where his heart beats for her, hoping it’s enough for her to know even when he can’t find the words and the courage to say them yet.

I do. With all my heart and soul and everything that I am in my wretchedness, I do love you.