#temari deserved better

[teawinx]

WIP, I'm doing the others

I've always loved shows with timeskips, showing us how different the character can look after a few years. Showing how much they've changed.

Some change more than others, clearly

[justthoughts1310]

ShikaTema is the Best Love Story in All of Naruto.

Okay, so Kishimoto and Ikemoto might do better with Boruto. However, as far as Naruto is concerned, ShikaTema is the best love story hands down. Let me explain.

Naruto x Hinata - Naruto spent 19 years either being oblivious to Hinata's existence or thinking she was weird.

Sasuke x Sakura - This relationship was so abusive that it was borderline criminal. I'm glad it's better now. I like Sarada, but Sasuke did not deserve a wife.

Sai x Ino - This is one of the better love stories. They kind of hit it off from the beginning in a lot of ways. However, aside from the light novel, we don't know much about it.

Asuma x Kurenai - Also, one of the better love stories, but we kind of just saw that they were together one day. Then before we know it, Asuma dies before the birth of his daughter.

Minato x Kushina - Another one of the better love stories. However, we were kind of rushed through the love story, because their entire love story was told in the past for obvious reasons.

Obito x Rin - I guess this is a good love story. I mean it almost ended in the destruction of the ENTIRE world, and Rin was in love with Kakashi the entire time, but what can you do? Did Rin and Obito end up together romantically? I have no idea. In death, Obito reverted back to his 13-14 year old self and spent eternity with 13-14 year old Rin. Yes, that's kind of romantic, but let's be honest, they can only be so romantic before it just becomes creepy and inappropriate (assuming the never age).

Now, the big one: Shikamaru x Temari.

I mean one could argue that this love story began with Temari fought Ten Ten. It was the first time Shikamaru noticed Temari. He took one look at her, and said that she had already beat Ten Ten. Naruto asked Shikamaru how he knew that, and Shikamaru said that he would not tell Naruto if Naruto couldn't figure it out himself.

Shikamaru vs Temari is the first time that Temari noticed Shikamaru, and she was utterly unimpressed with him until the very end of the fight when she realized that she was about 2 seconds for losing if Shikamaru had larger chakra reserves. From that point on, Shikamaru was never far from her mind.

Fast forward, these two lovely characters don't see each other again until Temari has to save Shikamaru from Tayuya. Shikamaru underestimates Temari's abilities, and Temari effortless kills Tayuya with her wind scythe jutsu. After seeing this, Shikamaru compares Temari to his mother.

This is important, because earlier, Shikamaru had asked his father why he married his mother, and Shikamaru's dad was basically like, "A good woman can change you."

Aside from a broken finger, Shikamaru visits the hospital to see how his severely injured friends are doing. Temari scolds him for being too emotional, because it seems as though Shikamaru is about to give up.

Shikamaru's like, "I don't need all this smoke." He gets up to leave, and his father is basically like, "You coward, are you going to let this woman talk to you crazy and all your comrades die in the future."

Shikamaru starts crying and this is the first time we see Temari show genuine concern and empathy for Shikamaru.

The next episode, I believe, Shikamaru is the one to see Temari and her brothers off from the Leaf Village as they head back to the sand.

Now, I'm going to fast forward to Shippuden. Yes, there's a filler arc in which Shikamaru saves Temari from another wind user. Upon returning to the Leaf, I believe Temari helps Shikamaru in the ninja academy with the students, and Shikamaru sees off the Sand Sibling again. You get the point.

Moving onto Shippuden, the first time we see Shikamaru in the village, we see him with Temari. Naruto keenly asks if the two of them are dating. Both Shikamaru and Temari think the assertion is hilarious, but it's actually pretty accurate.

Why, because without going through an entire play by play of every time Shikamaru and Temari were together in Shippuden, I will say this. If there's a Naruto episode with Temari in it, there's about an 80-90% that Shikamaru will be in that episode too, and that he will interact with Temari in some way.

For example, the war arc episode in which Konohamaru challenged Temari to a fight. Shikamaru did not need to be in that episode. Yet, Moegi and Udon went and found Shikamaru, so that Shikamaru could break up the fight. That was when Shikamaru said how scary Temari actually was.

There's even a shot little bonus video in which Shikamaru said, "What if it was Shikamaru Shippuden instead of Naruto Shippuden?" The an opening screen appears on the screen, and there's a silhouette of Shikamaru and Temari on the opening screen.

Temari is a long distance combat specialist. I feel that Shikamaru is mid-distance at best, but yet, both of them were in the same exact campaign during the war, and where was Temari? She was standing right next to Shikamaru.

When Shikamaru got caught up in the infinite genjustu, he dreamt of Temari by his side as they mutually agreed that marriage sucks.

My point is, as I skip a ton of points, Kishimoto had built up a relationship between these two characters for nearly 20 years. Mind you, that these characters DO NOT live in the same village. Temari has very little screen time. She has so little screen time, that she has a new outfit dang near every other time that we see her. However, the majority of the screen time she does have is with Shikamaru. The relationship between these two was set long before the light novels from Shikamaru were even considered.

[pumpkin-padparadscha]

What if I just read "The Art of Losing" by @wafflelate a million billion times because it's my favorite.

Anyway the rest of this post is just going to be me going !!!!! so, spoilers ahead

Things I think intensely about:

-how suna is going to react to Gaara deciding to become the kazekage

-how any detractors of his new position are going to be IMMEDIATELY shut down because the "first" thing he does is "contract with a seals mistress to get the dead wastes converted into arable land" (who is going to prove it WASNT a seal? Sunas sealing sucks lol. And technically it did originate from a seal. Gelels seal.)

-how devastated Gai is going to be upon learning literally everything Kakashi went through

-how pissed as fuck people are going to be upon discovering that root seals can apparently block soulmate bonds? I feel like sealing people without their informed consent is about to become very very illegal outside of emergency circumstances.

-how the fuck is cat feeling. Does he believe Kakashi is dead? Does he hope Kakashi is alive?

-nara shikakunand yoshino are about to fucking eviscerate the elder council. Either they were aware of this bullshit or they were criminally negligent. Oh, what's that inoichi and shibi? Some of your family got kidnapped too? Maybe we should bring torture back to t&i. Just this once.

-kakashi is going to be so fucking proud of shikimaru. In his super repressed way. Maybe in a he deserves that legacy more than I ever did if he's feeling self deprecating.

-do you think temari has to sit through a million drafts and revised versions of kankuros shikabane play the more information comes out. Soul mates who were cut off completely from their connection, one believing the other dead, and the other never even educated about soul bonds. Them still recognizing each other enough that Kakashi was kind to her and she freed him instead of killing him. Please kankuro why can't you make the fight scenes longer.

-shikaku seeing shikakos complete shadow transformation and being like "yeah that's insanely dangerous to so much as think about attempting, I don't want to consider how bad things had to be for her to create that. Forbidden jutsu on account of who the fuck knows how she didn't end up falling into the black"

-does Gai feel like he failed Kakashi. Does he swear never to do so again. Imagine him thanking shikako for saving his friend. Imagine Kakashi being shocked Gai still considers him a friend

-hi inoichi this is my soulmate Kakashi, he did not take thinking I was assassinated well at all, do you have any self help books because he hates talking about feelings

-obviously she knows about seals because danzo wanted his own nara level intelligent seal master. Obviously she hid as much of her skill as she could from him because she isn't stupid.

-anyway here's a book a better storage scroll some medical seals and the seal to get rid of roots evil tattoo of shittyness.

-actually now I'm thinking about what if she DOES join suna because Kakashi has trouble feeling safe in konoha or just because being around a shikamaru who never knew her and idolizes Kakashi is kind of awkward.

-if they share dreams do you think she explains her original world to Kakashi after he dreams of cities he's never seen.

-wondering who was the first person to remember the lookalike yoshino nara missing nin that got mentioned in that one report.

-if I think about how nervous Kakashi is going to be the first time he trolls shikako and how he'll feel when she grins or laughs or goes along with it I experience An Emotion™

-"I don't know if you'll like them, but here's other you's favorite books. They make a good social barrier, and you've been looking a little overwhelmed."

-yoshino is going to cry so so so much. Her baby needed her all this time and she never knew it.

-kakashi learning that he was absolutely invited to shikakos funeral and danzo is just a dick who lies

[geekthefreakout]

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

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

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

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

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

[susililys]

It truly amazes me that I can be so in love with a fictional character/ship for so long ? I rewatched all of Naruto this year and I was legit screaming and fangirling every single time Shikamaru and/or Temari showed up on screen and I’ve been doing this since I was 13!?

Not only that but I’ve rewatched all their interactions every other week for the past 18 years, (I’m just a tad bit crazy don’t mind me). I hold on to and cherish every single new moment, image, etc. that we get (the image of them in the Konoha Shinden manga this year, omg?). I truly feel like I grew up with these characters and saw their romance and character growth progress naturally over so many years along with them. I mean I was basically the same age as Shikamaru back in Naruto when I started watching and now I’m in my 30s same as them in Boruto. There’s definitely no other anime where I will be able to have that type of connection with.

Thinking about ShikaTema throughout the day makes me so happy. I always say I will be old and grey and still rewatching all their interactions, reading their fanfiction, scrolling through all the pretty fanart, aaaaa if I ever meet anyone in person who loves them as much as I do I swear we will become platonic soulmates. 😩👌🏻

Anyways here’s a photo of my little ShikaTemaDai wall grid I’ve been building. I can’t wait to update it after Japan. Petition for Temari to get more merch! My Queen deserves way better, I will be searching high and low for her merch while I’m there.

[puzzleemerald]

Because Amaterasu and Sesshōmaru don't have much further art at the moment, I decided to share another couple who are most dear to my heart. YCH by the lovely Antodonatella on Instagram & DeviantArt.

Please don't reblog!

Keep in mind I will be talking about the FanFiction version of Ayumu in this post! The version of Ayumu I roleplay is her own separate deal! When her bio is done and put up on my Master Post, I won't only RP Ayumu interacting with exclusively Neji writers, lol.

Neji Hyūga is already a very recognizable character, being one of my very first crushes when I started really getting into anime as a thirteen to fourteen-year-old. In fact, he's the reason I later bought and read the manga... all hundred-heccin'-something volumes of it. Much like Sesshōmaru, it was his long hair, elegance, intellect, and stoic demeanor that won me over at first. It also amused me to watch him just be cool; he always felt like the definitive head of his team. Even if Lee wasn't to be sneezed at as a fighter, I saw more leadership qualities in Neji that Lee lacked. I also felt that he had the most interesting plight among the Konoha thirteen as someone from a branch in his clan where he was basically expected to serve and protect the head family deemed "above" him on the social-political totem pole the Hyūga were built on. Despite his innate talent rivaling the daughters of the clan's head at the time, he'd always be considered lesser because of his birth. In ways, he felt like more of an underdog to me than Naruto did—though that also has a lot to do with Naruto's characterization as the "optimistic headstrong protagonist" Kishimoto had going. (I kinda wish Kishi had leaned more into Naruto having some resentment towards the Leaf, but that's a post for another day)

So what'd teenage me do? Tailor an OC to be another half for him because GDI this man deserves happiness, not getting skewered like a redshirt on an overgrown splinter. If they had to have someone, ANYONE, sacrifice themself for Hinata... tbh, I wish it'd been someone on her team like Kiba or Shino, so we didn't have to basically do the thing he was "born to do" according to Clan tradition asfdhjrhyud—

Deep breaths. I'm calm. Suppress the fangirl rage.

So, as a result, I created Ayumu! Who was, by every definition, a Mary Sue at first!! (It was bad... oh god, was it bad...) But after I ditched her for a few years when I lost interest in Naruto, I returned to her when I turned seventeen and completely rehauled her. Leading to the designs she has now.

This is Ayumu's Part 1/Naruto Design. The Settei was done by a friend of mine on IG called Sento.OC, whom I commissioned.

Then, we have Ayumu's Part 2/Shippuden Design, also by Sento.

When designing an OC for Neji, I wanted to go more complimentary than contrary. It just didn't feel like it'd make sense for Neji to ever be romantically interested in someone with bombastic energy like Naruto or Lee—mans doesn't have the patience to live with that on a daily basis, LOL! So I thought, "Hey, Neji's a pretty traditional guy; why not give him a traditional woman?" and Ayumu ended up as a very grounded, calm, and analytical person. A bit more on the conservative side, similar to Neji. All the while having occasional bursts of warm, thoughtful moments where she lights up but doesn't explode. She's very, for lack of a better term off the top of my head, "normal" compared to Naruto's big personality, Sasuke's broodiness, Shikamaru's laziness, or Temari's ferocity. It's why I imagine her getting along very well with people like Tenten or Kakashi, too, who tend to be the metaphorical straight man to the more comedic characters around them. Characters like Gai and Lee and Naruto can only be funny, after all, if they're offset by some typically.

Ayumu is also a close-range fire-style specialist with a Kekkei Genkai related to it, so her style compliments Neji's pretty well imo. They can be in a shoulder-to-shoulder or back-to-back situation and cover one another while knowing the other is nearby and safely under their wing. Both characters have some insecurity and neglect issues but for very different reasons. However, this means they relate to one another over their feelings and traumas, and neither really feels a need to "fix" the other. It's what makes them last, in my opinion. They just quietly comfort each other (also slap whoever tries to put the other down, lol), and that's it. ...They did kinda try to scratch each other's eyes out at first, but that'll be its own post! Once they get over their big hurdle and understand each other, they end up just being a pair of supportive friends to lovers 90% of the time. The other 10% is them getting fucked with by the plot around them because Neji barely gets any screen time in Shippudennnnnnn! ;-;

[chronicangel]

Needs

Link to this fic on AO3. Words: 2041 Date posted: May 7, 2019

Summary: "I didn't," he responds honestly, because Sai deserves to know. He does not deserve to be married to a secret and Ino can be mad at him if she wants but indignantly, Shikamaru can only think, You should have told him.

Shikamaru doesn't particularly like hanging out with Sai. It's not that Sai isn't a perfectly fine guy, he is, it's more that the guy has no sense of boundaries and no ability to read a room, and that Ino seems to expect Shikamaru to teach him these things. (He thinks that Chōji would be a much better candidate if she's that determined not to do it herself. Hell, even Naruto is better with people than Shikamaru is and that guy is a total idiot.) Plus, there's also the awkward fact that...

"You used to sleep with my wife," Sai says casually, as though commenting on the weather.

"Yeah," he responds, forcing his voice to be just as casual.

He and Ino haven't been a thing since they were 18, and they're both married now (him, newly, to Temari, and her to the man he's currently sitting at Ichiraku with after Ino made plans with him a month ago and then suddenly "came down with something," which at the very least Sai had confirmed to be true, she was vomiting all morning, but he suspects she was planning to cancel either way), and yet it is this thing that will probably haunt them both until they die. (He wonders if it can be a haunting if it is sweet. If it can count as a ghost if its sorrowful song is still tempting. There are times where he looks at his wife and he wonders what it would be like if she was somebody else, but he's never upset with how his life has come out because he does love Temari, he really does.) "She told you about that?"

"We make it our business not to keep secrets from each other," he says pointedly, taking a sip of his water. Shikamaru doubts this. Of all of Ino's virtuous qualities, she is not honest. She is not open. She is a book in an ancient, forgotten language with pages stuck together and a latch on the cover that requires a key that was lost a long time ago. Shikamaru thinks he might still be the only one who understands her language, but he doesn't have the key anymore. He can only look at her face and spout passages from memory and wonder if they still apply. Shikamaru has been thrust out into the same category as the rest of the world and it shouldn't sting as much as it does.

He cannot say this, though. He cannot pull at loose threads in someone else's marriage until it comes unraveled just because he still feels a sort of bitterness that it is not him. Not when his life is just as easy to pick at and his dreams are just as wont to come apart if they are too closely examined. "I guess I just didn't think it was that important to her," he lies, and it feels weird in his mouth. In contrast to Ino, Shikamaru makes it a point to be honest. He does not like fabrications.

Sai is quiet for a long time, continuing to simply sip his ice water while Shikamaru slurps up the last of his bowl of ramen. Finally, he says, back to a casual tone like he's just spotted a cloud in a neat shape that he wants Shikamaru to look at, "I occasionally suspect she might still be in love with you." Shikamaru chokes. He coughs for a minute and wipes at the broth on his chin and then stares at Sai with wide eyes.

"She doesn't make it obvious. She certainly hasn't said as much. I suppose she thinks the truth would hurt me," he elaborates, and he shoots Shikamaru a kind smile that doesn't really fit the conversation, but Shikamaru knows that he is trying his best. "So I suppose we do keep some secrets."

"Is it really a secret if you can read it so easily?" Shikamaru asks, because he doesn't know how else to respond. After all, Ino has never been able to keep a secret from him. He reads her too well, always has. Though she may not say what she is feeling, may even hide the text particularly well, he can see the way the lettering flickers through her blue eyes. He can read the words aloud to her in another tongue and she will crumble.

Sai shrugs his shoulders and places the money for his food on the counter, then takes another sip of his water which Shikamaru swears should be almost empty by now. Shikamaru lifts the bowl to his mouth to drink the broth from it and then pays his half, and the two of them get up to leave at the same time without verbally communicating it. He supposes payment should be enough of a cue. They walk in the same direction, which isn't actually toward either of their homes, so Shikamaru can't be sure where they're going. He thinks that they are going to have a long conversation, though. "If it isn't too invasive," Sai starts, and Shikamaru is sure it will be. "Could you tell me what it was like?"

He stops breathing for a second.

What it was like, he thinks, and he knows that Sai means his relationship with Ino but he wants to pretend that he is oblivious. He wants to pretend that he doesn't know what the other man is talking about just so he can push his answer off. Because he doesn't want to tell her husband that they were some of the best years of his life. He doesn't want to tell her husband that he really was in love with Ino and on a level he's still in love with her, too. He doesn't want to tell her husband that if he'd been able to choose when he was eighteen-- even when he was nineteen, twenty, for years-- his choice would have been Ino. He doesn't want to tell her husband that if she asked him to abandon his life and run away with her, he'd drop everything in a heartbeat. He doesn't want to tell her husband that Ino will always be a part of him.

"Well, I'm sure if anyone could get it, you would," he starts, because that, at least, is true. It is an easy truth to grant. "Being with Ino is like... I guess it's a lot like smoking a cigarette. It's a rush. It's a chemical soup. It leaves its permanent imprints on your brain and your body and the way that you think. It's not like they become your whole life, but they become a part of your life. An important part, a part you might change everything for if you had to. Even after you quit, a part of your life is always dedicated to getting another one. To taking another breath. To catching the secondhand."

"And is that what this is? Spending time with me? Is it catching the secondhand?" He asks, apparently in the spirit of genuine inquiry. Shikamaru does not think that Sai is a particularly jealous man. He could tell him right now that he was in love with Ino and that he'd leave his wife tomorrow to be with her (which at this point he does not think is true-- his life with Temari has become the default; the normal; the way that things are, even if they aren't really the way that things have to be anymore) and Sai would probably just nod along and accept it because he is a selfless man, a good husband, and if Ino would accept that life then Sai would too because all he wants is her happiness.

Shikamaru shakes his head and laughs a little bit to clear the air. "No, I don't think so." He doesn't need to bear witness to the life Ino has built without him. "You're a good man, Sai. She deserves a good man."

This seems to pique Sai's interest again. "Are you not a good man?" He asks, and Shikamaru isn't sure how to answer that question. He isn't sure how to explain that on a fundamental level, he doesn't really think so. He doesn't think he can be. He can't explain what allows Sai and Naruto and Chōji and countless others all to be good men when they have had the same life experiences as Shikamaru, would likely make the same choices without questioning themselves as they are trained to do as shinobi. He only knows that they are all inherently good and something within him is tainted in a way he cannot fix or even properly see.

He knows this is not the answer that Sai wants, and yet he does not like lying, so he chooses to gift Sai with a form of release instead. "You seem pretty determined to give your wife away," he jokes, although he doesn't think this phrasing is quite right. You don't give Ino away. Like waves lapping at the shore, she comes and goes as she pleases until one day she dries up and leaves you dehydrated.

"I suppose I'm more interested in why you did," he shoots back, and Shikamaru feels his heart stutter. So she didn't tell him everything. She told him that we loved each other, that we were together, but she didn't tell him how we came apart. She didn't tell him about our tragic ending which paved the way for his happy ending. For her happy ending. For everyone's happy ending, I suppose.

"I didn't," he responds honestly, because Sai deserves to know. He does not deserve to be married to a secret and Ino can be mad at him if she wants but indignantly, Shikamaru can only think, You should have told him. "I don't think I ever would have been capable of giving Ino up. I don't know how anyone could be," he says. He thinks it's the most honest he's been all evening. "We started dating when we were fifteen. We didn't tell anyone about it because it was forbidden. Children of the Yamanaka clan cannot be with children of the Nara clan, and neither of us could have been with a member of the Akimichi clan, either. It jeopardizes the InoShikaChō trio that our families have perpetuated for hundreds of years. And there's so little our families cared about more than tradition. When we told them, we didn't really have a choice. So, no, I didn't give her away."

He knows that he shouldn't be bitter. Things are better this way. He has a pregnant wife waiting for him at home and she has a husband who would die for her.

But he can't help it, damn it. He can't help it because he would have happily been the husband who would die for her, and she could have been his pregnant wife, and if they'd never told anyone-- if they'd just eloped one day and announced it to their families then when there was nothing they could do about it-- everything would be fine. Maybe not better, but it'd be different and it'd be okay. He misses her so much sometimes it aches and even as he loves his wife, is in love with his wife, he knows that a part of him will always belong to Ino and that's not only unfair to both of them, but it's unfair to the wife he loves.

Sai lets them stay in quiet for a long time, and really, he is the one in total control of this conversation. Shikamaru has never felt so much like he was at another person's mercy before, but he knows now that he is a mouse stuck in a trap and begging for death.

"I'm glad, you know," he says eventually, and Shikamaru nearly jumps though it is not that sudden. "I suppose I should be jealous, but it makes me happy that there is someone else who loves my wife as much as I do. She needs more people who care so deeply for her in her life. I think that she often feels tragically unloved and alone, even when I am in the room with her. So I suppose, on a level, she needs you."

[riversimmone]

Line in the Sand

Line in the Sand - chapter 1

RiverOfTheSand

Summary:

AU GaaSaku. Because war is coming. Because a king needs a queen. And because no-one warned him his most dangerous opponent would be the one warming his bed.

Notes:

Cross-posted from fanfiction.net. Technically. I'm done waiting for my muse and want to post this here on AO3. Please read the tags and read and kudo and comment. I hope you enjoy. :)

End chapter notes:

Thankyou so much for reading. :)

.

This is a work in progress story you can also find on AO3 and FF.NET.

Enjoy. :)

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Chapter One: Enough is Enough.

-o-

Death was such a final affair. It couldn't be undone, bribed away, or blackmailed to disappear. Fighting it was a delay tactic at best, and denying its existence was detrimental and foolish.

It was also, sometimes, the only thing that made sense.

"The king is dead!"

The voice came from outside the mausoleum, but echoed through the building like a doomsday proclamation.

Death made sense.

Except the fact that sometimes it didn't. Sometimes it made no sense whatsoever. He was struggling to understand how he had come to be standing here, looking at this particular coffin, feeling these… feelings; guilt, regret, hatred, love and sheer terror.

What kind of omnipotent being let murderers, rapists and other sundry evil men live, but took away a broken country's last ray of hope? The sky was already darker than it should be at this time of the day, so what was the point? Why was he here, mourning, when so many others deserved it more?

"The king is dead!"

Yes, he'd died this morning; the blood in his bedchambers had yet to be cleaned and the redhead staring at the coffin in front of him could still smell the stench of it, hours after having found the body.

Sabaku no Gaara lifted his arms, his eyes travelling over the lines of the palms of his hands. It all seemed so arbitrary.

"The king is dead!"

He growled. Would someone shut that person up?

The words that echoed within the walls of the mausoleum (despite coming from outside), haunted him and he wished they would just die too.

He had never felt more confused, more foolish for believing that death itself would not touch these hallowed halls. He should have seen this coming. It was his duty to his king, to his family, and to his country.

The king is dead. He reminded himself.

And yet somehow, those four words were more comfort to him than he'd ever felt.

Gaara was still torn, however. He hadn't hated the fool, though the older man had given him every reason to. They were family… once upon a time.

But the children of the Sabaku clan had been scattered to the wind when their country fell into civil war. Who would claim the throne? Who would kill their own flesh and blood to get on that throne? And who would be forced on bended knee?

Ultimately, the answer had been: no-one.

And so the war raged. For three years; for three years their loyalists fought for and alongside the sibling they wanted to see crowned. People died then too. And then the outsiders invaded, taking advantage of the chaotic state of affairs; more death had come to them, and the estranged children were forced to put their disagreements aside to force the invading harbingers out of their lands.

And they won.

Gaara stood stiffly, glaring down at his brother's coffin.

Why did you have to die, stupid fool?

It was Kankuro that the people had wanted when the dust settled, and for once, the trio siblings had sat down and listened to the voices around them. It was Kankuro's cheeky face that was plastered around the royal home, the royal city, and pretty much the entire kingdom. The people didn't even know him personally, but somehow he had the kinder face of the Sabaku children, and they trusted that dorky smile.

Gaara groaned inwardly.

And the truth was, they weren't wrong. He had his foul moods just like anyone else, but Kankuro had been the better sibling – the nice one. Even in the heat of battle; Temari could scare a battalion with a glare and he… Gaara didn't have to try, he just naturally terrified all.

But who would the people want now? And how long would that person hold the crown before they too, were betrayed?

Even now, other nations were circling the borders like vultures, sensing their weakness. How long would it be before death visited them all again?

For three years, Gaara had fought his siblings, thinking he wanted to rule. He might not have been the first born, like Temari, or as well-liked as Kankuro, but there was no denying his power. If he wasn't meant to defend their people with that power, then why had he been born with it?

The gods were laughing at him, he was sure of it; give an ant the ability to conquer every ant hill, but deny him the spoils.

"Gaara!"

Temari's voice broke through his thoughts and the redhead looked up to see her striding into the mausoleum, flanked by two guards. She waved at them and they halted, letting her approach Gaara alone. She looked determined.

"The people are going to riot," she said. "Advisor Yura believes we cannot sit on this; the people will want retribution."

Gaara stared back at Kankuro's coffin. This was not how he had intended to celebrate his twenty-first birthday. It seemed so long ago now, that Kankuro had been slapping him on the back and questioning his sexual orientation, given that Gaara hadn't wed any of the noble ladies yet. He was the only sibling without a significant partner.

I have standards. His monotone reply had been met with a laugh and a giggling confession of his brother's own sex life.

Kankuro's widow crept into his head, and Gaara sighed. He felt sorry for her, mostly. She was too kind hearted a person to do what needed to be done next.

Gaara himself didn't want a kind woman. For most of his life, he hadn't wanted a woman at all (he liked them, but only when they didn't talk). He was twenty-one now, and had never held down any kind of relationship. He'd rarely partaken in sex and still had little idea what he was doing – which only added to his desire to avoid sexual situations. He found it too hard to let everything go and open himself up in front of anyone without the pressure of pleasing another person, let alone himself.

He was too easily impressed by feminine curves to trust himself in the sight of them.

It was a free life, but also a lonely one.

"We have to get out there." Temari stepped up next to him. "We have to tell the people that this treachery will not go unanswered."

The warm hand on his shoulder reminded him yet again that he wasn't as alone as he felt.

Finally, he'd been on good terms with his brother, and now this?

He couldn't stand it.

The pain was going to tear him up from the inside and he didn't know how to stop it.

"Gaara?" His sister's voice was soft, almost cautious.

He shook his head slightly. "How could he?"

Temari frowned. Was he asking how Kankuro could die, or die and leave them behind? She sighed.

"He loved you. Even when you were at each other's throats – even when we were all trying to kill each other. Kankuro… never stopped hoping we would all come back here someday. He loved you most of all."

It still didn't make any sense to him.

He didn't get it.

Making his decision, Gaara squared his shoulders and turned to face the guards who had been dutifully waiting for them to finish their conversation. He stared into their faces and they stared back. Loyalty in this country meant equal footing – even a servant deserved to be treated with respect.

He nodded to them. "Tell the advisor to gather the people. It's time to make a stand."

A wide grin spread over the faces of the guards and they rushed to obey his command.

Temari clasped her brother's hand, feeling the same desire for revenge rush through her. Gaara squeezed her hand back, though he didn't feel as confident as he'd sounded. But he was determined: he would not let anyone take advantage of his people again.

-o-

On the other side of Sunagakure, green eyes raked over the city hungrily, taking in every detail.

Silk curtains wafted over her face, falling against her body gently, highlighting the contours of her petite body; she loved the feel of it, but more than anything, she enjoyed the cool breeze drifting in – a sign that even balmy summers in this city could be gentle on the wind. She was taking a moment to admire the beauty of the foreign city beneath her before letting the reality of her situation sink in. Sunagakure. Her new home. It had seen better days – at the height of its power years ago, it had stood as a beacon to distant travellers – but even now it still retained a regal air about it.

It was… entrancing.

Sakura Haruno was the heiress to the last of the nomadic tribes that had come to Sunagakure to parlay with king and request permanent residence, only to hear the news of the man's untimely death. They were a proud people, brave warriors and healers, but they were dying. Country borders were closing in light of the new political tensions, and it was becoming impossible to safely traverse the old travelling roads they loved so much – in just this last month alone they'd lost fifteen people in their caravan to brigands and foreign soldiers mistaking them for spies.

This couldn't continue.

Most people thought they were just gypsy nobles who were hardy and interesting enough street entertainers when they were short on money, but the truth was that they were the descendants of the Kiraaku – a Yakuza-like clan that had once been infamous for manipulating their way into powerful families. They'd literally fucked, manipulated, and murdered their way into the noble court.

But things changed when Sakura's great-great grandfather gathered what was left of their clan (after an assassin killed their patriarch) and turned them into nomads. Slowly, the legend of the Kiraaku died down, and very few knew of their bloody past. Their history was dead. And yet they themselves, survived.

Sakura turned away from the balcony and looked at her sleeping father; she had come to his chambers, hoping he was awake, but now hesitated to disturb him. He was dying, and there was nothing she could do about it. A sickness picked up from a neighbouring country had infested his body and now he had very little time left. Kizashi was all she had left of her mother – the woman who'd been kidnapped, raped and murdered by brigands before Sakura was even old enough to talk. Mebuki had been a beautiful woman, and it was her exotic looks that the pinkette had inherited.

But enough was enough.

They needed to find a new home if they were going to prevent these things from happening again. And her father had a plan to make that happen.

In this country, the daughters of the smaller tribes were highly valued in buying and selling for marriages with nobles because of their exotic looks and rumoured, unique skills. It was a fetish that made her uncomfortable, but what kind of Kiraaku descendant would she be if she didn't take advantage of it?

"Sakura?"

Her father stirred, reaching out for her as she ran to his side.

"Daddy?"

"I knew it was you."

His sight was failing, along with his internal organs. Even she, with all her medical prowess, couldn't save him, and she hated herself.

"Don't cry."

Her tears trickled down his arm as she kissed the back of his hand.

"I can't help it, daddy."

"You can't cry yet."

She nodded. "I know."

"Yuri can lead our clan now, but you need to do something else for them."

"I don't know…"

"Do this, please? For me?"

Sakura tightened her hold on his hand. "I will, daddy."

She had no problem with seducing the richest noble she could catch the eye of. They were all rolling in dough. If they fell for her charms, it was their own fault. But her father had higher dreams and, upon news that the king had died, had expressed his desire for her to aim much higher.

The youngest Sabaku…

He had more wealth than your average noble, and the power he wielded in battle was too much of a temptation; she may not agree with the way her ancestors had hurt people, but the blood of the Kiraaku ran through her and she couldn't deny she really wanted to see this living legend in the flesh. His people mostly feared his power – though they revered it too – but if the rumours were true, he was headed for that ivory throne.

Even if she failed with him, there had to be someone in that court that would find her attractive.

Sakura kissed her father's forehead as his eyes closed and his breathing evened out again, indicating he was asleep.

She would marry into wealth and restore her clan's honour by taking that crown (or similar) by whatever means she felt necessary. But first, she needed to play the marriageable woman. She needed to show off her exotic looks, her unique skills, and charm the pants off that man.

-o-

[misscoolisback123]

Question: Why do you ship SasuHina? And who do you ship Naruto with in a SasuHina verse?

I’m asking this as a fellow SasuHina shipper myself :).

I like Sasuhina because they balance each other. It's also due to the fact that Hinata is not a Sasuke fangirl. Someone made a claim that the reason why her hair was short in their genin days was because she heard that Sasuke likes girls with long hair, but that's a lie. The reason why her hair was like that was due to shame, unfortunately. I've seen a ton of fanfiction of them that not only write Hinata as a better character but also people write Sasuke with an ending he deserves. The way their relationship is written feels natural and convincing and not just because they're cute together. But they are cute together, though! There are girls that aren't Sasuke fangirls such as Temari, but she didn't go to school with him. She had a short-lived crush on Sasuke, but that was it.

[vote-gaara]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 @ that anon The whole Naruto fixation makes me sad 'cause like... it goes to show how starved for friendship he was/is, since Naruto really didn't do much besides fight him and say a few empathetic lines. Gaara would've fixated on /any/ friend he had as a kid, and Naruto just happened to be the first. Imagine how much more it would've meant to him if he actually had a friend by his side regularly who encouraged and supported him. Just one. He wouldn't talk about Naruto so much if he wasn't the only one to show even the tiniest bit of empathy.

TLDR give him a better best friend, Kishimoto

You are absolutely right!

Gaara idolizes Naruto more than anyone else and would literally die for him; however, their bond seems slightly one-sided. Though Naruto would always come running if Gaara's life were in peril and I have no doubt that Naruto really hopes for the best for Gaara, they aren't exactly buds. I mean the two of them aren't going out to hang or anything, or even rely on each other for advice about other things going on in their lives (relationships, finances, day to day problems) that you may confide in a friend for. It seems like Gaara is in this one-sided, business-like, long distance friendship with Naruto that he lives and breathes for, and that kind of personal intimacy is a little strange because their relationship doesn't seem to have much sustenance passed "he saved me" and "we have each other's back in life or death situations".

It's like friend 911.

It's sad because Gaara doesn't ask for anything more, and he clings to this distant relationship partly because it's the first friendship he formed, as you said, and also because I don't think Gaara really knows how to go about forming friendships that are deeper than um...concepts?

I mean look at how he views his bond with his village. He somehow feels as though being a public servant for the people of Suna is enough of an adequate substitute for legitimate human connection. Which, there are people out there who are that introverted and if that's what fuels them and feels best for them, there's nothing wrong with it, but Gaara actually feels like this connection he has to his village is really personal and so he doesn't ask for anything else which is sad because he does actually want more than that from friendships, but he's not sure he's: 1) Deserving of it 2) Has the social skills for it and 3) Has the time for it as he feels obligated to make up for his past through work.

I truly believe there is a strong difference between being introverted and being so used to being lonely that you believe you are okay with being reclusive. Sadly, I think Gaara falls more into the latter category.

I'm not saying that Gaara would go out and be the life of the party and thrive in large, rambunctious social settings if he hadn't been born with Shukaku - I do believe he would still be shy and quiet - however, I think he would have a lot more one-on-one friendships that he could lean on (not including Temari and Kankuro) without the trauma.

It's just that he doesn't feel he can have those things, and I guess he may be scared to try.

This may be controversial, but I this overall Lee has been a better friend to Gaara than Naruto has (whoops).

[chiefatticcreator]

Naruto moans loud as he pats Temari's head. "So good. Keep it up and you will soon get the treat that you deserve." Naruto then whispers to Ino. "Just look at her down there. Isn't this where she belongs Ino? Just like you predicted, Temari will come to us." Naruto chuckles as Ino smirks.

Temari is soon surprised when another clone starts thrusting in between her ass cheeks, while another one is doing the same but to her tits. "Don't worry about this beautiful. This is just to make this experience better." the clone states.

Temari is still surprised, but she had a dumb, slutty smile on her face, a whorish expression when she starts to move her body again, shakign between them, from the cock she is sucking, from the one in her ass, from the one between her breasts, in her hands... she moans and moans.

[teawinx]

I now understand why Kishimoto never settled on an outfit for Temari

She’s surprisingly difficult to style

An unspoken “rule” of this little design exercise is to create outfits based on their main look. So I had to pick just one of Temari’s, and I’ve always liked her black and red kimono from early Shippuden. It’s classy and stylish as all heck, and black was just made for Temari.

(Side note, I actually really love how many outfits Temari got to wear, despite not liking them all. To me it just read as her being fashionable and stylish, and wanting to experiment with her look. Plus I love a tough girl with traditionally feminine interest, and it’s never considered a bad thing. Temari, I salute you)

And again Like every other girl in the series Temari got fucking ROBBED

She was incredible in Part 1, actually allowed to have fight scenes and be a power house. And then Shippuden rolled around and we never saw her. It’s such a shame. I don’t have a proper idea for her story yet, all I do know is that I want her to stick around longer. Develop her and Shikamaru as a potential couple. Have her inspire the other girls like Ino. Have her fight Hidan alongside Shikamaru maybe, that would have a nice buildup. Maybe have her apologize and reconcile with Tenten after snapping her back in the Chunin exams? Could also be interesting to explore her trauma from having Gaara as a brother, idk the potential is there.

She’s just another case of a good character being lost in a series that’s overstuffed with them. I guess I’m at least grateful we got Temari being amazing in Part 1, which is more than any of the other girls got throughout the entire run-time.

[all-naruto-polls]

which female character deserved better, in the manga?

Sakura

Hinata

Temari

Tenten

Kushina

Kurenai

Rin

Konan

[jesseevelann]

Hey I’m not feel to well at the moment so I’ve been away for a while sorry! Could I request sick shikamaru insisting he’s fine because he planned this whole night for temari and he sure as hell isn’t going to be the one to ruin it while temari panics because he looks like he’s about to collapse and she is absolutely prepared to tie him down if it means he’ll give up on his plans and just rest because she cares more about him than anything he had planned. Have a nice day/night! Take your time there’s no rush!❤️❤️❤️

I'm glad to see you again, I hope you feel better soon. Hope you enjoy 💕

///

"I had a whole night planned, Temari..."

Shikamaru coughed weakly and sniffled. Pouting at Temari's lack of response while she covered his chest and neck with chestrub. It was pointless arguing, Temari was too protective of him.

He pouted more at her silence, stopping her hand and locking eye contact. Temari sighed and pulled away.

"You can't go out when you're sick, Shikamaru... you can barely walk to the hallway. You have to stay home."

Shikamaru averted his gaze when Temari stood, half burying himself into the bed to hide his guilt.

This was becoming a common occurance. A big night getting planned, then Shikamaru getting sick the day of. He felt terrible because of it. Temari deserved to go out to fancy dinners and have time away from home outside of visiting her brothers, and Shikamaru wanted to give that to her.

The bed dipped when she joined him on the bed, Shikamaru falling to her chest as she moved across. She pulled him into a gentle hug.

"Don't feel bad, Shikamaru... you can't control these things. Besides, I'd rather spend the night home with you than go out."

Shikamaru sniffled slightly, he wasn't sure if it was tears or the incoming flu, but Temari wiped his nose either way.

"Really...?"

Temari kissed his forehead softly.

"Really. Now go to sleep, we can do something fun tomorrow."

Shikamaru smiled slightly, snuggling into Temari's warmth. Temari kissed him again while pulling his hairtie out.

"Alright... thank you Temari."

"You're welcome, Shikamaru."

// end

[0rent]

SPILL THE BEANS ABOUT THE KANKUHINA PLS

The KankuHina came to be because well there aren't a lot of them out there and i bugged Lav about writing one but she won't just like she won't write ChoHina 🥲, So I decided why not write one myself, Kankuro deserves more love and who better to give him that love then Hinata 😊

As far as the story goes I have a rough outline, Hinata is on a mission in Suna, I think after the 4th War, she broke up with Naruto not long before the mission, While there she hangs out with Temari a lot and Kankuro joins them, eventually they all get drunk one night and Kankuro and Hinata share a kiss and it sparks something in them.

More then that i don't have right now 😁

[chattegeorgiana]

Just wanted to say congratulations on Kaika Sasei. Just read chapter 2 and I'm hooked.

I have to admit it to you, I'm a loyal and devoted sasusaku. But that's not an impediment to read your story, you guys are really talented and you deserve recognition.

What I'm most interested about is your view of Sakura, I noticed the little hint about her promotion and I loved it, I missed moments like those from Kishimoto really.

So my question is, can you indulge me a little? Will you respect some canon events? One of my favorite things is inosakutema, I'm pretty sure you don't follow Boruto but they're an awesome trio! I was hoping you kept that? Haha sorry.

Another thing, one of my favorite things about narusaku (as my brotp of Naruto, otp for you) is their jobs. Hokage is the most important person of Konoha and the Head Medic is the boss of the most important Konoha department. Will you keep it that way? They're the most valuable and important duo, as friends in Boruto (or barely friends?😭) but a couple in Kaika Sasei.

Hope you cover Sakura's clinic too, her job in Cypher Corps too with Shikamaru (another brotp of mine) and Tsunade with Sakura in the clinic's creation. I need Sakura Hiden to get animated.

I'm so hooked about the kunoichis too. What will you do to Ino? Please don't do like Boruto and put her in Sensory she's awfully useless. Maybe follow her father's steps? I always thought she was a nepo but I can't help it because she's Sakura's best friend. Temari the Ambassador is great too. I don't care about Hinata though, Hanabi head of her clan?

I'm so excited to read more of Kaika Sasei💗

Hi there, fellow Sakura fan! :D

Also, like I always said, you guys ship whatever the hell you want to. Just because I don't like the writing because I have certain views and preferences, doesn't mean YOU should do the same.

Plus, as I said, I USED to be a multishipper, and it includes shipping SS too.

But anyway, let's get to the point.

First of all, thank you for your kind words for Kaika Saisei. Glad to see you enjoyed the little nuggets, hahah. I'm trying my best to stay as close as possible to Kishi's writing style. :D

Also lol, don't apologize for asking those questions. Now, I don't think I'll do a 1:1 on the canon events, but there might be some similarities?

I'm not familiar with Ino/Saku/Tema dynamics too in depth, but Ino is Sakura's best friend after all and I've already started writing more on the dynamics of those two in the written version of Kaika.

As for Temari, I also have a Sakura-Temari thing in mind given that there is something specific I want to do with Sakura in Suna, or better said in the whole wide shinobi world, and given that I will go the ShikaTema route, too, you'll probably end-up with a similarity in that sense.

However, I also have an adjacent development that includes logistics so to speaks, with Karin, as well as a certain aspect with Hinata as part of the Hyugas subplot.

I'm trying my best to keep this as original as possible because I've had with people accusing us of copying Boruto, when certain important elements in Boruto have been concepts that were first created by NaruSaku fans, but alas.

As for Naruto & Sakura, OF COURSE I'm going to keep that going on for them. I cannot see them as anything else besides Hokage/Head of the medical department. I like to keep consistency.

As for the clinic thing, well, we as fans of NaruSaku been talking about this idea of clinics for children years before the ending, so I'm going to have that one as well, just under a different route, maybe? I already started this in the written version of Kaika Saisei.

I have 11 chapters of Kaika Saisei written already, the manga is barely catching-up to the written version haha.

As for the kunoichis, I do have certain paths mapped out for them, especially for Sakura, Hinata, Ino, Karin and I have something in mind for Tenten too!

For Temari I admit I didn't give it so much thought because she had her fair share of spotlight that gives her proper treatment, so I focused more on the areas that I thought are lacking.

As for reading more of Kaika, well, there's always the written version if you want to read. Because the translation from written version into manga is quite different from what I've learned.

So it'll take a little while until I get to all the things in manga format that I have already written.

Besides, not even the written version is yet ready lol. I barely have just begun.

Anyway, hope I clarified these things for you.

Thank you for such a thoughtful question and for your interest in Kaika!

All the best, Chatte